One Ripple in Time, by DrGemini86 (DrGemini24)
Summary: Just as Daniel accepts that his Sam can never love him, another Sam shows him otherwise. Set in Ripple Effect, and written for the 2008 Sam/Daniel-thon. SamDaniel
Pairing: SamDaniel, SamJack-ish
Rating: T
Category: New Romance
Genres: A/U, Angst, Drama, Episode-related, Friendship,Relationship-focussed, Romance-focussed, Tragedy, Thoughts
Spoilers: seasons 1-9
Prompt: "Ripple Effect: Daniel finds one of the AU Sams in his quarters."
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Daniel left alternate-Janet's holding cell, his mind a flurry of thoughts and memories of nightmares. Seeing her had intensified his guilt, knowing now for sure that he could have saved her on P3X-666, but hadn't reacted in time... leaving Cassie an orphan once again. He took a deep breath to maintain his composure, and smiled and nodded in greeting at the different Mitchells, Daniels and Teal'cs from the other universes. No Sams of course, as all the Sams were currently working with his Sam to come up with a solution that would result in everyone going back to their respective universes.
Nodding in greeting at a Lorne that had come with one of the teams, Daniel scoffed inwardly at the thought of 'his' Sam as he had just referred to her as. She could never love him because she was pining after Jack. True, nothing had happened between his two best friends, but it could. Any day now... Right. As each day passed by, growing into months and years, he knew nothing would happen. It was like a stand-off of sorts... who would let their guard down first and surrender. Sometimes he wondered why he couldn't have fallen for someone who wasn't military.
He had given up on her long ago, shortly after recovering his memories. She had plainly said that they were friends and only friends on Vis Uban, and he decided to keep it that way. She obviously hadn't wanted any more than that. She was a strong woman so surely she would have done something about it if she had wanted more... right?
He sighed, feeling a growing headache as old pains and aches resurfaced. No matter what the universe, Sam would never be his. The Teal'c of the first alternate team that they had encountered had said that their Sam had rejoined SG-1 during the Ori threat after her honeymoon but hadn't revealed who the lucky man had been.
As his headache grew, he was glad that he hadn't pressed further with that line of questioning. It would have been too much if that Teal'c had suddenly referred to her as 'Colonel O'Neill'. The very thought sent chilling shivers down his spine. It just seemed so wrong for some inexplicable reason.
Inwardly grumbling at his own neuroses as well as his headache, he went to his quarters to get some aspirin, not wanting to disturb Carolyn, who already had her hands full with twenty or so SG-1s wandering about the base without having to deal with a grumbling, neurotic Archaeologist from her own universe.
Sighing, he entered, not bothering to put the light on as he went straight to his nightstand to get a canister of pills. He paused in shock, his heart hammering in his chest on hearing a voice... Sam's voice.
"Hello, Daniel."
He blinked and asked, his brow furrowing in confusion, "Sam?"
He switched the bedside lamp on and then gaped on seeing Sam – a Sam – sat on the edge of his bed, clutching a pillow to her stomach as she held a photo. His natural concern taking precedence on seeing that she appeared drawn, he kneeled in front of her and asked,
"Are you ok? Do you want me to call Doctor Lam?"
She shook her head, whispering as she looked straight at him, still holding on to the pillow, "No... I'm fine... I just had to get away from everything out there."
Even more concerned, he got up to close the door and sat next to her, saying as his headache began to fade now that he had something else on his mind, "It's overwhelming, isn't it?" He looked down at his hand, sighing quietly. "All those different realities, different versions of how things could have been..."
He noticed a plain gold band on the ring finger of her left hand as she discreetly put down the photo she had been holding, and he asked, "Who's... who's the lucky man?"
Not looking at him, she replied softly, holding the pillow tighter, "He's dead."
Surprised and feeling awkward, he said, "Oh." He paused. "I'm sorry." He paused again. "How did it happen?"
She said, sniffing back tears, "He sacrificed himself... always thinking of everyone else but himself. He took the staff weapon blast that had been aimed at Janet on P3X-666. He saved her so she could finish stabilising Airman Wells and take him back through the 'gate." Her voice wavered with emotion as she began to tremble. "There was big funeral on base for him... Airman Wells named his daughter after him."
Now feeling even worse that someone else had saved Janet in another universe, he slowly put an arm around her in a gesture of comfort, and she sniffed again, now sobbing as she said, her head resting on his shoulder as though it belonged there, "I miss you each day, Daniel."
He froze in shock and then was about to shrug it off when she continued, "You always gave... you gave me so much more than I ever gave you... I never even had the chance to say goodbye to you."