AN: A million thanks to all those that have reviewed this FIC, thank you. This is the penultimate chapter, so chapter 9 will be the last sniff.
Thanks muchly to Becky and Beth for betaing, you guys are great ;o)
Anyway, I'm gonna shut up now, And…as always, go pee it's 25 pages, lol.
Warning: Angst/Domestic Violence, Sexual situations.
Rating: R for reasons of above.
Chapter 8 – Vengeance
It was mid-morning when they began preparations. Huddled in the living room, they had gone through the plans with a fine toothcomb and it appeared that everything was in order. With Daniel and Teal'c returned from P2S-869, SG-1 they were able to finalise their covert mission: "Operation Kick Ass". Their plan to coax him out of the open was now set into motion.
Preparing themselves in the safety of Sam's house, both O'Neill and Carter put on her bulletproof jacket…just in case. Daniel and Teal'c had already made their way to the rendezvous site earlier that morning to give them an advantage point, which left Sam and Jack alone.
"You still sure about this? We can find another way, Sam. It's not too late to back out."
"Not having second thoughts are you?"
"Second…third…fourth."
Sam smiled lightly even in the seriousness of the situation. Drifting off into her own world for a minute, she realised that he wasn't the only one with doubts. This had been plaguing her all night. Since yesterday when they had arranged for a caller ID to be attached to the phone, the incessant ringing seemed to have abated and she wondered if he was aware of the measures to curb the malicious phone calls. Either way, it still made her uneasy.
"Earth to Carter?" Jack questioned, a small flicker of worry flittered in his chocolate brown eyes.
"What? Sorry."
"Talk to me." Jack said softly, "We need to go out there without hesitations and if you're…"
"I'm not. It's just that…I have a bad feeling?"
"We've covered all the bases. Teal'c and Daniel will be our lookouts. I won't let anything happen to you." Jack reassured her.
"It's not me I'm worried about. It's all of you. He's so unpredictable and he always seems to be one step in front of us. It's like he's reading my mind. Does that make any sense?"
"Think of it as just another stroll in the park." Jack grinned openly.
"Just be careful Jack, please. You talk about me not taking any chances, well, now I'm telling you. That shoulder isn't healed yet and if you get hurt, Janet will have my hide."
"I will." Jack said with all seriousness. Taking hold of her hand he continued with total sincerity. "Trust me."
It felt as if a jolt of electricity had tore through her body as soon as his hand made contact with hers. As she looked into his eyes, she felt at peace for the first time in a long while. After this was all said and done, she wondered if things would change between them. It was a gamble, but one she had to take. They had spent the last few years hiding, repressing, and ignoring their feelings, so much so that she wasn't sure if they would ever open up to each other. Not only that, she wasn't even sure how he felt. She knew he cared about her, but did he care about her in that way? Only time would tell. If they were going to take the chance, then they'd have to get to know each other on a different level. He knew her as his 2IC, and she knew him as her CO. But, they would have to get to know each other as Jack and Sam; something that was easier said than done.
Giving his hand one quick last squeeze she nodded her head, indicating she trusted him implicitly. "Lets go."
"Okay kids, keep your ears and eyes open." Jack requested speaking into his radio.
They had just arrived in the park, it was a beautiful summers day and thankfully there didn't seem to be many people walking around. The sun was shining brightly over the mountains, and the birds could be heard chirping in the distance. If the situation wasn't so dire, he might've enjoyed the stroll in the park with her more. As things stood, their main objective was catching Pete, so unfortunately there was little time to enjoy his surroundings.
"Relax, Carter." He told her as they walked around the winding path.
"I'm trying." Sam told him annoyed with herself. They had now been walking for twenty minutes…and still nothing. "Maybe he's not here?"
"Oh he's here all right."
"How do you know?"
"Instinct." Jack told her. Years of covert operations had more than prepared him for this day. Just because he couldn't see him, didn't mean that he wasn't watching…somewhere.
Nearly an hour and a half had passed since their arrival and they still weren't any nearer to catching him. Not only that, but they were running out of places to go. What they didn't want is for it to look suspicious, going round in circles all the time, made them look as if they were up to something. They needed to make Pete think that this was natural, but their stance and faces said otherwise.
"This is ridiculous!" Sam told him dejectedly, walking away from. "It was a stupid idea in the first place."
Grabbing her by the hand, he pulled her back. "Wait a minute, maybe we just need to spice things up a bit?" Jack advised, coming up with a new idea.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, here I am in a beautiful park, with a beautiful woman and it's like we're strangers. We're here to coax him out; force his hand. But, as realistic as we try and make things…it's like there's a barrier between us. Neither one of us are used to being like this, you know…just you and me."
"When did things start getting so…awkward between us?" Sam asked with uncertainty.
"I don't know. I think for me it was after Daniel ascended." Jack answered honestly, lowering his head slightly.
Sam recalled the memory with absolute clarity. It had been a difficult time for both of them, they'd lost their friend and each was grieving in their own way. She had wanted to talk to him about it, but he'd shut her out…and it had hurt her deeply.
"Why were you so angry with me?"
"Is that what you thought?"
"Yes. I wanted…needed to talk to you about how I was feeling, and you dismissed me as if I was…nothing." Sam remembered sadly.
Jack stopped in mid pace and turned to face her, placing his hands on her shoulder before slowly caressing them. It was time for a bit of honesty. Their eyes locked instantly, their bodies' only inches apart. "I'm sorry. I wasn't angry with you, I was just… afraid that I'd tell you something I shouldn't. You are the only person who makes me feel…vulnerable. When Daniel died, I didn't know how to cope. So, I shut everyone out, because it was easier to do than face up to how I was really feeling. I knew if I let you in, I'd be crossing the boundaries…and I didn't want to put you in that position. You had your whole career in front of you, and I didn't want to jeopardise it."
"It's funny isn't it? I thought you had stopped caring for me…" Sam advised nervously. This was the first time that they'd actually spoken out loud about their feelings, and initially she felt very self-conscious. She knew that he was a very private man, and appreciated how difficult it was for him to open up to her.
