1. Default Chapter

Author's note – if you're tuning in for the first time, thank you!  I hope you enjoy it!!  If you're wondering what the deal is, fanfic.net decided that some of my content was not in line with their rules (uh, guess they finally found chapter 14….)

I owe a great deal of thanks to many fanfic authors – Sally Reeve, Ruthie, Cathain Nottingham, Ted Sadler, lighteninglady…the list goes on – these authors have helped, inspired and encouraged me and this reposting is dedicated to them and to all the ones I haven't mentioned!

Enjoy J 

Lieutenant Jennifer Hailey was helping him catalog the artifacts that had been gathered on PX239.  He appreciated the help; she was a scientist and was quite detailed and dedicated to the tasks she took on.  He also liked that, although she was military, she had an almost childlike curiosity about her when it came to examining and analyzing the artifacts that they gathered.  She reminded him of Sha're that way, he thought ruefully.  He also knew that she was able to relax a bit around him as he was not officially military, and he felt a sense of duty to provide that outlet to the bright young woman.

"I'm finished with this box, Dr. Jackson, sir," she said.

"Okay, how much time do you have left before your next shift with Sam?"

She looked at the clock on the wall.  "My shift up there doesn't start until 14:00 hours, sir.  It's only 11:00 hours now, sir."

He knew she needed to keep up with the constant references to him as sir to maintain her military posture.  It was a habit he had grown accustomed to with the other recruits at the SGC.

"Well, why don't you go ahead and grab the next box, then?  If you don't finish it, I can," knowing as he said it that she would not let that happen; she would sooner work through lunch and run up to Sam's lab at full speed than leave a task unfinished.  "Grab the smaller of the boxes, please, I don't want either of us to be here all night," he said.

"Sir, yes sir," she said, as she turned and headed out of the room.  At least she had stopped saluting him, he thought wryly.  Jennifer headed out of the lab, and down the corridor to one of the extra labs where the artifacts were stored.  Dr. Jackson's lab was at the end of a long hallway, and the other doors in the corridor led to other large labs that were used for storing the artifacts until they could be properly cataloged.  It was like a series of closets, the artifacts being dumped into one, then brought to the lab, then stored in yet another one.

Jennifer used her card key to enter the dark, dreary lab where the artifacts were first placed when they returned through the gate.  The lighting here was very spare, a couple of long fluorescent bulbs strung overhead.  It did not exactly scare her to come in here, but she felt a perceptible sense of relief when she could leave.  She always left the door open when she came in here; there were no telephones or intercoms or other communication devices of any kind in here.  If the card key did not work to open the door from the inside, for whatever reason, a person would be trapped in here.  The thought made her vaguely uneasy.

She knew exactly where the boxes had been put; she had helped put them there.  They were on the far side of the room, piled on top of some tables – that made them easier to lift, but the distance between her and the boxes increased that sense of uneasiness she had in here.  Setting her card key on the table next to the door – she always put it there, so that she didn't accidentally drop it in the darkness of the lab – she strode across the room and scanned the boxes with her Mag flashlight, looking for one that might be a manageable size that she could finish before her next shift.

As she entered the lab, she did not notice the tall, lanky man watching from the open end of the corridor.  He grinned, recognizing that the young lieutenant had just set herself up in a situation tailor made for someone such as himself.  Looking around to make sure that no one was watching him, he sauntered quietly down the corridor and taking another look around, he stepped into the lab.  He noticed her card key near the door; picking it up and putting it into his pocket, he shut the door behind him.

The sudden click of the door almost caused her heart to stop.  She could feel the hair rise on the back of her neck.  She whirled around, hoping it was just a draft that had caused the door to shut, but somehow knowing that it wasn't.  She saw him then, standing near the door.  She glanced quickly and noticed that her card key had disappeared from the stand near the door.

"Major Jameson, sir," she greeted him coolly.  She had only heard rumors about this man and while she was not one to engage in gossip, what she had heard had fueled her natural suspicions about the man with the too easy grin.

"Lieutenant Hailey, how nice to see you again," he replied, with an oily tone of voice that now made the hairs on her skin stand up.  He flicked the lights off with a deliberateness that sent shivers down her spine and sauntered closer towards her.  Her natural instinct to run was now operating on high alert, but she could see by the way he was walking that he was blocking all of her escape routes.  Besides, she realized, the door was the only way out and could not be opened without the card key that she was pretty sure he had.  

"I was just retrieving a box for Dr. Jackson," Jennifer stated.  She held the Mag flashlight in front of her defensively, like a weapon, preparing to defend herself if need be.  Her soldier training had prepared her for that.

"But you can't get through that door without your card key, Lieutenant," he stated, grinning wickedly at the girl's predicament.  He pulled her card key out of his pocket and waved it at her, then stuffed it back into his back pocket.  "First year of the academy, lieutenant, never let the enemy get the drop on you," he drawled, closing in on her.  "You could get written up for this.  Of course, we could negotiate a little treaty to get you out of it," his voice fairly dripping with the intentions of his statement.

Jennifer drew herself up to her full stature and squared her shoulders.  She didn't appreciate his attempt at intimidation; she certainly wasn't going to let on that it was working.  "Sir, you are out of line," Jennifer said confidently, not quite as sure of her actions as she hoped her tone would indicate.

"Out of line, eh?" Jameson replied, bemusedly.  "Oh, I think it's _you_ who are out of line, Lieutenant Hailey, or at least you who needs to get _out _of line."

Jennifer's heart was pounding now; the things she had heard were true.  He was a senior officer and could be a rapist, she realized.  Her soldier training had not prepared her completely for these types of situations.  She realized she was scared, and she was having a hard time replacing that fear with her normal anger at things that scared her.  This was different.  She was scared of this on a much different level.

Jameson continued towards her.  She set her feet in a combat stance and wielded the flashlight like a saber.  Jameson laughed.  "Oh, so now you're going to fight me off with a flashlight, eh?" he said mockingly.  As he closed the distance between them, Jennifer was not prepared for the lightning quick way in which he grabbed her wrist, forcing her to drop the flashlight.  It clattered to the ground, shining against the door and far wall, leaving barely enough light for her to see him in.  

In one quick move he had pushed her up against the wall with his body, pinning the wrist that he had captured above her head.  His other hand expertly grabbed her free wrist; he was much more practiced at maneuvers in the dark, she knew, and her lack of knowledge and experience in these matters scared her to her soul.  She felt helpless, not a feeling she was used to and certainly not one she wanted to get used to anytime soon.  

With one hand he held both of her wrists above her head, still pinning her lithe, supple body against the wall with his.  He was easily a foot taller than she was; even if she had the leverage, she wouldn't be able to reach his groin with her knee, she thought.  He seemed to be taking great pleasure in her confinement.  He lewdly took in the full sight of her, undressing her with his eyes.  He bent his head and began to kiss her neck.

"Why, Lieutenant Hailey, you're really not such a battle axe after all," he growled, low in his throat, against her neck.  She felt hot with shame and embarrassment at the words and the freedoms he was taking with her right now.  Her mind raced furtively with how to resist the turn this situation was taking.  She struggled to free her hands from his, this only served to make him laugh.  "Oh, I like a little feistiness in my women," he growled against her skin.  His kisses were now finding their way down to the collar of her shirt, and with his free hand he was caressing her body, fondling her firm breasts, moving his hand up and down her side and buttocks, squeezing them roughly, then trailing up to unbutton the military issue shirt she had on.  _Oh shit,_ she thought, _not like this._

"Sir, you are WAY out of line," she managed in her strongest tone of voice possible at that moment.  "I _will_ have to report this, sir," she warned, hoping that somehow her feeble threats would be enough to stop the assault.

Jameson just laughed.  "Oh, really, lieutenant?  You wouldn't be the first person to try that stunt with me.  If you value your career in this man's military, you'll just lay back and enjoy it like the rest of them have."  His hand gripped her wrists tighter, causing her to utter a small yelp of pain.  "I'll bet you like it rough, lieutenant," he growled as his tongue and mouth continued their assault on her.  He almost had her shirt undone, and was tugging to free it from her belt.  He stopped tugging the shirt and reached for the belt buckle, undoing the belt buckle and the top button and zipper of her pants.  

With the shirt now free of its confinement, he returned to his undressing of her, finishing the unbuttoning of her shirt.  He then pressed the entire length of his body up against her, forcing her to feel the hardness that he achieved only when he was able to intimidate women in this matter.  He rubbed himself against her, moaning slightly as he turned himself on.  She turned her head in an effort to get away from his punishing mouth, but he continued his assault.

Daniel frowned.  The clock said 11:25 now; it shouldn't have taken Lieutenant Hailey that long to locate the boxes and select a small one.  In the clutter and dark of the other lab, he realized, though, it might not have been as obvious to her which ones he was referring to.  She wasn't one to ask for help, he knew.  He decided to go and help her anyway; he'd figure out a way to rescue her dignity from it somehow.

He stepped out of his lab into the corridor, no need to shut the door.  He looked across the hall and noticed the other door was shut and the lights were off.  His frown deepened and he became concerned.  She had never shut the door before; he suspected she had some fear of being confined but knew she would never admit it to anyone.  And why would she be in there alone with the lights off?

He looked around his lab and in his lab jacket pockets for his own card key, and locating it, he strode over and opened the other door.

 "I've often wondered how you would look with all that hair down," Jameson said, and with his free hand he now reached for the hairpiece by which she kept her long, curly dirty blond hair piled behind her head.  Despite repeated turnings of her head, which just served to make him laugh, he freed the hair from its confinement.  The locks spilled out over her shoulders and across the front of her open shirt.  She stared at him now, defiantly, and he took in the full view of her in this most vulnerable state, fully enjoying it.

"Major Jameson, I demand that you stop this now," she heard herself yell, wondering futilely if it would help.

"Oh, you demand it, eh?" he mocked her.  "I'm sure you'll be demanding plenty of things from me before we're done, sweetie, but I'll bet stopping isn't one of them."

Neither of them had heard the card key slide into the door.  Suddenly, the lights went on.  "I believe you heard the girl ask you to stop, Major Jameson," came the smooth, angry voice of the archaeologist.  He stood in the doorway, blue eyes blazing at the assault that was taking place.  "Now, will you leave my lab on your own or will I have to ask the MP's to escort you?"  Jameson knew that the MP's were within yelling distance, and Dr. Jackson's level of clearance and connections would bring them at a dead run.  He didn't need that.

Instinct set in.  Jennifer took advantage of Jameson's temporary distraction.  She steeled herself and with all of the energy at her command she stomped on his left foot.  The sudden pain of this broke his concentration, and as he bent to cradle his foot, she brought her right knee up as hard as she could into his now accessible groin area.  Jameson dropped like a stone in a pond.  Lying prone on the ground, he cradled his knees to his chest, desperately trying to nurse himself against the pain she had just inflicted.  Her eyes flashed; Daniel recognized that look.  If he didn't get her out of there, he could be testifying at her murder trial – justifiable homicide, he corrected himself.

"Lieutenant Hailey!" He yelled sharply.  She didn't look up from her attacker, eyeing him and planning where to plant her foot next.  "He's not worth it!" Daniel yelled, hoping to distract her from her all too obvious plan.  He crossed the room and stood between her and Jameson's still writhing body.  "Don't let him get to you like this," he said warningly.  She looked up at him, eyes still flashing angrily, knowing that he was probably right.  She reached down, and grabbed her card key from out of Jameson's back pocket.

The yelling had indeed brought the MP's at a dead run.  Jameson did have a reputation, but so did Lieutenant Hailey; it was known that she had broken the nose of an upper classman at the academy in her sophomore year.  The scene would be fodder for the gossip circuit for months to come, but Hailey had proved herself by dropping the major who towered over her by at least a foot.  As the MP's came in to take Jameson away, Daniel stood gallantly in front of her; it was then she realized her state of undress.  Quietly thankful for his covering presence, she rearranged her pants and shirt; her hair would be another matter.  She would need a few more minutes and a ladies room to attend to that aspect of her dress.

As the MP's dragged Jameson to the door, one of them turned to Lieutenant Hailey.  "Do you plan to press charges, ma'am?" he asked.  He didn't even question how the situation had arisen.

Jennifer steeled herself.  This was a pivotal moment.  As a woman in the armed forces, she understood all too well the unwritten code of conduct.  "No charges necessary, airman," she replied.  "The major and I had a misunderstanding, that's all.  I think we understand each other perfectly now, don't we, sir?"  She turned to Jameson, eyes still flashing.  Jameson said nothing, looking away disgustedly as he nursed his still aching groin and foot.  Jennifer had hit him hard; she would probably have a bruise on her knee from where it connected with his pelvic area.  And the military issue boots she wore were designed to inflict that level of pain if needed.

"Yes ma'am," the MP replied, helping Jameson away.  They closed the door on their way out.  Jennifer was not as scared of the empty lab now, with Dr. Jackson here.  The thought of that comforted and bothered her at the same time.

Daniel stood, mouth slightly open, listening to the exchange.  He looked at Lieutenant Hailey.  Despite her disheveled appearance, or perhaps because of it, he noticed that she really was quite an attractive young woman.  _The military uniform hairstyle she usually wears is her protection from that,_ he thought to himself.  Realizing the inappropriateness of his thoughts at this particular moment, he banished them from his mind.

"Are you okay?" he asked, with obvious concern in his voice.

"Fine sir," she said, reasserting her self.  "Just fine."  Her anger was back now, but it was not strong enough to cover the emotions of the situation she had almost had to endure there.  He noticed that she was shaking slightly.

"Well, you'll forgive me if I don't believe you."

"I'm a soldier in the United States Air Force, Dr. Jackson.  I am fine," she asserted, as much for her own benefit as his.  But the shakiness in her voice betrayed her.

Daniel was standing within arm's reach of her, but was hesitant to touch her.  "Well, I'm NOT a soldier in the United States Air Force, I'm an archaeologist, and I know I wouldn't be okay if it were me," he said in a serious voice.  "But then, I don't think I'm Jameson's type," he deadpanned, hoping to lighten the mood enough for her to let her guard down.

Jennifer giggled at the joke, in spite of herself.  The giggle was a release of its own sort, and now the emotions could not be stopped.  She looked down at the floor and crossed her arms in front of herself, sobs beginning to rack her body despite her best efforts to stop them.

Daniel tentatively reached for the young woman, encircling her gently in his arms.  Although part of her wanted to resist, instinctively she accepted his warm, comforting embrace.  She sobbed openly now, great heaving sobs of release and relief.  They racked her small frame as Daniel held her comfortingly.  In a few moments the sobs subsided, and she stepped away, wiping her eyes on the back of her sleeves, attempting to regain her full military composure.

"Um, no offense, lieutenant, but you don't look all that military right now," he said.  She giggled at the remark, imagining that he was right.  Her tousled hair and red eyes, not to mention the marks on her wrists and neck, were signs that something was amiss.

"Since it's just about lunchtime, I was planning to go offbase to get a real cup of coffee," Daniel said.  "Can I convince you to join me?"

Jennifer was touched at the offer, and she knew she needed to pull herself together before she went upstairs to Major Carter's lab.  She smiled at him, a real genuine smile, causing him to think again that she really was an attractive young lady.  _That's just wrong on so many levels right now, _he thought to himself_._

"I've found a back door out of this place, if you'd prefer," he said, thinking that she wouldn't want to have to explain her appearance to too many people.  "I usually park near there so I can escape without too much notice being taken."

She was grateful for his considerate offer.  Although she knew it was not unusual to suddenly be attracted to someone who had rescued you from a terrible fate, she wondered if that was what suddenly made her realize that Dr. Jackson was really an attractive man, with his chestnut brown hair and deep blue eyes.  She pushed the thought away.  _That's just nuts; I'm just reacting to a stressful situation, she thought._

"Thank you, Dr. Jackson, sir, I would appreciate that."  Well, at least she hadn't saluted him this time.

They stepped into the coffee shop, it was crowded with students who usually chose to take their lunch there.  No base personnel this time, thankfully.  They noticed a table in the corner by the window and made a beeline for it.  She headed straight for the chair against the window.  It was her defensive posture again, he thought, scanning the world around her for all of the threats that could be there, imagined or otherwise.  He suddenly felt a sense of needing to protect her somehow.  He had not felt this way with the other junior officers that he had worked with.

Suddenly she relaxed and a smile of remembrance came over her face.  "What are you thinking about?" he asked.

She waved at a woman carrying a big pink drink. "When we were in the academy, we used to come here to hang out when we were off duty.  One time, I saw someone carrying this pink frilly drink, one of their fruit and berry combinations or something and I made a remark about how pretty it was.  They ribbed me a bit about that, saying that the word "pretty" wasn't in the Air Force glossary.  I made some comment about how they wouldn't know pretty if they fell over it anyway, being male and all.  Well, Tom – Lieutenant Eliot, that is, goes up to get the drinks and he comes back to the table with this big goofy grin on his face and a huge version of one of those drinks, with whipped cream and a cherry to boot and he says in his best southern drawl 'a pretty drink for a pretty lady – I know pretty when I see it.'  It sounds sort of goofy now, but it's just one of my favorite memories of him," she said wistfully.

Daniel smiled, flattered that she had shared the memory with him.  Perhaps when her hair was down she really did let down some of her defenses.  A reverse on the Samson and Delilah theme, he thought wryly to himself.

He excused himself to go up and order the coffees; standing in line he looked over at her, again feeling oddly protective of her now.  She had seemed so vulnerable there in the lab, even if she had fought Jameson off without any help from him.  The only vulnerability she would allow herself, he thought.  He caught sight of her; she was looking out the window now, not with that soldier's scanning for threats look, but with a faraway look in her eyes.  Her long, curly dirty blond hair framed her face softly, and he found himself thinking again what a beautiful girl she really was.  _Oh, so wrong, Jackson, stop that now._

He turned back to the counter and saw that it was his turn to order.  He noticed that the woman next to him was picking up a blended fruit juice drink, just like Lieutenant Hailey had described – pink and frilly.  On a whim, he added a large one of those to his order of a small espresso, his fuel of choice today.

"Whipped cream on that, sir?" the girl asked.

"Yes, please," he thought for a moment "and a cherry on top, if you've got one."  The girl raised a quizzical eyebrow at this last part, but she had heard plenty of unusual requests in her line of work.  She selected a nice, round, plump maraschino cherry and set it delicately on top of the mound of whipped cream.

Daniel glanced over quickly; she was still looking out the window with that dreamy smile.  He was glad to see that she had relaxed some, and was impressed by her ability to seemingly recover from her ordeal.  Not that it should have surprised him – she was tough as nails; it would appall her if she knew he was having protective thoughts about her.  She'd never let Jameson's assault get to her any more than her natural instincts had allowed; that would be giving him the advantage.  And, she _had _dropped him like a stone in a pond.

He carried the drinks across the room, deftly making his way around the other patrons.  As he neared the table, she looked up.  Her face lit up and her mouth dropped open at the sight of the drink.  He grinned and set it in front of her.  "A pretty drink for a pretty lady," he said in his best mock Southern drawl.  "I know pretty when I see it."  He set his own down, spilling a bit and then began looking around for a napkin to wipe up the spill.

She patted his arm "I'll get one," she said.  "I need a straw for this monstrosity, anyway," she grinned.  She walked over to the counter where the implements and condiments were kept and grabbed a stack of napkins and a straw for herself.  She walked back to the table and slid into her seat, neatly dropping the napkins on the table and stabbing her drink with the straw.  She smiled again; she really seemed to be enjoying herself, Daniel thought.  She took a long draw on the straw of the drink and suddenly she was fanning her mouth with a surprised look.  "Oh, it's COLD!" she gasped.

"You better slow down on that thing, you wouldn't want to lose control, now," Daniel kidded her.

A shadow passed over her face; he realized that his words had brought back the too recent memory of her harrowing incident with Jameson.  _Losing control, not ever having been in control was more like it_, he thought to himself, with a sense of helplessness.

"I'm sorry," Daniel said.  "I brought you out here to forget that."

"It's okay, I really do appreciate this."  She smiled again, this time with a hint of sadness.  "I don't think I'll forget that whole thing nearly as fast as I'd like to," she said, sadly.

"Well, Lieutenant Hailey, you may be one of the greatest soldiers of all time, but you were and still are a woman, and any woman in her right mind would have a hard time forgetting that whole thing."  The cloud passed over her pretty dark eyes again, and Daniel leaned across the table.  "It's okay not to be military all the time, y'know," he chided her gently.  "Nobody else ever has to know that you let your hair down once in a while."

His words suddenly reminded her.  "Oh my God, my hair," she said, a hand flying up to the locks.  "Excuse me for a moment, won't you, Dr. Jackson?"  She rushed off to the ladies room.

He watched her go, a sudden sadness coming over him at the moment lost.  He chided himself at this.  "She's young enough to be…" the thought confused him.  She's young enough to be what, he pondered.  He realized that Sha're had been younger than Lieutenant Hailey when he had married her.  So, either I _was_ a dirty old man, or I'm _becoming_ a dirty old man, he thought sardonically.  Jack would be proud, his brain added.

In the bathroom, Jennifer tucked her hair back into the military style she was used to wearing.  Doing this made her feel somewhat normal again, putting things back in the order she was so used to.  But, she also felt an odd sense of longing for the few, non military moments she had passed with Dr. Jackson.  It was not something she was at all used to, but Dr. Jackson had made her feel comfortable, and, well, safe.  _No doubt that's just because of what happened this morning, _she thought, and brushed aside the feeling, tucking the last few stray hairs into place and straightening and smoothing the rest of her uniform.  Ready for the military again, she thought.  She set her chin in that way she had when she was determined, and headed back to the table.

As she returned from the ladies room, Daniel could see in her eyes that the wall against her emotions had gone back up right along with the hair.  _Probably best that way, _he thought sadly, it would keep his thoughts about her from straying in directions that maybe they should not be taking.

They finished their drinks and proceeded back to the base, but the lunchtime traffic was bad, and they pulled into the base at 14:15.  He looked over at her, noticing the slightest hint of worry beneath the steely gaze in her eyes.

"This is my fault," he said.  "Please let me explain it to Sam – I mean Major Carter."

"Explain what?" Jennifer asked.  "You're not going to tell her what happened, are you?" she inquired in an incredulous tone.

"No, no, of course not," he replied reassuringly.  "It's my fault that you're late for your shift and rather than you having to explain it, I'd rather explain it to her.  You went off base with me at my urging; it's my fault," he said.

Jennifer steeled herself.  This was still her responsibility; she was a soldier and she could have insisted that they return earlier than they had.  From somewhere inside a nagging voice reminded her that she hadn't wanted to, that she had enjoyed the diversion from her military routine.

"_I'm_ responsible for appearing on time for my shifts, Dr. Jackson," she stated in that tone she used when she imagined she was being condescended to.  "I'll probably get written up for it and I'll take the discipline on the chin, as I should, like any good soldier would," she stated, in her usual military tone.

"_Everyone_ knows you're never late for your shifts, Lieutenant Hailey," Daniel said, a little exasperated.  "Don't you suppose it will raise more suspicions the one time that you are?"

She pondered this for a moment; he was right.  The red marks on her neck and wrists from Jameson's assault weren't fatal, but could be cause for questioning, if her superior officers were so inclined.  She didn't really feel up to making up a story for this, she realized.

He parked the car near the hidden entrance he favored.  "Please trust me on this, Jennifer." His use of her first name caused her to glance over at him; something about the earnestness in his blue eyes spoke to her instincts.  She didn't know why, but something about the way he looked at her in that moment made her feel she could trust him.  She sighed a bit, relaxing.  He noticed it, too.

"Okay, Dr. Jackson.  Thanks."  She smiled briefly at him, he caught a fleeting glimpse of the warmth he had noticed in her earlier, then they got out of the car and she followed him inside.  They proceeded up to the lab.  The clock outside read 14:35, glaring out her tardiness.  The door was shut, and they could hear two voices inside, conversing.

"All soldiers break rules sometimes, Major," they heard Jack say in his matter of fact tone.  He sounded not so much surprised as almost pleased that Lieutenant Hailey might actually have made a mistake.

"Well, sir, I'm concerned because she's never been late before – it's not her style; she's way too dedicated to military protocol to be tardy even one minute, much less 35.  Maybe we should be alerting her CO; something may have happened to her."

"What do you mean, something may have happened to her?" the Colonel responded, knowing that Sam was right but not wanting to embrace the idea of the young woman not being okay.  He'd grown fond of her, she was an A-1 military type and he respected that.  Like Carter, only angrier, he thought.  Major Carter, he respected too, but Lieutenant Hailey might kick his ass if he ever gave her reason to.  "This is a secure military facility, in case you hadn't noticed, Major," knowing that he didn't need to remind her of this but feeling better about it himself as he heard the words coming out of his own mouth.  "Nothing bad ever happens here."  The words rang hollow and he knew it.

Major Carter's voice dropped in tone and volume, but from outside of the lab both Daniel and Jennifer clearly heard her say "Don't tell me you haven't noticed the way that Major Jameson looks at her, the snake," Samantha Carter spit the last two words out.

The words were followed by silence in the lab.  Jack uttered an imperceptible curse word in response to Sam's observation.

Daniel and Jennifer looked at each other.  Jennifer was still trying to digest the dialogue she had just eavesdropped on; it was nice to know that the superior officers she admired and tried to emulate noticed her and her attention to her duties, and comforting to know that the woman she admired had been looking out for her in a way that she did not think ever crossed the superior officer's mind.  Daniel put a finger to his lips, signaling for Jennifer to be quiet and he knocked on the lab door.

"Come in," Sam called.  "Door's open."

Daniel disappeared into the lab.  Jennifer could hear the muffled sounds behind the door, she knew Daniel was talking low so she would not hear.  She did trust him, but this was her career, too.  She held her breath.  She heard him repeat "She's on her way, it's my fault she's late, and no, I can't tell you why but please, if you never do another favor for me again as long as we live, please don't pull rank on her over this.  You have to trust me on this one."

"I don't know, Danny," Colonel O'Neill said.  "This is pretty big stuff, here," he said.

"Please, Jack," Daniel repeated, knowing that Jack was pulling his chain a bit, but willing to go along for now.

"Just give me one good reason, just one, just one word, about why I should overlook military protocol in this instance."

Daniel sighed, and bit his lip.  He was going to have to go out on a limb here; he was afraid that Lieutenant Hailey would think that he had betrayed her trust, but his non-military instincts told him that the one word Jack was digging for was the one word she had hoped he wouldn't say, yet it was the one word that summed it all up.  No details necessary.

Outside the door, Jennifer listened intently.  Having also heard the conversation between the two superior officers, she too, knew the one word that would set everything right at this moment.  Timing was everything now.  She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and raised her hand to knock, waiting for Daniel's response to the question.  She knew that he would say it, but somehow, she trusted that he knew what he was doing here.

"Does the word Jameson work here?"  Daniel asked in a mildly sarcastic tone.  Even without having heard the conversation, he knew that it would.  Jennifer knew that he was going out on a limb for her, and somehow she knew that he wouldn't betray her trust beyond that one word.

Jennifer heard Jack sigh with frustration, muttering that if only more women would come forward about Jameson they could get him out of there.  She heard Sam say quietly "But given the sensitive nature of the program, they can't just turn him out in the street.  It would be even more difficult than it is under ordinary military circumstances to have him removed."  She heard Sam mutter sarcastically "as if reporting it will make any difference to anything other than her career and her reputation.  Whatever happened, I hope she dropped him like a stone in a pond."

Everything she had heard helped her to feel a bit less alone with her situation.  Bolstered by this, she set her mouth in that determined way of hers, stood up straight, squared her shoulders and knocked on the door.  Dr. Jackson had been right about smoothing things over; she was grateful that the trust she had put in him by pure instinct had not been betrayed.

"Come in," Sam called.

Jennifer opened the door and said "Major Carter; Lieutenant Hailey reporting for duty, ma'am."  She turned to O'Neill with the customary salute and greeting:  "Colonel O'Neill, sir."  The redness of her eyes had faded, but was still visible, and the marks on her neck and wrists were less angry now; however, it was enough for them both to notice and decide that severe repercussions were not required here.

"Have a little trouble finding the place, lieutenant?" O'Neill asked lightly, but forcefully.  He was trying to walk the fine line between restoring the military order that needed to be in place and not forcing the young woman to reveal the circumstances of the situation before she was ready.

"Sir, permission to speak freely, sir."

"Permission granted."

"Doctor Jackson was kind enough to ask me to help him with cataloging some of the artifacts recovered from the mission on PX239; the batteries in the wall clock in his lab died and I did not realize the true time, sir, until I noticed the clock had not moved."  The lie rolled easily from her lips; she herself wasn't sure where the idea had originated, though it was true that she did lose track of time when in the lab – either lab, she thought to herself, pleasantly surprised that she found both disciplines so fascinating.

O'Neill looked at her with a mixture of amusement, admiration and surprise.  "Well, working with Danny on his rocks can do that to a person," O'Neill replied with mild sarcasm, impressed by the young woman's attempt to alleviate Daniel's burden of the truth about what happened.  He was tempted to point out that she was wearing a military issue watch that kept perfect atomic time and that all of the clocks in the SGC were hardwired into the electrical system, eliminating the need for batteries, but the look from Sam told him that it wasn't necessary.  She knew far better than he the position the young soldier was in and while she knew that Hailey would never stand for special treatment no matter what the situation, she also knew all too well that discipline for a situation that was beyond one's control was not appropriate.  The woman in her also knew that the young lieutenant did not need to be reminded that the situation had indeed been out of her control; she was no doubt frightened enough about the truth of that.

"Will it ever happen again, lieutenant?" O'Neill asked, his voice only slightly suggesting that he was referring to more than just the tardiness.

Jennifer Hailey set her mouth in that way that they had come to know about her, when she was determined.  "Sir, no sir," she said, with a particular emphasis on the "no" that was not lost on the other three.  Then with a barely perceptible glance at Daniel, she added with just a hint of sarcasm and arrogance.  "Sir, I do _not_ break rules, _sir_."  Daniel grinned widely at the reference and Jack glanced up sharply, wondering if they had heard the conversation, and just how much of it.

Samantha Carter interrupted just then; there was still work to be done.  She was proud to see how well the young cadet seemed to be regaining herself.  "Lieutenant, can you please calibrate the gas chronometer?  I'd like you to do some readings today on the sample that SG-3 brought back from their last mission."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am," Lieutenant Hailey replied with a salute.  She set her notebooks down and proceeded to the task given her by the senior officer, grateful to have seemingly escaped the situation.  She made a note to herself to thank Dr. Jackson later.

The shift came to an end, but neither one of the scientists noticed.  Sam had allowed the younger officer to conduct the entire series of experiments that afternoon, knowing she would need this to distract herself, also knowing that she was almost as capable of doing the job as Sam herself was.  They still clashed often on these things, Jennifer feeling that her ideas were right, but time and training were tempering her need to argue every point.  She had begun to realize that Major Carter could be her mentor, although she was a bit embarrassed about some of her earlier, younger, hot-headed confrontations with the woman.  Things in the Air Force were different from things in the academy, and she felt something akin to longing to share her fears and concerns with the older officer.

Sam looked at the clock, realizing that the shift had ended some time ago.  Without the natural light down at this level, it was hard to remember when a day began and ended.

"Lieutenant, your shift ended a while ago," she noted with a wave at the clock.  "You're welcome to finish that experiment another time."

"I'm almost done, ma'am; if it's all the same to you, I'd like to finish this before I leave here tonight."

Sam was impressed again with her dedication to the science.

"Alright, Lieutenant, but it will be late.  I'll drive you back to your barracks."  Sam turned back to her own work.  Jennifer was tempted to argue, that she could take care of herself, but she was also flattered by the offer from the officer and thought better of it.  The events of the morning had also made her slightly uneasy about walking back to the barracks at night; even though there were plenty of MP's around, she would never admit she wanted an escort from them.

She finished the experiment; Sam said that they would compare notes on it the next day.  Wisely, Jennifer understood that if they began to discuss their findings at this moment, both tired and hungry after a long day and an especially long day for herself, they would probably just end up arguing.

"Have you eaten, Lieutenant?  It's a long way home for me and I was hoping to eat here before heading home – that way I won't have to make dinner when I get there.  The commissary sometimes has some ragged leftover sandwiches and it's quiet this time of night," she continued.

The junior officer realized then that she had not eaten that day since breakfast – the drink Daniel had bought her earlier that day, the pink frothy juice and milk combination had tided her over a bit and the exchange with Jameson had upset her appetite, but she was really hungry now.  Even the ragged sandwiches in the commissary would be better than whatever junk food she might be able to forage back at the barracks, she thought.  "Ma'am, that would be a fine idea, ma'am," she said.  They headed down to the commissary to buy some dinner.

Jennifer grabbed one of the sandwiches and a carton of skim milk.  She noticed the one remaining cup of blue jello and reached for it; it was a strange and fun delicacy for her, much like the pink frilly drinks in the coffee shop.  Sam noticed the younger girl absconding with the blue jello; she knew Hailey was warming up to her but that she probably wouldn't appreciate knowing _that_ much similarity existed between the two women.  She opted for a piece of the dry looking chocolate cake sitting wrapped up on the counter.  The milk might help wash that down.

Sam often wished that she could be a mentor to the younger officer, and went out of her way to provide opportunities for that to her.  But she also knew that Jennifer Hailey's temperament and desire to make it on her own made this path very precarious; she would never stand for special treatment or special privileges.  While making her admirable as an officer and a member of the armed forces, it almost made it frustratingly difficult to break through her emotional walls and reach her on a friendly level.  Jameson is lucky she didn't tear his head off, whatever he tried, Sam thought.

The younger woman had chosen a two seat table in the corner; she sat with her back to the wall.  Always on the defensive, wanting to observe her surroundings, Sam thought.  However Jameson might have gotten the drop on her, she was no doubt furious that he had broken through that defensive posture somehow.  She would never let anyone know how that happened, anyone other than Daniel, who had seen some or all of it.  Sam would have to proceed extra carefully now to keep from spooking the girl entirely.

She seated herself across from the younger woman and unwrapped her own sandwich and opened her own carton of milk.  Without looking directly at her, Sam said "Lieutenant Hailey, may I speak to you off the record?"

Lieutenant Hailey felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.  This woman that she admired and competed with all at the same time was about to open up to her about something.  Jennifer wasn't sure she was ready for this; she was equally angry at the imposition into her defenses as she was anxious to connect with Sam on this level.  The fact that Samantha Carter was a senior officer made the request almost unnecessary, a fact that Jennifer hated at that moment.  Military protocol dictated the answer to that question.  Bravely facing her own worst fears and anger about what the officer might say to her, she answered.

"Ma'am, yes ma'am."

Samantha spoke while arranging things on her plate, never looking directly at Lieutenant Hailey.  She wasn't sure the younger woman would be capable of eye contact on what she was about to say; she wasn't sure _she_ was capable of it either.  It had been a long time since she had thought about this subject, much less spoken about it to anyone.

"When I started here at the SGC, I had an incident of my own with Jameson.  I felt compelled to report it, but then, I had the luxury of knowing that, if this assignment did not work out, I could always go back to the Pentagon.  And, my father was still on active duty with the Air Force and a good friend of General Hammond's, so I knew I had plenty of support.  I did report it, and as I'm sure you can appreciate, nothing was done about it.  But, with it on record, and knowing my background, Jameson has never bothered me since."

"A number of other women have also had incidents with him, but none have opted to report it, for reasons I'm sure you understand.  The decision to report it or not is up to you.  But please don't be afraid to come to me, woman to woman, off the record, if you ever run into this again."

She took a breath and continued, not wanting to stop as the younger officer had not stopped her yet.  "On duty, and as two smart scientists, I know that we often disagree – I daresay we butt heads – but that should not keep us from sticking together as two women in a men's world.  There aren't too many other women around here that understand this as we do.  Janet Fraiser is another good example of one who does."

With that, she tucked into the remainder of her sandwich.  Her face did not bely any emotion, and Jennifer appreciated that.  The offer was exactly what she had been hoping for in some ways, and exactly what she needed at that moment.  The manner in which it was delivered did not violate any of the unwritten military codes of conduct (not to mention the written ones) that she so desperately clung to when everything else seemed so out of order.  The incident with Jameson had almost cracked all of that, anyway.  She further appreciated that Sam had not completely likened their two situations, but had accounted for her seeming advantage in having her family and connections in higher places.  Jennifer made a mental note to seek out Dr. Janet Fraiser; she had met the small, pleasant woman in the infirmary a few times on returning from missions.  She knew that she had a daughter a few years younger than Jennifer herself.

"Oh, and Lieutenant, one more thing." Sam said, with just a hint of playfulness in her voice and a gleam in her eye.

Jennifer looked up.  "Yes ma'am?"

"As a senior officer, _I_ get the last cup of blue jello," Sam said with a grin as she exchanged her plate of dry chocolate cake with the cup of blue jello on Jennifer's tray.

Jennifer grinned.  "Ma'am, yes ma'am," she replied in her most officious tone.


	2. Not Another Military Girl, Part 2 Conse...

Many thanks for all of the encouragement and the reviews! It's dusted off, spiffed up and here for your enjoyment!! (I hope :) )

My sincerest thanks (and apologies) to the lovely young person who noticed I rated it wrong (again! Yikes! Thankfully, they haven't pulled it again).

I'm anxious to get this up to date, so there'll be a fair number of these coming SOON, so I can get it caught up to where the Gateworld version is... :(

As always, I must thank the wonderful authors -- Ruth, Sally, Cathain, Ted, Heather...the list goes on...and readers -- Coz, Teresa, Alisa, Megan, Dave, Chris, and the rest (you all know who you are!!) who have made this such a great experience and have helped me craft this piece -- for those of you returning, welcome back and I hope you like it just as much the second time! For those of you just seeing it for the first time...your feedback is greatly appreciated :) (validate me, PLEASE :) ).

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Stepping back through the gate, Jennifer and the rest of SG-17 were met by the standard committee of medical and tactical personnel. The mission had been successful; initial data returned by the MALP probe had determined that the planet was habitable, SG-17 had discovered and established contact with the locals, who proved friendly. They were less advanced by Earth standards, at about the same level of evolution as Kelowna though without the pugilistic nature, and like Kelowna they were as yet untouched by the Goauld, no doubt because of the lack of naquadah or its derivative, naquadriah.

The planet was added to the list of planets considered friendly to Earth, and given the similar atmosphere, was also added to the list of alpha sites. The alpha sites were a scary but necessary issue, and whenever another one was secured, everyone at the SGC rested just a tiny bit easier.

They had come back a few days early, their data gathering shortened by the lack of naquadah and naquadriah possibilities. No one on the team had any need of medical attention, and the handheld scanners that the greeting med team used showed no signs of any foreign bodies.

"You're all free to go; remember to shuck those fatigues into the hazardous waste container, though, and shower _with soap_ before you head out to the rest of the base."

"We know the drill, Sergeant, thanks," Colonel Taylor said summarily. "Okay, people, nice job, let's debrief in half an hour, then you can head out for standard down time," said Colonel Taylor.

The medical technician turned to go. "Oh wait – Lieutenant Hailey, Dr. Fraiser wanted me to advise you to see her immediately upon your return."

Jennifer frowned. She couldn't imagine what the doctor wanted to see her about – the bruise on her knee from her incident with Jameson had healed fine – Doctor Fraiser hadn't known about that, anyway – and she hadn't asked the doctor about anything recently.

"Okay, but can it wait until after debrief?" she asked the technician.

The sergeant shrugged. "I don't know, Lieutenant, she said immediately." Jennifer looked at Colonel Taylor.

Colonel Taylor frowned. "Well, the mission went well; you can read the debrief minutes while you're working on the report, Hailey," he said. "No sense pissing off the CMO; if she said immediately, go ahead."

"She probably has the results of your pregnancy test, Hailey," Lieutenant Gibson, one of her SG-17 team members said with a wicked grin.

"Not too worried about that, Gibson, she already told me your sperm count's too low to make that happen," Hailey replied coolly with an equally wicked grin on her face, as she strode out of the room towards the infirmary, shedding fatigues as she went, leaving the other members of the team to compare notes on who got the upper hand in the insult game. Gibson was a married man who respected Hailey's abilities immensely and enjoyed the bantering with her.

Walking into the infirmary, she spied the petite, pretty doctor in her office and went to the doorway. "Lieutenant Hailey, reporting as ordered, ma'am," she greeted the doctor.

Janet eyed her coolly. "Sit down, lieutenant," she said.

Jennifer took the seat next to the doctor's desk. She was getting a bit nervous; she couldn't understand what she might have done to upset the doctor.

Janet shut her office door. She normally kept the shades drawn, but the door open, so when she shut the door, it was known that she was not to be bothered unless someone was dying.

Janet sat down at the desk and put her hands together on top of it. These kinds of conversations were always difficult; this one particularly so for most women. She looked at the young woman with the slightest hint of sympathy that came from being a doctor and having to discuss a difficult subject with a patient.

