Summery: A routine trip off-world has long-lasting effects for SG-1. Meanwhile, Jack has terrestrial trouble too, when his half-sister is recruited to the SGC and his worlds threaten to collide and all his secrets are in danger of being exposed.

Disclaimer: I do not own "Stargate SG-1" the series. I believe it is owned by MGM. No copyright infringement is intended. No disrespect is intended. I am merely intrigued by the possibilities.

A Matter of Degrees

by: Visions2share a.k.a. Vi

General Hammond and Jack parted ways at Peterson, each heading home. Having been up all night in that blasted meeting, Jack drove straight home with a nap holding the sole spot on his to do list. Not that he'd be getting one in the end.

Jack walked in to the smell of pancakes and the sound of little girls giggling, mixed with the tinkling laughter of their mother and occasional chuckle from their father. Ah, Saturdays.

Jack wore his dress blues, as they were the only option he had with him once he'd returned his borrowed flight suit, so as much as the happy sounds of his nieces called to him Jack avoided the kitchen and drawing attention to his arrival by slipping down the hall to the master bedroom and into something more comfortable to wear around home on a lazy Saturday with his family.

Jack valiantly ignored the call of his bed and changed into a pair of jeans he'd owned for at least fifteen years that had faded from a sharp black to a splotchy gray. Paired with a light gray Air Force Academy T-shirt he'd picked up during a stint as an instructor back several years before the Stargate Program – long enough Carter had still been a cadet at the time – a thought which made him feel as old and faded as his clothes.

Barefoot, it was especially easy to sneak into the kitchen and stand leaning on the archway that led to the back hall, watching his family enjoy their special Saturday pancake breakfast.

He waited, relishing their laughter, until Henry noticed him. Henry's attention slipping off his daughters pulled their attention to Jack as well, and laughter was replaced by delighted squeals.

"Uncle Jack!"

"Uncle Jack – you gotted home!"

Jack welcomed the hugs and returned them. Ignoring the syrup hand prints that now decorated his jeans.

"Are you gonna be home to play with us, or do you gotta work?" Amy, the four-year-old, asked.

"Guess what? My birthday is one week from today! And Mommy says I can have a little party if it's okay with you, Uncle Jack!" Leah talked over her little sister.

"I think I'm home today," Jack avoided promising anything, as his getting called in was always a possibility. He turned his attention to Leah. "A birthday? Already? How can it be your birthday already?"

"It's not now, Uncle Jack," Leah assured, "it's next Saturday. That's a whole week away."

"A whole week, huh? Are you excited?"

"Uh-huh! I can't wait!"

"And you're going to be … forty, right?"

"No, Silly Billy, I gonna be eight!"

"Eight! Wow! That's even better!"

"Yep. And Mommy said we can have a party if you say we can – on a count a cause it's your house – so can we? Can we, please?"

"A party?" Jack made a big show of frowning. "What kind of party?"

"A birthday party, Uncle Jack!"

"Party!" Amy added.

"Please!?" Leah begged.

Jack looked at Susan with a raised eyebrow. "Just the five of us – unless you have somebody else to invite – the girls don't start school for another month – so they haven't had a chance to meet new friends."

"Just us, huh?" Jack eyed Leah with brows still furrowed in a convincing frown. "And just what would we do at this party?"

"Cake!" Amy offered.

"Presents!" Leah added.

"Presents?" Jack widened his eyes as if he'd never heard tell of such a thing.

"Cake!" Amy repeated.

"And cake!" Leah added, still focused wholly on Jack, "please?"

"So, just presents and cake? Not a barbeque with hamburgers and hotdogs?" Henry didn't grill, so that kind of meal was a huge treat for the two hotdog loving little girls. "No pinata? Or water balloons? Just presents and cake? Doesn't sound like much of a party to me."

"Hotdogs!"

"Hotdogs!" their cries of delight were simultaneous.

"Ba-oons! Ba-oons!" Amy jumped up and down.

"What's a pinto?" Leah wanted to know.

"A pinto is a bean."

"Why would you want a bean at a birthday party?" Leah was adorably confused.

"You probably wouldn't – you might like a pinata though."

"What's that?" Leah tried again while her younger sister was still bouncing up and down to cries of "ba-oons!".

Jack looked up at Susan. "Your daughter has never seen a pinata?"

"I guess not." Susan's lips twitched as she struggled to control her grin.

"Shameful."

"But what is it?" Leah insisted.

"How about we have one at your party and you can find out for yourself?"

"Okay! Does that mean I can have my party?"

"Yeah-sure-ya-betcha."

"Yay!" Leah threw herself against him for more hugs.

Amy stopped bouncing to tug on his wrist, "And ba-oons?"

"Of course – it's not a fortieth birthday party without balloons!"

"Eight!" Leah corrected, her face still buried in his stomach.

"Oh, right. I forgot." Jack winked at her parents over her head. He'd have to talk to them later about what to get her – he adored his nieces, but wasn't exactly sure what a good gift would be. He'd also have to put in a request for next Friday and Saturday off. Not that it would be any guarantee of getting a calm weekend. The universe often seemed to have other plans for him.

Author's Note: I have a nephew who used to call balloons 'baboons' when he was learning to talk. And he LOVED balloons. It was adorable. Big things coming in tomorrow's chapter. Are you ready? Thanks for reading! ~ Vi