Carter-O'Neill Residence
Colorado Springs, Colorado

William waited for the driver to take off before parking his own car, watching as Eleanor and Billy walked up to the house belonging to the O'Neills. In the event the party was over in time or he could make his excuses and leave early he had decided to take his own car, following the family car with driver, to be able to visit the club afterwards on his own. Normally he would accompany his family in the car but from the O'Neills' address he could see this was a good enough neighborhood to park his precious car in.

Getting out he followed his wife and son up the path, locking the car with his key fob and he silently wondered why it was taking so long for someone to open the door. Before he could ask anything Billy was already coming towards him and Eleanor looked worked up over something as she retraced her steps.

"We can go around back, Dad."

"I cannot believe this," his wife was muttering as she came down the steps.

Thinking for a minute, he decided to ask what was wrong as their son walked over the grass to the side of the house. "What's the matter, dear? Are you afraid the O'Neills aren't home?" It would probably be a disappointment to Billy but he himself would still be able to get to the club for a late lunch. "You did inform them of what time we would be arriving, did you not?"

"Of course I did," Eleanor hissed. "There is a sign on the door. A sign! Handwritten, honest to God."

"A sign?"

Her face colored red with her frustrations - whether with the sign or him, he didn't know. "Yes, it said to 'go around back' if we were here for 'the birthday girl'!"

William suppressed a grin hearing his wife quote the sign with phrasing she wouldn't even think to use. "Well then, we might as well follow Billy."

"If these people cannot afford a maid or a butler, then what are they doing at our school?"

"I have no idea, dear."

Wobbling in the grass with her expensive designer shoes Eleanor grabbed his arm to steady herself. "The least they could do is open the door for their guests or hire someone for the occasion if they are unable to afford a fulltime help."

He glanced up at the house as they rounded it and while it was a lovely home and by the looks of it in good condition, it was more or less a standard suburban house. One in the highest price range but still nothing compared to his house, or even their vacation home but he figured it would be good enough for a retired general, his wife and their child. It certainly wasn't something he would associate with housekeepers or maids, let alone a butler. "They are probably preoccupied with the last preparations for the child's party."

"It's ill mannered to greet your guests with a handwritten sign telling them to enter through the yard."

"Would you have preferred the front door to be open to make your own way in?" William said, receiving a glare in return. Deciding to let the subject rest as they reached the high fence around the house and its yard, they went through the door their son had no doubt left open behind him. The yard was larger than he would have expected, probably similar in size as Eleanor's sizeable flower garden with its ridiculously large fountain and meditation area. This one had mostly grass, with what looked like a double garage at the end and some plants and flowers near the fence. A handful of trees were on the left side, their branches almost touching the neighbors' trees over the fence and there was a deck with a grill at the back of the house.

Billy was a few feet ahead of them and was heading into the direction of a man about William's age, with gray hair and wearing khaki shorts and a dark short-sleeved shirt. The man appeared to be setting up a frame for one of those portable canvas canopies the caterers often used to shield the buffets from the weather.

"General Jack!"

The man looked up at the greeting and smirked. "Hey Billy! Right on time, can you hold this for me?"

"Sure!" He replied, after high-fiving him.

"Oh for God's sake," Eleanor muttered beside William. "They are too cheap to hire someone to set up everything for their child's party and now he's enlisting our son?"

William didn't really see the problem as Billy appeared to enjoy being helpful for a change. His son usually wasn't very outgoing at home and hardly said a word, even Kindergarten hadn't made him more sociable. Very unlike the outspoken and sometimes mischievous boy he'd been himself, often getting into trouble and testing the patience of his nanny and sometimes even his parents - which was why he'd ended up in boarding school.

It hadn't been until Billy was in first grade that he started to be more outgoing and talkative... Before coming here he'd thought it was because the boy had started making some more friends and was just a late bloomer but perhaps it had more to do with the O'Neill girl and her family Billy was always talking about...

O'Neill quickly finished setting up the frame and then looked at them before telling Billy he'd done a good job and could let go now. "Those your folks?"

"Yessir!" Billy said, grabbing the man's arm and pulling him towards them. "This is my Mom and Dad."

