Five seconds after the door was shut behind them, Sam's coat was on the floor and they were back in each other's arms, kissing ravenously.  Daniel lifted Sam up, and she wrapped her legs around him.  Moments later, they were on the bed, Daniel's steamed up glasses having come off somewhere along the way.

This time, there was no struggle to get Daniel's suit jacket off.  It was on the floor within seconds, followed very shortly by his tie and shirt.  He grabbed hold of the hem of Sam's dress and pulled it upward.  She lifted her body up to aid in its removal.

Daniel's gaze slid down Sam's nearly naked body.  "You're so beautiful," he whispered.  He lowered his mouth to the soft swell of her breasts above her bra.  Sam moaned and arched her back, the move a clear invitation for him to do more.  Daniel slid his hand underneath the bra and scooped one of her breasts out of its lacy prison, lowering his lips to it.

"Oh, God!" Sam cried out.  She was making that half-whimpering, half-moaning sound again, rocking upward against him.  He was now fully on top of her, her legs bracketing his hips.

So lost in what he was doing, Daniel wasn't even aware that Sam had been working on the fastening of his pants until her hand was suddenly inside.  Her touch sent him over the edge of reason.  He managed to get his pants and boxers off, his shoes already gone.  Seconds later, Sam's bra was off, followed by her panties.  And then he was back on top of her, skin against skin, heat against heat.

Sam's mouth peppered kisses upon his upper chest and shoulders, one hand on his buttocks, the other stroking his back as Daniel's own hands caressed her body, his lips and tongue exploring her neck.

Very soon, Daniel reached the point where he couldn't wait any longer.  He pulled Sam's head up and consumed her mouth as he united his body with hers.  Their mutual cries were drowned within the caverns of each other's mouths.

Daniel had dreamed of many different ways that he'd make love to Sam, but nothing could have prepared him for the wild, uncontrollable explosion of passion that that struck him.  Taking this slowly would be out of the question.  Fortunately, Sam seemed to be in the same condition.

Their lovemaking was fast and intense, Sam matching him move for move, her soft cries and deep moans echoing in Daniel's ears.  Too many years had passed since the last time he was with a woman for him to have any hope of making it last, and, all too soon, he felt himself racing toward the edge.  Wanting Sam to come with him, he reached between them to touch her, but there was no need.  With a little scream, she suddenly began quaking in his arms.  Feeling her reach her climax sent Daniel rocketing over the precipice with a cry of his own.

Gasping and shaking in the aftermath, Daniel rested his forehead against Sam's, eyes closed.

"Wow."

That single whispered word from Sam made laughter bubble up inside Daniel's throat and come pouring out.  Sam joined him in the laugh of pure joy.

They soon quieted.  Daniel's lips came down upon Sam's in a long, slow, very thorough kiss that was probably a lot more possessive than he'd intended.  But he couldn't help himself.  Sam was his, for this night and, he prayed, for the rest of his life.

As their lips separated, Daniel met Sam's eyes.  He brushed his fingertips across her cheek, looking for some sign of regret.  In her eyes he saw only happiness and. . . .  Daniel's slowing heart began speeding back up.  Could it really be or was he imagining it, hope creating an illusion of his greatest desire?

Perhaps Sam saw the question in his eyes.  She cupped his face and smiled up at him.

"I love you," she murmured.

Daniel's eyes filled with tears.  "Sam.  I love you."  Then he was kissing her again, lips crushed against hers.

It was quite a while before their mouths separated.  Daniel moved off Sam and lay down beside her.  She turned and pulled him tight against her, her leg hooking over his thigh to bring him close from head to toe.  They lay like that in silence for several minutes.

Daniel couldn't believe how happy he felt, how utterly, wonderfully happy.  He'd forgotten what it was like to feel like this.  It had been so very long.

"I never knew," he said.  "I always thought it was Jack that you loved."

Sam ran her hand up and down his back.  "It was for a long time.  I finally put those feelings away for good after he left for Washington, and I was in R & D.  I knew that it was never going to happen between us, not even if he retired.  The thing is that, during those months I was in Nevada, it wasn't Jack that I missed the most; it was you.  I thought about you a lot.  I looked forward to every one of your phone calls and emails.  When Cam told me that you were in a coma, I almost panicked.  I was all set to hop on the next available transport, but we were in the middle of a very delicate project, and my superiors refused to let me go.  I was so pissed off that I came really close to resigning right then and there."

