Stranded

Chapter 9 – Collaborated Effort

Sam and Jack walked towards their home holding hands. Every now and then, Jack would salute at the people passing, causing Sam to burst into giggles. The villiagers were used to this by now, and always knew when Jack was in a good mood. They passed a number of people sleeping, a few more who were awake. They still hadn't seen any sign of Teal'c, Janet or Daniel, but didn't really care. If they were enjoying themselves, so be it.

It wasn't long before they reached their little hut, smiling all the way. Jack laughed but didn't move until Sam pulled him inside. When they were in, she dragged him closer until their lips were almost touching.

"Didn't you get enough last night?" Jack asked, laughing at his wife.

"I could never get enough of you." She replied before pulling him in and kissing him passionately.

"Cough."

The two instantly broke off the kiss, startled. Jack looked over at the intruder and sighed. "Daniel! You have a habit of interrupting don't you."

"I'll go makes some tea." Sam said, sighing and walking out.

"Yes, well..." Daniel continued as if Sam hadn't said anything.

"And did you really have to say cough? I mean, a normal person would have cleared his throat or something, but not you. You had to say cough"

"I did clear my throat, when you first walked in. You didn't seem to be able to hear. I think you were a little preoccupied."

"Yeah, yeah. At least I'm having some fun. Speaking of which, where is Janet?"

Daniel blushed deep red. "She came in shortly after I did. What did you put in that drink?"

"I didn't put anything in your drink." Jack said honestly. It was Sam who did it after all. "Why, did something happen?"

"No. Nothing happened. I was just... completely knocked out, that's all. I woke up with a killer of a headache then came back here."

"I see. I'm going to have a little bit of fun now and find Teal'c. I'm sure he enjoyed himself more than you."

"You do that."

Sam walked into the kitchen to find Janet scrubbing away at a random pot. She walked over and pulled the brush out of her friend's hands.

"That one is used to wash floors." she said, laughing. Janet glared at her. "Woah, I can tell something's up."

"What the hell did you put in my drink?"

"Nothing. Why, did something happen?" she replied, strangely reflecting Jack's words.

"No... I just have a really bad headache. It must have knocked me out or something."

"Oh, right. So what time did you get here?"

"Not long ago. Daniel came just a little after me. Then you showed up. Where's Teal'c?"

"I don't know, probably sleeping off the alcohol. It doesn't agree with him you know."

"You gave Teal'c alcohol? I thought his symbiote didn't alow it!"

"I gave Daniel alcohol. Besides, he wanted it, not me." Sam said, pouting. Janet felt that she looked too much like Jack with that expression.

"Anyway, I'm going to go get dressed." She left shaking her head.

Janet watched her go then sighed. Of all the things Sam could possibly do to make her mad this would have to be the worst. Drugging her? Trying to hook her up with Daniel? As if she didn't already have enough interference in her life. She was so annoyed, in fact, that she barely regestered the flask Sam had left on the table.

This was the one she had fed her, Janet was sure of that. They all looked next to identicle, but Sam's flask had a small yellow circle on the rim. Carefully, she picked the flask up in the folds of her dress and hid it. She sneaked back into the room she was staying in and hid it in her bag, ready for testing the next day.

"Really, T, five!" Jack asked for what had to be the tenth time.

"Did I not already state this?"

"Sam, next time he comes, make sure you don't give him any hal..." he coughed "...alcohol."

"I know, I know. I wasn't planning on it!" she was holding Caity again, as they were planning to spend some time on Earth.

"There was not much you could have done to stop me. It was," he paused for a moment, "a most enjoyable experience. One that I do not wish to repeat."

Janet and Daniel were still fairly silent, and Jack was aching to tell Sam what he knew. In the mean time, a nudge in the right direction wouldn't hurt.

"So, Daniel. You have fun?"

"I don't remember." he said, glaring.

"Really? That's a shame. How 'bout you Doc?"

"No. Would you please drop the subject."

"Fine fine. You know, T, some people just don't appreciate what you do for them." He pulled out the portable DHD and typed in the code for Earth. The familiar blue pool wooshed out in front of them.

"After you, oh mighty conquerer of women." Jack said, motioning for Teal'c to step through.

