The ambulance doors slammed shut and the driver pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road.
The world became blurry around Jack. He could hear the EMT at his side calling out Sam's injuries into his radio and he could hear the sirens of the ambulance as it weaved through the traffic but all he could see was Sam. Her pale face was covered in her own blood—a sight he had seen before but somehow…this time it was different.
He longed to pull her into his arms and hold her, to tell her that she was going to be okay and that he would protect her—save her as he always did.
The EMT leaned over her chest and Jack looked down at her feet in front of him. This was something he rarely saw. Samantha Carter's bare legs. Her knee was scraped and her calf was half covered in blood. But beyond the injuries and dried blood he saw something that made his heart beat again. He blinked hard and focused on the tiny specks on her legs that spread down to her ankles and disappeared into her shoes.
His lips turned up into an awkward smile as he reached out and ran his fingers along her ankle—who knew Sam had freckles?
XXX
Daniel ran back to Jack's truck with Teal'c before the ambulance had taken off.
As luck would have it—Jack was in such a rush when they first got there that he had left his keys in the truck.
As Daniel weaved in and out of traffic, Teal'c sat silently in the passenger seat.
The events of the day ran through Daniel's mind over and over until his frustration exploded through his fist as he punched the steering wheel.
"DanielJackson." Teal'c knew this was all he had to say to calm his young friend.
"I know Teal'c—I know."
XXX
As the doctor's pulled Sam out of the ambulance, Jack came back into the world and jumped from the ambulance as Sam disappeared through the swinging doors of the ER.
Before he knew it Jack was sitting in a hard plastic chair down the hall from the ER and Daniel and Teal'c were walking towards him.
"Jack?" Daniel asked as he stood before him.
"She's uh…they're working on her." He said, still looking down at his fingers as he stared into them as though they held the mysteries of the universe.
"Have they said anything?"
"She's lost a lot of blood," he said trailing off as Daniel knelt down before him.
"I'll go see if I can get an up date—why don't you go to the bathroom with Teal'c and get cleaned up?"
"Cleaned up?" Jack asked as he looked down at his shirt—he hadn't noticed until then that he was covered in Sam's blood.
"Come on." Daniel said as he pulled Jack to his feet.
XXX
The young woman at the nurse's station smiled as Daniel approached.
"Hi, I'm trying to get some information on a patient."
"Are you a relative?" She asked, as though it were the simplest question in the world. If she only knew what the question meant to him—of course he and Sam were family, she was a part of the only family he had ever known.
"Yes, my sister—Samantha Carter, she came in with a gunshot wound."
"Oh yes." The nurse said with clear recollection. "They took her right into surgery, it might be a while before they are able to take a break."
"Can you let me—"
"As soon as the Doc walks through that door I'll let you know."
"Thank you." With a short smile, Daniel turned back to the chairs when the young girl called after him.
"Uhmm—Sir?" She asked as she walked around the corner.
"Yeah?" He asked, turning around.
"There's a cafeteria two floors down if you want something—it closes in about an hour."
"Thanks, but I don't think we'll be leaving this hallway…"
"Understandable—your friend, the other man…is he alright? I can get him a scrubby shirt to put on if you want."
"Thank you, but—he's not really uh…"
With a passing sympathetic smile the young girl turned back to her counter.
X X X
Two hours later and Jack O'Neill was sitting in the same plastic chair between Daniel and Teal'c.
There hadn't been a word spoken between them since Jack emerged from the bathroom and slumped into the chair.
Visiting hours came and went.
The cafeteria closed and even though Jack could hear his stomach rumbling he couldn't move his body, let alone look up from his hands.
As Jack let his vision blur he let the past surround him—and then he was no longer sitting outside the ER as Sam fought for her life. He was sitting in the briefing room as Captain Sam Carter walked into the room…
He hadn't thought about that day in years but it was still crystal clear in his memory.
