Sam Carter nibbled on the toast that was part of the breakfast she had been served in the infirmary, and prayed that it would stay down. Her prayers went unanswered. It was starting all over again. Only three people knew of her eating problem. Janet, as her Doctor. had been treating her for it ever since it had begun. General Hammond knew, as the Doctor had been forced to report it each time it had flared up. Sam's father knew, because Janet had consulted with Selmak to see if there was anything that the Tok'Ra could do to help. So far, Sam had kept it from her team. At first because she hadn't wanted to seem weak. Later because she had not wanted them hovering and worrying about her.
She didn't have an eating disorder. This was nothing she had any control over. This was a medical condition that no one knew how to handle. It had started after Jolinar. The Naquada in Sam's blood stream, and the protein marker had caused a lot of problems, but the biggest one had been gastrointestinal. She'd had problems keeping down solid food for weeks after Jolinar had died within her, until gradually her system had adjusted. There had been minor setbacks during her first months back on duty, first when they had been held as prisoners on Hadante, and then when Pyrus and Shyla had forced the three members of SG1 to work in the Naquada mines. After that, she had been fine. Until she had abused her body for 100 days when the Colonel had been trapped on Edora. Then the whole thing had started again.
Janet had patiently fed her intravenously for two weeks until her system had been able to handle real food again, and had instilled in Sam the need to eat regularly. Everything had been fine again for over a year. Then the entity had taken over Sam's body, and once again her system had been thrown off balance. It had taken a month for her to be able to eat normally. After Adrian Conrad had kidnapped her it had taken five weeks to stabilize her system. Now after Nirrti had done her little shuffling of Sam's DNA, it looked like she was in for another bout of what she and Janet had dubbed 'Jolinar's Revenge'.
Dr. Janet Fraiser walked into the infirmary to check on her friend and saw that Sam had barely touched her breakfast. Sam handed her the bucket that had been placed near her as a precaution and sighed.
"Break out the IV nourishment," she grimaced.
"Oh, Sam. I'm so sorry. I was hoping that since everything seems to have been changed back to normal the second time you were in the machine, that you wouldn't have any long-term problems," the Doctor sympathized.
"Me, too. But maybe it won't be as bad this time. I feel pretty good, considering everything. It might just take a day or two to get back to normal," Sam said optimistically.
One week later, she was forced to admit that she was in for the long haul. If anything, she had gotten worse. Even the sight of food was sending her stomach into spasms. And this time there was no hiding it from the guys. Finally, she sat them down with Janet nearby to answer any questions, and told them what was going on. Jonas immediately started asking the questions that all three of them were thinking. How long did this normally last? Couldn't the Tok'Ra use the healing device to help? What did Sam do for nourishment if she couldn't eat? Sam and Janet answered each question as best they could. Finally Sam turned to her teammates.
"I'm sorry to be letting you guys down," she said, to which they immediately protested. "It's probably going to be weeks before I can be back on active duty again. We will need to talk to Hammond about replacing me," she added sadly.
"Temporarily replacing you," O'Neill corrected.
"Yeah, temporarily," Sam said finally, squaring her shoulders slightly, refusing to let this get her down.
Jack O'Neill saw the gesture, and he was overwhelmed with pride. His 2IC was a fighter. It was one of the things that he loved about her. (He had long ago stopped trying to deny to himself that he did indeed love Sam Carter) However, the pride was immediately replaced with a wave of concern. She looked so tired and fragile, which was something that he had rarely seen in her. He remembered how much pain she had been in back in Nirrti's prison, and he thought about how much her body had been through in the last six years. He wondered how much more it could take.
"We shall be looking forward to your swift recovery, Major Carter," Teal'c stated with confidence.
"Thanks, Teal'c," Sam smiled. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad this time. She would at least have the support of her teammates.
