This DOES fade to black, but it has to for the end to make sense. Enjoy!
It was week two of the lockdown when someone finally snapped.
The SGC was always a 24 hour facility, but with everyone trapped under the same roof, with no chance of escape and no relief of going off world, Sam had divided the staff into five shifts and tried to come up with things for everyone to do, things that might have been put off otherwise. Shift one ran from 4 a.m. to 1 pm. Shift two overlapped a bit, beginning at 8 and ending at five. Shift three started a noon and went until 9 p.m. Shift four went from 4 p.m. to midnight and shift five started at midnight and was over at 8 a.m. In the beginning it seemed to keep everyone out of each other’s hair and despite the lock down, it had the SGC running like a top. And all paperwork was caught up. Which for Sam was a huge relief.
Fortunately for the team, Sam had kept most of SG-1 on second shift, so unlike many of the others, they did not have too much change other than the inability to travel off world. There was whispers of favoritism, but Sam didn’t let it get to her too much. 8-5 was when the IOA wanted to video conference every single damn day for a status report and she rather have Daniel and Cam with her to do those things than anyone else.
The lockdown had been initiated after a strange substance came through the Stargate, lagging behind SG-6 who had been conducting a survey of a small and sparsely inhabited planet. It continued to seep past the iris, a purplish cloud that none of the sensors could identify, so the entire base was locked down until staff from the Stargate Command Science team, as well as the Center’s for Disease Control and the IOA could all come to an agreement as to what the substance was and whether or not it was harmful to the staff of the SGC. Dr. Lam and Rodney had determined fairly quickly that there was no risk, the mist seemed to be plant spores that died immediately upon reaching Earth’s atmosphere, but the bureaucratic bullshit and cover your ass mentality seemed to stall the process endlessly.
Vala, Adrienne and Teal’c were the only members of SG-1 at breakfast that morning. Cam had altered his daily schedule to kick up his workouts since he had nothing else better to do and didn’t want to spend his extra time torturing cadets. As a result he had changed to eating every two hours, something Adrienne really felt she should be doing as well, her mind focused on upcoming races. However Daniel had used the lockdown and an excuse to work nearly twenty four hours a day and was dragging his assistant with him. Not that she minded. Much.
“I can’t believe you are taking him breakfast,” Vala snorted at Adrienne, who, finishing her plate like she had every other day, was heading to get one for Daniel to take back to the lab.
“And lunch and dinner.” Adrienne added, smiling. It looked bad and Vala was reading into it exactly what she should, but Adrienne didn’t mind. The lockdown had given her a chance to pretend, imagine, let her take care of him some.
“I think it is a nice gesture,” Teal’c commented, defending Adrienne.
“I think she’s become his slave,” Vala quipped, winking at her friend as Adrienne stuck out her tongue.
“Look,” Adrienne continued, “for starters, what the hell else do any of us have to do? I mean, really Vala, last week you asked me to teach you how to SEW!?! Secondly, it’s giving him the chance to go through more of the Asgard database which is kinda cool if you ask me. I mean, it was exactly what I was hired to help him with and we have endured interruption after interruption. I am simply keeping the assembly line rolling.”
Vala opened her mouth to speak and stopped and just smiled at Adrienne, who was already rolling her eyes. She stood before Vala could tease her anymore and went back through the line to get breakfast for Daniel. Teal’c watched her get up, waiting until she had left and then looked over at Vala.
“On Chulac, when a woman brings a man food, to every meal, it means that she is his,” he stated, placing another breakfast sausage into his mouth.
“Yeah, you try telling the two of them that,” Vala laughed and stood to clear her tray, all the while thinking to herself how true his statement was, if the two would just sit down and admit to one another how they felt. She was already his, he already hers. They just needed to figure that out.
Daniel was hunched over his desk, as usual, engrossed in something Adrienne could not make out from the doorway. Walking across the room, she placed coffee in front of him but just out of the way enough so that he would not knock it all over his laptop, along with a plate of waffles and an apple. He didn’t acknowledge her, much to her disappointment.
“They’re out of syrup.” Adrienne informed him, a tone of annoyance in her voice and made her way over to her own desk.
“Seriously?” Daniel asked. Food, of course that’s what made him look up. Adrienne tried not to be offended.
“Yeah, and it seems like we are going to start running out of more and more things. That there, according to the lovely gentlemen serving us, is also the last green apple on base,” Adrienne pointed out, proud to be the one in possession of said apple.
“You want it?” he offered quickly. You better offer Indy, Adrienne thought to herself.
“No, thanks, they have to lift this thing soon. Besides, I already ate.” Adrienne replied, sitting down and lifting the lid to her computer, planning to pick up where they left off last night at what, one, two a.m. when they both heard a loud crash outside. They glanced quickly at one another and without a word, dashed out into the hallway.
Almost to the elevator corridor a crowd was forming, SG cadets reaching around one another’s shoulders, shouting and peering toward something in the center. Adrienne ran ahead, hearing what sounded like a fight and knowing she could help, slipping away from Daniel as he reached out to hold her back.
