A/N: just a little fluff. I just rewatched CotG the other day and couldn't resist. This just popped into my fron.

The look on Jack's face through their initial interaction... heheheeh SAM AND JACK FOREVER. I have no shame.

Disclaimer: I don't own SG1 or Stargate, or anything at all, except an aging MacBook Pro and about 250 books, not counting those on my Kindle. So if MGM wants to sue me for stealing their characters.. that's all they'd get. I get no money or anything, except joy at bringing some humor to others.

I borrowed the skeleton of the first part of CotG's script for this and filled in the blanks with Jack's thoughts. It was kinda fun.

And if you're following Virus 2.0, first, thank you! Second, it's been a crazy week with theater, a demanding puppy, and an effed up sleeping schedule. So I'll be posting a new chapter soon, like tomorrow.. (: Also, been having some struggle mapping everything out, but I think i got it figured out and like I said, I'll bust that out tomorrow!

Hugs and kisses.

Love, DR

xoxoxo

Jack stood casually in the briefing room, surrounded by his old team and a few new men, staring down at the Stargate. Would he really be going to see Skaara again? He hoped against hope he would; a slight flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye announced General Hammond coming out of his office.

"Ten hut!" He called. The men all came to attention as the general strode into the room.

"Gentlemen," he said with a brief head nod in acknowledgement, "take your seats."

Jack's team quickly sat around the briefing table; most were men of action, and so the file folders on the table had mostly been ignored until now. Hammond glanced around and noticed the empty chair across from Jack; he frowned.

"Where's Captain Carter?" He wanted to know, glancing to Samuels.

"Just arriving, sir," Samuels replied. Jack stayed on his feet, feeling a moment of disbelief- he hated surprises.

"Carter?" He asked, glancing down at his folders, and quickly opening the top file. Ferretti's file. Who was this Carter character?

"I'm assigning Sam Carter to this mission," Hammond replied. The general had dealt with loads of men like Jack- men of action, alpha males. They didn't always react logically or rationally upon finding out their boys' club was about to become coed. And of course, he had known Sam for years as Sam.

"I'd prefer to put together my own team, sir," Jack said, bending to check something in the file laid out on the briefing room table before him. He really should have looked through those files sooner, rather than daydreaming and staring at the Gate.

"Not on this mission, sorry. Carter's our expert on the Stargate," Hammond said slowly and firmly.

"Where's he's transferring from, sir?" Jack asked, scribbling a note to himself next to Ferretti's name. Ferretti and Kawalsky would of course be-

"She is transferring from the Pentagon," said a loud clear voice from the doorway. Jack froze, not quite believing his ears. Women in combat, while it happened, were still highly unusual. They were not typically assigned to the frontlines, and that was exactly what this was going to be. Not that he had anything against women, of course. It was just... unusual. And he liked picking his own team. He did not like surprises.

And then she strode into the room like she owned the whole damn world. Wow. Jack barely kept his jaw from dropping. Fellow officer, Fellow officer, Fellow officer beat a staccato through his head, followed quickly by subordinate, subordinate, subordinate. This was 5'9" of blonde haired, blue-eyed trouble just waiting to happen. Subordinate, subordinate, officer, officer.

"I take it you're Colonel O'Neill," she stated, with a crisp salute. "Captain Samantha Carter reporting for duty, sir." He couldn't help the slight grin that pulled on his face; he was usually so good at keeping a straight face. Years of special forces training would do that to a man. Jack casually whipped out his own salute, hoping she wouldn't be so stiff the whole mission; she might hurt herself.

"But of course, you go by Sam," Kawalsky said with a laugh, Ferretti joining in. Jack had a sudden urge to punch his best friend. But at the same time, he wanted to laugh too. He felt a little uncomfortable all of sudden, but couldn't figure out why.

"You don't have to worry, Major, I played with dolls when I was a kid," Captain Carter retorted.

"G. I. Joe?" Kawalsky joked, probably thinking he was hilarious. Clearly the young captain though, had had a great deal of experience dealing with jerks.

"No, Major Matt Mason," replied Captain Carter, with almost an air of superiority.

Kawalsky looked momentarily stumped and Jack almost laughed; "Oh... who?" He leaned toward Ferretti.

"Major Matt Mason, astronaut doll," Ferretti supplied the stumped Major Kawalsky. He glanced at Captain Carter, suddenly excited. "Did you have that cool little backpack that made him fly?"

