Title: In Light of the Truth
Summary: Off-world, Jack drinks something at a local celebration that causes him to tell the truth whether he wants to or not
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance
Pairing: Sam/Jack
Season: 4
Spoiler: The Light, The Devil You Know
Content Warning: none
Disclaimer: I do not own any publicly recognizable characters or Stargate SG-1
Author's Note: This popped into my head when I was thinking about the betting scene between Jack and Sam in "The Light." I love that scene and the cute, little grin Jack gets after Sam gives up guessing. I came up with part of a conversation after watching itand this grew from that.
Colonel Jack O'Neill had never tasted anything like it. The liquid concoction he had just sipped—after Daniel declared, quite melodramatically in Jack's opinion, that the natives of P7X-473 might not take kindly to their drink being refused, and twenty minutes of other convincing arguments—reminded him unpleasantly of the "Blood of Sokar." Though only in the buzzing sensation it sent coursing through his head. Luckily, this didn't taste a thing like it.
Despite the humming, Jack couldn't help taking another sip and then guzzling the remaining liquid until his glass was dry. It had only been offered to him, as the leader of their team, SG-1.
Daniel Jackson was watching him. A worried expression crossed the doctor of archaeology's face as his friend drained the goblet. Jack tried to shake the residual buzzing from his head.
"Good?" Daniel asked, raising both eyebrows before furrowing them again. Teal'c, sitting on Daniel's right, questioningly arched one eyebrow at the Air Force colonel.
"What? Oh…yeah," Jack replied, frowning at his empty glass.
"Are you alright, sir?" Major Samantha Carter asked from Jack's left.
Glancing at his lovely, second-in-command, Jack used sarcasm to hide his disorientation. "I'm great, Carter. Nothing like drinking ceremonial"—he waved his hand vaguely—"beverages to get the adrenaline pumping."
Jack was satisfied to see Sam smile. Her blue eyes, though, still held traces of worry. Forcing himself to break away from the astrophysicist's gaze, Jack just caught Daniel's last worried glance before the linguist turned back to his discussion with the village leaders.
Jack's mind began to wander from Daniel's conversation to their last mission, which was on P4X-347, where they had found a machine that produced a beautiful light and emitted "some sort of energy or radiation," as Carter had put it. They had become addicted to it and spent "three weeks in a palace by the beach," except for Teal'c who was immune because of his symbiote.
Jack shifted in his chair to glance at Sam. It would have been nice if they had been able to leave the building. Watching her, he imagined what it would be like to stroll along the beach with her as the sun set…
Sam looked up at him self-consciously. She raised both eyebrows questioningly. What? Do I have something in my teeth? Jack could almost hear her say.
Jack and Sam were often able to read each other's glances and expressions. It was a skill they had acquired through the years they worked closely together.
Jack let some of his emotional defenses down, letting his feelings show fully in his eyes and facial expression. You're beautiful.
Sam gave him a quizzical, but embarrassed look, ducking her head.
Jack turned back toward Daniel, schooling his expression. Regulations, Jack; she's your second-in-command. He chided himself for "wearing his feelings on his shirt-sleeve." It wasn't like him.
Sam was the first member of SG-1 to come through the Stargate. She moved down the metal ramp as Colonel O'Neill, Teal'c, and Daniel followed her out of the shimmering, vertical pool.
"SG-1, how did it go?" General Hammond asked.
"I was bored to death, but Daniel seemed to enjoy it. And I drank this...stuff, so I should probably go to the infirmary," the colonel said. "Wish it didn't involve needles."
Sam stared at her commanding officer. No jokes, no sarcasm, no bravado, no avoiding the infirmary, this didn't sound like the Jack O'Neill she…knew. Like the Jack O'Neill you know, she told herself firmly, not letting her mind finish the sentence the way it had tried to.
Daniel crossed his arms self-consciously across his chest and Teal'c raised an eyebrow.
Hammond frowned. "Colonel…" The general seemed at a loss as to what to say. "Report to the infirmary. Debriefing in one hour." Hammond shook his head in confusion and headed out of the room.
"Yes, Sir." The colonel started toward the infirmary.
"What…just happened?" Daniel asked, bemused.
"I do not know," Teal'c replied.
Sam watched Colonel O'Neill go through his usual routine from where she sat next to him. First, he would start shifting in his chair every few minutes, then he would either pick up his pen, fiddling with it, or he would fold his hands and tap his thumbs together. After that, he would play air piano across the surface of the briefing room table or lean his cheek on his hand. He didn't always do it in that order, but she had watched him enough times to tell he was getting progressively more bored as Daniel explained, in detail, the culture of the planet they had just returned from.
The colonel raised his eyebrows at her. You bored, too? the look said.
Sam pursed her lips, raised her eyebrows, and shook her head. Not really, she replied silently.
The colonel looked at Daniel and mildly raised his hand to get the archaeologist's attention.
"Um, yes, Jack?" Daniel asked.
"Is this really necessary? I mean it'll be in your report," the colonel said.
