Disclaimer: No, they don't belong to me, but that's alright as long as I can take them out and play with them sometimes.

Trying to tuck the bundle under his arm, hiding it as much as possible, Jack rounded the corner, checking in both directions for Daniel. Sam was supposed to be keeping him busy in her lab, but the man was notorious for not being where he was supposed to be. For the last week Daniel had kept turning up in the middle of their planning sessions. He would look hurt when he found all of his friends in the briefing room without him.

He'd almost spoiled the whole surprise when he was searching through Jack's drawer for coffee one day and found the file marked 'Top Secret, Mission Birthday Boy.' Jack had been prepared to tap dance out of that one. But Daniel hadn't even asked. He'd simply pushed the file aside to get to the coffee beneath. Daniel never questioned how it was that Jack had a supply of Daniel's favorite blend tucked away in his drawer, he just always seemed to take for granted that it would be there when he needed it.

It was lucky that Daniel walked around in a perpetual preoccupied state or the SGC would never have been able to keep his birthday party a surprise. His head was more often in a folder or buried deep inside one of those musty books he liked than up and looking at his teammates.

Jack keyed the mike on his shoulder and spoke quietly into it, "Birthday one to birthday two, the birthday boy is nowhere in sight, I repeat, the birthday boy is nowhere in sight."

Teal'c's deep voice answered, "I see no need for this subterfuge, O'Neill. Would it not be more effective to simply tell Daniel Jackson that you are planning a birthday party for him? Then you would not have to sneak about in this manner…"

Jack grinned when he heard Janet Fraiser in the background trying to explain to Teal'c once again the concept of the surprise party.

They'd all been sitting around the fire one evening, off world. They'd been telling stories of their favorite birthday. Even Teal'c had a tale to tell of how he'd completed his training and Bra'tac had surprised him with an extra special blade to mark his transition to adulthood. They had all turned to Daniel and he had just shrugged. He remembered parties when he was little with his family, but after that well-meaning social workers and foster families had had disasters. Even on Abydos Daniel had been so absorbed with his work he had completely forgotten his birthday.

So Jack had decided right then and there that he was going to throw Daniel a party he would never forget. And the rest of the SGC had pitched in to help him. The General had said they could have a seldom-used storage room for the staging area. The doc had taken care of many of the details while they had been off world. So far Daniel seemed none the wiser and Jack could feel his moment of triumph was at hand. He could just picture that little smile Daniel got when he was touched and trying to hide it.

It was at that moment that his radio crackled to life.

"Uhm, sir?" It was Carter. What was she doing?

"Carter, your birthday three, remember? And what are you doing? Aren't you supposed to be Daniel-sitting?"

"Well, that's what I was calling about, sir." The hesitation in her voice did not bode well.

"Carter, don't tell me you lost him?"

"I swear, sir, he said he was going to his office to get a book. His office and back and that's all…"

"Carter!" Jack clicked off and swore a few succinct words he didn't want Carter to hear. It wasn't her fault Daniel was wily.

He clicked back on, "Birthday one to Birthday two, the birthday boy is loose, I repeat the birthday boy is loose. Get everything under wraps, I repeat, get everything under wraps."

Jack could nearly hear the bustle from the base as people shoved packages and boxes out of sight. CD's were scooped into a drawer and a sheet from the infirmary was found to cover the cake shaped liked the gate. Jack retreated to his office to shove his own present into the closet there, hopefully out of sight of a curious archaeologist. Then he headed for the briefing room.

He found Teal'c and the doctor already there, along with Carter and the General. "Has anyone seen him?" Jack asked without preamble. Of course they all knew whom he meant.

"I'm sorry, sir…" Carter began again.

"It's not your fault, Carter, I should have kept an eye on him myself," he brushed off Carter's apology absently. Where would Daniel have gone? Now, that was the question wasn't it!

"General, can we…?"

Before he could finish the question, the general had already answered, "Anything you need, Jack."

The Colonel nodded his thanks. He'd always suspected that the general had a soft spot for Daniel, now he knew. But didn't everyone? That's why everyone on the base had wanted to have a part in this party.

He looked around; behind him people had begun to show up, looking anxious. The entire base had been planning this party for weeks, they didn't want one little slip up to ruin their hard work. Feretti was there, along with Walter Davis and Sgt. Siler along with the marines of SG-9 and all of SG-11.

