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 to R
Part 8
Janet caught up to Sam and Cassie in the parking lot
outside the state building in Shalimar. Sam was
holding the rental car keys. Janet, not wanting
another adventure in the fast lane, briskly walked up
and snatched the keys form her friend's hand.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Sam demanded.
"Saving a life or three," Janet retorted. "I'm driving
back to Destin!"
Sam made a grab for the keys as Janet danced away
across the parking lot. "Don't make me come and get
those, Fraiser!" she mock snarled.
"Ooo, I'm sooo scared," Janet returned, wide-eyed in
mock fright.
Cassie began to laugh and egged them on. "Go Sam. You
can take her."
"Hey, I'm your mom! The woman that provides for you,
clothes and feeds you? Remember?" Janet said to Cass.
"Oh yeah," Cassie smiled. "Go Mom!"
"Fickle," declared Sam.
By this point, to the amusement of the government
workers on their way to lunch, Sam grabbed Janet from
behind and lifted her off her feet. "Give it up,
Fraiser. You can't win!"
Janet, taken by surprise, dropped the keys to the
pavement. She became very aware of Sam's breasts
pressing against her back, the nipples poking through
the thin cotton shirt. She was alarmed when she felt
an unexpected response within her body.
Sam, surprised at herself, held Janet for a heartbeat
longer than was necessary. She admitted to herself
that she did enjoy the feeling of holding Janet close
but she was worried about what Janet must think.  She
had to feel Sam's nipples poking her.
Instead of saying anything, Sam released Janet and
scooped up the keys, handed them to Janet, and walked
to the passenger door.
"What? I can drive?" Janet managed to say, her mouth
suddenly dry.
Sam only nodded as she sat in the passenger seat.
Cassie, thoroughly amused by the antics of the adults,
was ready by the back door of the vehicle.
Janet opened the car, the interior stifling after
sitting in the Florida sun. Sam and Cassie squealed at
the hot vinyl seats.  "That's what you get for wearing
shorts," Janet teased them.
Janet glanced at her friend as they returned across
the causeway. She was becoming a little concerned. Sam
was unusually quiet, staring out the window at the
water below.
"Hey," Janet said in her usual two-syllable greeting.
"Cat got your tongue? Sam?"
"What? Oh, sorry, I was just thinking. On the way
back, how 'bout you drop me off at the oyster bar?
I'll be able to catch the Rockies win on their
satellite so I can rub it in the colonel's face when
we talk later?"
"Okay, sure. You know, we're going to the beach, sure
you want to sit in a bar?" Janet asked.
"It's not a bar, it's a restaurant with a bar along
one wall!" Sam said a trifle defensively. "I'm sorry,
that was out of line. It's just that I'd like to see
the game and we don't get WGN in the condo. This also
gives you two some quality time together away from
home. Right, kiddo?"
Cassie replied, "Affirmative, Sam." She was pleased to
be included in adult conversations, so she agreed even
though she hadn't been paying attention.
"Okay, but it is lunch time. May we join you for lunch
before heading back?" Janet kiddingly asked.
Sam, not catching the joking nature of Janet's
question, placed her hand on Janet's arm and said, "Of
course. I didn't mean..."
"I know, I was kidding," Janet interrupted with a
gentle smile.
"Oh, I, uh, I see," Sam said quietly. She remained
quiet for the remainder of the drive back to Destin.
Pulling into the parking lot of Bud's Oyster Bar,
Janet announced, "We're here!"
Cassie added, "Good! I'm starved! Come on, Sam."
"You're always starved," Janet said.
Exiting the back seat of the car, Cass yanked open the
passenger door. Sam had been leaning on it and almost
tumbled onto the pavement. "Hey!" she yelled. "Watch
it!"
Cassie was momentarily alarmed until she saw Sam
smiling. She returned it. Janet felt relieved when she
saw the smile. She was still worried, Sam hadn't been
the same since they had quibbled at the sea turtle
nest.  She vowed not to bring up the arcade incident
again, Sam would have to.
They entered the restaurant, momentarily blinded by
the slightly darker interior after the glaring sun
outside. Once their eyes adjusted, Sam asked the
hostess for a table near the big screen TV behind the
bar.
After they sat, a waiter came up and Sam asked, "Can
you see if the Rockies/Cubs game can be put on the big
TV?"
