Major General Jack O'Neill was pacing Major General Hank Landry's office at the Stargate Command.
"Relax, Jack!" Landry said to O'Neill for the third time and put a comforting hand on the other man's shoulder. "Sit, please. I'm sure they're fine. SG-1 has been delayed before."
"But it's been over 50 hours since they were due back, Hank! They should have at least reported what's keeping them!" Jack answered with an angry and worried voice but sat down nevertheless.
"Jack, you of all people should know that's not always possible." Landry sighed. "I've told you the last M.A.L.P. we sent through showed nothing but rain and more rain, and the readouts indicated severe storms in the area where the Stargate is located. Hopefully, they're just sheltering from the rain somewhere and will come home as soon as they can. We tried to make contact through the M.A.L.P. but the thunder is interfering with our communication equipment. I admit I'm worried too, but there's nothing more we can do right now. We have to wait for the storm to pass."
"But." Jack tried to argue back but was interrupted by the base speakers.
"Incoming wormhole! Unscheduled off-world activation!"
Both men bolted from their chairs and ran down the stairs to the control room.
"Receiving signal" said the airman on duty. "It's SG-1."
"Open the iris!" Landry said and glanced at his anxious comrade hovering next to him. "Let's go down to greet them. I'm sure they'll be glad to see you, Jack."
~~~~~
In the gateroom the Generals were greeted by a big splash of water followed by Daniel, Teal'c and Cameron, all falling through headfirst crashing onto the ramp as they shivered and gasped for air.
Just when General Landry was about to ask where the fourth member of their team was, the shimmering blue surface rippled again and Sam came flying through the gate and landed on top of her teammates which were still sprawled on the ramp. She brought with her another resounding splash of water and was soaked to the skin like her companions.
"Ouch, Sam, watch where you land!" Daniel groaned and tried to get up from underneath her.
"Sorry, guys." She said her teeth chattering after gasping for precious air and coughing water up her lungs.
Meanwhile both of the Generals had moved closer to inspect the wet team, and after coming to the conclusion there was nothing seriously wrong with them, their worried expressions were starting to turn into amused ones.
"The planet was a bit wet I take it?" O'Neill quipped with a grin and four heads snapped up and turned his way with surprised looks.
"Jack, hey!" Daniel exclaimed smiling and pushed his glasses up his nose while scrambling up.
"O'Neill, it is good to see you." Teal'c said bowing is head in typical fashion to him. "And in answer to your question, the planet was, indeed, very wet."
"Yeah, I'll say!" Cameron chimed in. "Though it wasn't when we got there. The storm hit out of nowhere! Flooded the valley and the Stargate was submerged. We had to dive to get out of there. The gate was already 10 meters under water!"
Jack's gaze moved on to the bedraggled form of Sam and his grin widened.
"Hi, Sir!" was all Sam said when her eyes locked with O'Neill's but the beaming smile she gave him told him she was happy to see him too.
"Are you all okay?" Jack asked his eyes staying on Sam.
"Aside from being wet, cold, and slightly hypothermic, we're fine." Daniel answered and wrapped his arms around himself to stop the shivers.
Jack's eyes scanned Sam's body and returned to her face. With a slight lift of his eyebrows he asked her to confirm what Daniel had said. She just shrugged and nodded. "Just a couple of cuts and bruises, we'll survive, Sir." she said with a smile.
"Good." Jack said returning her smile and finally tearing his eyes off her.
"Well, I'm glad you're back safely SG-1. You had us worried." General Landry spoke up for the first time. "But, you're making a puddle in my gateroom room, so why don't you go get a warm shower and some dry clothes on and have yourselves checked out by the infirmary, and we'll debrief in two hours. Since General O'Neill is visiting us I'm sure he'd like to join the briefing and hear more about your trip."
"Yes, Sir." all of SG-1 chorused with chattering teeth and with a wave to Jack stomped out of the gate room leaving a trail of water behind them.
"We'll have the group hug later, when you're less wet!" O'Neill yelled after them earning a giggle and a look back from Sam, and an amused chuckle and a shake of the head from Landry.
"Come on, Jack! Let's go have a cup of coffee in the commissary while we wait." Hank said and started wandering off. "I hear there might be cake too!" he added and Jack quickly turned to follow him.
~~~~~
When the Generals returned two hours later, SG-1 was already seated around the briefing room table looking much warmer and dryer than before. Landry took the seat at the end of the table and Jack took the empty seat next to Daniel, opposite of Sam.
The debriefing went as they usually do. Cameron told about the mission in general, Daniel spoke about the culture and Sam about the science stuff. Jack appeared to be concentrating on whoever was talking, but was actually focused on other matters entirely. The team being over 50 hours delayed had really worried him. Normally he would be notified of all SGC related things daily to his office in Washington, but this time he'd had the opportunity to do the worrying in Colorado thanks to some business he needed to take care of with Landry.
The debriefing and Daniel's speech was only background noise for Jack's wandering thoughts. Since, for once, he wasn't the centre of attention, and it wasn't his debriefing, he could allow himself to not pay full attention and focus on something, or mainly someone else. Sam. She was the one person who could hold his attention even without trying or meaning to.
