Jack opened the door to admit Daniel who stood with a six pack in one hand and one of those, 'we either talk about it or get pissed avoiding it' faces. Jack stood silently to the side to admit his friend and Daniel walked through the doorway heading into the living area, setting the six pack on the coffee table. Jack followed him and sat down in his chair, picking up a beer as he sat and breaking off the top. Daniel followed suite and looked over to him.

"I don't wanna talk about it Daniel"

"You have to talk to at least her Jack"

"No I don't, I don't have to justify my or Hammond's decision, to you or Carter"

"You owe her a reason. You owe me and Tealc a reason too"

"Are you saying you wanted her off the team?"

"No that's not what I'm saying Jack. I'm saying that she deserved the placement and you kept it from her and she and we at least deserve to know the real reason why"

"You know the reason Daniel. You got a report along with everyone else"

"And you know there's more to it than what's in that report. 'It is felt by all parties that Major Carter's presence is more valuable to the SGC at this time', what the hell kind of explanation is that?"

"It's enough. It's the truth. We need Carter more than the Alpha site does"

"We as in the team or we as in the SGC"

"Both"

Daniel sighed, and sank back into the sofa, glowering at the beer bottle in his hand. Jack glared over at him angry that the young man never failed to pull him from his determination to not talk about things.

"You do realise she needs more of an explanation than we need her more than they do"

"Give me a break Daniel. You may think the decision was easy, believe me it wasn't. I thought long and hard about it, so did Hammond. But it was down to me and I'm the one who said no"

"Why? Why Jack, there's gotta be more to it. I read the report, read the other names and details. Sam was more than qualified than any of them. Hell compared to them she could be commanding officer of the Alpha site."

Jack stayed silent. That was the question he'd been asking himself for the past week. All decisions had been final, Hammond had asked him repeatedly before the names had been verified if he was sure. Jack had known for the week, god how had he even looked her in the eye the past week. He had carried on like normal all the while knowing her hopes were about to be dashed. He felt like a Judas, a hypocrite.

"I don't know Daniel"

It was said quietly and Daniel looked carefully at his friend. Jack was staring at the beer bottle in his hand, through it, into the distance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arriving to familiar sight on P7X-990, trees, blue skies, one sun, they had ascertained the planet was indeed unoccupied. Then it had been off to a small temple, which had been sighted.

'A nice easy mission, which could so easily go wrong' thought Jack.

Once arriving at the temple which to Jack looked like it had seen better days Daniel had set to work, with one of those smiles on his face like he'd won the lottery. Carter had set to work setting up camera to take some images to study back at the base. Tealc had stood with Daniel helping with some translation.

"Yup your average easy mission" thought Jack, casting his gaze over the surrounding area, as the minutes passed ever slowly on half hoping a Jaffa would jump out from the brush.

Sam left the camera to softly rotate on it's tripod and joined him reporting things were going as planned.

"Well at least Daniel gets to have a good time. Christmas come early" joked Jack, sliding softly down the wall to sit.

"Yes Sir" replied Sam softly taking in the quite amazing scene of the surrounding area.

"Quite a view from up here"

"Yup, it looks like it until the giant mother ship starts to ascend from the bowels of that there valley"

Sam gave him a 'get a grip' frown and cast her gaze back over the view.

"You know Sir, a mission could actually go straight forward once or twice for us. It has happened, it could happen again"

"Yeah every several months we manage to catch a break. Your good with math cant you kinda level up the chances and give me an idea of when next to expect catching one of the breaks. Or better still maybe tell me when the other teams are up for a break and I'll try and get us on their mission"

"Are you saying you would give up all the excitement we face almost everyday for this type of mission? Where Daniel stares at rocks and walls instead of walking into trouble. Tealc helps him instead of kicking ass, and I take pictures instead of covering your six and you get to sit pointing your gun at tree instead of barking out orders?" said Sam a glint in her eyes and grin on her face.

"Well when you put it like that. No I wouldn't miss it at all" came the dry reply from Jack who had pulled his cap low over his eyes, resting his head back against the wall.

"I think I speak for myself, Tealc and Daniel when I say we feel so.... unwanted"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had turned out to be an easy mission. Within hours they had reported to the base, Daniel had spent the rest of the day in his office studying his notes, Carter her pictures and doohickeys and he and tealc had spent time in the gym working our and sparring. He had enjoyed the light sparring conversation with Carter as well. It had played out well; it was something, which they seemed to do increasingly. She had lightened up, so had he. Sure they were CO and 2IC but they were also two people who had worked side by side for eight years and they liked nothing better than sit for a few minutes and tease each other. He to provoke, she to avoid provocation with smart wit and humour.

Yeah they were one hell of a team. Jack finished the bottle in his hand, tossed Daniel another and picked up one for himself. Was that why he had turned her down for the promotion? Because he didn't want her off the team?

"Daniel?"

"Jack?"

"Daniel!

"What?"

"You know what you can be really irritating sometimes"

"I didn't do anything"

"Do you think I didn't give Carter the promotion because I didn't want her off the team?"

"Do you think that?"

Jack mused on the question he had truthfully asked himself. He had just wanted Daniel's opinion on it but Daniel wasn't biting.

"I know she'll be hard to replace when we have to. Can't imagine this team being different. You won't believe the hard time I gave Jonas after you were gone"

"I'd believe it"

"It's something that I've thought of before Daniel. Most the time lately, especially after this entire Alpha sites teams started up. Tealc will want to go home sometime, in the future. It ain't fair that he has to watch his son grow up this distant. He must miss him and family, his people. I cant keep going on, my knees aren't what they used to be. They'll be putting me behind a desk someday soon. Carter is so ready for a team of her own, has been for quite a while"

"And me?"

"You, well Daniel, you are so much safer on base than in the field, as long as your surrounded by rocks, old text and hang with us your happy"

"I'd agree with that, you still haven't answered the question though"

"I thought about it and maybe deep down I did let my own interests at keeping the team together get in the way of my decision, but on the whole no, I dont think I did base it on not wanting her off my team"

"Do you think she sees it that way?"

"I don't know what she's thinking Daniel. I know she was hurt and your right, the excuse was pitiful. She deserves a better explanation than we need you more here than there so the next time a placement comes up you may be considered"

"So your going to talk to her?"

Jack nodded at this finishing his second bottle and moving right on to his third, he had all of Sunday to think about what he was going to say.