"Lieutenant Hailey, the day before you left for your last mission, I had a patient in here whom I think you might know," Janet said. "Major Jameson?" the doctor said with a questioning, you-know-what-I'm-talking-about tone in her voice.

Jennifer froze. She hadn't thought about the repercussions of having defended herself against the man – oh, God, could he really press charges against her, she thought, suddenly terrified. It was true, she had physically assaulted a superior officer, but under the circumstances….

Janet saw the look of terror in the young girl's eyes, and smiled knowingly. "Relax, lieutenant, he's not dumb enough to press charges against you. Those weren't exactly defensive wounds he had."

"Ma'am?" Jennifer asked, in a slightly choked voice.

Janet sighed. She turned to face the young woman. "Lieutenant Hailey, you're not the first woman who Jameson has assaulted, or in your case, apparently, _attempted_ to assault," Janet said. "You are, however, the first one to inflict such damage to him. Him, I've not seen in here before; the women, I have."

Janet continued. "I called you down here because I wanted to make sure that you were okay, and not just okay because your soldier training says you should be, but okay because the woman in you is okay," Janet continued as she saw Lieutenant Hailey's mouth open in protest at the statement. "I know the standard answer to these questions, Lieutenant, I took the training too."

Jennifer pondered this for a while before responding. _How am I now, really, _she thought to herself. After a minute, she said, slowly, "Actually, Doctor Fraiser, I can honestly say that I'm okay." She thought for another moment. "I think fighting him off as I did really helped me to push it away. I felt…empowered by defending myself, I guess," she finished. _Of course, if it hadn't been for Dr. Jackson…_She squeezed her eyes tight against the balance of this thought.

Janet looked at her; Jennifer knew she would need more than that to be convinced. "After it happened, a friend took me off base to, sort of pull myself together," Jennifer added, hoping that this would convince the doctor she really was okay.

Dr. Fraiser studied her. She knew not to push an assault victim for more details than she cared to give; the sincerity in the girl's statement and what she already knew about the attack convinced her that the young lieutenant was indeed recovering well.

"Okay, lieutenant, if you say so, then I believe you and I'm very, very glad to hear it." She smiled warmly at her. "But I hope you won't ever be afraid to come to me, woman to woman or doctor to patient, if you ever have to go through anything like that again."

The warmth and sincerity of the statement comforted Jennifer, just as it had with Major Carter. She smiled, warmly and sincerely. "Thanks, Dr. Fraiser. I hope I never need to take advantage of that offer," she quipped mildly. Turning to leave she asked the doctor "Dr. Fraiser?"

"Yes lieutenant?"

"May I ask what exactly his injuries were, ma'am?"

Janet eyed the girl, there wasn't the slightest trace of malice in the request, she was really just curious. Normally, Janet would not have divulged these types of details to someone other than the patient themselves or their families; it was against medical protocol, but this was not an ordinary circumstance.

"He had some hairline fractures in the bone and metatarsals of his left foot, and his pelvic bone sustained some bruising, along with some pretty severe bruising of the associated organs in the genitalia," Janet replied in a matter of fact tone of voice. "Those military issue boots really do the trick, I guess, and I'll bet you had a pretty good size bruise on your knee. From the force of the hit, I'd say you're lucky you didn't _break_ your knee."

The look of horror on the young lieutenant's face was not exactly what Janet had been expecting. She smiled at the girl. "It's okay, lieutenant; when you're defending yourself, you can't afford to stop and think about the damage you might be inflicting or the consequences of your actions."

She could see the girl was not convinced. She turned her chair so she was facing the lieutenant head on, resting her feet up on the legs of her desk chair and leaning forward a bit.

"Think of it like a battle situation, Lieutenant. Your enemy has you at a disadvantage; to defend yourself you do whatever's necessary. There is no thinking; you simply react. That's the only way to save your life; even a second spent thinking about the consequences could mean the difference between us having this conversation, or a vastly different one," Janet said in a tone mixed with warning and reassurance. "Don't second guess yourself on this one. Besides," Janet added, "the MP's told me that even though he was down, you didn't take advantage of the opportunity to injure him further. I suppose you have Dr. Jackson to thank for that."

Jennifer's breath caught in her throat. "You know about Dr. Jackson being there?" she asked. "Did you talk to Dr. Jackson?" she asked slowly, imagining that in her absence he had told the doctor everything. _No doubt out of some misplaced concern for my safety, _she thought, somewhat angrily_._

Janet laughed. "As if he would tell me anything," she said. "I did try, but his mouth was shut tighter than I've ever seen him. He said that it was your decision if you felt like telling me and that you had fended him off all by yourself."

Jennifer smiled to herself upon hearing that he hadn't divulged the details. _He really is a nice guy,_ she thought, immediately sorry for her angry assumption that he had mentioned the incident to anyone.

Janet added, "I overheard the MP's talking about the situation, and I questioned them. Not for my own edification, but to understand what had really happened and make sure they weren't just spreading idle rumors. Once they told me that it was Dr. Jackson who had brought them running when he yelled at you to stop, I knew you had at least been in good hands," the doctor said.

Janet continued. "But Dr. Jackson, for all his kindness and gallantry, is still a man, and as the chief medical officer for this facility, I wanted to see you for myself and make sure you were okay." She clucked ruefully. "I should have sent for you right away as soon as I heard about it, but…" The doctor trailed off, looking beyond the young lieutenant for a moment. Her gaze returned to Jennifer.

"I didn't send for you that day because I also knew you were up in Sam's lab that afternoon, and I knew that if she were concerned she would call me. One cannot make an assault victim come forward, for all of the military rank in the world. The assault alone can be embarrassing enough; calling attention to someone who has been through it can just make it worse if they don't want to discuss it," she stated, knowingly.

"And, let's just say that you've earned a new respect among the MP's around here, Lieutenant Hailey. They've dealt with Jameson before and as they brought him in I overheard one of them telling the other that if his little sister ever ran into something like that, he hoped she would do exactly what Hailey had done to Jameson."

Jennifer was taken aback, a little embarrassed about the fact that people had been discussing the incident. "Oh," she said.

Janet studied the girl's face. "You can't stop the gossip circuit around here, either, Lieutenant Hailey, but the MP's are a pretty good bunch and Jameson doesn't have a whole lot of friends among them. Don't worry; things have a way of working out the way that they should. Trust me, I'm a doctor, I know these things," she stated with just a hint of playfulness in her voice. "Now, unless you've got other health questions or concerns, you're dismissed, soldier," Janet stated authoritatively. "You've got some down time to get to."

Jennifer smiled. "Thanks again, Dr. Fraiser." As she turned to go, she had one last thought. "Dr. Fraiser?" she said in a questioning tone.

Janet turned. "Yes?"

Jennifer took a deep breath. "I understand that you've actually got a daughter, a girl you adopted from P8X987.At Janet's concerned look, Jennifer quickly added, "I've practically memorized all of the mission reports and I remember that being mentioned. The reason I ask is that, well," Jennifer's thought process began to unravel; she really wasn't sure what to say next. "I tutor some of the students up at the academy and I really enjoy it and I was just wondering if she ever needed any kind of help on her homework or anything like that. I don't know too many girls, really, and I thought it would be kind of nice meeting her."

Jennifer realized that she was babbling now. "Heck, I just thought maybe we could be friends; it must be hard for her sometimes and I know I feel like an alien myself around here most days," Jennifer finished, resignedly, with a wave of her hand at the base around them.

Janet was touched by the offer; she knew that it probably hadn't come easy to the girl. Like herself, as a woman in the Armed Forces, she imagined it _was _pretty hard for Lieutenant Hailey to find girlfriends most days, too, and Cassie managed pretty well, but Janet knew it would be nice for her to be able to talk to someone closer to her age who understood the entire truth about her situation.

_Having Jonas around helps that matter tremendously, too, _Janet thought, smiling to herself at the image of the ever-grinning young blond fellow who had immersed himself in her and Cassie's life, but he wasn't a girl. _Definitely not a girl, no, he's most assuredly a man,_ she thought to herself. She banished the inappropriate thought about her house-guest and answered the young officer.

"That would be nice; I think she'd really like to meet you too," Janet said with a smile. "But we can take care of all of that after you get some rest, soldier. Doctor's orders. Now go!" Janet stated, playfully but with meaning. She made a mental note to find an opportunity to introduce the two girls.

"Ma'am, yes ma'am," Jennifer saluted the doctor on her way out the door.


	3. Not Another Military Girl Consequences,...

Jack walked into Sam's office and settled in the chair across the desk from her.  She looked up from her paperwork.

"So?" she said.

"Jameson's got a date with Teal'c and Bra'tac to re-up his hand to hand combat cert," Jack said dryly.

Sam sighed, frustrated, dissatisfied that this was the resolution.  She looked at Jack, frowning at the somewhat dejected look on his face.

"What?" she asked.

Now it was Jack's turn to sigh.  "Ah, crap.  I don't know, Sam.  I mean, this is a kid who blows away bad Jaffa and smokes goauld for a living when she's not working on some brainy experiment with you.  I didn't think she knew the meaning of the word fear."

He shifted in his chair.  "In terms of not thinking about one's own life, she makes _me_ look bad and yet, there she was in your lab, looking like a little kid, with those awful red marks and her eyes; she's so scared she's still shaking.  And _mad_ as hell that she's scared," he finished, sounding defeated.

He sat up, motioning with his hands exasperatedly.  "It just bugs the hell out of me that a guy like Jameson can take that away from a girl like her," he finished, with a note of frustration in his voice.

"And then there was Daniel," Jack said, slumping down in the chair again.  "You can just tell; he knew something had almost happened to her and he just gets that helpless look in his eyes," Jack finished sadly.  "It's like he's being reminded again just how much he can't protect folks from the bad things in the world, and this one's in his own back yard," Jack said, his voice deep with frustration and empathy.

Sam looked at him quietly, endeared to him again in his frustration with the situation.  This was the level of compassion that he usually hid from the rest of the world.  She watched him, silently, thoughtfully.  "What would you do, if it happened to someone you care about?" she asked.

"Oh, you mean like if he came after you?" Jack said off handedly.

Sam smiled to herself at the carefree manner in which he referenced her as someone he cared about.

Jack thought for a second.  "I'd send Hailey after him with a big honkin' gun," he said, grinning.


	4. Not Another Military Girl, part 3

Nothing new for those of you returning, for new readers...I hope you're enjoying it!! The usual thanks to the lovely authors and readers who made me think this was possible :)

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Jennifer woke up in a good mood. It was a light duty day, they always were the day before an offworld mission. She was excited about the mission; going offworld always put her back in the soldier routine; it was a routine she had long relied on and that she had grown to have a healthy respect for.

She was equally happy about her mid morning shift in Dr. Jackson's lab at 11:00 hours. It wasn't a required part of her job, but she enjoyed it. This day, Wednesday, there would be no shift in Sam's lab; Sam was also preparing for an upcoming offworld mission. She had some things she should do around the barracks, like cleaning her side of the room, but it rarely got messed up, anyway, so she put this task on a back burner. Cleaning was good when you needed to get your head on straight, she thought, but other things took priority right now. One of the students from the academy had asked for her help with what seemed a particularly troubling piece of physics.

Within 20 minutes of getting out of bed, though, the day had started to deteriorate. Cassie called. While Jennifer enjoyed chatting with her young friend, who needed some assistance later studying for a test, she had not anticipated spending that amount of time on the telephone. She raced through her shower, realizing that she was out of shampoo; late for breakfast in the barracks cafeteria she burned the last slice of bread available for toasting, and the coffee burners had been turned off early; all that was left was cold coffee. Warm the stuff wasn't very good, but cold it was without redemption.

The academy student she was tutoring had needed a bit more attention than she had bargained for, at least at the end of 90 minutes he'd finally seemed to get it on the 9th way she had tried to explain it to him. She had only estimated 60 minutes for this exercise, and now she didn't have enough time to get her workout in before her shift in the lab.

As she bicycled back towards the base, she collided with another bicyclist, a second lieutenant also from the barracks, and both of them ended up with flat tires. She only had one spare, but the boy she had collided with was significantly farther from his destination than she was, and had less time to spare before he was due to be on duty. From the look of it, he was all thumbs and probably wouldn't have been able to fix it on his own, since he wasn't even carrying a spare.

She fixed the spare, and jogged her own bike back up to the base, arriving in the lab at exactly 11:00, panting slightly and flustered at the brush with tardiness she had just experienced, as a result of her own miscalculations. She entered the lab; Dr. Jackson was nowhere in sight. She knew he would be in his private office, no doubt absorbed in some analysis of relics from somewhere. He would not have noticed if she had been late, but she would have known.

"Good morning, Dr. Jackson, sir," she called out to make her presence known. Now she could proceed with the task of rescuing the rest of this day. She immediately began the cataloging task she'd planned for her time in the lab this particular day; putting things in order would help right now. But the adrenalin in her system from her jog with her bicycle betrayed her; she tripped on the legs of a stool with the box that she was carrying and the artifacts went crashing to the floor, traveling to the farthest reaches of the lab.

Hearing the crash, Daniel was jolted out of his analytical reverie. He came out of his private office to make sure that she had not been hurt. Seeing her trying to gather up the articles from the various places that they had rolled, he would have sworn she looked almost flustered, but that was not a word that one would ever have associated with Lieutenant Hailey.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Hailey," he said, trying not to sound amused. He began to pick up some of the articles on the floor.

"That's okay, Dr. Jackson. I dropped the box, I can pick these things up. I'm sure you're busy," she said, with a resigned tone to her voice.

He decided it would be best not to respond to this; he didn't think there was anything he could say that wouldn't have made her angry about now. He continued to help her corral the lost items, keeping a discreet, respectful distance from her.

She appreciated his quiet defiance of her statement. She was glad he'd decided to help; equally glad he hadn't said anything in response to her statement. No matter what had come out of his mouth at that point, she probably would have reacted badly to it, and she didn't like herself very much when she overreacted to the innocent types of things that he usually said.

With all but one thing secured back in its box, they both spied the last item on the floor between them. Bending over simultaneously to pick it up, their heads met.

"Ow," said Dr. Jackson, rubbing his head.

"Sorry about that, Dr. Jackson," Jennifer said, gingerly rubbing her own head, trying to be careful about the precise hairstyle she wore as a part of her military uniform.

"That's okay, the injury was incurred in the commission of an honorable act," he said in his deadpan voice. _She didn't even smile at the joke, _he thought to himself_._ _She must really be having a bad day. Or else it just wasn't that funny, Jackson, _he told himself.

The impact of their heads proved to be too much for the already strained plastic of her hairpiece. Weakened from the sudden impact and under the pressure of her usually unruly mane, it burst apart, sending her curly, dirty blond locks cascading everywhere. This really was the last straw, she thought, closing her eyes as her hair defied her will once again, and slumping on the traitorous stool.

Daniel watched, smiling at the strangely endearing sight of her bad day getting worse. _Yeah, she's definitely flustered, today,_ he thought to himself. _Time for some decisive action_, he thought to himself gallantly.

He pulled up a stool next to her. "Okay, let's start this over again. Good morning, Lieutenant Hailey." She opened her eyes, trying to smile. "Good morning Dr. Jackson." She ran her fingers through her hair, as if she could make it obey her will somehow. It was an automatic reaction that Daniel had gotten used to; he knew the hair was as much a metaphor for her emotional walls as it was a regulation of the United States Air Force.

He touched her arm "Relax, that'll wait; remember, you don't _have_ to be military in here." _Besides,_ he thought to himself, _I prefer it this way_. _Dangerous thoughts, Jackson,_ he silently chided himself, pushing them out of the forefront of his brain.

She smiled a thin smile, relaxing a bit, remembering that this lab was something of a haven for her from the military world. She leaned on the table, face in her hands, closing her eyes again.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked, casually. He knew she wasn't one for this sort of exchange, but he offered the opportunity anyway, hoping that one day she would take him up on it.

"It's just been one of those days when things aren't turning out the way that I want them to," she replied summarily, thinking carefully through her morning and realizing that she had still accomplished a lot and helped a lot of people in that brief morning period.

He smiled, knowing her penchant for trying to stuff too much into a short time frame – she was very good at it, but her natural inclination to help others tended to result in exactly this sort of day, he knew. He also knew that she was smart enough not to kick herself about it too much, but that she needed these few minutes to collect her thoughts, perhaps better than she realized it.

He found himself feeling oddly protective of her again, happy that he could provide these precious moments for her. _I'm probably like her father figure,_ he thought to himself dryly. _Of course,_ he realized in the same moment, _most fathers don't have the same scary thoughts about their daughters as I've had about her, _he mused sardonically to himself.

His increasing inability to push these feelings aside scared him; he wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to keep the true nature of his feelings secret from her. He didn't want to scare her away; he really enjoyed her company and her help. He resorted to the same tack he'd taken with her all along; he was surprised that she hadn't seemed suspicious of his true affections thinly veiled by his teasing of her, knowing exactly how to anger her without getting his ass kicked for it. _Like the little boy that most of us big dumb males really are._

"Well, knowing you, your morning probably involved curing world hunger but just not in the manner you wanted it to happen," he stated, only slightly condescendingly. "In fact, it was probably one of Sam's ideas and that's what's really discombobulating you right now…"

Her eyes flew open at the carefree way in which he said this, flashing with a hint of righteous indignation. She knew he was just teasing her, trying to get her to relax, but he also knew that she was still a bit sensitive on the subject of the competitive atmosphere she still shared with Major Carter, despite their recent, if unspoken, mutual efforts at developing a friendship.

She glared at him, mind whipsawing through her defense against this charge and her mouth opened, prepared to deliver the retaliatory attack. As she looked at him, she noticed the laughter in his eyes. Suddenly, she felt as if she were seeing him for the first time, and the true nature behind those blue eyes. Her instinct kicked in, not for the first time that day, and she closed her mouth, leaned over and kissed his silly, teasing grin.

_Whoa, definitely not a reaction I was expecting!_ Daniel advised himself, completely alarmed by this sudden, sweet display of affection. _Oh my God,_ he thought to himself, _did she guess? Why did she kiss me, is it possible she feels the same way, _he pondered. _Oh, hello Jackson, reality check here,_ he chided himself. _What on Earth would she want with a geeky old archaeologist like you?_ He struggled with the idea that he really wasn't supposed to have these feelings, anyway – _why not,_ another side of himself pondered. He stood up, backing away from the chaos of his thoughts, and from his utter terror at what had just happened and what to do next. _Methinks you're really just afraid, Danny boy, _he could almost hear Jack O'Neill saying authoritatively, with that sly, evil grin of his.

Not watching where he was going, Daniel promptly knocked over the stool he had been sitting on. It clattered to the floor noisily, rolling away from him. Lieutenant Hailey sat there, with a terrifying look of "Oh my God what have I done" anguish on her face.

Suddenly, the door of the lab flew open, MP's were standing in the doorway. "Everything okay, Dr. Jackson? We heard a crash." The two looked around the lab, then at each other. The stool on the floor, Lieutenant Hailey there with her hair down – something had obviously happened.

Spying an opportunity at recovering the last remaining shred of her dignity, Jennifer rushed out of the lab, explaining hurriedly that her hairpiece had broken and she needed to fix her hair before someone cited her for being out of uniform.

She made her way to the infirmary, using the least populated corridors she could think of, to borrow a hair piece from Dr. Fraiser. As she walked into the infirmary, Janet recognized the anguish of troubled youth in her eyes.

"Hi Lieutenant Hailey," she greeted her casually "is everything okay?" she continued, looking at her with that mother's look.

"No ma'am, Dr. Fraiser. I'm fine." She waved at her unruly locks. "My hairpiece broke and I was hoping I could borrow one to get me through the rest of the day."

Janet eyed her suspiciously. _No red marks or obvious bruises, so hopefully it's not another run in with Jameson, _she thought to herself. As she had on many an occasion with Cassie, the doctor opted not to pursue the truth of the matter; the girl was obviously upset enough. She procured a suitable hair implement from her office, and Jennifer took advantage of the facilities to ensure that all was in place again.

"Thanks a lot, Dr. Fraiser," she smiled, a thin, warm smile, but still a smile, Janet noted. "I'm just going to head up to Dr. Carter's lab now; I'll bring this back when I can."

Janet looked at her quizzically. "Cassie told me you were spending the day in Dr. Jackson's lab."

"He doesn't really need me down there any more," Jennifer replied with a note of despair in her voice. As an afterthought, she added, "I think I scare him."

She turned and proceeded to the nearest elevator to go to Sam's lab. Janet watched her as she went down the hall slowly, dejectedly. She recognized the desire to hide from a bad day and suspected there was more to this story. _Oh well, maybe she'll tell Sam,_ Janet thought. _Who will promptly tell me,_ she added happily to herself.

Arriving at the door to Sam's lab, Jennifer rapped her knuckles slowly on it.

"Come in, the door's open," came the superior officer's voice.

_I wonder if she's ever done anything like this, _Jennifer thought miserably to herself. "Major Carter, ma'am," Jennifer greeted her.  
  
"Lieutenant Hailey," Sam replied, in a surprised tone of voice. "You're not scheduled to be on duty, today, Lieutenant. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Sam asked, lightly.

"Well, ma'am, I'm anxious to review the procedures for the next round of experiments on the naquadriah. I want to be sure I'm prepared and I'm going offworld for two weeks tomorrow."

Sam eyed her suspiciously, suspecting that she was hiding something. _She does have a dedication to her science so maybe it's legit_, she thought.

"Sure thing, Lieutenant, sounds like a good idea. Pull up a stool."

Lieutenant Hailey looked relieved. "Thank you, ma'am," she replied, sincerity and relief mixed in her voice.

Sam went back to her own work. Jennifer pulled down the manual and opened to one of the chapters that she really had wanted to study. She attempted to read the pages, but her misery overshadowed her ability to concentrate. She read the same pages over and over again, not making any progress, but happy to have something to distract her from the misery of the morning.

Sam looked over at the younger officer. Even from where she sat, she could see that the girl had not turned so much as one page since she had sat down. _Okay, time to find out what's really going on,_ she thought to herself. _I hope she hasn't encountered another session of slap, tickle and drop with Jameson,_ Sam thought worriedly.

She pulled up a stool next to the young woman. "Lieutenant Hailey," she began evenly, "whatever happened today is affecting your ability to comprehend, and you won't learn anything that way."

Jennifer closed her eyes; Sam prepared for a defensive reaction to her carefully chosen words.

"You're not on duty, lieutenant; you can speak woman to woman if you'd like," Sam said cautiously, studying the young woman.

"I kissed him." Jennifer blurted out.

Sam was at a loss at this sudden, heartfelt admission on the girl's part. She knew she needed to take care here. "Kissed who, lieutenant?"

"Dr. Jackson. I kissed him in the lab. I think I scared him," she finished miserably.

Sam thought for a moment. _Well, Major Carter, no better time than the present._

"Lieutenant, I'm about to go out on a limb here for your own good and I don't think you should argue with me. I know you're officially off duty for the next couple of hours and I want you to stay right here." Contrary to her urgings, Jennifer stayed seated at the table. Sam crossed the room and went into her private office. She dialed the infirmary number.

Janet answered the telephone. "Hey Sam."

"Kiss," Sam said, in hushed but firm tones so the young lieutenant would not overhear.

"Oh, you're kidding," came the equally hushed but excited reply.

"No. Can you come up?" Sam asked.

"On my way," Janet replied merrily.

Sam seated herself across from Jennifer. "Janet – I mean Dr. Fraiser – is on her way up, Lieutenant. I think it's time you heard some of the things that can happen in this line of work, the ones that don't always make it into the mission reports." Jennifer looked at her curiously, but didn't say anything.

Janet knocked on the door just then. Sam got up and opened the door, then looked around in the hallway. Seeing that it was empty, she quickly closed and locked the lab door, further arousing Jennifer's curiosity.

"Where should we start, Sam?" Janet asked with a mischievous grin. "With the one about Hathor or the one about kissing your CO?"

Now Jennifer's curiosity had outpaced her unhappiness.

"Let's start with the one about Hathor; that's really more your specialty," Sam said. The doctor looked at her, laughingly, the memories of the situation now pleasantly faded.

Janet then explained the details behind the plan that they had developed to get out of the cell they were being held in.

"I cooed to the airman about being lonely and available; in his hormone enhanced state he practically came running. I started kissing him as if my life depended on it – I guess it did in a sense," she said, thoughtfully.

"Anyway, the other testosterone hyped MP is watching this, awaiting his turn," said Janet, adding this little detail slowly with a bit more emphasis and just a hint of irony in her voice, "and Major Carter steps out from behind the door, knocks him out cold and grabs his gun, while I drop the flyboy I've been smooching. The rest, as they say, is history," Janet finished. "He was a really good kisser, too," Janet recalled with a giggle, just a trace of longing in her voice. Then with a groan she added, "and I still had to see that airman on base regularly for a while, until he got transferred to another section, she added with a hint of remembered embarrassment in her voice. She changed the subject. "Okay Sam, now you need to tell her about kissing your CO."

Sam grimaced, but knew this was necessary for the younger woman's benefit. She explained in detail about being infected with the virus from P3X797 that caused everyone to revert to their most primal instincts, and how she had thrown herself at Colonel O'Neill in the locker room, clad only in a skimpy tank top and workout shorts.

"I never thought I'd live through that first mission back; it was the worst day of my life. I was so embarrassed about what had happened. I tried to pretend that I didn't remember anything at all about it; so did he, thankfully. But then," she added with a conspiratorial note, "as we're coming off the mission, he says it's good that I didn't have any scars, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to wear that 'sweet little tank top number' again," Major Carter finished with just the slightest hint of sexual superiority in her voice.

Jennifer smiled at the story; she was touched and reassured by these women's tales of impropriety in the military workplace. It happens, it's embarrassing, but you live through it and in some way, it makes you stronger as a woman and opens your eyes about a few things you might not otherwise know. They could laugh about it now. She thought for a moment, dark clouds passing over her eyes.

"But in both of your cases, you didn't have any other choice. You, Major Carter, you were infected by an alien virus, and you, Dr. Fraiser, you had to do what you did to save the world. I just did it because…" her voice trailed off.

"Because you really wanted to," Janet filled in for her, "and there's no better reason in the world than that. Except for saving the planet, maybe," she giggled.

Jennifer smiled, sadly. "Yeah, I did, but he didn't. That's what makes it so embarrassing," she said resignedly. Her instincts had led her astray in this matter; it was this betrayal by her own intuition which was really bothering her.

The two senior officers smiled. "Oh, don't write Daniel off too quickly," Sam said. "I'm sure you scared him to death, but it's also about damn time that someone broke through that cloud of his."

"In case you hadn't noticed by now, Lieutenant," Dr. Fraiser said in a somewhat lecturely fashion, "men don't always know what's best for them. Sometimes they need to be given a sign; and sometimes you've got to hit them right upside the head with it." The three of them giggled conspiratorially at this last sentence.

There was a knock on the door at that moment. Regaining their military composure, Sam walked over to the door and opened it. Daniel was standing there, looking pained and not just a bit scared.

"Hi Sam," he said in a pained tone that equaled the look on his face. "Have you seen Lieutenant Hailey?"

She looked back over her shoulder. The younger woman, bolstered by the confidences the older women had shared with her, jumped off her stool, squared her shoulders and with that set of her chin and the steely look in her eyes, she nodded once at Major Carter. She was ready now.

"Yes I have, Daniel, she's right here." She stood back and held the door open a bit wider. Daniel crossed the threshold of the door and stood there, looking awkward. He shoved his hands in his lab coat pockets. He stood facing Lieutenant Hailey. "Hi, Lieutenant," he said quietly.

"Hello, Dr. Jackson, sir," she replied coolly, but not unkindly.

Sam looked over at Janet; with a nod they both got up and proceeded to the door.

"Well, I've got patients to attend to," said Janet.

"And I haven't eaten lunch yet," said Sam. "We'll leave you two alone here; it looks like you've got things to discuss." She shut the door behind her as she left. It was still locked, a sign of her discretion in the matter.

Daniel stood looking at her for a few minutes. She had put the hair up again, with her emotions.

_He looks really uncomfortable,_ she thought, _and it's my fault._ Her heart melted.

"I'm really sorry about what-" she started to say when he cut her off.

"No, no, I'm the one who should be really sorry," he blurted out. He was still standing there, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. He looked around. "Would it be okay if we sat down?" he asked. He was really uneasy about this, and she looked almost ready for battle.

"Sure," she said, a bit baffled at the request. She sat down on the stool at the lab table, right arm on the table and fingers folded together.

He walked over and took the stool facing her, pulling it a little closer to her than it already was, she noticed.

"Lieutenant Hailey, it's not that I didn't want to or didn't enjoy your kiss this morning," he started. "It's just that, well, frankly," he was at a loss for words here. "You scare me," he muttered weakly.

Jennifer looked at him, a little stunned at the honesty in his words, a bit hurt. She knew she could be intimidating; heck, she _tried_ to be intimidating most of the time, but she didn't think she was _that _much of a battle-axe. Besides, hadn't he just said he enjoyed it?

"Not scare me, exactly," he continued, "well, yes, actually, that is it, but….". He was not doing a very good job at explaining himself.

Jennifer sighed. She was used to this reaction from men. Tom Eliot was the only man who had ever seemed _not _scared of her; their friendship had never gotten a chance to go much beyond the thrill of the chase stage.

"It's okay, Dr. Jackson, I understand. Most men say that about me," she stated matter of factly.

He looked up. The pained look in her downcast eyes at his seeming rejection of her made him realize that he had better straighten this one out now.

"Jennifer," he said. The sound of her own name caused her to look up; he only addressed her by her first name when he was quite serious about something. "Y_ou_ don't scare me, my feelings for you scare me," he continued. _That was better_. "_You_ are wonderful, brilliant, sweet, innocent, smart as hell, tough as hell, not to mention beautiful." She looked up sharply at the emphasis he put on this last part. She had never thought of herself as beautiful.

He was on a roll now. "I just wonder what a geeky old archaeologist like me would do with a…a…a... whirlwind of a woman like you," he finished, looking almost exasperated.

Jennifer pondered what he had said for a moment. She was beginning to understand what Janet and Sam had been talking about when it came to helping men out with the things that confused them. Instinct kicked in again; this time she trusted it would not betray her.

"You are not _geeky_, Dr. Jackson," she said in a mildly condescending tone.

He looked at her, pleased to see that his words had alleviated some of the awkwardness between them, and that she had relaxed a bit. She was smiling that mischievous smile and he was reminded again what a beautiful girl she really was.

"Are you implying that I am old, Lieutenant Hailey?" he inquired with feigned insult in his tone.

"Old enough, maybe," she replied coyly.

Now he was confused again. He frowned. "Old enough for what?"

She looked him straight in the eye, fixing him with that gaze that half scared him, half enthralled him. When she got that look, she meant business.

"Old enough to know what you want," she replied evenly. He felt like she was staring straight through him. He hadn't been this scared in a long time. _Now or never, Jackson,_ a voice came from inside him. It was his turn to let instinct drive.

He leaned over and made contact with the lieutenant's soft, warm lips. She let her hands fall from the table, and they found their way up around his neck as he kissed her softly. He reached for her.

The sound of the door caused them both to jump, interrupting their almost embrace. Jennifer rolled her eyes and Daniel struggled to regain his balance on the stool.

"Hey Carter, why's the door locked?" came the slightly concerned, slightly annoyed voice of Colonel Jack O'Neill from the other side. He knew she only locked it on certain occasions, but she usually informed him of the reasons when it was necessary. _Unless it was another one of those girly things she sometimes gets into with Dr. Fraiser,_ he thought, slightly uncomfortable at the mental image.

Daniel strode over and opened the door to Jack's knock. Jack looked at him in a questioning fashion. "Where's Carter?" he asked.

"She, um, went down to get some lunch," Daniel replied. His air of discomfort did not go unnoticed by the Colonel. He saw the young lieutenant seated at the lab table. At the sight of the superior officer, she suddenly seemed to regain her senses, jumping off the stool and saluting him. "Colonel O'Neill, sir."

"At ease, lieutenant," he replied, though he had a strange feeling that she had been plenty at ease before he knocked on the door.

He looked from one to the other of them, both of them looking strangely guilty about something. "Everything okay in here, Daniel? Lieutenant," he queried, eyeing them suspiciously.

"Sir, yes sir," replied Lieutenant Hailey, almost too quickly.

"Yes, Jack, everything's fine."

He looked around the room again. "Okay, then, well…" he searched for the right words here. "Carry on."

A giggle caused Jennifer to lose her composure ever so briefly, and Jack looked over at her. She was obviously holding back a roar of laughter; it annoyed him that he was not in on the joke. He looked over at Daniel, whose head was bowed in that way he had when he didn't want Jack to know he was laughing at him.

Annoyed now, he spoke. "Something funny about that, Lieutenant?" he asked.

Jennifer's giggle now completely under control, she replied, more evenly this time. "Sir, no sir."

"Good." He looked over at Daniel. "Dr. Jackson, I wanted to speak with you about the next offworld mission for SG-1, if you're not already occupied with an important matter?" Jack asked in his best, mock respectful tone. He knew something was going on but he really didn't want to know what it was.

"Uh, well…" he looked over at Jennifer. "Are we about finished here Lieutenant?" he offered graciously, proud of himself for thinking not to brush her off.

"For the moment, sir," she replied, looking through him again with those dark eyes that now had just a hint of mischief in them.

"And you're off world for two weeks starting tomorrow, correct?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, sir, Dr. Jackson," she replied.

"Well, then, I'll see you in the lab when you get back. Please leave me a message about what shifts I can expect you," he finished, a bit weakly, but it worked for them both.

"Will do, sir," came her relieved reply.

Daniel and Jack left the lab; she was happy to have it to herself finally. She was looking forward to the mission to help her get back into the routine of being a soldier. _Being a soldier suddenly seems like no effort at all compared to being a woman_, she thought, then added to herself, _which is why men have done it for so long._


	5. Not Another Military Girl, part 4

Hello -- for those of you returning, I'm about to upload a whole whack of stuff so we can catch up and carry on!! My part numbers and my chapters are a bit out of whack... :( Sorry.

For those who are returning -- thanks for coming back :) For any new readers -- I hope you are enjoying it!

As always, my gratitude to those who read and reviewed and helped me shape this; and to all the other fabulous authors who made me think this was possible :)

* * *

Daniel watched the girl studying the artifacts that had been brought back from one of the latest missions. These proved almost conclusively that the various civilizations in the universe were related to the ones on earth, bearing an uncanny likeness to those found in Giza. This new planet also had several pyramids; pretty much proof positive. It gave him great satisfaction to know that his theories had always been right, even if he would never know the recognition in his own lifetime outside of the base.

Lieutenant Hailey seemed to share his passion for this type of information; he knew her strength was in the area of astrophysics, as evidenced by the continuous banter between she and Sam, but he also knew that she enjoyed this science almost as much as he did, and under his tutelage was getting quite good at it. Jonas had given her some hints on being observant and a quick study, which she easily absorbed. Once again he was struck by feelings for her that he did not think he should have. They had awakened after the incident with Jameson, but they had grown stronger with every day that she spent in his lab. And there had been the kissing incident a while back…

As he watched her, he toyed with the idea of inviting her to an event at the local art museum. It was the unveiling of a new archaeological exhibit, a private showing of which was being sponsored by the local public radio station, and since he had first heard the ads about it, he had imagined going with her to this event. He figured that was a sign that he should ask her, but he was a bit hesitant. She still scared him; not in the way she scared other men, but in the ways that he knew were probably good for him to be scared.

She looked up then, noticing him watching her. "Is everything okay, Dr. Jackson?" She instinctively touched her hair, wondering if that was what he was staring at. He really liked that about her; she had no idea what a fetching presence she really had.

"Oh, yes, yes, I was, just wondering…." He looked at the clock on the wall. "Don't you have to go up to Sam's lab?" _Close, but no cigar, Jackson,_ he thought to himself.

She looked up at the clock. "You're probably right, I should go." She had become equally fond of the brown-haired, blue-eyed archaeologist; she spent as much time as she could in his lab when she wasn't on offworld missions. She was afraid he might notice just how much time, and get suspicious of her true motives. She did enjoy both the work and his presence, not wanting to give up either. Here in his lab, she could forget she was military; it was about the only time she could let her hair down, even if it wasn't in the literal sense. She felt safe and comfortable with him.

"Oh, no, that's okay, I was just wondering…" he trailed off, aware that he was starting to babble.

She smiled, that warm friendly smile that he was seeing more and more, the one he had seen briefly in the coffee shop after the Jameson incident. He really liked it.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong, Dr. Jackson?" She peered at him, as if trying to see the truth behind his eyes. He actually looked a little scared at that moment, and she felt self-conscious. She knew she had that affect on men. She looked down, not wanting to frighten him any more than she already had; she'd been embarrassed enough after the kissing incident …and she couldn't even blame that on an alien influence, like the other women could.

"Well, I guess I'll go, then," she said. She picked up her books, feeling awkward, and headed for the door.

"There's an archaeological exhibit in town tomorrow night and I was wondering if you would go with me," he said in a rush. There. It was out of his mouth. _Stop now, Jackson,_ he told himself. But he ignored his better judgment.

"It's just a private showing being hosted by the local public radio station and several of the people I know from the archaeological department at the university are going and you've really seemed to take an interest in this stuff and I don't usually go to these things but these friends have been pestering me and I've thought about going alone but I really don't want to and I thought you might like a break from the base and I don't know who else to ask and of course I-"

"Okay."

He stopped, realizing he'd been babbling, despite himself.

"Okay?" he asked, almost incredulous.

"Okay," she said, more firmly, granting him one of those big smiles she had when she was really excited about something. She became a little self-conscious about her beaming grin, afraid it would give away just how excited she really was about the invitation. She cleared her throat and looked down.

"Okay, then," he said. "I'll pick you up at the barracks about 7:00 tomorrow night, then?"

"See you at 7:00, Dr. Jackson," she replied evenly, trying to contain her own excitement. She turned and walked slowly out of the lab, down the hall. Once out of sight of the lab corridor, she broke into a dead run, heading straight for Dr. Fraiser's office.

She arrived breathless in the infirmary. "Hi Dr. Fraiser," she said a bit anxiously. "How are you?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

"I'm fine, Lieutenant," she said, eyeing the younger girl with amusement. "What's on your mind?" It was clear that something exciting had just happened or was about to happen, for all of her efforts to hide it.

"Date."

Janet's mouth almost fell open in spite of herself. "Date?" she asked, happily, almost as excited as Jennifer herself.

"Date," Jennifer nodded. That was the only the word needed, Janet knew the rest. Since "the kiss," she'd been kind of hoping for another sign in what she and Sam had hoped would be a budding romance between the pair.

"Okay, when?" Janet asked, all business now.

"Tomorrow night; he's picking me up at the barracks at 7:00."

"Good, we'll just arrange to get you to my house by 4:00 tomorrow – you know Cassie will want to be part of this – then you'll be ready in plenty of time for him to pick you up at 7:00."

"But I'm supposed to be working on an all day experiment with Major Carter tomorrow," Jennifer remembered suddenly. Her brow creased with concern at how she could get time off to get ready for a date.

"Don't you worry about that, Lieutenant," Janet said in her doctor tone of voice. "I'm sure it will all work out."

Jennifer knew that Janet had a firm belief in things working out as they should, so she just smiled. "Thanks Dr. Fraiser." She turned around and headed back to Sam's lab for her next shift.

Janet watched her out of the corner of her eye, leaning towards the door to see when she would be gone. She rolled her chair quickly back to her desk and hurriedly dialed the number for Sam's lab. She knew that the young lieutenant was self conscious about asking for time off, her theory being that soldiers don't need time off.

Sam answered the phone. "Hey Janet."

"Date," Janet said.

"Date?" Sam asked excitedly. The possibility of romance between them made her happy.

"Date," Janet confirmed, "so you either need to reschedule that all day experiment tomorrow, or find a way for it not to be all day."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am," Sam said in mock military response as she hung up the telephone. Now she needed to think quick – she knew that Jennifer was on her way up to the lab.

At that thought, the knock came on her lab door. She had better come up with something plausible.

"Come in," Sam said.

"Major Carter ma'am, Lieutenant Hailey reporting for duty, ma'am," she said in the traditional military greeting.

"Hi, Lieutenant."

"Shall I continue with the preparations for the naquadriah experiment tomorrow, ma'am?"

"Yes, that would be a good idea." She had a good idea of her own, now. She stepped into the other room and used her cell phone to dial the lab. The lab phone rang. She hurried back into the lab, stuffing her cell phone into her lab pocket.

"This is Carter," she said as she picked up the dead line. "Oh, no, what do you mean we don't have the naquadriah for the experiment tomorrow? What happened?" She waited a few moments as she thought of what to say next. "Well, _you _can tell the president that the testing for the fuel combination for the X302 has been pushed back because someone made a mistake in the clerical department at the SGC, airman." She slammed the phone down, hoping the display would look convincing to the young lieutenant.

