Posting this is going sooo fast!
Enjoy!
M.
Chapter 73
Sunday, October 28, 2012
The sharp, annoying sound of her phone ringing woke her up. She patted her side until she found the annoying vibrating thing. Bringing it to her. She slid her finger across the screen to unlock it. Swore at the stupid smartphone before it finally decided to cooperate with her and answer the call.
"Carter," She barked tiredly.
"Ma'am. It's Simmonds from the SGC."
"Yes?" She said. Rolling her eyes and sitting up in the bed. She checked the bedside clock she kept for some reason. It was four am. She had gone to bed just an hour earlier. As she'd worked with Jordan to solve some situations for their businesses. That she wouldn't be able to solve any other day.
"Colonel Fraiser okayed the access, ma'am. She said you're needed to get here, ASAP."
"Can you get me to Fraiser?"
"Yes, ma'am. Just a moment."
"Fraiser."
"Janet. It's Sam."
"Ma'am," Janet said. In that teasing tone that was now part of their chats. They were finding their footing around each other and it seemed easier to banter as they used too. "You need to come ASAP."
"I know, I will. Can you do me a favor, Janet?"
"Ask and I'll see."
"Can you figure out a visitor pass for Parker? I can't exactly call her sitter at four am on a Sunday morning."
"You haven't gotten one for her, yet?" Janet asked, surprised.
"It wasn't necessary before." Sam shrugged. "I don't want her near the base if I can help it."
"Yeah, I get that. I'll see to it. Just… Hurry up."
"Will do."
She hung up the call and hurried out of bed. Deciding she could get a shower on base. If whatever the emergency was wasn't so bad. So she simply dressed quickly. Then, she walked to Parker's room and readied some clothes in a backpack. With that done. She grabbed a spare pillow and a blanket. Then she went to start the SUV, dropped the bag, and her things. Turning the heater on full blast.
Finally, she walked inside. Thanking the lord that she had kept herself trained as she carried the sleeping Parker to the SUV. For a second, Sam thought Parker would wake up, but she didn't. It wasn't so surprising though. Considering she had been moved so much during her childhood, that being moved didn't even bother her.
Making sure she was strapped in the seat. She made Parker as comfortable as she could. Then finally, she headed towards the mountain. Janet was waiting for her at the top entrance. A visitor's badge hanging from her hands.
"Can you help me with something?" Sam asked. Janet followed her to the SUV. Sam shouldered the backpack and gave Janet the blanket that covered Parker. "Can you grab the pillow and the bear when I get her?"
"Sure? Wouldn't be easier to wake her up?"
"She won't." Sam shrugged. As she said, Parker didn't even flinch as she picked her up. Janet grabbed the pillow and closed the door as they walked to the entrance.
Noticing the situation, and knowing who Sam was, they made it through both checkpoints in no time. They stopped on level twenty-five to drop Parker off at Sam's quarters.
"The key is in my wallet. Back pocket, can you grab it?" Janet nodded. Soon the door was opened, and Parker was laid on the bed. She took the pillow from Janet and placed it under P's head, replacing the harsher pillow from the base. Then she covered her daughter with the blanket. Finally, grabbing the bear and placing it under P's arm.
"Isn't she a bit old for a teddy?" Janet asked. Sam shrugged as they walked out of the room.
"Isn't she a bit young to have been subjected to nineteen names changes?" Sam countered. "Besides me, that teddy is the only thing she's had since the beginning of her life. Everything else… Was constantly changing." Janet gulped.
"I can't imagine what you guys went through," Janet said honestly. Sam shrugged again.
"Then don't. There's no point. It's in the past."
"Won't she get scared of waking up in a place she doesn't know?" Janet asked. As they walked to the elevators.
"No. Too many times waking up in different places." Sam sighed. "I'll rather not have to speak about it, if I don't have to, Janet."
"I understand. You should, with someone at some point. You shouldn't keep the burden just to yourself."
"I will." Janet raised her eyebrow. "With someone at some point," Sam added. "So, what's the issue that needs my attention?" She asked as they finally entered the twenty-seventh floor.
"You'll see," Janet said cryptically. Walking towards the briefing room. Sam took a deep breath. She wasn't sure she was ready for whatever issue had come to their gate now. Squaring her shoulders, she followed Janet.
"So, where the hell is Landry? Or Jack?" a voice she knew, said.
