See Chapter One for full disclaimer and author's notes.
Chapter Five
As the weeks progressed Jack's prediction of talk at the SGC proved to be something of an understatement. At first, the scuttlebutt had been moving through the corridors faster than the Marines during an alert. But finally talk began to calm and move on to new and more interesting topics and away from the new couple who had given the rumor mill little fodder for their lunchtime gossiping.
Through it all, Sam and Jack kept their contact at work strictly professional and left any personal interactions for his home or hers. It wasn't as though they didn't want to go out, but between their work loads and the rumors of favoritism at work, Jack had suggested that perhaps some time out of the public eye, even off duty, might not be a bad idea.
On her first day back at the SGC after her trip to Area 51, Sam had pulled Daniel and Teal'c aside and filled them in on all that had happened over the weekend. Originally, she was going to casually suggest breakfast in the commissary, but scratched that plan when she considered how exuberant Daniel could be sometimes. Instead, she asked them to join her in town for dinner, seeking to keep her private life as far from the base and its prying eyes and ears as possible.
They met at a local pizza parlor and had plowed their way through two large sausage and pepperoni pizzas and a pitcher of beer before Sam felt relaxed enough to broach the subject she had wanted to discuss with her team. While she was finishing up the last of her dinner, her mind continued to run through possible reactions so she could be ready to respond. Stop it Sam. These are your friends. Just give them the benefit of the doubt, already.
After a few moments of companionable silence as they handed over their empty plates to the waiting server Daniel decided to break the ice, having already surmised the true purpose for this "team building dinner".
"So. How was your weekend?"
Sam looked up, slightly startled. "Fine. Yours?"
"Sam…"
"Daniel."
Teal'c's eyebrow cocked quizzically.
Sam couldn't suppress a grin. "You'd think after all these years I'd be used to Daniel being a step ahead of me," She paused then, looking at her hands, trying to quickly form her thoughts into a coherent statement. Seemingly without her control, a steady stream began flowing from her mouth.
"Before the rumor mill on the base gets started, I thought I should inform both of you that Jack and I have decided to see each other outside work … to pursue a personal relationship. Due to the fact that I am no longer officially under General O'Neill's command, the fraternization rules no longer apply. I believe that we'll both be able to maintain our professional relationship, and maintain the status quo, but if you guys have any objections, or any reason to feel uncomfortable about this, then I think we should discuss this as a team. I don't want our relationships in or out of work to be affected and I…"
"Sam!"
At his exclamation, Sam's head jerked up to look at Daniel.
The archaeologist was grinning from ear to ear. "Breathe, Sam."
Teal'c's face creased into a small, sage smile. "Indeed."
Sam released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "So, you two are alright with this?"
Daniel nodded. "Sam, it's been obvious for a long time how you and Jack feel about each other. I'm happy for both of you that you can finally do something about it."
Sam looked over at Teal'c for further assurance. "Teal'c?"
Teal'c was looking at her now with such seriousness, that she began to worry. "Samantha, I have been aware of your feelings for General O'Neill, and his feelings for you, for some time. I am extremely pleased that you will now have the freedom to express those feelings."
Sam felt as though a boulder has been lifted off her shoulders. She wasn't sure why she had been worried. These were her best friends in the world. Hell, her best friends in the universe. She should have known they would be as supportive in this as in every other endeavor. "Okay, then," Sam looked from Daniel to Teal'c, a smile playing over her face. Daniel smiled, nodded and reached out to pick up his drink raising it up in front of him.
"To Sam and Jack, and many happy years together."
Teal'c followed suit and Sam's smiled broadened as she lifted her glass. "And to good friends."
"Indeed."
Drinking from their respective glasses, Sam felt as though all was finally right with her world.
SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1
The discovery of each other as their relationship began to take shape came as something of a surprise to Jack. He found himself pleasantly surprised at the side of Sam Carter that was slowly emerging. This was the side of Sam who could be shyly uncertain of herself in their new found closeness. The side to her that enjoyed a good romantic movie versus a technical journal; the side who could relax and smile and laugh over a comfortable dinner by soft candlelight. The side of Sam that wasn't at all afraid to simply sit on the couch and be held.
