Chapter 7: Jack and Words
Disclaimer: Bwahahaha! I have them! I stole the rights when TPTB weren't looking!
No…not really. Seriously? If I owned them, I would delete the (nonexistent) ninth and tenth season from everyone's minds and write all Sam/Jack episodes. I would also make Janet and Jacob not dead.
A/N: Thank you all very much!! I got many reviews! LOL. I'm glad you guys are liking this so far! Makes me all warm and fuzzy.
So this one is…uh… "alludingly" dirty. Warning and age limit still stands. Definitely for this one.
So…read on!
ENJOY!!
Jack clasped his hands behind his back and surveyed the room with a disinterested air. In reality he was completely on edge, he hated awards ceremonies. Especially when the awards were for him. Today's only saving grace would be that Carter was getting an award too. That made this whole abhorred process bearable.
He was really proud of her. In the five and a half years that he had served with her she had never ceased to impress him. Whether it be her brilliance, her wit, her uncanny acceptance of him, or just a smile…he fell in love with her all over again everyday.
So, here they were. The penthouse lobby at a very extravagant hotel in Washington D.C. awaiting…award time. Fun. The two officers were being awarded for their most recent 'saving of the world.' An asteroid that had been enhanced with naquadah had been sent towards Earth by the snakeheads in an attempt to rid themselves of the pesky Tau'ri.
But, as per usual, SG-1 stopped them.
Though, they had cut it extremely close. Extremely close.
Jack's eyes scanned the room again, seeking out his 2IC. He spotted her across the room, looking very much cornered by three young Air Force officers.
Male Air Force officers.
Soon to be dead male Air Force officers.
Clearing his throat and picking up another glass of punch, Jack strolled calmly to the opposite side of the room, coming to a halt behind the three men. Sam was wearing a painfully fake smile and her eyes kept darting out across the room, looking for an escape. Her eyes collided with Jack and he saw immediate relief blossom in her blue irises, a real smile forming on her lips. 'Thank God.' Sam thought, not bothering to hide how happy she was to have an out.
"Stand to, gentleman." Jack said, his voice genial, but the order in it very clear. He watched as they stiffened and did an abrupt about-face as one, their hands shooting up in salutes. Jack gave them a lazy one in return, punch still in hand.
"Sir!" Sam exclaimed, straightening her shoulders, but forgoing the salute.
"Carter." He smiled and let his eyes flick over the straight-backed men. "I'm sure you boys won't mind if I borrow Major Carter, would you?" His tone was questioning, but it was obvious that he wasn't asking.
Sam was next to Jack with a hand on his elbow, quickly leading them away from the 'boys' before they had even managed to say, "Yes, sir."
When Sam had dragged Jack a good distance away, she glanced over her shoulder and breathed a loud sigh of relief. Jack smiled despite his best efforts to look innocently ignorant.
"Thank you, colonel." Sam flashed him a dazzling smile and reluctantly let her hand drop from his elbow.
Jack shrugged modestly and held out the punch in his hand. "You looked like you were in need of a rescue."
Sam accepted the punch with a nod of thanks, but looked mock-reprovingly up at him. "For your information, I did not need a rescue." She tossed her head indignantly, but the mischievous glint in her eyes told him all he needed to know. At Jack's disbelieving look, Sam shrugged and looked around the room before her eyes crashed back to his. "Though it was appreciated."
Jack smiled and gently knocked her glass with his. "Cheers."
"Cheers." She agreed and took a few sips. Noticing a few of the other officers staring at her and Jack, she cleared her throat self-consciously and looked at her CO. "Uh, sir?"
He glanced over at her questioningly, though the wary look in his eyes suggested he had noticed the staring too. "Carter?"
Sam lowered her voice and glanced surreptiously around the room full of Air Force personnel. "It might just be me, but are…" she trailed off, widening her eyes slightly and giving him a pointed look.
Jack understood. "Yup." He rocked back on his heels and jerked his head toward the large glass doors that lead onto the balcony. "I don't know about you, Carter, but I'm in need of some fresh air."
Sam furrowed her brow in an exaggerated gesture of thought. "You know, sir…I think I agree."
"Shall we?"
"We shall."
The two officers made their way towards the doors, placing their empty punch glasses on a table. Jack held the door for Sam and followed her out onto the softly lit expanse of terrace. Walking the twenty or so feet to the gold railing Sam leaned over the cold metal and took a deep breath of the crisp air. As much as she loved her home away from home at the SGC…she really did love to breathe fresh air. Not just the recycled oxygen in the mountain.
