Hi everybody! Sorry this wasn't THE NEXT DAY like I had intended, but I ended up going skiing for the weekend. Yesterday was my last day of work (sobs) and I've been spending the day writing in between laundry loads. I have a lot to do before I leave! But the story is coming along well, and I should spit out a few more chapters before leaving on Sunday. Enough about me though...
First of all, thank you Emerald Green Queen. Your comments (as usual) were beyond helpful.
StarGazer- I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far!
Freckles- :) As excited as I am that you like the story... I'm even MORE excited that you're a Veronica Mars fan too!
Thanks RomieG
BabeBunny- hope I didn't make you too hungry/thirsty!
Keep reviewing! Reviews make me write/update EVEN FASTER!
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"SURPRISE!"
Haley's eyes widened, she wasn't quite sure what was going on. In their living room were the other three members of SG1, Janet, and Cassie. There was also a little tree about two feet high wrapped up in multicolored lights. Each person was holding a wrapped gift… wasn't it like mid-January? She turned and looked at her father for some answers.
"You missed Christmas; I thought no kid should have to miss Christmas!"
"Thank you so much! I have the best family!" she squealed throwing her arms around Jack, and then making her way through the room one by one giving out bone crushing hugs.
"Okay let's open your gifts now!"
"One minute Cass, I have some gifts to give out too," Haley ran up the stairs to her room.
"When did she find the time to get gifts?" Jack wondered.
"I'm a planner!" she yelled from upstairs.
xxxxx
Apparently, Haley had begun gift shopping shortly before Thanksgiving, deciding to beat out Black Friday. Slowly she had collected gifts for everybody in her "family". Haley had given Teal'c the DVD of "Spaceballs" ("I can't believe you've never seen it!"), Cassie a pair of Paul Frank pajamas ("because they're the comfiest pajamas you'll ever have, and they're cute, too"), Daniel the French edition of The Little Prince ("I read it in my French class, and I thought you'd love it too"), and the Train CD "Drops of Jupiter" for Sam, Janet, and Jack ("you'll never ever ever want to turn it off"). She also got her dad the Simpsons "Road Rage" game for the Playstation, and Sam a cooking for dummies book, with dummies crossed out and "geniuses" written above it in magic marker.
It was Haley's turn to open all of her presents. Daniel, Janet, and Cassie went first, handing her a small gift. She carefully opened up the wrapping paper and let out a slight gasp when a little blue box was revealed. She hurriedly pulled open the ribbon and pulled out of the teeny bag a silver bracelet with little star links. It matched Cassie's, and she had been telling her friend how much she loved it and wanted one since the day Cassie had first gotten it. "Thank you so so so so much! Omigod! Oh… My… God! Can you believe this Daddy?"
"Not at all. Completely shocked. Dumbfounded. Words cannot ex-"
"Open mine HaleyO'Neill." Haley gaped at the giant box, trying to figure out what was inside. This she tore the wrapping paper off of, and pulled off the top of the box. There was a book on mediation and a book on yoga, as well as a yoga mat, and an instructional video. "I hope you find this relaxing."
"He got me the same gift, I use it everyday!" Cassie informed her.
"Thank you Teal'c! I can't wait to use this."
Sam's gift was next. It was a plush bathrobe and Steve Madden fuzzy slippers. Haley immediately tossed off her shoes to put on the slippers. Jack slipped out of the room when the pizza was delivered, all ten pies, but didn't come back immediately.
"Daddy? What are you doing? It doesn't take that long to grab paper plates!"
"Hold your horses; I'll be there in a minute!"
He's up to something… Haley thought. She started to stand up to figure out what the hold up was for herself, but grabbed her and pulled her down to the ground. "What is going on?" Next her eyes were covered up. "Come on, this isn't fair!"
When Haley's eyes were freed she saw her father standing in front of her with a pair of Salomon X-Free skis. There was a little note attached to the top of the skis saying "I.O.U. BOOTS". Haley jumped up and threw her arms around her father.
"Thank you thank you thank you!"
"Well, look at where we live, how could I not let you ski?"
"So when are we going?"
"Correction, when are YOU going? You know my knees aren't made for skiing anymore."
"I would love to take you and Cassandra, that is if you're not too cool for me," Janet offered. Both girls looked to each other for confirmation.
"Well, I guess we could handle that," Haley stuck out her tongue at Janet.
"We have some sweet girls, don't we Jack?"
"You know it."
xxxxx
After all the pizza had been eaten and everyone was thoroughly exhausted, Jack was left to clean up the mess. Wrapping paper was piled up in a corner, and pizza boxes and paper plates made up two other stacks. Sam stayed behind and helped Jack clean up. Haley had gone off to her bedroom to put away her gifts. It didn't take as long as expected to make the living room look as good as new, so Jack and Sam settled in to watch some television while waiting for Haley to reappear. Unbeknownst to them, she was pacing her room, thinking over her argument strategy. Okay, I can do this. Be strong O'Neill, no backing down…
Haley entered the living room, arms folded across her chest.
"Is there something I can do for you?" Jack asked, raising his eyebrow at her stance.
