The familiar buzz of the SGC was jarring after the stillness of the cabin. Sam's boots echoed through the halls as she went to the locker room to change into her uniform, the weight of her extended absence pressing down on her. Each step felt heavy, her mind drifting back to the lake, the moments of clarity that had led her here. She had healed, at least physically. Emotionally… that was another story. The unease still churned in her stomach, but she pushed it aside, falling into the rhythm of duty she always had.
Life at the SGC had returned to its regular pace while Sam was away, assigned missions, and conducted debriefings, but something was palpably off. Since the fraternization rules had changed, people had expected some major shift between Colonel O'Neill and Major Samantha Carter.
But nothing had changed. Major Carter had gone on leave, and now she was back. And that appeared to be it.
Sam had barely stepped through the door when she spotted Daniel down the hall. He gave her a small wave, his expression warm yet cautious. It was clear that he had noticed her absence, but there were no words of inquiry, no questions—just a soft smile, a simple acknowledgment that she was back.
As Sam entered the briefing room, she felt the shift in the air. General Hammond was already there, briefing SG-1 about their upcoming mission, and Jack was seated at the table, his face unreadable. Their eyes met for a brief second before Sam quickly looked away. The tension that had been left unresolved before her leave was still there, hanging like a weight over both of them. But she was ready to face it now—prepared to fight through it for SG-1, herself, and them.
Jack didn't say a word as she took her seat, but the tension in his posture was unmistakable. He was waiting for her to break the silence, to make the first move. Sam could feel its weightpressing down on her, but this was not the time yet. The mission would come first, as it always had. Whatever happened between themwould have to wait until later.
For now, it was time to be Major Carter again.
The atmosphere was tense and formal. Daniel and Teal'c exchanged uneasy glances while Jack sat with his arms crossed, his face unreadable.
"I'm glad you're back with us, Major Carter. As I was saying, your next mission is to P3X-989. We've detected signs of ancient technology, and the MALP indicates it could be related to an advanced civilization we haven't yet encountered. Your objective is to establish contact with the inhabitants, assess potential threats, and, if possible, secure an alliance."
Sam nodded, her eyes on the mission details, never straying to Jack.
"Understood, Sir."
Jack grunted in response, not bothering to add anything to the discussion. His silence was loud enough.
Hammond glanced between the two, aware of the undercurrent of tension but choosing to leave it be.
"Be careful out there. We don't know much about these people; their technology might be more advanced than anything we've seen. Dismissed."
As SG-1 left the briefing room, Richard caught sight of Sam and moved to intercept her.
"Sam, wait."
She sighed, already dreading this conversation. Richard had tried to talk to her more than once since she had decided about Jack and left for her retreat at the cabin, but she had avoided it each time. This time, there was no escape. He was standing in front of her.
"Richard, not now."
Richard's voice was quiet but firm. "You need to talk to someone about this, Sam. You can't just shut everyone out."
Her eyes flashed, her tone sharp.
"There's nothing to talk about, Colonel Harris. I've made my decision, and I'm moving on."
Richard hesitated, but the steel in her voice left no room for argument.
"If that's what you really want…"
Sam gave him a tight smile and walked away without another word. She had work to do.
The planet was harsh and cold. The air was crisp, the sky a pale, washed-out blue, and towering metallic structures rose from the ground like jagged teeth. They seemed to pulse faintly, an eerie glow emanating from them, casting long shadows over the barren terrain.
SG-1 stepped cautiously through the Stargate, weapons at the ready. Sam immediately started scanning the environment with her equipment while Daniel observed the structures with interest.
"These look ancient, but… there's something familiar about them."
Jack grunted, still in a dark mood.
"Let's not get too friendly until we know what we're dealing with."
Sam glanced at him, her face impassive, though something flickered in her eyes.
"The readings are… strange. There's an advanced energy source here, unlike anything we've seen before."
"Strange doesn't cut it, Carter. We need answers, not guesses."
Sam stiffened but didn't reply, turning back to her scanner. The tension between them was palpable, and Daniel and Teal'c exchanged worried looks.
As they approached the towering structures, a group of natives appeared, dressed in dark, simple clothing. They held long staffs adorned with glowing crystals, their faces impassive as they watched the team approach.
Daniel stepped forward, his voice calm. "We come in peace. We're explorers seeking to learn about your world."
The group leader, a tall figure with sharp features, narrowed his eyes, speaking in a language they couldn't immediately understand. Daniel quickly switched to another dialect, trying to make a connection, but the native's expression darkened.
