Title: Seeing the Light

Author: BethV (taurichick77)

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Daniel & Sam are on a mission (that is so clichéd, and I apologize for that but I am really bad at summaries).

Disclaimer: I do not own Daniel, Sam, or the rest of the characters in the Stargate SG-1 universe. They belong to MGM, Double Secret, and lots of other people who are way richer than me. I'm just borrowing them for my own amusement, and hopefully yours, too! "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is a trademark of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy (this is not a crossover fic, but I do make mention of the Buffyverse).

Spoilers and AN: Set after "Holiday" in season 2, so anything up through then is fair game. Also, I have pretty much ignored the Sha're issue. I know at this time period on the show she's still out there, but I just couldn't deal with it in this fic, so I decided to pretend she's gone (I guess that makes this slightly AU). Contains some slight Danny-whumping later, but don't worry 'cause Sam will make it all better. This is what happens when you watch too much Stargate and Buffy (as if there is such a thing as too much Stargate and Buffy).

Archiving: Absolutely, just ask so I know where it is.

Feedback: Yes, please!

A huge thank you to Iona for her beta! This is for everyone at the SDR (you know who you are).

Daniel Jackson's Apartment

Dr. Daniel Jackson was bored. He was supposed to be taking some down time to recover from his body-swapping experience, the after-effects of which were still unclear. General Hammond had ordered him to take it easy for a while, and to stay off the base unless he was there for a check-up with Dr. Fraiser. Colonel Jack O'Neill and Teal'c had been given similar orders, and Jack had taken Teal'c on a fishing trip to some remote location. Daniel had declined the invitation, and was surprised when Jack didn't force the issue. Sitting alone in his apartment, he was starting to wonder if maybe he should have gone with them. The General hadn't even allowed Daniel to take some recently discovered artifacts, which were currently in his office on the base, back to his place to study them. The artifacts had been found during the latest excavation at the site of the Antarctica gate, and Daniel had been itching to get started on his research. Instead, he was sitting on his couch and staring at the television, flipping through the channels.

An image of Sarah Michelle Gellar flashed across the screen, stake in hand, and Daniel ceased his channel surfing. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was on, and he wondered if vampires existed on some distant world the team had not gated to yet. After all, vampires were mythic creatures just like the Egyptian gods and the Norse gods, and both of those turned out to have some basis in reality in the Gou'ald and the Asgard. Daniel watched as Buffy dusted another vampire and then returned to her friends at the library. "Buffy" was one of his favorite shows; how many times were people who did research portrayed as being cool? He was starting to get into the episode when his phone rang.

"Hello," he answered.

"Hey Daniel, it's Sam." Captain Samantha Carter was the only one of the team who had not experienced the 'joys' of body-swapping, and so was not ordered to take down time.

"Oh hi, Sam. Anything interesting going on at the Mountain?" Daniel, in his boredom, found himself wishing for her to say 'yes'.

"Well, yes. Actually, that's why I called. SG-3 just came back from P3C-774, which has apparently friendly inhabitants who seem to have some promising technology. The only problem is that SG-3 can't understand the language, and none of our other linguists have been successful in figuring it out. So, General Hammond and Dr. Fraiser have agreed to let you go on this one mission even though you're supposed to be taking a rest."

"Oh, that's good, when do we leave?" Daniel unsuccessfully tried to hide his enthusiasm. "Have you already gotten in touch with Jack and Teal'c?"

"They're not coming on this one. SG-3 said the planet was safe enough, and we need to go as soon as possible. There will be solar phenomena occurring near P3C-774 in a few days that may have an effect on gate travel. We need to get there and get back by Friday, so we really can't wait for the Colonel and Teal'c to get back. Can you be here in two hours?"

"Sure, Sam. See you there."

"Bye, Daniel."

"Bye." Daniel hung up the phone and thought about the woman he had just spoken to; Sam really was amazing. She was the only person he could talk to about his research, and she was just as comfortable working in the lab as she was holding her own in a battle. He owed his life to her several times over, most recently when she was the one who figured out how to get him back into his own body and out of the dying Ma'chello. Lately Daniel wondered if his feelings towards her weren't becoming more than just those of a best friend. He tried to shake that train of thought as he finished watching the Buffy episode and got ready to head to the SGC.