One month later, all hopes of a swift recovery had been dashed. Every other time she had fought this, there had been small day-to-day improvements. She would be able to keep down clear liquids one day, soft foods like bananas several days later, until finally she was back to normal. This time it had been five weeks and her condition had not changed. To make matters worse, SG1 had been on non-stop missions for the last two weeks, and she had barely seen her teammates. She was depressed, and after losing ten pounds despite Janet's best efforts, she was starting to feel weak and dizzy. Concentrating in the lab had become difficult, so she was banned from even that work. Sam Carter was fading slowly away.
Dr. Fraiser and General Hammond were concerned enough that they had sent an urgent message to Jacob Carter. The Tok'Ra had responded that they would contact him as soon as they could, but that he was on an undercover mission. He would hopefully be checking in within the next week. Hammond was also working on getting security clearance for a top gastrointestinal doctor out of the University of Chicago. Major Davis was going to fly to Chicago to get the doctor as soon as clearance was granted. In the mean time, Hammond debated on whether he should try to contact the Asgard or the Nox to see if they could help. He finally decided it was worth a try. Neither had responded as of yet. At least SG1 was due back today. He was determined to give them some downtime to spend with Sam.
Jack O'Neill stepped onto the ramp at the SGC with a sigh of relief. The mission had been grueling, made even more so by their third temporary replacement for Carter, a young Captain Smart, who had not lived up to his name. He really missed Carter. The missions lately had all seemed incredibly boring without her around to smile at his lame jokes, roll her eyes at Jonas' antics and spout techno-babble with the express purpose of confusing him. Thinking of her he looked up at the control room expecting to see her hovering. She usually was when SG1 was due back. But today she was nowhere to be seen. He headed for the showers and then to the infirmary.
"You're all clear, Colonel," Dr. Fraiser reported.
"Thanks, Doc. Have you seen Carter? I thought she might be in here," he commented.
"Actually, she was due fifteen minutes ago. I hope she hasn't snuck into her lab again. I am going to have to admit her here permanently if she doesn't start following my orders and rest," Janet said with an exasperated shake of her head.
'I'll stop by and send her down here. How is she doing, honestly?" Jack asked with concern.
"Not well. She is losing weight and I am really starting to get concerned. And not just about her physical health. She is starting to show signs of deep depression," Janet admitted.
Jack nodded. He had noticed too, and he had felt guilty going off on this last mission and leaving her to cope more or less on her own. He was going to insist on some leave so he and the guys could spend time with her. She needed them, and there was nothing more important than that at the moment. With that thought he reached her lab, and looked around with a frown. She wasn't there. Maybe she was in her quarters. As he turned to leave he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. He stepped around her desk to find Sam lying on the floor. He grabbed the phone, and called in a medical emergency, and then sent up a silent plea as he reached to check her pulse. Strong and steady, thank goodness. Her eyes fluttered open at his touch.
"Sir?" she whispered. "What -?"
"You must have fainted, Carter. Just stay still. I've called for the Doc," he said holding her down lightly by her shoulders.
"I'm fine, Sir. You can let me up," she insisted.
"Just take it easy," he said, helping her to sit up. "Crap, Carter. You look like hell. What have you been doing while we've been gone?"
"Not much, Sir. Just slowly going out of my mind with boredom," she replied with a sigh. He still had his arm around her shoulders and she was enjoying the feel of having him so close way too much.
Just then Janet arrived with a couple of Med Techs and a gurney in tow, and the arm was removed.
"I'm fine Janet. I just got dizzy. I can walk to the infirmary myself," Sam said, silently pleading with the Doctor for a little dignity.
Janet waved away the Techs, and she and the Colonel helped Sam to her feet.
"Sam, you need to get some nourishment in you. Colonel, would you please escort her to the infirmary?" Janet asked.
She had not failed to notice the arm he had had around Sam when she entered the room. Privately, she thought that concern for SG1 and missing the Colonel had a lot to do with Sam's depression. She really needed to have all three of them safely around her if she was going to have any chance of getting better. Especially a certain CO that she had entirely unprofessional feelings for.
