A/N: Repost! Now I'm glad a lot of you didn't catch this chapter the first time around,
because (gasp!) I *completely* lost sight of Teal'c! I feel like an idiot! So I rewrote a large
chunk of this chapter and will be going back through the other chapters and posting
timestamps to help clarify what happened when. Thanks for your patience!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snippet of conversation from the Paris Stargate convention (Nov. 2003)
Question to Michael Shanks: "What's with the whole "Jack-Daniel" thing anyhow?"
Look of non-understanding from MS
"You know- that banter they have between each other. "Jack." "Daniel." "Jaack."
"Dan-iel."
MS- "I gotcha now. Well you see when you're as close as Rick and I…"
embarrassed, slightly maniacal laughter from the back of the auditorium
MS puts his microphone down and shakes his head as if in pain before pulling the
microphone back up and glaring at the back of the room.
MS- "It's all about homosexuality with you people isn't it?!"
He later goes on to clarify that when two *actors* work as well together as he and
Richard Dean Anderson, it is easy for them to let their off-screen friendship shine through in
the characters they portray.
MS will probably never read any of my stories (although I really want him to try a
Barista or two) but this chapter is dedicated to him. *This* is what he meant by
friendship and camaraderie.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 11
Wednesday
1600 hours
Several hours after dropping Jacob off, Jack arrived back on base and immediately headed
to the infirmary to check on Sam and Daniel. Sam was still being held in the SGC
equivalent of an intensive care ward, but Daniel had been moved to his 'usual' infirmary bed.
Bypassing Daniel for the time being, Jack headed straight for Carter's portioned area. The
absence of any loud machinery or nurses was a very welcome sign.
"How is she?" Jack whispered to the lone man sitting by Sam's side.
"Janet says she should be fine." Jacob said tiredly. "The surgery was successful and they're
just having Sam sleep for a few more hours."
"But she's going to be ok, right?" Jack asked trying not to sound as worried as he felt.
"Yeah." Jacob said giving him a small smile. "She's going to be fine." Jacob said tenderly
tucking the blankets around his daughter's slender form.
"Where's Teal'c?" Jack asked quietly looking around the room.
"I sent him to his quarters." Jacob answered sounding suspiciously like a formal General.
"Jack, did you know that he hasn't left the infirmary since SG-1 returned from your mission
yesterday?!"
"Yeah- we're kinda like that Jacob…"
"Well, stop it!" Jacob said sounding a little bit like he hadn't slept in 24 hours.
Which he hadn't.
"Sam's going to be fine. Daniel is going to be fine. You guys don't need to kill yourselves
remaining by their sides! I sent Teal'c to his quarters for some Kel No Reem."
"Hmmm." Jack said noncommittally shoving his hands deep into his pockets.
"Jack..?"
"Did Janet order Teal'c to get some rest?" Jack asked pointedly.
"No—I did."
"Hmmm." Jack said again as he absently wondered how long it would take Sam to grow her
hair back. If hair grows a ½ inch a month,,,
"Jack?!" Jacob said clearly growing impatient.
"Betcha a dollar he's sitting with Daniel right now." Jack said knowingly, deciding that Carter
would have her "look" back by the end of Spring.
"But I…"
"Jacob, you know better than anyone that SG-1 isn't your average front line team. They've
kept us together a hell of a lot longer than regulations suggest, but I think this is a good
thing. A very good thing. Because, it is probably due to our closeness that we have kicked
some major Goa'uld ass. And god knows I couldn't ask for better teammates or friends."
Jack swallowed the lump in his throat. He *must* be tired. He'd never be spouting off all of
this to Jacob otherwise. Or anyone for that matter.
"All I'm saying is that SG-1 takes care of each other. And if that means that someone
doesn't sleep for a couple of days to insure that a teammate doesn't wake up alone- than
that's what we do."
"Which means Teal'c is sitting with Daniel." Jacob finished.
"Yep." Jack said with a nod pulling up a chair and sitting down next to Jacob.
"Jack?"
"Jacob?"
"Get the hell out of here."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me- Go sit with Daniel if you must, but order Teal'c to get some real rest, ok?"
"But Carter..?"
"I'll stay with my daughter Jack." Jacob said resisting the need to roll his eyes. As if he had
any other place to go.
"You'll let me know if there's any change..?"
"Of course Jack."
