A/N: Thanks so much for all your reviews. They are greatly appreciated. Please let me know what you think about this chapter as well. I hope you all have a fun weekend!
Chapter 2: Sweet Talk
When he walks around the Pike Peak Centre to get back to the backstage area, Jack is surprised to find quite the little crowd waiting in the freezing weather, posters and little booklets clenched tightly in hands. He cracks a grin because for some reason seeing her fans makes him happy for her, that there are people who like her so much they don't care about the cold or snow but are peacefully waiting for her to come out and sign their merchandise. Speaking of. He should have checked the foyer of the auditorium for a CD of hers or something. Dang it.
Although it seems most of the fans are waiting quietly and patiently, the big security guy Jack saw earlier is standing in front of the stage door, blocking the entrance for a rather short man who is holding a big bouquet of flowers.
"But I am sure she wants to see me. She told me to drop by at her last concert in Albuquerque," the guy argues with the security man.
"She did not mention a private meeting to me, Mr. McKay," Big Guy answers. His eyes wander over toward Jack who is just about ready to get into his car.
"O'Neill!"
Jack stops at the call of his name and looks up, giving the man an informal salute in order to say goodbye. Surprisingly though, the security guard waves him over and ah, maybe they want to return the box to him. He completely forgot about that. After locking his car back up, Jack passes the group of fans who eye him curiously as he makes his way up the stairs to the stage door, where this McFly is still arguing with the security guard about whether he will let him go inside to see Samantha or not. It does not seem like the security guard is paying attention, as his eyes are focused solely on Jack.
"Everything alright here?"
"Indeed. Samantha Carter would like to see you backstage." Woah. Him? What the…
"Who is this guy?!" McKay cries, visibly offended. "Why does he get to go inside?"
Jack just shrugs his shoulders and steps through the opened door, grabbing the bouquet McKay is holding. "Want me to give them to her, McFly?"
"No. Yes! It's Rodney McKay by the way and… tell Samantha…" Bang. The door falls shut behind him leaving nothing but hushed voices pervading from the outside. Jeez. Some people, Jack thought rolling his eyes.
He asks one of the people bustling around where Miss Carter's backstage room is but is instead directed toward the cafeteria one floor up, where crew and talent are having a little celebration in honor of Miss Carter's 25th tour concert. The thought of crashing their little party does not sit right with Jack, but the security guard would not have let him in if he would be a bother, right? Despite, all he is going to do is congratulate her on her playing, give her the flowers and be off again. Yeah, this sounds like a plan.
The cafeteria is small, literally just a bar and counter where a light buffet is displayed, as well as his cake which has already been cut into pieces. She is looking directly at him when he steps inside and damn, she is looking absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, still wearing the flowing turquoise dress and even better, her mega-watt smile which he hopes is just for him. If he wouldn't know any better, Jack O'Neill would say he is nervous. Damn, when did that happen? He cannot remember the last time he felt so insecure. He rubs his back and steps forward, glad to see she is excusing herself from the conversation she is having and walking directly toward him.
"Hi."
"Hi," she grins back. "I'm so glad Teal'c managed to catch you before you left. My bodyguard." Sam adds after catching his confused look. Of course. The big guy. He should have guessed as much.
"Are these for me?" Jack looks down at the bouquet he has completely forgotten about and hands it to her.
"Yes. No. I mean… there was a guy named McFly at the stage door demanding to see you and he… uh…"
"Ah, you must mean Rodney. Yeah, he's… everywhere," Sam smiles with a roll of her eyes. "He's sweet but a bit…"
"Annoying?" Jack suggests, making her laugh. Beautiful. He decides he has to make her laugh more often.
"I would have gone with a bit much, but I think annoying hits it on the head. Thank you though, for bringing the flowers in." She puts them on a table close by and points her head over to the buffet. "Would you like some cake? I met the guy who made it and it's delicious."
Now it is his turn to grin. How can he say no to an invite like this? Although Jack likes to bake and loves cake, he usually prefers not to eat his own as it reminds him of all the hard work and nerves he has put into it. For her, he will make an exception though.
They wander over to the buffet where she grabs him a plate and cuts him a moderately sized piece of the sweet sin he has created. Jack does not really know what he is doing here or why she has asked him back, but he is not the person to ask when there is free cake to indulge into.
Mr. Davis comes over and sings praises about Jack's cake as do a few others while he walks around with Samantha Carter, who introduces him to a few people before they sit down at one of the small tables. His piece is almost gone by the time she has grabbed a beer from behind the bar for him. He accepts it gratefully because champagne is really not his thing and washes down the sweetness in his mouth with a big gulp of Budweiser.
"I'm sorry for the confusion earlier. I really thought you were the intern or someone."
Sam grins and waves his apology aside. "Don't worry about it. Seeing the cake really lightened up my mood. Thanks for coming to the concert. After I gave you the ticket I wondered whether you'd even like classical music. I should not have made you feel obligated to come."
She seems a little nervous about the whole affair and he wonders why, whether her dad showed up after all and he was sitting in his seat.
