Chapter 6

Sam was about to head into the main examination room in the infirmary for the usual post-mission medical check when Janet suddenly swooped in beside her and steered her to a private room. Shutting the door firmly behind them, the doctor rounded on Sam with a wide-eyed look. "What the hell happened out there?"

Blinking in surprise, Sam regarded her friend blankly. "Pretty much what Colonel O'Neill explained. We stepped through the gate and noticed that SG-17 wasn't around. Five seconds later, I had the worst headache of my life and passed out. When I woke up, the gate was open, and we came back through." She shrugged. "Wish I could tell you more, but I was unconscious for most of it."

Janet shook her head slowly. "Boy did you miss one hell of a show."

Sam sat down on a cot and looked oddly at the other woman. "Janet, I just told you I spent an unknown amount of time passed out on another planet, and you're not even going to ask me how I'm feeling?"

Waving her hand impatiently, Janet seemed to disregard Sam's concern. "I promise I'll do a complete check-up in three minutes. But trust me, you really want to hear what happened while you were out."

Feeling like she'd stepped into a parallel dimension – an occurrence which wasn't entirely outside the realm of possibility – Sam nodded uncertainly. "If you say so."

Pulling up a chair, Janet sat down opposite the cot and smiled. "Sam, I have no idea how it happened, but while that gate was open, some kind of mental message was sent through it. Anyone within 100 feet of the gate on levels 27 and 28 was totally overwhelmed by it. Even people outside the immediate are got some residual feelings from the event." She sounded somewhat breathless as she continued. "From what I understand, both General Hammond and the President were actually moved to tears."

Sam's face was slack with surprise. General Hammond and the President crying in the control room? "What was in this 'mental message?'" she asked curiously.

Janet looked her friend in the eye. "I was close enough to get the gist of it, but not close enough to get all the details."

Sam exhaled sharply. "Oh, for crying out loud, Janet. Tell me what happened." In her frustration, she didn't even notice her usage of Jack's trademark exclamation.

The young doctor paused for one last moment, drawing the suspense to its peak before speaking. "Somehow, we all received a mental broadcast of Jack's feelings for you."

As Janet's words sank into Sam's already-befuddled brain, she felt the color drain from her face. "What?" she gasped. "You've got to be kidding me," she moaned. Then, closing her eyes, she buried her face in her hands.

"Oh, honey! Don't be upset!" Janet's voice held nothing but compassion. "Sam, I was only on the fringe of the affected area, and I was completely bowled over by what I felt." Pulling her friend's hands from her face, Janet forced Sam to meet her warm gaze. "Nobody who experienced what I did today could remain unmoved by your situation. It was this incredibly pure sensation of everything wonderful concentrated in one, perfect moment. Sam, you can't imagine what it's like to feel someone else's emotions on such a deep, basic level."

Sam smiled wryly. "Actually, Janet, I can. Not only were Jolinar's memories and feelings part of my consciousness for a while, don't forget the emotion-recorder that Narim gave me."

Janet rolled her eyes. "Okay, smarty-pants. So maybe you can imagine." Then, her eyes sharpened. "But I guarantee that if you'd experienced Jack's feelings, you wouldn't be looking so grim right now."

Sighing, Sam tried to explain her discomfort. "After everything that happened this weekend, I was hoping that things might change between us. But if the President knows how Jack feels, I'm sure there are bound to be repercussions." She cringed. "They hauled him off to the briefing room, Janet."

The doctor shook her head. "Sam, the President would have to be inhuman to not be moved by what he experienced today." She smiled gently. "I always knew Jack had feelings for you, but I honestly had no idea how deep they ran." Reaching out, she picked up one of Sam's hands and squeezed it. "Honey, he respects you so deeply, it's almost reverence. And the profound sadness he's borne because of your difference in rank…" she trailed off. "I always worried that you felt more for him than he did for you. But I was wrong. He was just really good at hiding it."

Sam felt tears form in the corner of her eyes. "You got all that through a mental image?"

Janet laughed. "I told you, it was one hell of a show."

Sighing, Sam smiled in spite of herself. "I'm sorry I missed it," she said wistfully.

With a knowing glint in her eye, Janet stood and picked up her stethoscope. "I have a feeling you're going to get to see the director's cut." She grinned. "Up close and personal."

