Unbroken Threads
Unbroken Threads
by Rose Evans
Summary: Based on the Spoilers for upcoming S8 episode 'Threads'. When Pete buys a house, Sam confronts Jack about her feelings for him.
Category: Angst, Drama, Future Story, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene/Epilogue, Romance
Episode Related: 117 Solitudes, 405 Divide and Conquer, 713 Grace, 715 Chimera, 721 Lost City, Future Story
Season: Season 8
Pairing: Jack/Sam, Jack/other, Sam/Pete
Rating: FAM
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: 2004-09-27
At the sound of the knock, Jack leaned forward where he was sitting comfortably on his couch watching TV and simply ignored it. When the next knock came loudly, he sighed in frustration and glared in the direction of the door. Grabbing his beer from the table, he muted the TV and went to his front door, taking a few glances at the screen on the way.
Tanking another drink of his beer, Jack opened the door as little as possible intending on getting rid of whoever it was a.s.a.p. He knew who it was even with her back slightly turned towards him; and at the sound of the door opening, she had turned to face him.
"Hi." She said, after studying his face for a moment.
"Carter?" He asked puzzled and looked beyond her, checking who else came along. Hesitantly he looked back at her, not attempting to open the door further.
"Am I interrupting..." She could see his eyes wondering, his attention elsewhere. The nervous feeling she had wasn't getting any less.
"No." He answered almost too quickly. His face slightly took on a look of amusement, "Out driving again?" he asked teasingly.
But his question didn't have the same effect on her. Her eyes seemed to darken at the memory as her shoulders sank with a sigh, "Yeah. I guess."
Jack studied her for a moment, then stepped back opening the door wider and waved her inside. Sam walked in and stepped aside for him to close the door.
"Want something to drink?" He asked her as he closed the door.
Sam smiled slightly, "Sure," noticing the drink in his hand, she nodded her head towards it, "Got another one of those?"
He stared at her for a second before glancing at the beer in his hand. Her intentions of staying for longer than her usual few minutes were made clear, and for a second he felt unsettled. He nodded slightly at her and mumbled, "Right" before gesturing for her to go into the living room as he went to get her the drink.
Sam slowly took a deep breath as she made her way down the small steps to his living room. She took her jacket off and laid it on the chair, taking a look at what he was watching before she came. She turned around to face him as he came down the small steps; right arm extended holding out the drink for her.
As she accepted her drink she grinned at him, and nodded towards the TV. "The Simpsons," She smiled and said almost knowingly "I am interrupting."
Her smile as always was infatuating, and Jack did his best to keep his to a minimum. "It's a re-run." He assured her. Sam however looked at him, eyebrow slightly raised, a knowing look on her face. "I'm taping it." He admitted, as he leaned over and switched the TV off.
Sam lowered her head, shaking it slightly in amusement, causing Jack to grin at her usual gesture. He took a drink of his beer and stared at the top of her head, waited for her to say something.
Sam feeling his eyes looking for answers met his gaze. "So..." She said, not really sure where to start.
"So?" he asked. She came for a reason, and he was starting to sense that whatever it was, she was having a hard time getting to it.
Sam's eyes wondered, trying to find the words to start. Grinning awkwardly and not meeting his gaze "How are thing with uhm..." Finally looking at him, she sighed in frustration at her lack of ability in saying the woman's name.
Jack simply looked at her, taking in her awkwardness trying to hold her gaze. "Kerry?"
The woman's name seemed to break something, and Sam found it a lot easier to let her eyes wonder down to his shoes. Kerry Johnson is a member of the SGC's new Professional Oversight Committee, and Sam knew that she and General O'niell are... involved.
Wincing slightly, Sam lifted her head and mumbled "Yeah."
Hesitantly looking away, Jack made his way to where he was sitting before Sam arrived, "Swell, thanks for asking." He mumbled as he sat down, and leaned back in his seat.
After two drinks of his beer and no attempt of an explanation to her visit, Jack leaned forward, elbows on his knees, holding his bottle in his outstretched arm. His face taking a look of curiosity, "Carter?" Swaying his free wrist about, as she turned to look at him, "What are you doing here?"
Sam simply looked at him before taking a deep breath, and hesitantly sat down on the chair on to his right. She took a drink and stared at her bottle, as Jack's gaze seemed to burn into her mind looking for answers.
"Pete, bought a house today." She finally managed.
Jack however seemed to get more confused by the news. Nodding slightly as if it was no great deal, said "That's to be expected. He did move down here..."
Shaking her head slightly, Sam raised her eyes and looked at him. "No I mean..." She sighed, looking away only to steal another glance at his face; "... he bought us a house."
