A/N: The final piece for a little while, at least. I must tend to meatworld concerns, like employment. At least I have chicken. In the meantime, I've got plenty of other good-to-great stories. Check my profile. And someone email me to remind me that this exists eventually, okay?
Eggos. He was making Eggos for the both of them. She could see beyond him, into the kitchen, an open cabinet. It was packed with junk food, cereals. Pop tarts. He lived an eternal breakfast, meals either charred meat or the basic diet of a college student. She smiled and shook her head, pulling the Michigan Wolverines t-shirt closer. His smell brought awareness, a sharpening of those simple mammalian urges.
Jack. Jack, you need me. Need me as much as I need you.
She wore an old pair of jeans with one of his positively ancient tees, pants sagging and showing a damp expanse of panty. He smiled, trying to concentrate on the toaster. The wind was starting to slow outside, he could hear it. Sam was staring at him, and he tried to hide his enjoyment. It wasn't often that he had people inside his house, but he could get used to her being a fixture there.
Since when did Carter get to be fair game?
She leaned against the doorframe, still watching and smiling. The inside of the shirt was grainy against bare skin. Her man, her mate - because that's what he was, in the most basic sense, in the way of the pack and the herd - was looking after her. The alpha male. She couldn't help but feel happy. Sure, her motorcycle was totaled and she was probably going to be sick for a week, but that was fine. She had Jack, even for those few moments.
Humans follow nature's path. Daniel's explanation of the wolf pack.
Jack remembered once watching Daniel explain the structure of a pack to Teal'c. It was simple, really- the sexes were divided, with an alpha male and an alpha female, each the leaders of two inseparable, smaller social entities. A strict hierarchy, not unlike the airforce. He snickered a little- ironic. Of all the SG personnel, he and Carter were the clear alphas. By all rights in the wild, they would be mates as long as the other lived. That thought gave rise to other, warmer ones which he quashed.
Regs. Regs. Regs.
The word helped him beat hope into a corner, threatened it with something sharp and black that threatened to send his world crashing down. Without the SGC, where would he be? Drunk or dead or both. On the streets, without her. He heard the clunk of his appliance, blinked. Two deformed Eggos awaited consumption. He pulled them both out with his bare hands, juggling as he tossed one sidehand to Carter.
See? So simple. This is how it should be.
She caught it, scorched herself a little before taking a bite. She judged him a little, then smiled. He seemed happy enough, eager to please her. He smiled, kept his distance. He she smiled, respected it. Tenseness, the wolf's mentality. Posturing for position, bluffing to judge reaction. She ate quickly, stood around and listened as he finished his waffle. The rain was little more than a drizzle, thunder a distant rumble. He turned his back to her, almost. Leaned forwards on the counter to look out the window. Every cell in Sam's body compelled her to walk over to him, wrap her arms around his waist, and rest her chin on his shoulder. Watch the rain stop with him.
What would he do?
It was time. He was tired, in body at least. Time to sleep, work in the morning, his mind told him.
"Carter, there's a guest room down the hall to your left. It's right beside mine, so wake me up if you need anything. Right now, I need to get my old ass to bed."
He walked off without another word. It was better that way, less risk. He closed the door, stripped down to his boxers, and clambered into bed. He felt...alone. It was an opportunity missed.
Suffering is good for the soul.
She rolled around in the bed. It was too small, had the musty scent of disuse. She rolled, the craving for companionship -his companionship, not even sex anymore, just to be close to him- battling the need for sleep. She threw the blankets off herself, determined to take those few steps. She checked herself for decency- tee, no bra, panties. Good enough.
What the fuck, right? Nothing to lose except him.
Jack stirred, felt sleep disturbed. Thin arms over his, a body close. That didn't bother him, until his upper brain remembered that Sarah had been gone for years. His eyes opened, but he didn't look over his should to see who it was. He knew. Instead, their fingers interlaced, and Sam let a contented murmur slip as he went back to sleep.