Genre: Sam/Daniel romance/drama
Spoilers: None
Summary: Sam realizes something that Daniel has known for a long time.
Season: Sometime late in season 9
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate or anything related to it.
Feedback: Yes please!!
Author's notes:Italicized text indicates thoughts, text indicates emphasis.

Despite the fact that I am, as my wife tells me, an incurable romantic, I am lousy at writing it. Love to read it, haven't had much success writing it. But the other day I was listening to some old songs, and I realized I had a way to do it. So here is my first attempt at a romance in the guise of a songfic.

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the assistance and good advice of Monica Jankowski, Maureen Thayer, Amaranth Traces and drgemini24.

Three Times in Love

"Hey Carter, wha'cha up to? Got time for some of the SGC's world-famous blue Jello?"

Swiveling away from her computer display, Lt.-Colonel Samantha Carter smiled at the question and the questioner.

"Sure do. What brings you here, sir? I thought you weren't going to be down our way for another few days."

The smile in his voice was clear as Major General Jack O'Neill responded: "What? And miss an opportunity to poke fun at our favorite archeologist? C'mon, Carter, do you think I'd let Daniel off so easy? After ten years of us being a team, I wouldn't miss this for the world"

"Well, sir," she replied, doing her best to hide a grin, "I suppose not. But I'm warning you, no beer. You know Daniel can't hold his alcohol."

"You got that right, Carter," Jack agreed, "so, no booze, at least not for Spacemonkey. And yes, T already warned me about plying Daniel with beer, and the fact that I'd better make sure Daniel stays sober. At least, I can have all the beer I want. And cake. There's going to be cake, I hear. Besides, what else can I do? I mean, who am I going to take to this shindig? And even if Danny-boy is our "designated driver", doesn't mean the rest of us can't enjoy the party, does it?" O'Neill ended his rant with a whine that would do a three year old proud.

Laughing to herself, Sam nodded. "Yes, Jack, you can have all the beer and cake you want."

3 months ago ...

It had been another long day. Samantha Carter found herself wearily walking to the commissary in search of fresh coffee and maybe some conversation. The entire science department had been busy trying to make sense of the artifacts and technology brought back from P9X-376 by SG-7. Daniel had disappeared down the proverbial rabbit-hole and only surfaced periodically to answer questions from his staff. Not that I'm much better, Sam thought to herself. I've been cooped up in my lab for the past 4 days, 18 hours at a time, dealing with Felger and Lee. I need some air. Maybe a drive down the mountain will clear my head.

With that, Sam headed back to her lab to grab her keys and to check the weather. One of the problems with being underground was that the weather could change and no one would be the wiser. More than once, what started off as a warm, sunny day ended up a thunderstorm. However, today was not going to be one of those days. The early morning forecast had called for sunny skies with a high near 82º, and a call to the guard post at the entrance to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex confirmed that it was indeed, sunny and in the low 80s. With barely a backward glance, Carter left a note pinned to her door: "Back whenever I get back."

The drive down the mountain into Colorado Springs was everything Sam hoped it would be. The top down, the warm air ruffling her hair, she could almost feel the tension evaporating from her body. Now this is more like it, Sam thought as a smile graced her lips. Before too long, she was through the downtown area and into the park. "Garden of the Gods" was its proper name; to Sam and the rest of SG-1 it always was just "the park." A special place, it held cherished memories and was a refuge that Sam often fled to when she couldn't deal with the pressures of her personal life. Today, sitting under the trees with the sunshine filtering through the branches and the breeze gently keeping the leaves in motion, Sam let her mind roll back the years to when she and the rest of SG-1 had introduced a 12-year alien from Hanka to the joys of ice cream. The last survivor of her people, Cassie Fraiser was now about to enter medical school. You'd be so proud of her, Janet, Sam thought to herself. Despite her steadfast reluctance, a tear slipped down her cheek. In the years since Janet's death, Sam had not been able to fill the void in her life. It wasn't just that she missed Janet; she missed the easy-going way the two of them had shared confidences and laughs, sorrow and joy and everything in-between. It was Janet who kept her going when Daniel died. And it was Sam who kept Janet from falling off the edge when Nirrti's genetic manipulation of Cassie threatened to kill the teenager.

Unbidden the thought came to her: but you have Daniel back and look how close you are. He's taken Janet's place in some ways. You tell him things you wouldn't tell anyone else, and he reciprocates. He's your best friend, just like Janet was your best friend. So he's a guy, is that a problem?

Shaking her head, Sam focused on the sounds of the park. She soon realized that there was a band playing in the open area, and by the sound of the music, it was what the General would call an "oldies" group. Curious, she headed towards the bandshell. I wonder who they are? Sam thought to herself. As she worked her way through the crowds, she saw the poster: Tommy James and the Shondells. Sam paused as she examined the poster. Why does that name seem familiar? Almost in response, the lead singer, Tommy James she supposed, took the stage.

