One Halloween Night

Title: One Halloween Night

Author: Suz W.

Feedback: Your thoughts here!!

Spoilers: After Spirits, The Fifth Race, and A Matter Of Time (episode tag)

Rating: PG

Category: S/J Friendship and Suspense

Summary: SG-1 attends a Halloween party, where things get a little “spooky”.

Disclaimer: All publicity recognizable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended.

Copyright: The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. Copyrighted on October 4, 2003, by Suzanne R. Whitmarsh.

Author’s Notes: This story follows “Finding Strength”.

Dedication: For all those devoted to Sam and Jack! And an early Happy Halloween to all of you! May the holiday bring you “spooky”, safe fun!!

Jack looked at the clock on the nightstand in his bedroom and sighed. He had been looking forward to this evening for a while, but now that it was here, he wasn’t feeling so confident. Why had he convinced himself that this was going to be a great idea? He walked into the hallway that led to his front door. Feeling the nerves rising up in his stomach, he did a 180, and walked back into his bedroom to stand in front of the full-length mirror that stood in one corner of the room. Examining his appearance from head to toe, he shook his head and smiled to himself.

‘Jack,’ he told himself, ‘it was your idea!’ Trying to instill himself with more confidence, he took a deep breath, blowing it out softly. ‘Everyone else will be dressed up, so just kick your butt in gear, and get going!’ He turned from the mirror and started to walk out of the room, glancing over his shoulder briefly to look at his appearance once more. ‘At least I hope everyone will be dressed up!’

Looking at his watch, he quickly decided he’d spent enough time wallowing in self-pity. He knew that Sam was expecting him to pick her up by 2000 hours, and he didn’t want to keep her waiting. Besides, he was really looking forward to seeing her ‘transformation’. Actually, she had been his motivating factor in putting this idea together. Since they rarely got to spend any fun time away from the base, he figured tonight would be a great opportunity to spend some quality time with her. Of course, Daniel and Teal’c were part of the equation, along with whoever else from the SGC decided to come to the party.

Jack had always loved Halloween as a child. He remembered his mother would always sew together whatever costume idea he would come up with, and would look at him with pride, snapping a picture as he left the house to go trick-o-treating with his friends. When Charlie had been alive, Jack had always made sure that he would be free from military duties each year on Halloween, so he could take Charlie trick-o-treating, while Sara stayed home to serve candy to all the kids that lived in the neighborhood. It was a tradition he’d loved, and after Charlie’s death, Jack didn’t think he ever enjoy the holiday again, or any for that matter. But slowly, Jack started discovering life again. Coming out of retirement to join the SGC had been the best decision he could have made.

And then, like a blinding sandstorm ripping through the desert, Samantha Carter had blown into his life. And he hadn’t been the same since. Slowly, Jack was discovering life again, what it meant to be happy and at peace. Their friendship, the respect and admiration he held for her, gave him the strength to move on. Of course, she wasn’t the only reason for his recovery. The adventures through the Stargate with his team had helped to build a new foundation under his feet. But most of all, he discovered that his capacity to love, to care, hadn’t died with his son. From the moment he’d met her, Jack felt something ignite inside his heart, a feeling he thought he’d permanently broken. And as the time continued to pass, and they grew closer, that feeling had turned into something much more. Love? He wasn’t sure he was ready to admit that, but he knew he deeply cared about her, more than he should. And he didn’t know what to do about it. More and more, she had begun to haunt his dreams at night, her beauty, her eyes, passing through his mind, torturing him.

Snapping himself out of his thoughts, he grabbed his keys off the key rack and walked outside. The conditions were perfect for All Hallows Eve. The weather was cold, making each breath appear in white puffs as Jack walked to his truck. The moon hung full in the sky, illuminating the path for trick-o-treater’s to see by as they went on their missions to see how much candy their orange pumpkin buckets could hold. Winter had taken its hold on the mountain, and a thin layer of snow blanketed the earth in a pure white, sparkling gracefully under the moonlight. Most of the kids had done their trick-o-treating early, and were undoubtedly home, snuggled up to the fireplace, sorting out their individual treasures. Therefore, the neighborhood was actually quiet as Jack climbed into his truck. Starting it up, he pulled out of his driveway, and slowly headed in the direction of Sam’s house.

Sam looked at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn’t believe she’d let Jack talk her into this. ‘I’m an Astrophysist,’ she thought. ‘What am I doing dressed up like this!’

But as quickly as she scolded herself, she turned around and smiled. As a child, she was lucky if she got to experience the full fun of Halloween each year. Some years, her father would be on military duty, fulfilling some new, dangerous mission. Without him there to take her trick-o-treating, she found that she just lost interest in the whole night. As the years went on, her father’s absence became a regular occurrence, and she began to resent the holiday.

When Jack had first come to her about the Halloween party, her first instinct was to just say no. But as she looked at him, she could see the excitement shining in his eyes, and she couldn’t resist him. So here she was, dressed in a costume, and ready to attend a Halloween party for the SGC.

