What Should Have Been - The Beginning is Not Always Good
Watching out of the hospital window, the sun started to rise in the distance, over the sleeping city. Privilege to be watching this display, only occurring once everyday, seen by the few who get up at an ungodly hour. The only reason, I'm standing by this window, is because I couldn't sleep any longer, the excitement of getting out of this place is too much for me to sleep. If it weren't for the drip still connected to my arm, waiting for the nurse to take it out, I'd be bouncing round the room, groaning from tenderness of my shoulder, but bouncing for joy. I don't think I've been this excited about getting out of hospital; I've a good reason to. Carter and Linole are going to be picking me up. Oh yes, Carter and Linole are going to escort me to my truck, parked in their driveway.
Turning away from the window, I waggled my eyebrows at nothing directly, picking up where I left my packing. Leaving some clean clothes on the chair, beside my bed, I pack everything else into my bag, setting it ready to go at the bottom of the bed. Stretching my arms above my head, I'm amazed at how easy it was, still a bit painful but easier than it'd been when I had my shoulder done the first time. Sitting onto the edge of the bed, I leant onto the table crossing my bed, watching the door for a nurse, coming to set me free from here and allow me to get dressed, by taking this thing out of my hand. Resting my chin in my hand, I glance round the room, unsure how I'm going to use… waste my time.
The door opened slightly, a heavy grunt coming from the other side, pushing the heavy door from its resting place. Through the small window, I noticed a flash of blonde; the door opens fully with a small figure falling through, able to regain her balance before she fell to the floor. Shifting to face them with a smile, Carter comes into the room, looking better than I've seen in the past week. The sound of the door shutting, doesn't affect my attention, helping Linole to sit on the edge of the bed.
Setting her keys down on the table, she says. "I thought you'd be up"
Mussing Linole's hair up, I switched my gaze from one to the other. "Your problem is, you know me to well"
"Haven't come and taken your drip out yet?" She asked, leaning onto the table across the bed, playing with her keys.
Holding my hand up at her, I pulled a face to show how stupid her question was, questioning whether she brought her degree instead of earning it. Linole pulled at the sleeve of my gown, glad I put boxers on after Daniel brought me some clothes. Her pulling revealed some of my shoulder, the edge of a scar poked out, its second exposure to the light. Edging it back up my shoulder, I shifted her over the bed, sitting her down on my knee.
"Can we go soon? I don't like this place" Linole said, sliding her arms round my neck, holding herself close to my chest.
Carter rolled her eyes at her, picking up her keys, leaving the pair of us to hunt down a nurse. Affectionately squeezing my arms round her, she looked up at me with hooded eyes, the early morning call getting to her. Guiding her head to my chest, I rocked her back and forth, holding her almost like a baby. I don't know how I'm going to leave her behind; I wish my time here were longer, spending much of my time with her and Carter.
The trainer person came by to see me yesterday, explaining to me that I'd only need a few check ups, over the weeks to come. The muscles in my shoulder were already strong enough to cope with every day living, according to her that is. Mostly the sessions will be checking to see if the new pin is seated right, and isn't causing me any pains in my movements. The pain at the moment is coming from the healing skin, reattaching itself to the other side, complaining every now and then.
Looking up to the door, Carter ushered a nurse inside, nodding her head at her about something. The nurse didn't look pleased at all, coming round to my side of the bed, grumbling to herself. Indicating Linole to Carter, she quickly lifted her off the bed, holding her close to her front; Linole's arms instantly went round her neck. Holding my hand to the nurse, the drip was slowly taken out of my hand, a tinkling sensation covering up the small amount of pain. When the whole needle was out, the nurse took the drip and its stand, glaring at Carter when she passed her to the door.
Rubbing the back of my hand, I got off the bed waiting for the nurse to leave, looking from the fuming woman to the mother opposite me, when the door closed. "What's up with her?"
"Just don't go there. I'll be outside while you get dressed" She said, heading towards the door.
Pulling my gown down my arms, leaving it to hang over the edge of the bed, watching her escaping form blocked off by the door. Selecting my jeans off the chair, I unravelled them by holding them by the waist, letting them unfold themselves. Shaking them out a bit, I slid one leg in first and them the other, pulling them up to sit just below my waist. Fastening quickly, I picked up my vest, bunching it up into my hands, hooking the piece of clothing round my neck. Feeding my arms into it, it glided down my chest, needing a little tug to sit properly. Collecting my shirt and bag at the same time, I lazily put my trainers on, shoving my feet into them, folding the backs down on them.
Pulling the door opened, I fed my arm into my shirt's sleeve, quickly covering up the marked shoulder, holding the door opened with my foot. Carter turned round to face me, wiping some hair out of Linole's face, sleeping soundly against her shoulder. Switching my bag to the other hand, I put my arm into the other sleeve, starting down the corridor to the desk. Carter followed behind me, her scandals flopping with each footstep. Letting my eyes rove behind me, it hit me that she was wearing a dress, her silky legs gliding against her dress as she moved. Kicking my feelings mentally, I stopped in front of the desk, placing my bag on the counter at the same time, a clipboard was held out to me.
Signing the crossed mark boxes, I handed it back to the still fuming nurse, snatching the clipboard away from me, dumping it on the desk behind her. Bowing my head slightly, I picked up my bag, falling in beside Carter passing behind me. "Guess she didn't like me putting the phone down on her, when she was talking to someone"
Grinning at her widely, I shook my head down at the polished floor, the corridor in heavenly silence for this time in the morning. Linole groaned into Carter's shoulder, her hand shooting out to grab onto my shirt, almost ripping the sleeve away. Carrying on the down the corridor, my shoulder bumped into hers, causing me to hiss on each time we collided. We both stopped, finding the arrangement a little silly, switching are goods for the others goods. Linole for my bag, but I think I had the better end of the deal.
Holding her with my left arm, propping her to sit over my hip, I started the walk to the elevator, holding her leg that dangled out in front of my legs, up round my waist with other hand. The doors opened to the elevator with good timing, the orderly thanked us with a nod of his head, pushing some old gentlemen out of the elevator, while we waited to get in the elevator. Stepping into the elevator just behind Carter, I learnt against the fake wall while Carter pushed the ground floor button, copying my own movements on the other side of the elevator.
The elevator jumped into action while Carter said. "Where're you going to be staying, while you're in town?"
Shifting the small form up, I contemplated her question, looking down at the black shiny floor of the elevator. "Haven't given it much thought. Might just crash at a motel or something"
"You could always stay with us, there's plenty of room for you to… crash in. Linole would love it, she hasn't stop going on about you. It's Jack this, Jack that. Jack never did that"
Chuckling at her into Linole's shoulder, I rested my head back against the wall, slightly nodding my head. "Sure, that'll be great Carter. Thanks"
The doors opened on the elevator with a sudden jolt, stirring Linole slightly but her arms remained limp over my shoulders, drooling onto my neck. Wiping at the wet substance, I gently persuaded her to close her mouth, stepping out of the elevator first. Waiting for Carter to catch up, she joined me by my side while I surveyed the reception area, noting it was busier down here then it was on the ward.
Leaving the hospital through the sliding doors, I glanced back for a moment, just out of curiosity when I noticed something on the wall, turning out to be nothing important. Ruffling up my hair on one side, I tailed after Carter down the steps, watching her car's lights flash before she opened the back door. Slugging my bag inside, she moved out of the way, letting me lay Linole on the back seat. Gently shutting the door, I jogged round the back of the car, getting in the opposite side to Carter, seat belting myself in.
