When Sam is threatened she defends herself. Sometimes this means that she beats up her fiancé, sometimes it means she fights a warlord.
"Sam," Jack nods to her in the infirmary and says no more until the nurse rushes on to do her next duty. Then he continues in a gruff voice, "Do you want me to stick around or not?"
She has a sinking feeling in her stomach as she thinks that he perhaps knows more than she thought he knew. Then she realizes he is just talking about what happened on the planet.
"I'm fine. I have been going to the doctor by myself for years," she assures him.
"I know," he sighs, "I just thought you might have to tell the doctor some details of the time when you were alone with the warlord."
She looks in his eyes, "I told you everything that he did to me."
"I'm here for emotional support, but if you'd rather tell me what happened without me there that's okay too."
"Jack. He made me kiss him. He whipped and slapped me. That's all. I promise."
She can tell the exact moment when he starts to believe her, because relief flows through his whole body.
She grabs onto his arm, and pulls him closer than they have ever been at work. She just looks into his eyes long and lovingly.
"I wish I could ask you to come over tonight," he says well aware that someone who has just survived a kidnapping shouldn't have to be alone, "but I have the kids this weekend."
"I'll be fine, sir," she says. She's started using the military term for him whenever they are both at work. It gives them professional distance that they need.
Usually the "sir" is enough for him to take a physical step away from her. Today he just pulls her into a hug which just shows how worried about her he has been. He knows what it is like to have your freedom taken from you. He knows what it is like to be afraid that someone is going to rape you. He knows what it is like to be whipped, and slapped, and injured on a military mission.
Over his back Sam sees a sight which is so surprising she doesn't even believe it until she has taken a second look.
It's her ex-fiancé.
-0-
Daniel is only half awake as he wonders out of his office to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Daniel is shocked to see another light on this late at night. He works all the time of course, but that's because he is trying to forget about his wife, and also because he does not really have any place to go.
"Okay. I work all the time, but I'm homeless, what's your excuse?" he jokes as he enters Sam's lab.
Sam practically hits the ceiling when she hears his words. Sam blushes, "I thought you were him."
Daniel's face goes all soft and worried, "That warlord can't hurt you anymore," he says.
"Not him," Sam explains, "Jonas is here."
"Jonas?" Daniel says his tired brain not keeping up with the conversation. Then the brain catches up, "Jonas Hanson? The new guy? He's your ex?"
"Yeah. I didn't know he got reassigned here. I don't even know if he knows I'm at this base now. I know that he didn't see me when I saw him."
"If he has you this scared you have to tell the General. I am sure that he would reassign him," Daniel says.
"I've asked for enough special treatment already. It's fine. I'm sure he would never do anything in a public place."
"Which is why you are here instead of at home?" Daniel guesses.
Sam nods her head.
"Do you want me to come stay with you? I am homeless, and you need to get some sleep at some point."
"I only have one bed, and my whole house is still in boxes."
"I am really not picky," Daniel says.
"I'm actually seeing someone," Sam says looking away. She really doesn't want to see Daniel's face when she lets him down.
"What? When?" Daniel says sounding excited.
Sam flaps her mouth open and closed a couple of times. Then Daniel's sleep deprived brain catches up with what she meant by the statement, "Sam, I am married. This offer of sharing a bed with you was totally platonic. It is all about making you feel safe, and letting you get some sleep." He pushes his glasses farther up his noses, "I stayed in a lot of foster homes when I was younger. Some of them were excellent, and others were not. I have slept on the floor more than once."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Sam says.
"We might end up sleeping next to each other on a mission now that the SGC did away with individual tents."
"Right, I'm a mission. Save the damsel in distress," Sam says with sarcasm.
"You are no damsel in distress. I'm the damsel. I need sleep. Save me," he demands with a fake swoon.
She giggles, "Okay."
"So tell me about this guy you are dating," Daniel prompts as Sam starts gathering her things together to take out of the room.
"Nope," she says.
"Is he fictional?"
"Nope."
"Can I meet him then?"
Sam ponders this questions for a little bit of time. Technically not since they had already met each other, "Nope."
Daniel smiles, "Any chance you tell your secrets in your sleep?"
"Nope."