Shortly, Janet had a large iced tea, Cassie a large
Coke, and Sam a bottle of Lite as they watched the
bartender locate the appropriate satellite frequency.
"You know, I could do that in half the time," Sam
commented.
"Okay, Ms. Astrophysicist. You also make more than the
Tom Cruise wannabe over there too," Janet replied.
"Sam, don't look," Cassie warned. "The Cubs are
winning 1 to nothing."
Sam glanced at the screen, "It's early, only the
second inning and Chicago almost always folds. I'm not
worried."
A commercial for a WB series came on. Cassie saw it
and said, "That's a great show. Do you watch it Sam?"
Looking up at the "Roswell" promo, Sam shook her head,
"No, short stuff, I really don't care for Sci-Fi much
anymore. Real life is weird enough."
Janet silently agreed, and said, "Hey, Cass. Have you
washed your hands? Go. Scoot."
As Cassie dissappeared, Sam commented wryly, "Imagine
an alien kid watching a show about alien kids."
Janet chuckled, "Yeah, I guess it's like if I watched
'ER' or something."
After Cass returned, and their food arrived, they sat
and quietly ate. Cassie had ordered a seafood platter
again.
Sam said, as she swallowed a bite of her cheeseburger,
"You are going to grow gills, young lady."
"Huh-uh! Pass the ketchup, please?"
As they finished, Cassie was following the game almost
as closely as Sam. Janet asked her, "Hey, sweetie, do
you want to go to the beach or stay here and watch the
game?"
Cassie thought for a moment, then catching the look in
her mom's eye, said, "I think I'll go to the beach. Is
that okay with you Sam?"
"Sure, you're here to have fun. Go. Have fun." Sam ran
her fingers through Cassie's hair, smoothing it back
along her head. Janet felt a warm glow at this quiet
sign of Sam's love for their little girl.
Janet was smiling as she reached for her purse,
thinking Cassie would have a fit being called a little
girl. 'She'll always be our little girl, though,'
Janet thought, echoing mothers through the ages.
Sam put her hand on Janet's, saying "I've got lunch."
Indicating Cassie with her eyes, she added, "Someone
is antsy to go play."
"Okay, thanks, hon. Let's go, Cass," Janet said,
rising from the table. Then she looked at Sam for a
moment.
Sam nodded and mouthed, "Go on." She added a shooing
motion to the quiet command.
In the parking lot, as she searched for the keys,
Janet said, "Thanks for picking up on my signal."
Cassie nodded, "I know Sam needs some personal time.
Will she be okay?"
"Yes, she will, honey," Janet said, but secretly she
was a little worried.
As her friends left, Sam grabbed the check and her
beer and moved to the bar. "Can I get another, please?
And I'd like to take care of this, too."
She sat and watched the game quietly and slowly drank
her beer. Presently someone sat on a stool nearby.
"Good. I was hoping the Cubs would be on," the new
person said. "Can I get a Bud Light? Thanks."
Sam looked over and saw a dark-haired man wearing
wire-rimmed glasses. "Hi. Cubs fan?" she asked.
"Yeah. I love the bums," the man smiled. "Hi, my
name's John."
"I'm Sam," she replied shaking his hand. "I'm a
Rockies fan and my boss is originally from Chicago so
we have a little bet on the game."
"So I take it you don't live around here," John
gestured with his bottle.
"No, Colorado. Colorado Springs actually. I'm down
here with my friend and her daughter on a vacation.
You?" Sam asked.
John smiled, "No, I'm not from around here. I live on
the North Side of Chicago. I came down with my sister
and her two little girls. They needed to get away.
Lotta crap involving a soon-to-be ex-husband. Well,
you know..." he trailed off.
They both turned back to the game. The Cubs were at
bat with men on first and second, and two outs.
"Oh God. Here's where they'll choke," John lamented.
"Sosa's been too busy worrying about homers and not
producing enough base hits. Ah hell!" John turned away
as Sammy Sosa swung at an outside pitch, striking out
and ending the inning. "He had no business going after
that ball."
"Yeah, maybe, but your boys are still winning," Sam
offered as she noted the Cubs were up 2-0. 'When did
they score the second run? Must've been when Janet and
Cass were leaving,' Sam thought.
