Category: Daniel/Sam.
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/Sequel: Sometime in the future....follows from my other story "The Lovers"
Spoilers: Nope, none.
Summary: Teal’c’s thoughts on an eventful night.

"The HELL????"

A cry pierces the quiet of our encampment, and I am momentarily startled. It does not take a turn of the head to know that the voice belongs to O’Neill. Nor does it take a turn of the head to know that O’Neill is not happy. The tone of his voice bears testament to that. I believe the phrase "the hell" also speaks to his unhappiness, but that would merely be a guess on my part.

Despite not needing to turn my head, I nonetheless do so, in time to see O’Neill exit the trees to the north of the camp. If there was any doubt in my mind that O’Neill is angered, the sight of him erases it. His body language clearly indicates it – his steps are quick and heavy, his face is red, and he is muttering to himself vociferously. I am not close enough to make out individual words, but the general tone and mood carries.

I approach him with caution, in case he is not angered, but ill somehow. Of course, if he is angered, approaching him with caution still might be the best strategy. I intend to ask him what the matter is, but I am stopped by the sound of two pairs of footsteps, running in our direction. For an instant, I regret not having my staff weapon with me, but I am nearer to my tent than the two approaching people. Should they be a threat, I am confident in my abilities to return to the tent in time.

Such fears are unfounded however. The two footsteps belong to Major Carter and Daniel Jackson. They too appear to be upset, although not as angry as O’Neill. Their faces are red, but it seems to be a combination of embarrassment and anger, rather than pure anger. I can hear Daniel Jackson speaking.

"Jack…c’mon Jack, you have to listen to us!"

He seems to be trying to reason with O’Neill. Perhaps they have had an altercation as to how best to approach this mission. It is not unusual for Daniel Jackson and Major Carter to disagree, occasionally quite vehemently, with Colonel O’Neill. However, I have never seen O’Neill quite so irate.

"I don’t think so."

O’Neill is crouched down at the campfire, pouring himself a cup of coffee. His back is to us and he refuses to turn to look at us.

"Jack, it’s not what you think."

Daniel Jackson is still trying to reason with the Colonel, but I can see that Major Carter’s upset is giving way to anger which is the match of O’Neill’s. If Doctor Fraiser were here, she would say that Major Carter is "doing a slow burn" a phrase, like many, that I cannot understand. If Doctor Fraiser were here, I have no doubt that she would have ascertained what has occurred, and would be taking the appropriate steps to placate her friends.

I can only observe, not understanding what might have made O’Neill so angry.

I see Daniel Jackson look at Major Carter, spreading his hands wide, a gesture which indicates helplessness. Without words, he is asking Major Carter to help him.

"Colonel…please…. Daniel’s right, you have to listen to us."

Her voice seems to succeed where Daniel Jackson’s has failed, in that O’Neill turns from the campfire. "Why? So you can justify yourselves to me?" I detect an inordinate amount of bitterness in his voice.

It seems that Major Carter can too. Her eyes are cast heavenward. "We don’t have to justify ourselves Jack." Her voice is tired, as if she would rather not be having this conversation.

"The hell you don’t!" O’Neill is standing now, waving his arms around. "What about regulations? The ones against team fraternisation? You remember those?"

Ah. I tilt my head and process this new information. I know of the rules of which O’Neill speaks, so this is not something that needs explaining. It would appear that O’Neill has caught Major Carter and Daniel Jackson in a compromising situation, and is angry about it.

I can see why O’Neill would be upset about such an event. In many ways, SG-1 is like a family. His family, which he loves dearly and has sworn to protect, no matter if the enemy is from without or within. A relationship between two of its members could cause the entire team to be split up, an outcome with which O’Neill, and I for that matter, would not be happy.

However, I doubt that O’Neill is harbouring such thoughts at this time. I feel that his reaction, rather than one of shock or preservation instinct, is one of jealousy. In my time on Earth, I have noticed that Major Carter is an exceptionally attractive woman, who is considered desirable by a number of men. Whether O’Neill has admitted it to himself or not is not the issue, but I have surmised from his behaviour that he is one such man. This is not an impulse that O’Neill would act upon, because of the fraternisation rule, but nonetheless, it is something that colours his reaction when Major Carter has any romantic attachments. His antipathy to Nareem and Martouf could be blamed on his distrust of alien races, but he has formed friendships, and indeed relationships, with others of alien origin in the past. In my admittedly limited experience, the true reason he disliked them was because of their attraction to Major Carter.

And now, the enemy, he who might take Major Carter’s attentions away from Colonel O’Neill, is someone within his own family. His best friend in fact.

Daniel Jackson responds to O’Neill’s question. "Actually Jack, fraternisation rules don’t apply here. I’m not military."

"Oh, so you’ve checked this out have you?"

