More Trouble than I'm Worth

Author: Rose Stetson

Rating: K+

Summary: Sam goes to Washington, D.C. to explain the events of "The Road Not Taken" to President Henry Hayes, and returns with something else that's "need-to-know".

Bad Guys:

"Should we not wait until Colonel Carter returns from Washington?" Teal'c asked curiously as the rest of the team seemed ready to embark on the next mission.

"She's still there briefing the President on the scenario that played out in the alternate reality where the Stargate was made public." Landry said, matter-of-factly.

"Well that's taking longer than it was supposed to." Cameron mused thoughtfully.

"It could be a good way to examine what might happen here." Daniel said, thinking aloud.

Landry tried to hide a smirk. "Sounds like President Hayes is having a hard time just getting past the fact that he wasn't President."

--

One week earlier:

Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter stepped out of the Air Force jet. She looked down at her sleeve for a moment, gently brushing off a small piece of lint from the jacket of her immaculate dress blues. She took a deep breath of the northern Virginian air.

"How long you gonna stand up there, Carter?"

Sam raised a hand to her forehead, trying to shield her eyes from the early morning sun. "Sir?" She asked, confused.

Major General Jack O'Neill chuckled. "Thought I'd pick you up from the airstrip."

She grinned as she grasped the handrail and walked down the steps from the door of the airplane. "I wasn't sure I'd get a chance to see you this time, sir."

"You think you could come to DC, and NOT see me?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I know you're busy, sir."

He shrugged. "Yeah, well..."

"It's good to see you, sir." She said, warmly.

"Backatcha."

"Do you know when I'm meeting the President, sir?"

"Actually, not for a couple of days."

"A couple of days?" She asked, confused.

He nodded. "Something came up. International politics or something like that..."

She studied him closely.

"Okay, maybe I didn't tell him that you'd be here today." He shrugged. "Nothing wrong with getting you some extra leave, right?"

"Favoritism, sir?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

He shook his head as he studied her. "Carter, I've read the files. You've been through hell these last few months."

"I'm not the only one, sir." She said, seriously.

"You were shot! You almost died!" He said, incredulously.

She winced. "Yeah..."

"Now, enough of that." He said, motioning for her to follow him. "I've got a surprise for you."

"Okay." She said, confused.

He led her to his car. As they approached, the driver walked over to the door, and opened it for them.

"After you, Colonel..." Jack offered.

She stepped into the car, somewhat confused about what he was doing. This seemed to be a little out of the bounds they'd set for themselves.

Jack stepped around to the other side of the car, and entered the backseat beside her.

"Where are we going?"

"I told you, it's a surprise."

"What kind of surprise?"

"The kind of surprise that is a secret." He said, shaking his head with a chuckle.

She bit her lip in concentration as she studied him, trying to think of what he might have planned. He shook his head. "You're never going to figure it out."

She rolled her eyes. "At least a hint..."

"You're the smartest person on the planet. You're not getting a hint."

She chuckled softly before suddenly yawning. She tried to cover it up, but the moment her mouth opened widely, Jack was watching her.

"How much sleep did you get last night, Carter?" He asked, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Well, sir, I wanted to run some simulations on a device that SG-14 brought back from one of the planets rebelling against the Ori. It's phenomenal, actually, that a civilization so seemingly primitive might come up with something so useful..."

"How much sleep, Carter?" He interrupted.

She smiled sheepishly. "I went to bed at 0230, and was up and ready for the plane by 0430."

"A nap." He said, studying her. "You substituted a full-night's sleep for a two-hour nap."

She bit her lip as she nodded.

He shook his head with a chuckle. "Get some sleep, Carter. We've got a long drive ahead of us, and you need your rest."

"Sir, I'm fine." She protested.

"Carter, get some sleep. That's an order." He said, seriously.

"Yes, sir." She said, nodding. She closed her eyes as she tried to find a comfortable position without wrinkling her dress blues.

"Ah, ah, ah..." He protested.

She looked up in confusion.

"Wouldn't want your dress blues getting all wrinkled. Put your head on my shoulder."

"Sir, you don't have to..." She began.

"Carter, would you stop fighting me and just do it?"

"Yes, sir." She said, nodding as she slipped into the comfortable space beside him. It was like covering up with an old blanket, warm and familiar. Almost instantly, she felt her eyelids droop. "Thank you, sir." She whispered as she slowly gave into the sleep for which her body had been aching.

Jack looked down at her for a moment, wishing that he could run his fingers through her short blonde hair as memories of their nearly ten-year-old relationship flooded him. "No problem, Carter."