DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah. Right. And you're paying how much for your shrink?
SUMMARY: Daniel's new girlfriend seems to be displaying a great deal of power. She had a nightmare that scared not only her but also Sam. And we all know that Sam doesn't scare easily. Now, Pete's stalking Sam and watching the base to try to catch her coming out.
SPOILERS: Up through 'Affinity'. Anything else that happens beyond that may or may not be referenced here.
A/N: Thank you, Furlings, Lady Reaper, and Black Leather. I love the fact that you guys reviewed so quickly.
Pete sat in his living room. How to lure Sam off the base without everyone following her? How to -----?
He had it. Chili cook-off. Cassie hadn't missed one since he had known her. Why would she change her pattern now? There was a cook-off in town this weekend and he knew that she would be there. That's when he would grab her.
Sam would do anything to protect her precious Cassie. That little alien bitch! She always meant more to Sam than I did. She was always leaving me to spend time with that little bitch.
Pete hated Cassie. He hated the fact that Sam had taken the little whelp in after Janet had died. She hadn't even asked him if he minded.
Now, just to make the arrangements for where he would take the girl after he grabbed her.
"But, Sam, I haven't missed a chili cook-off in years. You know how much I love the cook-offs. And Carroll Shelby himself is going to be there for this one." Cassie was begging. She really wanted to go but Sam was leery. She wasn't sure that she should allow for it. There was no evidence that Cassie was in danger. But still, she had a bad feeling.
"Cassie, you know why I'm so reluctant to let you go."
"A dream. A dream that made no mention of me at all. But if it makes you feel better. I can take Daniel with me. And maybe Shey and Talorn would like to get a taste of Earth culture."
"Will you promise me that you'll stay with them?" Sam was still really scared. She wasn't sure that she should let this happen but if Cassie would make her this promise---.
"I promise. I swear. Anything. Just let me go. Please." Cassie had that look on her face. The one that Sam could never resist.
"Okay. Just remember, you promised to stay with the others. No running off without them."
"I promise. Thank you, Sam. Thank you. Thank you." She kissed Sam on the cheek. "I'll go tell Daniel, Shey and Talorn."
"Just take it easy with Shey. She's still not --" Too late. Cassie was gone. Out the door and down the hall before Sam could finish her thought. Sam chuckled to herself. "To have half that energy."
The laugh from the doorway drew her attention. "I remember thinking the same thing myself once upon a time." Jacob was standing in the doorway smiling at his daughter.
"She's always going full speed ahead. When she takes off like that, I get the urge to say 'Damn the torpedoes!' Was I really that bad?"
"All kids are at one point or another. She's just excited. It's not everyday that Carroll Shelby shows up at a chili cook-off in Colorado Springs." Jacob walked into the room. "I just wanted to make sure that you're still okay. I mean with everything that's going on around here. George is coming in next week in order to oversee the whole switch to Jack being a civilian. He also said he wants to meet Shey."
"I hope I'm doing the right thing, Dad. I just still don't know what Shey's dream was and it still worries me." Jacob wrapped his arms around his daughter and held her close.
"I know, honey. I know. But you can't let your fears make you lock up your life. If you do that, then whoever or whatever is causing you to be afraid wins. Remember the old saying, 'Courage is not the absence of fear--' "
"It's doing what needs to be done, in spite of fear. It's just not always that easy, Dad."
"It never is. It never is, baby."
"Daniel! Daniel!" Cassie ran into the campsite just bouncing. "Sam said I could go to the cook-off if you, Shey and Talorn come with me."
"What is a cook-off?" asked Shey.
"It's where a whole bunch of people make the same thing with their own recipe and a small group of people judge to see who made it the best. There's always lots of tasting for anyone that goes and wants to taste."
"Is this a tradition on Earth?"
"Actually yes. It happens all the time. The one that's taking place this weekend is a chili cook-off and Carroll Shelby will be there." Cassie was fairly bubbling with excitement.
"Who's Carroll Shelby?"
"A famous car designer who now goes around sponsoring and judging chili cook-offs. He's amazing."
"Daniel, may we go with Cassandra? It sounds interesting. And we need to know a little bit about your culture if this is where we are going to live for the rest of our lives."
