Ian let Jaffer into the back seat of the car and looked over the top of the convertible at Cassandra.

"Think you'd be too cold if I put the top down?"

She smiled; pleased that he was even talking to her – he wasn't much of a conversationalist, she'd noticed – except with Jack, maybe.

"No. I'll be fine."

Besides, he could always put his arm around her and keep her warm, right? Well, no, he probably wouldn't, but it was nice to think about.

Ian nodded, and got behind the wheel, looking around for the button that put the top down on the convertible. What was the point of having a convertible – well, in his case driving a convertible – if you had the top up? Cassie got in beside him, buckling her seatbelt while the top lowered. It was a cloudy day – there was snow in the forecast, after all – but if they turned the leg heaters on and they stayed off the freeway it shouldn't be too bad.

When it clicked in place, Ian looked over to make sure she hadn't changed her mind, then pulled out of the driveway.

OOOOOOO

"I like him, you know?" Sam told Jack as she cleared the crumbs out of the brownie pan Ian had cleaned out for her.

Jack came up behind her and put his arms around her, holding her lightly and resting his head on her shoulder so he could watch what she was doing and be close to her at the same time.

"I do, too." He said.

"He's not nearly as hot-headed as people think he is..."

Jack snorted, tickling her ear.

"Yeah, he is."

She turned in his arms, surprised.

"Really? He's that bad?"

"You don't see it?" Jack asked.

She shook her head.

"I saw him on Thor's ship and I know he was upset-"

"That wasn't anything," Jack told her, interrupting. "You should have seen him in the basement of Kinsey's house." He smiled at the recollection – although it hadn't been funny or amusing at the time – and shook his head. "He had them all certain he was going to shoot them – he had me certain, for that matter. All because they'd messed with his friends."

"Would he have?"

Jack shrugged.

"I don't know. All I know is that he has the proper attitude when it comes to those he cares about – and once that temper gets channeled properly, he's going to be just as good as his dad was."

Sam smiled, "Is that why you're so sociable with him? Because of his dad?" Jack was good with young people – but usually wasn't nearly so open with those that were Ian's age. Those he tended to intimidate, which was a good way to get them to listen and learn what he had to teach – those few times he was instructing people that age. With Ian, it was a lot different, Sam had noticed. Jack was treating him the same way he'd have treated Shawn.

"I like him." Jack said. "Even if I didn't know who his dad was, I'd still like him."

"You must," she teased. "You just sent him off with Jaffer and Cassie without so much as a lecture about driving safe."

"I'm not worried. He's not reckless, and Jaffer will keep the two out of trouble."

"Oh, yeah, that's the blind leading the blind..." Sam rolled her eyes. "I might as well have sent you with them."

The look Jack gave her was an injured one, but his arms tightened around her, pulling her close. "Or maybe I just wanted to stay home alone with you... away from a young audience..."

He bent to kiss her, and the doorbell rang.

"Bah."

OOOOOOOOO

"Are you warm enough?"

Ian looked over at Cassie for a moment, before looking back at the traffic. There was quite a bit – people doing last minute shopping, or traveling, he supposed.

She nodded.

"I'm fine."

"Let me know if you get cold."

"Where'd you get that bruise on your chin?"

"I can't tell you."

She smiled, thinking he was teasing her.

"Is it classified?"

He shrugged.

"It's nothing like that." Of course, he'd been on the bridge of an alien spaceship when Jaffer had tackled him and made him hit his chin on the floor – which he obviously couldn't tell her. "I just fell down, pretty much."

She didn't press, but she wanted to. This was the longest conversation she'd had with him, after all, and she didn't want him to stop talking now that she was getting him to open up – a little.

"Turn right at the light," she told him, pointing.

He did as he was told, and was cut off by a blue Bronco that pulled out in front of him. Slamming on the brakes, he shot his right hand to the side, steadying Cassie with his hand while at the same time using his arm to make sure Jaffer didn't go through the space between the bucket seats and end up in the front of the car. As soon as he was sure they were both fine, he lowered his hand and flipped off the Bronco, much to Cassie's amusement.

Of course, the fact that he'd just had his hand on her breasts didn't go unnoticed by her, either. Okay, it wasn't her breasts – it was up by her collarbone – and it wasn't as though there wasn't a sweatshirt and a heavy coat between his hand and any of her skin, but it was the thought that counted, right? She smiled.

"You okay?"

"Fine."

"Bastards."

She nodded her agreement, and pointed at the Dairy Queen sign, which was just ahead and to their left. Ian took his dark eyes off the Bronco – which was turning right – and nodded to let her know he saw it.

"Drive through?" Cassie asked.

"No. They'll fuck our order up – don't you go to the movies?" He gave her a smile – the first real one he'd aimed specifically at her, and Cassie felt far too warm to be wearing a coat. "We'll go inside, okay?"

As much as he enjoyed driving Sam's car, he wasn't going to let them screw his order up so he'd have to come back. He pulled into the parking lot, and they got out, leaving Jaffer to guard the car since he didn't want to put the top up. Besides, who'd mess with the car with that big dog watching it?

As they walked inside – Ian holding the door for Cassie, who blushed – neither of them noticed the blue Bronco pulling into the parking lot as well.