Jack and Teal'c were on their feet, their eyes wide with surprise when Daniel and Casey came walking out of the water in front of them. Jack checked his watch. They had been missing for a total of nine hours.

Casey dashed the last few feet onto the shore, hugged, Jack and then Teal'c, leaving them both wet, neither of them caring in the least. "We thought they had you, too!"

Jack looked at Daniel. "Well? Where have you been?"

"I’m not sure. All I know is that we were…studied. And then they just…let us go," Daniel replied.

"I am starving! Let’s go!" Casey demanded, already heading for the DHD.

The men behind her grinned and shook their heads, and gathered up the packs and weapons that waited on the sand.

Duncan was waiting at the end of the ramp when they came through, surprised to see Casey and Daniel dripping wet. "This should be interesting," he grinned.

"Food. Now!" Casey said, rubbing her flat belly.

"I’ll have some brought in, you can eat while you tell me what happened," Duncan replied. "After the doctor takes a good look at both of you."

Tests confirmed that the device had been removed from Casey’s sinus cavity, and neither she nor Daniel had suffered any ill effects from their experience.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Pizza had been delivered, and two boxes sat in the middle of the conference table. Casey hadn’t said much, she was too busy eating. When it came time to explain the part about them making love, she had blushed and lowered her eyes until Daniel was finished.

"Maybe we should leave a couple of movies there for them…'Debbie Does Dallas', 'The Devil in Miss Jones', something like that," she said, grinning.

"Somehow, babe, I don’t think that’s what they were looking for," Daniel said.

She looked at him, took his hand. "I think you’re right. I hope they did find it…whatever it was they were looking for."

"Write it up and have it on my desk at the end of the week," Duncan said. "Until then, go home. Stay there. You deserve the rest."

"Uh, Case, just one thing," Jack said quietly.

"What is it, Jack?"

"How do we…when will…can you ever trust us again?"

The question was asked so softly that for a minute she thought she had only imagined it. "Jack, the only reason I didn’t come to you about…this…was I thought that you and Duncan and T were…changed…were Goa’uld as well. I guess that’s the only way my mind could wrap itself around all that happened. I don’t know how to answer your question, I really don’t. Awake, sitting here like this right now, I trust you, all of you, with my life. Now, when I’m dreaming…more than likely I’ll take your head a time or two."

Easy laughter circled the table. Everything was going to be okay.

A  A  A  A  A  A

They had just finished making love when they heard Emily fussing over the monitor. Casey pulled on her robe and went into her daughter’s room.

"Oh, Baby, look at you! Are you cutting another tooth?" She gingerly lifted the baby out of the crib. She was covered with white, milky vomit.

"Need bath water?" Daniel asked from the door.

"Yes, we do. And clean crib sheets."

He nodded, headed to the bathroom. He made sure the water wasn’t too hot, then let it run to fill the tub. He went back into the nursery and began to strip the crib. Casey was already bathing Emily.

Examination of her gums indicated that she did indeed have another tooth coming in. They sat together on the sofa, taking turns holding a frozen fruit pop against the sore gum.

"Daniel?"

He had dozed off, his head against the back of the sofa. "What?"

"What do you really want for Christmas?"

He smiled. "Babe, everything I want is right here beside me. You and Emily. All I want, all I need."

She reached out and cupped his cheek with her hand. "I know exactly how you feel. You and my baby are all I’ll ever need. Although, I saw this really pretty pair of earrings…" she said teasingly.

He chuckled. "Whatever you want, babe. If I can get it for you, I will." He turned his head and kissed her palm

"Daniel, can I ask you something?"

He sat up, the tone of her voice bringing him fully awake. "Always, babe."

"Did you…were you ever…did you find…her…attractive…even a little bit?"

"No, babe. Not even a little bit. She was a cruel, ugly person inside. That totally took away from any beauty she had on the outside. You, on the other hand, are beautiful on the inside and the outside. Totally, absolutely drop-dead gorgeous."

She rolled her eyes. "You’re just slightly prejudiced in my favor. Not that I’m complaining. But I know what I look like."

"What do you look like?"

"I have dish-water blonde hair that absolutely refuses to hold a curl and green eyes that give too damn much away, a giraffe neck, not enough curves and knobby knees."

Daniel burst into laughter. "That is probably the most inaccurate description I’ve ever heard in my life! Your hair is the color of sunshine, and it feels like silk in my hands. I love the way it hides us from the world when you lean over me. You have very expressive eyes, yes, that’s true. But they’re not just green, they’re like…like emeralds. They’re lit with fire, babe, they shine with the light from inside you. Your neck is graceful, beautiful…I love it. You have great curves, trust me. If not, ask any guy around. As for your knees…they’re beautiful too…not the slightest bit knobby. They go great with the rest of those incredible legs."

Casey looked at him, tears in her eyes. "I think you need to have your eyesight checked. But…I’m glad that you like what you see…that it pleases you," she said shyly.

"Everything about you pleases me, Casey," he replied softly.

She sighed. "Love you."

"Love you, too, babe." He reached over and took Emmie into his arms. The fruit pop was not much more than mush now and he dropped it back into the bowl Casey had brought out for it.

Casey brought a warm washcloth and carefully cleaned the baby’s face and hands. Emily was almost asleep again. She tossed the cloth into the bowl, and sat down next to Daniel. He was holding the baby in the crook of his arm, the other he put around her shoulders. She sighed again. "This is so…right. It feels so good to be here, just like this."

"Yeah, it does."

"I’m really glad you’re not a Goa’uld," she said, a smile on her face.

He couldn’t help but chuckle. "Me too, babe."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. Within minutes the three of them were sound asleep.