Come Monday
Come Monday
by Aeryn
Summary: Starting over.
Category: Romance
Season: future Season
Pairing: Jack/Sam
Rating: GEN
Warnings: language
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: 2004-08-10
The SGC was unusually quiet and dark. Carter was in the briefing room, leaning against the window, fingers tracing faint circles of the Stargate on the glass.
"Carter," O'Neill said by way of greeting, tossing a box of odds and ends onto the table next to her. "You still here? I thought I was the only one who put off packing until the last minute." He rummaged through the contents of the box, pulling out a Homer Simpson action figure and waggling it at her.
She smiled briefly, then turned her gaze back to the gate. She sighed heavily. "I can't seem to force myself to leave, sir."
"Jack," he corrected. "Retired now, remember?" He indicated his white t-shirt and jeans.
"Jack," she repeated. She was wearing civvies herself, jeans and light pink button-down shirt. She straightened, putting a hand on each hip, and stared down into the gate room.
"What are your plans?" she asked. "Now that you've got all this free time?"
"I have NO idea," he said. "I figured I'd head up to the cabin, sit on my ass for a while, try to figure out what to do next." He paused, looking up into the distance. "You know, I might move to the Keys and become a Parrothead."
She frowned, thinking of all the Jimmy Buffet CDs littering the cab of his truck. "I thought you already WERE a Parrothead."
"Not officially," he said. "Gotta get the t-shirt."
She smiled, then sighed, looking again at the gate.
He looked at her, frowning. "You okay?"
She looked at him. "You know, I didn't think this would be as hard as it is."
He crossed his arms and leaned back against the table, watching her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean I feel . . . trapped. Claustrophobic." She turned her gaze back to the gate.
"Because you can't go off-world all the time."
She nodded. "Yeah. I know it's all for the better, Earth is safe now, no need for constant missions . . ."
"But?"
"But I hate this," she said. She turned to him. "This was my life; there's never been any job I've loved more. Or people I've loved more; you guys are like family."
"Not too much like family, I hope," he said, moving to stand next to her.
She continued as if she hadn't heard him. "It's just - I don't know how to NOT do this, do you know what I mean?"
"I think so, yeah."
"Every other commission, every other job offer - they all just seem so boring."
He watched her closely.
"Here . . . here we were saving the world. How can I save the world teaching at MIT?"
"Carter . . ." he began. "Sam. The world has been saved. That was kind of the point."
She sighed again. "I know. I should be thrilled we're not in constant danger." Her eyes met his. "But I'm not. Is that crazy?"
He smiled briefly, shaking his head. He took her hand. "You've become addicted."
Her eyes widened. "To what?"
"To the adrenaline. In the line of fire all the time, constant challenges to that oh-so-huge brain of yours. The readjustment is bound to be a little difficult."
She thought about that. "I guess you're right." She paused. "But why am I so SAD?" she asked, eyes now bright with tears.
He sighed and drew her into his arms. "You're in mourning, I guess," he said. "But one thing we've all learned about grief is that, even though it's awfully nasty, it eventually gets easier. You'll be okay, Sam, you're one of the most resilient and resourceful people I've ever met. Probably that's ever existed."
She stepped back, wiping away tears. "Big words," she teased, smiling.
He smiled slightly and said nothing, turning to look at the gate himself.
"I'm going to miss you guys so much," she said.
"Now, none of that. You know Daniel's already planning the reunion festivities for next year. Vegetarian buffet and bottled water, even."
She snorted. "Stop it."
"Well, it's true. He told me this morning."
She turned so that they were shoulder to shoulder, looking down into the gate room.
"It's really over isn't it," she said.
"This part is," he said.
They were quiet for a while, looking at the silenced gate, each lost in their own thoughts.
Finally he turned to face her. "You know, Carter - "
"Sam," she corrected.
"Sam," he said. "I have no idea where you may go in your career, where you might end up, although I'm sure it will be some place fabulous . . ."
She turned to him, waiting for him to continue.
"But maybe there are other things you've haven't considered."