Two hours later, Stargate Command

Daniel met Sam in the gate room. Sergeant Davis was already entering the coordinates for P3C-774. Daniel looked around, expecting to see SG-3, but he and Sam were the only ones preparing to disembark.

"Sam, isn't SG-3 coming with us? They're already familiar with the planet."

"No, it's just going to be us this time, Daniel. Colonel Makepeace has briefed me on their visit, but he and the rest of SG-3 have another mission scheduled in two days. General Hammond decided to let them go ahead with that mission as planned, and that you and I can handle this one. From what Makepeace has told me, I don't think we'll have any problems. Oh, there's the General now." Sam pointed up to the viewing area, where General Hammond now stood and was leaning down to the microphone.

"Dr. Jackson, Captain Carter, you have a go. Have a safe mission and we will see you back here in three days."

"Thank you, sir," Sam and Daniel answered in unison, as they turned and walked up the ramp. They stepped through the gate, and came out into a darkened forest.

P3C-774

Sam and Daniel looked around the planet, and saw no signs of life.

"This is strange, nothing is where Colonel Makepeace said it was. The main settlement should be about half a mile to the east, but I don't see any lights. That looks like a path over there. Let's head east and see what we find."

"OK," Daniel agreed. He fell into step beside Sam, and they headed towards the spot where Sam thought the settlement should be. Daniel examined their surroundings as he walked. It was certainly odd that there were no lights, when Makepeace had apparently described the indigenous people as being fairly technologically advanced.

Sam came to an abrupt halt next to him. "Daniel, did you hear that?"

"No, but I do get the feeling that we are being watched."

"I could have sworn I heard a rustle in those bushes," Sam pointed to a clump of bushes along the right side of the path they were traveling, "but I don't see anything there now. Let's just keep moving, but be alert."

They continued down the path. Daniel was trying to stay alert, but his mind kept wandering to the blonde soldier/scientist beside him. The one he kept telling himself was only his best friend, but a best friend wasn't supposed to think how hot Sam looked in her fatigues, right? He quashed that thought, only to have it replaced with the thought that he was alone with her on this mission, and the possibilities that held. Daniel's thoughts, fortunately for him, were interrupted by a shout from several yards in front of him.

"OK, Daniel, I know you heard that." Sam whispered as she grabbed Daniel's arm and pulled him off the path, out of sight, behind some bushes. They watched through the branches as a figure came running down the path towards the Stargate, followed by a much quicker figure, so fast it was almost a shadow. The faster figure caught the slower one just a few yards away from Sam and Daniel's hiding place. The two watched in horror as the faster one's face morphed into a demon-like visage, and he proceeded to rip into the neck of the slower one with what appeared to be sharp fangs. Sam and Daniel remained hidden as the figure drained the body of his victim, then threw it to the ground and disappeared down the path away from the Stargate.

"They do exist. Wow." Daniel spoke his thoughts aloud.

"Wow? Daniel, that thing just sucked all of the blood out of that man, and all you can say is 'wow'?"

"Sorry Sam, it's just that when you called me earlier to ask me to come on this mission I'd been watching "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and the thought of whether or not vampires existed had crossed my mind. This is too weird."

"You're telling me. You watch Buffy? That is weird."

"Well, I do kind of have a thing for blond chicks who kick ass and save the world a lot," Daniel said, in his best Jack O'Neill imitation. He noticed a slight blush creep across Sam's cheeks. That wasn't his imagination, was it? He decided to change the subject. "Back to our present situation, what do we do? Obviously this planet isn't as harmless as Makepeace thought, but the chance to study real vampires, I mean, wow. Imagine what we could learn from them, they're immortal and have enhanced speed, strength and healing abilities. Well, at least the ones on Buffy do, and the whole vampire myth had to get started somewhere. There must be some truth in it."

"Well, the way I see it, we have two choices, follow that thing."

"Vampire," Daniel interjected.

"Right, follow that vampire back and see what's going on here, or get back to the Stargate and report the situation, and then see if we can pick up its trail again. I think we should do the latter, at least let the General know what's happening here so he can get us some backup."

"Thanks, Sam."

"What for?"

"For not immediately suggesting that we go back and forget this place ever existed before I had a chance to study the planet."

"Oh. You're welcome. You're right, I'm sure we can learn something here of value, but it is going to be dangerous. Let's get moving back to the gate and tell General Hammond about what happened."