Chapter Two

Completely immersed in the data on her computer screen, Sam didn't hear the door to her lab open.

"I brought you some coffee."

Jumping at the unexpected voice, Sam clasped a hand over her heart and turned toward her visitor. "Janet! You startled me!"

Laughing, the other woman set a large paper cup down on Sam's workbench. "I think a marching band could have come through here and you wouldn't have noticed."

Sam smiled guiltily. "I was a bit wrapped up in my work," she admitted. Then, rubbing the bridge of her nose, she sank back wearily in her chair. "What time is it, anyway?"

Janet pointed to the clock on Sam's desk. "After midnight. You've been in here for six hours. Which is why I thought you could use some coffee."

Reaching for the cup gratefully, Sam blinked away some of her exhaustion. "Anyone else having any luck with this stupid thing?"

Janet shook her head. "Daniel's been locked in his office since you locked yourself in here. Jack and Teal'c gave General Hammond as much information on the situation as they could, but I'm pretty sure they're sleeping now."

Wits dulled by fatigue, Sam wasn't quite able to cover the wistful expression that crossed her features at the mention of her CO. "I'm glad someone is."

A knowing look crossed Janet's lovely features. She shrugged, a teasing smirk on her face. "You could go join him," she said with a giggle.

Sam's eyes widened comically. "Janet!" she hissed, looking around to be sure no one was nearby. "Would you shut up!"

The doctor just grinned. "Oh, would you relax? Nobody's listening."

Glaring at her friend, Sam did not look appeased. "Every inch of this place is under surveillance," she muttered darkly. "How would you know if someone is listening?"

Janet just rolled her eyes. "Sam, you're paranoid. And heck, even if someone was listening, I guarantee no one would be surprised by this conversation. The only person who seems to be in the dark about your little infatuation is Jack. And his cluelessness is testament to his own little infatuation."

Sam stared at her friend in disbelief. "Will you be quiet?" she said from between clenched teeth. "This is not a conversation I want to have here."

Janet examined her friend closely before smiling a little sadly. "I know, Sam. And I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable. It's just that life is short, especially in this job. Every year as we approach Valentine's day, I can see how much this situation is killing you, and I find myself hoping that this might be the year when things change between you two."

Swallowing back a sudden lump of emotion, Sam shook her head. "It can't be, Janet. There's too much in the way."

Janet was about to reply when the phone on Sam's desk rang, interrupting her.

The two women exchanged worried looks. A phone call this late at night was rarely a good sign. Wordlessly, Sam rushed to her desk and picked up the receiver.

"Carter," she said crisply. Then, after a moment, she nodded. "I'll be right there." Hanging up the phone, she turned to Janet, who was regarding her expectantly. "It's Daniel," Sam explained. "He thinks he's found something."

When Sam and Janet walked into Daniel's office less than five minutes later, excitement was clearly painted on the archaeologist's face. In stark contrast, Jack sat on one of the room's chairs, looking like he'd just been woken up from a sound sleep. Teal'c was also present, though he looked as composed and dignified as always.

Daniel didn't waste any time getting down to business. "You'll never believe what I found," he said animatedly.

"I'll be lucky if I understand what you found," Jack muttered dryly.

Completely ignoring the interruption, Daniel grabbed a piece of paper off his desk and handed it to Sam. "What does this look like to you?"

Taking the paper, Sam immediately realized she was looking at a digital photograph of a museum artifact. At first, she didn't notice anything odd about the intricately carved jar, but after a moment, the design on the piece clicked into focus. A series of blue flowers, oddly reminiscent of dandelions, were arranged in a repeating hexagonal pattern. Reflexively, she gasped. "Oh my gosh," she whispered. "These are the same markings that were on the walls of the ruins."

Daniel nodded, smiling triumphantly. "This urn was found at a dig in Egypt almost sixty years ago, though it clearly was not Egyptian in origin. Some scientists believed it was a Canopic jar, but it was such an atypical example, that many thought it was just junk. It's been x-rayed, but no usable images were obtained. It was thought that a high lead concentration in the ceramic glaze was interfering with the scan. A few scientists wanted to open it, but have been unable to figure out how to do so without causing extensive damage to the artifact. It appears to be made of a strangely resilient clay compound." His eyes glowed with anticipation. "I'd be willing to bet this was created by the same civilization which built those ruins."

