Leaving
(aka Leave – Chapter 8)
Okay – the prequel to this story, "Leave," was strictly within canon. But now we are heading out into the unknown – thanks for coming along!
Not sure how much sense this will make if you haven't read the other.
oO0Oo
"Jack!" Daniel called to him from the other end of the corridor.
He turned and waited patiently, "Daniel?"
"Jack," he began, glancing around to be sure they were alone, "she's not happy."
Jack frowned at him, almost a grimace, "I know that, Daniel." He almost started to walk away, but then turned back. "I did what you said, you know, you and Teal'c… I gave her the choice. She knew-"
"-maybe she didn't"
Jack glared at him for a moment. "She's fine."
"I know – she's acting like it's all 'back in the room'" Daniel used Jack's favorite finger quotes sarcastically, "But you know as well as I do that she's… she's not… happy."
Jack glared again. This was SO not his thing. He made a dismissive hand gesture and walked away.
"Jack, you can't just… you have to-"
"-Not taking your advice anymore, Danny" he called over his shoulder in a singsong voice. Then he muttered to himself, "I'm going to do what I should have done a long time ago…"
oO0Oo
The next day it was Sam who caught up to Daniel in the corridor, "Daniel, have you seen the Colonel? I need to talk to him about the preliminary info on PD3 219, and I haven't seen him all day. He left early yesterday, too."
"Really? I thought he was just avoiding me."
Sam frowned, "Why would he do that?"
His eyebrows were working overtime, "Nevermind. I don't know where he is."
Sam shrugged and started to walk away.
"Sam."
She stopped.
"Are you, y'know, okay?"
She sighed – slightly exasperated because she knew what he was really asking, and there was no answer to give him. There just wasn't. Life was what it was. She had learned that a long time ago.
She turned and faced him, in her teaching mode, "Some things can be changed, and should be changed. That's why we fight the Goa'uld. Then there are some things that can be changed but shouldn't, and some things that should be changed but can't."
Daniel felt a little dizzy.
"And THEN there are some things that just can't be changed."
Daniel blinked at her.
"Can you always tell which is which?"
He shook his head. But he wasn't sure if he was answering her or just confused.
She smiled without using her eyes, "Neither can I. So – in answer to your question: I'm fine. Now I really need to find the Colonel."
"Oh boy" Daniel whispered under his breath as she walked away.
oO0Oo
Next day…
Over the intercom: "Major Carter to the conference room, please. Major Carter to the conference room."
When she arrived, she paused at the door. Colonel O'Neill was seated at the table in his usual place. He was fidgeting with a pen, but looked up briefly when she entered.
General Hammond was sitting at the head of the table, a very strange expression on his face.
"Thank-you for joining us, Major." He said as she sat down, "It is my understanding that you've had some difficulties in carrying out your duties since your mission to Nadeela."
The mission the General referred to was one where she and the Colonel had been affected by a Goa'uld brainwashing device. They had lost most of their memories and spent two days believing that the planet was their home. The reason they had been left behind was that they had gone back to rescue a small child while everyone else on the planet escaped through the Stargate. As a result, they had lived for those two days believing they were married and that the child was theirs.
The General was right in one aspect. It had been a rough mission recovery – perhaps the most difficult she had experienced to date. But she had certainly not let it affect her work!
She was indignant, and just a bit too sarcastic, "Considering I had just lost my 'husband' and my 'child' I'd think I was entitled to be a little down, but I did NOT allow it to affect the performance of my duties! - Sir." She finished absently.
Jack did not look up.
The General looked at her, his jaw working.
After giving her a visual reprimand for a while, he turned to Jack, "Colonel, perhaps I'll let you deal with this." And with that he rose and walked out. Both Jack and Sam stood as he left.
Jack sat down and went back to studying his pen. "Siddown, Carter"
She stood stiffly, watching him.
"I'll never think of leave the same way again, y'know?"
She didn't respond, just continued to watch him.
"I mean – I actually have some time off coming up. I was planning to go fishing, but now…"
He looked up and met her eyes briefly, but was a little disconcerted by the intensity of her gaze.
"Carter – please. Let's – talk 'kay?"
"You want to talk? Colonel O'Neill – King of 'I'm Fine' wants to talk?"
"Carter-"
"And what did the General mean? Not fulfilling my duties? Are you kidding?! Who told him that?"
"Actually that was me." He stood and slowly walked around the table.
"WHAT?!"
"What I actually said was that I was having trouble carrying out my duties.," He paused, "He included you. Not me." He walked up to her – face to face.
"What?!"
"Carter –"He took her face in his hands.
"WHAT!!"
"Shhh!! I love you!" and he kissed her.
"What?" And now she did sit down. Rather heavily. "Jack?" She looked at him and in her eyes he saw the woman he had known on the planet.
It was his turn to continue to stand. And for good measure, he began to pace – it always worked for Daniel. "I called in some favors."
Her eyes asked: 'What?'
"Okay – tell me what you think: You and I currently have a 'mission'" (finger quotes) "We have -up to and including- ten days on PCV 345. At the end of that time, Daniel and Teal'c will join us and carry our decision to the President and the Joint Chiefs. At which time, unless it is truly outlandish, it will be approved." He paused, "What do you think?"
"I'm sorry, but… What?!"
"You heard me." He sat down and began to watch her again.
PCV 345 was a tropical paradise. One of the few truly deserted planets they had found thus far, and it was a tropical paradise. At least, where the Stargate was located it was.
"Ten 'mission'" (finger quotes) "days." He looked at her reaction. "No one will know what we're doing. It's a mission – and as such it will be confidential. So – tell me, What do you think?"
She took a deep cleansing breath: in through the nose, out through the mouth.
"Okay"
"Okay?"
"Okay."
oO0Oo
"This is GREAT!" Samantha Carter fell laughing back into the surf. The wave covered her and she came up laughing.
Jack caught her and held her, "Here comes another!" He laughed as he dunked both of them under the next wave.
Eventually they both swam out beyond the breakers where the sea's extra salty composition held them up and let them float.
They both lay back and relaxed, listening to the waves crash.
Finally, Jack spoke, "So, Carter- it's been five days – what do you think?"
She sighed and raised her head to look at him for a moment.
Then she laughed and dove underwater. They were floating over a good sixteen feet of water and she swam to get away from him. He gave chase. But finally they were equally matched and she gave up in favor of feeling his arms trap her and bring her to the surface as they had many times over the last few days. They surfaced.
"Jack!" She cried out loud to no one but him, "let's just float – I'm not ready for this to be over yet! – NO ONE CAN HEAR US!!" She shouted with release and joy, "No one but you! I LOVE JACK O'NEILL!!" she shouted. And just to prove it to herself, she shouted it even louder, "I LOVE JACK O'NEILL"
Jack let her float. He loved her too, and he felt his heart swell with the knowledge that she loved him back.
oO0Oo
It was night and Carter approached their beachside tent more warily than she had in the past. Up until tonight, they had slept together, but separately, out on the sand. Neither one of them had wanted to push it.
Tonight, she approached the tent. Jack, unbeknownst to her, watched from trees where he had gone to fetch more water.
When she entered, and began to get settled in for the night: let's just say, he smiled.
oO0Oo
In the morning, she emerged to the sight of eggs and bacon frying over a campfire – no MREs this time. "You know that will clog your arteries." She said.
"Ah – yes, but it is so very delicious –" he replied.
"So are you." She teased.
"I've tried hard to become so." He replied.
She laughed and ran down to the beach for an early morning swim.
oO0Oo
When she emerged, there was no Jack in sight.
"Jack?" She called. "JACK!"
to be continued…