"Not for long. I've been a fan too long to try to fool
myself. This is not the team they had two years ago,"
John shook his head and smiled. "The tragic life of a
Cub fan."
Sam smiled at him, a mixture of amusement and
sympathy. 'What is it about this team that inspires
such devotion?' she thought. 'I ask Jack and he waves
me off. Maybe this guy can explain it.'
"John, can I ask you a question?" Sam inquired.
While Sam was making a new friend, Janet was saying
good bye to another.
She and Cassie had changed into their suits and gone
to the beach. After a short dip in the warm Gulf
water, Janet sat on the beach chair, enjoying the warm
sun on her legs.
"Hi! How are you?" a familiar young voice said.
Shading her eyes, Janet looked up and saw Regina, the
grad student standing next to her. "Hi. I'm fine. How
are you doing? Sit down."
"Thanks," the redhead said as she sat in the other
chair. "Actually, I'm kind of tired. It's been a long
couple of days."
"Hey Cassie," Janet called. "Come up here for a
minute." As Cassie trotted up, Janet said, "Regina,
this is my daughter Cassie. Cassie, this is Regina."
"I know, at the sea turtle nest," Cassie said.
"Yeah, Cassie and I met but I didn't know she was your
daughter." Regina smiled, adding, "She's a very bright
girl. She was really interested in what we were doing,
more than most of the others."
Cassie reddened in embarrasment and Janet, feeling
very proud of her daughter, nodded, "She's very smart
and seems to want to learn anything. Well, almost.
She's not real keen on Home Ec."
"Home Ec, yuck!" Cassie agreed.
"Cassie, we're almost done at the nest. Do you want to
see the inside of one before we take the barricade
down and it gets trashed?" Regina asked.
"Yeah, sure!"
"Okay, go tell Steve I said it was okay," Regina said.
"Oh yeah, Steve's cool. Is it okay Mom?" Cassie asked
eagerly.
"Sure, go ahead." Janet said. Cassie grabbed her
floppy hat and started off down the beach when she
added, "Don't get in the way!" Waving over her
shoulder in acknowlegement, Cassie started to sprint
down the beach.
"I guess I kind of fibbed," Regina said. "There's not
that much to see. Just some shell fragments and a lot
of disturbed sand. I wanted a chance to talk to you
alone for a moment."
"Oh? What about?" Janet asked.
"I saw you and your friend Sam the other day,
remember?" At Janet's nod, Regina continued, "I saw
how you were together. Now maybe it's not my place to
say anything, but I think there is more between you
than you care to admit."
Janet sat there quietly, and Regina took that as a cue
to continue, "I was studying psych before I chose
marine biology and I learned to read body language. I
could see in both of you a special closeness, a
yearning for something more than just friendship."
Janet shook her head, "No, you're wrong. I'm sorry,
Regina, but you must be wrong. Sam and I are close, we
work closely together everyday. And there's Cassie.
But we're just friends.  That's it."
Regina sat on the edge of her chair, leaning forward,
"If you say so, Janet. I just think you're denying
something very special, something you both want. Well,
I better go."
"No, please, I didn't mean to..." Janet said.
"You didn't," Regina smiled. "But I do have to get
back and help finish with the site. We're leaving
first thing in the morning."
She stood up and hesitated for a moment, glanced
around, then knelt next to Janet's chair. Leaning in,
she said, "Forgive me but I have to do this." She then
pressed her lips to Janet's. Janet was so surprised
she didn't resist Regina's supple tongue as it slipped
into her mouth. The kiss quickly became passionate and
tender at the same time.
Regina's hand gently cupped Janet's breast through the
thin material of her swimsuit, feeling the nipple
harden against her palm. Janet's mouth seemed to
respond instinctively to the softness of Regina's lips
and tongue, her tongue parrying with the redhead's.
After another moment, Regina pulled back. "Whew! I
really wish I had more time. You are a great kisser!"
Janet sat there stunned, both by Regina's act and by
her response. Finally, she said, "I, uh, I don't know
what to say."
"Did you enjoy it?" Regina asked, a touch of worry in
her voice.
Janet hesitated then barely nodded her head, as if she
was unwilling to admit that she liked kissing the
other woman.
"Just think of how much better it would be with some
one you love," Regina said as she looked deeply into
Janet's eyes. "Janet, take care of yourself and your
daughter. You're a very special lady. Be happy."
