Annika sang along to the Christmas song blaring from the radio as she swept the kitchen floor, dancing with the broom to the beat.

"Rockin’ around the Christmas tree, at the Christmas party hop…"

With the flick of her wrist the chair hovered so she could sweep beneath it without bending.

"…Mistletoe hung where you can see every couple try to stop..."

The chair lowered and the dustpan and brush floated to the floor, gathering the small pile of dirt she’d collected.

"…Rockin’ around the Christmas tree, let the Christmas spirit ring..."

She let the pan jiggle through the air.

"…Later we’ll have some pumpkin pie and we’ll do some caroling."

The pan tipped its contents into the bin.

Hathor and Thor scampered into the room and she sidestepped them to put away the cleaning equipment. The puppies followed her into the lounge as she began tidying. Hanging up one of Daniel’s jackets she was flooded by a rush of happiness. I, Annika Murdoch, am happy about cleaning my house. She shook her head ruefully. Normally housework was not something that gave her the warm fuzzies. But Daniel was coming home tomorrow and she wanted him to walk into a clean house.

Daniel. Doctor Daniel Jackson. Just thinking his name did things to her insides that she never knew possible. Then there were those big bright blue eyes that changed color depending on his mood. She particularly loved it when they darkened with desire, when they sparkled with laughter or shone when he finally worked out a translation that had been eluding him… Who am I kidding? She loved his eyes no matter what. Hell, I love the whole man period.

The end of this particular mission was significant. SG-1 was off rotation until after Christmas and then Annika would officially be a fulltime member of the team. No more sleepless nights because she craved the touch and sound of him when she slept. No more seemingly endless days worrying about his safety. Their bond would let her know if anything serious happened, but there were times when she felt his excitement about something, most often a ruin, and she missed seeing how animated he got at every new discovery.

Dropping a pair of shoes into the closet, signaled the last piece of clutter to be cleaned up and she eyed the thick folder laying open on the coffee table. It was a copy of the Protected Planets Treaty. A treaty that Earth was bound by, even though most of the world didn’t know it. Thor had asked her to look for any loopholes that would allow the Asgard to help in matters regarding the Goa’uld. He suggested that Annika’s ability to analyze her visions could reveal an interpretation not previously considered. She’d agreed, not knowing what she was letting herself in for. It was long, tedious and most of the jargon sifted through her brain and came out a garbled, unintelligible mess. Daniel helped with some of the legal terminology and the margins were full of handwritten scribbles that translated the document into lay mans terms. She’d battled her way through about a quarter of the treaty and as yet had found nothing that could even remotely constitute a loophole for Asgard intervention. But she had stumbled across a subsection that could have interesting ramifications on the SGC, especially for two of her teammates. She’d astral traveled to Thor to discuss the single sentence, accidentally interrupting a summit with the High Council. He’d promised to stop by when he could.

Nope, she was in too jolly a mood to concentrate on the treaty. Instead she set about making a batch of truffles she planned on giving to friends as presents. Crumbling the chocolate cake she’d baked earlier, she thought about the past few weeks. It had been a journey of discovery. Discovery that Annika had finally found a niche where her psychic abilities were not treated like a parlor trick; where she wasn’t frowned on in suspicion because of her visions. Discovery of the history of the artifacts she was asked to ‘read’, finding out everything from who chiseled or engraved the statues and tablets brought back from off-world, to snippets of what the maker was thinking and why. Discovery that despite the risks of stepping through the Stargate, the threat of attack that every person at the SGC lived with everyday, Annika had never felt more alive in her life.

She was becoming more adept at interpreting her premonitions. Now that she’d had a few months working at the base and had a knowledge of what sort of events happened there, she could give a better description of what she saw. She wasn’t making the embarrassing mistakes that she had in the beginning because she was a novice to the SGC world. Like in her first week when she had a vision of a Goa’uld being allowed to walk through the Stargate rather than be squished by the iris. She’d been convinced that somehow the whole base was going to be compromised, especially when the last image she’d witnessed was Sam hugging the snakehead. She’d rushed into Daniel’s office in a panic, only to have him burst into laughter when she transferred the vision to him. No one had gotten around to mentioning the existence of the Tok’ra to the psychic, nor that Sam’s dad was now a willing host to Selmak. Her potential foothold situation was actually just a visit between family.

