"I'm pregnant. "
After everything that had happened, Samantha had thought the worst of it was over. And now this.
She was pregnant.
" How far along am I? "
" Six weeks, " Janet said. " It must have been the first time you and Daniel slept together, or around then, " she repeated. Then she added, " I'm sorry, Sam. I wish I had better news. "
She smiled a brittle smile. " It's not your fault, " she said distantly.
" What do you want to do about it? " Janet asked.
" I don't know, " she said honestly. A thought suddenly occurred to her. " You can't tell Daniel, " she said.
" It's not my place, " Janet reassured her. " But don't you think he has a right to know? He might not have the right to tell you what to do, but he does have the right to know. "
Samantha laughed almost hysterically. " I don't think he'd care, " she said bitterly.
Janet stared incredulously at Samantha. " Where the hell did you get that idea? "
" He won't have anything to do with me, " Samantha replied. " He thinks I'm a whore, like everyone else does. "
" I don't, " Janet contradicted her friend. " There are some people who still have a lot of respect for you, Sam. "
" A minority, " Samantha said. The crappiness of the situation was coming back to her, as much as she tried to pretend she didn't care. The whole base was gossiping about her, Daniel would have nothing to do with her, and now she was pregnant.
She didn't think things could possible get worse. Mind you, she'd thought that ten minutes ago so maybe she shouldn't say anything more on the matter.
Janet looked sympathetic. She had some idea of what Samantha was going through. The gossip on her was terrible, and Janet suspected she was only hearing the tip of the iceberg. People tended not to say their most vicious things about a person while their friends were within earshot. " Daniel deserves to know, " she said.
" Why? So he can do something stupid like ask me to marry him? " Samantha challenged.
" Would that be such a bad thing? "
" Yes – if he was only doing because 'it's the right thing'. I don't need his pity. He made it pretty fucking clear he thinks I'm a whore. "
" He does not, " Janet tried to defend Daniel. At least she knew why Samantha was acting so indifferent about Daniel – the poor woman had convinced herself he thought she was a whore. " He cares about you, Sam. When I told him about having to transfer one of you he immediately volunteered. He wanted you to stay with Jack and Teal'c because he knew they respected you. "
Samantha shrugged. " Then why hasn't he spoken to me? " she whispered tearfully. Goddamnit, she was not going to cry. She swallowed back a sob.
" I don't know. Maybe he's scared. " Samantha looked at her disbelievingly. " Well, it's just an idea. You should try talking to him. "
" No thanks. I don't need his pity. I still have some pride. "
Janet shook her head, trying not to let the pity she felt for Samantha show – and it wasn't pity for the situation she was in at the moment, but that she was too blind to see how much Daniel cared about her. " What are you going to do? " she asked.
Samantha shrugged. She had three options, each of them unfathomable. She knew she couldn't have an abortion, any more then she could hand her baby over to someone else. And as for actually having a child… " I have to be alone, " she said, rising quickly.
" Sam, if you ever want to talk – "
" I know, " Samantha said. Janet doubted she'd be seeing Samantha in her office anytime soon.
" Until you've decided what to do, " Janet asked as a final thing, " I'm recommending you not go to offworld. I won't tell Hammond why but until you've decided what to do, I don't think you should risk it. "
" Fine, " Samantha mumbled, not caring. She made it to the privacy of her office, locked the door, pulled down the shades and sank down on her couch to cry silently.
She was pregnant.
She could just imagine the field day the vicious gossips would have when that little titbit came out. And it would come out – it always did.
Slowly, she began to gather her thoughts. She was six weeks pregnant. She had at least a month before she started to show, and then only to someone who was particularly observant. She had a month to decide what to do. She had made life-altering decisions in much less time.
Somehow, this felt like the most life-altering decision she'd ever made. And she was going through it alone. She didn't want to be alone.
In a moment of weakness and against her better judgement, she decided that maybe Daniel did have a right to know and she took a walk to his office.
" Captain Sanchez, " Daniel remarked dryly when the beautiful 2IC of SG-9 invited herself into his office. That her skirt was a little too high and her top two buttons were undone didn't escape his notice. Selena Sanchez was a hot little number, and she had made it clear she was very keen on him.
So had a dozen other women on the base. It didn't stop him from thinking about Samantha all the time.
She had made it clear by distancing himself from her that she wanted nothing to do with him. He couldn't blame her, but it didn't stop his heart from breaking just a little whenever he saw her. Couldn't women like Selena see that?
" A bunch of us are going out for drinks, " Selena said, perching herself precariously on the corner of Daniel's desk. " I thought you might like to come with. " She smiled flirtatiously.
He made the mistake of looking her in the eye. He couldn't deny she was a beautiful woman. Much more attractive then Samantha was, it was a wonder she'd settled for the airforce when she could have been a world-famous model.
