Title: I Said Yes
Author: Jemma
Story Status: Complete
Series/Sequel Info: None
Season: Eight
Spoilers: Affinity
Categories: UST, hint at romance
Pairings: Sam/Jack Sam/Pete
Rating: T
Content Warnings: None
Summary: Sam is trying to summon the courage to tell Jack that she has accepted Pete's proposal..
Archive Permissions: Please ask.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters relating to Stargate. They belong to MGM and any of their associates. I'm just playing around with them for a little while!
File Size: 1,794 words
Authors Note: really hope you all liked that. It's my first story in quite a while, so I would really appreciate some feedback on what you all think about it! There is Sam/Pete in this but keep reading to the end – you won't be disappointed! This one is for Sam, who has supported me so much with my writing in the past!
Date: 31st January, 2008
SGSGSGSGSGSGSG
A couple of hours had passed since Daniel and Krista's rescue and Sam had bid farewell to Pete before heading back to the base to finish off some paperwork relating to the murder accusations put to Teal'c.
She had driven back to the base under a haze – she was getting married! She had finally made the decision that was going to affect the rest of her life. All she had to worry about now was the marriage part.
Having never had too much luck with men in the past, she did wonder how she was going to cope with everything to come in the future, but she brushed the thoughts aside, training her mind to focus on only the good things.
She was marrying a good man who loved her, and that was all that mattered.
Sam passed through the final checkpoint for Cheyenne Mountain and pulled up in the parking lot. Being second in command at the base, meant she got a nice parking spot right near the entrance, next to the General's space.
She immediately took note of the Ford truck occupying his space and knew instantly that he was still here, probably to do the same things that she had planned; paperwork.
As she swung the car around into her space, she shifted into park and switched the engine off. Glancing across, she saw 'his' hat balanced on the dash at the front of the truck and an empty chocolate bar wrapper tossed just next to it.
At that moment she felt a slight pang in her stomach as she thought about how she was going to find the right words to tell him of her decision. How was she supposed to tell the man that she had cared about for so long that she had accepted the marriage proposal of another? Especially after the conversation that had passed between them when she stayed overnight at the base previously, dithering and doubting herself over what she should do.
"Don't be so stupid," she chided to herself. "The General is an adult, he will only be happy for you. He is not the sort of man to be anything other than he's happy for you."
Shaking her head and removing the keys from the ignition, Sam grabbed her bag from the passenger seat and got out of the car. Slamming the door closed, perhaps with more force than required, she pressed her key and the door locked for her automatically.
As she was technically off duty, Sam was wearing her civilian clothing – just a knee length skirt and long sleeved top, with low heeled sandals. It was a fairly warm evening so no need for the jacket sitting on the back seat.
She walked quickly towards the entrance to the mountain, flashing her ID pass at the airman, who stood to attention and saluted her immediately.
"At ease airman, I'm off duty," Sam smiled.
He returned her smile and relaxed slightly, waving her through after she had placed her hand on the ID scanner and had been accepted.
Sam made her way down the corridor and eventually to the next checkpoint, where she signed in and returned the salute the airman here gave her. Sam showed him her ID and he checked it carefully – Sam suspected he might be new and wanting to do everything to the letter, which she was pleased about. It always reassured her about the security of the base when the airman checked everything carefully instead of just waving her through.
"Your all clear to go down Colonel Carter," said the young airman.
"Thank you airman," Sam smiled and walked to the elevator, pushing the call button she was pleased when it opened immediately for her.
Though when she looked up, she was not pleased with who was in the elevator coming up to go home.
"General O'Neill!" Sam said. "What brings you here tonight?"
"Paperwork, Carter. What else?" Jack joked with her, smiling.
She returned his smile, but upon feeling that feeling she usually felt when they shared little moments like this, Sam felt that pang again that she had felt in the car. It must have shown on her face.
"Something wrong, Carter? You look like you might throw up or somethin'?"
He looked concerned and had taken a step closer towards her, a hand placed on the side of the elevator to stop the doors closing.
"I'm fine, Sir," Sam replied. She had to tell him, she had to tell him now. She couldn't live with feeling like she might throw up all over his shoes every time she saw him.
"Sir, can I have a quick word with you? In private…?" she finished, glancing back at the airman, who didn't really seem interested in them, but she still didn't want to have this conversation in front of him.
"Sure. Where you headin' too? We can chat in the elevator."
