Disclaimer: 'Stargate SG1' and all the characters associated with the show belong to someone who isn't me. As I doubt that the owners would be willing to trade their rights for some magic beans that aren't in any way magical, this is not going to change at any point in the foreseeable future.

Author's Note: Opinion seems to be pretty divided between more little Sam or bringing adult Sam back, so I'm going to have this chapter and the next with little Sam, then the last chapter with adult Sam. I like the idea of teenage Sam, but I don't think I could fit it in.

Chapter Thirteen

The next morning

Little Sam, needless to say, had been thrilled when the idea of going trick or treating had been broached, with only Jack outdoing her excitement.

General Hammond, unable to refuse his little goddaughter's eager request, had agreed that if she had not been restored to her adult form by Halloween, her three teammates could take her trick or treating and he had given them permission to take her out to buy a costume.

After they had eaten breakfast - or, in Sam's case, used the food to build a tiny village - the quartet made their way to Jack's truck and climbed in, bound for the mall and the costume shop.

"Do you want to be a witch?" Daniel held out a black dress and hat for Sam's approval.

She shook her head decidedly. "Everybody dresses up like a witch."

"How about Cleopatra?" He suggested temptingly. "Wouldn't an Egyptian costume be fun?"

"Daniel!" Jack scolded. "Don't corrupt the innocent child."

"There are no Star Wars costumes." Teal'c's tone was disapproving.

"Maybe they're sold out." Daniel suggested placatingly.

"Perhaps." Teal'c nodded, but he did not look entirely satisfied.

"Maybe we should find out what Cassie is wearing." Daniel suggested. "Or we could all dress up and go as a group, as characters from 'The Wizard of Oz'. Sam could be Dorothy, Jack could be the Scarecrow..."

"Not a chance." Jack cut him off, glancing down at Sam, who, thankfully, had either not heard or was not impressed by the idea. "This one's cute." He took one of the costumes from its rack and showed it to her.

"It's pink." Sam spoke the word in a scathing tone, regarding the dress with the same expression that she had worn as an adult when she had seen the blue dress the Shavadai had required that she wear.

"What's wrong with pink?"

"It's for girls."

"You are a girl, Samantha." Teal'c pointed out helpfully, winding up on the receiving end of a reproachful frown.

"You don't want to dress up like a princess? We can get you a tiara and a sparkly scepter." Jack said temptingly.

"No pink." Her tone left no room for argument, and no promises for accessories would sway her.

"Okay, so the princess is out." Jack sighed, passing over a candy pink bunny outfit, knowing better than to ask if it would be acceptable.

When an elf outfit, a fairy, a ladybird and a sunflower were also rejected, he had been almost ready to give up hope when he spotted a perfect costume.

After considering it carefully for several minutes, the little girl finally nodded her approval.

Delighted squeals reverberated against the brightly painted walls of the play center as children ran through it, each of them seemingly possessing more energy that the watching adults could claim combined.

Though Sam was not shrieking at the top of her lungs, she nonetheless dove into the activities with an enthusiastic, yet at the same time calculating approach that reminded Jack of his adult second in command when she was trying to puzzle something out, carefully gauging the best way to navigate the obstacles.

When she had discovered the ball pool, Teal'c had kept his eyes glued on her, as if counting the seconds until she surfaced, poised to leap up from his chair and run to her aid in a second if she required rescue.

"I think she'll be alright." Jack commented mildly, watching as Sam leapt into the ball pool for the umpteenth time, this time attempting a cannonball that didn't quite work out. "To get hurt in these places, you have to try pretty hard; with all the padding and safety nets."

Only his restraining hand and a slight shake of the head kept Teal'c from running to Sam's side when a little boy, about a head taller than she was tugged sharply on one of her long pigtails, eliciting an indignant cry.

It seemed, however, that even at four and a half years of age, Sam Carter was more than capable of taking care of herself.

"Nice!" Jack exclaimed admiringly when she neatly clipped her tormentor on the jaw with the beginnings of a great right hook, not noticing or caring about the disapproving looks several parents were giving him. "That's my girl!" He glanced across the table at Daniel.

"I thought you were worried about what Captain Carter would do if she saw photographic evidence of her second childhood." Teal'c remarked to Daniel, who sat across from him.

Daniel, who held a digital camcorder he had borrowed from the SGC, merely shrugged. "Maybe Sam might like to have a few mementoes. It's not like we'll be having screenings for the whole SGC, is it? Besides," He added. "General Hammond authorized it."

"Fair enough." Jack agreed.

"What are we doing next?" Daniel asked, keeping the camcorder trained on little Sam as he asked the question.

"Ol' Doc Fraiser wants to check Carter over before she heads home, so I figure we give her another couple of hours before we go back to the base." He grinned wryly. "Do you think there's any chance that she'll tire herself out here?"

"Slim to none." Daniel said honestly.

Sam, having temporarily abandoned the ball pool, bounced over to them, her cheeks flushed and a few tendrils of blonde hair escaping Teal'c's careful braiding.

"Want to come and try the obstacle course with me?" She asked, slightly breathless, extending a hand towards Jack.

"Sorry, kiddo." Jack declined as gracefully as he could. "I don't think they're meant for old men like me."

"You're not old." She objected immediately.

"Too old for this, I'm afraid." He grinned wickedly. "But I'm sure that Daniel would like to go with you."

Poor Daniel scarcely had time to glare at his friend, let alone protest, before Sam tugged at his hand, dragging him towards the climbing net leading up to the obstacle course.

"Uhhh, Sam… I'm pretty sure I'm too big for this… I am too big, aren't I?" He appealed to the first staff member he saw.

"It's all right, sir." The response was cheerful, the young man either too new to the job to recognize a plea for rescue when he heard it, or too much of a sadist to heed it. "You can go ahead if you like."

From his seat at the table, Jack grinned as Daniel was dragged through the various obstacles, surreptitiously aiming the camcorder at the pair.

"After all," He remarked to Teal'c. "Danny boy might have a point about Carter wanting a memento."

TBC.

Author's Note: I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can, in the meantime please review.