Old Flames Burn Bright

SG1 was one of the last teams to arrive in the gateroom for a special meeting that General Hammond had called. Looking around, they noticed that all the SG teams were there. Before they had time to start speculating as to why the meeting had been called, General Hammond walked in and strode to the platform where everyone could see him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, as you know, Dr. Jackson has been overloaded with work and even though he hasn't complained, we don't want to wear him out. The reason I ordered you here today is so that I may introduce you to the latest member of the SGC. Doctor Morna Malone. Doctor?"  General Hammond held out his hand toward the main blast doors.

In walked a small woman with elf-like features. Her hair was a rich auburn color while her eyes were a startling lavender that seemed to sparkle with the mischief, seeming to be lying just below the surface.  Walking up the ramp to stand beside General Hammond, she only reached to the top of his shoulders.

Smiling out at that the assembled teams, "Hello, I'm Dr. Morna Malone and as I'm sure General Hammond has told you, I'm an archeologist. I'll be doing a lot of lab work but will also be going out into the fields with several of you. Please don't let my appearance fool you. I'm quite able to take care of myself. If you have any questions about me, please feel free to come and see me and I'll try to answer them." She said, her soft southern accent filling the air.

With that, she turned to General Hammond and he led her down the ramp for a more one on one introduction to the teams. As they went from team to team, the smile never left her face. Finally they came to where SG1 was standing and before anyone could say anything ,she said..."Hello Daniel."

Daniel smiled back, "Hello Morna, it's been a long time."

"Yes, Daniel, it has." Morna replied, still smiling.

"Daniel?" Jack said, reminding him of their presence.

"Huh?" Daniel seemed a little preoccupied but quickly remembered where he was. "Oh, sorry. Morna, this is Colonel Jack O'Neill, Major Samantha Carter, and Teal'c.

Morna shook hands with each of the other team members. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

General Hammond looked mildly surprised but stepped in. "Well, Doctor Jackson, since you and Dr. Malone already seem to know each other, how about you show her around the complex and where the lab, her office, and sleeping quarters are located."

"Yeah, Uh, Okay." Daniel said as he started to move toward the main hall, leading Morna away from the questioning eyes of his teammates. He gave them one last look and knew that at least Jack would corner him soon with questions.

"Well, Sir?" Jack asked, turning to look at General Hammond.

"I knew they went to the same college so there was a slight chance that they might have known each other. Other than that, you'll have to ask the doctors." With that, the general turned and went back to his office, leaving a curious SG1 behind him.

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Daniel showed Morna around the base before showing her where she would sleep when staying at the base. He was a little disconcerted to find that her room was across the hall from his. Moving on, he brought her to the lab that they would share with connecting offices.  He couldn't help smiling at her enthusiasm over the equipment.  "Would you like something to drink? I have coffee in my office."  Turning, he walked into his office with Morna following him.

Morna watched him as he got his coffee. She saw a difference in him, but in other ways, he seemed to be the same. "No thanks on the coffee." She informed him as she sat down on the couch in his office. "How are you Daniel?"

Daniel poured himself a cup and joined her. Taking a sip of the scalding liquid, he set the cup down before turning to face her. "I'm fine, Morna.  It's been a long time. You look great. You haven't changed a bit since I last saw you."

Morna laughed before looking Daniel over carefully. "Thanks Daniel, I wish that I could say the same. I've read and kept all your articles and I know how others treated you. But that's not all that's happened, is it."  She stated instead of asked.

Daniel sighed and leaned back against the couch. He found himself wanting to bury his gaze in her lavender eyes. "No," he said, then he proceeded to tell her everything that had happened to him in the past four years, including everything about Shau'ri. He was touched to see tears of genuine grief on her face over his loss. He even cried again himself, but also felt lighter in spirit for doing so. Afterwards they talked so more about what they had each been doing.

"Oh Daniel, I'm so sorry you lost her in that way. You must still miss her deeply."

