Author's Note: Hehe, I'm not sure about a rabid bear... maybe something else,
though... no promises
......................
It was a quiet group that rode with Jack the next morning. Daniel was dozing in the jump seat behind Jack, leaning forward with his forehead against the back of Jack's seat, Sam was still trying to wake up, nursing a cup of coffee she'd brought with her from Jack's house before they'd gone to pick up the others, and Teal'c was still sulking. Of course, the only people that could tell he was sulking were those who knew him well.
The back of the truck held everyone's bags, which were being zealously guarded by Jack and Jaffer, who didn't mind at all being relegated to the bed of the truck, since it was entertaining to watch the people on the road with them. The labs knew something was up, since they never got up this early in the morning unless something different was happening.
They weren't going to drive all the way to Jack's cabin. Yeah, it was possible to make the drive, but it was a waste of time when it wasn't necessary. The drive was peaceful if you needed some time to think while you were alone – or with Jaffer – but if there were others in the car with you, you weren't going to get a lot of thinking done, anyways. So they were going to fly.
There was a flight leaving at oh six hundred that was taking a small handful of Navy recruiters and instructors from a conference in Boulder back to Great Lakes, which was right near Chicago, so Jack had laid on permission to hop the flight with SG-1. Since there was plenty of room, there was no problem, as long as they were there on time and didn't hold up things. Which of course wouldn't happen. Once they hit Chicago, they'd get a rental truck – since with the dogs a car simply wasn't big enough – and they'd drive to the cabin from there. Jack O'Neill was a very organized guy when he wanted to be.
..............
The flight was definitely an experience. The recruiters and instructors had celebrated the end of their conference by going out on the town the night before, and more than half of them were hung over. These were the ones who sat in the very back of the plane, near the bathroom, and they were also the ones who declined any invitation for breakfast, and were hugging their barf-bags as if they were long lost friends. The other passengers on the flight enjoyed their misery and made sure to remind their suffering friends that they had warned them about the dangers of drinking the night before a flight. Such reminders weren't appreciated, but since there was a lot of turbulence during the flight, there wasn't a lot of time for these men to complain about much more than their rebellious stomachs.
Daniel roused himself just long enough to drink a cup of bad coffee, and then was asleep by the time the plane took off, leaning against Sam, who was also dozing in her seat. Jack sat with the sober recruiters, just shooting the breeze, since everyone else was asleep, and Teal'c was still sulking, and wasn't very good company just yet.
Jack and Jaffer were – as usual – very much the center of attention with the passengers. One of the recruiters was from a family of dog breeders, and knew good blood when he saw it, and he couldn't keep his eyes off the two labs. Which of course was a good way to get on Jack's good side, anyways. Under the stern gaze of Teal'c – who was just as protective of his Jack as Jack was of his Jaffer – the recruiter made friends with the two labs, and then ran his hands along Jaffer's head and chest, shaking his head in admiration. They'd make a fortune in breeding fees if they ever decided to move out to San Antonio, he told them. Jack simply shook his head and said that deep space telemetry was too addicting to ever leave.
When the plane landed, Jack woke Daniel and Sam, gathered his brooding Jaffa, called the dogs to his side, and said good-bye to the squids. His rental truck was waiting for them right outside the gates, and they all loaded into it.
"You guys hungry?"
"I am."
"Me, too."
"I am not."
Teal'c had eaten on the plane, as had Jack and the dogs, but Sam and Daniel had slept through lunch.
"We'll stop someplace and buy groceries, and you guys can grab a bite to eat."
There were nods all around, and Jack headed for the highway. He'd done this what seemed like a million times, so he knew where he was going to stop for groceries, and he knew how long it would take for them to get to his cabin from there.
"With any luck, we'll be at the cabin in time for supper."
Joy.
........................
They made good time, and pulled onto the dirt road that led to Jack's cabin well before the sun was ready to go down. Which was good, since they needed a little time to get the place ready for occupation. The rooms needed to be aired out, the beds needed to be made, the groceries needed to be put away, and firewood needed to be brought in from the pile out back.
His cabin only had two bedrooms, but it wasn't really a problem. Jack and Sam would share one room; Teal'c and Daniel could have the other. Jaffer would sleep with Jack, of course, and Jack would most likely sleep in Teal'c's bed.
Since he was the host, Jack made dinner for the others while they made themselves at home. He'd never had all three of them up to his cabin at the same time, before, and they made the little living room seem even smaller – especially Teal'c – but it was cozy, and even Teal'c was beginning to get over the fact that he'd practically been forced to come along, and was starting to allow himself to enjoy the chance to have time with his friends in such a relaxing setting. They ate off TV trays, but no one minded, and they sat and chatted after the meal was finished, Jack, Sam and Jaffer lounging on the sofa, Teal'c in the only recliner, and Daniel stretched out on the rug in front of the fireplace, using Teal'c's yellow lab as a pillow.
Eventually, they all decided to call it a night. Traveling was tiring, even if half of them had slept the entire day, anyways. Jack told them not to worry about the dishes, saying he'd take care of them in the morning, and they all went to bed.
