Sleeping Bag Etiquette

by Sideburns

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/ass/sideburns/sleeping.php
Summary: Late at night on a planet light years from Earth, a member of SG-1 contemplates recent changes

The fire crackled and sputtered as hungry heat met the moisture buried deep within the wood. Sam hunched forward, toward the warmth, arms resting on her thighs. It was her watch, which meant that it was late, dark, and silent; her favorite time of any day when off-world. Kind of her 'happy place'. She grinned at that – the expression so clearly belonging to Daniel.

Speaking of Daniel... she glanced over her shoulder at the two tents standing side-by-side; curiosity tugging her attention to the one on the right. The one that held Daniel -- and the Colonel.

The same tent they always shared when off-world.

From the very beginning, that had been the pairing off: the Colonel and Daniel in one tent, she and Teal'c, the other. She couldn't remember all of the reasons; couldn't even remember if there'd *been* any reasons. It had just kind of ... happened. Oddly enough, during the year of Daniel's ascension, the pairings had altered. She'd found herself paired off with Jonas while Teal'c had become the Colonel's tent partner. But now -- now things were back to what passed for normal with SG-1. Except....

Except that now, the pairing choice had taken on new significance.

Daniel and the Colonel sharing a tent once again.

The Colonel and Daniel.

As in – together.

Sam sincerely doubted that tonight, the two men were sleeping in the manner of old. Now that she knew the truth, she had a hard time seeing them in separate sleeping bags with a pile of packs and supplies serving as a kind of wall between them. No, she rather imagined the complete absence barriers tonight.

Thoughts of how Daniel and the Colonel would sleep tonight just naturally led her back in time. A week ago, to be precise. She gave a humorous shake of her head at the memory of last Saturday's very strange "team barbecue" . Of course, she should have known it would be an odd one, considering that it was the dead of winter. Not that such a small detail -- like two feet of snow on the ground – had seemed to bother their fearless leader. Oh, no, not Colonel Jack O'Neill when it came to barbecuing.

Bundled up against the snowy weather, she and Teal'c had arrived right on time and Jack, ever the thoughtful host, had handed her a Molson Gold (which she'd found delightful in spite of the cold) and a Mountain Dew for Teal'c. He'd then led them into the kitchen where they'd found Daniel already putting a salad together. Jack had naturally taken charge of the steaks so Sam took over the potatoes while Teal'c had offered his skills with garlic bread.

For several minutes they'd worked together – so reminiscent of the team dinners long before Daniel's ascension -- to put dinner on the table. It had been cozy and fun; full of joking, poking and good-natured ribbing. Then Jack – and yes, at one in the morning on a planet light years away from Earth, she could call him by his first name -- had put the steaks on the grill pan. The very *hot* grill pan. The immediate results? Billowing black smoke swirling upward and quickly setting off the smoke alarm.

//"Jack, didn't I tell—"

"Aht-aht," Jack warned. "Don't be an I-told-you-so, Daniel. No one likes an I-told-you-so."

"I do," Teal'c offered as he put down the finished garlic bread in preparation for helping Jack put out the impending fire.

"You would," Jack snapped.

"Sir, if you just turn the heat down under the grill pan...."

"Carter, if I turn it down, the meat won't be seared – and if the meat doesn't sear -- we'll have dry, rubbery steaks." With that, he grabbed the broom from its storage spot between the fridge and the counter and gave the smoke alarm a good whack.

It shut up.

Forever.

If one didn't count the noise the pieces of plastic made as they hit the floor.

Jack, looking smug, glanced at each of them, noted the shocked expressions, and said, "What? You've never killed a smoke alarm before?"

"What if there's a fire tonight?" Daniel asked even as he began picking up pieces of the dead life-saver.

"I have others all over the house, as you well know."

"And if the fire starts here, in the kitchen?"

"Then the refrigerator may perish, but we'll live because the one in the hall will go off before the flames reach us. Happy now?"//

In the darkness of P3Z-883, Sam grinned. It had been very clear that her CO hadn't intended on letting the cat out of the bag in quite that way, let alone at that particular moment, but he *had* planned on telling them that night – hence the invite to a barbecue in the middle of winter.

//"Oh, look, Jack, beans – on the floor," Daniel said sarcastically.

Teal'c naturally looked down. "I see no beans, only the remnants of the deceased fire detector, DanielJackson."