Sam shrugged her shoulders at her reflection, checked her makeup once more, and headed to her living room to wait for Jack. Even though the reason behind the evening’s events wasn’t offering much promise to her, the promise of some quality time spent with Jack was very appealing. ‘Who knows,’ she thought, ‘maybe I’ll even learn to enjoy the holiday again.’ She found herself grinning, suddenly feeling a little giddy, like a silly schoolgirl, who had a crush on the star football player.

A crush? Sam knew better than that. As much as she was trying to deny it, her heart was telling her otherwise. Against her better judgment, she had allowed herself to feel things for Jack that she knew she shouldn’t. They were in the military together, and not only that, on the same team, and he was her C.O. But she deeply cared about him, more everyday, and venturing out on a limb, she might even go as far as to call it…love.

Lost in her thoughts, she barely heard the knocking on her front door. Shaking herself back into reality, she smoothed her dress and ran a hand through her wig before going to the door. Her heart picked up a few beats as she opened it, expecting to see Jack’s face on the other side. Her smile vanished just a notch when she instead found Daniel and Teal’c in his place.

“Hey, Sam,” Daniel said, giving her a smile. “Teal’c and I figured since it was Jack’s idea for the group costume effect, that we’d ride to the party together. If that’s….okay.” Daniel hesitated slightly as he watched Sam’s face alter slightly, almost as if she didn’t want to go as a group.

Sam, catching Daniel’s suspicious look, quickly composed herself, concealing her disappointment at losing ‘alone time’ with Jack, and smiled. “Of course that’s okay. He should be here any minute. You both look great by the way!”

She opened the door all the way and stepped aside to let them in. Closing the door behind them, Sam followed them into her living room. “You guys want something to drink while we wait?”

“I’m good, thanks,” Daniel said, attempting to figure out how to sit down in the costume he was wearing. Giving up, he leaned against the fireplace.

“I require nothing, Captain Carter, but thank you,” Teal’c said, standing perfectly erect as he always did.

For the first time, Sam took in the view of her two friends in the living room, dressed up in their costumes, and laughed.

Daniel, looking slightly offended, got a defensive tone. “What’s so funny?”

Sam, trying to stifle her laughter, answered him. “Oh, nothing, really. It’s just…look at us. Here we are, the great team of SG-1, explorers of the universe, fighting the Goa’uld at every turn, creating new diplomatic relations with every step. Now, we’re wearing make-up, wigs, and costumes, ready to attend a Halloween party. I guess it’s just quite a switch.”

Daniel couldn’t hold his scowl for long, and decided to give it up for a chuckle instead.

Teal’c just watched them enjoying the moment, still very confused as to what he was even doing dressed up in this manner. He did not see the purpose in the evening’s activities, even though Colonel O’Neill had attempted to explain the tradition as they picked out his costume.

“Well,” Daniel said, still smiling, “it was Jack’s idea. And I hope for his sake we win this costume contest. It’s the only way I’m going to survive the ridicule I’m going to get for wearing this getup.”

“Oh, com’ on, Daniel,” Sam said, trying to sound sincere, still smiling as well, “it’s not that bad. I mean, look at me! How is anyone going to take what I say seriously again!”

“Trust me, Sam, you look great. At least you aren’t dressed as an animal!”

They both laughed again, enjoying the moment. They were still laughing when a knock came at the door. Bright eyed and smiling, Sam turned and walked to the front door, opening it without a thought to her previous nerves at doing so.

And their eyes met, slowing the moment. Jack caught his breath at the sight of her. Her eyes matched the color of her blue and white dress, with her lips painted red, making her skin look like it belonged on a china doll. Her cheeks were pink from smiling, contrasting beautifully off the dark brown color of her wig. Jack inhaled a quick, cold rush of air, hoping to revive his senses.

“Well, Dorothy, are we ready to travel down the yellow brick road to Oz?”

Sam smiled, regaining her senses after capturing Jack’s eyes. Even dressed up as a scarecrow, he looked adorable. “I think so. The Tin Man and The Lion are just inside,” she said, letting out a small laugh.

“Oh,” Jack said, surprise evident in his voice, “the gang’s all here, huh?!”

Sam stepped aside to let him in out of the cold. As he passed her, the fake straw hanging from the cuff of his sleeve brushed her arm, sending a chill through her body. As he walked into the living room to join Daniel and Teal’c, she was still trying to figure out it the chill came from the simple brush of straw on skin, or from how close he was to her when he passed her, looking at her briefly from under a painted face.

“Teal’c, Daniel! You guys look great.” Jack’s enthusiasm was slowly catching on. Looking at Teal’c, Jack grinned. “Teal’c, buddy! The tin really suits you!”

“This is not tin, O’Neill. It is in fact made of something called cardboard and tin foil.” Teal’c matter-of-factness had the rest of the group smiling.

“Yeah, I got that. It was an expression, Teal’c,” Jack said, shaking his head as he smiled at his friend.