The next day Major Davis arrived with a very grumpy Dr Chesterfield in tow. The doctor made it clear that he did not appreciate being pulled away from his patients. An hour later he had completely changed his tune. Not only was this case medically fascinating, but he had met his new patient and been totally bowled over. As they had discussed her condition and this latest outbreak, he was amazed at her intelligence and courage. When Major Davis had first come to him, he had assured him that this one patient was worth leaving his family and other patients for. He had been skeptical at the time. Now he understood what the Major had meant.
Unfortunately, the more he looked at the case, the more he began to think that the ultimate solution was not something that would be well received. The symptoms she was exhibiting would only be kept under control if she could control the stress and strain that she put on her body. Her stomach and gallbladder were currently working overtime producing acids and bile, and these were adding to the problems the naquada caused. He was amazed that she hadn't had more occurrences of the severity she was currently experiencing. He sighed and prepared to be the bearer of bad news.
"- And so my recommendation is in four parts. First, I believe we should remove the Major's gallbladder. The extra bile that it is producing is only acerbating the problem. Without it, the level of nausea and pain should be significantly reduced. This is a simple operation that can be performed arthroscopically, and the Major will not suffer any ill effects from the loss of the organ. Once that is done, we should be able to stabilize her digestion and get her eating solid foods again using a few of the newer medications out on the market. Dr Fraiser, I will need your help testing a few of them to see which will work best with the Major's body chemistry. At that point, I would recommend that the Major take a vacation. Something that will be stress free, and allow her body time to stabilize, and give her a chance to put some of the lost weight back on. I would think she will need at least a month. And lastly, I really need to emphasize that the Major needs to change her lifestyle. If it were up to me, she would be removed permanently from active duty," Dr Chesterfield concluded to his stunned audience.
Dr Chesterfield scheduled Sam's surgery for the next day. Janet had agreed that removing her gallbladder might help, and at the very least wouldn't do any harm. Hammond kept SG1 on downtime, and as the surgery had gone well, they were able to help keep a very bored Major from going crazy. They played cards, and snuck her down to the rec room to watch movies. Jonas even managed to bring a device that SG6 had found into the infirmary for Sam to look at. By the fourth day after the surgery, Sam was able to keep down toast and a banana, her first real food in six weeks. They celebrated with cake. Well the guys did, Sam had a protein drink specially mixed for her by Dr. Chesterfield who was heading back to Chicago. That left Janet to worry about carrying out the rest of his recommendations. She wasn't too sure she agreed with them, which she discussed with Hammond the day after Chesterfield had left.
"It may do Sam some good to get away, but not by herself. Besides needing someone to keep an eye on her she also just needs to be around family and friends for support. As for being fit for active duty, it's going to be a while, but I certainly am not about to ground her permanently at this point," she concluded.
"Understood, Doctor. But I may need to make that decision and remove her from SG1 if her health could put her team at risk," Hammond said sadly. "But I agree, it's too early to decide that now."
Janet nodded, and left his office. Poor Sam. If she had to leave SG1 she would be devastated. Unless of course something good came out of it. Something like a relationship with a certain CO who was currently off limits. Now that might make all the difference in the world, she thought with a smile. She wondered if she should convince the Colonel to take Sam on that fishing trip.
However the matter of a vacation for Sam was taken out of their hands when Jacob Carter showed up the next day. Appalled at the amount of weight that his daughter had lost, he whisked her off to visit Mark in California as soon as Janet gave the ok.
Five days later he was on the phone checking in with Dr. Fraiser. He reported that physically Sam was doing fine. Her eating was improving daily, and she had even started doing some light exercise. He confided to Janet that he was worried about her mental state. She remained quiet and withdrawn, spending a lot of her time curled up on a lounger in the back yard with a book. Jacob asked if he could talk to Jack, but SG1 was out on a mission and wouldn't be returning until the next day. Jacob was due back in two days, and although Mark had begged Sam to stay longer, she had firmly insisted that she would be going home then too. Jacob figured he would have to tackle this on his own.
On their last night at Mark's, he finally cornered Sam, and sat her down to talk. He knew that she loved being on SG1, but he was really concerned for her health if she kept pushing herself as she had for the last six years. Selmak however was giving him stern warnings to keep his opinions to himself unless he was asked. *If you try to dictate her life, the results could be disastrous* He knew she was right. So he sighed and tried to start a discussion with his daughter, something he hadn't had much practice at.