"Jack was needed in DC. Landry is gone. He retired." Daniel's voice said. Sam hurried down the hall.
"Gone? Who's the lucky replacement that you're breaking in?"
Sam gulped and blinked several times. Even with his hair almost all gone and his back towards her, Sam would recognize him anywhere. The man that stood looking out towards the gate, while standing next to Daniel. The leather-clad body was a warm reminder of foreign times, old and welcomed at the same time.
"We didn't need to break anyone in," Daniel said. "The General knew all about this project and understands the gate, way better than I do."
"I'll need to see that to believe it," Jacob chuckled. Janet cleared her throat.
"Hm, the General is here," Janet announced. They turned towards the newly arrived people. Jacob's eyes widened, looking from Janet to Daniel, then back to the woman in front of him. It couldn't be her, could it?
After all this time? After accepting she was gone? Could that be his Sammie?
"Dad." She said. "It's good to see I can still manage to leave you speechless."
"Sammie? It's that you?"
"Well, that'd be General Carter for anyone else, but yes, it's me."
"How is this possible?"
"I guess a lot happened since the last time you visited, Jacob," Daniel said.
"I've cleared him. He can leave base if you agree to it." Janet added. "I'm not sure you'll want to leave. When you went through so much trouble to get here… We'll leave you to talk. You know where to find me if you need me."
"Thanks, Janet. Daniel." She said as they left the room. She turned to face her dad. "It's up to you, dad. I for once won't mind getting back to sleep for a couple more hours before we can talk. I had a very long day." She said.
Jacob noticed the dark spots under her eyes. He also noticed the worry lines and the bitter-ish tone. He found that her body was more toned. She looked all around as terrifying as a General in charge of such a complex base should. But below it all, he still saw his little girl.
"Is it a long drive to your house?"
"Nope. It's close." She held a yawn and rubbed her face. "I've been told that the guest room's bed is to die for."
"Then let's go." He said pressing eleven. Sam shook her head and pressed twenty-five. Jacob frowned.
"Dad, there's something you need to know," Sam said. As she walked out of the elevator and towards her quarters. She fished the keys out of her pocket and opened the door. "That's Parker Carter."
Jacob's eyes widened and went from Sam to P's sleeping figure. "I'll need you to take some of her stuff, so we can go."
She quickly passed him the things she had brought along with the keys of her SUV. Then she picked up her daughter. "Do you want me to get her?" Jacob asked.
"No. I'm good. Let's go."
It seemed that widening his eyes and blink speechlessly was what his day was all about. Not even half an hour after figuring his daughter was alive, he found out he had a granddaughter he knew nothing about. Now, he was about to enter a house he knew all too well.
It was Jack's house.
The same one he had pounded at the door. Wanting answers about the kind of relationships Jack and she had had before she disappeared. The same one in which he had sat waiting for a jammer device to work, to learn that she wasn't reassigned but placed under witness protection. The same one where he had said to Jack that he should move on. Just like he had.
He stood unmoving by the SUV. By then, Sam had already walked to the front door and opened it. Before coming back to pick up her daughter and disappearing inside again.
"Dad? Are you planning on coming or not?" She asked, not even trying to hide her yawn.
"Yes. Of course."
"Ah. I have no clothes that will work for you anymore." She apologized as she walked them towards the guests' room.
"I have a spare."
"Good, maybe we can go shopping later. When I've gotten at least four hours of shuteye."
"Four?"
"I only had one," she shrugged.
"Are you overworking yourself?"
"I don't know how not to anymore," she gave him a self-deprecating smile. "But we can talk about that later… Or not at all. Good night, dad." She said turning around.
"Sam." He called, and she stopped. "I'm glad you're alive."
"I'm glad you are alive too, dad." She said. Then shook her head, thinking she wasn't sure she was glad that she was alive. Right now, she was too tired to dwell on that.
Parker was the first to wake up hours later. She had padded around the house and found it empty. Her mom's personal trainer wasn't downstairs. Neither was her mom. Frowning, she walked to the master bedroom, and surprisingly she found her there, asleep.
Grinning, Parker took her chance for a little cuddling. So, that was how at around nine am Sam had woken up with Parker beside her. She stretched in bed. Placing her cold hands on Parker's warm belly. Parker giggled.
"Good morning, P. Whatcha doing in here?" she asked, with one eye opened.
"You didn't wake up when I was up. Fred didn't come?"
