PHRASES

She looked at it: just sitting there on her desk and the only thing that came to her mind was What the hell?

Sam found this phrase was most appropriate as it could be followed by any number of combinations:

What the hell … was he thinking?

What the hell … brought this on?

What the hell … do I do now?

All very relevant to the situation at hand.

Wasn't life complicated enough without boyfriends offering marriage proposals and engagement rings and promises of forever that, really, with her perspective on life as she knew it, who had the audacity to promise forever anyway!

Sam sat alone with the constant hum of the equipment in the background. Its familiar cadence brought an odd peace to her mind. It may have been noise to everyone else; it was a lullaby to her, which was then suddenly interrupted by General Jack O'Neill. His ability to affect her equilibrium, unfortunately, was nothing new.

After asking for the reports Sam knew were outstanding, Jack expressed his concern for her, as only Jack could. Looking up at this man, Sam considered whether she should involve him in this; whether it would be fair to do that; whether he was really the reason for her indecision.

As she held Jack's eyes, warm, brown and accessible, the useful phrase came back to her. Sam determined to broach the subject with Jack, much like a skydiver considering the timing of the jump.

Just before she made the leap, Sam took a deep breath, shook herself mentally and went for it, thinking:

What the hell.

End.