A/N - This is a long one. This chapter and the next chapter will be all there is to laying out the background. The adventure starts soon! Thank you for your patience!
"What are we doing here? You and I are the oldest ones in this dive by a couple of decades." Michael gestured impatiently across the sparsely populated pub.
Howard tried to placate his friend, "Look, that woman I told you about said they would probably be coming here right around 8 o'clock. It's just 8 now. Give them a couple of minutes. For now relax and enjoy yourself. You've got a nice cold Guinness in your hand and my burger is delicious. You should try yours and stop worrying."
"I'm just tired of dead ends and having my time wasted." Michael glowered in to his glass.
Howard nodded in understanding, "I know, me too. But you have to have faith, right now this is all we've got. And you know what? I'm feeling pretty good about this one."
Then, as if the fates were listening, the door opened and in walked the Carter women Howard had gone to see that morning. She was accompanied by a younger man with glasses, a large man with a solemn face and Air Force baseball cap pulled tightly over his head. Bringing up the rear was the oldest of the four with grey, close cropped hair and a crooked smile, hands dug deep in a brown Carhartt jacket.
"Seriously, Carter, I'm just saying next time try to not blow up the really cool things before I get to play with them." The man in question whined in a tone which did not match his age.
Sam barely registered Jack's ongoing complaint as she scanned the room, quickly finding Howard sitting at one of the wall side booths. Her eyes narrowed when she realized he was with another man.
Whereas Howard was slightly pudgy and balding the man he was with appeared to be much fitter, with a full head of brownish grey hair making his age hard to place. His tight grasp on the glass in his hand told Sam he was also much more on edge than Howard. There seemed to be something slightly familiar about him and Sam fought to keep herself from going rigid. She began to doubt her assumptions and feared the situation her actions had placed them in.
None of the men she was with seemed to notice her discomfort. Jack continued to grouse and Daniel and Teal'c selected a booth in the back corner of the restaurant as was their custom. What was not typical was when Sam stood, waiting for Jack to slide in to the inside of the booth.
He stopped and looked at her quizzically, "Sam? What's up?"
She tried to smile casually, all the while aware that the two men were watching from across the restaurant. "Nothing. I just have an odd feeling. Like maybe we should have gone somewhere else tonight."
Immediately the other three seemed to straighten and focus, Teal'c and Jack's eyes surveyed the restaurant while Daniel stared intensely at Sam, clearly wondering why she was suddenly back tracking.
Jack brought his attention back to Sam, "I don't see anything. What do you think it is?"
Realizing she was getting everyone worked up over what might be nothing and not wanting to disrupt what little time they all had together Sam forced an amused smile to her face. "No, guys, I just meant I was feeling funny. As in my stomach. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to handle a burger tonight."
Clearly unsure if he should accept her explanation, Jack stared at her intently. "You're sure?"
Sam forced everything she had into giving him a sincere smile, "I'm really sure. I've been a little off all day." She pressed her hand to her stomach for effect. "It's no big deal."
Jack nodded, hesitantly. "If you're sure."
Sam nodded but realized they were still standing as Jack was waiting for her to slide in. Not wanting to make a big deal out of anything but still feeling an intrinsic need to put herself between him and whatever situation she put him in she smirked ashamedly, "Um. Do you mind if I sit on the outside? You know for a quick getaway if need be?" She gestured over her shoulder to the restrooms.
Jack nodded in quick understanding, "Ah! Of course." and slid into the booth.
Teal'c regarded Sam with a cautious eye "If you are not well ColonelCarter perhaps it would be best to do this another time?"
Sam smiled in appreciation, "No, Teal'c I'll be fine. Promise."
As they placed their drink and food order Sam started to relax. Although Howard and the other man remained in the pub they did nothing more than glance over at their table and order a few more beers; something a serious operative would likely avoid if they were anticipating a physical assault.
A natural lull had struck their conversation when Jack pulled something out of his pocket and began to fiddle with it.
"Jaaack...What you doing?" Daniel brought the attention of the table to Jack's hands.
Jack shrugged, "It was in Felger's office. It's cool, watch:" with a tap of his finger the three stones, each the size of a pen cap, danced and spun on the table top matching his movements.
Sam's eyes went wide, "Are those..."
Daniel groaned, "The stones from P3x785? Looks like it."
Jack stopped and the rocks stilled. "What? Felger said they were just toys and I could take them back to Washington."
"Of course he did." Sam sighed.
Daniel picked one up, "Jack, we found these at a dig last month. They were found in a building which we believed once housed a family of ancients. Yes, we believe these were just toys but they are also ancient technology that we probably shouldn't be taking off base never mind playing with in a bar."
Jack pouted, "You mean I can't keep them? Because I've been practicing and these could be real fun at meetings." He glanced around to make sure no one was watching then held his hands about shoulder width apart and the stones bounced back and forth between them.
