HomeNews & InfoFan FictionMessage BoardLinksEmail

CHAPTER ONE

Jacob left the infirmary, his heart heavy with the thought that it might be a long time before he'd see his daughter again.  If he couldn't convince his fellow Tok'ra that they were making a mistake by ending the alliance with Earth, it might be many months before he could return.

Jacob's thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Daniel leaning dejectedly against the wall a few yards down the hallway.  He stopped and watched the younger man.  The linguist was clearly upset.  Jacob recalled Daniel's outburst in the briefing room, how angry it had made the archeologist that the Tok'ra and Jaffa were pulling out of the alliance after Sam had suffered so much and nearly died because of her efforts to give all of them a new weapon in the fight against Anubis.  Daniel had been the only one with the guts to voice his disgust over the whole thing.

Jacob's thoughts turned to Daniel's earlier visit to him in the infirmary.  He had known right off that the young man wasn't really there to check up on him.  There had been only one thing on Daniel's mind, and that was Sam.

'He's in love with her, Jacob,' Selmak said.

'Yes, I know.  I've suspected it for a while, but I'm certain of it now.'

'She loves him, too.'

Jacob did not deny it.  The night he held his daughter in his arms as she cried for hours after Daniel's 'death' left no doubt in his mind about her feelings for the man.

'So, what are we going to do about it?' Selmak asked.

'We?'

'Of course "we," Jacob.  Who was it who told you years ago that Daniel and Samantha make a good couple?  They'd be good for each other.  You know that as well as I do.  Daniel is a good man, one of the finest, most honorable humans I have ever met.  He'd make a wonderful Tok'ra.  It really is too bad that he is so against the idea.'

'Selmak, Daniel would make a lousy Tok'ra.  He's too independent and strong-willed, and his sense of morality and desire to help those in trouble are too great for him ever to accept the way the Tok'ra do things.  Any symbiote that was blended with him would probably spend half their time arguing with him about the actions they should take in any given situation.  Just ask Jack.'

Selmak chuckled.  'Yes, you're probably right.  I'd pity the poor symbiote who would try to change him to the Tok'ra way of thinking.  Besides, he'd never be willing to leave SG-1 and join us.'

'No, he wouldn't.'

'So, back to my earlier question.  What are we going to do about Daniel and your daughter?  It seems pretty clear to me that they aren't going to do anything about it on their own.  This new boyfriend of Samantha's seems to prove that.'  The last sentence was spoken in a tone of disapproval.

Jacob smiled inwardly.  Selmak had already voiced his displeasure about Sam's relationship with Pete Shanahan, and Jacob had to agree with him.  As soon as Jacob found out that the cop had followed Sam like she was a suspect in a case, Jacob had taken an instant disliking to the man, even though he had yet to meet him.  Apparently, Pete had been unable to accept the fact that Sam could not reveal anything about her job and had been determined to find out what she was hiding.  Some could argue that it was a result of his instincts as a cop coming to the fore, but that didn't excuse his actions.  He chose to follow his own girlfriend, and then spied on SG-1 as they conducted an important, dangerous and classified mission.  His need to satisfy his curiosity had outweighed everything else.  What he did had been a betrayal of Sam's trust and a clear display of the man's lack of trust in Sam.  Classified is classified, and the man should have accepted that.  Frankly, Jacob was surprised that Sam hadn't sent Pete packing after she found out what he did.  Fortunately, the cop was back in Denver on a big case, and both Jacob and Selmak were hoping that the time away from him would make Sam see that he wasn't the right man for her.

'Perhaps it's time that we gave her a nudge in the right direction,' Selmak suggested.  They looked at the lone figure up ahead.  'Or perhaps it's Daniel whom we should be nudging.  I think he's more aware of his feelings in this matter than your daughter is.'

'So, what would you suggest?'

'Ah, Jacob, Jacob.  You can't expect me to tell you everything.  Use your imagination, my dear host.  I'm sure you'll think of something.'

'Gee, thanks for all the help,' Jacob said sarcastically.

'You're welcome.'

Grumbling a curse about his symbiote's questionable parentage, Jacob resumed walking and drew up beside Daniel, who had been oblivious to his presence up until then.  The younger man straightened, pulling away from the wall.

"Oh, uh, hi, Jacob.  How's Sam?  Is she awake?"

