Rating: PG
Spoilers: Season 6
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 is an original MGM, Greenburg/Anderson, Gekko, Top Secret, Kawoosh! production. Any material relating to Stargate SG-1 is for entertainment only, and is in no way meant as an infringement on copyrights. In other words, I own nadda.
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It had been a week since Jack had got back, and a busy week at that. The discovery of another set of alternate reality mirrors had sent the geeks in the SGC and Area 51 into excited jibber-speak. There was literally a buzz about the place as men and women ran past in white coats, all excited over a new incomprehensible project. This time, unlike the last time, the President had not ordered the immediate destruction of the mirrors. They were to be placed in high security, the remote device to be kept separate, but he had given permission for the mirrors to be studied.
And guess who was heading the study?
He found her in one of the larger labs in front of a white board, marker in hand, writing out calculations for her adoring public. Finding the corridor empty, he decided it wouldn't look too weird if he leaned against the door jamb and watched her... no, listened to the educational nonsense she was spouting out.
She was doing most of the talking. Of course, sometimes the odd scientist, usually one of the ones seated on stools at the front, would put something in and she'd smile and nod, maybe add a little note to whatever she was writing on the board. They all seemed to be agreeing with what she was saying - sometimes the murmurs in the room would rise to a high pitch of approval, sometimes they would all just be nodding in unison.
Finally she turned, and saw him. He grinned at her proudly - he couldn't help it. He was just so damn glad to know her, that was all.
A little unsure of him, Carter smiled back and a few people in the room glanced over their shoulders at him. ''Um, Clay, why don't you finish this for me?'' she said, handing the pen to one of the geeks at the front.
''But Major Carter -'' 'Clay' began, looking around the room nervously.
''You'll be fine. You were the one who fed me this idea this morning,'' Carter said, grinning at him as she moved away, towards the door. ''Sir?''
''Hi. How's it going?'' Skilfully, Jack moved away from the door jamb, inviting her to step outside with him where they could be a little more private.
She followed obediently and leaned her shoulder against the wall by him, her eyes moving around the corridor, over him, over the walls, the lights. ''Most of its theoretical at the moment, so we're not getting very far. How are you?''
Jack knew she wouldn't usually ask, but his disappearance the previous week had disturbed her. She'd come back from a scientific expedition with SG-12 to find Hammond standing at the bottom of the ramp. To all accounts - and he'd had it from nearly every single airman on base - Major Carter hadn't taken the news of his extended absence very well. Hammond had refused her request to look for him on the grounds that she'd been drained from her two week mission, and he'd sent her home. And then sent her back there when she'd come in the next day.
It was to her house he had gone, before he'd even gone home, the moment the Doc had let him out of the infirmary. He hadn't even thought about it. One moment he'd been getting into his car, the next he was standing on her front porch with her in his arms, his own arms wrapped about her tightly. Ever since then, things had been warmer between them, almost how things had been before... well, before.
Part of this was her doing - her inability to help him while he was trapped in another alternate reality and the helpless way it had made her feel. Part of it was his. When he'd woken up in the other reality and found that this Dr Carter didn't even know him, he'd been a little shocked, to say the least. Seeing her on SG-1 without him, taking orders from Charlie of all people, had certainly wrecked the ongoing Sam-Jack alternate reality relationship pattern. Worryingly. But it had been nice to talk to the other her, without feeling that he shouldn't be. In fact, once he'd started talking to her, he didn't seem to be able to stop, and she listened while she worked, asked him hold that, don't touch this, move that. It had been refreshing.
''Still a little dazed,'' he answered his major finally. ''You want to get lunch?''
She looked down at her watch. ''It's half past eleven.''
He scuffed a boot against the concrete. ''I'm hungry.''
Evidentially, she took pity on him. ''Cake?''
Carter and cake, was there anything better? Jack thought happily, following her down to the commissary, hands in his pockets and just a little swagger in his walk.
In the end, they shared cake; Carter didn't want to spoil her appetite for lunch. They fought cheerfully over the chocolate frosting and chatted in a way they hadn't done in years. No one interrupted them. Daniel didn't suddenly run into the room demanding their attention (which would have been difficult - unless he'd just glowed into the room or something), Thor didn't beam either of them up. The klaxons didn't blare, the lights didn't flash. Nothing interrupted them.
It was so great.
Afterwards, when they'd licked their fingers and wiped the last smudges of cake from the plate - laughing at themselves as they did it - they walked slowly back to the labs, hands brushing at their sides. No one was in her lab so he was able to come and sit with her, and found he was talking to her like he had talked to the other Sam Carter.
That was, until he entered dangerous ground.
''The other you was married,'' he blurted out at some point.
Something in Carter's hands snapped and she winced. ''Damn. I was?''
''You were. That is, you were divorced.''
''Really? Who from?''
''Hansen.''
That made her pale. He wondered, once again, how exactly their relationship had fallen apart.
''Jonas?'' she squeaked. '' Jonas Hansen? I married him?''
''Apparently. You got the divorce three months ago, after a two year separation. It was messy, I was told.''
