Rating: T just to be safe
Characters: Sam Carter, Jack O'Neill, General Hammond
Genre: Romance S/J
Seasons: 1 and 8. Some season 8 spoilers.
Episodes: Children of the Gods, Threads.
Summary: My take on what happened before the fishing trip in the episode "Threads".
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, rights, or anything else regarding Stargate. I just like to watch the episodes J.
Okay, I took this story down and reposted it because I realized I had a plot discrepancy at the end…if they were going to Minnesota in the morning, Jack couldn't very well meet up with General Hammond at 7 pm the next day lol. So, I fixed it. J
We Have A lot to Talk About, Don't We?
"You can actually see the fluctuations in the event horizon!"
Sam Carter hesitated in awe before the shimmering wormhole. Colonel O'Neill rolled his eyes and pushed her through. Watching from the floor of the gate room, I chuckled to myself and walked away. Having already noticed the moment that their eyes met as they left the briefing room, I knew that there was already a strange attraction between them. I was happy and sad for them at the same time, realizing that if deeper feelings ever did develop they would be forced to bury them under professionalism and fraternization regulations for as long as they both served in the air force. That was 8 years ago. As time went on it was clear there was an undeniable bond between them. Their connection deepened every time they walked through that stargate, and one day I made a promise to myself, that if I ever found out that there was any kind of relationship between them that would be deemed inappropriate by the US Airforrce, I would look the other way.
Perhaps that's why I'm driving away from Jack's house now, and as far as I'm concerned, I didn't see anything.
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I came here tonight because he asked me to. He said it would be easier for us all to stay here and leave together for his cabin in Minnesota early in the morning. As I pull up in the driveway I notice that the only cars here are mine and his. He must've seen me coming from the window, because he comes out on the porch and offers to carry my suitcase into the house. "I've got it, Sir." I say laughing to myself, thinking that after I've saved his butt on countless planets and alien spaceships he thinks that I need help carrying a suitcase. Its not like it contains a block of weapons grade Naquada. "So where are Daniel and Teal'c?" I ask cheerfully.
Secretly I have been looking forward to this fishing trip for a week. Even though no one seems to look forward to The General's fishing trips, after everything I've been through lately a weekend with my closest friends, and, well, The General - General O'Neill.. Right… must think of him as General O'Neill, especially given recent events and these close quarters…- is exactly what I need. To my surprise The General doesn't answer right away, he just smiles and motions for me to come inside the house. I plunk my suitcase down by the door and look at him with a puzzled smile on my face. He looks incredibly happy and incredibly nervous all at the same time. Our eyes lock for a moment before he begins to speak.
"I asked them not to come until tomorrow." He says softly, his brown eyes piercing my soul. I look at him intently and he continues "I mean, we have a lot to talk about, don't we?" Sounding slightly confused himself.
"Yes, Sir." I answer quietly, my eyes cast downward, every nerve in my body standing at attention in anticipation of where this conversation is headed. In all of the crazy events of the week we haven't had time to talk, all he knows is that I broke off my engagement to Pete, and all I know is that he ended it with Kerry. In the moments that follow now all of my dreams or all of my worst nightmares concerning General Jack O'Neill could be coming true. Will he tell me he loves me? Will he tell me he's decided to start seeing her again? My breath shortens in nervousness and anticipation. He does look happy, …that has to be a good sign. In light of all the emotions that I'm experiencing at the moment, at least I can be very relieved I managed to remember to call him Sir.
"No 'Sir'." He says gently.
"Sir?" I asked confused.
"The last thing I want right now is to hear you call me 'Sir'. He pleads in a tender tone. Those 3 letters have already caused enough damage to us over the years. What do you say we stop using them?" He continued in usual Jack O'Neill rhetoric in this gentle voice that was causing my knees to buckle. At that point, he walks towards me and takes hold of my hand, gently guiding me to sit next to him on the couch.
His eyes, full of emotion, though I am not sure what sort yet, stare into mine.
"You broke it off with Pete." He managed to start in almost a whisper. I looked down at my feet.
"Yeah." I whispered back. After a few seconds had passed I continued, barely able to speak, "You broke it off with Kerry." It sounded slightly like a question I suppose.
He breathed heavily. "Yeah." he whispered, also looking down at the floor. In reading his expressions at first I feel a sense of regret in his manner, but then he quickly continues "I don't know why I was seeing her, Sam." He says, his voice full of what seemed like guilt. I don't know what to say. I sit beside him very still, my emotions at maximum, nerves on pins and needles. He goes on. "I suppose in a way she was a rebound." I look at him confused.
He breathes deeply and hesitates a moment as if he is thinking of how to explain. He turns his head to face me and begins to speak in a deeply honest voice as if it is coming straight from his soul. "When I found out you were with Pete I was devastated." He started. Now in a moment of understanding, my eyes shifted, full of guilt for the selfish pain I had caused. I wanted a normal life. I wanted to be loved. I was too stupid to realize that I already was.