Daniel smiled at the thought of a raging mad Sam storming around the corridors of Area 51, terrorizing the poor scientists.

"I was tempted to go over their heads and contact General O'Neill, but I learned that he was with the president.  Then Cam called and said you were okay.  But I didn't really relax until you called and assured me that you really were all right."

Daniel remembered that conversation, how Sam kept asking him if he was sure he was okay.

Sam began running her fingers over Daniel's chest, her gaze focused upon it.  "But it wasn't until after Vala came back from the Ori galaxy that I realized how I felt about you.  I was really jealous of her."

Surprised, Daniel looked at her.  "You were?"

"Oh, yeah.  Big time, especially after she made that comment about you having gone on a date."

"It wasn't a date, Sam," Daniel hastily told her.

"I know, but I was still jealous.  I kept wishing that I'd been the one you went out to dinner with."

"I'd have liked that a lot better."

Sam smiled.  "Then this would have happened several months sooner."

Daniel chuckled.  "You think so, huh?"

"I know so.  I was already having dreams and fantasies about us being together.  I probably shouldn't tell you this, but, when you were dressed in that leather outfit, it was really hard not to stare."

That made Daniel laugh outright.  "I was having the same problem.  And let's just say that those leather pants were feeling even tighter than they normally would have."

Sam giggled, a wonderful sound to Daniel's ears.

After laying there for quite some time, soaking in the feeling of just being together like that, they finally decided to get under the covers.  As soon as they did, they went back into each other's arms with a contented sigh.

Sam laid her head on Daniel's chest.  "So, when did you wake up to your feelings for me?"

Daniel hesitated before replying.  "It doesn't matter, Sam.  All that matters is that we're together now."

Sam lifted her head and stared at him.  "When, Daniel?"

He couldn't quite meet her eyes.  "It's . . . it's been a while."

Sam frowned.  "When?"

Daniel sighed.  "After I descended."

Sam's eyes widened in surprise.  "My God.  I had no idea.  All these years, and I never had a clue."

"I got really good at hiding it."

"I wish you hadn't."

Daniel met her gaze.  "Sam, even if you'd known, it wouldn't have made a difference, except perhaps to put a strain on our friendship.  You didn't have those kinds of feelings for me back then."

"I don't know.  I can't say that for sure.  Maybe if I'd known, I'd have started thinking differently about you."

"I don't want to think about 'maybes', Sam, or what might have been."  He caressed her cheek.  "I have you now.  Nothing else matters."

Daniel lowered his mouth to Sam's.  The kiss soon progressed to more, and Daniel and Sam made love for a second time, this time very slowly, their lovemaking full of soft touches and gentle explorations.

"I love you, Sam," Daniel murmured against her hair as they lay holding each other in the aftermath.  "I will always love you."

"I love you, too, Daniel, very much."

Daniel tilted her head up so that he could look into her eyes.  "I don't know what those fifty years on the Odyssey were like, what may have happened, but I do know what I want for the fifty years that have yet to happen.  I want to spend them with you."

Sam smiled joyfully.  "I couldn't think of a better way to spend them."

Despite the fact that neither one of them got very much sleep that night, both Daniel and Sam were feeling energized the next day.  As soon as Cameron saw them, he knew that something big had happened.  He managed to get Daniel alone a couple of hours later.

"So, judging by the very big, very pleased smiles that are on yours and Sam's faces, I'm betting that you guys didn't go straight home last night . . . or at least not alone."

"My love life is not up for discussion," Daniel responded firmly.

"Oh ho!  Your love life, eh?"  Cameron grinned.  "Well, well, well.  I'm glad to hear that you took my advice."

Daniel sighed.  "I didn't take your advice, not really.  What happened last night was . . . unexpected."

"Well, however it happened, I'm happy for you, for Sam, too.  You guys are going to be great together."

Daniel stared at him.  "Aren't you worried that Landry will make one of us leave SG-1?  I may be a civilian, but I doubt that the military will like the idea of teammates being involved with each other."