"Sam. I know that this is probably not the right place or time for that matter, but I just want you to know that…"
"Jack." Daniel called from his radio.
Both of them stopped short. Sam held her breath. Did that mean that Daniel had spotted something? Her heart raced at the anticipation that something was going to happen.
Stealing a look at her, he noticed fear in her eyes and put an arm round her shoulder in an effort to comfort her. It wasn't an overt gesture, but it helped, he hoped. He felt her lean into him and everything felt right. He felt as if he was 'coming home' and he didn't want to let go of her. Leaning closer into her to avoid any suspicion, he missed the flush that rose in her cheeks. "Go ahead."
"I got nothing. Do you see anything your end?"
"Daniel. If you don't see him, then why radio?"
"I'm being vigilant."
Jack rolled his eyes at his friends' sudden interruption and whispered through gritted teeth. "I have so got to have a talk to him about his timing. It's impeccable." Shaking his head, he continued. "Of course you are, Daniel. Now can you please be vigilant, quietly, talking into a radio is not conducive to a good stakeout."
"Sorry." Daniel replied, feeling as if just got his hand slapped.
"Just keep your eyes open. If there's no sign of him within the next half an hour, we'll call it a day. Teal'c did you copy that?"
"Indeed, O'Neill. The park is remarkably quiet. I have not been able to see anything untoward, but I shall continue to observe."
"Thanks, O'Neill out."
Profanities spewed out of his mouth like volcano overflowing with lava. A bitter taste settled in the back of his throat as he watched Colonel Jack O'Neill put his arm around his girlfriend. His eyes turned steely cold as he watched them from a distance. He wondered if they thought him stupid? Did they really think that having people watch out for him would make any difference? Their pathetic attempts at trying to catch him were almost humorous. He'd watched her friends leave early that morning, acting nonchalant…but he knew something was going on. He hadn't spent the last ten years on stakeouts for nothing. How much they underestimated him! Watching her place her arm around him, holding him close, touching him tentatively like that… she would regret it. Her time was coming…soon; he would make her beg for mercy.
"So…" The moment was ruined. They'd had a rare opportunity to share a bit of honesty with each other, but that one simple interruption had ensured that their timing…as always was off.
"So…want to head back?" Jack asked, moving his arm from over her shoulders to sit lightly around her waist.
"Give it a little while longer. I know it doesn't look like he's going to show, but… Maybe he's finally gotten the message?"
"Maybe." Jack answered unconvinced that someone who had gone to as much trouble in harassing her as he had done, would simply let her go. It didn't make sense.
"You don't think so?" She asked reading the undertone in his voice.
"I don't know. He doesn't seem to me like a man who'd just stop, not after what he's done, but then again, what do I know?"
"I wish you wouldn't do that." Sam said softly.
"Do what?" Jack asked perplexed.
"Act like you don't know anything. I know for a fact that you're a lot smarter than you let on."
"I don't know what you mean." Jack replied feigning ignorance.
Watching her shake her head in disbelief, he noted a subtle wind catching her hair moving it subtly across her eyes. As she brushed it away, the sun caught the strands of her hair, and it glistened like gold; she looked so beautiful that he had to stop himself from reaching out to her. Inwardly chastising himself for his lapse in judgement, this wasn't the time or place to be having these feelings. She was still his 2IC, at least for the time being, and right now he didn't want to put her in an awkward position…it just wasn't appropriate.
Suddenly he felt awkward, he had all these feelings for her, but yet again fate had placed a stumbling block in their path. Until such a time when things were calmer, he'd give her that time to work out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, and while he'd waited patiently for seven long years to tell her how he felt, he knew that these next few weeks…months were going to be the hardest. Even then he didn't know if they could make it work.
As they reached the edge of the pathway that led to the parking lot, Jack heard the radio crackle once more.
"Jack."
"Daniel."
"Where are you?"
"We're just coming up to the parking lot, why? Everything okay?"
"No, you…um…might want to get back here as quick as you can."
"We're on our way."
From the tone in his voice, something had obviously gone wrong. Neither one of them could even speculate about Daniel's cryptic message, but one thing was sure…it wasn't good. A furtive glance passed between them, both of their minds seemed to be in sync as they wondered, "What now?"
Walking swiftly through the park towards the exit, they came to a standstill not far from Jack's truck. A crowd had started to form around the vehicle, which wasn't a huge surprise to them, considering what had happened to it.
From a distance, all he could do was stare at his beautiful truck in disbelief. The only thing he could see was the car spray painted pink, it looked like writing from a distance, but he couldn't make out the words. As angry as he was, the only thing that came to mind was, "Well, I didn't think pink was my colour…but then again this is the new millennium!"
Sam's hand flew to Jack's arm, a touch that didn't go un-noticed by the others. "Oh, Jack! Your poor car! I'm so sorry for getting you involved…this wasn't your fight, and now look…look what's happened to your truck." Her eyes filled with unshed tears. She didn't know what to say to him.
"Major Carter, it is better if you do not go near the vehicle." Teal'c stated simply stepping in front of her path.
"Let me through, Teal'c, please."
Glancing over at Daniel for support, he noted that he was conversing with the Colonel. He knew it was a futile gesture in not letting her past, but she was his friend and did not want to hurt her further.
"It is not pleasant."
"Teal'c, no offence, but I am not some little thing that you have to look after. Just because I'm not at the SGC anymore, doesn't mean that I'm not capable of fighting my own battles."
Teal'c looked offended, it was not his intention to belittle her. "I am sorry. It was not my intention to make you feel that way. I was simply trying to spare you added discomfort."
"I appreciate it, Teal'c really, but I'm a big girl." Sam answered looking across at Daniel and Jack, wondering what they were whispering about.
"Daniel?" Jack queried turning his back away from her.
"Um…It's not very nice." Daniel replied softly, not wanting Sam to hear.
"Well I gathered that much. We can't stop her, she's going to see it sooner or later."
"Yeah, I know, but couldn't we show her after the re-spray?"
