For Daniel his work was everything. His whole small world revolved around the dangers, excitement, and comradeship of his work at the SGC. He was lucky, everyday he went to work with his best friends in the whole world ... his surrogate family. Yet something was missing. It had been missing since Sha're had left this world. Living him alone with the words of love lingering, clutching his heart. For six years, he had worked to get his life on track. To go on that beaten path of recovery, but still that old pain was there. Like a dull ache in his heart. Some days were better than others. Someday he could go without thinking about his beautiful wife, smiling in the Abdoyan sunshine. Someday, even after six years after her death it was still hard to get up out bed, knowing that she was not beside him.

Daniel had women after her death, only a couple tried to get close enough through his barriers that he had put inside himself long ago, yet no one could make his soul smile, like she had. And now she was gone. He didn't want to disrespect her memory, her shining memory that way, so he put the barriers. Held himself away from losing his heart again. Daniel dived into his work, losing himself to one adventure to another. He loved the adventures, the pure excitement running through his veins. Daniel loved the cultures, and meeting the new people. It made his world worth living... Made his existence even more pronounced in this world.

Daniel didn't know that day that his world would change forever...

It started that day he walked into his home and found a golden envelop on the hall table. He knew what it was without even opening it. He dreaded it every day since Libby had called earlier this year in a non so subtle way to figure out if he was still single. After all this time...Sha're memory was still in heart. And it wouldn't be far to any woman to play second string to that, so he stayed away from relationships in general. Damn, Libby. I just want to be left alone! Yet still meddling, Libby didn't take no for answer. Giving the token line of "I just want to you to be happy." Libby and her husband Robert had been friends with Daniel for at least twelve years now. Meeting the adorable couple in Cairo on a dig. And after years of being friends with Libby, she was still at her old tricks again. Trying to set him up with some unknown friend of the family's. Daniel could still remember the two dates she had talked him into years before...that thought alone made the back of his hair stand on in!

So he was looking into space, trying to avoid the Gold envelop that could only spell trouble. It was invitation to the Cinderella Ball at their estate in ClearLake, Nevada. Subconsciously he tried to muster up some courage to pick up the invitation. You can shoot a P-90,blow up Goulad, and save the world, but you can't pick up a stupid invitation! He grab the envelop in frustration, and carefully opened up to confirm his worst fears. Damnit! Damnit all the hell! Why now? Didn't I tell her that I didn't want any help? I do not want to go to Nevada now. And sure in the hell don't want to go to that ball!

The Cinderella ball. The women, the dates, the horror!

He looked at the date on the invitation, and felt the color that was left in his face drain away. It was in three days! Daniel knew this was easily another apart of Libby's not so subtle ruse. She knew that he planned to visit the couple on the first. And now he had no way out of it. Damnit! He could call in cancel, but Libby and Robert would see right through his nimble excuses. So now Daniel had no way out of it. Nothing short of the world ending would could get him out of it. Well, hopefully with his luck, and the luck of his team that might be a very real possibility.

Three Days Later
The Cinderella Ball

Daniel walked down the steps, surveying the ballroom along the way. It was beautiful, he would admit to that little fact to himself. Yet it still held certain doom for him. Libby would find some nice woman and shove him off to the nearest pastor or judge. It was her way. Cinderella ball was not only a singles ball, it was one for people who were looking to meet someone and get married in a hurry. One of the many tiresome romantic recreations of how Libby and Robert met. God, I wish I was home or in my lab.

Daniel being a handsome virile man, had gotten many leering looks from the women attending the ball. None, of course did anything to soothe the uneasy feeling of being there. He felt like cattle being sold to market, which brought many unhappy flashbacks of unsuccessful missions in the past. When he finally reached the end of the staircase he saw her, Libby. Looking smug. She had won. This time. He shouldered his defeat and stood rigidly in his tux. Daniel took quick, decisive strides to the somewhat older woman. She was still beautiful with her long blonde hair, and Nordic features. She stood at least inch shorter than Daniel, but still had a commanding air to her.