Jacob could see the recognizable signs of fatigue on Daniel's face and guessed that he had not gotten any sleep.  The former general knew that a good part of the archeologist's night had been spent sitting at his teammate's side, waiting for her to awaken.

"Yeah, she woke up just a little while ago."

Daniel visibly relaxed.  "That's great news.  I was really worried about her."

"She's going to be fine, Daniel.  Sam's tough."

Daniel nodded, a soft smile on his face.  "I know.  She's one of the strongest people I've ever met."

Jacob's expression turned somber.  "I just had to tell her about the Tok'ra pulling out of the alliance."

Daniel's gaze fell to the floor, anger flashing across his face.  "I know you're one of them, Jacob, but what they're doing makes me so angry."  He met the Tok'ra's eyes.  "They act like they're the only ones who have lost people because of our alliance.  What about the sacrifices we've made?  What about when we went to rescue you on Netu?  All of us could have died.  What about Lieutenant Astor and Major Graham when they were made into Zatarks?  What about all the humans who died on Revanna when Zipacna attacked the Tok'ra base?  And what about the sixty-three humans who just died at the Alpha Site because either a Tok'ra or a Jaffa revealed its location to Anubis?  Does the fact that there are humans to take their place in the SGC make their deaths unimportant?"

"No, of course not.  The Tok'ra recognize the sacrifices that Earth has made in this alliance."

Daniel closed his eyes.  "And it's all for nothing now, isn't it.  We're really on our own.  There won't be anyone to help us."  He looked at Jacob.  "If we fail, if Earth falls, do you really think that the Tok'ra will be able to defeat the Goa'uld on their own?"

Jacob sighed.  "No.  No, I don't, which is why I am going to try my best to get them to change their minds.  We all need each other if we are going to win this fight."  He laid a hand on Daniel's shoulder.  "Don't lose hope yet, Daniel.  None of us are giving up."

Daniel nodded wearily.  "Are you leaving now?"

"Yes.  We're moving our base again, just in case it's been compromised.  I'm hoping that I'll be able to come back in a few months, preferably with good news."  He studied Daniel's face.  "Are you going in to see Sam?"

"Yeah, though I should imagine that she's not really in the mood for company right now."  Daniel did not even bother trying to hide the concern and sorrow in his voice.

Jacob smiled faintly.  "Don't let that stop you.  The last thing my daughter should be doing is bottling everything up inside."  His smile broadened.  "And I happen to know that you are a whole lot better at getting her to open up than just about anyone else.  I also know that, even when she doesn't talk, you're always there to offer comfort, and she needs that even more than she needs to talk."  Jacob looked him straight in the eye.  "You're good to my little girl, Daniel, and I appreciate that.  You are a good friend to her."  He paused.  "More than a friend, I think."

Daniel's mouth fell open, his eyes widening with. . . .  Was that fear?

"I-I-I. . . .  We're just friends, Jacob.  There's nothing . . . I've never. . . ."  Daniel trailed off helplessly.

Jacob chuckled.  "Calm down, Daniel.  I have no intention of hitting you, and I'm not going to warn you to stay away from Sam.  Just the opposite, in fact."

Daniel's eyes grew even bigger.  "W-w-what?"

"Daniel, every father wants the best for his children.  He wants them to meet someone who will be good to them, who will love them and make their dreams come true.  You are a fine man.  You have been a loyal friend to Sam for nearly seven years.  You've stood by her through the worst of times, and you accept her as she is.  You have given her love, and comfort, and companionship.  You also happen to be one of the only men she knows who can equal her on an intellectual level, which, trust me, is a very important thing."  He smiled fully.  "On top of that, you are just about the only man my daughter has had more than a brief relationship with whom she finds nearly impossible to get angry at.  And that, my boy, is quite an achievement."

Daniel blushed and cast his gaze to the floor.

"I want what's best for Sam, and I cannot think of anyone who would be better for her than you," Jacob concluded.

Daniel could not believe what he was hearing.  Jacob Carter was actually encouraging him to court Sam?  It was unbelievable.  Oh, if only he could do it.  If only he could believe that he had a chance with her.

"Do you love my daughter, Daniel?" Jacob asked gently when the archeologist remained silent.

Daniel sighed softly.  "Yes," he admitted, too tired to deny it.

"Then what's stopping you?"

"The fact that she doesn't feel the same."

"Who says she doesn't?"