Across the base, Jack sat numbly in a leather conference chair, looking at the two powerful men in the room with an expression of horror and disbelief. "You're telling me that Mr. Bug-Eyes transmitted his psychic hotline to the entire SGC?

"

Hammond shook his head. "No, son. It appears that only those within a few hundred feet of the gate were affected. Probably no more than a few dozen people felt anything noticeable, and only half of them understood the context of the feelings."

Jack blinked. "The context?"

The President jumped in. "Some of the people farther from the gate felt a sense of euphoria, but didn't associate the feeling with you or Major Carter."

"Uh-huh," Jack said woodenly. "Well, that makes me feel much better. Only twenty-or-so people were exposed to my innermost thoughts. And, so what if two of them are the base commander and the President of the United States." The sarcasm in his voice was blatant, even for Jack.

At that, General Hammond raised a hand. "Those people involved in this incident are being debriefed as we speak. You can rest assured that they will act with the utmost sensitivity and discretion. We all understand that the day's events were outside the realm of your control. I'm satisfied that you acted in a manner which secured the safety of your teammates. And, based on what you've just told us, I think it's unlikely that the aliens were able to pry any classified information from your minds. At any rate, It doesn't sound like they were very interested in our technology or civilization."

Jack sighed. "Right." They were only interested in his feelings for Carter. Well, he supposed, he'd gotten over the supreme discomfort resulting from his run-in with the Tok'ra lie detector. This situation wasn't much different, except that his humiliation was a bit more public. He imagined the embarrassment would fade in time. "So, can I go now?" He really wanted to be alone for a while. The feelings of exposure were bad enough. But, worst of all, he'd just realized that he needed to shove all those feelings back down into a corner of his soul for the foreseeable future. Just when he'd thought he and Sam might be able to quietly rearrange their positions and start a relationship, something like this had to happen. Now, he wouldn't be able to look at her without drawing attention to them both. Somehow, he'd manage to pull it all together. But before that happened, he'd need some solitude and a stiff drink or two. Or five.

Hammond looked as though he was about to release Jack when the president stood. "General, would you mind giving me a moment with your officer?"

Looking startled, but not incredibly surprised, Hammond nodded crisply. "Of course, sir. I'll be in my office if you need me." With a reassuring look at Jack, he turned and left the room.

The president sank into the chair opposite Jack and eyed him carefully. "I'll be honest," he said frankly, "when I read your file after my inauguration a few years ago, I thought you might be trouble. You sounded like an irreverent, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of officer."

Jack smiled wryly. "Respectfully, sir, I am."

The older man chuckled. "Yes, I can see that. But, in the last few years, some fairly amazing reports have crossed my desk. And in that time, I've come to respect you and the members of your team in ways I doubt you understand." He sighed nostalgically. "Wasn't too long ago, I was out on the front lines, defending our freedom. And I never encountered a shred of what you see everyday. You and your men are the reason we're all sitting here safe-and-sound today. And up to today, that's exactly how I thought of SG-1." He eyed Jack sharply. "As you and your men." Smiling, he shook his head. "Chauvinistic, I know. But in the military, we tend to be a little testosterone-driven."

The man paused, gathering his thoughts. Jack remained silent, unsure of where the conversation was going, and unwilling to divulge another word of his thoughts. Thankfully, his commander-in-chief didn't seem to require a response.

"I seem to recall some grumblings from a few unnamed critics of this organization about your relationship with Major Carter. But I always assumed that those complaints were simply low-blows being aimed at some fine officers."

Jack tensed, waiting for the worst. In the last three hours, he'd given the President more than enough reason to demand his resignation – or worse, convene a court martial. There was no way he was going to escape this encounter unscathed.

The expression on the President's face was unreadable, which made his next words come as a total surprise. "Today, I came to understand just how low those accusations were. I was not only able to understand how seriously you take the laws of our military, but I've experienced the toll that upholding those laws have taken on you in a most profound, personal way." His steely eyes were sharp with intensity. "Everyone in the service learns to deal with self-denial on some level," he acknowledged, "but you've redefined that idea completely, son. What I felt today…" he exhaled slowly. "I'm not sure most people would have sacrificed something so important to their own happiness in service to their country."

Jack shrugged. "With all due respect, sir, the men and women of our military are willing to lay down their lives for this country."

The president merely smiled. "But you and I both know that facing death is easy, compared to the burdens we're forced to carry in life."