"He means that I let something slip – and judging by Carter's face, which is bright red, she got it."

Teal'c gave a small bow and said, "I required no slippage of beans, O'Neill. I am well aware that the game truck has parked itself in your driveway."

At Jack's puzzled expression, Daniel rolled his eyes and said, "Clue bus. The clue bus has parked itself in your driveway."

"Ah."

"So, what, am I the only one who didn't know?" Sam demanded, hands on her hips.

"Carter, the whole purpose of tonight was to tell you both—"

"And that's still the plan, so why don't we finish getting the meal ready and then we can eat, drink and talk?" Daniel suggested.

"I thought it was eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die?" Jack asked.

"Judging by Sam's expression – that could become entirely too accurate," Daniel muttered.//

In all fairness to herself, killing Jack had surfaced only briefly. Of course, in that brief moment, her imagination had conjured up a few very clever and satisfactory methods of doing away with her CO. The lengthy, torturous scenarios had paraded across her mind in living color and stereophonic sound. There'd been a great deal of begging, pleading and the swearing of unending fealty on the part of one, Jack O'Neill, before her lovely visions had faded in the glow of Daniel's humorous and yet loving looks toward the Colonel. Not to mention Teal'c's all-too knowingly raised eyebrow. In the face of all that, her visions had drained away, leaving her feeling all warm and tingly inside, thanks to a secret of her own.

She hardly thought of killing Jack anymore. Well, maybe she had the occasional stray thought that she and Jack should both have been shot for their temporary insanity of a couple years back, but overall, she was now at a place where things were as they should be. And Jack was so clearly besotted – as he'd never been over her – that he was actually easier to live with – not that she'd ever tell him that. She prized her rank and position on SG-1 – not to mention her life.

And Daniel? Oh, man, Daniel.

She'd known him for almost eight years – and yes, his ascension year counted – and had never seen him this happy. Even when fighting with Jack – and yes, they still fought like cats and dogs – there was a kind of glow around him; a glow that at times seemed even brighter than the one he'd sported as an ascended being.

What was equally amazing was that Daniel smiled all the time now – so different from the days when a smile from him was a wondrous rarity. He was so easy and comfortable in his skin now that he and Jack had finally – what could she call it? Had finally started doing the deed? No, the romantic in her demanded she call it what it was: Since they'd admitted their feelings and had begun to express it physically.

She giggled at that and thought perhaps she'd been too romantic. Daniel was a much happier man now that he was getting some on a regular basis – and that it was coming from Jack.

Sam nodded. Yep, that said it all.

Jack was obviously good for Daniel – very good. Which was odd because she'd always thought that the woman who finally won Daniel's heart would have her life changed for the better, not the other way around. Okay, that hadn't come out right. She'd assumed he would change the woman's life by being in it, but that essentially he'd remain the same. Okay, so no woman had won his heart – instead it had been Jack, and sure, Jack's life had obviously improved. But he was still Colonel Jack O'Neill, still very much in command -- and commanding -- even if he smiled more often and joked with more freedom. But ultimately, he was first and foremost their leader.

But Daniel.

Lord, the changes in Daniel were unbelievable. He was so easy-going now, appeared so much more confident. He joked with everyone, moved easily, his body no longer a stranger to him. The shyness could still be glimpsed, but in a good way, an endearing way, not the shyness of a man hiding from life. Even his speech patterns had changed. Where he'd been speaking rapid-fire fast, as if knowing he was boring everyone and they'd soon shut him up, he now spoke easily, using humor and anecdotes to get his message across – or simply telling Jack to shut up while smiling beguilingly. Oh, yeah, Daniel had changed. He was loved – truly, deeply loved – and he knew it and treasured it and returned it ten-fold.

The odd thing was that the changes in him were actually rather troublesome because they showed her how little any of them had ever really seen of their archaeologist. A fact that tended to depress Sam if she thought too much about it. Like now – when her world was silent and she was alone. Well, as alone as a woman could be on a foreign planet with three men sleeping or meditating behind her.