"Hello, Libby. You're looking well." he said as he kissed her cheek. She gave him a mischievous smile in return. " Thank you, and you look so handsome tonight. You're differently going to break some hearts." He inwardly rolled his eyes at that comment. "Well, you won. I hope you're happy." Her eyes grew with amusement. After all these years he was still so stubborn about dating. He only went hand full of times since his wife died. Libby obviously thought it was high time for him to move on, and she enjoyed the challenge. And wait intill he's sees what I got in store for him tonight! "What are you up to?" She gave him a look of innocence, which only confirmed his growing suspicions. "Nothing, darling." He shook his head. Nothing! Yeah right. She bought me to this ball. A marriage ball of all things and she nothing is up! "Okay, where is she?" He narrowed his eyes at her in annoyance. "Who?" she asked confused for a second.
"The woman that's going to sweep me off my feet," he replied with sarcastic dripping from every word.

Libby's face grew gleeful with amusement. He may be skeptical now, but he'll thank her for this in the morning. She just knew it! "Oh, she is over there with Robert, and Mannochoie." His eyes darted around the room scanning for this mystery woman, his enemy for the rest of the night. When his gaze stop at the large group at the end of the room. There was Robert, and a slightly older balding man that reminded him of Gen. Hammond. Their were also several well dressed women, all beautiful, and right around his age range. Daniel looked at his friend in bemusement.

His longtime friend grabbed his arm and lead them through the thong of people gathered in the ballroom. Waving at new friends along the way. When they finally reached Robert's group of advent audience, he found himself distracted by the most beautiful face he had ever seen. He could feel his heart began to pound rapidly in his chest. The woman in question had long below shoulder length brown wavy hair, brown eyes that reminded him of roasted chestnuts, and the most kissable lips he had seen in years. Daniel felt an instant jolt in his lower regions reminding him of his adolescent years that was once forgotten. Suddenly he felt a pat on his shoulders...he looked down to meet Libby's blue shinny eyes. He knew that look, that look that she gotten everytime she was right about something. That looked that infuriated any of her opponents in chess... That look of victory. Omigod, she set me up with the temptress. Yesh!

Daniel was once again dragged closer, and closer to this woman. And felt his heart beat go faster and faster. When they gotten in about a foot from the mystery woman he saw her eyes connect with his. And for a second the world seemed to fade away. Leaving him and this gorgeous creature. Her eyes seemed to be giving signals that further made his body taunt with instant recognizable desire.

"Daniel? Daniel are you listing?" He broke out his trance and gave Libby a small smile. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?" She shook her head at him. "You, know what? You're getting more senile in your old age, Jackson." Daniel broke out in a hearty laugh. The first one since gotten in this damn situation that Libby put him into. The woman gently grabbed the woman by the arm and drag the mystery woman closer to Daniel leaving almost no personal space between them. Daniel narrowed his eyes at his friend. Yep, she is defiantly less subtle, than Jack.

"Dr. Daniel Jackson, meet Gwyneth Salvanuis. Gwyneth Salvanuis meet Dr. Daniel Jackson." Daniel took her hand trying to remember to use all of his motor functions as he did it. "Nice, to meet you." The woman didn't reply only nodded, then she narrowed her eyes and glared at Libby. For a second Daniel almost went on a defensive, then remembered that Libby mostly likely was doing to her, what she had did to him in the past.

"Now, that you two have met, I have to mingle with the rest of the guests. Have a good time you two." And with the little devil lift with that annoying smirk on her face. I will never hear the end of this! The moment Libby was gone, Gwyneth snatched her hand out his grasp. She looked at him, her eyes rolling over every detail of his body. And then she stiffened. "Look, I don't know what she told you, or if you in this stupid scheme of hers ... but I'm not interested." She step away from him and left him there, leaving nothing but an open mouth Dr. Daniel Jackson behind in her wake.

Three hours later, and God knows how many marriage proposal's later. He was glad that he was drinking. Yep he was really glad. Daniel knew that he couldn't cope with this night sober. So he drunk glass after glass of champagne and was now Mr. Happy. He danced, and women groped. Which made him laugh louder and harder now. He was loose as goose, and loving it! After a while the alcohol was truly making his body temperature hot so he decided to go into the garden to cool off, and maybe lay down. Yep he really needed to lay down. On the way to the Garden he grabbed a bottle of champagne and headed towards the guest house at the edge of the estate over looking the man made Lake.

