Sam drove in silence to a nearby park down the mountain. As the ground slopped down, so did her thoughts. What was she doing? She was talking about her feelings in terms of 'experiment' and 'data.' The scientist in her screamed in protest, but the woman, the sometimes more rational part, agreed they were safe words and definitions. It raked her nerves that Daniel did not say anything as they drove.

"Care for a stroll?" Sam asked as she parked.

"Fresh air, new surroundings, great company. I can't ask for anything more," Daniel said, sliding out. Sam smiled as she closed her door, wondering if that was the answer to her problem.

"So, what's difficult about this for you?" Sam started, plunging her hands and keys into the pockets of the jacket she wore.

"Well, for starters, the whole thing came on really suddenly," Daniel started. He was about to continue when he closed his mouth. Looking at Daniel, Sam made an expression for him to continue. They had come down to a part of the path where it was partially shaded, and Daniel stopped. "I can't walk around. I can't be talking to you about this."

Shocked, Sam scrunched her eyebrows together as she took Daniel in. He was looking around, calmly, not like a caged animal, but it still perplexed Sam. "You suggested it," Sam said at last.

Daniel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, and I am glad; that's not the problem. The problem is… the 'problem'." Sam gazed a moment longer at him, his blue eyes lighting up as the branches let more sun into their parch of shade. It reflected off his glasses, and Sam fought the urge to step over and take the glasses away from him. "It's all about dates," he muttered.

"Daniel, you will have to be less cryptic. I am not following," Sam said, aware that she sounded like Jack when Daniel took off on his own tangents.

"It's about honesty, Sam. I… want to…. This problem is big, and like you, I don't know if I can walk away from the underlying data."

Sam looked away. She was tired of sorting everything out. It was obvious that Daniel was uncomfortable and tired of sorting out his problem as well. "Honest. Ok. Honesty…" Sam started; bring her eyes back to his. "I found something that could change this," she made a sweeping motion in the distance between them. "Change us."

Worry seemed to taint Daniel's eyes for a moment. "Oh?"

"I can't just look at you as a friend. My data… holy Hannah I can't believe I am actually talking about this…"

"You have not said anything, Sam." Daniel stepped closer. "Are you saying that you found something in my past that makes you uncomfortable?"

Sam looked up at him sharply. "No. No, I never looked into your past. It's very, well, it's a recent discovery. Kind of what you said, it's all about dates."

"Sam, I don't think this is helping our problems," Daniel said gently. "What is it?"

She steadied herself once more. How do you tell your best friend that, during one briefing, you suddenly opened your eyes to how beyond 'best friends' your feelings had gone? How did you tell the man you watch grieve for his wife – twice – that you wanted to be with him, in every kind of way?

"Daniel, if I can't trust you with this, then all my problems, all my data, all the late nights have been a waste. I… see you. I mean I really see you. It's not that I don't see you everyday, but I have not let myself actually see you like you are." Sam paused and took a deep breath, the gentle scent of lavender soothing. "I finally let myself notice how amazing you are, how handsome – no really 'sexy ' is the right word, if I am being honest. And this is all about honestly, so …. I am carrying on a conversation by myself…" Sam mused in almost a whisper. Lifting her eyes, she gazed into Daniel's face. "Daniel, the data says I love you. What I need to finish the experiment is your data."

Daniel looked at Sam. Slowly the silly grin that he always felt around Sam came full force on his lips. He cupped her cheek, relishing the burning sensation on his palm. "I see we have been working on the same problem. My data has come to the same conclusion. Sam, I love you too."

Before she could utter anything, before the full impact of his words settled into her mind, his lips settled on hers. It burned her lips and she slid her arms around his waist, closing her eyes and kissed him back. The stood under the tree for what seemed like eternity savoring the heat that each of them caused upon each other's skin, each glad for their separate dates of discovery.

Epilogue:
Sam hurried down the hall, stopping to pick-up one final stuffed animal on the way to the door.

"Sam, they will have stuff there. Besides, I think you will be a bit distracted," Daniel said, peering up at her from the floor. He finished folding a pair of pants and zipped the bag, slinging it on his shoulder as he rose. "I'll be there, and I'm sure the others will have no problem running back here to pick something up."

He placed an arm around Sam and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Sorry, I guess the whole 'nesting' thing can get a bit… much." She smiled at Daniel and brought her hand up to caress his cheek. "Ready?"

Daniel looked deep into the blue eyes he drowned in so often and nodded. With one hand around her waist, he adjusted the strap with the other and brought it to the protruding belly of his wife. "I have had this date marked on my calendar longer then you know."

Hand in hand the couple walked to the car, ready to drive to the hospital and eager to see the results of their latest experiment.