"What a mess!"
It wasn't the first time Helena Bringham had uttered those words when walking into Dr. Daniel Jackson's office late at night. She was used to coming in, emptying the garbage, dusting around things (she hated that) and moving on to the next office in this hallway of Level 18.
It was, however, the first time she'd uttered those words with Dr. Daniel Jackson standing behind her.
"Ahem," he said. "You are?"
Helena jumped a turned around. "Ho, jeez-Louise, Doctor! I thought you had gone home – or at least to your quarters. What are you still doing here?"
He smiled tightly. "Working. You?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you, sir. I'll come back later."
"But you were here for?"
"To clean your office – as much as I'm allowed to. Really, sir, someone with all your education should be neater. If you don't mind me saying, so."
Daniel smiled at the older woman. "It's a little late for that, isn't it?"
She pulled herself up to her full 4'11" and gaze up at him. "Well, if the shoe fits." She pronounced crisply.
Daniel raked his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his head as he surveyed the room. "I guess you're right, though. I hadn't really noticed."
Helena looked around the office with a shocked look of disbelief. "You didn't notice! Holy crap! How much worse would have had to get for you to notice?"
Daniel frowned at her and she met his eyes without flinching. Then she smiled. "Don't even try it, Doctor. I have three grown sons who are as tall as you, if not taller. And one plays football for the Raiders. There's no use trying to get me to back down."
Daniel smiled, despite himself. Then he held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, peace."
She smiled at him. "Please let me clean this mess up for you." She looked around. "I know you probably think you have a system, but your system needs a bit of organizing, doesn't it? I mean wouldn't you like to use your desk for something other than storage, just one time?"
Daniel scrutinized this little woman with her snapping, laughing blue eyes, salt and pepper hair, and wide smile. "How about we work on it together? That way I'll know where everything is."
Helena gave a squeal of delight and put the unused dust cloth back on her cart in the hall. She returned, enthusiastically and they started working.
Jack O'Neill walked cheerfully down the corridor of Level 18. He was hiding again and headed to his usual hiding spot, Dr. Daniel Jackson's office. He twirled his yo-yo in front of him, happy that he'd have a moment's peace from being Second In Command of the SGC.
Without looking, he turned into the room he always turned into and stopped. Then, he backtracked and looked down the hall left and then right. He looked at the nameplate next to door, then looked in through the door again, frowning.
"Hey, sir!" Captain Samantha Carter called. "I was just – what's wrong?"
O'Neill looked at Carter and asked. "Did Daniel quit or something?"
Carter's eyes widened. "What! Not as far as I know, why?" She looked inside Daniel's office. "Oh!"
"Hi, guys," Daniel said, walking past them into his office. "What's up?"
"Daniel," Jack said, slowly. "Are you leaving us?"
Daniel stopped and looked at Jack, frowning. "No. Why?"
Jack moved his finger in a sweeping motion in front of him. "Your stuff is gone."
Daniel looked around. "No. Just arranged differently. Thought it was time for a change."
Jack nodded. Then he quietly backed out of Daniel's office and quickly walked back the way he came.
Sam grinned at Daniel who grinned back. "Helena?"
Daniel nodded. "Helena. I told her that Jack's expression was going to be great."
"Oh, and it was," Sam chuckled. "You should have seen it…"