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Settling Linole into her bed, I wiped her hair from her face while Carter drew the curtains, taking the harsh sunshine off her face, letting her sleep peacefully. Leaving her bedroom in silence, I waited outside the doorway, waiting for Carter to show me to the spare bedroom. She smiled at me, closing the door behind her, pulling at her dress slightly. The ride over to her house from the hospital was torture, her smooth long legs poke out from underneath her dress, every time she moved or pulled her dress up. Once or twice I thought about jumping her, blaming it on long overdue affects of that virus, but then I'd remember the occupier of the backseat.
Casually I stalked after her, unwilling and willing watching the sway of her hips, hypnotising me with the evenly time movements of her behind. I think we can safely say, I'm certainly becoming a dirty old man, or she's becoming more alluring. I don't think I used to openly stare at her, or mainly at her behind, more fascinated with her smile than anything. Her hairs a little longer than she usually has it, she'll probably have that taken care of soon, it won't be long before she's complaining about it being in her eyes or tickling her neck. I'm bias; I like her hair however she has it. It's funny how my feelings for her, haven't changed over the years, seven years is a long time.
I carried on walking while she went into a room, skidding to a halt and a quick detour; I joined her in the room. Moving more into the room, she crossed over to the other side of the room, collecting the terror's toys from the floor, checking the room for anymore hidden surprises. Gently placing my bag on the chest, at the end of the bed, I took the room in with the sweep of my eyes; every small detail was indented to memory.
Hugging the cuddle animals and plastic dolls to her chest, she backed away to the door, saying. "I'll leave you to get sorted. The others are going to be coming over in a bit"
Patting my legs with a nod of my head, I sat down beside my bag, the door closing her image off to me. Rubbing the sweatiness of my hands onto my jeans, I can't help but feel a little nervous, spending however long I have to, under the same roof of my dream girl is nerve racking. Spying a door block slightly with the wardrobe, I got up to investigate, kicking off my trainers that I'd put on properly in the car. Pushing the handle down, I snooped round the corner of the door, to find an en'suite bathroom.
Squeezing the back of my neck, I glanced round the room, hoping to find some sort of secret about my lovely Carter, hidden in a room that wasn't her bedroom (A man can dream can't he?). Finding no signs of one, I left the room with the door open, plodding down the corridor to the living room, hearing voices coming into the house. Easing my hand into my pocket, I smiled when Teal'c came into the living room, dumping a suitcase onto the couch.
"Hey Teal'c. What ya got there?" I said, eyeing the suitcase, standing at the end of the couch.
Looking from me to the suitcase and back again, he answered. "It is your clothes, O'Neill. Daniel Jackson thought it wise, to get some of your belonging, making your stay more comfortable while you recover from your injury"
Seeing their reasoning, I missed the Doc coming in, already surveying my shoulder before I knew what was going on. Swatting her hands away, I stepped closure to Teal'c, his protection needed when Doc started. "Doc, give it a rest. I'm fine"
Waving her finger at me, the other two came into the room, chatting about something that just went up and over my head. Turning round to face them, straightening my shirt, covering up the mess that my shoulder had become. Carter squeezed between Teal'c and me, holding onto Teal'c's jacket, brushing her back up against me; by accident I'm hoping. Gulping down whatever hadn't dried up from the heat, her closeness had caused to surge through me; hell wasn't even as hot as I was, feeling her body slightly touch mine.
The sudden pat on my shoulder, knock me back to reality, blinking my eyes a few times, I found it wasn't a dream. Daniel excused himself following after Carter, my body instantly moved out of the way, letting him get passed me while I got myself back into some order. Teal'c and Doc joined the train; trailing after Carter like she was the engine, last stop being the kitchen. Flapping my shirt to cool me down, obeying the need to be in with them, not really grasping their conversation. All I knew was her voice called to me.
Sitting down with Teal'c at the breakfast table, holding my head up with my hands, I realised staying here was a bad idea. Doc opened the French doors, leading out onto the slab patio, the breeze tantalising with her hair and everything it touched, invading the room with coolness. The chair beside me scraped against the floor, she sat down into the cushioned wooden chair, setting a mug of coffee in front of me, sipping at her orange juice. That was all I needed, seeing her lips all moisten up. Those painkillers must still be floating around in my system.
Daniel coughed into his hand, trying to say something and swallow his drink at the same time. "Hey you two. So, what you doing? Visiting or going to dinner?"
I looked to Carter, she looked at me and then we both looked at Daniel, saying at the same time. "What?" "
You know, you made that deal thing. If Jack can give you a piggyback, you and Linole go to his cabin, and if he can't then you go to dinner?" he said, illustrating with his hands, though there was nothing to illustrate.
Carter lifted her glass to her lips. "Daniel, he's only this moment got out of hospital. I don't think it'll be wise for him, to be carrying me around on his back, while his shoulder's still healing"
Threading my fingers through the handle of my mug, raising the rim of the mug to my lips, I could feel Daniel's eyes on me. "In a minute Danny boy, can I at least get some caffeine in my system? You of all people, should know how much a caffeine high makes a difference"
Drinking some of my coffee, I stood up holding my hand out to Carter. "You cannot be serious?"
Leaving my coffee mug on the table, I picked up her hands; smiling at her I tugged her up onto her feet, leading her out into the garden. The others followed, Doc and Daniel whispering as they took their places at the edge of the patio, watching us stop in the middle of the garden. Spinning round to face her, I felt shy all of a sudden, amazed by how beautiful she was in the early sunshine. How stupid am I, for putting myself into this position? Those painkillers are defiantly the problem.
Hiking up her dress a bit, she glared across the garden at Daniel, thanking him for putting this in my head. It was either now or later. Crouching down with my back to her, I chuckled to myself out of pure fear, fearing I'd drop her or I'd make complete fools out of us. She steadies herself, placing her hand on my bad shoulder, almost in a sitting position over my lower back. Frowning at her hand, I wonder why I don't feel like breaking her hand, touching a thing I despise more than the Goa'uld. Even when Linole touches my shoulder, I cringed and fight the urged to tell her off, but I don't feel like doing any of that to Carter.
Wrapping her arms round my neck, my frown soon faded, smiling down at the grass as I hooked my arms round her legs, that's when it struck me. I was touching her legs. Her silky legs were almost round me, I was so glad she wasn't standing in front of me, she wouldn't be the only thing standing. Shifting her up my back, I stood up slowly, waiting till she was comfortable and I wasn't having inappropriate thoughts.
"You've got to walk around a little, if you're supposed to be giving her a piggyback" Doc called from the patio.
Glancing round at Carter, her head towering over my bad shoulder, smiling at the spectators. Edging her up with a slight jump, I did what Armstrong did, and some astronauts after him, taking a giant step for mankind and for my sanity, getting this over with before it turned sour. The giggling didn't get missed, especially as it was down my ear, her breath tinkling my ear.
Trying to shake the feeling away, someone shouted at me or at her from the house. "I want a piggyback!"
In a matter of seconds, Linole jumped at us, knocking into us while she grabbed at my arm. Inwardly shouting and cursing at her, I managed to get them both to land on me; landing on me also encouraged pain, pain from my bad shoulder and other parts of my body. Groaning into the grass, my arms going limp from around Carter's legs, lying on the grass beside my now numb body. If the painkillers caused the thoughts early, how come they weren't working now?
The weight on my back shifted, rolling onto the grass next to me, other's hands came to rest on me, yanking my shirt away from shoulder. Pushing myself up from the grass, strong hands held onto me round my waist, helping to gain my balance. My head spun slightly, a little out of it from the crash landing.
"Linole! You could've badly hurt us! What have I told you about jumping at people?!" Carter said, standing in front of Linole.
Doc came into view, putting my shirt right for me. "Your shoulder's okay. How's your head?"
"Fine" Pushing passed her slightly; I held a hand to my forehead. "Carter, it was an accident. I don't think she really wanted to…"
She spun round faster than I could dismantle a P90, pushing me backwards. "Don't tell me how to bring up my child! I'm the parent here! Not you!"