"That bad?"
"Yes, I would say so." He remarked nodding his head lightly.
"Okay, lets get this over and done with." Turning back round, he walked towards his Jaffa friend asking simply, "Let her through Teal'c."
"Thank you." Sam replied tersely. She could never understand them, off world, she was a mean lean fighting machine, but back home in civilian clothing they did tend to become slightly overprotective. While she did appreciate it, it was becoming grating.
Shock
Anger
Disgust
Walking round the truck, she paid attention, to every little mark on there. The hood was painted with the words, 'SLUT' on one side and 'WHORE' inscribed with neon pink spray paint. The tyres were slashed to ribbons, the door panels seemed to have been beaten with some kind of blunt hammer and the windows were smashed; shards of glass littered the pavement. Thoughts assaulted her mind…how? When? All along he had been there, watching her, stalking her. They had obviously missed their opportunity, but…how did he know what they were planning? She didn't understand. All that work, the preparation…hell they'd done everything by the book, even to the point of advising the local law enforcement…just in case. Was it possible that he had someone in on the inside? No. That couldn't be it…could it?
"Daniel, have the police been called?" Sam stated calmly, pulling herself together.
"No, not yet, we've been waiting for you and Jack."
"Call them, now. He can't have gotten too far away, and if we're lucky we might nail the son of a..."
"Sam."
Consumed by a slow burning hatred, she was startled by the sudden mention of her name. The fury didn't lesson at the softness of his voice; instead it increased exponentially. She couldn't see how he was staying so calm about all of this, when she was seething. Her eyes had taken on a focused steely glaze; this was now becoming a game of cat and mouse. He had tipped her over the edge. It was now pay back time.
Jack was worried. He was used to seeing her get angry, but usually when she did so, it was a 'flash in the pan' kind of anger, which would flare up quickly, but dissipate almost immediately. He wasn't used to this, he'd seen it before…and it wasn't a healthy kind of rage. He knew, because that was his way…but it wasn't hers. Not hearing him the first time, he walked over turning her to face him. "Sam."
"I'm fine." She replied coldly, her eyes heavy-set with pure determination. "I'm going for a walk."
"Sam, don't wander off on your own." Daniel called after her.
"Leave her be, Daniel." Jack requested placing a restraining hand on the young man's shoulder.
"Jack."
"Daniel, trust me. She'll be okay, but she has to do this…for herself. We have to let her go. She's wound up so tightly she's likely to blow."
"What about Pete? What if he's out there waiting for her?"
"Daniel, we can't wrap her up in cotton wool every time she leaves our sight or when something happens. We're going to end up smothering her."
"I'm just worried."
"Me too." Jack advised him, remembering the conversation they'd had the previous morning with her and Janet.
"As am I." Teal'c looking on stoically at the fading form in the distance, completed the similar phrase that had eased their troubles in the past, but this time he was un-certain.
Returning from whence she came, Sam found herself walking briskly through the undergrowth, her stride was purposeful and filled with determination. She didn't know where she was going or why she needed to do this…only that she had to.
Broken thoughts and images flashed through her mind. She was running out of ideas…she hope this would bring him out into the open by making him jealous. Sure, it worked, but not in the way she'd planned. The only thing she was grateful for was that the object of his destruction, was mechanical and not living…that was her only saving grace.
She didn't know how far she'd walked or in what direction her rage had taken her, but before long she found a serene spot down by the lake. A park bench stood vacant as if inviting her for some respite. The mid-day sun was slowly setting casting a soft reflection on the water's edge. The soft sound of ripples lapped against the edge of the fauna. Brightly coloured flowers cradled the lakeside, and as she sat on the bench listening to its soft caress against the pebbles, she felt her breathing slow down. She felt as if she were alone in the world, that nature had realised her need for solitude and provided it in the way of this idyllic setting.
Rubbing her hands through her hair, she heard the gentle sound of ducks, quacking softly somewhere down stream. The gentle sound of birds searching for their nests could be heard high in the thick oak trees, providing her with complete serenity…even if it was just for a little while.
If she'd have stayed, there was no doubt in her mind that she would've lost her temper completely. It didn't matter that it was Pete she was angry with, he wasn't there to vent her anger on, but they were. And as hard as she tried to reign in her temper, she was finding it more and more difficult. SG-1 were her family, and no matter how close family members were, they were easy targets to vent frustration on, and she didn't want to do that, they'd been through enough. As for Pete, she was going to hunt him down and hurt him…just as much as he'd hurt her.
"How much longer are we going to wait for her before we go looking?"
"We wait until she's ready."
"It's been over an hour, Jack."
"I know. Just be patient, she'll be back soon."
"How do you know?"
"Because you know her as well as I do, she's not about to go off and do something stupid. She's smarter than that."
So, they continued to sit patiently, waiting for their friend. The car had already been towed and was now thankfully on it's way for a spray job. The police once more had little evidence to suggest it was anything other than mindless vandalism. No-one had seen the perpetrator carry out there act and without that, it was more than a likely hood that it would proceed through normal channels until such a time when evidence became available.
Not more than 10 minutes after their conversation, a lone figure strolled casually up the winding path towards them.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"You ready to head off?"
"Yeah, lets go." Relieved that she wasn't going to receive a lecture from them, made her feel more secure in herself. She was tired; it had been a long day and the last thing she wanted was a lecture on how irresponsible she had been on wandering off on her own.
The ride back in Daniel's car was uneventful. Silence settled in the air, tinged with a slight awkwardness. They had no words to comfort her. Each one of them doubted that they could make any difference to what she was feeling.
As they neared the side of her house, Daniel deliberately checked his rear-view mirror for signs of being followed; thankfully they appeared to be alone.
"You want to come in for a coffee?" Sam asked her team.
"Have you ever known me to say 'no' to coffee?" Daniel asked casually, thankful that she seemed calmer.
"What is it with you and coffee anyway, Daniel? Have you got some kind of fetish?"