Raising his eyebrows in realization, Jack leaned back in his seat. "Ah!" he said with a sigh.
Sam's bottle seemed to be more and more interesting, as she twisted it around with her fingers. "I ahm..." she stole a glance at Jack, "I guess I just feel like... he's taking every step ahead of me."
Jack bit the inside of his bottom lip, trying to control the amount of sarcasm, which would accompany his answer. "You did say yes." Knowing he failed miserably the moment she winced at his tone.
Forcing her eyes to once again steal a glance at him, she mumbled "Yeah" and resumed twirling her bottle.
"Yeah" he echoed, feeling less comfortable by the direction their conversation was heading. As the silence stretched, Jack's thoughts took a turn of resentment and regret. Seeing how she was avoiding his gaze, his voice betrayed his conscience, "Is that all you came here to tell me?"
Sam closed her eyes in frustration, shaking her head slightly. She hadn't precisely planned this conversation, but had hoped this was not how it would be.
"No" she said above a whisper. Glancing at him, she stood up in frustration and walked to his ceiling high windows. The sun was too bright outside, and Sam had the feeling that it was mocking her.
"I uhm...I guess I needed..." but the words failed her, and she sighed as she turned to look at him.
"What?" Jack asked, only for Sam to bite the inside of her bottom lip, and avoid his gaze. Tilting his head questionably, he knew his voice would sound cold, "Closure?"
Sam snapped her eyes back to his face, opened wide in surprise. His words caught her off guard, and his tone startled her into holding her breath. She watched almost overwhelmed by his features. His eyes narrowed, a gesture she knew too well; when he was trying to hold back what his eyes would betray. His lips took a grim straight-line grin as he stood up and walked to face her.
"Fine. You have my blessings" Jack said, and he could tell by Sam's expression that she was just as surprised as he was by the calm voice that it was spoken in. His eyes were still guarded, and as Sam lowered her head, he knew it was to guard how his words effected her.
His voice seemed to be controlled as he spoke and stepped closer towards her, "Go marry Pete. Get that life you want with the white picket fences, kids..." But he was stopped short by a snort, and as Sam rolled her head upwards to look at him, and he was taken aback by the moisture forming in her eyes.
"Kids" she mumbled with sarcasm.
Jack could feel what little anger in him drained by the look she wore, tilting his head he echoed softly, "Yeah... Kids."
A small tired smile formed on her lips as her eyes glazed, "If I ever..." she started, then focused on Jack and her voice took a hint of confidence "I'd leave the airforce."
"Why?" he asked her, surprised by her decision.
Her features took on a pained expression as her eyes wondered beyond him. "My mum." she whispered.
Jack winced slightly at the expression she wore so openly. Stealing a glance at his face, Sam mentally shook away memories of her mother and made her way past him and back to her seat.
Jack turned to see her taking a drink of her beer; her forehead creased, as she seemed to concentrate on her words, as though reminding herself of the reason. "Every time we go through that gate, we willingly risk our lives for this planet." she raised her eyes to meet his, "But I'm not willing to put any child through what I had to go through when I lost my mother."
Jack slowly looked away from her gaze, losing himself in his own past. Taking in a deep breath, Sam focused her thoughts to her reason for coming.
"I didn't come here for..." she started, but sighed again in frustration, lowering her head as Jack looked at her. "I just needed to know." She said above a whisper.
Jack walked slowly back to his seat and looked at her. "What?" he asked her softly.
Sam raised her head, and Jack could see uncertainty written on her face. Her eyes soft and wide open, her mouth shaking with hesitancy. When she spoke, it almost seemed agonizing. "How you feel about me?"
The question didn't seem to startle him, but Sam could tell that he was tense and trying to hide it. Jack simply stared back at her, trying to confirm if those words were actually spoken by her.
His eyes slowly took a look of regret, and he looked away. "We've moved on Carter." He said, controlling his voice.
"Have we?" Sam's voice sounded so doubtful, he had to look at her face.
Words seemed to form behind his lips, and it took Jack a moment to force something out. "Sure" he finally managed only to confuse himself by the lie.
Sam held his gaze and knew that he didn't believe it any more than she did. "Then why am I here?" She asked, not realizing she'd spoken the question out loud. Jack broke the gaze and looked away, not trusting what he'll see in her eyes and simply shrugged.
Sam looked away and seemed to be lost in her thoughts. Jack sat back in his seat and stole glances at her as she sat there looking utterly lost; a look she wore when all seemed inevitable.
