A/N: An A/U for Heroes with a Daniel/Janet romantic theme - so definite spoilers for Heroes, Rite of Passage, Meridian, Fallen, and probably many others as the fic progresses Also, the rating is M based on some violence and possibly medical procedures, etc - definitely not because of any intimate scenes. BTW, I love feedback so the more I get the more I want to write. :D

Chapter One

Daniel took a quick look around to make sure no one was watching as he quietly snuck into Janet's office. He smiled a furtive little smile as he put his item on her desk. He knew she would love it and could imagine her smile when she saw it. He took a quick look outside her door to make sure no one was around and quickly departed her office as silently as he had come. He made his getaway soundlessly and was sure that no one was the wiser. As he made his way back to his office, he thought about the past few weeks…

He remembered when he and Janet had finally found the courage to admit to one another what they really felt for each other. He knew Janet had felt something for him ever since Cassie had been sick from the nanocytes in her bloodstream that Nirrti had engineered and distributed throughout her home planet's native population, because Janet had been as reluctant as him to let go of his hand when he had grabbed for it in the hallway that fateful day. But it hadn't been until recently that he had actually had the nerve to do anything about it.

It had all began when he'd woken up in the infirmary after another close call and had seen the fearful look in her eyes. She had been scared for him, that much was obvious. That had done it for him – he had decided then and there that they were going to talk about their feelings and who knows, maybe something more would come of it. If it was up to him, it would. He secretly longed for a family and he already loved Cassie as much as a father would.

As soon as he had been able to get up on his feet and make it to her office, he had cornered her. Admittedly, he hadn't been too steady on his feet, but it served his purpose, namely to keep her there so she couldn't bolt if things got too uncomfortable. He gently lowered himself to the chair, cursing the scrubs he was dressed in as he certainly hadn't imagined confronting her like this, but he just couldn't wait anymore. She eyed him critically from her seat at her desk, "Daniel, you really shouldn't be out of bed this much yet."

Daniel let a little smile show, "I wanted to talk to you, Janet." Putting up his hand to ward off any protest, he continued, "And it couldn't wait. I have to find something out."

"Find out what, Daniel? What could be more important than your health?" asked Janet, eying him speculatively. "I certainly don't consider anything else more important."

Daniel decided to just let the bombshell drop. "I had to find out if you feel the same way about me that I feel about you," he said quietly. "For a long time now I've wanted to ask you out, but haven't had the courage. But, now I've decided to just grab the ball and run for it." Daniel paused for a breath, now that he'd gotten the crux of the matter out in the open. "Janet, do you have similar romantic feelings for me as I do for you?" he asked, praying for a positive response.

Janet's mouth dropped open in a silent "oh." She was flabbergasted and very surprised. She knew that she had strong romantic feelings for him, which she had been trying to keep under wraps for a very long time now, but she had no idea those feelings were returned. Her heart started fluttering and she thought she might faint from excitement. Could it be? Was he really as interested in her as she was in him? Please, she silently pleaded, let this be real and not just a joke.

Daniel was becoming slightly concerned at the time it was taking to get an answer and started questioning himself. Maybe the signals he had thought he'd seen were wrong? Maybe she really wasn't interested in him after all. Boy, he hoped he hadn't just made a gigantic mistake. He definitely didn't want to ruin a great friendship over a misplaced sense of romantic love. But, he also didn't want to ruin a chance at happiness for himself and Janet.

"Uhm, Janet," Daniel said hesitantly, "if you don't feel the same way, it's ok. I'll just go back to my bed and we will conveniently forget this conversation ever happened, ok?" he asked pleadingly, searching her face for a different answer.

"No, no, please, stop. Don't go back to your bed, at least not right this minute," she said haltingly, seemingly at a loss for words. She continued on, slowly, "You just startled me, that's all. Give me a moment to get use to the idea that you have the same feelings for me that I do for you," she said, with a hesitant smile.

