Sam hung up after leaving a voicemail for the Colonel and sat down at the edge of the bed, slowly drinking her coffee. Daniel took a seat in the recliner opposite and placed his own cup on the table. He studied her, as he had been for years. He knew she wanted to speak first, she was just choosing her words carefully. He waited patiently and kept his gaze on her. He knew she could feel it, she always knew when he was watching her. He smiled softly as she placed her mug on the floor.

"I should have seen this coming I guess, ever since that question on Vis Oban. I've known that we'd need to talk." She looked up and met his gaze. "I want to explain something to you Daniel. That look you gave me, when we first saw you on that planet. Your eyes scared me and I never thought I would ever say that about you. There was so much heat, passion and fire in your eyes at that moment; I have never seen you look that way. When I reached out to you and you stopped me, I swear in another time or place I could just imagine you grabbing my wrist and kissing me. It was… well it was weird." She sighed and laid back on the bed. Daniel remained quiet, letting her say what she needed to say. "I think that was the first time I saw you as a man and not a friend. It shocked me. I mean, we've always had a deep bond, since our first meeting in the gateroom on Abydos. I knew before I met you that we would spark, not physically of course, I mean mentally. Even when I read your reports before I joined the program, you paint a picture with your words to allow the person to see and feel what you do. In person, you are even deadlier and part of your charm is that you don't even know it." She turned so that she was lying on his side and could face him. "Back then things were different Daniel. You were married and things happened so quickly, we fell into a support role for each other and we stayed that way for years. We grew comfortable around each other, we spent so much time together both in and off base and yet I never grow tired of being with you. No matter how bad a day I've had or what mission has gone wrong, you always seem to know what I need. It's sometimes almost like you can read my mind. You know if I need to talk, need coffee or a hug, if I just need space or just a look that let's me know you will be there for me when I need you. I'm always glad to see you and that hasn't changed even after all these years. The number of times I've woken in the infirmary from injury and you've been there. You are my one constant Daniel. The person I can rely on no matter what. And you are an amazing man."

"Sam I…"

"Let me finish Daniel." She watched him nod. "When you ascended, it was different to the other times I've lost you. You were in pain, you were dying and this time there was nothing I could do, any of us could do. We'd been dancing a fine line for a long time Daniel, but I don't think either of us knew it. I think in many ways we'd already begun to progress past friendship but the transition was that natural, we didn't even realise. But at that moment, when I realised you weren't going to make it, I knew that nothing was there to stand in our way anymore and I hadn't told you. I think I had this crazy idea that if I allowed it to happen, if I admitted how I felt then I would lose you anyway. And your friendship Daniel is what has held me together all these years – I couldn't bear the thought of not having you as a friend. I told you when you were lying there how I felt. I was such a coward to leave it until there would be no repercussions to my words. That was a tough year for me Daniel. I was so alone and no one could comfort me. Your office was my sanctuary where I went to think and feel close to you. When I saw you on Abydos it gave me peace to know that you really were ok and still existing somewhere. That you were doing what you wanted and that you were happy. When the deal with Anubis went wrong, I was so scared for you. Once again, I didn't know where you were and when we found you that day… I cannot begin to describe to you how I felt. That question Daniel, that told me that somewhere, you'd been thinking this too. That though neither of us realised it, when you stripped away our jobs, our past, our memories… something was there."

Daniel smiled at her softly and nodded.

"Today… today just provided us with a way to test it with no consequences. Our jobs, for once, gave us the push we may have needed. I know now how you feel. That kiss told me all I needed to know Daniel. I don't know where we go from here but I know there is no going back. There is nothing to stand in our way and there is no excuse for not confronting this once and for all. For me, this is just a natural progression and I have no problem in following it and seeing where it leads."

Daniel frowned slightly and leant back in the chair. "Sam… I don't even know when to start, but you are right about Vis Oban. That question, I was so sure there was something between us. You were the only thing familiar to me, well not really you, but how I felt when I looked at you. Your plea to me to come home was so passionate, so full of belief… I thought we must have been involved. When my memory returned I couldn't figure out why I'd thought that until I forced myself to look deeper. For many years there have been things holding us both back and we have danced a thin line. I see that now. Like you I can no longer imagine my life without you in it, I was scared to admit anything in case I ruined what we had held for so long. But when I looked back, we had always survived you and I. No matter what life threw at us, we were always there for each other. No matter how busy, we always had time for each other. I just… I never knew how you felt Sam. You were always so guarded and I know that is because of what has happened to you in the past, but look at my track history, it's not perfect either."

Sam smiled and moved so that she was sat up, with her back resting against the wall.

"Today, I did the only thing I could think of at the time. I had no qualms about doing it because I knew that you would understand. But I didn't expect that Sam. I had always imagined that should I cross that line, it would be awkward at first, to shift from friends to lovers…" He sighed softly. "…today I realised that would not be the case. Today I realised that I can't deny my feelings anymore, I can't bury them, hide them, gloss over them… I guess the only thing we really need to figure out is where we go from here."

"Where do you want to go Daniel?"

Daniel let out a long breath. "I don't know Sam. That's the honest truth. I never imagined it to be a reality so I never allowed myself the luxury of thinking about it. I don't think I want to jump into this. Maybe spend some more time together outside of work, see where it goes. Allow it to happen as out friendship did, over time."

Sam smiled. "We've had over 8 years of time Daniel… but I know what you mean. Maybe do things that couples would do… dinner, movies, and days out… just shift how we spend out time together and see what happens?"

Daniel nodded. "Sounds good to me." He rose from his chair as she patted the space on the bed next to her. He chuckled softly and sat down closing his arms around her and enveloping her in a hug. This sort of contact wasn't new to either of them he placed a soft kiss on her hair and smiled as her arms rested around him, one wrapped round his back with her hand on his shoulder, the other firmly round his waist as she breathed in his scent.

"I hate to break this up Daniel but we need to keep an eye on Kinsey."

Daniel sighed softly. "I know." He released her and looked into her eyes. "I'm glad we've had this talk Sam…" He traced her chin softly. "I promise you won't regret it."

She smiled and closed the distance, enjoying a long tender kiss that took her breath away. She bit her lip softly as she pulled away and saw a sparkle in his eyes that she was sure was reflected in her own. "I'll take first shift."

"Ok. I'll go down the back exit and get us some supplies. That is if I can still walk after that bike ride."

Sam slapped him playfully. "Get used to it."

Daniel grabbed his jacket and kissed her softly. "Oh I intend to." He raised his eyebrows suggestively and left the motel room to the sound of her laughter. He hummed to himself as he made his way down the steps and sent a silent prayer of thanks to whomever was watching over him.