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Watching Carter break down like that, in front of him, was something that Jack couldn't help but find unsettling. He told himself that he knew her, how she thought and how she felt, as well as he ever would. But the woman he left still puffy eyed in her house was not the Samantha Carter he knew. She had let her guard down in a way that he was sure no one else had been allowed to see.
But it was what she had said that had his mind reeling even more than the memory of her so close to him, so near and yet so far away. They had admitted it, again, to one another. There was something there. Something that could be construed as inappropriate if placed in the open. But that wasn't the reason they were in this situation. It was the false accusation of such a thing that had made it possible. Possible now. Had he thought about it? Sure. He knew he had; he had just kept it in that part of his mind where he kept all of those thoughts of 'what if'. Somehow not allowing those kinds of thoughts out kept him from getting hurt in a way that no one could see. And apparently Sam was hurting there too.
They had pushed it all aside for so long. They could keep it there. Couldn't they? If it showed those who had destroyed one of the best things Earth had going. They could do it. The question was…for how long?
"Daniel."
"Jack…"
"T."
"O'Neill."
Jack looked around the debriefing table and then cast a casual glance at the SFs posted at the stairwell. "So, why are we here?"
"Dr. Weir has summoned us here to meet with Major Carter's replacement." Teal'c informed the colonel before seating himself.
Jack pulled out a chair. "Okay, see, now that's not possible, because as far as I'm concerned Carter's not being replaced." He took another glance around the room and mumbled to himself. "Where is this stooge?"
Daniel heard him but didn't respond to the whispered question. "Well Jack, you have to admit, whoever has been placed on SG-1, they've obviously been chosen to fill Sam's… scientific shoes." Daniel threw a sympathetic glance before pulling himself under the desk as well.
All three men studied the empty seat at Jack's side. Sam should be there. Each knew that. The question was, who was going to be sitting there now? As if by some gift of mercy to ease the building tension, Dr. Weir came into the briefing room like a swift breeze.
"SG-1, good morning!" She smiled. She always smiled. Daniel thought to himself that he liked that about her. It helped put people at ease in a place often filled with dread. "As I'm sure you're well aware, I have placed a great deal of effort in filling Major Carter's position with someone I feel to be the most qualified."
"The 'most qualified' would be Major Carter." Jack inserted gruffly.
Weir simply raised her chin, took a millisecond to push his remark out of her mind, and continued. "While Major Carter's military position was highly valued on the team, it was brought to my attention that her scientific skills are rather hard to beat. Therefore I made my choice based on who would best flesh out your team's combined skills."
Daniel grew a nervous stance as he observed the ever so slightly raised brow, scar and all, over Jack's eye. Did Jack get what was being said? Probably. Was he going to take it well when he was sure? Hell no.
"So…not military personnel?"
"No…" Weir slowly turned her head. "But I believe some of you may have met, or at least heard of each other. He's a doctor of astrophysics, just like Major Ca…"
"WHOA!" Jack waved his hands wildly. "A scientist?"
Daniel and Teal'c quickly found pieces of lent in the air to study.
"Yes…Colonel, a scientist. Is there a problem?"
"Yeah…he's a scientist."
"Major Carter was also a scientist." Weir calmly reminded him with a hint of a smile from her bemusement to his reaction.
"Well, that's different." Jack muttered.
Elizabeth took a short breath and studied the table before her and then she continued. "Dr. Rodney McKay is one of the most up and coming scientists involved with the Stargate Program. After some more extensive work in Russia, he was transferred to the Antarctic post, and was one of the first scientists to work on the Ancient outpost that you yourself discovered, Colonel. I know this is going to take some time, but aside from Major Carter, I believe he is the best choice out of those that were allotted."
"So in other words, no choice?"
Weir shook her head. "No."
"Alright." Jack sat back in his chair with enough force to make it rock. "When do we meet this dweeb?"
Daniel shot an un-amused glance in his direction and Jack quickly broke eye contact.
"Actually, he should be here." Weir folded her hands on the table and looked around the obviously scientist-free room until she landed her sight on one of the SF's in the corner. "Airman?"
