Note: This should be fairly obvious, but words in italics are Sam flashing back to events in the episode. More notes at end.
Sam hadn't socialized much with anyone outside her department at the SGC, so she wasn't sure how it had happened. They'd come home triumphantly from P3X-797, though by the end of the walk Daniel had been leaning pretty heavily against Teal'c for support and every time he stumbled or let a small groan escape Sam saw the colonel scowl. She didn't know what all of that was about, they'd been in such a rush to gear up and go after Daniel. She probably should have had her wound reexamined as soon as they got back, but the infirmary was still packed and Daniel needed treatment before their debriefing, so Dr. Frasier had just told her to check in before going home.
They'd started talking as the Doctor examined the injury again. (Thank God it hadn't been at all serious, or she wouldn't have been able to join the mission to rescue Daniel). Sam had reintroduced herself, asking to be called Sam and saying, "I'm so embarrassed about, you know…."
Dr. Frasier smiled. "Assaulting your CO?" Sam winced, but the doctor continued, "Most people affected by the virus did some things they're ashamed of now. You really weren't as bad as some, trust me." She hesitated, then said, "Just out of curiosity, how much do you remember?"
"It's hard to say. Mostly I remember really powerful emotions. Jealousy. Possessiveness." She blushed. "Lust. But the last thing I clearly remember is going down to the Gate Room to run some diagnostics. Daniel was there to help. I think… some people fell through the window?"
"Yes, they were fighting and went right through," Frasier answered, but her mind was clearly elsewhere. "I didn't realize the virus was already affecting your memory before you became overtly aggressive. What else?"
"Daniel and I spoke to the medics when they arrived. I walked with Daniel to his office and left the diagnostic equipment there so we could continue it after things calmed down. It's probably still there actually. Then I sort of remember cornering Colonel O'Neill, but it's more like a series of images than a coherent memory, if that makes any sense."
"Certainly." Dr. Frasier made on final check on Sam's chart and quickly signed it. As she put the file away she asked conversationally, "So, do you have any plans for tonight?"
Sam shrugged. "Not really. I'll probably have to go out to eat, there's nothing at home now and I don't really feel like shopping or like cooking for that matter. I'd have suggested a team dinner but I think it would be too much for Daniel, and it wouldn't be the same without him there. What about you, Doctor?"
"Oh please, if I'm going to call you Sam, the least you can do is call me Janet. I'm glad you at least realize that Dr. Jackson is in no shape to do anything except rest. As it is it's a minor miracle that broken rib didn't puncture a lung." Sam winced at the reminder. "But to answer your question, I don't have specific plans, but I'm going to eat out as well. I've been in the city for over a week and haven't seen it at all."
Sam thought she heard an invitation in that, so hoping she wasn't misreading the other woman, she offered, "Why don't we go have dinner somewhere together? We can go to a little place I like, the Dale Street Bistro Café, and I could show you around the area a little. I've been here a few months now, so I can't claim to be an expert on the city, but I try to not sit around at home."
"That sounds great. I'm done with my shift at 2000 hours. Can you wait until then to eat?"
"Sure," Sam told her. "I'll just have something small to tide me over until then. Maybe I can get a little work done on putting Stargate physics in terms a layman can understand while I wait."
"Lucky you," Janet smiled. "So, by the elevators on this level at, say, 8:15?"
"All right. See you then."
By 8:30 they were signed out and on the road, Janet following Sam's car. After ordering, their discussion turned towards their jobs, though of course they were careful not to say anything classified.
Janet admitted, "I've always tried to avoid physics and I'm not even sure I know what astrophysics is exactly, but it sounds hard."
Sam smiled, having heard such things many times before. "Think of it like this: physics is the study of matter and energy, the laws of the universe. Astrophysics is the focus of physics in space. It's largely theoretical of course, as there's no way to do experiments in the way you can study, say, anatomy, so I also do a lot of math and computer programming."
"Is this something you always knew you wanted to do?" Janet asked.
"Not exactly. I've wanted to be an astronaut for as long as I can remember, and by the time I was twelve I'd mapped out my path to NASA. I took physics at my high school, of course, but actually took some extension classes in engineering. I thought that would be my ticket in."
"So what happened?"
Sam sighed. "Money, or a lack thereof. I was accepted to MIT, but with limited financial aid. The Air Force Academy, on the other hand, offered a full scholarship, and after my placement testing suggested I focus on physics instead. Either direction would interest NASA, so I went with it. I've still tried to devote some time to studying engineering though, so I hope I'll be able to work with Dr. Brenson's team sometimes." Sam caught herself. "I'm sorry, I must be boring you."
"Oh, not at all."
"Thanks, but that's enough about me. What about you? Have you always wanted to be a doctor?"
