Great! It was a great start already! The car wouldn’t start and the bus was running late. Well, actually the bus might have been on time, it’s just I’m not used to the bus system in this town just yet and it seems late to me.

Let’s face it, I’m not used to anything in this town yet!

A whole nest of butterflies have decided to party in my stomach. It could be lack of food, but I’ll wager it’s more to do with nerves. Sure, yeah, I’ll admit it, I’m as nervous as all hell starting this new job! I’m heading off to ‘Cheyenne Mountain’ to start on my brilliant, albeit late in life, new career! It’s what I’ve trained for, it’s what I’ve studied for, it’s what I’ve given up house and home for. It had better be worth it!

Who the hell am I kidding? This is totally COOL!! These guys are my heroes and have been for a long, long time! Between you and me and this note pad, I’m scared of Jack. Yeah, okay. I’ll admit it! He’s gonna be scary to walk up to and say, ‘Hi,’ to.

Shh, don’t tell him though. Christ, I’ll have to remember to call them by their proper names when I’m with them, but I’ve ‘known’ them so long now it will be strange. I should at least wait until a formal introduction I think.

My head’s beginning to thump. Gods, I need a drink. I chuckle silently to myself when I think of a JackDaniels… Man, what would they say if they ever found out! Talk about embarrassing!

Why the hell am I so goddamn nervous for? Oh, yeah, right - these guys are my heroes!

I fill in the long bus trek by taking these notes, as erratic and hard to read as they will be at home once this ordeal is over, I’m sure. I have to scrawl. I have someone sitting at my shoulder who seems to be interested in what I’m writing. I need to be careful because she just might work there too. I carefully cover my writing with my hand as I glance out the window. I allow my mind to wander a moment, wondering if Daniel’s eyes will be as blue in real life. Oh yeah, someone’s just turned up the music in my stomach! My head’s thumping harder and the butterflies are really going to town in there!

I see the large gates looming up before us and now I’m really feeling sick!

I alight, the woman next to me on the bus is no where to be seen. I head through the gates and ask the whereabouts of my contact person.

“Dan, his name’s Dan. Um, Sissons..” I offer the deadhead in the toll room. He thumbs over his shoulder and allows me inside. Good security, I tell myself snidely. I’ll be sure to let the list know about that bit!

I follow the directions to the letter. How many steps is two jabs of a thumb over one’s shoulder anyway? And how many times did he do it? Twice, as I recall. I find the front door and congratulate myself on my keen navigational skills. That and the big sign out the front that states, 'Report to reception upon entering' kinda got me here!

I appreciate the coolness inside the building. My face is flushed, I just know it. I look like a lobster and feel like I just want to go home. Why the hell did I even think I could do this job? Oh yeah, three years of training might have helped me a little! Still, I feel under equipped for this little venture.

I go through to where the receptionist tells me to go and to my surprise, as I turn a corner, I’m met with lots and lots of noise. Somehow I always thought it was quiet here. I make out the sounds of people yelling instructions to each other, soldiers calling out over and over “Yes, Sir!” for some apparent reason, and the noise of a hydraulic lifter hissing under its load. My body instantly charges with excitement, the electricity of it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. All of a sudden I know why I’m here! And I get a little teary at the same time as I think to myself, “Well, my girl, you finally made it!”

I swipe my sweaty palms down the front of my denim jeans and head off down the corridor, my heart still thumping in my throat, only out of excitement now, not so much nerves. I wander down the grey halls, allowing my hand to trace the line along the wall in the corridor. I was told to stick to the red mark on the floor so that’s what I’m doing. The sounds start to grow louder and my heart thumps that little bit harder.

I should look where I’m going more often. I run, smack bang, into a wall. A soft, solid wall. I look up. I gulp. It’s a wall - of man! A very dark, very tall, wall of man. I have to crane my neck back to look all the way up into his small, dark eyes.

I swallow. “Teal'c?”

He lifts a brow, tilts his head and damn near scares me to death with that stoic look on his face. Then suddenly he breaks out into a wide, dazzling smile and shakes his head.

“Not quite.” The man informs me good-naturedly. I blush. Of course not! He asks me where I was going, after first checking my security badge, and I tell him I’m looking for Dan.

“Aren’t we all. Come on. Follow me,” he says as he lifts his arm over his head in a jolly ‘come on’ gesture. I follow, but at 5 foot nothing, have trouble keeping up with his long legged strides.