Daniel lifted his head.  "We've always just been friends, Jacob, and Sam's had. . . .  There have been other men that she's been interested in.  She has a boyfriend now.  I'm just a friend and teammate to her."  He tried to keep the pain out of his voice, but he knew that he hadn't succeeded.  He dropped his gaze again so that Sam's father wouldn't see the anguish in his eyes.

"Let me tell you something about my daughter, Daniel.  On the matter of romance, Sam has never been able to see things clearly.  She is incredibly smart when it comes to that brain of hers, but in regards to what's in her heart, it's a different story."

Daniel stared at him.  "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you shouldn't give up the battle before you've even started fighting.  You may lose out on something special."  Jacob stepped back.  "I have to go."  He held out his hand, which Daniel shook.  "Take care of yourself, Daniel, and take care of that daughter of mine.  If you don't, I will come back and punch your lights out."

Daniel smiled.  "I'll do my best, though, most of the time, she's better at taking care of me."

Jacob laughed.  "It usually does work both ways, my boy."

As he walked away, Jacob heard Selmak chuckling.

'Well, that's one way of doing it,' the symbiote said.

'Hey, you know me, Selmak.  I'm not one for beating around the bush.  The direct approach often works best.'

'So, do you think he'll take your advice?'

'I don't know.  I guess we'll find out when we return, which I am damn well going to make happen as soon as possible.'  He smiled inwardly.  'I want to be here for the wedding.'

Selmak's silent laughter accompanied Jacob the rest of the way to the gate room.


Daniel kept staring down the corridor long after Jacob had disappeared from view.  The man's words were whirling around in his mind so fast that they almost made him feel dizzy.  Jacob had actually just told him to pursue Sam romantically.  But could he do it?  Could he take the chance and let Sam know how he felt about her?  It was a huge risk.  If Sam didn't feel the same, it might jeopardize their friendship, not to mention the fact that he'd feel like a big fool.  Sam seemed happy with Pete, and he did sound like a good guy, even if Daniel didn't like the idea that he followed her.  The archeologist smiled faintly.  Jack had not been at all happy about that little fact, making noises about people who couldn't keep their noses out of things they should leave well enough alone.

After all these years, Sam was finally getting a real life outside the SGC.  Would it be right for Daniel to potentially mess things up by admitting that he was in love with her?  But what if what Jacob seemed to be implying was right?  What if he did have a chance with her?

Daniel sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands, then headed into the infirmary.  He looked over at Sam.  Her face was turned away from the door, and he could tell that she was crying.  For a moment, he thought about turning around and letting her have some time alone, but Jacob's words stopped him.  He walked up to the bed.

"Hey, Sam," he said gently.

Sam quickly wiped away her tears and turned to her best friend.  "Hey."

Daniel sat on the edge of the bed.  "How are you doing?"

"Okay.  Still kind of tired."

"Well, you lost quite a bit of blood, and running around on that leg wasn't particularly good for your health."  Daniel paused.  "Sam, I know that your father told you about the end of the alliance."

"How could they, Daniel?  How could the Tok'ra just suddenly back out like that?"

Daniel sighed.  "I don't know.  I guess it really shouldn't surprise me.  I know it doesn't surprise Jack.  We've never seen eye to eye with them on the way things should be done.  The Tok'ra have their way of doing things and we have ours, and both sides think that theirs is the right way."  Daniel looked at her closely.  "Sam, did your dad tell you that the Jaffa are leaving, too?"

"What?!  Why?"

Daniel told her about the meeting, how things fell apart.

"What are we going to do now, Daniel?  We won't have any help out there.  We can't count on the Asgard to come to our aid."

"I don't know, Sam.  But we have to keep fighting.  We can't give up.  I talked to your dad for a bit.  They're moving the Tok'ra base again.  He said that he's going to try to come back in a few months."

Tears filled Sam's eyes again.  "For so many years, Dad and I weren't very close.  It's ironic that we've become closer since he became a Tok'ra and started wandering all over the galaxy than we were all those years that we lived on the same planet.  I'm going to miss him so much."

Daniel immediately pulled Sam up into a tight hug.  The way she clung to him spoke of how much she needed to be held.

"It's going to be okay, Sam," he murmured.  "It'll be all right."  His own breath caught in his throat.  "God, I was so worried about you," he said before he could stop himself.  "I wish I'd been there with you at the Alpha Site when the attack came so that I could have helped you.  At the very least, I wish I'd stayed with Jack and Teal'c on the rescue operation, though I know that I wouldn't have been of much use.  I sure wasn't of any use here."

