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She doesn’t need to look up to know that the new presence she’s sensing in her lab is Cam. She looks anyway, the welcoming smile on her lips freezing. In that one second, she knows, just knows, that Daniel has gotten to Cameron. His normally relaxed posture is off, so slightly that no-one else would notice, maybe not even Daniel. But she knows. And studiously decides to ignore it.

 

Easier said than done, since all she’s thought about this past day and night has been a result of that seemingly innocent conversation with Daniel the day before. She then tries to ignore the tight contraction of the muscles low in her belly that haven’t seen any action in a long time as the some of the night-time thoughts reassert themselves at this most innapropriate of times.

 

Not that she doesn’t realise that her feelings for Mitchell seem to have grown exponentially without any warning, but there is just something about having your best friend whack you over the head with it that makes it harder to ignore.

 

She doesn’t realise that she’s zoned out while staring at the clock on her laptop screen until his voice pulls her out of it. “You’ve got that look that tells me I wasn’t very successful at hiding from you.”

 

She jerks slightly and sucks the soft skin of her cheek between two teeth. “Not so much,” she admits ruefully.

 

“Big fluffy bunnies.”

 

She blinks at him, totally blindsided. “What?”

 

“It’s like trying to ignore big fluffy bunnies bouncing around the room. Not gonna happen.”

 

She can’t help the smile that flits across her face in spite of herself. “Is it weird that I completely understand what you’re trying to say?”

 

He grins an answer and walks casually across to her lab bench, his hand resting on the other side of her laptop mirroring her stance, bodies close enough that she can feel his heat, smell his skin, and be reminded of that other moment when he had stood too close to her in the briefing room and told her conspiratorily that he found it disturbing that the Asgard wasn’t wearing any pants.

 

The memory brings another smile to her lips, and as she did before, she leans towards him just slightly, letting her body language tell him what she isn’t quite ready to yet.

 

She’s not sure why, but his lips against hers aren’t what she’s expecting. Neither is the tenderness behind his kiss. It’s everything Mitchell is not – slow, soft and just a little unsure. It certainly has the right effect on her body though. The soft pressure of his lips molding to hers sends an electricity through her body that tightens her chest, stills her breath and shocks her nipples and those unused muscles in her abdomen into contractions.

 

She holds back the moan that wants to leak out and returns the gesture, softening her lips against his, and tries to mimic the delightful sweetness of his kiss. She is rewarded when he takes a quick breath and flicks his tongue over his lips, tasting her, before he catches her mouth again.

 

This time his tongue sweeps into her mouth, makes the sweetest, briefest contact with hers, and then the warmth and pressure is gone, but her body has tightened more and it’s all she can do not to grab the back of his head and pull him back. The hand at her side curls into a fist as she tries to remember to breathe and wonders what the hell just hit her.

 

OK, so the reaction to Mitchell’s kiss is fairly intense, and she isn’t sure why. But then, she hasn’t been kissed by anyone other than Cassie and Daniel (in that purely platonic way of course) since that whole ‘the universe has decided to dump a whole bunch of different versions of SG-1 in your reality’ episode. Or was it that another version of her had decided to dump them there? And while that make-out session with Martouf in the broom closet had been hot – the guy did have a couple a hundred years experience in kissing, not to mention he apparently had kissed another her before and really did know all her sweet spots – it didn’t even come close to affecting her the way Cameron’s slight pressure against her lips has made her feel.

 

She suddenly realises that Cameron is regarding her with what can only be amusement. “Do you always think that much when a guy gives you a kiss?”

 

She blinks at him for the second time in as many minutes, and gives into the need to touch and places the hand not glued to her lab bench on his chest, feeling the warmth of his body emanate into her palm. It calms her somehow, makes the insanity of this a little easier.

 

She looks at him a little ruefully. “Yes, absolutely. Especially when that guy stops when he’s just getting to the good part.” And now she wants to smack herself upside the head. What the hell did she say that for?

 

His eyebrows almost hit his hairline at that comment, but the grin that takes over makes more warmth curl in her stomach. He removes his hand from the bench, wraps his fingers and thumb around her hip and uses it to pull her just a little closer, the other hand mirroring it’s twin.

