Just a little note from the co-author, Rose Stetson:
This is turning out to be an epic with action, romance, dancing, engagements, weddings, dancing, elopings, angst, dancing, tough family fall-out, and...did I mention dancing? I'm just kidding...I'm just warning you all that this story is approximately 200 pages with no end in sight! And some of it is written in bits and pieces that are not connected just yet. But we're working on it as fast as our busy schedules will allow.
However, about the How To Host A Murder party...I have not played THIS episode, so, I am not giving away the REAL killer (to my knowledge)...but it is a fun game with lots of intrigue and mystery...as well as a few surprises...
And, the song is entitled "Dream A Little Dream Of Me." I don't know who actually wrote it, but Louis Armstrong is one of the performers of this jazz standard.
Look for a new face in upcoming chapters who may be familiar to you if you have seen "Shall We Dance?" and "Dancing With The Stars!"
Well, that's enough of a long-winded speech from me...thanks for the reviews...kind of disappointed that this story isn't doing as well as we'd hoped, however...tell friends and family...would love to see more reviews per chapter...
Happy Holidays!
-Rose Stetson
Liam arrived at the O'Neill residence to pick Cassandra up at seven-thirty the next evening. He was wearing khaki slacks and a maroon turtleneck with a dark brown beret on his head. He also wore a brown jacket and the jeweler's loupe.
She opened the door, dressed in the red flapper dress, heels, and pearls. "Liam!"
"Hello...are you ready to go make some trouble?" He asked, chuckling.
She twirled her beads as she walked over to pick up her purse and hat. "Almost."
"I have a feeling this could be a VERY interesting night..."
Lena walked out wearing one of her old costumes with a great many sparkling jewels. "Liam!" She greeted.
"Hey Lena." He said good naturedly.
"I didn't know you were going to be at our little soiree..."
"I was kinda...roped into it at the last minute." He replied, looking over at Cassie.
Cassie chuckled. "We both were."
Liam leaned over to Cassie. "Hmmm...I wonder who you're going to have to sit next to at dinner..." He teased.
"Probably you..." She said, a knowing look on her face. "It's kind of segregated by who's dating/married to whom..."
"Or who are killing bed bugs together..." He snickered.
"Liam!" She said, slapping his arm playfully. "You don't even know until the end when everyone just blushes furiously and gets the humiliation over with..."
He smirked.
"Besides, you and I might be killing bed bugs together." She said, placing the hat on her head carefully.
"Hmmm...I could live with that..." He said seductively.
"You might have to..."
"Easiest thing I've ever had to live with!" He quipped.
She took his arm after checking her appearance in the mirror. "Well, Mr. Foreva, shall we?"
"Of course." He responded in a cheesy French accent.
She chuckled. "Zen let's go." She responded mimicking the accent.
He opened the door for her and followed closely after.
Lena, who had been watching from the hallway chuckled. "Nick!" She called.
"Yeah?"
"I think it's working..."
He walked out, adjusting his captain's hat. "Of course is it...I set them up, didn't I?" He asked smugly.
She handed him his cane and kissed his cheek. "Yes, sir."
He raised an eyebrow. "We'd better be going, Jewel Queen..."
She glared at him, her own eyebrow raised. "Jewel Queen? What? I'm TWO musical sensations?"
"Yes, but I think you're wearing about half of your costume jewelry tonight!" Nick chuckled.
"No, darling, only about a tenth of the Crown Jewels..." She chuckled.
"Which I paid for..." He grumbled playfully as he got his coat.
"Careful..." She said, holding his cane as he put it on. "Or you just might have to miss my exclusive premiere...and I only give that to one person..."
"I see...like the highest bidder?" He asked before racing away as quickly as he could.
"NICHOLAS!"
"Yes my love?" He asked, poking his head around the corner, a curl in the middle of his forehead and full accent out.
She clenched her fists as her emotions did a complete 180.
He chuckled when he heard the familiar guttural sounds of the Russian language coming from his wife's vocal chords.
"I am NOT an evil man." He said, smirking.
