Jack O'Neil was in a bad mood. A very bad mood. Mostly because it seemed more than half the base had been privy to the juiciest gossip for a little over two weeks and he had JUST found out. The injustice! Not to mention that the gossip was about his team members!

Apparently a certain Major Samantha Carter had been regularly going to visit a certain allergy riddled Doctor for long periods of time, sometimes even overnight at his own apartment, so the rumors had said. And so Jack O' Neill intended to find out.

Sam and Daniel were huddled together in the lunchroom, their heads were down and they were eating, taking bites simultaneously. Other officers who were walking by took a sideways glance at the newest SGC tabloid fodder and kept walking. O'Neill marched over and authoritatively positioned himself at the end of the table. Both heads moved heaven-ward and Sam smiled.

"Hello sir!" She was as chipper as always.

"Yeah, hi Sam." He sat down, nudging her over with his hips. Sam moved to the side obediently. Jack started eating his JELL-O, it was cherry flavored. He liked it. However this wasn't the only thing on his mind.

"So, Danny-boy, you've got a new roommate?" It was less of a question than it was the beginning of an interrogation. Nervously, he looked at Sam, and then he nodded.

"My foster nephew. He's staying with me for awhile." This was not the answer Jack was expecting. Considering this, he spooned the last of his jell-o into his mouth.

"You have a "nephew"." Jack said, thoughtfully.

"Yeah... Jack." Daniel blinked repeatedly. "My foster brothers son."

"So... what's his name?" Daniel hesitated.

"Jack."

"Right here." O'Neill answered.

"No, thats his name." And while Jack O'Neill pictured a strapping young lad, with straight posture, an iron chin and an iron clad will to match. Daniel pictured tattoos and a tongue ring. Jack wasn't ready to accept this easy explanation.

"Well, all Jack's deserve to meet one another. I will see you and your "nephew" at L'Espirit, tonight, seven o'clock sharp." Jack stood up, his back ramrod straight as always, and he marched out. The last sound he heard was Daniels head clunking against the table.

Jack liked Daniels shower. He was in love with it, in fact. Right now, he was fully clothed sitting in the shower. It was tan with green hieroglyphics painted so delicately into the tiles. Jack stood, stepped out of the shower and started his 1:37 pm ritual.

First were the shoes. The beat up black VANS were the first to come off, followed by whatever socks he had happened to put on that morning while Daniel was cooking breakfast. His shirt was next, then went the pants and the boxers. Jack bent over the mirror and stuck out his tongue. He admired his week old tongue ring for half a moment, thankful that the swelling had finally subsided and he could talk normally again. He thought Daniel hadn't noticed.

The shower water was hot, it burned his skin for a moment, the area around his tattoo was especially susceptible. He watched it redden and fade around the cartoon of a grinning skeleton head. It was now 1:40, Jack's showers lastedfifteen minutes, that would make it 2:05 when he finally stepped, dripping, out of the shower.

He purposefully missed the first sketch on mad v. Jack would grumble whenever the first sketch came on when he happened to get out 5 minutes early. He walked around the apartment shirtless for awhile, hoping that a girl would walk by and get interested.

When he started doing sit-ups, he realized with some degree off disappointment that he hadn't been laid in six months and had just noticed.

Daniel was home early. It was increasingly unusual that he every came home at all. However, when he would, he'd give Jack his computer password, at 6:30 he would log on, turn on Daniels web cam and have a video dinner with his estranged uncle. It was more of a "family" than Jack was used to. The fortunate thing was, it was the same way for Daniel.

Daniel often gave Jack puzzles, little cryptography made of funny languages and symbols. It took Jack a few hours. Daniel hung up his coat and walked over to where Jack was working on his latest puzzle. Daniel sat down next to him and Jack laid down the answer he had so far.

"You're close. But put it away, we're going out tonight."

"To the movies? I want to see hostel!" Daniel grimaced at the thought of blood and gore.

"No, we're going out to dinner." Dinner? The thought excited jack. Him and Daniel had gone out a ton to greasy pizza places. Daniel rarely ate more than a salad or a single piece of pizza while Jack gorged himself on the oily feast.

"Where? Papa Gino's? Happy City?" Daniel shook his head.

"It's high class dining. It's a French place called L'Espirit." Jack's smile faded and he felt his blood freeze inside his veins. This sounded sounded suspiciously like a last meal.

Jack nodded stiffly. "I'll go get changed.

L'Espirit was built on a hill, it had its own garden where they grew their own vegetables and an on house bakery. It was a nicer place than Jack had ever seen.

Daniel and Jack were parked out back, watching the fry cooks smoke and grab the waitresses as they entered and excited the restaurant. Sixteen year old jack felt very awkward at the moment. Mostly because he was wedged between his uncle and the steering wheel as Daniel attempted to tie his tie. How they got in this extraordinarily uncomfortable involved a white tie Jack wanted to wear as a belt, a rubber duck, a wrestling move and a very nervous scientist who was intent on impressing a very very opposing Cornell.

"Move your leg." Jack ordered.

"I can't Jack." Daniel explained. "Considering your leg is on mine." The final knot was tied and he opened his door and all but through Jack out. Daniel stepped out himself and checked Jack over. The black haired boy kept his face down. He was getting a bit of color and didn't look so horribly Gothic.

"Why do you wear make-up?" Daniel asked as he straightened Jack's shirt.

"I-I don't know. I think it makes me look unapproachable, scary. Like no one would want to mess with me."

"Open, tongue out." Jack did, Daniel had spotted the tongue ring and smiled. "You're about to meet someone truly scary. Just remember, he's mostly harmless, minus the prison record and... well. Be good. I like the tongue ring, by the way."

Jack was more than slightly confused.

"Daniel."

"You can call me Danny, or Dan, or Uncle, I mean-" They started to walk toward the restaurant.

"Dad?" Daniel's heart stopped, he looked at Jack. "Are you sending me off?" Jack asked. "Is this like... my last meal before you ship me off to whatever fucking orphanage or social services that. I don't need the last meal..."

"Look, Jack. I am horrible with kids. I don't understand you in the least. But you're not going anywhere. And we're late, Jack... big Jack will kill us if we're late." Daniel pulled Jack into the restaurant, where a very skeptical Cornell waited.