Sorry for the delay!


There was no denying it. Since coming home from the mission, something had changed in Cameron.

At first, Jennifer didn't notice the difference. Sure, when she'd woken in the infirmary that morning after the mission, he was there. He'd helped her sit up, drink something, and then laid her gently back down before getting Dr. Connors

When Cameron's schedule allowed it, they'd also taken to driving into work together due to her injury. Since injuring her shoulder, she hadn't quite recovered and still had to wear her sling.

Dr. Connors had also insisted on physical therapy to help return her movement to normal, which she fit in during lunch breaks. Cameron quickly found out how she was skipping lunch and insisted General Landry order Jennifer to complete the therapy during her normal working hours since it was a job related injury.

But on those drives and the occasional lunch together, Cameron appeared more quiet and reserved than usual. He was attentive, especially when she spoke of phone calls she'd received from her father or stepmother. Yet something was different.

Aside from Cameron's strange behavior, she began noticing looks from some of their coworkers. Especially Major Baker. And the looks intensified whenever she was seen with Cam. The mystery went on until finally she got up the nerve to ask Anna.

"What is going on with everyone?" Jennifer asked as soon as she arrived on base to her lab a few weeks after the mission. Now able to forgo the sling, she felt almost back to normal.

It would be normal, as soon as everyone stopped acting weird around her.

Anna looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

Jennifer rolled her eyes. Over the last few months, she'd become close with Anna.

"Everyone is acting weird around me. Especially when Cam's around. What's going on?" Jennifer had a look cross over her face. "Wait a minute... he didn't ban me from leaving off-world without guards at my side, did he? If he thinks he can pull a Sheppard on me..."

Anna laughed. "Come on, Jen. He wouldn't do that, especially since you're only available for emergency missions anyway."

"Then why in the heck is everyone acting strange?" Jennifer sent her a baffled look. "And why is Cam acting different?"

It was Anna's turn to roll her eyes. "For a woman who has the IQ of a genius..."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Anna sat down. "You know, you may be my boss. But I'd like to think this is a conversation between friends." Gauging her friend, Anna went on. "So since we're friends, I'm going to let you figure out this yourself. But I'll give you one little nudge."

"Nudge? I don't want a nudge. I want you to spell it out for me, since I'm obviously clueless about the whole thing," Jennifer protested.

"No," Anna said firmly. "Look, you need to know that you scared him. Jeff said he'd never seen the Colonel so worried on a mission. And when Jeff had to put your shoulder back in, he made it sound like it was harder on Mitchell than on you."

Jennifer pondered a bit. "Okay, so it was scary. The earthquakes kept happening-"

"Oh, for Pete's sake," Anna huffed. "Just talk to Mitchell."

Knowing she wouldn't get more from the young doctor, Jennifer sighed and got back to work.


A knock sounded at his door just as Cameron was getting ready to go to lunch. Since Dr. Connor's insisted on one week's worth of down time for everyone involved in the last mission, Landry eagerly dumped some paperwork tasks onto Cam's desk.

Sick of staring at the computer screen at the tenth possible candidate to fill in an empty spot on SG-8, he told whoever it was to enter. The door slowly opened and Cameron found himself looking at the exact person he didn't want to be alone with.

"Hey," Jennifer called out, then looked behind her before shutting the door. "Do you have a second?"

Not knowing what else to do, he stood up. "Yeah. Sure. I mean, I was just going to grab something to eat. Want to come with me?"

She frowned. "Sure. But could we eat it top side? I kind of want to get out of here for a few minutes."

Pushing away his own reservations, he immediately became concerned about whatever was on her mind. "Something wrong? Did you get a call from home?"

Shaking her head, she turned and opened the door, waiting for him to follow her. "Nothing like that. I just- can we just go get the food so we can get out of here?"

Nodding, Cameron followed her and locked the door behind him.

As they proceeded down the hallway, neither one of them found a way to strike up a conversation. It was odd for them... as if they were out of sync. Cameron realized even more how close they'd grown in the past year. They passed people in the hallway on their way and Cameron doubted Jennifer missed the odd glances they were getting from others.