"How can you not like it? It's the most sensual, delectable liquid that I've ever tasted. It's so smooth it glides down your throat, and don't get me started on the aroma. It's…"
"You need therapy." Jack replied lightly, shaking his head.
Sam let off a little snort; she was going to miss their familiar banter. As she neared the entrance to her front door, she felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach. Not wanting them to know how nervous she was, she carried on chatting exuberantly about anything and everything in an effort to try and belay her fear. Trouble was, once she started talking, she found herself unable to stop and continued to babble like a brook.
Even if they realised what she was doing, they didn't call her on it…maybe they were learning to let her handle things in her own way?
Eyeing them all from his rear-view mirror, he couldn't get over how relaxed she seemed with them, laughing and joking as if nothing had happened. His tactics obviously weren't having any effect on her whatsoever? It seemed as if she needed to be reminded on how dangerous he could really be if he didn't get his own way. And tonight was the night. Working out how he would corner her and make her pay for leaving him, he smiled sinisterly at what he would do with her. Pulling the knife from it's sheath, he ran his thumb along its spine from base to tip, caressing it gently. The sun danced over the sharp silver blade, and he grinned with delight at its splendour.
Their conversation had been light and casual as they each talked of their recent mission, and how they were going to spend their respective weekends. Each of them tried in their own way to avoid the topics of concern.
Checking her watch, Sam didn't realise how late it had gotten, if she didn't get to bed soon she'd never be ready for the morning briefing and… Then she remembered. Sadness flickered across her face only briefly. No one noticed…except for Jack.
Mouthing the words, "You okay?" Jack didn't know what the fleeting look was about, but seeing Sam nod her head affirmatively he didn't press it.
A small yawn escaped her, hurriedly she tried to hide it from the others, but it was too late.
"Sorry. It's been a long day."
"Don't worry about it. Listen, would you mind if I borrowed your car tonight? I promise to return it first thing in the morning, only it's late and Daniel and Teal'c are heading back to the base and I just need to check on a few things."
"Sure, it's the least I can do after today. Look, keep it as long as you need, I'm not going anywhere."
"I'll bring it back tomorrow. First thing. You need anything before we go? Unless…" Jack finished hesitantly.
"No, I'm fine, really. I'll probably just jump in the shower and have an early night."
"Sure?"
"Positive. Thanks for the offer."
"Anytime. We'll drop by tomorrow if that's okay?"
"You don't have to."
"We want to." Daniel butted in firmly.
"Thanks guys. Goodnight Teal'c." Sam said firstly walking up to her Jaffa friend and engulfing him in a bear hug. Then turning to Daniel, she kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Night Daniel."
As she faced Jack, the first thing she thought of was how to say goodbye. Did she embrace him as she did Teal'c or kiss him lightly on the cheek as she had done with Daniel? It was all so confusing. She felt as if she was on a first date, wondering who was going to make the first move? Hell she hadn't felt like that since she was a teenager and looking at him, he was obviously feeling the same way.
"Um…take care, Carter. You know where we are if you need us." Jack replied finally, patting her lightly on the shoulder. For some reason he felt awkward in front of the others. I mean it wasn't like he had a guilty conscience, so there was no reason why he should feel like this, but he did.
Standing on the front porch, she waved them goodbye, before returning to her fortress. Closing the door firmly behind her, she activated the dead bolt ensuring her entrance was secure. Picking up the dirty dishes, she loaded the washing machine first before checking the rest of her doors and windows, which seemed secure enough. Yawning once more, she tried to shake of the heaviness of sleep. She knew she was tired, it had been a long time since she'd had a decent nights sleep.
These days the bags under her eyes seemed to be more like suitcases. Ever since the night her home had been broken into, sleep had eluded her. Recently she'd only been managing approximately 3 hours sleep a night, even then it was usually sleeping with a blanket wrapped round her as she lay on the sofa with the TV on. She didn't know why it gave her comfort…only that it did. She hated the fact that he had made her afraid of living in her own home, and no matter how many times she had rationalised to herself that she was as safe as she could make it, but, it made no difference. And she doubted if things were ever going to change. As one last fleeting thought crossed her mind she wondered if she'd ever feel secure here again. Only time would tell.
She needed to start getting back into the habit of sleeping in her own bed, staying out here in the living room only meant that he'd won. He'd harassed her enough to make her fearful…even in her own home, and she couldn't let him have that satisfaction. Instead she decided that she would go and have a nice relaxing bath, full of bubbles. She'd fill the room with aromatic candles and put on some soft relaxing music to prepare her for bed. It had been a long time since she'd bathed…usually she never had time for that luxury, it was always a quick 15 minutes in the shower every morning, but tonight, she would pamper herself.
Contemplating in solitude, Jack didn't want to leave her; he knew he had no other choice, but the thought of her being alone in that house scared the crap out of him. It wasn't that he didn't think she was capable of looking after herself, far from it. But, Pete was a sly conniving fox, who seemed intent on playing mind games. Those sorts of people couldn't be reasoned with. Pete was out to destroy her life and take down anyone who stood in his way of attaining his goal. And the frustrating part of this whole charade was, that there was very little he could do to stop it.
Driving home he had debated on remaining there outside her house; keeping a watchful eye on her from a distance, but if she caught him there, it would be like he didn't have faith in her. And there had already been too many miscommunications between them and he wasn't prepared to forfeit their already fragile relationship. He was sure that if she needed him, she'd call.
A dark shadow fell over Samantha Carter's lawn, the slow squeaking of her metal gate was the only sound that good be heard in the quietness of the night as he crept slowly forward growing nearer to her house. The soft hue of the street lamp cast a shadow against her wall as he neared the steamed up bathroom window. A malicious grin spread over his face and his eyes turned cold. Pulling out the blade from his sheath he moved stealthily around the other side of the house and waited until he caught a glimpse of her from under the blinds that were only ¾ turned down. He could just make her out in a slinky blue robe as she shut the door to the bathroom. He had found his opportunity. The timing was perfect.
He would wait a few more minutes, then he would make his move. Be it in this life or the next, she would be his forever. He would ensure that no one else could lay claim on her again. After he was done with her, no one would want her.
