A/N: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, for reading, reviewing, following this story so far. It makes me so happy to have people enjoying this story. This is my first try at multiple chapters, so I hope I can continue giving you a reason to give such nice reviews! Enjoy!

Once again, thanks to wackyjacqs for her beta work! Your comments/idea's/suggestions are all so helpful :)

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Chapter 2

Three hours later, after Daniel had, very reluctantly, played several games of Ping Pong with Jack, he was finally on his way back to his office. He chuckled as he remembered Jack's perturbed look when Daniel had won three of the games. Jack tended to assume that since Daniel was "a geek" that he was incapable of playing any sport, athletic or otherwise. Daniel was no Forrest Gump when it came to Ping Pong, but he could definitely hold his own. Then he really started to laugh as he pictured Jack as Lieutenant Dan to his Forrest Gump. He was sure Jack wouldn't like that comparison and contemplated telling him anyway. Though Jack's mood had lightened while they played, Daniel knew his friend was still aching from his recent revelation. Maybe Daniel could start annoying him to get his mind off of Sam.

Daniel was starting to think that maybe Jack was rubbing off on him. He had starting connecting his life to movies (THANK GOD it wasn't the Simpsons), and sometimes got pleasure from annoying Jack. He was still chuckling about Ping Pong and Lieutenant Dan when a body smashed into his own.

"Oof…." He was about to voice his annoyance when he saw the person that had run into him. As he grabbed Sam's shoulders to steady her, he gasped when he saw her red, puffy eyes. She looked like hell, and it broke Daniel's heart. Sam had become like a sister to him, and when she hurt, he hurt.

"You okay?" Daniel asked her softly.

"Hey Daniel…yeah, ah…I'm fine. I just, you know…" She huffed in exasperation and roughly brushed a chunk of hair out of her face "it's been a long day." She tried to smile at Daniel, but he saw the pain in her eyes. He looked around and realized that Sam must have been returning to her lab, because it was only a few feet from them. He gently took her arm and led her into the room and quietly shut the door.

Daniel watched as Sam absently walked around, nudging things into place, punching a button here and there and generally avoiding his gaze. After four years though, he knew that Sam would need to talk, so he just took a seat on a nearby stool and waited patiently. For a few minutes, Sam continued to fidget nervously, but finally let out a deep sigh and sat at her table.

"Have you ever had one of those days Daniel? The ones that just eat at you from the inside out?" Sam looked at him helplessly and his heart broke even more for her. He was also glad, in a strange way that he could empathize.

"Yeah…I really do get that feeling Sam. I'm sorry today is that day for you." Daniel hoped it would comfort his friend that he could understand her pain.

"Thanks Daniel….I've actually been considering just wiping today from existence, but it would be a butt load of paper work." Daniel snorted in amusement, assuming that Sam was trying to feel better by making a joke, but when he met her eyes, he realized she might be serious. The woman had, after all, been known to rewrite the laws of physics to save their sorry asses at times.

"Ahhh… can you DO that?" He asked her hesitantly, partly afraid of her answer.

"No. I doubt it…well…maybe…I have some theories." He watched as Sam shrugged noncommittally and he gaped at her, trying to process. Sometimes, Sam Carter still amazed him with her utter brilliance. He shook himself out of his musings and scooted his stool closer to hers, taking her hands in his.

"Sam, if you want to talk, I'm here." Daniel watched as Sam's eyes seemed to lighten and she gave him a watery smile. She opened her mouth to speak, but she seemed hesitant so he gave her hands a gentle squeeze and silently encouraged her to get it out.

"Sorry Daniel, I know I'm acting a little…not me…but I just keep seeing myself hitting Martouf with that zat, and it's getting all mixed up in my mind with memories of Jolinar's. Sometimes, I can't tell which memories are mine and which are hers. So it's kind of making me feel like I killed my lover…" Sam trailed off and let go of his hands. Daniel watched as her eyes watered, but something in her expression gave him the impression that she had just lied to him. Well, maybe not lied really, but that she was telling him what she thought he wanted to hear. And Daniel was unsure why Sam would do that.

"Sam" he began in trepidation, having no clue how she would react "is this really about Martouf?" Daniel nodded in confirmation of his suspicions when Sam's shoulders dropped and she let her head fall to her chest. Her answer was quiet and it surprised him.

"No. I mean, I wish with everything in me that Martouf were still here, and that I hadn't….that he asked me to…I killed him Daniel, so yeah it is about him, but I have other…stuff on my mind." He knew from her fractured explanation that she was talking about Jack, he just didn't think she would admit it and wasn't sure if she wanted to have that conversation. He decided to go with her guilt about Martouf.

"Sam, Martouf wouldn't want you to blame yourself. He knew what was happening and that he was a threat to every person in that room. I know it'll be hard, but try not to beat yourself up. You did the right thing. And if you need me, like I said, I'm here." Daniel captured her hands in his again and was glad when she squeezed lightly, looking up at him. He could see the thanks in her eyes and not just for his words of support, but for ignoring the proverbial elephant in the room.

"A little better?"

"Yeah, thanks." Sam took a deep breath and wiped her face before facing him with what looked like determination. "Let's talk about something else, okay?" When Daniel nodded in encouragement, she cocked her head to the side and asked him curiously "What have you been up to for the last several hours? Teal'c told me you had gone to get a snack, but that was a while ago."