"Jack!" Sam pulled his hands down and the stones clattered to the table top.
He threw her a look but she just stared back until he relented. "I know, I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken them out."
Sam took a deep breath and tried to remind herself to not be so on edge. They were just harmless toys which could be excused as a simple table trick with magnets or something. They would only react in the hands of someone with the Ancient gene and were relatively pointless outside of idle amusement. In fact she was certain Felger had given them to Jack because she had mentioned she was considering sending them to his Pentagon office herself. She let out a breath.
"I'm sorry too. You're right. I'm just really on edge tonight I guess." She looked down and picked at her salad.
Jack kept his eyes on her for a long quiet moment. "Maybe Teal'c is right. If you're feeling off we should get you home."
She glanced over at him, not wanting to be the cause of the evening's end but thinking she really did need to go home and relax. She just nodded as Jack motioned to the waiter for the check.
She was still keeping her eyes on her salad, wondering what the hell Howard was up to and trying to ignore the increasingly anxious looks her companions were sharing when the waiter returned empty handed to the table.
"Thank you for dining with us tonight. Your bill has been taken care of by those gentlemen over there." The waiter pointed to the two men Sam had been keeping her eye on all night.
The waiter left and the men of SG1 exchanged looks of confusion. Sam tensed as Howard and his companion got up to approach the table, apparently taking the waiter's actions as their introduction.
"Uhh, Hi." Howard started, his companion remaining a half pace behind him, unabashedly staring. Sam was again reminded why she wasn't afraid of Howard to begin with while simultaneously hit with the strange feeling of familiarity from his companion even though she was certain she had never seen him before.
Daniel glanced quickly from Howard to Sam, to Jack until he realized they were falling into old habits and Jack expected him to make introductions. "Um Hello. The waiter said you paid for our dinner?"
Howard nodded once and then shook his head, "Yes, um well no, I mean Michael did. But I was with Michael so, yeah..."
The companion, Michael, put his hand on Howard's shoulder and smirked in obvious amusement.
Sam's eyes grew wide but Daniel obviously did not notice as he continued, "Well Thank you...but I guess we are a little interested as to why? I mean I apologize if we've met before."
Howard shook his head, "No. I don't believe so. At least not most of you." He took a deep steadying breath and turned his attention to Jack. "I don't mean to intrude and if I'm wrong just let us know and we'll be on our way, but you're Jack O'Neill?"
Jack narrowed his eyes, surreptitiously glancing around the rest of the room. Seeming to sense nothing overtly nefarious he nodded slowly, "I am."
"From Chicago?" Howard continued.
Obviously surprised by the question Jack sat back in the bench and stared intently at the interlopers, trying to piece together the puzzle.
Again he nodded slowly, "Not for a long time."
A wisp of a smile fluttered on the other man's face and he glanced over his shoulder to give his wide eyed companion a look before turning his attention back to the table.
"Look, I know you're out with your friends here and I really don't want to occupy too much of your time and you probably don't want to get into ancient history or anything so let me just tell you who I am. My name is Howard Kelley and when I was 9 years old I lived for a year in a pretty wretched foster home. I knew a boy back then. He who was a few years older than me and named Jack. He kept me safe and sane and when I left that place I never saw nor spoke to him again. I'm just looking for the man that boy turned into so I can shake his hand and thank him."
Sam shifted in her seat to glance back at Jack who sat stonily still and quiet, staring back at the man who stood at the edge of their table. She held her breath as Jack's eyes dropped down to the table top and he bit down on the inside of his lower lip. Her eyes darted back to Howard who was exactly the opposite; relentlessly fidgeting with nervous energy.
Jack lifted his chin and took a long moment looking at each of his teammates, pausing on Sam the longest.
Finally, in a low voice, he said "Sam, please?" and indicated he was asking her to move so he could get out of the booth. She complied and immediately sat back down as soon as Jack had stood.
He was nearly a foot taller than Howard and he tilted his head, still thinking, his only tic the slight pressure he put on his lip.
"You're Howie Kelley?" He eventually asked cautiously.
Howard's movements stilled and his face split into a wide grin, "I am."
Jack's eyes again darted between his teammate's and Howard's companion, "And you've been looking for me?"
Howard nodded, "If you are who I think you are."
A ghost of a smile crossed Jack's face, "Well, I don't know. But I remember camping once with a boy named Howie Kelley at Arcade Park a little over 40 years ago."
Howard's face crumpled in thought, "No, I think you might have that confused; we would camp by the ball fields at Palmer Park. Arcade was just the little one on the other side of the tracks with the fountain."
For the first time in the exchange Jack's shoulders relaxed and a small but genuine smile landed on his face. "I can honestly say you are the very last person I expected to see this weekend."
At that Howard laughed, perhaps a little too hard, and glanced back at his friend with a watery smile. He turned his attention back to Jack, "I can't believe you're actually you! You know this whole thing would have been if you had a more unique name!"
