Leaving Jack
by serafine
Rated: PG
Classification: Sam/Jack fic
Genre: Angst, Drama
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate. No foul, no profit, no sue.
Warnings: Language
Spoilers: Um… oh, yea. Season 4 Stargate Atlantis, episode 2 “Lifeline”, specifically
Archiving: Heliopolis and wherever - though please let me know so I can visit
Feedback: Treasured lovingly and fed well at poeyfarre@yahoo.com
Final Completion Date: 9/28/07
* * * * * * *
The fight had been slowly brewing all afternoon. Sam could see it coming when she told him the Air Force’s offer. Jack’s eyes had darkened dangerously, but he hadn’t really said anything other than “Atlantis, eh?”
He had been quiet all through dinner. That was another bad sign. A quiet Jack is a thoughtful Jack.
It was just getting dark outside. They had settled in the living room in front of a fire.
The papers sitting on the table caught Sam’s eye again and she finally got up the nerve to say, “Don’t you want to talk about this? I have to call Washington tomorrow with my answer. If we’re going to discuss this, it has to be tonight.”
Jack turned and looked at her. “No. This is your decision.”
“Am I alone in this relationship?”
“No, Sam. But it is your decision,” He repeated quietly.
“But I want your input. I don’t want to make a decision without discussing it with you.”
Jack got up and slowly walked over to the fireplace. It wasn’t really necessary, but he had made a fire anyway. He poked at it, methodically turning over the wood.
“C’mon, Jack, please, say something.”
He finally turned and looked at Sam and said, “So, what are you going to tell them?”
She took a deep breath and said “I – I think I want to go.”
Jack exhaled sharply. “I see. So that’s it then?”
“Well, if you are not willing to discuss it with me, then yes, I guess that’s it then.”
Picking up the orders from the coffee table, Jack shook the papers in her general direction. “I can’t believe you are seriously considering this.” His face had finally changed, the anger beginning to push through.
“Do you really think I can tell them no? Weir is gone and they need someone out there ASAP.” A muscle in Jack’s jaw clenched at the mention of her name.
“Then why the hell do you want to discuss it? If you’ve made up your mind, Carter, then there is really nothing to discuss. You just want to pick a fight with me so you will feel better about leaving.” Jack’s eyes were very dark now.
Her mouth fell open and her eyes lit up. “That’s not it at all.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed. “You want to go to Atlantis and try and fill Weir’s shoes? Don’t let me stop you.”
“You don’t actually think I’m capable of being a base commander, do you?”
“Oh, that’s bullshit and you know it. It’s just because... because…” His voice broke off.
“What, Jack? Because what?”
Jack’s temper finally blew. “DAMN it, Carter! We have waited so long.” The hand holding the papers curled into a fist. “And now you’re just going to walk back out that door? Head off-world? AGAIN?!”
“Again?” Sam’s voice was very quiet and Jack knew he had hit a nerve. “You’re going to throw that in my face? I went back to SG-1 because it was what I wanted.” Her volume began to grow.
“And you encouraged me! You said, ‘Someone has to watch out for Daniel – they need you. Teal’c misses you. Mitchell’s a good guy. You should go.’ If you wanted me to stay you should have said something then! NOW is not the time to say that you didn’t want me to go back to the SGC.”
“I know you – you would have been bored.” Jack said as he threw the papers at the table between them.
“Bored with what – Area 51? Or bored with you? Is that it? You were afraid that I would have been bored if our relationship was suddenly full time? Not hidden away? Did you send me away assuming that was the best way to keep me?!”
Sam shook her head as she rose to her feet and slowly stalked towards him. “How dare you. I love you, you fucking idiot! But this offer to go to Atlantis has got nothing to do with you. This fell in my lap. I am terribly sorry about Dr. Weir, but I’ll get my own base for God’s sake! If I pass this up it will never come again – you know how the Air Force works!”
“If you want to go, go. You have never been happy sitting on the sidelines. The Atlantis posting would be perfect for you. There’s the Wraith as well as the fucking Replicators. And the bonus - it is as far away from me as you can get!” Jack’s eyes were blazing with fury. “You can continue with your perfect track record of running away from every man who has ever loved you!”
Sam went very still and then slapped his face as hard as she could. Jack continued as if she had not moved, despite the palm print on his cheek.
“Look me in the eye and tell me that I am wrong. You are so afraid that you actually are the Black Widow of the SGC that you don’t want to stick around any more. I am glad that you didn’t marry Pete – but he loved you. I love you. Hell, Martouf even loved you in his own snakey way. And you run away every time. You are so afraid of getting tied down, afraid that it will mean you are not independent, not strong, not able to take care of yourself.”
Jack shook his head and sighed. “Being with someone doesn’t make you weak, Sam. I don’t think you’ve ever truly accepted that. I think that is why you ran away to go back to the SGC two years ago and I think it is why you are going to go back to Atlantis and blow them away with your intelligence and your grace and your strength.”
“No - I don’t want you to go. But I also don’t want you to curse at me in five years and tell me that the stagnation of your career is my fault because I held you back.”
He stepped forward and grasped both of Sam’s arms in a bruising grip. “I love you. Go – have fun. Be brilliant. But don’t expect me to just sit here and wait for you to come home.”
With that, Jack turned on his heel and walked out the back door of the cabin.
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to be continued…
thanks for reading
serafine
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"Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something."
- Wesley in The Princess Bride
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Leaving Jack
by SerafineStory Bemerkung:
I do not know if they will ever address this issue, but story-wise, it would seem to me that Sam moving to Atlantis might upset some people...This story is written with a premise that Jack and Sam have, indeed, gotten together, and it happened sometime between season 8 and 9.
Newly revised due to feedback and some info I found on Atlantis Season 4. Please let me know what you think.
Kapitel Bemerkung:
Just a drabble, really. I cannot actually grade until I get this out of my head! This was typed and posted in less than an hour - please be kind...Spoilers for Atlantis season 4 - more notes at the end.
Kapitel Abschlussbemerkung:
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