Title: Faith

Chapter: 8 / 9

Email: When everything else is stripped away, all you are left with is faith. You might find it is not placed where you thought.

Category: Angst/Romance

Rating: Teen

Pairing: S/J

Season: 8

Spoilers: General spoilers for everything up to, and including, season 8.

Content Warnings: None.

Archive: My Site: Yes

SamandJack: Yes

Anywhere else: Yes

Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be.

Author's Note: I just want to say a massive THANK YOU to absolutely everybody that sent feedback on this fic. I am eternally grateful for all the support I received and it really did give me incentive to finish it, even when it was hard. So, once again, THANK YOU! 

After some deliberation about whether it would be appropriate to arrive separately or together, they took Jack's truck.

Sam wanted to take her car, but he complained about the leg room, or lack thereof.

"And anyway, since we're going to my crucifixion-"

"You are not going to be crucified!" She retorted, annoyed at his teasing.

"Have you ever seen General Hammond when he's mad? Scratch that. When he's mad at me? I'm a dead man."

The drive had gone far too quickly, as far as Sam was concerned.

All too soon Jack was parking the truck up in the SGC parking lot and they were passing through the first checkpoint.

They stood in the first elevator, Jack leaning against the back wall, arms folded across his chest.

"Are you humming?" Sam snapped, turning to glare at him.

He smiled at her and continued humming.

"How can you be so calm about this?" She asked, irritated.

"Why? Shouldn't I be?" He asked, his tone was infuriatingly light, but at least he had stopped humming.

"No!" She said, a slight disbelieving laugh present in her tone.

"Why not?" He smiled at the incredulous look she sent him. "We're covered. I quit last night. Officially. Tom witnessed my resignation and everything. We'll be fine." He reassured.

She still looked doubtful so he reached out and took her hand, pulling her back to join him in lounging against the back of the lift. "You'll be okay." He told her.

She rested her head against his shoulder. "What about you?"

"What's the worst they can do to me?"

"You want to know?" She asked, teasing.

"Probably not."

Just before they entered the briefing room they were met by the other two members of SG-1.

"Daniel, Teal'c." Jack greeted.

"I see you guys made up then." Daniel said, staring pointedly at their joined hands.

"Indeed." Teal'c said, grinning hugely.

"Keep your team in line, Carter." Jack said, his snappish tone spoilt by the smile evident in his eyes.

"They already in there?" Sam asked her teammates, ignoring him.

"Yeah." Daniel said.

"General Hammond seemed most displeased with you, O'Neill." Teal'c said.

"Thanks, Teal'c." Jack said sarcastically.

"I believe the words he used were 'Goddammed maverick son-of-a-"

"Thank you, Daniel." Jack snapped.

"You okay, Sam?" Daniel asked. "You didn't really get much time to recuperate."

"I'm fine, Daniel."

Before Daniel could pursue the subject the door to the briefing room opened. Colonel Fredericks stepped out into the corridor. "Ah… O'Neill, you're here. Good. The Generals will see you now."

"And good morning to you, Fredericks. Sleep well?"

"This way please." Fredericks said, ignoring Jack.

Jack shared a look with Daniel.

"Let's get this over with." He said, walking into the briefing room.

"George! Good to see you! How are the girls?"

"Don't even try it, O'Neill." Hammond barked. "Sit down."

Jack took a seat at the opposite end of the table; Sam sat on his right and Teal'c on his left. Daniel sat next to Sam.

"Good morning SG-1." Hammond said, his tone much friendlier now that he wasn't speaking to Jack.

General Lewis, sitting on Hammond's right, nodded to SG-1 and Jack.

Clarke pursed her lips before saying, "General Hammond, are you sure SG-1's attendance is required at this meeting?"

General Lewis glared at her.

"Yes." General Hammond snapped at the woman, not even gracing her with a glance.

Sam saw the corners of Jack's mouth twitch upwards slightly.

"Anyone want to tell me why I'm here?" Jack asked, leaning back in his chair.

"We are meeting this morning to discuss appropriate punishment for your insubordination, as well you know, Mr O'Neill." Clarke snapped, her nights' sleep having done nothing to improve her temper.

"Mr O'Neill." Jack mused. "Just sounds odd, doesn't it?"

Sam tried to conceal a smile.

"What we're here to discuss, General O'Neill," Hammond said, stressing the rank, "is just what the hell you thought you were doing yesterday."

Sam realised Jack had been right. Hammond mad was one thing. Hammond mad at Jack was quite another.

"I resigned." Jack said, adding "sir." As a reaction to Hammond's glare.

"Like hell you did!" Hammond snapped back.

"General Lewis heard my resignation and everything, sir." Jack said.

General Hammond's glare intensified. "I am reactivating you, General O'Neill."

Jack was actually speechless.

Sam, however, said, "Sir!" Before she could stop herself.

"Something to say, Colonel Carter?" Clarke asked, vicious glee lighting her features.

Sam glared at the woman. Jack reached over and took her hand. "Easy." He murmured.

"Not one day out of the chain of command and already they are conducting an affair!" Clarke said triumphantly. "Surely now you see the danger these two are placing this base – our whole planet - in!"

"Shut up." Hammond and Lewis snapped in unison.