Blinking my eyes at her, I wasn't only knocked back by her physically pushing me, but I was knocked round the block by her words. Holding my hands up to her in surrender, I dawdled by to the house, leaving her to sort Linole out. She was right though; I'm not a parent, not anymore. Twice I've had the chance to be a parent, once I screwed it up and the second time it'd been taken away from me. Shaking my head in dismay, I carried on going through the kitchen, heading back to my allocated bedroom. I could feel the tension begin to swell in the house.
Footsteps came in after me into the house; she ran passed me into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her, her sobs heard through the pine door. It wasn't my place anymore to comfort her, Carter can do it, as she's the 'parent', I've no idea how to bring a child up. Even I can see Linole didn't intentionally mean to knock us over, she gets overly excited about things, just like her mother does. Take her to a planet where for all the eye can see, is techno doohickeys, she's running round like a kid at an amusement park, doesn't know which ride she wants to go on first.
Closing the door behind me, I stripped my shirt from my shoulders, flinging it towards the chair in the corner. Climbing onto the bed, unceremonially dropping onto my side with a grunt, I dragged one of the pillows to rest my head on. The door creak opened, lifting my head to look, Linole stood next to the door, sniffling at me across the room. Rolling my eyes I dropped my head on the pillow, holding an arm up in the air, she pushed the door to, diving onto the bed next to me. Holding her close with my arm, I cushioned her head with my other arm, settling down to sleep, giving everyone time to cool off.
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Waking up, when something moved underneath my arm, her hand clutched onto my vest. Slowly moving, cradling her against my chest, I looked at the bedside clock; five good clear hours had past since we fell asleep. Rolling back onto my back, I dug the sleep from the corner of my eye, casting my eyes over Linole and the blanket laying over us. Gently raising her head, releasing my arm for my own used instead of her pillow. I got off the bed carefully, tucking my half of the blanket round her, stroking a finger down her soft cheek.
room without making a sound. Yawning up at the ceiling, I stretched my arms, my nose leading the way to the brewing coffee. Licking my parched lips, I bowed my head as I entered the kitchen, her back facing me. Retrieving a mug from the shelve, above the coffee machine, I contemplated her for a moment, pouring some black liquid into the mug, replacing the jug into the coffee machine. Gulping down some of the black liquid, I joined her at the table, sitting down opposite her.
She flicked over the page of her book; going out of her way to ignore me, keeping her eyes from looking at me. Placing my mug on a drinks mat, leaning onto the table, I peered under the edge of the book, trying to see what she was reading. "You wouldn't be interested, so stop trying to read the title"
Folding my arms on the table, my chin balancing on top of them while she marked her page, shutting the book up for later reading. Pushing her book across the table slightly, she sat back in her seat, returning my glance. "Have a nice sleep?"
"It was okay" I said, unfolding one of my arms, twilling my mug round with my hand. "Would've been better if I didn't have a child sobbing into my vest"
Her eyes wavered from me to my shoulder; I saw it even though she tried to hide it, the grimace that passed across her eyes, seeing the horrific sight of my shoulder. "She'll be alright, she's like me, tougher than she looks"
Sitting up to give me some height, placing a hand over the scars I said. "Whatever you say Carter, you're the parent 'ere"
"About that, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that to you"
Waving a hand at her, I picked up my mug. "I wouldn't worry, you were right in some ways. I'm not the parent of Linole, so I shouldn't go sticking my oar in water it doesn't belong"
Finishing off the rest of the luck warm coffee, I wiped at my mouth with my arm, putting my mug back on the table. Slouching in my chair, the breeze ruffled my hair, cooling the back of neck. Carter got out of her seat, collecting her empty glass and my mug, wedging her book under her arm. A green mark caught my attention on my jeans, green wasn't so subtle when it was put against blue. Revolving round on the chair, getting a better look with natural light, I cased an eye over the garden.
"What was the final decision then?" I asked, getting up from my chair, uselessly wiping at the mark playing on my jeans.
Rinsing my mug under the tap, she thoughtfully looked out the window over the garden. "Well Daniel said it was draw, because you did give me a piggyback. Yet you didn't because it only lasted a few minutes"
Hoping up onto the counter behind her, I picked up some fruit out of the bowl, juggling them in front of me, careful not to drop and bruise them. "And what does that mean, Doctor?"
"You owe me dinner and Linole and I, owe you a visit to your cabin." She said over her shoulder, balancing the mug on the draining rack.
Catching the last falling apple, I smiled at her greedily, the time I was going to be spending with her, and with Linole. The best thing I've heard about since I was told I'm legendary, with the good and bad people. Stacking the fruit back into the fruit bowl, I propelled myself off the counter, landing a few inches in front of her. My smile was dragged away by my heartbeat, racing with the closeness, neither of us making a move to move or to leave.
Comfortably I stood there, my eyes caught in her gaze, freezing me in position. Guess the kid motorbike toy thing, isn't the only thing that makes her a freaky woman, the way she has me in her grasp is freaky. A sleepy call came from somewhere in the house, calling to me and to Carter, but even that didn't seem to get through to us. Breathing was starting to become a problem, yet I wasn't even doing anything, caught up by her beauty. The cry became louder, sounding much closure than before.
Her head shook, breaking the spell upon us, excusing her self from the space between us; going off to see what the distant voice wanted. Falling back against the counter I was sitting on, I found the reason my breathing was becoming a problem, was because I wasn't breathing. Letting the air out, I huffed and puffed slightly; my head was lighter than a feather, floating off round the room. She certainly has me under her spell.
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Sitting in front of the TV, watching some car show and over Linole, both left in the house to look after the other, while Carter's having her check up and doing some work at the base. The past three days had been the weirdest, weirder than some of the alien races I've met over the years. Nearly everyday we've had a moment, where we'd be struck staring at each other, not moving and not breathing in my case. Linole or someone else would finally break it up, a good and bad thing. It was easier than it used to be, no alarms went off in my head, telling me to stop and look away, don't get all feely about her. Keep those nagging feelings away, deep down in the bottom of my heart.
Changing the channel to something other than roaring engines, I peered over Linole's shoulder, the multi coloured writing standing out from the white paper. Shuffling forward over the carpet, interested in what she'd been doing for the past hour. Her name was written several times, a bit unsteadily but it was readable, unlike my own writing from the Stone Age. At the bottom of the page, she'd been writing her name with my surname, comparing it to her proper name.
Scrunching up my eyebrows, I gently pulled her back, her arms lifting off the piece of paper so I could take it. Letting go of her, she started drawing something on the clean piece of paper, happily humming to her self; it sounded something like the Barney song. Can't believe she still watches that.
Mentally counting the letters, my eyes were glued to the piece of paper, never before noticing the most obvious thing in the world. Two L's, one E, one I, one N and an O, making up two different names but related by the amount of certain letters. It must be a co-incidents or something, there's no real reason to turn my surname into an anagram, to make a name for her daughter. Is there?
The keys clanking into a bowl shocked me, I've certainly lost my touch; I would've heard someone before they even knew they were coming. Linole jumped up from coffee table, running round the couch to greet Carter, swept up into her loving mother's arms. Forgetting the piece of paper for now, I piled it on top of Linole's other drawings, ready to be stored away in her little folder she ha s. Getting up to my feet with a groan, the smell of pizza had me; automatically my body followed the direction it went in, already drooling by the time I reached the kitchen.
Linole bounced up and down till Carter, put a slice on a plate for her, telling to sit down on the carpet in front of TV. She brushed against my leg, running from one room to the other, holding her plate out in front of her. Standing the other side of the counter, I don't think if I jump up and down, I'd get served any quicker.
"Can you get some glasses out and filled them with coke?" She asked me, placing three slices on both of the two plates.
