Thor's Ship above Earth
After a half-hour of searching the ship, O'Neill gave up. Evidently Thor was a master at evasive action as well as being Supreme Commander. Carter had been following him through the ship but immediately became more engrossed in studying it, as it was definitely a new design in the Asgard fleet. When she found the engine room she forgot totally about the search for the little gray guy. O'Neill upon giving up then found that he had also lost Carter and backtracked until he spied her blond head bent over a control panel in deep concentration.
"This is amazing." She was muttering to herself
"Remember the rules. Carter… no touchy – no pushy any of the buttons" he said almost automatically as he came to stand over her.
She smiled without looking up, "I thought that was only Daniel…"
"Nooo. That rule applies to all my 'kids'." And then he winced at that reference. Too late – age difference jumped into his mind –another reason that this whole fiasco was, well, a fiasco.
"Sir, is there a reason that we are up here?" She swiveled around to get up and stood facing him.
His posture became even straighter as he appeared to be thinking about how to answer.
Minutes passed.
"Sir?"
"Aaakk! Don't call me that!" He said almost involuntarily as he started pacing in front of her.
"Sir?" She said automatically and then realized it and said, "Sorry." as he jerked to a stop to glare at her.
"Uhh… what do you want me to call you?"
"For dinner." he quipped immediately and then shook his head in frustration.
"Sorry… Not a time for jokes. Well, of course, there's ALWAYS time for jokes.. "He rambled on and then he took a deep breath, looked into her eyes and asked,
"Carter… How far would you go to save the world?"
"I think you know the answer to that Sir! I have readily offered to sacrifice my life more than once in the past – you know that! We ALL have -- all of SG-1, it is simply sheer luck that we are all still alive." Carter couldn't keep the affront she felt out of her voice that he had to ask her that question.
"Your life. Humpf! . That's nothing… Carter… LOOK at me…and think HARD before you answer. How. Far. Would. You. Go. To. Save. The. World?"
Carter couldn't take her eyes off of him; she had never seen him so crazed looking. His thick gray hair as rumpled as she had ever seen it, his eyes seemed to glitter as if he had a fever as they moved over her face – to finally settle on her eyes in a hypnotic stare. Even as she thought this, she had to restrain herself from reaching out to touch his unruly hair – she loved that hair. Heck, she thought, admit it, she loved the whole cynical, sarcastic, acerbic package—as hopelessly today as the first day a few years back when she had first faced the truth that her feelings were much more than 'affection' for her CO.
"I would do whatever it takes, Sir." She said this quietly but with emphasis on every word.
O'Neill nodded his expression as somber as she had ever seen it.
What is going on? She wondered – what sacrifice are we about to be asked to make? Or, is it only me that is going to be asked? Fear was filling her stomach and she thought, this might be the end… We may actually have to face something that we aren't coming back from. He just doesn't want to ask me to do it – and evidently neither does Thor.
Even as she felt fear – her spine stiffened and resolution filled her. I can do this, she thought. No way would I ever let him down. No. Way. She felt sudden stabbing sorrow. She had hoped that things would have worked out – she had hoped for more. So much more for both her and Jack O'Neill, but, if it was not to be -- then so be it. She, herself had shutters – born and raised in a military environment – she knew the drill. No way would he ever know what she was feeling right now.
"Well then," he said softly. "I have something very hard to say to you and then something very hard to ask of you. He cleared his throat and appeared to be studying his feet – and then he adjusted the rolled sleeves on his BDU shirt and finally he braced and looked in her eyes – "First off, Let me start this little snowball rolling by telling you my news -- I'm leaving SGC – taking Hammonds' job at Home World Security at the request of the President. Pretty much effective immediately."
"Wow." She murmured and continued to brace herself for the dangerous mission that he was evidently considering her for.
"WOW?" He asked, "That's it?"
She shook herself and said,
"OH! Sorry sir, Congratulations. There is no one better for the job other than maybe General Hammond." And her voice trailed off as she realized that she had just insulted him… without meaning to… but nevertheless…
"CRAP!" she muttered to herself.
