Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis or any of the characters related to the shows. The original characters, however, are my fault.

Author's Note: Okay, boys and girls, you can blame this one on bailey1ak and her wonderful story, Kissing Traditions. That one story jumpstarted a character fascination that wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it down. So let's get started. . . . ~lg

oOo

"Now how did I end up here?" Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell stared at the park with something akin to dread. Not that he didn't want to be there. But he'd just arrived in southern New Mexico the previous evening and did not want to meet the bride's family in such a public and boisterous setting.

Rather than dwelling on his circumstances, Cam walked toward the large group gathered around a smoking grill and accompanied by a contingent of children playing tag. He grinned, knowing that he could always spend time with the kids if he needed to escape the family. He knew from personal experience how embarrassing the elderly aunts and grandparents could be at these shindigs. Had he been in charge, Andrew and his fiancée would never have endured such torture. But, here he was, in support of a friend about to tie the knot.

Cam shook his head as he walked toward the gathering. He never thought he'd see fellow Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Baker settle down. Like Cam, he was too much of a flyboy. But this lady, Amber, wouldn't take no for an answer. She managed to get Andrew out on a first date, and the rest of the relationship just happened. At least, that's how Andrew explained it. From the looks Amber gave him, she was wrapped around his little finger.

As he walked, Cam looked up and scowled. When Andrew said southern New Mexico, Cam pictured wide open plains and lots of brown, not nearby mountains and dark clouds hovering in the background. The mid-July heat wasn't as stifling as he thought, but the blanket of humidity made breathing difficult. Yesterday, when he'd arrived, the rain fell in sheets for all of ten minutes, clearing away to bright blue skies and puddles of water deep enough to make a compact car float away.

The park Andrew's in-laws had chosen for the get-to-know-everyone cookout was actually quite nice. The grass provided a place for kids to play soccer, tag, or dodge ball. An amphitheater rose out of the ground, and a band played some sort of rock and blues mix that echoed over the park. Cam listened as he walked, impressed by the blending of the two styles. Since Andrew and Amber spoke to each other in quiet tones that indicated they didn't want to be interrupted, Cam paused to listen to the music. The lead singer, a woman who appeared to be in her mid to late twenties, had a low voice without the rocker's growl that so many women liked to develop. The rest of the band consisted of a Hispanic bass player, a wiry guitarist, and a very pretty pianist. The song ended, and Cam grinned as the woman at the piano looked directly at him. Her cheeks darkened a bit, and his grin widened. He'd never thought about having the power to make a girl blush simply by looking at her.

Deciding he'd done enough damage for the moment, Cam turned from the stage to find Andrew. The two men had visited for a short time the night before, but it wasn't enough to catch up with a buddy he hadn't seen since flight school. They had both put in some time on the F-22 Raptor, but Cam had been sidetracked when his piloting skills took a turn for the fantastic. The two men still kept in touch and were close enough that Andrew asked Cam to be his best man. Honored by the request, Cam still dreaded the day he had to don his dress blues.

"Shaft."

Cam turned at the sound of his call sign. "Bach."

Andrew groaned. "You would have to remind me, wouldn't you?"

"Always." Cam grinned as he shook hands with his buddy.

Next to them, Amber scowled. "What's 'Bach?'"

Cam's grin widened again. "Andrew, here, neglected to tell us that his mom likes classical music. During one particularly boring day in flight school, the guys decided that, since he had the largest CD collection with him, he could provide the music for a gathering. Someone found the CD of Bach and put it in. We cleaned up the drinks the guys spewed all over him, and Andrew took a shower. When it came time to assign call signs, 'Bach' sorta stuck. "

Andrew laughed. "Yeah, those were the days."

Amber looked between the two of them. "And 'Shaft?'"

"Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell, ma'am." Cam held out his hand. "Better known in flight circles as Cam 'Shaft' Mitchell." When she shook his hand, a dubious expression on her face, he sighed. "A camshaft is part of an engine used to open and close valves."

"Oh."

Andrew slipped an arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, honey. Most people don't get it anymore. Cam, here, just happens to like cars."

Cam followed the two toward the grill, where most everyone had congregated. The band finished playing and secured their instruments on the stage. He watched the pretty pianist jump down from the elevated platform and head toward the crowded area around the grill. Apparently, she was part of the gathering. Suddenly, his day looked a little brighter.

For the next few minutes, Cam mingled with people he didn't know, trying not to draw too much attention. He saw the sideways glances, however, and decided to escape no matter how many pretty women there were. His job made him aware of attention, and attention was bad.

Someone stopped beside him. "So, friend of the bride or groom?"

Cam turned to see the wiry guitarist. "Groom. You?"

"Bride." The guy scowled. "Well, my sister is. I'm just here to perform and get free food."