"Daniel, with the Ori threat still out there, there's no way that they'll make you leave SG-1, and I really don't think they'd want to kick Sam off either.  They know how important the two of you are.  Beside, I'm betting that General O'Neill will go to bat for you."

Daniel frowned.  "I wouldn't be so sure of that."

"Why do you say that?"

"It's not something I can talk about."

"Well, I still think that everything will be fine."

It turned out that Cameron was right.  Though Landry wasn't pleased at first, he came to accept Sam and Daniel's new relationship.  Jack, though initially surprised, didn't have a problem with it and became their advocate, convincing the president that the change in their relationship wouldn't interfere with their effectiveness on the team.  He and Daniel had a long talk, during which Jack revealed that he'd stopped feeling anything more than friendship for Sam years ago.

Vala showed no surprise at all when she found out, which confirmed that she had, indeed, realized that Daniel was in love with Sam.  She said very little about the whole thing, though she did congratulate them.  Daniel had hoped that he was the only one to see the trace of sadness in her eyes, but the fact that Cameron paid a lot of attention to her for the rest of that day and seemed to go out of his way to make her laugh told Daniel that the Air Force pilot had seen the sadness, too.

Strangely, the one who appeared to be surprised the most was Teal'c.  When he returned to Earth to the news that Daniel and Sam were now a couple, he failed to hide the look of surprise that flashed across his face.  Several times, Daniel caught the Jaffa staring at him, then looking at Vala.

It was a week later, after everything had been settled and Daniel and Sam had official word from the president that they could both remain on SG-1, that Teal'c came to Daniel's office with a serious expression on his face.

"Daniel Jackson, there is a personal matter that I must discuss with you."

"Um, sure, Teal'c.  What's up?"

"It is about your relationship with Colonel Carter."

"Oh, uh . . . okay.  I know that you were surprised about it."

"There is a reason for my surprise, one of which you are unaware.  Before I tell you this reason, I must ask you a question.  What are your feelings for Vala Mal Doran?"

Daniel's eyebrows rose in surprise.  "I . . . I care about her very much.  She's a good friend."

"Then you are not in love with her?"

Daniel's mouth fell open.  "No.  Why would you think I love her?"

"I will reveal the reason shortly.  Are you in love with Colonel Carter?"

"Yes, very much.  I love her with my whole heart.  I have for a long time."

Teal'c nodded.  "What I am about to tell you may surprise you, then.  When we were trapped onboard the Odyssey, you entered into a sexual relationship with Vala Mal Doran.  That relationship survived throughout the duration of our imprisonment in the time dilation field.  Based upon what I saw, I had believed that you were content in the relationship."

Daniel leaned back in his chair.  "Oh."

Teal'c studied his face.  "You do not appear to be as surprised as I would have anticipated."

"Well, I am surprised, but not all that much.  You see, Teal'c, I was certain that Sam and I could never be together, that she could never feel that way about me.  I never even dared to see if I might be wrong.  A while ago, I finally decided that it was time for me to put my feelings for Sam away and find someone to share my life with.  Vala . . . well, she has feelings for me.  She's, um, hit on me more than once.  I've always turned her down before, but maybe I finally decided to go for it.  Considering how I was feeling at the time we left on the Odyssey, it wouldn't surprise me if that was the case."

"So, you are saying that your relationship was based upon sex."

Daniel flushed.  Talking with Teal'c about sex was certainly not something he'd ever have thought he'd be doing.  "Uh . . . I can't say for sure since I have no memories of any of that, but, if it lasted for fifty years, obviously, there was more to it than just the sex.  Like I said, I care about Vala very much, and maybe, in time, I grew to love her in some way.  I don't know.  What I am certain of is that, now that I have Sam, I could never want Vala like that.  I could never love her like that.  It wouldn't be possible."

Teal'c inclined his head.  "That is all I wished to know."

"Um, Teal'c, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't tell anyone else about this, especially Sam.  She doesn't need to know."

"I will tell no one, Daniel Jackson.  Now that I know the truth of your feelings, I wish to offer blessings on your relationship with Colonel Carter.  I have seen the great joy on your face and upon hers.  In truth, it is a depth of happiness that I never saw during those years on the Odyssey.  I hope that you and Colonel Carter will have at least as many years together as you had with Vala Mal Doran."

