Chapter Four

Jack strode into his friend's office one Monday morning and settled his elbows onto the large black tabletop. Daniel looked up from his laptop and greeted SG1's team leader, "Morning, Jack. What's on your mind?" He was bent over as he typed out a few words on the keypad before him, the stool where he had formerly sat forgotten in the background.

"Good morning, Daniel. How was your weekend?"

Rolling his eyes, the archeologist smiled and turned his gaze back to the laptop. "It was great, Jack. Thanks for asking. How was yours?"

Shaking his head and clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder, Jack responded with a question of his own, "You're really not going to tell me who you're dating, are you?"

"Who I'm dating?" Daniel glanced over at his friend suspiciously before realization struck, covering his entire face. "Sam told you."

"Yeah, but she didn't seem to have a clue who it was. What's with keeping all of us in the dark, buddy?"

Daniel opened his mouth to respond, but he was interrupted by a flash of light behind the two men. They both turned to the curly haired woman they knew would be standing there and were greeted by a cheerful, exuberant grin. "Hey guys. What's going on?" Nicole asked with a perky tone lighting her features.

Jack frowned and turned toward his friend, his mouth open and his finger extended as if ready to ask a question of the man beside him. He must have reconsidered, though, because all he ended up doing was shutting his mouth and shaking his head as if he answered his own question mentally.

The archeologist smiled at the woman before them, apparently oblivious to his friend's actions next to him. "Hey Nicole. Jack was just grilling me for information."

The Q's eyebrows shot up as she stepped closer to her boyfriend and regarded SG1's team leader carefully. "Grilling him about what, Jack? His whereabouts Friday night? The woman he's currently seeing?" She glanced up at Daniel and asked slyly, "Are you being mysterious, Daniel?"

As if in response, the man with dark hair and glasses wrapped his arm around the shorter woman's shoulders and pulled her closer to him. He then leaned down kissed her briefly on the lips. "No, I think I'm done being mysterious for now," he answered her in a soft tone.

The man beside the couple seemed speechless for once. His eyes grew wide, his eyebrows rose, and again he opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but reconsidered. Instead, he shook his head back and forth one more time and turned around to leave. "You kids have fun," he called over his shoulder.

Daniel and Nicole watched him leave before she dissolved into giggles, laying her forehead on one of her boyfriend's shoulders. "That was fun," she told him, her voice a little muffled. "Can we do it again?"

A few minutes later, Jack O'Neill wandered into another office, causing the owner to glance up from her laptop and smile in greeting. "Morning, Carter," Jack said, glancing over her shoulder at the computer screen. "What'cha working on?"

"Do you really want to know?" she replied, hitting a few keys and studying the results.

Jack shook his head no and pulled up a stool, settling himself on it a few feet from his second in command. "So I just saw Daniel."

"Mm-hmm?" Sam replied, obviously not seeing where he was going with this, knowing that seeing Daniel was very much commonplace in their lives now. Her eyes remained glued to the glowing screen before her.

"And I found out who his mystery date was on Friday night."

"It was Nicole," she told him simply and clicked a few more keys on the keyboard. She was, however, aware of his surprised expression and couldn't help grinning to herself. "She asked me for help picking out a dress on Friday. I put two and two together."

"And you didn't think it was information worth sharing?" Jack asked, feigning a hurt tone and expression.

Sam shrugged. "I thought that if Daniel wanted to share, he would." She glanced over at her CO. "Apparently he did. Would a few days heads-up really have helped you?"

"Maybe!" He answered, folding his arms across his chest. "When did this happen?"

"Don't know. Sometime after Egypt, I'm assuming."

"That was only a few weeks ago," he mused aloud, a confused expression covering his face as he stroked his chin with his fingers slowly. She tried not to watch this, her mind already having memorized this expression, one he used whenever he was trying to concentrate on a problem. Drawing in a deep breath, she instead tried to focus on her work on the screen.

Finally, Jack threw up his hands in admitted defeat and asked his second in command in a frustrated tone, "How did this happen?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, still not averting her eyes from her work.

"I didn't even know he was slightly interested in her. I really thought he couldn't stand her."

At last Sam's eyes darted to his face, her eyebrows furrowed and lips pushed downward in a frown. "He couldn't stand her, or you couldn't stand her? Because there is a difference."

He shrugged. "Okay, I know it's not a big secret that I'm not Nicole's biggest fan, but I'm not trying to split them up. Really. I'm just trying to figure out what's going on here."

Shaking her head, she returned her attention to her laptop. "This is Daniel's relationship. If he feels like sharing, he will. Don't worry, I have a feeling you'll be the first person he shares with."