If he hadn't been in love with her before this discovery, he certainly was now, not that he had actually said the words out loud yet. This Sam could be feminine without losing any of the strength of character that had attracted him in the first place. Not that Sam wasn't feminine already, he could hardly count himself a man if he had missed that little detail. Hell, let's face it, she's HOT. But this part of Sam endeared her to him even further. It was almost as if he she was allowing him to take control, to be a protector; a role he had become rather accustomed to in his previous relationships, but hadn't expected to find with Sam. A role that made him feel wanted and needed and he was surprised to find just how good it made him feel.
However, this role of protector had its downside as well, especially when they were on base. Jack found it increasingly on his mind the dangers Sam faced in their day to day work environment and had to consciously pull himself back from those feelings of protection. Something that Sam neither wanted nor needed at work. So when a mission came up and SG-1 was next in the rotation Jack didn't hesitate to assign them, but it was never far from his mind what could happen at any time when they stepped through the 'gate.
They had in fact discussed just that fear not long ago over a quiet dinner at Sam's after a particularly difficult week for the both of them.
Jack had been under the usual pressures from the President and the Pentagon, but for some reason this week seemed to wear on him more than usual. Sam had been under pressure from Jack to complete a key analysis of some pieces of Goa'uld technology that had recently been acquired by other SG teams. They hadn't seen each other outside work for the entire week and by Friday evening, they were both worn down by the stress and long hours of the week that they agreed to meet that evening for dinner to get a head start on what they hoped would be a relaxing weekend.
The conversation during dinner had been light, about everything and nothing. Cassie's school work, her latest change in major, the early change in the weather this year, whether or not to watch the Simpsons or King of the Hill. Sam wasn't sure later who had brought it up, but the conversation suddenly took on a much more serious tenor.
"Jack, are you telling me you've thought about pulling us from a mission? You would seriously do that?"
"Hey, I only said I'd thought about it, not that I'd actually do it. I'm sorry, Sam, I can't help but think about it. I can't stop thinking about it some days when you're out there and I'm stuck back here, not knowing what's going on."
Sam's expression softened from indignation to understanding. "I know it's hard for you, Jack. I really do. But this is what I do, it's what I love. I'm not likely to give it up willingly anytime soon."
"I know. And I would never ask you to. But I can't help it. I want to keep you out of harm's way. It's the over-controlling alpha male in me. It's genetics. Unavoidable," Jack shrugged, attempting to throw off his concern. But Sam wasn't so easily put off.
Sam reached out to take Jack's hand in her own, absently rubbing her thumb along the backs of his knuckles. "I kind of like that 'over-controlling alpha male' side of you, ya know."
Jack's surprise must have shown on his face and had Sam laughing in response.
"Don't look so surprised. I'm not that different from other women, am I? We all like to be taken care of, at least some of the time. But so help me, if you breathe a word of that to Teal'c or Daniel...you'll regret it."
That brought an answering smile to Jack's face. "No, of course you're not different. But I'm still figuring that out. You're usually...I dunno...more assertive than that. I just wasn't expecting it."
Sam's smiled widened as she released Jack's hand to reach for her coffee mug. "We both know what we do is dangerous. But if we don't take on that danger, who should? All the times we've saved the world, even if no one outside the mountain knows about it, that means something to me."
"Even the times when things didn't work out? The times when the end of the mission means a bed in the infirmary? It's not the times we saved the world that worry me, Sam. It's the times things went wrong."
"Jack, there's no way to protect me from everything. You know that. I could die tomorrow driving to work. When it's fated to happen, it'll happen, and nothing we do or say can stop it."
"Do you really believe that?"
"What, in fate? After all we've seen, all we've been through, it's the only thing that makes sense. Why else am I even still here, still alive if not for fate? Or just pure dumb luck."
"Yeah, luck. Eventually luck runs out though. It always does," Jack murmured quietly, his gaze skittering away from Sam's.
Sam's smile faded, her expression becoming concerned. "Jack look at me."
Jack knew he was caught; he knew the look in his eyes would give him away, but he couldn't deny her and slowly turned his head so that their gazes met.
The look Sam saw in his eyes surprised and shocked her. He was afraid; a fear that went deeper than she realized. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here and I'm going to always be right here."
"You can't know that, Sam. You can't promise me that. Damn it, I've seen you die. I just don't think I can handle that happening again. Not now."
Sam paused for a moment, unsure what to say. She then pushed back her chair, got up and came to kneel at Jack's side, looking at him directly. "You're right. I don't know that for sure. No one ever does. But what I do know is that I care about you, very much, and there is nothing in this universe that will stop me from doing everything in my power to come home to you."