Daniel gaped at him, doing a good imitation of a fish caught in headlights as he worked his mouth up and down, his eyes wide. His eyebrows danced in confusion. General Hammond looked equally shocked and Sam stared openly at her commanding officer. Teal'c just arched his right eyebrow.
"Jack?" the bewildered linguist managed.
"Look, Daniel, you know as well as I do that none of us think this is very interesting. So why don't you give us any vital info and leave the rest for someone who…cares."
Daniel was clearly too shocked to take offense. "Are you…feeling alright?" he asked slowly.
"What? Oh, yeah, I feel fine. Just bored out of mind," the colonel said conversationally. There was no sarcasm or annoyance in his voice. Sam exchanged glances with Daniel.
"Colonel, you know that this is SOP," Hammond said.
"Yes, Sir, I do. But just 'cause it's standard operating procedure doesn't mean I have to like it," the colonel countered, leaning back in his chair as if the conversation was over.
"Colonel O'Neill, I suggest you quickly realize how close you're getting to insubordination," the general said darkly in his Texan drawl. The colonel didn't answer, so Hammond turned back to Daniel. "Dr. Jackson, please continue."
As Daniel started to talk again, still throwing the leader of their team bemused glances, Sam surreptitiously watched the colonel out of the corner of her eye.
After the briefing, Sam went to her lab and started working on an alien device SG-4 had brought back. She was quickly absorbed in calculations and did not notice Colonel O'Neill come in a few hours later.
"Carter," he said and she looked up at him.
"Oh, hi," She returned. Sam was surprised to see him in civilian clothes. He was wearing a black sweater, black slacks, and a black leather jacket. He looked good. "Why the civvies, Sir? Going somewhere?" Sam asked, ducking her head to hide the sudden flush of her cheeks.
"Yeah, I'm going to get some dinner and was wondering if you wanted to come with," the colonel told her. He smiled disarmingly at her.
Sam felt her heart melt. She was surprised to say the least. "By myself?" she stammered. It amazed her that she could rattle off scientific formulas and back-engineer alien technology, but when Jack O'Neill smiled she couldn't even ask a decent question. "I mean what about Daniel and Teal'c?"
"I was hoping we could go just the two of us," the colonel clarified, looking a little discomfited.
"I-I don't know what to say," Sam said. She regained her composure. "I've got to finish this." She gestured at the device on the table behind her. "But I appreciate the offer, Sir. I'll probably grab something from the commissary in a few hours."
The colonel studied her for a minute and she had to look away to avoid his intense gaze. His brown eyes bore into her for a few more minutes before he turned away. He pulled up a chair and sat down, picking up a model of a naquadah reactor that had been sitting on her workbench. He started to fiddle with it.
"Colonel?" Sam asked after a few seconds.
"Yeah?"
"I thought you were going to dinner."
"I was," the colonel said simply.
"What about now?" Sam said, bemused.
"You said no," he answered bluntly.
Sam was too shocked to blush. She blinked at him. "What are you doing then?" she managed.
"Waiting for you to finish up with your doohickey there," he said and gestured.
"Are you feeling all right, sir?"
"Ya, sure, you betcha," he replied cheerfully with a Minnesotan accent.
"Why?"
"What?" The colonel looked confused.
"Why are you waiting for me?"
"So we can eat in the commissary. If you don't mind my joining you."
Sam was still trying to comprehend his sudden complete and unadulterated honesty. "No-no-not at all," she stuttered uncharacteristically.
The colonel smirked at her. "Cat got your tongue, Major?"
"No, sir." Sam realized she was not going to be able to get any work done until they had dinner in the commissary. And after that, she would try and get him to the infirmary—there had to be something wrong with him. "I suppose this can wait..."
"'Course it can," the colonel replied enthusiastically, standing up. "For a minute there, I thought you were going to say no."
Sam got up and they started to walk toward the commissary.
"Ya know, I think you're the only person fatigues actually look good on," the colonel said, shocking her again. This time Sam did blush.
"Thank you, Sir. You look nice."
He smiled and she melted again. "Thanks," he replied.
They reached the commissary and Sam sighed mentally with relief. Hopefully, the colonel would be a little less demonstrative in public. They got their food—Sam had to hold back her laughter at the expression the airman who served in the commissary wore when the colonel made a comment about the food—and sat down. Sam struck up a conversation and tried to keep him talking while they finished their meal so that she could at least keep him from saying every random thought that popped into his head. After a few minutes, the commissary was empty, except for them, as all the other "dinner guests" finished their meals and got back to work. Sam had run out of things to talk about and she was afraid the colonel was going to make another comment like the one about her and fatigues. She settled for past missions and came up with one of their recent ones.
"I still can't believe you and Daniel bet about whether or not I would go on that mission instead of taking off—the one before...we found the light," Sam said with a put on laugh. The colonel's expression contorted as if he was having an internal battle with himself. Sam frowned.
"Actually, Carter, that's not what we bet on," he told her sheepishly.
"Really? What did you bet on?" Sam had a feeling she really did not want to know.
The colonel's inner struggle continued for a good minute before he said slowly, "Well...Daniel caught me... ogling."
"Ogling...sir?" Sam was thoroughly confused.
"Yeah, Carter, ya know...ogling."
