Thanks go to Rose Stetson who so kindly wrote just about this whole chapter when I was stricken with a BAD case of writer's block. There's only going to be one more chapter after this...then on to the third story! When I started Ballroom Bootcamp, I had only planned on there being two stories. So much for the best laid plans of mice and men, eh?
Nick walked into the cafeteria late that night after his conversation with Lena, feeling like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He was looking for some of that elusive chocolate cake that Jack was always talking about. After all, he was taking a tiny break from his dancing, so...one piece of cake couldn't hurt, could it?
He found the piece of forbidden fruit and proceeded to walk over to one of the tables when he happened to look over and find Kinsah sitting by himself. Something about the young man's solemn demeanor reminded him of another young teenager who had needed a shoulder to lean on.
"Hey, Kinsah!" He said, walking over.
The alien looked up and attempted to smile. "Hi."
"What's up?"
He got a puzzled look in return before Kinsah looked toward the fluorescent lights fastened to the ceiling. "Lights." Was the simple reply.
Nick chuckled. "I know...it's a phrase that means what's going on? How are you? You know, stuff like that."
Kinsah nodded, wisely. "I fine."
Nick raised an eyebrow. "All right. If you say so..."
"I just..." Kinsah began, though he hesitated halfway through. "I miss home."
"I'm sure you do." Nick said, realizing that everyone had simply enjoyed his company, not asking him whether or not he wanted to continue staying at the SGC.
"Miss fall."
"Fall? It's autumn on your planet?"
"The orange grasses...they beautiful now..."
Nick began thinking about the unique beauty of Australia. The young boy part of him missed the mountainous desert that was his home.
"I also miss for...how you say...promised one."
This shook Nick out of his reverie. "Promised one?"
"Joining ceremony in...three weeks."
"You're getting married?" Nick asked, surprised.
Kinsah nodded, miserably. "I miss Sauna."
"Well, have you told anyone about this?"
"Cassie want play joke on Mother."
"What joke?" Nick asked, cautiously.
"Want make her think we love each other."
"That could be dangerous, Kinsah...you sure about this?"
A spark of the old Kinsah returned. "Not have much choice."
"All right, so...when's this joke supposed to happen?"
"Tomorrow. I give Cassie ring. On planet means friendship, but...put on finger that means one is joined or going to be joined. Make Dr. Fraiser squirm."
Nick smiled. "I won't say anything. But by tomorrow afternoon, you should be able to go home."
"Thank you, Nik'las. You good friend."
Nick's mind started to wander again. "Thanks, Kinsah. I...I needed to hear that."
The next morning, Sam, Lena, and Janet sat in Sam's lab, forcing down some saltine crackers and juice while the men had a proper breakfast. "You know, it's so unnerving to realize that I am no longer predictable to Jack or myself." Sam said, taking a tiny bite of the cracker.
"I know, it's so frustrating. Almost like...like being another person." Lena said. "Except you have the same memories, but none of the same reactions. It's starting to drive me crazy."
"I don't know. It's like I'm constantly overreacting." Janet agreed.
"Like about Cassie and Kinsah and the Lord of the Rings marathon?" Sam asked, an amused smile on her face.
"Yes, actually." Janet said, looking at her long-time friend. "But it started before that. I'm...I'm just afraid that she's going to get attached to Kinsah. I mean, he's an alien after all. He's got to go back to his planet soon."
"Well, he is kind of exotic." Lena pointed out. "It's only natural for her to be enamored by him."
"Exotic?" Sam asked. "And you would know from...experience?"
"Maybe." Lena replied, loftily. "I married an Aussie, didn't I?"
The women shared a laugh before Sam continued. "And...Cassie isn't exactly from around here, Janet. She's bound to feel a connection to Kinsah simply because they're both off-worlders."
"Cassie's an off-worlder?" Lena asked, surprised.
"She was the only survivor of a goa'uld attack on her homeworld. Janet adopted her, but all of the members of SG-1 have a tender place in their hearts for her." Sam said, quickly.
"Sam's being modest. She's the one who saved Cassie and Earth from a Goa'uld attack." Janet said with a smile.
"Really?"
"Anyway," Sam cut in, clearing her throat. "It was probable that she would be attracted to one of the other aliens that we brought through the Gate."
"Besides, we don't know if it's a one-way or a two-way attraction." Lena interjected. "I know that I have had one-sided crushes on plenty of guys. Surely that could be the case here."
"And it could be either Cassie or Kinsah." Sam added.
Janet smiled. "Thanks. That really does help."
"No problem." Sam said, rising to begin her day's work. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to look over some reports from Dr. Felger and Dr. Lee. Make sure they haven't made any stupid mistakes lately..."
"Well, I can guarantee that Felger made one yesterday. Chloe brought him into the infirmary. He had a concussion and a few broken ribs. I don't know what exploded in his lab, but it was a doozie." Janet added.
Sam sighed. "Thanks. At least Lee's better than Felger."
"Well, that's small consolation if what I've heard about them both is accurate." Lena said, a smile playing on her lips.
Sam took a visible deep breath and eyed the stack of reports on her desk. "I guess I should just get it over with, huh?"