" I'm busy, " he said.
" Oh, come on, you're always busy, " Selena cooed. " You should come out and have fun. " She reached out and stroked his arm.
He wrenched away from her. " I said I'm busy, " he said shortly.
Selena pouted. " I don't know what you're problem is, " she complained, swinging her legs provocatively. " Most men, when they have a gorgeous woman come onto them, can't wait to take advantage. "
He winced at the words 'take advantage' ; if Selena had been looking for a way to ingratiate herself into his life, she had only succeeded in doing the opposite. " I'm not most men. "
Selena smiled. " So I heard. " She jumped off the desk and stood inches away from Daniel. She was also wearing too-high heels because she was at eye level with him. " No-one has to know, if that's what you're worried about, " she said invitingly.
He tried to step away, but she was too quick for him, moving in time with him so her body brushed up against his. He had to admit, she was a very attractive woman. With very kissable lips. " That's not what I'm worried about, " he said.
" Then kiss me, " Selena invited. " I never kiss a man first. "
There was a pause as Selena and Daniel stared each other down, each willing the other to back down or make a move. Finally Selena kissed him. She was a sexual predator and she kissed like it, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. He found himself kissing her back.
" I thought you didn't kiss a man first, " he said when he pulled away from her.
" I changed my mind, " she said provocatively, and in a moment of insanity, Daniel decided to kiss her again.
It was that moment in which Samantha chose to make her entrance.
This is not fair, Daniel thought when he realised they had an audience. Samantha would never believe it was one kiss in a moment in insanity.
" Sam! " he called after her, forgetting all about Selena and going after Samantha. He caught up with her in the hall. " Sam, I swear that wasn't what it looked like. "
" You mean you didn't have your tongue down her throat? " Samantha asked sarcastically. " A word of advice, Doctor Jackson – if you're going to screw every female on the base, at least shut the door. "
" It wasn't like that! " he yelled in frustration. " Why did you come here, anyway? " he asked, hoping to get the topic off him and Selena.
" It doesn't matter, " Samantha said.
It wasn't much, but it was the first they'd spoken in two weeks – and she'd come to him. Daniel wasn't about to let that go. " Yes it does, " he insisted. " Let's go get a coffee and talk. "
Her eyes spat with indignation. " Go to hell, Daniel, " she hissed, all her bitterness lashing out at him. She wrested her arm away from and stalked off.
He didn't care! If he did, he wouldn't be screwing Captain Sanchez! Samantha knew Sanchez had been behind a lot of the gossip about her – Daniel probably knew too, and didn't care. They probably laughed about it together.
Now she was truly alone.
Daniel returned to his office, hoping Selena had had the good sense to leave, but instead she was sitting on his desk, having taken off her shirt and skirt to reveal lingerie that Daniel knew was definitely not regulation. " What the hell are you doing? " he growled.
" I would have thought it was pretty obvious, " Selena said, pouting provocatively. " You have a reputation for being quite… virile. "
" Gossips are always wrong, you should know that, Captain Sanchez, " Daniel retorted. " Get dressed and get out of here. I'm not interested. "
Selena's provocative pout turned to a scowl. " Are you interested in that slut Carter? " she demanded, provoking Daniel into doing something he'd never done before. He hit a woman, sending Selena reeling.
She screamed, more from the indignation of being struck then any real pain. " You bastard! " she yelled at him. " You haven't heard the end of this! "
" Oh, I think I have, " Daniel challenged. " I'm going to get a coffee. When I get back, you'd better be gone or I'll press charges for sexual harassment. " That got the smirk off her face.
Daniel took his time, taking the long way to the mess hall so he'd have time to calm down. He didn't know what Samantha had come by his office, but it had to be important for her to lower herself to do it. And now he'd ruined his chances forever.
Sam, I'm sorry, he told her mentally, the only way he could have a conversation with her. I love you and I'm sorry.
He didn't know what else to do.
Because she was no longer going offworld, Samantha was allowed to wear civilian clothes, and paranoid about her figure, she began wearing shapeless, baggy tracksuits. Mostly she stayed in her office, venturing out only to get food. Her shapeless clothes meant the men on the base stopped hitting on her, although it gave the women something more to talk about – how Major Carter had really let herself go, the tramp. She was pretty sure Captain Sanchez was behind much of it. The woman was a bully and a bitch.
Daniel deserved her.
Daniel had tried once to talk to her. He had noticed her neglect of her appearance and it worried him. " I'm concerned about you, " he said. " You're not acting yourself. "
" You never knew me to know if I'm myself or not, " Samantha spat, and Daniel had left her alone after that. He considered this new batch of rumours, instigated by Selena, to be his fault. If he had handled things differently – Selena Sanchez was a bitch and a bully.
