In Nick Rush's world, Christmas was something that happened to other people. He'd generally remembered to buy presents for Gloria and compliment the decorations she put up, but mostly Christmas was a time for being paraded around and distracted from work whenever he couldn't get out of one of the endless parties. He wasn't a fan.

Belle, naturally, adored the holiday. She and Eli had been singing Christmas songs for the past two weeks, although "singing" was a generous interpretation of their warbling. Despite that, she hadn't said a single word to him about the makeshift preparations the crew was going through to try to mark the occasion, and for some reason that pissed him off more than if she'd been harassing him about trying to get into the holiday spirit.

Nick wasn't an idiot; he knew he wasn't much of a fiancee. Belle didn't get much in the line of romance from him. She got sex and he growled at her slightly less than everyone else, and that was about it. If she'd had more than just Destiny's crew to choose from, he knew damned well he wouldn't stand a chance with her. Still, he tried, and having her leave him out of the preparations made him feel like she was giving up on him.

The more he thought about it, the more irritated he got until an idea presented itself. He wasn't about to pitch in with the rest of the crew, but there was no reason he couldn't give Belle something that at least approximated a Christmas celebration. She deserved it for putting up with him.

For the next week, he raided the cargo bays for any bits and pieces that looked both decorative and useless and scrounged every bit of wire he could find. Although he'd never considered himself artistic, Nick was more than a bit proud of himself when he managed to put the two things together to create a necklace comprised of what looked like miniature crystalline gears strung on delicate copper wire. The bigger bits and pieces he turned into ornaments, and he already had the perfect plant picked out to be their tree. It was just a matter of finding the right moment to steal it from the dome.

For her part, Belle seemed blissfully oblivious to his machinations. That wasn't entirely true: she kept giving him the 'I know you're up to something' look, but considering the wary looks she shot at Young, he assumed she thought he was plotting against the colonel again. She'd be so pleased with her surprise.

Stealing the plant was easier than he expected it to be, but decorating it was a royal pain in the ass. Although the branches looked sturdy, the weight of the ornaments bowed them, and the lantern didn't spotlight his handiwork as well as he'd hoped.

"Nick?' As the door to their quarters started to open, he planted himself in front of the tree to block it from view.

"Go away!" That was less than gracious, but it worked. Belle stayed in the corridor, the door sliding shut again.

"If you're wanking, I want in," she shot back, and he stifled a laugh.

"Give me two minutes," he promised.

"You usually last longer than that," Belle said dryly, and he grumbled at the 'usually.' "A real two minutes or a Nick Rush two minutes?"

He shoved the last ornaments onto the plant and wrapped the conduit garland around it, pleased when it only looked slightly pathetic instead of completely pathetic. With her necklace safely ensconced in his pocket, Nick was as ready as he'd ever be. "Close your eyes."

Belle stood waiting for him in the corridor, a long-suffering expression on her face as he led her into their quarters and placed her in front of the Christmas plant. Reaching out, he adjusted the lantern's position for the best effect and took a deep breath. "Open."

He watched her face as she blinked her eyes open, her lips parting on a silent gasp. "Merry Christmas, Belle."

"Nick..." she breathed, reaching out to touch the tree like she wasn't sure it was real. "This is... Did you...?"

Since Belle was very rarely at a loss for words, Nick chose to take that as a good sign. "I didn't think you liked Christmas!" she finally managed to blurt.

"But you do," he explained, fishing in his pocket for the necklace, "There's more."

Belle turned to face him, her eyes suspiciously shiny, and he dangled the necklace in front of her for a moment before looping it over her head. With professional pride, he trailed a finger over the wire before straightening it so it hung correctly, the largest gear snuggled between her breasts, and he nearly fell over when she suddenly flung herself into his arms. "I love you," she gasped.

"I love you too," he whispered into her hair, concerned when he felt dampness against his throat. Belle was crying. "Belle?"

She clung tighter when he tried to pull away, and he rubbed her back gently as she burrowed against his neck. "I can't believe you did this. This is so..."

"Out of character?" he suggested drily, and she smacked his shoulder with a watery chuckle.

"I was going to say sweet," she corrected him, brushing her lips against his throat, and he shivered.

"Like I said," he rasped, "Out of character."

Belle pulled away just enough to look up at him, her face set in the stubborn expression she wore every time she decided he was overexerting himself. "You don't give yourself enough credit," she informed him.

Reaching out, he wrapped a lock of her hair around his finger and tugged gently. "Maybe you give me too much."

Belle's eyes shone as she shook her head, "I don't think so. Just because you don't show this side of yourself that often doesn't mean it's not part of you." Her fingers caressed the back of his neck, distracting him from her words. "I like it that you don't show everyone this side of you, that you save it for me. It makes me feel special."

"You are," he whispered, drawing her close once more. Belle had returned his humanity to him, something he'd thought long gone. She made him better, made him believe again. A Christmas tree was hardly thanks enough.

She pulled him down for a kiss, and Nick lost himself in her mouth, relieved to be able to show her how much he cherished her instead of having to grope for the words. Sweet nothings were not his strong suit, but this he could do. Belle yelped as he picked her up, breaking their kiss in order to laugh breathlessly as he carried her to the bed, depositing her carefully on the side before dropping to his knees to tug off her shoes and socks.

Smiling to himself, he pressed his thumbs against her instep and dragged them towards her toes as Belle flopped back across the bed with a groan of ecstasy. "Merry Christmas to me," she mumbled, and he chuckled, continuing the foot massage for a few minutes, before shucking off his own boots and joining her on the bed, ignoring her murmur of dismay.

"Any more of that, and you'll fall asleep," he reminded her, "I've got plans for you."