How her hair and skin glimmered in the shadows as she walked to the end of the table—that was the first time he saw her clearly, the first time she made his heart skip a beat.
He had laughed at her then. Partly because she was so eager to prove herself to him and everyone she came in contact with but mostly because she was so damn cute.
Normally he wouldn't even think of a fellow officer as "cute", but that is just what she was. She was the cute little sister that buzzed around him, always wanting to play with the boys.
But that was then.
He didn't know when it actually happened. But some how, in the last ten years or so he had stopped seeing her as a little sister. She had become his equal. She had proven herself beyond the geeky scientist he first saw her to be. She became a light in his life. A bright shining figure that kept his world turning.
And then, quite unexpectedly—he had fallen in love with her.
And every day was a battle against his heart.
A battle that he always knew he would loose.
And that's when it happened—or rather when "he" happened. That morning in the elevator was frozen in his mind. She was humming and he took the opportunity to crack a joke but it had backfired and with her reply she had crushed his entire world with out even knowing it.
Sam had found someone else.
After she told him about Pete, he made the decision to stay clear of her unless it was business. But a part of him wouldn't give her up. After all, she was his first. Even if it wasn't romantically—she was his. She belonged to him. It was an unspoken agreement between them—she belonged to him.
But now—she had gone against that agreement.
Maybe he shouldn't have let it go "unspoken" for so long. He gave up after that and had completely washed all thoughts of Sam Carter from his mind.
But then Janet died and she was suddenly standing in front of him fighting back tears and she told him that she had nearly died when she thought he was dead.
Before he knew it she was in his arms and clinging to him for dear life.
He held her just as tight until she pulled back and apologized for soaking his shirt with her tears. And just as she had found her way into his arms she left and disappeared down the hall.
He wanted to go after her then.
But of course he didn't. He was the proper military officer—commanding officer, and let his second in command walk away.
After that…well…things got complicated and he managed to hold it all in until that day at the picnic…and Pete…the soda…and he kissed her.
And then he screwed up and she came after him—and now she was about to die because of him. What kinda sick justice is that?
The footsteps echoing down the hall pulled him from his memory but he still held onto her smiling face as Daniel pulled back on his shoulder.
"Jack…the doctor is here…"
XXX
The doctor's words hit Jack like a truck and long after he had walked back into the ER—Jack still stood in the middle of the hall with Daniel at his side.
Daniel was expecting a reaction. Anything besides what Jack was doing-which was nothing.
Teal'c stood on Jack's other side watching Jack for any sign that he had heard the doctor. But he had yet to move.
XXX
All he could see were her eyes hovering so close to his own that if he reached out his fingers would find her waist. But no matter how much he tried to raise his hands to touch her, he couldn't move a muscle.
She was taunting him, smiling and hovering just far enough away from him that he couldn't touch her.
As her eyes glimmered in the light, darkness surrounded her and soon her eyes were all that shown through the darkness—and then they too gave way to the darkness of his soul.
XXX
Before Daniel could reach out for his arm—Jack turned and walked to the end of the hall, kicking the door open before walking out into the light of day.
He didn't know where he was walking, only that he couldn't stand in that hallway any longer.
His feet carried him to the far corner of the building where a small grassy area had been turned into a makeshift sitting area, complete with a bench and a shady tree.
But Jack O'Neill's knees gave out long before he reached the bench and settled for falling to his knees in the shade of the tree as his world came crashing down around him—Sam was going to die.
It took every ounce of his military training and stubborn Irish blood to hold back the onslaught of emotion that threatened to unravel his very soul.
For a moment he found peace and instead of looking to the heavens, he only shut his eyes and braced his hand against his legs.
"I'm not a good man." He said through the lump in his throat. "I know that I have no right to ask anything of you. I know that if there is a heaven I've haven't got a chance in hell of makin it to the gates—but…" The words stuck in his throat and he swallowed hard before trying to speak again. "Any good part of me…anything worthy and honorable…came from that woman. I know that I don't deserve it—I've done things to her that…I'll probably burn in hell for." Speaking was easier now and as he spoke Jack's eyes found their way upward as he looked at the sun light through the tree branches above him. "I need her. Even if I can't have her—I need her here. I don't care if she marries Pete—just don't take her yet…please?"
