Don't own them...yada yada...this takes place right after the episode One False Step...


"Carter," said Jack wandering into her office after lunch, "who are you talking too?"

Sam turned to face her CO, "no one sir."

Jack glanced around the empty room. "I was walking down the hall, just happened to find my self in your neck of the compound, and I distinctly heard you talking to someone." He glanced under the desk but saw nothing but an empty jello cup. "So, who were you talking too?"

"Oh, um…" Sam blushed as she pointed to the corner of the lab where a spiny little plant with pink and purple flowers had taken up residence since Jack's last visit. Jack followed the tip of her finger and immediately understood.

"Ah, I see," he said with a slight smile. "So you really weren't kidding when you said you talked to your plants?"

"No sir, I wasn't kidding."

Jack nodded and sat on the empty stool across from her. "So what are you working on," he asked with absolutely no interest.

"Oh, just something that SG-14 brought back from P3X-8957," said Sam, electing to no bore him to death for once. "I think that it is some kind of healing device."

"I see," said Jack. "And does it…heal?"

"Well that's the cool part, it does. But watch what else it can do." Sam pulled the device onto her left hand and activated the small button near the base of her wrist. The device immediately began to give off a faint green glow before it and her hand completely disappeared.

Jack sat up, suddenly interested. "Whoa! That is cool."

"Yes sir." Sam pushed the small invisible button again and the device shimmered back into view. She pulled it off and smiled at her CO.

"Very cool," he said with that grin plastered across his face.

"Herbert thought so too," said Sam without thinking. She immediately regretted saying the words before they had finished leaving her mouth.

"And who is Herbert?" Asked Jack with a Teal'cishly raised eyebrow.

Sam felt the heat rising to the surface and felt sure that her face was a red as a tomato. "Umwellherbertismyplant."

"Come again," said Jack.

"Herbert is the name of my plant," she murmured staring at the spiny thing in the corner.

Jack turned around to stare at it too before beginning to chuckle. "I know you said you talked to them, but you give them names too?"

Sam just shook her head as her face flushed a brighter shade of crimson.

"That's kinda sad ya know. You really should get out more, but, each to his own." Jack stood and headed for the door. "Good night Carter," he called back over his shoulder, then as an afterthought, "goodnight Herbert."

--- --- ---

Jack put his truck in park and locked the doors for the night. As he made his way through his darkened house he suddenly found himself on his roof. Placing a cold beer on the table near an old astronomy book he settled in to watch the stars. The pristine night sky was the perfect ending to the not-so-perfect day. He glanced at his faithful telescope and chuckled before leaning over to it.

"So Katherine, do you remember that woman Sam that I told you about…."


Well, what do you think? Come on, you know you want to push that little purple button...)