I know you are getting sick of the apologies and excuses but this time my beta (husband) ended up with stitches in his hand after falling down. Between the pain and the drugs he hasn't been able to stay awake after work long enough to beta. I got on his case while the kids were watching tv and he got one chapter finished. I'll bug him again tomorrow!
Sticks and Stones Chapter 29:
Jack rubbed his stiff neck as the smell of coffee teased his nose. He opened one eye and looked around Sam's living room. He had been strong enough to not sleep in her bedroom, even though she had tried to pull him with her. Jack sat up and turned so he could see her in the kitchen. Her back was towards him and she was pouring coffee.
"Morning, beautiful. Any dreams?" Sam turned to face him. A beautiful smile lit her face.
"I blew up a sun. Do you know how few people ever get a chance to something that...that...huge?" Jack stood and walked towards the kitchen.
"As a matter of fact I do know. I also know how few people would be capable of coming up with such a daring and ingenious plan." Jack walked up to Sam and reached around her to get an empty mug. Her lips met his neck as his arms went around her.
"I still have morning breath," Jack reminded her.
"So do I." She whispered as her tongue darted out towards his earlobe. Jack sucked in a breath and used both hands to hold onto the cabinet. His legs were still early morning weak and his blood was suddenly rushing to the wrong place.
"Sam, don't do this, not yet. We still need time." Sam's head came up and she locked eyes with Jack.
"How can I convince you this is what I want? It's what I wanted three years ago and it's what I want today." Sam rotated her hips, driving Jack to a new level of insanity. Jack took a step back, leaving the coffee cup on the counter.
"No, it isn't what you wanted three years ago. You may not remember yet, but you decided you wanted was Orlin. At the time, I was still trying to convince you that we could make things between us work. You made it very clear that we couldn't." Sam watched the pain cloud his face.
"And all of this happened in secret so you couldn't let on to anyone how much I was hurting you."
"The genius gets another one right. Give her two points." Jack back away until he hit the opposite counter. Sam turned and filled his coffee cup. She turned back towards him and handed him the cup.
"So tell me about it. Maybe I'll remember as you talk." Sam walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. She sat on the couch and curled her feet under her legs. Jack followed her into the room and sat on the opposite end of the sofa.
"Do you really want to spend the morning dredging up painful memories?" Jack's brow creased as he watched her.
"Yes, the sooner we talk, the sooner we can move past them." The warmth and sincerity in her gaze drew Jack towards her. He wanted to be past it but he had been so angry for so long. He wasn't sure he was ready to drop it. He was scared she would turn on him again.
"Alright, you rubbed Orlin in my face."
"Let me guess he died in my arms." Sam grinned, thinking she was making a joke.
"Well, technically...yes." Jack looked into his coffee cup.
"Oh, for freaking sake! Don't tell me I pulled the trigger again!"
"No, no. This time he sacrificed himself to save us. He isn't really dead either. He ascended, which was actually the second time he had ascended. He descended to be with you."
"That sounds like a lot of commitment."
"The way Daniel tells it you didn't actually tell him to descend, he just decided he liked you so much he would become flesh and move in. He built a gate in your basement."
"A stargate?" Sam's eyes grew twice their usual size.
"Yeah, you both went through it to stop an SGC team from starting some weapon that would have brought the ancients wrath upon them. You ended up with one hell of a big credit card bill too. I think General Hammond found a way to help with that, since the SGC ended up with the gate he built."
"I dated somebody capable of building their own stargate?"
"Twice."
"I dated him again?"
"No, there was this other alien guy, Narim."
"I remember him. We found him in the ashes. He thought I was an angel." Sam smiled at the recollection.
"Yeah, Teal'c said he liked you so much he programmed his house to speak to him with your voice."
"A speaking house, huh? You're pretty much telling me that you're the most normal person I've ever dated." Sam pouted up her lips and gave Jack an amusing glare.
"Well, yeah, at least until Pete entered the scene." Jack's coffee mug was empty but it still managed to hold his interest as he spoke.
"So what were things like between us as I was dating all of these aliens?"
"I knew you were trying to make me upset, and I was bound and determined to not let it work. I figured if I just stayed sweet and caring then you would go nuts. Narim never had you anyway. You thought he was too dull."
"He could build a stargate and I thought he was too dull?" Sam's eyebrows arched and Jack looked up to catch a glimpse of her face. He smiled.
"He was too easy. He followed you around with his tongue hanging out. There was no challenge there for you."
"Way easier then going after my commanding officer and potentially facing a court martial."
"Exactly." Jack shot his hand out towards Sam to emphasize that she finally saw things his way. Sam shook her head and smiled. She knew she could read Jack better then any man she could remember. She doubted he would be thrilled to know she found him to easy to understand.
"Go on. What else did I do to provoke you?"
