About Face
About Face
by pz
Summary: Response to Challenge 1958. Sam has enough of Jack's womanising!
Category: Action/Adventure, Angst, Challenge, Romance
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: 04/30/03
About Face - Challenge 1958
Sam stood to one side as the welcoming party surrounded them. She quickly ran one hand though her tangled hair, the other hand resting on her P90. She felt weary as the usual dignitary exchanged the usual pleasantries with Daniel. She watched him as he shook hands, his head tilted slightly to one side. She knew Daniel was genuinely interested, he always was! How could he keep this up? To say it was becoming repetitious was an understatement. They must have met a thousand chiefs on a thousand planets. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts. Deep down she knew that they were doing a valuable job, but sometimes she wondered if this hadn't become more of a diplomat's role rather than a military one.
`Dj vu, Carter?' came a deep voice into her ear.
Sam shivered involuntarily. Jack O'Neill always had the uncanny ability of reading her mind.
`Yes, sir' she said dully, avoiding his eyes.
Jack O'Neill looked at his 2IC speculatively.
`Everything ok, Carter?' he asked.
`Yes, sir' she snapped back, as she shifted her weight from one leg to the other.
`Hmph' he said and pulling his cap down lower over his eyes, he ambled over to where Daniel was sharing some dubious looking drink with the head honcho.
Sam watched him, still feeling disgruntled.
`Just about now!' she thought, `they usually appear just about now!'
As she speculated, a second group of villagers approached Daniel, Jack and Teal'c. Finding a convenient tree trunk just behind her, she lent backwards and with eyes hidden behind dark glasses she watched.
`There! That's the one! Wonder whether she's daughter, grand-daughter, niece or just a random young, unattached, beautiful female who wants to meet the strangers?' she thought sarcastically.
Even Sam had to admit to herself that the woman that she'd spotted in the group was stunning. She had long black hair that shone in the bright sunshine. It reached down to her waist and there appeared to be some sort of small pearls all woven into the long tresses. She was tall and slender, almost willowy, but her softly draped clothes showed off her spectacular figure to full advantage. She kept her head down as she approached the group, until the chief beckoned her forward. At the invitation she raised her head and gave the men a dazzling smile.
`Nicely done!` thought Sam, `this one's an expert'.
Sam watched as Jack nudged Daniel. She could see his raised eyebrow from where she stood. She knew exactly how the conversation would be going right about now. She'd heard it a thousand times.
`So, chief and this would be.....?' Jack would be saying.
`This is my daughter/ sister/ grand-daughter. She wished to meet the strangers who came through the chapa'ai' the old guy would reply.
`It's a pleasure' Jack would say, holding out one hand.
The woman concerned would look at his hand and shyly take it. He'd hold it just a little too long, take off his sunglasses and give her the full force of those chocolate eyes. He'd smile, just a little, never taking his eyes away from hers and she'd be smitten. One more for the Jack O'Neill fan club. God knows, it had members all across the Galaxy! While Daniel chatted busily to the head man, they'd turn and walk back to the village. Teal'c would be following silently behind Daniel and Jack would trail at the rear of the group making inane conversation with the woman, one arm resting nonchalantly on his P90. He'd tell her how beautiful her world was, even if it were just a glorified mud ball, and she would tell him about the celebration planned for tonight and how she hoped he would be her very special guest.
Sam turned away in disgust and almost bumped head first into a young man who had silently walked up behind her.
`Major Carter?' he asked.
Sam felt embarrassed to be caught out so deep in thought.
`Errr. Yes. Please call me Sam' she stuttered.
`I am so sorry. Maybe I interrupted your thoughts. My grandfather suggested I escort you to the village' he said with a grin, `and my name is Heran'. .
Sam gave an embarrassed laugh.
`Oh no! I wasn't thinking really, only day dreaming'.
The man grinned again as they walked side by side behind the other party. She caught Colonel O'Neill's momentary glance in her direction as she walked.
`My grandfather says that I day dream too much,' he said nodding towards the chief, He says that I inherited it from my grandmother along with this'. He gestured up towards his head. His hair was thick and luxuriant and the palest gold that Sam had ever seen.
He grimaced.
`As a boy, it meant that I could always be spotted when we were up to mischief,' he said.
Sam laughed out loud.
`Are you the only one in your village with that colour hair?' she asked.
`Oh yes. Everyone else has the colouring of my sister,' he said, pointing towards the girl that Sam spotted earlier.
`Your sister?' she asked.
`My sister, Estille' he confirmed with a sigh.
`Colonel O'Neill seems to like your sister' she observed wryly noticing that Jack had one hand just resting on the curve of her back. The girl was resting her hand on his arm as they walked. She could hear laughter drift back from them in the breeze and she annoyingly felt her stomach muscles contract with a tinge of jealousy.
`Men usually like my sister' said Heran wryly.
`Oh!' said Sam, not knowing how to react.
`Oh don't worry! Estille is more than capable of looking after herself. In fact I think that it is your Colonel O'Neill who should take care' he said cryptically.
Sam and Heran walked in silence for a while as Sam mulled over Heran's comments. They soon reached the outskirts of the village. The houses were pleasant. Each small cottage sat in it's own piece of land and in the centre of the village was a large community building. The timber walls were weathered to a silvery grey, but the roof looked freshly thatched and the grass around it was neat and cultivated. Sam looked round appreciatively.
`This is nice' she muttered.
`Thank you' said Heran, giving her a flick of his eyebrows. She noticed for the first time that his eyes were large, expressive and the palest blue, but his lashes were long and black.
`Did you inherit the eyes too?' she found herself asking without thinking.
Heran screwed up his nose.
`'Fraid so' he said simply and he grimaced.
Sam laughed at his embarrassment and after a minute he laughed back, one hand casually brushing her arm.
When she turned away from him she found a pair of the darkest brown eyes scrutinising her and she flung a quick grin back to the Colonel, enjoying the slight change round in circumstance, small though it was.
`My grandfather has prepared a small cottage for your use,' said Heran `until the celebrations tonight'.
`That's nice' said Sam and she followed him as he led the way to a quaint building at the side of the clearing. At the door, he took her hand and bowing deeply, he pressed her hand to his forehead.
`I will see you tonight, Sam?' he asked.
`Of course, Heran' she replied happily.
It was cool and dim inside the room. Teal'c was sat in one corner of the room, setting up his candles in preparation for Kelnoreem later that night. As Sam entered, the Colonel and Daniel were huddled together in the corner of the room, whispering conspiratorially. Sam just caught the end of a coarse comment, followed by a laugh from the Colonel.
She clattered her P90 in disgust as she shrugged off her jacket and they immediately stopped talking. The ambient temperature was round 70 degrees and she felt hot and dusty in the heavy khaki clothing.
`Grow up!' she muttered, under her breath.
`You say something, Carter?' asked the Colonel as he ambled over.
`No, sir' she snapped turning away from him.
She just caught a wink between the Colonel and Daniel from the corner of her eye.
`Made a new friend out there, Carter?' quizzed the Colonel, grinning somewhat inanely.
Sam just heard Daniel as he smothered a snigger and she felt very, very annoyed.
`If it's of any interest, sir, the man I was talking to is the chief's grandson, brother of your latest conquest' she spat back, wiping the grin from the Colonel`s face.
Jack raised his eyes to meet hers. His look was inscrutable.
`Conquest. Major?' he repeated.
`Yes, sir' she said sulkily.
`I'm not sure that I understand' he said frostily.
`Don't you, Colonel O'Neill?' she snarled.
`No, Major Carter' he said sternly, his voice raising slightly.
