THANK YOU for reading/reviewing the last chapter! XXXX.
It's longer because of the longer wait. Enjoy! (Hopefully!)
Note: I know it's rather unusual that Jack is making the 'love comments' when it's generally Sam. Rest assured, Sam will get her turn.
"Zip-a dee-doo- dah... Zip-a-Dee-day... My o-"
"SIR!"
Jack paused. "Carter?"
She sighed. Only three days till Daniel's return,four till Christmas... and a little over 9 days till her release.
"Carter?"
Carter stared at the TV. Darn Disneyland for putting on commercials.
"Please. Don't sing."
"Why not?"
"Because... you can't..." she trailed off.
"Sing?" Jack offered.
"Yeah."
"Oh." He was quiet for a moment, then, with a wicked gleam in his eyes, he began humming the Simpson theme song VERY off-key.
Sam looked longingly at her laptop whose battery was charging. "I'm going to kill Daniel for leaving me alone." she decided. An inner voice asked her whether it was actually the annoyance or the fact spending this much time was way too distracting because-
Stop Sam. Stop.
She leaned back on her bed and plotted her revenge. What about a three hour briefing using as many technical terms as possible while making sure he didn't smuggle in a yoyo... yeah...
She gave him a sweet smile. "Isn't this going to be a lovely day?"
Å
The rest of the day passed unusually uneventful excepting the frequent appearances of Bert and Ernie. Carter, happily typing away at her now very long briefing on P23-T22 weather anomalies, was ignoring him leaving him to amuse himself by timing how quickly Bert and Ernie appeared when he called. Janet finally ordered him to stop and closed his curtains.
"I FEEL LIKE I'M ON TIME OUT!" he shouted.
Janet ignored him and handed Sam her supper, including the Major's favorite dessert then pulled opened the curtain long enough to hand Jack his tray, complete with red Jell-o.
"I want pie," he grumbled.
"There is no pie Colonel."
He grumbled a bit more until she threatened to take it away. He sulked but stopped grumbling.
"I have good news though," Janet offered.
"Daniel's coming home?" Carter offered while Jack called out that he was being released.
"Nope. Cassie's spending the night."
Å
"That's good news?" Jack mouthed to Sam only minutes later after Janet had pulled the curtains open. The hyper-active teen/woman hurried into the room, sleeping bag and backpack slung over her shoulder.
"Hey!" she called.
"Where's Dominic?" Carter asked.
Cassie grinned. "Home. Safe." She dragged an infirmary bed and pushed it between theirs. She plopped her stuff on it, kicked her shoes off, and then, with a guilty look around, jumped onto the bed.
"What about school?"
Cassie sighed and turned to face her 'uncle'. "Jack," she said patiently, "its winter break. It's when you take a time off from school to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and other holidays and to be with family."
Carter finished the last of her Jell-o with a loud slurp. "Cassie, could you please take this tray off of my bed?"
"What am I, a maid?" she grumbled before complying.
"Thanks. How's the painting going?"
Cassandra, spurred by the fact her art teacher in junior high had told her she had talent, had began taking painting lessons up at the community college.
"Great! My teacher says I have talent..." She grinned and tossed her red hair back. Carter remembered the moody 15 year old girl who had been confined to the infirmary for days and was thankful that she had the cheerful 17 year old.
"Wanna play chess?"
Carter nodded. "Why not?"
Å
Jack watched with interest as Cassie cleverly checkmated his second-in-command then squeal with delight. Carter frowned then reluctantly allowed her to pack up after Cassie (wisely) refused to play again.
"You mind if I catch a show?" the teen asked.
Jack shrugged. "Be my guest."
"WHAT show?" Carter asked interrogatively.
"It's called Lost. A plane crashes on an island and there's no way to get home. There are also these bad guys called 'the Other's' and well-"
"You can watch it," Jack said quickly. Cassie flipped through the channels and paused on the station. "I love this show."
"I've never heard of it," Carter said frankly. Cassie scowled at her and muttered something about her not having a life, a comment the Major chose to ignore.
"It's starting!"
Å
"Interesting."
Cassie stared at her 'aunt'. "Interesting? That's all you can say? You watched one of the greatest shows on this planet and all you can say is... INTERESTING?"
"Sawyer reminds me a bit of the Colonel," Carter whispered gesturing to the sleeping man.
Cassie raised an eyebrow. "He calls you sunshine and freckles?" she asked skeptically. Honestly... Sawyer… and JACK?
"No. The part about not being able to keep his mouth shut... even when in danger."
Cassie's eyes clouded. By now she was use to the fact that her relatives frequently exposed themselves to danger. Accepted it. But that didn't mean she liked it. "Why does he do that?" she asked quietly.
She shrugged. "I think he does it because it takes the focus off of us," she admitted.
"Because... he likes you."
"No!" Carter said loudly before she could stop herself. "No," she said more calmly. "Because he cares about us."
"You in particular."
"Cass-"
"A lot more then he's suppose to."
"Cass-"
"And you do too."
