AN: Thank you so much for all the kind words, follows and favorites for this story. It is truly humbling. I hope you continue to stick with me through it. This one is a little shorter, and unfortunately, things are still dark. Poor Sam!
Feeling the tremors stop coursing through Sam, Jack realized she was resting heavily on his body. Raising his head, he looked down at her shadowed features. "You're exhausted," he murmured to her, squeezing her slightly. "You need to sleep. Want me to take you home?"
"No," Sam whispered, her head slowly moving side to side. "Can I..." she started to ask, only to stop before the words came out.
"Come on," Jack said, guessing what she was going to ask. "You can have my bed," he offered, urging her to stand. Untangling from her, he eased himself up, silently stretching the muscles complaining from being in the same place for too long. Turning, he followed her, guiding her forward with both hands on her shoulders.
Passing the kitchen, Jack realized that neither Daniel or Teal'c were there. As they neared his room, he heard the sound of the television on low. Entering the room, Jack caught their eyes as he removed one hand and dropped the other to Sam's back.
"Sam?" Daniel called, rising to greet the pale woman. "You okay?" he asked walking closer. Darting a look from Sam to Jack and reading the message that she wasn't 'okay' in Jack's eyes, he felt the butterflies in his stomach continue.
Forcing a small shaky smile, Sam reached to accept the hug he offered. "Just need a little time," she whispered, pulling him close. Letting him go, she moved to wrap herself around Teal'c as well.
"You will be fine, SamanthaCarter," the Jaffa said softly, resting his head against hers as to will her his strength and conviction in her.
As Sam was being comforted by the others, Jack pulled clothes from his dresser drawer. Handing them to her, he nodded toward the other part of the house. "We'll be out there," he told her. "There's a spare toothbrush in the right hand drawer, towels on the shelf," he added, scanning her features.
"Thank you," she whispered, feeling tears threatening again. Seeing the tenderness in his eyes, she knew he was aware her words were for far more than the articles she had just been handed. Drawing in a shaky breath, her eyes darted toward the others. "Can you," she began softly only to be interrupted.
"I'll take care of it," he assured her. Stepping closer, he brushed his lips on her temple before following Teal'c and Daniel from the room.
Entering into the kitchen area, Jack pulled a bottle of whiskey and several glasses from the cupboard. Nodding his head toward the door, he lead the pair back to the sitting room he had just spent the last several hours.
Turning on a lamp, he poured a shot of whiskey and tossed it back, feeling the burn as it passed each inch of his throat. Pouring another drink, he stepped toward the windows on the other side of the room. "Help yourself," he murmured, gesturing back toward the whiskey as he stopped to look outside.
"Jack?" Daniel asked, easing into a chair and sharing a concerned look with Teal'c. "What did Sam say?"
Taking a deep breath, Jack frowned into his glass. "She wants to resign. She's done," he said.
"What?" Daniel breathed in shock. "Why?"
"She's tired of it all. The whole intergalactic domination, gotta-save-the-planet, kill or be killed crap every time you go though the gate," Jack sighed, dark finality tinting his tone as he slumped into the chair beside him. "Hell, so am I," he added quietly, sipping the drink in his hand.
"What occurred on the planet O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, trying to comprehend what would lead Sam to this point.
Leaning his head back, Jack relayed what Sam had told him. Finishing he got up and refilled his glass. Silence descended until he sat back down.
"I cannot see them allowing ColonelCarter to resign and leave the SGC," Teal'c stated flatly locking eyes with O'Neill.
Daniel realized the accuracy of Teal'c assessment by the silent toast given by Jack with his glass. "So what? They make her stay? Keep going through the gate until she gets killed or is so messed up they can't 'fix' her?" he retorted, anger lacing his words at the thought that his friend could be only seen as a tool to be used as others saw fit.
"Not if I can help it," Jack barked back at him sharply, catching himself from getting caught up in the anger at the military. "I'm going to talk to Hammond, see if I can get her transferred to Area 51. She'll still be involved but won't have to go off world," he explained.
"And if you are unsuccessful?" Teal'c pushed.
Blowing out a breath, Jack turned away from the question. "I'll find a way," he murmured, knowing that there had to be something they wanted he could use as a bargaining chip.
