Chapter 26

Daniel and Jack were both tucked into their sleeping bags and lay ready to fall asleep. Except Daniel wasn't really. He was staring at the ceiling, or into the dark that covered it, while his mind wandered around aimlessly. Rocks were flashing before his eyes, small ones, big ones, rocks that had inscriptions, rocks that were strangely shaped and rocks that were just rocks. He thought about how long it would take him to analyze all of them – not forever, but long enough to make it seem boring. He never found that kind of basic work boring before. He must have become spoiled from hiring Noli to do these tasks over the last months. Going rate: candy. Or nuts. He had to remember to ask if she liked those candied nuts. Seemed like the ultimate Peanut snack.

"Hey, Jack?" he whispered.

Jack grunted.

"Jack?"

Jack sighed. "What?"

"Did you ask if she was awake? When you checked in with Hammond?"

"Who, Peanut?" Jack sounded groggy. No problems falling asleep there. He always got whiny when Daniel tried to talk to him when he was trying to sleep. Who knew why.

"No, his secretary. Yes, Noli."

Jack was quiet for a moment before answering, articulating each letter. "No, I didn't." Then he gave up and opened his eyes and continued in a milder tone. "I'm sure he would have told us of any changes, Daniel."

"Yeah..." Daniel drifted off in thoughts again.

"By the way, I've been wondering", said Jack after a while. Daniel turned his head to look at him. "Does she ever brush her hair?"

Daniel turned back and thought about it. "She says she forgets", he answered. A second passed before he added: "I like her hair. Sort of brings out..."

"The mad scientist in her?"

"Well... I was gonna say her eyes but yeah." They both had a quiet chuckle.

Jack nudged Daniel with his elbow. "So what else do you like about her?" He tried not to sound too gleeful but smirked under protection of the dark. Daniel trailed off and started listing things about Noli that popped up in his head.

"She's funny... caring... nice le... hey!" he called out, insulted when he realized what Jack was making him say. Jack burst into a taunting giggle as Daniel tried to slap hip with whatever clothing was close at hand. He lay back down and let out a laugh himself.

"Nice legs, huh?"

"Yeah, well. One can't help but to notice these things. Doesn't mean anything, Jack."

"No, no, you're right. Hair, eyes, legs... it's what we all go around noticing."

Daniel didn't reward him with an answer.

"Teal'c's got a nice pair on him."

Daniel kept quiet.

"Why do birds suddenly appear... every time... you are n..."

"Shut up, Jack!" Daniel tried to smother Jack's giggles with his pillow.

"What are you guys laughing at?" called Sam from her end of the camp. She swore, sometimes these missions were like band camp all over again.

"Nothing", Jack called back.
"Yeah, you must be hearing things", added Daniel. He laid back down, tucked his pillow back under his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm going to sleep now, Jack. If you feel like bothering someone, go bother Sam."

The comment dug into Jack and left him quiet with his own thoughts. It wasn't meant as a sarcastic comeback, he didn't think, but it sure sounded like one. Was it possible that any of his thoughts concerning the major shone through? Go bother Carter, all alone in her tent... as if Daniel had sensed that was exactly the image roaming in Jack's head at the moment. But he was always so careful to put up an indifferent facade. He always hid these feelings way in the back of his mind where they wold never see the light of day. Never out of protocol, always professional. Cheeky, yes, familiar, yes, but they were family and he treated them all with the same appropriate amount of intimacy. Every fiery look he could have given, every emotion that could have gone out of bounds was carefully withheld and locked in the closet of his mind to be hidden from the world. He hoped.

Jack gave the dilemma a few more minutes and then decided to ignore the whole thing. If Daniel had some intuitive perception of his inner life, then so be it. Even if he should call Jack on it he had no obvious proof to counter the intense denial that would surely follow. And Jack knew he was way too sensitive to ever say anything to Carter about it. He shook it off, made himself comfortable and within minutes he was sound asleep.