Friends with benefits
Chapter 8
All mistakes are mine.
Janet's funeral was hard on everyone, but especially Cassie. Sam pushed her own grief away when she left the mountain as she focused on Cassie's needs. Pete lingered in the background as Sam tried to plan out her week based on Cassie's routine, getting ready for school, volleyball practices, homework, and her rather busy social life. It was a lot to take on suddenly and factoring Pete into the mix wasn't helping. He was awkward around Cassie and the rest of her team. His jokes were lame and often just downright out of place. She knew he was trying but she really wished he would stop being so supportive and go home.
Cassie was in her room talking to a friend on the phone. When Pete came back into the house from taking out the trash he leaned on the bar and watched Sam loading the dishwasher.
"I could stay tonight…" He waggled his eyebrows as she glanced over her shoulder, "if it would be helpful."
"Thanks, but I wouldn't feel right about that."
Pete tilted his head. "If Cassie's going to live with you, she's going to need to get used to us."
Sam shook her head. "I'm sleeping on the twin bed in the guest room."
"There's a master bedroom."
Sam's face hardened. "I'm not sleeping in Janet's bed and even if I was willing to sleep in her bed, I wouldn't be sleeping in her bed with you."
Pete raised his hands. "Fine. When are you planning to move her to your house?"
Sam closed the dishwasher and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest. "Cassie goes to college in the fall. I'm going to let her finish her senior year and then we can work on packing the house and get it ready to sell this summer. We'll turn my guest room into her bedroom, so she'll have a place that's hers when she comes home on break."
"This summer?"
"Yes." Sam knew it was a big sacrifice, but she refused to ask Cassie to move from her home right now.
"That's months." He was pouting.
"Which is a short time, but it will mean a lot to her and she is what matters now."
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Jack had said goodbye. His goodbye felt too real, too permanent. Sam kept seeing his frozen face, both in her dreams and when her mind wandered at work. Last night she had dreamed that it took ten years for the Asgard to arrive and release Jack from his frozen tomb. As she left Janet's guest room to go to the kitchen, she heard crying in Cassie's room. The loss of Jack, even though she had been clear that it was temporary, was another blow to Cassie. Sam slowly opened Cassie's door and crept into her room. Sam sat on the edge of Cassie's bed and ran her hand through Cassie's hair.
"How about I take you to that fancy coffee place before school?"
Cassie sniffed. "Really?"
"Really."
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Pete came to Cassie's graduation and it was just as awkward as the last time he had been around her team. He tried too hard and his jokes all fell flat but he laughed anyway. Cassie rolled her eyes several times and did her best to avoid him by hanging on Daniel's arm. Sam hosted a barbeque at her house and Cassie invited several of her closest friends and their families. The crowd made it easier to keep Pete away from her friends and Sam was pleased to discover one of the dad's was a local police officer. She introduced him to Pete and left them to talk. That night Cassie went to a friend's house.
Pete was anxious to get Sam naked and in his haste he lost his load well before Sam had reached her peak. He did his best to still get her there but she grew tired of his efforts and faked it so he would let her be. It wasn't the first time she'd faked it and she doubted it would be her last. Later, once Sam knew Pete was deeply asleep, she slid her hand down in her pajama pants. She focused on memories of Jason's hands and lips as her fingers circled her bud. He had been a skilled lover and she missed his ability to bring her to an orgasm. As she got close a memory of Jack laughing, a genuine hearty laugh, popped into her mind. It wasn't like she'd never thought about him while masturbating but this time it caught her by surprise. The memory of his voice, a deep whisper as he told her a joke he didn't want Daniel to hear, made her gasp. Her fingers twitched as she lost her concentration for a moment. Her hand stilled for a moment when Pete stretched beside her. She let her finger slowly begin circling again as she waited to be sure Pete was still asleep. Images of Jack flooded her mind, and her fingers began to move faster, with greater purpose and intensity. She held back her moan as waves of pleasure gripped her. It was one of the best orgasms she'd had since Jason had moved, thanks to her memories of Jack and the extraordinarily long time it had been since her last orgasm. Now that her physical needs had been met, she pulled the comforter up to her chin and let herself fall asleep, dreaming of happy calm missions with Jack.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Pete, Daniel, and Teal'c all pitch in to help move Cassie's furniture to Sam's guest room, put the rest of Janet's furniture in storage, and pack Jack's truck for Cassie's move to college. Pete keeps trying to take the lead, but he clearly doesn't have a vision for what needs to be done and eventually Sam has to ask him to let her do it her way. With both hands raised he lets her have control but pouts the rest of the day. Cassie spends the night with a friend and Sam is pretty sure she did it to avoid spending the evening with Pete.