"Depends on who you ask." She said, walking past him still growling.
"Elena, no me digas." He said, whispering this Spanish phrase into her ear as he helped her get her own coat on.
Her stomach started turning knots as she felt herself remember just how much she loved this man next to her.
"Are you ready?" He asked softly, his cane in hand.
"Yes."
He offered her his arm and gave her the smile that he only reserved for her.
Jack and Sam had designated themselves as the couple to wait for Teal'c to arrive. He'd been unable to get there at quarter of eight, because of a mission he'd undertaken with SG-3. Now, he was on his way to watch the kids. Sam had borrowed a great many of Lena's necklaces and bracelets and had accentuated the slim-fitting straight gown.
Jack on the other hand, wore a red smoking jacket and the pair of black pants from his tuxedo. "Sam, you almost ready?" He asked as Teal'c arrived.
"Almost." She answered as she carefully fitted the tiara into her hair.
"I just hope Daniel doesn't get drunk again this year..." Jack laughed.
"Then, you better hide the scotch." She chuckled.
"Already did!"
"And the wine? Is it watered down?"
"Yep."
"Except...it's at HIS house...
"I had Janet go ahead and do it."
"Nice." She said, imitating his Burns voice.
"Oh yes, precious." Jack said, camping it up in his best Gollum.
She took his arm. "Let's go..."
He nodded. "Let's get this party started..."
She shook her head. "Well, T, they're all yours!"
The Jaffa inclined his head to her. "I shall enjoy looking after them. Have...fun."
"You sure you don't wanna switch?" jack asked looking at the other man.
"Indeed, O'Neill."
"You're gonna miss one heck of a party!"
"And for this, I am glad..." Teal'c replied dryly.
Jack turned to his wife. "You know, the more I get to know him, the more I realize that I will never understand him..."
She chuckled. "Jack, stop being sarcastic...Teal'c, we should be back around eleven or so.."
"At what time should the children be placed into their sleeping quarters?"
"Around nine...it's a special night..." Sam said, chuckling. "And Michael is staying with the boys..."
When Sam and Jack arrived at the Jackson residence, they were less than surprised to find everyone else there already. After all, they'd all left from the same place...
However, they were amused to find Janet and Daniel in costume.
Janet, or "Cosette La Torchier," was dressed in an elegant business suit while Daniel or Holden Von Piston, wore a 1920s riding jacket and goggles a top his head.
Nick was there as the dashing Captain and Lena had most of her "crown jewels" as everyone called them on.
Her name tag read "Donna Mata Tomei."
Liam and Cassie or Daimon R. Foreva and Mona F'Amour were speaking with Nick and Lena in the corner.
"Hey kids." Jack said.
"Mr. Yors." Daniel said, a tiny smirk on his face.
"That's Upton Yours to you, Mister." Jack replied loftily. Nick snickered softly while Liam merely smiled.
"It's "Up Yors" for short." Sam snickered as she took off her jacket.
Jack grinned. "Yeah…what she said."
"Miss Sonovabich." Daniel said, taking her coat with a bow.
"You can call me Sasha." She said, with a chuckle.
Nick bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud and Lena pinched him lightly on the arm. "Behave." She admonished.
"It's all right, Lena...we're all adults." Sam said, walking down the stairs and into the living room.
"Some of us are still children, I think..." she laughed, sashaying into the room.
"Oh, I think I'd know if you were still a child." Nick said, suggestively.
Liam raised an eyebrow. "Well, it IS sometimes difficult to see in the dark..." he said innocently.
There was chuckling all around as Nick and Lena both blushed at the young man's comment.
"Nice to have you around...finally SOMEONE who can shut those two up..." Jack said, nudging Nick's good leg with his foot.
"Playing footsie with Nick now, huh?" Liam shot back.
"Liam, you're on a roll!" Sam chuckled. "Janet, you wouldn't happen to have a glass of water, would you?"
Jack cuddled up to Sam, an expression of disgust on his face. Nick did a whole body shudder that made everyone chuckle as Janet went to go get the glass of water. "I'm observant...what can I say?" the young man replied smugly.