''With Jonas, I could imagine it would be. So he didn't go nuts off-world, then.''
''No. He just stayed nuts at home. She said he was extremely jealous of every man she worked with.''
Carter began toying inside the doohickey again, tweezers in hand. ''Sounds like Jonas. And she put up with that? How long were they married?''
''Three years? Over three years, I think.''
She was shaking her head. ''Man, I must have been really screwed up to go through with it. God, we didn't have children did we?''
''No.''
''And you said in the briefing that you weren't in the SGC. Where were you?''
''In Minnesota. With my son.''
She looked up sharply, sympathy in her eyes. ''Oh, Colonel, I'm sorry.''
He didn't really know how he felt about it, to be honest. That Charlie wasn't his son. That Charlie had shot Sara rather than himself - and Jack didn't know if he would rather that situation than his own. In fact, he didn't think he knew at all, nor was he supposed to know. It wasn't anything he'd ever considered before and the idea really threw him. ''It was just weird. There you were, explaining things to Kawalski, 'yes sir'ing him instead of me. He was just as proud of you as I am...''
''You're proud of me?''
Jack rolled his eyes. ''Well... duh, Carter.''
Now she was blushing. ''Oh. Sorry. I mean, thanks.'' She looked down at her doohickey firmly as the flush left her face and she regained control. ''What was she like?''
''Like you. Only... not so confident.''
She wrinkled her nose. ''That'll be Jonas's doing.''
''That's what she said.''
''You talked to her about it?'' Carter sounded really surprised and she fiddled with her tweezers for a bit.
He approached the bench, then decided to push her a little further. He pulled out another stool and sat down on it, perching his feet on her stool. ''I talked to her about everything.''
Carter froze, which told him all the things he'd wanted to know. ''Everything?''
''Everything,'' he confirmed, watching her closely.
She put down the tweezers and swivelled around on her stool until she was facing him. ''Why? Because she wasn't me? Because you liked her better......''
''Just because I could.''
She looked a little hurt. ''You could talk to me about things, Colonel.''
Jack started shaking his head long before she finished. ''Carter, you're missing the point. I am talking to you about things. Now.'' He looked at his watch. ''For three hours, in fact. Hey, do you want to get lunch?''
She was blinking at him. ''Three hours?'' she said, sounding astonished.
''Yeah. Time flies when you're... I'm not going to finish that cliché.''
Carter's smile was spontaneous. ''I guess we can get lunch, then.''
In no time at all, they were walking back to the commissary together. They queued together, they got virtually the same meals (except for the flavour of their jello) and the same drinks. They sat opposite each other and continued to talk.
And talk.
And talk.
And talk.
By the end of the meal, Jack was exhausted. It had been a pretty intense week and a half for him, after all. Getting to know one Sam Carter, telling her all the things he was now telling the other Sam Carter... it was confusing and exhausting.
''So,'' Sam propped her head up on her arm, ''you sent her to see you?''
He nodded, pushing aside his plate and resting his chin on his hands. ''I figured... I figured it would be a nice idea. She liked me.'' He grinned at her.
She grinned back. ''Of course she did. There's no denying you're a likeable person.''
Jack knew she was winding him up, but he was enjoying it. ''No, I think she liked me liked me.''
''Really? Whatever gave you that impression?'' She slid her head down, mimicking his position on the table so that their heads were level and there were only a few centimetres between them.
''Just a hunch.''
''A hunch.''
''Do you really talk to your plants?''
''Don't change the subject. Do you think she went?''
''You're probably the best person to ask.''
''I don't know. She wasn't military, she had been married to Jonas. She's obviously a completely different person to me.''
Jack was already shaking his head. ''No. She was you. I wouldn't have...''
''What?''
''I wouldn't have liked her so much if she wasn't you.''
''Oh.'' She smiled, her eyes going to the table, and then back to his. ''I think she went. I would have.''
''Great.'' He was really pleased with himself. So what if he was matchmaking? He knew Sam would make the other him happy. And he could have a chance with her that Jack hadn't had yet.
She yawned suddenly and he refocused on her. ''Tired?''
''Yeah, I don't know why.''
''Working too hard.''
''I've barely done anything today. You're bad for me.''
''Great isn't it?''
She giggled, her hand slipping out from beneath her chin and moving towards him. He watched it warily, saw it lift up over his arm and her thumb grazed his top lip. ''Tomato sauce,'' she said, dimpling, and pulling back her hand.
''Oh.'' Yeah, right, he thought in satisfaction.
Sam pulled back her hand and closed her eyes. ''Do you tell her to wear those jeans of mine that you like so much?''
Jack jerked. ''Wha... I don't know what you mean.''
She kept her eyes closed, but he would bet anything they were twinkling mischievously behind her eyelids. ''You know the ones. The blue ones. With the cherry on the back. The ones you ogle.''
''I do not ogle you in those jeans.'' How had she known!?!
''I have video footage of you doing it.''
''Video footage?''
''Yup. Daniel's thirty-fifth. There was definite ogling going on.''
Oh.... crap.
She opened one perfect blue eye. ''Why do you think I keep on wearing them?''
Jack laughed.