Sam caught sight of Daniel's face. His mouth was open as he listened. The heat seemed to just add another dimension to how she was feeling. Disgruntled and fed up, she turned back to face the Colonel and just spoke the words that had been building up inside her.
`Let me spell it out, sir! On every planet that we go to, you latch on to some little female admirer. It's usually the daughter or heaven forbid, grand-daughter of the guy in charge. You sit back and let them massage your ego and then I guess that you let them massage anything else that they want.........'
She ignored Daniel's choking from the corner of the room, but she couldn't ignore the Colonel's face. His eyes had contracted into pinpoints of darkness that made her hesitate. His mouth was compressed into a hard line.
`That's enough, Major' he said his low voice carrying a distinctly menacing overtone.
Sam immediately regretted her outburst. Not so much the words, but this was neither the time nor the place. They looked silently at each other for a moment, before Sam bent down and with barely concealed disdain she picked up her jacket and draped it over her arm.
`I'm not going to apologise for the words, sir. It needed saying, but I will apologise for saying it at this inopportune moment' she said defiantly, her chin jutting out.
She felt slightly worried when he didn't say anything. He just looked at her with a cold, hard stare.
`Permission to go back to base, sir' she said crisply, standing to attention.
`Permission granted, Major,' hissed Jack, `and I'll see you when we get back.'
Sam quickly donned her jacket, attached her weapons and headed for the door.
`Teal'c, please accompany the Major back to the stargate' snapped Jack.
Sam was about to protest, but then decided not to, leaving the room in silence instead.
They walked most of the way back to the gate before Sam spoke.
`Teal'c, will you pass my apologies back to Heran for me. Say I was called away on business or something' she said quietly.
`I will, Samantha Carter' said Teal'c seriously.
`Do you think that the Colonel's angry?' she asked, already knowing the answer.
`I believe that he is' said Teal'c.
Sam sighed.
`Yes, I guess that he is too' she said `he's going to ball me out when he gets back, isn't he?'
Teal'c just tilted his head.
`Colonel O'Neill thinks too much of you to do such a thing, however he is obliged in his position of Commanding Officer, to maintain discipline in his team' he said slowly.
Sam stopped an looked at him. She took hold of his arm.
`Do you think he`ll want me off SG1, Teal'c?'
`I do not. O'Neill values you as his 2IC and his friend'.
`Friend?' she asked.
`When I first joined the Tau'ri I was amazed to find women as warriors but I have learned that they give the added dimension to a team that makes the Tau'ri so successful. Colonel O'Neill knows what you give to his team and he values it greatly. It is another perspective. A different way of thinking. He does also care for you, but that puts him in a difficult position. He must maintain his command structure and sometimes the easiest way to do so is to reinforce his masculinity.'
Sam looked at him closely, but his face was as inscrutable as ever.
`Is that why he does it then?` she asked.
`Do what?' asked Teal'c.
`Why does he go with all these women? Recently it's seemed that on every planet, he's enjoyed one conquest or another.'
`Colonel O'Neill is a man.' said Teal'c.
`I know that!' said Sam in frustration.
`Why do you not ask him?' said Teal'c.
Sam blushed furiously.
`Oh, God. No! I couldn't' she protested.
`Then you should accept his behaviour. He causes no harm to anyone'.
`Yeah, I suppose so. I guess that there is no answer to this one' said Sam sadly.
They continued to the stargate in silence and as Sam dialled home and walked up the stone steps, she turned for a moment and gave a small wave to Teal'c.
Teal'c watched her go and then stood staring at the huge stone ring after the shimmering pool had dissolved. He felt uneasy at Sam's attitude and he wasn't sure what she was going to do, although he did feel sure that she was going to do something that the Colonel wouldn't like.
Sam was glad to walk down the ramp into the cool underground gate room at the SGC. She saw General Hammond's puzzled expression looking down at her from the balcony control room. She flung a quick smile in his direction as reassurance. She saw him grab the microphone.
`Major Carter. My office, please, immediately.'
Sam frowned. She knew this would happen, but she didn't have a clue what to say to the General. How could she tell him that the CO of the General's flagship team and his 2IC had had a spat about the CO's sleeping habits? She decided that she would make up an excuse and let the Colonel tell him if he wanted.
She tapped on the General's door.
`Enter!'
She walked in the room and was immediately engulfed in a tight bear hug,
`Sam! I didn't think I'd get to see you!'
`Dad!' she said delightedly, `I didn't know that you were paying us a visit'.
`Neither did I till this morning. Tok'ra undercover work' he said cryptically.
`Major' interrupted the General.
`I hope that there's no bad reason for your early return?' he asked, scrutinising her.
`No, sir. Completely routine. The Colonel thought that it would be more appropriate for me to be continuing with my work on the generator' she said weakly.
`He did?' said the General sceptically.
Sam said nothing further, so the General let the matter drop, making a mental note to bring the matter up with the Colonel when he returned.
`So, dad, what are you doing here?' asked Sam, changing the subject.
Jacob Carter cast a quick glance at the General who nodded slightly.
`The Tok'ra are in the middle of a big undercover operation, and we need some help from you guys' he said.
Sam looked at him interestedly.
`Anything I can do to help?' she said hopefully.
Jacob Carter shook his head.
`No, Sam. Too dangerous. We're looking for an undercover agent to accompany a Tok'ra operative right into Ba'al's headquarters' he said.
`What sort of agent?' she asked.
`Well,' he hesitated, `It has to be female and attractive'.
Sam looked at him quietly for a moment.
`And.....?' she said acidly.
`And it's very dangerous. Very, very dangerous' he said firmly.
`AND?........'
`And that's why you're not going' he said heavily.
`So, let me summarise this. You need a female member of the SGC to risk their life on what I can only assume is a vital mission, but because I'm your daughter it's not going to be me?' she said quickly.
`No! It's not like that' he said, with a frown.
`Well, explain it to me then. Is it because I've spent so long recently being a diplomatic patsy that I've forgotten all my level 3 hand to hand combat training?'
`No! Well, yes. Well, no!' spluttered Jacob throwing up his hands in despair. He looked at the General, hoping for help.
`She's right, Jacob' he said, `Sam is the best qualified for this job, and you know it'.
Jacob Carter groaned and put his head in his hands, before raising up his eyes and glaring at the defiant face of his daughter.
`Ok, this is how it goes,' he said quietly.
Jack leant back against the grassy mound and gazed up at the bright stars overhead in the crystal clear sky.
`Mmmm ` he murmured as Estille delicately fed him with small pieces of honey soaked cake. Her hair fell over her face and tickled his cheek as she leaned over him. With a smile, he brushed it away, tucking it softly behind her ear. She only pulled back a fraction from his face and moistened her lips with her small pink tongue.
`Would you like more?' she breathed at him.
`Cake?' he asked cheekily.
`Whatever you would like' she said still keeping only a hairs breath from his mouth.
He reached up his hand and quickly stroked her cheek.
`Estille! Cake is fine' he said firmly.
She sighed, leaning her lithe body against him.
`Only cake?' she asked, pouting.
`Only cake!' he said and she pulled away from him.
He watched as she stood over him and then sashayed back to the main party. Jack stood up and brushed himself down. He strolled over towards Daniel who was enjoying the company of a group of young people stood near the food.
`Where's Estille,' asked Daniel pointedly.
Jack simply shrugged.
`What do you think got into Carter today?' he asked directly.
Daniel thought for a minute.
`I think we probably did' he said grimacing first and then looking shame faced..
Jack frowned.
`What exactly do you mean by that?' he asked.
`I think that we, meaning you and me' said Daniel looking repentant.