Jack scratched his head worriedly and then began issuing orders, "Davis, take the marines and check topside. Make sure Daniel hasn't checked out. And check for his car, make sure he hasn't slipped out somehow," he added as an afterthought as the man nodded and turned to leave. "Feretti, you take some people and search the lower level storerooms, see if he's gone down for some insane reason. Teal'c check the gate level. Carter go to your office in case he comes back there. Janet, you go to the infirmary in case he shows up there. If you find him keep him, pin him down and find some way to alert the rest of us. If you don't find him, we'll meet back here in an hour and regroup." Jack didn't want to think about their options if they didn't find Daniel in an hour.

They all nodded and everyone headed off on their respective assignments, intent on their mission.

Jack checked his office and the work out room. Since they'd shown Daniel the punching bag, he showed up there at odd hours to work out. When he had no luck there, Jack headed for the commissary. They didn't have the best coffee on the base, but the pot was always full and it was always hot. He checked out a few of the others offices where Daniel could sometimes be found; with no luck.

As he passed Daniel's office, Jack stuck his head inside the door for a cursory glance around. When he saw nothing he began to turn away, his thoughts already sorting out where else he might look for h is friend. But then some instinct made him go back.

He went into the room, flipping on the light. "Daniel," he called out even though the man was clearly not there. He took a step into the room and another. It was then that he spotted him. On the floor, with the desk blocking him from sight of anyone passing in the halls, was Daniel. He was lying on his back in a pool of blood, unconscious, arms and legs askew.

"Daniel!" Jack called out urgently.

When the other man didn't stir, Jack picked up the phone dialing the infirmary. He drummed his fingers on the desk, every nerve screaming to go to Daniel. What had happened? There was no sign of a struggle in the room - just Daniel and all that blood. The phone rang two times before someone picked it up. "Dr. Fraiser here."

"I found Daniel," Jack said tersely. "He's in his office, I need a medical emergency team stat."

"What type of wound, can you tell, Colonel?"

Jack wanted to scream at her to just hurry, but he knew she had to have information so she would be prepared when she arrived, "I don't know, Doc, I just found him. I haven't even touched him yet, but there's a lot of blood."

"Alright, Colonel," her voice was smooth and calm, "I'll be right there. Don't move him."

"I know the drill, Doc, just get here now."

"I'll be there as quick as I can." She didn't bother with the niceties; she just hung up the phone.

Despite his own anxiety and shortness with her, Jack knew that Janet Fraiser would be hauling ass to get there.

He slammed the phone back into its cradle. He moved to Daniel. It was impossible not to step in the blood, so he didn't even try to avoid it. He knelt and put two fingers on Daniel's throat. He was relieved to feel a pulse, it was a little fast, but it was there. He sat back on his heels, trying to do a visual assessment of his friend's condition.

He couldn't see the wound that was causing all the blood, but Daniel looked fine. "Daniel," he leaned over him and called out softly. "What happened?"

When no answer was forthcoming Jack searched the room with his gaze, looking for clues. There was nothing broken or obviously missing, the furniture wasn't overturned or out of place. What were they dealing with? Alien incursion? Some internal threat? What? "Jeez, Daniel, if you didn't want a party you could have just said something," Jack muttered to the room at large.

"Jack?" Daniel's voice drew his attention downward. There was a sliver of blue looking up at him. "What happened?"

"I was going to ask you that, buddy." Daniel started to stir, but Jack held him down, gently but firmly. "Dr. Fraiser is on her way. You just lay still. How do you feel?"

Obediently staying where he was told, Daniel squinted up at him. He'd lost his glasses somewhere, "Head hurts," he answered succinctly.

Glancing around, Jack found the glasses lying nearby, next to a book on the floor. He tucked the glasses into his pocket. "The Doc will be here any minute. She'll take care of you. What happened?"

"Happened?" Daniel frowned, trying to remember the sequence of events. "Happened?"

The disorientation wasn't good; Jack began to worry about brain damage and worse. "Yeah, Daniel, what happened? Did someone attack you?"

"Attack?" Daniel frowned up at him. "No, not attack."

