Leron hadn't wasted his time as he waited to exact his revenge. No, he'd taken the time to find out as much as he could about Jack, and about those close to him. He'd had to do it carefully, as it had become very clear, very fast, that the man was highly liked and respected in the community.
It made him sick.
What was interesting is that people spoke so highly of him – Jack was kind, he was generous, he had integrity – and he was funny, but no one spoke about his past. They all knew he "wasn't from here" – but no one really knew where he – or Samantha – were from.
They knew that he'd been brought back to Hjem by Ethan, severely injured and almost dying. All they knew was that he had been attacked by a gang of bandits and that Doc Markus had done his darndest and Jack had survived.
It had been months before Samantha turned up. From what people said, the two of them had gotten separated but found one another when she showed up one day at the Mercantile. It was always at this point that people would start talking about 'how wonderful it would be if they got together'. It seems like the whole damn city was rooting for a Jack/Samantha romance and marriage.
That wasn't going to happen, Leron grinned. Not if he could help it.
He knew even less about Samantha than he did about O'Neill. She was liked although people didn't know her as well as they knew Jack. They felt badly about her leg, but they knew that Jack didn't care (more romantic crap, as far as he was concerned). They all agreed she was smart, but other than that, there was absolutely no information on where she'd come from or what she'd done before showing up in Hjem.
It was a mystery that he was dying to solve. He figured it might help add to his revenge if he could discover something bad about them and let everyone know. Maybe the two of them were escaped criminals – or had had to flee their home for some nefarious reason.
He stopped himself at this point, knowing that he was spending too much time fantisizing. He needed to bring himself back to reality and concentrate on the best way to make Jack O'Neill suffer.
It was after watching and listening for weeks, that he finally knew what he had to do. The way to torture O'Neill, was not by hurting him but by hurting those he loved – and making sure he knew about it.
His targets were going to be the two children, the old man – and Samantha. With her he hoped to cause maximum hurt – but also to get some pleasure for himself. When he thought of her – her golden hair and her blue eyes, he felt himself grow hard (something poor Jack couldn't do, he laughed to himself). Yes, he was going to enjoy Samantha, and make sure that O'Neill knew about it. Then, maybe he'd enjoy O'Neill himself, just like his brother had done. The time was getting near for him to enact his revenge. He could hardly wait.
Jack watched as Sam played with the boys. Simon and Jankin were giggling and splashing water at her, although she was giving as good as she got. The two didn't know that they were dealing with a master tactician and soldier – and that no little boys were going to get the best of her unless she allowed it.
Of course, she did let them win as much as possible. She sputtered and shook herself when she got water in her face, causing the boys to roll over with laughter. But when she poured a whole (kid's) bucket of water over them, she had the last laugh.
She came limping over to the blanket where he was seated and plunked herself down.
"Hey, you're getting me all wet," he complained, although his eyes were laughing. She wrung out her shirt and then sprinkled more water on him.
"That's what you get for being lazy," she told him. "Sitting here while I do all the work!"
"Didn't look much like work, Carter," he told her. "I think you were having as much fun as the kids!"
She grinned. "I was." The two adults looked over where the boys were sitting. The two were building sandcastles, although they looked more like dirt mounds than anything resembling a building. They were also getting more dirt on each other than on the ground.
"I can see baths in their future," Jack sighed, "very sandy baths."
Sam giggled, causing Jack to look at her quickly. "Yes, and you'll be cleaning it off everything for weeks."
"Yeah, I expect so," Jack sighed, although he couldn't help but appreciate the joy that surrounded him from both the children and from Sam.
"Why don't you go in, Jack," she asked after a few seconds of combing her wet hair. "I know you're a fantastic swimmer, and the water feels great."
"I like watching the three of you," he said. What he didn't say was that he didn't want to wear a suit and let everyone see all his scars. He'd had enough to begin with, but there were now a lot more, especially on his torso and back. He didn't want to remind her of what had happened to him.
"Okay," she said, although she gave him a look that told him she suspected something. Fortunately, she didn't push it.
"So, what about lunch?"
"I'm pretty sure Magrit packed enough for an army," he said, sitting up and grabbing the basket.
"No, I'm sure she packed just enough for 3 boys with big appetites."
"Three? Are you insulting me, Carter."
"No, no," she laughed. "I should have said two – two growing boys – and a third big one."
"Just for that, Major, I think the boys and I will eat all the good stuff and leave you with the vegetables."
"I like vegetables," she told him virtuously.
"Mmm hmm. Good thing you don't like Magrit's lemon cake."
That stopped her cold. Magrit's lemon cake was famous throughout the community. It was one of the most delicious things Sam had ever tasted. She looked at Jack with narrowed eyes.
"You better give me some of that cake, Jack," she told him, "or I'll have to -"
"What? Arm wrestle me?" he smirked.
She rolled her eyes. "I am never going to live that down, am I?"
"Nope," he told her. "But I will let you have a piece – if you're really, really good."
"Oh, I am – but I'm also a woman – who loves lemon cake. You do not want to keep me from it or you will not like the consequences!"
He laughed. "Okay fine. I'm sure a cakeless Samantha Carter is a terrifying sight – almost as frightening as, - " he stopped to think.
"As?"
"How about Hathor? She was one mean woman when she was pissed."
"She was a red head," Sam explained to him.
