Trouble Magnet

Summary: When Daniel returns from England, Jack tells him about SG1's recent adventures in Minnesota. And Daniel eventually joins them for their team get-away. Episode tag for season ten's Uninvited. Humor and fluff, with general team and friendship vibes all around.

Spoilers: Uninvited (obviously). Very slight reference to season five's "The Fifth Man."

Author's Notes: Help me! I'm addicted to episode tags and they won't leave me alone!

Daniel Jackson stepped off the plane in Reagan International airport, adjusting the strap of the duffel bag slung across his shoulder. He was tired, but satisfied with the work he'd done in England. Research notes and photocopies were stuffed into the pocket of his laptop case and he'd already sent his preliminary summary back to the SGC with instructions for his staff to start cross-referencing the data. Hopefully something would turn up. He'd spent most of the flight pouring over the research until his brain felt so fuzzy he could hardly remember what he'd read.

Daniel had talked to Jack the day before he left England, and Jack had said he would make sure that someone arranged Daniel's transportation and his flight to Minnesota. Apparently, Jack was siding with Landry on this one and there was no way that Daniel was getting out of Landry's little team get-together.

So, Daniel wasn't surprised when he saw Major Paul Davis standing just outside the terminal waiting for him. Then he noted how the major looked away when Daniel met his gaze and he immediately started worrying, running through possible scenarios that could explain the major's discomfort. Never in a million years would he have guessed the truth.

"You've got to be kidding me," Daniel said, barely managing to keep himself from shouting in surprise, all the while staring at Major Davis as if he'd just grown another head. Which might not be as impossible as it sounded given what Davis had just said about alien parasites and mutant grizzly bears.

The major gave him a grim smile. "I'm afraid not, Doctor Jackson. Don't worry, everyone's fine. But I think I should let General O'Neill tell you the rest."

Daniel shook his head in disbelief. "Some days I feel like I've just stepped into the twilight zone," Daniel complained.

Major Davis laughed. "Only some days?"

"Well, some days more than others."

"You know, some people say I'm a trouble magnet," Daniel said. "I blame you for that reputation, by the way," he glared at Jack who gave him a look of mock innocence. "But if I'm a trouble magnet, explain to me how I can spend a week alone on an alien planet, with no back up and only the friendly local inhabitants for company, then come home and immediately hop a plane across the Atlantic, all without the slightest bit of trouble. Meanwhile, back at home, my team has dealt with a bunch of Ba'al clones running rampant around the base, hacking into the computer system and causing all sorts of havoc. Then they drive out to Minnesota only to find themselves chasing down mutant alien creatures that eat unsuspecting hunters for breakfast. In Minnesota, for crying out loud! And they say I'm a trouble magnet?"

Jack O'Neill leaned back in his chair, propping both feet up on the edge of his desk as he placed his hands behind his head.

"Yeah, you know, I gotta admit, this is a new one for you guys."

"Ya think?"

"And for the record, nothing like this ever happened on my watch," Jack continued. "No sir. I never would have allowed mutant aliens beasties to take over Minnesota."

"Well, there was that one time…" Daniel trailed off suggestively.

Jack suddenly sat up straight, pointing a finger at his friend. "Now, that wasn't my fault." Daniel gave him a wide-eyed look. "And it doesn't count anyway," Jack pouted.

"Sure. Whatever you say, Jack."

If possible, the general's sulking actually increased. "Ya know, I get no respect around here."

Daniel's laughter was interrupted by a knock on the office door. One of Jack's aids (Daniel couldn't keep track of them all anymore) entered and informed Jack that the secretary of defense was on the phone to discuss "that matter" he had been asking about. Daniel smiled at the lack of specificity and figured this particular aid must have become proficient in Jack-O'Neill-speak. Jack thanked and dismissed him, then turned back to Daniel, one hand resting on the phone.

"One last call, and I swear it will only take a couple of minutes. Then you and I are getting some dinner, and discussing your team's apparent inability to protect the parts of this planet that are really and truly worth saving."

"Like Minnesota," Daniel said.

