Chapter Two: Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Disclaimer: You guys know the drill.

A/N: Thank you to all who read and reviewed! You guys are the reason I do this and I wanted to take a little time and thank you, you wonderful readers and writers. You keep SG-1 alive.

Enjoy!

Janet and Sam stood in front of the mirror in the locker room. Janet was trying to stifle a smile as Sam stared at herself in disbelief. She was sixteen again. Or at least, she looked sixteen again. But she felt it too. She could feel her long blonde hair brushing against her shoulder blades, all the muscle aches she'd had before were gone, and her round blue eyes didn't reflect all the tiredness she'd felt only moments before. They were clear and bright, almost eager.

"Whoa." She muttered, pausing slightly when she heard her higher voice. "This is something I never expected to see again."

"When did you say you got your first boyfriend again?" Janet asked, nudging her shoulder.

"When I was eighteen." Sam answered distractedly, turning this way and that in the mirror. There was no way that was her butt.

"I don't know why it took so long, you are quite the looker, m'dear." Janet drawled, laughing when Sam shot her a dirty look.

"Gee, Janet. Thanks."

Sam had to admit that some of the perks of going back as an adult meant clear skin and a better understanding of how kids thought. Looking like a teenager was starting to help her feel like a teenager. And this was almost exactly how she looked when she was sixteen.

"All I'm saying is, you better watch out for those high school boys; they're going to be all over you."

"They weren't when I was actually in high school and they most certainly won't be now." Sam rolled her eyes. She really hadn't had very many friends in high school. She had skipped several grades and was much younger than her classmates. They made fun of her. It wasn't really the best time of her life.

"Well, I know one teenage boy who will be." Janet winked at Sam and she felt her adolescent cheeks go red. "Besides," Janet continued, knowing teasing could only go so far on base. "The geek-chic thing is in now according to Cassie. She even made me buy her a pair of fake glasses."

"I was wondering about those." Sam turned back to the mirror. Her BDU's hung loosely off her slim frame and she sighed. "We should probably go shopping."

"Hey, don't complain. Any time the Air Force offers to pay for a shopping spree, take it." The two women laughed again. "And Cassie is thrilled that she gets to have whatever you buy."

"I'm sure." Sam gave herself one last onceover. "Alright, let's go."

The woman and the teenage girl stepped into the hallway and made their way to the elevators. "Do you mind if we stop by my lab for a second? I want to make sure I turned off my computer."

"Sure." Janet pressed Sam's level and they rode the rest of the way in companionable silence. "So," she said as they stepped out of the elevator. "What kind of look do you think you'll go for?"

"Like nerdy or preppy?" Sam rolled her eyes as they turned the corner. "Um, probably as low key as I can get. I don't want to make myself stand out."

"Your face is going to hinder that." Janet poked Sam in the side and they both laughed again, neither of them noticing the two men standing in front of Sam's lab until they almost ran into them.

"Doc." Jack greeted bouncing on his heels.

"Janet." Daniel smiled and felt his fingers go all tingly. He sighed inwardly, this always happened whenever he saw.

"Colonel, Daniel." She nodded to both, but shot a quick smile at Daniel. Neither of them had seemed to recognize Sam yet.

"Listen, doc, have you seen Carter? We were going to ask if she wanted to grab lunch. You're invited too, of course." Jack's eyes flicked to the young girl standing beside Janet. "And Cass's friend too. Is Cass here?" He didn't say it, but he thought it was strange that Cass would have been allowed to bring a friend into the mountain.

Janet put her hand over her mouth and tried to swallow the giggles that were threatening to burst forth. "No, sir. She isn't."

"Ah." Jack felt the awkward silence descend as Daniel shifted uncomfortable behind him. "So, have you seen Carter?"

"Yes, sir."

Jack waited a beat, but when the doctor didn't volunteer anymore, he began to feel like something was off. He was missing something. He glanced back at the teenager and felt his stomach drop. "Carter?!"

The girl cleared her throat. "Hi, sir."

Jack and Daniel stood in stunned silence. Jack felt his mouth open and close several times, but could think of nothing to say except, "Whoa."

"This is…strange." Daniel said, taking his glasses off and wiping them on his shirt. He put them back on, frowned, and glanced from Janet to Sam. "You sure this is Sam?"

Sam rolled her eyes and slapped at the finger Jack was slowly poking her arm and shoulder with. "Yes, it's me."

Jack cocked his head and tugged on a long strand of Sam's hair. "But…you're so tiny." Sam glared at him, but he merely smiled, gently tugging once more on her hair. "This feels…really real." He released her hair and looked perplexed for a moment. "Carter, they didn't actually age you backwards, right?"

"No, sir. But we have made some modifications to the device's programming. There's a heightened reality to their effects now. Not only do I look sixteen, but I feel it too." She grinned sardonically. "I had no idea how much more awake I used to be." And she had no idea how acute her hormones had been. Just standing near the colonel had her heart racing and her palms sweaty.

"You were a cute kid, Sam." Daniel grinned playfully.

"I'm not a kid."

"Exactly what a kid would say." Jack and Daniel nodded at each other, enjoying this way too much.

Sam took a step forward and placed her hands on her hips. She had to tilt her head further than she remembered to look at her two teammates. "Well, I for one can't wait to see what you two look like. Janet?"

"Yep." The two women looked at Jack and Daniel appraisingly before turning on their heels and walking back to the elevator. The two men watched them go, their expressions a mixture of confusion and concern.

"Well, uh oh." Jack said once they'd disappeared.

"That didn't sound good." Daniel raised his eyebrows and turned to look at Jack. Both men looked each other up and down. "What did you look like when you were sixteen?

Jack narrowed his eyes at the younger man. "What did you look like?"

They stared at each other for a moment before Daniel sighed. "Somehow, I think Sam is going to come out the winner on this one." Jack remained silent, but he was suddenly very nervous about this mission.

TBC

A/N: Please R and R! Also, what are some of your favorite songs that remind you of Sam and Jack?