Janet dressed quickly in the dark, then slipped silently out of the room,
careful not to wake the man still sleeping in the bed she'd just vacated.
She knew he wouldn't expect her to stay, so she didn't feel guilty about
leaving him like that – waking up together in the morning would have been
awkward at the very least. As it was, she wasn't quite sure what she'd say
to him if she ran into him the next day, before he left. Hell, she wasn't
even sure how any of this had happened at all.
Not that it had been a mistake, necessarily, but it certainly wasn't something either of them had planned. He wasn't who she wanted to be with, nor was she who he wanted, but they were the ones who were there. They were the ones who understood what it felt like and could, for a brief time, comfort each other.
She made her way quietly down the halls, deciding to check in at the infirmary briefly before retiring to her own room for the rest of the night. She was on call, so she had to stay on base, but it had been a slow day and an even slower night, with not one of her beds occupied.
As she walked into the infirmary, though, she couldn't help but remember how this had all started, only a few short hours ago.
"Dr. Fraiser?" The disembodied voice drifted through the empty infirmary.
Janet made her way out of her office to find Martouf standing in the middle of the med-bay, looking slightly lost. Mentally she chuckled, thinking he always looked that way whenever he wasn't following Sam around like a puppy.
"What can I do for you, Martouf?" she asked, giving him a friendly smile. It was rare that she saw him by himself, let alone in her territory. As she looked up at him, she was yet again surprised by how blue his eyes were, just like someone else she knew...
"I brought the Tok'ra blood samples you requested," Martouf replied, returning her smile. "I hope that they aid you in your research."
"I'm sure they will, thank you." Taking the proffered samples, she moved to label and store them, but still continued the conversation over her shoulder. "I wasn't expecting them so quickly," she commented.
"Selmak had business to discuss with General Hammond regarding some intelligence the Tok'ra have recently gathered, so I took the opportunity to accompany him."
Trying not to laugh at the Tok'ra's obviousness, Janet filled in what he hadn't said. "I'm afraid Sam's off-world right now. SG-1's not due back until tomorrow."
Martouf's expression faltered for a brief moment, but then his smile returned, though a bit self-consciously. "I will admit, I was... disappointed to hear that," he replied.
Janet cocked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything more about it. She noticed he was lingering, obviously having nowhere else to go right away, so she came to the decision that, in her friend's absence, the least she could do was entertain the man while he waited for Selmak. "Have you eaten, Martouf? It's about dinner time here, and I was just about to head down to the commissary. You're welcome to join me, that is if you're not busy."
His smile brightened. "I would be honoured to join you, Dr. Fraiser. This was my only business on this visit and Selmak and I are not scheduled to return until tomorrow morning. I do not wish to impose on you, though."
"It's no imposition," she assured him. "It's the least I can do, since you came all this way for me. Not to mention I'd enjoy the company, it's a slow day today."
Dinner had been uneventful, she thought as she headed towards her office. They didn't actually know each other that well, so it had mostly been small talk. It hadn't been until she walked him back to the VIP quarters that something changed. The topic they'd decided by unspoken agreement to steer clear of all evening suddenly couldn't be ignored any longer, and Janet had to admit, she was the one who started it. She sincerely doubted that she started what happened after that though. At the very least it hadn't been all her.
"Maybe SG-1 will make it back before you leave tomorrow," she said, just before leaving Martouf in the VIP quarters. "I know Sam would be sorry to miss you."
Martouf smiled a bit sadly. "I hope so."
Janet turned to go, almost making it to the door before something stopped her. She hesitated, then turned back to say, "She does care for you, Martouf."
He nodded slowly, but his face was grave. "But not the same way I care for her."
"It's complicated," Janet insisted. "Not only her memories from Jolinar, but there are...other issues as well."
"Colonel O'Neill," Martouf supplied, understanding what the doctor was not saying. "I do understand, Dr. Fraiser, but I cannot change how I feel."
It was her turn to nod absently, and he seemed to recognize something in her expression because he added, "You are waiting for SG-1 as well, aren't you?"
She hesitated a second. He'd been honest with her though, so the least she could do was return the favor. "Yes," she answered, staring at the floor.
"Is he aware of your feelings for him?"
