Thank you all for the wonderful reviews once again. I'm still stunned at the reaction this story has provoked.
I know I've made one or two errors for which I'm sorry, but I'm glad you're all still enjoying this. Thanks guys!
Title: Unity.
Author: LetitiaRichards.
Previously:
"Someone who has been programmed to act on certain words at a certain time. Rather like I was programmed to self-destruct when I heard the word Mariposa," Jack sighed. He was tired. Tired, not just in the physical sense, but also in the politics involved. Tired of being a target, but now that Kinsey was dead, perhaps that would solve the problem. He only hoped that the President would appoint someone decent to the vacant post as head of the Appropriations committee. Just maybe he could get on with his life now.
Chapter 36
"What of General Kelly sir?" Sam asked, wanting to know what part he had played in all of this.
Hammond dragged his eyes from Jack's weary form. The Colonel was sagging visibly, his head buried in his hands; his elbows propped on the table. He looked beyond tired.
"You okay Colonel?" he asked, putting Sam's question on hold.
Jack jerked his head up and gave his CO a small grimace.
"No, but I will be. So, what about Kel...em...General Kelly sir?" he asked, just to show he had been listening, even if he didn't look as if he was; plus he really wanted to know if he'd been in on the plot to sent him on that damn mission.
"Brigadier General Kelly has been relieved of his command. He admitted accepting a bribe to put Diaz under your care to begin with Jack, and to make sure you went on that mission. Getting Dr. Jackson to join you was an extra bonus, as he'd already asked to accompanying you. He vehemently denies any other involvement in the scheme. I believe his next posting is as 2IC of Eielson AFB."
"Eielson?" Daniel asked. Jack's sharp bark of amusement convinced him it wasn't a pleasant place to be, but where was it? Daniel wondered, and he was sure Teal'c would like to know too.
"Fairbanks, Alaska," Sam smirked.
"And let's not forget the demotion either," Jack sighed. It was no more than the man deserved. He was lucky he didn't get kicked out of the Air Force.
"What will happen to Diaz sir?" Sam asked. "If he was as much as a victim as the Colonel was then surely he won't be punished?"
"He will have to undergo therapy to clear his mind..."
"Zat him!" Jack said quickly, receiving puzzled looks from the rest of his team as well as the General. "Shoot him with a zat gun, like Teal'c shot me. It might do the job a lot quicker and easier," he explained.
"Yes...but you had a seizure and ended up in a coma!" Daniel countered.
"But I was cured! I don't have any of that crap inside my head any more!"
"You also had a strange chemical in your blood Colonel, I'm not sure if Diaz has had a blood test to show he has the same or not, but I can check up on that, Hammond said, turning to look at Jack once more. He looked pale and there was a line of moisture beading his brow. "Jack you should get some rest; from what I gather, you've had a busy day so far. Major, Dr. Jackson, Teal'c! Take the man home!"
"Yes sir," Sam replied sharply, leaping from her chair and giving the General a text-book salute; whilst Daniel and Teal'c nodded in agreement.
"Come on Jack, let's get you out of here," Daniel said, getting up and nodding to Teal'c to get the wheelchair.
Jack was about to protest at the General's order, but one look at the scowl and raised eyebrows of his CO, as if Jack would dare to disobey, had Jack sighing in reluctance and he nodded a reluctant agreement.
"Okay, okay!" Jack cried, throwing his hands into the air in surrender. "I'll go quietly,"
Hammond left the room grinning, chewing over Jack 'cure' for Diaz. Maybe it would work after all, it would perhaps save months of therapy.
OoOoOoOoO
Jack flopped down into the sofa with a grunt of relief and Daniel grabbed the crutches before Jack could drop them onto the floor. Sam helped him remove his shoes and place his feet onto a cushion on the coffee table where he would be able to ease the soreness and pressure from them after his walk earlier.
"You okay Jack? Do you need anything? Can I...?"
"Daniel!" Jack pulled him up sharply. "I'm fine. Thank you. I don't need anything. I can manage. Why don't you guys go back to the base and do some work for a change. It's not as if I'm tied to the wheelchair any more, is it? Sam can stay if she wants. You can come back for dinner, okay?"
