A/N: I've been trying to update this story daily, and so far I've managed to average about that, although I've skipped a couple of days and doubled up here and there. Unfortunately, as the story winds down and I know you guys all want to get to the end as fast as possible, I might have to slow down on the updates a bit. My step-son is sick, just a nasty ear infection, nothing too serious. But taking care of him and trying not to pass it on to the babies isn't leaving me much time to edit and post. Here's something short to tide you over. I'll do the best I can - thanks for sticking with this story.

Ch 30

SG-1 soon found themselves back in the commissary for lunch. Although Janet had agreed to meet them there, the two Generals had elected to go off base. Jack couldn't help but notice, as he made his way through the line, nudging Sam and Danny's tray along in front of him because she was carrying him, that they seemed to be drawing much more attention than usual. He supposed it was mostly the fact that they'd been gone for the weekend, so although most of the base had got used to the toddler-version of Daniel a few days ago, he'd been out of sight and mind, as had the rest of them, for a couple of days.

"You'd think these people never saw a kid before," Jack muttered quietly as they loaded their trays.

"I think it's the uniform," Sam said, patting Danny's back through his little black tee-shirt.

"I must disagree, Major Carter," Teal'c stated. "I believe it is the diaper bag."

"What… ohforcryinoutloud." Jack had meant to leave the diaper bag in Sam's lab. Now he'd been traipsing through the base with a huge quilted bag with a giant bunny rabbit on each side. "I told you we should've got that camo one at Toys 'R Us," he muttered to Sam.

"I don't think General Hammond would have considered that a necessary investment, sir," Sam said. "Besides, that one was only half the size of this one."

"And you say that like it's a bad thing?" Jack countered, leaning over and peering at the main course. "What the hell is that?"

"Lemon chicken," the server said, plopping a piece on Jack's plate.

"It has bones in it," Jack observed.

"It is the same as always, O'Neill," Teal'c, on his other side, said. The barely detectable impatient tone in Teal'c's voice contained the silent order, "Move! I want my chicken!"

"Danny can't eat that."

"We can pick the chicken off the bones for him," Sam said, shifting Danny to a slightly more comfortable position - he got heavy after a while.

"Yeah, maybe," Jack said doubtfully. "I still don't think he will, though."

They finished loading up their trays and made their way to their usual table. By the time everyone was all set, Janet had joined them as well. "I should have brought the booster seat," Jack realized as Sam tried to scoot up to the table with Danny in her lap - not an easy task to do while already seated with an excited toddler already trying to reach his sippy cup. Before he could reach to help her, Teal'c had snagged one chair leg with his foot and easily brought them as close as they could want to be.

"Thanks, Teal'c," she said. "And it's okay, sir, I don't mind being the booster seat," she added as she fastened Danny's bib. True, it was easier for him not to have to unhook the thing from his kitchen chair, disassemble it, bring it up to the base, put it back together, and try to fasten it to one of the hard molded plastic chairs in the commissary. But Sam also preferred the current arrangement because, well, she had missed the little guy, and wanted to hold him. Plus Jack was better at getting him to eat anyway.

"So, how's it going on the trunk thing?" Jack asked Sam and Teal'c as he started getting Danny's plate ready - mainly removing all the chicken from his drumstick and cutting his grapes in half while he listened to the update, told mostly by Sam with Teal'c offering a bit of input here and there.

"Why do you always do that?" Sam asked curiously when he finished with the grapes and slid the plate over so Danny could start on the things he could grab with his fingers.

"Do what?" Jack asked absently.

"Cut the grapes in half. And you cut the hot dogs up long ways before sideways too."

"You do the hot dog thing too," he pointed out.

"You did it first. I thought he might want it to look the same. That's the only reason I did it."

"Oh. It's just supposed to be safer. I don't know if it's one of those urban myths or not but theoretically a toddler's windpipe is the same diameter as hot dogs, grapes, and baby carrots, so it's easy for them to choke."

"He's right about that actually," Janet chimed in.

"What?" Jack asked defensively when he saw the look Sam was giving him. "I know some stuff."

"I know. I'm not surprised at that, I'm surprised that you just used the words 'myth,' 'diameter,' and 'theoretically' in the same sentence."

He very nearly countered that remark with, "That's what I get for sleeping with a scientist last night." Luckily, before he actually spoke he realized that not only were they back on the base, the SG-3 marines were over at the next table and would no doubt have a field day if they heard that. So, instead, he smirked and said, "We did bring you all freshly baked cookies for dessert. I don't know if we'll be giving any of them to smartass Majors though."

"You baked cookies?" Janet asked incredulously, so loudly that not only the marines but several other groups of people looked over at them as well.

