Moebius Altered:
Authors Note: I couldn't upload chapter ten yesterday – very frustrating – processing error! Here's what follows. Finishing definitely tomorrow with an unusual ending. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine.
Chapter Eleven
Sam woke up for the first time in her life at ease with the world, not feeling she had to rush somewhere, solve something or prove herself to anyone. Her life was upside down, but there was a certainty about it that made everything else seem unreal and at a distance: her career in the Air Force, her role in the SGC, all were in jeopardy, and she didn't mind! Nothing compared to the intensity of the elation she felt. She was not going to allow herself to think about giving something up; today was about what she had, a chance that she wanted to take for many years finally was hers. She looked lovingly at the man lying beside her.
Jack stirred in his sleep, his bare chest exposed where she'd pulled off the blanket when she sat up – he didn't wake and she had some precious moments to gaze at him. She had wanted to do this every day since she had walked into the SGC eight years ago – wake beside him and know that it was what they both wanted. She looked at the hairs on his chest, the pattern they formed as they tapered down toward his navel, the chain around his neck, which held the dog tags that were hanging behind his pillowed head. She tried to resist but soon found herself tracing a line across his collarbones and back to his sternum, her touch feather light, teasing…
'Whatcha doin'?' Jack woke up grabbing her hand and playfully pulling her down onto his chest, her dog tags now hanging on his chest, entangling themselves in the hair there. She rested her head on her left elbow propped up on his chest, letting him hold on to her right hand. She smiled down at him
'I'm trying to see how long it takes you to wake up.'
'What, with that Chinese torture?' he responded.
'Yeah, I was checking for stamina, endurance, skills from special ops training…'
'Oh you know me well; I can't resist anything, except you, maybe. You sure you weren't examining me for bugs or something? Looked pretty close there – wish you had a microscope?'
'Nop.' Sam smiled
'I might have nanites or hidden alien mind controlling devices. You sure you weren't checking for them?'
'Nop.' Sam's smile grew as she shook her head.
'Well then it's my turn' he said beginning to place feather-light kisses on her fingertips before moving to her palms – she found it almost impossible not to chuckle. By the time he got as far as her wrist, she was desperately trying to stifle a fit of giggles and when they eventually exploded she found herself pulled onto his chest, clinging on for dear life while he tried to find more space on her wrist to tickle her.
'Ok, you win!' Sam shouted 'You win. Stop…stop' she pleaded.
'I will if you pull those blankets back up and stop letting in the cold.' Sam wrapped her arms around him so he could pull the blanket around them. 'That's better.' Jack kissed her gently. 'Much better.' as he kissed her again, less gentle more intense, stirring up all the passion they'd shared through the night.
… … …
Later on Jack offered to got some coffee and breakfast for them, saying to Sam 'Keep warm in there for when I get back.' He pulled on his pants then headed over to zipped entrance of the tent to dig in the food bag for supplies 'Will the thermos do? I could light the stove if you'd prefer.'
Sam said 'Try the thermos. The stove will take too long. What's keeping you?' she added when he didn't come back in immediately. When he appeared a few seconds later, she said.
'What kept you?
'I was ten seconds.'
You were gone for ever.'
'You missed me?'
'I'm waiting for my coffee.'
Soon the two of them were tucked back in under the blankets, sipping the hot coffee and munching – cake.
'Typical that you'd give us 'cake' for breakfast.'
'I'm hungry!' He defended himself.
'But cake?'
'I like cake.'
'I know you like cake. But for breakfast?'
'Life with me – you're gonna have to get used to it!'
'I can handle it.'
… … …
As Sam sat across from Jack, the two of them talking quietly, thinking of the day ahead but not willing to let go of the mood of the previous night.
Sam said to Jack 'you know that Dad said 'don't let rules stand in your way'.'
'Well Dad should have explained how to change the rules!' That was something she loved about him, the way he called Jacob – her Dad – Dad.
She pointed to the dog tags. 'I expect mine will be gone soon.' Referring to the fact she'd have to leave the Air Force.
'Mine too.' After a pause 'Does it bother you?'
'No. If the 'rules and regulations' wont allow me to do this…' she reached over her hand to the side of his head drawing his face toward hers so she could kiss him gently '… or this…' she kissed him again, more deeply – Jack didn't let her finish the sentence for a long time.
… … …
Do you think the baby – fetus – will be ok? I mean, what about the sarcophagus?
'I don't know, but I 'feel' different like I'm ok, protected, or something. I'm kind of sure but I've no proof – isn't that weird?'
'Nice kind of weird.'
'We can go back to the infirmary when we go back, or do you want to go somewhere else – check everything's ok?'
'Maybe not the infirmary, for the moment. Let's keep this to ourselves until after a full debriefing and we're ready.'
Sam continued
'You are going to put 'everything' in the report, are you?'
'It's not like anyone's going to believe, where we've been, when we've been there or what we've been doing. Ok, maybe the last bit, especially if I can't keep this silly grin off my face during the debriefing.'
'How 'bout we go fishing. You've always wanted me to go and I couldn't. I want to see where you hang out – your cabin. Can we?'
'Ya sure, you betcha. ASAP. After we've got through the formalities and checked the baby. Ok?'
Sam nodded.
… … …
'Be serious for a minute Jack.'
'I can't.'
'I have to ask you something and it's serious.'
'Well you need to put some clothes on or I won't be able to concentrate.'
Later when they'd both got dressed and finished packing up their stuff, they began eating the remains of the food, as they waited for the little stove to boil the water.
'Can you be serious now Jack?'
'Sure, you betcha. For how long?'
'Come on try.'
'Ok, I promise I'll try.'
Sam asked him
'When I told you I was pregnant, you kept saying you were sorry. I didn't understand, I still don't.
Jack was quiet, thinking, knowing that this was important. Then he explained
'I thought your career was vital to you – I know I can retire, I've done it before, I'll handle it again. It's different for you, with a baby you're life will change. I didn't know if you wanted that. I've imagined you with a baby, the way you've been with Cassie, you'd be fabulous, a fantastic mother, but I've never been sure it was what you wanted.'
'I would have wanted it above anything.'
'You never said.'
'You never asked.'
… … …
… … …
Sam and Jack had spent the night in Jack's cabin after the long drive the previous evening. Matters in the SGC had quitted down after their return and debriefing, and Sam's hospital visit with Jack by her side had gone well – it seemed the baby was doing fine, though it was still early days.
In the cabin they lazed around all morning in bed together, until Jack said 'This isn't fishing!' insisting they make some effort with getting the fishing rods out.
Finally the two of them were sitting back on the little pier waiting patiently for Daniel and Teal'c who'd promised they'd visit.
'We should have done this years ago' Sam said
'We should have done a lot of things years ago.'
'Are there actually fish in his pond?'
'Does it matter? More importantly, can we tell Daniel and Teal'c about the baby?'
AN: Hope you like tomorrow's ending to this story. Reviews on this chapter welcome.