She looked at him, puzzled. "Like what?"
"Like this," he murmured. He leaned toward her, brushing her lips lightly with his own.
He pulled back and watched her face, heart pounding.
"Sir," she whispered.
"Jack," he corrected. "Retired now, remember?"
A long slow smile spread across her face. "Right. Retired."
She slid her arms around his neck, stepping closer to him as their lips met again. His arms slid around her waist and he pulled her to him tightly, kissing her deeply and for a very long time.
The lights went out.
He pulled back, looking around. "Whoa," he whispered, lips close to her ear. "I think you blew a fuse. Do you know how much those things cost? That'll come out of your pay, missy."
She smothered a giggled, burying her face in his neck.
"Sir! Sir? Sir!"
They both leaned to look down into the gate room, arms still around one another, and saw Walter scurrying across the floor.
"Walter?" O'Neill yelled.
"Yes, sir, ma'am," he said, nodding at Carter. "I'm leaving for Dr. Jackson's party, sir - "
"Jack! Retired now!"
"Right. Anyway, could you seal the gate room before you leave? New rules."
"I think I can take care of it."
"I'm sure you can, sir," Walter said, grinning. "Ma'am. See you both there?"
"Yeah," Jack. "We'll be there."
"Great," Walter called. "See you . . . soon, I guess." He hurried out of the gate room and off to Daniel's party.
O'Neill turned back to Carter. "I think I caught a whiff of innuendo! Was that innuendo? From Walter?"
She shook her head, laughing. "I don't know about innuendo, but everyone will certainly know what's going on when we show up."
"Do you care?"
"No," she said, pulling him closer. "I don't."
"Good," he said, kissing her lightly once more.
She pulled back. "You know, you said earlier that maybe I hadn't considered . . . us."
"Yeah?"
"Well, I had. Actually, it's a good thing you made the first move," she said, smiling. "Otherwise I might have sat around for months, just waiting, making a complete fool of myself."
He pulled her tighter. "Aw, come on. Samantha Carter waits for no man."
Her eyes locked with his and she was silent for a moment. She pressed an index finger to his lips.
"One," she whispered. "She waits for one."
His eyes darkened and he kissed her again, more fervently this time, sliding a hand down her hip as she pressed up against him. They broke apart, both breathing a bit heavily.
He framed her face with his hands. "God, you're beautiful," he whispered. "I love you, you know that?"
She breathed deeply. He could feel her shaking. "I love you, too, Jack," she said. "So much."
Again they kissed, this time her hands sliding behind him, beneath his t-shirt and up the skin of his back. He shuddered and drew her to him convulsively, hand at her hip sliding slowly up, stopping at the side of her breast, then moving slowly across it, cupping it gently. She inhaled sharply, pulling back.
"Sam?"
"The cameras. Still working."
"Oh. Damn."
She withdrew from his embrace, reaching to grab his hands. "Besides, we've got to go," she said, grinning. "Party time, remember?"
"Right. Veggie platters. Woo!" He sighed. "You sure you don't want to just come back to my place? I've got beer and bratwurst."
Again she giggled. This love thing was turning her into a giggler. "Come on. It'll be nice, and our last chance to see a lot of these people."
"You're right. As usual." He sighed again, then looked down at the gate. "Want to go say goodbye?"
She sobered, looking at the gate in all its ancient beauty, stilled for now.
"Yeah," she said. "I'd like to see her one last time."
He leaned against the gate, one finger tracing the lines of a cuneiform symbol, watching her as she circled the gate, coming to a stop at the bottom of the ramp.
"What are you thinking?" he asked quietly.
"Oh," she sighed. "About a lot of things. The Goa'uld. Martouf. Thor. Jollinar. Daniel's ascension. The Ancients almost killing you." She paused, then said softly, "Janet."
He felt an unexpected prick of tears at the sound of her name. "Janet," he repeated. "What a hellcat."
Carter grinned. "You don't know the half of it. There are stories I could tell but I'm afraid she'd come back to haunt me."
