Category: D/S
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
Season: Any season you like.
Author's Notes: Pure, unadulterated, Valentine's Day fluff. A two hour wonder, unbeta'd, so be nice. And did I mention that it's fluffy? This is for Margaret-Anne who issued the challenge, without knowing that it dovetailed exactly with the fourth class religion lesson of the week! :How do you think Daniel would show Sam he loves her on Valentine's Day, at the SGC but without letting anyone know they are actually a couple?

"What is Valentine's Day anyway? It's just an over-commercialised holiday, an excuse for greeting card companies to make a few quick bucks and the same for florists and candy-makers. While the spin doctors try to make us feel guilty if we're not falling all over each other to express our love."

"Yes Janet."

Barely looking up from the computer screen where row after row of chemical equations danced before her, Sam shook her head and hid a smile as Janet finally wound up her rant about the evils of Valentine's Day. The doctor had been expounding on her theory at length as she sat on a stool in Sam's lab, swinging her legs idly. At Sam's tone, she concentrated a hawk-like stare on her friend, the one that had experienced Air Force Colonels, and even, on occasion, Generals, running for cover. "Don't you 'Yes Janet' me!"

"Yes Janet." There was a devilish smile on Sam's face as she finally looked away from the computer.

"I'm serious!" Janet didn't sound serious as she laughed, throwing a worn down pencil in Sam's general direction, missing her by a mile. "Do you know how pathetic it is when your teenage daughter gets more Valentines than you do?"

"Ouch." Sam winced in more than a little sympathy.

"There, now you see where I'm coming from!" She leaned back slightly. "So, Cassie is off to her school's Valentine's Dance, lord only knows what she's going to get up to… how about you and me have a little girls night out?"

Sam looked from her friend to her computer screen, to the plans that were lying beside it on the bench and arranged her face into a suitably stricken expression. "Janet, I'd love to, but…."

"Ah!" Janet didn't wait for her to finish, holding up one finger in a gesture that Sam found eerily familiar. "Don't say it, don't throw work at me!"

"But Janet, look at all this! I'll be here for at least another three hours, and even then I'm not going to be anywhere near where I should be…."

Janet shook her head as the disgruntled friend and the annoyed doctor warred for supremacy before deciding to make a joint appearance. "Sam, I've talked to you before about taking care of yourself."

"And I have been Janet, really. I just need to get this done."

"And you've been eating properly?"

"Yes. I had a huge breakfast this morning." Sam tried to keep her mind from wandering back to breakfast time this morning. To the slight rattle of crockery that had jarred her from her peaceful slumber. To the kisses along her shoulder and neck that had eased the transition from sleep to wakefulness. To the fresh-squeezed orange juice and the pancakes and syrup. To the long, slow, sweet kisses that had come after eating.

"Hmm." Janet's expression of patent disbelief pulled her back from the edge. "And you've been here how long?"

Sam squinted at the clock, did the mental arithmetic and groaned, "Too long." In frustration, she leaned forward until her head was leaning against the table, even as her back muscles screamed their protest at the exertion.

"C'mon….a night out'll do you good."

Sam's defeated, yet strangely still resisting voice was muffled against the wooden tabletop. "Janet, I can't. Really."

A knock on the doorframe startled them both, although Janet reacted quicker. Sam could barely marshal the willpower to raise her head from the table. "Ah, Daniel!" Her voice was that of someone who could sense an ally in her cause. "Tell Sam that she needs to get out of here."

Daniel shook his head, chuckling softly as he came into the room. "Sorry Janet. I had this conversation with her…," he paused as his head swung towards the clock. "…Two hours ago. I'd say you're out of luck."

Sam looked up at him, at his relaxed "I'm on my way home" demeanour and his casual clothes and jacket and glared at him. "Have you come here to gloat or just to gang up on me?"

"Neither, actually." Daniel's voice was pure innocence. "I thought you could use this." He placed a styrofoam cup on the bench in front of her. Even with the cap on, she could see the steam coming from it, smell its intoxicating aroma. She could tell even from this distance that this wasn't your run of the mill commissary coffee. That stuff tasted more like liquefied mud than real coffee. This was the good stuff, from the private percolator that Daniel kept in his office.

That knowledge dragged a genuine smile from her. "Thank you."

He shrugged, backing out the door as he did so. "No problem. You know where there's more. See you tomorrow."

"See you."

Janet continued to stare after him for a moment after he left as Sam pried the lid from her cup and sipped it gratefully. She sighed as the liquid slid down her throat - she'd been right, this was the good stuff, pure ambrosia. She could feel some of the tension leaving her body as she drank. After a couple of sips, she was relaxed enough to notice that Janet was still a million miles away. "Janet? Earth to Janet," she teased. Janet shook her head, clearing it of whatever thoughts were running around there, smiling sheepishly. "Where were you?" Sam asked.

"Oh just thinking….wondering if that man knows how many of my nurses wanted to take him out for a Valentines Dance tonight."

Sam laughed. "Daniel? He has no idea."

"Do you ever wonder what's wrong with us Sam?"

"Wrong? What do you mean?"

"I mean….look at the two of us. Good jobs. Reasonably attractive, not too unpleasant to be around. Then there's Daniel. Intelligent, sensitive, handsome as hell, body made for sin. Colonel O'Neill's not too shabby either. And yet, look at the four of us. Alone, on Valentines."

Sam considered her words silently. "I mean," Janet continued. "It's not that I want a dozen red roses, boxes of chocolates, romance at every turn…."

"Although it would be nice," Sam interrupted.

"It would. But it's the little things I miss about having someone. You know what I mean? Someone to talk with over breakfast or dinner. Someone to talk about my day with. The non-classified bits. Someone who cares about more than this mountain and world safety. Is that too much to ask for?"