Still unable to meet Martouf's eyes, Janet shook her head. "No, no one is. You're the first person I've ever admitted them to."
Out of the corner of her eye, Janet could see Martouf bow his head slightly, in either agreement or respect for the admission she'd just made.
"You are a beautiful and intelligent woman, Dr. Fraiser, I'm sure he'll realize that someday."
"Thank you," she said, blushing slightly. "But that's the problem: I'm always Dr. Fraiser."
In a reverse of roles, he was reassuring her. "You won't always be...Janet."
Looking back, she didn't know how it started, let alone who started it, but the next thing she knew, they were kissing. Even though his weren't the lips she dreamt of every night, they were soft and sweet and felt so good. And his strong arms around her, holding her gently as if she were some delicate thing, was a sensation she hadn't felt in far too long.
Parts of her brain had protested, telling her it wasn't a good idea. She was, technically, still on duty, if only on call. She was a representative of the US Air Force, of Earth. She was Sam's friend. She wasn't who he really wanted. And he wasn't who she was in love with.
But all that had faded away when she collapsed on to the bed, still lost in Martouf's embrace, and she remembered how long it had been...
His lips tugged at hers, gently teasing, as his hands roamed up and down her body. She was hardly playing innocent though, her arms were locked around his neck and she pressed herself as firmly against him as she could. The kiss deepened, getting hungrier, with no end in sight.
Slowly Janet became aware they were moving. Suddenly the bed came in contact with the back of her legs and she was falling on to it, with Martouf landing gently on top of her, kissing her all the while. Her hands made their way to his belt, trying to figure out exactly he got out of those stupid Tok'ra outfits, as his mouth moved down her neck. A moan escaped her as he found a sweet spot with his tongue. His hands slipped her out of her lab coat and made easy work of the buttons on her blouse, then guided her fingers to the fastenings of his own clothes, but his lips never, never stopped kissing her.
It was mostly a blur after that. A mixture of need, frustration, pleasure, and finally, a sweet release. It had been good, very good in fact, she'd admit that, but it had only been a substitute. Martouf still loved Jolinar and her legacy in Sam, while Janet had made the mistake of falling in love with Daniel. Their quick, sordid rendezvous hadn't changed that, nothing would. But for a little while, Janet thought as she finally retreated to her own quarters, it had felt good to be wanted.
Not that it had been a mistake, necessarily, but it certainly wasn't something either of them had planned. He wasn't who she wanted to be with, nor was she who he wanted, but they were the ones who were there. They were the ones who understood what it felt like and could, for a brief time, comfort each other.
She made her way quietly down the halls, deciding to check in at the infirmary briefly before retiring to her own room for the rest of the night. She was on call, so she had to stay on base, but it had been a slow day and an even slower night, with not one of her beds occupied.
As she walked into the infirmary, though, she couldn't help but remember how this had all started, only a few short hours ago.
"Dr. Fraiser?" The disembodied voice drifted through the empty infirmary.
Janet made her way out of her office to find Martouf standing in the middle of the med-bay, looking slightly lost. Mentally she chuckled, thinking he always looked that way whenever he wasn't following Sam around like a puppy.
"What can I do for you, Martouf?" she asked, giving him a friendly smile. It was rare that she saw him by himself, let alone in her territory. As she looked up at him, she was yet again surprised by how blue his eyes were, just like someone else she knew...
"I brought the Tok'ra blood samples you requested," Martouf replied, returning her smile. "I hope that they aid you in your research."
"I'm sure they will, thank you." Taking the proffered samples, she moved to label and store them, but still continued the conversation over her shoulder. "I wasn't expecting them so quickly," she commented.
"Selmak had business to discuss with General Hammond regarding some intelligence the Tok'ra have recently gathered, so I took the opportunity to accompany him."
Trying not to laugh at the Tok'ra's obviousness, Janet filled in what he hadn't said. "I'm afraid Sam's off-world right now. SG-1's not due back until tomorrow."
Martouf's expression faltered for a brief moment, but then his smile returned, though a bit self-consciously. "I will admit, I was... disappointed to hear that," he replied.