We weave throughout the corridors and I’m suddenly grateful for my escort. He effortlessly glides up stair after stair and by the end of it I’m huffing and puffing and pleading with him to slow down. He graciously smiles, heads back to me (propped, as I am, against a wall. Very good first impression!). He squats, laces his fingers together and then smiles at me again. I find myself marveling, absently, at how white his teeth are, even for a smoker. There is a tell tale square pack in his fatigue pant pockets. What I was doing looking down there is my business.. but, I’m sure you can guess!

I catch my breath quickly and head off with him once more. Finally, after I’m sure we’ve weaved our way around the complex at least a dozen times we stop out the front of a door. He knocks quickly then goes in.

“Dan! My Man,” he says jovially and then goes to the man behind the table, slipping his arm across his shoulders. “This little lady was looking for you.”

Dan looks across to me.

“Hi.” I step forward and hold my hand out.

“Hello, I’m Dan,” he says. I nod.

“I remember you from the interview stage.”

He grins and hands a small object to the tall, dark and handsome wall and after a cheerful cheerio I’m left alone with my new ‘boss’.

“Nice man,” I comment absently. Dan nods.

“Has his moments, but don’t we all? Come sit down. Those interviews were something, huh?"

“Yeah, I was terrified, to be honest,” I say. I refrain from blurting out that I would have sold my grandmother for this gig. Provided she was still alive, of course! “Being so far from home,” I add instead. He nods empathetically.

“Well you know you got the job because of your cute little accent, don’t you?” he laughs. I laugh too. Not bloody likely, I tell myself. After four intense interviews I feel certain it’s skill and not accent that landed me here. Still, I laugh along with him. Afterall, he’s my boss and I have to keep in good with him.

He gets up and indicates for me to follow him, after he grabs a Zat gun from the shelf behind him. I wonder if he’ll let me hold it instead. I’ve been dying to see one of these. They look so phallic to me I have to see one up close! But he carries it instead and I’m again weaving my way down a labyrinth of corridors.

“I was going to meet you at the gate, but I got caught up,” he explains as we walk together. I nod.

“Not a problem. I found someone to help me,” I shrug. He nods.

“Not at all like you see on the television, is he?” he grins. I roll my eyes as a gesture of ‘that’s an understatement’. He laughs.

This is too surreal for me. This is meant to only be something I watch on television and talk about on the Internet. It’s not meant to be real! I am suddenly nervous again.

“So,” Dan says, pulling me from my thoughts, “what do you think?”

I look around. “It’s,” I stammer lamely, “it’s immense. I never imagined it was so big here.” I know by the smile on his face that I’m doing a pretty good impersonation of a kid in the candy store, but I don’t care. Well, I care enough to delve into a deeper level of red! Very fetching, I chastise myself, and promptly go a even deeper shade of red. I sigh.

He laughs good-naturedly at me. “Lot’s say that, don’t worry. Let’s go and get you settled in. I’ll introduce you around. I guess you wanna meet the guys, huh?”

I swallow.

Errr, no.. I tell myself, I can wait actually. A long time, in fact!

He puts his arm around my shoulders and starts off. Perhaps he sensed something in my fear of meeting the guys and thought I was objecting to the physical contact.

“Sorry,” he takes his arm away. “Some people object to touching.”

“Oh, no, not me,” I smile. “That’s fine.” I secretly hope everyone here is as touchy-feely, especially two certain men! We make our way along a corridor and up some steps. I’m mentally mapping the way, grateful for my instinctual good sense of direction. I should be able to get myself around this rabbit warren quite efficiently by lunch time. I look away for a moment and Dan’s stopped dead in front of me. Embarrassingly, I thump into his back and we both stumble. Then we both laugh, which is a nice thing too.

I apoligise, my attention grabbed by the ‘huge, honking two story ring’ in the next room. I’m awestruck and I know I sigh loudly as I step closer to the window for a better look. I’m so finally here! I almost lose myself as I start bouncing on the spot, but then, with the only brain cell still functioning within my head, I manage to restrain myself at the sight of the heavenly creature on the ramp. He is talking to someone I can't quite see. He throws his head back, his laughter is only just heard over the din of the people milling about, doing their jobs. Dark blond locks fall from his handsome face, teeth, whiter and straighter than I thought they would be, glisten in the lights over head. I come to my senses and catch the drool about to leave my lip when I spot Dan walking in there to talk with him. He waves his arm as if summoning others onto the ramp with him and I see all four now gather around him. I take a mental note that my breathing has hitched up another notch again, and I bet I’m blushing once more as I realise I’m probably about to be introduced to these guys.