"There was this ambassador guy who you were willing to openly flirt with right in front of me."
"So where are Narim and this ambassador?" The grimace on his face told her everything. "Oh you have got to be kidding! Did I kill them or hold them while they were dying?"
"Neither actually. We lost contact with Narim after his planet was attacked by the Goa'uld. His last report was bad and we haven't been able to dial his planet since. The ambassador was lost on a mission. He sacrificed himself so you could get back to warn us. He saved the planet."
"At least I seem to go after the self-sacrificing type, always willing to die to save Earth. As a matter of fact based on the memories I currently have that also seems to describe you!" Sam was up off the sofa, pacing and yelling. "Why would anyone want to date me with this great track record! I bet I'm the talk of the town with the way I seem to lead men to their deaths!" Sam was breathing hard and facing away from Jack. He stood and slowly walked up behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her back. She resisted and he pulled harder. When she relented, he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't mean to present this all like this." He felt her tears even though she didn't make a sound. "No one thinks you draw men in like a black widow."
"A black widow?" She turned to face him. "Is that the reputation I've earned? If that's what you think, why are you even here? Why risk yourself?" Sam backed up and tried to pull away.
"Sam, never. No matter how hard I've tried to stop loving you I've failed. Even as we fought, pushed, and ignored one another my love for you grew." Jack pulled her a step closer to him. "I stopped being able deny how I felt when you were kidnapped. It happened right here on Earth, right under my nose. I'd been trying so hard to give you space, hoping you would miraculously decide you couldn't live without me, that I didn't even know you were gone for three days. I almost lost you because I was such a pig headed jerk." Sam let herself be pulled back into his arms. She felt him shaking as he recalled almost losing her.
"It sounds like we're both equally stubborn and pig-headed." Jack chuckled.
"Yeah, that's part of what makes us work so well." Sam looked up into his eyes. They briefly kissed but Jack didn't let it deepen. "Sam, I want to work through these memories. Once you're all back in one piece then I want to re-explore an us, depending on what you discover about you and Pete. I firmly refuse to try to move forward until you've had a chance to review your entire past."
"I get it, Jack. I'll keep working on my head as long as you promise to keep coming by, to remind me what I am working towards." Sam leaned up and kissed him again. Jack lingered and fell into a deeper kiss. Her hands found their way to his hair. He felt himself losing control just as she pulled back.
"So what should we do today, now that we know what we aren't going to do?" It took Jack's brain a minute to catch up. His mind was still where his blood had rushed. As her words began to make sense, he smiled.
"Do you remember bowling?"
Sticks and Stones Chapter 29:
Jack rubbed his stiff neck as the smell of coffee teased his nose. He opened one eye and looked around Sam's living room. He had been strong enough to not sleep in her bedroom, even though she had tried to pull him with her. Jack sat up and turned so he could see her in the kitchen. Her back was towards him and she was pouring coffee.
"Morning, beautiful. Any dreams?" Sam turned to face him. A beautiful smile lit her face.
"I blew up a sun. Do you know how few people ever get a chance to something that...that...huge?" Jack stood and walked towards the kitchen.
"As a matter of fact I do know. I also know how few people would be capable of coming up with such a daring and ingenious plan." Jack walked up to Sam and reached around her to get an empty mug. Her lips met his neck as his arms went around her.
"I still have morning breath," Jack reminded her.
"So do I." She whispered as her tongue darted out towards his earlobe. Jack sucked in a breath and used both hands to hold onto the cabinet. His legs were still early morning weak and his blood was suddenly rushing to the wrong place.
"Sam, don't do this, not yet. We still need time." Sam's head came up and she locked eyes with Jack.
"How can I convince you this is what I want? It's what I wanted three years ago and it's what I want today." Sam rotated her hips, driving Jack to a new level of insanity. Jack took a step back, leaving the coffee cup on the counter.
"No, it isn't what you wanted three years ago. You may not remember yet, but you decided you wanted was Orlin. At the time, I was still trying to convince you that we could make things between us work. You made it very clear that we couldn't." Sam watched the pain cloud his face.
"And all of this happened in secret so you couldn't let on to anyone how much I was hurting you."
"The genius gets another one right. Give her two points." Jack back away until he hit the opposite counter. Sam turned and filled his coffee cup. She turned back towards him and handed him the cup.
"So tell me about it. Maybe I'll remember as you talk." Sam walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. She sat on the couch and curled her feet under her legs. Jack followed her into the room and sat on the opposite end of the sofa.
"Do you really want to spend the morning dredging up painful memories?" Jack's brow creased as he watched her.
"Yes, the sooner we talk, the sooner we can move past them." The warmth and sincerity in her gaze drew Jack towards her. He wanted to be past it but he had been so angry for so long. He wasn't sure he was ready to drop it. He was scared she would turn on him again.
