Title: Me, Myself, and I
Author: Josephine
Email: Lovellama@aol.com
Rating: PG-13
Category: Action/Romance
Codes: SG-1, T/OC, B, R, SGC, other Jaffa
Summary: Joanna settles in to SGC, meets someone from her past and Teal'c's.

A/N: Rose is a creation of Cincoflex's, she's being gracious and letting me borrow her.

~~~~~

With a flick of his wrist, Jack sent the fishing line sailing out over the still waters of the lake.  By his side, Joanna did the same, hers landing a little bit closer to shore.  As one they reached down and took a pull off their beers.

"You gotta stop doin' that," Jack groused, giving her an slightly annoyed glare.

She smothered a laugh.  "Moooooom, Joanna's copying me!!"

"Goober."

Silence descended once more, cut only by the high-pitched whine of mosquitoes and the ticking of the spools as one or the other pulled their line in.

"You doin' alright?"  Casually throwing the question out, Jack pretended to be more interested in fixing a new lure than her answer.

Shrugging, Joanna kept her eyes on the lake's far shore.  "It was weird at first, seeing everyone well, the SGC in one piece.  At least they were able to keep me in the Air Force."  Under the thin cotton of her shirt she absentmindedly felt the reassuring heft of her dogtags. 

"Yeah, Hammond and Davis did a pretty good job of creating a backstory for you.  And sticking it under Classified Eyes Only makes sure no ones going to dig too deep into it."

"True.  And this way I'll get my own team."  Slowly she cast out again, watching the ripples move across the deep green water.  "I was actually thinking of retiring there for a minute, staying on as a 'consultant', outside Air Force regs."

Jack shot her a sideways glance, grunting in acknowledgement.  "It would have made it easier," he answered, thinking of his own situation.

Sighing, she took another drink.  "But it worked out, and I get the best of both worlds.  I've been Air Force so long I'm not sure what I would have done."  Joanna drained the bottle.  "Maybe me and Daniel would have started a club.  Get us some uniforms."

"Don't forget Teal'c."

"Ah yes," she said softly, a secretive smile crossing her face.  "Mustn't forget Teal'c."

Jack grunted again, and the two of them fished a while longer.

"Dad's coming to visit tomorrow."

Joanna tensed slightly, the only indication that she had heard what he said.  Reeling her line in, she stared at the bobber as it cut a wake through the water. 

"He's still alive?"

"Yep.  High blood pressure, hip replacement, but still goin' strong."  He glanced over at her.  "Your's?"

"Dead.  Along with seven-eighths of Chicago.  Breast cancer still get Mom?"

Jack nodded.  "'96."

"I should have Janet do a mammogram," sighed Joanna, reaching for her beer again.  "Getting up there in age."

"Tell me about it," Jack grumbled.  "She's been harping about my prostate for months."

Joanna snorted, trying not to choke on her beer as she laughed.  "The joys of getting old.  Gray hair, bifocals, and knee surgery."

"Hey, Rose likes my silver hair …"

"Rose?"  Joanna looked at Jack.  "You wouldn't happen to have a girlfriend, would you, Colonel O'Neill-with-two-ells?" she asked slyly.  

"Quit harpin' on the name, Ms. O'Neil.  It helps keep us separate."

"Like me being a woman isn't enough.  And quit trying to change the subject.  Who's Rose?"

"Aw, fer cryn' out loud …"  Jack messed with his reel, avoiding Joanna's pointed stare. 

"Jonathan Michael …"  Joanna sounded so much like their mom Jack looked up in surprise to see her grinning at him.  "Now spill."

"Briar Rose Althea Thais Clowderbock MacGyver.  The fifth member of SG-1.  Our threat assessor.  We've been… dating.  But we're keeping it quiet," he quickly added.

"A threat assessor?  I want a threat assessor.  Why didn't I get a threat assessor?  That dammed Loki."  Joanna pouted slightly before finishing her beer.  "No kids, no husband-- not even a boyfriend-- no nice Teal'c, and now no cute threat assessor."  She turned to gaze myopically at Jack.  "She is cute, isn't she?"

Jack looked from her to the empty beer bottle.  "You're drunk."

"Am not," she emphatically replied.  "I only had two."

"Which is two more than you've ever had."

"Come on, what about that time we drank that pissant Army captain under the table during that …that …when did we do that?"  Joanna peered up at Jack as he stood before her.

"That was all in your head."  Helping her to her feet, Jack steadied her as she swayed, the dock creaking under them.

"Was not …ohhhhhhhh, it was, wasn't it?  Dammed Loki.  Gonna kick his flat little white ass the next time I see him."  Joanna continued to deride her maker as they slowly made their uneven way to the cabin and her room.

"You sleep it off.  I'll get you up before dinner."

"What're we having?"  Sitting on her bed, Joanna made a valiant attempt to untie her boots, finally accepting Jack's help.

"'brats."

"Ho'kay.  No beer ones though."  Within minutes she was out.

~~~~~

Any hope Jack had that Joanna would just drop the subject of Rose was shot to hell later that night as they sat in front of an applewood fire, listening to Verdi's Il Trovatore.  Manrico and the Count had just begun to duel when Joanna asked "So tell me about Rose."

Jack shrugged, looking out the window at the stars.  "What's there to tell?  She's our threat assessor.  Widowed, red hair, great cook …"

"Fine.  I'll meet her when we get back.  Where is she, anyway?"

"Her brother was recovering from surgery about the same time the Gate was about to go down for maintenance.  Burst appendix.  She left the day before you showed up."

"You miss her."  It was more a statement than a question. 

"Yeah.  I got used to needing her around real fast.  You missing Teal'c yet?"

It was Joanna's turn to shrug.  "I think so.  I keep wondering what's me and what's something Loki would have programmed me to be.  That's why I asked about Rose.  If she was like Teal'c, then maybe it's me."

"Rose looks nothing like Teal'c, if that's what you wanted to know."

Joanna rolled her eyes.  "Come on, Jack, help me out here."

"Okay, okay …what do I like about Rose …she's got an incredible rack, big and full, and her mouth—kinda beestung, but not too much, love kissing her, could do it for hours— " 

"Jesus, Jack!"  Joanna whacked him with a throw pillow.  "That's NOT what I meant!"

"Watch the beer!"  Moving the bottle out of reach he glared at her.  "Honestly?  They're similar enough where it counts.  I don't think you have to worry about Loki programming you to have the hots for Teal'c."  Jack took a drink as Joanna rolled her eyes again.

"So."  He waggled his eyebrows.  "How far'd you get with him?"