While most of her visions regarding missions had been serious, depicting ambushes and dangerous incidents, there had been a few that had made Annika shriek with laughter. Her particular favorite involved SG-1. Funnily enough they didn’t find it quite as hilarious as she did. It had started rather innocuously. SG-1 had been about to embark on mission to a planet where the locals had a working knowledge of the Stargate. Communication had been established when the MALP had been sent through and they were eager to meet the inhabitants of Earth to discuss trade. Annika, still needing time to finish up her final cake orders had stayed behind.

"Any parting words of wisdom?" Jack had looked up at her in the control room.

Annika fully intended to say no. She’d received no ‘insights’ regarding this mission, however when she opened her mouth what came out was, "Daniel, fall left."

They’d waited patiently for an explanation. When it wasn’t forthcoming, Jack quirked an eyebrow. "That’s it? Can you be any more cryptic?"

She’d raised her hands in helpless defeat. "Sorry. It’s all I’ve got."

"What about the rest of us?" Sam called up.

She’d shrugged. "I guess you should do the same. All I know is that Daniel would much prefer to fall left than right."

Two days later the klaxons wailed indicating an unscheduled ’gate activation and Annika had jogged up to the control room. As her fingers touched the handrail she had a flash of who was coming through the wormhole and had to bite back a laugh. Oooh, they were not happy campers.

She saw the general frowning at the computer screen.

Sergeant Harriman tapped at the keyboard. "IDC confirms it’s SG-1."

"Don’t worry, General, they’re not under fire."

Hammond glanced up at her arrival. "It’s unlike SG-1 to come back early."

"Oh, they’ve got a good reason, sir."

The base commander took in the sparkle lighting up the psychic’s eyes. "What’s happened?"

Annika grinned. "I’d hate to spoil their grand entrance."

The seventh chevron locked, the wormhole ka-whooshed and SG-1 stomped down the ramp, their saturated boots making squelching noises with every step. The soldiers with their weapons poised to fire on any unfriendlys, could only stare, mouths agape. They had seen many teams return in numerous states through the Stargate but this would have to be one of the strangest…and the funniest.

Jack scowled at them before looking directly at the control room. "Where is she?"

There was a moment of stunned silence before the general’s voice rang out over the speaker system. "Where’s who, Colonel?" He sounded suspiciously like a man trying to hold back a laugh.

"Annika, get your so called psychic butt down here!" Jack bellowed.

The psychic in question was already skipping down the stairs as the blast doors opened.

There was a snigger from behind them and the team spun round, glowering eyes searching for the culprit. No one dared own up to the chuckle, no one even dared to let lips twitch. No one that is, except for Annika, who took one close up look at them and collapsed in a heap of howling laughter.

"Hi, Jack. P4T-552 is a colorful planet, isn’t it?"

"Very funny." The colonel swiped at his eyes to clear his vision.

The four of them were giving her death stares while trying to maintain a smidgen of dignity.

They were all sopping wet, but they hadn’t been drenched by water. Sam was wringing out her shirt and yellow globs landed on the cement floor. Her hair like the rest of her, was colored a deep cayenne yellow, right down to the previously black leather of her boots. Teal’c, covered head to toe in fire engine red, was stoically wiping down his staff weapon. The golden crest of Apophis could barely be seen through the red goop dripping down his face and body. Daniel was a bright cerulean blue and he yanked his glasses off in a vain attempt to clean the lenses that were opaque from the thick goo. Jack however, was the cream of the crop. He was a lovely shade of hot pink.

"Er…Colonel…care to explain what happened?" Hammond had followed Annika into the ’gate room. How he managed not to crack a smile, she never knew.

The team leader was too busy glaring at Annika, so Sam answered. "We were being taken on a tour of the Frissario’s dying facility…"

Daniel butted in, "Apparently their main source of trade with other worlds is silk and material. They’re known as the best colorists on a dozen planets, and have an unique dying process."

"While we were walking the ramps above the dye vats there was a severe earth tremor…" Sam’s voice tapered off. "We…er…kind of…"

"I think the term Carter is looking for is fell ass over turkey, sir." Jack kept his eyes on Annika. "You said fall left," he growled at her.