`How?' asked Jack stubbornly.
`Because we were being men' said Daniel.
`We are men' said Jack.
`I know, but I think sometimes we forget that Sam isn't' said Daniel.
`This is the Military. Not a Sunday school outing' snapped Jack.
`I know that, and so does Sam and I`ve never heard her ask for any concession because she isn`t a man. But actually if you want me to be precise, I think that it's you that got to her' said Daniel.
`Me!'
`Yes, Jack. You can be a bit of a man's man sometimes.'
Jack's eyebrows shot up to the ceiling.
`Man's man!'
`Yeah. All this thing with the women recently. It seems like every planet is a just another hunting ground for you' said Daniel.
`But, but....' spluttered Jack, 'nothing serious happens, you know that. In fact it's been a long while since anything serious happened if you get my meaning'.
`But Sam doesn't know that, and you know how she feels about you' said Daniel.
`Daniel!' said Jack with a warning tone in his voice, 'she is a Major and my 2IC'.
`Yes, I know. And the regulations say.......'.
`Shut up Daniel!' warned Jack.
`How do you feel about her?' persisted Daniel.
Jack's shoulders drooped as he looked at his friend.
`How would you feel if she were behaving the same way as you have been recently?' asked Daniel, `How did you feel today when she was just talking to that guy?'
Jack pursed his lips, his knuckles white as he clasped his hands.
`I think that it's time you decided what you want, Jack. We're none of us getting any younger. And I know what I'd choose if I were you. Let's just say it wouldn't be carrying on until I finally die on some battlefield on a distant planet, surrounded by Jaffa and Goa'uld, regretting what I`d never done with my life. I don't see the glory in ending up as a trophy on some minor Goa'uld's belt. Don't you think that it's time you treated Sam with the respect that she deserves? Have you two ever talked about what happened with that Zaytarc thing?' said Daniel seriously.
`Great way to put it, Daniel' snapped Jack, `I kinda thought that we'd save'd the world more than a couple of times, and for your information that whole Zaytarc thing was a long time ago'.
`You have saved the world, Jack, but who's saving you?'
Jack looked at Daniel for a moment before standing up and walking back alone to the little cottage that they'd been allocated. Once there, he grabbed his jacket and pulled out a small pile of papers and photographs from his pocket. He gazed at each one intently, one at a time. A young boy stared up at him, his mop of brown hair dishevelled, his cheeks pink with running. Jack ran a finger over the boy's face and murmured.
`Charlie? What do you reckon? What should I do? What's the right thing? Have I really been such a klutz?'
He carefully tucked the photograph back into his pocket and pulled out the next one. It was a photograph of SG1, him and Carter in dress uniform, Daniel and Teal'c smartly attired in suits. He couldn't even remember which medal ceremony it was now, but that didn't matter. Sam was looking at his the shiny medal pinned on his jacket, and he noticed for the first time the look of pride on her face. The camera had caught the sparkle in her eyes and her shy grin. He liked her in her dress uniform, the dark blue set of her eyes beautifully and somehow it made her look younger even than she was. He held up the picture in the flickering candle light and looked at himself. All he saw was the greying hair and the creases on his face. He sighed and swapped photographs. The next one showed evidence of much handling. The corners were creased and rounded, and he held his breath before looking at it. It was a photograph of Sam. She was alone. They were on some long forgotten planet where they had walked for two solid days in knee deep mud just to find a couple of worn rocks. Daniel had thrown a clod of mud at him when he'd lambasted the archaeologist about what a total waste of time it was. The end result had been an all-out mud fight in which Sam had given just as good as she'd got. In the photograph she was giving him her most dazzling smile. Her eyes shining out from a mud smeared face. He thought she looked her most beautiful. She'd just washed the mud from her hair in a nearby stream and it was smoothed back, the goldness of it glinting as she tried to dry it in the sun. Her wet teeshirt was clinging slightly to her body and it was the picture that he looked at if he wanted one of those really good dreams! With a last look, he tucked the photographs back in their safe place and leant back against the wall of the hut and allowed his mind to wander.
Sam looked at herself in the mirror and grimaced. She'd forgotten that going undercover with the Goa'uld meant dressing up like a harem girl. The Tok'ra operative that she was to accompany had arrived an hour after she'd got back from the planet, carrying appropriate clothing over her arm. Sam had tried speaking to her but she wasn't very communicative. Still that would make it easier for Sam to assume the role of the woman's personal and most trusted servant, her Lotar. They were attending a gathering at Ba'al's hideaway, where the Tok'ra woman was to play the role of Hel'nar, a very minor Goa`uld. It seemed that Ba'al was on the look out for a queen and this party was the choosing. What they were after was how to gain access to Ba'als hideaway and if possible anything they could about his antigravity technology. The thought of being Ba'al's queen made her feel more sympathetic towards the Tok'ra operative. She knew that Ba'al was, like most Goa'uld, cruel and devious, but she only had a vague idea of how much. Colonel O'Neill had never talked about what happened to him after he got back, but she had a pretty good idea that it was bad. Very bad! She wondered whether to ask the General. Any intell before they walked into this potential hell hole might be useful. She decided against it, not only did they not have time, being due to leave in less than an hour, but she doubted that the General would tell her.
What she did feel uncomfortable about was the fact that she had no weapons. According to Tok'ra knowledge, Ba'al would be able to detect any kind of weapon, however hidden. She had only herself to rely on.
Jacob Carter chewed his lip as he watched his daughter walk up the metal ramp towards the stargate. He had to admit that when he'd seen his daughter dressed for this mission, he had almost forbidden her to go there and then on the spot, but he knew that he couldn't. He was used to seeing her in BDUs and in dress blues, but sight of her wearing filmy harem pants and a tight fitting jewel encrusted bra top had effectively silenced him. She had a light transparent veil across her face that wrapped around her head to hide her short hair. Just small tendrils of gold curled out from the scarf beneath a golden band that circled her head. She looked absolutely breathtaking. So much so that he thought, just a moment too late as she walked though the stargate, that if he were Ba'al he knew which one of the two women he'd go for.
The Goa'uld cargo ship was waiting for them as they arrived at the deserted planet within striking distance of Ba'als hideaway. Still without speaking, the Tok'ra woman boarded the ship and immediately locked herself away in the hold. Sam watched with interest as a richly dressed Tok'ra man operated the ship and they took off.
The mission had proved to be a complete success. Not that the local's had anything of use to trade, still, better an ally than a foe. Jack had only slept fitfully and he felt tired as he walked down the slope into the gate room. He decided that if he wanted to mend the broken relationship between him and his 2IC, he'd better do it straight away. He disarmed and caught hold of a young Lieutenant on his way to the locker room.
`Airman, pass a message to Major Carter that I would like to see her in my office in 30 minutes' he said sharply.
He wondered why the young officer just stared at him.
`Major Carter isn't on the base, sir' he said.
`When did she leave?' he asked, slightly worried. He guessed that General Hammond had given her permission to leave.
`Last night, sir' said the young man.
`Thank you, airman' he mumbled.
General Hammond poked his head around the gate room door.
`SG1, we'll debrief in one hour' he said and then after a moment's hesitation, `Colonel could I just have a word now'.
Jack grimaced as he walked up to the General's office. He thought that he knew the topic of conversation.
`Sit down, Colonel'.
Jack sat in silence.
`I won't ask what happened on that planet, Major Carter gave me some lame story about you wanting her to continue work on her generator. And at this moment in time, I'm choosing to believe her' said the General to Jack's astonishment.
`She did? You are??' he said open mouthed.
`Yes, Colonel' said the General with a tone of voice that said all too clearly that he wanted the topic left there.