Looking out over the dark expanse of purple-black sky, broken only by the monuments and buildings surrounding her, she felt a sense of security. Especially with Jack standing next to her, so close that his shoulder rested against hers. Below her, twenty stories down, cars sped past each other, creating a myriad of yellow, white, and red lights.
"Nice." Jack quipped, following her gaze and resting his forearms on the railing. Only a few military personnel milled the large balcony.
"Yes, sir." Sam closed her eyes as she breathed deeply again.
Jack glanced over at her. She looked really…content. Relaxed, even, for someone who was about to speak in front of a bunch of military bigwigs. Before he knew what he was doing, his mouth was open, and he was speaking.
"I'm proud of you, Carter."
Sam's eyes snapped open and she looked at her CO incredulously. He never gave out praise like that. He didn't have to. He made sure his feelings were known in other, possibly more subtle, ways. By the slightly shell-shocked look on Jack's face, he hadn't expected the words to burst forth either.
Sam opened and closed her mouth in stunned silence for a few moments before finally finding her voice. "Thank you, sir."
Jack nodded. "Not a problem." He cleared his throat as the previously companionable silence became thick and slightly tense. "But, I mean it, Carter." Jack said after a minute. "I know I don't say it nearly as much as I should."
Sam's eyes widened and she half-turned to face him as he continued.
"Carter…I couldn't ask for a better second in command." Jack held her gaze earnestly and turned to face her fully. "Or a better friend." Something flashed in his eyes, but it disappeared before Sam could read it.
Struggling to regain her composure, thankful for the semi-darkness of the balcony that hid her blush, Sam met his gaze. "I couldn't either, sir." She smiled softly at him and he gave her a warm smile in return.
As the silence between them lengthened, neither showed any signs of wanting to leave the close proximity they currently had. A slight cough behind them broke the spell.
"General." They both said, turning and facing the base commander with small smiles on their faces.
"Colonel. Major." The older man nodded to each of them, a grin gracing his own features. "I just thought I'd let you know that the ceremony is about to start."
"Right." Jack bounced on his heels and offered his arm to Carter.
Sam laughed and shook her head at his charming antics. Slipping her arm through his, they followed the general back across the balcony, through the lobby, and into the spacious meeting room.
"I am honored to present this award to Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter for their outstanding teamwork and perseverance." Hammond stepped away from the mic and joined in as the room filled with loud applause.
The two officers stood up and straightened their dress blues before making their way up onto the stage. Jack stepped behind the podium with Sam right beside him. Clearing his throat, he looked around at the sea of expectant faces. "Hello!" he said, leaning into the microphone. A muffled chuckling went through the room and Sam gently nudged his arm, smiling.
Jack returned her smile before addressing the crowd again. "Well, since I love speeches oh so much…I'll make this short." Jack waited for the appreciative laughter to die down. "First, I want to thank General Hammond for that lovely introduction." Hammond gave a mock scowl which drew another laugh from those assembled. "But you forgot one thing, sir."
Hammond frowned and Jack let the silence continue a moment longer. "Tolerance, sir."
Jack heard Sam cough behind him and turned to her with a pseudo-betrayed look on his face. Hammond raised his eyebrows in question. Jack shrugged nonchalantly. "Okay…so maybe not so much on my part. But I think Major Carter deserves recognition as being the most tolerant person on this planet." 'And any others.' Jack finished silently. "Major Carter has managed to put up with me," Jack paused as a few of his former and current coworkers groaned in agreement. "For over five years. It takes a very special person to do that."
Jack turned his head and grinned at Sam who was blushing furiously. She met his gaze, but quickly glanced away. "So…to Carter…who knows all the right ways to rub me."
Jack's first thought after the words burst from his mouth was that it was suddenly very, very quiet. The second was that he hadn't said that the right way. He had meant for it to sound more like she knew all his moods and how to calm him down if need be. She knew how to deal with him.
But that wasn't what he said.
And then it hit him.
What it sounded like he meant.
Oh. God. Damn.
Oh, no.
Oh. Bad.
He had just said…in front of half the Air Force…Aw, hell.
His eyes widened as his panicked gaze swept over the crowd. A few people began to snigger and, soon, the whole room had erupted in laughter. Seeing the normally composed, tough-as-nails colonel trip and stumble over his words was…absolutely priceless.
And to say that…well…the innuendo was just icing on the cake.
The Air Force could sometimes double as the world's fastest rumor mill, so the tension between Carter and O'Neill was well known. No one would ever say anything against them though. Each had earned their place, gaining respect from most on the force.
