AN: I didn't make you wait too long for this one... Hope you like it!

Chapter Eight

One thing I've learned over the years is how to bury my feelings in my work. I turn back to the computer, resolving that I will not sob over the plate still stuck on the keyboard, nor about the chocolate icing that is slowly melting between the keys. Jack hadn't meant any harm. And it was Hammond's fault anyway - if Daniel, Teal'c and I hadn't been distracted by Hammond, we would have caught him before he had the chance to make a mess.

I pull the plug free of the machine and bark out an order at one of the techs to get me another keyboard. He scampers off immediately and I have the sneaking suspicion he's not coming back.

See, I've heard the rumors. They think I don't know what they say, but I do. Everyone complains about what a bitch I am when Jack's hurt or missing or away or mad. I'd probably be angrier about it if I didn't know it was entirely true. And this whole scene with Jack screaming for me and me not being able to help him - well it's definitely setting off my bitchy tendencies.

Much to my surprise, the tech does actually return. He looks scared, but he's new so maybe he's just overwhelmed and hasn't heard the rumors yet. I set up the new keyboard and start work on recovering the system. General Meanie-Man, formerly known as Hammond, seems satisfied that I'm going to work and heads up to his office. I glare at the stairs for not tripping him. As soon as the coast is clear, I dispatch the same tech on an important mission - he's to find Jack and the boys and report back to me as to how things are going.

Calmed slightly by the notion that I will, hopefully, soon hear word that Jack is happy playing with his buddies, I actually settle in to work. I'm hopelessly distracted though and through a series of unfortunate, accidental keystrokes, I successfully manage to completely corrupt the controls for the iris.

Walter is sitting quietly by my side. He reminds me of a puppy. He's kind of like SG-1's loyal dog. He sits by the gate and waits for us to come home and he gets all excited when we bring friends and he never holds it against us if we're gone too long and he immediately forgets any slights as soon as we offer him a smile. Next time Jack mentions getting a dog, I'm going to remind him that we already have one.

At the moment, Walter is staring wide-eyed at me watching the iris open inexplicably before suddenly refusing to respond to any further commands. "Ma'am?"

"Fuck." I close my eyes and shake my head. I never make mistakes - at least not huge, glaring, spectacular displays of unbelievable stupidity like this.

Walter starts frantically trying to close the iris, panicking because it's not working and because I'm just sitting here like an idiot. "Ma'am? Should we use the manual controls?"

I wave my hand dismissively. The word manual is misleading. It's still processed through the computer; they're just in a heavily protected, walled-off, and now very broken part of the computer system. "They're not working either." I look back at the gate, the wide open door to just about anything, including the gates of hell, and I know there are a million reasons - like the goa'uld - to get the computer back online. But I'm far to distracted by missing Jack to muster up enough concern to react.

Seriously, this is the one time I can hold Jack in my arms and not care who sees us and I'll be damned if General Pissy-Pants isn't being mean.

But before I can even try to refocus on the situation at hand, the phone rings. I'm hoping against hope that it's Daniel calling to tell me that Jack's big again and then I can fix the computer and we can go get our dinner together after all. Amazingly, it is Daniel. Unfortunately, he's shouting, trying to make his voice heard over the continuous shriek of my name that is still, well, continuous.

"Steve here tells me you wanted to know how things were going. They're just peachy. See?" He must have approached Jack with the phone because the scream got much louder and shifted from the word Sam to full-on hysterical screaming. "Yeah, things are great here. We've got it under control. How are things up there?"

I look at Walter, who's hyperventilating, and then at the unprotected gate. "Even better, Daniel. They're even better."

"What?" He can't hear me over the screaming and I can't stand to listen to it, so I just hang up.

I look at Walter and a randomly useful thought occurs to me. "Call a defense team to stand by in the gate room just in case." He seems excessively pleased that I've said something so normal and expected. I can practically see his tail wagging happily as he calls the request over the PA system. I wonder if he'd like to get patted on the head. I watch as the defense team takes up position to hold off any intruders that might arrive and I smile.

No, I'm not extremely proud of my fellow airmen. I'm extremely proud that I've effectively killed two birds with one stone.

"Is there a problem, Major Carter?" Teal'c's voice sounds behind me and it's so welcome I almost hug him. But I can't hug him because there's a three-year-old whirlwind throwing himself into my arms at the moment.

Daniel looks relieved and scared at the same time. It's a disconcerting expression to behold. "Sam, what's wrong?"

I'm so happy I could sing, despite the impending crisis. I could get up and dance a little tap number around the control room with a top hat and cane right now. You see, I know a little something about the way things work here and I know that there's no way SG-1 doesn't come running when a defense team is called to the gate room.

And maybe, just maybe, the fact that I broke the iris will make General Party Pooper so mad that he'll ban me from working on it and I can go play with Jack.