He smiled and she started up the ramp, walking slowly, knowing this was most likely her last time. She stopped, studying it closely.
"You know, in the rush of running in and out of this thing, I forgot sometimes how beautiful it is. It's a shame to lock it away."
He stepped back, looking up. "Yes, but it's the only option. To keep Earth safe and to keep IT safe." He patted the gate and walked down the ramp, stopping beside her and pulling her close. "You okay?"
She smiled, leaning against him. "Better. Still a little sad, though."
They stood together, imprinting the image of the Stargate in their minds.
"All right," she said, pulling away from him and moving down the ramp. "I'm ready."
"Are you sure? We can stay a while longer if you want."
"No. No, I think I'm ready to say goodbye," she said, breathing deeply. "Let's do it."
After closing, locking and encoding both entrances to the gate room, they made their way to the darkened and quiet control room.
"Now what?" she asked.
"Now, blast doors down and locked," he said. "Would you like to do the honors?"
She reached out quickly and pressed the button to bring down the doors, turning her back on them as they slid slowly down and locked into place.
"Is that it?" she asked, wiping her eyes.
He smiled in sympathy. "That's it. Ready to go?"
"Oh, yes," she said emphatically.
He grabbed her hand and led her out the door to the elevator. "Time to put your party pants on, colonel."
"Party pants?"
He shrugged. "Don't ask me. Teal'c's been picking these things up lately. Kinda has a nice ring to it, though, don't you think?"
She was wading through the CDs on the floor of his truck, trying to decide what she wanted to hear when he swerved into the mall parking lot.
"Going shopping?" she asked.
"Just gotta pick something up," he said. "Back in a flash."
He leapt out of the truck and jogged toward the mall. She shrugged and went back to digging through his CDs, hoping on the very off chance that he might have some Human League.
When he returned later she'd given up on his CD collection and was listening to the 80s station on the radio. "Aww, geez, Carter. Do you HAVE to remind me how much older I am than you?"
She grinned and turned the radio down. "I've seen you in action, Jack, you're awfully spry for an old man."
"Yeah, well," he muttered. "You'll find out all about that later, won't ya?"
"Jack! Was that innuendo?"
"Little bit, yeah." He reached into his pocket and handed her something. "Here."
She took it, then squeaked and dropped it in shock.
"Not quite the reaction I was looking for," he said, digging on the floor for the lost item. Finally finding it under his seat beneath a McDonald's wrapper, he brought it back up, trying to hand it to her again. She refused to take it. Her eyes were wide and her mouth opened. She was shaking and breathing heavily.
"Sam," he said, pretending to pout. "You're hurting my feelings."
"Jack . . . Jack are you CRAZY?"
"Well . . . yeah." He grinned. "Now come on, you haven't even looked at it."
He opened the small box and she gasped, look of shock deepening.
"Oh. My. God." she whispered.
"Like it?"
She hadn't taken her eyes away from it.
"It's BEAUTIFUL . . . but Jack . . . are you CRAZY?"
He sighed. "Will you try it on, at least?"
She shook her head frantically. "No," she said. "No. Not until you explain yourself."
He sighed and leaned toward her, holding the ring in front of him.
"Look, Sam. This is the way I see it. We've been dating for eight years."
"What?"
"Actually, it's more like we've been married. We've spent more time together in the past eight years than any couple on the face of the earth. You know me better than anyone on the face of this earth. You're my best friend. We've saved each others asses countless times, saved the world even more than that, and we were in love the entire time, but couldn't do anything about it." He leaned in closer. "EIGHT YEARS, Sam. In my opinion, that's a hell of a long engagement."
She looked at him, still shaking, but allowing him to slip the ring on her finger. "Jack," she whispered. "Are you SURE about this? What about my career, I don't even know where I'm going or what I'll be doing - "
He leaned back, admiring the look of the ring on her slender hand. "I go where you go. You can support me in the manner to which I've become accustomed," he said.
She was too shocked to laugh. "And that's okay with you? Are you SURE?" "Of course I'm sure. You think I'd drop ten grand if I wasn't sure?"
