CHAPTER NINE

The next morning, Sam found it almost impossible to meet Daniel's eyes, and she was careful to leave at least three feet between them at all times.  She knew that he was wondering what was going on, but this was a matter of self-defense.  She had no choice.  The dream made it necessary.  Yes, one of those dreams, the kind that made Sam wake up in a sweat, panting, her body vibrating from the aftermath, the memory of a low moan still lingering in the room.  She'd lain in her bed, unmoving, for long minutes afterwards as her body calmed down and her mind went crazy.  Every detail of the dream was engraved, no, make that burned into her brain, burned with the intense heat of the lovemaking she'd experienced . . . with Daniel.  In the dream, he worshiped her body, bringing her pleasure unlike she'd ever known before.  Both gentle and wildly passionate, he took her to heights that left her dizzy and gasping for air.  It was the most intense bout of lovemaking she'd ever experienced . . . and it hadn't been real.

Now, she felt like there was a huge sign imprinted on her that said, "I dreamed about having sex with my best friend!"  She was also terrified that Daniel might have heard something, like his name being moaned while she was in the throes of passion.  If he did, he wasn't giving any indication.  He just had a puzzled little frown on his face.

They were on their way to breakfast when Daniel finally confronted her.  "Sam, is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong.  I just didn't sleep well."

Daniel glanced at her, not really believing her.  "Did I do something wrong?"

"No.  Daniel, you didn't do anything wrong, nothing at all.  Really."

The archeologist fell silent.  Something was definitely bugging Sam.  She was acting nervous, and seemed to be making a point of keeping her distance.  She also seemed to be having a hard time looking at him.

During the night, he thought he had heard her moan in her sleep.  Could she have had a nightmare?  But what kind of dream would make her react like. . . .  Oh.  He suddenly figured it out.  There was one possible explanation.  If she'd dreamed about Pete last night, one of those kinds of dreams, she could be feeling embarrassed about it, afraid that he'd heard her.  This was something that he understood.  He'd lost count of the times when, after having one of his dreams about Sam, he'd been too self-conscious and embarrassed to meet her eyes when he saw her at work the next morning.  He had been terrified that he would have one of those dreams while staying here with her.  Thankfully, he hadn't.

Okay, so how could he put her mind at ease?  Perhaps it was time for a little white lie.

"I slept a lot better last night.  I hardly stirred," he commented.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sam's body relax a little.

"That's good.  So, you're feeling better?"

"Yeah.  The hip hardly hurts at all now.  My shoulder still aches, but it's better, too."

"Janet will probably want to take a look at you."

"Oh, I have no doubt of that."

Breakfast was a lot less tense.  By the time they finished, they were conversing normally.

Janet did, indeed, want to take a look at Daniel, which she did after removing the stitches from Sam's leg.

"The hip looks good," she told him.  "Your shoulder is a spectacular hue, however.  How does it feel?"

"Not too bad.  I've had a lot worse.  Compared to a staff weapon burn to the shoulder, this is nothing."

Janet's lips quirked upward.  "And you would certainly know what that feels like."

"Yes, I would."

She studied his face.  "So . . . how is everything else?"

"All right.  I'm . . . dealing with it."

Janet frowned.  "By not taking my advice, I'm guessing."

"By taking my own advice and trying to carry on like before."

The doctor shook her head with a sigh.  "Daniel, all that's going to do is make you miserable."

"Well, it's my misery, isn't it."

Janet sighed.  "Yes, it is.  I just wish you didn't have to go through it."

"I really don't have much choice in the matter, Janet.  This is what I have to do."

Janet let the matter drop.  "Okay, you're free to go.  Go drag Sam out of her lab and make her go home."

Daniel grinned.  "Psychic, Janet?"

The doctor snorted.  "Who needs psychic powers when you and Sam are so predictable?  There is no doubt in my mind that, as soon as she left here, Sam went straight to her lab."  She pointed her finger at him and gave him a stern look.  "And don't you go near your office, mister.  I am counting on you to get Sam out of here.  Besides, sitting for hours at your desk wouldn't help that hip of yours."

Daniel chuckled.  "Yes, ma'am."

Sure enough, Sam was in her lab, intently examining some strange device.

