Disclaimer:  I don't own SG1, never did, never will.

Beta: Becky, couldn't have done it without ya babe, thanks a bunch.

AN: This idea's been swimming around my head for quite a while now, decided to get it onto paper.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Daniel noticed her right away, standing by the bar, constantly looking at her watch, then at the door.  He estimated her to be around early to mid-twenties, a lot younger than he generally went for but there was just something about her, something different.  Her eyes flitted around the room before they settled on his.  From where he was sitting he could practically see her cheeks flush as she looked away embarrassed, a huge smile on her face.  For some reason this just twigged with him even more.  She was gorgeous, he had to admit that, Long golden brown hair, large hazel eyes and an incredible body that her choice of clothing showed off to perfection.

Get a grip

 Daniel yelled internally and regained a fragment of the control he nearly lost as soon as she looked up again, this time straight at him.  She gave him a small smile.

"I'll get the next one."  Daniel got up and headed over to the bar, leaving his three friends to talk amongst themselves.  He stood directly beside the girl as he ordered the next round of bears, a Ginger Ale for Teal'c and a Coke for him as tonight was his turn to play designated driver.  While the bartender was busy pouring the beers, Daniel turned to the girl.

"You really shouldn't be drinking alone, why don't you come join us."  The girl turned and gave him a sweet smile.

"Thanks for the offer but my friends should be here any moment...for the past half hour."

Daniel almost cut his losses and headed back but that smile, he just couldn't give up yet.

"Yeah, so come on, it'll be fun."

The girl smirked.

"Sorry but I have a rule, not to go off with strange men and their friends, especially ones whose name I don't even know."

"Okay, I'm Daniel and as for the strange part, there's really nothing I can do about that."  The girl giggled a little.

She has a cute laugh

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jack had nudged Sam and Teal'c's attention towards Daniel at the bar.

"You go Danny." Jack smiled at the show before him.

"Yeah, second that, he seems to be doing really well but come on, it's Daniel, he's not gonna just..."

"Twenty Bucks says he does."

"I'll take a piece of that.  Teal'c?"

"I have no wish to take part in this wager."

"Suit yourself T-Man but mark my words, Daniel will spend the night with this sweetie-pie."  Jack took a swig of his beer.

"Wow, that's the bet, I thought he was just to get her to join us but hey if that's

the rules your laying down then fine, I could use the twenty bucks."

"We'll see Carter." 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Another one of those."  He told the bartender, nodding to what Beth was drinking.

"You know if you keep being this sweet, cute, and charming, I won't be able to say no."  Beth smiled widely.

Wow, she's actually flirting back

"Well, that's generally the plan."  Daniel smiled back and paid the barman. 

"Please, I really don't wanna leave you alone over here, just come join us, at least until your friends arrive?"  Daniel asked as he looked straight at her. She was pretty much beaten by this point.

"Okay, thank you." 

"No problem...oh but there's just one tiny thing."  Daniel lifted the tray and led the way to their table.

"And what's that?"

"I don't actually know your name yet so I can't really introduce you to my friends."

"Oh, Elizabeth Benar."  Daniel gave her a small smile.

"Have a particular preference?  Liz, Beth…?"  Daniel asked as the approached the table where the rest of SG1 was sat.

"My friends call me Beth." 

"Okie, Beth it is."  Daniel set the tray down on the table, ignoring the shocked expressions of his friends.

"Guys, this' Beth.  Beth, this' Jack, Sam and Simon."  Teal'c raised an eyebrow at this but didn't say anything.

"Beth, please, pull up a chair, we were just having an in-depth philisophical debate about just how they get the pretzel wrapped like this."  Jack exclaimed with good humour, trying to make the girl more comfortable.  Beth got into the booth and Daniel took a seat beside her. 

"So Beth, what do you do?"  Sam asked, following Jack's lead.

"I'm a Legal secretary."  Beth replied with a smile.  "What about you guys?"

"Airforce."  Jack replied simply.

"All of you?"

