Jacob Carter Knows Everything
Jacob Carter Knows Everything
by Jojo
Title: Jacob Carter Knows Everything
Author: Jojo
Email: randomleaves@yahoo.co.uk
Category: Romance
Episode related: 609 Allegiance
Season: Season 6
Pairing: Sam/Jack
Rating: PG
Warnings: none
Summary: What the title says.
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).
A/N: S/J shippy Joy. Hey, if this is formatted terribly - do tell me. I don't know how to do it. I have Lotus software, not microsoft. Sigh.
Author: Jojo - randomleaves@yahoo.co.uk - www.geocities.com/randomleaves/
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 is an original MGM, Greenburg/Anderson, Gekko, Top Secret, Kawoosh! production. Any material relating to Stargate SG-1 is for entertainment only, and is in no way meant as an infringement on copyrights. In other words, I own nadda.
Spoilers: Season 6 definitely, since this takes place directly after 'Allegiance'. *
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Jack got the distinct impression that he was being watched. He looked up from his carton of food and glanced around the table. Automatically he looked to the left at the one person he wanted to be staring at him, but Carter (Jr) was determinedly eating her own food, her brow slightly wrinkled in an expression of distaste. Tonight, joy of joys, it was Tok'ra surprise and Carter was too polite to complain.
Next to her Jonas - who'd been a wonderful surprise guest through the gate a couple of hours before - had already finished his meal and was enjoying what looked to be a very intense conversation with one of the snakeheads, ahem, Tok'ra guys. He certainly wasn't staring at Jack, thank God. Teal'c, naturally, was not at the table. He was with Bra'tac. Probably having a kel'nor'reem party or something. There were a bunch of other Tok'ra, some of the more neutral Jaffa rebels who had taken Bra'tac's earlier words straight to heart. Then there was Jacob. Staring at him.
Well. That was okay. He guessed. He liked Jacob. They got on. He wasn't quite so keen on the snake thing but Selmak, at least, had a sense of humour. Conjuring up a weak imitation of a smile, Jack went back to his food, picking out the bits that looked black and crunchy and seriously like little beetles.
He leaned a little towards Carter. '' What do you think about the red stuff?'' he stage whispered.
'' Like chilli. Only not hot. Or... like chilli,'' she whispered back, grinning suddenly.
As usual, Jack felt that smile right down to his toes. He grinned foolishly back. It was moments like this that Jack cherished. When things were safe, things were comfortable, when work or world destruction wasn't on the horizon. When he could sit around a wobbly, badly constructed dining table with two different types of aliens and chat with Carter about alien food. When she could smile at him so it seemed he was all that was in her world.
'' I think the black bits have legs.''
She giggled, tilted her carton towards him so he could see how she'd divided her food into what was edible and what was potentially disgusting. Astonished, Jack showed her his own carton and they looked down. Both of them had done exactly the same thing. The little black bits had gone into the right corner, just above that were the little red bits, and in between them were the strands of slimy green stuff. Their cartons were identical. Well. As far as Jack was concerned, if they hadn't been in the Air Force, if he hadn't been her CO, if they hadn't been in a war situation, he would have proposed right then and there.
'' Great minds think alike,'' was all he could manage. Because all of the above reasons were still perfectly intact in their lives.
She smiled and nodded, lowered her head somewhat shyly. Was it his imagination, or was she blushing? Nah. Had to be the light in the room.
Jacob was still staring.
After 'dinner', SG-1 went their separate ways - Carter off to check out some of the Tok'ra gadgets, a little spring in her step as she followed the one who had offered her this exciting chance, Jonas decided he was tired after his exhausting day of... sitting in the SGC and probably eating a lot, while Jack thought he'd have a bit of a wander around his Alpha site.
It was with great pride and a sense of achievement that Jack walked through the camp. The planning that had gone into selecting the planet as the site for Earth's first off-world base had been astronomical - he'd had meeting after meeting with scientists, tactical specialists, Hammond, the Joint Chiefs, the odd senator, the President, but it had been worth it. Of course it had been worth it. The Alpha site was his pride and joy - he had achieved something with the place which, for Jack, who didn't have a brilliant astrophysicist mind, or astonishing linguistic powers, was a pleasure that knew no limits. This site would be here after he retired, a little piece of him left behind, even if Hammond didn't take up Jack's suggestion that the planet be called 'Jack'.
