The Collective Years
2: Moon Lit Moments
PhDelicious
Disclaimer: As always I'm just borrowing them for a little while.
A/N: I suppose you should go read "The Visit" at least before reading this. I'm basing this work on incidents referenced therein and haven't really taken the time to fully explain the character's relative ages, etc. here. Part I of this chapter takes place during the first holiday season after 'Moving Day'.
I
Sam
I love Christmas. Snow, no school, and presents, what's not to love? I'm glad we're going home though. I can't wait to show Cassie my new camera. She'll love all the old fashioned adjustable stuff. Almost home.
The Carter's car turned off the highway and onto the road which would take them home from the airport. They'd gone on a quick to visit their grandparents for Christmas and were now returning for a New Year's Eve party the next day at the O'Neill's.
"Hey Mom…what's the plan for the party tomorrow?"
"We've been invited to dinner at the O'Neill's at 6 pm and we're expected to stay until after midnight. I already told you this Mark."
"I know. I was wondering if it would be okay if Sam and I went over earlier to hang out with Jack."
"As long as his parents don't object and you don't get in the way I don't see why not. You can call when we get home."
"Thanks Mom."
I wonder if Jack got anything cool for Christmas.
Jack
"Now, slide pole A into pole B and install spring lock as shown in Figure 3. Next…geez! …I didn't realize telescopes required soo much assembly."
Jack sighed and stood to stretch. He'd been puttering around trying to put together the telescope he'd gotten for Christmas for the last half hour and he was getting nowhere fast. It seemed as if the pieces were multiplying while he worked so that every time he put something together something new appeared.
Maybe I should just get Samantha to do it when the Carters get back. I can't believe she's better than me at this stuff and she's four years younger than I am. It's embarrassing. Darn girl's way too smart for her own good. Back to work? Nah…time for a break. I think I'll go play with the Gameboy.
Sam
Mark and Sam let themselves into the O'Neill's house, knocking as they went.
"Ah, hello kids. Did you have a nice trip? How are your grandparents?"
"Hi Mrs. O'Neill. The trip was good. Everyone's doing fine."
"Glad to hear it. Jack's up in his room doing Lord knows what. Go ahead on up, and take these with you."
Jack's mom handed Sam a bag of chocolate chip cookies and Mark a few cans of soda.
"Don't eat too much or you'll spoil your appetite for later, and we wouldn't want that."
"Thanks," Mark said over his shoulder as he and Sam headed upstairs.
When they got to the top Sam stood aside to let Mark knock on Jack's door. Mark gave her a questioning look and then knocked.
He's not my best friend. I can't believe we've only lived here since the beginning of the school year. I feel like we've been doing this forever.
Jack peeked around the edge of his door.
"Oh good, it's just you two. You can come in. I don't want my Mom to see this mess. She'll have a fit. So, umm….Samantha could you maybe…"
Jack opened the door wide enough for Mark and Sam to enter and stepped back gesturing to the pile of telescope parts on his floor as he spoke.
"What is it?"
"Well it's supposed to be a telescope, but you have to put it together and I think the parts are reproducing."
Sam rolled her eyes.
Sheesh! He's helpless.
"All right. You and Mark go discuss whatever manly sports game was played most recently and I'll put together your present for you. But I want something in return."
"Name it."
"Show me what's so cool up there that you wanted to have the telescope working so badly that you tried to put it together yourself."
"Deal. Carter you interested?"
Why do guys always feel compelled to call each other by their last names?
"Nah. If I want to see stars I can go to a planetarium and not have to sit outside and freeze."
"Your loss."
Jack turned to look at Sam.
"So how bout sometime tonight? When the adults start to get boring? Assuming you can get it built before then."
"Are you questioning my skills?"
"Utoh."
Sam glared at her brother as he stepped between her and Jack, pretending to break up a fight.
"Well I did already have a go at it."
"And probably messed it up more than anything. I'll get your telescope built before dinner, don't worry. And when I do I think I deserve something special because you doubted me."
"What do you want this time?"
"Dunno. I expect you'll think of something."
Sam turned her back on the guys and started perusing the pile nuts, bolts, and rods lying on Jack's floor. She skimmed the assembly instructions and quickly discarded them.
