"Jeez, I'm glad I skipped dessert," Samantha Carter muttered as she squeezed herself into the little black dress. This was all Janet's fault. The two women had gone shopping together and it had been the doctor who'd persuaded Sam to choose something a little more daring than her usual apparel. Sam slipped on a pair of black heeled shoes and looked in the mirror to admire the result. She had to admit that the dress didn't look too bad...even if the skirt was a bit short. At least it was a dress, not fatigues. Sometimes, she wondered if anyone at the SGC even realised that she was female. She grinned to herself. This outfit should turn a few heads when she walked off the base.
Placing one foot on the bench, she pulled up the hem of the skirt and made a final adjustment to the position of her stocking.....just as the door to the locker room opened. Sam's head snapped round; Colonel O'Neill was standing in the entrance, his jaw rapidly descending floorwards. She hastily stood up and tugged the dress back down. Attempting to appear casual O'Neill folded his arms and moved to lean against one of the lockers. Sam felt herself blush as his gaze travelled slowly up and down her body, lingering on her long legs. She realised that there was rather alot of them on display and the colonel was obviously a legs man.
"Going somewhere special, major?" he asked.
"Out," Sam snapped back. She was ruffled by the fact that he'd caught her in a compromising situation.
"Oh...out?"
"I have a date. It does happen."
"Anyone I might know?"
"Hardly. "
Actually, Sam didn't know herself. Janet had set her up and wouldn't take no for an answer. Sam hadn't really been that keen. After all she had a pretty good idea of who her perfect man was, and any guy Janet found probably wouldn't compare.
"So it's a blind date," he commented.
How the hell did he know? In fact what was he doing barging in here without knocking? Sam slammed her locker shut and made for the door. Jack stopped her by placing his hand on her arm,
"I didn't think you were that desperate," he grinned.
Sometimes Jack O'Neill could just be mildly annoying, but his last statement had crossed the boundary and he had progressed to infuriating.
"Do you know how long it's been for me? Everyone here seems to think I have an exclusion zone set up round my body. And you don't help," Sam shouted at him.
"What?"
"You glare at every man who happens to look in my direction."
"I do not!"
"No one asked me to dance at the Christmas party because they thought you'd kill them."
"That's cr.....not true."
'Not kill.....severely maim,' he thought to himself. Maybe he was being a little selfish. Just because he and Carter couldn't be together was no reason to....He glanced at her legs again. Scratch that thought. He didn't want those legs wrapped about anyone but him. So what was he going to do about it? What could he do about it...short of arranging an off-world emergency.... or pushing her against the lockers and....
"Colonel?" Sam questioned him, looking down at the hand that was still holding her arm. His fingers rested gently on her skin, but he wasn't physically restraining her. It was a mental check; his touch stopped her walking away.
"Oh, right, yeah.....have a good time, major," he mumbled. O'Neill let go of her arm. "Major," he added, trying to regain his equilibrium.
"Yes, sir."
"I think you forgot to put your pants on."
"It's a dress, sir."
"Only just."
Sam just grinned as she slid past him and into the corridor. As she walked away, O'Neill rubbed his face with his hands. Did she have to brush against him like that? Well, yes, because he was standing in her path and the doorway wasn't that large. He was starting to wish that he hadn't barged in on her. Now he was going to spend the whole night wondering who she was with and what she was doing with said person. His mind was already casting up distracting images. Okay. Time for a long hard work out. Then, at least, he could rationalise the cold shower.
***********
Janet was waiting for Sam in the infirmary, also dressed to kill. The doctor gave her friend an encouraging grin.
"You look great," Janet told her.
"Well, it seems to be having the desired effect," Sam commented.
"Oh, really? Whoa did you run into?"
"Colonel O'Neill."
Janet crossed her arms and looked at her friend, "You know what I'm going to say, don't you?"
"Yeah, regulations."
"Sam, don't even think about him. There's only one way it can end."
"I just wish..."
"Which is why you need to get him out of your system as soon as possible. Come on, or we'll be late."
Sam sighed to herself. The was easier said than done. Of all the men she could have fallen for it had to be the one she couldn't have. That was probably part of the attraction, but Janet was right. Nothing could happen, nothing would happen.
"So what's mine like?" Sam asked, trying to sound enthusiastic.
"Cute, and that's all I'm going to tell you....but, the sooner we leave....."
"Point taken, let's do it."
Tugging the hem of her dress down again, Sam linked her arm with the doctor's and the two women started to make their way towards the surface.