"I'm not worried," Jack retorted softly. She regarded him with raised eyebrows, her lips curled upward slightly, and an expression that told him she didn't quite believe his last statement.

"What's this party we're going to tonight?" Nicole asked as she stood in front of Daniel's full length mirror and snapped her fingers, changing discreetly into another dress. Shaking her head, she continued to snap her fingers and try on different outfits.

Daniel shook his head and looked up from the TV, answering his girlfriend from the other room, "It's a Valentine's Day party. Wear something red." He was already dressed in a nice suit, a red tie hanging from his neck and a small wrapped present lying on the table before him.

The red haired woman sighed and snapped her fingers once more, this time pleased with the dress she had discovered. The straps tied behind her neck and the flowing material stopped just short of her knees. She twirled once and nodded, finally making her decision. Snapping on a pair of simple red pumps and pinning her curls up with a few framing her pale face, she stepped out into the living room. "Ready," she announced to her boyfriend, who turned in the couch and stared at the woman behind him. "You like?"

Nodding, he stood up and adjusted his jacket. "Very much. You look wonderful." Reaching down, he picked up the present and moved around the couch to meet her as she came toward him. "This is for you," he whispered, handing her the small box wrapped in red paper.

"There are presents involved in this holiday?" Nicole asked as she took the box slowly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Daniel shrugged. "Usually it's just the guy who gets the girl a present . . . and it's good that it's a surprise."

She smiled and began to unwrap the present, finding a small white box underneath. Opening it, she discovered a silver heart necklace. Daniel reached over, took it out of the box and unfastened the clasp. He moved to put it around her neck and told her quietly, "It's a locket. You can put a picture in it if you want and carry it with you wherever you go."

After he was finished, she laid a hand on it softly and whispered, "Thank you" so quietly he had to strain to hear it.

When her green eyes rose again, meeting his blue ones, they shimmered with tears that threatened to spill over. "Are you okay?" her boyfriend asked quietly. She shook her head back and forth slowly and stepped away from him. "What's wrong?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but reconsidered, snapping her fingers and watched as the man before her froze instantly. Stopping time wasn't something she did very often, even though it was a power she possessed without question, but she simply didn't like taking advantage of it if it wasn't needed.

Sighing, she closed the distance between them and ran her hand along his cheek tenderly before turning away and walking out to the balcony. She was met there by her sister, who didn't say a word, but stood quietly until the older woman was ready to talk.

"I can't do this," Nicole whispered quietly.

"Do what?" Teeny asked, laying a soft hand on her sister's shoulder.

"Date a human," she answered in a low voice. "It's only been a few months, but I feel like I'm falling really hard for him."

Teeny's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Well, I'm no expert with human relationships – hell, relationships in general confuse me – but isn't falling in love generally considered a good thing?"

Nicole shrugged and sighed deeply. "Maybe, but not for me. I can't spend the rest of my life with someone, Teens. He'll grow old, and I'll stay the same as I am today. Maybe Qs just aren't meant to be in long term relationships, not with mortals, at least."

"Yeah, I can see that," her blonde sister answered slowly. "But there may be a way around that."

"What are you talking about?"

"You can suppress your emotions. Take them way, Nicci. Snap them away."

"What? Why?"

Teeny smiled, leaning over the balcony and watching the now quiet and still city below them. "Because then you can have fun for as long as you like and never get hurt."

"What about Daniel. Wouldn't that hurt him?"

She shook her head back and forth, blonde hair flying. "Nope. Guys are mostly in it for the sex anyway."

Nicole's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "We haven't had sex, Teens."

"Not yet," the younger sister pointed out.

Green eyes rolled before Nicole leaned on the railing next to Teeny. "Okay, I can't say that I don't see your point. But I don't think Daniel really feels that way. He's never tried to pressure me into having sex."

"Well, you can at least try shutting off your emotions. If you don't like it, we can always change time and pretend it never happened."

"I don't know . . ."

"Up to you, sis."

After a few minutes of considering, the older sister nodded and turned to face Teeny. "Fine. Let's do this."

Daniel was standing alone by the punch bowl when Sam walked up beside him and handed him a cup full of the pink liquid. "Hey," she greeted him, her eyes scanning the large apartment for familiar faces – or just one, but Daniel didn't want to assume that without knowing for sure. "Where's Nicole?"

He shrugged and sipped the drink a little. It was sickeningly sweet and tangy and he nearly gagged on the awful taste as it went down. "She went to the bathroom about twenty minutes ago, and I haven't seen her since." He placed the cup down on the table behind them and watched as Sam did the same thing, apparently not enjoying the drink anymore than he was. "Where's Jack?"

His friend looked as if she had just gagged on the drink herself. "Excuse me?"

