Name: Working Towards the Truth.

Disclaimers: The characters don't belong to me… or I wouldn't have massive school loans… They belong to the nice people of MGM, Brad Wright, Robert Cooper…

Feedback: I would appreciate it, love it, crave it.. Feed me baby!

Categories: Pre-romance, friendship

Rating: K

Keywords: Daniel/Sam

Spoilers: Season 10

A/N: The story went in a circle. To Alley, who is my beta, then to Tina, who helps me with titles, then back to me! Thanks girls! I'm so looking forward to Chicago, August 2007! Stargate Con!

Working towards the Truth

Col. Samantha Carter was a creature of habit. Once she was in a routine that worked, she rarely ever strayed from that routine. As of late though, even her routine that she loved so much seemed like it was betraying her. As she found herself, as she often did outside of Dr. Daniel Jackson's office watching and waiting until General Landry left so she could talk to Daniel herself. She nodded her head as the general passed by her in the hallway. Sam walked toward the open doorway of Daniel's office, but stopped as she just watched Daniel bent over his desk working. She once again this was part of her routine, watching Daniel working, studying the newest item as if trying to solve the greatest mystery the universe has ever known, and often that was the case.

As she continued to watch Daniel working, her thoughts began to wander. She had been so busy lately that she hadn't had the chance to catch up with her friend; fact which secretly bothered her more than she realized. As if to aggravate her already mixed up feelings, the news that Daniel had taken Vala out for dinner. If that weren't enough, the fact that Vala was constantly referring to the dinner as a date certainly didn't help. She knew she shouldn't be so bothered by this non-date between Vala and Daniel, but she couldn't help it.

Daniel could sense eyes studying him just beyond the doorway to his office. He was so used to it, that it was actually welcomed. He also was regretting the fact himself and Sam hadn't been able to spend time off of the base together. He was waiting for Sam to speak, but as he looked up he noticed that her gaze was far away, as if her thoughts consumed her. He wondered where her thoughts were taking her. He walked over to her, and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, reluctant to scare her.

Despite the gentleness of Daniel's touch on her shoulder she was startled and physically jarred away from her thoughts.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I thought you saw me walking over here."

"It's ok. It's my fault. My mind was somewhere else."

"I noticed that. So, can I ask you where those thoughts taking you?" Daniel gave her a pleading look.

Sam's eyes clouded over before she answered. "Just thinking about some things."

"Ahh, ok," Daniel knew that there was something bothering her but he didn't want to pry. He was afraid it would push her too hard.

"So, a date with Vala?" Sam asked, her tone half-mocking.

"Sam," Daniel stated before heading back to sit in the chair he had vacated a few moments before.

Sam followed him and sat on the stool across from Daniel, where Cam had been sitting a few minutes prior. "I know Daniel, just a dinner between friends. But you know I can't let you go without saying something about it."

"I know. I wish she would understand it's just dinner…"

"…Between friends and co-workers. I get it Daniel, I got it the first dozen times you said it. So I don't need the explanation once more about it, ok?" Sam said, her tone sounding a bit harsher than she had intended.

Daniel just looked at Sam, with his mouth agape. He had no clue how to react to that. He was even more surprised by the flicker of jealousy in her eyes before she looked at the ground in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. I didn't mean to say that. I'm just tired and out of sorts. I'm going to go home now and maybe catch a nap before we all go out tonight. I'll see you later," Sam spoke quickly, and she realized she must have been rambling, but she couldn't' stop herself. She got up and walked out of the room so abruptly that Daniel didn't have a chance to respond. Stupid Sam. Why did you let yourself react like that? You usually control your feelings; she thought to herself.

Being so preoccupied with her own thoughts and what was just said she was not paying attention to where she was walking until she ran into a very solid person. She then felt two hands grab her shoulders to prevent her from falling. She looked up to see who hands belonged to and was not in the least bit surprised to see Teal'C standing there with an eye brow raised looking down at her.

"Teal'C! Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking."

"That is ok Col. Carter. But are you ok? You seem to be preoccupied."

"It's nothing Teal'C. I'm just feeling a little tired. I think I'm going to head home for a few hours to get some rest before we go out. I'll see ya later," Sam shook her head and shrugged in what would she hoped was a sign of indifference. She pivoted on her heel before Teal'C could argue.

Teal'C stood, looking after Sam's receding form down the hallway. He then headed down to Daniel's office to talk to him about the "date" with Vala.

Daniel looked up from the papers he had been studying intently when he heard the knock upon his door. Teal'C come in, what can I do for you?"

Teal'C walked in and stood across from Daniel. "I wish to speak to you about Col. Carter."

