A/N I haven't said this sense the first chapter but I do not own these characters, but they sure are fun to play with. I also want to thank everyone for your reviews. I've tried to send a personal response to everyone, I kept getting mixed up as to where I left off sending replies so I apologize if I missed you. Also a special thank you to my friend positivlythatredheadgirl aka Scarlett Ashe, she's the one who encouraged me to write this so without her, this story would still be bouncing around in my head. I really hope y'all enjoy this chapter, thanks again so much for reading!
Chapter 8: The necklace
As Sam is preparing the picnic she is immensely pleased with herself for having already bought everything they would need. In an effort to be prepared for any situation, she bought several different foods for different scenarios that she thought could arise, and she stored things in Jack's house and hers. Jack had joked that he would need to buy a second refrigerator.
Sam put several containers, of different sizes, and ziplock bags, also of different sizes, on the counter and starts taking things out of the refrigerator and cabinets and instructs Jack to start portioning things out. She figures they can make sandwiches, so she tells Jack to put some lettuce in the ziplock and some bread in another ziplock and meat and cheese and so on. Sam designates the containers for the condiments, pickles, olives, mayo, mustard, ranch, and some other things.
Jack looks over at her and says, "I don't think we have enough containers for all of this."
"Just put stuff in ziplocks when you run out of containers," Sam says as she continues pulling things out of the fridge.
Looking at the growing stack of picnic supplies, Jack says, "Sam, I don't think we need half of this stuff."
Sam turns to face him and replies, "What do you mean?"
"You've got," Jack says as he picks up different items, "6 different types of lunch meat, 3 types of bread, more sauces than I know what to do with, and what is this cream of mushroom soup for?"
"I wanted to have a variety, that way whatever someone wants, we have. And I thought someone might want to use the soup as a dip or something." Sam says defensively.
"Who would want to do that? There's only 4 of us here and at least 3 of us won't eat this." Jack says exasperatedly, holding the can and wriggling it in the air.
"You don't know that, someone might want it." Sam says, then pauses and asks, "Wait, which 3?"
Jack stills and asks, "What?"
"You said 3 of us wouldn't use the soup, so which 3?." Sam questions, looking at Jack like he knows something she doesn't.
Before Jack could respond, Onica walks into the kitchen and says, "Mark got a call from his boss so I thought I'd come and see if you need any help."
"Actually," Sam starts but is interrupted by her cell phone ringing. She pulls it out of the back pocket on her jeans and says, "I guess Mark isn't the only one to get a work call. I have to take this, so Onica, you can help Jack finish packing the basket, I'll be right back." Sam walks out of the kitchen answering her phone as she does so.
Jack watches Sam leave the room and he glances at Onica. She's wearing the same tight fitting jeans and nice floral blouse from a few minutes ago, but she's rearranged her hair. It was pulled back, now it's loose and framing her face. He always liked when she wore her hair like this, it makes her look so beautiful...he stops that train of thought and turns back to packing the picnic.
Onica takes a couple steps closer and says, "This is a lot of food."
"Yeah, Sam went a little overboard." He responds, not looking at her.
"What can I do?" Onica asks.
"Nothing, I can do it." Jack says as he puts a few more filled ziplocks in the basket.
Onica picks up the can of cream of mushroom soup and makes a face as she asks, "What is this for?"
"Sam thought someone might want it as a dip, for," he says twirling his hand in the air, "something." He finishes lamely.
Scrunching her face up, Onica says, "Not me, I hate this stuff."
Not taking his eyes off the picnic basket, Jack says softly, "I know."
Onica looks around to make sure Mark or Sam aren't coming, when she's satisfied they aren't, she asks, "How come you never told me you had sisters?"
Jack closes the picnic basket and sighs, "Because it's not something I talk about."
"You didn't seem to have a problem with it today, or is it just her you don't have a problem telling things to?" Onica says bitterly.
Jack turns to face her fully and says in a rough whisper, "She's my girlfriend Ronnie."
"And I was your fiancé," She whispers back just as roughly.
Leaning in a little closer, Jack says, "Things are different now, I'm different, I'm not the same person I was back then."
"Neither am I, but Jack," Onica looks around before finishing in a quiet whisper, "we were supposed to be getting married. Didn't you think I would've liked to have known about my soon to be in laws?"
"Yeah, well, that all went out the window as soon as you threw the ring back in my face in favor of whoever he was." He leans in closer and flicks the heart shaped emerald necklace around her neck, and says, "I see you haven't gotten rid of everything I gave you."