Daniel leaned back in his chair after realizing he had been poised to rise and go back to bed. He gave a soft sigh as the pressure was taken off of his bruised torso.

Janet gave him a quick look and got up from her seat to kneel in front of him. "Are you ok?" she asked softly, as she gently touched his wrist to check the pulse that beat within. After a few moments, she said, "I don't want you to overdo right now. This last injury took a lot out of you. We can talk about this later if it's too much for you," she said, alarmed at his rapid pulse.

Daniel smiled at her with that endearing smile she loved so much. "No, Janet. I'm just excited, that's all. You just admitted you have feelings for me," he said, gently raising his hand and caressing her cheek. "I was hoping you did. I even thought I saw it in your eyes when I woke up, but I wasn't sure until just now." He gently cupped his hand around her chin and brought her face to his for a gentle, but heartwarming kiss, that spoke of so much more to come.

Janet felt her own heartbeat speed up a few notches as her very soul was warmed by his sweet kiss. As their lips parted, but their faces were still next to each other, she gave a soft smile as she enjoyed the moment. She saw Daniel return her smile and her soul rejoiced in his presence. She knew that she had finally found what she had been looking for, for so long. She knew in the very depth of her soul that this would be it for her, she would never find anyone else like Daniel and he was her one and only.

They both pulled back and neither broke the silence for the longest time; they just stared at each other, reveling in the unspoken bond that been had formed by the one kiss. Janet finally broke the silence, "Daniel, I care for you so much that I… I… ," she stopped, unsure of how to go on.

Daniel just gave her one of his gentle smiles, encouraging her to continue. She raised a hand and gently took his hand rubbing her thumb along it in a gentle caress. "I feel a whole lot more for you than your doctor should, that's for sure," she said, slightly exasperated at herself

Daniel chuckled, raising their hands to his lips and turning hers so he could kiss her hand. "I'm glad you do," he said, with a smile as he kissed her hand causing a smile to light up her face. "I've imagined this moment a hundred times," he said, "and I didn't dare hope it would come out this way. I love it when I'm wrong."

Janet harrumphed with a grimace. "Daniel, you hate to be wrong," she said with a laugh.

Daniel gave her a cockeyed grin with a raised eyebrow, "Sometimes, I don't. Sometimes I'm ecstatic when I'm wrong. I think," he said hesitantly, "this is one of those times."

Janet smiled tenderly at him. "Sometimes I really like when you're wrong too," she said. She paused for a moment before deciding to take the plunge. "I have strong feelings for you and I would really love to see where they take us."

Daniel smiled one of the brightest grins she had ever seen on him and his eyes shone brightly. "Then, that, my dear, is what we shall do," he declared, cupping his hand around her face again and bringing it in for another lingering kiss. After a few breathless moments, they pulled back and both grinned widely.

They both started speaking at the same time and ended up laughing. As their laughter ended, Daniel clutched his side, "Ow," he said, the pain evident in his voice.

Janet, instantly concerned, was at his side, checking his pulse again. "Daniel, I knew it. You shouldn't be out of bed yet. Let me get you back there," she said, stopping him with her finger to his mouth as he started to protest. "We can always talk about this later, when you are feeling better. We have lots of time to discuss this new development," she said, with a smile. "Right now, you need to get back to bed so I can take care of you and you can heal enough to get out of here and we can have this discussion in much more comfortable circumstances," she finished, with a flourish.

Daniel grimaced, but knew she was right. He was really starting to hurt and his ribs which had taken quite the beating were really starting to make themselves known. He'd also had a collapsed lung this last time and he was still a bit breathless from that. "Ok, Janet, I'll do what you say," he said, as he started to get up, moving very gingerly, "but as soon as I'm out of here we are going to have a much more in depth discussion about our feelings." Grabbing her around the waist and pulling her to him in an embrace as he rose he growled deliciously in her ear, "preferably at my house."