Daniel did his best not to wince at Sam's name. "What about Sam, Teal'C?"

"I just saw her and it seems like something is bothering her. I was wondering if you know what it is."

Daniel took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I don't know Teal'C. She was just in here and I also noticed that something was on her mind. Then we started discussing the whole dinner thing with Vala, and Sam just snapped at me and walked out."

Teal'C absorbed this information for a moment and thought about what Daniel had said. "I also came here to talk about this 'date' that you had with Vala."

"Teal'C, I thought you of all people should know…"

"I know it wasn't a date. But have you thought that this whole thing with Vala is what is bothering Col. Carter."

Daniel brought his head up to look at Teal'C. The thought of Sam being jealous crossed his mind a few times, but he never would have thought it would be true, "Why would that be bothering her, Teal'C."

"Well, I noticed that what spare time we have, you seem to spend with Vala."

"I'm just trying to help her fit in."

"I understand. We've all been helping her. But before Col. Carter left to go to Area 51, you guys spent a lot of time together. You also spent time with Col. Carter when she came back from Area 51. But now, since Vala has returned and joined the SGC, all of your free time is spent with her, and none with Col. Carter."

Daniel thought about what Teal'C said, "I guess you're right. But Sam knows she can come and say something to me about it."

"I believe she does know this. But she doesn't seem like the same Col. Carter lately."

"I've noticed that too…" Daniel got quiet all of a sudden. "I've been spending all my time lately to get my mind off of my feelings for Sam."

"Daniel Jackson…"

"Teal'C, I know why I've been doing it. I…I need to talk to Sam."

"She mentioned that she was heading home."

"I know, thanks Teal'C. Tell Cam that I'll meet him at the restaurant for dinner." Daniel grabbed his keys and headed off to talk to Sam.

Teal'C walked out Daniel's office, hoping that his two friends would work out their differences.

Daniel arrived at Sam's house twenty minutes later. He got out of his car and headed straight towards the house. Classical music wafted out of an open window of the house. Not many people knew that Sam often listened to classical music when she needed to either unwind or when she was upset about something. Unfortunately Daniel knew that it was the latter of the two.

Daniel knocked on the door and waited for Sam to answer. He silently hoped that she would answer it and not totally ignore him. Daniel took off his glasses and wiped them off with the edge of his shirt, a nervous habit he had yet to break.

Sam answered the door and came face to face with the one person she wasn't in the mood to talk to or see.

"Hi, Sam. Can I come in? I need to talk to you."

Sam operating on autopilot stepped aside to allow Daniel into the house. After Daniel walked passed her she shut the door and headed back into the living room, knowing that Daniel would follow her.

She picked up her mug from the table, still not sure of what to say to him and turned to say something. At first she bit her lip and decided against it. Staring at the mug in her hand and started again. "Um, I just made some coffee, would you like some?"

"Sure, let me help you."

The pair walked into the small kitchen together. Despite the tension that the two of them felt, they returned to their comfortable routine. Daniel walked over to the cupboard took out the mug he used whenever he was over. This action brought a small smile to Sam's face. She continued to watch him as he fixed his coffee. It was a comfort to see that Daniel felt so at home there.

Daniel felt Sam's eyes following him around the room as he poured his coffee. He turned around to see her smile. "Now, there is that smile that I know and love."

Sam couldn't help it, but her eyes went wide at the last world, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything about it. "You wanted to talk. Let's go back and sit down."

They walked back into the living room. Sam sat on one end of the couch while Daniel sat on the chair next to it. They both sat in silence listening to the music, and staring at the mugs of steaming coffee in each of their hands.

"I'm sorry Daniel, for saying what I did in your office earlier. I didn't mean for it to come out that way. I have no right to judge what you do with your life."

"You're allowed to have a say in it. You are my best friend Sam. I will always value your opinion and thoughts."

"I appreciate you saying that Daniel."

"I also want to say that I'm sorry. "

Sam turned her head quickly and raised an eyebrow, like Teal'C does, wondering what the hell he was talking about. "I don't understand."

"We haven't really had a chance to sit down and have a long talk since you came back from Nevada. So tell me what happened wile you were there."

"Nothing exciting. We did research and development on things that the SGC teams found."

Daniel knew that this was going to be harder than he wanted, but this was Sam after all and they needed to clear the air.

"What about personally Sam? Anything in your life?

