Chapter 11: Confessions of the Heart
Jack wandered aimlessly through the corridors of the SGC, concerned about Daniel and looking for Sam. He had made a promise to Daniel that he would find her and assure that she was okay and Jack O'Neill was a man of his word. He found Sam in her laboratory, looking scared to death, her head bowed over a table.
"Carter? You okay." Jack asked, quietly approaching as to avoid startling her and placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm okay, I guess, Jack. How's Daniel?"
"Daniel's completely dead to the world. He dropped off right after I left the room. But just before he succumbed to the sedation, when he grabbed my arm, he asked me to do a favor for him."
"What did he ask you?" Sam whispered.
"He asked me to come and find you to check on you. It concerned him that you seemed upset. Wouldn't let himself give in to sleep until he made me promise to take care of you."
"Daniel is one in a million. I can't believe that after whatever happened on that planet, he's more concerned about me than he is about himself."
"Well, Carter, that's what happens when you care about someone as deeply as Daniel cares for you. It's obvious that he cares about you, it doesn't take someone as smart as he is to figure it out." Jack smiled, draping an arm over her shoulders.
"I guess I did sound a little like a mother hen back there, didn't I. I don't know what came over me."
"To tell you the truth, the same thing that came out of your mouth was going through my head. The only difference was you voiced it and I think that's for the best though because it would have seemed strange had I said that."
"I'm just so relieved that Daniel isn't suffering any ill effects from whatever happened to him on PS3-97K. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to him again." Sam said, tears stinging her eyes.
"I know, Carter. Believe me, I know. But Daniel's fine, I'm fine, everything's fine. Now come on, let's go and stakeout the infirmary. Whenever Daniel wakes up from the sedative, it'll help to see a couple of friendly faces."
"Good idea."
A few minutes later, Jack and Sam quietly entered the infirmary where Daniel lay under sedation. As Sam walked over to sit beside the bed, she got a visual of the day she stood in this very room and watched him let go of life and die right in front of her. Shaken by this memory, Sam buried her face in her hands and began crying softly.
"Sam? What's the matter?" Jack asked comfortingly, calling her by her first name without realizing it.
"It's just that I got a really bad memory flashback a minute ago. I went back in time a year and saw Daniel lying in this room, dying in front of us and we couldn't do anything." Sam cried as Jack took her into his arms and held her in a tight embrace.
"I understand. When I first carried Daniel back through the gate and Janet brought him here, I got the same vision. But it's like I said before, everything's fine. All Daniel needs right now is what he's getting, lots of rest. Actually, I think a flashback is what triggered Daniel's reaction today."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, think about it, Carter. When we were on the planet the day that accident happened, Daniel was fiddling with that artifact when I knocked him clear of that statue and got whacked by it instead. I think that when we went back for the thing and Daniel found it, when he picked it up it sort of brought everything back in a rush and he reacted. I wouldn't worry too much if I were you, though. Janet said that Daniel should be fine when he wakes up." Jack reassured her.
"I can't really help it. I don't know why but I seem to worry about Daniel a lot since he came back to us."
"I think I know why."
"What?"
"Well, the day Janet released me from the infirmary after I recovered enough, Daniel took me home and crashed at my house that night. The next morning, he and I were talking and he was telling me about some of the things that you did for him when he was wrestling with what happened."
"Oh really."
"Yep. It's obvious to me that at some point in the near future, you and Daniel have quite a bit to talk about."
"It's funny you brought that up, Jack. Because the night we stayed at Daniel's place, Teal'c said pretty much the same thing to me. He called me on it big time."
"Kinda shocking, coming from Teal'c. I'd never have pegged him as the type to do something like that."
"Yeah. It took me off guard. I didn't know what to say. I told him the same thing I told you."
"Well, I know to be true now what I've kinda suspected for a while. You have feelings for Daniel. I picked it up from the things Daniel told me that morning and I see it in your eyes now. The question is what are you going to do about it." Jack asked, eyebrows raised.
"I don't understand where you're going with this. What am I going to do about what?"
"The Jaffa." Jack rolled his eyes. "Your feelings of course. Would you act on them if you were given the chance?"
"I guess so. I'd like to try something out. Why?"
"No reason. I just wondered. Believe it or not, underneath this gruff exterior, I'm a hopeless romantic."
"Sure. Whatever you say." Sam laughed quietly as Jack laughed with her.
"Well, I don't know about you, Carter, but I'm spent. I had to carry Daniel through the gate after he passed out and he's not exactly a light weight. What guy would be who lifted weights with Teal'c every other day? Anyway, I'm exhausted so I think I'm gonna go to my office and crash for a few hours. Let me know if you need anything." Jack said as a huge yawn escaped him.
"Okay. Go get some sleep. I'll stay with Daniel. Goodnight, Jack."