"I do, but in a different way than what I missed you after we lost touch with each other."

Morna's face flushed slightly when he asked her about her past and quickly asked him more questions about the SGC and his travels.

Daniel noticed that Morna kept turning the conversation back to his trips off world, but just assumed it was due to eagerness and curiosity than anything else.

"Hey, I hate to barge in here and break up old home week, but we gotta go, Daniel." Jack O'Neill popped his head in the door an hour later. We have a mission and we need to go over the mission specs. There's also the last visit to the infirmary for shots."

Daniel looked up and blushed, looking like he had been caught doing something he shouldn't have. "Uh, yeah, right. Morna, I'll talk to you later. Do you remember how to get back to your room from here?"

Morna laughed, "Yes, Daniel, I do. Thanks anyway and I'll see you later too."

Jack had left them alone but was waiting out in the hall with Sam and Teal'c when Daniel walked out of his office. He knew what was coming as soon as he left Morna. "So Daniel, she's an old friend?" Jack began his quizzing. "Just how long have you known her?"

Daniel could feel three pairs of eyes drilling into him. Shrugging his shoulders, he tried to explain about him and Morna. "We...She...I..."  Stopping he whirled to face Jack. "We went to college together." Even as he said it, he could feel himself blush. He glanced at Teal'c and Sam before facing Jack. "What do you want from me? Do you want me to say we were lovers? Well we were, but she was more than that. She was my best friend, the person I could always talk to and no matter how outrageous my theories were, she never laughed." Even more embarrassed by his outburst, Daniel turned and walked quickly away from the others into the prep room.

When the others came in he didn't look up but kept on going over his equipment and supplies. Finished, he headed for the door and the infirmary for his shots. Pausing in the doorway, he turned his head to look out of the corner of his eye. "I'm sorry guys. It's just that...until I met Shau'ri, I didn't think I'd ever love anyone again like I did Morna." With that he left.

Jack continued getting prepared until finally he looked at the other two team members. "What?!" When they didn't say anything, he finished getting ready. Giving his pack one last slap, "Oh, all right. I'll go talk to him." Jack ran into Daniel coming out of the infirmary. "Daniel, listen, I didn't really mean..."

Daniel sighed, "Yes, Jack, you did. You don't like surprises and your way of dealing with them is usually very blunt." When Jack started to say something, Daniel held up his hand. "It's ok, Jack. I just don't want to talk about it right now. Maybe another time."

Jack was feeling and not sure just what to do. Finally he nodded, "Well...we've got an early morning so what do you say we hit the sack?" Clapping Daniel on the back, he turned and walked to the infirmary. "See ya in the morning, Daniel." He tossed over his shoulder with a slight smile.

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The next day, SG1 went on their mission and Morna was there to experience her first glimpse of the active stargate. She was in awe, but after it was shut down, she settled right in and got to work. SG1 returned two days later with not much to report. Walking down to the infirmary for the routine after mission check up, Daniel was a little surprised that Morna hadn't been there to greet them. He shook himself quickly, why would she be, besides, she was probably down in the labs working. That's when they heard it, the music coming through the lab doors. Daniel couldn't keep from grinning when they all glanced inside the door and found Morna dancing and singing around the lab as she worked.

Jack looked over at Daniel and couldn't help the smile he felt. "Does she always work like that?"

Daniel shook his head, "Always. It used to annoy me so much until I learned to ignore it." Still smiling, he turned from the door and continued on to the infirmary. The others could have sworn that they heard him chuckling.

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A couple of days later, it was Daniel's turn to watch as Morna went on her first foray through the stargate. Everyone watching felt that like so many others, she would pause at the mouth of the gate and then have to be pushed into it by the rest of the team. Sure enough, she walked up to the gate, looked over the flowing event horizon and touched the surface. However, unlike others, she broke into a smile. "This is so cool!" She said right before she walked right into the surface ahead of the rest of her teammates.

