A Fine Balance- Chapter 2
"All right, SG1, you have a go," General Hammond called from the Control room.
Jack turned around and waved as his team started up the ramp and through the wormhole that would take them to P3X-589. It was a very simple mission. Go to P3X-589 and bring back some soil samples. The problem was that the mission had been assigned just that day. He knew Carter had made reconciliation with Davis based on being free for dinner that night. Plus, their mission was supposed to last a couple days. He could just imagine the fight he would witness that morning. Poor Sam. She didn't deserve that every time she was just doing her job.
"Okay, campers, let's get walking. Those soil samples aren't going to come to us." Indeed, it would be a lengthy walk through the desert area before they came to the ever-present rocks and trees.
Sam Carter walked silently beside Daniel. Knots were beginning to twist her stomach. *This is not good! This is so not good! He's going to be so angry!* she repeated over and over to herself. *What am I going to do?*
"Sam, are you okay? You look a million miles away," Daniel said, glancing at his friend with concerned eyes.
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. Just tired I guess." That was all she said before her eyes glazed back over again. She remained like that the entire four hours it took them to find the oasis.
Jack glanced carefully at Sam as they set up camp for the evening. She did not look good. Her silence during the walk had totally freaked him out. Not only that, but she had said absolutely nothing against having to set up camp early or about wanting to get started collecting samples. That was just not like her.
"Hey, Daniel, Teal'C. You guys finish setting up the tents and start a fire. Carter and I will fill the canteens." Daniel and Teal'C shared grateful looks. The Colonel and Captain had been developing a strong friendship over the past few months. Maybe he could help her.
"So Carter," Jack began as they knelt beside the river. Counseling damsels in distress was so not his specialty. He would rather be facing an army of Jaffa. But this was his friend, his teammate, his 2IC. He had to try.
"Sorry this mission ruins your dinner plans." *Oh great. I wasn't supposed to know about that! Way to go, Jack.* Carter's eyes started welling with tears.
"So what, does everyone know?" A pause. "Sir, I'm really sorry. I promise I'll do better about keeping my personal life out of work. I'll talk to Michael. It won't happen again, Sir," she said, swiping angrily at her eyes for betraying her.
"No, Carter, you." Jack began as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
Sam hissed, and Jack raised her sleeve to reveal dark bruises. Some not new enough to be caused just by today's spat. How he wished he had the young captain with him now.
Jack fought to control his anger as he slowly caressed her arm. "Look, this isn't about your work performance. If anything it's been exemplary. I'm not talking to you as your CO; I'm talking to you as your friend."
Carter was crying in earnest now, his concern breaking her defenses.
"It's just, it wasn't like this at first, you know?"
"I know," he said rubbing her back with slow circles.
"I mean, he was really nice. And I thought since we both knew about the stargate, it would make the relationship easier, that he would understand the gravity of my work. I don't know. Maybe it's because he doesn't have to work the same hours I do. The past few weeks it's just been getting worse and worse. It seems like I never give him enough time. He's going to be so angry when we get back. I don't know what I'm going to do."
"No, Sam, no. Look, you can't let this go any farther. You don't deserve being treated like this." Sam shifted her eyes to stare mindlessly at the ground.
"No, look at me, Sam." Jack leaned into her field of vision and wiped at her tears with his hand.
"You can't help the hours you have to work. You bust your butt for this planet, and you've saved our team's lives more times than I can count. If Davis can't appreciate that, then you're better off without him. You deserve better."
"I just wanted it to be different. I wanted it to work."
"I know, but you can't keep going on like this. We're worried about you. We want you to be happy. Just please promise me that once we get back, you'll break it off with him."
"All right, SG1, you have a go," General Hammond called from the Control room.
Jack turned around and waved as his team started up the ramp and through the wormhole that would take them to P3X-589. It was a very simple mission. Go to P3X-589 and bring back some soil samples. The problem was that the mission had been assigned just that day. He knew Carter had made reconciliation with Davis based on being free for dinner that night. Plus, their mission was supposed to last a couple days. He could just imagine the fight he would witness that morning. Poor Sam. She didn't deserve that every time she was just doing her job.
"Okay, campers, let's get walking. Those soil samples aren't going to come to us." Indeed, it would be a lengthy walk through the desert area before they came to the ever-present rocks and trees.
Sam Carter walked silently beside Daniel. Knots were beginning to twist her stomach. *This is not good! This is so not good! He's going to be so angry!* she repeated over and over to herself. *What am I going to do?*
"Sam, are you okay? You look a million miles away," Daniel said, glancing at his friend with concerned eyes.
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. Just tired I guess." That was all she said before her eyes glazed back over again. She remained like that the entire four hours it took them to find the oasis.
Jack glanced carefully at Sam as they set up camp for the evening. She did not look good. Her silence during the walk had totally freaked him out. Not only that, but she had said absolutely nothing against having to set up camp early or about wanting to get started collecting samples. That was just not like her.
"Hey, Daniel, Teal'C. You guys finish setting up the tents and start a fire. Carter and I will fill the canteens." Daniel and Teal'C shared grateful looks. The Colonel and Captain had been developing a strong friendship over the past few months. Maybe he could help her.
"So Carter," Jack began as they knelt beside the river. Counseling damsels in distress was so not his specialty. He would rather be facing an army of Jaffa. But this was his friend, his teammate, his 2IC. He had to try.
"Sorry this mission ruins your dinner plans." *Oh great. I wasn't supposed to know about that! Way to go, Jack.* Carter's eyes started welling with tears.
"So what, does everyone know?" A pause. "Sir, I'm really sorry. I promise I'll do better about keeping my personal life out of work. I'll talk to Michael. It won't happen again, Sir," she said, swiping angrily at her eyes for betraying her.
"No, Carter, you." Jack began as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
Sam hissed, and Jack raised her sleeve to reveal dark bruises. Some not new enough to be caused just by today's spat. How he wished he had the young captain with him now.
Jack fought to control his anger as he slowly caressed her arm. "Look, this isn't about your work performance. If anything it's been exemplary. I'm not talking to you as your CO; I'm talking to you as your friend."
Carter was crying in earnest now, his concern breaking her defenses.
"It's just, it wasn't like this at first, you know?"
"I know," he said rubbing her back with slow circles.
"I mean, he was really nice. And I thought since we both knew about the stargate, it would make the relationship easier, that he would understand the gravity of my work. I don't know. Maybe it's because he doesn't have to work the same hours I do. The past few weeks it's just been getting worse and worse. It seems like I never give him enough time. He's going to be so angry when we get back. I don't know what I'm going to do."
"No, Sam, no. Look, you can't let this go any farther. You don't deserve being treated like this." Sam shifted her eyes to stare mindlessly at the ground.
"No, look at me, Sam." Jack leaned into her field of vision and wiped at her tears with his hand.
"You can't help the hours you have to work. You bust your butt for this planet, and you've saved our team's lives more times than I can count. If Davis can't appreciate that, then you're better off without him. You deserve better."
"I just wanted it to be different. I wanted it to work."
"I know, but you can't keep going on like this. We're worried about you. We want you to be happy. Just please promise me that once we get back, you'll break it off with him."