After Jack left, Sam sat by Daniel's side with a lot on her mind. She kept thinking about the conversation that she had just had with Jack and she also thought back to her conversation with Teal'c a few weeks before. As she stayed by Daniel's side, watching the peace on his face as he slept, Sam couldn't get that night's conversation out of her head.
"I know now that you have feelings for Daniel. The question is what are you going to do about it." Jack's words played over and over in her mind.
What scared Sam was that she wasn't sure what she would do if she were faced with that type of situation. She had never really thought about it because as she was realizing how deep her feelings were for Daniel, he had died and ascended in front of her eyes and she'd believed that she'd lost him forever. She was, in truth, just now getting used to the fact that he was truly back in her life, that he was alive and she was being given a second chance. Sam scooted her chair closer to Daniel's bed, taking his hand in her own and running her other hand over his hair. Then she kissed his hand gently and as she did, Daniel stirred and a few moments later looked at her with sleepy blue eyes.
"Sam?" Daniel's voice was weak and tired.
"Hey. How are you feeling?" Sam whispered, inwardly kicking herself for having disturbed him.
"I feel better. I should have known better than to try to get up and go to work on figuring that artifact out this afternoon after what happened when I retrieved it, I mean, I have the thing in my office. It can wait until I'm stronger. I know you were upset earlier, which was why I held on long enough to ask Jack to look after you, but I have to admit to myself that what Janet did was right."
"Well, I'm glad you feel better. I'm sorry I woke you. You seemed pretty comfortable."
"No need to apologize. I just appreciate you staying by me. Even though I was out, I heard you and Jack's voices. Where is Jack, by the way?" Daniel asked.
"Jack was tired from the long day you guys had. He went to his office to lie down and try to get some sleep."
"What about you, Sam? You seem tired. You haven't slept, have you?"
"No, but I couldn't even if I wanted to. I've been too worried about you."
"Well, since we're both awake, why don't we talk for a while. I wanted to talk to you about something for a few weeks now and this isn't exactly the perfect place but I don't want to wait any longer. The flashback I had on PS3-97K really put some things into perspective for me. I need to get this out now." Daniel said, sounding a little nervous.
"Jack said a flashback is probably what happened. What did you want to talk about?"
"Well, Sam. I know you remember the day I died and ascended a year ago." Daniel paused a moment as Sam nodded her head, pain flashing through her deep brown eyes. "Even though I had already drifted into a coma at that point, the main thing I remember about that day was hearing you tell me that we never tell people how we feel until its too late and you hope that I always knew that. Sam, I did know. I still do. I know because that's the exact way I feel about you. When I ascended it broke my heart because I knew that you would be hurt the most by that. I guess what I'm trying to say is this. I love you, Sam. I have for some time."
"Daniel, I love you too. I'm just getting used to having you back in my life after a year. I missed you so much when you were gone. It's like you're not the only one who was given a second chance. I was too. Now that I have this chance, I'm going to hang on for dear life and I won't let go. Never again." Sam said, fighting off her tears as Daniel pulled her close and kissed her, leaving her breathless.
"Wow."
"I think I'd agree with that." Daniel laughed.
"This doesn't seem real." Sam whispered as she regained her breath.
"But it is, I promise." Daniel scooted over and patted a place beside him on the bed. "Come sit here with me."
Sam sat on the bed and rested her head on Daniel's shoulder, relishing the feeling of his arms around her. In the comfort of Daniel's arms, Sam began to feel the fatigue from the long, emotional day creeping up on her and she closed her eyes. Moments later she had drifted off to sleep, peace flowing over her as she rested in a loving embrace.
Daniel was pulled out of his thoughts by the feel of soft breathing on his neck. He turned his head carefully and noticed that Sam had fallen asleep in his arms and her head was resting lightly on his shoulder.
"Hmm. The tables sure have turned on this game, haven't they? Get some sleep, Sam. It'll do you good. Who knows, maybe I could use with an extra sleep cycle myself." Daniel whispered with a yawn. He settled into a comfortable position and closed his eyes, allowing himself to slide back into sleep.
Two weeks later, SG-1 stood in the gate room before the ramp, preparing to step through the Stargate on yet another mission. Everything had finally gotten back to normal and now they were heading out to test the length of the gate's reach with the new artifact Daniel had discovered.
"Colonel O'Neill, you have a go. Good luck, SG-1." Hammond acknowledged as the wormhole opened.
As the four walked up the ramp, Jack took note of the couple standing to his right and then he looked at Teal'c with a smile on his face, which the Jaffa returned with a raised eyebrow. What had caught their attention was that Sam and Daniel were holding hands. As they stepped through the gate and prepared for whatever awaited them on the other side, Jack thought to himself that things weren't back to normal. They were better.