" I wanted you to be happy, so I pretended to be happy for you. And I was, I mean happy you were happy. But not happy that you were happy with someone else." he rambled and winced in that confused, Jack O'Neill fashion, and I knew he needed me to speak.
I wasn't sure how to begin. I thought of everything that I had to say and cleared my throat, willing that at least some of it would come out of my mouth. "um…I…." I began, not doing so hot. I saw a look of sudden concern on his face and realized I'd better spit it out. I'd put him through enough already. I took a deep breath and tried again. "Sir…" I winced. This was more difficult than I had imagined sitting in my car in his drive way a few days ago preparing my speech in my head. I had no "Sir" to hide behind, no military regulations to safely distance him from me and myself from these overwhelming emotions. Nope, we were obviously crossing the line, all bets were off and all of those defenses were gone. I just had to come out and say it. "Jack…when I came to your house this week…when you were here with…Kerry…" Come on Sam, spit it out! I thought noticing that his face wasn't showing any signs of relief. I breathed a quick, shallow nervous breath and continued . "I had been sitting in the driveway for 10 minutes trying to find the courage to tell you something…something I actually have wanted to tell you for years, and…" at this point I chickened out. "And then I found Kerry there." Was all I could manage to say. Not good enough, not good enough at all, I tell myself. Come on Soldier, complete your mission. Unfortunately my soldier side wasn't really functioning at the moment. In this moment I was just a vulnerable human being, a woman, a woman trying to, and failing miserably at, telling the man she loves that she loves him.
He looked at me, his face softening but still looking a bit puzzled as if he was almost sure he knew what I was trying to say, but still needed assurance that he was right. I suddenly found a small well of strength inside of me and began, just as I did the last time while standing on his porch before she came outside "The thing is…" But he reached up placing his index finger upon my lips and stopped me. His eyes pierced into mine for what seemed like hours before he spoke softly.
"I love you, Sam." he said, taking the burden from me and pulling me into his embrace until his face was against mine, our noses touching. We were both inhaling short shallow breaths.
"I love you, too, Jack." I whispered right before he kissed me, breathing the words against his lips. Relief and passion replaced the fear and apprehension that had been filling the room as his arms tightened around me, our mouths never parting as if they had been fused together. As we were lying there in each others arms on his couch, his lips against mine, his hands in my hair, I could've sworn I heard a car in the driveway. His breath was loud and heavy in my ears, and I thought that I was mistaken. The outside world didn't seem to matter right now anyway. In this moment it was only Jack and I. We continued kissing and I once again lost touch with reality. A few moments later, though, the sound of footsteps on the porch pulled me back to earth.
"Did you hear that?" I breathed in a raspy whisper.
"Yeah I did." He said looking disappointed to be forced to pull his mouth from mine even for a second. Reluctantly we both sat up on the couch to notice a very shocked General Hammond through the window standing on Jack's front porch. He smiled at us looking extremely embarrassed, nodded, and turned to leave.
"Guess I forgot to call George and tell him not to come by tonight." Jack said in what almost verged on a giggle.
"Is he coming with us to Minnesota?" I asked, my face beet red.
"No, I invited him since he's in town, but he had big plans with his grandkids for the weekend . He said he'd come by tonight and have a beer, though. I'll call him later." He smiled and continued in an irresistible voice, "Now, where were we?".
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The phone at the hotel bedside rang twice.
Hammond: General Hammond.
O'Neill: Hey! George… he started nervously. Hey, um, about our plans for tonight…
Hammond: Its okay Jack, I saw you had more…interesting…company than an old, bald general. He laughed.
O'Neill: Now George, I'm sure in some parts of the world bald is quite charming…and if not in some parts of our world, then I'm sure we could find another one out there…
Hammond: I'll keep that in mind, Jack. I'll be in town for two weeks if you still want to catch up.
O'Neill: Sounds great. How's 7:00 pm next Friday? He said, relieved that General Hammond, at least so far, doesn't seem to be outraged at his violation of the frat regs.
Hammond: Sounds fine, as long as you won't stand me up for any brilliant, blonde Lieutenant-Colonels.
O'Neill: Not a chance, I'm all yours next week, General! He smirked, using humor to cover up what would otherwise be pure fear in his voice.
Hammond: Great…and Jack?
O'Neill: Jack paused nervously at the sudden change in Hammond's voice. "Here it comes.." he thought. "Yes Sir?"
Hammond: Your secret is safe with me…and congratulations to you and Colonel Carter…he paused. And It's about time!
O'Neill: Thank you…Sir. He said relieved and slightly puzzled at the General's last comment.
Hammond: You bet. See you at 7:00 then.
Jack: Right! He exclaimed, hanging up while he was ahead.
The End.