Chapter Three

A Few Months Later

"Catch."

Daniel looked up to have the packet of macaroni cheese wack him in the face.

"Thanks Jack," he said, picking the packet up off the ground and opening it. "Nice to have you here."

"Well Carter was busy, and someone had to lead your team…" Jack grinned. "Thought I'd take the chance while I had it."

"Have you got a suit yet?" Daniel asked, stirring his dinner.

"I have one in the cupboard," Jack replied, his happiness diminishing.

Teal'c glared at Daniel. Daniel decided to change the subject.

"You know Jack, now that you're in control of the SGC I would've thought we'd get food that didn't taste like chicken…when it's not," Daniel said.

"I can solve that problem," Jack chucked him a chicken leg. "Happy? It tastes like it's supposed to."

Daniel looked at the piece of chicken and decided that macaroni cheese looked like the better option for dinner. He handed the chicken to Teal'c who took it happily.

"Thank you DanielJackson," he said, eating it.

Jack screwed up his face. "You know if there's one thing about missions I don't miss, it's the food."

"Well you could try eating the locals food," Daniel suggested.

"I'll pass," Jack replied, prodding the fireplace with a stick, which consequentially caught fire.

Jack quickly threw it into the fire.

"Well this planet is exciting isn't it," Jack muttered. "So what're the big plans for tomorrow Daniel? Any Goa'uld's that need butt kicking…"

"No," Daniel replied.

"Things that need stealing?"

"No…"

"Carnival rides?" Jack sounded hopeful.

"O'Neill I believe there are no eventful things occurring on this planet," Teal'c replied before Daniel could say 'no'.

"Aw for crying out loud, there has to be something to do," Jack said. "My own chance to go offworld and I'm stuck…"

A loud bang sounded, a distance away from their campsite, towards the town.

"…on a boring…"

There was another explosion.

Now the explosion noise caught Jack's attention. "What is that?"

"I do not know," Teal'c replied.

"I don't think the villagers had any fireworks planned for tonight," Daniel told them.

"Thanks for that Daniel," Jack replied, standing up and grabbing his P-90. "Let's go."

Daniel chucked a bucket of water over the fire and the three of them moved silently into the trees, going to find out what the explosions were caused by. Jack felt at home now, walking through the trees, in the dark, holding his weapon ready for action…of course all of this had to be on another planet. He tried to remember why he'd taken the General job in the first place.

Because Daniel had told him he could do what he wanted.

And he liked doing what he wanted.

Right?

They reached the edge of the forest which was at the top of a large cliff, at the foot of the cliff was the village they had come to make a trade agreement with. They had naquadah much needed by the SGC. The whole trip had, of course, been Daniel's idea, not Jack's. Even though Sam had been bugging him for months about the low supplies of naquadah he hadn't really taken much notice of this planet until Daniel had suggested it.

"Jack look," Daniel pointed to the far end of the village.

Hanging above the cliff on the opposite side of the valley was a large spaceship of some kind.

"It is not Goa'uld," Teal'c announced. "Or any other species I have ever observed."

It fired another shot at the village and Jack noticed it wasn't shooting lasers like most other races they had encountered, it seemed to be shooting using some kind of invisible object, which slammed into the ground, taking anything in its way with it.

They all stood, frozen in awe, watching it for a few moments. Suddenly Jack switched into action mode and found his way to the path that lead down the cliff.

"Jack wait," Daniel said, following him, and Teal'c followed silently after him.

-----

"It looks beautiful Sam!" Cassie said, admiring her as she stood in front of the mirror.

"Thanks," Sam replied. "It was my mom's, I always wanted to wear it to my wedding."

"Yeah it's great," Cassie said.

Sam spun around to at her. "So, lunch?"

"Don't you have anything else to do?" Cassie asked.

Sam looked thoughtful for a moment. "No…"

"Nails?" Cassie asked.

Sam looked down at her fingers. What was wrong with her nails? They looked fine to her.

"They look like you've just come out of a battle Sam," Cassie informed her.

"Really? They look fine to me," Sam replied.

"Sam you're getting married in two days, I think you can allow yourself to get pampered," Cassie said. "Come on, we're getting your nails done."

Sam made a face but didn't complain. "Just let me get changed."

