Postal: Chapter 2.

Ahhh, I figured, since I got 2 reviews by this morning already, I would post the next chapter. T'is longer than the last one. Hope you enjoy.

csl: You're right, it's not. But on occasion it is funny.

Sway13: Poor Jack indeed. But who knows! MAYBE I WILL!

Three cheers for a longer chapter everybody!


S

G

1


Sam's mind was completely focused on the device in front of her. SG-5 had brought it back from their last mission to P31-258. It was a new version of a Naquada generator, developed by the inhabitants of 258, the Leaholins. It seemed to function the same way as the Gou'ld version but to a greater efficacy, with less wasted energy. The Leaholins were at roughly the same stage of development as Earth and they were very wary of the SG teams. It had taken 2 weeks of negotiations and more than a tad of some of Daniel's fancy "footwork" to let them take back the generator.

They had been given only one week to go over it. Even though other scientist were keen to get their hands on the device, the General had given her first "dibs" on it. He had actually said that to the scientists. Dibs

They had all been clustered around the table, a jumble of voices, vying for the attention of the General when he had held up his hands. "Sorry Guys, Colonel Carter get first dibs on the Generator. It is a universally known fact that she is the brainiest person here, plus she out ranks all of you. In both the military and scientific field."

He had given them a not too subtle glare that had quickly turned all of their voices silent and they had grudgingly mumble a collective, "Yes Sir, General O'Neill" and shuffled out of the room, longingly looking back at Sam and the case holding the generator in front of her.

She had smile at O'Neill, a smile that seemed to only appear when he was around. "Thank you sir."

He had given her his best stern face. "Go. Play."

Which only made her smile more. "Of course Sir." And she had happily walked off with the device.

That had been yesterday. She had till the briefing this afternoon before she had to share with everybody else. So she was quickly pouring over every nook and cranny, trying to get as much in as possible before a dozen other scientist surrounded her, equally as interested as her.

She didn't even notice the figure leaning in her doorjamb.

"Carter!"

The familiar voice, tinged with mock scolding, caused her head snapped up and her heart to annoyingly beat a bit faster.

The General was leaning nonchalantly, his hand shoved deep in his pockets. A pose that was all too familiar but still made her breath catch just a little bit in her throat. Carter swallowed, it is a reaction that is born purely from a strictly female interest. He is a handsome man. But I love Pete. An annoying voice voiced added a scoffing, yah, right, a strictly female interest. But Sam chose to ignore that bit and brought her attention to the General, who was still propped up in her door-frame.

The Colonel smirked. "Now riddle me this Carter," he placed his finger on his chin, in a feigned thoughtful pose. "did you go home last night?" He gave her a look.

Carter smiled in a manner that she hoped looked sweet and innocent. "well…kinda…you know, depending on your classification of home, I mean if home is where you fall asleep and spend a large majority of your time then…" she did the smile again.

O'Neill simply looked at her harder.

Carter felt a blush rising. "Um no. I didn't…Sir."

The general smirked again and walked into the office.

Carter continued on, "Who told Sir? How did you know!"

O'Neill gave her an incredulous look. "Carter, does the Pope crap in the woods?"

Sam barely held in a laugh.

"This is you, Carter we're talking about here. Short of ordering you to sleep or perhaps slipping drugs into your Jell-o, given the chance, you will always stay here and fiddle with a new doohicky."

Carter ignored the obvious attempt to rile her with his use of the wholly unscientific words, "fiddle" and 'doohickey' and frowned. "Well you only gave me one full day! I needed all the time I could by myself."

The General tsked, "Carter, Carter," he sighed, "the other egghe…scientists need to study this thing and become sleep depraved, coffee zombies too! You gotta share! It is a wonder you ever passed kindergarten."

He stepped behind her, placing one of his hands on the back of her chair, looking over her shoulder to read the notes she had jotted down through the night. He was so close she could swear that she could feel the heat from his body brushing hers. She felt a rush and tingle course through her body. The one that she always got when he stood too close.

