Hi folks! Thanks for sharing your theories, love them! Here's a new chapter ;)
xxxxxxxxxx
Jack had never thought he would feel content to assist a scientist. He still didn't understand a phrase of what Samantha Carter was saying, but he got the very big picture. Certainly because he already knew the purpose of a ZPM. Like his Sam, the one in grey BDU was excitedly working on her laptops that were connected to the ZPM by wires. She was smiling a lot more and looked quite different from the tough Sam he met in Los Angeles.
Carter ran a program on one of the laptops. She told Jack that it could last a while, so, he could have a break. Jack replied he could wait in the lab. Carter didn't insist and checked the laptops during the process. To tell the truth, Jack could go to the commissary, have a cup of coffee or something else, but he didn't feel like doing that. He felt more comfortable in this lab than in another place. Strange, wasn't it? The one and only Jack O'Neill choosing science instead of food... His Sam Carter would never believe him...
Why would he go to the commissary anyway? He had nobody to accompany him, except the young enlisted assigned to his surveillance and standing outside the lab. Carter was staying in the room. Jackson had to go on a trip, as he mentioned later at the meeting with Landry. Mitchell wasn't in the SGC either. As for Teal'c and Vala, nobody talked about them, thus, Jack didn't insist. He would try again later. The whole thing was awkward. He was at the SGC, but it didn't feel the same as it wasn't his SGC. The structure was the same, the spirit wasn't.
O'Neill observed the lab. The furniture was similar to his Carter's, when she was still at the SGC. The tiger grey Sam was building stuff, probably naquadah generators or a weapon prototype, as cylinders and tools were lying on a table, next to a wall.
A tiny part of the shelf near Jack caught his attention. The general approached it. Sam Carter didn't pay attention to his move, still focused on the laptops and the ZPM.
There were three frames at about the same level as Jack's chin. In the first one, from the left, a photo of Sam and her brother, Mark, when they were children. Jacob and the children's mother were standing behind Sam and Mark. All were grinning in a garden, happy. The picture rang a bell to Jack because he saw it in his world. Sam showed him a family album on which she had kept this picture. It was one of these rare moments when her father was at home, between two missions.
An adult Sam in civilian clothing was grinning on the second photo. Jack glimpsed to the Sam just behind him, who was placing the end of a wire on another part of the ZPM. It seemed that the person on the picture was quite different from the person in the lab, well, before she started to be enthusiastic. The Sam on the photo looked happy with that guy, who was grinning as well behind her and cuddling her.
Jack had a shock, looking at the guy's face. He had to grab the frame to check that he wasn't wrong.
He wasn't. He knew that guy!
"My ex-husband, Pete Shanahan." Sam confirmed, coming to the right side of Jack.
The man jumped a little, surprised and embarrassed to be caught red-handed. "Uh, sorry… Didn't mean to be intrusive…" he apologized and put the frame back onto the shelf.
"That's okay." Sam said, not angry.
"That is not okay!" a voice furiously shouted inside Jack's head. "That dude married her?" the voice continued, still outraged. Why the hell was Jack overreacting by the way? It wasn't his reality, so, who cared? Jack O'Neill, obviously. So, the O'Neill in this world never met Sam. She ended up with Pete. For some reason, Jack suddenly became jealous of Shanahan. The guy married Sam, whereas Jack was living millions of light years away from his Sam without being married to her. Worse. First, he didn't even do anything when his Sam was engaged to Shanahan, except tell her to go pick flowers! Second, he was stuck in an alternate reality or something similar!
The Carter in grey BDU didn't notice the fight inside Jack's mind. She quietly developed the Shanahan topic, "He's a friend of my brother, and a cop. My brother introduced him to me. We dated, then, Pete transferred to Colorado Springs. We got married… and divorced two years later."
Jack surprised himself when an evil red Jack popped up in his mind and smirked, satisfied. That was mean... Okay, he had to admit that he felt sorry for the Shanahan of his reality for thirty seconds when his Sam broke their engagement... Now, O'Neill had to regain control of his mind. He blinked to get rid of the evil Jack.
Sam didn't sound bitter or sad. She sounded and looked nostalgic, remembering a happy period of her life that faded out because sometimes, it happens. The rest of her speech provided the explanation.