Over the years of working together they had learned to read each other like no one else had. In the field she could understand his silent orders with just one look or gesture and he had learned to read her feelings and emotions behind her soldier's mask. She was more than a Captain, Major, or a Colonel, and she was more than a theoretical astrophysicist too. Underneath all her layers she was just Sam. Sam the woman who only few people she worked with got to see and know. It wasn't often that she let her feminine side show in the military world she lived in, but almost every time she did, Jack was there to see it. She had learned to trust him and knew he wouldn't think any less of her just because she was a woman.
Sam had learned many things about Jack too. It was almost scary how easily she had managed to crack his hard shell and saw the man underneath it; the man who had suffered so, the man who cared so much. There was a gentle side in him; the part that loved children and dogs, and the act of fishing. The part that fiercely wanted to protect the people around him and the planet he called home. All of it was shielded by a wall so high hardly anyone had been able to reach it, but Sam had. She had seen the pain and heartache in his eyes and she saw beyond the sarcasm and dumb-act. She knew that behind his jokes lay a wise and loving man; a man who cared more than he should.
Jack was jolted from his musings by a light nudge of his leg underneath the table. He blinked and let his eyes focus on the blue ones across the table. She was staring at him with gentle, concerned eyes that spoke volumes. It was weird how Jack always felt they spoke so much with just one look or a fleeting touch. He often didn't understand her science talk but when she was silent and said nothing at all, that's when he felt he understood her the most. And now her eyes were asking him if he was okay since he had probably looked serious and far away.
He let a small smile appear and leaned his foot against hers while keeping her eyes captured by his. He had missed her and the team a lot. Their mission had lasted several weeks and even more since they were overdue. Now he was just so glad they were all back safe and sound. Her smile lifted the heavy weight of worry from his heart and instead wrapped his soul with feelings of happiness and contentment. She was like a lit candle in a dark cold room. She could bring light and warmth to his life. No matter what, he knew he could always count on her to be there for him.
"Okay, people. I want your reports by the end of the week. Dismissed." Landry's voice concluded the meeting and Jack had to break eye contact with Sam when she stood up. Jack was about to follow her out when the other General called after him "Jack, could I see you for a minute?" and he was forced to follow Hank into his office and let Sam go to wherever she was going.
~~~~~
Twenty minutes later Jack was leaning on the door frame of Sam's lab and watching her work on some alien device. For a moment he just observed her, unwilling to disturb her concentration, but soon she sensed his presence and turned to face him with a smile already forming on her lips.
"Hey" she said softly while moving towards him.
"Hey yourself" he replied and bridged the gap between them pulling her into a tight embrace. "God, I missed you!" he whispered into her hair.
"I missed you too. I thought the mission would never end." She spoke into his shoulder while squeezing him hard to her body. "I'm sorry I scared you for being overdue."
"It's okay, it wasn't your fault. The most important thing now is that you're back where you belong." He answered and held her tight for a moment longer before pulling back a bit so he could see her face again.
"Don't worry. I'm home now and I won't be going anywhere for a while." She whispered and smiled up at him framing his face with her hands and letting her fingers slide in his short hair.
Jack felt like a whole conversation passed between them in the instant when their eyes met and held. Jack was sure she was somehow speaking straight to his heart, but if someone would ask him what was being said, he could never explain it.
Sam would probably know and use some scientific term to describe them, but the only thing he could think of was magnets. They were being pulled together like magnets and there was no use resisting the pull. And he didn't want to resist it, he wanted to assist.
He cupped her face in his palm and bent his head closer all the while maintaining the eye contact. "I love you" he whispered just before his lips touched hers "Don't ever forget that."
For a couple of minutes there was total silence in Sam's lab.
The sound of footsteps from the hallway made Jack reluctantly pull away. He was trying to take a step back but Sam held him where he was and wrapped her arms around him holding him close and pressing her face against his chest inhaling the scent of him.
The footsteps stopped outside her lab door and someone cleared their throat.
"Sorry to interrupt but, Colonel O'Neill, you are needed in the control room."
"I'll be right there airman" Jack answered without turning his head from Sam.
"Umm, Jack" Sam laughed lifting her head and placing a quick kiss on his lips. "He means me!"
The End
Story Notes: Email: sunstar04@lycos.com
Spoilers: Nothing big. General season 9 stuff
Content warning: None
Season: 9-10
AN: Just a little something I wrote in one day. This fic was inspired by a song but is not a song fic. The lyrics are sorta used in this fic though. Ten points to who ever knows what the song is! ;) hehe
Big thanks to my beta reader for checking this! (And 10 points for knowing the song! ;) heh)
Feedback is welcome and hoped (begged) for but please be gentle.
Archive: SJD yes, my site, fanfiction.net
Copyright (c) 2006 Sunstar
Spoilers: Nothing big. General season 9 stuff
Content warning: None
Season: 9-10
AN: Just a little something I wrote in one day. This fic was inspired by a song but is not a song fic. The lyrics are sorta used in this fic though. Ten points to who ever knows what the song is! ;) hehe
Big thanks to my beta reader for checking this! (And 10 points for knowing the song! ;) heh)
Feedback is welcome and hoped (begged) for but please be gentle.
Archive: SJD yes, my site, fanfiction.net
Copyright (c) 2006 Sunstar
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 ]