Disclaimer: Don't own any of SG-1, as much as I'd like to. :winks:

Summary: Samantha Carter, no longer USAF, is having doubts about her feelings when things get serious with Pete. When Jack gets injured because of her, she is forced to re-think her current relationship. Does she truly love Pete, or was he just holding a place in her heart reserved for someone else?

Note: Slight Alternate Reality. I'm not quite sure where this fits Season-wise, so that's partly the reason for the AR (I don't want readers to misunderstand, so I will clearly state that this is NOT a parrellel universe fic). Another reason for alternate-ness is that I've changed things around partly. You'll see. Please...read on, read on.

Cold Feet

Chapter One: Labor of Love

It had been nearly a year since Samantha Carter (once Major Samantha Carter, USAF) had resigned after an assurance from General Hammond that she'd be able to remain on SG-1 in a civilian position. Because of their type of work, certain leeway had been given for her to stay on the team, and Sam knew it. She still had the actions of a soldier when it was necessary, but always the mind of a scientistl; atrophysicist, to be precise. Becoming a civilian had it's distinct advantages, to which she was clearly aware of. She no longer had to address her commanding officer, leader of SG-1, as Colonel, or Sir. While they were on mission she occasionally did so out of habit, but once they were on God's Green Earth again, Sam felt confident now to call him Jack. She was even pleased that after a few months O'Neill had stopped calling her Major, or just Carter, and began addressing her as Sam. Atleast, most of the time anyway. Occasionally there was a slip. Old habits die hard.

The real reason behind her civilian position was a secret to everyone but her. Samantha Carter had to discover for herself if she truly harbored deep feelings for Jack O'Neill, or whether it was only fear of commitment and she was simply longing after a man she knew she couldn't have. For awhile she was certain she loved him, but things never seemed to change between the two. He still looked to her as a subordinate. Sam knew he saw her as a friend too, but there was something in his eyes that told her the man still felt like he'd be crossing certain bounds by going further than that. After all, she was still in his chain of command, civilian or not.

More months passed, and Sam got over it. She even started seeing a man named Pete Shanahan. He was a cop, and a buddy of her brother Mark's. Now she'd been seeing Pete for nearly six months and things were starting to get serious. She was getting a little antsy, but managed to force back those feelings and push on. Sam was fiercely determined to get on with her life and be happy, despite lingering feelings for a certain Air Force Colonel.

"He's taking me out to dinner tonight, someplace fancy," Sam spoke quietly to her friend, and the CMO of the SGC base, Dr. Janet Fraiser. She smiled hesitantly. "I'm a little nervous actually, I think he might propose," Despite the good news, she found herself grimacing slightly.

Janet was just smiling widely.

"Good for you Cart- uh, Sam," came a deep, brusque voice from the doorway.

Sam whirled around to find Jack leaning in the doorway to the infirmary. "Jack," She gasped, smiling bashfully. "I - uh,"

He waved a hand dismissively and took a few steps forward, noting that Janet's mouth was hung open. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Jack nodded slightly with a congradulatory smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You deserve to be happy after all you've been through," He failed to hide the somberness in his tone, but neither Janet or Sam said anything about his melancholy attitude.

"Well, uh, nothing's set in stone yet. He hasn't even asked me, I'm just guessing," Sam babbled uncomfortably, feeling like she wanted to curl up in a tight ball and hide from his intense, brown-eyed stare. For some reason she was feeling guilty. "Jack, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't mention this to anyone. I don't want to say anything until I know for sure,"

Jack nodded briefly. "You know me, I'm not the gossiping type,"

"Right," Sam smiled tightly.

"Colonel," Janet piped up, finding her voice. She smiled warmly at him with an expectant look. "What brings you to the infirmary at oh-nine-hundred this morning?"