They each quickly grabbed a sandwich, an apple, and a bottle of water. Cam told her to pile it all on his tray, not forgetting that her shoulder was still slightly sore. Again, more strange looks were sent their way. Ignoring everyone, Cameron held the door open for her as they made the trek to the elevator.

Since many had complained about working long hours without any daylight, Landry had ordered a small area to be cleared for certain personal to take a break outdoors. The elevator now reached the top of the mountain, where they walked a short distance to a picnic bench.

"This is nice. I hope I'm not going to get you in trouble with the General. You looked busy in there," Jennifer said, finally breaking the silence.

Cameron shook his head as they sat and began eating. "No. I don't think he'll care much, especially since he pawned all of the boring stuff on me this week. He owes me." He tried to smile, but one look at her had him glancing away again.

"Cam," Jennifer said minutes later, putting down her sandwich. "What is going on? Since the mission, you've been acting strange. Did I do something?"

Cameron looked up before returning his attention to his food. "No. Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because you've been acting strange," she answered. "Tell me what's going on."

When he didn't reply, she began to get agitated.

"So it's not okay for me to hold in any feelings, right? You made me eat lunch with you for weeks so that I could pour out every fear and thought going through my head about my dad. I've broken down about my father to you countless times. But I just ask you one question, and you can't answer it."

Cameron remained quiet for another moment before looking at her. "Jen, this is an area I think we both don't want to go to right now."

She let his words sink in, taking in the emotion in his eyes. It took her a few moments to connect everything.

Warily, she looked back at him. Suddenly, things began to add up.

"Cam, I don't understand-"

"Exactly, Jen," Cameron replied, shaking his head. "Just leave this alone."

They ate in silence for a few more minutes until she pushed away her food.

"No," Jennifer said with finality in her tone. "We talk this through. Because whatever it is, we'll work it out. We have to." Shaking, she stood up and began to walk off toward a pairing of tall trees. She didn't hear Cameron until he was just behind her.

Turning, she resisted going into his arms, just hoping that everything would magically return to normal.

Her voice shook as she spoke. "Cam, I need you. I don't think I can make it through the next few months without you."

Sighing, he gave in and pulled her into his embrace. "Don't think I don't know that, Jen," he murmured. "It's just that thinking of you as just a friend hasn't gotten any easier for me. And that last mission proved how important you've become to me."

Her own feelings for him were pushed tightly away, under an imaginary lock and key. But if she was honest, they'd become harder and harder for her to fight as well. Instead of denying them, she decided to be honest with him. "It's not easy for me, either. Especially in the last few months. But it has to be this way."

Deciding it was time to break the contact, she pulled away.

"So we deal with it like adults. We try to only see each other in groups." Forming an idea in her head, she looked up. "We date. Both of us."

"What?" Cameron's eyebrows shot up. "I thought you wanted to avoid that in the first place."

She shook her head. "Serious relationships, yes. But I'm open to a casual dinner date. Sam's been on my case about seeing a doctor she met at a conference. He sounded nice. I'll give him a call," she said as if talking herself into it. "You, too. You haven't dated since I got here."

"There's a reason for that, Jen," Cameron couldn't resist saying. "Alright. Fine. I'll go out. And you think this is going to help?"

"Of course," Jennifer said. "It'll give us a breather. And we still get to be friends. No one gets hurt in the end."

She walked back to gather their trash and placed it on a tray. Frowning a bit, she looked up. "One more thing," Jennifer said, calling over her shoulder. "Why is everyone else acting weird on base toward us?"

Cameron shook his head. "Because they're a whole lot smarter than us, I guess," he said quietly.

"What?" she said, unable to hear his comment.

"Nothing," Cameron said, coming up from behind her to help. "Nothing is going on. Just chalk it to post-mission gratitude for saving half of SG1."

They returned to their prospective work areas. Despite their agreement that everything was okay, each of them got little to no work done the remainder of the day.


Sorry this was short! Next one up tomorrow.