`Yes, sir' said Jack quietly.
`Major Carter arrived back at an opportune time' said General Hammond.
`She did?' said Jack puzzled.
`Her father was here' said the General.
`Dad! That's nice. For Major Carter, that is'.
`Indeed, but his visit was not social' said the General, `The Tok`ra needed assistance with an undercover mission and Major Carter immediately volunteered.'
`What mission?' asked Jack, feeling slightly edgy.
The General took a deep breath. He had a pretty good idea what the Colonel's reaction was going to be.
`The Tok'ra are going underground into Ba'al's current base. They want details of how to access the base as well as the antigravity technology that you reported on when you came back from there' he said hurriedly.
Jack's eyes seemed to turn from brown to black as he gaped at the General.
`She's gone where?'
`Major Carter volunteered to play the role of trusted servant to a Goa'uld minor, who is in turn actually a Tok'ra operative. It appears that Ba'al is looking for a queen and the Tok'ra have sacrificed a huge amount of their resources to get access to this little gathering. It's a unique opportunity' said the General.
The General watched as his 2IC visibly blanched.
`Ba'al' he said in a monotone voice.
`Look, son, I know that this has bad memories for you, but Major Carter insisted and she is the best qualified for this job' he said gently.
`It's a suicide mission' insisted Jack stubbornly.
`No, it isn't. I wouldn't have let any of my people go on a suicide mission.'
Jack just sat silently in the chair, his hands clenched on the desk in front of him.
`Permission to go, sir' he muttered.
`Look, Jack, Major Carter is a strong and capable soldier.......'
`You have no idea what Ba'al will do to her' spat Jack between clenched teeth, before standing and heading for the door.
`Take a shower, Jack. Leave the debriefing until tomorrow,' called the General after him.
Jack stumbled back to the locker room, where he sat down heavily on the bench. He could hear the shower going and Daniel humming inanely. He put his head in his hands and fought against the terrible images that insisted on flashing in front of his eyes. He didn't hear the shower stop and Daniel enter the changing area.
`Hey, did the General demote you for falling out with your 2IC?' sniggered Daniel.
Jack raised his head slowly and looked at Daniel.
`She's gonna die, Daniel' he said, a look of desperation on his face.
`Who?' asked Daniel, puzzled.
`Carter! Sam! She's going to die!'
`Jack, what are you talking about' said Daniel slumping down on the bench next to Jack and looking at him with concerned eyes.
`When Carter got back, she immediately volunteered for some damned Tok'ra suicide mission at Ba'al's stronghold. He'll kill her' Jack said bleakly.
`Sam can look after herself' said Daniel, 'The General wouldn't have let her go if it was that dangerous'.
`Daniel, you don't understand! Nobody does. He'll kill her' shouted Jack, his eyes wild.
`Jack. Nobody understands what you went through on that planet, but it doesn't mean that the same will happen to Sam. She's not alone. She's there on a planned mission with the Tok'ra operative. And if you remember I was there, so I do understand how you feel', said Daniel.
`How come that any of that doesn't make me feel any better' said Jack sarcastically.
`I know that you don't trust the Tok'ra, but you have to admit that the situation is different' said Daniel calmly.
Jack shook his head in despair.
`Daniel, you don't understand. Watch my lips. She's gonna die. I know it' he said.
Suddenly he stood up and walked quickly towards the door.
`Jack' called Daniel.
Jack left without looking back.
Sam stood perfectly still behind Hel'nar, her head bowed, her hands clasped in front of her submissively. From beneath her half closed eyes, she watched the movements of the Goa'uld around her. They moved around whispering and exchanging confidences in a kind of dance. The large, elaborate room was filled with gorgeously dressed women, each accompanied by an equally elaborately dressed servant. They walked around, watching and manoeuvring. The doors opened and a stunningly handsome man walked in. He promenaded with a confident air, stopping occasionally to speak a word with one guest or another. He was younger than Sam expected, and she found him surprisingly attractive. His dark eyes caught hers before she realised, and before she lowered her own eyes in response she caught a spark of interest aimed in her direction. He walked nonchalantly over towards them and leaning over he whispered in Hel'nar's ear. She lowered her head in acquiescence. Ba'al continued his promenade, whispering in a couple of other ears. Eventually he left and Sam accompanied Hel'nar back to her quarters.
Once there, the Tok'ra woman sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, her head buried in her hands. With a sigh she raised her head and watched Sam as she pulled off her veil and head-dress.
`Ba'al wishes to see us tonight in his personal quarters' she said, her eyes filling with tears.
Sam looked at her in concern.
`We knew this might happen' she said softly.
`I know, but it doesn't make it any easier' said Hel'nar.
`I won't let him hurt you' said Sam.
`I don't think you understand. Only one of tonight's guests is going to walk out of here alive and that one will be Ba'al's queen.'
Sam looked at her companion.
`What do you mean?'
`What I mean is that all the others will not be leaving here'.
`And they all know that?'
`Of course. But to them it is worth it in order for the chance to become so exalted.'
`And you knew this before you came?'
`Of course.'
`But how did you know that he would pick you?'
`I didn't, for sure. But I have pheromone, developed by the Tok'ra which acts subconsciously on both symbiote and host. In trials, it proved irresistible.'
`So what happens after you get picked?'
`I will stay as his queen. You, as my Lotar, will feed back information to the Tok'ra. In my privileged position, I will be able to enable you to do so.'
Sam stared at the young woman.
`So you intend to stay here, for how long?' she asked.
`For as long as I can'.
`And then what?'
`Someone will try and take my place.'
`And what happens to you?'
`I will be sacrificed for the Tok'ra cause.'
Sam looked in astonishment at the woman. Her expression looked strong, but her eyes looked afraid.
`How can you do that? Just die for a cause? Don't you see the waste?' she asked.
`My death may save many other Tok'ra' she said.
Sam knew that they would never agree on the principles of sacrifice, so she sat back and contemplated what the Tok'ra woman had said to her.
`Maybe I could take a walk round and see what I can find immediately. If we find the antigravity machine, maybe we could get out of here before anything too bad has to happen' said Sam thoughtfully.
`You do not understand. There is no way out of here. Only as queen will I be able to get either of us off here.'
`What about our pilot and the ship?' asked Sam.
`He will already be dead.'
Sam gaped at the Tok'ra.
`This is obscene! Nothing is worth this sacrifice' she shouted `How can you just sit there and tell me that a man has already died and we have nothing.'
`He knew' said the woman shortly.
`You make me sick. Wait.... Did my father, did Jacob Carter know about the full plan?'
`It was thought best not to tell him all the detail. It would have affected his decision making abilities. Jacob Carter still thinks as a human, not a Tok'ra.'
`You bet he does,' muttered Sam, `Thank God.'
`Well I'm not sitting here like the sacrificial lamb. I'll be back in time for tonight's rendezvous.'
She wrapped the veil back over her face and head and opening the door a touch she checked the corridor and then slid silently out.
`You have to let me go and get her' shouted Jack, banging his fist on the General's desk.
`Son, I can't' said the General firmly.
`I could take a couple of SG3 with me, and Daniel and Teal'c' said Jack, his eyes flicking restlessly from side to side.
`Colonel! Sit down!' shouted the General.
Jack suddenly looked at him as though hearing for the first time and with a deep sigh he sat heavily on the chair.
`Can we at least talk to the Tok'ra and try and get the full story?' he said wearily.
Hammond nodded and picked up his phone.
`Sergeant, I want to dial the Tok'ra contact world and send a message asking for them to contact us' he said concisely before replacing the handset.
