samandjack.net



It was a cold summer’s day in Colorado, the rain was pouring like there was no tomorrow and thundered down onto the roof of the green Ford pickup truck. The water streamed down the front window screen and down the hood to wash away down the drain. With his hands resting on top of the steering, Jack waited patiently for his passenger with the engine running and the radio playing some nameless tune. He checked his watch again for the fifth time in twenty minutes, wondering what was taking so long. Sighing he begun to pick at the dead skin on the edge of his thumb before resorting to biting it off and spitting it out of his mouth to be forgotten, just as he felt waiting in his truck. He scratched at the back of his head, flicking on the window wipes to do a quick swish across the window. There were several other things he should have been getting on with, but with the call out of the blue and it being for help, he couldn’t sit back and not accept the call. It wasn’t his nature. Another crowd came out of the airport, Jack sat up in his seat scanning the faces as they came out and looked for the old face he hadn’t seen for a year or two. Though he supposed she wasn’t really that old, it was he who was the older one out of the two of them. It was he who was too old and too stubborn to let go of the past, of what they could have had, and hadn’t turned up to the wedding. But instead of letting the guilt and shame get in the way, he ordered himself to be there for her. Adjusting his cap ready to jump out into the downpour, he observed her coming out of the airport with an umbrella in one hand and a duffel bag over the other shoulder. She scanned the cars parked lining the curb, searching his face out from the swarm of people. Jack pulled the door handle and jumped out with the collar of his jacket turned up, hoping to keep the rain from seeping down the back of his neck. He jogged over to her quickly and took the duffel bag off her shoulder, directing her towards the warmth of his green pickup truck. They swiftly got in, the duffel bag thrown onto the back seat of his truck as they jumped into the front. She shook the raindrops off her umbrella and tossed it down onto the floor, slamming her door to keep the rain out. Shaking the rain out of her hair and taking off her coat to reveal a red fleece jacket, Jack pulled out of the queue of cars in front of the airport and drove to the exit. He took off his cap and tossed it into the back to join her bag. Her gentle sigh brought contentment to Jack, as he turned into the traffic and headed to the mountain. “This” She motioned to his truck. “is way more comfortable than that plane was.” “Yep.” He mumbled checking his mirrors. Stroking some hair in behind her ear, she said. “Did you manage to get the team I asked for together?” “Yeah.” Jack nodded his head absently. “Daniel’s gone back to Tralen to get some books in case he needs them. Teal’c’s gonna be here tomorrow. Laura Dexter will be here this afternoon and Bob Weaver is sorting out his lab.” “Thanks.” She said settling down into her seat. He glanced at her before changing lanes to over take the car in front. “It’s good to see you, you know.” “It’s good to see you too.” Sam said, smiling at him. A ghostly smile crept across his face while he drove, his hand resting idly on the top of the steering wheel and his arm leant casually onto the edge of his door. As he drove he was hit with a memory from the past, reminding him of what he had left behind or thrown away. “Carter, come on, there is no way SG-8 will beat us tonight.” Jack said, his arm resting on the door with the wind blowing his greying hair back. She looked to Teal’c and Daniel in the back and then at him. “You’re forgetting one thing.” “What’s that?” He asked turning into the bar’s car park. “We’ve got Daniel on our team, you know how bad he is at playing pool.” She smiled cheekily over her shoulder at Daniel, who was sat behind Jack. “Hey!” Daniel cried from the back. “I’m not that bad.” Jack pulled the gear down into park. “No, you’re not bad.” Daniel tapped Jack on the shoulder whilst opening his door. “See, Jack has faith in me.” “No, you’re much worse than bad.” Jack smiled at Sam while Daniel grumbled getting out. The memory slowly drifted away along with his smile, carrying on down the highway as they took the turning for the mountain. It was times like those that still haunted him at night and reminded him of what he’d lost. He wanted those times back, to have her back in his life, but with pride standing in the way he wouldn’t let himself apologise. To the outside world, the reason he never turned up to their wedding was because he had cold feet. But the truth was, he’d been on a mission. While they all stood in the church wondering where he was, he’d been sneaking round a Goa’uld outpost. Sure, he could have let someone else do it. He could have order someone else to do it, him being a General and Base Commander. Old habits though, died hard. The night before it had seemed so easy: in and out. But he had realised slowly that he couldn’t let his old life go, not quite yet. He was still holding onto what he’d had with Sara: still mourning Charlie and was still used to it just being him. And even though he knew Sam understood, he wasn’t at the time ready to let her into that part of his life. A little silly after they’d been friends for over eleven years till when she decided she was ready to settle down and had resign her commission, asking him out to dinner the very next day. He’d chuckled at the time and he chuckled again thinking about it, and made his passenger feel uncomfortable not knowing what he’d found so amusing. “What?” She asked bluntly. “Nothing.“ Jack answered, shaking his head at her. “I was just thinking that all.” Her eyebrows rose and she herself giggled at something, causing Jack to become self-conscious. When her giggles had subsided, the radio boomed out some song that neither of them was really listening to. They rode in as much silence as there were until they came to the gates of the mountain, where they were ushered straight through and sent down the tunnel to the underground parking lot. The lights on the wall of the tunnel whizzed passed whilst the radio lost it signal, slowly changing to static the further they got into the mountain. Jack turned off the radio sneaking a glance towards Sam, finding her with her eyes closed but not asleep as she was breathing normally. He parked into his spot near the elevator and turned off the engine before getting out to retrieve her bag from the backseat. She yawned loudly into the back of her hand, sliding out into the dark, cold car park to join him at the rear of his truck. “Been a while since I’ve been here.” Sam said, glancing round the underground parking lot. “Yeah, it has.” He replied. Motioning towards the elevator with a wave of his head, they began to walk over in silence to the metal doors. He thought about the times they’d come to work together, laughing and talking endlessly about anything that had come up at home, at their home. Soon after their wedding that never happen, things had started to fall apart. There was always an edge of spite in something Sam would say to him. She began to do things on her own: driving to work, her own meals, going out on her own. Then Jack had known things were bad when she moved out of their room and into the spare bedroom. It wasn’t long after that that she moved away and took up a teaching position at the Air Force Institute of Technology in Wright Patterson. He’d taken a trip to visit her, to try and bring her back, but things hadn’t gone how he’d planned. Getting there hadn’t been the problem, it was what he’d found when he got there. He had stood on one side of the staff car park waiting for her, with a bouquet of flowers, and when she had turned up to go home, she’d been walking with some man. Laughing at his jokes like she did at his, smiling at him with that smile she saved for him and hugged him like she used to hug him, holding onto him like there was no tomorrow. The flowers had been dropped to the floor, leaving them there as he walked away to get a cab. The elevator arrived and sprung open to let them inside. Jack let her go in first and then followed her inside to stand at the back. She picked a floor and the elevator doors closed. He watched her play with the zip on her jacket, as he shifted her bag further onto his shoulder. “So…” Jack said to gain her attention. “What’s this all about then? You’ve yet to tell me why I’ve kicked some now hostile scientists out of their labs.” She chewed at her top lip, turning to face him more. “Well, you know Area 51 sends me stuff from time to time, when they can’t figure out what something is?” He nodded his head. “Well, they sent me something a couple of months ago and it didn’t take me long to figure out it was Ancient. I was working in my lab on it with some of my postgraduates and one of them knocked it, and it shot a beam out that destroyed some samples. I took some photos of it before it shut itself down. They’re in my bag.” “That still doesn’t tell me, why I kicked four scientists out of their labs.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I need to talk to Daniel before I can say anything.” She looked away for a second and then looked back at him. “I don’t want you touching it either.” Jack held up his hands. “I won’t even come near the labs.” “Yeah, right.” Sam laughed, looking at the level indicator. “I promise.” He said sincerely, though he knew he couldn’t stay away. The elevator came to a halt and the doors opened up to reveal Daniel waiting on the other side. Sam burst out into a grin and quickly hugged him, telling him how good it was to see him. They chatted excitedly while Jack went over to the signing in desk to retrieve Sam’s new ID tags. Crossing over to the other elevator to wait for them, he cleaned the first out from underneath his nail with the edge of her ID badge. “When Jack told me that I’d been requested to help in a research project, I wouldn’t have been so hesitant to except, if he’d told me it was you who requested me.” Daniel said, holding her at arms length to give her the once over with his eyes. “My god! Have you put on weight?” Jack looked up in surprise and jumped to conclusions about the weight gain he hadn’t notice. “No, Daniel. I don’t lead so much as an active life as I did. I’m not running for my life nearly every day. Unless the Dean is chasing after me, wanting to know why another piece expensive of equipment has been broken.” They both laughed and hugged each other again. “Kids, today would be nice. I have got things of my own to do.” Slowly they parted and ambled over to where Jack was standing, the elevator arrived with brilliant timing. They all stepped inside and Jack stabbed a button on the panel. The lift jumped into action taking them down several floors while Daniel and Sam continued to chat and she told him what she’d told Jack minutes before. When the elevator doors opened, Jack shrugged off Sam’s bag and held it out to them, pushing the hold button on the elevator. “This is where we part, kids.” He told them, handing Sam her bag. “I got to go sweet talk some scientists, listen to the president tell me how to do my job and decide whether or not to rearrange my office again.” “You going to pop up later and break something?” Daniel asked on his way out of the elevator. “No. I promised Sam, I wouldn’t come anywhere near your labs. Though, I still want to be inform of what you’re doing up here.” Jack answered, pushing the button for his office. Sam smiled hesitantly when Daniel looked at her. “We’ll keep you inform, Jack.” Nodding his head Jack released the hold button and the doors closed. He leant back against the wall of the elevator, contemplating the things that would be waiting for him in his office. But with every thought, he wondered more and more about Sam. A feeling stirred inside his chest making him smile. The old gang was going to be back together and he’d finally got her back where she’d belonged. Though for how long was uncertain. He just knew he’d have to cherish every moment he had with her, like he should have done long ago.

