She didn't know why she had come. As soon she she'd seen him, talking with Teal'c, her breath caught in her throat. She had the urge to turn and run from the terminal. Back home to one-bedroom apartment in Washington, where she could just forget about him.
She snorted, and grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing tray. There was no way she was going to be able to deal with this without alcohol, and briefly wished that there was something stronger on offer.
Tearing her eyes away from him, she scanned the small crowd who had merited invitations to this exclusive pre-ceremony gathering. How her name had ended up on the list, she wasn't sure, and half wished that it hadn't. She caught a brief glance of her best friend, who was chatting with a couple of Aschen. Her husband was with her, and she felt a bitter stab of resentment. Her friend's life seemed so perfect especially when compared to her own. She had a loving husband, her job wasn't obsolete, and while she was still childless, it would surely only be a matter of time before that was rectified. Samantha Carter had everything, while Janet Fraiser had nothing. Cassandra had her own life, off world, and Janet couldn't remember the last time she had seen her daughter.
She turned away from the couple, draining the rest of her drink. This was a mistake; she shouldn't have come. The old ghosts and memories being dredged up were too much for her to handle. She had tried to put this period of her life behind her, and being here was just reopening old wounds.
She placed her empty glass on the bar, and looked towards the exit.
Her eyes met those of Doctor Daniel Jackson across the room, and she felt as though she couldn't move.
He wished, futilely, that he had turned this invitation down. At the time, he thought that he couldn't really do that, as it came from the President himself. Jack had; but then again, Jack was many things he wasn't. Yet there were some very important similarities between the two men still.
It nothing else, it gave him a chance to catch up with Teal'c. However Teal'c's proud talk of his family was yet another reminder of what Daniel didn't have. He didn't even have a place to call home. He had an apartment in New York, but it was cold, impersonal and unwelcoming. He threw himself into his work, as he had always done. But it was a poor substitute for life.
He felt his gaze wander as Teal'c started to talk about his newest son. He hardly recognised any of the people present, and wondered what they had done to deserve an invitation to this function. He had never liked politics, and was pretty confident that politics was responsible for most of this guest list.
He wondered how quickly he could escape once the ceremony was over, although he didn't really have much to do. He supposed he'd return to work and lock himself in his office with an artefact or manuscript for the rest of the day.
His roving eye moved towards the bar area, and he contemplated getting another drink. He spotted a familiar figure placing a glass on the bar, and his eyes widened. Surely it wasn't her? It had to be a figment of his imagination.
The woman turned. His eyes locked with Doctor Janet Fraiser's and he froze.
"What'cha doing?" he asked, slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. She sighed and relaxed back into his embrace, while he nuzzled playfully at her neck.
"Just thinking that I need to get back home to Cassie," she replied, looking out over the twinkling lights of Colorado Springs.
Daniel groaned. "I was hoping you'd stay with me tonight," he said. "I don't like waking up alone."
"Me neither," Janet confessed. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I want to tell everyone about us, but it doesn't seem to be the right time."
"I know what you mean," Daniel said, leaning down to kiss her sweetly. "It just seems that there's everything else to consider... the treaty with the Aschen, Teal'c leaving, Sam and Joe, the Program going public in a few weeks..." He paused. "Jack."
"He's moving up to the cabin next weekend," Janet informed her lover. "He's packing and sending boxes up all this week, then he'll drive up himself. The house will go on the market the Monday after."
Daniel frowned. "How do you know that?" he asked. "He's said nothing to me about it... not that he's said much to me anyway in the past year."
Janet gave him a little smile. "Blood ties bind," she said. "Obviously as his cousin he felt that I deserved to know. I think he was planning on telling everyone else after he'd done it. Don't say anything about it to him. You won't be able to change his mind - he's stubborn like that."
"Must be a family trait then," Daniel grinned, moving his hands to her hips and lifting her small frame easily. She shrieked and wound her legs around his middle as he carried her back inside to the bedroom.
Teal'c noticed that Daniel was no longer listening to what he was saying, and followed his gaze.
"I was not aware Doctor Fraiser had been invited to the ceremony," he remarked.
"No, neither was I," Daniel replied softly, not taking his eyes off her, fearing that she would vanish if he looked away.
"I shall allow you to go and talk to her," Teal'c said, inclining his head slightly and moving away.
Fifteen feet and eight years melted away and he found himself standing nervously in front of his ex-lover.
"Hi Janet."
"I want you and Cassie to stay here when it all goes public," he announced, as he watched her climb into bed next to him, wearing just one of his shirts.
Janet left the bedside light on and looked at him. "Why?" she asked, her brow furrowed slightly.