Jack seemed to be paying attention now. "So how did it end up in Egypt?"

Shrugging, Daniel seemed to give the question a moment of thought. "Probably the same way the Stargate got there – brought by a Goa'uld."

Jack's face darkened. "Great," he muttered. "So where do we need to go to get this little vase of yours? Egypt? Europe?" Suddenly, he cringed. "Please tell me we don't need to raid a snakehead mothership for this."

Daniel shook his head. "Nothing that exotic," he replied cheerfully. "This is actually the best part. I know one of the archaeologists working at the museum where this is kept. I think, if I pop in for a little visit, I might persuade him to let me borrow it for a while."

Looking annoyed, Jack rubbed his forehead. "Why should we bother?" he asked. "If this thing is being held in the states, I'm sure we can commandeer it under some sort of national security clause."

Daniel rolled his eyes, sighing deeply. "Subtlety isn't really your thing, is it?" A look of amusement passed between Sam and Janet at his assessment. Daniel smiled patiently. "I thought we might be better off flying under the radar on this. An old colleague asking to look at an interesting artifact is fairly unremarkable. Six black SUV's packed with Secret Service agents commandeering something from a public museum might cause a bit of a stir."

A moment passed. Then, with obvious reluctance, Jack agreed. "Fine," he said unenthusiastically. "Let's do this your way." Then, still looking moderately annoyed, he speared his friend with a questioning look. "You still haven't said where we're going."

Suddenly, Daniel looked a bit sheepish. "It's going to be fun," he said with a smile.

"Fun?" Jack's already grim face darkened further. "I'm not sure I like the sound of this."

Sam, too, was starting to get a little worried. Anytime Daniel had that particular look on his face, it usually meant he didn't want to divulge some particularly unappealing bit of information. It was, in fact, the exact look he'd displayed earlier that day when he'd explained how he'd accidentally activated the alien communication device. "Daniel," she asked uncertainly, "where exactly is that jar?"

Daniel glanced from Jack's dark face to Sam's concerned one and decided to just spill the beans. "At the public museum in Milwaukee."

"Milwaukee?" Jack blinked.

"As in, Wisconsin?" Sam's heart sank.

Daniel nodded. "I figure if we catch a plane now, we can be at the museum when it opens tomorrow."

Sam noticed Janet stifling a grin. Glaring at her friend, she sighed in resignation. With Valentine's day bearing down on her like a freight train and no hope for romance on her horizon, about the only thing which could make the day worse was to suddenly find herself saving the world in a city which hosted a team of racing sausages.

What else could possibly go wrong?

"I know it's supposed to be cold in the Midwest this time of year, but this is ridiculous," Sam muttered grumpily as an acid-cold blast of wind plowed through her jacket. The streets of downtown Milwaukee were the color of faded steel, perfectly matching the frozen skies above. Week-old snow had faded from a crisp white to a dirty gray, and everything within fifteen feet of a roadway was completely encrusted with the salt used to keep the streets from freezing over. Even wrapped in a ski parka, Sam felt completely exposed to the bitter winds which ripped through the city.

Walking beside her, Jack just grinned. "C'mon, Carter. This is perfect ice-fishing weather."

Two steps behind them, Daniel chimed in helpfully. "Did you know that every year, on New Year's Day, a group of people calling themselves 'Polar Bears' actually go swimming in Lake Michigan? Compared to that kind of cold, this is really nothing remarkable."

Sam regarded them both with a look of disbelief. "That's crazy," she said between shivers.

Jack smirked. "Which part? The ice-fishing? Or the Polar Bears?"

"Both," she replied succinctly. "Anyone who would willingly spend time outdoors in this kind of weather is certifiable."

Teal'c inclined his head, looking totally unaffected by the brutal temperature. "On Chulak, we often would fight blindfolded in the snow to test our battle skills."

Sam rolled her eyes. "There must be a testosterone component to this."

