The Intergalactic Social Event of the Decade
Part 4
"Sir, there better be a damn good reason that 'Gate's still there!" Sam stormed up the metal staircase and strode into the conference room.
"Is there a reason it shouldn't be?" Jack asked with a perplexed look as she came to stand in front of him ready to fight with her hands on her hips a. He turned to Walter Davis. "What'd you tell her?"
"You told me to get her here, sir, no matter how," he replied with a shrug. "Seemed like a good idea at the time, sir."
Jack rolled his eyes.
"What's going on, sir? I don't have time for silly games. I'm getting married day after tomorrow. I'm up to my ears in last minute details. The florist-"
"Carter, calm down. We've got a little surprise for you." Jack nodded to Daniel and Teal'c who were sitting at the conference table. All three men looked suspiciously self satisfied. "Walter, show the Colonel what's behind door number one."
Walter opened the door to Jack's office with a flourish and there stood her father.
"Dad!" Sam launched herself into his arms. "I'm so glad you're here."
"Sammie," he held her tightly. "What's this rumor I hear about you getting married?"
Sam pulled back and smiled up at him. "It's not a rumor, Dad. I'm getting married on Saturday."
"Excuse us," Jacob pulled his daughter into the office and shut the door. "Why didn't you tell me you were seeing someone before I left?"
"I didn't have a chance." Sam bit her lip nervously. She had not been looking forward to this part of their reunion.
"Sam…"
"Okay, okay! I was afraid you would try to run him off. I know how you are, Dad."
"Sam, I never-"
"You did- with Jonas!"
"He was a mean son of a bitch, Sam. You just didn't want to see it. And you know how he turned out."
"I know, Dad, but Pete's a good guy and he loves me."
"Do you love him?" Jacob fixed her with a hard stare.
"Would I be marrying him if I, didn't?"
"I don't know, Sam. Would you?"
Sam closed her eyes and tried her hardest to calm down and not attempt to strangle her father. "Dad, if you can't be happy for me than you can go back to where ever you came from."
"Sam, don't be like that. I just want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."
"Pete makes me happy," she whispered.
"What about Jack?"
"What about the General?" she asked the fire returning to her eyes.
"Sam, you know-"
"Dad, don't, please," she pleaded. "I can't take that from you on top of Daniel, Teal'c, Cassie, and everyone else on base. They seem to think I'm the Whore of Babylon or something. Nothing ever happened between us, Dad. Nothing ever could. You know that. It's time for both of us to move on from this stupid fantasy. It would have never worked anyway."
"Keep telling yourself that, Sam."
"Dad!"
"I'm sorry, Sammie. I just want you to be sure."
"I am, Dad."
"Good. Then I'll be happy."
"So you'll give me away?" she asked, a small smile creeping to her lips again.
"Of course." He hugged Sam to him once again. "Do I have to call him Pete?"
"It's his name. Why?" she asked more than a little confused.
"It just reminds me of something."
"I'm glad you're back," Sam pulled away from him. "Did you come just for a visit or is this business?"
"Well, actually I was tracked down by an Asguard employed by three highly resourceful men."
"They got Thor to find you?" she asked in shock.
"Yeah. Those guys care a lot about you, Sam."
"I know." She opened the office door and beamed at the men standing there.
"So is our ruse forgiven?" Daniel asked returning her grin.
"Of course it is." Sam hugged Daniel tightly. "You guys are great." She let go of Daniel and moved to hug Teal'c. "I don't know what I'd do with out you."
"You are most welcome, Colonel Carter. Though I believe it was General O'Neill's idea that we contact Thor."
Sam pulled away from Teal'c and looked at Jack. He stood with his hands stuffed in his pockets and a strange little smile twisting his lips. "Thank you, sir," She hugged him quickly before he even had a chance to take pull his hands out to return her hug.
"For cryin' out loud, Carter. What good is having the Supreme Commander of the Asguard fleet in your personal debt if you can't ask for a favor now and again?"
She smiled at the general again and then turned back to her father. "You ready to go, Dad? I can't wait for you to meet Pete."
"Actually, Sam, Jack and I need to have a long talk about the Tauri-Tok'ra alliance."
"Oh."
"Besides I'm sure you have a million things to do today. I wouldn't want to get in your way. I'll be through here in time for the rehearsal and the dinner tomorrow. I can meet him there, okay?"
"Okay, Dad," she looked more than slightly disappointed. "You're right I have a ton to do. I'll see you tomorrow."
---
Jack stared at the low table. "Do we really have to sit on the floor, Jacob?"
"Oh, come on, Jack. We have to be authentic. Do you know how long it's been since had Japanese food?"
Resigned, Jack sank onto the floor. Thankfully his knees protested only slightly. "You know, as much time as I spent in Ba'al's sarcophagus you'd think it would have healed my knees."
"They don't work on old injures."
"I know that. I'm just trying to make you feel guilty for putting an old man through this."
Jacob snorted. "You're only as old as you feel, Jack."