`Jack, go get some rest. As soon as we hear from them, I'll let you know' said the General kindly.
`Thank you, sir' said Jack in a daze, before heading for his quarters.
Sam glanced around the corner to find yet another long empty corridor. She edged around the bend and quickly made her way, keeping her back pinned to the gold encrusted wall. Her hands felt empty without a weapon. After twenty yards or so, she came across a door in the wall. The pattern on the metal was different and after a moment's thought she pressed her hand over the entry light. The door slipped quietly to one side and after a quick glance, she entered and closed the door behind her. The room was different to the others that she'd investigated. It was a long narrow room with a kind of desk area at one end and an ornate metal grill set into the wall at the other. There were a number of objects lined up on the desk top, slender, ornate knives and bulbous bottles containing unknown liquids. She looked at them closely, but none were marked. A number of controls were also set into the surface. She didn't hear the silent slide of another door as it opened behind her, nor the perfectly silent movement of the man as he approached her. She did feel the cold hand that slipped round her neck, holding her tightly, his nails digging into her throat.
`What do we have here?' said the voice into her ear.
Sam shivered involuntarily at the icy cold tones and the unmistakeable Goa'uld timbre of the voice.
`Lord Ba'al, I am lost' she said submissively, lowering her head.
`Yes, you are' he whispered, very close to her ear.
`My mistress will be looking for me, and I would be grateful if you could direct me back to her quarters' she said softly.
Ba'al released her neck and with a hand on her arm he turned her to face him. He remained very close as he looked hard at her. Sam kept her head lowered submissively, but he picked up one of the sharp little jewelled knives and resting the point under her chin her raised her chin.
`Look at me' he commanded, so Sam lifted her eyes.
He looked at her eyes and then with the knife he caught the edge of her veil and wrapping it round the blade he pulled it from her face. His eyes devoured her greedily.
`You are the Lotar of Hel'nar' he said smiling coldly.
`Yes, Lord Ba'al' said Sam.
`The Lotar of my queen will also be my Lotar' he said cryptically.
`Yes, Lord Ba'al' said Sam, puzzled.
`And you will serve me. My pleasure will be your pleasure' he said, toying with his dagger.
`Yes, Lord Ba'al,' said Sam, watching his jewel encrusted fingers as they played with the razor sharp blade.
With a small smile, he drew the tip of the blade along Sam's arm and she watched in fascination as small droplets of blood gathered on the curving line.
`Do you enjoy pain, Lotar?' he asked.
`No' she said, watching him.
`Good! Or it would not be so much fun' he sneered.
He gave her a hard push and she fell backwards. She saw him depress one of the dials on the desk and she felt her stomach jolt as she felt herself pulled towards the ornate metal grill, set in the far wall. Her body was pinned against it by some kind of artificial gravity and she found it took the up-most concentration to just move her head to one side. She watched in fascination as he toyed first with one of the little daggers then another. His mouth was curled in a cruel smile as he finally turned towards her, holding the knife almost delicately between finger and thumb, it`s cruel blade pointing directly at her.
`How shall I punish your stupidity?' he asked her.
`Please, Lord Ba'al. My Mistress will punish me' she said, trying to look pathetic.
Ba'al laughed out loud.
`Why, Major Carter, this is the best fun I've had since I played host to your Colonel O'Neill' he said cruelly.
Sam stared at him open-mouthed.
`You didn't think that this pathetic little charade with the Tok'ra was going to work, did you?' and he laughed again.
`Your pilot didn't last at all long against my persuasive powers. You don't really think I would let strangers into my home without being absolutely sure about what company they kept? The Tok'ra traitor screamed like a baby. Your Colonel O'Neill was much better, and I'm hoping that you are going to prove equally enjoyable!'
Sam blinked and watched in fascination as he spun round, almost in slow motion and let go of one of the little daggers. Her eyes followed it's flight path as it seemed to fly horizontally. Her mathematical mind was evaluating the flight of the knife as it defied gravity. She was so engrossed that she barely felt it as it penetrated her hand, pinning it to the surface behind her. Tears pricked at her eyes as the pain gathered momentum, causing her to whimper softly as she strained her head to the side. The blood from the wound drained through the metal grille and dripped horizontally into the cavity behind. Her eyes were drawn to the slender stream of blood, running from her hand. She noticed the clockwise spin on the thin trickle as it corkscrewed through the mesh, her mind working overtime. Ba'al's voice drew her attention.
`Major Carter. You disappoint me. Not so much as a scream. Perhaps I will leave you to think over your situation. I have appointments with several future queens' he said and then as though realising something, he turned back to face her and walked over until he was stood only a few inches from her. He reached up one hand and taking hold of her chin, he turned her head so that she faced him. His eyes scrutinised her as his hand stroked her cheek. His black eyebrows flicked up as he looked at her and as his face came closer to hers, Sam shut her eyes. She felt his lips press hard on hers and then heard him laugh, `or maybe you would like that job. I can certainly procure a symbiote for you. Hmmm. The idea appeals to me. You would be a worthy queen.'
As Sam heard him move away, she turned her head and watched him leave the room. She grimaced with pain as her movement jarred her hand, but she turned back again and carried on peering through the grill behind her, calculating the power that would be required to bend gravity.
The siren echoed down the long corridors of the SGC.
`Offworld activation' came the familiar loudspeaker announcement.
Jack sprung from his seat in his quarters and with one quick movement, he jogged down the concrete tunnel, edged into the waiting lift and pressed `28'. He paced impatiently in the lift, pushing the doors open and running towards the control room.
`Tok'ra IDC, sir. Audio only' announced the Master Sergeant.
Jack stood behind the General, who acknowledged his presence with quick nod.
`This is Mesh'el of the Tok'ra, came the distorted voice over the loudspeaker.'
`Thank you for contacting us as requested, Mesh'el. We are looking for an update on Major Carter's situation' said General Hammond.
Jack listened intently, his hands thrust into his pockets. He recognised the pause in transmission as ominous.
`Major Carter and the Tok'ra operative are in position' came back the cryptic reply.
`For cryin' out loud' muttered Jack.
`We understand that,' said the General calmly, `we would like more details on the mission.'
There was another gap.
`That is not possible' came the infuriating reply.
Jack grabbed the microphone.
`Just you listen to me, you glorified snake-head. If you don't tell us everything, now, I'm gonna walk in there and blow your undercover operation right out of the water,' he snarled.
`That would not be advisable' same the response, quickly this time.
`Tell us then, or so help me God, I'll........'
`Very well, Colonel. You leave us no option.'
`The Tok'ra pilot has sacrificed his life for this mission, as he knew that he would, however we have received some feedback that Major Carter's position may have been compromised. Lord Ba'al is aware of her subterfuge.'
`Damn you. Will you speak in English.' snarled Jack.
`Lord Ba'al knows who Major Carter is. I am afraid the situation is irretrievable. Major Carter's sacrifice for the Tok'ra cause has been recognised and she will be duly honoured.'
Jack turned away from the microphone.
`Excuse me, General, but I have to leave before I give the sonofabitch the answer that he deserves' he muttered.
`Jack, go to my office' said the General.
As Jack left the control room, he heard the General making several sharp responses to the unhappy Tok'ra. He headed for the General's office as ordered and closed the door behind him as he walked in. He couldn't sit down, his mind was in turmoil, instead he paced the room, picking up one thing after another. By the time the General returned he'd made up his mind. He couldn't leave Sam to face Ba'al alone. He knew what the Goa'uld was capable of. As soon as the door opened, he stood to attention, his eyes focussed on his own internal nightmare.
