Chapter 19 by Natters and Abbot

Cassie's POV

Sam comes limping in to my room as I hear Uncle Jack in the shower. I guess Operation dancing was a complete failure. Sam's in pain and Jack's being a lunkhead.

I saw Siler on our way out. He was collecting on his winnings from Ferretti. I suppose he knows how important the other one's career is to both of them. And he knows how stubborn they are.

Would it have broken the regs to share one dance? She danced with civilians, non-comms, Sergeants, Captains, Majors, Colonels, even a couple of General's that were friends of Uncle George.

Jack wouldn't even get up off his butt to dance with me… Maybe he can't dance? I hadn't thought of that. Nahhh, not Uncle Jack. He was just being a sulk. Everyone noticed the way he couldn't tear his eyes off her. His hands didn't stop fiddling with something all evening. At first it was his beer glasses, then the beer mat and finally a thread on his jacket. He just kept picking at it. Like if he could fix that it would fix his… lack of a relationship with Sam.

Mom and Daniel are all for Sam and Jack getting it together, but they're not doing so well in the persuasive department. Too busy with their own relationship. I hope I don't have to call him Dad if they get married.

If I was built like Teal'c I'd knock Sam and Jack's heads together. Repeatedly. Law of averages suggests their lips would collide a few times. Okay… what does Teal'c want? Candles? Dead Gou'ald? Star Wars I on DVD? World peace?… Okay, that plan officially sucks. World peace…

Galactic peace would mean that they wouldn't have to keep going off world to save the universe… again. Jack could retire and… be bored out of his skull while he waits for Sam to get home from the SGC and her lab… Oh fer crying out loud. And Galactic Peace… short of the Asgard having a change of heart and kicking the Gou'ald into the middle of the next century, I don't see that happening soon enough to be worth it. I mean kids are on the game plan here, so we've gotta get them together this decade.

That's how long it'll take to get them passed this "we're not like that" stage, if they keep it up. Ten years. Sam keeps on talking about how time is relative. Well they won't get any relatives of the baby sort at this rate. And I know that's what Uncle Jack wants. He's a softie for kids. Even if he still treats me like I'm eleven. But that's us. No one else is allowed to treat me like that. Not even Uncle George…

"Why can't you two just ask Uncle George for a favor?"

Jack's POV

I can hear them through the wall. Somehow, with them living here and everything, they don't realize that the walls are paper thin. I shoot awake and sit up as Cassie all but starts screaming at Carter. Combat instincts- any noise is danger.

"Why can't you two just ask Uncle George for a favor?"

I shot into a sitting position, and my stomach double-checked to see if it was empty. Fortunately, it was. I just felt really queasy, and like someone had taken a sledgehammer to my head. I very, very slowly and carefully lay back down and tried to get my brain to function. I really wished I had passed out. Really. But I kept listening.

Carter's reply is barely audible, a grunt. Cassie continues to rant.

"You and Jack. You should have been dancing with him tonight, not those other men."

A sigh.

The conversation dissolves into low tones. I can't hear it, but I suspect a plot. An evil plot, if you will. I don't care. Cassie doesn't seem to get it. As high-up as Hammond is, he's only a general. ONLY! Ha! He might as well be a gunnery sergeant for all the good it'll do us. I don't thinks she understands that the rules are the rules, and as powerful as George is, he can't change them. If it were that simple, then...well, I'd have kids right now, wouldn't I?

Anyways, the rules are there for a reason. I tucked my hands back behind my head, close my eyes and try to ignore the rumbles coming from the next room. I catch a word here and there, nothing much else. But, Cassie was right. I know I should have been dancing with Carter.