The Vacation by John O'Connor Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. Rating: PG-13 Part 4 Samantha Carter woke up next to her friend Janet Fraiser. She stretched in the cool morning air as she prepared to get out of bed. Looking at Janet sleeping peacefully, Sam was struck by the contented smile on Janet's face. 'What's she dreaming about?' she wondered. Then, remembering her own dream, she frowned and got up. Sam walked out of the bedroom to the kitchen of the Gulfcoast condo they were staying in and started the coffee. Hearing some stirring in the other bedroom, she smiled knowing Cassandra, Janet's adopted daughter, would be up and ready for the beach soon. Sam walked into the bathroom she shared with Janet and stripped off the large t-shirt she wore to bed. As she splashed water on her face, she thought about a shower but decided to wait until after they had spent the day on the beach. Sam stood back and regarded her reflection. She was in near-perfect physical shape as a result of the demands her role in SG-1 made on her. There was some light scarring on her stomach and other places that stood out like lines on a roadmap to her. She was pleased to see that the slight burn she got yesterday was already becoming a nice base tan. 'Keep up with the sunscreen,' she thought, 'and you'll be the envy of all those molepeople back inside Cheyenne Mountain.' Sam pealed off the cotton panties she had slept in and began to pull on the blue swimsuit Janet had bought. They had decided the day before to trade suits for a little variety on the beach. After adjusting the spaghetti straps, Sam turned this way and that inspecting herself in the mirror. 'Not bad, girl. Blue suits you and it fits nicely too.' Sam grabbed her sleepwear and walked back into the large living/dining room of the condo. Cassie was already planted on the sofa watching cartoons in her pajamas. "Hi Sam," she said without looking away from the animated action. "Hey Cass, ready for another day of fun in the sun?" Sam asked as she poured coffee. "Oh yeah! Can we get a jet ski today?" the young teenager responded enthusiastically. "Well, I have to get your mom's okay. No promises, alright?" Sam was all to aware of promises she had made to her young friend only to have to break them because of her job. She was determined that she would not promise anything unless she could follow through. "Okay. What's for breakfast?" "We have Cap'n Crunch, Cap'n Crunch with Crunchberries, peanut butter Cap'n Crunch...Jeez, does General Curtis eat anything else? Must be the military sound of it. Here's some Grape Nuts, and," Sam paused as she moved a couple of cereal boxes around, "more Cap'n Crunch." "I guess I'll have Cap'n Crunch," Cassie said. "Coming right up. Good morning, sleepyhead," Sam directed this last to Janet as she walked out of the bedroom. "Morning," Janet mumbled as she accepted a cup of coffee from Sam. Sam then poured a bowl of cereal for Cassie. 'How come I'm the maid this morning?' she mused. After slowly drinking half of the steaming cup, Janet finally said, "Must be this sea air. I feel so relaxed that I have a hard time getting up." She finally looked at Sam for the first time that morning. "You look great in my suit. Blue definitely looks good on you." "Thank you. It fits very well too," Sam said. Cassie drained the rest of the milk from the cereal bowl and announced, "I'm changing for the beach!" then she promptly strode into her room to change. "Guess that's my cue," Janet said as she set the empty cup down and walked into the bedroom. Sam poured herself a second cup and walked onto the deck to look down at the beach. The boys they rented the chairs and umbrellas from were down there setting them up and a few people were already playing in the surf. The gentle offshore breeze ruffled her short curly blond hair, feeling almost like fingers gently combing through it. Sam frowned slightly as she recalled her dream. In it, she was sitting on the beach alone when someone walked up from behind and sat down next to her. She looked over to see a naked Janet Fraiser smiling at her. Janet reached over and ran her fingers through the blond hair above Sam's left ear and then gently slid the tips of her fingers along the outer edge of her ear. Janet leaned over and gently kissed her and Sam suddenly wanted this more than anything in the world. Janet pushed her down on the blanket and lay on top of Sam. Sam realized she was naked too but didn't care as they resumed kissing... "Hey Sam, I'm ready!" Cassie announced, breaking Sam's train of thought. 