"And I feel really old, trust me. I didn't know stars weighed so much."
"You're doing a great job with the SGC, Jack."
"You were only there an afternoon. How do you know?"
"All your people were happy."
"Must've been having an off day."
The waitress brought Jack's sake and Jacob's green tea and poured them each a cup before she left.
Jack pushed the sushi menu and pen across the table. "Here, Jake, you order. I don't care as long as it's not eel."
"Selmak isn't too fond of eel either." he replied studying the menu.
"Cannibalism, huh?"
Jacob's eyes flashed as Selmak took control.
Jack wasn't intimidated by the glowing and smiled a little sheepishly, "C'mon, Selmak. You know I don't mean anything by it. You are my all time favorite snake." Jack held it up his cup in salute. "Banzai."
Selmak laughed and then Jacob was back in control. "You know, Jack, I didn't like you when I first met you in Washington."
"I didn't like you either. In fact, I wanted to kick your ass that day. You really hurt Carter."
"I know. I've done that a lot. Unfortunately, it took Selmak to show me that."
The waitress returned and Jacob handed her the completed menu.
Jack poured himself another cup of sake. "Just out of morbid curiosity, why didn't you like me then?"
"I thought Sam was throwing away her chance at NASA, not to mention her career, to have some torrid affair with her substantially older CO."
"Substantially?" Jack protested.
Jacob just shrugged and smiled at him.
"You should have known better, Jake," he told the older man seriously. "Carter would never do anything like that."
"I should have. And, God help me, I'm glad I got to know you better too, Jack."
"Oh, c'mon. Don't get all mushy on me."
"I'm serious, Jack. You've been more of a son to me than Mark ever has. I'm proud to have known you."
"Thanks, Dad." Jack was more than a little uncomfortable at the compliment . "That really means a lot coming from you." Then he leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. "Are you dying again?"
"No." Jacob laughed.
"Am I dying?"
"Well, I'm frankly surprised that you aren't dead yet myself, but, no, I haven't heard that you're dying."
"Well, that's good," Jack leaned back against the wall relaxing a little. "Because these kind of confessions are usually accompanied by a death bed."
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would have been proud to call you my son-in-law."
"Oh, here we go again," Jack poured and drank another cup quickly. "Can we please not talk about this?"
"I gave you my blessing after the Za'tarc incident."
"Yeah and do you know how many shades of pissed Carter would be if she knew you made a special trip to Earth just to come and tell me I had your permission to pursue a relationship with her?"
"You never told her?"
"Are you nuts? Do you know how scary Carter is when she's mad?" He sighed heavily before continuing. "Besides we never talk about those kinds of things. They're all locked up nice and tight in Isolation Room 5."
Jacob looked rather surprised.
Jack shrugged. "It's what she wanted. She's the only one that has a key to that room. I don't. Y'know, I've never gave a damn about any silly regulations or my career, for that matter, but I would never do anything to hurt her. If I would have pushed it, I'm sure something would have happened without being under alien influence. But when it got out, and it would have, her career would have been ruined. You know that, Jake. You've seen it happen. She's worked too hard to have that taken away from her just because some broken down old flyboy was in love with her. Besides," he smiled ruefully. "I'm a possessive old bastard. I'd want everyone to know she was mine. I'd want my ring on her finger. Sneaking around, even with your blessing, wouldn't have been enough for me."
"You could have retired."
"I've thought of it. At least once a week. Believe me. But ultimately it came down to the fact that I didn't want her walking through that 'gate without me to protect her."
"You don't now," Jacob observed.
"I protect her from Earthside dangers now. They've become almost as dangerous as anything could be out there." Jack paused for a moment before continuing with a sad smile. "If I retired, I would miss that beautiful sense of wonder and adventure she has with each new discovery in the universe at large. Pete can never have that. And, frankly, I'd rather be able watch her amid the science and exploration she loves than have her just warming my bed at night. Pete has no idea of what she's really about and I feel sorry for him."
"Jack, you're a romantic masochistic old fool, you know that?"
"Yep. Can we change the subject now?"
Their sushi arrived and they ate in silence for a few minutes.
"How's Cassie?" Jacob asked after a while.
"She's doing great in school." Jack broke out in a proud smile. "Hasn't quite decided what she wants to do yet though. Kinda thinking about being a doctor like Janet. Daniel's pushing archeology or linguistics. But she's not sure of anything other than wanting to be a part of the SGC."
"I'm sure she'll have a place there no matter what."
"Yeah. She lives with me now on her breaks."
"Really? I thought she was staying with Sam."
"She was, but when things with Pete got serious Cassie asked to come stay with me. Carter was kinda hurt, but she eventually got over it. Cassie said she wanted to give them their space and I guess Carter began to enjoy her space with Pete."
"So she doesn't care for Pete either?" Jacob queried shrewdly.
"Ah, no." Jack grabbed a piece of sushi out from Jacob's hovering chopsticks . "Mind if I take the masago? It's my favorite. Like sushi Pop Rocks."
---
TBC