Disclaimer: I don't claim them as mine, and I'm really poor so please don't waste your time suing.

A/N:Okay, so this chapter will likely seem a little random, that's because I didn't like my original pacing, and so I wrote this on a whim. It's a fluffy filler, and I thought a good way to introduce characters we will be seeing more later. Besides, someone's got to have a little fun somewhere. I hope that you enjoy, and please review. Reviews really do help the muse realize that she is appreciated. Praise is nice, but constructive criticism is better.

Chapter Four: Meeting the Neighbors

Ethel St. James, Daniel was really starting to hate the woman. She'd been a pain in his rear end since he met her two days ago. She was always asking questions, and refusing to answer any of his. To put it bluntly he didn't trust the woman, and neither did General Hammond. Sam had tried to look into her background, but the only thing there had been an obvious cover, given her line of work though, there was no reason to take that in and of itself as a reason to worry. Attempts to get a real live person to confirm her identity hadn't been any more successful, but then who was to expect anything different. Daniel stared at his coffee cup for a moment before glancing at his watch. It was Saturday, and he was supposed to go see Leigh soon. Now that she was starting to talk more, it was becoming more obvious how different she really was, and that didn't improve his mood any.

A knock on his door drew Daniel's attention back into the real world. Who would be visiting him at this hour? With a groan, he got up out of his chair, coffee cup in hand, and went to open the door. He blinked in surprise at his neighbor from across the street, her daughter was in tow behind her. "Hello," He said, trying not to frown. "Can I help you?"

"I actually thought that maybe we could help you," The woman gave him a dazzling smile. "My name is Allison, this is my daughter Trina. I couldn't help but notice that you don't get out much, and we were gonna go for a jog, I was wondering if you wanted to come with us?" Allison cocked her head to the side, black strands falling into her face as she did so. Was she flirting with him? "It could be fun."

"Ummm, Daniel,"He replied, trying to figure out exactly what was happening. "Thank you for the offer, but I was about to go visit a friend of mine. She's in the hospital."

"That's to bad," Allison replied, completely unaffected. "I hope your friend gets better. Trina and I were gonna go to the zoo later, maybe you'd like to join us? It's a long drive, it would be nice to have some adult company."

"Mommy!" Trina said, sounding indignant. She had her mothers coal black hair, and dark gray eyes. "I'm perfectly good company!"

"I'm sure you are," Daniel replied dropping down to her level and giving her a smile, she hid behind her mother. "May I ask why you're being so insistent?" He looked up at Allison.

"I like to get to know my neighbors. You're the only one that I haven't gotten that chance with. It's a habit I've had since Trina was born. Know your neighbors, know your neighborhood." She shrugged, "But if you're busy that's alright I guess. Maybe some other time. I just thought maybe you'd want to get your mind off of whatever has got your girlfriend in the hospital. Kids and animals are usually good for that. We should get going, but if you change your mind, we're right across the street, and we were going to leave at around one. Goodbye Daniel."

"Goodbye," he returned, watching the two of them set out at a pace perfect for Trina's tiny little legs. What was it about the women that came into his life that always left him so confused? Oh well, they would have been checked out when they moved into the neighborhood. Security when it came to Stargate key personnel was always high. If anything had seemed out of place, he'd have heard about it. Besides, it was time to go see Leigh.

The visit didn't go well, she'd had a set back in her physical therapy that morning, and grumpy was a mild word for how she was feeling. She'd ended up falling down and hitting her head, the only damage had been cosmetic, but he hadn't stayed long when it became obvious that she didn't want him there. He made a mental note to talk to the general about bringing Teal'c out to talk with her, he'd recently been through something very similar to what Leigh was going through now, and having someone to talk to could help them both. He sighed as he got home, and saw a familiar well hated vehicle in front of his house. Ethel St. James had found his home address.

"I see that you let yourself in," Daniel commented as he easily opened the door that he had left locked. "Give me one good reason not to have you thrown in jail for breaking and entering. Or not to turn you over the MP's for that matter."

