Circles - Chapter 5
Circles - Chapter 5
by Explosion_Of_Colour
Summary: Sometimes life just keeps going round in circles. until something breaks the pattern.
Category: Action/Adventure, Romance
Season: any Season
Pairing: Jack/Sam
Rating: G
Warnings: minor language
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Archived on: 03/09/04
Circles
Chapter 5 - Fireworks
He stared at her, completely confused now. Sam was stubborn yes, but only for good reason, and what worried him further was that she had stopped insisting it was nothing.
"Just tell me what happened."
"I can't!" She protested, raising her voice again, frustrated that she felt tears sting the corners of her eyes.
"Why the hell not?" He yelled back,
"I just can't!"
"For cryin' out loud!" He released her arm at last, choosing instead to pull a hand through his short hair. "Is it that bad that you can't tell me? It was twenty minutes, Carter! What the hell happened?"
Sam looked at him in despair; why wouldn't he leave it alone? He was making it so difficult to keep it to herself, but as much as she tried to convince herself, she couldn't work out how she could trust her life to Karrington - even temporarily. It was beginning to dawn on her that she had no reason to believe Karrington wouldn't try to hurt her again. But she had no way of exposing him without risking both hers and Jack's careers, and telling Jack would most likely result in further complications. After seven years the irrational need to prove herself to her team - to Jack - was still there.
"Colonel, please. It's nothing to do with...us." Sam told him calmly, hesitating on how to describe their relationship. She sat down again on the armchair, not daring to meet his eyes for fear his expressive features would convince her to blurt out everything.
"Explain something to me, Major." Jack replied heatedly, his frustrated anger still obvious as he stood over her. "Why do I get the feeling this has to do with Karrington?"
She finally looked up at him in surprise. "What?"
"The two of you seemed pretty chummy at the party the other night." He accused her, not really believing what he was saying. He knew it didn't make sense, but she was hurting him by not being honest, so in typical O'Neill fashion, he was lashing out.
Sam glared at him in shock, the wounded expression on her face making him regret what he'd said already.
"Well, sir," her blue eyes flashed furiously and her cheeks flushed pink in rage. "After I went up to the car park last night Colonel Karrington came on to me, and wouldn't take no for an answer. And I can't report him because he threatened both our careers."
Jack stood dumbfounded, trying to take in what she'd just said.
"Karrington did what?" He asked, his tone incredulous.
Sam misread his reaction, provoking the tears to return to her eyes again. "You don't believe me?"
"Sam, what did he do to you?" Jack asked her urgently, grasping her hands in his, making her realise his fury wasn't directed at her any more.
"He didn't...I fought him off, but I...I hit my head." She explained, surprising herself by keeping her voice even.
Jack's body was rigid, and she could tell from the fire in his eyes he was furious as he stared at her, weighing the honesty of her answer. "I'll kill him." He growled suddenly, releasing her hands and making for the door.
"Sir, no!" Carter managed to place herself between him and the front door before he got there. "He saw us the other night after Colonel Webster's party, that's why I didn't want to tell you. It's best to forget about it."
"What do you expect me to do, Sam? Working along-side the bastard after he tried to rape my 2IC?" Jack shouted at her, making her flinch at his bluntness.
"I don't know, sir." She replied quietly, suddenly feeling tired.
"Damn it, Sam, stop 'sir'ing me!" Jack told her, misplaced irritation tainting his tone as he reluctantly sat back on the sofa. Sam sat down next to him, hesitantly assessing how to convince him to deal with this her way.
"Tell me what happened." He asked her, seemingly calmer, staring down at his hands.
Sam sighed, then explained exactly what had transpired in those twenty minutes. She found herself tearful yet again as she retold the events, the full extent of what could have happened dawning on her. Jack clenched and unclenched his fists whilst she spoke, never looking up to meet her eyes until she finished. He noticed her hands trembling slightly, then her watery eyes, and gave in to the overwhelming urge to hug her, embracing her tightly. It felt as good as it had all those years ago after realising they'd left Daniel behind on a planet alive, rather than dead, Jack's strong arms comforting her, stoking a hand over her hair. Jack heard her sniff a few times as he comforted her, but so far as he could tell she didn't cry outright - she never did. They sat for a good few minutes in each other's arms, both taking solace from the warmth of the embrace.
"I'm sorry." She spoke at last, not moving from his arms.
"Nothing to be sorry for." Jack replied, being the one to pull back - reluctantly however, to show the sincerity in his face. He leaned in to kiss her cheek, needing the contact, but they found themselves drawing closer again, the moment they'd shared outside the hotel returning. They kissed tentatively at first, both expecting the other to put a stop to it, and then she circled her arms around him, pulling him as close to her as she could. As their kisses became more heated, Jack manoeuvred her body under him on the sofa. He broke off the kiss, then bracing himself with an elbow either side of her, he brushed aside a strand of wayward blonde hair from her eyes affectionately.
"You know I love you, don't you?" Jack asked her, surprising himself at how easily it slipped out. He caressed the side of her face with one hand, admiring how pretty her eyes were when she smiled and nodded, pulling him down for another kiss.
"Are you sure you want to..." he pulled away again, his rational mind not quite believing he was doing what he'd refused to act on for the past seven years. Her smile was shy this time, but her eyes reflected their conviction.
"Bedroom," she breathed quietly, to which Jack grinned and scooped her up in his arms.
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