An eagle eye on the pizza, I opened a cupboard, reaching in blindly for glasses, taking whatever came to hand first. Setting them down on the counter, next to the plates with pizza on, licking my lips at the sight of them. Spinning round to opened the fridge, I snatched the bottle from the shelve; protectively turning back to make sure, she hasn't stolen any of the toppings on my slices of pizza. Eyeing her as a suspect, the shape of a pepperoni slice, showed evidence of tampering, on one of the slices.
Smiling at me, she held my plate out to me, gathering the glasses up onto one hand. Rescuing the rest of my toppings from her picky fingers, I take off for the living room, hugging the bottle of coke to my side. The clinging of glasses followed me till I got to the couch, she set them down on the table with her plate, reaching over the back of the couch for her bag. My plate joined hers on the table, weighing down on Linole's drawings, but I find myself doing it again. Staring at her butt like it was a picture of Charlie, except Charlie's picture doesn't encourage feelings down in my groin.
In perfect sink with her, I look away as she turns back round, a DVD in one hand and two bags of popcorn in the other. "Who wants to watch a film?"
"Me! Me! Me! I wanna watch it, mummy!" Linole said, giving a similar reaction she does when she hears ice cream, but without the shrieking.
Having no say in the matter, Carter waltzed round the coffee table, climbing over Linole's legs, bending down in front of the TV. If this is the film, I'll certainly watch it, it certainly could be a blockbuster in my opinion. The TV falls silent while the DVD loads up, my film ends and their films title screen, comes up on the TV. Slipping off the edge of couch, sliding my legs under the coffee table, I twisted the cap off the coke bottle, filling all the glasses but one to the top, leaving Linole's half empty half full.
Tapping Linole's foot with my own, she glances over her shoulder at me, frowning at being disturbed while the film started up. Holding her glass out to her, she crawled across the floor, taking her drink back to her plate on the floor. Settling back against the couch, my arm brushed up Carter's shoulder, thinking nothing of it like I used to. I selected the slice with the missing pepperoni slice, biting a mouthful from it, already hating the film when I can't see it through Linole's head.
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With the credits rolling up on the screen, I rolled my head around, sighing from the boredom of the stupidest comedy this side of the Atlantic. Some bits were funny but it just went way over the top, Carter and Linole (until she conked out) were laughing their heads off, all the way through it. Even when Whoopee Goldberg's car, and her passenger, went down this hill and drove off the edge into a ravine. I missed most of it, finding the trip to bathroom more funny than most of the gags in that film.
Climbing out from underneath the coffee table, stretching while Carter used me as a ladder, pulling at my clothing so she could get to her feet. I couldn't move even after she let go of me, but saying that, neither could she. Yep, we were staring at each other again, examining the others face like we hadn't seen it before. I shivered when she moistened her lips, my heart was going faster than Thor's ship at top speed, or was I having a heart attack?
A groan from in front of the TV broke us up, scratching my forehead for something to do; I manoeuvred round the coffee table, my eyes set on Linole and only Linole. Stooping down to pick her up, her body was limp in my arms, lifting her up to rest against my chest. Avoiding Carter, I left her in the living room, escaping to Linole's bedroom with good intentions. It was getting silly now, how could she do this to me? I'm military trained, trained to be a ghost, lair successfully to the box but yet… her eyes did more damage to me than any torture they could think up.
Juggling with Linole in my arms, throwing back the covers on her bed, I set her head down gently on the pillow, laying her along the bed. Carter came in behind me, going straight for the chest of draws, picking out some PJ's for Linole. Leaving her to it, I started for my own bedroom, yawning while I pulled my t-shirt up and over my head. Nudging the door wide with my shoulder, striping my arms of the t-shirt.
Dumping it on top of the chest at the end of the bed, I carried on to the bathroom, unfastening my belt and pants, collecting my toothbrush and paste from the cabernet. Squeezing some of the contents of the paste, onto the bristles of my toothbrush, I left the tube on the side, brushing my teeth I headed back into the bedroom. Brushing with one hand, I jiggled my pants down one leg, holding onto them with my free hand.
"We've got to…" At the sound of her voice, I glanced to the doorway, standing there, staring at me till she shook her head. "Got to sort out, when we're going out for this dinner, you owe me. Me with my hectic schedule, it'll have to be pre-organised"
Feeling slightly naked, I nodded my head, carrying on like it didn't matter she was there. Kicking my other leg out of my pants, pulling the toothbrush out of my mouth so I could talk, a little muffled but I could still talk. "Sure, when d'ya have in mind?"
Popping the toothbrush into my mouth, I folded up my pants, while she talked. "Tomorrow would be alright, if that's alright with you. Because it's you taking me to dinner, not the other way round. Although; you being my guest, it should be really me treating you to a night out. Not that it has to be a night out; dinner will be fine, nothing fancy needed. Good friends going out for dinner, nothing wro…"
"Carter, you're rambling and it isn't needed." I said heading for the bathroom, getting the idea she was uncomfortable with me, waltzing round in my underwear. (She wasn't the only one). Hidden from sight in the bathroom, I spat some of the toothpaste foam stuff into the sink. "Tomorrow will be fine, if you can get someone to look after Linole?"
"Daniel's offered." She said before chuckling, her footsteps echoing out into the hallway.
Frowning at her chuckled, I quickly finished brushing my teeth, rinsing and spitting into the sink, bathed in the light from the bedroom. I could just see tomorrow night, sat in some restaurant, food sat in front of us and were sat there staring at each other, me suffocating and her licking her lips. Slapping my cheek slightly, I left the bathroom, jumping onto the bed, turning the lights out with the switch by my bedside.
**************************************************************
The suitcase was opened out onto the bed, displaying all of my clothes the boys had brought from my cabin, the things they'd aspect me to need. Surprising enough, Daniel had packed me a suit; something I hadn't seen for some time, but knew it lived at the back of the closet. But I've realised something I've never felt about Daniel. I hate him. How can he pack a suitcase with my clothes, and not creased them like me? With all the shipping around I've done over the years, I'd think I've done more packing than he has, but yet he's the master of it. Damn doctor's think they know everything.
Picking the clothes I wanted to wear for tonight, Linole didn't seemed too happy, sat on the pillows against the headboard, whacking two of her dolls together. It isn't healthy for the dolls to be whack with such force; the head nearly came off one of them, when they collided together. Laying the suit at the foot of the bed, a shirt and a tie set on top of them. This is only going to work out, if Carter remembers to come home on time, getting wrapped up in her work like she does, I'm surprised she remembers to come home to Linole.
Searching through the pile of clothes in the suitcase, I found my dress uniform shoes at the bottom, saving me from wearing my trainers with my suit. Carefully letting the pile fall from my hand, dumping my shoes at the side of the bed, ready for when I'm getting change. I watched one of the heads, fly across the room from one of the dolls. Stopping everything, I stared at her while she stared at the lifeless head.
"Linole" She looked at me. "Unless the doll deserved to be decapitated, I get the feeling it wasn't the doll's fault and there's something wrong"
She shrugged her shoulders, crawling off the bed to retrieve the head, sitting on the floor while she fought to put it back on. Joining her on the floor, I held my hand out for the doll, silently giving her my assistance. With a frustrated sigh, she placed the doll and head in my hand, her little face screwed up with some sort of tension.
Fiddling with the head, I asked her again. "Linole, what's wrong?"
"Why d'ya have to spend time with mummy? You're my Jack, not hers. I wanna come with you." She said hitting the other defenceless doll, still with its head intact, against the floor.
The head popped on while I frowned at it. "We're only going out for dinner, Linole. She's not taking me away from you, and she isn't taking you away from me. But, I'm a friend of your hers as well as being yours, and some times adult friends… go out with each other, to enjoy each other's company. When you're older, I'll do the exact same thing with you, get you all dressed up and take you somewhere fancy. Fighting all the boys off…"
"Jack, don't be gross!" She said taking the newly fixed doll away from me, climbing over my legs while the door opened on its own, granting her a quick exit.
