Changes

Part 4

Disclaimer: Just for kicks, pallies.

Notes: Another kinda short, but quick update.Thanks for the reviews


Finally, the allure of the scent of coffee wafting into his room was enough to propel Daniel out of bed. He took several steps and realized he didn't really feel so well. He fought the nausea and trudged out to the kitchen expecting to see Jack, but instead was a little shocked to see MacGyver. "Oh, you're real. I thought I just imagined you."

Mac turned and smiled, "Good morning, Doctor Jackson. Coffee?"

Daniel slumped down into a chair at the table, "That would be wonderful. Thank you. And call me Daniel."

"Sure," Mac placed a mug in front of Daniel and sat down across from him nursing his own.

Daniel took a sip and sighed in caffeinated bliss. He looked up at Mac, "I was really drunk last night. Did I say anything really weird?"

"Only something about blowing up suns and finding at Atlantis."

Daniel grimaced, "Oh, ignore me. I babble when I'm drunk."

"Good morning, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c greeted as entered the cabin.
"Hey, Teal'c. Sam and Jack already out there 'fishing'?"

"I have seen neither O'Neill nor Colonel Carter yet this morning."

"That's strange. I thought Jack was going to force us all to get up at the crack of dawn."

"It appears not," Teal'c said joining them at the table with a glass of orange juice.

Daniel shrugged and returned his attention back to his coffee. "You guys stay up late last night or something?" he asked Mac.

"I didn't, no," he replied unable to keep the smile off his face.

Daniel, of course, noticed it and demanded, "What?" Teal'c also looked highly curious.

"Can I ask you something?" Mac questioned.

Daniel looked suspicious, "I guess."

"What's the deal with Jack and Sam?"

"Why?" Daniel asked leaning on the table, suddenly very interested. "What did they do?"

"I couldn't say for sure, but I do know that Sam didn't sleep in her own bed."

"How did you obtain this information, MacGyver?" Teal'c inquired.

"Sam woke me up last night looking for another blanket. Then she went to ask Jack. When she didn't come back out after a while I took her bed."

"YES!" Daniel jumped up. "Yes! Yes! Finally! Thank God!"

Mac looked a little shocked at Jack's friend's interest in his sex life. "Been a while for Jack, huh?"

"No, you don't understand," Daniel exclaimed still hopping around. "For eight years we've had to live with ever escalating sexual tension between those two. They're like Scully and Mulder crossed with Maddie Hayes and David Addison, except without the slamming doors."

Mac couldn't quit believe what he was hearing. "Y'know, Jack's always been kinda on the repressed side, but eight years is a bit long to wait to make move for even him."

"Regulations forbid General O'Neill and Colonel Carter from becoming involved," Teal'c explained. "Both have recently been attempting to establish relationships with others."

"Both?" Daniel asked in shock. "Jack's been involved with someone?"

"Kerry Johnson."

"The CIA agent investigating the Go- uh- that stuff? She's only been around a couple of weeks. Besides she's half his age."

"Indeed."

"That's weird, Teal'c. All of a sudden, too. He hasn't been involved with anyone since Laira and that was before the Za- uh- lie detector thing."

"I believe Colonel Carter's imminent wedding would be a likely factor."

"Well, yeah," Daniel agreed. "How come he didn't tell me?"

"I believe he was hoping it would remain a secret," Teal'c told him.

"How do you know then?"

"I overheard them discussing dinner plans."

"Does Sam know about this?"

"Of this I am not certain."

Daniel grinned, "Well, if anything, now Agent Johnson is permanently out of the picture. Gimme your cell phone Teal'c. I think there a few bets that can be settled by this information."

Teal'c handed over his phone. Daniel dialed quickly, "This is Doctor Jackson. I need to speak to Sgt. Davis… Hey, Walter. It's Daniel. You know the longest running bet in the Mountain? You need to start paying out…. Did I see them? No, Walter, why would I want to do that…. Hear them? Again no. As excited as I am about it, it's not something I want to personally witness…. How do I know? Jack's cousin saw Sam go into his room last night and they still have come out yet…. Yeah, MacGyver. How did you know? I swear you're psychic, Walter… Hold on." Daniel held the phone out to Mac. "Walter wants to talk to you."

"Who's Walter?"

"Jack's personal Radar O'Reilly and the base bookie."

Mac shrugged and took the phone. "Hello…Yes, this is MacGyver… No, I don't know for sure that they did it…. I mean, c'mon, even Jack's not that stupid. A beautiful blonde in his room all night, someone he obviously has a thing for… Really! She jumped him and he just took her to the infirmary?…. Well, yeah, he does have a will of iron…. Okay, you're welcome…. Sure." He handed the phone back to Daniel. "He wants to talk to you again."

"Yeah, Walter…. The sheets? You can't really think that Sam's a…. DNA testing?….

I'll see what I can do…. Bye, Walter."


For the first time in nearly a decade everything was right in the world of Jack O'Neill. The Goa'uld had been decimated. The Replicators obliterated. The Jaffa were free. Daniel was alive. Sam Carter had finally come to his cabin and best of all she was asleep in his arms. Or was.

"Hhmmm, coffee," she purred and buried herself deeper into his embrace. Yes, Jack O'Neill was a happy man.

"The guys must be up," he commented smoothing her bangs back from her forehead. She looked up at him losing her sleepy expression and grinned at him. "What?"

"You're happy."

"I am," he agreed grinning back at her.

"I'm glad," she pulled away from him enough to lean up and kiss him softly. "I'm going to make sure you stay happy."

"Isn't that supposed to be my line?"

"No," she said her expression turning serious. "I haven't always done right by you, Jack. I'm going to make that up to you. I'm sorry."

"Hey, I haven't exactly been an angel either. But I have a rule. There is absolutely no dwelling on the past in my bed. It's over. Nothing can change that. Ah!" he pressed a finger to her lips. "Yes, I know time is relative."

"I wasn't going to say that," she mumbled against is finger.

"Yes, you were."

"I wasn't." Her smiled returned and she snuggled against him. "You wanna know what I was going to tell you that day I showed up at your house?"

"Sure, baby." He froze the minute that came out of his mouth. "You're going to kick my ass for calling you that, aren't you?"

"Normally, if you were any other man, I would. But as luck would have it I'm in love you. So I don't mind being your baby."

"Cool," he smirked and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "So what did you come to tell me?"

"Actually, I kinda just told you."

"What? That I'm allowed to call you 'baby'?" he asked deliberately misunderstanding her.

"No, that I'm in love with you."

"Well, that's convenient. I'm in love with you too."

"Good." Sam sighed. "I guess we should get up before they decide to check on us."

"You do realize we're never going to hear the end of this?"

"Oh, god," she groaned. "20,000 Questions with Doctor Jackson."

"Tell you what. I'll go out there. Get breakfast started and distract them with food. You sneak out and we keep this just between us until we slowly acclimate them to the idea of us together."

"Master strategy," she kissed him soundly. "There's a reason you're the General."

TBC