A/N: Chapter 13 gets kind of song-ficy, because apparently, that's how Noli works. If you're interested in what she's playing, it's Alanis Morissette's You Owe Me Nothing In Return. I like it too.

Chapter 13

A period of relative calm went by. The team had standard missions of exploring and diplomatic meetings, going off world for a few days at a time and coming back for reports and desk work. Noli was quickly proving to be a valuable asset on the base. Apart from doing her own work she got involved in other areas. She got into the habit of talking to all of the teams about their missions, not just for her own curiosity's sake - it lead to some interesting cross referencing. She had Jack involved in improving the user interface of certain equipment (Make it easier, damnit!), and Daniel in adapting the shock effect of certain tazer guns (I don't want to hurt anything...). Whether it was about analyzing data, improving transmission ranges or developing technical equipment work around the base was definately benifiting from her competence, not to mention her ability to simply scan things with her hands. Daniel quickly realised it was quicker to have her poke things and tell him if there was anything unusal about them, than having them x-rayed and risking radiation damage. Sam engaged her in the same way for her doohickeys, saving massive amounts of time that would otherwise had gone to error searching. Phrases such as "Let's get that back to the lab" were soon replaced with "Let's get that back to Noli". She was steadily and naturally becoming somewhat of their main anchor at the base.

Nobody was really sure when Noli had started with her terms of endearment. They had krept into morning greetings and casual conversation and settled naturally in the atmosphere between them all. And however casually she used them - "Hand me the amplifier, would you cookie" in the lab or an absent "Morning, corazon" into her screen as someone came into her office – they caused a little bit of warmth to spread in in the recipient every time. As casual as the words came out, Sam was the first to notice that they weren't just part of a jargon - Noli was actually very select about who she bestowed them upon and not many of the other engineers or scientists she worked with were offered this sign of affection. Not that she wasn't very friendly to other people, but SG-1 just seemed to have a special ranking with her. Sam also noticed she didn't make comments referring directly to her special ability to anyone around the labs except her, even though she didn't try to hide it anymore. The result was that the members of the flagship team felt chosen and appreciated in a new, homey way. Even Jack, who wasn't one for any kind of mush, didn't object much after he noticed that answering Noli with a sarcastic pet name of his own didn't make her stop.

The first few times such an expression had slipped out Noli's own thought was Crap. Don't overdo it, stupid. But as the recievers didn't seem to take any offence, she decided to ignore the possible inappropriateness and just let the words fly out as they would. After all, a little lovin' never hurt anyone. And this group was so full of love anyway, though Noli wasn't sure they were aware of it themselves.

--

Noli was in her office, struggling with the lid on a jar of pickles. She gave it all she had for a couple of seconds, then had to let go and straighten out her hands and wiggle her fingers. It wouldn't budge. She went at it again. Nothing. She was just about to get frustrated for real when a soft voice somewhere behind her said: "Need a hand?"

Noli handed the jar to Daniel and watched him pop it open without the slightest hint of an effort. She had seen him handling fragile artifacts and carefully trace the withering carvings on pieces of rock and knew how gentle his hands were, but she had never them seen demonstrate strength. The contrast, she thought, was endearing.

"Where would I be without your manpower, shekarim?" she said as Daniel returned the jar. He took a seat, looking doubtfully at Noli fishing out a little cornichon, catching it between puckered lips and sucking the juice off it before biting it off. The motion would have looked suggestive if she hadn't been so unaware of it, staring in concentration at her computer.

"Lacking condements, I guess... Ew. Uh, did you happen to see... oh there it is." Daniel fished out a fax from between two of his books that had made their way onto Noli's desk. Noli was trying to handle the pointer on her laptop with her left hand as her right was occupied with feeding crunchy, vinegar-drenched vegetables into her mouth.

"Are you staying for a while?" she asked, not bothering to finish her mouthful before speaking.

Daniel shrugged and she continued:

"I'm going to play you... something... new." She finally found what she was looking for and music started streaming from the speakers.

"I thought you'd like it", she said and grinned happily towards him before she returned to her work.

It was never difficult to move between the two, there was no need for transition between talking to Daniel and working. He wasn't offended if she suddenly directed her attention to something else and he wasn't afraid to do the same to her. Noli appreciated this highly, it seemed to make things run so smoothly even when a big theoretical distraction like another person occupied her office. He didn't bother her at all, like some of the less flexible minded scientists in the labs would. In fact, work seemed a bit more enjoyable just from having him around. He was an obvious sweetheart, through and through, and he didn't mind her quasi-spiritual banters about Bose-Einstein condensates and ambiance.

Daniel had really just come in to find his fax but didn't mind sticking around a few minutes extra. Maybe a mental break would be good for the tasks at hand. He leaned back and listened to the music, his ears sharpening as the first words of the lyrics made their way into his conciousness.

I'll give you countless amounts

of outright acceptance if you want it

sang a woman to a rather stern beat. The words struck a cord within him. Wasn't there something familiar with their very meaning? The song continued:

I will give you encouragment

to choose the path that you want if you need it

You can speak of anger and doubts

your fears and freak-outs and I'll hold it

You can share your so called shamefilled accounts

of times in your life and I won't judge it

And there are no strings attached to it

As the song progressed he felt more and more moved by it. It told of the selfless, unconditional friendship he felt towards the people close to him, and that he felt was extending to include the peculiar person in front of him. The kind he wished would be the base for all actions.

You owe me nothing for giving the love that I give

you owe me nothing for caring the way that I have

I give you thanks for receiving, its my privilege

And you owe me nothing in return

As the chorus unrolled his heart actually started beating a little harder. This song was about what went on inside his own mind, inside the part still untouched by the exhausting hardships passed that threatened to leave him bitter. He looked up at Noli, still maneuvering her computer with her left hand, her right ready with a half-eaten pickle. She looked deep in concentration but he noticed her lips slightly moving, absently miming along to the last line.

You owe me nothing in return.

She knew this song. She obviously liked it. If this was how she felt, if the song said anything about who she was then Daniel warmed even more to her. And she knew he would like it too – he wondered if he was easy to read or if she had come to know him better than he had understood. Either way, he felt something shift inside at the silent understanding of her that unfolded through this simple gesture.

When the song was over Noli glanced over at Daniel and gave him a little smile. He smiled back briefly and closed his eyes in an expression of appreciation. He then got up, waving his fax.

"Gotta go implement some test results."

Noli wiggled the few fingers that weren't holding a gherkin.

"Shine on, you crazy diamond", she said a bit absently, absorbed by animated graphs on her screen. Daniel let out a silent chuckle and left.

Going back to his office he thought about the song Noli had played him. Maybe she could make a copy of the album for him. But right now there were more pressing matters at hand, and he was soon absorbed by cross referencing writings from different planets.