"What does that mean Jack?" Daniel pressed, seeing the sad resignation on the older man's face.
"It means I'll find a way," O'Neill snapped back. Seeing that Jackson was going to push for details, he intercepted any further comments. "Drop it Daniel," he snarled, anger flashing in his eyes.
Sitting back, Daniel stared hard at him. "You're going to sacrifice yourself," the archeologist declared. "Whatever you have to do to save Sam, whatever piece of your soul they ask for, you're going to hand it to them, without question."
"Samantha would not want that O'Neill," Teal'c stated, knowing Daniel was correct by Jack's controlled features.
"Yeah, well," Jack breathed, "What she doesn't know won't hurt her." Catching one man's eyes and then the other, he added, "And she won't know. Got it?"
"Jack," Daniel breathed, shaking his head in apprehension at the thought that to save one friend, another would have to sacrifice himself. "Don't," he paused, weighing his words, "don't do anything unnecessarily," he cautioned. "Don't do anything that will cost you both far more than could ever be gained by the trade," he added hoping Jack would know what he meant.
Getting up, Jack picked up the bottle and glasses. "It's late. I'll let you know how Sam is tomorrow," he said walking out of the room.
Staring at the empty coffee cup in his hand, O'Neill sighed and ran a hand over his face. Holding out the cell phone to make sure he had not dropped the call, he thought about the woman asleep in his bed. He had sat up most of the night watching her and not getting rest himself. After dozing two hours, he had given up any thoughts of getting more sleep by oh-five-hundred. Slipping from the bedroom, he dialed the number of his former commander long before the sun had broken the Colorado skyline.
Jack had briefed General George Hammond of the events of the past day as well as Sam's emotional state. After listening, Hammond had put him on hold while he conferred with other high-ranking officials. That had been almost thirty minutes ago.
Growling with frustration, Jack lurched off the bar stool and was pouring more coffee into his cup, when he heard, "Jack, you still there?"
"Yes, sir, I'm here," he answered, tensing.
"I wish I had better news," Hammond reported. "The general consensus is that Lieutenant Colonel Carter is much too valuable in her current position."
"Sonofabitch," Jack muttered, anger flaring. Forcing himself to bite back the other things threatening to tumble from his lips, he drew several shallow breaths before speaking. "I won't authorize her to go through the gate in her current state," O'Neill snapped. "I won't let her end up..."
"What? End up what, Jack?" George prodded, his tone gentle yet telling.
Drawing a hissed breath, Jack closed his eyes. "She'll end up like I was eight years ago," he stated solemnly, his anger draining from him and desperation seeping through the cracks in his voice. "She'll begin to hate everything about it and look for some way out, even it that means the first bullet she can find to walk in front of."
"I won't let her do that," Jack added, breaking the silence that had descended between them at the outburst. "There has to be something," he pressed. Hearing a resigned sigh on the other end, Jack pressed. "What?"
"Hypothetically, and I am not saying this is will work," Hammond cautioned, "but one of the main reasons that everyone is hell-bent on her staying is the fact that you want to retire. The Joint Chiefs believe it will be too big of a gap if both you and Sam leave at the same time. Too much loss of leadership; too much experience handling other alien races will be lost all at once."
"So if I withdraw my papers, it's possible Carter could be transferred?"
"Possible," Hammond conceded. "But Jack, as I said there is no guarantee it will work. There could be something else in the works here, something I don't know about. Or they could use this as a way to manipulate you to staying longer and call her right back in once you sign."
Rubbing a hand over his face, Jack grimaced. "How long?"
"I have no idea right now," George replied. "Look," he added, his tone dropping lower, "I know your relationship with Sam is complicated, and trust me when I tell you that I want nothing more than for you both to get what you want and deserve. If it was up to only me, you would have it all. But it's not. The only thing I can say right now is that you've both held on this long. Give it a little while more. Nothing can happen between you as long as you are at the SGC any way. There will be too many questions."
"And Sam can't leave unless I'm here," Jack reiterated, bitterness in his tone.
"I'm sorry, Jack," George said softly.
"Yes, sir," Jack replied automatically, disconnecting the call. Looking down at the phone in his hand, he heaved it into the wall in frustration.
AN2: Oops, did I say poor Sam? Now I think Jack's taking a hit here too. Hope you are still enjoying it.