AN: MKH is going to be OK. He has to be on medication but he's coming home today. I should probably call my boss tonight to let her know I'll be in Monday. At least his timing was good in so far as he chose to scare me to death on my off week when I get three days instead of one of down time. He's committed to eating healthier from now on. I'm holding him to that.

"Cross that. Don't answer that." – Episode 15

The annual SGC holiday party was in full swing. There was more food than any of them could possibly eat and not commissary stuff. Hammond had paid a catering service to deliver barbeque. Several cases of beer bottles and a couple kegs had also appeared as well as a decent amount of mid-shelf hooch. All in all, Siler thought, an excellent set up. He was fairly sure Colonel O'Neill had supplied the hooch but it was possible Lt. Colonel Ferretti had. In fact it sounded far more like the Lt. Colonel then it did O'Neill who was a lot of fun on his down time but was second in command of the base and therefore less likely to encourage inappropriate behavior on base. Especially given how Jack feels about a certain astrophysicist under his command.

Before his untimely death, Charlie had talked to Lou about Jack's reaction to the then Major and discussed getting her moved to SG-2. The only reason Siler knew anything about it was he'd been sitting at the next table over in the bar they had discussed the situation. Siler pretty much agreed with the late Colonel about that situation. Sam should have moved to SG-2 so she and Jack wouldn't have to dance around their feelings even though it was super obvious to literally everyone around them.

He knocked back a beer and watched Dr. Jackson casually flirt with Major Frasier. Siler thought Janet was a little too fast for the shy and socially awkward archeologist personally but there weren't a lot of ladies to pick from on base and at least Janet didn't throw herself at him like the nurses do. Sly briefly recriminated that he would never have the same issue as his lanky build and lisp tended to weed out the thirstier nurses.

In the corner one of the other scientists, Schultz was talking to one of those crazy squids Hammond had brought on last year. The one that had earned the nickname Rambo from Schultz for clearing the kill house like it was filled with Jaffa keeping him from a roast beef sandwich made by his grandma on day one.

Hammond had left shortly after the food was served and oddly enough shortly before the booze was brought out which made Siler suspect their CO knew exactly what was going on at the SGC tonight and had no desire to do that much paperwork.

Siler snagged a couple more beers and headed for the command center to check on Walter.

Sergeant Harriman was leaning back in his chair looking bored out of his mind. Someone had to stay in the Gate Room Command Center twenty four hours a day. Walter had offered to pull a shift while the party was going on.

"You look bored." Sly said to his shorter friend who kept his hair cropped so close to his scalp the pale blond looked white.

Walter shrugged then smiled, exposing a dimple in his cheek. "If I don't see it I don't have to report it."

"Ah." Sly said in understanding. "Beer?"

"Sure. It's quiet enough. Six won't check in for five hours and they are partying with some natives this week while they hammer out a trade agreement."

Sly handed his friend the extra beer bottle, almost sad he'd accepted.

Walter gave him a wry smile. "Why are you here instead of at the party?"

Sly shrugged. "Watching other guys make out doesn't seem as appealing after three beers." He admitted.

Walter chuckled. "I bet."

"Speaking of making out… I haven't seen Colonel O'Neill in about an hour."

Walter chuckled. "I'm sure she's fine."

Siler blushed. It wasn't so much a crush he had on Sam as he cared about her as her friend. Jack would never hurt her of course but Sly didn't want her to get in trouble for anything either. "She was in her lab working about an hour ago." He told Walter.

Walter nodded. "That doesn't even surprise me. Leave it to Sam to miss a wild party for… work." He chuckled.

Siler chuckled with him. Walter had a point.

"Jack probably got bored and went home." Walter said with a shrug. He'd done that last year when Sam couldn't be coerced to join the ongoing party no matter how much Daniel and Jack bugged her about doing so.

"I'll go check on her and make sure she's okay." Siler mused. If Jack hadn't enticed her out of her lab it was likely Walter was right and Daniel had obviously been too busy flirting to notice both of them were gone.

"Take her a beer." Walter suggested.

"Good idea." Sly agreed. Sam would always accept a beer from a friend.

He wended his way back to the Commissary to grab more beer then wandered back out again as pretty much no one but Lou said so much as hi to him. The married guys were either on their way out or had left already. The single guys were seeking out whatever companionship they could find based on their overall looks and personalities. It was a little depressing really.

He was whistling however when he got to Sam's lab. The light was on… but when he entered she wasn't there. In fact no one was there at all. Not even a lowly tech overseeing her round the clock experiments.

Huh. Siler thought. "Huh." He said out loud.

He shrugged though and headed back to the elevator. He could go back to his repair bay on 20 but he honestly didn't feel like fiddling with anything right now. Siler closed his eyes, swirled his finger and randomly hit a button.

26. Not much on that level but closets and a few bunk rooms for team commanders who were still low on the food chain. A rec-room for the rescue teams. A couple offices. Nothing to write home about but 13 might be playing cards so there was that to check out. He could go for some poker.

Walking along the long grey walled hallway he noticed one of the few office doors was partially open. That's odd Siler thought and headed for the door to close it, sure whoever's office it was probably just forgot to close it on their way to the party tonight and wouldn't want anyone messing with their stuff.

He had to walk partially into the office to grab the door handle when he heard a noise. Siler turned and saw Sam sitting in the desk chair which wasn't especially remarkable in and of itself however she was sitting sideways in the chair and mostly because under her was one Colonel Jack O'Neill who's shirt was currently half off and who's face had a tell tale smear of lipstick.

"Why didn't you two just go home?" Sylvester blurted at them.

Sam and Jack just stared at him in wide eyed surprise.

Siler suddenly realized what he just said. "Cross that. Don't answer that." He told them and hastily retreated, pulling the door firmly closed behind him.

He let out a huge huff of spent shock. Well… it's my own fault for wondering where they went.

He frowned and looked down at the beers in his hands. Oh the hell with it. He opened the door again. "I brought you some beers sirs." He told them, setting them on the desk while looking at any space in the room that was not the couple sitting in the single desk chair then beat a hasty retreat, closing the door again.

In Jack's office Sam had dissolved into giggles.

"I owe him a lot of booze." Jack said in bemusement.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it… Sir."

"Fetch me that beer." Jack growled as he claimed Sam's neck with his lips.

Sam moaned in appreciation as she reached out, swatted a couple times for a bottle, finally snagged one then took a long pull off of it before handing it to Jack.

"Nice of him to leave the beers." Jack said with an amused twinkle in his eyes before taking a long swallow of the beer himself.

"It was. We should get him something nice."

"Like a girlfriend?"

"Jack!" Sam said and cracked up.

Several doors down Siler found SG-13 playing poker together and asked if he could be dealt into the next hand. The accepted him with open arms. And Siler pretended he didn't see anything at all in the office a few doors down.