"Something wrong, Major Carter?" the girl asked inquisitively.

"Oh, same bureaucratic crap, different day," she said, exasperatedly. "Apparently, they've given the naquadriah that _we_ were supposed to use for the experiment tomorrow to the Russians for _their_ experiment," Sam lied, convincing even herself.

Jennifer smiled to herself; Janet had been right again.

Sam shrugged, feigning exasperation at the bogus situation. "Well, lieutenant, I really don't have much else that's worth us getting started on until we can secure that naquadriah, and I don't think that will happen much before next week. Why don't you just do an inventory and diagnostics on the equipment here, and then take tomorrow off? You haven't taken any time off recently; it's good to take some down time when you're doing off-world missions. I'll work it out with Colonel Taylor," Sam said, trying to balance the lightness in her tone with just the right amount of condescending majorly tone, hoping that would keep the girl from getting suspicious.

"You're right, major, it has been a while since I've taken some time off. I'll just do the inventory and diagnostics and call it a week," Jennifer said, hardly believing her luck.

_She didn't even argue with me,_ Sam thought. _Wow, she must really be excited,_ she pondered to herself happily.

They settled in for the rest of the afternoon. Jennifer finished the work late in the evening, but having the next day off was important to her, and she didn't want it to come at the expense of her work, which was equally important to her. Sam pretended not to notice the time, working at her own desk. As per usual, she drove the girl back to her barracks when they were done.

"Have a good time tomorrow," Sam called cheerily out to the younger woman as she headed up the steps to her barracks.

Jennifer whirled around, "what do you mean, have a good time?" She was beginning to smell a rat at her good fortune, and she would not be party to special privileges or consideration.

Sam froze; she had almost divulged the conspiracy. "It means have a nice day off, Lieutenant," she said condescendingly again, smiling at the girl. She knew that the tone would anger Jennifer out of her suspicious mode. She hated to trick the girl, but sometimes, desperate measures were called for.

Jennifer smiled back. "Thanks. See you Monday." She turned and went into her barracks.

That was a close one, Sam thought, as she drove home.


	6. Not Another Military Girl, part 5

Hello again -- just catching it up so we can carry forward! Welcome back all :)

* * *

Friday dawned cool and crisp; a typically beautiful Colorado autumn day. Jennifer went through the usual routine that she had when not engaged in base activities: up early, work out, run, back to the barracks for a hot shower and something to eat, then decide what to do with the rest of her day. She was tutoring students at the academy, so sometimes she had an appointment with one or two of them.

Usually, though, she would end up on base in one of the labs, reading. They didn't teach much about the classics in the Air Force academy, so she enjoyed reading the books in Dr. Jackson's lab; sometimes she read up on the latest developments in the archaeological world, her new passion, or the science of astrophysics or new weapons technology. But today was different; it was going to be nice outside, and there wouldn't be many more days like this before the snow flew. She wanted to keep from sitting around; she knew it might make her nervous if she spent time pondering her date with Dr. Jackson.

Pulling her bike out of the rack in the basement of the barracks, she chose a trail not too far away; she didn't want to be gone too long. She pedaled at top speed, as was her style. She passed through a thicket of trees, crossed a bridge and climbed the long hill behind the barracks. At the top of the hill, she stopped, looking out over the beautiful Colorado scenery.

Looking at her watch, she decided it was time to head back. She started down the big hill she had just climbed. It was always a game of chicken on this trail; at the bottom, before the barracks, was a main access road for the base. She had ridden down this hill several dozen times; sometimes, she pulled up short at the stop sign at the access road, sometimes she sailed across the access road without a care in the world.

Today would be the latter; it was a beautiful day, nothing could go wrong now. The trail was just the right condition for sailing down the hill; her adrenaline heightened by the ride and the excitement she was feeling. She reached the bottom of the hill, and as she had a dozen times before, prepared to sail across the access road behind the barracks.

Too late, she noticed with horror the car parked illegally on the road directly in her path. She couldn't stop, and hit the car at a full clip, sailing over it, and somersaulting down the lawn on the other side. Not unlike a bad gate exit, she thought to herself as she tried to stop herself from rolling any farther. Coming to a stop, she checked herself. Nothing permanently damaged, she decided, and sat up, making a mental note to write a letter of thanks to the manufacturers of her helmet. She noticed the blood then, and realized that she was in a fair amount of pain. _Brilliant plan,_ lieutenant, she thought to herself ruefully; _get into an accident right before a date_.

A young girl came running towards her. "Are you alright?" the girl asked breathlessly. "I'm so sorry, I know I shouldn't have been parked there," she said with a worried look on her face.

"No ma'am, you shouldn't have been," Jennifer answered, grimacing with the pain of the injuries she had just suffered. "But, there's a stop sign there for the crosswalk and I should have stopped. I'm guessing the damage I did to your car and my bike ought to be punishment enough for both of us," she finished.

"Never mind the car, your bike has definitely seen its last ride," the girl said with a note of dismay in her voice. The bike had followed Jennifer over the hood of the car; scratching and denting it pretty well along the way. From where they were they could see that the front wheel was completely warped, and the front part of the frame was crushed in.

"I'll pay for it, I've got insurance," the girl offered anxiously. "Well, actually, my Dad's got insurance," she said slowly. "It's his car. He is SO going to kick my ass," she said dejectedly.

Jennifer looked at the girl. A fair bit younger than herself, she realized, and not military. She had a high maintenance hair do and wore lots of jewelry, but she carried it well, stylishly. The generous amount of makeup and short miniskirt told Jennifer she was most likely here to see a boyfriend. She had a worried look in her eyes; between the damage that had been incurred and the injuries that Jennifer had suffered, she knew the girl was definitely having a bad day. She just didn't know _how_ bad.

"Well, I'll tell you what. With my bike out of commission, I need a ride down to the infirmary, and I promise I'll call your Dad tomorrow and tell him it was all my fault."

"The infirmary?" the girl asked incredulously. "Oh my God, you're really hurt, aren't you?"

Jennifer grinned. "No, no, it's not that. I'm meeting a friend there and…" she stopped, realizing that there was really no good way to explain this. On a whim, she decided to tell her the whole story. "I've got a date later and the chief medical officer and her daughter offered to help me prepare for this date, so I need to meet her there and then we're going to her house." Looking down at herself, she added lightly "and I guess it won't hurt that she's got bandages there."

The other girl grinned. "Oh, now that I can do for you." She eyed Jennifer with a critical look as if assessing her. "Hey, I'll bet we're about the same size. Believe it or not, I've got just the right dress in the car, too. I was planning to wear it to go out with my boyfriend tonight." Her eyes narrowed. "But, I just walked in on him and his new girlfriend getting cozy, so I won't be needing it any time soon." She looked knowingly at Jennifer. "Never date a flyboy; they'll just break your heart. Plenty more men where he came from," she said defiantly.

Jennifer eyed the girl in amusement. She admired her ability to shake off the situation and move on. Not military herself, but probably a military brat, shrugging things off the way a military parent will teach you to do, she thought.

Suddenly, she realized that the offer might be just what she needed; aside from the occasional formal military cotillion or ball, which she usually attended with friends, she hadn't dated much recently, so she didn't have much clothing that was date worthy. And, a formal gown was probably a bit much for the event as Dr. Jackson had described it.

"Okay, but let me get a couple of things out of my room that I'll need for tonight." Jennifer thought for a second. "Do you want to come in?"

"Oh, no, I was thinking that I could put what's left of your bike in the car; my Dad will need to see it, as evidence of what really happened and for the insurance claim," the younger girl said, again looking dejected.

"Alright, I'll just be a minute. My offer still stands; I'll tell your Dad what really happened."

The girl eyed her, wonderingly. "You'd really do that?" she asked, wondering if the older girl was just pulling her leg.

"It really was my fault; you're supposed to stop there, and I didn't. Besides, I'm a soldier in the United States Air Force; I don't shirk from my responsibility," Jennifer added, matter of factly.

The other girl smiled. "That's cool. My Dad will appreciate that; he's a Colonel up at the base."

Jennifer turned towards the building and realizing now how sore she was, she limped up the stairs. _No dress in the world is going to make me look good tonight,_ she thought; _I've probably got scratches and scrapes I don't even know about. How attractive is that going to be,_ she thought, grimacing at the pain she felt.

She grabbed the bag she had begun preparing earlier with her accessories for the evening, including the pearls her mother had left her and a pair of patent leather high heels. Her Mom had been a military wife, and knew how to dress for any event. "A lady should always have a pair of patent leather high heels and a string of pearls. Any dress can look fabulous with _that_," she had once heard her mother say. She'd added a beautiful light golden brown silk scarf to the killer combination; it complemented her hair.

Returning to the back of the building, the other girl was just closing the trunk of the Cadillac, where she'd managed to store the remains of Jennifer's bike. Jennifer hadn't noticed that the car she had hit was a brown Cadillac Seville, with plush beige interior. _No doubt it was Daddy's pride and joy, from the looks of how it was kept, or at least, it had been,_ she thought with a grimace.

"Ready?" the other girl asked.

"Ready," Jennifer said. "Can I have a look at the dress?" she asked, curious.

"Oh, sure," the other girl said enthusiastically. Dresses were one thing she knew well. She grabbed the dress from where it was hanging in the back seat and held it out for Jennifer to see.

It was a sleek black sleeveless crepe with a cowl neck, a fitted skirt and a straight bodice. On the waist was a small rhinestone pin, gathering the skirt slightly so that it pulled up gently on that side. Jennifer eyed the dress appreciatively; on the right figure, it would be stunning.

"Wow, I don't know if I can wear that," Jennifer said, a little sadly.

"Why not? You've certainly got the figure for it, even if you're a little banged up right now," the girl said enthusiastically.

Jennifer hesitated. She herself didn't think she had the figure but then, she'd never really thought much about her own body. She kept herself in good physical shape, but to assess herself in that fashion had never occurred to her. She was military; soldiers didn't need to know if they had good figures or not. She knew that her mother had been a beautiful woman; she could tell by the pictures, but she had died when Jennifer was only nine. Her father, a career army sergeant, had raised Jennifer in a strict military household, grooming her for a military career. After he died, she became determined to be the best soldier anybody could be. She'd have the military and she wouldn't need anything or anyone else.

That mindset was changing, and somehow Jennifer knew that this was a good change, but it was slow in coming. The interaction with this girl was a good example of that change.

"Okay, thanks," Jennifer said, holding the dress up to herself. She was pretty sure it would fit; she was excited about it now.

Just then, a head popped out of one of the barracks windows. "Hilary!" the head and bare upper torso shouted. "Hilary, don't go! She doesn't mean anything to me, really!" came the words from the half naked airman in the window.

"Then too bad for both of you!" the girl shouted back. "I hope she wises up and dumps your sorry ass flat, like I just did!" the girl shouted emphatically. She whirled around, bent over and dropped her jeans, baring her ass to the young man. "Take a good look, Lieutenant Levesque, 'cause it's the last you'll ever see of it!" Around the area, people were laughing heartily at the way in which she had embarrassed the young man; it would be difficult to live that down.

Jennifer stood motionless, she was amazed at the girl's brazenness and impressed with her attitude. The girl pulled up her jeans and jumped into the driver's seat. "Ready?" she asked Jennifer again, in a friendly voice. Jennifer eased herself into the passenger seat beside her. She glanced at her watch; it was 3:00. Just enough time to get down to the infirmary and get cleaned off before heading over to Janet's house.

The radio was blasting the latest top 40 music. Jennifer preferred blues and jazz herself; she had inherited all of her mother's old blues albums and had played them almost to the point of breaking. Her Dad had been a jazz musician in the army band; listening to those types of music made her feel close to them.

"So, what's your name?" the girl asked. "You know mine, now."

"I'm Lieutenant – I mean Jennifer – Hailey."

"I think it's so cool that women join the Air Force now," she said. "I sometimes think I'd like to join, but my Dad would never let me. He doesn't even want me dating the flyboys, but there's just something about them."

"So you said your Dad is a colonel up at the base; maybe I know him," Jennifer offered.

"Oh yeah, that's right! I hadn't thought about that. My name's Hilary Taylor; my Dad is Colonel Taylor."

Jennifer froze. Colonel Taylor, her CO. She was going to have to explain to her CO that she had hit his car with her bike. She looked down at her injuries, _and I'll probably have to explain that it's my blood in the car, too,_ she thought. She wondered for a moment what the penalty was for bleeding in a superior officer's car.

"Do you know him?" Hilary asked excitedly.

"Oh yes, I've heard his name," Jennifer said. She decided against offering more information at that moment in time. They were pulling up in front of the gate closest to the infirmary. There would be time for that later. She got out of the car, with her bag and the dress.

"Hey, I need your telephone number, Hilary. I'll call your Dad tomorrow and explain, and I'll need to return the dress."

Hilary scribbled the number on the back of a receipt from the coffee shop that she had thrown in the ashtray, then she grabbed a small plastic bag from the local department store. She smiled as she handed over both items. "Keep the dress, if you like it, and you'll need what's in that bag, too. I've got more. Remember you've got to keep a spare pair in your handbag. Seems only fair, since you don't have your bike, and you're all banged up for your date. Is he nice?" she asked excitedly. "More importantly, is he cute?"

Jennifer smiled back at the girl as she took the bag and the number from her. "Yeah, he's all that," she said shyly.

"Hey, maybe I'll see you again," she said brightly. "Sometimes I come up to the base with my Dad."

"That would be cool," Jennifer said, smiling. She secretly wondered what the penalty was for fraternizing with your CO's kids. She was nice, though, and Jennifer was sincere about what she had said to the girl.

Limping into the infirmary, she made her way to Janet's office. Janet's mouth fell open. "I had no idea that they were planning maneuvers today," she said a bit playfully. What on earth happened to you?"

Jennifer eased herself into the chair next to Janet's desk. "What's the penalty for slamming into your CO's Cadillac with your bike, Dr. Fraiser?" she asked innocently.

Janet looked at her and giggled. "Well, as long as you look worse than the car, it should come down to time served. How's the bike?"

"A casualty, ma'am," she stated in a deadpan tone.

"That'll work in your favor, too. Now, let's get you cleaned up and ready to go; you've got a date to think about!" Her trained doctor's eye looked her over, and she called for a nurse, getting to the business of cleaning the scrapes and abrasions that Jennifer had suffered in the accident. Nothing fatal, but she would be sore for a few days, no doubt. Janet gave her a couple of tablets for the pain and looked at her watch. "Okay, Lieutenant, let's go! Time's a wasting."

They drove back to Janet's house, a pleasant split level. Cassie greeted them at the door. She smiled, then looked Jennifer up and down. "Oh my God, did you get the number of the Mack truck that hit you?" she said.

"Cassie," her mother said warningly.

Cassie laughed. "Come on, let's see what we have to work with here!" Jennifer followed her back into the house, carrying the dress and her bag. She eyed the dress critically, smiling. "Jennifer, this is beautiful. You're going to knock his socks off in this. Where'd you get it?"

"From the driver of the Mack truck," Jennifer grinned. Cassie and Janet looked quizzically at each other, then back at Jennifer.

"It's a long story," Jennifer said. "Where do we start?"

Cassie and Janet went about the business of getting her ready for her date. Cassie sat her down in a chair and gave her a manicure, then a pedicure.

"You never know when you might take your shoes off and it's good to have this done," Cassie advised her knowingly.

Janet brushed out her long, curly locks, as they discussed how she should wear her hair. After a lengthy debate, during which they pondered the meaning of hair spray and the pros and cons of mousse, she decided to wear it naturally, except for an upsweep on the left side, held in place with a rhinestone decorated hair pin Cassie procured from her collection of similar items, along with a pair of shiny, dangling earrings, just the right size for Jennifer's face; they accented the rhinestone piece on the dress.

Next, Cassie delicately applied a series of cosmetic items to Jennifer's face – they were of the same skin tone, which was helpful since Jennifer didn't own any makeup, even though Cassie was always trying to convince her to buy some. First there was a light base of foundation, then an even lighter dusting of powder. Cassie had picked the perfect colors of blush and eyeshadow to highlight Jennifer's features; her natural coloring eliminated the need for any exotic shades. Topping the whole look off with dark brown mascara – waterproof, Cassie noted wisely; that was really the safest way to go – and just the slightest hint of color on her lips, highlighted by a thin application of lip gloss.

It was time for the dress. Jennifer disappeared into the spare bedroom, where Jonas stayed. Janet had only told him that there was basically a girl party going on, so he had opted to work late on the base. She looked into the small plastic bag for the first time since Hilary had handed it to her; there were two pairs of expensive black silk stockings in the bag. They were thigh highs, with a seam up the back and a pretty little rhinestone adorning the ankle. They reminded Jennifer of her mother and her glamorous outfits; she would have to remember to thank Hilary for them.

Heeding the younger girl's advice, she slipped the second pair into the patent leather handbag she had brought for the occasion. Her military ID looked out of place among the stockings, lip gloss and delicate comb for quick hair fixes that Cassie and Janet had given her. She stepped into the dress and brought it up over shoulders. She would need help with the zipper. She put her mother's pearls on, and backing up to the door, she called for help with the zipper. Cassie was quick to oblige.

Jennifer turned around. Cassie looked at her and beamed a wide grin at the older girl. "Wow, Jen," she said appreciatively. "You look amazing." She turned to her mother. "Hey Mom, we do pretty good work, doncha think?"

Janet came up into the hallway. The young lieutenant really was a beautiful girl, underneath all that military, Janet thought. She smiled, replying to her adopted daughter. "Well, you did most of the work, m'dear, and really, we just spiffed up what she came with."

"That's true." Cassie looked at her friend again. "You really are going to knock his socks off in that dress." She frowned suddenly, noticing some scrape marks from the accident Jennifer had suffered earlier. "Ooh, it looks like the Mack truck left some tire tracks…Hey, where's the scarf you brought? That'll work like a shawl and nobody'll notice." Her legs also bore traces of the collision between bike and machine, but the dark stockings worked well to hide those.

Janet looked at the clock. It was already 6:00. "Hey, we had better get you back to the barracks or all of this will be for naught!" She hurried Jennifer and Cassie out into the car. Driving a little faster than usual, against the Friday evening traffic, they held their breath, pulling up to the front of the barracks at 6:45. Dr. Jackson would be there in 15 minutes.

She looked at the two women in the car with her and she felt a wave of gratitude. All of the women she had run into today – including the one she literally ran into – had helped her immensely, and had expected nothing in return. She was touched by their kindness.

"Thanks so much, really, both of you," she said, looking down.

Janet and Cassie smiled at each other. "Hey, no worries, Jen, it was my pleasure," the younger girl said. "Just don't forget I need those earrings back next week and I've got a physics exam you promised to take for me."

"You've got a physics exam I promised to help you prepare for," the older girl corrected her, smiling.

"Oh, well, you can't blame a girl for trying," Cassie grinned. "Never works with Dad, either." Although Jonas Quinn wasn't officially her Dad, Cassie had started calling him that since he had moved in after his surgery. She sort of hoped he would be her Dad one day. As transplants to this planet, they understood each other in ways that no one else could. And it was obvious to everyone except Janet Fraiser herself how much he truly loved her, and not in the patient doctor manner she kept trying to say it was.

Jennifer slid out of the car and walked up to the door of the barracks. She waved as Cassie and Janet drove off, calling out encouragement and wishes for a good, fun evening.


	7. Not Another Military Girl, part 6

And we're moving... :)

* * *

She really wasn't sure what to do next. She didn't want to wait up in her room for him, it would be a bit much to explain to any of the other junior officers who might be hanging around on Friday night. She decided to wait in the lobby of the building. She sat in the sparse chair near the front door of the barracks and looked out the window, waiting for signs of his car.

Now the nervousness was setting in. _What if he didn't come? What if he was late? _She knew he was frequently late._ What if it bombed? What if they didn't have any fun at all? What if they just felt awkward with each other all night?_ The anxious thoughts were running through her head now. To distract herself, she fiddled with the items in her handbag. She came across the receipt with Colonel Taylor's number on it, and remembered with dread that she still needed to take care of that little problem, too.

She looked up and out the window again; and was immediately relieved. The familiar sight of Dr. Jackson's late model Volvo sedan was trundling down the road. _He's early, _she realized, amazed. _Maybe he's as excited as I am, _she thought hopefully.

In the car, Daniel tapped his fingers nervously against the steering wheel as he searched for a place to park. He was more nervous about this date than he could remember having been for some time. He hoped it went well; he liked her, he knew that. He was pretty sure she liked him too, but he was afraid that his geeky archaeologist side would scare her off at some point. He peered into the darkness and pulled into a spot right across from the front door of her barracks. _Well, so far fortune is with me,_ he thought. He opened the door and got out of the car.

As he crossed the street and headed for the walkway up to her door, it opened. She stepped out onto the small, square porch and turned to pull the door shut behind her. He was a bit startled at this; the few dates he had ever had always seemed to involve going into the home and waiting for some amount of time. It didn't surprise him that she was ready on time, though.

All of these thoughts were forgotten in a second as she turned towards him, smiling as she came down the steps. Involuntarily, he felt himself draw a breath. She looked lovely. Whatever else happened tonight, he was certain he would have the best looking date in the place. As she came closer, though, he noticed a slight limp in her step. He frowned, wondering why the limp.

She noticed the frown on his face and stopped, midway down the sidewalk. "What's the matter?" she asked. "Do I look alright?"

He marveled again at her innocence in the matter of her appearance, and smiled. "Oh, yes, you look…". He was at a complete loss for words as to how to describe her. He looked at her, it would have been reasonable to say he was staring at her, he was grateful his tongue wasn't hanging out of his mouth, which he remembered to close. She looked down self-consciously; on automatic reflex a hand went up to her hair. "Lovely," he finished quietly, smiling appreciatively.

She smiled at his compliment. _Maybe I do have the figure to carry this dress_, she thought to herself. She proceeded down the walk, the limp becoming evident again.

"Are you okay?" he asked, now sounding worried.

She realized that she must be limping from the accident she had had earlier. _Well, so much for the glamorous look _she thought. "It's a long story, but let's just say that the score is Cadillac 1, bike 0."

The meaning of her words sunk in. "Oh my God, are you sure you're okay? We don't have to go if you're injured," he said with deep concern. He was a biker himself, so he understood all too well what happened when man (or woman, in this case) and machine met on unfriendly terms.

His concern made her feel warm inside. "Really, I'm fine, Dr. Jackson," she said. "I'm looking forward to this, and I'm not going to let one little bike accident take it away," she said emphatically.

"Yeah, well, I seem to remember one other time when you tried to tell me you were fine, and you weren't." His tone was still one of deep concern, and gave her that warm feeling again. Ordinarily she'd have been mad as hell at him for saying something like that, but she was learning to appreciate the concern for its true intent – he cared for her, it didn't mean he thought any less of her.

"Really, Dr. Jackson. I want to go." She was somewhat insistent, bordering ever so slightly on pouty. The look sent wonderful tingles up his spine. That scared him; he was beginning to think he was in over his head with her.

"Will you do me a favor, then?" he asked lightly. "Will you please call me Daniel? I really don't want people thinking that I've absconded with my children's babysitter," he said wryly, grinning at her.

"Alright," she replied, almost saucily, with a gleam in her eye.

_Oh yeah, Jackson, you are way out of your league here,_ he thought.

"But then you'll have to call me Jennifer, I don't want people thinking that I'm some kind of dominatrix, demanding military titles from my date." The words sounded almost naughty coming from her, and he felt a tingle in the pit of his stomach. _Way, way out of my league,_ he thought.

He walked over to the passenger side, unlocking the door for her. She instinctively began to reach for the handle, but he opened it for her and stood back, letting her enter the car. She stepped gingerly into the car, remembering her accident; luckily, it looked soft and gracious to the archaeologist. He took note of the patent leather high heels and silk stockings with the seams going up the back of her shapely legs. _Oh, so far out of my league here,_ he thought.

When she was settled, he walked over to the driver's side and got in. She had a chance to really look at him then. He was wearing a stylish chocolate brown Armani suit with a delicately patterned blue tie that matched his eyes perfectly. She wouldn't have guessed him for an Armani man, but the effect was definitely not lost on her. He might be a geeky old archaeologist, as he had called himself, but he certainly knew how to dress.

Arriving at the museum, they pulled into the parking garage and found a space. Shutting off the car, he noticed her reaching for the door handle. "No, wait," he said. "I don't get to be a gentleman too often, let me do this." He smiled at her, the same way he had smiled at her in the coffee shop, and in the lab.

_You're always a gentleman, _she thought to herself, but she waited until he had gone around to her side of the car and opened her door. Instinctively, she took the hand he offered to her as she got out of the car. His hand felt good, warm and smooth.

He turned and shut the door behind her with his free hand, not wanting to let go of her small, delicately manicured one. It felt right in his own.

From the parking garage, they walked across the street to the building that housed the museum. It was a beautiful older building; one of the oldest ones in town, built in the Roman coliseum style, with large white pillars in the front, surrounding the small, two-door entrance through which the guests streamed. It stuck out among the more modern buildings on the street, with its fancy buttresses and baz relief atop the pillars.

They walked in to the marble laden hallway, and were greeted by the volunteers from the local public radio station who checked their names off on the list of the invited. In a moment of bravado, Daniel had confirmed two spots, figuring that he would chalk up the cost to lost opportunity if she had said no or if he hadn't gotten up the nerve to ask.

"Would you like something to drink?" Daniel asked her. There were several temporary but elegant looking bars scattered around the museum, dispensing freely, along with a handful of quartets playing chamber music; Vivaldi, Mozart and the like.

"A glass of red wine would be nice," she smiled at him. "Bordeaux, if they have it," she added. This impressed him on some level; most of the women he knew would only indulge in white wine, as if it were dainty somehow. This woman was not afraid to savor a good, rich wine.

She watched him go to retrieve the drinks, getting an imported beer for himself. She liked that, it seemed natural with him, not forced like it seemed with the guys from the academy. _They're supposed to drink American beer, they're United States military,_ she thought amusedly to herself. Daniel was not.

They proceeded up the stairs to the exhibit, admiring the non-exhibit paintings adorning the marble stairs. The exhibit was on the second floor, and took up the entire area. In one quadrant of the floor were exhibits displaying the tools and methods of modern archaeology; in the adjoining quadrant were all the exhibits outlining the history of archaeology, along with the biographies of the more accomplished members of the profession and their respective achievements.

The other half of the floor was filled with displays of items recovered in some of the more well-known archaeological projects. Much of it was from Egyptian digs, but there was also some from Africa, detailing the earliest finds of humanoid remains, and some from South America on the subject of early plant life from the Amazon.

Neither had much interest in the history or the modern tools; everything that they knew and saw in their day-to-day life really made these look almost primitive and incorrect. Instead, they preferred to tarry among the relics, comparing them in hushed tones to items that they had seen on other planets. They made a fetching sight, laughing and whispering, excitedly discussing some things, admiring others. As the drinks took effect, those who knew them might have noticed just a bit more affection; a touch here, a slight caress there.

Hours passed quickly; the event was over at 10:00. As they left the museum, walking to the corner of the block nearest the entrance for the parking garage, they crossed a small hidden street directly next to the museum. It had been dark and quiet when they had arrived, but now, they noticed the second building on the block was warmly lit, and the velvety tones of a man with a beautiful baritone voice came drifting towards them.

_The best is yet to come, and won't that be fine,_

_The best is yet to come, the day that you're mine,_

The smooth sounds of a bass guitar filled in before the next lyric. They stopped and looked at each other. The words made them both smile. "Well," Daniel said, putting his hands in his pockets, "maybe Frank's got a point. Would you like to go in for a night cap?" he asked, tilting his head towards the sound of the music.

"I'd like that," Jennifer said, smiling warmly, a sparkle in her eye that he was pretty sure hadn't been there before the wine. _Or at least before my beer, _he added to himself dryly. He turned, offering her his arm. She took it, smiling, and they walked over and into the café.

The building was a wonderful juxtaposition of wood, brick and glass – there were large front windows framed in dark oak, while the inside walls were unevenly brick, with a polished hard wood floor and trendy, low European style lighting. The singer and his accompanist were in the corner. There were no spotlights; they looked as if they were in a friend's house.

There were a fair number of people, but Jennifer and Daniel were able to locate a two seat table in the corner near the rectangular glass windows in front. He went to the bar to get them a second round of drinks. He looked over at her from the bar, and was reminded of the first time he had realized how beautiful she really was, that day in the coffee shop. She still liked to sit so that she could see her surroundings, but tonight it was with that dreamy, relaxed look he had glimpsed ever so briefly that fateful day. He relished this moment; it was the most at peace he had felt in a long time, and she looked as if she felt the same.

Returning to the table, the velvety tones of the singer and the smooth notes of his accompanist expressing their rendition of yet another jazz and blues classic, Daniel noticed that Jennifer had her eyes closed, head resting in her hands with her elbows on the small round table between them and she was tapping her fingers gently against the side of her face, in time with her toes.

"Missed calling?" he asked, with a grin, pointing at her fingers.

She smiled. "Oh, no, I just really enjoy this type of music. I have quite a collection of albums that belonged to my mother and father. My mother _loved_ the blues, my Dad was more of a jazz and big band guy; he played trumpet in the Army marching band during his years in the service." She stopped, a small shadow of wistfulness crossing her face.

Daniel saw the shadow. He knew that both of her parents had passed away before she entered the academy, but he didn't know much beyond that. Maybe that was part of what attracted him to her; they had similar backgrounds, he having lost his own parents in that tragic accident. Feeling a bit braver thanks to his beer, he candidly asked her, "What happened?"

She thought for a moment, and looked at him, studying his face. That look was back in his blue eyes, the one that told her he could be trusted.

"My mother died in a car accident when I was nine – it was on wet roads, another car skidded out of control and hit her head on. My Dad never really got over it. He threw himself – and me – into his military service after that," she stated matter of factly. "He was leading maneuvers off base the summer before I went into the academy and he was killed in a helicopter crash."

She kept her gaze steady on him, waiting for his reaction. She was used to people reacting with shocked sympathy; usually they ended up falling all over themselves trying somehow to make it up to her. She knew she should appreciate their good intentions, but most of the time it made her mad. She refused to feel like a victim or engage in any kind of self-pity over it; she had long since come to terms with what life had handed her.

Daniel listened quietly, feeling her pain almost as if it were his own. _It is like my own,_ he thought.

He leaned forward and set his glass down, crossing his arms on the table. "My folks were putting together an exhibit at the New York Museum of Art when I was about 8. It was a lot like the one they have here," he said slowly. "They were supervising the moving crew who was putting the pyramid slab that was the centerpiece of their exhibit into place. The cables broke and they were crushed." He looked down. Though many years had passed, it was still a painful event to recall. _At least I only had to recall it, and not live it over and over again, _he thought, with a brief flash of SG-1's imprisonment on P7J989 suddenly invading his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut against the image.

Jennifer listened silently as he finished. She looked down at the table; noticing that the fingers of his right hand were close to hers, she instinctively moved her hand and gently squeezed them, not looking up, preferring instead to focus on his strong hands. He looked at her then. Her face was unreadable, but the gentle caress of his fingers spoke volumes to him – not sympathy, as they had both experienced before, but the understanding that only comes from having lived through a similar circumstance. She said nothing, just continued to gently hold his hand with her own.

The lights were lowered slightly as the singer and his accompanist began another set; both were grateful for the sudden dimness. As the duo sped things up with a slightly sexy rendition of Never Gonna Give You Up, a few other pieces being added to the accompanist for the occasion, he felt her fingers withdraw from his own, as they instinctively began tapping time again. He smiled at her.

_We're no strangers to love  
You know the rules and so do I  
A full commitment's what I'm thinking of  
You wouldn't get this from any other guy  
  
I just wanna tell you how i'm feeling  
Gotta make you understand  
  
Never gonna give you up  
Never gonna let you down  
Never gonna run around and desert you  
Never gonna make you cry  
Never gonna say goodbye  
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you  
  
We've know each other for so long  
Your heart's been aching_

_But you're too shy to say it  
Inside we both know what's been going on  
We know the game and we're gonna play it  
  
And if you ask me how i'm feeling  
Don't tell me you're too blind to see_

_I just wanna tell you how i'm feeling  
Gotta make you understand  
  
Never gonna give you up  
Never gonna let you down  
Never gonna run around and desert you  
Never gonna make you cry  
Never gonna say goodbye  
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you  
  
_

As the velvety voiced crooner trailed off the last few words of the song, Daniel asked, "so you never thought about following in your old man's footsteps, huh?" with a curious, playful note in his voice, smiling at her.

She smiled back. "No, my Dad was quite good at it, and I really just enjoyed listening to him play," she said, again with that wistful tone in her voice. She looked at him. "It looks as if you _have_ followed in your parents footsteps, though – maybe even taken it one step farther."

"Yeah, that's a reasonable assessment," he grinned, glad for the return of a lighter topic of conversation, though he had enjoyed the feel of her fingers in his.

The conversation having changed gears, they resumed their discussion and comparison of the exhibit they had just seen with the things that they had seen offworld, she asking questions and he excitedly describing and explaining things to her. Under his tutelage, she had formed her own opinions on several matters as well, and they bantered playfully over it, him reminding her with a wicked grin that he was the expert and had been so for a lot longer than she had. She glowered at him, but the glare was easily dissolved by his silly, teasing smile.

He took notice of the scrapes on her shoulder and frowned with concern. "Did you get the plate of that Cadillac that you hit today? I'd say he owes you big time."

She grimaced at the memory of the accident, remembering that she still needed to take care of that matter. _Really_, she wondered, _what is the penalty for seeing your CO's daughter moon the boyfriend she had just dumped?_

"I guess I'll just have to teach you how to ride properly, Crash," he teased her, smiling. He was feeling almost saucy about trying to make her angry now.

She gave him a glare, but her eyes were laced with laughter, revealing her true feelings behind the look. "Well, that won't be for a while, now," she said. "My bike was a casualty of the accident."

Feeling bolder, he said, "Oh well, I'll just have to settle for teaching you the fine art of appreciating cinema." _Smooth, Jackson, _he thought to himself, somewhat proudly. _Get a second date while the first one is going well._

Leaning over and setting her glass of wine down on the table, she looked at him, with that deep intentioned look she had. "Are you asking me to the movies, Dr. – I mean Daniel?"

"Unless you have other plans tomorrow. That Bill Murray film, 'Lost in Translation' is playing at the small theater in town. It's supposed to be pretty good." He noticed a good size bruise on her shoulder in addition to the scrapes. He frowned, and thought for a moment. "Unless you just want to rest from your accident?"

She smiled, the genuine warm one he liked so much. "I'd like that – the movie, that is," it was her turn to frown now, at the mention of the accident. "I do need to take care of this thing with my bike though. I told the girl who was driving the car I would call tomorrow," she said.

"Well, maybe I could take you over there. That might be the kind of thing best handled in person."__

Her instinct to protest, to say she could take care of herself, was overridden by what she perceived to be a note of eagerness in his voice._ Maybe I can let him do this for me, _she thought._ He does have a car and I could return the dress._

"Okay, thanks," she said, smiling almost shyly at her acceptance of his offer.

They discussed the music they had been listening to, and the music that they each liked, discovering another mutual passion, blues and jazz music, talking animatedly about that and seemingly a thousand other things. They didn't notice the time passing until they heard the singer say good night. They both looked up at the clock. "Oh, wow, it's really late," Daniel said. "I guess we should go," he said with a note of regret. He got up from his seat and held his arm out for her. She smiled, accepting it and they left the small club.

Stepping out into the brisk October night, Jennifer shivered. "It is a bit chilly tonight, isn't it?" Daniel noted. He looked at her; the dress didn't offer much protection against the elements. "Here, please, let me give you my jacket." Daniel took off the jacket before she could protest and reached around her to drape it on her bare shoulders. _If it's at all possible,_ he thought, _she looks even sexier now,_ with the biggish jacket draped on her small frame and all too incredible outfit.

They drove back to the base with the radio playing classical music. It was late and they were both a bit too tired for anything more than idle conversation along the way. He parked in front of the barracks, opened the door for her and held out his hand to help her get out of the car. She took it, not letting go once she was out of the car.

As they proceeded hand in hand up the walk to the barracks together, he noticed her limp again. "I wish you'd tell me what happened to you today," he said, almost pouting. He had hoped she trusted him enough to confide whatever this big event had been; he felt mildly hurt that she hadn't seemed willing to disclose it to him.

She looked at him, thinking for a moment. There was that look in his eyes again, the one that told her it was okay to divulge her secrets. She took a deep breath. "I was riding down the big hill behind the barracks. Sometimes I stop at the access road, sometimes I don't," she said casually. "Today I didn't." She stopped, hoping that was enough.

"And?" he prompted her. She sighed.

"And there was a big brown Cadillac Seville parked right in the crosswalk. I didn't see it until I looked up and it was too late to stop." She stopped again, hoping that _this_ was enough.

"AND?" he prompted her again, with a devilish grin on his face, somehow sensing that she didn't want to tell this whole story.

She sighed again, exasperatedly and motioned with her hands. She took a deep breath. "And, it turns out it was parked there by this girl who was there to see her boyfriend and she found him with another girl so she was leaving and she saw me hit the car and it turns out that it's her Dad's car and she's all upset that he's going to kill her for it so I tell her no problem I'll tell him it's my fault and then I tell her I have a date tonight and she feels even worse so she offers me this dress since she's not going to be wearing it and then her boyfriend sticks his head out the window and yells at her and she moons him and tells him to drop dead and it turns out she's a military brat but a really nice one and to top it all off, she's Colonel Taylor's daughter."

Listening to the words as they seemed to rush out, watching all of the hand gestures she was making for emphasis, Daniel started giggling. It sounded like just the sort of thing that would happen to him. That explained the limp, and he knew he was certainly grateful to the girl, too, for giving Jennifer the dress. As the last words came tumbling, his giggle turned into a hearty laugh.

"Wait, let me get this straight," he said, between fitful giggles. "You crashed your bike into the side of your CO's car, but you don't know it's his, and then make friends with his daughter who's driving it, she's just dumped her boyfriend and moons him to seal the deal, and you offer to tell her Dad about hitting the car, that it's all your fault to save her butt, when you suddenly _realize _her Dadis _your_ CO?" He was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes. He straightened up, trying to hold back the laughter at the glare she gave him. Then he added playfully "well, it's certainly a change from the age old 'oh my God I _kissed_ my CO' problem."

The wine had caught up with her. She smiled saucily at him. He got that vague sense that he was in over his head again. "Well, I thought I'd save that part for you," she said, with that slightly sexy edge she was displaying more freely now. It scared him in all the ways he imagined it would; he'd never been so grateful to be afraid.

_I'll never get a better opportunity,_ he thought. _Now or never, Jackson,_ the voice told him. "Well, then, I guess I'd better oblige," he said in a low, sultry tone.

Jennifer felt a sudden tingle; she had extended herself here just beyond her safety zone, but it felt good, right with him somehow. He stepped closer to her on the porch now, as she looked up at him. He gently took her face in both of his hands and tilted her chin upwards, leaning down to kiss her lips gently, almost lovingly.

Daniel had been waiting all night for this moment, since she had first stepped out on the porch earlier that evening. His lips caressed hers, gently at first, then more seriously, with the force of all of their unspoken feelings. His hands went down to encircle her waist, hers went around his back as she stood on tiptoe to meet the gentle demands of his mouth, slowly, then with more feeling. Neither of them was sure where or when to stop, happy simply to savor the moment. They parted finally, both a little breathless.

She looked at him; _I could get lost in those eyes,_ she thought to herself.

He looked at her. _She really is a beautiful girl,_ he thought. _Oh yeah, Jackson, you are definitely in over your head._

Regaining his senses, he said casually, "So, pick you up tomorrow at 10:00 am? We'll get a real coffee and head over to Colonel Taylor's and get that out of the way first thing?"

"Okay," she said, with that same sort of innocence that charmed him so much.

"Okay," he said. He was still holding her in his arms.

"Daniel, you'll have to let go at some point," she teased, not really wanting to break the embrace, either.

He looked at her, a more serious look in his eyes than she had seen. Maybe it was the two beers he'd had. "Do I have to?" he said.

The sultry tone of his voice made her feel warm all over. "At least for now," she said, patting his arm gently.

"Oh, okay," he said. He released her. She gave him his jacket back; he was grateful for one more look at her in that outfit again, even with the bruises and scrapes. "Good night, Jennifer," he said.

"Good night, Daniel, she said, as she stepped through the barracks door, giving him one more smile as she closed the door gently. She watched out the window as he turned and walked back to his car. _Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough,_ she thought.


	8. Not Another Military Girl, part 7

DOH!! Many thanks to those who picked up on my fat fingered upload....the story just WOULDN'T be the same without Hilary and her Mom and Dad stepping back into the picture, somehow... :) Not to be missed...at least, I think....I hope you like it!!

