A couple days later.
Teal'c had taken the downtime that was given to SG1 to visit with his son back offworld.
Daniel had actually gone off to Ireland for the holidays.
Janet….. Janet, well Sam just couldn't ask. She did not want her friend to know how upset she was by Cassie canceling their plans.
That left the Colonel.
Sam laughed silently wondering what Jonas would think if she just dialed up Kelonwa to ask him to accompany her. Would he be wide eyed and smiling through his entire first Earth ballet? Not that the General would grant her permission to use the gate just for a date anyway. Not that it was really a date, she reminded herself.
No, if there was anyone left to ask it was the Colonel. Besides, he did say that if she ever needed anything... Well, maybe not in so many words, but that's what he meant.
So why did she feel so childish sitting outside his house in her car?
It was now or never. Swallow her pride and go ask, or drive away now and waste two box tickets for the ballet…. or even worse, go alone.
With that thought she exited her car and briskly walked across the street.
*******
Over the sound of his TV Jack almost didn't hear the knocking at his door.
He couldn't imagine who would be visiting at this late hour, especially with the guys being out of town.
"Major," he exclaimed with surprise when he opened the door.
After a while of watching him smile and contemplate her presence she spoke up, "Sir, are you going to let me in?"
"Oh, yeah, sure. Sorry Carter," he said as he moved aside to let her in.
"Sorry I interrupted your game Sir."
Game? He had almost forgotten about it already.
"Don't worry about it. My team was loosing anyway."
With that he grabbed the remote and muted the sound.
"So, what brings you around here this time of night?" He paused for a moment. "No global emergency I hope?"
"No, no emergency Sir. The gate was still intact when I left this evening."
"This evening? Carter, define downtime… and stop with all the Sirs… please," he said with a look of exasperation.
"Okay."
Sam then walked over and perched herself on the edge of the couch cushion. Jack joined her on the couch.
"So?"
"So."
"What's up Carter?"
"Not much. Nothing really. Just stopping by to see a friend."
"I see. Well friend, would you like a drink?"
"No, thanks. I'm fine."
"You seem to be saying that a lot lately."
"I guess I do." With a hesitant air she went on, "Look, Jack?"
He nodded and smirked.
"Ok, Jack.. I have a favor to ask."
"Name it."
Well this was starting out easier than she thought.
"Do you think… would you mind accompanying me to see the Nutcracker Sweet next week?" Sam blurted out before she lost her courage.
Jack couldn't help but wonder if he had actually heard her correctly.
With a look of shock and amusement he replied, "You want me to go to the ballet with you?"
"Uh, yeah. Well, I thought I'd ask anyway. You see I already had the tickets and…." Sam paused at the strange look she was getting from him. "What?"
"What what?"
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I just never figured you to be the ballet type. Sorry, go on."
Sam chose to ignore the previous comment and go on.
"Cassie and I have kind of made a tradition of going to see it every year since she came to Earth. And this year she made other plans."
"So you're asking me out cause Cassie dumped you?"
"I guess so yeah."
"Why'd she dump you?"
"She's got a date."
"Teenagers huh."
"I guess that's something I never got around to putting my mom through."
Sam was shocked when she realized she actually said that out loud.
Jack just looked confused, then a hint of sadness registered on his face.
Figuring she might as well tell him the whole story now Sam continued.
"My mom used to take me every year to see the Nutcracker Sweet when I was a kid. Just me and her. It was our tradition. After she died it stopped. My dad never had time, and it just didn't seem right going without her anyway. After Cassie and I bonded I thought it might be a nice tradition to start up with her. You know, in my honorary aunt status."
"That's really nice Sam. I'm sorry… about Cassie I mean. I'd be honored to be your date."
Sam just about choked when he said "date" and smothered it with a light laugh.
"On one condition though," Jack added.
"What's your condition?"
"That you let me take you to dinner first. I don't wanna have to watch all those sugar plum fairies dancing around on stage with an empty stomach. And you don't wanna have to listen to it growl through the ballet." he said lightly.
"Fairy."
"What?"
"Fairy. There's only one Sugar Plum Fairy."
"Oh. Okay. Hey, don't change the subject here. I'm trying to make this about food. I know what they do to you in that story. It's all candy and cookies dancing all over the place."
"What on Earth are you talking about Jack?"
Now it was his turn to share a memory.
"One of the Christmas plays they did when Charlie was in school…."
Jack glanced up hesitantly. Sam was listening intently.
"It was the Nutcracker. They had all these little kids dressed as candy and cookies and stuff dancing around the stage and they had actually put lyrics to the music. It was awful. I was so proud of him though."
A genuine smile met his eyes with a twinkle as he spoke of his son for the first time in who knows how long.
"I'm sure you were."
"Yeah. It really was awful though."
"It sounds like it," Sam said with the beginning of a giggle.
At that point they both broke out in laughter.