Daniel shook his head as the gate closed and smiled again, "Did I forget to mention that she's quite fearless? There isn't much that she won't do."

Walking out of the gateroom, he didn't notice the looks that most people were sending his way.

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Three days later, Daniel was waiting in the gateroom with General Hammond when SG7 arrived back with Morna in tow. At first he didn't see her and began to get nervous. She was the last to arrive and seemed reluctant to be even back. He knew that she must have found something. As soon as she saw him, she rushed over and excitedly began telling him of the find.

General Hammond stood there patiently waiting, when she still didn't acknowledge him, he finally cleared his throat. "Oh! General Hammond I'm so sorry. I just got so excited about the artifacts that I found and there's so much more there!"

General Hammond couldn't help smiling at this woman who seemed to be a ball of energy. "Dr. Malone, that is very well and good, but I want to be briefed in one hour and SG7, which for this mission includes you, needs to get down to the infirmary for their check up before said briefing."

"Oh, of course. Sorry." Morna turned and with the rest of the team headed toward the infirmary, Daniel in tow as he began questioning her about her finds.

After the check up, Morna was dropping off her bag of artifacts at the lab before going to the briefing. "Where are Jack, Sam, and Teal'c? I haven't seen them around and where ever you are, they're usually around too."  Morna grinned at him.

Daniel couldn't help but smile back. "Well, let's see...Sam took Teal'c with her to spend the weekend with Janet and Cassandra. Jack took off in his plane for who knows where. Soooo, since I'm all alone this weekend, how about keeping me company with dinner and a movie tonight? Then we can spend all day tomorrow with your artifacts."

Morna looked Daniel over carefully as they reached the outside of the briefing room. Looking into the room, she saw that she only had a couple of seconds. "Alright, you have a deal." She said before walking into the room, leaving a smiling Daniel behind her.

Four hours later, Daniel and Morna left the SGC and headed to town.  After an enjoyable dinner and a good movie, Daniel drove Morna back to her apartment. Walking her to her door, he waited as she unlocked it. Morna turned to Daniel and felt her heart leap into her throat. "Would you like to come in?"

Daniel stood staring at her for a second before he realized what she had said. "No, I'd..." Stepping closer to her, Daniel wrapped his hands through her hair and pulled her close as he bent his head down to hers. "I'd rather do this."

Morna sighed inwardly and leaned more fully into the kiss, wrapping her arms around Daniel. For several minutes they stood there kissing, reveling in the taste of each other. Finally, Morna broke it off and without saying a word, took Daniel's hand and led him inside.

Once inside, Morna continued to lead him to the bedroom where she sat him on the bed. There by the light of the moon shining through the blinds, she undressed. Daniel watched her, his heart pounding as if this was his first time. This was Morna. When the last shred of clothing dropped to the floor, she just stood there in the moonlight, her skin taking on the white glow. Daniel continued to look at her, "This past week has been one of the hardest of my life. There have been so many times that I wanted to kiss you, to hold you, to take you some place and make love to you but I didn't because I thought you just wanted to be friends."

Morna's smile seemed to light the whole room as she listened to Daniel.  Walking toward him, she went to her knees upon reaching him. She found that she was almost face to face with him. "It's been hard for me too,

knowing about Shau'ri and all that's happened to you. I wanted to give you time. Time to mourn, time for us to get to know each other once more."

Daniel smiled back at her as he pulled Morna into his arms. "I guess we were both trying to give each other time when we didn't really need to."

Morna drew Daniel's lips toward hers and just before she claimed them, whispered, "I guess not."

The kiss was long and passionate, filled with the emotions they had held in check for so long. When the kiss finally ended, Morna reached down and unbuckled Daniel's belt and pants as Daniel removed his shirt. Standing, he quickly removed the rest of his clothes. Sitting back on the bed he reached for Morna. Morna pushed his hands down and began kissing her way down his neck.