"Uh - no. I like a bit of classical music now and then. I actually listen to it while baking." Whoops where had that come from? Yes, spill out your deepest darkest most embarrassing secret right in front of a stranger, Jack. She probably thinks you're a complete nutcase now. One look at her lit up face tells him his answer must have immensely pleased her though.
"Really? What do you listen to?" Sam leans forward, chin resting on her knuckles. The position kind of frames her face, making her look even more beautiful than she does already.
"Ah… this and that. My friend Daniel has gotten me a few CDs over the years and I never really bothered to check the titles in the back to be completely honest with you. Speaking of, your concert… You are very talented, Carter," he adds cheekily. There it is again, a giggle, and Jack starts to wonder when he has gotten into a competition with himself in regard to how many times he can make her laugh or giggle tonight.
They talk a little bit about everything and nothing. Jack tells her about Homer's and his broken oven he has no idea how to fix while she gives him a little insight on a life on tour. It is her 25th concert for this Christmas and New Year's tour - on New Year's Eve she is scheduled to give a concert with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra - and she has sixteen more to go all around various cities in the U.S. until the beginning of February. The mentioning of Chicago makes him grin because his sister lives there and he was born & raised in a suburb of the Windy City. Sam was born in Del Rio, Texas, while her Air Force General dad was stationed there. She explains how they moved a lot, lived a couple of years near Frankfurt and six months near Zaragoza until her mother had enough and took her and her older brother back to the States. Jack feels for her, but he does not openly pity her. Things start falling into place though.
"So, your dad is stationed here?"
"Yeah. He's working at Cheyenne Mountain at the moment. When we did the schedule for the tour I was hoping he would, you know, come and see me play, but me choosing music over the career he had in mind for me has never sat well with him." She shrugs it off, but he suspects it bothers her more than she might want him to know. All he can think of is how he would give her father a piece of his mind for not supporting his daughter.
"But what could be more important than helping your daughter achieve her dreams?" Jack wonders aloud, taking another sip of his beer.
"Oh, dad was always aiming for the stars. He wanted me to become an astronaut and I did graduate university with a major in astrophysics and a minor in astronautical engineering. When I dropped out of a scholarship from NASA in favor of pursuing my musical dreams though, I became his greatest disappointment. It's just… I am good at it, but my heart was never in it. I tried to please him so much and while I like science, I just love music more. Dad never understood, Mom always supported me though. She said I would find my way and I am proud to say I did."
Jack smiles at her, knowing exactly what she went through with her father since his youth and adolescence was practically the same thing in green. It is hard to always try to please someone and just never get credit for anything you achieved while doing so.
"Your mom must be very proud of you."
"I like to think she would be." Her smile is sad but honest as she says these words and Jack wants to hit himself for his comment. He does not need to ask further because the pain in her face is as plain as day. Mr. Davis interrupting them is a welcome distraction from the heavy topics their conversation has turned to, so Jack thanks the man once again to have been given the opportunity to bake the cake for the occasion and if they are ever back in the area to not hesitate and hit him right up. The information that they will be back in Denver for the closing concert, is safely stored away in the back of his mind to be considered later. Jack wonders whether the pick for the location is another attempt at getting her father to come see her show but he does not ask.
Sam is reminded Paul has a flight to catch tomorrow morning which is why he is going to turn in now. He wishes them a good night and merry Christmas before he pats Sam's shoulder and leaves them to it.
When Jack and Sam look around, they find the cafeteria positively deserted except for Teal'c who is discreetly standing next to the doorway nodding to those who leave and checking those who come back in. The bodyguard's eyes drift over to the couple in the corner from time to time but never linger for more than a moment. While the presence of the bodyguard does not make Jack feel uncomfortable, he wonders why exactly Sam needs one. Yes, he has seen the little crowd in front of the stage door, and he has met the McKable-guy but none of them have seen overly obsessive. Nevertheless, it is not his place to ask and if Sam feels it necessary to have a bodyguard present, he is the last person to tell her what she does or doesn't need.
Sam seems to catch his train of thought as she follows Jack's stare toward Teal'c. "It's just for the days of the performances. Paul thinks having a bodyguard present when I arrive and leave the venues has a more deterrent impact on people and fans. Teal'c is off tomorrow although I think I would like to ask him to come to dinner with my father in the evening for protection."
Jack's eyes widen and his demeanor grows tense at her words. What the…
"Protection for my dad, Jack. Not me. I have quite a few bones to pick with dad - if he even shows up - and it usually gets quite ugly," she explains sounding far too casual for his liking.
"I could come." Woah. Hold your horses O'Neill where did that one come from? Sam eyes him, equally surprised but does not say anything, just smiles. Instead, she bumps one fist onto the table and gets up. Jack wonders whether he has ruined it all when she stretches her shoulders and back, her posture becoming all determined.
"I could use another drink. What about you? Know any good bars around here?"
"Ya sure betcha." Call this a turn of events if you've ever seen one. He does not want the evening to end and seemingly neither does she.
"Great. Give me ten minutes to change and grab my stuff and let's get out of here."