Way #66 -- Dance
He parked across the street from the apartment buildings. His hand went to the glove box and removed the small object from within, and sat hunched over in the driver's seat, peering out the window, waiting. The sky was a deep, dark blue from the just rising run, cloudless but cold. The air had a still, sharp bite to it, frost clinging to the apartment lawns and parked cars. It was quiet, the sort of silence that early morning demanded from the world-- the type of ungodly hour most people wouldn't be caught dead stirring in. A figure across the street was walking along the sidewalk at a slow pace. A hand adjusted the car rear-view mirror and a pair of brown eyes followed the figure's movements. The figure reached the black iron fence of the apartment building and rifled through his pockets for his key-card. Once he inserted the card and the gate buzzed open, our man made his move.
After exchanging some small talk with the gardener/groundskeeper at Petal Falls Apartment Buildings-- Jack was on a first-name basis with 'George' and told him they needed to get together again sometime-- he easily made his way through the rows of apartment buildings, climbing the stairs, making a bee-line for his familiar point of entry. He pulled his extra key out of his pants-pocket and inserted it slowly into the door. The key withdrew and went back into the pocket-- the doorknob turned easily and the door opened silently. Jack had already brought some WD-40 and done the door-joints since the last time he'd snuck into here anyway. Slipping inside, he found his way easily through the apartment. Everything was clean and tidy here, all the lights snapped off, the dim morning light barely coming through the windows. The two of them did a good job cleaning last weekend. Down the hall, second door on the left, Jack entered the bedroom with an almost casual ease.
It was Friday morning. Jack's eyes swept around the bedroom, taking in the familiar sights, the little gears in his head ticking as he mapped out the last details of his simple scheme. Daniel was dead asleep, the alarm clock on his nightstand reading 5:25, still quite a ways off from when his alarm was due to go off. Jack left the bedroom and came back a few minutes later, carefully carrying a boom-box he stole from the living room and setting it down on the dresser and plugging it into the wall socket. He pressed a button and the CD-holder popped open. Taking the precious object from his pocket, a CD case, he opened it and inserted the CD. He set the boom-box to CD mode and then twisted the volume knob up, up, and up, grinning with glee, until it reached maximum volume. He stood back a little, glancing from the box to the bed, adjusted it a little so the speakers were pointing just right. Yes, perfect. He looked at the sleeping figure a moment and pondered, then as a last detail, crept over and shut the bedroom door.
As Jack turned around to face the bedroom, and his peacefully sleeping friend, his mind flashed back to memories from yesterday.
"Hey, sir. You headed home?"
Jack looked up from closing his locker door.
"Yeah. That's what people do at the end of the day, Carter."
The woman, still in her fatigues and clearly still in work-mode, shuffled a little and smiled at him.
"I'm helping them finish running the new total diagnosis program on the computer systems."
"I thought those programs were designed for-- and correct me if I'm wrong, Major-- diagnosing and fixing things for you."
"Well, they are."
Jack smiled and shook his head.
"Right. Have fun, Carter. See you tomorrow."
"Yessir, thanks. I will."
Jack started to leave the locker-room, and Carter continued walking down the corridor hall, but then he said,
"Ah, Carter."
She turned and asked,
"Yeah?"
He hesitated a moment. She looked at him expectantly. He finally replied,
"Ah. Any news of how SG-12 are doing?"
She settled in her stance and gave a little nod.
"They're . . . doing well, sir. Appear to be very pleased. They think it'll only take a few weeks. Working in shifts . . . so Daniel will be able to go home tonight, around 7:00 . . ."
"Mm. I see." Jack nodded absent-mindedly.
"So really he's only with the team part-time. The General thinks he'll probably be able to divide his time between SG-12 and 1 next week if nothing unexpected crops up."
Jack straightened up, as if snapping out of a daze.
"Right. Just wondering. Thanks-- ah, say good-night to Danny for me if you see him, then. I guess I'll see you all tomorrow then."
Sam stifled a smile.
"I will."
Jack waved and smiled,
"Adú," and turned to walk down the corridor.
It had ended kind of suddenly, was all. After SG-1 had left that planet for the day, Daniel was busy with SG-12 and then was gone. Jack was stuck in his office brushing up on paperwork for the rest of the day. Which he obviously ignored and instead spent the time in his quiet, empty office thinking about a certain blond-headed, bespeckled archaeologist. Needless to say, it wasn't the most comfortable paperwork session in his career.
