Major Samantha Carter sighed. It was just one of those days that seemed to go on and on forever. She glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed again. The room was quiet, just as it had been all day. Sam looked at her notebook sitting on the table. Now she had the chance to finish the book about wormhole physics she had started after they got those armbands from the Tok'ra. But she just didn't feel like writing. Hell, this was boring. Sam cursed. Why? Why on earth - or rather P35J87 - was this happening to her? They had come back from that stupid planet yesterday morning and since then she had been locked up in this room. Apparently they had brought a souvenir back through the gate. A virus. Teal'c wasn't infected and neither
was Sam - thanks to Jolinar. But Janet had put her in quarantine anyway. Just to be on the save side. Sam got up and started pacing. But instead of calming her down it made her even more restless. So she sat down again. She wasn't used to being alone for such a long time anymore and she wasn't used to doing nothing. Life had been one long working day ever since she joined the SGC. She needed something to do, something to occupy her until all this was over. She glanced at the remote on the table.
Watch TV. Yeah, that was what normal people do, when they have nothing better to do.
So she picked up the remote and hit a random number. The screen lit up and Sam rolled her eyes. Commercials, great. Frustrated she reached into her pocket and grabbed the candy-bar she had been able to sneak into her prison.
The screen went black for a second. Then a girl appeared. She ran through a dark forest, fleeing from an invisible attacker. The leaves in front of her started to rise and spin in the air. There was a bright light and the girl screamed as some unseen force lifted her from the ground. Sam leaned forward. Wow, cool, she thought, taking another bite from her candy-bar.
The screen went black and Sam was presented with the name of the show that had just started. "The X-Files", Sam read. "What kind of a name is that for a show?", she mumbled, but stayed tuned anyway. Some time later Sam was glad she had. This was a cool show. The female FBI-Agent - Scully - had just discovered some disturbing marks on her back and rushed to the motel room of her new partner - Mulder - played by a very handsome guy who's name she couldn't quite remember. It was Doggett or Duff or something. Something with a capital D anyway.
Mulder answered the door and looked surprised at his new partner. Scully wore a bathrobe and the only light in the room came from a small candle that Mulder held in his hands. Sam leaned forward. There was something. She couldn't quite put it into words yet. It was odd. Those two didn't really know each other, since this was their first case together. In fact, they were still strangers, but still. There was a kind of trust between them. Or was it more than trust? Was it.?
"Wow", Sam whispered.
Scully had dropped her robe and Mulder was examining her back. When he touched her, Sam felt goosebumps creeping up her arms. Mulder smiled and told Scully that those marks were just mosquito bites. Her face lit up with relief and she hugged him.
"Yup, definitely more than trust", Sam grinned and let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding. There had been enough sexual energy in the air to power a small town. The energy was released in that simple hug and the moment was over. But still. Sam thought that she had just witnessed a glimpse of the future. Of a passion yet to be found. Of a connection yet to made. Of a love that would be stronger than any opponent those two were going be to faced with as the show progressed.
That is, if the writers didn't mess it up, Sam thought. But why would they? The chemistry between those two was great. They just had to be meant for each other.
But that, Sam had to remind herself, that sometimes just wasn't enough. That she knew all to well. The by now familiar feeling of regret, loneliness and sadness swept over her and Sam shook her head. This was real life - and that was just a TV-show she was watching. The chances of Mulder and Scully ending up together were definitely greater than her own chances at finding happiness. She wanted those two to have their happy ending. Sam didn't know why, she had never much cared for TV-shows really - well maybe except for MacGyver, that is - but this show intrigued her. Not so much the story about the alien abduction, it was those two people she found interesting. She wanted them to have their happy ending, maybe because she knew that she could never have her own.
A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts. "Major Carter? Dr. Fraiser wants to see you."
Damn, Sam thought and glanced at the TV. Sighing she switched it off, shrugging off the weird thoughts that had floated through her mind.
"What are ya watchin?" Sam looked up to find Colonel Jack O'Neill standing next to the couch. He smiled and his eyes showed amusement. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and he leaned against the wall. Sam returned the smile.
"Oh, it's just a TV-show called the X-Files."
"What's it about?"
"Aliens and government conspiracies."
"Far out" Jack said and sat down next to Sam.