Then she moved on to his chest, laving each nipple lovingly into a tight bud before moving farther down to dipping her tongue into his navel while her breasts caressed his growing erection. Daniel leaned back on his arms, closed his eyes and wallowed in the feelings that he was experiencing at Morna's ministrations. When she moved downward and paused at his erection, he moaned wanting to thrust upward but held himself in check. When her tongue flicked his tip, he jerked and moaned again.

Morna smiled and looked up under her lashes to see Daniel's reaction and softly blew on the moist tip, causing it to once again jerk with the need for attention. When she moved away Daniel moaned and gripped the bed.

Daniel continued to watch her as she walked by and turned on some music.  He could smell her need. As she came back toward him, his hand snaked out and grabbed her, pulling her onto his lap. Morna gasped at the sudden move but quickly sought his mouth in a hungry kiss. Without thinking or breaking the kiss, Morna moved so that she was now straddling Daniel and quickly impaled herself on his waiting member.

Daniel and Morna cried out at the sudden but sought after move and with a couple of strokes, both shook as they climaxed.

Daniel wrapped his arms around Morna, burying his hands in her upswept hair and kissed her hard. Releasing her hair, he held her tight against him and stood, still buried deep within her. Turning around, he climbed onto the bed and laid them both down as he continued kissing her senseless.

Daniel raised up on his hands and looked down at Morna, following the lines of her body, he looked at where they were joined and couldn't help the pulse that went through him and into her.

Morna's back arched and she tightened her walls around his hard length as she moaned. Daniel pulsed back and bent down to suck one of her nipples into his mouth as he teased the tight bud with his tongue. Morna reached up and grabbed Daniel's head, holding him to her as she wrapped her legs around him.

Daniel switched breasts and began small short thrusts that teased as he pulsed inside her. Morna released the hold that she had on his head and gripped the bedding on either side of her as she moved her hips, trying to get him to lengthen his thrusts. Daniel broke off his attention of her breasts and smiled into her face. "Are you still sensitive here around your ears and neck?" Daniel asked as he began nibbling his way around, causing her to squirm as he felt her become slicker with each nibble.

"Daniel!" Morna cried frustratedly as he pushed himself up with his arms and entwined his fingers with hers.

"What?" He asked, giving her one large, hard thrust that made her cry out with pleasure before he got to his knees and sat back on his heels, bringing her with him. Squirming his legs out from under himself, he got them situated so that they were now sitting facing each other still joined together.

Morna smiled as he continued tasting her neck while he caressed her shoulders and back. Returning the favor, she explored his body while she squeezed her inner walls in time to his pulses. This continued for a couple of minutes but with the constant teasing, they were both feeling the need for more. "Turn around." Daniel told her.

Morna quickly pulled away from Daniel and got to her hands and knees.  Looking over her shoulder at him, she smiled and wiggled her ass at him.  Daniel scrambled up behind her and with a laugh, slapped one of her bare cheeks before pushing back inside her with a groan of pleasure. From this angle, Daniel was able to push so deep within her that at times it felt as if he was touching her womb. With each shove, Morna was moved closer to the headboard. Grabbing it, she held on, changing her position by simply raising her body up slightly.

Daniel reached around and pulled her tight against him with his hands on her breasts as he nuzzled her neck and ears, knowing that these were two of her most sensitive areas. Morna moved against him, matching his rhythm, pulse for pulse, thrust for thrust. Morna could feel her climax building and when Daniel removed one hand from her breast and tweaked the jewel between her legs, the power of it brought a scream from her lips. Daniel continued pumping as her climax swept over her and with one or two more thrusts, joined her with a shout of his own.

Morna slowly slid the two of them down till they were flat on the bed.  When they were both able to get their breathing under contol once more, Daniel slid out of Morna and rolled onto his side beside her.

Daniel leaned toward Morna and nuzzled her cheek before he kissed it.  "I have so missed you."

"I have missed you too," Morna whisper, cuddling up to him.

Tired and contented, Daniel wrapped Morna in his arms and together they quickly fell asleep.