The Captain opened her mouth to reply but Hammond interrupted her with a cough; "Let's get started. Colonel?" The captain quickly found her seat and looked up expectantly at Jack with the biggest, bluest eyes he had ever seen. Subordinate, subordinate, subordinate, officer, officer, officer...

"Thank you," Jack said with a brief glance at Hammond, grateful to look away from the captain. "Those of you on your first trip through the Stargate, you should be prepared for what to expect."

"I've practically memorized your report from the first mission," interrupted the captain. She had guts, he'd give her that. He wasn't certain he would have ever spoken up like that to a full colonel when he was just a captain. "I'd like to think I've been preparing for this all my life." Wow. Jack felt slightly stunned again.

Somewhat condescendingly, Kawalsky asked," I think what the Colonel is saying is... have you ever pulled out of a simulated bombing run in an F-16 at 8-plus Gs?"

"Yes," the captain stated simply, and smugly.

Once again, Kawalsky gave a fairly good impression of a fish as he paused, wanting to take her down some more, but not knowing how. "Well... it's way worse than that," he finished lamely.

Ferretti jumped in to save Kawalsky, "By the time you get to the other side, you're frozen stiff like you've just been through a blizzard ... Naked."

"That's a result of the compression your molecules undergo during the millisecond required for reconstitution," Captain Carter said helpfully, but slowly, as though speaking to a ten year old. Oh no. No, no, no. No scientists! Jack groaned a little in frustration. Daniel had been bad enough with his babbling about ancient civilizations and whatever he had always been rambling about. Honestly, Jack had never really paid him any attention. He'd only cared that Daniel had been able to figure out how to get them back. He had to put his foot down.

"Oh, here we go, another scientist. General... please," Jack implored his new commanding officer.

"Theoretical astrophysicist," the captain corrected him. He almost whistled, impressed despite his irritation with having a scientist foisted upon him. But interrupting and correcting a senior officer. And she was the only woman in the room; hell she might have been the only woman on the whole damn base. But she was still a scientist.

"Which means...?" Jack wanted to know, staring her down with some irritation; her blues eyes shot daggers at him as she opened her mouth again. But Hammond came to his rescue- sort of.

"It means she is smarter than you are, Colonel. Especially in matters related to the Stargate," Hammond told him. Ouch. But it was true, Jack mused. But there were lots of people who were way smarter than him, he just didn't usually interact with them, or take them out into battle.

Kawalsky and Ferretti chuckle. O'Neill shot them a look, and they quickly tried to adopt straight faces.

"Colonel, I was studying the Gate technology for two years before Daniel Jackson made it work and before you both went through. I should have gone through then," she said, some irritation leaking into her voice. "But sir, you and your men might as well accept the fact that I am going through this time."

"Well, with all due respect, Doctor-" Jack began. But then she interrupted him- again!

"It is appropriate to refer to a person by their rank, not their salutation. Call me "Captain," not "Doctor"," she informed Jack. He felt his face slacken in some surprise again. Surprise! That word was coming up far too much this morning. It was too early for this.

"Captain Carter's assignment to this unit is not an option, it's an order," stated Hammond in a firm voice that left no room for argument. He knew Sam could hold her own, but wanted it completely understood that this was happening, whether Jack wanted it or not.

"I'm an Air Force officer just like you are, Colonel. And just because my reproductive organs are on the inside instead of the outside, doesn't mean I can't handle whatever you can handle," she said, somewhat sassily, a wicked glint in her big blue eyes. Jack swallowed. He was growing more and more impressed by the minute. Wow. What a woman.

"Oh, this has nothing to do with you being a woman. I like women," Jack explained, sitting down. "I've just got a little problem with scientists." He had the highest respect for women, of course; they could do anything they damn well pleased. But scientists made him want to punch someone in the face, usually the scientist in question.

"Colonel, I logged over 100 hours in enemy airspace during the Gulf War. Is that tough enough for you? Or are we going to have to arm wrestle?" Captain Carter quipped, raising an eyebrow.

Jack half wanted to take her up on the offer. Kawalsky and Ferretti looked impressed by now, but O'Neill finally gave in. He was about to be stuck with a scientist. Hopefully those combat hours in the Gulf War had toughened her as much as she said, or this would be a long mission. The whole briefing room held its breath for a second, all eyes flicking like a tennis ball between the captain and the colonel. Jack felt a smile creeping onto his face again.