It was beautiful. Full moon above giving an enchanted look to the already timeless beauty of the place. He walked along the stone path leading on the guest house breathing the cold breeze as he went. When he arrived at the seamlessly inhabitant house, he noticed it was a lot bigger than he first assumed. He opened the door the with a loud squeak that told of neglected hinges of the door. It was roomy, with a large expensive couch, small kitchen, and bedroom off the side. Daniel took off his equally expensive dress shoes and headed to the bedroom. When he opened the door it was quiet. Unnaturally quiet, and the room was pitch black. He felt his way around the room intill he came to the queen size bed in the middle room. He crawled into the bed and fell asleep in a drunken stupider, unknown to him that there was another occupant in that very same bed that night.

Around Three A.M.

In the living room, there was a sudden flash of divine white light. Quick enough for the most sharpest of minds to miss it. And there where the light was a strange looking man. Dark eyes, and Dark long hair, wearing what could only be said to be a Roman style armor, tunic, and ancient styled sandals. He looked around him and smiled. He knew it about time. The variables played in his favor tonight, and now he must take advantage of it. He snapped his fingers, and instantly a 8X12 piece of paper appeared in his hand. He looked down and his dark eyes grew bright with laughter. Sometimes, I really do love my job! He laid the paper on the coffee table, and looked one last time at the paper wistfully, before with a flick of his wrist the bright light engulfed him once again and left the room silent and seemly undisturbed.

This dream was different, very different. It wasn't with some unknown persons, with no face and equally no name.
It was him. With his soft blue eyes, and hard muscles that made his body seem to be a work of art.

He was beautiful to her.
Everything about him was beautiful, the way he murmured in her ear in the moonlight. The way his skin felt underneath her touch.
the way his eyes danced in the dark.

God, He was kissing her.
Taking her quickly to heaven and back without a single thought.
He touched her in places that should be illegal in some states.
Every thought,
Every touch was inflaming her more.

He taught her many things tonight.
All great things, that she would remember to the end of time. He taught her about giving and take. And about surrender. Oh, did he ever! He taught her how sweet surrender can be.

He needed her body heat,
And the way he gave her everything without taking her the pieces of herself and systematically destroying them. He only made them whole, and more beautiful.

Then were those hands again.
And then his essence merging into hers, living her breathing, and surfing the waves that could only be called heaven.
Damn that man was good.
Very good.

Gwen woke up with a start. Her heart beating fast her in chest. She looked around found herself in a very dark place. God, I hate when shit happened like this! She shook her head trying to clear the alcohol from her system. It was still that loopness there in her head, but she managed to push out the way and think rationally for the moment. Gwen went through her mind, Sifting through the memories of last night to figure out where the hell were she was.

Gwen moved around and realized that she was on some bed of some kind. She felt around looking for any kind of sign of a lamp of some kind to illuminate the room she was in. Finally she came hard across something. And breathe a sigh of relief. She flecked on the lamp. Yep, I'm differently in a room. She looked down at her own body to find herself completely nude. She didn't find that out of the ordinary. She often went to sleep nude, but what was strange was the fact that she was in some strange room naked. Which could only mean one thing... Gwen turned her head to find a lovely muscular naked body laid next to her.

Why didn't in the hell I didn't notice that first? She grabbed the top layer of the sheet and briskly pulled around her body protectively.
She leaned over the body very carefully, so not to wake him. Gwen didn't really need to him to wake up at this point. She instantly recognized the features. In instant she felt her body weaken with shock. It was him. Which only meant one thing. That dream wasn't really a dream. She jumped out bed horrified. Damn, I thought I was over this! I hadn't done something this stupid since..Su..well a long time. And now I had to get drunk at this stupid function that my friends forced me to go to! She looked around from her dress, and shoes on the floor next to the door. She hurriedly don them, grabbed her purses and keys, and very quickly left in silently in the night.