Epilogue

"If you eat another piece of birthday cake, I'm going to throw up…"

Ian shook his head, smiling at Cassie, who was sitting across the table next to Sam.

"I'm finished. If I eat another piece, I'm going to blow up."

It was Saturday, the 2nd day of March, and SG-1 had gathered at the Fraiser's with Emmett Bregman, Sally Langfordand a few others to celebrate Cassie's 18th birthday with cake and ice cream – even though she'd objected, telling them all she was too old for cake and ice cream. Right up until Ian had complained that it wasn't going to be much of a party if he couldn't have ice cream and cake – and Cassie had given in.

The cake had been chocolate – much to Jaffer's annoyance – and the ice cream had been vanilla, and there was a pile of opened presents and wrapping paper on the table. Cassie's objections about being too old for ice cream and cake definitely didn't extend to getting presents, much to the amusement of those who loved her most.

The weather had been great and Jack and Bregman had pulled out Janet's old barbeque and fired it up, cooking on the patio even though there was still a definite chill to the air.

Ian had arrived late – right after Daniel – who was still shaking his head over the final translations they'd made on the low-slung buildings that they'd found on Ian's first mission. It had turned out that the symbol Daniel had thought was snake, had actually been lizard or something similar to that and almost two weeks of researching the ruins had turned up a simple legend of a swamp lizard of some sort that kept returning to the place of its alleged birth where the land was supposed to be holy or sacred – and the water there was supposed to be a fountain of youth type thing. Which had turned out to be a load of crap – much to Jack's amusement and Daniel's annoyance.

"Ian? You want another soda?"

Ian shook his head.

"Thanks, Doctor Fraiser, but no."

He couldn't bring himself to call her Janet – which was probably just as well while he was still assigned to the SGC – but they were a little more relaxed around each other now. Mainly because in the last two weeks Ian had been to her house several times – mostly on the pretense of helping Cassie with her homework – and every time he'd been there, he'd been nothing but polite and helpful, until even Janet had to admit that maybe he wasn't the punk kid she'd assumed he was.

"Cass?"

"No, thanks, mom."

Jack came over standing behind Sam's chair and wrapping his arms around her.

"You about ready to go?"

She looked up at him and nodded.

"You've had all the cake you want?"

"Cassie said we get the leftovers."

Sam shook her head, amused, but she was ready to call it a day, too. Even though it was only late afternoon.

"I'm ready."

Jack and Sam were the first to leave, but the others weren't far behind. Everyone had filled up on good food and better company, but they all had other things they needed to do that day and said their goodbyes, wishing Cassie a happy birthday before they left.

As the door closed behind Daniel and Sally, Cassie smiled at Ian, who was still seated at the table watching her.

"Are you ready?"

Ian nodded, looking over at Fraiser, who was sitting on the couch with Emmett, not really cuddling, but not far from it.

"Do you want us to help you clean up?"

"I have help," she told him, shooing them both away. Ian had mentioned wanting to take Cassie out for her birthday – Janet assumed dinner and a movie or something. "Have fun."

It was a measure of her acceptance that Cassie was an adult that she didn't tell her she had to be home by a certain time – although adult or not, she still had curfew on school nights – and Ian and Cassie headed for the door.

OOOOOOOOO

"So… you have a choice…"

Cassie looked over at Ian as he started the car.

"A choice?"

"We can go out to eat, or we can eat at my place."

"Are you cooking?"

"If you want soup and sandwiches."

She smiled.

"Sounds great."

"We can even put in a movie."

"Oooo… it must be my birthday or something…"

Ian smiled.

"Smart ass."

Of course, he'd never offered to cook for her before, since he was a terrible cook, so it was something of a special occasion. She laughed, and put her hand on his leg – without any hesitation, now. They'd spent enough time together, now, that Cassie was far more comfortable with him than before, and she knew he actually enjoyed having her touch him like that. She knew a lot of things about him, now. Things that she knew not everyone else did. They'd talked a lot, and she was getting to know him better and better and the more she learned about him, the more she liked about him. He had lots of rough edges, but who didn't?

"Chicken soup?"

"If you want."

"Sounds good."

OOOOOOOOOO

"I don't have any chicken soup."

"So much for it being my birthday…"

"I could go get some…"

She knew he would, too, and that made her smile. Cassie walked into the kitchen where Ian had been rummaging through his cupboards, and came up behind him, looking over his shoulder.

"We could have macaroni and cheese."

He turned to look at her – and as close as they were at that moment, it put his face wonderfully near hers.

"That's not much of a birthday meal…"

And soup was?

Cassie shrugged.

"But I like it."

"If that's what you want."

It was her birthday, after all.

"So I can have whatever I want?" She asked him, smiling.

"It's your birthday."

"Kiss me."

Oh, yeah, like he had to be told to do that? Ian grinned and turned completely so he was facing her, and then pulled her closer.

"I think I can do that…"

He kissed her gently, at first, but the kiss deepened when Cassie brought her arms around him as well, melting against him. A moment later, he had to pull back, because there was no hiding his reaction to that. Not when she was that close to him. Cassie smiled, her eyes on his. There was no hesitation in her unwavering gaze, only a hint of anticipation, and she pressed lightly up against him again.

"You said I could have whatever I want…"

Ian smiled, softly.

"Are you sure…?"

She nodded.

He shook his head, wondering for the millionth time what it was she saw in him, and kissed her again. A hungry kiss that made it quite clear to her that she wasn't alone in her desires. They broke apart only when they absolutely had to to breathe, and Ian took her hand and led her out of the kitchen.

"Crazy woman…"

The End

So! That's the end of this story. You can decide for yourself what happened after that. Let me know what you think. Favorite line, favorite scene, all the usual stuff. Things will probably start getting more serious, now, in the stories – not necessarily angsty, but like Alexander says… 'things are coming to a head', and it's time we get there… Let me know if there's anything in particular you want to see on the way there, though.