As Regina started to turn, Janet said, "Wait, I, uh, I
just want... Oh hell! Thank you. I will think about
it. What you said, not the kiss. I mean, I will think
about...oh you know."
Regina smiled sweetly and said, "Yes, I know.
Goodbye."
As the lovely young woman walked away down the beach,
Janet fully realized for the first time that she had
been aroused by another woman. She knew she would miss
Regina too. She also realized it was time to be honest
with herself.
Then, feeling the moistness between her legs, she
decided she'd better cool off in the water before
Cassie returned. She could be honest later.
Meanwhile, Sam and John were talking and laughing as
they watched the game.
"So, then, after I had dumped a glass full of water on
myself, I went into the men's room and tried to use
the hot-air hand drier. So of course, someone came in
and saw me and I could only shrug and try to sound
convincing when I explained it was water," John was
saying while Sam rocked on the barstool in laughter.
Finally, Sam wiped her eyes and asked, "And that was
your first date with Cheryl?"
"Yep! And she thought it was so funny, that we're
still going out. Sometimes I think she's just waiting
for a repeat performance." John smiled and added,
"She's really great. She's been incredibly
understanding about how much time I'm spending with my
sister and my nieces, since Dickhead walked out on
her. Walked out on Cindy, I mean, not Cheryl."
"Yeah, I kinda figured that," Sam said. 'Well,' she
thought, 'I guess he wouldn't be someone to set Janet
up with.' But a large part of her mind was relieved
that her half-formed plan wouldn't work.
"So, how old are the girls?" Sam asked.
"Allie is about five minutes older than Ashley.
They're both 4 years old. Here, I have a great picture
of them," John reached for his wallet.
Sam looked at the photo. It showed two pretty little
girls with long golden hair smiling at the
photographer. Not surprising, they were identical
twins.
"That was their birthday party last November. I think
only Cindy and I can tell them apart, too," John said.
"They're beautiful!" Sam exclaimed.
"This is their mother, Cindy," John said, showing a
picture of a young, short-haired blond woman.
"They take after their mother," Sam offered.
"Thank God. I'm glad they don't look like the
asshole," John said quietly.
"Do you have any pictures of Cheryl?" Sam asked. John
showed her a photo of a pretty auburn-haired woman.
"She's very pretty, too."
"Thanks. The girls just love her and the feeling is
mutual. It was too bad she couldn't get away." Then,
smiling, he added, "Uh oh. The party's over."
He slid off the stool and hugged two identical girls
who came squealing into the room. "Hi sweethearts! How
was shopping?" He stood and gave the woman with them a
brief peck on the cheek as the girls darted back
behind their mother.
"Sam, this is my sister Cindy and my nieces, Ashley
and Allie. Girls, this is Samantha Carter. She's on
vacation down here too." John stood back as they all
shook hands, the little girls peeking around their
mother.
Sam's heart melted, "They're cuter than the pictures!"
"Come on, John. We have reservations at 5 and you need
to wash up," Cindy said.
"Yes, Mother. See you around, Sam. It was a pleasure
watching my boys lose with you," John shook her hand
then led his little brood out of the restaurant.
'The Rockies won?' Sam turned around to the TV and saw
Chip Caray doing the wrapup of the game. She was quite
pleased to see that the Rockies beat the Cubs by two
runs. 'Take that, Colonel,' Sam thought with a smile
as she got up to head back to the condo for a nap
before dinner.
As she walked back, she thought of how great it would
be to be part of a family. With Jacob Carter off
somewhere across the galaxy with the Tok'Ra and her
brother still somewhat estranged because of her career
choice, she was pretty much alone on Earth. Sam smiled
ruefully, thinking the SGC, and her team, was the
closest she had to a family.
'It's not enough,' she thought. 'I want what Janet
has; a house, and someone to come home to. Someone who
cares about me and what I do. Someone I can talk to
about my job. Someone who would miss me when I was
away offplanet. Dream on, Carter.'
She was happy to find no one was in when she got back.
It wasn't that she didn't want to be around Janet and
Cassie, but she was enjoying the relative solitude.
Sam also knew that if Cass was here, her chances of
any kind of nap virtually disappeared.
