When Annika woke the next day, she knew before she had any physical symptoms she had caught the flu that was running rampant throughout the base. The auras she saw around practically everyone were twice as bright as normal, and that only ever happened when she had a head cold. On the way to the SGC Daniel picked up a supply of cold and flu tablets and she liberally dosed herself in hope of staving off the worst of it. It didn’t work. By midmorning she had the telltale thumping head, contradictory blocked and watery sinus, and aching body. At lunch she had to wear sunglasses when walking through the underground base to ease the painful lights assaulting her sight whenever she looked at anyone. She couldn’t bear to have the rest of SG-1 together in the same room as her; their combined auras, blinding at the best of times, caused her actual physical pain. Daniel offered to take her home, but she knew he had to complete an important translation for SG-20’s mission the next morning and she insisted that she’d be okay until he’d finished. Instead she holed up in one of the side offices so her sniffling wouldn't distract her husband, and tried to work on deciphering the text of an abandoned Goa'uld temple from the photos of SG-18's latest recon mission.

Rubbing her eyes to try to make them focus, she decided that she was going to kill Jack for tempting fate with his boast yesterday that SG-1 were 'robust and hardy'. It wasn't fair that Jack had been the one to mock Murphy's Law and she was the one to get sick. She gave up on the photos and contemplated revenge on the General. Maybe she would go and sneeze on her fearless leader and share the fate that he had caused. Her plans were interrupted by a knock on the doorframe.

"Annika, you got a sec?"

"Sure, Brooklyn." She reached for a tissue. "But enter at your own risk, you really don't want my cold."

"I'll chance it." He frowned when he got a good look at her puffy eyes and red nose. "I can come back another time when you're feeling better."

Annika resisted the urge to flip her sunglasses, which were perched on the top of her head, over her eyes. To say the man was troubled was a bit of an understatement. His worry was blindingly bright around him. "Nope, I'm fine, really," she lied.

The captain stepped in, hesitated for a moment and then shut the door behind him.

Though her eyebrow rose, she said nothing of the man's desire for privacy. She transferred a stack of files from the room's only other chair and shoved it what was hopefully a germ free distance from herself. "What's up?"

The stocky man sat down and immediately started fidgeting. "Um...I was just wondering, what with your hocus pocus and all, if...um...you've seen anything unusual about...SG-2."

She caught the slight pause from him changing the 'who' he was asking about. "Unusual?"

He nodded uneasily.

"I haven't seen anything work related." She wondered if blowing her nose would be bad form and decided not being able to breathe would be worse.

"What about non-work related?"

"Brooklyn, I have a set of hocus pocus Ten Commandments." She had to stop to catch a sneeze before it erupted. "If I see private details I only discuss specifics with whomever it's about."

"Oh, right. Sure, good rule to have."

"You looking to get your palm read?" she teased, trying to put him at ease.

"Oh no, not me. I...I'm just concerned ab-" He broke off and then rushed on. "Have you noticed how fucked up Lou's behavior has been lately?"

Annika nodded, immediately distinguishing the difference between Brooklyn calling Whistler, 'Lou' rather than 'the Major'. He was here strictly as a friend. "But I don't need my psychic abilities to see that." Whistler had been like a bear with a sore tooth, tense and growling at everyone; he was a far cry from his usual jolly self.

"Yeah, but I'm thinking you and I are the only ones who know the reason behind it." He shot her a look. "You do know what his problem is, right?" He seemed to be pleading with her, hoping that she had some knowledge of what was wrong with his CO.

She gave a single nod. She'd already figured out that Brooklyn had been a witness to Ferretti's 'epiphany', since the captain had been the one to help the major drown his sorrows that first night. "Got in a fight with Cupid and lost. Although I don't know why he sees it as losing."

"I'm not getting it either," Brooklyn shrugged. "Look, um, I was hoping you could talk to him about it."

She gave a wry grin. "I could, but first I'd have to pin him down. He's been avoiding me."

"Yeah, I know," he grimaced. "He thinks you'll take one look at him and know, and he's doing his damnedest to deny it."