That had been Thursday night. Jack didn't want to wait until he got back to the SGC. He'd see Daniel again, give some brief hellos, ask about the weather on that nifty orange-treed planet, and then SG-12 would be off again doing their own thing. There was no room in there to talk to the man about anything serious. Obviously; and Jack could have just waited one more day for that, when they were both off work. After all, it was Friday. But last night when Jack got home, he had a lot of time to think. And pace. The more he thought about it the more he became convinced, even though it was just one more day, he didn't want to do it. It was terribly short-sighted and impatient of him but the idea was intolerable. Sitting through the whole work day, twiddling his thumbs, trying to keep his mind focused on work. While SG-12 happily worked away on that other planet. God. Heck no. Then Jack got a brilliant idea. Drive down to Daniel's house Friday morning to pull one of his waking-up sessions. It seemed perfect.
At least, when Jack had drifted off to sleep last night, in his insomniac delirium, it seemed like a perfect plan. Standing here now in the harshly early morning, in the quiet bedroom, it felt very different. Jack didn't feel so confidant anymore about his brilliant scheme. Was it really going to accomplish anything? Probably not. Hell, he didn't know. It was a clever little thing to add to his list, but-- but, oh. Jack exhaled. He looked down at his hands and realized they were shaking. He stared at them in disbelief. What-- why was he shaking, what was wrong with him? He chuckled a little, quietly, nervously, at himself. He wasn't really that nervous was he? The thought was ludicrous. Nothing scared him. Jack had been through Hell and back enough times to have ten bumper-stickers from the place slapped to his butt. He delivered shots with an aim as smooth as steel and as sleek and accurate as the day he began. His hands never shook. Jack stuffed them in his pants pockets. He paced a little in the bedroom.
He wasn't nervous, no. Not about the practical joke. A three-year old could pull it off. (in fact his own three-year old had done so on occasion) No it wasn't that, it was about deeper thoughts running through his brain, mostly though, about those deeper thoughts running through Daniel's brain. He didn't know what was going on with that. Things had taken quite a speedy turn of events yesterday. A fluke, a freak occurrence, something in the light? Some sort of flighty notion from too much alien air? Perhaps a waking fantasy, an illusion of the mind? Had it even happened? Well of course it had. Jack wasn't off his rocker just yet. He could tell reality from fantasy still. Jack nodded to himself as if to reaffirm that. Yeah, it had been real, but that then brought an immediate second question to mind: why?!
Jack spun on his heel to face the bed. Did that really matter right now? They'd discuss it eventually and what the Hell it was. There was nothing wrong with holding off talking. Heck, they didn't even need to talk, did they? He didn't know the rules on these sorts of situations. "Sorry, it was an accident." Jack grinned at the stupid notion. Yeah. Accident. Sure. He really was trying to convince himself of that. Just as he really was trying to convince himself that now, when he gazed down at the man sleeping, that funny fluttery feeling dancing in his throat was just-- nothing. Ugh. Sure. Nothing.
Jack's brows knitted into a glare. Daniel looked so light and relaxed. Without a care in the world. As if he weren't plagued with all the twisting confusing thoughts that turned knots in Jack's throat just now. Wasn't he just as confused or did he know exactly what was going on? The man didn't seem too terribly concerned. He was calm enough to sleep like a baby, anyway. He wasn't tossing and turning like Jack had all night. Jack's scowl deepened. So. Danny-boy had no troubles. He went to work, did a little research on a bunch of old rocks, macked with his co-worker a bit, went home and went to bed. That's how it was, huh? Fine. Jack could accept that. If it really didn't mean anything to the man, then fine. It didn't. It was no big deal anyway.
"Right," Jack murmured angrily, agreeing with himself. Jack could live with that. He felt his hands quivering inside his pockets again with agitation. No problem, Jack didn't care, but if he was gonna accept that, then he full-well was going to enjoy his rights to torment Daniel at every chance he got. Oh yes, because he wasn't finished yet with his waking sessions, and he wasn't about to cut them short now. Just on account of him.
Jack stalked over to the boom box and picked up the remote-control. The wonders of modern technology. Then he approached the foot of Daniel's bed. The man was still sleeping peacefully on his side, arms hugging a lump of blankets. Jack removed his shoes and set them aside. Then, carefully, he climbed up on the foot of the bed, making sure he shifted the new weight slowly onto the mattress and not disturb its dozing occupant. He stood up to his full height. He looked down upon the man.
