Book 4 Exponentially!
Disclaimer: I can by no means take all the credit for the original idea of the mini Jacks which developed from a drabble between myself and Delta666. Delta has given me full permission to include them in my story.
This is my fourth novel in the Kate and Jack saga and begins six month after the last book when Kate announced that she wanted to be a volunteer host for the Tok'ra. Thus, this episode takes my story to the time just before the inauguration of the new president nearing the end of SG-1 season seven.
Chapter 1.
New beginnings.
Trembling and weak Kate clambered into the steel elevator. With her back against the cold steel she pulled the torn remains of her blouse over her scratched and bruised shoulders. She clasped her white coat tightly around her as she reached down and pressed the button for one of the upper floors. Any floor would have done, just to get up from the lower levels.
She breathed a long sigh of relief as the doors slowly came to a close only to jump back in shock as a large hand grabbed the door and stopped it from closing. Frantically aware that there was no escape, Kate shrank back into the elevator her heart pounding and her head dizzy from too much oxygen. Kate's eyes filled with tears as the large burly figure prized open the doors and stepped inside. His steel cold, beady eyes stared with malice intent as he moved towards her, his pale skin clammy and his mouth cruel. Staring back at him petrified, Kate shrank deeper into the corner as a smile of evil delight curled up his deranged features. Her eyes quickly glanced over to the buttons and in one last desperate effort she made a leap for the alarm button and felt her arm almost break behind her back as she was grabbed, and pinned against the steel interior of the elevator her breath steaming up the icy wall as the elevator descended back down.
...
Kate opened her eyes wide and stared across the beautiful Scottish landscape before her and panted for breath. Even the perfect view couldn't banish the memories she still recalled with such vivid clarity.
Suddenly and unexpected, a hand touched her shoulder and made her cry out as she almost lost her footing from where she stood on the edge of the mountain side. An arm wrapped around her pulling her close and startled and confused she blindly pounded away at his chest.
"Kate, it's me, Jack." At the sound of Jack's voice Kate looked up and with a gasp she crumbled into his arms still shaking.
"Jack! You idiot, you could have warned me?" she gasped still trembling. She stepped back and pulled up her shawl and Jack noticed the scars on her shoulder and he was glad that Simmons had finally got what he deserved.
Jack sighed and recalled how it was he that had asked Caroline Dexter to take her off the drug that was suppressing her memories. He had never intended for it to cause her so much pain as it awakened the memories of what she had gone through at the hands of that evil bastard Frank Simmons.
"How are you, what are you doing here?" added Kate breathlessly.
"Fine.. just fine," replied Jack, "You know how things are, constantly battling to save the world, no time for trivialities." Jack cringed as the words came out of his mouth, not intending for it to sound as though Kate was a triviality. It had been almost six months since Jack had brought Kate back down from the mountain. He and the Daniel clone had resolved their differences once Jack had realised that there was nothing going on between them and that Daniel had simply been a source of comfort during her withdrawal from the medication. Jack had made sure Kate got back to her new apartment safely before leaving for the base and her offer of being a host for the Tok'ra had been disregarded.
"Only this time we've had a bit of a situation over at stargate headquarters," he added quickly.
Although he didn't quite understand it, Jack was aware that Kate had some strange hold over him. As he paused, struggling to concentrate, he found himself ever more attracted to her, her eyes even more vividly green in the strong sunlight, her skin, still soft and radiant and slightly flushed, just like when he first encountered her. And her red hair, although a little shorter and a little less red than it used to be, still wafted softly in the mountain breeze.
He felt unusually at ease with her, it may have been the fact that they were on a mountain in the middle of nowhere but it could also be that Jack was clearly fond of her. He was sorry that he ever doubted there had been anything going on between her and Daniel and knew he could trust her implicitly with any information he cared to divulge about the stargate program.
"Teal'c and Carter have gated over to the Beta site, to acquire another one of those modified Goa'uld cargo ships and they're on the way here now as we speak. We have a cargo of "small" gifts to deliver to the Tok'ra, who coincidentally…," Jack paused and was reluctant to continue, "….urgently have need of a volunteer host.
Jack was uncomfortable with the fact that Kate had volunteered to be blended with one of those "snakes" but as necessity would have it, Kate was their only option at this time.
Kate was a little disappointed that Jack had come for her on behalf of another interested party.
"How long have I got before Teal'c and Sam get here?" Kate asked sadly.
"Well, Carter's pretty punctual and if everything goes to schedule…" Jack looked down at his watch…and then back into Kate's eyes that were glazed and transfixed.
Kate raised her hand and unexpectedly removed Jack's cap. "I like the new hair," She said as her hand brushed over his head of neatly cropped hair.
Jack reached up and took her hand. "Ok, I know, everyone keeps telling me it's about time I dyed my hair!" he quipped.
Kate beamed. "Don't you dare! she exclaimed as she raised her other hand to fondle his neck "it gives you a certain maturity," she added playfully.
"Maturity, I'm not sure I like the sound of that!" Jack raised his eyebrows and twisted his head slightly, finding Kate's touch incredibly sensuous.
"How long did you say they'd be?" Kate said as her fingers stroked his cheek and moved towards his lips.
Jack stumbled over his words "it's gonna be a few ….." he replied "….long enough," he added as Kate's fingers sent shudders down his spine.
...
Jack jumped, blinked and opened his eyes as the radio crackled and Sam's voice echoed from somewhere inside his jacket pocket.
"Col. O'Neill, please respond." The radio crackled.. "Are you there, Col. O'Neill?
Jack unravelled his arm from under Kate's head and reached into his jacket pocket. "O'Neill here, what is it Carter?"
Jack thought he heard a sigh amidst the crackle.
Kate opened her eyes and sat bolt upright. She shivered and pulled Jack's jacket close against her.
"I thought we'd lost you for a moment there Sir," replied Sam. "We've just come out of hyper-drive and we're about to approach Earth's atmosphere. We'll be with you in just a few minutes."
Jack flicked the radio which slid inadvertently across the wooden floor. "Crap!" he exclaimed mumbling obscenities under his breath as he hastened to gather his clothes.
Kate slipped on her dress and shoes while Jack frantically dressed, fastening his belt and finally pulling on his boots.
She calmly rinsed her face in the basin in the corner of her kitchen and quickly tousled her hair, while Jack fumbled frantically with his jacket buttons.
Dashing over to the sink corner and tripping over his half fastened laces, he immersed his face in the bowl splashing water everywhere.
Kate passed him the towel and tied his laces up as he smoothed back his wet hair with his hands.
They stood face to face and gazed into each others eyes "That was pretty intense," to which Kate beamed.
"My radio!" he exclaimed as he grabbed his radio "my cap, where's my cap?" he cried looking around the room in sheer panic suddenly remembering that Kate had dropped his cap outside.
The radio crackled as he grabbed Kate he dragged her outside. "Sir, we're locking on to your coordinates and we're ready to ring you up,"
"Acknowledged!" panted an out of breath Jack as he reached down and picked up his cap and placed it in his pocket as the sound of the rings echoed and transported them back onto the Tel'tak.
...