 

She either has to let go of the bench or dislocate her shoulder, so she lets go of the bench, ignoring the protesting beeps her laptop makes as her fingers accidentally brush the keyboard. Her hand lands on the other side of his chest, and she realises that she really likes being close to Cam. Possibly likes it a little too much since she is in her lab, and they really shouldn’t be doing this at work.

 

But the hands that had kept them anchored to reality are now firmly involved in this little moment, and she can’t bring herself to care. Her body certainly doesn’t care when his thumb slips beneath the waist of her BDU’s and finds that soft skin on the inside of her hip bone that always makes her dizzy, and her treacherous hand clenches in the lapel of his jacket, and she knows, just knows, that he has felt the contraction in her belly this time.

The flash of masculine triumph in his eyes confirms it as he pulls her hips into contact with his and lowers his mouth again.

 

Afterwards, she will try and remember what exactly happened, and in what order, but she will only remember moments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But he senses it, disentangling himself slowly and moving so he leans against her bench, pulling her into his arms as their breathing quiets and she calms down. She tucks her face into the perfect nook between his shoulder, neck and ear and breathes in his scent deeply. “Sorry.”

 

He tightens his arms slightly, and turns his head to rest his chin in her hair. “Don’t apologise, I know this isn’t gonna be that easy. For you or me. Whatever Jackson may think.”

 

She straightens at that, all fear suddenly gone. “And what is ´this´, exactly, Flyboy?” And that spark is back in her eyes, that smile is ghosting her lips, still swollen from his kisses.

 

He meets the challenge in her gaze squarely. “Well you see, Sam, when a girl and a guy like each other and they decide to stop ignoring the fluffy bunnies chasing each other around the room-”

 

She rolls her eyes at this, and grabs his lapels again to pull him in for a kiss. Just one last kiss before she stops this insanity in her lab and makes Cameron promise that they keep this newfound thing off the base.

 

She should have known that it was a bad idea even before Daniel’s voice cut through the deliciously warm haze Cameron was responsible for.

 

“So does this mean that I’m not going to die a horrible death for interfering in my friend’s love lives?”

 

Sam refuses to jump away from Cameron like a guilty teenager, even though every muscle in her body is screaming at her to do just that. She takes her time parting her lips from his, and removing her hands from his body, and is glad that the casualness in Cameron’s stance mirrors her own.

 

Daniel looks just too smug leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest, and Sam knows that Mitchell won’t be able to resist. And she’s right.

 

“You may not die a horrible death, Jackson, but all bets are off when it comes to your love life. I’ll be sure to let Vala know that you are head over heels for her, and firmly in denial, and that you will need a lot of convincing to come around.”

 

Both of them are expecting the blood to drain from his face and for some sort of stammering retort that leaves no doubt that he is in denial, but instead Daniel just smiles, shakes his head, and an interesting warmth creeps into his eyes. “And I am just fine with that.” He shoves his hands into his pockets and shrugs his shoulders. “Just as I am fine with delivering a message from General Landry.”

 

He waits for this tidbit of information to register with the two Colonels before he drops the bombshell. “He says that while he doesn’t give a damn what you two do off base, if you could keep the twenty minute make-out sessions to your free time topside, he would really appreciate that. Apparently you caused quite a stir in the surveillance room.”

 

He notes appreciatively that Sam has turned about three different shades of red in the last few seconds, although he’s pretty sure that some of that flush has absolutely nothing to do with his announcement. He shrugs, graces them with an innocent smile and exits, calling over his shoulder, “See you at lunch.”

 

Cameron is almost afraid to look at Sam, unsure at how she is going to take this. He is surprised to see that she has run her thumb over the laptop’s mousepad and is staring at the newly awakened screen looking vaguely surprised. “Sam?”

 

“Huh.” She’s still looking at the computer like it’s sprouted a head and has started talking to her.

 

“Huh, what?!” He says, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice.

 

“Twenty-six minutes.”

 

Now he’s really damned confused. “Twenty-six minutes?”

 

He’s even more confused when she grins at him. “We were making out for twenty-six minutes. I think that’s a new base record.”

 

He is so relieved that it’s all he can do not to kiss her again.