"Sam, have you thought about what you want to do when you get back?" he started off.
"That's all I have thought about this week, Dad," she said with a shrug. "It doesn't mean that I have come to any conclusions. I love my job, and I don't think I could stand being reassigned to anywhere else. The Pentagon and even Groom Lake would be so boring after the SGC. And I don't want to let the guys down. I hate the thought of them out there without me. On the other hand, I don't ever want to go through this ordeal again. And I don't want to put my team in danger because if my health, although it hasn't happened in the past."
"You really need to talk to Jack about this you know," he commented, causing her head to jerk up to look at him. "Why?" she asked, knowing it was true. She just hadn't realized that her Dad knew.
"If you decide to leave SG1 you two will have a lot to talk about. I'm no fool Sam, and even if I was blind I have Selmak to point out things that I might otherwise choose to ignore," he said with a grin.
"Oh!" She wasn't sure what else to say, except for the obvious. "How long have you known?"
"I suspected the minute I met Jack at that medal ceremony in Washington. I *knew* the first time I saw the two of you work together," he admitted, and saw her eyes widen in shock. So much for hiding their feelings.
Sam couldn't get to sleep that night. After an hour of staring up at the ceiling, she finally grabbed the comforter off of the bed, and headed out to the lounger where she snuggled up and lay staring up at the stars. She wished that the Colonel was there with her to point out the constellations. Not that she didn't know them. She just liked it when he sat and named them for her. Just like he pretended not to understand some concept just to get her to explain it. It was a safe little way they had to stay connected, to have a private moment between just the two of them. And somehow, lying there thinking of him, lost in the vision of the universe that she loved to explore, things began to make sense.
By dawn, she had made some decisions. First, she wanted to stay at the SGC, even if it meant she had to give up her commission to do so. But she had to resign from SG1. There were a lot of good reasons. She knew that this latest bout of 'Jolinar's Revenge' had been a signal that her body had had enough. Oh, she realized that Teal'c and the Colonel had each been through as much or more than she had, but Teal'c had Junior, and the Colonel had spent a good amount of time in a sarcophagus recently. Her body had had no such relief, and the cumulative effects of two goa'uld blendings plus the entity's habitation, not to mention the various injuries, drugs, and torture devices she had been subjected to over the years was beginning to show. Plus it was time. In her mid-thirties, if she ever wanted to even think about having a life outside of work, it was quickly becoming too late. Which brought her to her last decision. She really needed to see if a certain invitation to go fishing was still on the table. She may have waited too long there already. If that was the case, at least she would be able to move on, and find happiness elsewhere. As the sun rose, she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. She dreamed she was sitting on a pier in a little black bikini. At least she started out wearing a little black bikini.
Later that morning, Jacob and Sam returned to Colorado, and Sam accompanied her dad to the SGC. Technically she was still on medical leave for another three weeks, but she wanted to stop in and see Janet for a check up. Hopefully she could talk the doctor into letting her back in the lab sooner so she didn't die of boredom. She also wanted to see Hammond and get her status settled. And she wanted to check on the guys, who had just gotten back from a mission late the night before. She found her teammates in the commissary. They jumped to their feet when they saw her, and Jonas swept her into a hug.
"Sam! You're back! We missed you so much," he exclaimed looking pointedly at the Colonel who had been a total grump during the week she had been gone.
"Indeed, Major Carter. We are glad you are back," Teal'c added with a nod and a small smile.
Jack O'Neill took in the sight of his 2IC like a man dying of thirst who had just spotted an oasis. He was relieved to see her looking better. She was still way too thin, but she had a light tan, and the smile was back on her face. He wondered if she had come to any decisions while she was gone. The entire time she had been in California he had wanted to call her, or fly out to see her, and tell her that he loved her, and give her a reason to stay at the SGC. But he hadn't wanted to sway her decision. She needed to do what would make her happy, and keep her healthy. He suddenly realized he had been staring at her in silence.