"Hiya."

William felt his wife tense up at the greeting and mutter something that sounded suspiciously like 'dear God' when the man held out his hand. "Eleanor Vogel," she replied in a cool tone, giving a weak handshake before releasing and gesturing at him. "My husband, William Vogel III."

"Jack O'Neill," he said, taking off his sunglasses and shaking William's hand. Holding up two fingers, he grinned. "Two l's."

"A pleasure to meet you."

"Back at'cha."

William chuckled softly at the man's reply, getting the feeling he was doing it on purpose to rile Eleanor and maybe himself. But he wasn't fooled when he saw the intelligence in those brown eyes. Besides, stupid people didn't make it up to the higher ranks in the military. At least, he hoped not. "Billy told us you were in the military?"

"Yeah, Air Force... Nice of you folks to volunteer to help us out with Sage's party. Speaking of which; Sage and my wife, Sam, are inside getting some last minute things. I'm sure they'll be out soon." He turned to Billy and clasped the boy's shoulder. "Why don't you go say hi to Sage and then put on your swimming shorts in the bathroom. You know the way, right?"

"Okay!" The three of them all watched as Billy ran off towards the back door.

Eleanor straightened and after removing her sunglasses she peered around the backyard in disapproval. "I thought it prudent to offer our assistance; with so many children the right supervision is important. I heard from of our friends, the Prescotts, they were sending their nanny but I felt our own would be better off staying at home with our two eldest, while William and I would assist here."

"Ah yes, Madeleine's parents mentioned her nanny dropping the girl off," O'Neill mentioned. "She, the nanny, usually stays here when Madeleine comes over to play with Sage and then takes her back home at the end of the day."

"This way we also have the opportunity to get to know one another better. I don't believe we've ever been formally introduced, Mr. O'Neill and I've never met your wife either."

William was starting to feel the summer heat with his shirt and jacket on and longingly looked around for a shadowed area as his wife and O'Neill were talking. There was some shade near the trees, garages and on the deck but other than that there was a lot of sun. He eyed the canopy's frame as he silently congratulated himself on wearing just a two-piece suit instead of adding his usual waistcoat. "Perhaps we should finish the canopy before the children arrive."

"Sure," O'Neill said warily. "Why don't you take a seat on the deck Mrs Vogel, while Bill and I put the canvas on the party tent. That way you can supervise while we do some heavy lifting."

"A fine idea. Perhaps Billy and your family will be out soon, too," Eleanor said.

Shrugging out of his jacket at his wife's insistence William unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up. "Very well," he grudgingly agreed while she walked over to the deck.

"Excellent," O'Neill smirked, putting his sunglasses back on and reaching for the canvas. "Ever done something like this before, Trip?"

Sage and her friends were in the living room and from her position in the kitchen Sam was keeping an eye on them as she made more drinks. Teresa had brought a few gallons of homemade iced tea with her when she and her son Rick had come over and it had been an instant hit with most of the children and the few parents who'd bothered to stay for a minute after dropping their child off. She thought she'd even overheard Mrs Vogel inquire about it. The other kids wanted Kool-Aid and since Jack hadn't thought of making it beforehand Sam was now making a few extra pitchers to place in the fridge. With the hot weather it was important for everyone to drink plenty of fluids but the children especially because they were going to be the most active.

Almost all the kids were present, only the Jenkins twins and one girl from school whose nanny was supposed to bring her over weren't there yet. They all seemed eager to go outside and play some of the games Jack had made up but they first had to get changed into their swimwear. Right now they were taking turns in the bathrooms and bedrooms to get dressed and once they were done they came to the living room where Teresa was helping them put on sunscreen.

"Hey kids, look what I found lurking around the fence?" Jack questioned as he came through the sliding doors with the identical Jenkins girls, one arm wrapped around each twin and holding them horizontally at his side.

"Loren and Emma!" Sage squealed, pointing at them in case her school friends hadn't seen them yet.

