Predictably, Jack was fuming when they left Hammond's office, although he managed to hold it in long enough to get out of earshot of the general – and therefore avoid saying anything to the man that he'd regret later. After all, they owed Hammond far more than they'd ever be able to repay, and even angry Jack knew that. But he was furious, and typically, he vented as soon as he could – and to the rest of his team.

"Can you believe that?" He said, shaking his head.

They didn't have to ask what, of course.

"I'm sure he was just trying to do what he thought was best, Jack…" Daniel said.

"It doesn't mean it's the right thing to do," Jack snapped.

"Of course not," Daniel agreed. "But you can sort of see where he was coming from… Ian's in danger every time he goes offworld, after all, and with the information he possesses, I can understand why General Hammond would want-"

"Whose side are you on?"

Daniel didn't even take it personally. After all, he wasn't the one Jack was mad at, and he knew it.

"I'm sure he'll reconsider it," Sam said, putting her arm through Jack's before he could move away. "Once he has a chance to think things through."

He scowled, but it wasn't directed at any of them.

"Maybe…"

She smiled, and leaned against him. Aside from the four of them the corridor was empty, so she didn't feel at all guilty about the display of affection.

"He probably will."

Jack grunted.

"So…" Daniel said. "Do we go tell Ian what we-"

"No. He doesn't need to know."

Sam nodded her agreement. If Jack had taken the idea badly, Ian would take it far worse, and there was really no telling what he'd do – and Ian had a tendency at times to act rashly.

"We'll wait until we know more," she said. "No sense getting him worked up when it's probably going to be for nothing."

The others nodded, although Teal'c looked as if he wanted to say something more. He didn't, though, and Sam turned to Jack.

"Don't you have paperwork you should be doing?"

Jack scowled, again, although this time it was for a completely different reason.

"I thought I'd go check on Ian…"

"He's eating."

"He might be done."

"Then he's supposed to be sleeping."

"But-"

"You just don't want to do your paperwork."

"No… I want to do it… I just… have to look out for the members of the team, right?"

Sam smiled. He was a much better liar than Ian was, but she wasn't fooled for an instant.

"Go do your paperwork, Colonel. Otherwise it'll build up on you and you'll end up buried underneath it and we won't get any time together next weekend."

That was a calculated comment, because Sam knew that he wanted to go away for the weekend next weekend, and the threat of not being able to – because of his procrastinating – was more than enough to change his mind. Although he really didn't want to change his mind!

"Fine. I'll go do my paperwork…"

"Good."

"As soon as I go get Jaffer…"

"I'll get Jaffer."

Jack sighed mournfully, but leaned over and kissed her softly.

"I'll be in my office."

"Yes, sir."

He gave her a small smile and left them, heading down the corridor for the elevator, and Daniel looked over at Sam.

"Smooth."

She smiled.

"As angry as he is, there's no way Ian wouldn't have caught on that something is going on. He's already so uncertain of himself – the last thing we need is for him to find out Hammond doesn't want him off world. No matter that it's for his own protection. He wouldn't see it that way."

"Of course not," Daniel agreed. "He's young."

"Which does not make him foolish," Teal'c said.

Sam nodded.

"I'm going to go get Jaffer. Do you want Jack?"

Teal'c nodded.

"I will be in the armory."

"I'll come find you."

Daniel sighed.

"Since everyone else is working, I might as well go work on those glyphs that SG-3 found on P10-998."

"Well, that's why they pay you the big bucks," Sam reminded him with a smile. She patted his arm and headed for the infirmary.

"They're not that big," Daniel grumbled, heading off to his office as well.

OOOOOOOOOO

Janet intercepted Sam as soon as she entered the infirmary.

"Everything okay?"

Sam looked over towards the door to the room Ian was in, and saw it was closed.

"I'll tell you later."

"He's asleep," Janet said, wondering what it could be.

"Yeah, but I don't want anything to get spread around."

Meaning that the staff might overhear something, and maybe discuss it within earshot of Ian.

Janet nodded, and Sam looked over at the door again.

"He's asleep?"

The doctor nodded again, and smiled, gesturing for Sam to follow her. She opened the door just a bit, and Sam peeked her head in. With the loss of the IV and the catheter, Ian had sprawled into his normal sleeping position – which meant he was on his belly – and he had one arm draped over Jaffer, who was sprawled just as bonelessly beside him. Jack (the dog) was on the other side, curled up against Ian with his head resting on the New Yorker's bare lower back, a small puddle of drool forming as he stared at the bowl of jello Ian hadn't managed to stay awake long enough to eat, but that Jack was too well trained not to steal.

"Should he be sleeping?" Sam asked, worried. He'd already slept almost three days, after all.

"I'm pretty sure it has something to do with being healed," Janet told her, closing the door so they wouldn't disturb him. "If he's still asleep when I get ready to go home, then I'll worry."

If Janet wasn't worried, then Sam wasn't going to worry, either. And Teal'c and Jack would just have to do without their dogs for a while, too.

"If he wakes up, call me, will you?" She asked. "I'll be in my lab."

Janet nodded.