They were a family, yes, but she'd never voluntarily gone to Daniel's home, although he'd been to hers, dropping by when she'd been ill or needed help with something around the house. She'd never tried to find out about those years after his parents had been killed, even after their experience with the Gamekeeper, but he knew all about her life following her mother's death. She hadn't done much for Daniel to make things easier after his grandfather had remained behind with the "giant aliens" either. Of course, his appendix had burst and he'd been hospitalized shortly after their return -- and then, before anyone could catch their breath, there'd been the whole replicator thing which had kept them apart for weeks. After that, there was no denying that hings had gone done hill. Any chance to really know, let alone understand, Daniel, had been lost in what Sam admitted was her "school-girl crush" phase.

She'd been so busy for so many years; busy with SG-1 and their efforts to save Earth, busy trying to prove her theories, and very busy with a bad case of hero worship, that she'd never truly seen Daniel, or, for that matter, Jack and Teal'c.

But to be fair – had any of them really gotten to know each other?

Yes.

Daniel and Teal'c had. Daniel who, with a single look, could get people to tell him their innermost secrets and Teal'c, the alien, who knew small, personal facts about so many.

Sam glanced over at the other tent again – her mind drifting away from deep introspection and toward speculation as she tried to imagine Jack and Daniel... making love.

Kissing.

Stroking.

No clothes.

Whoa.

Sam felt her cheeks heat up and laughed at herself. Which didn't stop the thoughts. After all, didn't she know from experience – okay, she'd been under the influence of the "Touched" virus at the time – but still – she knew that Jack O'Neill was one hell of a kisser.

And what about that kiss Sha're had planted on Daniel on their mission to retrieve him? And how could she forget the incredible – and sexy as hell -- lip-lock Daniel had shared with Shyla? A kiss that had literally curled Sam's toes -- and she'd only been watching.

Okay, so things had to be damn hot between Jack and Daniel. Damn hot.

Looking back at the fire, she couldn't help but wonder the age old question: who topped?

Colonel O'Neill, of course. A natural top if she'd ever met one.

Sam tossed another twig onto the fire and tried to envision – okay, maybe she'd better not. She'd never be able to look at either of them again. At least not in the eye. Eye to butt, maybe, and eye to groin, definitely, but eye-to-eye? No way.

A rustling sound behind her alerted her to one of her teammates getting ready to join her. She checked her watch – wow, it was almost three – which meant—

"'Morning, Sam."

"You're early, Daniel."

"Am I?"

Standing up to stretch, she nodded while watching him tuck his t-shirt into his pants. He looked rumpled, sexy, and, as strange as it sounded to her; cuddly. He yawned and ran his fingers through his hair - which only served to spike it more – before ambling over to the fire and sitting down. He rubbed his face briskly before using the sleeve of his jacket to pick up the coffee pot resting on the grill rack.

"I'm thinking an IV next time we go off world. Just stick it in you, hang a bag of coffee off your pack and you're good to go."

"If anyone could make it work, it would be you, Sam," Daniel said in spite of another yawn. He waved the back of his hand at her -- and in the general direction of her tent – before adding, "Go. Sleep. Be restful and multiply – or something."

Chuckling, she ruffled his hair and quickly danced away before he could retaliate.

Ducking quickly inside her tent, she wasn't surprised when a muted light came on, illuminating enough of the interior so that she could make her way to the sleeping bag.

"Thanks, T," she whispered.

"All is well?"

She nodded as she draped her jacket over her pack in the corner. Sitting down beside him on the spread out bag, she pulled her leg up and started to take off a boot.

"I do not believe that DanielJackson and O'Neill had much sleep."

"I assume you mean once the Colonel finished his watch?"

"Indeed."

Sam got her other boot off and set it next to its partner. "I've been meaning to ask you since last week -- when exactly did you trip to them, anyway?"

"I have been aware of O'Neill's true feelings for seven years."

Astounded, she hissed out, "Seven *years*?"

"That is correct. However, it is only more recently that I came to understand DanielJackson's true emotions."

"Ah. And just how -- recent? Weeks, months? What?"

"Three years."

"Three... three years. That's not... *three*?"

Teal'c simply nodded.

Crossing her legs Indian style, Sam rested her elbow on a thigh and her cheek in the palm of her hand. "I don't believe it. I just don't believe it. Whatever happened to women's intuition? I'm a shame to my sex."

"You were rather... occupied, Samantha."

"You just had to bring that up, didn't you?"

Teal'c simply smiled enigmatically.

"You owe me for that, T. And I know exactly how you can pay up. There are two things I want to know about the Colonel and Daniel – and you're just the person to find out."

Teal'c cocked his head. "I am going to regret this, am I not?"