To Sam's surprise the private school kids were all hanging back a bit, as if unsure what to think of the giggling girls dangling in the air. The others Sage knew from sports and who went to public school were all much more outgoing and had no trouble approaching the others even though they didn't know them. It made her wonder if it was down to the sort of school or the kind of families these children came from. From the glimpses she'd caught of the more elitist parents she was willing to bet it was the latter. Even Billy had been much shyer and more introvert when Sage had first dragged him through the school gates announcing to Jack that her new friend was coming home with her to play. It was only after a few weeks that the boy had become more animated.

"General Jack!" Loren cried, in between giggles when he pretended to drop the girls.

"Please, put us down, Sir," Emma chimed in, also giggling like mad.

It was funny how Sam was able to tell the girls apart in spite of them being identical twins and yet she couldn't tell the boys or girls from school apart. At least Jack could, she knew. The other kids from karate, ballet and the neighborhood were more familiar to her simply because she saw more of them, either around the house or when she took Sage to training. But it was a strange realization that she hardly knew some of her daughter's new friends, even though the reason behind it - being in charge of the SGC - was perfectly acceptable.

"Maybe I should take you back outside," Jack said in a mock-menacing voice, "and drop you in the jello pool!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The other children, including Sage were chanting.

The twins were trying to wriggle out of his grasp, protesting loudly while he retraced his steps with the rest of the children on his heels. "An excellent idea of your mom to send you over here in your swimsuits already," he chuckled.

"Nooo," Loren pleaded, nearly bumping her legs against the kitchen island as they passed it. "General Sam, help me!"

Suddenly over a dozen pair of eyes turned to her. She couldn't help but sympathize with the girls and relented. "Jack, let those poor girls go."

"No Daddy, throw them in!"

Like Sam Jack seemed surprise by their daughter and slowly lowered the twins to the floor; clearly he never intended to actually throw them in. "Well, we don't want to upset your friends when they came all this way for your party, with presents no less, Sage! Although it would have been interesting to see which of you would win when doing battle in jello..."

"Maybe in a bit," Sam added when all the kids nodded. "First everyone has to get ready to play outside and get a snack and their drinks from the counter, okay kids? Oh and don't forget to use the bathroom before you get your swimwear all wet."

A chorus of "Yeah", "Yessir" and "Yes Ma'am" sounded in enthusiastic high-pitched voices, even from the more reserved private school children.

She smiled when the last two girls and a boy from school grabbed their bag and dashed off to get changed into their swimwear after Jane and Mallory from ballet returned to the living room, the former in a pink swimsuit and the latter in a yellow one with monkey heads on it.

Jane made her way over to the kitchen and climbed on one of the barstools, batting her green eyes at Sam. "General Sam, can I pick a drink?"

"Sure sweetie," she gestured at the cups with iced tea and Kool-Aid in front of the brown-haired girl. After taking the kids' 'orders' she'd placed all the drinks and lots of jello snacks on the counter so they could help themselves, but most seemed preoccupied with getting changed, putting sunscreen on or admiring the large stack of presents in the living room. "Just don't forget to put some sunscreen on before you go outside."

"I won't, promise!"

Sam looked over the seven-year-old girl's head into the living room, looking for her husband. It seemed Jack had managed to sneak out again after releasing the Jenkins girls. He was probably putting the Vogels to work and relishing the opportunity. He hadn't said it with so many words but the moment Billy had come upstairs this afternoon to say hi and get changed into his shorts she had looked out the window to get a glimpse of the boy's parents, just in time to see a smirking Jack instructing William Vogel to put the canvas on the party tent's frame.

So far she hadn't had time herself to go outside and introduce herself, too busy keeping an eye on the kids and making sure everyone had something to drink and snack on. It was the first time she was surrounded by so many children but luckily Teresa had been helping her out in the kitchen and living room while Jack was outside with the Vogels to do some final preparations and greet the children and their families as they came by.

Her eyes landed on Sage and she couldn't suppress a smile as she saw her daughter giggling with her friends as they sprayed the blue waterproof sunscreen Jack had bought on each other before rubbing it into their own skin. Teresa was double-checking them to ensure they hadn't missed a spot and helped with their backs and necks and since all the drinks and snacks were done for now, Sam's gaze lingered on her daughter.