"When you put it that way, Shey, I can't refuse. Talorn, will you be coming along as well?"
"I believe so, Daniel. I think you may need some assistance watching over both young ladies," he said smiling.
"Talorn, stop picking on me."
"I only tease because I love you, sister. After all, we are the only family each has left."
Sadness crossed Shey's face. "I know. But we will be surrounded by people that care about us here."
Talorn smiled sadly at his sister. "Of course. We have all of our new friends here at the SGC as well as people like Cassandra."
"Cassandra, we will be glad to accompany you to this cook-off," Shey said.
Cassie started bouncing. "I get to go. I get to go." Daniel and Shey laughed. She sounded much like a small child who just got her way.
Pete was waiting for his chance at the cook-off. He was following Cassie and Shey as they walked along sampling the different chilis. Talorn and Daniel weren't far from them. He had to bide his time. He could snatch both girls and make sure that no one followed him. Then, he would call Sam and tell her that if she wanted to see them alive again, she would come to him alone.
That's when he would make her see that he was the only one for her. That she had to be with him. She had accepted his ring which made her all his.
There. The girls had continued to walk when the men stopped to check out a chili. He slipped up behind them and grabbed Shey from Cassie.
"Don't scream or else I'll hurt both of you," he hissed into Shey's ear. "Cassandra. You will come with me or else I'll cut this girl's throat." It was then that Shey felt the cold of a metal blade against her throat. Cassie nodded, tears in her eyes. She walked just in front of Shey and Pete, following his instructions for fear of Shey being hurt.
Daniel looked around. "Talorn, where are Shey and Cassie?"
Talorn looked around, a sudden trace of fear crossing his face. "I don't see them anywhere. We should split up. You take that side of the cook-off and I will take this side. We should meet back at the entrance. Maybe we should call the general and tell him what has happened."
Daniel already had his cell phone out. "I was just thinking the same thing." He dialed. "Jack, this is Daniel. We're at the chili cook-off. The girls have disappeared." Daniel pulled the phone away from his ear as Jack started yelling.
"Jack, Talorn and I are splitting up to look for them now." He listened carefully for a moment then nodded. "Ok. We'll look for you when we meet up at the entrance." He hung up. "He's bringing in the troops. Sam was standing right there when I called. He wouldn't tell me what her reaction was." He hung his head. "I'm sorry, Talorn. I should have been keeping a closer eye on the two of them."
Talorn's hand came to rest on Daniel's shoulder. "As I should have, my friend. The important thing is that we find the girls quickly, before the general gets here."
"I would definitely agree with that." Daniel was worried. How did Sam react to hearing that he hadn't done his job and let Cassie and Shey wander off? Why wouldn't Jack tell him? Jack is going to be so mad.
Mad was not exactly the word to describe Brigadier General Jack O'Neill's emotions at that moment in time. Jack felt helpless and scared and worried and furious. He was in an emotional turmoil that had him confused and he didn't like to be confused. It made him cranky. He was on his way to the chili cook-off with about 100 SPs. They planned on finding those two girls and then, Cassie would be confined to base until further notice. Of course she had to go to classes but she would have to take a couple of SPs with her. That way she didn't get lost on her way back to the base.
Sam had broke down in tears the minute she heard. She had sat there in the chair in Jack's office with her head buried in her hands, sobbing. Blaming herself. She kept saying that she should never have given in to Cassie's pleas. It wouldn't have hurt her to miss this one cook-off. And to top it off, Shey was also missing. Sam felt so guilty that he had promised her that he would go himself. That was when he called Jacob to his office and briefed him on what was going on. Jacob then agreed to stay with Sam until Jack got back.
Jack looked up as the vehicle he was in pulled to a stop. They were there. He issued the orders to search the ground as well as setting up a perimeter so that no one could slip out undetected. The crowd was amazed to see SPs swarming over the fairgrounds where the cook-off was being held. Everyone who left was questioned regarding the two girls. No one had seen either one.
Sam's cell phone rang. She pulled it out and answered it. "Carter here."
"Hello, Sam sweetheart." Sam's blood ran cold. She knew that voice.
A/N: What is Pete up to? What's going to happen to Shey and Cassie? Stay tuned to find out.