Standing here now, another memory came to Jack, unbidden.
"Does that make it eligible for a future wake-up call?"
He could see Daniel's expression as he said it, slight curve of a smile, mostly an ambiguous expression, a somewhat hopeful and a somewhat flirting tone in his voice. But what he had meant by that was still uncertain. Jack could not assume. There was no way of knowing right now.
The man half-turned to gaze at the boom-box sitting on the dresser. Then he decided. To Hell with it. The best things happened when Jack threw caution to the wind and just acted his own stupid self. It's what he did best, after all. And it was what he knew.
Jack turned to face his audience and aimed the remote at the radio. He pressed 'play' and the CD whirred to life in the machine. The music started up with a jaunty beat, and Jack casually flung the remote away. Daniel stirred in bed, clearly dazed and confused, as Jack just stood there during the opener.
YOU BROKE MY HEART . . .
CAUSE I COULDN'T DANCE . . .
YOU DIDN'T EVEN WANT ME AROUND.
AND NOW I'M BACK TO LET YOU KNOW . . .
I CAN REALLY SHAKE IT DOWN NOW.
Daniel blinked, having finally achieved consciousness at that moment, peering up at the man towering above him, mouth curved into a question he hadn't quite spoken yet. The hammering chorus began.
OH, DO YOU LOVE ME? I CAN REALLY MOVE . . .
OH DO YOU LOVE ME? I'M IN THE GROOVE . . .
DO YOU LOVE ME? DO YOU LOVE ME?
NOOOOW THAT IIIIII CAN DAAAANCE . . . .
WATCH ME NOW!
Jack grinned and then began to jump. Hard. He flung himself full-force on the mattress, doing what he could to not entirely step on the sleeping man, applying his full weight to achieve maximum bounce. Blankets went flying and Daniel gave some started yelps.
HEY! WORK IT, OH WORK IT OUT BAYBUH!
WORK IT, WORK IT, WELL YOU'RE DRIVIN' ME CRAZUH,
WORK IT, WORK IT, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF SOUL NOW.
The speakers of the boom-box truly did deliver a high performance, blasting the little bedroom like a jackhammer gone mad. No doubt the entire apartment complex and probably the complex across the street could hear every lyric and beat. Daniel eyes had gone wide at the excruciating volume and the sudden earth-quake the madman was creating on his bed.
I CAN MASH POTATO, I CAN MASH POTATO
I CAN DO THE TWIST, I CAN DO THE TWIST
NOW TELL ME BABY, TELL ME BABY--
DO YOU LIKE IT LIKE THIS? DO YA LIKE IT LIKE THIS?
TELL ME, TELL ME, TELL ME . . .
"Whoo!" Jack hollered, clapping his hands, and only now was Daniel regaining enough of his senses to try and respond somehow. Mostly he was looking shocked out of his sockets and mad as a hatter. And he wasn't sure which one was the stronger of the two. He tried to sit upright as Jack bounced on his bed. Jack inhaled deep and sang along with the chorus at the top of his lungs, dancing like a bouncy lunatic:
DO YOU LOVE ME, DO YOU LOVE ME
DO YOU LOVE ME, DO YOU LOVE ME
DO YOU LOVE ME, DO YOU LOVE ME
NOW THAT I CAN DANCE, DANCE, DANCE . . .
WATCH ME NOW!
HEY! WORK IT, WORK IT
OH SHAKE IT UP, SHAKE IT UP
WORK IT, WORK IT (OH SHAKE IT, SHAKE IT UP!)
WORK IT, WORK IT (OH A LITTLE BIT OF SOUL NOW)
WORK IT, WORK IT (GETTIN' TO ME BABY)
WORK IT, WORK IT (OH YOU'RE DRIVIN' ME CRAZY)
WORK IT, WORK IT (OH DON'T GET LAZY)
"JACK!!!!!" Daniel screamed over the overwhelming noise, though his voice was hardly discernable through it all. Jack grinned insanely and yelled, "C'MON DANNY, DANCE!", bounce-BOUNCING along, the springs on the mattress giving a few creaky shouts of protest at their abuse. Jack had one of the blankets and was waving it around with him as he danced, twirling it and slapping it like a bullwhip. Daniel was trying to get up without falling flat on his face, which was easier said than done. "Jaaaack!" he wailed angrily, and Jack cackled with evil glee, spinning around, getting into the music.
