Title: Circle's Arc

Rating: R (Violence)

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Spoilers: Abyss

Series Order: (1) Full Circle, (2) Circles of the Mind, (3) Splitting the Circle, (4) Empty Circles, (5) Circle of Lies, (6) Circles Revealed

Summary: Sam and Jack have a much needed talk and Debbie's luck finally runs out.

Dedication: For Sarah, taken from us too early. Your smile and friendship are sorely missed.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Details: Jack/Other, Sam/Other UST, Sam/Jack UST, Angst, Drama, Future Season. MCKAY WARNING: Yep, he's nice in this one too, so if you don't like him, don't read this.

Author Notes: 7th in the 'Circles' Series. Please send feedback to

Archive: Gateworld,

-------- indicates flashbacks

Circle's Arc

Copyright © Ruth, 2004

"Colonel Welling, what happened after you first arrived at the cell on Ba'al's ship?"

"I was scared, I admit it," she said, adding a sniff for good measure, "I have very little field experience with the Goa'uld, and certainly no preparation for capture. Major Carter's behaviour didn't help me in the least."

"What behaviour was this, Colonel?"

"Well, she was very short with me, and seemed to think that we had no hope of survival. In fact, at one point she said, and I quote, that she wasn't so bothered about dying a million miles from home, it was the fact that she had to do it with me."

Sam flushed scarlet and avoided the dirty look she was sure that Hammond was throwing at her. McKay wanted to smirk but decided not to risk it in the middle of the crowded courtroom. Jack was torn between annoyance that she would say something like that, knowing that she could get into serious trouble for it, and pride, because it sounded like one of his O'Neill-isms.

"This cannot have helped your situation," Debbie's lawyer agreed.

"No. Even though she is a junior officer, I felt undermined."

"And what happened when you were taken by Ba'al?"

"He…oh, the pain was so bad…it's like nothing I've ever felt before…" Debbie faltered.

McKay made a rude sound, and Sam smarted.

"No, well my getting repeatedly killed wasn't a cakewalk either," she snapped under her breath.

"And what happened after this? Do you remember? I understand this must be difficult for you to come to terms with."

Debbie nodded quietly and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.

Sam gritted her teeth, her hands clenching into fists. She was playing the sympathy card - and she was getting a little too much of it for her liking.

"I woke up in the cell - Colonel O'Neill was there to comfort me. If he hadn't been there…" her voice trailed off. This time is was Jack who flushed, and didn't meet Sam's eyes.

"Where was Major Carter?"

"She was with Ba'al. When she came back she was very stand-offish. Apparently he'd made her drink something that was making her hallucinate. She just sort of sat in the corner and yelled at us."

I never yelled at you, Sam thought angrily, I didn't have the fucking energy!

When the court broke for lunch, Sam went straight to her lawyer. She was nervous about the way Debbie was choosing to portray herself to the court and jury. Sam, being a seasoned soldier and frankly old hand at being tortured, had recounted the events with dignity and formality. Debbie, on the other hand, was emotional, and it was emotions that they were picking up on. Sam wondered if she had done the right thing by detaching herself from it.

"Don't jazz it up," she said, "What chance do I have now?"

"Well, from this point of view - not much," the lawyer admitted, "But we do have some new information against her. Something that she won't be expecting."

Sam brightened momentarily.

"The thing about her being transferred 10 times for bullying?"

"There's that," the lawyer said, with a smile, "But there's also something else."

"Colonel Welling, could you explain to me the nature of your relationship with Colonel O'Neill?"

"Well, I was assigned to work with his team when I arrived at the SGC, and later became his 2IC when Major Carter left to become a part of the scientific team."

"And this is as far as you would say your relationship goes?"

Sam frowned. So that was what her lawyer had been talking about. She cast a sideways look at McKay, who looked innocently up at the ceiling.

"Yes," Debbie answered confidently.

"Your honour, I would like to present to you a list of over 50 base personnel who are prepared to state in court, under oath, that Colonels Welling and O'Neill were romantically involved."

