XOXOX

AN: Going on vacay but watched this episode a few days ago and was inspired (: Do y'all want a Broca Divide episode tag...? Personally, I don't really feel like that's where these two started. It was purely primal; they didn't really have that spark yet. And I feel like that one in particular has been done to death... but maybe I'll add it. Maybe not. This moment inspired me more.

Chapter 2:

Tag for "Fire and Water"

Jack O'Neill seized his captain without thinking and pulled Sam into a tight embrace. That crummy quack had lured her into a hypnotic state and she had been reliving Daniel's 'death'. Jack hated doctors but he hated shrinks the most. He had a sudden surge of irrational anger at this 'doctor' for making a member of his team relive the death of a teammate. That's all it was, he was protective of his team.

"We're going back, captain," he assured the panicked woman in his arms, "we're going back."

xxx

"Have a seat, Jack," Hammond gently ordered him. They had retrieved Daniel so all was right with the world again, wasn't it? Jack wracked his brain but couldn't possibly imagine what he'd done wrong this time. "Now, Jack, this could be delicate but I'm afraid it needs to be addressed. Be assured that this completely off the record."

"What does, sir?" Jack asked impatiently, just managing to not be thoroughly insubordinate.

"Doctor Warner has brought an incident to my attention," explained the general calmly, watching Jack for any reactions. Jack still couldn't possibly imagine what the problem was here. "He said that during the hypnosis session you 'embraced' Captain Carter. Is that true?"

"I- what?" Jack asked stupidly. "Yes, of course! She just re lived Daniel's death, for cryin' out loud."

"Now neither of us feels, especially given the extenuating circumstances, that anything improper occured-"

"Then why the hell did he bring it up?" demanded Jack, interrupting his CO, completely flabbergasted. He refused to examine why this was making him so furious, apart from the fact that as a man of honor, Jack did not appreciate his motives being questioned. He would never do anything to harm anyone under his command in a hundred million years.

The general sighed heavily; "He merely was concerned given your ranks and your respective age differences that there was an issue of impropriety," explained Hammond, searching for proper words. "He said nothing would be written into the official report and left it up to me to decide whether or not anything untoward had happened."

"Of course not!" exclaimed Jack. "I would have done the same for any member of my team under those circumstances!"

"Would you, though, Jack?" asked Hammond gently. "Let me remind you, that no matter how hard she tries to hide it, Captain Carter is a woman, a young woman under your command. Any hint of impropriety could damage her career. It isn't fair, but that's the world we live in right now. So if you do care about her future as any good leader would, then just... Be cautious of who is around when you do find the need to comfort your teammates." Jack was seething with rage but was too stunned to form a reply. "Unless you have anything you would like to add- as I said, this is all off the record- you are dismissed."

Jack nodded, still at loss for words beyond, "Yes, sir," and quickly departed Hammond's office. He made straight for the locker room and changed into his civvies.

oxo

Ten minutes later saw him topside and driving home to a beer and his telescope on his roof. Jack sat down in frustration, mulling over the events of the last week. Had they really just had a wake for Daniel a few days ago here? He popped the top off his beer as he settled into the lumpy, but comfortable couch he kept up here just for stargazing.

Jack knew couldn't simply haul off and slug Doctor Warner next time he saw the man and didn't know what to do. He racked his brains, trying to think how else he might have handled the situation. Nothing. He came up empty and he nearly growled in frustration. His thoughts drifted instead to the young captain under his command. She had to be at least a decade younger than him, brilliant, eager-to-please, ready to show her stuff. She had already impressed the heck out of him on day one, despite being a scientist. Samantha Carter had definitely proven herself to be a force of power. Unbidden, the image of Carter in the pink sweater she had worn to the wake; the way it had made her brilliant blue eyes sparkle, and seemed to make her blonde hair glow... Jack frowned at his beer as a different blonde suddenly crossed his thoughts.

Sara. The divorce papers sat on his coffee table downstairs; it was part of why he'd wanted to come up here. He needed to escape their stare, that blank little line, waiting for his signature. Jack sighed and chugged a good half of his beer, wondering why all his current issues seemed to revolve around blondes. He'd never noticed before. Did he have a type? Up until now, he'd had Sara at the back of his mind, even after she'd kicked him out upon his return from Abydos the first time. But then the papers had arrived a few weeks ago and well, there went that. He hadn't even thought of Carter as a woman, not really, even after the incident in the locker room, and even after that blue dress.

He'd still managed to keep his thoughts mostly professional. He wasn't blind by any means, but the small torch he'd carried for Sara had kept all other thoughts beyond a surface appreciation for Carter's general attractiveness at bay. Oh no. Oh no. That was not good; especially as he was about to sign those papers, he'd need to watch that line of thinking. Jack needed to stop that line of thinking immediately. He frowned more deeply , torn between wanting to go in and watch tv and not wanting to sign the divorce papers.

Jack sighed; he'd have to face the papers eventually. He chugged the rest of his beer and headed down the ladder and into the house.