(For authors note and disclamer see chapter one.)

Chapter 3

Jack and Sam got out of the car and headed over to the zoo entrance, and after waiting in line behind three young families, four teenagers, and an elderly couple; Jack and Sam got to the pay desk, paid their $15, and went in.

"So, where to?" Jack asked, looking over Sam's shoulder at the map she was holding.

"I think we should go to see the monkeys first," Sam said, looking back to meet Jack's eyes.

"Sounds fine to me. Let's go," Jack said, and they headed over towards the monkey

cages side by side, pointing out things in the zoo along the way.

Sam and Jack walked up to the monkey cage to see one of the monkeys staring at them.

"He looks bored," Sam said, looking closely at the primate.

"He kinda looks drunk. Did you ever see that TV show with the monkeys that got drunk?"

"Can't say that I have, sir."

"Well, the monkeys were around this resort in some hot country, and they kept on stealing the remains of the tourists' drinks and then falling out of the trees."

Sam laughed and turned her attention back to the monkey.

"Maybe he's just lonely," Sam speculated.

"Maybe," Jack said, while imitating the monkey who was tilting his head from side to side.

"So we've seen the monkeys, the giraffes, the penguins, the leopards, and the tigers. Erm… do you want to see the bird pen next?" Jack asked.

"OK, sir."

When they got to the bird pen, they looked around and Sam walked over to the ones that she wanted to see first which were the Parrots. Sam immediately stood in front of the cage and began studying the parrots. Jack (who was not interested in the slightest in seeing the parrots) made himself comfortable watching Carter, simply looking at an animal she obviously liked. He was perfectly happy just watching her, observing the little nuances that make up Samantha Carter.

Sam and Jack walked into the souvenir shop some time later, on and they both began to look around at all the things available to buy. There were the usual sweets and food items, t-shirts featuring animals from the zoo, a great array of knickknacks, and a big pile of soft toys. As Sam began to look at the choices of t-shirts and what size they came in, Jack looked around at the soft toys, and then something caught his eye.

"Hey, lady, you don't happen to know the way to the bathroom, do you?"

Sam turned around from looking at book of t-shirt designs to see a soft toy parrot and the outline of a certain grey-haired colonel.

"Hey, sir." Sam said with an affectionate grin on her face.

"I thought you might like this little guy."

"You got him for me?" Sam asked.

"Well, I saw how much you liked the real thing, so I thought you would like him, too."

"It's great, sir, thank you," Sam said, grabbing on to it with a mega-watt smile.

Sam and Jack walked out of the shop some time later with a bag each for Daniel and Teal'C. Sam and Jack had put their money together and had bought them each a soft toy as well. Daniel's was a lion and Teal'C's was a giraffe.

"We should really think about where to go for lunch, sir."

"Relax, Carter, I brought a picnic for us."

"A picnic? Really?"

"Don't be so surprised Carter. Here, I'll take these. You sit over there at a free table and I'll go get lunch."

"Are you sure you don't want any help?"

"I'll be fine, Carter. Relax, that's an order."

"Yes, sir." Sam said grinning and heading over to take a seat.

Jack walked back to the car with a spring in his step; he really was enjoying his day out with Sam. They weren't normally given this amount of freedom to enjoy themselves. At the end of the day they usually had a mission to do, but today was just free time to do whatever they wanted. Just him and Carter.

Back at the picnic table, Sam was thinking similar thoughts. It was light-years away from a usual day at the SGC. She was with her CO, and yet, she wasn't really. Here they could be relaxed, they could be themselves.

Jack walked over the small hill in line with the picnic tables and walked over to the table where Sam was sat. Jack put down his black rucksack on the table and hovered his hands over the opening.

"Well, we've got a choice of sandwiches. Tuna, chicken, or ham salad, then for after, we've got potato chips and… Jello!" Jack said reaching, into the bag and pulling them out.

"Oh, wow. Thanks, sir, this looks great. I think I'll have the ham salad, if that's OK."

"That's fine. I felt like some tuna fish anyway."

"What if I had wanted the tuna?"

"Well, then I haven't had chicken in a while." Jack said, with a mock serious looking face.

Sam grinned and began to eat her sandwiches.

"So what's the verdict?" Jack asked.

"It's good."

All of a sudden, Jack reached back into his rucksack and pulled out a flask and two plastic cups.

"I almost forgot, I've got some homemade lemonade if you want some."

"You made homemade lemonade?"

"Well, it is officially homemade, but not by me. One of my neighbours gave some to me; she gets really bored," Jack explained.

Sam made a sympathetic look as Jack poured her and himself some lemonade. Sam took her cup. "Thanks," she said, and took a sip. "It's nice."