Another one for the Jack fans in the crowd...and one of my favorite parts, really...

Jack knocked on the bedroom door. "Daniel, what am I doing in your clothes?" he asked warily.

Daniel struggled awake; Jennifer stirred, groggy. It was still early, not quite dawn.

Daniel shifted gently away from their embrace and slid out from under the covers. He went to the door and opened it a crack.

"Morning, Jack," Daniel said, "How are you feeling?"

"Well, I think I'm okay, except, I had this weird dream that Lieutenant Hailey was taking my clothes off," Jack said in a wondering tone of voice.

Yeah, I've had that dream myself, Daniel thought. He heard Jennifer stifle a giggle under the covers.

At the sound, Jack's ears perked up. He was now trying to look past Daniel into the bedroom. Daniel squeezed out and shut the door behind him.

Jack grinned as he stepped out into the living room. "Daniel, you dog you," he said in his best big buddy tone of voice.

As Daniel shut the bedroom door behind him, Jack said in a hushed tone "So, who's the lucky gal?"

Daniel sighed. "Jack, it's not like that." Shifting topics he asked again "Are you sure you're okay?"

Now it was Jack's turn to sigh. "Yeah, I guess, but I have a sneaky feeling that Sam's really not too happy with me," he said with a grimace.

"It's okay, I think she understands," Daniel said knowingly.

"Really?" Jack asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm sure she'll be fine," he reassured the ragged looking colonel. He glanced over at his bedroom door just then. He didn't think Jennifer would be exactly comfortable with the senior officer still there; hopefully she had gone back to sleep.

Jack noticed his glance at the door. In a sly, hushed tone, he asked again "C'mon, buddy, who is it?"

Suddenly, a look of horror crossed Jack's face. "Aw, crap -- that wasn't actually a dream I had, was it?"

"Uh, no, not exactly, Jack" Daniel managed. He proceeded to tell the colonel the summary details of the previous evening, carefully leaving out the more colorful moments of his conduct the night before.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud -- damn these stupid alien virus drugs," Jack cursed gently. He glanced up at Daniel with an anguished look, now thoroughly embarrassed as he realized that he'd inadvertently barged in on his friend and the young lieutenant.

"Daniel, I'm so sorry," he said with a heartfelt note in his voice.

"Jack, it's okay, really, we knew you weren't yourself and well, it probably happened at exactly the right moment, anyway," Daniel added, sounding slightly frustrated.

Jack looked at him closely. "Um, look, I've probably taken up enough of your time here, and since it is New Year's Day, I'd like nothing better than to get my truck and head home for some football time on my own couch," Jack said.

"Uh, sure, I'll take you over to O'Malley's," Daniel answered. He glanced at the door again. He thought he should let her know he was leaving, but with Jack there, sober now, he felt awkward opening the door again.

Jack's heart melted a bit more at Daniel's obvious dilemma that he had helped to create. "You could leave her a note," he suggested in a whisper, "let her know you'll be back after you dump my sorry ass at O'Malley's" he finished.

Daniel went over to the desk and wrote those exact words, then slipped the piece of paper under the bedroom door. He hoped she wouldn't bolt when she woke up this time.

As they went down the stairs to the garage, Jack asked him. "So what do you mean, it happened at exactly the right moment?

Daniel sighed again. Jack might be just the person to understand what he was going through. "I feel like I'm in over my head with her, Jack," he said resignedly. "I really like her, but she scares me."

Jack smiled at the younger man. "Daniel, she scares everybody," he said teasingly. The look on Daniel's face made him rethink that. "So why do you hang around with her if she scares you?" he asked in a matter of fact tone of voice.

Daniel bit his lip and pondered this for a moment. "Y'know, Jack, being with her makes life fun again," he said thoughtfully.

Jack smiled to himself at this earnest response. He liked the young lieutenant, too; she was honest and sincere and hard working like Daniel was and equally as passionate about doing the right thing. Almost to a fault, Jack realized, but he respected that about her; she reminded him of himself that way.

He realized he really liked the idea of them. They worked together, he thought; they could take care of each other in a way that no one else ever would.

"So what's the problem?" Jack queried further.

Daniel fidgeted a bit in the driver's seat. "I get scared that I'll do something stupid and it'll all be over. I just never want to do anything that would…" Daniel sighed, searching for the right words, "I don't know, hurt her, I guess, scare her away, maybe" he finished with a confused tone to his voice.

Jack looked at him, a big brotherly feeling suddenly coming over him. "Daniel, she's uber military; you're a change from all that. Truth is, a spitfire like Hailey, it's what she needs. Don't sell yourself short on what you're offering her." I should know, Jack thought; that's what Sara offered me. He brushed aside the resulting pang of guilt from this thought pattern, reminding himself for the millionth time that Sara was better off now, and that what he enjoyed with his 2IC made him happier, too, even if it wasn't quite acknowledged yet.

The younger man didn't seem convinced.

With a more serious look on his face, Jack added, "It's a pretty safe bet that she likes you, too, Daniel," Jack said. "After all, look how she handled my appearance last night," he said with a grimace. "Not many women would do that for a guy's pal," Jack added thoughtfully, "especially one who's a senior officer," he finished with another inward grimace.

He turned to face him now. "Look, Daniel, here's the God's honest truth. When it comes to women, we're all in over our heads. We're really just big, dumb, males and they're leading the way, letting us think that we're doing it all. If you find one who's willing to let you come along for the ride, one who really makes you feel that way, just grab hold and go for it. The details will work themselves out; they always do. And if she can kick goa'uld ass on top of it, you should probably marry her," Jack said authoritatively, with a grin and a flourish of his hand.

Daniel bit his lip again, trying to concentrate on his driving, but absorbing what the man was saying. Just going along for the ride, he repeated to himself. Yeah, that's an appropriate way to describe how I feel about being with her, he thought. Hadn't he once called her a whirlwind?

As Jack got out of the Volvo, he turned to his friend. "You deserve to be happy, Daniel. You both do. Tell her I said hello and Happy New Year and…thanks," he finished weakly, with his characteristic wry grin.

Daniel smiled back at him. "Yeah, you too, Jack," he said. He watched his friend get into the truck and fire it up, waving at him as he pulled out of the parking lot.

As he drove back to the Victorian, Daniel noticed that the coffee shop was open, even though it was early on New Year's Day. He stopped and bought two triple espressos and a newspaper. Even if she had left, he could finish them both.

Back at the apartment, Jennifer couldn't really sleep after the two men had gone; she felt restless. She read the note that he had left for her, feeling an urge to leave while he was gone, like she had before, eliminating the need to face him and her feelings for him; somehow, she knew she couldn't keep that up. It's not fair to him, either, she thought to herself.

She went into the kitchen, remembering that she had not eaten since early the evening before, during her shift. Opening the small refrigerator, she quickly assessed the contents and pulled out some eggs and some milk, checking the dates and deciding that they were probably still safe. Though she didn't get much of a chance to do this any more, her father had taught her the finer art of making an omelette.

As Daniel opened the door, Jennifer was standing there, in her little girl sweats. She deftly scooped the omelette she'd managed to make with remnants from his refrigerator on to the two plates on his coffee table.

"Hi," she greeted him, with an almost shy smile. "I found a couple of eggs in your refrigerator; I thought you might appreciate some breakfast," she said.

Daniel smiled back at her, secretly thrilled that she had decided to stay. "Thanks; it looks great," he said as he shut the door behind him and handed her one of the coffees. Let the ride commence, he thought.