Annika had managed to pick herself off the floor. "Correction, I said ‘Daniel, fall left’. Clearly he didn’t."

"He did," Jack contradicted. "We all fell left."

The others were about to agree with Jack but their outraged rainbow faces became thoughtful.

"Ah…sir?"

"What, Carter?"

"Er…when the quake hit…uh…Daniel was turning towards the…uh…Head Chieftain."

"I actually fell right." The archaeologist sounded sheepish.

"No…he was…" Jack frowned, thinking back.

"Major Carter and Daniel Jackson are correct, O’Neill."

"You…er…yanked me down before I knew what was happening." Daniel managed to clear a small spot off his glasses and replaced them on his nose.

"This is not my fault," Jack spluttered.

"No, sir," Sam quickly agreed, though her yellow face said otherwise.

"Sure, Jack," Daniel smeared at his other lens but kept his eyes averted from the colonel. "Not your fault at all."

The Jaffa gazed impassively at his pink friend. "I do not concur. O’Neill knocked us to his left, not to Daniel Jackson’s. I am going to wash myself of this humiliating experience and I will not speak of it again." He stalked towards the corridor muttering curses in Goa’uld.

The others started to follow but the general asked curiously, "What would you have landed in if you’d fallen the other way?"

The three members exchanged looks. Jack scowled again then started his own string of expletives. Sam and Daniel gave embarrassed sighs.

"Rinsing water, sir."

It had taken almost a week for the dye to fully wear off their skin.

Chuckling at the memory, Annika finished rolling the last of the truffles, dipped it in the sprinkles and placed it in the foil casing. Licking her fingers of the left over chocolate she then washed her hands in the more hygienic way. After arranging the truffles carefully in gift boxes, Annika spent the next half an hour wrapping and tying ribbons around the presents. A courier was organized and when he collected the parcels, she took a few minutes to just sit and relax, watching Hathor and Thor play in the yard.

The puppy’s reactions to the onset of winter couldn’t have been more different. Hathor took great delight in frolicking through the snow and burrowing in the drifts along the fence and side of the house. Thor had tentatively placed one paw on the frozen whiteness and decided it definitely wasn’t his cup of tea. He now ventured outside only as far as the porch unless the garden path had been cleared. Then he would happily trot up and down the walkway, occasionally licking the salted stones that kept the snow at bay.

At the moment the serious little pup was delicately lapping up the salt crystals. Hathor on the other hand decided that a game of pounce was called for. The little devil sneakily stalked her oblivious sibling. Giving a triumphant yip she launched herself at Thor, sending both of them skidding into a particularly deep drift of snow. Annika giggled at the angry little barks coming from within the newly created hole.

Hathor came bounding out with a very pleased expression on her cute face and moved her assault to the next unsuspecting snow bank. Thor emerged much more slowly, poking a cautious snout into the sunlight to make sure his tormentor wasn’t going to blindside him again. Annika could hear his irritated growls as he shook the snowflakes from his fur and stalked towards the house. She scooped up the shivering indignant ball of fluff and went in search of a towel to dry off his sodden fur.

A bright white light engulfed her and when her sight cleared her lounge had been replaced by the familiar sleek lines of an Asgard bridge.

"Greetings, Annika." The little grey alien was standing before her.

"Hi, Thor," she grinned.

The Asgard’s gaze fell on the pup squirming in her hands. "I did not intend for the infant canine to be brought aboard. I hope the transport beam did not frighten him."

The pup had stopped moving and his soulful eyes were gazing around the unfamiliar surroundings. "It’s alright. He doesn’t seem too affected."

The puppy focused on the alien and the two Thors warily studied each other. The canine decided that he liked his odd looking namesake and happily licked the Asgard’s cheek. Taken aback by the feel of the rough tongue, Thor’s tapered fingers touched his slightly wet face. Perceiving this as a sign that the grey being liked him too, the puppy leapt out of his owner’s arms towards the Asgard. Reflexively he caught him and the puppy immediately started showering him with further sloppy kisses of affection.

Annika tried very hard to keep a straight face as Thor gripped the dog like it was a bomb set to explode, unsure of what to do with the bundle of energy wriggling in his hands. "Er…Thor…meet Thor."

"You have named your pet after me?"

Annika couldn’t tell if the Asgard was offended or not.