"Exactly. I keep telling you. Aliens want us because they've finally figured out that Minnesota is better than any exotic paradise planet in the galaxy. If you're not careful, it'll be overrun by…"

"Mutant grizzly bears. Yeah, Jack, I know. I know. You've told me."

Daniel crashed on Jack's couch that night and caught a plane out of D.C. the next day, flying to Minneapolis where a rental car had been arranged for him. From there it was a couple of hours north to Jack's cabin, so by the time Daniel arrived, it was late afternoon. Landry had called that morning, before Daniel left. Apparently they had neutralized the two mutant creatures the night before and had spent most of the morning conducting a thorough perimeter sweep, which had come up clean. All hunters had been kept out of the park as a precaution and the roads had been cleared of the damage from the recent storm.

By the time Daniel arrived at Jack's cabin, everything was perfectly quiet and normal. No sign of mutant grizzly bears, or anything else out of the ordinary. Daniel parked next to Mitchell's Mustang and got out of the car. He reached the door and pulled out his spare key, noting that someone had actually bothered to lock the front door and figuring that must have been Landry. Just inside the entryway he heard voices, laughter, and the unmistakable sounds of his team, joined with the only slightly more serious tones of their commanding officer. Daniel smiled as he closed the door carefully, set his duffel bag on the floor, and quietly walked towards the light-hearted and chaotic chatter in the other room. He made it as far as the doorway before he stopped to observe.

Settling against the doorframe, Daniel grinned in amusement at the scene before him. The three other members of SG-1 were gathered around the card table along with Vala and General Landry, apparently playing a rather animated game of poker. Daniel noticed without surprise that Vala seemed to be doing quite well for herself, as did Sam and the general. Teal'c and Mitchell…well that appeared to be another story altogether.

Due to their respective positions around the table, Sam was the only one directly facing the doorway. She looked up briefly, catching his eye with a smile as Daniel raised one finger to his lips. Sam caught the message and turned her attention back to the game where Vala was giving Mitchell quite a teasing for something.

"All right, I'm all in," the colonel said decisively, glaring at Vala with defiance. She took the challenge and matched his bet.

In spite of himself, Daniel couldn't stop his grin from widening. Even though they had gotten themselves into a whole lot of trouble while he was gone, it was nice to see that everything was still okay.

As Mitchell turned over his cards, he revealed his poorly executed bluff and Vala nearly squealed in excitement as she won the hand.

Daniel finally broke his silence with a chuckle. "And people say I'm a lousy liar."

Several heads spun, and Mitchell nearly jumped out of his chair as Landry pushed back slightly to turn and stare at Daniel.

Mitchell barely recovered his seat. "Jackson! Don't do that to me. How the hell did you sneak up on us like that?"

Daniel shrugged nonchalantly, still leaning casually against the doorway. "Sam saw me come in, and Teal'c heard me close the door."

"You did?" Vala turned to look at Teal'c as several other gazes locked on his position.

"Indeed, I did. I am pleased that you could join us Daniel Jackson."

"Exactly, how long have you been standing there?" Landry asked.

"Long enough to learn that, surprisingly, Mitchell can't bluff."

The colonel grumbled slightly. "Okay, so apparently I'm terrible at chess and poker."

"Terrible at chess?" Daniel raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I can personally attest to that," Landry said. "I don't suppose you play chess, Doctor?"

Daniel got a wicked gleam in his eye, paired with a look of mock innocence. That set off a round of chuckling, which seemed to answer Landry's question.

"Come on, Daniel, darling," Vala piped up. "Come join us. The more the merrier." She flashed a smile and exchanged amused looks with Mitchell.

"I don't know. Do you really want to go up against that famous Jackson luck?" Mitchell asked.

Sam let out a snort. "More like infamous Jackson luck."

"Hey, I'm not the one who's been chasing mutant grizzly bears around the woods," Daniel replied. The others looked only slightly chagrined, but they really had no response to that.

Landry chuckled slightly. "Why don't you pull up a chair. Glad you could finally join us."

"Yeah, and I notice that you only show up after we've dealt with the vicious alien creatures," Mitchell commented.

Daniel shrugged and gave him an innocent look. "What can I say? I have an impeccable sense of timing."

There was a round of laughter as Vala dealt the cards for the next hand.