He rose a brow, then crossed his arms in exasperation, already expecting her to know why he was there. "You said you wanted to try some new stuff for my knees, remember? I mean, you did say you'd track me down if I didn't show up," Jack shrugged indifferently, then waved a hand and jokingly made a turn to walk away. "But you know, I could do without gettin' stuck by any needles, so I think I might just-"

"Not so fast, Sir," Janet grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back. She smiled wickedly. "I remember now," she patted the medical bed nearby. "Have a seat Colonel,"

"D'oh!" Jack exclaimed under his breath with a brief grimace of defeat.Sighing, he obeyed the doctor reluctantly, then began the process of rolling up his pant legs.

Sam stood by uselessly, having no place at the moment. Touching Janet's arm to get her attention, she smiled, then gestured toward the door. "I guess I'll see you later Janet."

"Bye Sam," Janet gave a nod and smiled in return.

"Good luck Jack," Sam called lightly to the Colonel when she reached the door.

"Hmph, yeh," he grunted, watching her leave. Jack was trying to act as though what he'd overheard didn't bother him, but he was just lying to himself. It bothered him more than he'd like to admit. He loved Sam and didn't want her taking the next step to being Mrs. Pete Shanahan. The thought caused an uncomfortable tightness in his chest that the Colonel recognized as jealousy and longing.

-

Daniel Jackson was sat at a table in the SGC's commissary, eating his evening meal while simultaneously leafing through a pile of paper-clipped notes and pages. He was reading up on a culture that SG-1 had come across on a recent mission, finding it's similarities to certain cultures of Earth as he often did. This distracting work, while occasionally taking a bite of food, had left him vulnerable to a surprise appearance by his friend and teammate, Jack O'Neill.

"Danny-boy!" The man exclaimed with a cheeryness he wasn't feeling, patting the archaeologist on the back and causing the younger man to jump in his seat, sweeping a few papers off the table in the process. He grinned, taking pride in his ability to startle the unknowing scientist.

"Jack," Daniel greeted flatly with a glare as he pushed his chair back and leaned down to gather his fallen research. He loudly slapped the papers back on the table with a bit of irritation as O'Neill took a seat across from him without bothering to lend a hand. Raising both eyebrows and leaning back in the chair, Daniel stared across at the man in front of him, waving a hand in vague gesture and deciding to pick up on the usual chit-chat with his friend, annoyance forgotten. "So, how are the knees?"

"Fine, fine. All's well an' good," Jack said lightly, propping an elbow on the table. Despite his jovial greeting, O'Neill now appeared thoughtful and somber.

Daniel knew all too well that the flippant attitude and sarcasm was just a front to hide how Jack really felt. He knew something was bothering his friend, something the man obviously would rather not, or couldn't, discuss openly. He noticed Jack staring at his half-eaten plate of food.

"You gonna finish that?" Jack asked distractedly with both eyebrows raised in half-interest.

"No, no, go ahead," Daniel murmured listlessly, nudging the plate across the table with disinterest. "So," he began after a moment while Jack dug into the leftover roasted chicken and mashed potatoes. "Where's Sam gone off to? I noticed she left early for once. She seemed in a hurry."

Jack sighed. "She's having dinner with Pete," he muttered automatically, voice flat. O'Neill's dark eyes never left the plate in front of him. Now lacking an appetite, he began pushing the food around, mixing the mashed potatoes and chicken into a decidedly disgusting blob.

"Oh," Noticing that appeared to be a sore subject, Daniel realized the cause for what was bothering his friend. He had known for awhile now that Jack and Sam shared a special bond, and even cared more for one another than they might ever admit. "What about Teal'c?" he questioned, shifting focus of the conversation in a lame attempt to get Jack's mind off what really had him upset.

"Ah, you know," Jack waved a hand with a half shrug. "Teal'c's doing...whatever it is that Teal'c does." He distractedly swirled his fork within the center of the lumpy blob.

Daniel just nodded. He was at a loss for something to say or do as a long silence lapsed between them. Pretending to study his notes once more, the archaeologist was surprised as Jack stood suddenly, as if possessed, then wordlessy stalked from the commissary. Daniel watched Jack's departure with furrowed brows before standing and chasing after him.

"Jack, wait!" Jackson called out, jogging down the grey corridors of the SGC to catch up with his severely focused friend. "Where are you going!"

