Author's Note: Gina doesn't know about the Stargate... only Andrew and Shawn do (and Dotty, but she doesn't count, because she's an alien) So not everyone from the original story does, just... most of them
.................
"Is he okay?"
"He's fine."
"I'm right here..." Jack scowled at Sam and Fraiser. He wasn't even lying down with his eyes closed. He was sitting on the edge of the examination table, holding still while a medic wrapped tape around his belly to hold the bandage in place that Janet had placed over the staff burn on his back.
"His vest took most of the force," Janet told Carter, who smiled at Jack in a way that made him forget he was supposed to be scowling.
"I want a longer vest."
Janet smiled as well, and handed him his shirt once the medic was finished. A different shirt than the one he'd been wearing, since that one was now a smoking mess.
"You're free to go, Colonel. If you have any pain and discomfort – beyond the normal aches – come tell me, and we'll figure out how to make it stop."
"Thanks, Doc," Jack put his shirt on and slid off the table, wincing only slightly. He had a few aches and pains, but nothing too serious, and nothing he couldn't handle.
"General Hammond is waiting for us in the briefing room." Sam told him as the two of them left the infirmary.
"Good. Let's get this over with. I'm ready to get Jaffer and get home."
"You're not the only one," Sam assured him. "Daniel's pacing like a hungry tiger. I'm surprised he didn't suggest we do the briefing in the infirmary."
"He's supposed to be meeting Sally's parents tonight, and he's late," Jack explained. "Says she's going to kill him."
"Ah." Yeah, that explained it. "Hopefully she'll understand."
"Understand what, Carter?" Jack asked. He couldn't help but feel bad for Daniel. It had to be incredibly hard for him to balance his girlfriend – or whatever they were calling themselves – and his responsibilities. Jack had it made; he had Sam, who would always understand when he didn't make it someplace on time because hew as too busy saving the world – hell, half the time she was right there saving the world with him. Daniel didn't have it that easy. He'd been having more and more trouble coming up with excuses, although this was the first time he'd ever actually complained about it to Jack. And even then, Jack had a feeling Daniel wouldn't have said anything if he hadn't been so worried that Jack had taken a serious injury and had forgotten that he didn't discuss that stuff with him. (Since Jack had a tendency to tease him... just a little) "'Sorry I couldn't make it to the restaurant, I was on another planet being chased down and shot at by aliens.'? 'How are the folks, by the way?'"
Sam shook her head. "Daniel will come up with something a little better than that, I'm sure."
He was much better at cover stories than Sam was. Probably because he'd had so much practice.
It was obvious, though, when they entered the briefing room, that Daniel hadn't thought of anything. The archeologist was sitting at the table with his head in his hands, a forlorn look on his face, although he did manage a smile when Jack and Sam walked through the door, and O'Neill came over and sat down next to him.
"How's the back?"
"I'll probably have to have it amputated..." Jack said, wincing slightly when he leaned against the back of his chair.
"I hear it's a painless procedure..."
The two of them smiled, and Jack slapped Daniel's shoulder with affection as Hammond called them to order to debrief.
................
"Did you get hold of Sally?"
Daniel looked at Jack as SG-1 was heading out of the room half an hour later, obviously debating whether to answer that particular question or not..
"Yeah. She's not happy."
"Want me to tell her it was my fault?"
"Nah, I'll figure something out..." he didn't sound so sure of that, though.
"Why don't you and Sally come over tomorrow?"
"What? To your house?" Daniel's eyebrows vanished into his hair.
"Why not?" Jack shrugged. "I haven't seen her in a while, and I know Sam would like to see her. We'll barbeque, and she can have a whole day of doing nothing but hanging out with you..."
"And you...?"
"And Sam, and Teal'c."
"And Jaffer?"
"Oh, yeah. He'll definitely be there." Jack smiled. "Come on, Daniel. Spend the day with us, and then take her someplace romantic for dinner and make up."
"I don't know, Jack... She's pretty disappointed with me."
"She'll get over it. I'm a constant disappointment to Sam, and she still puts up with me."
Daniel grinned. "That's different. Sam expects that from you..."
"Smart ass." Jack cuffed Daniel's shoulder in mock irritation. "Well?"
They were reaching the elevator, and Jack was heading up to get Jaffer, and Daniel was heading for his office. Daniel hesitated, clearing considering it, then shrugged.
"If she wants to, it sounds like a good idea, Jack." It couldn't be any worse than anything he'd have come up with himself.
"Course it's a good idea..." Jack smiled. "Let me know, and I'll set it up."
