Disclaimer: Stargate S-G1 and all its characters do not belong to me.
Irresistible
By Thomasina
Jack was surprised to find Daniel's door closed. He was further surprised to find that is was locked. He would have assumed that Daniel wasn't in the office were it not for the light under the door.
Curious, and more than a little worried, he rapped on the door. "Daniel?"
"Jack?"
"Yes, Daniel. Open the door." Now, his tone implied.
Jack heard the door being unlocked and the door opened to reveal a very tired looking Daniel.
"Daniel? You okay?"
Daniel cautiously poked his head out the door and looked both ways down the hall.
"If you're looking for me, Daniel, I'm right here."
Jack's concern for Daniel upped a notch. Daniel breathed a sigh of relief as he saw no one. He pulled Jack inside and shut and locked the door once more.
"Is something wrong, Daniel?"
"You could say that," said Daniel as he collapsed into his chair and let his head fall into his hands.
"Do you need to go to the infirmary?"
Jack walked over to Daniel ready to drag him to infirmary if need be.
"I'm not sick or hurt," said Daniel, not raising his head to look at Jack. "I'm just tired and confused."
Jack sat in the chair next to Daniel. "What are you confused about?"
"Suddenly, for some reason every female on this base has decided to develop…a liking to me," Daniel said hesitantly
Jack had to
try hard to resist the urge to laugh.
"I think you're about the only one who doesn't know how many women find
him desirable, but now you're going from one extreme to the other. Every female, Daniel?"
"Well, the eight women I've
encountered so far today have expressed…their feelings for me."
"That's hardly every female."
Daniel sighed and finally looked at Jack. "I know that Jack, but based on the behavior of the few that I've met up with today I don't want to find out what the rest will do."
"I think you need some fresh air. How about we go for a walk?"
"No thanks."
"How long
have you been hiding out in here, Daniel?"
Daniel gazed at the
floor. "I don't know. What time is it?"
"Daniel."
"A few hours, I guess. Jack, I'm telling you--something is going on, and I'd rather not run into any more women."
"Come on, Daniel. I think it's safe to take a walk."
In other words, I don't believe you and we're taking a walk to prove you wrong.
Daniel understood the implied message and sighed.
"Fine, let's go." You want to try and prove me wrong, fine. You'll just find out that I'm right.
Daniel unlocked his door and cautiously led the way out of his office. They made it down one hallway without running into anyone. As they made it through two more corridors without incident Daniel began to relax, but then they rounded the corner of the fourth corner and ran into Lt. Byers.
"Ah, Daniel," she purred seductively. "There you are. We've been looking all over for you."
"Ah, we?" mumbled Daniel nervously.
Lt. Byers smile was positively predatory. "Yeah, me and a few of the other girls who were with us this morning."
Jack's eyebrows raised-this conversation sounded very interesting.
Lt. Byers seemed at first to keep her distance from Daniel because the colonel was with him, but she seemed to forget all about Jack as she latched onto Daniel's arm and traced a finger along his cheek.
"You remember the fun we had this morning, right?"
Daniel gulped and tried unsuccessfully to pull away. "Ah, yes, I remember, but I wouldn't exactly describe it as fun."
"You mean, you don't think it's fun to have three girls kissing you?"
Daniel finally managed to extract himself from Lt. Byers grip and edged closer to Jack as if for protection.
"Not especially, no," he answered.
Jack's expression was one of mixed amusement and surprise, as he looked from Daniel to Lt. Byers. He was half tempted to step aside and let Lt. Byers get Daniel again, expect that Daniel looked so darn uncomfortable.
"Come on, Daniel," she purred undeterred by his rejection of her. "Why don't you ditch the colonel and come have some fun with me and the girls. We can go someplace private and have more fun than this morning."
"Sorry, Jack and I have some things we have to discuss."
"Well, why don't I join you then?"
"We're discussing some pretty personal matters, so it's better that's it just the two of us, right Jack?"
Daniel looked pleadingly at Jack. Jack put a protective arm around his friend.
"Right," he looked over at Lt. Byers. "Don't you have someplace you should be?"