Janet laughed and gave him a quick hug and kept one arm around him as she slowly helped him out of her office and back to his "regular" bed in the infirmary. She was pleased to note that the area was quiet and no one was paying any particular attention to either of them as they made their way slowly back to his bed. She gently helped him back into bed and smiled when he gave a pleased sigh as he lay back on the bed. She covered him back up and caressed his soft, short hair. He gave another little sigh and closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them smiling at her. "I can't wait until we can get out of here," he said.

She smiled at him, "Me, too. But it will have to wait a few days more," she said, as a gentle reprimand. "Right now, I want you to get some sleep. I can see how that small jaunt took a lot out of you." She looked at him sternly, "And no sneaking work up here either, Daniel. You know I always find out about it. I want you home as soon as possible too, and I won't be happy if you make this stay any longer by your foolishness," she gently chided him, offsetting her harshness, with another caress across his cheek.

Daniel smiled at her, knowing her gentle reprimand was just another tool she used to show how much she cared, not that he had any doubt, of course He had always known she cared, but now he knew she cared as much as he did. He was ecstatically happy and would go to the moon right now if she told him too, so he just obediently closed his eyes as she gently stroked his hair, lulling him to sleep

He had recovered quickly after that, only spending a few more days in the infirmary before being released to his home. Janet had come whenever she had the chance and they had truly started getting to know each other, including the enjoyment of the more physical side of their relationship. He hadn't been up for anything other than some serious petting yet, but they had certainly enjoyed that. He had gotten to know more about her personal life and her likes and dislikes. He was amazed at the information he was learning and delighted to realize she had an amateur interest in archeology, something he had never known before. He was beginning to realize there was so much more to her than he knew from working and hanging out with her and SG1 throughout the years. There was a much more personal side that perhaps only Cassie and Sam had ever really known.

Their relationship was coming along very well and he was enjoying every minute of it. It wasn't long before he was cleared to come back to work and they had continued their covert relationship without anyone the wiser. That part had surprised him, he had felt sure that one of SG1 would have noticed before now. He certainly felt much happier and knew it had to show somehow. And, Janet, he thought, she just radiated happiness, but maybe that was just his wishful thinking. Anyway, he knew soon they would have to tell their closest friends and he just hoped they took it well and didn't have any problems with it because he knew, he just felt deep down inside, that Janet was 'it' for him. She was the one, and he fully intended to ask her to marry him within the next year and while they hadn't yet said their 'I love you's,' he was sure she felt the same way.

He didn't see any reason to waste time with their relationship. He had already lost too much in his young life not to take advantage of whatever came his way. After all, he had already died and ascended once and while he didn't intend to die again, you never knew what would happen as long as he was a part of SG1. He went out on dangerous missions all the time, and Janet even had to go out on a few once in awhile. Granted, that was a rare occurrence, but it did happen; therefore, he didn't intend on wasting a single moment of happiness for either of them.

It was just so easy to be innately himself with her. She had a lovely sarcastic wit, which he so thoroughly enjoyed, watching her use it throughout the years, mostly with Jack, but also with others that had earned it, even himself occasionally. But the tender side of her, he hadn't truly known that side and he was finding himself enthralled with it. He knew she had a wonderful bedside manner, as long as you obeyed her, but the tenderness she'd shown him since they had gotten together, literally took his breath away. He wanted that – forever and he was determined to have it. That old Jackson stubbornness came in handy once in awhile after all, he thought wryly.

And tonight was the night. He had a romantic evening planned and he was going to wine and dine her and let her know how much she had come to mean to him. Tonight he was going to tell her he loved her, as long as that reporter Emmett Bregman stayed out of the way long enough to let him. He had noticed how he was mooning over her and how he'd asked her to lunch at the commissary. While he knew Janet was just humoring him, he had no desire to even have the appearance of jealousy. So, tonight was the night, and the rose with the dinner invitation he had left on her desk, was the perfect catalyst to tonight's festivities. They were going to have a wonderful evening and hopefully by morning they would be ready to tell the world at large how they felt about one another.

tbc...