"Ok then." Jack said standing up trying not to grimace at the sound his knees made. "I'll
just be over at Daniel's. Have a nurse come and get me if there's any change."
"Goodbye Jack."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey 'T, Daniel." Jack said as he walked across the mostly empty infirmary wing towards his
friends. He could see that Daniel was alert and talking quietly with Teal'c about something
that Jack probably wouldn't have a chance of understanding. Jack had learned a long time
ago that *everyone* on his team was a hell of a lot smarter than himself. Teal'c might not
say much, but Jack had learned never to underestimate the quiet warrior. After living 90-
odd years, Teal'c had most definitely been around the block.
"How are you feeling, Daniel?" Jack asked giving Teal'c a thankful nod and critically
regarding his friends appearance. Although still a bit pale, Daniel's color had definitely
improved. Still, Jack wasn't very happy about the fact that Daniel was back in an infirmary
bed.
Again.
"It's not your fault Jack." Daniel said plainly, once again demonstrating his uncanny ability to
read Jack's mind.
"How exactly would you have gotten yourself stabbed without my help Daniel..?" Jack
asked still feeling the need to throw the blame firmly upon himself.
"O'Neill, you are not helping DanielJackson or yourself with these words."
"Yeah, I know." Jack paused and looked closely at Teal'c this time. Jacob was right, Teal'c
did look a little tired.
"Hey 'T, why don't you head back to your quarters and catch a little kel no reem. I'll sit here
with Daniel for awhile."
"Are you certain O'Neill?" Teal'c asked betraying not a hint of weariness in his voice. But
Jack knew better. Teal'c wasn't insisting he remain put; he knew he needed to rest. Like
Jack said- way smarter.
"Shoo." Jack said giving Teal'c a little wave with his hand.
"I will return in the morning DanielJackson." Teal'c said to Daniel.
"I'll be here." Daniel said self-deprecatively.
Jack watched him go and slipped back into his guilt-wracked psyche.
"Jack, stop that! It wasn't you fault." Daniel said again.
"You know I hate it when you do that." Jack grumbled as he sat down in one of the
ubiquitous plastic chairs scattered about the infirmary.
"I'd shrug Jack, but I think it would hurt."
"Yeah, about that. How are you feeling Daniel? Really?"
"Surprisingly, not like I've been stabbed in the gut by a seldom-used nail file. Remind me to
get Sam a new one for her birthday."
"Don't think she'd appreciate the humor in that." Jack said tiredly rubbing a hand across his
face.
"Probably not." Daniel agreed. "But it wasn't as if it was Sam who stabbed me Jack, it was
Jolinar."
"I don't think Carter will see it that way." Jack said shaking his head slowly and looking
every bit his age.
"No. She probably won't." Daniel paused and looked at Jack seriously. "How's she doing
Jack? Really?"
"Doc says she'll be just fine." Jack said standing up abruptly and scanning the room for
something safe to pick up. "Jacob's with her now and promised he'd let us know when she
regained consciousness."
"She's still out?" Daniel asked becoming increasingly worried.
"Yeah, but apparently she's supposed to be." Jack said holding up both hands in defeat and
plopping back down in the chair. "I don't understand it either Daniel. First they insist that
concussion victims shouldn't fall asleep for extended periods of time and now they're
drugging her in order to 'help her heal'!"
"Janet knows what she's doing Jack." Daniel said quietly. Jack nodded and remained silent
staring at his hands deep in thought. Daniel took a moment to study his friend and
recognized the telltale signs of worry, sleep deprivation and something he couldn't quite put
his finger on.
"Jack?"
"Hmm?" Jack said looking up.
"Where were you earlier?"
Jack looked at him blankly. "What do you mean?"
"Earlier." Daniel repeated enunciating the word. "Jacob came and checked on me about
three hours ago. I was a little surprised to see only him and asked where you were. He
briefly told me about your little bank adventure and then explained that after a quick phone
call with Janet, you were content to just drop him off at the SGC and speed off into the
sunset.
Now I can see why you might not want to visit me, seeing as I wind up in this damn infirmary
so often that it's blasé, but Sam…"
"It's not that Daniel." Jack said in attempted explanation.
"Than what is it Jack?" Daniel asked genuinely curious. He had never met a man with such
an infinite amount of concern for his team than Jack O'Neill. Unless General Hammond
needed him for official SGC business, Daniel could always count on at least Jack to be by
his side when he woke up in the infirmary.