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Three Days Later

Morna watched as the last crate was removed from the lab and sighed.  She and Daniel had been finally managed to get it all catalogued, but that was all they were able to do. Hammond ordered that the artifacts be shipped to Area 52 as soon as they were ready. She had been able to at least get some photos of the bigger pieces. Spreading them out on the table, she stared at them when suddenly two of the pictures clicked in her head. Grabbing them, she held them up and studied them carefully.

Daniel was just walking into the lab when he was almost run over by Morna rushing out the door. "Oh my gosh! Daniel, I think I've figured them out, we've got to stop that truck!" She hollered as she ran down the hall on her way to Hammond's office.

Daniel ran after her and caught up with her at the elevators only to have her dash for the nearest stairwell in her impatience. Daniel continued to follow.

Morna barely stopped outside General Hammond's office with a quick knock and opened the door a little out of breath. "General, we have to stop that truck." She said, leaning on the back of a chair.

General Hammond sat back none too pleased at the interruption.  "Dr. Malone, I have already explained that they are expecting those artifacts this afternoon at Area 52. They have been here long enough."

"Yes sir, I know that but you see General, I've just figured out what they are." Morna replied excitedly. Daniel came to a stop in the doorway and paused, half bent with trying to catch his breath.

"Do you know what she's talking about Dr. Jackson?" Hammond asked, looking at Daniel in the doorway.

Daniel straightened, "No sir, I don't."

General Hammond looked back at Morna as he sat back and laced his fingers. "Well, Doctor, what did you find out?"

Morna walked around the chair and stood in front of the desk, laying the two pictures that she still had in her hands on the desk. "General, they're another coverstone. Unlike ours, whoever uncovered the gate wasn't as careful with it. It broke and they never bothered to try to put it back together. It's a giant puzzle and I can put it together." With that she pushed the two photos together creating one larger piece that showed gate symbols.

General Hammond looked at the photos then back up at the two doctors.  Daniel having come into the office and looked at the photos, looked as eager as Morna. He also started thinking of how long it would take Area 52 to get back with the information that was on the stones. "All right.  I can stall them for another 24 hours. If you haven't got enough of it solved by that time, they'll have to go."

Morna broke into a huge grin. "Thanks General, I appreciate that."

General Hammond reached for the phone to call the truck back. Morna and Daniel rushed out of the office and back down toward the loading bays.  Once the boxes were unloaded and placed in an empty room, Morna and Daniel began uncrating the many pieces.

Sam walked by and paused in the doorway. "I thought you guys were supposed to be crating those up, not uncrating them."

"Uh, yeah. Hi Sam. Actually, Morna figured out that this was another cover stone." Daniel explained, never stopping his unpacking.

"It's like a giant jigsaw puzzle." Morna grinned up at Sam as she too continued. "General Hammond gave us 24 hours in which to figure it out before he sends it off to Area 52."

"Really? Well, I always did like a good puzzle." Sam said with a smile as she grabbed a crowbar and opened another crate.

Before long the three of them had all the crates empty, their contents spread all over the floor in a total disarray of stones in various sizes.  "Now what?" Daniel asked.

"Now we just start looking for the pieces that go together." Morna said as she pushed several stones away from the center of the room, creating a space to work in. Quickly, she found the two pieces that had started it all. Finding them, she verified their numbers and put them together in a near perfect fit. Glancing around she spotted a piece that looked like it might fit and tried it. With a crow of glee, it fit into place. Daniel and Sam started on opposite sides of Morna and began searches of their own.

Half an hour later, they had managed to fit ten more pieces together when Teal'c found them. "Daniel Jackson, what are you doing?"

Daniel stood to stretch aching muscles. "Oh, Hi Teal'c. We're putting these stones together."

Teal'c looked at the mess on the floor and cocked an eyebrow. "I see."  Walking into the room, he stopped as he looked down at the few connected pieces. Recognizing the symbols that matched those on the gate, he looked around at the many pieces still to be worked.  Walking over to a far stack, he picked up a piece and going back to the others placed it on the ground. "I believe that this piece goes here."  With that, Teal'c joined the group.