"I just think it would be safer," he explained. "People can't just enter the complex, and I'd be much happier having you with me."
"We'd have to tell Cassie about us," she reminded him, propping herself up on one elbow as she lay down facing him. He did the same.
"I know," he said. "I think she should know anyway."
Janet sighed. "She might not take this well," she warned him. "She's been a typical, sulky teen recently. God knows how she'll react when we try and restrict her social life and tell her that we're seeing each other."
"We don't know how much they're declassifying," he said. "For all we know, Kinsey might let it slip that Cass isn't actually from Earth, and I don't want to think about some of the possible reactions to that."
Janet looked at him with wide, fearful eyes. "Do you really think he'd do that?" she asked. "That could destroy her entire life - again."
He pulled her into his arms and held her close. "I think he's capable of it," he said. "She has to be away from your house when it breaks, just in case."
He felt her nod against his chest. "We'll tell her tomorrow when she gets back from Emily's," she said, her voice slightly muffled.
"Okay then," he replied, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, and reaching to turn off the light behind her. "Goodnight."
"Night."
"Daniel," Janet smiled tightly up at him, berating herself for coming. She should have realised that she'd be unable to avoid him. "How have you been?"
"Busy," he replied. "Working, I mean. How about you?"
She shrugged. "Not so much. No one's really interested in the archaic medicine I practise anymore."
Daniel mentally hit himself for bringing up work. Janet had talked to him about how she had started to feel useless when the Aschen had started to share their technology with Earth.
The silence between them was awkward. Daniel was studying her intently, longing to take her hair down and run his fingers through it as it cascaded across her shoulders...
"So, how's Cassie?" he asked, trying to restart the conversation and stop his mind from wandering further.
Another shrug. "Okay, I suppose. She lives off world, and doesn't really keep in contact much. How's Teal'c doing? I saw you speaking with him earlier."
"Oh, he's good," Daniel said, not really wanting to talk about Teal'c and his seemingly perfect life. "Proud father to three boys and two girls now. The youngest was born about six months ago."
"That's nice," she said, trying to look anywhere but in his eyes. Morbid curiosity made her ask the next question. "Have you got a family life at all?"
His face looked pained. "No," he replied quietly. "There's been nobody since you."
Her voice was barely above a whisper as she confessed "Same here."
"Stay tuned for a broadcast from the President of the United States of America." The perky blonde newsreader disappeared from the screen, and Daniel reached for the remote control and turned the television off.
"Have you no interested in the top secret military facility under Cheyenne Mountain, which holds a large stone ring?" Janet asked teasingly, looking up at him.
Daniel looking at the grinning woman in his arms, and smiled lovingly at her. "The only thing I'm interested in is the beautiful woman next to me," he said, leaning down for a kiss.
"Oh yuck!" Cassie exclaimed, coming from the kitchen carrying a plate of toast. "When I said I was okay with you two seeing each other, I never said I was okay with seeing it!"
"Sorry Cass, but you better get used to it, or learn to do everything with your eyes closed," Daniel replied, leaning down for another kiss. Cassie rolled her eyes and headed into Daniel's spare bedroom, closing the door behind her.
"You hungry?" he asked Janet, as they broke for air. She shook her head.
"Not really," she said. "Why, are you?"
"Only for you," he replied, leering at her.
"Remember we have a teenager in the next room," she said, laughing slightly and trying to ignore his hand creeping under her top. "But if you're a good boy, maybe later when she's asleep and if we're quiet." She grinned impishly up at him. "That means no screaming my name!""Yes, Doctor," he said, kissing her again. "Have I told you how much I love you?"
"I love you too."
Janet was able to grab another glass of champagne to try and steady her nerves. Perhaps drinking wasn't the best idea in the company of her ex-lover, but she didn't care.
"You're looking good," Daniel said, trying again to break the deadly silence. They had been friends before they had been lovers, and he hated the chill that existed between them.
"Thanks. I do what I can. You look good too," she replied, blushing slightly at the compliment. "Have you been out in the sun recently, or is this just because you don't work under a mountain anymore?"
Daniel laughed. "I spent some time in Egypt a couple of months ago," he explained. "I was asked to supervise some graduate students while their original supervisor went home on paternity leave."
"You're a lecturer?" she asked.
"Washington," she replied.
"Not too far away then," he replied, smiling at her. Although geographically they were close, he didn't even want to consider how far away from each other mentally and emotionally they now were.
"No."
Another silence fell, and Daniel watched her sip her drink and furtively look around for an exit of sorts.
He sighed deeply. "What happened to us?" he asked in a low voice.
Janet's eyes flickered to the floor, then back up to face him. "I don't know," she replied honestly.