The young man seemed startled to be singled out, but his military training quickly led him to a composed stance at the other end of the table. "Yes ma'am?"
"Could you please go and see if Dr. McKay has arrived yet? And if he has, get him here. Immediately." Dr. Weir favored punctuality.
The airman nodded. "Yes ma'am!" And he quickly hurried down the stairs. Within a matter of minutes his boots sent a warning succession of thuds to announce his return. Behind him, a haughty man took his time following.
"Dr. McKay."
"Dr. Weir!" Okay, so maybe he wasn't completely hopeless, his smile seemed earnest enough, but his arrogance flooded the room more quickly than a breaking dam.
"You were supposed to report to my office over an hour ago, Doctor." Weir reminded him patiently.
"Ah, yes. Afraid a bit of jetlag got to me." Rodney clapped his hands together. "So, this must be my team."
Jack's eyebrows could have reached the moon, and even one of Teal'c's began to climb. Daniel just looked away before the explosion.
"Actually." Jack started as he rose to his feet. "This is my team. Which means, you'll be working for me."
"Oh, yes, of course. Colonel O'Neill…" Rodney stopped dead. "Wait, I'm being placed on SG-1?" A sudden dawning encased him and fear began to bubble in his blood. "You're putting me on the front line team?!"
"Yes, Rodney. You are being placed on SG-1 as their scientific explorer." Weir held composure like no one else.
"But…no, no, no. Major Carter is the brains, albeit not necessarily the best, on SG-1."
"Dr. McKay…"
"Now wait just a second…" Jack had been slightly willing to try, until the new guy remarked on Carter's intellect. But as soon as he realized he was interrupting Elizabeth he allowed her to go on.
"Dr. McKay." She restarted. "Major Carter has been reassigned to R and D. You have been chosen to replace her position on SG-1. I suggest you get to know your new team, because in a week, you will all be back on the mission list. That's all. I'll give you some time to get to know each other, but other than that SG-1 you will remain on-call until your next mission briefing. Please stay close to the base." With that Weir rose as well and headed back to her rather large stack of personnel files that needed evaluations. She had it in mind to take to her newest SG member's first so that she could leave a few comments on timing.
The original members of SG-1 all got up as well and headed for the door. Jack quickly noticed when Daniel made no attempt to welcome McKay, and from the look Daniel was giving Jack and Teal'c, they would all know why soon.
Watching the other men leave, Rodney shrugged and headed off for the commissary.
"Daniel? Not exactly being friendly are you?"
"Jack, tell me you realize who that was."
"Our new think tank." Jack responded bitterly.
"And Sam's least favorite person…"
"What?" Now Jack was really concerned.
"Rodney McKay was the one who put the time limit on Teal'c's return after he got caught in the 'gate buffer."
Jack's finger quickly pointed in the direction of the briefing room. "That's the same guy?!"
"Yep."
"Indeed." All eyes turned on Teal'c. "Dr. McKay has been mentioned several times by Major Carter…in less than pleasing ways."
"Go on." Jack prompted.
"I believe she referred to him as…the arrogant offspring of a female dog." Teal'c cocked his head. He knew the exact wording Sam had used but his Jaffa classiness wasn't going to allow him to say it.
"Oh boy." Jack groaned. "This keeps getting better and better."
"Tell me about it." Daniel added. "So, who's going to tell Sam?"
Jack grimaced and Teal'c looked above everyone's line of sight. Did she really need to know? Okay, so Sam didn't outright hate McKay, but finding out that he had just gotten her old job was not something a spoonful of sugar could make go down.
A/N: Rodney is one of my favorite characters…but even I didn't like him at first. So don't hate on first impressions please : - )
Secondly, I'd like to apologize for taking soooo long to get this up. I've been back in school and preparing for DragonCon which is now out of the way. (The Stargate Panel was awesome!)
So, back to the story! Look for regular updates, a chapter a week at least! And thank you all for your wonderful reviews, I'm not sure why you like this story, but it seems that you do.
Thanks for reading!! PLEASE REVIEW!
