Disclaimer: Don't own them yadda yadda. Make no money yadda yadda. Only do this for a giggle.

Pairing: Paul/other, Daniel/Sam, Jack/Janet

Rating: PG13 (for now)

Summary: When faced with a problem you can't solve, how far will you go to find the answer? What will you give? How much will you sacrifice?

*-*

He was getting more and more frustrated by the second. Which in itself was nothing new. He'd been down this road so many times over the last seven years it was sometimes frightening. He took a large gulp of his now stone cold coffee and continued staring at the text for a few more minutes, before giving a resigned sigh and throwing it down on the desk in disgust.

"Not having any luck?"

Daniel looked up and smiled as Sam came into his office, grabbing her coffee mug and filling it up on the way over to him. "Luck has nothing to do with it Sam."

"Yes I know Daniel. You speak 29 languages, can read hieroglyphs, pictographs..."

"Sam!" He rubbed his forehead gently. "This is one of the dialects of the Ancients. I should know this stuff! I should be able to look at it and understand it.....but it's all...." He waved his arms around in a wild gesture. "...nothing! It means....nothing to me!"

"Daniel...you're doing your best. You always give your job 100%. I have faith that you'll translate it."

"Thanks Sam. But...I can't see it happening." He stretched out trying to get rid of the annoying ache that had settled around his neck and shoulders about two hours ago. Sam immediately came to stand behind him and began to rub his neck and shoulders. He moaned softly.

"Good?"

"Oh yeah." He gave a contented sigh. "So....Jack and Janet have invited us over tonight."

Sam groaned. "I really can't cope with them tonight Daniel. They're just so.....doe eyed. It gets a bit much sometimes."

Daniel sniggered softly. "I can relate to that. I'm pleased for them both of course. It's nice to see them happy but sometimes I just want to hurl something at them."

Sam got the last of the kinks out of Daniel's neck and moved back around the front of his desk. "You could always go on your own. You don't need me there really."

"Oh right. You think I'd go over and sit there whilst they..." Daniel shuddered. "Jack makes enough of the fact I'm still single without me giving him the perfect opportunity."

"I know what you mean. I get it too remember." Sam sighed. "I just...sometimes...I wish I had what they had. Someone to share things with. Someone to come home to. You know?"

"Yes Sam. I know."

"Pizza and beer at mine?"

"Sounds good." Daniel locked the text he was working on in his desk, turned off the lights and followed Sam out of the office.

In the shadows a figure narrowed their eyes. Stepping out from it's hiding place it made it's way over to the desk. It moved it's hand over the lock and the drawer opened. It carefully picked up the text and looked it over.

"How bad is it?" A voice sounded from the shadows.

"It's bad."

Another figure joined the first one and looked at the piece of parchment. "Do you think they can handle it?"

"I'm not sure." The parchment was placed back in the drawer and the figure stepped away from the desk when it heard the lock click. "Contact the council. I need to investigate further."

The second figure nodded as they both walked back into the shadows.

*-*