"Alright, you rubbed Orlin in my face."
"Let me guess he died in my arms." Sam grinned, thinking she was making a joke.
"Well, technically...yes." Jack looked into his coffee cup.
"Oh, for freaking sake! Don't tell me I pulled the trigger again!"
"No, no. This time he sacrificed himself to save us. He isn't really dead either. He ascended, which was actually the second time he had ascended. He descended to be with you."
"That sounds like a lot of commitment."
"The way Daniel tells it you didn't actually tell him to descend, he just decided he liked you so much he would become flesh and move in. He built a gate in your basement."
"A stargate?" Sam's eyes grew twice their usual size.
"Yeah, you both went through it to stop an SGC team from starting some weapon that would have brought the ancients wrath upon them. You ended up with one hell of a big credit card bill too. I think General Hammond found a way to help with that, since the SGC ended up with the gate he built."
"I dated somebody capable of building their own stargate?"
"Twice."
"I dated him again?"
"No, there was this other alien guy, Narim."
"I remember him. We found him in the ashes. He thought I was an angel." Sam smiled at the recollection.
"Yeah, Teal'c said he liked you so much he programmed his house to speak to him with your voice."
"A speaking house, huh? You're pretty much telling me that you're the most normal person I've ever dated." Sam pouted up her lips and gave Jack an amusing glare.
"Well, yeah, at least until Pete entered the scene." Jack's coffee mug was empty but it still managed to hold his interest as he spoke.
"So what were things like between us as I was dating all of these aliens?"
"I knew you were trying to make me upset, and I was bound and determined to not let it work. I figured if I just stayed sweet and caring then you would go nuts. Narim never had you anyway. You thought he was too dull."
"He could build a stargate and I thought he was too dull?" Sam's eyebrows arched and Jack looked up to catch a glimpse of her face. He smiled.
"He was too easy. He followed you around with his tongue hanging out. There was no challenge there for you."
"Way easier then going after my commanding officer and potentially facing a court martial."
"Exactly." Jack shot his hand out towards Sam to emphasize that she finally saw things his way. Sam shook her head and smiled. She knew she could read Jack better then any man she could remember. She doubted he would be thrilled to know she found him to easy to understand.
"Go on. What else did I do to provoke you?"
"There was this ambassador guy who you were willing to openly flirt with right in front of me."
"So where are Narim and this ambassador?" The grimace on his face told her everything. "Oh you have got to be kidding! Did I kill them or hold them while they were dying?"
"Neither actually. We lost contact with Narim after his planet was attacked by the Goa'uld. His last report was bad and we haven't been able to dial his planet since. The ambassador was lost on a mission. He sacrificed himself so you could get back to warn us. He saved the planet."
"At least I seem to go after the self-sacrificing type, always willing to die to save Earth. As a matter of fact based on the memories I currently have that also seems to describe you!" Sam was up off the sofa, pacing and yelling. "Why would anyone want to date me with this great track record! I bet I'm the talk of the town with the way I seem to lead men to their deaths!" Sam was breathing hard and facing away from Jack. He stood and slowly walked up behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her back. She resisted and he pulled harder. When she relented, he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't mean to present this all like this." He felt her tears even though she didn't make a sound. "No one thinks you draw men in like a black widow."
"A black widow?" She turned to face him. "Is that the reputation I've earned? If that's what you think, why are you even here? Why risk yourself?" Sam backed up and tried to pull away.
"Sam, never. No matter how hard I've tried to stop loving you I've failed. Even as we fought, pushed, and ignored one another my love for you grew." Jack pulled her a step closer to him. "I stopped being able deny how I felt when you were kidnapped. It happened right here on Earth, right under my nose. I'd been trying so hard to give you space, hoping you would miraculously decide you couldn't live without me, that I didn't even know you were gone for three days. I almost lost you because I was such a pig headed jerk." Sam let herself be pulled back into his arms. She felt him shaking as he recalled almost losing her.
"It sounds like we're both equally stubborn and pig-headed." Jack chuckled.
"Yeah, that's part of what makes us work so well." Sam looked up into his eyes. They briefly kissed but Jack didn't let it deepen. "Sam, I want to work through these memories. Once you're all back in one piece then I want to re-explore an us, depending on what you discover about you and Pete. I firmly refuse to try to move forward until you've had a chance to review your entire past."
"I get it, Jack. I'll keep working on my head as long as you promise to keep coming by, to remind me what I am working towards." Sam leaned up and kissed him again. Jack lingered and fell into a deeper kiss. Her hands found their way to his hair. He felt himself losing control just as she pulled back.
"So what should we do today, now that we know what we aren't going to do?" It took Jack's brain a minute to catch up. His mind was still where his blood had rushed. As her words began to make sense, he smiled.
"Do you remember bowling?"
