A/N: And here's Choices and Decisions.
--------------------------------
Jack walked into the bookstore. Was directed to the archaeologist bit and started to look through the books. He knew the ones Daniel had.
Sam was in the same bookstore as Jack, She was in the science fiction section, looking for a couple of books to read during the Christmas break, the plane ride over to Pete's family, something to keep her mind off things that were occupying it.
Jack picked one up and made his way over to the cash point. He stood and wondered what to get Kerry. He always knew exactly what to get Sam. But Kerry was a different matter. He looked at the back of the book as he waited to be served.
Sam walked down the section, seeing if any book title caught her eye, she had plenty of what they had to offer, there was nothing new since the last time she was in. So she decided to not waste any more of her time and leave the store.
Jack smiled, paid and walked out the store he was looking in the bag for a choc-bar he'd bought. Not looking where he was going, until he bumped into someone, "Ohh Sorry."
Sam turned around, she was lost in thought and wasn't paying attention to the voice of the bumper. "It's okay," She said and saw Jack and quickly added, "sir"
"Carter! Hey, finally out of the lab then!" He smiled. "Sorry about that, was trying to find my chocolate bar."
"Yeah, I had a reminder that kept popping its self on my screen to finish up my shopping today, so after clicking it about 30 times, I just decided to just get it done."
"I usually don't do it until Christmas Eve... but we've decided to have our tea-" He stopped because it wasn't a team thing anymore, "Guys night on Christmas Eve." He looked at her, "What's up anyway? I see no bags!"
"Oh I haven't really found anything I want to buy, just was in the book store looking for a good book to read but they haven't gotten anything new since the last time I came in"
"Ahh, I got Daniel something!" Smiled, he was proud of that achievement. "Well pleased! What about who do you need to get?"
"Just little things for just about everyone, that have just popped in my mind, stocking stuffers" Sam said with a smile
Jack nodded and shivered, "Man it's cold. You wanna join me for a coffee?"
"Sure" she almost said too eagerly.
Jack opened the Starbucks door for Sam to go in first and walked to the counter girl. "What do you want Sam?"
"Double Peppermint Mocha with extra whip cream." Sam said, she loved Christmas because they had the peppermint flavoured coffee.
"OOOOOOOk, you heard the woman.... I'll have a Hot chocolate, the mint one! With those little marshmallows and cream... the middle size!" Jack smiled. "And a slice of chocolate fudge cake. Two forks..." He smiled and paid the young woman. "Thanks."
When the coffee was ready she cupped her mocha with her hands and took a sip as she walked over to a table to sit down.
Jack sat next to Sam and placed the cake in between them. "So Carter..." Jack nodded and sipped his Hot Chocolate.
"Yeah?" She said before taking another sip of her mocha
"How's things?"
"Good, you?" She grabbed one of the forks and took a small bite of the cake.
"Ok..." He nodded and watched her eat the cake, he noticed that her ring was on, "You guys set a date yet?"
Carter shook her head till she had swallowed the bit of cake she had in her mouth "Not yet, hopefully soon, I mean soon we'll set a date."
"Ahh." He nodded. "I see." Jack picked up a bit of the cake.
Sam took a few sips of her coffee. "I think we may set it after we visit, Pete's family, we really want them to be there, my brother's is so eager for it to happen already, he'll drop anything and everything to make sure he's there."
"Ohh." Jack wished he'd never asked. "What about Cassie, how's she feeling about it?"
"She's so excited, that she gets to be the brides maid"
"I see." He nodded. He hated this... 'no you've got Kerry now...' he thought and drank his drink.
Sam ate a little more of the cake while taking a few sips of her coffee "How much more shopping do you need to do?"
"Umm everyone minus you and Daniel..." Jack grinned, "I just started, you?"
"Still the same where I was 15 minutes ago, almost done, all but stocking stuffers"
"Well I have WAY more to do than you!" Jack grinned and heard his cell. "Crap, hold on. Hello? Hey Kerry, what's up? Yeah – sure - no bother. Don't worry I know which one to get... now... hey that wasn't my fault!" HE smiled and hung up, "Sorry about that." He looked at Sam, "So fancy helping your CO with shopping... I've got yours so I don't need to send you out the shop!"
"Sure" Sam smiled and drank some more of her coffee.
Jack smiled then heard his phone again, "For crying out loud! Hello? Yeah, ok... dark chocolate? You sure? Ok milk too. Now you know Teal'c likes the cookies soft. Yeah ok it's me that likes it, but he does too. Ok, bye Kerry." He hung up again, "Sorry about that Carter, so we off?" He hated talking to Kerry when Sam was about. Just didn't feel right, no matter if she was engaged.
"Yeah I'm ready" Sam said getting up from the chair.
Jack walked past a jewellery store, "Hey what about a bracelet?"
"Thought you already decided on a bracelet, the one that Kerry wants?"
"I know but it was sold out. Come on help me look Carter... I'm bad at buying for females. You know that; remember when I got Cassie a Bart Simpson toy? If looks could kill!" He said. Sam was the only one he could ever buy for. She knew it too.
"She just doesn't like The Simpson's as much as you do, hmmm what did you say she likes?"
"I dunno," He peered at the stuff in the cabinet. "She wears silver on her wrist and neck cause it irritates her." He frowned. This was WAY too weird, Carter helping him pick out something for his girlfriend? That didn't sound right.