"It wasn’t intentional. When I named him I didn’t know about the Stargate or the Asgard…I have a second pup named Hathor."

Thor nearly dropped the puppy in shock but quickly recovered, clutching him to his chest. "After the Goa’uld?"

She nodded. "So it would seem."

The Asgard tried to hand back the puppy, however Thor was having none of it. He gave a pathetic little yap before snuggling himself into the crook of his counterpart’s neck. "He likes me." Thor sounded bewildered at the concept.

"He’s a good judge of character," Annika smiled. She gently adjusted his hand to support the tiny body tucked against him. "How’s the summit going?"

"It progresses slowly. We have taken a short recess." He hesitantly stroked the puppy’s soft fur. "What do you wish to discuss with me?"

"I was checking out the Protected Planets Treaty, looking for loop holes." She grimaced, "Not exactly light reading."

"And you found some?"

"Well…sort of, but not in regards to the Goa’uld, at least not yet…I’m only up to subsection sixty-seven. I wanted help interpreting subsection forty-two."

Thor tilted his head recalling up that part of the treaty from memory. "It appears self explanatory."

"Initially, yes," Annika confirmed. "The people of the protected planets cannot be artificially advanced through Asgard technological means. It’s part eleven that caught my eye."

Thor carefully juggled the puppy while reaching over to tap the control console to bring the treaty up on the view screen. He scrolled down to the subsection. Big eyes blinked in confusion. "It reiterates in more detail what the section entails. I do not understand the problem."

"It’s the wording," Annika pointed to the line. "The natural progression of the protected planets cannot be artificially advanced or impeded by the governing bodies agreeing to said treaty."

"It refers to the Goa’uld or the Asgard interfering with the planet’s progress," he explained patiently.

"But it can be interpreted differently."

"In what way?"

Annika took a deep breath then launched into her version. "Natural progression can be taken to mean evolution. Governing bodies agreeing to said treaty, includes the Tau'ri."

"And that changes the meaning how?"

"My first thought is that the government of the Tau'ri are also bound by the treaty not to interfere with the natural process of evolution."

"The intent was to stop Goa’uld and Asgard interference."

"But that’s not how it reads." She waited on pins and needles for the Asgard’s response.

"Conceded."

"Yes!" Annika punched the air in victory. "I knew it!"

Thor was still confused however his face revealed nothing. "What is the significance of raising this issue?"

Annika was dancing a jig around the control console. "The SGC, or rather the military regulations of the SGC, violate that statement."

"This violation makes you happy?" Thor had given up trying to decipher Tau'ri behavior. They did not react in a predictable fashion.

She nodded. "Ecstatic, because it means that we have to fix that violation."

"Please explain."

Annika managed to control her glee enough to give her interpretation of precisely how the SGC was threatening the treaty.

"You make a persuasive argument," Thor admitted, absently scratching the puppy behind the ears.

"I was hoping you’d say that. I was wondering if you could pay the President a little visit and share this interpretation of subsection 42.11."

The Asgard was silent for a few moments in consideration, his face impassive. He gave a slight nod. "Now that the violation has been identified, steps must be taken to bring all parties into accord."

"Any chance this can happen before Christmas?"

"Christmas?"

"Er…yeah, December twenty-fifth. It’s a holiday that we have where we give gifts to family and friends to show how much they mean to us."

"And you wish to make this correction a Christmas present?"

"Uh huh. Speaking of which." She waved her hand to the console. "Can you lock onto a little box sitting on my kitchen table?"

He nodded. Long fingers slid a smooth stone clockwise. A second later a brightly wrapped present appeared.

"This is for you. I know it’s a little early, but I’m not sure I’ll see you when you’re next in the neighborhood." She held out the gift and he took it with his free hand. "Merry Christmas, Thor."

The Asgard appeared at a loss. "You consider me a friend?"

"Thor, you saved my life. That goes way beyond friendship in my book. Shoot, you’re practically family."

"I do not know what to say."

"Merry Christmas generally works," Annika grinned.

"Merry Christmas," he bleated automatically. The Asgard blinked at the box covered with pictures of snowmen tied with a big red ribbon. "It is aesthetically attractive. What is it?"

"You’ll have to open it and see."

"There is more?"