As Jack knelt under the tree, Daniel slumped into a chair beside Teal'c and waited for another update from the doctors.
In the emergency room the doctor's hands moved over Sam Carter's body in a fluid movement, each pair of hands working with the next to control the damage to her body.
Beyond the movements of the doctor's and their voices calling out over her—Sam was battling her own war of life and death.
Gunshots rang through her ears as Jack ran toward her.
Then she was on the ground. The damp pavement of the parking lot pressed into her legs as Jack covered her with his body. For a moment she buried her face into his shoulder as his weight held her down. The gunshots rang through her ears as a searing pain in her side tore through her body—with the last of her strength she gripped Jack's shirt in her hands and then all went dark.
The darkness that surrounded her now was peaceful and silent. As though standing in a room with the lights out Sam stood motionless with her eyes closed.
"Sam…" The soft voice filtered around her and brought her to a slow waking state as she opened her eyes and saw the dim light coming towards her through the darkness. "It's alright Sam…don't be afraid…"
The light grew brighter as it neared her.
But Sam wasn't afraid and didn't shield her eyes from it.
As the light shown upon her shoulders a hand reached out from the glow and took her hand.
As Sam looked down to the hand that was now holding hers, the light faded and what was a glowing light a moment before was now a soft hand that felt familiar in her own.
Lifting her eyes to the sparkling blue crystals that beamed back at her Sam instantly came out of her daze as she embraced her long lost friend—Janet Frazier.
Tears stung at her eyes as Sam clung to Janet.
"Oh how I have missed you." Janet said as she smoothed down Sam's hair.
"Oh my god, how is this possible?" Sam asked, standing back from Janet she ran her fingers over her friend's hair and chin then rested her hands on her shoulders just to assure her existence.
"I can't stay—I just came to sit with you."
"Sit with me? What do you mean?"
"Sam…do you remember what's happened?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You were shot Sam. You're in the hospital right now."
"I don't remember that."
"I know honey. Don't be scared, you aren't alone. Daniel and Teal'c are right outside the room waiting for you."
"Where's Jack?"
Janet smiled softly at Sam as she spoke, "It's about time you started calling him that."
"A few things have happened." Sam said awkwardly.
"I know- I've seen everything."
"Everything?"
"Yes, and don't worry—you are doing fine."
"Janet…I don't understand."
Reaching for her shoulder, Janet steadied her friend as she spoke. "You aren't supposed to understand Sam. I didn't want you to be here alone."
"Where is here?"
"Think of it as a waiting room."
"I'm dying!"
"Oh no…you are far from that."
"Then where is this place?"
"Within you, all around you—Sam there isn't much time—"
"What? No!"
"Sam, listen to me." Holding her shoulders once again, Janet tried to speak. "Sam—"
"I want to stay—"
"You can't Sam—not here."
"There's so much I have to tell you—"
"Sam—I already know." Pulling her into her arms for the last time, Janet whispered into her ear as she began to fade away, "Tell Cassie I love her."
Janet faded from her arms before she could call out to her and for a moment the darkness surrounded her.
The beeping came softly at first, then louder and louder as she felt her soul being pulled from the darkness and released back into the world.
Jumbled, incoherent voices over powered the beeping and a rush of pain hit her as Sam Carter returned to the waking world.
The blinding light of the emergency room stung her eyes as a jolt of electricity brought her back to life.
"She's back!" A nurse called out to the doctor. "I have a steady pulse."
The first figure that Sam focused on was the doctor that was leaning over her.
"Hello there, you gave us quite a scare." The young doctor brushed the hair from Sam's face and looked over to the nurse that waited at the door. "Tell them she's pulled through—she should be fine."
