Disclaimer - only this story is mine, everything else belongs to someone else.

(Oh, I also lay claim to Mallory)

To CT - thank you xxx

+++++++++++++++

Cassie dialled her mother's number for the seventh time stopping on the last digit to lay the phone back on the table. She cancelled the call and toyed with Jonas's ring, that was loose upon her finger, turning it in her deliberations.

She looked out of the window and saw the advancing figure of the Kelownan limping back towards cabin and she knew he was smiling. She swallowed him up with her eyes, his stature more captivating than the morning that was breaking around the steam of Pike's Peak. She smiled, absorbing each minute detail of his person to lock away in her heart, to keep forever, when all she had left were her dreams.

Her reflection stared back at her but she tried not to notice it especially when it shadowed Jonas like a watery apparition.

He opened the door, "hey," he said taking her hand and lighting the room with a welcoming grin, "I thought I'd let you sleep."

"Couldn't," she replied, "did you jog far?"

"Yeah," he said, kissing her forehead and burying himself in the frost of her hair.

She smiled up at him, "how's the leg?"

"Oh, still there," he said dryly, "what ya been doing?" He asked, looking down at the phone.

"Cooking."

He looked over to the stove, "you've cooked?"

"Yeah."

"For me?"

"For us," she said smiling and walking over to the sizzling pan, "sit down it's almost ready."

He took a seat at the table picking up the phone, "Cass."

"I'll do it tomorrow," she replied, turning the eggs, "one more day Jonas, please, just let me have one more day."

He turned towards the window, scrutinizing the view, "okay, okay," he sighed, "but only if you promise to go to the dance."

"The dance?"

"Yeah, at the local bar," he replied, showing her the flyer and picking up a knife and fork.

"Jonas, I can't, not, not like."

"Why?"

"'Cos people will stare."

He smiled innocently, "let them, I'll be with you."

She shook her head, "no, I just can't."

"Okay then, if that's your final answer?" He said picking up the phone.

She slammed the pan back down on the gas, "you wouldn't dare?"

"Try me."

She watched him dial, "Jonas don't."

"Yes, Doctor Fraiser please," he put his hand over the phone, "what you gonna do to stop me?" He goaded.

"You don't wanna go there," she said, reading the twinkle in his eyes.

"Oh really?" He taunted with quizzical eyebrows.

She smiled, holding out her hand to the squeezable ketchup, which was presiding over the table. It spun round and flew into her welcoming grasp, "drop the phone mister or I'll shoot," she yelled.

Jonas ignored her, holding the cell up to his ear, living dangerously.

"Don't say I didn't warn you", she said, squashing the bottle with her hand and mind so the thick red sauce shot at a high velocity towards the Kelownan.

"You shot me!" He exclaimed, looking at the mess of red on his chest.

"I gave you fair warning," she said, unashamed, blowing on the top of the bottle as if she was in a cheap western.

He placed the phone down on the table and stood up, pulling at the waistband of his trousers as he did, "Jonas," she said nervously backing towards the door, "I'll shoot again."

Another glutinous mass dashed across the gap between them and struck Jonas on the arm, "oh you are so gonna get it," he replied following, Cassie outside into the morning.

She watched his face open with an idea, "Jonas," she cried, brandishing the ketchup bottle at arms length.

He stuck his hand out to one side and she watched in mock horror as the hose unravelled from the side of the cabin and coiled into his grateful grasp, "you wouldn't dare," she jeered.

The tap squeaked as it turned and a jet of icy water collided with Cassandra, knocking her to the dirt, "oh, you are so dead, mister," she spluttered, pushing the hose away from his grasp with her mind.

It flicked in midair, turning on the aggressor with a plume of water, soaking him with its revenge, before falling to the ground.

A man pulled up in a beaten old truck, just out of view from the cabin. He chewed heavily on something as he watched the young man help the woman to her feet, "what the hell?" He said spitting a dark, brown, liquid out the window.

He fought the worn length of the gear stick, pumping the clutch as metal scraped against metal, "God damn you Eileen," he screamed angrily at the truck, "get your red ass into gear!"

The wagon let out a positive cough of exhaust fumes and roared into action. The man took one more look at the cabin and shook his head, "damn you Jack O'Neill," he cried and put his foot on the gas.

Cassandra looked towards the track, "what was that?"

Jonas narrowed his eyes, "just an old truck," he replied turning back towards the door.

Cassie followed the vehicle's journey suspiciously, "Cass," the Kelownan began.

"Yeah," she replied her eyes not leaving the road.

"The stove, did you turn it off?"

Cassie turned her head towards the cabin to see thick smoke bellowing out of the door, "oh hell," she cried, "Jack's gonna kill us."

