Sam had put the turkey noodle soup into a large microwavable bowl and stored it in the fridge the night before, and Ian had no trouble finding it when he – accompanied by Jaffer – went to the kitchen to dig it out.

"You guys want any of this?" He called, dropping a chunk of turkey on purpose for his black shadow to gobble up – which he did, happily.

"No," Sam said. "We already ate."

"Breakfast and lunch," Jack added.

"More for me..."

Ian took the entire bowl out of the fridge and put it in the microwave, and then while that was cooking, he cut himself a huge slice of pie and topped it liberally with whipped cream. Then he carried that out to the dining room table, and went into the living room to pick up the book he'd been planning on reading the night before.

"A little light reading?" Jack asked, sarcastically. It wasn't a little book by any means.

"I noticed it had pictures," Ian said, smiling, "But there are a lot of big words, so you might have Sam read it to you when I'm finished with it."

"Smart ass."

Sam laughed; glad to see Ian was back to his usual self – and knowing that teasing Jack had a lot to do with that. The microwave went off, and Ian headed back for the kitchen, followed by Jaffer who was hoping for another treat. The cadet handed him a small handful of treats from the drawer, and then brought the big bowl of soup to the table. He opened the book; careful to make sure he wouldn't slop any soup on it, and started reading while he ate.

OOOOOO

The phone rang about half an hour later, while Ian was just starting on his pie and the third chapter of the book.

"Ian?"

He looked up to see Sam bringing the phone over.

"It's Shawn."

"Thanks, Sam."

He took the phone from her, and she took his fork and stole a bite of his pie, then headed back to the living room.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Ian, what are you doing?"

"Solving the world hunger problem. You?"

"We're going to go to a movie, and River thought we should bring you along as a sympathy ploy so he could pick up some girls by bringing his retarded brother out into public. Interested?"

Ian grinned, and got to his feet.

"Hold on."

He went into the living room.

"They're going to a movie and want me to come explain it to them. Are you going to need me for anything?"

Sam shook her head.

"Why don't you call Cassie and see if she wants to go?" Jack asked, looking up.

"What time are you going?" Ian asked Shawn, looking at his watch.

"Three-thirty."

"Let me see if Cassandra Fraiser wants to come, and I'll call you back."

"She'll want to come," Sam assured him, smiling.

"Sam says she'll come. I'll try and mooch a car off –"

"You can take my truck," Jack said.

"I'll call her, then go pick her up and we'll meet over at your house in a bit," Ian told Shawn.

"You don't have my address."

"I'm sure Jack has it."

"Has what?"

"Shawn's address."

"Duh."

"I'll be there in a bit," Ian said.

"We'll be here."

Ian hung up.

"You're not going to need your truck?"

"I don't plan on moving off the couch until bedtime..."

Sam told Ian Janet's phone number and the cadet called Cassandra, and frowned when a male voice answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Is Cassandra there?"

"Who's this?"

Ian's frown turned into a scowl.

"Who's this?"

"I asked you first." The voice was cheerful enough, which was the only thing that kept whoever it was from getting a fairly scathing answer. Instead, Ian decided he'd end the dumb game there.

"Ian."

"Ian?" The voice repeated. "I'll see-"

He was cut off almost immediately, and Ian thought he heard scuffling on the other end of the line. A moment later, Cassie's voice came on.

"Ian?"

"Yeah."

"Hi." She sounded a little breathless.

"Hey. I'm going to the movies with Shawn and River, and was wondering if you wanted to come?"

"When?"

"Three-thirty."

"Let me ask."

There was a pause of maybe thirty seconds, and she was back on the line.

"I can come. Mom wants to know if you need her to drop me off?"

"I'll come get you."

"I'll be ready."

He nodded – even though she couldn't see that – and hung up.

"Want me to finish that pie for you?" Sam asked, grinning. "You probably don't have time to eat it."

He smiled.

"I'll make time."

He went into the kitchen and cut her a piece of pie – quite a bit smaller than his own, although with just as much whipped cream – and brought it out to her, handing it over with a flourish.

Sam smiled; such a thoughtful young man.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"You know how to get to Janet's?" Jack asked.

"I went there with Sam the other day."

"Wednesday," Jack said. "Can you remember how to get there?"

"I never forget anything."

"Never?"

Ian shook his head.

"Really?"

"Yup."

"Nothing?"

"Nope."

"All right, hot shot. Prove it." Jack couldn't help but test a claim like that, after all. "How do you get to Janet's from here?"

"I go down the street, take a right at the second stop sign. I go left at the stoplight – which is Cherry ave – and then go down that road until I see Grant road. I take a right, go three blocks to Elm, take a left and go until I come to Fairview. There's a four way stop there, by the way. I go right. Down four blocks and left on 3rd avenue. Janet's house is the blue one on the right."

Sam smiled, and Jack looked over at her, and then up at Ian, who smirked – he was right and he knew it.

"Lucky guess."

"Yup."

"Go finish your pie and get out of here."

"Yes, Sir."