Without opening her eyes, Belle smiled and held her arms out to him, and he settled on top of her, their mouths fusing again. She was such a tiny thing, even compared to him. With her he felt strong and powerful, something due as much to the effect she had on his soul as her petite frame. With Belle at his side, he could conquer the universe, and she'd stop him from losing himself along the way.

At the moment, the only mysteries that interested him were those of her body. No matter how much time he spent kissing her, her sweet taste never failed to surprise him. There was no reason, none, that Belle should taste like strawberries when they hadn't seen the fruit in over a year, but her lips were as luscious as the berry itself.

Her hands pushed at his clothing, and Nick sat up, straddling her thighs as he quickly removed his waistcoat and shirts, a small part of his psyche preening at her appreciative smile. While he didn't think himself ugly, he'd never considered himself a particularly handsome man, but Belle looked at him like he was a god. She smoothed her palms down his back, and he arched into the touch, his skin tingling with the contrast between the cool air and her warm hands, the sensation sending shivers through him.

"Cold?" she asked, and her wicked smile was enough to make his blood boil, "I'll warm you up."

He groaned as she sat up beneath him, her lips exploring his chest randomly as her fingers found his nipples, and the interplay between her soft kisses and the insistent tug of her fingers was enough to make his eyes roll back in his head. "Enough," he grunted, pushing her away and nipping at her bottom lip when she pouted at him. "This is your present."

"I got you for Christmas?" she asked innocently as he attacked her blouse. "I thought I already had you, Nick."

"You've had me a thousand times," he reminded her as he finally managed to get her shirt off of her, the necklace gleaming against her pale skin, and he traced it with his finger, pleased when she shivered, her nipples hardening under the lace of her bra. "Greedy. You got a Christmas tree and a necklace. What else do you want?"

Belle caught a handful of his hair to yank him into a fierce kiss. "I want you to make me scream," she murmured against his lips, and Nick didn't need any more encouragement.

Her bra hit the opposite wall a handful of seconds later, then he pushed her onto her back, stripping her jeans and knickers off of her with ruthless efficiency, leaving her wearing nothing but his necklace. For a moment he just admired the view before tracing the wire with his tongue as Belle played with his hair, her soft tugs sending lightning racing up and down his spine. Her legs parted to cradle him, and he rubbed against her with a groan, the urge to simply push into her almost more than he could bear. Instead, he pulled away, ducking down to bury his face between her thighs and moaning at the sweet heat that greeted him.

She melted against his tongue as he lapped at her, and Nick let his fingers play too, plunging into her teasingly before withdrawing just so he could have the pleasure of entering her again. His own jeans were becoming seriously uncomfortable, but the thought of stopping, even long enough to disrobe, was an anathema. Nothing short of a supernova would tear him away from Belle when she was moaning his name in that husky, broken voice, her soft little body arching into him like she could never get enough.

He couldn't get enough of her either. No matter how often they did this, he was constantly starving for her, and it was only through a herculean use of willpower that he ever got anything done at all. Destiny was beautiful and fascinating, but Destiny didn't taste like roses and honey. Destiny didn't claw at his shoulders, leaving a trail of fire. Destiny didn't scream his name.

Belle had screamed herself hoarse by the time she finally used her grip on his hair to pull him away from her, and he reluctantly lifted his head, kissing his way leisurely up her body as she struggled to catch her breath. "What about you, sweetheart?" she panted, cupping him through his jeans and squeezing, the sensation nearly sending him through the ceiling as she went to work on his belt, "What do you want for Christmas?"

His strangled cry filled the room as she pushed his jeans down and pressed a kiss to the head of his cock through his boxers. Belle murmured with pleasure and did it again, distracting him so thoroughly that he could barely help her get him out of his clothing. He hissed as she dragged her tongue over his cock, licking him from root to tip, and it felt amazing, but it wasn't what he wanted right now.

Catching her by her shoulders, he pulled her away, pillaging her mouth for his own flavor. "Just let me have you," he gritted out, nipping at her bottom lip before laving it apologetically with his tongue.

Belle beamed at him, then turned over so she was lying on her stomach with her head resting on her hands at the foot of the bed so she could see their tree. Nick's mouth went dry as she arched back like a cat, and he settled himself on top of her, pushing himself deep in one smooth thrust.

Sighing, he rested there for a moment, just reveling in the feel of the tight heat of her body wrapping around him, soothing and inflaming him at the same time. She arched her neck with a moan of pleasure, and he buried his face against her throat, lavishing her with kisses as she laced their fingers together, clinging to him as he started to move.

Their position didn't lend itself to enthusiastic thrusting, but the long, slow slide of their bodies pressing together was more than enough for both of them. The rhythm was gentle and easy as they kissed messily, Belle dividing her attention between him and the Christmas tree, looking at it with wonder in her face. "You're amazing," she breathed between kisses, "Just... amazing."

He might not be much of a fiancee, but in that moment it didn't seem to matter that Belle had chosen him from a very limited pool of options. What mattered was that she had chosen him and that she was happy with her choice. "I love you, Belle."

Her lips parted on a sigh at the words, and she shuddered beneath him, her body squeezing him tightly, pulling him deeper as he followed her into bliss. "Love you," she whispered as he trembled with his own release, and hearing those softly-voiced words at the height of his pleasure made everything a thousand times more intense.

Even when he'd regained his strength, Nick remained where he was, comfortably blanketing Belle with his own body, their fingers still entwined. He'd never cared much about Christmas, still didn't, but moments like this he could learn to treasure. "Merry Christmas, Belle."

He could hear the smile in her voice as he nuzzled his face against her throat, lapping at her salt-tinged skin. "Merry Christmas, Nick."