"Jack..?" Daniel prompted again.
Jack looked at him for a moment and then glanced around the quiet infirmary. It was
dinnertime at the SGC and most of the day nurses had gone home and nearly everyone
else was down in the commissary.
"Jack, you're freaking me out here." Daniel said as he watched Jack get up and pick up a
stethoscope lying on a counter near by. "What's going on?"
Jack let out a sigh and sat back down. "I'm trying to help Carter." Jack said finally.
"Help her? How?" Sam was safe at the SGC and in very capable medical hands. How was
Jack going to help her?
Jack waved a hand haphazardly in circles. "With the whole house thing."
"I'm not quite following you Jack." Daniel said after mulling over Jack's words for a few
moments.
"Must be the drugs." Jack muttered.
"Riiigghht. Drugs." Daniel said nodding and not understanding a damn thing.
"For crying out loud Jack, would you just spill it!" A rare grin threatened to flash across
Jack's face at hearing Daniel use one of his favorite phrases.
"Yes! Teal'c owes me $10 bucks."
"I'm not going to ask." Daniel said trying not to think what that must be about.
"Yes you are." Jack countered in a singsong voice.
"No, I'm not."
"Betcha you are."
"Jack!"
"Yes oh inquisitive one?"
Daniel sighed heavily and wondered if he should push the happy drug button and let
narcotics postpone this non-conversation with Jack. Every time he woke up from some
nasty accident or surgery, Janet would patiently explain how managed pain meds work and
how Daniel should just push the button near his bed if he needed help with the pain. Daniel,
like Jack, seldom pushed the button. Oh he wasn't quite as bad as Jack. If the pain was
really severe, he sure as hell would push it, but usually it wasn't so bad. Usually.
Oh what the hell- "Why'd you bet Teal'c $10?"
Jack grinned triumphantly. "Teal'c and I have a bet as to who would quote me first. He
thought it would be Carter, but I was certain it would be you."
"You're a rich man Jack." He said drolly. "Now tell me about the 'whole house thing'. You
mean Sam's house?"
"Yeah."
"But Sam doesn't actually have a house yet."
"I know!" Jack said clearly frustrated. "I'm working on that part."
"Jack," Daniel said with sudden understanding. "Please tell me you are not buying that
house for Sam."
"I'm not buying the house Daniel." Jack said leaving the idea sitting out there. "Although
Carter really does want that house and god knows I have enough cash to actually buy it…"
"You didn't!" Daniel said in horror.
"I just said I'm not buying the house Daniel! Geeze. Did Carter smack you in the head as
well? You're a little bit slow on the uptake Danny."
"Jack, I was in surgery 8 hours ago, cut me a little slack would you?"
Jack had the good graces to look guilty. It was so easy to banter with Daniel that sometimes
Jack forgot where they were. Once SG-1 has been held "as guests" for 12 hours while they
waited for the rising moon. They weren't in actual danger, but they also weren't allowed to
leave. Daniel had assured them that as soon as the full moon rose, treaty negotiations
could begin and they would be allowed to roam freely about the settlement. Until then, SG-1
was sequestered in a small hut with very little to occupy themselves. He and Daniel had
volleyed one-liners back and forth with such alacrity, that one of the villagers had to come in
and asked them to shut the hell up!
The villager worded the request in much more diplomatic language of course.
"Sorry Daniel." Jack said contritely. "I kind of forgot where we were for a second."
"Hey, it happens to me all the time." Daniel said mischievously. "So you *didn't* buy Sam a
house."
"No." Jack confirmed. "But had roles been reversed and *you* had hit your head and
suddenly thought you were a dead snake.." Daniel looked at him oddly.
"I'm just saying that if buying a house was really important to you and for some reason you
couldn't, I'd probably buy it for you." He flashed Daniel a sly smile. "Of course I'd sell it back
to you as soon as you were feeling better."
"Of course." Daniel said nodding his head in agreement.
"With just a little bit of interest on top." Jack said holding up his thumb and index finger to
show just how little it would be.
"Jack would you get serious here." Daniel was starting to get impatient and more than a
little tired. He needed Jack to cut to the chase.