An aromatic smell drifted around the bathroom, hints of lavender and eucalyptus smothered her senses as she lowered herself into the hot steamy bath. A mixture of steam and natural oils intermingled in her bathroom creating a relaxing atmosphere. Sounds of classical music filled the echoes of the room, candles scattered around her bath completed the tranquil atmosphere and felt herself drifting off. The soft squelching bubbles lapped leisurely over her, massaging her tired aching muscles with every movement she made, she could feel herself falling into a light slumber.
Going from window to window, he attempted to find his entry point, every window and door seemed to be locked securely. Pondering briefly he thought about cutting the wires attached to the alarm, it wasn't a difficult task, but it was more time consuming. In the end he didn't believe he had a choice, then he spotted it…an open window leading to the basement. It was only slightly ajar…all it needed was a bit of coaxing. Jimmying the window ledge open, the wooden frame splintered at his exertion. Pulling the window upwards he slid himself into the basement carefully avoiding the fractured pieces of wood that now lined the edges of the windowsill.
The old dusty wooden floorboards groaned and creaked slightly at the weight of pressure being placed upon them. Plumes of dust rose up from the basement floor as his footsteps disturbed what had lain there dormant for some time. Making his way cautiously towards the basement steps, he tested every wooden board before placing his full body weight on them…everything had to be just right, he couldn't make her aware of his presence until he was ready.
Slowly opening the door, he tiptoed quietly through the pantry, listening intently for any sign of movement from her. From the sounds of classical music coming from the bathroom, he knew she wouldn't be moving for a while yet. Her time was coming. Pulling a small box from his trouser pocket, placing it in clear site on top of the kitchen's breakfast bar. Grinning wildly at his cunning, he crept towards a recess in the house that would conceal him until it was time.
Opening her eyes lazily, she knew it was time to get out the bath; her wrinkled fingers and toes were a testament to that. The water had become decidedly tepid and she was starting to get cold. Sighing, she realised that, that was probably the best sleep she'd had in a long while, but she knew she couldn't stay in there forever…besides it would cost her a fortune in hot water. Stretching her body to get some of the blood pumping in her veins, she came to the conclusion that the bath had obviously done her the world of good, but just like everything, all good things had to come to an end.
Blowing out the candles, she pulled herself out of the bath placing her dripping feet on the mat below. Walking over to the handrail, she grabbed the nearest towel and began delicately drying herself. Rubbing the towel through a hair, she glimpsed herself in the mirror, she still looked like crap, but a few more of these baths, would help in that area. And at least for half an hour she'd managed to avoid thinking about him.
Changing into her nightwear, she begrudgingly turned off the music and sauntered into the living room to check her answering machine. Trouble was, having the music on loud meant that she couldn't here her phone, thankfully though no one had rang. Things were obviously looking up. Smiling to herself, she headed leisurely towards the kitchen for a nice mug of hot milk before bed.
Nearing the kitchen, she saw something glistening on the side. Her heart slammed against her chest. The rush of adrenaline flowed profusely through her veins at the site of the object that lay in front of her. Whipping her head round to check behind her, she felt a cold shiver run down her spine. Walking slowly towards it, she picked it up with shaking hands…it was her mother's ring!
"Oh God no." She whispered, fear paralysing her momentarily.
What if he was still here? She needed to protect herself, but the baseball bat was by the front door and she didn't know if she could make it there in time. Glancing over at the set of cutlery sitting beside the toaster, she spotted her kitchen knives; if need be, she would use them.
Suddenly she felt her blood turn icy cold, she could feel his presence behind her. Before she had time to turn around, she felt a hand clasp her mouth. She tried to scream, but he exerted more pressure on her face, suffocating her. Gasping, she tried to fight him off. Jerking her head back and kneeing him in the groin was the first thing they taught at self-defence classes, but he knew the score, and avoided her jabs.
Each time she tried to escape his advances his grip became more intense. The one thing she believed would work was manoeuvring her hand behind her; she grabbed his genitals, squeezing them as hard as she could. It worked for a second, but it only angered him further.
His voice was deep and low, malice oozed out of his mouth as he whispered in her ear. "Sam, if you stop struggling, it will make this whole thing so much easier."
The only thing Sam could think of to gain the upper hand was to throw him off balance. Trying desperately to shake him off, she rocked her body back and forth trying to gain some momentum. Firmly planting her feet on the floor, she pushed her back against his body and the force of her efforts caused him to stumble, taking him along with her, hitting hard against the stony floor.
Waiting at the traffic lights, Jack slammed his fist against the steering wheel, "CRAP!" He couldn't believe what he'd done. "Could this day get any better!"
Pulling over he grabbed his cell phone and began dialling the base.
"Daniel? It's me."
"What's up?"
"Did I leave my keys in your car?"
"Um…no, I don't think so. Let me ask Teal'c if he saw them, hang on a sec."
Hearing muffled voices in the background, Jack assumed Daniel was still talking with Teal'c. Jack impatiently tapped his fingers on the side. He was tired, cranky and in no mood to wait. "Anytime soon would be good."
"Hey, I'm back. Teal'c says 'no'."
"Great, just great. How the hell am I going to get into my house now?"
"Maybe you left them at Sam's or… Hey, didn't you give your keys to the mechanic?"
"DOH!"
"I take that as a 'yes'?" Daniel replied hesitantly. "Haven't you got a spare set lying around?"
"No, I gave them to Carter."
"Want me to ring her?"
"No, don't worry I'll do it. Speak to you later." Hanging up, he punched in speed-dial #1 and waited…after letting the phone ring for a good few minutes, he started to get a bad feeling. Why wasn't she answering her phone? It wasn't like her. Maybe she was in the bath or in bed? Checking his watch it was nearly midnight. Too late for all those things. Frowning, he tried once. Okay, this was not good. Doing a complete U-Turn in the middle of the road, he narrowly missed a truck passing in the opposite direction.