"I'll let you in on a little secret. I knew before he did, so him dodging me is moot." As much as she liked to play matchmaker, Annika did know when to push the issue and when not to. Considering Ferretti's initial reaction she hadn't even tried to contrive an 'accidental' romantic situation between the major and doctor. "You don't think we should let him come around in his own time?"

"No." The single word came out more harshly than then he intended. He softened his tone. "Someone's gotta' talk to him and soon."

The darkening of the captain's aura told her how worried he was about Ferretti. Something had happened. Loyalty to his friend and teammate prevented him from saying anything more. Before her mind, sluggish from the cold meds, could form any kind of response, Brooklyn muttered, "Aw, fuck it." His hand shot out grabbing hers.

"Brooklyn!" She tried to jerk her hand back, shocked by his actions. He, as did everyone on the base, knew the 'rules' as far as her particular personal space was concerned.

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you, I can only hope you'll see." He pleaded with her to understand, even as his other hand closed over hers, trapping her in a gentle yet firm hand-sandwich.

Her shock switched its focus to the images that started to bombard her mind. She stopped struggling and concentrated on trying to decipher the mini movies only she could see. There were fuzzy images of Brooklyn's past, which she shuffled to the side, knowing that taking her on a trip of his life wasn't what he was hoping for. She focused on the images that were in sharper detail, Brooklyn's worry making them stand out like beacons. Saw from Brooklyn's perspective, the brutal instant Ferretti realized his feelings for Janet, his shock that still hadn't worn off despite a week having come and gone. The vision switched to a bar where the two members of SG-2 were getting drunk as skunks. Frowned when she couldn't understand what was different about the next vision, until she realized the men were wearing different clothes, indicating a different visit to the bar. She didn't get a 'drunk' feeling from Brooklyn; Whistler more than made up for that. There were two more wardrobe changes. But it was the image of SG-2's last mission that really had Brooklyn worried. Ferretti was distracted, antsy...

Brooklyn didn't know whether to be relieved or not that Annika was getting some sort of download. Anxiously he watched her. He saw her eyes close to process whatever images her third sight was showing. When her eyes sprang open and she sucked in a quick breath, he knew that she had picked up on the incident he had been both hoping for and dreading.

"He entered the wrong GDO code?" She shuddered at the possible repercussions of that error.

"I caught it before we even got close to the 'gate steps, covered for him..." Brooklyn's voice tapered off. "I know I was obliged to report it but..."

She flexed her hand encased in his. "But he's your friend." She sighed, "I didn't realize things were so bad with him."

"I've tried to talk to him about it. He just clams up."

"I'll have a go." Caught the question Brooklyn wanted to ask but didn't, knowing that he was probably going to cop an earful from Ferretti for 'blabbing' and was willing to take responsibility for the 'betrayal'. "And he won't learn from me where I got that snippet from."

"Thank you."

When he started to let go of her she held on for a moment longer. "You know if he doesn't...buck up...one of us will have to eventually report it. Another mistake like that and he's risking not only his life but your team's."

The captain sadly nodded. "I know. That's why I came to you...an unofficial intervention." A small smile tweaked his lips. "No pressure."

"Nah," she was playfully sarcastic. "No pressure at all!"

His hands dropped away.

Quick as a flash Annika's now free hand slapped him up the back of the head. "Next time ask if you want to download something to me, you big goof!"

"I will, promise." He looked abashed.

"Do you know where Whistler is now?"

"Mess hall, at least he was a few minutes ago."

Annika grabbed a supply of tissues and stuffed them in her pocket. She then armed herself with her trusty coffee mug, for if she was going to start a heart to heart with Whistler she couldn't do it with the sludge the mess crew called coffee. "Wish me luck."

On the twenty-second level she peeked through the portal window to see about a dozen personnel scattered around the room in small groups at various stages of their meals. The obvious exception was Ferretti who was sitting by himself, brooding into his coffee. The ring of empty tables surrounding him screamed of the major having scared everyone off. Having this 'chat' would require privacy and she doubted, considering Whistler's recent penchant for running in the opposite direction from her, that he would willingly go with her anywhere. Taking a deep breath she pushed open the door and cleared her throat loudly. "Everyone who does not want to catch my cold, leave now."