His floor had become quite interesting when she finally spoke. Her voice, so quite and tired to his ears, he leaned closer to hear her. "When I was stranded on the Prometheus... I started to hallucinate."
"Tends to happen" Jack mumbled to himself.
Sam look at him confused, until he met her gaze. "Iraq", she realized.
Jack looked away, a look of remorse on his face. "Yeah" he mumbled.
Sam's face softened at the memory of when he had told her all these years ago at Antarctica. "Sara got you through it." She recalled.
Jack flinched slightly at the name and glanced at Sam. "Yeah, she did."
A look of understanding crossed her features, as they both sat in the silence of their thoughts.
"I saw Teal'c", she started. Jack looked at her puzzled, wondering where this was heading.
Sam simply looked ahead, gaze unfocused as she tried to place the pieces of memories she had of the ship. "He told me to stay awake. To survive." She took a drink of her beer, her gaze still unfocused.
"Daniel..." she sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head in frustration, "I couldn't get the hyperdrive to work. And all he kept on saying was for me to seize the moment and study the gas cloud." She said with a hint of annoyance, causing Jack to grin at how she had hallucinated their friend.
But as her thoughts wondered through the memories, Sam's face took a slight look of fear and submission, and Jack instantly lost his grin.
"There was a hull breach... uhm corrosion from the gases that made up the cloud." She said in a whisper. Jack simply watched her, mesmerized by her composure.
"I had a little over eight hours before the corrosion reached the inner hull." She managed before taking a shaky breath. Jack had listened to the ship's log after her return; her voice had sounded controlled and calm, it had eased his guilt for not being there. But now... now he could hear undeniable fear.
Sam took another drink to help her ease the rising lump in her throat. Jack watched her take another deep breathe, calming herself; and the aching feeling he had when she was missing arose inside him.
"Teal'c was warning me. I don't..." she sighed in frustration and continued with a hint of laughter in her voice, "and Daniel's theories weren't helping the headache much."
As Jack watched her, her face softened and a small smile took over her face. "I saw my dad." she said and for the first time looked at Jack. He managed to smile at her encouragingly before her thoughts went back to the ship, her eyes wondering back to the ground.
"He told me about my mum. How she gave his life meaning." She closed her eyes, and with a slight shake of her head seemed to control the ache left by the memory.
"He asked me if I was happy." she managed with a sigh, biting the inside of her lower lip as she opened her eyes, seeming to force out her words almost mockingly. "He said that I have always... that I was alone. That I was denying myself..."
She sighed in resignation and looked away as though perhaps the memory would pass her by. The look of regret on her face didn't help ease the pressure on Jack's chest; a feeling that he was the cause of that look tore at him.
"He told me to give up what was holding me back from having that life." she whispered in a strained voice.
Jack simply stared at her as he attempted to regain his breath. "Me." he managed to croak and held on to her gaze as she finally looked at him, and knew he was right.
To Sam's awe, his face didn't hold resentment. Guilt was in his brown eyes and in his voice and she suddenly felt choked by his unguarded anguish. All she could will herself to do was look away.
When she closed her eyes and kept silent, Jack looked at the bottle in his hand and wondered how many more he would need to forget this moment.
"I don't remember how long..." she continued with a shake of her head, "I gave up." Her voice sounding so defeated that Jack forced his self-pity at the back of his mind, as he stole a glance at her and settled on looking beyond her.
"I couldn't find a way. I collapsed so many times I didn't know what was what anymore." she said in a frustrated rush. Taking a breath as she focused on his face, "then you came."
Jack slowly focused on her, and her soft smile eased his worrying thoughts. "Gave me a little pep talk. Told me I would think of something." She said with sad smile. Jack smirked at the usual line he fed her when she was giving up, and looked away.
Taking a deep breath and looking away, Sam forced the memory aloud. "I asked you if it would change anything if I quit the airforce."
This time Jack couldn't contain the look of surprise or disbelief from his face as he looked at Sam. When she finally looked at him, he realized her need for an answer. He could feel his eyes losing their guard as he finally managed to avoid her gaze, trying to find the answer he could give her.
"I would never ask you to give up your career." He said truthfully, as he lifted his eyes to show her he meant it.
"That's what you said." She replied with a sad smile that reached her eyes, the moisture returning to her eyes.
"Guess you know me well enough." he said. But his words didn't seem to satisfy her as she sighed in resignation. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees.
She sat there for a moment too long, and Jack's eyes like his mind, wondered around searching for words that would help ease the sorrow she now wore so openly.
Lost in his thoughts, Jack almost missed her whispered words. "You got me through it." she said and for a moment Jack felt utterly stunned by her confession. He studied her face, looking for an indication of how to accept her words. But her face showed him no more than regret and he wondered if she had meant to utter those words aloud.