DO YOU LOVE ME? DO YOU LOVE ME?
DO YOU LOVE ME? DO YOU LOVE ME?
I SAID DO YOU LOVE ME? DO YOU LOVE ME?
NOOOOOW THAT IIIIII CAN DAAAAANCE . . .
HEY! WORK IT, WORK IT, OH WORK IT OUT BABY
WORK IT, WORK IT, WELL YOU'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY
WORK IT, WORK IT, OH DON'T YA GET LAZY
WORK IT, WORK IT . . .
"Aaaaaaaaaaauuuuuughhhh!"
That scream had come from the archaeologist's throat, as Jack had noticed his struggles at trying to get up and gave him a hand. Grabbing his arms he'd pulled him up and 'helped him' jump along with him on the bed, still bellowing the lyrics, holding on tight to both Daniel's arms/shoulders, while Daniel squirmed and they both slipped and tripped on the tangled blankets on his bed.
OH I'VE HAD IT BABY
WORK IT, WORK IT
WELL YOU'RE MAKING ME CRAZY
WORK IT, WORK IT
OH DON'T GET LAZY . . .
The lyrics petered off into instruments, there were a few nice taps on the base string, and then the song exploded into a sudden ending.
Then it was quiet.
This had been exactly as Jack had planned, of course, having burned a CD with only that single song on it. The bedroom fell into instant silence and all was still. For a while, nobody said or did anything. The two men stood frozen, standing on the messed-up bed, a twisted blanket tangled between the two of them, Jack still holding Daniel's arm and shoulder. Eventually Daniel turned his eyes to the man next to him. Jack gave his friend an innocent smile.
"Shall we go for an encore?"
Daniel was speechless at first but it didn't take too long for the anger to seep into his face. His grip tightened around Jack's arms (which he'd been wrestling with to try and get free) and he snarled,
"You . . . eeeedeeeyot!"
Jack snorted and started giggling at how that sounded, but Daniel shook him angrily and continued in a tirade,
"What is wrong with you?! You have any idea what time it is?! Did you follow me home for this--were you waiting in my fucking closet or something?! No, no-no, wait, don't tell me-- I don't want to know, I don't even want to know what you went through. I just can't believe you're--"
He paused, infuriated, unable to find the right word, sputtering,
"You're--you're--"
Jack was just standing there watching Daniel expectantly. He asked calmly,
"Yes?"
Daniel exhaled in a sudden burst, sounding like a snorting bronco.
"I don't know what you are, you're so psychopathic. You stepped on me you know, you could've killed me or given me a goddamn head injury or something--"
"--come on now give me some credit, I never would've done that--"
"You think this is funny huh? Jack I thought the idea was you wouldn't be jumping on me anymore--"
"And I DIDN'T! I jumped near you, not on you! That totally counts!"
"WhatEVER! That doesn't matter! The point is that--" Daniel gaze shifted a moment.
"How the heck did you even get in here?!"
"Uh. I have a key to your apartment, remember?"
Daniel huffed,
"Oh, yeah. Back when I thought I was passing keys out to close friends and not raving lunatics. There's still a gate you know, I didn't buzz you in."
"Mr. Brently let me in," Jack answered.
"Humph. Remind me to strike him off my Christmas card list in that case."
They fell quiet for a few beats, Daniel still staring at Jack like he could burn holes into his head with his glare. Jack let him glare for a while, counting his blessings, especially for the fact that looks couldn't kill, as far as he knew. Then when he felt he'd waited the proper amount of time, Jack smirked very slightly.
"I totally got you, you realize."
Daniel gripped him again threateningly, yanking his face close, growling,
"Oh you think so? Jack you acted like a complete and utter asshole."
"But it was funny."
"No, it was not."
"Yeah it was."
"It WASN'T."
Jack bobbed his head a little.
"Not even a little funny? C'mon, you have to admit it was a little funny."
"There's no way I'm saying that because it wasn't even a little funny!"
"Oh, come on, Danny. Even you have to admit to it. You were totally gobsmacked."
"Yes, by the idiot jumping on my bed!"
Jack nodded,
"Exactly! You realize the priceless expression that is?"
