Alternatives

Worth Waiting For

Based upon Stargate: SG-1

Rating: PG

- RMI - Based upon the season eight episode "Affinity," takes place during said episode -

- - - - -

Jack had been standing outside of Carter's lab for a few minutes now. She wasn't doing anything, which was weird. He had noticed that she had been acting a little weird recently. She seemed off her game. He didn't know why. Deciding on a course of action, he walked into her lab. "Carter."

"Sir," she looked up, suddenly aware of her surroundings again.

"I never thought I'd hear myself utter these words: I need that report." He made a broad gesture with his hands to accent his outlandish request.

"Right!" Carter looked around her desk. "Um, I just need to . . . Ah . . . finish typing up my notes."

Liar, he thought while she rummaged through the incredible stack -- not so much stack as conglomerate -- of papers on her desk.

"Uh, yeah. I'll have it for you first thing tomorrow."

Knowing perfectly well what time it was, Jack checked his watch for dramatic effect. "It is tomorrow."

Carter sunk a little. "Oh."

"I'm joking," he gave himself up. "I don't need the report."

"Well, then, why . . ." she looked perplexed.

"Because something's going on with you. You haven't tried to confuse me with any scientific babble for the last couple of days and that's a red flag to me." Actually, it was a sign to batten down the hatches and weather for the storm, but he didn't want to get over dramatic.

Carter thought to herself for a second, sighed, and handed him a small object: a ring box. "Pete gave me this," she said simply.

Wanting to see how fancy this guy was getting, Jack opened the box, and studied the ring. It was simple, not fancy, but classic. Looking up, he turned his attention back to Carter. "People normally wear these on their fingers."

"I haven't said yes."

That, there, was almost enough to drop to his knees and beg her to choose him instead. She was hesitating with Pete and that was all he needed; well, almost. "And yet," he said, thinking of the other side, "you haven't said no." He shut the box with a snap and set it down.

"I told him I need to think about it."

Thinking about spending the rest of your life with the wrong man. "And?" he asked, keeping his jealous thoughts to himself.

"That was two weeks ago."

Yes! "Ah."

"You know, all these years I've been concentrating on work - I just assumed that one day I would . . ." she searched for words.

"Have a life?" he prompted, trying to keep his presence light. The last thing he needed to do was confuse her.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"Yeah," he echoed, wishing he could be the life she assumed she would one day have.

"And now it comes down to it, I don't know." It was strange to see Carter in such a conflicted, vulnerable position. "I mean, every time we go through the 'gate, we risk not coming back. Is it fair to put somebody else through that?"

And you do it to me all the time, he thought. "Pete is a cop," he continued to play the devil's advocate. "I think he could handle it."

"What about kids?"

I don't want to think about it. "What about 'em?"

"Do I take maternity leave and then come back? What? Do I drop the baby off at daycare on my way to some unexplored planet on the edge of the Crab Nebula?"

She was getting a little worked up, and he continued to fight his heart. "Carter, there are people on this base who have families."

She thought to herself for a second, then met his gaze. "What about you? If things had been different . . ."

He shook his head. "What do you want me to say, Carter?" Oops, there it goes, he lost it. "Do you want me to tell you not to do it? Do you want me to tell you that I'm gonna retire tomorrow and that everything is going to be a perfect little cliché? Because you know I can't promise you anything."

She held his gaze, her eyes glistening. "I told myself, once, that if I knew there was no chance that I would let you--it, it . . . I would let it go. That's an easy thing to say when the rest of my life isn't on the table."

"And if there was a chance?" he asked.

She smiled sadly. "It's worth waiting for."

He leaned forward a little. "You, Samantha, are worth waiting for." He let the words hang for a second before standing upright again. "I don't want to be the man who put your life on hold."

"Too late for that."

He took a few steps around her desk, closing the distance between them. "You deserve more," he said softly.

"Than what?" she asked angrily.

"Than I can give you," he said, keeping his voice down and his tone soft. "You deserve more than this," he made a general gesture towards his person. "More than an old man who can't make any promises."

She stood up, evening their height slightly. "You're not an old man," she said softly.

"I will be by the time the circumstances change in our favor."

She started to reach out for him, but pulled her hand back. "Some things are worth waiting for."

He dropped his gaze, unable to look into her eyes any longer. "So, what do you want to do?"

"Wait."

When he looked back up, she was smiling. She was smiling that 'Carter Smile.' That '1000 Watt, I just blew up a sun' smile. She was going to give the ring back. He couldn't help but smirk back.

He glanced behind him, into the hallway. Seeing no one, he leaned forward and placed a small kiss on her lips, one that felt much bigger than it actually was. "Then we wait." He continued to smirk as he thought he saw her smile grow before turning and leaving. "We wait, Carter," he repeated as he left her behind.

That hadn't been his plan, but it was a hell of a lot better than being the devil's advocate for the rest of his life.

- - -