Aloha!

Well… I'm sorry it wasn't out as soon as I said. It's been an awful week.

My sister (SGCFan4ever) and I just co-wrote a story! It's a fluffy, Sam/Jack story, posted on her name... if you have time, please check it out!

I hope you like it!


He hadn't come.

After her dramatic exit, she had gone home. Called in sick the next morning. And then she waited.

For what, she wasn't sure. If she saw her CO right then, she'd probably end up saying or doing something that would lead to a not so very pleasant ending.

But as the hours ticked by, and he didn't show… didn't call to apologize. (Even if she had rejected his last two attempts.)

Still. He hadn't even tried.

She pulled her helmet over her head and turned the key in her Harley's ignition. She had work to do.

Å
Infirmary

"It's a great big world… you can go quite far, you don't need a car or even a ship… there's General O'Neill and Carter and Daniel… and Teal'c…"

"Come up with that yourself?"

John's head snapped up. He swallowed hard. Carter, outfitted in leather, framed the entrance to the infirmary. "Well, uh, you know… when boredom hits…" he managed a grin. "The doc got tired of fetching me pie."

She gave him a small smile as she sat next to him. "Anymore to it?"

"To what?"

"The song."

He tilted his head, studying her. From the look on Jack's face yesterday when he had breezed by for his report on John's condition, he had figured out it hadn't gone well. From what he had heard from other personnel, the General's mood only darkened throughout the day.

And Sam hadn't come in.

John knew that soon he would leave, go back home, and restart life. And, sooner or later, he was sure, Sam would drift out of his life. Not intentionally, of course. He'd go to college and they would email. Slowly the emails would start to dwindle away, and they'd end up writing to each other once a year. After a few years, it'd cease. She might feel obligated to go to his graduation but then that'd be it. No Carter.

Life suddenly seemed rather bleak.

Sam shifted in her chair. John blinked. "Sorry," he said automatically. "My thoughts wandered a bit."

She nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't come in yesterday, but-"

"Brightman told me you called in sick," he interrupted. "Don't sweat it. She gave me my-Jack's game boy. The one Doc Fraiser confiscated years ago."

The Colonel didn't meet his eyes.

John sat up. "But you weren't really sick. Nice big fight with-… Jack."

Carter stiffened as she sensed someone standing behind her. Without looking behind her, she rose to her feet. "Sir." She glanced at John. "I'll come by later and see if Dr. Brightman will let you go; we'll go to the surface for some fresh air."

"Good morning to you too, Carter," Jack drawled. "Feel better?"

She gave him an icy smile as she turned to leave. "Much. Excuse me, sir."

Brown eyes locked with blue ones for a moment. As John watched, Jack's shoulders slumped a little and he stepped aside, allowing his second-in-command to go by. The clone waited until Carter exited before asking matter-of-factly, "How'd you screw up this time?"

Jack, still trying to get the image of Sam in leather out of his mind, was slow to respond. "What do you mean?"

John sighed as he shook his head slowly. "You made her angrier, genius."

"How? I haven't seen her since the night we…"

"Fought," John supplied. Something clicked into place. "You didn't follow her?"

Jack stared at him. "She would've kicked my as-"

"How stupid can you be!" After a moment, he informed Jack, "That wasn't a question."

The General scowled. He turned to leave, walked four steps… and turned back.

"Okay, what do I do?"

John carefully concealed a smile. "First off: Apologize."

"I did," Jack objected.

"Again."

"I did-"

"That doesn't matter, Jack," John explained impatiently. "You basically accused her of having an affair with a seventeen-year-old, yelled at her, and I'm sure all the other things you've done to her over the years have something to do with this."

"What do you mean- the things I've done to Carter?" Jack objected. "I don't-"

"What about Edora?"

Jack flinched.

"Yeah, we did real good. Carter spent three months getting us back and as we can go home, we run back to Laira and whine, "Don't wanna go… come with me…"

"I-"

"You can't make any excuses, Jack," John reminded him. "I lived through that."

The silver-haired man perched on the chair recently vacated by Carter. "What next?" he asked.

"What happened in the gym?" John asked suddenly. "You never said."

"Not much." Jack moved around uncomfortably in a way that John knew meant that he was uncomfortable. "We… uh talked a bit. I apologized. Twice. She said that that wasn't good enough and left. Oh, and she ordered me to move out of her way."

"Carter said that?" John asked, mildly surprised. "I don't think she ever talked back to me. Must be losing your touch."

"No," Jack said quietly. "I think I'm losing Carter."

That was one of the last things the clone ever expected his older self to admit. "I…" he cleared his throat. "Jack, uh… she's just pissed," John assured him awkwardly. "You hurt her."

Jack sighed. "I know."

"This might take some time."

He groaned and leaned back in the chair. "Ya think?"

Å

"Just a second," Sam mouthed to the technician beside as she answered her phone. "This is Carter."

"Sam!" Her fiancé's voice greeted. "Finally! I've been trying to get a hold of you all day! Where've you been?"

"Just… work… a meeting with some scientists. Work. I'm sorry, Pete."

"No problem, I was just letting you know I'll be in Colorado Springs tonight."

"Oh." She felt a twinge of dismay. "Uh… that's great! I may have to work late, though. Lots going on."

"Okay." He was quiet for a moment. "Um… have you thought about what we talked about last time?"

Sam winced. Had she? "It's been hectic here, Pete," she hedged. "I-"

"Sam, I'm just asking you to set a date, nothing really-"

"Can we talk about this later?" She gave the avidly listening technician a small frown. "I'll call you."

"Okay." Pete didn't sound very happy. "Love you."

After a short pause, she mumbled, "Yeah, me too."

Å

The two males slowly ate their pie, identical thoughtful looks on their faces. John's few suggestions for reconciliation had been impractical- such as giving her her own Asgard ship. Not that Jack's were any better.

So there they sat, sucking their pumpkin filling when the door flew open and an upset archeologist strode in.

"Jack, what the hell did you do to Sam?"

The General blinked. "What do you mean?"

Daniel gave him a look of pure exasperation. "Sam's been in a foul mood all afternoon-"

"Which," Jack cut in, "of course means I did something."

"She took work off yesterday."

"Maybe Pete was in town."

"He can't get off until next week. Sam told me so three days ago."

"Surprise visit?" Jack offered.

"Jack-"

"General O'Neill?" An airman peeked in. "Sir, you have a call from Washington. They say it's urgent."

Jack rolled his eyes as he got to his feet. "Well, I get to go chat with some big wig… see you two boys later."

He strolled out, leaving Daniel behind with John.

"Did I miss something?"

Å

Ten minutes later, Jack O'Neill's office

Jack dropped the phone back on the receiver, hoping it sent a loud signal back to the senator.

Politicians. He could live without them.

"Sir?" Walter's voice issued from the intercom on his desk. "You wanted me to remind you that you had a briefing in an hour."

"I thought I said 'who cares'?"

"At 1700, sir."

"Thank you, Walter," came his sarcastic reply.

"Anything else, sir?"

"No-" he stopped. "Actually… page Carter for me, will ya?"

"Yes, sir."

He seated himself in his comfortable chair.

Carter was on her way to see him.

She was probably still pissed at him. (And he had seen what could happen when Carter was angry.)

But he needed to set things right.

She wasn't going to get away this time.


I tried to keep Carter and Jack in character… I tried. I hope you guys liked it! (Or, at lease, you don't hate it.)

I'll try to get the next chapter out soon! (It just needs to be re-arranged, so, it should be out soon… heh heh…)

Please review!