Janet sipped her drink before answering. "Oh, absolutely, except for when I wanted to be a singer, movie star, princess, ballerina, champion jockey, firefighter or ice skater," she ended with a chuckle.
"So how'd you end up a doctor then?"
"During my junior year of high school my then-boyfriend's mother got cancer. I'm the type to always try to learn all there is to know about a problem—"
"Me too," Sam interjected.
"Right, so I talked to her doctors a lot and was really impressed by them, I respected them a lot. I've always enjoyed chemistry and biology, and like you, I went military partly because of the scholarships available. Besides, I wanted to make a difference, see the world, you know how it is."
As they finished eating, Sam found she was enjoying their conversation and didn't really want to go home to her empty house. She was just thinking about ordering dessert even though she was pretty full when Janet suggested, "Why don't we go over to my house? I still have some leftover "welcome to the neighborhood" lemon bars that the lady across the street gave me."
"Good idea," Sam said as she finished her coffee.
This time it was Sam who followed her new friend's car to a nice residential neighborhood not far from Cheyenne Mountain. There were still a number of boxes waiting to be unpacked, but already the place had a comfortable, lived-in feel. Janet kicked off her shoes, Sam following suit, and in short order they had tea and lemon bars, with an Ella Fitzgerald CD playing as background music.
"So," Janet said. "I haven't gotten to meet all of the SG teams yet, but the infirmary scuttlebutt has it that SG-1 has the hottest men on the base… and I'm inclined to agree."
Sam nearly spit out a mouthful of tea. "Janet!"
Janet's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed. Come on, spill!"
"I have to work with these guys," Sam protested, but a moment later she caved. "OK, I have noticed. How could I not?"
"What was your first impression of… Colonel O'Neill?"
"Jerk." Sam paused. "OK, attractive jerk. But he was being a jerk over me being a scientist, and then over me being a woman. Though in retrospect, I probably came across as a bitchy super-feminist as well.
"He's very funny and very flirty with everyone. And I mean everyone. You'd better warn your nurses not to take it personally."
"Can do."
Sam said thoughtfully, "I think he knows he's good-looking but not how much. He'd be taken aback if someone actually took his flirting as serious interest."
"I concur."
"Now you sound like Teal'c," Sam laughed.
Janet laughed too and said, "Speaking of…."
"Teal'c? I don't know him very well yet, he's really reserved. Sometimes I'll catch him looking at me like he's trying to figure me out. I was stunned when the colonel invited him onto SG-1, but I feel safe with him and was completely confident in him after only a few missions, so he ended up being a good choice."
She grinned. "And I admit, I nearly swooned the first time I saw him shirtless, in one of our training slash teambuilding exercises."
"You and every other woman to see that fine, fine sight," Janet said, putting the last few words in a lazy drawl that made both women laugh. Sam was still thinking about the alien warrior when Janet said with a sly look, "And what about Dr. Jackson?"
Sam missed the look. "Daniel? You know what's sad? I can't actually remember my very very first impression of him, when I shook his hand, except maybe being surprised by his shyness. I guess I was still overwhelmed by the trip, and the DHD, and just the knowledge that I was actually there, you know?
"Yeah," Janet said, looking wistful for a moment. It was hard to imagine any good scenario that would call for her presence off-world.
"Daniel is… sweet. And smart. He has this way of looking outside the box… I can't believe how well we work together sometimes, it's like we're always on the same wavelength."
"That's fantastic," Janet told her warmly. "It makes me feel pretty shallow though."
"How come?"
"The first things I noticed about him were his big blue eyes, his lips, and third would be… his hands I think. He's got beautiful hands."
Sam tried to hide her surprise. "I agree that he's very good-looking, but his looks didn't strike me right away like with the colonel or Teal'c."
"I think you're protesting too much," Janet teased. "After all, —" she abruptly stopped.
"After all… what?"
Janet looked embarrassed. "Well, keep in mind I wasn't there, but apparently, before you went after Colonel O'Neill you were acting kind of possessive towards Daniel. And you did lock him in his office. He thinks it was an accident, by the way."
Sam's jaw dropped, and she took a breath, a ready denial on her lips.
"Dr. Jackson!" Sam frowned as her companion slowed and turned towards the voice, but reluctantly did the same.
"Alice," Daniel greeted the other woman. "Sam, you know Alice, right?"
"Yes," Sam said with a curt nod, not offering her hand. Alice seemed puzzled by Sam's rudeness, but quickly shrugged it off as she and Daniel spoke about the test she was running on an artifact. Sam tuned the details of their conversation out and glared at the young technician.