"Ahem.  What are you doing here?" he asked, startling her.

"Oh!  Um, I just wanted to take a look at this.  It's the thing I was sent all that data on."

"Ah.  Well, I am under doctor's orders to get you out of here."

"Okay, just a few more minutes, Daniel."

"Sam?"  After a moment, she looked at him.  "Do you want to see Janet stick me with the really big needles during my next physical?"

A smile slowly grew on Sam's face.  "No, I suppose not."

"Thank you."

They left the base a few minutes later, Sam in her car and Daniel in his, neither one of them aware that there were two people on base whose thoughts were focused on them.

Yet another knock on his office door shattered what little patience Jack O'Neill had left.  "What now!" he yelled.  He looked up from the papers on his desk and saw the door open to reveal Janet Fraiser, a slightly amused, slightly concerned look on her face.

"Hmm.  I see what they mean," she commented.

"You see what who means?" the colonel asked.

"Half the base is convinced that you've been possessed by a particularly grouchy Goa'uld.  Some of them suggested that I do an MRI . . . or perhaps prescribe some Valium if the scan came out negative."

"Bunch of comedians on base," Jack grumbled.

"Care to tell me why you're stomping around like a bear with a sore head?"

"Not really."

"Well, in that case, General Hammond told me to order you to go home for the sake of the mental health of everyone else on base."

"I'm busy.  Paperwork."

Janet watched the colonel for a few seconds.  She then shut the door and sat down in the chair beside the desk.  "You know, Colonel, anything you tell me could be considered covered by doctor-patient confidentiality."

Jack stared at her appraisingly for a long moment.  "All right.  You asked for it.  What do you do when you've got a friend who's too pig-headed to do something that he really should, and you can't do it for him because, if you stick your nose in, he'll never forgive you?"

Jack's words immediately made Janet think of Daniel.  She looked at the colonel more closely.  Could it be?  "That's a good question, Colonel.  As it so happens, I'm in the same situation.  Is there any chance that the friend you're speaking of is Daniel?"

Jack leaned forward in his chair.  "As a matter of fact, it is.  So, what is he being pig-headed about with you?"

Janet shook her head.  "I'm sorry, Colonel.  I can't tell you.  I promised him I wouldn't."

This time, it was Jack whose eyes narrowed thoughtfully.  "This wouldn't by chance have anything to do with . . . feelings our archeologist harbors for a certain major, would it?"

Janet's faint smile gave him his answer before she spoke.  "Could be."

"So, he told you, too, huh."

"Well, I kind of pressed him to tell me what was wrong after I found him cr—"  Janet broke off quickly.

Not quickly enough, however.  Jack looked at her sharply.  "He was crying?"  There was concern in his voice.  Despite all the emotional pain Daniel had suffered over the last seven years, he rarely cried, at least when he was someplace where his breakdown might be witnessed.  For the doctor to have caught him crying made this situation all the more disturbing.

"Damn!  This is really not good," he exclaimed.  "I tried to get Daniel to do something about it, to feel Carter out about her feelings, but he wouldn't listen to me.  He's afraid that he'll screw up their friendship if he does anything."

"I tried to get him to talk to Sam," Janet admitted, figuring that, since Jack already knew about the situation, she wouldn't be breaking her word to Daniel.

"Personally, I think Carter might have feelings for Daniel, too," Jack said.

"Oh, there's no 'maybe' about it, sir.  I'm about ninety percent sure that she's in love with him and just doesn't know it."

"Oh, really?  Hmm.  That's interesting."  A small, sly smile curved Jack's lips.

Janet studied his expression.  "Sir, are you considering a little tactical strike on Daniel and Sam?"

"Could be, though I was leaning more toward a covert operation."

Janet leaned forward and rested her elbows on the desk.  "Do tell."

With twin smiles on their faces, the colonel and the doctor began planning their mission.

In the mood for something sweet, Sam had stopped and gotten a half-gallon of double fudge ice cream on the way home.  For some reason she was feeling a little wired.  Perhaps it was a byproduct of her earlier nervousness.  She did not want to attribute the excess energy to the dream, though, deep inside, she knew it was a big factor.

