The party was in full swing when they pulled up to the street in front of Cassie's house. She would have worried about finding a space – in her own block – but when she drove by on the slight chance that there might be one, there was a space right out in front, with a sign on a post stuck into the ground beside it.

Parking reserved for graduating seniors only!

She smiled, and pulled her shiny new car into the space, and a joyful bark from the backyard told her and Ian both that their arrival had not gone unnoticed. Sure enough, even as they got out – and Cassie reached into her box of presents for her new hat – around the corner of the house came two three happy and excited labs (two black and one yellow) and one very overweight and extremely slow mutt, looking just as excited to have his Cassie home as Jaffer, Jack (the dog) and Jasmine were.

As the labs swarmed Ian and Cassie, and Cassie's dog jumped up on her trying to get her attention around the far bigger dogs, Cassie looked curiously at Ian.

"Is that Jasmine?"

He nodded, rubbing Jasmine's glossy fur readily. The puppy Jack had given to Gina for her birthday was a spitting image of her father, and while she wasn't quite as big as Jaffer, she wasn't too far off.

"Shawn said Gina might show, and that they'd probably bring her if she did."

Ian saw more of Gina than Cassie did – mainly because of Shawn – but neither of them saw much of Jasmine, and they were both happy to see her. Not as happy as she was to see them, though, and she lapped up the attention they were lavishing on her and the other dogs as if it were nothing more than her due.

"Let's go see who else is here…" Cassie said, calling the dogs off and sending them back to the backyard with a gesture. Well, Jack and Jasmine and her dog, anyways. Jaffer didn't even blink, although he did fall into position beside them instead of blocking their way.

There were a lot of people. Military personnel, and friends from Cassie's school, not to mention three Air Force academy cadets and several brilliant scientists and doctors who had known Cassie as long as anyone and wouldn't have missed the party for anything. Jack had set up two barbequers on the patio and was reigning over them like a king with a spatula in his hand, and there were two tables loaded with food of all sorts; chips, crackers, salads of every variety and size, cheese and vegetables, and all kinds of cakes and cookies. At either end of either table was a cooler on the ground. Some held sodas and juices, and one – closely guarded by one of the adults at all times – held beers, ales and wine coolers.

"What? Did you take the scenic route?" Jack asked as they walked over to see what he was up to – and because it was just one of those things… if you were at a barbeque – even one dedicated to your graduation – you had to see what was cooking.

"We had to stop by Ian's," Cassie said, smiling. "So he could give me my presents." She held up her hand to show Jack the ring on her finger.

Jack caught Cassie's hand in his free hand, holding it closer so he could look at it. It was silver, and speckled with tiny sapphires (that weren't real, of course, since Ian's last name wasn't Rockefeller) that graced the entire band. Then he looked at Ian, the question in his eyes apparent.

"It's just a Promise ring. Don't panic."

Jack smiled, and tried to act nonchalant.

"I wasn't panicking."

"Uh huh."

"Isn't it pretty, Jack?"

Before he could answer, a paper was thrust into Ian's hand, and an amused voice spoke up from behind him.

"Could you please tell me how someone who spent half the school year away from school still managed to pull out a grade that is so far ahead of everyone else's that he made them look like unlettered barbarians?"

Ian automatically took the paper from River and turned to look at him. The Californian was smiling, and greeted Cassie with an enthusiastic hug – one that would have annoyed Ian had he been less sure of how Cassie felt about him.

"Congratulations, Cassie."

"Thanks, River."

She returned his hug, and caught one from Shawn as well – which was like hugging your little brother almost – and then looked at the paper that River had handed Ian.

"What's that?"

"Class rankings from the Academy for the last school year," Shawn answered. "Ian's top of the class."

"Like that's a big surprise," the New Yorker said, handing the paper to Sam, who had already seen it and handed it over to Cassie. "Look who's been helping me."

Sam smiled at the compliment, but she shook her head.

"I didn't give you the grade – and I didn't do any of the work. You did all that yourself. I just helped."

"Hey! Shawn's third in the class," Cassie said, looking at the names.

"Look who's second," River said, preening.

She smiled.

"Congratulations you guys."

Shawn smiled, blushing, and no one missed the pride in Jack's expression as he slapped his son's shoulder.

"Everyone hates us," River said, not looking at all concerned about that. "Especially Ian."

"Nothing new there," Ian said, absently, stealing one of the hotdogs that were cooking on the grill. It was hot, and fairly well burnt his fingers, but he was hungry enough not to care.

"Hey!" Jack swatted at him with his spatula, but Ian avoided it easily. "You wait until they're done like everyone else."

"There she is," Janet said, coming up to the group with Emmett beside her. Behind her were Daniel and Teal'c, and when Cassie looked over at the Jaffa, she saw that he was holding Jacob. The Jaffa's powerful arms dwarfed the infant, but he didn't look like he minded a bit. "How was the drive?"

Cassie smiled, hugging her mother again.

"It's awesome!"

"I'm glad you like it." A quick glance at her daughter's head and finger told her that Ian had handed out his presents – all of them – and the relaxation in Ian's eyes and body language told Janet that all was apparently forgiven. Which was good. She was beginning to like Ian, after all, and didn't feel like trying to break in a new boyfriend. "Just remember to be careful while you're getting used to it."

"And don't let Ian anywhere near the engine," Sam said, smiling at the Cadet, who tried for an innocent look and failed.

"Colonel!" Everyone looked over as Hammond walked up. He gave Cassie a hug by way of greeting, but his eyes were on Jack. "I'm starving. When are we going to eat?"

"It's almost done, Sir," Jack said, flipping the burgers and hot dogs. On the other grill were several steaks, carefully positioned to be able to cook as many as possible at one time.

Hammond looked over at Ian, who stuffed the hotdog he'd stolen into his mouth to hide the evidence.

"He got one."

"He stole it."

The General reached out and snatched a hotdog from the grill as well, and yelped when it burned his fingers. The hotdog dropped before he could stop it, and a flash of teeth and black muzzle instantly announced that Jaffer had simply been waiting for such an occasion. The lab gave Hammond an innocent look – which wasn't much better than Ian's had been – and swallowed the hotdog quickly, as if worried Hammond might go after it.

Bah.