disclaimer same as beginning. I don't own Stargate and it's a good thing too. I don't have the room to put it anywhere.
Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews!!
Hi Matt! Thanks for reading!
Sam collapsed on her in tears the moment she entered the room. It was an all too familiar scene to her, sitting on a bed holding her poor young friend over the loss of a parent. Time stood still, as she held the young teenager, soothing her hair and trying to keep her heart from breaking. She hadn't known what to say then, and she certainly didn't now. She was supposed to be the stronger of the two, Sam was the one with the softer heart. She felt cold as she methodically pulled her in tighter. She was ignoring her own feelings of loss, but it really wasn't the time for that now. This was Sam's time, hers would come later, and when she was alone.
"Katie, I just don't know what to do." She shushed her and looked up at the three men standing awkwardly above them. They were her newer friends, probably used to comforting her in these kinds of situations. She felt sorry for them, and hoped they understood. She pulled Sam back to gaze into her eyes and noticed the extreme sleep deprivation they showed.
"Sam, you need to get some sleep."
Sam shook her head furiously, but she would not be defied. Glancing up at the men, she hoped for their support.
"Sam, she's right. The doctors are getting worried about you."
She smiled at the geeky one in thanks, and looked back at Sam to wipe away some tears.
"You don't want your dad to see you like this." She paused, picking her chin up. "Hmm, do you?"
No, of course she didn't. Jacob valued strength and he wanted his daughter to be happy more than anything. Sam got up slowly and the three men followed her out the door, just to be sure. Slipping past the curtain, she looked down at Jacob. He offered her a smile as she sat.
"We meet again."
"Well, you know I am in the neighborhood lately."
She smiled and looked down to compose herself.
"How is this possible?" She asked carefully. "I though you were supposed to live for hundreds of years."
His head jerked up in response, before he offered her a devilish grin.
"You know about the Stargate?"
She rolled her eyes, and glanced down at him again. "Of course I know. I'm the outside operative and I'm assuming you're a good guy." She poked at him a bit after her last comment. After his continued looks of confusion she smiled and sighed. Ah, the life of a nosy general. She fumbled for words for a bit. Explaining the test program was a confusing endeavor. Heck, she didn't even understand half of what the scientists had told her and she was normally able to keep up with the best of them. All she knew was that the world felt differently, but that others like her shouldn't be able to detect her mutant, alas highly experimental, strain of the mineral.
"I suppose the best way to put it is to say that I am naquadah enhanced." His eyebrows rose at her choice of words. Well, that was cheesy. It was like the catch line of some hokey commercial. Now in the limited naquadah enhanced version or something. "I'm still getting used to it, and it doesn't work sometimes." Sometimes that had nearly cost her her life, but every job had its risks. "But it has its purposes." She was rambling idly now, and not answering his question. "I was recruited to clean up, so to speak. I make sure that foreign governments have not been infiltrated."
He laughed, delighted at the idea of her still being in the game.
"Good, you had me worried." He considered her choice of work. "Must travel a lot."
"Yes, a good bit." While playing catch up was amusing, there were more important matters to attend. "Jacob, let me in a bit. What's going on?"
He grumbled at the idea of a serious conversation, but finally relented. His eyes glazed over and a distinctive voice took over.
"I am dying."
"Oh, Hello. Who are you?"
"I am Selmak."
She paused, taking a break to think over just how she wanted this to play out.
"Nice to meet you. I'd introduce myself, but that would be redundant."
Jacob's face smiled, implying that Selmak found her as amusing as he did. The talk with Selmak gave her exactly the kind of information she didn't want. Jacob would die within three months, and there was not much that could be done about it. Selmak also had an agenda of things to do before death, and asked her to go fetch the General.
She paced in the hall outside the infirmary as the two men talked. She knew she could go in at any moment, but she was too busy processing all the vital pieces of the puzzle. The general opened the door and stood locking eye contact with her.
"Carter's.."
"Still resting. Thank God."
He nodded, and stood still for a moment before motioning to the clipboard of items Selmak had asked for. She understood, he was very busy and didn't have time to chat. Before he turned to leave, she set her hand on his arm to stop him.
"Sam is going to be needing her friends now, more than ever." His eyes wandered for a bit. "Please take a bit of time to go and see her." She didn't want him to get too caught up in Selmak's needs that he forgot Sam's. He made it all the way around the corner before turning back to address her.
"There are guest rooms down the hall, on your right. Feel free to get some rest."