......................
It was a quiet group that rode with Jack the next morning. Daniel was dozing in the jump seat behind Jack, leaning forward with his forehead against the back of Jack's seat, Sam was still trying to wake up, nursing a cup of coffee she'd brought with her from Jack's house before they'd gone to pick up the others, and Teal'c was still sulking. Of course, the only people that could tell he was sulking were those who knew him well.
The back of the truck held everyone's bags, which were being zealously guarded by Jack and Jaffer, who didn't mind at all being relegated to the bed of the truck, since it was entertaining to watch the people on the road with them. The labs knew something was up, since they never got up this early in the morning unless something different was happening.
They weren't going to drive all the way to Jack's cabin. Yeah, it was possible to make the drive, but it was a waste of time when it wasn't necessary. The drive was peaceful if you needed some time to think while you were alone – or with Jaffer – but if there were others in the car with you, you weren't going to get a lot of thinking done, anyways. So they were going to fly.
There was a flight leaving at oh six hundred that was taking a small handful of Navy recruiters and instructors from a conference in Boulder back to Great Lakes, which was right near Chicago, so Jack had laid on permission to hop the flight with SG-1. Since there was plenty of room, there was no problem, as long as they were there on time and didn't hold up things. Which of course wouldn't happen. Once they hit Chicago, they'd get a rental truck – since with the dogs a car simply wasn't big enough – and they'd drive to the cabin from there. Jack O'Neill was a very organized guy when he wanted to be.
..............
The flight was definitely an experience. The recruiters and instructors had celebrated the end of their conference by going out on the town the night before, and more than half of them were hung over. These were the ones who sat in the very back of the plane, near the bathroom, and they were also the ones who declined any invitation for breakfast, and were hugging their barf-bags as if they were long lost friends. The other passengers on the flight enjoyed their misery and made sure to remind their suffering friends that they had warned them about the dangers of drinking the night before a flight. Such reminders weren't appreciated, but since there was a lot of turbulence during the flight, there wasn't a lot of time for these men to complain about much more than their rebellious stomachs.
Daniel roused himself just long enough to drink a cup of bad coffee, and then was asleep by the time the plane took off, leaning against Sam, who was also dozing in her seat. Jack sat with the sober recruiters, just shooting the breeze, since everyone else was asleep, and Teal'c was still sulking, and wasn't very good company just yet.
Jack and Jaffer were – as usual – very much the center of attention with the passengers. One of the recruiters was from a family of dog breeders, and knew good blood when he saw it, and he couldn't keep his eyes off the two labs. Which of course was a good way to get on Jack's good side, anyways. Under the stern gaze of Teal'c – who was just as protective of his Jack as Jack was of his Jaffer – the recruiter made friends with the two labs, and then ran his hands along Jaffer's head and chest, shaking his head in admiration. They'd make a fortune in breeding fees if they ever decided to move out to San Antonio, he told them. Jack simply shook his head and said that deep space telemetry was too addicting to ever leave.
When the plane landed, Jack woke Daniel and Sam, gathered his brooding Jaffa, called the dogs to his side, and said good-bye to the squids. His rental truck was waiting for them right outside the gates, and they all loaded into it.
"You guys hungry?"
"I am."
"Me, too."
"I am not."
Teal'c had eaten on the plane, as had Jack and the dogs, but Sam and Daniel had slept through lunch.
"We'll stop someplace and buy groceries, and you guys can grab a bite to eat."
There were nods all around, and Jack headed for the highway. He'd done this what seemed like a million times, so he knew where he was going to stop for groceries, and he knew how long it would take for them to get to his cabin from there.
"With any luck, we'll be at the cabin in time for supper."
Joy.
........................
They made good time, and pulled onto the dirt road that led to Jack's cabin well before the sun was ready to go down. Which was good, since they needed a little time to get the place ready for occupation. The rooms needed to be aired out, the beds needed to be made, the groceries needed to be put away, and firewood needed to be brought in from the pile out back.
His cabin only had two bedrooms, but it wasn't really a problem. Jack and Sam would share one room; Teal'c and Daniel could have the other. Jaffer would sleep with Jack, of course, and Jack would most likely sleep in Teal'c's bed.
Since he was the host, Jack made dinner for the others while they made themselves at home. He'd never had all three of them up to his cabin at the same time, before, and they made the little living room seem even smaller – especially Teal'c – but it was cozy, and even Teal'c was beginning to get over the fact that he'd practically been forced to come along, and was starting to allow himself to enjoy the chance to have time with his friends in such a relaxing setting. They ate off TV trays, but no one minded, and they sat and chatted after the meal was finished, Jack, Sam and Jaffer lounging on the sofa, Teal'c in the only recliner, and Daniel stretched out on the rug in front of the fireplace, using Teal'c's yellow lab as a pillow.
Eventually, they all decided to call it a night. Traveling was tiring, even if half of them had slept the entire day, anyways. Jack told them not to worry about the dishes, saying he'd take care of them in the morning, and they all went to bed.