She glanced nervously down at her hands and the sparkle from the engagement ring pounded a feeling of guilt into her stomach. She tried as inconspicuously as possible to pull herself closer to the desk, away from the General behind her. It was the way things had been played for years. One of them comes too close, the other backs up.

Sam smiled nervously. "yes Sir. Sharing. I'll work on that," She looked up at him and caught something in his eye, lurking behind the humour. She frowned. "are you all right?"

The General frowned and looked down at his shoes. "Um…"

She stood up. "Sir?" she asked worriedly. "What is it?"

He looked up at her and the mirth was gone from his face. Replaced but…hurt? Hurt and discomfort that was desperately trying to be covered up by a military façade. "I uh…got some mail today."

"Mail?" Sam really wasn't following.

Jack frowned again and picked up a pen from her desk and began twirl it between his fingers. "Yah, from…you…actually."

Carter felt the colour drain from her face. "Oh…yah…that."

O'Neill looked up at her. "Yah, that." He cleared his throat. "So you uh, picked a date huh?"

Carter nodded. "Yah, Pete suggested we send the invites out, so…" God, here she was talking about her wedding, and instead of feeling ecstatic like she usually did, she felt terrible. Awful even. And incredibly uncomfortable. She opened her mouth to speak but the General cut in.

"Listen, Sam." She looked at him, Sam? He hasn't called me Sam in years.

He ignored her look. "I just came here to say…" He paused for a second and collected himself. As he brought his eyes back to hers they were filled with an intensity and longing that made her heart skip a beat again. Something that engaged woman in love with another man shouldn't feel, the little voice reminded her.

He searched her eyes. "I can't go."

Sam felt like she had been punched in the gut. "W-what? why…?" Though that annoying voice in her head was telling her she should know better.

He gave her a sad grin that broke her heart. "I could make up some lie about being busy with something important, you know a Simpson's special…but," he took a step towards her and she found she couldn't take the corresponding step back. Her back was now pressed into the desk behind her.

The General took a deep breath. "I just can't go to your wedding Sam. I won't."

Sam could feel pin pricks at the back of her eyes and she blinked quickly to push back the need to cry. Here she was, a grown woman who almost never cried. Never, except when it has something to do with him. Jack. Why was it that he never failed to make her cry!

His eyes searched hers for a moment, clearly struggling with something.

Carter held her breath. He really shouldn't be staring at me like that. I should look away. Right now. But she couldn't bring herself to. She found herself staring back at him with the same intensity.

Suddenly he brought a hand up to her face. The touch was light but it was enough to make her take in a breath that was a borderline gasp. She closed her eyes for a moment and she found herself leaning into his palm, ignoring the voice screaming in her head to stop. She brought her hand up to his, holding it to her face. She could feel his skin against hers. Tough. Hands that had been used to work. She wondered dimly if they had gotten softer now that he wasn't going out on missions. She felt a sudden tension in his hand and felt him pull back slightly. She opened her eyes and Jack's dark eyes were now focused on her hand. Realization dawned on her and a sickness descended into the pit of her stomach.

He wasn't staring at her hand. He was staring at the ring.

She quickly dropped her hand and resisted the urge to hide it behind her back.

Jack let go of her like she was on fire. He tore his eyes away from her hand and with out looking at her he mumbled, "I'm really sorry Carter. I'll go."

He was just about out of the door, when he paused, his eyes never leaving his hand that was tightly grasping the doorway. Sam bet that there would be imprints of his fingers in the hard steel when he let go. "Congratulations… Pete's…" he stopped for a moment and took a breath,"…a really lucky man." And he quickly strode out of the room.

Sam clenched her eyes closed, and let out a shuddering exhale. Tears threatened to spill over again as she took deep breaths. Oh god, what am I going to do?

And for once the voice didn't have a smart answer.


S

G

1


Ah ha! Angsty no? REVIEW PLEASE! The more reviews, the faster I post the next part.