Janet sat in her office looking over patient records for the day. It had been a long day. SG-12 had come home early due to a mudslide and some broken bones, two members of SG-3 had been bitten by some alien bug, and SG-9 had been roped into a festival by the natives of the planet.
Jack ran into the infirmary, sliding into her office. "Janet, contact Sam!" He threw himself into the chair across from her desk His grin was plastered to a face in a way she had never seen before. Whatever happened on that mission had just made their Christmas wishes come true. She hated having to crush his smile so quickly.
"I can't, Jack. You're the only one who's had any contact with her." His smile fell faster than a mother ship out of the sky. It pained her to see that look on his face, the pain replacing the joy she had just seen. He'd been through so much the past six months, the hope she had seen flashed in his eyes disappeared in an instant.
"She said you would know." He rubbed the heels of his hands over his eyes in frustration, and stood pacing the room.
"Sir, Daniel told me about the memo you got. Maybe if you reply?" She rested her pen on the desk and leaned forward on her knuckles. She let a small grin grace her lips. It wasn't much of an idea, but it never hurt to try.
"Yeah, sure, whatever." That settled it. Colonel Jack O'Neill was back to normal and on the rampage. He stormed out of the office and down the hall.
Jack flew into his office leaving a wake of destruction behind him. He'd knocked over anyone who got in his way, going so far as to throw an SF to the ground. He didn't want to deal with these people right now, none of them, especially the members of his team. He knew Daniel would try to talk to him, so he locked his door and turned off the lights. He didn't need the lights on to use his laptop, he might as well hide the fact he was even there. Besides, Daniel was most likely to check topside before trying to get into his office.
He pulled out his chair and sat at his desk, his laptop looming at him from where it sat. He figured he'd better write up his report on the mission before it got too late. Jacob had a meeting with the High Counsel, but would be returning to Earth to help him find Sam. He'd better be ready to go when Jacob returned. He didn't really have it in him to finish the mission report, but he knew he would never finish if he didn't sit right down now and do it.
He could never remember writing a report that fast, but hey, he included all the pertinent information and that's what mattered. He'd fix it later, after he met Jacob at the Gate. He quickly saved the document and ran out of the office. He needed a cup of coffee, and well, if he ran into Daniel, so what? He could ignore him when he wanted to, and right now the torture was worth the coffee.
He noticed a stunned silence fall over the commissary as he entered, everyone trying desperately not to stare at him. He avoided them all and headed straight over to the coffee machines. Daniel was already there and from the looks of it he was on about his tenth cup himself.
"Hey, Jack, Buddy, how's it goin'? Whatcha up to? Gettin' coffee?" Daniel bounced back and forth on his toes.
"Daniel, just how many cups of coffee have you had?" Jack raised his eyebrows at him, pouring himself his own mug.
"Um... two." Daniel dropped his eyes to the floor.
"And what did you put in those two cups of coffee, Daniel?"
"Which cup?" Daniel's eyes were glazed. His last fit of rocking nearly caused him to lose his balance.
"Oh, okay, I found a bottle of Jim Beam in my desk."
"How 'bout you go lay down?" Jack took a sip and nodded towards the door. He made his way to a secluded table and sat down by himself. He rolled the bottom of the coffee cup along the table, sloshing the coffee over the edge.
"Jack, wanna talk about it?" Daniel flopped down across from him, leaning on his elbows.
"Yeah, sure Daniel. We'll just have a regular Dr. Phil moment here, okay?" Jack slammed his Styrofoam cup on the table, the sides splitting. Coffee gushed across the table. His hand burned with the coffee, but he kept it where it was.
"I want her back just as much as you do!" Daniel shouted. He was frustrated with Jack's childish ill-temper. The rest of their team cared just as much about Sam, but he seemed to be the one taking on all the responsibility, not letting anyone help him. Maybe he could get Hailey to come to Jack.
"No, you don't! Don't even try to pretend to know what I'm going through, Daniel!"
"That's not fair, Jack, and you know it." Daniel turned to leave, the hurt expression on his face hard to miss.
"Yeah? Do I?" Jack yelled, catching the attention of the rest of the commissary.
"You think it was any easier for me knowing my wife was running around the galaxy carrying Apophis' child?" Daniel hissed.
"I know, I'm sorry." Jack seemed to calm slightly, allowing the day's events to seep into his raging brain.
"Doc said she doesn't know how to find Sam. Why would she lie to me?"
"Janet?" Daniel looked confused.
"No, Sam. She said the Doc would know how to contact her."
"I'm not sure, but there has to be a reason. C'mon, you're the one who always says she never stops thinking." Daniel stood and rested his hand on Jack's shoulder in comfort. "Why don't you take a break?"
"Can't, I'm expecting Jacob in any minute." Jack leaned his head over and pushed the heel of his palm into his eye, trying to rub the frustration away.
"All right." Daniel turned to leave the room, and suddenly remembered something. "Hailey's party is still on for tomorrow night."