Lt. Janke and Sgt. Polanski were rolling around on the floor, beating the daylights out of one another and screaming unintelligibly. A few members of SG-3, the all marine unit, were in the mix pulling the men apart. Polanski was too angry though and took a punch at one of the marines, sending him to the ground and freeing Polanski up to take another swing at Janke. Adrienne pushed her way through and leapt onto Polanski’s back, wrapping her arm around his neck and squeezing. She was able to cut off just enough air and he fell to the ground, unconscious but unharmed. Satisfied, she hopped backwards, allowing the marines, who had finally managed to subdue the crowd, to take him and the very bruised Lt. Janke away to the brig.
¨Why do you insist on doing that?¨ Daniel asked when Adrienne returned to his side, that confident, yes I am aware that I can kick ass look on her face. It used to drive him crazy, make him want to smack her but now, now he was just impressed by her and everything she did. And worried. She worried him to no end.
¨Do what?¨ Adrienne answered, trying to blow him off, well aware of the lecturing look on his face. Regardless, she stopped and prepared for the fussing.
¨Being Superwoman. He could have clocked you,¨ Daniel stuffed his hands into his pockets, a look of concern on his face. He could have clocked her, but probably wouldn’t have, or in the very least, paid for doing so. Still, Adrienne shouldn’t be dashing into situations like that, good fighter or not.
¨Awww,¨ Adrienne teased, ¨Were you worried? If he would have clocked me I would have broken his nose. Then knocked him out,” Adrienne replied and headed back to the lab. He would have been lucky with only a broken nose, but Daniel didn’t want to burst her bubble, instead turning around and walking behind her and back to work.
Daniel’s phone was ringing as they arrived.
¨Archaeology,¨Adrienne answered, having made it there first, and doing her best receptionist impression. Daniel just shook his head at her, grabbing the waffles from the plate she had brought him and making a sour face at the lack of syrup. He turned one over in his hand as though he were trying to determine whether or not to eat it as Adrienne chatted along.
“Adrienne, it’s Sam, can you guys come up to the briefing room as soon as possible.” the voice on the other line sounded exasperated and Adrienne felt bad about being so silly when she answered. Something must be wrong.
“Sure, Sam, everything alright?” Adrienne asked, changing her tone and trying to shoot a glare at Daniel, who had decided that a bare waffle was better than nothing.
“I’d rather wait until everyone gets here if you don’t mind,” she answered and the other line went dead.
“Odd,” Adrienne said, looking at the receiver in her hand and then placing it back into its cradle. She turned back to look Daniel.
“What?” he asked, mouthful of waffle, grabbing his coffee from the table.
“That was Sam, she needs us ASAP,” Adrienne responded, walking over to fetch her backpack from her desk. Daniel swallowed quickly and closed his computer lid.
“Well, maybe we’re getting the hell out of here finally and she wanted to tell us first,” Daniel said, hopeful. He reached back for the apple.
“I find that so ironic coming from the man I have to force OUT of here every night,” Adrienne retorted as she waited for him at the door, as he was turning to grab the other waffle and his coffee and struggling with all three. She reached out to take the apple and slip it into her pocket, freeing his hands of one item.
“Yeah, yeah, but then I can leave, grass always greener,” Daniel smiled, switching out the light and following her down the hall.
When they arrived at the briefing room, Vala was laying sprawled out across the table while Cam and Teal’c were sitting off to the side apparently debating what video game they were going to conquer next. For a half second Adrienne was tempted to climb up onto the table with Vala, but instead went for her customary seat beside Daniel. She didn’t see Sam, but she heard her. Adrienne leaned back in her chair a bit to see Sam, red phone to her ear having a heating argument with someone on the other line. She nudged Daniel and led his gaze with her eyes.
“Well that doesn’t look very promising,” he said, leaning across her to see better.
“Nuh uh,” Adrienne answered, reaching over to Cameron’s seat and stealing the bottle of Gatorade sitting in front of him. He didn’t even notice. She took a quick drink and returned it to it’s position. Daniel was making a face of disgust at her when Sam came storming into the briefing room, slamming the door to her office behind her. It was enough to even scare Vala, who crawled off of the table and sat meekly on the other side of Daniel.
“SamanthaONeill, what is the matter?” It was best that Teal’c spoke first, because after that outburst none of the rest of them were going to.
“Ok, look,” Sam said as she walked over to shut the door leading into the hallway, “I need to be honest with you guys....” she paused for a moment and instead of heading to the head on the table just sat down beside Teal’c, “They have NO IDEA when this thing is going to be lifted.”
“You have GOT to be kidding me?!?” Vala argued, “What are we supposed to do?!?”
“There is nothing we CAN do.” Sam put her head in her hands. Adrienne had not known her for as long as the others, especially Daniel and Teal’c, but long enough where she could say this was not characteristically ‘Sam.’
“Sam, they are running out of food,” Cameron added.
“I know, and trust me, Jack is raising all kinds of hell about that. Can’t even beam down the fabricator from the Odyssey. But Jack swears he has that covered and I’ve got the entire botany department from Atlantis trying to get anything to grow just in case,” Sam explained, still upset but she continued.
“Look, we’re not sick, Dr. Lam and Dr. Beckett have determined that and Rodney keeps having very loud audio conferences with the IOA to show them his samples, so THAT I am not worried about. Again, for food, Jack won’t let us down,” she assured the group but there was a tone in her voice that sounded more like she was assuring herself.
“Then Sam, what DID you need to talk to us about?” Daniel finally asked, caution in his voice. She was not happy and he didn’t want to be the one to make it worse.
