Hey 23

AN: Once more into the breach dear friends! Highly unedited, rough and ready...

Summary: Q23: Episode tag but telling you would be a spoiler so just enjoy Jack's bubbly intrigue as he asks Sam 'Did you actually do it?' and tries to pry an answer out of her. Jack/Sam friendship and humour with a little Hammond and a few others. K rated fun.

QUESTION 23 Did You Actually Do It?

"Hey Carter, did you actually do it?" Jack was physically bouncing as he poked his head in around the door of her lab. Carter smiled fractionally glanced at him out of the corner of her eye but did not say anything. She had been wondering how long it would take for word to get out. About a half an hour as it turned out.

"Seriously? Did you do it? Please tell me it's not just a rumour." he burbled as he excited pinged across the room to stand directly opposite her where she worked on the device in front of her, his hands gripping tightly to the worktop.

Noting that his grip was white-knuckle tight Sam felt her eyebrows rise slightly on her head as her smile widened to a very brief all out, self-indulgent grin. "Do what Sir?" she asked as innocently as she could, bring her eyes up to meet that of his own.

"Oh come on Carter, just tell me already. Is it true?" O'Neill could not help himself he reached out to try to move the object that had almost immediately stolen back all of her attention.

"Aht!" Sam chastised, her reflexes automatically taking over and batting at his hand. "That's live Sir, it'll shock you."

Jack retracted his fingers quickly and frowning he peered down at the prized open electrical device unconsciously noting the cable running over the edge of the table. "Sorry." he muttered before returning instantly back to the matter at hand. He simply stared at her, petulantly asking her the same question with his demeanour rather than his voice this time.

Sam could not help but chuckle slightly as she watched him waiting.

"Well?" he eventually ventured, his patience starting to slip as still she did not answer him.

Carter reached down and opened her top drawer. "Here, see for yourself." she casually offered as she tossed him the disc.

"You recorded it!" Jack exclaimed, his face shining bright with all out glee.

"Security footage." Sam asserted nodding her head up towards the camera in that of her own lab. "I ah, I took the liberty of burning myself a copy. I know technically I shouldn't have but...well to be honest Sir, I just wasn't able to resist."

"Well no." Jack agreed wholeheartedly. "Of course not, I mean come on!" The disc waggled in his hands. "So can we put it on? Where's your laptop I want to see?" He glanced around the room. "Oh, on second thoughts let's go to the Briefing Room. I want to see this on the big screen, in full Technicolor as they say. Popcorn?" he asked as he scooted around the corner of the bench and grabbed his 2IC by the elbow, intent on guiding her instantly out of the room.

"Hang on a moment." Carter insisted and shirked herself out of his grip. "I need to turn this off first."

Jack audibly moaned as she made her way quickly across the room to the socket on the wall. "Hurry up Carter!" he complained, his inner child once again taking over.

Sam herself felt the secondary surge of excitement steal over her. She had been going to wait until she was at home to watch the short action sequence but the Colonel's idea of the Briefing Room was just so much better. "I really hope it's free." she noted as she practically ran to try to keep up with his as he headed out into the corridor.

"Oh it's free. I just came from there. Team leader's briefing just ended."

"Is that how you found out?" Sam asked, remembering that SG-3's leader had walked in just as she took the decisive and deliberate action that had had her laughing in evil hysterics ever since. "Or was it Janet?"

Jack shook his head. "Not the Doc." Was all he would say as to who had clued him in. "Gotta hand it to Fraiser though, she's been very professional about the whole thing. If I got paged down there to watch that I think I would have ha-ad to announce it to the whole base first! I mean what an idiot!"

The elevator was not making its way to them fast enough and so Jack pushed the button a few more times for good measure. Eventually it arrive and they both stepped inside. "So how did you talk him into letting you do that in the first place?"

Sam shrugged. "It was easy really. I told him it was base protocol and that if I didn't do it someone else would...quite possibly even Teal'c when he got back. It was pretty straight forward to get him down there after that."

"Protocol? But it's not...well it is but only for base personnel who are going off-world."

"I know that and you know that but he doesn't! I simply explained it by saying that it was in case there was an incursion whilst he was here." Carter smirked at her own cleverness. It was not like her to be so devious or so immodest but if anyone deserved it, it was that man! Especially after the way he had behaved earlier that day.

Jack nodded sagely. "Spooked him did you?" he drawled.

"Oh Sir yes. Yes I did. Had him thinking he might just die if there was no-one there to assist him the first time round. That was why Janet ended up being there too. It was his only stipulation. And well, let's face it, she jumped at the chance to watch!"

"I don't doubt it. I just wish you had said a ranking officer had to be present too. Then I could have come and saw the whole thing for myself."

"I did think about that Sir, but I knew that there was no way you would have been able to hold it together long enough to not have made him suspicious. No offence Sir." she added belatedly.

"Oh none taken Major, especially in light of what he said to you that afternoon."

"I know! Can you believe that? Arrogant little..." Carter's face turned an angry red colour as she thought about the whole exchange, but then the grin was back as the image of her revenge returned with vigour to the forefront of her mind.

The elevator pinged. "Oh we're here!" Jack chirped and shot out through the not fully opened doors. "Yes!" he crowed as he noted that the Briefing Room was still empty and the projector still set up.

Sam quickly made her way over to the machine whilst Jack futzed with the remote trying to figure out how to turn the thing on.