"I just assumed you two rode over together. It saves on gas, and I know you don't mind each other's company. You know, coming to a party as friends isn't against regulations."

Sam nodded and studied the various foods behind them, but didn't make a move to take anything. "I know. But I came with someone tonight."

Daniel's eyebrows rose as he turned to look at his friend in the dimmed light. "You came with someone?"

"Is it that hard to believe that I could have brought a date to a party? I'm not entirely without a social life, Daniel." Grinning at his disbelieving expression, she rolled her eyes and finally conceded. "Okay, yes, you're right. I'm a workaholic and my social life suffers because of it. But stop acting as if I can't get a date if I want to."

"So where is this date of yours?"

"He's over there, talking to that girl . . . with curly red hair." The realization hit both Daniel and Sam at the same time. In that instant, both of them left the table and headed into the fray of people, most of which weren't too concerned with the two members of SG1 cutting their way through.

Nicole's smile was wide and her eyes sparkling, and she definitely felt more free than she had in a long time. The man in front of her said nice things and made her laugh, and she could certainly tell he was flirting with her. Without a care in the world, she flirted right back, complete with batting her eyes and running her hand up and down his arm.

"So then I told Dr. Lee," he continued with his funny story, "'You have to be the worst scientist on this whole base!' and he turned beat red! It was great – until he actually succeeded, and he hasn't let me live it down ever since." He shrugged. "I suppose that's what I get." He raised a beer to his lips and drank greedily, as if all that talking made him thirsty.

It was at that moment that Daniel and Sam appeared beside Nicole and the man she was flirting with. The red head's smile disappeared almost instantly and the man nearly choked on the beer he had been drinking. Sam shook her head and told the guy in a sarcastic tone, "Oh that's okay, why don't you go flirt with those girls who just came in?"

He looked as if he was about to object, but finally shrugged and headed off in the direction Sam had indicated. Daniel shot his friend a sympathetic look, one she just brushed off and muttered something about the guy not being a great date anyway.

Nicole watched the scene unfold as if she had just been struck by lightening. When Daniel and Sam's eyes finally settled on her, she mouthed a quick "sorry" and headed for the nearest exit: the door to the balcony. Daniel moved to follow her, but his friend laid a hand on his shoulder and told him to stay. Sam headed out to the balcony alone.

The Q didn't turn when her friend stepped out into the cold night air, but she did recognize the new presence right away. She told Sam softly, "I would have never flirted with him if I had realized he was here with you. I'm sorry about that."

"Ah, forget about him. I should have known better than to bring a date anyway, much less him. But it was pretty much him or nothing." She leaned her back against the railing and looked over at her friend quietly, watching the Q closely. "But what happened to you and Daniel?"

"What do you mean what happened to me and Daniel?"

"Well, last I checked you were with him."

Nodding, she finally turned to Sam and replied quietly, "I am. Don't ask me what just got into me in there. I know I hurt him . . . this was a bad idea."

"What was a bad idea?"

Nicole shook her head back and forth and looked out once again over the balcony to the city lights. "You wouldn't understand."

"I don't like it when people tell me that," the astrophysicist informed the red head. "Why don't you tell me what's going on, and I'll see if I understand it or not?"

The Q let out a sigh and said softly, "I turned off my feelings for Daniel."

"You what?"

"See? I told you you wouldn't be able to understand."

Sam shook her head. "What happened? Why would you want to turn off your feelings for him?"

"It was Teeny's idea."

"Ah," the blonde replied with newfound understanding. "And why would you listen to her? It's not as if she's had any meaningful relationships with any man she's dated."

"Because that's the point. I can't really have a meaningful relationship with Daniel or with any guy. It hit me today that if Daniel and I continue on this path we're on, that one or both of us is going to get hurt."

"Why do you say that?"

"There's no future for a Q and a human, Sam. You've got to understand that. One grows old and eventually dies, while the other will never do either of those things."

Sam nodded, moving closer to her friend and asking carefully, "Then is it right for you to continue this relationship at all? Any way you look at it, it isn't fair to Daniel."

"I know. I was just hoping it didn't have to come to an end so soon."

"I think you need to talk about this with Daniel."

Nicole nodded and blinked away tears as she turned back toward the apartment door. The two women walked back into the party and almost immediately spotted Daniel, Jack, and Teal'c standing near the food table. Jack waved and they made their way over to the men as fast as they could in the crowded room. When they arrived, Sam's CO handed her a beer, which she gratefully accepted after tasting the punch.

"So were you really here with Sergeant Reynolds?" he asked with a grin.

Daniel's eyes were fixed on his girlfriend, but he didn't say anything as he watched her make her way over to him. She stopped right in front of him and nervously pulled on a loose curl while deciding what to say. Finally she pushed herself up on tiptoes and whispered in his ear over the music, "Can we go back to your place? We kind of need to talk."