“I need an idea. Something, anything. Something to take everyone’s mind off of this insanity. Not only is everyone going crazy, but with half of Atlantis’ crew here too, people are looking to pick a fight. I’ve got Sheppard trying to keep his people under control but the truth is, unless we start incarcerating everyone, it’s going to get nasty,” Sam answered, scanning the group as she did.
Adrienne spoke, “Like the fight this morning.”
“Exactly, and that was the second fight today. Eventually, someone is going to pick a fight with the wrong someone and we’ll be in serious trouble,” Sam said. Everyone nodded in agreement, but remaining silent for anything else she had to say.
“I need you guys to think of something. At this point, nothing is too ridiculous.”
She stood and went back into her office, flopping down in the chair. No one moved. Daniel started to stand, but Adrienne stopped him as Teal’c was already up and heading over to her. He looked down at his assistant and nodded. Somethings it was just better to let Teal’c deal with. The Jaffa shut the office door behind him, giving the group a cue to leave.
“I guess we could suggest that the teams train in areas outside of their expertise, start making them more well-rounded,” Daniel suggested as they made their way back to the lab, Cam heading for the gym and Vala dashing off to do God knew what.
“School?” Adrienne asked, “Shug, you and I might go for that, but try to sell that to Vala, Ronan, or better yet the Marine Units,” she squeezed his shoulder. He looked down at her as he walked on.
“Ok Miss Perfect, you got a better idea?” he teased.
“Workin’ on it,” she smiled evilly.
“Why am I not surprised?” he said as they turned the corner, entering the open lab door for the second, third, time today. Normally Daniel would have been annoyed, but he felt today that the interruptions were welcome. Even he was getting a little stir crazy. Shoving past him, Adrienne rushed ahead and grabbed a few things from her desk, her MacBook, her iPod, her composition books and stuffed them hurriedly into her backpack running over to his desk.
“Permission to solve Sam’s problem?” she asked, mock saluting him. They had been spending their time with the Asgard Database, and were making excellent progress, so she knew this was a big favor. She hoped he’d agree.
“Fine, go, but it better be good!” he laughed, unable to say no to her. He could never say no to her, especially now. Delighted, Adrienne leaned forward, hugged him tightly, kissed his cheek and dashed out of the lab.
Adrienne was nowhere to be found at lunch. It seemed Cameron was running, again, so it was Daniel, Teal’c and Vala with the rest of their shift. He was mildly disappointed that she was gone, but hoped it just meant that she had something really good planned. They had been working a lot lately, and Daniel was sitting there debating whether or not to invite her to his quarters tonight to do something other than work when another fight broke out in the line. Teal’c stood to help but this one was broken apart pretty fast since some of the Atlantis crew were standing right behind it, in fact, Ronan just pulled the two men apart and tossed one aside, gruffly warning the both of them to cut it out. He grabbed a soda and came to join them.
“Hey guys,” he said and opened his drink, sitting down at an empty seat to the side of the table.
“RonanDex,” Teal’c spoke, “Is it true a group of Marines attacked some members of the Atlantis crew this morning?” Daniel looked over at Teal’c surprised, but then again he hadn’t left the lab in hours, until Vala stuck her head in and asked if he wanted to go to lunch. Ronan nodded as he unscrewed the cap.
“Yeah, something about if we weren’t here there would still be plenty of food. I think they are basing their opinion of us on Rodney alone,” he tried to joke and quickly chugged some soda, “Do you want to spar T?” He asked, changing the subject, making it painfully obvious that he didn’t want to talk about the animosity he was feeling from people that for so long made him feel at home. Teal’c bowed his head respectfully, giving a half of a smile.
“I am sorry, but I have promised ColonelMitchell that I shall vanquish him in a child’s computer game. Perhaps later?” he answered.
“Deal,” Ronan replied and sat quietly with his soda. Daniel felt bad for him, and almost invited him down to the lab when he remembered that Dex had a thing for Adrienne, still, and he really didn’t have it in him to entertain the competition for the rest of the afternoon. Daniel started to let his mind wander toward what Adrienne might have been up to when Vala got up and headed over to the line again, her face indicating that she was in search of something. Daniel rolled his eyes and looked back to his sandwich to continue eating. Over the chatter of the cafeteria there was shouting, but this time it wasn’t a fight, it was her. Daniel glanced behind him and saw Vala leap over the counter and dash to the large refrigerators behind them. She opened them up, rummaging, as the mess officers were puling her away, but managed to grab a can of whipped cream just in time and slammed the door to the appliance behind her. Satisfaction plastered across her face, she hopped back over the counter and returned to the table.
“Bored Blue Eyes?” she shook the can at Daniel smiling seductively.
“Nope,” he answered and stood, grabbing his tray. If this was how things were going, he really hoped Adrienne had come up with something. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Vala turn to shake the can at Ronan and he turned away before he could see his response, although a tiny part of him hoped that the Saetadean man would agree, and forget about Adrienne.
His fearless assistant still hadn’t returned to the lab after lunch, so he checked the gym, feeling her absence already. She wasn’t there there either and Cameron must have been in the showers because Daniel could not find him to ask if he had seen Adrienne. Although he was not too eager to head to on-base quarters, for fear of catching Vala and whomever had agreed to accompany her possibly starting their activities out on the hallway, he headed down for Adrienne’s room in the main wing of personnel housing. Once at her door, he heard loud music from the other side and knew instantly that he had found her. She didn’t answer his knock, so he reached for the keypad, coding himself in and opening the door, knowing that she wouldn’t care if he just barged in. He stared in shock at the scene in front of him.