And the ones that hadn't shown respect towards them…?
Well, no one talks about them anymore.
Jack choked, blank disbelief etched into his face. How could he have been so stupid? How the hell could he have…! Oh, hell…Carter was gonna kick his ass.
He deserved it. Oh, he so deserved it!
He didn't know whether to be grateful that everyone was laughing…or…to be utterly afraid. He was never gonna live this down. This was probably the stupidest thing he had ever done.
Taking a deep breath, he chanced a glance at Carter. She was staring straight ahead, a very attractive flush spread across her cheeks and moved down her neck, disappearing under her collar. Wrenching his eyes back to hers, he was surprised to find her looking back at him.
Her eyes were wide; shock, mirth, and embarrassment making the normal blue color an even brighter azure. She looked very much like she was trying not to bolt from the stage and run to her room. But, there was also something of a smile trying to take hold of her lips. Jack shook his head and turned slightly away from the microphone.
"Carter, I…that…I'm sorry." He shrugged helplessly. Sam opened her mouth, but shut it again quickly. She nodded once before surveying the room again.
"Think we should help them out?" President Hayes leaned over to his long time friend.
"No!" Hammond said quickly, glancing at his two stiff-back officers. "He got them into this…I wanna see him get them out of it."
"I don' know George. That was a doozy." Hayes chuckled. What a thing for the colonel to say.
Jack cleared his throat loudly, pleased that he still held some authority when at least half the room quieted. "That did not come out the way it was supposed to." This earned more laughter that was quickly muffled. "What I meant to say was…Major Carter knows how to deal with me. She knows how to handle any situation that's presented to her…" Jack trailed as his mind blanked.
He was fighting a losing battle and everyone knew it. Sensing that he was only making the situation worse, Sam stepped up to the mic, gently pushing Jack out of the way.
"Thank you for this award. We'll make sure your giving of this honor was not in vain." Sam rattled off in her most professional tone. Elbowing Jack pointedly, she quickly made her way off the stage and moved to the back of the room, her CO right behind her.
General Hammond made the closing speech and dismissed them. Unsurprisingly, Sam and Jack were the first to bolt from the room. Without a word, they both entered the elevator, not wanting to mingle.
Neither was sure they could handle the embarrassment.
Jack watched Sam nervously out of the corner of his eye. She seemed to be struggling with something. Her jaw worked and she kept closing her eyes. Jack let her step out of the elevator first, following after a minute. If she was gonna slug him, now was the perfect time.
Sam reached her door before turning around to face Jack. He moved to his own room, which was right next to hers, and waited for her to do…something. Before he knew what was happening, his 2IC was bent over double, her body wracked with gales of laughter. She leaned against her door and tried to breathe, only succeeding in choking on her giggles.
Burying her face in her hands, Sam continued to laugh. Jack stared at her in disbelief, his brain working furiously to send words to his mouth. Unfortunately…none came. All that escaped his lips was a strangled, "Carter?"
"Y-y-yes, s-sir. I'm s-sorry." Sam gasped around her fits of laughter. She clutched her sides and moaned in pain as the muscles cramped.
Jack took a step closer, worried that she might pass out from lack of oxygen. Sam's eyes met his, full of amusement…and tears. "Carter?" he repeated. The tears were from laughter…right?
Sam cleared her throat and, with great effort, stood upright and stopped laughing. Swiping at her eyes she straightened and faced her CO with as much dignity as she could muster. "Thank you, sir."
Jack raised his eyebrows. "Thank me? For what?"
"For what you said."
When Jack's mouth dropped open, Sam held up a hand. "I mean…I know what you meant." Sam smiled warmly at him. "I appreciate it a lot."
"Not a problem, Carter." Jack shrugged, still in shock. "You know me and words."
"Yes, sir." Sam continued to smile. "But…sir?"
Jack blanched at the tone in her voice. "Yeah?"
"You are gonna pay for that." Sam smiled brightly. "G'night!" In one swift motion she opened her door, stepped inside, turned, winked, and slammed the door shut.
Jack leaned against his door, staring straight ahead. He wasn't sure if he should be scared or not. Carter could inflict serious damage…intellectually and physically. God only knew what she could be planning. Maybe she'd—
Jack broke off his rant abruptly. That's exactly what she had wanted him to do. Contemplate his own downfall and end up acting it out on himself.
Oh, she was good.
Jack smiled to himself and stepped into his own room. Oh, yeah.
He was definitely proud of her.
TBC
A/N: I know Hayes hasn't shown up yet, but…fanfiction, right? LOL. Please R&R!!