Author's Note: Sorry this one took so long to get out. Lots of distractions today!

OOOOOO

"Dinner won't be for a while," Sam told Ian. "River says it won't take long once he gets started, but that won't be until they get back from the store, at least. Would you like something to snack on until then?"

"You're letting him cook?"

She smiled.

"Just because you can't cook, it doesn't mean he can't."

"Have you eaten anything he's ever cooked?"

"Have you?"

He shook his head.

"I didn't know he could cook. What are we having?"

"Chicken."

"KFC?"

Jack snorted, and Sam wasn't sure who to whack first.

"Chicken Chasseur, smart guy." She told him. "You know what that is?"

"Something about a hunter…"

She smiled.

"Hunter's chicken. You speak French?"

He shrugged.

"A little. I read one of those teach yourself books… Not enough to hold a real conversation or anything." He looked down at himself, and decided that more than something to eat, what he really needed was to get cleaned – and warmed up. "I think I'll take a shower."

Since he looked scruffy – especially for him – Sam couldn't agree more, although she didn't say anything. Instead she just nodded.

"I'll get you a towel."

"You stay put," he told her, standing up. "I know where they are."

Jack nodded his approval to that; glad he wasn't the only one who thought Sam shouldn't be jumping up and taking care of everyone's needs. Especially when they could do it themselves. He pointed out the bag that River had loaded with their clothes back at the academy, and took the spot next to Sam that Ian had just vacated.

The two of them watched as he disappeared into the bathroom, and then Jack wrapped an arm around Sam, cuddling close.

"Think he's going to go for it?"

She hesitated, but then nodded.

"It makes sense, and he'll see that, once he's had a chance to think it over."

"And if he doesn't, you'll talk him into it, right?"

She smiled, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"If I need to, I will."

OOOOOOOOO

"So think this through…" Ian muttered to himself as he stepped under the spray of hot water. For a minute, though, he couldn't think about anything. The water was perfect and for the first little while, all he could do was soak up the warmth that was loosening muscles that had been tense for far too long. He sighed in pleasure and lifted his face into the spray. Now he could focus a little more on what was in front of him.

They obviously wanted him to be on SG-1. Even Sam – who was the one he was going to be replacing. It wouldn't be permanent, of course, but it would be for a few months at least – and he actually liked the thought of being able to go offworld. Not to mention, he liked the thought that he could be near the Stargate, and the technology that was going to be looking more and more familiar to him as the weeks and months passed. Even better, he'd have his own place to stay – which meant a secure place to hide Dotty's suitcase of Ancient devices. That right there was almost enough to decide him, because sure as shit, if it was left at the academy, eventually someone was going to look in it and get hurt picking something up they should just keep their hands off of.

Add in the thought of having access to Sam's convertible – and Ian was young enough and cocky enough to like the thought of driving a car like that to work every day that it made a difference – and he was really giving their offer serious consideration, when normally he wouldn't.

There were a few cons, of course, and as Ian reached for the soap and started lathering himself, he gave them as much consideration as he had given the pros.

The first – and biggest – was that he wouldn't be able to be right there to watch Shawn. That was a serious negative, because as time passed, he was learning more and more just how important Shawn really was – and not to Earth. Of course, he was also going to be in position to know when and if anyone actually came through the gate looking to cause trouble – and would know through the resources at NORAD if anyone came planet side. Of course, the biggest threat to Shawn was the Ashrak, Ian knew, and Alexander had told Ian of Jack's own ability to know when there were Ashrak on Earth – through headaches – and Ian would be close to Jack and would be able to know immediately of that was an issue. And that was almost as good as sitting back at the academy waiting for the Ashrak to come after them there…

There were other things to consider, of course. His parents would wonder what Ian was doing – and he really didn't think Nathan would buy the whole internship thing. He might, though. If he said he was doing the internship under Sam – working with her in the lab. It wasn't like Nathan could just pop and see what he was doing, after all. General or not, Cheyenne Mountain was secure, and if Nathan came for a visit, he'd have to get an escort onto the base. Which would give Ian time to join up with Sam in the lab. Or, if he was offworld, they could tell Nathan that Ian was out of town for the afternoon on some kind of fact finding mission – which probably wouldn't be all that much of a lie.

All in all, though… Ian was pretty much ready to agree to the idea by the time he came out of the shower, freshly shaved and cleaned up, and feeling a fair bit better for having had a chance to think things through without any distractions. He dried off and dressed – just jeans and a t-shirt – and left the bathroom with very few reservations about what they were asking him to do. And those were really things that he'd need to talk through with River. And of course, he'd still have to meet with the Commandant.