Title: The Rumour Mill

Author: Secret Art

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Date: 27th July 2004

Rating: PG-13

Category: Romance, humour?

Pairings: implied Sam/Jack and Janet/Daniel

Spoilers: none

Summary: Annoyed at the rumours being spread about them, Sam and Jack decide to create some of their own.

Archive: where ever you want, I'm not fussy

Feedback: can only make me better

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author.

Author's note: Had to stop writing during my exams so this is a short fic to get me back into the swing of things.

She raised her head from the latest piece of alien technology as footsteps approached her lab.

"Hey Colonel," she smiled at him before turning back to her work.

"We have a problem." She noted that his voice was half amused and only half concerned, so continued to focus on her work. "there's a new rumour."

She sighed, turning to look at him. "Another one?"

"Yep, and this one could be bad."

Her work forgotten, she asked, "what's this one about?"

"Oh you know. Which planet we finally hooked up on, when SG-1 went on that vacation for a week when Jacob was on Earth was apparently when we got married. Oh, and there are bets going round on when you'll announce the pregnancy."

She looked at him in shock. "What?"

"Apparently a few people have seen you being sick most mornings last week, so they jumped to conclusions."

"At least Janet didn't tell them the real reason."

He laughed. "An allergic reaction to alien chocolate is rather embarrassing."

She smiled slightly, troubled by the rumours, especially since General Hammond had warned them of possible visits by high ranking people.

He picked a pen up off her desk and started playing with it. "What are we going to do?"

She looked at him with a determined smile. "We fight fire with fire."

"Excuse me?"

"Rumours are based on misinformation, people only getting half the story. So in theory, if we discus an actual topic, for example what we were talking about yesterday," they shared a smile; "but without mentioning any specifics, people should form their own opinions and new rumours will start."

He nodded his head in agreement. "How about the commissary, that's the best place if you want to be overheard."

She grinned, climbing to her feet. "Fancy something to eat Colonel?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

---------------

They walked slowly to the commissary, ignoring the knowing glances from the SF's.

Grabbing some food, the quickly sat down, aware that most of the people around them were already regarding them with barely hidden interest.

He raised an eyebrow at her, silently asking her whether she was ready. She smiled in response, so taking a quick look round to ensure they had everyone's attention he shock his head in mock horror. "I can't believe Daniel would do something like that!"

She nodded her head in agreement. "And Janet, shrugging it off like it's no big deal. She's supposed to be my best friend, she could at least have warned me not to go into her office."

"That's where you saw 'it'."

"Yep, and Janet even asked what I thought about it."

He gasped in shock. "Seriously?"

"She didn't seem bothered in the least that I'd seen it, said she Daniel would probably be happy, as he wouldn't have to hide it from me anymore."

"I should have words with him, not telling me something like that."

"No! Sir, please. Janet swore me to secrecy. They don't want it to become public knowledge, even if it has been going on for so long."

He looked at her with interest. "How long?"

"Janet said about two years. You didn't hear this from me, but apparently it's going to have to become public knowledge soon anyway. They can't keep it a secret much longer."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She gave him a glare and raised an eyebrow. "Oh." She smiled, his shocked face turning to one of distrust. "Really?"

She pouted slightly, her eyes sparkling with hidden laughter. "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course."

They slowly walked out of the commissary, catching slips of conversation, smiling at the rumours that were already being spread.

Pausing in the corridor, he turned to Sam. "You know that they will kill us when they find out who started the rumours."

"It's not our fault that Daniel decided to try his hand at painting."

"I'm impressed he managed to keep it a secret for so long."

"If he hadn't had to have had his apartment redecorated Janet would never have found out."

A technician walked past so they continued down the corridor in silence, pausing at the entrance to her lab.

"How did Janet find out?" He asked, slightly confused.

"Daniel needed somewhere to store the 'painting' and he didn't want you to see it so couldn't leave it with the rest of his things at your house. He asked Janet to look after it for him, so she took it home with her."

"Why was it in her office then?"

"Remember when Janet had us all over for dinner? Daniel was afraid that we'd see it. They were almost finished at his place so Janet brought it in for Daniel to collect."

He smiled, looking around to check that the corridor was empty. "Do you really think it'll stop the rumours about us?"

"No idea, but I can't wait to see what new rumours appear." She laughed, and he shock his head in amusement, both glad that the rumours hadn't affected their actual relationship.

Sharing a final smile, Sam turned and walked into her lab, getting straight back to work in order to make it appear that she never left.

--------------------

Jack meanwhile slowly walked down the corridor, having no intention of going back to his office and doing paperwork.

He glanced covertly at every person he passed, at first getting the same 'it's him' stares, but after about half an hour, he suddenly realised that people are now ignoring him, too deep in their own conversations to notice him, giving him the chance to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Seeing a particularly large group of people he slowed down, listening in on their conversation.

"You really think it's true?"

"What?"

"The thing about Doctor Fraiser and Daniel Jackson"

"Oh, I thought we were talking about something else. What happened?"

"Apparently, and this is from the best sources, Janet and Daniel are a couple."

"No way."

"I knew it!"

"I saw them in her office the other day, talking to each other, looking slightly concerned."

"Didn't you hear, she had just received the positive results to her pregnancy test."

"Yeah, one of the nurses told me that Fraiser had filled in a form for a blood test, the whole works, pregnancy test included, under the name of a nonexistent person."

"No one that works on the base anyway."

"Are you saying that the test might not be hers?"

"That's not what they meant. But what if Daniel's not the father?"

"But they seem so perfect together."

"She is only human. It's possible she was swept off her feet by some handsome lieutenant."

"Or alien."

"Or she could have been infected."

Passing the Group, Jack grinned, hoping that the new 'information' would fuel rumours for a while.