Work Text:
Of all the days George Hammond was prepared for his CMO to barrel through his door in a rage, this was not one of them. For one, she wasn’t even on duty, and by all rights shouldn’t have been on base for another month. For another, with the increased security leading up to the Tok’ra summit, she shouldn’t have been able to get down into the mountain without being on the schedule. However, very few staff remained in the SGC who could say no to Janet Fraiser in a fury. George himself only barely qualified for that list.
He managed to contain his surprise to his eyebrows, though they would have disappeared into his hair if he still had any.
“General, do you have a moment?” He really didn’t, not with the za’tarc complications on top of the already fraught business of coordinating a presidential meeting with the Tok’ra. But Janet’s eyes flashed and her nostrils flared, and George deliberately closed the file he’d been reviewing.
“Of course, Doctor.”
“I have serious concerns about this Tok’ra lie detector, sir.” For a split-second, George wondered how she’d found out, but the answer was obvious. Daniel was a better liar than most people gave him credit for, but after the death of Lt. Astor, Janet would have been able to sniff out his unease in a second. Even if she hadn’t, George wouldn’t expect Daniel to keep secrets from her, even for national security. If Janet didn’t have even higher clearance than Daniel it would have been a real problem, but as it was, it was only an occasional annoyance. Daniel Jackson being completely wrapped around his wife’s finger generally was not a problem that made its way to George’s desk.
Except for today, evidently.
“I believe we’re on the same page, Doctor,” George said slowly. “But please elaborate.” Janet pushed her shoulders back, the anger in her face smoothing to something more calm when she didn’t meet resistance.
“I’ll be the first to admit that Tok’ra medical technology is light-years beyond us,” she started, without a hint of resentment. “But all this new device has proven is that, when the correct areas of the human brain are provoked, a susceptible subject will lose all reason and kill themselves. Respectfully, sir, I could have told you that before anyone was killed.” Dr. Warner had said the same thing, after trying and failing to salvage the parts of Astor’s brain that weren’t splattered on the ceiling.
“And if the reason for that susceptibility is Goa’uld mind control?” George asked. “Something the victim can’t sense, or fight?”
“I can’t speak to that, sir,” Janet said stiffly. She clasped her hands behind her back. “We’ve seen enough of Goa’uld technology that I couldn’t discount the possibility. But I still have reservations about this… machine.” Her face twisted to the point that George wondered briefly how she’d actually intended to end the sentence, but he decided he was better off not knowing.
“Janet,” he said cautiously, “I understand your concerns, in fact I share them. But we must understand the risk to world security if-”
“What I understand, sir, is that Anise is using experimental technology on my patients with no regard for the consequences.” She gritted her teeth. “Again.” Technically, she deserved a dressing down for the interruption, but George let it slip. There weren’t many officers who could talk to him in that tone, but Janet Fraiser was one of them.
And she had a point. It wasn’t very long ago she’d been warning him about another of Anise's experiments, warnings that, by necessity, had gone unheeded. Janet’s subsequent hospitalization hadn’t been directly Anise’s fault, but the sour taste remained.
“And what do you suggest we do instead?” All the concerns in the world meant nothing if they had no alternative. Despite the risk to his people, George couldn’t allow the meeting to be jeopardized by possible Goa’uld sleeper agents.
Janet’s lips twitched and she lifted her chin. “I’d like to go over the reports, sir, and examine the machine. And I’d like to be present for any and all interviews Anise has planned.” George didn’t miss the little twist of venom in Janet’s voice at the Tok’ra’s name, but he chose not to comment on it. “I can’t stay long, sir, but I’d like to help where I can.”
George laced his fingers together, elbows on his desk. “What’s the issue?”
Janet’s lips thinned. “Well, sir- Andy’s day care had the staff to take her on short notice, but not for very long.” George narrowed his eyes. “But I still think I could-”
“Bring her down here.” Janet blinked, mouth half-open.
“Here, sir?”
“You’re right, Anise is far too cavalier with our people’s lives. I have every faith in Dr. Warner’s abilities, but I’d feel a lot better with you on the case.” A mess of conflicting emotions darkened the crease between Janet’s eyebrows. George respected her trepidation, but pushed a little harder. “Of course I’d understand if you’re uncomfortable bringing your baby down here, but security’s been tripled for the summit, and I’ll supervise her myself.” Janet’s lips twitched at his choice of words.
“I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you, sir.”