O’Neill’s question is condescendingly phrased, and a shrug from Daniel Jackson is the only reply. I realise that this indicates that he has indeed researched his standing and is sure of his facts.

Obviously, O’Neill has too, and has reached the same conclusion that I have. Whatever he happened upon in the woods cannot be blamed on a fleeting impulse, a one-off moment of madness. Apparently, the relationship is sustained and ongoing.

"How long?" O’Neill’s voice has quietened, which serves to make Daniel Jackson and Major Carter even more nervous. They exchange a glance, not unnoticed by O’Neill, who repeats his question. "How long?"

It is Major Carter who looks down briefly before almost defiantly answering, "Three months."

O’Neill is shocked by this information, and looks directly at me, including me in the conversation for the first time. "Did you know about this?"

"I did not know that Daniel Jackson and Major Carter were involved in a relationship," I answer truthfully.

My answer seems to have no effect on O’Neill as he shakes his head. "A relationship," he mutters.

"Yes Jack, a relationship." Daniel Jackson’s voice is steady as he steps up behind Major Carter and places an arm around her shoulders. She looks briefly up at him and smiles, as if to thank him for his show of support. "I know you’re shocked. I know you’re surprised."

"We didn’t plan this," Major Carter interjects. "It surprised us too."

O’Neill is still silent, and Daniel Jackson takes this as an invitation to carry on. "But you have to know Jack…. this isn’t just a fling, it’s not going to go away. It’s real…it’s a relationship." There is a smile and a serenity about the man which is not usually associated with Daniel Jackson. "I love her Jack. And someday, I’m going to marry her. No matter what you, or the SGC have to say about it."

O’Neill is staring at Major Carter, who in turn is staring at Daniel Jackson. When she tears her gaze away to look at him, he hesitates before asking, "Is this how you feel?"

I cannot recall seeing tears in Major Carter’s eyes before. "Yes Sir. It is." As with Daniel Jackson, she speaks firmly, with no evidence of doubt in her countenance.

"Well, that’s just peachy." The tone of O’Neill’s voice is familiar to me, that which is referred to as "sarcasm". However I also detect more than a residual hint of bitterness and anger. "I wish I could wish you all the luck in the world. But you’re making a big mistake here. Just remember I warned you about that." He throws the remnants of his mug of coffee onto the fire, making it flare and spit. The orange cast on his face only makes him look angrier. "I’m going to bed…you guys sort out the watches."

He disappears into his tent, and I follow him with my eyes. When I turn back to look at Daniel Jackson and Major Carter, they too are looking after the colonel. Major Carter is biting her lip in an attempt to keep back her tears, and Daniel Jackson is standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her. As I look, he turns her around so that he can look into her eyes. "Are you ok?" he asks. The question goes unanswered, as instead Major Carter lays her head in Daniel Jackson’s chest and wraps her arms tightly around him. Her shoulders shake slightly as his hand moves in circles on her back. He whispers something in her ear, but I am too far away to make out the words.

Major Carter pulls back, wiping her face with her hands. "I didn’t know it would be this bad," she whispers.

"He’ll come around." Daniel Jackson’s voice belies his words. He is as doubtful as I am.

"Teal’c." Major Carter looks at me, as if remembering for the first time that I am here. "I’m sorry about that."

"Do not apologise Major Carter. What has occurred is of no consequence to me. I do not believe that Colonel O’Neill’s ire was appropriate. Any apology should come from him."

"Really?" Daniel Jackson is curious. "You don’t mind that we’ve been…um…that is….?"

"Your personal relationship is none of my affair." I see their lips twitch and realise that I may have inadvertently made a pun. I must ask Dr Fraiser if this is so. "It has had no bearing on the team prior to this night. I fail to see why it should."

"Aside from the obvious."

There is no point in replying to Major Carter’s obvious rhetorical statement. "I will take first watch," I inform them, leaving them no scope for argument.

A small smile flickers across Major Carter’s face. "Thank you Teal’c." She returns both arms to around Daniel Jackson’s waist, and he kisses the top of her head.

"Will you be ok?" Daniel Jackson asks her, as he begins to lead him across the campsite. When he realises what she is doing he stops her. "Sam….this isn’t the way to my tent."

She smiles up at him, and I can clearly make out her words. I wonder if O’Neill can too. "No Daniel. It’s the way to our tent."

I cannot see if Daniel Jackson is also smiling, but he protests no further as they disappear underneath the tarpaulin. Before long, there is silence in the camp, and I surmise that everyone is asleep.

I stare into the fire and beyond it, realising for the first time that there are more shadows from within the camp than from without. This night has changed SG-1, and not, I fear, for the better. We are no longer friends and comrades, one united group. Now we are three separate entities – the lovers, the outsider, and the observer.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.