Two hours and several pieces later, that was how Jack found them. All four of them scuttling along on the floor on their hands and knees, shuffling through the stones. For a couple of minutes, Jack stood leaning in the door way watching them.

Morna got to her knees and stretched. That was when she saw him. "Hi Jack."

Jack smiled back, "Hi. Can I ask just what you all are doing?"

"Sure!" Morna grinned. "We're putting together a puzzle."

Jack sighed and walked into the room to look over what they had done.  "I can see that, but why?"

Morna was already back to looking over the pieces, but answered anyway.  "Because this is a coverstone, much like the one found here on Earth, only the symbols here aren't in the same sequence as the ones on Earth's.  That's why."

Jack stood with his hands in his pockets as he watched them. "Oh. Okay."   Without another word, he joined them.

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Dr. Janet Fraiser was on her way home. Walking toward the elevators, she heard voices as she passed one of the corridors. Recognizing the voices, she turned toward them. Coming upon the room, she paused, surprised before she started laughing. "What are you all doing?"

Jack looked up from where he was fitting a piece into place. "What does it looking like we're doing? We're putting together a puzzle."

Janet shook her head. Everyone looked disheveled and dirty. "How long have you all been here doing this?"

Morna and Daniel looked up and glanced at the clock on the wall. "About Ten hours." Morna replied as Daniel went to join Jack with another piece.

"Ten hours! Have any of you stopped at all to eat? No. I can tell by all of your faces, you haven't." Janet scolded. She knew that if she left, they would just go on and forget to eat. Reaching for the phone on the wall, she called down to the cafeteria. Ordering a large amount of food and liquids, she waited for it to be delievered. When it arrived, she saw that its placement on top of one of the crates and informed the airman that he was to return in a couple of hours to collect the dishes and refill the pitchers every two hours. Turning back to the people in the room, she was pleased to find them already digging into the food. Nodding her head, she called goodnight as she walked out the door.

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Morna stood up and stretched her aching muscles. She was unbelievably tired. Looking around the room, she was surprised to see that she was the only one still awake. Sam was stretched out on top of one of the crates. Jack was propped up by the wall and a crate while Teal'c was in a corner of the room deep in Kel'no'rem. Looking behind her, she found Daniel on top of another crate, dead to the world.

Stretching once more, she looked down at what they had accomplished.  That was when she realized that there was still one key piece missing.  Looking around the room, she couldn't find it anywhere. With a sigh, she felt that it was either still in one of the crates or on planet. She knew that the others were as tired as she was and refused to wake them. Even if it was off planet, they couldn't go get it for at least twenty-four hours.

Looking around, Morna finally decided that she didn't care who saw her and climbed upon the crate with Daniel. Spooning her body into his she sighed when he instinctively wrapped his arm around her, bringing her tight against his body. Within seconds she was asleep.

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General Hammond got off the elevator. The twenty-four hours he had given Morna were almost up and he hadn't yet heard anything. Walking down the corridor, he noticed something laying in the hall. Bending down he picked up a piece of stone. Walking into the room, he started to say something when the sight before him stopped him. Shaking his head, he chuckled at all the sleeping, dirty bodies laying around the room. He couldn't believe that Morna had gotten all of SG1 to help her in her endeavor. He should have known better. Morna seemed to have a way of getting people to help her without trying to.

Walking over to the artifact on the ground, he noticed that it was complete except for one major piece. The piece he had in his hand. Walking around to where he could reach the hole, he placed the last piece in. Standing back up, he dusted off his hands as he nodded his satisfaction. Looking around the room one more time he noticed that Daniel and Morna appeard to be pretty cozy and wondered if that was going to cause problems in the future.  He hoped not because they all worked well together. Turning back to the door, he left his sleeping personel. He had a phone call to make. The coverstone would not be going to Area 52 today.