Cassie nodded and stepped outside the room while Sam got changed. She wandered into the kitchen area and looked at the photos on the kitchen counter. There was one of her and Pete sitting in a playground…apparently that had been the day he proposed. She moved onto the next picture, surprisingly it was of her with Mark and her Dad. It looked about four or five years old. She wondered why Sam never talked about her brother much? And only about her Dad when it was relating to work…

She shrugged and looked at the next picture. It was of SG-1, it looked like it had been taken offworld. Not because the picture made it look like it was offworld, in fact it looked exactly like Earth, strange how that happened huh? But they were dressed in their BDU's, the point-of-origin quite clearly stuck on Daniel and Teal'c's shoulders. Cassie smiled at her rescuers. If it wasn't for them she probably would've starved to death on her own planet years ago. She'd always felt a particular attachment to Sam, she still did.

The other person she'd always loved was Jack. He was a good 'uncle' to have when she was younger and now that she was eighteen he was a good friend. She picked up the photo of SG-1 and looked at Sam and Jack standing next to each other. Cassie had always been suspicious of their 'friendship'. Sometimes the way her mom had talked about them, or the way they talked about each other, or even acted around each other, gave off the distinct impression that they had feelings towards each other that were no entirely platonic.

But if Sam felt that way about Jack she wouldn't be marrying Pete…right?

"Ready," Sam said, walking into the room and picking up her keys off the table.

"What planet's this picture from?" Cassie asked, giving it to her.

As she did the frame seemed to slip open slightly and the picture…along with another piece of paper…fell out. Sam went to bend down and pick up, but Cassie was faster.

The second piece of paper was also a photo, except this one was of Sam and Jack only. It was just a normal picture, of two friends standing in front of some kind of village.

"Why is this hidden?" Cassie asked.

"Because there's a Stargate in the background," Sam said.

Cassie looked. OK there was a Stargate in the background. But was that really the reason?

She looked at Sam dubiously.

"Yeah right," she replied. "You coulda cut it out, it's right up the top corner. What's the real reason."

"That is the reason," Sam replied, grabbing the photo off her and shoving them both back into the frame. "Let's go. I just need to drop by the SGC and check something before we go."

She put the frame back on the kitchen bench and walked off quickly. Cassie sighed and followed her. There was definitely something more than friendship between her and the Colonel. Why wouldn't she realise it?

-----

"Daniel, get these people outta here!" Jack shouted back at him, firing at the spaceship.

All their efforts were to no avail. It was impossible to even make a dint in the thing using a P-90. Even Teal'c's staff weapon was useless.

"I do not believe we are of any help to these people," Teal'c said. "We would be better off retreating and taking these people back to Earth."

"I'm working on it," Jack said, firing at the ship again. "Daniel!"

"I'm working on it!" Daniel repeated his words back through the radio.

Jack heard the familiar 'whoosh' of the gate coming from Daniel's direction, and without looking knew that it had been activated.

"Teal'c go cover them," Jack said. "I'll stay here."

"I am not leaving you O'Neill," Teal'c replied.

"For crying out loud, I'll be there in a minute," Jack said. "Take these people and go to the gate, I'll bring the last lot in a minute."

Teal'c looked at him warily, but followed his orders. The villagers ran after him, they seemed more brave than the normal kind of people they ran into. Probably because it was an entire village of warriors.

Jack ran towards the final group of villagers, who were hiding beneath a large rock building which looked something like an ancient cinema.

"Come with me," he shouted.

Their leader shook his head. "We stay and fight."

"No, you come with me," Jack shouted back.

"We will fight for our home land," he continued.

"For crying out loud, by the time these guys are through with you you'll have no homeland," Jack said.

"We are not leaving," he said.

"Fine," Jack replied. "But don't blame me when you're all dead."
He ran across the main street towards the Stargate.

Daniel turned around just in time to see a large light beam sweep over Jack…and see Jack disappear.

"JACK!" Daniel shouted.

"O'NEILL!" Teal'c said at the same time.

----

Teal'c and Daniel both walked down the ramp on the other side. Surprisingly they saw Sam…and Cassie?...standing in the control room. Daniel saw Sam say something to the chevron guy and then she walked down into the gate room.

"Where's General O'Neill?" she asked, the smile suddenly disappearing off her face.

Daniel looked at her, not wanting to be the one to tell her.

"He was abducted by an unknown species," Teal'c replied.

Her face went blank, much in the same way Jack's did when he knew he couldn't show emotion.

"Well then we'll have to find him," Sam said.

"Sam what about your wedding?" Daniel asked. "You go have fun, we'll find him."

"No…" Sam said. "If General O'Neill's not there than there is no wedding."

She turned around and walked out of the Gateroom. Cassie shared a knowing look with Daniel and Teal'c watched her go, the same knowing look playing on his face.

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A/N: Sorry its been a while, start of school again!! But here I gave you a big long chapter :D PLEASE REVIEW!! It keeps me happy during the long hours of school…