Jack held up both hands in surrender. "Fine." He said as he shifted in his chair. "As much
as I would like to help Carter out, I know it would look way too weird if I were to buy her a
house. Even if I never stepped foot in it and Carter took possession in just a few days,
some big-wigs in DC would catch wind of it and everyone would just to the conclusion that
Carter and I were having an affair or something."
"You and Sam were married in that alternate reality." Daniel couldn't help but add. "There
is a Jack O'Neill out there who apparently really likes Sam Carter."
"Daniel, can we please not go there?" Jack asked plaintively. If he ever saw an alternate
reality Carter again, it would be too soon.
"Sorry. You were saying?"
"I can't buy Carter that house, but she really, really wants it. Jacob *does* have money
floating around on this planet, but it's locked away in her account and Jacob can't get to it."
Jack paused and pointed a finger at Daniel. "Apparently you are her emergency contact
with the bank, but that would require a lot of paperwork and a trip off the mountain-
something you won't be doing anytime soon."
"It's just a flesh wound Jack." Daniel said quickly thinking he could head to the bank in the
next day or two and do what needed to be done to procure some funds for the house.
"It was a little more than that Daniel." Jack paused for dramatic effect. "What was it Dr.
Warner said? Oh yes, I remember. Something about your needing 2 pints of blood and a
dozen stitches."
"We're talking about Sam, Jack." Daniel said trying to get his friend back to the matter at
hand.
"Right. Carter. So while I couldn't buy the house out right, there was something I could do."
Daniel gave Jack a little hand wave to continue. "I put down her earnest money."
"Her what?" Daniel asked not understanding the term.
"Earnest money Daniel. When someone wants to buy a house, they make an offer and
write a check for a set amount of money. The realtor holds the money once the initial sales
price is agreed upon and then deposited into a third party bank account where it will sit until
the sale of the home is final. So in order to keep the prospect of the house alive, I took out
enough money to cover Carter's earnest money. With luck, the realtor won't even need it
until after Carter wakes up.
Daniel still didn't quite understand this whole 'earnest money' thing but what he understood
was that somehow Sam was slated to buy this house. "Jack?"
"Yeah."
"When exactly did Sam make an offer on the house?"
"Yeah." Jack said exhaling loudly. "About that…. Daniel I need your help."
because (gasp!) I *completely* lost sight of Teal'c! I feel like an idiot! So I rewrote a large
chunk of this chapter and will be going back through the other chapters and posting
timestamps to help clarify what happened when. Thanks for your patience!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snippet of conversation from the Paris Stargate convention (Nov. 2003)
Question to Michael Shanks: "What's with the whole "Jack-Daniel" thing anyhow?"
Look of non-understanding from MS
"You know- that banter they have between each other. "Jack." "Daniel." "Jaack."
"Dan-iel."
MS- "I gotcha now. Well you see when you're as close as Rick and I…"
embarrassed, slightly maniacal laughter from the back of the auditorium
MS puts his microphone down and shakes his head as if in pain before pulling the
microphone back up and glaring at the back of the room.
MS- "It's all about homosexuality with you people isn't it?!"
He later goes on to clarify that when two *actors* work as well together as he and
Richard Dean Anderson, it is easy for them to let their off-screen friendship shine through in
the characters they portray.
MS will probably never read any of my stories (although I really want him to try a
Barista or two) but this chapter is dedicated to him. *This* is what he meant by
friendship and camaraderie.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 11
Wednesday
1600 hours
Several hours after dropping Jacob off, Jack arrived back on base and immediately headed
to the infirmary to check on Sam and Daniel. Sam was still being held in the SGC
equivalent of an intensive care ward, but Daniel had been moved to his 'usual' infirmary bed.
Bypassing Daniel for the time being, Jack headed straight for Carter's portioned area. The
absence of any loud machinery or nurses was a very welcome sign.
"How is she?" Jack whispered to the lone man sitting by Sam's side.
"Janet says she should be fine." Jacob said tiredly. "The surgery was successful and they're
just having Sam sleep for a few more hours."
"But she's going to be ok, right?" Jack asked trying not to sound as worried as he felt.
"Yeah." Jacob said giving him a small smile. "She's going to be fine." Jacob said tenderly
tucking the blankets around his daughter's slender form.
"Where's Teal'c?" Jack asked quietly looking around the room.
"I sent him to his quarters." Jacob answered sounding suspiciously like a formal General.
