Note: Thanks to all of you who reviewed my stuff, it means a lot to me. I'm a relatively new Fanfiction ADDICT, (I can't get enough of this stuff!) so if you want me to read anything of yours, I probably already have. So always sign your reviews, because I like reading your stuff! And I really didn't think I'd write more on this story, so if it sucks, hey it's your fault, you asked for it. :D
Disclaimer: I feel like this is pointless, but hey, it's gotta be there. They're not mine, okay? None of them. Not even those little characters that we see for like all of one episode and then they're lost in the archives. Nope. SG-1 is ENTIRELY not mine. Except for the Fanfiction I write. Happy now? Good. Now read story.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Previous:
Jacob closed the door as Sam hastily put her picture of Pete to rights on her desk and shoved her ring back on her finger. Jacob looked at it. "You wanna keep that off?"
She glared at him. "Dad, I have no idea what you mean."
"You know, that's not very fair to Pete—"
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with us, Sam, we know Jack was here. And we know you weren't 'talking'."
She stood defensively. "We could've been."
"Really? About what?"
Sam turned back to the board, uncapping the marker. "Just…military stuff. You know. Rules of engagement."
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Daniel had always been bad at waiting, but when it came to issues with Sam and Jack, he'd discovered he had the patience of a four year old. Why couldn't he just talk to her now? He knew something had happened, but Jacob and Selmac were just taking ENTIRELY too long to talk to her! "My turn, dammit!" Daniel said to the wall of his lab. A light bulb went off in his head. "I'm probably not going to get much out of Sam in the first place…where did Jack run off to, anyway?"
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Jack was in his office for the first time in a long while. He was never in there. Normally he was in a mission briefing, the locker room, Teal'c's place, Sam or Daniel's lab pretending to listen to stuff that was way over his head…but no. He was sitting in his chair in his desk. And he knew it was the last place anyone would find him just for that reason alone.
He tried to sort through what had just happened. If Jacob and Selmac hadn't have ruined everything…Lord knows where he and Sam would be right now. He shook his head with a grin plastered on his face as he corrected his thoughts aloud. "Actually, this is all Daniel's fault that I'm sitting in my office. Damn Spacemonkey…"
Jack closed his eyes and propped his feet up on his desk, trying to remember anything about Sam. Sam. Such a small name to encompass everything she meant to him. Which was everything. All of a sudden, he could feel everything again. Her hand in his hair, her lips trapped between his, the taste of her skin…like an ocean breeze…the saltiness of her tears had aided in this illusion. One that he was so desperately caught up in. A welcome semblance of his senses. Jack ran over their dialogue in his head, realizing that neither of them had said the words, "I love you." Sure, they'd hinted to it and gotten close to it, but all of that was no good. Just beating around the bush. And something snapped inside of him. He wanted to tell her those words just to see the smile she'd get. But would she? Of course she would…but doubt was still in his mind. There was no reason for it to be there, but…she was still engaged to Pete…and that damned ring was still on her finger. There had to be a way he could take it off. And keep it off.
It was pathetic, but he remembered the way her cheeks had gone a little pink when he'd picked up Pete's picture. The one with the house. And Sam. Pete and Sam. Sam and Pete. Sounded good. Why was he getting in the way of that? He felt jealous that he wasn't able to turn her rosy. He wanted the mention of his name to make her feel a little embarrassed of her feelings. If there were any. Jack shook his head, trying to rid himself of his rationale, "Shut up, Jack, that doesn't make sense. She kissed you once in there; she didn't want to stop either…just quit questioning yourself. She wants you just like you want her."
His attempt to convince himself was pitiful. All it did was bring more questions to his mind. Questions he couldn't answer. Why, he wasn't sure, but he could just…feel it…something wasn't right.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Sam had hugged her father and Selmac goodbye, telling them that she'd call it quits soon so she could sleep, though she'd made it very clear she was staying on the base tonight. She had so much to think about…what the hell had she done? Of course she'd wanted it…truth be told, she still did. But the problem wasn't with what she wanted or what he wanted. It was with what he wanted. Pete. Just saying his name made her stomach tie itself in knots. She'd been so unfaithful, and they'd only been engaged what? Two weeks?