'Just in time, too,' Sam thought as she rubbed at the goosebumps on her arms. 'I'm not sure I like where this train of thought was going. Not after yesterday...' Then she saw that her nipples were erect, so she quickly turned away from the teen, looking over the Gulf as she tried to calm down. "So am I," Janet said as she walked out. "Wow, Mom, you look great!" Cassie said. And she did. The white suit clung to her and accentuated the curves of her body. The contrast to her dark eyes and hair added to the effect. Sam, trying hard to forget the dream, gave Janet a wolf whistle. "Not bad, Doc. Maybe we should switch these permanently?" Cassie looked at the two people who meant the most to her in the entire world and said, with the wisdom of youth, "Why not just share them?" Sam and Janet both seemed to consider this as Cassie grabbed the beach bag and headed for the door. The women grabbed their beach robes and followed her. 'It's funny how awkward I feel when I first see Janet after the dreams I've had the last few nights but then everything is okay again after a while. I guess it just proves a strong friendship can overcome anything, even some weird dreams,' Sam thought as they waited for the elevator. On the way down, Janet looked quizzically at Sam and said, "Penny for your thoughts?" Sam smiled and said, "Oh, nothing worth paying for." Cassie chimed in, "A penny? I need at least a dollar before I spill anything." "Greedy little thing, isn't she?" Sam said, smiling. "Mom, is it okay if I hang out with some of the kids I met yesterday?" Cassie asked. "They're okay, so you don't have to worry." Janet smiled and said, "Sure, I suppose so, for a while. And, by the way, I do trust your judgment." She didn't add that she trusted Cass' judgment more than she did most adults. "Just don't ignore us, okay?" Cassie nodded and stayed with them, not seeing her friends on the beach yet. The two women shrugged off their robes and tossed them on the rented chairs before following Cassie into the water. When she hit the cold water, Janet let out a little "whoop!" Sam did the same when she entered and Cassie innocently asked "Shrinkage?" Both women glared at the girl and she realized she'd overstepped her bounds. Some things just aren't said by a young teenager to adults, even if they are all female. As Cassie turned away redfaced, Sam did whisper to Janet, "Well, it does look like the turkeys are done!" Janet looked at her friend's smiling face in mock horror before seeing Sam's nipples pushing the blue material of her suit out. Then she looked down and saw her own nipples standing out creating small shadows on the white material. When Sam looked down and saw her own nipples again standing at attention, she turned a bright red. Janet quickly moved out further into the water until it covered her chest before turning to Sam. She opened her mouth to berate Sam, when the blond woman began to laugh in her embarrasment. Sam's infectious laugh caused Janet to begin to giggle. This soon lead to outright laughter as the two women floated in the clear water. Cassie looked over her shoulder at the pair, shook her head and moved further down the beach. Janet left the water after trying to swim against the surf. Sam came out shortly after. They both sat in the beach chairs after Janet closed the umbrella and soaked up some warm Florida sunshine. Soon, Sam drifted off into a light sleep and Janet tried to read. She kept being distracted by the young people on the beach. 'It could almost be Spring Break with all these kids romping,' the doctor thought. Then glancing at Sam, she couldn't help but admire how sexy she looked in the blue swimsuit. Then she thought, 'Sam sexy? What is it with me? It's not like I'm attracted to her.' "Not that there's anything wrong with that," she murmured aloud, causing a dozing Sam to look at her out of one eye. "Talking to ourselves, are we?" she chided Janet. "Just finishing a stray thought out loud. It was an inside joke. Go back to sleep." Sam stuck out her tongue and closed her eyes again. Cassie came running up the beach a few minutes later and yelled, "Where's my hat?" "What hat?" Janet asked. Without more than a glance to acknowledge her mom's question, Cassie began to dig in the beach bag. Pulling out an olive-drab piece of cloth, she triumphantly said, "Here it is!" It was a crushable fisherman's hat but instead of fishing hooks and lures pinned around the brim, it sported a Colorado Rockies logo. It was one of her favorite hats because Sam