Cassie shook her head as she took Liam's hand and led him to the other couch, where they proceeded to sit.
He grinned cheekily at her and stretched slowly.
She took the opportunity to put her arms around his middle and cuddle up to him.
He allowed his right arm to come around her and pull her right up against his side. "I have captured someone..." he said, sounding surprised.
She raised an eyebrow with a cheeky smile. "Nobody that didn't already want to be caught..."
"Excellent." he said smugly.
"Okay...enough with the puppy love..." Jack begged. "I'm going to die of cuteness!"
"Awwww...poor Jacksy." Liam said in a baby talk tone of voice. Nick almost bust a gut laughing.
Janet returned, handing Sam the glass. "Thank you."
Everyone else was cracking up as Jack gave Liam the evil eye. "I know where you work.." he warned.
"And I know who you're married to." Liam answered.
Sam grinned. "I think he's got you there..."
Jack turned. "Whose side on you on, anyway?!?"
"I'm on whichever side is the safest...it's not just about me anymore, now is it?"
"Sadly now...if it were all about you, everything would be beauty and light." Nick said, his statement reconfirming his Australian heritage.
"Somehow, Nick, I don't think that's what she meant..." Lena said with a smile.
Nick shrugged. "Compliments never hurt anyone."
"And thank you, Nick." Sam said, with a smile as she pulled her tender gaze away from her husband's face.
He bowed as low as his leg would allow. "Not a problem."
"Congratulations." Lena said, pulling Nick onto one of the seats.
He raised an eyebrow. "For what?" Her husband asked curiously as the O'Neills merely grinned in response.
"Nick...you really are dense sometimes..." She said, kissing his cheek. "Sam just told us that she was expecting."
His eyes widened. "Oy...I really AM a stupid man!"
Lena looked at him with a teasing grin. "Can I get that in writing?"
"That's okay..." Daniel said, a somewhat surprised look on his face. "I didn't get it either."
"And I only got it because she told Cassandra and me yesterday." Liam said, sheepishly.
The men turned to him. "And you didn't say something to US so we wouldn't look like schmucks?!?" Nick cried in mock outrage.
"I'm sorry...I was embarrassed!" Liam said, with a shrug. "And…to be honest, it wasn't until Cassandra explained what she'd just said, that I finally realized what she'd been trying to say…"
"Mmm hmmm." Nick replied, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Well, I did try to make it sound like they had less than innocent intentions." Sam admitted.
"You scarred Liam?" Jack asked.
"Not intentionally!" she said.
"Hey, after hanging around you guys, NOTHING scars me anymore!" Liam added helpfully.
"Thank your lucky stars." Daniel muttered under his breath.
Liam looked over at Daniel. "Like you have any room to talk...those storage closets are roomy, eh?"
Daniel and Janet turned red as Daniel coughed. "So...let's get this party started..."
Liam grinned as Nick gave him a discreet high five. Being observant had its advantages sometimes...
"Oh, Daniel?" Lena began. "Danny wanted to tell you that you and Janet need to get blackout windows for your car..."
Daniel looked at Janet, who turned a DEEP red. "Ummm...we'll get right on that..." The archaeologist stammered.
Sam and Jack chuckled. "You probably should..."
Daniel closed his eyes and felt his face. "I think I'm about 105..." He groaned.
"Really?" Lena asked, cheekily. "I could have sworn you were in your late thirties...you're looking really good for 105..."
Daniel chuckled as Liam added, "And even if he meant temperature wise, wouldn't that pretty much count as spontaneous human combustion?"
Janet nodded. "Yep." She turned back to Daniel. "Sorry, hon, but...you can't be 105..."
"Darn..."
"Isn't it about time to get this party started?" Cassie asked, looking around the room. "I mean...one of us is a killer...and the longer we sit around and wait, the more opportunity he has to strike..."
Just then, there was a clap of thunder, and Jack looked up at the sky. "Thor, buddy...we're trying to play a game..."
Everyone chuckled at the double-meaning of his message to the skies.