She and McKay deserved each other. In the same way Hitler and Eva Braun did.
So he kept his distance from Samantha, watching her from afar whenever she emerged from her office. And then the penny dropped. He had spent a month with her naked. He knew her body intimately. He realised she was getting heavier, and not from a general weight gain.
He waited until she next emerged from her office into the mess hall, looking typically defiant to the leers and whispers. He was with his new team and he made his excuses, siding up alongside her.
" Major Carter, " he said politely, " I need to speak to you about something. In private. "
She recognised the tone of voice. He was just giving her the chance to make a graceful exit before he dragged her off kicking and screaming. Sensing her lack of resistance, he gently but firmly propelled her into the nearest room, a storage closet.
" Is this about Captain Sanchez? " Samantha demanded as soon as he shut the door behind them. It had been a while since they'd been so close in such a small space. Her heart ached to be with him. So she put on a facade of indifference and irritation.
" It's about us, " Daniel said gruffly, backing her against the door and pressing his hands against her body, under her sweatshirt… she gasped at the touch of his fingers in her bare skin. It had been so long. Too long.
" I've put on weight, " she mumbled. " Too much crappy food, not enough exercise. "
His eyes flashed with hurt that she thought him so stupid. " Give me credit for knowing your body, Sam. How far along are you? " he asked.
She squirmed. " Two months, " she admitted.
" And it's mine? " he asked. Her eyes flashed and she went to slap him. " Sorry, " Daniel apologised immediately. " I didn't mean it like that. Is that what you came to see me about. "
Samantha nodded. " I told you it didn't matter, " she reminded him.
" This does matter, Sam, did you think I was just going to abandon you? "
" You've done an excellent job of it so far, " Samantha reminded him bitterly. He stared at her incredulously.
" You think I've abandoned you? " he asked.
Samantha's eyes flashed angrily, and she pushed Daniel's hands away from her. " What else do you call not speaking to me for a month? " she spat. " No, I don't want to hear it, " she said when he opened his mouth to defend himself. " I don't care anymore. It's why I didn't tell you. I figured you didn't have a say in it. "
" How can I not have a say in it? It's my kid! " Then, as Samantha had predicted to Janet, he dropped to his knees, taking her hands in his. " Marry me, " he blurted out.
" Get up, " Samantha hissed. " You're making a fool of yourself. Do you think I'm going to marry you just because you had the misfortune to knock me up and it's the right thing to do? "
Daniel rose to his feet, hurt clear in his eyes. " Did it ever occur to you, " he started in a shaky voice, " that I want to marry you because I love you? " Afraid if he stayed any longer he'd start to cry, he slipped past Samantha, leaving her alone once more.
Did he really love her, or did he just convince himself he did so it would be convenient to marry her for the sake of their child? Samantha didn't even know if she wanted to keep it yet.
Oh, who was she kidding? She wanted this child more then anything. She just didn't want it without Daniel.
Daniel locked himself in his office to think. Samantha was pregnant with his child, and she'd had no intention of telling him – or if she had, she'd been easily scared off which suggested her heart hadn't been in it in the first place.
Had she planned on just getting bigger and bigger until she couldn't hide behinds those tends she called tracksuits, or had she planned on having an abortion and not telling anyone?
The idea of Samantha killing their child made the bile rise in his throat. It was almost as bad as the idea of Samantha going through it alone. Damnit, whatever she'd thought of him, he'd had a right to know.
Did she think so little of him that she didn't see fit to grant that right?
He had to talk to her, really talk to her. He wouldn't take a brush off for an answer this time. First he needed to think things through, before he burst into a rage at her for not telling him.
The next Day, McKay ran into her. More precisely, he'd been looking for the opportunity to spend time with her, between being hold up in her office (which she always kept locked) and making dashes to the mess hall.
He figured they had some unfinished business.
He was surprised at how distracted he'd been by her. After all, she was just another woman, she wasn't special. But she had really got him hot and bothered that day, and he hadn't been able to stop thinking about it.
He was convinced she was equally hot and bothered about him.
Samantha cringed when she saw McKay and quickened her pace in the hope she'd get to her office before he did. The man was in sufferable, and he didn't understand she hadn't been in control of herself that day after her return. For Christ sake's, she'd been in isolation for her own good – didn't that tell him something?
Apparently not. Whenever he got close to her, he made a crude remark, letting his hand linger on her arm or her ass until she walked away. Still, he didn't get the point. He was convinced all she needed was a good talking to away from prying eyes.
Samantha stifled a shudder of revulsion when McKay cornered her against the outside wall of her office. " Major Carter, " he said pompously.