Daniel rolled his eyes and filled her in, making sure to keep his time with Jack light and humorous.

"Jack forced me to play way too many games of Ping Pong. I didn't really mind at first, but then I won a few games and he acted like a baby and told me I should dye my hair blue so I could look like Milhouse." Daniel huffed in annoyance at his friend's ridiculous obsession with all things Simpsons.

He looked at Sam in mortification when she nodded and then started giggling.

"SAM! That is not funny!"

"Yes it is…" She gasped and got a hold of her laughter. "Sorry Daniel, I don't exactly like the Simpsons, but he's made us watch it enough that I can sort of picture you as Milhouse. You do look a little like a cartoon when your glasses are on your face crooked, and your hair is all crazy after you fall asleep at your desk." She looked at him sheepishly, but he could see the twinkle in her eyes and was inwardly grinning that he had gotten laughter out of her. He spoke again without thinking and was soon cursing himself for ruining the moment.

"God Sam, no wonder you two like each other so much." As soon as the words left his mouth and he saw panic in her eyes, he closed his in defeat, knowing he had just said the WRONG thing.

"Daniel!" Sam's voice was barely a whisper as he opened his eyes to see her gaping at him in astonishment. Daniel spoke quickly, trying to rectify the situation.

"I'm sorry; I really should not have brought that up. Yes, I know what happened. Janet thought you may need someone to talk to outside the military and Teal'c is worried. I know you probably can't tell, but he really is. I also know that you decided to leave the whole thing alone, so we don't have to talk about it if you really don't want to." Daniel said it all in a rush, similar to the way he told Jack that he knew and watched Sam's face go through about a dozen emotions in just a few seconds. It looked as though she was going to be angry, which was confirmed when she spoke.

"You're right, you shouldn't have brought it up. How could she tell you?" Sam stood from her stool and picked up what looked to be some kind of scanner as she spoke, just to slam it back on the table with her final words. She then paced around the room and when he didn't speak, she whirled around to face him and her face crumpled before his eyes. She spoke in a calmer voice and he was shocked to hear her normally dulcet tones, quaking with emotion.

"Daniel? Did you talk to him? Is he…he's okay right? Did he…what did he say? I mean, what did he tell you, is he mad at me?" She looked up at him for a moment, but to Daniel's surprise, she couldn't seem to hold his gaze and looked away again. He thought for a moment and decided to play it somewhat safe, not wanting to upset her too much after the debacle with Martouf.

"You know, pretty much just that you guys decided to leave it in that room…because of regs. He seems okay with that though. A little…bummed…maybe, but he really is fine. And no, of course he's not mad at you. Are you mad at him?" Daniel thought it was odd that she thought Jack would be angry, but tried to remain calm with her.

"NO! Of course not! Why would I be mad?" She looked at him and he asked her a similar question.

"Why would HE be mad Sam? Isn't it kind of the same thing, since you both said…well…things?"

"Oh, well yeah, I guess it is." She was finally looking at him instead of her teary blue eyes darting around the room. Daniel decided that since they were already talking about it, he would just go for gold and get it over with.

"Sam, can I ask you something?"

"Umm…sure."

"Do you love Jack?" Daniel asked his question in a low voice and waited with baited breath for her answer. Sam sucked in a breath and looked at him in surprise. He watched as tears again coursed down her face. She opened her mouth, but closed it again and let out her breath through pursed lips.

"Yes." She let out a half sob, half chuckle as his eyes widened at her answer.

"That's ahh…more than I thought you would admit." He smiled gently at her, hoping this wouldn't cause more heartache. Sam nodded at him. She was quiet for several long moments, but when she spoke again, it proved to Daniel the depth of what his two friends were going through.

"Sometimes Daniel, it makes me so…joyous. But then I remember who we are…and it hurts, more than anything has ever hurt me before." Daniel felt his own cheeks become wet with tears with her words. He wished he could do something about the impossible situation Sam and Jack were in. He had no idea how to ease Sam's pain, and said the only thing he could, but he said it from every fiber of his being.

"I'm sorry Sam." She was quiet again and seemed to be composing herself. She hugged Daniel and when she let go, kissed his cheek and expressed her gratitude.

"Thanks Daniel. I'm glad you know. You're my family, you know? It was hard, not having someone to talk to."

"You're my family too, Sam. Anytime you need to talk, just let me know. We can keep it between the two of us." He patted her shoulder and she smiled sadly.

"I just wish…I wish I could tell him everything, you know? How much he means…I just wish I could REALLY say it, instead of a vague confession." She shook off her melancholy and stood, wiping away the remnants of tears again and turned to face him again. "I know I can't right now though, so let's just move on."

"We'll get through it Sam, okay?" At her nod, Daniel smiled and stood up. "Okay, let's go get that snack I never had. Siler said there's lots of Jell-O today." He raised his eyebrows, hoping she'd take the bait. When she laughed and followed him to the door, his heart leapt, knowing she would eventually be okay. Daniel could still see the pain in her eyes and even though her smile was masking the broken heart of a wonderful woman, he could see that she had begun to heal and he vowed to himself that he would do whatever he could to make it easier on her. He followed her out of the room, seeing that she was waiting and glad to still see her smiling. And then he rolled his eyes at her next comment.

"Jell-O makes everything better. C'mon Milhouse."

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To be continued in Chapter 3: Teal'c and Daniel have a discussion.