* * *

The next morning also dawned bright and clear, even though there was a severe storm warning in the forecast. Jennifer woke up early, a bit stiff from the accident the day before. She stretched and did some calisthenics and some of the other exercises that they used during off-world missions to keep themselves limber, then a nice hot shower helped a lot.

She dressed gingerly – some of the scrapes and bruises were still a little raw. Today, dressing consisted of a military issue tank top, then jeans and a pair of hiking boots, with a beige, brown and red plaid shirt over the tank top. She looked at herself in the mirror. _Not too bad, I guess,_ she decided.

Eyeing her hair, she toyed with leaving it down, but as she was going to see her CO, she felt she should at least be partially in uniform. She tucked it up with her usual dexterity. She looked at the clock, then out the window. There was the Volvo slowly making its way down the road. She grabbed her favorite fall jacket and the dress on its hanger and headed down the stairs to the front of the building.

Stepping out into the bright sunshine and shutting the door behind her, she smiled as she saw he was already out of the car. This morning, he waited for her, leaning against the car. He had decided on a black t-shirt, jeans and a pair of workman's boots, and his favorite black leather jacket. _Now that combination really works on him,_ she thought, as she made her way down the walk towards him with a smile.

He looked up as she came down the sidewalk. _I wonder if Cinderella looked that good after midnight,_ he pondered, even appreciating the military hairstyle today. Her injuries were still apparent though, and he frowned with concern again. "You're still limping," he called to her.

"I'm just practicing for Colonel Taylor," she said flippantly. Once again, he opened the door for her. She was beginning to like this gentleman thing; most of the other men she'd known had just accepted her as "one of the guys."

They stopped at the bustling coffee shop, and procured caffeinated beverages for themselves. As they waited in line he teasingly asked her if she was going to have a pretty drink or if she could handle a real coffee. Giving him a look that could wither plants, she ordered a triple espresso.

Back in the car, Jennifer set her chin in that way that she had. Daniel noticed, but said nothing. He'd offered to drive her over, _mainly because I wanted to see her again, _he admitted to himself, but he didn't have any illusions about gallantly rescuing her from whatever might happen at Colonel Taylor's. They drove in silence, except for the local public radio station playing one of its weekend talk shows.

They pulled up at the stately brick house that was the Taylor residence. _Fitting for an officer,_ Daniel thought ironically. He preferred the coziness of his flat that he rented in the old Victorian.

As they pulled up in front of the house, they saw the Cadillac in the driveway; the passenger side that Jennifer had hit was facing them. The entire front quarter panel was crunched in; it looked almost as if it might be interfering with the tire. Daniel looked over; Jennifer's face had that steely gaze she got when she was determined. He recognized her soldier mode.

As they got closer, they could see the bike, lying on its side on the driveway. The front end of her bike looked as if it had been caught in a giant can-crushing device. Daniel grimaced at the sight; _she's lucky to have gotten through that as well as she has, _he thought to himself.

They parked and got out of the car, Jennifer carrying the dress. As they walked up the driveway, the front door suddenly opened, and Hilary Taylor stepped out, today in jeans and a sweatshirt with a pair of tennis shoes, but with no less hair or makeup than the day before, Jennifer noticed. At the sight of them, her face bore a look that was equal parts pleasant surprise, shock and wonder.

"Oh, hey, Jen, how are ya?" she greeted her enthusiastically. "What are you doing here?" she said.

"Well, I didn't tell you this yesterday, but I do know your Dad," Jennifer said slowly. "He's my CO," she finished.

Hilary's mouth inadvertently dropped open. "Oh, wow, on top of losing your ride and being banged up for your date, you hit your boss' car, you poor thing," the girl said in an awed tone of voice. She reached out and rubbed Jennifer's arm affectionately. "That sucks so bad."

"Well, I figured I should tell him what happened in person," Jennifer said resignedly.

At that moment, Hilary noticed the dress in Jennifer's hands. "And you brought the dress back," she said wonderingly. Suddenly, with concern and excitement, she asked, "Did it work?"

"Hoo, yeah, it worked," Daniel uttered low, under his breath. He looked up suddenly realizing that it had been audible to the two girls. They looked at each other, Jennifer blushing and Hilary with a superior grin on her face.

"I told you it would," she said, with an air of confidence in her voice.

"Oh, uh, hi, I'm Dr. Daniel Jackson," he said, holding out his hand.

"Hi," she smiled at him, shaking his proffered hand. She looked at Jennifer. "So, this the guy?" she asked conspiratorially.

Jennifer blushed further. "Yeah, this is the guy," she said quietly.

"A doctor, huh? Nice job, girl," Hilary said in an approving tone.

Now it was Daniel's turn to blush. "Actually, I, uh, have my doctorate in Archaeology-" he began weakly.

She cut him off with a wave of her hand and a friendly smile. "That's okay, no need to explain. It's nice to meet you, Dr. Jackson," she said. She smiled knowingly and turned to Jennifer. "You really didn't have to bring it back, y'know," she said warmly.

"Well, it's just that, it's such a nice dress, I just thought I should at least offer," Jennifer said modestly.

"What dress is that, Hilary?" a voice boomed. "I thought I told you to take that thing back where it came from!" Colonel Taylor had exited from the open door of the garage and approached the three, eyes flashing.

"Don't have a cow, Dad, it was in the car so I could take it back, remember? That's why you gave me the car?" she said, exasperatedly. "She needed a dress for her date and I gave it to her."

"Colonel Taylor, sir" Jennifer greeted him, with a salute.

"At ease, Lieutenant Hailey," he said. He eyed her and Dr. Jackson critically. "To what do I owe the pleasure this morning, Lieutenant?"

"Permission to speak frankly, sir," Jennifer said. Proper military protocol right now would help her keep her head.

"Permission granted, Lieutenant," he said warily.

"Sir, I hit your car with my bike, sir. The damage is all my fault. I will make whatever reparations are necessary, sir." As the last word left her lips, she felt an incredible sense of relief. The worst was over, except for figuring out exactly how she would pay for the damage, and what penalties Colonel Taylor might exact on her during their next mission.

Colonel Taylor eyed her suspiciously. "Is that all there is to it, Lieutenant?"

"Yes sir. I was riding my bike on the trail behind the barracks; I was going too fast at the crosswalk and didn't stop as I should have. I only saw the car when it was too late to stop," she said.

Colonel Taylor thought about this for a minute. He turned to look at his daughter. "Hilary, what were you doing up on base yesterday?" he asked evenly.

The girls exchanged a guilty look. They hadn't expected this part.

Colonel Taylor spoke again, his voice smooth and even with barely controlled fury. "Were you up there after that loser Levesque?"

"Please Dad, I am SO over him," Hilary said, with that same sort of exasperation that most teenagers have for their parents.

"Is _that_ what you were doing up there?" his fury beginning to overcome him.

"Dad, I told you, he's _way_ done, give it up already," she said, trying to distract him from his pursuit of the truth.

Colonel Taylor turned to Jennifer. "Lieutenant Hailey, did you see what happened between my daughter and Lieutenant Levesque?" he asked.

Just then the front door opened and a tall, graceful woman with an attractive shoulder length blond haircut stepped out. "What's going on, Gerald?" the woman asked.

"Well, Jane, it seems the lieutenant here is the primary owner of what's left of that bike," Colonel Taylor said, not quite bitterly.

"Well, I'm so glad to see you're in one piece!" the tall woman exclaimed. "When I saw that bike, I was terrified about what sort of damage _you_ must have suffered," she said in a genteel, stately voice with a hint of an accent and obvious concern.

"Seems the lieutenant might also have been privy to a situation between our daughter and Lieutenant Levesque, Jane," the Colonel continued evenly. "Seems Hilary took a little detour on her way to return that dress yesterday," he stated triumphantly.

Jennifer felt her face getting hot. She realized that she had tipped the other girl's hand with the details about where the accident had happened. Instead of getting her off the hook, it seemed she had just pushed the hook in further.

Daniel watched the whole scene unfolding, feeling helpless and wishing he could assist, but knowing that Lieutenant Hailey would never have forgiven him if he had stepped in, and besides, he couldn't think of anything to say.

The graceful woman spoke again. "Oh, Gerald, the girl's been through enough, and Hilary already told you that it's over between them, can't we just let it be?" she asked, with an exasperated tone in her voice that suggested she already knew the answer.

"Not until I find out what happened up there yesterday, Jane," he answered in a steely tone of voice, eyes never leaving Jennifer's face. "Now Lieutenant, I asked you a question, did you see what happened up there?"

Jennifer thought for a moment before responding, then opened her mouth and hoped for the best.

"Sir, your daughter defended her honor in a manner that any United States Air Force soldier would be proud to emulate," she said in a rush, the words practically falling out of her mouth.

Hilary looked at her, mouth slightly open in wonder and amazement at Jennifer's quick thinking and interesting twist on the events of the previous day. Daniel looked down, desperately trying to stifle a roar of laughter at the mental image of a platoon of airmen mooning their CO. He was strangely proud of the way she was trying to cover up for the girl, the same way that she had tried to cover up for him in Sam's lab.

"Exactly what do you mean by that, Lieutenant?" The colonel continued in his interrogatory tone.

"Gerald," his wife stated in her own warning tone.

Jennifer set her jaw. Daniel noticed the look in her eyes and involuntarily held his breath. With a steely look in her eye, she responded "Exactly what I said, sir."

Ordinarily Colonel Taylor would have appreciated this stubborn streak in the young officer; her determination to protect Hilary from his own wrath was admirable. But this morning, emotion overrode reason in the matter.

"Lieutenant Hailey, I am giving you a direct order. Now tell me what the hell happened up there or I'll have you court-martialed for insubordination."

Jennifer's eyes narrowed, her lips sealed tight. She would not be intimidated, not even by her CO; she'd sooner face a court martial. Daniel recognized that look. He sighed, putting his head down; he knew she wouldn't back down.

Watching the standoff, Hilary decided it was time to rescue her new friend. She stood up straight.

"I _mooned_ him, Dad," she stated emphatically.

"Oh, Hilary," her mother said, leaning against the car and putting her head down.

On hearing the words, Colonel Taylor closed his eyes and dropped his head; he knew when he'd been beat and this was one of those times.

"I dropped my denims in front of God and everybody and told him to take a good look because it was the last chance he'd get to see it," she stated defiantly, arms crossed in a battle ready stance.

Colonel Taylor rubbed his brow with his thumb and forefinger. "Jane?" he said in a quiet, defeated tone, without looking up.

"Yes, Gerald?" she replied quietly.

"Would you please take the lieutenant in and get her the information she's going to need to get her bike replaced? And make sure she's not in need of medical attention?" He looked up then. "Dr. Jackson?" he addressed the archaeologist.

Daniel looked up, taken aback. "Uh, yes, Colonel Taylor?" he said.

"I assume that you can see to it that Lieutenant Hailey gets into town and gets this matter taken care of," he asked defeatedly, then continued as he noticed Jennifer about to protest "because you have a car right here with a bike rack that can hold it," he finished, looking at Jennifer and silencing her defense. "Reason before emotion, Lieutenant Hailey," he said in a lecturely tone. "Remember that. Dismissed, lieutenant."

"Sir, thank you, sir," Jennifer replied respectfully.

"Come with me, lieutenant," the woman said in a pleasant tone of voice.

"Yes ma'am," she said, walking past the Colonel, and glancing quickly at Hilary she flashed a "good for you" grin at the younger girl. Hilary fell in step with her as they followed the older woman into the house. She took Jennifer's arm in a friendly gesture and whispered "You're right, he is all that," sneaking a peek over her shoulder at Daniel, who was suddenly uncomfortable at the idea that he was being discussed. Jennifer giggled.

Just then the phone rang from inside the house and Hilary broke into a dead run. "I'll get it," she yelled, "It's probably for me," she stated as she raced through the garage and into the house.

In the house, Mrs. Taylor went about the business of getting the information that Jennifer would need. She picked up a pen and a piece of paper, and using her cell phone, she dialed a number. "Hi John, this is Mrs. Taylor. I've got a situation I need your help with. It's another bike. Yes, that's right, this time on the passenger side. Yes, if he can just get one on the front he will have basically rebuilt the whole thing," she laughed gently. She glanced at Jennifer. "I'm sending her down this afternoon with what's left of her bike; I know you'll need that for the insurance. Yes, they'll be right along, and if you could just handle everything with the insurance company like you've done for us before the Colonel and I would be eternally grateful. Yes, that's it. Thank you, John," she said in her flowing, genteel voice, ending the conversation.

She turned her attention to Jennifer. "Are you sure you're alright, Lieutenant? Have you been seen by a doctor?" she asked in a motherly tone.

Jennifer smiled reassuringly. "I had Hilary drop me off at the infirmary; the Chief Medical Officer gave me a clean slate."

Jane Taylor eyed Jennifer over the top of her glasses. "That was a very nice thing you did for her, Lieutenant," she said in a tone mixed with authority and approval.

"It was the right thing to do, ma'am," Jennifer replied in a matter of fact tone of voice.

"It was above and beyond the call of duty, Lieutenant," the woman stated knowingly. "Don't sell yourself short, Jennifer. It was an honorable thing to do, and I know that Gerald noticed it, too," she said as she handed her the piece of paper with the bike shop information. Then she leaned slightly towards the younger woman and added stealthily "no matter how much smoke he blows up your ass," she finished.

"Dr. Jackson, you'll need to take the remains of the bike down there with you, can we load it onto your car?"

"Oh, of course," Daniel said, relieved to have something to do.

As they finished securing it, Colonel Taylor looked at him. "Dr. Jackson, can I ask you something man to man?"

Daniel pushed his glasses up on his nose, not at all sure what the question might be. "Sure," he answered, trying to sound casual.

"Was that dress as bad as I thought it was?"

Daniel thought for a moment. "Hooah, Colonel" he replied in the tone of voice shared among men on these subjects.

Just then Jennifer, Hilary and Mrs. Taylor reappeared, laughing and chatting amongst themselves. Jennifer stole a glance at Daniel and smiled. Colonel Taylor watched the exchange between the two of them. "Tell me, Dr. Jackson," he said in a mock fatherly tone, "are your intentions for my lieutenant honorable?"

Daniel was watching Jennifer. "Most of the time," he responded distractedly. Colonel Taylor looked at him sharply, but Daniel didn't notice. _Truer words were never spoken,_ the colonel thought to himself.


	9. Not Another Military Girl, part 8

Wait for it....

* * *

As they pulled away from the Taylors, Daniel looked over at Jennifer. She had a fitful look on her face, as if she wanted to laugh. "So," he said casually, "I'm really 'all that,' huh?" he finished with a sideways grin at her.

That was the last straw. Jennifer put her head down and started to giggle uncontrollably. Daniel grinned, enjoying watching her giggling fit; it was another reminder of the innocence he liked so much about her. They laughed about some of the more classic moments of the whole scene. They pulled up in front of the bike shop and had to sit in the car until the giggling subsided.

They spent about an hour in the bike shop, getting her outfitted. The boys that were working there were somewhat in awe of her, not only because she was in the Air Force, but because she had walked away from what had obviously been a violent collision. "Oh, dude, you are SO lucky to be upright after _that_," the one named John said as they brought in the remnants of her old bike.

They helped her pick out a new one that would be covered by the insurance, which was generous, enthusiastically pointing out all the cool features it had, and then helped Daniel get it secured to the car. Normally, Jennifer would have wanted to do all of this herself, but she was content today to stand back and only assist as needed. She was enjoying watching the boys being boys; it was a welcome change from watching boys being soldiers.

As they left the bike shop, Daniel looked around at the beautiful October day. "Seems a shame to waste an afternoon like this in a theater," Daniel said. "Why don't we take the new bike for a spin and then catch the early evening show of the movie? If you'd like," he added.

Jennifer smiled. It would be a good day to do that. "Sounds like a plan," she replied merrily.

They drove to his apartment building. He took her new bike down from the rack, and she waited with it outside while he fetched his own from the basement of the old Victorian building where he rented his flat.

When he came out, she was already on her bike, making lazy circles in the street, her jacket temporarily discarded in his car, and she looked like she was ready for business. "Come on, let's go!" she said impatiently.

He grinned impishly at her. "Now, I'm going to show you the finer arts of bicycle riding, young lady," he said in his best playful condescending tone.

She grinned wickedly back at him. "We'll see who shows who what, _Dr._ Jackson," she said, in her best mock respectful tone.

He got on his bike, and looking at her for a second, took advantage of the moment of distraction to pedal easily away, towards the mountains, where there were several wonderful trails that they could follow.

"Oh, so that's how it's going to be," she said playfully. She stood up on the bike and began pedaling purposefully. She overtook him, gliding seemingly effortlessly past him with a smile.

As they raced each other in this fashion, she could feel her hairpin coming loose, but she didn't care. Racing each other towards the top of the mountain trail, passing each other, laughing, she didn't notice as the hairpiece worked its way loose, then fell out completely, freeing her unruly mane into the wind around them. They were closing in on the top of the mountain; the liberating motion of her hair coming down made her feel even more powerful.

She stood up again, pouring all of her remaining strength into the last drive up the hill. She passed Daniel, he could see the purpose and determination in her eyes. She reached the top of the trail and stopped. She stood there with her bike, the wind blowing and the sun shining. Daniel finished the last few hundred feet, panting slightly. She was basking in the glory of the day, enjoying the feel of the sun and the wind and the view from the top of the hill.

"Hey, that wasn't supposed to happen – you just had an accident yesterday," he pouted. She giggled at the look on his face.

"Well, if I'd known it meant so much to you, I'd have let you win," she said in her own playfully condescending tone.

He stopped next to her; they stood there, enjoying the view for a few minutes. They'd seen lots of beautiful views on other worlds, but somehow, none compared to home.

Then Daniel grinned wickedly. "Well, I'm glad I let you win, because I'm going to win on the way back." He pulled his feet up and began racing back down the mountain for all he was worth.

"Oh, you are just evil," Jennifer hissed laughingly, as she began pedaling her own bike after him.

He did win on the way back, stopping in front of his building and waiting for her to finish, smiling broadly, laughing. Pedaling with all her might to catch up, she was laughing, her hair streaming behind her as she drew up next to him. "Oh, you cheated, you jump started," she chided him.

"Hey, whatever it takes," he said, still giggling at his victory. "How do you think I felt getting whupped by an injured _girl_ on the way up?" he said with just the right emphasis to annoy her. She rewarded him with her characteristic glare.

He laughed, then looked at his watch. "Hey, if we park the bikes right now, we'll have enough time to walk to the theater from here for the early evening show." The theater was a few blocks from his apartment; given the amount of time he liked to spend there this proved very convenient.

"Okay," she said breathlessly, dismounting from the newly broken in bike. Together they secured both bikes in the basement of his building and walked down to the theater, arriving about 15 minutes ahead of show time. They took their time getting in and getting a decent pair of seats in the middle of the theater. They chatted idly until the previews started, then settled into their seats.

They enjoyed the movie, laughing and exchanging glances at pivotal points. Daniel noticed tears on Jennifer's face during the final embrace between Charlotte Johannson and Bill Murray, the words his character whispers to her in that moment remaining forever a mystery. He took her hand and squeezed it lightly, charmed by her display of raw emotion. She squeezed back, liking the feel of his hand around hers.

Coming out of the theater, they were dismayed to see torrential rain. The weatherman had been right; the line of storms that were predicted had arrived while they were in the theater, and neither of them had seen fit to wear a jacket as they had both been warmed by the sun and the exercise.

"Well," Daniel said, "We could grab a cab back to the apartment." He looked at Jennifer, who had just a hint of mischief in her dark eyes.

"Come on, it's just a little rain, I'll race you back," she said. Then she grinned at him. "Ready, go!" she said and took off in the direction of his apartment at a dead run.

"Hey, that's not fair!" he yelled, jogging behind her, trying to catch up.

They reached the apartment building at the same time, laughing, he grabbed her as he finally caught up to her and they stood laughing in the rain. He had a sudden urge to kiss her, and she willingly returned it. They stood there in the rain, laughing and kissing and catching their breath.

"Maybe we should go in," Jennifer said, still giggling at the sheer silliness of their actions and the rush of adrenalin from the race back to the apartment. He led the way, opening the door to his second floor flat and gallantly ushering her in.

"Let me get a couple of towels" he said, heading off to the bathroom to retrieve the towels. She took off her boots and looked around the apartment. It was part of a pleasant old Victorian, with beautiful oak hardwood floors and trim. From the front door, she could see into the bedroom, where there was a beautiful small balcony with French doors. The small kitchen to the left of the bedroom was sparse but neat, with an old style double ceramic sink and apartment sized appliances. The floor of the main living room where they had entered had an Oriental rug surrounded by a worn, brown leather sofa and two matching armchairs. The small coffee table was strewn with copies of Archaeological Digest, and covered with rings from coffee mugs carelessly set down on its veneered light oak top. Directly across from the couch, there was a television set on a stand that looked as if it had been hastily assembled and existed mainly as another place to set books and magazines. Underneath the TV was a generic looking entertainment unit, with a DVD player and stereo set, _standard items for any single person,_ she thought to herself.

"I've got some sweats in the bedroom, if you want to borrow them. We should really get out of these wet clothes, not least because my landlady would 'have a cow' if I mess up these floors," Daniel called jovially from the bathroom.

Jennifer crossed the room to the bedroom. The rain had soaked through everything she was wearing, and she was beginning to feel a chill from the dampness. Instinctively she peeled off her jeans and top shirt; her Stargate mission training had taught her that remaining in sopping wet clothes was never a good plan. She turned on the lamp beside the bed so she could look for the sweats.

Daniel returned from the bathroom. She wasn't in the living room, only her boots were there. The sudden flash of light in the bedroom caught his eye and he turned to see her just as she was turning on the bedside lamp.

The sight of her in her dripping wet clothes, with the unruly curls of her hair shiny and vivid from the dampness, caught him off-guard, he couldn't help but stare at her. The scrapes and bruises from her accident were particularly obvious as she stood there in her very wet military issue tank top; _it works on her, somehow, _he thought to himself quizzically, leaning against the door frame, openly admiring this sensuous sight of her.

As the lamp came to life, Jennifer looked up and saw Daniel in the doorway. The sight of him bare-chested and sockless caught her off-guard, impacting her senses in a primal way. She was suddenly aware of feelings, both physical and emotional, that she could not remember having had in a long time. She stared at his attractive physique, enhanced by the intense physical exertion that offworld missions usually entailed.

She noticed then that Daniel was staring back at her, leaning jauntily against the door frame, his mouth slightly open, as if he was seeing her for the first time.

For reasons she later decided she would never understand – maybe it was the assault, maybe it was normal, self protective caution that might otherwise accompany such occasions of sexual tension between two people who are getting to know each other – the look of raw desire in his blue eyes suddenly elicited from somewhere in the back of her mind images of the incident with Jameson, the way _he_ had looked at her.

_But Daniel is NOT Jameson, _she screamed at her mental projectionist, furious at the further imposition on her life that the ordeal seemed to be having. Yet the reminder of the fear that she had experienced would not be denied, suddenly clawing its way back up into her throat. She looked down at the floor and squeezed her eyes shut against this recollection, hugging her arms around herself, as if trying to squeeze the image and its associated fear away, ending the moment that had just passed between them.

Daniel suddenly realized the effect his staring was having on her; she had started trembling, _much like she had that day in the lab_, he realized. He felt badly that his unabashed staring had made her uncomfortable, and struggled to find a way to brush it off without seeming insensitive. "Oh, hey, you must be freezing," he said, throwing her the towel.

"Thanks," she said quietly as she caught the towel and ran it over her hair.

He rummaged in the dresser, withdrawing two pairs of sweat pants and a couple of t-shirts, quickly struggling into one of the latter. He retreated to the bathroom, shutting the door of the bedroom as he left so she could change in privacy.

Having traded in his own wet denims for the comfy sweats, Daniel went into the kitchen and a growl in his stomach reminded him it had been a while since they had eaten.

"Are you hungry?" he called to her. He looked at the Avalanche hockey schedule posted on his refrigerator and realized that there was a game just starting against the Vancouver Canucks. "Hey, the Canucks are playing against the Avalanche tonight! We could order a pizza," he said with a note of hope and question in his voice.

She appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. "Isn't the Avalanche a hockey team?" she asked. His t-shirt and sweats practically dwarfed her; _she almost looks like a little girl, _Daniel thought. He wouldn't dare say that to her, she probably would have decked him for it. _Well, that ought to help squelch any other thoughts I might have had,_ he added to himself with an inward grimace.

"I guess they didn't have a whole lot of hockey where you grew up, eh?" he asked, remembering from the conversation the night before that she had been born and raised in Oklahoma.

The rain pounded loudly in a sudden surge, causing them both to look out the window.

"Wow, it's really coming down out there," Daniel said.

"Pizza sounds good," Jennifer suddenly said. She walked over to the window, peering out at the downpour, the trees dancing in response to their instructions from the wind. "Better the pizza guy than us driving out there," she added. She wasn't anxious to end the evening, her temporary discomfort already banished by sheer force of will out of her immediate consciousness.

"Yeah, and I hate to think about taking you back to the barracks with your brand new bike on the rack in this," Daniel said. "Though it would make a good lightning rod and could really make for an electrifying ride home," he said with a grin. He was pleased that she hadn't immediately decided to go home after their awkward moment.

Jennifer rolled her eyes at the pun, grinning. "So tell me more about this 'hockey', DanielJackson," she said, doing a pretty good impression of Teal'c.

"Hey, it'll be nice to have somebody to watch it with, it always freaks my landlady out when I yell at the television by myself," he said dryly.

The pizza arrived about an hour later; Daniel was swept up in the game and explaining it to her. They devoured the pizza, both famished from their full day. Sitting back on the couch, curled up under a blanket that Daniel had procured from his closet, Jennifer watched Daniel, amused at his antics as the Avalanche skated to a 2-2 tie with the Canucks. She was as comfortable as she had been in a long time, and although the game seemed exciting enough, with all of its violent collisions of bodies, ice and hockey sticks, she felt her eyelids getting heavy.

Daniel looked over as the overtime ended, overjoyed that the Canucks had scored another win. She was asleep in the corner of the couch. _Guess it's not all that exciting to girls,_ he thought to himself_, especially those whose day job involves fighting off goa'uld._

He could hear the rain still pounding against the windows. Colorado storms were usually quick and strong here in the foothills; the weather man had said that the front they were riding in on would probably last through the night.

He thought for a moment, then reached over and gently touched her on the shoulder. "Jennifer, the game's over," he said softly.

She awoke with a start, realizing where she was. He smiled at her.

"It's still raining pretty hard. If you'd like, you can stay here and I'll take you back in the morning," he said quietly. Quickly he added, "You can have the bedroom, I've slept on this couch plenty of times. I can fall asleep to the gentle sounds of the sports commentators re-calling the Canucks' splendid victory," he said with a grin.

She smiled. It _was_ late, and although she felt a little awkward spending the night in his apartment, she was tired and thought it would be an imposition on him to ask him to drive her back in this weather. And there was her new bike to consider, not to mention her still damp clothing.

"That's a good idea," she said sleepily. She got up and handed him the blanket. "Good night, Daniel," she smiled sweetly. "Thanks for a really great day," she yawned as she padded over to the bedroom.

He watched her as she shut the door. "No, thank _you_," he said softly to the closed bedroom door. He settled in for the night on the couch, happily listening to the repeat of the game on the local cable channel.

Jennifer was awake at dawn, the rays of sunlight streaming through the French windows in the bedroom. It was still early, but she was suddenly anxious to take her bike for another spin, and she did have things to do back in the barracks. Having been away for all of Saturday would mean all of her chores would need to be done today. It would only take a short while to get there, and the clouds had cleared, leaving another bright, sunny October day.

Her clothes were dry now, having been hung over the heating registers all night. She dressed quietly and gently opened the bedroom door, treading silently towards the front door. She noticed a pen and paper on the battered old rolltop desk that was on the opposite wall from the television, behind the couch. Stopping on her way to the front door, she wrote a quick note. Then she eased opened the front door, grabbed her boots and turned to shut it behind her. She looked over at him, fast asleep on the couch; she felt suddenly endeared by his sleeping form. _He looks comfortable, _she thought. _Good._

Daniel heard the click of the door shutting. Groggily, he sat up and looked around. The bedroom door was open. He got up and went to the doorway; she wasn't there. The bathroom door was ajar and it was dark. A quick glance in the kitchen told him she wasn't there. Then he noticed the paper and pen sitting out prominently on the desk. He walked over and read the note. _Daniel, thanks for everything. See you in the lab_.

He heard the door to the garage close shut. He went over to the balcony of the bedroom, just in time to see her pedaling away.__


	10. Not Another Military Girl, part 9

Okay, a word to any new readers -- I wrote this just before the holidays last year, so the next few follow the holiday calendar...and of course, since their first date was late October, the holidays provided some really handy plot devices... :)

* * *

On a cold day in mid-November, Jennifer was in the main Archaeology lab. Her time in this lab helped her clear her head for the more intense naquadriah experiments that they were running up in Major Carter's lab. Colonel Taylor had given her clearance to begin artifact collection when she was not in search of the two n-stuffs, as the SG teams called them.

She was now deep in her own study on the items she had retrieved. Her respect for Daniel's theories and the things that he had taught her grew; the items she had found looked as if they would definitively bear out his most recent declarations. She was careful about this analysis; she knew she could not let her crush on him color the results.

Suddenly, the telephone in the main lab rang, interrupting her thought process. She looked at the door to Daniel's office; usually the telephone jolted him out of his reverie and he would answer it. When he had not appeared at the door after two rings, she called out, "I'll get it."

As she moved towards the ringing telephone, Daniel appeared. "No, don't answer it," he said quickly.

She looked at him quizzically. The telephone continued to ring, then stopped, having been passed over to voicemail.

She started back towards her desk and he to his, when it rang again. Now she stood and looked at him, arms crossed, waiting to see what would happen next. He walked back towards his office, not offering an explanation.

She shrugged. She found herself curious about why he seemed so reluctant to answer it. _Whatever it is, it's not my business,_ she reminded herself, irritated by the fact that she was thinking about it.

The telephone rang a third time; after it had stopped, she heard the cell phone in his office ring. She heard him switch it off, cursing gently as he did so.

_Maybe some woman's stalking him,_ she thought. _No, that would be you, Jennifer,_ she told herself dryly. The pattern of her thoughts bothered her; it was another confounding reminder of her struggle with her feelings for him, alternately wanting to get to know him better and fearing what that would be like.

Curiosity having finally gotten the better of her, she walked over to the door of his office. "Dr. Jackson, is somebody bothering you?" she asked quietly, though she couldn't imagine who would want to.

He sighed. "No, nothing's wrong. It'll stop now," he said resignedly, not looking up from the stack of papers on his desk.

"Okay," she said quietly, trying to keep the note of hurt out of her voice. _Whatever it is, he obviously doesn't want to talk about it, and you already knew it was none of your business_ she chided herself, walking back to her desk. She attacked her analysis task with even greater fervor, determined to get control over her thoughts.

As involved as he was in trying not to think about the caller, and trying to concentrate on his work, he heard the note of hurt in her voice even though she tried to conceal it. He sighed again. _She doesn't deserve that,_ he scolded himself, _she's only trying to help._

He got up from the desk and walked out into the lab, where she was deep in study. The telephone rang again. She looked up. He sighed and sat down on the stool next to hers at the lab table.

"It's Catherine," he stated. "She's calling to invite me for Thanksgiving dinner, and she won't give up until she's spoken to me and I say yes," he said with a note of quiet resignation in his voice.

She was touched that he had opted to tell her the truth of the matter; she knew he did not share his feelings easily. "Well, I'm glad to hear it's not some mad stalker," she said with a smile, the warm, friendly one he liked so much with just a hint of teasing in her tone.

"She and Ernest have sort of adopted me to some degree," he added. "I guess they're grateful to me for bringing them back together, and she's sort of had me under her wing since this whole thing started," he continued, with a wave at the lab around them. "Every year she invites me for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and every year, I waltz around it and finally give in," he said with an air of futility, as if he were somehow beaten into submission on these events.

Jennifer looked at him. "Is it really so bad, going over there?" she asked seriously.

"No, no, not at all, I really enjoy it, actually," he said, somewhat amazed at what he was hearing himself say. "It's just that, well…."

He looked at her. He'd asked her to trust him on more than one occasion with her feelings; it was only fair that he should trust her with his own. He took a deep breath. "I guess, it's just that, by accepting the invitation, it's another reminder that I don't have my own family to spend the holiday with. It's another time when I face that, instead of running away from it like I have so many times," he stated, intrigued by his own frankness in the matter. He'd never really thought about the truth behind it until he heard himself telling her.

"After so many years, you'd think I'd be okay with it, but…" he trailed off. He looked at her, her dark eyes registering the same understanding he'd felt that night in the jazz café. "You're right, though, I know I'm going to accept, I should just do it." He looked at her again, a light dawning in the back of his brain. "Hey, would you go with me, if I go? You'd get a real kick out of Ernest – I know you've read all the mission reports probably a hundred times – and I know Catherine would enjoy meeting you," he finished with a slight air of excitement, enthusiasm for this new plan gaining momentum.

Jennifer smiled at him, a shy, quiet smile. She hadn't made any plans at that point, either; her own voicemail full with offers she wasn't yet sure how or why to decline. She understood all too well the conundrum he had described.

"I'd like that," she said. She hadn't anticipated an invitation from him; like him, she usually ended up at the house of someone who felt a bit sorry for her. She was pleasantly surprised at this turn of events. Going with someone to a house even if the hosts felt a little sorry for you wasn't the same as showing up alone, giving them yet another reason to take pity on you. _Or worse,_ she grimaced inwardly, _when they try to resolve your aloneness with a blind date for the day,_ this last thought causing recollections of past holidays to swarm into her brain. She shook her head, banishing these awkward memories.

He smiled back at her, relaxing a bit now. "I have the same problem at Christmas," he said thoughtfully, looking down at the table, then up at her.

She was nodding her head in agreement. "Yeah, the nice thing about being military on these occasions is that you can usually count on grabbing a couple of extra guard duty shifts on those days. It's usually light, except for drunk people, so the time passes pretty quickly and they pay double for those shifts. I usually try to grab one for each one of the holidays, but I think they got wise to that plan. They would only let me take Christmas and New Year's Eve this year," she said with a sigh.

"I usually end up at the local theater, with any luck they'll be playing 'It's a Wonderful Life' there this year. That really works for me, that whole concept of the guy being down and out and downtrodden his whole life, then he sticks up for something that's completely not his fault and risks jail and losing his family, but it all works out in the end because he's just such a good guy," Daniel finished with an air of enthusiasm. Then he noticed the quizzical look on her face. He grinned wickedly.

"You've never heard of it, have you?" he said with an air of amusement and arrogance.

She glowered at him. "Of course I've _heard_ of it, I've just never seen it," she said with a note of annoyance at his assumption.

"Good, I was just afraid my age was showing again," he said with a hint of apology. She smiled then, indicating her hint of forgiveness.

The telephone rang again. They both looked at it. "I'll get it, it's probably for me," he said dryly, reaching over and picking up the receiver. "Hi Catherine. Yes, I just got back, I was in the other lab," he fibbed into the telephone. "Yes, thank you, I'd love to come over for dinner. Can I bring something?" He looked over at Jennifer. "Well, how about if I bring some _one_?" he asked. "Yes, actually, it is a girl, Catherine," he said, looking down at the floor now. Jennifer thought she saw him blushing slightly. "Okay, that sounds great. Great, we'll see you at 1:00, then," he finished and hung up.

He turned to Jennifer. "So, can I pick you up at 12:00 that day? It takes a little while to get to their place."

"Sure, that'll work," she said with a smile. She looked past him at the clock on the wall. "Oh, wow, I was hoping to finish this before I went upstairs," she said, turning back to her analysis.

He was charmed by her dedication to the work they were doing, and returned to his own desk, the recent turn of events having brightened his day.

It was a beautiful day, but cold – the sky was brilliantly clear. Daniel parked in his usual spot in front of the barracks and watched as she came down the steps towards him, smiling.

Today she had chosen a cream-colored cashmere sweater that clung to her small frame in all the right places, Daniel noticed. The sweater was on top of a wrap around brown leather skirt, fringed with fake fur that gave away to stylish brown leather boots. Her favorite brown leather bomber jacket, given to her by her father when she was accepted to the academy, topped it all off.

Daniel himself had opted for a blue sweater over dark brown slacks, the blue perfectly offsetting his eyes, she noticed. He had on the black leather jacket that he preferred for most occasions; _it really works on him,_ she decided again.

As she got closer to the car, he opened the passenger door. "You look nice," he said, smiling appreciatively at her.

"So do you," she said, smiling back as she got into the car, grateful again for his gentlemanly manners.

They chatted casually on the way, listening to the public radio station and its annual replay of 'Alice's Restaurant' by Woody Guthrie. It was a beautiful day for a ride in the Colorado country-side.

Catherine met them at the door, giving Daniel a hug and greeting Jennifer warmly. As she took them both into the living room, Ernest rose to greet them.

"Ernest, this is Lieutenant Jennifer Hailey," Catherine graciously introduced them.

Ernest smiled at her, grasping her hand firmly, his blue eyes warm. "Lieutenant, eh?" he said raising an eyebrow and looking questioningly at Catherine.

"She's a member of the SGC, Ernest," Catherine added, a proud note in her voice. As a pioneer for women in the armed forces, it always pleased her to meet contemporary military women, especially those involved with the SGC, her pet project.

"Well, it certainly seems that the recruiters have improved their taste over the years," Ernest said with a smile.

Jennifer blushed a bit. "I've read about your experience with the Stargate and your discoveries with linguistics," she said appreciatively. I'd love to know more about…" Jennifer began asking him all kinds of questions about all of the things she had read about that mission.

Dinner went well and was enjoyed by all; the conversation was rampant with debate on the various things that had been discovered and the things that they had each experienced. Jennifer was rapt listening to the stories of getting the gate program started and the things that Ernest had experienced; Daniel watched her, impressed that she had learned so much and pleased that she was obviously enjoying herself.

She looked at him across the dinner table, as he debated some point on the importance of the goa'uld symbols in the derivation of ancient linguistics with Ernest. She felt a warm glow come over her; she couldn't remember a recent time she had enjoyed this much, not least with someone she liked this much.

Too soon the sun went down and it got dark. Daniel and Jennifer looked at each other; they wanted to be certain not to overstay their welcome with their gracious hosts. They bade them goodbye, Jennifer stating that she would love to return and discuss more of Ernest's thoughts on ancient linguistics and ponder the role of women in the SGC with Catherine.

As Daniel drove through downtown Colorado Springs, he noticed the lights at the center square. He had heard about the ice skating rink and had forgotten that it was opening that evening. Although it was dark, he wasn't anxious to end the evening early; he was enjoying the company.

"Hey, have you ever been ice skating?" he asked Jennifer.

"We didn't get much of a chance to ice skate in Oklahoma," she said evenly. She'd often thought it would be fun, but she didn't want to admit that she didn't know how.

"I could teach you," Daniel offered.

He was always teaching her things; she felt awkward always being in the student position, _like a dumb kid, _she thought. She looked at him, the look in his eyes was telling her that she could trust him, and the tone of his voice contained that same note of eagerness he'd had when he offered to take her over to the Taylors to explain the bike accident.

She took a deep breath; she knew she was going to go out on this limb as well as she knew her own name.

"Okay, sounds like fun" she replied, smiling at him, determined to keep the fear of her feelings at bay and just enjoy this.

The rink was not crowded, but there were several families and couples enjoying the night on the ice. There was a mix of ability in the crowd, first timers and those who looked as if they were between Olympic appearances. Everyone seemed to be having fun.

They rented their skates and set about the process of lacing them up and getting ready to go. Daniel seemed excited; Jennifer found herself eager to try this. He turned towards her as they stepped towards the ice. "Ready?" he asked with a smile. He held out his hand to her; she gladly accepted it as she stepped tentatively on to the slick surface.

As they moved along the ice, Daniel skated backwards, now taking both of her hands in his own. _This really is fun,_ she thought, smiling, as they glided down the length of the frozen square.

Daniel watched her; she was a quick learner and no doubt had the athletic skills to do this well. "Hey, you're doing great," he smiled at her as he pulled her along.

Heeding his gentle suggestions about the footwork that would allow her to do this without his guiding hands, Jennifer began to move of her own volition, using her arms to keep her balance. His kindness in teaching her things always helped ease her discomfort at being 'the student' with him; _he doesn't judge me because I know less than he does,_ she realized in that instant. Her fondness of him deepened at this thought.

Across the ice, Jonas skated to a stop at the bench and sat down to retie his skates. His athletic prowess and lightning quick reflexes (a common characteristic among the Kelownans, his own being honed by his pursuit of mastering the martial arts) helped him to learn this fast, but Cassie had been so excited about teaching him this new activity that he was having much more fun pretending he didn't know how.

