A/N: This is another not-off-world Campfire story. In my research for these vignettes I am "forced" to re-watch episodes. I was struck repeatedly by how close O'Neill and Carter are during this story, or at least how much their faces and words reveal as the story unfolds. Because of that, we have another Earthside campfire in which to explore their burgeoning relationship.

Set after Singularity

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Plurality

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"Jack! Is this one okay?" Cassandra carefully handed her newly sharpened stick to O'Neill and watched as he examined it closely.

For his part, O'Neill made a show of looking over the twig-turned-utensil, going so far as to sight along the length of it. Finally he nodded solemnly and handed it, blunt end first, back to the eager little girl.

"Yup, I think that one's a keeper."

"Sweet!" Cassandra grinned at him before plopping down next to him, her hand already reaching for the bag of marshmallows.

On O'Neill's other side, Carter smiled. She raised an eyebrow at her CO and said softly, "Sweet?"

O'Neill grinned back at his Second, glad to see her so relaxed and happy. He shrugged at her question, secretly delighted that Cassandra was picking up his English idioms. "What can I say? She picks good role models."

Carter was grateful that the darkening evening hid her blush. She smiled as Daniel's snort from across the fire was followed by a fit of coughing.

"Okay over there, Dr. Jackson?" Janet Frasier looked up from her own sugary creation to check on the archaeologist. She rose from her crouch near Teal'c, circling the brightly snapping fire to pat Daniel on the back. Daniel nodded his thanks and wiped his eyes, throwing Jack a dirty look.

"Uh, yeah, Doctor, I am."

"People, for cryin' out loud, we're in my back yard making s'mores. Can we drop the 'doctor's' and "Colonel's'?"

Carter looked over at her CO, not sure if he was including her in that directive as well. Probably not, she decided. Just as well. She caught his eye and quirked a small smile at him.

"Yes, Sir. I'll just do that."

"Funny, Captain. Funny." He pulled a giggling Cassandra into his lap and buried his face in her belly, trying to blow a rasberry through her sweater. The young girl let out a shriek of laughter, making the adults around her smile. It was good to see the child happy. He'd suggested a bar-b-que at his place after their outing in the park and was glad he'd made the effort. A quick call to Janet had assured her presence, along with all of the required ingredients for a traditional campfire desert. If Cassie was going to live here, O'Neill was determined to teach her all of life's really important lessons.

"Grab a marshmallow, Cassie, and I'll show you how to make the world famouse 'O'Neill special' s'more." Jack winced slightly as the girl hit a particularly sensitive spot as she wiggled in his lap. He shot a quick glare at Carter, who'd seen his reaction and quickly ducked her face to hid a grin.

Cassandra turned and faced Jack fully, her face suddenly serious. "Um, Jack? Do you mind if Daniel shows me his way first? He said he learned it from real S'morians."

Carter smothered a giggle at the puzzled look on O'Neill's face.

"'S'morians'?"

Still serious, Cassandra leaned close to Jack's face. "It's okay, isn't it, Jack?"

No more than anyone else, O'Neill couldn't resist that freckled face. He swept Cassie up in a hug, pulling her close and cuddling her under his chin.

"Sweetheart, of course it's okay." Jack pulled back and rubbed his nose against hers. "After all, it's only fair that you have a bad s'more before you have the very best."

Cassie quickly leaned in and planted a wet kiss on O'Neill's cheek, then slid off to run around the fire to Daniel.

Carter watched the raw emotions play across O'Neill's face as Daniel wrapped an arm around the girl and began to weave a fantastical tale while building their sweet treat. As much as she'd wished the Colonel been at the SGC during Cassandra's surgery and subsequent revival, she was suddenly glad he hadn't been there. It was selfish of her to have wanted him there. Selfish, but...oh how there were times when she'd wished it had been him and not Daniel offering to share in the care of Cassandra. God, Sam. Can you be any more girly? You not only have a crush on your CO, but you wanted to play 'house' with him too, complete with a little girl. Carter shook her head, trying to stop her runaway thoughts.

"Chocolate?"

