Oh my goodness, I just wanted to say thank you all for reading the story! And the many favs/follows I received so far!
I've never had this many after posting the first chapter! *jumps happily up and down*
Now I've never received so many reviews in such a short time either - so thank you all soooo much! *hugs for everyone*
- Jo, dpdp, Dom77, Guest3, guestonline,DeniseM, vcm, : Thank you all for your kind words! It makes me so very happy!
- LoneWolfO'Neill: I'm usually not really good with describing scenes, so thanks for your encouraging words!
- Scifigrocerygal: Ohh, I'm glad you like it so far!
- Guest1: I hope you like the next chapter, I tried to get it up here as quickly as possible :)
- Guest2: Well, I have written HP stories before, but yes, this is my first SG1 :)
- Irelandfaith1118: So happy you like it! That reminds me... I really need to have Jack having a conversation about fishing in the next chappies...
- Camryne: Yes, it is my first! And I'm so excited about it! So glad you like it!
- FanFicForever: I try my best to keep everything as much in Canon as possible :) So - without giving too much away - 'yes' to your first guess *smiles*
(I have the tendency to forget to answer my reviews when I get them, so decided to do it here)
Anyway, here's the next little chapter! I hope you like it and I'm looking forward to your comments!
A.N. Cover-All disclaimer (which I forgot in the first chappie ooops): I wish I owned the charcters, sadly I don't. [Grace is mine, though :D] Some scenes are taken from the series! I don't make any money with my stories... just a fan-girl writing :)
Grace to light the hearts
Air Force Academy Colorado || Cadet Wing || 22:05 PM
"Cass, hurry up!"
"Calm down, G, I'm coming," Cassie Fraiser shouted through the open kitchen door to her best friend and roommate.
Scribbling down the last couple of numbers that hopefully completed the equation, she closed her science book, raced through the room and jumped on the empty space on the couch.
"About time you finish! Look, the new episode just started!"
Cassie rolled her eyes and snatched the bag of chips out of her honey-brown haired friend's hands.
"Seriously, some of us have to actually study, Grace," the 18-year-old said mockingly.
"I do study!" Grace replied in an attempt to cover her amusement, but the way her bright, ocean blue eyes sparkled betrayed her.
Cass only laughed harder. "Oh, yeah, sure you do. Memorizing every single episode of the Simpsons is a real achievement. Honestly, you're almost worse than Jack when it comes to that show."
Grace giggled, knowing how much Cassie adored her godfather. "I take that as a compliment, then. Besides, I really studied last night! I had some trouble with some of my Latin and French essays… Tell me, why again did I take two additional languages this term?"
The copper-haired young woman shrugged sympathetically. "Because - like it or not - you are a genius. Besides, you'd be totally bored otherwise. I mean, becoming a doctor in the Military is such an easy task, isn't it?"
Grace only 'hmm'ed in return - although chuckling slightly at Cassie's use of sarcasm - and pressed a key to increase the TV's volume.
Humming the show's title song, she tucked a strand of her long, honey brown coloured hair back behind her ear and smiled softly. It was a habit of hers.
Ever since Cassie got to know her, she noticed that Grace always played with either the little golden chain that was hanging around her neck (along with her Dog Tags) or with her big curls, that most of the time softly and neatly cascaded down her back in very elegant waves.
Sometimes, she did it completely subconsciously, when she thought about the one thing or the other, when she enjoyed a task or when something really worried her.
Nevertheless, despite having joined the military, neither woman had managed to cut her hair short, and as long as nobody said anything against it, they'd keep it that way.
In fact, Cassie would probably kill anyone who'd dare to mess with her tangled locks, which with their lovely copper colour had the tendency to bounce up and down and reflect darker colours in the sunlight.
"I'm so excited! Today they're about to -"
She was interrupted by the sudden ringing of the telephone and both of them cursed in unison.
Reluctantly, Grace moved in her ever-so-elegant way, pressed the mute key on the remote control and answered the phone.
"Grace Montrose, speaking. What can I… Oh, General! Good evening, Sir! What… yes, of course, Sir, hold on…"
The blue-eyed young woman turned around, the worry clearly written all over her slim, ivory coloured face. The way the light shone on her when she turned around caused her high cheekbones to stand out even more.
"Cass, it's for you. It's General O'Neill. He said it's urgent."
With her heart in her throat, Cassie took the phone; her small hands shaking.
"Hey Jack, it's me, Cassie. What's wrong…"
Grace watched as all the color drained from her best friend's cream coloured face.