Suddenly, one of the natives swung their staff toward Daniel, and before anyone could react, the crystal at the end of the staff emitted a powerful pulse, striking him in the chest. Daniel collapsed to the ground with a sharp cry as his vest took the hit.
Jack's reaction was immediate. He raised his weapon, fury flashing in his eyes.
"Stand down!" He shouted at the natives, who seemed surprised by the yelling, and took several steps back. His attention quickly shifted to Carter. "Carter! What the hell just happened?!"
Sam's heart pounded as she knelt beside Daniel, checking his pulse.
"He's alive but unconscious. I don't know what kind of energy that was—"
Jack interrupted her, his voice cold and furious. The natives continued to look at them, their weapons ready but not pointed at them. At best, they now seemed curious.
"This is on you! You were supposed to be monitoring their energy readings! How the hell did you miss this?!"
Sam blinked, her eyes wide with shock at the accusation. "What? I didn't—"
Jack's anger boiled over, his voice harsh.
"You're supposed to be the expert on this stuff, but you let them blindside us. And now Daniel's down because of it!"
Teal'c moved to stand between them, his calm voice cutting through the tension.
"Colonel O'Neill, now is not the time for blame. We must secure the safety of Daniel Jackson and retreat to a defensive position. We are being watched; before that changes, we should leave."
Jack glared at Carter for a moment longer before returning to the natives, who were watching the team with wary eyes.
Sam's chest tightened, but she focused on the task. She knew Jack's anger was misplaced, but it still stung. She worked quickly, her hands trembling slightly as she stabilized Daniel, her mind racing.
Daniel's voice groaned softly as he regained consciousness, his hand going to his chest.
"What… happened?"
Jack shot a glance at Carter before answering.
"You got hit. That's what happened. We're pulling back now."
SG-1 had retreated to a safer area, setting up a temporary camp for the night. The air was thick with unspoken tension, particularly between Jack and Sam, their silence palpable as they avoided each other's gaze. Despite the hit he had taken earlier in the day from an energy crystal, Daniel sat gingerly on a log. His vest had absorbed most of the impact, but he was sore, wincing slightly whenever he moved.
Teal'c kept a watchful eye on the perimeter, speaking quietly with Daniel occasionally. Their murmurs were the only sounds breaking through the heavy quiet that had settled over the group. Jack busied himself with the fire, his movements sharp and deliberate, while Sam remained focused on her equipment, her expression distant.
Though Daniel was in pain, he managed a weary smile.
"I'm fine," he had reassured them earlier, but the soreness lingered. Despite everything, the group's unease seemed more emotional than physical, and the rift between Jack and Sam weighed heavily on them all.
Suddenly, Jack started to pace back and forth as the fire crackled, his frustration evident. Finally, he stopped before Carter, his voice low but sharp.
"You can't make mistakes like this, Carter. Or this will get dangerous."
Sam looked up at him, her jaw clenched.
"That's not fair, Sir. I didn't have enough time to analyze their technology—"
Jack cut her off, his tone laced with bitterness.
"You've always got an excuse, don't you? Always so damn sure you're right, even when people get hurt because of it."
Sam stood abruptly, her eyes blazing.
"You think I wanted this to happen? You think I don't do everything I can to protect this team?"
Jack stepped closer, his voice low and angry.
"No, I think you're distracted, Carter. Ever since… everything, you're clearly off your game. Maybe you returned too soon to active duty."
Sam's chest heaved with anger, her fists clenched at her sides.
"Janet cleared me, so you don't get to blame me for this. Not after everything we've been through."
Jack stared at her, his voice cold. "Maybe we've been through too much."
The words hung between them like a blade cutting deep. Sam's breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, neither spoke. Then, without another word, she turned and walked away from the fire, disappearing into the shadows of the camp.
Teal'c and Daniel exchanged a look, but neither said a word.
The team returned to the SGC days later, completing the mission after Daniel finally managed to find the correct dialect to talk to the natives and explain they were there in peace, but the rift between Sam and Jack remained unresolved. General Hammond debriefed them, his sharp eyes noting the tension that had grown even more obvious. But there was no mention of their personal issues, no confrontation about what had passed between them.
It was back to business as usual, at least on the surface.
Minutes later, Sam stood in the doorway of Daniel's office, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She looked more tense than ever, her face drawn and pale. After being cleared by Janet, Daniel glanced up from the artifact he was studying, instantly sensing something was wrong.
"Sam… what's going on?"
Sam shifted uncomfortably, taking a deep breath before stepping inside.
"I need to talk to you and Teal'c. Alone."
Daniel frowned, concerned, but nodded. "Okay… I'll grab Teal'c."
