11.

Sam hunkered down, determined to finish this stage of her project. Nearly noon. She'd been immersed in the plans for a naquadah generator all morning without interruption, which was nearly unheard of and somewhat surprising. She'd expected to get some teasing related to her house and its ghosts, but there'd been nothing. Not even Daniel had shown to ask what was up, and she hadn't seen the Colonel since last night. Clearly, he'd decided to not to spread any rumors and perhaps decided not to pursue his offer of helping her get the kitchen remodeled. Not unexpected, of course. It was a big project and he could hardly want to spend so much time on it. She sighed. Truth be told, she'd been looking forward to remodeling the kitchen, even at the expense of a few ghost stories. She put on her goggles and lit the welder. She had a few connections that needed soddering.

"Hey, Carter, what'cha -- whoa."

She jumped, startled at the hand on her shoulder, hearing the Colonel's comment after the fact. She turned off the welder as fast as she could, but it had still blackened the ceiling when she'd jerked her arms up in ready position, surprised.

"Well, there's a lesson."

"What?" She took off her goggles, still unnerved, and put the welder down on her workbench.

"Never surprise a woman with a welder."

She stared at the ceiling, inspecting the damage. "Yeah, not a good idea … sir."

"Yeah." He looked up. " Well, on the up side, it doesn't look like you've burned the place down. Just a slight singe on the ceiling."

She grimaced. Siler was not going to be particularly happy about that. But there was nothing she could do about it and she could always blame it on the Colonel. That Siler would understand.

She cocked her head at her CO. "Did you want something, sir? That is, besides having the fun of impersonating the orderly at 29?"

He grinned. "Remembered that story, huh? I like it myself. But for your information, Carter, I did not come here to deliberately startle you. I came to let you know that you have a lunch date."

"I do?"

"Yes. Or rather, we do here in your lab."

She stared at him, surprised. OK, maybe she had enjoyed the weekend and been wondering where he was all morning, but lunch alone with her CO on the base was bound to raise a lot of eyebrows. "Do you think that's good idea?"

He grinned. "I do. Jim Reynolds should be along any minute, as well as T and Danny. Jim wants to see your designs and I thought we could put together a plan for the week. Sellberg can't make it for lunch, but he agreed to turn off your gas in that part of the house and take care of the city inspections. And Fredrickson is on downtime this afternoon, but when I talked to him he said to count him in whenever. I told Jim today was BYOLFTC."

"BYOLFTC?"

He raised a bag he had in his left hand she hadn't noticed before. "Bring your own lunch from the commissary. I brought yours."

"I – thanks." She watched as he started moving equipment from one of her workbenches and put down the bag. "Let me do that, sir."

He smiled knowingly. "Sure thing, Carter." He picked up a lens. "What is this anyway?"

She grimaced. "The twenty thousand dollar adapter that came in last week for the microscope."

"Ack." He put it down gingerly. "Why isn't it over there?" He pointed to the microscope.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Nope."

"So you talked to them and they agreed to help?" She cleared the workbench for the impromptu lunch, feeling more cheerful by the minute.

"Yep. Very interested, in fact. T is positively giddy at the chance to tear something apart."

She tilted her head, questioningly.

He shrugged. "We haven't been off world in over a week. He's getting antsy. Besides, you know damn well that he and Daniel would do anything for you. Totally whipped, both of them."

"They are not."

He grinned and raised his eyebrows.

"OK, maybe, just maybe you might have a slight point."

He smiled. "As for Reynolds, he likes to keep his hand in designing architectural plans whenever possible seeing that he doesn't have much opportunity at the SGC. Sellberg owes me from his kitchen last year, and Fredrickson is in rehab due to a shoulder injury and bored out of his mind. He practically thanked me when I asked if he was interested."

"Nice." She grinned. "Sounds like you've been busy, sir. Thank you."

"Not a problem, Carter. I told you they'd be willing to help. That must be Jim now." He walked over to the lab door, responding to the knock, and opened it.

"So, I assume you guys know each other?" The Colonel gestured vaguely. As an introduction it wasn't much, but it was typical of the Colonel.

"Captain."

"Major." She nodded. "I appreciate your help on my remodel. And it's Sam."

Reynolds smiled. "Sure, Sam. Call me Jim. Now let me see what you have in mind." When Teal'c and Daniel walked in fifteen minutes later they were already immersed in the project.

Forty-five minutes later Reynolds looked up from the plans. "Looks good. I'll rearrange the cabinets on the architectural drawings to what we discussed and redo the lighting. I assume Griff's handling the electrical?"

"Yep."

"Colonel, I haven't checked with him."

"I did, Carter, and he's on board, pro bono. He did the rest of the house. He'd be insulted if you hired someone else."

"Ah. Well, thanks."