"I gotta talk to Sam before he asks her," Jack answered without stopping.

"What!" Daniel barked with confusion. "Jack, wait, stop," he caught up, grabbing his friend's shoulder firmly and urging him to come to a halt. "What are you talking about?" He asked evenly, searching Jack's eyes for an answer.

O'Neill ran a hand through his hair in aggitation. "Sam thought Pete was gonna ask her to marry him tonight," he blurted, breathing heavily and frowning.

Daniel's mouth hung open slightly and he held up a hand, brows furrowed slightly as he tried to understand. "Whoa, whoa, lemme get this straight.." he paused, blinking, gathering his thoughts. "Pete's going to propose to Sam and you-" cutting himself off, he awaited Jack's response.

"That's right," the man stated firmly, face set in stone. Jack knew his words confirmed Daniel's thoughts. "I can't let that happen," he started to walk away again, voice quiet. "I gotta tell 'er,"

Standing in shock, all Daniel could do was watch Jack leave. He knew he was going to Sam to tell her how he really felt about her. It's about time, he thought, shaking his head slightly and crossing his arms with a faint smile on his lips.

-

The roads were slick with freezing rain that fell rapidly from the sky, coating the already snow-covered ground with a thin layer of ice and making it all the more dangerous. Jack drove on determinedly despite the weather conditions. He had no way of knowing which restaurant Sam and Pete were at, but that mattered little to him at the moment. He'd stop at every fancy restaurant in Colorado Springs if he had to.

Driving along the dark, narrow roadways, Jack occasionally felt the tires of his truck slipping on the ice-coated surface. He'd managed to maintain control, even as the road winded downhill. Several yards ahead the high beams of Jack's truck met that of an oncoming car. Quickly flicking off his high beams so as not to blind the other driver, he slowed carefully for the upcoming turn, having lost a bit of visibility with lack of better lighting.

Jack's big Ford truck began sliding around the turn, wheels locking as he tapped lightly on the breaks. The approaching vehicle didn't share his idea of slowing down, and if he didn't do something quick, Jack knew that the skidding truck would soon crash headlong into the much smaller car. "Crap!" he muttered loudly, trying desperately to wrestle back control.

Jerking the wheel to avoid hitting the car, Jack's truck swerved off the road and began a dangerous slide down a steep embankment. Tires squeeled as the truck slid, rear wheels catching on something and causing the vehicle to fall heavily on it's side, flipping completely once before being stopped forcefully by a thick tree. The truck's engine whined, tires still spinning as it remained on the driver's side in the heavy snow, otherwise motionless.

The other car had come to a swerving stop, but managed to remain on the road. The driver had turned on the emergency lights before shakily opening the door and stepping out onto the slick pavement to assess the damage done to the truck that had been driven off the road.

-

Sam sipped a glass of red wine slowly, trying to steel her nerves in preparation for what she was certain the grinning man in front of her was waiting to ask. He looked like a little boy finally confronting the girl he'd been crushing on, she noted.

"How's the food?" Pete asked casually, seemingly antsy. He appeared awfully eager.

"Good," Sam smiled, taking a bite. "It's good," She sipped her wine again, and Pete reached out a hand to place over hers. Her heart fluttered nervously, but there was also a nagging in her gut that made her a little uneasy.

"Okay," Pete took a deep breath, squeezing Sam's hand gently. "I wanted to ask you-" He was interrupted mid-sentance by the persistant ringing of a cell phone.

Sam flushed with embarassment, then smiled apologetically and reached into her purse, pulling out the phone and flipping it open to see that it was Daniel calling. "Sorry, I've got to get this," she stood and excused herself, heading toward the restaurant's lobby before answering, silently grateful for the distraction. "Hey Daniel, what's going on? I'm kind of busy right now-"

"Sam," Daniel's voice was urgent and grim. "It's Jack. He's been in an accident."

"What?" Sam muttered with disbelief, covering one ear with her hand to block out the restaurant noise in the background.

