Author's Note: This fic was written in response to the prompt 'dress blues'. In Children Of The Gods, just before Jack meets General Hammond for the first time, he hesitates before he enters the office. It's only a brief second, but that was all my imagination needed to write this, apparently…

Jack pushed himself off the wall of the elevator and followed the officer towards General Hammond's office.

He was still smirking at the young man's reaction when he'd dryly said he'd been at the SGC before, but as he made his way along the corridor, his mood was dampened when he saw Major Samuels standing waiting for him at the other end. When Samuels took over as his escort, Jack rolled his eyes at the man's back. With each step he took and the longer he had to stare at the back of Samuels' head, Jack felt his jaw tighten. He just didn't like the man.

Samuels also seemed to have an aversion to the Stargate Program – and while Jack had no real proof that was the case, it grated on his nerves nonetheless. He bit back a sigh and hoped General Hammond wasn't the same.

As his gaze drifted around the familiar gray surroundings, he remembered the last time he had taken this route. It was just after he'd left Daniel behind on Abydos. Despite leaving the military after that mission, Jack had found himself thinking about the archaeologist over the past twelve months and how he had settled into his new life. He wondered if Daniel was happy with the choice he made to stay with Sha're and her people. This usually led Jack to think about his own decision to let Daniel stay on an alien planet, but before he could delve too deep into the issue this time, the noise of someone walking down the corridor – their heels click-clack, click-clack as they walked – caught his attention.

His head snapped up as he tried to locate the source. He was pretty sure a woman was responsible, but he knew it wouldn't be Catherine Langford. She had left Cheyenne Mountain and Colorado Springs shortly after the team's return from Abydos, but a part of Jack hoped it was her. Despite what he had been going through in his personal life at the time of the first mission, he had a lot of time and respect for Catherine.

Another figure appeared at the far end of the corridor and Jack's eyes narrowed. He noticed immediately that it wasn't Catherine but a younger woman – a much younger woman – and quite pretty too from what he could tell that distance apart. As the space between them lessened, the former military man felt a stirring of something inside him and he involuntarily straightened.

The woman was wearing dress blues, so she was obviously military, but Jack couldn't help notice just how nice she actually made the uniform look. No one had ever managed that feat and yet, somehow, she did.

Forcing his eyes upwards, Jack gave her a quick onceover; from the short, blonde hair, to her slim frame and very long legs, which he decided were cruelly hidden by her skirt. He shook his head slightly and returned his gaze to her face. She stared at him, and Jack felt his breath catch at how bright and blue her eyes appeared. If he looked close enough, he'd swear they were twinkling.

They came within a foot of each other, and Jack felt time slow down. Everything else around him faded into the distance and all he could focus on was the woman in front of him. He turned his body to the side and slightly towards his companion to let her by. Instinctively, she mirrored his movements and as they held each other's gaze, the old, hardened officer felt his heart stop.

It was only Samuels' salutation of 'Goodnight, Captain' and the woman's automatic, 'Goodnight, Major', that pulled Jack from his reverie. He felt his feet slowly moving in the direction he was supposed to be going, but his eyes were drawn back to the captain – and how nicely her hips swayed – as she walked down the route he had just come.

As Jack continued his sedate pace, he played those last few seconds over in his mind and resisted the urge to smack himself. He'd been so busy checking her out, that he forgotten to check her name tag.

He idly wondered if their paths would ever cross again but a sharp knock on a door, followed by an abrupt "Come" stopped that train of thought.

Slowly, Jack followed Samuels into the General's office. He didn't want to be there in the first place, and now – after his brief encounter with the mystery female – he definitely didn't want to be stuck there.

No, as far as Jack was concerned, the blonde captain in the dress blues was a far more entertaining prospect to keep his thoughts occupied.