Sam's Worst Nightmare By Dragonland
She ran; sobbing to her rental car. Fumbling with her keys, she was finally able to open the door and sped off towards the airport. She looked in her rearview mirror. To her relief, no one was following her.
"Ma'am?" a voice said, bringing her back to the present. "Your ticket says you're not due back to Colorado Springs for three days."
"Yes. I would like to fly back tonight if possible."
"Okay…" she paused, checking available flights, "We have a flight that will layover in Salt Lake City that is scheduled to leave in 45 minutes.
"That'd be wonderful. Thank you so much."
"Can I get you anything else?"
"No. That'll be all. Do I need to make up the difference?"
"No. Enjoy your flight," the ticket attendant said cheerfully.
"Thank you."
She took her boarding information and found her way through the terminal. It was around three AM, and her exhaustion was catching up with her. Just four and a half hours ago, her heart was shattered into a million pieces. She found herself a coffee stand and bought herself a cup. Her cell phone vibrated and by force of habit, she picked it up. The caller ID read a number that was all too familiar.
"Colonel Carter," she answered.
"Uh, hi Sam. I'm sorry to interrupt you on your vacation. But we need you back here. It's kind of serious," Daniel said.
"At least I'll be useful back home," she replied sadly.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
"Things didn't go exactly to plan," she said choking on her words.
"Sam? Are you alright?" he said with alarm in his voice.
She cleared her throat and tried to talk again. "I'm fine. My flight leaves in about thirty minutes. I'll call you when I land. You'll pick me up?"
"Of course. Can I bring you anything?"
"No."
"Okay, I'll wait for your call. Take care."
"Bye Daniel."
She turned off her cell phone to avoid contact from anybody. Her plane ride went without event. She arrived home at 8:45 AM, barely awake to function. It wasn't the fatigue of staying awake. She'd been awake for over three days working on her projects or missions off-world. This fatigue was due to heartache. Gathering her small amount of luggage, she called Daniel.
"It's me. I'll wait outside for you," she said.
"I'm taking the truck. Jack left it for me to use. I'm about five minutes away," Daniel replied.
"Bye."
A cold breeze washed over her as she stood outside waiting for Jack's monstrosity called a truck. "Jack," she thought bitterly," Is in his warm apartment wrapped in the arms off-" she bit down hard on her bottom lip to stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks. As she looked up, she heard the familiar roar of his truck. Both Daniel and Teal'c were there to greet her. Daniel bounded out of the truck in his bubbly way, but stopped in his tracks when he saw the sheer look of sadness that radiated on her face. Without a second thought, he wrapped her in his arms.
"Who has upset you?" Teal'c asked stoically.
She stepped back from Daniel's embrace and picked up her luggage. "I'd rather not talk about it here," she said wiping away excess tears.
They both nodded and helped her get into the truck.
"Teal'c, you drive. I hate driving this earth destroyer. I won't tell Jack if you won't," Daniel said.
"This plan is deceitful. I believe that O'Neill would be pleased with my rebellious decision, even with his vehicle. Daniel Jackson, the keys."
Daniel smiled brightly and tossed him the keys. "Where to? Home?" he asked.
"No. Take me to the SGC," she replied softly.
Daniel found her request odd. She had been sleeping at Jack's old place since he moved to DC. She had transformed his bachelor's pad to a home fit for a family, which he figured they'd be starting soon.
"Hmm," he said aloud. "So, do you want to talk now?" Daniel asked.
Trust Daniel to want to have a heart to heart immediately, she thought sarcastically. "Not really," she replied.
"Okay, we don't have to talk now. Later then?" he asked.
"Let me gather my thoughts. Maybe when I get to my lab, I can make myself disappear," she said cynically.
"Now you're a magician? Your talents seem to broaden daily," he responded sarcastically.
She ignored his comment and continued. "Why did you call me back home? Is there really a problem?"
"Oh, that. Actually that was Jack's idea. He called me a few hours after you'd left to see him. He wanted to talk to you before you saw him. I think he was planning on flying home this weekend. He said something about a surprise," he said with a wink.
"That son of a bitch!" she exclaimed.
Daniel was taken aback. "Sam, what the hell is going on?"
"I went to his apartment, it was pretty late. I heard noises. I knew what was happening. I looked in," her voice cracked, "to find the man that I thought loved me on top of some brown-haired woman... Well, needless to say, he was having sex with someone. I guess I am not good enough. I always knew that he couldn't be happy with me. I wasn't good enough. I'll never be good enough," she cried out sadly.
"Stop it," he chided gently. "You're better than what he deserves. He's a stupid man. I'm sorry," he said attempting to console her.
"Why? Why would he do this? I thought he loved me," she said softly.
"I will crush him," Teal'c declared.
"Don't waste your time. He lives in DC now. He doesn't even have a reason to come back… home," she sighed bitterly.
"I-do you need a place to stay?" Daniel offered lamely.
She smiled weakly at his proposition. "No thanks, Daniel. Thank you for the offer. I'd feel more at home at the SGC."
They arrived at the SGC in silence. Sam mindlessly wandered to her lab and locked herself inside. The boys had plans of their own.