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The paperwork on his desk was endless, yet he was still sat there trying to get through it all. With his hand holding up his head, Jack read through another report on how another mission went according to plan and taunted him that he hadn’t had much action out in the field for years. He scrawled his signature at the bottom of the page and stacked it on top of the other files he’d signed hours ago. Taking another file off the pile beside him, he sipped at his cold coffee opening the file and made a start at reading the poor handwriting. He read it till he got the gist of what it was about, another request for some complicated equipment, and just signed it, telling himself it was the last one for today. He dropped it on top of the pile he’d done with a pleasant slap, as the two files hit each other, and got out of his seat finishing off the last of his coffee. Picking up his jacket from the back of his chair, Jack looked up when he heard the sirens go off for an unscheduled activation. He put on his jacket as he jogged through the Briefing room and then down the steps to Control room. The Lieutenant on duty was flicking switches and typing things in, when the screens all lit up with an IDC code announcing it was from Bra’tac, which meant it was Teal’c. Ordering them all to stand down on his way down the steps to the corridor leading to the gate room, Jack smiled when the iris opened and his friend stepped through. The gate deactivated itself behind Teal’c, as the Jaffa descended down the ramp to brotherly hug his friend. “Teal’c, you’re early.” Jack said, as they walked out of the gate room and into the corridor. “What happen? Rya’c kick you out, so him and… what’s her face could have some alone time?” Teal’c raised an eyebrow at Jack, as they turned the corner to the elevator. “I wish not to discuss it at this time.” “Ok.” Jack smiled, digging his card out of his breast pocket. “The other’s are all here sorting out things upstairs.” “Colonel Carter, is she well?” Teal’c inquired while Jack slid his card through the reader. “Yep.” He said with the doors opening. “I am pleased to hear that.” The older man said, entering the elevator before Jack. “How’re you doing?” Jack paused just as he was about to press a button, and turned to Teal’c. “I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” “You cannot deny that you still have feelings for Colonel Carter. Does her not being here, conjure up these feelings?” Teal’c questioned. “T,” Jack said, pushing a button on the panel. “We’re not talking about this now.” Teal’c clasped his hands behind his back. “As you wish, O’Neill.” They rode in silence the rest of the way till the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. Leaving the elevator, Jack delved his hands into his pockets and played with the loose thread in his pocket. Teal’c stayed one step behind him, always falling in behind his friend like they would have done years ago, when they were still on a team together. As the two of them turned the corner in the corridor, they both jumped back in surprise when something came shooting pass them, taking a chunk out of the wall behind them. Bits of the concrete showered over them, chunks hitting them as the light above them blew sending sparks down onto them as well. There was a surprise gasp further down the hallway that was accompanied by a set of footsteps running towards them. They looked at each other to check the other was all right, when Daniel came to a skidding halt beside them. “Oh, God! Guys, you okay?” Daniel asked dusting off the bits of concrete on Jack’s clothes. Jack growled. “What the hell are you lot playing at?” Sam appeared beside Daniel, her eyes wide with angst, as she looked Jack over and then Teal’c. “Sorry, Jack. We were looking at the device out in the corridor, while Laura and Bob were setting up some equipment. Daniel touched one of the symbols and it just came on.” “Is that thing going to endanger everyone on this base, or can you at least keep it under control?” Jack barked at her, picking out a chunk of concrete from his hair. “It was an accident!” She crossed her arms defensively. He pointed his finger at her. “Accidents can cost lives.” “Erm, Sam, maybe you should tell him.” Daniel spoke up, touching her on her shoulder. “Tell me, what?” Jack looked between them for answers. “What haven’t you told me?” “You better come and see it.” She turned her back on him and walked down the corridor into her lab. Jack strode purposely passed Daniel and left them to follow him into the lab. He came to a stand still on one side of the bench from Sam and laid his hands onto the edge of the table. Daniel and Teal’c stood either side of him, as Sam rewound a tape in a VCR. Frowning Jack glanced round the lab, waiting patiently, and noticed Laura and Bob in the corner packing something into a box. “Watch this.” Sam instructed pressing play. The screen showed a lab where about five or six people were working. He noticed Sam in the background talking to some man when a young girl walked pass the bottom of the screen with a rack of test tubes in her hands. One of the others in the video footage knocked an oval shaped object on the table. The thing opened up, splitting down the side to turn into two separate objects, and hovered up turning in the direction where the young woman was with the test tubes. A beam, much like the one that destroyed Anubis’s fleet, shot out towards the girl and missed her by inches hitting the test tubes instead. The video footage was stopped suddenly. “After that everyone was in a mad frenzy.” “So that thing is dangerous then?” Jack questioned, his arms crossed over his chest. “Yes, but…” He cut her short. “Well that’s that then. I want that thing off this base and destroyed.” Turning on his heels Jack marched out of the lab and back towards the elevator. He brushed his hands over his hair, when Sam suddenly pulled him round by his arm. The eyes that greeted him he knew too well. They haunted him sometimes in his dreams. The desperate look that had wished for him to leave her, get out of Apophis’s new ship before it blew up. The eyes that had stared at him through the force field making him realise how much he loved her. “You can’t just do that!” She shouted at him. “I had ordered for all of the Ancient stuff, we had stored at Area 51 to be sent to my lab. What Andrea was carrying in those test tubes, was some of the blood samples taken when you had the Ancient knowledge downloaded into your head.” “So? What difference does that make?” He asked her, snatching his arm out of her hold. “It only activates when your blood is near it.” She said in a much calmer voice. “Well,” Jack said, pushing pass her. “That’s an easy one to solve.” She followed him back into their lab. “What’re you doing?” He wrenched the phone out of its cradle and dialled the extension to the Control room. “Lieutenant, dial the gate up to a planet that’s uninhabitable.” “Jack!” Daniel exclaimed. “Jack, please!” Sam cried. “Hold on a minute, Lieutenant.” Jack covered the receiver with his hand. “ What?” “Let us work on it.” She said, laying her hand on his shoulder. He scrunched up his forehead at her. “That thing is endangering this base.” “No,” Daniel shook his head. “It’s you that’s endanger from it. Look, just put the phone down and we’ll explain.” Jack looked to all of their faces, spending most of his time studying Sam’s face. It was there again. The face he’d seen the other side of the force field. His fear deflated in front of them with a weary sigh knowing things always worked out when the four of them were together, as he told the Lieutenant to go back to work and dropped the phone into its cradle. Daniel smiled in satisfaction taking a stool at the workbench. Sam gently squeezed Jack’s shoulder and took a seat beside Daniel, at the same time as Teal’c took one the other side. “So, explain it to me then.” Jack said sitting down into the swivel chair behind him. Daniel pushed his glasses up his nose. “From what I’ve seen so far, the writing on it isn’t Ancient. That’s probably why no one here thought it was Ancient and just sent it on to you, Sam. It’s only when you take a closer look at it, that you realise that its Ancient technology.” “Another Goa’uld probably found it and claim it as theirs.” Jack mumbled picking up a screwdriver from behind him. “Jack, the writing talks about how the weapon will be used to kill the chosen one.” Daniel informed him. “What Goa’uld would say that about you?” Jack looked up. “Me?” “Daniel’s translated some of it and it mentions you.” Sam told him, her hands clasped between her legs. “Oh!” He uttered. “Is that like Matrix chosen one, cause those films just confused me? Good action but confusing.” “No.” Daniel rolled his eyes. Teal’c raised an eyebrow. “This weapon is an attempt to kill O’Neill.” “Well, it’s not a very good attempt.” Jack mumbled, dumping the screwdriver back onto the table. “It came through here and never once did I come into contact with it till now.” “Maybe they thought you’d be on the team that went through, or would greet the team that came back with it.” Sam hypothesized. “Maybe I could have been wearing a tutu. There’s just too many maybes to maybe think about, and maybe I don’t want to think about them right now.” He said standing up out of his chair. Bob shuffled from his workstation, shrugging on his jacket. “If you don’t mind, Sam, I’m gonna head home now. It’s getting late and my wife hates it when I drive at night.” “Oh, yeah. Sorry, Bob. Sure.” Sam said apologetically. “Laura, you can home too. I hadn’t realised it had gotten so late.” “And this is a first, how?” Jack taunted moving passed her. “I ought to head home too. Got to air everything out before I can go to sleep.” Daniel said, sounding like he was dreading it. “Night all.” Daniel left with a wave, as Teal’c stood wishing everyone a goodnight bowing his head and left soon afterwards. Sam gathered together her papers on the table and stuffed them into a file, while Jack leaned up the doorframe watching her. She dawdled around tidying and locking things away till morning. The memories from a life that seem so long ago, crept over him reminding him of times he’d waited for her or apologised and told her he wasn’t going to be coming home with her that night because of an emergency. Taking a long drawn in breath, Jack scratched behind his ear. “Sam.” “Yeah?” She replied bending over to put something back in a cupboard. “You got somewhere to stay?” He asked, scuffing the toe of his boot against the concrete floor. “Erm…” Sam thought about it, as she stood up. “No, but it’s okay. There’s no one staying in the VIP room, is there?” “No, there isn’t. But you could always stay at our house… I mean, my house, if you wanted to.” He said, slapping himself mentally for his mistake. She glanced down at the floor for a moment, and then looked back up at him. “ Okay, Jack.” He smiled at her. “Cool. I’m ready, when you are then.” “Okay, let me just put that in the safe.” Sam hooked her thumb in the direction of the black box holding the weapon. Jack nodded his head while she disappeared to the back of the lab. He began to pace back and forth in the doorway, his hands deep in his pockets as he was in thought. There was a loud crash with glass objects falling to the floor, startling him from his thoughts and to rush to the back of the lab where he found Sam surrounded in glass. She was holding her hand, trying to stop the precious blood escaping from the cut on the palm of her right hand. “God, Sam.” Jack cried, rushing towards her to look at the cut. “What are you? A disaster zone?” “I’m so clumsy. I wasn’t paying attention when I was turning away from the safe and knocked it off the side.” She said, looking at the glass shards on the floor. “Come on, let’s get the doc to look at this and then I’ll take you home.” He told her, guiding her out of the room and to the infirmary.