She squeaked again, holding her hand away from as if it were contaminated.
"Ten thousand dollars?" she whispered. "Oh. My. God. And wow. And you're not supposed to tell me how much you spent. And wow. Jack, are you CRAZY?"
"Sam, you haven't given me an answer."
She finally tore her eyes from the ring to the face of the man she loved. Shocked as she was, the look in his eyes finally convinced her.
She nodded. "Yes," she whispered.
"What's that?"
"Yes," she said, a bit louder.
"Sam, I'm an old man. I can't hear you."
"YES!" she shrieked, laughing and leaping on to his lap. "YES, YES, YES, you batshit crazy son of a bitch!"
"Language!" he admonished her, laughing as he held her tightly. "You've been hanging around me too long."
"Shut up and kiss me," she said. And he did.
Daniel's apartment was packed, filled with soldiers and civilians who were all leaving the SGC. The room was loud with music, conversation and laughter, and a few tears here and there.
Carter and O'Neill squeezed their way past a group of airmen who were laughing uproariously at something and found Daniel by the food.
O'Neill clapped him on the shoulder. "Daniel," he said, sniffing. "Do I smell MEAT?"
"Yes, Jack, out on the grill," Daniel said with exaggerated patience. "Just for you."
"Damn, this day just keeps getting better and better," O'Neill said, finding several bottles of Guinness sitting by the punch bowl.
Daniel squinted and eyed them both suspiciously. "Yeah, I'll just bet it does. What took you guys so long?" he asked. "Been busy, have you?"
O'Neill turned to him, glaring. "NO, we have not been busy . . ."
"It's okay, Jack," Carter said. She turned to Daniel, smiling brightly. "We have been a tiny BIT busy," she said, and held up her left hand for him to see.
His jaw dropped. He looked from Carter to O'Neill and back again. "Is that . . . is that what I think it is?"
Carter nodded. Daniel looked at O'Neill, who was smiling smugly over her shoulder.
"Oh, my God," Daniel said, grabbing Sam's hand. "You're ENGAGED?"
Silence descended on the room. In unison, all heads turned to Siler, who pulled a rumpled sheath of papers out of his pocket and flipped through them. The silence stretched out for a long, agonizing moment until he found what he was looking for. "Uh, Teal'c," he said. "Hit it right on the nose. Pony up, everybody."
Grumbling rippled through the room as all those who taken part in the pool opened their wallets or purses. Teal'c smiled serenely.
Daniel looked confused. "What - "
"The pool," Jack explained, pulling his wallet out of his pocket.
"What pool?"
"The betting pool, Daniel," said Carter, digging in her pocket. "On when Jack and I would finally get together."
"Oh." He looked from one to the other. "YOU both bet? Isn't that kind of . . . insider trading or something?" He turned to Siler, who was collecting everybody's money.
"Oh, I knew that neither of them would even come close," Siler said, returning to his sheets. "And I was right, too. Let's see . . . O'Neill had it as four years ago; Col. Carter had it as five years from now."
"Well, that's embarrassing," Carter said, handing Siler her money.
O'Neill leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I assure you, this is the only thing I've EVER done prematurely."
"Jack!" she hissed, flushing.
He handed his money to Siler and looked around the room. "What?" he said loudly. "No congratulations?"
There was a great deal of laughter and a hurried rush of hugs and shaken hands. Carter was forced to show off her ring several times while O'Neill watched and grinned. Daniel sidled up beside him, smiling. "Jack," he said. "I knew something like this would happen but I never expected it to happen so fast."
"Oh, you knew, did you?"
"Well, everybody knew," Daniel said, nodding at the crowded room. He turned back to O'Neill. "Jack, this is great, seriously. Congratulations."
O'Neill smiled. "Thanks, Danny boy." He grabbed a bottle of Guinness, kissed Carter on the cheek and whispered something in her ear before turning back to Daniel. "Shall we visit the grill?"
They worked their way through the throng until someone stepped in front of them, blocking their path.
