Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate, SG-1, or anything else. I also have no money so suing me is really pointless. I also do not own the movie or characters from the movie Casablanca. Nor do I own the wonderful song, "As Time Goes By."
Author's Note:
Casablanca is my all time favorite movie. I watch it and a huge part of me wants Rick and Ilsa to have more than Paris. I'm a romantic, I'm afraid. Rick and Ilsa also remind me quite a bit of Jack and Sam, so I wrote this after a long sleepless night. If you have never seen Casablanca I highly recommend it, I can't imagine many people have never seen it, but who knows? Also the song "As Time Goes By" is phenomenal if you can, listen to it while reading this.
This story is set sometime in season seven, before Pete comes into the picture.
As always, please review. I want to know your thoughts, but no flames, those are just mean. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
Play it Again Sam
It was a normal quiet Friday night in Colorado Springs. The Goa'uld were not trying to destroy the world, and for once, everything seemed to be going right. Even the weather was perfect, a clear warm night, with a full moon and a star-filled sky.
SG-1 had gathered at Sam's house that night for their team/movie night. After seven years, Sam was finally getting the guys to watch her second favorite movie of all time, Casablanca. She had convinced Daniel and the Colonel to watch by saying that it was a monument of American culture and Teal'c needed to see it at least once. They had agreed to watch it with her and Teal'c because they didn't want to abandon Teal'c to the mercy of a woman and a sad romance movie.
So laughing and joking the four friends settled down in Sam's living room with pizza and beer, to watch the movie.
Usually when they watched movies together, at least one of them talked throughout the movie. Daniel, when it was a historically based movie, or any movie that involved archaeology in any way(they had learned the hard way never to watch the Indiana Jones movies with Daniel), Sam, when it was a sci-fi, or disaster, or any science based film, and Jack, when it was an action or war movie. This time, however, everyone sat in complete silence as the movie played, all four of them completely enthralled by the tumultuous world of Casablanca.
When the final credits rolled, Sam stood up from where she had been sitting on the couch curled up next to Jack, not caring if Daniel and Teal'c saw the way she and Jack had been sitting, and began to clear away the plates. "Well Teal'c, what did you think?" She heard Daniel ask as she took the dishes into the kitchen.
"It is indeed a sad movie DanielJackson. As well as extremely believable." Came the stoic Jaffa's answer.
"Well, it's supposed to be a poignant movie. Rick and Ilsa may not get what they want, but their wants are not as important as the Cause. That's the point," Daniel replied.
"No it's not Daniel," Sam said stepping back into the living room, she had heard Daniel's thoughts on the movie often and they rather surprised her. "The movie is a glimpse into the lives of two people who love each other more than anything. They love each other so much that they knowingly walk away from each other because other people need them. Because it's not their time. Not yet, and it may never be their time. But they have the memories of the short time they did have together, in Paris. And those memories help get them through the hard times," Sam said.
"I can see that Sam. Teal'c do you need a lift back to the base?" Daniel turned back to the silent Jaffa.
"Indeed DanielJackson."
"Okay then. Sam, do you need any help cleaning up?" Daniel inquired.
"I'll help Carter clean up Daniel," Jack spoke up from where he was sitting on the couch.
"All right then. Sam, Jack we'll see you on Monday, barring any emergencies." Sam and Jack watched as Daniel and Teal'c left.
"You know Carter, my mother loved this movie. I swear it was her absolute favorite," Jack said, standing up and beginning to help her tidy up.
"Oh really? Is that why your middle name is Richard?" Sam smile. She liked this. It was quiet times like this when she got to simply be with Jack, not the Colonel, not sir. Times that she could at least pretend they were a normal couple, instead of a CO and 2IC with the immense potential for something more.
"Yeah, my Dad refused to let my first name be that of a movie character, but he agreed for a middle name that Richard was a good name. I have to admit though, I've always been one of those saps who thought that Rick and Ilsa deserved more than Paris."
"At least they had Paris. Not everyone is lucky enough to get that much," Sam said sadly, trying to smile at him and failing miserably.
Jack took a step over to her, stood in front of her, and looked the love of his life in the eye, "We'll get our time Sam. And we'll get more than Paris, I promise."
"How do you know that Jack? Please, please don't make promises you can't keep," Sam sniffed, tearing up slightly. Lately it had been getting harder to pretend that she only cared about him as a friend and as her boss.
"I'm not making a promise I can't keep," he said stepping over to her stereo where she had the soundtrack of Casablanca in. He put on "As Time Goes By" and gently pulled her to him. Silently listening to the music and concentrating on each other, they danced. The song was over too soon though, "Play it again Sam," was the only thing Jack said. Sam, never wanting the moment to end, put the song on repeat, and quietly began dancing cheek to cheek with Jack again.
For the rest of the night they stayed like that. For one evening they weren't the Colonel and his Major, they weren't Sir and Carter. For one short evening they were just Jack and Sam, just Jonathon Richard and Samantha Marie. Just two people enjoying what they could until they could at least get their Paris. The entire night flew by in a perfect and comfortable silence. No words needed to be uttered between two people who understood each other completely and on an almost elemental level. The only other words spoken between them that night were when Jack finally left at dawn. Standing in her doorway, holding her in a tightly, never wanting to let go, and yet knowing with a heavy heart that he had to, he quietly murmured in her ear, "Here's looking at you kid."