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Jack unlocked the front door and dumped his keys onto the side, as he dropped her duffle bag onto the floor. Turning on the lights, he watched Sam shuffle her way through the door into the hallway, her eyes roaming over the walls. He closed the door behind her and directed her down into the living room. His eyes kept being drawn to the bandage wrapped around her hand, keeping the band-aid on the cut. “This place hasn’t changed much.” Sam stated, falling into the leather couch. “Though I didn’t really change much when I moved in here with you.” He wanted to tell her that things had changed, that every night he sat up wondering if something would ever fill the void she left behind when she left. But instead he nodded his head in agreement and sulked off to the kitchen. He started to get some things out that he could whip up quickly, when the picture he kept on the fridge door caught his attention. They’d taken off for the day together and had stopped for a picnic somewhere. The picture was the two of them lounging on a blanket, the camera held above them by him, as they’d laughed at something. Stroking his finger over her face in the picture, Jack quickly yanked open the door to hide the picture from himself. He took out two bottles of beer and closed the door with a nudge of his hip. He put them to one side before he chopped up some vegetables to make a salad and chopped the left over steak pie in half. As he laid the salad out onto a plate, he looked towards the living room to see her standing in the middle of the room stretching her back whilst watching whatever she’d put on the TV. He picked up the beers and the plates and took them into the living room, where he found Sam lying in front of the television. Scrutinising her with a confused look, Jack set a plate and beer down beside her on the floor and then sat down onto the couch to stretch out onto it. He ate silently, paying little attention to the show she was watching. She picked at her food, ripping and tearing the piece of lettuce before she nibbled on it. Jack twisted the cap off his beer and downed most of it, as he tried to wash away the memories that were creeping over him. It was killing him to see her in their home, lying just a few feet away from him and yet she wasn’t his anymore. Hadn’t been his for two years. Munching down on a tomato, Jack shook his head at himself, like he did every night, for going on that mission before their wedding day. All he’d wanted for eight years straight was to marry her, to be her lover and partner, but an ‘old time sake’ had gotten in the way. The chance to be one of the guys and go out into the field had tempted and taken him. The old life he’d lived where he was in complete control and wasn’t ‘the man’. Sam turned off the television and swivelled round to sit in front of the coffee table. “So… how have things been?” “Oh, you know, same old same old.” He said, putting his plate onto the table. “Goa’uld threatened us, we kick their butts and then we go kick someone else’s butt.” “I miss it.” She said, her eyes focus on the piece of lettuce she was playing with. “The action?” He asked before taking a sip from his beer. “All of it.” Her eyes looked up from her plate to him. “I miss the SGC and everyone there.” “I didn’t tell you to leave.” He said defensively. She scrunched up her eyebrows at him. “I didn’t say you did. I’m just saying if I had the chance to go back and change my decision, I would.” “Yeah, there are several things I would change too. But we both know that couldn’t happen.” Jack picked at the label on his bottle. “All that time paradox stuff.” “I wasn’t talking literally. It’s just something I would do if I had the chance.” Sam said rubbing at her forehead. Jack turned over to lie on his back, his bottle of beer perched on his stomach with his hand holding it steady. “How’s life down your end then, at the university, I mean?” “It’s good. Can get a bit boring, doing the same things again and again, but I’m happy there.” She smiled. “Good.” “Jack,” She questioned dropping her gaze down to the carpet. “Why didn’t you turn up to the church?” His head snapped to the right, looking at her as she stared back purposely wanting to know the answer. He didn’t know what to tell her. It had been so easy when he’d returned back from the mission, everyone had already came to their own conclusion and weren’t ashamed or scared to tell him. Daniel had even hit him in the face, angry that their fairy tale could end like that. Jack handled all the disgusted looks at the base, the whispering that went on behind his back, but he hadn’t been able to look Sam in the eye. He’d known he’d hurt her even before she’d slammed the front door in his face. She didn’t really talk to him apart from the odd ‘excuse me’, ‘could you pass me that’ or ‘leave me alone’. The day he’d come home and found two large suitcases and three boxes, reminded him of when he’d returned home to watch Sara leave. As hurtful as it had been to watch Sam leave, he’d kept it together till she’d driven down the road and had then broken down. But this had to be the first time anyone had even asked why he didn’t turn up that day. He sat up throwing his legs over the edge of the couch, sitting properly in front of her, cupping his almost empty beer in his hands. “I was… Remember how that Tok’ra was hanging around the base, a couple days after our… wedding day?” “Yeah.” She said, encouraging him to carry on. “Well, he’d been captured by Ba’al and I don’t know what it was, maybe for all times sake or closing a chapter on part of my life, but I just couldn’t help myself. I went and broke him out of there. Everything had been going to plan till I started running into problems.” He combed his fingers through his hair. “I was supposed to be back in time for the wedding. I was coming. I wanted to marry you and make you happy but all I did was ruin your special day and hurt you.” Sam twisted the lid off her beer. “You just couldn’t let anyone else do it. It had to be you.” “I’m sorry, Sam. I can’t tell you how sorry I am.” He jumped off the couch and left the room, slamming his bedroom door behind him.