"George!" O'Neill exclaimed. "I didn't know you were going to be here! How are you?"
Unsmiling, Hammond refused Jack's outstretched hand. "Jack, since Jacob isn't here, I feel it's my obligation to act in his place. You and I need to have a little talk."
"Uh-oh," Daniel said under his breath.
Hammond grabbed a stunned O'Neill by the arm. "Come with me, son."
Daniel watched, unable to hide a smile at the look of fear on O'Neill's face. "Daniel!" cried Carter, coming up behind him. "Is that General Hammond?"
He nodded. "I've got to go say hello, give him the news," she said excitedly, but Daniel stopped her.
"Not right now, Sam," he said. "Hammond's having a little conversation with Jack. Playing proxy for your father."
She looked from Daniel to Hammond and O'Neill, who were engaged in intense conversation in the corner. She turned back to Daniel. "Uh-oh," she said.
"My words exactly," said Daniel.
"Well, as long as he doesn't act TOO much like my father . . ."
"Jack will be fine, Sam," Daniel said. "We've got to make sure he takes care of you, right?"
She turned to him and smiled. "We?"
"Me, Teal'c, Hammond . . ."
"I didn't know I had such a large group of guardian angels," she said.
"Well, you do," Daniel said. "Shall we dance? Do I need to have a talk with you about what to expect on your wedding night?"
Laughing, she fell into his arms and they danced.
"All right, then," said Hammond, smiling. "I've made myself perfectly clear on what's expected of you."
"Uh, yeah," O'Neill said. "Most definitely."
"Good!" said Hammond, clapping him on the shoulder. "Then I suppose we should celebrate!"
"Yeah . . . uh, George?"
"Yes, Jack?"
"Am I going to have to do this again when I see Jacob?"
Hammond laughed. "Probably. Just consider this training, son, because Jacob's going to be a whole hell of lot harder on you than I was."
"Right," O'Neill said, staring glumly at his empty Guinness bottle. Suddenly a loud shriek cut through the din of the room.
He looked up at Hammond, smiling. "Cassie must be here."
They looked across the room. Cassie was alternately hugging Carter and staring at her ring and jumping up and down. Jack grinned and stood to make his way across the room to them.
Sam was dancing again, this time with Teal'c, who surprised her with his nimble moves.
"Teal'c, have you done this before?"
"No, Colonel Carter."
"Well, you're very good at it. And Teal'c?"
He arched an eyebrow.
"Could you call me Sam?"
"Of course. Sam."
She grinned, then stopped him in mid-move to hug him tightly. "I'm gonna miss you guys so much," she whispered.
He held her gently. "Although we will not always be together in a physical sense, Sam, we will all still be in each other's hearts."
He leaned back to look at her. "I will return to Chulac when they reopen the gate for a brief period next year. Perhaps, until then, we can make the most of the time we have left together."
She smiled, eyes bright with tears. "It's a deal."
He bowed his head, smiling, and they resumed the dance.
O'Neill was about to grab another Guinness when Daniel stopped him. He turned. Daniel and Teal'c were both standing and staring at him.
"What?" he asked uncertainly.
"Uh, Jack . . . we just wondered . . . who you're going to pick for your best man."
Oh, shit, O'Neill said to himself.
"Uh, well . . . who's saved my ass the most?"
Teal'c turned to Daniel, smiling broadly.
"Now, wait, that's not fair! Jack, I've known you the longest. We went through the gate together, the first humans to do that in centuries -"
"I do not see what that has to do with O'Neill's decision-"
"Well, the ass-saving criteria isn't really fair!"
"Neither is your assertion that the length of your association with O'Neill-"
"Okay, okay stop!" O'Neill said. He pulled a quarter out of his pocket. "Heads or tails?"
"Jack!"
"Heads," said Teal'c.
"Hey! I was gonna say heads!"
O'Neill flipped the coin. "Tails. Okay, Daniel's best man -"
"Yes!" Daniel hissed.
"And Teal'c you're the . . . wingman."
"Wingman?"