He looked across the ice, his keen eyes noticing the couple right away: Dr. Daniel Jackson and Lieutenant Jennifer Hailey. This was the man who had given his life to save that of Jonas' colleagues; whose actions had inspired him to forsake his own planet and everything on it simply to do the right thing. Watching him here, enjoying himself in the company of a person he obviously liked, whether he would admit it or not, Jonas smiled to himself thinking that Daniel had done enough in life; he deserved this happiness.

He turned his eyes then to where Cassie and Janet were skating a few rounds on the ice. He thought about how much they meant to him; their presence in his life had made his own actions seem not so much a sacrifice of life as he knew it as the first step in understanding all that his life could really be.

It was nice, too, he thought, to see Lieutenant Hailey enjoying herself. Jonas knew from conversations with Teal'c that she was every inch the fighter that she had presented herself as during training runs at the SGC. "A truly formidable warrior," Teal'c had called her, a respectful smile on his usually stoic face. On more than one occasion, when she had accompanied SG missions with Teal'c, she had taken out several hostile Jaffa and was often responsible for ensuring that the teams made it back to Earth, he had reported to SGC, putting herself at great risk to guarantee that no one was left behind. Her natural abilities as a soldier led those in the upper ranks to think of her first when it came to missions where hostiles might be involved, although her inclination to do the right thing despite dictated military protocol often interfered with the respect she deserved for these actions.

_Hard to believe,_ he thought to himself, watching the smiling young woman as she skated somewhat hesitantly but still graceful, hand in hand with the compassionate archaeologist. He was pondering this seeming conundrum of personalities, when he realized that Janet and Cassie were skating on a direct collision course with them, none of them exactly paying attention to where they were going.

"Hey, you two, look out!" Jonas called with a note of caution in his voice.

They all looked in the direction of the voice, realizing that Jonas was speaking to them, but too late to take heed of his words. Jonas cringed as the four collided and fell to the ice. He skated over, stopping a few feet away so as not to end up on the pile himself.

He reached down one hand each to Janet and Cassie. "Are you all right?" he asked, a note of concern in his voice, though their laughter belied any serious injury that might have occurred, he thought. They each took one of his strong hands as they got to their feet, trying not to lose their footing on the ice a second time.

Jennifer started giggling at the sudden impact of bodies and ice; Daniel couldn't help but start chuckling, too. They righted themselves, leaning on each other, coming close to falling again, together, giggling harder now as they tried to stay upright.

"Hey Jen!" Cassie said excitedly, as she realized who it was. "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to learn how to skate," Jen answered her young friend with a grin and the slightest hint of sarcasm in her voice. "What are _you_ doing here?" she queried in a friendly tone.

"Trying to teach Dad here how to skate," Cassie said, proudly. It made her feel good to think that she could teach him anything; he and Janet seemed to know so much about everything. _Everything except each other,_ Cassie amended the thought. Being in her teenage years, though, she would never openly admit that she thought they knew much about anything.

"Yeah, beautiful, when's my next lesson?" Jonas grinned broadly at the girl. He still had her hand in his from helping her up.

"Come on, then, I'll teach you both at the same time," Cassie said excitedly, reaching for Jennifer's hand with her own free one and skating away, pulling the two of them along. Caught off guard by the sudden motion, they struggled to stay upright, laughing, catching on and gliding smoothly behind her as she smilingly and confidently skated along with them in tow.

Janet and Daniel watched, enjoying this sight. She turned to Daniel.

"Well, Daniel, my doctor's intuition tells me that those three would appreciate a nice hot drink and I could stand for another cup of coffee myself. What do you say?" Janet asked jovially, motioning towards the stand at the end of the makeshift rink.

"Sure, sounds like a good idea," Daniel replied casually, skating slowly with Janet to the end of the rink and easily disembarking from the ice. He held out a hand to Janet who accepted it graciously as she stepped onto the padding that surrounded the skating area.

They watched the three skating, laughing, and having a good time as they themselves stood in line. There were a couple of close calls with some of the other, younger, faster skaters, but they all managed to keep their balance.

"So, Daniel, what are you doing here?" Janet asked.

He recognized that tone of voice; there was more than just passing curiosity in her question. Her years of taking care of him through the various things he had run afoul of on this world and off had decreed her some license to be concerned for him at all times; he knew this was another one of those times.

He watched Jennifer on the ice with Jonas and Cassie, truly enjoying herself, the spare few moments when she was at peace with the world and happy just to be alive. It wasn't a time that either of them had been able to hang onto for long stretches; it made him feel good to be part of that with her.

He smiled as he responded to Janet without taking his eyes off the trio. "Y'know, Doc, I think I'm finally getting a life," he said, a note of surprise in his voice.

The doctor watched him with amusement. It was good to see him happy, even if it were only for a few brief moments at a time. "She's right up your alley, Daniel," Janet said knowingly.

Daniel turned his full attention to her now, his blue eyes looking directly at her. "What about _you_, Janet?" he asked, more than a passing curiosity in his voice, too.

Janet chuckled. "Oh my, I don't have time for one," she said. Daniel watched her as she looked across the ice; in that moment, Jonas was looking right at her, giving her one of those secretive smiles that always made her blush, as if he had some intimate secret about her that she herself didn't even know.

Daniel watched her blush at the exchange and grinned. "Y'know, it would be okay if you had a life, too, Janet," he said in a semi serious voice.

She looked at him. "Oh, come on, Daniel, he's my patient," she said in protest.

Daniel looked at her, still blushing from the look Jonas had given her; his mind resisting the urge to wonder if they were _playing_ doctor there in the pleasant split level the three of them called home.

"Oh, of course, sure," Daniel said wryly. "And Lieutenant Hailey's just a student," he said slowly, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

"Daniel," Janet said with a hint of admonishment in her tone. She knew the true nature of their feelings for each other, _regardless of how carefully they try to guard the secret from each other and the rest of the world right now,_ she thought.

"Besides, Janet," Daniel continued, with an air of authority "do you really think you could find any guy here on Earth who could understand your situation like he does?" he added with a note of triumph as if he'd scored a point in a debate. "You know he's probably the perfect father for Cassie," Daniel added matter-of-factly.

Janet watched the two people in her immediate world across the ice. _Who's really hiding what from whom, here, Janet Fraiser,_ she asked herself, reflecting back on a couple of occasions that might have provided Jonas with good reason to look at her in that way. The memories of the impetuous, passionate kisses that they had shared – once, right here in the square, after an impromptu turn to the sounds of a corner jazz band, she recalled – sent a tingle up her spine. She brushed the memory away as the cashier handed them their drinks and their change, the moment gone, but not forgotten.

They returned to the now winded trio with hot coffee, cider and chocolate all around.

With the boundless energy of youth, Cassie launched into a new subject. "Hey, Mom, if we're going to get our tree tonight, we should probably get going," she said, with the anxious note in her voice that often accompanies teenage excitement and anticipation.

"Yeah, Doc, we did talk about that earlier," Jonas chimed in with a grin.

Janet looked at her watch. "Well, then, we really had better get a move on," she said in her authoritative tone.

Cassie turned to Jennifer and Daniel. "Hey, why don't you come with us?" she asked nonchalantly.

Jennifer and Daniel looked at each other, taken aback by the sudden invitation, more so by the concept of getting a Christmas tree.

"Oh, that's a nice thought, but I certainly can't have one in the barracks," Jennifer said quickly.

"Well, Dr. Jackson, aren't you going to get a tree?" Cassie asked in a matter of fact tone of voice.

Daniel looked at the group. He'd never been a Christmas tree kind of guy; he couldn't remember having had one since he was a kid, before his parents had died. "Um, uh, well…" he stuttered.

Janet smiled at him. "Come on Daniel, it'll be fun," she said. She glanced over at Jonas; he was smiling that knowing smile of his, the one that always reassured her she was on the right path, and she turned to look at the pair. "I'm sure Jennifer can help you decorate it."

Now it was Jennifer's turn to stutter a bit. "Uh, well…" she looked at Daniel for assistance, not wanting to agree to something for his apartment that he hadn't suggested.

"Hey, Mom, we can give them a couple of the boxes of lights and stuff that we bought – you said so yourself that we probably don't need any more decorations," Cassie interrupted excitedly.

Janet laughed. "That's true, we do have a fair number already." She turned to look at the pair. "So, what do you say?"

Jennifer and Daniel looked at each other, still at a bit of a loss. Since he could not think of a really good reason _not_ to go with them, Daniel finally stammered, "Uh, sure, why not, sounds like fun."

As they got in the car to follow them to the tree lot, Jennifer looked at Daniel. "Are you sure you don't mind this?" she said with a wondering tone.

Daniel pondered this for a second before responding. "Actually, no, I don't mind; it might be kind of nice," he said thoughtfully, once again realizing the truth of what he was saying as it was coming out of his mouth. He glanced over at her. "Are you sure you don't mind helping me with it?"

"No, not at all," she replied quickly. "I think it will be nice," she smiled at him. "I haven't decorated a tree since before my Dad died," she said, a note of wistfulness in her voice. _Like that night in the jazz café,_ Daniel thought.

At the lot, they looked around for only a few minutes before spying a not too tall, somewhat gangly Douglas fir. They looked at each other, smiling, knowing it was just right for Daniel's apartment with its somewhat haphazard décor.

Properly outfitted with an extra box of lights and two boxes of smallish, demure colored glass balls, Jennifer and Daniel said their goodbyes to the other three and got in the Volvo, the tree they had selected secured in the trunk.

Back at the apartment, they unloaded the tree and the ornaments and took off their jackets. The apartment was warm; Daniel lit a few of the candles he had around the living room. He preferred their light to that of the fluorescent desk lamps scattered about.

He poured them each a glass of Bordeaux; she had expertly secured the tree in the corner, covering the stand with an old blanket that Janet had given them with the ornaments.

In a few minutes, they had laid on the lights and the bulbs in a bright, attractive fashion. The little gangly tree was now a beautiful testament to the season, coming into its own as an acceptable Christmas icon.

Daniel stood back and admired their handiwork, as Jennifer adjusted a light. Suddenly, she went over to the coat rack behind the door, and from the collar of her jacket, she removed something. She turned back to the tree and set her SGC shield pin on the top as a star.

"There, perfect," she said. She turned and looked at Daniel, giving him one of those smiles.

He looked at her. "Yeah, perfect," he said with a smile of his own.

They finished their wine sitting on the couch. Daniel casually put his arm around Jennifer, as they giggled about the sudden turn of events that resulted in them sitting there, admiring the little Christmas tree. It had been a nice Thanksgiving.


	11. Not Another Military Girl, part 10

Wait for it.... :)

* * *

Jennifer stepped back through the gate with SG-17. It was mid-December, a Friday and the gateroom actually had a few things which reminded everyone that Earth was going to celebrate a holiday – a wreath here, some garland there. It was a nice touch, not overdone.

"Okay, people, have the meds check you out and debrief in 30 minutes," Colonel Taylor called out authoritatively. "Nice job, SG-17," he added, an approving tone in his voice.

As she came down the ramp, Jennifer immediately recognized one of the med techs; it was her old roommate, now Captain, Hatterfield. She had opted to pursue a medical degree; a compromise with her parents who had never approved of her military service choice. She would now have a medical degree _and_ use it in military service.

"Captain Satterfield," the new rank rolling smoothly and approvingly off her tongue. Jennifer gave her an impromptu hug. "How are you?"

"Hi Jen, I'm well, thanks," she said, returning the hug with a smile. "You look good; gate travel really works for you," she added.

Jennifer noticed something sparkly on her friend's ring finger. "Well, it certainly looks like medical studies have been pretty good to you!" she said enthusiastically, admiring her friend's engagement ring.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that – that was my condition for moving in with Bob when we left the barracks, and this was my moving in gift," she said with a smile. "The folks approve of him, and so do I," she added happily.

"Oh, that's terrific, he's a lucky guy," Jennifer said. "Hey, it's almost Christmas and I haven't seen you guys since _last_ Christmas. Do you want to get together?" she asked.

"Oh, we should!! What are you doing tonight?" Hatterfield asked.

Jennifer thought for a second. SG-1 was off-world so there wasn't any lab work to be done. "Not a damn thing; shall we do it?"

"Absolutely," came the captain's merry reply.

"Not without me," came a booming voice from the observation room. They looked up to see the tall, dark haired, lanky Lieutenant Grogan grinning down at them. Under the fine tutelage of Sergeants Siler and Davis, he was learning the ropes of gate-room operation.

"Hey you! Come on down here," Jennifer yelled.

Sergeant Siler stood by, amused by the antics of this next generation of troops. "Well, Lieutenant, I don't know how things work among officers, but we generally have a standing rule about things like that in the observation room, sir," he intoned seriously.

Lieutenant Grogan looked at him quizzically.

Sergeant Siler sighed. "When two beautiful women tell you to get somewhere, you get there," he waved him off.

Lieutenant Grogan grinned and raced down to the gate-room, where Hailey and Satterfield were happily discussing the arrangements.

"Hey stranger," Jennifer said greeting him with a big hug.

"Hey there yourself," he returned the greeting and the hug enthusiastically. He looked from one to the other. "So, what's the plan?"

"O'Malley's, 20:30 hours," Satterfield said to him in an authoritative tone.

"Yes ma'am," he replied with a salute.

"Okay, you two, dismissed," Satterfield said with a grin.

Jennifer nudged Lieutenant Grogan. "Look at her, she's already forgotten where she started," she said with mock annoyance.

"Well, we'll just have to remind her of her roots at O'Malley's," Lieutenant Grogan said with a mischievous smile. Satterfield had always been the lightest drinker among them, while Grogan, who towered above her and outweighed her, could usually handle double of whatever she took.

Satterfield gave him a dark look, but grinned widely, as Jennifer headed off to her debrief.

SG-1 came down the ramp about an hour after SG-17. Their mission was also successful, and they were looking forward to celebrating in their typical manner – a beer at O'Malley's after medical checkout and debrief.

The debrief was mercifully short, and they agreed to meet at the bar at 21:00. Janet had offered her car to Jonas, as she would be working late that night; he would bring Teal'c back when he returned to pick her up and they would go home together. Then, Jack, Sam and Daniel could go directly to their own homes.

They walked into the bar. It was busy; a lot of college kids home for the holidays hanging out with their friends. But, what caught their eye was the young group of SGC soldiers in the corner. Satterfield, Grogan and Hailey were laughing with two other people and seemed to be having a good time.

"Should we say hello?" Sam asked, stealing a glance at Daniel to see his reaction at the sight of Lieutenant Hailey.

"Nah," Jack replied. He watched them. "They don't need a bunch of broken down old warhorses like us to crash their fun; if we catch their eye, let's just nod approvingly," he said dryly, with his usual sarcasm. Secretly, it pleased him to see them carrying on the tradition; it helped him to feel that he really could retire someday and this next generation would make him proud.

The group watched as the first round arrived. The younger people then raised their glass in a toast. Above the din, they heard the distinct words "To Eliot" as they clinked their glasses in unison.

Daniel smiled to himself as he heard the toast; he knew that SG-1 had done the same thing every time they had ended a mission successfully while he was ascended. It was a tradition. But, he also knew that it had a bit more meaning for Lieutenant Hailey.

He looked directly at Jennifer then; she didn't know he was there yet. He hadn't seen her since Thanksgiving. She was wearing her hair down, the way he liked it. She looked good, _as always,_ he thought to himself.

The waitress pointed them to a corner table on the opposite side of the room from the younger group. This suited Jack just fine. The corner tables were special and hard to come by; O'Malley's appreciated the business that the base personnel gave them and made special arrangements for them without asking.

As they seated themselves at the table, Daniel realized that he was able to see Jennifer directly across the room from where they were. He noticed her friend, Colonel Taylor's daughter, was among the crowd; she was seated practically in the lap of Lieutenant Grogan. Jennifer was laughing at some exchange between Lieutenant Grogan and Hilary. _She's beautiful when she laughs,_ he thought.

She looked right at him then, as if she'd known he was thinking about her, then suddenly realized who it was. He smiled at her. She smiled back, putting her head on her hand and giving him the slightest wave with her fingers, then looked back at something her friends were saying. He appreciated her discretion; it was hard to explain what was going on between yourself and another person when you weren't quite sure.

Jennifer's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the blue-eyed archaeologist; she hadn't seen him since Thanksgiving. She hadn't been expecting to see him; the SG teams were working around the clock as the close of the year approached. In order to justify the large budget that the Stargate program would require for the upcoming year, all of the currently budgeted funds had to be used up by the end of the year. The chevrons were locking in almost at the same time as General Hammond was giving the authorizations. These missions were shorter, less intense, but there were a lot more of them; firing up the gate itself was a good way to eat up the funds and convince the bureaucrats that the pursuit of better technologies and alternate energy sources was worth the effort. January would be a paperwork nightmare, but right now, there were places to go and worlds to explore.

In fact, if she were honest with herself, Jennifer had to admit it had been a little easier for her _not_ to see him; the effect that the mere sight of him had on her just reminded her how strong her feelings were for him. It was exciting, but it felt almost overwhelming, like she was in over her head. She'd never felt that way with anyone else.

Jack watched Daniel; he and Sam exchanged wry glances, the subject of his almost relationship with the young lieutenant had been the subject of whispered gossip between them for a while.

"Daniel, if you really wanted to go sit with the kids, you should have said so," Jack remarked with a grin.

"What, I'm fine," he said, looking around at his friends. "What are we drinking to, here?" he said, raising his glass. He loved these people, and he cherished the times that they spent together like this, _even if I am distracted,_ he pointed out to himself.

Jonas smiled inwardly. He'd seen them together at the skating rink and the Christmas tree lot on Thanksgiving; he could see that they were pretty smitten with each other. He understood their need for discretion in the matter; _similar to the way Janet keeps me at arm's length,_ he thought. _But I'm wearing her down,_ he thought to himself with another inward grin, reminded of one or two particular instances when the pretty doctor had let him kiss her and not in the patient-doctor fashion, either.

"Well, let's drink to health and happiness, that's always good for a start," Jonas said, raising his glass to meet Daniel's.

"Yeah, that's good for a start," Sam echoed as she raised her glass. Teal'c and Jack followed suit.

The conversation this time ran to who was doing what for the holidays, and discussion of their next mission. They had one more scheduled to leave on Sunday, so they could be back by Christmas Eve. It was a diplomatic mission, in the continuing effort to maintain smooth relations with the Tokra, and while SG-3 usually handled these, SG-1 had been granted the assignment so Sam could see Jacob before Christmas.

As nonchalant as he tried to be, Daniel couldn't help sneaking the occasional glance over at her. It was nice to see her so happy, so at ease with her friends. _Not unlike a few times we've spent together,_ he thought.

Jonas and Teal'c pretended not to notice this behavior; Sam and Jack contented themselves with the exchange of wry grins over his head.

Across the room, Jennifer had a feeling that he was watching her. _That's just wishful thinking,_ she advised herself. Her friends didn't notice, they were happily chatting amongst themselves. She was happy for them; _Hilary and Grogan make a cute couple,_ she thought, and Major Bob Chao and Satterfield looked as happy as they ever had when she and Jennifer were still roommates. She had missed this type of camaraderie and was really glad that she had come out with them. She was as relaxed as she had been in a while. _Like when I was with Daniel,_ she thought to herself. She shook off the thought as one of her friends asked her what she was doing for the holidays.

"I've got duty that day," she said nonchalantly. "It's good pay, though," she said, fending off any sympathy for her chosen plight of working on Christmas.

SG-1 had been in the bar for almost two hours when Jonas' pager went off. He looked down. "That's Janet; she's ready to go. That's my cue," he said, as he got up and put on his jacket. "Teal'c, you ready?" he asked.

"Indeed, I am ready to go, Jonasquinn," he answered, getting up and donning his own jacket.

"Yeah, well, it's past my bedtime, anyway," Jack said, getting up from his seat.

Sam stifled a yawn as she rose and put on her jacket. "God, I'm getting too old for these late nights," she said with a grin.

Only Daniel remained seated at the table, with a half full glass of beer in front of him.

"Hey, you old folks go on ahead, I'm going to finish my beer and then head out. I live closer than any of you anyway," he added, trying to keep them from digging for the truth, which he didn't really know himself.

Jack and Sam exchanged another wry glance. "Okey dokey, then, Danny boy. Well, we're out of here," Jack said as the four of them headed out.

Jennifer watched as the four of them left, then looked over and noticed that Daniel was still there. She wondered why he had stayed behind, realizing she was secretly hoping he had a desire to see her. That uncomfortable feeling that she was in over her head with these feelings started creeping up on her; she turned then to listen more intently to the discussion of her friends' wedding plans.

Daniel finished his beer, thinking to himself how ridiculous he must look, a geeky old archaeologist drinking a beer all by himself in the corner of a bar in the middle of December while everyone else around him was having a good time with a bunch of other people. _Okay,_ he told himself, _since you don't have any idea why you're still here or what you should do since you are still here, it's time to go home._

He got up from the table. Trying to kill a little more time, not really wanting to admit to himself why he was doing so, he visited the men's room. As he was leaving the men's room, he put on his jacket, and caught her eye. She smiled at him again.

He smiled back. Not knowing what else to do, he waved nonchalantly and kept on going out the door. _You don't really like crowds, anyway. She's having fun with the younger people and you can see her some other time,_ he tried to placate himself.

As he left, Jennifer realized that she was disappointed that he had gone and she didn't get a chance to speak to him. _You weren't exactly expecting him to come over here, were you,_ she chided herself. _He's not comfortable around groups,_ she reminded herself, _much less groups of people he doesn't know really well, who are younger than he is, _her thoughts added.

Still, she found herself wishing that they had had a chance to at least say hello to each other. _I guess I just miss him, _she decided. On this note, the nagging, overwhelmed sense she had regarding her feelings about him returned. She shook it off again, laughing as Bob teased Satterfield about wanting pink in their wedding color scheme.

Out in the parking lot, Daniel got into the car and turned over the engine, waiting for it to warm up. He was looking at the front door, when he realized that he was just waiting for her to come out. _And then what, Jackson,_ he thought. _I guess we'll just have to see 'and then what',_ he retorted to himself.

He spied another car leaving a space that was directly in front of the building. He parked in the space, leaving him a perfect view of the door, and since it was the only entrance into the establishment, he knew she would see him too. Now he only had to hope that they weren't planning to close the place. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, only that he really would like to say hello to her. He wondered momentarily if this was how stalkers got started.

Inside, the gathering of the younger crew was breaking up. "Well, you and I have shifts tomorrow morning, m'dear, there's still a lot of missions coming in and out," Major Chao reminded his wife to be. Satterfield made a face.

"Yeah, you're right, we should go." They shrugged into their jackets, bade goodbye to their friends and headed out.

"And _you've_ got a curfew and I really don't think we should upset your Dad," Lieutenant Grogan said to Hilary. It was Hilary's turn to make a face. They got up to go, donning their own jackets and other winter paraphernalia – scarves and gloves and the like.

As they stepped outside, Jennifer noticed the brown Volvo right in front, running quietly. The driver's door opened just then, and Daniel got out, smiling at her. She was taken aback for a moment; _he waited for me, _she realized, incredulous, her heart skipping another beat. The sense of being overwhelmed by her feelings for him was pushed aside by a warm hunch that they could be mutual.

The other two didn't take notice right away. Suddenly remembering that she was without a vehicle, Hilary asked "Oh, hey, Jen, you want John to give you a ride back to the barracks after he drops me at home?" She turned to Lieutenant Grogan. "Hon, you wouldn't mind, would you?" she asked in a hopeful voice.

"No, no, of course not. Whaddya say, Jen?" he asked jovially.

She smiled at the offer; it gave her a good feeling that her friends were so considerate. "Oh, thanks a lot, but, I think I've got a ride," she said, looking over at Daniel. He had walked around and was leaning on the passenger side of the car, arms folded, head down slightly in characteristic Daniel fashion.

Hilary followed her gaze, and smiled at the sight of the archaeologist. She waved at him, enthusiastically. He looked ill at ease, then, at the friendly display of the younger girl. He waved back, although not with as much enthusiasm as Hilary had managed. She giggled and gave her friend a quick goodbye hug. "Have fun, Jen," she said. "Come on, hon, she's set," she reassured Lieutenant Grogan. He looked bewildered, but dutifully proceeded to their car with Hilary's arm in his own.

Jennifer walked over to the Volvo, barely suppressing a smile that told Daniel waiting for her had been a very good idea. "Hi," she said, smiling warmly, almost out loud.

"Hi," he said with a shy smile, hands stuffed in his pockets against the cold and snow of the evening. "I thought you might like a ride back to the barracks," he said.

"Thanks, that's really nice of you," she said. Then she looked at him in a somewhat serious fashion. "I'm glad you waited," she said quietly. The look in her eyes told him that this had been the right thing to do. He opened the door for her; she slid into the warm car with a smile.

They proceeded back to the barracks, jazz style Christmas music playing on the radio. _Now or never, Jackson,_ he told himself.

"I know you said you were working on Christmas day, but it turns out that this _is_ the year that the Princess Theatre is playing 'It's a Wonderful Life' on the big screen. I thought if you weren't busy that night, maybe you'd like to see it," he said. "Um, with me, that is," he added, as an afterthought.

The fear of her feelings for him rushed back; she bit her tongue against the immediate decline of his invitation that it tried to dictate and said, "I'd like that." He looked over at her; there was that smile again.

"What time should I pick you up, then?" he asked, trying to hide the relief in his voice and sound casual all at the same time.

"7:00 again?" she suggested, trying to sound casual herself, though she didn't exactly feel casual at that moment.

"It's a date, then," he said evenly. "I'll pick you up at 7:00 on Christmas night," he said in a confirming tone. They were in front of the barracks and the snow had started coming down harder. He pulled his car around so that her side was on the sidewalk in front of her barracks.

As she reached for the door, Daniel said playfully "hey now, it's a gentleman's prerogative, to open the door for a lady." He grinned at her. "And it's particularly important where snow is concerned." He jumped out and went over to her side of the car, opening the door with a gallant sweeping arm gesture towards the sidewalk, his efforts hampered slightly by the force of the snow against the car door.

She took his offered hand as she got out of the car. The snow was beginning to pile up and she was grateful for him to lean on at that moment. "Y'know, I could really get used to this gentlemanly stuff," she said with a smile. "You're beginning to spoil me; I'm not sure I'll know _how_ to open a car door at this rate," she said lightly.

He smiled, they were almost at her door. "Well, I should probably tell you that being a gentleman isn't all about good manners; there are definitely hidden agendas to it," he said with a slight warning hint to his voice.

"Oh, really?" she said in a laughing, disbelieving voice. "Like what?"

They stopped under the light on the front porch right at her door. He looked up and noticed that someone had hung mistletoe from the light. "Like it's a cheap way to get a goodnight kiss from a beautiful woman," he said dryly.

She followed his gaze, laughing at his joke, a warm tingle coming over her at his reference to her as a beautiful woman.

"Well, then, I guess I had better oblige," she said, a slightly sultry tone in her voice. She reached up; standing on tiptoe and putting her arms around his neck she kissed him quickly then stood back down, grinning.

He returned the grin, he had put his arms around her as she had come close to him. "Oh, now, you're not getting off _that_ easily" he said with a devilish note to his voice. Leaning down, he kissed her, gently at first, then with passion, until they were both breathless, giggling.

"So, I'll see you on Christmas, then," he said, still a bit breathless from their embrace.

"Okay, see you then," she nodded, still giggling a bit. He turned and walked back down the sidewalk, his hands back in his pockets. She opened the door and turned in time to see him look back at her one last time with a smile.


	12. Not Another Military Girl, part 11

For those in the crowd who have questioned the age difference...and for those of us who have seen "It's a Wonderful Life" 57 times and can recite the dialogue from memory, driving all of our relatives batty at holiday time....

* * *

He parked in his usual spot in front of the barracks and got out of the car, just as she was proceeding down the walk. _Black is a really good color for her,_ he thought, as she came closer, though on second thought he realized that he liked her in every color he'd seen her in thus far.

She was wearing a pair of fitted, stylish black pants, topped off with a form fitting black wool sweater and a fashionable pair of black leather boots; the kind that look nice but are functional as well, given the Colorado winters. She'd traded in her bomber jacket for a slim, mid thigh black wool coat.

He was wearing the same blue sweater he'd had on at Thanksgiving, with a pair of jeans and his workman's boots. _That blue always brings out his eyes,_ she thought appreciatively.

As before, they parked the car in the garage at the Victorian. On a whim, he reached over and took her hand as they walked to the theater, snow starting to fall lightly. There had been a huge snowstorm forecast for that day, but it had held off and they both knew Colorado weather could turn on a dime, for better or worse.

Having seen the movie already several times, Daniel was happy to have someone to watch it with; it was the type of movie that was best shared and was particularly nice to share with someone for the first time. Sarah had never particularly cared for it, and, well, for obvious reasons this was never an event that would have fit into his and Sha're's lifestyle.

Jennifer found herself completely charmed by the black and white wartime movie, fascinated by the military references and inclusions, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks as George Bailey determines that he really does have a good life.

Daniel enjoyed this immensely, her ability to be touched by what some consider a smarmy old movie. He took her hand and squeezed it lightly; she squeezed back, grateful to him for his appreciation of her more vulnerable side. She knew from experience that other men would have found this unusual and might have ridiculed her for it; a tough as nails Air Force soldier sobbing uncontrollably through a movie scene.

As the lights came up, he kept her hand in his, waiting quietly until she smiled at him to get up from his seat. "I'm glad you liked it," he said, squeezing gently again.

"Thanks, yeah, I really did," she said sincerely, returning the squeeze a little, a few stray tears still in her eyes.

He slid his arm comfortably around her as they were leaving the theater. They were greeted by the accurate predictions of the weatherman; the snowstorm that had been forecast had arrived. The light snow that had been falling when they entered had turned into heavy, wet snow; a few inches of which had already accumulated on top of everything outside of the theater.

"Well, here we go again," Daniel said sardonically. He turned to her. "You want to do the 100 yard dash again or get a cab?" he said with a gleam in his eye.

She smiled. "Well, I don't know about the 100 yard dash, but I don't mind walking; it's just snow," she said with a hint of teasing in her voice.

He knew how much she enjoyed the snow, not having been around it much growing up.

"Okay, let's hoof it, then," he said with a grin. Instinctively he took her hand again, they would need to be careful on the way back.

They proceeded to walk as quickly as conditions would allow, the snow coming down around them, but thanks to the previous snowfall freezing underneath, it was quite slippery, and they both felt their feet betraying them more than once, alternately falling towards and away from each other and accidentally pulling the other off balance.

Jennifer started giggling as they haphazardly made their way along, Daniel found the giggle contagious, and for all of his gentlemanly efforts, the last block of the walk he fell rather ungraciously, knocking her down and landing on top of her in the process, directly in to a bank of the sloppy stuff in front of his building, both of them openly laughing now at the whole event.

Despite the fog the weather had given his glasses, he could see her clearly, and he suddenly kissed her, passionately, the two of them still giggling from their walk back.

In front of the Victorian now, they shook off the snow.

"Wow, it's really coming down," Daniel said, looking around. "Would you like to come in? I'm not sure how long it's going to be until the weather clears and driving you home in this might be treacherous. Besides, Catherine and Ernest sent leftovers from Christmas dinner; they said that you probably wouldn't have gotten a chance to eat anything proper if you were on duty today," he added, a hopeful note to his voice.

She smiled; being with him like this kept the overwhelmed feelings at bay, and, it _was _Christmas night. "I'd like that," she said.

In the cozy flat, they shed their outdoor clothing and boots; Daniel turned on the tree lights and the stereo and lit a few of the candles.

Jennifer realized that she was pretty hungry. She strode over to the kitchen and efficiently set about reheating the leftovers. Daniel poured them both a glass of wine and settled on the couch. She sat opposite him in one of the armchairs while she ate.

"Sure beats the heck out of Gibson's mission cooking," she said, downing the generous victuals. "I didn't realize how hungry I was."

He chuckled, watching her, liking the fact that she was not afraid to eat heartily in front of him. He reclined in a corner of the couch, his feet up on the coffee table, relaxed.

She finished her meal and put her dishes in the kitchen, making quick work of the cleanup. Returning to the living room, she curled up opposite him on the couch. From here she could see out the window; the snow was still coming down thick and heavy.

He noticed the slight frown on her face. "What is it?"

"It's still snowing pretty hard," she said with a slightly annoyed tone to her voice.

He turned to follow her gaze out the window. "Yeah, I guess it is," he said with a note of finality. He turned back to face her. "Well, I certainly don't mind if you stay," he said in a matter of fact tone of voice.

She bit her lip. She didn't mind staying, either, and she thought it would be an imposition to ask him to take her back in this weather. But, as her feelings for him deepened, staying over in his apartment seemed trickier; her urge to run away conflicting mightily with her desire to spend more time with him and discover where that might lead.

He noticed the look of doubt as it passed over her face. "If you're not comfortable, I understand," he said in a voice that didn't convince her. "Besides," he added, "I'm grateful to you for spending the holidays with me and I don't want to wear out my welcome with you," he added dryly, wondering briefly if she'd just tired of his company.

She smiled at him, the sudden insecurity in his statement charmed her and yet bothered her; she needed to be honest with him, but she didn't know where to start.

"I appreciate your invitations," she stated carefully. "I've really enjoyed spending the holidays with you, too," she added, taking a deep drink of her wine, her voice telling him that it was something else.

The wine had emboldened him a bit. "But…" he said, waiting for her to fill in the blank. He might as well get to the truth.

She fidgeted now, not sure what to say. She sighed, closed her eyes and opened her mouth, hoping for the best. "But, I think I'm beginning to like this too much," she said, opening her eyes, not looking directly at him, preferring instead to focus her gaze on the little tree that they had decorated on Thanksgiving. _Well, that's closer to the truth,_ she thought, not exactly sure herself how to explain it. The overwhelmed feeling came back.

Daniel sat up. "I like you too much, too," he said.

She looked at him sharply, that was an even braver admission than her own, and the truth behind his words gave her a warm feeling, emanating out in a shy smile.

The actual choice of words he had used suddenly struck him. "Uh, I mean, well, that is, I, uh…" he stammered. Like so many other times, what he really meant had just come tumbling out of his mouth, without any thought as to how it would be received.

"I really like you, too, Daniel," she said, cutting through his stuttering, with one of her knowing smiles. "I _really have _enjoyed spending the holidays with you," she added reassuringly.

"You're not just keeping a geeky old archaeologist company as part of some community service sentence or something," he deadpanned, in a more relaxed tone.

She giggled at his joke. "No," she said with the slightest hint of outrage at the assumption. She sat up, a gleam in her eyes; feeling braver based on their mutual admission and the effects of the wine they were drinking. "In fact, why don't we make it three out of three – what are you doing on New Year's?" she asked. "I have duty until 10:00, but nothing fun happens until midnight, anyway," she said.

He looked at her, the sudden invitation caught him off guard, but she could see that he was obviously pleased. "Yeah, I'd like that," he said. He sat back, his arm draped casually across the back of the couch, a serious look on his face. "I really hate spending it alone." He looked at her. "It'll be late; you'd be welcome to stay that night, too," he said.

Jennifer nodded at him, feeling more relaxed now. "Okay," she said, "It's a date."

He looked at her, a sly grin on his face. "You sure you won't mind spending it with a geeky old archaeologist," he said, looking over the top of his glasses at her.

She grinned wickedly back at him. "I told you, I don't think you're geeky," she said with a slightly superior tone.

"Oh, but you do think I'm old," he said, a teasing note in his voice.

She looked at him, that serious look she got that scared him. "I don't think you're old, either," she said.

Daniel thought about this for a minute. "I am a fair bit older than you are, though," he said seriously.

She shook her head. "That's just chronological," she replied emphatically. "It doesn't really matter how long you've been alive; it's how you act and how you feel," she continued.

"So, it doesn't bother you," he said in that tone he had when he was stating the obvious.

She giggled again. "No, it doesn't bother me." She was quiet for a minute. "What about you? Does it ever bother you that I'm a fair bit _younger_ than you?"

"Well, I wish the cops would stop looking at me funny when we're together, but other than that…" he deadpanned as he emptied his wine glass, now a bit more relaxed. He got up from his corner of the couch. "Would you like some more wine?"

"I don't know, if I have any more of that I might lose control," she said jovially.

He brought the bottle over, pouring himself another half glass, sitting down in the middle of the couch this time, a devilish look on his face. "I might like to see that," he said in a saucy tone.

She fixed him with a stern look at the comment, but there was laughter and something else he couldn't quite distinguish in her eyes.

"Now, now, Dr. Jackson," she said in a mock admonishing tone. The tone of his voice had given her that same tingling sensation that his kisses gave her, all of her senses were on alert now.

The DJ came on the radio then. "And the National Weather Service is promising that the snow will continue until sometime around dawn; if you can avoid it don't go out in this mess tonight; we'd like to have you all back in one piece tomorrow," the smooth voice continued.

Jennifer and Daniel looked at each other. "Well, that settles that question," he said dryly, taking a deep drink of his wine and setting the glass on the coffee table.

As he leaned forward, Jennifer couldn't help but notice the hint of curly brown hair visible from the top of his shirt. The sight sent another tingle through her senses; his physical presence closer to her now and the nature of their true feelings slowly being revealed was creating a rush of a kind she hadn't felt in a long time.

She realized how much she had missed this. She liked the way it made her feel, alive in every sense of the word. _A bit too much, maybe, _she thought to herself, a bit overwhelmed now by both the physical and emotional feelings in the matter at hand.

"This time _I'll_ sleep on the couch," she said suddenly. "I can watch the tree lights until I fall asleep," she said with a merry tone to her voice, not quite belying the sudden awkwardness she felt at her reactions to their situation.

Her statement gave direction to the evening. _Probably safer than where my thoughts were headed,_ Daniel thought. The note of awkwardness had not completely escaped him, reminding him that she was indeed younger than he was.

He thought about this for another moment; her youth really _didn't_ bother him. He enjoyed teaching and showing her things; she delighted in learning, as he did but on a fresh, new level. He learned a lot from her in the process about how much fun life could still be, reminded again how wonderful it was to learn and discover, _even things about one's self,_ he thought.

He looked at her then, curled up in the corner of his couch, smiling and relaxed, _to a point,_ he thought. He would have to tread lightly with her, he knew. Although he wouldn't have told her so, he suspected that the Jameson incident was still impacting her in some ways. This thought bothered him, and he felt a sense of protectiveness stepping in where his other thoughts had just been.

He smiled at her, feeling relaxed and comfortable now. It was one of the nicer Christmas evenings he could remember in quite some time. The wine was catching up with him, reminding him he wasn't as young as he used to be; he felt his eyelids getting heavy.

She smiled at him, endeared by his sleepiness. _Well, that settles that question, _she thought to herself, not wanting to admit a small sense of relief from the rush she had been experiencing only a few minutes prior.

"Well, I suppose I might as well admit I'm tired and go to bed," he said.

He got up off the couch, as he passed her, he reached over and stroked her hair, his hand coming around and gently caressing her face. She reached up and gently grasped his hand with her own, turning her face into his palm, gently kissing it. He cupped her chin, leaned down and kissed her warmly.

"Merry Christmas, Jennifer," he said with a soft tone to his voice.

"Merry Christmas, Daniel," she replied, smiling, a warm tone in her own voice.

She woke early the next morning, as the sun was coming out. She padded over to the kitchen window; the snow had stopped and the plows were coming through as evidenced by the large snow bank now covering the driveway in front of the Victorian. She knew that it might take a while to clear all the snow, she decided it would be best to try and walk downtown and grab a cab. She had another guard duty shift to contend with today.

She tidied up the living room and wrote him a quick note, then pulled her boots on and went quietly out the door.

When he woke up, Daniel went out into the living room. The table was cleaned off, the wine glasses had been washed and the bottle put away. She was gone.

There was a note on the coffee table. _Daniel – didn't want to wake you. Had to get back to get ready for another shift this afternoon. See you on New Year's around 10:30 – Thanks for a wonderful life – Christmas. Jennifer._

He noticed with a chuckle that she'd inadvertently written the word life first, then crossed it out and written in Christmas; he smiled to himself, hoping that it was a Freudian slip.


	13. Not Another Military Girl, part 12

One for the Jack and Sam fans in the crowd....and for those of you who are wondering where this is going....wait for it...and for anyone worried about the rating and the implications...trust me... :)

* * *

He arrived at the barracks at 10:30; per her usual she stepped out onto the porch as he pulled up. On this cold and snowy night she had opted for another form fitting sweater, this one was a v-neck with a bit of a plunge, on top of a fitted black skirt and her black boots again, with her slim black wool coat. She was displaying her figure more freely now, he thought.

Back at the apartment, she set her bag down and took off her jacket and boots, while he poured them a glass of champagne. Daniel had turned off all of the lights except for the tree and a few candles; they both preferred the soft warmth of this lighting. They sat on the couch, sipping the champagne, enjoying the last of the little tree with its lights on and listening to the jazz and blues station in the background.

