samandjack.net

Story Notes: Here is my humble response to the High School challenge put out on the SAMANDJACK list. Basically the challenge asks that somehow Sam and Jack meet in high school, you figure out how. I want to thank my friend Marty who's been a great resource for all things Air Force. You'll recognize your suggestions in here. On with the story!!


"But sir, it was just a little ding!" Major Jack O'Neill objected. Jack's CO, Gen. Vern held up a hand to stop any further protests from his subordinate.

"No more, Major. You did what you did and now you have to pay the consequences." With any other officer that would have been that, but Jack O'Neill was not any other officer.

"And I'm quite happy to pay for the damage to your jeep, sir, but 'Career Day' at the local high school? With all due respect, isn't that kind of punishment reserved to those *under* me?" Vern's expression became even more stern than it already was, and Jack certainly hadn't thought that possible.

"Are you going to continue with this insubordinate attitude or are you going to do as you've been told?" Even though the General had not said what would be done if Jack kept fighting his punishment, the younger man had a feeling he would enjoy what would come even less than 'Career Day'.

"'Career Day' it is, sir." Vern nodded, a look of satisfaction on his face. Jack gave the older man a quick salute and left the General's office after it was returned.

"'Career Day'. Yay," Jack muttered to himself once outside the office.



***



"So, what are you signed up for, Sam?" Katy queried, looking over her friend Sam Carter's shoulder to see what was on her paper.

"A scientist and a cop," Sam informed the other girl.

"You're not signed up for the military guy?" Carter wrinkled her nose.

"Not interested. I've heard enough from my dad anyway."

"Who cares if you're interested in what he has to say, have you *seen* him?" Joy, another friend, interjected as she joined them by their lockers. The other girls suddenly were interested. Joy had *excellent* taste in guys. After all, she *was* their friend.

"Don't just stand there, tell us!" Katy exclaimed impatiently. Joy grinned.

"I can do better than that." Joy turned from her open locker and pointed in the direction of a young man in uniform making his way through the crowd. All three gaped as he walked past, totally ignorant of the looks he was receiving.

"Wow! What a *total* babe!" Katy squealed. Sam threw her friend a mortified look, sure that the man had heard her.

"Katy! I don't think they heard you on the other side of town!" Sam whispered harshly.

"What's wrong, Sam, dontcha like him?" Joy asked. When Carter flushed, she had her answer.

"There's nothing wrong with him, he actually kinda reminds me of that guy on TV."

"Oo, the one who builds things out of nothing?" Katy added. Sam nodded and flushed even deeper red since her friends knew she had a major crush on the actor.

"Well then, all the more reason to go to his talk," Joy prodded, looping her arm with Sam's left while Katy took her right arm, leaving her with no choice.

"But, I'm not on the list for the talk," Sam stated, making a last ditch effort to get out of it.

"So, neither are we!" Katy informed her as they led her to the classroom.



***



[Why do I suddenly feel like Indiana Jones?] Jack wondered silently as three more girls entered the nearly overflowing classroom that was already full of girls. The blond girl who had just come in caught his attention as she glanced his way, then quickly looked somewhere else when she realized he was looking at her. He couldn't help a smile as her girlfriends leaned in to say something to her, more than likely about him, and she flushed red. He certainly didn't find her hard on the eyes.

[Careful Jack, she's *thisclose* to being jail bait,] he warned himself.

[Can't hurt to look, right?] he countered.

Jack began his talk once everyone was seated and he was pleased to see the blond near the front. As he told the class about life in the Air Force, at least the stuff he *could* tell them, he took the chance to check the young woman out. Intelligent crystal blue eyes, generous mouth, well-developed body and long, long, legs. Jack let out a loud involuntary sigh at the last part of his thoughts, gaining a few curious looks from the students. He continued on with his talk like it had never happened, and once he was done, opened the floor up to questions.

After answering a few, he noticed that the blond was whispering something to her friends, so, out of a need to get her attention, he called upon her.