"Good to go." Sam announced excitedly as she nipped across locked the door and pulled down the blind. Sure anyone could still come up or down the stairs but at least this way they could strategically place themselves so as to not get caught from behind as they watched the not quite legally obtained footage.

"Hurry up!" Jack cajoled as Carter made one final quick circuit of the room to ensure the coast was actually clear.

Sam slid into her seat beside her CO and stared intently up at the dark screen in front of her. "We forgot the popcorn." she noted jokily.

"Screw the popcorn Carter, just press play already!"

With absolute zeal Sam was only too happy to comply with her CO's request. She set the footage rolling.

"Oh this is going to be so great!" Jack burbled, rubbing his palms together.

"Shh!" Sam hissed, turning the sound up slightly so that she could better hear.

On screen they watched as Sam stood some ten feet away from a nervous looking character whilst Janet, biting down hard on her own fist stood looking on.

"Major? Are you absolutely sure this is necessary?" a whiney voice churled.

"Absolutely." Sam informed the man, her tone all authority and seriousness.

"Ooh...well...okay. But just get on with it." He wavered in place. "On a three count, yes?"

"Sure." The humour was evident in Sam's voice now as she raised her arm. The man cringed and screwed his eyes shut. "One." she said. "Two." she said and without further ado she fired her zat gun.

At the table Jack sat open-mouthed and fascinated as Rodney McKay fell twitching to the ground right before his eyes. "Oh my god! That was awesome!" he practically yelled. "I have to see that again!" Snatching up the remote he rewound the footage.

"One." the Sam on screen said. "Two." she said and both of them started laughing and laughing.

"Again!" Sam crowed as tears began to well up in her eyes and she clutched her sides.

As the images began to play out on screen again for a fourth time a voice from the steps beside them startled both Jack and Sam. "Just what in god's name?" Hammond began before being distracted by the sound of the zat blast.

"Sir!"

"General!"

Both officers jumped to their feet and Sam froze the image as Hammond froze on the second to last step. Behind him Harriman, Siler and a few other techs looked on. "Is that what I think it is?" Hammond demanded. "And did you just do what I think you did?" His eyes bored into the Major before him, who instantly flushed.

"Ah, Sir, I can explain." Sam started but very quickly came up empty her mouth working with nothing more to come out of it.

Jack glanced at his 2IC as a sudden silence drew out sharply across the room. "Umm." he tried, anything to fill the void.

General Hammond however was neither listening nor watching his subordinate officers. He was intently walking towards the head of the table, his eyes glued onto the distorted figure on the screen. Almost mechanically he took the remote out of Sam Carter's hands and rewound the footage.

Sam shied away uncomfortably as the Base Commander watched the whole show in its entirety including McKay's grumbling, Janet's highly unprofessional reaction and Albert Reynolds' uncontrollably outrageous belittling of the much hated scientist.

After it was over Hammond stopped the playback and turned to look at the woman whose guilt could never be in question. His eyes narrowed as she shrunk further back into herself. "You. You actually shot Rodney McKay?" he asked, incredulous.

"Ah...yes Sir. I ah...I did."

Hammond rubbed at his bald pate. "And here I thought sending him to Russia was bad." he muttered under his breath before reassessing his too smart for her own good astrophysicist. Jack O'Neill stood close to her shoulder, clearly lending her all of his support and encouragement and George found himself shaking his head. "Unofficially." he began in a low tone that would not carry to the onlookers at the bottom of the stairs. "I have to say, well done Major. If I could have I would have like to have done that very same thing myself." He winked and his eyes sparkled. "Officially however." he continued, his voice rising to instantly berating. "I would like to remind you that this is a professionally run, military facility and that there." He pointed at the screen. "Is a civilian scientist! Just what in god's name were you thinking Major?" he chastised and Sam genuinely winced. "You know what, on second thought I'm not sure I want to know." He stalked over and ejected the disc. "This is far from over Major, I've a good mind to write you up! But for now I am confiscating this disc and you are dismissed." He turned and looked at the group of shocked personnel that were gathered before him. "All of you are dismissed!" he barked. "Get back to your posts. Move it!"

The clutter of lab coats and green uniforms scattered leaving Jack and Sam alone with their CO. Once again Hammond shook his head as he crossed the room and offered Sam a small smile to reassure her that his threats were all just for show and headed for the stairs. It was the right decision he mused to himself, I mean it's not like he could openly condone such inappropriate behaviour, especially from someone as well respected and liked as Samantha Carter. He would still need to keep an eye out though because after this her status at the SGC was going to be legendary and likely to be emulated. There was no denying it. Forget saving the world, that one action and Sam had become a superstar. Hell he himself could not deny the newfound respect he felt for the intelligent blonde. She had shot Rodney McKay...she had actually damned well shot him!

Jack stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Well that was interesting." he voiced.

"Uh-huh." was all Sam could think of to say as the sudden urge to clear the area spurned motion into her boots.

"Shame he confiscated the disc though." Jack added as he trotted after the retreating Major.

Carter grinned over her shoulder at her CO. "Oh don't worry Sir, I've got more."

Jack was silent for a beat before he reached out and patted her approvingly on the shoulder. "Nice Carter, very nice. Lunch?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah Sir, why not. It's lemon chicken again today." she grinned and pressed the button to call the elevator back down to where they stood.

END

AN: Sorry to all the Rodney McKay fans out there but after calling Sam a 'dumb blonde' as far as I am concerned he deserved exactly what he got!

And the episode? S5:Ep14 '48 Hours'

Thoughts greatly appreciated :)