Author's Note:
Thanks for much for the reviews.
As for those of you that think I may be the author previously known as 'NG,' hmm…let me know why you think I am that person and promise to reveal my true identity with the next chapter.
Also I would like to clarify a small matter…Yes, Jack is retired in this story, but working as a civilian in Washington. It is based on some rumors doing the rounds regarding the ninth series; don't want to say more in case I spoil anybody that doesn't want to be spoiled.
Lastly, I just want to mention that someone mailed me to point out some of the mistakes I have made in this story. For that I say thank you very much, always appreciate productive criticism.
XXX
For a few moments Sam stared into his gentle eyes. "I think I can do that…Jack."
XXX
THE DATING GAME – CHAPTER 6
"Good day Sir…Madam. May I be of assistance?"
An important-looking man, dressed in a fancy tuxedo and with a slight snobbish air surrounding him, had come forward to meet them at a small reception area leading to the main part of the restaurant.
"Yep," Jack replied. "Booked a table for two about two weeks ago?"
"Two weeks ago?" Sam remarked from where she stood slightly behind him.
"Long story…very boring," Jack playfully dismissed her obvious surprise at how he could had booked a table two weeks ago when he had merely asked her out a week ago.
"Name?" the man inquired, while walking to a small table and starting to browse through the pages of a bulky official looking book.
"O'Neill, Jack…and partner," Jack answered and sent a huge smile in Sam's direction before turning his attention back to the man.
"Hmm," the man commented. After a few minutes he looked up and said, "I'm sorry Sir, but it appears that your reservation had been cancelled."
"What? How? Why?" Glancing apologetic in Sam's direction Jack rushed to where the man stood and looked over his shoulder at the information displayed in the book. "What's the problem? My name is right there," he stated while pointing a finger in the general direction of some scribbled writing. "Right…there," he added once more, almost like he was afraid that he might not have been heard the first time round.
"Yes Sir," the man responded and took a step away from Jack, obviously neurotic about his own personal bubble. "That may be true, but you are ten minutes late. This restaurant's policy is that in such a case the reservation gets cancelled and allocated to the next person."
"It was only ten minutes. What difference does ten minutes make? It's not like you are suddenly going to grow a personality or something due to the lost of ten measly minutes," Jack stated, with a slight touch of sarcasm in his voice.
Straightening his shoulders and lifting his chin slightly so that it appeared as if he was looking down upon Jack the man retorted, "Whatever you may think of my personality…Sir. The fact is that our restaurant is very popular around here, additionally we always have a long waiting list and as such can't afford to wait indefinite until clients finally decide to grace us with their presence."
"But…it was only ten minutes, not like an hour, two or longer." Jack's frustration was clear in the way he kept opening and closing his fists against his sides. It was also obvious that he felt like saying a whole lot more, but was reigning himself in since he was depended on the man in front of him to gain entrance to the restaurant in order to be able to continue with his date.
"I am sorry Sir; we have strict policies in place."
"Right…" Jack responded, "And it's going to be the end of the world if you were ever to make allowances for people."
"I am sorry Sir, we have strict policies in place," the man parroted his earliest statement.
"Strict policies in place my ass!" Turning around to face Sam he shook his head in apology, she returned it with a small smile, before adverting her eyes to the ground in front of her.
"Listen…uh…is there no way I can convince you to let us in?" Jack asked after having taken a few deep breaths to try and sooth his frustration.
"Sir, you will gain nothing by trying to bribe me," the man stated emotionlessly.
"Who said anything about bribery?" Jack asked innocently and proceeded to, almost undetectable, slip a ten dollar note into the pocket of the man's jacket.
Lifting the note partially out of his pocket with two fingers the man stared at it with a frown playing on his forehead before tucking it back into his pocket and saying, "Like I said before…you will not succeed by trying to bribe me."
"Of course not," Jack said and removed a twenty dollar note from his purse which he again nearly undetectable allowed to join the previous one in its hiding place.
Once again the man inspected the money before commenting, "I am sorry but I am only following orders by not allowing you to enter."
"Right…" Jack stated, sighed and proceeded to double the amount ofnotes tucked inside the man's pocket.
Without responding the man turned around and once again appeared to be staring attentively down at the information displayed on the book regarding the reservations for the evening. After a few moments he picked up a pen and scratched across a scribbled name displayed just underneath that of Jack O'Neill.