'' Jack.''
He stopped, hands in his pockets, and turned around. '' Jacob.''
Carter's dad meandered over, obviously in no hurry. The faint smile on his face really should have sent Jack onto an alert of some kind. '' It's a great site, Jack.''
'' It is, isn't it?'' He smiled proudly, leaned back on his heels.
'' Sam tells me it's been your baby for the last couple of years.''
She did? Huh. Wonder what else 'Sam' told her dad about him. '' Just a hobby. Gotta do something with my spare time, after all,'' he quipped.
Jacob ignored the deliberate attempt of Jack's to downplay the Alpha site's importance to him. He gestured with his head to suggest that they continue to walk. '' This Jonas guy, he getting on with the rest of SG-1? Sam's been really quiet on the subject.''
'' He's all right. Smiles a lot. Did you notice?''
Jacob raised his eyebrows. '' Not really. I wasn't paying much attention to him at dinner. I was more interested in watching my daughter flirt with her CO. And her CO flirting right back.''
Jack stopped walking. It was that or fall over and break his nose in a dead faint. He made an unidentifiable noise, then a '' Wha?'' He shook his head quickly - dammit, he was black ops trained, he could do better than this. '' Jacob, what in God's name are you talking about?''
Carter's dad merely started walking again and, reluctantly, Jack followed, hands in his pockets once more.
'' Did you like dinner?''
What was this? Was he using interrogation tactics on him? Changing the conversation to throw him off? Well it damn well wasn't going to work. '' No.''
'' Me either. God, the Tok'ra can't do food, can they? I think it's because they don't have a definable culture. They try to match everyone's tastes and it just comes out as.... mush.''
Despite himself, and his misgivings, Jack smiled. '' It was revolting, Jacob. No wonder you come back and scrounge food from the commissary. Not that the commissary food is much better.''
'' Have you tried Sam's cooking?''
Wincing slightly, Jack nodded.
'' I would eat that on a regular basis rather than the stuff that gets doled out for the Tok'ra.''
Now that was saying something.
'' Bless her. Her mother couldn't cook either. Funnily enough, Sam was actually quite a good little cook when she was a girl. Mostly sweet things, of course, as children tend to prefer. Who'd want to make a meatloaf when you could whip up some cookies? I had real hopes that she hadn't inherited the Taylor cooking gene, but that went to pot when her mother died. Not surprising really. Mark moved out as fast as he possibly could, I was rarely at home. She'd just order in or go to a friends. I got permission for her to come and eat with me sometimes, but that would always be commissary food, or whatever my current secretary had found for her.''
Seeing a possibly opportunity to delve a little into a childhood he'd heard little about, Jack decided to jump in the deep end and ask the question he'd never been able to ask Carter. '' Jacob, can I ask, how did... Sam's mom die?''
'' Car accident.'' They came to the edge of the forest and stopped naturally. Jacob turned to look at him. '' I was supposed to be picking her up from the station but something came up at work and I was delayed. She got a taxi instead, as I knew she would. The taxi driver had a heart attack and the taxi crashed.''
Jack looked down at his boots, confused by the feelings that were coursing through him. Guilt and empathy for Jacob, pity for Carter, and other, unidentifiable emotions. '' Damn.''
'' She was thirteen, Mark was nearly nineteen.'' He tilted his head to the side and half closed his eyes. '' You never forgive yourself for something like that.''
'' No. You don't.''
And Jack knew, in that moment of shared understanding, that Carter had told her dad about Charlie. He wasn't angry. In fact, maybe he was relieved that Jacob knew, that Jacob understood. Maybe he was relieved that Jacob, a man he had only known for a relatively short period of time, didn't condemn him. Was that weird? Was it weird to want the respect of Carter's father?