"Objection!" Debbie's lawyer bellowed, but the judge waved him away.

"Let me see it," he said, extending a bony hand.

He took the paper and glanced at it quickly, his frown deepening. Sam's lawyer sat back down and offered her a reassuring smile.

"This certainly does complicate proceedings, Miss Welling," the judge said, "Fraternisation between two officers in the same command is also an offence for which you could be court-martialled, is it not?"

Debbie didn't answer immediately, just sat there looking shocked. Her eye fell on Dr McKay in the front row, and anger rose like a fire within her. The little bastard. Why was he doing this for her? The two of them didn't have a chance.

The judge carried on.

"You may continue, but this evidence has brought to light some issues that were previously unexpected. I would not get too comfortable in your current position."

Debbie squirmed a little in her seat. Sam almost smiled - she had never seen her do that before. McKay, meanwhile, wished that he had brought a video camera with him.

"Colonel Welling, how would you describe your behaviour towards Major Carter?"

"I have always been perfectly civil towards her," Debbie said coolly, "It was her behaviour towards me that I found difficult to understand. She.."

"We are well aware of your opinion, Colonel Welling, but is it or is it not true that you accosted Major Carter in the locker room before the first mission you spent together and behaved in an insulting manner?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," Debbie lied.

"Face it, hon, you've never been anything more than the annoying scientist who talks too much and gets into trouble too often. You've never been anything more than that whore who tried to seduce him in this very locker room in the first month that you knew each other. You're nothing." The lawyer read, in a perfect monotone.

"Did you know that? She and Colonel O'Neill were involved long before I came on the scene!"

"Silence!" The judge said irritably, "Colonel Welling, we have mission reports validated by the president himself that concluded that the incident you are referring to was induced by an alien virus, and neither Major Carter nor Colonel O'Neill were acting under their own influences at the time. Therefore this evidence cannot be counted against them."

Sam's lawyer gave Debbie a moment to digest this information before continuing.

"Colonel Welling, you continued to berate Major Carter with abuse right up to the point where you were captured and interrogated. You then gave information about her to a system lord. Could you please tell us what you said to him?"

"I don't remember," Debbie snapped.

"Try harder," Sam's lawyer shot back, with a glare. Debbie sighed theatrically.

"I don't like her, but it's Jack she annoys more than anybody. Yeah, she sort of liked him more than he liked her. He got tired of it in the end. They had an argument, she ran off crying what a surprise."

"You were aware that you were not supposed to pass any information to the Goa'uld?"

"Yes, I was, but I did not consider this to be information."

"You were perfectly happy to endanger the life of a fellow officer, why? Because you didn't like her."

"No. I don't like her."

"Colonel, is it true that you have been transferred around army bases 10 times for bullying related incidents?"

"Objection!"

"Overruled. Answer the question, Miss Welling."

Debbie gritted her teeth.

"Yes."

"Colonel Welling, when you were in the cell, Colonel O'Neill was badly injured. Is it true that you then tried to place the blame for all of the past events on Major Carter herself?"

"I believed she was at fault," Debbie answered carefully.

"Are you even listening to me?" Debbie yelled. "This - is - your - fault!"

"There is, Colonel, a fine line between finding someone at fault, and finding someone guilty. Exactly why did you believe Major Carter was to blame?"

"She should have sensed the presence of the Goa'uld, and we would never have been captured. She behaved inappropriately towards me."

"And this is all you have to go on?" The lawyer asked, in a slightly mocking tone.

Debbie smiled nastily.

"That may be so, but your dear client didn't take much persuading."

Sam flushed and bit her lip. Jack clenched his fists in anger.

"In a moment the jury will return to deliver their verdict," the judge said, "But I have some advice for both defendants. Major Carter, though your situation was understandable and highly unfortunate, I ask you to consider more carefully the words you will use to address a commanding officer in the future. Colonel Welling, your past history with the military is frankly a disgrace. I believe that you need professional help before you consider returning to work. You, like Major Carter, need to consider the manner in which you address your junior officers."

