I do not own anything. If you recognize it, it is not mine.
Hope you are all doing okay.
I don't know if it is because I am still not feeling 100% okay, or whether it is because I want to be true to the characters and nothing is ever simple with Carter and O'Neill in the equation, but these chapters really don't want to be written (if the site allowed smiley faces, here would be one slapping its forehead). Here is a short chapter and some answers to reviews.
I'd like to thank kenn. davis. 56 for his comments. Just to be clear, the story of a journalist dying in an apparent accident in front of Jack refers to episode Secrets, number 9 in the second season. (Regarding the editorial note: I'm continually replacing words with better alternatives in all the chapters and looking for mistakes, sometimes the autocorrect also screws me over. So thank you.)
Response to Schrodinger's Spice review: As I said, this chapter was difficult to write, the characters just don't want to confront their issues and Sam is still confused about a lot of things. But in the near future the story will pick up the pace.
Thank you for reading and please review!
"Want some more?" Laura asked O'Neill after Sam with Teal'c headed to the observation room. It was quite far away and Sam still couldn't walk too fast, so those two would probably make it just in time to see the nebula close to Cordia. Plus splitting the scene cleared the atmosphere a little.
"Do we even have time?" O'Neill asked, chewing on the last of his chicken.
"Sure. There's not much for you to do before we arrive to your planet anyway."
"Maybe I'll get more coffee. Listen, when we get to Earth…" He ran his hands through his short hair and then sighed deeply. "I was thinking it would probably be better if we didn't tell anyone that you're my daughter." He locked eyes with her just in time to see the hurt that his words caused.
"You're embarrassed that I'm your daughter?" She whispered quietly, avoiding his gaze. She finished eating and was just hugging her coffee mug tightly with both hands.
"No, god! How could you even think of that? Of course not. Laura, that's not it, I swear. It's just… We don't know what's going on at SGC. Let's first see where we're at, okay?"
"Right." She said, hesitantly. "I understand."
"Laura?" O'Neill said, waiting until she looked at him. "I don't want you to get in the middle of something uncomfortable or dangerous just because someone doesn't like me. Okay? It has nothing to do with you."
"No. Of course. It's fine." She gave him a sad smile. "So what were you and Sam talking about?" She asked, her eyes narrowing while she crossed her arms on her chest. This conversation was no longer nice, so why shouldn't she ask him some tough questions in return.
"What she remembered, more or less..."
"Oh, can you be more vague, please?"
O'Neill sighed and threw his hands up in a desperate gesture. "I don't know what to tell you. Except that she is hiding something."
"Sam?"
"Yes."
"I think your paranoia is getting out of hand."
"No, that's not what I mean. I just think she doesn't want to talk about many things she just remembered. It's not surprising, because we all had so much horrible stuff happened to us, but I don't know how to help her."
"Oh."
"I told her about the medals we won and she answered, and I quote, 'guess it wasn't all for nothing, then'." O'Neill paused, swallowed hard and then continued in louder volume. "What the hell does that suppose to mean?"
"Uh huh. She confessed to me that she's doubtful about what achievements of the SGC. That was right after she remembered that your team freed Linea." Laura explained, sadness radiating from her eyes. "The Destroyer of Worlds." She added, when she noticed O'Neill's unsure look.
"Damn. It's unacceptable that she would doubt how much good she'd done for the country and the planet. For the whole universe! She's so driven, dedicated and brilliant in everything she does."
"All these memories are attacking her all at once, she's a little shaken. That's all. You need to remind her of all the nice things that happened throughout the years as well."
"What do you mean?" O'Neill narrowed his eyes and gave Laura a piercing look. Shifting in his chair, he cleared his throat.
"What?" She shook her head in confusion. "What do you mean what do I mean?"
"Huh?" O'Neill raised his eyebrow in a Teal'c-like fashion.
Laura frowned, crossing her arms in front of her. "What's going on between you and Sam?" Her tone of voice was melodic, rising at the end. She waited a while, before noticing he wasn't preparing to answer. "Jack?"
He was looking at the floor, sighing loudly in between deep breaths, seemingly unaware of what she had asked him.
But Laura knew he heard her.
"Oh, come on. I am not doing this anymore. You get no more passes! You've been sleeping in the infirmary to keep an eye on her and comfort her when she was having nightmares. And what's up with all the looks you've shared together and those awkward moments that seem to follow you two around?"
"I don't know what's happening between us." He finally admitted, but this was not enough for Laura.
"Okay. But has something ever happened between you two?"
"In like every alternate reality we've learned about."
"I have read about those in mission reports. But I mean between yourself…" She angrily pointed at him. "And her, in this universe." She waived in the direction that Carter and Teal'c had left. "And stop dodging my questions, okay? I'm not having it!"
A beeping sound echoed in the room, emanating from Laura's bracelet.
"What was that?" O'Neill jumped up a little, startled.
"Don't change the subject." Laura said sternly, pressing a button on her bracelet and then turning back to face O'Neill.
"Are Teal'c and Carter okay?" He asked.
"They are just fine. This is the proximity alert. We are nearing Cordia. So…"
She didn't have the chance to say much more before O'Neill got up and headed after his two teammates.
"Oh, so I should join my team in looking at the beautiful nebula. Alright, see you then."
She groaned in annoyance so loudly, it was actually close to yelling.