“It’s no inconvenience,” George lied. On balance, having Janet as SG1’s medical guard dog was worth whatever meetings he’d have to rearrange. Taking phone calls in his office while holding a baby seemed a much more pleasant experience, anyway. “Why don’t you go get her, and I’ll make arrangements. Then you’ll be free to catch up with the za’tarc reports.” Janet hesitated a moment longer, and George’s face softened with the tiniest hint of amusement. “I can make it an order, if you’d like, Doctor.”
Janet smiled, relieved, and as he smiled back George realized how much he’d missed having her around. If Jack was his right hand, Janet was his left. Running the SGC without her had seemed like much more of a chore, not least because Jack refused to submit to anyone else’s medical direction and Teal’c had physically held him down for treatment more than once.
“No, sir. I’ll go get her, sir.” George nodded once.
“Very good. Dismissed.” Janet turned on her heel to carry out her (implied) orders, and George returned to his reports with a considerably lighter heart.
Daniel supposed he’d had worse days. He wasn’t being tortured, or sleeping in the mud, and since his za’tarc screen had been negative he wasn’t being held under guard. He also hadn’t been propositioned by a Tok’ra host, which wouldn’t have been on his list of worst things but probably hovered near the top of Jack’s.
But the SGC had lost two people in two days, and unless Anise could figure out the flaw in her process, Sam and Jack were next on the chopping block. Despite the obvious danger, the summit was moving forward, and Daniel would still be expected to act as a mediator.
There wasn’t much he could do for Sam and Jack besides trying and failing to cheer them up, so he made his way to his office to revise his notes.
Imagining Jack’s reaction to Freya kissing him, he wasn’t sure whether to laugh or shudder. He would lean more toward laughter if Jack hadn’t chosen to pass on that while Freya, the host, was attracted to him, Anise the symbiote apparently held a candle for Daniel. Which was a fascinating concept, objectively, and he’d be more interested in interviewing Anise about it if he weren’t the target. The implications for his understanding of the symbiotic relationship were-
“Oh.” Daniel blinked. “Hello.” Freya sat perched on his stool, as scantily clad as ever, and tilted her head at his stunned greeting.
“Daniel Jackson,” she said in a toneless, layered voice. Anise, then.
“Can I help you with something?” Daniel adjusted his glasses, and his stomach clenched when she slid off the stool and approached him. “Shouldn’t-” He cleared his throat. “Shouldn’t you be setting up for-?”
“The machine is recalibrating.” For every step she took towards him, Daniel skittered a step back. She scrutinized him like a particularly nasty microbe under a microscope. “You have a fine mind, Daniel.” Never had it been more of a detriment than it was now.
“Oh, well, thank you.” He took another step back and ran into a table- a clay pot worth thousands of dollars rattled precariously. Anise advanced on him with smooth, catlike movements, and Daniel locked his eyes on the ceiling.
“I enjoy sharing theories with you.” Right, well, as long as she didn’t want to share anything else.
He never should have taken his eyes off her- Jack would have reamed him out within an inch of his life. Anise used the advantage to stretch up and kiss him, and Daniel yelped like a dog who’d taken a stiletto to the tail.
Scrambling to reassemble his wits, Daniel side stepped out of her clutches and backed towards the door, eyes locked on her confused face.
“Do you not find me pleasing?”
“You- well- of course you’re-” As if summoned by his nightmares, he heard one of the worst possible sounds for the moment- heels tapping down the hall. Normally it was one of his favorites, the signal to wrap up for lunch or to go home. Or just a visit with a hug, kiss, and a coffee, but Daniel doubted that any of those things were in his immediate future. “It’s just that most Tau’ri value monogamy- we really tend to stick with one mate-” Daniel took another step back and ran into something softer than the wall. He whirled around and grabbed Janet’s arm as he nearly knocked her off her feet. “Janet! I didn’t realize- are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” Physically, yes- but her dark expression and the growl under her voice told another story.
“Right. Good.” Daniel slung an arm over her shoulders and tucked her stiff body to his side. “Anise, you remember Dr. Janet Fraiser? My wife?” Anise gave Janet a nod, and Daniel was foolish enough to hope that she would leave it there.
“This one is very closed-minded.” Janet tensed against him, chest swelling as she built up to an undoubtedly scathing retort. Before she could speak, Daniel gave Anise a tight smile, hefted Janet almost off the floor, and hustled her away. Technically her feet were still underneath her, but she did not leave under her own power.