 

 

 

“Ah, maybe some other time.” While his conversation with Sam hadn’t needed censoring, he wasn’t sure that his newly formed opinions of Cameron and Sam’s relationship would please Mitchell. There was a great difference between being buddy-buddy and having a laugh over a high school sweetheart, and actually initiating a serious conversation about his friend’s love life.

 

“Whatever it is, judging from the frown on your face, it shouldn’t wait. No time like the present, my Grandma al-” Cam grimaces and cuts himself off. Noticing Daniel’s questioning gaze, he shrugs. “Sam told me to tone down the Grandma comments. Apparently it reminds her of when she was shot. Guess the macaroon story made it’s mark.”

 

Daniel’s lips purse as he tries to stop a grin from forming. Too late though, Mitchell’s already seen it, and his eyes narrow. “What’s so funny?”

 

“Oh, nothing.” He tries for nonchalance, fails miserably, and gives into the grin. Mitchell’s eyes are now boring two holes in his head, and he can’t resist the chance to tease him. Just a little. “It’s just that there I was thinking about you and Sam and how close you seem to have gotten, and then you go and bring her up... Never mind.” Was it possible to die from the intensity of the ice blue orbs that are currently digging into his brain?

 

Mitchell has managed to mix scepticism into the icy blue murder, and Daniel once again isn’t sure what tempts him to fuss with his friend’s love lives. “All that time you were off in la-la land, you were contemplating my relationship with Sam? Seriously?”

 

Daniel decides to try contemplative, and his eyelids shutter his gaze. “Relationship is such an interesting word isn’t it? Has so many different connotations.” Even he is surprised at the reaction his subtle barb has. At least, he thought it was subtle.

 

“Oh, for the love of Sue, not you too?! Surely you people have better things to do with your time than try to-” Daniel’s surprise must register, because Mitchell cuts himself off, and now uncertainty is flashing across his face.

 

“Us people? Plural?” Daniel grins. “Who else has been talking to you about Sam? And more importantly, what have they been saying?”

 

“Oh, please. I don’t want to have this conversation again. Especially since I didn’t want to have it the first time round.” Mitchell reaches past Daniel and adjusts the weights for him, then steps back and looks at his friend expectantly, waiting for him to continue his workout regime.

 

Daniel decides that he is going to bring out manipulative Daniel. He doesn’t get much of a run these days, since Jack isn’t around anymore, and staring Mitchell down might be fun. He then decides it’s definitely fun as he watches the tough-guy exterior fade from his friend and wilt under the pressure of his pleading look. The one that says, ‘come on, you know you love me and I know you trust my judgement.’

 

Mitchell supresses the desire to smack his forehead. The last time Jackson looked at him like that, Vala had become a permanent fixture on his team. He’s not sure how, or why, but Daniel can make him do anything with that look. “Dammit Jackson...”

 

“You know it’ll make you feel better if you talk about it.” The look is still firmly in place, and Mitchell thinks he might just implode under the pressure.

 

“I don’t remember feeling bad to begin with. I have no problems with my relationship with Sam, which, regardless of everyone’s unwanted opinions, is just fine the way it is, thank you very much.” He thinks that, hindsight being 20/20, he may have just put a little too much force behind those words.

 

Jackson obviously thinks so too, since that goddamn smirk is firmly back in place. “Again with the plurals. Who exactly is everyone?”

 

Mitchell is practically twitching with frustration, and Daniel knows he’s won.

 

Cameron heaves a sigh and begins snapping the top on and off his water bottle, which Daniel tries really hard to not find annoying. When the explanation comes, it comes in a rush, as though Mitchell can’t wait to be rid of it.

 

“Fine. Vala commented that where she comes from, a guy baking a girl cookies was unheard of, and it obviously meant that I wanted to –insert rude adjectives for having sex here– with Sam. Teal’c then told her to shut up, as it was quite obvious that I wanted more than to –insert some word in Goa’uld that obviously means sex– with Sam, and that if I wanted to make my feelings known, baking cookies was the perfect way to go about it.”

 

Mitchell studiously avoids Daniel’s eyes and sits heavily on the bench. “To which I replied that they weren’t cookies, they were macaroons, and surely making a friend macaroons doesn’t amount to anything more than wanting to give a little comfort in time of need.”

