Part 18

Jack sat on the edge of the lake and cast another line out. He had been pleasantly surprised when Rupert Giles had told him that yes indeed there was fishing on this planet and that there was a good spot nearby.

He did his best thinking while fishing. Well, maybe not his best thinking that was reserved for when he needed to think on the fly. But, when he had problems that needed to be thought out he always turned to fishing. And he had a lot of problems that needed to be thought out, not the least of which was his de-aging – stolen life. Every time he'd put his personal problems on the back burner something would happen to remind him. Just that morning when he'd glanced in the mirror he noticed that his hair had just a small spattering of grey in it. At this rate he'd be at his "prime cellular level" in a few weeks. He hoped the geniuses at SGC were right and he would stop getting younger and then age at a normal rate again.

His thoughts turned to his friends at Stargate Command. George, Daniel, Teal'c and Sam. Sam… would this be an opportunity to find out if they had anything? His career was in limbo until the brass knew what the hell to do with him but he would no longer be Sam's superior. There really wouldn't be a taboo with their relationship but there was a small problem.

Willow. The things he found attractive in Sam were what he was beginning to find attractive in Willow. She was smart, attractive, funny and emotionally strong. She had survived growing up in a town populated by demons, which forced her to become a fighter at a young age. She was as much a soldier as Sam was. There were also qualities that were uniquely Willow.

A smile tugged his lips as he thought about her babbling and the way her mind sometimes worked. She could quote pop culture just as easily as any ancient dead language. Willow was as comfortable researching ancient prophecies with Rupert as she was watching slapstick comedies with Xander.

But before he could wonder about where his life was going from here he needed to address the looming threat of Sekhmet. He needed to contact Jacob to find out what the Tok'ra knew of the new threat. Jack found it odd that the Tok'ra hadn't mentioned anything about a rising System Lord. Not that he really trusted them but he did trust Jacob. Well, sort of.

He also needed to contact General Hammond to apprise him of the situation on Niurin. Penthesilea had said that threat did not concern the Tau'ri yet any Goa'uld is a threat to Earth especially one that hadn't been defeated the first go round. In Jack's opinion, that made her more of a threat. The fact that she was smart enough to wait and bide her time; to look for the opportunity to strike and not be impatient to put her plans in action. That was a formidable foe.

It wouldn't look too out of place if he used the stargate to communicate with SGC. It was perfectly natural for him to want to find out his status and if he slipped some information to the General at the same time, oh well.

A tugging on his line brought him out of his thoughts.  "Sweet." He idly wondered if Willow liked fish as he spun the reel.

Willow stood under the shade of a tree as she watched Jack as he reeled in the fish. Giles had asked her if she wouldn't mind running an errand for him and she'd stopped by the lake when she'd spotted Jack's rental car.

"I see Giles shared his fishing spot."

Jack held up a string of fish and his latest capture. "Not bad for a day's work. Grilled fish tonight?"

Willow wrinkled her nose, "As long as I don't have to clean it, I'll eat it."

"Deal. You bring the cold beer and I'll grill the fish." He cocked his head to the side, "You are old enough to get beer, right?"

Her eyes twinkled, "Get beer or drink beer?"

A smile quirked his lips. It hadn't been that long ago that he'd had a fake id and bought beer for his friends. It seemed young adults were a lot alike no matter where they grew up. "Don't ask, don't tell."

"Huh?"

"Never mind. So, just in the neighborhood and thought you'd stop by?"

"Nope. I'm being errand girl for Giles. Xander had to work and Buffy 'claimed' she needed to help train Dawn. Hence, me being errand girl."

"Ah, couldn't come up with an excuse fast enough?"

"That, too."

Jack noticed Willow's curious gaze had strayed to the fishhook that he'd just baited. "Care to give it a try?"

Willow shook her head, "I've never fished before."

"No time like the present, then. Come on." He held out the fishing pole to her.

The red head tentatively took the pole from Jack's grasp. "Now what?"

Jack stepped up behind her and placed his hand over hers. "Loosen your wrist, don't hold the pole so tight."

The feel of Jack's hand on hers caused little butterflies to dance around in Willow's stomach. Whoa! Where had that come from? "B-better?" Great, now her voice was a high squeak.

"That's it. Now lightly flick your wrist and let the pole do the rest."

Willow turned her head to watch the pole and her eyes collided with Jack's. Green eyes stared into brown. It was the clothes fluke with Xander all over again. Time seemed to stop and she couldn't turn her eyes away.

"Uh, let me give you some room."  Jack backed away as Willow cast her line. He tried to shake off the sensation of Willow's eyes staring into his. He did NOT need that complication now. Stupid cell rejuvenating hormones.

"Now what?" Willow looked over her shoulder at Jack.

"Now you wait."

Willow looked back at the float as it bobbed in the water. This was it? This is what Jack and Giles did for relaxation and fun? She'd rather code a program.

A sharp tug brought Willow's attention back to the end of her line. "JACK! I think I got something."

Jack quickly stepped up behind her and placed his hands over hers, as he helped her bring in the fish. "Reel it in. That's it, Willow."

A tiny squeal of delight escaped Willow's lips as she pulled in her first fish. Sparkling green eyes turned to Jack as he took the pole from her and removed the hook from the fish. She just barely stopped herself from doing a Snoopy dance. Okay, so maybe this wasn't as boring as she first thought.

"Ready to learn how to clean a fish?"

Willow's bubble of happiness deflated quickly as she made an ewwwww face. "I bring the cold beer, remember?"

"You catch it, you clean it."

"That didn't count. I wasn't actually fishing, I was just learning to cast a line and the fish happened to eat the bait." Willow nodded her head. "Yep. I think it's fishing rule number 451 that whatever you first catch it is considered practice fishing and doesn't fall under the catch it, clean it clause."

Jack smirked as Willow tried to wiggle her way out of cleaning a fish. He had to give her points for quick thinking.

"If I clean your fish then you do the kitchen detail."

"I was planning on doing it anyway. Deal."

"You mean I wasted a perfectly good blackmail deal on something you were going to do anyway?"

"Yep."

"That's okay, I was going to clean your fish for you anyway." He said as he packed up the fishing supplies. "Meet you back at Buffy's?"

"Okay. I have to drop off the supplies I bought Giles first. I'll see you there."

~~~~

Willow smiled as she walked up to where Jack was manning the grill. She popped the top of the cold beer and handed it to him. "Debt paid."

He took a long pull off the beer and watched as Dawn tried to sweet talk Spike into giving her a sip of his. Jack keenly felt the loss of his friends, Teal'c, Daniel and Sam as he watched the Scoobies and Furlings interact.

Willow's smile faded as she noticed Jack's silence. "You okay?"

Jack pulled his gaze from where Xander and Anya were arguing. "Yeah. Just thinking."

Before Willow could respond there was a blinding flash of light that filled the backyard. As the light faded she saw that Penthesilea and Antandre were standing to greet the newly arrived Furlings, Slayers and Mages.

"Tara?"

"W-willow. Hi."

A tall black haired Furling stepped away from the group and greeted Penthesilea, "The Alliance meeting has concluded, Sister. We bring news."