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The house had been quiet when he’d left that morning, leaving his truck for her to drive to work in, he rode in on the motorbike he’d brought as a wedding gift for her. After she’d left, he’d wondered what to do about it: send it to her or sell it. But instead he’d taken lessons and acquired a licence for it. When he’d arrived on base, Daniel had assaulted him requesting all the files on everything and anything. After that he’d been left to get on with his paperwork that had grown over night. He’d thrown himself into it, ignoring the knocks on his doors and the phone calls that distracted him, till it hit him: HUNGER! Making his way to the elevator, he decided to drop in on the others and see how things were going with the intent to take them to lunch. His hands were planted securely into his pockets, as he made his way to the elevator when the doors opened. “Jack!” Daniel called. Jack looked up. “What?” “We need to go back to the planet where it came from.” Daniel stated, shooting out of the elevator towards him. “Why?” He asked still on his way to the elevator. Daniel walked beside him. “Just… We want to check it out, to see if there is anymore Ancients technology there.” “Why?” He asked again, pressing a button to put the elevator into motion. “Jack, they may have more technology of the Ancients and we both know how dangerous it can be, when a civilisation isn’t ready for that technology. And we might be able to find out who sent it.” Daniel waved his hands around. “Daniel,” Jack said, looking at Daniel out of the corner of his eye. “They could also have a brain sucker there. No.” “Why not?” Daniel cried, as the doors opened. “I’m not sending you lot and a team there, for one of you to come back with a head full of gobbledegook.” Jack answered strolling out of the elevator, pointing to his head. Daniel pushed his glasses up his nose, quickly following behind Jack. “Jack, come on, it’s very unlikely that they’ll be one there.” Jack stopped dead in the middle of the corridor, spinning round to come face to face with Daniel. “And its very likely that there could be one there.” “It’s very unlikely that we’d want to stick our heads in it.” He retorted. “Look, you remember how that other one was hidden and how when we’d approached it, it appeared.” Jack said motioning to the wall behind Daniel. “What if you walk pass it, activate it and it grabs your head before you can react?” Daniel’s eyebrows hitched up in thought. “It’s still very unlikely.” Jack groaned and carried on towards their labs. He turned the corner to find them all reading through the files he’d had sent up earlier for them. Tapping his knuckles on the filing cabinet nearest to him, Jack drew everyone’s attention to him. “T, lunch?” He asked, avoiding looking at Sam. Teal’c nodded his head graciously, getting up from his stool to follow Jack out of the room. The others soon follow and waited for the elevator together. He watched the level indicator intently, feeling Sam’s warm presence beside him. Edging nearer to Teal’c he felt his unease lessen but then the elevator doors opened and he found himself, once again, stood very close to Sam. He glanced towards her and was startled to find her looking at him. As he went to look away, he saw something in her eyes that lure him closer, something that he’d seen before but not for some time. “Sam?” Daniel tapped her on her shoulder, breaking their small moment. “Are you listening?” “Course I am.” She said straightening her t-shirt. “Tell him then!” Daniel ordered, waving his hand towards Jack. She looked shocked, her eyebrows towering down onto her blue eyes. “Err… tell him what exactly?” “Tell him that we need to go back to the planet, where that thing came from!” Daniel raised his voice at her. “Oh!” Sam chuckled to herself. “Jack, we need to go back to the planet.” “Nope.” He said turning to face the front of the elevator. “Not gonna happen.” “Why not?” She asked puzzled. “Cos’ I said so, that’s why.” Jack barked in his commander’s voice. The doors opened, as they were all vacating the elevator, Jack felt someone grab his arm from behind and dragged him to one side while the others went on to the commissary. He spun round to be confronted by Sam, who had her hands on her hips, ready to stand up to the Brigadier General. “Why can’t we go?” She questioned, more determine to find out her answer. “Because we don’t know what exactly we’re dealing with here. If you’re correct in thinking that it’s Ancient technology that’s been sent here to kill me, then we’re dealing with an Ancient and I really don’t want to think about what they would do, if we went looking for them.” He told her, propping his own hands onto his hips. “You remember how destructive that weapon was when we destroyed Anubis’s fleet.” “What the hell has that got to do with anything?” She exclaimed. “It’s got everything to do with it!” He shouted at her. “No it hasn’t. You just don’t want us going.” Sam accused him, poking him in the chest. “You don’t want us going off through the gate, while you’re stuck here.” He grabbed her by her elbows and pinned her up against the wall. “I don’t want you getting hurt again, because of me! Okay?” Her face softened at his confession, as she gently stroked her hand down the side of his face. Jack leant forward towards her, resting his head onto his arm as he angled himself against the wall behind her. She held him loosely, her chin resting on his shoulder as he slumped down in height. They stood there together quietly holding the other, while the daily activities of the base went on around them. Two years of feeling alone were destroyed in the few minutes of their hug. His hunger to be close to her was satisfied. It felt as though they were back to how things were, before he’d messed up and let his need to see some action got in the way. Running his fingers through her hair, he stood up straight in front of her gazing down at her as she looked up at him. “Why don’t you just come with us?”

