Yo Yo Ma at 2am With a Little Sugar
by AJ
EMAIL: entilzha01@yahoo.com
CATEGORY: D/J UST, series
RATING: PG
PAIRING: Daniel/Janet
SUMMARY: The continuing relationship of Drs. Janet Fraiser and Daniel Jackson...
SEASON/SEQUEL: 5, sequel to Special Blend
SPOILERS: Beast of Burden
DISCLAIMER: MGM, et al, own them, not the story, though.
Daniel was tired. Not just the average not-enough-sleep-too-much-work tired but the kind of tired that comes from being abducted and held prisoner on an alien planet kind of tired. He’d had to deal with ignorant locals, stubborn Unas and one Jack O’Neill. The latter could sometimes just be enough.
Going home to rest seemed like a nice option but there was still a translation that Sam needed in order to finish her work on some new naquadah thingy she was working on. ‘Thingy’…he knew he was tired…he was sounding like Jack. Daniel took a deep breath, shook his head and tried to wake up. It had to be at least 2am, or so his body was telling him. 2am on a Friday night, or Saturday morning rather, and he was working. He really had to think about getting a life but right now he was just too tired and in desperate need of coffee.
He could really use some of Janet’s coffee right about now. Hell, he wouldn’t mind just seeing Janet right about now. He smiled, he and Janet weren’t dating but he just liked to smile every time he thought about her. When he was Earthside, he was in her office several times a day getting coffee…
“Daniel, that is your 4th cup this morning,” Janet scolded him playfully. Of course, he never drank that much coffee in the morning…maybe at 2am but never in the regular morning.
“I was up late last night.”
“That’s what you said yesterday and the day before that.”
“What can I say, I’m addicted to your coffee.”
And that is about all that was usually said. There was usually an emergency of some sort or just nerves that cut the conversation short.
But now it was 2am and Daniel would have to settle for commissary coffee. He’d become spoiled and for a split second considered breaking and entering Janet’s office to make coffee. But if he was caught, he really really really didn’t want to explain that it was for coffee. Sure, a life saving need to him, but to others he wasn’t so sure.
Still…there was always the chance her door could be open or better yet, she could be working late. Daniel decided to chance it.
As he approached Janet’s office door, he smiled broadly, his efforts paid off. Her light was on and he could hear the faint sounds of classical music playing.
‘Dvorak’s Cello concerto’ if he wasn’t mistaken. He never really pegged Janet as the classical music type and he found himself wanting to know more about her.
He knocked lightly on the frame of her door as not to alarm her.
Janet looked up and smiled, welcoming him in. “Daniel. What are you doing here so late?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” He responded as he moved further into her office.
Janet yawned as she stood and stretched. “Cassie is staying at a friend’s house tonight so I am taking advantage of the time to play catch up.”
“How do you do it, Janet?”
“Do what?”
“Have the job that we do and still manage to raise a teenager.”
“Very carefully” she smiled and walked over to retrieve the pot of coffee. Daniel watched her as she filled his mug and then her own. When had this become so natural? If she was in the office, she always poured the coffee for him. He liked the gesture, something so warm and giving about it that made the coffee taste all the more better.
“How is Cassie?” Daniel asked as he savored that first sip.
Janet placed the coffeepot back down and leaned against her desk, picking up her own mug. “She’s back to being just a normal teen” she paused, took a sip of her coffee then looked at him questioningly “Which is a good thing, right?”
Daniel laughed. “Being a teen isn’t easy for the parent or the teen. But you’ve done an amazing job with Cassie. I mean, she’s been through so much in her short life yet she’s turned out to be such a great kid.”
Looking down at the floor, Janet couldn’t help but smile before looking back up at Daniel. She knew that ‘thank you’ was the appropriate response but the words just wouldn’t come out of her mouth. And then, like in some classic late night Black and White movie, their eyes met and neither one wanted to look away. He warmed her heart with his kind words, his never fading friendship.
Finally, she found the words, the intense situation leading to a moment of inevitable awkwardness.
“Thanks.That means a lot, coming from you. “ That would have to do for now.
