A sarcophagus was never meant for two people, thought Sam, as she shifted uncomfortably. She and Jack lay almost face to face in the dark sarcophagus. The only thing separating the two of them was a P90 and a zat gun they had shoved between their bodies. Jaffa boots stomped back and forth within feet of where they hid. It had been almost an hour, by her calculations. Jack had zatted the sarcophagus to disable it, and the two of them had climbed inside just in time to escape the Jaffa. As the heat rose inside the box, Sam could not see Jack, but she could smell the sweet scent of his aftershave. Sam breathed in slowly. This was almost more than she could stand. It was bad enough to be working together every day, just out of reach of each other, but it was situations like this that drove her to the point of distraction. Jack heard her breathing change, and whispered, "I think we may be able to get out of here, soon. If we don't hear any boots coming this way, I'm going to look out."
"OK, be careful," whispered Sam.
Sam heard the click of Jack's pocket knife. As he pried the sarcophagus lid open, an almost blinding beam of light shine through the crack. He breathed heavily but silently as he stuck his fingers in the crack and slowly pushed the sarcophagus lid to the side. Jack motioned to Sam to wait, and then slowly peeked over the edge of the sarcophagus. Seeing that the room was clear of Jaffa, he slowly lifted himself out, trying not to make any noise.
With the extra space that opened up in the sarcophagus, Sam shifted her body so that she was lying on her back. She didn't try to stand at first because her legs felt weak. She would like to say that the weakness in her legs was due to the cramped quarters she had just endured, but deep down she knew it had more to do with the torturous hour she spent only inches from Jack's warm body, completely silent, suffering at the intense closeness. As she started to sit up, suddenly she heard the sound of boots, and then the sound of a zat gun going off. Jack's body was violently flung back and Sam heard a sickening "crack," as Jack's head hit the edge of the sarcophagus. He disappeared from her sight, slumping to the ground. Sam sprang up to squatting position, her legs suddenly recovering, and let off a round from her P90 into the attacking Jaffa warrior. The Jaffa stumbled, and then right at that moment, Teal'c rounded the corner and finished the Jaffa off with his staff weapon, followed quickly behind by Daniel Jackson.
"Sam," yelled Daniel, "We've been looking everywhere for you."
"We were hiding in the sarcophagus," said Sam. She knelt down beside Jack, "He's unconscious. We have to get him back to the SGC."
Teal'c and Daniel picked up Jack between them, and Sam covered them as the team slowly exited the building and headed through the woods towards the Stargate. Fortunately, it was a short distance, and there were no Jaffa in the woods. As she scanned the area, Sam saw smoke rising from the back side of the building.
"We set the throne room curtains on fire," explained Daniel. "It was the only thing we could think of that would distract them long enough to be able to find you."
"Indeed," agreed Teal'c.
They got within 100 feet of the Stargate and looked around. There were only 2 Jaffa guarding the area. Daniel and Teal'c laid Jack on the ground. Sam took out one Jaffa with her P90, and Teal'c took out the other with his staff weapon. Daniel and Teal'c picked up Jack again, both worried that their friend had still not regained consciousness. Sam punched the dialing sequence in to the DHD, and the Stargate swooshed, and the team known as SG1 walked into the Stargate.
In the infirmary, Sam sat watch over Jack, tears running down her face. Daniel walked hesitantly into the room behind her. "Sam," said Daniel gently, "I think it's time you got some rest." Sam turned and looked at Daniel. Her face was quite the picture. She had not taken the time to shower, so her face was still smudged with dirt, and her tears had made little streams through the dirt. "I can't leave him, Daniel. This was all my fault."
"What do you mean, it was all your fault?" Daniel looked puzzled, "You know the risks we take every time we go out there. Jack never saw that Jaffa coming. We have things like this happen all the time."
"You don't understand," said Sam, "It was my fault, because I was supposed to be his back up. When he left the sarcophagus, I should have been up immediately looking for dangers. Instead, I was lying on my back, staring at the ceiling. I wasn't doing my job. And now, because of me, Jack is unconscious, and who knows how badly he was injured." She looked back at Jack in despair.
Daniel put his hand on her shoulder. "Well, there's nothing you can do for him right now. Dr. Frasier will take good care of him. Go take a shower and get some rest. I will sit with him awhile, and then Teal'c will take a turn."
