Can be read with 'Your cover story could do with some work' in my episode tags. Again I'm exploring the kind of relationship Jacob and Sam had before we meet him and get to love him (because I do love Jacob, I really do!) its also a feel around for a Pre-Series story I have in mind about Jacob and Sam in particular, there's lots of pointers towards that series in there, so feedback/ideas/comments are welcome. And you know I heard "I told you so" and thought of Jacob-for some reason ?

Also, thanks to Julie, my BETA I changed things back from the last time you saw them! I'm sorry in advance!

Pre-Series, about two years before season 1 begins.

Sam splashed the water in her face, hoping to cool down. She was blushing bright red and was uncomfortable.

This shouldn't be so hard! This man! He's supposed to be her father! She envied other kids growing up. Ones with fathers who praised them and paid them attention. She genuinely believed that she wasn't trying hard enough and that's why he always paid more attention to Mark. No, she wasn't envious of Mark. This wasn't a sibling rivalry thing although she wished it were.

Every time it came to her achievements, it was "Well done, sweetheart-" then a mild push away before Mark would be praised over the smallest thing. It felt as though she was being underplayed for Mark's under achievements. So, she'd try harder and harder, push herself more. At the age fourteen, she achieved a 4.5 on her high school diploma. He missed her graduation for work. The only cheer she heard was that of Blake's, the one senior who had been a friend, well more than that if their age difference hadn't been such a big deal. It's not that she didn't love Blake for doing it, but she didn't want to hear his cheers. She wanted her dad, her brother - her mom. Gosh, she really missed her mom.

She closed her eyes as she used a paper towel to dry off the water from her face.

Mark had promptly ran away from home, informing Jacob that he was never joining the Air Force. Sam was five years older and even though she had rebelled a little after her high school graduation and has since college, she had come down to see her father's head bow in self defeat. Generations of Carters had been in the Forces, ever since (possibly before) the civil war. In that moment, he thought it would all end with him.

So, she took Mark's place. After all, for the best and the brightest, the air force had ways of getting their people on spacecraft, and she would go up in one of those programs. She already had her bachelor's degree and her Masters. Yes, she could get a sponsor, or a grant for her PhD. With her education and skills, the Air Force could and would pay for her to join and she would have a career at the end of it and a possible way into space.

She thought it would be enough for him, that he would finally be proud of her.

Turns out she was wrong on that front too.

Even when Mark came back briefly, it just turned into another way for her Dad could criticize her, at a closer level. Every grade (despite the fact she was still the highest scorer in her class), he'd inspect and point out her flaws. To make matters worse, Mark had stopped talking to her, claiming she had taken dad's side and wouldn't listen to her reasoning, if she joined the Air Force he wouldn't have to. The name Carter-would still be in the Air Force!

Then Mark left again, and her Dad blamed her… again. They didn't speak for a while.

Then she had met Jonas.

She knew now it had been a mistake, but at the time—oh, at the time she had been flattered at the very much older, very distinguished then Captain who wanted her. She relished in the attention. Who wouldn't? He was handsome and intelligent, but she really couldn't see the controlling and manipulative behavior. When she introduced Jonas to her father, that behavior was the one thing her father had pain strictly pointed out to her.

As if their relationship wasn't frayed enough, as if he hadn't already lost his son because of this behaviour, he carried on for an hour.

She had rebelliously snapped back that she didn't care what he thought, and she was going to marry Jonas anyway. In the end, she finally wised up to see for herself what kind of the man her fiancé actually was, and she finally ended it. All it took was a physical reminder. She was better than that. She wouldn't accept that fate.

Sam sighed and put the paper towel in the bin. She looked at her visage in the mirror. All she saw was a woman who was alone again. A little bit older. A little bit wiser. She pulled her shoulders back and whispered, 'no more' to herself.

She didn't contact her father two and a half years later after she had broken it off her engagement, for the exact reasons he had pointed out. She never wanted to give him the satisfaction of being right. She knew in the end, that's all that mattered to him.

Not Mark, not her, not the Air Force, not anything. Just him and his opinions.

So, although she wished for her relationship to be different than what it was with her dad, she knew it never could be. He wouldn't care if she'd been promoted to Captain, or for her theoretical work in 'deep space radar telemetry' No, he'd focus on her failed relationship. Even though she had broken it off two and a half years ago, he would still focus on that.

She still took a deep breath and left the ladies' room. After all, she was a Carter.

She saw her father across the restaurant, he was still in his dress blues, she should have known and not dressed in her own casual clothes. Now he could criticise her clothes, or maybe the length of her hair. Oh god, had she smudged her makeup?

"Hey kiddo." He said standing as she approached. "No uniform?" He asked.

"No, I um, I got changed when I left work." She admitted.

"It's pretty." He told her, referring to the knee length flowery skirt and white shirt she had picked out.

She took a deep breath. Like her, not even her clothes could pass the 'beautiful' mark in her father's eyes. Everyone who had ever met her claimed a likeness in Sam to her mother, she had sorely wished it to be true, she thought her mother was the most wonderful and beautiful person in the world as a child. But her father had never pointed it out, she supposed he couldn't see it so never said.

"Thanks." She said quietly as she sat.

He looked at her again. "You cut your hair."

She touched upon her short bob and took a deep breath in. She'd cut it from her long locks she'd had from a child after she broke up with Jonas, she'd found it liberating to do and found she felt as though she was a real woman for having done it. "I always liked it long."

She sighed heavily feeling like she disappointed him all over again. "It was taking too long to do." Sam admitted.

