The door to his office was closed, but since it was his office after all, he silently opened it – just in case she was taking a nap, which wouldn't be the first time – and smiled when he saw that that was exactly what she was doing. Jaffer bolted for the door, his tail wagging furiously and Jack gave him a quick rub for a greeting, noticing that he'd just been brushed and not really wanting to get him all wet after going through all the trouble of keeping him out of the rain in the first place.

When Jack (the dog) came over for his share of attention, Jack scratched his ears, as well, and then left the two dogs alone and walked over and crouched down by the sofa, reaching out and brushing his fingertips against Sam's cheek.

She opened her eyes almost immediately at the touch, and smiled sleepily when she saw him looking down at her, water dripping off his hair and face.

"Your fingers are cold…"

He smiled.

"Sorry."

"I can live with it." She looked around, expecting to see the others – Teal'c at least, since he'd want to collect his baby – but didn't see anyone else. "Where is everyone?"

"Showering and getting warmed up."

"Still raining?"

"In buckets."

"Did you find anything?"

"A bunch of buildings. We'll have to go back and look at them later, though; the place was flooding."

She nodded, and sat up, even though he didn't make a move to sit next to her. He was far too wet and chilly to be close to her, even though Sam wouldn't have minded.

"How's Ian?"

Jack scowled, an action that made Sam almost wish she hadn't asked. It was a sure sign that something had happened between the two of them while they were gone – and that could only be bad.

"He's fine."

Oh yeah, she was sure he was. The temperature in the room had just dropped noticeably.

"What happened?"

Jack's scowl deepened; Sam was just too good at reading him.

"He lost his Glock."

"Did he find it?"

"No."

"Did you even let him look for it?"

How well she knew him. Jack sighed, and shook his head.

"It was raining and there was no way of knowing where he lost it…"

"And you were so angry with him that you didn't care if he had a chance to find it or not…?"

"Sam…"

It was her turn to scowl, now, and she did, her entire body suddenly tense. She'd had it out with Janet; she might as well let him know exactly how she felt, too.

"He deserves better than the way you're treating him."

"Not after what he-"

"What did he do? Exactly?"

Jack scowled.

"I don't know, exactly. All I know is that he did something inappropriate – something to do with that damned dress of Cassie's coming off, because I know it didn't stay on."

"You know for a fact?"

He nodded. That much he was certain of.

"Did it ever occur to you there might be another explanation? An honest – and appropriate explanation?"

"There isn't."

"Meaning, no, it didn't…"

"Sam…" he sighed, wondering why she was so quick to take Ian's side in this whole mess. But Sam wasn't finished, yet.

"You told me Ian's a lot like you are – were – when you were his age. Would you have tried something like that? Is that why you're so certain he did?"

Well, that was just a loaded question, now wasn't it? Jack hesitated, trying to honestly answer the question – because Sam would know if he was lying.

"I don't know… maybe…"

"But you're so certain that he did…" She shook her head, angry with him, and with Janet, and with the two kids that wouldn't tell anyone what was going on and had brought them all to this level of confrontation. "Without hearing anything to give you absolute proof…"

"Why are you so certain he didn't?" Jack asked, frustrated. He knew she was mad at him – he could see it in the way she was sitting and the angry flash in her eyes – and it wasn't fair that she should be mad at him. He didn't do anything.

She stood up, awkwardly, but ignored the hand he offered her in assistance.

"Because he is a lot like you are, and I don't think you'd have done anything, either. Go get dried off, I'll see you when you debrief."

With that, she left his office, followed by Jack (the dog) and Jaffer, who hesitated just long enough to whuffle Jack's hand once more before following Sam out the door.

OOOOOOOOO

"Where's Ian?"

The door to the brifing room had opened, and Sam had entered. There was a moment's scuffle while Jack went and greeted Teal'c, whose normally reserved face broke into a smile as it always did when he was confronted with his yellow lab's cheerful demeanor, and Jaffer went over to say hi to Daniel.

Daniel hesitated, scratching Jaffer's ears, and then shrugged.

"I told him to go home."

"What?"

He shrugged again. It seemed like the thing to do.

"I told him to skip the debriefing and just go home. He's had a rough day, and he really looked like he needed to be anywhere but near Jack."

"What happened?" Sam asked, coming over just as Hammond was walking out of his office.

"He lost his gun."

"Cadet Brooks did?" Hammond asked.

Daniel nodded.

"Jack went ballistic and the two got into a shouting match."

Hammond frowned; he didn't like the sound of that – especially since Ian was very junior to Jack, and that wasn't the way things were done in the Military.

"Where is he?"

"He went home."

"What?"

"He went home," Daniel repeated. "He was tired and worn out, and I think he needed a chance to cool off – and warm up – away from Jack."

"Doctor Jackson-"

"Jack used the line 'You'd think Nathan would have taught him better…'"

"Ouch." This was from Sam, who knew just what kind of reaction that was bound to have on Ian, who was very sensitive about his relationship with his father. Even though things did seem to be getting better between the two of them.

Hammond knew as well – better than Sam or Daniel or anyone else might have expected – because he'd had a couple of conversations with Nathan Brooks about his son since the cadet had come to the SGC, and under Hammond's command. One of those conversations had started with Nate asking if Ian had received the Glock he'd sent him.

"You probably did the right thing, then, Doctor Jackson…" He admitted. "Although I don't like the fact that you made that decision without consulting me…"

"It just seemed like the best-"

Hammond interrupted him by raising his hand.

"No harm done… just don't do it again."