Sam sighed, as thoughtful as her friend was. "I don't think so."

They were silent for a minute before Janet heaved a sigh that rattled the papers on the bench in front of her. "God, I could use some chocolate."

Sam laughed loudly, the timing of the statement striking her as funny. "Aren't you supposed to be lecturing me about healthy eating?"

"Screw that. I'm alone on Valentines." Hope was written all over her face. "Do you have any?"

"I don't think so." Sam pulled open her top drawer, freezing as she saw what was lying on top of the computer printouts. Three chocolate bars, bearing the logo of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" with a picture of James Marsters glaring out at her. She bit her lip against the giggles fighting for release as she remembered the night that they were aimlessly channel-surfing at her place, curled up on the couch during one of their all-too-rare nights off. They'd come across an old episode, and looked at the whole thing, enjoying it more than they thought they would. Since then, the show had become a staple part of their night's viewing, with her affection for the character of Spike becoming one of the in-jokes of their relationship.

"What?" Janet leaned over, and one eyebrow arched in a perfect Teal'c imitation as she met Sam's gaze over the drawer.

Sam shrugged, affecting nonchalance, feeling the blush creeping up her cheeks. "I forgot."

>*<*>*<

By the time Sam left Cheyenne Mountain, some two hours later, she was so tired she could barely hold her head up. Neither another cup of coffee, nor the chocolate bars, nor the base shower could rid her of the weariness that left her bones feeling like lead. She drove on autopilot, only the thought of her final destination giving her the will to stay awake. It seemed to take forever until she stopped the car and trudged the last few steps up the stairs. Leaning against the doorframe, as if was the only thing holding her up, she rang the bell.

She could hear footsteps inside, and forced a smile to her face as the door opened. "Hey."

"Hey!" Daniel looked surprised to find her there. "Why didn’t you use your key?"

She shook her head, stepping into the welcoming circle of his arms. "Too tired," she mumbled into his shirt as he pushed the door shut behind her. Once that job was done, both of his arms were around her, holding her tightly as they'd longed to do all day.

"C'mon in." Still not taking their arms from each other, they shuffled through the apartment before collapsing in a tangle of arms and legs on the couch. Sam sighed contentedly as she arranged herself so that her head rested on his chest, reassured by the rhythmic beating of his heart. "You ok?" he finally murmured.

"Better now," she told him. "I missed you today."

She felt his chest vibrate as he fought laughter. "Yeah, you looked like you missed me when Janet was bending your ear about Valentines Day."

She laughed too, enjoying how his eyes danced with laughter as he teased her. She could look in those eyes forever and not grow bored. "How much of that did you hear?"

"From the bit where Cassie got more cards than she did."

"Bit of a blow to the ego," Sam surmised.

"And how many Valentines did you get?" His tone was still teasing.

Puzzlement settled on her face, unsure of what he was getting at. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"You mean Ensign Simmons didn't send you a card?" He laughed as Sam punched him in the arm. "That's a no then! Were you disappointed? Ow!" The second punch was harder than the first.

Sam was laughing at his expression. "I got one Valentine," she told him, sobering slightly as she did so. "And it was the only one that mattered to me." She raised her lips to his and kissed him gently, intently.

When she pulled away, his eyes were dancing with something other than laughter and the look she saw there left her breathless. "I'm sorry that I didn't do anything elaborate…" he began, stopping when she laid a finger over his lips.

"I don't want anything like that….I just want you."

He smiled. "Well you've got me."

"Good." This time, it was her turn to leave him breathless as she kissed him the way she'd daydreamed about kissing him all day. Neither of them were aware of how long they stayed like that, lips moving against lips, hands exploring bodies.

It was Daniel who pulled away, leaning his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes. One hand moved over her hair, and a look of concern replaced his earlier look of desire. "You're sure you're ok?" he asked again, needing to be sure. "You looked tired earlier."

"I'm fine." There was no irritation in her voice; she knew how he worried about her. "The coffee helped. So did the chocolate bars. Thanks for that by the way."

"You're welcome. I thought you might need a sugar rush."

She recalled the look on Janet's face when she saw the bars. "Janet was surprised though."

"Oh. Oops."

"I told her I forgot that they were there," Sam told him. "But they were just what I needed." One of her hands played with the fine hairs at the nape of his neck. "How come you always know what I need?"

He smiled. "That's my job," he said simply.

"You spoil me you know."

"Never. Sam, you deserve so much more than what I do for you. They're just little things."

His denial didn't surprise Sam in the slightest. True, the things that Daniel did for her were little things. A cup of coffee or chocolate bar when she needed one. Breakfast in bed. A friendly smile, a kind word, a welcoming hug. Even now, she could smell the familiar aroma of Chinese food wafting through the apartment from the kitchen, and she knew he was just waiting for her to let him go into the kitchen where'd he microwave it to piping hot. Then they'd eat it together before curling up in front of the TV, spending the night talking and laughing and kissing and touching. Later, before they both fell asleep on the couch, he'd take her by the hand and lead her to his bedroom, where he'd give her a backrub, banishing for good any last vestiges of the tension of the day. And then they'd make love before falling asleep in each other's arms. Little things, that were easily concealed from an SGC that didn't know of their relationship, and wouldn't allow it if they did. But it was the little things that let her know how much he loved her. She told him as much now.

"That's why I love you Daniel." His lips curved into a peaceful smile at the words. That was another reaction that she'd never get tired of seeing.

"That's good."

"It is?" She could feel her lips curving in a mirror of his.

"Yeah. Because I love you too."

"Good then."

"Yeah."

More kisses followed before she finally let him up to get the food. "Daniel?" she called after him, grinning as he turned, curiosity in his gaze. "Happy Valentine's Day."

His smile more than matched her own. "Happy Valentine's Day Sam."