"I miss my friends. When am I allowed to go back to school?"
"Wait, am I getting this right? A kid who WANTS to be in school? Okay, maybe Carter was like that… but seriously-"
"Daddy, please! It's not that I don't love hanging out with you, the party was amazing, I couldn't have asked for anything better, but seriously hear me out. I need to be with people MY AGE! And don't say Cassie because she's at school too! You don't have to worry about me leaving again; I can feel it in my gut. It's over, it's all over. Now please, let me call my friends and tell them I'm back!"
"You realize you're going to be very behind."
"Well duh, but if I don't go back at all I'm going to be really really far behind everybody else."
"Good point."
A wicked grin spread across Haley's face. "Get me a tutor!"
"Don't look at me!" Sam held her arms up. "I'd love to help, but I've got a pretty busy load as it is."
"I know silly. I wanted you to help Daddy and I find a tutor."
"THAT I can do. With the right tutor you'd have her caught up in no time Jack."
"Okay, you're right. I suppose it's right to let you go back to school. You remember your cover story, right?"
"Yes," she groaned. "I was with my Aunt Karen, helping her through a rough time in East Bumble F-"
"Watch it"
"In the middle of nowhere, so I couldn't exactly get in touch with people."
"Alright Hale, you're good."
"Can I call my friends tonight?"
"It's a little late, can you wait until tomorrow?"
"Oh fine." At that point Sam glanced at her watch and announced it was time to go. "It's okay Sam. I really don't mind, I like having you around here. I'm pretty sure I've told you that before."
"You heard the kid, like it or not, you're stuck here," Jack grinned.
"Well, if I don't have a choice…"
"Nope, sorry, not a say," Jack chuckled.
"Now that I have you both here, we can watch my tapes of Alias!" Haley reached for the remote and had Jack and Sam scoot over so she could sit on the couch as well.
"I just don't understand why you like it so much," Jack wasn't particularly fond of the show, but he usually put up with it as long as Haley didn't give him too hard a time over all of his sports programs.
"Sydney Bristow is just the coolest person… EVER. I want to be a butt kicking spy just like her!"
"I think what appeals most to you is the strong-female lead. She's a good role model," Sam supplied.
"Just like you," Jack squeezed Sam's shoulder, and Haley just rolled her eyes. She must practice that eye roll, Jack thought, because she is WAY too good at it.
xxxxx
The next morning Jack was standing in front of the frying pan trying not to burn his French toast while Sam sat a few feet away sipping her coffee. "This is nice," she observed.
"Yes, it is." The sizzle from the pan marked the silence. "We could make this a daily ritual."
How does he make even the biggest of suggestions without any trace of emotion in his voice? "What are you talking about? You know we can't do that. And I suppose you'd want to carpool to work together and hold hands as we sign in every morning?"
"Don't be silly." Sam turned her head slightly and narrowed her eyes at Jack trying to study him.
"Last time I checked it's still illegal to sleep with your CO."
"Samantha Carter, you wild child. I bet some of your former high school classmates would be SHOCKED to hear you've broken the law. But don't get too high on breaking the rules yet- I'm resigning."
"You're what? I can't let you do that-"
"Relax; being with you is just an added bonus to the whole resignation thing." Jack placed a plate of French toast on the table. "I better go wake Hales up or she'll be pissed that she missed out on breakfast." Before Jack could do that, though, the sounds of angry footsteps were heard stomping down the steps. "Everything okay?"
"NO. Tommy has not been answering his phone. When I went online last night before bed he signed off just a few seconds after I came on! I think he's avoiding me…"
"Maybe it's just a misunderstanding," Sam suggested.
"I think you should break up with him."
"Daddy, please. I'm not in the mood this morning."
"Will it make you feel better to know I'm meeting with your guidance counselor this afternoon so you can get back to school on Monday?" Her solemn face quickly sported a grin. "Have you made any plans with your friends yet today?"
"I'm supposed to see Monica this afternoon. That reminds me, can I have some money for lunch?" Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty.
"Don't spend it all at once, k?"
"Thanks Daddy," she quickly put it away before he could change his mind. The three ate their breakfast in relative silence. Afterwards Haley ran off to get ready to see her friend, leaving Jack and Sam alone again.
"I'm meeting with Hammond after I finish up with the high school."
"What are you going to say to him?"
"I've been having an illicit affair with my second-in-command and I'm ready for him to cuff me."
"Jack."
"Pretty much what I told you. George is a pretty bright guy; I don't think he gave us one week's downtime because we needed rest. He's giving me time to make up my mind. Although I don't think he expected me to have it already made up… but why tell him about you and I? It's nobody's business, and I'm sure I won't be transferred off of SG1 immediately after handing in my resignation, so we'd be that much more under the magnifying glass until it goes through."
Sam nodded, relieved that she didn't have to ask him to be careful what he told General Hammond. There was still a huge part of her that felt guilty for breaking the rules the way she was, and she was extremely worried that the General would lose a lot of respect for her if he found out what was going on. Luckily, Jack understood her worries, and she was pretty sure everything was going to be just fine.
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