For the next day few days Daniel worked on translating some recently retrieved Goa'uld texts in an unusual dialect. He was really enjoying the challenge and didn't mind the fact that their next mission had been delayed because the doctors wanted to make sure Sam was completely recovered from her concussion.

The delay was harder on Douglas. Like Teal'c, he didn't really have a specialty that gave him a lot to do when they weren't in the field. He drifted in and out of Daniel's office, too antsy to stay in one place for very long. When he was there, he claimed the ratty, overstuffed armchair Daniel had schlepped into the Mountain. It had required a lot of red tape but it was unreasonably comforting when Daniel was tired and discouraged. Not that he got to sit in it much any more. Since Douglas lived at the Mountain where he had a combination bedroom and living area, the powers that be had decided he didn't need a separate office. Douglas said that working in his room was like eating in bed. "No boundaries, you know. Civilized living is about boundaries." Daniel's opinion was that actually Douglas, like Daniel himself, had spent way too many years essentially alone and preferred not to be alone if he didn't have to be.

If he stayed in Daniel's office very long, Daniel would pressure him to work on his Greek and Latin. The day before they were finally scheduled to go through the gate again, Douglas was in the midst of a Latin translation in a notebook on his lap. Daniel hit the same dead end he had been running up against for the last hour and leaned back in his chair. Time for a break. He looked over at Douglas. "How's it coming?"

"Why did I let you talk me into this," he complained."I didn't like Latin when I had it in school and I don't like it now."

"We had a deal," Daniel reminded him. "I let you subject me to your course in Pop Culture 101 and you refresh the Greek and Latin that were part of your classical education."

Douglas put the book on the floor. "We're still on tonight with Briana and Corinne?"

Daniel nodded, hesitated a moment, and then said, "You know. There's something just not right about the two of them."

"Never look a gift filly in the choppers, Danny."

"Seriously. I was talking to Briana last night for awhile," Daniel began.

Douglas interrupted him, "Really. This is a new chapter for Dr. Dan, Boy Wonder."

Daniel responded, "Actually I'm Batman remember," alluding to Jack's description of them that Douglas had, of course, overheard.

Douglas disagreed, "I'm Batman, you're Robin. But continue."

Daniel continued as requested. "She said that Corinne made a point of getting to know her. It was a bit contrived and she thought Corinne was coming from a whole different place in terms of her interest."

Douglas said, "She's interested in Oscar Wilde but I assure you she's not wired up that way."

Daniel agreed. "Briana doesn't think so either but it also came out that it was Corinne's idea to go to Aggie's. Briana had never been there. I also found out that, amazing as this may be given our incredible appeal to the opposite sex, Briana really hadn't noticed us. It was Corinne who pointed us out and was trying to talk her into approaching us when you went over and introduced yourself."

Douglas said, "Okay, several points here. I know you were being sarcastic but we, in fact, are very attractive to the opposite sex. Back in the day, I had a lot of willing victims who almost didn't mind being bitten." He saw Daniel's expression. "Hey, I'm not proud of it and all their faces haunt me, but the fact remains that it's true. The bone structure seems to be the main ace in the hole. And you, Danny boy, are a major babe magnetic. That boyishness thing, which growing your hair back out has really helped, I might add, is what you need to work if you could ever get past Sha'ree and Her. Finally, it appears to me that you aren't saying there is something off about them, you are saying that there is something off about Corinne. I don't see it and what would the motivation be? It's not like I've got ducats stashed away."

"Douggie wake up and smell the security clearances. We are working on a top secret project. And you are an even more top secret project all by yourself. Don't you think it's slightly contrived that these two particular beautiful women show up in our favorite hang out. The one who takes an interest in you is an expert in your favorite period of poetry. If someone would have been watching you, they would have seen you skulking around Borders looking at that stuff."

"I do not skulk."

"You put other covers on them after you buy them and hide them in your room. I've got to assume you skulk when you purchase them. Anyway, to get back to the set up, the woman Corinne drags along for me is a fairly brilliant graduate student in linguistics. Now if you had to design two women to get us interested, could you do better?"

Teal'c loomed in the door just then and Douglas jumped up, delighted at a possible reprieve from his studies and from Daniel's wet blanket throwing. "Teal'c, my true, true friend. So GOOD to see you." He bowed deeply and swept out an arm for Teal'c to enter.

"It is good to see you too, DouglasAtherton," Teal'c said, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I take it you do not mind being interrupted."

Douglas said, "It's a sacrifice stepping away from the Latin for awhile but anything for a teammate." He was grinning broadly.

Teal'c said, "I thought we could work on the sign language. It really works for you and DanielJackson and I should get better."

Douglas nodded enthusiastically. "How about we go on up topside to for that. I need a cig."

"It is noon, DouglasAtherton. We are not off world where that does not matter."

"There's plenty of shade at the entrance. The only thing that's going to be catching on fire is the end of my smoke."

After they left, Daniel still wasn't ready to get back at it. Into the space that been occupied by arcane symbols, came thoughts of his conversation with Jack. He had been very hard on Sam. When he was honest with himself, he knew that. He stood up with a sudden resolution to go and offer an olive branch.