Jack stared deep into Sam's eyes, measuring her resolve; measuring his own.
"Do you believe me?" Sam prompted.
Jack seriously considered her question before answering. "Yes, I do. It's not about belief or trust Sam. You'll always have that from me. It's just going to take me some time to get comfortable with this."
Sam smiled and leaned in to place a gentle, loving kiss on his lips. "You can have all the time you need, Jack."
He nodded in reply, reaching up to pull Sam's head back down to kiss her forehead. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Everything," Jack replied simply, meaning it in every sense of the word.
Thinking back on that conversation now, Jack felt a bit foolish. He knew Sam was right, but he also knew that those fears would be with him as long as Sam remained an active member of SG-1, stepping out of the 'gate into unknown situations on a fairly regular basis.
Gazing across the conference table at her as she attempted to explain why they needed to visit P7X-035, Jack felt the weight of his duty pressing down over the knowledge that he would do almost anything to keep her safe. In the end, as always, his dedication to his duty prevailed.
"Okay campers, go for it. You ship out at 0900 tomorrow morning."
Jack kept his eyes on the mission outline in front of him as SG-1 pushed back from the table and headed out into the corridor. It wasn't until he looked back up that he realized he wasn't alone.
"Something I can do for you, Colonel?"
Sam pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes briefly before replying. She could feel his unease as if it were a living thing standing between them, and she wanted to know what she had done to cause it before she left on this mission.
"Everything okay, sir?"
Sam watched as surprised rippled ever so fleetingly across his face before Jack closed it off, his eyes taking on the cool veneer of command.
"Sure. Everything's fine."
"You sure, sir? You seemed a bit…distracted, during the briefing."
"I heard every word, Carter. You're going to P7X-035. Daniel's going to go dig up his bits of stuff, you and Teal'c will hopefully keep him from falling into another sink hole," Jack replied, a smirk gracing his mouth.
"Now, sir. You know that only happened once and Teal'c was standing right next to him when he did and he still couldn't keep Daniel from going over into the hole."
"My point exactly."
Sam realized she was being gently but firmly steered away from her original question and decided to let it go, for now. "Yes, sir. Of course. You busy tonight? I was going to make Thai peanut stir fry, about 1900, if you're interested."
"That sounds great, Carter. I'll be there."
"Great, see you then, sir. Have a good afternoon."
"Oh yeah, like that's gonna happen. I've got Doctors Lee and Felger in here right after lunch. That'll probably last at least until quitting time tonight," Jack replied, grimacing.
"Now, sir, it can't be that bad."
"Easy for you to say, you understand what they're saying."
Laughing lightly Sam turned and headed toward the stairs to the control room. "See you tonight, sir."
SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1
Ba'al stood, his head held high to look down upon those arrayed before him. They had all served him loyally for many years, a dozen of his best and brightest, and now he would put that loyalty to the ultimate test. He paced slowly in front of them, their eyes never leaving him as they waited expectantly for him to speak. Ever the master of anticipation he waited, perhaps for a few moments longer than some of them would have expected, before opening his mouth to speak.
"My loyal servants, I have need of your services in a quest that will lead to the ultimate conquest of the galaxy. My operatives have discovered a weapon that will shift the balance of power in my favor and place me as the sole System Lord to rule over all!" Ba'al paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in.
"You will be charged with further developing this weapon to serve our needs. This weapon must be ready to use against the Tok'ra and their Tau'ri lackeys before the next meeting of the System Lords. They must know the power I possess and my willingness to use it against any of them who would dare challenge me! You will depart immediately for the planet known as Kianon. There you will succeed! You will unleash this weapon to our enemies before the completion of the next Kianon lunar cycle. Your mission must be held in the utmost secrecy. Leave no trace of your presence on the planet. Leave no marker of your arrival or departure. Kianon is a remote and backward world where you should remain undetected for the duration of your work there."
Ba'al paused again, gazing into the eager and expectant faces of the best and most brilliant scientific minds he had available within his ranks. He had no doubts they would work day and night to have the weapon ready in time to please their god and master. His only worry was whether or not the weapon would be as powerful as he had been led to believe.
"Go now! For the glory of your god, Ba'al!"
Snapping smartly to attention, heels clicking, arms straight at their sides, Ba'al's minions bowed together at the waist and then turned to file silently from the room.
TBC…