“Well, “ Daniel looked back at the door then back to Janet, “I should…you know…”
“Yeah. You’ve got a lot of work, I’m sure.” Janet stood up straight and began to move back to sit at her desk.
“Yeah…but I could stay…for a little while. But your probaly…”
Janet stopped and turned around “No! No. I wouldn’t mind the break.” She offered too eagerly, she realized.
And then there was a dead silence.
Silence.
No one moved. No one spoke. Not even a monitor was beeping.
And then they laughed.
“Why is it that when two people decide to have a conversation they immediately get quiet?” Daniel asked as he sat in the chair across from her desk.
Janet returned to the front of her desk and sat on it across from Daniel. “Tell me about the project you’re working on.”
“No.” he smiled.
“What?” she raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t want to talk about work. How about we talk about what we did last weekend.” He offered, taking another sip.
“I worked.” She shrugged.
“Me too…” He looked around her office as if it would offer him a clue to the next question. No luck, he’d have to wing it. “Have you seen any good movies lately?”
“When have I had time? Between work and Cassie, there isn’t much left over for socializing.” She took another sip of her coffee. Well, if all else fails they can sit here in silence and drink coffee, she thought.
“There has to be something…favorite music?”
Ok, here we go. “Classical but Cassie is determined for me to find something interesting about pop music.”
Yes. A topic. “I hear N’Sync is playing this weekend.” Daniel added. How did we from classical to boy bands?
“You’ve heard of N’Sync?” Janet laughed. She didn’t mean to laugh that hard but that was the last thing she expected to hear from Dr. Daniel Jackson.
“It was purely by accident…I assumed they were a popular band by the way the 3 girls were squealing as they talked about it.”
Janet looked at him questioningly…Daniel being around three teen girls?
He caught the confusion immediately “I was at the record store this week.”
“Oh, ok, I thought maybe you were secretly hanging out with teen girls going to hear boy bands play.” She caught the confused look on his face…or was it horror? “Ok, that didn’t come out right.”
“I guess it’s not everyday you hear me talking about boy bands.” He grinned.
“No, it isn’t. And let’s keep it that way.”
“Deal.” Ok, that topic is over. “Well, I better get back to work” Daniel motioned to the door as he got up.
“Yeah, I’d like to make it home before the sun rises.” Janet stood up as well they shared a smile as she refilled his mug of coffee.
“Thanks again for the coffee…” his voice soft. He really didn’t want to leave.
“I wanted to ask you…how did you know that I liked it with just a little bit if sugar?”
Janet turned away and replaced the pot back to the heating element, not looking at Daniel. “I don’t know. I just knew. We’ve know each other a long time.”
“Yes, we have.” He watched her move back behind her desk and sit down.
”Well, thanks…and don’t stay up too late.” She looked up at him and smiled as he turned to leave.
But this was another defining moment that Daniel was fully aware was happening. He really had bought the tickets with Janet in mind and it had taken him all week to find the right moment. Now it was the day before and he was breaking the #1 dating rule – don’t ask them the day before. So it hadn’t been a time factor, more like a nerve factor.
He took a deep breath and turned around.
“Janet?”
There was no going back. He took the first step.
“Yes” She knew this was it. She knew she wasn’t imaging things the last few weeks. It was about time, she thought.
“I’ve got two tickets to Yo-Yo Ma in Denver for tomorrow night…would you like to go…with me?”
“Tomorrow night?”
“I know…it’s short notice…I’m sor…”
“It sound great.” She answered quickly, cutting him off. Sometimes thinking about it can be a bad thing. Although, not letting him finish a sentence can also be a bad thing.
“Really?”
“Yes, really.” Janet offered a warm reassuring smile.
“Ok, then…”Daniel turned to walk away then quickly turned back. Now he couldn’t seem to figure out what to do next. He hadn’t thought this far ahead.
”… um…I’ll pick you up around 6:30?”
“It’s a date.” She caught his eyes and held them with her own to reassure him.
“Yes, I guess it is.”
