Priorities

Rated: PG

Category: Gen, Team, Humor.

Season: Any.

Spoilers: None.

Summary: Jack's Hurting, But There's No Comfort For Him This Time.

Note: This one is for Loth. Nothing worse than a toothache. Hang in there!

---

Daniel Jackson read to himself as he walked, which was mostly safe. His feet could take him nearly anywhere in the SGC with his mind elsewhere. It was a skill he'd perfected over his years on SG-1. He barely realized where he was until he heard a loud shout.

"Ow!"

Daniel sighed, suddenly knowing that he was outside Jack's rarely-used office. He leaned his head in the door, despite his better judgment.

"Jack?" he called.

A disembodied voice answered him. "That you, Daniel?"

"Yeah. Where are you? And what are you carrying on about?"

"I'm in the bathroom," replied Jack. "Taking some Advil. That new crown that psychopath of a dentist upstairs put on hurts like hell!"

Jack emerged from a side door as he spoke.

"Yeah, that happens," said Daniel. "Maybe you should get it checked out."

"No way."

"Jack…"

"Not going to happen, Daniel. I'm fine. Besides, this is a temp thing. They put the real one on next week. I can live 'til then."

"I see," mused Daniel. An evil thought formed in the archeologist's mind. He tried to push it away, but it wouldn't let him. Daniel grinned. He so wasn't going to fight this. Jack noticed and gave his friend a questioning look.

"Did you have a reason for being here, Daniel?"

"Actually, I was just walking by when I heard you yelling. But now that I'm here, I was going to see if you wanted to join me for dinner." Daniel immersed himself in the papers in his arms again. He didn't look at Jack as he spoke.

Jack was interested. "Oh? What'cha having?"

"Burgers," said Daniel lightly. "Teal'c's making some. You know, those giant ones he makes? I swear, those things could feed three Jaffa each." Daniel still didn't look up but instead bent over his papers even more as if intently studying something.

Jack stared at the top of Daniel's head for a full minute before he spoke. Finally, he managed a single word.

"Daniel?"

"Yeah, Jack?" Daniel looked up and stared back at Jack. His face was the picture of innocence, which was a far cry from Jack's snarl.

"Get out," grunted Jack.

Daniel blinked and stepped backwards. "Fine. Ok. See if I invite you again. You don't have to be so rude, you know."

"Out."

Daniel turned and left in a hurry. It wasn't Jack's ire that sped him up, but his own response to it. To his credit, Daniel made it out of Jack's office and around the first hallway corner before he lost control of himself and burst into laughter. He obviously hadn't made it far enough for Jack not to hear him, though, because Jack's response reached him as soon as he quieted enough to hear anything.

"You know you're an asshole, right?"

Daniel laughed even harder and took off down the hall.

---

SG-1 shipped out on a mission the following afternoon.

They took all their usual supplies, but apparently Carter brought a little something extra, and Jack noticed. Just as they stepped out of the wormhole onto P9J-781, he called out to her.

"Carter?"

"Sir?"

"Are you chewing gum? In uniform?"

"Oh, yes, sir. Sorry, sir. I forgot."

Jack waved a hand in the air. "It's fine, Carter. We're offworld, for cryin' out loud. Don't worry about it. Just had to give you a hard time, is all."

Sam smiled. "Understood, sir. Do you want a piece?"

Sam held out an open pack of Jack's favorite gum. He eyed it with longing but shook his head.

"Nah. Thanks, though."

Carter shrugged and pocketed the gum. "Suit yourself, sir."

Sam sauntered off and joined Daniel several yards ahead of the gate while Jack and Teal'c brought up the rear as the team began to march toward their destination. After a moment, Jack turned to Teal'c.

"So, T. How were the burgers last night?"

Teal'c arched an eyebrow at Jack. "I do not understand, O'Neill."

Jack mirrored Teal'c's expression. "You didn't have burgers with Daniel for dinner last night? Big, huge, honkin' burgers that take a lot of chewing to eat?"

"I did not, O'Neill. I had Salisbury steak from the commissary for dinner last night. It did require some mastication, but it was not excessive, and I was quite alone."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "Oh, never mind, then. I must've been confused."

Teal'c practically shrugged, clearly thinking it best to let the subject drop. "Very well, O'Neill."

Teal'c fell into step behind Jack as they continued to march, so he was blissfully unaware of the glare Jack was giving his 2IC and his archeologist. Sam said something under her breath, and Daniel giggled.

Jack growled deep in his throat.

He couldn't believe those two.

Offering him burgers and gum when they knew he couldn't eat them.

Frankly, Jack was proud of Carter and Daniel for their little game. It took some guts, and he was glad to see them laughing, even at his expense. Still, his mind kept busy for the next few minutes imagining all sorts of revenge he could wreak upon them. After all, Jack was as human as the next man, and he couldn't be expected to take this sort of abuse lying down. The only difference between him and any other guy being picked on by his friends was that Jack was an officer in the United States Air Force and the leader of SG-1. That kept his priorities straight.

Mission first.

Then murder.