She stifled a laugh. "Yes." She maneuvered the now sleeping puppy from his arm so the alien had both hands free. "Haven’t you received a present before?"

"The Asgard have no such traditions."

"Gods, Thor, that’s so sad." Annika was suddenly hit with the realization of just how alien Thor’s race was from hers. She couldn’t imagine a world where gifts had no place. "Well, I’m glad I could give you your first ever present."

He tentatively ran his fingers along the silky bow then gave the box a little shake, like a kid trying to guess what was in it.

"Well…" she drawled, "are you going to open it?"

Thor slowly untied the ribbon and folded it neatly. When Annika saw that he was going to be just as careful with the wrapping paper, she jumped in. "Thor, another tradition is to rip the paper off."

He looked horrified at the thought. "That would damage the decorative packaging," he protested.

"It’s just paper," Annika assured him. "Half the fun is tearing the wrap off."

Black eyes were doubtful. "You are sure?"

"Positive."

After another moment of contemplation he hooked his finger under a loose flap and yanked, ripping the wrap to reveal what was inside. He pried the lid off and looked blankly at the contents. "What are they?"

"Chocolate truffles," Annika supplied. "You eat them."

"They have nutritional value?"

"Ah no, not quite. They’re more a food for the soul, eaten purely for enjoyment. Sam mentioned that your diet was a little…" Annika tried to think of a diplomatic way to say revolting, "…bland."

"Taste is irrelevant to our body’s sustenance." Thor picked out one of the balls and after a moment of trepidation popped it into his mouth. After the second chew, his jaw stopped and his eyes widened.

Annika warily watched the little alien resume chewing. His eyelids drowsily slid shut. Oh, shit! Did chocolate have a narcotic effect on Asgard physiology? "Thor?"

His hand shot up, indicating that she not interrupt. A few more chews and he swallowed.

"I stand corrected."

She frowned. "Huh?"

"Taste is not irrelevant." Thor opened his eyes but only so he could put another of the chocolate delights into his mouth.

Annika’s face lit up when he repeated the almost reverent procedure of savoring the sweetness of the small confection. Her snort of laughter couldn’t be contained when a little moan of ecstasy escaped from Thor’s throat. Well, who’d a thunk the Asgard could blush? Annika thought as grey cheeks turned a distinct shade of pink.

"It’s okay, Thor," Annika chuckled. "That’s a common reaction to chocolate on my planet."

"It is?" He was trying to regain his dignity.

"Uh huh. Some say it is better than sex. I don’t agree, I just think they must have really lousy lovers."

Still flustered Thor blurted out, "I surmise that Doctor Jackson is a more than adequate sexual partner."

This time it was Annika’s face that heated up. "Thor, he makes chocolate seem tasteless." She was tempted to add, except when I’m licking it off him, but she’d embarrassed the little guy enough, not to mention herself.

Thor blinked at her response. "You have just convinced me that when the war with the Replicators is concluded, the Asgard shall definitely renew investigation into the traditional method of procreation." He glanced down at the box in his hand. "It is difficult to believe that any physical act could be as pleasurable as consuming these chocolate truffles."

"So in the name of science are you going to share your truffles with your friends so they can make an informed comparison?"

Thor clutched the box to his chest protectively. "The war with the Replicators has not yet reached a satisfactory conclusion. I would not want my colleagues distracted by other issues."

"Very thoughtful of you," Annika complimented seriously.

A series of short beeps chirped from the console and Thor’s sigh sounded almost regretful. "I must return to the High Council. I shall try to inform the President of the violation before your Christmas Day, however it may not be possible. Our recesses are infrequent, I may not be able to return until its conclusion."

"That’s okay, it was just an idea. As long as it happens the timing isn’t all that important." Curious she asked, "How long do they normally last?"

He looked a little frustrated. "It is impossible to give a realistic timeframe. The last one lasted twenty-three of your days."

"I could make up some emergency to get you out of it if you like," she offered.

"I appreciate the overture…"

"What are friends for?"

"However as the Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet the proceedings would only be suspended until my return."

"Bummer," Annika commiserated.

"Yes, bummer indeed." He reached for the transporter stone then paused. "Would it not be customary for me to return the gesture of a gift to you?"

