Chapter Three

Some hours later Jacob, Daniel and Teal'c were sitting in a small anteroom just off the peltac, eating their MREs. After being in the cells for so long they were hungry enough that even Daniel didn't complain about the taste.

"How d'you think Jack's gonna cope with Nerron's death?" Daniel asked Jacob. "Sam was pretty depressed after Jolinar died to save her."

"I don't know. It's always hard for either a symbiote or a host when the other dies."

"I guess it's different for everyone." Daniel said with his mouth full.

"I am worried about O'Neill." Teal'c said.

Daniel nodded "Me too, all Jack will say is that he's got a headache and that he wants to be left alone."

Jacob grinned "Nice paraphrasing." Daniel grinned back and Teal'c nodded. They'd all heard what Jack had really said – yelled – at Daniel: "For cryin' out loud Daniel! Will you just fuck off!"

"Where's Sam?" Daniel asked.

"She went to show Shanahan to some quarters. He said he was tired."

"You call your future son-in-law by his surname?" Daniel asked, raising his eyebrows.

Jacob was about to answer when the sound of raised voices stopped him. Jack and Sam. They were heading for the peltac.

"We should vacate this place immediately." Teal'c said, obviously not wanting to eavesdrop on his friends' argument.

Jacob and Daniel, however, did not stir. When he noticed this Teal'c sat down again.

"Sir, will you just stop and listen to me please! You need to talk about this!" Sam sounded exasperated.

Looking through the anteroom door the three men watched Jack stalk onto the peltac, Sam hurrying after him.

"Sir, will you just stop!" She yelled, stopping and planting her hands on her hips.

"Carter I'm not gonna talk about anything. I don't need to talk about anything."

"Oh, so we almost lose you – again – you get a symbiote – again – he dies to save your life and you have nothing to talk about?" Sam's words came out in a rush.

"Well you know me, Carter." Jack quipped, not completely masking his anger.

"Sir!" She yelled, warningly.

Jack's temper finally flared. "What the hell do you want from me, Carter?"

"I want you!" She yelled, before she could stop herself.

There was no doubt in Daniel's mind that she hadn't meant it sexually. Well, not just sexually anyway. 'Maybe a little, but that's neither here nor there…'

He sneaked a look at Jacob to make sure he knew that too.

Jacob merely nodded. He'd understood.

Jack, meanwhile, had spun on his heel and rapidly closed the gap between himself and Sam.

'Finally, he's gonna kiss her'. Daniel thought.

He didn't. Instead he ran a finger around the inside of her collar, hooking out her dogtags. Something sparkled on the chain.

"What's that?" Jacob whispered.

"It is her engagement ring." Teal'c answered.

"Oh crap." Daniel whispered.

"Funny. This doesn't tell me that." Jack said, his voice low and even. He dropped her tags and turned away from her again, staring out at hyperspace.

This brought Sam out of the shock she'd gone into at what she'd just said. "At least he asked." She said in a quiet voice that carried, nonetheless.

Jack whirled. When he spoke his voice was steeped in anger. "He asked? What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"How the hell was I supposed to know how you felt, Jack?" She replied, emphasising his name. "I couldn't give him an answer for two weeks and even then I talked to you first. You practically ordered me to say yes."

"What was I supposed to say, Carter? Don't marry him, how about me and you catch a movie, dinner and then a court martial?"

"Oh please! This from the man whose file, whose career, practically screams 'Screw the regs!'"

"Not over this!"

Silence reigned on the peltac, with both Jack and Sam staring at each other. Daniel, Jacob and Teal'c sat motionless, riveted by what they had seen and heard.

The air between Sam and Jack seemed to burn.

Finally, Sam broke the silence. "Why not?" She asked, the anger that had been in her tone before replaced by gentleness.

"You were the one that wanted to leave it in the goddamn room, Carter." Jack said.

"I didn't hear you disagreeing, sir." She replied, spitting the formal address.

"Who am I to disagree with the great Sam Carter?"

Sam looked as though she was going to retort, but Jack cut her off. Scrubbing his hands over his face and through his hair, he said, "Who cares? Doesn't matter now." His tone had changed too. He was quieter. "Look, Carter, I'm trying to deal with all the crap left over from Nerron. Forgive me if I'm not exactly talkative right now." Suddenly he seemed to reach a decision. He strode past Sam, heading for the corridor, and freedom.

"Jack…" Sam began.

He stopped in the doorway but didn't turn to face her.

"No, Colonel. You don't call me Jack and I don't call you Sam." He sounded tired.

"Why not?" Sam sounded like a petulant child, but didn't seem to care.

"Because I'm your CO." Jack paused. "And because maybe, that way, I get to stay sane when I sign you off on leave for your wedding." He left then, not giving her a chance to reply.

Sam looked after him for a moment, then turned to face the hyperspace window.

After a while she spoke. "You guys can come out now. I know you're there."

Daniel, Jacob and Teal'c stepped onto the peltac. Jacob and Daniel looked sheepish. Teal'c merely walked over to Sam and said, "Are you all right, ColonelCarter?"

Sam snorted her amusement. "No."

Teal'c merely nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Uh... Sam?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah?"

