Thanks to everyone whose added this story to their favorites and alerts already. Here's chapter 2 enjoy :)
Three weeks later and Carter was outside O'Neill's house, knocking on the door. It had been three weeks since they'd decided that O'Neill would go with her to her reunion and those three weeks had been the same as ever, but Daniel and Teal'c had noticed that Carter had seemed happier and O'Neill hadn't been nearly as sarcastic and Jack-like as normal.
Carter knocked on the door in front of her and waited for perhaps three seconds before the door opened and O'Neill waved her in. "Come in Carter, I'll be another minute." Carter walked in and stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching the Colonel pack all his stuff.
"Leaving it a little late aren't you Sir," she said.
He shrugged, "I kept putting it off and putting it off and now I'm kinda behind." He moved into his bathroom then came out quickly, carrying his bath stuff. "I have two questions. One, do I need to bring my dress blues?"
Before he could ask his second question Carter shook her head, "Um… a suit would be better if you've got one. My brother still doesn't like the Air Force all that much and we don't want to scare my class with the number of medals you've got."
She smiled and O'Neill laughed, "Fair enough. Okay, second question, what year did you graduate? I want to know how old I'm going to feel at this shin dig."
"86 Sir." When she saw him wince she added, "Sir, it'll be fine, you're not that much older than me."
"Seventeen years Carter," O'Neill grouched, zipping his case and hefting it down the stairs.
"You don't look it," Carter replied, taking the bag and putting it by the door while the Colonel ran back up the stairs to get his suit, "And anyway," she continued in a quiet voice that O'Neill could hardly hear, "It doesn't make a difference to me."
Not sure whether or not Carter had actually meant her to hear what she had said O'Neill walked past her and grabbed his phone. Dialling the phone he turned to his 2nd in command, "Daniel and T said they'd drive us to the airport."
Carter smiled, "Well isn't that nice of them."
O'Neill laughed. "Oh, I've been meaning to ask, when we're in San Diego where are we staying?"
Before Carter could answer O'Neill held up his hand and said, "Yeah Daniel it's me, that ride would come in handy right now." After listening for a moment he said, "Ok see you then," and hung up. "He'll be here in a few minutes."
Carter nodded and then continued to say what she had been saying before the phone call, "We're staying with my bother Sir," Carter said, somewhat nervously, "He offered me the spare room at his place and I couldn't really refuse."
O'Neill nodded. "What about me? I thought he wasn't a fan of the Air Force."
"He doesn't know you're coming Sir," Carter mumbled, staring down at her feet.
"He doesn't know I'm coming," O'Neill repeated slowly.
Carter nodded, and still looking at her feet said, "All he knows is that someone is coming with me."
"If that's what you think is the best Carter then so be it."
Carter looked up and smiled.
There was a knock at the door and O'Neill turned to answer it, letting in Daniel and Teal'c. Picking up his bag O'Neill walked out and threw it into the open boot of Daniel's car before placing his clothes bag in on top. Carter walked over to her car and pulled out her case and what was obviously her dress. Walking over and putting her stuff in besides O'Neill she said, "Is it alright if I leave my car here?"
O'Neill nodded, "Go ahead."
He turned to Daniel and Teal'c, who were watching the two of them with smirks on their faces. O'Neill ignored them and slammed the boot shut before walking and opening the back door of the car for Carter. As she got in he went and locked up his house, and when he passed the still smirking Daniel and Teal'c he snapped, "What?"
The two just continued to smirk and got into the front of the car, Daniel driving and Teal'c riding shot gun beside him. Shaking his head O'Neill got into the back next to Carter.
Starting the car and pulling away Daniel asked, "So Jack, looking forward to meeting Sam's brother?"
"Oh I'm breathless with anticipation," O'Neill answered sarcastically while throwing an accusing look at Carter. She smiled sheepishly and mouthed the word sorry at him.
Daniel just laughed and Teal'c smiled.
O'Neill groaned. For the first time ever he was glad he lived so close to the airport, it meant that this ride was going to be over soon and he would get rid of Daniel for a weekend. As much as he now saw the archaeologist as a friend Daniel still annoyed him regularly.
