It was like ... it was like when he was sixteen and had just received his license to drive in Minnesota. The calendar said it was spring and the highways were clear of snow. But being sixteen Jack forgot that while snow melted on the asphalt in the light of day, come the night it would freeze into black ice.
Driving home at dusk, he took the curve a little too fast. The wheels lost traction, the car went into a skid. It all happened so fast but it was like watching it in slow motion. What had the driver's education instructor said to do when you go into a skid, turn how? Meanwhile the world whipped by in both linear and circular motion - road, fence, road, ditch, road, fence, road, ditch, road, curve - crunch! The car come to a halt as the road turned but his car, obeying the laws of physics, continued on through the next curve into a tree. He lay slumped against the wheel, only half conscious, until found by another traveler.
Jack remembered it all. But like his car skidding down the road, even though time remained constant his view of it was skewed. He remembered sitting in the control chair, calling the weapons system on line. Why had he shaped the charges like pac-man? Because flying monkeys would have taken too long. It just came to him - thousands of little pac-man eating up the Go'auld like those little white dots on a computer screen.
Then exhaustion. He remembered Sam - Carter? No, Sam, talking to him, calling him Jack. He remembered Teal'c carrying him to the somata chamber. Then he was cold and tired, like he was in that wrecked car. Aware of his surroundings but not able to do anything.
He remembered Sam coming and going a lot. Daniel and Teal'c with her. Then they were gone and he was left with the anonymous technicians.
But now she was back. He knew it and he felt it, her presence. She was working something on the machine. He was getting warmer. His eyes could focus on her. She was swearing, calling to Daniel. She was leaning forward and kissing him.
Jack slowly raised a hand to touch her face. His other joined hers on the control pad. He knew he had to say it. It had been almost eight years in the making. He had shown restraint, he had followed the regs. He knew it and he had to tell her.
"Et amas." It was Jack's voice. Weak, low but it was Jack's voice. "Sam."
Damn this ancient crap, Jack thought. I hoped this ice tray had flushed it out. Maybe not all. He heard Daniel translate. Better try again. She had to know. He had to let her know she was more that his second in command, more that a maj...why the hell is she wearing dress-blue silver eagles on her BDU's?
Again Jack spoke, "Sam...Colonel?...sweet...I've been away...but I've never left you. I don't ever want to be away from you again." Their lips met and this time there was no holding back.
Sam leaned into his embrace and returned his kiss. The years of restraint and discipline dissolved in their first kiss. The second foretold the passion and desire which lay in their future.
After a discrete moment Hammond summoned the med techs present. Jack was moved to a gurney and rolled over to the ring platform. Without asking, Daniel and Teal'c took positions at either end of the wheeled stretcher with Sam at Jack's side. This blocked the med tech's from carrying out their assigned task. But one look from Teal'c was enough to convince them to take the next trip on the rings.
With the familiar flash of light they ascended to the Prometheus. Sam wouldn't let go of Jack while the infirmary staff ran their checks. Her two team-mates stood by her, protecting her space from all but the necessary medical intrusion.
Finally, a preliminary all-clear was given by the physician. Giving one last tweak to the hanging IV bags and tubes, they left. Jack looked in turn from Sam to Daniel to Teal'c. No words were spoken. Each knew what the others had done.
Jack started to speak, "Well . . . . did anyone bring cake?"
With his ice prison broken, that comment broke the ice between them. With smiles all around it was time for post-mission silliness. All began to speak at once
"General..."
"No, Colonel"
"O'Neill..."
"Jack, its General now"
"No its not, I'm asking a particular question. It's a colonel's right."
"But you're not a colonel."
"The hell I'm not!"
"The hell you are, General, sir."
"Who, sir? Me, sir?"
"Yes, sir. You, sir."
"Sweet. So, Carter, where'd you get the silver birds. I mean, you've earned them I'm sure but..."
"Their yours. General Hammond got them from your house."
"Oh....."
A long silence ensued. The banter gave way to a consideration of how far they had come and where they were yet to go.
"General O'Neill. Perhaps Colonel Carter would care to inform you of what has taken place while you were..." Teal'c faltered. He didn't know how to describe Jack's month of icy respite.
"Yeah, Jack," Daniel continued for his friend. "A few things have changed. We're still SG-1 but there are some twists and turns that maybe Sam would be better at explaining to you. Teal'c and I will just step out for a while. Check in with Hammond and, well, uh..we'll see you later."
The silence returned but now they were alone. General and Colonel. O'Neill and Carter. Sam and Jack. One over 50. The other nearing 40. Both feeling like teenagers.
Carter reverted to professionalism and began a briefing. Hammond's defense of SG-1 while Jack brought the Ancient's weapon on line. The near fatal charge of the Prometheus against Anubis' flagship. The aftermath of the battle and early efforts to revive him. Promotions and honors all around. Reassignments and change of command structure. Thor's gifts brought by her father. Their success in melting the ice around Jack. Then she was silent once again.
Finally Jack spoke. "Colonel . . . Carter...Sam, why did you kiss me?"
Damn that man, Carter told herself. This had been coming since that first day when I threatened to arm wrestle him. What did he mean by asking why?
"Well, General, Sir, I . . . oh, hell, dammit Jack. You said it first. I love you. You know it. I know it. We've let the rules keep us at arm's length all these years. We have both sacrificed so much. Yes, it has been worth it for what we have been able to achieve. But it's payback time. I've lost count of how many times we have saved this planet. This time we get a reward and you are mine."
Sam's blue eyes flashed with this verbal outburst of her passion. Her cheeks flushed as she realized how much she had just said outloud.
Jack regarded her presence, taking note of her eyes and cheeks. His silence had almost made Sam begin to doubt when his brown eyes twinkled.
"I know, Sam. I agree. I love you, too. I'm not sure exactly how we will work it out - all the details. But I know I love you. Can that be enough for now, until the docs turn me loose? Then we can work this out together?
Bless this man, Carter thought. Her eyes were tearing up. Air Force regs didn't cover procedures for this situation. Leaning forward she kissed him lightly on the lips. Just enough pressure to let him know he had been kissed but hard enough to promise more to come.
"Well, Sam? Doctor, Colonel Carter? No answer? Do I have to arm wrestle it out of you? What do you want to do with a newly minted but slightly used general?" Jack teased her with his eyes and voice.
Locking her eyes on his she replied firmly, "Sir, I'm gonna love that man."
The End
Story Notes: CLASSIFICATION: Romance - postlude to "Damn that Man", "Bless this Man", and "Kiss that Man"
SPOILERS: End of seventh season
SPOILERS: End of seventh season
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 ]