“I’ve meetings and functions I have to attend.” He told her, gently caressing her cheek with his thumb. “Rescheduled the meetings and send someone else to the functions.” She told him. “Paperwork to do.” She shook her head with a ghostly smile. “It can wait.” “Simpson’s to watch.” He chuckled when she lightly punched him in the shoulder. “Will this persuade you?” Sam asked, tiptoeing up to capture his lips as her hands snaked up behind his neck to hold him steady as she kissed him. The kiss carried on a little longer than she’d intended but eventually she pulled away from him. “Coming now?” “Do I really have a choice in the matter after that?” He questioned smiling at her. Her smile broadened, as she took his hand and led him towards the commissary.

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Stepping through the gate to join the others on the other side, Jack smiled broadly as he stepped down the steps of the gate adjusting his cap and sunglasses. They fell into walking in pairs with Teal’c and Daniel walking up front, Sam and Jack bringing up the rear to sandwiched Laura and Bob between the four of them. Small bantering started up between the pairs apart from Jack and Sam, who were walking hand in hand and sharing glimpses between them. They’d been quiet since they’d entered the commissary for lunch the day before and had been quiet when they’d gone home the night before, sitting contently in front of the television wrapped in each other’s arms. When they’d neared the site where SG-17 had discovered the object, they’d split themselves up into the pairs they’d walked with and began looking around the ruins. Daniel was the first to find something worth looking at, which to Jack looked like scratches in the wall, but Daniel was sure it was Ancient writings. If there had been any more Ancient technology there, it would have been scavenge or destroyed with the civilisation that had stood there not so long ago. Jack stood looking out onto the ghost town from the window of a bedroom near their encampment. It saddened him that seven months ago, there would have been laughter from children playing in the streets, there would have been sounds of men and women working hard and most of the buildings wouldn’t have been demolished to rubble. He squinted his eyes at the devastation, crossing his arms across his vest to sit on top of his P90. Distantly there stood what was left of the town’s hall, where SG-17 had held talks with the counsel of that town to discuss a treaty, which they had declined. Rubbing at his forehead he made his way out of the bedroom and down the stairs, returning back to camp where Daniel and Laura were fighting. “I want the macaroni and cheese!” Laura exclaimed at the top of her voice. “No, it’s mine. I packed it for me.” Daniel explained, hanging onto his edge of the packet with a death grip. “You can have chicken like everyone else.”