"Yes, sir," she said stiffly, but then the predatory smile returned. "Catch you later, Daniel."
Daniel sighed in relief as she walked out of sight.
"So, Daniel
is that the kind of behavior you were talking about?"
"Pretty much, yeah."
"Pretty much?"
"Not everyone was as forward as her," he blushed brightly. "And some were more so."
Jack's raised his eyebrows again as he tried to imagine what that Daniel meant by that.
"Can we go back to my office now?"
"Why don't we stop by the commissary and grab a bite to eat first?"
Daniel's eyes widened in fear. "Do you know how many people could be there? Didn't what you just saw tell you anything?"
"One person acting out of the ordinary is not a sign that something weird is going on. It's between lunch and dinner there won't be that many people there."
Daniel sighed, too tired to argue. "Whatever, let's just get this over with."
He trailed unhappily behind Jack to the commissary. As they entered, every female in the room seemed to sense Daniel's presence, and they all turned to stare hungrily at him. Daniel tried to hide behind Jack as they all got up and headed towards him.
"Do you believe me now, Jack?"
"Yeah, I think now would be a good time to leave."
"Ya think?"
Jack turned to glare at him. "Or maybe I should hand you over to them and leave you here."
Daniel's eyes widened. "You wouldn't."
"Oh, wouldn't I?"
Jack took hold of Daniel's arm and started to walk forward. Daniel tried to pull away, but Jack held firm as he turned around and left the commissary pulling a very willing Daniel with him. Behind him he could here several pairs of heeled feet following them. He increased his pace and headed for Carter's office.
"Uh, Jack, where are we going?" Daniel asked as he noticed they were not heading back to his office.
The sound of many pairs of feet was still behind them and they were gaining. Daniel broke out into a run intending to head for his office, but Jack still had a hold on him. Running along with him, he steered Daniel toward Carter's office. At last they reached their destination. They ran in, shut and locked the door behind them.
Carter looked up from her work in surprise. "Sir?" Her look of confusion changed to a smile very like Lt. Byers's as she spied Daniel.
Jack sank wearily to the floor, still trying to catch his breath. Daniel leaned against the door and closed his eyes, also trying to catch his breath and thus didn't see Sam advancing on him until it was too late. He opened his eyes to find himself staring into Sam's eyes and a second later she was kissing him. He ducked out of her kiss and backed away holding his hands out in front of him.
"Sam, please not you, too. Snap out of it."
"What's wrong, Daniel," Sam pouted. "Don't you find me attractive?"
"Sam, you know I don't think of you that way."
Sam advanced on him, smiling seductively. "I can change that."
She scowled as Jack stepped in her path.
"Carter, focus. Something is making you and every other woman on this base attracted to Daniel. I was hoping you wouldn't be affected and you could help us figure out what's going on and reverse it."
Carter tried to step around Jack, but he moved with her and continued to block her path to Daniel. Daniel stood behind a chair, his hands gripping the back of the chair nervously. Carter sighed and stood still.
"Fine, you win. I'll help you figure out what's wrong with Daniel, though I don't see anything wrong." She grinned. "But I'll have to get close to Daniel to figure out what's causing this."
"Negative, major. You'll figure this out from afar."
Carter pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. "I can't do it, then."
"Carter," Jack said warningly. "Maybe Daniel should leave, so you can think more clearly."
"Good idea!" said Daniel.
"No, he has to be here, so I can question him," said Sam at the same time.
Jack sighed and ran a hand through his hair. How could he undo this if the only people he knew of that could possibly help, couldn't think straight?
"Maybe we should pay Janet a visit."
"Do you think that's wise?" asked Daniel.
"We have to give it a shot. Maybe she's immune to whatever is affecting everyone else. Carter, you think about what could be causing this, and we'll be back."
"Both of you?"
"Yes."
"You know sir, you don't have to come back. Daniel and I can work on this ourselves."
"I don't think so, major."
Keeping himself between Daniel and Sam he edged towards the door. He unlocked it quietly and peeked outside.
"The coast is clear. Let's go, Daniel."