Daniel went into a quiet glare as he thought about this. Jack could practically see Daniel re-playing the tape in his head of the events that had occurred in that past fifteen minutes. When he was done his gaze shifted back to Jack, with something new in his eyes.
"I can't believe how crazy you are."
That was said in a slightly calmer tone, so Jack was certain he was making progress somewhere. Daniel continued,
"And I can't believe that I still can't believe it. After all the stunts you've pulled you'd think I'd be used to it by now. Expect it from you."
He paused. His angry grip loosened. He got that distant look again as if thinking.
"You scared the shit out of me. Out of all the things you've done this was one of the more disturbing. Except maybe for that jungle planet we were on."
Jack's smirk grew a little at that but he didn't interrupt Daniel's out-loud pondering. He could see the man's heart rate slowing, his muscles finally relaxing after the panic attack. The chemicals of adrenaline still running through his system, though not so bad anymore. He let his death-grip on Jack go slack. He stared into those hazel eyes.
"You really are an asshole," Daniel informed him seriously, trying to do so with a straight face. His face twitched as the smile tried to surface. Jack nodded solemnly.
"Yes, I know. I've been told. By many people."
"Yeah? Well I'm telling you too." Daniel agreed. He bit a lower lip as his mouth twitched.
"How much of an asshole?" Jack asked, in a tone that sounded honestly curious. Daniel wrinkled his nose and brows, straining to keep a straight face. He answered somberly,
"The biggest one I know."
"Oh? You're not just saying that?"
Daniel shook his head.
"No, I mean it. I really do."
Jack kept neutral and obediently quiet. He said,
"Okay."
Daniel stared tensely at him. Jack let his gaze drop and his voice lower, batting his eyes jokingly,
"It was funny, though, wasn't it?"
He brought his gaze back up to Daniel to expect the reply. The look in the man's eyes shifted like a storm, and Jack could feel the change instantly, the subtleties in stance and expression. Daniel licked his lips subconsciously, eyes glanced over where Jack still held an arm and shoulder, following back up to his face. Jack's fingers twitched at their forgotten positions. Jack almost jumped in surprise when Daniel spoke, not having expected it-- Daniel's voice sounded slightly heavier and slower now.
"You had an interesting selection of music."
"Uhm--" Jack swallowed when his voice didn't work right the first time,
"Did you like it?"
A sort of subtle smile crossed Daniel's face, one Jack wasn't used to seeing.
"I think it suits you."
Jack grinned a little at that. It was contagious and Daniel couldn't resist smiling wider.
"You know you're cute when you're angry?" Jack asked, in such an open and unabashed manner.
Daniel gave a "pssshh!" at that, and Jack raised his brows, as if saying Don't give me that, I'm serious. Daniel stared for a beat and replied impulsively,
"You know you're cute when you're an asshole?"
Jack gave him a thrilled grin, having never expected to hear that. He answered honestly,
"I didn't know I was to you."
For whatever the reason, that was Daniel's breaking point. He growled,
"Come here," reaching up and grabbing a fistful of Jack's t-shirt, pulling him into a kiss. Jack eagerly reciprocated and allowed his still grip on Daniel to finally roam freely, stroking flesh wherever he found it. Daniel pressed hard into Jack's chest, kissing him aggressively. Jack's eyes rolled under their closed lids and he moaned, overwhelmed at how forward and aggressive Daniel was. He stroked Daniel's arms and chest urgently, feeling out of his mind, so damn nuts, he-- he had to break off the kiss and pant crazily for air, feeling his head boil over with fuzziness at his hyperventilating. Dr. Jackson wouldn't allow for that, however, pulling at Jack with surprising strength (that he didn't seem to exert a little while ago when struggling to pull away from Jack's dancing) and pushed him down into the bed, pressing down hard on top of him. Jack gasped for breath and opened his eyes, waiting for his vision to return, to meet with the sharp blue eyes of the man breathing hot and heavy right in his face, tongue darting across his lips, calculating scheming rolling through his brain.
"Dahn--" Jack began for some reason but was rudely interrupted by the aforementioned anthropologist, mating their tongues together. That was enough for Jack to abandon the English language entirely, embracing Daniel's heavy grip and wildly returning the kiss with as much vigor as he had, hands roaming crazily to be everywhere at once. He felt like his mind was going to explode with joy.
