Title: Blue Moon

Author: splash_the_cat (splash_the_cat@potameides.com)

Category: S/J friendship/romance

Spoilers: None

Season: Seven

Summary: Answering nhawk's "Jack's cabin + Sam + Jack + Telescope + Lunar eclipse" challenge

Archive: SJD yes.

Status: Complete

Rating: G

Feedback: Lemme have it!

Disclaimer: Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Sci-fi and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.

Website: http://www.potameides.com/sgshipfic/

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Carter: "You didn't think the Colonel had a telescope on his roof just to look at the neighbors, did you?"
O'Neill (to Teal'c after Carter and Daniel have walked away): "Not initially."

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"Blue Moon"

Chair, check. Beer, check. Blanket, check. Telescope...

Jack sighed. He knew he should have tried the damn thing out before he left Colorado. A birthday present from SG-1, Fraiser and Cassie, it was a fancy-smansch short tube refractor with an equatorial drive mount and a rather impressive digital photography set-up (Carter's idea, he was sure).

Despite his grumbling about its complexity and cost, Jack had been secretly thrilled about his new toy. And when he discovered that their latest down-time coincided with a lunar eclipse, he couldn't wait to take it up to the cabin and try it out.

Provided, of course, that he could get the damn thing working. Finally abandoning the manual, he reached for his cell phone.

The call was picked up on the first ring. "Carter."

"Didn't I tell you to get a life?"

He grinned at the delicate snort that prefaced her reply. "How do you know I'm not out on a date, sir?"

"Must be a damn boring date if you're picking up your phone so fast."

She laughed, and even over the phone the sound of it sent a slight shiver down his back. "So, are you calling to check up on my social life, or lack thereof?"

"Maybe. Whatcha up to?"

There was a soft sigh. "Just a cozy evening with my laptop and the naquadah assay results from P3S 954."

He knew better than to chide her about working on vacation, however much he wanted to. "Not watching the eclipse?"

"The weather isn't cooperating." After a second he could hear the soft drumming of rain in the background. "Cassie was disappointed, but she got over it pretty fast when Michael showed up."

"Michael?" Who the hell was Michael? "What happened to Dominic?"

"I'm not sure." Another sigh, and he knew she was shaking her head in maternal consternation. "She's been pretty quiet about it."

"Damn. Should I go kick his ass?"

"Probably not necessary, though I'm sure she'll appreciate the sentiment." He closed his eyes; it was so easy to picture her: the tiny frown she often had when concentrating on her work fading into an amused smile.

"Well, you know I live for the chance to scare the hell out of juvenile delinquents."

"Birds of a feather and all?"

The smile would be a full-fledged cheeky grin by now. "Smart ass."

"I learned from the best, Colonel." She was laughing. God, how he loved that sound.

"You sure know how to flatter a guy, Carter." Jack was inordinately pleased by the remark.

"That's why I have such an active social life." There was a gentle edge of self-mocking in her tone. It bothered him that she thought that about herself, and he wanted to say something comforting.

He wished he knew how to do comforting.

Instead, he fell back on the habitual and gently teased, "Yeah, well, sitting home doing work on down-time is probably a big help there."

"Okay, okay, point taken." He bit back small sound of relief as she laughed again.

He could listen to her laugh forever.

"So, Colonel, what's wrong with the telescope?"

Jack winced. "Who said anything was wrong with the telescope?"

"Why else would you call me?"

An irrational surge of anger swelled in the pit of his stomach. "Maybe I called you just to talk."

There was a long pause. "But you didn't." Her earlier good humor was gone, and the soft resignation in her voice was like a punch in the gut. She was right, and he hated that. Hated that even though they'd regained so much of their friendship, he still held so much back from her.

"No," he had to admit. "But... I should have."

"Sir?"

Jack dug a beer out of the cooler, and twisting off the cap, settled into his chair. "Forget the telescope, Carter. It's not important."

"What about the eclipse?"

"I'll catch the next one. So, tell me about this Michael guy..."

END