There stood Adrienne, Cam’s arms draped lightly at her waist as they were dancing, rather intimately. Daniel froze, embarrassed as if he had just walked in on something. What was going on with everyone?
“Ok, then, you spin me back out and I get the - “ Adrienne stopped to reach behind her and grab a microphone from a stand, where did she get that Daniel was thinking, among other things, when she saw her visitor, standing, mouth open at the doorway.
“Hey Indy,” she said, without removing her hips from Cameron’s, “Sit down, you can tell us if this looks awkward.” She pointed over to her bed. Daniel started to walk over to her bed and sat, cutting his eyes at her.
“Is it too early to say yes?” he asked, although he was starting to catch on. Adrienne just laughed.
“We’re trying to come up with an idea to release the tension on the base,” She said and let go of Cam to walk over to the speaker, shutting the music off.
“Oh I think that would do it,” Daniel responded as Cameron began to laugh loudly.
“No worries Jackson, I’m not making off with Addy or anything. We’re trying to work out a performance, you know, like a concert or something. Get everyone dancing, singing and have a good time,” Cam explained, carefully distancing himself from Adrienne both physically and verbally. Daniel looked at them puzzled, sure he could imagine Adrienne dancing and singing, he had heard her do that enough over the past year and she was fantastic, but Cam? Adrienne, as always, sensed his question.
“I know, I was surprised to, but apparently Mr. Tough Guy was in the show choir. And the church choir,” Adrienne said, winking at Cameron. That made Daniel just a little bit jealous, but he tried not to show it.
“Yep, because the hot girls liked the man that could sing, dance and play guitar.” Cam defended his talent and smiled over at Adrienne. Daniel tried to contain his annoyance.
“So,” Adrienne continued, “we’re going to work out a little number and show it to Sam. See what she thinks.”
It was a nice try, Daniel thought, but he was pretty sure that a crosse between a rock concert and a high school dance would never be something she agreed to. No matter how desperate she was.
3 hours later, as he made his way back to the commissary for coffee, he caught Adrienne putting up posters, for a concert.
“She agreed?” he asked, completely confused.
“Yep.” Adrienne answered, that smile across her face that Daniel normally loved. Now, however, he was just at a loss for words. How in the world could Sam agree to this?
“When?” he asked for no reason since the poster was right in front of his face, no reason other than to affirm to himself that he was reading it correctly. In large bold letters it said, Friday, 7 UNTIL......
“Until?” he raised his eyebrows. Considering what was going on around here lately until didn’t seem like something Sam would agree to either.
“Until we run out of voice,” she smiled and then stopped, like she was worried, “Can I get the rest of the week off to rehearse?” She made a pitiful face. He HAD planned to get through the 14th dynasty of Asgard heritage this week, but she seemed so excited and she had worked well beyond normal hours during this lockdown. And he couldn’t say no to her. Ever. But he’d miss her like crazy and she would be spending more quality time with Cam. He felt her reach out for his hand gently, gazing at him, begging without a word. Damn distracting Adrienne.
“This is Sam’s doing not mine. Have fun,” he said, giving in, just as she was certain he would. She jumped up and hugged him, kissing him on the cheek and ran down the hall toward the elevators. Daniel watched her dash away, again, not looking forward to going back to a quiet lab.
Apparently, everyone else thought that the concert was a great idea. Adrienne and Cam had been rehearsing in the gym and as a result locking many of the other staff members out, but rather than get angry, people just tried to sneak in to watch. It didn’t work, Adrienne and Cam had somehow gotten Teal’c and a few Jaffa cadets to stand guard at the front and back entrance. Soon, the whole base was buzzing and it was hard for Daniel to get any work done unless he shut and locked the door, which by Wednesday he was forced to do just that. Besides all of the chaos of the upcoming event itself, other than quick meals, he hadn’t seen Adrienne in three days. Not for a movie, not for a conversation, nothing. He missed her like crazy.
Friday arrived and the base was a ghost town as it seemed that many staff members had taken the day to rest up for the party to come. Daniel welcomed the quiet and the ability to actually get some work done without any distractions or interruptions. In fact, he was getting so much done that he skipped lunch and dinner, diving into his stash of Power bars and bottled water, which, had Adrienne been there, would have earned him a stern lecture on nutrition. But Adrienne was elsewhere, and he hoped deep down inside that this really was about helping out on base and not something else. After all, it seemed that this little bonding session over music had happened since the wedding and he couldn’t take his mind off of the timing of it all. But she had come straight to his place after, hadn’t she? At a quarter after 7 he heard a knock on his door and looked up, for the first time in days thankful for the distraction.
“Hey there,” Sam stuck her head in, “Are you coming down?”
“Is it that time already?” he asked, knowing that it was but trying to take advantage of the quiet. That, and avoiding the entire ordeal. He didn’t know if he could handle watching Adrienne gyrating on stage with Cam, trying to analyze whether or not she meant it, whether or not... He shook his head and looked back at Sam.
“Yes,” she replied, “it’s just starting. Stop working and come down. It would mean a lot to Adrienne.” He knew it would, or at least he hoped it would. He needed to be there for her, regardless of how many insane thoughts were running through his head or had been running through his head all week. If he wanted to keep her as his assistant, as his best friend, he needed to get a better handle on his emotions. If he loved her, he needed to respect her position here, respect her choices and go. He didn’t say a word, just shut the computer lid and switched off the light, following behind his smiling friend.
