AN- This is not how this was supposed to work. It was supposed to be a nice little one shot and be done with. My muse decided otherwise. I watched this episode after talking to the amazing Mel, or as some of you know her MelBellSG1. After watching the episode an idea was born. Not this idea, but some of the second chapter. The first chapter was a complete throw me for a loop chapter and I have no idea where it came from. But anyway, hope you all enjoy it. Episode extension to Off The Grid.
"I'm hitting the showers." Looking at the general in front of her.
Marching past her team she went straight to the locker room and started pulling off her uniform. There was nothing better than a nice long hot shower. There was only so much muck and grime you could get off in having a shower aboard a spaceship. She had just wrapped her towel around her when the locker room door opened slightly and a familiar voice called out to her.
"Sam, you decent?" Daniel asked from behind the locker room door.
"Yeah, Daniel. If a towel is decent. I was just going to get in the shower." Seeing the door fully open and Daniel enter, closely followed by Cam.
She looked at Daniel as he came and stood next to her, not phased at all by the fact she was only wearing a towel. Cam on the other looked at everything but her, his head kept deliberately down. Both Sam and Daniel chuckled at Cam's reactions to her near nakedness.
"Thought you were doing the infirmary first?" Sam asked as Daniel turned to look at her.
"I was, then I decided seeing it so full I could use a shower first then we can all go together." Smiling as he started to take off his jacket. "Cam, you can look at Sam you know. I promise her towel covers up more than enough." Trying to hold in his laughter as he spoke.
"Easy for you to say. She's like you weird little sister of something." Cam answered, still keep his eyes front as he opened his locker.
"Cam, how long have I been back now? I swear within the first six months of joining SG-1 I am sure these guy seen my naked to some degree at least a couple of times." Getting her wash bag out and holding it against her chest.
"That's just it, though, they are them and I'm, well, me. You guys spent so long together, did so much, saved the world and all that. You were the golden dream team." Hanging his jacket in his locker and bending over to undo his boot laces.
Sam looked at Daniel, then at Cam's back. Shaking her head she winked at Daniel and marched up to Cam, stopping just in front of him. She made sure he could see her feet with the angle he was at so he knew it was her.
"Cam, stand up at look at me." Watching as Cam never moved. "Please Cam, we need to sort out the weirdness once and for all." Finally seeing Cam slowly stand up to his full height and squint through his closed eyes. "I swear I will hit you, Cam. Look at me and let's sort this out." Seeing Cam finally open his eyes and look at her. "That's better. They saw me," inclining her head towards Daniel, "in many states over the years. From being in full, clean and smart BDU's, to scraps of underwear, and on a couple of occasions no underwear. Get used to it Cam. We are put in positions where we will see each other at are worst. I need to know you can deal with that, if it was Daniel and Teal'c would it make a difference? No, is the answer, you would deal with it. Just because" but she was cut off when Cam suddenly burst out laughing.
"Sorry Sam, I really am but that sounded so much like the start of the speech you gave to general O'Neill when you first meet him. The whole reproductive organs thing. Yes, I read reports and heard rumours." Looking over her shoulder at Daniel who was suddenly very interested in getting stripped off.
Sam just looked at Cam and smiled, he had finally given up the shy look and was now looking at her like he did any other time.
"See, wasn't so difficult was it." Reaching out and punching his arm with her free hand.
"Sorry, I just hope that I never ever get to see you like that." Looking her up and down, a slight blush coming to his cheeks as he did.
"It's okay, if Daniel can get used to it, I'm sure you can if needs be," Leaning in and giving Cam a one armed hug, which he did return.
Stepping back from Cam she smiled at him and then turned around and headed for the showers, she had been standing around long enough.
Daniel followed behind Sam and he watched as they take adjacent cubicles, talking away to each other as they showered. When he joined them he took a cubicle across from them so he could hear what was being said and chip in if he was invited to.
"Sam, did you phone Jack and let him know you're back?" Cam heard Daniel ask Sam as he lathered up his hair with shampoo.
"No, I'm sure general Landry will ring him first and let him know I'm back. Plus Jack never asks for special treatment when I'm gone." Sam told Daniel as she switched her shower off and waited for the water to stop.
"Sam, we were gone two days without a word. No doubt Jack will have heard that the ship we were on got blew up. Reports go to him as well. I would speak to him soon or he's not going to be happy. You know what Jack's like when you're gone. He'll be worse with you were MIA." Daniel emphasised as he switched his shower off.
