samandjack.net

Story Notes: Season/Sequel info: Series 7 Chimera, Heroes, Inauguration, The Lost City. Possible Season 8

Content: Some mild sexual referances.

Authors Notes: Sequel to Weak Link, In Too Deep. How I would use Pete in further episodes :):)


Pete was washing his hands when he heard the gun shot, but he didn't spare personal cleanliness another thought as he hurried towards the source of the sound. All O'Neill's guests had congregated outside, apart from Dr. Jackson, who had a phone attached to his ear. Pete elbowed his way through the crowd in time to see Teal'c vault over the railings of the deck and sprint across the yard. There was no sign of...

"Oh God, Sam!"

He was at her side in an instant. O'Neill was there too, trying to stop the bleeding. With a flash of irrational jealousy, Pete noticed the other man's hands were clamped over one of her butt cheeks.

"I'll take over," he snapped.

O'Neill didn't protest and moved over. Pete instantly realised he'd made a mistake. Without the need to put pressure on the wound, O'Neill was free to hold Sam's hand and stroke her hair.

"Jack?" she called out.

"I'm here. Daniel's called 911, you're going to be fine," he soothed.

"What the hell happened?" Pete demanded.

"She took a bullet."

"How? Why?"

"I think it was meant for me."

A chill ran down Pete's spine. This couldn't have anything to do with Kinsey ... could it?

"Keep pressure on that wound," O'Neill snapped.

Pete flushed when he realised his attention had slipped. Right now he needed to focus on Sam. Kinsey could wait. Although he was pretty certain he could come up with several unique and painful ways to pay the man back.

"Daniel where are those medics?" Jack yelled.

"On their way," the other man replied. "How's Sam?"

"Holding on."

"Is that Daniel?" she asked.

"Yeah, try not to talk...or think. You should do that either."

"You know how hard it is for me, not to think. How bad is it, Jack?"

"Just be glad you can't see it."

O'Neill was right about that. From what Pete could see, there was a lot of damage. She wouldn't be wearing thongs anytime soon. But he wasn't supposed to be thinking about Sam in a thong. Her blood was all over his hands and was starting to soak into his pants. He was starting to lose hope, when he heard the wail of sirens. Before long he was roughly pushed out of the way as the medics started to work. Pete wiped his hands down his shirt. It was only as he watched her carried into the ambulance, Pete realised that Sam hadn't once asked for him.

Slowly, he returned to the bathroom to wash his hands. The last person he expected to find waiting outside for him was O'Neill.

"Want a ride to the hospital?" he offered.

"Yeah."

He had no other choice but to accept. Sam had driven them here and Pete had no idea what she had done with her keys.

"Did Teal'c find anything?" Pete asked.

"No, but I didn't expect him to."

"You didn't?"

"I told you that bullet was meant for me. This was a professional job."

O'Neill's gaze met his own and for a second Pete thought he knew something, but the other man led him to the truck parked outside. Pete stared out of the window as they pulled into the traffic. He hoped that his lack of conversation would be taken as concern for Sam, and not the fact that he was worried sick that he was the cause of all this. Surely Kinsey wouldn't stoop to have a man shot down in cold blood? Arranging an accident maybe, but not murder.

"Where are we going?" Pete asked, when he realised they weren't heading towards the hospital.

"SGC," O'Neill answered.

"Why?"

"Because Carter has a weird protein marker in her blood stream. Her body chemistry can be a little wacko. Didn't she tell you?"

"No."

There was no explanation offered and Pete didn't want to ask. He was starting to get the impression that Sam hadn't been as candid with him as he'd thought.

As soon as he arrived on the base, Pete was escorted to guest quarters and told to stay there. Although the door wasn't locked there was a guard outside to make sure he didn't go wandering off on his own. Pete swore long and hard. He wanted to be with Sam; instead he was virtually a prisoner. Damn O'Neill anyway, damn him to hell. This was his way of making sure no one else got anywhere near Sam.

