Janet led Ian into the living room, and then turned on him, her face very serious, although she'd lost the hard coldness in her expression that he'd grown accustomed to the last week or so.

"I don't have to tell you that I expect you to be a gentleman this evening, do I?"

He shook his head.

"No."

"I don't want you pulling anything this evening, Ian," Janet said, continuing as if he hadn't spoken. "I don't want her drinking – you check the punch before you let her have any, because I know how people like to spike it at these things, and I don't-"

"I'll check it, Doctor Fraiser."

She scowled at the interruption. She didn't have all that much time for this, and she didn't want him stopping what had been a carefully prepared speech.

"I want her home by 1AM, no matter what she tells you – and I know that Sam's car was serviced just last month, so don't even bother with the whole car trouble line, do you understand?"

Jesus, what did she think he was going to do? Ian tried very hard to hide his annoyance; he understood that she was trying to look out for Cassie, but this was ridiculous.

"I'm not going to do anything."

"You'd better not," Fraiser told him, her hands on her hips. "Because I will find you and geld you if I find out you did."

It was a formidable threat, but really one that wasn't necessary.

Ian nodded, though.

"I won't do any-"

"Hi."

They both looked over at the sound of Cassie's voice, and Ian almost screwed it up right then and there.

"Holy shit…"

She looked… stunning. The dress was just amazing, and the figure that it cradled so perfectly was just as nice to look at. Cassie wasn't short and delicate – which was good, because Ian definitely preferred a slightly taller and well-filled out model – and Cassie had just the right amount of curves in just the right places. He'd just never seen them quite so well displayed before.

Janet scowled, giving him a sharp look, but Ian's eyes were only on Cassie, who blushed prettily at the obvious approval in Ian's expression. Approval that was a match for the appreciation Cassie had for just how good he looked in his tux. A blind person could see how well built he was, lean and perfectly formed and the tuxedo had been tailored to fit him perfectly, which showed off that frame so well that Cassie had actually had to catch her breath when she'd entered the living room before she could speak up.

Realizing his slip on the language, Ian frowned, although he ignored the look Fraiser gave him.

"You look gorgeous, Cassandra."

She smiled, delighted, and her blush deepened until it was a match for the red of her dress.

"Thanks. You do, too. I mean… you look beautiful. Handsome." She blushed again. Guys probably didn't like being called beautiful, but God… he was.

Janet scowled as she looked from one to the other. She wasn't actually finished with her warnings, but she couldn't really give the rest of them in front of Cassie – who would definitely not approve and would probably do something she didn't want her to – simply out of spite for being treated like a child. Instead, she cleared her throat, breaking the silence in the room that had fallen while the two admired each other so noticeably.

"Home by one."

Ian nodded, not taking his eyes from Cassie for another long moment.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I mean it."

Now he did look over at her, because there was a definite hardness to her voice that brooked no disobedience. She wanted to make it clear to him that she wasn't joking, and wouldn't accept any reason for a delay.

"I know. We'll be here. I promise."

There. That should do it, right? He'd given her his word – and Ian had never broken a promise he made. Which was why he made so few, and only when he was certain he could follow through with it.

"You'd better be. I'd hate to have to send Teal'c out looking for you."

Ouch. There was another threat – and not at all veiled.

"Jeeze mom," Cassie said, walking over to stand beside Ian, who couldn't help but smile at her and notice just how good she smelled. "We're just going to a dance."

Janet scowled, but didn't say anything else.

While it was something of a tradition for a date to pin the corsage on the girl he was taking, Ian decided that discretion would be the better idea in this instance, and he took her corsage out of the box and handed it to her.

"You do look beautiful."

She accepted the small flowery decoration, and pinned it to her dress, taking care not to stick herself with the pin.

"Thank you."

He smiled, and they both turned to Janet – who was admitting to herself (privately) that they looked very good together.

"I'll have her home by one, Doctor Fraiser," he said. "And I'll take care of her."

"You do that."

She handed Cassie a heavy shawl that matched her dress perfectly and would keep her warm while still allowing the magnificence of the dress to show, and walked them to the door. Before she could threaten him again, Ian ushered Cassie out of the house as fast as was polite.

That hadn't really been too bad, he supposed. On the pretext that there might be ice on the sidewalk – which there wasn't – he offered her his arm on the porch, and Cassie slid her hand through it, resting her palm lightly on his forearm, shivering with excitement. This was going to be the best night of her life.

As he opened the car door for her, Ian looked over and saw Janet still watching from the open door, but he didn't wave, figuring he'd just piss her off further. Instead, he made sure Cassie was in, shut the door and walked around to get behind the wheel.

"We have to stop by Sam and Jack's," Cassie said when he got in. "Sam wants to take pictures."

Ian nodded, and pulled out into the street.

"I know."

Another lecture to come, he was certain, and probably more threats – even more gruesome ones.

Tentatively, Cassie reached out and rested her hand lightly on Ian's thigh, and he looked over at her, and then smiled slightly as he covered her hand with his own.

Well, he could put up with a couple more threats, he supposed. She was worth that.