Meeting the older man's eyes, Jack nodded grudgingly. There was a great deal of truth to his statement, borne out by the fact that Jack had only signed onto the stargate program because he'd thought it was a suicide mission.

After a moment, the President's serious mood seemed to lighten. "Colonel, I'm sure you won't believe this, but there aren't very many perks in my job." He smiled wryly. "Nice house, great china… but the hours stink, the pay is lousy, and most of your time is spent deflecting criticism of things you did the day before. Which is why I'm going to enjoy this all the more."

Jack looked at the man suspiciously. After the day he'd had, nothing would surprise him at this point.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill," the President said formally, "as your commander-in-chief, I formally exempt you from Article 134 of the UCMJ, insofar as it pertains to one Major Samantha Carter. Since Article 134 most generally prohibits fraternization between officers and enlisted personnel, it permits more discretion in its application between officers of different ranks. Given the exemplary service of both yourself and Major Carter – which, of course, includes several instances of saving the universe from impending doom – and given the selfless manner in which you've both conducted yourselves, I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to formally thank you for your service and reward you both accordingly. Furthermore, I find no reason to separate you from Major Carter during the execution of your duties. Given my intimate knowledge of your personal dedication to professionalism, I am confident that you can continue to function in the same exemplary manner that you currently have demonstrated. However, should you or Major Carter desire re-assignment to another team or duty, every effort will be made to accommodate your wishes." With a broad smile, the President held out his hand. "You have my sincerest thanks, Colonel. It has been an honor bearing witness to your service."

Okay, Jack admitted, he was wrong.

This definitely surprised him.

Taking the President's outstretched hand, he shook it automatically. He was humbled, both by the man's actions and his words. "Thank you, sir," he said dazedly. Could this really be happening?

Seeing the uncertainty lurking in Jack's eyes, the President chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm not going to change my mind. General Hammond already knows of my decision, and agrees with it whole-heartedly. Now," he said, grinning broadly, "why don't you go get your girl?"

For the first time since returning to the base, Jack felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips. "I know you're the President and all, sir," he said dryly, "but I wouldn't let Carter overhear you calling her anyone's 'girl.'"

Janet looked Sam in the eye and smiled. "Looks like you're as healthy as ever," she said cheerfully. Seeing the anxiety on her friend's face, she patted her gently on the hand. "Sam, it's going to be okay. You'll see."

Shaking her head, Sam wished she could agree. "I don't know, Janet. This changes everything. I have this terrible feeling that we're going to go back to the way things were, and all I'll ever have of him is one crazy half-hour making out in a bar."

Janet couldn't suppress a chuckle at the blunt assessment. Opening her mouth to reply, she was cut off by a swift knock on the door before she could get a word out.

Sam's eyes flew to her friend's, raw fear lurking in her expression. Clearly, she was terrified of what might happen next.

Squeezing Sam's hand one last time, Janet crossed the room and opened the door. She was not at all surprised by what she saw. Smiling, she greeted the figure outside warmly. "I just finished checking her out," she said. "She might have a bit of a headache for the next day or so, but she's otherwise healthy as a horse." Then, stepping out of the way, she allowed the visitor to enter the room while she snuck out behind him, closing the door as she left.

From across the room, Sam gazed into a familiar set of coffee-brown eyes with a mixture of anxiety and relief. It felt so good to see him. Part of her longed to jump up and throw herself into his arms, just to feel the comfort of his embrace. Instead, she settled for a quiet, "Hi."

Jack looked at her, suddenly overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation. Stepping forward, he pulled up the chair which Janet had occupied earlier. "This has been one hell of a day," he noted frankly. "And given the day I had yesterday, that's really saying something."

Sam smiled. "Never a dull moment around here," she agreed softly.

Looking somewhat overwhelmed, he nevertheless managed to meet her nervous gaze calmly. "Speaking of which," he said, "you'll never believe what the President just said to me."

Sam swallowed, clearly in suspense. "Probably not," she replied, "but go ahead and tell me anyway."

Somewhere deep in his eyes, a spark of something deep and profound glimmered as he spoke. "He exempt us from Article 134, at least in how it pertains to each other."

Given the enormous strain she was under, it was not surprising that Sam had to think about exactly what Article 134 referred to. Suddenly, she gasped, eyes flying to meet Jack's. "That's the frat reg!" she exclaimed incredulously.

His mouth quirked up on one side. "Not only that, he actually thanked us for our exemplary service. I think he'd have given me a medal if he'd had one on hand."