"Jack, did you know that he hasn't left the infirmary since SG-1 returned from your mission
yesterday?!"
"Yeah- we're kinda like that Jacob…"
"Well, stop it!" Jacob said sounding a little bit like he hadn't slept in 24 hours.
Which he hadn't.
"Sam's going to be fine. Daniel is going to be fine. You guys don't need to kill yourselves
remaining by their sides! I sent Teal'c to his quarters for some Kel No Reem."
"Hmmm." Jack said noncommittally shoving his hands deep into his pockets.
"Jack..?"
"Did Janet order Teal'c to get some rest?" Jack asked pointedly.
"No—I did."
"Hmmm." Jack said again as he absently wondered how long it would take Sam to grow her
hair back. If hair grows a ½ inch a month,,,
"Jack?!" Jacob said clearly growing impatient.
"Betcha a dollar he's sitting with Daniel right now." Jack said knowingly, deciding that Carter
would have her "look" back by the end of Spring.
"But I…"
"Jacob, you know better than anyone that SG-1 isn't your average front line team. They've
kept us together a hell of a lot longer than regulations suggest, but I think this is a good
thing. A very good thing. Because, it is probably due to our closeness that we have kicked
some major Goa'uld ass. And god knows I couldn't ask for better teammates or friends."
Jack swallowed the lump in his throat. He *must* be tired. He'd never be spouting off all of
this to Jacob otherwise. Or anyone for that matter.
"All I'm saying is that SG-1 takes care of each other. And if that means that someone
doesn't sleep for a couple of days to insure that a teammate doesn't wake up alone- than
that's what we do."
"Which means Teal'c is sitting with Daniel." Jacob finished.
"Yep." Jack said with a nod pulling up a chair and sitting down next to Jacob.
"Jack?"
"Jacob?"
"Get the hell out of here."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me- Go sit with Daniel if you must, but order Teal'c to get some real rest, ok?"
"But Carter..?"
"I'll stay with my daughter Jack." Jacob said resisting the need to roll his eyes. As if he had
any other place to go.
"You'll let me know if there's any change..?"
"Of course Jack."
"Ok then." Jack said standing up trying not to grimace at the sound his knees made. "I'll
just be over at Daniel's. Have a nurse come and get me if there's any change."
"Goodbye Jack."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey 'T, Daniel." Jack said as he walked across the mostly empty infirmary wing towards his
friends. He could see that Daniel was alert and talking quietly with Teal'c about something
that Jack probably wouldn't have a chance of understanding. Jack had learned a long time
ago that *everyone* on his team was a hell of a lot smarter than himself. Teal'c might not
say much, but Jack had learned never to underestimate the quiet warrior. After living 90-
odd years, Teal'c had most definitely been around the block.
"How are you feeling, Daniel?" Jack asked giving Teal'c a thankful nod and critically
regarding his friends appearance. Although still a bit pale, Daniel's color had definitely
improved. Still, Jack wasn't very happy about the fact that Daniel was back in an infirmary
bed.
Again.
"It's not your fault Jack." Daniel said plainly, once again demonstrating his uncanny ability to
read Jack's mind.
"How exactly would you have gotten yourself stabbed without my help Daniel..?" Jack
asked still feeling the need to throw the blame firmly upon himself.
"O'Neill, you are not helping DanielJackson or yourself with these words."
"Yeah, I know." Jack paused and looked closely at Teal'c this time. Jacob was right, Teal'c
did look a little tired.
"Hey 'T, why don't you head back to your quarters and catch a little kel no reem. I'll sit here
with Daniel for awhile."
"Are you certain O'Neill?" Teal'c asked betraying not a hint of weariness in his voice. But
Jack knew better. Teal'c wasn't insisting he remain put; he knew he needed to rest. Like
Jack said- way smarter.
"Shoo." Jack said giving Teal'c a little wave with his hand.
"I will return in the morning DanielJackson." Teal'c said to Daniel.
"I'll be here." Daniel said self-deprecatively.
Jack watched him go and slipped back into his guilt-wracked psyche.
"Jack, stop that! It wasn't you fault." Daniel said again.
"You know I hate it when you do that." Jack grumbled as he sat down in one of the
ubiquitous plastic chairs scattered about the infirmary.
"I'd shrug Jack, but I think it would hurt."