The jury returned, and sat back down in their seats terrifically slowly. Sam's heart was beating faster and she felt very hot. Debbie was also looking nervous.

"Have the jury reached a decision?"

"Yes, your honour."

"How do you find the defendant, Major Carter, on charge of insubordination towards a senior officer?"

"Not guilty."

Sam was so relieved that she nearly passed out on the spot. A cheer went up from the courtroom, and she heard voices congratulating her, hands slapping her on the back - but she phased them out, like background noise.

She'd been careful to detach herself from the incident with Ba'al. Keeping it a separate part of her, like a limb she didn't need. She hadn't allowed herself any time to dwell on it, on what did happen, on what could have happened…

She was alright. She was free. Debbie's plan to bang her up had failed miserably. Although she was flushed with the success of her victory, she just felt unbelievably tired. Slowly, almost robotically, she moved out of the courtroom and made her way towards her car.

"Hey," McKay said, his hand on her arm, "Are you okay, Sam?"

She nodded, and managed a smile.

"I just want to go home."

"Sure," he said, "I'll drive you - and don't even think about arguing with me."

"Senator Kinsey?"

"Colonel Welling, is this a secure line?"

"Yes, sir, I believe so. I need to meet with you, as a matter of much urgency."

"The trial failed, Colonel," Kinsey snarled, "Major Carter still has her job and yours is pretty much screwed!"

"I know!" Debbie shot back, "But I have one last favour to ask of you. It's the least you can do!"

"The usual place," Kinsey snapped, "An hour."

Jack pulled up outside Sam's house, a feeling of nervousness in his gut that he couldn't remember feeling for a long time. He noted, with considerable relief, that McKay's car was absent from the street, because he wasn't one of the man's greatest friends at that moment. Come to think of it, he never would be, and he was actually glad.

Getting out of the car before his courage deserted him, he walked up to her front door and knocked on it. His hands twisted together behind his back, and he felt like a teenager on a first date.

Except for the fact that Sam didn't want to see him, and he had some serious forgiveness to go begging for. He wasn't expecting to come out with anything more than a slap.

She opened the door, and a fresh wave of guilt flooded him. She didn't look as though she had just won a court case. On the contrary, she looked as if she had just received a life sentence. Then, remembering how his own life had been changed by Ba'al, he realised that she probably had.

"Hey," he said softly, "Look, I know you don't want to see me right now, and I've behaved like a complete asshole, and I don't even deserve to be let in, but…"

"Jeez, O'Neill, you're just giving me all of the reasons to shut the door in your face," Sam said, dryly.

Jack looked down, waiting for the slap to connect with his face. Three…two…one…

When it didn't come, he looked up at her again. She was frowning at him, and the door was open wide enough for him to pass through.

"You coming in, or what?"

Thanking every god he knew the name of, he stepped past her and into the house, relieved to be in the warm. Not that it was overly cold outside, but he could definitely feel one of his hands shaking…

She hobbled past him and went into the kitchen. He noted with wry amusement the crutch that lay abandoned against the stairs. Janet would have blown a fuse if she'd turned up to find Sam so blatantly ignoring it. He looked up, and she saw what he had been focussed on.

"I'm not an invalid," she snapped, "I don't need it."

"I never said you did," he replied, following her into the kitchen.

"Can I get you a drink?" She asked, trying to keep busy, her back towards him. "I've got beer, coffee, hot chocolate…"

He reached out his arm and touched her on the shoulder, only to feel her flinch painfully beneath it.

"Don't…touch me. Please," she said, without turning around. She didn't want him to see the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. She knew how much he hated it when she did that, after all.

"Sam…" he said carefully, "I'm sorry. I don't need a drink…I need to talk to you. You need to relax, and sit down on that couch. Rest that leg of yours."

"You can't tell me what to do, Colonel," She sniffed angrily, trying to maintain some of her dignity.

"No, maybe I can't, but if I call Janet then she will, and believe me when I say she won't appreciate your not using your crutch."