" Doctor McKay, " she said coolly. He wished she would use his first name like she had that day she threw herself at him. " What do you want? "
" You know, I recall a time when you weren't such an ice queen, " he reminded her, putting his hand possessively on her bicep. She tried to throw him off or sidestep him, but he was too quick and too strong for her on both counts.
" And I would have thought even you knew when a woman wasn't in a position to give consent, " she retorted, her eyes flashing like a cornered animal – which was what she felt like. It was times like this that she missed Daniel more then ever.
God, she loved him. She had been wrong to be so short with him yesterday, and now she had pushed him away for good.
McKay's grip on her arm tightened and he moved in closer to her. " I've known women who were under the influence, and that wasn't it, " he insisted.
Samantha felt her throat constrict painfully at the unfairness of her situation. If she'd been drugged, people would have understood. But because the hormones had made her want it, everyone treated her like a slut. Men came onto her constantly, although not as persistently as McKay. it was why she'd retreated to her office.
" Please, " she said. " I just want to be left alone. "
" I bet you wouldn't want to be left alone if I were Doctor Jackson, " McKay pointed out, and the look in her eyes infuriated him. What she needed was a good taste of the McKay magic. He kissed her, his lips pressed hard against hers, although some survival instinct told him it wasn't a good idea to stick his tongue down her throat. With one hand still tightly on her arm, he started fondling her breasts with his free hand.
Samantha bucked against McKay wildly, but he held her firmly against the wall. She felt nausea rose from her stomach as he kissed her brutally, fondled her as if she were a piece of meat he'd bought and paid for.
It was obvious to anyone but McKay that he was assaulting her, Daniel included. He'd been coming to hash things out with Samantha and the first thing he saw when he rounded the corner was McKay forcing himself on Samantha. His heart lurched. He had heard the rumours about them, of course, but he'd chalked it up to McKay's fertile imagination – and wishful thinking. Now he couldn't help but wonder if there had been any truth to the rumours. After all, he had been scared of what he might do to Janet or any woman who got to close to him while the hormones were raging through his body – it was entirely plausible that Samantha had been as horny as he had been.
" Get the hell away from her, " Daniel demanded. McKay jumped away, frightened by the tone in Daniel's voice. He wasn't afraid of the court martial Janet had threatened him with – his friendship with Kinsey had taken care of that – but Doctor Jackson was an entirely different story.
McKay backed away, his hands up defensively. " Hey, I didn't mean any harm, I didn't realise she was your girl. "
" She's not, " Daniel growled, interjecting himself between Samantha and McKay. Samantha took the opportunity to escape to her office. " But you will treat her with as much respect as you would if she was, " he said. " Have you got that. "
McKay nodded vigorously, fear in his eyes. Doctor Jackson looked capable of murder right now, and McKay wasn't prepared to test the boundaries of his temper. " Get out of here, " Daniel ordered. " I don't want to see you around Major Carter again, have you got that? " McKay nodded and scurried off. Daniel doubted he'd be going anywhere near Samantha again. He could be scary when he wanted to be.
He tried to door handle, and to his relief found it was unlocked. He had tried her door a few times in the last month, and it had always been locked.
He pushed the door open, and was greeted by the image of Samantha sitting on her couch, legs pulled up against her chest with her arms around them, sobbing uncontrollably. Her heart ached for her, she'd been through hell the last month. He sat down next to her, pulling her into his arms in a protective hug. He only wished he could protect her from everything – the vicious rumours, the men who thought they had a right to her. " It's OK, " he said. " He won't be bothering you anymore. "
To unhappy and heartsore to care that she was in Daniel's arms or that she was supposed to be acting prideful around him, Samantha continued to sob. " He wouldn't leave me alone, " she cried. " After what happened, he thought he had a right to me – said we had unfinished business. "
Daniel struggled to keep his temper in check for Samantha's sake. What he really wanted to do was smash McKay's face in, but he told himself she needed him. " What happened between you guys, Sam? " he asked gently.
She turned her face away. " It doesn't matter, " she said. She knew McKay had been telling everyone how she'd thrown herself at him, that had been just one more reason for people to call her a whore. She wasn't going to let Daniel judge her.
Gently he placed his fingers under her chin and forced her head around so she was looking into his eyes. " It does matter, Sam, " he said. " Did he hurt you? Did he take advantage of you? You can tell me Sam, I went through it too, remember? "
Because she was too upset and heartsore to be proud Samantha blurted out what had happened. " It was just after we came back, and they put us in isolation. Those hormones made me so crazy. McKay came by to see me, I don't know what about, we didn't talk much, " she admitted. She added in a choked, embarrassed voice, " I threw myself at him. "
" Did he have sex with you? " Daniel demanded. He had honestly thought McKay knew better then that, but clearly, he'd overestimated the man.