“Will you-” Janet squirmed, dragging her heels. “Daniel, put me down.” Once they were out of range of his office he set her back on her feet. Janet shoved him off and smoothed her white coat. She leveled a severe look at him, raring for a fight, but Daniel just raised his hands in surrender.
“Hi.” Janet pursed her lips and deflated slightly. Pushing his luck further, he gave her a quick kiss, and silently congratulated himself when she didn’t bite his head off. When he pulled back she was still glaring, but not with the same simmering rage.
“Hello,” she ground out, arms crossed.
“Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?” Janet lifted her chin.
“I’m supervising the za’tarc testing later.” Daniel raised his eyebrows.
“Okay. Why?” Dr. Warner had been a disapproving presence in every interview so far, eyeing Anise with great suspicion. Daniel was biased in his rankings of the best doctor on the base, but Warner’s skills were more than up to the task.
Instantly, he regretted asking. “Anise is picking through my patients’ brains with an untested device with a so far zero percent success rate, and you ask me why I want to be here?” she asked sharply, almost insulted. “Why stop at the brain? Why don’t you just let her do open heart surgery and see how it goes?”
“All right.” Janet huffed, and Daniel grimaced as he fought to keep his own tone under control. Janet had plenty of reasons not to like Anise, not least her own recent near-death experience. “Did you need to ask me something?”
Janet blinked. “What?” Daniel jerked his head back towards his office.
“Were you looking for me? There isn’t a lot else to do that direction, unless you’ve forgotten your way around.” He tried for a smile, but Janet just grimaced.
“As it happens, I just wanted to let you know I was here.” She squared her shoulders, features settling back into Dr. Fraiser. “But I shouldn’t keep you from your conversation.” She brushed by him, dodging the hand he reached for her arm.
“Janet-” She paid him no mind, heels clicking back down the hall and white coat billowing behind her. “Where’s Andy?” Daniel called.
She didn’t stop, only turned her head as she answered. “With a sitter!”
George hung up his phone with a gentle click. Freshly fed and changed, Andy slept bundled up on his shoulder. Her breaths were little puffs on his cheek and one of her tiny hands was curled around his epaulet.
With Walter under strict orders not to allow anyone through and no more meetings scheduled for another hour, George rocked as much as his chair would allow. His granddaughters had long outgrown this stage, but it came back as easily as if he were thirty years younger and it were his own daughter sleeping in his hands.
George scooped a file off his desk, shook it once so it laid straight, and lightly bounced the baby as he started to read.
By the time Sam ran into the lab, half-drugged out of her mind, Janet was already halfway out of her seat to put a halt to the procedure. Anise was using the exact same technique that had already killed Lt. Astor, no new safeguards or precautions, as if she cared more about the results than Jack’s life. She probably did, all things in balance.
Janet flew to Sam’s side, but Sam waved off her concern to duck close to Jack’s face. As she grilled him, Janet rounded on Daniel.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know, they were in the middle of sedating her when she woke up and insisted on coming down here.”
“Why?” Daniel shook his head, and they both looked at Sam. Her shoulders were hunched up to her ears as she muttered to Jack, and as they watched, Jack’s hands clenched slightly around the armrests.
“Oh,” he said softly. “That.”
Daniel leaned closer to Janet. “Sam said they were lying.”
“In their first za’tarc tests? But why-?” Sam glanced back at her, bright red and shame-faced, and Janet’s heart clenched. “Oh.” Sam could barely meet her eyes, and didn’t look at Daniel.
The shame and despair in Sam’s eyes stayed with Janet through both interviews as the damning red light swirled blue.
“Because I care about her,” Jack said, desolate. “A lot more than I’m supposed to.” Sam ducked her head, not allowed to accept it, forbidden even to want it. On the observation deck, Janet’s hand found its way to Daniel’s. He startled and looked down at her, but she kept her eyes on Jack as he let Anise tear him open with no way to put him back together again. As Sam had said, it would stay in the room.
“The Colonel looked for some way to break the forcefield.” Sam stared straight into the machine, not once glancing at Jack. He hovered just behind Anise as if standing guard, as if he could physically block Sam’s words and keep them from filtering out. “I told him to go.”
“Why?”
“We were running out of time. It wasn’t worth both of us dying.”
“You didn’t think he could save you.”
“I knew he could.” Jack stiffened, and Janet’s hand tightened around Daniel’s. “But there wasn’t time.”
“But there was a chance. And yet you told him to leave you behind.”
Sam’s jaw worked and her nostrils flared. Hurt and shame and longing flickered across her face and twisted Janet’s heart. “I couldn’t let him die for me.”