"Then what?" Jack's frustration was hitting new levels of high.

Daniel had the grace to look sheepish, "I fell."

"You what?"

"I was stupid and I tried to get a book from the top shelf. Sam kept saying the translation was important and we had to do it now. So, I was standing on the office chair…" Daniel's voice trailed off, but Jack didn't need to hear more.

The chair had moved and Daniel had fallen, hitting his head on the way down. "For crying out loud," Jack started, but Daniel was saved the lecture by the arrival of the doctor. Jack refused to move away but he moved to Daniel's other side to make room for her.

"Hi, Daniel, you're awake I see."

"Hi, Janet." He blinked up at her.

"Daniel, can you tell me what date it is today?" She took the penlight out of her pocket and flashed it in his eyes.

"It's July 8th. It's my birthday."

She seemed satisfied with what she saw there, because she clicked the penlight off and put it away. "Is it?" She asked. "I'd forgotten that."

Jack had to hide his grin. Janet was cool, even in the middle of an emergency.

"What year were you born, Daniel?"

Daniel managed a small crooked smile for that one, "Now that would be telling, wouldn't it?"

Janet smiled back, "I know what year you were born, Dr, Jackson, it's part of your official medical record." She rolled her eyes at Jack and suddenly he felt a lot better. "What day of the week is it, Daniel?"

"Oh, it's Thursday."

She began to carefully examine his head and neck, all the while asking him questions, "Can you tell me where you, Daniel?"

"Uhm…" he winced as she probed the back of his neck, "is the right answer the SGC or my office?" Her fingers came away sticky with blood.

"Either will do." She nodded to the medics that they could load Daniel onto the gurney and take him to the infirmary. She stood stripping her gloves off. "Get a pressure bandage on that wound before you move him," she told them. She nodded to the colonel and they moved outside the door to talk. He was surprised to find Carter and Teal'c there, watching from the door.

"How is he?" Jack asked quickly.

"He's hit his head on something, but I don't think it's too serious."

"There was so much blood," Carter said, echoing Jack's thoughts.

"Head wounds bleed a lot. He may need some stitches and I think he's got a minor concussion, but he'll be okay in few days," she reassured them.

"And what of his birthday party?" They all looked in surprise at Teal'c. "Will he not now be more in need of mood elevation?"

"Cheering up?" Jack corrected him automatically. "Mood elevation is what the Doc here does with her needles. How about it, Doc? Any chance of us still getting Daniel to his surprise party?"

Her fist inclination was to tell them absolutely not. Her infirmary was not a place to have a party, but it was hard to argue with the colonel when he turned those brown eyes in her direction. Normally she resisted, but darn it, she had a really good present for Daniel and she wanted to give it to him!

With all three of them looking at her with pleading eyes, she relented, "Let me run some tests, make absolutely sure there's no serious damage. We'll see."

Grins broke out all around her as the medics wheeled Daniel past them.

The word ran through the base like fire, the party was back on!

Janet assigned Daniel to an ISO room. Jack walked into the room quietly. Daniel seemed to be sleeping and he didn't want to disturb him.

At the sound of his steps Daniel stirred in the bed and struggled to sit up, "Hey, Jack."

Jack moved to his side quickly, adjusting the bed to a seated position and tucking a pillow behind Daniel's back. "Hey, Daniel, you up for some company?"

"I would love some company. I don't know why Doctor Fraiser put me in here all by myself, she said my head wound wasn't that serious. She said she didn't want to disturb the rest of the patients." He shrugged. "Whatever that means."

"I think she meant so that you wouldn't disturb the rest of her patients, Daniel," Jack said as if it explained it all.

"Jack, if I'm the one who hit my head, why are you the one that's not making any sense?"

Jack rocked back onto his heels biting the inside of his cheek so he didn't break out in a smile. "Maybe because you don't know what I know."

"What would that be?"

"It's your birthday, Daniel."

"Yes? I knew that, Jack."

"So does most of the base, Daniel."

"Yes? So?"

For someone so smart, Daniel just didn't get things sometimes. But, while the colonel could have gone on all day baiting Daniel to see if he would figure out that the rest of the base was waiting outside his door, the rest of his team couldn't. Carter and Teal'c rounded the corner pushing the cart with the cake. They were followed closely by the doc and General Hammond their arms laden with presents. Behind them were people carrying balloons and a CD player. People kept streaming into the room until it was crammed full of people.