"Is there something you'd like to ask, Miss...?" Sam's head whipped around to face the front of the room, embarrassed at being picked on.

"Sam. And no, nothing, sir." Jack would have normally winced at the use of 'sir' on him by anyone younger than him who wasn't his subordinate, but somehow by the way she said it he got the impression that she wasn't doing the 'respect your elders' thing.

"You seemed to be having an awfully interesting discussion with your friends," he replied using his best commanding officer voice. Sam, as he now knew her to be called, seemed to sit up straighter at his tone.

[Definite military brat.]

"Well, there is something," she finally admitted. Jack nodded for her to continue. "You've replied to many of the questions by saying that something or other is 'classified'. If so much of what you do is 'classified', why did you come for 'Career Day'?" If any eyes hadn't already been on Sam, they now were. People wondered how Jack would respond and were surprised to see an easy smile curve his mouth up.

"That's classified," he replied, gaining chuckles from the other students. Sam shook her head at his answer, but Jack saw a tiny smile on her lips as he turned his attention back to other students who had questions.



***



"Sam, I *so* can't believe you said that to him!" Katy practically shrieked as they left the classroom.

"What, he asked. And anyway, he's just a smartass. My dad eats guys like him for breakfast," Sam replied, feeling more confident now than she had earlier.

"Then I better avoid your father." Sam jumped at the sound of the Major's voice. She turned, trying to stay looking confident as she faced him. Sam felt her confidence begin to deflate as she looked directly into his amused chocolate brown eyes.

[Man, he *really* looks like that guy. With shorter hair.] Sam tried not to laugh at the last part of her thoughts, but only succeeded in making the Major think he had amused her.

"So, who's your father? I'm assuming you're military."

"Pretty obvious, I guess," she responded and he nodded. "General Jacob Carter, Air Force."

"Don't think I know him."

"We're still new here. He just transferred. Figured it would be... why am I telling you all this?" she asked, stopping herself. The soldier gave her another easy smile, this one even more charming than the previous.

"'Cause I'm just so darn easy to talk to?" he offered. Sam laughed at his reply, causing him to smile wider. "You planning on joining up, follow in your dad's footsteps?" Sam could have sworn that he sounded almost hopeful.

"Actually, I wasn't going to, but I don't know, maybe I'm being too hasty," Sam told him, finding herself taking a flirtatious tone. Major O'Neill perked up at her response, and her tone. This relaxed Sam somewhat.

"So why *did* you come today? It's usually someone under captain who gets stuck with this." The young man's body language seemed to change at her question. Obviously he was mildly embarrassed by the reason. "There are *three* possible reasons why you came," she continued, pretending to ignore the change. "One. You're a really nice guy and are filling in for a buddy of yours who couldn't do it." The Major grinned at this and Sam knew this wasn't it. "Two. You lost a bet and this was what the loser had to do." He chuckled at this one, indicating to her again that this wasn't it. "Three. You ticked off your CO and he decided to punish you by making you do a talk at 'Career Day'."

[Bingo,] she thought as he laughed again, but his body tensed.

"So what did you do to tick him off?" she questioned, surprising O'Neill. He first considered denying it, but he could tell that would be pointless since she quite obviously had sussed him out.

"I had a little accident with the General's jeep and he figured this would be a good way to punish me. For starters." Sam grinned and he did the same.

[If she wasn't so much younger than me...] he began to think.

"Oh, Major O'Neill, there you are! I've been looking for you," Miss Simmons, the guidance counsellor, shouted over the din of the now crowded hallway. She approached them and looked curiously at Sam. "Don't you have classroom to go to Samantha?" Sam cringed noticeably at the use of her full name.

"Of course, Miss Simmons," she replied dutifully. She glanced back at O'Neill. "It was nice talking to you, Major O'Neill."

"Yes, I enjoyed our conversation. I do hope you rethink things." Sam found herself smiling broadly.

"You never know," she said, and turned away, leaving the Major to ponder the conversation he had had with a very intriguing young woman.



The End




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