"Grandpa Jacob…. But no… I though Selmak… This - this can't be…"
Cassie's hazel eyes started to fill with tears.
"How is Sam?... No, of course but… Please, Jack, I need to be there! - Fine… but she has… Alright, I'll ask her…Not gonna happen, I'll see you tomorrow. Bye Jack."
She hung up and stared at the phone in her hands; hazel eyes wide, blank and shocked.
Grace moved closer and put her slender arms around her now trembling friend's shoulders.
"What happened?" she asked, her voice gentle and nothing more but a whisper.
"My… My grandpa Jake - Sam's dad… He passed away a couple of hours ago," her usually strong and thunderous voice was barely more than a hoarse sound either.
"Oh god, I'm so sorry, Cass."
The copper haired Cadet sniffed and thankfully accepted the tissue that the slightly younger, but also 18-year-old Grace handed to her.
"The funeral will be held in a couple of days."
"I see. Here in the Springs?"
Cass nodded and wiped away the tears that rolled down her now ashen cheeks.
"Jack… He - he doesn't…. Well, he told me to ask you if…."
Grace, having heard about the very protective side of the chocolate-brown eyed General and knowing Cassie's habit of trying to deal with everything on her own, nodded knowingly.
"Yup, I'm coming with you."
"But -"
The honey-brunette held up her slender hand and the piercing look she gave her best friend left no room whatsoever for any sort of argumentation.
"We're on summer break, Cass. Plenty of time left to study, no worries. I won't let you go there on your own."
Cassie gave her a small, sad smile and laid her head down on Grace' shoulder, who in return stroked her back softly.
"Thanks, G."
"You're welcome, C. I know how hard this has to be for you and that's what friends are for, right?"
Cassie nodded and buried her rounded face deeper in the other woman's shoulder.
"Besides," Grace continued in a slightly relieved, but still worried voice and let her long fingers wander over the by now purple bruise on her left arm, "this gives me an excuse not to go home to my Uncle's place… I swear, his mood is getting worse and worse each and every time I see him..."
Stargate Centre || General's office || 23:14 PM
Jack sighed as he hung up the phone for what felt like the hundredth of times. But at least, he had finally managed to reach every single one on his list.
"Jack, you're in here?" Daniel should and entered without even bothering to knock. "There you are. I've been looking for you all over the base…."
Chocolate brown eyes rolled.
"Yeah, I know. Shocking to actually see me sitting on my desk, hm?"
"Pretty much, yup."
"So… I see you found somethin' to wear. What happened to the flag? It suited you, Spacemonkey!"
Daniel blushed. "Not my fault that they keep bringing me back naked…" he mumbled in an attempt to defend himself for appearing unclothed in the briefing room - again.
Jack just shrugged; this would have been the perfect opportunity to tease his friend, but considering what recently happened to Jacob caused him to reconsider. This wasn't the right time or place for jokes at the moment, and if he was honest with himself, he wasn't really in the mood for picking up on Daniel anyway. Concentrating was hard enough as it was, considering that the picture of a certain blonde-haired Colonel was constantly flashing before his eyes.
"Never mind," he replied instead and hit the 'print' key on his computer. "What can I do for you, Daniel?"
The archaeologist raised an eyebrow.
"Erm, well, you could stop doing whatever it is you're doing right now and look after Sam instead? How about that?"
The General sighed and tapped with his pen against the wooden fabric of his desk.
"I will. I just had to make a couple of phone calls…"
Daniel scratched the skin under his glasses. "Ah, I see. Cassie?"
"Amongst others, yes. Sam's brother Mark was the last. He'll arrive with his family around the same time Cassie will tomorrow. The only one left is the President and well, the Tok'ra."
"So…. Sam, hm?" Daniel asked with the hint of a smile when he noticed the uncommon use of her first name.
"Daniel," Jack grunted in a warning tone. "Let it rest."
"It, hm?"
Another sight. "Daniel!"
The archeologist held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Alright, alright. I get it."
Jack faked a sweet smile. "Wonderful. Now that we - "
"I think we should have a team night."
"What?"
Daniel sighed and sat down on one of the empty chairs. "Well, not the usual one - though Teal'c will probably bring Star Wars no matter what I say - just, well… Sam shouldn't be on her own tonight."
For a moment, Jack didn't say anything, only nodded slowly.