I don't have time to answer the inquiries of my teammates before I hear the telltale sound of feet on the stairs. I look at Jack, who has happily snuggled up in my arms. He's able to read my concern, feel my tension just like always, and his head turns toward the stairs. Now Jack is an intelligent man; we've covered that. But he's also an intelligent baby because his stubby little arms instantly release me. Before I know what's happening, he shimmies free of my arms, across my lap, and quietly plops onto the floor at my feet. Then his arms wrap around one of my calves in a tight clench. Daniel grins; Teal'c also cracks a smile. I would have suspected them of teaching him to hide like that except I know he didn't stop screaming long enough to learn anything while he was gone.

Daniel flattens himself against the wall to avoid being noticed by Hammond as he approaches me. Teal'c merely steps out of the general's way, knowing there's simply no way he can blend in anywhere. General Hammond shows no sign of realizing his orders have been disregarded. He steps up to the window, alarm showing in his eyes.

"Major Carter, what's the problem?"

With Jack snuggly and silently attached to my leg, I feel a lot happier about work and actually feel a little guilt for my part in the iris issue. "I'm working on repairing the system, sir. Unfortunately, the iris controls went offline. I ordered the defense team as a precautionary measure until the iris is fully functional."

Hammond nods thoughtfully and, for a brief moment when he glances at Daniel and then narrows his eyes at me, I fear he's going to remember that he just ordered Daniel and Teal'c and the screaming miniature Jack out of here. "How long until the iris is functional again?"

This is a difficult question. I hadn't been paying enough attention to really have a firm grasp of exactly how I'd managed to bust the iris in the first place, so I have no idea if it will take two minutes or two hours. "Less than thirty minutes, sir." The rule of thumb with the general is that for any time estimates measured in hours, he'll order me to fix it faster. He's usually more lenient when it comes to anything less.

As if to taunt me, the iris slides closed. I breathe a sigh of relief - if it has to be broken, it's better that it's broken closed. Then it opens again and I swear, if titanium can smirk, that's exactly what it's doing.

He doesn't look pleased, but he nods. "Thirty minutes, Major."

I nod happily, knowing this brief conversation has probably tested the patience of the remarkably quiet three-year-old hiding under the desk. "Yes, sir."

Hammond heads back to the stairs, but turns back just as I start to relax. "Dr. Jackson, I believe I ordered you to remove the child."

Smart boy that he is, Jack's grip tightens on my leg. I glance at Daniel, who is looking very guilty as he mouths the word 'sorry' at me. He's not going to get court martialed; I might. I twist around in my chair, lifting Jack off the ground as I move. "Sir-"

Hammond holds up his hand. "My patience is wearing thin. Dr. Jackson, take the boy to the guest quarters and make sure he stays there this time."

Daniel's shoulders slump dejectedly as he squats down to reach for Jack. We all hear Jack take in a deep breath, preparing to scream again. I reach out and rest my hand on his head, quieting him for the moment. "Sir, please, he's afraid of Daniel."

I know he wasn't kidding about his patience wearing thin and he's been more understanding than most generals would be when people seem to be completely ignoring his orders, so I'm expecting to face the brunt of his anger. But apparently my statement catches him so entirely off guard that he forgets he's mad at us.

"Why in God's name would anyone be afraid of Daniel?"

Daniel answers for me as he stands up, assuming he's got a reprieve. "It's Jack. When has he ever made sense?"

Hammond nods toward Jack, who is attached with both arms and both legs to my leg. "As long as he doesn't get in the way, Jack can stay with you."

I'm about to smile my thanks, but Jack beats me to it. "Yay!" He releases my leg and scrambles back up into my lap, nuzzling his face into my neck. Ok, so as much as I love having Jack attached literally and figuratively to me, I'm more than a little embarrassed at the moment.

General Hammond starts to smile, but any response he might have had is cut off by the sounds of the gate connecting. None of us have to ask since we all know no one is due back today. I turn back to watch as the wormhole opens, my arms instinctively tightening around Jack. We're defenseless and now I feel more than a little stupid that I couldn't put my personal feelings aside to fix the computer since Jack is as much at the mercy of whoever comes through as the rest of us.

The silence is almost anticlimactic as no one appears. The gate doesn't disengage though, so I know something is happening. I try running every command that is still working on the gate. "There's an EM signal coming through, sir, but the computer can't interpret it."

Hammond grabs the intercom. "Stay sharp, people." The defense team was already aiming at the gate, but his words make everyone stand up a little straighter. He turns back to me. "Do we have any idea what or who to expect?"

I shake my head. "No, sir." I don't want to mention it since I have no particular reason for thinking it, but something about the EM signal seems very familiar. Maybe I should mention it. Maybe I should at least react to my own instincts to move. But I don't.

And then suddenly, there's a blue light shooting out from the computer and coming straight at me.