Chapter 3 - Showdown

Jack and Sam walked over to the registration table where Sam got a name plate, from her old, most hated, art teacher Mrs. Newkirk who used the opportunity to gibe her as she had done at school: (AN: Something nasty to start with, hehe.)

"Good evening, Samantha. Is that your husband you're having with you?"

"No", Sam replied in a polite but cold way, "he isn't."

"Something else would've astounded me. No man would marry a woman with such a lack of creativity."

"Course", Sam turned away grabbing Jack's hand again.

As they were some feet away from her she whispered to him: "Old witch. Do you have some C4 I could put into her butt?"

"Unfortunately not", Jack whispered back with a deceitful grin.

They walked on toward the corner where some sitting tables and sofas where put up and as soon they got there Sam was surrounded by a flock of her former classmates.

"Hi, Sam", they all greeted her in a choir.

"Tracy, Jenna, Chris, Marion. Hi, nice to meet you again. How are you doing?"

"Fine and you?"

"Is this your boyfriend?" Jenna inquired.

"I'm fine, too. And well ..."

"I am", Jack answered the question for her.

Sam looked at him with great surprise.

"For tonight", he whispered to her.

"Come and sit with us", her friends invited them and they set down around one of the tables.

"Jason said that he and Andrew will arrive a bit later", Marion informed Sam.

"Did you know that Andrew has made his master degree in Advanced Physics in Yale and is now teaching in Berkeley?", Tracy asked. (AN: Just that Sam has someone to talk to.)

That moment the whole gym appeared to be filled by a gloomy silence as five dressed up, heavily painted women, all in short-skirted business suits entered the scene.

"Ugh", Jack exclaimed what's that, "What's that? The association of perfumery saleswomen?"

"Oh no", Sam responded, "it's Tara and her cheerleader friends."

"They've founded a product consulting company in Cheyenne together", Chris told them.

"As long as they'd just stay in Wyoming..." , Jack muttered.

They found Sam and the others sitting in the corner and came over.

"Oh-oh", Tracy whispered.

"Trouble incoming from one o'clock", Sam added.

The five ex-cheerleaders built up before them.

"Hello losers, hopelessly isolated again?" Tara stated with a sardonic smirk, "I guess you haven't changed in 15 years, you're still no-accounts."

"Oh, shut up, Tara", Sam exclaimed angrily.

"So I, the most successful in my businesswoman in the whole of Wyoming shall shut up? Just wanted to know what are you doing in your hopeless life, Carter ?"

"Air Force", Sam replied shortly, "Major in the deep space telemetry."

"Just the right job for a grinding formula collector like you."

Sam fought hard to fight her anger, but she was far too sour to hold it now. She took a cream muffin from the plate on the table and threw it right into Tara's face. Some of it dripped onto her black suits before the rest found its way to the floor. Tara took a silk handkerchief from her handbag and wiped the muffin's remaints from her face and clothing, her make-up looked kind of blurry now and she was fuming with wrath.

"You..." she sprang at Sam who was fast enough to jump up and grab her opponent on both arms. Tara tried to wrestle herself free again but she couldn't.

"Whoa, ladies", Jack exclaimed.

Sam had enough of Tara's tearing and pushing, with a quick throw and a kick she made her fall onto her bum in front of her. Then she took the shoes from her feet and threw them into a far corner.

"Catch", she said with a bright grin.

Tara crawled back onto her feet moving away from Sam even angrier than before. "You'll pay for that, baby", she brought out between her clenched teeth. As she went to pick up her shoes everybody around who had watched the incident pointed at her whispered and giggled. For the moment Tara had enough, put on her shoes again and left for the bathroom followed by her friends.

A moment later the music set in and the dancing started. Jack got up and offered Sam his arm.

"Dance, Xena?" he inquired with a playful grin.

"Of course, Sir", Sam confirmed with a smile.

Okay, more romance and action next chapter. I think I can post it on Thursday or Friday, after the Latin probe... Thanks for the positive reviews so far. I'm glad you liked it so far.