Samantha shook her head. " No, Janet came in before anything happened. She threatened him with a court martial – and to tell you. "
" No-one told me, " he said. He couldn't blame Janet, if he'd known, he probably would have castrated McKay. As it was, the only thing stopping him was that Samantha needed him. He'd deal with McKay later.
" If it wasn't for Janet, I would have slept with him, " Samantha admitted in a sad, small voice. " I'm a whore. "
Daniel forced her to look at him again. " You are not a whore, Sam, " he said forcefully.
" Then why have you been avoiding me? " she demanded.
Daniel stared at her incredulously. She thought he was avoiding him? " I haven't been avoiding you, Sam, " he insisted.
" You haven't said two words to me since we got back, " she flung accusingly at him, all her bitterness at the way she'd been treated in the last month pouring out. " You screwed that bitch Sanchez when I needed you. You said you'd support me and you abandoned me. "
She struggled to her out of his hold but he wouldn't let her go. He couldn't believe she thought he'd abandoned her. " I swear to God, Sam, I thought you wanted space, " he said. " I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. " He kissed her on the forehead, guilt flooding through him because of what Samantha had gone through alone. He'd promised her he'd be there for her, and he hadn't. " I'm so, so sorry. " He kissed her again, and somehow his lips ended up over hers, his tongue was gently prying her mouth open, meeting her tongue… they had been intimate before, of course, but never like this. He kissed her hungrily, passionately, tenderly until he could feel his body growing weak.
Samantha kissed him back with matching hunger, passion, tenderness. She pressed her body tight against his, whimpering softly as they kissed, until her body felt like it couldn't support her anymore. She had thought she couldn't want Daniel any more then she had on Dorsal, but here was the proof…
Daniel pulled away when Samantha's fingers fumbled with the belt on his buckle. " Not like this, " he said in a low voice.
Although she wanted him badly, she understood. They had fucked so many times that the last thing they needed was to give into their hormones in the heat of the moment again.
She wanted him to make love to her.
" How 'bout I take you home, " Daniel suggested. " We'll pick up Chinese on the way and we can… talk. "
" I'd like that, " Samantha said shyly, wiping her eyes and looking embarrassed when she realised what a wreck she must look like.
" You look beautiful, " Daniel said honestly when she complained about her appearance. She blushed under his intense gaze. Suddenly felt like an infatuated schoolgirl. This was Daniel, for Christ sakes, not some high-school quaterback… she was grateful when he offered his hand out to help her off the couch, because her legs felt like they'd turned to jelly.
Self-consciously, she shrugged off his supporting hand when they left her office, aware of how people would talk when they saw she and Daniel leaving together, let alone of they were holding hands…
Daniel realised why she'd turned down his hand but didn't say anything. He felt terrible for what she'd gone through. They had a lot to talk about. Maybe this baby was a blessing in disguise, forcing them to reconnect.
The baby. It was something Daniel tried not to think about it because he didn't know what Samantha wanted to do. He knew there wasn't much he could do about it, and if she wanted to have an abortion… he knew he had to respect her decision, but he didn't know how he could.
He wanted her to have the child. He wanted them to have the child. But he had no say in it.
They drove home in silence, stopping only to pick up dinner, each lost in their own thoughts. The kisses they'd shared in Samantha's office were on both their minds. Samantha tried to reconcile Daniel's distance with his sudden concern and passion, and Daniel's thoughts were preoccupied with Samantha's pregnancy. The more he thought about it, the more he had to know what she planned to do about it.
" Take a seat, " Daniel said to Samantha when he unlocked the door to his apartment. He was really glad he'd thought to clean up on the weekend so it didn't look like a bomb had hit it. " I'll make some coffee. "
" I'll have juice, if you've got it, " Samantha interjected. Everyone knew caffeine was bad for unborn babies.
She didn't know why she had just thought that.
Daniel wondered why Samantha had just turned down coffee ; she was as much of a caffeine addict as he was. He tried not to hope that maybe she was thinking about what was best for the baby.
For several minutes they ate in silence, each trying to think of a way to bridge the gap between them. Finally Daniel blurted out, " I swear I never slept with Selena. What you saw was the only thing that ever happened between us. She's been pursuing me since we got back, and she kissed me and in a moment of insanity, I kissed her back. I swear that's all that happened. "
Samantha struggled with her emotions. It had broken her heart to see Daniel with another woman, but what he was saying could very well be true. Selena Sanchez was a maneater, a predator, and Samantha suspected the main reason she'd been so vicious in spreading rumours about her was to deflect attention from her own antics. Men tended to be blind to such women, but every woman on the base agreed she was a used, a bully and a bitch.
She decided to go with her gut. " I believe you, he said softly, " and she knew from the look of grateful relief in Daniel's eyes that she had made the right choice.