"Carter, you're looking better. Did you see Jacob off?" he asked.
"Yes, and now I need to stop in to see Janet for a check-up," she said wrinkling up her nose at the thought of another round of poking and prodding.
"Then what, Sam?" Jonas had the courage to ask.
"Then I am going to stop in and see General Hammond to discuss my options. After that I guess I am on leave for three more weeks. I can't imagine what I am going to do for that long. I am hoping that Janet and the General will let me come back and at least do lab-work sooner," she confessed.
"So you *are* coming back to the SGC?" Jack couldn't help but ask.
"I certainly hope so. Although it will probably be a long time before I can be cleared for active duty," she admitted with a sad smile.
Eventually she headed to the infirmary to see Janet, who was thrilled with her progress, but refused to reduce her leave time. Then she was off to Hammond's office, where the General was waiting for her. He had spoken briefly with Jacob before he left, but his friend couldn't tell him anything of Sam's intentions. He had just asked that George contact him immediately if Sam had any setbacks. Hammond looked at the women sitting across from him and marveled at the strength of character she possessed. She had been though so many horrific events in her life, and yet she still was filled with an aura of quiet confidence.
"Major, how are you doing, really?" he asked with concern.
"Much better, Sir. Although I still have long way to go to be back to 100%. I was hoping to talk briefly about my position here, Sir, so that I don't have to be worrying about it while I finish my leave," she stated, getting right down to business.
"Of course, Major," he said, hoping this was not going to be bad news. The Joint Chiefs had made it clear that they wanted the Major to stay at the SGC with her rank in tact. He had been authorized to offer her any position she felt she was comfortable with to keep her knowledge from walking out the door. But he wanted to know what Sam wanted first. It was her health that was at risk here.
"Sir, I've come to resign from SG1," she said with a sad smile which was returned by the General. "That said, if there is anyway the I can stay at the SGC, that would be my choice, even if it has to be as a civilian scientist."
"Of course you can stay, Major. And there is no need to give up your commission. The Air Force feels very lucky to have you. As a matter of fact the President and Joint Chiefs have personally told me that they want you here at the SGC. They all think very highly of you, Major. As do I, Sam," he added on a more personal note.
Blushing slightly, Sam breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Sir. That is a weight off of my mind. I hope to get myself back into shape soon so that I can go through the gate again, even if it's not as a permanent member of a team."
"I'm sure you will, Major. Now I want you to get out of here and go finish your leave. Do you have any ideas on what you are going to do with the time off? I hear that the fishing is good this time of year in Minnesota," the General said hiding a grin. Now that he knew that Sam was off of SG1 but staying at the SGC it had occurred to him that this could all work out for the best for his two top officers.
Sam's blush deepened, but then she smiled and a dimple appeared. She looked the General in the eye, and replied, "I've heard that too, Sir. I'm hoping to get there soon to find out for myself."
With that she left Hammond's office, and headed to her *former* CO's office.
Jack knew that his 2IC was there before her shadow even darkened his doorway. He loved how he could sense her like that, especially since he suspected that she could do the same with him. He looked up as she tapped on his doorframe.
"Come in, Carter. What can I do for you?" he asked calmly, although silently he was dreading this conversation.
She entered his office and perched on the edge of his desk. "I wanted to let you know that I've officially resigned from SG1, Sir," she said picking up a pen and fiddling with it in Jack O'Neill fashion.
He closed his eyes as a wave of sadness washed over him. He had been trying to prepare himself for this, but he still hadn't been ready to lose her. He knew that he would never enjoy this job quite as much again without her by his side every day.
"I'm so sorry, Carter. Are you staying at the SGC?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes, Sir. It seems I'm still needed here," she said with a smile.
"Damn straight you are!" he exclaimed. //Mostly by me// he admitted to himself.
"So, I'm heading home. I was wondering if you were free for dinner tonight." Sam asked trying to calm her nerves.
