The group around the briefing table were a somber lot. Sam Carter listened to Selmak, the Tok'Ra inside her father, as he explained about the mission they needed SG-1's help with. It was a delicate matter that required SG-1 to step in as mediators in a 'rights for life' campaign raging between a warrior race called the Rectogs and the Tok'Ra. As the hearing with High Council would take a day in itself the group were looking at a few days off world. Considering the last mission, no one on the team relished that thought.
Despite her good intentions, Sam's eyes were not as alert as usual and her interest seemed to wane slightly as the heavy lids lolled shut from time to time, only to be jerked awake when she startled back to full consciousness. Daniel and Teal'c both looked like they hadn't slept all night - not surprising really, Jack thought to himself. He casually observed Daniel at the other end of the table and across from him. The anthropologist was doodling, that much was obvious as his pen danced over the surface of the note paper in front of him. He occasionally removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, something he did when his eyes were really tired. A loud, ear-splitting yawn startled everyone in the room and all heads turned towards the embarrassed Jaffa.
"I am sorry," Teal'c said in a low voice. Jack's eyes moved across the table to where Daniel was smirking at his sleepy lover, showing all the hallmarks of someone who knew *exactly* why Teal'c had deafened them with that yawn. The large head bowed, then Daniel returned to his idle doodling. Jack blinked his tired eyes and turned to look at Hammond. With a roll of his eyes he told the General he was not happy and Hammond gave a sharp nod in agreement.
"All this information is fascinating, Selmak, but I fail to see the necessity of SG-1's presence this time. I can send in Major Kovacek and SG-9, they are our diplomatic team.
The hollow voice stated, "The High Council of the Tok'Ra do not wish for any other team to accompany the Royal Visitors on this mission. They will not accept anyone else but SG-1."
"Well, I'm sorry-" Jack butted in, waving his pen at the tired faces around the table, "but my team just walked off a three day mission and we need to rest."
Selmak's eyes closed and Jake Carter spoke to them. "I know this is hard for you, Jack, but they really do need your help."
Sam woke up at the sound of her father's gentler voice. "I'm sorry, Dad, but I agree with the Colonel here. We're wiped.."
He turned to his daughter and looked earnestly into her eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that Sam, you should take better care of yourself...."
He went on talking to his daughter, and the room in general, but Jack didn't hear him. The last sentence had sparked his thoughts of Philip and he lost himself in the awkward scene from this morning again, running it over and over in his mind. The looks he recalled from Philip set his heart racing again, but now he wasn't sure if they were 'really' his looks or Jack's fancied imagining of them. His mind kept screaming at him, over and over, when he recalled the whispered, 'I really miss you, Jack.' How did he let that pass him without comment? Gripping his hand into a fist, Jack sighed heavily at his own stupidity then he scratched at his eyebrow while he remonstrated himself for being stupid.
"So what do you think, Colonel?" Carter looked across the table then Jack was aware that all eyes were on him.
"Huh?" He looked from Sam to Teal'c and finally to Daniel, who rolled his eyes as a clear agreement that he was too tired to deal with this shit as well. "Sorry, you'll have to run that by me again."
"I said I think it will be a case of being in and out within a few days. Three tops."
Three days? Jack's heart plummeted. He looked at Sam and she gave a reluctant nod. He looked at Teal'c who closed his eyes as he bowed his head. Then he looked at Daniel, who blinked owlishly behind the lenses of his glasses, then twitched his hand in a 'don't care' gesture. Scrubbing his hands down his face, Jack sighed.
"Yeah, sure, ya betcha.." He mumbled and a collective groan was heard from the three others.
"Good. Well, suit up and be ready to leave within the hour."
"Martouf will punch in the co-ordinates to our new home world.." Carter was saying when Jack snapped tiredly, "still don't trust us, do you? Good enough to give up our lives for your cause though."
The two men, both survivors of some pretty 'black' operations in their time, stared at each other. Placing his hand over his heart, Carter said, "Jack, if it were up to me..."
Nodding and waving his hand around because he simply didn't want to hear it, Jack said as he got to his feet, "Whatever, Jacob. Let's just do this damn thing and then," he turned to Hammond, and said, a little irreverently because of his exhaustion, "I think my team has earned themselves *five* days of R&R..." Hammond nodded, clearly agreeing.
*
As the team headed off, sloth-footed, towards the locker room Daniel caught up to Jack. "You okay?" he asked.
"No." The colonel said succinctly. Daniel looked at him out of the corner of his eyes.
"You want to talk about it?"
"No," Jack said, stepping up his pace and leaving the anthropologist behind. Teal'c moved in beside Daniel now.
"Is O'Neill alright?"
"No," Daniel said, looking off with concern at the diminishing figure of the colonel down the corridor. He turned to his lover then shrugged before heading off again.
*
Inside the locker room, Jack was adjusting his pants, having just been to the toilet when the others entered. No one spoke as Daniel and Teal'c went through to the toilet block together and Jack reached into his locker. Simmons entered the room and the two men exchanged silent glances before Graham went down to his locker. Jack bit his bottom lip then finally he asked, without looking at Simmons, "Is your brother okay?"
Graham looked around them then at Jack. "Sorry?"
The colonel sighed and sat down, his face in his hands. Graham hesitantly came over to him. "Colonel?" he asked, a little timidly.
Jack gave a soft growl as he rubbed his face and looked up. "How's Phil? Honestly?"
"I'm not sure, he didn't come home last night..."
Concern was etched in Graham's face so Jack told him, "he was with me."
With a frown Graham looked at him. "With.. with you?" It was the first time he'd ever heard Jack admit to being with Philip.
"He's not well..."
"No." Graham said quietly, sounding worried. "I wish he'd see a doctor.."
"He hasn't?" Jack asked, surprised to hear that. The lieutenant shook his head, making Jack sigh. "How sick is he?"
"This past week he's been terrible. I've never seen him so sick. Vomiting, coughing...he was too weak to get out of bed the other day... It...It..." He stopped himself, having felt a false sense of security with the colonel for a brief moment, but as he looked at him he remembered where he was, and *who* he was talking to.
"It's worrying you.." Jack said, empathetically, which surprised the puisne. The dark eyes, so much like Philip's, rolled slightly as the young man nodded. "Yeah..." Jack sighed, standing and towering over the smaller man, "me, too."
"Yeah?" Graham asked, genuinely surprised again. Jack looked at him then his eyes diverted to the two men returning to the room. Daniel froze in mid-step as he saw who Jack was talking to. Awkwardness fell on the small group then Teal'c stepped ahead of them and went into the corridor, waiting for Daniel. The anthropologist looked between Simmons and Jack then he ducked his face and left the room, realizing they were discussing a part of Jack's life that he had no rights to know about anymore.
Out in the corridor the anthropologist fell into step beside Teal'c as he glanced back at the doorway of the locker room. "What appears to be the matter, Daniel?"
The blue eyes shifted onto Teal'c's worried face. "You know I never really considered I'd lost Jack's friendship - until now."
"How do you mean?"
"He's in there, *talking* to Graham," he said sadly, then he drew back a deep breath as he pursed his lips and rolled his eyes. They moved off towards the gateroom without another word on the matter.
To Be Continued.....