Jack's eyes lit up teasingly as he replied. "I thought the location of your reproductive organs had nothing to do with what you could handle in the line of duty."

Stopping dead in her tracks, Sam leveled a glare at him which made the weather seem tropical in comparison. "With all due respect, sir, is this really an argument you want to have right now?" Behind her, Daniel and Teal'c had also stopped walking. The pair exchanged uneasy glances as they took note of Sam's rising color.

Suddenly realizing he was walking by himself, Jack paused and looked around. When he saw his second-in-command's frosty expression, he realized he'd inadvertently struck a nerve with his teasing humor. Holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender, Jack backtracked as quickly as possible. "Easy, Carter. I was just trying to be funny – which, obviously, I failed miserably at. We all know you're as capable as any of us."

Sam's glare didn't shift a micron.

Recognizing the look on her face, Jack immediately knew he'd have to do better than that if he wanted any peace for the rest of this mission. Sighing at his uncanny ability to say exactly the wrong thing, he tried again. "Hell, Carter, you're more capable than any of us. And we all know you're a pro at surviving cold climates. After all, when we landed in Antarctica all those years ago, it was you who managed to trek up the crevasse to look for escape routes, not me." Seeing a slight thaw in her expression, he pressed forward. "So, please accept my humble apology. It's either the cold or my close proximity to so much beer which has clouded my better judgment."

At that statement, Sam's mouth quirked into a smile. It was, she realized, pretty much impossible to stay mad at Jack for more than fifteen seconds – especially when he turned on the charm. "Apology accepted," she replied after a moment. "But if you ever make a comment like that again, I'll be forced to challenge you to a little one-on-one at the shooting range."

Jack rolled his eyes. She never let him forget that she was the better shot. "Well, Major, since I'm sure my ego wouldn't be able to stand such a beating, I'll try to watch my mouth from now on."

From behind them, Daniel cleared his throat. "Not that this isn't entertaining and all, but I'd like to get to the museum before the universe blows up."

All three of Daniel's teammates regarded him darkly. No one particularly liked being reminded of the grim peril they were continually embroiled in. Still, his words had the desired effect. Within moments, the team was once again trudging into the bitterly cold wind.

A few blocks up the road, a tall building with a white marble façade came into view. Four bronze birds seemed to take flight in front of the snowy stone background, flanked by a similarly-sculpted primitive man. All in all, the stately building stood out amongst the fairly utilitarian architecture which surrounded it.

"I guess this is it," Jack said as they approached the structure.

Daniel nodded. "I called Gerald when we touched down. He's expecting us." With a smile, he pushed the plate-glass door open and held it while his teammates entered the vestibule. "Apparently, they're even going to waive our admission fee."

"Gee, how considerate," Jack replied sarcastically. "I still say we should have just sent the marines in."

Sam raised an eyebrow as she walked past him. "I'm not sure why you're complaining, sir. After all, weren't you just praising the beer and ice-fishing here?"

He leveled a wry smile in her direction. "Yes, but you'll notice that I'm neither drinking beer nor going ice-fishing. Instead, I'm walking into a museum in search of a musty piece of pottery."

Considering his words, Sam nodded. "I suppose that makes sense." In a Jack O'Neill kind of way, at any rate.

Daniel had long since left his companions and walked to the information desk. After speaking to the woman seated there, he returned with a small, glossy map and four museum tickets. "We need to go to the Temples, Tells, and Tombs exhibit. Second floor, southwest corner," he explained, pointing to a nearby escalator. "Gerald will be waiting for us near the Tell Hadidi mini-theater."

Without ceremony, the four colleagues got in line behind a raucous group of school children, handed their admission tickets to the attendant, and made their way toward the escalator. In spite of her best attempts to keep her eyes off her CO, Sam noticed the simultaneous softening and tension that Jack automatically exhibited in the presence of children. It was heartbreaking, knowing that he was still so deeply affected by his son's death. Wishing she could reach out to him, but knowing such an action was impossible, Sam sighed inwardly and tried focusing on something less emotional.

She turned her attention to the museum around her. The main concourse was impressive, consisting of a wide, marble-tiled hallway lined on one side with the gift shop and café. At one end, an impressive curving staircase led up to the main exhibit level.