***********
This felt totally wrong. Sam glanced over at the man who had gallantly offered to drive her home. Janet had been right about one thing. He was cute....and intelligent, and funny. There was no reason not to like him. She had tried, she really had, but whatever was supposed to be working just wasn't.
"So...?" he smiled, as he pulled up in front of her building and helped her out of the car.
"So," Sam repeated.
"You mentioned coffee?"
Had she? Sam couldn't remember. She must have had more to drink than she'd thought. Her head was pleasantly buzzing, but being out in the night in the night air was having a sobering effect.
"Know what...I haven't got any....sorry," she apologised.
"That's OK, I don't drink it."
He made a move towards her, but Sam ducked back out of reach.
"Thanks for a great night, Bob. Call me, OK?"
"I don't have your number."
"Then call Janet. Bye."
Sam left the man standing by his car and hurried into the apartment building as quickly as her heels would allow. This was the last time she ever let Janet set her up. As far as she was concerned the whole night had been a complete disaster. Luckily, she had come to her senses before ending up in bed with the guy. Although she couldn't stop a slight pang of loneliness when she thought of her empty apartment.
She fumbled with her keys as she attempted to open the main door and started to swear quietly to herself. A hand clamped itself over hers. Sam turned round angrily.
"Bob, I said...."
The last syllables were reduced to an incoherent mumble as Sam found herself pushed against the wall, a man's mouth pressed against her own. She suddenly lost the need for coherent thought as she found herself drowning in the sensation. The wall was rough at her back, his weight, heavy as he crushed his body against hers. She could feel his fingers bruising her arms, his tongue deep within her mouth.
Sam tore herself away.
"Inside," she told him.
He silently acceded to her request. Waiting until they were inside her apartment, before making another grab for her. This time she totally surrendered herself to him. She was only briefly aware of the fact that he had pushed her dress downwards, moving his mouth to her breasts, before his hand was between her legs. Her hands entangled themselves in his hair as his fingers started to tease. She found herself rejoicing in the fact that there hadn't been room for herself and underwear in the dress. Her nails dug into his back as his hand found a particularly sensitive spot. Raw, primal lust seemed to explode within as her teeth closed on his shoulder, causing him to cry out with a delicious blend of pain and pleasure.
Sam treated him to a feral grin, before she started pulling at his shirt, ripping the soft material. With brute force, she dragged his head upwards, claiming his mouth with her own as she pushed him against the wall. He growled and reversed their positions. Sam found herself with her back against the hard surface, using it for support as she wrapped her legs about his waist.
She was barely ready for him, but she didn't care. Her need was overcoming any inhibitions she might have left.
"Now!" she hissed at him.
"You sure?" he asked, the first words he had spoken.
"Yes, bed now!"
He smiled, wanting this as much as she did. His eyes darkened with desire as he carried her bodily to the bedroom.
***********
She was woken by a soft, tender kiss. Sam open her blue eyes and looked directly into his brown ones. They smiled at each other.
"Breakfast?" he asked, pointing to the tray he had set by the bed.
"I didn't think you could cook."
He laughed and fed her a strawberry, "Not even I can go wrong with strawberries and cream."
"You know I'll expect this treatment every time we're off-world," she breathed.
"Be my pleasure...."
Taking up another fruit, he placed it in her mouth. Then he bent to kiss her again. There was none of the brutal passion that had gripped them the previous night. She could see the scratches that stood out on his back, and the bruises that marked her own skin. They had been completely out of control. This morning she found that thought frightening, last night, it had only served to fuel their passion.
There were a hundred reasons why it shouldn't have happened. Reasons that Sam didn't even want to think about. Not to mention the fact that Janet would probably receive a phonecall from a very confused Bob. Reality, for the moment, was the fact that Jack O'Neill was here with her, after a night of the most amazing sex she'd ever experienced. Just the memories were enough to.....
"I need a shower," Sam muttered. Wrapping a sheet about herself she got out of bed.
Jack lay back, folding his arms behind his head. He found her attempt at covering herself amusing.
"So, what've you got planned for the rest of the day?" he asked.
Sam turned to face him, let the sheet drop from her body and stretched.
"A light work out," she told him.
Laughing, Jack stood up, and walked towards her.
"Go easy, I'm an old man," he whispered.
"Didn't seem that way last night," Sam teased him.
"As much as I'd love to.....erm....we...er....ran out of...."
"No problem, I'll pop a pill tomorrow."
"If you put it like that....."
