Disclaimers: The usual stuff…don't own, only having fun…
Spoilers: Divide and Conquer
~AN: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews!! You guys inspire me to keep writing!! I am glad that you are enjoying this as much as I am writing it!! And so…
On with the show….
"Pete? What the hell are you doing here?" Sam's voice rang out in the quiet house.
"I…. Umm...err." Pete was definitely not going to win any speaking awards, Jack thought. He decided to vacate the premises as quickly as possible. "Ok. Well, I guess this is…uh, Carter, I'm sure that you can handle things from here," he said, sliding his gun back into the ankle holster. "So, I'll see you tomorrow. Pete," he said, nodding his head, "It's been…an occasion." Jack beat a hasty retreat down the hall and out the front door, closing it behind him. He got in his truck and took off down the road.
After leaving Sam's street, he pulled over and killed the engine. Burying his face in his hands, he tried to ignore the thoughts that were running through his mind. Sitting next to Sam in movies, talking to her, making her laugh. Their arms wrapped around each other, almost kissing her. God!! He banged his fists on the steering wheel in frustration. The thought of Pete touching her in a romantic way – in any way - was driving him insane. Obviously he had had something like that in mind, as there had been enough rose petals covering her bed to start a nursery as well as chilled champagne. You didn't need to have ESP to know what Pete had in mind. "Face it, Jack. You can't have her and you don't want anybody else to have her. Is that fair to her? You love her; don't you want her to be happy?"
Jack's eyes widened as his inner voice cause him to realize something that he had been blatantly ignoring since the first day he had seen her. "I love her. I love her. Oh God. I love her." The realization hit him like a ton of bricks and he leaned his head back against the headrest and sighed deeply. "I can't tell her. It would destroy everything that we have – as friends, as teammates – this goes way beyond that za'tarc testing when I said that I cared more than I should." He rubbed his eyes and sighed again. "Besides, you can't be with her – the regulations are very specific – no fraternization in a chain of command – and she is definitely in your chain of command. And who are you kidding? This flirtation thing is fun, but does she really want to be with an old guy like you? She'll never quit the SGC and you'll stay at there until they pull you out in a body bag or kick you out. You've got to let her go so she can be happy and have the life she deserves."
"And what about you? What do you deserve?" a little voice that came from deep within the recesses of his heart cried out. "You deserve to be happy, too."
"I deserve to be happy, too. Yes. I do. But can I be happy without her?" Jack realized that he needed help. He sat up straight and reached for his cell phone. He dialed a number and waited for an answer. "Hey. It's me – I hope I didn't wake you. I'm sorry to be calling this late, but I really need to talk – can I come over?" He listened for a minute and said, "Thanks – I'll be there soon." He flipped his phone shut and sat there for a minute, silently grieving over what might never be, before starting the engine and driving off into the night.
Meanwhile…Back at Sam's house…
"It's ok, Pete. I understand that you wanted to surprise me – and I'm surprised! But, you can't just come over here and use my spare key to get in – how'd you know where that was anyway? Besides, you told me that you were going to be working all weekend." Sam sighed as she slipped off her shoes and put them into the closet.
"Sam, I tried to reach you, but they said that you had gone and you didn't answer your cell – I thought it was romantic to surprise you this way. I thought you'd like it." Pete pouted, crossing his arms in front of his chest, avoiding the fact that he had not answered her question about the key.
"I do like it. I was just surprised to see you – that's all." Sam folded her sweater, put it in a dresser drawer and walked over to the door. "Do you want some coffee? I need some coffee…" she walked out of the bedroom and down the hall to the kitchen. She ran some water into the coffee pot and poured it into the machine as Pete came in. He leaned one hip against the counter while she put coffee grounds into the machine and switched it on.
"What was Jack doing here?" he asked.
"He went with me to the movies."
Pete eyed her speculatively. "Didn't the movie end at 9:30? You didn't get here until after11."
Sam turned from getting the creamer out of the refrigerator. She paused, reining in her growing temper, before setting the container on the counter gently.
"We went out after the movie. I didn't know you'd be here or I'd of come back sooner," she said carefully, wanting to throw something heavy at his face. "By the way, you never said why you came over. I thought you had to work this weekend."
"I did. You sounded so sad on the phone, that I found someone to cover my shift and besides, they haven't picked up the witness that I have been after, yet, so I thought I'd come and spend some time with you. I thought you'd be here." He pouted again, giving her the sad little boy look. "So, can we start over? Forget about what happened earlier?"
Sam sighed and opened the overhead cabinet to retrieve two mugs. She briefly thought of Jack and the time they had spent together that night. She could never forget that, nor would she want to. She would treasure it forever in a corner of her mind – the thought of what if. She sighed again and poured out two cups of coffee. Handing one to Pete, she smiled weakly and said, "Sure, Pete." She walked out of the kitchen and went into the living room, flipping on a table lamp as she went by.