“Well, I don’t think anyone will have problems figuring out what I am suppose to be,” Daniel said sarcastically, fluffing his mane.

“Daniel,” Jack said, a slightly hint of irritation in his voice, “it’s a costume party. The point is for you to dress up. And with our ‘Wizard Of Oz’ theme, we’re sure to win the contest. And, you look fine.”

“I look ridiculous, Jack,” Daniel protested.

“Well,” Jack countered, “as the Lion, you’re suppose to be on a quest for courage. Maybe by the time we get to the party, you’ll find some.”

Sam smiled, watching the exchange. Deciding to attempt to change the subject, she looked at the clock on the wall. “Well, I suppose we should start traveling down that ‘yellow brick road’ if we’re to make it to the party before the end of the night.”

“I think ‘Dorothy’ has a point,” Jack said, agreeing that any ensuing argument might ruin the fun of the evening. It had been like pulling teeth to get Daniel to finally agree to wear the Lion costume. And, explaining what Halloween was all about to Teal’c had been a whole other ordeal. But in the end, they had all agreed to Jack’s request to present a united front at the costume party. Deciding on the ‘Wizard Of Oz’ theme hadn’t been hard. He frequently liked to quote the movie, and had always thought that each of them matched the character they were dressed up as, to a certain extent. Teal’c, as the Tin Man, seemed to lack ‘the heart’ in certain areas, especially when it came to being tactful. Daniel, as the Lion, seemed, at least to Jack, to lack ‘the nerve’ when confronting certain matters of diplomatic reasoning. Sam, as Dorothy, well, it always seemed she was stuck with the task of finding a way ‘home’ for them when they got stranded on other planets. And as for him, the Scarecrow, well, let’s just say he always found himself wishing for ‘a brain’ whenever Sam attempted to explain one of her latest theories.

They all headed for Jack’s truck, spending a few minutes getting Daniel and Teal’c situated in the back of the truck in their costumes. As this was going on, Sam went back into the house briefly to turn off a light she had left on. Coming back out, she found Jack holding the passenger door open for her. Her red sequined shoes sparkled in the moonlight, looking even brighter against the white of the snow that covered the ground. As she came around the door Jack was holding open, she couldn’t resist being a little sarcastic.

“So, no yellow brick road?”

Jack smiled at her. “Well, I figured it would be kind of hard to find in the snow, so we’re taking the easy way out. Plus, it’s warmer.”

Sam laughed quietly at his countering remark. “I would say I’d have to agree with you on that point.” She held Jack’s gaze for a brief moment before attempting to climb up into the truck. As she did, one of her shoes hit a patch of thin ice that was disguised by the snow. Quickly losing her balance, she fell backwards, landing in Jack’s arms, who had reacted quickly enough to catch her before she hit the ground. Still lying reclined in his arms, both started to laugh.

“You okay, Sam,” Jack said, between the short fits of laughter.

“Yeah, thanks, I’m fine. I guess my shoes aren’t exactly cut out for snowy conditions.” Breathlessly, she attempted to compose herself.

“Well, remember, I’m suppose to be the one with the balancing problems, you know, since I’m the scarecrow.”

“Hey,” Sam said, still smiling, “don’t jinx us. You still have to get me on my feet.”

As if on key, as Jack attempted to lift her back onto her feet, his foot hit the same slick spot, and both of them fell backwards onto the ground. Jack landed gracelessly on his butt, as Sam was pulled down with him, landing in his lap. By this point, both were laughing uncontrollably, with Daniel and Teal’c looking on from the backseat of the truck.

“Hey,” Daniel said, amused by the scene, “you guys need a hand? Cause you know, we’d like to get to this party at some point tonight.”

“Stay where you are, Daniel. The last thing we need is a lion on top of us.” Jack looked at Sam, who was still smiling up at him with a sparkle of joy in her eyes. If his butt hadn’t started freezing to the ground, he could have stayed there forever with her cradled in his arms that way.

“Shall we try this again?” Sam asked, really enjoying herself, so much so that she found herself ignoring the numbing cold that was going through her legs as they touched the snow.

“Alright, Captain, on three…one, two, three..” And with that, his hands around her waist, he gave her a big enough boost to help her reach up to the door, allowing her enough leverage to pull herself up. Reaching down, she offered him one hand, holding onto the door with the other. Placing his hand in hers, he got his feet underneath him and pulled himself up off the cold ground.

“Thanks,” Jack said, still holding onto her hand.

“No problem, and thanks to you too! You saved my tailbone from being bruised, although I’m not sure I can say the same for yours. Are you okay?” Sam asked, loving the feel of his hand in hers.

“I’ll survive. I think all this straw padding gave it a good cushion. I knew there was a reason I decided to wear this costume!”

Jack’s remark had her smiling even more. “I didn’t do it on purpose!”

“I know that. Here, while I’ve got you balanced, let me help you up the rest of the way.” Jack held onto her hand as she climbed up, safely this time, into the truck’s passenger seat. He could have sworn he felt her squeeze his hand as she released it.