"Is that before or after he kicks my ass for running away?"

============

Sam knocked on the Colonel's door, "come," came the rather brusque reply.

She set a cup of coffee down on his desk but he didn't look up, he just stared at the mismatch of plastic files that were slumped on a shelf.

"Sir, any news?"

Jack shook his head and turned his chair round to face her, "no, Carter," he answered offering her the vacant chair.

"It's been six days now, do you think the NID has them?" Sam asked quietly looking down at her own coffee mug.

O'Neill sighed, "the General's pulled in a few favours and he's convinced the NID haven't been able to locate them either."

Sam nodded while Jack picked up his pen and seesawed it between his thumb and forefinger onto the spotless desk, chewing on something in his mind.

"You're still mad at him?" Sam ventured, glancing up to make eye contact.

"You think? He replied with eyebrows raised. "I just don't understand what's going on in that sponge like mind of his, I mean he's a clever guy, right? He must have realised the repercussions this would have? Running off base with some lovesick teenager, stealing a car, no licence, no real ID, not to mention he really sticks out like a soar thumb, what if some trigger happy cop pulls them over? And then Carter there's the, the 'one bed' thing, what if, you know, she's? Hell the NID would love that one."

"I guess we'll cross that bridge if and when sir," Sam replied not really wanting to think on that scenario.

"I just don't get it Carter, he could of talked to us, if there was a problem, he knows that doesn't he?" Jack said, relaxing a little in his chair.

"Yes sir, he knows, it's just sometimes it's difficult."

Jack looked passed Carter tapping the pen on his lips, "you don't think we pushed him too hard, you know, hurling him out there into the universe, trying to get him to fill Daniel's big, pre-ascendancy shoes?" He asked matter-of-factly.

"It would have been harsher to stop him, sir, maybe what we should of asked ourselves is, 'is the universe ready for Jonas Quinn?'" She took a sip of coffee and continued, "you've seen that sparkle in his smile, each time when we enter the event horizon."

"It's hard not to miss, Major," he said with a slight flick of his lips.

"But it's always there, sir, like he's experiencing the whole Stargate experience, for the very first time."

Sam rested her face into a smile, she knew, for all Colonel's annoyance, sarcasm and bluff, over the last few days, he was genuinely concerned about Jonas and they all knew, deep down, that this was so unlike the him. He was always so conscious of doing the right thing by the other members of the team, especially O'Neill, especially now that they had develop a comfortable understanding between the two of them that Jonas had worked so hard to achieve. That's why his running off was so out of character and they all needed, particularly the Colonel, to comprehend the reason behind it.

Jack read her face, as he had been doing for years, "don't get all sentimental on me Carter, just so you know, being a team member short generates a lot of paperwork and you know how much I loath paperwork, so the sooner Jonas is tucked back up in his bed, alone, at the SGC, the sooner I can get back to being a Colonel and not some damn filing clerk!"

"Yes sir," she replied, bringing her cup to her lips, once more, while O'Neill rested his pen gently on the uncluttered desk.

There was a knock at the door, "Colonel O'Neill, sir," a young airman entered the room looking around.

"That would be me," Jack replied.

"Yes sir," the young man said loudly with a salute.

"At ease, son, don't wanna wear that salute out before its time."

"No sir, ma'am," he said, acknowledging Sam.

"What brings you down here," Jack questioned.

"A phone message, sir."

"A phone message?"

"Yes sir, a gentleman called Bob rang for you twice last night and again this morning. He sounded, um quite, um upset, sir."

"Upset as in?" Jack enquired.

"Upset as in angry, sir."

He looked towards Carter "he's the guy I get to do general repairs on the cabin," he explained, "I've booked him to work on it for next few days."

"Booked him?" Sam quizzed.

"Yes Carter he's a very busy man," he looked up at the airman, "angry, you say?"

"Yes sir, very," he handed him the message.

Jack opened the note and smiled.

"Sir?" Sam asked.

"We've been had Major," Jack replied screwing the note up and throwing it to the floor, "they're not heading west, they're at my damn cabin."

"Jonas and Cassie, sir?"

"No Major, Santa Claus and the tooth fairy," he turned to the airman, "I'm guessing this didn't come in on a secure line?"

"No sir, it did not."

"Hell, Major round up Teal'c, Daniel and Doc Fraiser meet me in the parking lot in five."

"Yes sir."

============

Jonas handed Cassie the phone and smiled down at her. She took it holding it as if it was a brick, turning into his embrace. He held her tight, fearing the future for the first time. She reached up to his face and kissed him delicately on his lips. He responded with an explosion of passion taking her lips greedily with his, fuelling the fire in her soul. She pushed herself against him, pulling at the material of his t-shirt with eager hands and a ravenous body.