"But aren't you on your way home, Sir?" she asked, just almost wishing she could get out of this.
"It's ok, Carter. Nothing that can't wait."
She smiled at him but she knew it must have looked forced. She stepped towards him as he moved backwards and into the elevator once more.
"I'm just going to my lab to finish off some paperwork from today. I'm off tomorrow so wanted to get it out the way," Sam informed him, as she pressed the button to take her to her lab.
The doors slid closed and she turned to face him. There was only one thing for it – she just had to tell him and get it over with. If she didn't, then she wouldn't find the courage again. Or she would be violently ill all over him..
He didn't look worried at all, in fact, he looked calm.
"So…" he said. "What's goin' o…"
"I said yes to Pete."
He stopped before he could finish his sentence and something flashed across his face – disbelief? – Before he smiled just ever so slightly.
"Wow, that's great news Carter, I'm glad you finally worked it all out."
Was that it? Was that all he was going to say? Although, what else had she expected? Declarations on undying love? Him begging her not to do it? She knew that wasn't him, and it wasn't her either.
"Thank you, Sir," she replied quietly and proceeded to look away from him and twiddle the engagement ring on her finger.
Nothing was said, it didn't need to be. The tension in the elevator was enough to suffocate and Sam was almost beginning to wish that she hadn't said anything at all. That she had just told Daniel and Teal'c and left them to tell him. But that wouldn't have been right and she knew that.
"It's great news, Carter. I'm really happy for you," he said quietly. Sam saw him shift his feet and then bury him hands deeply into his pants pockets.
She dropped her hands to her sides again and looked up to him.
"That means a lot to me, Sir. It really does. I'm sorry to have sprung this on you now, in the middle of the night…but I just wanted to let you know…you know….?"
This time he didn't smile back at her. He just looked at her, with his war torn eyes.
"I know."
Before she even knew what was happening, her eyes felt moist and she knew that if she blinked, water would start dropping from them. She dropped her head quickly, trying to calm her breathing.
What the hell was going on with her? She was happy for Christ's sake! She was getting married! And yet somehow, if she couldn't get his approval, she knew she wouldn't ever find a way to go through with this.
Once again, she saw his feet shift, but this time they were towards her. As he continued to look down at the elevator floor, she saw the ends of his shoes come close to touching hers before he stopped.
"Carter?"
"I'm sorry, Sir. I'm fine, really…" she whispered quickly and pretended to have an itch on her nose to try and brush the moisture away from her eye lashes.
She saw his hand move from out of his pocket and move towards her face.
"Carter," he said again, more forcefully, placing his hand on the side of her neck.
She forced herself to look up, not to his face, but so she was staring forward in line with his chin.
"I'm happy for you, really. You deserve this. You deserve to be happy, and now you have that. Do you honestly think that I've ever wanted anything else for you?"
Sam smiled and from his words, found the courage to look up just a few degrees higher and meet his eyes. She raised her right hand and placed it on top of his on her neck, tucking her fingers underneath his and rubbing her thumb along his knuckles.
"I just didn't think we'd be ok…after this…"
Then he laughed.
"Carter! You know for a smart person, you get it really wrong sometimes!"
She really smiled then, teeth and everything.
"Thanks, Sir!"
"Hey I mean it!" he said, before composing himself and become slightly more serious again. "Carter you know, that I'll always be here for you, no matter what you need. Right?"
Her thumb came to a stop on the back of his hand.
"Thank you, Jack."
The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open. He didn't remove his hand right away, despite the obvious rumours that would ensue should anyone have seen them like that.
He gave her hand a squeeze and then let go, replacing it in his pocket.
"Don't spend all night here, ok?" he told her, before stepping backwards from her.
Sam did the same, turning and getting out of the elevator at the same time. She turned around when she heard him press the button for the ground floor.
"I won't Sir, don't worry."
"I'll see you in a couple of days," he said as the doors slid closed, giving her an enormous smile as they did.
"Yes Sir," she said to herself in the empty corridor, then turned and walked towards her lab. She had done it, she had told him. She certainly didn't feel like she was going to throw up anymore…but she squashed down the part of her that didn't feel quite right still, deep down where she hoped it would disappear.
The elevator climbed to the surface of the mountain.
Jack O'Neill's head was bowed; he was apparently looking at his shoes.
Just before the doors opened once again, he raised a hand to his face and as he pulled it away, it came away moist.
FIN