It was wonderful to see the soon-to-be seven-year-old girl surrounded by so many friends. It had worried both her and Jack when they were told of her promotion and reassignment to Colorado Springs after Sage had just finished Kindergarten at her private school in DC and had made friends there. They had also befriended people, mostly other military people, some neighbors and the parents of Sage's friends. Surprisingly while some of those were elitist like the ones here in Colorado, most of them had been refreshingly normal and fortunately some of the children had been military brats too, like Colonel Davis' son Paul Junior.

But it seemed like they shouldn't have been worried at all, considering they had fifteen kids over today. Most from school, a few from the neighborhood and the others Sage had befriended in afterschool activities. Apparently their little whirlwind had made more than enough friends this past year in this new town and in first grade of her new school. By the looks of it all the children - from school and otherwise - were now warming up to each other and would probably be having a blast together as the day went on.

Sam wasn't really concerned about the parents of Sage's new friends, although she wouldn't like it if they judged her daughter on her background, like Mrs Vogel had already seemed to do on the phone yesterday. Hopefully today would help show the Vogels that all the children were simply that; children. Ones that liked to have fun and enjoyed playing together, no matter who their parents were. Even if that wouldn't happen she hoped they wouldn't forbid their son to socialize with Sage, just because she and Jack weren't their kind of people and didn't move in the same circles.

Jack glanced at his watch and seeing it had been ten minutes since Madeleine and her nanny had finally arrived and gone inside to get the girl into her bathing suit, he decided it was time for the party to get really started. Leaning down he grabbed the hose and took a few steps back. "Oh kids, c'mon outside!"

Within seconds he could hear them chatting and laughing and then the first ones came through the door and down the steps of the deck, onto the lawn and mere feet away from him. Grinning, he aimed the hose and pulled its lever. The children shrieked and yelled as the spray of water hit them and quickly dashed away into the yard, trying to get out of his reach.

"Aahh!"

"Daddy!"

"Ieeh!"

He laughed at the sight of the frolicking boys and girls as they all tried to run from the deck to the safe area on the other side of the yard, where Sage and the others were encouraging them to make a run for it. Eight, nine, ten... the eleventh kid, Calvin Banks, let out a triumphant shout as he ran as fast as his short legs would carry him across the lawn and he was almost safe when Jack managed to hit him on the shoulders and head with the hose. The boy's friends all laughed at his soaked hair but Jack didn't have the time to check out the drowned cat look because he had another runner!

Fair-haired Bobby Jones in his blue shorts with sharks on it managed to duck the spray and safely arrive on the other side, out of the hose's range. Jack's eyes went back to the deck, where only Loren, Emma, Jane and Tobias Whittaker were still standing. The chubby boy seemed to be hiding behind the girls and wasn't looking too confident about getting across without getting hit. The twins were both grinning, Loren in her Stars and Stripes swimsuit and Emma in her light blue one, and suddenly dashed off simultaneously, each zigzagging across the grass making it more difficult for him to hit them.

"Ha," Jack exclaimed, after managing to hit both girls. "They didn't make me general for nothing, kids."

The children chuckled as the girls joined them and turned their attention on the last two on the other side.

"Come on, Janie!" Mallory shouted, beckoning her over with her hand.

"You too, Tobias. Come on! Just run already," Edward yelled.

"It's just water," Sage chimed in, "you're not made of sugar!"

All eyes were now on the pair on the steps, even the Vogels had their attention focused on the youngsters and Jack was beginning to feel sorry for the two wide-eyed youngsters so he lowered his nozzle. "Go on, both of you. I'll give you a five-second head start, okay?" He waited until Jane grabbed Tobias' hand and started counting down as they ran off.

They were already halfway down the lawn when he pulled the lever again and managed to hit the girl square on her back and the boy's lower legs before they were out of the hose's reach. Tobias was panting with the effort and either let himself fall or tripped somehow because he fell to the grass, accidentally pulling Jane, who was still holding his hand, with him. All the kids were laughing when they both rolled onto their backs to bask in the sun and Jeremiah and Charlotte dropped down on their knees to join them when suddenly the sprinkler system was turned on. A loud chorus of "Ieeh!", "aah!" and "eek!" sounded from the first graders as they jumped up and tried to get away from the sprays of water.