Throughout the rest of the day, Daniel was at his wit's end.  Sam was, well . . . energetic.  It's not that she moved around a lot, although she was more active than she had been since her injury.  It was more of an inner thing.  After dinner, she suggested that they play checkers, and she played it with wholehearted enthusiasm, beating him five games out of seven, mostly because he couldn't concentrate on the board.

"Come on, Daniel.  You usually do a lot better than this," she said after she'd trounced him yet again.  "In fact, we usually break even."

"I guess my attention's not on the game."

"Okay, how about playing something else?"

"Uh . . . all right.  What would you like to play?"

"Hmm.  Let me think about it while I go get my ice cream."  She went to the kitchen.  "You want some?"

"No, thank you."

Sam came back a few minutes later with a heaping bowl of rich chocolate decadence.  She plopped onto the couch, her right leg tucked under her and her body turned sideways toward Daniel.  Taking a big spoonful of the ice cream, she let it melt in her mouth, savoring the taste, then swallowed, not noticing that Daniel was staring at her, his mouth hanging open.

Daniel dragged his eyes away from Sam's mouth.  "Um, have you decided yet on what you want to play?"

In the days to come, Sam would never quite figure out what possessed her to say the next words that came out of her mouth.

"How about Truth or Dare?" she suggested.

Daniel's eyes widened.  "W-w-what?" he stammered, his voice rising almost to a squeak at the end.

"You know how to play, don't you?"

"Uhhh . . . uhhh . . . yeah."

"Good.  Or would you rather not?"

"Um . . . no, that's okay," Daniel replied hesitantly, wondering if he'd just made a big mistake.  The danger in Truth or Dare was that certain questions might be asked that he really, really did not want to answer.  He was more afraid of the questions than he was of the dares.  He trusted Sam not to dare him to do anything that would hurt his feelings, and he was certain she would not dare him to take any articles of clothing off.

"Okay, who goes first?" Sam asked.

"You can start."

"All right.  Truth or dare?" she asked.

Here goes.  "Truth."

Sam thought about her question for a moment.  "If you had to pick another career besides archeology, anthropology or linguistics, what would it be?"

Daniel relaxed.  If these were the kinds of questions Sam was going to ask, he'd be safe.  "That's a tough question.  All my life, that's all I ever wanted to do.  I never considered another career."  He thought about it for a moment.  "I guess I'd be a history teacher."

Sam smiled, not surprised by the answer.  Daniel would make a great teacher.  "Your turn."

"Okay, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"If you could spend a day with anyone who has ever lived, who would it be?"

"Oh, good one.  Wow, let me think.  Am I limited to people on Earth?"

"No, anywhere."

Sam was silent for a long moment.  "Jolinar."

Daniel stared at her in shock.  "Jolinar?"

"Yeah.  I wouldn't want her back in my body, of course.  In another host, maybe the one I have memories of.  I would like to really know the person who was inside me for that short time, without the fear and anger that I felt when she was inhabiting me.  I'd like to know her as she truly was."

Daniel nodded, understanding now.

"Truth or dare?" Sam asked after taking another bite of ice cream.

"Truth."

"If you had to lose your sight, your hearing or the ability to speak, which one would you choose?"

Daniel thought about that for only a moment.  "My ability to speak."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  Without sight, I could no longer be an archeologist, and if I couldn't hear, I'd be unable to identify languages.  If I lost the power to speak, I could communicate in other ways, sign language, writing, even those machines that speak aloud words that you type in."  He smiled.  "Then there's the added benefit that Jack would probably be so much happier if he didn't have to listen to me go on and on about some archeological find."

Sam laughed.  "You do have a good point."

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"If you could change any event from your past what would it be?"

"My mom's death," Sam answered immediately.

Daniel gave her hand a quick, comforting squeeze.

Sam took a particularly large bite of ice cream, pushing the thought of her mother out of her mind.  "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Same question.  What would you change from your past?"

Daniel took a whole lot longer to answer.  "If you had asked me that question two years ago, I'd probably have said that I'd prevent Apophis from ever coming to Abydos."

"And now?"