The bed became my leverage, my assistant helping me to my feet, Carter's head popped round the door, smiling her terrific smile. With a quick glance round the room, I made sure she was smiling because of me and at me, instead of at a gizmo she may have seen in the room. Finding no gizmos or alien devices, I shut up my case with a smile, fastening the clips into place.
"What have you grossed my daughter out with now?" She said, pulling off her coat, inspecting my choice of clothes with her eyes.
Scratching my cheek, I said. "Oh, the idea of boys being after her" She nodded her head knowingly, pecking a bit of fluff off my suit jacket. "And I don't think she likes the idea about tonight"
Folding her coat over her arm, she looked over her shoulder at the doorway. "What gave you that idea?"
"According to Linole, I'm her Jack and not yours"
Nodding her head down at her coat, she flattened it over with her hand, backing off to the door. "I'll go have some words. When do you want me to be ready?"
Starting to pull my arm out of my T-shirt, I said. "I'll give you an hour"
Closing the door behind her, I stripped down to nothing on the way to the bathroom, shutting and locking the bathroom door. Turning on the shower, I felt over my chin, freshly grown stubble played over my face. Compiling a list in my head, I stepped under the spray, counting the things to do on my hand.
**************************************************************
Distantly I heard the doorbell ring, pulling up and fastening my trousers; I left the confines of my bedroom, calling to the girls in Carter's room that 'I'll get it'. They hadn't even made an attempted to dash to the door, letting me, the temporary man of the house, answer the door. Smoothing my damp hair back over my head, I shook my head at their manners, opening the front door to find Teal'c and Daniel stood there. Teal'c's arms were full of snacks and stuff, introducing Linole's remaining baby teeth, to Hole city with all the sugar in one of those bags. Stepping aside to let them in, Daniel came in with videos and DVDs; piled up in his arms, a nice change from seeing large books there.
Closing the door while they headed into the living room, they both looked exhausted and it was only round about seven. Consciously covering my shoulder with my hand, I retraced my steps back to my bedroom, hearing Linole come crashing out of Carter's bedroom. Running passed me; she was swept up into Teal'c's strong arms, ordering the bigger and wiser man to the kitchen, for ice cream. Granting her wish, he nodded his head to me as a greeting, swiftly carrying out his mission, to keep Linole happy. Listening to her excitedly ordering, I smirked down at the wooden floor, exiting the hallway for my bedroom.
Playing with the waistband of my pants, tracing my thumbs on the inside of the band, shifting them till I found it to be comfortable. Reaching for my shirt, a creased the width of the galaxy, had somehow formed on my shirt between the time, I'd laid them out on the bed till now. Rolling my eyes at the creased, I snatched it off the bed, delayed from getting dressed and now delaying the time I wanted us to leave.
Concealing a yawn behind the shirt, I entered the kitchen, finding it slightly different from the last time I'd been in there. The island, in the middle of the room, was covered in tubs of ice cream, each one being dug into for a scoop. Backing out of there, I left the vanilla and chocolate covered mouths, to take the blame for the mess created in two minutes. Glancing over my shoulder at the mess, I stopped behind an armchair; the feeling of fear was starting to surface. Fearing the safety of the Jaffa and the princess, who're so in the doghouse, when Carter sees the mess.
Choosing not to dwell on their fate, I moved round the chair, holding my shirt out to Daniel, who was stood in front of the TV, fast-forwarding the tape to the start of the film. "Daniel, d'ya know where Carter keeps her iron?"
Examining the creased, he opened his mouth to speak, but his voice sounded more feminine than masculine. "It's in here!"
Daniel cursed at the TV while I left him to rewind the film, watching the opening credits run in reverse order on the screen. Hesitantly I edge round the door, into Carter's room, Carter was sat in front of her dressing table, her towel round her soft shiny skin. Clutching onto the door handled, I kept myself there, my body wanted to do things that my brain said I couldn't. Not with three other people in the house, one who's a child who doesn't knock, bursts into the room oblivious to what others, might be doing behind closed doors.
Her eyes caught me in the mirror, tracing the rim of her eye with a pencil of some sort, switching from looking at herself to me. She was doing it again, pitying me because of my shoulder. Holding my shirt up to her, I crossed over to the ironing board she'd got set up, laying the incriminated side of my shirt on the board.
"I'll be out of you hair in a second" I said, plugging in the iron to the extension cord, trailing over the floor from the wall socket.
Touching the metal plate on the iron, it was still hot from when Carter had used it. Getting to work on the creased, my back to her while she moved about the room, doing whatever she needed to do, to be ready in time. Smug with my efforts, I held the shirt up in front of me before slipping one arm into the sleeve, reaching down to unplugged the plug. Standing back up, I fought with the shirt to put it on, my shoulder screamed its complaints about reaching behind me, trying to slip my hand or at least grab part of the shirt.
Giving up for a moment, I rubbed my scarred shoulder, pacing slightly in front of the ironing board, my shirt trailed along the floor after me. Rolling my shoulder, I stopped my pacing, moving my shoulder around a bit till the pain went away. A hand on my shoulder startled me, looking at the hand and the towelled behind, I watched Carter stand up straight, holding the shirt for me. Nodding my thanks, I shoved my offended arm into the sleeve, shrugging the shirt onto my shoulders.
"Was that Daniel and Teal'c at the door?" She said, buttoning up my shirt for me, her fingers smoothing over the fabric between us.
Pulling at my cuffs, straightening my sleeves underneath her arms, I nodded my head. "Yeah, with entertainment and stuff to ruined Linole's teeth with"
Smiling at me while she did the last button up, I really wanted her to just undo them, even if it was just for her to do them back up again, anything so I could feel her fingers near me, her skin almost touching mine. She started to indicate towards the door with her head, her hand made gestures as well towards the door. Frowning at her, I tucked my shirt into my pants, stepping back from this freaky woman.
Her towel began to slip from place; luckily for her and me, she grabbed it in time, holding it securely into place. "I wanna get dressed, but I can't do that if you're still in the room"
Finally getting her head and hand gestures, I left the room sharply, closing the door behind me. Daniel's head shot up, from looking at the back of the video box, pushing his glasses further up his nose, placing the box on top of the TV. Linole popped up from the couch, joined by Teal'c soon after, they looked at each other sinking back down onto the couch, giggling was heard from Linole as Teal'c tortured her with his tickling fingers.
Avoiding the look Daniel was giving me, I quickly went back to my bedroom, smoothing my shirt and tracing over where her fingers had been. It was getting silly now, every time I'm near her, I can't think straight. Old age is getting to me. At least she's had a date in the last ten years, I haven't been on a date since I met Sara, and that was some years ago now.
Dropping onto the bed, it shifted underneath me heavily, while picking up my tie my attention was drawn to the footsteps, stopping just inside my doorway. "Jack, you okay?"
"Sure, Danny boy. Why wouldn't I be?" I said, flicking up the collar on my shirt, looping my tie round my neck.
"I don't know. You seem a little distracted by something." Daniel said, coming further into the room, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Where're you taking her for dinner?"
Naturally tying my tie, I stood up off the bed, checking it in the mirror as I pulled and pushed the knot into place. "Erm… Marco's"
Nodding his head at something, Daniel adjusted my tie for me when I turned to him, smoothing the tie down against my chest. "She'll like that. It's posh in there, isn't it? Sorta a place for a first date"
"Daniel, we're not dating, two friends going out for dinner. You and Janet go out for dinner together"
"Jack, don't change the subject. What are you waiting for? Doomsday to come along?" Daniel said, checking over his shoulder, his voice going into a whisper.