Sam looked doubtful, but Dr. Frasier nodded her head and encouraged Sam to go. "He's right, Sam. You know we care about him, too. He is in good hands, and you need your rest. Doctor's orders." Sam nodded and gave up the watch to Daniel.
The shower helped Sam, somewhat, although she still couldn't help beating herself up about everything that had happened. As the water ran cool and refreshing through her hair, she couldn't stop thinking about it. If she hadn't been so overwhelmed by being so close to Jack, she would have been up faster and she could have defended him against the Jaffa blast. Or at least she could have caught him before his head hit the sarcophagus. She knew that her feelings for Jack were a problem. They had always been a problem from some of the very first missions. And she had managed to keep her feelings stuffed down for 6 years now. She had always been the professional, no matter what her feelings might be.
Sam thought, as she had many times, about the Air Force frat rules. The Air Force made it very clear that soldiers could not date, live together or have any sort of physical intimacy. This was especially frowned upon when one member was higher in rank than the other member. These rules were not really bad rules. They were designed to protect the soldiers, because a higher ranking officer had so much control and power over the lives of those in their command. Sam had accepted the frat rules, just as she always accepted the other rules that were just one part of being a member of the military. It was the very simple price she paid for being able to have the most amazing job in the world.
But now things had changed because she had let her feelings get in the way of her professionalism. Jack lay there on the infirmary bed because she had been too overwhelmed by her feelings to do her job. Sam determined that she was never going to let her personal feelings get in the way of her job again.
The next day, General Hammond arrived at his usual early time, to find Sam already standing outside his office. "Good morning, Major. What can I do for you?" he asked, as he opened the door of his office with his key.
"I would like to talk to you in private, sir," Sam replied.
"Certainly major, come on in." General Hammond walked around his desk and gestured Sam to a chair.
"I will just stand, sir, if that's all right with you." She had her arms crossed and looked tense.
"Major, what is going on? Are you worried about the Colonel? The doctor tells me that he has regained consciousness and that he should be up and running again in just a couple of days."
"No, General. I mean, yes, I'm glad Colonel O'Neill is doing better, but that is not what I came here to talk to you about."
"OK, shoot, Major."
"Well"...Sam paused..."I want to request to be transferred to a different SG unit."
General Hammond looked incredulous. "For what reason? SG-1 is the best team I have here on this base. Why in the world would you want to start over with a new team?"
"I can't tell you that, sir."
"Well, you had better tell me. There is no way I am moving you to another team if you can't give me a good reason."
"I really, really don't want to have to tell you," said Sam. She crossed her arms even tighter against her chest.
"Well come back when you have a good reason. Dismissed," grumped the General.
Sam replied quickly, "Yes sir," and swung around and walked out the door.
"Where is Carter?" Jack asked Dr. Frasier, while she checked his pupil response with her pen light. "I've been in this infirmary for 4 days now, and she hasn't visited me once. I need to know what is going on with my team."
"Now, Colonel O'Neall," Dr. Frasier reassured him. "She was by your bedside for the first 24 hours you were here. You don't remember because you were unconscious. She just decided that she needed to take some vacation time."
"Vacation?" blustered Jack. "That doesn't sound like Carter. She hates having fun. She would rather be messing with her quark thingies any day than go on vacation. "
Dr. Frasier gave a knowing smile, "Well, never the less, she did take vacation time, and I'm sure she will check on how you are doing when she comes back. Speaking of how you are doing, I don't see any sign of concussion any more. You can get up and walk around today. Just take it easy and do some desk work for the next couple of days. I will clear you to go back through the Stargate in a week from now.
Jack nodded his head, and swung his legs off the bed. Now that Dr. Frasier had cleared him for work, he was going to go to the mess hall and get something more palatable to eat. The food they sent up to the infirmary definitely left something to be desired. Maybe Daniel would be at the mess hall. Maybe Daniel knew what was going on with Carter.
Daniel was not at the mess hall, because he had stopped by Sam's house to visit. Sam opened the door, looking surprised. They didn't usually go to each other's houses, especially on a week day. "Hi Sam!" said Daniel with the cautious-but-friendly personality he reserved for people who were having problems. "I just thought I would stop by and see how your vacation is going." Sam nodded. She really shouldn't have been surprised that one of the boys would show up. If anything, they were a team, and when one person was down, the others were always there for them.