Between trying to call Daniel back and traversing the bends in the road, Jack only just managed to avoid a collision. Cursing out loud, Daniel answered the phone at the same time.
"Well that's a new way to say 'hello'."
"Daniel, Carter's in trouble."
"Whoa whoa, slow down, what's happened?"
"I tried to call her, and she didn't answer."
"Jack, she might be in the bathroom...or asleep?"
"Daniel, I've tried a few times, something's wrong. Call the police and have them meet me there. I'm heading back to hers."
"What if you're wrong?"
"Then you can have the pleasure of saying 'I told you so'."
"I'll do it now, then we'll meet you there." Slamming the phone down he shouted to Teal'c. "Sam's in trouble. We're meeting Jack at hers." Dialling the police en-route to the surface, they made their way to the surface. They had to get there in time.
Collapsed on the floor, Sam felt the wind get knocked out of her, but she was determined to get the upper hand. Tearing herself from his grasp she clawed at him, her fingernails ripped his hands and she heard him cry out in pain. Getting to her feet, she managed to elude him for a split second. Running into the living room, she heard the phone ringing, but she had to concentrate on getting the bat, that was her priority. Pete unfortunately recovered quickly and pounced on her as she made her way across the living room, bringing her crashing down to the floor once more. Sam felt herself falling and tried to bring her hand out to stop herself, but collided with her bookcase; its contents fell precariously over her head. As she collided with it, the shelf unit toppled over, and she narrowly escaped severely injuring herself. Flipping over she banged her head on the coffee table. Blood poured from the open wound, and she found herself disorientated. Trying to clear her head, she felt her vision glaze over, but she had to get up. With her vision blurred, she just made out the shape of a man coming closer. There was no time to escape him.
"BITCH!" Pete shouted, clutching his hand. Fumbling after her, he watched her struggle on the ground. Unfocussed and confused, he seized his opportunity and pounce on her. Sitting on her pelvis, he whipped out the knife. Holding it firmly in his grasp, he held it up against her throat and she ceased her struggling.
Sam felt the blade pressing into her neck. Her heart pounded against her chest when he gyrated his crotch against her pelvis. Initially her thoughts were that he would kill her then and there, but as his body pressed against hers, she feared he would rape her first…then kill her. With her breaths coming in short pants, she tried to calm herself down. Fear had a way of paralysing a person, and she couldn't afford that luxury, not when she was all alone.
"You're a little tease aren't you, sleeping with me and your beloved Colonel? I hope he was worth it."
She didn't have a clue what he was talking about; she'd never slept with the Colonel. Why would he think that she had? Remembering Jack's words…it clicked, like a light bulb switching on. It was all so clear now. It didn't matter what he thought, or even if it was true or not, he was passed that. Filled with rage and unbridled hatred for her and the life she led. It wouldn't have made any difference if she had lain here and professed her innocence…it wouldn't matter, not to him. "There's only one thing I regret, Pete. And that was sleeping with you!"
He silenced her first by striking her across the face. Straddling her hips, he clamped his hand over her mouth to silence her further, he ran the blade down her body; scraping her skin in the process.
Sam felt every movement, she didn't think the cut down her chest was deep, but it was certainly enough to seep through her clothing. He wanted to hurt her, but from his chilling penetrating gaze, he wanted to enjoy the sensation first. And that meant taking his time. Her body felt as it had been thrown off a cliff, there wasn't a part of her that wasn't bruised or bloodied.
Barely managing to control her heart rate, she tried to prepare herself. If she was going to risk everything, she had to do it now. She didn't know how much more time she had.
His hand groped her body, and Sam felt physically sick at his touch. He was getting closer to attaining his goal, and for the moment she lay there; restrained by the blade to her stomach. It didn't matter what she did, she was going to get cut, and that was one of things they taught her. If you're trying to evade a weapon, prepare yourself for the likelihood of it being used on you. As his hand moved away from her body he pinned her down by the shoulder. His other hand still held the blade, but she watched him like a hawk, his eyes, hands… anything that would provide her with a window of opportunity. And then it came. He moved the knife away from her body, it was only for a split second, but it was all she needed. She brought her hand round and punched him with her free hand. He didn't see it coming. The weapon flew out of his hand and she used that advantage against him.
Scampering out of his way, she lunged for the knife. With every ounce of stamina that she had within her, she grabbed it firmly. If he now wanted to take the knife away from her, he was going to have to kill her first.
Recovering from the blow to his head, Pete staggered to his feet.
"Think you can take me on do you?" Pete sneered, wiping his bloodied lip. "Well come on then, Sam. Lets see what you're made of."
"You have no idea what I'm capable of, Pete." Sam stated with pure venom. "I'm warning you, take one more step towards me and it will be the last thing you ever do."
Ignoring her completely, he stepped casually towards her. His hands beckoned for her to take him on. Retreating slightly, she tried to position herself nearer to the phone so she could call the emergency services. As her eyes went to search for the phone, which had been strewn across the room, he used it as leverage and rushed towards her. She was prepared this time. She swiped at him, and caught his arm. Grabbing her by the wrist he tried to make her relinquish the weapon. Pushing her against the wall, he head connected with the concrete, but she managed to stay conscious. High on adrenaline and need to survive, she brought her knee up to him and kneed him in the groin. He lost his grip on her, and she kicked him in the knee, making him scream in pain.
He stumbled slightly, before taking another swing at her. Evading his punch, she brought her leg up and kicked him in the stomach. This time he went down; winded by her ferocious back kick.
Turning the corner into her road, he could believe how much time it had taken to get here, but then again considering how long it normally took, he was surprised the traffic police hadn't caught up with him.
His tyres screeched as he rounded the corner, his palms were cold and sweaty as he gripped the steering wheel. He didn't know what it was that gave him a bad feeling; maybe it had been too many years in special ops. Whatever it was, he was thankful for it. It had saved his and the team's asses on many occasions in the past. His only hope was, that it had kicked in, in time.