" I'm sorry about the stuff she said about you. It's kind of my fault, I told her I wasn't interested and she blamed you. "
Samantha shrugged. Truth was, Selena Sanchez was a bitch but she was the least of Samantha's concerned. " I've met plenty of women like her in the airforce, they resent any woman who ranks higher then them. She doesn't bother me…much. What hurt me the most was… you not being there. " She felt the tears well in her eyes and she hated herself for being so emotional.
" I thought you wanted space, Sam, " Daniel explained quietly.
" How could you think I wanted space? " Samantha asked incredulously. " The whole time we were there, I told you how I felt – I told you what people would think of me – you said you wouldn't let that happen – you said you'd stand by me – and you didn't! " she added accusingly, her voice choked with tears.
" Because I felt like I'd raped you! " Daniel hadn't meant to yell, but he found himself matching Samantha's tone.
" What? " Samantha whispered, barely believing what she was hearing.
" When we were on Dorsal… you were hardly in a position to give consent. And I took advantage of that. I raped you… and I treated you like a whore. "
Samantha just stared at Daniel. Suddenly his coolness towards her made sense. He'd thought she hated him. And she would have… if he'd done what he thought he had. " As I recall, " she pointed out, " you weren't exactly in a position to restrain yourself. I was there, Daniel, I remember what it was like. I don't blame you for anything you did. I wanted it too, remember? You didn't rape me. And if you treated me like a whore… it's because I acted like one. "
" You didn't act like a whore, Sam. You say you were there… then you remember what it was like. It was pretty crazy… and I took advantage of that by treating you like a whore. Maybe it wasn't exactly my fault but I still did… I would never ask you to be like that for me, I wouldn't want it. I have so much respect for you, Sam, you have to know that. "
Samantha nodded slightly. " I know, " she said. She did believe him. She wiped her tears from her eyes. " I don't know what to do, " she admitted.
" About us? " Daniel prompted.
Samantha nodded. " About us… and the baby, " she admitted.
Daniel looked pained. " What do you want to do? " he asked. " I'll stand by your decision… whatever it is. "
Samantha smiled wryly. Daniel sounded like he choking when he said that. " Try a little sincerity, " she offered.
" I don't want you to have an abortion, " he blurted out.
Samantha was shocked by the vehemence in his voice. " Who said I was having an abortion? "
" I know it's an option, these are hardly the best circumstances to have a baby, " Daniel said. " I don't want you to… I want to help you raise this baby. I know I don't have a say in it… but I think I'm falling in love with you and I don't think I could handle being with you if you did… so I need to know. "
Samantha was stunned by Daniel's admission. " You're in love with me? " she asked. That wasn't exactly what he had said, but still…
Daniel nodded, although he looked miserable. " I love you, Sam, " he said. " I really do want to marry you… and I want us to have this baby. "
Near tears – she was crying far too much lately – Samantha threw herself into Daniel's arms, pressing her head against his chest and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, afraid to let go. " You don't know how much I've wanted to hear you say that, " she admitted tearfully. She didn't realise how much she'd wanted to hear Daniel say that, until now. She felt waves of relief washing over her and she sobbed uncontrollably in happiness.
It wasn't exactly the reception he'd wanted, but it was good enough. He kissed her forehead and stroked her hair, running his hands down her back. " You're so tense, " he remarked.
" It's because I've been so stressed, " she admitted.
Daniel gently disentangled himself from her and lifted her easily into his arms. " You need a long massage, " he said as he carried her to his room. " Just therapeutic, nothing funny, I promise. "
Samantha didn't know weather she ought to be relieved or disappointed.
Daniel laid her down gently on his bed and got her to lie on her stomach. He started tugging at her sweatshirt, trying to pull it over her head. She couldn't help but resist his attempts to take her clothes off. " C'mon Sam, " he said reasonably. " I can't do it with your clothes on, and it's nothing I haven't seen before. " That was true enough – he'd thought about her every night since they'd been back.
Samantha allowed him to take her top off, and all her distrust was forgotten when she felt Daniel's fingers digging into her skin. He really knew what he was doing. She whimpered with delight.
He tried to keep his mind off the obvious, but her found his fingers were becoming caressing almost in spite of himself. He was touching her far too sensually for a simple massage. He strained his eyes to hear any sound of protest from Samantha.
Nothing by her whimpers of delight which were becoming increasingly guttural and distracting the hell out of him.
He had started with every intentions of keeping his hands on her back, but the temptation to expose more of her flesh proved too much for him. He worked his hands downwards and slowly pulled down her tracksuit pants. She made no effort to stop him – she assisted him by lifting her hips to make their removal easier.
She couldn't remember anything so exquisite as Daniel working her flesh the way he was. She'd had massages before, of course, but never like this. " This is so good… " she murmured as he began working on her legs.