Jack was laughing as they ran around the grass trying to escape the sprinklers, while Billy put his foot down on a sprinkler head to direct the water in Sage's direction, who yelped when the water hit her in the chest. Looking at the deck Jack saw that Billy's father seemed amused but the boy's mother was still wearing her sour look. From his periphery he saw something blue at the sliding doors and turning that way, he saw Sam coming outside with a big grin on her face. Clearly she had been waiting to turn on the sprinkler system; they'd always been good at teamwork.

"Carter! Come help me with these rascals," he shouted, indicating the unused hose near his feet.

"No fair, Daddy," Sage yelled as she struggled with Billy over the sprinkler head.

"Yes Sir," Sam snapped off a smart salute and quickly joined him at his side. Leaning down she grabbed the other hose and started testing its range, managing to hit Kristy and Mallory. "Did you have a strategy in mind, Jack?"

He smirked and winked at her. "Hey, I'm retired! I'll just follow your lead, General Carter." Distracted by her smile he let his guard down and was suddenly hit on the chest by something wet... a water balloon! His eyes quickly found the culprit in the form of a giggling soon-to-be seven-year-old Sage, kneeling by one of the buckets filled with balloons. "Oh, that little..."

"C'mon you guys!" The girl beckoned over her friends and started handing out water balloons in retaliation.

"Seems like that target practice of yours has paid off," Sam cheekily remarked as she eyed his wet shirt. "Let's divide and conquer."

Jack could feel the eyes of the Vogels, Madeleine's nanny and Teresa on him but ignored them and quickly shucked his wet shirt, tossing it in the direction of the deck before following Sam's hand signals. They moved together, on opposite sides of the yard, intent on circling their lovely daughter and her friends if their hoses would allow it. He quickly dived to the side and rolled over his shoulder when another balloon came flying in his direction and took shelter behind the jello pool. "This means war, kids," he yelled over the pool, watching as Sam hid behind a large flowerpot.

"Bring it on, General Jack!" One of the cheeky kids shouted back, followed by another balloon.

"You bet I will," he replied, leaning up and shooting water in their direction. He managed to hit two boys and Sam, who rose simultaneously, got Sage and Billy with her shot. One of the balloons that had been thrown his way had landed in the jello pool so Jack reached into the sticky, wobbly stuff to retrieve it and managed to throw it at Bobby's behind as the kids tried to sneak off towards a second bucket of balloons.

To his surprise Sam was only hit once as she ran from her hiding place to a larger bucket, holding a mix of water balloons actually filled with water and the rest with jello. Her legs were the only parts of her that got wet as she slid to her knees over the wet grass, not caring about her pretty blue summer dress and resumed her attack.

He rose, using his hose as a water cannon to prevent the kids from moving to the next bucket in his line of vision as she kept them from coming towards her. "Surrender or be doused in water, you cheeky monkeys!" Sam announced when it became clear the kids had gone through their ammo.

The children all looked to their ringleader Sage "Whirlwind" O'Neill, who solemnly yet reluctantly nodded. "We surrender!"

"Sweet!" Jack got up, ignoring his cracking knees and threw the hose away. Normally he wouldn't approach his enemy without a weapon but the hose had already been stretched to its limits and he was pretty sure it couldn't go another feet. Besides, he had Sam watching his six as he made his way over to the kids - and he wouldn't have it any other way. "You, oh sandy-haired one," he pointed at their daughter, "come closer."

Sage's solemn expression had made way for a cute pout but now she was clearly fighting a grin as her friends pushed her forward. "I have no balloons, Daddy," she said, holding her hands up.

"You better not!" He quickly moved in and snatched her up from the ground, lifting her horizontally in his arms. "But I still think you need to pay for turning on your poor parents. Carter?"

"The jello pool, Sir," she said with a beaming smile, while holding the other kids at bay with her hose. He knew she would 'fire' if they moved towards the other bucket and the only other way they could go was back, meaning they'd be in range of the sprinkler system again.

"Excellent!"

Their daughter squirmed in his arms, trying valiantly to get out of his hold. "Nooo, someone help me!"