 

“You were lying weren’t you?” It’s hardly even a question.

 

“Oh, god, I was so lying.” This time the urge to smack himself could not be supressed, try as he might.

 

Daniel has to bite his lip to stop from smiling at the resounding ‘thwack’ his friend’s palm makes against his forehead.

 

 

 

Daniel can’t help but stare. “You told Sam you have feelings for her?!”

 

Mitchell’s head jerks up so fast that he’s surprised he doesn’t get whiplash. “What!? No! I told Vala to go jump off a cliff, and she got all snooty with me, stole my jello and went off in a huff.”

 

This time Daniel does laugh. “Now, that would have been worth watching.”

 

Mitchell snorts. “Anything that involves Vala is worth watching for you.”

 

The laughter dies very quickly in his throat. “Oh, give it a rest.” The dirty look he sends Cameron’s way doesn’t have the effect he was hoping for, since Mitchell is now the one grinning. Fine. It was obviously time to play hardball.

 

“Mitchell, seriously. Can I offer some advice that has nothing to do with either sex or macaroons?” He takes Cam’s curt nod as acceptance. “Fighting something like this really does take its toll on a person. And I think Sam has seen enough avoidance to last a lifetime. You should tell her.”

 

Mitchell sighed. “Daniel, it’s not that easy. Besides the fact that we’d both be risking our careers, I don’t even have the faintest clue about how she feels.”

 

Cameron is interested to note that Daniel’s eyes dart away from him quickly at the last statement. “Although, apparently you do.”

 

“I do, what?” His eyes are a clear blue, full of innocence, and Mitchell isn’t biting.

 

“Jackson, you are such a crap liar.”

 

“Yes, yes, I am.” Daniel shrugs and throws a half smile his way.

 

“And?”

 

“And, what?”

 

“Are you going to give me a hint?”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Oh, come on! What is the point of this conversation if you aren’t going to tell me?” Mitchell tries hard to conceal his exasperation as Daniel just shakes his head and makes preparations to leave the gym. He knows it doesn’t work. 

He is just resigning himself to a heavy workout with the punching bag when Daniel turns back towards him. “I will say this. I’ve never seen Sam look at anyone the way she looks at you. Including Jack O’Neill.”

 

He waits until Mitchell’s eyes widen when the enormity of this statement hits home, before finishing quietly. “Don’t fight it Cam. For your sake and hers.”

 

"Every human being on this earth is born with a tragedy, and it isn't original sin. He's born with the tragedy that he has to grow up. That he has to leave the nest, the security, and go out to do battle. He has to lose everything that is lovely and fight for a new loveliness of his own making, and it's a tragedy. A lot of people don't have the courage to do it." –Helen Hayes

 

“You smile at him differently.” He has no idea what prompts him to say it.

 

“What? Who?” She doesn’t even pause in her work, just keeps tapping intently on her keyboard.

 

“Mitchell. You smile at him differently.”

 

She looks up, suddenly genuinely interested. “What do you mean?”

 

“Well, you have different smiles for the people you are close too.” He returns his focus to the artefact he’s turning in his hand with intense concentration, suddenly unsure that this conversation is wise. But then, this is Sam. And he and Sam can talk about anything. Right?

 

“You have a smile for me and Teal’c, but that’s different from the one you give Jack. For obvious reasons.”

 

“Daniel!” She cuts in, shocked that he’s ventured into the one area of conversation they’d agreed should never be dicussed again, after that crazy night with that crazy expensive red wine that he’d been saving for some non-existent point in the future that would be a good occasion. A good occasion turned out to be after they’d said goodbye to Jack at the Ancient outpost and he’d found Sam crying in the locker room...

 

He ploughs on, suddenly feeling the need to bring this to her attention. “But you smile at him with something else, something I’ve never seen in your eyes before. I wonder about it sometimes.”

 

She looks at him, a slight crease between her eyes. He knows she’s filed his comments for further thought. Then a devilish grin splits her face, and he realises with a sinking feeling that this is definitely a subject he shouldn’t have bought up.

 

“Like the way you smile at Vala when you think no one’s looking?”

 

And suddenly this conversation is so very over.

 

It’s only later that he realises that she admitted something very important to him, and he wonders if she knows.