She set down her coffee on a side table and flopped down into her favorite overstuffed chair. Pete followed her into the room and sat down on the sofa. He set his mug down on the coffee table and looked at her.
"Are you mad at me or something?" he asked.
"No – it's just been a really hectic week with getting Cassie settled and work stuff."
"Ooooh. Speaking of that, I brought something for you." He jumped up and ran out to his car, retrieving his briefcase. "Let's see…I know I brought it…Ok, here." He handed her a manila envelope.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Open it and see…" he said, barely able to contain his excitement.
Inside the envelope was a picture of the two of them, taken at the dancehall that they had gone to. They were standing close together and smiling happily into the camera. Sam smiled at the memory.
"I printed it out on my color printer on photo paper," he said proudly.
"That was a fun evening," she said, laying the picture on the coffee table.
"We can go there again – they have different kinds of nights – Salsa Night, Ballroom Dancing Night, even Square Dancing Night, if you're up to it." He scooted a little closer to where she was sitting. "We can do whatever you want."
"Pete, about that, I'd like to.." Just then, his cell phone rang.
"I'm sorry, Sam," he said, seeing who it was. "I need to get this." He got up and walked into the hallway to answer his call.
Sam sat there staring at the picture that still lay on the table. She closed her eyes and fantasized that it was Jack in the photo and not Pete. She could almost hear the music of the big band playing and feel Jack's arms around her, twirling with her around the floor in endless circles. She imagined laying her head on his strong shoulder, her hand idly tracing designs on his back as they swayed to the music. She could hear him murmuring her name "Sam…Sam…Sam?" Her eyes snapped open. Pete was inches away, kneeling on one knee.
"Sam, are you ok? I need to ask you something."
Oh, God! She jerked up out of her chair and put a few feet between them. She concentrated on controlling her breathing.
"Sam, are you ok?" he asked again. "You look kind of pale."
"No, I'm ok. You just surprised me, that's all. I must have been wool-gathering." She drew in a deep breath and focused on him. "What's up? Who was that on the phone?"
"That was my partner – the PD just picked up my witness on an old warrant and I need to interrogate him before he makes bail and gets away. I need to go. I'm sorry." He stood and walked closer, taking her into his arms. "I had hoped to end this evening a little differently. Can I make it up to you?"
"Sure, that's great," she said, moving out of his arms and moving towards the front door. "It's a long drive – you should go now."
Pete picked up his briefcase and walked over towards the front door. "I'm really sorry Sam," he said, attempting to close his briefcase. He wrestled with it a minute as something was caught in the hinge. Just then, the case popped open and everything inside fell out on the floor. Files, pens and paperclips bounced slid across the hardwood entryway. Sam bent down to help Pete pick up the mess as, unnoticed by both, one thin file slid across the floor and ended up under the hall table. Pete scooped the last of the rubble into his briefcase and opened the door. "Put the champagne on ice – I'll do my best to get back next weekend and we can take up where we left off." Pete brushed her mouth with a kiss and left.
Sam closed and locked the door. She leaned against it while brushing the back of her hand across her lips. She walked into the living room and shut off the light, leaving both coffee mugs and the picture in the dark. Shutting off the light in the kitchen, she walked back through the entry hallway headed towards her bedroom when something on the floor caught her eye. A file was sticking out from underneath the hall table. Picking it up, she hurried to the window next to the front door, but Pete was already gone. Tapping the file against one hand, she decided to leave it until tomorrow. She would call him and let him know she had found it – even send it FedEx if it was important. She dropped the file on the hall table and switched off the overhead light.
She walked into her bedroom, idly noticing that she would have to replace the trim on the door as it was shattered from it's earlier encounter with her foot. She stopped in front of her bed. Scattered rose petals covered almost every square inch and stood almost a ½ inch deep to about two feet out on the surrounding floor. An ice bucket with champagne chilling stood off to one side. Two flutes stood on the bedside table, awaiting use. Sam sighed and left the room again, momentarily returning with a broom, dustpan and trashcan. She grabbed one end of the quilt that lay under the rose petals and tugged it off the bed. Rose petals fluttered to the floor in a heap. Shaking the quilt to rid it of and remaining petals, she tossed it back on the bed and swept the floor clean. Tying up a second trash bag, she left them by the front door for disposal and returned everything else to their normal places. The champagne, she put into the refrigerator, the ice bucket went back into its place in the cabinet along with the flutes. Returning to her bedroom, she quickly changed into an old USAF t-shirt and shorts and straightened her quilt, before climbing in to bed. She turned off the light and rolled over to lie in her side. She ran one hand over the empty place next to her and closed her eyes. "Someday, Jack, someday."
TBC…Who did Jack go see? What is in the file??? When will Sam drink the champagne? Will Pete get a clue? Those questions answered and more (maybe) on our next chapter of…dum da dum dum…Let's go to the movies…Hee Hee J