He later swore that a smirk was present on the former Jaffa's face as he stepped though. But then, who could blame him, he'd managed to get with five women in one night! The team followed closely after.

As soon as they were present on the other side, Janet stormed at full speed into her office. The onlookers were a little stunned, General Hammond most of all.

"Team, report to... the infirmary." he said.

Daniel covered his face with his hand and shook his head. He then turned and nearly bolted out after Janet. Jack raised an eyebrow at Sam who laughed behind her hand. The rest of the travel party followed, albeit at a much slower pace, Daniel to the infirmary.

When they arrived they found out that Janet had by-passed a proper check up and was hiding in her office. The sounds of machines working could be heard in the background, obvious signs that she was researching something. The fact that it was in her office instead of one of the labs meant that it was either very small or very secret. They were betting on the latter.

Jack noticed that Daniel was hurrying through his check up without one complaint. He managed to finish just as the rest of the team sat down and made his way into the doctor's office. Jack was a little less cooperative, complaining at every little thing. This must have annoyed Janet, as she stuck her head out of her office for a split second.

"Just threaten him with a needle. I had a new batch sent yesterday." she said before returning to her experiments.

Although Sam, Jack and Teal'c were all confused as to what was going on, they decided it was best if they left it for a while. Sam esspecially, as she sensed Janet had just about had enough of her.

Janet sat pondering things in her office. She barely noticed when Daniel walked in, or when he sat down and started reading over her shoulder.

"Nothing yet?" He asked.

Janet jumped a bit whne he said this. "No, not yet. I'm having the drink Sam gave us annalysed. It's a little bit difficult without proper access to equipment though."

"I see. Why don't you use on of the labs then?"

"And risk being seen by half the SGC? No thank you."

"It can't be that bad. I'm sure we could find a secluded laboratory somewhere..."

"That would arouse a little bit of suspicion don't you think?" she interrupted him.

"Ok, ok. How about later tonight, when all the probing scientists are asleep..."

"One probing scientist in particular, and the husband that rubbed off on her."

"Yes, esspecially her. When they're all asleep we can go to one of the more hidden, unused labs and study what ever this thing is."

"Alright. You know, just you being in here seems a little bit suspisous if you ask me."

"Yeah, I get the message." He started towards the door.

"I didn't say leave. I need something to get through this with. Besides, I still have to beat you at that chess match." She pulled the board out from her desk and set up a game. "You can be white this time." she said, moving her first piece across the checks.

"I'll still beat you." he answered, moving a pawn two spaces.

"Try me."

"What could they be doing in there?" Jack asked again. "It's already been three hours!"

"Do you not think it is rude to pry into the personal life of another?" Teal'c asked. They all knew he was right.

"Look, it's different this time. I mean..."

"What do you mean? Would you appreciate it if we acted the same around you and Major Carter?" Sam didn't bother to correct him this time.

"First, we aren't 'around' them. And second, we all know you guys did that anyway! Why do you think we dissapeared together so often?" Jack said, irritated.

Sam carefully pulled him away. "Look, you can continue having this conversation or you can follow me." She said.

"You're taking his side?"

"O'Neill, she is merely speaking with wisdom. This conversation is pointless."

"Fine." he glared at Sam. She replied with a secret smirk. "I'll see you later T." he said before wandering off with his wife. When they were out of speaking distance, Jack spoke up. "Spill. What did you do?"

"Hooked the camera to Janet's office up to the television in our quarters." She replied casually.

"You WHAT?"

"You heard me. That way we can snoop in style."

"Things like this remind me why I fell in love with you." He answered before stepping into the quarters, grinning.

After three hours of staring at the TV, Jack was getting frustrated. They played chess, Daniel one, then they started a new game. They were now in the middle of the third game since Jack started watching. "How many times are they going to play chess?"

"Jack, take a closer look. Where is Daniel sitting?"

"Infront of a chess board."

"Isn't it customary to sit opposite the person you're playing against, not on an adjasent edge?"

"You're right! Why's he there?"

"Must I spell it out for you? Take a closer look."

Janet lifted her hand and moved it towards the knight. Daniel reached over and held her fingers. After saying something quietly to her, he moved them towards the bishop. She nodded and, without a word, moved the piece diagonally four spaces. He grinned and shifted another pawn, as if not fully paying attention to the board. Janet widened her eyes, then moved her night.