"I can't believe him! He used us to cover up his tracks. We have to make him pay for that!" Daniel exclaimed.
"Indeed. His flight lands tomorrow evening, does it not?" he said.
"I think at eight. What should we do?"
"I have been developing a plan since Colonel Carter told us of O'Neill's infidelity. This plan will easily avenge our friend, but it won't alleviate her pain."
"What is exactly is the plan?" Daniel said, pulling him into his office.
Sam emerged herself into an experiment that was placed on the back burner when she started her relationship with Jack. Choking back tears, she started fiddling with the alien object. "That's fine," she thought to herself. "All of my romantic relationships never go anywhere anyway. Why would they? I'm a hard-ass Colonel in the Air Force. Most of my feminine qualities are gone. At least I have my lab and experiments. I'm destined to be an old mad scientist." She shook the thoughts of regret, self-sabotage and pure sadness away in the back of her head to get back to what was important. The SGC needed her brain, needed her for what she was good for. Science and pulling ideas out of her butt… head to save the world.
"Colonel, I didn't expect you back for a couple days," General Landry said, stepping into her lab.
"General. Yes, my plans have changed slightly. You don't mind if I stay?"
"No, but it's late. You look like hell. Go to sleep for a few hours and you can get back to your toys."
"Thank you, Sir."
"Now, go. I'll wait to make sure you follow orders."
"I always do."
"So I hear," he replied.
She awoke to find a body lying next to hers. She immediately tensed, and slipped out of his arms. He was shirtless, wearing only his boxers and his hair stuck up in every direction. He looked relaxed. If she wasn't so angry with him, he might have even looked endearing.
"What are you doing here, Sir?" she asked tersely.
"Huh?" he murmured. "I talked to Hank. He said that you were in no position to work and confined you to your quarters. I thought that I'd find you at home.
"I don't feel comfortable with you in here, Sir. If you'll excuse me, I'll let myself out."
"No!" he exclaimed. "You can't leave! What is going on with you?"
"Is that an order, General?" she responded acidly.
"No," he said, deflated.
"Thank you, Sir," she said and left the room.
He scrubbed his hands over his face, and decided it was best to investigate what made his Sam respond so coldly to him. With Sam's elevated status, her quarters offered a shower that she didn't have to share with anyone. He took advantage of it and put on a well-worn pair of BDU's. It only had one star on it. Before Sam's emotional explosion, he was going to ask if she'd design a holographic second star for his uniform. That was obviously out of the question now. What would make her so mad, that she would storm out of her quarters? He thought she would be happy to see him.
It had been months since they had seen each other. He wanted her more during that short amount of time than he thought humanly possible. Two months ago, he had given her a key to his Washington apartment, as well as the deed to his house in Colorado. If they were going to get married, they were going to need a home for them to feel comfortable in. What had he done in the past few months that could make her react in such a ridiculous way?
His first stop was an obvious one. Daniel was a source of comfort for all of the team. He seemed to have a very special aura about him that bred logic and compassion. It may have been because he'd ascended a couple of times, or that was just who he was. He knocked on his office door, but let himself in.
"Danny, I've got a bit of a problem. Have you seen Carter around this morning?"
"What the hell do you want?" he spat.
Jack was taken aback. He physically moved a couple steps back, surprised at the venom in Daniel's voice.
"Whoa. Thanks for the welcome back. Is there some alien virus going around that I wasn't informed about?"
"You're more of a bastard than I expected."
"Can you tell me what is putting everyone in such a bad mood? Jeez, you're worse than Carter was this morning."
"Did you touch her? I swear if you did anything else to hurt her," he said, jumping out of his chair.
"I don't see why that'd be any of your damn business, Dr. Jackson!" he said, his voice rising.
"Is there a problem in here, Gentleman?" General Landry's voice said, booming over the top of the two of them.
"General O'Neill was just leaving," Daniel said angrily.
"See to it, that if you're having a personal discussion, that you shut your office door. General, I'd like to see you in my office. Daniel, if you have any more issues, I would appreciate it if you'd contact security, rather than having a shouting match. Understood?"
"Yes, Sir," he responded respectfully.
"Let's go, Jack."
As soon as the two of them left, he picked up the phone.
"Teal'c?" he said, "It's time for plan B."
TE
Story Notes: Email: dragon_land1079@yahoo.com
Warning: MAJOR AGNST! Although, it may be resolved…
Spoilers: Season 8-mid 9 for military status
Archive: SJD, fanfiction.net, heliopolis, SJFIC, and anywhere else, but please ask!
Author's Notes: Thanks for WMP, for the great music that kept me grooving, and all the great authors I continue to read, and inspired me to write again. Also, Feedback is greatly appreciated!
Warning: MAJOR AGNST! Although, it may be resolved…
Spoilers: Season 8-mid 9 for military status
Archive: SJD, fanfiction.net, heliopolis, SJFIC, and anywhere else, but please ask!
Author's Notes: Thanks for WMP, for the great music that kept me grooving, and all the great authors I continue to read, and inspired me to write again. Also, Feedback is greatly appreciated!
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 ]