Well, here we are at last folks – a brand new story for you to read. It's not so very long as it stands, (6 chapters) but that all depends on whether you would like me to continue with it; once you reach the last chapter, that is!

I'd like to thank everyone for being so patient with me. It's taken me a while to get going again with turning out something new, but it's finally done. I'd also like to thank Diane for going over it and pointing out the error(s) of my ways. LOL! Thanks Diane! And Michele, if you're reading this, then you'll know I wish you a speedy recovery!

Pride Comes Before A Fall

By LetitiaRichards.

Category: Much Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort (emotional), Romance.

Pairings: Pete/Sam, Jack/Sam.

Season: Alternate ending of season 8, according to my rose coloured specs.

Spoilers: Divide & Conquer, Affinity, Threads.

Warnings: Keep a few tissues handy!

Summary: You always hurt the one you love; the one you shouldn't hurt at all.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1, Wish I did. No copyright infringements intended. Just borrowing the characters for a bit of fun, fantasy and imagination. With apologies to Don and Phil, who own the rights to their song, but I couldn't resist adding it to this, because it really fitted the mood and the feelings in this fic.

Pride Comes Before A Fall

by LetitiaRichards

Chapter 1

I'll never ever let you see

The way my broken heart is hurtin' me

I've got my pride and I know how to hide

All my sorrow and pain

I'll do my cryin' in the rain

Jack rose to his feet and moved quickly across the room. He so did not want to listen to that particular song belting out, reflecting as it did his own feelings. Silence fell swiftly as his finger pushed the relevant button, cutting the sound off before it made him feel even more morose than he was already.

Carter had hurt him no matter how much or often he'd churned it over in his mind in search for some sort of reconciliation in himself. He knew he should be happy for her, but the truth of the matter was he just couldn't find it in himself to look at her forthcoming nuptials in that way. He was hurting; and to be quite honest about it, a little resentful that she'd decided to move on without him.

There had always been that special something between them, and he'd been patiently waiting for the right time to fulfil his hopes and dreams, feeling that there would always be a future for them together whenever. It was not to be though. Sam had found herself another guy. A much 'younger' man who had made that tiny crack in his heart widen and crumble even further until he thought it would shatter completely.

He walked back towards the sofa and flopped down onto the cushions dejectedly releasing a huge sigh. He'd tried to look at it from her point of

view and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she would be settling for less if she'd stuck with him. Who in their right mind – and a brilliant one like she had – would settle for an aging dumbass grunt with bad knees just like him? Not Carter that was for sure.

Pulling his thoughts together and determined not to dwell on things that would never be, he got to his feet and locked the doors, making sure

everything was secure before he took himself off to bed. Tomorrow was another day and he would somehow muddle through it as always, though not for long because he had made up his mind in the light of recent events. He would tender his resignation and retire to his cabin; if only to escape from having to call her Samantha Shanahan. He couldn't do that, no way. It would be too much for his wounded soul to bear. Even he had a limit and apparently, this was it.

OoOoOoOoO

The knock on the door disturbed the peace of the room and Brigadier General Jack O'Neill's fingers halted above the keyboard of the laptop

computer he was using. The letter he was constructing was still in its initial stages and with a sigh of reluctance to stop writing, he clicked save and then pulled the top down to hide the contents on the screen from prying eyes.

"Come!" he commanded, wondering who it would be at this time of the evening. It was fast approaching 21:00hrs. He was supposed to be writing reports but had started composing a letter instead.

The door opened and Lt. Colonel Sam Carter entered, looking a little sheepish to Jack's way of thinking, and she was the last person he wanted to be talking to this late in the day.

"Sir...do you have a moment?"

"Sure Carter? What's up?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant, though feeling far from it.

"I...er...I just wanted to give you this sir."

Sam held the plain white envelope out towards him and he frowned up at her wondering what it contained; he sincerely hoped it wasn't her resignation. There was no way he would allow her to step down. The SGC needed her, if not the whole world.

So far since she'd confronted him about that ring, she'd had kept herself tucked away in her lab when she wasn't off world and when she was off the base she had also given up their usual Friday night team get-togethers in favour of keeping Pete company, now that she had made her choice and they were officially engaged.

