Title: The Barista- 10- Explanations
Category: Drabble
Season: Season 2
Warnings: none

My evening out at O'Malley's had several unforeseen consequences. The first being that I decided it was probably best to store my European ID and stick to a Colorado license for the time being. I wasn't really afraid of getting in trouble at a bar, but having Colonel Jack O'Neill upset at me was something I just plum didn't want. The second had to do with Daniel and his mysterious wife. Married! It was an odd concept that I just couldn't get my mind wrapped around. I wonder why he didn't wear a ring? One thing I knew for certain; I was never going to wear my hair down ever again. Well, not at work anyhow.

I was slow in opening the store on Monday (this would be just 36 hours after the infamous Saturday night out) and I idly wondered if my blood alcohol level was finally back to 0. I had lost count of the number of drinks I had consumed at the bar. Despite the three Tylenol I had taken that morning, I still felt like crap.

I had just finished brewing the first pot of coffee when I caught sight of Daniel walking towards the door. He seemed slightly tentative, as if unsure if he really wanted to come inside. I could actually see him physically bracing himself as he opened the door. As if I was scary! Geesh.

"'Morning Daniel," I say somewhat sheepishly. He wasn't the only one feeling a bit self-conscious.

"Hi Kira." Several long seconds go by as we stare at one another trying to think up some magical phrase that will make everything less awkward.

"Look about...." We both start at the same time. Daniel chuckles and I laugh. Ah the heck with it. We don't need to talk about O'Malleys.

"What can I make you to drink Daniel?" I ask, moving around the backside of the counter.

"Double tall mocha with whip cream." I raise an eyebrow.

"Feeling energetic this morning are we?" I tease.

"Jack had me drinking horrible tomato juice concoctions most of the day yesterday," Daniel explains with a shudder. "I feel the need for something tasty." I nod my head in agreement.

"I unfortunately can't say I ate anything of substance yesterday," I say grimacing. Not for lack of trying though. Absently I place a hand against my stomach.

"Ouch. Sorry Kira," Daniel says apologetically. He gives me a small smirk. "Although if I remember correctly, Jack said something about you not quite being 21..." I hold up a hand to stop the lecture.

"I have sworn off bars until I am the proper age Dr. Jackson." Daniel laughs. "And make sure you tell Colonel Jack that!" I yell over the noise of the steamer.

Daniel pays for his drink but remains near the register- obviously there is something else on his mind.

"I'm sorry if I was out of line at the bar Kira." Daniel looks embarrassed. "I honestly didn't mean to uh..invade your space...." He shrugs. "It just happened."

"Ah no worries Daniel," I say placing my hand briefly on his. "You must miss her very much." Daniel nods.

"I do." He gets a far away look in his eye before shaking his head briefly and looking back at me. "I bet you have a couple questions."

"Actually Dr. Jackson, I have a LOT of questions, but somehow I don't think you'll be able to answer very many of them." I of course was referring to his work. I still didn't have all the details but I knew he worked with the military on some sort of classified project. What I was REALLY wondering, is just what they heck he did for them. See, I had done a little Internet research and had discovered that Daniel was...is WAY smart. He speaks over 20 languages! TWENTY. I mean, how the hell is that even possible?! He graduated college before he was 18 and went on to get a couple Masters AND Doctorates. I discovered all this on a website that talked about some archaeology conference that Daniel attended a couple years back. Seems he was the keynote speaker or something. Thing was, he apparently said some pretty wacky stuff and shortly thereafter just vanished from the face of the earth. I guess if I had stood up in front of hundreds of my peers (providing of course I ever HAVE peers) and said that the ancient pyramids were created by aliens, I would have disappeared as well. And after being gone for well over a year he suddenly reappears. But instead of working in academia or out in the middle of nowhere on a dig someplace, he's here in Colorado Springs hanging out with the military. It was just plain odd.

But the question I think Daniel was referring to was...

"So you're married, huh?" He nods. I glance down at his hand. Daniel has gorgeous hands; long thin fingers with neatly trimmed nails. Somewhere in the back of my mind I wonder if his hands are as soft as they look. Of course being an archaeologist, they're probably callused... Kira! Stop it!

"No ring?" Daniel looks down at his left hand and slowly shakes his head.

"No ring," he confirms. "My wife was.." He licks his lips. "IS from a more traditional Egyptian family."

"You mean like Nubians?" I ask intrigued. I remember meeting honest to goodness ebony-skinned Egyptians while touring Egypt. Beautiful people.

Daniel gives me a half smile and cocks his head slightly to one side. "No, not Nubian but something like that. Sha're and her family led very simple lives and physical tokens of commitment were generally not used."

"Ahhh." There was so much I wanted to ask, but I was afraid of going too far.

"So what happened?" I ask softly meeting Daniel's eyes.

"She was kidnapped." Daniel bends his head down in remembrance before letting out a small sigh. He looks so sad...

"Oh my god! That's horrible Daniel! I am so sorry!"

"It happened about a year ago and I have been searching for her ever since." He picks up his coffee and takes a small sip. Coffee as courage- I like that.

"And Colonel Jack is helping you." Daniel again gives me a small smile.

"When he can, Jack is definitely helping." I mull this over for a moment.

"Jack brought you back from Egypt didn't he?" I ask remembering how lost and sad Daniel looked the first day I saw him, it now makes a lot more sense.

"Yeah. He did." I might have found out even more about Shar-ay and Egypt and how Jack happened to fit into all of this, but the door suddenly opened again and a whole gaggle of tourists walked inside.

"I'll talk to you soon Kira," Daniel says picking up his coffee and heading towards the door.

"Bye Daniel," I call after him. "Be good!"

A/N Famous last words...