“Thanks! You think you can make it around to the other side okay?” Sam said as she looked down at him, his costume still magically in place, with him looking as cute as ever.

“I think I can manage!” Jack said playfully.

As Jack walked around the front of the truck, Teal’c spoke up. “Are you okay, Captain Carter?”

“Yeah, just fine, thanks Teal’c. A bit cold, but fine.”

“That was quite an ordeal,” Daniel said, voicing a suspicious tone. “Did you guys plan that little show?”

“Yes, Daniel,” Jack said, climbing into the truck. “We did plan it. We thought it might be a fun to fall on our butts just for your amusement.” Jack’s voice dripped with sarcasm as he said this, though he was still smiling.

With everyone safely in the truck, they headed out for the party, which was being held in an old, historic mansion that was now used for parties, weddings, and other social gatherings. It was the first time a Halloween party had been held for the SGC, and it was already turning out to be an interesting evening.

They pulled up in front of an enormous stone and brick mansion. The years had left its mark on the structure, as ivy snaked its way up the walls and around the windows, some more in one place than another. The house was surrounded by a large, overgrown garden that circled around the entire house. The windows were large and numerous, staring out at the night like multiple pairs of eyes, some bright, others blacker than the darkest night. The painted white frames around the edge of each window gave them a surreal glow in the moonlight. The grounds were decorated with candles, their yellow glow leading the way up to the large, cherry oak front door. Two enormous doorknockers hung centered on the door, faded by time from a once shiny enameled gold, to a dull silver.

SG-1, or rather Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Lion, and the Tin Man, slowly approached the mansion, looking up in awe as they got closer to the destination of the party. “Wow!” Jack said, craning his neck even farther as the roof of the house overtook the view of the night sky. “Now this is a place for a Halloween party. It even comes with its own spooky feel. I take it you know the history on this place, Daniel.”

Daniel scratched absent-mindedly as a tuff of fur tickled his cheek. He adjusted his glasses, thinking for a moment before answering. “No, actually, I don’t. I guess when you spend most of your time on the base, you tend to forget the outside world. This is amazing, though! I’ve heard of this place, but haven’t actually ever seen it up close. I believe there is a legend that goes with it.”

“There is.” A low, scratchy voice said, suddenly in front of them. Quickly lowering their heads to see who it was, they found an old man standing in front of them. He was dressed in a pair of old, black, tattered pants, wearing an equally old white shirt, wrinkled and faded with time. His white hair was long and haphazardly cut, and his skin was pitted with age. One eye drooped lower than the other, and a single gold tooth glinted in the light of the flickering candles. Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Teal’c attempted not to stare too long as Jack spoke up.

“Hi there!” When he didn’t get any response except for a weighted stare, Jack cleared his throat and went on. “You know the story of this place?”

“I am the caretaker of these grounds, and have been for many a year.” When no one said anything, the old man continued with a twinkle in his good eye.

“Long ago, a family by the name of O’Malley resided here. Mr. O’Malley came over here from Ireland, ahead of his family, in order to build the biggest house in the county. Four years of constant, hard labor produced the house that now stands before you. The rest of the family moved in when it was finish: a beautiful young mother of three, two boys, and a young girl, who was just 3 years old, with hair the color of white silk, and eyes as green as an emerald.”

“Two years passed, and in that time, something began to take hold of this happy family. Mr. O’Malley began to go crazy, as fits of rage could be heard echoing from different parts of the house. He would weep from his soul, then yell as if the devil had hold of his heart, and then pound his fists against the wall, as if he were a prisoner in his own home. Then there would be silence, dead silence, and all that could be heard for a while was the gentle brushing of the trees against the window panes. His wife and children would cower together in one room, becoming terrified if any floor creaked, or if footsteps were heard approaching in their direction. The young girl would climb up to the attic, convinced that it was her tower of protection. She would play up there for hours, only coming down when the wailing of her father’s voice ceased to be heard.

“And then, one terrible night, the madness overtook him to an extent like no other time before that, and he killed them as they slept in their beds, encompassed by whatever dream their sleep was inducing them into, preventing them from hearing his approach, from seeing the glint of the knife as it reflected the moonlight onto their sleeping faces. No one to this day knows what drove him to such a state, a good Christian man turned by the pitchfork of the devil himself. Some say it was the years of hard labor. Others, well they speculate it was because he chose to build on hallowed ground. You see, before this house was built here, a very old home stood in its place, built for the purpose of housing the mentally ill. One night, a fire engulfed the house, killing all who were inside. For years, nothing stood here until Mr. O’Malley came over from Ireland. And no one’s lived here ever since. When Mr. O’Malley came out from whatever state he was in, and discovered what he had done, he hanged himself from the garden terrace, not to be discovered until days later.

“They say that at night, by the light of the full moon, you can see the little girl’s shadow playing up in the attic, and hear her voice, as it haunts the halls with a quiet song.”

Each of them looked up to where they assumed the attic was, it’s window dark and shadowy. A chill ran through Sam as she found her voice. “Have you ever….”