Daniel gave Jack's shoulder a gentle squeeze as he stood beside him.
"Jack…" Daniel said as he pulled at his shoulder to get his attention.
"She's dead…isn't she?"
"NO—actually, she's awake and asking for you." Jack was to his feet and holding on to Daniel's shoulder before Daniel could take a step back. Jack's eyes met Daniel's and nothing needed to be said. Daniel held his arm and nodded. "She's fine—come on."
The hall seemed endless as he ran through the door and around the corner to the room they had taken Sam. His heart racing, he stopped before the door and let his thoughts catch up with him as he glanced up. "Thank you." Barely able to speak, Jack whispered his thanks to whatever force had brought her back to him.
He turned the doorknob and walked in as Daniel stayed out in the hall and closed the door as Jack walked to Sam's bedside.
Her eyes closed and all color drained from her face—Jack's heart had settled nicely in his throat until Sam's eyes fluttered open and looked his way.
"Hey…" Jack said, sitting in the chair next to her bed.
"This is a first for you."
"What?"
"You weren't there when I woke up."
Her attempt at a joke worked and every bit of Jack finally relaxed as he moved to sit on the bed next to her. "It won't happen again." Pulling her hand into his he reached out and ran the length of her hairline with his index finger.
The room fell silent as Jack smiled into her eyes. It was so simple and yet it terrified Jack at the same time. He'd never been able to do this before, just look at her and see her, Sam not Lt. Colonel Carter or Doctor Carter—just Sam, his beautiful Sam.
There was so much to be said and Sam was about to burst—until Jack leaned in and kissed her softly. That's when she realized something for the very first time—he already knew.
EPILOGUE…
The rainy Colorado afternoon had kept Cassie house bound at Jack's all afternoon. This wouldn't be such an imposition except Jack had "went to the store" about three hours ago and had yet to return—let alone answer his cell phone.
She thought about calling the base and reporting him missing—but that would just be mean. She knew where he was.
As she watched the last tape of Jack's Simpson's collection the phone rang.
"Casa de O'Neill…how may I help you?"
"Hey kiddo." Jack's voice was odd…something in the way he said kiddo made Cassie look down at the receiver.
"Jack?"
"Hey, I'm coming to get you—get dressed." Before she could reply he hung up.
"Ookaaayy…" Hanging up the phone Cassie looked again to the receiver before running to the spare room and changing her clothes.
Just as she pulled on her baseball cap over her forehead, the front door opened and Jack called out.
"Let's go!" He said, still standing in the doorway.
"Coming!" Running to the front door she stopped when she saw the look on Jack's face. "What's up with you?"
"Nothing—in the truck."
They drove silent for a moment when Jack broke the silence by reaching into the glove box and handing Cassie a full sized envelope. "Open it."
"What—"
"Just read it…"
Opening the envelope slowly Cassie watched the sides of Jack's lips turn up into a smile. Then she looked down and burst into a high pitched screamed after reading the first paragraph.
"YOU—YOU—Ohmygod!" Holding the paper Cassie looked to the paper and then to Jack as she continued to scream.
"Yeah…I did…"
"So that means…"
"Yeah…we're going to the jewelry store."
Cassie folded the paper and slid it in with the card already in the envelope and then looked at Jack as he wrapped the small box.
"She's going to know what that is…you should put it in a bigger box."
"I don't care…she'll know what it is when she opens it." Jack said as he tried to tie the ribbon around the top.
"Why didn't you let the lady at the store do that?" Cassie asked as she pressed her finger down so he could tie it.
"Just seal the envelope will ya?" Jack said as he swatted Cassie's hands away.
Sitting back Cassie couldn't help but smile as Jack—he was so nervous.
"Alright—I'm going to the dorms…" Cassie said as she pushed the envelope across the table to Jack.
"Okay…" He said as she stood and pulled on her coat. "And I mean it—no phone calls, not to Daniel, Teal'c, General Hammond, Walter or anyone else that works at the base."
