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Jack went on ahead to the dinner and Daniel went to get Roslyn. When she opened the door to her office Daniel just stared. He hadn't been clear headed enough before to take in her appearance.
"Wow. You look fantastic."
"Thanks. I forgot how nice it is to dress up once in a while."
They walked towards the reception and she took the opportunity to ask, "Do you have any idea why the Tok'ra would ask that I attend this dinner?"
"I have no idea, Ros. Maybe they were just awed by your brilliance earlier."
She playfully punched his arm and teased, "Be nice."
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Roslyn was surprised to see many people she didn't know as she and Daniel entered the reception. She was wondering if her blue-eyed admirer from the briefing would be attending. She didn't see him though and put it out of her mind. Daniel was almost instantly pulled into a conversation and Roslyn continued on her own, hoping that perhaps a glass of wine might help her nervousness. But she doubted it.
Colonel O'Neill was standing next to the Major that had been speaking earlier at the briefing and he waved Roslyn over. She took a little breath and headed their way.
"Roslyn, may I introduce Major Paul Davis? He is our liaison to the Pentagon. Major Davis this is Miss Roslyn Sanfield, to quote the General, "one of our best research analysts". She's Daniel's partner in crime."
Roslyn wanted to tease back that she was pretty sure that the position of Daniel's partner in crime had been filled by a certain brown-eyed Colonel that shall remain nameless, but since she couldn't say that, she just rolled her eyes at him.
"Miss Sanfield, I have to say that I was very impressed with your work earlier. Not everyone would have been able to put those pieces together like that."
"Please call me Roslyn. And thank you. I'm just glad I was able to help."
Before Paul could say anything, Jack interjected, "Well, I've got to mingle. So I will just leave you two kids here to chat."
Catching the little grin on Jack's face as he walked away Roslyn knew she had been set up. As she turned back to face Paul she caught the bemused look on his face and she said, "We've not so subtly been set up, Major Davis. I'm sorry."
He chuckled, "It's okay. The Colonel means well. And please call me Paul."
"So Paul, does the Colonel do this to you often?" she teased actually feeling surprisingly at ease with him.
"Ah. No. I spend most of my time in Washington thankfully." He noticed that she did not have a cocktail yet and asked, "Shall we get a drink?"
Roslyn smiled and nodded and they headed for the corner where the bar was situated.
Jack and Daniel stood across the room and watched them and Jack teased, "Look, off they go. I should start charging for this service."
"They are just getting a drink, Jack. Don't start planning a wedding yet."
"Oh come on Danny, look at what a good-looking couple they make."
Roslyn and Paul chatted cordially for a few minutes, unbeknownst to Colonel O'Neill, Paul was currently seeing someone. Oddly Roslyn wasn't terribly disappointed. She liked Paul and was comfortable with him, and he was someone whose conversation and company she enjoyed. But there was no spark, no tingles, no butterflies in her stomach.
She mingled a bit, speaking with those she knew and smiling politely at those she didn't. General Hammond introduced her to two members of the Tok'ra delegation and she was oddly disappointed that her blue-eyed admirer wasn't with them. She did however find the Tok'ra absolutely fascinating and they did not appear to mind her frequent questions. They spoke for a long while until the General ushered them off to meet other people. Roslyn took the opportunity to venture to the ladies room for a moment before dinner.
When she returned to the reception she stood near the door and looked around for Daniel.
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Sam was pleased that her father was able to make the dinner. She had not seen him very much lately and she missed him and Selmak's subtle sense of humor too. She was enjoying a glass of wine while she spoke with her father and another of the Tok'ra delegation. Calvorn was certainly an attractive man, and intelligent but he reminded her of a Tok'ra version of Daniel. She hoped that her father was not trying to play matchmaker.
The three of them were speaking casually when Calvorn suddenly seemed to be a million miles away staring over Sam's shoulder at something.
Sam turned to see what he was looking at and had to control a smirk, Roslyn. She and Roslyn had a fair working relationship but they were not particularly close. They just never connected. She knew that she was a friend of Daniel's from college and they seemed to have a solid friendship, but didn't really know much else about her other than the fact that her work at the SGC was outstanding. Calvorn had asked Sam a couple of questions about Roslyn earlier that she had originally thought were in regards to the briefing, now looking at the look of almost adoration on his face she saw his interest in Roslyn in an entirely new light.
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Roslyn saw Daniel and Jack off to one side of the room trying to be inconspicuous. She saw Jack lean towards Daniel and whisper something. Whatever he whispered caused Daniel's eyes to grow large and a flush creeping up his neck. She chuckled to herself as she walked towards them, wondering how she ever missed the obvious connection they have.
Jack was disappointed to see her walking towards them alone and blurted out, "Where's Davis?"
Without hesitation she quipped back, "I'm sorry Colonel Matchmaker; it's not my turn to watch him."
Daniel almost spewed his drink, it was a rare thing to see someone one up Jack. "Busted, Jack."
Jack shrugged, "I tried. So no go?"
Roslyn laughed, "No. He's a nice guy but besides the fact that he's seeing someone, there just weren't any sparks. Sorry."
"Sorry Ros, we just thought he might be a good fit for you." Daniel said with a little grin.
"Is my social life, or lack thereof I should say, really all that interesting to you two?"
She got another good laugh as the two men looked at each other then back to her and nodded simultaneously.
Roslyn thought to herself that if she could just find someone like Daniel but with Jack's sense of humor that her dating troubles would be over. But then again, these two were definitely one of a kinds.
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Sam touched Calvorn on the sleeve to get his attention and smiled as he dragged his blue eyes to meet hers, "Would you like me to introduce you?"
His head bowed momentarily and when he lifted his head his mouth was quirked up in a half smile and the deep resonant tone of his symbiote speaking said in a highly amused way, "Please forgive Calvorn Major Carter, he is distracted. We would welcome an introduction."
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Roslyn's back was to the room as Sam and Calvorn approached, and at Jack's, "Major Carter", she turned around and upon seeing who was with Sam, promptly forgot how to speak, again.
"Colonel O'Neill, Daniel, you have already met Calvorn, but I don't believe that he and Roslyn were formally introduced earlier."
Daniel was watching his friend with an observant eye. He had thought he caught a glimpse of something earlier at the briefing when she looked at Calvorn. But he brushed it off as part of her dread of public speaking, now watching her he wasn't so sure. And Calvorn seemed equally entranced.
Jack stepped up to make the introductions, "Ah, well then. May I introduce Miss Roslyn Sanfield? Roslyn this is Calvorn host to Oshra of the Tok'ra.
She extended her hand instinctively and Calvorn took it, but not in a handshake. Instead he clasped it between his, and she would swear that there was a jolt of electricity that went from him to her. They stood there for a long moment not speaking, but their eyes said volumes until Daniel subtly cleared his throat and broke the uncomfortable silence.
Dinner was announced at just that moment and Calvorn released her hand and asked, "May I escort you Miss Sanfield?"
Roslyn felt a blush starting and said with a shy smile and said, "Thank you", as she took his extended arm. They walked away without so much as a backward glance at Sam, Jack or Daniel.
Sam looked at Jack and Daniel, "Ever felt like you weren't even in the room?"
Daniel stood there with a raised eyebrow watching Roslyn walk off with Calvorn. And he got a feeling deep in the pit of his stomach that he just lost his friend.
Sam left the two men to join her father. Jack saw the look on Daniels face and quipped, "I thought we were going to need a fire extinguisher there for a minute. Talk about sparks."
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