"Yes."  They all replied at the same time

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

About an hour later the group were completely at ease with the newcomer, as was she with them.  As the night went on both her and Daniel were gradually getting closer until eventually her legs were draped over his lap, one of his hands settled just above her knee.  All in all, it was shaping up to be a very good night for all involved and they stayed right up until closing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On the way home Daniel first drove Sam home, then Jack and Teal'c, as Teal'c was just going to stay over at Jack's, instead of having to trudge to the base, and Hammond didn't mind if it only happened occasionally.  Daniel was then left with Beth alone and was starting to think that maybe he should have dropped her off first.  When he got to her place he was just about to ask if he could see her again when she said the best thing he'd heard in a long time.

"Do you wanna come up for like, coffee or something?"

"Sure, thanks."  The words had left his lips before Daniel even had he chance to think about it. 

She let him in and directed the way to the lounge where he took a seat.  Daniel looked around the room as he waited for her to return. 

"I managed to get hold of this on my travels last year.  Massandra Red Port Livadia."  She told him with a proud smile as she handed him a glass of the red liquid.

"Love to but I can't, driving."  He was testing the water.

"So...don't drive."  She almost purred seductively.

"But if I don't drive, I may just have to stay here tonight."  He replied, placing his glass on the coffee table.  Beth, quirking an eyebrow at him, did the same.

"Well, if you have to you have to.  There is only one bed however but we're adults, I'm sure we can share."  She moved closer to him, closing the gap between them.  Daniel knew there was no way he was getting a clearer signal than she was giving and closed the gap between them completely, his lips touching hers lightly.  He could taste the wine on her tongue and decided she was right, it was good.

Or maybe she just tastes good

The kiss became a lot deeper as Daniel framed her face tenderly with his hands.  Things were swiftly getting out of his control but at that moment he just couldn't summon the presence of mind enough to reign himself back.  It had just been too damn long and he was so sick of being 'responsible, dependable Daniel'.  He didn't want to think anymore, he just wanted to feel and for one of the few times in his life, his body managed to shut up his brain. 

Daniel was vaguely aware of Beth unbuttoning his shirt and in turn, he began doing the same thing to her tight, work shirt.  When out of his shirt he kissed Beth again and slid the shirt from her slender shoulders.  When she was disposed of that, her white satin bra was easily visble.  His lips strayed from hers to gently leave a trail of hot featherlite kisses down her neck to where it met her shoulder and placed a kiss there as his hands explored the bare skin of her back.

"Daniel..."  He vaguely heard Beth whisper breathless, turned on beyond belief. 

"Yeah?"  He whispered back, as he met her gaze again.  She took his hand and stood up.

"This couch is way too small."  She explained as she led him through the hallway.

"My room's just at the end..."  She was cut off as Daniel turned her to him and kissed her again, her back finding the wall.

Damn he's a great kisser

Beth could feel Daniel's hand move from her lower back to the zip on the back of her past-the-knee tight leather skirt.  Just talking to him he never once seemed the type to just take the initiative in this way but she definitely was not complaining.  As soon as the skirt had hit the floor Daniel picked her up, her legs wrapping around his waist as he carried her to where she told him the bedroom was.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Daniel awoke with a jolt to the sound of his cell beeping insanely in his pants, somewhere on the floor.  He looked across the bed at Beth, still fast asleep.  Managing to locate the noisy gadget he recognized the number as Jack's cell.

Great

He managed to pull on his scattered clothes and leave the bedroom quietly, letting Beth sleep.  When he was sufficiently certain he had some privacy he answered the call.

"Yeah?"

"Wakey wakey, remember Carter needs your help with that…thing.  Just felt that you'd need a wake-up call.  See you at the base."  Jack hung up.

"Dammit!"

"Something wrong?"  Beth asked from the doorframe of her bedroom, seeing her in just a shirt and panties he really just wanted to stay off work for the day."

"No, I just have to go in today."

"Okay…"  She furrowed her eyebrows for just a second.

"Well, it was fun, see you around?"

"Beth, I wanna see you again, and for the record it was more than fun, at least for me.  I just really have to go in.  Go scribble your number, I still have to find my keys."  Beth smiled a little and walked over to the telephone and noted her number on the pad.  Daniel located his keys on the table and met Beth at the telephone table

"There."  She handed him the paper.

"Thank you."  Daniel leant down and gave her a long deep kiss.

"I'll be in touch."  He assured as he pulled on his jacket.

