AN: Got something new for you guys this time. Some fluffy fluff with a side of Jimmy Woo. My boss' boss is still a yutz. Two days ago he told us as manager we shouldn't spend all our time in the office.. then gave us several tasks that require more time in the office. *eyeroll* This story is acrossover collaboration event from mini-goat and missalice1990. Miss Alice Came up with the plot and the first few chapters and almost all of the MCU stuff. Mini-Goat came up with Jack's witty comebacks. Buckle up campers.

A Strange Happenstance

Chapter 1

"Carter." She heard his voice from the doorway of the laundry room. "What'cha doin'?"

Sam looked up from the sheets she was folding to see him leaning on the doorjamb facing her. She smiled. It was good to see him, even if it had only been a couple of weeks. He looked good in his blue jeans and oversized jacket, bug out bag slung over his shoulder.

"I'm folding laundry, sir." She replied, turning back to her project, suddenly very aware she hadn't changed out of her workout attire which consisted of sweatpants and a sports bra.

"And… why does it look like you're folding children's sheets?" He inquired, dropping his bag by his feet before pushing off the door frame and moving to stand beside her.

"That would be because I am, sir." She said as his hand brushed hers to remove the Pocahontas pillowcase she was folding.

He examined the pillowcase for a moment before looking at her in confusion. "And why do we have children's sheets in our stage home?"

"I take it they didn't brief you before you left." She answered, a frown crossing her features.

"Just that we'd be playing house. And that you would debrief me when I got here." He folded the pillowcase and began helping her fold the remainder of the laundry. "Barely gave me a chance to shower after I got back before shipping me off here."

"How was the mission, sir?" She had wanted to go on the mission herself, but had been put on medical leave at the time after being shocked by an electrical surge during a routine gate diagnostic.

"You mean how was Dad?" He teased.

Sam couldn't help but grin. "I wish I could have come too."

"Nah, it was boring. Two weeks on a ship with Daniel and Dad and no showers. We picked up the cargo and headed right back. There wasn't even a fire fight."

"Oh?" Sam snickered. "Well, did dad at least hold up his end of the bargain?"

"Oh yeah. Lots of naquadah for you to tinker with once we get back home."

"I can't wait."

"So?" He set down what he was working on and moved to face her.

"Hmm?" She replied absently.

"Are you going to debrief me?" Something about the way he said that made her flush.

"Oh, right." She sighed. "Well, there was a report about a week ago that a few locals have gone missing."

"And that's our business because..?"

"All three of them were scientists who were working on the X-302 project. They didn't know what they were looking at, of course. Thought it was just some new engine for a military jet. But the nature of their research threw some red flags for us when they went missing." She paused to see if he was still listening. Satisfied, she continued on. "We did some aerial scans and found readings that suggest there are small amounts of naquadah in the area, but we can't pinpoint the exact location."

"So they need us to find it."

"Yes. But figuring out what happened to our scientists takes precedence."

"And yet you've still failed to explain the sheets." He said, leaning on the washer.

"That was… General Hammond's idea."

"To have child's bedding."

"For our cover." She tried not to squirm.

"Child's bedding." He was smirked as he watched the flush spread across her face.

"He thought having a child would make us more… believable."

He raised an eyebrow. "We have a child?"

"My niece."

His face grew serious. "Why not Cassandra?"

"Too old. The general thought a younger child would be more convincing."

"And your niece is…?"

"Seven."

"Alright. I have some questions." Jack squared his shoulders and folded his arms against his chest.

"As far as she's concerned, her parents needed to deal with some issues. Her brother is staying with his grandparents and I asked for some time with my niece. The teachers and other parents are being led to believe we've taken temporary custody of her due to family instability."

"And the real story is…"

"General Hammond offered his god-son an all-expense paid vacation for their anniversary. Babysitters included."

"So she thinks we're- "

"A couple. Yes, sir."

"Oy." Was all he said at first. Jack looked down thoughtfully at his shoes. They were already struggling to keep it in the room as it was. Having to play house and not break character even alone because little pitchers have large ears was going to wreak havoc on their situation. Then there was the fallout later when Sam's niece learned it was all a trick. Except he and Sam wouldn't be acting. They would just be allowed to act on their feelings in public which was what he wanted anyway… wasn't it? "So, ah… I'm guessing me sleeping on the couch isn't going to fly this time."

"Sorry, sir." She said softly and Jack would have sworn she didn't sound very sorry at all even though she ducked her head and bit her lip like she was.

Jack unfolded his arms and looked down at the pillowcase she was holding. "We gotta get the kid some better taste in Disney movies." He said, grabbing the folded pillowcase and placing it on top of the sheets Sam had stacked up. "Are we okay?" He finally asked her, knowing this was going to be as much of a struggle for her as it was him.

Sam looked up into his eyes and nodded in acknowledgement to the light of understanding in them. They weren't supposed to feel this way about each other but they did anyway and in each case the other knew it. "I think so." She breathed unsteadily. "I mean, it's not the first time we've had to do this." She said in reference to pretending to be a couple as their cover.

