When All Else Fails
Chapter Fourteen
Disclaimer: Yeah, I know it. The show, the characters, none of it belongs to me.
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When they made it to the table Hammond and Teal'c had already pulled two chairs up for them. "Hey," Sam greeted with a smile as she allowed Jack to pull one of the chairs out for her. She wasn't sure whether to feel smothered or honored by his new found chivalry.
The others at the table nodded their hello's back to her.
"You all knew about this?" she asked, glaring at each of them, sans Dominic.
Daniel and Cassie both avoided her glare nervously, while Teal'c and Hammond nodded in reply. Sam didn't say anything further on the subject, instead turned to Dominic. "It's nice to meet you again. I'm Sam," she extended her hand for him to shake.
"So," he asked, shaking her hand, and then looking around the room. "Where did you go?"
"I was out of the country for a couple of years. I just got reassigned back to Colorado Springs the other day." As far as she knew Dominic didn't have any clearance to know the truth. Glancing around the room she figured he was one of the only ones, "I'm glad to be back home."
"I'm sure it is," he agreed, looking around the room again. "You know all of these people?"
She nodded, "Most of them are co-workers."
"Wow," he breathed, surprised. "That's a lot of co-workers. Is your boss here, too?"
Jack smiled, "That would be me."
"Oh," he said in realization. "That's right ... Cassie told me about that." he smiled sheepishly, "Sorry."
"No need to apologize," Jack said, snaking an arm around Sam's waist and kissing her lightly on the cheek, causing her to color slightly.
"How long have you guys been working on this?" She asked, doing her best to ignore Jack altogether. Not that she minded the attention that he was giving her, but she would rather it be in a little less public place until the change of regulations went through, if it went through. Jack, however, didn't seem to care a bit.
"Since the night you came back," Daniel explained. "We didn't fill Cassie in until this morning, when your dad came through the..." he glanced at Dominic, "...airport."
"Couldn't have a party without dad," Jack elaborated.
"Well, you're just full of surprises, aren't you?" she asked him, leaning into his embrace and allowing him to be possessive for the moment.
He smiled in response and started to search around the room, whereupon Sam began wondering who all he had invited and then started to look around as well. Her eyes scanned the faces in their clustered groups and she smiled and waved at those who noticed her looking, then her eyes fell on two people in particular. Had Jack asked him to come?
She excused herself from the table and from Jack and with one nod of the head explained to him where she was going. His eyes followed her head and he understood immediately, and nodded in his understanding. Smiling faintly she walked away from the table grudgingly, surprised at herself for not wanting to leave him even for a moment or two.
When she reached her destination all her courage suddenly fled and she was left feeling vulnerable and nervous. "Hi," she greeted, enervated.
"Sam," he replied, a small smile appearing on his face. "I'm glad that you asc ... made it back home."
The woman his was with turned around precipitately upon the mention of her name and studied her incredulously. It took all Sam had to keep her jaw from dropping; the fact that the woman was pregnant was extremely conspicuous. "Wow," she blurted out before she could stop herself. Blushing slightly at her abruptness she looked back at him with a smile, "Congratulations?"
He nodded and chuckled slightly at her obvious lack of comfort in the situation, "Thank you, Sam."
"How far along?" she asked the woman, assuming that it was either 6 or 7 months by the size of her stomach.
"Just a couple of weeks into my second trimester," she explained, her accent was very easily recognizable, but what was a New Yorker doing in Colorado Springs? "My name is Kaylin, I assume you are Sam?"
All she could do was nod.
"I've heard a lot about you," Kaylin explained, much to Sam's surprise. "Although Pete says some things are classified and even I don't have clearance."
"Kay is a detective, too." Pete explained, "I told her it was a matter of Air Force security."
"That it is," Sam said.
Pete nodded over to Jack, "I'm happy for you two."
She couldn't have hid the smile even if she had wanted to, "So am I."
"It was a long time coming, huh?" He asked, his voice completely free of any lingering feelings. For that she was extremely happy.
"Yeah, took more than a decade, but we finally came to our senses." She smiled over at Kaylin, "I'm happy for you two, too."
"Thanks," he said.
"Well..." she said, glancing behind her at the table where Jack was laughing with Hammond, Daniel, and Cassie while Teal'c and Dominic sat looking confused. Her smile grew as she turned back around, "I should-"
"Go on," he agreed. "I'll talk with you later."
"Right," she replied before taking off back to her original table and wrapping her arms around Jack's shoulders, leaning in and placing light kisses on his neck. "Hey," she greeted as he tried to turn and look at her. "I wanna dance."
"Dance?" he asked gingerly.
"Dance," she replied, undaunted. "Come on, this is my party, is it not?" Looking around the room she continued, "And it's not like we'd be the only ones."
Which was the truth, there were already five couples on the dance floor. "Alright," he replied with hesitance, "if Cassie goes, too."
"Oh come on!" Cassie exclaimed, "Jack!"
