Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Stargate.
Set early Season 9.
Lonely in DC
'Well that was fun' Sam Carter thought as she escaped from the finally finished meeting. 2000 hours and they had been in there all day. It's not that she didn't enjoy her job, she did, but would much rather be back in her lab at area 51 trying to work out some new alien technology. She decided to go by General O'Neill's office while she was in the building and see if he was still there. Sam reached the door marked Major General Jack O'Neill and knocked firmly. Hearing a muffled "Come" she opened the door.
----
General Jack O'Neill looked up from his paperwork littered desk as his office door opened. "Carter," he said as soon as he saw his visitor. "How'd those meetings go?"
"The went quite well actually Sir, just very long!"
"Yes so I see, thought you would have left already."
"No Sir, didn't want to head back without saying hello first, it has been a while."
"So it has, it's been kinda weird going from seeing you all everyday to once every couple of months. I think I miss the old days." Jack said looking down at the paperwork.
"Ah yes, being chased by battalions of Jaffa, what's not to miss?" Sam said sarcastically.
"I know," Jack replied equally as sarcastically. They both laughed as Jack said, "so, you had dinner yet? I know how you are at combining work with food. For a genius I would have thought you'd be better at multi-tasking!"
Sam blushed slightly but smiled back at Jack replying, "actually I was going to track down some food next."
"Well in that case how about a good old fashioned team night with some pizza and a film etc. etc."
"But without half the team," Sam added.
"Yes, but without half the team," Jack replied.
"Though it does still sound like a good plan."
"Batman," Jack said.
"Erm.. what?" asked Sam looking very confused.
"Good plan Batman," Jack said again.
"Oh… right," Sam replied, still just as confused as before.
"Nevermind," Jack said standing up and putting his dress blues jacket on. "Shall we head out?"
"Sure Sir," said Sam already heading out of the door.
----
"Here we are," Jack motioned as he fumbled in his pocket for the door keys. "Home, well supposedly. I don't think I could ever get used to living in a city, Carter, there's just too many other people. I'm sure it's not natural."
"Oh I don't know Sir, I quite liked living in Washington."
"If you say so Carter, but I'm not convinced."
As soon as they were inside Sam would of sworn she could see him visibly relax as he took off his tie and jacket. She could tell how much DC was affecting him. He didn't seem as lively, as joking, as he always was at the SGC. And it wasn't something she like to see. He had changed.
Hearing Jack asking "Beer?" brought Sam out of her thoughts.
"Yes please."
Jack headed into the kitchen returning quickly with two cold beers and the phone and half sat/ half fell onto one end of the sofa. Sam followed, taking the other end as hers. He handed her a bottle. "Pepperoni?" he asked.
"Sounds good" Sam replied.
"Cool, I'll just ring them, you want to see if you can find a film, might even have Star Wars around here somewhere," he said smiling whilst dialling a number apparently from memory.
Jack put down the phone, "pizza should be here in about 30 minutes. You find anything to watch?"
"Hmm, not sure yet. You have Indiana Jones?" Sam asked laughing.
"Yes, it was a present from Daniel. Think he was trying to make a point about archaeologists being cool or something. Didn't work on me though."
They eventually picked out a film they both agreed on and settled down to watch.
Half an hour the doorbell went, Jack went to the door returning a minute later with pizza. "Mmm, smells good," he said grinning, returning to the sofa and sitting next to Sam with the pizza on his lap.
They carried on watching them film whilst eating. They were just about finished with the pizza when Jack noticed Sam was staring at him. Sam blinked as she realised what she was doing and she looked back to the film. Knowing Jack was still looking at her she turned back to him.
"What's up?" Jack asked.
"Nothing," Sam replied, looking at him she knew he didn't believe her. "It's nothing really, it's just, well you seem different." She said know staring at the bottle in her hand.
"Different?" He asked.
"Yea, you don't seem quite like you usually are. Not as happy I guess."
"Oh." Jack said.
"Look, forget I said anything, it really is nothing."
"Yes but if it really was nothing you wouldn't have noticed it."
"I suppose," Sam admitted.
"And besides," he said, "I know what you mean."
Sam looked up quickly at him, "You do?"
"Yup, I guess I got used to being with the team, always having you guys. I suppose I'm a little lonely." He stopped then added, "but don't go telling everyone, I have a reputation to uphold."
Sam looked at him, then smiled. She was starting to see the old Jack coming through now. "You know it doesn't have to be like this."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Well there are such things as phones, and maybe we could make time to see each other more often, I mean get the team together and everything."
"Really?" Jack said happily.
"Of course, you're not the only one who misses the team you know."
"But it's not just the team I miss." Jack admitted. "I miss you."
"Me too," Sam responded as she leant forward and hugged him. She then pulled her head back from where it was nestled in the crook of his neck. Looking into his eyes she leaned in to kiss him. As her lips touched his Jack eagerly responded. They separated for a moment as Sam said, "and I don't actually have to be back in Nevada 'til Monday so we could do some catching up now if you like."
"Sounds like a good plan to me," Jack said as he moved back to capture Sam's lips with his.