No one was there. In a matter of a few seconds, the old man had vanished into thin air. Jack, noticing her hesitation, looked down as well. “Hello!?”

“Well, that was…strange,” Daniel said, turning his head to look for the man who was no longer there.

Sam rubbed her hands over her arms. “I’d call it a little creepy.”

“Indeed.” Teal’c had listened to the tale with great interest, raising an eyebrow as the story came to its climax.

“Well!” Jack exclaimed, clapping his hands together and rubbing them for warmth. “I’m ready for some fun. Who’s with me?”

They all gave him a blank look as he started out the rest of the short distance to the front door. Looking at each other briefly, they followed, wanting to warm their bodies, not only from the cold of the evening air, but from the chill that was running down their spines.

Following Jack’s lead, they all stepped into a very large, open hall, decorated for the festive occasion with pumpkins, candles, fake leaves, and hay bails. The room was filled with color from all the different costumes that each guest was wearing. Two twin spiraling staircases could be seen at the other end of the room, leading the way to the upstairs.

Sam took off her coat and handed it to the attendant, who was just inside the front door. “Wow! Some party. I’d say the government went all out on this one.”

“Yeah, the taxpayers hard earned money at work,” Daniel said, a grumbled tone in his voice.

Jack put a hand on Daniel’s shoulder, squeezing a little harder than he probably should have. “Tell you what, Daniel, why don’t you just try to enjoy the party before ridiculing it!”

Daniel and Jack exchanged a quick look before turning their attention to a pair of clowns that were approaching them.

It took them a moment to realize who was standing in front of them with painted red grins and white faces. “General Hammond? Janet?” Sam said, smiling, surprised at both of their transformations.

“You got it, Sam,” General Hammond said with a wink in her direction. “And it’s George tonight.”

“Well…George,” Jack said, “This is quite a switch from the base. And you, you both, look great.”

George laughed whole-heartedly at Jack’s remark. “Well, I must say, Jack, I was expecting to wear something a little more dignified, but my granddaughters insisted that I go as a clown. Janet here was kind enough to see that I wasn’t the only clown at the party.”

“Hey!” Janet protested, her voice teaming with humor. “I’ve always liked clowns, and I’d say we’re the most colorful pair in the place tonight.”

“Well, I think you two look great,” Daniel said, watching as Janet enjoyed herself, happy to see a more relaxed Dr. Fraiser.

“Wow, when you guys go as a team, you really go all out,” Major Davis said, coming up to join them. He was dressed in Renaissance clothing, as a squire. “You all look great! I’ve always loved the ‘Wizard Of Oz’.”

“Thanks, Paul. Right back at you. Your costume looks great,” Jack said, giving him a smile before turning his attention back to the General.

“So, George, nice effect out there. The caretaker really spins a nice tale. Helps to get you in the Halloween spirit,” Jack said, sounding enthusiastic.

The General looked at him with a confused expression. “Jack, what are you talking about? What caretaker?”

“You know, the caretaker, little old guy with the gold tooth. Kind of gives you the creeps with his sinister voice. The caretaker…outside..”

“Jack, the city owns this house, and the grounds its built on. It has its own team of people dedicated to the upkeep of this place. There is no one caretaker.”

Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Teal’c all exchanged glances. The silence of the moment was broken by Teal’c’s voice. “I believe you are mistaken, General Hammond. There is indeed a man who claims to be the caretaker of this place.”

The General gave them a quizzical look before smiling. “No, Teal’c, I’m sorry, but it’s just SGC personnel tonight. And I can assure you, there is no one caretaker.”

The silence of the moment preceding was too much for Jack. Shaking off the eerie feeling, he rubbed his gloved hands together. “Alrighty then. I’m going to go see if I can scare up some grub and a beer. Anyone care to join me?”

Sam, still trying to figure out what this all meant, responded. “Yeah, I will.”

“As will I,” Teal’c said, chiming in.

They started to head off in one direction, leaving Daniel with the others, who were now focusing their perplexed looks on him. Feeling uncomfortable, he stumbled over his words. “Yeah, well, since I’m the Lion and all, I guess I’d better….hey guys, wait up,” Daniel called out, quickly scooting around them, knowing his back was still being watched.

When they were out of earshot of the General, Janet, and Paul, Sam gave Jack a confused look. “What do you suppose that all meant?”

Trying to shake off the feeling of doom, Jack gave her a quick look. “Oh, Sam, their just yanking our chain. They’re probably in league with the guy just to get us going.”

“I don’t know about that, Jack,” Daniel said, coming up behind them. “They seemed pretty sincere to me.”

“Daniel, I think you have that lion’s mane on way too tight! It’s affecting your brain. There are no such things as ghosts.”

“What are these ghosts?” Teal’c asked, quietly observing the scene with great interest.

Sam spoke up. “They are equivalent to what we saw on the mission when we met Tonane and the Salish people. They believed in Zales and Xal, referring to them as spirits, and in a sense, it’s the same context. It’s the soul of something or someone who can appear and disappear.