And somewhere, crying from its position on Daniel's nightstand, was an alarm clock shrieking.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
"Sir!"
Jack stopped like somebody had taken a shot at him. When he saw it was just Major Carter he tried to calm down enough to hear his own voice over his pounding heart.
"Carter! Hey. Uh. Sorry about running a little late. Hammond hasn't noticed yet right?"
Samantha Carter shifted her stance and leaned against the locker-room doorframe, tilting her head and looking at her C.O. suspiciously.
"No . . . not really. He's been pretty distracted this morning and SG-1 isn't due to go until a few hours . . . what's going on?"
Jack straightened up, shifting his stance this way and that, not succeeding in looking casual, continuously stuffing his hands in his pockets nervously.
"Oh you know, the usual, overslept, alarm clock's gotten all wonky on me, you know how the stupid cheap things are. Keep telling myself I've got to get a new one, I never get around to getting anything done. I'm sure you can relate, eh Carter?"
Sam nodded slowly.
"Sure . . . happens all the time . . . sir, are you sure you're all right?"
Jack beamed a scary smile at her and whapped the side of his locker cheerily,
"Oh yes Major I'm just peachy-keen, never been better. Don't worry I would never miss work and let you guys have all the fun. Afraid you're all still stuck with me, yep . . ."
Teal'c was passing by the same corridor and spotted Jack. He came beside Carter and said,
"O'Neill. You are late this morning."
Jack looked slightly irritated at this redundancy.
"Hey T. Yeah so I've been told. Look can't a guy be a few freakin' minutes late every now and again without having his head bit off? It's not like I went to Tahiti or something."
Teal'c looked curious.
"Where is Tahiti?"
Jack shook his head.
"Never mind. Major is there any coffee left by chance?"
Sam looked at him cautiously.
"Are you sure you need any, sir?"
Jack frowned at her.
"Oh funny ha-ha. It's not like I'm as bad as a certain anthropologist who shall remain nameless."
Carter ceded this,
"That's true. I think Daniel finished off the last of this morning's. He went scurrying off to catch up with SG-12. Didn't even have time to change out of his civvies . . . it's funny, though, sir."
Jack raised his brows.
"Uh what's funny?"
She glanced to Teal'c, and then gave Jack a searching look, saying,
"It's just funny that he was late too."
Jack laughed. A very unnerved chuckling and an almost wincing smile, he fiddled with the squeaky door on his locker.
"Hilarious, Major. What're the chances. Well whoo-boy you're a physicist so you should know. Ah well who knows, same alarm clock curse maybe huh. I've really got to change and get to work y'know. Don't want the big cat seeing the mice sneak in, right?"
Sam and Teal'c exchanged another look.
"Oh-kaay then. Guess I'll see you later. Hope you have a good morning sir."
"Thanks, Carter."
Sam and Teal'c both left Jack to his own devices and walked down the corridor together. Sam glanced over her shoulder as they left, as she could've sworn she heard the sounds of cursing and a locker-door being repeatedly banged against something, echoing down the hallways.
"Uh Teal'c, can I ask you something?"
"As you have already asked me something, MajorCarter, that would seem to be a purposeless question."
Sam smiled.
"Ah. Touché. So what do you make of these two?"
"In what manner do you speak?"
Sam nodded.
"You know. The late crazymakers. Colonel's wound up like a top. Daniel wouldn't say much of anything. And ah--"
She smirked.
"Might you wish to mention Dr.Jackson's unusual attire this morning?" Teal'c queried.
"You have to admit it does make you wonder. You think he was aware of it?"
"I am uncertain," Teal'c admitted. "There are still many of your more-- subtle-- cultural details I have yet to master."
Sam raised her brows.
"I don't know if I would have called that subtle."
Teal'c looked curiously to the Major.
"Than can you describe the cultural significance when one wears clothing that has the name of an individual painted onto its backside?"
Sam bit a lower lip, smirking.
"Uh, no. I don't think I can. I'm sure it was just an accident. He was late, in a hurry, grabbed some clothes . . ."
". . . and sat on an artwork O'Neill was inscribing his name with?" Teal'c finished for her in a questioning tone. She looked at him.
"Was that a joke?"
Teal'c looked at her searchingly.
"Have you a better explanation?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. These things happen."
They paused at the entrance to Sam's lab. They exchanged a look and a knowing smile before entering.