Title: An Eggcellent Day Indoors (An Easter/Spring Break Ficlet)

Category: Gen, humor

Content Level: Any age

Content Warnings: Beware if you suffer from an egg allergy! ;-)

Pairings: None

Season: Beyond 8

Spoilers: None

Summary: An exuberant O'Neill has some Easter fun with his former team mates

Disclaimer: Not mine and sadly never will be. No copyright infringement is intended. Copyright © 2009 Su Freund

Author's Note: A ficlet in response to Yahoo Stargate Drabbles Group Challenge #61, which was actually two separate word challenges that I have rolled into one ficlet. Words: Pastel, fake grass, fluffy, spring, grandma, "No, don't eat that stuff!" eggsellent, eggstatic, eggcitable, eggsactly, eggciting.

When I read this challenge and heard Jack's voice in my head exclaiming, "eggsactly!" I knew I had to write this! I've added one or too more eggs than required to the ficlet. Do ya think I get additional bonus points? LOL. :-D

An Eggcellent Day Indoors

O'Neill's eyes widened as he watched Daniel reach out absentmindedly to pick something out of the basket.

"No, don't eat that stuff!" he exclaimed and Daniel looked at him askance.

"Why not?"

"It's as phoney as Astroturf."

Daniel glanced at the egg in his hand. "Easter eggs like fake grass?"

"Eggsactly!" Jack kidded with a smirk, making Carter grin with amusement and Daniel groan at his pun. "Look real, don't they? Feel real too. But that egg basket is full of fakes. Sooo not chocolate. They are disgustingly…" He puckered his nose up and gestured with his hands for emphasis. "Disgusting."

"Why?" Daniel queried, surprised Jack hadn't just let him bite into one of them. He'd been winding the archaeologist up ever since he'd arrived at Sam's.

"A little joke we're gonna play on Mitchell when he arrives… the first time he mentions his ol' grandma."

Daniel chuckled. "Yeah, it can get kind of irritating, can't it?"

"I swear I'll…" Jack made strangulation motions with his hands.

"But you hardly ever see him, Jack. Not like us."

"Did I used to be as annoying as that?" O'Neill eyed Carter with an expression that seemed to dare her to reply in the affirmative and she spluttered, swallowing her bite of chocolate egg the wrong way and coughing furiously.

"Yes, actually. Still are," Daniel replied acerbically, patting Sam on the back.

O'Neill pouted, regretting stopping Daniel from biting into the nasty tasting false chocolate egg. At all costs he was going to aggravate his friend as much as possible today he decided.

"You okay, Carter?" he asked with concern as her coughing fit subsided. "Shouldn't laugh with your mouth full ya know."

"Yes sir," she agreed with a beam.

Picking up a real egg, O'Neill popped some chocolate into his mouth, sucking on it for a moment before declaring, "Eggsellent!"

The pained expression on Daniel's face encouraged him to continue. "Well, this is eggciting, isn't it?" he declared rubbing his hands together gleefully and eliciting another groan along with a glare from his friend.

Actually, Jack really was a little excited at spending some time with his former teammates; the first Spring break they'd ever managed to get together. It was a while since he'd last seen them what with being stuck in D.C. most of the time and all.

"Like what you've done with the place, Carter," he commented, referring to her new decor. "Pastel. Nice!"

Sam narrowed her eyes wondering if he was being sarcastic, but he seemed genuine so she smiled. "Thank you, sir. I'm eggstatic you like it."

O'Neill guffawed. "Eggsuberant perhaps?" he queried humorously and Daniel sighed exaggeratedly.

"Don't encourage him Sam," he chided.

"Don't get so eggcitable and eggsaggerate Daniel," Jack retorted and he and Sam burst out laughing simultaneously.

Daniel rolled his eyes, swearing revenge but averting further comment when a knock on the door gave him an excuse to leave the room. Seconds later he was back sporting a mirthful grin followed by Mitchell and Vala. Given what they were wearing, the reason for his delight, he was thinking he might be spared as the butt end of Jack's jokes. His so called friend could poke fun at new and more worthwhile targets now. Richer pickings.

Frankly, Daniel hoped it was someone else's turn. He could have sworn Jack and Sam had been conspiring behind his back and didn't think he was simply being paranoid. Maybe they really had been.

Mitchell and Vala paused in the doorway open-mouthed and seemingly peeved.

"Sam!" Mitchell roared indigently. "You said we had to wear bunny costumes to this shindig!" At which O'Neill and Carter exchanged amused looks and laughed again. The new arrivals were both wearing fluffy grey bunny outfits. They looked ridiculous – and increasingly pissed.

"I was acting on orders, I swear!" claimed Sam defensively and the pair glowered in O'Neill's direction. "I guess I might have eggaggerated a bit." She glanced at the general who grinned inanely.

"Over egged it, eh, Carter?" Jack joked, winking at her. "Eggcellent! I love it when a plan comes together."

He reached for the basket of faux chocolate eggs waving them in the direction of Carter's guests.

"You'll get over it. Chocolate will make it all better. Eggs anyone?"

Mitchell and Vala scratched their fluffy heads with puzzlement and the laughter that followed could be heard all the way along the street.

The End