Daniel gratefully slipped out ahead of Jack. Jack shut the door behind him and led Daniel to the infirmary. As they entered the infirmary, the nurses on duty looked at Daniel the same way the women in the commissary had, as they advanced on Daniel.
"Whoa, ladies, back off. We need to see Dr. Frasier."
"We can help you," said of the nurses.
"Nope, sorry, definitely need Frasier."
"What's going on?" asked Frasier as she entered the room. "Oh, Daniel. Is something wrong? Do you need a check-up?"
Daniel didn't like the way Janet was looking at him, and he edged further behind Jack.
"Got anymore bright ideas?"
Jack frowned and opened his mouth to respond with an appropriate sarcastic response, then sighed and shook his head in defeat instead. They now found themselves surrounded by nurses with Janet at the forefront. Fortunately, the door was at their back, and they made a hasty retreat.
"Now, what?" asked Daniel as they stopped in a blessedly empty hallway.
"I don't know, Daniel," Jack growled in frustration. "Have you touched anything you shouldn't have recently?"
Daniel glared at Jack. "You know perfectly well that I haven't."
"Well, did you eat or drink anything unusual recently?"
"No."
"Wearing anything different?"
"No."
"Tick anyone off?"
"Not to my knowledge, and I certainly can't think of anyone capable of doing this."
Jack sighed. He couldn't think of anyone either--not anyone human anyway. This reminded him a lot of the control Hathor had over men, though.
"I guess we go back to Carter and see if she's thought of anything."
"Do we have to?"
"I can't think of anything
else."
"Fine," Daniel sighed.
Carter was at her desk working, but as they entered she looked up and smiled at Daniel.
"You're back."
"Unfortunately," muttered Daniel.
He stood next to Jack, but his stance was tense, ready to hide behind Jack at a moment's notice.
"Any progress, Carter?"
"Progress on what, sir?"
"On what's happening to Daniel."
"Nothing's happening yet, thanks to you."
Jack closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "You know what I mean."
"Do I?"
"Maybe I should leave," suggested Daniel.
"No, you can't!" Sam's expression changed from seductive to panicked. "I have to ask you some questions."
"So, ask," said Jack.
"What qualities do you look for in a woman?"
"Carter…"
"Sorry. When did you first notice that things were different?"
"As I was leaving the commissary this morning after eating breakfast."
"You ate without anyone telling you to?"
Daniel glared at him.
"Actually, sir. I made him." Sam seemed to snap out of whatever was affecting her as she recalled earlier this morning. "He had been working all night and I knew that he hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday, so I insisted that he eat."
"Did you feel any feelings for him this morning?"
Sam slipped back under the control of whatever was making her attracted to Daniel as she gazed at him. "Of course, how could I not have? I've always had feelings for him."
"No, you haven't." Daniel looked over at Jack. "And she didn't this morning, either. She didn't behave any differently than usual."
"Okay, now we're getting somewhere. Obviously, something happened at the commissary."
"Nothing unusual happened. I ate the same breakfast as everyone else there. Then I left. As I was leaving, Captain Reeves stopped me and… revealed that she had feelings for me."
"Revealed how?" asked Jack.
"I'd rather not say," said Daniel, turning crimson.
"Whatever she did, she better not try it again," growled Sam jealously.
"Daniel, something must have happened at breakfast," said Jack.
Daniel wrinkled his brow in concentration. "I entered the commissary, got in line. Lynn spilled her coffee on me, I cleaned up what I could, ate breakfast, and left-or rather tried to leave."
"Lynn?" Carter's voice dripped venom.
"Ah, yeah she's pretty new. She's only been here a couple of months. She's a civilian working in the science department. Bright kid-masters in Chemistry and working toward a doctorate in molecular biology."
"Does she have any reason to dislike you?"
"No, I've only met her a couple of times. She's extremely gregarious. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to stand around chatting with her, but I can't imagine that she would do anything like this. She didn't know me well enough to dislike me this much."
"Daniel, she probably had a crush on you, and felt that you just brushed her aside."
Comprehension
dawned on Daniel's face. "Oh, I guess
that could be possible."
"Could be? I think that is what's going on. Come on, let's go pay Lynn a little visit."
