Title: We've Met
Email: PG
Spoilers: Future Fic, so basic knowledge. Nothing Substantial.
Ship: Jack/Sam
Summary: Agent Barrett of the NID and his fiancé discuss blasts from the past.
Distribution: my site. If you want it. Let me know.
Disclaimer: I own Keely, Aidan and Brendan, other than that I got nothing.
Chapter 1
Agent Malcolm Barrett arrived home; to the house he shared with his fiancé. He still smiled whenever he thought of her that way. His fiancé. Soon to be, his wife. He tossed his keys onto the hall table and hung up his jacket before heading into the kitchen. And there she was. Sitting at the kitchen table scribbling something on a notepad, a whole heap of papers and the phone in front of her. He smiled and leant in to kiss her cheek.
"Hey" She smiled up at him when he sat down across from her.
"Guess who I saw today… General and Colonel O'Neill." He stated and wondered at the expression that flashed across her face quickly before disappearing just as quickly.
"Head of home world security O'Neill?" She asked.
He knew it had clicked then. Now he just had to wait for the rest to settle into her consciousness.
"Yeah."
"Well that's not weird. He works in DC after all… Wait did you say Colonel O'Neill?" A
nd there it was. The confusion was written all over her face.
"Yeah. Formally, Colonel Samantha Carter." The bombshell had been dropped and he was taking a some what perverse pleasure in awaiting her reaction.
"Wow. They're married. When did that happen?"
She wasn't as shocked as he had expected, as he himself was when he heard the news.
"Not 100 sure. But I think it's about 6 years now."
The wheels in her mind were turning and he knew she was calculating the time; the when and where.
"Wow, well good for them. They finally got their act together."
He'd never expected this reaction from her. But then, he wasn't really sure what he expected her reaction to be.
"So you know them?" He'd been so curious about how they knew each other he just couldn't hold back anymore. He'd held his tongue while talking to the O'Neill's but now, here with Kerry, he couldn't resist. He had to know.
"We've met." And there it was. The familiar answer that sparked his curiosity so strongly.
"What happened between you all? Why do you all say 'we've met' about each other?"
"What are you talking about?"
He was aware he probably didn't make much sense. But then this whole situation didn't make much sense to him.
"When I told them we were engaged I asked them if they knew you because recognition flashed across their faces and both of them said 'we've met'." He tried to explain, but he suspected it just sounded more confusing.
"I don't know. Coincidence?" She tried and he knew she was trying to get out of explaining anything to him.
"I don't believe in coincidence." She was not going to get off that lightly.
"That's just because you've been at the NID too long… So how are they?" Nice subject change.
"Good, they've got three kids now." He'd answer her questions but he wasn't going to let it go.
"Wow." And there was the shock he'd been expecting.
"Yeah 2 boys and a girl."
"That's great. How old? What are they're names?" He watched as the acceptance washed over her and her curiosity about their family piqued.
"The eldest is Keely and she's 6. There's Aidan, he's 3 and Brendan is 10 months."
"Keely. That's nice, it means beautiful. It's Irish, so are Aidan and Brendan." She smiled a small smile, obviously imagining the General with children.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, well Keely and Aidan definitely are but I think I remember something about Brendan having Irish roots. Are they cute kids?"
He knew she wouldn't be able to resist that question. She loved kids.
"Yeah. Beautiful."
"Of course they are. Their parents are very attractive people. Carter's beautiful. Oh, I guess that's O'Neill now huh?" She smiled shyly and he was kind of pleased. Pleased that he wasn't the only one who found it a little… difficult, accepting that.
"Yeah. They seem really happy… But you still haven't told me what the hell happened between you three." And in with the massive redirection.
"Ok fine. Years ago, a long long time ago, the General and I went out a few times."
"Oh. So that's what that look was all about." Everything made much more sense now.
"What look?"
"Well when I said your name something in Sam's expression changed. I assume she knew about you?"
"Yeah, didn't find out in the best way. Jack didn't want anyone at the base to know. He said something about keeping his private life private but I'm not an idiot. I knew he didn't want Carter to know."
He wasn't sure how to feel about that. Today he finds out O'Neill well and truly won Sam, and now he finds out he also had his fiancé. It was all a bit too much to take. And throw into that equation the fact that his fiancé had been nothing more than a tool to move past Sam to the General and O'Neill wasn't appearing in the best light to this NID agent.
"Yeah, definitely explains the look… She looked hurt for a second." And poor Sam. Poor Kerry. God, just another reason for him not to like Major General Jack O'Neill.
"Yeah. Even back then she was in love with him and it was mutual. He loved her just as much, maybe even more."
Malcolm could see the hurt on her face. The memory still bringing her pain. She never stood a chance. Just like he never had.
"So how long ago are we talking here?"
"Umm, I guess I broke it off with him about 2 months before he took over as head of home world security."
"Really? You broke it off with him?" That was a shock. He'd assumed that O'Neill had broken it off to be with Sam. Today was just full of surprises.
"Yeah. I mean you only had to see them in the same room and you knew. How can you compete with that? It was the day that Colonel Carter's father died."
"Oh yeah, I remember hearing about that." He'd felt so bad for Sam. He knew she was very close to her father and his death was so sudden.
"Yeah. I would assume they would have gotten together not long after that. She broke off her engagement only a few days later. I doubt that they would have waited very long after that. But being the good little soldiers they are it wouldn't have happened until after the regulations were no longer an issue."
"So the 'we've met' line, really understated?"
"Yeah."
TBC…
Next Chapter, Jack and Sam POV.