Sam's eyes widened as she turned around to face him, her arms folded.

"Are you threatening me?" She demanded.

"Yes, I suppose I am," he admitted, beckoning for her to go and sit down. Hell, he would have dragged her there himself, but he would probably end up being assaulted.

She walked into the lounge and sat down on the couch, watching him warily as he took the other end. The space between them was large and cold. Jack wished desperately that he could close it, feel her warmth against him, hold him close to her.

"I…" He looked at his hands, "This is going to take me a while," he stammered, "Ya see, I had it all worked out, what I was going to say, and I wrote it down on this bit of paper but then Danny threw it away because I left it on my floor and he thought it was trash…"

Sam looked over at him. She was surprised more than anything. Jack was, by all accounts, babbling. He only ever babbled when he was nervous. If he was nervous, it meant he was gearing himself up to say something deep and emotional. Whilst part of her was scared, the other part knew how hard he sometimes found it to express himself this way, too used to locking everything away. Her gaze softened a little, and she carefully moved her bruised and tired body around a little more to face him, making her position less aggressive.

Jack, however, didn't notice. He was still babbling.

"And then I tried writing it down again, but it seemed all wrong, so I had to try and re-do it…"

He looked up at her. This time it was his turn to be surprised. The cold stare that had been emanating from those blue eyes a moment ago was gone, and was replaced by a softer one. Her posture was more relaxed, and whilst she was still holding back from him, it wasn't to such a degree. She was waiting, patiently, for him to get on with it.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out suddenly, all plans of a build-up and reminiscing out of the window. "Okay, I'm… so sorry, Sam. I don't know what else to say.

These past couple of years have been so weird. One minute we were fine, better than fine…and the next minute, Debbie turned up. Hell, I was so stupid I never even realised how much she was changing things. I didn't realise how easy it was for her to turn me against you. I never realised how much I was hurting you…until you played that tape back to me.

That was like the biggest slap in the face I've ever had. I suddenly realised what had been happening, what Debbie….what WE had put you through. The way Daniel and Teal'c looked at me, the way…the way you just sort of crumpled, in front of my eyes. I'll never forget it. I felt so ashamed."

He looked up, nervously. Her expression hadn't changed, but she wouldn't quite meet his eyes. Still, she hadn't shouted at him, so he assumed he was allowed to continue.

"Then you…decided to leave SG-1. I don't blame you, Sam, I would have done the same. I admit it, I stayed angry for a very long time. Too long, and at all the wrong people. When Hammond told me he wanted you to accompany me on another mission, I was so confused, so messed up!

I know how pathetic this sounds, but you know me, and I'm not usually an over-emotional man. When I remembered that night, after the tape, they just flooded me! Guilt, fear, anger, hate…" "And anger was just the easiest one for you to deal with?" She finished softly.

"Yeah. Yeah, it was, and it was such a stupid dumbass thing to do. Blaming you for getting us captured…it wasn't your fault. It couldn't have been your fault! You…do know that, don't you?"

She shrugged, absently, and it nearly broke his heart. She couldn't still be blaming herself for all this? Not now? The court had cleared her, but still she was beating herself up.

"Then, when you came back after…. Ba'al took you for the first time, and I saw the knife marks on your clothes…"

She had looked away from him again. He didn't need to wonder what might be going through her mind - he knew. He knew because he had experienced it himself and, whether she liked it or not, he knew her.

"All my memories of what happened to me before just came flooding back. The pain I felt, but more than that, the fear. And I looked down at you, and it just came to me. You were going through the same, and worse! At least when I came round, I had Daniel, I had you. But you…I wasn't being any help, and Debbie… That was when it really, really hit me.

I had to do something about it. Our relationship - or what was left of it. It hurt me so much to know that you had been there for me, but I hadn't been there for you. It's so selfish, I mean - you must have been feeling much worse, but I just wanted to hold you, more than anything else. I promised myself that I'd sort things out, that I'd try to make everything okay. Unfortunately, I got the snot beaten out of me by Ba'al again, so that was put on hold for a while."