"You guys can sleep at my place, plenty of space and beer there," he said and closed the last file in front of him. "Take Carter and Teal'c with you, a key is hidden under the stone turtle on the front porch."
"Stone turtle?"
"A gift from Maybourne. Don't ask," he added upon seeing Daniel's smirk.
"Alright. What about you?"
Jack got up from his chair and sighed. "I've still got a couple of other thing to do. Comes with the job of being 'the man', I guess. But I'll join you guys as soon as possible."
...x.X.x…
As soon as the Archaeologist was gone Jack shut the door behind him - and once he realized he irony of that action, he rolled his eyes and sat down on his chair again, staring at the bright red phone in front of him…
He was sitting on his desk - again - lost in thoughts when he heard a small knock at the door.
"How's Colonel Carter's father?"
He looked up and saw Kerry entering the office.
"Doesn't look good."
She sent him a sympathetic look.
"Sorry to hear that…"
Then she looked around awkwardly before she moved.
"Closing the door…" Jack replied as he watched his girlfriend's actions with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, deeply symbolic," Kerry replied, with the hint of a smile on her face. But the honesty that was written in her light brown eyes made it clear that the topic to follow was going to be serious.
"Really?" It was more of a statement than a question.
Kerry shrugged.
"I really like you," she paused and nodded as if talking to herself. "We're good together."
Jack had a faint idea where this was going. He pushed his chair backwards and slowly got up - buying more time to ponder about what to say to the red-head.
"Yes. We are."
There it was, the lack of a reply.
He carelessly moved his hands in a shrug-like gesture and gave her a questioning look.
"But."
Kerry didn't hesitate.
"You have… issues."
The General inwardly wanted to groan, but then decided to simply close his eyes for a moment and giving an almost undetectable nod. 'She's a smart woman. It was only a matter of time…'
"That's okay, everyone does…" she assured him, trying to cover her sadness with a little too much enthusiasm. "There is just one in particular that I cannot love with - "
Here Jack raised an eyebrow and she blushed furiously.
"Live with," she corrected herself with a sigh. Then Kerry gestured towards the door. "I need to get out before I get too involved."
This time Jack didn't answer.
"We can still work together, can't we? I'd hate to have to ask for a re-assignment. And this, is really important to me."
There was still no question that was in demand of an answer.
"And we agreed that this would never affect the job."
"We did," he replied, reluctantly and with a sad smile on his face.
If she was surprised at his lack of protest, Kerry didn't show it.
"Good," she simply said.
Jack had the feeling that there was still something on the tip of her tongue since she opened her mouth, but then decided against it . The CIA Agent then gave him one last wondering look and head-shaking headed towards the door.
However, before she grabbed the handle, she turned around once again; a rather frustrated expression on her face.
"You – There is just one thing I don't understand," she said irritated and fiercely at the same time, then put both her hands on her hips.
"Just one?"
She rolled her eyes at the typical use of sarcasm.
"Is the Air Force the only thing that's keeping you two apart?"
Jack blinked and tried to ignore his racing heart.
Kerry stepped forward again and looked at him with intense brown eyes.
"Rules and regulations? Cause if it is then you're making a very big mistake."
For a moment, he looked at her in a challenging way. The thought of denying everything and pretending to not to know what she was talking about had immediately crossed his mind, but then again, Kerry was a kind-hearted woman so he settled for plain and simple honesty.
"And youknow what I should do?"
There was not even the slightest pause.
"Retire."
"Again?"
Truth to be told, it was tempting, and it wasn't like he hadn't played with that idea before…
Kerry shrugged and smirked.
"Don't get me wrong, you're considered invaluable to the program by the Pentagon, but… the President hasappointed a civilian to run the SGC before…" she trailed off, turned around again and shrugged her shoulders again before she left. "Just a thought."
In exactly the same way like he had a couple of hours ago, Jack now stared at the door through which the red-haired woman had left earlier.
Her words were still glued to his mind, but up until now he hadn't had the chance to probably take everything in.
First, he had spent a lot of time thinking about the phrase with the 'civilian running the SGC' part, and it had taken him some time before it really hit him what Kerry had tried to tell him.
Finally, after some hesitation due to the already late hour, he finally picked up the red phone and used the speed-dial to the President's office; the people in the White House would want to be informed about Jacob's death after all.
Though while the phone was ringing, he couldn't help himself but think about the one tiny, little, and seemingly unimportant word Kerry had mentioned… that might be able to get him what he had wanted all along: 'invaluable'.
To be continued... :)
