I'm so sorry about the chaotic relationship between our heroes but I promise, it's over (... I think ^^)
Please enjoy and have a good weekend !
Chapter 37 – Wrath
Janet thus left Cheyenne Mountain a short while later, a disconsolate Lieutenant Colonel in the passenger seat, and dropped Sam off after her friend declined her offer to keep her company. Janet's car idled by the sidewalk as she watched Sam open her door, just in case she would change her mind, but the doctor eventually drove off as Sam did not reappear.
"Wh... what are you doing in my house?" Sam asked a woman she found in the corridor as she was making her way to the living room.
"Good evening Ms Carter, how are you?" the woman said, only vaguely surprised by Sam's interruption.
"Who are you?" Sam demanded.
"It's me, Mrs Wilson. Are you okay, Ms Carter?"
Even though she'd decided to give her husband the silent treatment for now, Sam felt compelled to call him. She retrieved the direct number for his office and used her cell from the garden to contact him.
"O'Neill."
"Carter here, erm... sorry to bother you but I'm in o... my home, and there's a woman here...?" Sam's voice trailed off.
"What's her name, Carter?"
"It's a Mrs Wilson?"
"Okay then, don't worry, it's your housekeeper."
"Oh... thank you Sir," Sam replied as she hung up before her husband could utter another word.
Sam enjoyed the last rays of the afternoon sunshine on a garden chaise longue until the housekeeper's departure.
"I'm done, Ms Carter, I'll be going home unless you need anything else?"
"No thanks, I'm good. How much do I owe you?"
"That's okay, Ms Carter, General O'Neill sends me my wages by wire transfer every month."
The woman was in her mid- to late-fifties and seemed nice and kind; she did not seem phased by the Lieutenant Colonel's unusual behavior. She made her goodbyes and left the now-completely neat and spotless house.
As Jack went home later that evening, he found Sam at the living room table perusing a thick pile of what looked like paperwork. He leaned so as to kiss her temple but she recoiled slightly.
"Hello honey, what are you doing?"
"I'm just going over my finances."
"What for?"
"So that I can cover the costs of the repairs in my lab."
"Sam..." Jack tiredly sighed.
"What? My CO clearly mentioned I was an idiot and responsible for the mess the explosion caused in the lab. So I have to be accountable and repair my silly mistakes haven't I?"
"That's not what I meant... it's just that there's no room for any extra expenses on the current budget..."
"Says the man who destroyed an innumerable amount of devices!" Sam retorted.
"Oh... you remember that?" Jack sheepishly answered.
"Yes, and also of some of your silly mistakes which were quite costly too, but since that's the way it goes, I'll dip into my savings to pay for repairs and replacement items; don't worry I won't touch at our joint checking account. And anyways, how come my savings account has such a high balance?"
"You had a broker friend who took good care of your finances. Your salary goes with mine on our joint account and your bonuses and hazard pay get transferred to your own savings account."
Sam remained quiet and stayed focused on her statements.
"Sam, I didn't mean what I said, just leave it: the SGC will pay for the repairs and new material, it's not an issue."
"No no, I made a mistake and I have to pay for it."
"Sam, just... just stop it!" Jack yelled.
Sam was surprised by his sudden outburst and swiftly raised her head.
"I'm really sorry, I was just... I was just angry because you scared me. Do you realize the fright you gave me when I saw you perched up there?"
Sam pondered his words and tried to put herself in Jack's shoes.
"Jack, I was perfectly safe, I promise!"
"You probably can't remember, but do you have any idea how many times I put myself in danger without thinking about how you'd feel...?"
"I do seem to remember our trips off-world more and more... and you're right, it was really stupid to climb on the 'Gate," Sam admitted.
She threw herself in his embrace to make amends. She had admonished him so much in the past when he'd demonstrated a similar behavior that she could hardly blame his reaction now.
"Sam, you are all that I have. I could never ever bear losing the both of you, you and another child! All the more since I killed you once, if it happens ever again that'll be too early!" Jack said, his voice muffled in the nape of Sam's neck.
"I'm so sorry!" Sam sniffled as a few tears rolled down her smooth cheeks.
She squeezed her husband tight, her hands ruffling Jack's hair as they were intertwined.
"How did you trip to D.C. go?" Sam eventually asked as her husband's embrace loosened.
"Obviously long and tedious, but it was a necessary evil..." Jack sighed.
"Why did you say someone berated you about us?"
"Well it was not exactly berating, but it seems like the higher-ups are none too happy about me knocking up my 2IC..."
"Oh... sorry."
"Well I'm not, so just forget about it, alright?" Jack offered, bestowing a tender kiss upon Sam's brow before making his way to the kitchen so as to start preparing their evening meal.