Teal'c sat in his quarters, his posture as straight and composed as ever, carefully studying a Mediterranean cookbook that Daniel had given him. As soon as they entered, he put the book down and looked up. Sam stood before him with Daniel by her side, her gaze flicking nervously between the two men. She felt vulnerable in a way she hadn't in a long time, but this conversation needed to happen.
"I'm not here to dance around the issue. I need to know if you two think I should leave SG-1."
Daniel's brow furrowed, confusion etched on his face.
"What? Sam, where is this coming from?"
Sam held up her hand, silencing him.
"Please, Daniel. Let me explain." She swallowed hard, then continued. "It's no secret that things between me and Colonel O'Neill haven't been… smooth. I think it's affecting the team. You were hurt in our last mission, and I'm worried we won't be able to do our jobs properly as commanding officers and second-in-command. So, I'm asking you to be brutally honest. If you think I'm hurting the team… I'll step down."
Teal'c and Daniel exchanged a look, and the weight of Sam's words hung heavy in the room. Daniel was the first to speak, his voice quiet but firm.
"Sam, you're an essential part of SG-1. But…" He hesitated. "I think you're right that things between you and Jack are… tough. It's starting to affect the way we function. But it's not just you." His gaze softened. "This is between both of you. You're not the only one who needs to figure things out."
Teal'c's deep voice cut in, as calm and measured as ever.
"Indeed, Major Carter. I do not believe you should leave SG-1. However, the tension between you and O'Neill cannot continue. It endangers our efficiency and our unity."
Sam looked down, guilt twisting in her chest.
"I know… and I don't want to put the team at risk. But I don't know how to fix this."
Teal'c's gaze was steady.
"Perhaps there is a way to resolve this, but it must be done as a team. I suggest we meet outside the base—away from the pressures of duty and command."
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "You're suggesting… a team night?"
Teal'c inclined his head.
"Indeed. If the issue remains unresolved after such a meeting, then it would be best for us to part ways."
Sam blinked, surprised by the simplicity of the idea.
"A team night… like we used to do?"
Teal'c nodded, and Daniel gave a small smile.
"It's worth a shot, Sam. But Jack has to agree to this, too."
Sam hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. If he agrees, we'll try it."
Daniel: "Leave Jack to me. I'll talk to him."
The sun had set, and a cool breeze blew as SG-1 gathered at Jack's house. They had done this countless times—movies, beers, and Chinese takeout—but tonight felt different. The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating.
Jack opened the door, his face carefully blank, though the tension simmering beneath the surface was hard to miss. He had agreed to this—this attempt to smooth things over—but he wasn't happy about it. Not with everything that had happened between him and Carter. After seeing her at the cabin, something he wasn't exactly proud of, he'd made a vow to keep things strictly professional, to bury whatever personal feelings he still had. But despite that resolve, there was a growing anger inside him, like a volcano threatening to erupt every time he had to speak to her. Hell, every time he saw her, the heat of that anger rose, barely contained.
He stepped aside, letting them in without a word. The silence that followed felt suffocating, like a heavy weight pressing down on everyone in the room.
Daniel carried bags of Chinese food with Sam's help, setting them down on the table. Teal'c entered last, his presence as steady as always.
"So… we're doing this. Chinese food, no mission talk, and an honest conversation."
They all sat down around the table, but it wasn't the usual casual atmosphere of their team nights. Jack and Sam were at opposite ends of the table, and their unspoken tension was palpable.
They began eating, the silence broken only by the clinking of chopsticks and the occasional sigh from Daniel. He couldn't take it anymore.
"Alright, someone's got to break the ice. We won't get anywhere if we sit here in silence."
Teal'c nodded in agreement.
"We are here to resolve the issues that threaten our team's cohesion. It is time for all to speak freely."
Jack set his chopsticks down with a sigh, running a hand over his face.
"Look, I'm here, okay? But I don't see how talking is going to fix anything." His eyes flicked briefly to Sam before settling back on his food.
Sam's voice was quiet but firm.
"We need to try at least, Sir. We can't keep going like this. It's starting to affect everything—us, the team, our missions."
Jack leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.
"Yeah, well, I'm not the one who wanted out." His voice had a sharp edge, and Sam flinched at the words.
Daniel cut in, his voice calm but pointed.
"This isn't about blame. It's about figuring out how we can work together again… despite your feelings for each other. We're a team. But right now… we're starting to fall apart."
Teal'c's deep voice rumbled.
"Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, you must resolve the matter between you. To continue as a unit, there must be trust and understanding."
Jack glanced at Sam, his expression hard.