Heads swung up, all bar one. They took one look at her, and while she didn't think the possibility of getting her head cold fazed them, the determined glint in her watery eyes did. If Annika wanted the room cleared, then they were more than happy to use the excuse she'd given. Ferretti hadn't looked up yet he was the first on his feet.

"Whistler, you stay put."

Her tone brokered no argument and the major reluctantly sat back down.

A couple of the retreating men shot Ferretti a sympathetic look for being in the firing line of the redhead. Others were relieved that someone as stubborn as the SG-2 team leader was going to confront him and Annika caught a low grumble of 'About damned time'. A member from SG-10 wasn't moving as quickly as she hoped.

"Captain, do you want me to cough on you?" she asked sweetly.

"No, ma'am." The man quickly downed the rest of his coffee and double timed it to the corridor.

"I don't want your cold either," Ferretti mumbled.

"Why not?" Annika checked through the door window that no one had remained in earshot then planted herself across from her sullen friend. "Being sick would give you the perfect excuse to be the grumpy, bad tempered bastard you've become." It probably wasn't the best way to start, but her head was too fogged up from her cold for her to think of anything remotely diplomatic.

"The less time I spend in the infirmary the better."

"Oh, I don't know. I'd say you need a long and healthy dose of Janet's bedside manner."

There was a moment of strained silence. Ferretti's head dipped as he realized his dodging of Annika had been for naught, that she knew what had been eating him up inside. He wasn't ready for this, couldn't have this conversation, not now, not ever if he had his way. He shoved his chair back, rose stiffly to his feet and started striding to the door. "We're done here."

"I don't think so," Annika murmured. She knew she'd never be quick enough to block his way physically. Figured she already had a headache, so using her telekinesis couldn't make the thumping any worse. She focused her will around the flapping door's hinges and the major's hasty exit became a collision with the now firmly closed door.

"Dammit, Annika, what do you want from me?" Ferretti growled rubbing at his squashed nose.

"Well, to talk to more than the back of your head for starters."

"You're a pain in the ass, you know that?" he muttered, returning to the table like a condemned man and she was the hangman.

"So I've been told." Annika took a sip of her coffee. "Apparently it's one of my more endearing traits."

More than a little belligerent he sat down, folded his arms across his chest and waited for the Spanish Inquisition. When Annika remained silent, just continued to sip at her drink, he gave an irritated huff. "You wanted to talk, so talk."

Annika had been considering another attempt at being somewhat diplomatic. Again she came up blank and simply jumped right to the point. "Why haven't you told Janet how you feel?"

"What and have her laugh in my face?"

"You might be surprised."

"Even I'm not stupid enough to bet on such a long shot."

"Long shots can reap the biggest rewards."

"You're more likely to lose your shirt."

Annika's lips twitched. "In this instance, isn't that literally part of the ultimate goal?"

Despite himself a low chuckle escaped. "Look, love and me, we don't mix. Every relationship I've had has ended in a war zone."

"Because you haven't found the right woman."

"Don't throw that old cliché at me," he snapped. "Love is what happens to others. The Doc is one of my closest friends, probably the closest," he corrected. "I'm not going to risk screwing up that friendship for something that will inevitably come to an end."

"And you're not screwing up that friendship now by your present actions?"

"This feeling will pass, it always does. I just need to stay away from her until it does."

"Love's not the measles, Whistler." Her tone was more than a little exasperated. "It's not something you can recover from, not when it's the real thing, and I don't understand why you want to get rid of it. Don't you know how rare it is to find?"

He rubbed his fingers over his close cropped head, hating having to put into words what he was going through, knowing that Annika wouldn't let him escape until he did. "Here's a quick rundown of how my relationships go, like clockwork. Starts off great, then once the little lady starts to really get to know me, she tries to change me. And I won't. We fight, we split up, usually leaving a trail of debris a mile long."

