Title: Rumours - Part 4
Authors: Bryn and Nike
Rating: G
Status: WiP (4/?)
Season: 7
Spoilers: Minor for Death Kell
Disclaimer: "All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author."
Author's Notes: Roll up, roll up�it�s the one, the only, the maybe-slightly-overdue-but-better-late-than-never-right? fourth part of Ruuuuuumours!
*looks around*
Well, I�m excited.
Feedback: Yes.
***
Daniel sat with his face buried in his hands, shaking his head. The woman next to him tentatively draped one arm over his shoulders, patting his back comfortingly.
�I don�t know *what* I thought I was doing!�
�I don�t know what you thought you were doing either,� Janet said with some amusement. �I mean�I know we said we were going to work our way into the group, but not the whole group at once!�
Daniel nodded beneath his fingers. �God, it was�frightening, to be honest.� He looked up into Janet�s sympathetic eyes. �I shouldn�t have told them I had rumours about SG-1��
Janet tilted her head sympathetically. �Tell me what happened.�
They were sitting in Janet�s office, Daniel having fled there as soon as he could get away from� Them. For the past half hour he�d been sitting in the commissary surrounded by the majority of the women on base, furtively hoping that Janet would, at any moment, come down for lunch and save him. Just his luck she�d been stuck in the infirmary bandaging up SG-13 after their recent experiment with the naquadah reactor.
�After I got everyone another cup of coffee, which by the way, was definitely not a good idea, they started off nice enough, just making small talk and asking how my research was going�� Daniel closed his eyes, willing the memories to go away�
***
�Is it true relations with the Tok�ra are falling apart?� Captain Moser asked, changing the subject slightly to recent events.
Daniel opened his mouth to answer when he could have sworn he heard Major Halcyon growl. He tried to discreetly edge further away from her and then turned back to the captain to answer. �Uh, yeah� apparently they haven�t been as forthcoming with us as they�ve lead us to believe lately.�
�Yeah, that�s a big surprise,� Kat said, bitterly.
�Don�t mind Kat,� Bryn commented. �She doesn�t really like the Tok�ra.�
�Um� ok��
�Has Major Carter recovered?� Isabelle asked, quite innocently, referring to the recent attack on the alpha site.
�She�s getting there,� Daniel said, frowning a bit.
�And how are *you* doing?� Lucy asked, smiling sweetly and compassionately putting a hand on Daniel�s arm.
�I, uh, wasn�t really in the fight, nurse,� Daniel answered.
�Lucy,� she corrected. �And I know you weren�t, but it still must have been a terrible ordeal for you.�
Daniel looked frantically towards the door, wondering why in the world no one was coming into the commissary. Did no one eat lunch around here? Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Becca hitting Lucy in the arm and giving her a meaningful look. Lucy glowered back at her and obviously there was some kind of unspoken communication there that went right over his head, as they exchanged looks for a few moments before Lucy pouted slightly and leaned back in her chair, away from him. Daniel sighed in relief� but it didn�t last long.
�They�re not going to set up another alpha site, are they?� Nike suddenly asked a bit nervously. �A site that could need new �gate technicians� and get attacked again.�
�Umm�I really don�t know.� For some reason, he noted, Bryn was making frantic waving signals at Isabelle, jerking her head towards him and pointing at her arm. Ashe raised her eyebrows desperately, clearly not understanding.
�Not that, you know, any of us wouldn�t want to go or anything�� A few of them made assenting murmurs, although they all wore similar worried expressions. Bryn was now making sweeping circular motions with her arm, as if she was trying to hug the air. Isabelle�s eyes widened in comprehension.
�Oh�Oh! Um, I mean�How�s Colonel O�Neill? I understand he was the one who�who�� she floundered (Bryn mouthed something) �Re�uh, Res�Rescued! Um, rescued Major Carter?� Isabelle finished, attempting to the end to give the question a casual air. Bryn gave Isabelle a �discreet�, pleased nod.
�Yes!� Daniel was on firmer ground here. �Yes, he did.� They were watching him, waiting for something. For a few minutes he was baffled, then he remembered the whole reason he was here. �He was�very glad to find her ok. *Very* glad. Teal�c said.� It was always a good idea to shift the blame onto someone else in these circumstances.
They were still waiting.
�He�um�� Gritting his teeth, Daniel realised he was going to have to take the plunge. If Jack ever found out about this, he was going to *kill* him. The things he did for his friends. And his doctor. He had some satisfaction in the knowledge that she was going to have her work cut out repairing him after O�Neill had finished taking him apart. �He gave her a hug, I believe. Teal�c said.�
He was rewarded by triumphant expressions all round. �*Rea*lly?� Lena grinned.
�That�s nice,� Lucy added dreamily. �I like hugs. Don�t you?� She aimed a mega-watt smile at him, tilting her head coquettishly. Daniel swallowed. Beside him, he was aware of Tyler putting her head in her hands and groaning softly.
�I�� Oh dear god, what had he gotten himself into.
�They have a very good working relationship, don�t they?� Bryn asked, pointedly.
�Who?� Daniel asked offhandedly. He kept catching movements out of the corner of his eye, but every time he�d turn to look, all he would find was one of the women sitting there blinking at him innocently.