Sam's face was nearly comical, set in a slack-jawed expression of utter disbelief. "Are you kidding me?" It was a fair question. Jack had been known to tease his colleagues on occasion.

He simply rolled his eyes. "Sam, do you honestly think I'd kid you about this? Especially right now?"

She blinked. "I suppose not," she replied faintly. Then, as the implications of his words set in, she met his gaze again, this time rather intensely. "So what does this mean?" she whispered.

Jack regarded her sincerely. "It means that we can keep our jobs and still make out in bars," he replied in typical Jack fashion.

Smiling in spite of herself, Sam felt a giddy kernel of hope spring up somewhere in the vicinity of her heart. "Is that something you want to do?" she asked, sounding more vulnerable than she'd like.

He considered her question for a moment. Then, with a note of dry humor, he responded with a question of his own. "Which part? Keeping my job? Or making out in bars?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Both," she replied, sounding amused and affectionate at the same time.

Leaning forward, Jack ran a hand down her cheek tenderly. "They're both definitely on my list of things I'd like to do," he said quietly. "So, how 'bout it, Major? Are you interested in exercising our new presidential exemption?"

Sam's heart fluttered violently in her chest. "I'm interested," she whispered.

"Good," he replied firmly. "Because I think I'm about to defy Article 134 right here in the infirmary." Then, with the sweet knowledge that this would not be the last time he kissed her, Jack lowered his mouth to hers and savored his hard-earned reward.

Lounging on an overstuffed sofa, Jack looked around his cabin and smiled. Given the somewhat unusual events of the last mission, it hadn't been hard to convince the rest of his team to spend some time off-base. And, since his little retreat in Minnesota was readily available, no one seemed to mind the somewhat cramped quarters. Still, he hadn't managed to talk anyone into ice fishing yet.

Sam was shaking her head violently. "I don't care how much fun you say it is," she said firmly, "there is no way I'm sitting outside in 12-degree weather on a frozen lake. Not when there's a perfectly cozy fire going in here."

Teal'c nodded sagely. "I must concur with Major Carter. This excursion was supposed to be relaxing."

Jack rolled his eyes. Then, turning to his last remaining colleague, he raised his eyebrows in question. "Daniel?" he asked beseechingly. "Interested in a little ice fishing?"

The archaeologist smiled kindly. "Not a chance in hell."

Sighing, Jack settled back in the sofa, throwing one arm around Sam as he sank into the cushions. "Fine," he said, sounding offended, "see if I ever ask you guys to come back here again."

Daniel threw him a knowing smile. "Something tells me at least one of us is safe from that particular threat."

Flushing slightly, Sam stuck her tongue out at her friend. It still felt a little odd to be so open about her feelings for Jack, but her colleagues had accepted the change with the same even-keeled equilibrium with which they handled every other bizarre, life-altering thing thrown at them. Sam knew that, in short order, this would feel normal.

It already felt damn good.

A comfortable silence settled over the group, broken only by the warm crackle of the fire. In the company of friends, each member of the team felt utterly and completely at peace. No one counted on the feeling lasting very long. Soon, the SGC would be making new demands on their time and energy. But for now, in this cozy cabin sheltered from the blistering cold outside, all was very right with the world.

Suddenly, Daniel tilted his head as a thought occurred to him. "Do you know what I just realized?" he asked the group in general. Not expecting a response, he continued after a brief pause. "Considering everything we went through to get that stupid urn, we never did figure out what, if anything, it had to do with the communicator I turned on." He smiled ruefully. "We went all the way to Milwaukee for nothing."

Jack smiled enigmatically. "Oh, I don't know about that," he said. Then, exchanging a meaningful look with Sam, he winked. "Not only did I get to see the beer exhibit at the museum, but I picked up this great, 'I CLOSED WOLSKI'S' bumper sticker for my truck."

Daniel smiled at Teal'c. "I'm pretty sure that's not all that you picked up," he said with a chuckle.

Nodding at Daniel's assessment, Teal'c settled back in his easy chair. "Indeed." Then, with his trademark sincerity, the Jaffa looked at the rest of his team intently. "But, perhaps next time, you will show me the racing sausages."

A/N: Well, that's it! Hope you enjoyed it. And for all my fellow cheeseheads out there, please know that any fun I poke at Milwaukee is meant in great love. I adore Milwaukee!