The event had been set up in the commissary, so it wasn’t hard to find. The lights had been dimmed and it looked as if some of the lighting from the science labs had been rigged in order to give it more of a club type feel. Must have been Adrienne’s doing. As they rounded the corner and entered, Daniel could see the tables had been moved off to the sides in order to create a dance floor but still allow for people to sit and mingle, a nice set up that many guests were already taking advantage of. To the far left of the large room was a make-shift bar, it looked like a lunch cart with a large assortment of bottles on the top and there was a cadet was mixing drinks happily behind it. Daniel tapped Sam on the shoulder and pointed.
“How?” he asked, yelling over the music.
“I have no idea,” she responded, “it was set up here about an hour ago. I have no idea where any of it came from nor do I want to know.”
Daniel laughed, enjoying this side of Sam that he had not seen in a while, and together they made their way to a table toward the back right of the mess. It wasn’t until they sat down that Daniel finally turned his direction toward the stage, set up in place of the serving lines, and toward the music that was not a recording. Dancing along the stage, mic in hand, were both Adrienne and Cameron. They were doing some rendition of an upbeat song he had heard played over her headphones often in the lab, both of them dancing and singing their hearts out. And they were good. Really good. Daniel was still shocked to hear Cam singing when Adrienne stepped out front to sing a verse alone.
Daniel wasn’t a blind man, he wasn’t, he knew Adrienne was attractive. That wasn’t why he had fallen in love with her, it had been so much more, but she was very pretty. Yet, tonight, standing up there singing like her life depended on it, she was breathtaking. Even more breathtaking than that dinner party he had taken her to. She wore a gold sequined sleeveless shirt which shimmered in the lights all around, with a tight black skirt and fishnet stockings. Her black leather boots went nearly to her knees and he was amazed that she was able to dance in them as well as she was. She finished her part, did a little jump in place and Cameron stepped forward to take over, cheers roaring from the crowd for Adrienne as she stepped back. But Daniel didn’t care what Cam was singing or that Adrienne had slipped toward the back of the stage to grab a Vitamin water; he couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
The show went on, and a show it was. The two of them alternated between male only songs and female only songs to give their throats a rest and every five or six songs or so chose a duet. It was more than just singing though, they were dancing, not only with one another like he had walked in on earlier in the week, but they would take turns jumping into the audience or pulling other member’s on stage. They selected their dance partners from all teams and levels as if they were trying to demonstrate to everyone in attendance that they were all in this together. Cam actually managed to get Dr. Lam on stage and dancing, a feat that amazed Daniel, and Adrienne had Colonel Sheppard blushing with a fierce lambada on the middle of the dance floor. Even though it was not the music he would normally listen to, he had to admit that they were putting on an entertaining show.
He and Sam sat there at the table for a while, Sam even bringing him a bluish drink back from the ‘bar.’ He had no idea what was in it and was afraid to ask, so he drank a sip to be polite and pushed it aside. As he looked up from the beverage and back to the stage, he knew that Adrienne had finally seen him. Her smile widened and she seemed to have more energy on the stage, if that was even possible. He was glad that his presence seemed to make her even happier and more full of life. He loved to see her that way, loved when he made her feel that way. He just loved her. The song ended and Daniel saw Adrienne walk over to Cameron and whisper something into his ear. He smiled, kissed her on the cheek and nodded, running back behind him, making Daniel wonder what that was all about. The new song that had begun was stopped and Adrienne stepped to the edge of the stage and spoke into the mic.
“Let’s change things up a bit guys,” she teased and a strange arabic music began. Adrienne did a little shimmy and threw back her head.
“Ayer yo conocà un cielo sin sol y un hombre sin suelo...¨
Daniel had heard that one before, but never from her. It seemed such a loud and strong song, one that he would and should associate with her but just never had. It was also a song about....
¨Y conocà tus ojos azules....¨
He paused. Those weren’t the lyrics, she played that song in the lab a lot; he’d heard it dozens of time. As he listened further he could tell that she had changed more of the lyrics. Instead of singing about a river of salt as in the original song, she sang about the nomadic village P90-5789, the place where he made her wear a burka and had saved her from being beaten to death. The Shakira version, if he was remembering correctly, sang of going from the north to the south pole to find love, but she was singing about going from one end of the universe to another. There were a few other changes, references to other missions where he had gotten her out of trouble, when he had saved her, she liked called it. What odd changes to make, he thought. It would be different if the song was in English, then everyone might be able to understand what she was saying, but even so, what would anyone else care about SG-1’s missions?
The music changed and he knew this part too. It was the bridge, right before the final chorus. It was the part that Adrienne would wait for to leap up from her desk and lip-sync into anything that could pass for a mic sitting on or around her workstation. But there she was on stage, just like he saw her in the lab so often, this time singing it full force in her own voice, in her amazing voice. Suddenly, she was on the edge of the stage and leapt from the end, landing right in front of it, the crowd parting for her. Adrienne kept singing and was walking right down the center, scanning the crowd as if she was looking for something...
Until she was standing in right front of him, mic in hand and looking down into his eyes. She grabbed his shirt and just about crawled into his lap, singing loudly into the mic, singing to him, running her finger down his chest. The crowd was roaring at the display.
