AN: Mac gets another cross-over because he deserves some closure. At least for now. Also, because I had several requests to visit 6th century Eire. So, there's that. Don't worry, he'll be back again periodically but alas and alack, we leave their ancestors with this story so get your giggles in now. IF I write about them again, it's unlikely to be a crossover. This is post Divide & Conquer but before Window of Opportunity. Arguably for the Fate series it could be argued that this is why Jack does what he does in WoO.

Shaya Azraq - Something Blue

Chapter 1 - Spring Is Here, The Sky Is Blue

Jack chuckled at Carter's joke as he looked up. "Aw, come on Carter, did you have to call for reinforcements?"

"What? Oh, Hi Mac! How was your flight?" Sam chirped at Jack's distant cousin.

"Flight was ok. Some crazy marine was piloting it though. Landed her like he was hitting the three wire on a carrier."

Jack laughed. "You're supposed to land the aircraft; not plant it like a rhododendron."

"That's what I said!" Mac agreed, his expression one of injured pride.

Sam chuckled and shook her head. Jack and his cousin were more alike than not in looks and, if you put the younger man in a pair of BDUs and cut his hair, they would be hard to tell apart. How ironic that she'd known the younger man first and crushed on him a little but never felt anything like the spark she felt for the gray-haired man next to him laughing about how Marines fly aircraft. Their personalities were worlds apart as were their interests other than hockey. They shared a similar sense of humor and had nearly identical cocoa brown eyes. Angus was more excitable and smiled easier. Jack was more self-sacrificing.

"How's the kid?" Jack asked of Mac's son Sam.

"Doing his thing. Got some assignment he doesn't want to talk about in Antarctica right now." The blond man said with a shrug.

Sam and Jack looked at each other.

"Is there anything you two aren't involved in?" Mac asked them with exasperation.

"Do you think someone told them?" Jack asked her.

"You swore me to secrecy." She reminded him.

"Could just be a coincidence though." He agreed.

"Would you two stop that? I can't follow you when you only say half the conversation like a pair of old married people." Mac groused at them. "Ow! Hey!" he said as Jack elbowed him, but he caught the stern look the other man gave him and Sam's embarrassed blush. Mac shook his head and gave Jack a questioning look. Jack gave an almost imperceptibly short shake and Mac rolled his eyes at his cousin.

"You aren't getting any younger, Jack." He said, soto voco. to the gray-haired man frowning at him.

"Later." Jack said just as quietly but the word had all kinds of sharp edges to it.

Mac nodded. He could buy the man a beer while he nursed a cola tonight.

Having recovered herself, Sam smiled at Mac. "So, we had a little dilemma and thought you might be able to help us out."

"What have you got for me Sam?" He said, clapping his hands in such a similar gesture to Jack's that Sam bit back a chuckle. They both looked at her funny and she shrugged. She didn't figure they would be nearly as amused by it as she was.

"I've thought myself into a corner." She admitted. "I know how I want this sensor array to work but for some reason it's not working."

"Wait, did the girl genius Sam Carter admit she can't figure something out?" Mac asked her with a flirtatious grin.

Sam rolled her eyes, but she grinned.

"See, I don't make fun of you Carter." Jack reminded her smugly.

"You also aren't any help with engineering problems sir." She said with a chuckle.

"All right, I'll take a look at it. Sometimes it just takes a fresh set of eyes when you aren't under Damocles' blade."

Jack gave him a sharp look.

"What did I say now?" Mac asked defensively. "God, you're touchy lately."

"Sir, why don't you go see if you can get the techs to hand over their spec sheets for me so Mac can review what he's working on." Sam suggested.

Jack gave her a look. "Yah sure, you betcha." He singsonged and walked away whirling a finger in the air.

"What's going on with you two?" Mac asked her after Jack was out of ear shot.

Sam sighed. "It's complicated."

"How complicated?" He asked her kindly.

"Oh, stuff we aren't supposed to be thinking about each other - complicated." She said knowing no one was close enough to hear their conversation.

"Couldn't you just get assigned to another team or move to R&D?" he asked her, guessing the problem by her flushed cheeks and Jack's combative attitude.

She shook her head. "I wish it was that simple."

"Fate of the world stuff, huh." He said to her, his eyes gentle.

"Something like that, yah." She said softly to him. How much easier it would have been, she thought, to fall for the younger cousin.

"I'm sure you guys will figure something out." Mac said to her. But he knew love didn't always find a way and hoped whatever was keeping them from making the changes they needed to for each other was worth the sacrifice they were making.