"I don't know about you, but I'm not so eager to die..." Nick said dryly.
"What if you're the killer, darling?" Lena asked, perched precariously on his good leg. "Who would you choose to be your first victim?"
Nick looked over at Lena and grinned wickedly, his face saying it all.
"ACK!" Jack said, standing up quickly and running over to the boom box. "Play, darn it!" He yelled as he pressed the 'play' button.
"Jack, it's a CD..." Janet said, smiling.
"I don't care if it's an 8 track..."
"Jack, hon, push the OTHER play button." Sam said, smiling.
"Oh."
"Either that or you could always jump on the hamster wheel to give it a little juice..." Liam suggested.
"Thank you." Jack said, looking over at the first lieutenant.
Just then, the tape began to play, detailing the crime that had been committed. All of the adults stood and got their books, from which they read the clues about their characters and about the other characters around them.
--
Teal'c walked into the boys' room to find all of his charges playing with the Legos.
"Good evening."
"Hello." Danny greeted solemnly.
"Daniel Kosovich, how are you faring this fine evening?"
"Fine, thank you."
"That is very good news. And Grace O'Neill? How do you fare?"
"Fine, Uncle Teal'c."
"Uncle T, can you help me?" Nicky asked, holding up the two Legos that were stuck. "I can't get them apart!"
"Certainly, Nicholas." Teal'c replied, taking the Legos from the boy.
"Thanks!
"It was my pleasure."
"Teal'c, what's that on your forehead?" Tommy asked, having the observant eyes of his father.
"It is a symbol of my servitude as the First Prime of Apophis."
"Who's Apophis?" Grace asked as all the kids swarmed around the Jaffa.
"He was an evil System Lord...if you are well behaved, I shall tell you the story when you retire to slumber."
"Is that like a Sith?" Tommy asked, his eyes wide. He'd been around Teal'c long enough to be able to quote Star Wars like there was no tomorrow.
"And are our mommies and daddies like Jedi Knights?" Michael asked, curiously.
"Indeed."
"My mom's Leia!" Grace yelled.
"Your dad is DEFINITELY Han Solo." Danny observed wisely.
"Yes!" Grace said, pulling her elbow toward the ground in extreme speed and strength.
Danny shook his head and merely smiled.
--
By the time they'd reached the dinner course they had discovered that Captain Mal DeMeirre (Nick) was up to no good, and Donna Mata Tomei (Lena) had purchased her fame in questionable ways.
Meanwhile, Mona F'Amour (Cassie) had been secretly meeting Daimon R. Foreva (Liam) and that the deceased had been about to spill the beans of their secret midnight rendezvous to the group.
Upton Yors (Jack) was hitting on Mona F'Amour and giving Damien the evil eye, much to the amusement of everyone else.
"So...what if this was real life?" Daniel finally asked during the soup course.
"It would be SO wrong!" Nick said, laughing.
"No kidding!" Jack shuddered. "I'm hitting on my niece for cryin' out loud!"
"And I'm Lena's guest! What am I? Her lover?" Liam asked, almost whining.
"You'd better not be..." Nick joked, brandishing the cane in a threatening manner.
Lena gave Liam a seductive wink. "Of course not, Darling." She said, returning her attention back to her husband.
Liam shivered.
Meanwhile, Cassie chuckled. "And...I don't know about you all, but I'd like to learn something incriminating about Mom and Daniel's characters..."
"Yeah...make it a little more fair..." Jack grumbled.
"We can't help it if we can keep secrets..." Janet said, daintily sipping at the soup in her spoon.
"Uh huh." Liam said, snickering.
"Oh come on...it's not like you guys are doing anything except parroting what your book says..." Daniel admitted.
"True..." Lena agreed.
"So...what HAVE you two been hiding?" Nick asked, leaning his weight on one elbow toward Janet as though she held some great secret in the depths of her mind that only his charm could coerce her into sharing.
Janet stared at him for a moment. "Resist him!" Daniel hissed playfully.
"I...can't divulge that information, even to you, Captain DeMeirre."