¨Y no encontré ojos asà como los que tienes tú...¨
Daniel was vaguely aware of Adrienne hitting the final high note and then the song was over, almost as quickly as it began. Cam was on stage shouting something and pulling Ronan onto the platform with him, but Daniel wasn’t sure what. The crowd directed their attention back to where it was being called, the two men rapping boisterously on the stage, leaving the two of them as alone as they could be in this setting. Adrienne simply smiled, backed up slightly, but only so much so she could lean over towards his face and whisper lightly in his ear.
¨I don’t care anymore, I just want to be with you,¨ she kissed his cheek softly, pulled away quickly and ran back to the stage.
Sam was in stitches.
¨That was great! You should have seen the look on your face when you realized that she was heading in your direction! What, did she apologize or something for embarrassing you?¨ Sam asked.
¨Something like that.¨ Daniel answered, his head spinning. What did she mean not part of the act? She couldn’t have meant, well that, could she? There just, well, she shouldn’t. There were a million reasons why she shouldn’t, wouldn’t, but he just couldn’t think of any of them right then and there. And why was he so upset? So what if she had the same feelings for him; it wasn’t as if he had never been able to keep his distance before when he needed to. Wanted to. Made himself. Like he had been with her for so long. His head and heart in chaos, Daniel stood and left the concert.
Adrienne saw him leave and her heart sank. Ronan had stolen the mic from Cam and was doing some crazy self-inspired rendition of Snoop Dogg’s Who I Am, so she grabbed Cameron’s arm and pulled him over to the side of the stage.
“Cam, why did you let me do that? I’ve ruined everything,” she said near tears and pointing in the direction of where Sam and Daniel had been sitting. Cameron looked over and saw that Daniel was gone, Sam sitting alone at the table. It killed him, that idiot had just walked out and here was Adrienne, who deserved to be treated like a princess, falling apart in front of him. There was only one thing he could do.
“Girl, I’ve got this. You go,” he said.
“Cam, I am not chasing that man down,” she retorted, her voice faltering.
“No, you’re not. But trust me, he’s feeling exactly what you are right now, he just has a really bad way of showing it,” Cameron argued as he squeezed her hand. The reassurance of her friend empowering her, Adrienne ran from the stage and out the side door.
She went to the lab first, but he wasn’t there, in fact it looked as if he had closed it down for the night. She checked his other hiding places, the gym, the library, even Rodney’s lab. Nothing. There was only one place left. The place she knew in her heart that he had gone to to begin with.
Adrienne stood outside of Daniel’s quarters for what felt like an eternity until she finally knocked.
“It’s open,” she heard him shout. Taking a breath, she turned the knob and pushed the door open, peering slowly and cautiously inside. There was Daniel, sitting on the edge of his bed with a small leather book in his hand, a leather book she knew well. She closed the door behind her and stood there, not approaching him.
“I haven’t pulled this one out to read in a long time.” he said to her without looking up, opening the book slowly and thumbing through the pages listlessly. Adrienne’s heart was racing inside her chest, making her knees grow weak.
“Why is that?” she asked, a question that she had never asked him, fearing it crossed the line between best friends, fearing what he had written inside that book.
“Because it reminds me of a different life, one that I lost” he answered quietly, still turning the pages and not reading them. They talked a lot, about a lot of things, and Adrienne didn’t need a further explanation. It was his first journal, his oldest. The one in which he had recorded the original Stargate information, the one he had on Abydoys. The only one she had never read. The one she had found in a cardboard box in his apartment and hidden in his nightstand there. Why was it here? she wanted to ask but refrained. And then it hit her. Cam was right, Vala was right, everyone was right. He did love her, he must love her, he must have been doing exactly what she had been doing these past few months, trying to figure out what this was that was happening between them. He sat in front of her, the best friend she had ever had in her entire life, looking so lost. It broke her heart.
“Daniel, I’m - “ she started, but he put up his hand, silently halting her words.
“You see, I’m not supposed to be happy. That time ended for me,” he continued, closing the book in his hands and setting it onto his nightstand.
“I’m not following,” Adrienne answered, confused. Was he trying to tell her to leave? Should she go? She knew he loved her, but maybe she had crossed the line.. Yet, she couldn’t move, she was frozen in place. Finally he looked up at her. His face was distressed that she instantly regretted the display she had just put on for the entire base. She should have just pulled him aside and talked to him. He deserved that, not being singled out in front of everyone.
“And then you. You show up and just throw a kink into everything. Don’t you understand, this wasn’t supposed to happen?” he pleaded, looking at her like he was on the verge of tears. She couldn’t take it anymore.
“I know. I’m so sorry,” she answered, starting to back away and turn the doorknob, intending to flee, when she saw him rise from the bed. Without a word, Daniel walked over to her and placed his hand on her cheek, running his fingers down her jawline tenderly. When he reached her chin, he grabbed it lightly, turning her face upward toward his. He didn’t say another word, just leaned in carefully and brought his lips to hers. He kissed her slowly and gently and then broke away, looking down at her, the same distressed look in his eyes. For what seemed like an eternity they stood in the dim light of his room facing each other without saying a word. Finally, taking it as a signal that she had been wrong, that some things really were meant to be, no matter how hard you fight them, Adrienne leaned up to kiss him again. Reaching behind her head, Daniel pushed the door closed, engaging the lock and turned out the light.