Annika shook her head. "Your expression was gift enough. Plus subsection 42.11 will make my friends happy, that’s what the spirit of Christmas is all about."

The console beeped again. "I really must depart. I’ll return as soon as circumstances permit. Merry Christmas, Annika."

"Merry Christmas, Thor." Annika waved farewell as the transporter beam blinded her.

Back in her lounge room she laid the sleeping puppy on the couch and headed upstairs. Halfway up she paused in mid step as she realized how bizarre her life had become since meeting her devastatingly gorgeous neighbor. Bizarre even for her. Take this day…she’d cleaned house, made truffles, wrapped gifts, been beamed aboard a spaceship, convinced the leader of an alien race to meet with the President of the United States, to change a military regulation that violated a treaty that was probably as old as the human race, gave the alien a present, and now was about to haul boxes down from her attic. All of it was becoming surprisingly and scarily commonplace. She resumed her trek upward. Definitely bizarre, but fantastically, amazingly, out of this world bizarre and she was loving every minute of it.

She’d decided to start sorting out her Christmas decorations. Daniel had made her promise not to start actually decorating until he got back. He wanted to join in the fun of transforming the house…their home…into a Winter Wonderland. And to tell the truth she wouldn’t think of hanging one bauble without him. It was their first Christmas together and Annika wanted to treasure every moment of it. As she carried the boxes crammed full of festive cheer, Annika contemplated when would be an appropriate time for Daniel’s early Christmas present.

During their last foray off-world, Annika had overheard an interesting conversation between Jack and Daniel that had given her the idea. Now that Annika could consciously divide her astral self and literally be in two places at once, it had opened up a whole new range of possibilities as far as strategy and tactics went. Though it was documented that Annika could astral travel, it had been decided to keep Annika’s ‘splitting’ ability and her growing control of this ability, on a need to know basis. So they had taken off to a nice, safe uninhabited planet. On the first day they’d formed up into pairs; Daniel and Jack, Sam and Annika, and Teal’c and, as Jack called Annika’s astral embodiment, ‘Casper’. They were working on a series of codes using Daniel and Annika’s bond, to see if ‘useful’ communication could be switched between the pairs. The idea was to use it when radio contact was unavailable or not a viable method of contact.

That evening after they had set up camp, Teal’c and Sam went scouting for extra firewood. Annika had been ‘ordered’ by the colonel to rest. She had protested despite the yawn that escaped revealing how tired she was. While her body had finally become accustomed to astral traveling on a regular basis and didn’t usually leave her physically exhausted anymore, the day’s exercise had been longer than normal. She’d crawled into the tent after a few more half-hearted grumbles and taken a nap. The two remaining men had set about starting the fire.

She’d been woken from her doze by a loud crackle of wood in the flames and had listened to the best friends talk.

"Danny, I don’t get it." Jack sounded embarrassed.

"Get what?"

"I don’t understand this Casper stuff," he huffed. "I’m not playing dumb this time, I mean I really don’t get it."

"Any particular part?" Daniel sounded amused.

"Well, I got the spirit and body thing. Spirit leaves the body, body sleeps, spirit flits about and then returns." She could hear Jack stretching his legs out. "But this split Casper thing, how does Annika stay awake and leave her body at the same time?"

"I don’t know, Jack. She just does." Daniel sat down beside his friend.

"And what about her mind? Does that split in two, too?" The colonel was trying hard to work out the logistics of astral traveling in his head and clearly wasn’t getting very far. "Is half of it in one body and the other half in the…er…other body?"

Daniel covered his laugh with a cough. "You mean does her knowledge divide as well?"

"Uh…yeah."

"No. From what I can tell, each self keeps all her knowledge. Try thinking of it like having two separate Annikas. A doppelganger without the nasty personality change."

Jack was silent for a moment. "What about your bond thingy?"

"What about it?"

"When we were chasing Bes and Casper was with us, you were still able to make course corrections."

"Yes…"

"Then if her spirit was with us, how did you know when her body changed direction?"

"I…" She could almost hear Daniel frowning in thought. "I just did."

"Twenty-three languages and you come up with ‘I just did’?"

"I don’t fully understand it myself, Jack. Our bond is both spiritual and physical."

"Can you tell which is which?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I…"

"No, let me," Jack cut him off. "You just do."

