The Girl That Wasn't

Summary: Sometimes, the past can seem like another life.

A/N: Completely AU…or is it?



It was 16:34 on a warm Tuesday afternoon as Jack strolled down the dismal corridors of the SGC. He, of course, wasn't aware that it was a sunny day on the surface because he was trapped twenty eight levels down, practically ordered to finish his paperwork. He'd taken a little break, which had turned into an expedition hoping to cajole Daniel or Teal'c to invent him a task that needed his immediate attention. Neither were particularly bothered about his situation; the former just nodded disinterestedly whilst huddled over a dusty old book and the latter had decided that it would be the perfect time to get in his extra Kel'No'Reem-ing.

So that's why he was en route to Carter's lab, hands firmly in pockets and smiling amiably at the passing airmen, occasionally fielding requests of the completion of reports; it seemed Hammond had everyone on his case.

"Carter?" O'Neill sounded as he reached her lab, the door wide open. He tentatively entered as the Major was nowhere in sight, lifting up and examining some interesting doohickeys that no doubt she would be aghast to learn he was fiddling with, "Carter, you hiding in here or something?" He asked out loud despite the fact that her lab was completely empty.

With a lack of something to do, apart from paperwork which he really didn't want to do, he took a wander round her laboratory, watching the blinking lights flash repeatedly and then trying to close his eyes at the correct time so it appeared like they weren't flashing off at all. Deciding that maybe that would look a bit idiotic on the CCTV, especially as those geeks were just looking for a way to humiliate him in front of Carter, he moved to her desk to sit down, thinking that she'd be back and he could use her as a first line of defence against Hammond.

Sitting on the chair that Carter had no doubt stolen ("borrowed nicely…without permission" he could practically hear her intone inside his head) from another techies lab, he cast an eye over the files, papers and calculations flooding her desk. For someone who was always so organised, she had really let her desk flood with paperwork this week. He picked up a few sheets of paper, glanced over them and then remembered why he wasn't good at mathematics, and then began reading some papers written by his second in command but couldn't get past the title. If they'd been about astronomy it would have been a different matter, but when he had Carter around to understand everything science-y, why did he need to know it too?

After five minutes Jack decided that it looked like Sam was either eating, or judging by the amount of paperwork she had, using his tactics of accosting Daniel and Teal'c for an excuse. He was about to get up from the chair when something caught his attention, shining underneath a pile of paper and folders. Pushing the offending objects away, he pulled out a silver photo frame, reflecting in the somewhat harsh overhead light and the blinking lights of the various machines. Holding underneath the desk lamp, he saw two blonde haired girls smiling eagerly into the camera. One he recognised as a teenaged Samantha Carter; all innocence and blue eyes, at about sixteen he guessed by the style of the clothes. The girl whose arm Carter wrapped around looked incredibly similar; the same features, the same hair colour paired with the same eyes and smile, just slightly younger than Carter if his guess was right. The girl wore slightly bohemian clothes, yet acceptable for suburban America; he assumed it was most likely a close cousin.

He was about to place it down on the table again and hide it as he had found it but before he could, the photo fell out. Jack picked both the photograph and the frame, giving the latter an annoyed look as he realised the back of the small stand-up frame was well worn. He flipped the photo over, rather nosily, and saw Carter's familiar scrawl at the bottom;

Me and Beth, back yard, Washington, 1978.

The photo was worn at the edges, and the back was slightly brown but otherwise was in perfect condition; it was obvious that the picture meant a lot to his second in command.

Deciding that he was becoming too much of a busybody, especially disrespecting not only his 2IC's but friend's privacy, he hurriedly placed the photo in the frame and re-hid it. He looked steadily down at the desk as he arranged the papers to look as they had before he'd arrived and his heart jumped as he heard someone's voice at the door.

"What are you doing?" Her voice was a mixture of hurt and anger; he wasn't sure which he disliked most hearing from her when directed at him.

He slowly looked up towards her, his hands tightening into balls as he realised that Carter would, rightly, be pissed off. "I'm sorry Carter. I came down here to look for you…"

"And then my personal belongings just slipped right into your hands?" She spat quietly, walking towards the table and taking the frame into her hands. "How dare you think you can touch this?"

He understood that he had done wrong, even he admitted it, but that venom in her voice, especially after she apologised, was uncalled for. "Look here Major…"

"Please leave." She replied sternly, "Please just leave."

Jack decided not to inflame the situation any further, and walked towards the door, his head hung low. He stopped at the threshold and turned to see her move to sit on the now empty chair looking completely dejected. "I'm sorry Carter, I didn't mean to offend you."

She looked up momentarily and he wondered if he could see the beginnings of tears in her eyes, "Well, you did Sir." She answered quietly.

And with that he left. Turning to walk down the corridor again, it was clear to anyone that passed that he was not in a good mood. He stopped dead a few seconds after leaving, surprising the airman that was approaching. Giving an apologetic nod, he turned back towards Carter's lab but before entering lingered at the entrance, unseen by his second.

He could see her crying. The door was pulled, almost closed, and no-one walking past would have suspected that the diligent Major Carter was crying. But if they had stopped they would have heard the small muffles of sobs. Jack walked away from the door, thoroughly confused.

Feedback? Many hugs and kisses….