�Colonel O�Neill and Major Carter,� Allison replied. �They have a rapport, you know. One of those relationships that just clicks, right from the beginning. That�s necessary in our line of work.�
�Yeah, I guess��
�Kind of like the relationship you have with Dr. Fraiser,� Kat added. �Comes from spending so much time together, I suppose?�
�Uh�I�what?� Daniel turned, briefly distracted. He was sure he had just seen Nike whispering something excitedly into Bryn�s ear. The other woman seemed to be writing frantically on a notepad under the table.
�Dr. Fraiser?� Kat repeated, patiently. She smiled at him, and he suddenly felt very, very small.
�Oh. Dr. Fraiser�yes. What?�
�She�s nice.� Lucy prompted.
�Yes�yes, she is.� Bryn had just turned over a page, he was sure.
Kat threw an exasperated glance at Becca, who rolled her eyes. Allison and Isabelle were gesturing frantically at Bryn. At least they were, he thought, right up until the point where he turned to look at them. Now, they were drinking coffee like long-time connoisseurs.
�You and she have been�working together quite a bit lately?� Bryn asked sweetly.
Damn! Daniel cursed. They were on to them! His ploy couldn�t have been subtle enough; the group must know he and the doctor were scouting for information. They were obviously attempting to divert his attention from the rumours, make sure he left empty-handed. Why else would they have mentioned Janet? Wildly, he searched for a way out of his current predicament. He gave a high, nervous giggle.
�Me and Janet? I mean Dr. Fraiser? I mean, no! We haven�t been spending time together. Not any more than usual. Not that we, really, usually spend time together. I mean, not that I don�t enjoy spending time with�her�� Help. He grimaced, then attempted to start again. �Um, yes, like Allison said, a good working relationship is essential in our line of work.�
�Is that all you think Colonel O�Neill and Major Carter have then?� Becca asked innocent as she sipped her coffee.
Daniel�s eyebrow quirked up involuntarily. Now that was more along the lines of what he was looking for. �All they have? What else would they have?� he enquired, trying to sound conversational and not as desperate as he was.
Becca just shrugged her shoulders daintily and smiled sweetly at him.
�Some people say it�s not possible for two people to work *that* closely together and not develop deeper feelings for each other,� Bryn explained. �Especially when there�s an attraction there to begin with.� She looked him straight in the eye with the best poker face he�d ever seen. �What do you think about that?�
�I� I, uh, don�t really know. I haven�t really ever thought about that, I don�t think.� He really needed to get in control of this situation. *He* was supposed to be asking *them* questions, not the other way around. Theoretically. �Is� is that what you think�s going on between Sam and Jack?�
�There�s something going on between Sam and Jack?� Nike countered.
�No, no that�s not what I said,� Daniel back-pedalled. Where were the Goa�uld invasions when he needed one?
�Oh, I just thought that�s what you thought we thought, but I guess I thought wrong�� Nike replied, pulling a pathetic face and looking sadly down at her lunch.
Daniel�s eyes grew large in confusion and flickered back and forth between Nike and Bryn suspiciously. �I think I better go now�It�s been really nice to see you all�um, Nike, Bryn, Kat�everyone.� He rose as he spoke, beginning to back cautiously towards the door, keeping his eyes on the surprised groups at the table. �I�m really sorry�I forgot I had to�to��
�Meeting someone?� Becca supplied.
�Yes�I have to meet someone��
�Dr. Fraiser?� Allison called as he hit the doors, nodding frantically.
�Sure��
�Say hi to Janet for us!� Kat�s voice floated from the table as he turned tail and retreated, running for the elevator. As he rounded the corner, the last thing he heard was Lucy�s sigh,
�Bye bye.�
***
�And then I came straight here,� Daniel concluded with a shudder. Janet patted him distractedly on the back, making generally consoling noises while she thought. �I�m sure they knew. Or they�re at least suspicious.�
�Something�s not quite right here,� she finally announced. Daniel paused in his nightmarish recollections to stare incredulously at her. He even very, *very* nearly said �Ya think?�, but settled for a dumbfounded look.
�We have to step this operation up a level,� Janet declared with a wicked smile. �It�s time we got serious.�
Daniel shook his head. �You�you can be quite frightening sometimes, you know.�
Janet grinned and, one arm still wrapped around his shoulders, hugged him playfully. �I do,� she replied. �I really do.�
***
�I really do.�
Outside in the corridor, the passing SF paused as he walked by the open entrance to the infirmary, his attention caught by the low murmur of familiar voices. Peeking tentatively around the doorframe, he gaped at the sight of Dr. Fraiser and Dr. Jackson sitting close together on an infirmary bed and, for all intents and purposes, cuddling. Recovering quickly, he tiptoed past, dashing for the nearest phone when he was sure they wouldn�t be able to hear his rapid footsteps. Yanking the handset of the wall he punched in the number for an office well known to himself and the colleagues who moved in his circle. Quickly and formally, he began to speak:
�Captain Moser? This is SF W. Williams on Level 21. Ma�am�I have something to report. You won�t believe what I just saw��
TBC
***
Copyright (c) 2004, Bryn and Nike
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