"Sure. We are officially on downtime until Monday morning. I just have to finish this report and I am free to go," he said with a grimace in the direction of the report on his desk. "Do you want me to invite Teal'c and Jonas for you?"
"Actually, I would like to have everyone over on Sunday. It is supposed to be nice and we could cook out. Tonight I was hoping it could be just you and I, so we could talk about a few things," she said taking the plunge.
"Oh!" O'Neill replied in surprise. Just he and Carter? An unbidden vision of the two of them popped into his head and he ruthlessly squashed it. "Ok, what time?"
"Is 19:30 good? I'll call in an order to Fazoli's and you can pick it up on the way over," she suggested.
"Sounds good. 19:30," he confirmed.
Sam turned to leave and then paused. "Oh, and Jack?" His head snapped up at that. "Don't forget the Tiramisu," she said with a grin. And then she was gone.
Jack wasn't 100% sure, but he thought he had a date with Sam Carter. And it wasn't wrong. The sadness that had swept over him at her announcement that she was leaving SG1 started to lift. He loved her, and it wasn't wrong.
He arrived promptly at 19:30, dinner and dessert in hand. As he rang the bell, the nerves he had been trying to quell for hours suddenly returned. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions. She might just want to talk about her future at the SGC. Then again maybe not, he thought as she answered the door. She was dressed casually in jeans and a top, but both managed to hug her still too slim frame in all the right places. And she was wearing makeup. The nerves kicked up a notch. She took the food from him, and served it up on plates, then poured him a glass of wine. He noticed she was drinking water. Oh yeah- all of those meds and a stomach that still couldn't handle alcohol. He vowed to hold himself to one glass. Probably better under the circumstances anyway.
Dinner was eaten while they chatted amicably. He caught her up on the last couple of missions that SG1 had been on, and she told him about her trip to California. They devoured the dessert while discussing possible birthday presents for Cassie. After they cleared the dishes they moved to the living room, and Sam lit a fire while trying to figure out how to maneuver the conversation around to where she wanted it to go. Jack unwittingly helped her out.
"So what are you going to do with the rest of your leave, Carter?" he asked.
"That's a good question. Janet doesn't want me to go off on my own, and Cassie can't take off of school with semester exams around the corner, so I guess I am stuck here unless I can find someone to go away with me," she responded with a sigh.
"You know that Teal'c and Jonas would love to see more of Earth. They would probably jump at the chance to travel somewhere with you," he suggested.
Sam chuckled. "But the point of the vacation is to *avoid* stress. I don't think that escorting two aliens around qualifies." Silently she prayed he would take the hint. //Come on, Colonel, there is one more possibility//
Jack sat silently for a minute. Was she suggesting what he thought she was suggesting? There was only one way to find out. //Go for it. You can handle it if she turns you down//
"Well you know, that invitation to go fishing with me still stands," he offered staring at the fire.
"I thought you would never ask. I would love to go fishing, Jack," she said with a grin.
His eyes flew to hers and she watched the emotions flicker through them. Surprise, Joy, and then the one she had been watching and hoping for. Love. She knew it was reflected in her eyes. As their lips met for the first time (Not counting those times she didn't remember or were slightly hazy due to a virus) she felt herself melt into him with a sigh. //So worth the wait// she thought as he leaned in to deepen the kiss.
Eventually they parted, resting their foreheads together and sporting matching grins.
"So," he mumbled as he bent his head to nibble her neck. "When do you think Doc will clear you to go fishing?"
"We can ask her on Sunday," Sam said and then let out a little moan. //Have to remember that spot// Jack thought. "It should only be a few more days," she added as she arched her back to give him access to more bare skin.
As much as she was enjoying this, she knew she didn't have the energy to take things much further tonight. The previous night's lack of sleep coupled with a busy, emotionally charged day, was taking its toll on her. Before she could gather the resolve to break from this lovely embrace, Jack was sitting back trying to catch his breath.
"You must be exhausted. I should go," he said reluctantly.
She thought about trying to sleep in that quiet lonely house, and blurted out "Please stay." Then she blushed, but bravely continued. "I want to fall asleep in your arms and wake up with you there in the morning," she admitted.