gave it to her when the three of them went to Denver last year to see the Rockies play. It also was grungy enough to be cool with her classmates. Of course, Janet hated it. Pulling the hat down on her head, she raced back down the beach. Sam squinted open one eye again and said, "Was that a whirlwind?" "Cyclone Cassie just passed through," Janet laughed. "She came back for that ratty old hat you gave her last year at the Rockies game." "Oh yeah, I never used that VISA card I signed up for to get it, either." Sam lay back down and continued, "Remember who the Rockies played?" Janet shook her head then, seeing Sam's eyes were closed, said, "No, I don't." "The Florida Marlins. Isn't that a coincidence?" Janet furrowed her brow and said, "I didn't even know Florida had a team." Sam sat up and looked at her, "What? You were at the game! How could you not know who they were playing?" "I don't know that much about baseball. I've only been to a few games in my life, and that includes an Academy softball game. How am I supposed to know who plays and who doesn't?" Janet asked, her eyes twinkling. "You are hopeless! Thank God Cassie has me around to show her the joys of American life." Sam dropped back on her towel with a sigh of desperation missing the big grin that appeared on Janet's face. There were times it was just plain fun to irritate her fair-haired friend. Soon after that exchange, Sam rolled onto her stomach to get some sun on her back. Janet opened the large beach umbrella to provide some shade and keep the chairs from heating up. She applied more sunscreen to her legs before laying on her towel and closing her eyes... Sam and Janet were walking along a deserted stretch of beach enjoying the silence when Sam smiled and took Janet's hand. Janet felt giddy like a schoolgirl at the touch of her soft hand. Sam moved her hand up until she was grasping Janet's forearm and shaking it. "Hey, wake up or you'll burn!" Sam said. Janet opened her eyes and wondered where everybody had come from before consciousness returned. "Oh, uh, thanks." She got up and sat on a chair in the umbrella's shade. Sam sat in the chair next to her and glanced at her. "So, Janet, you have been having some pleasant dreams lately. Want to tell me about them?" Sam asked. "Uh, well, they're, I don't really remember them to well," Janet said lamely. Sam didn't buy into that excuse but let it go when she saw Cassie come running down the beach. "Incoming!" Sam yelled as Cassie skidded to a halt in front of them. "Hey! Where's the fire?" Janet asked. "Mom, Sam, you gotta see this!" Cassie said excitedly. "There's a seaturtle mound down the beach and the guy watching it says they're going to hatch any day now! This is so cool!" "Well, lead on, MacDuff," Sam said as she and Janet rose from their chairs. Cassie was almost pulling them down the beach in her excitement. "C'mon. C'mon." she urged, as if the hatchings were imminent. About a half mile from their spot on the beach, there was a small crowd gathered around a low mound of sand. The mound was only a couple of feet high and about three or four feet across. It was situated above the high tide mark and was roped off. A well-tanned man sat on an aluminum chair just inside the "fence" and answered questions people in the crowd asked. As they stood there, they learned he was a grad student in marine biology studying sea turtles. The area was roped off to protect the eggs inside the mound and he and his friends took turns watching the mound to keep people and predators out of the nest. It was part of an attempt to increase the turtles' population and hopefully remove them from the endangered species list. After a while, Sam turned to Janet and said, "You know, I haven't eaten all day. How's 'bout we go get lunch?" Janet nodded and placed her hand on top of the "ratty old" cap on Cassie's head. "How 'bout it? Hungry?" Cassie, who had been talking to a boy and girl next to her, turned and said, "Yeah! I'm starving." Then turning back to her friends she said, "Oh guys, this is my mom and this is Sam. Mom, Sam, this is Jimmy and Susie." Everyone exchanged hellos and Cassie, after promising she'd be back later, followed the adults back to the condo and lunch. After sandwiches and soda on the balcony, Cassie asked, "Mom, can Sam take me out on a jet ski?" Janet looked knowingly at Sam who innocently returned her look. "You want to go on a jet ski with Sam? Well, I don't know..." "Aw, please? We'll be alright! C'mon, Mom. Please?" Cassie looked at Janet with big puppy dog