"If Sha're had never been taken, I wouldn't have gone back to Earth, at least not to stay.  I would not have joined the SGC, and all the things that have happened because of my presence on SG-1 would not have occurred.  I wouldn't have met you, and Teal'c would very likely still be with Apophis, that is if he was still alive."

"And the Earth would probably have been destroyed because you wouldn't have gone to that alternate reality and found out about the impending attack."

"Yeah.  I never really thought about all those things before, the ways that my presence on SG-1 has affected things," Daniel admitted.  "It wasn't until I descended and really began analyzing my life and what I'd done that I started realizing the impact my actions have had.  I guess it's possible that I might have started this self-analysis while I was ascended.  I'll probably never know."

"So, what would you change?"

"If I knew that it wouldn't stop me from opening the gate and joining SG-1, I'd prevent my parents from being killed.  Otherwise, I honestly don't know.  There are so many things in my life that I'd like to change.  Maybe I'd prevent Sarah from being taken by Osiris, save her from that hell."

Sam was surprised by the answer.  Not the first part.  She knew how devastating the death of Daniel's parents had been and how much he probably wished it never happened.  It was the rest of his statement that puzzled her.  Why didn't he say that he'd go back and save Sha're?  She was tempted to ask, but she didn't get the chance.

"Truth or dare?" Daniel asked.

Sam paused.  "Dare."

Daniel's mind went blank.  What the heck was he going to dare her to do?  "Um. . . ."  Suddenly, it came to him.  He grinned.  "I dare you to sing 'Joy to the World'."

Sam covered her face with her hands.  "Oh, God."

Daniel's grin got bigger, and he nudged her leg.  "Come on, Sam.  You've been challenged."

"Okay, okay."  She cleared her throat.  "Jeremiah was a bullfrog," she began, already blushing, "was a good friend of mine.  I didn't understand a word he said, but I helped him drink his wine."

"Chorus!"

"Joy to the world.  All the boys and girls.  Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea.  Joy to you and me."  She covered her face again as Daniel started clapping.

"Hey, Sam.  Don't feel too bad.  You have a nice voice, a lot better that Scully on The X-Files."

Sam slapped his leg, laughing.  "Is that why you picked that song?"

"Uh huh.  It's also one of the silliest songs ever written."

"Don't you dare make me sing the next verse!"

Daniel chuckled.  "Okay, I'll be nice."

Sam picked up her ice cream, which was starting to melt, and spooned in a few mouthfuls.  "Truth or dare," she mumbled.

"Okay, I just know I'm going to regret this, but . . . dare."

An evil smile curved Sam's lips.  "I dare you to dance like Michael Jackson."

Daniel just sat there, his mouth agape.

"What's the matter, Daniel?  Stage fright?"

"Do you want to put me in the infirmary?"

"I'll bring you chocolate walnut cookies if you hurt yourself."  She gave him a nudge.  "Come on, Jackson.  No chickening out."

Daniel groaned theatrically.  "Can I have some music?"

"Sure.  Knock yourself out."

The archeologist went to the stereo and turned on the radio, searching for a station with suitable music.  He knew he was doomed when he happened upon one that was playing Michael Jackson's old hit, "Beat It."

"Perfect!" Sam cried.

You had to give Daniel credit.  He did try.  Really he did.  But then, after the first minute or so, Sam wasn't paying all that much attention anymore.  It's hard to watch someone dance when you're doubled over, laughing so hard that your sides are on fire and tears are rolling down your cheeks.  Daniel stopped his gyrations and just stared at her.  He had to admit that it was great to see her laughing like that, and if suffering a little personal humiliation was the cost, he could live with that.

He turned off the radio and went back to the couch.  As he sat down, he let out a slight hiss of pain and winced.  Sam noticed and immediately sobered.

"Oh, Daniel, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, feeling awful.  "I didn't even think about your hip and arm."

"It's okay," he assured her.

"No, it's not.  That was stupid of me.  Janet is going to kill me when she finds out."

"Well, I'll make you a deal, then.  I won't tell her if you never tell a soul that you saw me dance like that."

A faint smile returned to Sam's face.  "You've got a deal."  The smile grew.  "You sure can move those hips, though, Daniel."

"Think needles, Sam, biiiiig needles."

Sam pantomimed locking her mouth and throwing away the key.