"Check mate!" she yelled, so the two onlookers could hear.

"He's teaching her how to play!" Jack said.

"Yes. And if you'd been watching carefully you'd have noticed that he wasn't sitting that close three and a half hours ago."

"Turn up the sound." He said. Sam rolled her eyes and flicked the switch on the remote. The chess-playing duo been talking to quietly to hear. Now, Daniel's voice echoed on the speakers.

"I told you you could beat me!"

"It only took," she looked at the clock, "Six and a half hours to do so!"

"Six and a half? We've been here that long? They're probably even more suspicious now."

"Funny how plans backfire isn't it." Janet said, sighing.

"It's three o'clock. Not even Sam would be up at this time!"

"Don't be so sure. Remember all those times she refused to go home before Jack told her to?"

"True. But she should be more than preoccupied with Jack now."

Jack turned to Sam and laughed. "Preoccupied? That's one way of putting it." He said. She shoved him and they continued listening in on the conversation.

"Anyway, I think we can do it now. What was it you said about a secluded lab?" Janet said, raising her eyes at Daniel.

"I know one near my quarters. This shouldn't take more than half an hour."

"You sure we should do it at this time of night? I mean, how's this going to affect our working relationship?"

"It wont, trust me. Besides, do you want everyone to see it?"

"I know, I know. Besides, sometimes it gets quite loud. We don't want anyone to run into the room."

"Ok, hurry up before the sun rises."

Jack stared at the screan with his mouth open. He couldn't believe what he just heard. "Wait a minute, wasn't only this morn..." he looked at the clock, "yesterday morning that they weren't even looking at each other?"

"They've been in that room for six and a half hours." Sam said. She stood up and began fidling with the wires at the back of the TV.

"What are you doing now?"

"I know the lab he's talking about. It's where I went if you kicked me out of mine at three in the morning. None of the other scientists ever went there for fear of being blown up by one of mine or Daniel's experiments."

"I thought I sent you home."

"I know, I just didn't go." she pulled a few cords around. "There yet?"

"It's the commisary. What on earth is Hammond doing with that custard?" he asked, shocked.

Sam whipped her head around and stared at the screan. It was just the empty commisary. "Very funny." she said, before fiddling with wires again.

"Oh, you've reached a hall. They're walking into a room."

Janet was sneaking after Daniel, looking every which way. Janet was holding something that they couldn't quite make out. Sam stared intently at it, trying to make out the vaugly familiar shape. When she finally realised what she was holding, Sam clamped her hand over her mouth.

"What?"

"I thought I'd left that on Shalott."

"Left what? What's she holding?"

"The flask... The one I drugged them with."

"Shit!" Jack said, starting up and running out of the room. Sam followed quickly behind him.

"Wait!" She called. He turned and looked at her. "It'll only look worse if we turn up."

"You're right." he said, walking back to their quarters. "You know, Daniel told me that what ever it was knocked him out."

"Yeah, Janet said the same thing. They must have collaborated stories."

"You should have seen his face! He went bright red and said 'nothing! I just woke up and came here! Janet came after me!' as if I'd asked him if he was out with Fraiser all night. It was classic."

Sam stopped and stared. "Did you say Janet came after Daniel?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Janet said that Daniel had come after her!"

Jack sighed and sat on the bed. "You'd think that after going to all this effort to collaborate stories they would have bothered to at least decide who'd turned up first."

"This just proves that they're hiding something, or at least tryin to." Sam sat next to him and started organizing the bed. "Anyway, we wont find anything else tonight. And I'm tired."

"Ok, night sweety." He said, kissing her on the head.

Elsewhere on the SGC, Janet and Daniel were sitting, testing a certain substance. "What ever this is, I'm going to kill Sam." Janet said, menicingly.

A machine behind her buzzed. Walking over, she spulled out the little piece of paper. "Got it!" She called, staring at the sheet. "Oh no! She wouldn't have!"

"What? What was in it?" Daniel asked

"You're not going to believe this!"

Ok, the end of another chapter. I know, it takes me forever to updating. I had a lot of fun with this chapter. Anyway, any suggestions on how to make it better or any other ideas, I'm open to anything.