"We had crazy schedules. I think mine was the craziest - Jack looked at Sam - You know, go off-world, fight against the Goa'uld and other types of threats, go back home, then, go off-world again… With the risk of being wounded or killed.". Sam paused and glanced at the picture. She resumed the speech, looking at Jack, "He figured out what I was really doing, and he tried to deal with that. He really tried, but perhaps it was too much.". Sam shrugged. "Ironic, isn't it? I mean, from a cop... I suppose that dealing with aliens who want to destroy your planet isn't the same as dealing with criminals."
"It must have been hard for you, too." Jack commented. He thought about his ex-wife a second. It had been hard for her, too. Especially when...
Sam nodded silently. Then, she said, "I love my job. I couldn't just quit... Or maybe I should have?"
Sam looked up at Jack at the question. She seemed conflicted and seemed to ask for Jack's point of view on this matter. The man remembered what happened in the previous situation. Oh no, she shouldn't have quit her job. Jack tried to send the message without sounding arrogant.
"I don't know what your situation was like at that time, but what I can tell is that this - he pointed out the room and the devices - and the Air Force are part of your soul - he pointed at Carter's chest - Don't let anyone make you think you must give up a part of you to get something else."
"Even if it's to find happiness?"
"You'll find it." Jack assured.
"You sound very sure, Jack… Uh, sir."
O'Neill melt when Carter called him by his first name. Since they met, she had always used his last name, sir, or colonel. Sam looked a little embarrassed when she realized that she used "Jack" and immediately went back to "sir".
"You know, you can call me Jack." the man prompted with a smile.
Sam thought. "Okay, then, you'll have to call me Sam."
"I think I can do that." O'Neill nodded.
Silence filled the room. Sam broke it, staring at O'Neill, "This is strange, Jack…" she started, thinking. "We don't know each other, but you seem to understand me better than some people I've been working or living with for years."
Silence filled the room again. Jack and Sam looked at each other. Jack felt that something was happening or about to happen. He didn't know what, but this silence and the fact that Sam was very close to him were getting weird. The lady felt the same and reacted before whatever that something was or could be could happen. She avoided eye contact and glanced at the picture of her with Pete.
"Well, that's okay if I'm to be alone. I think you can't always have what you want." Sam concluded, shrugging. "I already have this - she pointed out the environment - and I'm the CO of SG-1, so, I shouldn't ask for too much."
Jack decided to bring optimism. "You know, things aren't always black or white."
"What do you mean?" Sam asked, perplex.
"Uh…" O'Neill hesitated before he sealed his lips. He didn't know himself what his previous line meant.
He had everything he wanted in the previous situation and the result turned out to be catastrophic at the end. Did he say that to rather comfort himself? Maybe this Carter was right: you can't always have what you want. Therefore, Jack should accept not having Sam on Earth or in the city where he was. If he couldn't stand this situation, then, maybe he wasn't worth her? Or maybe she would realize that Jack was just another chapter of her life? Maybe Jack was wrong: Sam and he couldn't find happiness without giving a part of them in exchange? What if their story wasn't supposed to have a happy ending?
The Carter in BDU pulled Jack back to her reality when she changed the topic.
"By the way, what does the Samantha Carter in your reality look like? You said you've worked together for years."
The lieutenant colonel looked eager to develop this subject that O'Neill couldn't avoid anyway.
"Indeed. I was the CO of SG-1, and she was my 2IC." O'Neill started on a professional tone, to hide his feelings for his Carter and the sorrow caused by the thoughts he'd just had. "She's an astrophysicist, like you - he pointed at the Carter in front of him - She's brilliant, and it's not just a compliment! She really is… And I'm sure you are! - he gestured, to not offend the lady in grey, who smiled, amused - She saved us so many times… I stopped the count..."
O'Neill didn't stay neutral. He couldn't anyway. He didn't notice that his face was glowing, talking about his Sam. The one in front of him was listening carefully, enjoying the other Sam's situation because of the way Jack was speaking.
He kept on sharing details with sparkles in the eyes, "She's a full bird colonel now. She's heading an off-world outpost. She's doing great."
"Does she have a boyfriend or a husband?" Carter queried, very interested.
Jack coughed, caught off guard by the question. It sort of came out of the blue from a Samantha Carter who didn't look like a woman keen on gossip.
