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THE HOMECOMING By: Brian'na Pairing: Sam/Daniel Category: Romance, Missing Scene Setting: Takes place during Fallen/Homecoming Summary: Exploring the reasons behind the "Fallen" scene where Daniel asks Sam if there was ever anything between them. "Samantha Carter?" Sam stopped in her tracks. He'd formed the words almost as if he was remembering them. She turned to face Daniel again. She was aching to welcome her best friend back after too many months of separation. But the Daniel before her had no memory of who he was - just told her, in fact, that he didn't know if he wanted to remember. She could only hope her words had help him understand what an extraordinary person he had been - was, she corrected herself. Who else but Daniel, after losing all remembrance of his past, would fight the chance to learn about himself -- because he might not have been the kind of person he wanted to remember? And who else but Daniel, Sam mused to herself, was the last person who should be worrying about that? "Yeah?" Sam responded to Daniel's query. Daniel stood up and strode towards her silently. "Samantha Carter." He repeated. Only this time, his speech was soft, breath-y, and natural. Was he recalling something? Sam held her breath in anticipation. But what happened next wasn't anything she could have anticipated. Daniel's hands cradled her face, and his lips were upon hers. Sam was so startled she barely caught her P-90 before it slid to the ground. Eventually she remembered to pull away. After doing so, she stared at him pointedly. "Ah, Daniel...?" was all she could manage. His expression was genuinely confused then. "Was there not something between us?" he asked slowly. "I remember feeling..." he trailed off, awaiting her reply. Sam faltered, but almost imperceptibly. "No...not in that way." Pausing, Sam realized she'd never had to put their relationship into words before. "We were just...really, really good friends." "Oh-h." She could see Daniel processing the information. Looking sheepish, he resembled the Daniel she'd always known. "This must be...really confusing for you." Sam proffered sympathetically. "Yes," he replied simply. He furrowed his brows in yet another familiar Daniel expression. "CARTER!" The Colonel's voice blared from somewhere outside the tent. "Uh, I've got to..." Sam gestured outside. Unsure how to say good-bye to a best friend who couldn't remember who he was, she gave a tight smile and left. She paused a moment outside the tent and licked her lips thoughtfully. Then she shook her head hastily and strode in the direction of O'Neill's voice. ----- "Sam?" Daniel said, poking his head in the doorway of his lab. "Hmmm?" Sam replied absentmindedly, her eyes focused on the calculations before her. Daniel hesitated. Perhaps he should come back later. No, he corrected himself, it should be now. Having regained his memories days ago, he'd put this meeting off too long already. Just apologize and move on. "Can I come in?" he asked finally. "Yeah, of course." This time, Sam tossed aside her figures. Daniel never asked for permission to come in unless there was something troubling him. Daniel shuffled towards her desk. "I've been, ah, meaning to apologize..." he began. Sam pursed her lips in confusion. "Apologize? For what?" Daniel ruffled his hair with one hand. "For the, ah -- In the tent, the other day..." Coward, he chastened himself. Five little words: 'sorry I kissed you Sam.' But he didn't say them. Much to Daniel's relief, Sam understood him anyway. "Don't worry about it," Sam said, waving a hand dismissively. She hoped Daniel didn't notice the sudden tinge of crimson on to her cheeks. Sam didn't mention how often she'd tried not to think about that moment. Didn't mention how many nights that her mind, in those last restless moments before sleep, had wandered to the memory of his lips caressing hers. "You were just confused." she told him. Sam realized she spoke as much for her benefit as his. "Yeah." Daniel agreed quickly, staring at the floor. Liar, liar, liar.... Daniel shut his eyes tightly and re-opened them, raising his head to look at Sam. "No....no, that's not entirely true," he sighed. When could he ever hide anything from her? Daniel paused, more to gather his thoughts than his breath. Sam was silent, unsure of what to expect. "Before you came into that tent to talk to me, Sam, I didn't remember anything about myself. Not who I was, where I came from, what I believed in...nothing. I didn't even know if I wanted to remember." Daniel shook his head wryly. "But with you there, I could recall something - not a memory, but an emotion. And in that one recollection, I started to remember who I was, what I believed in, what was important to me .... I remembered loving you, Sam." "It wasn't until later that I remembered everything. And that I'd never told you how I felt." Sam gazed at him wordlessly. It both surprised and disconcerted Daniel to realize he couldn't read her emotions. He thought he knew her so well. "Anyway, I only meant to tell you I was sorry for....for acting on it." Daniel spoke hurriedly. "Obviously, I never would have.... under normal circumstances." "Daniel." Sam spoke up before Daniel could berate himself any more. He glanced at her sheepishly. "Daniel, all these years I've known you... You've always been my best friend." Daniel started to speak but she shook her head, imploring him to let her finish. "But ever since that...kiss -- Daniel, I don't know how to go back to seeing you as just a friend." She paused for a heartbeat. "And I'm not sure if I want to go back." His eyes were fixed on hers now. "Maybe we should find out." He responded, his voice barely above a whisper. This time, Sam knew what was coming. Her breath quickened in anticipation, and her pulse raced from his touch. He leaned forward and kissed her once, softly. When she didn't pull away, he kissed her again, passionately and more insistent. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him, returning the kiss fervently. When they broke for air, she opened her eyes into his brilliant blue gaze. He saw the sparkle in her eyes, and knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life keeping it there. She smiled at him broadly, then drew him into a hug. "Welcome home, Daniel." THE END 
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