A loud knock at the door the following morning woke her. She groaned. It felt as if someone was going berserk with a hammer inside her skull. Resolving never to drink ever again she dragged herself upright. "Coming!" she yelled, wincing at the sound of her own voice. Pulling on a flannel dressing gown and slipping her feet into the matching slippers Pete had bought for her she hurried downstairs, trying to fill the gaps alcohol had left in her memory.

She pulled open the door. Daniel was standing on her doorstep, looking slightly awkward. "Hi," he said, "Did I wake you?"

She nodded, regretting moving her head instantly. "No problem. Come on in."

He followed her inside. "I don't think I've ever had such a headache," he confessed.

"Me neither. Uh, do you want a coffee or something?" she asked, becoming more and more aware of her smudged make-up she apparently hadn't bothered to remove and sleep mussed hair.

"I know where the kettle is," he assured her, "Is Pete back?"

"No. He's staying at his place. Didn't want to disturb each other. And he suffers with his hangovers far more than I do. He said he didn't want me to have to clean up all that vomit."

Daniel looked as if he'd rather not have been treated to that gem of information. "I was wondering," he said, finally getting to the point, "If you were alright after the events of last night?"

He was looking at her as if his words should mean something to her. "I can't remember most of it," she confessed.

He looked slightly suspicious and she felt her heart sink slightly with misgivings. "Look, can I just grab a shower? Then we can talk. I didn't do anything too terrible, did I?" she asked, smiling.

Daniel gave her a blank look and her heart sank still further. "I'll make you some coffee too," he answered evasively.

She showered hurriedly, trying to coax the hazy memories out of her aching mind. The events of the night played before her unseeing eyes as the hot water hit her body.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud, no," he pleaded desperately. "Please, no. I will look outrageously homosexual."

She smiled in remembrance of O'Neill's reaction to his outfit.

"Good night?" he asked.

"Mm-hm."

"Good."

Where had that conversation taken place? Outside the club?

"Are you happy?"

She nodded emphatically. "I am. I really love him."

"Oh no," she breathed as the memories flooded back.

"Thank you," she replied instantly, instinctively.

"For what?" he asked, nonplused, looking at his feet.

"For understanding. I didn't think you'd make it this easy..."

He filled his cheeks with air and let out the breath. "What else is there to do?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. But thank you for not doing it." She hesitated for a moment, and then kissed him lightly on the cheek.

She rested her head against the cool, wet tiles of the shower wall, and groaned. She killed the water supply and dried herself quickly, dressing inattentively in the first clothes that came to hand. Her hair was still sopping wet and standing on end as she thumped down the stairs and back into the living room. Daniel was massaging his sore head, two steaming mugs of coffee on the table in front of him. He pushed one, on its coaster, across to her.

She took a sip of the scalding hot, bitter drink and relished the flicker of fire it sent through her. "I kissed him, didn't I?" There was no point beating about the bush. The reason for Daniel's visit was obviously her somewhat less than platonic clinch with her former CO.

"I think that could be stretching the term slightly," he informed her; voice light but without humor, "I believe Cassie calls it necking."

Sam felt the blush flood her cheeks, heat rising to her face and neck. "We were drunk," she said quietly, as if it was the reason for their behaviour.

"So was I. I didn't start snogging Teal'c, though."

"Daniel!" she snapped, her temper already stretched by her headache, "Do you have to be so crass?"

"Sorry," he apologised, looking slightly shamefaced, "Headache," he added by way of explanation, touching his finger to his temple. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay about it all. I mean, without being crass, " She winced as he repeated her clipped words, "That was some clinch..." He left his sentence hanging, as if he expected her to fill in the blanks.

She remained seated, still as a stone, staring into the middle distance. He felt moved to speak again.

"Sam. Without wanting to pry, I just... We all know that things between you and Jack are complicated. I just came to be a pair of ears if you need to talk about things."

She felt the rippled of anger shiver through her, life returning. "Complicated? You mean, am I in love with him?"

"I didn't say that."

"No, you implied it! You want to know if I'm having second thoughts about marrying Pete?"

"Are you?"

She hated Daniel's ability to get ahead of the conversation. With his calm question he had cut short a hastily prepared rant of vitriolic self-justification. Her anger was tempered; she was forced to think and answer clearly. For a moment she understood why Jack O'Neill at times lost his temper so spectactularly with the archeologist. They were opposite ends of the anger spectrum; Daniel was normally calm beyond measure whilst O'Neill's traditional response to almost anything was biting sarcasm.

Her chin jutted out as she considered the issue. She sighed and met his eyes. "Maybe."

He said nothing and she felt moved to continue.

"I do love him." She wondered who she was convincing with her impassioned statement, Daniel or herself. "Jack is just... with Jack things are-" her frustration returned at her inability to frame the problem eloquently caused her to shout again- "Oh I don't know! Complicated." She returned to Daniel's original descriptor; her head flopping into her hands.

"I think you should talk to Jack. Honestly. Sort things out once and for all."

"I can't." It sounded pathetic, even to her.

She felt his hand on her shoulder, unexpected but welcome comfort. "I'm really sorry Sam. I know you never wanted this."

"Ya think?" she murmured, unthinkingly, and Daniel winced.

"For what it's worth I think they're both great guys."

"That doesn't really help me," she replied, raising her head. He was shocked to note her eyes were over-bright with held back tears.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too."

"Make yourself happy Sam. Whoever you choose, whatever happens; make yourself happy."

"That's a little selfish, isn't it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in a manner so reminiscent of Teal'c it almost made him laugh.

"This is your life, Sam. Selfish doesn't come into it."

There was a long pause. "Thanks for coming around Daniel."

"No problem."