Title: Anger

Rating: PG

Summary: He thought he always had to be the one to walk away. Well damn it, she wasn't going to let him this time.

Let's all just close our eyes and pretend that I've just conviently gotten rid of Pete, m'kay? Good. (Set in Season 7.)

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He hesitated, then started to turn and walk away.

"Oh- well, see ya."

Her eyes snapped with anger.

"You bastard." Jack halted, shifting to look back at her over his shoulder. She felt her hands clench as she stared at him.

"You want to be the gentleman, thinking that I had just broken my heart and that you couldn't make a move? That I was so frail right now that you didn't dare try to reach me? I'm not that breakable, Colonel Jack O'Neill." His expression didn't change as she snarled.

"My heart isn't yours to hurt because I haven't given it to you!"

The silence lingered between them until he turned around, moving without a sound towards her. And the look in his eyes as he leaned slowly towards her… frightened her.

This wasn't Jack the leader, or Jack the asshole, or Jack the protector- this was Jack the man, the Black Ops who had more scars on his heart than anyone ever should.

This was why he hadn't ever tried- because if she loved him, she'd have to take some (most) of those scars on her own heart. If she didn't, she wouldn't be able to bear loving him, because he'd always be out of reach.

"And you think you can handle this?" His voice was soft, threatening, filled with a sharp edge of anger, and twisted with lust. She stopped the shiver running down her spine and met those smoldering eyes dead on.

Closer. The tendrils of hate and painful aching wrapped around her, held her in place, teased her with the thought of escape. And she could, if she wanted to.

But she didn't.

"You jerk." She whispered savagely. He always thought he had to be the one to turn away and save them- and he didn't.

So she grabbed fistfuls of his BDU and dragged him to her, and in no uncertain terms showed him exactly how she felt.