Not knowing what to possibly say had she meant it, he hesitantly whispered "Carter..." and knew it's not how he should have started when she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head slightly, refusing to hear his words.
"Sam." He murmured, her name sounding softer on his lips than he intended. She accepted it though, tilting her head and meeting his gaze, and he could see clearly that she only wanted the truth.
"I am happy for you." he said sincerely, surprised by the truth in his voice, and by how more hopeless Sam looked on hearing his words. A look he dreaded seeing again, ever since she came and saw him in the infirmary room after Janet's passing.
Forcing his eyes away, he willed his voice to stay neutral, "Whether you marry Pete or... No matter what happens..."
"You will always be there for me." she finished for him.
He sighed almost in relief as he looked at her, "Yeah."
He stared at her eyes as they seemed to fill with regret, and slowly the moisture that had been building up in her eyes piled up. The tears she's been holding back, unwillingly left her eyes and trailed down her face. Trying to control the urge of wiping her tears, Jack didn't hear the knock on the front door.
Tilting her head slightly, Sam's eyes took a look of realization. Her mind filled with the truth, she could only echo Jack's words from months ago on the cargo ship. "I know."
Jack didn't dare move, simply looked at her, trying to find meaning to her words. When another knock came, he quickly glanced at the door and regretted it instantly when he saw Sam close her eyes as she let her head fall.
He sat for a moment studying her face. She made no attempt at looking at him, and he slowly swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. Putting his bottle on the table, he hesitantly made his way to the door. As he opened it, a different feeling of guilt hit him as he saw Kerry standing outside.
"Kerry" he managed in a neutral voice, hoping his face didn't betray his awkwardness.
"General. Can I come in?" she asked, her voice guarded.
Jack knew that she probably had seen Sam's car outside, and the fact that she called him 'General' didn't help the unsettling feeling in his stomach. He studied her face for a moment, but it was held high and guarded. He stepped aside to let her in, and hesitantly closed the door as she made her way to his living room.
Sam hadn't paid any attention to whoever arrived at the door. She simply stayed where she was, determined on regaining her composure by the time Jack returned. When Kerry came to a stop in the middle of the living room, Sam's heart raced at her presence and she quickly wiped what little tears that had escaped with the back of her hand.
"Colonel." Kerry said as a greeting, as Sam hesitantly stood up in surprise.
"Kerry?" Sam managed, with little strain in her voice. Whether or not Jack is involved with the woman, Kerry is still part of the SGC, and Sam wondered what she would think conspired before her arrival.
"You weren't home and uhm..." Kerry started to explain, but as her voice faded and her composure seemed to fall; Sam exchanged a worried glance with Jack as he came to a stop behind the woman. Slowly, Kerry regained her composure as her shoulders straightened, taking a deep breath "We received a word from the Tok'ra. Your father needs your help."
Sam's heart raced at the news, and she looked at Jack in a silent question. "Go. I'll be right behind you." He replied softly, nodding towards the door.
Sam held his gaze for a moment longer and nodded her thanks. She glanced at Kerry before grabbing her Jacket and leaving out the door.
Jack stood behind Kerry, as she simply stood there, trying to make something out of her silence. When they heard Sam's car pull out of his driveway, Kerry hesitantly made her way to the door without sparing him a glance.
After a second's thought, Jack made his way to the small steps as she just managed to open the door. "Kerry. It's not..." he tried to explain
"Yes it is." She interrupted him, and she turned to face him, a sad smile on her face causing him only to feel the more guilt. "Truth is, it's always has been. And we both know it."
Afraid he would hurt her more by confirming her words, Jack looked away and sighed in resignation.
"You're a good man Jack." She whispered, and as Jack looked up to her face, she smiled slightly and nodded as she left, closing the door behind her.
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For the past five hours straight, Sam had been sitting on the computer in her lab going through the Intel sent by the Tok'ra. And with every new detail, her concern for her father increased. She knew she needed to focus on coming up with a strategy for the rescue mission, but her heart ached for her father with each passing moment.
"Colonel." A voice from the door announced, and Sam felt almost foolish for being obviously startled. Sam's awkwardness returned as she noticed who it was at her door.
"Kerry" she said, with a strained smile.
"I just came to let you know that the mission to rescue your father has been authorized." Kerry said as she walked into Sam's lab.
"Thank you." Sam said, smiling in relief.
Kerry simply smiled back as she handed Sam the file and turned on her heels to leave. Sam hesitantly stood up, dropping the file on the desk and walked towards Kerry, stopping her at the door. "Uhm... Kerry?" Sam managed.