"Trust… now there's a word I know someone has a deep issue with it. You think we can just return to how things were, Carter?"
Sam met his gaze, her own eyes filled with frustration and sadness.
"No, I don't. But we have to find a way to move forward. We owe it to the team, to each other."
Jack scoffed, leaning forward.
"You're the one who said you didn't love me, Sam. You said you had it all figured out."
Sam's voice cracked as she responded. She could lie, but that wouldn't help SG-1.
"I didn't have it figured out, Jack. I still don't. But I'm trying. And I'm asking you to try, too."
The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of their feelings hanging heavily between them.
Teal'c broke the silence, his voice steady and wise.
"We are not perfect, but we are stronger together than apart. If this team is to survive, it must be built on trust and commitment. You must both decide if that is possible."
Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. So, back to professionalism. Duty.
"I'm not saying it's going to be easy. But… I don't want to lose this team. I don't want to lose any of you." His gaze softened slightly as it flicked to Sam. "I'll try. For the team."
Sam nodded, her eyes filled with a mix of relief and uncertainty.
"I'll try, too. For SG-1."
Daniel took a long breath, relieved that the tension had eased slightly.
"Good. Now that we've gotten that out, let's talk about how we're actually going to make this work."
The conversation continued, the atmosphere slowly growing lighter, though the tension never disappeared. There were still sharp exchanges, particularly between Jack and Sam, but both sides made the promise to do better. They all knew it wasn't a clean resolution—far from it—but it was a start.
As the night drew to a close, SG-1 stepped outside the cool night air, a welcome contrast to the heated conversation inside. Sam stood by her car, staring out at the stars. Jack lingered nearby, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
"We'll figure it out, Carter. We always do."
Sam glanced over at him, offering a small, tired smile. "I hope so."
They stood there momentarily, the silence between them lighter than before but still delicate, as if any wrong move could shatter the fragile truce. As the team left Jack's house, the air was filled with a quiet understanding—they had found temporary peace. But it was clear to them how easily that peace could unravel. The deeper issue remained unresolved: trust had been broken, and despite Teal'c and Daniel's best efforts, Sam didn't know how to repair it.
While they were no longer at odds, the unspoken tension lingered, a reminder that not all wounds had healed. Sam walked away with a heavy heart, unsure of how to bridge the gap that had grown within SG-1 but mostly between her and Jack.
Sam arrived home, her mind a tangled mess of thoughts and emotions. She dropped her keys on the table and sank into the couch in her darkened living room, trying to piece together everything she felt. Her thoughts drifted to Jack—again. Their unresolved tension gnawed at her even after this last "team night" discussion. She cared about him more than she could admit, but it wasn't just about them. It was about SG-1, the team that depended on her keeping it together. She knew she had to do better, not just for herself but for the team's sake. She couldn't let her emotions jeopardize what they had built together.
But as she sat there, staring into the darkness, the silence around her thick and suffocating, her mind drifted back to a conversation—or rather, a lecture—she had with her father years ago. General Jacob Carter hadn't been one for warm father-daughter chats. It was always about duty, about discipline.
She could hear his voice now, sharp and devoid of tenderness.
"Remember who you are. Who you represent. You're a Carter, above all. Carters don't have the luxuries of other people. We don't cry in public, and we don't show our emotions. We keep it together and stay focused on the objective. In your case, that's graduating with honors and being the best cadet the Academy has ever seen. That's the least I expect of you, Samantha. Don't disappoint me. Duty above all. Emotions are for the weak. And the Carters aren't weak. Repeat that every night and during the day if you have to."
She had stood there, barely eighteen, hearing his words in silence, knowing that any protest or show of vulnerability would only disappoint him further. She nodded. That's all she ever did—nod and carry on. And she had done itand graduated with honors. Became top of her class. She earned a Ph.D. in Astrophysics and mastered quantum mechanics, not because she had to, but because she could.
But now, as she sat in the darkness, her father's words echoed in her mind, haunting her. Emotions are for the weak. She had been weak with Richard, giving in to the vulnerability of that relationship and allowing some years of happiness into her life that ended in a divorce. She couldn't afford to be weak again. Not with Jack. Not with everything on the line. She was a Carter, after all.
And Carters didn't break.
Yet, deep down, Sam knew that the walls she had built—the ones that kept her emotions locked away—were crumbling. The ache in her chest told her as much. The weight of it was unbearable, but it was all she knew. Keep it together. Stay strong. Don't let anyone see the cracks. And so, with a deep breath, she closed her eyes, forcing the words to the surface again.
Emotions are for the weak.
But this time, they didn't feel like a mantra. They felt like a lie.