`Sir, permission to go and bring back Major Carter' he snapped.
`Permission denied, Colonel' responded the General quickly.
Jack looked at him with cold eyes.
`Sir, I strongly..........' he started before the General interrupted.
`Son, sit down' he said wearily, `I know what Major Carter means to you'.
`Major Carter means a lot to this whole base' said Jack woodenly.
`Yes, she does, and we all have a lot to thank her for.'
`So .....' prompted Jack.
`I cannot authorise the waste of more men's lives in the vain attempt of saving someone who may be already gone.'
`What ever happened to Nobody gets left behind?' said Jack with narrowed eyes.
`You know it's not as simple as that and like I said, I know how much Major Carter means to you. If there was anything I could do, I would. I have asked for confirmation of the intell and before we go rushing into this I suggest that wait till that comes through. I've sent a message to Jacob Carter and let me assure you that he is not going to stand back if there is anything we can do to help his daughter' said the General.
Jack seemed to visibly fold up in front of the General. He leant his elbows on the desk, his head in his hands.
`You have no idea how much she means to me' he muttered.
`I think I do, Jack' said the General sympathetically.
Jack shook his head.
`It's my fault that she's caught up in all this' he said slowly.
`Why?' asked the General.
`She came back early because we had a disagreement' said Jack.
`Disagreement?'
`Yeah. I was being a bastard basically, and I just expected her to take it, but she didn't. She told me her opinion of me and then asked permission to return to base. I didn't stop her. I guess that she would have asked for a transfer next.' said Jack.
`I doubt it' said the General.
`I don't' said Jack shaking his head.
`SG1 means the world to Samantha Carter and she would never leave voluntarily' said the General.
`You don't know. The team dynamic's been shaky recently and as CO, I take full responsibility.'
`Jack. I think that it's time that you started thinking of Major Carter as a person as well as your 2IC.'
Jack laughed hollowly.
`You sound like Daniel'.
`Doctor Jackson has a lot to teach us military lifers' said the General, pursing his lips.
`Sir. I really can't leave Carter to face this alone' said Jack pleading.
`Jack, give me twenty four hours to gather what intell I can and then we'll make a decision. The worst thing to do would be to go off half cocked'.
Jack looked at his CO and slowly nodded his head.
`Try get some sleep, Jack. We may need all the strength that we can muster' said the General.
Jack chewed his lip thoughtfully, opened his mouth as though to say something and then with second thoughts he left the room. He headed immediately back to his office and started to sort through his papers. He opened the top drawer in his desk and pulled out a white envelope. He looked at it in his hands for a moment and after opening it he pulled out the single sheet of paper and signed and dated it. He refolded it, slipped it in the envelope and sealed it shut. He placed the envelope in full view on his desk and headed for his quarters.
Sam's mind was hazily going over all the gravitational theory that she knew. She couldn't work out how Ba'al had been able to walk over to her and touch her without being affected. The blood was still trickling from her hand, leaving her feeling light headed and dizzy. With sheer force of will, she moved her hand a fraction away from the grill, feeling the slim dagger penetrate further into her flesh. As it left contact with the surface, she felt the pull of the gravity reduce. She knew immediately that Ba'al's anti-gravity machine must actually be more of a high powered magnetic resonator. She realised that it probably acted on the minute levels of iron in the blood, which probably meant that Ba'al had some kind of antimagnetic device that he kept about him rather than the much more complex technology of anti gravity. The dagger started to droop visibly as she forced her hand away from the grill. It pulled at her hand, shredding her muscle as it tilted. She gasped with the pain and closed her eyes for a moment, fighting the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her. As her wrist and then forearm left contact she felt herself literally peel away from the wall, until she tumbled in a heap to the floor. She laid still for a minute, sobbing slightly until she gritted her teeth and with her other hand, grabbed the dagger, still stuck in her. With a gasp she finally pulled it free and snatching the remains of her veil and head-dress, she wrapped it tightly around her hand and wrist, hoping to staunch the flow of blood. Staggering to her feet, she headed straight for the door and made her way back to the Tok'ra operative's room. She knew that they had to move quickly. Ba'al would assume that she wouldn't be able to escape and so they did have a small window of opportunity.
She finally reached the room and stumbled into it. The look of horror on the Tok'ra woman's face when she saw Sam just served to spur her on.
`We have to go, NOW!' she shouted.
`What are you saying,' said Her'al, looking dazedly at Sam's hand.
`He knows who we are. The pilot told him. He thinks I'm a little tied up at the moment so we have just a few minutes to get out of here,' said Sam grabbing Her'al.
`No! I have to stay' said Her'al.
`You can't stay. He knows who you are and who I am,' shouted Sam.
The Tok'ra nodded and Sam grabbed her arm, pulling her towards the door.
`We have to find the cargo ship. Can you pilot it?'
`Yes.'
`Why did we need a pilot then?'
`No real Goa'uld would pilot their own craft' muttered Her'al.
`Of course they wouldn't' said Sam, 'so they won't be heavily guarded as all the pilots have been summarily executed anyway'.
`I suppose so' stuttered Her'al.
Sam pulled the woman along the corridors until they reached the cargo bay. She peeped inside and realised that her summing up had been correct. Suddenly an alarm siren sounded and Sam guessed that her escape had been discovered. She stumbled to the nearest cargo ship and pushed the Tok'ra in through the open entrance.
`GO! GO! NOW!' she screamed and the woman obeyed instinctively.
The cargo ship lurched out of the cargo bay door as Jaffa started to pour into the large hangar.
`Hyperspace!!' shouted Sam and the woman punched the relevant controls. The ship careered wildly as they entered hyperspace, it's engines screaming in protest.
Sam lent back against the bulkhead in relief and slowly sank to a crouching position as nausea finally overwhelmed her.
Jack was laid still on his bunk when the alarm sirens screamed.
`Unauthorised off world activation'.
He leapt up with a frown and ran to the gate room.
As he arrived, the iris was opening and the familiar figure of Sam Carter stumbled through the circle. Jack's jaw dropped at the sight of her. She was wearing torn but still distinguishable chiffon pants and a teeny little bejewelled top. His eyes were drawn however to her arm which she was nursing in her other hand. It was wrapped in some kind of blue, gauzy fabric which was soaked in blood and as he watched immobilised by the sight, she started to crumple up in front of him. He dived up the slope and caught her as she fell. He turned to the nearest airman and shouted.
`Medics to the gate room at the double!'.
As he took her weight, he knelt down, holding her carefully in his arms.
`Carter. Where have you been? Fancy dress party?' he muttered quietly to her.
Her eyes flickered open and she smiled a little.
`Dontchya know, sir?' she said, so quietly that he had to bend his head down to hear her.
`What, Carter?' he prompted.
`Next year's new dress uniform,' she gasped.
`Bit fancy isn't it' he chuckled.
`Think so, sir? You just wait to see yours.'
Jack grinned as the medics arrived and lifting her out of his arms they placed her on a gurney and hurried towards the gate room. Jack looked up towards the control room windows. General Hammond was stood watching him, a smile on his face. Jack raised an eyebrow and the General in unspoken understanding nodded his head slightly.
Sam shifted uncomfortably in her bed as light penetrated her tired eyelids. She opened them and looked straight into those of her CO, who was perched on a stool next to her bed. He had a bored expression on his face and his chin was resting on one hand. As he saw her open her eyes, he sat up and gave her a grin.
`Hey there, Carter. How ya' doin'?'
`Felt better sir' she replied, with what had become a private joke when one of them was injured.
Jack grinned again.
`Are you going to tell us what happened?' he asked.
`If I can sit up, sir. And get some water' she said quietly.