Reynolds continued. "I'll need to see the space tonight to make sure the measurements are correct. SG4's scheduled off world on Wednesday and Thursday, but I can file preliminary plans tomorrow with the city, and barring any problems, you could start demolition tomorrow evening if Sellberg can turn off the gas and run the review through the city office. Is Jeff on board, Jack? Because if he is, I can let him know we can file the final plans on Saturday. I can finish them up Friday and let you see them Friday night."

"Who's Jeff?" Sam interrupted. It was her house, after all.

"Colorado Springs City Planner, Carter. He agreed to push the paperwork through quickly."

"Friend of yours."

"Yeah."

"Poker buddy."

The Colonel looked at her strangely. "Do you have a problem with poker, Carter?"

"I – no, not really." Technically, that was true. It wasn't the game that was at issue.

The Colonel shrugged. "Okaayy…anyway, I called Jeff this morning to let him know about the remodel. Also asked him to check into whether the city had any blueprints on record for the house, particularly from the early days. He promised an answer by this afternoon. He should be calling any time now." He stopped and changed topics. "In any case, Teal'c, Fredrickson, and you and I, Carter, could start demolition tomorrow. Should be done by Friday if your house follows the usual plan."

"I cannot participate in demolition on Wednesday, O'Neill. I have promised to observe young Carolyn and Jason Aluki."

"Babysitting, Teal'c?"

"Indeed. It is Major Aluki's tenth wedding anniversary. I have promised to escort young Jason to the bowling facility. Young Carolyn also agreed to this proposal."

The Colonel paused, thinking. "You could -- nah, you're right, T, you shouldn't bring them. Jay and Caro shouldn't be anywhere near Carter's when we're tearing it apart, seeing that they're what… eight and ten, now, I think. We'll just need to find a substitute for Wednesday night."

Daniel broke in. "Hey, what about me? I'm willing to help here."

"You're going to be busy, Daniel."

"I am?"

The Colonel smiled. "Yep."

"Doing what?" Daniel's voice sounded distinctly suspicious.

"Research. We need to know everything there is to know about Henry Hayes and Goblin Manor."

Daniel looked at him curiously. "And this is because?"

"Didn't I mention it?"

"No."

"Carter's house is haunted."

Daniel shook his head. "Oh, c'mon, Jack, enough."

Sam broke in. "That's exactly what I've been saying. Thank you, Daniel."

"Carter, you're welching on the deal. You said I could talk about the ghosts."

She sighed, and gestured for him to continue.

"Carter's got two gravestones from 1886, we think, and a crypt on her property. Don't know where the bodies are buried. And last night, the ghost knocked down some glasses on a shelf in the hidden room in the cellar."

"A bolt came loose from reverberations."

"Details, Carter."

"There's a hidden room in the cellar?" Daniel was clearly mystified.

"Yeah, we found it last night. It's not on the building plans." He gestured to the blueprints spread out on the workbench. "Right about here. Hayes must have had the plans cleansed when he put in his speak-easy during Prohibition."

"Wow." Daniel was clearly interested. "So, when did you discover all this?"

"I told you, Daniel, this weekend."

Daniel looked amused. "When exactly?"

The Colonel scowled at him. "I offered to help Carter clean up the property. Neighborly thing and all. We found the crypt and the stones. We ate dinner. The ghost interrupted and shattered glasses on a shelf."

She broke in again. "A bolt came loose from the wall."

He continued. "IN the hidden room in the cellar. While checking out the noise, we found the room."

Daniel grinned. "I see. And so you want me to research Hayes and the history of Sam's house."

"Already said that, Daniel. And that's all I need you to stick your… investigate."

"Investigating sounds interesting."

The Colonel looked exasperated. "Thank you, Daniel. Now, if we could just get back to the --." His cell phone rang, and he answered. "O'Neill."

"Jeff, yeah, thanks for getting back to me." He paused. "Both of them? Sounds unusual." Another pause. "I don't see what else you can do. Could have been missing for years." Pause. "Yeah, Jim's on it. He says he'll have preliminaries for you tomorrow and finals on Saturday." Pause. "Yeah, Sellberg will bring that in tomorrow." Pause. "Sure. Anytime. Just give me a call. Thanks, Jeff."

He hung up, thinking. "That's interesting."

Jim looked up from the plans, curious. "What's going on, Jack?"

"It's more what isn't. Carter, the plans for Goblin Manor are missing from the City offices."

She shrugged. "Not surprising. We did think that Hayes must have removed them when he built the speak-easy."

"Maybe. But Jeff says that when the city went through a re-indexing project five years ago to automate their records, all of the building plans from when Colorado Springs was incorporated to present were inventoried. The database lists two sets of pre -1900 drawings for Hayes House. They're both missing. Your current plans are there and on file."