"You know of course that there are no such things as government conspiracies or aliens, right?" Jack said jokingly.
Sam laughed.
"So what do their aliens look like?" Jack asked. Sam shook her head.
"Well, there are the ones who can shapeshift."
"Yup, know those guys."
"And they have green blood that can kill humans."
"Okay, THAT I never heard before."
"And then there are the ones that look like the Asgard."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Really? That is strange."
"Yeah, sort of."
"No snake-heads?"
"No."
"Ah, too bad."
"Actually it's a good show." Sam replied and Jack frowned again. He looked at her questioningly. "Sounds like your really like it. How many episodes have you seen yet?"
Sam looked away, this was kind of embarrassing, even though she didn't know why. There were certainly more embarrassing things to do in your spare time than watching TV.
"Well?" Jack asked again.
"I've seen most of the episodes up to season 4, now I am watching season 5."
Thank god for re-runs, Sam thought quietly and looked at the TV. Mulder and Scully were lost in a forest, where some invisible creature had been attacking people. Suddenly Mulder fell and Scully started running to his position, screaming his name. When she found him, his shoulder was bleeding and he was in shock. The thing had attacked him. "That must have hurt", said Jack dryly.
It was dark now and Scully tried to make fire with one of the bullets from her gun. "Maybe I get it to ignite."
"And maybe it starts raining marshmellows", Mulder mumbled.
"Do I detect a hint of negativity?"
"No... yes, actually."
She looked at him. A long concerned look. "Mulder, you need to get warm, your body is still in shock."
Mulder smiled. "I was told once that the best way to regenerate body heat is to crawl naked into a sleeping bag with somebody else who is already naked."
"Maybe if it rains sleeping bags you'll get lucky."
Sam smiled at that. God, those two were really meant for each other. That reminded her of the man sitting next to her and she shot Jack a look. For a second their eyes met and Sam knew he was thinking the same thing she was: That conversation, that was something they could have said, too.Jack cleared his throat. "So, what's going on between those two?"
"Nothing, they are just friends."
"Yeah, right", Jack snorted. On the screen Scully had just taken Mulder into her arms. Sam pointed at the screen. "They are both FBI-agents and he is her partner. So."
"..so, they aren't allowed, huh?" Jack looked at Sam for a long time, pain showing in his eyes. When he turned his attention back to the screen he whispered. "THAT sounds familiar."
Sam closed her eyes for a second. Yeah, that sounded awfully familiar. Too familiar, actually. They sat in silence for the rest of the episode, each one lost in his own thoughts and yet united by them.
***********************
From that evening on both Sam and Jack made it a habit to watch the show together whenever possible. Sometimes they'd joke around about the strange aliens on the show. Sometimes they were discussing the conspiracy and Jack was very pleased that Sam didn't seem to be able to make sense of it all either. "Well, there you go", Jack said. "This is a puzzle even you cannot solve."
He grinned at Sam's annoyed expression and she shook her head. "I just don't see how the killer bees fit into all this."
"Killer bees?" Jack and Sam turned to see Janet standing in the door, an amused expression on her face. "Well, that's a tough one, Cassie wasn't able to figure that one out either."
Jack blinked. "She's watching this, too?"
"Sometimes she does. But I'd never figure you two would be interested in a TV-show."
"The cases are interesting." Sam and Jack answered both at the same time. Janet grinned and looked at the screen. Scully had just saved Mulder from the hands of the cigarette smoking man and they were discussing what had happened. "Even though my world was upside down there was one thing that remained the same. You were my friend and you told me the truth" Mulder said as he touched Scully's face.
Janet smiled and winked at Sam and Jack. "Oh yeah, right, it's all about the cases."
With that she left. Sam and Jack didn't even realize it, they were both concentrating on the events on the screen. Scully had tears in her eyes, when she heard Mulder whisper:
"You are my constant, my touchstone."
"And you are mine."
Sam swallowed hard. That was so sweet and so sad at the same time. They were more than just friends or lovers, they were soulmates. The admission they had just made proved that. He didn't have to say I love you. What he just said was so much more than those three words could ever be. But still they didn't cross the line. She kisses his forehead, smiled at him . . . and left. The scene was over and suddenly Sam realized something. Without knowing it, she had rested her head on Jack's shoulder. And now his arms were wrapped around her, holding her close, while he was still looking at the screen. Long after the credits were over, Jack let go of her and switched off the TV. Neither of them spoke a word. Sam got up and they met at the door. Jack looked at her, his eyes dark and thoughtful.
