Touch down
Jack's thoughts during 'Descent' and missing scene (reference to Redemption)
People say life flashes before their eyes when they're about to die. Jack can't say that's true for him. And he's been in quite some near-death moments. Not to speak of actually dying and resurrecting by a sarcophagus or the Knox. So consequently, when the water rises, he doesn't think about how his dad had taught him to fish, the time he kissed Susan Glenn behind the gym, when he scored the match-making goal with a broken shin, his first flight in an F-15 or Charlie's giggle.
The icy water floods in fast enough so that within seconds air will give away to water that will first fill their mouths then their lungs. There's nothing Jack can do besides hoping that Jacob will somehow manage to open the doors before it's too late.
With life not flashing through his mind and the only option of getting out being obvious, his mind has space to think about whatever it wants. And since he's drowning with Carter, his thoughts swim around her. The thoughts are not of regret. They don't descend to the dark place of 'what could have been', what they could have had. Instead, they float to a peaceful place. If he's going to die today, drown in the freezing waters of the Pacific Ocean, he will do so with the one person that matters most to him.
Everything that has happened in the past month has put a new spin on their relationship. It had been hot feelings and almost uncontrollable at first, then turned cold and numb for a while, and now it's simple. There is no drama; no flirts anymore. Maybe it's surrender. Maybe they've just entered a state of content. Nevertheless, it's still there like something indestructible.
When the water closes the gap to the ceiling, they pull their last breath and lock eyes. They don't let go of each other when vision gets blurry. They don't panic, even though they might in some minutes when the urge to take a breath becomes overwhelming, and they will open their mouth to gasp for air that will be water that drowns them. Muffled by the water, Jacob's voice comes through the radio.
"Sam, I'm sorry."
So there it is. No way out. At least they are together.
Hours later, when they are in a hopeless situation once again, Jack can't keep his hands of Carter. It started with grabbing her shirt and pulling her up when the water finally subsided. Since then he's touched her shoulder when they left the room turned pool, her knee when they rested on the throne steps, and now his hand is on her back— of course only to resolve the pressure that yet again the responsibility of getting them out lies entirely on her shoulders. She has rescued them out of so many impossible circumstances that Jack can't see a scenario where she won't get them out of this one. Before he even notices his hand squeezes her shoulder tightly. It's meant to comfort her, but feeling the warmth of her skin through her shirt gives him comfort too. The look Carter shoots him reveals that she has noticed his urge to touch her. He smiles and moves his hand away, and it's a disappointing feeling.
The computerized Goa'Uld voice crumps through the mothership speakers, and Carter looks up.
"What'd he say?" Jack asks.
"We are being advised that in approximately seven minutes, the ship will be destroyed," Teal'c says.
"Ah, see?" Jack says with a fake-relaxed expression glued on his face. "Plenty of time."
Jack looks to Carter and spots his hand on her shoulder. Goddammit, again?
He pats her shoulder to finish the move and make it look inconspicuous. He's done a year's worth of touching today. If not more.
"This terminal isn't tied into the primary system. I can't reroute the power from here," Carter says, and he immediately wants to touch her again. Today seems to be the day to die. And on your last day on Earth it's okay to touch Carter. But then, like a shimmer of hope, the panel illuminates, and Carter says, "Forcefield just came online."
Scratch that, today is not a day to die.
"Nice!" Jack says.
"It wasn't me," Carter says. Her eyes snatch his hand, which, deprived of the place it really wants to go, clenches, and stretches next to his body.
"Jonas," Teal'c says with a sliver of proudness.
"Let's go," Jack says and digs his fingers into his leg to stop them from tapping Carter on the back.
They are not going to die, so he's gotta stop touching her.
It won't work. Maybe Jack's hands are still protesting after he forced them off Carter's body. He's done it hundreds of times. For first days and last ones, for promotions and memorials. But today, when he's supposed to meet the president because they saved Earth yet again, his fingers object and won't tie his tie in a way that is Air Force or President suitable. Jack curses and lets his arms drop to let blood flow back into them when there's a gentle knock on his door. A smirk whooshes over his lips because he's pretty sure who's standing in front of his quarters. He opens the door and tries to look as innocent as possible when Carter's wide-eyed gaze meets his.
"You don't happen to have anything to do with this invitation?" she says.
The fact that she's still in her BDU tells Jack that she's come here right after Hammond handed her the official invitation. She's got thirty minutes before takeoff, yet she made her way to him first.
His reply is another smirk.
"How?" Carter inquires.
"Oh, I had a plus one, and I told the president I would like to bring you," Jack says, deciding that he's going to enjoy the moment. The past two events of almost dying or saving earth last minute changed their relationship once again. The alienation after Daniel's ascend has yielded to something you could describe as the early moments between them. Innocent and testing. Just that by now, Carter knows Jack better than he knows himself, so she doesn't fall for his obvious tease.
"Carter," Jack says and turns back to the mirror. His tongue might end up entangled, but his tie won't just slip into the right position. "You deserve it much more than I do. Without you, Earth would have exploded twice in the last month only. And if we're honest here: without you, I couldn't even play the hero. I would be either stuck on Edora, killed by techno bugs, or frozen in space."
"Thanks, Sir," Carter says with her always present understatement. "But I didn't risk my life. I just came up with some ideas without even knowing for sure if they'd work or kill you. So, you are the hero." She looks at him like she really believes it, and it makes his blood sing, and his heart hum away.
"Argh, Carter. I was just the only one around who had nothing to lose," Jack says to get out of that dangerous situation they're about to slip into. He feels the urge to touch her again, so he lifts his hands back to his tie and starts fidgeting with the thing that needs his fingers' attention.
Carter looks at him for a quiet moment, and as always, it says more than words would do. That's how they communicate. Without words. Because they mean nothing when your head and heart are connected.
He swings the long end over the short one when Carter's hands are suddenly covering his. She locks eyes with him, and for a stupid moment he thinks she is going to kiss him. But of course not. She nudges her head, and Jack lets his hands fall to the sides of his body. With quick movements she starts tying his tie. When she tightens the knot around his neck, she pulls him a tad closer, so when she looks up, her hands resting on his chest now, he can almost feel her breath on his face.
"Maybe you have nothing to lose. But there are people here that would lose everything if you die," she says in a sincerity that shows him for the first time since he held Charlie that it's not his country or his planet or maybe the universe that needs him, but one single person. And that means more than anything else.
Carter gifts him a smile and then steps back, leaving a hot imprint of her palm on his chest and of her words on his heart.
"I gotta get ready."
He nods as he watches her walk to the door.
"You think there will be cake?" Jack says because all the things he wants to say he can't say.
"It's just a meeting in his office, Sir," Carter answers but then smiles. "But I do know a diner that serves maybe the best cake in DC. We can check it out afterward?"
"See, that's the real reason why I got you invited," Jack says and grabs his hat. "Topside in 20?"
"Yes, Sir," Carter answers and takes in his blue Air Force glory. He's pleased to notice that she likes what she sees.
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