"So when you meant dinner you meant char-grilled steak and beer?" Sam laughed.
"Well…yes" Jack grinned, looking out over his yard. "Last time you were here…"
"Let's not discuss that" Sam grimaced.
"Please" Jack quietly begged, "I need to know what you were going to say"
Sam looked down at the salad she had just made, "What I was going to say, well tell you, was that I broke of the engagement with Pete because of my feelings for you. Then I got the shock of my life with her and then dad. After everything happened I felt drained and seeing you again, I mean after everything was finalised. You had that look that said 'I want to talk about what happened' and I wasn't ready. Every time I looked at you there it was a constant reminder of how close we came to breaking all the rules"
"I only went out with her because I wanted to see if I could forget, and for a few moments I did" Jack stated sadly, "Just being around another woman was hard, you and Janet were the two closest women in my life for a long time"
"I understand why you went out with her, it's the same reason I went after Pete" Sam came up beside him, "Besides, I think you should turn the heat down, the steaks are on fire, literally" Sam burst into a fit of giggles.
"I miss that" Jack sighed, turning the flames down.
"What?"
"Your giggling: it drove me nuts. I never actually thought I would miss it but I did"
"I missed team nights the most" Sam placed some tomatoes on the barbecue, "I kept a case of Guinness in the fridge just in case I ever got the nerve up to tell you were I was"
"I was just as bad; I kept a six pack of diet coke in my fridge in case you ever decided to return"
"Yea I noticed them sitting there" Sam planted a kiss on Jack's cheek, "Thank you"
"For what?" he faced her.
"Bringing me back, making me face my demons" she grinned up at him.
Jack lent down and gently kissed her lips, "Thank you for coming home"
A51A51A51A51
Daniel woke with a start; the last thing he remembered was having coffee with Sasha earlier that morning. Looking around there were two mugs and a body asleep in the cot he kept in the corner.
"Daniel?" Jack called from the door.
"Ah hi Jack" Daniel straightened his glasses.
"You didn't work through the night again did you?" Jack laughed walking in.
"Well no, not exactly. Sasha couldn't sleep and so we had coffee and that's the last thing I remember" Daniel explained.
"So that would explain why she's asleep in your cot" Jack pointed, "Daniel you dog, she's been here a day"
"It's not like that Jack, unlike some people I don't fall in-love with my co-workers" Daniel smirked, "by the way, how was dinner?"
"Burnt" Jack grinned, "We talked"
"Oh like that's all you did" Jack scoffed getting some coffee.
"I may have kissed her"
"She kiss you back?"
"Yea, why do you want to know?"
"Living my life through you" Daniel smiled before taking a sip, "Got no love life of my own"
"You could have one you know" Jack pointed nodded towards Sasha.
"Thanks Jack but the last arranged relationship ended badly enough" Daniel sighed.
"Just saying, you don't need to lock yourself away anymore"
"I know and thanks"
"Anyone seen Sasha? I was going to help her find a new place today" Sam popped her head in.
"Daniel and Sasha had coffee last night" Jack grinned walking out, "Look to the floor"
"Nothing happened" Daniel said dryly, "We just fell asleep, besides I slept cramped over the bench"
"Sasha?" Sam gently shook her.
"Sorry, must of dozed off, where were we?" Sasha woke confused, "Sam?"
"Yea that's me, Daniel said you fell asleep so he gave you his cot" Sam smiled at her, "Ready to go house hunting?"
"Sure, want to come?" Sasha asked Daniel.
"Ah sure, why not" Daniel grinned, "But I'm showering first"
A51A51A51A51
"Oh wow, it's beautiful" Sasha exclaimed when they pulled up next to a small three bedroom house.
"The gardens are nice" Daniel offered, receiving a slap on the arm for his troubles.
"You could be more helpful" Sasha grinned.
"It's a house, I have an apartment, and you're buying a house!" Daniel exclaimed, "How can I enjoy looking at houses when I'm in a small flat?"
"It's not small" Sam pointed out, "It took us days to pack your stuff up the first time we thought we'd lost you, and tell me that was no mean feat! You have stuff in there that hasn't even been catalogued! You're lucky we didn't report the stuff" Sam went off, "Now help her look"
"Ok, ok, but the garden is nice, I'd have to say it was sculptured after a simple Chinese design, but there is a touch of Mongolian over there in the far corner" Daniel pointed out, "You should remember that Sam, it's looks like your old headdress"
"It looks nothing like it! My headdress was blue, not red and it was much fancier" Sam defended.
"Ok…so the house then?" Sasha interrupted.