"What?", she asked.
"Just been thinking. Truer words were never spoken."
Sam's heart jumped. She looked at him, loosing herself in the depth of his eyes, his heart, his soul. Jack moved closer and for a second Sam was sure that this was gonna be the moment she had been dreading and hoping for since the first time she had laid eyes on Jack O'Neill. He leaned in to her, but then he lifted his head, kissed her forehead.and left.
****************************************
Jack glanced at his watch and hurried down the corridor. He was late for his TV-hour with Sam and he hated it. This was the last episode of season 7 and he sure as hell didn't want to miss it. When he rushed into the room the TV was already switched on. Sam looked up.
"You're late, Sir."
"Yeah, sorry, Hammond just wouldn't stop talking and I just couldn't bring myself to tell him that I had to leave, because I wanted to watch TV."
Sam giggled. "Why didn't you? I bet he would have understood."
"Yeah, sure", Jack replied, sitting down next to Sam. "So what did I miss?"
"Not much yet. They are back where they started. In Oregon."
"Ah."
"You know, when this episode is over we have to wait a long time for the next one."
"Yeah, I know."
Jack had come to really like the show, but what he liked most about it, was spending so much time with Sam. Well for now that was their last TV-hour together, at least until season 8 started. As usual time went by fast. Course it does, when you're having fun, Jack thought and looked at Sam. She was watching intently.
"What?" Jack asked.
"Déjà vu", Sam mumbled as she watched Mulder open the door of his motel room. Scully was standing outside, looking really miserable. Mulder let her in and she crawled into his bed, shivering and pale. "I just want to get warm", she said. Mulder lay down beside her and wrapped his arm around her. Sam had a bad feeling about this and moved closer to Jack. Mulder and Scully started talking. About the things she had lost, about the things that were important, about their quest for the truth.
"I want you to go home, Scully."
Sam shook her head in disbelieve. "She's gonna lose him." She whispered.
"Nay", replied Jack reassuringly. "They'll be fine, you'll see. Don't worry."
"Yes, she is. She's gonna lose him."
Jack was quiet, as he looked at Sam. He liked the show and those two were really a great couple, but ultimately it was just a TV-show. So why was Sam so upset about it? It wasn't like this had anything to do with real life, right? In real life people weren't abducted by aliens, well, okay, most of the time they weren't.
Jack continued to look at Sam, while Mulder talked to Scully."Maybe they are right but for the wrong reasons. Maybe it's the personal costs that are too high."
Jack winced. Those words touched something in him. He looked at Sam. The personal costs. Like not being allowed to touch her right now, to take her into his arms and hold her. He so much wanted to do that. He looked back at the screen, where Scully was taking Mulder's hand, tears streaming down her face.
She was going to lose him. Sam knew it. She cursed herself for caring so much about a character on a stupid TV-show. Somehow she had thought that those two were really going to make it, that they would live happily ever after. That they would have all that she never could have. But now things looked bleak. He was going to go out into the woods and disappear, never to be seen again. On a rational level Sam knew that the reason for that was simply that Duffy or Dutch or whatever his name was, didn't want stay on the show, but deep down inside Sam felt angry. That wasn't fair. After all they had been through, after all they had lost, fate should have rewarded them with at least a little time of happiness. But that's not how it works, you know that, she told herself.
So Mulder was taken and Scully was left behind. Alone. Completely alone. Sam had to fight back tears and kept staring at the screen. Over. All over. She felt Jack's hand touching her shoulder.
"Hey."
"What?"
"You okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Yeah, right."
"Really."
"Sam."
"It's just," Sam got up and started pacing. "It's just not fair, after all they have been through and now this."
"It's just a TV-show, Sam."
"That's exactly the point. I mean, if they can't work it out there, how should one ever be able to work things out in the real world?"
So that was what this was all about. Jack knew how she felt - and what she implied. The same thought had crossed his mind the moment the episode was over.
"We will work things out." He said quietly.
Sam stopped in her tracks and looked at him. Jack got up and scratched his head. "I mean, he's gone, because the actor wanted to leave. It's not like my contract is gonna run out in a couple of weeks or something."