"Come in, Daniel," said Sam. , inviting him into her house, "How is Colonel O'Neall?"
"Oh good, very good. He regained consciousness right after you left, and Dr. Frasier said he will be back to field work by next week."
"Oh good," said Sam, looking relieved. She gestured Daniel to the living room. As they sat down, she looked like she was trying to make up her mind about something. "Daniel," she said, "In all the times that we have been on missions, have you ever known me to put my feelings ahead of my work?"
"No, never." Daniel replied. He was glad that Sam was so eager to talk. Usually his team members were somewhat wary about discussing their personal issues, despite the bond between them.
"Well, I have now," said Sam, "I should have backed up Jack and I didn't."
"Look, Sam," said Daniel, "We are not perfect people. Mistakes are going to happen out there in the field. We can't anticipate everything that is going to happen."
"I know, Daniel, but this time I really messed up. I let my personal feelings distract me from the mission at hand. That can never happen again."
Daniel didn't have to ask her what those personal feelings were. He had been around Jack and Sam long enough to have a very good idea.
Sam continued, "I asked General Hammond for a transfer to another SG team, but he won't let me transfer unless I give him a good reason."
Daniel looked shocked for a moment. He couldn't imagine SG-1 without Sam. "Look, Sam, I understand how you feel," said Daniel, "But we need you on our team. I just can't believe that you would want to transfer just because Jack got injured. He has been injured many times before. Is there something else that happened that I don't know about?" Sam sighed. If there was one thing she wasn't good at, it was personal issues. Give her a piece of ancient technology to piece apart and she was in heaven. But try to work out her complicated feelings, now that was difficult.
"Daniel, I have never told you this before, and you need to keep it in strictest confidence. You can tell no one. Do you understand?"
"OK...," Daniel said slowly, waiting for her to continue.
"My problem is that I have feelings for Jack."
"Oh, that," said Daniel, relieved that it was nothing else.
"What do you mean, 'Oh that?" Sam looked alarmed.
"Well, Sam, everyone knows that. We have known about that for years." Sam stared at Daniel, incredulous.
"But...but...how?" asked Sam.
"Sam, the look on your face. The way you look at him and he looks at you. Of course everyone knows."
Sam started to feel panicked. "Oh," she stood up and started pacing. "This is much worse than I thought. I always thought I was being professional. I don't think I can ever go back there again."
"Sam, it really is OK. We all know you two are very strict about following the regulations. We really are all OK about how you feel about each other."
Sam stopped pacing and looked at Daniel with a hard look, "You may be OK with this, but I am not. I thought I could control it, but I put Jack's life in danger. I can never let that happen again."
Daniel started to get worried. Sam sounded very serious. He couldn't let her go from SG-1 or the Stargate program. She had helped to save the world several times, and on top of that she was a very good friend. "Have you ever thought about finding a way that the two or you can be together?" asked Daniel.
"I have thought and thought," said Sam. "The thing is, I really don't even know if Jack would be interested in pursuing something with me. I mean, we've never even really talked directly about how we feel about each other." Daniel gave her an incredulous look.
"Well, what I mean is, it just wouldn't work. The only way for the two of us to be together is for him to retire or for me to resign. I love my job. It is the best job in the whole world. And there is no way I could ever, ever ask him to leave his job for me. As long as we are both in the Stargate program, there is no way we can ever be together that way."
"All right, Sam," said Daniel. "What if I can get General Hammond to put you on another team? There is no way I want to lose you from SG-1, but if you won't come back to SG-1, we have to at least get you back into the Stargate program somehow."
Sam nodded. "I love my job. I don't want to lose it. I just can't handle working with Colonel O'Neill any more."
"All right, Sam, I will talk to General Hammond, and see what I can do."
The next day Sam came back to work. She had received a phone call from General Hammond saying that he would reassign her to another team. She didn't know what Daniel had said to the General to convince him, but she was extremely grateful. As she entered the building, she tried to slip down the corridors, as unnoticed as possible. She couldn't believe what Daniel had said about everyone knowing. How could she have been so obvious? She wanted respect from her fellow soldiers, and all she got was the embarrassment of knowing that everyone thought of her as having a silly crush on her superior officer. It really didn't get worse than that. She slunk into her office, basically unseen, and buried herself in a piece of alien technology.