Jack wandered aimlessly through the corridors of the SGC, concerned about Daniel and looking for Sam. He had made a promise to Daniel that he would find her and assure that she was okay and Jack O'Neill was a man of his word. He found Sam in her laboratory, looking scared to death, her head bowed over a table.
"Carter? You okay." Jack asked, quietly approaching as to avoid startling her and placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm okay, I guess, Jack. How's Daniel?"
"Daniel's completely dead to the world. He dropped off right after I left the room. But just before he succumbed to the sedation, when he grabbed my arm, he asked me to do a favor for him."
"What did he ask you?" Sam whispered.
"He asked me to come and find you to check on you. It concerned him that you seemed upset. Wouldn't let himself give in to sleep until he made me promise to take care of you."
"Daniel is one in a million. I can't believe that after whatever happened on that planet, he's more concerned about me than he is about himself."
"Well, Carter, that's what happens when you care about someone as deeply as Daniel cares for you. It's obvious that he cares about you, it doesn't take someone as smart as he is to figure it out." Jack smiled, draping an arm over her shoulders.
"I guess I did sound a little like a mother hen back there, didn't I. I don't know what came over me."
"To tell you the truth, the same thing that came out of your mouth was going through my head. The only difference was you voiced it and I think that's for the best though because it would have seemed strange had I said that."
"I'm just so relieved that Daniel isn't suffering any ill effects from whatever happened to him on PS3-97K. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to him again." Sam said, tears stinging her eyes.
"I know, Carter. Believe me, I know. But Daniel's fine, I'm fine, everything's fine. Now come on, let's go and stakeout the infirmary. Whenever Daniel wakes up from the sedative, it'll help to see a couple of friendly faces."
"Good idea."
A few minutes later, Jack and Sam quietly entered the infirmary where Daniel lay under sedation. As Sam walked over to sit beside the bed, she got a visual of the day she stood in this very room and watched him let go of life and die right in front of her. Shaken by this memory, Sam buried her face in her hands and began crying softly.
"Sam? What's the matter?" Jack asked comfortingly, calling her by her first name without realizing it.
"It's just that I got a really bad memory flashback a minute ago. I went back in time a year and saw Daniel lying in this room, dying in front of us and we couldn't do anything." Sam cried as Jack took her into his arms and held her in a tight embrace.
"I understand. When I first carried Daniel back through the gate and Janet brought him here, I got the same vision. But it's like I said before, everything's fine. All Daniel needs right now is what he's getting, lots of rest. Actually, I think a flashback is what triggered Daniel's reaction today."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, think about it, Carter. When we were on the planet the day that accident happened, Daniel was fiddling with that artifact when I knocked him clear of that statue and got whacked by it instead. I think that when we went back for the thing and Daniel found it, when he picked it up it sort of brought everything back in a rush and he reacted. I wouldn't worry too much if I were you, though. Janet said that Daniel should be fine when he wakes up." Jack reassured her.
"I can't really help it. I don't know why but I seem to worry about Daniel a lot since he came back to us."
"I think I know why."
"What?"
"Well, the day Janet released me from the infirmary after I recovered enough, Daniel took me home and crashed at my house that night. The next morning, he and I were talking and he was telling me about some of the things that you did for him when he was wrestling with what happened."
"Oh really."
"Yep. It's obvious to me that at some point in the near future, you and Daniel have quite a bit to talk about."
"It's funny you brought that up, Jack. Because the night we stayed at Daniel's place, Teal'c said pretty much the same thing to me. He called me on it big time."
"Kinda shocking, coming from Teal'c. I'd never have pegged him as the type to do something like that."
"Yeah. It took me off guard. I didn't know what to say. I told him the same thing I told you."
"Well, I know to be true now what I've kinda suspected for a while. You have feelings for Daniel. I picked it up from the things Daniel told me that morning and I see it in your eyes now. The question is what are you going to do about it." Jack asked, eyebrows raised.
"I don't understand where you're going with this. What am I going to do about what?"
"The Jaffa." Jack rolled his eyes. "Your feelings of course. Would you act on them if you were given the chance?"
"I guess so. I'd like to try something out. Why?"
"No reason. I just wondered. Believe it or not, underneath this gruff exterior, I'm a hopeless romantic."
"Sure. Whatever you say." Sam laughed quietly as Jack laughed with her.
"Well, I don't know about you, Carter, but I'm spent. I had to carry Daniel through the gate after he passed out and he's not exactly a light weight. What guy would be who lifted weights with Teal'c every other day? Anyway, I'm exhausted so I think I'm gonna go to my office and crash for a few hours. Let me know if you need anything." Jack said as a huge yawn escaped him.
"Okay. Go get some sleep. I'll stay with Daniel. Goodnight, Jack."
