A Younger Woman

Based upon Stargate: SG-1

Set during season 9 or 10.

- . - . - . -

Sam rubbed her neck as she sat down at her desk chair in her office at home. She pulled up the program that provided a secure line that connected all SGC and homeland security personnel. . . . Okay, it was the video chat network they all used, but all pretended it was exclusively used for official business.

She browsed through her most frequently contacted and - yes - he was online. She sent the call through. It rang several times. This was odd, he usually picked up faster than this.

Finally, it went through. "Hey Carter," he said quickly, stepping out of frame.

"Hey," she said leaning to the side, as if it would improve her view. "What's going on?"

"Damnit!" he said.

"Are you alright?"

"I can't find my brown socks." He called out.

"What?"

"Now I'm gonna have to change pants." He came back into frame for a second, leaning over and looking into his webcam. "What's going on?" he asked.

Sam's jaw slowly dropped as she realized what was happening. He was bent over at the waist and fiddling around. He was changing his pants. He was changing his pants in front of her, sort of. She took a better look at his state of dress. "Are you wearing a sweater?"

He glanced at his sweater, then her, then back down to his pants. "Yeah, why?" He stood upright and tipped his laptop screen back, making the camera follow him up. From his motions, she knew he was tucking in his shirt, buttoning his pants, and putting on his belt.

"You're not a sweater kind of person." She watched him carefully. He glanced at his watch and grumbled. "Are you late for something?"

He stopped dead for a second, then leaned into the camera a little, making his face much larger. "This isn't exactly how I wanted you to find out about this."

"What?" that concerned her.

"I have a date."

Her mouth dropped open. She closed it quickly.

"With a younger woman."

"Oh." Okay, so they had never officially said that they were involved with each other. They had never officially said that they weren't available to other people. Hell, they hadn't even gone out on a date. But . . . He was going on a date with another woman, a younger woman? "So this is a bad time?" she asked, trying not to sound like he owed her something.

He offered her a sheepish smile, before leaning back down, probably to put on his socks. "Well, yeah," he said, his voice muffled and far aware because he was doubled over.

"Oh, that's alright. We can talk some other time, it's not important. Have fun." She started to get ready to close out the program as soon as he said his goodbyes.

"Sam, wait."

She paused at his seldom use of her first name. "Stay for a minute. She'll be here soon and will definitely want to say hello."

She nodded slowly. This mysterious younger woman wanted to say hello? For a split second she thought it might be Kerri. No, it couldn't be Kerri. She definitely wouldn't want to say hello, and Jack would never think that she would want to.

He looked up, something catching his attention, and smiled. "She's here."

Sam got a little motion sick at he carried his laptop down the stairs of his Georgetown townhouse. He set it down on the table in the foyer. He pointed it towards the door, but didn't tilt up. All Sam could see was his middle back as he walked towards the door.

He opened it and a very attractive blue dress walked inside. "Hi Jack!" a very cheerful and young voice said.

"Hey."

They embraced. Then they separated, but she leaned forward. She was kissing him! Sure, Sam couldn't see their faces, but she knew that body language. At least it was a short kiss, probably just a quick peck.

"Is that Sam?"

A familiar face appeared on Sam's screen. Cassandra Fraiser.

"Hi Sam!"

Sam smiled. "Hi, Cassie." He had totally done that on purpose.

Cassie smiled like she hadn't done since she was 12, and hugged Jack's arm to her. "Jack's taking me on a date."

"I can see that," Sam answered in her best mom-tone. "You look great."

"Thanks," Cassie beamed and grabbed Jack's elbow. "Doesn't Jack look nice too?"

"Well," Sam smiled. "He can clean up nice, but I think that shirt would go better with khaki pants, not black."

"Sam," Cassie admonished.

"It's alright, Cass," Jack intervened. "It's an inside joke."

"You do know that I'm going to get you back for this," Sam said to him.

He smirked. "I'm counting on it. Maybe when I'm in the Springs next month?"

Cassie slapped his chest playfully. "Are you making a date with another woman while you're out with me?"

He kissed her cheek. "She's got nothing on you." Jack leaned in towards the webcam, as if to tell her a secret, "No offense, Carter."

She smiled. "None taken. Now, are you two going to behave? Back by curfew and all that?"

"Yes, Mom," Jack drawled.

"Alright then, have fun."

"Bye, Sam." Cassie blew a kiss.

"Good night, Cassie."

"Night, Carter," Jack said, "I'll call you back when we get home."

Sam smiled again, "Sounds good."

"Bye." He closed his laptop, leaving Sam's screen with a connection terminated at source message. Sam was grinning to herself. He was sly, that Jack O'Neill. He started that conversation making her concerned that he was moving on again, and ended it with the promise of a date and another video call that evening.

If he wasn't careful, she might fall in love with him.

- . - FIN - . -