The commissary was fairly well deserted – as it usually was by this time of the morning. Those who didn't eat at home – and there were a fair number of them – usually had already eaten and headed off for their duties by then. Only those with irregular schedules – which was mainly the SG teams who could count on being sent off-world at any time and as such were never placed on permanent duties elsewhere - had the luxury of eating whenever they wanted, as long as they had the time.
Jack headed for the food, with Jaffer right beside him, leaving Daniel and Sam to find a table of their choice. He never cared where they sat. After loading a tray with enough breakfast for him, Sam, Daniel and one always-hungry lab, he returned and sat down next to Daniel and across from Sam. This might confuse some people, who'd wonder why he wouldn't sit beside his wife, but Jack liked to be able to look into her eyes whenever he wanted, and he could only do that when he was sitting across from her.
"Are you hungry?" He asked her, holding up some toast. She had been experiencing a little morning sickness the last couple of days – which was why they hadn't had breakfast before coming in to the base – and Jack was treating her delicately because of it.
"Not really."
He handed the toast down to Jaffer, who was more than willing to eat it. No morning sickness there!
"Are you feeling all right, Sam?" Daniel asked, picking up on the lack of appetite. "Is the baby taking her toll already?"
Sam smiled. Daniel was referring to the baby as a 'her' already, and Jack was more than willing to agree. Although it was way too early to have an ultrasound and actually see what it was – she wasn't even a month along, after all – both men had decided she was carrying a girl, while Sam secretly hoped it was a boy.
"He's fine, Daniel," she told him. "I'm just a little ill this morning."
"You should have called in."
"I can't. General Hammond really wants me here this week." She said, shaking her head. "Besides, it's nothing serious. I'm not dying or anything, I'm just a little queasy."
Daniel knew exactly why Hammond wanted Sam on base that week – it was so she could run interference if something came up between the camera crew and Jack. Sam was the best one to call on if Jack decided that he was going to be difficult when it came to his interview, and everyone knew it.
A commotion at the door drew Daniel's attention before he could say something else, and he groaned.
"There they are."
Sam and Jack both followed his gaze, and saw the camera crew along with Major Quinn walking into the commissary.
OOOOOOO
"There he is," Quinn said, gesturing towards the table on the far end of the room. "Sitting with Colonel and Major O'Neill."
Emmett saw Jack O'Neill turn towards him for just a moment, and then look back down to his tray of food, but the black lab that was lounging so indolently at the Colonel's side didn't turn away. He watched suspiciously as they looked that direction, and his beautiful head dropped just a little in silent warning.
"Well... he's eating..." the cameraman said, wanting absolutely nothing more to do with Colonel O'Neill that day – or the big dog. "Why don't we try him later, when we're not disturbing him?"
Emmett nodded his agreement, and the Major led the two of them over to the service table so they could pick out something to eat. Both men had had breakfast, but their day had started early, and that had been a while ago, and they were both ready for a snack. Once they had their food, they chose a table as far away from the members of SG-1 as they could find, much to Major Quinn's amusement – although he hid it well.
"That's odd," Daniel said, softly, looking down at his breakfast, which he'd been considering abandoning if the camera crew approached him. He wasn't ready for an interview yet. He was hoping they'd interview a few other people, so Daniel could find out what kind of questions they asked, and be a little more prepared. "They seem to be nervous..."
Jack looked over at the three men as they sat down, but none of them were looking his way.
"Yup. Odd."
He turned back to his breakfast, which he was sharing with Jaffer, and was just handing down a plate with some sausage and scrambled eggs on it when Janet Fraiser walked through the door and headed for the coffee pot.
Sam started to call her friend over, but Major Quinn, on the behest of Emmett Bregman – who was pretty desperate to find someone to interview by now – got up from the table he was sitting at and walked over to her first.
"Doctor Fraiser?"
She smiled as she turned, although it was forced. She knew what poor Major Quinn was stuck doing, and she felt sorry for him, but she wasn't looking forward to being interviewed any more than anyone else was.
"Yes, Major?"
"I was wondering if you have a few minutes to sit down and talk with my... charges?" He asked her. "If you're busy, I understand."
He was giving her an out, and Janet appreciated it. She could tell him she was busy, and he'd go back to the table and tell them that she was busy, and no feelings would be hurt. Janet smiled. She wasn't busy at that moment, and she appreciated the out so much that she didn't even use it, much to Quinn's surprise.
"I can probably find a few minutes to talk to them, Major," she said. "Nothing too formal – I don't have time for that – but a quick chat wouldn't kill me."
"Thank you, Doctor Fraiser."
He led her over to the table, and Ben Crane and Emmett Bregman both stood at her approach.
"Emmett Bregman? May I introduce Doctor Janet Fraiser? She's the chief medical officer here at the SGC, and responsible for the health and well being of those around – including yourselves while you're on base. Doctor Fraiser, this is Emmett Bregman and his cameraman, Ben Crane."
"A pleasure to meet you, Doctor," Emmett said, holding his hand out and taking Fraiser's when she gave it to him. It was exactly what a doctor's hand should feel like, he decided. Delicate and strong at the same time. He was careful not to hold it too firmly, and released it as soon as she moved it.
"Thank you, Mr. Bregman," Janet said, turning and shaking hands with the cameraman, who took her hand with a nervous glance toward the table Jack O'Neill was sitting at, and released it with a mumbled hello.
"Please, call me Emmett."
"Emmett." Janet agreed, taking the empty seat next to Major Quinn's. "Call me Janet." She wondered why the cameraman looked so nervous, but she had to decide already that she could like this Emmett guy. He had a ready smile that actually reached his eyes – which appealed to Fraiser, who loved a good smile more than pretty much anything.
"So, you two are here to do the documentary?" She asked, graciously giving them the opening they needed.
OOOOO
"And so the first deer is snatched by the crocodiles..." Daniel murmured softly, watching as Janet walked over and was introduced to the interviewer and his cameraman.
Sam caught the reference quickly, and smiled, but Jack ignored both of them, watching as the cameraman took Janet's hand and released it quickly. Good. He didn't like the cameraman's idea of a joke – not towards any woman, definitely not towards Sam, and he was already making sure the young man was being polite to Janet. Satisfied, even though he couldn't hear what was being said on the other side of the room, Jack turned his attention back to his breakfast.
