Ultrasounds and Engagements
Disclaimer: I don't own anything I didn't make up. Everything I made up, though, I claim as mine. So ask before you use it, eh?
Author's Note: This takes place sometime between Christmas and New Year's and as near as I can figure Sam is in her 19th week of pregnancy – give or take a few days. There shouldn't be any death, destruction or mayhem and the rating can probably be PG, but since you never know, it's better that I err on the side of caution. Okay, there might be a little mayhem. That said; let's see where it goes…
OOOOOOOOOOO
"Daniel!"
Daniel Jackson, who had been on his way to the elevator, stopped and turned, and saw Jack O'Neill and Jaffer coming toward him at a fast walk.
"Hey, Jack."
"Just the man I wanted to see… Got a minute?"
Which immediately raised warning bells in Daniel's head.
"Um… actually, I'm kind of running behind –"
"What are you doing for the next few hours?" Jack asked him, ignoring the answer.
"Why?"
"Funny you should ask…" Jack gave him his best sincere look. "Remember all those favors you owe me?"
"All the favors I owe you?"
"Good! You do." Jack smiled. "I need a favor. And then we can call it even."
Warning bells were just clanging, now. Daniel looked at his watch, frowning.
"Um… what kind of favor, Jack?"
"I need you to watch Jaffer for a few hours."
"Jaffer?"
Daniel looked down at the black lab, who looked up at him, his brown eyes cheerfully regarding him as his tail wagged idly. Oh, sure, he looked innocent now, but Daniel knew there were little horns hidden under that thick winter coat.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Because we have a doctor's appointment, and I can't take him with me."
"We?"
"Me and Sam."
"Is she okay?"
Jack nodded.
"It's an ultrasound – to make sure everything's where it's supposed to be – and maybe see what sex the baby is. Which means Jaffer can't come."
"Jack, I'd love to watch Jaffer for you, but I'm having lunch with Sally."
"Sally likes Jaffer."
"But-"
"Come on, Daniel. It's you or Fraiser, and you know what she said about dog-sitting him."
"Something about hell freezing over, as I recall…"
"Yeah."
"Where's Teal'c?"
"At Andrew's for the week."
"What about the kennels where the other guard dogs are?"
"The regular guys are all on leave for the holidays, and I can't just leave him locked up in a cage…"
No, of course not. Daniel knew Jack would rather cut off his arm than treat Jaffer like a regular dog. Of course, there was always the chance that Jaffer would simply tear down the fencing trying to get loose, too.
"Jack…"
"Daniel, come on… he'll be good for you. He likes you."
Jaffer liked everyone, but that didn't mean he was going to be good for him, and Daniel knew it. But he sighed, because Jack didn't ask for a lot of favors, and it wasn't like he was asking for a kidney.
"Fine, I'll watch him."
"Great!"
Jack pulled Jaffer's leash out of his pocket and handed it to Daniel, who looked down at Jaffer again.
"Has he had lunch?"
"Of course. But if you're eating, you might give him a nibble of whatever you're having."
Yeah, of course… just a nibble...
"When are you going to be done?"
"No clue. Depends on the doctor – and the baby. Will you have your cell phone?"
"Yeah. Or Sally's."
"I'll call when we get out of the doctor's office and meet you wherever you are."
"Okay."
Jack knelt down in front of Jaffer and grabbed the lab by the head, giving him an affectionate scratch.
"You be good, little man."
Jaffer rumbled a happy growl deep in his throat and tried to lick Jack's face, but O'Neill was ready for that and dodged him. Standing up, he straightened his jacket.
"There's a couple of bags of treats for him in the bottom drawer of my desk – and a chew toy if you need it. There's also-"
"Jack."
They both turned and saw Sam coming towards them, and Jaffer launched himself down the hall, his tail wagging excitedly – even though he'd seen her only ten minutes before. He stopped, but not soon enough, and crashed into her legs, but Sam had been expecting it and had braced herself for the collision, then smiled and stroked the lab's side before walking over to the two men standing by the elevator door.
"Did you ask him?"
"Yeah, he said he'd watch him."
Sam gave Daniel a brilliant smile – and Daniel felt his knees turning to goo. As her pregnancy progressed, she just got prettier and prettier, and he'd heard about that whole glowing thing, but hadn't believed in it until he saw Sam.
"Thanks, Daniel."
"My pleasure, Sam."
And it was just then.
"We'd better get going," Jack said, slapping Jaffer's side once more. "No chocolate."
"I know, Jack."
The elevator door opened and Jack and Sam got in, leaving Daniel and Jaffer standing in the hallway. When the door closed, the archeologist looked down at the black lab, wondering what Jaffer was making of being left behind. The lab stared at the door, obviously waiting for Jack to realize he'd been left behind, and he whined softly when it never opened.
"Don't worry, Jaffer," Daniel said, reaching down and stroking the silky black hide. "You still have me."
He snapped the leash on the lab's collar and headed down the hall, but was stopped almost immediately. Jaffer hadn't moved from the elevator doorway and didn't look like he was planning on it.
"Come on, Jaffer…"
Daniel tugged experimentally on the leash, but the lab simply lowered his ears and moved his head backwards, pulling against the tugging.
Lovely.
Daniel looked at his watch.
"Come on, Jaffer… please?"
Jaffer looked back at the elevator door, waiting for Jack.
"We'll go get you a treat," Daniel said. "And I'll buy you a burger…"
The big head turned back to Daniel, the brown eyes watching him, now, and Daniel felt a little hope.
"A double burger," he promised. "And two treats."
The tail wagged a little, but the dog still didn't move.
"Three treats… and French fries."
Yeah, that was fair. Jaffer rumbled deep in his chest and headed down the hallway with Daniel towards Jack's office.