Glancing almost reflexively toward Jack again, Sam was surprised to see his face set in an amused smirk. As if he felt her attention being directed toward him, his sparkling brown eyes met hers.

"Sir?" she asked, clearly curious what he found so amusing.

Nodding his head toward the front of their little party, he replied dryly. "Daniel in his natural habitat."

Sam looked at the archaeologist for a moment and felt her own face break into a smile. Daniel was holding the glossy exhibit map in front of Teal'c as they walked, clearly pointing out several locations of interest. In spite of Teal'c's ever-stoic demeanor, Daniel's face was animated and alight with excitement. Looking back at her CO, she shared a grin with him. "Like a kid on Christmas morning," she agreed.

Jack glanced around, taking in the museum. From the staircase, he could see signs pointing out nearby exhibits. "I wonder if there's a section on beer," he mumbled idly.

Sam chuckled. "Well, sir, it is Milwaukee. Anything's possible."

At the second floor landing, Sam followed Daniel toward the exhibit where his friend was waiting. Within a few minutes, the small, informal hollow which acted as a mini-theater came into view.

A portly, balding man of middle years waved from the entrance. "Daniel! Good to see you again!"

Stepping forward, Daniel shook the man's hand enthusiastically. "Gerald, I can't say how much I appreciate your help today. It was good of you to see us on such short notice."

The older man shrugged. "No problem. Though I will admit to being curious about how I can help you. There's not much of interest here in our little corner of the Midwest."

Daniel smiled. "Actually, there's a particular artifact I was hoping to get a closer look at." Pulling the digital photograph from his pocket, Daniel unfolded it and handed it to his friend. "Any chance of that happening?"

Gerald examined the picture for a moment, looking surprised and a bit dismayed. "Well, I've got good news and bad news for you."

Jack exchanged a dark look with Sam. Clearly, this wasn't what he wanted to hear.

Also looking vaguely nervous, Daniel prompted his friend to continue. "The bad news?"

Gerald sighed. "I'm not sure if you know this or not, but the Milwaukee Public Museum has had some money problems recently."

Daniel nodded. "I'd heard there were some financial management issues." There was a question in his voice, indicating he'd welcome further clarification.

Hearing the unspoken request, Gerald continued. "In an effort to maintain current operations, the museum board decided to sell several minor pieces which were considered unimportant."

Jack groaned. "Let me guess. That vase was one of the pieces on the auction block."

Gerald nodded. "Yes, it was. But, remember, I did promise good news, too."

Daniel appeared skeptical. "Gerald, even if you have a similar piece, I'm afraid it won't help us. We really need to see that urn."

Waving his hand, Gerald seemed to brush Daniel's concerns aside. "I don't think that will be a problem, but you'll have to keep this next bit of information off-the-record. It just so happens that I know the identity of the private party who purchased the urn. Such transactions are supposed to be confidential, but in this case, it's not a very well-kept secret. You see, one of the grad students who works here comes from a fairly wealthy family. He inherited his father's interest for ancient artifacts and decided to pursue archaeology as a career. Anyway, his father learned of the sale and actually purchased the urn not more than three months ago." Gerald smiled pleasantly. "Caleb and his family live here in Milwaukee. He's due in at the Museum in just under an hour. If you can wait for him, I'm sure he'd be willing to show you the artifact."

The whole party seemed to inwardly sigh with relief. "I'm sure we can kill some time until he arrives," Daniel replied. Then, looking at the exhibits around him, his eyes lit up with delight. "Hey, maybe you can show my friends some of what you do here."

Jack winced. "Ah, gee, Daniel. I'm sure that would be fascinating, but Carter really wanted to see the living butterfly exhibit downstairs."

Sam blinked. She did? Then, seeing the look of desperation in her CO's eyes, she suddenly understood. Jack would rather eat rusty nails than be stuck listening to two archaeologists prattle on about ancient Egypt. "Uh, right," she agreed quickly. "I've got this thing about insects," she confided to Gerald, who seemed a bit startled by Jack's proclamation.

