Beaten down by life, angry at the world, his father withdrew into himself ignoring Jack unless it was to let the boy feel the back of his hand, but unlike Daniel, Jack fought back. The last time his father had struck him in a fit of anger, Jack returned the blow with all the rage inside him and struck out on his own never bothering to look back. Like Daniel, Jack hadn't let people get close. What good did it do to make friends he'd have to say goodbye to when the work ended and he was forced to move on. It hurt less if there was no one to leave behind.The best family memories Jack had were the times spent with Granny O'Neill. She had been the mainstay in the young boy's life.

A rebellious and independant teenager, Jack had his own sense of morals that had prevented him from becoming a statistic of the justice system. The mainstay of those morals being, you earned what you got, always gave better than you received and you NEVER picked on someone smaller than you.

As unlikely as it sounded the Air Force had given Jack the stability and structure he craved, incorporating his moral code and developing his natural leadership qualities, but most importantly the Air Force had led him here to be with these people he now considered his friends, his family.

Daniel's tale of his morning spent with Shelaya was absent the conversation by the lake. It was a little too personal and not something he wasn't ready to share.

Stretching out, his back resting against a fur covered brace he'd found in the tent, Jack closed his eyes letting the sun warm tired muscles. Let the rest of the team explore and make nice with the natives, there was plenty of time for that, today he was just going to relax and recuperate from the earlier festivities.

'Damn, must be getting old! Use to be able to carouse all night and take on a whole platoon of enemy soldiers the next morning...well maybe not a whole platoon but at least three of four.' He could definately use more missions like this, with the only thing to worry about was surviving the hangovers.

The feather light touch of fingertips running through his hair, brought Jack awake with a start. Janala was kneeling at his side. He glanced around hoping to spot Daniel, as smiling she lifted a bowl, offering him what appeared to be a combination of dried fruit. Of course the errant anthropologist was no where to be seen. Where was that scientist when he needed him? 'For crying out loud, now what do I do?' Jack hesitated, afraid that refusing would be an insult yet more fearful that accepting might be making a promise he wasn't willing to keep.

Hiding behind the tent, Daniel peeked out watching Jack's frantic gaze sweep the area, a slight look of panic on his face as Janala once again offered him the bowl. He knew the incident on P3X8596 was uppermost in the colonel's mind at the moment. For a fleeting second he felt guilty for enjoying the older man's discomfort, but only for a second. 'Call it payback for all those practical jokes you've played on me Jack.' He grinned as Jack shook his head, patting his stomach in what he hoped indicated he wasn't hungry.

Seeing Janala draw something in the dirt, pointing to Jack and then herself, Daniel decided it might be a good idea to come to his friend's rescue. When it came to getting them out of a firefight, escaping a Goa'uld stronghold or kicking the crap out of Apophis, there was no one Daniel trusted more than Jack but dealing with other cultures was his specialty and from the look of it Jack was in way over his head. 'Oh am I going to enjoy this!'

As casually as possible Jack scooted a little farther from the woman. He'd been married a long time and although it had been a while since he was in any kind of relationship, he wasn't so out of practice that he didn't recognize when a woman was openly flirting with him. Flirting was flirting in any language. "You seem to have a fan Jack." Daniel affected the Irish accent Jack was so fond of using when teasing someone.

"Daniel!" Although his glare clearly said where the hell have you been, the relief in his voice was evident.

The scientist smiled widely as he began conversing with the native girl.

"Daniel?" Jack had sat silently, his patience growing thin as Daniel and Janala spoke. Watching the girl, saunter off tossing Jack a knowing smile over her shoulder and Daniel calmly munching a handful of the bowl's contents he had the distinct feeling his young friend had made a deal with the devil.

"Yes?" Daniel questioned around the fruit in his mouth.

"Do you intend to tell me what that was all about?"

"I suppose." He popped another handful of fruit chips into his mouth.

"Now would be good." Jack prodded impatiently.

"She likes you."

"Ya think?"

"She says you are not only a leader but a warrior and you would be a good provider...not to mention you're not bad to look at."

"And you said?"

"I agreed with her..I mean it's not like you're the Creature from the Black Lagoon or anything."

"That's not what I meant!"

"Just like before, I told her you and Sam were to be mated, to which she promptly replied that she was better wife material than Sam. She said Sam is pretty but she's a warrior and as such would be reluctant to submit to her husband's wishes the way a proper wife should. She said she was younger and could bare you many strong sons."

"For crying out loud!"

"That animal magnatism will get you into trouble everytime."

Snatching another handful from bowl, Daniel hopped to his feet. "I tried to convince her that you really weren't good husband material what with all the traveling you do; not to mention how arrogant and downright bad tempered you can be but I don't think it worked." Stopping at the tent entrance, he glanced back at the colonel, the mischievious grin he'd been suppressing lighting up his face. "And Jack..when she offered you the bowl, you could have eaten without worrying about waking up married." As he ducked inside the tent it occured to Jack that Daniel must have been watching the entire time.

"Daniel!" He started to storm after the younger man then with a grin, decided against it and settled back down to enjoy the sunshine.