They smiled at each other for confirmation and then reluctantly Daniel left. Janet sat back down at her desk, quickly realized that she wouldn’t be able to focus and then with horror realized she didn’t have anything to wear tomorrow night. Yes, work must wait, there was beauty sleep to be had and shopping to be done…and a life to live.
Daniel couldn’t wipe the grin off his face as he walked back to his office, full cup of coffee in his hand, until it hit. Do I get flowers? Is this a real date? Should I take her out to that place in Larimer Square, or is that too trendy? Or that one over on 19th St?
“Daniel!” Jack finally yelled.
“What? What?” Daniel snapped at Jack, wondering why he was yelling at him.
“Earth to Daniel.” Jack waved his hand in front of Daniel.
“Hi Jack” then he noticed Sam “Hi Sam. What are you guys doing here so late?”
“We were working on the report for the briefing for Monday.” Sam explained.
“On a Friday night?”
“Yeah.” Jack answered, there wasn’t going to be any further explanation. “What’s wrong with you? We called your name several times.”
“Sorry, a lot on my mind.”
Sam noticed the coffee in Daniel’s hand and nudged Jack to look at it.
“Um, Daniel, that coffee smells awfully good, mind telling us where you got it?” Jack asked, leaning in to get a better whiff of the brew.
Daniel pulled it closer “That’s classified.”
“C’mon Daniel, I helped you rescue that Unas.”
“And I broke you out of that jail they had you in.” Sam offered. Jack nodded a thank you to her.
“Sorry guys. I have to go.” Daniel tried to walk off.
“You ok?” Jack stopped him.
“Yeah. Why?
“You seem..I don’t know..happy.”
“What does that mean?”
“What the Colonel is trying to say is that you just seem…well…happy.”
Jack raised an eyebrow at Sam and she shrugged her shoulders. Even when they were questioning their friend at what? 3am, it still managed to just be Jack and Sam. Daniel rolled his eyes and smiled “Goodnight, guys. See you on Monday.”
That caught Sam’s attention “Wait, Daniel. Monday? Aren’t you working this weekend?”
“I have plans…now, goodnight.” And with that, Danile managed to get away. He had a date to be nervous about.
Jack and Sam watched as Danile walked away.
“What was that all about?” Jack asked.
Sam smiled knowingly. Jack knew that look. The one she got when she figured something out.
“What?”
“Daniel has a date.”
“How do you know?”
“He has that look.”
“That look?” Jack rolled his eyes. “Who with?”
Sam shrugged.
Jack shook his head, he needed coffee if they were going to finish this report. The prospect of a weekend off was enough to keep him here all night. Well, that and Sam Carter.
“Well, Major, how ‘bout you and I go find out where they keep that classified coffee.”
“Janet!” Sam blurted.
“What?” It really was getting late.
“It’s Janet. The coffee and his date.” Sam’s face lit up. “Of course.” She said to herself.
“What’re you talking about?”
San turned to face Jack, “I’ve seen Daniel leaving Janet’s office several times and he always has a fresh cup of coffee.”
“And that relates to the date how?”
“He’s going to her office for more than great coffee.” Sam said with a sly grin.
“Ah.” Was her voice that sultry a minute ago? Jack shrugged it off.
“So the coffee is in Janet’s office?” Jack yawned as they began walking to the elevator.
“Yes, sir. I believe so.”
“I say we break into her office and confiscate some of that classified coffee.”
“Court Martial be damned.” Carter laughed as she pressed the button for the elevator.
“You got the idea, Carter. We can always plead alien influence.”
“Yes sir, aliens invaded to get at some of Janet’s coffee.” Sam added with sarcasm as they got into the elevator.
“You did get a good whiff of Daniel’s coffee, didn’t you?”
“Good point, sir.” She agreed
Jack smiled as he took note that she pushed the button for the 21st floor – the infirmary.
“Daniel and Janet?” It finally hit him.
“Yes, sir” Sam shook her head and smiled as she watched the floor numbers roll by. It did always take him a while.
“…wow…cool.”
Copyright (c) AJ 2001
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