NOTE: This is a sorta continuation to Phoenix Cry's "In The Heat of the Moment"

Caught Red Handed

Jack leaned back, in his chair, staring up at the ceiling of his office. He folded his arms behind his head and sighed deeply. His eyes darted over to the clock on the wall and he let out a low groan. It was seven o'clock and he was just noticing how hungry he was.

Pushing himself up from the chair, he stretched and headed over to the door. Before he was even halfway across the small office, the door, which was ajar, was pushed wide open. Jack cringed as the heavy door slammed against the wall. He cringed again--inwardly this time-- as a familiar wulf trotted into his office, looking far too pleased with herself.

"River," he greeted the canine, who wagged her tail and dropped a crumpled piece of paper on the floor at his feet. She looked from the paper, then to Jack expectantly. When he didn't do anything, she lay on the carpeted floor and barked up at him.

"Yeah, okay," he grumbled. He decided to humor her and stooped over, picking up the drool covered wad of paper. As he opened the paper, River rose into a sitting position, her tail swishing back and forth on the floor. When he had completely flattened the slightly soggy sheet he gave it a once-over. What he saw was a little weird, but not completely unflattering. It was a drawing of him with a very un-him expression and an Iron Man-esque piece of machinery in the center of his chest. His bare chest.

Jack lifted an eyebrow at the wulf, who tipped her head to the side. "Should I as where you acquired this?" He gave River a stern look, but that just seemed to spur her enthusiasm. She seemed pretty excited. Barking again, she turned and tore from the office.

"Hey! No running in the halls!" he called as he jogged after her. As he chased her down the hall, he only ever saw her hindquarters rounding the next corner. She really wanted to show him something, and he was a little hesitant to see what it might be, but certainly curious.

When he finally caught up, River was sitting in from of the elevator, looking over her should at him. She let out a playful yelp as the doors opened and ran inside. Jack followed after her and she stood up on her hind legs, scratching at the '19' button, pushing it down. The doors closed and the elevator began to ascend.

Jack noticed they were heading to the level on which Carter's lab was located, and an idea clicked into his head. "Don't tell me this has something to do with that incident last week," he muttered.

River didn't respond, just took off down the hall when the elevator doors opened. Jack didn't need to know where she was heading. He walked calmly down the hall toward Carter's lab, paper folded and tucked into a pocket of his jacket.

When he reached his former 2IC's lab, she was rubbing the wulf's ears tenderly. She looked up him and offered a polite smile. "Hi, sir!" she greeted cheerfully. River's previous enthusiasm must have reached her.

"Feeling better I take it?" he asked casually, leaning against the door frame with his hands in his pockets.

"Much. River has an appointment with the vet next week." Carter gave the animal a smile, then looked back up at Jack. "So, what brings you here, sir? I would have thought you'd have gone home already."

"Oh, you know me. Work, work, work. He shouldered himself off the doorjamb and wandered into the lab. "I'm actually here because River was thoughtful enough to bring me an interesting present."

Carter's eyebrows twitched in confusion and she cast a sideways glance at River, who was pretending to nap at her feet. "Oh?" she asked.

Jack reached into his breast pocket and withdrew the folded paper.

Carter must have recognized it before she even saw what was on the crumpled paper because her eyes widened in horror. "I can explain!" she blurted when Jack set the paper down on her drawing table.

Jack actually smiled. "I don't want an explanation, Carter. Trust me, we do not need to have that conversation again. No, after I decided this lovely piece of artwork was done by you, I figured I would drop by to give you a little piece of advice." He walked closer to her and leaned over her shoulder. He could feel the head radiating from her. "When you've got a wulf that loves getting into trouble and you have something you want to keep private, I suggest putting it somewhere she can't get her paws on it."

Carter swallowed hard. "Y-yes, sir."

"Oh, and maybe it would help if you didn't let your mind wander at work," he added, nodding down at the in-progress doodle on the page before her. She was sketching yet another picture of the General.

This time Carter's face actually reddened.

With a grin, Jack left the room, River barking behind him.