Daniel didn't seem fazed. "Oh, okay. Well, if you guys don't mind, I'm going to stick here with Gerald. I'd like to see some of his work up close."

Jack was already pulling Sam away. "No problem," he said quickly. Then, looking at the fourth member of the team, he raised his eyebrows. "Teal'c? Butterflies?"

The large Jaffa inclined his head. "I think I would prefer to explore this exhibit. Ancient temples are of great interest to me."

Jack shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said quickly. Then, before anyone could change their minds, Jack led a rather startled Sam back down the staircase at a remarkable clip.

Once they were down on the first floor, Jack let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god we got out of there," he muttered.

Sam chuckled. "For once, I totally agree. How Teal'c could want to spend time talking about ancient temples is beyond me." She made a face. "I think we get enough of that on a daily basis."

Jack nodded. "I, for one, have had enough of old, musty artifacts for five lifetimes." Suddenly, he paused, looking around. "All right, we've escaped. Where to now?"

Feeling a blush rise into her cheeks, Sam looked sheepishly toward a nearby sign. "Actually, sir, I really would like to see the butterflies, if you don't mind."

Jack's amused brown eyes zeroed in on hers with a twinkle. "So, you really do have a thing for bugs?"

Sam smiled, feeling her cheeks warm further. "I know, it's kind-of girly. But I've always wanted to see one of these living butterfly exhibits up close."

Gesturing toward the "PUELICHER BUTTERFLY WING" sign, Jack just smiled. "Then, by all means, lead the way."

Feeling her heart flutter at the playful smile on his face, Sam forced herself to think about the butterflies up ahead and not about how nice it was to spend a few precious moments with him outside their normal work setting. Technically, she supposed they were still on official business. But it certainly didn't feel that way.

As they approached the butterfly wing, Sam felt her eyes widen in spite of herself. "Wow," she said softly. "That's a pretty neat setup." A two-story, glass-enclosed garden lay at the end of a long concourse. The door to the exhibit was contained in an airlock of sorts, allowing museum attendants to inspect all exiting visitors for fluttery passengers. The outer door would not open unless the inner door was shut, keeping the insects safely contained in the garden.

Jack observed the look of wonder on Sam's face with a small smile. It amazed him that she could be so awestruck by something this mundane, considering all they encountered in the line of duty. Following her lead, he deposited his coat in a numbered locker outside the exhibit and then followed her to the entranceway. Once the outer door opened, they stepped into the airlock and waited for it to close. Feeling the warm humidity on his face, Jack raised his eyebrows. "Pretty warm in here," he commented.

Sam nodded absently, focused on the inner door leading to the exhibit. "Butterflies migrate to warm climates in the winter. They thrive in humid, tropical environments."

With a wry smile, Jack shook his head. "Never thought I'd be using the words 'humid' and 'tropical' to describe my trip to Milwaukee in February."

Darting a glance at him, Sam couldn't help smiling. She was so caught up in the moment that she almost didn't notice one of the attendants opening the inner door. Focus, Sam. Tearing her gaze away from him, she stepped into the garden.

Immediately, her eyes grew wide with wonder and delight. The soothing sounds of a nearby waterfall complimented the warm, moist air in the room. Sunlight shone down through living vegetation, glinting off the iridescent wings of countless fluttering butterflies. It was breathtaking.

Jack's eyes were similarly glued to the breathtaking view before him, but his attention was not focused on the insects. He knew it was dangerous territory, but he couldn't quite pull his gaze from the rapt enchantment shining in his companion's face. When a large, blue-winged butterfly gently landed in her hair, a delighted giggle escaped from her lips. Unconsciously, she turned to him with a look of pure enjoyment.

"I think he likes me," she said with a chuckle, pointing to the elegant creature on the edge of her vision.

Jack's face softened. Stepping forward, he gently lifted his hand and brushed his fingers along her forehead. For a moment, Sam forgot to breathe. Then, as the butterfly crawled onto his index finger, she realized he was merely removing it from her hair. Disappointment never had a chance to materialize, however, as his razor-sharp, dark eyes immediately zeroed in on hers.

Sam swallowed. "Did you get him?" she asked, somewhat breathlessly.

