When Jack's truck pulled into the parking lot he had no trouble finding Sam. She was standing by her car, with Jaffer and Shawn, and a couple of instructors from the academy all standing there as well. He turned the truck off, and got out, and Jaffer came over wagging his tail, slightly, but looking decidedly guilty.

"What's going on, Little Man?" Jack asked his dog, reaching down and rubbing his side before walking over to join Sam, who looked to be close to tears. Which explained why Jaffer was looking so guilty.

"Jack."

He nodded a greeting to the other officers, and gave Shawn a quick pat on his shoulder, but Sam was too upset for Jack to want to do anything but reassure her.

"What's going on?" he asked, resting his hand lightly on Sam's lower back, trying to comfort her without being too obvious.

"I don't know. I can't get him to get into the car. He won't budge."

"He growled at me when I tried to pick him up," the Captain who'd been standing closest to Sam's car said, a trifle petulantly.

Jack was sure Jaffer had done more than growl. Probably, he'd given a fairly good view of his teeth as well.

He opened the back door to Sam's car.

"Get in Jaffer."

The head went down, the ears lowered guiltily, and the black lab didn't move.

Huh.

"Jaffer..."

The tail went between his legs. Jack had never seen Jaffer looking so apologetic – and that dog had done a lot to be apologetic for when he'd been younger.

"Try the truck, Jack," Shawn suggested. "Maybe he doesn't want to go into Sam's car..."

The Captain gave Shawn a sharp look – for speaking out of turn most likely, and Jack had to bite back a snarl that definitely wouldn't have made Shawn any friends. Instead, O'Neill walked over to his truck, and opened the passenger door, and looked at Jaffer.

"Come on, Jaffer."

Again the head went down, and the feet planted themselves firmly.

"Pick him up, Colonel." The Commandant suggested, shrugging. "He wouldn't bite you, surely."

Jack wasn't worried about being bitten. He knew Jaffer wouldn't hurt him. But he also knew there was something decidedly wrong.

"It's not Ashrak, is it?" Sam asked him softly, having walked over to join him by the truck.

Jack shook his head.

"My head doesn't hurt." Dotty had told them about the headache he'd get if there were Ashrak nearby.

"Well, what do you think is wrong?"

"Beats me."

He looked over at Shawn.

"Come here, Shawn. Get into the truck and see if Jaffer will get in, too."

The Cadet trotted over and got in, then patted his leg.

"Come on, Jaffer."

Nothing. The black lab just stared at them.

"So he's not tying to get us to take Shawn..."

"Nope."

Jack walked over and knelt next to the lab, looking to see if maybe he just didn't feel good. Maybe he didn't want to go for a car ride? His eyes were clear, though, and Jack knew he'd be able to tell if there was something wrong with him, health-wise. All he felt, though, was a sense of unease that was probably being caused by how upset Sam had looked when he'd pulled in.

"Well..." He sighed, and stroked Jaffer's head. "I guess he's staying here tonight."

"What?" The Captain looked outraged. "He can't-"

"Captain, control yourself," This came from the Commandant. The Captain quieted immediately.

"You honestly can't get him to go into the truck, Colonel O'Neill?"

Jack shook his head.

"No, Sir."

"I don't fancy the thought of him staying here for the rest of the quarter..."

"I don't either."

Of course, after the attack on the boys only a month and a half ago both men were a little uneasy at the way the dog was acting. The Commandant was the only one on his staff that knew the attack wasn't really a group of escaped convicts – although he hadn't shared that information with the others – and he was a firm believer in dogs being able to sense trouble.

"Maybe for the night," he said dubiously, looking down at the lab and over at Shawn. "Perhaps if he had a chance to see that everything is all right here..."

Jack wasn't so sure, but he shrugged. He didn't really want to be apart from Jaffer that long – even a night would feel like forever – but there was no way he was going to force the dog into his truck knowing he didn't want to go.

"Fine, Sir." He said. "I'll come by in the morning and see if he's had a change of heart..."

"But, Sir! We can't have pets-"

"He's not a pet," The Commandant said, holding a hand up to stop the Captain. "He's a trained military guard dog, and it won't kill us to have him here for one night." The Commandant looked at Shawn. "You're responsible for him, Cadet. No messes on the grounds, and keep him close to you."

Shawn nodded, wondering what he was supposed to do if Jaffer decided to just go ahead and do whatever he wanted to. If Jack couldn't get him to listen, there was no way Shawn was going to be able to, after all.

"Yes, Sir."

"Captain, go inform Cadet Adams' instructors that he'll be excused from his classes for the rest of the day."

"Yes, Sir."

Clearly outraged, the Captain stalked off, leaving the others still standing by the truck.

"I honestly don't know what's wrong with him, Bill."

"It's all right, Jack. It's better to be safe than sorry, and like I said; one day won't kill us. He won't chew any of the cadets up, will he?"

"Not if they don't give him a reason..."

"I don't intend to let him close to them."

The Commandant turned to Shawn.

"Cadet, you'll be excused from your classes the rest of the day," he repeated. "I hate to say you're confined to quarters, but I would like for you to remain close to them, unless the dog needs out."

"Yes, Sir." It wasn't going to hurt Shawn to miss a class, and they all knew it. He was already well ahead in all of them.

"Dismissed."

Shawn looked like he wanted to say something – at least goodbye – but he knew when he was dismissed, he was dismissed. He gave the Commandant a salute – a parade perfect one, Jack noticed – and turned on his heels and started across the grounds towards the buildings.

Jaffer looked up at Jack, still looking incredibly guilty, and Jack sighed and looked down at him, feeling a pang of loss at the thought of not bringing him home with him.

"You'd better get going, Little Man," he said, softly. "I'll be back in the morning to see if you've changed your mind..."

Jaffer whuffled his hand, then Sam's, and took off after Shawn at a run.

"I'll be back in the morning, Bill."

"We'll call you if anything happens."

Jack nodded, and shook hands with him, and the Commandant left as well, leaving the two of them standing alone.

Jack turned to Sam, who'd been watching his eyes grow pained. His pain was nothing compared to how guilty she felt, though, and he saw that in her expression. It was amazing how well they could read each other.

"Don't be upset, Sam," He told her, putting his arm around her, gently. "It's only one day, after all."

"I'm sorry, Jack... I tried to get him to-"

"Ah, he's stubborn, you know that." He kissed her softly, and gave her a hug, then took her hand and walked her to her car. "It's probably goulash night or something here..."

She gave him a smile – which he'd intended – and opened the car door.

"I could make goulash..."

"Nah, we'll go out tonight. My treat. You pick the place, and I'll even wear a tie..."

She nodded.

"I'll think of a place."

"I'll race you back to the base."

"You'll speed," She accused him.

He gave her an innocent look – and she couldn't help but remember the same look Shawn had given her earlier that morning.

"Me?? I'm sweet and innocent."

"My ass."

He laughed, and waited for her to drive off before going back to his truck. He took another long look the direction Jaffer and Shawn had gone, and sighed. Feeling like he was leaving half of himself behind, he got into the truck and headed back to the SGC.