"All right.  Now that we have caused each other loads of embarrassment, shall we continue?"  At Sam's nod, Daniel asked her if she wanted a truth or a dare.

"Truth," she replied, deciding that they'd both had enough of the daring for a while.

"What's your biggest pet peeve?"

"Oh, I have lots of big ones.  I don't know if I could place one above all of them.  One of my very biggest is people asking me questions that I know they already know the answer to just to be obnoxious."

Daniel smiled.  "Ah, yes.  The briefing when you were going over the plans of how we were going to destroy the weapon on Anubis' ship.  Jack was asking all those questions, and you looked like you wanted to throttle him."

"I don't think I've been closer to doing bodily harm to a senior officer than I was at that moment.  All right, your turn.  Truth or dare?"

"Truth, of course."

"Chicken."  Sam thought for a moment.  "Did you ever have a crush on a teacher?"

"Yes," Daniel said simply.

Sam waited a moment.  "And?  Come on.  Tell me about it."

"Hey, that was a yes or no question.  You didn't specify that I had to elaborate."

"Daniel," Sam said, pouting.  "That's not fair!"

"Oh, now we're supposed to play fair, after you make me dance around like I had a whole colony of red ants down my pants."  Seeing the disappointment on Sam's face, he relented.  "All right.  It was Mrs. Harper, my second grade teacher.  She was the one who realized that I was . . . advanced intellectually.  After Mom and Dad died, I was placed in a public school.  I was traumatized and barely spoke.  They thought I was slow, so they stuck me in the first grade even though I should have been in second or third because of my age.  During that first year, I just . . . existed.  I did the work they gave me, but I never asked questions and never volunteered answers, even though I knew them.  The teacher pretty much ignored me.  I was still withdrawn when I went into the second grade, but Mrs. Harper was nice, and she really cared about her students.  She took the time to pay attention to each student in her class.  I felt . . . safe around her and started coming out of my shell.

"One day, she gave us an English test, and, as usual, I finished it well ahead of time.  I started doodling on a piece of paper, drawing hieroglyphs.  Then I began writing the same words in several different languages.  I didn't notice when she came over and started watching me.  When she called my name and I saw her looking at me, I was afraid I was in trouble.  But she gave me this big, bright smile, like the smile you'd get if you unexpectedly found a treasure, and asked me to stay over after class."

"What happened?" Sam asked, enthralled by the story.

"After all the other kids left, she started asking me questions.  The first thing she did was ask if I could speak all the languages I had been writing, which I could, of course.  She had me speak a few sentences in each language.  At the time, I could speak five languages fluently, not counting English, and there were a couple of others that I knew partially.  Once I finished speaking all those, I told her what the hieroglyphs meant."

"I can imagine her reaction."

Daniel smiled in remembrance.  "She hugged me.  There were actually tears in her eyes.  She took me to the principle's office and told him everything.  He tested me, too.  The next day was a Saturday.  They had my foster parents bring me in, and I was given a series of tests in every subject.  I was also given an I.Q. test.  Come Monday, my foster parents and I were informed that I was 'gifted'.  I was immediately bumped up three grades.  I should have been pleased, but I wasn't."

"Why not."

"Two reasons.  I was now the youngest student in my class, which made it very difficult for me, and I was no longer in Mrs. Harper's class."  Daniel smiled.  "But Mrs. Harper didn't forget about me.  During many of my lunch breaks, she came and sat with me, asking what I'd learned, how I was doing.  She got regular progress reports from my teachers.  She watched over me right up to the time that I was transferred to another school because my new foster parents lived in another school district.  On my last day at that school, she gave me her phone number, telling me to call her if I ever wanted to talk.  I did call her a few times, when things got really tough, and she always helped me.  A couple of years later, she got married and moved away when her husband was transferred to another state."  Daniel gazed off into the distance.  "She was the first person since my parents died who gave me confidence in my abilities."

Sam's hand covered his.  "Daniel, that is a beautiful story.  Thank you so much for sharing it with me."

Daniel gave her a smile and a faint nod.  He cleared his throat.  "My turn, I guess.  Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Who do you have the most admiration for?"

"Anyone?"