"Thanks, Teal'c.  That's a wish I have, too."

From his place on the recliner, Daniel watched the people in the living room, a secret smile on his face.  Though most of them didn't know it, today was a special day in more ways than one.  Fifty years ago today, Daniel's relationship with Sam, the love of his life, took that step beyond friendship and into what it came to be.  In six months, they'd be celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary.

"Grandpa, grandpa!  Look!" cried a little voice.  Five-year-old Beth came running up and clambered onto Daniel's lap.  She showed him what was in her hand.

"Wow, that's a very pretty piece of milky quartz, sweetheart.  You see that gold stuff?  That's pyrite.  It's sometimes called Fool's Gold."

"How come it's called that?"

"Because some people make a mistake and think it's real gold."

Beth gazed at him adoringly.  "You know lots about rocks, Grandpa."

"Oh, not nearly as much as many other people.  I did study geology in school, but that wasn't what I studied the most."

Beth nodded.  "You're an arche . . . archeologist, like Daddy.  I wanna be an archeologist when I grow up."

Daniel grinned.  "Well, if that's what you want to be, then that's what you will be."

"But I want to be an astro. . . ."

Daniel's smile broadened.  "Astrophysicist?"

Beth nodded.  "I wanna be one of those, too, like Grandma Sam, so I can learn all about the stars and planets."

Daniel laughed.  "Then I guess you'll just have to be both.  Why don't you go show Grandma what you found?"

"Okay."  Beth slid off Daniel's lap and scampered over to Sam, who oohed and ahhed over the quartz, giving Daniel a smile over the child's head.  The smile filled him with joy, just as it always did.  Fifty years, and his love for her had not dimmed even the slightest.  These years had brought a lot of pain and heartache, but they had also brought a lot of happiness.

"Dad?"

Daniel turned to his son, David Jacob, seeing his younger self in the man's face.

"Charlotte and I are going to go get the food.  You and Mom will be fine here with the kids?"

"Sure, we'll be great."

"Everyone else should be arriving soon.  Claire called.  They're running a little late, but just a few minutes."

Daniel smiled at the thought of his firstborn, as beautiful as her mother and equally as smart.  Both of their kids had been blessed with well above average intelligence.  David had equaled his father's three PhD's and was a valuable member of the Stargate Program, which was still running after all these years, though it had finally been made public and was now primarily used for the advancement of humankind, the way Daniel had always hoped it would someday be.

There was a knock on the door, and David went to answer it.

"Hey.  Cameron, Vala.  Come on in."

The two people entered the house.

"So, did we miss anything?" Vala asked with the smile that hadn't changed in all these years.

"Nope, we're off to go get the food now," David replied, "so go make yourselves comfortable."

Cameron and Vala went over to the couch and sat down.  David and his wife said a quick "we'll be back" and headed out the door.

Beth came running up to the new arrivals.  "Look at what I found!"  She showed them the quartz, and they made appropriate sounds of appreciation.

"Beth, maybe you should put it away in your backpack so you won't lose it," Daniel suggested.

"Okay."  The little girl ran off to stow her newest treasure.

"She is such a delightful child," Vala said.  "But then, so are all of your grandchildren."

"Yeah, unlike ours, which are little hellions," Cameron remarked dryly.

Vala slapped his arm.  "That's not true.  Our grandchildren are all angels.  They're just spirited."  She smiled.  "They get that from me."

Cameron leaned over and kissed her.  "They certainly do."

Daniel smiled at the show of affection.  Their relationship had been a surprise to him when it happened.  He'd never have expected the two of them to get together.  But, as far as he knew, they'd been happy all these years.  The fact that they were still together after forty-seven years of marriage must mean that they'd done something right.

At that moment, the reason for the get-together came in the door.  Sam got to her feet and hugged her eldest grandson, Danny.

"Oh, we are so proud of you, Danny," she said.

Daniel rose from his chair and shook the young man's hand.  "Yes, we are.  Being chosen as one of the students to go on that dig on Mydaria is something to be very proud of.  Professor Stafford was selecting only the best and brightest.  It's a very important dig."