"Oh – and I thought it was because she was a Goa'uld."
"Nope – red hair. I think – Sokar was scarier."
"True – he was definitely creepy. I mean – he was the devil, and that's always scary. But personally, I would say the Replicators."
"Yeah, I think I'd agree. There was something – yucky – about them."
"Yucky?" Jack snorted. "One of the most terrifying villains in our galaxy – and others – and she calls them "yucky".
"Well, they were," she told him, reaching into the basket. "Boys," she called, "who wants to eat?"
Two little sand encrusted boys ran over, their little legs moving as fast as they could.
"I do, I do," shouted Jankin. "I'm hungry!"
"Of course you are," Sam told them. "First, you have to wash off your hands." She took out a damp cloth that Magrit had wisely sent and spent the next few moments trying to get the boys as clean as possible, all the while they were itching to eat.
While Sam worked, Jack reached in and pulled out enough food for an army. He laid it out on the blanket, while taking a few bites himself.
"Uh uh, Sir," Sam scolded him. "Wait until we're all ready."
"Dat's right Uncle Jack," Jankin told him. "You have to have mannersI!"
Jack sat back and sighed. "Out of the mouths … hurry up, Carter. This boy is hungry!"
Jankin and Simon laughed at Jack calling himself boy, but soon they were digging into the food.
"See," Jack told her, motioning to the boys, "I was only getting something before the two little grasshoppers ate it all."
Sam grinned and took a bite of sandwich – or Varid's equivalent. "They certainly can eat," she commented.
"Hmm. Just wait until they're teenagers," Jack snorted.
Sam suddenly seemed to grow serious. "We probably will see them then, won't we?" she said softly.
Jack looked at her in surprise. "What?"
"I don't think – we're not going to find a Stargate, are we?"
During everything that had happened – from the expansion of the store, to their personal problems, they'd both kept looking to find any evidence of a Stargate. Sam scoured every book or record that might say something. They'd looked into the history of the place, and for any "monuments" or historical places but so far had found nothing that seemed even remotely to point to their being a Stargate on Varid.
"I'd say – never give up hope," he told her gently, "but I'm starting to think that – no, we're not going to find one."
He could see the tears gather in her eyes and felt terrible. "I'm sorry," he told her, "I know this is my fault and -"
"Oh, shut up!" she told him, although she said it in a way that wasn't harsh – but certainly was direct.
He looked at her in shock. Never, in all the years he'd known her, had she ever said that to him. Fortunately, she said it softly and the boys didn't hear.
"What?"
"I'm sorry – I shouldn't have said that – but don't be ridiculous," she continued, adding insult to injury. "This is not your fault. We were going to die if we stayed where we were. Coming here was the only option – you and I both know that. You made the right decision and saved both of our lives. It hasn't been easy – but it's much, much better than being dead. And look at the positives," she motioned with her head to the two boys, who were vacuuming up the food.
Jack regarded Jankin and Simon and then turned his eyes on Sam. "You're right," he said softly and for the first time believed what he said.
Not only wasn't it his fault – for the first time since he'd escaped from the three who had hurt him, he was glad to be alive. Things were far from perfect, but right here, right now, things were good.
He slowly smiled – that crooked smile which he used rarely, and which meant something special. "Thanks," he told her.
"Sorry for telling you to 'shut-up'," she said, suddenly looking guilty.
"No, you don't need to apologize. I needed my butt kicked – although I must say it was a surprise. I've never heard that from you before."
"No, because you were my superior officer," she told him with a grin, as she took another bite. "Now you're just Jack – and I can tell you off."
"And you certainly did," he informed her, as he leaned forward and grabbed himself some lunch, before it was all gone.
They ate silently, for a few moments, when Sam again broached the subject.
"So, we're stuck here for the rest of our lives," she stated, sounding rather matter-of-fact.
"Maybe," he told her, "but as I said, don't give up hope."
"I think I have to," she said softly. When he looked at her in surprise, she gave him a gentle, half-smile. "I can't live always working or hoping to find a way home. It will eventually drive me – both of us – crazy. I think we should give ourselves a specific timeframe, and if we haven't found anything by then, well, we know that this is our home from now on."
Jack took a deep breath and put down his lunch. He looked at Sam for a few seconds, marveling at how strong she was. He felt a sudden sense of loss, thinking about Daniel and Teal'c, General Hammond and the SGC, and all his friends and family. He'd probably never see them again.
"Yeah," he finally answered, "I think you're right. At least we've landed somewhere good," he told her."
"We could have landed on Nem's Planet," she agreed.
"Or the Unas's world. I wouldn't want them for neighbors," he played along.
"No – or how about those naked white guys – with the singing plants"
"Ouch," he said, remembering the massive headaches he'd had there. After a few seconds he reached his hand out and took Sam's. "Have I ever told you what an amazing person you are, Samantha Carter?"
"No, Sir. You usually complained about my technobabble and staying too late at work."
"Well, I had reason for both. But you are – amazing. I'm proud to have served with you, and to have you as my friend."
She nodded and smiled, although he could tell it took some work. She also squeezed his hand. "And you are an amazing person yourself, Jack. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you – and I mean alive, not on Varid. Thank you for being my friend."
Both of them smiled and thought how lucky they were to have one another – and how unlucky that they couldn't have each other.
Life could never just be perfect, thought Sam. There was always a serpent in paradise.