The Letter: Chapter 3
Sorry for missing yesterday – had a really long day at work. Another short chapter for you but it is back in time to Sam and Jack in the briefing room, with the letter (ok so that sounded a bit too much like cluedo for me) Thanks for all the reviews and favourites. I am really glad that you like the story. Remeber this is season 6.
The envelope was still sitting unopened on the briefing room table when Jonas barrelled into the room.
"What is it? What's happened?" he asked, out of breath following the run he'd made from his room.
Jack groaned inwardly and, not for the first time, wondered if Jonas had been sent to him as punishment for all the wrongs he'd done in his life. "Nothing happened," he finally answered.
"But I heard the klaxons. There was a wormhole... Who came through?" Jonas looked around the room, very confused.
Sam looked at Jack, unsure of what he'd say.
After several moments Jack finally spoke. "It's fine, Jonas, go back to sleep. Just a message from a friend." As he spoke he didn't look at the other man but at Carter, whose eyes were now pleading with him to get rid of Jonas so they could deal with this message together.
Jonas looked between his teammates and spotted the envelope lying between them. 'Something from Sam's father perhaps?' he thought. The Colonel looked more open than Jonas had ever seen him before. He took another moment and glanced between the pair, then turned to leave. He knew that if it was something important he'd be told, but a niggling feeling in his stomach told him that this could be another one of the many times when he'd not be told and when he felt that he didn't really fit in here.
As Jonas took his leave, Sam finally reached over to the envelope and twisted it in her hands. "You ever get really weird feelings, Sir?" She didn't look at Jack immediately but then raised her eyes to meet his as he nodded in answer. "I have one about this, as if this one letter could change my life forever."
There was a heavy pause in the quiet room. "Then don't open it, Carter." Jack shrugged, giving her the option. It was addressed only to her, after all.
"Do you think I should open it?" Sam asked quietly, very unsure about what to do.
Jack sat back in his chair and let it rock a little. "Well, Carter, the way I see it, the person who sent this had to have sent it for a reason."
"Yes, Sir, but that's just it. What reason could lead me – and we both agree it was me – to sending a message like this only to me?"
"You mean why not send an open letter or note like last time?"
"I guess… I mean... this..." Sam indicated the envelope, "Looks planned, prepared. A decision's been made about sending this, Sir."
"I agree, but surely that's even more reason to open it?" Jack pushed gently. He, too, had a feeling in his gut but, after the minutes that had passed since the gate had opened, he couldn't now honestly say it was a bad feeling.
Sam sighed at his logic, annoyed that he wasn't just making the decision for her, which was stupid considering the letter was personally addressed to her.
Jack spoke up again, interrupting Sam's musings. "So, what do you think? You wanna open it or not?"
Sam's nail tweaked the edge of the gummed lip of the envelope, her nerves still getting the better of her. "What if I don't like what's in it?" she whispered.
"That's the risk you run, Carter. You may not like it or it could be something… well… incredible."
"Yeah… maybe…." Sam still held the unopened envelope, feeling the quality of the paper.
"You want me to open it?" Jack asked tentatively, reaching over slowly to possibly take the letter from her fingertips.
Sam laid the envelope on the table, stared at it, and then suddenly, with a flourish, made her decision and ripped open the top.
AN: So just because you have been nice to me this week, I will see what I can do about another chapter very soon.