Writing a short note and taping it on the front door,
Sam walked into the bedroom. She shook her head at the
mess Janet had left.
"I thought doctors were neat freaks," she muttered as
she began to pick up the clothes that Janet had strewn
across the bed in her haste to get to the beach.
After dumping the clothes on a chair, she lay down and
closed her eyes. Shortly she was sleeping, only her
light snore disturbing the late afternoon stillness.
Arriving back at the condo some time later, Janet,
distracted by the event on the beach, didn't see the
note. Cassie did however and pointed it out to Janet.
Janet nodded in understanding as they entered.
As Cassie went to shower and change, Janet quietly
slipped into the main bedroom to change out of her
damp suit. She smiled as she heard the soft snoring
coming from the sleeping woman on the bed.
Janet pulled the suit down off her shoulders, the damp
material bnching around her waist. As she began to
push it off, she glanced at Sam in the mirror. Turning
around and looking directly at the sleeping woman,
Janet consciously saw for the first time how lovely
her friend was. Janet suddenly felt like she had when
Regina kissed her but with a deeper emotional factor.
She was in love with the blonde woman on the bed!
Janet hurriedly pulled the suit off and went into the
bathroom she shared with Sam. As she stood there naked
in the mirror, she felt herself shaking. She hadn't
felt this scared and anxious and wonderful in years.
She stood under the shower spray until the hot water
ran out.
She returned to the bedroom to dress, relieved and
disappointed that Sam wasn't there. Janet slowly got
dressed, still distracted by her revelation.
Finally she entered the living room and saw Sam and
Cassie watching TV.  Her heart rate picked up when she
spied the taller woman.
"He-ey," she said, stretching the greeting into two
syllables as she often did, trying to sound casual.
"What are we doing for dinner?"
"Seafood!" Cassie announced.
"How about this Mexican place down the road we passed
earlier. Lalo's?" Sam offered. Cassie, who seemed to
love tacos almost as much as pepperoni pizza, readily
agreed. Soon, they were off.
At the restaurant, the women ordered strawberry
margaritas while Cassie got a large iced tea. They all
ordered fajitas but each with a different type of meat
so they could mix and match. (Cassie liked the shrimp
best, of course.)
When they finished and returned to the condo, Cassie
asked for, and got permission, to go to the pool. "As
long as you promise to behave," Janet warned
needlessly.
As Cassie was getting ready, Sam looked out at the
Moon rising over the quiet gulf water in a deep purple
sky. It was almost full. "Let's go for a walk on the
beach," she suggested.
Janet's mind raced, 'Alone with her? Am I ready for
that? What should I do?'
"Janet?" Sam looked at her friend and smiled, "do you
want to?"
As Cassie came out of her room, Janet slowly nodded
and the three of them went down together. As they
reached the pool, Cassie waved goodbye and the women
continued on to the white, sandy beach.
"I'll bet this sand almost glows under a full moon,"
Sam commented as she kicked off her sandals to walk
barefoot.
"Maybe. Perhaps we'll find out when it's fully dark,"
Janet offered as she stepped out of her shoes.
They walked along quietly for several minutes before
Sam spoke. "Janet, you've been distracted all evening.
 What's going on?"
Janet stopped and looked out at the water. Sam saw her
face lit by the moon and thought, 'She's absolutely
lovely.'
Jane turned and looked at Sam for a long minute. Then
reaching out she took Sam's hand in hers, pulling the
taller woman towards her. Leaning up, she pressed her
lips to Sam's. Sam was happily surprised and responded
to the tender kiss.
Janet gently thrust her tongue into Sam's mouth and
Sam responded enthusiastically. They slowly slid their
arms around each other and quietly, passionately
kissed in the moonlight.
As they pulled slightly apart, Janet sighed and leaned
her head against Sam's breast saying, "I think we need
to talk."
Sam stroked the short brown hair and said, "Yes, but
later." Then she placed her finger under Janet's chin
and lifted her face to kiss her again, running her
fingers through Janet's short, silky hair.
Janet again pulled her head back but kept holding Sam.
She smiled up at this beautiful woman in her arms and
nodded in agreement; talking could wait. She also
thought how right Regina was. It was infinitely better
with a person you loved, she decided as she shared
another deep, loving kiss with Sam in the moonlight.
 (c) John O'Conner
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