Disclaimer: Neither Firefly nor SG-1 Stargate belong to me….
Angst and regrets lie herein
Both ships were back on Safe Haven, and both teams felt the success. River seemed happier as well, spending a lot of time with Jayne, which caused Simon to wince every time he saw them.
Sam, Kaylee and Wash were working on the dial home device, cobbling together a working system to get them home. Sam frequently caught Mal watching her and she would blush in reply. The Firefly crew knew what had happened, but didn't give anything away.
Jack, Jacob and Daniel were trying to figure out if sending them back through the gate would help them get to their own time. Daniel was busily writing in his journal, looking up to organize his thoughts when he saw the look pass between Sam and the Captain. Oh boy. He got up abruptly, "Excuse me, I just thought of something I need to ask Sam." He said and walked toward the gate.
"Sam, can I ask you a question?" Daniel asked, face betraying nothing of what he was thinking. Sam got up wiping her hands off on a rag that Kaylee handed to her. Shepherd glanced over to see the women and yelped, "That is my shirt!" he protested, Kaylee laughed as Sam handed it back. "Not anymore Shepard, It is surely a rag." She held it up to him and it was covered in greasy oil stains. He moaned, and snatched it from her.
Sam walked over to Daniel, "What's up Daniel." She smiled. "Oh, I think that is my question. What is up, or what was up, between you and Captain Reynolds?" he asked quietly. Her eyes widened, "Daniel, I am an adult. I have needs and what I did and who it was with is none of your business." She ground out in return. He saw the pain and stubbornness in her eyes. "It's ok Sam. I know you do, it's just that I noticed the looks between you both. Jack may act stupid but he'll figure it out." Daniel watched her reaction. "Good, maybe he'll figure out what he wants finally." She smiled devilishly and with a wave to Daniel and a smile to the watching Mal she went back to work. Daniel glanced over and noticed how smug Mal was. 'I sure hope that Jack remains blind for a little longer.'
Jacob had noticed the little byplay, and his eyes were narrowed in thought. He looked at Captain Reynolds, then at Sammy and the light dawned. He glanced at Jack who was leaning over to look at something on the table, totally oblivious to the undercurrents around him. Jacob shook his head, Sammy was an adult, and Selmak agreed.
Everyone broke for midday meal, sitting around the large table that Jayne and Book had dragged under on of the trees. Sam had sat down beside Jacob and Mal deliberately sat beside her. She smiled at him and he leaned forward to kiss her nose. Abruptly there was silence at the table, and all of SG-1 including Jacob, and except Sam all looked at Jack. He was sitting frozen, fork halfway to his mouth, watching Sam and Mal. Sam ignored the silence and asked Jacob a question, all of the sudden Serenity's crew started babbling to fill the silence. Jack stood slowly, "Major, I need to talk to you." He said over the voices. Sam looked at him coldly, "No, we don't." Jack got up, went around the table and jerked Sam to her feet. Mal stood but at the warning shake of Jacob stayed where he was, watching Jack drag Sam off behind the Serenity. Conversation started again, but quietly.
"What happened on the Serenity Major?" Jack asked harshly. Sam crossed her arms and stated at her CO. "Jack, how many women have you slept with in the past couple of years?" She asked quietly. He shook his head, "That's not the issue here." She took a step toward him. "It is the issue, your say your love life is none of my business. I haven't had a lover for a very long time, and I decided that I needed someone. My personal life is none of your business either." She said firmly. Her heart was quivering, but she stood firm. "You're not staying here." Jack said in shock. Sam shook her head impatiently, "You are not getting this. If I had something solid at home, I wouldn't have slept with Mal here. But I did, and I enjoyed it, so get over it. Jack." She turned on her heel and walked back to the table, smiling at Mal and her dad.
Jack watched the woman he loved walk away. He couldn't blame her, not really. There were several women on planets that they had gone to that he had relationships with. He had always explained it away, but really there was no excuse. He turned to take a walk, to clear his head. He had decisions to make when they got back home. If they got home.
Sam's smile was overly bright, but Mal noticed the hurt in her eyes. He wiped his mouth with his napkin, getting up and going towards where he had seen Jack disappear. Daniel quickly asked Sam a question and she didn't notice where the Captain was headed. Zoe quietly got up, as did Teal'c to make sure the two men didn't accidentally kill each other.
"Jack." Mal said, voice carrying to where Jack was sitting, watching the sun setting in the distance. "What the hell do you want Captain Reynolds?" Jack said, but without heat. Mal went to sit beside him, but out of arms reach. "Do you know why Samantha slept with me?" He asked conversationally, causing Jack to jerk.
"She's a grown woman, it was her choice." Jack said. Mal turned to the man beside him. "You are such an ass. She loves you but can't be with you. She will never see me again, so I was safe. It meant nothing to either of us, just comfort and companionship." Mal said voice rising, a little irritated that the man beside him was so blind.
"You don't know that!" Jack replied, eyes wide in shock and a little anger. Mal shook his head in pity, "If I were you I would make sure it doesn't happen again, make a claim on her. Do what you have to do to let her you how you feel. You have decisions to make Colonel O'Neill, make the right ones 'fore you end up alone." And with that excellent advice he left, wandering back to Serenity for the night.
Jack felt like he was going to break into a million little pieces. Sam was the most important person in his life. He hadn't understood how much he had hurt her, but now he knew. "Great, just great."