Jacob reached out and patted him on the arm. '' You're a good man, Jack. Whatever you've done in the past, and I'm sure you've done a lot by the way your file is censored, I know you're a good man. I'm glad you're my daughter's CO. Even if you are besotted with her and vice versa.''
'' Jesus!'' Ooh, this man was good. They hadn't made him a three star general for nothing. '' Jacob, God, I'm not besotted with Carter!''
'' Sure you're not. I believe you.'' He started walking again and Jack was so incensed he stormed over to him.
'' Jacob, she's my 2IC. We have a close working relationship.''
'' Yes. I've noticed.''
And if that wasn't suggestive then Jack didn't know what was. He was speechless.
Completely speechless.
'' So, since we're sharing all manner of personal things tonight, how are things between you and your ex-wife?''
'' What?''
'' Are you divorced?''
Again with the speechlessness.
Finally, finally - God, this was so embarrassing - Jack managed to make a sentence. '' Yes, Sara and I are divorced. We tried to work things out a few years ago but...'' Since he was halfway in love with a certain captain at the time, Jack hadn't really thought it had been fair to a woman who deserved so much more than a part-time husband.
'' Sam wasn't really clear on the subject.''
'' Would you stop....'' He stopped, narrowed his eyes. '' Did she put you up to this?''
'' Up to what?''
'' Finding out all this stuff about me.''
Jacob struck an innocent expression. '' No. I put myself up to this.'' He sighed, turned and put a hand out to stop Jack from walking any further. '' Look, Jack, two years ago, General Hammond mentioned to me something that caused me a great deal of worry where you and my daughter were concerned.''
Uh oh.
'' What would that be, then?'' Jack demanded, trying to look confused.
Jacob reached up and thwacked Jack around the head affectionately. '' Don't put that stupid expression on your face, Jack. You're much brighter than you let on and you know exactly what I'm talking about.''
'' You just hit me,'' Jack managed, trying to see how he'd got into this mess in the first place while putting a hand up to his head, just to check. It hadn't been a very hard hit, but, still, the man had certainly got his point across.
'' No, I didn't.'' Jacob walked off. Again.
This was beyond frustrating. This was reaching epidemic proportions of frustrating and confusing and infuriating and every word in the thesaurus for those sensations. '' Yes, you damn well did!'' He stalked after Jacob, unconsciously knowing this was what Jacob had intended all along.
They passed a group of Jaffa and exchanged respectful nods, Jacob popped in to speak to one of his snake buddies, Jack paused to chat to an overly alert sentry who had his fingers clenched around his P-90 like it was a buoy in the Atlantic and hoped his words had calmed the man down somewhat.
Then, horror of horrors, Jacob saw fit to continue their little man to man chat.
'' Did I tell you I have a new grandbaby? Marie Elise Carter.''
Jack sighed. Actually, he did know. Sam had a picture of her new niece in her office, stuck to her wall. '' This isn't going to work, Jacob...''
'' Blonde. Why are all my grandchildren blonde, do you think? Both of her parents are dark haired. I'm sure Sam could explain it to me. Both of my children are science whizzes, you know? Mark's something complicated in pharmaceuticals - I forget what - and Sam's this astro-whizz. You know, for years I had no idea just exactly what she was doing? I mean, she decided what she wanted to be in high school. Did all the right subjects, took the right courses, all by herself. I had nothing to do with it. I guess I only realised what she'd achieved when she was made Valedictorian and I had her professors coming up to me and embracing me like I'd produced the next Einstein.''
Jack suddenly, desperately, needed to lie down. It was only nine but he was really, really quite tired. Jacob, on the other hand, was walking rather spryly. Guess Selmak had healed his wound. Unconsciously, Jack looked down at his knees. They had been a constant source of private worry to him since it had become clear the SGC was going to be a long-term operation and now that they were healed - good old Kanan and Ba'al - they were a constant worry again. Because they were a reminder of a time he'd quite like to block forever from his memory.
When they arrived at SG-1's VIP tent, Jacob looked smug and Jack looked even more confused. '' So....'' Jack began.
'' So, nothing, Jack. I just wanted to tell you that I know and that... I don't mind.''