Looking passed him; I sat back down onto the bed, picking up one of shoes. "Daniel, this is something that I will not discuss with you. Leave it"
Feet pounded down the wooden hallway, coming into the carpeted room, a quieter set followed behind them, resistant against the tugging of the smaller infant. Dropping the shoe to the floor, I stared at the woman in the doorway, threatening the little girl with a month without ice cream. Gulping down my consciousness, I stood up to attention with a lady being in the room, nervously playing with my tie.
Her dress must have been made for her in mind, complementing the colour of her eyes with the lighter colour, a nice clear day blue. It amazed me that it stayed on her shoulders, the thin straps looked like they couldn't hold the weight of a pencil or of a feather. She shouldn't be an Air Force Major; she should've become a model, the dress being what it is because of her.
Daniel coughed into his fist, pulling Linole out of the way, saying. "Sam, you look beautiful"
Remembering my shoes, I sat down letting them chitchat, quickly stuffing my feet into my shoes and tied the laces, unable to take my eyes off her. I actually preferred this dress to the one she wore, when she picked me up from the hospital, showing much more of her thigh than the other dress.
"Are you ready to go?" She asked, picking up my dinner jacket while I snatched my wallet off the side table.
Nodding my head as I stood, sliding my wallet into the back pocket of my pants, I retrieved my jacket from her. Watching her lead the way, I wished I was on SG-1 again, I could certainly get used to watching that behind again.
*************************************************************
I feel the urge to kick and punch, every man in this restaurant, who's his eyes are on Carter, drooling and tripping over themselves, with their partners or dinner guests watching. The waiter nearly lost his head from two things; from snapping his head round to look at Carter and from my itching fist, wanting to be introduced to his jaw. Edging my seat closure to the table, knocking into it when I got too close. Doing the alpha male thing, letting every eye-popping man in this restaurant, know that she's with me and she's going to be leaving with me.
Opening the menu out, blocking everyone else out, I scanned the menu letting my eyes shift now and then, checking and assessing every man who passed our table, cheesy smiling at the woman across from me. Should've brought her gun, could've easily taken out a few of them before I have to resort to hand-to-hand. Laying the menu on the table, I shrugged my jacket off, traipsing it over the back of my chair, readying myself for battle if it comes up. Where's Teal'c when I need him?
A warm gentle hand touched my clenched fist, drawing my attention, and calming the tension in my shoulders, across the table. "If you feel uncomfortable, we can go home and have something to eat?"
Boldly shaking my head, I reached for my glass of water, unclenching the fist under her hand. "Nope. I'm fine. Honest. Why don't you bring me up to speed, with everything I've missed out on?"
"You know I can't talk about the gate with you" She said, stealing a glance round the room, scanning for listeners.
Sipping the water like it was wine, I placed it back on the table, stroking a hand over the material of the tablecloth. "No, no. I meant with the personal side of your life, Danny's and Teal'c's"
"Oh, okay" Shifting in her seat to get comfortable, she leaned onto the edge of the table with her arms folded. "Erm… Daniel and Janet are at the moment, and for the past two years, been pretending that their not going out, even though they've been on more dinner dates and functions that everyone knows their a couple. Teal'c's been slightly preoccupied by eating, it got a little out of hand when he found out you'd moved. I think he needed a little comfort and it seemed, only food could give him the comfort he needed"
"He was just training for 'Eat all' festival, I was supposed to be taking him to. Wanted to win some competition for one of those, entertainment packages things" I said, looking over the menu, wiping a stray hair from my forehead.
"If you call, not talking for a whole three months, training for some eating competition. Then I'd hate to see him, when he's really missing someone"
Frowning up at her from my menu, a shadow towered over the table, writing something on his little notepad. "Have you decided on your order, sir?"
Scrunching my nose up, I glanced back down over the menu. "I'll have… the garlic mushrooms for starters. Carter?"
The tennis match had commenced, the waiter passed his looked from me to Carter, shuffling his feet and swallowed down whatever was left in his mouth. When Carter looked up at him, the sleaziest smile this side of Kansas, was forced upon his lips. A Desert Eagle could easily blow a nice, dark hole in this guy's brain. Although I wouldn't mind a rocket launcher, they'd be no identifiable remains left after being hit with…
"Sir?" Subtly slipping my hands under the table, I wiped them over my pant legs, focusing on the menu in front of me. "For your main course?"
Shutting the menu up, I handed it over to him. "I'll have the nine oz rump streak"
"Good choice, sir" There was a hidden message in his comment, his head motioning towards Carter before he turned to her. "And what would you like, ma'am?"
"Erm… I'd like the seafood surprise, please" She said, closing the menu, smiling at the waiter while she handed it over to him.
Crossing my feet up under my chair, I leant onto the table with my elbows, hoping that would be the end of it. "What wine would you like, sir?"
Rolling my eyes in disgust, the cheek of the man, to think he could spend a second more in the presence of our table. Plucking another menu from him, one that had appeared from nowhere, I read through the list as quick as possible. "We'll have the… Frascatti"
Thankfully he left our table, but not before winking at Carter while taking the wine menu from me. My eyes were glued to him till he left the room, drinking some more of my water, I looked across the table, to find her watching me. Lowering my glass slowly away from my lips, I check either side of me, then down my front for any magical appearing stains. None.
"What?" I said, replacing the glass on the table.
"You're doing that thing, Jonas used to do when we used to go out for dinner"
Sitting back against my chair, I said. "What thing?"
Waving her hand to indicate the rest of the room to me, she shook her head at me saying. "You're doing the whole, this is my woman and no one else's thing. I saw you, imaging how you're going to torture the waiter, for looking at me"
"I…"
"No, don't even think about denying it. I know you, Jack O'Neill. And if I'm right, nearly every man in this restaurant, have been assessed for weaknesses, and been noted for which direction they're more likely to come from"
Sitting there a little gob smack, I tried to act cool about the whole 'I've been watching you' confession, feeling incredible uneasy from having such observations made about me. Bowing my head in guilt, I sat back let her deal with the waiter, experience telling me to keep my mouth shut for a minute. But can she really blame me? She's sitting there looking like a bombshell. Of course I'm going to want to protect her, what man in their right mind wouldn't?
If Daniel or Teal'c had taken her out to dinner, they'd do exactly what I've done, except Daniel would've been subtler and less tactful, and Teal'c would've been straight point blank, asked them to stop staring. I don't want men to be staring at her, even if it does stir some smugness, able to say I'm the one taking this lady to dinner tonight.
Some wine was poured into my glass; the bottle was placed in the middle of the table, doing nothing to block her stern look across the table. With a nod of his head, the waiter left us alone again, no wink this time or sleazy smile.
Her look relaxed some. "I'm sorry. I'm a little tired after the day I've had. Little things are getting to me"
"How about we just go back to before the waiter came, and forget about this bit of the evening?" I said, picking up my wine glass, taking a greedy sip from it.
"Okay, but not much happened while you were gone"
Choking on my sip of wine, I coughed into my hand while steadily putting the glass back on the table. "Not much! Hello! There's a girl of seven years old, living in your home, but not much happened while I was gone? Do I look like I was born yesterday?"
Chuckling down at the table, her finger traced the rim of her glass. "So you wanna know about Linole's dad and anything else, Linole related?" I nodded my head, getting comfortable in my seat. "Linole's dad was a mistake from the start, but a good mistake because he gave me Linole. Duncan didn't want to know about Linole, told me as I didn't need him, more than likely, Linole wouldn't need him either. He doesn't want Linole to know about him and he doesn't want to know about her. I sent him a picture of her but never heard back from him. So as you know, I brought her up by myself with help from the guys and Janet. I'll admit, I couldn't have done it without them"
"You could've called me, I would've been more than happy to help." I said, turning the wine glass by its base, holding my gaze with her.