"It was a car accident," Daniel explained, "We got a call at the SGC half an hour ago saying that an Air Force Colonel stationed at Cheyenne had been in an automobile accident and was being admitted to the nearest hospital. A young woman called 9-1-1 saying she'd seen the truck go off the road."

"Oh God," Sam exclaimed with a gasp, eyes wide and afraid. "Is Jack okay? Where is he?" She could feel her heart beating wildly now, slamming hard against her ribcage as though it were trying to burst through.

"He's at the Memorial Hospital emergency room," Daniel told her without elaborating. "Janet's there now requesting that they hand him over to her care and get him transferred to the medical facilities at Cheyenne. I'm on my way to the hospital now,"

Sam hadn't realized she'd been nervously pacing the restaurant lobby. "I'll meet you there," she said hurriedly, her voice hitching. With an affirmative from Daniel she hung up and hurried back to the table where she'd left Pete, dinner and his important question forgotten.

Seeing Sam on the verge of tears, Pete quickly got up and went over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, you okay?"

She bit down on her lower lip, hoping her voice didn't crack as she spoke. "I'm okay, I just..." Sam briefly debated whether or not to tell Pete the truth. "Colonel O'Neill's been in an accident, I need to get down to the hospital,"

"Okay, well, uh, I can take you," Pete waved a hand to a waiter, signalling for their check. He reached for Sam's coat off her chair and held it out for her. "No big deal," sighing softly, he reached into his pocket to trace his thumb over the smooth velvet box. "This can wait," Pete muttered to himself as Sam wasn't even looking at him, obviously miles away.

-

Nervously making her way to the hospital doors, Sam figured she would have dropped to her knees if Pete wasn't hooked to her arm. Her legs and hands were shaking so bad. She was an emotional wreck, and as soon as they neared the building it was getting harder and harder to hide it from Pete. Sam stopped just inside the lobby. It wasn't as crowded as she expected, considering how bad it was out. But she also guessed that most people had the good sense to stay indoors. Turning, she faced Pete and forced a smile. "It's alright, I can take it from here," Her way of saying she didn't want him there right now.

"You sure?" Pete didn't seem to take the hint.

"Yeh," she nodded, hands moving anxiously. "I'll get a ride back with Daniel,"

"Okay, give me a call when you get home." Wrapping his hands about her waist, Pete pulled her close for a brief kiss, then tucked some hair behind her ear and smiled before leaving. He knew who Jack was, and that the man meant a great deal to Sam. He also knew that if anyone could steel Sam's heart from him it was Jack. This left Pete ill at ease, and he heaved a disheartened sigh while leaving her behind.

Sam was left standing in the lobby, watching nurses and doctors walk by, a little girl sucking her thumb while clinging to her father's leg at the front desk, and a young woman sitting in a corner chair, sobbing. She blinked, unmoving and trying not to break down crying in fear. For all she knew Jack could just have a concussion, but by the sound of Daniel's voice on the phone she guessed otherwise. Besides, Janet wouldn't get herself down there in such a hurry to have him transferred if it was a simple concussion.

"Sam!"

The scientist focused quickly upon hearing the familiar voice calling her name. "Daniel!" Sam ran over and grasped his arm desperately. "How is he?"

Daniel sighed, crossing his arms nervously. "Janet's talking with the doctor now. They won't really tell me anything since I'm not immediate family. She's trying to convince them to let him be transferred once he's stable and more testing can be done at Cheyenne." He waved a hand toward a closed door not far down the hall, blinds blocking the single large window. "They've got Jack in there,"

Sam ran a hand over her face, closing her eyes briefly. Her eyes were glassy and red-rimmed as Daniel put an arm around her, leading her away.

"C'mon, we can go sit in the waiting room over here," He brought her toward a small, isolated room close to where Jack was. The chairs were a bit softer than hard plastic, but still uncomfortable. The room made Daniel uneasy. He felt as though this was one of those kind of rooms you were brought to when someone you cared about wasn't going to make it. A place where the doctors could break the news without having you cause a scene in front of other patients or people waiting for news of their own loved ones.

-