PART 2

"He what?" Daniel spat out. "Janet you have a way with making people confess things!"

"Well what can I say?" Janet replied. "I'm a doctor, I need to know how to get inside some of these peoples heads or they'll never tell me what's wrong with them."

Daniel smiled. For a moment his eyes locked with Janet's and the two of them sat, smiling at each other. Daniel slid his hand across the hospital bed towards her hand and their fingers met, sending an electric jolt through both of them.

"For crying out loud, Daniel you're supposed to be in a briefing right now!" Jack shouted, rounding the corner in the infirmary. "Oops."

Daniel pulled his hand away from Janet's and jumped off the hospital bed. "Sorry Jack."

"No, I'm sorry," Jack replied, smiling lopsidedly at them. "So what's going on in here when my back's turned?"

"Nothing," Daniel and Janet snapped at the same time.

"Right," Jack grinned. "Come on Daniel we've got a briefing to attend."

Daniel grabbed his jacket off the chair and followed Jack out of the room, hunched slightly forwards, trying to shrink out of his view. He smiled at Janet as he left the room. Daniel tried to walk as fast as he could down the hallway, but Jack was faster. He stepped out in front of him.

"So what's going on, huh?" Jack questioned.

"Nothing, I told you," Daniel replied.

"Something's going on, I saw the looks on both your faces," Jack smiled. "A classic if I might say so myself. Come on Daniel, you're not in the military – not technically – so really you're allowed to…"

"Jack," Daniel warned.

"…and you know if I was in your position I'd be doing a lot of things that regulations are stopping me from doing right now," Jack continued.

"Like falling for Major Carter?" Daniel spat out.

Jack looked beyond Daniel and sighed. He didn't reply, but turned around and walked quickly down the hall towards the lift. Daniel decided that he had Jack in a weak spot right now, why not waste it. Sometimes Jack really just got on his nerves. Daniel walked into the lift next to Jack and smiled.

"Oh you think you're so smart, figuring that out," Jack replied. "Let me guess, Janet told you?"

"Yes, but that's not the only thing," Daniel replied. "Have you noticed that in every alternate reality we've been to, you two have had some sort of relationship?"

"That was only one reality, you don't know that –" Jack was cut off by Daniel.

"Two realities Jack, the other one I went to you two were engaged. "

Jack looked away. "I wish I lived in one of those realities –"

Daniel grinned and stepped out of the elevator as it reached the briefing floor. Jack remained behind for a while. Daniel turned to face him.

"You coming?" he asked.

"Huh?" Jack asked, looking up. "Oh, we're here."

He followed Daniel out of the lift and down the hall. His good mood had been ruined. It was very unlike Jack to be so – down. They entered the briefing room and Daniel immediately knew it was going to be a bad one. He was about to protest, but he decided that maybe he wasn't in the best position to do that right then. So he sat down next to Sam as usual. She looked from Daniel to Jack and back to Daniel, looking confused.

"What happened?" she asked, leaning over. "He was in a good mood."

"I kinda ruined that," Daniel cringed. "I'd explain, but we'd probably all get in trouble if it leaked. So I'll keep my mouth shut."

Jack looked across the table and Sam. She wasn't listening to the General; it was obvious when she was distracted. He had the strangest feeling that SG-1 was in no position to go on a mission to some new planet that no one had ever been to before. What planet were they going to anyway?

He looked up at the board. It read P3X – 997, some place Jack had never even heard of. A small sigh escaped someone across the table and Jack looked around to see Sam rest her head on her arms, which were crossed neatly against the table. She looked like she was about to fall asleep.

"Carter did you sleep last night?" Jack suddenly asked.

"No," she replied.

"Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter – I would appreciate it if you did not talk during our briefing," General Hammond started, then he looked around at the table, Jack followed his gaze.

Teal'c was sitting, watching, as usual. Daniel was drawing on a piece of paper, Sam was about to fall asleep on the table and Jack was watching Sam. Hammond straightened up.

"If you would prefer it, I could send another team on this mission," he suggested.

"No its OK," Sam said.

"I'll go," Daniel said.

"I will do as you wish General Hammonds," Teal'c stated.

"I'm their leader, I do as they say," Jack groaned.

"As I was saying – " the General started blabbing on again and Jack leaned forward and pulled Daniel's notebook away from him.

Interesting, he thought as he opened it.

On the front page it read SG-1 at an interesting briefing. Jack opened it. The first page was a picture of what was obviously supposed to be Daniel himself, drawing. The next picture was of Teal'c, pretending to pay attention, but there were thought bubbles showing him thinking of other things. The next picture was of Sam, sleeping, she also had a thought bubble, which had a picture, obviously supposed to be representing Jack himself. The next page had a half-drawn Jack on it.

Jack pushed it back towards Daniel. "Nice…why aren't you thinking of Dr Frasier?"

Daniel held a hand up to his lip and Jack looked around, hoping no one had heard it. Suddenly the General turned around and slammed his books down on the table.

"You need a break! SG-1, I'm ordering you to have two weeks break for Christmas. I want one of you to have a Christmas party and everyone and I want you all to have fun!" he almost shouted. "Happy?"

"Thank you, sir – you've finally come around," Jack said, standing up. "Permission to leave debriefing, sir?"

"Debriefing is over Colonel," Hammonds shouted. "Out, all of you, before I loose my head."

They piled out of the room as quickly as possible. Daniel scurried off, Jack decided he was probably going to the infirmary. Teal'c walked quietly off down the hall and Jack was left facing Sam. She smiled weakly.

"Get some sleep Carter," Jack suggested, turning around.

"Who's going to hold the Christmas party?" she asked.

"I will," Jack replied, still facing the other direction.

Jack started to walk off; he wasn't in the mood for fighting with Sam as well as Daniel.

"I know about the time-loop, sir," she blurted out, then turned to run away.

"I'm sorry," Jack said.

"I'm not," Sam replied and disappeared down the hall.

Jack stood, watching her run away for the second time that day. Why couldn't they just express how they really felt? If Sam was still a damn scientist they'd probably be married, like in every other reality – why did he have to be stuck in this one?