Title: Additional Notes
Author: Angel Leviathan
Season: 8-ish.
He found her on the larger of the two enclosed shooting ranges, completely focused on the target in front of her. The General leant against the back wall, smiling to himself, wondering whether or not she was going to notice she had company.
Sam let the empty clip drop from the handgun she held, reloading it quickly and opting to take aim with her left hand, frustrated expression on her face when she found she wasn't hitting the target in the exact pattern she had with her right.
"Nobody expects you to be perfect, Carter," Jack commented with a half grin.
Though she had been unaware that there was anybody else in the range with her, she made a show of turning round calmly, and regarding him with a perfectly serious expression. "…You'd be surprised, Sir."
He shrugged, "Could always use a zat with your left."
"And if I break my right wrist?" Sam was being pedantic and she knew it.
"Grin and bear it," Jack replied instantly.
"You don't take your own advice, Sir?"
He raised an eyebrow. "I just complain loudly, make sure everybody is as annoyed as I am, then I get on with it."
She finally smiled. "Yes, Sir," Sam turned back toward her target and tried the same pattern again, with her left hand, making a third bullet hole at each of the points, a low growl escaping as she hit each of them.
"Don't tell me, you expect to be able to shoot with your feet," Jack quipped.
She grinned, not looking away from the range. "If I-" she fired again, "learn to shoot with my feet-" another short, "then I expect-" and another, "you to learn to play the piano-", a final bullet met with its intended target, "with yours." She removed the protective glasses from her eyes and released the clip again. "Sir."
"Well that'd give the CCTV cameras one hell of a show," he replied, trying to keep a straight face.
"Well, General, then you could challenge Daniel," she teased.
Jack stared. "Daniel can play the piano with his feet?"
Sam laughe., "One of his other talents."
"Doctor Daniel Jackson: Doctor of Archaeology and Egyptology and presumably Anthropology as well, also knows god knows how many different languages. Extra notes on file: can play piano with feet."
She tilted her head and simply stared at him for a couple of seconds before speaking. "General Jonathon 'Jack' O'Neill: General in the US Air Force, CO of the SGC, special friend of the Asgard, sarcastic sense of humour, hates paperwork. Extra notes on file: often challenges 2IC to impossible tasks." She finished by holding out the handgun and the glasses to him with a smirk.
Jack took the weapon and hooked the glasses on, taking aim for another target. "Colonel Samantha Carter: obviously, Colonel in the US Air Force, 2IC of the SGC, loves to take alien technology apart, can't cook, often found asleep at her keyboard. Extra notes on file..." He fired a couple of experimental shots. "Often challenged by CO to save the world every third Tuesday." He hit the last target and passed the handgun back.
Sam took the weapon back, staring at him. "…Colonel?" finally escaped from her.
He grinned. "About time, don't you think, Carter?"
She was still staring at him, eyes wide, speechless.
The grin vanished. "Carter?" He reached out and prodded her with one finger. "Carter? You still with me here?"
"…Yes, Sir."
"I'd give you the 'above and beyond the call of duty' speech, but I don't think you wanna hear all that crap again, right?"
Sam shook her head. "…I'm being promoted?"
"Supposedly the smartest person on this base and you have to ask that?" he smiled.
"Why…?"
Jack shook his head in mock dismay. "Most people take the promotion and run - she has to ask why!" he muttered in a comic fashion. "You know why, Sam. You've saved my backside, not to mention all our backsides-"
A giggle escaped her before she managed to regain her 'serious' composure.
"…On more than one occasion. You hardly ever question orders-" He paused, frowning. "Though now I'm in charge you probably should…" He shook his head again. "Anyway. Yeah. You've looked out for all of us for eight years now and I'm not the only one who thought it was about time you got your promotion. I can go into the 'above and beyond' stuff if you want…"
"No, Sir," Sam smiled, placing the gun down. "…Thank you, Sir." She suddenly flung herself against him and wrapped her arms around him, (only for a few seconds) before she stepped back. "Sorry, Sir."
Jack was a little stunned, but replied all the same. "No problem, Carter. With the cameras in here there'll probably be rumours circulating the base that you jumped me, but hey."
She tried not to laugh. "I'm sure it'll keep people amused."
"So," he changed the subject, "does the new CO of SG-1 want to be taken out to dinner by her CO and her team-mates?"
"Hmm…" She frowned. "I'll ask her. Let me get back to you…" She broke back into a smile. "Yes, Sir."
"Right." Jack nodded and started for the door. "A good bar fight to get into the swing of things…"
"Sir…!"
"Joking." He laughed briefly, a sudden thought striking him. "Oh," he turned back to her, "it's supposed to be a secret."
"What is?" Sam asked.
"Your promotion."
"Ah."
"I wanted to be the one to tell you." Jack nodded and gazed steadily at her. "…Just me," he admitted quietly.
Sam nodded back, a gentle smile acknowledging what he really meant. "…Thank you," she purposefully left her usual 'Sir' off the end, hoping he'd understand her too.
He returned the smile, only for a moment, before opening the door. "Just act surprised, okay?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Oh." He halted halfway through the door. "I thought it was fitting that whoever ran this base should be yelling at a Colonel from time to time too. Make it feel like old times."
"I'll do my best on the insubordination score, Sir," she grinned.
"Glad to hear it," Jack answered, "Colonel." The door swung shut behind him.
Sam reclaimed the handgun in her right hand, taking aim, and spoke softly to herself. "Colonel Samantha Carter: obviously, Colonel in the US Air Force, 2IC of the SGC, loves to take alien technology apart, can't cook, often found asleep at her keyboard. Extra notes on file: often challenged by CO to save the world every third Tuesday. Also happens to have deeper feelings for him than she should." She hit the target perfectly, with a smile. "But she can handle it. Because she knows he feels the same."
Fin