"I know, but you had your life and she was apart of mine. I felt bad enough that I had Janet and Cassie, looking after her while I was on missions. Daniel and Teal'c playing her father figures. She made such an impact on their life's, I didn't want anymore people to rely on to be there for me and for her"
Resting my chin into the palm of my hand, I lifted my glass up just in front of my lips while saying. "There'll be no relying on me. If you need me for anything, I'll be there with no questions asked. Well… except for one"
Frowning at me again, she fidgeted with her napkin on her lap. "What's that?"
"The other day, Linole was writing her name out, with my last name instead of yours. It may just be co-incidents but… did you name Linole after me?"
Laughing into her hand, she looked everywhere but at me, causing me to feel slightly foolish. "When Daniel and Teal'c, were visiting me in the hospital, one of the nurses were fussing over Linole. Linole wasn't having any of it, crying and fighting with the poor nurse. Teal'c said she was going to be a fine warrior, while Daniel said she was just like you, fighting and complaining at the nurses. And so it was decided, by me and some influencing suggestions from Daniel, to call her Linole"
Holding my head in my hands, unable to stop my face from smiling. She raised her eyebrows at me, sipping at her wine just as our starters were placed on the table. Gingerly selecting my fork, I couldn't stop smiling, digging in while I heard Carter thank the waiter.
**************************************************************
Tumbling into the dark quiet house, exhausted and slightly drunk, sharing five bottles of wine between us (she drank most of it). Shushing her when she giggled, tripping up her own feet, grabbing onto my shoulder to steady her self. Holding her steady by her elbow, I quietly closed the door, snoring coming from the couch had to be Teal'c, and no one wanted to disturbed him from his sleep. Guiding her through the house to the kitchen, I dropped my jacket over the back of a chair, helping her to sit down, before she fell down, into her seat. Pulling at the knot of my tie, I flicked the light switch on, blinding myself for a second.
Pressing down the switch on the kettle, I collected two mugs from the shelve, dumping whatever contents were needed to make us both coffee. The evening was brilliant after we got over the 'Alpha male' thing, though I did notice her staring at a table of women for a while. Rubbing at my forehead, I poured the hot liquid into both mugs, the aroma causing me to sober some. With one final stir, I tossed the teaspoon in the sink, taking Carter her much needed caffeine dose.
Setting her mug on a drinks mat, I took the seat next to her, sipping at my drink. "Thanks for a nice evening, Jack"
"No, no. I should be thanking you, it was only nice because you were there" I said before thinking, nothing new in my department.
"Don't say that." She said, placing her hand on my thigh. "Your company and my company are nothing to compare against one another. I mean could you really see any man…" Her hand left my thigh, wildly gesturing around in the air. "… going out with a single mum?"
I started to cringed at the thought, the image of seeing her with another man disgusted me, wanting me to be the man she went out with. "Carter, don't get all down in the dumps. Men on the whole are stupid, if they don't go out with a woman like you. You're intelligent, successful, butt kicking master and…"
"I thought I heard voices." Daniel said cleaning his glasses, raising them up to the light before putting them back on. "You two are late in, do you realise it's nearly midnight?"
"Didn't know we had a curfew." I grumbled to myself, hunching over my coffee mug.
Carter slipped her feet out of her heels, gathering her shoes together she picked up her mug of coffee, getting up out of her seat. "I think it's time I went to bed. Night, Daniel. Night, Jack"
Leaving into the darkness of the house, the sound of her bare feet against the floor, echoed through the house until she closed her bedroom door, returning the house to silence. Leaving my coffee on the table, I left the room as Daniel nabbed my coffee, giving me a knowing smile before I left. Bed seemed the best place to be.
**************************************************************
Waking up to the sunlight coming through the window, I rolled away from the unwelcome light, sluggishly picking up the clock from the side table. Dropping the clock back down, I moaned into the pillow, wanting more sleep. Throwing the covers away, I sat up with my legs over the side of the bed, unbelieving the clock when it told me it was about half eight in the morning. Rubbing at my face I stood up, staggering to the bathroom to perform my morning ritual.
Feeling more awake after having a wash and a shave, I pulled on a T-shirt, searching the house for other life forms and coffee. Chatter came from the living room, happily chatting away at this time in the morning, too happy for my liking. Holding my head in my hands, I walk into the kitchen, hearing groaning following in behind me. Looking round, a very rough looking Carter pushed me aside, attacking the coffee machine before I could execute my own plan.
Shoving a mug in front of her, she filled it up for me, replacing the pot on the hot plate, leaning against the counter behind her. Quietly sipping at the lovely coffee, somehow recovering some of my humanity for me, bringing some much needed sobering and awaking qualities. Carter eyes seemed to become more alive, with every sip she took, drawing her out of her daze. Smiling at me while she passed, leaving me alone in the kitchen, her fleeting form turned the corner to her bedroom.
Downing the dregs in my coffee mug, I joined the others in the living room, both adults watching some prancing idiots on the screen. Placing my hands my hips, I frowned at their interaction with the TV, staring at it like an addiction. I really am considering, buying them both the tapes, save them the humiliation of watching it, out in the open for others to tease them on. Rolling my eyes, I scratched at my chest through my t-shirt, seeking out the other adult that wouldn't be memorised by this stupid program.
Knocking on the door as I entered, Carter sat at the head of the bed, laptop on lap but her eyes were on other things. Linole was sprawled out over the foot of the bed, singing along to the theme song, coming from the TV and from the TV in the other room. Looking at the corner of the door, I shrugged at it before banging my head off it, finding it not to be a dream liked I so hoped.
"Jack! Come watch!" Linole said, waving her purple dinosaur at me, beckoning me over to the bed.
"I think I'll give it a miss." I said, grimacing inwardly at the thought of watching the program none stop. "Carter, you got anything planned for today?"
Without even looking at me, she shook her head as she said. "Nope, why?"
Digging my hands into pocket, I took an unsteady footstep into the room, scared the TV would capture me or brainwash me into watching it. "Maybe we could go out for the day. All of us I mean go out and have a day of fun. Although you've probably got work to do, so…"
Closing down her laptop, she moved to the other side of bed, bouncing up from the bed. "Nothing that can't wait. You better ask Daniel and Teal'c, see if they haven't got anything planned"
"Already checked, they have" I knew I was going to hell or my nose was going to grow longer. "They're going to be leaving soon, something about jello wrestling. I don't know, something Teal'c's in to"
Nodding her head, she opened draws to her dresser, taking out selected items of clothing. Slipping from the room, I didn't feel guilty at all, a whole day to spend with Carter and Linole, what more could I want? Daniel and Teal'c gone would be nice.
**************************************************************
Strolling along with Linole's hand in mine, her other hand held by Carter's, the only thing between us, linking us physically together. Poking my sunglasses further up my nose, I cast my view round for suspected attackers, or anything out of the ordinary. Spotting another animal, Linole pulled and tugged us both over to see, getting all excited over tiger prowling round the fence. Chuckling at her actions, I lifted her up onto my shoulder so she could get a better look. But I was surprised, by the ease in a movement that would've of cause much discomfort, before the operation to repair my shoulder.
Lifting her above my head again, she parted her legs round my head, sitting comfortable onto both my shoulders, able to see further than at her petite height. Carrying on along the path, holding firmly onto Linole's feet, her hands excitedly pointing in different directions. Catching sight of my watch, I couldn't believe two hours had already passed, I was sure we'd only just arrived. Nudging Carter with my elbow, I nodded towards a vacant bench I could see, close to where the playing area we were coming up to. Getting my drift, we picked up the pace, commandeering the vacant bench before anyone could claim it as there's.