As the hour of midnight approached, Daniel turned on the television, listening to the low level of the mindless chatter as they prepared to count down the seconds to the New Year. Their first glass already empty, he poured them another glass of champagne to toast the New Year.

As they sat together, Daniel reclined in the corner of the couch, Jennifer next to him. He nonchalantly put his arm around her. She leaned against him, enjoying his closeness and the feel of his arm encircling her. The clock on the television clicked down to 1; the streets were wild with partygoers. Outside the apartment building, they could hear the distant sounds of reveling, even though it was bitterly cold and snowy out.

They turned to each other, clinking their raised glasses. "Well, Happy New Year, Lieutenant Hailey," Daniel said in his most authoritative and condescending voice.

Jennifer smiled. "Happy New Year, Dr. Jackson," she replied, unable to resist the sultry tone that naturally crept its way into her voice, despite the formal address. They drained their glasses together; Jennifer felt the bubbles go up her nose and she sat up suddenly, waving her hand in front of her, as she set her glass down on the table.

"Oh, my," she said, a surprised look on her face. "That tickles," she said.

Daniel chuckled. "Well, now, catch your breath there, lieutenant," he said jovially.

She giggled. He really liked the sound of her laugh. It made him feel warm inside. He looked at her with a sudden feeling of tenderness. In this light she looked particularly lovely.

"Thank you, Jennifer," he said softly.

She looked at him, questioningly. "For what?" she asked, still clearing her air passages from the inadvertent dousing they had received.

He looked around the room, and gestured at the tree and the glasses. "For this," he said.

She still looked a bit perplexed.

He gazed at her for a moment before he spoke further. He sat up from his reclining position in the corner of the couch, setting his own glass on the table. "For spending the holidays with me, I guess," he finished, a note of question in his own voice. He wasn't really sure for what; he just knew that he was grateful to her for how he felt at that very moment.

She smiled at him, the beautiful warm smile he liked so much. Closer to her now, he leaned over and captured her mouth with his own, kissing her gently, repeatedly. She tasted of the champagne that they had been drinking; a wonderful flavor, he decided.

Her response to his kisses was getting gradually bolder. She leaned into him, one of her hands resting on his thigh, fingers slowly caressing his leg, the other had found its way up and around, massaging his back. She opened her mouth slightly under the gentle pressure of his.

The soft requests of her tongue against his lips lit a fire inside of him. He deepened the kiss in response; his passion fueled by the champagne and her receptiveness, he pulled her into his arms, onto his lap, almost fiercely. He felt a sudden, overwhelming desire to explore her, to feel her in her entirety.

_Whoa there, feller, maybe you should think about this for a minute,_ a voice urged him quietly over the ranting instructions of his own body.

The way in which Daniel suddenly held her scared her, enthralled her. Scared her because it would be so easy to just throw away all reason and control, giving in to the feelings that she was having and the emotions she was experiencing; enthralled her in all the ways she had ever imagined it might.

_So what are we doing here,_ she wondered, knowing that she had been open to this possibility when she had suggested spending New Year's together. _But we're both responsible adults and that step shouldn't be just a frenzied free for all,_ a small voice reminded her.

Their inner voices having spoken at the same time, they broke their passionate embrace. As if by mutual understanding, she slid off his lap, back onto the couch. They looked at each other, breathless after their kiss, this time with the look of intention that such a kiss usually evokes. Daniel leaned back, sighing, and put his arm around her again; she leaned back against him.

"Jennifer," said Daniel, slowly, seriously, "If anything were to ever happen between us, y'know, beyond this," he said, gesturing at the couch and at the two of them, disheveled and breathless, "I want it to be because we both want to, and not just because I'm a big dumb male or because we got carried away one night. I mean, getting carried away wouldn't be so bad, but…" he sighed, realizing that he was beginning to ramble, and not really sure where these particular thoughts were going.

He turned then, looking at her, his blue eyes as serious as she'd ever seen them. "It would be so easy to lose control with you, and that scares me. I never, ever want to do anything that we might regret later."

She looked at him, the sincerity of what he was saying unmistakable; that it matched her thoughts intrigued her, charmed her.

"Do you think you would regret it?" she asked in a curious voice, head tilted to one side, studying him.

He looked at her, as if he was looking right through her_,_ she thought. He gazed at her steadily for a second and then answered.

"Really, the only way I think I could ever regret it is if you did," he said.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. They looked at each other. Then there was urgent knocking on the door; low voices could be heard outside.

Daniel went over to the door, and looked through the peephole. Sam was standing there, a rather out of it looking Jack draped over her shoulder. He glanced over his shoulder at Jennifer; she had gotten up off the couch and straightened her sweater and was running her fingers through her hair. He opened the door.

"Daniel, I need your help," Sam began, almost frantic.

Just then Jack looked up and blew softly in the Major's ear. She pretended not to notice. He looked over and noticed Daniel, his eyes glassy and unfocused.

"Hey there, Danny boy, wanna make it a three-some? I bet she's got that sweet little tank top number on underneath," Jack said, words barely making it out of his mouth. He was trying to put the hand that was around Sam's neck down the front of her shirt; she efficiently moved the hand.

"Can we come in?" Sam asked.

"Uh, well," Daniel stuttered. He glanced over his shoulder again. Jennifer was leaning on the back of the couch, arms crossed, trying to stifle a giggle at the exchange she had just overheard. Daniel looked at his friend; he obviously needed help.

"Uh, sure, fine, come on in," he said, stepping back from the doorway. Sam pushed Colonel O'Neill through the doorway, and he fell into the apartment. Jennifer expertly caught him as he was falling, keeping him from hitting the polished hardwood floor.

"Oh, God, uh, hi, Lieutenant Hailey," Sam stammered, startled at the sight of the younger, still slightly disheveled officer. She turned to Daniel. "Daniel, I'm so sorry, I didn't know you had company," she said apologetically, a worried look in her eyes.

"Hey there, Lieutenant, how are you?" the sodden voice of Colonel O'Neill reached them just then. "Hey, y'know, you're really a pretty girl with your hair down…what are you doing for the rest of your life?"

Jack was sopping wet and very cold; Jennifer's soldier training kicked in. "I haven't really decided, sir," she answered the question. "Why don't we talk about it over here on the couch?" she said to him lightly, guiding him to the couch.

"Sam, what on Earth happened to him?" Daniel said with concern. Jack really wasn't a drinker; he'd never seen him that soused, nor that lecherous.

Sam sighed. "We were having a New Year's Eve drink down at O'Malley's; his traditional is a double bourbon with a beer chaser and all of a sudden, he started acting like…like…this," she finished exasperatedly, waving a hand at him. Jennifer had expertly deposited the seemingly drunk officer on the couch.

Sam continued. "So, I called Janet and she said she'd switched him to a new drug to fight the remnants of that virus he contracted in Antarctica from Ayiana – it tends to act up in the cold weather," Sam added matter of factly.

"Anyway, since the dosage and times were different, she warned him he shouldn't take too many or it might make him act funny. When I told her what happened and how he was acting, she told me that it was definitely side effects from double doses of the drug and mixing it with alcohol," Sam finished, sounding almost exhausted from the struggle she'd had with him.

"He fell in the snow bank while I was trying to drag him out of O'Malley's, then he wanted to have a snowball fight. I tried to drive him home, but you saw how he was acting; I almost got into an accident and tonight's not a good night to be out on the road with a lecherous officer in your vehicle," Sam said with a note of frustration.

She looked at Daniel, then glanced over at Jennifer, who was now preoccupied with the Colonel, doing exactly what she didn't notice right away. "I'm so sorry to barge in on you, especially since you've got company, but is there anyway you could take care of him tonight? Janet says he'll be okay if he sleeps it off, then gets back on his regular dosage tomorrow," Sam added, hoping this would help her case.

Daniel looked down at the floor, creasing his brow in that frown he got when he didn't like the answer he was getting to a puzzle that he had been confronted with.

Sam looked over again at Lieutenant Hailey and Jack; noticing what they were doing, she grinned. "I think the decision's already been made for you, Daniel," she said, motioning towards them with a nod. Daniel turned around.

Jennifer had taken over while Sam and Daniel had been talking. She had put more than her fair share of drunken cadets to bed back at the academy, and subsequently in the barracks. _If I had a dime for every proposition I'd been offered under those circumstances,_ she thought, _I could retire._

She had fetched a pair of dry socks, some sweats and a t-shirt from Daniel's dresser, along with a pillow from the bed. She was taking off Jack's wet clothing; indifferent and efficient, but gently, speaking softly to him as she helped him into the dry ones.

"Lieutenant, do you think it's really appropriate for you to be undressing me?" he asked in a drunken voice. "Major Carter might get really _mad_," he said with a child like look of wonder and fear on his face. "She really loves me, y'know," he slurred with a confident, knowing, tone.

"I'm sure she'll understand, sir," Jennifer replied, softly but firmly. "We need to get you into some dry ones; that's what she'd do," Jennifer suggested quietly.

"Where is Major Carter, anyway? Yoo-hoo, Sam, where'd you go?" He was trying to look around the room, but Jennifer deftly kept his attention on the matter of getting into the dry clothes she had procured for him. "Y'know Lieutenant, I really love Major Carter," he said in a wobbly voice.

"That's nice sir," she said gently.

"No, I mean I really do," he said with all the sincerity a drunk can usually muster.

"That's nice, sir," she repeated gently. "Maybe you should sleep on that thought," she said, encouraging him gently with her hand to lie down on the couch. She laid the blanket over him and smiled at him.

"Now I know what Daniel sees in you, Lieutenant," he slurred gently. "You're really beautiful," he smiled at her, eyes not quite focusing.

"Thank you, sir," she replied softly.

"Good night, Lieutenant," Jack said sleepily, yawning now. He closed his eyes.

"Good night, sir," she replied softly, tucking the blanket around him.

Daniel and Sam watched from the doorway; Daniel was impressed with the gentleness and efficiency with which she had managed his best friend, her senior officer. Sam was equally impressed; the young lieutenant had handled the situation with dexterity, aplomb and discretion. _She's really quite an officer, _Sam thought, pleased.

Jennifer walked back over to the doorway where Daniel and Sam were standing. She grinned at the looks on their faces; they seemed almost in awe of her.

"Thanks, Lieutenant; I really appreciate this," Sam smiled at her, with mixed notes of gratitude and admiration in her voice.

"Sam, are you still here?" came a groggy voice from the direction of the couch. "Yoo-hoo, Sam, I love you," the voice called out.

Sam grimaced and looked towards the couch. "Well, that's my cue," she said in a hushed voice. She looked at Jennifer. "Happy New Year, Lieutenant," she said jovially, and reached over and gave the girl a quick hug. "Thanks again," she said as she stepped back.

Jennifer smiled, touched at the sudden display of affection. "Happy New Year to you, Major," she said in equally hushed tones, not wanting to rouse the Colonel again.  
Sam gave Daniel a hug and wished him a Happy New Year. The groggy voice from the couch started to call again, and she ducked out, closing the door quietly behind her. Under other circumstances, it would have been exactly what she wanted to hear, but it had a different flavor under chemical influence. Still, it gave her a warm feeling inside, having heard the truth about his feelings for her.

As the door shut behind Sam, Daniel and Jennifer looked around the apartment, assessing the current situation. Jack was fast asleep on the couch, the only comfortable sleeping space left was the bed. They look at each other and then towards the bedroom. After the discussion that had occurred right before Jack and Sam had arrived, this seemed even more awkward, the obvious question unspoken between them.

"Well, sleeping on the floor can't be any worse than the ground of any planet I've passed the night on," Daniel said, resigning himself to the seemingly obvious choice.

Jennifer looked at him. "That's not necessary for my sake," she said evenly, looking directly at him. "It's plenty big enough for us both," she continued in a practical voice. Then her face softened, her soldier's practicality melting for a moment. "Unless you'd be uncomfortable," she added gently, looking down at the floor, not sure she wanted to know the answer.

He looked at her, in that moment appreciating the mix of her soldier's practicality and the warmth he knew was behind it all. "No, I wouldn't be," he said quietly. _It might be kind of nice,_ he thought to himself, _just having someone else there for a change._

She went over to the bedroom and pulled down the covers of the bed, completely in charge again. She ducked into the bathroom and changed into some sweats she had packed in her bag in a moment of contingency planning. _Nothing too enticing about that,_ she decided. _That's good._

She returned to the bedroom, Daniel had also changed into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. He sat on the side of the bed facing the door, and smiled at her as she returned. She looked cute in her sweats, _like a little girl,_ he decided. _That ought to keep us both safe tonight,_ he thought to himself.

She walked over to the side of the bed nearest the balcony. She sat down and turned out the bedside light. She eased herself barely under the covers, and lay down, somewhat stiffly. In the dark she heard Daniel also slide under the covers and lay down. As her eyes got used to the dim light from the street, she could see that it was snowing outside.

"It's snowing again," she said, quietly. "It's always so beautiful to watch," she added, turning on her side so that she could see it. She heard him turn on his side, but she couldn't tell which way.

"You're right," he suddenly said. "It _is_ beautiful." He looked at her small form under the covers and had a sudden urge to hold her. "_You're_ beautiful," he said softly, reaching out and rubbing her exposed arm lightly, affectionately.

Jennifer's instinct took over; she reached up and took his hand, pulling his arm around her and moving a bit closer to him, so that he was holding her around the middle. "_This_ is beautiful," she said quietly. He could almost hear her smiling. "Thank you, Daniel," she said in a thoughtful tone.

Now it was his turn to be puzzled by the question. "For what?" he asked.

"For this," she said, waving around the room, and towards the window. "For _asking_ me to spend the holidays with you," she answered quietly.

Daniel cuddled closer to her. "Happy New Year, Jennifer," he said sleepily.

"Good night, Daniel," she said. "Happy New Year to you, too."


	14. Not Another Military Girl, part 13

Another one for the Jack fans in the crowd...and one of my favorite parts, really...

* * *

Jack knocked on the bedroom door. "Daniel, what am I doing in your clothes?" he asked warily.

Daniel struggled awake; Jennifer stirred, groggy. It was still early, not quite dawn.

Daniel shifted gently away from their embrace and slid out from under the covers. He went to the door and opened it a crack.

"Morning, Jack," Daniel said, "How are you feeling?"

"Well, I think I'm okay, except, I had this weird dream that Lieutenant Hailey was taking my clothes off," Jack said in a wondering tone of voice.

_Yeah, I've had that dream myself,_ Daniel thought. He heard Jennifer stifle a giggle under the covers.

At the sound, Jack's ears perked up. He was now trying to look past Daniel into the bedroom. Daniel squeezed out and shut the door behind him.

Jack grinned as he stepped out into the living room. "Daniel, you dog you," he said in his best big buddy tone of voice.

As Daniel shut the bedroom door behind him, Jack said in a hushed tone "So, who's the lucky gal?"

Daniel sighed. "Jack, it's not like that." Shifting topics he asked again "Are you sure you're okay?"

Now it was Jack's turn to sigh. "Yeah, I guess, but I have a sneaky feeling that Sam's really not too happy with me," he said with a grimace.

"It's okay, I think she understands," Daniel said knowingly.

"Really?" Jack asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm sure she'll be fine," he reassured the ragged looking colonel. He glanced over at his bedroom door just then. He didn't think Jennifer would be exactly comfortable with the senior officer still there; hopefully she had gone back to sleep.

Jack noticed his glance at the door. In a sly, hushed tone, he asked again "C'mon, buddy, who is it?"

Suddenly, a look of horror crossed Jack's face. "Aw, crap -- that wasn't actually a dream I had, was it?"

"Uh, no, not exactly, Jack" Daniel managed. He proceeded to tell the colonel the summary details of the previous evening, carefully leaving out the more colorful moments of his conduct the night before.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud -- damn these stupid alien virus drugs," Jack cursed gently. He glanced up at Daniel with an anguished look, now thoroughly embarrassed as he realized that he'd inadvertently barged in on his friend and the young lieutenant.

"Daniel, I'm so sorry," he said with a heartfelt note in his voice.

"Jack, it's okay, really, we knew you weren't yourself and well, it probably happened at exactly the right moment, anyway," Daniel added, sounding slightly frustrated.

Jack looked at him closely. "Um, look, I've probably taken up enough of your time here, and since it is New Year's Day, I'd like nothing better than to get my truck and head home for some football time on my own couch," Jack said.

"Uh, sure, I'll take you over to O'Malley's," Daniel answered. He glanced at the door again. He thought he should let her know he was leaving, but with Jack there, sober now, he felt awkward opening the door again.

Jack's heart melted a bit more at Daniel's obvious dilemma that he had helped to create. "You could leave her a note," he suggested in a whisper, "let her know you'll be back after you dump my sorry ass at O'Malley's" he finished.

Daniel went over to the desk and wrote those exact words, then slipped the piece of paper under the bedroom door. He hoped she wouldn't bolt when she woke up this time.

As they went down the stairs to the garage, Jack asked him. "So what do you mean, it happened at exactly the right moment?

Daniel sighed again. Jack might be just the person to understand what he was going through. "I feel like I'm in over my head with her, Jack," he said resignedly. "I really like her, but she scares me."

Jack smiled at the younger man. "Daniel, she scares everybody," he said teasingly. The look on Daniel's face made him rethink that. "So why do you hang around with her if she scares you?" he asked in a matter of fact tone of voice.

Daniel bit his lip and pondered this for a moment. "Y'know, Jack, being with her makes life fun again," he said thoughtfully.

Jack smiled to himself at this earnest response. He liked the young lieutenant, too; she was honest and sincere and hard working like Daniel was and equally as passionate about doing the right thing. Almost to a fault, Jack realized, but he respected that about her; she reminded him of himself that way.

He realized he really liked the idea of _them_. They _worked_ together, he thought; they could take care of each other in a way that no one else ever would.

"So what's the problem?" Jack queried further.

Daniel fidgeted a bit in the driver's seat. "I get scared that I'll do something stupid and it'll all be over. I just never want to do anything that would…" Daniel sighed, searching for the right words, "I don't know, hurt her, I guess, scare her away, maybe" he finished with a confused tone to his voice.

Jack looked at him, a big brotherly feeling suddenly coming over him. "Daniel, she's uber military; you're a change from all that. Truth is, a spitfire like Hailey, it's what she needs. Don't sell yourself short on what you're offering her." _I should know,_ Jack thought; _that's what Sara offered me_. He brushed aside the resulting pang of guilt from this thought pattern, reminding himself for the millionth time that Sara was better off now, and that what he enjoyed with his 2IC made _him_ happier, too, even if it wasn't quite acknowledged yet.

The younger man didn't seem convinced.

With a more serious look on his face, Jack added, "It's a pretty safe bet that she likes you, too, Daniel," Jack said. "After all, look how she handled _my_ appearance last night," he said with a grimace. "Not many women would do that for a guy's pal," Jack added thoughtfully, "especially one who's a senior officer," he finished with another inward grimace.

He turned to face him now. "Look, Daniel, here's the God's honest truth. When it comes to women, we're all in over our heads. We're really just big, dumb, males and they're leading the way, letting us think that we're doing it all. If you find one who's willing to let you come along for the ride, one who really makes you feel _that way_, just grab hold and go for it. The details will work themselves out; they always do. And if she can kick goa'uld ass on top of it, you should probably marry her," Jack said authoritatively, with a grin and a flourish of his hand.

Daniel bit his lip again, trying to concentrate on his driving, but absorbing what the man was saying. _Just going along for the ride,_ he repeated to himself. _Yeah, that's an appropriate way to describe how I feel about being with her,_ he thought. Hadn't he once called her a whirlwind?

As Jack got out of the Volvo, he turned to his friend. "You deserve to be happy, Daniel. You both do. Tell her I said hello and Happy New Year and…thanks," he finished weakly, with his characteristic wry grin.

Daniel smiled back at him. "Yeah, you too, Jack," he said. He watched his friend get into the truck and fire it up, waving at him as he pulled out of the parking lot.

As he drove back to the Victorian, Daniel noticed that the coffee shop was open, even though it was early on New Year's Day. He stopped and bought two triple espressos and a newspaper. Even if she had left, he could finish them both.

Back at the apartment, Jennifer couldn't really sleep after the two men had gone; she felt restless. She read the note that he had left for her, feeling an urge to leave while he was gone, like she had before, eliminating the need to face him and her feelings for him; somehow, she knew she couldn't keep that up. _It's not fair to him, either,_ she thought to herself.

She went into the kitchen, remembering that she had not eaten since early the evening before, during her shift. Opening the small refrigerator, she quickly assessed the contents and pulled out some eggs and some milk, checking the dates and deciding that they were probably still safe. Though she didn't get much of a chance to do this any more, her father _had_ taught her the finer art of making an omelette.

As Daniel opened the door, Jennifer was standing there, in her little girl sweats. She deftly scooped the omelette she'd managed to make with remnants from his refrigerator on to the two plates on his coffee table.

"Hi," she greeted him, with an almost shy smile. "I found a couple of eggs in your refrigerator; I thought you might appreciate some breakfast," she said.

Daniel smiled back at her, secretly thrilled that she had decided to stay. "Thanks; it looks great," he said as he shut the door behind him and handed her one of the coffees. _Let the ride commence_, he thought.


	15. Not Another Military Girl, part 14

Author's note: this is a reload of previously information; I want to catch up the story on both this site and gateworld's site. Many thanks to Raymon Express for his continued encouragement, and for all the wonderful folks who've inspired and encouraged since the story's first publication :)

She would later decide that it didn't matter why it had occurred to her the way that it had, it just had, and maybe that's how it's supposed to happen.

She was in the mall, a rare occasion for her; she generally hated them, but they were bearable at this point of the year – between major shopping spree seasons, on a Sunday when no one else was around. Her birthday was coming up and she planned to buy herself something nice.

As she passed the Victoria's Secret store, she saw the camisole set in the window; that was when she knew what she really wanted.

The sales lady in the store had been pleasant and helpful; she helped Jennifer select the right size and complimented Jennifer on her choice of colors – the cream colored one would offset her skin tone quite nicely, she had noted, and the hint of lace around the cleavage suited Jennifer's demeanor – not flashy, just quietly pretty.

Daniel had offered to make dinner for her that night; she was hesitant only because his cooking skills – or lack thereof – had garnered him quite a reputation among the SG teams. She decided that it was a charming offer, and the culinary aspect of the evening, whatever the outcome, was worth a try so she could spend the evening with him.

She arrived at his apartment and knocked; not quite sure if it was nervousness or excitement she was feeling. _Probably a combination of both,_ she decided, as he answered the door.

He was standing there, opening a bottle of wine. He looked nice, wearing a pair of dark brown dress slacks and a blue oxford shirt that matched his eyes perfectly, she noticed. He'd left the top two buttons undone, a detail she found quite appealing; the brown curls were just barely visible.

Daniel took in the sight of her, trying again not to stare lewdly, but it was getting more difficult, as she became bolder in her choice of clothing. Tonight, she had selected a cream colored, form fitting cotton sweater with a plunging v-neck on top of form fitting stylish black pants. He could see a hint of her breasts through the v-neck; the part of his brain strictly controlled by his Y chromosome alerted him that she was not wearing a bra.

"Hi," he said with a smile. "Come on in." As he turned from the door, she noticed, too, how well the dress slacks fit him.

As she entered the apartment, she was amazed to see that he had fashioned an interim dinner table from the small one that usually occupied the kitchen; there were candles and a makeshift tablecloth. But even more amazing was the food; it looked wonderful, as good as any professionally prepared meal she'd ever seen.

Dinner was as good as it looked, and the conversation between them flowed easily. Maybe it was the wine, but he thought she looked wonderful in the candlelight, laughing, sure of herself. It was quite a lovely sight, he decided; it put him at ease to see her so comfortable.

She looked across the table at him; as so many other times she'd spent with him, she was enjoying herself immensely. She was beginning to think that he was just getting better looking every time she saw him; as they continued to get to know each other, she felt less overwhelmed by her feelings and more at ease with whatever this was between them.

"Would you like to carry on this conversation on the couch?" he asked, with a wave of his hand. In addition to the fact that it was more comfortable, when she came in, she apparently hadn't noticed the package he'd put on the coffee table for her.

She walked over to the couch as Daniel fetched the bottle of wine, pouring them both another glass. He watched her face as she saw the package, neatly wrapped in brown paper, with "For Jennifer – Happy Birthday" in big red letters written on it. He sat down next to her.

She hadn't been expecting a gift and she was touched by his thoughtfulness. She opened the package to reveal the new bike gloves he had picked for her. She was charmed anew at his thoughtfulness and his abilities of observation; her current gloves had definitely seen better days, since she used them for weightlifting, too.

"They're wonderful, thank you," she said with obvious sincerity. The look on her face told Daniel she was really pleased; he smiled.

She set them down on the coffee table and turned to him now; reaching up, she put her arms around him and kissed him enthusiastically. She pulled back only slightly and looked at him, a small smile playing on her lips, the look he'd seen just a hint of at Christmas now surfacing entirely.

He responded to it as if by instinct; tilting his head down to capture her lips again. She wrapped her arms tighter around him now, pressing her body against his.

He felt the same fire ignite that he'd felt on New Year's Eve, as they mutually deepened the kiss they were sharing. From somewhere, the same feeling of caution that had stopped him then stepped in again. He wanted her; before they proceeded he needed to be sure that she wanted him, too.

He broke off the kiss, leaning back against the couch, not entirely pulling out of their embrace.

"Jennifer," he said in a thick voice. "Maybe we should stop," his words betraying his true desire.

"Do you _want_ to stop?" she asked in a low, sexy tone.

He looked at her; her eyes were quietly confident; he could see she was prepared for either answer. He thought for a moment, affectionately caressing her.

"No," came his husky reply.

She smiled at him. "It _is_ my birthday, Dr. Jackson," she said, in a sultry voice with just a hint of mischief, the formal address now a playful term between them. "I'm old enough."

He looked at her a bit quizzically. "Old enough? For what?" he said, in a wondering tone, grinning as he knowingly parodied the conversation they had had in the lab that day; he had a sudden urge to hear what she would say.

She reached one leg over his lap then, straddling him, and proceeded to unbutton his shirt. "To know what I want," she said with the same sultriness, as she finished with his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. She ran her hands over his bare chest, discovering him. The hint of brown curls she had seen before were revealed in their glorious entirety to her now; the sight sent wonderful tingles through her.

Daniel relaxed, enjoying her playful massage; he liked that she was leading the way and there was no question about where this was going.

She sat back slightly, removing her sweater, revealing the camisole to him.

He looked at her appreciatively. "That sure beats the heck out of BDU's," he said, marveling at the way the silky material sat against her smooth skin.

He ran his hands over the material, exploring her; his hands found their way under the camisole, returning her caresses.

She leaned forward into him; putting her arms around his neck, she looked directly into his eyes, her own conveying the message he had been waiting for. In a husky voiceshe whispered, "ready when you are, Dr. Jackson."

"Okay, you don't have to tell _me_ twice," he replied. In one swift move, he stood up, grasping her firm thighs as she wrapped her legs around him, and carried her to the bedroom. With another passionate kiss, he laid her down on the bed.

"I better blow out the candles in the other room," he said, not wanting to leave.

She smiled seductively at him from the bed. He made a note to himself to get better lights for his apartment.

As he turned, she stood up, taking the opportunity to shuck her slacks, revealing the bottom part of the camisole set. She spied a pair of matches on the nightstand; as she reached for them to light the candles in the bedroom, she noticed that the drawer on the nightstand was open part of the way; she could see a box of condoms in the drawer. She smiled, liking the fact that this detail was already taken care of; her own would not be necessary now.

As Daniel returned, he noticed her and stopped, amazed again as he watched her light the candles in the bedroom. The sight of her in just the lingerie further fueled his desire; he was eager to discover what was underneath.

Together now in the bedroom, they dispensed with the remainder of their clothing, enjoying the feeling of finally being naked with each other, and the sight of each other in this most basic sense.

The sight of him filled Jennifer with a sense of wonder; she had been with men before – boys, really; no one with the level of maturity Daniel had – yet, this seemed different on another level, like he was sharing something special with her that not too many other people knew about; it filled her with a strangely respectful sensation.

Daniel decided that he liked the way Jennifer was looking at him, almost like she was admiring him somehow; not the way Sha're had looked at him, she'd never known any other man, and not the way Sarah had looked at him; somehow, it was as if he was being seen for the first time by a woman who cared for him, who had consciously chosen him.

Slowly, gently, they proceeded, discovering each other's intimate secrets, finally and enthusiastically consummating the passion that had long smoldered between them. As he felt her body stiffen beneath him, hearing her draw a ragged breath as her embrace tightened around him, he let go, letting his own sensations and adrenalin completely wash over him.

They lay on the bed together, spent, kissing gently, catching their breath. Daniel relaxed, letting his body press down on Jennifer gently, her arms still wrapped around him, drawing lazy circles on his back.

She heard his breathing slow into a deep, rhythmic pattern. _Some things are universal,_ she decided, smiling at the sleeping form on top of her. Looking at the clock, not quite as ready for sleep as he was, she wriggled gently out of his embrace and headed to the kitchen. She cleaned up the boxes from Waiters on Wheels, grinning at the revelation, and put the dinner dishes in the sink. She decided she could finish them pretty quickly, running the water and commencing to do so almost automatically.

As she was rinsing the last couple of dishes, Daniel appeared in the kitchen doorway. She looked so natural there, naked, doing the dishes. It was quite a sight.

"What are you doing?" he asked, grinning. Seeing the takeout boxes stacked neatly in the open garbage bag, he said with a guilty smile, "So I guess my secret's out."

"It was still a wonderful meal; I guess I'm happy to know that you're NOT a better cook than I am," she replied with a smile. She liked seeing him there, naked.

He stared at her, smiling, enjoying the sight of her. She noticed his staring.

"What?" she asked.

He had noticed recently that she no longer reached for her hair when he stared at her, _she is totally at ease with me,_ he realized, smiling to himself. _Which explains tonight,_ he added to his thoughts.

"Oh, it's nothing really," he said almost bashfully. "It's just that, seeing you like this …" he grinned at her, the intention in his look made her tingle in all the right places.

Her hand was still in the dishwater. She playfully flicked a few drops at him. "Maybe you need a cold shower, Dr. Jackson," she said teasingly, enjoying the mocking tone of the formal address.

"Oh, so that's how it's going to be, huh?" he said, walking over to her. She turned to face him, he was close now; she had her back against the sink. He put his hands against the sink on each side of her and leaned down to kiss her. She put her arms around his neck, soapsuds still dripping from her hands.

He reached to embrace her, and silently dipped some water out of the sink. Leaning back ever so slightly, he let it drip on her; he heard her gasp in response.

He pulled her tight against him, warming them both. Still kissing, he backed out of the kitchen, leading her into the bedroom for one more round before they both went to sleep.

Well, that's it! Finally! Y'all have been waiting for this moment, haven't you? Probably not as long as Jennifer and Daniel have been waiting for it…. ;)


	16. Not Another Military Girl, part 15

And we're moving ... ahead, that is :)

"Fine, _Dr._ Jackson," she said, with an edge to her voice that made Daniel wince inside. She was officially pissed off now. "You're right, you're the expert; but you know that I've actually gotten quite good at this and there's a very good chance that I might just be right," she fairly hissed the last part of this statement.

She knew part of his problem was the severe hangover he was obviously nursing from the previous night's mission success celebration at O'Malley's, as evidenced by the open bottles of Advil and sinus medicine on his desk, but she was beyond sympathy for his self-induced plight at the moment; he'd crossed the line by pulling rank on her. She didn't want to admit that it had actually hurt her feelings.

Slamming her notebook shut, she strode purposefully out the door, shutting it hard enough on the way out to cause the MP's at the end of the hall to jump; she heard the satisfying sound of items in the lab falling over from the force.

She made her way up to the mission prep lab; she'd get a jump on preparing for SG-17's upcoming mission. PX9 107 had not been visited before, the intel was sketchy and the MALP readings were a bit odd; it couldn't hurt to be extra prepared.

Daniel added a wave of helplessness to his nausea now, as the door slammed. He knew he had hurt her; he had practically done it on purpose, he realized, in an effort to push her away.

Though they had addressed the fact that there was an age difference between them, and had agreed it didn't matter; the rare occasion such as this, when he and his body had betrayed each other, were a painful reminder that he wasn't as young as he used to be; that he was a fair bit older than she was.

What bothered him was thinking that he might not be able to keep up with her, that he might hold her back somehow. On what level this might happen, he had never logically determined – they were well matched in certain physical endeavors, he reminded himself, feeling inadvertently aroused at the thought – but the illogical fear was there.

The translation she had been working on was a difficult one, and she was up to the task, he knew that. He made his way over to where she had been. Without realizing it, he slowly immersed himself in the work she had been doing, picking up where she had left off.

It took a few hours, and approaching the matter from several different perspectives, he continually arrived at the same conclusion; the one she had been close to, that she had been trying to tell him about. He realized with a mixed sense of pride and bittersweet humiliation that she had been right on the money the whole time.

His head a bit clearer now and the nausea having subsided, he went over to the telephone. _Time for mea culpa,_ he thought, as he dialed the telephone number for the spot he figured she'd headed to.

As she sat in the lab, poring over the MALP readings and analyzing the soil scans for any evidence of the n-stuffs, she heard the telephone ring. Still angry, she ignored it. She felt a twinge of guilt at this; she knew he was trying to apologize, but her wounded feelings were willing to hide behind her anger just a little while longer.

She wasn't sure what had been worse; the way he had addressed her using the formal military terminology that he himself generally opposed, that they had not used with each other for some time except playfully, or the way in which he had summarily dismissed her theory regarding the translation. She _knew_ she was on the right path as well as she knew her own name; she knew _he _knew it, too.

A small part of her also knew he wasn't himself, that his hangover was helping to dictate his bizarre behavior that morning, but bizarre or not, his behavior was still his responsibility. The hangover was his own fault; she didn't deserve to be treated poorly because he'd misjudged his own tolerance, even if it was a fairly rare occurrence, she declared to herself emphatically.

The sympathetic part of her brain reminded her gently that bouts of physical frailty sometimes re-ignited his misbegotten thoughts that he was too old for her. He couldn't seem to complete a mission without returning with some manner of injury, and some of those often resurfaced to infringe on his daily life, she recalled with a sudden, heartfelt sense of caring.

But, her anger refused to allow her to acknowledge these thoughts; this was his problem, NOT hers, and she was not yet ready to forgive him for it. She suppressed her own nagging contradictions to this with closer attention to the MALP readings. She'd deal with it when she got back from this mission.

SG-17 was running at top speed now, over the uneven ground, every one of them grateful again for their maneuvers training, which had helped them develop surefootedness in this type of terrain. Luckily, it had also included instructions on using a fall to one's advantage; all four had cuts and bruises from unexpected contact with the ground around them.

The blasts falling all around them served as a reinforcement of the statement of unwelcome they had received from the Jaffa leader. He was rebel, yes, as the intel had indicated; he did not serve any Goauld, but he did _not_ welcome the Tauri.

The planet did indeed have some deposits of both n-stuffs, and he did not seem inclined to share those with any other race, noting that it could invite the equally unwelcome presence of the goauld if word of its existence on this planet were to get out.

Colonel Taylor, heeding his instincts as the hair on the back of his neck rose, had ordered SG-17 to retreat, not wanting to upset the suspicious autocrat any further. But, the Jaffa leader had decided that knowledge of his situation should not travel off the planet, and the sudden, sickly sound of "Jaffa! Cree!" had drifted to their ears as they exited the mud and stone structure that served as the leader's headquarters.

She felt, rather than actually noticing, Captain Gibson falling beside her, almost in slow motion. Everything seemed almost surreal now, as his body suddenly flopped on the ground.

As the staff blasts continued around her, she suddenly felt herself turn, still in surreal fashion, racing in slow motion over to where he had fallen.

"Gibson!"

He was moving; at least writhing in pain was an indication he was still alive.

"Hailey, it's too late, go!" he yelled at her.

At his side now, she looked up and noticed the bush and large rock just off the path they had been scrambling down.

A staff blast that was close enough to singe the sleeve of her uniform clarified the reality of their situation, immediately lifting the surreal feeling. The zat and staff blasts were coming fast and furious.

She pulled him off the path and down under the slight covering; it would be enough to deflect some of the firestorm they were catching right now, until she could assess his condition.

Gibson had taken a zat blast; he might have some internal injuries, and from the look of it, he'd popped his right kneecap out when he fell. If she could hold him on his right side, with whatever energy he had left and her own adrenalin, she knew she could carry him, but she was unsure how far.

She could see the gate; it was still a fair bit away, maybe 300 meters – _less than a quarter of a mile, doable _– she decided in a quick assessment, if they could get sufficient cover. Lieutenant Powers and Colonel Taylor had not seen Gibson going down; they were almost at the gate.

From there, they could probably manage to cover her and Gibson while they made their way down to the gate; if it turned bad they could easily zip back to Earth through the gate by themselves. Jennifer knew it was risky, but her gut told her it was a necessary risk.

"I am NOT explaining this to your kids, Captain Gibson, sir, now GET your sorry ass up!"

Captain Gibson knew she was right; if he had any chance at survival, he needed to get up and push through the pain; there would be plenty of time for dealing with his injuries on the other side.

She radioed the Colonel; he and Powers had made the gate and Powers was crouching, dialing home as Colonel Taylor crouched beside him, laying down cover.

"Colonel Taylor sir, Captain Gibson is down. I'm carrying him back to the gate; we'll need heavy cover."

"Get the hell out of there, Hailey! We can't hold them forever!"

"On our way, sir!"

She rose up slowly, remaining in a slight crouch, looking up the path. She could make out the advancing hostile forces; she emptied what was left in her P-90 in their direction, and reloaded, watching as several fell, feeling slightly braver as her counter attack seemed to slow the advance just a bit.

Gibson was pulling himself up; as he got up to the same level, crouching as she was, she laid down another round and then turned. Sliding her arm around him; she looked once at him; he nodded his readiness and she took off as fast as they could manage. They would have to be extra careful not to catch friendly fire from the cover that Taylor and Powers would give them.

Watching from the gate, Taylor and Powers fired at the oncoming band of soldiers that served the Jaffa leader; indigenous and Jaffa among them, careful to avoid the two figures in military green that were making their way down to the gate – they were about 200 meters away now.

Colonel Taylor inadvertently found himself holding his breath; Lieutenant Hailey had excellent instincts, but this might just be one situation beyond her abilities, he thought, watching the two struggle with Gibson's injuries towards the gate.

He knew first hand her dedication to "no man left behind," it was almost to a fault, and he knew that if it came to it, she would die on the planet with Gibson rather than not hold true to that principle. He did not want to have to explain this to either Gibson's family or Dr. Jackson.

He dropped another magazine in his own P-90 and sprayed the advancing hostiles, watching with a sense of soldier's accomplishment mixed with anguish at the loss of life as several of them went to the ground; they fell back slightly. Gibson and Hailey were adequately covering the ground between them and the gate, only about 100 meters to go now.

He smiled to himself with pride; she had been on the mark again. Briefly he pondered her rank; he had recently promoted Gibson from Lieutenant to Captain, but Hailey's record, marked by her fierce determination to do the right thing, regardless of what military protocol dictated, had kept him from being able to promote her, too. Watching them here like this, Colonel Taylor found himself thinking she was every inch the captain that Gibson was.

Lieutenant Powers, from his crouch near the gate, watched. If anyone could make this happen, he knew the feisty little blond could. Like Colonel Taylor, he held his breath as the two got closer – 100 meters, 75 meters, 50 meters, 25 meters. Alternately dialing and unloading his own weapon into the advancing forces, taking extra care not to hit his two teammates, he held off on the 7th chevron.

Hailey and Gibson were almost at the gate. The forces were in the clearing now; Colonel Taylor knew that they were about to lose their post.

"Powers, finish that dialing sequence and tell 'em we're coming home!" Colonel Taylor shouted.

"Sir, yes sir!"

The wormhole established; the light blue blast whooshed past them. Powers quickly transmitted the code from the GDO.

"Powers, GO!" he commanded.

With one last look back and sending one last round of ammunition into the oncoming soldiers, Lieutenant Powers ran up and through the gate.

Colonel Taylor reloaded his weapon again, and keeping one eye on his last two troops as they gained the ground near the Stargate, he fired on the hostiles again, carefully backing up towards the wormhole, trying to avoid the staff and zat blasts they were returning.

Hailey and Gibson stumbled up the steps of the portal together, Colonel Taylor let out his breath; they had made it. He stepped down as they came up and grabbed the injured man by his left arm, taking over the task of carrying him and with a nod of approval at Lieutenant Hailey, he hurled himself and Captain Gibson through the gate.

Lieutenant Hailey looked back and emptied the rest of her ammunition into the advancing crowd. She turned to follow the Colonel and Captain Gibson through the gate.

