Title: Loving a Super Hero
Rating: PG 13
Summary: Pete reflects on his relationship with Sam. Hint of Sam/Jack at the end.
Author: Y3lhsa
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Pete learned early that dating a woman who lived in a different city and who went on planetary missions weekly was not the easiest of relationships. She worked all the time. He cared about her a great deal, but he knew that like him, her job came first. When he was there, she wanted him. However he often felt as if it wouldn't matter whether he was around or not. That changed some over the last few months, but there were still moments when she wasn't with him. He would look at her while they were watching t.v. or at the movies and realize that she was a million miles away. Quite literally and while that was amazing, it didn't feel amazing. He knew some of the danger she was continually in. He saw the bruises, was there when she would wake up in the middle of the night. He knew about her best friend dying and although she couldn't tell him how, he knew it had something to do with what went on in that mountain. He could handle all the consequences of living with and loving a super hero. It was the little things that gave him pause.
He had never met Cassandra Frasier. Sam had told her about him, but there was always one reason or another why they never met. Not all of it was Sam, but he knew some of it was. He had met her teammates. He knew they had team nights and he knew how important they were to her. He didn't mind not being invited, he was a cop; he understood the need to unwind. He also knew that some of the time General O'Neill still joined them. On those nights, Sam dressed differently. She went through a different routine. He didn't think she realized it and at first neither did he. The first time he noticed the difference he thought maybe they were just going out instead of gathering at Daniel's place. So he asked where they were going. He was curious and felt a need to share a little of the night with her. They were meeting at the General's house this week. He was able to leave early and there were no check ins scheduled so he was joining them.
He knew she worked with O'Neill for years as well before his promotion. She didn't mention her own promotion until he asked about it. He had seen her uniform hanging on the closet door when he came over one day and noticed the Lt. Colonel pins on the shoulders.
Meeting her father was a pleasant surprise but it was also enlightening in a way he didn't count on. He knew fathers. He had certainly heard enough about this father. He knew about the estrangement between him and Mark. He was also there when they reconciled. He knew he would never be good enough for Sam. He knew that her father would think the same. What he didn't count on was seeing General O'Neill call him Dad. He noticed how uncomfortable Sam had been when General O'Neill had greeted them in the hall with an "I hear Dad's staying for awhile?"
Therefore he wasn't surprised when Sam called off the wedding. He had always known that her work would take precedence. He knew that she felt uneasy being in a relationship with someone when she was gone most of the time. She had nightmares and quirks that come from being in danger a lot. She was more comfortable in a uniform than civvies. He expected and didn't blame her father for not approving of him that much. He also didn't care that General O'Neill was familiar enough with Sam to call him Dad. He had a strong feeling that even he didn't do it in front of her father. None of that bothered him.
No, the reason he knew it wouldn't work was Sam. She didn't feel the same about him. She hadn't told him much about her dad but he knew about Daniel and Teal'c. She wasn't embarrassed by them. He had heard stories about some of their exploits and she reveled in all of them. She respected all of them. Daniel was like a favourite brother. She liked him and enjoyed spending time with him outside of work. She spoke of Teal'c like a proud mother and the General, well when she spoke of him at all it was to tell him how he couldn't go without telling some inane joke. She always laughed about it.
It wasn't the same with him. He saw her embarrassment when he stupidly, unintentionally insulted her father. He saw it every time he was at her place and Daniel showed up. It was knee jerk. She was uneasy and uncomfortable with her work life and her personal life coinciding. That didn't even worry him so much as her embarrassment. The expression on her face that said I know I'm making a mistake but humor me. That was the clincher. When he knew it wouldn't work. That someday she would look at him and realize she didn't love him. Not like she should. So no, he wasn't surprised when she broke up with him.
Surprise came almost two years later. He was in D.C. for a three day conference and hanging out with some of his buddies when he saw her. She wasn't in uniform and she wasn't alone. She was with General O'Neill. What kept his attention wasn't that he was in civvies as well. Nor that they were holding hands. It was the expression on her face. She wasn't even laughing or smiling really. Still she looked happy… relaxed. Seeing her walk down the street with him Pete realized another reason why it wouldn't work. It didn't make him feel better. Neither did it make him feel worse. He could only feel grateful, again, that they didn't marry before she realized her mistake and broke it off.