"I'll call you tonight."
"I'll be home in about an hour."
.................
"Is he okay?"
"He's fine."
"I'm right here..." Jack scowled at Sam and Fraiser. He wasn't even lying down with his eyes closed. He was sitting on the edge of the examination table, holding still while a medic wrapped tape around his belly to hold the bandage in place that Janet had placed over the staff burn on his back.
"His vest took most of the force," Janet told Carter, who smiled at Jack in a way that made him forget he was supposed to be scowling.
"I want a longer vest."
Janet smiled as well, and handed him his shirt once the medic was finished. A different shirt than the one he'd been wearing, since that one was now a smoking mess.
"You're free to go, Colonel. If you have any pain and discomfort – beyond the normal aches – come tell me, and we'll figure out how to make it stop."
"Thanks, Doc," Jack put his shirt on and slid off the table, wincing only slightly. He had a few aches and pains, but nothing too serious, and nothing he couldn't handle.
"General Hammond is waiting for us in the briefing room." Sam told him as the two of them left the infirmary.
"Good. Let's get this over with. I'm ready to get Jaffer and get home."
"You're not the only one," Sam assured him. "Daniel's pacing like a hungry tiger. I'm surprised he didn't suggest we do the briefing in the infirmary."
"He's supposed to be meeting Sally's parents tonight, and he's late," Jack explained. "Says she's going to kill him."
"Ah." Yeah, that explained it. "Hopefully she'll understand."
"Understand what, Carter?" Jack asked. He couldn't help but feel bad for Daniel. It had to be incredibly hard for him to balance his girlfriend – or whatever they were calling themselves – and his responsibilities. Jack had it made; he had Sam, who would always understand when he didn't make it someplace on time because hew as too busy saving the world – hell, half the time she was right there saving the world with him. Daniel didn't have it that easy. He'd been having more and more trouble coming up with excuses, although this was the first time he'd ever actually complained about it to Jack. And even then, Jack had a feeling Daniel wouldn't have said anything if he hadn't been so worried that Jack had taken a serious injury and had forgotten that he didn't discuss that stuff with him. (Since Jack had a tendency to tease him... just a little) "'Sorry I couldn't make it to the restaurant, I was on another planet being chased down and shot at by aliens.'? 'How are the folks, by the way?'"
Sam shook her head. "Daniel will come up with something a little better than that, I'm sure."
He was much better at cover stories than Sam was. Probably because he'd had so much practice.
It was obvious, though, when they entered the briefing room, that Daniel hadn't thought of anything. The archeologist was sitting at the table with his head in his hands, a forlorn look on his face, although he did manage a smile when Jack and Sam walked through the door, and O'Neill came over and sat down next to him.
"How's the back?"
"I'll probably have to have it amputated..." Jack said, wincing slightly when he leaned against the back of his chair.
"I hear it's a painless procedure..."
The two of them smiled, and Jack slapped Daniel's shoulder with affection as Hammond called them to order to debrief.
................
"Did you get hold of Sally?"
Daniel looked at Jack as SG-1 was heading out of the room half an hour later, obviously debating whether to answer that particular question or not..
"Yeah. She's not happy."
"Want me to tell her it was my fault?"
"Nah, I'll figure something out..." he didn't sound so sure of that, though.
"Why don't you and Sally come over tomorrow?"
"What? To your house?" Daniel's eyebrows vanished into his hair.
"Why not?" Jack shrugged. "I haven't seen her in a while, and I know Sam would like to see her. We'll barbeque, and she can have a whole day of doing nothing but hanging out with you..."
"And you...?"
"And Sam, and Teal'c."
"And Jaffer?"
"Oh, yeah. He'll definitely be there." Jack smiled. "Come on, Daniel. Spend the day with us, and then take her someplace romantic for dinner and make up."
"I don't know, Jack... She's pretty disappointed with me."
"She'll get over it. I'm a constant disappointment to Sam, and she still puts up with me."
Daniel grinned. "That's different. Sam expects that from you..."
"Smart ass." Jack cuffed Daniel's shoulder in mock irritation. "Well?"
They were reaching the elevator, and Jack was heading up to get Jaffer, and Daniel was heading for his office. Daniel hesitated, clearing considering it, then shrugged.
"If she wants to, it sounds like a good idea, Jack." It couldn't be any worse than anything he'd have come up with himself.
"Course it's a good idea..." Jack smiled. "Let me know, and I'll set it up."
"I'll call you tonight."
"I'll be home in about an hour."