Consequences be damned.
“Attention staff. I am pleased to announced that the CDC and the IOA have released the base. The lockdown is officially lifted.”
Adrienne winced, the last way she wanted to be woken up in the morning was with an all call announcement; they seemed just as loud here as they did throughout the rest of the base. Adrienne rubbed her face and reached for her eye drops over on her nightstand. Eyes still half closed, she felt around, but they weren’t there. Instead she felt a stack of books, a pen and a journal. She paused at the journal and forced her eyes open. That was not her nightstand.
She turned to her side and there was Daniel, fast asleep. She must have passed out here after she had come down to... Quickly, she glanced back at her best friend, who was lying there with no shirt and to herself to discover the same, and realizing that she was wearing nothing at all. She was laying naked in Daniel’s bed. With Daniel, who chances are, was naked too. Adrienne took a deep breath in and out, just to remind herself she was alive. It had taken the lockdown, the damn lockdown to make it happen and now that it had....
Nerves trembled down her body. Fortunately, most the staff would probably think that it was all just part of the act and since she crashed here all of the time anyway no one would think it was any big deal. Now, to get out of here quietly and back to her quarters before anyone noticed, before anyone thought to put two and two together, that Adrienne was leaving in the same clothes she had worn on stage the night before. She peeled back the blanket slowly and stepped her feet out, thankful for a black t-shirt that was hanging on the edge of the nightstand, as though it had been thrown there. Dear lord, she thought to herself, that wasn’t a dream, there are clothes everywhere. She started to scan, searching the floor for where she thought she remembered him throwing her skirt while quickly pulling the t-shirt over her head.
“Should I be offended?” Adrienne heard Daniel say from behind her on the bed. Caught, she closed her eyes and turned to face him, remaining seated and frozen in place.
“I just didn’t want anyone to talk, I mean, you’re kinda a big shot around here Indy,” she tried to cover her tracks, giving an excuse so lame, so stupid, he wouldn’t buy it. She didn’t buy it either. What she wanted to say was, no Daniel, it was amazing, you’re amazing, but Sam’s gonna kill us.
“As if your little public display yesterday wasn’t enough to get people talking,” he teased and smiled, sitting up in the small bed. The blanket slipped down to his waist and she caught a glimpse of his hip, his bare hip, his gorgeous bare hip. What have we done? she thought to herself, I’ve never done anything like this before...
“But,” she tried to explain, sticking with the same bad reason for a lack of confidence in giving any other, “I also was grinding on Ronan, I grabbed Sheppard’s butt and the way Cam and I were rocking on stage, well, I am sure everyone thinks it is just part of the act.”
“Of that, I have no doubt,” he smiled, “but you didn’t whisper anything in their ears....”
“Daniel, why have you made my life so complicated?” she said shook her head at his answer, teasing, flirting, like they had been with one another for so long, just without this.
“Apparently, I excel at that,” he said and began to lean forward, reaching for her arms to lead her back to him. Adrienne pulled away reluctantly.
“Daniel, I can’t,” she protested and started to stand again, walking over to where she had seen her skirt laying in the floor, “Regardless of how I feel about you, it’ll change the whole team dynamic.”
“You think that hasn’t changed already?” he asked honestly. It had, Adrienne knew it had. Within SG-1 there were now two teams, Daniel/Adrienne and then everyone else. It was the different that Vala had been babbling on about for months. But this was even more than different, this was crossing a line...
“How about P8U - 2398?” he asked and was smiling like he knew something. Adrienne didn’t like that smile.
“Lucentum? How is my almost killing you evidence of anything?” she demanded, knowing Vala would have never told him. Would she have? In fact, despite everything, Vala hadn’t been anything other than supportive since Adrienne had told her the truth. Her friend would never betray her like that.
“What stopped you?” he asked flatly, still sitting in the bed not wearing a thing. Adrienne’s heart was racing. He’s not talking about the team. He wants to hear me say it. Here and now, right after I wake up in bed with him. We are not having this conversation, we are not having this conversation, she repeated in her head over and over.
“Vala; you were there.” she answered, trying not to stare. Why was he doing this to her? Why did he have to be so perfect, so perfect for her....
“But Vala had a broken ankle, badly broken that you broke, and you mean to tell me she fought you off? Besides, I was semi-conscious and she was telling you something when you stopped, not hitting you.....” he retorted and kept smiling determined to hear her say it, to hear her say what she hadn’t said since. Adrienne was too stubborn to give in.
“Exactly, you were semi-conscious. For all you know you could have been dreaming this supposed conversation. Vala was screaming at me, not talking to me,” Adrienne defended. Daniel was still shaking his head and moved over to the edge of the bed, beginning to stand, the blanket falling to the floor. Adrienne turned her back to him quickly.
“Dammit Daniel, don’t move just don’t move. Please, just, no,” she begged, unable to look at him, like that, wearing nothing. Her mind flashed to last night, the way he looked dim light of the electronics in the darkness. She pushed the memory aside.
