Title: When He Knew

Author: helsinkibaby

Fandom: Stargate SG1

Pairing: Carolyn Lam/Agent Barrett

Rating: PG

Word Count: 316

Notes: Part of the “why Character A loves Character B” meme

Malcolm wasn’t in love with Carolyn when he sang to her, and he certainly wasn’t in love with her when she kissed him that same night. He knew she was beautiful, knew she was smart, and there was something about the tilt of her head when she was speaking in briefings at Stargate Command that did all kinds of things to his libido.

But it wasn’t love, not then.

It didn’t become love until they’d been dating for a while, until he learned that chocolate was her downfall, that she had a tendency to talk in her sleep, that she cooked the best bacon and egg breakfast in the world.

It didn’t become love until he realised that while she couldn’t sing worth a damn, he loved to watch her as she danced, that even though he never considered himself a pet person, he’d come to welcome the sensation of Clarence – her giant tabby cat – curling up on the couch beside them as they watched a movie.

It didn’t become love until the Ori plague struck the Earth, and he watched her move heaven and earth to save as many patients as she could. She barely ate, hardly slept, didn’t come home at all, and the only times he saw her were snatched moments around Cheyenne Mountain.

It didn’t become love until he found her in her office, half a minute away from total collapse, and he held her in her arms, not saying anything, just holding her. When they separated, he turned to his briefcase, pulling out a bar of chocolate, handing it to her.

The smile she gave him could have powered Colorado for a moment. “I love you,” she told him, and seconds later the smile was gone as she realised she’d said what she’d never said before.

Her smile was back seconds later, when he replied completely seriously, “I love you too.”