Reassignment

A/N: Just saw the first episode of season 5 of Atlantis, and this was BEGGING to be written! I wasn't quite sure whether this should be posted in the SGA or SG-1 section of fanfiction, since it's technically a tag to an SGA episode, but only uses SG-1 characters, so if you're confused by its location, sorry! PLEASE review! It makes me so happy!

Disclaimer: I don't these characters (sob!) or any aspect of the Stargate franchise. I only play with them for my own amusement. :-P

Summary: What happens to Sam after the end of SG-Atlantis episode, Search and Rescue?

... the IOA has decided that perhaps someone with a different 'skill set' would be more suited to lead the Atlantis expedition ...

The words resounded in Sam's head as she rode the elevator down to the women's locker room in the SGC.

Effective immediately …

She walked blindly out of the elevator and down the hall.

…removed from command …

She pushed open the door angrily, dropping her bags and pacing up and down the small room. Woolsey's voice wouldn't let up, she couldn't get the words to stop ringing in her ears. There'd been no warning. Not even that 'exhaustive review' she'd been expecting. Just a formal notification from that little toad Woolsey before she'd even been on the planet 60 seconds.

"Dammit!" She yelled, kicking the nearest locker like it had caused her personal offence. She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, and sank down onto a bench.

There was a tentative knock on the door.

"Sam?"

Sam leapt up and threw the door open. "Jack!"

Jack smiled and pulled his wife into his arms. "Hey you. Missed ya."

"I missed you too." Sam said sincerely, burying her face in his neck. "So much." She closed her eyes and breathed in the calming scent of him, and for a moment forgetting that she'd just lost command of the Atlantis expedition.

"Listen, Sam, I got some bad news." Jack said eventually, his voice muffled as he spoke down into her shoulder.

"Me too." Sam said, trying very hard not to cry. It was always so hard to keep the military barriers up when she was around him, the ones that if anyone else had come in would stop her from crying over this.

Jack pulled back, to look into Sam's eyes. "You first." He said, worried that he might have to deliver the news of her reassignment on top of some other trauma.

"I've been removed from command." She whispered. Jack closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers.

"They told you already, huh?"

"Woolsey met me as I was walking down the ramp." She told him.

"Oh for crying out loud, that slimy little – I told him to wait till I was there!" Jack exclaimed angrily. "He couldn't wait ten minutes for my helicopter to land!"

"You came straight from Washington?"

"As soon as I heard that the IOA had gone ahead and made a decision without any consultation with my office." Jack let the door shut behind him and paced around just as Sam had done.

"Can they do that?"

"It's a political mess." Jack practically spat. "China and Russia are expressing concerns about the exclusively American military presence, and they've managed to convince France and Germany to join the crusade. They were threatening to withdraw funding from the SGC if we didn't take steps to de-militarize Atlantis."

Sam's eyes widened in shock. "Completely? They can't do that! Atlantis is still at risk of attack from –"

"I know." Jack interrupted. "That's what we were supposed to be talking about in the review. I thought if we could get to talking about how many military decisions you've had to make, they'd realize that not only are you a fantastic commander, but a military presence is essential, and only we have the experience, manpower, and resources to do it properly."

His wife smiled thinly. "Guess they didn't want the debate."

"Yeah." Jack sighed. "I'm sorry it went down this way. You deserve better." He added.

Sam looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers.

"What?" Jack asked, more than familiar enough with her body-language to know something was on her mind.

"It's nothing."

"Sam."

"It's just … Woolsey said that they wanted someone with a different skill set."

Jack swore. "Oh he did not. I'm gonna kill him. I'm gonna kick his ass so hard he won't –"

"Jack," Sam cut him off before he could really get going. "Just tell me: has there been talk about me being … ill-suited for command?"

"No. Absolutely not. Is that what he said?"

"It was implied. He said someone with different skills would be more suited for the position."

"That son of a bitch." Jack looked critically at Sam. "You okay?"

Sam looked at her hands again, not wanting to admit it to his face. "Not really."

He couldn't help it, Jack's heart just melted. "C'mere." He said, and Sam gratefully leaned into his embrace again.

"Hey, at least we're not living galaxies apart anymore." She said quietly, trying to put a lighter spin on the situation.

Jack hugged her tighter. "Yeah, there's that. You didn't deserve for it to happen this way, though."

Sam smiled slightly, feeling better now she was wrapped in her husband's arms. "Thanks for being here."

"Hey, I wouldn't miss a chance to see you. You know that."

Pulling away again, Sam scowled at her still packed bags. "I guess I'd better go and check in with General Landry."

"Okay. I'm gonna go and track down Woolsey."

"Don't beat him up." Sam warned him.

Jack's face was the picture of innocence. "Who, me?"

She grinned at him. "Meet you in Daniel's office afterwards?"

"You betcha." Jack replied, kissing her forehead. His eyes took on a more serious expression then, and they both had to work hard on not kissing each other properly. They were still on base, after all. Instead, they shared a soft smile, and Sam hefted her bag of clothes into her rarely-used locker, before following Jack out.

So, whaddaya think? Chapter 2 coming soon!

Beka