TITLE: "A Day Behind"

AUTHOR: Verb

RATING: T, I would think.

CATEGORY: Humor, Daniel/Janet, shameless Asgard jokes.

SUMMARY: Timing Is Everything

DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable Stargate SG-1 characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment only and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. This story and other publicly unrecognized events or characters therein are copyrighted to the author and may not be used or reproduced in entirety or in parts without express permission of the author.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I always have problems with naming my stories. This one owes its title to a Bowling For Soup song, entitled "Belgium". It is, quite possibly, the funniest parody of a love song I've ever heard. This song made me think, write, and laugh so hard that people on the bus gave me funny looks. This is the result. Please enjoy!

AUTHOR'S NOTE #2: Thanks so much to all of you who took the time to review. I really appreciate it, because there is nothing quite like the feeling of receiving those little "New Review" emails I've become addicted to. Please, give yourselves a round of applause!

DEDICATION: Again, to Dessert Blossom-by-the-Sea, for encouragement and kick ass beta'ing. Also? To everyone who reads this little story. Yes, you! You're brilliant. What do you mean, 'Why?' Because I wrote the story, and I said so!

Chapter 3 – Red Sweater

The drive home felt much longer that usual for Janet. Most of her thoughts were conflicting: happy and relieved that Sam was awake and recovering, sad and disappointed that all of her friends had forgotten her birthday. Not that it was all-important. In all honesty, she knew that the crazy life one had to get used to working for the SGC didn't leave much room for a personal life, let alone time for something as mundanely social as a birthday party. But still, some small part of her was particularly disappointed that Daniel had made no mention of the significance of the date. Well, when I get home, I have an appointment with a long, hot bath and an absurdly large amount of bath crystals she thought as she pulled up to her home and parked her car. Her thoughts remained turbulent as she made her way inside.

"Cassie! I'm home, sweetie!" she called out as she hung her coat and purse in the hall closet. "Cass?"

Making her way into the kitchen, she spotted a note and a small, silver wrapped box on the kitchen table.

Mom,

Went to sleep over at Nina's house. Be back sometime tomorrow night – we're going to the American Numismatic Museum for a school project. Call me if you need anything.

Love, Cassie

P.S. Happy Birthday! Open this whenever you get home – we can celebrate when I get back!

Janet smiled at the note and the gift. She felt the same way any mother would have felt, knowing her daughter was growing up and adjusting to life on another planet. She couldn't help but feel proud of Cassie for all that she had been able to deal with.

"So. House to myself," Janet said out loud to the empty kitchen. She turned to the fridge and started rummaging around for some leftovers when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Janet." came the reply.

Janet relaxed against the kitchen counter. "Hi, Sam. What's up?"

"Well . . . I was wondering what you were doing tonight."

"No big plans," Janet replied. "Cassie's out at a friend's house until tomorrow, so I was going to have a bath and just read or something."

Sam's voice laughed over the phone line. "So, basically, be as lazy as possible."

"Basically." Janet shrugged. "General Hammond gave me the day off, so I figure no rush to try and plan anything. I'm kind of looking forward to the peace and quiet."

"Oh, well . . . " Janet could hear the sounds of other people talking in the background and what sounded to her like a muffled fight over the phone handset.

"Sam? Everything ok over there? It sounds like a wrestling match!"

"Oh, yeah, everything's fine. We were just hoping that you would want to go out for dinner with us tonight? That is, if you haven't already eaten."

"Us?" Janet asked. "Aren't you still under strict orders for bed rest?"

Sam sighed. "Well, the Colonel may have threatened to sic Teal'c symbiote on Dr. Swanson if he didn't release me for the night."

"WHAT?"

"I know, Janet, I know." She sighed again. "I'm just- it's driving me nuts being cooped up in here. Jack, Daniel and Teal'c have insisted on keeping me company-"

Janet could see the air quotes from all the way in her kitchen.

"-and that's why it sounds like such a crazy house over here."

Janet couldn't help but laugh. "I was wondering how on Earth you managed access to a phone."

"Yeah. I had the Colonel bring one in. The 15 minutes it took him to do it was a nice, quiet break- Hey!"

Janet could hear the struggle and it sounded like Sam was fighting with someone for the phone again.

"Doc, this is crazy. Come out and have some dinner with us."

"Well, Colonel, I will on two conditions."

"Name it."

"One – Sam returns to the infirmary right after dinner and remains there for a 72 hour period." Janet could practically see the grimace that was surely on Jack's face.

"Ok, but I doubt she's gonna be very happy with that. What's the second condition?"

"You're buying."

Jack laughed. "Done. How about we come and get you in about an hour?"

"Great. Colonel?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you put Sam back on, sir?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure."

She heard Sam's muffled voice ask Jack what Janet wanted to talk about. Jack's reply sounded suspiciously like I don't know, girl stuff.

"Janet?"

"Hey, Sam. What should I wear for dinner? Are we going fancy or what?"

Janet waited for a reply for a full minute. "You know that red sweater you have, the v-neck one with the long sleeves?"

"Yeah."

"Wear that one. We're going for casual, so don't worry about getting too dressed up. I'll help with the rest when we get there, ok?"

"Ok. See you in an hour."

"Ok. Bye."

As she hung the phone back up on the wall, Janet couldn't help but feel a little excited. It wasn't exactly the birthday she had in mind, but an evening with her friends would be much better than sitting at home and sulking on her day off. There was no use at being angry even if a little part of her still had trouble letting go of her disappointment. But, dinner with the SGC's premier team meant dinner with Daniel, and for that she could be excited. Where the hell did I put that sweater?

xxxxxxx

For those about to review, I salute you