Inescapable: Chapter 27

AN: Disclaimers etc in chapter 1. Again, sorry its taken so long and that its so short. Nearly finished though!

Sam stared at her screen and blinked hard to break the reverie she had managed to fall into for the past hour. She blew out her cheeks as she realised her hands were hovering over her keyboard, her fingers aimlessly rubbing together again. She couldn't concentrate for the life of her and her research was going nowhere, she even found herself briefly wondering what project she was actually working on.

"This isn't working…" she resigned to herself in a whisper, a whisper almost lost by the loud and hasty thump of boots on concrete that was shortly followed by "You're damn right it isn't!!"

"Oh, boy…" She slid off her seat cautiously and eyed Jack like he was about to set upon her like a very hungry, very angry lion. She swallowed, "Sir?" It came out as a squeak and his eyes only twitched at it. "Carter…" He snapped then suddenly stopped, the hand that flew up with his statement was waving a lonely purposeless finger in the air and then in a blur before her eyes the arm it was attached to advanced on her.

Daniel stared open mouthed as he realised what he had just said. President Hayes glared holes through his head and wondered exactly what was going through the mind of the man gaping at him like a fish out of water.

"Dr. Jackson!" Walter scurried between the both of them before something ignited. "Ah, you remember the President was coming by for a short lunch with General O'Neill today?"

Daniel did remember, Daniel had remembered this morning, that was why chose to stay at the mountain instead of taking the day off. So he had remembered this morning and he remembered now, where had this little gem gone in between him getting up this morning and him saying 'Crap' to the President? He grimaced, cleared his throat noisily and pushed his glasses up his nose, regaining his composure.

"Lunch was supposed to start 15 minutes ago! Where the hell is he?" The President demanded. He had a very tight schedule and hated tardiness to boot.

"He's ah…" Daniel searched his mind for some excuse. Shouting at his 2IC for not hooking up with him was definitely not the way to go. "He's ah…" Daniel searched, and searched but nothing was coming. He sought Walter with panicked eyes.

"Sir, perhaps if you wait-"

"For God's sake I'll find him myself!" The Presidents sentance tailed off as he stormed down around the corner, calling to a passing airman as he went.

"Walter…"

"Tell me he's doing paperwork?" Walter hung his head and hoped for the best.

"This isn't going to be pretty." Daniel said, half horrified to follow, half intrigued at what would happen if the President made his way to Sam's lab. "Come on," he tugged at Walter and they broke into a jog.

Carter was somewhere in between sheer vertigo and a crazy case of jelly legs or at least that's what her mind concluded during the two seconds that she allowed it a moment to focus on the outside world. Yes, jelly legs. So why did her legs feel like jelly? Well, maybe it was because she was shocked at what Jack had done, maybe it was particularly what he was doing but the split second she let her eyes flutter open she decided it was because the President was standing in the doorway looking like someone just slapped his mother in the face. She propelled her arms against Jack with such speed that he almost fell on his ass and balancing himself he yelled "Sam! What the-"

"What the hell is going on here?"

Jack's pupils dilated so quick he thought the sensation would make him pee himself. He had a good idea who that voice belonged to, but the sheer terror on Carter's face left no room for doubt. Still shaky from kissing Carter and getting thrown across the room by her he circled around clumsily on one foot and stumbled forward. "Crap…" he muttered as he slowly, painfully brought his body up to its full height to stand face to face with the President.

"Sir, I can explain!" He said quickly and thrusting his hands into the air.

Hayes folded his arms. "Oh really?" He asked smugly. "Please, go on." He prompted Jack.

"Wh…" Jack waved his hand around and tried again, "I… you see…" he turned to Carter who appeared slightly catatonic, no help there so. "We… uh…" Jack pulled his lips tightly against his face in defeat. "Ok, so maybe I can't."

"You were kissing?" Hayes offered, his stance becoming more threatening by the second.

Jack's hand dropped and he stuffed it into his pocket and grimaced. "Well, when you put it like that…" Jack agreed.

"Jack, God knows there's not a lot of times I want to hear this but please, please tell me that one of you is under some kind of alien influence or something?" Hayes begged him. Jack looked directly at Hayes and thought about taking the out and then he looked at Carter.

"I can't do that, Sir," Jack relented, looking sadly to the ground. He heard Hayes take a long deep breath.

"In that case, General O'Neill you give me no choice…" Jack listened idly as Hayes relieved him of duty and recited the possible consequences he faced. He briefly registered Daniel and Walter skidding to a halt behind the man but what he did feel was Carter behind him, not touching him, just there and as the President finished he smiled sadly at him.

Well, let me know what you think!!!