She nodded and turned stubbornly to go back into the infirmary. Three hours and fourteen minutes later, Jacob was stiffing a laugh as she continued on her phone call.
"No, no. You don't seem to understand. There's no way that African Violets are twenty dollars a bunch. I don't care if they are laid with gold filigree. I was forty bunches at fifteen a pop. " There was a pause as he could hear an annoyed voice explaining to her that they were out of season. "That's what greenhouses are for." The other voice now became threatening. "Fine, fine. When I do the next Empress Ball, I will not recommend you." She hung up as the other voice broke into an apologetic panic.
Jacob burst into laughter as he eyed the infuriated look on her face, glancing over at him she too laughed. God she loved her job. Her phone sprung to life a few seconds later, revealing a much more negotiable rate and a smoozing florist. They both smiled as she finished the call, securing the damn violets at ten dollars.
"Well, at least I know Sammie will be in good hands."
His tone threw her out of the laughter and back into the present.
"I'm only six years older than her."
He nodded. "But you've always been strong."
Yes, that she had. He had a good point there. Picking up the scattered pieces of paper that lay over his bed, she looked down at him.
"Jacob." She picked up the last piece and put it back on top of the used notepad. "Do you think you'll be able to walk Sam down the aisle?"
Emotion gripped him as he considered the option. She knew it would use of most of his strength, but the importance of that moment could not be ignored. Then, more than ever, Sam would need her father.
"You don't even want her to marry him and you want me to give my blessing?"
He had a point. A very good point. She collapsed on the small side of the bed he wasn't occupying.
"You should sleep." She nodded, burying her face under the pillow. "Hey," he smacked her lightly. "Get your own bed. This one already has two people."
She yawned and meandered her way out, after giving him a peck on the cheek. Wandering down the halls, she realized she wasn't sleepy and instead decided to go down to see the thing that made her life so interesting. The elevator door opened and she stepped out onto the floor. Looking around a bit, and flashing a useful pass at some armed walkabouts, she made her way to a conference room with a view.
Her hands touched the glass as she peered out at the strange device. She could see why Sam loved working here, it was in the air. New discoveries, new adventures. She must be getting old, it all sounded a bit too tiring for her. Being in her forties was having an effect on her. She growled at the thought of age and decided that she needed some tea.
After getting lost twice, she made her way to the mess. Noticing the coffee machines she sighed, definitely were Sam's kind of people. Somewhere in a corner she found a hot water heater and some tea bags, she would have to settle. Glancing down at her notes, she cringed at her notation of the gowns and suits. Nothing had been chosen yet, and she was hoping Sam's favourite colour was still blue. If not she was screwed. Thankfully all the flowers had been ordered at an amazing discount. She would still have to chip in an untold amount, but it would look pretty. She jotted down the names of local photographers she could remember and made a note to look for a good videographer. In the middle of all her thinking she realized she was incredibly tired and laid her head to rest on the notepad.
Her neck was going to kill her. Damn it she should have gone for the guest quarters. Looking at her watch, she guessed that she had been asleep an hour. Unless she had slept the full twenty-four and no one had noticed. She stood up and cracked her neck, realizing that she felt far too rested for an hour's nap. Quickly, she made her way to the infirmary where Sam was now sitting with Jacob. Jacob who was sitting up and making animated gestures to amuse her. She smiled in the doorway and slowly made her way in, careful to not spoil the moment. Jacob caught site of her and gestured for to come back later. She nodded and let them be.
Well here was a good opportunity to get the men into some suits. Tracking down the three men was easy, talking them into the fittings was not. After a few calls with Pete and his cop buddy, they nailed down a date that was not nearly as soon as she would have liked. She hung up after making the arrangement and headed back to the infirmary, hoping that five hours later she would have a chance to see Jacob. He was alone and bored. Good, she would be wanted then. He motioned wildly for her to come over and entertain him.
"I have great news."
She nodded and waited not so patiently for his next words.
"I'm going to walk Sam down the aisle."
She smiled and waited for the explanation. It didn't come. He took a sip of his juice through the straw and waited for her to catch on.
"It will give you a chance to say goodbye to her and Mark and meet Pete."
He nodded, glad that she had understood.
"Does she know that you are doing it as a goodbye?"
The juice was finished and the straw began protesting at the air it was sucking up. He put the useless glass on the tray. He resettled himself and attempted to ignore her. That would be a no. That would also mean that this was a secret. One she really didn't want to keep. He changed the topic quickly and asked of her latest adventure, and the grim future seemed to vanish from view.