"Janet's known you for eight years. She probably knows more intimate details about you from being your doctor than anyone else. That hasn't stopped her from liking you."

"As a friend," he clarified. "It'll be a whole different dog race when romance becomes the rabbit."

Annika had given a lot of hints that she had seen that Janet felt the same way. Hints that Ferretti hadn't picked up on, deliberately if she had to lay bets. "Whistler, why do you think I'm here, trying to convince you to take the leap? You think I'd set you up to have your heart broken?"

"You just like playing Cupid's Matchmaker."

"I do," she admitted. "But I don't randomly pick names out of a hat. I play matchmaker when there's a match to be matched."

"You're saying the Doc feels the same way?" His voice was cautious with a hint of hope.

Annika hesitated. "Well, she doesn't know it yet." When Ferretti rolled his eyes she hurried on. "It hasn't occurred to her yet, in the same way it never crossed your mind until a week ago."

For the briefest of seconds that hope flared in his eyes, then he shook his head. "Sorry, Cupid, I can't...I won't risk it."

Annika read the stubbornness in her friend, the fear he had of risking everything for love, and realized for now she was flogging a dead horse. "Okay, if you're not going to do anything about your feelings for Janet, then you've got to find a way to deal with them, and I'm not talking about this idiotic avoidance thing you've been doing."

"And what do your mystic Cupid senses suggest?" he asked sarcastically.

"How the hell should I know?" she shrugged. "Make your new best friend the punching bag in the gym, take up writing or drawing or...or...or knitting for all I care. Just find some sort of outlet that doesn't involve drinking yourself into oblivion every night or screwing up GDO codes."

Ferretti scowled. "Should I even bother to ask who ratted me out?"

"Oh for fuck's sake, Whistler! Have you seen my resume? It's got 'psychic' written in big bold print."

He fixed her with a suspicious stare.

Annika softened her tone. "No one told me anything. Your friends are so worried about you they're sending SOS's on every frequency to my psychic radio."

He grimaced. "Really?"

"Really," she nodded.

Ferretti studied her intently for a moment, for the first time seeing her genuine concern. He drew in deep breath and released it in a long, resolute sigh. "I'll figure something out," he promised.

"I hope so." She gave him a small smile. "Don't like to see you hurting, Whistler."

Ferretti returned the smile, reading the double meaning that she didn't just mean his inner turmoil, but the effects his behavior was having on others. "Didn't mean to."

"I know, but you should be telling that to someone else."

"Yeah," he heaved another sigh and got to his feet. He paused at the door, after cautiously testing it to make sure it wasn't being glued shut by Annika. The grin on his face that had been missing for a week was tentatively back as he spoke over his shoulder to her. "Cupid, you should add 'stubborn', 'pain in the ass' and 'good friend' to your resume."

Annika's snort of laughter was cut off by a sneeze. "Jack already added those, but I'll put you down as a reference."

Jack was heading for the mess hall, his stomach telling him it was time for slice of pie, which he had developed a taste for since that annoying incident with Urgo. Exiting the elevator he almost ran into Ferretti hotfooting it in the opposite direction. "Hey, Lou, where're you going in such a hurry?"

"Going to find some knitting needles."

"Oh, right," Jack didn't try to hide his confusion. "Good luck with that." Perplexed he poked his head into the mess hall. Seeing Annika he made a cautious sweep of the room to make sure there were no other members of his team around and pulled up a seat next to her. "What's with...?" he thumbed to the corridor indicating Ferretti.

Annika folded her arms on the table and lowered her suddenly heavy head into the crook of her elbow. "Please don't ask, General, and I won't have to tell."

Her use of his rank made him tilt his head in wary curiousness. Due to the unheard of emptiness of the mess hall, he surmised the room had been cleared for whatever had been discussed between psychic and major. He added to that his own observation of the personnel's gradual slotting of Casper into a role akin to a priest, thanks to the often intensely private snapshots her hocus pocus showed of their lives. Mixing that together he concluded it had been personal and work related. And since Casper had made a point of mentioning his rank, that as a general he was probably better off not knowing. Absently he wondered how many times Hammond had had this dilemma. "Should you tell?"