He knew it was an act though as she was giggling loudly, her small frame shaking with it. "Aw, c'mon, munchkin. Someone has to go first and I think the birthday girl should be that person."

"Mommy!" Sage cried out as he turned her upside down in his arms, holding her legs against his shoulder.

"I'm right here, sweetie," Sam replied, suddenly appearing next to them.

From the corner of his eye Jack saw the other kids were all standing next to her, big grins on their faces while they were all dripping with water. Not that he'd fared any better. His hair and torso were wet and there were water spatters on his cargo shorts too, unlike Sam who was still dry with the exception of her shins. "Ready?"

"Do it, General Jack!"

"Yes, do it!"

Sage's friends all started chanting as they looked between the green jello and the girl dangling above it. "Do it, do it!"

Jack grabbed her by the ankles and slowly lowered her into the pool, while she was wiggling and laughing. "No giggling!"

"But Daddy!" She chuckled, her face colored red from all the laughing and her blood running to her head.

"You don't want to accidentally swallow any of it, do you?" He warned her, smirking as there was only a few inches left between her head and the jello. Her hair was already hanging into it, its tips colored green as she kept shaking her head and trying to squirm free. "There ya go, munchkin!"

Sage visibly took a gulp of air and nodded before he lowered her body and she disappeared into the green stuff as he released her ankles. Seconds later she came up again, giggling madly with green blobs of jello in her hair and on her face as she sat in the pool. "Awesome!"

"Anyone wants to join-" Sam started but stopped speaking when suddenly a bunch of the kids tried to climb into the pool. "I guess you do..."

Jack stepped up to her side, sliding his arm around her and pulling her against his chest. "Had fun?"

"Yeah sure you betcha," she replied, squeezing his hand. "Let's get something to drink and talk to our fellow supervisors while the kids play in the pool."

"Good idea," he muttered, when some of the jello went flying his way because of their playing. His hand found hers, their fingers entwining and he pulled her towards the deck as he shook his head to get rid of the last bit of water in his hair. "Skip, Eleanor, my wife Sam-"

"Samantha Carter-O'Neill," Sam introduced herself, smiling at the Vogels.

Jack saw the disdainful look on Eleanor's face while her husband's look was more of admiration as he gave her a onceover. Oh great! "Sam, Eleanor Vogel and her husband William Vogel III."

"It's nice to finally meet Billy's parents, Mr. and Mrs Vogel," she replied.

"The pleasure is all mine, Mrs O'Neill."

She made a dismissive wave with her hand. "Oh, just call me Sam."

"William, please."

Jack was about to make a comment when he heard Sage call out for him so after exchanging looks with Sam, he went to see what was wrong with their daughter while she entertained their guests. With a few quick steps he was near the pool where their daughter was just climbing out of, slick with green jello and covered in jello blobs but other than that there didn't seem to be anything wrong with her. "What is it, munchkin?"

"Where's the soap slide, Daddy?"

Crap! He'd totally forgotten about their little project! All the necessary materials were in the garage, next to her present but it had completely slipped his mind when setting everything up today. "D'oh! Don't worry, I'll put it up now while you go back to playing with your friends."

"Yay!" She gave him the megawatt smile she'd inherited from her mom.

Jack went back to the deck and jerked his head in their daughter's direction. "I forgot to put up the soap slide so I'm going to do it now, if you can keep an eye on the kids."

"A soap slide," Sam reiterated.

"Yeah," he grinned, "one of those slip 'n slides. There was one in that Geek Dad book your brother gave me for Christmas last year and Sage had picked it out for us to make together; it's going to be huge, perfect for a party!"

She gave him one of her familiar looks but sighed and relented after a few seconds. "Fine, but I'll help you. I think I know what you mean and I'm sure we can put it up together much faster without the book."

Jack had no doubt they could; she probably only had to look at the materials to know what they were for and would instinctively know what to do with them, while he'd have to check the book... well, first find it, because he had no idea where he'd left it two weeks ago. "Excellent."

"Teresa went home to walk their dog but said she'll be back in an hour or so. I'm sure William and Eleanor won't mind watching the children while we set it up," Sam said sweetly.