"I should come with you, sir."
"No, Carter, I think it's best that you remain here." Jack paused as a thought occurred to him. "On second thought, maybe you should come along. Lynn's probably immune to whatever she did. We'll know she truly reversed what she did if you start acting normally."
Carter grinned. Jack wouldn't be able to protect Daniel from her and walk very easily. Daniel caught her grin and seemed to know what she was thinking as he edged behind Jack.
"After you, Daniel," said Jack, as he held the door open.
Daniel exited the office and Jack followed. Sam was the last out, but she was quick to catch up to Daniel and grab his hand. Jack tried to step between them, but Sam sidestepped out of his way.
"Sir, I'm only holding his hand. Where's the harm in that?"
Jack sighed and looked apologetically at Daniel.
This will all be over soon. Just grin and bear it for now. Daniel seemed to understand the unspoken request as he nodded slightly, and stopped trying to pull his hand from Sam's grasp. Sam grinned triumphantly. Moments later, they reached the biochemistry lab. As it was now well past five, it was mostly empty. Lynn was the lone occupant. She stood carefully holding a test tube over a Bunsen burner. Her raven hair was pulled into a tight bun, and her green eyes hidden by protective lenses. She looked quite young, but Jack guessed she wasn't as young as she looked.
"Hello, Daniel. Finally figured it out, I see," she said without looking up.
Jack walked up to her and stood next to her, towering over her short, petite frame.
Sam and Daniel stood slightly behind him. Sam traced her finger along Daniel's arm and Daniel tried to pull away, his face turning a bright red.
"That's right, and we've come to get you to undo whatever you did to him."
"I was going to, of course. This is the antidote I'm working on now."
"What exactly did you to him, anyway?"
"I heard about the power that Hathor had over the men on this base and it got me thinking. I wondered what chemicals you would have to combine to produce that result. I'm not really good at attracting men-I think they're a little put off by my intelligence, and I guess I talk a bit too much, so I thought this would help. I was eventually successful, but it was too powerful, and I was unable to dilute it. I was going to just get rid of it all and forget all about it, but when Daniel turned me down, I just had to get back at him, for all the guys I couldn't get back at in high school."
"I'm really sorry I hurt you. I honestly didn't mean to. You see I have a wife…"
"I know," interrupted Lynn. "It wasn't so much you, as men in general. You just happened to choose the wrong moment to reject me."
"I never rejected you…"
"Yes, you did. I asked if you would join me for a cup of coffee, and you left without answering me."
"Oh, Lynn. I'm sorry. I never heard you ask that. I would have answered you if I had. I had a lot on my mind that day."
"It's okay. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you. Here, drink this."
She had taken the test tube away from the flame some time ago, and now it was cool enough to handle.
"I didn't drink the other stuff."
"No, that was absorbed into your skin. That's why it took a while to take effect. The results should be pretty much immediate when drank."
Daniel accepted the concoction, and drank it down. Less than a minute later, Sam snatched her hand away from Daniel.
"Daniel, I am so sorry," began Sam as she recalled how she had behaved around him.
"Don't worry, Sam. You weren't yourself." Daniel turned away from a red-faced Sam, to Lynn. "Thank you, Lynn and again, I'm sorry for hurting you. Maybe we can get together for coffee sometime."
"No, thanks," said Lynn. "I've found someone else, and I think he returns my feelings."
"Really, that's great."
"Well, now that you're back to normal, I've got to go home."
"Remind me never to get on your bad side," said Jack grinning.
Lynn grinned as well. "Don't worry, I won't do anything like this again."
Lynn left and Jack turned to his companions. "What do you say we go get something to eat?"
"Sounds good to me, sir," agreed Sam. "I'm starved."
"I have so much work to catch up on. I hardly got anything done today."
"You can do it tomorrow. You've had a stressful day. Now, you just need to relax and get something to eat. I know you haven't eaten since breakfast, as you've been hiding out all day."
"I guess I am sort of hungry," Daniel admitted.
"Great, then it's settled. Let's just go see if Teal'c wants to join us."
Jack left the lab, headed for Teal'c's room, closely followed by Daniel and Sam.