“Why?”
“His life…” Sam swallowed. “...is very important, to me. More than mine.”
“But he stayed.”
“Yes.”
“Were you surprised?”
“No.” Anise tilted her head. “I wouldn’t have left, either.”
“Because you care for him.”
“Yes.”
The machine swirled light blue, and Sam’s eyes finally flicked to Jack. Janet looked away. She couldn’t change regulations, couldn’t promote Sam out of Jack’s chain of command, but she could give them just a moment.
Daniel squeezed her hand. “I have to go prep for the meeting,” he said in a low voice. He frowned as he looked into her face. “Will you be all right?” Janet nodded and took a deep, slow breath to dull the ache in her heart. Her eyes darted over his face- the crease between his eyebrows, the bow of his mouth, the darkening concern in his eyes- and allowed herself a moment of gratitude for the fraught, winding road that had led to his hand in hers. As complicated and painful as it had been, at least she’d been allowed the journey.
“I’m fine. I’m going to check on them, you go ahead.” Daniel stared into her eyes for another moment before he leaned down and brushed his lips to her cheek. Janet gave him a small smile and he slipped out of the room.
She took her time leaving the observation deck, setting a leisurely pace down the stairs. By the time she entered the lab, Sam was free of the chair, and both she and Jack had slipped into their professional selves. Janet only got as far as checking pupillary response when the phone rang. The SF who picked up held out the phone.
“It’s for you, ma’am.”
“This is Fraiser.”
“Dr. Fraiser, I have to head to the meeting, and I’m afraid Miss Andy here does not have clearance.” Janet bit back a smile.
“Yes, sir, I’m on my way.” Sam and Jack avoided her eyes and each other’s, and Janet gave them each a hard look. “Will you both be all right?” Sam gave her a taut nod and Jack shrugged, hands in his pockets.
“Didn’t you hear, Doc? We’re all clear,” Jack said smoothly. Janet pursed her lips, but allowed it.
When Janet knocked on Hammond’s door she didn’t bother waiting for an answer- Andy’s fussy wails were dangerously close to shrieks. But Hammond didn’t look alarmed when she swept in, only held out Andy with practiced ease. “She’s fed, burped, and changed, Doctor. I think she just misses her Momma.”
“Thank you, sir.” True to Hammond’s prediction, Andy settled as soon as she felt Janet’s touch. Janet tucked her to her shoulder and kissed her head, and Andy’s protests faded to snuffles as she nuzzled into Janet’s neck. “I think you’ve earned yourself a regular gig, sir.”
“Don’t hesitate to call.” Janet knew he meant it, and smiled.
“Oh, sir? SG-1 is cleared.”
Hammond didn’t smile, but his relief was evident in the weight that lifted from his brow. “Very good. Thank you, Doctor. If you’ll excuse me.”
“Sir.” He lifted Andy’s diaper bag and made sure it was secure on Janet’s shoulder before he showed her out.
Eager to be far away from whatever drama would undoubtedly unfold at the summit, Janet sped down the hall to the elevator. SF’s and other personnel gave her curious looks as she passed with a baby on her shoulder, but she ignored them. Her intent was to squirrel herself away in her office, but as she made her way through the infirmary one of her senior nurses, Liz, waylaid her.
“There she is!” she said with a grin, lowering her voice from her usual carrying tone. Her eyes softened and her smile widened as she looked at Andy on Janet’s shoulder. “And there she is. We were wondering when you were going to come visit us.” Janet dropped the diaper bag on an empty stretcher and shifted Andy slightly so Liz could see her face. “Oh, she’s precious,” Liz cooed, and Janet grinned. “How are you doing? Healing up okay from your c-section?”
As Janet opened her mouth to answer, klaxons blared overhead and Walter’s voice barked over the PA system. “Medical emergency in the gate room! Medical team to the gate room!” Andy jerked and started to cry but Janet stood frozen as her staff leaped into action, moving as a unit as they gathered supplies and wheeled a gurney out the door in seconds. Liz hesitated on the way out, looking back at Janet with a frown. She held out her hands. “You should get down there.”
Janet bit her lip. “Dr. Warner-”
“Would love to have some backup,” Liz said firmly. Almost before Janet realized, Liz had Andy in her arms and was retreating to the on-call room. “Besides, I’ve been training Jena for charge. Let me know how she does!” she called, and didn’t wait for an answer.
The alarm shrieked overhead, and Janet raced down the hall after her team. She caught up with them right outside the gate room, and not even Bill seemed surprised to see her.