Carefully putting Linole down, I straddled the bench next to her, keeping a protective hand near her, preventing her from falling backwards off the seat. The bench rock when Carter sat down opposite us, opening the backpack she'd packed full of nutritious goodies. Yay! And that thought was so dripping in sarcasm. First, out came the sandwiches, then fruit and three bottles, a bottle of juice for Linole and two bottles of diet coke for us. Reaching across the table, I unwrapped Linole's sandwiches for her, laying them out perfectly in front of her.
While Linole munched down most of her sandwiches, leaving the crusts on the cellophane wrapping, and half eaten apple, she started to become restless, playing with the lid of her juice as she drank it. Taking a bite out of my sandwich, I looked across to Carter, who surprisingly was looking at me. Shrugging a shoulder at her, I washed down the remains of the cheese and tomato sandwich, preparing to take another bite out of the sandwich.
"Okay, Linole. Why don't you go play in the playing area?" Carter said, but even before she was finished, Linole was off with her drink, splashing out of the top onto the pavement. "But stay where we can see you!"
A wave of her arm in recognition and she was gone, swinging away on the swings without a care in the world, accept to how high she could get the swing to go. Cleaning up her mess, wrapping the crusts and the half eaten apple in the cellophane, while I ate, I kept a careful eye on Carter while she kept one on Linole. I guess I was able to answer my own question; life with Carter and Linole would've been the best thing, to ever happen to me. Going up there with Charlie, sharing first position on the best things I've ever done in my life.
"What are you staring at?" Carter said, bring me out of my thoughts, wiping at her cheeks and a round her mouth. "Have I got something on me?"
Shaking my head, I lifted up the flap of the bag, throwing Linole's rubbish inside. "No, I was just thinking. Sorry, I didn't mean to stare at you"
Drinking some of her coke, she screwed up her wrapper, soon following Linole's into the bag. "I had a really good time last night. Sorry, if I got a little melodramatic, I get that way now when I'm drunk"
"It's okay, you weren't too bad but I'm sure a single mom, says those things all the time when their drunk. I didn't take much notice of you"
She seemed disappointed for a moment, diverting her gaze back to where Linole was playing. "I wouldn't mind doing it again, if you were to ask you know?"
Stopping with my drinks bottle, hovering somewhere in front of my mouth, I watched her wondering if she was serious. Well, she was Carter after all and most of what Carter said was serious. Could've my ears deceived me, or did she just ask me to ask her out on a date? She does like to take hold of situations, make them work in her favour but so I, if I get the chance that is. And what exactly is stopping me now?
For seven years and a few months, I've been able to ask her out but never did, stupid in away because she's the only thing I can think of. Wondering if this mission, will the one, when I meet her in the graveyard, and that did nearly come true. Maybe its time I took hold of the situation, do what she asks of me and ask her out. It couldn't hurt, could it?
"Carter, d'ya wann…"
I stopped mid sentence when we heard the cry, her young pushing to call out to us, screaming her head off while she held her knee, tightly to her chest as she cried over it. Jumping off the bench, climbing over the next bench, I pushed my way through the crowd, managing to get to Linole before Carter, jumping over the three foot fence to get to her while Carter went through the gate.
Removing Linole's hands away from her knee, the bright red blood ooze out of the cut, streaming down her shin to her trainer socks. Searching through my pockets for a tissue or a hanky, anything that would mop up the blood on her knee. A tap on my shoulder and someone offered me their hanky, thanking them as quickly as I could while I cleaned up her cut for her. Carter was knelt down behind her, protectively holding onto her, whispering soothing words into her ear.
Tying the hanky round her knee, I scooped her up into my arms, excusing us through the crowd of children and parents, watching the incident come to an end. Thanking whoever held opened the gate, quickly taking her back to our bench, Carter jogged ahead of us, procuring a Mickey Mouse bandaid from the backpack. Setting her down on the table, I removed the hanky while Carter removed the wrapping on the bandaid. Wiping some of the remaining blood away, I held Linole's leg out for Carter to neatly place the bandaid on the cut, working out all the bumps with her thumbs.
Linole latched onto my arm, hugging with all her might while screwed up, the rubbish from the bandaid and the hanky, disposing them along with the rubbish from lunch in the nearest bin. Picking Linole up, I wiped away her tears with the back of my hand, reassuringly smiling at her as she towered over me.
"We better head home." Carter said, her arm naturally clinging onto my shoulder, wiping some of Linole's hair out of her face for her.
Not paying much attention, I let her coax me through the mingling people, too busy with Linole and enjoying her hand on my back. Honestly, I could really get used to this, playing dad again isn't so hard once you know how, and the other thing needs some real work doing to it. I wasn't much of one to Sara.
**************************************************************
Sitting at the dining room table, a game of patience half way through laid on the table, the spare cards sat in my hand, waiting to be deal out into three's. Linole hadn't said anything since she cut her knee, apart from a thank you for a bowl of ice cream and a please for some more, offering the bowl up like Oliver. I felt as if it was my fault, her tone of voice and the way she looked at me, drove me to the conclusion it was my fault. Keeping out of both of their ways, I found a pack of playing cards in one of the kitchen draws, which led to me sat in the dining room with the cards held in my hands.
I can see Linole on the couch in the living room, watching one of her cartoons that Carter put in for her, keeping her amused and distracted from the cut on her knee. Throwing the cards onto the table, messing up the neatly piled cards into one big mess. Leaning onto the table, my head held in my hand, I pushed one of the cards around in a circle; the floorboards creak in the direction of Carter's room. Quickly looking up towards her doorway, she came out carrying her laptop and a few files, leaving them on the table before going into the kitchen.
Clearing away the playing cards, I had the feeling Carter was about to take over the table, using up most of the horizontal space she could. A beer appeared in front of me, she sat down at the head of the table, booting up the laptop while she gulped down some of her beer. Picking at the label of the bottle, she spread the files out around her, glancing at the contents at each before assigning it a space on the table.
Peeling the corner away of the label, my attention caught by one of the aerial photos, laying on top of the other papers in its folder. Shifting slightly over, I got a better view of all the files, my curiosity getting the better of me. "Why don't you just take the folder? It'll save you the neck cramps"
Sipping the beer, I moved from the files back to the playing cards, spinning them round on the polished top. "I think after my appointment on Monday, I'll make a move back to my cabin. There's bound to be paperwork waiting for me"
"Oh…" She closed the top slightly on the laptop. "I thought…"
"Thought what?" I said, watching the pack of cards spin, off the side of the table, hitting the floor with a thud.
"Maybe you'd want to spend sometime with… us"
Staring at the playing cards, I waited for them to pick themselves up and get back onto the table. "I think I've burdened you for long enough. I'm sure you and Linole, need to used to it being just you two again, instead of her always coming to me"
"But…"
"Carter, I'm not really needed here anymore" I said, cursing the pack as it refused to get back on the table. "I've got my life and you two have yours. So, after my appointment Monday morning, I'll start back to Minnesota"
Scrapping the chair along the floor as I got up, I left her there and went to my bedroom, downing most of the beer before I got to my door. I didn't look back, shutting the door firmly behind me. I should've left after my first appointment, getting out of this place with memories and with feelings. Hopefully on home turf, when they come to stay for while, it won't be so hard.
A relationship with Carter is more than I deserve, the precious days I've spent in her company have been enough to tell me, the sparkish between us is still there. But I don't think I'd be able to take this on a daily basis, every time she was hurt and getting this treatment from her, it used to kill me when Charlie did it to me.
I'm so glad now that she didn't get hurt when she was in my care, I don't know what I would've done then. She is Carter's daughter after all; I'm just another father figure like Teal'c and Daniel. Father figure, can it so wrong that I want to be her father?
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To Be Continued
Story Notes: What Should Have Been - Website: http://www.geocities.com/katmellie17/index.html
Email: Katmellie@AOL.com (Katmellie17@Yahoo.co.uk)
Email: Katmellie@AOL.com (Katmellie17@Yahoo.co.uk)
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]