Title: Soul Searching
Category: Sam/Pete & Sam/Jack (implied), Sam/Daniel (friendship and something. . .a bit more complicated)
Spoilers: Anything up to S8 Endgame, especially S7 Grace
Season/Sequel info: Season 8, Sometime after Endgame and before Threads
Content Warnings: language, sexual situations
Summary: Sam must decide between Pete and Jack. But will a mistake she makes with a friend complicate the situation?
Authors Note: I began this story after Endgame first aired in the US. I intended to have it completed before the second half of S8 premiere and definitely before Threads aired. That, of course, didn't quite happen. Obviously it doesn't match up with events that occur in Threads so consider it AU if you'd like.

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He rounded the corner and stopped just inside the open door. Sam didn't hear him, and she didn't look up. He quietly leaned against the doorframe, careful not to interrupt her work. He smiled as she bit her lip in concentration. She did that often, when she was deep in thought, when she was considering a solution, or when something bothered her.

She must have realized she was being watched and turned to look in his direction. When she saw her visitor, a smile spread across her features.

"Hey, Daniel."

"How's it going?" he asked as he pushed away from the doorframe.

"Great." She turned back to her computer to hit a key then spun her chair around to face him. "You going home for the day?"

"Yeah. I figured you might be in for a long evening, so I thought I'd offer to bring you some real food."

Her eyes lit up. "Mmmm. . . a cheeseburger does sound tempting."

"I can have one here in twenty minutes."

One corner of her mouth worked its way into a smile. "Thanks for the offer, but I won't be here much longer. Pete's coming in tonight since he can't make it this weekend."

He took a seat on the edge of her desk. "So you have a romantic evening planned?"

She beamed, "Yeah." Her smile faded as she added, "I'd rather have a romantic weekend planned."

"You can't have everything," Daniel pointed out.

Sam exhaled audibly. "Don't I know it." Her face brightened again as she asked, "What about you? You going to the General's tonight?"

"Yeah. I'm driving Teal'c over later."

She shifted and asked, "Did Jack send you to spy on me and find out why I'm not going?"

"Um." His face scrunched in confusion. "No. He told me you weren't going, but we all just assumed you had work to do." A guilty smile graced his lips as he cast his gaze downward. "I actually did come to try and convince you to go, but since you're busy. . ."

Sam frowned. Jack had already been here earlier attempting the same thing. When she'd refused, he'd made a hasty retreat, muttering something about how much fun she'd be missing. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I really do want to, but I haven't seen Pete for weeks."

Daniel waved away her apologies. "Don't worry about it. There'll be plenty of times we can all get together."

"You know, we should do something Saturday night." Sam caught the look on his face, and before he could speak, she added, "Unless you have plans." It was more of a question than a statement.

"Well. . . ." He smiled as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I seem to have a date."

Had she heard correctly? As long as she'd known him, she'd never heard him say those words. "You what?"

"I have a date," he repeated, emphasizing the last word. He looked down at her and sighed. "I haven't been on a real date in. . . eight, maybe nine years." A small smile crossed his lips. "Oh, wow. Saying it out loud, I sound like such a loser."

Sam chuckled and reassured her friend. "You're not a loser. I'm surprised you haven't been fighting off women with a stick."

He grinned. "I can't say I've ever had that problem."

"Oh, how quickly he forgets," she teased. "Do I have to name names?"

He smiled and shook his head, knowing exactly which women she was talking about. Shyla and Ke'ra came to mind, but even they seemed like a distant memory. And neither relationship had involved what normal people would consider dating. "Women from other planets don't count."

"Oh, so she's from Earth?"

He glared at her. "Yes, she's from Earth."

She grinned. "I was just checking."

"It's Karen Mills."

Sam's face lit up. "Really? Sergeant Mills? I like her." Slipping into her 'one of the guys' mode, she added, "And she's really cute."

"Yeah. I noticed." Coming from another man, the comment could have come off as cocky bragging. Daniel, however, was simply stating a fact.

Sam leaned back and crossed her legs, eager for details. "So how'd you ask her out?"

His head dipped as he answered, "I didn't. She asked me."

Sam's eyes widened. While Mills was always very friendly and warm, she tended to be on the shy side when it came to men. For her to have worked up the courage to ask Daniel out, she had to be very interested. "Wow, Daniel. I'm impressed." She grinned and teased, "See, what did I say? Fighting women off with a stick."

He laughed and shook his head. After a few seconds, his smile waned, and his gaze remained fixed on the floor.

Sam patted his knee to get his attention. "What is it?"

The contact drew him out of his thoughts, and he turned to look at her. "I'm thinking of backing out," he confessed.

"What? Why?"

He shrugged. "I don't think I'm interested."

Sam's jaw slackened. "Are you kidding? She's great. She's incredibly good-looking, funny, and one of the nicest people on this base. You'd be nuts not to go out with her."

He sighed. "That's what Jack said." He wrapped his arms around himself and continued. "I completely agree. She seems like a great person."

Sam's tone took on a slight edge that Daniel thought shouldn't have been there as she asked, "But?"

Filing away her perceived irritation as a misread on his part, he answered, "I just don't feel like I want to pursue a relationship right now."

Sam shook her head and blurted out, "What the hell is with you men and relationships?"

Taken aback, he stammered, "Um . . ." He searched her face, trying to determine where the question had come from. Not finding an answer, he slowly drawled out, "I don't know."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you wouldn't. You men either jump into commitments," she ranted, "and just show up with a ring, without any discussion of it before hand, or you're busy trying to avoid relationships, shutting down any possibility of one when it might come up."

His brow wrinkled in confusion. "Umm . . . did I miss something?"

She glared at him, anger flashing in her eyes. After a second, her shoulders slumped and she shook her head. "No. Never mind."

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sam, is something wrong?"

She turned away, back to her computer. "No, it's nothing. I'm sorry. I'm just a little distracted."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"No. Not really," she snapped. She hadn't expected the words to come out sounding so harsh.

"Oh. Okay." He sounded hurt, and she could tell he was debating whether he should leave.

Guilt poured over Sam for the way she'd spoken to Daniel. He wasn't trying to make her angry or induce such strong resentment. She knew it was unfair to treat him like this.

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Why was she letting this get to her so badly? And why didn't she just take Daniel up on his offer to talk? Daniel had always been very understanding, always done his best to help her under any situation. Why should this one be any different? Because it is different, very different, her mind answered. She forced herself to stuff that answer into the back of her head as she accepted Daniel's invitation. She turned back to him with an apology in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I didn't mean to take it out on you. I know you're just trying to help, and I would actually like to talk about this." A forced and uncertain smile came over her face. "If the invitation is still open."

"Of course." He seemed uncertain, as though he were trying not to push. "If that's what you really want."

She smiled and nodded. "I do."

He returned the smile. "Okay. I'll hold you to that."

"Sounds fair enough."

He glanced at his watch and looked apologetic. "I really hate to leave you, but I'd better get going. Just call me when you want to talk okay?"

"Sure thing. Have a good time."

"You too." Standing, he responded, "I'll see you tomorrow."

As he walked away, she called out, "Daniel." At the door, he turned back and she added, "Go out with her. It's just a date. Don't take it so seriously. Just have a good time."

His face lit up with his disarming smile, and he nodded. "Thanks."

That smile is deadly, Sam noted. She shook her head. I hope Mills realizes what she's getting herself into.