PLEASE READ THIS NOTE! IT'S ACTUALLY IMPORTANT!
Right! So….side note: I realized after writing this that I intended to mention that Teal'c is off world during this interlude (mostly because I suck at writing Teal'c, but also because I thought it was too many characters), but forgot to, and couldn't think of a way to fit it in without it seeming awkward and "state the obvious" ish. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY NOT A SHIPPY FIC!!!! Although the lines are blurred. I am currently mad at people who have to specify within the fic that Sam and Daniel consider each other siblings. I'm sick of it! Sick of it, I say! I've had enough experience in amazing friendships with the opposite gender that I know it's never that clear. I'd like to think we can have a world where there is neither shippyness nor sibling-ish-ness, and the characters can just have a nice peaceful friendship! Especially since these two have so much in common when it comes to their backgrounds. Sorry I keep writing fics after lecturing on pet peeves. Oh well, all muses can't be happy-go-lucky :D.
Oh! One other thing. A "third culture kid", for those of you who don't know, is a kid who grew up in a country that his parent's (or surrounding guardians) don't belong to. I have lots of friend like this (children of military families, missionaries families, and immigrant families). Essentially, these kids retain three cultures: The one they were born to (their parent's), the one they live in (the country's), and the one they actually live out (somewhere in between, usually shared by kids in the same situation). Both Sam and Daniel qualify as Sam was born military, and Daniel's family was overseas on digs. If you're confused, look it up online :D.
Sam sighed. Well, to tell the truth, she tried, and failed. Stupid cold, blocking off breathing passages. But as she was digging around for tissues in the couch she had taken up sleeping on, she heard something rustling around outside the front door and switched into stealth mode immediately. A key was turned, and the door opened. She held her breath and reached for the handgun she had under her couch (just in case).
Almost immediately she recognized the breathing and steps of her best friend. "Gosh, Daniel, don't scare me like that!" Daniel poked his head into her living room, brows wrinkled. "Hey, I thought you'd be sleeping! Sorry about coming in unannounced." He shot her a crooked smile and stuffed his hands in his jean pockets. She smiled back, motioning for him to come in. He shuffled in and checked her temperature with the back of his hand. "When Landry said you'd called in sick, I figured it had to be something serious." She nodded slightly, trying not to disturb his diagnoses. He sighed. "Looks like you're running a fever. I'll go make some tea. You want me to call Carolyn?" She wrinkled up her nose. "It's a cold, Daniel. It'll wear off on it's own. She's got people's lives to save." He squeezed her shoulder and headed for the kitchen, where he found a pot of hot water already on the stove. "Cam and Vala are coming later, but I figured I'd come first so you wouldn't get overwhelmed. Hey! Where'd you move the honey to?" he said, rummaging through her kitchen expertly. She smiled into her newly-found tissue and blew her nose. Recovering, she shouted, "It's on top of the fridge. Sorry, I got restless again."
He reappeared with a cup of tea and a honey-bear. "Yeah, it happens to the best of us. This whole suburban 'live in the same house for more than a year and a half' thing really gets to you after a while. Somehow, home was easier to find when it moved. Careful, it's a bit hot. And I might have overdone the honey," he said, sitting on the coffee table and handing her her favorite mug. She sipped and gulped fast. "Might have? What are you trying to do, give me a sugar high?" He snorted. "Hey, it's good for you, and feels nice on your throat." She gave him a slightly surprised look. She hadn't remembered telling him her throat hurt. "Nasal drip." was all he had to say, and she nodded knowingly. This is why it was nice having a friend who was sick so often, she thought. That, and a fellow third culture kid. He smiled. "So, Sam. Other than this nasty cold, how are you?"
Sam looked down into her tea and thought. She knew not to say nothing. It was Daniel, he was the king of "nothing's wrong, why would you think there's something wrong?!?", and the first to see through it in his friends. But she wasn't about to spew off on a lecture about time management and overworking myself. Not to mention the emotional trauma that was the real issue. No, she had to find a smaller issue to distract him with. Maybe even one she needed his advice on anyway. "You know, I'm not doing to bad. I guess I'm just a little distracted by some stuff Cam said the other day. It shouldn't bother me, but it did-does."