Suddenly they all turn and look in my direction. With my arms crossed across my waist and one hand up to my mouth to aid in my nibbling of my bottom lip, I automatically swivel from the waist and look behind me. There was no one there and I turn back around and see them all smiling at me and giving me little waves. I had no other choice - I smile despite my awkwardness and give them a little wave in return.

In typical Jack manner I hear this, “Come on. Say something, Aussie!”

I fear the nickname has stuck already. I shake my head then laugh, dipping my face shyly as I realise nearly everyone’s looking at me now. Next thing I know, Dan is by my side again.

“Okay, can we have a bit of quiet!” Booms the voice of the man in charge. The place suddenly falls deadly silent. I’m impressed!

“You guys down there know what to do, eh?” He asks the people standing on the ramp leading up to the gate. The good old colonel tosses his hand in the air, indicating a ‘yes’.

“Good.” The big boss turns to me and smiles. “Okay. Aussie, isn’t it?”

I grimace. It’s as good a nickname as anything I figure and I’m terrified to use my usual nickname here.

“I guess," I say, finding my voice. “It’s way better than Kanga at least.”

“Welcome to Stargate,” he smiles at me and I feel instantly at ease. He heads down to the gate room and I watch as he goes up to the group on the ramp and talks with them. Everyone is so relaxed around me, I can see I’m really going to enjoy working here! There’s a tap on my shoulder and Dan holds a Zat gun out to me. Finally a chance for me to look it over closely. It’s heavier than I imagine and I press the button and watch it open. I’m impressed all over again. I go to hand it back and he shakes his head.

“Go and give that to Dannyboy for me, will you?”

I raise my eyebrows. “Oh?”

“He’ll need it where he’s going,” Dan smiles. I nod and head off, hoping to hide my immediate fear upon knowing I have to go up to my God and present him with this token of my… Aww.. damn, I’m working here! What am I thinking!

Well, actually I’m thinking of standing at the door and just tossing the gun at him! He might be a good catch. I smile at my own joke. Who am I kidding. Daniel Jackson is one hell of a good catch!! Wouldn’t mind catching him myself, but I sigh, knowing that is an impossibility!

As I round the corner into the corridor I remind myself of why I’m here. I had to work damn hard to get here, had to study hard and prove myself in grueling interviews. I have what it takes and I need to trust that. I got this job because I was the best choice they had. I have my job to do now. Thoughts and flights of fantasy hold no place here. I’m at work!

I straighten back my shoulders and blow my fringe out of my eyes as I step into the gate room. Wow! It’s a lot bigger than I thought it would be! I stride up to the group on the ramp and suddenly my bravado has escaped me. I keep my eyes slightly diverted as I hold the gun out.

“For you,” I say.

“For me? Why thank you, Aussie, but I don't need it. I have one.”

I look up into smiling brown eyes and mutter an apology then turn to the man of the incredible blue eyes. I present the gun to him. Long, tanned fingers reach out and take it from my grasp and I note a yellowing at the fingertips. Was this guy a secret smoker? I wonder to myself.

“Thank you.” The softly spoken words yank me from my thoughts and I look up. I am in breathing distance of my god, Daniel Jackson. It’s a surreal moment in my life! Dumbfounded, I nod then smile. He smiles back then looks at the gun in his hand.

“What for?” he asks.

“I was told you needed it, so,” I shrugged, “you need it!”

I hear laughter from the others on the ramp. “You tell him, Aussie!”

I look up and see Daniel’s glasses perched on top of the dark blond head. I sigh, then reach up and remove them.

“You know, they belong on your face.” I berate him as I pass them to him again. He raises his brow at the lion who roared. “They look silly stuck way up there! You really should wear them more often.”

I hear the other three chuckling softly.

“Been here one day and is organizing you already!”

“Well, someone has to,” I sigh and smile as the glasses are put in place on the handsome face. “Daniel should wear his glasses”

“I’ve been telling him that for ages!” I hear Dan’s voice over the PA system and turn and see his smile. I know he’s backing me all the way on this thing and I appreciate it.

“He doesn’t listen to him,” the grey haired man leant in close and whispered to me. I nod.

“Well, he’ll listen to me. That’s my job!” I smile and look deliberately at the actor in question. He nods.

“Okay! Props, Lights, clear the set! Let’s get ready to roll!”

I trot from the set, race up the stairs and stand beside Dan. He smiles and nods and I smile and nod.

Yep, working here is going to be great!

The End

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