"What about my diary? Can I write it down in my diary?" Cassie asked with a smile that consumed her face.
"Fine…write it in your diary."
With the nod of her head Cassie turned for the door but stopped in the doorway and turned back to Jack. "Hey Jack…"
"Yeah?" He said, taking a moment to stare at the ring box before him before looking up at her.
"She's going to say yes."
As Cassie drove down the road she tried to avoid her cell phone. She played with the radio and tried to play air guitar but nothing worked…so as she pulled on to the on ramp for the highway she picked up her cell phone and dialed Daniel's house number.
"Daniel…hi…whatcha doin?"
Sitting in the dinner with her chocolate milkshake, Cassie looked out the foggy window as she waited for Daniel to pull into the parking lot—and there he was.
Watching Daniel run through the muddy parking lot, Cassie felt a lump growing in her throat…Jack is sooo going to kill me for this…
Walking up to the booth, Daniel shook the water from his coat and sat across from Cassie who was now grinning like the cat who got the canary.
"Okay, I'm here…" Daniel said plopping down in the seat and raising his eyes brows at the fresh cup of coffee before him. "What is soooooo important?" He asked as he picked up the cup and raised it to his lips.
"Jack is going to ask Sam to marry him."
Daniel paused for a heart beat and nearly spit his mouthful of coffee on Cassie as his eyes shot open. Clasping his hand over his mouth—he swallowed and shook his head as he set the cup down and slowly looked up at Cassie. "Oh really?"
"Uh hmm."
"I uh…" Daniel was trying to let this process before he made an actual reaction.
Cassie nodded as he continued to stutter. "That's all you are going to say?"
"I don't really know what to say Cassie." He said, finally relaxing and resting his elbows on the table.
"You don't know what to say? How about…cool… neat…it's about time…I'd even settle for a WOW."
"Well…it's just that…" Looking down at the table, Daniel tried to organize his thoughts before he spoke.
Cassie's eyes shot open as he averted her gaze, "OH MY GOD! YOU KNEW?" Cassie shouted as she jumped forward and grabbed Daniel's arm.
Startled, Daniel looked up at her. "Well…I didn't know he was going to do it today…"
"How in the world did you find out before ME?" She asked, sitting back in her seat as Daniel took on a whole new role in her eyes.
"Well…I was at the base when you called…and uh…Jack kinda…left a copy of his resignation up on his computer screen…"
"And you just happened to see it?" Cassie said covering her bottom lip with her finger.
"Yeah…pretty much." He said taking another sip from his coffee.
Propping her chin in her palm Cassie smiled over at Daniel. "Sooo…you expected this then?"
Squinting his eyes Daniel thought a moment, "I wouldn't say expected…that's too strong a word. I would say…that I …saw the signs…"
"Saw the signs? What's that mean?"
"I've known them for a long time…I just…saw it that's all…"
"You aren't going to give me any type of description here are you?" Cassie said realizing her defeat. Daniel only raised his eyes brows at her for a reply and Cassie grumbled under her breath. "Jack never talks to me about this—all these years I've told him to do something about it and I thought I was the only one who ever saw anything because he always denied it right into the ground…"
As she trailed off Daniel touched her elbow to get her attention, "Me thinks he doth protest too much." The sides of his mouth turned up in a devilish grin as Cassie got his meaning.
"You're smarter than you look Daniel…" Cassie said as she stood and grabbed her coat.
"What! Cassie I'm like the smartest person you know!" Daniel said, completely flabbergasted at her comment.
"No you aren't." She said, turning around to Daniel with the biggest grin on her face. "Sam is."
"Ohh!" He said wrapping his arm around her neck as they walked to the door. "Okay…she's a little smarter than me."
Samantha Carter sat in her house reading on the dreary rainy day that had talked her out of going to the base to catch up on her work. The last few weeks had been nothing short of torture for her since General O'Neill flat out ordered her to stay away from the base. So far she had managed to follow the order…
But she hadn't seen him since the other night…
He had left the base early and picked her up for dinner.