Jack shook his head, at a loss for words. He glanced back at his team. Sam held up her hands, "I'm fine, I swear. Go, chat. We'll get dessert."
Jack smiled in gratitude and turned his attention back to Howard, "Uh...I guess...Can I buy you a beer?"
As the two newly reacquainted men turned to the bar, Howard's friend Michael dropped into the free seat at the booth. "I hope you don't mind. I just think it may be best to give them a few moments to talk on their own." He explained.
Daniel's head tilted, "No, no problem at all. You're probably right. In the meantime, I'm Daniel Jackson, this is Murray Teal'c and Sam Carter."
"Pleasure to meet you all." Michael nodded his head.
Daniel leaned on the table, "Am I hearing an accent? Northern Ireland?"
Michael smiled for the first time Sam noticed all night. "Wow, good ears. I grew up in Donegal County. So yes, geographically Northern Ireland but not politically."
Daniel nodded in understanding but Sam just blinked. "Wow is right Daniel, I don't hear any accent."
Michael shrugged, "I've been mostly living in America for over 30 years now; almost twice as long as I was in Ireland. My accent has mostly faded away." He smirked and held up his half empty pint of Guinness, "Now give me some more of this or some of that whiskey I saw behind the bar and you'll be hearing me whistling Molly Malone in no time."
Sam and Daniel laughed as Teal'c just tilted his head, resigned to the fact that no matter how long he was on earth there would still be references he would not understand.
"So how do you know Howard?" Sam asked, her earlier misgivings fading away.
He shrugged, "A few years. Recently I've been helping him try to track down Jack. My wife works for the IRS and we were able to convince her to break the rules for a good cause."
Sam nodded, "So that's how you knew the address his truck was registered too."
Michael nodded in confirmation. "We know it was an invasion and if Howard doesn't apologize than I will, but we were gambling that Jack would be more appreciative than angry."
"It appears that your assumptions may have been correct." Teal'c observed, looking at the bar where Jack leaning forward, taking in whatever it was Howard was telling him.
Michael smiled, "Good. Howard has been really working on this for a long time but when you walked in he was so nervous we almost left. I don't know what he would have done had things not gone well."
Sam smiled, watching the two men at the bar before her eyes tracked back to Michael. She finally had to say something, it was driving her crazy but surprisingly Teal'c beat her to it, "Michael, you appear to be very familiar to me. Have we not met before?"
Daniel nodded, "Yes! I was just thinking the same thing Teal'c! Have you ever been to Colorado Springs before Michael?"
Michael squirmed a little in his seat but his response was honest and open, "No I haven't. And I'd like to think I would have remembered if I had met you before Mr. Teal'c."
Sam kept quiet but Daniel kept trying, "What about maybe a conference? What do you do Michael? Anything with archaeology or linguistics perhaps?"
Michael shook his head again, "Sorry. I'm an engineer in Virginia."
Sam was momentarily distracted, "What kind of engineer?"
He shrugged, "My degrees are mechanical and civil. I primarily do bridge work."
Sam nodded, "Oh, I can imagine that to be very interesting."
He nodded, "It can be."
A quiet fell upon the table and before anyone had the opportunity to ask any further questions Michael had reached across the table, "What are these?"
Sam's eyes grew wide, Jack's 'toys' lay on the table where he had dropped them. She reached out but Michael was too fast.
"So once I realized that taxes were the answer it became a lot simpler." Howard was explaining, "It took a while but we narrowed it down to a house here in Colorado Springs which you apparently no longer owned and a truck which still had your name on it. So we decided to take a trip and I went to check out the truck while Michael went to the house this morning."
Jack nodded. "And that's how you met Sam and why she was acting so off tonight."
"Yes." Howard confirmed, "I really should apologize, I think I made her nervous but I didn't think it was appropriate to explain everything."
Jack nodded, "She'll be fine. We are all a bit protective of one another but now that everything has worked out for the best I'm sure she won't be resenting anything." He took a slow drink from his beer. "I however, should have some fun giving her a hard time about not letting me know what was going on."
Howard's eyes got wide so Jack held up a placating hand, "Don't worry about it. I'm just teasing. She wouldn't expect anything else from me."
Howard nodded and Jack smiled as he took another drink, looking back to the booth and then back to Howard.
"So how did you convince Michael and his wife to join you on your little quest?"
Howard suddenly seemed to become nervous yet again. He glanced back to Michael and then squared his shoulders with Jack, "Do you remember how a few minutes ago you said I was the last person you expected to meet this weekend?"
Confused, Jack was about to ask what Howard was talking about when there was a sudden shout and the sound of breaking glass back at the booth.
Both men turned to see Michael staring at a broken pint glass and three small stones dancing in the pool of spilled stout beneath his hands.