Onica takes a step back horrified, and self consciously fingers the necklace, she didn't even think about the fact that he's the one who gave it to her. She had told Mark that it was a gift from her mother when he asked where she had gotten it. She's been lying about it for so long that she started believing it herself. Mark would be devastated if he knew that she still wore the necklace her ex lover had given her. A man she had, at one time, been completely in love with. She remembers clearly the day Jack gave her the necklace, it was the first thing he had ever given her. It was their one year anniversary, and they'd been arguing for a few months. She had told him she loved him a couple months prior, and he was yet to say it. He said something about words not mattering as much as actions, which just made her even more angry. She had seriously considered breaking up with him, but then, on their one year anniversary, he completely surprised her. He wrote her a long letter telling her everything he felt for her that he wasn't able to say out loud. She had read that letter so many times she had it memorized, and if she's being honest, she could still recite it word for word to this very day. Then he gave her a rectangle jewelry box and when she opened it, she saw a beautiful heart shaped emerald surrounded by white diamonds encased in white gold, which had to have cost him a fortune. She was speechless and had tears flowing as he clasped it around her neck. He whispered the words she had been longing to hear just before he kissed her. When they did eventually break up 3 years later, she took the necklace with her, along with the letter he had written her. She kept the letter hidden, she's not even sure why she's kept it all this time. Onica starts to feel herself panic, she hadn't considered this and if Mark finds out...she suddenly feels very faint.
Jack sees Onica start to pale, something that used to happen when she became overly stressed. He reaches out for her just as she falls forward into his arms. After steadying her he props her back up and asks, "Hey, you okay?"
"I'm...fine," She says breathing hard, then her legs give out and she's sure she's going to fall to the floor.
Before she hits the floor she feels strong arms scoop her up and next thing she knows, she's being cradled in Jack O'Neill's arms. She had forgotten how easy it was for him to pick her up, she had also forgotten how safe she felt in his arms, especially after one of her fainting spells. Onica starts to calm down and, without thinking, snuggles further into his embrace.
Jack walks over to the kitchen table and gently sets Onica down in one of the chairs. He kneels down in front of her and tenderly moves her hair out of her face with his hand and cups her cheek and asks with concern, "Ronnie, are you alright?"
She peers up at him, still looking dazed and nods, she closes her eyes and her lips curl into a small smile as she presses her face into his hand. After a moment, she opens her eyes and looks directly at Jack. She brings her right hand up and places it on the back of his neck, closes her eyes, and she leans forward.
Jack feels the gentle pressure on his neck, and it takes him a minute to realize that Ronnie's face is getting closer. Once his mind catches up, he pulls back and puts his left hand on her right arm and asks, "What are you doing?"
"That's what I would like to know," A shocked Mark Carter says, standing in the entryway to the kitchen. Beside him, Sam takes in the scene before her, clear confusion on her face, and if Jack isn't mistaken, a hint of betrayal.
Jack snatches his hand away from Onica's face and pushes his legs up to stand at his full height, while simultaneously taking a step back. He waves his hands in front of him defensively saying, "This is not what it looks like."
Mart steps forward and says angrily, "Then what is it? Because it sure looked like you were about to kiss my wife."
"No!" Jack shouts and frantically adds, "I wasn't...she...here...then...then...fell...and in the chair...checking to see...nothing happened." He finishes decisively.
Jack hears Sam huff and watches as she turns and walks out the front door. He's in motion right away as he pushes past Mark calling after her.
Onica turns her head as Mark approaches. How could she have done that? She's so ashamed of herself. She hadn't planned on anything like this, she knew things could get awkward but she never thought she'd try to kiss him. She bitterly remembers a time when he wouldn never have pulled away from her as he had done today. She's so embarrassed, though she's not sure if she's more embarrassed that she tried to kiss him, or that he had rejected her. He mentioned the necklace, that's what started all of this. She had remembered when he gave it to her and how she had felt at seeing it and how her every nerve trembled when he told her he loved her. She had gotten caught up in everything and had forgotten where she was, and now she has to look her husband in the eyes and explain why she was about to kiss another man. A man she had once been engaged to. A man she was once in love with.
Closing her eyes as she turns to face her husband, Onica says, "Mark."
Mark holds up his right hand, stopping her from continuing and says, "Did you have one of your fainting spells?"
She bobs her head up and down as Mark continues, "Are you alright?"
All Onica can say is, "Yes."
Mark gets up from his kneeling position and takes a seat on one of the other chairs at the table and sighs as he says, "You haven't had one of those in a long time."
Nodding, Onica says, "I know."
"What caused it?" Mark asks.
Onica unconsciously reaches for the emerald heart as she says, "I don't know."
Mark nods toward the necklace and asks, "Something to do with your necklace maybe?"
Onica quickly removes her fingers from the necklace and puts her hands on her thighs, and says, "I…" She starts only to be interrupted by Mark.
"That doesn't explain why he tried to kiss you," Mark says plainly, after a brief pause, he finishes, "or why you were going to let him."
Onica hangs her head as the tears start rolling down her cheeks, and says distraughtly, "I'm so sorry Mark."
Mark studies her for a moment before he says softly, "I'm going to need more than an apology Onica."
Onica closes her eyes, this is the moment she's been dreading. She knows she has to tell him, there's no other choice. She actually starts to feel faint again so she takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, she repeats that action a few times in an effort to control her rollercoaster emotions.
She tells herself that she knew this moment was coming at some point this weekend, and here it is. She takes one last deep breath, and with determination she says, "Mark, I need to tell you something, I only ask that you hear me out."