"What does Jonas think of it?" He asked her.

She felt the pink work up her shoulders to her neck. "He wouldn't know, I broke it off." He had a question in his eyes but wouldn't ask it. She told him brusquely. "Two and a half years ago."

She couldn't look as she waited for it. Four little words which would break her heart all over again.

"You-what?" He asked obviously surprised.

"He was overbearing, controlling-"

"Abusive?" Jacob said looking at her with that all knowing look he had.

"You know, dad-" she started, a little annoyed at his condescending tone.

"I told you so." He cut across.

Sam scoffed and shook her head. "There it is." She replied with an ironic chuckle.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"The famous Jacob Carter and always being right!" She exclaimed as quietly as she could.

"Well I was, sweetheart-" he started.

"Not everything is about being right, dad." She tore across him. "Did you think that maybe your daughter might like to hear 'Gee I'm sorry the one chance of love you've ever had didn't work out.' Just once instead of hearing once again about how you're right again."

"Sammy-"

"Stop that!" She objected "I'm not a little girl anymore."

Jacob grinned. "So what? Now, you come here with a new haircut and suddenly you have all the answers?" He ended with a pity grin at her. "Have you considered that part of your problem is just that you take after me and you always have to be right?" He asked an ever- increasing pink Sam.

"No, Dad there is a difference between being correct and being right. You can be correct and still be wrong and you are just the upright example of correct."

"Thank you." He said flatly to her.

She let out a puff of air and shook her head "I can't believe I thought this was a good idea." She said as she stood to leave.

"Samantha, where are you going? Sit down."

"I'm not one of your Airman to order around!" She snapped before she walked out.

It wasn't until she was outside that she heard her dad behind her. "Samantha, stop!"

Her father gave an order and like the airman she was, she immediately stopped as her father approached.

"Do you know what you need, Samantha?" He asked as he got closer.

"I don't want to hear it."

"Well, I'm telling you anyway." He told her. "You don't need someone who just sits and listens to all your academic smarts. You need someone who listens to you. You don't need someone who hangs on every word you say. You need someone who encourages you to learn, develop, and grow. You need someone who sees you with all your imperfections and still would die for you. Most of all, you need someone who would love you, Samantha. All of you."

She scoffed and glared at him. "l'll bear that in mind." She said before she headed towards her Volvo. She got in her car and with tears in her eyes, she drove away not looking at her father. She didn't see the lonely man, standing at the curb, looking dejectedly after his daughter as she left him behind.

4 years later Jacob's Viewpoint (Bold from S02E09 Secrets no copywrite intended)

I saw a man, obviously a Colonel, come over with drinks in hand. I look at him and saw immediately by sight that he was Sam's type. Older. Confident. The man needed to pass us by altogether in my opinion. I was perturbed (to say mildly) when stopped in front of us. And I saw the smile my daughter sent his way as he approached.

"Sam?" He said as he handed her the drink.

"Thank you, Sir." Sam replied politely.

'Sir?' I question in my own head. 'She knows this guy?'

"Colonel Jack O'Neill, Jacob Carter." His old buddy, General George Hammond, made the introductions.

I almost burst out laughing although I've trained myself not to. I straighten my shoulders and look at her seriously, surely, he'll be like anyone else would be, intimidated by my two stars on my shoulders.

I don't believe THIS was the Colonel O'Neill George had harped on about for months? This was her commanding officer? Holy Hannah, George do you know what you've done? This guy was not the right man to be her commanding officer!

"Carter? As in?" said Colonel quietly, he turned a questioning face to my Sammy.

"As in my father, Sir, yes." Sam blushed.

"Get outta town." He says and while obviously teasing her "Sam's Dad? I've heard nothing about you, Sir." He says bringing out his hand, I shake it. Damn! I start to object to my own opinion of him. I like him, the first one brave enough to shake my hand. Also, the first one to look me directly in the eye. Sam, on the other hand, looks like a deer in headlights as I say:

"What's there to say about an old general waiting to retire?" I ask him with a sly look to my daughter.

"Dad, I talk about you all the time." She tells me. Yeah right, Sammy, now pull the other one, because I'm not buying it.

"I retired myself one time. Couldn't stay away." O'Neill told me as he took a sip of his drink.

I'm also not buying this from him. "From your analysis of deep space radar telemetry?" I ask, barely hiding the sarcasm in my voice. .

"Well, it's just so damn fascinating." He quips, and I like it, he's quick and receives a smile from my daughter. I don't immediately think too much on it, I'm too busy enjoying the banter.

"I'm sure it is. Otherwise you wouldn't be receiving the Air Medal." I shot back. I find myself drawn into conversation with him.

"We have our moments." The Colonel admits and then there it is again; she's giving him THAT smile. "Um, will you excuse me? We just don't get out of Cheyenne Mountain enough. I'm going to grab some air. Outside. General. Captain. General." He starts to walk away, and I smile. The guy is certainly not afraid of me. A refreshing change from Sammie's previous suitors.

I realized that I liked him as he watched the Colonel turn and call out, "Waiter." As I turn back, I took a look at Sammy's face and I see it. The look on her face was familiar to me. It was the same one my wife used to give me. 'Oh Sammy, I told you so!' I think to myself, then dread hits me, I suppose my father instincts take over,she's sleeping with her superior officer! I can't believe George would let that son of a bitch with his smooth talking and his charming persona trap my Sammy like this! I can't believe I let him fool me!

Silly love sick Sammy! Did she not know the Frat rules were there for a reason!?