Danny smiled.  "Thanks, Granddad.  I'm afraid that Mom is of mixed feelings about it."

"Well, she's going to miss you," Sam responded.  "It was the same way for us with your father."  She put her arm around Daniel's waist, gazing at him lovingly.  "But we wouldn't have changed a thing."

Daniel smiled down at her.  "No, we wouldn't."

Half an hour later, everyone was gathered in the big dining room, with Daniel seated at the head of the table.  He got to his feet, his eyes scanning the faces before him.  Into his mind's eye came the faces of the people who were not there, friends and family lost or unable to attend: Mark, Sam's brother, whose ill health had prevented him from coming, General Hammond and Landry, both of them passed on many years ago, Teal'c, who had returned to the Jaffa, married Ishta, and became a leader to his people, and Jack, gone these eight years and whom Daniel still missed to this day.  Every one of them was missed.  But today was not a day for sorrow; it was one for celebration.

"Today, we're here to celebrate Danny's selection to participate in the Mydarian dig," he said.  "I can't tell you how proud his grandmother and I are.  We know that this is only one event in what we are sure will be an amazing and fulfilling life."  Daniel smiled.  "There is something else about today that most of you do not know."  His eyes met those of his wife.  "Fifty years ago today, Sam and I, after ten years of friendship, became more than friends and started a new life together.  I can't imagine any fifty years being happier or more fulfilling than these years I've had with her and the family we created together."  Daniel picked up his glass of wine.  "So, today, I'd like to propose a toast to both my grandson, Danny, and to that day fifty years ago, the day that made this day possible."

All the adults and older children picked up their glasses, filled with either wine or sparkling grape juice.

Daniel held his glass high.  "To Daniel Anthony Jackson and to one of the best and brightest days I ever had in my life."

Daniel stood leaning against the living room wall, watching the kids playing.  Cameron came up to him.

"So . . . fifty years," the ex-pilot said.

"Yeah."

"Do you ever think about those other fifty years, Daniel, the ones that happened but didn't happen?"

"Sometimes."

"I still wonder what we did on that ship for all those years."

"I know what I did."

Startled, Cameron stared at him.  "You do?  How do you know?"

"Teal'c told me a long time ago."

"Well, that's not fair.  So, you going to share?"

Daniel shook his head.  "No.  I never told anyone, not even Sam.  It's the only secret I ever kept from her."

"Wow.  It must be some secret."

Daniel looked over at Vala.  "Yeah, pretty big.  All I'll say is that those years on the Odyssey apparently did bring some happiness to me.  I had a better life than one would have expected under those circumstances."  His gaze went to Sam.  "But these fifty years, they gave me everything I could possibly have wanted.  I witnessed the end of the Ori.  I saw the program made public and accepted by the world.  My theories about the pyramids were publicly vindicated."

"And you made a fortune from all those books you wrote and the TV appearances," Cam added with a grin, "not to mention the royalties from that hit movie based on your life."

"Those things don't matter.  They're not what's important."  Daniel's eyes returned to his wife, who was on the couch with their youngest grandchild in her lap.

Cameron saw the direction of his gaze and smiled.  "No, they're not."

"These fifty years are the ones that I'm glad I'll have memories of when I die," Daniel said softly.

Cameron looked at Vala, who smiled back at him.  "Me too."  He patted Daniel on the back.  "Come on, old man.  Let's go dig us up a couple of beers and reminisce about the good old days, like men our age are supposed to do.  Then you can tell me all about your plans for getting the Ancients to ascend you yet again when it's finally your time to check out once and for all."

Daniel looked at him in surprise, laughing.  "And what makes you think I have such plans?"

"Okay, so maybe you don't, but I bet there are a few glowy people out there who do.  You have more than one friend on that higher plane of existence, you know."

Daniel shook his head.  "I wouldn't be interested," he looked at his wife yet again, "not unless Sam and I could both go and were allowed to stay together."

"Well, that's a given, Daniel.  I doubt Sam would let you go without her anyway."

With a smile, Daniel went with his old friend to the kitchen, wondering if Cameron just might be right and what the next fifty thousand years might bring for him and the woman he loved.

It could be rather interesting.
 

THE END