“They all taste the same! What difference does it make?” Laura screamed. Jack whistled loudly at them, crossing over to snatch the packet from them. “ I’ll have it! There! Matter sorted!” “But, Jack, I…” Daniel began but was stopped when Jack held up his hand. “ No, Daniel.” “Jack,” Sam called, as she, Teal’c and Bob returned from checking the rest of the town for any survivors. “We couldn’t find anyone. We did find a sort of laboratory where it looks like they were building some kind of weapon. We also found the blue prints to the device we got at the SGC.” She handed a piece of paper to Daniel. “This is the same writing on the device.” “Haven’t we come up with a name for it yet?” Jack asked waving the packet of macaroni and cheese around, as Daniel glanced over the piece of paper and put it into his pocket. Everyone went quiet looking round at each other’s faces. Jack turned so he could see everyone and then dropped his arms to his side in defeat. “Doesn’t anyone have an imagination anymore?” “The Jack Buster?” Daniel piped up. “Funny, Danny boy.” Jack took off his cap, slowly sitting down onto the block behind him. Sam pouted her lip in thought. “The Jackinator?” Jack blinked his eyes in disbelief, slowly gazing up towards where Sam was stood. She looked either side of her to Teal’c and Bob, smiling innocently at either of them, and then quickly sat down beside Jack, avoiding his gaze. Taking a deep breath, letting the moment pass him by, Jack unfastened his vest and sidearm to lay them on the ground at his feet. “So, now that we’ve got these blue prints, we’ll be going home tomorrow, right?” He asked the four scientists. “Well,” Daniel dawdled, waving his hands around. “We ought to look around a bit more. See if there’s anything that we could salvage and use back home, and see if there’s any more Ancient scripture anywhere.” Jack turned slightly to Sam. “I knew he was going to say something like that.” “Doesn’t he always?” She asked. “Yeah, but it sounds a lot more whiney normally.” He smiled, listening to her giggle while Daniel grumbled. “I liked it better when there was tension between you two.” Daniel commented opening his backpack. “You weren’t picking on me then.” “Awe! Come here, Daniel.” Sam cried mockingly, as she crossed over to him to give him a hug. “Poor, Danny boy. Jack, you got to stop picking on him.” Jack saluted her. “Yes, ma’am!” Everyone laughed while Daniel covered up his face with his hands, hiding his amusement as Sam held his head close to her chest like a child. When things had calmed down, they settled down for the night. Laura and Teal’c had already retreated to their tents and gone to sleep, while the others sat up talking about the device as they studied the blue prints. Jack sat quietly on his own, using his knife to shave the bark off a branch that was supposed to be for firewood. He secretly watched her with the firelight dancing over his face, highlighting his face under the peak of his cap. The more he watched her, the more he fell in love with her. She was so enthralled with the blue prints that her eyes lit up with the old enthusiasm he used to dream about at night. Her delicate fingers hooked a strand of hair behind her ear, as she explained something to Daniel and Bob. Shaving off a long piece of bark, he ducked his head down when she glanced over at him. A small smile crossed over his face knowing that she knew he’d been watching her. As he looked back up to stare at her again, the two small twinkling lights coming closer behind the three huddled together struck fear into him. Jumping to his feet, Jack ran and lunged at the drone soldier while the others jumped up with surprised to his actions. He tackled the drone low knocking it off its feet to land on its back and Jack to land on top of it. The drone quickly dominated Jack, rolling them over to hold Jack down by his neck to the ground, choking the life out of him. Sam cried out running to retrieve her weapon, as did Bob and Daniel. Trying his hardest though, Jack fought to break the super human grip on his neck whilst he kicked at anything that belonged to the drone. The quick decisive shots to the drone from Sam ended Jack’s fight for life. Pushing the drone off the top of him, Jack rolled onto his side coughing and gasping to get the air back into his lungs. Sam quickly scaled over the concrete block to get to Jack’s side, stroking his hair back off his forehead. Daniel raced over whilst Teal’c emerged from his tent ready for action with his weapon. “Jack, you okay?” Daniel questioned, his voice heighten with worry. “Fine.” Jack croaked. “Make sure that thing’s dead.” Teal’c made his way over to drag the drone’s body away and depose of it. Holding a hand to his throat, Jack sat up with Sam guiding him towards her to comfort him as much as herself. She held onto him tightly, grabbing handfuls of his jacket, keeping him close to her. “Why didn’t anyone find that thing when they were looking round?” He asked coughing into his fist. Daniel shook his head with Bob coming up behind him. “I don’t know.” “It might have been when we were in the labs earlier.” Sam confessed. “Some of the doors were locked and there was a terminal that was still powered up, so I unlocked all the doors. Someone must have locked it in one of the rooms.” “This is Ba’al’s doing.” Jack growled, gaining his voice back. “At least we have our answer as to who’s trying to kill you. But that doesn’t explain how he had Ancient technology.” Daniel said distantly. Sam scrunched her eyebrows in thought. “He did take over Anubis’s empire, maybe its something Anubis put together.” “True.” Daniel nodded his head in agreement. “This mean we going home in the morning?” Jack asked, looking expectantly between them. “Sure, Jack.” Sam smiled ruffling up his hair. “Then you can go back to that lovely paperwork of yours.” Rolling his eyes he moaned falling onto his side, causing both Daniel and Sam to laugh at him.

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Jack fastened his watch around his wrist, standing in the warm locker room with only a towel around his waist and his dogtags on. Sticking the Velcro down he reached into his locker for a clean shirt, thinking of what he could muck together to make dinner that night. He shrugged on his shirt going deeper into thought, when Daniel finally emerged from the shower room dripping in hot water. The two nodded their heads at one another and turned their backs on the other for some privacy. As Jack reached into his locker for his boxers and pants, Daniel asked him. “ Sam going back to Wright-Patterson, when this has been wrapped up?” “I don’t know.” He replied pausing.” You think she will?” “She’s got a life out there now.” Daniel said, as he dried himself with his towel. “Yeah, but now we’ve sorted things out…Kinda. And she even said to me, she misses being here. This is her chance to stay. Right?” Jack asked pulling on his boxers and then his pants. “Jack,” Daniel began, as he put on some boxers. “When I was on Abydos, I missed everything here and even though I would have given anything to have been back on Earth. I wouldn’t have left.” “That was Sha’re’s home though and the only thing she knew. She wouldn’t have fitted in back here, if you had brought her here. ” Jack said, fastening his belt around his waist. Daniel put his glasses on. “Jack, my meaning is, I made a new life on Abydos and if Sha’re hadn’t been taken I wouldn’t have come home. I’d liked my life back on Abydos. Things were simple and there weren’t petty squabbles about stupid things.” “Don’t let the President hear you say that.” Jack joked, sitting down onto the bench to put his socks and boots on. “Do you understand what I’m saying, or is this just going in one ear and out the other?” Daniel placed his hands on his hips. “I get you.” He answered glancing over to Daniel. “You know, that doesn’t look very scary when you’re only wearing your underwear.” Daniel looked down at himself, dropping his hands to his side. “Don’t change the subject.” “Okay, okay. But what do you want me to do? Like you’ve said, she’s got a life now in Wright-Patterson.” Jack said downhearted. “Tell her you don’t want her to go, tell her how you feel.” He instructed getting his clothes out of his locker. “And if she still wants to go after that, then I don’t know. She loves you, Jack. Just take a chance.” “Yeah.” Jack drawled out, getting up from the bench he’d been sitting on to slam his locker door shut. “Well, better think of something to cook her majesty.” “Okay. See you tomorrow, Jack.” Daniel said pulling on his pants. “Later.” Jack retrieved his sunglasses from his breast pocket of his shirt and put them on, as he exited the locker room.