"You’re smarter than the average bear," Daniel chuckled and reluctantly Jack joined in.

Another pop from the fire and Jack shifted uneasily. "There’s something else I’ve been meaning to ask."

Daniel sighed. "What?"

"When Annika’s…" Jack paused and Annika peeked out of the tent to see him wave his fingers about. "When she becomes solid, what does it feel like?"

"Like her physical body."

"Really?"

Daniel nodded. "Feels a bit strange when she loses concentration and sweeps right through me, but mostly I can feel the warmth of her touch."

"And does she feel you?"

"Pretty sure she does."

"Huh."

"Huh, what?" Daniel was suspicious.

"You realize what you’ve got don’t you?"

"Yes, Jack. The most amazing woman I’ve ever met, the woman I love, loves me back."

"You’ve got more than that, Space Monkey. You’ve got every man’s fantasy."

Annika frowned in confusion. What is he talking about? I’ve never been anyone’s fantasy, at least not until I met Daniel.

The archaeologist remained silent.

"Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it." Jack’s elbow nudged Daniel’s side.

"Jack…"

"I distinctly remember you telling me in a drunken haze a few years back that you’ve dreamed about the scenario."

Daniel was staring into the fire. "I have thought about it," he admitted and Annika felt a burst of desire shoot through their bond.

Thought about what? she wanted to call out. Will one of you please say what it is you’re talking about? Eavesdropping psychic needs a clue!

"Twins, Danny." Jack’s voice was slightly awed.

"And the beauty of your situation is that you won’t have to feel guilty in any way because the two women you’ll be with are the same person. Okay, that sounded so not right, but you know what I mean."

The light flicked on in Annika’s head. She studied Daniel’s reflection in the firelight, trying to get a sense of what he thought. She saw a blush creep up his face but he looked conflicted.

"Our sex life is more than perfect the way it is," he spoke softly. "I don’t need that fantasy anymore. I wouldn’t ask Annika to do that."

"Why not? There’s nothing unethical or immoral about it to screw with your moral compass. It would be perfect…"

"Perfect for me, Jack, but not for Annika."

"You lost me." The colonel was baffled.

"There’s a level of concentration in both of Annika’s minds when she splits," Daniel reluctantly explained. "One focuses on keeping them separated and the other to solidify to move and touch things. When we make love I don’t want her…distracted…by that."

"But twins," Jack pressed. "Identical twins."

There was another ripple of desire through their bond.

"Part of what makes our love making so fantastic is that we don’t hold anything back. If Annika had to worry about being astral then she can’t give herself fully to me. And then I’d be worried about that. No, not worried…if she’s not…uh…thoroughly enjoying herself, then I’m not either."

The older man blinked, then blinked again. "That would have to be the most unselfish-selfish thing I have ever heard come out of your mouth."

Daniel shrugged. "What can I say? As crass as it sounds, I get off on getting her off. I’m just lucky that it’s ditto for Annika."

Jack gave a snuff of disbelief. "Trust you to have found some warped ethical high ground to deny yourself your fantasy."

"Jack, please…"

"But twins…"

"Just drop it."

"But-"

"Jack!"

He backed off, however Annika could hear him muttering to himself in disgust at Daniel’s morals. Sneaking a look she saw his expression contradicted his grumbles. That was definitely respect flickering in the colonel’s eyes.

Sam and Teal’c had returned shortly after. Annika had waited a few minutes before emerging, pretending to have just woken up. The next morning when they separated into pairs again, Annika saw the two men studying her when her astral self appeared by Teal’c’s side. Jack playfully mouthed the word ‘Twins’ at Daniel, who only rolled his eyes, yet Annika had felt the tickle of his desire.

She’d decided since Daniel wouldn’t ask her to fulfill his fantasy, she would have to take matters into her own hands. The truth was, the more she thought about it, the more turned on she became. She was just waiting for the right time. The first night back was out. Their love making on those occasions was a reconnection after being days without each other and more often than not were quicker than their usual romps. Plus he’d be tired. So would she be, she had to admit. Neither of them slept well alone anymore, both of them existing on only a couple of hours a night, three at most when separated. Maybe the second night. By then they would be well and truly reacquainted and rested. Happy to have it all planned out, Annika continued on with sorting the decorations.