He still wasn't going to give anything but that statement needed clarifying. '' Don't mind what, exactly?''
'' That you and Sam have this... thing.''
'' Sam and I don't have a 'thing'.''
'' You do.''
'' We don't.''
'' You do.''
'' Dammit, Jacob, we have nothing.''
'' Well, then, you should.''
Huh?
And again,
HUH?
Jacob nodded, pleased that his point had been put across. '' Goodnight, Jack. See you in the morning.''
Jack spluttered. He started half sentences. He sighed. He grunted. He muttered unsavoury things about generals, Tok'ra, and Carter (Sr). Then, when he'd finally thought of a comeback, Jacob had already gone out of sight.
'' Great, just great,'' Jack muttered. He wished he wasn't too old to have a tantrum.
There was only one thing to do, now that he didn't feel tired any more. Only one person he could possibly see who would make this all better.
As luck would have it, Carter was alone in the lab that was full of Tok'ra gadgets and gizmos and whatdyacallems and doohickeys. There was this really nice sparkly one in the middle of the table that caught Jack's eye immediately and he was just reaching out to pick it up when Carter whipped it away.
'' Hey, I was just gonna...'' he complained
Carter looked at it nervously. '' I, um, need this for something.'' She turned and popped it into some kind of metal box on the bench behind her then, clearly as an afterthought, closed and locked the box. '' What can I do for you sir?''
He perched on the edge of a stool and smiled sardonically at her. '' Nothing. Just had a nice chat with Dad.''
She looked at him sharply, then her expression softened. '' Painful?''
'' Yes.''
'' What did he do to you?''
Jack fingered the side of his head gently. It didn't hurt at all now, but that wasn't the point. '' I really don't understand him.''
'' Join the club. I'm President, Mark's Chairman. We have a space for you as Security Chief.''
Damn, but he loved her sense of humour. '' Perfect. Do I get a badge?''
'' And a complimentary toaster.''
'' Oooh, goodie.''
She grinned her full mega-watt, mega-impact smile and Jack felt himself sigh internally. He really was completely loopy about her. It just didn't go away, no matter how much he buried it.
She bent her head and went back to pulling apart something... wiry looking. Ooh, there was something sparkly inside that, as well. Wonder if she'd let him play with that...
No, no. That wasn't the point of this little conversation. '' Carter?''
'' Yeah?''
'' Do we... have something?''
Carter looked up, and for a moment he thought she'd been electrocuted. He jumped off the stool and approached the bench, half afraid she was going to pass out. '' What?'' she whispered.
'' Jesus, don't do that to me. You looked like..'' He wasn't going to go into what she looked like. Suffice to say his blood was pumping really fast now and in an entirely unpleasant way.
'' What the hell did you just say?''
He shifted uncomfortably and looked at her SGC badge on her arm. The panic in her voice had just given him goosebumps and he didn't think he could look her in the eye. '' Do we have something, Carter?''
'' What do you mean?''
'' I mean... do you like me?''
'' Oh my God, are you nuts?''
Jack grinned, looked up at her appalled expression. Suddenly, this was kinda fun. He understood Jacob's motives entirely now. '' No. I just want to know. If I wasn't your CO, would you have said yes if I'd asked you out?''
Her eyes widened further, if possible. All the colour had drained from her face. '' Jesus.''
'' Sam, come on, it's not a difficult question.''
'' Sam? I'm 'Sam' now?''
'' It is your name.''
'' Do I get to call you 'Jack'?''
A tingle of pleasure ran down his spine. '' It's always been an option.''
Then, quick as lightening, she blurted, '' Yes.''
'' What?''
'' Yes, if our situations were different, I would have said yes.''
Jack's impulsive grin was probably from ear to ear. '' Really?''
She looked positively murderous, and pointed to the door. '' Get out.''
He held up his hands defensively, still grinning. '' I'm sorry, I'm sorry. So we do have something.''
Deeply disturbed, Carter closed her eyes and shook her head. '' Yes. We do have something. What that something is I don't really know, but we do have something. Is that good enough for you, Colonel?''
'' For the time being, it's just perfect.''
She sighed.
THE END
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