"Would you please pick up the pace a bit, Cadet. I'd like to be home before my daughter is born."

Ian looked over; surprised that Jack had managed to get so close to him without him noticing, and again felt a pang at the iciness in his voice and the irritation in his expression. Not to mention the cold formality. But he hid that hurt as well as he could, scowling at the sarcasm and stopping himself just before he informed Jack that he'd be waiting a long fucking time if he was waiting for his daughter to be born.

He'd been lagging behind as they'd headed back to the Stargate, hoping to find his Glock on the ground on the way back and knowing there was a slim chance to none of that happening – especially if he'd dropped it in one of the areas of standing water. The more he searched, the more disgusted he was getting with himself for losing it – he was pretty damned fond of that gun, after all. In his irritation and searching, he hadn't noticed that Jack and Daniel were getting further and further ahead of him and Teal'c – who was lagging back with him, even though Ian hadn't noticed that, either.

When Ian looked up at him, Jack felt just a moment of concern when he saw the odd look in the cadet's expression – he almost looked sick, or maybe hurt – but then Ian scowled, and the look had just enough arrogance in it to remind Jack that he was pissed at the cadet and not worried about him.

"I-"

"What are you doing? Trying to keep us out in the rain longer than-"

"I lost my Glock."

"What?"

"I lost my fucking gun, okay? I must have dropped it when I fell and I'm looking for it."

Jack scowled.

"I'm not helping you look for it. Let's-"

"I didn't ask you to, did I, Colonel? Just go on without-"

"As much as I'd love to just go on without you, I'm not going to," Jack told him, feeling his temper rising once more. "Let's go. Now."

Ian didn't answer him, he just looked down at the wet ground once more, and Jack grabbed him by the back of his jacket.

"Come on, God damn it."

Ian jerked himself out of Jack's grip, and promptly tripped. Or fell. Adroitly, Teal'c stepped in between the two of them and reached down and pulled Ian to his feet, giving both of them a curious look as he did so.

"Is there-"

"What's going on?" Daniel asked, trotting over. He'd only heard a smattering of what they'd been saying over the sound of the falling rain, but he hadn't missed the way Jack had grabbed Ian, or how Ian had fallen.

"Ian lost his gun," Jack said, his voice filled with anger and frustration. And plenty of both to say the one thing he absolutely knew would piss the cadet off. "You'd think Nathan had taught him better care of a fire-"

"You leave my father out of this you son-"

"Ian."

Daniel stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, but the look he gave Jack was a disgusted one. That had been a calculated comment, and incredibly unworthy of Jack – no matter how angry he was at Ian. For whatever it was that he was mad at him for, and Daniel was getting more and more concerned about that, because it had the makings of far more than some little misunderstanding or dispute.

"Jack. Maybe we can-"

"I'm not going to help him find his gun, Daniel," Jack told him, looking at Ian, Daniel and Teal'c all at once. "If he'd taken better care of it, it wouldn't be lost. Let's go."

Jack turned on his heels and headed off once more, leaving Teal'c and Daniel standing beside Ian, looking at the cadet with varying degrees of sympathy and curiosity. He must have done something big to piss Jack off that badly, though, and neither of them could figure out how to ask what it had been.

"Come on, Ian," Daniel said, slapping his shoulder supportively, "We'll get you a new gun."

Ian didn't answer, but when Daniel and Teal'c moved off after Jack, he did, too, anger boiling in his stomach and despair making him feel even worse than he already was.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"You're spoiled."

Jaffer whuffled Sam's face cheerfully for a moment before taking the brand new chew toy out of her hand. Yup! He was spoiled beyond belief, and he knew it. Of course, he wasn't the only one, because Jack (the dog) was sitting right beside him, freshly brushed to a glossy shine and holding a brand new chew toy of his own in his mouth as he watched them. Sam hadn't taken a nap when she'd reached Jack's office. Instead, she'd picked up the brush he always kept in his bottom drawer, and had spent a long time in the simple task of brushing the dogs – something that was calming for her and very enjoyable for them. Now, she was finished, and looking at the clock, she knew that it shouldn't be long before SG-1 returned – they were actually a little later than she'd really expected them to be given the fact that it was pouring on the other side – and debated taking a nap while she waited.

Since the dogs were more than content to be where they were – and they were definitely ready to settle in for some serious chewing – Sam stretched out on the sofa, having just a bit of trouble getting comfortable, and closed her eyes, sighing. The baby was really beginning to make her tired more and more, now, and added to that the stress of whatever was going on with Ian and Cassie – and the affect it was having on Jack and Janet – Sam was worn out. Despite the concerns for everyone, she fell asleep fairly quickly, her hand resting lightly on her stomach, caressing the baby. Yeah, he was worth being tired for.

OOOOOOOOO

When SG-1 came through the gate, looking worn out and resembling drowned rats; Hammond met them at the bottom of the ramp. Alone. Which was something Jack noticed instantly, of course. Since Hammond didn't look at all distressed, though, he knew that Sam's absence wasn't because of something being wrong, so he didn't panic.

"Welcome back, SG-1."

"Thank you, Sir." Jack's voice wasn't nearly as cold as it had been – he'd had the rest of the walk back to the gate to calm down, after all, and had managed to get himself under control – and even start feeling just a little guilty about the cheap shot he'd taken at Ian. Even if the kid had deserved it for pissing him off.

"Did you find anything interesting?"

"Oh, yes," Daniel said, nodding. "A grouping of the same kind of building that we found the first time – only we couldn't get down to check them out because the water was too-"

"We'll tell you all about it in the debriefing, Sir," Jack said, interrupting Daniel before he could tell the whole story right there. That was the whole point of having a debriefing, after all, right?

Hammond nodded, taking in their sorry state and the huge puddles they were leaving on the floor beneath them.

"Major O'Neill was last seen heading towards your office, in case you're curious."

Which he was, of course.

Jack nodded, "Thank you, Sir."

"Debriefing in an hour."

"Yes, Sir."

Hammond left and Jack turned to Daniel and Teal'c – pointedly ignoring Ian.

"You guys go ahead. I'm going to go say hi to Sam."

He turned and headed for the door, and Daniel watched him go, and then turned back to Ian – who looked pale and tired, and with his dark eyes kind of like a drenched Chihuahua.

"Are you alright?"

Ian nodded, appreciating Daniel's concern.

"I'm just tired."

"Why don't you just get showered and head home?" Daniel suggested. "It's not like you'll have much to add to the debriefing, after all." And this way Ian might avoid Jack completely until Monday, which couldn't be a bad thing at all.

That was the best idea he'd heard all day.

"I think I'll just go home," Ian said, wearily. "I can shower there."

And he wouldn't have to deal with Jack that way. Or Fraiser – since Daniel hadn't mentioned a post mission exam by the doctor, and Ian wasn't going to remind him. The last thing he needed – aside from dealing with more cold shoulders from Jack – was the evil eye from Fraiser and probably a dozen dull needles.

"I'll see you guys later."

Before either of them could say anything else – or remember that he had to be somewhere else – Ian headed for the door, and the elevators. He'd only need to stop long enough to grab his car keys, this way.

He'd apologize later.