Okay...this is the last chapter for this particular story...I've got one last one cooked up and that should be the end of this little "Dance" trilogy! One of my other stories, "Rodrigo The Spanish Tok'ra" was nominated for a Stargate fan award so whoever did that... THANK YOU!
As Jack and Kinsah had their little talk, Janet and the others waited nervously for Cassie's reaction, but they were worried for nothing. The teen threw her arms around her mother and squealed loudly, causing the men folk in the room to plug their ears.
"I think she approves." Daniel commented dryly as he shook his head from side to side, seeing if his hearing was still intact.
"Has anybody seen my eardrums?" Nick asked.
Cassie whirled around and said, "Nick!" in a whining tone that made everyone laugh.
"What? You know you love me." the dancer replied, smiling at her.
She tried to glare at him, but failed miserably. "Grr!" she complained.
"That's what I usually say, Cassie." Lena told her with a chuckle.
Kinsah entered the room, followed closely by Jack. "Came to say goodbye." the young man said simply.
The others, with the exception of Nick, looked surprised.
"Don't you like it here?" Daniel asked, sounding slightly confused and hurt.
"Yes, like much, but sister and promised one wait for me." he explained.
"You're engaged? Why didn't you tell us?" Janet asked gently.
Kinsah shrugged. "Didn't know what you like yet...wanted to be sure I could trust."
They nodded. "Well that's pretty sensible." Sam said finally.
As they stood there contemplating each other, Cassie decided enough was enough and walked over to Kinsah, giving him a big hug. "I'll miss you, Kin...you're like a brother to me now." she told him softly.
"And you like another sister." he replied.
She turned away for a moment and Kinsah said urgently, "No cry Cassie...I visit, if that ok."
Jack nodded quickly and after clinging to him one last time, Cassie moved away. Sam embraced him next. "You take care of yourself, Kinsah and stay out of trouble, ok?"
He nodded and placed a gentle hand on her stomach. "You take care of both." he said seriously.
Jack slipped out and as Daniel, Nick, and Lena were saying their farewells, he reappeared with Lt. Harris. Janet gave Kinsah some advice and as he turned, the boy's face lit up when he saw Liam.
"Leem!" he said joyfully.
"Heard you were going home, so I thought I'd come say goodbye." Liam replied, a slight tremor in his voice betraying his easy manner.
"Yes. Good to go home, but will miss many here." Kinsah mused.
Once the hugging (and slight crying) were over, General Hammond's permission was given for the young alien to return to his homeworld. Before he went through the gate, Jack took him to the gate room and got him set up with an IDC.
"That way, if you ever need help, we know you're coming." he explained.
Kinsah nodded solemnly and saluted him. Jack returned the salute before hugging Kinsah himself.
"You take care of yourself, kid." he said gruffly.
"Okay...Yak." Kinsah replied, a smile on his face and a hint of mischief in his voice.
"Get going, you!" Jack replied, feeling both happy and sad at the same time.
Waving to them over his shoulder, Kinsah strode forward confidently into the gate and vanished.
Looking at the others, Nick commented quietly, "I wonder if we'll hear from him again."
Jack shook his head. "With the Goa'uld always on the move, it's a possiblity. For now, let's just get through the next few months, shall we?"
Everyone nodded and as they moved out of the gate room and back toward the cafeteria, Sam looked over at Nick and Lena. "Anytime you guys want to head home, you can." she told them.
There were more sad expressions at this, but Jack added, "Yeah...you two have got your outside lives you need to be getting back to...but don't think you won't be hearing from us...we never let our "consultants" out of our sight."
The Kosovichs chuckled at this and left the group to go to their room to begin packing.
"I'm going to miss them." Daniel said. "Without them and Kinsah around, things aren't going to the same around here."
"That's very true...we won't have to worry about Cassie being out at 2 in the morning and drooling over Nick!" Janet laughed.
At lunch, Nick and Lena joined them for one last meal together. The others were looking quite glum until Nick said, "Come on now, it's not like we live in a little village in Asia with no phone, for crying out loud!"
Sam snickered, Daniel laughed outright, Janet looked quite amused and Jack gave Nick a mock glare. "Hey, that's my line!" he complained.
Liam Harris came in and got his lunch, preparing to go back and sit by himself but was shocked when Jack called out, "Hey Harris, come sit with us."
Obediently, the young man came and sat down in the empty seat beside Daniel and across from Sam. "Thank you sir." he said, sounding slightly self-concious.
"Not a problem...now how do you feel about cake?"
Liam grinned broadly. "Love it sir...my mom makes a mean chocolate Zucchini cake."
Jack's eyebrows went up. "Do tell." he said.
As the lieutenant began to describe this culinary delight, Sam went and got a few slices of chocolate cake for everyone at the table. Returning with it, she set the slices down by everyone and as Liam reached for his, Jack cautioned, "Don't tell anyonew you ate this...the kitchen ladies make it just for me and anyone else I choose to give it to."
"Don't tell anyone I ate what?" Liam asked innocently.
"Good man." Jack replied with great satisfaction. Harris was a good kid and he expected that he would be hearing more good things about the young man as the years went on.
Nick and Lena were escorted to the surface where a car was waiting to take them to Denver where they would catch a plane back to New York. Hugs and goodbyes were exchanged, along with Sam extracting a promise from them that they had to come and see her child when it was born. The couple happily agreed to this.
Watching them leave, Jack hoped that Nick would be able to finally lead the kind of life that he wanted and deserved. It had taken him far too long to figure things out for himself and he was glad that he had been there to help put the dancer on the right path.
The car rounded the bend and they all stood there for a moment until the familiar alarm of an unauthorized off-world activation could be heard.
"Life calls." sighed Daniel. And with that, SG1 plus their CMO went back inside to deal with whatever was coming at them now...