“I see.”

Jack looked stunned. “No, you don’t see. Sam, are you honestly telling me you believe that guy’s tale about some creepy murder and a little girl who goes around the house singing?”

“Well, it’s not entirely impossible. I mean, look at all we’ve seen going through the Stargate. I’m not saying I believe that a ghost haunts this place. I’m just saying that it’s possible for a spiritual plane to exist…”

“Whoa! Enough! We’re at a party, remember? Now, I’m going to go find myself something to drink, preferable a beer, and I’m going to forget about the little ghost story we were just told.”

Jack walked off, leaving the three of them to contemplate their thoughts. Shrugging their shoulders, they followed him into the main ballroom. It was decorated in the same way the hall was, and was filled with people from the SGC, all dressed up in an array of costumes. Music filled the room, and a dance floor had been established in the center. A long buffet table lined one end of the room, with a ‘bobbing-for-apples’ contest set up on the other side. Voices and laughter echoed off the vaulted ceiling, making the glow from the candles that much warmer.

Throughout the next few hours, everyone enjoyed themselves. Jack had even managed to raze Teal’c enough to give in to competing with him at ‘bobbing-for-apples’. Teal’c, catching onto the idea with some vigor, managed to win against a frustrated Jack, who, upon losing, finally just grabbed at an apple with the swipe of his hand. Sam smiled, watching him. Even in his expressions of child-like behavior, he was as adorable as ever. They all enjoyed each other’s company, having good conversations and good laughs. The costume contest was held, and to Jack’s utter delight and pride, SG-1 won the contest. They managed to stuff themselves silly eating all of the various foods that were on the table. And throughout the evening, Jack and Sam never strayed far from each other. When they did, each of them would find their eyes searching the room for the other.

As the clock began to chime out 2300 hours, Sam was standing alone, watching the couples on the dance floor enjoying themselves. She felt the brush of a hand on her arm as Jack came up beside her. “Hey, how’s the dance floor looking?”

Sam sighed a happy sigh, content to have Jack back at her side. “Crowded. But I think that’s because of the rather large lion dancing with the clown.”

As Sam nodded her head in the direction she was looking, Jack followed her lead. “Ah! I see Daniel finally found the nerve to ask Janet to dance. I’m glad to see the costume’s working for him.”

Sam smiled up at him. “I must say that this has been a great evening. I’m so glad that you suggested it.”

Jack, feeling his pride, returned her smile. “Well, we’ll have to do it next year. Although, finding a new theme for us may be a bit more challenging. So, where’s Teal’c?”

“Oh, he’s been occupied on the dance floor for the last 30 minutes. I think he and Little Red Riding Hood have really hit it off.”

Jack picked out the Tin Man from the crowd and watched with a smile as Teal’c ‘cut-the-rug’ with his dance partner. Feeling a little mischievous, he lowered his tone a notch. “Well, since the dance floor seems to be full, and our other company occupied, how about you and I do a little exploring.”

“Are we allowed to?” Sam asked, surprised by his invitation.

“Sam, what’s the point in renting out this massive place if we don’t see all of it?” Jack held his breath, hoping for a positive response from her.

Seeing the hope in his eyes, she gave in against her better judgment, and smiled. “Okay, lead on.” Besides, she didn’t mind the extra alone time with Jack.

For the next 20 minutes, they walked up and down different hallways, the music from the ballroom growing quieter as they climbed higher. There was one bedroom after another, each filled with furniture, some of which was covered with white sheets. The lighting was dim compared to the lighting of the ballroom, and cast shadows all over the walls and floor.

“I think we should be leaving a trail of bread crumbs,” Sam said, whispering as if trying to avoid disturbing someone, or something.

“Yeah, I’d say this has to be the biggest house I’ve ever been through. What level are we on anyway?” Jack continued opening doors and shutting them, seeing the same thing over and over. “Who would be insane enough to build all these rooms?! I mean, you could sleep in a different room every night, and I’m not sure you could go through all of them in six months! This Mr. O’Malley must have planned on having a really large family.”

Sam looked at him with surprise at his last statement. “I thought you didn’t believe in that story?”

“I never said I didn’t believe in the people who lived here. I said I didn’t believe in the ghost tale that went along with it. There was never any murder, and even if there was, I refuse to believe that a little girl’s spirit runs around this place”

Suddenly, the lights in the hallway flickered, growing even dimmer for a few moments before returning to normal. Jack and Sam both looked around, checking behind them, in front of them, and without knowing it, moving closer to each other.

“Well, that was a little creepy,” Sam said, another chill sweeping down her spine.

Jack, a little startled, found his voice. “It’s probably just the weather outside. They did say that it was going to get pretty cold tonight. Maybe it’s affecting the power.”

“Well, why don’t we just go back down to the party. We don’t want to get stuck up here if the power does go out.” Sam didn’t like the feeling she was getting in the pit of her stomach. Though she didn’t really believe in the idea of actual ghosts, she wasn’t inclined to stick around to see if her theory was true or not, even if it meant giving up her alone time with Jack.