Jack pointed them towards their patient, and Janet knelt at Martouf’s side as blood started to gurgle out of his mouth. Janet’s eyes darted over multiple bullet wounds to critical areas, did the math on likely survival automatically. Once BIll confirmed no one else was hurt, he appeared at her side with a grimace to match her assessment.
“I’ve got the chest, if you’ve got the abdomen,” he said grimly. Janet nodded once.
“Let’s get him on the gurney!” she ordered. “And prep OR 1! We’re coming in hot!”
Martouf’s guts were an absolute mess, but they only needed to fix him enough to survive a trip through the gate, where Tok’ra medicine would hopefully be enough. She and Bill worked in tandem, barely speaking as they worked their respective fields.
“I’ve got a bleeder-”
“Clamps-”
“Hang two more units of blood-”
Almost as soon as Janet’s hands were out of his body she ordered everyone to the gate room, calling ahead to have a wormhole established and waiting for them. She and Bill stood frozen, side by side, until their patient disappeared into the swirling light and the wormhole fizzled out.
“Well.” Janet stripped off her bloody gown and gloves, folding them in on themselves to avoid flinging viscera across the gate room. “That was exciting.” Bill snorted and doffed his gear as well.
“I’ve had enough excitement for the week.”
“I’ll bet you have.” Janet’s skin was buzzing, she needed to hold her baby or perform CPR. “I’ll handle the report.”
“Janet, you’re supposed to be on leave. I can take care of it.” Janet slanted him a look.
“Bill. I’ve got it.” Her tone was such that he didn’t bother arguing anymore. As if it had hit him like a truck, exhaustion swept over his features. Janet had left him at the helm for two months, and it showed in his stooped shoulders.
“All right. If you’re sure.”
Janet was sure. A fine layer of dust had settled on her desk, and she sneezed as she brushed it off. Andy startled at the noise and blinked at her from the baby carrier. Janet crouched and peered in at her. “Do you think you can stay happy in there long enough for Mommy to write her report?” Andy stretched and squirmed, but settled once Janet popped her pacifier in her mouth. “Sounds like a plan.”
The report required almost no thought, but it was engaging enough to soothe the thrumming in her veins. Coming back to work had been the plan from the beginning, but with the wonder and tears and bone-crushing weariness of the last two months, Janet hadn’t had time to miss her job. But being elbow-deep in a man’s abdomen had had the opposite effect than it probably should have- she wanted more. Her senses were on full alert, ready for any alarm from the gate room, someone to intubate or operate or code.
Janet signed her report and snapped it shut before looking back down at Andy. Andy frowned up at her with the secrets of the universe in her dark blue eyes, and promptly spit out her pacifier and started to whimper. Janet sighed. “Good timing, I suppose.”
She had more formula on hand just in case, but her breasts were starting to feel swollen. It had been easy to ignore in the OR, but with her personal little hormone generator squalling two feet away, it became less an annoyance and more a biological necessity. “All right, if you insist.”
Andy calmed down as soon as she latched- she was a good baby that way, quick to fuss but quicker to settle once her needs were met. Janet swiveled her chair back and forth in a facsimile of rocking, and the excitement of the day finally started to creep into her bones. She wasn’t used to the pace and activity anymore, but that made her all the more eager to get back into the fray.
“Not that you aren’t exciting, too,” Janet said in a soft voice, and swept a finger over Andy’s barely visible eyebrows. “You keep me on my toes.”
She stiffened at a knock on the door. “Who is it?” The door cracked open and Daniel poked his head in.
“I was just wondering if-” He froze, dumbfounded. Janet had thrown her coat over her chest in some semblance of decency, but she let it fall and pool in her lap.
“Oh, I’m glad to see you. Could you get me some water?” It should have been routine at this point- breastfeeding always made her mouth dry and tacky. But somehow, she never thought to get any water before getting started. Andy’s needs always swelled to the front of her mind.
“What- what are you doing?” Janet raised her eyebrows.
“Feeding your child. Could you please get me some water?”
“You-” Daniel cut himself off, closing the door so he nearly decapitated himself in an effort to maintain her privacy. “Sure.” He shut the door with a firm click.
“How much trouble do we think I’m in?” Andy broke away and Janet sat her up in her lap to rub her back, burp cloth under her chin. After some squirming, Andy let out a healthy burp, and Janet transferred her to her other arm to feed from the other side. As soon as she latched on, there was another soft knock on the door.