"It's ok, babe." Dominic said, extending his hand to her. "Let's dance."
Sam smiled in triumph, "Yeah," she said to Jack. "Let's dance"
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Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can't help
Falling in love with you
Sam was surprised how well he danced at first, but then she remembered that at one time he had been married and well, dancing was something required at a wedding. He was a bit tense at first, she assumed it was because it had been quite some time since he had actually danced, but it wasn't long before he relaxed and allowed his hands to hold on to her hips tightly. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pressed her cheek against his shoulder and they danced slowly in a circle, it was unconventional but the traditional box step didn't allow the same level of closeness.
Shall I stay
Would it be a sin
If I can't help
Falling in love with you
Her surprise only grew when he leaned in closer and started singing into her ear very quietly. A shiver passed down her spine and he grinned at her, still singing along with the song.
Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be
As she glanced around the room she scanned the faces in the crowds. Daniel, Teal'c, and Hammond were all three sitting at their table with smug smiles on their faces (Teal'c and Daniel's didn't shock her, the General's was a different story) and as they went in another circle she could swear she saw her father winking at them. Which was very uncharacteristic of him, seeing as he normally wanted to pummel anybody she dated (although he had only done anything on one occasion, when she broke things off with Jonas).
Take my hand
Take my whole life too
For I can't help
Falling in love with you
Jonas. That name got her thinking. Her eyes darted throughout the room until they fell upon one particularly smiley face, Jonas Quinn. She looked up at Jack with a questioning gaze and he just grinned. He had really pulled out all the stops hadn't he? If this had been a more discrete party (without civilians) would more noticeable aliens be on the guest list? Smiling at the thought of Thor in a suit she leaned against his shoulder again.
Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand
Take my whole life too
I can't help
Falling in love with you
I can't help
Falling in love with you
The song ended and she pulled away grudgingly, but he kept an arm around her shoulders as they walked off of the dance floor. Since Jonas had been discovered he made his way over to the table that they were sitting at and she broke away from Jack long enough to give him a hug.
"It's been such a long time!" She exclaimed as she gave him a friendly squeeze, "When did you get in?"
"Earlier this morning," he explained. "Dr. Jackson di ... called me last night and explained that you had gotten re-stationed here in Colorado Springs, I came as soon as I heard about the party." The grin on his face got unbelievably wider, "This is my first 'welcome home' party."
Sam smiled and motioned for him to pull a chair up to the table, "Well, I'm glad that you could make it. How are things back home?"
"We're making progress," he said cryptically, glancing at Cassie and Dominic. "I've met you before, haven't I?"
Cassie nodded, "Once, four years ago."
He smiled, "Right, I remember." He looked over at Daniel, "Dr. Jackson, there were some writings that I needed to speak to you about ... if you have the time."
Daniel glanced around the table and upon receiving nods that it was alright to leave shrugged, "Sure. Why not?"
The two walked off, chatting discretely about whatever writings Jonas needed help with and Teal'c and Jack began to chat about how Rya'c was doing.
"Marriage has been well for Rya'c," Teal'c explained.
"Do they plan on having children anytime soon?"
Teal'c inclined his head, "They are both far too young to begin reproducing and it is not a wise time to be doing so, they are both devoted to ... their work."
"Right," he replied. "Makes sense."
"What of you and Colonel Carter?" Teal'c asked with a raise of an eyebrow, "Have you considered marriage and reproduction."
Cassie started choking on the soda she had been sipping, grasping her chest and coughing.
Sam scowled at the young girl and then looked at Teal'c, "I think that's a little far into the future, Murray. We only started dating...."
"Indeed," Teal'c sighed with a nod.
"What about you and Ishta?" Sam asked in retaliation, a triumphant smile spreading across her face.
"We have not yet set a date," Teal'c explained. "We are in no hurry."
"Sure," she said incredulously. Glancing over at Jack she sighed, "I guess we should go say hi to everybody now."
He groaned but stood all the same, "Yeah ... come on then."
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It was well over two hours into the party when somebody very unexpected walked through the door. The room grew deathly silent and Sam nearly gasped. She glanced over at Jack to see if he had anything to do with the visitor's sudden appearance and he just shrugged, surprise showing in his eyes. She looked at Hammond, he shook his head, neither one of them had anything to do with their new guest.
She slowly walked up to the him, thinking over what she would say carefully. After shaking his hand she blurted out, "With all due respect, sir, what are you doing here?"
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A/N: This one might not be as hard as some
of my who is it? ciffhangers have been. I'm guessing most of you will
be able to figure out who the mystery guest is. Anywho, let me know who
you think it is (although, I didn't do a good job at making it
inconspicuous ... I think I'm loosing my touch).
Sorry the update took forever, it's Christmas break so I've been
spending most of my time out with friends and all that fun stuff (i.e.
pushing through crowds of people to buy gifts :) )
Anyway, you know what to do!
