Chapter Seven

Having decided to call it a night, both Helen and Jack bid their good byes in the hall before Helen went into the sanctuary of her office. Leaning back against the solid wood of the door as she let her eyes close with the finalising thud as it closed behind her, Helen took a moment to compose herself as she drew in a breath to steady her nerves. As her breathing evened out, Helen opened her eyes to the empty room. Her line of sight was drawn to the sofa, with the light of the fire casting its continuous glow, reminding her of the brief time Colonel O'Neill and her had shared only an hour or so ago. Choking back the sob as a flashback of the memory he'd divulged to her went through her mind, Helen shook her head in an attempt to banish it and went over to her desk, realising that there was no way she was going to get any sleep right away and thought it best to get some reports written whilst she had the time.

No sooner had she started typing, did she hear a knock at the door, halting her in her attempt to work. Sighing to herself, Helen spoke without looking up.

"Come in."

Peering round the door, Ashley smiled tentatively as she said quietly.

"Hiya...it's uh...it's only me."

Startled at the sound of her voice, Helen lifted her head up from looking at the screen and smiled happily.

"Hi. What's up?"

Coming into the office, Ashley closed the door before making her way over to her mother's desk, replying amusedly.

"Actually, I just kinda noticed the light was still on in here. Was kind of going to ask you the same thing."

Looking down briefly at her desk to hide the pain she knew Ashley would see written in her face if she didn't, Helen smiled brightly as she looked back up at her and retorted softly.

"Couldn't sleep. Thought I'd catch up on some work." Seeing her explanation had been accepted by Ashley as she nodded her head in understanding, Helen's brow creased slightly as she frowned asking curiously. "Which begs the question, Ashley, why are you up at this hour?"

Not wanting to admit to her that she'd been staying up with Will discussing the romantic possibilities between Colonel O'Neill and her mum, Ashley shrugged half-heartedly as she copied her mother's excuse.

"Couldn't sleep. Thought I'd take a walk round the place to tire myself out."

Chuckling at her daughter's reply, Helen cast a glance back at her laptop screen as she said tenderly.

"Well, maybe you should try now to get some sleep. I'm assuming you started your walk from the Shoe."

Frowning at her mum's uncanny ability to know where she'd started from, Ashley asked.

"How can you know that?"

Refocusing her attention on her daughter, Helen answered almost mysteriously.

"Mother's intuition."

Snorting at her mother's answer, Ashley smiled happily at her before turning to leave.

"Right...well I better go and do that then." Waving at her, Ashley made her way over to the door before turning back round and saying curiously.

"You know...there's a rumour going around that you were seen floating on the roof a few hours ago...Is that true?"

Smiling to herself, Helen looked back up at her as she replied tentatively.

"And what if it is?"

"Well, then I'd have to ask, is it also true that a certain Colonel we both know was also floating on the roof with you?"

Casting her daughter an annoyed look, Helen retorted irritably.

"Are you going somewhere with this, Ashley?"

Noticing her snap of annoyance, Ashley quickly rethought her questioning and asked carefully.

"I'm just saying...are there any other abilities of his I should know about?"

Closing her eyes tight shut at the mention of other abilities, the memory of Charlie flashed once more through her mind, causing her to shudder slightly at the sensation of overwhelming loss and pain that only comes with the death of a child. Seeing the violent reaction to her question, Ashley spoke softly so as not to startle her.

"Mum...mum, are you okay?"

Hearing the grounding voice of her daughter, Helen opened her eyes to the worried expression on Ashley's face. Wanting to quell her concern, Helen attempted a smile of reassurance as she replied tenderly.

"Yes...yes, I'm fine. It's just been a long day, that's all."

Knowing full well she wasn't ready to discuss what was really bothering her, Ashley simply nodded in silent understanding before saying tiredly.

"Yeah, long day." Getting no response from her mum, Ashley added almost for her own benefit. "Well...I'm gonna turn in. Night mum."

Smiling tenderly at her, Helen retorted softly.

"Goodnight." Sighing quietly, Ashley turned and made her way out of the office, taking care to close the door quietly. Once sure Ashley had left, Helen let her head fall into her hands as she tried desperately to hold back the tide of despair as she remembered the agonising look on the Colonel's face when he looked across at her in the lab after sharing his most haunting memory.

As she round the corner down the hall, Ashley was so deep in thought; she didn't see the man coming from the opposite direction until she slammed into the solid form of Colonel Jack O'Neill.

"Oof."

Holding her shoulders to steady her as she swayed slightly, Jack injected in concern.

"Hey, sorry about that. Are you okay?"

Catching her breath, Ashley looked up only to have her eyes widen at the realisation of his presence.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there."

Chuckling at her response, Jack added humorously.

"So I noticed." Releasing her from his steady hold, Jack took a step around her as he added. "Well...no harm no foul."

Smiling at his turn of phrase, Ashley was beginning to understand why her mother had taken a liking to him. Nodding to him silently in thanks, Ashley watched as he smirked slightly before walking down to her mum's office door, tapping lightly on the wooden surface and waiting anxiously for a response.

Startled out of her musings at hearing the knock, Helen frowned to herself as she struggled to think of anyone whom might still be up at this hour. Rising from her chair, she made her way over to her office door, ignoring the sound of her pulse as it increased in speed and volume as she suddenly realised there could only be one possible person on the other side. Taking a steadying breath, Helen opened the door to the vision of Colonel O'Neill as he held his hand up in mid-knock, swallowing audibly as he lowered it slowly before saying nervously.

"Hi...I, um... was thinking that..." ducking his head in embarrassment at fumbling his words, Jack regained control over his voice as he raised his head adding softly. "Do you have a minute?"

Smiling tenderly at his obvious nervousness she was quickly finding adorable, Helen nodded silently as she stood to one side and let him into her office. As the door closed shut, Ashley raised her eye brows in surprise as she grinned widely to herself, ecstatic to the scene she'd just witnessed. Chucking quietly to herself, she turned on her heel and made her way to her room, unaware that she made the journey back with a spring in her step.

TBC...