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Two Months later:

Ferretti came through the gate last, an unconcscious Morna over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

General Hammond came down from the control room immediately when he'd seen that SG2 had activated the iris 12 hours early and as each member came back through the gate, he noticed that they were all injured with various lacerations, bruises and minor cuts and abrasions. "What is going on down here and why is Dr. Malone unconscious?" He asked before bellowing orders for a medic team to get down to the gate room asap.

"She took an spear in the back as she finished dialing home. The people on P3X-281 weren't as friendly to off planet visitors as we first thought."  Feretti then explained to the general exactly what had happened while the med team got there to move Morna to the medical facilities.

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Daniel had heard the emergency alarms going off the same time everyone else did and heard the announcement that SG2 was back. The minute he heard it was SG2, he knew something was wrong. Running, he got to the blast doors leading to the gate room just as Morna was being wheeled quickly out on her stomach, the remnants of something that looked like an arrow or spear sticking out of her back.

"Morna!" Daniel shouted and tried to follow the gurney until he was pushed out of the way. He was stopped at the preparation room doors. Looking in, he watched them prepare her for surgery and then wheeled her into the operation room. Taking a few steps down the hall, he slid down the wall across from the waiting room, oblivious to the tears on his cheeks. Pushing his glasses on top of his head he covered his eyes with the heels of his hands. So deep were his thoughts that he didn't even hear the footsteps approaching him.

Jack slid down the wall beside Daniel and waited for him to acknowledge his presence.

Daniel raised his head and looked at Jack. "She's got to be okay, Jack.  We've just found each other again and I can't loose her now, not after loosing Shau'ri too. What happened between Morna and I was...important to me." Daniel said, looking at his clutched hands. "I don't know what we've got going right now, but I need the time to find out."

Jack nodded but didn't say anything.

Daniel kept talking, almost as if he didn't know that Jack was there.  "When I went away to college, I was a painfully shy, awkward, geeky sixteen year old boy, who was far from home. We were in several classes together and regardless of how everybody else treated me, she went out of her way to be my friend. She always made sure to include me in a lot of her extra curricular activities as she knew that if she didn't, I'd end up staying in my dorm room."

Jack sat there, never saying a word but listening, really listening to what his friend was telling him. He listened to not only the words but the feelings and emotions that were behind them. He heard the loneliness of the young boy and the awe that young boy felt when an pretty older woman began to pay attention to him. To be his friend when no one else would.

Daniel continued, "Morna is from Appalachian Mountains and even though her family was one of the better off, she couldn't afford to go back and forth on holidays, and since she was on scholarship, she just continued her studies. Since I didn't have any family to go home to, I stayed as well. We studied together, ate together, went out and did things together. In the next couple of years we became inseparable, we were best friends."

Here Daniel paused, got up and rubbed his hands nervously on his pants as he walked over to the waiting room and grabbed the coffee pot only to find it empty. Setting it back down, he turned to face Jack a little uncomfortably, the tears forgotten in his memories. "The summer after our junior year, Morna had to go home. Her father had a stroke and he wasn't expected to recover. She was gone for the whole summer and I found that I really couldn't concentrate on my studies so instead, I got a job working for the archeology department. When she came back, I met her at the airport and she was filled with so much sadness. Her father had died, I knew the pain that she was feeling and I did what little I knew would help.  That night I held her as she cried and continued to hold her through the night."

Walking back to where Jack was sitting, he tried not to blush as he continued his story. "Over the next couple of days, we became once again inseparable but this time, it was more. At night I would sleep over at her place or she would sleep at mine. Then one night as we were studying, she leaned over to kiss me right as I looked up at her. A kiss on the cheek turned into a surprised kiss that turned into another and another. I moved in with her the next day. We remained together through graduation, field study and even our masters. That's when we took separate jobs. We tried to stay in communication but she's as bad as I am when she gets really involved in her work."

Daniel sighed, "I haven't seen her in almost 10 years and yet seeing her today was like those years never happened."