"I wouldn't be here when they arrived, is that a good enough reason for you?" She was lounged across his sofa in what he imagined was supposed to be a seductive pose, and maybe if he didn't dislike her so much it would have been. "We need to talk about that new neighbor of yours. I don't like her. Get rid of her."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Daniel replied. "Kindly get out of my house, I don't appreciate people coming into it without my permission."

"She came over early, tried to ingratiate herself to you. That's suspicious behavior given when she showed up."

"You're one to talk," Daniel said, reaching for his cellphone. "I believe I asked you to leave. When you have something to say that doesn't sound suspiciously like you asking me to off a single mother, then maybe we can talk. Until then my house is off limits. You're here as a courtesy, try not to wear out your welcome any more than you already have."

She rose then, and sauntered towards him until they were toe to toe. "Fine, don't listen to me, but my instincts tell me that neither of those two are who they appear to be. You'll regret not doing as I said one day. I promise you." She left then, without so much as a goodbye. Daniel was insanely glad of that. He dialed Jack without missing a beat.

"Hello?" Jack didn't sound happy.

"Ethel St. James was in my house when I got back from seeing Leigh at the hospital. I don't know what to make of it, but I don't like the fact that she broke into my house, or that she's obviously had me under surveillance." He explained about his meeting with his new neighbor that morning, and how Ethel had alluded to it. "I think we may want to put a detail on them, for their own protection at the very least. Who knows what St. James is capable of."

"I'll talk to General Hammond and see what we can come up with. I suggest joining them this afternoon, if you're really concerned that she might do something to them, I'll do what I can."

"Thank you Jack, and you're probably right." They said goodbye then, and Daniel was left contemplating if he really wanted to spend the afternoon in a car with a woman he didn't know and a six year old girl. Was Ethel really that big of a threat? Yes, logic told him that. She was an unknown factor, they had no way of guessing what she would do or what she was capable of, and if she did anything to the two and he hadn't done what he could to prevent it, he would never forgive himself. Not when there was a child involved.

"Daniel, I really didn't expect to see you." Allison smiled at her neighbor as she let him into her house. "I'm glad you changed your mind though. You look like you could use a little fun. Is your girlfriend okay?" My girlfriend? That's when Daniel realized that he'd implied just that, and that he hadn't corrected the assumption.

"She's not really my girlfriend just a close female friend, and she had a set back today."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Allison said frowning. "Why is she in the hospital anyway?"

"She had a stroke. No one knows why exactly. She was extremely healthy. I guess it can happen to anyone. But I'm not exactly here to talk about something depressing like that. I haven't been to the zoo in forever." He looked around Allison's home, it was warm, cozy, there was childish art papering many of the walls. "You really Trina don't you?"

"She's my little miracle baby. I thought I couldn't have children, and then there she was," Allison's smile was soft, and so completely maternal that Daniel found himself dismissing Ethel's insinuations all over again. This was definitely a mother that loved her child. There was no faking that parental feeling.

"Mommy!" A loud demanding voice called from deeper in the house. "Can I be done with lunch now?"

"Excuse me," She apologized, heading toward what he assumed was the kitchen. He followed at a discrete distance, and watched as she looked over Trina's plate, and then told her to put it away. There was something about the domesticity of the scene that pulled at his heart strings. His parents had been like that, warm and loving. "Daniel decided to come with us to the zoo, so go get your shoes on kiddo. It's time to head out."

"Yes mommy," Trina said with a sweet smile that Daniel had little doubt was for his benefit.

"She's cute," He said, grinning as she ran down the hall towards what he assumed was her bedroom. "I'll bet she's a handful when she wants to be though."

"Most definitely," She looked at him sideways. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Are you hitting on me?" Daniel asked, blinking.

"Only if it wouldn't offend you. I need friends more than anything. I teach kindergarten, my life is children. It's good to have some adults to spend time with too."

Daniel couldn't help but chuckle. "I think you and Leigh might have gotten along well before she had her stroke." He shook his head. "I don't have a girlfriend no, but I'm not really looking at the moment either. I only have as much free time as I do right now because someone needs to keep an eye on Leigh. Her family have all disappeared into the woodwork. Usually, I'm swamped."

"To bad," Allison shrugged. "If you ever change your mind about that, you just let me know. I'm low maintenance, I could handle it." Then Trina came running out, and it was time to go.