Jack walked over to Cassie and placed his arm on her shoulder. "Cassie, you okay, Honey?"
She looked up at him, tears still running down her face. "I'm sorry Jack. I just couldn't face disappointing Sam." She sighed. "I let you down."
Jack pulled out his handkerchief and handed to her. "Cassie, you did not let me down, and Sam will not be disappointed in you. She loves you, and she will be concerned, as I am, but she will not be disappointed. What you went through was terrible, but it was not your fault."
Cassie nodded as she wiped her face. "Can we go home please?"
"Sure. I need to tell Hank we are done although I am sure he noticed the gate shutdown." Jack answered. He led them back to the staircase.
Hank met them at the door. "Get through to her?"
"Yes, thanks Hank." He looked at Cassie a moment then back up at Hank. "Look, I am going to take Cassie home. I am sure Daniel and Teal'c will hear about our visit…"
Hank smiled and nodded knowingly. "I will take care of it." He glanced at Cassie a moment. "Cassie can I talk to Jack for just a second?"
Cassie looked up in surprised at being asked a direct question. She nodded.
Hank led Jack into his office. He noticed Jack made sure he could see Cassie through window. He reached onto his desk and picked something off of it and held it out. "Jack, I know it's not my business, and I don't know for sure what is going on, but that girl needs help. She is jittery, withdrawn and barely in control. If that mark on her face is an indication of why, you may be in over your head."
Jack sagged. "Ya think?"
The corners of Hank's mouth upturned slightly. "Don't misinterpret Jack. She needs you. But, it may not be enough. Take this card. I know this lady. I had to refer a young airman to her several years ago. She is good. She moved to the Springs about a year ago."
Jack took the card and looked at. He looked up at Hank. "Thanks Hank. I admit to being so out of my element as a parent, I am probably doing more harm than good." He turned and walked out of the office.
Hank watched him go to Cassie and as they began to go down the stairs he said out loud to himself, "Somehow Jack, I doubt that."
As Jack and Cassie waited at the elevator a voice called out. "Jack! Cassie!"
Cassie flinched and Jack tightened his arm on her shoulder reassuringly as he turned to see Daniel and Teal'c approaching.
Daniel smiled brightly at them. "You guys going to leave without saying anything?"
"Uh, sorry Daniel, we were kind of in a hurry." Jack said.
"Can't you stay a little while? We have not seen you or Cassie in a long time." Daniel persisted.
"Indeed." Teal'c added.
"There you are!" a female voice called out.
This time Daniel flinched. He turned to the voice as Jack and Cassie saw a tall, beautiful brunette approaching.
"Vala." Daniel said in greeting.
Vala saw O'Neill and Cassie. "General O'Neill, it's good to see you and who is this?" She asked looking at Cassie.
Jack sighed. "Vala Mal Doran, this is Cassandra Fraiser. Cassie, Vala."
Vala's face brightened in a huge smile. "Cassandra, it is so nice to meet you. I have heard good things about you."
"Thank you." Cassie said quietly. Jack could tell she was nervous with all the attention.
Vala studied the girl a moment, concern flickered across her face.
"We were just insisting that Jack and Cassie stay and visit for a while." Daniel stated.
Vala jerked her head at him. "You can't" she said quickly, making all of them raise their eyebrows. "I mean General Landry wants to see the two of you immediately. That's why I am here."
Daniel's face fell. "Oh, well, look, we will go see General Landry and then we will give you a call."
Daniel and Teal'c shook Jack's hand and hugged Cassie and walked off. Vala looked at Jack and Cassie. "I'd better make myself scarce. When Daniel finds out General Landry is going to have no idea why they came to his office, he's going to be mad."
Jack's face took on a confused look.
"I don't pretend to know everything about humans on Earth, General, but I know when a child…sorry, young woman, needs help." Vala stated.
Jack nodded. "Thank you Vala."
Vala looked at Cassie. "You are very special from everything I have heard. I hope that General O'Neill is able to help you with your problem. You are much too young to be carrying the weight of the world."
As they entered the elevator, Cassie looked up at Jack. "She was…different."
"Yes, but, I see why Sam said she gets underestimated a lot. She is quite perceptive." Jack said.
Cassie nodded. "Sam called her a whirlwind, once."
Jack smiled. "I am sure that was one of the nicer things, but she and Sam actually got to be good friends."
As they got to the parking lot Jack stopped. "Uh, Cassie, can you drive the rental for me?"
"I guess. Where are you going?" She asked anxiously.
Jack pointed to his truck, sitting in the motor-pool. "I'm going to pull out. Just fall in behind me and we will go turn in the rental, okay?"
Cassie relaxed. "Okay" and held out her hand.
Jack handed her the keys. "Oh, and despite what Sam taught you, there are, in fact, speed limits."
Cassie grinned. "I know that. And for the record, Sam was with me when I got that ticket."
"I know, and that is a terrible defense as Sam hasn't found a speed law she won't break." Jack replied walking to his truck.
After dropping off the car they returned to the house. As they walked in Jack realized what time it was. "Pizza?"
"Sure" Cassie replied.
Jack ordered the pizza and then found Cassie out on the back porch. "Kind of rough seeing all though people?"
Cassie looked down as she fidgeted with her cigarette. "I know I had no reason to be that way. None of those people would hurt me." She looked up at him. "I hate feeling this way."