Common sense at this point was not something that was at the forefront of her mind at the moment. All her concentrated efforts were directed at him…to silence him once and for all, as he had planned with her. Weeks of anger, fear and frustration clouded her rational mind, and she felt like someone else had taken control. There was no longer any rational thoughts left in her mind, this was pure hatred as she began kicking at his ribs. Each time he would move, she'd kick him again. It was at a point now, that he was barely conscious. She wanted to put the fear of god in him, make him beg for his life. Her fingers tightened against the knife as she straddled him.
With his face flushed with concern, he jumped out of his car, irritating his wounded shoulder. Racing towards her front door, he swung open the gate before knocking loudly on the door, shouting out her name.
"SAM! SAM!"
The lights were already on, but no one came. Shit! He knew he should never have left. He had no other alternative, but to break down the door. Unfortunately his previous injuries hampered his efforts and he couldn't get enough weight behind it using his good shoulder. Instead, the only thing he could think of was breaking the downstairs window.
Oblivious to everything surrounding her except for him, she pressed the blade against his throat in exactly the same fashion as he'd done with her. "The boots on the other foot now, isn't it Pete?" Sam told him darkly, pressing the blade against his jugular vein. A trickle of blood where she exerted pressure was now trickling slowly down his neck "I know all about the human body. I just need to press a little harder, and your sorry existence will be over. It's pay back time, Pete."
Jack heard her voice, but strangely it didn't sound like her. It was low and controlled, almost in a monotone voice. His fear piqued as he made his way slowly towards the living room. Careful to avoid detection, he saw her straddled on top of him. Looking round the room, he could see there had been a struggle. He didn't know what had happened here tonight, but she had obviously gotten the upper hand.
Moving stealthily towards them, he crept silently so not to startle her, instead he positioned himself clearly so that she could see him, and he could see her. The sirens could be heard blaring in the distance, and he knew that time was short.
"Sam. Can you hear me?" Jack asked softly, unsure of her state of mind. "Sam, help is on the way. Put the knife down…he's not going anywhere."
"NO!"
There was no room for arguing; she was dead set that he would pay for everything that he'd done.
"Sam." It was more a plea than anything else. "You don't want to do this. Let the police handle it."
"He nearly killed you Jack, and me. He killed my cat, terrorised me in my own home. I tried it their way and look where it got me. This is the only way."
Tension filled the room. His gaze flickered from Sam to Pete, trying to gauge the situation. He'd been here before. There came a point in any person's life, where they reached their limit, and Sam had met hers. He had to reach her. If she did this, there would be no turning back. It wouldn't be self-defence…it would be murder.
"Sam. Listen to me, the police are going to be here any second. I understand what you're going through, but this is not the way. If you do this, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Don't throw your life away for someone like him."
Jack could hear footsteps on the front porch. Loud voices echoed in the stillness of the night; it was the police. They were coming in.
"POLICE! No body move!" With one fell swoop they surrounded them; their weapons rose defensively. Shouting at Sam in particular they called out, "DROP THE KNIFE! DO IT, NOW."
Stepping in, Jack tried to reason with them, but as far as they were concerned, she was the one who had the weapon held to his throat.
"Sam!" His voice was firm and commanding as he knelt beside her. "Look at me? Put the knife down. If you don't, they will force you to do it. Do you understand? Killing him is too easy, Sam. It won't be him who pays…it'll be you. Now give me the knife."
"Not until he admits what he's done."
Jack looked down at the prone figure lying on the ground, before directing his gaze back towards is friend. "Sam, whether he admits it or not. It can't be admissible, you know that as well as I do."
Pete grinned maliciously; he didn't need to say anything. As far as he was concerned, he was the injured party. She was the one who had the knife to his throat and he had witnesses to prove that. Again it was her word against his.
"You ruined my life Pete Shanahan. You nearly killed the man I love. For the last few weeks you've made my life a living hell. Now I want you to tell them what you did."
Jack didn't know what to think...his head was spinning. This was the first time she'd actually come out and admitted her feelings for him. But, if he didn't stop her, they wouldn't be able to build a life together, and he'd never get the opportunity to tell her.
Pete heard the words. She loved him; she'd finally admitted it. "You little slut." He spat at her.
"Shut your mouth Shanahan." Jack shouted. His eyes revealing exactly how he was feeling. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see the police moving in closer, and he had no alternative, but to pull her away from him. Kneeling down besides her, he cautiously lowered his hand to hers. "Hand it over, Sam."
Her fingers relaxed lightly. Her head ached, she knew he was right, but damn it, so was she. Didn't she have rights any more? What about her rights to feel safe and secure in her own home? To build a life for herself, without fear of being terrorised? When was it all going to end? The pounding in her head increased, and she felt herself losing strength. Without realising what she was saying, she whispered softly, "When will it end?"
"It ends now." Jack stated with a note of finality. Taking the knife out of her hand he surreptitiously passed it over to the waiting officers.
Helping her up, she looked at him with an intensity that he'd never seen in her before. And he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. The police surrounded them in seconds. As soon as Sam was far enough away from Pete, the police swooped down and grabbed him. His face was stony set.
The police officer took a hold of her as soon as she turned around, effectively placing her under arrest. Jack was distraught. This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out. Watching as they placed her in handcuffs, Jack felt as if he was going to lose it completely.
"Wait a minute. He comes in here, attacking Sam in her own home I might add, and your arresting her?" Looking across at her, she seemed as if she didn't care, and he didn't understand why.
Talking directly to Jack, the officer replied apologetically, "I'm sorry it's just standard procedure. You have to understand that your friend was holding a knife to this man's throat..."
"In Self-Defence! If you lot had done your job properly..."
"Sir, You're not helping matters. Please let us handle this." They cautioned him.
"She's a Major in the United States Air Force. Isn't there any way you can release her into my custody? I'm her commanding officer. I can assure you, she won't be going anywhere, plus she needs medical treatment."
"It's not my call, sir. I can talk to my supervisor and see what we can do."
"Thank you. I appreciate it."
