Chapter one
Somewhere in the distance a phone was ringing. There was also a man hammering.
"O'Neill? O'Neill?"
The man hammering was Teal'c?
"O'Neill? If you do not respond I will be compelled to open the door."
That did it. He returned to reality with a bang, lifted his head off the desk and moved quickly to yank the door open just in time to prevent Teal'c shouldering it down.
"Sorry T, must have dropped off there. Hey what's up?" He looked past his tall Jaffa friend to Sergeant Davis who was looking at him strangely.
"Yes?" Jack looked between the two,with the beginings of impatience. It is always better to let sleeping Generals lie.
"Phone call for you General …"
"Ah yes" It was still ringing..He strode back into his office and snatched up the receiver.
"O'Neill."
From the door Teal'c watched his friend's face as he talked on the phone.
"Hey Cass." A smile broke over his tired features, swiftly followed by a frown
"Is she ok?"
"She what?" Slowly his mouth became a grim line as he listened, nodding every now and again.
"How much beer?" His brown eyes were now dangerously dark.
"For cryin out loud!" He raked his hand through his greying hair.
"Just keep her talking til I get there and I will handle it," A pause.. ."I don't know. I'm sure you'll think of something."
Teal'c decided to stay; simultaneously Walter Davis decided to leave. He had witnessed this particular facial expression before and knew it usually resulted in an angry General. And this particular General was not nice when he was angry. He mentally sounded the retreat and steered 2 other guys out of the potential blast zone." Lets not bother General O'Neill whilst he is on the phone, he hates to be interrupted."
Teal'c was impassive. He also could see the telltale signs of Jack's growing temper but he had seen them before and he knew it would blow over eventually. He watched as the receiver was replaced with a crash and his friend shrugged on his jacket before picking up his car keys. He stepped back from the door and followed him.
"Will you require my assistance in this matter O'Neill?"
"Yep," he strode towards the exit.
"Will we be leaving this facility to undertake our task, O'Neill?"
"Yep," He strode on purposefully.
"Then may I suggest you inform Sergeant Davis of our departure whilst I return to my quarters for a suitable outer garment and my headwear." Jack halted and strode in the other direction.
" Meet ya topside." He disappeared around the corner.
"Indeed." He inclinded his head mildly at the retreating figure and turned towards his quarters.
They drove away from the complex into the night. He looked at the luminous clock in his truck; worry etched his features, 22.30. It wasn't like her to worry him like this. Hell, she knew he worried.What sort of state had she got herself into? More importantly why?
He turned off the freeway and drove on in silence.
Cassandra Fraiser looked anxiously towards her door, and tried to focus on the conversation again.
She looked into cornflower blue eyes, as her companion chattered on more and more animatedly. Guilt washed over her. This was gonna be ugly. She shook herself mentally, all she had to do was keep her here until he arrived. Those were her orders, she would not fail. She was aware of how much he cared. She looked towards the door again and saw lights draw up in front.
Her blonde hair bounced on shaking shoulders as she laughed again.She tried to stop and couldn't, everything just seemed so funny. Vaguely she became aware that Cassandra was looking towards the door. She bit her bottom lip.
"You didn't?" she asked with a note of alarm.
"Err what?"
A truck door banged.
The blue eyes narrowed." Cass, did you call someone?"
Footsteps. Cassandra moved towards the door. The General's silhouette loomed in the doorway.
"Crap!" She vaulted over the sofa and made for the rear of the house.
The door opened. "Where is she?"His eyes raked the room and came up empty.
"She was right there, she can't have got far!"Cassandra said, pointingtowards the sofa.
A flash of gold in his peripheral vision caught his attention.
He moved towards the kitchen.
She had seen him in the doorway and couldn't fight the mounting panic. She couldn't face him; she couldn't let him see her like this. She had to get away, at least till he calmed down and she felt more in control.
She yanked open the back door and collided with a solid object.
"Oof!" She landed flat on her back, winded.
"Are you injured?" Teal'c inquired anxiously.
She giggled.
He raised an eyebrow and looked through the living room door.
"It would seem your assumption on her choice of escape route was correct, O'Neill."Teal'c nodded his head slightly towards his friend who was striding across the kitchen. Barely concealed fury radiated from him.
He glared down at the giggling mass sprawled on the wood floor.
"Hannah Danielle O'Neill! What part of no you may not attend a party tonight did you fail to understand? " he barked impatiently.
"She appears to have consumed . ."
"I know ."
He reached down and pulled her up to face him. Well, not quite face,as she looked at her runner clad feet and chose this highly appropriate moment to blush.
"I," she began.
"Ah!" he held up a hand.
"But."
"Ah!" He held his finger up to his lips.
She subsided, mutinously.
He pointed at the door. "Truck! Now!"
She walked out, shoulders drooping.
He watched her carefully as she walked towards the door. Shewas so like her mother, quick witted, intelligent, he thought, but he knew the charecteristics she had inherited from him made her an O'Neill and she always had to have the last word.
She drew level with Cassandra, who had watched the whole exchange with an amused expression.
"Shol'va!"
"Excuse me? You will apologise to Cassie right now, Hannah." Jacktook two steps towards his child
"Sorry," she mumbled over her shoulder.
"Louder!" His next step wouldbring herwithin his reach.
"Sorry," she said very sarcastically as she exited at a accelerated pace.
"Jack, its ok." Cassie watched her walk none to steadily down the path.
"I will accompany her. O'Neill." The big Jaffa strode past with what could only be described as an amused expression on his face.
"Cass, I can only…" Jack looked uncomfortably at the young woman before him and smiled wryly.
"No need," she interrupted and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Anything else you need to tell me?" He hoped there wasn't but he knew he ought to ask.
"You were young once too," she ventured.
He sighed heavily, "Sam is going to kill me!"