Poor Daniel immediately switched into protective mode internally. Cam may have been a good friend, and the leader of SG-1, but so help him, if Cam had hurt Sam in any way…. "What did he do to you, Sam?" Her head snapped up at his gruff tone. "Do? Oh nothing, he was just talking about his family. Said something about his parents, and it made me miss mine. Both, actually." Daniel visibly backed down, but recovered quickly and moved on into comfort mode. Sam continued, "I haven't seen Dad in so long. And Mom--" She let the sniffles out. He had stopped panicking at the sight of tears along time ago. And it wasn't as if she had many people she could cry to. She was a Lt. Colonel, for crying out loud!(no pun intended.) "Mom I just miss in general. Sometimes I just wish I had her around to go get advice from. That's what normal people do, right?" His eyebrows shot through the roof. "Your asking me what normal people do? I don't think there's ever been a circle where I would be considered normal." She giggled for a moment, sobered. Once again, Daniel was in the same (if slightly more extreme) pickle. "You know, Daniel, I'd forgotten, but I suppose that's how you feel all the time. Sorry."
He smiled sadly. "No, it's fine. Actually, I like when I can help someone who has the same problems I have, you know? It makes me feel like I've lived through all that for a reason." She smiled back. He sighed. "Darn it, Sam, I know how it is. You think, this is something my parents should have been around to teach me, or see! It's hard. And some of this….this-- well, this rough time we're having at the SGC requires the answers to some pretty big questions. I've often wondered how I would have acted differently if I had had my parents here the whole time. They would have had some interesting insight."
She looked down again. "I just don't feel like I'm ready to take responsibility for this, you know? It's silly, really. I mean, how long have we been doing this kind of stuff now? But I think the lack of sleep is pushing it to the forefront now."
He nodded softly and came to sit beside her on the couch. She leaned into him. "You know, Sam, I think one of the biggest problems is that we feel inadequate. You are more than capable of doing whatever you set your mind to, and coming out with more accomplished than you thought possible. But without the confidence and support, sometimes it's hard to keep going." He looked down at her. "Sam, don't doubt yourself. You're amazing, and there's nothing that can stop you. I know it's hard, and I'm not going to tell you it gets easier not having your parents around, but we'll always be here for you, ok? I'm always here, even if I'm not. You can always call me."
She smiled and hugged him. "Thanks, Daniel."
He patted her back softly and smiled. "So how 'bout we pretend everything is fine but that cold of yours when the rest of the gang gets here? Or do you want to have this discussion all over again? I'm sure at least Vala could help." She looked up at her best friend and sighed. "You're right about that, you know that? I think I'll talk to her sometime. But not today. I hate having to repeat emotional discussions. They're so draining." He chuckled and held up a tissue to her nose. "Blow." She blew obediently, but gave him a death-glare that he interpreted as "I'm not a kid, you know." and let pass. He'd died enough that her evil looks couldn't touch him if he decided they shouldn't.
The doorbell rang, and they both grunted. Cam and Vala's voices could be heard outside the door. "I know you're there, Jackson, your car's parked out front! Let us in!" "Cameron! You'll wake up Sam!" "Like the doorbell didn't do that already!" "Hey! I didn't know what it was!"
Daniel smiled at Sam. "You think I should let them in? It might be more fun to listen to them kill each other." She snorted and pushed him up off the couch. "No thanks, I'll pass on that one. Let the trouble-makers in."
Daniel opened the door, and the party came in. Vala immediately began fussing over Sam, and Cam stood around pushing Vala's buttons. Amid all the noise and all-around jolly-ness, Daniel smiled a knowing smile at Sam. She smiled back. It was nice to know that her team cared for her. And that someone understands, she thought.