AN This is the next chapter, cause I split this and the last one in two. (Lots of dialogue in this one) Hope you like...
Chapter 20 - Chances
Jack and Teal'c were almost back to where they had left the two scientists, chatting and eating when Jack saw something that made his blood freeze in his veins. Sam and Daniel sat by the fire, somewhat obscured by trees and yammering away. Jack smiled as he watched Sam erupt with laughter at something Daniel had said. Her eyes lit up and her head tipped back and she looked better than she had in weeks. Scanning the wood on either side of the pair by the fire, his eyes landed on the fifth member of the group, gripping a P-90 in a way that suggested he didn't know how to use it, while aiming clumsily along the sights, at Daniel and Carter's backs.
Jack flung out an arm to stop Teal'c in his tracks. Teal'c immediately caught onto the situation and hefted his staff weapon in preparation to fire.
'Stop,' Jack's voice was low and dangerous, Teal'c could only just hear him.
'If you hit him, it could discharge anyway.' Teal'c hesitated, his eyes sharp and not leaving the small bald man beside the tree. It did not sit well with him to wait so instead he adjusted the aim of his staff and at a nod from Colonel O'Neill, shot the P-90 clean out of Roans hand, reducing the weapon to a lump of smoldering metal which fell to the ground just as Jack launched himself, with a yell of fury, on top of Roan.
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Sam spun around to see Jack tackle Roan to the ground where they struggled for a moment in the fallen leaves until Jack had the little man held down by the throat.
'Colonel!' Has he lost his mind!? Jack ignored both hers and Daniel's shouts of surprise. He was too busy glaring into the face that had been making him uneasy since he tagged along on this dog and pony ride.
'What the hell do you think you were doing?' His voice was still low and threatening. Roan attempted to answer but was unable thanks to the force of Jack's hands around his windpipe. Seeing the man's predicament and still completely non-plussed as to what was going on, Daniel touched Jack on the shoulder.
'Uh, Jack, I don't think he can answer with you choking him.' Jack growled a response and let Roan breathe, only to grab him by the collar of his jumpsuit and hoist him several inches off the ground.
'Well!?' his voice was no longer quiet and the woods seemed to vibrate with it.
Roan spluttered and gasped, still catching his breath.
'I was just having a look! Why did you shoot at me!?'
'Because you were pointing a loaded gun at members of my team asshole!' Sam and Daniel aped in shock at this revelation. What the hell?
'I was just looking to see. I didn't know how to work it!' His voice was high with panic but he apparently had lots more to say. 'It's not like I have any way of defending myself! I'm completely at your mercy. You, with your...big guns! And you treat me like dirt!' This he directed at Jack. 'You behave like I'm some contagious animal that's following you around!'
'Maybe because that's what you are!'
'Jack!'
'Shut up Daniel!' He took a ragged breath. 'You listen here you little weasel. You helped us out of the hell palace, that meant we owed you one, it didn't mean we have to like you or trust you! We have no idea why you were even in there to begin with. For all we know you could be a fucking murderer! But we have let you snivel along with us, we've split our food with you, meaning that we've all had less, and we're offering you sanctuary on Earth! Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that about covers any debt that I owe you and my first priority is the safe return of my team and I will not hesitate to remove anything that jeopardizes that. Got it!?' He dropped Roan unceremoniously to the ground.
The little man stood and dusted off his clothes, his face filled with more defiance than Jack had seen from him until now, and stalked away to a tree some meters away where he lay, with his back to the fire and curled up to sleep.
Jack watched him wide eyed and still breathing heavily. 'Yeah, apology accepted by the way!' Daniel gave Jack a disapproving look at his comment. 'Daniel, don't eyeball me. I'm taking first watch. Don't take your eyes off him.' He jabbed a finger at the curled figure on the ground and with that, he stalked away in the direction he and Teal'c had come from.
