Pairings: Mostly gen; Sam/Teal'c if you feel like squinting. (Also, Teal'c/Pop culture, but hey, that's canon.)

Spoilers: Mild ones for The Road Not Taken, but seriously, has anyone not seen that by now?

Notes: For heylittleriver.

I.

"Oh my God, he is just so frustrating sometimes," Sam hissed in a low voice, leaning around Teal'c's bulk to glare at Colonel O'Neill, who was in the process of filling his tray in the mess hall line. She prodded her dessert viciously with a spoon for emphasis. "I swear to God, if he weren't my commanding officer, I would walk over there right now and dump this jello on his head."

Teal'c tilted his head. "I do not think that would be wise, Major Carter," he said, that inscrutable Jaffa mask that she was barely beginning to learn how to decipher fixed firmly upon his face.

Sam felt her frustration start to deflate in the face of his calm. "I know, I know, I just-"

"It would be a waste of perfectly good jello," Teal'c continued. "I would suggest using the pie instead. It is, to my understanding, traditional."

Sam just stared, train of thought completely derailed. "Have you been watching The Three Stooges?" she ventured.

Teal'c frowned. "I am not familiar with anyone by that name," he said. "I was speaking, instead, of the Simpsons."

Sam dropped her head into her hands. Unwillingly, a smile began to fight its way to her lips. "Okay then. I'll take that under advisement. Thanks."

II.

"There's this translation I need to finish for SG-23," Daniel said a touch too quickly, gesturing in the direction of his office. "They're going back to PX9-335 tomorrow, and I should really get it done before they leave..."

"Then by all means, you must complete it," Teal'c said, as Daniel backed hastily out of the room. He turned to look at O'Neill.

"Well, gee, you know how much I'd love to, but I've got a meeting with the General at sixteen hundred," Jack said. To his credit, he did look a little bit guilty. "Sorry, T."

That left Sam.

"And you, Major Carter? Will you join me in viewing the new edition of Star Wars Episode IV?"

Sam bit her lip. She liked Star Wars just as much as the next person, but she had seen it so many times she could quote every line. Even pointing out the myriad technical inaccuracies had begun to lose its charm.

"I'm not sure I can, Teal'c," she said, gesturing with the armful of papers she held. "Dr. Lee had an idea for a new experiment, and I should really keep an eye on it so he doesn't blow up the lab."

Teal'c dipped his head, and the only way Sam could tell he was disappointed was by the tilt of his eyebrow. "The safety of the base is, of course, of paramount importance," he said.

"Alright. Well, I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Of course." Teal'c nodded, and turned to head towards the elevators. Watching his back recede, Sam felt a pang of guilt flash through her. Everyone had been so busy lately, and there had been so few missions, that Teal'c had been spending an awful lot of time on his own.

"You know- now that I think about it, Dr. Lee hasn't managed to blow up the lab in at least six months now," Sam said, quickening her stride to catch up. "Maybe it's time I let him have some fun on his own."

It was worth it to see the pleased smile spread across Teal'c's face.

III.

Teal'c knocked on the door jamb, a quick double tap. From inside, Mitchell's voice abruptly cut off, and he swiveled around in the folding chair to face the doorway.

"Oh, hey. Teal'c," he said, standing. "That time already?"

Mitchell's eyes were rimmed with red, but Teal'c did not comment. "Indeed."

"Alright. I'm gonna go get some food at the mess hall, then. Catch you later?" Cam clapped a hand on his shoulder and left without waiting for a response.

Teal'c stepped into the lab, letting the door close behind him.

"Colonel Carter," he greeted the empty air. "I hope you are well."

It had been nearly a week since Colonel Carter had disappeared into thin air in the middle of an experiment; trapped, as far as Dr. Lee had been able to tell, out of phase, with no supplies to sustain her.

Teal'c refrained from dwelling on this.

Instead, he sat down on the folding chair Mitchell had vacated and pulled out a book, opening it to the thin red ribbon that acted as a bookmark. He'd found it on Sam's bedside table when he'd visited her home to water her plants and clean out anything that had spoiled in her refrigerator, and thought she might appreciate listening to something familiar. And if she were currently unable to hear it... well, it was an interesting story all the same. Sitting back, he began to read.

"Chapter five. 'Over the city of Gondor doubt and great dread had hung. Fair weather and clear sun had seemed but a mockery to men whose days held little hope, and who looked each morning for news of doom. Their lord was dead and burned, dead lay the King of Rohan in their citadel, and the new king that had come to them in the night was gone again to a war with powers too dark and terrible for any might or valour to conquer. And no news came...'"

IV.

"The Hobbit?" Sam asked, crinkling her nose down at the book she held in her hands, puzzled.

"When you were gone, I noticed you had been reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy," Teal'c explained. "This is the prequel."

"Lord of the Rings-?" she began, then laughed. "Oh, right. That actually wasn't for me; it was a present for Cassie. She's taking this literature class at school... Introduction to Mythology, or something like that." She waved her hand, a fond expression crossing her face as she thought of her adopted daughter. "She said it was for extra credit?"

"I see," Teal'c said; although he had already found out that Sam hadn't been in the lab to listen during the time he'd spent reading to her, he found himself nonetheless obscurely disappointed. He forced himself to shake it off. "In that case, the teacher made a wise choice in selecting Tolkien's works, as they were heavily influenced by both Norse and Celtic mythology. Cassandra should be able to learn many things by reading them."

Sam smiled. "That's good to know," she said, and then looked down at the book in her hands, hefting it lightly. "And- thank you for this. I appreciate the thought, really."

Teal'c nodded, and that would have been the end of it, except that Mitchell had never been very good at keeping things from Sam. A few days later, Teal'c answered a knock on his door to find her standing there, clutching something behind her back.

"Colonel Carter," he said, surprised. They had the day off; he'd assumed she'd gone home, or was holed up in her lab, as usual.

"Hey, Teal'c," she said. "So... Cam was telling me about what happened while I was gone. And I was wondering- I don't have a lot of time to read books, but I thought if you're not doing anything else, maybe we could watch these together?" she asked, pulling three DVD cases out from behind her back. "I hear they're pretty good."

Teal'c had, of course, already seen all three- including the extended versions- but there was much to be said for rewatching a movie. Especially in the company of friends.

"I would be happy to," he said, pulling his door wider and stepping back so Sam could pass by.

Sam brightened. "Okay. Good." She began to follow him inside, but stopped in the entryway, placing a hand on his arm. "And- thank you, Teal'c," she said, meeting his eyes. "For taking the time to read to me, even if I wasn't there to hear it."

"I was not the only one to do so," Teal'c said. "Colonel Mitchell and Vala Mal Doran were there quite frequently as well."

Sam smiled, quiet and grateful, and squeezed his arm. "I know. But all the same- thanks."

"You are very welcome."