"What did I ever do to you, doc?" Jack grumbled. She opened her mouth to respond but he held up a hand. "Don't answer that. No, we didn't bake cookies. We bought cookies, while we were engaged in other manly pursuits like fort-building, grocery shopping, and laundry."

Sam and Janet both laughed, but the mention of the laundry had raised another question in Sam's mind. "We never really got to hear the whole story of how Toppy ended up in the dryer," she said.

At the mention of Toppy, Danny looked around quickly. "Dack where my Toppy?"

"In the bag, relax. You don't want to get food on it again right away, it's finally clean for a change."

"Kay. Don't woose him."

"Me lose him? Look who's talking!"

"Sir… how did he get lost in the first place?" Sam asked, redirecting the conversation before they could get into yet another argument. She'd never seen anyone so willing to argue with a toddler. Then again, she doubted he'd be arguing with the toddler if said toddler wasn't Daniel.

"Oh. Right. Well, I don't know exactly. I did laundry a couple of times… I'm guessing he got scooped up in the pile of towels and clothes in the bathroom after I gave Danny a bath."

"Oh." Sam watched as Danny picked up a little piece of chicken, examined it carefully, licked it once, put it in his mouth for a few moments, then spit it back out in his hand and put it on the table.

"Yucky."

"Want catsup on it?" Jack asked.

"No. It tastes wike fwoot."

"Like what?" Janet asked.

"Fruit," Sam explained.

"I didn't think he'd like it," Jack commented, scooping up some macaroni and cheese instead - Danny did love the macaroni and cheese.

"Why did he need another bath?" Sam asked.

"He was filthy when we got back from the park."

"Got-my popsicle in my hair," Danny explained. "Dack more mac."

"If it'll keep you quiet," Jack mumbled, shoveling another spoonful into Danny's mouth.

"Wait… he had cookies and popsicles in the morning?" Janet asked.

"No," Jack said. "He had one of each. The cookie was for being good at the grocery store and the popsicle was an alternative to ice cream."

"Still…" Janet started.

"He's eating lunch just fine, Janet," Sam pointed out.

"Yeah, except for the main course." Jack set down the spoon and got to his feet. "I'm going to go see if they'll make him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or something."

"O'Neill."

Jack turned back to the table. "Yeah, T?"

"I would like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich also."

Jack stared. Then Sam said, "Um, well, sir, as long as you're going…"

"Ohfercryin… You too?"

"Just peanut butter? Hold the jelly?"

He sighed. "Fine. Doc?"

"I'm all set, thanks, Colonel," she said, hiding her amusement rather poorly.

He made a ridiculous bowing gesture before turning quickly and heading back towards the kitchens.

"Well, it is better than the chicken," Sam said defensively in response to the look Janet was giving her.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.

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By the time everyone had finished their lunch, including the additional sandwiches and the cookies Jack and Danny had brought, Jack had been caught up to speed on the progress they were finally starting to make on the trunk, and everyone had listened to Danny's spirited account of their day, both before and after the search for Toppy began. Since he often got carried away to the point where they could no longer understand him, Jack had to help supply much of the narration as well.

When Janet said she had to get back to work as the meal finished, Teal'c did the same, escorting the doctor out of the commissary and quickly leaving Jack and Sam alone with Danny, who, despite the bib, still needed to be cleaned up considerably, as he had peanut butter and jelly on his hands, arms, and face. He'd managed to get quite a bit on Sam's arms as well, but luckily neither of them needed a wardrobe change.

"I wonder if my dad's back yet," Sam commented as they gathered up their things and left. Danny was walking - they wanted him as tired as possible for his nap. But, remembering his previous antics in the corridors of the SGC, each of them was holding onto one of his hands. He didn't mind - actually he liked being between them, and their legs were so much longer that he had to trot to keep up with them anyway. Every once in a while he'd give a mighty jump forward, using their arms like swings.

"You want to get back to the lab?" Jack guessed as they got on the elevator. "I can stay with him while he sleeps and get you when he wakes up."

"No," Sam said, much too quickly and loudly. Jack actually gave a little start at her reaction. "Sorry," she apologized. "I just… could use a little more of a break."

"You want a break? From working? When you're actually starting to make progress?"

"Not exactly. It's more the working environment at the moment," she explained.

"Dad?" he guessed.

"Dad," she confirmed.

"You're all just working on translations, right? Why do you have to be in the same room?"

"I suppose we don't."

"Well, if he's bothering you why don't you just bring your stuff into the VIP room and work on it while Danny sleeps?"

"Good idea."

"What's up with him anyway?"

"I don't know. He was in a little bit better mood when he left with General Hammond, but those don't seem to be sticking for too long. I think he's been arguing with Selmak a lot - he seems to be, anyway. Maybe that's it."

"Maybe they want a divorce," Jack speculated.

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