Daniel just watched it all with his mouth wide open, unable to speak. Yep, that was the look that Colonel Jack O'Neill had been looking forward to all day.

When everyone was in, Janet gave the signal and they all yelled out, "Surprise."

Daniel's bed was showered with confetti and streamers.

"I… well… I just don't know…" Daniel was speechless. Yes, it was a day that was going into the O'Neill calendar.

There was a scramble in the room as everyone set up the party around Daniel. A table was brought in for the CD player and the presents. The balloons were stuck up; silly hats were passed around. Daniel counted himself fortunate that the doctor wouldn't let him wear one because of the stitches in the back of his head.

His team gathered around Daniel's bed. Oddly enough they had a little pool of calm in the midst of the tempest surrounding them.

"So, you surprised, Daniel?" Carter laid her gift next to him on the bed.

"I can honestly say I'm surprised, Sam," he looked up at them with shining eyes. "How long have you been planning this?"

"This?" Jack waved a carefree hand. "We just threw this together today," he said nonchalantly.

There was a choked snort from Carter and Teal'c raised a brow, but neither disagreed with him.

"Yeah right." Daniel picked up Sam's gift and started to examine it, "Well thanks, I kind of thought you guys forgot," he confessed. His voice was so low they could barely hear him.

"Forgot? Daniel how could you think we would forget?"

He began picking at the end where the tape held the edges of the wrap together, "Well, no one ever said anything, and you guys were always so busy. I'm pretty used to birthdays being a disaster you know."

Jack made a rude noise, "Well we're in charge of your birthday now, and there will be no more disasters, and that's an order."

Daniel looked up at him, trying not to laugh, he really did, but he just couldn't help himself. For a moment Jack was offended. Did Daniel really think his birthday was a disaster? Then he took in the infirmary bed and the IV line connected to Daniel's arm. There was a bandage snaking around the back of Daniel's neck and then there was the location where they were having their party. Jack smiled with him and leaned in close, "Next year no disasters to ruin your party," he promised.

"Next year?" Daniel breathed the word as if the thought had never occurred to him that he would get another party next year.

--SG-1--

After an hour or more of party and copious quantities of ice cream and cake had been devoured, the doctor began to shoo everyone out. People left in ones and twos after wishing Daniel a final 'happy birthday.' Until at last all that was left was the patient and his friends.

Janet gave them a small smile before shutting the door behind her as she too left, "Don't stay too long," she cautioned, "he needs to sleep."

Daniel gazed at his friends through drooping eyelids, but he rallied as they gathered around his bed, "I don't know how to thank you guys."

"You can let us come over and play with your game cube," Jack told him. "There's a cool hockey game, we can play one on one."

Daniel smiled sleepily, "Sure, Jack, just as soon as Janet lets me out of here."

Sam patted his hand, "You need to get some sleep so we'll just leave now."

He caught her hand, holding it fast, "You guys know this was one of my best birthdays ever, don't you?"

She patted his hand before releasing it, "Happy birthday, Daniel." She slipped through the door quietly.

"Indeed, Daniel Jackson, it was our pleasure."

"Thanks, Teal'c"

"Happy date of your birth, Daniel Jackson," and then Teal'c too was gone, leaving Jack alone with Daniel.

The two men were quiet for a moment, "Thanks, Jack."

"Hey, what can I say? I'm a sucker for ice cream and cake."

"Still."

"Still."

"Get some sleep, Daniel, or the doc will throw me out."

"You're not leaving?" Daniel settled back willingly. The sedative Janet had given him was working its magic. It was all he could do to keep his eyes open.

"I just thought I would stay until you're asleep, make sure nothing else happens to you. With your luck we'll have an alien incursion and you'll be kidnapped." Jack didn't tell him that he just wanted to keep him safe. Too much had happened to Daniel Jackson in his life and Jack's real present, as far as he could ensure it, was to keep Daniel safe.

"'Kay," he was beginning to slur his words as sleep took him.

"Think nothing of it."

Jack settled back in the chair, stretching his legs out in front of him. He wasn't going to stay long. Just sit and keep watch for a while over his friend.