Sam stared at the cup of coffee in her hands before answering. She wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him about the whole Jack situation that happened. She put her mug on the table in front of her and pulled her knees up to her chest. Sam turned to so she was looking out the window. "Jack came out and saw me one weekend. He took me out to a nice restaurant and afterwards we went back to where I was staying to talk. He said that now that I was not in his chain of command, that he wanted to try a relationship. I told him that I wasn't sure if that is what I wanted to do. A few years ago, I would have said yes right away. But at that moment, I wasn't so sure anymore. I said to him that I needed time to think about it. So we decided to meet on that Sunday so I could tell him my decision."

Sam turned on the couch to face Daniel pausing for a moment to take a sip of her coffee then continued. "So after he left, I started thinking about everything. What my feelings were toward Jack, and how they changed over time. The thoughts started triggering other thoughts. I began thinking about my feelings for you, and how over the past few years they have changed…from friendship to something more."

Daniel just looked at Sam. He was amazed that this was the second time she has said something that made him speechless. He got up and went and sat down by Sam. He took her hands in his.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying Sam?"

"When I met with Jack on Sunday, I told him that while I had some sort of feelings for him at one point…I didn't anymore. And, that I figured out that I have feelings for someone else. He asked me who, and I was reluctant about telling him, I didn't want to make him mad. But he kept on asking, so I told him. I told him that my feelings for you changed over the years, even though I really didn't mean for them to."

Once again Sam paused for a moment, avoiding Daniel's steady gaze as she gathered her thoughts. When she continued she looked directly at Daniel. "He found it funny. I told him that I've fallen in love with you and he started laughing."

Daniel couldn't suppress his smile, and tried hard not to laugh. "That's Jack for you."

"I know."

The words that Sam said she told Jack finally registered to Daniel. "Did you just say that you were in love with me?"

Sam smiled meekly and nodded her head yes. She was wondering when he was going to pick up on it. "Yes I did. I understand that you probably don't feel the same way about me and that's fine. I just wanted to tell you, so that you knew the truth."

"Sam," Daniel reached out and cupped her face. "Please don't think that; that I don't feel the same way as you. I realized that my feelings changed before the first time I ascended. I think that's why I asked you that question when you found me. I saw you and just felt such a strong connection with you."

"You worked your way into my heart when I wasn't looking. I have to say, when I figured it out, it scared me. I didn't realize that I could feel so strongly about a person as I do about you."

Sam was getting tired of all this talking that they were doing, so she took matters into her own hands. She took her hands from his and framed his face and kissed him tentatively on the lips.

It stunned Daniel a few moments, and then he started to kiss her back. He ran a hand through her hair and rested it on the back of her neck. He pulled her down with him as he laid back on her couch. They continued kissing and caressing each other for awhile, until they were interrupted by the phone ringing.

Sam got off of Daniel and as she was catching her breath, Daniel went and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Daniel. What are you doing over at Sam's?"

"Hey Cam. I, um, I came over to talk to her."

"Ok, yeah. I'm sure. SO…does meeting in an hour and a half sound good for you guys, will that be long enough for you to finish talking?"

"Let me see." Daniel covered the phone while he went to talk to Sam. "Hey Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Is an hour and a half enough for you to get ready to go to dinner?"

"Sounds fine."

"OK," Daniel turned his attention back to Cam on the phone. "Yeah, that's fine Cam."

"OK. I'll see you two later then. Bye."

"Bye." Daniel hung up the phone and walked back over to see Sam putting the mugs in the kitchen.

"Hey Daniel. I'm going to get ready. If you want, go back to your place, get ready and I'll come over when I'm done. We could go to dinner together."

"That's a great idea. It'll make it easier to tell the rest of our team about us…If there is an us."

Sam noticed that Daniel started getting nervous. "There is an us. Well, I want there to be an us, as long as…"

Daniel kissed her to get Sam to stop talking. After a few minutes, they separated to catch their breath. Daniel flashed a smile. "Now I would love to stay, but I have to get ready."

"I know." Sam started walking to the door, with Daniel's hand in hers.

"Ok, I'll see you later." Daniel gave her a quick kiss before heading to his car. He suddenly turned around. "I love you, Samantha Carter."

"And I you, Daniel Jackson."

Sam stood on the porch and watched Daniel drive away before going back into the house to prepare for dinner.

1 ½ Hours Later

Sam and Daniel walked into the restaurant, looking for their teammates. Daniel looked over at Sam the same moment she did and their eyes met. Daniel reached for Sam's hand and intertwined their fingers together. Sam gave his hand a small squeeze and lead Daniel to where their friends were waiting for them at a table.

Daniel pulled out a chair that was by Teal'C, allowed Sam to sit down, and then proceeded to sit down beside her. "Guys, it's nice to see you."

"Hey Cam, Teal'C, Vala," Sam looked at Daniel who nodded his head. "Daniel and I have something to tell you guys."