Sam took the chocolate from O'Neill's hand, her fingers lightly brushing his, and set it carefully on her graham cracker. She kept her focus there, trying to reorder her thoughts and get her mind back to where it needed to be. Or at least away from where it couldn't be.

O'Neill watched Carter place her square of chocolate on her cracker with the precision of a...well...a scientist. She fished a marshmallow out of the bag between them and carefully speared it with her own stick. He studied her face as she deliberately chose the best place in which to hold her treat over the fire for maximum toasting. She approached s'more making with the same intensity that she did everything else.

Jack closed his eyes, still seeing her face as she held the unconscious Cassandra in her arms, the elevator doors slowly closing between them, cutting him off. The pain in her face as she fought back tears had struck him straight through the heart. He'd had to clench his fists to stop himself from blocking the doors from closing, forcing himself to keep his face calm for her. Then later, he'd thought his heart would stop when Daniel told him the elevator was returning to the bottom floor. The digital display of his watch seemd to mimic every beat of his heart he'd watched the timer count down, unable to stop himself from jumping a little as it hit zero and the alarm sounded. Then came the silence.

"Captain Carter...can you hear me?" Ignoring the two men behind him, O'Neill moved closer to the speaker. Please, answer. Finger shaking, he pressed the comm button again. "Sam...can you hear me?"

Carter's microphone-distorted voice came over the speakers, bringing with it a relief so great he was almost afraid. He could hear her voice shaking, twenty-eight floors below.

"We're okay, nothing happened. Cassandra's fine, I'm fine...

The rest of her words were lost briefly in the swirling noise in his head. Jack closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the speaker, trying to control the sudden weakness in his knees. In that moment, struggling to control the equally overwhelming waves of fear and joy swamping through him, something changed for Jack. He recognized it and carefully put it away to deal with later. Right now he need to get her...get them up to the surface.

O'Neill glanced around the fire, making sure everyone else was absorbed in Daniel's tale. He moved slightly closer to Carter, so close that their crossed legs were touching. Jack waited for her to look at him. When she did, he spoke, careful to keep his voice low, not wanting to share this conversation with the others.

"I'm sorry, Captain."

Carter turned toward him, puzzled by his apology. She matched his tone and questioned him quietly.

"Sir?"

"For letting you go down there. I'm your CO, I should have been the one to take Cassie down."

"But, Sir, I–"

"Carter, I know how hard that was for you. Daniel told me...everything. The surgery, you...in the elevator. I'm sorry I wasn't able to be there for yo–" O'Neill swallowed hard, knowing he was going too far and saying more than he should. "Damn, it, Carter, I'm your commanding officer. The hard stuff should fall to me." Once again O'Neill's gaze turned toward the fire, his face in profile to Carter.

She couldn't believe the Colonel was apologizing to her. She felt that she should be the one apologizing. Once again she'd defied orders, choosing to go back down to the twenty-eighth floor despite his demands that she return. The old 'the end justifies the means' excuse would only go so far and she was relieved that he'd apparently let her get away with insubordination once again. And as for him being the one to leave that little girl behind in a missile silo? No force on Earth–or off of it for that matter–could make her put that pain on his shoulders when she could take it. One lost child was enough for a lifetime.

Carter checked on Cassie, who was happily sandwiched between Teal'c and Daniel with Janet looking on. Shrouded in semi-darkness on the fare side of the fire, she felt safe having a fairly private discussion with O'Neill.

"Sir, I'm the one who's sorry. Not for how it came out, of course, but for disobeying your orders. Again."

"Yes...you do seem to be making a habit of it, Captain." The small smile he sent her took the sting out of his words.

"Yes, Sir. Sorry."

O'Neill faced her, watching as she turned toward him. He held her gaze for a minute, willing her to understand how important this was to him. "As I said, Carter..." His voice softened and he lowered it further, almost whispering now. "...Sam. I am sorry."

"It's...thank you, Sir. But it's okay, really." She kept her eyes on his, gesturing toward Cassie with a tilt of her chin. "She's okay." The firelight lit O'Neill's amber eyes, emphasizing the ever-present warmth she always found there. Sam smiled shyly and ducked her head, before glancing up again. "We're okay. Sir."

And they were.