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The briefing went quickly; the expedition to Fratari would leave the next morning. SG-1 accompanied by Roslyn would represent the SGC and the Tok'ra were sending Jacob and Calvorn to assist. The expedition would return to Fratari and investigate the rock formation for any signs of technology or weaponry. There had to be a reason Baal was sending out spies.

Roslyn tried to linger a bit in the briefing room to try and speak with Calvorn but he was called away with the other Tok'ra. She headed back to her office and tried to get lost in a pile of new information waiting to be processed. She was having trouble concentrating though and decided to goof off for a few minutes and try and get back on track. She put her headphones on and cranked up the volume on her favorite cd and just got lost in the music. It never failed to center her and get her back on track.

She had the volume up so loud that she did not hear the knock at her office door. Daniel could hear her in there and decided to just go in. He swung the door open to the view of Roslyn standing there with her eyes closed and her headphones on, conducting the orchestra for all she was worth. It was a sight Daniel had seen before, but the person that was with him had not and was intrigued.

Not wanting to startle her, Daniel chose to simply turn down the volume on the stereo. When he did her eyes instantly flashed open and she was absolutely mortified to see not only Daniel, but Calvorn as well.

She blushed a brilliant crimson and slid the headphones off. She smoothed down her curls and tried to lightly greet the two men, "Daniel. Calvorn. Hello."

Daniel couldn't help himself and a chuckle escaped him. "So what were you listening to this time?"

"Music, Daniel, music." She replied with playful sarcasm.

That garnered a chuckle from Calvorn.

She faced Calvorn and grinned, "I would tell him that it was Celtic music but that would get us started on an old argument that there is really no such thing. It's an argument we started back in college."

As she was speaking to Calvorn she warningly held up a finger to Daniel then said, "Do not start Dr. Jackson."

Calvorn was regarding the easy companionship between Daniel and Roslyn and he and Oshra conversed briefly about it as the two old friends bantered back and forth about the music.

"They are certainly comfortable with each other." Calvorn noted.

"Indeed. I suspect that they were perhaps more than friends at some point."

"Well, even if they were, I don't see that as a problem. Do you?"

"No. Especially since I sensed a…what is the word Jacob uses? Ah yes, I sensed a vibe from Daniel that his attention is otherwise occupied."

"Really, would you care to share who you believe has his attention?"

"No. I will leave that as a surprise for you my friend. Just be aware that the Tau'ri have more rigid views of what constitutes an appropriate relationship. And I don't believe that Daniel's current relationship falls within that norm."

"I'm sorry Calvorn, we've completely cut you out of the conversation." Roslyn apologized.

"It is quite alright, it is nice to see friends enjoying each other's companionship. I find that there are few moments of levity to be found due to our struggle against the Gou'ald."

"So was there something in particular you both needed?"

Daniel smiled, "Actually we were just coming to drag you to lunch with us. I thought it might benefit us to have the three social scientists formulate some sort of a plan for tomorrow."

The three of them went to the commissary and headed to an empty meeting room with their loaded trays. They discussed the mission in depth as they ate, interspersed with a running question and answer session from Calvorn and Oshra.

Daniel found that he enjoyed Calvorn's company. He was a fellow scholar and general pacifist. Oshra's sense of humor reminded Daniel a little of Jack, although Oshra was a bit more subtle. Daniel also enjoyed observing Roslyn and Calvorn together. She was more comfortable with Calvorn than Daniel had ever seen her, and the idea that he was a Tok'ra did not seem to phase her. The misgivings he had felt from the night before were dissipating although he still felt a little protective of Roslyn.

Oshra asked Roslyn, "Are you excited about traveling through the Stargate, Roslyn? It is your first time, is it not?"

"Since coming to the SGC I have dreamed of gate travel, Oshra. It's one thing to do what I do sitting at a desk, but to be able to actually work in the field will just be wonderful. I don't know if I honestly have the words to express just how excited I am about tomorrow."

Daniel thought about that pensively for a moment, he knew she had expressed an interest in gate travel, but never with this much enthusiasm. Had he know, he would have seen to it that she was assigned to an SG team long ago. "It will be great to have you with us Roslyn." He wished she had said something and felt bad about it.

Roslyn had to report to the infirmary for a physical to be able to be cleared for gate travel and reluctantly left the two men.

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"Jack, she is completely at ease with him. It is the weirdest thing." Daniel was at the counter chopping vegetables for the stir fry that was to be their dinner. Jack came up behind him and put his hand in the small of Daniel's back and deposited a glass of wine near the cutting board.

Jack reached over and stole a piece of pepper, "She doesn't have a problem with the whole snake thing?"

"Doesn't seem to. She was holding conversation with both of them equally and it didn't seem to phase her a bit. I just don't want to see her get hurt, Jack. She's never had the best luck with relationships."

Jack had his own suspicions about Daniel and Roslyn. He suspected that there was a lot more that went on their freshman year of college than either of them let on. They are too close, too protective of each other, too comfortable touching each other. "Can I ask you something really personal, Danny?"

"I don't have any secrets from you, Jack. What do you want to know?" He put down the knife and turned to face Jack, giving him his complete attention.

"Did you and Roslyn ever…?"

"Ever what?"

Jack shot Daniel a raised eyebrow, "You know…"

Daniel chuckled, "Are we talking about sex, Jack?"

"Yeah. It just seems like there was more to you two than just friends."

"Jack, you have to understand what it was like for her and me. We were both sixteen years old in our freshman year of college. We didn't fit in anywhere and being smart didn't really help. We just hit it off."

"You didn't answer my question."

Daniel took a big sip of his wine, "We were really good friends, Jack. And our hormones were working just as well as any other sixteen year old's. So I will just say yes, and let you fill in blanks."

Jack smiled, "You dog. So how come you two never got together? Not that I am complaining mind you."

Daniel turned back to his vegetables, "We cared about each other but we weren't in love with each other. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if we had." He sounded a bit wistful at the end and Jack picked up on it.

"Anything in particular that you wonder about?" Jack asked lightly.

Daniel paused in his chopping, "I sometimes wonder what kind of child she and I would have had. Sorry, Jack."

"Nothing to be sorry about Danny, that's the one thing I can't do for you. At least until I retire then we could adopt. Any kid from the two of you would be scary smart. And beautiful too."

Jack took Daniel's chin in hand and gently turned his face to meet his and leaned in, his lips a hair's breath away from Daniel's to whisper, "Danny, don't ever be ashamed of wanting a family of your own. I love you and we will figure it out together." He pressed his lips to Daniel's sealing his promise.

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