Turning back to Jack the man stated, without showing any facial expression, "It appears that someone had just cancelled their reservation for the evening. Therefore I am allowed to offer you their table for tonight. Are you still interested in continuing with your dinner plans?"
"I don't know…suddenly I have this interest to go and dine at McDonalds," Jack replied sarcastically.
When the man did not say anything, merely stared at Jack with an impassive face and a slightly raise eyebrow Jack sighed and commented, "You know you really remind me of someone I know." Turning to Sam he asked, "Doesn't he remind you of Teal'c…could have been a twin if it wasn't for the fact that he was so pale in skin color."
Hiding a grin behind a hand Sam slowly walked over to where they stood. "What my partner is trying to say…is that we would love to take you up on your generous offer." Pumping an elbow in Jack's side she added quickly, "Right…Ge-Jack?"
"YeahSureWhatever," Jack muttered under his breath and when he got a fierce look from Sam he quickly added, "Yes…very much."
"In that case…" the man said and indicated for a nearby waiter to come closer, "This will be your waiter for the evening." Turning to the waiter he instructed, "Le Grange, please escort these people to table thirteen."
"Yes Sir," the waiter acknowledged, before turning to Jack and Sam and saying, "Sir…Madam…this way please."
"Shall we?" Jack asked, made a slight bow and indicated with his hand that Sam must walk before him.
XXX
"So…anything interesting happened to you recently at the base?" Jack inquired about halfway through the dinner that consisted of strange food and a slightly uncomfortable silence, only occasionally interrupted by a casual remark by one of them.
"You should know…you're supposed to read all the reports coming from us," Sam replied nonchalantly. Moving with her fork something around on her plate that looked suspiciously like a cross between a frog leg and sushi she added with a slight shudder in her voice, "Uh…any idea what this may be?"
Jack merely shrugged his shoulders after pretending to stare in deep concentration, with a frown playing between his eyebrows, at the piece of food she was referring too, "Dunno…" and then jokingly he added, "A piece of meat?"
Staring for a moment into Jack's eyes Sam raised an eyebrow and mockingly replied, "Indeed," before guiltily moving the piece to one side of her plate.
After observing Sam's obvious distrust of some of the food on her plate for a little while Jack commented, "You know…considering the type of work we do one would think our taste buds should be accustomed by now to being exposed to all kinds of interesting food-"
Quickly staring around her to make sure that they were not being observed Sam lowered her voice and completed his sentence, "On other worlds, but it appears that's not the case on Earth."
"Right…so…explain to me again why we are torturing ourselves this way?" Jack stated. His head was turned sideways slightly with an eyebrow raised to emphasize his question.
Allowing a smile to tug at the corner of her lips Sam paused slightly before replying, "Because we are trying to pretend we are something that we're not?"
"Indeed," Jack mimicked her earlier comment. "So…what you say we get out of here?"
Biting on her bottom lip Sam stared guiltily at their plates that were still halfway full before saying, "You must have paid a fortune for this?"
"Only because I wanted our first date to be special, myself…I really couldn't care much for this type of scenery, but…I just couldn't imagine taking you to say…a skate rink or McDonalds or something else for a first date."
"But still…I hate to think that you are wasting money for nothing," Sam refused to relent.
Jack hesitated first, appearing to be experiencing an inner struggle. Then, slowly he reached out a hand to embrace hers before softly saying, "For me, tonight was just about getting to be with you without any stupid regulation or chain of command standing in our way. Therefore, just the fact that you are here with me makes it all worth it."
Unable to prevent herself from blushing slightly Sam advert her eyes and nodded in reply.
Jack caressed the top of her hand with his thumb briefly before standing up and saying, "So…what you say we head to somewhere more within our liking?"
"Where would we go to?" Sam asked and stood up too.
"Anyplace you wish…as long as I am able to follow you there," Jack stated and then indicated to their waiter to approach them.
XXX
The account had been settled and a lot of excuses been given as to why they definitely did not require a doggy bag for the remains of their meal.
It was as they reached the exit that a familiar voice calling out from behind them made them froze in their tracks, both of them shocked at the realization of the identity of the person.
"General O'Neill? Colonel Carter? What a surprise to see the both of you here."
XXX
Author's Note:
If I offended anybody with my remarks regarding the type of food in a French Restaurant, I do apologize.
It is just that I have absolutely no idea what normally goes on a French Cuisine Menu so I thought I'll try to go for the stereotype scenario.