What is her answer?
What is her answer?
by Kimberly
Summary: Pete has asked Sam to marry him. How does Jack react when he learns she hasn't given him an answer yet?
Category: Angst
Season: any Season
Pairing: Jack/Sam
Rating: PG
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: 03/06/04
What is her Answer?
His head came up when he heard the knock at his door.
"Enter. Hi, Daniel."
"Jack. How ya' doing?"
"Fine. What can I do for ya?"
"I was hoping we could talk."
"Talk?"
"Yeah."
"About?"
"Sam."
"What about Sam?" There was a brief moment of panic when Jack worried something might be wrong with her but he quickly decided the lack of alarms meant it couldn't be too bad.
"Have you heard about her and Pete?"
"I know there is a Pete but to be honest she doesn't really talk to me about him. I'm not real interested in doing anything to change that."
"He asked her to marry him."
"Oh..." Jack knew his world was crashing in around him. "It hasn't been that long has it?"
"Not really. Of course, I guess I can't really give advice about dating for a long time before getting married."
"No, I guess not. Have they picked a date?" Jack's voice was strained. His hands had fallen idle in his lap. He was staring at the computer screen saver but not registering what he saw.
"Well, that's actually why I'm here. She hasn't given him an answer."
"She hasn't." Jack failed to hide the pleasure in his response although he masked his smile quickly.
"No, it's been four days and she has stopped answering when he calls. He's left a ton of messages."
"And why do you know all of this?"
"I'm the surrogate brother, remember? She's been using me as a sounding board to try and figure out why she didn't say yes the minute he asked."
"And?"
"She hasn't figured it out but I think I have."
"Are you planning to keep it a secret?"
"I think it's you."
"Me? I swear I haven't done anything to cause her to..."
"I wasn't saying you had! Look, the four of us are all very close. For the last eight years, we have been her family. Now a new guy steps into the picture and changes everything. I think she feels like she has to choose between a life with him and a life with us."
"And by that you specifically mean with me?"
"I think so, yeah. I don't think she has given up the hope of there being a you."
"The hope of me. Are you trying to play cupid, Daniel?"
"Not really, but if that's how it works out that's alright by me. My only objective is to see Sam happy. I don't care if it's you or Pete that can accomplish it."
"So what is it you want me to do?"
"Talk to her."
"Harder done then said, my friend."
"Yeah, but it still needs to be done. Teal'c and I have tried but I think it has to come from you."
Jack ran his hand through his hair. He wasn't too sure about this.
"I'll think about it."
"Think hard and do it soon. She's miserable." Daniel got up off the stool and made his way out the door. Jack didn't move from his chair.
**
Jack decided this wasn't a conversation he could have on base or in his BDU's. After getting into his civvies and making sure Carter had left over an hour ago, he went to his truck and headed to her house. He picked up a pizza and some ice cream on the way. He knew ice cream usually placated an upset woman, he hoped for once Carter would be a typical woman.
Carter was surprised when she opened the door. "Sir."
"Evening Carter. Are you busy?"
"Well, not really."
"Good. Hungry? I brought pizza and dessert."
"Dessert?"
"You have to eat your dinner first Carter."
"Yes, sir." The smile on her face was glorious. How was he supposed to give her permission to leave him?
Carter got a couple paper plates and sodas while Jack put the ice cream in the freezer. They sat on the sofa eating while the television played some random sitcom. They were both trying to hide the fact that neither of them was watching the show.
"Thanks for dinner, sir. Is this the only reason you stopped by tonight?"
"No, but...can't I just stop by to bring dinner?"
"Of course you can sir, but you usually don't. Is something wrong?"
"Daniel came to see me today."
"About?"
"He said Pete asked you to marry him." She couldn't hide the shock that crossed her face.
"Yeah." Sam suddenly looked very interested in her empty paper plate. Jack drank the last bit of soda from his can.
"Were you waiting until after you decided on your answer to tell me?" Her head shot up to look at him and just as quickly she looked back down.
"Is there anything Daniel didn't tell you?"
"I'm sure he left out some stuff but since he didn't tell me I don't know what it is. That sounded better when I was thinking it."
"I'm sure it did, sir. I guess Sara answered right away when you asked her, huh."
"Yeah, she did. I don't mean to sound too cocky but I pretty much knew what her answer was gonna be. We had talked about before. Lots of times before, actually. I think she was getting tired of waiting for me to get up the courage."
"What would you have thought if she didn't answer you right away?"
"I probably would have figured it was a no."
"And?"
"And I would have high tailed it out of there with what little bit of my dignity that remained. So why didn't you say yes when he asked?"
"I've been trying to figure it out. I have really enjoyed my time with him the last few months. He's funny and he makes me feel special, very feminine."
"Feminine?"
"Yeah. Is that a surprise, sir?"
"I guess so. I'm just so use to you with a P-90 that I have a hard time picturing high heels and flowers. I could probably get use to it if you gave me a chance to really think about it though."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really." They went back to sitting in silence. Carter was swirling the remaining soda in her can and Jack was watching her.
"So, Carter, have you decided what to tell him or are you just going to keep avoiding him?"
"It isn't right to keep him hanging."
"So?"
"I don't feel like I can say yes."
"Then say no."
"It sounds so easy."
"Why isn't it?" She looked up at him and he saw the tears in her eyes. She was working hard to not let them fall.
"Because then I will go back to being alone again. I liked being a part of a couple. I liked mattering."
Jack was up and kneeling in front of her. She was worth the pain in his knees.
"You haven't been alone since you met me...and Daniel and Teal'c."
"It's not the same, sir."
"I know. Believe me I know, but it is something."
"It is something." She wasn't able to stop a few tears from falling. She didn't wipe them off her face. She figured if she ignored them then she could pretend they didn't exist.
"It's not enough is it?" Jack sat beside her and pulled her to him.
"It used to be."
"But it's changed now that you remember how it feels."
"I guess."
"But you know it isn't fair to Pete to stay with him because you want to be loved if you can't love him back."
"Yeah." She wept openly onto his shoulder. He held her tight until her sobs died down. Jack gave her a few minutes to compose herself.
"I brought ice cream for dessert."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Doesn't ice cream fix everything?"
"It doesn't really fix anything but it makes you feel better for a little while."
"I'll take whatever I can get." Jack got up and went to the kitchen for the ice cream. He saw the cordless phone as he was walking past the kitchen counter. He picked it up and went back to the sofa. He laid it down on the table beside of Carter and went back to the kitchen. He could hear her dialing and decided he would scoop the chocolate peanut butter moose tracks ice cream very slowly.
She was still on the phone when he came back into the room. He started to turn back but she patted the sofa, telling him to sit down. He sat her ice cream bowl on her lap.
"I really am sorry Pete. Yeah, I understand. Ok, later." She put the phone down and picked up the bowl of ice cream. She took a huge spoonful. Jack's eyes widened, he really doubted she could get all of that into her mouth at once. He was shocked when every bit of the ice cream on that spoon made it into her mouth.
She looked over at him and grinned as the ice cream melted in her mouth. After a moment, her grin turned to grimace and she reached for her head.
"What's wrong?"
"Brain freeze."
"Did you do that on purpose?"
"I guess so. I deserved something for being so awful to him, didn't I?"
"No, you didn't. You deserve to be loved and pampered and made to feel feminine. I promise you it will happen, even if I have to start picking you alien bouquets, it will happen." His hand reached out a touched hers.
"Thank-you, sir, but you don't have to do anything like that. I'll be fine."
"Your damn right you will be. Daniel, Teal'c and I wouldn't accept anything less then a happy Carter."
"Yes, sir."
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to Kimberly
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