"Shit, I never thought." Hurrying to get dry so she could get ready.
Dashing out the shower she quickly pulled on her underwear and clean blue BDU's, dropping her wet towel and wash kit on the bottom of her locker before slamming the locker door shut and nearly running for the door.
"Catch you guys in the infirmary." Shouting out as she let the door close and ran down to the phone at the end of the corridor.
Picking up the receiver she quickly punched in the number for Jack's personal office phone. Holding the receiver to her ear, she listened as it rang and rang, finally going to his mailbox.
"Damn," she called out to no one in particular as she slammed the phone down and weighed up her options.
Standing leaning against the wall she weighed up where Jack could be. She was coming up empty since it was still the middle of the day for him. General Laundry would know, pushing off the wall with her foot as she jogged down the corridor to the elevator. The ride down Five floors took forever, especially since she was in a hurry. When the doors finally opened on the right floor she nearly ran into airman waiting to get in.
She yelled a quick sorry as she ran down the corridor and stopped a few paces short of the general's office. Looking down she pulled her shirt right and made sure she was presentable before she knocked. She heard the come in as well as the muffled voices of the rooms occupants as she reached for the handle and turned it, pushing the door open slowly as she caught a reflection in the glass as to who was in the room. Double crap. Pushing the door full fully opened she stepped inside and stood at attention, both general Laundry and his visitor turning to look at her.
"Come in colonel, I was just finishing briefing your old CO here on what's been happening, not that I know much." Smiling as Sam looked between her current CO and none other than Jack O'Neill.
"Yes sir, I was just coming to ask if you knew where general O'Neill was." Feeling Jack's gaze wander up and down her body, finally coming to rest on her cut cheek and lip.
"Well, looks like you found him. How about the general accompanies you to the infirmary before the briefing." Noticing the tension that was present between the two people on the other side of his desk.
"Yes, sir." Sam snapped out as she turned on her heels and quickly pulled the door open, nearly diving out the room into the corridor.
She waited just past the open doorway for Jack to join her before starting the slow walk to the infirmary. Jack seemed to be fidgeting, more than was normal for him, especially since he was mobile. As they entered the elevator Sam felt Jack brush past her and could feel how tense he was. They rode in silence, Sam not really sure what she could say. She was about to speak when the lift stopped and the doors opened signalling for them to exit.
"After you." Jack offered as he held up his hand and let her exit before him.
As she stepped into the corridor she felt Jack rest his hand on the small of her back, a gesture he had done hundreds of time now but this one was different. It felt more forced, more rigid in nature. When they reached the doors to the infirmary he withdrew it and stepped away from her a little, giving her space to do what she needed to do. He heard someone call his name and turned to see Daniel and Teal'c sat opposite each other on infirmary beds, both smiling when he looked at them. She felt Jack start to move away and looked at him, questioning where he was going. He conveyed all he needed to with one look, a look born out of many years serving together and as friends. It was a look that said he was there if needed but he wouldn't crowd her. Giving her a final nod of his head he turned and walked over to where Daniel and Teal'c were sat waiting for him to join them.
Sam walked over and climbed on the bed, Carolyn Lam appearing out of what Sam swore was thin air. She lay back and let the doc check her stats before sitting up and rolling her sleeve up. Carolyn noticed Sam was looking over her shoulder at her teammates and old CO, a look of longing if she could call it that on her face.
"Right, that's you all done. Post mission shots and a quick check on them cuts and you can join the boys." Picking up the two needles on the trolley beside her and stepping to one side so she could pull the curtain around.
Sam climbed off the bed and undid her BDU pants, pulling them and her panties just below her ass as she turned her back to Carolyn ready for the needles. Carolyn was quick and she was done in seconds, her ass was so hardened to being stabbed she didn't feel it. Pulling her panties and pants back up she quickly did them up and turned to face the doctor again.
The doctors put the needles down and lifted her hand so she could take hold of Sam's face and turn it so she could get a better look at the cuts. When she was satisfied she let go and let her hand drop back to her side.
"All clean, come back in a couple of days and I'll check it again. Any problems, temperatures, feverish, come straight back, could be the onset of an infection. Go join your boys." Smiling as she pulled the curtain back and saw Daniel, Teal'c and General O'Neill look in her direction.
Sam thanked the doctor and made her way over to where her boys, as Carolyn and a lot of others called them, were sat. She smiled at Daniel and Teal'c and looked to her right to see Cam lying there with no shirt on, a huge bruise on has chest from one of the many beating he had received from the run in with the Lucian alliance. Just as she was about to walk over and check on him Carolyn appeared beside his bed.