Looking a great deal like the Sphinx, Sam moved closer.

***

"DanielJackson, all is safe?"

Daniel glanced up from his journal, squinted in the grayness that was dawn, and said, "Actually, no. I was abducted during the night by the flora and fauna of this planet, whereupon they demanded to know all the Stargate addresses -- and Sam's phone number. When I told them that you'd come after them with a machete – I had to define a machete," he made several slashing motions with his hand, "they began to quiver in fear. They were so upset that I had the perfect opportunity to make my escape. So here I am, finishing off my watch, the only question being whether I'm really Daniel Jackson – or a plant that has the ability to morph into any object."

Teal'c cocked his head at Daniel and said very seriously, "I find it most unlikely that a morphing plant would have a desire to write in your journal, let alone consume as much coffee as you have since beginning your watch. So I believe we are most fortunate that you were able to elude your captors. Death by flora and fauna would not be attractive."

"Damn, can't pull the wool over your eyes, can I, T?"

"I would think pulling the wool over my eyes would be quite simple."

"Very true. When Jack gets out here, I'll use his knit cap."

Teal'c sat down next to his friend and, as he warmed his hands by the fire, asked, "Do you and O'Neill adhere to a set of rules regarding your relationship when off world?"

Daniel tapped his bottom lip with his pen before finally nodding. "Yes, although their prime purpose seems to exist so that Jack can find new and exciting ways to get around them." Daniel grinned. "Much like Sam does with you."

The typical eyebrow rose. "I see there is no wool over your eyes, DanielJackson."

"Nope."

Daniel raised the coffee pot and cocked his head at Teal'c, who lifted his mug from the log upon which two others sat. Daniel poured for him and, for the next several minutes, they enjoyed the dawn and the coffee. Eventually, Teal'c broke the silence.

"May I ask you a couple of rather personal questions, DanielJackson?"

"Not at all, Teal'c. Ask away."

"Do you and O'Neill share one sleeping bag?" he asked, only to be surprised by his friend's response.

"Do you have any idea how disconcerting it is that you can get up in the morning and not have to immediately relieve yourself?"

"I was not aware that this bothered you, DanielJackson. If you would feel better, I will attend to such needs right now."

Laughing, Daniel shook his head. "Not on my account, T. And yes, we do."

"Ah."

"You and Sam?"

***

Sam had to admit, this particular mission had been completely trouble-free, a fact that no one would believe when they got home. She was almost tempted to yell, "Medics!" the minute they walked through the 'Gate so at least SG-1 would sound normal.

The Colonel and Daniel were a few feet ahead and she found her gaze returning time and again to them. They were walking so close together that their bodies bumped and shoulders rubbed. Their heads were bent equally close as they talked, with Daniel using his hands to punctuate his words. It should seem strange to see them like that, to know that every touch was wanted, desired -- but it wasn't.

"They sleep on one bag, Samantha," Teal'c suddenly said.

She stopped. "You really asked?"

"Did I not say I would?"

Grinning, Sam rubbed her hands together. "This means that Siler owes me twenty."

"You are buying then."

Smiling, she said, "Deal. But what about the other question?"

Teal'c suddenly looked very uncomfortable.

***

"By the way," Daniel said. "Siler owes me twenty."

"Yeah? Why?"

"Sam and Teal'c share one sleeping bag."

Jack glanced sideways at his partner in all things. "Sweet. Walter owes me fifty."

"You are so buying tonight."

"Deal."

When they arrived at the 'Gate twenty minutes later, Daniel walked up to the DHD and began to press the symbols for home. Sam came alongside, ready to punch SG-1's code into her GDO. As the wormhole burst out of the ring, Daniel leaned over and whispered, "By the way, Sam? I top."

Smiling, he walked up to Jack, leaving Sam to stand by the DHD, her mouth hanging open.

***

Sam clamped her mouth shut as she watched Daniel join Jack. Well, I'll be, she thought.

"Samantha, it is time to go."

Nodding, she let Teal'c take her elbow and guide her forward until SG-1 was standing side-by-side, which is exactly how they walked into the event horizon.

When they exited on the other side, Sam wasn't surprised when they were greeted by silence and shocked expressions. She glanced over at Jack, who took off his cap, slapped it against his thigh, looked around at the stunned faces, and asked, "What? You've never seen all of SG-1 come through together and in one piece before?"

The End