"How ya'll doing? We want to thank you for coming this afternoon. It's not often that we have a chance to be here in Colorado. For those of you not around at the time — probably most of you — that last number was called "Hanky Panky". Back in 1969 when we first performed it, we would have had to fight for airtime. The sins of rock and roll I guess. For our next number, I want to go forward about 11 years to 1980. I was 33 in 1980 and I was no longer the hard rocker I was in the 1960s. I changed record labels at the same time and figured it was time to tone down the hard edge of our music. So I wrote this next song as a ballad. It's a very special song because it was written for the woman who became my wife in 1980 and I guess in a way, it reflected my own life. It didn't hurt that it became a million-seller and earned me another gold record. Ladies and gentlemen, here's "Three Times in Love."

You were all of a lady, he was all of sixteen,
He was king of the mountain, you were his queen.
You played in the sunshine, you danced in the rain,
It was so easy, when love was a game.

But everybody's
Three times in love.
Two times ain't enough, only one shines above,
Everybody's three times in love.

As the music began, Sam felt as if she had been rooted to the spot. She was mesmerized by the lyrics and she couldn't tear her eyes away from the band. Move, she commanded her feet. Nope, not going to happen was the effective response. As James continued singing, Sam would have sworn he was singing to her and her alone. Her vision seemed to tunnel and everyone else disappeared. Three times in love, Sam thought. Have I been three times in love? And if so, when was the first time?

The answer came soon enough. Martouf. Sam cast her thoughts back. In the quiet of her mind and the privacy of her soul, Sam would admit that she had loved Martouf. It was the cruelest of ironies that it had been she who had to shoot him. If it hadn't been for Daniel's comfort, she didn't think she'd have recovered. Daniel, Sam thought, you're always there for me.

Lovers get older, summer goes away,
You knew that it was over so you looked the other way.
Suddenly before you, your second time around,
Ah, you're older and wiser and you're covering a lot of ground.

But everybody's
Three times in love.
Two times ain't enough, only one shines above,
Everybody's three times in love.

Again Sam felt a shock of understanding. This is scary, she muttered. It's like he's reading my mind.

Second time around was different, and she knew it was so. It wasn't the passion of Martouf. It was the safe, easy comfort of Jack O'Neill. It had to be slow. He was her CO and she was his 2IC. Air Force rules prohibited any relationship between them and so they kept it in the room. At least they did until Jack was promoted out of the SGC and into Homeworld Security. Not expecting to be allowed, O'Neill had asked anyway, and he had been pleasantly surprised when President Hayes agreed to relax the rules and give Jack and Sam special dispensation to be together, provided they were discreet. While technically in the chain of command (everybody in the Armed Forces was in the Homeworld Security chain, more or less), the physical distance and the layers of command between them allowed them to do what they couldn't for eight years. And so they did.

Guess I need to be brutally honest with myself again. Should I be surprised thatJack and I just aren't working? Oh, it did at first. Years of repressed desires translated into some rather passionate days and nights. But despite the fact that O'Neill was far smarter than he appeared to be, there was a barrier that seemed indestructible. In many ways, his public persona was a reflection of his private persona. Jack was a man of action. He loved sports, especially fishing. His dislike of what he called "technobabble" was more often than not real. Sam found herself wanting an intellectual equal. Someone like Daniel. Again Sam felt herself mentally startled. Why do I keep coming back to Daniel? And the answer was instinctive. Because he's not Jack. Jack's had so many chances since I went to Nevada, but he didn't take them. Looking back, if either of us had really wanted it, we would have given up our jobs to be with each other. I couldn't bring myself to do that … and neither could he. The guy hates paperwork and could've retired after each time he got promoted and yet he didn't. I guess we both chose our work over each other, which says something.

Now that you're ready, he comes along,
Your ways are steady and your feelings are strong.
You are all of the ladies, he is every man.
You've both been waiting to find each other, now you understand

Why everybody's
Three times in love.
Two times ain't enough, only one shines above,
Everybody's three times in love.

Three times in love. Who does he think he's kidding? I had two chances and look at me — what do I have to show for it? Who's my "third time?" I'm not in love with anyone now. But a part of her mind answered back: Oh yes you are Sam, and you know who. When you let yourself be Samantha Carter rather than Lt.-Colonel Sam Carter, you know who it is. Who's always been there for you, to comfort you, to hold you, to give you support and never ask for anything in return? Who have you always turned to when you needed support, who understands you, who completes you? Isn't it time that you did something about it?

At that moment, the music stopped and the crowd applauded. But Sam still couldn't move a muscle. She felt, more than saw, people move around, her yet she couldn't get her seemingly-paralyzed legs to obey her. In an instant she knew. And with a laugh, she contemplated the notion that the clarity of the moment was blinding. She couldn't see anyone or anything beyond the thought that had crystallized. Daniel. I'm in love with Daniel.

The crowd streamed around her as Sam remained transfixed by the revelation she had just had. I've been so foolish. How could I not see what was right in front of me? That's what Dad was trying to tell me that day when he told me that I could still have everything I wanted. Oh Daniel, I need to tell you how I feel. I only hope you feel the same way.