Jack frowned a little and bobbed his head in agreement. "You might want to change, Carter." He was looking down at the expanse of bare skin and swell of breasts not covered by her sports bra. "I'm not complaining mind you but we should probably go find a local diner to eat at unless you went grocery shopping already." He smirked a little, it was so fleeting Sam almost didn't catch it.

Sam shook her head and chuckled a little. He could make her laugh at the stupidest things sometimes. "I've been setting up the house. There's some take out in the fridge but I ate all the udon noodles and there's only one shrimp left." She admitted.

"You had Japanese without me? Cruel woman." He teased with a grin. "Come on. Let's go grab something and establish ourselves as locals… Unless Lisa will be here soon?"

"Not until tomorrow." Sam said, shaking her head. "Hammond wanted us to get settled first."

"Well, that was nice of him." Jack said, rolling his eyes internally. Sometimes he'd swear Hammond kept putting them in these situations in the hopes one of them would break and they would finally demand some kind of dispensation to be together. He'd sooner have a torrid love affair behind the military's collective back before he admitted they didn't have this under control.

Jack was only fooling himself. He did not, in fact, have any of this under control.

Jack watched the sway of Sam's hips as she picked up the basket of laundry and turned down the hallway. It was a nice little house. About the size of Sam's bungalow or a little bigger. It needed some work which gave Jack the excuse to be outside fixing things instead of inside trying to keep his hands off his hot colleague.

Sam shook her head in amusement. She knew he was checking out her ass as she walked away, subconsciously emphasizing her sway. She got changed quickly after running a washcloth over herself to get rid of the worst of the sweat. It was warm so she threw on a pair of shorts and a tank top before grabbing her sandals out of the closet.

Jack cocked an eyebrow at her when she joined him in the living room. Sam grinned at him. "It's a little warmer here than Colorado."

Jack just hummed in reply and fished around in his jeans pocket for a moment. "Figured it might be better if we went with engaged on this one." He said absently, not realizing he'd have admonished anyone else for such terrible sentence structure in his preoccupation with his search.

"Engaged?" Sam almost succeeded in not squeaking. They usually just wore the SGC-issued wedding bands every team, with at least one woman on it, carried around for societies that objected to unmarried women being around.

"Yah, well, Hammond stressed couple not married couple so I kind of figured something was up in the back of my head." He smiled when his fingers finally lit on what he was seeking and triumphantly produced a very old looking engagement ring.

"Jack, where did you get that?"

"Huh? Oh, it's been in the family for a while. Sara didn't like antique jewelry so it's just been sitting in a box."

"But what—"

"Ah! It's mine. I get to decide who wears it, Sam." He told her with a determined frown.

Sam's heart burst into butterflies and attempted to flap away while still inside her chest. Something about the way he was looking at her…

Jack slid his hand down her arm until he reached her fingers and slowly drew them up before slipping the ring on the third finger of her left hand. "Marry me?" He asked her softly.

Sam was lost in his eyes.

"Heya neighbors!" A male voice called through the front door Jack had left open.

Sam colored and turned her face into Jack's shoulder. Jack's shoulder shook with laughter. "Someone invited Daniel?" He asked even though the voice clearly wasn't Danny's.

Sam snorted with mirth before calling out. "Hi James."

"Hi Sam. Did your boyfriend finally get here? I saw the truck and figured I'd come see if you needed help in case it was a plumber or something." He said with an abbreviated wave of his hand. James was a rather average looking man of Korean descent with the emotional disposition of a Golden retriever who's just been told he's the Goodest boy.

Sam bit her lip trying not to laugh. "James, this is my ah... um…"

"Fiancé." Jack supplied.

"Fiancé? You got an upgrade? Nice." He said and put out a hand for Jack to shake. "I hear you'll be teaching at the junior high this semester?"

Jack raised an eyebrow at Sam who shrugged. She hadn't had a chance to brief him. "That's what they tell me."

"Great. Do you like softball? I'm on a league. Did Sam tell you I'm on a league? I tried to get her to join but she turned me down." He said to Jack.

Jack gave Sam a side eye. Was this guy for real?

Sam shrugged. "Did you, um, need something, James? We were just about to leave for dinner."

"Oh, oh right! You guys probably haven't seen each other in days. I'll get out of your hair. Nice to meet you, Jack… if that's your real name." He said and laughed to himself like it was some kind of private joke.

"Why wouldn't it be my real name?" Jack asked, confused.

"Nothing. Nothing. I'm just being silly. Well… have a great night, guys. Get back to me about the softball thing." He said and saw himself out.

"Neighbor?" Jack asked with a cocked eyebrow. The rakish one with the scar on it.

"Yup." Sam said, popping the 'p' at the end.

"You always attract the weird ones." Jack joked.

Sam held up her hand with his ring on it pointedly.

"You aren't proving anything, Carter. I already know I'm weird."

Sam shook her head and chuckled. "Come on. I'm starving." She admitted.