He found her in one of the labs, staring at an Ancient device, a baffled expression on her face. When she looked up and saw him, just for a moment she looked glad. That was immediately replaced with a disinterested expression. She turned her full attention back to the puzzle in front of her and asked, "Can I help you with something Daniel?" sounding not at all interested in helping him with anything except out the door.

Daniel walked around so he was back in her field of vision. "I was wondering how you were feeling, the concussion and all."

"That was what five days ago and you just got around to wondering?" She sounded hurt, justifiably so.

"I've checked with the doc a few times. He said you were doing fine."

"There was a time when you would have asked me directly. Would have been here, I don't know, offering to make me tea and cross examining me to make sure I wasn't overdoing."

Daniel looked down discomforted. He sighed, "I've made a mess of things I guess Sam. Some things just weren't working for me any more and I didn't know how to do anything but just back off the whole friendship."

"Whatever." She started to turn away and then looked at his face, really looked at it. All the old familiar vulnerability, tenderness, and caring was there. She said decisively, "Let's start this over." She pointed at the door. He laughed slightly, went out, and reentered the lab.

"Hey Daniel," she greeted him warmly, acting glad to see him. "Take a look at this whatever here. Maybe you'll have an inspiration. I'm coming up dry."

For the next hour, they happily brainstormed, chasing wild ideas all over place, hugely enjoying the intellectual stimulation they had always found in each other. Then Daniel's glance fell on a Victoria's Secret catalog, incongruously lying next to her purse. "What's this?" he asked.

"I just don't have time to go shopping and I need some stuff for the honeymoon. I know it's a ways off but I just can't make up my mind." She opened up a page to peignoir sets. "Pete really isn't into my wearing anything but seems like it would be more special if…"

Daniel cut her off. "Too much information," he said in a defeated voice. "I've got to get back to my," he waved vaguely, "my stuff." Sam watched him leave, uncomprehending. It wasn't as if she had brought this up with your random coworker. This was Daniel. There was never anything they couldn't discuss.

That night when Daniel and Douglas picked up their dates at Briana's apartment, the women suggested that they eat Italian. Brianna wanted to go to the Tuscany. Daniel tried half-heartedly to talk her out of it, suggesting another restaurant instead. Douglas ganged up on him with Briana and Corinne and he acquiesced. When Douglas and Daniel were alone while the women went to the restroom, Douglas said, "You didn't want to come here because you know that this is Sam's favorite restaurant."

Daniel shrugged. Douglas said, So we run into her and Pete. I think it would be a really good idea for her to see you with someone else."

Daniel looked at him confused. "I thought you didn't like her and now you seem to be suggesting that I try to make her jealous? What would be the point unless I was trying to get her interested."

Douglas said, "No I don't like her but everybody else does so that's just me. I guess the way she treats you makes me think about the way I was never more than a stand in for the guy my ex really loves. But anyway, even if it doesn't make her jealous, maybe it would make her see you in more dimensions. So I am really hoping that she and Mr. Lucky do show up tonight."

Like magic, just at that moment, the waiter walked past them leading Pete and Sam to a table just a few feet away from their booth. Briana and Corinne were right behind them. Briana slid in next to Daniel and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Miss me," she asked slightly huskily.

Daniel laughed a little. "They stock the restroom with romance novels or what? Not that I don't appreciate the effect."

Briana laughed in return. "I'm glad you don't mind because you're just too yummy for me to play it cool." She rested her hand on his thigh and looked at him in way that any warm blooded man would have had trouble resisting.

Pete and Sam walked up to the end of the booth. "Hey everybody," Pete greeted them. " We just wanted to come over and say hi."

"Good to see you Pete," Daniel said, reaching across Briana and shaking his hand. Douglas contented himself with a nod. "This is Corinne and Briana. Ladies this is Samantha Carter, one of our coworkers, and her fiancé, Lt. Pete Callahan."

Pete appeared to be as pleased to meet two beautiful women as any normal man. Sam was very reserved. Pete seemed to be oblivious to Sam's dampened reaction when he went on to say, "We'd love to have you join us if you like." From Sam's expression, this appeared to be completely Pete's idea.

Without consulting the others, Douglas said, "That's really nice of you Pete. We ordered awhile ago so we're already ahead of you on the meal. We probably should pass but let's do it some other time." After Pete and Sam left, no one seemed at all unhappy with Douglas' executive decision. Throughout the meal, Briana was between Daniel and Sam's table. He felt too awkward about the situation anyway to look in Sam's direction. Briana stayed close and obviously very interested in him.

When it was Daniel's turn to make an executive decision, it was less popular. He parked in front of Briana's apartment and said, "Douglas, we've got that early meeting tomorrow morning. We need to say good night now."

Corinne was objecting softly to Douglas in the backseat. Briana pulled him into a kiss and then said, "Surely another hour or so isn't going to matter."

The hind brain was definitely agreeing with Briana but Daniel reminded himself that he really needed to get Douglas away from Corinne and he managed to say several flattering things but stay firm to his refusal to continue the evening.