They really should have these written by people who can actually speak English. I wonder if the instructions are as bad in other languages.
oOo
It had only taken Sam about an hour to fix the mess Jack had made of his new telescope. She'd quickly gotten bored with the guys' repetitive argument about which football team was going to win the Super Bowl and gone downstairs to see if Mrs. O'Neill needed any help setting up for dinner or the party. Since then Sam had folded napkins, set tables, put out noise makers, eaten dinner with her family, and talked to most of the adults present. Now she was bored.
Adults can be fun, but they're always so shocked that I can hold and intelligent conversation. Enough for tonight. The teenagers are worse. Flighty girls. What do guys see in them?
Sam looked through the kitchen into the family room where Mark and Jack were sitting in the middle of a crowd of teenagers, most of whom were related to Jack in one way or another. The group sounded as if they were having a good time, though it was mostly feminine voices that carried through the house.
Does Jack really enjoy this? I think its telescope time.
Jack
Dear Lord! How long can you quiz a guy without getting bored? You'd think my cousins had never met a new person before.
Jack rolled his eyes as one of his cousins asked Mark yet another question about something inane. He hadn't been paying enough attention to catch the question, but he was pretty sure he could've answered it.
I wonder what Samantha's up to.
Jack looked up and around, searching for Sam. He caught her eye as she was heading down the short set of stairs into the room. Motioning for her to wait where she was Jack rose, excused himself from the group, and picked his way across the room to Sam.
"Ready to blow this Popsicle stand?"
Sam smiled up at Jack and nodded.
"Good. Stargazing time."
Jack turned Sam towards the stairs and gave her a gentle push to start her up them.
oOo
"So Jack, what's up there that's got you so fascinated?"
"There are so many things up there, more astronomical phenomena than you could count in a life time and they're all different. If there are that many stars, just imagine how many planets there must be. I bet there's somebody out there somewhere looking up at a night sky from one of those other planets and wondering the same thing."
"Or maybe they're on their way here to take over the world, eh Mulder?"
"Oh come on Samantha. Where's your sense of adventure? Your imagination?"
"It would be kinda cool."
"There you go. All right, now open this while I set up the 'scope."
Jack handed Sam a large square package.
Sam
The present was neatly wrapped in Simpsons paper with a bright red bow and lots of tape. It took Sam a few minutes to get it open and when she did she wasn't surprised to find a book. The surprise was the title of the book, Nightwatch. It was a beginner's guide to astronomy.
Sweet!
Sam looked at Jack expectantly.
"I figured you'd rope me into showing you how this worked sooner or later. Now you have your own guide I better not catch you 'borrowing' mine all the time. At least not until you have that one completely memorized"
He winked at her and motioned her over to the telescope.
"We're going to start out simple, with something so basic I don't even think it makes it into that book. There are few stars that remain constant in the night sky throughout the year. The North Star is one of them. In fact it is so constant that sailors used to use it to navigate. If you look over here…"
Sam followed Jack's hand as it tracked across the sky, quickly becoming completely enthralled with this new hobby.
II
Sam
Sam was anxious. She was going to be alone with Jack for the first time since their fight, the first fight they'd had in the three years she'd known him. Of course it wouldn't have been so bad if she could remember a fight. As far as she knew the last time they'd hung out he'd nearly tickled her to death. Since then he'd spent the past few months avoiding her. She'd finally trapped him by his locker one day after school. She was still embarrassed at the way she'd broken down and nearly begged him to tell her what was wrong. He hadn't answered her question, but he'd promised to stop avoiding her and to start stargazing with her again.
Go on Samantha…just knock on his door, well his parent's door anyways. He's not going to bite… at least not in front of his parents. You've got to do it sometime. Sooner is better than later and quick like a band-aid. It's going to hurt either way. How can it not when one of your best friends drops you without a warning?
Sam took a deep breath and knocked on the O'Neill's back door.
Jack
The sound of Sam's knock made Jack want to hide.
Crap! What am I going to do? Breathe Jack. Just don't think about it. Remember she has no idea what's going on. She's too young and too innocent to understand.