"Yeah, about that. How are you feeling Daniel? Really?"
"Surprisingly, not like I've been stabbed in the gut by a seldom-used nail file. Remind me to
get Sam a new one for her birthday."
"Don't think she'd appreciate the humor in that." Jack said tiredly rubbing a hand across his
face.
"Probably not." Daniel agreed. "But it wasn't as if it was Sam who stabbed me Jack, it was
Jolinar."
"I don't think Carter will see it that way." Jack said shaking his head slowly and looking
every bit his age.
"No. She probably won't." Daniel paused and looked at Jack seriously. "How's she doing
Jack? Really?"
"Doc says she'll be just fine." Jack said standing up abruptly and scanning the room for
something safe to pick up. "Jacob's with her now and promised he'd let us know when she
regained consciousness."
"She's still out?" Daniel asked becoming increasingly worried.
"Yeah, but apparently she's supposed to be." Jack said holding up both hands in defeat and
plopping back down in the chair. "I don't understand it either Daniel. First they insist that
concussion victims shouldn't fall asleep for extended periods of time and now they're
drugging her in order to 'help her heal'!"
"Janet knows what she's doing Jack." Daniel said quietly. Jack nodded and remained silent
staring at his hands deep in thought. Daniel took a moment to study his friend and
recognized the telltale signs of worry, sleep deprivation and something he couldn't quite put
his finger on.
"Jack?"
"Hmm?" Jack said looking up.
"Where were you earlier?"
Jack looked at him blankly. "What do you mean?"
"Earlier." Daniel repeated enunciating the word. "Jacob came and checked on me about
three hours ago. I was a little surprised to see only him and asked where you were. He
briefly told me about your little bank adventure and then explained that after a quick phone
call with Janet, you were content to just drop him off at the SGC and speed off into the
sunset.
Now I can see why you might not want to visit me, seeing as I wind up in this damn infirmary
so often that it's blasé, but Sam…"
"It's not that Daniel." Jack said in attempted explanation.
"Than what is it Jack?" Daniel asked genuinely curious. He had never met a man with such
an infinite amount of concern for his team than Jack O'Neill. Unless General Hammond
needed him for official SGC business, Daniel could always count on at least Jack to be by
his side when he woke up in the infirmary.
"Jack..?" Daniel prompted again.
Jack looked at him for a moment and then glanced around the quiet infirmary. It was
dinnertime at the SGC and most of the day nurses had gone home and nearly everyone
else was down in the commissary.
"Jack, you're freaking me out here." Daniel said as he watched Jack get up and pick up a
stethoscope lying on a counter near by. "What's going on?"
Jack let out a sigh and sat back down. "I'm trying to help Carter." Jack said finally.
"Help her? How?" Sam was safe at the SGC and in very capable medical hands. How was
Jack going to help her?
Jack waved a hand haphazardly in circles. "With the whole house thing."
"I'm not quite following you Jack." Daniel said after mulling over Jack's words for a few
moments.
"Must be the drugs." Jack muttered.
"Riiigghht. Drugs." Daniel said nodding and not understanding a damn thing.
"For crying out loud Jack, would you just spill it!" A rare grin threatened to flash across
Jack's face at hearing Daniel use one of his favorite phrases.
"Yes! Teal'c owes me $10 bucks."
"I'm not going to ask." Daniel said trying not to think what that must be about.
"Yes you are." Jack countered in a singsong voice.
"No, I'm not."
"Betcha you are."
"Jack!"
"Yes oh inquisitive one?"
Daniel sighed heavily and wondered if he should push the happy drug button and let
narcotics postpone this non-conversation with Jack. Every time he woke up from some
nasty accident or surgery, Janet would patiently explain how managed pain meds work and
how Daniel should just push the button near his bed if he needed help with the pain. Daniel,
like Jack, seldom pushed the button. Oh he wasn't quite as bad as Jack. If the pain was
really severe, he sure as hell would push it, but usually it wasn't so bad. Usually.
Oh what the hell- "Why'd you bet Teal'c $10?"
Jack grinned triumphantly. "Teal'c and I have a bet as to who would quote me first. He
thought it would be Carter, but I was certain it would be you."
"You're a rich man Jack." He said drolly. "Now tell me about the 'whole house thing'. You
mean Sam's house?"
"Yeah."
"But Sam doesn't actually have a house yet."