Jack nodded, slowly lowering his hand to eye level. The shimmering, blue wings of the delicate insect almost exactly matched the hue of Sam's eyes.

The tension between them seemed to grow exponentially as they stood, locked in silent communication. Sam hardly noticed when the butterfly gently took to the air once again. Now free of its passenger, Jack's hand brushed her cheek almost imperceptibly as he brought it back to his side. "This is much better than an archaeology lesson." Jack's voice was a soft rumble, blending in with the soothing atmosphere around them.

Sam flushed, feeling breathless and giddy. "Not too girly?"

He smiled. "If I remind myself that they're bugs, I'm okay."

The familiar, dry humor finally seemed to lessen the tension between them. Inhaling somewhat shakily, Sam forced herself to turn back to the garden and seek out other insects. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone back on base that you like butterflies," she remarked over her shoulder.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Carter."

They wandered through the exhibit, chatting idly and observing the hundreds of different insects which fluttered around. Sam was filled with contentment, unable to believe that such a dreaded afternoon could turn out so pleasantly.

When they finally stepped into the airlock which would take them back to the rest of the museum, it was a bit like leaving a happy dream behind. Impulsively, Sam turned to her companion and smiled. "Thanks for humoring me," she said softly. "I really enjoyed that."

Jack returned her smile, but his eyes were unreadable. Something deep seemed to be lurking in their depths, just out of sight. "My pleasure," he said, clearly sounding as though he meant the words.

Stepping out of the airlock, they set about retrieving their coats. Then, examining the other exhibit signs, Jack stopped thoughtfully. "We probably have time for one more stop," he said. "What next?"

Sam's eyes flitted over their choices. "How about 'The Streets of Old Milwaukee?'" She smiled. "If there's going to be a beer section, I'm betting it'll be there."

Jack's mouth twitched. It never failed to impress him how Carter just got his sense of humor. He knew his dry, gruff personality was often lost on others – especially brainy, academic types. In spite of that, the brainiest person he knew was also the one who understood him best. The contradiction was intriguing – almost as intriguing as the woman who was behind it.

Stepping across the well-lit exhibit space, Jack was surprised by the entrance to the Old Milwaukee exhibit. A darkened corridor led away from the bustling center concourse to a wrought-iron archway. One quick turn and they were suddenly plunged into a whole different world.

Sam's delighted laugh sparkled down the cobblestone street before them. The pitch black of a night-time sky seemed to stretch limitlessly above them. Ahead, a long line of two-story, period-authentic homes and storefronts were warmly lit from within. The gaslit lane was dotted with trees and store signs – and even a fire hydrant or two. Wood-plank sidewalks led directly to the porches and front windows of the buildings, allowing visitors to peer into homes and businesses of a century ago. "This is amazing," she remarked, enchanted by the cozy atmosphere in the exhibit.

Jack, usually a hardened cynic, had to admit that the scene was remarkable. "You almost forget you're inside a museum," he said, running his hand along a realistic-looking tree trunk.

"You almost forget you're in the twenty-first century," Sam replied in quiet awe. Wandering down the lane, she couldn't help smiling foolishly at the illusion surrounding her. Suddenly, she laughed as one of the signs ahead caught her eye. Unthinkingly, she grabbed Jack's hand and tugged him to a large, plate-glass window up the road.

Jack's lips curled into a grin. Displayed on the other side of the glass was a tavern straight from the late 1800's. A jolly-looking bartender stood motionless behind the mahogany bar, polishing a glass mug. "Guess we found the beer section," he said dryly.

Sam laughed. She was about to reply when something remarkable happened, knocking the words completely out of her head. In her rush to show him the tavern, Sam had completely forgotten she was holding Jack's hand. She might have even pulled away, oblivious of the connection, except for the unexpected event which occurred next.

Tenderly, almost intimately, Jack's fingers gently squeezed her own, silently communicating a thousand different emotions with the warm, calloused hand she'd come to know so well over the last seven years. None of the messages being transmitted through the affectionate touch were appropriate for an official work day, which made Sam's heart stop momentarily before slamming back to life in triple-time.

