A/N: Sorry this took so long, but I think I've worked through the worst of my out-of-character, soap-opera-feel problem. I'm a lot happier with this chapter now.
As always, reviews are welcome!
Daughter of my Heart, Chapter Thirteen
Sam came home to find Daniel sprawled across her couch, snoring loudly. There was something oddly comforting in the scene, she thought, quietly slipping out of her shoes and coat.
Careful not to disturb him, Sam tiptoed through the house, making her way upstairs to check on Cassandra before turning in herself.
The teen's bed was littered with books and papers, Cassie herself asleep haphazardly in the midst. Sam tidied up as quietly as she could, carefully moving everything to the desk before gently covering her daughter with a spare blanket and turning off the light.
As she shut the door behind her, she heard movement downstairs. Daniel must have woken.
"Hey," she greeted softly from the bottom of the stairs, just as the sleepy archaeologist shrugged on his coat.
"Hey," he echoed, surprised. "I was just on my way out."
"I see that."
"Uh..."
"Thanks for staying with Cassie," Sam said, quickly interrupting Daniel's sleepy lapse. "I just... I needed a bit."
"Anytime, Sam. You know that," he replied earnestly. She offered a tired smile, but he saw through it.
"Hey, are you all right?," he asked, taking a tentative step forward. Sam nodded, not quite trusting her voice. It'd been a lot easier maintaining her soldier's resolve with Janet, she mused.
"It was just a really bad day," she said, hating the tears in her words even as she found herself suddenly ensconced in Daniel's warm arms. She leaned into him, surprised by the solid reassurance she found there. She could almost feel peace, like this.
"Do you want me to stay?," he murmured softly against her hair.
Could she stay just like this, all night long?
"Sam?," he asked, concern lacing his words.
She wanted to say yes.
If it'd been Daniel on the other side of the force shield, would I have reacted the same?, she wondered. Would I still have tested positive as a Za'tarc?
It was possible, she realized. More than possible.
They were all too close.
"Sam?," he asked again, pulling away just enough to see her face.
"I'm sorry," she said, brushing at the moisture in her eyes.
"You have nothing to be sorry about," he reassured, more concerned than before.
"I'm not so sure about that," she answered shakily. At his quizzical look she asked, "If it'd been you on the other side of that force shield, instead of the Colonel, would you have stayed?"
His brows furrowed in response. "I would have done anything I could to help you," he answered truthfully. "Why?"
Sam swallowed. "We're all too close, Daniel. And the Colonel was willing to risk permanent brain damage to hide it."
"The Zat'arc test? That's why the device thought you had false memories?," he asked, putting it all together. Sam nodded.
"We left out why he wouldn't leave me, and how that made us both feel."
"Sam..."
"Daniel. I think I would have felt the same if it'd been you," she said, shaking her head. "We can't keep up like this. One of these days it's going to get us all killed."
"We're hardly the only team willing to fight and die for each other, Sam. And I think that's something General Hammond knows, and accepts," he countered softly. "We're stronger this way. All of us."
"Are we?," she asked.
Daniel slipped his shoes back off, pulling Sam toward the couch. "Are you thinking Hammond will break the team up, over this?," he asked, sitting down. Sam followed suit.
"I don't know. He should."
"Jack would never allow it."
"That's sort of my point, Daniel. Don't you see? We depend too much on one another."
"Sam...I don't see how things could ever be different. Anyone who sees what we do on a daily basis...How could we not depend on each other?"
"You can't die trying to save me," she said, startling him. "Promise me, Daniel. Cassie can't lose both of us at once. If you're ever the one on the other side of the force shield...I want you to run."
"I couldn't leave you," he protested. "Besides, Cassie would hate me if she ever found out I left you behind. You can't ask that of me. And I'd never ask it of you."
"Daniel..."
"Sam, I'm serious. She's the only family I have. I would do anything for her. And if that means dying while trying to save her mother..."
Sam's lower lip trembled, tears spilling over once more. Daniel reached up, gently smoothing them away. "I'd gladly risk my life, to make sure she has everything she deserves," he finished softly.
"God, Daniel. I don't know if I can keep doing this," she said, roughly wiping the remaining moisture away. "I thought I was going to die, and the worst part was, my last thought wasn't even for Cassandra."
Daniel gave her a sympathetic look. "Nobody expects you to be an altruistic hero, Sam. Sometimes you need to think of yourself, too."
"You sound like Janet."
"Because we care about you. You don't always have to be the perfect soldier, scientist, and mom. You are allowed to just be Sam every now and then."
Sam chuckled mirthlessly. "I'm not even sure there is a Sam without the rest."
"There is," Daniel replied with a kind smile. "And I'm here for you, no matter what."
"I'm such a mess."
"No you're not," Daniel answered earnestly. "You're anything but a mess, Sam. You're incredible. Everyone has bad days.. You've helped me through some of my worst. Let me help you."
"I don't know how."
"Then I'll teach you," he offered shyly.
It was a comfort she couldn't refuse.
Cassie came downstairs the next morning to find Daniel still on the couch, her mom wrapped securely in his arms while they both slept. The teen grinned, pleasantly surprised.
It was about time those two realized they could be more to each other than just her parents!
Sam stirred, catching sight of her daughter. "You're up early," she yawned, trying and failing to sit up with Daniel's arm still around her.
"No," Cassandra corrected, still grinning, "You're up late. It's after 10am."
"You don't have to look so smug," Sam grumbled. "This is not how it looks."
"Cozy?," Cassie asked innocently. Sam scowled.
"He stayed as a friend."
"Pretty sure if any of my friends stayed this way, you'd have my head," Cassie observed, still smirking.
"And theirs," Sam confirmed. "This is different."
"Uh-huh."
"Cassandra."
"Sorry," she giggled. "Do you want me to start the coffee while you wake Dad?"
Sam pursed her lips. "Not a word about this over breakfast," she warned.
"You're not seriously embarrassed, are you?," the teen questioned. "I mean, Dad's a great guy. You could do a lot worse."
"Cassandra!"
"Sorry. Coffee," she said, scurrying happily to the kitchen.
Janet arrived at Sam's place that evening for their weekly family dinner, only to be shoved backoutside by an exuberant teen.
"Cassandra, what's going on?," Janet laughed.
"Mom and Dad. They've been together all day."
"O-kay," Janet replied slowly. "So?"
"So? Dad never left last night!"
"What!?," Janet gasped, nearly dropping the casserole dish she carried.
"I found them on the couch together this morning," the teen giggled. "Mom was so embarrassed!"
"So why are you telling me?," Janet asked, aghast. "Generally if you walk in on something private, you don't announce it to the world!"
"I'm not announcing it to the world," Cassandra clarified. "I'm announcing it to you. Isn't it great?!"
"I'm not even sure I understand what it is," Janet replied.
"Don't you see? They're not in this just for me anymore. I think they might actually be falling in love!"
"Oh, Cassandra," Janet replied sympathetically. "No. Your mom has feelings for someone else."
"Really?," Cassandra challenged. "Because I haven't seen anyone else around. And today they've been perfect."
"Cass...," Janet began, but the door swung open, interrupting the thought.
"Janet!," Sam greeted. "I thought I heard you. Come in!," she gestured, stepping aside.
Janet glanced cautiously at Cassandra, who positively beamed. "You'll see," the teen murmured quietly on her way past, skipping inside.
Sighing, Janet followed, wondering what exactly she was getting herself into now.