"That's what I would do." Lena said, supportively.
"Thanks, but...I kind of have to proceed alone."
"Bye." The other two ladies said.
Janet and Lena walked toward the infirmary where they were met by Liam Harris. "Dr. Fraiser, Mrs. Kosovich. How are you both today?"
They smiled. "We're fine." Janet said, looking at Lena before she answered.
"Good. Dr. Fraiser, Cassie's in the infirmary waiting for you. She said something about forgetting that there wasn't any school and hanging out with Kinsah..."
She sighed. "Thank you, Lieutenant."
They walked into the infirmary to hear giggling coming from Janet's office. She turned a skeptical eye to Lena who shrugged. "Please tell me that's one of my nurses with Sgt. Siler..."
"I wish I could..." Lena said with a thin smile.
Janet walked toward her office trepidaciously. As she approached it, she could clearly see Cassie and Kinsah in her office. She closed her eyes and took a visible deep breath. "Oh, God, grant me the strength to deal with this..." She whispered under her breath.
She walked in. "Oh, Cassie, Kinsah. What are you doing in here?"
"I just came to hang out with Kinsah. I mean, he must be getting tired of being around all of you when you're all working on something or another." Cassie said, looking at her mother.
"Right." She said with a tight smile. "Well, you know, honey, you could have waited for me outside of my office."
"Oh, I know, but...I don't know, there's just something about your office..."
Suddenly, the small daisy chain ring on her daughter's left ring finger caught her eye. "Oh my god!" She said, faintly.
"What?" Cassie asked, concerned.
Janet passed out before she could properly ask any other questions.
Janet awoke to have Daniel's concerned face over hers. "Daniel?" She asked, still in shock.
"You're fine, Janet. Just...calm down."
She nodded. "What...?"
"We were hoping that you could tell us. Cassie says that she was talking to you about being in your office and you passed out."
Janet's head was still spinning, and Daniel's words were barely registering in her mind. "Cassie?"
"Yep. She and Kinsah were going to hang out here on the base today."
Suddenly, everything came back to her and she jolted upright. "They're engaged!"
"What?" Daniel asked, confused, helping her lay back down.
"Cassie and Kinsah! She was giggling, they...I saw...the ring!"
"Ring?" Daniel asked.
"Kinsah told me that it was a sign of friendship in his culture." Nick clarified.
"I don't think either he or Cassie meant to make it look like they were engaged." Daniel said, letting his thumb glide gently across her hand.
She took a deep breath. "I'm just overreacting again." She said, closing her eyes. "Damn hormones!"
"Actually, I think I owe you an apology, Janet." Nick said after a few moments of awkwardness.
She looked at him, strangely. "Why?"
"Because Kinsah told me about Cassie's idea. I should have realized that it was a bad idea."
"This was all a joke?" Janet asked, trying to clear her vision by blinking her eyes.
"I apologize too." Kinsah said, feeling and looking duly apologetic. "I make ring for Cassie. I mean as friendship ring, but she want make you think we promised."
Janet closed her eyes with an embarrassed smile on her face.
"Mom, if I'd known you were going to pass out, I wouldn't have done it." Cassie explained. "I just thought that it was funny when you overreacted the other night."
"Well...I think we're all a little on edge with the number of changes that have hit the fan." Daniel said, trying to calm both Janet and Cassie down.
"What kind of changes?" Cassie asked, an oblivious teenaged girl.
Janet winced. They still hadn't told Cassie that she was pregnant. Perhaps, if she had known she wouldn't have even thought of pulling the prank. "Cass, I haven't had a chance to tell you..."
"What your mom's trying to say..." Daniel began.
All of the adults in the room squirmed. None of them quite knew how to tell one of their kids that they were going to have a sibling. After all, for the most part, they were all first-time parents, and Jack hadn't ever had to tell Charlie that he was going to be an older sibling.
"Dr. Fraiser with child." Kinsah said simply.
Cassie whirled around to face her friend. "What?"
"He's right." Daniel said, after a few moments of stunned silence passed.
Her eyes widened. "Oh my god! That's why you were there for breakfast!"
Daniel winced as the rest of the adults bit their tongues. "Yeah..."
Kinsah raised his hand. "Excuse...can I speak with Jack?"
Jack looked at the young man. "Sure." Then, he turned to his wife and the others who were standing around Janet's cot. "I'll be back."
"What's up?"
"Wish go back to planet." Kinsah said plainly.
"Really? I thought you liked it here."
"I do. But miss promised one."
"You're engaged?"
The young man nodded. "We join in three weeks."
"Three weeks and you've been here?" Jack asked, surprised.
"She understand that duty comes first. Must form bonds with other people." He said, shrugging.
"When do you want to go?"
"Before tomorrow."
"I'll see what I can do. I"ve got to talk to General Hammond about it first."
He nodded. "Yes."
"Okay...go back in and say your good-byes. Or whatever you want to do. I'll come back with news from the General okay?"
"Thank you, Jack."
There was a sincerity in his eyes that reminded him of a small boy from his past with sandy, floppy hair, and an infectious love of life. "You're welcome."
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