He nodded and put down his beer on the table, waving to his friends. They waved back, Sam with an understanding look on her face, but Jack seemed bewildered by his friend's behavior. Glancing down at his second-in-command, the air force colonel made a mental note to ask her later about their friend's strange behavior.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Daniel asked softly, "So were you planning on telling me at some point that we suddenly have a very open relationship, one that includes flirting with other people?"

Nicole winced, but she knew she deserved that. With a snap of her fingers, she replaced her feelings, sensing that she would need them for this discussion. A wave of guilt much stronger than she had felt before swept over her, nearly crippling her. Her boyfriend's eyes narrowed on her fingers, instantly suspicious why she needed to snap at that moment.

"Okay, before we get into this, I really have to explain something to you. I want you to know that I have the ability to do a lot of things that would fix this right now in my favor. I could erase your memory or rewrite the last few hours so that party hasn't even happened yet. But I won't because I know that would only make things worse."

His blue eyes narrowed on her face and he took a deep breath before responding slowly, "That's a very . . . human way of looking at things."

"Well, I'm in this relationship with a human. I'm trying to look at things your way. Besides, Qs don't know what the hell they're talking about, as seen earlier with my sister's advice."

"What advice?"

Nicole sighed and sat on the sofa gingerly. "This might take a little bit of explaining."

He sat down on the sofa as well, but made sure there was space between them. "Then explain it to me."

"Earlier tonight when you asked me what was wrong, and I told you nothing, a lot more went on in that second than you think. I froze time and talked with my sister. I told her I couldn't be in a relationship with a human because it just won't work." She drew in a deep breath and looked away from him, a tear escaping and running down her cheek. "You're going to grow old and die someday, and I won't. And that's really hard for me. The way I feel about you makes me want to spend as much time with you as possible, but I know I can't. I finally realized why my stepfather discourages relationships with anyone mortal."

"Because in the end you're the one who's hurt," Daniel supplied for her.

She nodded. "Yeah, so I told her all of that, and she said she had a suggestion. She told me to hide my real feelings, just snap them away and pretend they didn't exist."

"What would that do?"

"It would allow me to have fun with you while I can but not get hurt when the relationship is over. I know, stupid idea, but I kind of fell for it. And that's why I was acting so strangely tonight. When we got back to the apartment, I snapped them back. I love you, Daniel, and I don't want to whisk that away, even though I can."

The man across from her on the sofa smiled a little and moved closer. "You love me?" Nicole smiled softly and nodded. "Then may I make a suggestion?"

"Sure, that'd be nice."

"Why don't you ask your stepfather if it would be possible for you to become human? I've heard it's been done before."

Losing her smile, Nicole's eyes grew large as she shook her head slowly. "No Q has ever requested to be made human before. It's only been used as a punishment!"

Cupping her face in his hands, he continued, "But you're no ordinary Q. You and your siblings were born human. I think you're more human than you know and that's a good thing. It's the human part of you that I'm falling in love with."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Taking a few deep breaths, Nicole wrapped her hands around his and pulled them away from her face. She stood up and began to walk around the room slowly. "But I love being a Q."

"I know, but Nicci, I don't think you realize what being a Q does to your personality."

Her eyes narrowed on his face. "What is that supposed to mean?"

He stood up and faced her. "For example, whenever you and Teeny go out in the universe and spend who knows how long 'playing' as you call it, you come back as a completely different person."

"What? How so?"

"You're selfish, treat people badly, and I don't recognize you at all. But when you've spent time here on Earth with me or Sam or even Jack and Teal'c, you're sweet and kind and sensitive, and I love that about you. I think that's the real you."

Nicole shook her head. "How do you know that? How do you know that being a Q isn't just who I am now?"

"Have you ever heard the saying 'Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely'?"

"Yes."

Daniel stared at her for a minute before continuing. Finally he shook his head and went on, "Well, I think that's why Qs are the way they are. Think about it. You really don't like spending time with other Qs except your sister. Haven't you ever considered this before?"

She shrugged. "I guess I just always liked being almost omnipotent."

He smiled. "See? You said almost. If you had just come back from spending time with your sister, there would have been no almost in that sentence."

She threw up her hands and backed away from him. "I can't believe you're asking me to give this up! I mean, if I'm not a Q, I don't know who I am. It's all I know."

"I'll help you find yourself again. I know I see you now." He stepped closer to her and drew her into his arms. "I'll understand if you don't want to do this. But I don't see any other way for us to be together . . . and I really want to be with you. At least promise me you'll think about it."

She nodded against his chest. "I'll think about it."