She punched her fist into her open hand, then thinking of something that might help her figure herself out. Sam changed into clothes more conducive for working out and headed to the gym, reading to punch the crap out of her favorite big, red bag. Her version of anger management.
But was it really anger that she felt? No…just extreme guilt. She'd promised Pete her love and given it to Jack. Wholeheartedly, yes, but she'd gone so far back on her word…words are dangerous when thoughtlessly strung together. She'd told Pete yes. She'd told Jack no stopping. And now she was telling herself that she'd find a way to make this all make sense. She knew they were all the outcomes of lies. Lots and lots of lies. Sam had lied to Pete, to Jack, and to herself. Did she want all that had just happened? Yes. Could they? No. She shook her head and left her office for the gym.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Daniel ran into the gym, and then the locker room, and then through all the hallways with no sign of Jack. He was currently riding the elevator up every floor of the SGC, peeking his head out the opening doors for a sign of him. Nothing. He'd gone all the way up and back down again twice. Daniel was done. Jacob was probably done with Sam by now. He could finally get some answers to the thousands of questions racing through his mind.
He darted through the throngs of personnel in the hall to get to Sam's lab. He knocked. No answer. So he knocked again. And again. And again. And…"Damn you, Samantha Carter! You and Jack can be so difficult when it comes to ANYthing pertaining to something other than the SGC. Well, Jack is just difficult in general, but HONESTLY! You people sometimes!" He began storming away from her door, full aware of the multitude of faces staring at him. If there were crickets present, they would've chirped. Daniel felt his cheeks grow warm at his sudden humiliation. "Never mind."
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
1 2 3……1 2 3……roundhouse, punch, 1 2 3……
Sam was beating the crap out of the punching bag, watching the large red cylinder swing back and forth on its few links of chain. Normally, she'd feel better by now. She was tired of questions she couldn't answer. Did she love Jack? Yes. Did she want to be with Jack? Yes. Did she love Pete? Yes. Did she want to be with Pete? Only if she could get Jack out of her head. And her heart. Maybe that's all she was doing earlier, trying to get him out of her system. But if she married Pete, would she still be able to look at Jack every day? She knew it would hurt him too badly for her to wear her ring and talk about Pete and ask for a maternity leave one day and…but if she broke if off with Pete, how would he react? Either way, someone she loved got hurt. And so did she.
She punched with a new force behind her fist, but stopped suddenly as she looked at the small imprint her left hand had made. She'd forgotten to remove her ring, and there were small indentions in the leather from where the gems hit the bag. She looked at her ring and two faces flashed in her mind's eye. She saw Pete's joy when he slipped it on her finger, and Jack's when she'd slipped it off. No matter what she did, she was causing pain. Tears threatened to pour from her eyes for the second time, but Sam wouldn't let them fall. She just kept going.
1 2 3……1 2 3……roundhouse, punch, 1 2 3……
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Jack had finally decided to see her. He had no idea what he'd say, but things had worked out pretty well when he'd done the same thing earlier. He went to her lab, but found the lights out and the door locked. Jack knew exactly where to find her. The gym. The place she always went when she was confused or angry or upset…but never when she was happy. "Damn it, I knew I was right. This is just too weird for her. It should be weird for me, but it's not. And it's a lot easier to break it off with me. She promised her life to Pete. She promised me nothing. And if I'm just making things harder, I'll let her go with him."
He opened the door to the gym to find Sam still working on the bag. He closed it silently behind him and shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets when she looked at him.
Sam stood still, the sweat on her body giving her skin a wet sheen. She looked confused, but they both knew why he was there. "You."
"Me."
There was nothing else for her to say. She took her towel from the nearby bench and turned to leave. He spoke once more.
"Don't leave yet."
She stopped where she stood, though she didn't turn to face him yet.
"Please."
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
More's coming, don't worry. I figured I'd make this a 3-chapter fic, unless I still have to write more to satisfy you guys. But right now I hafta eat dinner, so yeah. You'll just have to wait and see what happens next!