" Anytime you want it, sweetheart, just ask, " Daniel promised.
What she really wanted was for Daniel to remove her panties, but she wasn't bold enough to ask for that. Being with him like this made her aware of the chemistry they'd always shared, even when they'd first met when he was still married to Sha're. It was a chemistry that had been emphasised from their month together, but it had always been there.
She couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before.
" Daniel… " she groaned when he dug his fingers into her upper thighs. Just another inch…
There was no way he could mistake that tone for anything but what it was. He leaned over her, virtually lying on top of her but resting most of his weight on his elbows. He nuzzled the side of her neck. " Anytime you want me to stop, " he whispered gutturally, " tell me and I will. " She didn't that was very likely to happen – telling him to stop, that was.
Trailing kisses down her back, Daniel paused to pull down her panties so she was completely naked. She was aware of his own overdressed state compared to her, but that was probably a good thing. He had every intention of staying in control.
He slipped a finger inside her, and was surprised by how wet she was already. She groaned when he started touching her. " Daniel… " she cried his name out as he began working her with deliberate slowness. He was going to make her wait for the climax she was seeking.
When she was good and worked up He flipped her over so she was facing him. " Don't stop, " she begged.
" I had no intention of stopping, sweetheart, " he said. " I just wanted easier access. "
She gasped when he started giving her head. It was something he'd never done before, although she'd done it to him several times – like a lot of men, he didn't like it being 'dirty', even though it was him who had messed her up in the first place. It was just one more thing he'd felt guilty over and he was determined to make it up to her.
He worked her for over an hour, playing her expertly. If she'd been anywhere close to rational thought she would have wondered exactly where he learnt such talents – and she would have thanked the woman. He bought her closer and closer to orgasm and then brought her back off the brink until she was begging for it.
She came hard, screaming his name and thrashing on the bed until she was absolutely exhausted. She had never been so tired out after one of their marathon sessions on Dorsal, and the scientist in her knew it was because she no longer had hormones in her system to act as an adrenaline rush, but she also thought it was because she had never climaxed so long and so hard before.
Sliding off the bed, Daniel kneeled beside her and watched her face in its post-climax glow. She was so insanely beautiful.
She opened her eyes to meet his and smiled. " Thankyou, " she said, although it seemed like such an inappropriate means of gratitude for what he'd just given her. She reached up to kiss him.
Daniel rocked on his feet. " I'm going to have a cold shower, " he said sheepishly. You had to be a eunuch to do what he'd just done and not be affected by it.
Samantha reached her hand out before Daniel could stop her, snaking down to his crotch to see how badly she'd affected him. " Let me return the favour, " she said.
Daniel pushed her hand away. " No, " he said firmly, and if it killed him, he wouldn't let her do it. When she looked at him with hurt in her eyes, he said, " I made you do that too many times, Sam. I owe you. "
" You didn't make me do anything, " Samantha said. Her mind raced back to their last day on Dorsal – what had he said, that it was degrading? Dear, sweet, Daniel was determined to make it up to her. Well, she was just as determined to return the favour. " You must be aching. "
" I don't care. I don't want you to do it. I – " Daniel swallowed, his mind racing back to their period on Dorsal together. True, he had never asked her to do it, but he had enjoyed every minute of it. He'd enjoyed the power of having her on her knees in front of him, servicing him. " It's degrading for you. "
Samantha saw he was in genuine distress, and she couldn't help but wonder what had been going through his head when she'd gone down on him in the past. God knew it could be quite a power trip. She let it be for the moment, but she wasn't going to let him off that easily. " Fine, " she said. " Make love to me then. " She leaned over to kiss him again.
" Not until Janet says it's OK, " he insisted.
Samantha glared at him. " For Christ sake's, Daniel, I'm throwing myself at you, and you're making excuses! "
" I'm not making excuses, " Daniel responded. " I'm just worried about the baby – and you. I won't put either of you in jeopardy. "
Samantha tried to be angry at Daniel for being so overprotective, but instead she could only love him more for it. She reached for the phone. " What are you doing? " he demanded suspiciously.
" Calling Janet. It's only ten, she'll be up. " And if she was woken up, Samantha would make it clear it was Daniel's fault. Most likely, though, the Doctor would be glad to see them on speaking terms again. Not that I spoke much in the last hour, she thought ruefully.
" There's no need to do that, I can wait a few days, " Daniel insisted.
" And has it occurred to you that I can't? " Samantha countered. " How many times have we fucked, Daniel? Too many times to count. Does it occur to you that I want you to make love to me? I want to feel like you respect me when you're having sex with me. I want – " she broke off when she felt tears threatening again.