“Oh, come on, Sam,” Jack said, seeing an opportunity to egg her on. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid to be alone in this spooky hallway, on Halloween, with the lights flickering, not to mention the fact that it’s almost midnight!”

Sam, getting defensive, punched him lightly on the shoulder. “No, I’m not afraid. I think that if I can deal with the Goa’uld, I can deal with a little lighting problem. And besides, I’m not alone. You’re here too.”

Jack put his hands up. “Hey, no need to get all defensive about it. I was just having a little fun with the moment.” Seeing Sam rolling her eyes at him made him smile. “Okay, enough exploring. We can go back to the party. Besides, I think we reached the top floor anyway, although I wasn’t sure that was possible.”

As they turned around to head back the way they’d come, a low-sounding creak was heard behind them. They both whipped around, quickly looking to see what had caused it. But nothing was there. Just the same hallway. Then, upon the air, the faint sound of a child’s laughter was heard. They both stopped and held their breath, straining to hear where it was coming from. Their hearts had begun to pick up speed, and the adrenaline was beginning to flow faster.

“Did you hear that?” Sam whispered, really feeling the knot in her stomach now.

“Yeah,” Jack said quickly, squinting his eyes at the shadows that surrounded them. Each one seemed to suddenly have it’s own pair of eyes. “It came from that direction.” Jack pointed in front of them, at a door that stood by itself, on the far end of the hallway.

Squinting against the dim light, Sam looked closer at it as they slowly made their way towards it. Why they were going in that direction, she didn’t know. It was as if their bodies were being pulled by some unknown force, as their brains screamed no, but their feet said yes. “I think I see a faint light coming from underneath the doorway,” Sam whispered, her own voice making her jump.

As they grew closer to the door, the hallway suddenly seemed to get very cold. Jack and Sam looked at each other, breathing faster as they became startled at seeing their own breath. Their eyes followed each other to the door again. The faint light that had been there before was suddenly growing in intensity. Their heartbeats began to race as the door itself seemed to start bulging out towards them. Jack and Sam stood frozen in place, as a child’s voice could suddenly be heard coming from the other side of the door. She was singing.

Jack moved closer to Sam in a protective instinct. Feeling him closer, but unable to tear her eyes away from the phenomenon that was happening in front of them, Sam placed one of her hands on his chest. “Jack!” she barely whispered. “We really should get out of here.”

Jack immediately brought one of his hands up and covered her hand with his. He knew they should get out of there, but he couldn’t move. The adrenaline rushing through his body was keeping him frozen in place.

“Jack,” Sam whispered again, this time with more urgency. “Let’s go.”

Their hearts were now pounding in their ears as the door began to bulge out even more, with the light behind it becoming blindingly white. Suddenly, the lights began to flicker wildly, as the child’s voice turned from singing to screeching. It grew louder and louder, as if it were coming straight at them.

“Jack!” Sam was desperate now. She didn’t think she’d ever been so scared.

Suddenly, the door burst open, white light spilling everywhere as the screeching became louder. Jack grabbed Sam’s hand tightly, turned around and ran, pulling her with him. They ran back down the hallway and turned the corner. As they did this, they halted briefly as Sam screamed. There in front of them stood a little girl, with hair of white silk, and eyes as green as an emerald. She was staring up at them, looking right through them. The walls began to shake, and the lights began to pop. Jack turned around and ran down the opposite hallway, holding onto Sam’s hand for dear life. It was the only real thing to him at that moment. They ran down flights of stairs, breathing hard, never stopping to look behind them.

After what seemed like forever, they found the staircase leading to the entrance hall. They stopped, grateful at hear the sounds of swing music coming from the ballroom. Slowly, they looked behind them, still breathing hard. Nothing was there. The lights had stopped flickering. The walls were still, and no little girl could be seen anywhere.

Still concealed from the view of the partygoers by the shadows, Jack took Sam in his arms and held her tight. Both of them were shaking, their hearts racing in time with the others. After few moments, he pulled back and cupped her face with his hands. “You okay?” Jack said, finally able to recover his breath.

Sam shook her head, placing her hands over his. “Yeah, I think so. Are you okay?”

They looked at each other before he answered, slowly releasing her face. “Yeah. But I don’t think were in Kansas anymore.”

Sam was surprised to hear her own nervous laughter. “Hey, isn’t that suppose to be my line!”

“Sorry, I just couldn’t resist. What was that?”

“I don’t know. My guess is we’ve had our first official ghost sighting. And frankly, I don’t care to have another one.” Sam’s brain was running wildly trying to figure out if what had just happened was even possible.

“I think I can whole-heartedly agree with you on that point. Why don’t we go join reality again.”

“No arguments here. The sooner we get out of here, the better.”

As Sam started down the stairs, Jack placed a hand on her arm, halting her. “Uh, Sam, I think it would be in our best interest if we don’t mention this to anyone. We don’t want Hammond sending us in for individual psych evaluations.”