Jack hopped off the stool and carefully helped her sit up, pushing extra pillows behind her back. She looked at him in amazement. They hadn't left on the best of terms the last time she'd seen him, but he'd seemed to have forgotten that. He handed her a glass of water. She'd forgotten about her hand and had automatically reached out with it for the glass. As it slid from her grasp, he caught it deftly, only one small splash landing on the blanket. With gentle hands he placed her injured hand back down onto the counterpane and held the glass out to her other one. She blinked at him and quietly gave him a short, concise explanation of the mission. She watched his eyes harden as she talked about Ba'al and when she finished, he stood up.
`I have to brief the General, so I suggest you get some sleep, Carter.'
Sam felt inclined to agree with him and as he left the infirmary, she slid back down into the bed and closed her eyes.
As Jack looked back through the infirmary window, his eyes were thoughtful. He watched her as she settled back down, her pale face looking tired and drawn. He patted the white envelope protruding from his pocket and with a determined walk, headed for the General's office.
Sam looked with delight at the chocolate cookies Daniel had brought her.
`My favourite,' she grinned.
`I know' he said fondly.
`How is your hand, Major Carter?' asked the large figure of Teal'c standing just behind Daniel.
`Getting better every day. Janet says I can leave here tomorrow. My blood count's nearly back to normal' she said happily.
`That is good' said Teal'c inclining his head.
`I haven't seen Colonel O'Neill since that first day,' she said anxiously.
She caught a quick glance between Daniel and Teal'c.
`Sam. I think he feels pretty bad about what happened. He feels that he was to blame' said Daniel quickly.
Sam looked puzzled.
`But it was a Tok'ra mission. Nothing to do with the SGC' she said.
`I know that, but he thinks that if you hadn't had that misunderstanding, you wouldn't have come back and got embroiled in the whole fiasco' said Daniel expressively.
`Misunderstanding!' muttered Sam to herself.
`All that business with the women. It didn't mean anything you know' said Daniel awkwardly.
`Colonel O'Neill is free to behave as he likes,' said Sam coldly, 'it's just his whole attitude that got to me. I don't like being left out. Whispering in corners.'
Daniel looked shamefaced.
`I'm sorry Sam. I am to blame as much as the Colonel. I guess I egged him on. There was never anything serious with any of those women you know and I don't think it'll happen again.'
Sam looked uncomfortable.
`I don't want you guys to change how you behave just because of me,' she muttered, 'This is just so complicated'.
Daniel watched her as she lapsed into silent thought.
`Teal'c, I think we should go' he said.
`Daniel! You know nothing about this. I suggest you shut up and go home. We're on stand down' said Jack sharply.
`I know Sam's unhappy. And I know she's unhappy because you haven't gone to see her' said Daniel stubbornly.
`She tell you that?' asked Jack.
`You damned well know that she didn't, because she's just like you. All military front and stiff upper lip' shouted Daniel.
Jack just raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at Daniel.
`Nothing's been resolved since that last mission. When Sam's fit for duty again, are you just going to pretend it didn't happen?' asked Daniel acidly.
`Nope' said Jack, scowling.
`What then? Are you going to discipline her?'
`There'll be no need' said Jack shortly.
`Why not? I may not be an expert on military discipline, but I think I recognise insubordination when I hear it, and what Sam said and the way that she said it sounded pretty much like it to me,' said Daniel pointedly.
Jack sat back suddenly and ran his hands through his short scrubby hair.
`There'll be no need,' he said slowly, `because Sam will the Commanding Officer.'
Daniel looked at him in amazement.
`What?' he said stupidly.
`You heard me, Daniel. Let me be a little clearer. I resigned. The day that Carter got back if you want all the juicy details. I gave my letter to the General.'
`And he accepted it?'
`He did' said Jack, `with some small concessions'.
`Concessions?'
`Just detail' said Jack with a sigh.
`So! Just like that. Without discussing it with any of us?' asked Daniel in amazement.
`I had to make the decision myself. There is no other way. Carter's ready for command and I'd rather that she didn't get it by stepping into dead mans shoes' said Jack.
`Jack. Go and see Sam. Speak to her for God's sake. Drop all that military bravado crap. Tell her. She's a great person. She cares. Tell her what you've done! Tell her how you feel'.
Jack shoulders dropped in defeat.
`I know what she`s like. It's not easy, that's all' he said quietly.
`But Jack I've never seen you run away from anything, how can you run away from this simple thing?' said Daniel.
`Simple for you,' muttered Jack, `But don'tchya see. Carter could kill me a million times easier than any damned snake in the head and I'm scared of that.'
`Go see her. And her name's Sam, Jack' said Daniel kindly.
Jack looked up towards him and nodded.
`Hey, Carter? How ya feelin'?'
`Fine, sir. Janet says I can leave tomorrow. I can be back on active duty in a week or so.'
`Good. That's good' said Jack, as he stood awkwardly by her bed, one hand playing obsessively with the edge of her blanket.
`Sir. I want to apologise for what I said back on P...'.
Jack interrupted her by raising his hand.
`Carter. Sam, it wasn't your fault' he said..
Sam looked at him in amazement. He used her first name only very rarely, and even then it had been a long time since he had. He also wasn't practised at apologising, and his comment had sounded like the prelude to an apology.
`You were right in everything you said. I was behaving out of line and I'm sorry' he said, his head down.
`No, sir. I had no right......'
He interrupted her.
`You had every right.'
They looked at each other in silence for a moment, before he visibly relaxed.
`Daniel said that I should talk to you' he said softly.
`He did?' she said.
He grinned.
`Daniel said we were alike! And I would have said that. It gives you time to think out a better answer.'
Sam laughed.
`Then I guess Daniel knows what he's talking about' she said.
`Do you think we are?'
`Alike you mean? Yes, I suppose we are in some ways. Military training has a lot to answer for' she said.
He nodded thoughtfully and shuffled his feet.
`How come you're not, you know, attached, Sam?' he said unexpectedly.
Sam spluttered.
`Not really much time for all that, sir' she answered lamely.
`I can't believe that' he muttered, then changing subject he shuffled his feet some more.
`Doc says that you can't drive home yourself, tomorrow. Shall I pick you up after the Doc's passed you fit to leave?' he said.
She nodded happily.
`That everything?' asked Jack, shifting Sam's bag from one hand the other.
`Yes, sir' she said quietly.
Jack gestured towards the infirmary door and Sam headed out, towards the car compound, Jack following close behind.
They chatted aimlessly as Jack drove to Sam's house. Sam nursed her injured hand with the other one, gradually leaning against the door as tiredness set in. Jack glanced at her and noticed her pale cheeks and half closed eyes. He continued silently until they pulled up onto her drive. He got out of the car and dragged her bag out of the back seat, placing it carefully by her front door. He rooted a set of keys from his pocket and opened the door, pushing it ajar with his foot as he picked up the bag and set it down in the hallway. They all had sets of keys to each other's houses and apartments. They'd exchanged them some years before as a security measure. The house felt cold and unaired, so he quickly flung open a window and then went back out for Sam.
She was leaning heavily against the passenger door, eyes closed and beads of sweat on her forehead. Jack opened the door carefully and she stirred, muttering as he took hold of her good arm. Blinking in the light, she climbed out and walked slowly into the house. Jack watched her silently. With a sigh she folded up onto the sofa, leaning her head on the back cushion. Jack looked around the room and picked up a soft blanket draped across one of the chairs. He unfolded it and carefully placed it over her, tucking it in around her sides. Looking round some more, he caught sight of the fireplace and with a soft smile he headed for the back of the house looking for wood.