Jack nodded. "I know. Look, Cassie, would you like to talk to someone?"
Cassie looked back out into the yard. "You think I am crazy?"
"No. I am acknowledging my inability to fully help you. I think it might help you, but I will not force you. You need to decide."
Cassie nodded. "Let me think about it?"
"Sure." Jack replied.
They sat in silence a while until the doorbell broke the spell. Jack noticed Cassie startled slightly then relaxed.
"Let's go kid. Pizza."
They ate at the table, and Jack made sure to keep the conversation light. He noted Cassie seemed more at ease and less withdrawn and jittery if she was not given time to dwell on the bad things.
After they ate, Cassie began to clean up. Jack pulled out his phone. "I'm going to call your counselor, is that okay?"
Cassie froze. Her face reflected concern. Finally she moved. "Sure."
Jack moved into the living room as Cassie finished. She headed back out onto the back porch and sat on the steps, her head resting on her knees.
He joined her about fifteen minutes later. She looked up. "Am I expelled?"
Jack was taken aback. It had truly not crossed his mind that Cassie was worried about being expelled following her last minute trek across the country without informing the school. Way to keep on top of her worries, Jack.
"Uh, no. Actually, I talked to your counselor and she is willing to go to the academic board on your behalf…"
"So everyone will know?!"
"Of course not, Cassie. All I told her was that a family emergency pulled you away." Jack said.
Cassie let relief wash over her face. "And she was okay with that?"
"Well actually, you were close to the end of your term and only have two finals left, thanks for informing me by the way, so she didn't see why you couldn't come and take those when the family situation is taken care of." Jack said.
Cassie looked sheepish at the mention of forgetting to inform Jack about her finals. She usually made a point to tell both Sam and he about her finals and grades. She realized long ago that was usually when Jack suddenly found time to take leave. Conveniently between her semesters. "Sorry about not telling you."
Jack wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I suspect you had other things on your mind."
They sat in silence a while. After a few minutes, Cassie leaned into Jack and laid her head on his shoulder. After about another ten minutes, Jack noticed she was leaning heavily into him. He looked down to see her eyes closed. He smiled as he nudged her.
"Let's go inside." He said.
He got a grunt in response and Cassie sat up and slowly got to her feet and walked to the door. Jack was not sure her eyes were even open.
Jack got her situated on the couch and decided he better mow the lawn before daylight left. He came back in an hour later to find Cassie still curled up on the couch. He took a quick shower and got items he knew they would need at the cabin and put them in truck.
He finally sat down and began to read one of his astronomy magazines. He looked over as he heard a whimper from Cassie. She was beginning to twist around. He hopped up and sat beside her and stroked her hair as he hummed gently. She settled down and shifted closer to him. He continued gently stroking her hair. After a while he looked down to find two sleepy eyes looking at him. "Hello sleepyhead."
Cassie smiled as she sat up. "Guess I fell asleep."
"I noticed." Jack replied.
Cassie smiled and got up and stretched. She walked to the back sliding door and looked out. "You mowed the yard. You could have made me get up to help."
"I think you need to rest if your body is telling you that's what you need to do." Jack said.
Cassie smiled and walked into the kitchen. Jack heard her rooting around and was about to get up and see what she was doing when she came out and put a beer down for him. He raised his eyebrows as she went back into the kitchen. A little later she reappeared with the warmed up left over pizza and two plates.
She smiled. "You don't really have a lot of food available."
Jack adopted his cocky grin. "Yeah, well, just don't tell Sam I fed you pizza all the time."
Cassie giggled. "I remember the rules. Some things remain just between us." She looked up at him as she took a bite of pizza, "Besides, I don't think either Mom or Sam knew just how much ice cream you fed me when I was growing up."
Jack took a drink of his beer. "That probably has a lot to do with why I am still alive."
Cassie smiled. "That is so true." She looked at him as she set the pizza down. "What time are we leaving for the cabin?"
"Early"
Cassie groaned as she picked up her pizza and finished it off.
They cleaned up and got ready for bed. Jack made sure to leave his door open so he could hear if she had trouble sleeping. He slept lightly a couple of hours then woke up. He listened a moment. He heard a noise. He jumped up and went into Cassie's room. She was tossing and turning while muttering. He quickly went over and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She yelped and scrambled back across the bed.
"Hey, it's okay, just me. You were having a bad dream." Jack said.
Cassie's eyes showed fear for a moment as she fully woke up. "Jack?"
"Yeah, I'm here Honey." He said gently.
She sat up and looked at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."
"Don't sweat it. Here," he said as he raised the covers for her to get situated. "Lay down and I will be right here, okay?"
"Jack, you have to sleep too."
"I will"
Cassie was already settling down as Jack stroked her hair. He moved his legs up onto the bed and sat up against the backboard. He smiled as Cassie scooted over and laid her head on his thigh. She fell asleep almost immediately.
Jack woke up with a start a few hours later. He looked around. Cassie was gone. He slid out of the bed and looked in the bathroom. Nothing. He went down stairs and looked around. He saw a shadow on the back porch. He went out.
Cassie was standing by the railing, looking out into the yard. She turned as Jack came out.
"Hey, what are you doing out here?"
Cassie held up her cigarette. "I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep."
Jack felt a pang of sympathy and frustration. "Well, I guess we can go ahead and leave if you want."
"Might as well."