"Are you sure? I'm FANTASTIC at keeping secrets..." He said, leaning even closer.
She steeled herself as she looked back down at her soup. "I may have...come into some...questionable...inheritance...quite the sum...
"I see." Nick purred.
"JANET!" Daniel moaned.
Nick gave Daniel a smug smile before turning his attention back to the woman in question. "Care to tell me more? I'm completely at your disposal..."
"I don't have any more to tell..." She whispered quietly, her face turning redder and redder the closer he got to her.
Reaching out a hand, Nick tilted her eyes up to meet his. "You have nothing to fear from me..." He whispered.
"Okay, Nick...that's enough!" Lena said, pulling him away.
"Come on! I was on a roll!" He complained.
"Yeah, well, poor Janet is about ready to throw herself into your lap." Lena said with a chuckle. "Did you REALLY want that?"
"Hmmm..." Nick said, pretending to ponder the merits of this suggestion.
Lena whopped him upside the head.
"Owwww! Husband abuse!" He cried.
"Sorry, Nick, you asked for it!" Sam smiled.
"I NEVER ask for that, but I still get it anyway!" He said, rubbing his head.
"Oh...you asked for it!" Jack said, chuckling. "Just PRETENDING that you wanted Janet to jump you was asking for it..."
"I never said I wanted her to jump me, now did I? I have PLENTY of people hop in my lap on a regular basis and I don't get smacked for that!"
Lena shrugged. "I was doing you a favor...I hear Daniel has a mean right hook."
Nick shot her an amused look. "I was talking about Louis, darling..."
"Louis jumped in your lap?!? When?!?" she demanded.
"A couple years ago...remember how scared he is of bees?"
"Oh...EWWWW..." She shuddered. "I didn't smack you then because you were smacking yourself..."
"Hey, I did NOT ask for that to happen!" He protested.
"No...you didn't...but you were pretty...willful about hitting on Janet."
"It's all a part of the game, woman!"
"Okay...let's stop talking about how vulnerable Janet gets..." Janet finished.
"Agreed." Nick said firmly.
"Well, to change the subject..." Cassandra said, interrupting. "I found it interesting that I saw Captain DeMeirre running away from the boat last night..."
Nick arched an eyebrow. "It couldn't have been me..." He said, holding up his cane.
"Oh...I know it was you..." Cassie said with a gleam in her eye. "You keep insisting that you have a war injury, and yet...you hardly walk with a limp at all..."
"My dear, if you would care to examine my leg..." Nick said suggestively.
"Well, I would have thought that you would give Sasha that opportunity." Liam piped in.
"I'm an equal opportunity employer." Nick shot back with a devilish grin.
"I should know," Sam shot back. "I came for one of our business meetings and found him with Donna."
"What can I say?" He shrugged. "And as for our dear race car driver over there, I find it interesting that you don't play the poker tables down at the club anymore..."
Daniel looked somewhat alarmed. "What? I never played poker..."
"Working the tables for the ladies, my good man..."
"How DID you pay for your start in your career?" Sam asked, an eyebrow carefully arched. "As I recall, you're from one of the poorest families in the area."
"I...was able to do some fundraising." Daniel answered defensively.
"Fundraising? You swindled good women out of their fortunes...WIDOWS no less!" Nick tutted.
"I didn't ask them to give me their fortunes..." Daniel finished defensively. "They volunteered them.
"Right..." Nick drawled sarcastically.
"Right...so I think it's about time for the next round." Sam said, as she took a sip of water.
--
"It is time for you to retire." Teal'c said, after having quite the Star Wars discussion with the kids.
"Awwww..." Grace said.
"Okay." Danny said, with a smile. "But Uncle T, can we sing a song first?"
Teal'c arched an eyebrow. "What sort of vocal selection did you have in mind, Daniel Kosovich?"
"Well...just a little song that I like...'Dream A Little Dream Of Me...'" He finished, shyly.
"I apologize Daniel Kosovich. I am unfamiliar with that selection." The Jaffa bowed.
