Chapter 14:
"Hey Buddy, why don't you go out and play while Sam and I talk for a few." Jack ruffled Charlie's hair and tossed a baseball to him that was resting on the kitchen counter.
"You'll come out later?" Charlie asked, eyeing Sam. It seemed that he was as apprehensive of her as she was of him.
"Hey! I promised didn't I?" Jack raised his eyebrows. "I don't break promises. Not anymore."
Charlie's smile lit up the room as he ran towards the front door letting it slam behind him. His footsteps echoed down the hall as he hit the stairwell and took the steps two at a time.
Sam felt like she was in a horror movie. However, they had seen too much in the past decade for her to doubt that what she was seeing was real. Trying not to assess the situation without gathering all of her Intel first, she blurted out, "How…"
Jack started pacing. Crossing her arms, Sam sat in the dining room chair closest to her. She noted that he seemed more like himself now, than he had since Sara's accident.
"Last week I got a call from former Lieutenant Colonel, Nicholas Short, who now works for the N.I.D. He had an interesting proposition for me. One that I initially turned down…"
A pit formed in Sam's stomach. She could see exactly where this was going. "The Quantum Mirror," she said without preamble. Jack nodded, confirming her suspicion.
Shaking her head, her questions came quickly, "But General Hammond ordered it destroyed. We had confirmation that it was. Landry said--"
Jack cut her off, "Carter. You know these people. When they want something they get it. Who knows how many of those things there are!? The point is, Nick contacted me last week and said they had some Intel I might be interested in. Apparently they've been sending teams through the mirror to investigate different realities…"
She shouldn't have been surprised. Was it really any different that what they did with the Stargate? As for Charlie, they had discussed this possibility before. Hypothetically. It was always hypothetically. She had told him it was a possibility. She didn't think he would ever actually do it. Sara's death must have hit him harder than she thought. Mentally she cursed herself for not forcing Daniel on him when he had offered.
Jack continued, "…they came on this one. Apparently things were pretty bad there. The replicators or something; it doesn't matter. The point is I was gone. Sara was gone. He was alone, living in some sort of medical facility. They were testing on him, Sam. This is an opportunity for the both of us. I told them no at first, but after Sara's accident, I reconsidered. He's my son, Sam." He looked desperate now. He was willing her to accept this.
"I…I don't know what to say, Jack. With the N.I.D. involved, I just…I'm not sure this is what it seems. If the realities are concurrent, then why is he not older? He should be eleven years older than you remember him." She was running through every scenario in her head. It was possible that THIS Charlie was born AFTER the one in their reality.
"He needed me, Sam. He needs me. It's what Sara would want!"
That was the last straw for Sam, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. What he had done? She should have noticed that something wasn't right, but when Jack was up to something, he did not get caught.
Trying to keep her voice even, Sam was determined to let him know just exactly what she was thinking. "How exactly are you going to explain him? Everyone knows, Jack. Everyone knows what happened! What if he's traumatized? Who knows what he's seen. How did you explain your sudden reappearance to him? We have no idea the physical effects this could have on him. How do you expect to just pick up your life with him? Do you expect me to just fall into place with this? To play house with you? I'm not ready for that!! Us being together is one thing, a child is something different."
"I'm going to retire," Jack added lamely.
"And then what? Return to Colorado Springs and coach little league with your dead son? That isn't going to put up a red flag to anyone." Sam closed her mouth and a guilty look crossed her face. "I'm sorry, that was harsh. I just…I'm worried about you."
Jack turned his back on her and headed down the hallway. He looked out the window in his office toward Charlie playing below in the courtyard.
Sam followed, her voice more controlled now. "How can you trust the N.I.D., Jack?"
He didn't answer her for a moment, only stood at the window staring. After a few silent minutes, her turned on her, "I appreciate your concern Colonel Carter, but my son and I no longer require your services. Dismissed." Walking past her, he did not even make eye contact as he headed out the door.
She shouldn't' have been shocked, but she was. However, she was not going to let him catch her with any more emotion than he had shown her. Sam didn't even pack up any of her things. Her purse was all she would need. Walking out, almost on Jack's heels, she marched as many blocks from the apartment as she could before calling information and getting cab. She was at the airport within the hour booking a flight back to Colorado Springs.