Chapter Nine
New Things

Author's Note: It takes one patch of ice, a steep trail, and a backflip to end up in bed for a month with a hard neck brace. Ack-it's getting better though...thanks for the get well wishes and wonderful reviews :)

Disclaimer: If I owned Stargate, well, it'd be a whole lot different then it is during this season.

Spoilers: S7 Fragile Balance

TEAL'C-COLORADO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Teal'c was not familiar with the surroundings he was in. Jack and Cassie never mentioned what an "airport" was most likely because they had…well let's say other ways of transportation…

COUGH the Stargate COUGH Thor COUGH Around him, hundreds of humans were hurrying around looking for their luggage, rushing to their planes, finding tickets, and a few people were even looking for their children. It was chaotic. Never would you see this on Chulak, but all the more, Teal'c secretly was enjoying watching the humans go crazy. Sure, he had experienced Daniel's inebriated state after a beer or two at O'Neill's house, and Major Carter's frantic state when she couldn't figure out how something worked, but otherwise, life was "a walk in the park," as O'Neill had said before.

"Yo, T!" A voice from within the crowd yelled. It was O'Neill. "Hey, I am sooo happy to have you around. This kid's mom is insane, and his dad is a nut! The kid brother's all right though. So, how long you been waiting?"

"A short time, O'Neill. I am grateful to depart from this "airport" though." Teal'c replied in his good, old stoical manner.

"Good, let's blow this popsicle stand, and get the hell outta here then." Jack said before he headed towards the revolving doors in the lobby. Teal'c followed him into a black truck waiting outside.

"Hi! You must be Murray! I'm Jack's mom, Ellen Radford." Jack's "mom" said as she jammed her hand awkwardly between the two front seats to shake hands. "I'm so happy to have you here! Jack never mentioned any friends that he had before we adopted him, so this was quite a surprise. And you got adopted by someone from Africa-isn't that cool." She continued while Jack slammed the door after a very dramatic eye-roll.

"Mom, I uh, think Murray's a little tired from all his traveling, leave him be for awhile." Jack said politely as he winked at Teal'c out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes…Jack, I am indeed tired." Teal'c collaborated. Everything quieted down as Ellen turned onto the Express lane. They were off.

COLORADO SPRINGS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

She knocked on the door, dreading the classroom full of staring kids. Sam backed up when a short woman opened the door after asking what she needed.

"I'm Samantha Carter and this is my brother, Daniel. The lady at the front office sent us here for homeroom." Sam carefully said.

"Well, then welcome to room 105. I'm Mrs. Nieland." The woman kindly welcomed Sam and Daniel into the classroom a moment later. About twenty, bored, but inquisitive faces stared at the new arrivals before they found seats in the back of the room. The teacher then went back to working on something at her desk.

"Hey there, what's your name doll?" a tall, lanky boy with cropped hair asked Sam as he swung around in his chair. "I'm Dave. Dave Malone," he continued in an overly smug voice. "If you need anything, I'm your man." Sam saw Daniel smirk out of the corner of her eye.

"I'm Sam-nice to meet you, Dave." She responded politely. This guy was too smug for her liking; reminded her of McKay somehow. Shifting attention to Daniel, she introduced him. The guys were chatting before they knew it when somebody else came up to Sam.

"Hi Samantha, I'm Valerie. Kat over there wants me to tell you that she likes your shirt. So, are you into cheerleading? Because our school has the best district team, and by the way, I'm the captain of the squad…" Sam zoned out. Obviously she wasn't going to get a word in, she was new meat for the popular girls to poke at until they came to a conclusion about her, and she had absolutely nothing in common to talk about with anyone her, well, the age she was at the moment. This was so not as fun as she expected. It's so easy to forget the peril of high school once you've graduated.