4 - Pete

~~2004 through 2005~~

~*Sam*~

Last year, Mark asked if I was interested in a guy named Pete. I declined the offer because of Malek and Amb. Some time after the alliance broke, I asked about him. He was still single.

We met. We're dating. Sex with him is incredibly boring. He isn't doing anything wrong, but I have better memories. My own with Malek and Amb. Jolinar's with Lantash and Martouf.

Them ruining all men after them was supposed to be a joke. The only thing funny about it now was that Malek had been sincere in his apology.

I am not entirely sure why I accepted his engagement ring. Loneliness. I'm just so lonely. Malek provided a need. He and Amb. There was more of an emotional connection than I realized.

"Who's Malek?"

"What?"

"Heather assumed I was some guy named Malek. Who is he?" He is getting angry.

"Oh. He was a fling from a couple years ago." Why did he have to talk to the one neighbor that knew about Malek?

He frowns. "Why does she still think you are fucking him?"

"Look, you know my job. I don't get to talk to them much. I swear, it's over between us." I'm angry that he's angry, and that makes him back down.

:.:.:.:

Sex that night is…unpleasant. I push him off. "You're angry."

"I'm sorry."

"Maybe you should leave."

"We both need to get up early. Let's just rest. We can talk in the morning."

:.:.:.:

In the morning, he is gone. That angers me.

I go to a drawer that is locked. Inside is a locked box, capturing pictures from the security camera at work. My room. A particularly wonderful night.

:.:.:.:

Malek looks to the camera. "People are watching us?"

"Someone's always watching, yeah."

"You do not mind?"

"I'm used to it, but if it bothers you…"

He gives a mischievous grin.

"Oh."

He pulls me closer, kissing me gently. That is, gentle for him. It's still powerful, leaving shivers down my spine. I run two fingers hard down the back of his neck, and he gasps in response.

I don't have to work tomorrow, so we take full advantage of that.

:.:.:.:

The next morning, we eat breakfast in the mess hall. As far as everyone knows, we are just having breakfast after a long night of working together.

"That man has turned an usual shade of red," he says with the slightest smirk.

"Paul Thorn. He was on cameras last night."

"He seems…if I may be so bold…quite amazed."

I laugh.

"Has he underestimated your willingness to show your…talents on the surveillance device?"

"I don't think I am the one that impressed him."

He looks to me. "He is impressed?"

I grin. He seems honestly surprised by that, then the pride shows through. Arrogant even. He is very pleased with himself.

"I did have quite delightful inspiration," he adds. He almost takes my hand before he notices Jack.

Thankfully. As much as I enjoyed the compliment, our relationship is a secret. He's never slipped up before.

Jack approaches. Does he know?

"Hey, what's up?"

He doesn't know.

Malek frowns as he looks up at the ceiling.

"No, I meant, how are you? What's new?"

"Samantha and I were discussing work."

Malek looks so cute when he looks so serious, yet there is just a hint of smirk in his eyes.

"It's good?"

"It is most wonderful. I believe our work, as you say, speaks for itself." He glances ever so slightly to Paul.

I blush slightly.

"Yeah, your previous work was great, but maybe take it easy. Sam, you look like you didn't get much sleep last night."

"Um. We didn't sleep."

Jack frowns. "Well, you are off today, so get some rest. I'll have Janet make it an order if I see you working."

"Yes, sir."

"And Malek, we don't all have snakes to keep us going."

He is both amused and offended. "I am the symbiote. That statement only makes sense if you were speaking to my host."

"The nameless one."

Malek frowns, no longer amused and simply offended, then gets up. I wince as he leaves.

"Sir, I insisted we stay up because he's leaving today." That's…technically true. "And his host's name is Amb. I've met him."

"I haven't."

"That's because…" I sigh.

"What?"

"He doesn't like you, sir."

"I know Malek doesn't like me."

"Malek is indifferent to you. Amb doesn't like you."

Jack frowns slightly. "No?"

"You did just insult his blending partner. Things like that are why he doesn't like you."

:.:.:.:

"We both had to get up early. I said we could try talking in the morning."

I frown. Was that how it happened?

"You told Heather he was the best you ever had."

He's back on that again, and…

"Why would she even tell you that?" I frown. "You let her think you were him, didn't you?"

"No."

"I thought you were done with that spying shit!"

"I didn't do anything wrong here. You are the one who stopped having sex because he came up!"

"You were-!"

He leaves the house, slamming the door behind him.

:.:.:.:

"Sam, are you alright?" Daniel asks.

"Pete and I had a fight."

"Oh. It happens. What happened? If you don't mind me asking."

"One of my neighbors told him about Malek."

"He must know he's not your first."

"She mistook him for Malek," which Heather had admitted after the fight, "and sort of congratulated him on ruining all other men."

"Ouch."

I sigh.

"Well, Pete did come after him. You could try to use that, but…yeah. He's going to be hurting for a while."

:.:.:

Pete's anger must be because he's hurting. I feel guilty and apologize.

"Malek came before you."

"How many men are better than me?"

"No one." Malek. Amb. Lantash. Martouf.

He sighs.

"I'm probably never going to see Malek again anyway."

"Probably?" He frowned. "So you might? Does he know it's over?"

"We haven't seen each other in years." That's completely true…if you round up.

"Did you push me off because of him?"

"No."

He sighs. "Alright. I trust you. I'm sure I'm not the first you pushed off."

I feel so confused. Did Malek have anything to do with it? Maybe even a little?

He begins kissing me. I don't stop him. He's on me. It isn't bad. It isn't good either. I find myself thinking of Malek and Lantash. Amb and Martouf.

To be continued…

(I had to push Pete back a year to make room for the Malek plot.)