Jack dropped his tray rather loudly onto the mess hall table where Daniel and Teal'c were finishing up their lunches. "Would anyone here like to tell me why Carter has been reassigned to another team? General Hammond won't tell me. Carter won't answer her door when I knock. I'm unconscious for one day and the whole world gets screwed up and I don't even know why." He glared at Daniel and Teal'c, as if daring them not to tell him.
Teal'c looked at Jack. "I do not have the information you seek, Jack O'Neill."
Jack turned to Daniel. Daniel looked nervous. "Jack, I swear I would tell you if I could. But everything she told me was in confidence, and I can't break a confidence."
Jack looked highly irritated. "Well if you won't tell me why she is on another team, then help me figure out how to get her back on our team." Daniel suddenly looked very interested in his mashed potatoes and Teal'c stared at Jack in silence. "Never mind. I'll figure it out myself," grumped Jack, and left the mess hall without eating anything.
Two months passed by quickly. Sam was starting to get used to her new team, to understand their rhythms. She had managed to avoid Jack for the most part, keeping her office door locked and staying clear of his favorite areas. She no longer had to see him during briefings, because she was on a different team. If she ran into him in the hallways, she would comment that she was late for an "important appointment" and hurry off. Her favorite times were when she was off-base on a mission. She could forget for a time, and get lost in the focus of the mission. Sam started to feel like a professional again. She didn't really feel a close bond with her new team members, but it didn't really matter. It was a relief for her to just concentrate on work and stuff her feelings down where she wouldn't have to deal with them.
Jack found himself driven to distraction. Carter was obviously avoiding him. She never ate in the mess hall any more. She pretended he wasn't there when he knocked. He had even tried showing up at her house, and she hadn't answered the door, even though her car was in the driveway. He left her countless voice mail messages, but she didn't return his calls. Jack racked his brain, trying to remember if he had done anything to offend her. Teal'c and Daniel were no help at all. The last time he remembered being with Sam was right before he climbed out of that sarcophagus and got knocked out. He couldn't remember doing anything that day that could make her so mad at him that she would avoid him like this. I mean, sure, sometimes he said dumb things, but she was used to that. And he was always a perfect gentleman when it came to the way he treated her. I mean, there he was, stuck in a sarcophagus with her for an hour and he didn't even touch her. Not knowing why Carter was avoiding him was driving him crazy.
Jack decided to pay another visit to General Hammond. He pounded his fist on the General's door. "Come!" said the General. Jack walked into the office and started pacing.
"General, you have got to get her back on SG-1."
"Jack," General Hammond replied, "You know Major Carter doesn't want that. We have gone over this before."
"I know, I know, but no one will give me a good reason!" Jack combed back his hair with his fingers in frustration and resumed pacing. "You won't tell me. Daniel won't tell me. Carter is avoiding me like the plague. What did I do? Anyone tell me! What did I do?"
"I honestly don't know what to tell you, Jack. Daniel never did tell me the reason. He just told me that I had to move Major Carter to another team or that we were going to lose her. I couldn't lose her, so I moved her. That's all I know. But if I were going to hazard a guess, I would say that it has something to do with the two of you. She doesn't seem to be avoiding Daniel or Teal'c. Did something happen between the two of you? You know the air force has strict rules about fraternization. "
Jack stared at the General. Everything he had been thinking about suddenly seemed to come together in a moment of clarity. "Yes! That's it! The sarcophagus!"
"What's it? Colonel O'Neill? Is there something you need to tell me?"
"NO!" shouted Jack, as he ran out of the room.
Carter stepped out of the Stargate, on P3X 772, taking point and scanning the planet for any sign of trouble. SG-3, the team she had been re-assigned to, followed her out of the Stargate with weapons raised, also scanning the landscape. Nothing hostile met their glances, and Sam signaled to them to lower their weapons. "Just as I thought," said Sam, "Nothing here that seems hostile. We have been to this planet before, and as far as we know, there is nothing here but plants and animals. Stay on alert, though, in case anything has changed."
The team headed off in the direction of the lake that was on their missions roster. Their mission was very simple. They were to get samples of the lake water and return to the SGC. They had visited this planet before, and Sam thought it was the most beautiful of all the planets they had visited. There was no Goa'ould presence here, and she started to feel relaxed as she looked around at all of the beautiful scenery. Then suddenly, when SG-3 had gotten about 500 feet away from the Stargate, Carter heard a sound behind them. She whipped around, raising her weapon, just in time to see SG-1, including O'Neill, Teal'c, and Daniel all step through the Stargate. Sam felt her heart sink as she lowered her weapon.
