A.N.: The lyrics used at the end of the chapter are from "Always a Woman" by Billy Joel.
...
She had thought that she had for sure ruined her relationship with Pete. They had fought before, especially about the things that she could not tell him, but she knew this time had been a little different. Frankly, she wasn't sure that was such a bad thing. She was able to focus all of her attention on getting Dr. Weir to let her get Thor to save Jack.
To say that getting Jack back into her life left her conflicted would be an understatement. The bond between them was as strong as ever. There had been many close calls in the past, many times when they thought that the other might have been lost, but this time was a little too real. Jack had been in a stasis pod in Antarctica. She had been aboard a replicator ship that had been blasted apart.
She opened her computer a week later to find an email notification flashing on her computer.
to:
from:
For once, I am the one sending the memo.
That last one was too close of a call. Please don't do that again. That's an order.
Her heart fluttered in her chest. She knew that she shouldn't be thinking those type of thoughts. She wasn't a single woman anymore. Much to her surprise, Pete had stuck around, and it wasn't like she had any indication that Jack wanted anything more of a relationship from her. Oh well, it was just a friendly email, after all.
to:
from:
Yes, sir. Same to you, sir.
She sighed as she flipped her laptop back closed. Things were even more complicated now. He was now the CO of the entire base. His promotion was definitely a good thing, but it just reinforced how above her he was. What was she thinking? Why would he want a relationship with her anyways? So, she did what she always did lately when she was starting to think inappropriate thoughts. She called Pete.
Then, the unthinkable happened. A couple of months later, Pete proposed. She could feel the breathe get caught in her throat, but not in a good way. She felt like she was suffocating. All she could do was tell him that she'd think about it.
Two weeks later, she found her face to face with her true heart's desire. She showed him the ring, told him that Pete proposed, and he really didn't say anything. She didn't know what she wanted. She didn't want him to beg, but he could of at least asked her not to marry Pete. She kept coming up with excuses why she shouldn't get married, and he kept pointing out the positives. Why couldn't he just give her one good reason not to marry someone else? Oh, it made her so angry, filled her with so much disappointment, so she said yes to Pete. The only reason not to marry Pete was Jack, and Jack definitely wasn't standing in her way.
She should be ashamed that she was getting married. She knew she shouldn't, but she was. She found herself avoiding the subject at work. She didn't want to discuss wedding plans, didn't want to talk about Pete with her friends. This time it was Teal'c, not Daniel that noticed. He found her sitting in her lab one day after she just completely dodged all their questions yet again at lunch.
"Colonel Carter."
"Yes, Teal'c?"
"Does not the Taur'i get more excited about their upcoming unions? You seem most unsettled."
"Can we not discuss it?"
"As you wish."
Meanwhile, every week that passed was one more in which Jack regretted his decisions about her. She had poured her heart out to him, in her own way, and he stomped it down thinking that was in her best interests. Now, she was going to make one of the biggest mistakes of her life. He could sense it, but he didn't know what to do about it. What if he was wrong? There were days when Carter seemed happy with Pete. There just seemed to be more of the days where she wasn't. He fumbled around with the pen in his hand until he knew exactly what to write.
This is what she found on her desk the next morning:
She is frequently
kind
And shes suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases
Shes
nobodys fool
But she cant be convicted
Shes earned her
degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But
shes always a woman to me
It was subtle, but she knew who it was from and what it was saying. It was one of his favorite songs, and it fit her to a tee.