"Ask me again in a few days when my head doesn't feel like it's going to explode."

He trusted Casper's judgment and took her lead to change the subject. "You look like crap," he declared.

"Thanks, Jack." Annika lifted her head to once again blow her nose. "You really know how to make a girl feel special."

"You should be home in bed."

"Does it say doctor instead of general on your uniform now?" she quipped, downing the last of her coffee.

"Should you be having that? Shouldn’t it be chicken soup or something equally tasteless?"

Annika rolled her eyes. "You’re as bad as Daniel. Stop fussing, will you?" She sneezed…

And across the room a stack of trays flew off the counter and crashed to the floor.

"Did you do that?" Jack’s eyes were like saucers.

Annika was baffled. "Not that I know of. I haven't had that kind of strength for weeks."

She sneezed again…

A chair somersaulted and wedged itself into the concrete ceiling.

The general and psychic gaped stupidly at each other.

"Casper, what’s going on?"

"I don’t…" Her nosed twitched and a third sneeze escaped.

A dish of the daily special catapulted through the air, smashing into the double hinged doors, barely missing the surprised archaeologist walking through them.

"What the…?"

"Daniel!" She staggered to her feet. "Are you okay? My cold is…ah…ahh…" Oh, Gods, I’m going to sneeze again!

Jack saw the signs and instantly clapped his hand over her nose. After a few seconds of her holding her breath he warily released her. "Gone?"

Slowly she nodded. "I think s…Achoo!"

"Crap! Take cover."

The three of them dived to the floor as a dozen plates impacted the wall.

Annika kept her hand firmly planted over her nose. "Flu’s screwing with my telekinesis," she explained to Daniel who had scrambled to her side.

"Kinda guessed that," he grinned wryly.

"Better get her to the infirmary." Jack started to pull her to her feet.

"Are you kidding?" Annika shied away. "Think of the damage I could do in there! Needles, scalpels, oxygen tanks, not to mention getting there, lots of guns in them there hills."

Jack winced. "Point taken. I’ll get Fraiser and bring her here." He ran to the door, yelling over his shoulder, "Make sure she doesn’t sneeze again."

Watching the general disappear through the flapping doors, Annika’s eyes welled with tears. "I’m sorry."

Instantly Daniel pulled her into his arms. "My Angel, it’s okay. It’s not your fault you’re sick."

"I should’ve stayed at home," she sniffed taking in the mini war zone she’d created.

Daniel gave a low chuckle. "I’m glad you didn’t. Otherwise it would be our home with smashed plates and an interesting ceiling decoration."

Despite herself Annika giggled. "Don’t make me laugh, I’m too busy feeling miserable."

A couple of minutes later they heard Jack’s voice call out from outside and saw him and Janet peeking through the door’s circle window. "All clear?"

"Come in, Jack." Daniel beckoned them in.

Annika gave a weak smile at the base doctor. "I seem to be causing a little havoc."

Janet smiled back. "So I see."

Somehow another sneeze escaped. Instinctively Daniel shielded Annika, while Jack pushed Janet to the floor protecting her with his body.

After a few seconds when there was no flying debris they all cautiously lifted their heads.

"Well, thank the Gods I didn’t destroy anything else." Annika heaved a sigh of relief…just as the automatic sprinklers activated. "Janet, can you knock me out?" she pleaded. The irony wasn't lost on her. For weeks now she'd been hoping to increase her telekinetic strength to even a quarter of what it had been under Nox influence. Now that she had it, she wanted it gone. The power was a very real danger without control, and she found herself desperately hoping that this resurgence was a temporary 'symptom' of her head cold.

The doctor hesitated. She didn’t normally sedate patients for a common cold. "Has this happened before?"

The psychic gloomily shook her head. "But I haven’t had the flu since my gift advanced. I have absolutely no control."

Daniel didn't need their bond, which had started working again, albeit sporadically and weaker than before their 'deaths', to know what his wife was feeling. Her fear was rippling through her body. So far the damage had been minimal, even funny, however, there were countless dangerous things that Annika’s wayward telekinesis could latch onto. "What if her next sneeze throws a knife…or sets off a gun?"