“Alright, what about something I was awake for? How about your little fantasy land? Eric, Rick, Richard, should I keep naming leading men? Or was I not fully conscious for that either?” he asked, as he sat back down, covering himself with the blanket as requested. He was trying to keep it light and not anger her. He could mention how she after a bad mission, after every bad mission, she ended up in here, sometimes to watch a movie and sometimes to sleep, with him. So very close to him. He could have mentioned how he watched tears pouring out of her eyes when he almost went over the side of the ravine going after the Go’ould weapons cache, tears that were more than tears for a friend. He could have mentioned how many times she cared for him, sick, injured and how many times he had done the same. Adrienne was just shaking her head.
“Daniel, you’re imagining things,” she answered, grabbing the skirt, quickly pulling it over her hips to cover herself. Underneath it were his boxers, so she snatched them and threw them over at his head, turning so she did not have to torture herself with looking at her best friend naked again. She stood, her back to him, searching for the rest of her clothing, strewn about the floor as the flood of memories from last night washed over her. Kissing Daniel at the door, Daniel lifting her to carry her to his bed, Daniel taking off her clothes, lying there with him wrapped in his tender embrace. She took a breath and continued collecting her things when she felt a presence behind her.
“Am I?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and bringing his lips to her ears. Adrienne froze as he knelt on the ground behind her, grabbing her bicep with his hand, gently, and ran his fingers down it.
“What about Skalaara?” he whispered. Adrienne spun on her heels, slamming him backwards and onto the floor in a rage, glaring at him sitting there on the floor as she stood.
“I never want to talk about that. Ever,” she roared at him. Grabbing the rest of her items she marched to the door, thoughts streaming through her head. That was when this all should have ended, the moment Daniel almost made her worst nightmare come true...
“Adrienne, I didn’t mean to hurt you. Then or ever,” there was caution in his voice and he remained on the ground, recalling her part of Skalaara, that while he remembered hearing only those words come out of her mouth, she remembered something more, something far worse. Adrienne grabbed the door knob and turned it, stepping out in the hallway without a further word. It seemed to still be early enough for no one to really be up and moving yet, for there to be no witnesses to her disheveled appearance, wearing his t-shirt, her hair a disaster, torn fishnet stockings in her hand. Adrienne set out for her quarters, not wanting to discuss this with him any longer. She shouldn’t have let this happen. She shouldn’t have listened to Cam. She should have left well enough alone.
“God damn it Adrienne, I LOVE YOU!” she heard Daniel screaming from behind her. She turned to face him, still in a rage to discover that he was standing out in the hall, wearing only his boxer shorts, one hand to his head.
“What are you doing?!!” she shouted at him, looking up and down the hallway, which fortunately was still clear. He seemed to have no intention of moving, so she stormed back in his direction and shoved him through the doorway into his quarters, slamming the door behind them.
“Being the adult since you don’t seem to be able to say it. I love you. I love you Adrienne. I’m madly in love with you. I love you. Do you want to hear it again?” he spoke over his shoulder. He went and sat on the bed as she grabbed a chair from the desk and sat across from him. Adrienne leaning over, putting her head in her hands and unable to have any other emotional reaction, started to laugh.
“I just poured my heart out to you, what in the world is so funny?!” he demanded, sounding slightly angry. Adrienne just shook her head and looked up at him, still chuckling.
“You just chased me down the hall in your underwear,” she answered plainly.
“Point proven,” he replied, calmer. She studied him, finally allowing herself to let it all sink in. He hadn’t bothered to put on his glasses and she could see his sapphire blue eyes sparkling despite the low light in the room. She noticed the sharpness of his jaw and his lips, lips that she had waited so long to kiss and finally had. Finally could. If she wanted him, he was hers. This was more than just waking up with him the morning after, this was so much more. Everything she thought only existed in fairytales was sitting right in front of her awaiting her reply. But there was one thought that was plaguing her growing happiness.
“We can’t tell anyone,” she finally said, admitting the truth to herself that this was not a fairytale. This was her job. He was her boss. As Daniel had pointed out last night, before kissing her for the first time, so perfectly, this was not supposed to happen.
“Not at first; we have to feel everything out. Not because I don’t want anyone to know, but because I am afraid of what they would do to you. Or worse, the team,” he agreed, his insides on fire because he wanted to dash down the hall, find Jack and tell him that he was right, that they were all right and she was his. But she was right and he had been right last night and he knew that above anything else that Adrienne couldn’t imagine being removed from SG-1, her friends, her family, now.
“No, no, I understand,” she said as she stood again, “then I probably need to get out of here since I def don’t look like we just fell asleep during movie night.” He nodded his head, noting her appearance made it quite evident what had happened between the two of them. That he had made love to her. He wanted to say something more, but just couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. It happened, it had really happened. And she was his.
Adrienne made her way back to the door, stopping once more as if she thought he would come running after her again, but he didn’t. As she reached for the knob she realized something, and turned her head, whipping herself back around rushing to the bed and throwing her arms around his neck nearly knocking him backward onto the mattress. He caught her laughing.
“I love you. I love you so much Daniel” she said and brought her lips to his, kissing him softly and slowly like they had last night, like she could tonight, tomorrow night, whenever she wanted. She didn’t give him time to answer, but he didn’t need to, she felt how tightly he was holding her, like he never wanted to let go. She broke away from him and stood for a final time, running her palm down his cheek.
“I’ll see you in the lab Indy,” she whispered, pecked him lightly once more and left the room. Daniel laid back on the bed as the door closed, his hand to his head. This wasn’t a dream, this time it was real. He smiled and stood, making his way to the shower, finally happy. She was his.
Thank you! Love the AU's. :)
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