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Title: Downtime Adventures – Poker Conversations

Author: Maggie Eaton

Summary: Another SG1 adventure. What does the team discuss while playing poker?

Classifications: General

Warnings: Some Bad Language

Spoilers: None

Disclaimer: Special Thanks to all the wonderful creators and writers of Stargate/Stargate SG1 for lending me their wonderful characters to play in my enjoyable but profitless imagination. I'll be returning them shortly

Poker Conversations

It was just past midnight and they were slouched around Jack's table, cards in hand. Drinks littered the table along with remnants of nachos and various dips. Teal'c was silent; Daniel was only half-interested as Jack and Sam battled out the latest hand. He aimlessly threw his bet into the pool and returned his cards to the table.

"Daniel, are you sure you want to do that?"

"Ah, ah, Carter, never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake!"

"What?"

"Too late, Daniel. Pay attention."

Carter had been winning all night, kicking their butts at poker.

She was grinning as Jack studied his cards and then looked up into her eyes. He was trying to determine if she was bluffing - again. She smiled warmly and for just a second, he was distracted. Daniel saw the change in his eyes, one moment it was there and the next it was gone, making one wonder if it had ever been there at all. He looked at Sam. She'd seen it, too and was still smiling, although the warmth had been replaced with something similar to, but not quite, amusement.

"So…Jack, what was his name?"

"What? Who?" Jack looked up from his cards, total confusion shaping his features.

"Your cat. You said you had a cat when you were a kid."

"Oh, right! I…I don't remember."

Carter's head snapped up and she scrunched her brow. "Excuse me, you don't remember? How can that be? Was it your cat?"

"Yeah, but I was a kid, Carter."

"How old were you, Sir?"

He looked away quickly, avoiding her eyes and met Daniel's head on.

"Come on, guys! Is this the most interesting topic you can think of? It doesn't matter."

"You don't want to tell us! Why not, Jack?"

"Daniel, the cat was killed! Run over by a car. It was a very traumatic experience for me and I don't like to think about it! Will you just drop it, please?"

Daniel and Sam exchanged a puzzled look. Then Sam turned to look at Teal'c. He was more animated than usual, a bit of surprise showing in his eyes. Sam smirked and shook her head slightly.

"Yeah, right! The black ops trained, hard assed Colonel that we've watched defy Goa'uld and Replicators was so traumatized by the death of a pet at…Oh!…at an age he won't disclose that he can't talk about it! Pleeease!"

"Watch your mouth, Carter!"

"Jack, it can't be that bad! Come on!"

"Daniel, can't a man have any privacy?"

"O'Neill, it would be easier to overcome your trauma if you release this pain and get it out in the open, as you would say. You are among friends."

"That's right, Colonel, friends." He saw a touch of evil in Sam's smile as he looked at her eyes. "We wouldn't want you to carry that burden alone."

"Smart Ass. Oh, all right! My Mom brought the kitten home when I was a kid. It was a gift."

"How old were you, Jack?" Daniel persisted.

"Sixteen." Jack mumbled the words, almost inaudible to those sitting beside him.

"I did not hear you, O'Neill."

"Sixteen, Teal'c! Sixteen, all right?"

Daniel and Sam suppressed their giggles for the most part, but Jack could see the amusement and somehow knew this would never end.

"So, for your birthday?"

"Yes, Daniel."

Carter snickered loudly and Jack looked up at her sternly.

"Got a comment, Carter?"

"No, Sir, I was just thinking how cocky you were at sixteen."

"And how the hell would you know, Carter?"

"Well, at least, your clone was cocky. I was just picturing you on a big Harley…with a kitten….what, tucked inside your leather jacket?" She was laughing aloud now, unable to control her imagination of a tough sixteen-year-old Jack O'Neill being presented with a kitten on his birthday. "What did you name it, Sir?"

"It doesn't matter, Carter."

"Come on, Sir, please."

Those damn blue eyes. Jack looked across the table at her as if she'd driven a stake straight through his heart and then his eyes moved to the rest of his team, waiting expectantly for his answer. With a defeated sigh, he gave in, knowing he'd regret it later.

"Her name was Buttercup."

The room went completely silent for a few minutes. He looked up at them, trying to maintain a stern face while he waited for their reaction. Daniel's lips were pressed together holding back the chuckle he knew would piss Jack off even more and Sam was wide-eyed and open-mouthed beside him. Teal'c was tilting his head side to side as he considered Jack's answer. It was Daniel who finally broke the silence.

"Butter…" He couldn't finish the word before he lost control of his suppressed laughter. "…cup. Buttercup?"

"Oh my God, I bet you took some ribbing for that, Sir!"

"Yes, I did, Carter. And will you stop laughing!"

"Sorry, Sir, it's just…."

"Yeah, well, she was a great cat! She was yellow and liked to sleep in Mom's daffodils!"

Daniel was snorting as he tried unsuccessfully to hide his amusement. And Carter was out and out laughing hysterically now - even Teal'c was smiling. Jack watched in horror, he knew it was a mistake to tell them. He should have just left it unsaid.

"Daffodils!" Daniel pressed his head to the table and then pounded it with his fist, tears beginning to cloud his eyes.

"Dammit! I never should have told you!"

"Sorry, Sir."

Carter was trying to compose herself but the picture wouldn't leave her mind and she was losing the battle. Suddenly the room was filled with the raucous sound of Teal'c's booming laughter as he too became infected with their hysterics.

"Teal'c! I give up! Friends, huh? And you guys wonder why I never tell you anything?"

Sam looked at Daniel with a guilty smile as he wiped at his eyes.

"The marines are gonna love this!"

Sam's eyebrows rose to extreme heights as she was overcome by another round of insuppressible giggles and she grabbed Daniel's shoulder in support.

"Oh, no, Daniel, don't even think about it! Have you forgotten how many ways I know to kill a man?"

"No, Jack. I haven't forgotten. It's just hard to be afraid of a man who had a cat named Buttercup!"

Jack was on his feet instantly and Daniel mimicked his motions flying out the back door as fast as his feet would carry him. Sam and Teal'c watched as Jack wrestled him to the ground and above his threats and cursing, they could still hear Daniel laughing and repeating Buttercup, Buttercup.

TBC with a new adventure -

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