1Author: Caroline O'Neill

Title: Things don't always Turn Out (Chapter 3)

Category: Angst, Romance, Action

Pairing: Sam/other, Jack/other, Janet/Daniel and Finally Jack/Sam

Summary: Outside influence has split up SG1. The Investigation is under way as who and why?

Disclaimer: They still are not mine!

Thanks to my Beta reader Star Trek Chick

Jack unlocked the door and entered the apartment. Kerri was sitting on the balcony, sipping a glass of red wine. He stood there for a few moments, watching her deep in thought.

She had a lot on her mind at the moment. Kerri was heading up the investigation as to why SG1 had been split up and why Jack was now in Washington. Not that he minded being closer to her. They weren't in love but they were good together. He didn't think he would ever find a woman that he fitted so well with since Sara.

But there had been two, Sam and Kerri. He had a basic idea why he got on well with both; they both knew the military very well. Both were military brats. Sam joined the Air Force and was now a Colonel. Kerri was one of the top agents for the CIA, dealing mainly with Pentagon and Military affairs.

That's where the similarities ended. Kerri had been up front about her feelings for him. She was the one who took the first step and asked him to dinner. She wasn't shy and didn't put up with his shit. Sam didn't put up with his shit but she locked up her feelings for him so much so that she didn't have any feeling past being friends. He had friends. He didn't need anymore. Now he was looking for more than that.

She was able to move on, he was happy for her but from what he'd heard Pete was definitely not the right guy for Sam. But Sam was no longer his business, she had Pete.

"I really shouldn't be comparing the two of them." Jack thought as he caught Kerri putting her empty glass down. Taking a deep breath and putting his gear on the table he grabbed a beer and the bottle of red wine and headed out to the balcony.

"Hi honey I'm home," he sang as he stepped through the door. She hadn't even heard him come in. She jumped at the sound of his voice.

"You scared me." she said sounding startled.

"You were miles away, thought you might want another glass." He picked up the empty glass and refilled it.

"Thanks, how was your day?" she smiled sweetly at him as he handed her the glass.

"Not good, better now I'm here with you." He leant over and put a light kiss on her lips. He was avoiding the inquiry and she knew it too. Jack moved to sit in the chair opposite.

"I'm….. I was thinking we could get Chinese delivered and have a quiet night. I hope that's ok? I really don't feel like cooking and there's not much in the fridge anyway. I would have to go shopping if you want me to cook something?" Kerri rambled on.

"Kerri calm down, Chinese is fine."

"How was your day, find out anything new?" He didn't mean to sound like he was only asking about the investigation but didn't know what else to say. She looked a little, he really didn't know what, sad, angry, terrified. He realized that there were a lot of things he needed to learn about this lady. Like, why the hell him?

She was young, beautiful and intelligent; she could do so much better than him. He remembered thinking that about Sam after the Zatark incident. Shaking his head to change his thoughts he looked at Kerri, really looked at her. She was nervous. He waited for her reply; she was looking down at her hands not saying a word so he prompted her again.

"Kerri what is it?" He was starting to get a little worried.

"What's happened? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, just……I…. oh hell…. I have to interview SG1 day after tomorrow." Looking directly into his eye, he could see how nervous she was about this.

He grabbed her hand to reassure her that everything was going to be alright.

"They don't bite you know, they're good people, you'll like them." He paused, then added, "They will like you too, ya know?"

"I wouldn't be to sure about that, I have to ask Colonel Carter about her relationship

with her fiancé. I need to ask Dr. Jackson and Teal'c about her and what they know and let's not forget the good old Doctor Fraiser, the Colonel's best friend what she thinks about Mr. Shananhan and Sam's relationship. None of them are going to like me when I'm finished!"

Getting up she grabbed her wine and was at the door when Jack stopped her.

"I'm going to take a shower. Can you order the food? I won't be long," Kerri said as she slipped out of his grip. He turned her around so he could look her in the eyes.

"Kerri it will be fine, they will understand that you are only doing your job. And you are good at it, remember that." Jack gave her a passionate kiss before releasing her.

"Take your shower and I'll order dinner. If you're really lucky I might even join you." He smiled hoping that he could ease her mind. She smiled letting out a little giggle as she entered the apartment and headed for the shower.

By the time Jack was ready to join Kerri she was hopping out of the shower.

Disappointed, he grabbed a towel lying on the counter and wrapped it around her wet hair.

"Sorry I didn't get to join you." He rubbed the towel on her hair, and then tossed it back on the counter.

"That's ok. I had it pretty hot and you would have just taken all the room anyway." she teased. "When will the food be here?"

"About twenty minutes. Do you want beer or wine with it?" Jack was trying to keep the conversation light.

"Wine please, there's another bottle in the fridge." She had picked up on the underlying tension in him. The meeting must have gone badly for Jack to be so tense. Coming up behind him she wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"Why don't you go take a shower? It might make you feel better after the bad day you've had." She tried to sound like she was teasing but it didn't work.

She wanted to know what happened in his meeting with the rest of SG1, but he wasn't going to tell her without a little persistence. Turning in her arms he gave her another light kiss.

"That actually sounds really good. I would have preferred one with you but you got out before I could join you." He was teasing again.

"Go shower, I'll wait for the food. I'll let you know when it's here."

"Thanks." Jack replied kissing her on the forehead and headed to the shower.

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Kerri had been sitting at the glass dinning room table thinking how to start the conversation. Getting the answers to these questions maybe impossible but she needed to hear them. The knock on the door alerted her to the fact that the Chinese was here. Noticing the shower was no longer running Kerri paid for the meal and made her way back to the table. As she was putting the plates on the table Jack walked into the room.

His hair all ruffled and still damp he only had a pair of cream cargo pants on with a black shirt hanging over his shoulder.

"God he looks good for his age." Kerri thought smiling at him eyeing him up and down.

"You look more relaxed, you must have needed that shower." Kerri gave a small laugh as he put his shirt on.

"Yeah!…Foods here." Looking like a kid in a candy store as he spotted the bags on the table.

Nodding Kerri dished out the meals while Jack grabbed a drink for each of them.

"Thanks." Kerri said as Jack sat on the opposite side of the table. They ate their meal in silence just catching looks every now and then. He would stare at her for a moment while she ate then she would look up and catch him so he would look away then he would catch her staring. This had been going on for a good ten minutes before Jack asked.

"What?"

"Nothing….I was just wondering how the meeting went today?" Not really knowing if he would give her an answer.

"Ok I suppose. Daniels happy he has wanted to go for a long time. Teal'c spends most of his time on Dakara anyway so."

"What about Colonel Carter?"

"Yeah well that wasn't so good. She wasn't exactly happy, but she will follow orders."

"Is she blaming you?" Kerri watched his reaction.

"Yeah she is?" Finding his hands very interesting.

"Jack I….sorry….. I over heard you on the phone on Friday night. This isn't easy for me to ask but I need to know if you and her ever….."

"No! If you didn't know that already then you don't know me at all."

"But you love her don't you...Don't you?" Kerri was shocked at her own reaction.

"Don't answer that I already know the answer." Kerri grabbed her plate and headed to the kitchen. Tears swelling up in her eyes finally leaked down her cheeks she couldn't stop them she was to upset to stop crying, she had an idea they had feelings for each other but Sam Carter was engage to marry that cop so Kerri had made a move on the would be General. It was suppose to be just casual, fun if you will but it had grown to something else. It wasn't love but it was heading that way, at least for Kerri.