Chapter 53 by Natters

Here we are again, Happy as can be… or not… Some Dan/Jan angst for you all today. Please read and review.

Janet's POV

I just saw a flash of light in the Gate room. At least they've gone without too much fussing. Daniel is standing on the opposite side of the room, his arms folded across his chest, staring at the floor in frustration. I love the way all the muscles in his arms are…

No. I am not going through this again. We've had our time together. Now it's time to pay the piper.

"I…"

His head snaps up to look at me. His eyes are blazing with fury and I flinch at the mental barrage of frustration that is flung my way.

"Yes Doctor?"

Fine. You want to be like this. "I think you'd better move your things out Doctor Jackson."

"Alright." He stomps out of the room, treading all my dreams into the harsh concrete as he walks away.

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Cassie's POV

One week later

I don't know who Mom thinks she's trying to fool. She's brought home ice cream every night this week. She spends a lot of her time 'working' in her study with the CD player on so I can't hear her crying. She's not sleeping either.

If Sam was here, she'd have helped them both. There's nothing like a girly night to sort things out. Louise, my best friend at school seems to break up with a new guy every two weeks. That means one girly night where we sit around doing each others hair, giving each other manicures and pedicures, and usually involves a lot of crying by the end of it.

And neither Sam or Jack would put up with a sulky Daniel. He never did come back down to the gate room after Sam and Jack left. When he came to get his stuff yesterday, there was another yelling match. They both thought I was out in the garden doing my homework. He came out to see me afterwards.

"Hey Cassie."

"Daniel."

"How's school?"

"Oh you know. Same old, same old."

"You've got exams coming up soon right?"

"Next week."

"Well, if you still want any help revising…"

I looked up at him and smiled. "I know. I'll call. Thanks Daniel."

"Just because things between me and your Mom aren't too good right now, doesn't mean I won't be there for you if you need me? Janet says it's okay."

"I know."

"Do you have your timetable yet?"

"Provisional."

"Sounds like my old school. They'd always give the exam timetable out the Friday before the exams started. How's the revision going?"

"Slowly, but I'm getting there."

"You'll be fine. Sam was helping you with the Maths and Science right?"

"Yep, and Jack with English and Music."

"What? I mean… our Jack? Jack O'Neill?"

"Oh come on Daniel. You know he plays dumb."

"Yeah, but English?"

"You know how he is about grammar. And music. He knows a lot about classical stuff, and he gives me easy way to remember things."

"Like what?"

"Like… Swan Lake was written by Tchaikovsky. The dance of the dying swan by the Thai man who could ski on a frozen lake."

We laughed. It was such a Jack thing to say.

"So we're okay Cassie?"

"Yeah. We're okay. Make up with my Mom and we'll be better."

"Cassie."

"I'm just saying."

And that's how I came to be waiting for Daniel to pick me up from school. Like I'm really a daughter with divorced parents, who have worked out this arrangement of 'visits' with the other half.

He's five minutes late of course. He probably got stuck in the Mountain with a big emergency again. Or translating some ancient artefact. He'll call my cell phone in ten minutes and say he's on his way.

Or not. I recognise the car pulling around the corner. Sergeant Siler's wife again. She's a nice woman, but every time I see her I know its bad news. If it was a regular thing they'd have sent an airman to see me home.

"Hey Cassie. Your Mom and Uncle Daniel are caught up at work. Here's the letter from your Mom saying you'll be staying with me for a few days."

"Hi Mrs. Siler."

She passes me the letter that Mom always insists on sending. Something to do with Uncle Jack helping raise me. I'm never to go with anyone unless they have a note from Mom, Uncle George or SG-1, and it has to signed in a particular way, depending on the day of the month, blah blah blah. I check the signature automatically. 'from your Big Bad Uncle Jack. PS Sam says hi!'.

They've been recalled to the Mountain on their honeymoon? Oh for crying out loud!

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