He watched the three of them laughing loudly at one of his lame jokes - one he didn't think of as particularly funny. Carter, Jonas and Teal'c - yep Teal'c was laughing - had been laughing for a ridiculously long period of time and had managed to gain the attention of every other visitor to the restaurant.

"Tell me...tell me you didn't just say that, sir!" Carter managed to gasp out before choking on a sip of beer and causing the recently quieted table to erupt with laughter at her inability to take a drink.

O'Neill thumped his head off the table which only added to the screeching in his head.

"I believe that is the most humorous joke you have told in our time together O'Neill," Teal'c stated causing the table to laugh louder and harder.

"Well thank you T." He grumbled into the table trying to block out all the noises around him; the laughter, the talking, the music form the speaker he had been conveniently placed next to. Not only that but the noise *in* his head; the voices, the images, the screams.

He thumped his head off the table again causing one of the beer bottles to smash right next to his ear adding to the outside pressure on his ears...that and the constant ring-ring coming from his pocket.

Sitting up straight he yanked the cell from his pocket and answered.

"O'Neill," he almost shouted.

"Jack," a familiar voice sounded in his ear.

All noise that had been in his head drained away as he recognized the voice.

"Sara..." he looked at the others in his group but the had all become fascinated in the menu. "How did you get my number?"

There was a pause and then she spoke. "One of your co-workers called me, she said you had been through something awful on your last mission and you being you couldn't - *wouldn't* - talk about it." She paused and must have guessed what he was going to say next. "I think her name was Sam."

O'Neill looked to Carter who was staring at the table an embarrassed and guilty look on her face.

"She's worried about you. She said they had tried to talk to you about it but...they asked me if I could help. I can't remember her last name...Sam...you know who i mean don't you?"

He nodded even though she couldn't see him.

"Carter," he said talking both to his ex-wife and to Carter. Sam's head snapped up and she stared at him. "Look Sara, this is neither the time nor the place for this, I'll call you later." He hung up not giving her a chance to protest.

He wouldn't talk to them? They hadn't even *tried* to talk to him. Then they go and spin a line to his *ex*-wife. These people who called themselves his friends couldn't even talk to him?

No these weren't friends.

"If you'll excuse me." he stood and looked at the three of them who were watching him.

He walked away and made it half way to the door when a hand on his arm stopped him.

"Sir, I'm sorry." Carter said to him. "We didn't know what else to do." She pleaded.

He hesitated then stooped down so he was eye level with her. "You could have tried *talking*." With that he yanked his arm away and walked out into the chill night air.