"I hate to throw a damper on your enthusiasm, but I still say the safest, most logical way to deal with this is to bury the Stargate just like the ancient Egyptians did. Make it impossible for the aliens to return. It's the only way to eliminate the threat," Samuels chimed in, trying to be helpful or some stupid ass angle like that. Jack had never wanted to punch someone so much, so often within such a short time period.

"Except it won't work," Jack tossed his own damper on Samuels. That guy was really bugging him. What was his purpose here?

"It worked before," the general said, half question, half statement.

"They know what we are now. They know how far we've come. We're a threat to them. They've got ships, General. Ra had one as big as the Great Pyramids. They don't need the Stargate to get here. They can do it the old-fashioned way. Now with all due respect to Mr. Glass-Is-Half-Empty over here-" he gestured to Samuels "-don't you think we should use the Stargate to do a little reconnaissance before they come back... again?" Jack didn't often speak for that long; he wasn't such a speech maker, made him uncomfortable. But the facts were the facts.

The other officers at the table turned and look at Hammond expectantly, waiting for his decision.

"I'll give you exactly 24 hours to either return or send a message through. No Kleenex boxes, please," Hammond said, nodding to Jack. He stood, and the others hastily rose to their feet as well. "Otherwise, we'll assume the worst... and send a bomb through."

"Understood," Jack said with a nod back to Hammond. The general left.

Two hours later, and they were all there, ready to embark through the gate. Jack glanced around with a critical eye at his expanded team as the wormhole whooshed to life. He hoped everyone was properly geard up. He hated to think what might happen if they got stranded and couldn't keep warm or something crazy like that. They were headed for a desert planet, so they should be fine, but still... Jack liked to be prepared. Hammond stood off to one side, facing Jack and his team.

"Try to follow orders this time, Colonel," Hammond ordered.

"Sir?" Jack asked, wondering which orders he had forgotten.

"This time you bring Daniel Jackson back. Is that clear?" Hammond stated firmly.

Ah, that order. "Yes, sir," Jack replied with a crisp salute. Hammond and Samuels returned the salute. Seriously, Jack wondered, why was that guy here?

Jack turned to his team, "Move out!" Jack watched his men move out, heading up the ramp. He glanced down at the awe-struck captain at his elbow. She seemed to be studying the fluctuating puddle with some glee and calculation. Jack idly wondered what was going on behind those big blue eyes of hers.

"Captain?" Jack asked, with a vague gesture towards the gate.

"Don't worry, Colonel. I won't let you down," she said with a half-grin, glancing at him. He sucked in a breath. If they had met in a social situation, he would have done anything for those eyes.

"Good. I was gonna say "Ladies first," he replied with a wicked grin, heading up the ramp. She hastened to follow.

"You know, you really will like me when you get to know me," she informed him with a grin. A full smile, not one of her guarded smirks she had been giving them during the briefing.

"Oh, I adore you already, Captain," Jack told her smoothly. She had no idea how much. Officer, officer, officer, subordinate, subordinate, beat through his rickety old head again. She had to be at least a decade younger than him. He couldn't help but appreciate how tall she was though. He liked women, but especially liked tall women. They were much easier to kiss. Whoa there. He refocused on the stable wormhole in front of him. Carter's look of awe increased as they stopped.

"My God... look at this. The energy the Gate must release to create a stable wormhole is - is astronomical, to use exactly the right word,"Carter said reverent, but excited. She reached out and touched the puddle. "You can actually see the fluctuations in the event horizon."

Jack sighed at her techno-jargon. He just had to get through this mission, and maybe get her moved to another unit so he wouldn't have to listen to that all day. He glanced at those blue eyes again. Or maybe not. He would see how she did in the field, give her a chance. He had gotten used to Daniel, after all. If they got Daniel back, they could keep each other occupied with rambly techno-ancient civilization jargon and he wouldn't have to do anything except show up and shoot stuff. Jack smiled to himself, grabbed her by her pack, and shoved her through the wormhole. He chuckled a little, imagining her face when she got to the other side, then quickly hurried through after her, eager to see that expression in person. And eager to see Skaara.

xoxoxo

Thanks for reading! Any reviews appreciated. And please check out my other stories (:
XOXO