So. I tried to upload this for youall last night, as it occurred to me that I'm going to be busy at the weekend and I didn't want to leave you guys hanging with this story... However, ffnet was dicking around (as per bloody usual), so I've nicked our i'net PC at work for a a few mins, so that you get it this morning :)

Enjoy! Oh, and don't kill me, okay? ;)

Random POTC Thought of the Morning: Why is the rum always gone? Oh. That's why...

The Trouble With Carter

By Chezza

Disclaimer, Author's Notes and Copyright Notice, etc in Prologue.

o0o

Chapter Three

Jack eventually raised his head.

"Thanks, Daniel."

The honesty in his eyes made Daniel remember why he was good friends with Jack, however much of a pain in the ass he might be at times.

"You're a good man, Jack. Sam knows that."

Jack's smile was fleeting, but enough to let Daniel know that his words were appreciated.

"So are you, Daniel."

"Yes, well…"

Daniel coughed and resorted to Jack's favourite trick of using humour to gloss over the awkwardness he was feeling. Two moments of honesty from Jack O'Neill in such short succession, was one moment more than he could cope with, comfortably.

Any more and he'd start wondering if hell had frozen over when he wasn't looking.

"For some reason I honestly can't fathom, Sam seems to prefer the grouchy old General type to the suave and sophisticated archaeologist type. Don't ask me why."

"Hey!" Jack protested. "Less of the old, thank you!"

Daniel shook his head, noting wryly that Jack didn't protest at the 'grouchy' part of the description.

"You know, you should really be having this conversation with her, Jack. Not me."

Jack sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah, I know. I just…I just wanted to get an idea of what was wrong before I talked to her, you know?"

Oh yeah, hell had definitely frozen over.

Jack pulled a face.

"There's nothing worse than not knowing what the hell you did to screw up this time. If I'm gonna have to apologise for something, I'd kinda like to know what it is I'm apologising for…"

The sound of long-suffering experience in Jack's voice came through loud and clear, giving Daniel pause. Sometimes he forgot Jack had been married before.

A memory popped unbidden into his head from long ago during the brief sweet year he'd spent with Sha're on Abydos. Of returning to the village with the rest of the men one day, elated at their success after an impromptu hunting trip, to find Sha're giving him the cold shoulder. It had continued until they'd retired after the evening meal and Daniel had forced the issue. The result was a screaming match to end all screaming matches, which hadn't quit until Daniel found himself apologising profusely. What for, he'd never found out and he still wasn't sure, even to this day.

The memory was bittersweet, particularly as he then remembered the delight of their making up session afterwards. It sent a pang of wistfulness went through him, as he wished for a moment that he'd had the chance to discover exactly what he'd done wrong.

"I wanna get it right this time, Daniel."

Jack's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, as it so often did. Yeah, he understood precisely how Jack felt and at that moment, it strengthened his resolve to help Jack figure this thing out. For him - and Sam's - sake.

"I don't think it's anything you've done, Jack." Daniel said, trying to reassure him.

He'd do his best to help Jack get this right. God only knew that someone deserved some happiness after everything they'd been through…and who better than Jack and Sam?

"Ya think?" Jack's voice was hopeful.

Daniel nodded.

"I do."

Jack looked more confused now than Daniel had ever seen him.

"Then what…?"

Daniel eyed the bottle sat on the counter-top at his side. Thinking about what he had to say next was enough to make him change his mind about that beer.

He picked it up and held it out to Jack.

"Would you mind?"

Jack rolled his eyes, snatched the bottle out of his hands and used the edge of the counter to snap the top off again, before handing it back to him. Daniel winced at Jack's casual disregard of the damage he was causing to his kitchen.

"Quit stalling." Jack told him.

Daniel took a sip of his beer. His smirk at the glower which appeared on Jack's face in response to the deliberate delaying tactic, turning into a grimace at the bitter taste.

God, he hated Guinness.

"Okay, here's what I think."

He held up a hand.

"And before you take your frustration out on the messenger, just remember what I said about Sam wanting this to work."

"She told you that too?"

Jack's look was sceptical to say the least.

Daniel coughed.

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

What she'd actually said, ran along the lines of 'I want to spend the rest of my life with him if he'll have me, Daniel. I can't imagine living it without him'.

Except Jack looked smug enough after his earlier revelation of what he meant to Sam, and Daniel didn't want to give him any more ammunition. He had a feeling Sam was going to be pissed off with him already, for telling Jack she'd said that, without adding to his troubles.

"Right."

The look on Jack's face didn't match his words as it remained stuck on sceptical, but Daniel felt it best to take his verbal acceptance as permission to continue.

o0o

"I think…she's just a little uncertain."

"Uncertain?"

"At the whole situation. What it – what she – means to you."

Jack opened his mouth to interrupt and Daniel threw his hand up.

"Ah!"

God. Now he was starting to sound like Jack.

Jack hesitated as if deciding whether or not to argue, then closed his mouth.

Daniel carried on.

"You know, with you living here and Sam being back in the 'Springs, if I had to guess, I would say she's unsure about how you see your relationship developing."

Jack looked exasperated. And more than a little murderous. Which was more than a little worrying from Daniel's point of view.

"Daniel – "

Daniel blithely talked over him.

"She just…needs some reassurance that you want to be with her."

Daniel fixed him with a piercing look.

"And that this isn't just some sort of brief…fling."

Jack's jaw worked furiously for several seconds, then he flung his arms wide in an explosion of frustration.

"Why didn't she just tell me!"

Daniel chuckled.

"Best guess? She didn't want to pressure you, Jack."

And probably because Sam was as bad at opening up to people regarding her feelings, as Jack was himself. Except he figured Jack wouldn't appreciate being told that, right now.

If Jack's eyebrows raised any higher they'd be in danger of flying off his forehead.

"Pressure me?"

"Absolutely. I think she's afraid of pushing you into doing something you don't want to do, which is why she hasn't said anything to you. But…you do need to do something to reassure her, Jack."

Jack was back to shaking his head again.

"Like what?"

"Well, that's what you need to figure out. I'd say it's a little early for an engagement ring or anything like that, but…"

The widened eyes and panicked look which appeared on Jack's face in response to his words, gave Daniel pause.

"Assuming you do want to marry Sam?"

The panicked look remained present.

"Not right now obviously, but at some vague, undefined point in the future?"

If silence could be classed as panicked, then Daniel would have classed Jack's complete lack of response as that as well.

Daniel was beginning to become annoyed. He'd flown to D.C. convinced that Sam's worries had no basis in fact and that Jack simply needed a good talking-to. However, if it turned out that she was indeed right and Jack didn't actually want anymore from a relationship with Sam than this…

Then Daniel was going to kick his ass. Level six hand-to-hand or not.

TBC…