"What the hell?" Jack practically yelled in the conference room later that day. Sam looked down, tugging on her sleeve to hide the bruise Jornan had left. The brace covered part of it, at least.
"Jack, Sam is fine," Daniel began, using his calm voice.
"The hell she is! Where is he?" He looked around as if Jornan was possibly hiding out in the conference room. Then he turned on his heel and stalked out. Sam looked at Daniel helplessly, so he jumped up and followed him.
Mortified, Sam remained in her seat, suddenly finding the wood grain of table fascinating.
Realizing that he wasn't going to get his hands on Jornan that afternoon, Jack took an un-anticipated turn and managed to elude Daniel. The jig was up five minutes later, however, when Daniel discovered him in the cafeteria downing two bowls of red Jello.
Jack gave him a murderous look as Daniel sat down, reminiscent of a dog suspicous of having his food stolen. The two men looked at each other for a moment, Jack spooning Jello into his mouth at a furious pace. "What?" Jack finally said irritably, trying to form the word around the large amount of red goo in his mouth. Even though Jack would rather shoot himself than admit it, Daniel was one of his favorite people. Which was why Daniel's face remained intact. For the moment.
"I didn't get to finish what I was telling you."
"I don't wanna hear it," Jack replied immediately. "Jornan did it, I'll make him pay for it, end of story." He reached for the second bowl of Jello.
"You will?" Daniel replied, and Jack granted the jello a temporary reprieve from certain death as the spoon stopped halfway from his mouth. Daniel was no fool, especially when it came to reading people. And it didn't take a genius (though he was one) to see how Jack felt about Sam. It was as plain as the nose on your face.
Since Jack had ceased the manic pace of downing his Jello, Daniel knew he had his attention. "You really do want to hear this Jack. Eat your Jello and listen."
Resigned, Jack waved his hand for Daniel to get to the point. "You have until I'm done."
"I've been doing some research in Gelna's archives. I came across some information on The Joining that you need to know."
"Okay. What?"
"Apparently The Joining is not just symbolic."
Jack stopped eating again. "Carter pretty much figured something was up with that."
"It's an ancient method of blending emotions."
"What?"
"When two people participate in the ceremony, the point is to reach an understanding of the other person. The Gelnans feel that the best way to understand a person is to experience their emotions. So when you and Jornan participated in the ceremony, he got some of your emotions, and you got some of his."
"Are you serious?"
Daniel nodded. "It would certainly explain your increasingly anti-social behavior."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Well, come on Jack. You have been a little...hormonal...lately." Daniel didn't do a very good job of suppressing a grin.
"No I haven't."
"Yes you have."
"No. I. Haven't." Jack started to look a little dangerous.
"Okay, okay. Sorry."
Jack stood up from the table and lunged at Daniel. The two men fell to the floor, a jumble of flying fists and cuss words.
In the melee, neither one had noticed the other half of SG1 enter the cafeteria. Sam watched in horrified silence, her mouth hanging open. Teal'c was, well, Teal'c. Stoic as ever. He approached the chore as if it were no more emotionally charged than taking out the garbage. As the only one with enough balls to attempt to separate Jack from his opponent, Sam and the few others in the cafeteria gave him a wide berth.
Approaching the screeching ball that was the two men, Teal'c expertly disentangled them, throwing Jack over his shoulder like a rag doll. He spun on his heel and calmly headed toward the infirmary.