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He arrived home to find her already there with his truck parked just outside of the garage and music blasting out of the house. Parking inside his garage, Jack shook his head heading through the door into the basement of his house. He hung the keys to the motorbike up on the key rack just inside the door and then went up the stairs, hearing the warm spray of the shower in the bathroom. Taking off his sunglasses he tossed them onto the side when he walked into the kitchen and headed straight to the fridge to check what was in. As usual, there wasn’t much. Slowly guiding the door shut, Jack swept his eyes over the kitchen counters to the pin up board on the far wall. Scratching his left shoulder through his shirt, he moved over to the rack and opened one of the menu’s that was pinned to the wall. He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and checked how much cash he had on him, only to grimace at the ten dollars sitting in the back of his wallet. He rubbed at his forehead, tossing the black leather wallet to the side as he shuffled out of the kitchen towards his bedroom. As he turned into the corridor, he heard the shower turn off and saw the bathroom door open to let a cloud of stream out. Her silhouette waltzed into the corridor and padded towards him, as she tucked the towel in on itself securely. “Hey, Jack.” She said happily. “I didn’t hear you come in.” “I’m surprised you could hear yourself think with that ghetto blaster playing in the living room.” Jack joked, hooking his thumb in the direction of the living room. “Oh, sorry. I’ll turn it down.” She apologised, squeezing pass him to take care of it. He turned slightly, putting his back against the wall. “Hey, do you fancy going out for dinner? There’s hardly anything in the refrigerator.” “Sure.” Sam smiled. “Good.” He said with a smile, turning back towards his room only to turn back again. “Where you wanna go?” She giggled. “Anywhere that serves steak and beer.” “Sounds good to me.” “I’ll go get dressed then.” Sam said, starting to feel awkward wearing only a towel. “I don’t know, towel’s seem to be in fashion lately.” He grinned, angling his head to one side. “That was pathetic, Jack.” She laughed anyway. “I saw that one coming.” He looked to either side of him before saying. “Shouldn’t you be getting dressed?” Rolling her eyes she disappeared down the corridor to the living room. Jack started back on the track to his bedroom, at the same time the music was turned down to a level he could handle, and entered his room to find things misplaced. He placed his hands on his hips and scanned the room, noting many things on what used to be her side of the bed had been tampered with and so were a few things on his side of the bed. Moving cautiously to the bookshelves, he adjusted things back to how they should be and moved her bottle of perfume back to her nightstand. With things back to how he liked them in his bedroom, he quickly shaved and squirted himself with deodorant before playing with his hair in the mirror, all the while hearing her moving around in the spare bedroom. He paused hearing the soft padding of her feet turn into loud distinct clicks of her high heel shoes. Looking at himself in the mirror, his mind wandered back to the conversation with Daniel in the locker room. Jack wanted her to stay more than anything but as Daniel had said, ‘She’s got a life out there now’. Was it right for him to tell her to give it up and move back, so they could be together again? The more he thought about it, the more he became torn up inside. He was willing to let her go back to Wright-Patterson, yet he would give his life as many times as possible to stop her going. Resting his hands down onto either side of the sink, he wondered what life would have been like if he had made it to the church on time or if he hadn’t gone on the mission, like he did every day. He knew he’d be a lot happier. Sighing down at the sink a sharp knock came from his bedroom door, Jack looked into his bedroom through the doorway into the ensuite and was greeted by a sight he’d wanted to see for the past two years. She stood in the middle of his bedroom wearing a luring black dress with her hands down at her sides, smiling unsurely at him but yet so excited at the same time. He smiled at her stepping into the doorway, sliding his hands graciously into his pockets ravishing the sight of her. “Ready?” She asked, her voice almost lost under the scrutiny of his gaze. “Yep.” She glanced towards the door, waiting for him to make the first move towards it. “Well… We going or what?” “Sure, just having a moment to take it all in.” He told her ambling over to the other doorway. “You want to drive?” “I don’t mind.” Sam said, following closely behind him. “Can’t you ever make a decision?” He asked, ducking into the kitchen to get his wallet and sunglasses. “Can’t you ever live without the wisecracks?” She retorted. Putting on his sunglasses, he stopped right in front of her. “Don’t get clever, Colonel.” “Jack,” She smiled at him. “Move your butt. I’m getting hungry.” He chuckled climbing down the steps to the basement and strolled through the garage to jump into his truck. Sam paused after opening her door, examining the motorbike that sat in the safety of the garage. “That yours?” She asked stepping up into his truck. “Kind of.” He answered pulling his seatbelt across himself to fasten in. “I brought it for you, as a wedding gift.” “Oh.” Sam muttered, her head dropping to rest her chin on her chest. Looking over at her Jack started the engine feeling his heart sink at the look on her face. He put the gear into reverse and backed slowly out of the driveway onto the road, thinking of something to lighten the moment. Nothing though, seemed to come to mind. Jack drove down the road picking to go to their old local, even though he knew there was a strong possibility that Daniel and Teal’c would be there.

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The bar was quiet for a Thursday night, the usual rift raft either had run out of money or had found something better to spend it on. Jack was thankful for the quiet atmosphere, as he guided Sam over to a table with his hand gently pressed to her lower back. He glanced round sitting down on the opposite side of the table to her. The bar was its usual dimmed atmosphere with the dark brown wood dully shining, the pool table sat isolated at one end of the bar while the rest of the room was sectioned off for table and chairs. Sam shifted her chair closer to the table and took a menu from the centre of the table to glance over. Scratching the back of his head, Jack folded his arms of his sunglasses down and slid them into his breast pocket, as he streatched his legs out underneath the table.

After awhile the waitress approached their table to take their order. "What'll be?"

"Before she orders anything," Jack said, picking out the other menu from the centre of the table. "I want a beer, the biggest steak you have and large portion of fries to got with it."

"I should have known you'd order that, Jack." Betsy, the waitress, grinned writing down his order.

"Can I order now?" Sam asked, lowering her menu down to lie on the table.

"Sure, go right ahead." He said putting the menu to one side."

Rolling her eyes, Sam ordered her meal. "I would like... the same as him really, except could I have a diet soda instead of a bear."

"Pepsi, okay?" Betsy asked, putting her notepad and pen into her pocket.

"If that's what you got. Thanks." Sam smiled thankfully, as Betsy disappeared into the back, and turned her attention onto Jack, who was playing with his napkin. "You guys still come here?"

"Every Saturday night." He said, rearranging his knife and fork.

"There's a little bar just off the University's campus that I go to with some of my students. It can get a little wild in there sometimes but it's all a big laugh really." Sam explained, resting her chin into her hand as she leant onto the table.

Jack pouted his lips in thought. "You really like it there?"

"Yeah, I guess. It's nice not having the whole world's fate on my shoulders. But I really miss the adrenaline rush. You know, it's like your gambling. Did you pick the lucky card or not?" Sam said with her eyes lightening up with excitment.

"Remind me to never take you to Vegas, you'll never want to leave." He joked, grinning at her.

She sighed happily. "I miss that."

"Miss what?" He asked confused.