Despite his frustration there was little Pete could do apart from sit back and wait. He took the opportunity to shower and change his clothes. The uniform was too big for him. Obviously it was someone's idea of a joke to leave him an outfit that had previously belonged to Teal'c. Hours went by and Pete was becoming more and more frustrated. What the hell was happening? Someone brought him a meal, but he didn't touch it.

It had to have been midnight by the time someone came for him. Pete had been hoping for O'Neill...do he could take a swing at the guy, if nothing else. However, getting into a fight with Teal'c probably wasn't an option. It didn't help that the man seemed totally impervious to questioning. He just said,

"Follow me," and led the way down the corridor.

"I want to see Sam!" Pete demanded.

"Indeed."

"Now!"

In the silence that followed Pete seriously considered revising his earlier opinion...but he didn't particularly want to be beaten to a pulp, so he trotted after Teal'c.

It was no surprise to find O'Neill in the infirmary. Dr. Jackson was there too, his face pale and drawn. But Pete only had eyes for Sam. To all intents and purposes she appeared to be sleeping peacefully.

"She came out of surgery half an hour ago," Dr. Jackson said, "it'll be a while before she comes round."

"Is it okay if I stay with her?" Pete asked.

"Knock yourself out," O'Neill snapped and walked out of the room.

A dozen responses flicked through Pete's mind, but he didn't comment.

"I'm just going to...uh...follow Jack," Jackson added.

"Are you staying?" Pete asked Teal'c.

"I am."

"Great."

But he wasn't about to argue. Sitting himself in the chair beside Sam's bed, he reached out to take her hand. She was so beautiful. So perfect. He couldn't believe his own stupidity had almost cost her life.

"I'm so sorry, Sam," he whispered to her.

"Why do you have need to apologise, Pete Shannon?" Teal'c asked. "You did not hold the weapon which injured Major Carter."

Pete couldn't answer.

*************************************************************************************

Jack was hitting things. A sure sign that he was...perturbed. Daniel was just glad that he was taking his frustration out on the punching bag and not on anything soft and squidgy ... Pete's face came immediately to mind. This was a difficult situation for all of them. Over the past few months they had all had to adjust to the fact there was someone else in Sam's life. Jack had found it particularly hard, and no one was in any doubt as to the reasons why. Even though Sam had been with Pete a while now, Daniel knew that Jack should be the one by her side. His should be the first face she saw when she woke up.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Fine," Jack spat.

"You didn't have to leave."

"Yes I did."

When Jack was in this type of mood there was just no reasoning with him.

"She's your friend, you have every right to be there. You have every right to be concerned."

"It's my damn fault."

"Of course it is."

"I wasn't paying attention. She saw it, I didn't. She nearly died."

"But she didn't."

"It should have been me.”

"Jack..."

"Be quiet Daniel and let me beat crap out of this."

Daniel knew it was time to shut up. He watched Jack for another half hour before Teal'c finally showed up.

"Well?" Jack demanded.

"Major Carter is awake."

"Good."

Jack stripped off his gloves and dumped them on the floor. He was halfway out of the door before turning back to his friends.

"What are you waiting for?"

It wasn't a confrontation Daniel relished witnessing, but he and Teal'c followed Jack anyway. He figured the man could probably use the moral support. Pete was still there. He was holding onto one of Sam's hands.

Although Sam was awake, she was very disorientated. She gave them a dopey smile as they walked in.

"Carter, how you doing?" Jack asked.

"My butt hurts," she replied. "You weren't here when I woke up."

Daniel saw Pete flinch.

"No, sorry about that," Jack replied.

"You're here now though. You gonna stay?"

"Uh ... no ... I have stuff to do."

"Oh."

"Is there anything you want need?"

"No."

"Call me if there's anything..."

Jack's voice faded as he caught Pete's eye.

"I gotta go," he said.

*************************************************************************************

Jack climbed into his truck and rested his head against the steering wheel. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take. It was time he admitted to himself that Sam wasn't ever going to see him as anything more than a friend. Pete really cared about her, a fact he should be grateful for.

A phone beeped.

Instinctively, Jack reached for his own cell phone, but there was no message displayed on the screen. He looked around and spotted what had to be Pete's on the seat next to him. Jack picked it up and read the message,

'Missed target. Do better next time.'




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