eyes. "Sam, what do you think? You want to take her out on one of those?" Janet asked. "If it's okay with you, yes," Sam responded. Cassie was almost bouncing in her seat when Janet said, "Slow down, hot shot. I haven't said okay yet." Cassie suddenly sat very quietly but with pleading eyes. Janet looked at her daughter and then at Sam before saying, "I suppose it'll be alright." Cassie jumped up and hugged Janet, kissing her on the cheek. "Thanks, Mom! This'll be great!" After cleaning up the lunch mess, they returned to the beach and set off down towards the jet ski rental area. It was another half mile from the turtle's nest. When they got there, Cassie stared at the jet skis sitting on the sand in all their colors. "Wow!" she said softly. As Sam talked to the agent, Janet said, "These look like something Dr. Quest would've invented." "Who?" Cassie asked. "Dr. Quest. You know, Jonny's dad?" At Cassie's blank stare, she continued, "On 'Johnny Quest,' the cartoon. Johnny, Hadji, Race? Bandit?" Sam walked up at that moment and Janet turned to her in desperation, "She doesn't know who Johnny Quest is! Help me!" Sam looked at Cassie and asked, "You don't know about 'Johnny Quest?'" "No," Cassie said. "God, I suddenly feel old," Janet moaned. "Well, my friend," Sam said, "we're just going to have to find some way to introduce you to him. That cartoon was part of the reason I wanted to be a scientist. But we can take care of that part of your education later. We got us a jet ski to ride." "Sam," Janet said slowly. "Please be careful." Sam rolled her eyes toward Cassie, who grinned widely, and said, "Okay, Doc. But we gotta run. The jet skis await." As they sped off across the water, Janet slowly walked back toward their little spot on the beach. Occasionally she looked out and spied the little emerald green and white craft racing through the waves and she could faintly hear Cassie's happy squeals across the water. As she neared their chairs, she heard a pleasant "Hello. How are you?" Turning toward the voice, Janet saw Regina, the redhead she'd met the day before, standing behind the beach chairs. "Hello. How are you today?" Janet asked while thinking, 'Who IS this girl? What does she want?' "May I sit down?" Regina asked. Janet nodded her assent as she lowered herself into one of the chairs. She noticed Regina was again wearing a very skimpy bikini. Before sitting, Regina turned around and said, "Do you like it? I just picked it up and wasn't sure if white was the right color to go with." "It looks fine, um, I mean it's lovely. Uh, I," Janet stammered. Regina sat down and gently touched Janet on the shoulder, "It's okay, I understand. I guess you've never been with a woman before?" "Wha-what? I, uh, I have no idea what you're talking about!" Janet protested, amazed at how direct this girl was. "Oh, hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I thought you were interested the way you were looking and acting yesterday and just now. I must have been mistaken. I'm sorry," Regina repeated as she began to rise. "No, I'm sorry. I overreacted, I guess. Please stay." Janet looked out toward the water, searching for the jet ski. She swallowed and said, "I'm not offended. I guess I should be flattered that such a pretty girl would be interested in me. It's just that I'm not, well, that way." "Thank you for the compliment," Regina responded. "I am interested and usually don't come across this way. It's just that I guessed you'd be going home soon and I didn't want to waste any time..." The redhead paused then added reassuringly, "But I would never force you or anyone to do anything they didn't want to do. I appreciate you letting me sit here too, after... Well, I do enjoy your company." Janet smiled, then asked, "I hope I'm not being to forward but may I ask you something?" "Sure. Anything you want to know," Regina offered. "Why do you prefer women? I mean, have you always been a les...well, you know?" Janet blushed. "Lesbian? Well, I guess I've been gay all my life. I ignored it and pretended I was straight all through high school. When I got to college, I found other girls like me and realized I'd been fooling myself too long. Is that what you wanted to know?" The redhead looked at Janet with a raised eyebrow. Janet gave her a slight nod and then asked, "Have you ever been with a man?" "Yes, my high school boyfriend. We took each other's virginity on our prom night. It was interesting and I didn't hate it but it's not what I like to do or have done to me. You know?" There was that eyebrow