"How long did you – "

"From when I heard you say 'Oh crap.'."

"Oh boy." Daniel said. "Sorry." He added.

"It's okay. Doesn't matter." Sam said. Then she turned to Teal'c and said, "I'm really sorry about your face, Teal'c."

The huge Jaffa simply smiled and inclined his head. "It is fine ColonelCarter; you were not of your right mind."

"Thanks." Sam replied.

Meanwhile, a new and horrible thought occurred to Daniel. He looked at Jacob and from the look on the older man's face, saw that he'd had the same thought.

"Uh… Sam?" He said again.

"What Daniel?" Sam had still not turned to face the room.

"Did Jack know we were here?" Daniel asked, already afraid of the answer.

Sam did turn now. There was the slightest trace of a smile on her face. "Probably before I did." She replied.

"Oh boy." Daniel said again.

Jacob stepped forward and hugged Sam, whose amusement had faded.

"You okay, Sammie?" He asked.

"I don't know what to do." Sam admitted.

"What do you mean?" Jacob asked.

"I know you were listening, dad. You know exactly what I mean." Sam was fiddling with the engagement ring hanging from her dogtags.

They stood in silence for a while. Suddenly, Sam spoke. "I can't do this anymore." She turned and left the peltac. Leaving Jacob and Daniel looking at one another, perplexed.

"What can't she do?" Daniel asked.

Unexpectedly, Teal'c answered him. "I believe she has gone to tell PeteShanahan that she can no longer marry him."

"You think so?" Jacob asked.

"Indeed."

Sam entered the quarters she had put Pete in. He was lying on the bed, awake.

He smiled as he saw her enter.

"You finally decided to get some sleep, huh? Thought you were gonna be trying to talk to O'Neill forever. Not really in touch with his feminine side, is he?"

"Pete, we need to talk." Sam said, taking a seat on the bunk opposite him.

"Don't." Pete replied.

"What?"

"You're trying to break up with me, I can tell. Sam, I didn't mean to interfere with your work, I was just worried. You were late home and I-"

Sam cut him off. "It's not that. I just can't do this anymore."

"What? Why?" Shanahan was getting angry.

When Sam didn't reply immediately he shouted, "I deserve to know, goddamit! It's him, isn't it? O'Neill."

"That's not the point. The point is... I can't marry you. I'm really sorry. I thought I could but…"

Suddenly, Pete changed gears. His next words were gentle. "Look, Sam, we can wait a while. If you're not ready…"

"No."

"No" He repeated.

"Pete, I don't think I can ever marry you. This whole thing… it's made me realise that." Sam put her engagement ring, no longer attached to her dogtags, on the bunk beside her. She got up and moved towards the exit. She turned and said. "I'll move my stuff out when we get back." She turned towards the door again. "I'm sorry." She said, and left, before he could get mad and yell at her.

She walked quickly back to the peltac, hoping Pete wouldn't follow her until she was safe among her friends.

When she reached the peltac she found it occupied only by Jacob, Daniel and Teal'c. 'Damn,' she thought. She had expected O'Neill to come back here once she left.

"Hey Sam, you okay?" Daniel asked.

"I am now." She replied. "Where's J… General O'Neill?" She said, still hesitant about using his first name.

"He never came back." Jacob replied, studying his daughter's face.

"I'll go look for him." Sam said.

"Sam, give it a while." Daniel said, putting a hand on her arm. "You know what Jack's like in this mood."

Sam nodded, and turned to her friends. "So, did you guys eat all the MREs, or can I eat now?"

Daniel and Sam were sitting with Jacob on the peltac. They had been there for three hours and all conversation was exhausted. They had given up on waiting for Jack and had sent Teal'c to see if he was any better.

Suddenly Teal'c's voice came through the radio. "ColonelCarter!" He sounded alarmed.

"Teal'c?" She responded.

"I have found O'Neill. He is in the Jaffa sleeping quarters. You must all come at once!"

Sam scrambled to her feet and ran for the door, followed by Daniel and Jacob.

When they reached the room O'Neill had chosen to sleep in they were slightly out of breath from their impromptu sprint. Teal'c was waiting for them, and preceded them inside.

Jack was slumped on the floor beside the bunk. He was unconscious. Beside him lay the discarded vial that had carried the memory suppressant.

"He is alive." Teal'c stated, seeing the concern on his friends' faces.

"He must have pick pocketed me!" Jacob said indignantly. "No one is supposed to take that much!"

"Take what?" Sam asked, crouching behind O'Neill and checking his pulse, even knowing Teal'c already had.

"It's a memory suppressant drug. I told Jack about it in the gateroom before we left earth. He must have taken all of it."

"Why would O'Neill do such a thing?" Teal'c asked.

"Jack… wanted to forget." Daniel responded. "He had all his memories, plus Nerron's. It was too much. God, Jack." Daniel was shocked, and his voice carried sympathy for his friend.

"Why is he unconscious?" Sam asked, looking at her dad.

"Overdose." Jacob said. Then quickly added, "But he won't die. He'll be unconscious for a while. But he won't die."

"Is there any way to get his memory back?" Daniel asked.

"I'm not sure." Jacob replied. "I think so. We need to get him back to Earth."