Sam settled back on the bed.  "Why weren't you with them?"  She had to admit that she missed having Daniel there when Jack and Teal'c finally found her.  It would have felt good to have him hold her like he just did.

"Jack didn't want Jacob to be left alone, and he didn't want to lose any time in searching for you, so he told me to stay with your dad while he and Teal'c resumed the search.  I wasn't completely happy about it, but he was right.  An extra gun wouldn't have helped at all against one of those Goa'uld supersoldiers.  By the time the medical team reached us, there would have been no point in me trying to catch up to Jack and Teal'c, even if I could have found them, so I came back here with Jacob and helped fill Hammond in.  Then Jacob and the general asked me to sit in on the meeting with the Tok'ra and Jaffa representatives, though I ended up being of absolutely no use."  Daniel did not try to hide his anger and disgust.  He gazed into Sam's eyes, his anger fading.  "I'm just glad that you're all right."

"And we have a working prototype for the weapon, one that I think will be at least ninety percent effective against the supersoldiers."

"Sam, if the weapon had been lost, you could have made another one.  If we'd lost you. . . ."  Daniel's gaze dropped to the bed for a moment, then returned to her eyes.  "You can't be replaced."

Sam searched Daniel's eyes, seeing the remnant of the fear that he'd been suffering.  It made her feel good to know that Daniel cared so much about her.  He was the best friend that she'd ever had, and she loved him dearly.  She was glad that he had not been at the Alpha Site when it was attacked.  If he had been killed. . . .  Sam halted that thought quickly.  It was far too painful.  She already knew the anguish of losing him.  She never wanted to feel that pain again.

Daniel put a smile on his face.  "So, how long are you in here for this time?"

"Janet said I could go home tomorrow, but I'm going to be laid up there for at least a week, then it'll probably be another couple of weeks before my leg is healed enough to return to full active duty.  I have no idea what I'm going to do for that week at home.  I have to stay off my feet as much as possible."

Daniel got a sudden idea.  "How would you like some company?"

Sam looked at him in surprise.  "What?"

"Well, SG-1 is going to be on stand-down until you're fully healed, so there aren't going to be any missions unless I go with another team."

"But don't you have work to do here?"

"Yeah, but I did get caught up a little while I was out of commission after that whole thing with the Honduran rebels.  There's lots of work I can do that I don't need to be here for.  I can just box up the artifacts and bring them and my laptop with me.  The only other thing I need is a secure Internet connection," he smiled, "which I believe you have."

Sam also smiled.  "Daniel, are you offering to stay with me at my place while I heal?"

"Sure.  When I was the one who was laid up, you spent a lot of time helping me out.  It's only fair that I return the favor."  Daniel sobered.  "That is if it's okay with you.  If it's not, I'll understand."

Sam thought about it and suddenly decided that she liked the idea of having Daniel as a houseguest for a week.  They didn't have much time to do things together outside of work anymore, and she found that she really missed that.  It would be fun to spend some quality time with him.

"No, I think that would be really nice."

A full-blown, breathtakingly beautiful smile brightened Daniel's face, and Sam was instantly lost.  She knew all too well the power of that smile and how it could melt the heart of just about any human female within sight of it, not to mention more than a few aliens.  Funny how, after all these years, she was still not immune to it.  In fact, its power over her seemed even greater now than it was when they first became friends.

Daniel rose to his feet, feeling quite happy now.  "Well, I guess I'd better go talk to Jack and the general and get permission to be your roommate for the next week."

Sam said goodbye and watched Daniel leave.  Once again, he had succeeded in making her feel better.  He was really good at that.

"Well, you seem to be feeling a lot better," Janet said as she came up to the bed, pleased to see the smile now gracing her patient's face.  "Can I thank Daniel for that?"

"Yeah.  He offered to stay with me at my place and help me while I'm cooped up there."

"He did?  That was very sweet of him."

"Well, that's Daniel.  He is a sweetie."

"Yes, he is.  I think a lot of my nurses are halfway in love with him.  Unlike a certain colonel we both know, Daniel is always nice to the medical staff, even though he hates being here as much as anyone."  Janet chuckled.  "Not that he isn't a handful, mind you.  You have no idea how hard it is saying no to him when he looks at you with those pleading blue eyes and that puppy dog expression.  It's quite a weapon against the female gender."