General Hammond looked at Jack and Sam thoughtfully for a moment. "I would like to amend my earlier decision." General Hammond said, speaking slowly.

"General?" Fredericks stuttered.

Lewis was smiling, looking down at the briefing room table to conceal it.

"As head of Homeworld Security, it is my prerogative to review the situation here at the SGC, as and when I feel it necessary." He paused for a moment, clearly trying to think of how to word his next statement. "In light of both recent… developments and the fact that both officers concerned have flawless service records-"

"Taking it a bit far, isn't it, George?" Lewis said softly.

General Hammond's gaze settled on Jack. He cleared his throat. "Perhaps flawless is an exaggeration."

"Ya think?" Jack said under his breath. Sam stifled a giggle.

"However," General Hammond continued, "I believe that since both General O'Neill and Colonel Carter have saved their planet more times than I care to count, they are owed something. I am not going to reactivate you, General O'Neill. Since you have variously quit, retired and resigned, I feel it is time to comply with your wishes." For the first time since he had entered the room, General Hammond smiled at Jack. "You will continue to command this base as a civilian. Is that understood?" He finished, looking around the table.

"Yes, sir!" Jack said, grinning.

Clarke was outraged. "General Hammond! You cannot seriously be thinking of allowing this to continue!"

"'This', Mrs Clarke?" Hammond questioned.

"These officers," She spat the word, "are conducting an affair that is in flagrant violation of the fraternisation regulations!"

"Do you have any proof that this… affair began before last night?" Lewis asked.

"Well… no, but it's obvious!" Clarke stuttered, her ice queen exterior shattering in the heat of her anger.

"Then shut the hell up." Hammond snapped. "I don't listen to rumours and hearsay, is that understood?"

Jack looked impressed. "That easy, huh?" He asked quietly.

"Jack?" Lewes questioned.

"Its not that I'm not grateful, it's just… that easy?"

"Jack has a point." Daniel said. "I mean… overnight?"

General Hammond smiled. "Things tend to be easy when you have friends in high places, son."

"The president?" Daniel asked, perplexed.

Hammond shook his head.

"Thor." Jack and Sam said together.

Lewes nodded. "The Supreme Commander dropped by to see you last night, Jack. He really likes you."

"So much so," General Hammond continued, "that he was displeased to hear that you were in trouble. He made it very clear what the Asgaard's position would be, should you cease to be involved in the Stargate programme." General Hammond was obviously trying for stern, but the twinkle in his blue eyes betrayed him.

"Well done, Thor." Jack said softly.

General Hammond nodded. "You will assume your duties as the civilian base commander after twenty-four hours downtime."

"Twenty-four hours? General-" Jack began.

Hammond cut him off, "Quit while you're ahead, son." He said, not unkindly.

Jack looked like he was about to protest again, but Sam laid a hand on his arm, silencing him.

"I think this could be good for you, Jack." Lewis said, not bothering to hide his smirk.

"I don't believe you people!" Fredericks finally spoke. "You are going to allow them to put the entire planet in danger!"

General Hammond glared at the younger officer. "Colonel Fredericks, I have known both Jack O'Neill and Samantha Carter considerably longer than you have, and I truly believe that to hinder them in any way would place this planet in greater risk than anything else. This is a difficult job to do in the best circumstances, Colonel, which you would know if you hadn't been assigned to a desk your entire career. Get the hell off my base!"

"My base." Jack muttered.

Fredericks looked from Hammond to Lewis and back again. He stood. "I will be filing a formal complaint about this, sirs."

"File away." Lewis said, smiling.

Fredericks stalked to the briefing room door and yanked it aside.

"Later, Fredericks," Jack drawled lazily.

Fredericks spun, glaring. "Since you are no longer a superior officer, O'Neill, I might as well tell you what I think of you," He spat.

"Tread carefully." Jack warned. "Friends in high places, remember?"

Fredericks glanced up at the ceiling. Then he looked back at Jack.

"If I were you, ColonelFredericks, I would say nothing further." Teal'c's voice resounded in the silence of the briefing room.

Abruptly, Fredericks spun on his heel and left shortly followed by Clarke, who said, "I will be making a full report to the Pentagon."

"Good." Lewis said, bored.

The briefing room was silent a moment.

Jack sheepishly looked up at Generals Hammond and Lewis. "I'm so not getting away with this, am I?" He asked.

"No." General Hammond said, traces of a smile evident in his features.

"Not a chance, Jack." Lewis said, openly smirking at the younger man.

"Thought not." Jack said, "What do you want?"

"Reports, Jack. All of them." Hammond said, grinning openly now.

"That shouldn't be too-" Daniel began, only to be interrupted by Jack.

"Low blow, General."

"You owe me." Hammond said.

"Uh huh. Two weeks?"

"Guess again."

"Three?" Jack said hopefully.

Hammond looked stern. "One week. Starting the day after tomorrow."

Jack narrowed his eyes at the two Generals opposite. Then brightened. "Cool."

Both older men looked confused.

"Thought I was gonna have to go do the rounds at that big Washington shindig on Friday. Looks like I'll be too busy doing paperwork. Shame." He grinned at the Generals.

He stood and turned to Sam. "Let's go home."