Making Observations
Making Observations
by Stef
Summary: Sara's just stopping off for a break when a familiar face appears.
Category: POV, Romance
Season: any Season
Pairing: Jack/Sam
Rating: G
Warnings: none
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: 10/10/03
Making observations
It was a quiet bar, a nice place at the edge of the town. One of the few places in the area that served food at the late hour and, at best, didn't contain the rowdy locals that inhabited some of the others. In fact, as she gazed around the place, she reasoned that the smaller groups of people in the bar were not the rowdy local types, and were no doubt waiting for the Kareoke that was advertised on one of the chalked boards outside. There was something familiar about them all, but she couldn't quite place it in her mind.
He followed her to the table and made sure she was seated before offering to buy her a drink. She smiled and gave the usual order before watching him wander to the bar, all polite stance and relaxed attitude. Despite the long drive and the necessity to stop he was calm and she smiled as he ordered her a gin and tonic whilst settling himself for a coke. She smiled again, as he began to produce a wallet from the pocket of his jeans.
The door of the bar opened and the cooler air bustled in as three men took a table within her sight.
The shortest of the three took off a pair of glasses that had been perched on his nose before glancing at a watch on his wrist. She saw a boyish grin as he pointed at the watch, pulling his fingers through his short brown hair. The taller man, black with a set face and very tensed muscles threw a beaming smile, his eyebrows having no doubt disappeared high into the black hat he was wearing.
The man sitting opposite them, the man whose face was concealed shrugged his leather-jacket-covered soldiers. Grey-haired head hanging he said something to the man with the glasses that forced the tall man's eyebrow high under his hat again. Sighing audibly even to her he stood up, granted a little slowly, and crossed to the bar, face sullen.
She stared at the man, open mouthed, as he wandered to the bar, walking curtly past her fianc to the bartender who he obviously knew. Her drink clinked on the table beside her, shocking her out of her surprise.
"Something wrong honey?"
"Oh, no it's just.... That man at the bar, he's my ex-husband."
"Ah..." his face fell slightly, "we can go..."
"It's ok, it was a long time ago."
As he began a conversation she found herself only half-listening as the door opened again, emitting yet another burst of cooler air.
The grey haired man at the bar was returning with the drinks when the other pair entered and seated themselves with the remaining two men. One didn't stay for long, already standing up as if to reach the bar and shrugging off offers of help from the brunette who she'd entered with. Her friend then sat down; having already taken off her coat to reveal a normal shirt and jeans that appeared to be interesting the man with the glasses greatly. She smiled at her friend once again, causing his eyes to widen.
The grey haired man had stopped sulking when his brown eyes had sighted the new arrivals and hurriedly deposited the drinks at the table before following the blonde to the bar, offering the help she'd declined from the brunette. The group at the table seemed interested in the event, mainly when the blonde had smiled at him, causing his step to falter a little. Drinks obtained he carried one and handed it to the brunette before seating himself in the remaining seat at the table, next to the blonde. Unsure whether to blame good or bad luck, she perked up when she realised she had a perfect few of the pair.
The next half hour passed smoothly, with her partner never noticing he only had half her attention. The empty glasses at the opposite table had increased slightly as she realised the man with the glasses couldn't handle his drink as well as the others. Into his third pint and he was already swooning slightly. Every so often she would hear a burst of laughing and either the man with the glasses, the blonde woman or the grey haired man would scowl and spurt a comeback, provoking more laughter.
They must be here on a night off; she rationalised, as the pretty blonde passed their table, now donning similar attire to her female friend. Her blue eyes sparkled in the dim lights as the bartender announced the start of the Kareoke and those who were brave enough to try it made their way up to the stage.
Back at the table there was a heated discussion going on which resolved in a coin appearing and being tossed repetitively as one by one the remaining four singled themselves out. By the time the blonde had returned to the table, the man with the glasses and the brunette were rising. After an explanation from the grey haired man, she smiled and patted her friend on the back before motioning the direction to the stage.
Evidently, the pair who had left would be gracing the club with a song or two.
The tall man excused himself, receiving a raised eyebrow from his two companions. He motioned to somewhere near the bar and the grey-haired man gave him some money, which the black man regarded with keen interest. She shook her head, these military types.
The music started and the braver pair began a rendition of the penultimate Grease song. She had to admit they were quite good, with a definite chemistry between them.
Now alone, the conversation seemed to have petered to an uncomfortable silence between the remaining pair. To tell the truth, the blonde looked a little uncomfortable. The grey haired man looked at the ceiling and muttered something that made the blonde women smile again. She replied quietly, pointing at the stage and he grinned laughing. The tension had dissolved and the two seemed to be letting down the barriers that had built when the tall man had departed.
She wasn't an expert but she knew feelings when she saw them, she'd lived with the guy for eleven years for god's sake. She knew his little perks, the way he shifted his weight when he was uncomfortable, the way he grinned when he knew something that his partner was oblivious too...She knew the way his eyes glazed over when he lost himself in his thoughts.
She smiled when the rest of the group returned to the table and his eyes gave the "damn it" expression when he thought the blonde wasn't looking. She watched her smile again, a genuine smile full of happiness that made his eyes light up when he saw it. And, as the rest of the group laughed at the performance from two of it's members, they shared a half sad, half wishful glance.
Sara smiled sadly, she'd moved on, and so had Jack O'Neill.
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to Stef
Heliopolis Main Archive
A Stargate: SG-1 Fanfiction Site
Making Observations
by StefSite Navigation
Support Heliopolis