Jack nodded, thinking he understood how Daniel felt but not really sure.  "That's okay Daniel, just take it one day at a time. She'll be okay.  You've already started to re-establish your relationship." Jack was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable and stood to walk around for a while until they heard how Morna was doing.

Daniel watched Jack and took a deep breath. He hadn't planned on telling all of that to Jack, but once he had started, he found that he just couldn't stop. He'd never talked to anyone about his relationship with Morna and he realized that it had felt good to do so. Then he felt a pang of guilt as he suddenly thought of Shau'ri. Shaking his head, he began to make new coffee. He wasn't sure how long he had been talking, but thirty minutes later Janet walked out of the operation room to those waiting.

Janet smiled and both men visibly relaxed. "She's going to be alright.  The spear managed to miss her vital organs. She'll be out of commission for about two months. She's lost a lot of blood though. She's in recovery and will be moved to the infirmary in a couple of hours. Why don't you all go get some sleep. You both look like you could use it."

Daniel started to complain but knew that she was right. A couple of hours sleep wouldn't hurt although he didn't think he would get any sleep. Finally he nodded and went with Jack toward their sleeping quarters. Leaving Jack at his door, he continued on to his. At the door to his room, he paused and looked at the door across the hall from his. He knew that Jack was right. People change in ten years and it would be better if he got to know her again. With his luck, maybe it would be better all around if he left it the way it was. Opening the door, he walked in and with a last look over his shoulder, shut it.

***********************************************

Three hours and very little sleep later, Daniel was once again walking toward the infirmary. Inside, he found that he wasn't alone. There near and by Morna's bedside were all of the members of SG2. Ferretti rose and walked toward Daniel. "She hasn't woken up yet." He said in hushed tones.

"What happened Ferretti?" Daniel asked.

Turning so he could watch her too, Ferretti told him. "She saved all of our lives is what she did. We were about five miles from the gate when Morna came up to me and without drawing attention that anything was up, told me that she had spotted people in the woods around us. We stopped and decided to go back to one of bigger clearings. Once there, we tried to communicate with them, but they wouldn't come any closer.  Then the first rock came sailing out of the woods and hit Parks in the face, cutting him above the eye. As soon as they saw blood, they knew they could hurt us and attacked. We took off for the gate as we were pelted with rocks and sticks. We fired our guns and it gave them a good scare at first so that we were able to walk, but we never saw them good enough to hit any of them. When we were about two miles still from the gate, things got worse and we were forced to run for it. We finally managed to get to the gate and Bailey was dialing us home when he got hit in the head and knocked unconcious. Morna ran out to the DHD and finished the sequence. Just as the gate opened and the transmission sent, she got hit with one of the few spears that had begun to show up."

Daniel nodded. "Thanks Ferretti."

Just then Morna let out a small gasp and her eye lids fluttered. Daniel and Ferretti rushed back to the bed and everyone made room for Daniel who took one of her hands into his as he brushed her hair away from her forehead. When her eyes opened Daniel smiled. "Hey sleepy head."

Morna tried twice to speak before she got anything out. "Hey."

Janet came up to the bed and shooed everyone away. "You can come back after I check her."

Everyone walked out and met General Hammond, Jack, Sam, and Teal'c about to walk in. Daniel smiled, "She just woke up. Janet kicked us out while she looks her over, but then we can go back in."

Everyone nodded and stood around to wait. Fifteen minutes later, Janet let them all in with the expicit direction that no one could stay for longer than a couple of minutes as Morna needed her rest.

By ones and twos everyone went in, Daniel going last. After everyone had talked to Morna and left, Daniel pulled up a chair and sat by her side, watching over her as he had when her father had died. Janet had said that Morna was going to be fine and he believed it. A short time later Janet walked in to check on her and found Daniel holding her hand, his head on the pillow beside Morna's sleep. Checking Morna's vitals, she smiled and left the two sleeping.

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