Daniel hadn't realised it meant so much to her. " OK, " he backed down. " Call Janet. But if you wake her up, make sure she knows it's your fault. "
" Sam, what's up? " Janet asked when she heard her friend's voice down the line. " I wanted to talk to you this afternoon, but when I went to your office, you'd already gone. "
Samantha found herself blushing, and she was grateful Janet couldn't see her. Daniel could, though, and he smirked at her discomfort. " Uh, yeah, I'm with Daniel, " she admitted.
Janet's eyes shot up. " Daniel, who you said didn't respect you and wanted nothing to do with you? " she questioned.
" Yeah, Daniel. And, um, he wants to know… if it's OK… um… "
" If it's OK to have sex with you? " Janet offered. It was kind of an awkward thing to bring up between friends, but Janet couldn't help but smirking. She had always hoped Daniel and Samantha would work things out, she just hadn't expected them to work things out so quickly. She mentally flipped through her appointments for the next day, clearing out anything not vital so she could have a long D&M with her.
She directed her attention back at Samantha, waiting for an answer. " There's no reason you can't have sex, Sam, but I don't recommend you try beating any of your records – and just between you and I, don't put any pressure on Daniel, I have a feeling he's going to have trouble climaxing. He's semen levels are way down, but don't tell him I told you that. I think he's embarrassed by it. Actually, can you put him on the phone? "
Samantha handed the phone to Daniel. " She wants to speak to you, " she said.
Daniel cradled the handpiece. " It was Sam's idea, " was the first thing he said.
Janet laughed. That sounded like Samantha. " Take it easy, OK, don't push yourself, " she ordered him. " I'm more concerned about you then I am her. "
" I'm fine, " Daniel grumbled. He looked at Samantha suspiciously, trying to ascertain if she knew. It didn't exactly help his masculinity to know he'd completely exhausted his reserves, he didn't care that it wasn't natural for a man to climax a dozen times a day for a month. " Is there anything else? "
" No, " Janet said. " I want to talk to you tomorrow though. Can you come by around ten? "
It wasn't like Daniel had anything better to do since he didn't go offworld anymore. " Fine, " he said. " See you then. " He hung the phone up.
" See? " Samantha asked, smiling triumphantly. " Now make love to me. "
Daniel smirked. " The lady's demanding, " he said dryly. Samantha glared at him.
" Kiss me, " she instructed, and Daniel obeyed.
" I love kissing you, " she said when they broke apart. They kissed again, and her hands wandered his body, relieving him of his clothes. She moved over on Daniel's bed so he could lie next to her, and they began making out until Daniel was good and worked up. How do you like a taste of your own medicine? she asked him with her eyes.
He manoeuvred her so she was straddled him. " Tell me if it's uncomfortable, but I want you on top of me, " he said quietly. It was a token offer of control, but it made him feel a lot better.
She nearly climaxed again when Daniel entered her. This was so much better then being on the hormones. Arching her back, she began riding him.
He remembered how she liked to be touched, and he brought her to orgasm three times in the forty minutes it took him to come. Afterwards, they lay in bed, a tangled mess of sweaty limbs, exhausted.
He admitted to having a problem climaxing. " Janet said it has something to do with how active I was on Dorsal, " he admitted. He had known he would have problems but he hadn't expected to be driven to the brink of exhaustion – not to mention frustration – over it. He was glad he was spooning Samantha so he didn't have to face her. " She says I'll be OK eventually, I just need time to, um… restock. A fair bit of time. "
Samantha knew better then to turn and face Daniel. She made a mental note to talk to Janet to get the details. It was clear it embarrassed Daniel to talk about it. " You think I'm complaining? Most guys can't last the distance. "
Daniel kissed the back of her neck and held her tightly. He knew she was making light of the situation for his sake (and he knew tomorrow she'd get the details out of Janet, he didn't care, better then have to talk about it himself) and he loved her for it. " I love you, " he murmured.
Samantha snuggled deep into Daniel's hold. " I love you too, " she said.
They lay in silence for a few minutes before Samantha spoke up, " I'm not ready to go public just yet. I wanna be with you for a little while, build a foundation before we tell everyone. " She could just envision the new flurry of gossip that would break out when it became known that she and Daniel were back together – and the inevitable claims he was only with her because he was 'doing the right thing' over her pregnancy (something else people would never understand – they'd say she trapped him by deliberately not taking birth control) and she wanted some time to build their relationship before that happened. " It's nothing person, just – "
" No, I understand, " Daniel said. He was a little disappointed but he understood her reasons. " I'll take you home in the morning if you want. Just so long as I can have you to myself after hours. "
Samantha turned to face him, smiling. " Deal, " she said. She kissed Daniel before settling into his arms for the night. When she was with him, she could almost believe the worst was over.