Janet cocked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything more about it. She noticed he was lingering, obviously having nowhere else to go right away, so she came to the decision that, in her friend's absence, the least she could do was entertain the man while he waited for Selmak. "Have you eaten, Martouf? It's about dinner time here, and I was just about to head down to the commissary. You're welcome to join me, that is if you're not busy."
His smile brightened. "I would be honoured to join you, Dr. Fraiser. This was my only business on this visit and Selmak and I are not scheduled to return until tomorrow morning. I do not wish to impose on you, though."
"It's no imposition," she assured him. "It's the least I can do, since you came all this way for me. Not to mention I'd enjoy the company, it's a slow day today."
Dinner had been uneventful, she thought as she headed towards her office. They didn't actually know each other that well, so it had mostly been small talk. It hadn't been until she walked him back to the VIP quarters that something changed. The topic they'd decided by unspoken agreement to steer clear of all evening suddenly couldn't be ignored any longer, and Janet had to admit, she was the one who started it. She sincerely doubted that she started what happened after that though. At the very least it hadn't been all her.
"Maybe SG-1 will make it back before you leave tomorrow," she said, just before leaving Martouf in the VIP quarters. "I know Sam would be sorry to miss you."
Martouf smiled a bit sadly. "I hope so."
Janet turned to go, almost making it to the door before something stopped her. She hesitated, then turned back to say, "She does care for you, Martouf."
He nodded slowly, but his face was grave. "But not the same way I care for her."
"It's complicated," Janet insisted. "Not only her memories from Jolinar, but there are...other issues as well."
"Colonel O'Neill," Martouf supplied, understanding what the doctor was not saying. "I do understand, Dr. Fraiser, but I cannot change how I feel."
It was her turn to nod absently, and he seemed to recognize something in her expression because he added, "You are waiting for SG-1 as well, aren't you?"
She hesitated a second. He'd been honest with her though, so the least she could do was return the favor. "Yes," she answered, staring at the floor.
"Is he aware of your feelings for him?"
Still unable to meet Martouf's eyes, Janet shook her head. "No, no one is. You're the first person I've ever admitted them to."
Out of the corner of her eye, Janet could see Martouf bow his head slightly, in either agreement or respect for the admission she'd just made.
"You are a beautiful and intelligent woman, Dr. Fraiser, I'm sure he'll realize that someday."
"Thank you," she said, blushing slightly. "But that's the problem: I'm always Dr. Fraiser."
In a reverse of roles, he was reassuring her. "You won't always be...Janet."
Looking back, she didn't know how it started, let alone who started it, but the next thing she knew, they were kissing. Even though his weren't the lips she dreamt of every night, they were soft and sweet and felt so good. And his strong arms around her, holding her gently as if she were some delicate thing, was a sensation she hadn't felt in far too long.
Parts of her brain had protested, telling her it wasn't a good idea. She was, technically, still on duty, if only on call. She was a representative of the US Air Force, of Earth. She was Sam's friend. She wasn't who he really wanted. And he wasn't who she was in love with.
But all that had faded away when she collapsed on to the bed, still lost in Martouf's embrace, and she remembered how long it had been...
His lips tugged at hers, gently teasing, as his hands roamed up and down her body. She was hardly playing innocent though, her arms were locked around his neck and she pressed herself as firmly against him as she could. The kiss deepened, getting hungrier, with no end in sight.
Slowly Janet became aware they were moving. Suddenly the bed came in contact with the back of her legs and she was falling on to it, with Martouf landing gently on top of her, kissing her all the while. Her hands made their way to his belt, trying to figure out exactly he got out of those stupid Tok'ra outfits, as his mouth moved down her neck. A moan escaped her as he found a sweet spot with his tongue. His hands slipped her out of her lab coat and made easy work of the buttons on her blouse, then guided her fingers to the fastenings of his own clothes, but his lips never, never stopped kissing her.
It was mostly a blur after that. A mixture of need, frustration, pleasure, and finally, a sweet release. It had been good, very good in fact, she'd admit that, but it had only been a substitute. Martouf still loved Jolinar and her legacy in Sam, while Janet had made the mistake of falling in love with Daniel. Their quick, sordid rendezvous hadn't changed that, nothing would. But for a little while, Janet thought as she finally retreated to her own quarters, it had felt good to be wanted.