"Cass-"
"Sam! I know... I know you've admitted it a lot... you've even told him and he's just brushed you aside. And now he's told you-"
"How'd you find out about-"
"Bert and Ernie, just-"
"CASSANDRA!"
The teen stopped. "Sam... Admit it. You love Jack."
She gave a bitter laugh. "Everyone knows that... 'cept him."
"He knows Sam... But do you know?"
"What?" was all Carter could ask.
"I mean... do you really love him?"
"I..."
Cassandra hopped off her bed and settled on the edge of Sam's. "C'mon," she said with a hint of playfulness. "Tell your ol' aunt Yenta."
"Yenta?"
"Matchmaker."
"Fiddler on the Roof."
"It's a classic."
"Its no-"
"Sam, you are avoiding the question."
"Am not."
She sighed loudly and buried her face in her hands.
"I... I do."
Cassie's head shot up. "You do?"
Carter buried her own face in her pillow. "You tell the Colonel and I'll tell your mother where you really were on Tuesday before last..."
Cassandra paled. "How do you know?"
"Saw you."
She raised an eyebrow. "Hot date?"
"I was with Pete."
She shuddered. "At least pick a guy who's good in be-"
"CASSANDRA FRAISER!"
"I was quoting a movie. You know... Bride and Prejudice?"
Carter shook her head. "What is it?"
Cassie hopped off the bed and went to her own and dug through the backpack. "HA! Now you have to watch it!"
"Shhh..." the Major warned. "Don't wake up the Colonel..."
With a loud snort, the object of their attentions rolled off, eyes fluttering. "What'd I miss?"
Cassie inserted the DVD and expertly forwarded it to a part revealing four or five Indian girls in one room. One began singing...
Carter and Jack both stared wide eyed as 'their niece' began jumping around and singing along with the video. By the time they got to the chorus, Carter was giggling.
No life... Without Wife...
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
No life... Without Wife...
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah...
Cassie let the whole song go before shutting it off. Her eyes danced. "Wasn't that funny?"
"A hoot." Jack said dryly. "Doesn't the word 'sleepover' imply that food will be involved?"
She frowned. "You can only think about your stomach at a time like this." she half stated, half asked.
Jack swallowed hard.
"I... I do."
"You do?"
"I... uh... yeah. Uh... at a time like what?"
Carter had a sudden suspicion. "You WERE asleep... weren't you?"
"Huh?"
"When Cassie and I were talking..."
A face filled with confusion greeted her. "What?"
She shrugged. "Never mind sir."
Å
They crashed at 2:00 and didn't wake up until Janet came in with the breakfast trays. A sleepy Cassie ate slowly then pulled out her cell phone and talked to her boyfriend for an hour while Jack made faces at her. Carter crashed after her meal and was sound asleep, snuggled around a body pillow.
Cassie departed after 11:00, kissing her sleeping aunt good-bye. Lunch came and still she slept. Jack was worried but Janet seemed unconcerned, saying the Major had barely slept in days.
2:00...3:00... 4:00...
Jack was about to order Ernie to dose her with a bucket of freezing cold water when she stirred.
"Carter?" he called.
Carter, ever the obedient Major, opened her eyes and pulled herself to an upright position. "Good morning," she said with a yawn. "Where's Cass?"
"Good afternoon would be more appropriate."
She wrinkled her forehead and glanced at her watch and promptly gasped. "4:00?" she squeaked.
"Cassie had to go home."
"4:00?"
"4:01 actually."
"4:00?"
"Yes Carter. 4-0-0."
Carter shook her head with disbelief. "I never sleep in past 9... Ever!"
"Well... you've made a record for yourself. This calls for pie."
She gave him a look similar to Cassie's. "Pie? I haven't even had breakfast yet."
"So have... breuncher."
"Breuncher?
"Breakfast, lunch and dinner!"
"Very... creative sir."
He ducked his head. "Oh stop it Carter... you're embarrassing me."
She smiled. "Two days until Daniel gets home."
"3 till Christmas!" Jack said, looking at the tree. "I wonder what Teal'c got me this year..."
Carter shook her head then gave a small, contented sigh. She loved Christmas.
Å
Jack lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Unlike Carter... he was DREADING Daniel coming home. Daniel was sharp eyed, Teal'c even more... they would both be able to spot the growing attraction... between him and his second-in-command. Unconsciously, he began humming a well known Christmas tune...
You better watch out... you better not cry...
Carter began humming it with him, and together they finished it with a resounding: "Santa Clause is coming... to... town!"
"Did you believe in Santa, Carter?"
She shook her head. "Nope. Dad... you?"
He shook his head. "My parents heard to many horror stories about kids who found out when they were older that Santa wasn't real and felt betrayed."
She bit her lip. "You wanna wish for something... for fun?" she asked hesitantly.
Jack hesitated then nodded. "Why not?"
And they both closed their eyes and wished...
So.. did Jack actually HEAR the talk between Cass? What'd they wish for?
Anyways... I hope you liked the chapter...
PLEASE review!