"That grin of yours." Sam shied away for a few seconds, taking the chance to sweep her eyes over the other end of the bar. "I can see so many things here that are good enough reasons to stay, but there are some good reasons for me to go back and it would seem that I had given up on my life in Wright-Patterson. I mean I've got people there, depending on me to help them pass this year and other things."

"Sam." Jack reaching across the table to take her hand into his. "Don't stress about it. Things will work themselves out."

"Jack, I love you. I don't want to go back alone." She said turning hand in his to squeeze his fingers.

"Things will work themselves out, trust me." He stated, as the doors to the bar opened.

"AH! Look what the cat dragged in!" Daniel proclaimed holding his arms wide, as he descended the steps into the bar.

Jack turned to see Daniel over his shoudler, releasing Sam's hand. "Yeah, I know, look at you."

"Oooo... Did we come at a bad moment?" He asked, stopping Teal'c from approaching the table any further."

"No, no." Sam shook her head. "Come on, you two, come join us."

Quickly Daniel and Teal'c claimed a seat at the tbale, the four friends fell into chatting about the old days and reminiscing about things long forgotten. Jack gradually became quieter, his mind wielding with possible solutions to his and Sam's situation and only one outcome seemed to reoccur. Sitting there with his arms crossed on the table, he muddled over the things he'd have to do while the drinks were brought over and Betsy took Daniel and Teal'c's orders.

Sam touched Jack's arm, drawing him back into their conversation. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just hungry." He leaned back into his chair, laying his arm over the back of Teal'c's chair.

"See, what it is, Sam." Daniel started, tapping her on her arm. "We've worked out why Jack gets so slow. If he hasn't had any breakfast in the morrning, he end up sitting there looking very blank. If he misses lunch, he sits in his office staring into space, and when he doesn't get his dinner on time, well it's all downhill from there."

"Daniel, do you want to live till tomorrow?" Jack asked him while Sam giggled into the back of her hand.

"You do remember the Getrains are sending a delegation next week to commence treaty talks? You want to handle them all by yourself?" Daniel came back with, poking his glasses further up his nose.

Glaring across the table at him, Jack grumbled. "Damn Getrains."

"Oh, yeah, Jack." Daniel said leaning forward onto the table. "The scripture on the device isn’t telling how they’re going to kill the chosen one. It’s a warning. Looks like someone got their hands on it after Ba’al sent it to kill you and wrote the warning on it."

"Must have a guardian angel out there, Jack." Sam suggested taking a sip of her Pepsi.

Jack smirked. "Lucky me, hey?"

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Three Days Later

Her bag sat on the back seat as Jack drove her to the airport, the silence that had fallen between them was killing him. He wanted to reach across and hold her hand, but she had her hands clasped together whilst she look at the houses and people outside her window as his truck passed them. At the house before they’d left, Daniel and Teal’c had said their goodbyes to her, promising to visit her soon. It had taken everything in him not to laugh out loud, wanting to tell her of his exciting news but that had to wait. He grinned checking his mirrors and turned swiftly into the airports entrance, and parked quickly near to the main building of the airport. Turning off the engine, the silence got louder even with the busy traffic outside. Slowly he looked over to her resting his hands into his lap to play with his keys. “So…” He said quietly, breaking the silence between them. “Yeah…” She mumbled, turning her head to look at him. “I better get going.”

“Yeah.” He almost whispered. “I left you my number on the fridge, so give me a ring from time to time. Gotta keep me informed about all the fun stuff I’m missing.” Sam said trying to lift the moment. “I will.” He said to her, his lips nearly formed into a grimace. “Right.” After a few seconds she pulled the door latch and jumped out, shutting her door to open the back door. “Hopefully, I’ll hear from you soon then.” “Okay.” Pulling out her bag, she muttered a quick goodbye and shut the door, taking off quickly to the main doors. He watched her cross the road from the car park to the other side and then through the doors to be engulfed into the sea of people inside. Rubbing a hand over his face and over his hair, Jack sat there for a while wondering if he was doing the right thing till his cell phone sprung to life, telling him he was needed back at the SGC.

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“Daniel, just calm down will you. I’m sure whoever it is, will be very in tune with what you need.” Jack told Daniel over the phone, making his way down the shiny corridor with a bunch of flowers cradled in his free arm. “Jack! I’m all for spontaneity but isn’t this a little under thought?” He questioned. Jack slowed his pace to come to a stop outside one of the classrooms door and peeped through the window to see her teaching her class. “Daniel, I’ve thought enough about this for the past two years. Hell, even for the pass thirteen years. I want to be with her, I know that, and if Mohammed can’t come to the mountain then the mountain shall come to Mohammed.” “But Jack!” Daniel shouted down the phone. “When we had talked in the locker room, I meant getting Sam to stay here. We need her here at the SGC and you. Not for you to go out there to her!” “Daniel, we’ll be back. Look, if things go how I want them to go, when this academics year out and all her students have moved on or whatever, I’ll talk to her about coming back to the SGC.” Jack smiled watching Sam laughing with her class. “What about you though, we need you too?” Daniel whined. “I’ll be back. Don’t worry about me. Officially I’m having time away to learn some new skills.” He said moving away from the window. “Anyway, we’ll talk soon. I’ve gotta go surprise someone.” “Jack!” Daniel shouted before Jack ended the call. Dropping the phone into his inside pocket, he took some deep breaths clasping his hand over the doorknob and yanked it open. Slowly Jack edged his way into the room under the scrutinising eyes staring at him as he made his way towards Sam. He smiled motioning to the class to be quiet and crept up on Sam, who was reading through a textbook trying to find something. “Now, guys, if you turn to page… 114 in your textbooks, you’ll find a chapter on wormhole physics.” She told them, waltzing in front of the first row, as Jack straddled the stool behind the desk at the front of the classroom. “I want you all to know this chapter by next week, when we’ll be having a pop quiz.” “Sam, really?” He moaned. Sam spun round clutching her textbook to her chest. “Oh my god!” “A pop quiz? How I’m glad I’m not you guys right now.” Jack said to the students. “When she mentions wormhole things to me, she has to explain it with fruit or doughnuts.” “Jack!” She cried. “What’re you doing here?” “I came by to give you these.” He motioned to the flowers he’d laid on her desk. “I… I don’t know what to say. This is a bit of a shock.” She crossed over to him. “You should have said you were coming, I would have met you at the airport.” She told him pulling him up off the stool and into a hug. “Oh, and another thing.” Jack said when she’d released him. “You free tonight?” “Err… I’ve got some marking to do.” She said apologetically. “Go on, Sam.” One of the girls cried from the back. Jack smiled up at the class and then at Sam. “Come on. Dinner, me and great sex, how can you refuse?” “Oh, Jack.” She exclaimed wrapping her arms around him and kissed him.

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The End (Feedback Welcome)




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