"Yes Colonel." Kerry answered as she turned to face Sam.
Sam looked at the woman, and felt ashamed for her earlier conversation with Jack. She sighed regretfully, and looked at the woman's eyes. "About earlier today. Uhm, with the General. I think I need to explain..."
"There's no need." Kerry interrupted with a slight shake of her head.
Sam lowered her gaze in defeat as Kerry walked towards her. "I think I knew it from the beginning. I just wouldn't let myself..." she attempted, then taking a deep breath Kerry seemed lost in her thoughts and Sam looked at her with pity. With a small smile on her face, Kerry said with a hint of laughter in her voice, "I guess I should have known when Jack wouldn't even..." As if suddenly realizing to whom she was speaking her thoughts to, Kerry smiled awkwardly at Sam. Sam feeling uncomfortable by the woman's saddening banter lowered her gaze.
"He's worth the wait you know." She said sympathetically to Sam, causing Sam to simply looked up at her, taken off guard by her words.
"Good luck Colonel." Kerry managed with a smile.
"Thank you." Sam mumbled, not quite sure to what the woman was referring to.
Nodding slightly with a smile, Kerry turned and left down the SGC corridors; leaving Sam in the lab looking after her with a sigh. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack sat behind his desk, giving in to his chair after the two minute conversation with the President turned into twenty. As he heard the sharp knock to his already opened door, he knew before lifting his eyes that it was Sam.
"Of course sir..." he said into the receiver, waving Sam in. "I'll make sure of that myself sir..." he assured him, looking up as Sam walked halfway into his office. "Thank you sir." He said, and sighed as he placed the phone down.
Jack sat forward in his chair, and looked at Sam as he intertwined his fingers on the desk, "We have a go. We leave in an hour."
Sam simply nodded her head, somewhat avoiding his gaze. Standing up, Jack made his way to the front of his desk and leaned back on it. "SG teams 3, 5 and 6 will be coming with. You'll need to brief them and have them geared up and ready." He said, receiving only a slight nod.
When she wouldn't meet his gaze, Jack pushed himself off his desk and it seemed to somewhat remind her of his presence. "You Ok?" He asked her, nodding slightly in her direction.
Sam hesitantly took a step forward, and brought forth a file from behind her back. Stealing a quick glance at his face, she held it out for him. "I need to give you this," she said softly.
"Can't it wait?" He asked although accepting the file from her outstretched hand.
Sam finally met his gaze, and Jack was puzzled by the look of determination in her eyes. "It's waited long enough." She answered him confidently.
Jack crunched his forehead in curiosity as he pulled the file to himself and opened it. "What is it?" he asked suspiciously, not intending to bother reading if it was another update of the Gate's diagnostics.
Taking a steady breath Sam looked at him expectantly, "My resignation." She managed to say firmly.
As she expected, Jack snapped his eyes to meet hers, surprise written on his face. Sam simply looked at him, intending on standing her ground no matter what he protested. But Jack was utterly stunned into silence, and simply stared at her dumbfounded.
Breaking their gaze, Sam lowered her eyes and brought her hand around to the front, where she intertwined her fingers in concentration. "I spoke to Pete and uhm..." she said softly.
The look of absolute defeat was clearly etched on Jack's face, as he slowly leaned back on to his desk. Lowering the file, Jack let his eyes wonder over her half hidden face. The clarity of her intentions ate at him, and Jack couldn't dare disagree with any choice she believed would make her happy.
She was nervous, after eight years he learned the signs. She remained with her head lowered slightly, her hands clasped in front of her. Her knuckles turning white from the way she twisted her fingers around... finger. No ring.
Pushing himself off his desk in confusion, Jack looked up in hope to catch her eyes for answers. He pushed any hopeful thinking to the back of his mind, knowing he couldn't comprehend anymore disappointment today.
Hesitantly Sam finally met his gaze. "I'll go brief the SG teams." She said softly, turning slightly in an attempt to leave his office.
"Carter?" Jack finally managed, utterly confused.
Sam stopped as she reached the door, and turned slightly studying his face. It was all she needed as she smiled at him reassuringly. "I'll see you at the gate Jack." She said softly.
To his credit, Jack only showed a moment of absolute confusion and bewilderment across his face. And as it hit him, all he could manage was a lopsided grin. "I knew that." he assured her.
Sam smiled at him openly, shaking her head slightly as she turned and walked down the corridor, leaving Jack standing in the middle of his office with a goofy smile taking over his face.
-=:FIN:=-
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