Jack was getting used to Sam going off on her own at this point. It seemed to be the theme of this particular mission. He was really worried about being held prisoner here forever – not given his team. They had escaped from far worse. They might not get out of here in the next day or two, but they would get out.
If nothing else Jack figured the Tok'ra would just get fed up with Daniel's constant talking and willing shove SG1 back through the Gate themselves.
But Jack had to admit that this time he hadn't seen the plan coming. He thought he knew Sam. He was only just learning that Sam was going to be a constant source of amazement.
He had known a moment of complete panic when she had boldly told him that now she understood the Tok'ra better and what her blending with Jolinar should have been. Jack was already concerned about the way she had been looking back at Martouf when the two had returned. It wasn't exactly scientific anymore.
He was on the verge of restraining her physically when she called for Garshaw. Fortunately he had enough functioning brain cells to catch up with her immediately when she asked if the symbiotes could cure most things in humans. He drew a deep breath and relaxed his clenched fist.
Jacob. Of course. Sam had been distracted and moody in the last few weeks and he knew that linked directly to Jacob; and they had just been talking about him. So of course that's who she was talking about and not the idea of offering herself as a host.
When he back Sam up and told the Tok'ra they might have a host for them, Sam's eyes lit up with nothing less than adoration.
When he saw the hope flare in Garshaw's expression Jack saw it instantly as a means of getting them off this planet.
Garshaw was smarter than that. She wasn't about to let all of them go.
Jack motioned SG1 into a group huddle.
"Daniel, you go with Sam," he said and instantly Jack got the vehement headshake he'd expected from him. Jack knew it was coming because Daniel wouldn't want to separate him from his wife, not under the circumstances, not with snakes involved. It was accompanied by that look on his face – the one that said he was about to tell Jack exactly how and why Jack was wrong.
He growled, "Daniel-"
And Daniel did the hand wave thing that irritated Jack more than the look, because it always looked like Daniel was sweeping away his words before they had even been spoken. It raised Jack's blood pressure to the point of boiling over. Sam took a step closer to him.
"Jack, look," Daniel started and then continued in his customary rapid-fire way, "I know you feel like I'm the civilian and the thing to do is get me out of harm's way. But I signed up for this on purpose and I know the dangers. I know you also think I'm about to offer myself as a host in the hopes I can infiltrate the Goa'uld and find Sha're. But I'm not. I don't want to commit to the Tok'ra's way of doing things. So you don't have to worry about me doing something like that while you're gone; and I also know you think it's just that I want you to stay with Sam because you're married. But that isn't it. We're a whole lot safer with you on the outside of this. You can order a rescue. You have the rank and ability to make that happen; and you won't leave any of us behind."
Jack squinted at him while trying to figure out a graceful way to back down from the level of pissed off he had reached (and apparently for no reason.) It had already been a tense mission with lots of conflicting and fragile emotions. Daniel looked back with his chin lowered and his head tilted, as nonaggressive as he could possibly be. Sam put her hand on Jack's arm, as if she was still afraid that he'd take a swing at Daniel on general principles.
"He's right. I have to go to convince my father. You have to go with me," Sam said.
A muscle twitched in Jack's jaw.
"O'Neill," Teal'c grumbled. The Jaffa usually had infinite patience with the complicated song and dance that went on between Jack and Daniel. It was clear from his tone that Teal'c thought Jack was being an idiot at the moment.
"Fine," Jack said, hating that he still sounded pissed off.
He turned on his heel and walked back to Garshaw. Sam caught up with him quickly.
"We'll leave now," Jack said.
Garshaw nodded and made a motion to usher them out. It mollified Jack a little bit. At least someone around here acted like he was in charge.
(0)
Jack drove Sam to the hospital in his truck. It was a beautiful day, clear and sunny with a light breeze and the first flowers of spring starting to scent the air. Sam was quiet, staring out the window, content to take the time to organize her thoughts, her argument to her father.
Jack had gotten so used to the silence that he almost jumped when she spoke.
"Thank you," she said.
He shifted his eyes from the highway to her for a brief instance.
"For?" He asked.
"Backing me up on this," she said.
Jack cringed internally because he had really only seen the entire plan from a tactical position – a way for at least some of them to escape the Tok'ra.
"It's not my decision to make," he answered, "It's up to Jacob."
"But you aren't trying to talk me out of it, even though we're back home now."
Ah. So she knew he'd seen it as a tactical move. He was relieved by that.
"It's still not my call," he said, "This is family."
"You are part this family," Sam reminded him.
Softly Jack admitted, "I don't want Jacob to die any more than you do. But it's still his call."
"Jack," Sam said, a change in her voice signaling a change in her intentions, "I'm only really whole when I'm with you. I'm not looking for anything else. Jolinar left me with a bunch of absorbed emotions, but I'm sure what I want. I'm sure who I am. I love you. I need you to be sure of that."
Jack glanced at her again, trying to fill that brief eye contact with as much love as was possible. He didn't answer as he negotiated the off ramp and joined the traffic on the road to the hospital.
"I'm sure," he said, finally, "But I'm also sure that…. It's your call."
She smiled, but there was pain in it. "The … emotions Jolinar left with me are enough to make me trust the Tok'ra and Martouf in particular. They aren't enough to make me fall in love. So, if it's my call, then it's you for me. Always you."
Jack didn't answer so they drove the rest of the way to the hospital in renewed silence. He turned into the driveway and then found a parking place, shut the truck off and then shifted around in his seat so that he was facing her.
On his face was an expression of complete adoration - melting, soul-searing, raw, unbridled love, the kind he would die for, sacrifice and suffer for. He reached over to touch his knuckles to her cheek and caress it in small strokes. Sam smiled and put her fingers around his wrist. His pulse was beating just a little too fast.
"Yeah," Jack said, "Me too. Always."
(0)