He plucked the envelope reluctantly from her noticeably trembling fingers; he could see she was nervously awaiting his comments, and he couldn't help but get a sinking feeling in his gut at the prospect of what was written on the contents inside.

Reluctantly he tore open the envelope, his own fingers shaking slightly as he pulled the card from its hold.

He knew it, dammit!

It had still come as a shock to him though when he read the beautifully scripted silver words of the wedding invitation neatly arranged over the inner pages of the card.

He sucked in a ragged breath and held it there for a moment, looking up to catch her eyes, but she wasn't looking at him, rather than at the card in his hands. The big day had been planned to take place in three months time. She'd looked somewhat sheepish and embarrassed, and now he could understand why that was.

"You will come..." she asked tentatively, still unable to meet his intense gaze, "...won't you sir?"

"Ah...Sorry Carter, but no can do!" he replied. "I can't make it." There was no way in this lifetime that he could sit there and watch her marry somebody else. He'd loved her for cryin' out loud. Still did. He couldn't go through that; it would seem so...so final. It would put paid to any hope he'd ever held for the future. Under normal circumstances, he would refuse her nothing, but there were limits to his good nature, and this would exceed all his good intentions to wish her well. No way could he go there and watch her get married while his heart shattered inside his chest.

"May I ask why sir?" she asked before she could think about it sounding insubordinate.

"Because I can't, Carter. I won't be here," he answered vaguely, hoping to drop the subject.

"Why?" she asked again, giving him a watery frown, but still managing to hold back the tears that were demanding to be let loose.

Jack looked up at her noticing she omitted the 'sir' this time of asking. He let it pass as it wasn't exactly USAF business, official or otherwise.

"I'm...going away," he answered bluntly then asked in a rather dismissive way. "Was there something else you wanted, Carter?"

Bright blue eyes awash with tears met with unflinching dark brown ones, trying to read his inner thoughts, but she saw that he had already locked the world out and his impassive face was giving nothing away. She gave up with a little sigh of disappointment, because the look in his eyes had warned her that no further enquiries as to his reasons would be welcome or tolerated. She sniffed back the need to weep, knowing he was already beyond her reach.

"No sir," she replied softly, her voice full of regret. "Nothing else."

"Good. See you in the morning then Carter. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight sir," she echoed dejectedly. She really had hoped that he would have at least had the decency to come to her wedding, he was supposed to be her friend, but she also supposed it was just too much to ask of him. What exactly did she expect from him anyway? After all that they had gone through, even dancing around the issue of the frat. regs for so long; she though she had meant more than a passing acquaintance to him over the years. He'd promised her so many times that he'd be there for her...always. So why not now? She knew the answer in her mind already – because she had Pete now, and that should be enough for her.

She left the room quickly, shutting the door with a soft click where only now would she allow the tears to break free before she completely broke down. Stuffing the overwhelming need to cry, she hurried back to her lab where she could be alone; free to let loose on her emotions without restraint or interruption. His refusal to join her on the biggest day of her life had stung more painfully than she'd imagined.

Jack sat back in his chair and sighed, knowing that he had upset her by his outright refusal to attend her wedding, but he wasn't that strong. He'd kept his deep feelings for her in line so far but this was like the proverbial straw. It was like she was rubbing his nose in it and it had been too much to take. If, by some act of persuasion from the others, putting pressure on him to attend, then he knew it would be the end of everything he'd ever held dear.

He shoved the card into the back of his drawer and returned to composing his letter of resignation. Enough was enough. He had to get away, unwilling and unable to stay and watch her enjoy life with another. He'd tried to be happy for her, but he wasn't fooling himself or Daniel for that matter. Daniel knew how he'd felt. Had done for a long time it seems; and had even tried to urge him to say something to Sam to put a stop to the madness. He couldn't though; he was her superior officer and he couldn't...wouldn't jeopardise their careers over something that apparently had meant so little to her in the end. It was too late now of course. He'd waited too long and now he'd lost her.

If I wait for cloudy skies

You won't know the rain from the tears in my eyes

You'll never know that I still love you so

Though the heartaches remain

I'll do my cryin' in the rain

TBC