Sam had come in early for a meeting with General Hammond hoping for his assistance to sort through the complications that their off-world stay and subsequent return had caused. Walking to his office the passages of the mountain were at once familiar and oddly disconcerting. Having lived above ground for so long the tunnels felt dank and claustrophobic.
The first thing she was aware of was the soft chink of the chains and as she turned the corner there he was, shackled, hand and foot with a chain around his waist linked to the others. She had not seen him since the debrief when they were separated to repeat their story and answer endless questions. And now here he was before her; his face was a grim mask, his eyes flat and his posture that of a man who would not be cowed even if in chains. She had not been allowed to talk to him since the petty self important bureaucrats sought revenge by insisting that charges be brought against them both. They thought by bringing him down they could assume his power, influence and advantage among the Alien allies and the various heads of state of Earth. He look neither left nor right as if this could make him invisible to prying or pitying eyes. But this is not what he confronted. As the SF's escorted him through the base to a more secure holding cell in a distant facility every one of his fellow officers, former colleagues and the common service men and women snapped to and addressed him as "Sir" or "Colonel".
The instant he was aware of Carter a smile flickered across his face. If she had blinked she would have missed it. This time the word "Sir" from her lips warmed his heart. And it was all worth it, the chains, the humiliation, the lack of freedom and this dreadful isolation. She was free - no guards, no chains, no cell. And the love and respect he saw in her face and heard in her voice steeled him for the trials ahead. He knew if worse came to worse and they were both convicted Daniel or Teal'c would get her out. The Asgard or the Tok'ra would suddenly need her expertise and insist on her presence on their world. His friends would find a way to protect her. She was all that mattered. These were allies you did not put off. The greed of his political enemies would deem it expedient to have her gone from Earth and, as an added bonus, separated from him. They would think they were using her to spite him while scoring brownie points with our powerful galactic allies. Jack knew Daniel could carry this off; Sam would be free and safe. He could live with the rest.
As he passed and the mask of indifference fell over his face once again her smile faded as well. She could tell by the way he walked that his back was bothering him. He was way too stiff, not his usual graceful loping stride. It infuriated her that he was in chains and as she rounded the next corner there stood a seething General Hammond with a look of utter disgust and contempt on his face. The muscles of his jaw jumped as he clenched his teeth. This was a man holding back his anger at events he had no control over. All he said was.
"It's a shame. It's a god damned shame."