Three months later
Things settled down surprisingly quickly after Daniel and Samantha came out as a couple. It was interesting news for a few days, but after it became clear there was no good gossip to be had from such a happy, professional couple, they were more or less left alone.
One day they got sent to some kind of government ball. They didn't know what exactly, only that it was an important one, with a bunch of bigwigs from various government departments and they got chosen to go. Well, actually, Samantha got chosen to go as part of her cover title for the Stargate program, Daniel went as her partner. It was going to be boring, but it was also going to be kind of exciting as their first official outing as a couple.
"You look gorgeous," Daniel said when he saw her. She was wearing a skin-hugging red dress with thick halterneck straps that flared out at the waist. He stood by what he'd thought about preferring women who were low-maintenance but it was nice when Samantha occasionally took the time to doll herself up.
She smiled ; she had known, despite what Daniel had said about preferring low-maintenance women, then he would appreciate the effort she'd taken to look nice. "You don't look too bad yourself," she teased. Daniel scrubbed up quite well.
After an hour Daniel discreetly whisked Samantha into a deserted hall so he could kiss her. "I've barely been able to keep my hands off you," he admitted, pushing her against the wall for leverage. "I've been thinking about taking that dress off."
It was tempting to take off with Daniel right now, but it really was important that they stay, at least for another hour. But they wouldn't be missed for at least ten minutes more, and she could think of much better things to be doing in those ten minutes then be talking to puffed-up heads of department…
They could hear voices emerging from the main ballroom, which they ignored until the screaming couple were streaming past them and they reluctantly broke off their kisses. It was none other then Tiegan and Phillip, interrupted from an almighty blue by the equally surprising vision of Samantha and Daniel, practically making out in the hall.
Tiegan eyed them suspiciously. "I thought you guys weren't really together," she spat.
"Yeah, I've been meaning to send you a thankyou note about that," Daniel piped up before Samantha could say anything. "If it hadn't been for you we never would have gotten together for real." He snaked an arm around her possessively and drew her to his side. Samantha rested her head on Daniel's shoulder, grinning smugly at Tiegan.
Tiegan looked absolutely gutted. Out of the corner of her eye, Samantha could see another woman – quite young, in her early twenties, probably some stuffed-up General's daughter – peering around the corner. She took that to mean that Phillip's playing around had becoming increasingly indiscreet.
"I think we should be getting back inside," Samantha said to Daniel, looking up at him adoringly. Hand in hand, Samantha and Daniel walked back into the ballroom, leaving Phillip and Tiegan to duke it out over the remains of their miserable marriage.
It couldn't have worked out better if they'd planned it themselves.