"'kay."  Beth let him out and quickly had to shut the door when she remembered her lack of sufficient clothing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Well, well, if it isn't Dr Love himself."  Jack grinned teasingly as he leaned against the doorframe of Daniel's office.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Daniel glanced up from his book momentarily.

"Didn't think you would so maybe I should jog your memory.  Let's see. 5'4, legs to heaven, big brown eyes and the kind of lips guys just fantasize about having wrapped..."

"Okay, okay, jeez, I get it."

"And?"

"And what?  Jack, I'm not gonna tell you what happened last night."

"Buzzkill!"  Jack muttered under his breath, receiving an exasperated sigh from his friend.

"Come on, I'm just kidding Daniel, I don't expect you to do the 'guy thing', I know you're not like that and I grudgingly respect that.  So, did ya?"

"Jack!"  Daniel looped his eyes.

"What, I'm just curious."  Jack held up his hands defensively, with a look of feigned innocence on his face.

"Don't you have some reports to write up or something?"  Daniel asked hopefully.

"Yeah, yeah, I just wanted to come in here and bait you for a while but I can see I'm wasting my time here so I'll be on my merry way."

"Oh happy day!"  Daniel replied dryly as Jack left. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Come on sir, we don't even know if anything happened last night."  Sam looked up from her mug of coffee at her CO.  The commissary was mildly empty, especially at that time in the morning.

"Hey, you saw what they were like together, I didn't even know Danny knew the meaning of the word 'flirting', but he was right on form last night.  Never seen him like that before."

"I too believe Daniel-Jackson's behaviour last night to be extremely uncharacteristic."  Teal'c agreed looking between his two friends.

"Matter of time Teal'c, all this 'control' had to slip sometime.  I mean come on, he was in a higher plane for the best part of a year, no physical contact whatever.  That'd drive anybody to distraction."  Jack looked up, just spotting Daniel coming in the doors of the mess-hall and shook his head, indicating to Sam and Teal'c to change the subject.

"So, that's why there's no chance of you finding any fish in that pond, Sir."  Sam looked from Jack to Daniel.

"Hey, how's the translation coming?"  She asked, mainly for something to talk about.

"Uh, good, almost done actually, the device is some sort of energy source.  Not sure exactly what for or how it emits energy but I've still got quite a bit to translate."

"Great, now I know what it is I can go play around with it, later guys."

"Later, oh, Sam..."  Daniel stopped her and looked between her and Jack.

"Yeah?"

"You owe Jack, um, twenty bucks?" 

"Thirty actually."  Jack offered.

"Oh."  Daniel nodded in feigned contemplation.  Jack smirked a bit as Daniel turned to Teal'c.

"And as usual Teal'c, I thank you for not being involved in a bet pertaining to my social life."

"You are most welcome Daniel-Jackson."  Teal'c gave Daniel a bemused nod."

"Well, what's on the menu today, I'm starved."  Daniel left Sam open-mouthed as he headed up to get something to eat.

"Keep it open Carter and you may just catch a fly."  Jack chuckled.

"Wow, I just did not see that coming."  Sam reached into her pocket and paid Jack.

"That's cause you're not male Carter, we all pretty much think about the same stuff."

"So I was thinking about that artifact..."  Daniel started as he got back.  Sam gave Jack a questioning look.

"Okay, maybe we don't all think about the same stuff ALL the time." 

"Yeah, well anyway, I'm gonna get back to said artifact, see if I can make it do something."

"Don't blow it up."  Jack called after her. 

"No promises sir."  She called back.  Daniel looked up from his coffee to see Jack and Teal'c looking at him.

"Uh, think I'll get back to the translation."  He cocked an eyebrow at them before getting up and heading to his office.

"Knew it!"  Jack told Teal'c when Daniel left.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Beth wandered around the park and took a seat on the worn bench.  A suited man watched from a black, unmarked car.  After five minutes he got out and joined her, taking off his sunglasses he turned to look at his subordinate.

"Mission status?"

"Jackson took the bait."  Beth confirmed, receiving a curt nod from her superior officer.

"Nicely done Agent Brandon…or is it Miss Benar?"  The man smirked before getting up.

"What now?"

"Now, you play along as normal, get close and we'll be in contact when we have new orders for you."  He put his shades back on and started for his car.

"Yes sir."  Beth remained seated until he was gone then started back for home.