"No. I had to cancel him earlier this morning."
"Oh," Parker said. Then she frowned as she thought she heard some noises coming from the kitchen.
"P... There's something you need to know." Sam said seriously.
"What?"
"Your grandpa is here."
"My grandpa?"
"Yes." Parker blinked several times. "Go get a shower and get dressed. I'll do the same. Then we can go out there and I'll introduce you to him. How does that sound?"
"Scary… But okay."
As Parker hurried off to her room. Sam wondered, not for the first time, how hadn't she managed to screw Parker up beyond repair.
It was awkward at first, just like meeting someone new always is. Parker's nature and life experiences helped her bond with the man her mom had introduced to her as her Grandpa Jacob. They had gone shopping for clothes for him. Ended up getting a lot of things, they didn't really need but was nice.
They had lunch at the mall. Then, out of the spur of the moment, Jacob said, 'why not a movie?'. So, the Carters had lined up and watched the only family movie available. After that, they went for sushi.
"Sushi? Not pizza? Not burgers? You want sushi?" Jacob shook his head as Parker nodded eagerly. Sam simply shrugged, knowing that would be the case.
"We had pizza on Friday," Sam explained. "So, dad… How long are you here for?"
"A couple of weeks. I was thinking about visiting your brother. Wanna come?" Sam grimaced.
"I've already been there. Besides, Parker has school and I can't just abandon the base."
"Would you mind if I stay with you for a few days? I'd really like to catch up. Get to really know my granddaughter and maybe even her father?"
Sam gulped. The mood inside the car quickly changed.
"I don't mind if you stay. P has a sitter. Jessica picks her up from school and stays with her until I arrive. Unless you both feel comfortable enough to send Jessica home after she drops you off?" she said, looking at Parker.
Jacob understood that whoever the father was, it wasn't a topic that would be openly discussed at this point. Maybe even never.
"We'll see," Parker said grimly. "Maybe Grandpa Jacob gets tired of me and leaves."
"Never. Well, I'll never get tired of you, Parker. I'm bound to leave. I can't stay permanently. It's a military thing."
"Yeah. I know." Parker said, but that didn't make it easier on the old man. The mood changed, once Sam parked in front of Parker's favorite restaurant. It wasn't enough not to keep Jacob wondering what the hell had happened to these two during the time they were gone.
"Mom?" Parker said once the waiter left them alone.
"Yes, P?" Sam smiled. Taking a sip of the warm green tea that was left for them.
"If Grandpa Jacob is around… You think I could go trick or treating this Halloween?"
"We'll see, P."
"I can take her." Jacob offered. Sam gave him a tight smile.
Sam used to love Halloween while growing up. With both of them on the run. It was impossible for her to agree to take Parker outside. Not even when they would be both under disguises.
"Really, Sam. Nothing will happen. I can take her."
"Please, mommy!? It'd be my first Halloween…."
"First?" Jacob frowned, and Parker nodded.
"If that's what you want…" Sam offered. Parker nodded eagerly. Sam gulped. Feeling a failure when she understood her daughter didn't want to experience her first chance at Halloween with her.
"I need to wash my hands." P said and slid off the booth. Jacob looked at Sam.
"We couldn't go out before. It was too risky," Sam explained. Jacob felt his heart break for them both. "The neighborhood is nice. I'm sure she'll enjoy it immensely."
"I'm sure she would love it if you would join us." Jacob pointed.
"Sometimes, three's a crowd, dad. It's okay. I won't know if I'll be home on time until that day. So, at least, she has you to take her. I was afraid she would have to go with Jessica."
"Sam, really... What the heck happened?"
"Too much, dad. Too damn much."
"And her father?" Jacob asked. Unable to stop himself from doing it. There was a flash of pain in her eyes. One that she was quick to cover.
"He doesn't want anything to do with her. So, it doesn't matter who he is. It's better if she doesn't know who rejected her either."
"What about…" He trailed off, and she frowned.
"About what?"
"Jack?"
"The President wanted him at a meeting. He should return on Tuesday."
"To you?" Jacob asked. With a knowing look, that because of her expression, quickly became a frown.
"No, dad. Not to me. He's a friend… I guess that's what we'll always end up being."
"But… You love him." Sam chuckled.
"You know what's the only lesson that's constantly repeated in my life?" she asked.
"What?"
"Love hurts, dad. Love hurts too fucking much."
