Right Time and Place by Betty Bokor
Sam/Daniel. Jack and SG-1 share a celebration off-world.
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9.
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

Right Time and Place

Chapter 2

"Daniel," she said without thinking any more. "The one with the glasses," she added when the woman seemed not sure of whom she was talking about.

"Perfect; he'll be brought to you as soon as you are both ready. Please, change into the ceremonial garments and I will pick up your clothes to be washed during the night. You will find them back on the bench outside this door, along with his clothes, in the morning."

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"Hello?" The door had opened and someone had entered silently. Then she heard Daniel's voice.

"Daniel?"

"Sam? Is that you?" The room was only lit by a cluster of candles to the right. They were encased in a protective structure that, Daniel thought, ensured none of the pieces of fabric hanging from the roof could catch fire, but also diminished the light they gave. "Where are you?" he asked trying to focus.

"On the bed. I cannot get out of here. This gown is rather see-through."

"Well, I'm not doing much better," Daniel said and Sam noticed how he was dressed as he approached the bed. She immediately remembered the "Tarzan" series on TV from her childhood, where Ron Ely sported a scanty outfit. Daniel's seemed even smaller.

"I'd say that you need to get under the covers, too. This room is quite cold and the bed is big enough for both."

"All right," Daniel agreed and slowly got into bed on the side opposite Sam's.

"Did they explain this to you?" Sam asked.

"Not until they put the four of us in that room." He sighed. "I'm sure any of you would have picked up something if I had missed it. They didn't say a word about this until now."

"Yeah. I didn't know either. You're right."

"Jack was pretty mad."

"Well, he wanted a taste of his old life…" Sam said with a smile. Daniel chuckled. "Do you think they are monitoring us in any way? That they would check if we are complying with the Mating Night?" Sam asked shyly.

"No, I asked about it. I was told that 'such a thing would be considered a breach of etiquette' because they were certain that everybody wanted to celebrate and give a good start to the treaty."

"Do you think they would know if we don't-"

"No, I don't think they would notice the difference." Sam sighed with relief. "In any case," Daniel added, "thank you."

"Why?"

"For choosing me. If you hadn't, I'd be out there with one of the ladies of this planet."

Sam realized he was right. Her other teammates were at that very moment with women who were ready to continue the celebration. "So Cam, Teal'c, and Jack…?"

"Yep, they're probably following the ritual. I don't believe the ladies that chose them had other ideas in mind."

This time Sam chuckled. Jack deserved a taste of the medicine that Daniel had always had to endure. "I thought that if I chose you and we had to do it-"

"Yeah, I know. It would have been less traumatic, less damaging. You and I, we can work anything out between us, even that."

"You think?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

Sam, who had been on her back, turned sideways to be able to look at Daniel face to face. "I think you're right. Besides, I believe you've already had more than your quota of crazy alien ladies," she smiled.

"Well, if we count Hathor, Shyla, Ke'ra, well, Linnea-"

"Don't forget Anise; she told Jack she liked you-"

"But Freya preferred him," Daniel smiled.

"Osiris," Sam added.

"Well, it looked like a woman, but-"

"I thought Goa'ulds had no gender."

"Yeah, that's right. I should add Amounet; she made the most damage…" he trailed off.

"Oma Desala made you suffer, too," Sam said.

"It was not her fault. She tried and she actually helped me. I wouldn't be here without her."

"I'll always thank her for that," Sam said squeezing his arm under the covers. "Oh, let's not forget the star of them all," she added changing her tone.

"Replicarter?" Daniel asked shyly.

"Oh, I hadn't thought of her. She actually killed you; that makes her the worst," Sam said as she repositioned herself on her back.

"Sam, that is not your fault. We have talked about it. Besides, you were talking about someone else."

"She's pretty good, compared to the others."

"Who?"

"Vala."

Daniel laughed softly. "She's not that bad. She just knows how to exasperate me."

"I don't know why, but she makes me feel jealous."

"You don't have any reason to feel jealous. You are bright and you have an amazing career. You are as beautiful as she is… more beautiful actually. You're softer, more feminine."

"More feminine?" she turned sideways again. "She throws her feminine side at you."

"She's had a pretty rough life. It's the only way she knows. It's self-protective."

"Protective," she dismissed it with a sigh. "You're protective of her."

"Is that what bothers you?"

"No!… Maybe. I don't know. It feels like she's gotten deeper into you in a few months than I have in all these years."

Daniel stretched his hand and grabbed hers. "You're my best friend, Sam. There's nobody closer to me than you, not even Jack now."

Sam patted his hand and then let it go. "We shouldn't forget that the most important woman in your life was an alien, too."

"Sha're is one of the most important women in my life. She was extraordinary, but I only had a year with her. My mother was very important, too. Catherine Langford had a great influence on me; even Sarah changed me in many ways. You are still here for me," he smiled. "Janet was a great friend; Cassie is almost like a daughter to me. And I owe much to Leda Kane…"

Daniel was lost in thought. Sam felt jealous again, but couldn't explain why to herself. "I miss Janet so much," she interrupted his thoughts. "She was always there when I needed another girl to understand me."

"I don't do that well, eh?" he joked.

"Well, mostly you were the reason why I needed a girl to talk to."

"Why?" he asked very surprised.

"Well, the first time was when we thought you were dead in Oannes. Then, when Ma'chello took your body, or when you got yourself radiation poisoning and ascended…"

"And you needed to talk about that with a woman because…?"

"Because men around here do not grieve; they just keep going. Military mindset. Janet felt the same way I did."

"I see."

He settled on his back and was reflecting on what she had said when she suddenly said, "I can't believe I tried to kiss Colonel O'Neill when I was touched,".

Daniel was confused by the non sequitur. "Eh?"

"I mean, at that point, I still liked you," Sam said and it sounded to Daniel that she was not actually talking to him, but to herself.

"You liked me?"

"Oh!" She realized she had been talking out loud. "I mean, the truth, ah, well… The truth is I had something like a crush on you in those days."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously, since the day I met you in Abydos, but out of respect for Sha're and the love you felt for her…"

"Thank you," he said in an expressive tone.

"Don't need to thank me; you've always been an exceptional man."

"Thank you, again," he added softly. There was an uncomfortable silence and Daniel decided to change the tone of the conversation. "You know that some people at the SGC think that we're together?"