She heard the whoosh of the staff weapons, knowing first by the closeness of the sound, rather than the feel of it, that it must have hit her. Then there was the acrid aroma of burning flesh; her own, she realized. As the force of the blast propelled her into the wormhole, she passed blissfully into unconsciousness, her small, limp body landing like a rag doll on the ramp on the Earth side.

The telephone in the lab rang; Daniel's blood ran cold for some reason as he saw that it was the infirmary.

"Hi Janet," he said, puzzled, his voice hesitant. "What's up?"

"Hi Daniel," Janet said evenly. This wasn't going to be easy. "I don't know if you're aware of this yet, but SG-17 had to return early. They ran into hostiles and took some pretty heavy fire," she continued, calmly, in a matter of fact tone of voice.

Daniel felt as if the world had suddenly screeched to a halt. Jennifer's regular assignment was on SG-17; he remembered all too well when she had left on that mission not more than a week ago.

"Now, they're all going to be okay," he vaguely heard Janet say through the cloud of fear that had engulfed him all of a sudden, "but I've got a couple here in the infirmary that are going to need some extra time healing."

There was no sound from the other end of the line. Janet stopped. "Daniel, are you with me?" she asked cautiously.

"Uh, yes, yes, I'm here," Daniel said absently.

"Daniel, it's Lieutenant Hailey – Jennifer," Janet finally said. She waited. She heard Daniel sigh.

"Now, she's going to be okay; she took a direct staff hit and she got banged up pretty good. We patched her up and I gave her something for the pain, so she'll be asleep for a while, but I wanted you to hear it from me," Janet said.

"Thanks, Janet," Daniel said slowly. "I appreciate that." He hung up the telephone.

Janet listened to the phone hanging up, exchanging a glance with Sam. She wondered if she should have gone over there and told him in person, or sent either Sam or Colonel O'Neill. She knew that this was what he'd always been afraid of; it was what all family members of SG personnel went through.

"Doctor, we need your help over here," one of the nurses called over to her. The moment forgotten, she strode over to assist in the dressing of a wound that a member of one of the other SG teams had incurred on a mission that day.

Colonel Jack O'Neill watched from the corner of the infirmary as Janet made the call; if his instincts were correct, Daniel would be right along.

Looking around to be sure he wouldn't be noticed, he went over to the side of the bed where the young lieutenant was. He pulled up a chair next to the bed.

"Lieutenant, how about if I just keep you company until he gets here? I might not be as good looking but I'm a better conversationalist – unless you like all that talk about the rocks and stuff," he joked to the small, still form.

He'd been in the gate-room when she had come hurtling through the gate; even with all of his experiences, he was pretty sure that was one sight he'd never get out of his head. Not for the first time, it occurred to Jack O'Neill that retirement was an idea whose time was soon coming.

As his thoughts stepped tentatively down that path, one of a thousand memorable sights that had been imprinted in his mind of his pretty 2IC appeared briefly; she was smiling that fabulous smile. He squeezed his eyes tight to eradicate the image from his primary consciousness and prevent himself from going too far down the dreamland path that it would want him to take.

He sighed then, opening his eyes and looking over at the young woman lying in the bed; she was a hell of a fighter, he knew, and his respect for her at that moment broadened. She'd be okay, he knew; it was Daniel he was concerned about now.

"Look, Lieutenant Hailey, I know I'm not your CO, but my best friend is pretty crazy about you and it would be really helpful if you could just hurry up and recover, okay? We need you both back out there on the front lines and more importantly, we need you alive and well," Jack spoke to the sleeping girl.

Across the room, from Janet's office, Samantha Carter watched him, endeared to him all over again; she always was when he let his guard down and his compassionate side shone through.

She'd been watching from the observation room as SG-17 had come through amidst a hail of staff and zat blasts, the last one being the worst. She knew that this was part of the drill; heck, all SG personnel expected this and were somewhat prepared for it, but it was the more personal ones that struck your soul, she thought.

Samantha and Janet had simply looked at each other once the girl was stabilized; she'd waited while Janet had made the telephone call. Like Jack, she knew Daniel was probably on his way down there at that very moment.

She didn't know exactly what had transpired between them before SG-17 had left on their mission, but her woman's intuition, noticing Jennifer's steely, determined look as she'd strode up the ramp that day and Daniel's morose, melancholy manner since she'd been gone told her something had happened that they probably both regretted now in the worst way.

She was going to be okay, that was the important thing, Daniel's rational mind realized. But his emotional side could only remember that the last time they'd seen each other was not the best time they'd ever had; he'd tried to push her away with his cruel words in a rush of relationship fear brought on by his severe hangover that day.

Daniel got up, and headed towards the infirmary, not thinking about what was going to happen when he got there. He only knew that, no matter what else happened, she deserved to hear that he knew she had been right; he owed her that. As he got closer, he began to run, as if it were the most important thing he would ever do in his life.

Janet attended to the task at hand, using it as an example of how to properly dress a staff weapon injury to the med techs on duty. As she was finishing, she looked up; a breathless, slightly disheveled Daniel appeared in the doorway. _Yep, he's smitten,_ she thought kindly, recalling Jonas' keen observation of the two of them from Thanksgiving some time back.

As he heard the sound of someone rushing into the infirmary, Jack smiled at the still sleeping soldier.

"Well, I guess my shift is over, Lieutenant Hailey; your boyfriend's here," Jack said quietly. He looked up where Daniel had just entered the infirmary and was conversing animatedly with Janet while trying to catch his breath. Silently, he slipped out.

Sam watched him go, smiling to herself as she tucked this secret away in the place where she held these things she knew about Colonel Jack O'Neill.

Janet strode over to the door. "Daniel, slow down, it's okay, she's going to be okay," she said calmingly.

"Hi Janet," Daniel said breathlessly. He stood with his hands on his legs, trying now to catch his breath, reaching up and pushing his glasses up on his nose.

"She's over there," Janet gestured to the row of beds against the wall. Jennifer was sleeping in one down the aisle; her left arm in a sling on top of the covers, a large bandage on her forehead. Her pretty face had sustained several smaller cuts and bruises; she was going to have a fat lip for a couple of days, and a good black eye from the looks of things. _I wonder how the other guy looks,_ Daniel thought to himself.

"She's sleeping right now, so you really can't talk to her anyway. What we've given her will keep her out for a while," Janet continued softly.

Daniel's breathing slowed as he calmed down. She was there, she really was going to be okay. Now he had another errand he needed to run. He grabbed Janet's arm. "Janet, I'll be right back, if she wakes up will you tell her I was here and I'll be right back? Thanks!" he finished breathlessly and ran off again.

Janet just smiled and shook her head. _Must be love,_ she thought to herself. She looked over at her office and exchanged a knowing grin on the matter with Samantha Carter.

He returned about an hour later. This time, he was carrying a dozen roses. "Hi again, Janet," he said, almost sheepishly. "Is she awake yet?"

Janet smiled broadly at him. "Well, I guess you can see her for a few minutes. I'm sure she'd love to see you, too. No heavy breathing over there, though, okay?" she added in a kidding tone of voice.

"Thanks Janet," he said, gratefully.

He walked quietly over to the bed where she was. He thought she might still be sleeping, and started to leave the flowers on the table beside the bed when she stirred, opening her eyes.

She smiled at him. "Hi," she said quietly. "Thanks for the flowers," she said, a note of pure appreciation in her awestruck voice.

"Hi," Daniel said. He felt awkward. "How are you?" he asked, the question almost feeling lame as it left his mouth.

She smiled at him again; his awkwardness endeared him to her. "I'm okay," she said, "or at least, that's what the doc tells me," she grinned.

It was his turn to smile. "Well, you must be okay if you're well enough to make jokes," he said, sounding relieved. His face suddenly turned serious.

"I'm sorry," he said. "You were right; I finished the analysis right after you left and you were right. Jen, I'm so sorry," he finished.

She gave him one of those warm smiles he liked so much, reaching over and rubbing his arm affectionately. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't need to storm off like that. I really hated leaving that way," she said, with more than a touch of contrition.

He sat down on the edge of her bed and reached for her free hand; it, too, had some scrapes and cuts on it from the battle that they had engaged in. He held it tightly, not wanting to look at her; he was afraid of what he might see.

She squeezed his hand; he looked up. She was smiling at him again. "I'm glad you came by," she said quietly.

"Me, too," Daniel replied, with a smile of his own. _I needed to see you for myself and know you weren't dead,_ he thought.

"Thank you again for the flowers, really, they're beautiful," she said, her voice still maintaining its note of pure appreciation.

"Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady," he said in the best mock Southern drawl he could manage at that moment. "I know beautiful when I see it," he added with a grin. _Now, if only I knew what to do with it, _he thought wryly.

She rewarded him with a giggle, the beautiful sound he liked so much. She smiled, but she was beginning to look a bit tired.

"Well, I should really go and let you sleep. The doc said I could only see you for a few minutes. She was worried that the drugs she gave you might have you acting O'Neillish," he said with another grin.

She giggled again. Her eyelids were drooping. He leaned over then and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. He squeezed her hand one more time. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said. She smiled and dropped off to sleep, loosening her grip on his hand.

Daniel breathed a sigh of relief, watching her sleep for a few minutes before slipping out.


	17. Not Another Military Girl, part 16

Remember, it's just a reload to catch up so I can post the stuff no one's seen yet ...so, no, you're not having deja vu ;)

Janet looked up from her desk as Daniel entered the infirmary; she had been waiting for him. She looked over in the direction of Jennifer's bed, where there was still a small crowd gathered. There'd been a steady stream of people in to see the diminutive, tough as nails soldier, starting with Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c, then Sam, Cassie and Jonas later in the morning. Lieutenant Powers had dropped off one of his specialty balloon animals while she was sleeping, and of course the Gibsons and Colonel Taylor and his family had come by.

She smiled to herself as she watched him, so very Daniel; he was pacing, somewhat uncomfortable, not sure what to do with his hands, pushing his glasses up on his nose a few times. She knew he wanted to see her but he really didn't like crowds.

Besides, Janet realized, even though practically the entire base knew about the two of them – Colonel O'Neill really couldn't keep a secret, even though he'd had to reveal a pretty embarrassing one of his own in telling the New Year's story – Daniel was most definitely not comfortable revealing the true nature of their relationship to people.

_Until he admits it to himself, _she thought. The beautiful roses he'd given her the day before had not exactly contributed to their anonymity, either.

"Hello Daniel," she called to him with a smile.

"Uh, hi, Janet," he said, pushing his glasses back up on his nose for about the 10th time since he'd come in a few minutes before.

"May I speak with you for a moment?" she asked.

Daniel looked over at Jennifer's bed, not sure when the party was going to break up.

"Uh, sure," he replied, walking over to her office. "What's up?"

"I know you're going off-world the day after tomorrow, and I was wondering if I could ask you a favor."

"Sure, anything, what is it?" he answered.

She looked over at Jennifer, then back at Daniel. "Normally, I wouldn't impose on you in this manner, but whenever possible, I prefer to send patients to their own homes to recuperate. But, Jennifer's only home right now is the barracks, and since her mobility is going to be limited, I think she'll get stir crazy pretty quick there."

Janet looked right at him then. "I was wondering if she could stay at your place while you're off-world."

Daniel looked down at the floor, crossing his arms in front of him, rocking back on his heels slightly. "Uh, well…" he began.

Janet put a hand on his arm to ease his obvious discomfort; she knew he didn't mind, but it was the suggestion that there was something going on between them that was making him uneasy – it was the same way she felt about references to Jonas living with her.

"Daniel, I'd take her myself but with Cassie _and_ Jonas, I don't really have the room, and besides, she's so independent, I know she'd prefer to be by herself, and since SG-1 is going off-world, I thought the timing would be good. I don't think she'd be at all comfortable in either Sam's or Jack's place, and Captain Gibson and his family will have enough on their hands with _his_ recovery," she continued. "I'm only asking you this as someone who's been a friend to her," she said reassuringly.

Daniel pushed his glasses up his nose and smiled at the petite doctor now. "Sure, Janet, that would be fine, if she wants," he added.

Janet smiled. "Thanks, Daniel. I appreciate this."

They looked over at her now; the last of her guests had finally drifted away. Jennifer already looked bored sitting there and she'd been there only a little over a day. Daniel and Janet smiled at each other; this was a good plan.

"Why don't I ask her?" Daniel offered.

Janet smiled broadly at him. "That's a good idea," she said.

Daniel walked over to her bedside; Jennifer smiled as she saw him.

"Hi."

"Hi," he said, smiling back. He sat down on the edge of her bed. "So how are they treating you here?" he asked innocently.

"As well as they can, I guess," she said, sounding more than a little bored.

"Well, SG-1 has an off-world mission coming up the day after tomorrow, and Janet had this great idea about letting you recover at my place while we're gone," he said. He looked at her. "Would you like that?"

Jennifer was quiet. On so many levels she loved this concept; it gave her a certain tingle that he was willing to do this for her, and his place was cozy and right in town; the barracks would be lonely and she would feel cooped up there, she knew; but her independent nature was urging her to resist this sort of assistance.

She looked at him; the earnestness was there in his blue eyes again. She took a breath and smiled at him.

"Yes, actually, I really would like that," she said.

"Great!" he replied with enthusiasm. He wasn't sure why, but he felt a surge of happiness that she had accepted; he liked the few occasions when she took him up on his offers of help. It gave him a warm feeling when she allowed herself to rely on him; _sort of like she actually needs me,_ he thought.

As he drove her back to his apartment the following day, he found himself increasingly anxious. In the short time since she had returned from PX9 107, he had felt as if he was somehow responsible for what happened, as if he should be taking better care of her. His own mission only hours away, he realized he was uncomfortable leaving her alone.

This thought pattern bothered him, confused him, because she was not the type to be taken care of; he knew that – in fact, it was one of the things he liked about her – and he couldn't possibly have prevented what had happened; that was simply the nature of an SG team's job. How many times had he and SG-1 been faced with similar situations?

He decided he was just angry at her for getting injured, really, _she_ should take better care of herself; in that moment adamantly refusing to acknowledge the memories of countless times when Jack O'Neill – and Samantha Carter – and Teal'c – had done exactly the same thing for him as she had done for Captain Gibson.

When they got to the apartment, he opened the car door for her per his usual.

"I'll carry that," Daniel said somewhat insistently, as she reached for her bag.

She looked sharply at him. The tone of his voice was edgy, almost annoyed. She was already a bit nervous about this arrangement, even though he was leaving on a mission the next morning. It was difficult to accept his help; she didn't want to admit that she was depending on him.

As they entered the apartment; the warm, early summer sun streaming through the windows from the far side, Jennifer smiled to herself; it would certainly be more comfortable than either the barracks or the underground infirmary.

Daniel set her bag down in the bedroom. "Would you like something to drink?" he asked.

"Yes, some water would be wonderful," she said, relieved that the strange moment seemed to have passed. "These pain drugs that the doc's got me on really make me thirsty."

Passing back through the living room, he noticed that she had settled in the armchair facing the kitchen. She was changing one of her bandages.

Sitting there in baggy shorts and a t-shirt, with the bandages and the wounds underneath, she looked vulnerable in a way he had first noticed when he saw her in the infirmary. It had scared him then; now, it made him angry for some reason. He didn't like the thought of her being susceptible to injury.

"You know, you really shouldn't take risks like that when you're offworld; you could have gotten killed," he heard himself say to her in a tone that was both fatherly and annoyed; as it came out of his mouth he knew it sounded wrong. He decided he didn't care how it sounded; it was how he really felt.

She looked at him sharply again. As he expected, the tone had served to fuel her anger and she reacted.

"Well, I'm not at all sorry that I did it; both Gibson and I made it back and that's what counts," she said evenly, smoothly, with a hint of what would soon be rising anger in her voice if he continued.

He sighed loudly. "Don't you care about whether or not you make it back alive? Shouldn't that be your first priority?" he heard himself ask her in an arrogant, condescending tone. This too, sounded all wrong; he was immediately sorry as he heard the somewhat ludicrous words coming out of his mouth.

The confused, hurt look on her face was more than he could bear; he turned and went into the kitchen to get her the water.

Finishing with the bandage, she got up and followed him to the kitchen, not entering it, but standing in the doorway, preferring this distance between them; it was an invisible boundary as she prepared to defend herself against his abrupt attack.

"I DID make it back alive. I can't go out on missions wondering if I'll live or die, that's not the way it works," she said angrily.

Daniel didn't say anything; he watched the water run in the sink. He knew she was right; he didn't know how to tell her what was really bothering him.

That he did not respond to her statement upset her; he didn't have the right to open this criticism against her without acknowledging her feelings in the matter. This attack he had launched at her was ridiculous and so completely unlike him; she didn't understand what was wrong with him all of a sudden.

"So, to answer your question, if it means I have to leave someone behind, then no, I don't care if I make it back alive," she said defiantly, in an angry, hurt tone, practically biting out the words.

"Well, dammit, _I _care," he said loudly, almost harshly, not looking directly at her.

The curse word caught Jennifer off guard; she looked quizzically at him. A strange new thought crashed through her bruised emotions just then; almost immediately, she stopped feeling angry.

"Why?" she asked quietly.

Daniel sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He turned to face her. She was looking at him with those big dark eyes, searching; she knew the answer, was he going to admit it to himself – more importantly, to her?

She was leaning against the kitchen doorframe, her white arm sling and bandages glaringly obvious. The sight invoked a strange feeling in him – he had an overwhelming urge to try and protect her from all the bad things that could happen to her.

But at the same time, he knew he never could; this was her life choice, as it was his, and she was really quite accomplished at it. All he could ever hope for was to go along for the ride, wasn't that what Jack said?

_But it's a ride I can't seem to get away from,_ he thought. _No, I don't want to_ _get away from it,_ he corrected himself.

He took a step towards her. She shifted her gaze up.

"Because," he said slowly, "I don't know if I could stand it if another person I love is lost to me in this lifetime, and I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you," he finished quietly.

She looked right back at him, eyes steady. She had realized only in the last few minutes that this was coming, but now that he had actually said it, she didn't know what to do. Did she _love_ him?

She thought about this, looking into his eyes; the two things she _was_ sure about were that she didn't ever want to hurt him in anyway, and, without him, her life had never felt so complete, no matter how scary it got.

"I think I love you, too," she said seriously, never moving her gaze from his blue eyes.

Gently, he reached over, cupping her face with both of his hands. He tilted her chin upwards, leaned down, and began kissing her, gently.

She put her free arm around his neck and melted into his kisses. He pulled her to him, momentarily forgetting the sling and the staff blast.

"Aagghh!" Jennifer yelped in pain, breaking off their kiss as his embrace put pressure on her injured shoulder blade and back.

"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry," Daniel said, stepping back, horrified that he might have hurt her.

She giggled, pulling him close again with her free arm. "That's okay, the injury was incurred in the commission of an honorable act," she said warmly.

He smiled, gingerly and tenderly putting his arms around her again, touched that she remembered his joke from the first time they had kissed. It was things like that that he _loved_ about her, he realized, a warm feeling enveloping him as he stood there with her in his arms.


	18. Not Another Military Girl, part 17

This one kind of freaked a few people out -- it'sa little dark, but if you've ever known anyone who went through this sort of thing (and I have, unfortunately), it's not far from the truth ...

Although the apartment was comfortable and she had spent enough time there in recent months to be completely at ease, Jennifer had trouble sleeping. Janet warned her that this was likely, given the combination of painkillers and antibiotics she had prescribed for her.

She told Jennifer to keep her advised if anything changed; both felt just a bit better about this situation since Cassie was going over there every few days to keep Jennifer company and help her with changing the bandages. Though neither Cassie nor Janet would tell Jennifer, it was also the doctor's way of keeping an eye on her; Cassie would quickly tell her mother if Jennifer's recovery was not going well.

The insomnia wasn't really a problem, until the nightmares started, only a few short days after SG1 had left for their month long mission. They involved the goauld; in these dreams, Jennifer could clearly hear the Jaffa leader they had encountered on PX9 107 calling for his troops to kill them. Then she was running.

The dreams had the same theme, but there were variations; sometimes Gibson was the goauld, his eyes glowing as she stopped to help him, sometimes it was Colonel Taylor, eyes glowing as he stepped through the gate and the wormhole disengaged behind him, leaving her alone on the planet with the hostile forces.

Sometimes it was even Lieutenant Powers, the quiet one among them; in those nightmares, she would watch his eyes glow, just before he killed Colonel Taylor and then Captain Gibson before turning his P-90 on her; she would turn to run, and would feel the imaginary bullets in her injured shoulder blade and back; Jennifer always breathed a thankful sigh as the pain from the staff blast wound woke her from this particular version of the dream.

On the days after these nightmares, she would wake up groggy, and spend the morning in a semi catatonic state. That's when she realized that the drugs Janet had given her helped keep her alert.

What the doctor had not counted on was Jennifer's strength; she was young, had taken good care of herself and had been the picture of health. She was healing more quickly than Janet had initially thought she would.

As Jennifer's physical body began to heal on its own, the drugs, no longer necessary for her pain, sought out new areas of her nervous system to play with, wreaking havoc with her mind. She'd never been much of one for any kind of medicine, rarely even bothering with pain tablets; she had very little tolerance for the effect these were having.

Cassie dropped by every few days; since she came usually in the later afternoon, when Jennifer was wide awake, thanks to the drugs and the copious amounts of coffee she was drinking, the younger girl did not notice anything wrong right away.

Jennifer herself didn't know that the lack of sleep and the drugs were to blame for her increasing inability to separate these dreams from wakeful reality. She began to think that there were many more goauld on Earth than anyone knew about, began to suspect that they were hiding in plain sight, perhaps even among the SGC personnel.

She was grateful for Cassie's visits; it kept her from thinking too much about these spies, these hidden enemies. Knowing the story of how the younger girl had come to live on Earth, Jennifer felt safe with her, comfortable in the knowledge she could not be one of them.

With each successive nightmare and subsequent sleepless night, Jennifer became more convinced that the goauld were infiltrating the Earth somehow. She began to feel more protective of her young friend, determined to rid the universe of the presence of these heinous creatures. It angered her to think how they had tried to use Cassie to their own evil ends.

She started to notice that the sleepiness was winning her over, even after she had taken the prescribed dosage of her drugs – the pills weren't supposed to be for alertness, anyway, and the doctor had strongly warned her that she should not take any more than what was prescribed; in fact, she had given Jennifer just enough to carry her through the time that SG1 was to be away and had stated quite firmly she would not give her any more.

At first, it was just one extra in the morning, to keep her awake through the day, she told herself. Then it was another one at the next scheduled dosage time, to get her through the afternoon. She washed these down with as much strong coffee as her stomach could manage.

The breaking point was the day that she decided to watch the movie. Her mind had been on maximum power that day, her thoughts barreling along at top speed. She knew she needed to relax somehow.

The old movie series 'The Matrix' was one she had enjoyed, and she thought it would help her take her mind off the things she had been furtively wondering about. But, watching it, she had a sudden revelation: _this was how the goauld were doing it; they were coming through the telephones_, she realized.

She stopped answering the telephone then, determined not to be a pawn in their deeds. Every time it rang, she jumped; each successive series of rings seemed like another victory for them.

The rings were coming more often now; _I wonder if we're losing the war against them, _Jennifer thought to herself.

_Maybe they're after me now,_ the suspicions told her; she wondered if they would come in the form of Captain Gibson or Lieutenant Powers, or anyone else she might know. She knew it would not be Cassie, and it had been some time since the girl had come to visit. _Maybe the goauld have finally gotten to her, too,_ Jennifer mused sadly, bitterly.

Jennifer thought she should stay alert in case they needed her in battle; she increased the pill dosage again. She knew that she would not be able to do this for long; Janet would not give her any more, but she would be useful as long as what she had held out. She'd negotiate for more after that, pointing out the need for her battle skills with the goauld so pervasive now.

Cassie frowned as the telephone in Dr. Jackson's apartment rang continuously, with no pick up on the other end.

It has been over a week now since she'd last seen Jennifer. She'd tried calling repeatedly, but there had been no answer, and Dr. Jackson's answering machine had not been picking up for the last several days. She'd tried Jennifer's cell phone too, but that had apparently been shut off.

"What's the matter?" Jonas asked, noticing her look.

"Jennifer's not picking up the telephone," she said.

Janet and Jonas looked at each other, exchanging looks of concern.

"Maybe you should look in on her tomorrow, anyway," Janet suggested lightly.

"SG-1 is coming back tomorrow, ahead of schedule," Jonas put in. "Maybe you could go over there with Dr. Jackson," he said reassuringly.

Cassie bit her lip; their tone did not assuage her.

"Alright," she agreed. She was anxious to see Jennifer and know that she was okay.

SG-1 came down the ramp; Daniel limping between Sam and Teal'c. Colonel O'Neill had the same bored look he usually had when these things happened, as they sometimes did with Daniel.

"Colonel O'Neill, what happened?" General Hammond asked, as the med techs helped Daniel off to the infirmary. He had a vague sense as to what it would be; Dr. Jackson might be an incredibly brilliant man and an imperative member of the SGC, but he had a knack for getting into trouble.

"Oh, Danny boy tripped over some rocks he was investigating; looks like he may have torn a ligament in his knee," Jack said in his bored tone. Secretly, he was sometimes glad when one of Daniel's plights shortened their mission, and this was one of those times.

"Alright, Colonel, debrief tomorrow morning, dismissed," General Hammond replied. He knew that sometimes an abbreviated mission was the only break his primary team got, no need to rush the details on what had been a routine cultural exploration mission.

Jack decided to check in on Daniel; he knew the younger man would feel responsible for this sudden end to their current mission and he thought it only fair to let his friend off the hook.

Down in the infirmary, Janet and Cassie were equally dismayed as the med techs helped Daniel in.

"Now what?" Cassie said to her mother, her young face reflecting a level of concern that one might expect to see on an adult.

Janet smiled at her, trying to ease her obvious anxiety. "Don't worry, it'll all work out, it always does," she said reassuringly.

"Now what what?" Jack said jovially, standing in the doorway. "And what's going to work out?"

Janet and Cassie smiled at each other. Cassie pulled Colonel O'Neill aside so Dr. Jackson would not overhear, as Janet went over to attend to his knee.

"Uncle Jack, would you give me a ride over to Dr. Jackson's place? I'm a little worried about Jennifer, I haven't been able to reach her on the telephone for a few days now," Cassie said with a concerned tone.

The hairs on the back of Jack's neck rose. Watching the young lieutenant come through the gate that fateful day had completely torn him apart; he was equally concerned about what it would do to his friend if there was something wrong with her. During their now aborted mission, Daniel had confided to Jack the conversation between he and Jennifer about the true nature of their feelings for one another.

"Sure, no problem honey, let's go," Jack said, playfully mussing her hair.

Arriving at the Victorian, Jack's instincts were still on high alert. He walked Cassie to the door of Daniel's apartment.

Jennifer's heart skipped a beat at the sound of the knock; maybe the goauld had given up trying to get her through the telephone and were coming for her in person. She grabbed her service revolver, proceeding to the door and looking through the keyhole; it was Cassie and Colonel O'Neill. She sighed with relief, setting the gun down on the coffee table.

There was no answer to their first knock; Cassie and Jack looked at each other. Cassie raised her hand to knock again when the door opened. Jennifer was standing there, smiling.

"Colonel O'Neill, sir," Jennifer saluted the senior officer. She was relieved to see him; maybe the goauld hadn't gotten to everyone yet.

"At ease, Lieutenant Hailey, at ease," Jack said quietly. He looked her over critically, the look in her eyes wasn't quite right; his hair still stood at attention.

She smiled broadly at Cassie. "Hi Cassie, I'm glad you're here," she said warmly.

"Hi Jen, we've been trying to contact you," Cassie said with a note of concern.

Jennifer looked quizzically at them both; she didn't understand. She was more convinced than ever that the goauld were using the telephone to try and infiltrate Earth. She wondered how they had been trying to contact her; she would have to ask Cassie.

"I don't know how I missed you, but I'm glad you're here," Jennifer said with sincerity.

Cassie smiled. "Me, too," she said warmly, a note of relief in her voice. They both looked over at Colonel O'Neill now.

Jack suddenly felt a bit awkward with the two girls. "Well, don't let me interrupt your fun," he said with his usual mild sarcasm.

"Thanks for the ride, Uncle Jack," Cassie said, reaching up and giving him a hug and a kiss.

"Oh, any time if it means I get one of those," he replied warmly, returning her hug. He looked over at Lieutenant Hailey again, he noticed there was a slight tremble in her hands.

"Colonel O'Neill, permission to speak freely, sir," she addressed him.

"Permission granted, Lieutenant," he said, her adherence to military conduct easing his fears a bit. _Maybe I'm just being over protective,_ he thought.

"Colonel O'Neill, where is Dr. Jackson, sir?" she said, trying to hide an obvious tremor in her voice.

Jack smiled to himself; that was it. She was just concerned about the man that she _loved_, his friend, he thought, reveling in his new knowledge.

"Oh, Danny tore a ligament in his leg, tripping over some Rosetta stone or something that he discovered," Jack said with a grin.

A new wave of fear washed over her; _maybe he's been taken over by a goauld and they're just not telling me because they don't know about us,_ she thought to herself.

Jack smiled warmly at her as he saw the clouds darken her eyes.

"Don't worry, Lieutenant, he's fine; but Dr. Fraiser is keeping him in the infirmary over night just to be on the safe side," he said reassuringly. "He's done this before, he'll live" Jack continued.

She smiled then; his words had seemed to eradicate the dark look in her eyes.

"Thank you, Colonel O'Neill, sir," she said with a relieved note in her otherwise tremulous voice.

Feeling a bit better about the situation now, Jack looked from one to the other. "Well, I guess I'll just go now, girl parties aren't my thing," he deadpanned, with a smile.

The two giggled conspiratorially as Cassie entered the apartment, chatting with Jennifer; Jack left for home.

"So, what have you been up to? Are you okay?" Cassie asked, her concern returning.

"Oh, nothing, really, reading, trying to sleep, watching movies," Jennifer replied. "They were trying to get in for a long time, but they haven't tried today," she said off handedly.

Cassie frowned. "What do you mean, they were trying to get in?"

Just then, the telephone rang. Jennifer jumped, but made no motion to answer it. Cassie looked sharply at her.

As the ringing continued, Cassie moved to answer it.

"No, don't! That's how they get in," Jennifer said, a knowing and urgent tone to her voice.

"Who?" Cassie asked. She was suddenly very afraid for her friend's well being; there was definitely something wrong.

Jennifer leaned towards her. "The goauld, I figured out that's their new way of trying to get a foothold here on Earth," Jennifer said in a hurried, quiet tone, looking around furtively as if someone might be listening.

Cassie noticed the pill bottles then; they were empty, and she saw the service revolver on the coffee table. Her blood ran cold; she felt an urgent desire to go home, her mother and Jonas would know what to do.

"Well, listen, Jen, I can't stay; Mom and Dad are holding dinner for me. I just wanted to make sure you were okay," she said.

Jennifer looked at Cassie; the girl seemed very nervous. She couldn't blame Cassie for feeling like that, the way that the goauld had treated her, though she couldn't quite understand Cassie's obvious lie.

For a brief second it occurred to her that Cassie could be a goauld; the naked fear in her eyes convinced Jennifer otherwise. Goauld didn't generally exhibit fear. Jennifer remembered that Cassie could sense the goauld; maybe she could sense they were coming and just didn't want to be around for it.

At the door, as Cassie turned to leave, Jennifer suddenly gave her a big hug, startling the younger girl. Then she looked directly into her face.

"Don't you worry Cassie; as long as I can draw breath I'm going to see to it that they pay for what they did to you," Jennifer said sincerely, her eyes glassy and slightly unfocused.

Cassie felt a terrible wave of sadness come over her; she loved Jennifer and seeing her like this was awful.

She reached over and hugged Jennifer back. "Thank you, Jennifer," Cassie said; she realized that she meant it, for whatever it was worth in reality.

Daniel dialed the number again; it was his own, he was sure he'd gotten it right. She should be there; Janet had told him that Cassie had gone over to keep her company. He'd tried her cell phone a few times already; each time he'd heard the customer unavailable message his sense of foreboding deepened another level.

Something wasn't right; he dialed another number now.

"Yes, Daniel?" Jack answered. He stopped the truck; somehow, he knew he'd be turning it around.

"Jack, I'm worried about Jennifer," Daniel said. "You saw her, right? She was okay, wasn't she?" the archaeologist quizzed him.

Jack sighed in response. "Yes, she seemed okay, Daniel," he said, regretting as he heard the words leave his mouth that he couldn't keep the concern out of his voice, knowing Daniel would pick up on it.

"Jack."

"I know, Daniel, I know, I'm on my way," he said with another sigh. "I'll pick you up and we'll go over there together." Jack turned the truck around and stepped on the gas. He was beginning to get nervous; Jack O'Neill was not a nervous man.

The telephone rang, Jonas jumped up. "I'll get it," he called out.

Janet smiled; she knew he got restless whenever it was his turn to sit out an SG-1 mission and that he was hoping the call would be to let him know when the next one was coming.

"Dad?"

"Cassie?" Jonas said quizzically. He hadn't recognized the telephone number; she wasn't calling from Dr. Jackson's place.

"Are you okay?" he asked with obvious concern as he looked over at Janet; knowing that look, she grabbed the extension in the kitchen, just in time to hear Cassie's reply.

"Yeah, I'm okay, I'm calling from the payphone at the coffee shop. Something's wrong with Jennifer," she said quietly, with a note of anxiety.

"Cassie, honey, it's Mom – can you tell me what happened?" Janet asked, grateful that her doctor training kicked in over her mother's concern. Cassie was okay, she'd done the right thing and gone to a safe place to call them, and now she was the key to determining what was wrong with Lieutenant Hailey.

"Mom, all of the pills are gone; the bottles are empty, and her gun's on the table, and she hasn't been answering the telephone because she thinks…." Cassie looked around her; she had to be careful what she said in public. There was no one within immediate earshot, but the shop was busy. She cupped the mouthpiece.

"She thinks that the goauld are using the telephone lines to get to Earth, like in that old movie 'The Matrix'," Cassie whispered urgently into the telephone.

Jonas and Janet looked at each other; Janet immediately recognized the symptoms of drug-induced hallucinations, most likely involving some post-traumatic stress from the battle on PX9 107.

"I'll call Sam from here and ask her to pick you up, okay, beautiful?" Jonas said quickly. "She'd like to see you anyway, I'm sure, and she's got the bike," Jonas added with a warm tone to his voice, knowing how much Cassie enjoyed the infrequent rides she got on Sam's motorcycle.

Janet felt a wave of gratitude come over her at his quick thinking and the easy, charming nature he had, which always put people at ease; the bond he shared with her daughter was something she often counted among the blessings in her life.

"Thanks Dad, that'd be great," Cassie said, sounding obviously relieved. "What about Jennifer?" she asked, the anxious note returning.

"Cassie, honey, I'm on my way to the infirmary and I'll see to it that Jennifer gets taken care of, okay?" It was Janet's turn to be reassuring now.

"Okay, Mom," came the now calm reply.

They hung up the telephone together; Janet looked at Jonas.

"Go," he said, as he hit the speed dial for Sam's cell phone, waving at her. He smiled at her, that big, warm, smile that made Janet tingle in spite of herself. "It'll all work out, it always does," he said reassuringly with a knowing wink at her, his use of her standard phrase endearing and comforting to her.

In one move she grabbed her keys, jacket and purse and headed out the door, her other hand efficiently flipping open her cell phone and hitting the speed dial for Jack O'Neill; he'd handled things like this before. It would not go well if they sent strangers.

"Hi Janet," came the smooth, deep voice of the Colonel, sounding a bit defeated.

"Colonel O'Neill, sir, it's Lieutenant Hailey," Janet began; the anxious note in her voice telling him it was worse than he had thought.

"Yeah, I know," he said, the regret obvious in his voice. He never should have left them alone like that; he ignored his better judgment because he didn't _want_ it to be bad.

He looked over at the silent man in the passenger seat. "We're on our way over there now," he said.

"We, sir?" she asked. Janet was relieved he wasn't going alone, Jennifer could be dangerous in her current state, but she was curious as to whom he was bringing with him.

"Yeah, I rescued one of your patients to help me out," he said, hoping a dose of his usual wit would lighten things up a bit. He felt a terrible wave of guilt about leaving this woman's daughter in a dangerous situation; he couldn't begin to describe the feelings he had about not having tried to resolve the situation before he left the Victorian. Even if everyone else involved were able to forgive him; it would be a long time before he forgave himself on this one.

Janet smiled; Jack O'Neill was a good man with a big heart that he hid from the rest of the world.

"Well, sir, make sure they both get back in one piece, okay? Or I'll be reviewing your vaccination record," she said, her voice indicating that the joke had done its job.

In front of the apartment now, Jack helped Daniel out of the truck.

"I should probably go first," Daniel suggested quietly, "given the nature of things, that is," he added thoughtfully, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

Jack looked over at him, feeling another wave of anguish at the look on Daniel's face.

"Okay, I'll back you up," he said.

Daniel looked at him, grateful Jack hadn't felt the need to dictate how this would happen. They went up to the door of the Victorian.

In the apartment, after Cassie left, Jennifer tried to pull herself together. SG-1 was back in town; she'd need to go back to the barracks, she thought. She'd run out of the pills the night before; she knew that soon she wouldn't be at the top of her game.

She busied herself around the apartment, tidying up, gathering the few things she had brought with her, stuffing them into her bag. She needed to keep her mind occupied. Having her hair down all this time suddenly seemed an inconvenience; she tucked it up. That was better; anyway, she'd need to be ready for battle when the goauld did show up.

Looking around the apartment, she realized that she really didn't have anything else to do until someone could come and take her back to the barracks. She wasn't about to pick up the telephone to call a cab, and anyway, she wanted to see Daniel when he came home, _see him for myself and know that the goauld didn't get him _she thought. _Besides,_ the rapid-fire paranoid thoughts still rushing pell-mell through her brain, _the cab driver could be one_.

She set her bag down next to the armchair on the far side of the living room, facing the door, and collapsed into the chair. Colonel O'Neill had said Daniel was in the infirmary over night, so he wouldn't be home before at least the next day.

Trying to distract herself from the whispering voices, speaking urgently to her about the goauld, she settled back, one eye on the door, and burrowed into an article on deep space telemetry – the stuff they were supposedly doing up on Cheyenne Mountain.

She felt an increasing sense of anxiety; she was getting sleepy, and really wished she had more of the pills to help her stay awake. Sleepiness won the battle as she read; she dozed off, into fitful sleep, interrupted by visions of her SG-17 team members as goaulds.

The sound of the front door of the Victorian woke her. The hairs on the back of her neck rose; fear springing into her throat. _They're coming for me,_ she thought. As the noise of footsteps drifted closer, she set the magazine down and reached for her gun.

She curled up in the chair, cradling the arm that was still in its sling. She drew her knees up to her, using her right knee as a platform for her free hand, service revolver at the ready. She wasn't going to go quietly. The steps were definitely coming towards the apartment; she heard the sound of a key in the lock.

She drew a bead on the door. She was in battle ready stance; finger on the trigger, eye on the mark; all she had to do was hold steady and squeeze – she'd be able to take out at least one this way. Holding steady was proving difficult, though; she tried to concentrate. This was no time to lose her cool.

She kept her eye down the barrel as the door opened slowly to reveal the figure in the hall; the red laser light from the target finder fell upon it. It was Daniel.

As he opened the door, Daniel saw her sitting in the armchair facing him, her service revolver at the ready, pointing directly at him. She had her eye on the mark, safety off. Daniel stopped dead in his tracks, his jaw involuntarily dropping open; guns meant business, no matter who was holding it.

In the hallway, Jack watched Daniel, his own gun drawn. As he tread slowly closer to the now open doorway, silently, so as not to disturb the girl, he saw with horror the red laser pointer in the middle of Daniel's chest; she had her service revolver trained on him. Jack didn't want to startle her; he knew she was a crack shot and wouldn't miss if she pulled the trigger.

Jennifer didn't move an inch. _He could be a goauld, _her fear urgently advised her, but from somewhere, the unpolluted portion of her normally keen analytical abilities noted that he would not have used a key to open the door if he was a goauld.

The thought pattern continued, gaining strength; his knee would not be wrapped in a cast nor would he need a crutch due to his torn ligament if he were a goauld. His eyes had not glowed at the threat of her shooting him; instead he was frozen in motion, hands up at the sight of the gun, a torn, anguished look in the beautiful blue eyes behind the glasses, _which he wouldn't need if he were host to a goauld._

As the remainder of her rational mind struggled to win this debate, the realization that it actually was Daniel sinking in, she was suddenly horrified at the situation she had almost created, she slowly took her finger off the trigger and pointed the gun up and away in the routine threat removed /stand down mode.

She closed her eyes and bowed her head, tears suddenly rushing up to escape from the lids. She covered her eyes with her arm, as if to block them, no longer trusting them to accurately translate what she was seeing.