“Don’t worry,” Sam said, “I have no intention of trying to convince the world that ghosts, or whatever that was, could actually be real. It’ll be our little secret.”

Sharing a secret with Sam made Jack feel even closer to her, and he liked that connection. They headed back into the party and found Daniel and Teal’c waiting for them.

“Where did you guys go off to? I was beginning to think you’d left without us.” Daniel gave them a suspicious look.

“Not a chance. We just decided to take a little tour of the house is all.” Jack winked quickly at Sam as he said this.

“Well thanks for inviting us, Jack. You know I would have loved to have gone through this house for it’s historical significance. Maybe I’ll just go for a little tour myself,” Daniel said, feeling a little hurt and defiant.

Jack put a hand on Daniel’s shoulder, stopping him. “Trust me, Daniel, it’s not that interesting.”

“I can’t really take your opinion on this subject matter too highly, Jack. No offense.”

When he shrugged off Jack’s hand and started to walk off, Sam spoke up. “Daniel! Jack’s telling you the truth. It’s just a whole lot of bedrooms. I promise, you’re not missing anything.” Sam knew Daniel would hopefully take her opinion more seriously.

“Alright, fine, I won’t go. But next time, how ‘bout asking us to come along.”

“Fine, you got it!” Jack was becoming annoyed at Daniel’s persistence. Seeing that the party was wrapping up, he figured it would be a great time to leave. He knew Sam wouldn’t mind. “Well, how about we head out? It looks like the party is about to end.”

After saying their goodbyes to people, they headed out the front door and into the night. The cold air washed over them, and Jack and Sam quietly breathed a sigh of relief. As they were walking towards Jack’s truck, with Teal’c and Daniel leading the way, Sam suddenly tugged on Jack’s arm, pointing. Jack looked in that direction to find the old caretaker eyeing them from the garden, grinning, his gold tooth shining brightly. As if on key, they both turned around and looked back to the house. Their eyes traveled up to the top floor, landing on the attic window. And there, amidst a softly glowing light, was the shadow of a young girl looking out at them. They both blinked and looked again, this time seeing nothing but utter blackness. They both turned to look at the caretaker again, but he too, was gone.

Suddenly, a hand appeared on Sam’s shoulder, and she whipped around, startled. Daniel put his hands up. “Whoa, it’s just me. You two ready to go?”

Jack, recovering faster than Sam, answered. “Daniel, that is a question you don’t have to ask twice.” Jack quickly looked at Sam, and then they both stepped around Daniel, heading for the truck. Daniel and Teal’c both watched them go, perplexed.

After getting loaded back into the truck, they headed out, leaving behind a house full of mysteries, and questions they really didn’t care to try and answer. All Jack and Sam knew was that they were grateful to be leaving it behind.

After they got back to Sam’s house, Daniel and Teal’c said their goodbyes. Sam and Jack stood in the front hall as Jack prepared to leave. “Well,” Sam said, “thanks for a fun evening. I can honestly say that I have a new appreciation for the meaning of Halloween.”

Jack smiled. “I know what you mean. You going to be okay tonight?” Jack didn’t want to admit it, but the idea of going home to a dark house wasn’t that appealing. He knew he was being silly, but he couldn’t help it.

Sam shrugged. “I’ll be okay. I’ll just put on some music to drown out the quiet.”

“Okay, well, goodnight,” Jack said, a little disappointed that he had to leave.

“Goodnight, and thanks again. You make a great scarecrow, by the way.”

“Yeah, well, apparently I wasn’t good enough to scare off whatever we ran into up in those halls.” Jack smiled at his joke and gave her a wave of his hand as he turned to leave.

Sam closed the door and stood there, just for a moment. Every sound in the quiet house seemed to be incredibly loud. Hesitating no longer, she whipped open the door and called out to Jack, who had just reached his truck. “Hey, Jack!”

Jack turned around and started back up the walk to her door, his heart brimming with hope. “What’s up?”

Looking for an excuse, she answered him after a moment. “Well, since it’s after one in the morning, and the roads are sure to be really slick, why don’t you just stay hear for the night? I have an extra bedroom. And besides, I owe you a breakfast.” Hoping she didn’t sound too pathetic, she waiting for his response.

Jack’s heart was jumping. “Okay, if you insist. It’s probably not a bad idea anyway. Do you have an extra toothbrush?” Jack asked, remembering the time they’d spent the night together at his house a few months ago. The only difference was, that was accidental.

Sam smiled, remembering the same thing. “I think I can scare one up.” Realizing what she’d just said, she shook her head. “Sorry, bad play on words.”

Thirty minutes later, they were both in bed, the rooms adjacent to each other. Though they weren’t sharing a bed (or couch) like last time, knowing that the other was close by, gave each of them peace of mind, and much sweeter dreams.

Next Story---> "Trick or Treat Fun"

Your feedback is welcomed!

Start of Fanfiction Index