"Hey Carter—" Colonel Jack O'Neill bit off his greeting as he took one look at his second-in-command's face. Her right cheek was slightly swollen and her lip had been busted open. He knew for a fact there hadn't been a mark on her a few hours ago when she'd left the base to go home to grab her hiking gear and talk with Pete. "What the hell happened?!"
"I'll explain later," she told him stiffly, but he saw apprehension in her eyes; noticed the rigidity of her stance. Beside him Teal'c shifted from easy-going friend mode into Jaffa warrior as he also assessed the situation.
"Sam and I are in the middle of a conversation," Pete's voice was tense as he came up behind her. "We'd like to finish it, if you don't mind."
"We mind," Jack warned. He felt Daniel place a hand firmly on his shoulder and knew the archeologist was trying to stop him from pummeling the man.
"I'm leaving," Sam said at the same time and stepped forward, Jack and Daniel automatically made room for her on the porch as Teal'c moved to block Pete's advance. "I expect you to pack your things and be gone by the time I get back,"she ordered without turning around to face him.
"Sam wait, please," Pete's tone changed to pleading. Jack watched as his officer's shoulders started to slump forward; the control she exhibited was starting to slip. While Jack wanted to punch first and ask questions later, he knew that's not what she needed.
"Daniel," Jack ordered without taking his eyes off of Pete, "take Carter to the car and wait for me."
"Sir—" Sam started to protest, but stopped to give him the tiniest nod of approval. She always trusted him to have her six in the past and she trusted him now.
"O'Neill," Pete bit out through clenched teeth, "none of this concerns you. Stay out of our business."
Jack waited until Sam and Daniel were off the porch before he answered.
"You're lucky I don't end you where you stand, Shanahan," Jack dropped his calm facade and let the man see the rage behind his eyes. It was satisfying when Pete retreated an involuntary step back at the fury radiating from him. The coward.
"Was that a threat?" Pete asked after regaining some equilibrium and schooling his features. Jack didn't care if the man pretended to be tough, he'd already seen his fear.
"Absolutely," Jack took a step forward. "I know Carter can take care of herself, and I respect her enough not to interfere, but if you touch her again," he let the threat trail off.
"You just knowingly threatened a police officer," Pete taunted.
"And you just knowingly assaulted an Air Force Officer," Jack reminded him. "Don't forget who you're dealing with. I expect you to heed her orders and be gone by the time we get back."
OoooOoooOoooO
Jack tried to calm down as he walked toward the SUV. That man had dared to hurt Carter!
"You handled that well, O'Neill," Teal'c said as he walked beside him, finally speaking for the first time.
"I figured you'd have preferred inflicting bodily harm," Jack answered, then took a deep steadying breath. He didn't want Carter to see him this shaken.
"Indeed," Teal'c said darkly, "however, that would have not benefited Major Carter."
Jack nodded once. That's precisely why he hadn't escalated the situation. The last thing Carter needed was to become the center of attention if the neighbors called the police because Jack impulsively beat the crap out of the idiot.
Daniel and Sam sat in the back of the SUV, so Jack slipped into the driver's seat while Teal'c took shotgun. He forced himself not to look directly at her, but met her eyes in the rear view mirror as he backed the vehicle down the driveway.
"Carter?" He said the one word knowing it would be enough.
"Just drive, sir," she answered solemnly, but he was pleased to see fire in her eyes.
The four of them rode in companionable silence. Their original destination that morning had been a hiking trail a few miles into the mountains. It had been Daniel's idea to reconnect with one another after the last several months of Jack being literally frozen, followed by Sam's abduction. Despite what had happened, he saw no reason to change their plans. They did need to re-establish their bond as a team—maybe now more than ever.
OoooOoooOoooO
Daniel watched Sam carefully as Jack drove them through the wilderness. It was obvious they were still heading for the trailhead, and despite his reservations, Daniel understood Jack's apparent need to keep everything normal. After the past few months, they could all use a little normalcy.
He couldn't believe Pete had the audacity to lay a hand on Sam. They'd all seen the Goa'uld commit much worse atrocities, but knowing Pete, a human who was supposed to be one of the good guys, could do something so vile was sobering. Daniel grimaced as he remembered he had actually thought to befriend the jerk after the wedding.
"I'm sorry, Sam," he whispered.
"Not your fault," she replied, reaching to give his hand a gentle squeeze. "He had me fooled, too." Daniel smiled softly at her ability to read him so well and that she'd known he was apologizing for not recognizing the warning signs.
"So that was the first time?" Jack asked from the driver's seat, his eyes flickering in the rear view mirror.
"Of course!" Sam sounded offended. "I'd never stay with a man who hit me. It's why I left now."
Daniel watched Jack nod once before returning his focus to the road. He was surprised his friend was taking the events of today so calmly, but then he'd known SG-1's leader long enough to recognize the barely contained rage.
"On Chulak, I would kill anyone who dared to hurt my family," Teal'c said firmly, breaking the silence around them once more.
"Thanks Teal'c," Sam said with a quiet half chuckle at his intense sincerity. "I feel the same way about you, too."
