"Secrets and Challenges"

Ch. 38

(Alpha Site)

Daniel and Stacey emerged on the other side of the Stargate at the Alpha Site. The two looked at one another. They had arrived as they were supposed too 24 hours ago.

"Nice job, Jessica," Stacey said in a low voice.

"Told you she was a genius," Daniel said.

"Come on. We've got a lot of work to do," she laughed as they walked over to the camp.

Stacey and Daniel set their two containers down and a pair of scientist retrieved them. Stacey made her way to the commissary tent. Daniel followed.

"I'm starving," she said when they entered.

"We just had breakfast a half an hour ago," Daniel told her.

Stacey glared at him.

"Going through the Stargate makes me hungry," Stacey told him knowingly.

"Obviously," Daniel muttered.

"Head that," she said, grabbing a cup of coffee.

Daniel grabbed the coffee pot out of her hands.

"Daniel!"

"Dr. Beckett told you no coffee. So, no coffee till that baby is out," Daniel poured a cup for himself.

Stacey put her hands on her hips and huffed.

(Alpha Site, Naquida Mine)

Stacey and Daniel made their way through the abandoned Mine. They set up and began to work. They worked for several hours before returning to the camp.

(Camp)

Daniel and Stacey ate their dinner, discussing what they had found. Stacey took out the small, portable computer the future John gave her.

"What is it?" Daniel asked.

"It looks like a list of the personnel from the future," She answered. Stacey was looking through the different people. "There's Jessica, Emily, Adam, Allison. Hang on, Allie married Jinto and they have two daughters. Teyla and Ford married and had Benjamin. Jessica and Ben married and have two twin boys. Wow, they've been busy."

Daniel snorted into his food.

"Looks like they lifted the no fraternization rule on Atlantis," he said.

"There's a No fraternization rule?" Stacey asked, looking up from the mini-computer.

Daniel rolled his eyes. Stacey put the mini-computer away and finished eating.

"Bed after dinner?" Stacey suggested.

"Did you see the list on the tent?" Daniel asked. "We're tent partners."

"And you're a little uncomfortable with that?" Stacey asked.

"No! No! Not at all!" he reassured her. "Are you?"

"No. I'm just worried that someone would tell John, that's all," she shrugged.

"You're not telling me that Major Sheppard is jealous of us?" he asked.

"Yeah, but I set him straight before we left," she said. Stacey yawned widely.

"Oh, that was just beautiful, Stace. Thanks," he said.

Stacey laughed and threw her napkin at him playfully. Daniel threw his napkin in retaliation. Before both of them knew it they were throwing food at one another. Soon the whole commissary tent was in on the food fight. By the end Daniel and Stacey fell to the floor in laughter.

To be continued . . .