Sam looks out the front window, checking one last time to be sure the tarp covering the back of Jack's truck was tightly tied. She'd borrow his truck so they could move Cassie's shelves along with far too many boxes and a couple suitcases. Sam figured Jack wouldn't mind her putting so many miles on his truck since he probably would have volunteered to move Cassie if he'd been here, but Sam still wishes she could ask his permission. She understands Cassie's desire to get far away considering everything around her reminds her of Janet and Jack. Sam is hit daily by the reminders that surround them both, pictures, cards, even a memo written by Jack that she found on her desk yesterday. Cassie herself is a reminder for Sam and Sam figures Cassie feels the same way about her. Although Sam hasn't lived with Cassie long, she's grown used to having her around. Sam has found herself looking forward to coming home to someone and having a reason to leave work every night. She crossed her arms as she realized she was going to miss Cassie terribly.
"Come sit, relax, watch the movie."
Sam glances over at Pete. "I will in a minute."
He sighs. "You know you have everything ready."
"It never hurts to double check."
Pete pats the sofa seat again. "Come on, you're going to be gone for days. Let's enjoy a little time together before you go."
Sam put her list in her pocketbook, turned off a couple lights, and sat down beside Pete. "It's only a few days."
"But as soon as you get back, you'll ship out for who knows how long. I feel like I barely see you." He put his arm along the back of the sofa as she sat beside him.
"My work is important."
"I know." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Doesn't stop me from missing you." His hand slowly ran up her leg, sending tingles up her spine. She turned towards him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaning in for a kiss. His hand slid over her hip and under the hem of her shirt. She tilted her head to encourage him to kiss her neck, but he missed the cue because he was focused on unhooking her bra. He enjoyed her breasts, and she didn't mind him paying attention to them. Sam laid back, pulling Pete with her.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Sam spent three days at orientation with Cassie and by the time Sam left Cassie had eight new friends and plans with her roommate for that night. It felt good to see Cassie happy. Sam left late in the afternoon, deciding she would drive until she was tired and then get a hotel room. When she stopped for dinner she decided to walk around the quaint town for a while, just to stretch her legs a bit before driving for a couple more hours. Downtown was lined with small mom and pop stores selling things like antiques, hardware, crafts, and musical instruments. Everyone who passed her said good evening or nodded their head. She liked the small town feel and could see how this life could appeal to some.
An image of Jack wearing a plaid button-down shirt popped into her head as she looked at the window of an antiques store. Maybe it was the fishing rod she saw leaning against the wall that made her think of him. She sighed as she thought about how unfair it was that he had missed helping Cassie move to college. She headed back to his truck as her thoughts wandered back to his face as he was encased in the stasis chamber. The red tape keeping her from the outpost was ridiculous and she needed to find a way to get back to him. She wrapped her fingers around the steering wheel, his steering wheel. She was failing him.
When she glances at the clock it is almost midnight. A yawn is enough to convince her to find a hotel. Sam turns on the air conditioner as soon as she gets into the stuffy room. She prefers to sleep in a cold room but has gotten used to sleeping in less than ideal conditions over the years. She's under the covers moments after locking the door.
Sam's finger lightly traced the barrier over his face. There was a glow as the barrier faded and Jack slumped forward into Sam's arms. She held him as his chocolate brown eyes blinked several times. As he started to get his balance back his eyes locked with hers.
"General?" A voice floated in from her left, but she didn't take her eyes off of him.
Sam waved her hand. "Give us a minute."
Sam's eyes followed his as they moved to her shoulder. There were stars on her jacket. His eyes moved back to hers. "How long?"
She moved her hand to the side of his face. "It's been fifteen years Jack."
Sam jerks awake. Her hands are fisted in the sheets and she is covered in sweat, the air conditioning struggling to cool the room. She squeezes her eyes shut, blocking out the shafts of light from around the window and under the bottom of the door as well as her dream. She couldn't let him wait fifteen years. She needs to push Weir harder.