She was being so damn obvious, Sam thought with disgust, even though everyone knew perfectly well Daniel was married. At least Daniel hadn't noticed, he did tend to be sweetly oblivious to women's attention. But he was more naïve than she'd ever imagined if he didn't notice the signals Alice was sending, the laughing and blushing and gazing up at him... Sam growled and Daniel turned towards her, concerned.
"Sam?"
"Just a tickle in my throat. Well, it's been nice talking to you, Alice. See you later."
Daniel looked confused now but made his own farewell to Alice and trotted a few steps to catch up, just as Sam knew he would. "Sam? Are you sure you're OK?"
She smiled at him. "Never better."
"Sam?"
Startled out of her thoughts, Sam visibly jumped. "Sorry Janet, I guess I'm more tired than I thought. I can't believe it's not even eleven yet."
Janet went immediately went into doctor mode. "Well, it has been a rather eventful day. I should turn in too, but I'm glad we had supper, Sam. Maybe we could do it again sometime."
"I'd like that," Sam told her sincerely. "The guys are great, but…."
"Sometimes it's just good to have another woman to talk to," Janet finished. As Sam was leaving, Janet confided, "I'm not sure if you heard yet, but a few of Daniel's injuries are from Jack."
"What?"
"Daniel apparently was expressing concern for you. And remember when you got back to base and I had the men in the infirmary without you while you showered? The colonel admitted that he'd smelled a trace of your scent on Daniel—did you know several of your senses were enhanced when you regressed?—and he just flipped out. Most of Daniel's injuries are from his captors of course, I wouldn't have sent him off-world if he was seriously hurt. But if you could keep an eye on those two and let me know if they seem to be having trouble dealing with it, I'd really appreciate it."
Sam absently agreed, but after she heard, "senses were enhanced," her mind was elsewhere….
Sam hooked her free arm through Daniel's and leaned against him slightly as they walked, ignoring his confused expression. When another woman coming down the corridor saw Daniel and opened her mouth to speak, Sam sped up slightly. There was only time for a quick "hello," thought Daniel said over his shoulder, "I'll be by later to look at your translation on the Assyrian piece."
Clearly Daniel didn't notice the pheromones poring off the woman like a bitch in heat, Sam thought as she unobtrusively tightened her grip on his arm. He definitely couldn't be allowed to go see her alone.
Shaking her head a little to clear it, Sam said goodnight to Janet and drove home. She was happy about the budding friendship—usually she was so focused on her work it took quite a while for her to make new friends. Actually, she usually wasn't one for gossip either, but it had been fun to talk and laugh about lighter subjects than she usually thought about. She just hoped Janet would still be able to be her primary-care physician, though she trusted the other woman to know if she had to take a step back professionally.
It wasn't really all that surprising her memory of the past day was starting to come back, Sam told herself as she pulled into her driveway. Of course she would tell Janet about the little flashbacks if they persisted or if they interfered with her work.
Sam had a meeting in twenty minutes and she needed to speak with the colonel about a time slot for her and Daniel to continue the test they'd been running. Saying goodbye to Daniel—who was already deeply immersed in a project and scarcely looked up—she left.
First she went to a computer and swiftly entered a few commands. That ought to keep Daniel safely away from those leeches until she got back. Then she headed off in search of Colonel O'Neill. Didn't he usually work out at this time? She'd check the gym first, then.
Sam spit out her toothpaste and looked sternly at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, embarrassed by what her own memory told her. So she had locked Daniel in his office, and it had been no accident.
But did she really need to be embarrassed, she wondered? Probably not. She hadn't been in control of her actions and at least she hadn't physically attacked him. As long as she acted normal towards him tomorrow, she was sure Daniel would let the matter drop. And so reassuring herself, Sam Carter fell asleep.
I've always liked episode 105, The Broca Divide. Recently it occurred to me: we see Sam talking and interacting fairly normally with Daniel in the gate room, and the next time we see her she's completely gone and going after Jack in the locker room. Missing scene! I also am a closet Sam/Daniel shipper so of course I shifted the slant from Sam/Jack to Sam/Daniel. : )
Along the way, the story took a turn I didn't expect and it also became about the start of Sam and Janet's friendship. I don't know if I'll continue this-maybe sometime-but if I do it will almost certainly be more overt Sam/Daniel ship.
There are many wonderful Broca Divide fics out there already, but most that I've read focus on Daniel or Jack or both. Don't get me wrong, I love those stories, but I hope Sam's POV made this one more than a carbon copy.
Please no flames, especially anything about Sam/Daniel being "wrong." I refrain from ranting about Sam/Jack despite my many issues with it, so please don't attack the pairing I like. But constructive criticism is welcome, especially on characterization (did the women seem more like giggling high schoolers than the professionals they should be? I'm a bit concerned about that). Fawning praise is accepted as well of course. : )