"Well, that was a hoot…"

Sam smiled as they watched the press file reluctantly out of the room leaving only SG-1 (minus Ian), McKay, Hammond and – after the press was all gone – the President and a couple of his PR people.

"It could have been a lot worse," she said, resting her hand lightly on Jack's forearm.

"You guys did great," Hayes told them, smiling. "It was exactly what the American people needed to hear."

"And the rest of the world as well?" Teal'c asked, pointedly.

Hayes nodded.

"Yes, of course."

"What's really important is that the world had a chance to get to know you and your people, General Hammond," Ken Shawl told him, sounding supremely pleased – as if it had all been his doing. "Except for Lieutenant Brooks-"

"Who will have to be coached on how to better deal with the press…" one of the other PR men said, speaking up and earning a scowl from Jack.

"He's –"

"Going to be presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor as soon as we can set it up," Hayes interrupted.

Everyone looked at him, but while most of them looked surprised, Ken Shawl only smiled.

"Perfect!"

Jack scowled.

"It's bad enough you're so intent on throwing him in front of the camera," he snapped. "I'm not going to let you make a laughingstock of him by-"

"Colonel…" Hayes interrupted, raising his hand. "It's not for PR purposes."

"Bullshit."

If it wasn't, then the PR guy wouldn't be looking so smug, and Jack knew it.

Hayes frowned, but he shook his head.

"Really. If you and Major O'Neill didn't already have the Medal, you'd both be joining him. As it is, I expect as his commanding officer that you'll want to pin it on him."

"More good camera footage?" Jack asked, sarcastically.

Hayes shook his head.

"I have all the footage I need, Colonel. The Medal is well deserved – and you and Major O'Neill earned yours the same way, remember? By saving the world from certain doom."

"Then there won't be any press?" Sam asked, in what could only be called a challenge.

Ken Shawl lost his smug look.

The President shook his head. Even if he had planned for some great publicity triumph, it was now completely off the table or he'd lose all the members of SG-1 – especially O'Neill, and possibly Hammond. Which was completely unacceptable.

"Of course not. Just friends and family."

Which would include Emmett Bregman, if he could swing it without making them suspicious.

"But, Sir…"

Ken Shawl and his buddies weren't quite so willing to give up – but then, it was their job to use every tool at their reach to make the President look good, and Ian Brooks was one of the best available just then. A PR bonanza, since he was a bona fide hero – and happened to be young and good looking.

"If you try to make a spectacle out of my son, I'll turn you inside out and hang you by your intestines from the top of the Washington Monument…"

They all turned at that deep voice, and not one person in the room believed it to be anything other than the promise that it was.

Standing at the entrance of the room, looming and glaring darkly at pretty much everyone with Hayes, was Nathan Brooks. And he'd obviously heard everything they'd been discussing – and just as obviously wasn't impressed with what he'd heard. Beside him was his wife, who was leaning against the doorframe. Her own expression was much harder to read.

Ken Shawl paled and drew back, practically stumbling in his haste to get away from Brooks but trying very hard to maintain his dignity at the same time.

Hayes smiled, ever the politician.

"I've already promised you that I wouldn't, Nathan," he said, lightly. "But your son does deserve to be decorated for his role in things. Don't you agree?"

And with Maggie standing right there, there was no way that Nate was going to say otherwise. He did scowl, though.

OOOOOOOOO

For the next several minutes, Ian told them about Atlantis. He left a few things out – they weren't cleared for everything, after all, and he did have a few things that he absolutely wasn't going to share with anyone – but he told them almost as much as McKay knew. Or Weir. And they listened, incredulously, to every word.

Luckily, they didn't doubt him for a moment, no matter how crazy it sounded, so he didn't have to defend his sanity.

"So you want to join this little expedition?" River asked. "To get away from the press…?"

Ian shrugged.

"There are other reasons…" he said. "The more I think about it, the more I think they'd be better off with me there."

"Because you speak the language?" Cassie asked.

"And I know as much about the Ancients as anyone," he added.

"It's awfully far away…" River pointed out. "How much of a commitment are they talking about? And how long?"

Since he was glancing at Cassie when he asked the question, Ian realized immediately what he was talking about – and he flushed, because he hadn't even considered that. Some boyfriend he was.

"I-"

"That wouldn't really matter," Cassie said, quickly. "I'm going to be on the east coast anyways once school starts – and you're not leaving before then, are you?"

Ian shook his head, dumbly.

"No. But what do-"

"You weren't planning on flying out and visiting me during the school year, where you?" Cassie asked him pointedly.

River snorted. There was no doubt what that answer was going to be. Ian would rather cut off his arm than fly, and Cassie knew that as well as anyone – and better than most.

"I might have," Ian answered, defensively.

Now it was Cassie's turn to snort, and Ian scowled.

"You could have visited me…"

She smiled, not at all cowed by his attitude – or upset by it. She was way too used to him by then.

"And I still can. You won't be there forever, will you? There's nothing to keep you from coming home for a couple of days during Christmas or Thanksgiving…?"

He hesitated.

"I'm not sure…"

"Well, you can find out."

It wasn't like they were going to leave that week, after all. Cassie knew enough about the government to know that nothing happened that quickly. No matter what.