again. Janet sat there for a few minutes, mulling over Regina's words and considering her own thoughts and actions the past few days. "Can someone turn gay?" Regina looked thoughtful for a moment then said, "I don't think so, but it's possible. You know, I think it's more that the person comes to terms with who he or she is. Maybe the person has been lying to his or herself all that time and has just begun to discover the truth." Regina looked directly into Janet's eyes. "And, though I have friends who say no, I believe that most people are at least bisexual. "Or I could have no idea what I'm talking about!" Regina laughed. "After all, a marine biologist doesn't really study too much human behavior." "A marine biologist? Like the guy guarding the turtle's nest?" Janet looked surprised. "Yeah, that's Steve. He was my boyfriend in high school. Yes, that one," she said in response to Janet's raised eyebrow. "We're best friends now. We both volunteered to watch the nest along with two other grad students from Florida State. It's fun and we get to hang out on the beach all day." Regina smiled and Janet thought, 'She must have to beat the girls off, she's so pretty and friendly. The boys too, I guess, since she doesn't look gay. Oh God, I'm stereotyping.' They sat quietly for a few moments when Regina asked, "May I ask you something? You don't have to answer if you don't want to." Janet nodded, and Regina continued, "Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like with a woman?" "No, I haven't," Janet responded curtly. "Be honest now." Janet sighed. "Yes, I suppose I had considered it a time or two when I was a kid, but then I was married. I don't have any interest in women." She stopped there, realizing how lame it sounded. Especially the part about her failed marriage. Regina sensed that Janet was holding back but decided not to press the issue. They talked some more, mainly about Regina's studies and sea turtles before Janet heard a distant "Mom!" "Well," Regina rose from the chair, "I enjoyed our little talk. See you around." Janet was sorry to see her go, she was beginning to really enjoy the younger woman's company but Cassie quickly pushed those thoughts from Janet's mind. "Mom! It was the greatest! You have got to go!" Cassie was gasping in air between sentences. "I want to go again!" Sam came up at a slightly less frantic pace but was no less excited. "It was great, Janet! You have got to try it!" "And I would've thought the Gate was a big enough ride for you," Janet said, kiddingly. Later, when Cass had run off to her new friends with a "We're on turtle watch!" Sam looked over toward Janet and said, "I saw your girlfriend, Regina who rhymes with a female body part, over here. You two have a good time?" Janet quickly replied, "She's a nice person. So what if she's gay?" Suddenly aware of what she had said, Janet stared at Sam, waiting for her reaction. "Oh? She's gay? Well, I guess my little joke isn't so much a joke then?" Seeing the look in Janet's eyes, she added, "I'm sorry. You know I don't mean anything by any of this. Too much time with Jack O'Neill." "Can we just drop it?" Janet said testily. "Yeah, sure" Sam agreed. 'What's eating her?' Sam and Janet sat quietly for a long time. Finally, Janet got up and adjusted the umbrella so they were still shaded and said, "I'm sorry. I guess I was a little too quick to jump down your throat." "That's alright." "No, you are one of the nicest people I know," Janet said. "And I shouldn't have treated you like that." "Thanks. Friends?" "Always." Back in the condo, several hours later, Janet was in the shower washing off the remains of the day. She thought about Regina and what they had talked about. Was it possible she was gay and never knew it? She knew she had become preoccupied by Sam. Why Sam? Why not the colonel or Daniel? Or one of the beach studs? Sam sat on a folded towel on the bed with similar thoughts running through her head. She had known for years that she found women attractive but she never acted on those feelings. Now she was having dreams about her best friend. Janet would be mortified. She had to figure out how to deal with these feelings. Janet came into the bedroom towelling her damp hair and asked, "What's for dinner tonight?" "I haven't thought about it much. Wanna get something at Winn-Dixie and cook here?" Sam responded. "You know, I've been thinking, this IS a vacation. I really don't feel like slaving in a kitchen. The HDTV I was saving for can wait a few more months. Let's go out again," Janet