"Oh, don't I know it!" Sam agreed, laughing.  "And that smile of his should definitely be classified as a deadly weapon.  I have no defense against it."

Janet laughed as well.  "It's a good thing Daniel's unaware of his affect on us females, otherwise he'd use it shamelessly."

"Yeah, he is pretty clueless in that regard, isn't he."

"Uh huh, which adds to his charm even more."

"Ah, do I hear someone talking about me?" asked a familiar voice.  The two women looked at Jack, then turned back to each other, grinning.

"No, sir.  We weren't talking about you," Sam told him.

"Oh."  Jack looked a little disappointed.  Then his expression changed.  "Well, it's good to see that you've finally woken up, Carter.  That was quite a nap you took."

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I've got other patients to attend to," Janet said.  "Don't keep her up too long, Colonel.  She still needs rest."

Jack took Janet's place beside the bed as the doctor left.  "So, how ya feeling?"

"Better, sir.  Janet says that I'll be ready for active duty in a few weeks."

"Good.  So, you gonna play around with that new weapon of yours while you're on the mend?"

"Once I get back, yes.  I'm under orders to go home and stay there for the next week."

"Ah, yes.  Been there, done that.  You want us to do some shopping for you, get you all stocked up for the week?"

"No, sir, but thanks for offering.  Daniel offered to stay with me to help me out."

Jack's eyebrows rose slightly.  "He did?"

"Yes, sir.  That is if it's all right with you and the general."

"Uh . . . yeah, I guess that's okay.  Actually, Daniel could use some time off, time off when he's not healing from some injury, that is."

"Well, I don't think he really plans on taking the time off from work, sir.  He said that he could bring some of his work with him to my place."

"As long he doesn't take any possible alien weapons disguised as artifacts with him, I guess that would be all right."

"I'll pass that along to him if I see him before you do.  Actually, I think he went off in search of you to ask you about this."

"Ah.  Well, I guess I'd better go track him down, then.  I'm glad you're feeling better, Carter.  I'll see you later."

Jack left the infirmary on a hunt for his archeologist.  He found the younger man coming back from the direction of Jack's office.

"There you are," Daniel said.  "I've been looking for you."

"Yes, that's what Carter said."

"Oh.  Did she tell you about my plan?"

"Yes, she did.  So, what's up with that?"

Daniel frowned.  "What do you mean?

"When's the last time you volunteered to babysit Carter at her place?"

"I'm not going to be babysitting her, Jack.  I'm just going to be helping her out.  She needs to stay off her feet as much as possible.  I figured that, if I was there, I could cook for her and do anything else around the place that needs doing.  It's not like you haven't done the same thing for me when I was off my feet."

"Yeah, but that's different."

"Why?"

Jack shifted uncomfortably.  "Well, um . . . because . . . because Carter's a woman."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"  There was anger in Daniel's voice.

"I'm just worried about, well . . . the rumors that might get around.  You know how people like to talk."

Daniel shrugged slightly.  "Jack, if I'm not worried about that, why should you be?"

"You mean it doesn't bother you that people might think you and Carter are, um, involved?"

"No, not really.  Some people already think that, have for quite a while now.  I guess it's because Sam and I are so close and because we work together a lot.  It really bothered me when Sha're was still alive, but, later on, I didn't let it get to me."

"So, it doesn't bother you at all?" Jack asked in surprise.

"No.  It's not like it would cause a real problem for either one of us if someone higher up believed the rumors.  I'm a civilian, so the rules aren't the same for me."  Jack was staring at Daniel piercingly, which began making the archeologist uncomfortable.  "So, is there going to be a problem with me staying with Sam?  There are some artifacts that I want to bring with me to translate and catalog.  Sam's computer has a secure connection, so I can safely work on it."

"Um, no, that's fine.  You might want to run this by Hammond to be sure it's okay with him, though."

Daniel nodded.  "I'll head down to his office now."

Hammond gave permission for Daniel to take the time off and said that it would be all right to take some of his work with him as long as nothing of a top secret nature left the base.

Looking forward to tomorrow, Daniel headed off to his office to start packing some of his work for the week at Sam's place.

Next Chapter

HomeNews & InfoFan FictionMessage BoardLinksEmail
Stargate-Horizons.com Home Page   |   Site Map of Stargate-Horizons.com