“It’s me.” Daniel opened the door, sucking in his stomach to slip through as small a crack as possible. Janet brightened at the brimming glass of ice water in his hand. Out of habit, he steadied the straw between his fingers and held out the glass for Janet to drink. She had long become adept at nursing Andy one-handed, but she took a sip without protest.
“Mm, thank you.” She absently stroked Andy’s knuckles, and Andy wrapped her tiny hand around Janet’s finger. “How was the meeting?”
“What? Oh, it was fine, everything’s signed- Janet, why is Andy here? You said she was with a sitter.” Janet nestled back into her chair and looked down at Andy to avoid meeting his eyes.
“She was with a sitter. General Hammond did a great job, she loved him.”
“General Hammond?” Janet didn’t look up, but she could almost hear his eyes bugging out. “She’s- what, she’s been in Hammond’s office all day?”
“Until right before the meeting, yes. Liz took her for the operation.”
“Wait a minute, you operated on Martouf?” Janet finally tore her gaze from Andy to frown at him. “What about Warner?”
“Even with both of us we barely kept him alive,” Janet retorted, not liking the resentment coiling around her throat. Of course she had operated, a patient had needed her help. Her staff had needed her, was she supposed to let them flounder?
“Janet, you’re on leave. You’re not even supposed to be here.”
“Well I am.” Daniel opened and closed his mouth several times, caught between anger and bewilderment. “What exactly are you upset about?”
“I’m-” Daniel searched for words, frustration mounting in his eyes. “I’m upset that I didn’t know she was here. What if something happened?”
“You know as well as I do General Hammond would have died before letting anything happen to her.” Daniel couldn’t argue with that, and he flopped into a chair. He scrubbed a hand over his face and all at once Janet wanted to kiss his frown away. She huffed. Hormones.
“Okay, I guess you’re right. But I’d still like to know.”
Janet summoned up more sharp words, more out of residual stress than anything else. But she took a deep breath, and let the words dissipate as she let it out. “Okay.”
Daniel gave her a sidelong glance through narrowed eyes. “Okay?” Janet rolled her eyes.
“Okay. Yes. You’re right.” She adjusted Andy to ease pressure in her aching arm, and Daniel’s eyes flicked down at the movement. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” Dragging his eyes up from her chest, Daniel gave her a shrewd look.
“But not for coming in?” Janet scowled.
“And I’m sorry I didn’t leave you to Anise’s devices to let her try to kill you all again. My mistake, truly.” Daniel pursed his lips, but the sass she had expected in return was not forthcoming.
“Earlier, in my office.” Janet’s frown deepened before she consciously smoothed her expression. Daniel tilted his head. “You know I wouldn’t do that to you, right?” Even with his irritation, his earnest anxiety shone through, and Janet softened despite herself.
“Of course I do,” she said quietly, and her stomach twisted with guilt at his relief. “That’s not the problem. I-” She struggled for words adequate to sum up her feelings on the matter. “-don’t like her.”
Daniel raised his eyebrows. “I sensed that.” Janet’s lips thinned, but she almost smiled. “But when I tried to talk to you about it, you ran away.” He tilted his head, and Janet flushed under his scrutiny. “I’m beginning to notice a pattern in that regard.” Janet pursed her lips, thinking of the months she had spent avoiding him at the beginning of her pregnancy. But he was certainly one to talk about avoidance.
“I didn’t exactly invent that technique.” Daniel nodded slowly, let it sink in.
“Something for both of us to work on? Together?” The part of Janet that still expected sullen silence or screaming in the face of disagreement squirmed in discomfort, but she shoved the feeling aside and smiled at him.
“All right.” He smiled back, then got out of his chair and rounded the desk. He swept his hand over Andy’s fuzzy head and leaned down to give Janet a solid, melting kiss. Instead of returning to his chair he crouched on his heels beside her, watching Andy’s face as she fed.
“So, on a scale from one to ten, how much fun did you have swimming around in intestines today?” he asked in a light, conversational tone. Janet sucked her lips between her teeth trying to hold back a smile.
“Around eleven.” Chin propped on his hands on her armrest, Daniel glanced up at her with an edge of a grin.
“I never thought I’d find a thirst for blood an attractive quality in a woman.” Janet rolled her eyes. “Hey, maybe we can get General Hammond to pick up a few more shifts, get you back to your domain.” Janet almost laughed at the image of Hammond in civilian clothes, bouncing Andy in his arms as he wandered circles through her house.
“He did say don’t hesitate to call.”