said. "Okay, just let me get cleaned up," Sam left the bedroom, pulling the straps of the damp swimsuit off her shoulders. Janet grabbed the wet towel and took it with her suit (Sam's suit) and towel to the closet with the washer/dryer. She loaded the machine but waited until she could get Sam's laundry too. They went to a restaurant near the marina that stood above the beach. The view of the Gulf and the setting sun was a great addition to the dessert they all indulged in. They sat in the lounge after dinner, enjoying the fall of night over the water and had a couple of drinks. Cassie was antsy to get back in case the baby turtles hatched but was still well-behaved over all. On the way back to the condo, Sam pointed out a miniature golf course. "We may have to try that some day soon. As I recall they have a great arcade too." Cassie looked at the brightly lit layout. "An arcade? Cool. I'll kick your butt, Sam." "Cassandra!" Janet said sternly. "Sorry," Cassie offered lamely. "I'll beat the stuffing outta ya!" "Maybe, but I bet I take you at miniature golf," Sam countered. Cassie said, "I've never played it." She paused for a moment and added, "But I learn quickly." "Ooo, I hear a challenge, Janet," Sam laughed. "Sure sounds like it," Janet agreed. Arriving back at the condo, Cassie looked around the door. "No note, so the turtles haven't hatched yet." "Wow, you are really into this, aren't you?" Sam asked. "Yeah, I am. It's just so cool, you know?" "I know how cool life science can be," Janet said. Cassie looked at her as if to say "Well, d'uh! You're a doctor." Instead, she asked, "Is it okay if I run down there and check the nest? It's still early, not even 10 o'clock." "Go ahead," Janet said, smiling. "Thanks, Mom. I won't be out too long," the mini whirlwind promised as she blew through the door. "Kids, can't live with them..." Janet began. "Can't kill 'em," Sam finished what was becoming their mantra. "How about some wine and we can sit on the balcony and enjoy the night air?" Janet suggested. "Great idea," Sam agreed. Out on the balcony, Janet took a sip of wine and said, "Sam, this idea was the best I've heard in a long time. I'm enjoying this trip and I know Cassie is having a blast. Cheers!" "Thank you," Sam replied. "There's no one else I'd rather be here with." They looked at each other for a long moment then out towards the beach. The distant sound of the surf was restful and soothing. "Ow! Damn bugs!" Janet slapped her arm. "Doctor Fraiser! Such language! I'm appalled!" Sam joked as she got up. "Actually, in the pantry, the general keeps some of those bug candles. You know what I mean. I'll be right back." "Citronella?" "Yeah, something like that..." Returning with a small bucket and matches, Sam set it on the table. The bucket was full of a peach-colored waxy material with a wick in the center. Lighting it, Sam said, "This should help." It did help, the insects left them alone while they sat out there and talked about plans for the rest of their stay before letting the conversation steer itself. Finally, Janet held up the nearly empty bottle and said, "Samantha Carter, you are turning me into a wino!" Sam shook her head and said, "Yeah, I'm really twisting your arm." Lightly grabbing Janet's forearm, she said in a deep, piraty voice, "Drink, wench. I said drink, damn you! Aarrggh." Janet started to laugh at Sam's antics just as Cassie came in. "Hey, what's with the lights?" "Sorry, honey," Janet called over her shoulder. "We're out here on the balcony. You can see much better with no lights behind you." "No turtles yet," the teenager reported with a yawn. "I'm tired. I'm going to bed. G'night." Kissing both women on the cheek, Cassie walked back into the condo and her room. Later, both women were asleep in bed. Sam was dreaming she was slow dancing. As she lightly stepped across the dance floor, she twirled her partner going into a movie-perfect dip. Looking down, she saw the smiling face of Janet. Sam pulled her up and they danced together, cheek to cheek in a tight embrace. Janet woke up and sighed contentedly. She loved the feel of strong arms enclosing her from behind. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Sam asleep against her in a classic spoon position. Startled, Janet debated getting up and rousing Sam, but she didn't want to embarrass her friend. And besides, she decided she rather liked this. She thought, as she drifted off to sleep again. 'And since Sam's asleep it really doesn't mean anything. Does it?' (c) John O'ConnerComments May Be Mailed Here