After Jack left, Sam sat by Daniel's side with a lot on her mind. She kept thinking about the conversation that she had just had with Jack and she also thought back to her conversation with Teal'c a few weeks before. As she stayed by Daniel's side, watching the peace on his face as he slept, Sam couldn't get that night's conversation out of her head.
"I know now that you have feelings for Daniel. The question is what are you going to do about it." Jack's words played over and over in her mind.
What scared Sam was that she wasn't sure what she would do if she were faced with that type of situation. She had never really thought about it because as she was realizing how deep her feelings were for Daniel, he had died and ascended in front of her eyes and she'd believed that she'd lost him forever. She was, in truth, just now getting used to the fact that he was truly back in her life, that he was alive and she was being given a second chance. Sam scooted her chair closer to Daniel's bed, taking his hand in her own and running her other hand over his hair. Then she kissed his hand gently and as she did, Daniel stirred and a few moments later looked at her with sleepy blue eyes.
"Sam?" Daniel's voice was weak and tired.
"Hey. How are you feeling?" Sam whispered, inwardly kicking herself for having disturbed him.
"I feel better. I should have known better than to try to get up and go to work on figuring that artifact out this afternoon after what happened when I retrieved it, I mean, I have the thing in my office. It can wait until I'm stronger. I know you were upset earlier, which was why I held on long enough to ask Jack to look after you, but I have to admit to myself that what Janet did was right."
"Well, I'm glad you feel better. I'm sorry I woke you. You seemed pretty comfortable."
"No need to apologize. I just appreciate you staying by me. Even though I was out, I heard you and Jack's voices. Where is Jack, by the way?" Daniel asked.
"Jack was tired from the long day you guys had. He went to his office to lie down and try to get some sleep."
"What about you, Sam? You seem tired. You haven't slept, have you?"
"No, but I couldn't even if I wanted to. I've been too worried about you."
"Well, since we're both awake, why don't we talk for a while. I wanted to talk to you about something for a few weeks now and this isn't exactly the perfect place but I don't want to wait any longer. The flashback I had on PS3-97K really put some things into perspective for me. I need to get this out now." Daniel said, sounding a little nervous.
"Jack said a flashback is probably what happened. What did you want to talk about?"
"Well, Sam. I know you remember the day I died and ascended a year ago." Daniel paused a moment as Sam nodded her head, pain flashing through her deep brown eyes. "Even though I had already drifted into a coma at that point, the main thing I remember about that day was hearing you tell me that we never tell people how we feel until its too late and you hope that I always knew that. Sam, I did know. I still do. I know because that's the exact way I feel about you. When I ascended it broke my heart because I knew that you would be hurt the most by that. I guess what I'm trying to say is this. I love you, Sam. I have for some time."
"Daniel, I love you too. I'm just getting used to having you back in my life after a year. I missed you so much when you were gone. It's like you're not the only one who was given a second chance. I was too. Now that I have this chance, I'm going to hang on for dear life and I won't let go. Never again." Sam said, fighting off her tears as Daniel pulled her close and kissed her, leaving her breathless.
"Wow."
"I think I'd agree with that." Daniel laughed.
"This doesn't seem real." Sam whispered as she regained her breath.
"But it is, I promise." Daniel scooted over and patted a place beside him on the bed. "Come sit here with me."
Sam sat on the bed and rested her head on Daniel's shoulder, relishing the feeling of his arms around her. In the comfort of Daniel's arms, Sam began to feel the fatigue from the long, emotional day creeping up on her and she closed her eyes. Moments later she had drifted off to sleep, peace flowing over her as she rested in a loving embrace.
Daniel was pulled out of his thoughts by the feel of soft breathing on his neck. He turned his head carefully and noticed that Sam had fallen asleep in his arms and her head was resting lightly on his shoulder.
"Hmm. The tables sure have turned on this game, haven't they? Get some sleep, Sam. It'll do you good. Who knows, maybe I could use with an extra sleep cycle myself." Daniel whispered with a yawn. He settled into a comfortable position and closed his eyes, allowing himself to slide back into sleep.
Two weeks later, SG-1 stood in the gate room before the ramp, preparing to step through the Stargate on yet another mission. Everything had finally gotten back to normal and now they were heading out to test the length of the gate's reach with the new artifact Daniel had discovered.
"Colonel O'Neill, you have a go. Good luck, SG-1." Hammond acknowledged as the wormhole opened.
As the four walked up the ramp, Jack took note of the couple standing to his right and then he looked at Teal'c with a smile on his face, which the Jaffa returned with a raised eyebrow. What had caught their attention was that Sam and Daniel were holding hands. As they stepped through the gate and prepared for whatever awaited them on the other side, Jack thought to himself that things weren't back to normal. They were better.