The piano player walked over and hit him in the arm. "Danny, be nice." She turned to Cam, a slight flush covering her cheeks as she did so. "Deanna Chandry."

"Cam Mitchell." For some reason, he didn't want his rank to be an issue between them. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." She nodded toward the guitar player, who looked almost identical to her. "My brother, Daniel."

"Twins?"

"Yep." Danny, as he obviously preferred to be called, looked around. "I'll catch up to you later, Dee. Nice to meet you, Cam."

Cam waved as the guy dodged a few kids and stopped next to a pretty blond. He turned back to Deanna, noticing how the sun highlighted her curly brown hair. Suddenly, he didn't quite know what to say. She was prettier up close than far away. Her hazel eyes sparkled, and her skin fairly glowed with vitality.

Before he could come up with something incredibly stupid, she rescued him. "So, did you come down for the wedding or to harass Andrew about it?"

He clearly recognized the good-natured jibe in there. "I can't do both?"

"There's a trick to doing both these days." She eyed him. "Especially if he outranks you."

"Oh, he doesn't outrank me." Then, he frowned. "How'd you know?"

"Besides the high-and-tight haircut and the dog tags peeking at your neck?" She grinned. "I have a cousin in the Air Force, and my dad was retired Air Force. Always did like a man in uniform."

Cam suddenly turned to face her, intrigued by her comment. "Let me properly introduce myself. I am Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell, USAF."

Deanna nodded sagely. "Nice to meet you, Colonel." She looped her arm through his and started walking toward the end of the food line. "So, where are you from?"

"As in stationed or originally?" He grabbed a paper plate and handed it to her. "I'm stationed at Peterson AFB, but I'm from Auburn, Kansas. You?"

"Good old New Mexico." She shrugged. "Not that I don't ever want to leave. I just like it here, and our business is here."

"Business?"

"Yeah, landscaping and greenhouse." She finished filling her plate with a hot dog and chips. "My brother and I co-own the business."

"Ah." He started to say something but stopped when she chose her soda from the cooler. "Mountain Dew?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with it?"

"Nothing." He swiped a generic cola. "You just strike me as an iced tea kinda girl."

"Is that so?" She led him to a spot on the grass and picked at the hot dog while they talked. Cam studied her, noticing how she barely looked at him without blushing. That was a good sign, he decided. Besides, the more he got to know her, the better he liked her spirited outlook on life. They spent the majority of the afternoon in the shade of a willow tree, laughing and talking about very little of importance. When her brother called for her to help with the equipment, Cam jumped to his feet and held out his hand.

Deanna stared at it for a moment and then allowed him to pull her to her feet. Cam didn't let go immediately, enjoying the closeness and the way she seemed unable to tear her eyes away from his face. His heart did funny things at that moment, and he didn't want to look anywhere else.

A shrill whistle broke the spell, and Deanna blushed again, this time at her brother's teasing shout. "I'm sorry. I really need to help them break down the equipment."

"I'll come help." Cam gathered their plates and jogged over to a trash can. Then, he followed Deanna toward the stage where several large amplifiers waited to be loaded into a trailer. Deanna set about breaking down the microphones, chatting easily with the lead singer. Cam simply helped the bass player pick up another amp and carry it to the trailer.

By the time he left the park that day, he'd acquired a sunburn and one very important business card. After he helped them load the band's equipment on the trailer, Deanna slipped him one of her cards, her personal cell number written on the back. As she drove away, he flipped the card in his hands. Perhaps coming to New Mexico for a wedding wasn't so bad after all.

oOo

Alyssa stared at the tall colonel who appeared at the picnic. When he'd first arrived, she'd drawn in a sharp breath. Those blue eyes could charm anyone, and that face. . . . Oh, she wanted to get close to him. She needed to get close to him. So, she pushed her way through the crowd, intent on inserting herself into his circle of friends. But the musicians from the band reached him first. She watched as he smiled and flirted with the piano player and shook her head. With looks like that, he could do so much better. But his conversation with the pianist served her well. She discovered his name and rank. Cameron. She whispered it, letting it roll over her tongue like fine wine. Yes, that name suited him well. He moved like a man sure of himself, just as his name suggested.

As Alyssa watched him through the afternoon, she worked to keep her emotions from her face. But Cameron was just too attractive. She finally left the party for the sanctuary of her car, where she'd be able to stare at him without anyone noticing. From her position, she watched the pianist slip a card into his hands and shook her head. The woman didn't know what was good for her.

Alyssa smiled and waited until Cameron left the park. She had ways of eliminating competition. If she could get close to him, all her dreams would be realized. All her desires for the future rested in Cameron. Like a drug, he addicted her immediately. If this fascination with the piano player continued, she would take action. No one could step in between her and the one who would fulfill her every desire.

~TBC