With Tears I Mourn: Chapter Two - The Oddest Ways

Disclaimer: The characters from Stargate SG-1 belong to the franchise for Stargate SG-1 ™. I do not claim possession of any copyrighted characters. Any and all other characters belong to me and may not be used without my permission.

Rating: PG

Characters: Jack and Sam

It always felt like something was missing from the story. That Sam didn't mourn Martouf enough, that the others didn't care enough when he died. Well I'm rectifying the situation. I'd always wanted to see Jack and Sam go fishing together. Here's their chance.

Chapter two. Thanks so much for the reviews, folks. Keep them coming.

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Through the backwoods of beautiful Minnesota tramped Colonel Jack O'Neill, pack firmly in place on his back, a sturdy fishing pole in hand, and Major Samantha Carter in tow. A baseball cap was screwed low over his eyes more to hide the twinkle glinting in their depths than to protect himself from the sun.

Sam was already tripping over underbrush.

She generally had a solid grasp on undergrowth, but lately she'd grown accustomed to plant life indigenous to other worlds. And she certainly had never gone fishing in Minnesota. Crossing the creek proved the most difficult, but just as her body seemed prepared to sway into the water, Jack's steady hand gripped her around the elbow and tugged her safely ashore.

"Thank you, sir."

It was a humbling sound to come from Carter's lips and didn't sound right to his ears. "Sam, you need to relax. You're not focusing your attention where it needs to be centered. You've crossed creek beds before, on other planets no less."

Confusion dotted her forehead, combined with the perspiration and dust. "Please tell me you're not appointing yourself as my psychiatrist." A grin spread across his cheeks, enhancing the deep creases, once dimples, along his mouth. "How'd ya guess?"

"Sir, the fishing I'll take, but somehow I can't imagine cake and pie being enough to make me forget my troubles."

"Ahh ah, Carter, never underestimate the power of pie. And, we now have a new rule to the game. While we're out here, you do not call me sir or Colonel or anything other than Jack. If you keep going military on me, than you're not doing yourself any good or me any good. This is a vacation, a break from reality. So let's enjoy it, even if it's only for a week."

Her lips tightened uncertainly. She'd been feeling uncertain a lot lately, and Jack's suddenly boisterous affection wasn't helping matters. But the determination causing his chin to jut out farther than normal was not about to be denied.

She still couldn't shake the shocked expression which spread across Daniel's face and the curious gleam in Teal'c's eyes when they'd announced the fishing expedition. Daniel had even made a subtle suggestion about all of them going, but Jack shut that idea down in a hurry. And now here she was, out in the middle of the woods, with her commanding officer behaving as a friend.

And she didn't really mind.

As she stared at him across the brief expanse of turf which separated them, it seemed that something gave within her soul, just a little bit, yielded, just a little bit. With that cocky grin firmly in place, he didn't give her a chance to respond but calmly tugged her farther along the path, commenting, "And I don't want any arguments from you."

"I suppose it goes both ways, doesn't it?"

A minuscule moment of mischievousness hinted around her words. "You can't call me Carter or major while we're out here. It has to be Sam. And I expect no arguments from you either, Jack." The deliberate emphasis she gave to his first name, brought an even deeper smile to his face, but he purposefully refrained from comment.

The cabin was a rather ramshackle affair, and made her smile as it came into view over a small rise. Little more than a lean-to, Jack's personality seeped from every crack and crevice. Out in the middle of nowhere, no modern conveniences, and for the first time in weeks, she felt herself unwinding from the stress.

He opened the door for her, gesturing inside. To her astonishment, the cabin was neat as a pin, something she had not expected. Jack lowered his pack to the floor by the tiny kitchen counter space, glancing at her in amusement. "What? Don't tell me you thought the cabin would be habitable only by bears and mountain lions?"

Swiping a finger along the counter while checking for dust mites, Sam countered, "Well, sir," his eyes lifted, and she corrected, "Jack, your track record for cleanliness hasn't exactly been the greatest. Sometimes your house gives me the hives."

"That's only on my bad days. You haven't seen me in top form yet."

Quietly, she settled onto the bed, removing her cap and running a hand through her short locks of blonde hair. It was primitive. But for the next week this minuscule cabin would be home. And as she eyed the sturdy man busily stocking supplies from his knapsack in various cabinets, Sam felt a twinge of contentedness.

For now, this was where she wanted to be, where she needed to be. And work would not intrude. No SG equipment invaded the premises to remind her of her job. No telephones lingered just around the corner with another order from Hammond.

And as Sam shrugged from her jacket and snatched a can of baked beans from Jack's hand, she felt a part of her come alive that she'd never thought to feel again. Jack was right. This was a good idea. And judging by the delighted twinkle lingering in the brown depths of his eyes, he couldn't be happier.

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It was not going to be easy, and Jack accepted the challenge as Carter wrestled the can away from him and calmly took over KP duties. Right now, she was smiling, but within a few hours time, he knew the memories of Martouf would return triple-strength. It had been the same way with his son's death. Sometimes the idea of a silver-lining to a rain cloud seemed so far out of reach that you only wanted to die. And even with her fierce spirit, she had reached that place.

Only this time, he could help.

Talking about Martouf would come in time. But for now, Jack went along peacefully and enjoyed her company, her smile, the warmth she radiated without even realizing it. And somewhere in his own soul, he felt a weakening, both disturbing and exciting. This would be either the greatest or the worst idea of his life. But he couldn't desert her now.