"Yes, sir, I know what ogling is, but..." she trailed off, not sure how to ask what she wanted to know.
The colonel picked up his story. "I was ogling...at...you." He sounded embarrassed. Sam gaped and he continued. "We were in the briefing room and Hammond was talking about...something and I was...ogling at you." He looked uncomfortable and glanced down at his fork as he pushed his food around with it. "Daniel pulled me aside and I denied it, but he wouldn't let up. So I bet him that I could keep from ogling at you for an entire week. I did all right. That is until you were explaining something technical...and, well, your face lit up and your eyes were sparkling...and you looked so..." Jack trailed off. "…Hot," he finished, finally finding a word he liked.
Sam was dumbstruck. She couldn't even think. She just stared at him. After a long minute, Jack looked up at her and gave her a sheepish grin. It managed to knock some sense into her, though not a lot. "Why?" was all she could get out.
Jack hesitated for a long time and she thought he was going to hurt himself if he didn't stop his mental argument. Jack looked at her shyly, an expression she didn't think she had ever seen on him before, and said, "Because...you're smart and beautiful"—Did he just say I'm beautiful? Sam thought, in shock. Jack continued, "and patient and the strongest woman I've ever known and"—Jack looked her straight in the eye, his intense gaze seeming to penetrate her—"...I love you."
Sam thought she would faint. "You what?"
"I love you," he repeated.
"No! No, you can't! You're sick. I've got to get you to the infirmary." Sam stood quickly. She could not hear this. Those were the three words she had longed and dreaded to hear for years.
"For crying out loud, Sam, this isn't exactly the reaction I expected!" Jack exclaimed, standing up as well. "I think I know how I feel. If you don't love me, that's fine. Say so. But don't try and blame this on some alien disease. I love you, Sam!"
"No, Colonel, please! Don't say that! Please, just...don't say it."
"Alright, I won't, but that doesn't mean it isn't true," Jack said firmly.
"You haven't been acting like yourself, Sir. You need to go to the infirmary."
Jack's brown eyes darkened in anger. He took three quick strides to stand in front of her. "You don't believe me," he stated. "Fine! You want proof?" Sam wanted to shake her head, but he took it in his hands. He leaned forward and Sam's eyes widened. Jack's lips pressed into hers and her eyes fluttered closed. She had dreamed about what it would be like to kiss him, without the influence of the Touched virus, but she never imagined how wonderful it would be. All thought and reason immediately abandoned her and she kissed him back.
Jack pulled away so that he could look at her, but kept one hand around her waist where it had wandered and cupped her cheek with the other. Her arms had found their way around his neck, where one had tangled itself in his gray hair and the other rested on his back.
"Colonel..." Sam breathed.
"Shh, Sam, don't talk," Jack whispered, moving to silence her with another kiss.
"Sir, we can't." Her voice was still breathy and she could not quite make herself pull away from his warm embrace. Instead, she moved one hand to his chest to keep him at bay.
"Samantha," he said softly. The way he said her given name with such love and affection melted her resolve and she leaned against the hand cupping her cheek.
"Jack," she whispered his name. She had always called him "Colonel" or "Sir" before. It scared her that he had such power over her. She realized, though he had melted her heart with his smile before and always knew how to make her laugh, he had never wielded that power to such an extent.
Jack moved to kiss her again and this time the hand on his chest did not even try to stop him. His lips met hers and Sam was lost in the rhapsody they induced in her again—
"Colonel O'Neill, report to the infirmary," Dr. Janet Fraiser's voice announced over the PA system.
"Aw, for crying out loud! Fraiser's got worse timing than Daniel," Jack exclaimed, leaning his forehead against hers.
Sam tried to say something, but Janet's voice spoke again. "Colonel O'Neill, report to the infirmary, STAT," the doctor repeated.
Jack pulled away. "I should go. I'll be back," he told her, giving her a peck on the cheek. He left the commissary, leaving her standing in the middle of the room. She was trembling from her senses going into overdrive. She could not believe the effect he had on her. She felt suddenly cold with the loss of his warm, strong arms. She touched her lips, remember the feeling of his pressed against them, still in a state of shock.
Now, what am I supposed to do?
"The liquid Colonel O'Neill drank seems to work in some ways like a narcotic. It obstructed his judgement in a way that caused him to say whatever came to mind, but unlike a narcotic it only made him think to tell the truth," Janet explained. "I gave him something to clear it from his system and he's perfectly fine now."
Hammond looked relieved and so did Colonel O'Neill. Sam avoided Jack's gaze, wondering if he remembered what had happened.
Sam realized that Janet had said it had made him tell the truth. That meant that he did love her. It was not just the potion talking...
She looked at her colonel and saw embarrassment at his behavior, how much he enjoyed their few precious moments, and his love shining back at her. Someday she would tell him that she felt the same. Someday the Goa'uld would be defeated and one or both of them would resign. Someday they would be together.
He gazed back at her and his warm, brown eyes seemed to echo her thoughts. Someday, Sam.
Until than, she would remember their few minutes, in light of the truth, and hope.
Author's Note: What did you think? I hope you enjoyed it. Please review. Thanks.