Sam opened her eyes slowly. She felt warm and relaxed and her eyes focussed in on a tousled head in front of her. Jack O'Neill was sitting on the floor, his long legs stretched out in front of him, a cup of coffee next to him. He took sips of the coffee as he turned the pages of a book. His back was resting against the sofa on which she was laid. She realised that the fire was lit, the logs crackling slightly, the red glow lighting up the dimming room.
`Any more coffee in the pot?' she mumbled.
She watched Jack put down his book and turn to face her.
`Sure' he said simply, and with complaining knees he got up and strolled into the kitchen. After a few seconds he came back with a steaming mug. She sat up, took it from him and wrapped her hands around it gratefully.
`Thank you, sir' she said, sipping at the hot liquid.
`What were you reading?' she asked after a few minutes.
He shrugged.
`Oh, just something I found on your shelf' he said.
Sam glanced at the book. "Introduction to Astrophysics". She looked at him in amazement.
`You were reading a science book?'
`Anything wrong with that?' he said defensively.
`No, sir' she said with a grin.
Jack looked uncomfortable for a moment.
`Carter?'
`Yes, sir?'
`I don't think you'd better call me sir anymore' he said jerkily.
Sam frowned at him.
`Call me Jack' he added, then as an afterthought, `or O`Neill`.
She continued staring at him as he walked around agitatedly.
`I resigned' he said suddenly.
Sam realised that she was staring at him open mouthed.
`Why?' she said coolly, afraid that her outburst on P... was responsible.
He stopped walking at looked at her. His eyes were unreadable.
`It's time' he said.
`But, sir....' she started, but he stopped her with raised hands.
`Carter! Sam! Listen to me just for once' he said in frustration.
Sam nodded.
`I have been thinking about it for a while. It just is the right time for me' he said.
`But what will you do?' asked Sam.
`Fishing?' he said with a pointed look.
`You were made for this job' she said stubbornly 'and you have a lot more to give. I just don't believe that you're gonna fish your life away'.
`It seems that General Hammond agrees with you' he said thoughtfully.
`So, he refused your resignation?'
`No. As a matter of fact he accepted it, ...... with conditions'.
`Conditions?'
`I'm staying on as civilian advisor. Kind of like Daniel and Teal'c' he said, surprising Sam.
`Are you going to be on active duty?' she asked.
`That depends' he said quietly.
`On what?'
`On whether the new CO for SG1 wants me' he said, thrusting his hands into his pockets and looking away.
Sam was stunned for a minute.
`Is it going to be Major Henshaw?' she asked quietly.
Jack looked up at her, his eyes twinkling.
`Nope' he said `Hammond thinks that Major isn't senior enough'.
He watched as Sam's shoulders fell and he took pity on her.
`So.... It depends whether you want me on your team, Lieutenant-Colonel Carter' he said slowly.
Sam looked at him in astonishment, a flush of colour spreading up from her neck and covering her cheeks.
`What did you say?'
`Do you need me on SG1, ma'am?' he said cheekily.
Sam immediately latched onto his speech pattern.
`I prefer Colonel' she said haughtily.
`Yes, Colonel' he grinned.
She jumped up from the sofa and grabbed his arm excitedly.
`Is this really true? It's not some trick that you and Daniel dreamed up?'
He laughed at her expression.
`No, Colonel'.
`SG1 is mine?' she said, doing a little dance.
`All yours' he said still grinning.
As he looked at her, the colour suddenly drained from her face and she staggered slightly. He stopped laughing and grabbed both her arms gently, lowering her back down onto her seat.
`Or it will be when you're fit. Until then, it's still mine' he said wickedly.
She blinked at him.
`Jack, you will stay with SG1, won't you. I'll need you' she said simply.
`I hope so. I'd like that' he replied awkwardly.
`And thanks for all this. Looking after me and all' she said.
`It's what friends do' he said.
`Friends?' she said.
`Nothing wrong with that, is there? Colleagues, friends, if you like........'
Sam jumped in immediately to complete the familiar sentence.
`.. doin' a spot of fishing together' she finished and then laughed.
`Do you think you're up to it?' asked Jack.
`By tomorrow, I will be' she said and then grinned at him cheekily.
`Yes, ma'am' he answered, and then ducked as a cushion flew in his direction.
Sam sighed in satisfaction as she leaned back. His back felt warm against hers, even through his thick shirt and her cable knit sweater.
`So this is what you've been getting up to all these years' she murmured.
`Not quite like this' he muttered back.
`Ever caught anything?' she asked.
`Oh God, no!' he laughed and she laughed in return.
`I need to cast my line again' she said archly.
`Really?' he said doubtfully, and turning round so her back was against his chest, he wrapped his arms round her and took her rod. He gave it an expert flick and passed it back to her.
`No. Not really. But it is nice when you do that' she giggled.
Instead of turning back to tend his own rod, he tightened his arms around her and she leant back happily against him.
`I resigned once before' he said suddenly.
She turned in his arms and looked at him in astonishment.
`You did?'
`Remember that time when Teal'c and I were stuck in that time loop?' he asked.
She nodded.
`I resigned during one of the loops' he said, looking suddenly boyish.
`What happened?' she asked curiously.
`You were in the control room looking at some scientific doohickey. The General was there and when I walked in out of uniform he asked me why. I just gave him the letter and said I was resigning. You stood up immediately and turned towards me and asked me why.'
Sam was so engrossed in his story that she didn't notice his hands release from their grasp around her and move up towards her face, but when his hands gently touched her face she closed her eyes instinctively.
`And I said..... So that I could do this.....' he said as he softly pulled her towards him and kissed her.
His hands released her face and slid round her shoulders, one arm supporting her, the other turning her so that she dipped, resting against his outstretched legs. Her arms came up and slid around his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss. When he finally broke off, he looked at her fearfully. She lay across his knee, her eyes still closed, her cheeks and lips pink, her chest rising and falling as she breathed quickly. He bent down and gave her a quick peck on the cheek and she opened her eyes. They looked up at him, her irises looking a deeper blue than he'd ever seen. She gazed straight up at him.
`Why did you resign?' she whispered.
`It had to be right' he said softly 'It couldn't be any other way'.
She pulled herself upright and looked quizzically at him.
`If I'm your CO and you're a civilian advisor, what do the regulations say then?' she asked.
Jack blushed.
`They say nothing' he said slowly.
`You mean that there aren't any restrictions on personal relationships?' she asked.
`None' he said, looking almost fearful.
`You checked, didn't you?' she said laughing.
He looked embarrassed and nodded.
`And you've actually resigned?' she pushed.
`Effective today, actually' he said quietly.
Sam smiled and reaching up she looped one arm around his neck.
`That's all right then' she said as she pulled him towards her and kissed him thoroughly, her good hand running through his hair.
She stood up and brushed off her jeans and then reaching down she offered him her hand and pulled him to his feet. He looked at her uncertainly before she grinned widely at him and turning round pulled him towards the small wooden cabin stood next to the lake.
`O'Neill, shut up' said Lieutenant-Colonel Carter as she turned to face the three men following her up the muddy woodland trail.
`If I hear any more about trees, or mud, or trees.......' she started.
`Yes, ma'am' said Jack with a knowing glance towards Daniel Jackson.
Sam turned to face him, her hands on her hips.
`..and if I have to tell you to call me Colonel, once more, O'Neill, you'll be on latrine duty for a month' she snapped.
Jack looked repentant.
`Sorry, Colonel' he said.
She suddenly shot him a dazzling smile and Daniel grinned as Jack gave her a dopey look back before turning to continue their trek.
THE END
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