"They could have misplaced them when they were doing the inventory," Daniel suggested.

"It's possible, I suppose."

"Or Hayes could have taken them in the 20s, like we thought, and the indexing wasn't double checked against the inventory." Sam broke in again.

The Colonel shrugged, clearly giving up. "Or the ghost took them."

Daniel grinned. "Sounds like your ghost sure gets around, Jack."

"Sam's ghost, and yeah, apparently he does." But to Sam's eye, he didn't look all that amused at the thought.

The Colonel, Jim and Teal'c cleared out of her lab shortly after. Daniel, however, stayed after they'd left. He cleared up the lunch workbench way too slowly for it to be anything except an excuse to talk to her alone.

She sighed. "OK, they're gone. Let's have it, Daniel. What's on your mind?"

He looked over at her, considering. "Sounds like you and Jack spent a lot of time together this weekend."

She didn't want to hear what she knew was coming. Vague warning, most likely, couched in concern. But there was nothing to be concerned about. It was all perfectly innocent and she be damned if she was going to let Daniel spoil the fun.

"Look, Daniel, I know it might look strange, but --"

He interrupted her. "That's just it, Sam. It doesn't. It isn't."

"What?"

"Jack's helped a lot of people out, Jim and the guys included. No one's going to think anything of it. I thought you ought to know. It's his usual modus operandi with SGC folk. And the fact that you're under his command overrides the fact you're a woman in this case. They'd expect him to help out if you had a problem. "

"I – really?"

"Yeah."

"So… not going to create any gossip?"

"The opposite, I suspect. They'll just see it as part of the standard 'O'Neill treatment' when there's a problem to solve."

"And what's that?"

Daniel thought for a while before responding. "It varies depending upon the situation, I suppose. In my case, you know what happened. Jack dragged me back from Abydos when Share was taken and put me up in his house until he was sure I had it together. In Teal'c's case, he made sure that he was part of the SGC culture, part of the community."

"You know, I didn't even know Teal'c knew Aluki, let alone babysat his kids."

Daniel shrugged. "Teal'c's off base most nights, doing something with other members in the SGC. He just sleeps on base now."

"There are regs related to his being in public."

Daniel grimaced. "Yeah, but not if he's with a member of the SGC. Jack made sure of that. I suspect they're stretching the regs a bit with the babysitting, seeing as Aluki won't be there."

"I didn't know."

Daniel continued. "As for Reynolds and Hendrickson, I think it's their business, not mine, to tell you their stories, but they each have a personal reason to want to help Jack."

"So you're saying he helps people out when they need something?"

"Yeah, I guess I am."

She shook her head, thinking. "I wouldn't think he was the type. He seems like a loner, fairly aloof."

"He's also a Colonel. And looking out for his men is pretty much drummed into his character. Remember Kalwalsky?"

"Yeah. I see what you mean. But what does this have to do with me?"

Daniel shrugged. "Just thought you should know that that's who he is and what he does. And that there are a lot of people who care a lot about Jack and his well-being."

"Including you."

Daniel stared at her. "Including me and a lot of people, Sam. I care about you both. I just want to be sure everyone's on the same page."

She stared back, serious. "Spit it out and get it over with, Daniel."

"Jack's had a tough time in the past. I wouldn't want to see him hurt again."

"I can't believe this. Are you warning me off my CO? Because I can assure you that I am not planning on --"

"Sam, no. You've missed my point, or maybe I said it badly. I'm not warning you off of anything, in fact, the opposite. I care about you both. I think it's great that you're both having fun with the house. And it's not going to cause any gossip because that's what Jack…does. Just… watch your step. Sometimes it's easy to loose your footing in uncharted territory."

She sighed. It wasn't like there was anything in what he was saying that she hadn't already told herself but she still didn't like his interference, no matter how well intentioned. "You know me and cliffs, Daniel. I'm always careful. Remember P3X749?"

Daniel had nearly fallen off a cliff on P3X749 because he'd been looking at the vista instead of concentrating on the trail. He'd tripped on a rock and nearly slid down the ledge. She'd been behind him, and had just managed to catch him in time.

He grinned. "Touche. I'll keep my eyes down and my head out of the clouds. Well, I'm glad we had this little chat."

She raised her eyebrows to the ceiling, incredulous.

Daniel coughed, hiding his full-blown smile, which was probably healthy seeing that she really would like to kill him at the moment. "I'll see you later, Sam. Have fun with the house… and with Jack."

She watched as he left, exasperated. Damn Daniel anyway. The situation was totally innocent. It had to be. And Daniel must know that. What was it that he had been trying to tell her anyway?

Hell with it. The generator was easier to decipher, and she had to break a few of the known laws of physics to do that.

TBC…