Aware of how flabbergasted she must appear, Sam was nonetheless unable to stop herself from staring helplessly into his warm, brown eyes. She had no idea what to say.

Apparently, words weren't necessary. And in contrast to her nervous astonishment, Jack's own expression was a study of quiet, confident intensity. As his eyes bored into hers, he seemed to soothe the jumpy edge from her emotions. Standing under a great oak tree in a dimly-lit street, something magical started to happen between the pair. It was as if a giant magnet was suddenly pulling them together.

Sam felt her heart slam into her throat. Holy Hannah, he's going to kiss me. The shocking thought skittered into her consciousness, pulling her eyes to the sculpted form of his mouth.

Jack followed her gaze with an out-of-body sense of surrealism. As his mind registered her attentions, he felt an arrow of heat shoot through his bloodstream. Why the hell shouldn't he kiss her?

Hearts pounding in unison, the two inched closer to each other.

"Sam! Jack! Over here!"

Daniel's voice sliced through the tense atmosphere, breaking the spell immediately. Exhaling sharply, Jack took a half-step back, trying to clear his head.

Sam pasted a wooden smile on her face as she turned to see Teal'c and Daniel approaching with a third, unfamiliar young man in tow. Completely oblivious to the monumental scene he'd just interrupted, Daniel held a hand up in greeting.

"Hey guys. This is Caleb Stevenson. He's the grad student Gerald told us about." Then, turning to the young man, Daniel gestured toward his friends. "This is Colonel Jack O'Neill and Major Samantha Carter."

The student smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you," he said automatically. Then, picking up on what Daniel had missed, he glanced nervously between the two military officers. Quickly, he rushed to explain their presence. "When Dr. Jackson said you guys would be wandering the museum, I thought we should check here. It's a pretty popular exhibit."

Jack didn't bother to keep the wry edge from his voice. "Yeah, well, you found us."

Caleb winced apologetically. "Do you like the museum?" he asked, trying to bring the conversation into neutral territory.

Sam nodded immediately. Her wits were quickly returning to her. "We went to the butterfly wing first. It's really amazing."

Caleb smiled. "Yeah, we're pretty proud of it. Not exactly an archaeological wonder, but it definitely draws a crowd."

At that, Daniel seemed to jump slightly, as if remembering something. Turning to Sam and Jack, he spoke with a broad smile. "Caleb is going to set up a meeting between his dad and I tomorrow. He thinks it will be no problem for us to research the artifact."

Jack's face relaxed noticeably. "That's good news," he said, regarding the young man intently.

Caleb seemed to straighten. "And don't worry. Daniel has already told me this is a classified government investigation. We won't ask why you're interested in the piece."

Jack glanced at Daniel questioningly. The archaeologist responded with a slightly embarrassed shrug. Apparently, throwing some military weight around did have its advantages. Returning his attention to the grad student, Jack gave the young man his best 'commanding officer' look. "I'm glad to know you can be discreet about this," he said solemnly.

Sam bit her lip. Caleb looked as though he was bursting at the seams to be working on a secret government project. And Jack's 'Air Force Colonel' persona was so perfectly enacted, Sam had a hard time keeping herself from laughing out loud.

"Anyway," Daniel said, clearly eager to change the subject, "Caleb has asked us to go out for a drink tonight. Since we'll be in town with nothing else to do, I thought it might be fun."

Jack seemed to consider the idea seriously. "Hmmm. Beer in Milwaukee." Looking back at the young man, he suddenly relaxed his military stance. "All right, I'm in."

Caleb grinned. "Great. Dr. Jackson tells me you're staying at the Hyatt?"

Glancing at Sam for confirmation, Jack saw her nod silently. In truth, he'd had no idea where they were staying. "That's right," he said to Caleb, sounding as though this was not news to him.

The grad student didn't seem to notice the silent exchange. "Then I'll pick you guys up there tonight around eight. There's this great bar where my friends and I usually hang out, but parking is pretty crazy, so it'll be best if I drive. It's a lot of fun, though – I'm sure you'll love it."

Jack's mouth lifted on one side. "If there's beer there, I'm sure you're right."