Janet nodded, realizing that for the base’s resident psychic, a cold wasn’t just a cold. She opened her med kit and plucked out a syringe and vial. "I’ll give you a sedative that should take effect in a few seconds. Then we’ll move you to the infirmary once we know that your telekinesis is also…er…"

"Asleep?" Jack supplied helpfully.

The doctor nodded. She swabbed her arm and deftly administered the injection.

"Thank you." Annika turned her attention to Daniel, gently caressing his cheek. "I’m sorry."

He gave her a light kiss. "Don’t worry, I’ll survive."

Jack and Janet exchanged puzzled glances. That was just downright cryptic. Annika’s apology and Daniel’s reply were said seriously, like they were having a conversation that only had meaning for the two of them.

Annika’s eyes drifted shut and Daniel felt her body go limp against him. Tenderly he brushed her now sopping hair away from her face.

"I’ll organize to get those sprinklers turned off," Jack said quietly, climbing to his feet and squelching across the puddled floor.

"General, can you ask for some towels and a gown for Annika?" Janet asked as she pulled a table over her patient and Daniel to shelter them from the cascading water. "We may be here a while and I don’t want her cold to turn into pneumonia."

"Sure." He opened the door and caught a passing sergeant who double timed it to carry out the order.

Within five minutes the sprinklers had stopped. The general and Janet grabbed buckets and mops to dry off the area immediately surrounding Annika, who was still being nursed by Daniel.

The towels and gown were passed through.

"Okay, let’s get her out of those wet clothes." Janet crouched down, reaching for Annika’s saturated boot.

"I’ll do it." Daniel protectively kept his hold on the woman he loved.

"Daniel, I’m her doctor, it’s nothing that I haven’t seen before."

"It’s not your eyes that I’m worried about." He pointed to the security camera in the corner of the room. "Annika’s embarrassed enough as it is, I won’t let her be naked on tape."

"I didn’t think of that," Janet admitted.

Daniel gestured to the doctor’s white coat. "If you hold open your coat tails and Jack holds up a towel you can shield her."

The two officers moved into the best position to block the camera’s view, both of them turning their backs to give some privacy.

"So, Doc, how long will you need to keep her sedated?" Jack was making conversation while he played at being a wall.

"A typical cold lasts three to five days," Janet replied. "I'll give her something to boost her immune system to help it along. Once her fever breaks I'll wake her up and see if her telekinesis is back to normal."

"One day, maybe two," the doctor estimated.

Because they had their backs to him neither Jack nor Janet saw the thoughtful frown of Daniel trying to figure out a dilemma in his head. Didn't see his shrug of accepting resignation before he eased Annika into the hospital gown.

Janet ordered a gurney to be wheeled in and Daniel lifted Annika onto it. Only then did the others turn their attention to themselves and dried off as best they could without stripping. When an hour passed without any more objects hurtling through the air, the doctor announced that it was safe enough to transport Annika to the infirmary.

Daniel hovered by her side, unwilling to let her out of his sight. Logically he knew that she was okay…it was only a cold after all. His heart refused to listen. Janet eventually had to order him out of the infirmary.

"Daniel, go home, get some sleep yourself."

"But…"

"No buts." She gently pressed a hand to his stomach indicating their bond. "I know you know she is okay."

How could he explain that there was no point in him going home? He could no longer sleep without her at least by his side, preferably wrapped in his arms or him in hers. Reluctantly he left. No one except his wife could really understand the need they had for each other. Oh, they said they did, often teased the couple about it. They had no concept of the reality. Daniel was grateful that Annika was a full time member of SG-1. On the last couple of missions when they had to be separated, he had only gotten one, maybe two at most, hours of sleep each night. He’d been lucky they had lasted only a few days, he’d practically been a walking zombie when he stepped back through the wormhole. The other members of his team had noticed but hadn’t put two and two together that his sleep deprivation was solely due to Annika not being by his side.

He was surprised to see Jack in the locker room only just now changing into his civvies. "You're here late."