Sam smiled and felt a warm wave of affection wash over her sad heart. He tried to comfort her and she was thankful for it. Jack took a step closer and laid his hands on her shoulders.
"It's just a TV-show."
"But some things about it are pretty close to reality, don't you think?"
"Of course they are. That's art imitating life - or something to that effect."
Sam smiled. "Thanks."
Jack grinned and stuffed his hands in his pockets."Anytime."
When he got to the door he turned around. "Tell you what: Wait for season 8, who knows, maybe we'll get our happy ending after all."
Sam smiled as she watched him head down the corridor. Yeah, maybe we will, Jack.
********************
"Janet, I really have to go now." Sam said. Janet frowned.
"You're in hurry, what's up?"
Sam grinned. "Last episode of the X-Files."
Janet sighed. "You still watching that show?"
"Yup."
"But it doesn't start for another hour, Sam."
"Yeah, I know, but I won't watch it here. You know, I really wanna see how this one turns out, and not be disturbed by any, say overprotective doctor wanting to run some more blood tests."
Janet laughed. "Okay, okay, I get it. Run along, we're finished here."
Sam smiled and ran. Janet shook her head. "Yeah, I wanna know too, how this one plays out."
"So, you're ready for the big finale?" Sam handed Jack a beer and sat down beside him. Jack grinned and nodded.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
Sam laughed, but she was a little nervous, too. Whenever they talked about the show it seemed as if they were talking about themselves as well. Or maybe it was just her imagining things. During the first rounds of commercials Jack stretched and looked absently to the ceiling.
"What is it?"
"Ah, just been thinking. That whole truth thing they have been looking for."
"Yeah."
"Well, what if they already found it and just didn't know?"
"Sir?"
"Come on, Carter, you're supposed to be smarter than I am, so I know, you know what I am getting at."
Sam smiled. "Yeah, I suppose. But maybe they just couldn't admit the truth, I mean."
".. giving their working relationship and stuff?"
Sam blinked. Now where had she heard that phrase before? There it was again. They were talking about a couple on TV but they were really talking about themselves.Jack sighed.
"But if I had been through all the things this guy has been through, I'd ." Jack drifted off, shaking his head. He leaned back and waited for the commercial break to end.They watched in silence. The aliens were after Scully. Mulder was looking for her. She had the child. He found her. The next scene was set in Scully's apartment and Sam knew they were getting closer to the end. Jack knew it too and his arm came up around Sam's shoulder.
Mulder and Scully were standing there, holding their child, smiling at each other. Content with themselves and the rest of the world, it seemed. "I feared the truth, and I know you feared it too", Scully said.
Mulder replied: "I think what we feared were the possibilities, the truth we both know."
Scully looked at him with fear and hope in her eyes.
"Which is what?" she whispered. Instead of
giving her an answer Mulder kissed her. The scene faded to black.
Jack and Sam sat in silence, neither one moving or saying a word for at least five minutes. Then Jack pulled back his arm and smiled. "So, told you we'd have a happy ending."
"They had", Sam corrected him. Jack shrugged and softly touched her cheek. "If they can work that out on TV, don't you think one should be able to work things out in real life?"
Sam smiled at his words and rested her head against his hand for a few seconds. Then she drew away, still looking at him with an intensity that almost scared him. She seemed to give his words some thought, then finally nodded.
"Maybe one day. You know what they say.."
"What?"
"The truth is out there."
Jack smiled:" Oh yes, it is."
The end
Story Notes: SPOILERS: hm, minor ones for season 4 SG1, major ones for season 8 X-Files
SEASON: future story
AUTHORS NOTE: Just say the X-Files eppy "trust no one" and got nostalgic for a moment. I've been a Scully/Mulder-Shipper from the beginning, but - sorry to say this - Sam and Jack are just more fun to write for. Anyway I'm just paying tribute here to the show that made me a shipper in the first place. Huge thanks to my beta-readers, thanks guys!
SEASON: future story
AUTHORS NOTE: Just say the X-Files eppy "trust no one" and got nostalgic for a moment. I've been a Scully/Mulder-Shipper from the beginning, but - sorry to say this - Sam and Jack are just more fun to write for. Anyway I'm just paying tribute here to the show that made me a shipper in the first place. Huge thanks to my beta-readers, thanks guys!
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 ]