"Jack…Sam's here."
"Thanks Mom. Come on up."
Jack hollered down the stairs. In the silence that followed he could imagine his mother's disapproving sigh. Jack took a deep breath and steeled himself for Sam's appearance. There was a light tap on his door and then Sam stepped into sight, barely moving beyond his doorway.
God she's beautiful. How can she be so fascinating when I know everything about her? Don't be an idiot Jack. You know everything about Samantha the child. Even she doesn't know Samantha the woman yet. Can't you see the poor girl's practically shaking? Say something!
"Samantha…hi. I…well, umm…there's not really much I can say except I'm sorry and I'll try not to do it again."
Jack, desperate not to over talk, rushed through his apology and stopped speaking rather abruptly. Sam flinched slightly at the end and stared at the floor. The silence dragged on for long minutes before she finally spoke in a low whisper.
"Show me how to find the North Star, Jack. I think I've lost it."
How does she know exactly what to say so that I can't refuse her?
The sight of the tears preparing to spill combined with the tremor in Sam's voice caused Jack's protective instincts to come forward, over-riding the more recent burden of attraction.
"Oh honey I'm so sorry. Come here."
Jack opened his arms wide and took a step towards Sam. She responded by throwing herself into his embrace. Her arms slipped around his waist as she buried her head in his shoulder, tears no longer held back. Jack held her close with one arm and ran his other hand in long soothing strokes over her hair.
"Hush baby. It's okay. I'm sorry Samantha. I was so worried about myself I didn't think about how my decision would affect you. It'll be all right. I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere. Never again. I promise."
Jack's words were a raspy whisper over Sam's head. A feeble attempt to restore a friendship he had almost ruined with guilt and one, he was beginning to realize, he couldn't afford to lose. As Sam's crying slowed Jack loosened his arm from around her. He smoothed his hand over her hair one last time, trailed it down her arm and wrapped his fingers loosely around her wrist. With a slight tug he pulled her behind him out onto the widow's walk where his telescope was set up.
Jack sat on the chair next to the telescope and pulled Sam onto his lap. He gently brushed away the last of her tears and then turned her to face away from him. Jack rested his chin on her shoulder and took her right hand in his. Lifting their arms Jack pointed towards the sky as he spoke.
"See these stars? Those seven stars make up the constellation called the Big Dipper. The line made by the last two stars in the Big Dipper points towards the North Star. Also known as the Pole Star, the North Star is the most constant star in the sky. Since it always appears in the same position people used to use it to figure out where they were. It is said that say you can set your heart by the North Star."
Content to let it rest at that Jack released Sam's hand and moved his arms to fully encircle her once more. Jack sighed once against her cheek and then the two sat in silence until Sam began to shiver.
Sam
Despite the warm arms around her and the heat radiating from Jack, Sam had been growing progressively colder. Now she could no longer conceal her shivering from Jack and her teeth were beginning to chatter.
"I think it's time to call it a night."
The feel of Jack's breath on her neck and cheek cause Sam to shiver again.
Why does that do that? He's never made me shiver before. Could be because he's never held you like this before. I don't want to get up.
Jack lifted Sam gently from his lap and stood up beside her.
Oh well. So much for not moving.
Taking her hand in his once again Jack led Sam back through his room and downstairs to the front door. He opened the front door and stepped outside onto the small front porch with Sam.
"Good night Samantha."
Jack kissed her lightly on the forehead and pulled back.
Say something.
"Jack…thank you."
Impulsively Sam leaned forward and hugged Jack. For a long moment Jack remained still. Eventually however he pushed her away ever so slightly.
"I'll watch from here until you get home."
Sam nodded and began to walk away. Jack gave her hand one final squeeze and then, true to his word, he stood watch until she was safe inside her own house.
A/N 2: Reviews would be grand… because while I have many of the events I wish to write about outlined I don't have the chapters fully written and I may decide that I have no readers if there are no responses. As such if there are any incidents referenced in my other works that you would be especially interested in seeing me elaborate please indicate that in your review. Thanks.
Irrelevant Point:I really like the chemistry between Daniel and Vala, but I spent this week's episode thinking, 'Sam would have figured it out by now.'