"I am now one hundred percent caught up on all my paperwork," the newly promoted general announced.

Daniel studied his friend. There were no obvious signs of alien contamination, substitution or trauma. "Who won the Stanley Cup last year?"

Jack raised an eyebrow at the ridiculously off topic question. "New Jersey Devils."

"Okay, you look and sound like Jack, but the Jack I know doesn't do paperwork."

"He does when he accepts a bet that it couldn't be done."

"Ah, that explains it." Daniel knew there had to be a legit reason. "So what was the kitty?"

"Three days of fishing with Sam at the cabin without a word of complaint and no mention of work." Jack finished retying his boots.

"What if you lost?" Daniel had made quick work of stripping off his BDUs and was already pulling on jeans.

"Three days of fishing with Sam at the cabin trying to explain the scientific theory of the new gizmo SG-14 brought back."

"Oh that device looks fascinating." He tugged on a t-shirt and reached for his jacket. "It's engraved with-"

"Hey!" Jack blocked his ears with his hands. "I won! Don't want to hear it."

With a grin Daniel dutifully shut up.

"You can come with if you like," Jack offered. He'd already seen that 'I don't know what to do with myself' look on his friend's face. For a moment he was transported back to the day Daniel had returned from Abydos when Sha're had been taken. He shook it off, Casper didn't have a snake in her head, she just had a cold.

Daniel shook his head. "You and Sam don't get enough alone time as it is. I've got enough things to keep me occupied."

"Don't work too hard." Jack knew it was pointless to order him to not do any work at all. He shut his locker and pulled on his usual leather jacket.

"Yeah, sure."

Jack paused at his friend's tone. It had been a while since he'd had to keep an eye on his team's workaholic bad habits. And that went for all of them. He'd lost count of the times he'd turned up after a weekend off to find Daniel and Sam had totally lost track of time and had worked the furlough through. It was only post-Casper that he'd had any success in getting his resident geniuses to understand the concept of actually leaving the base when they got leave. Teal'c hadn't been much better, though he'd spent his downtime in more physical pursuits, increasing body mass over brawn to prepare for battle. He'd be able to 'distract' Sam this weekend, he wouldn't let her weasel out of the bet. Teal'c was still in the lovey dovey stage with Keelah so he was taken care of, which only left his problem child, Daniel. For the foreseeable future the archaeologist's 'keeper of time' was currently off in La-la Land. Jack didn't fully trust Daniel not to revert back to his old ways...once an ignorer of time passing, work until you drop addict, always an ignorer of time passing, work until you drop addict. "Promise me you'll act like a normal person and do normal things that don't involve being hunched over an ancient rock all night."

"Define normal."

"Daniel..."

"I'll be fine, Jack. I'm perfectly capable of surviving a night alone. It's not like I haven't done it before."

Yeah, and that so does not reassure me. "Come to the cabin, it'll be like old times. The three of us hanging out."

"With what Sam has planned, I don't think so." The quip had the desired effect. Who knew that Annika's casual comment from the car ride yesterday would come in useful? It totally distracted Jack from his 'save-Daniel-from-himself' mission.

"Sam's got something planned?" Jack's eyes lit up then narrowed suspiciously, suspecting a ruse. Although it did explain why his fiancée was so agreeable to leave for the cabin tonight, and had left a half hour earlier to pack rather than wait for him to finish that last mission report.

"I'm leaving now, aren't I?" Daniel jangled his car keys in the air. "You can follow me to the jeep, if it makes you feel better."

"And you won't sneak back and bury yourself in work?" Jack asked still not entirely convinced.

"Scout's honor." Daniel held up his hand in the traditional three fingered salute.

"Okay, then." The general gestured for Daniel to lead. "Then let's go."

The two friends set off and within a few minutes had signed their way out of all the checkpoints and headed for their cars.

Jack absently waved back when Daniel stuck an arm out the window as he turned down the road to take him home. If he hadn't already been wondering what Sam had planned for their weekend alone, he would have listened to the tiny voice in his head that reminded him that Daniel had never been a Boy Scout.