"What are they doing here?" she asked the lieutenant who was her second in command. "General Hammond's briefing didn't mention sending a second team."
The lieutenant smiled, "Oh yes, remember, General Hammond said they were our backup."
"Backup?" Sam asked, "But that doesn't make any sense. This is a peaceful planet. There is nothing here to require an additional team."
SG-1 was waving at SG-3, and Sam could see that for once, there was no avoiding Jack. She walked slowly towards SG-1.
"Hello!" cried out Daniel, a big smile on his face.
"Hello," said Sam. "I don't remember anything about SG-1 coming here during our briefing."
"Oh yes, it was just a last minute addition by General Hammond."
"OK?" Sam looked perplexed.
"Carter!" barked Jack, "A word?"
"Sir, I need to get back to my team." Sam turned to walk away from him.
"That's an order Carter. I still outrank you."
"Yes, sir." Sam replied. She had managed to avoid contact with him so well up until now. Oh well. She would just stick to the mission details. They stepped away from the others, Jack leading her towards the lake. Suddenly Sam heard the Stargate whoosh behind them. She looked back in time to see the rest of SG-1 and SG-3 disappear through the Stargate. "What? Where are they going?" She looked at Jack and looked back at the Stargate. Jack looked very pleased with himself.
"This is the only way I could get you to talk to me alone." Sam looked terrified and awkward at the same time.
"Look, I just needed some space..." Sam said quietly. Jack nodded.
"Carter, I mean Sam...We both know that we would never ask each other to give up our jobs."
Sam nodded. "This is the best job in the world!"
Jack said, "I know. Now listen, Sam."
Sam shook her head and held out a hand in front of her, as if to stop Jack from talking. "Sir, you may be strong enough to work together every day, but I am not. I just can't do it. I'm sorry. I wish I could."
"Carter, for once you need to listen to me, and stop trying to solve the problem yourself." Sam nodded slowly.
"Marry me."
"Marry you?! You know the military doesn't permit fraternization! How am I supposed to marry you?!"
"The military doesn't allow dating, but there is nothing in the rules that says that we can't get married."
Sam stared at Jack as if he were crazy. "But we have never been on a date! How are we supposed to get married? We have never even talked directly about our feelings for each other! This is nuts!"
Jack put his fingers gently over Sam's lips. "Sam, I told you for once to listen to me. Why do people date?" He removed his fingers.
Sam thought for a minute and replied, "To get to know each other."
"And do you know anyone else who knows each other better than the two of us?"
Sam suddenly felt a glimmer of hope. She was starting to understand what he was talking about, "No... no one knows each other better than us. We always have each other's backs. We have been to hell and back together more times than I can count."
"Then marry me. Marry me tonight. No kissing until the wedding. The Air Force can never say that we broke any rules. I've already got General Hammond to agree to perform the ceremony."
Sam felt dizzy. General Hammond was in on this? She didn't know what to say.
Jack got down on one knee, slowly because his knees always bothered him. He pulled a ring out of his pocket. "Sam? What does this ring look like?" The ring did not look like a traditional engagement ring. Instead, it was perfectly round and evenly spaced around the gold band were nine perfect diamonds.
Sam looked at it. "A ring."
"Not just a ring." said Jack.
Sam looked closer. Were those chevrons? "A Stargate?"
"Yes!" said Jack. "Marry me, and we can keep working on SG-1, every day. And no more uncomfortable moments like that sarcophagus."
"Yes, sir!" said Sam
"Yes?"asked Jack.
"Yes, I will marry you...Jack" said Sam.
"Yes!" said Jack, jumping up on his feet as quickly as he could. He gave her a very long hug, then he grabbed her hand and they walked back towards the Stargate together.
"Jack," said Sam, "Where do you think we should go on our honeymoon?"
Jack grinned, "I think I know the perfect place."
"Where is that?" asked Sam.
"There's this little place in Minnesota where the fish..." Jack paused and got a funny look on his face, "Ah ... never mind. Come to think of it, the cabin will be perfect. But we will be way too occupied to find time to go fishing."
Hand in hand, they stepped through the Stargate together.