"Yes. Very important role, very important."
"O'Neill, I am not as nave as I was when I first encountered your culture eight years ago."
Jack sighed. "Well, what do you want me to do? I can't pick one over the other, there's no way!"
Teal'c considered him coolly for a moment. "Fine, O'Neill. I will be the . . . wingman."
"But, hey," O'Neill said. "You can plan the bachelor party."
Teal'c arched an eyebrow. "I thought the best man," he said, glaring for a second at Daniel. "Performed that duty."
"Come on, you think I'd let Daniel plan a bachelor party?"
"Hey!" Daniel said.
"Oh, look, Sam's yellin' at me, gotta go."
She was dancing with Daniel again, laughing loudly at his telling of what he had dubbed "The Selection of the Best Man Ceremony."
"Wingman?" she asked.
Daniel nodded. "Typical, no?"
"A little, yeah," she said, wiping away tears of laughter.
He smiled. "Sam, I can't tell you how good it is to see you both so happy."
"Oh, Daniel," she said softly. "What am I going to do without you?"
"Stop it," he said. "It's not like I'm dead. Or ascended."
She smiled in spite of herself.
He stopped dancing and framed her face with his hands. "I love you, Sam. And Jack. And for as long as I'm able I will be there for you. Got that?"
She nodded, and he kissed her quickly on the mouth.
"Hey! Get your lips and your mitts off my woman!"
Daniel grabbed her close and held her tightly, glaring at Jack. "Why don't you make me?"
Carter laughed as O'Neill tried to pry Daniel loose.
"Stronger than I look, aren't I?" Daniel said, glancing at Sam and waggling his eyebrows.
"Daniel, you're dangerously close to losing your position as best man."
Daniel released her so quickly she stumbled a bit.
"That's better," O'Neill said. He handed Daniel a CD. "Now, I'd like to dance with my fiance. Could you play this for me?"
Daniel dutifully headed off toward the stereo system while O'Neill took Carter into his arms. She relaxed against him, sighing deeply.
"Tired?" he asked, gripping her tightly.
"A little. It's been a rather eventful day."
"Hell," he said. "It's been rather eventful eight years."
She smiled. "To put it mildly."
"Still sad?"
She sighed. "Yes, a little," she said. She glanced up at him and grinned, waving her engagement ring in front of face. "But I think it was a pretty fair trade-off."
He gasped, pretending shock. "Gold digger!"
"You know what I mean," she admonished. He held her tightly and they kissed briefly.
"Jack," she said. "I got a call from NASA yesterday. The government's given them access to everything we've learned and developed at the SGC. They want me to help integrate the technologies into a new fleet of ships."
"Really?" he said. "Houston?"
She grinned. "Cape Kennedy."
"Hmmmm," he said. "Not really all that far from the Keys."
"Right."
"Would you mind being married to a Parrothead? Being Mrs. Parrothead?"
"Not at all," she said, still grinning.
"Well, then, I picked the right song."
They swayed together in the middle of the tiny area of Daniel's apartment that was being used as a dance floor, unaware that the area had cleared and that they were being watched. Everyone there knew that they were seeing the heart of the SGC, finally free and unfettered, and they all understood that everything that had risen had converged, that there were happy endings even if you had to wait eight years for them, and that just about any Jimmy Buffett song made for a good soundtrack along the way.
"I can't help it honey You're that much a part of me now Remember that night in Montana When we said there'd be no room for doubt
I hope you're enjoyin' the scen'ry I know that it's pretty up there We can go hikin' on Tuesday With you I'd walk anywhere California has worn me quite thin I just can't wait to see you again
Come Monday, it'll be all right Come Monday, I'll be holdin' you tight I spent four lonely days in a brown L. A. haze And I just want you back by my side"
And they all lived happily ever after. Even Walter.
The End ( For Now )
"Come Monday" by Jimmy Buffett
Living and Dying in Time
`Everything that rises must converge' line borrowed from Flannery O'Connor
Everything and everyone else . . . well, you know who they belong to. :)
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to Aeryn
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