With the police officers leading her away, Jack followed closely behind. He had to make certain she didn't leave his sight. As they passed the man responsible for this whole predicament, Pete leant into Sam and whispered coldly. "I told you, you didn't have the balls, Sam. You needed your beloved Jack to come to the rescue, didn't you?"
Outraged at the mans audacity to exacerbate the situation, Jack felt rage bubbling under the surface. Clenching his fist he walked towards him with pure determination. His whole body language displayed defiance and hatred. At the moment, he would've liked nothing more than to punch him in the face, and then beat the crap out of him. But, he had to restrain himself. Hitting him wouldn't do either of them any good; his first concern was for Sam. She needed him to be there for her…not locked in some jail cell.
Trying desperately to contain his rising temper, he leaned towards him. No words were spoken, it seemed as if it was a battle of wills between them. Jack wanted Pete to see just what he was capable of without uttering a sound. Years of Black Ops had allowed him to convey more emotions with his eyes, then any spoken word could. His cold steely eyes reflected pure hatred for this man, and he wanted him to know it.
"You take on one us Shanahan, you deal with all of us. You get my meaning? If you come within fifty feet of Sam, then I swear to God, I won't stop her next time."
"I should've killed you when I had the chance instead of just wounding you." Pete spat with pure venom, looking between Sam and Jack.
Sam whipped her head round, had she heard him correctly? Had he admitted that he tried to kill Jack? Was this the only proof she needed?
Her emotions were in turmoil; she felt her eyes closing at the thought that it was finally over. Everything she'd gone through over the last few weeks was now coming to an end. He wouldn't hurt her again.
Jack smiled; he'd got what he wanted. Now all that was left was making sure Sam was okay. She'd been through something no one should have to deal with. But, he knew that she was a survivor. No matter what life had to throw at her, she'd pick herself up, dust herself off and start all over again. That was one of the things he loved about her. He could count on his hands the number of times he'd nearly lost her. And the worst part was…she'd never know just how much she meant to him. For too long he'd locked away his feelings for her, but now…she had the key to his heart and it was time to let her in.
Pulling up outside her house the remaining members of SG-1 jumped out of the car and headed towards the house.
Thwarted from entering the house, Daniel pleaded with the officer to let them pass, but even with his persuasive powers, the police refused to let them in.
"She's our friend, we have to make sure she's okay."
"Sir, as soon as the situation is under control, you can go in, but not before."
Thankfully they didn't have to wait long. Trying to see what was happening, Daniel spotted a flurry of activity at the entrance to Sam's door. She was being led out…in handcuffs. He didn't understand. Where was Jack? Did she kill someone? Questions ran through his mind. The street lamp illuminated her face as she was led down the path. Her face was pale, bloodied and bruised. Anxious and fearful for his friend's well being, he turned to Teal'c and noted that he held the same questioning, worried expression on his face.
As she approached her friends, she took in their concern and spoke softly, "It's over."
"Sam, what?"
"They're just taking precautions, Daniel. I'm okay, really. The Colonel is trying to get me released into his custody."
"I don't understand? What did you do?"
"I did what I had to." Sam answered tiredly walking towards the squad car.
Cleaned and bandaged, her wounds were extensive. She couldn't believe that she'd been able to carry on with that many injuries…but she had. The will to survive was her strongest asset and no matter what happened in her life from this point forward, she knew she would no longer be afraid of the demons in the night.
The police had been and gone, releasing her on her own reconnaissance. They were satisfied that her actions had been due to pure desperation and self-defence. They had no reason to contest it, since Pete's outburst. Lying back in the hospital bed, she felt as if the last few weeks had been a nightmare. They were keeping her in for a few days to make sure that there were no delayed reactions from the concussion, but once she was released she was a free women once more. Then she would have to deal with the aftermath. Uncertainty flickered in her eyes. She didn't know if she could live there anymore. With everything that had gone on tonight and events of the past, there were just too many bad memories. And maybe with her leaving the SGC it was time for a fresh start.
A gentle tapping on the door alerted her to visitors. Calling out for them to come in, she watched as they walked nervously towards her. She wasn't sure if it was the fact that she had actually defended herself that made them seem uneasy, or the fact that she was actually prepared to kill him if necessary to preserve her survival. Either way, she wasn't sure how they'd react.
Silence filled the room as each of them waited for the other to speak.
Clearing his throat, Daniel spoke up, "I'm glad you're okay, Sam. We were worried."
"I'm fine Daniel, apart from a few bumps and bruises, and a headache that won't quit."
"Yeah, that nail in the head thing, sure packs a punch." Jack told her softly, bringing a smile to his eyes.
As soon as he said the words, she knew they were going to be al right. She smiled lightly at his humour, and replied tiredly. "It sure does."
"I am pleased to see you are well Major Carter. We were concerned that we would have to visit you in the…clink, I believe is the correct terminology is it not Daniel Jackson?" he asked with all innocence.
"Remind me to teach you all about tact and diplomacy, Teal'c." Daniel replied, slightly mortified that he'd actually said that. It wasn't something she needed to hear now.
Unexpectedly, Sam laughed at his straightforwardness "Thank you Teal'c. I'm also glad."
"Great, now that the awkwardness is out the way…how about we celebrate?" Jack replied optimistically.
"I have brought the donuts, O'Neill." Teal'c replied.
"Excellent."
"Here? You bought donuts, here? And you're going to have a party…here?"
"Yes, Daniel, here. You expect Sam to go out in public wearing one of those backless hospital gowns…" Turning to her he asked, "It is backless isn't it?"
Sam nodded trying to keep a straight face.
"We're in a hospital, Jack. Sick people remember?"
"It's only going to be a little party, besides… I ordered pizza."
"You didn't?" Daniel questioned hesitantly.
"Indeed he did." Teal's smiled before offering up the various donuts he'd brought with him.
Before he had the opportunity to give him the answer, someone knocked on her door.
Going to answer it, Daniel heard those fatal words. "That's the one without anchovies."
Smiling to herself at the whole situation, she realised that she'd never have this again. True friends. And for the first time since this whole thing started, she regretted the fact that she'd given up her commission.
End of Chapter 8