It was then, over steaks and beer that he had simply looked up into her eyes and told her he loved her. As though he were asking for the salt…
She had frozen and was unable to speak for about five minutes until Jack got up and stood beside her and kissed her.
There was something in his eyes that night…when he looked at her…that look…when he had decided something…it was clear…and now it was driving her nuts. But she did as she was told and stayed home—and read her book.
So when the silence of the house was shattered by and loud knock at her front door—it was no wonder she nearly spilled her coffee and fell off the couch.
Gathering her self together and setting her book face down on the coffee table, Sam pulled on her long sweater and headed for the door.
"Who is it?" She asked before opening the door.
"It's me." The voice from the other side of the door said.
She was fully awake now, and recognized the voice immediately.
Running her fingers through her hair, Sam mentally noted that she was still in her pajamas and pulled her sweater closed before opening the door.
His hand behind his back, Jack smiled as a Sam stood before him—a complete mess. Her hair was wavy from not being blown dried and styled, she was in her pajamas and she hadn't a stitch of makeup on…perfect.
Tilting his head to the side Jack squinted his eyes at her as she bit her lip—awkward silence.
"Hi." He said softly as he stepped up into the doorway and leaned down to lay a soft kiss on her forehead. "Whatcha doin?" The question was rhetorical and he didn't wait for an answer before walking into the house.
Closing the door, Sam smiled and walked after him. He had made his way to the living room, took off his coat, set it in the chair and sat down on the couch when Sam came up behind him. She paused at the end of the couch a moment and then tried to walk pass his legs to the other end of the couch—but Jack caught her leg behind the knee and tripped her enough so she landed with her knee on his legs.
Catching herself, Sam braced her hands on his shoulders and came face to face with the sly grin on Jack's face.
"Yes? Can I help you?" She said, trying to cover the smile playing across her lips by biting her bottom lip.
Reaching behind him, Jack pulled out the envelope and held it between them.
Sam looked awkwardly at the envelope that hovered near her lips and slid her knee to the couch as she sat beside him and let her left leg hang over Jack's knee.
"What's this?" She asked as she pulled the envelope open and looked at Jack over the top of the paper.
"Just open it." He said as he leaned back and rested his arm behind her as she pulled the paper out of the envelope…
"And they lived happily ever after…" Cassie said as she reached and turned out the light.
"WHAT?" Janie yelled as she turned the light back on and glared up at Cassie as she walked to the door. "Oh no, you can't stop there! What happened after she opened the envelope!" The young girl screamed as she jumped to the end of her bed.
"You know what happened after that Janie…they made YOU!" Cassie said as she kept walking towards the door.
"Aunt Cassie! You aren't being fair! You have to finish the story!" Janie yelled again. This time, Cassie walked back and sat on the end of the bed and sighed as she looked at her watched.
"You promise to actually go to sleep this time? No more glasses of water or monsters under the bed…" Cassie said as she folded her legs on the bed and Janie crawled in front of her in anticipation of the story she had been listening to for the last hour.
"Alright…alright…where was I?"
Janie pulled her legs into her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs as she beamed up at her aunt. "The envelope…she was about to open the envelope…"
"Okay…the envelope…"
Sam opened the paper slowly and read over the first paragraph. She tried to keep her lips from curling up…tried to keep her heart from beating right out of her chest…tried to keep her knee from bouncing on Jack's leg…tried to keep the blood from rushing to her face—but it was impossible.
Jack couldn't help but smile. She was so cute. Her face was bright red, her knee was bouncing on his and her hands were trembling as she held the paper.
"Sam?" He asked, reaching out and pulling her arm down slowly to reveal the childish grin on her face.
Meeting his eyes, she bit her bottom lip and tried to keep her hands from shaking and she set the paper down on the table.