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Sam slept badly, reliving the scene that had just unfolded. Had Roan really been pointing a gun at her and Daniel? Was it an honest mistake? Had the colonel been too hard on him? After only an hour she woke again and instead of trying to get back to sleep, slid out from between Daniel and Teal'c and pulled herself to her feet, breathing deeply for a moment to avoid the dizziness she knew would follow. Once she felt steady, she set off in the direction Colonel O'Neill had gone, squinting through the darkness at the still form of Roan as she passed him. Teal'c watched her go and closed his eyes again.
In an eerie reversal of when Jack had startled her in the woods Sam soon found herself staring down the barrel of a P-90.
'It's me Sir.' The barrel lowered.
'Carter? You should be resting.' Despite this he gestured her over to where he had been sitting. He shifted his P-90 and she lowered herself to the ground beside him. He gestured towards her stitches.
'How are those feeling?'
'Oh, fine sir. Thanks for asking.'
'Sure.' The silence stretched.
'How are you feeling Sir?' He glanced at her sideways in the dark.
'Oh...you know...' He floundered. Fish out of water when it came to talking about his feelings.
'No, I don't know.' she sounded miffed.
'Carter—'
'Just-- are you ok? I mean obviously your not great – none of us are, but...are you ok?'
'...Yeah...thanks for asking.'
'Sure.'
The next time it was his turn to break the silence.
'Do you think I went off too strong at slime ball?' He jerked his head in the direction of the camp.
Sam hesitated.
'Honestly Sir, I didn't see what... I don't know I guess. It's hardly a common situation. I guess we're all kind of making it up as we go along.'
'Yeah...' he laughed at her assessment. 'Too right – seat of the pants eh?'
'It's got us by so far.' He couldn't see her face but she sounded as though she was smiling.
'Yeah...just. Some close calls though.' He nudged her with his elbow to make his point.
'Sorry sir.' She was silent for a moment. 'I got through it though, thanks to the soon to be legendary field surgeon, Jack O'Neill, with two 'l's.'
'Mhmm, the guy with one 'l' has no sense of humor at all!' She giggled against his arm and he was powerfully reminded of another moment, years before in a mine, when they had been unaware of who they were. This time was infinitely different but the similarities were uncanny. He stared down at the top of her head, that and her pale face the only parts of her visible in the close shadow of the trees. 'I was scared stiff for a while there though.' God, what was it about her that turned him into an...open...feely kind of guy!?
Sam looked up into his face and could tell he was embarrassed but also sincere in what he had said.
'Me too.' Jack turned slightly and leaned forward to plant a kiss against her cheekbone. The unusual contact startled her and she pulled back, looking confused. He could have kicked himself, if he weren't sat in such an awkward position. He hurried to correct his mistake.
'That was just...for pulling through..or luck, or something.' He turned away and gazed into the woods, trying to ignore the warmth of her still sat next to him. Until she spoke.
'What was the other one for?'
'The other what?'
'The other kiss, before the surgery.' As if he could have forgotten.
'You didn't complain--'
'I know. But that wasn't what I asked.' He was silent for a while, mulling over how best to answer. Honesty? Did it matter? He doubted it would change anything.
'The other one was just...because I didn't know if I'd get another chance, what with..' He gestured to her surgical wound again.
This time, the silence was the longest so far. Jack stared out into the darkness around him, wondering whether he could escape and flee back to camp with his dignity intact.
Sam processed his answer, surprised to feel the sting of tears at the back of her eyes.
'I think you would have got another chance.' She told him, taking his hand.
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The man watching from deeper in the trees gritted his teeth. The events of the day had made his decision for him. Though he still had his doubts, there was nothing for it now, they were getting too close. After running a few paces, making no noise as his feet danced over the damp leaves, he flung himself skyward, leaving his more physical body behind and becoming lighter, faster, as he soared toward the valley.
AN ooooh, even I'm excited and I know whats gonna happen! Well, hope you enjoyed it, please let me know. Sam/Jack- good? Not good? What do you think is going on?
Well, goodbye until the end of July then. Everybody have a good summer!
prometheus246