"X-rays are clear, you can go. Next time I may not be so forgiving. You should have had that checked on the Odyssey. Now go, all of you," looking at Cam but turning to face Daniel, Teal'c, and Sam as well. "I bet my father can't wait to brief you and then kick you all out for a few days after the scare you just gave us." Walking away shaking her head.
"You're not wrong there," Jack mumbled as he headed for the infirmary door, closely followed by all four members of SG-1.
They all walked in silence, Sam beside Jack with the others trailing behind. Daniel and Teal'c kept glancing between each other, then to the people in front of them. They could see how ramrod straight Jack's posture was and the slight sag in Sam's frame they needed some time alone, but the briefing came first. Entering the elevator Sam stood side by side with Jac, their arms touching at Jack's elbow. Cam deliberately kept himself facing the door, he didn't want to see anything behind him. Again when the elevator stopped Jack let Sam step out first and placed his hand on her back, the others not missing the gesture. They stayed like that all the way to the briefing room and even when they entered, Jack's hand still solid and firm against Sam's back. As if nothing had changed the team took the seats they always had, the exception being Cam was on the end to Sam's right. When general Laundry entered, Sam and Cam stood up, the rest stayed seated.
"So, SG-1, let's get this over with. I have just finished a communication with a very relieved colonel aboard the Odyssey who thought you were all dead." Hank told his lead team as he sat at the head of the table.
Jack sat back and listened to what he knew was a normal mission going south, just liked had happened to him and the team on too many occasions. He couldn't help feel sorry for them all, yet he still had a streak of distane for the new leader. He had put his team in jeopardy and it nearly cost them their lives. If it hadn't been for the Odyssey arriving just in the nick of time they wouldn't be having this conversation.
"General, is there anything you want to add?" Jack blinking as he saw everyone looking at him.
"Welcome home SG-1, another close call. Try not to do it again, flights not good on my back or knees." Shifting and wincing as his back complained.
"SG-1 dismissed, go, do what you do but not in the mountain. I don't want to see any of you for a week." Looking at Jack and then Sam as he stood up.
After the general walked into his office and closed the door Daniel sighed and looked between Sam and Jack.
"You stopping in the springs or heading back to the smog?" Daniel directed his question to Jack as everyone looked at Jack.
"Might stop here a few days, see some friends." Looking between Sam and Teal'c then back at Daniel.
"Was going to say, I have Guinness in my fridge if you fancying popping over." Smiling as he saw Jack smile.
"Might just do that, thanks, Daniel. First, though, I need to go find a nice bath and then relax for a bit. I hate last minute cramped flights. Dashing around to make sure your sorry ass is still in tacked." Jack smirked but Daniel could tell the humour was forced.
"Well, we'll let you go then. Come on Teal'c, we have a date with pizza and Star Wars." Seeing Teal'c smile at the mention of Star Wars. "Fancy joining us Cam? Make it a team night of sorts." Realising what he had said after he had said it.
"Sure, let's go then." Cam stepped away from the table quickly seeing the look that was passed between the original SG-1 team members.
Teal'c bowed his head at both Sam and Jack and made his way out the room.
"I'll call you later in the week Daniel, don't drink all the beer," Jack called out as he saw Daniel head out the door after Teal'c.
Sam and Jack stood in an awkward silence for a few minutes before Jack finally spoke.
"Come on then, you need to get off base, general's orders." Looking at Sam and then stepping aside so she could walk past him.
Sam headed to her base quarters to grab a few thing, noticing Jack heading straight for the elevator. Sure enough, when she arrived top side she found Jack sat in her car waiting, his eyes closed and his head resting against the headrest. He never spoke when she climbed in the driver's side and fastened her seatbelt. He kept his eyes shut as she started the car and pulled out the parking space. Even as she drove down the mountain he stayed quiet, the only movement was his deep breathing, like he was breathing in the scent.
As Sam parked the car up outside her house she saw Jack open his eyes and look at where they had stopped. He undid his seatbelt and got out the car, making his way slowly up the path. He never used his key to open the door but waited for Sam to use hers. Stepping inside after her. As she shut the door she sagged against it and took a deep breath, as if taking in the smell of home now she was back. Jack removed his hat and Jack, hanging them both up before kicking his shoes off and pulling his tie off. Sam removed her jacket and slipped her shoes off before turning to Jack.
"We need to talk." Was all he said as he walked away.