"I know!" Jack said clearly frustrated. "I'm working on that part."
"Jack," Daniel said with sudden understanding. "Please tell me you are not buying that
house for Sam."
"I'm not buying the house Daniel." Jack said leaving the idea sitting out there. "Although
Carter really does want that house and god knows I have enough cash to actually buy it…"
"You didn't!" Daniel said in horror.
"I just said I'm not buying the house Daniel! Geeze. Did Carter smack you in the head as
well? You're a little bit slow on the uptake Danny."
"Jack, I was in surgery 8 hours ago, cut me a little slack would you?"
Jack had the good graces to look guilty. It was so easy to banter with Daniel that sometimes
Jack forgot where they were. Once SG-1 has been held "as guests" for 12 hours while they
waited for the rising moon. They weren't in actual danger, but they also weren't allowed to
leave. Daniel had assured them that as soon as the full moon rose, treaty negotiations
could begin and they would be allowed to roam freely about the settlement. Until then, SG-1
was sequestered in a small hut with very little to occupy themselves. He and Daniel had
volleyed one-liners back and forth with such alacrity, that one of the villagers had to come in
and asked them to shut the hell up!
The villager worded the request in much more diplomatic language of course.
"Sorry Daniel." Jack said contritely. "I kind of forgot where we were for a second."
"Hey, it happens to me all the time." Daniel said mischievously. "So you *didn't* buy Sam a
house."
"No." Jack confirmed. "But had roles been reversed and *you* had hit your head and
suddenly thought you were a dead snake.." Daniel looked at him oddly.
"I'm just saying that if buying a house was really important to you and for some reason you
couldn't, I'd probably buy it for you." He flashed Daniel a sly smile. "Of course I'd sell it back
to you as soon as you were feeling better."
"Of course." Daniel said nodding his head in agreement.
"With just a little bit of interest on top." Jack said holding up his thumb and index finger to
show just how little it would be.
"Jack would you get serious here." Daniel was starting to get impatient and more than a
little tired. He needed Jack to cut to the chase.
Jack held up both hands in surrender. "Fine." He said as he shifted in his chair. "As much
as I would like to help Carter out, I know it would look way too weird if I were to buy her a
house. Even if I never stepped foot in it and Carter took possession in just a few days,
some big-wigs in DC would catch wind of it and everyone would just to the conclusion that
Carter and I were having an affair or something."
"You and Sam were married in that alternate reality." Daniel couldn't help but add. "There
is a Jack O'Neill out there who apparently really likes Sam Carter."
"Daniel, can we please not go there?" Jack asked plaintively. If he ever saw an alternate
reality Carter again, it would be too soon.
"Sorry. You were saying?"
"I can't buy Carter that house, but she really, really wants it. Jacob *does* have money
floating around on this planet, but it's locked away in her account and Jacob can't get to it."
Jack paused and pointed a finger at Daniel. "Apparently you are her emergency contact
with the bank, but that would require a lot of paperwork and a trip off the mountain-
something you won't be doing anytime soon."
"It's just a flesh wound Jack." Daniel said quickly thinking he could head to the bank in the
next day or two and do what needed to be done to procure some funds for the house.
"It was a little more than that Daniel." Jack paused for dramatic effect. "What was it Dr.
Warner said? Oh yes, I remember. Something about your needing 2 pints of blood and a
dozen stitches."
"We're talking about Sam, Jack." Daniel said trying to get his friend back to the matter at
hand.
"Right. Carter. So while I couldn't buy the house out right, there was something I could do."
Daniel gave Jack a little hand wave to continue. "I put down her earnest money."
"Her what?" Daniel asked not understanding the term.
"Earnest money Daniel. When someone wants to buy a house, they make an offer and
write a check for a set amount of money. The realtor holds the money once the initial sales
price is agreed upon and then deposited into a third party bank account where it will sit until
the sale of the home is final. So in order to keep the prospect of the house alive, I took out
enough money to cover Carter's earnest money. With luck, the realtor won't even need it
until after Carter wakes up.
Daniel still didn't quite understand this whole 'earnest money' thing but what he understood
was that somehow Sam was slated to buy this house. "Jack?"
"Yeah."
"When exactly did Sam make an offer on the house?"
"Yeah." Jack said exhaling loudly. "About that…. Daniel I need your help."