"And that's what you're here to do?" Sam asked, edgily, "To make everything okay again?"

"I'm not asking you to suddenly be my best friend again," Jack said, "I know I don't deserve it, and I don't expect you to even consider it, not now. But this…terrible thing has happened to us, and believe me when I say you don't want to face the healing process alone. I've been there. I went into complete denial, I tried to act normally, but it just doesn't work."

She sniffed, and turned away from him again. He could see her trembling slightly. His hands burned with the need to touch her, to reach out and pull her towards him.

"I know," she murmured, "I just…I just detached myself from it. I pretended that it didn't happen, not to me. It was just somebody else's messed up life that I was in the middle of. But it wasn't," she finished, brokenly, "It was mine."

This time, a tear did fall from her cheek. Jack's chest began to ache. He fought back the urge to hold her, because he didn't deserve it. He was still half-expecting her to kick him out.

Then, he reached across the gap between them, literally and figuratively. His hand found hers, and covered it. He laced his fingers through hers and just held them there for a moment, quietly. Not demanding, not speaking. Just being.

Slowly, she raised her head and looked at him. Soft brown eyes met her watery blue ones, and for the first time in as long as she could remember she felt calm. Safe. She looked down at his hand, holding hers gently, as if it were made of glass. She squeezed it, and offered him a small smile.

"Thank you," she sniffed, "I…it means a lot to me…that you worked all that out before coming here…even if Danny did throw it away…"

He laughed nervously, and she sniffed again, but their hands didn't part.

"These scars," he said softly, "They're gonna take a long time to heal. They're never completely going to go away, but they don't have to rule you. Make you into someone you're not.

It's partly my fault that they're there, and I just…someday, I would like the chance to help make them disappear. I still…and this was something I never would have admitted before now…but I still have feelings for you too, Sam."

They looked at each other again for a long moment. That gap between them was still there, but their hands were still joined. Slowly, so as not to alarm her, he carefully moved closer to the middle of the couch. Not crowding her, just moving a little closer.

She swallowed nervously. Jack's words had hit her with more force than she had expected. Hell, she didn't think he had it in him! But everything he'd said, it was so true, so honest. He didn't want to rush her into anything, but he was asking for her forgiveness.

She didn't know whether she was willing to give him that yet. The events of the past two years were too fresh, the wounds too raw. But someday…maybe.

She also moved closer to the middle of the couch, so their shoulders were almost touching. Then, slowly, she lowered her head to his shoulder and closed her eyes.

The relief that flowed through him with this movement was like a tidal wave. He turned his head more towards hers, shifting carefully so as not to jar her wounded shoulder. His thumb brushed gently across the back of her hand.

"Thank you," he said, tenderly.

"One favour, eh?" Kinsey asked, shooting a glare at the woman opposite him, "Quite frankly, Colonel, I'm not sure it's owed you."

"I came so close!" Debbie hissed, "If they hadn't found out about…"

"But they did!" Kinsey interrupted, "We could have put Major Carter behind bars! You could have loved up with O'Neill, got him to retire! SG-1 would have been disbanded, but no! Even a simple task was beyond you."

"Simple?" Debbie roared, "I have been through so much! I have lost everything! I've been tortured, for Christ's sake! You wouldn't be so damned cocky if you'd been on the wrong end of a ribbon device!"

"What do you want?" Kinsey snarled.

"You have a contact in the NID, right? Who used to work with Colonel Maybourne?"

Kinsey tapped his foot impatiently.

"Get me off world," she said simply, "Get me through that gate, and I promise, you will never see me again."

"You'll be at the SGC tomorrow?" Kinsey asked. She nodded.

"There will be an incident, a distraction," Kinsey explained. "You'll receive a phone call tomorrow with more information."

"Thank you," Debbie said.

"Don't thank me…not until you're safely off the face of this planet," Kinsey said, and stalked away.

To Be Continued…

Author's Note: Next chapter will be the last : ( Hope you enjoyed this one, please send me your feedback to

Next time: Will Debbie escape?