AN: Another short chapter. I won't even go into the horror that is my life, but I promise, I'm still working on this every chance I get! Please R&R!
Chapter Nine
Jack was considerably happier when they started walking again. Granted he had serious issues with Carter being split in two, but they weren't nearly as serious as the issue of having possibly kissed the wrong Carter. He was still going to have to explain his behavior to the considerably less than enthusiastic, less inviting side of Carter, but he figured she was the same Carter on some level, so she had to share the same feelings. He was heartened by the idea that she had indicated something along those lines when they were talking by the fire. So he felt quite relieved that he hadn't accidentally or unconsciously betrayed Carter in any way, shape, or form. And since Carter 2 hadn't tried to stop him when he kissed her, he was kind of hoping that Carter 1 would just let it go, especially if she only found out about it after she once again shared a body with her other half.
Knowing, or at least being convinced, that he could trust both Carters as much as he trusted himself, he allowed Carter 1 to take point. After two hours of practically running without a break, he was seriously regretting that decision. But he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of having him ask her to slow down. He knew Carter 1 was the competitive part, the one that always wanted to beat everyone at everything, and he knew, without a doubt, that she'd gloat unmercifully if he cried uncle. Checking over his shoulder for Daniel and Carter 2, he grinned. He could make it a little longer; one of them would fold first.
A minute later, Daniel's voice rang out. "Hey, Sam, do we have to run?"
Carter 1 turned around, obviously disappointed with the way the other four were looking at her hopefully. "We're hardly running."
Jack smiled again. At that point, he could step in without seeming weak, which he was fairly certain was the one trait that could cure Carter 1 of any affection she might feel for him. "Carter, let's slow it up a bit."
Carter 1's shoulders slumped. "Yes, sir."
Carter 2 cleared her throat and looked around uncomfortably when all eyes turned to her. Philosophical differences aside, it was clear that the Carters were in agreement. "We really have no idea what's happened to me. There might be a time limit to fixing it before it becomes permanent or something."
Jack couldn't help the huge smile that slowly spread across his face at the thought of having two real live Carters around forever. "Would that really be so bad, ladies?"
Carter 2 blushed, but Jack saw a smile lighting up her eyes. Then she boldly met Jack's stare. "She could go to work and I could stay at home." She didn't need to name whose home; the way she was staring at Jack made it quite clear. Daniel swallowed hard, stared at Carter 2 with wide eyes, and took a few steps toward Teal'c. Teal'c glanced at her for only a moment before he raised his eyebrow and turned away. As much as Jack wanted to be alone with Carter 2 at that moment, Daniel and Teal'c wanted to not be anywhere near either of them.
Carter 1, on the other hand, uttered a surprised sound that was a cross between a shriek and a growl. Jack peeled his eyes off the Carter who was blatantly flirting with him despite their audience and looked at the other. Her mouth was hanging open. Her eyes were wide. She looked exactly like he would have imagined her looking if he'd propsitioned her the day they'd met - absolutely horrified, angry, humiliated, and stunned. Apparently, without the emotional component, Carter was really completely unprepared to deal with flirting. She turned away and started her controlled almost-sprint back to the gate.
Jack realized, as he noticed the discomfort on Daniel's and Teal'c's faces, that Carter 1 hadn't reacted nearly so badly when they were alone. He ruminated on it while he tried to keep up with her. He came to a conclusion just as he heard the first chevron locking on the gate. Carter 1 was assured of her position with him and had no cause to ignore their bond, except that she firmly expected it never to be brought up, felt no compelling desire to discuss it, and certainly never with any witnesses. He'd felt bad for embarrassing her at first, but as he watched her smashing her fingers angrily into her GDO, he decided he didn't feel guilty at all. It was all her fault, after all, that they'd never dared revisit the topic of their relationship. It was her brilliant idea to pretend the whole za'tarc fiasco hadn't actually happened. It was her rampant denial of their feelings that drove him to make inappropriate comments in the first place so he could get a rise out of her. She deserved to be embarrassed. If it hadn't been for her, they would have been married with three kids by then.
Jack rarely felt nervous leading his team home and he'd never felt anything near the anxiety and trepidation he felt at that moment. But he was about as likely as Carter 1 to reveal such a thing. So he smiled as he stepped through. Jack watched curiously as the general approached; he wanted to see the moment the older man fully grasped the problem. He imagined it would be quite amusing.
Hammond strolled up to meet them at the bottom of the ramp. He smiled his typical, warm smile at Jack. His eyes slowly slid across the team as the moved to stand shoulder to shoulder before him. He smiled as Carter 1, who was on Jack's right, then at Daniel, then Teal'c. With confirmation that all was well, his eyes returned to Jack, briefly flitting to Carter 2 as she stepped up to Jack's left.
The general, whose delay of processing the facts was probably due to the instinctive inability to comprehend the impossible, didn't react as Jack had hoped. "How did it go?"
Jack heard the thick silence as all the personnel in the area slowly cued in on the problem. He watched as the general's mouth fell open and his brow furrowed. Jack grinned. He'd spent his whole life being a smart ass and he saw no reason, under the circumstances, that he should exercise good judgment at that particular moment. "Well, sir, apparently I've died and gone to heaven."
