A/N: Here's another one I found kicking around my hard drive from waaaaay back in the day. It's a fairly long one but it is complete, so I'm going to be editing chapter by chapter and posting as I work my way through. That being said, I'm now looking for any and all excuses I can get to procrastinate finishing up my thesis, so if there's anything you'd like to see happen in this story, let me know and I'll be more than happy to write it for you: ) Enjoy!
Descension Back to Normalcy
Sam Carter pulled the door shut behind her and leaned on it heavily with a sigh. She closed her eyes and massaged her temples wearily.
"I'm assuming that means he didn't go easy on you," Jack O'Neill drawled as sidled up beside her. He crossed his arms over his chest and copied her, leaning on the door to General Hammond's office.
"Actually he did," Sam replied with a grimace. "NID and the Pentagon are begging the President to have me court martialled. The General stuck up for me. He told them I was obeying the orders of a superior officer. He also pointed out that although I did follow an alien through a stargate he built in my basement, I ended up helping said alien save the lives of SG-16, and therefore I don't deserve to be punished."
"I'm sure they were thrilled to hear that," Jack interrupted knowingly.
"Oh they were overjoyed."
"What did the President decide?" Jack asked, ready to barge into the General's office and protest the verdict.
"Since General Hammond is my immediate superior officer, it's up to him," Sam said with a smile. "Which means I get a hug, a reassurance that I won't be charged and two weeks of downtime."
"Good," Jack said, relieved that he wouldn't be losing a member of his team. Looking her up and down, taking in the obvious tension in her posture, he asked, "How are you holding up?"
"I'll be okay," Sam assured with a false smile.
"I don't doubt that you will be. Eventually," Jack countered. "How are you right now?"
"Tired," Sam admitted.
"Come on," Jack said, putting his hand at the small of her back and pushing her off the door. "I'll drive you home."
"You don't have to do that sir," Sam replied quickly.
"I know I don't have to, but I want to," he said, putting more pressure on her back. "Let's go get changed and get out of here."
"Thanks sir," Sam said with a grateful smile as they headed towards the elevator.
"It's the least I can do," Jack said quietly, meaning it more than he wanted to think about.