"House is great, best one today" Daniel offered, "But I still think we should take a look inside"
The three walked around the house taking in all aspects. "Ok so I love the bathrooms" Sam began.
"I liked the size of the study" Daniel added.
"I liked the kitchen and lounge" Sasha finished. "I guess this is the one"
Sam opened her phone and dialled the real estate. "Hi yes, my name's Sasha Jennings. Yes we're still at the house. Yes, I was actually wondering what the price was? No, that's no problem, when can I move in? Sure that's great, I'll come down with the money this afternoon. Ok thank you"
"What the hell?" Sasha asked
"That my dear friend is making sure you get the house you want" Sam grinned, "I did that when I first got my place, loved it and brought it"
"How much?"
"27, it's not so bad with how much works been done on it. When we get back to the base we can work out how you'll afford it" Sam read Sasha's mind.
A51A51A51A51
"Hey thanks for coming today" Sasha smiled walking into the lab.
"No problems" Daniel smiled back.
"You don't have a girlfriend do you?" Sasha asked sitting next to him.
"No" short and sweet.
"Me either" she sighed.
"You've had girlfriends then?" Daniel grinned.
"No, I meant…never mind" Sasha began to walk out.
"No wait, I'm sorry" Daniel stopped her. "I meant it as a joke"
"Oh" Sasha looked up at him, "So no girlfriend"
"No boyfriend"
"Friends?" Sasha extended her hand.
"Friends" Daniel accepted the hand. Looking down at their hands, he couldn't help but notice how smooth they were. Looking up at her, he tugged her closer.
"Yes?" She asked, inches away.
"Maybe…"
"Daniel" Jack walked in, they sprung apart.
"Jack" Daniel mimicked.
"Sam said you helped her find Sasha a house, nice job. Oh Sasha you're here, that's great. Teal'c agreed, so did Sam. We're going to have a team night, want to come?"
"Ah sure" Sasha smiled, "I better find Sam. General, see you tonight, Doctor Jackson"
"See ya Sasha, get Sam to fill you in on team night etiquette" Jack called
"Later Sasha" Daniel called, but she was gone.
"Ok I get you not wanting to have a girlfriend and all that, but she's just perfect for you" Jack sat in Sasha's now vacant seat.
"You may see that, but I'm not sure" Daniel sat next to Jack.
"Tonight, I'll prove it" Jack grinned walking out.
A51A51A51A51
"Sasha!" Sam greeted her friend "What's wrong?"
"Hey, oh nothing" Sasha dropped into the chair next to Sam, "Ok something, I have a thing for Daniel"
"Already?" Sam grinned.
"Yes and you knew it would happen! This is entirely your fault" Sasha exclaimed.
"Can't deny the thought might have crossed my mind, but how is it entirely my fault? Oh no what happened?"
"I brought up the girlfriend topic, we decided to be friends. We shook hands and he pulled me towards him, he was about to say something, well he did. He said 'maybe…' before General O'Neill walked in!" Sasha explained.
"Oh no, that could have been tricky" Sam sighed, "Look you're coming tonight right?" Sasha nodded, "We'll do something about it tonight"
"Ok" Sasha sighed, "Oh General O'Neill said something about team night etiquette?"
Sam burst out laughing, "Ok, yea sure, if you could call it etiquette! First rule, no falling asleep, Daniel did that and woke up looking like Hitler in a pink dress. Second rule, no eating the last slice of cake unless you're prepared to shot for it" Sasha laughed, "Third rule, do not let Teal'c watch, talk or even think of Star Wars. Fourth rule, have heaps of fun, no matter how your feeling, if you don't have fun…let's just say Jack gets creative with punishment. Fifth rule, don't get drunk and start Sing Star…ask Daniel. Sixth rule, if you drink anything other than beer, diet coke, juice or Guinness, bring it yourself. Daniel drinks beer; me diet coke and beer; Jack Guinness and Teal'c juice, alcohol has an adverse effect on him. And that's basically the 'etiquette'…well the rule of team night"
"That's a lot to remember" Sasha sighed again.
"Yea it is, but when you think of all the times Daniel has been 'caught' you understand the need for them" Sam giggled, "This one time, Daniel got so drunk he stripped down and jumped into the pond behind Jack's cabin…lets just say the entire base knows how much Daniel works out"
Sasha burst out laughing, "So don't fall asleep, don't eat last slice of cake, no Star Wars, have fun, stay away from Sing Star and make sure I drink the proffered drinks…not too hard to remember"
A/N: Ending it here because I've been thinking and I want the team night to be a complete chapter on its own. I'm going to try and take the entire chapter to have fun with…anything goes on TEAM NIGHT!
fyre-anjel