==========

Jack pulled in at the gas station and leapt out of the truck, tackling the pump with urgency.

A dark rooted blonde, robust in build, came towards him trying to move her uncontrollable mass like a husky blues tune. Her breasts strained against the tight knit of the lilac sweater that clung desperately to her like a dying man and her body balanced itself, precariously, on tiny, kitten heels, "Jacky, Jacky O'Neill, oh my God," she cried, excitedly, flapping her hands in his direction.

"Jacky," Daniel pointed, "think that lady's trying to grab your attention there. Ex girlfriend?"

O'Neill looked up at him and glared as he heard the slap of overlarge feet against small, backless, shoes knowing he there was no escape.

"Mallory," he grunted, trying to ignore her presence and perfume that was stretching his nose hairs.

She looked into the truck and gave everyone a big wave of false nails, her eyes resting on Teal'c, "hi there," she said poking her excited puppy bosoms through the open passenger window; the Jaffa backed away.

"Mallory, I'm in a hurry today," Jack said exhaustively, getting her attention.

She turned back to O'Neill, "I've just come to say a big thank you," she said suffocating him in her body and planting a deep red kiss on his cheek.

Jack wiped the juice of it away with his free hand and looked towards a surprised Teal'c, "thank you, thank you for what?"

"For that sweet young boy you have staying up at your cabin," she replied, smoothing her hair.

"Jonas?" He asked cautiously.

"Huh huh," she said smiling through the wrinkles, "he's damn well given a girl hope," she stated picking at the fluff on his jacket while fluttering her velveteen lashes towards Teal'c.

"In what way?" Daniel queried, poking his head out the window and raising his eyebrows Teal'c style.

"Because of the lady he's courting, you know, her being so much older than him," she cooed, patting Daniel's cheek, "now you're a sweet thing, you attached, honey?"

"Um, yes to my work," he said adamantly withdrawing to the safety of the truck interior.

She sighed, "just like Jacky," she conceded, flicking her head at the Colonel.

"Excuse me", Janet said, climbing out of the back seat and delving in her purse, "is this who you've seen Jonas with?" She asked handing Mallory Cassie's picture.

A plump hand, with fiery talons greedily took the photo from Janet. She held it close to her face, screwing the glitter of her eye shadow into a ball, "well it has the look of her, honey, but she's put on a few creases and folds since this picture was taken," she handed it back to Janet smiling. "You a relation?"

"Um sort of. How old would you say this woman is," Janet enquired, a slight tremor of emotion invading her voice.

"Well at a pinch I'd say early fifties, maybe? Why? Oh, no don't tell me," she cried getting all excited and flapping again, "she's seduced him and run off with him, hasn't she. Oh my God, wait 'till the ladies at the sewing circle hear this. I bet he's some young cadet and she's the commander's wife or something."

"Nice speaking with you Mallory, Doc," Jack cut in, rolling a receipt into his wallet and motioning for Janet to get back in, "we've gotta go," he said slamming the truck door and driving off before the woman could take another material straining breath.

"Janet?" Sam looked into her friends face as she helped her with her seatbelt.

Doctor Fraiser rubbed her hand across her brow, "oh God Sam, something's wrong with Cassie."

========

Cassie looked to the horizon that was struggling against that storm that was fusing the clouds with rain. The cell was weighty in her hand and she gripped it like a lifeline. She allowed herself one more glance, back, at the cabin before she continued to walk.

Jonas watched her from the window, her figure tiny and remote as she moved steadily away from him. He wiped his hands on the towel he was holding and continued to prepare the salad for lunch.

Cassandra sat down on a felled trunk and dialled Janet's number, words mixing in her head with emotion, "mom," she said softly.

Janet listen to her daughter's voice, realising it had lost its shrill of youth and had mellowed, "I'm here Cassie," she said reassuringly.

"Is, is the Colonel mad at us?"

"No Cass, honey, he's not mad," she glanced at O'Neill, "just worried about you, we all are."

"I'm sorry," she whispered her voice breaking.

"It's all right we're coming to get you, you're at the Cabin?"

"Yeah, Jonas said you'd figure it out, sooner or later." There was a slight pause, "mom, there's something I have to tell you, Nirrti, she."

"We'll talk about it later honey, look is Jonas there?"

"He's back at the cabin, I rang you from outside, it's a better reception."

"Cass, the NID are looking for you too, they may know where you are, I want you to head back and let Jonas know, okay?"

Cassandra turned to look towards dwelling and saw a car draw up outside, her heart grabbed at her throat in alarm, "their here," she exclaimed, dropping the phone to the ground.

==========

Thanks for reading xxxx

Take care and be kind to one another

:o)