"I've never heard that song…" Grace said, as she laid down on the floor.
"Well, I know it…" Danny said, sitting on the floor beside her. "May I sing it?"
"Indeed." Teal'c nodded.
The little boy cleared his throat, and began to sing.
Stars
shining bright above you;
Night breezes seem to whisper "I love
you?"
Birds singing in the sycamore tree.
Dream a little
dream of me.
Say nighty-night and kiss me;
Just hold me
tight and tell me you'll miss me.
While I'm alone, blue as can
be,
Dream a little dream of me.
Stars fading but I linger
on, dear---
Still craving your kiss.
I'm longing to linger till
dawn, dear,
Just saying this...
Sweet dreams till sunbeams
find you---
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you.
But
in your dreams, whatever they be,
Dream a little dream of
me.
Stars fading but I linger on, dear---
Still craving
your kiss.
I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear,
Just saying
this...
Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you---
Sweet dreams
that leave all worries far behind you.
But in your dreams,
whatever they be,
Dream a little dream of me.
He heard soft snoring come from beside him to find Grace lying on the floor, asleep. All of his companions were also asleep, and he looked up at Teal'c. "They're asleep now, Uncle T."
"Thank you, Daniel Kosovich."
He nodded, gravely as he returned to his bed and Teal'c bent to pick Grace up and take her to her bed.
"Good night." Teal'c said as he turned out the light.
"Good night, Uncle T."
--
It was nearly midnight before the adults were finished with their game. Nick's character, Captain Mal DeMeirre had indeed been the murderer, and his accomplice and lover had been Janet's character, Cosette LeTorchier.
Sam yawned as she snuggled closer to Jack on the couch. "That was fun."
"Yeah…it was." Liam agreed. "I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I'll have to admit that was better than anything that I could have imagined."
Cassie laughed.
"What?" He asked, confused.
"That just sounded…questionable." She chuckled.
"Thanks." He said, with a seductive grin.
Janet and Daniel passed around coffee, which Sam declined, and then sat down. "So…does this beat the first time we played?"
Sam and Jack laughed. "Oh yes."
Nick and Lena looked at one another, confused. "What happened then?"
"We invited Teal'c."
Their eyes widened in understanding of the disaster that would have been. "Oy."
"Take the image in your mind and multiply it by ten!" Daniel informed the couple.
They shuddered in contemplation. "That does NOT sound good…"
"It wasn't." Janet confirmed. "Teal'c thought that I was host to some alien entity because he thought that I had ACTUALLY killed someone, and General Hammond had to pretend that he wasn't Air Force because Sam and Jack's characters were having an affair and Teal'c pointed out the obvious real life attraction that they shared."
"Oy." Lena exclaimed, leaning her head on her husband's shoulder.
"Yeah…it was REALLY fun to try and explain that to Teal'c, let me tell you." Jack said, chuckling.
They sat in companionable silence for a few moments before Liam stretched reluctantly. "Well, I'm sorry, but I've got to go…if I stick around any longer, I'll fall asleep…" He chuckled.
Nick looked at Lena, whose eyes were closed as her head leaned on his shoulder. "And it's about time that I tucked Sleeping Beauty in…"
"Watch it." She murmured, sleepily.
"Yes, my liege," He chuckled.
"That's more like it…"
A soft snore came from the other side of the room and all heads turned to see Sam sleeping on Jack's shoulder. "Well, I think it's time for us all to head home…"
Liam stood and helped Cassie get off the couch. As they walked over toward the door, he turned to Janet and Daniel. "Thank you for inviting me to this little party."
"You're welcome. Thank you for coming." Janet said with a smile.
As the other couples made their way toward their cars, Janet turned to Daniel. "Do you really want to do the dishes right now?"
"Nope." Daniel said with a cheeky wink. "They'll keep until tomorrow, but…" He came up close to her as his lips barely brushed her ear. "I have an idea of something that won't…"
Janet shivered. "What'd you have in mind?" She asked, somewhat breathlessly.
"Let me show you…"
The dishes waited until LATE the next morning.