As she took her finger off the trigger, Daniel let his breath out, carefully. The sight of her like this was unbearable; he felt a catch in his throat.

Daniel went into the apartment, slowly, leaving the door open behind him for Jack. He limped over to her, silent sobs now racking her body. He gently took the gun out of her hand, making his way over to set it down on the desk across the room. He looked over at her, tears rolling unchecked down her face.

He crossed back over to where she was sitting, and seated himself on the coffee table facing her. He reached over to her.

"Jennifer," he said, quietly, soothingly, gently pulling her into his arms. She collapsed against him, then, openly sobbing as he held her.

The expression of her raw need for him, the way she suddenly clung to him, surprised him, filling him with a strangely endearing feeling; not for the first time, he felt an overwhelming desire to take care of her, to protect her and keep her safe.

Knowing that he could not, his sense of anguish returned full force; the lump in his throat won its battle then, and he felt tears of his own pricking at the corners of his eyes. He rocked her gently; it was as close to taking care of her as he was likely to get in this lifetime.

Jack listened carefully from the hallway, through the open door. The sound of Lieutenant Hailey's sobs and Daniel's soothing voice were clear now; he stepped into the open doorway, gun at the ready.

The sight of them, she with her sling and Daniel with his leg wrapped, holding each other while she cried, broke Jack's heart as he holstered his own gun. He was instantly reminded of Daniel's plight in trying to recover from the effects of the sarcophagus after they had returned from P3R 636.

He pulled out his cell phone and called Janet, suggesting that it might be better if a medical transport vehicle came for them; no sirens, though, he warned her. Daniel could ride with Jennifer then and get himself back in. He didn't tell the doctor that it was his own emotions he couldn't trust in regard to driving the two of them back up to the base.

Coming back from Janet's after she had dropped off Cassie, Sam felt a strong urge to drive by Daniel's place. She was worried about them; _all of them,_ she thought.

As she maneuvered the motorbike down the street, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the military ambulance with no lights on in front of the Victorian. Jack's truck was also there.

She parked the bike a few feet away, and dismounted. She strode quickly towards the front of the building, stopping short, staying out of the light in order to assess the situation before proceeding.

The front door suddenly opened; heeding caution, she ducked beside the porch of the next building, peering carefully over the edge.

Daniel and Jennifer emerged; he was holding her with one arm, the other negotiating his crutch. Two med techs assisted them down the stairs, and into the waiting ambulance. As they shut the doors to the vehicle, Sam heard another door shut. She looked up; Jack was on the front porch of the building now.

Sam felt an immediate wave of relief wash over her at the sight of him. As she watched him walk dejectedly down the stairs, she stepped out from her hiding space.

"Colonel," she addressed him.

He looked up, startled, but she noticed the relieved, happy look in the big brown eyes.

"Carter, what are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd stop by just to see if everything was okay, sir," she said. "Looks as if you've got everything under control," she offered hopefully.

He smiled; he knew what she was up to.

"It's okay, Carter, I don't think it's ALL my fault," he said dryly.

She looked directly at him; the beautiful eyes telling him she didn't necessarily buy it.

"Well, okay, but I'm going to get over it," he said, with a more believable note of wit this time.

That got him a glimpse of the smile.

"Everything's under control, Carter; why don't you go home and get some sleep," he said in his best don't-forget-I'm-your-commanding-officer-and-I-know-best tone of voice, the broad smile telling her that he was glad she'd stopped and that yeah, he would be okay.

"Yes sir," she replied, giving him another one of the smiles she knew would help as she watched him get in his truck. She turned to leave as he drove away.


	19. Not Another Military Girl, part 18

Author's note: IMPORTANT! This is how it all started, way back when…I read "A Second Chance by Sally Reeve" and I thought "what about poor Daniel?"

So, I started mentally writing in an addendum to her story, involving someone for poor Daniel, then I started to put it on paper…And the rest, as they say, is history…

Thus, for this next piece and for the pieces that follow, it helps if you've read that one. If you HAVEN'T read that one (oh, so worth it!), then you can still follow this, but there may be questions afterwards…

I've asked and Sally has graciously granted me permission to print these. This really picks up about part 12 of her piece, and true to its name, really follows the adventures of Daniel and Jennifer with a little of everyone else thrown in for good measure.

So, with a deep, Jaffa-esque bow to the fabulous folks who have inspired, encouraged and helped me – Sally, Ruthie, Cathain, Heather, Dave and Ted, Ray and Chris, among countless others to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude, here we go!

They rode in silence back to the pleasant bungalow at 4075; somehow Daniel sensed she wasn't really there. He didn't have the energy to think about it; the way Jennifer still seemed "frozen", as if the snow and ice they'd encountered on P3X 832 hadn't yet melted.

She had that steely look on her face; it hadn't left since the horrific scene at the top of the mountain. It had all been so confusing and chaotic; and true to her nature, after the initial shock of the moment had worn off, she had simply taken charge, shouting orders at the soldiers around her, even though Captain Gibson outranked her and Sam had specifically left Gibson in charge before she attempted to reach Tasha on the bridge.

_So much for the fun of being on a mission together,_ Daniel thought sarcastically to himself. When Jennifer and Captain Gibson had been selected from SG-17 to accompany this mission, both he and Jennifer had been looking forward to it; Dr. Greene's work was fascinating to them both, and Daniel knew she had long yearned to serve with Jack and Sam on a mission as part of SG-1.

Once off-world, they had both observed the mounting tension between Tasha Greene and Sam as if on the sidelines of some brutal game; their exchange of helpless glances the only indication that they were aware of it. Jennifer had flatly refused to engage in the furtive undercurrent of discussion on the matter, unlike Gibson and Ferretti, who had gleefully enjoyed this little game of one-upsmanship between the two women; he wondered briefly if it had been guilt from this that caused them both to forget themselves when it turned deadly.

That the rest of them had all made it off the mountain was due in large part to her efficiency, Daniel knew, and her ability to put aside what had obviously been a harrowing event for her as well as for him, if the blood curdling scream that had come from the depths of her soul in that tragic moment was any indication. It had sounded through the wind in unison with his own as their friend had fallen into the abyss.

Vaguely he was aware that she had violated several chain of command rules by doing what she had done; there would be consequences for it. At this moment it appeared to be the only indication that the event had affected her in any way.

During the debrief, she had echoed the disastrous mission exactly as it was related by Gibson and Ferretti, including her own protocol gaffe. Though neither Gibson nor Ferretti put any emphasis on this part, by virtue of their all too brutal recall, it became obvious. Daniel imagined that only he knew the true level of fury Jennifer felt for Dr. Greene at that moment; obvious to him in the way she bit out the words during her recitation of the events.

But he just didn't have the cycles to think about any of this now; he could only be grateful to her for her presence. This was one night when he really didn't want to be alone; every time he shut his eyes, the image of Sam slamming against the canyon wall forced them wide open again, along with the tear in his heart.

Back at the house, she efficiently ushered them both inside, and guided Daniel towards the bedroom, her soldier's sense telling her that they would need as much sleep as they could get before they went back to P3X 832 on the recovery mission the next morning.

Daniel let her guide him to the bed; as he sat down heavily on the edge, he reached for her, putting his arms around her. He really needed to hold someone – her – at that moment, but her embrace was reserved.

Jennifer felt a crushing sense of guilt; she just couldn't be there for him, this gentle, wonderful man that she loved. As much as she realized that she needed to go to bed, she knew she couldn't hold him, not in her current state of mind.

He looked directly at her now; her dark eyes were unreadable, only a small portion of them reflecting the normally strong love he felt from her. Not only had she not taken her hair down since they had returned, she had stopped before the debrief and made it tighter, reflecting the nature of her efforts to shut out the events of the day.

"I'm not quite ready for sleep yet," she fibbed gently, rubbing his back affectionately. "I'm just going to tidy up the kitchen a bit."

Daniel nodded mutely; he knew this was her way of dealing with things. The trauma they had been through had completely tuckered him out; he was so tired, he imagined it wouldn't take much for him to drift off, and true enough, as she drew the covers up around him, he dropped off into a fitful sleep, interrupted by the vision of Sam again and again.

But at the sound of the crash, he bolted upright, startled. He jumped up and went toward the kitchen.

Jennifer was on her knees on the floor, arms crossed in front of her, hugging herself, the remains of the coffee mug she'd accidentally knocked off the counter in pieces on the floor. He stood in the doorway for a moment, not sure what to do.

She reached up and yanked her hairpiece out, throwing it across the room; as if she was angry at it, somehow blaming it for the sudden shattering of her resolve to remain detached and emotionless. It bounced off the cabinet and clattered back noisily across the floor. The curly locks fell immediately around her face, framing it with the softness of her true humanity.

Daniel felt a wave of sadness and empathy wash over him as he watched her. He approached her slowly, retrieving the traitorous hairpiece, crouching down to carefully pick up the shattered pieces of the mug. Throwing them in the garbage, he returned to where she was still rocking herself on the kitchen floor. He reached for her, tentatively.

She looked up sharply at his touch, her eyes red and raw.

"I can't believe she's gone," Jennifer said wretchedly, her voice strangled with emotion. She put her head back down, the tears flowing freely now.

Daniel sighed, rubbing her arm affectionately. He said nothing; her thoughts mirrored his own.

She looked up again, a new type of anguish haunting her pretty face now.

"What if it had been you?" she whispered in a horrified tone, as if suddenly realizing the frailty of their very human lives.

He sighed again, this time with a small sense of relief that she had let down the wall that had gone up after Sam had fallen. He was beginning to think he might have lost them both up there on the malevolent mountain on P3X 832.

"This is what I've really been afraid of since the first day you kissed me in the lab," he said quietly.

"You were afraid I'd be in your kitchen crying and breaking your dishes?" she said, in a morose, slightly sarcastic tone as she reached for the broom and dustpan to sweep away the tiny slivers of the mug that might still be on the floor.

"Well, that too," he said dryly.

She giggled in spite of herself, wiping her eyes.

"I was afraid to get involved with you, because I've already lost two people I loved to this insanity we call a life, and I didn't want to love anyone else it might happen to," he said, in a quiet, sad tone of voice. "Now it's happened to Sam," he finished, the last words barely coming out in a whisper, as they made their way around the lump in his throat.

She looked up at him, her heart breaking anew at the look of terrible sadness on his face, the depth of his need for her suddenly dawning in that moment. She reached for him, tentatively, sliding her arms around him, wanting for all the world to make his sadness go away.

Her gentle, affectionate touch warmed him, soothed him; his own emotions over came him then and he pulled her close, sobbing quietly at the loss of their friend.

As she faded in and out of consciousness, the now annoying song kept running through her head, over and over again. Sam knew that if she sang Jingle Bells to herself, she could be rid of it, but the thought of having Jingle Bells stuck in her head at this moment seemed even worse torture than the incredible cold and pain that she felt here in the frozen cave.

She was grateful for the mental activity, anyway; she decided it was good for her to be distracted from her current plight, and if she was thinking, at least she wasn't dead – _yet,_ she thought with a sense of irony.

But the words and the tune of the song painfully reminded her of what had happened just before "the" party, the one where she'd seen them together, where they'd had the infamous exchange. Even though they'd put aside some of the stony conversation, the hole caused by that nail she had driven between them was still there, she thought.

What no one from that party knew was that she'd been down to see Pete in Denver the weekend before, and that she'd told him it was over; she knew she couldn't put aside her feelings for Jack enough to be a full participant in what had been blossoming between she and Pete.

All the way back to Colorado Springs she'd played that song over and over again, obsessed, in some sort of inescapable attempt to punish herself, it seemed now, thinking about how perfectly the words had fit her situation; she was still haunted by it.

_The walls are thin here in this motel room_

_Some fool is raging overhead  
He's preaching the gospel according to  
Johnnie Walker Red_

_Yeah, I could use some Johnnie Walker Red right now_, she thought to herself. Of course, she really hadn't wanted any kind of alcohol since the party, but if she were going to drink that much ever again, now would be a good time to do it.

The pain in her ankle flared, pushing her rudely towards consciousness again.

_Stupid bitch,_ Sam thought, annoyed, in that moment not sure whether she was referring to Tasha Greene or herself.

Four hundred miles talking to myself  
Me and your memory end up here

Well, a few more than four hundred, but still….It seemed appropriate, somehow, that she would have this time to reflect on the tumultuous events that had occurred in her personal life recently. Maybe this is what it's like to have your life flash before your eyes, Sam thought curiously.

I tell myself I'm gonna be alright  
But it's still not clear

_Yeah, it's still not clear,_ Sam thought sarcastically. She wasn't at all sure she was going to be alright at this moment. In fact, it seemed an ironic twist of fate that, as she drifted closer to death here in the icy crevasse, that she would be plagued by the haunting melody and the ensuing memories.

_There are some sins that you can justify  
But not the one I'm guilty of_

I had a choice one last chance ago  
But I turned my back on love

Pete's handsome face flashed briefly before her then, causing her a different kind of pain.

_Did I just miss,_

_The last exit to Eden,_

_Is this the only love I'll know,_

_Like a Judas kiss,_

_Did my heart betray me,_

_Back on the road I never chose_

Whatever mistakes she had made with Pete in light of her feelings for Jack could certainly have been forgiven, if she and Jack had worked out, she thought. But Tasha was there now. The song continued on in her thoughts.

I can hear the man upstairs, he's crying out  
"Fall on your knees, the end is near"  
We both may need a savior, tonight I fear that mine  
Is the one that I left waiting far from here

_Yeah, I most certainly need a savior about now,_ Sam thought bitterly. Jack's smiling, brown eyes appeared to her now, as her brain chose this moment to remind her of the countless times he had saved her life on various missions.

Did I just miss  
The last exit to Eden  
Did I just miss  
My only way out of here  
Did I just miss  
The last exit to Eden  
Did I just miss  
My only way out

_There is no way out of here,_ she thought, her mind teetering dangerously on the edge of dejection now. She knew that they would at least come back looking for her body when all was said and done; she took a small measure of comfort in this.

She faded blissfully back into semi-consciousness, now populated with vague, strange dreams of Jack. He was taking her clothes off and wrapping himself up with her in a warm blanket. With the relative comfort of this particular seeming hallucination, she let herself slip into the complete black that had been chasing her.

Daniel barely noticed the fact that she was ordering Jack around; in the ensuing chaos of miraculously finding Sam alive in the crevasse of the canyon, he couldn't think about much. It seemed only natural to him that she would take charge in this situation; he knew quite well she was probably the only one next to Teal'c capable of managing it in that moment. The rest of them were really too stunned to lead anything; Captain Gibson and Lieutenant Ferretti seemed almost grateful for her ability to command in that moment.

And Jack had really needed to be ordered away, when Sam had gone into cardiac arrest while they carried her down the mountain – if Jennifer hadn't stood between Jack and Sam, allowing the medics that had come for her to restart her heart, the whole mission might truly have been a recovery instead of ending as the rescue that it was.

Daniel felt as if he were in a cloud the whole time, and the debrief was agonizing as her second round of chain of command violations in less than 24 hours came glaringly into view; he desperately hoped that the military machine would also take into account the desirable results of her actions.

When she and the other two soldiers were dismissed; she got up and stoically left the room. There were a few final comments; General Hammond ordered the standard review of her actions with both Colonels O'Neill and Taylor, then the meeting was over.

Daniel noticed her a fair bit ahead of him, also heading to the lab – it was safe to call it _their_ lab now. He was pleasantly surprised at this; he had figured that she'd probably head off to the gym to go a few sparring rounds with Teal'c as she sometimes did to let off some steam. The Jaffa got a kick out of this exercise, too; it amused him that the diminutive young woman seemed to know no fear and went blow for blow with him to the end of the round.

He himself needed a calm, familiar place to collect his thoughts and take a deep breath from the emotional roller coaster that had just occurred; he would be glad to have her there with him. After all the times during his tenure with the SGC when he had thought he was completely alone in the world, and with still lingering memories of his painful childhood, her warm, comforting presence was the only thing that made him feel safe any more.

He could hear soft, muffled sounds as he approached; when he entered the lab, she was sitting on one of the lab stools with her head down in her folded arms on the lab table.

The mental fog he had been in dissipated, and his heart melted at the poignant sight of this tough as nails soldier sobbing as if her heart would break. It reminded him of what he loved about her; even the trinium-plated soldier's façade that he knew covered a very real, wonderful woman.

She looked up at him as he gently closed the door behind him; it was a look of emotional exhaustion, mixed with relief and happiness at the sight of him; much like what he himself felt. As he sat down on the stool across from her, she reached for him; they embraced as if death itself were after them.

They held each other for a long time, eventually punctuating their sobs with quiet conversation. They cried with joy at Sam's miraculous rescue, and Jennifer expressed her fears for her career after what she had done.

"Well, if they really do court martial you and drum you out of the military as a function of what happened, I've got an opening for a lab assistant," he said in his teasing, loving tone, gently pushing the hair away from her tear streaked face. She rewarded him with a giggle.

Renewed by the sharing of these intimate moments, they dried each other's tears, then they turned off the lights and prepared to leave their troubles behind them in the lab.

"Should we look in on Sam before we go?" Daniel asked as he closed the door.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Jennifer answered.

At the infirmary door, she stopped. She touched Daniel's arm and indicated with her head in the direction of the bed where Sam was; Colonel O'Neill was sitting next to it, with one of Sam's small hands gently clasped in his own.

"Maybe we should check back tomorrow," Jennifer said with a smile.

Daniel returned the smile with one of his own at the sight of his two friends. "Yeah, that's a good idea," he replied. Impulsively, he took her hand and they headed off to relax in the comfort of their own home for the evening; Jennifer still had to face the music with Colonel Taylor the next day.

From Dr. Fraiser's office, where he sometimes retreated when he did not want to be noticed watching over his friends as he was doing now with Samantha Carter and Colonel O'Neill, Teal'c watched them as they left the infirmary hand in hand, a smile stealing its way across his normally stoic face at this discreet sign of their true happiness. Indeed, all was right with the world.


	20. Not Another Military Girl, part 19

And now, finally -- what happened next ... I really hope everyone enjoys; Ray, I hope it was worth the wait :)

Jack sighed loudly and rolled his eyes, as he slumped for dramatic emphasis in his chair.

"Oh, come on, Gerald, you know as well as I do that she deserves a commendation and a promotion for what she did out there – hell, you know she's more of a captain than any of those dweebs you've got under your command right now!" Jack admonished Colonel Taylor exasperatedly.

Now it was Gerald Taylor's turn to sigh loudly. "Yeah, Jack, you would say that – hell, she's just like you, with little or no regard for military protocol-"

"Oh, screw the protocol, Gerry, you know that's not true! You know she saved the butts of everyone out there! Especially Sam! And including ME!" Jack was nearly shouting now.

"Gentlemen, and I use the term loosely here," George Hammond's stentorian voice boomed through their verbal chaos, "either we can discuss this rationally or _I_ can make the ultimate decision as to what happens to the young lieutenant."

The other two men sat back in their chairs, their frustration evident.

"Jack, you know I have to follow the rules here; she'd expect nothing less," Gerald said quietly, defeatedly.

Jack sighed in a frustrated tone, running his hands through what remained of his graying hair. "Yeah, I know, Gerry."

A knock on the door interrupted the discussion.

"Come in," General Hammond said curiously; he wasn't expecting anyone and those who were fortunate enough to serve on his staff knew better than to interrupt any meeting he was conducting.

The door opened to reveal Jonas Quinn's pleasant face, warm with his usual grin. "General Hammond sir, Colonel O'Neill, Colonel Taylor, sirs," he greeted them.

"Jonas we're having a private meeting here," George Hammond began. He liked the young man immensely, but now was not a time for pleasantries.

"Yes, sir, I know," Jonas replied smoothly. "I understand it's concerning Lieutenant Hailey?"

Now the three men were intrigued. Jonas was not prone to gossip; and he respected their military authority, so his presence here on this subject was not to be taken lightly.

"Yes?" General Hammond asked him.

"Well, sir, I've read the handbooks regarding the disciplinary measures normally applied in these cases, and I just wanted to clarify a few things."

George Hammond sighed; he normally enjoyed Jonas' curiosity and observant nature, but now was not the time.

"Jonas," he began in a warning tone.

"General Hammond, isn't it true that a suspension can be served with or without pay, taking into account the merit of the circumstances under which the violation occurred?"

Gerald Taylor sat up. He was ashamed to admit that he had forgotten this little part of the rules. "The man's exactly right, General."

Jonas grinned; he had their attention now.

"Furthermore, General Hammond, sir, isn't it true that while penalties for violating the chain of command are always handed down by the violator's commanding officer, any superior ranking officer, such as Colonel O'Neill, can recommend a promotion for any junior officer who has served under him or her at any time he or she sees fit to do so?"

Jonas asked in a slightly superior tone of voice, indicating that he already knew the answer.

He continued. "And, unless said junior officer's CO has an objection to the promotion recommendation, it can be immediately granted, pending final authorization by the Office of the Chief of Staff?"

George Hammond smiled. "You're absolutely right, son," he said warmly.

"Thank you, General Hammond, that's all I wanted to know," Jonas said with a twinkle in his eye. He looked at Jack and Gerald now. "Colonels," he said; nodding his head at them, he turned to go.

"Jonas," George Hammond said with a curious note in his voice.

"Yes sir?"

"What possessed you to come in here right at this very moment and ask about that?" he said, strongly suspecting that a certain petite doctor had had a hand in the matter.

Jonas stopped, a puzzled look crossing his young face now. "Well, I mentioned all of this to Janet last night and she instructed me that it was very important that I come here at exactly this moment and ask you to clarify that it was true. She also said not to let you kick me out until you'd given me an answer," he finished, a mildly puzzled look on his otherwise innocent face.

"She told you to interrupt my meeting?" George asked in a slightly indignant tone.

"Well, no offense, General Hammond, but I'm more afraid of her than I am of you," Jonas finished with his characteristic grin.

Jennifer Hailey knocked on the open door exactly on time; he looked up.

"Come in, Lieutenant," Gerald Taylor said seriously. "Shut the door behind you, please."

She strode over and stood in front of his desk, saluting him.

"Sir, Lieutenant Hailey reporting as ordered, sir," she said, matching the seriousness of his tone.

"You know why you've been summoned here, don't you Lieutenant?" he asked.

Jennifer leveled her steely gaze at him. "Sir, I believe I do, sir," she answered, almost defensively. They both knew what was coming, and he knew she would take it as well as any soldier he'd ever known.

"Okay, well, we'll dispense with the detailed analysis, then," he said. He looked directly at her, and took a deep breath.

"The penalty for violating the chain of command while off-world is a one week suspension. As evidence and witness testimony have shown, you did this twice on two separate missions to P3X 832."

Gerald continued. "The penalty is sometimes served without pay unless some merit can be shown regarding the aforementioned violation of command. As your actions resulted in the safe return of Samantha Carter and the rest of the SG teams from the planet, and taking into account other incidents of team work above and beyond the call of duty, these penalties will be served consecutively, with pay."

He found a small sense of comfort in the relieved look in her eyes as these last words carried in the still air, but Gerald Taylor's heart softened at the look on the young officer's face as he finished. As stoic as he'd known her to be under the worst of circumstances, Jennifer Hailey couldn't completely hide her disappointment in the fact that this would be another blemish on her record. He knew that it bothered her that Samantha Carter had no such blemishes on her own record; Gerald often thought that the young lieutenant's self imposed comparison to the blond major was unfair to them both.

"Look, Hailey, I know that you are determined to be the very best soldier that a woman can be, but not all of the best soldiers are measured simply by their record," he stated firmly.

"Sir, yes sir," Jennifer replied. Gerald knew she was not convinced. He sighed loudly.

"Jesus H Christ, you really are like the bastard lovechild of O'Neill and Carter," Gerald Taylor suddenly said in an exasperated tone.

Jennifer was caught completely off guard by the brash statement; her mouth fell open slightly.

"Sir?" she said in a questioning tone.

"You've obviously got her brains but you've inherited his blatant disregard for everything except 'doing the right' thing," Colonel Taylor continued in a frustrated tone.

He looked directly at her surprised face then.

"Look, Hailey, as one of the first women in this program, Major Carter had to tow the line and do exactly the right thing all the time in order to open the door for other women behind her. But now, a soldier such as yourself can afford to risk doing the right thing even if it flies in the face of military protocol. You get that from O'Neill, no doubt," he said somewhat sarcastically, looking down at his desk where his thumbs were tapping nervously against the edge.

He leveled his gaze at her again.

"You can widen the doorway for the women behind you, and prove that women are as worthy soldiers as men are, just by being yourself. And," he said, his tone dropping as he leaned across the desk towards her, "off the record, I'd sooner lead an army of soldiers like you into battle than an army of either O'Neills or Carters," he finished.

Jennifer stood quietly, absorbing everything he had just said to her, an incredible sense of pride and happiness rising in her, evident only in the sparkle in her eyes.

"Sir, thank you sir," she said in her matter of fact tone of voice.

The door opened just then; General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill entered. Colonel Taylor stood up as they entered; Jennifer turned and saluted.

"General Hammond, Colonel O'Neill," she addressed them in turn.

"At ease, Lieutenant," General Hammond said.

Colonel O'Neill had a merry look in his eyes; he was carrying a small box in his hands.

"General Hammond sir, as one of my last official acts as a member of the United States Air Force, I'd like to recommend that Lieutenant Hailey be promoted to the rank of Captain for courage under fire and conduct above and beyond the call of duty where lives of other Air Force soldiers are concerned," he finished, unable to keep the goofy grin off his face as he said it.

General Hammond turned to Colonel Taylor then. "Colonel Taylor, as the lieutenant's commanding officer, the promotion is your call. Do you have any reason to contest Colonel O'Neill's recommendation?" George Hammond stated in the voice he used when he expected a particular answer.

Gerald Taylor grinned at the wondering look on Jennifer's face. "No sir, I am in complete agreement with Colonel O'Neill's recommendation."

"Very well then," George Hammond said summarily. He turned to face the young woman now.

"Pending the final advice of the Office of the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Hailey, I hereby authorize your temporary promotion to the rank of Captain. Colonel Taylor, would you do the honors, please?"

Jack handed him the box and Colonel Taylor approached Jennifer. Opening the box, he removed the new insignia and pinned them to the shoulders of her uniform.

"Congratulations, Captain Hailey." He stepped back, and saluted her; General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill followed suit.

Jennifer efficiently returned the salute. "Thank you, sirs," she said, with a proud smile that each man would not soon forget.

"Now, captain, as I understand it, you've got some time off…" Colonel O'Neill began lightly.

Jennifer turned to him, a serious look returning to her face at the memory of the penalty she had just been handed.

"Sir?" she said in a questioning tone.

"Would you do me a favor and get that archaeologist off base for a while?" he said in a plaintive tone.

Jennifer blushed brightly. "Sir, I do not understand the question, sir," she said, not quite as strongly as she had hoped for.

"Oh, now, _Captain_, don't blow smoke up my ass – you live together, for Chrissakes – just go take Daniel some place different for a change, will ya?" O'Neill said. Only the mischievous grin on his face took the edge off the seriousness of his words.

She turned to Colonel Taylor; the somewhat puzzled look on her still beet red face hiding the merest hint of guilt at the correctness of O'Neill's words.

"You're dismissed, _Captain_," Colonel Taylor said, an emphasis on the last word as her new rank rolled off his tongue. Gerald also felt a sense of gallantry at rescuing her from O'Neill's brazen words; she was a lady in addition to being one hell of a soldier, he thought with a renewed sense of pride.

"Sir, thank you, sir," she said, sounding relieved. She saluted again and walked purposefully out of the office. It was all she could do not to run until she was sure she was out of earshot; she made a beeline for the lab.

"Hey, that's terrific!" Daniel exclaimed as he swung her around in a big bear hug. "Congratulations, _Captain_ Hailey," he said warmly.

"And, I got a direct order from Colonel O'Neill to take _you _offbase…in fact, he specifically said 'somewhere different'," she stated authoritatively.

Daniel smiled; it looked like Jack had remembered that SG-1 had been put on mandatory down time after the ordeal they'd been through. He and Jennifer rarely got a chance to travel casually together; and even though they shared a home, their separate, hectic lives and mission assignments often kept them apart for long periods of time. As Dr. Fraiser always said, everything works out as it should, he thought.

"Where should we go?" she asked excitedly.

His blue eyes sparkled with mischief behind the wire-rimmed glasses.

"Let's pick a city like we did the last time," he said enthusiastically, grabbing the dart from the frame of the world map that plastered the wall of his office. Jack had put it there; he was quite fond of throwing it across Daniel's office to hit the map as a way of showing people his favorite fishing spots in Minnesota.

Daniel gently turned her so she was facing the map, and handed her the small projectile with the red plastic tip.

Jennifer smiled – Daniel wasn't playful very often. She pulled her arm back and threw the arrow, straight and clear. It landed right at the southwestern tip of Lake Michigan, in the northeastern point of Illinois in the United States.

"Chicago," Daniel heard himself say.

Jennifer looked at him. "We don't have to, there's plenty of other places," she said evenly. The look in her eyes was one of complete understanding and some concern; she knew that Chicago was where he'd been with Sarah.

Daniel smiled at her, touched at her concern for him – he knew she only wanted to spare him any painful thoughts from that time. He hadn't been back there in a long while and it was true that many of his memories of the place were clouded with thoughts of Sarah.

As she gazed steadily at him with her beautiful dark eyes, he realized he was eager to add some new memories of the fun of Chicago to his store of times he'd already spent with this beautiful woman that he loved.

"It's a wonderful place for a metropolitan area and I'd like to go there with you," he said lovingly, caressing her face as he pushed a stray hair back, cupping her chin and tilting her head up so he was looking directly at her.

"Are you sure?" she asked, searching his eyes for any signs of hesitation. She'd stumbled across the report that had outlined the incident with Osiris, and how the Tok'ra had successfully banished the goauld from its human host. Whatever his reason for keeping this from her, every day he demonstrated his love for her in ways that never gave her cause to wonder what had actually happened to the woman afterwards.

"I'm absolutely certain, _Captain_ Hailey; I would love to show you around," he stated emphatically, with a note of pride in his voice as he addressed her by her new rank.

Jennifer smiled to herself as the true meaning of his words sunk in. "I've never been to Chicago," she said in a thoughtful tone, a soft smile playing across her lips.

Daniel chuckled. "Well, it'll be nice to visit now that I actually have a job and a place to stay," he said sardonically.

Jennifer giggled and pulled him close.


	21. Not Another Military Girl, part 20

Yes, Chicago was the obvious choice for obvious reasons ... ;) Enjoy ;)

Sarah Kane walked down the concrete steps as she exited the old building on Michigan Avenue and smiled at the beauty of the chaotic city around her. Not a day had passed since her return that she wasn't reminded of how much she loved it and how glad she was to be back.

Looking up as she proceeded towards the nearest L station, eyes squinting against the bright late afternoon sun, she noticed him; it caused her to stop dead in her tracks.

He was standing near a rack of newspapers, looking curiously at the picture on the front of the Sun-Times; pushing his glasses up on his nose in that oh-so-Daniel fashion.

She'd never expected to see him again, and a delighted smile appeared on her still beautiful face as she raised a hand to hail him.

He stepped back slightly; that was when she saw the young woman standing close to him. He had his arm casually around her.

Sarah felt her heart jump into her throat as the smile ran away from her face. She lowered her hand. They had not seen her yet, but she would have to walk past them to get to the station. That she recognized the woman didn't make it much easier than it had been the first time she'd seen her, back in the lab that day.

She'd grown increasingly restless and irritable in the recovery area of the Cheyenne Mountain facility; a side effect of the sarcophagus withdrawal, Dr. Fraiser had repeatedly advised her.

Sarah had decided it was time to find out just what all the fuss was about. She was certain that Daniel's lab would hold a treasure trove of keys to secrets she knew were locked away in her somehow.

By behaving herself for a few days, she had managed to persuade them to undo the restraints that were typically needed during the withdrawal period. Then, she had "borrowed" some uniform clothes from a nurse's locker in the infirmary, hiding them between the mattress and box spring of the bed.

The next day, she swiped a card key from an unwitting airman, the ability to do so another remnant from her days of occupation, as she had decided to call it. She then managed to sneak away from her bed and down to the small series of closets known as the lab.

The lab was as incredible as she had thought it might be, and so very Daniel, with things scattered here and there in what would appear to be an extremely disorganized fashion, but which would make perfect sense to the sensitive brown haired archeologist.

She knew she wouldn't have long before her ruse was discovered, and she had started in Daniel's office, imagining somehow that he had the ultimate answers to the nagging questions that were increasingly occupying her brain.

She hadn't expected the picture. Picking it up, she thought her heart had actually stopped for a moment, as the image of the happy couple invaded her senses. It was from some outing to a park of some sort.

It was a lovely picture, the way they were smiling at each other was breathtaking; they had apparently been unaware that it was being taken. Sarah sat down heavily in the desk chair, feeling suddenly weak; she imagined it was from the force of her heart breaking.

Looking at the picture, her woman's sense of things knew that this was a right thing; the mourning for all that she and Daniel had never had, but that he had obviously found with this young woman, suddenly rushed over her then.

She heard the lab door burst open but she didn't move, transfixed by the picture and her own feelings of grief.

"Sarah!" she heard the petite brunette call to her. She could hear the sounds of the guards who were accompanying the no nonsense doctor, and she heard her short, efficient strides as she crossed the lab to the open door of the office with its lights on.

Looking up as Dr. Fraiser appeared in the doorway, a look of thunder on her otherwise pleasant and gentle face, framed by two big burly MP's, it was all Sarah could do to blink back the tears that were welling up in her.

Seeing her sitting there with the photograph in her hands, Janet Fraiser's heart had melted. The photo was one Cassie had impulsively snapped during an outing to Eldorado State Park.

She had turned to her escorts. "It's all right, airmen, I can handle it from here," Sarah remembered her saying gently, dismissively.

Janet had entered the office and slowly sat down in the chair across the desk from her, as a tear coursed down Sarah's cheek and landed unceremoniously on the glass of the frame. She wiped it away quickly and set the picture back down on the desk; somehow it didn't seem right that her feelings had tried to infringe on its scene. She looked up at the doctor now, and smiled through her tears.

"I don't suppose she's some long lost niece or cousin of some sort," Sarah said dryly, in her clipped British accent.

Janet sighed. "No, her name is Jennifer Hailey and she's a member of the SGC," she answered quietly.

"He loves her, doesn't he?" Sarah asked plaintively.

Janet looked at her, with the empathy that could only come from being a woman herself.

"I believe he does, yes," she said in her doctor's tone of voice. "She loves him very much," Janet added, a strange sense of protectiveness for them coming over her in that moment.

The tears were rolling unchecked down Sarah's cheeks now, and she struggled to control them with the backs of her hands.

Janet watched the woman sadly. "They live together now," she said, wanting somehow to give Sarah a sense of finality for the whole situation.

Sarah chuckled gently through her tears. "Isn't that so very Daniel, nothing too formal for that man," she said wryly.

She looked up at Janet now. "Well, then, there really isn't much left for me around this place, now is there?" she said, struggling to regain her sense of herself.

Janet smiled softly at her. "The Air Force will do quite a bit to help you in that regard, Sarah," she said quietly. "You've still got quite a bit of recovery time left, but we can arrange for you to get the best care available practically anywhere you want to go in the country. Maybe you would do better in a place where you can see the outside world more often," the doctor said thoughtfully. "With what you've retained from your experience, you may find that your previous work could be more meaningful than ever," the doctor offered with a hopeful note to her voice.

Sarah nodded slowly. It was true that Osiris' memories had seemed to somehow strengthen her comprehension of things and they had certainly augmented her own archeological acumen. She found herself able to decipher some of the writings here in Daniel's office with a mere glance.

She looked up at the kind doctor now and smiled. "It would seem the possibilities are endless," she said.

Her mental replay stopped then as Daniel looked up from the newspaper box and noticed her. She walked bravely towards the two of them.

"Hello," she said brightly, smiling.

"Hello," Daniel said, in his usual confused tone when something he wasn't expecting happened. Sarah noticed that he didn't remove his arm from where it sat on the young woman's shoulders.

_He really does love her,_ she thought with a slight twinge of the old familiar sadness. Once upon a time she had wished fervently that he would love her that way, but an older and wiser Sarah had known for a long time that it was not meant to work out between them, goaulds and their related issues aside.

"It's nice to see you again, Daniel," she started, long forgotten instincts kicking in to save him from having to start the conversation.

"It's nice to see you, too," he said, with a sincerity that warmed her. He had been on a mission when she had left the Cheyenne complex for the Air Force annex of the Cook County Hospital in Chicago. The white streak that ran through her hair now was the only indication of the ordeal she'd been through, he thought.

She looked at Jennifer now, who was returning her gaze. The deep, dark eyes told Sarah that this was a confident young woman; thanks to her days with Osiris, she could also sense a protective, caring feeling for this man that they had in common.

Jennifer was not a trifling woman, nor one to be trifled with, Sarah surmised. She found herself oddly pleased at this; it suited Daniel.

Daniel watched the two women looking at each other, then at him and realized what was missing.

"I'm sorry," he began as he turned to face Jennifer. "Jennifer, this is Dr. Sarah Kane," he said as he gestured in Sarah's direction. "Sarah, this is Captain Jennifer Hailey," he finished gallantly, as he slid his arm around her again and gestured at Jennifer with his free hand, smiling.

"It's nice to meet you, Dr. Kane," Jennifer began warmly, as she extended her hand to the woman.

Sarah laughed gently as she took the younger woman's strong hand and returned the firm grasp with her own. "Oh, please, call me Sarah, I get enough of that 'Dr. Kane' with my students," she said with a wry note to her voice.

"Well, Sarah, it's nice to see someone survive their experience with a goauld as well as you obviously have," Jennifer offered graciously.

Sarah smiled. It was easy to see what Daniel liked about this direct young woman. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"Um, students, so I guess that means you're teaching again," Daniel said.

"Yes, I've found since my return that I have quite a knack for hieroglyphic translation, among other perceptions that have made archeology an even greater joy than before," Sarah noted enthusiastically. "The Air Force arranged for me to resume teaching at the University here, no questions asked, and through my own accomplishments I'm now a professor emeritus," she added, a note of pride and triumph in her still British sounding voice.

Daniel smiled, a genuine smile with a tinge of relief; she could sense that he was glad she had done as well as she had. His caring nature always was his downfall, she thought somewhat nostalgically.

"That's wonderful," he said, again with a sincerity that touched her.

They stood there for a moment more, but the conversation possibilities had already been exhausted.

"Well, I've got papers to grade, I should really get going," she said. She turned to Jennifer. "It was very nice to meet you, Jennifer; I'm glad to see that someone's taking good care of him," she said, inclining her head ever so slightly in Daniel's direction.

"The pleasure was mine, Sarah," Jennifer said, giving her a warm smile.

Sarah gave Daniel a brief hug and a peck on the cheek and walked on, heading up the stairs to the train platform. They watched her as she disappeared into the corridor at the top.

As she strode towards the turnstile, the familiar sound of her cell phone reached her ears. Sarah smiled happily as she flipped it open. "Hello luv," she said warmly into the small device.

Down on the street below, Jennifer turned to Daniel. She knew he still blamed himself for how their relationship had ultimately faltered.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly, searching his face with her beautiful dark eyes.

"No, but I will be," he said, smiling forlornly at her. The look in his eyes told her he meant it. Suddenly a questioning look crossed his face. "How did you know?"

"A copy of the report made its way into my locker a few days after I got back," Jennifer said in a matter of fact tone of voice. "I figured that if you had any thing to tell me about it, you would," she continued, leveling her gaze at him.

Daniel looked down. "I probably should have told you myself," he said softly. He looked up at her; the torn look from that night was back. "But I really didn't know how to explain it – I was just dreaming about her all the time – well, not really dreaming, I guess, but yes, that was it – I guess it's not really important, but it is, I suppose – but it wasn't like I was fantasizing about her, they were just dreams, but I guess they weren't really dreams in the grand scheme of things, and they felt so real, but somehow I knew they weren't-"

Daniel stopped, pushing his glasses up on his nose, his hand continuing on to push the chestnut brown locks away from his face; he had been babbling incoherently again, if the patient, wise look on Jennifer's face was any indication – and it usually was.

"All I knew for sure was that I just didn't want to hurt you in any way, and that I loved you – I still love you," he said emphatically, gesturing with his hands. The earnestness in his blue eyes was unmistakable.

She smiled at him, a serene, knowing smile.

"I love you, too." A playful look came over her face now. "Now, I believe there was a lake that we were headed towards?" she said, regaining the moment before they had seen her.

Daniel smiled, and took her hand in his as they proceeded east towards Lake Shore Drive and the beautiful lake beyond.

_Though you're someone in this life that I'll always choose to love,_

_From now on, you're only someone that I used to love._


End file.
