Title: The Barista- 08- Dress Blues
Season: 1
Category: Drabble, Humor
Episode related: 120 Politics

Spoilers: None really, but this takes place at the beginning of Politics. Everyone remember that one? Daniel returns from the Alternate reality, but no one really believes that he was there. (So how'd he get a staff burn, hmmm?!) Later all four meet the always deceitful Senator Kinsey. It doesn't end well.

I was definitely having one of those days. You know the kind- the oversleep; stub your toe on the bathtub, bad hair sorta day. I had gotten to work just in time to open and had a whole string of bad customers- all before my first break. Then my relief person calls around 9 telling me she was going to be an hour late. An hour! Dammit, I so didn't need another hour of this crap. At least Stefan was keeping me entertained; he had shown up (on time for once, thank god) at 7 am and must definitely be getting some, because he was as cheerful as I have ever seen him.

It was now five minutes to 11 and I was doing my darndest to not continually glance at my watch. Freedom in just 300 brief seconds...

"Kira, I can't thank you enough for staying on," Jess gushes as she dashes through the front door. "Let me just grab my apron and you'll be free." With that she disappears into the backroom.

"You heard the woman, girl- Get." Stefan shoos me away from the register. "I'm pretty certain I can handle a couple of customers by myself."

"Thanks Stefan," I say gratefully untying my apron. "I'm just going to grab my half pound and skedaddle." Ah free coffee, one of the perks of working in a coffee shop.

Stefan was busy making a very dry cappuccino when I spied something colorful walking through the door. My jaw nearly dropped to the ground as I recognized what I was seeing. Who I was seeing.

Colonel Jack.

In uniform.

He blithely walks through the door completely oblivious to the awed expressions of those around him. Sure, we all know there's a military base not 10 miles from here, but we seldom see the guys walking around looking like frickin' GQ models. Jesus. If Colonel Jack O'Neill had shown up like that at my high school, half the class would have enlisted. And I'm talking men AND women. My mouth has suddenly gone completely dry and I have an errant desire to ask Colonel Jack to father my children. Ok so maybe I'm too young- father my mom's children then.

"Be with you in a sec!" Stefan yells over the espresso machine. All he knows is that someone walked in; he hasn't a clue who it is or what he looks like.

"I got it Stefan," I say somewhat hoarsely, as I step back up to the counter.

"Hi Kira," Jack greets me warmly, taking off his sunglasses and placing them in his jacket pocket. Uniform AND sunglasses. I've suddenly been transported to the set of an Officer and a Gentleman.

"Colonel Jack," I say without sounding too flustered. "Who'd have thought you cleaned up so nice?" Idiot!

Jack laughs. "Yeah, the uniform is a bit over-the-top, isn't it?" He says self-depreciatively. "Not something I enjoy wearing, I assure you." I can't help myself as I stare at all the pretty medals on his chest. God, he has a lot of them.

"Kira, you're staring," Jack says in a sing-song voice. I am certain I must be beet-red as I look up into his laughing eyes. Utterly gorgeous warm brown eyes...

"Sorry," I reply, taking a deep breath to compose myself. "What can I get you?" Before Jack can answer I hear Stefan's strangled gasp from the machine. Colonel Jack has been spotted! I suppress my smile.

"Just a regular coffee for me and.." Jack waves his hand absently in the air. "Something drinkable for Daniel." I smile.

"If you don't mind me asking Jack, why are you here dressed to the nines, ordering coffee for Daniel? Don't you have servants or something?" I quickly amend myself. "I mean junior officers." Jack chuckles.

"I gave the servants the day off." He must have noticed the absence of color in my face and decided to come clean.

"Daniel is stuck on base and seeing as I had to head home to pick up the uniform, he asked that I grab him something from his apartment. And I did. And now, being the very nice guy that I am, I'm getting him a coffee from his favorite barista!" Favorite barista? Does he mean me? Ahhhhh. Once again I feel myself getting warm. Man, I have NEVER blushed so much in my life.

"What's Daniel's mood Colonel?" I ask contemplating the perfect Daniel Jackson drink.

"Jack," he corrects.

"What's Daniel's mood Jack?" The Colonel lets out a heavy sigh. "Daniel actually is a little pissed at me right now. Kinda feels likes everyone is ganging up on him and it's Daniel against the world."

"Is it?" I ask still considering coffee options.

Jack lets out a snort, "I guess it just might be."

"Do you think he wants to be comforted, or would he rather stay angry?"

"Definitely angry," the Colonel pauses. "Either angry or ecstatically happy because everyone suddenly believes him."

"Think that'll happen?" I ask, while pouring the Colonel some freshly brewed Italian roast.

Jack scoffs again. "When pigs fly," he mutters.

"Well in that case, why don't we stick with the old standby- Double tall Americano. I know if it were me against the world, I'd want a little bitter aftertaste."

"Americano it is," Jack says giving me a go ahead. I open my mouth to send Stefan my request when he hands me a hot cup.

"Double Tall Americano," he says staring straight at Colonel Jack. I briefly close my eyes. Please don't embarrass me Stefan! And no drooling either.

"Can you put these in that cardboard holder thingy of yours?" Jack asks. "I SO don't want to spill anything and have the Pentagon mad at me for messing up my uniform."

"You're meeting with the Pentagon?!" I ask absolutely shocked. I mean, I knew Colonel Jack must be someone important, (have you LOOKED at the guy lately?) but the folks at the base are just doing some space research stuff, so why should the Pentagon be involved? Although... come to think of it, why would they need an Archaeologist who speaks Greek? Damn! I never did find out how many languages Daniel speaks.

"Just a little meeting," Jack says indicating how small by holding up his thumb and forefinger. I just shake my head and ring up the coffee. Colonel Jack pays, stuffs $2 into the tip jar and turns to leave.

"Tell Daniel I wish him the best of luck," I call after him.

"Best at what?" Jack asks, as he puts some milk into his coffee.

"Best at making pigs fly," I call. Jack shakes his head slowly as he gathers up his coffees.

As he walked out the door, I could have sworn I heard him say-

"Maybe pigs should fly."

End Season 1 Barista vignettes. Season 2 coming up next!

And to answer some of your questions- Yes I HAVE worked as a barista and yep, i DID work on an archaeological dig over in Israel. And, believe it or not, I also worked a couple seasons down in Antarctica as well. What can I say? It's loads easier to write from experience. I DON'T have a degree in Ancient Civilizations though. However, I DID think about it!

~dcc