Sam peered into the cabinet with Jack, trying to find something that was nice, but not too hey I'm so in love with you saying.
One of the Jewellery Sales Persons, saw the two of them looking at the Bracelet case, thinking what a cute couple, and noticed the ring on her finger when Sam pointed to something in the case "How about that one?" Sam asked Jack. The sales clerk walked over. "You're just a wonderful looking couple, how may I help you?" The clerk asked. Sam just looked at Jack, then back at the bracelets.
Jack went a tad red. How'd he handle this one. "Umm..." He looked at Sam. 'Well opportunities like this never come along.' He grinned, "We'd like to see that one please!" Jack realised this probably- no - defiantly wasn't the BEST thing to do, but hey even if it was make believe, he was gonna enjoy it.
The clerk took out the bracelet and set it on a soft cloth on top of the counter.
The clerk smiled, "If you want to try it on the lady's wrist. It is sterling sliver and you can get earrings to match." He smiled at the couple.
Jack smiled and looked at Sam. He picked it up and put it on her wrist. She never wore jewellery to work; except sometimes that pesky ring. The bracelet looked lovely on her. Jack never said anything. 'Maybe this was a bad idea.' He thought as the Clerk prattled on about how lovely it was...
Sam looked at Jack, and smiled slightly. Maybe she should say something, but he wasn't saying anything either. She looked back at the clerk when he spoke. The clerk was being nosy, or maybe just curious and kind. "How long have you two been engaged?"
Jack looked at Sam, he sure as hell wasn't answering. The way he saw it, he wasn't engaged, she was. He blushed and looked at the floor, he could never give the ring to Kerry now. Every time he saw it he'd think of Sam.
Sam took off the bracelet, "Its very nice, I think we'll think about it." She avoided answering the question, and walked out of the store.
"Thanks." Smiled Jack and walked after Sam, "Carter, wait up..." He said reaching for her arm.
Sam slowed down after she was at the parking lot, she felt the snow fall on her head and hands.
"Carter..." Jack said turning her round. He hadn't exactly decided what to say once he'd caught up with her.
Carter looked up at Jack when he turned her around. Wondering if he was going to say something.
His mouth opened and closed several times with no words. For once Jack O'Neill was speechless. He didn't want to say sorry, because he wasn't. He didn't want to hurt her.
This was just too much for her, "...I...should go..." Sam said and turned back around .
"Sam." He called after her. He HAD meant to say 'Carter' but it came out as Sam. He hardly ever called her Sam, never in moments like this anyway.
She didn't turn back around to face him. " I can't do this, sir"
"Sir..." He mumbled. Should he let her go? Jack looked at her and walked up so he was right behind her. "Then don't." He whispered.
She could feel him behind her, she didn't have anything to say.
He didn't notice they were alone in a parking lot. Sam was obviously going to her car. At a loss of what to do Jack turned Sam around. "Walk away Sam. Go to Pete, have that life you deserve."
Sam didn't move. She didn't speak. She felt the snowflakes fall on her face. She didn't want to walk away, but she knew she should.
Jack looked at her. His eyes were watery, very unlike the Jack O'Neill everyone on the base knew... and loved of course. He knew he should walk away. Right now. But he didn't he just stood in the snow looking at Sam.
Sam just couldn't hold her emotions back anymore, they had been building up for hours. Since Jack had visited her lab earlier that day. Tears streamed down her face and she rested her head on Jacks chest.
Jack was surprised by Sam's sudden move. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. He knew he shouldn't be here, but it's where he wanted to be most. His head rested on her head and he took in everything about her.
Sam continued to let the tears fall from her face, she soon would probably be soaking the areas of Jacks close near her face. She didn't stop, she just let the emotions continue to release themselves.
Jack didn't know what to say but, "I'm sorry." It now felt right to say it.
"There's nothing you need to be sorry about" Sam said between the tears.
"You're crying. Sam, we..." He was gonna say can't, but couldn't
Sam lifted her head off Jack's chest. She didn't look at him. She just wiped the tears off. Sucked her emotions back inside. So there was an overflow that just needed immediate release, she had the strength to lock the rest away. "I'm fine"
"No you're not Sam..." He looked at her. "You need to decide Sam.
"I can't." She said
Jack frowned, "You have to Sam..." He frowned, "Or I'll decide for you. And you won't like what I decide."
"What's your decision?" She asked.
"I'll walk away because I don't want you to make a bad choice." Jack said, his heart hitting his chest and his arm on her waist.
"You're not a bad choice…" She said as she looked up at him.
"I am for every reason Sam." He reached for her cheek. "You're career and your dad would kill me!" He said trying to make her smile.
"I wouldn't let him" she slightly smiled.
"Sam, we can't..." He held up her hand, the little ring sparkled. It killed Jack inside to say those two words. He hated those words.
"I know... there's no decision to make... there never was...its already been chosen. Goodnight Sir" Sam said walking away to her car.
Jack stood there and watched her go, he didn't move. "Sir..." He whispered. Finally Jack allowed one tear to drop down his face. He didn't remember last time it had happened, that he'd allowed himself even just one tear.
Sam brushed off the snow that had collected on her clothes before getting in her car.
Jack walked back to his truck and rested his head on the steering wheel. He had done the right thing.... right?
---------------------------------
A/N: That's me finished! Nah I kid you of course! Next chapter tomorrow It's called Pete.