"And bring the strawberries."
***********
"I don't believe that you were so stupid!" Janet raged.
Sam shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She had no idea how Janet had found out. Unless.....Bob....damn, the guy must have seen them and told Janet. Next time she did something that was against regulations she had to make certain there were no witnesses. At least then she could have pretended that it was somebody else. She should have taken that damn pill....Correction, she would have taken it if she hadn't been recalled to the SGC and stuck on P3X559 for longer than she expected. A week longer to be precise.
"Not only do you sleep with your commanding officer, but you don't take any precautions. Sam...."
"I know, believe me....and it was just one night."
"That's all it took."
"We said it couldn't happen again."
"It didn't have to."
"Janet....I don't know what to do."
The weakness in Sam's voice was surprising. She truly had no idea who to turn to. Janet found herself softening a little. She put an arm about her friend. Jack O'Neill deserved to be castrated. Why couldn't the man have just kept it in his pants? He wasn't the one who had to cope with the consequences. Poor Sam, she had been crazy about him for years and now this. Janet found herself wishing that there was a simple answer. However, the facts of the matter were clearly established. O'Neill was her commanding officer, and unless Sam was willing to give up her position within the SGC her options were severely limited. And Janet did feel partially responsible. If she hadn't arrange the date, then the Colonel wouldn't have seen her in that dress and probably wouldn't have gone over to her apartment......All she had wanted to do was stop her friend mooning over a man she couldn't have and she had managed to drive them together.
"This is pretty shitty, I know. There's nothing I can do here, but I can get you in touch with some people," Janet gently suggested.
"I guess so."
"Have you told him?"
"No. It's my problem, and there's no point getting Jack involved. Make the appointment, Janet. This has to be done sooner rather than later."
Sam disentangled herself from Janet and stood. Her face showed no emotion as she made her way out of Janet's office.
"Are you sure about this?" Janet heard herself ask.
"Yes....as anyone can ever be."
***********
The phone was off the hook, her pager turned off, she'd let the battery on her cell phone run down.....all the lights were switched off. She sat alone in her apartment. Janet had offered to come over, but Sam didn't want to be see any other human being right now. She took a slow sip from her glass. The silence was oppressive. Very little sound drifted up from the street below, despite the fact she had the windows open. It was late and the town was quiet. She should have been sleeping. That's what any sensible person would have done. Sam didn't count herself within that section of the population. If she had been sensible she wouldn't be in this mess. Why Jack O'Neill? It was a question she had asked herself countless times and was no closer to finding the answer. There were other guys, closer to her age and background. Cuter guys....just like Bob. Instead she had lost her heart to a sardonic soldier with a troubled past whose only redeeming feature seemed to be that he could make her laugh.
She caught herself smiling as she thought about him. Even now......He was probably wondering why she hadn't shown up for work today. Janet had arranged for her to have medical leave, but the Colonel would be ignorant as to the reasons why. Thank God for doctor-patient confidentiality. If anyone asked too many questions, the cover story Janet had prepared was a dose of 'flu. Very clean, very neat and no one would have been any the wiser. There was only on slight problem.
The sound of someone knocking on the door made her jump out of her introspection. Sam uncurled herself from the couch and went to answer it. If that was Janet.....
"Dr. Fraiser said you had 'flu," Jack grinned at her. "Can I come in? I brought ice cream."
He held up a carton of Rocky Road, knowing from experience that it was her favourite. She smiled and stood back to let him in. He handed her the ice cream and sat down while she went to find a spoon.
"So you wanna tell me what's really wrong, or should I just start guessin'?" he asked when she returned.
Sam couldn't look at him. She kept her attention on her ice cream.
"Sam, despite popular, I'm not as dumb as I pretend. You haven't been yourself for a couple of weeks."
She still didn't answer him. Jack reached out and took the hand that held the spoon. A blob of ice cream dropped back into the carton.
"OK. Point one, you threw up after going through the gate the other morning, and yes I noticed. Point two, you've been eating some weird shit recently. Point three....you never had the chance to take one of those mornin' after pills. You were pregnant, weren't you?" he added. "For cryin' out loud, Sam, why didn't you say anything? We coulda worked something out."
"Could we?" she asked.
"Yes."
"And what about our careers, the SGC...everything we care about? Do we just give that up?"
"Sam, this would have been more important to me than anything else. You don't know what I would have given to be a father again."
"Then why are you here?"
"Because I didn't want you to go through this alone."