"Anyone, living or dead."

Sam gazed deeply into his eyes.  "You."

Stunned beyond words, Daniel just stared at her, his jaw hanging open.  Finally, he found his voice.  "M-m-me?"

Sam merely nodded.

"B-but there must be other people, Einstein, Hawking, people like that."

"Yes, there are lots of people I admire greatly, including those two men, but not as much as I admire you, Daniel."

The archeologist's head ducked in that way she knew so well, his face red.  "I-I-I. . . .  God, Sam.  I-I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything.  You asked me a question, and I answered with the truth."

Daniel lapsed into silence, still totally shocked by Sam's answer.  How could she possibly admire him above everyone?  He wanted to ask her why, but he'd suddenly been struck by shyness.

"Hey.  You okay?" Sam asked gently after a couple of minutes.

"Um . . . yeah.  You just, uh . . . rocked my world a little."

Sam smiled.  "I hope it was a nice sensation."

"Yes, it . . . it was."  He finally lifted his eyes to hers.  "Thank you, Sam.  It means more to me than you could ever imagine that you would feel that way."

Sam gave him another smile.  "Do you want to keep playing?"

"Uh, yeah, maybe a little longer."

"Okay, truth or dare."

Daniel took a deep breath.  "Truth."

"If you could be granted one wish, something that you want more than anything, what would it be?  It has to be a personal wish, not something like wishing all the Goa'uld to disappear for good, and it can't be anything that would change the past."

Daniel's gaze dropped back to his lap.  He already knew what his wish would be, but dare he speak it?  He was bound by the rules of the game, to speak only the truth.  He would just have to do so in a way that would not reveal everything to Sam.

Knowing that he didn't dare look her in the eyes, he said, "I would wish to spend a long, happy life with the woman I love."

Sam stared at Daniel, shocked by his answer.  The woman he loves?  She had specified in her question that his wish could not change the past, so he couldn't be talking about Sha're.  Who then?  Perhaps he was speaking in generalities, meaning that he'd like to find a woman to love and spend his life with.  But he had said "the woman I love," not "a woman I loved," and if there was anything Daniel knew well, it was words and what they meant.  He had been speaking in the present tense and talking about someone in particular.  Could it be Janet?  Again, Sam felt her chest tighten at that thought.  She needed to find out who Daniel was talking about.  She knew there was a good chance that, if she asked that question, Daniel would put a halt to the game, but she had to try anyway.

"Um, so . . . truth or dare?" Daniel asked, feeling horribly nervous and self-conscious.  He could tell from the look on Sam's face that she'd figured out he was talking about a specific person.  When they started this game, he'd been afraid that this would happen.  He just prayed that Sam didn't ask him the question, the one he could not answer, though he had a sinking feeling that she would.

"Truth, I guess."

Daniel decided to ask an impersonal one this time.  "If you could visit any period in time, as an observer only, when would it be?"

With an effort, Sam turned her attention to the question.  "I think I'd have to say the Mercury missions, the beginning of the United State's manned space program.  That was such an exciting time, and those first astronauts – Shepard, Grissom, Glenn and the others – were so courageous.  They really were pioneers."  She looked at Daniel.  "Truth or dare?"

Daniel didn't hesitate.  "Dare."  Okay, so he was a coward.  There was not a dare Sam could come up with that he'd fear more than what he knew her next question was going to be.

Sam was disappointed that Daniel had picked a dare rather than a truth, but it didn't surprise her.  He knew very well what her next question was going to be, and he was stalling.  Okay, so what to dare him?  Nothing physically strenuous.  She was already responsible for aggravating his injuries by making him dance.

"Hmm.  What shall I dare you?"  She picked up her bowl of ice cream, which was now a soupy mess.  "I dare you to do something totally insane, something that you'd never have the guts to do otherwise."  She took a spoonful of her melted ice cream.

Daniel stared at her as a dribble of chocolate escaped down her chin.  Her tongue came out and licked part of it away.  Then she wiped the rest of it off with her fingers and licked the chocolate from the digits.

Something deep inside Daniel snapped, and, before he could stop himself, before his brain could scream a warning, he bracketed Sam's face with his hands, and pressed his lips against hers.

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