"I thought we weren't going to make any decisions about this yet." She said sitting back, trying her best to keep her composure—when all she really wanted to do was jump into his arms and never let go.
"Yeah we said that but..." Trailing off, Jack picked up her hand in his and let her fingers slip into his. "I want to touch you when there's someone else in the room, I want to kiss you in broad daylight and I don't want to spend another night sleeping without in my arms." Pulling her into his arms, she sat on his legs as he kissed her.
"I didn't want you to have to retire…" She said pulling back a little as she looked down at him.
"I'm thinking of it as an even trade…"
"Oh really?"
"Yeah." Another gentle kiss on her lips and Jack pulled back. "I got something for you today."
"For me?" She asked, somewhat suspicious. "Let me guess—A fishing pole?"
Moving from under her Jack stood from the couch. "Nooo, it's better than a fishing pole." Picking up his coat he carried it back as he knelt on the floor before her and fished around in his pocket.
Completely oblivious to the way he was kneeling, Sam sat forward on the couch and looked down as he looked back up at her.
"Now…uh—close your eyes."
She would have questioned it—but Jack never tried to surprise her before, so she gave in and closed her eyes.
Taking a moment, Jack took a long slow breath before he pulled the ring box from his coat pocket and opened it right in front of her closed eyes.
"Alright, open." He said softly.
Her eyes opened slowly and locked onto the ring box. Her eyes grew two sizes as her jaw dropped.
She still hadn't said a word when Jack repositioned himself on his knee.
"Better than a fishing pole?" He asked.
"Oh yeah…good choice…" She said, still staring at the three stone engagement ring.
"Are you going to say yes?" He asked trying to see her eyes over the top of the ring box.
Tilting her head to the side, Sam glared at him. "Are you going to ask?"
Lowering his hand, Jack moved in between her knees and hovered just above her lips.
"Sam?"
"Hmm?"
"Marry me?"
"I thought you'd never ask…" Wrapping her arms around his neck, Sam pulled him in and kissed him as she leaned back into the couch.
Without skipping a beat, Jack pulled the ring out of the box, threw the box over his shoulder and slipped the ring on Sam's finger as he kissed her…
"Okay, and then they lived happily ever after…" Cassie said as she stood from the bed.
"Oh wow…" Janie said, as she looked up at Cassie.
"Yeah…"Cassie couldn't help but laugh as she pulled the blankets over Janie. "Now—sleep, I'm not kidding. It's late and if you're awake when your parents get home your mother will kill me."
"Okay…" Janie said through a yawn as she snuggled down in her pillow. "Aunt Cassie?"
"Yes…?" Cassie asked as she turned back from the door.
"That was a great story."
"Good night Janet." Cassie said as she closed the door.
Walking down the hall, Cassie headed for the kitchen to clean up before Jack and Sam got home…
As fate would have it—just as she dried the last of the dinner dishes, the front door opened and her favorite surrogate parents walked in.
"Hey Cassie…sorry we're late." Sam said as she took off her coat and laid it over the back of the chair.
"It's your five year anniversary Sam—you should have stayed out longer." Cassie said, hugging Sam as she walked up and laid a kiss on her forehead.
"Thanks for babysitting." Sam said.
"Did she give you any trouble?" Jack asked as he locked the front door and walked into the kitchen.
"Of course not…she's a little angel…" Cassie said with a notable sense of sarcasm.
"Right…I'm going to check on her." Jack said as he walked back to his daughter's room.
Ever so gentle, Jack turned the doorknob and peered into his daughter's room. The nightlight beside her bed illuminated her face as she slept and Jack walked over and brushed the hair from her face before placing a kiss in her hairline. "Night Janet."
As Cassie walked to her car she remembered telling Janet about how her parent's got together. It was strange, she had never thought about it as an actual story but that's what it was…a story…a fairytale—complete with wizards, dragons and evil conquers. But above all…it had an undeniable love that stood the tests of time and space.