That said, he took the spoon from her hand and helped himself to the ice cream. Anything to distract himself from saying things he'd regret. He'd meant what he'd said. He was here to support her. Even if she had made her decision without him.
"Jack," Sam started quietly.
"Yes."
He thought that she was going to apologise....or throw him out of her apartment.
"I'm still pregnant."
***********
"Sir, we have something to tell you," Jack O'Neill began.
General Hammond leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. He'd been expecting this conversation. It had been a long time coming. The two officers were sitting a discreet distance from each other, but he could tell that their relationship had undergone a change. Even more so when O'Neill reached out and took Major Carter's hand.
"Colonel, Major...on a personal level I am delighted but..." Hammond began.
"It's all right, sir," Carter interrupted. "I won't be cleared for gate travel for some time....about seven months to be precise."
Both officer's laughed at the expression on the General's face. Then O'Neill bent close to Carter's stomach,
"Hey kid, this is General Hammond. He seems pretty scary at first but when you get used to him, he's a teddy bear."
Carter swatted his head away, "Jack, will you stop doing that....He keeps doing that, sir. He thinks it's cute."
"Just getting her used to my voice."
"It could be a boy."
"She's a girl, daddy's know these things."
"Enough...please," Hammond interrupted. If this got any cuter he would be forced to go somewhere quiet and scream. "This is highly irregular..."
"But since I can't travel through the gate, I won't be under Jack's command....I think you know where this is going, sir."
"Somebody, somewhere is going to do the math."
"Tell them we got some alien virus," Jack added helpfully....or not so helpfully as far as the general was concerned.
"Or got involved in some bizarre off-world mating ritual?" Sam suggested.
"Thought we were going to die and....well...you know..."
Hammond dropped his head into his hands. They were as bad as each other. He thought he could have relied on Carter to retain a sense of perspective. But no...the two of them were acting like lovesick teenagers. When Hammond looked up, O'Neill was talking to Carter's stomach again,
"C'mon, you have your mother's IQ....think of something!" he was saying.
Carter gave Hammond a 'what can you do' shrug. At which point he decided to dismiss them and hope they could control themselves while on the base. Maybe once they got used to the idea.....Surely, O'Neill couldn't be this nauseating for seven months? Then again, the man was obviously delighted with the fact that he was to be a father again and maybe he deserved the chance to act any damn way he pleased. Hammond felt himself smile in a grandfatherly fashion. They both deserved a little happiness, and who was he to stand in the way.
***********
Samantha Carter stood by the Stargate, a hand resting on her swollen stomach. If the Gate could have been activated by will alone......but it remained silent. She wished...she wished many things, but the only reality she knew shifted below her hand.
"Quiet little one," she whispered.
The child stirred once more and then stilled. She definitely seemed to respond to her momma's voice. That much was comforting.
"Sam, you should be resting," Janet's quiet voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Rest? Do you know how long it is since I've had a good night's sleep?"
"At a guess.....two months?"
Sam gave her friend a weak smile, but her eyes soon strayed back to the empty ring of the Stargate.
"Go home," Janet told her.
"I hate that house! It's cold, it's dark and it's empty," Sam snapped.
"Then come home with me. Cassie would love to have you around."
"What if he comes back?"
"Sam...."
"What if he comes back and he needs me?"
Janet couldn't answer that question. Everyone else on the base had accepted the fact that SG1 weren't going to step through that gate, but Sam never would. She still stood here day after day, greeting every team as they returned, hoping that SG1 would come back with them. Her vigil hadn't been rewarded. Janet was keeping a very close eye on her health, always sending her home when she seemed too close to exhaustion. This was the first time Sam had refused.
"I can get you back here in a heartbeat," Janet told her.
With bad grace, Sam acquiesced and let her friend guide her from the gateroom and out of the base. She remained silent as they drove to Janet's house. Only coming out of her reverie when Cassie greeted them at the door. She gave the child a hug, holding her tightly.
"Jack still hasn't come back, has he?" Cassie asked with the forthrightness of a child.
"No," Sam replied.
"Is he coming back?"
"We don't think so, honey."
Cassandra seemed to think about that for a moment as she absorbed the information. She looked at Sam, seeing more deeply into the woman than a child of nearly thirteen should have done.
"You're crying," she observed.
Sam shook her head, trying to deny the fact.
"We're very brave....remember?"
"Yes, Cassandra....I remember."
"We'll look after you," she said. "And when the baby comes, we'll look after her too."
***********
The End
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 ]