"No, Carter"! He halted her with one long hand raised as he nodded. "You're absolutely right – Hammond is way better suited to handle D.C. than myself and I'm sure that the powers-that-be are gonna figure that out themselves in about two weeks – maybe four, if I try and behave."
"Like that's so gonna happen …" he added as an afterthought and grimaced.
Silence ensued as he started studying his sleeves again as if he had never noticed that he had them – his long fingers manipulating the folds trying to get them exactly even on each arm – folding, unfolding, folding….
Carter felt like she had to help him so she cleared her throat and with as much resolution as she could manage,
"I volunteer Sir!"
Still the silence, it appeared as if he had not heard her, that one sleeve just would NOT cooperate – as he kept folding -- unfolding.
"Uhh Sir? I VOLUNTEER."
Scowling swiftly, he retorted, "FOR WHAT? For what are you volunteering? Carter?" Sarcasm and exasperation mixed in his voice.
"The mission that you are planning. Evidently you think it is dangerous and you don't want to ask.."
"OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" his exasperation even more evident as he threw up his hands and walked away
"This is simply too damn much to ask of one man." He continued to mutter then stopped and yelled at the ceiling,
"THOR, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? YOU LITTLE CHICKENSH…"
Suddenly, A bright light appeared, O'Neill stopped fully expecting to see his nemesis, but instead there was a bouquet of daisies deposited in front of him.
"Daisies? Thor? DAISIES? If you are going to torture me – might as well get it right! Roses, you little gray…" A flash of incandescence and the daisies were replaced with a bouquet of red roses.
"VERY FUNNY… "O'Neill muttered.
Carter was totally flummoxed, her wide blue eyes staring at the man who had picked up the roses as her genius IQ was trying to figure out what the hell was happening.
O'Neill sighed, and turned to her. "No mission Carter…. Not that I don't appreciate your volunteering. I would have expected nothing else from a soldier such as you."
She flushed with gratitude – there was no other person in this world whose opinion she valued more on that subject.
"Thank you. Sir. " She said very quietly.
"God, this is hard." He murmured but approached her and stopped immediately in front of her, his eyes on the bouquet in his hand.
"What is hard, sir?" She asked him gently, she really wanted to help him, but did not know how.
"Carter, You and I have known each other for a long time – been through hell and back – saved each other's lives more times than I can recall – you've probably saved mine more than I have yours…" – She moved to disagree, but he shut her up with a piercing look and a raised hand, "let me finish! And then added, "please." In that low tone that always sent shivers through her.
"Now that I'm not going to be your immediate CO, I was hoping that you might feel a little more for me than just… uhh… that there is something more betwee… uhh.. That I might have a shot at…" His words trailed off as he stared in almost hopelessness and then suddenly thrust the flowers at her.
Suddenly she understood or thought she did at least partially. Her face flushed and her whole body seemed overwhelmed with a flood of relief and yes, joy.
There he was again… relentlessly studying his sleeves. Stepping forward, she gently lifted his chin and her blue eyes blazed as she smiled wondrously – every feeling apparent on her face.
"You. Are. Kidding!" Jack O'Neill's tone was of disbelief mixed with wonder – as he was trying to realize the impossible.
She shook her head, still smiling and said softly, "I don't kid."
Brown eyes met blue in total concentration,
"Yes. You. Do." He said quietly,
"Not about this." Her smile tremulous while her eyes were brilliant with unshed tears.
With a convulsive movement, he pulled her to him in a massive hug, as only Jack O'Neill could hug. "I do NOT believe this." He kept saying in wonder as he swung her to and fro, still hugging – one arm around her waist and the other gripping the back of her neck – his face buried in her hair.
Suddenly incandescence light shone once again and left an ice bucket complete with iced Champagne and two fluted glasses.
"Thor, you ole Codger – you got it right this time." O'Neill said softly to the empty room as he lowered his head to finally kiss Samantha Carter – in exactly the right universe.
Not seeing the next flash of luminous white light that left a small baby rattle on the table beside the champagne.
The End