DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. If I did Sam and Jack would be married with a daughter named Grace by now and Pete would never have existed.
A/N: I live for reviews! Please press that little button and let me know what you think, even if you think it's bad!
There was a swift rapping of knuckles on Daniel's door. Daniel jumped as his glasses slid down his nose and he almost dropped the heavy open cardboard box in his arms. Cursing under his breath, he caught the sliding box just before it hit the edge of the counter.
*BANG**Bang**BANG* his visitor was persistent.
"Hold your horses, I'm coming!" Daniel yelled across his apartment at the door.
A muffled response that he couldn't quite make out in a distinctly male tone was getting increasingly more impatient sounding. Placing the box of books down carefully, Daniel quickly headed for the door and swung it open to reveal Jack O'Neill dressed in faded jeans, an old T-shirt and his leather jacket.
"Geez, what's the hold up?" He shot at Daniel as his shoved past him carrying a bag of clinking beer bottles and a bag of painting supplies in the other. He slammed them down unceremoniously onto Daniel's kitchen counter. Daniel frowned.
"I, ah, almost broke something before you came in. Actually a box of something's. things I can't lose."
"Right." Jack had lost interest already. "Where's Carter and T?" He glanced around.
"On their way. I think they had to stop for gas or something."
Daniel shrugged and waved at the dining table which was covered in boxes.
"Wanna give me a hand moving these boxes? I'd rather not get them covered in paint."
Jack nodded and moved across to the messy table.
"Sure. Where'd you want 'em?"
Danny gestured towards the door across the hall.
"My bedroom? Since it's the only room we're not painting today?" It was more of a statement than a question.
Jack went to pick up the first box when there was a gentle tap on the door. He looked up to find Daniel with arms full of stuff and promptly moved away from the box he was about to lift.
"I'll get it," he said waving a hand at the door, and a little louder, "Just coming!" aimed at the door.
He opened it to reveal Teal'c in a fedora and khakis and Carter in a pair of 80s style ripped bleached jeans and a bright yellow flowery t shirt with a 50s pin up surfer girl on the front. Her leather jacket covered most of the design. Jack swallowed loudly and cleared his throat. He looked between Carter and Teal'c for a few moments before Teal'c broke the silence.
"We come bearing paint." He said, holding up at least 8 cans in various shades. "If this is not sufficient we may return to the store to purchase further supplies."
Jack's eyes widened considerably.
"No, T, I think that'll do just fine. We're not painting the Golden Gate Bridge!"
Teal'c raised an eyebrow.
"We did not procure gold paint, O'Neill."
Carter bit back a smile and Jack turned to her and sighed. Sam took pity on him.
"Actually, Teal'c, the Golden Gate Bridge is red not gold. I think what the General means is that we may have too much paint."
"I see. That is a rather inaccurate name for such a structure."
Jack clamped him on the shoulder and shoved him towards the door. Well, as much as you could shove a 200lb Jaffa.
"I'm sure Danny can explain the cultural significance to you in great detail!" Jack exclaimed sarcastically as he threw a pained look at Carter and motioned her to follow. She nodded her head in thanks and headed for the kitchen area with her own stash of dust sheets, rollers and trays.
Daniel appeared from the bedroom just as they entered his apartment.
"Hey guys! Thanks for this, I really appreciate you giving me a hand with the decorating. It's just the living room, dining room and kitchen and the place isn't that big so I figure it shouldn't take more than a day."
Jack clapped his hands together and began helping Teal'c with his load of cans.
"First thing's first - beers! I'll just crack open a few then we can get started on the boxes."
He disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared moments later with several bottles of Guinness and a J2O for Teal'c.
Carter placed her trays down on the nearest free workspace and shook the cramp out of her hands. She peeled off her leather jacket to reveal a few paint splotches on her faded yellow T-shirt. She turned her back on the guys for a second as she searched for a space to put the jacket and Jack handed the drinks to Daniel and Teal'c. He took a swig of his beer and turned to hand Sam hers when he froze. And promptly spit up his beer right through his nose.
At the choking sound, everyone turned to look at Jack who was flailing slightly from the foam coming out of his nose and waving them off as SG-1 looked at him oddly. Once recovered, he stared at Carter and then a slow smile spread across his face. She returned the smile curiously, her eyes narrowing in confusion but he didn't stop staring at her. Daniel threw Jack a confused expression but he was too busy staring at Sam to notice. At this point she was starting to think she had a Goa'uld on her back.
"What?!" She aimed at O'Neill, not understanding why he was staring at her in that way. Again with the smirk. Jack raised his bottle in her direction.
"Fine taste in T-shirts you got there, Carter!"
Instinctively she glanced down at the hula girl on a surfboard on the front.
"This old thing? What about it?"
Jack raised his eyebrows.
"I wasn't looking at the front." He said by way of explanation. Carter was still nonethewiser. She twisted to try to see if she had spilled anything onto the back of her shoulder when she froze at the glimpse of red writing on the back.
*Holy Hannah!* she winced. She'd completely forgotten that it was a double sided t shirt. Cringing as she recalled with sudden perfect clarity the words on the back -
Cal's No. 1 O'Neill since 1952!
Blushing beet red, she glanced at her shoes and Daniel frowned and moved around her to see what it said.
"Carter, if you were gonna start a fan club you could have at least submitted a requisition order to me for the T-shirts!"
Jack just continued staring, a full blown grin now gracing his features.
"Then I at least might have had something in my office for Danny to put on besides a flag!"
Sam cringed but she smiled back at him.
"What can I say, Sir? I could give it to you to keep as a memento?"
Jack again choked slightly, this time on air.
"Carter! As much as I might appreciate you taking your top off, now is hardly the time!"
And once again silence descended upon the room as everyone turned to stare at Jack. His eyes bugged out and he gaped like a fish.
"I, ah, yeah, that didn't quite sound the way it did in my... head"
Sam cocked an eyebrow at him in Teal'c fashion.
"Who said I was gonna give it to you with the guys here?"
Daniel's eyes got wide as saucers as he glanced repeatedly between Jack and Sam as though watching a tennis match. If it was possible, Jack went even more purple faced as her double-entendre sunk in. What the hell had he missed the last few months?!
Teal'c suddenly filled the awkward silence.
"I do not believe it would fit you, O'Neill. However, I do believe that Cassandra Fraiser may help you return the favour. I have seen her on several occasions wearing a "Carter" baseball cap."