ladyofavalon77 | FIRST MEETING…FIRST TOUCH…FIRST KISS (Reply)

So I had a little time on my hands while I was away and composed this short little story on the wonderful love triangle that is Martha, Aaron and Charles. I've decided I can stomach Aaron if he never unites with Martha but I added the last scene to make M/A shippers happy :D Plus it's nice to see Martha have a happy ending! Enjoy this little trip to fantasy land!

FIRST MEETING…FIRST TOUCH…FIRST KISS

The first time he sees her is at the state legislature. She is the governor's special guest as he gives the state of the state address. According to all the pundits, it is a very good speech. However, Charles Logan cannot remember a word the man says. His complete attention is transfixed on Martha the moment she walks into the room. Her golden blonde hair entrances him...her striking blue eyes seduce him...but it is the sound of her laughter that decides him...this is the woman he will marry...no matter what obstacles there are to surmount. The prize is more than worth it and he has finally found someone worth fighting for.

The first time she sees him is at a dinner party when Walt Cummings introduces them. Right away she notices how short he is...at least compared to Governor Kirkpatrick. However, it doesn't take long for Martha to realize that height is a relative issue and, despite his smaller stature, Charles Logan is a man with a presence and intellect that overshadows any physical limitations. What she loves most about him is that he truly believes in his cause and will not let hell nor high water persuade him otherwise. A man devoted to such ideals will no doubt show his wife the same attention. She is both intrigued and intimidated.

The first time he sees her is when he opens the door for her at the White House. She is a friend of David Palmer and Aaron Pierce has been given strict instructions to let her come right through security without any questions. It is her warm, generous smile that immediately captures his heart. She is joking with President Palmer's secretary when he moves to open the door to the Oval Office. Stopping midway through her conversation, she turns to him and says, "Thank you." Two very simple words...but the way she says them...and the way their eyes lock if just for a moment...well, it's as if they are the only two people in the room. He knows he can trust her and he wants her to trust him.

"Do you dance, Mr. Logan?" her mischievous voice whispers in his ear as they sit at yet another boring state party function. A district judge is giving a speech before a collection of politicians and businessmen who have just purchased dinner plates expensive enough to feed a city block. He shakes his head no but she takes his hand anyways and leads him over to the sixteen piece orchestra, leaning over to make a personal request before coaxing him into a simple waltz. First he feels mortified at her audacity...until he realizes that this is what he loves about Martha...her unpredictable nature to coax him out of his shell that can be both maddening and arousing all at the same time. He loves her even more.

"Are you alright, Mrs. Logan?" his reassuring, deep voice asks and she nods mutely, still in shock over the unexpected car accident they have just experienced on the freeway. Seeing that she is still disoriented, Aaron Pierce attempts to calm her down by speaking softly and reaching to unlock her seat belt which has jammed. Reacting on pure instinct, she wraps her arms around his neck and leans against his shoulder as he struggles to free her. It doesn't take long and she allows him to help her out of the wrecked SUV, leaning on him completely for support. He wraps his jacket around her and takes her to a car waiting nearby. She feels safe with him.

"Are you always this serious, Mr. Pierce?" she asks, teasing him during her first luncheon at the White House. The president is a widower and needs someone to fill in for the functions a First Lady would normally perform. She doesn't seem to mind and Aaron believes she is a natural at charming whatever room she enters. Still he just gives her a brief nod of his head and secretly enjoys the playful smile that follows, unexpectedly caught off guard when she suddenly reaches out to squeeze his arm before heading back to the party. Though he stays at attention for the rest of the afternoon, he can still feel the touch of her hand on his arm long after she's gone.

They're at the doorstep of her apartment and he's too shy to invite himself in. Charles Logan has rarely dated and he's not sure how to proceed now that their relationship is getting serious. They spend a few minutes talking about the weather, politics, a new restaurant in town...anything but what they're both really thinking...the idea that they could spend the rest of their lives together...that they make a good team. The conversation is coming to an end and he is desperate to find a way to make her stay when suddenly she's kissing him...passionately...deeply...unforgettably...kissing him "All you had to do was ask," she explains with a smile before leaving.

It's pouring rain outside and she doesn't feel it soaking her skin and matting her hair to her forehead. The letter she was reading still clutched in her hand, nothing more than a crumpled ruin of wet paper and ink. The writer is a friend from overseas asking about her son...her child...who died in a car accident she's been trying to forget. Her tears mix with the rain on her face as she senses someone approach. Strong but gentle hands carry her back to the house and, as Agent Pierce wraps a blanket around her shivering shoulders, Martha impulsively reaches out to kiss him before whispering, "Thank you." For he was here when her husband was not.

He's old fashioned. He wants to wait till their wedding day before they share their first kiss as husband and wife. Aaron believes the wait will be worth it...and he's not mistaken. As they take their vows beneath the white roses, he can't help but think that she's never looked more beautiful to him...even more so than the first day he met her. The minister finishes the ceremony and Aaron leans in for the kiss he's been waiting for all his life. Their lips touch and he loses track of all time and space. There's just the two of them and he doesn't need anyone to tell him that angels come from heaven...for he's holding one in his arms at this very moment.

This is the start of a brand new day...with no mistakes in it!