The general was embarrassed for a second. How would this Sam react learning that her double was in a relationship with him… who happened to be a homeless guy in her reality? Fortunately, Jack came up with an appropriate answer, "Hum… Yes, she's seeing someone."
Jack hoped that Carter wouldn't ask for a name. She didn't. She looked satisfied. Silence filled the room. It didn't last for the phone against the wall next to the entrance rang. Carter jumped and picked it up. Jack saw her face get darker as long as she was listening to the person on the other side. It was a man, as she intoned "Yes, sir." a few times. She hung up the phone. She was annoyed. Jack guessed that she was requested on something that she found very unpleasant but she couldn't decline.
Sam came back to Jack and informed rigidly, "I will have to be away for a few days. I would suggest that you start your work with Doctor Jackson in the meantime."
"Didn't he say that he would be in Texas at the end of our meeting with General Landry?"
"Well, it seems that he'll be back earlier." Sam commented, neutral.
Seeing that Carter wasn't excited to leave the SGC at all, O'Neill queried, "Is everything alright? You look… annoyed."
"Uh, well… The Governor of Florida's organizing a reception, and he would like me to be there." Sam responded with no passion.
"Not a fan of politicians?" Jack joked. "Don't worry, I understand. Never been a big fan as well." the man smiled.
Sam didn't react to Jack's joke. She looked at her watch. "I need to see General Landry. You can stay here if you want."
Jack nodded and the lieutenant colonel left. The man looked at the third frame. It was a picture of SG-1, certainly taken on a planet. Three men, and one woman: Sam. She was the second person, when Jack looked from the left to the right. The first was an older man, in his forties. Jack recognized the man because he had been on missions with this member of SG-1 when he was in the special operations forces.
Lieutenant Colonel Josh Robertson. He had just been promoted to this rank when Jack retired. The perfect cliché of the alpha male. Big guy, tough guy, attractive with this scruffy beard he was proud of, confident, and smart. And appreciating the company of ladies. He could act like a jerk sometimes, but when on a mission, you could count on him. Robertson was standing, showing off his M16 that had a grenade launcher, a cigarette behind the right ear, sunglasses above the head, the helmet hooked on the waist.
Sam, as straight as a stick, was giving a discreet professional smile while holding her M16 behind the right shoulder. Like Robertson, she had removed the helmet.
Sergeant Siler was the third person. Was it really Siler? Jack approached the picture to confirm because the man was wearing a helmet. It was. Siler in a SG team? Jack had never thought of it, but why not? Like Sam, he was holding a M16 behind the right shoulder.
The last member of SG-1, standing next to Siler, was another sergeant. Jack knew him but didn't remember his name. He looked like Robertson, alpha male type, perhaps coming from the special operations forces, too. He was proudly holding his M249. Like Siler, the sergeant was still wearing his helmet. Unlike Siler, the strap under the chin was loosened and floating in the air.
Jack had the strong feeling that this SG-1 was different from his. More military. No civilian, no Daniel Jackson. Had Jack seen any civilian in the SGC by the way? And Sam looked… tougher… She must have been through an interesting journey with Robertson and this alpha male sergeant.
How did Josh Robertson get involved in the SG program? Jack supposed that Robertson was the or a former CO of SG-1, based on the rank he had at that time. Besides, Carter looked younger on the photo. Was Robertson assigned to the program because Jack wasn't there? How did Josh react when he met Sam for the first time? Did she bring up the reproductive organs line? How much did he influence her? Jack bet that the guy had something to do with the fact that Sam was smoking. Did the "come back to Abydos" mission happen without Jack? Probably yes otherwise Sam would have recognized him in Los Angeles. Or she joined the SGC later while he was already gone? Why wasn't Daniel in SG-1? What about Kawalsky and Ferretti? Did they come back to Abydos? How different was this SGC from his?
Besides, why was Sam invited by a governor? Jack suddenly wondered, recalling this detail and his first encounter with Carter, when she thought that he wanted an autograph or a picture. Jack wouldn't be surprised to figure out that in this reality, Carter had achieved many things. However, what was that thing about autographs, pictures, and receptions? Did it have anything to do with the Goa'uld attack?
Did Sam become a celebrity like in that other reality that his Sam had been last year?