Daniel looked doubtful, he glanced at Sam and she smiled and raised her eyebrows a little, meaning she would love a few moments alone with Jack.
"Okay then. I do have some translations to work on. Come on Teal'c, apparently we're not wanted around here for a few hours," Daniel smirked, and received Teal'c's customary silent nod in acceptance.
"Dinner at 20:00 guys, don't be late," Sam called out as she headed to the kitchen to put the coffee on. She stopped by the doorway as Daniel and Teal'c made to leave and smiled at her team-mates, calling out a soft, "Thanks," before they left.
"No problem Sam!" Daniel whispered with a grin.
Then they were gone. Sam hummed softly as she worked, putting together a snack. Jack needed feeding up, especially now as he was going to get more mobile; he'd need the energy.
Jack sat in the lounge, his head resting against the back of the sofa, his eyes closed. He wouldn't admit to anyone that he was exhausted, but having gotten Daniel and Teal'c out of the way from smothering him, he felt he could let go now there was only Sam, and he wouldn't keep anything from her now. Couldn't keep anything from her, she was getting to read him like a book.
A few moments later, Sam stepped down into the lounge and smiled, Jack appeared to be asleep, but at her entrance he stirred.
"Coffee?" he asked with a grin. "No beer?"
"No. You know what Janet said!"
He harrumphed and frowned, but he didn't complain, just accepted his mug and took a sip, before placing it beside him on the little table.
Sam had disappeared again but came back moments later with her own coffee and handed him a plate of sandwiches, sitting down beside him, and pressing against his side, bringing her feet up onto the cushion beside her.
She took a sandwich off the plate and tucked in, watching as Jack examined the contents before he took a bite.
"This is nice," he said after he'd finished the first mouthful.
"It's just ham and tomato. Nothing fancy."
"No, I mean, this..." he waved his snadwich between them, "...is nice," he smiled, taking another bite.
Sam smiled and swallowed, nodding in agreement.
"Hmmm!" she murmured, threading her arm through his and laying her head on his shoulder, snuggling up to him. "I know."
They fell silent as they ate contentedly. Sam was happy that Jack hadn't shied away from her closeness, it had been so long since they had had a chance to just snuggle. It wasn't the same while they were asleep, and the others were nearby, now they could talk about things. Things that needed to be said about where they went from here on. About work and 'them'. She knew what she wanted.
"Jack!"
"Hmmm?" he mumbled through his last mouthful.
"I love you!"
He swallowed and turned to look at her. She pulled away slightly so that they could look at each other properly.
He grinned, and pulled her into a kiss, albeit a gentle brief one.
"I love you too Sam."
"So, what do we do now? We already broke the regs."
"I know," he sighed, feeling guilty. "I'll retire."
"You can't Jack. We need you out there. You're the best the SGC has."
"Sam..."
"I could leave the Air Force, become a civilian and still work in the labs."
"No. Sam..." he paused, not knowing what to suggest. "You're worth more than I am. You're the smartest person I know. You've pulled our butts out of the technical fire so many times now. You can't give that up. You love going out there. It was your dream. I'm just a soldier who gives the orders because I happen to be a Colonel. All I do is tell everyone what to do, but only because you usually tell me what we need to do. Nobody's gonna notice if I'm not there."
His hand moved up to cup her cheek, trying to convince her she was more valuable to an SG team than he was. He wouldn't be missed, but she would.
"You can take command of SG-1. I've told Hammond that you're ready for it. Please Sam, let me be the one to step down. It's the only way.
Sam looked at him, tears welling from her eyes. She shook her head in denial.
"I can't let you do this Jack," she said, pulling away from him and standing a little way from his reach. You're not just a soldier. You're a leader Jack and where you lead, people will always follow. You're the reason the SGC is so successful at getting back to the SGC after all the scrapes we've gotten into. Why do you think that SG-1 has survived for so long? Because of you Jack. You have a brilliant tactical mind and without it, the SGC will suffer. I can't let you stand down."
She sniffed back the tears, brushing them from her face with her hand. Then with a defiant sniff, she gathered up the things and headed for the kitchen. Things were at an impasse, and she couldn't see a way round it.
TBC