Wow. How could he refuse? She had just described the subject matter of most of his non-R rated dreams. Well, that, and the whole 'Til Death Do Us Part' scene that usually cropped up too. He could do the just holding her thing. A lot of nights over the past six years he would have killed to be able to just hold her.
So he put out the fire while she changed for bed into an outfit that consisted of floral print pants and a very tiny blue tank top that had him rethinking his ability to do this. Then she handed him a new toothbrush and told him the bathroom was all his, and he just had to smile at how Carter was always prepared. While he was in the bathroom, she locked up, and when he came out she was in bed waiting for him. He stripped down to his tee shirt and boxers and crawled in next to her. She reached around him to turn out the light and stopped on her way back to give him a kiss. Then she grabbed his hand and turned on her side with her back to him, pulling him with so that he was spooned up behind her with one arm around her waist.
"Goodnight, Jack," she whispered, and he felt her relax back into him. God, he hoped there would be no need for side-arm jokes tonight. Eventually he felt her breathing even out, and as he started to drift off himself he had the fleeting thought that he could die happy like this. Not anytime soon of course. Maybe after he had gotten to hold her every night for 30 or 40 years.
Both of them slept soundly, but Jack woke by force of habit at 06:00. He was disorientated for a moment, but then he was overjoyed to remember exactly where he was and just who he had in his arms. She had turned at some point during the night, and was now snuggled up facing him, with one leg tangled between his, and her head tucked under his chin. He realized that one of his hands had slipped under the bottom of her tank top to find bare skin to rest against. He started to draw lazy circles on the smooth skin, and soon her breathing changed and she mumbled something into his chest. Ok, *that* caused an interesting reaction in a certain part of his body. She must have noticed, because she lifted her head and look at him with a huge grin.
"Good morning," she chuckled.
"It certainly is," he agreed as he swooped in for a kiss. And then the words just tumbled out. "I love you, Sam."
He felt her body still, and she looked at him in shock. He really hadn't meant to admit that to her just yet, but if the look of joy that was spreading over her face was any indication, it wasn't too soon.
"I love you too, Jack. I have for a long time," she replied. Then with a devilish little smile, she flipped him over on his back. "And I think it's about time I showed you how much."
It was hours later when they finally made it to the kitchen for breakfast. Sam made toast and scrambled eggs, while Jack put the coffee on. Her mouth watered at the smell. God, she missed the caffeine. But coffee was still on the forbidden list, so she whipped up one of the nutrition drinks that Dr. Chesterfield had developed for her, and made do with that, a couple of slices of toast, and a few pilfered forkfuls of Jack's eggs. As they sat eating, she couldn't help marveling on how nice this was. Normal and right. Any doubts that she'd had about her previous day's decisions vanished. No matter how this turned out in the future, today she was truly happy.
After breakfast Jack called the base, and invited Teal'c, Jonas and Janet to his place for a cookout the next day. They had decided to do it at his place, because he insisted he had a better grill. Then he had Sam help him make a list of what she could eat so he could get groceries for the next day, and for dinner that night. Sam was going to spend her standard Saturday afternoon with Cassie, and then head over to his place for dinner. After he left, she optimistically packed a bag with clothes for the next day, and everything she would need to stay at Jack's for two nights. Better to be prepared. Then she headed out to run a couple of errands before she went to Janet's. She was glad her friend was on duty today so she wouldn't have to face her just yet. Tomorrow would be soon enough to share the news with their friends.
That night was just as amazing as the morning had been. Jack grilled chicken and vegetables on the grill, and then they spent hours up on his deck looking at the stars. Sam happily let him point out all of the constellations to her. Eventually the air got too cool, and the kisses got too heated, so they headed back inside. This time Jack issued the plea.
"Stay." And then he chuckled when a slightly embarrassed Sam got her bag out of the car. "My little Girl Scout," he teased.
"Girl Scout?" she questioned as she pulled him in close and started doing things that were not in any handbook. "I'd like to see a Girl Scout try this."
They had spent hours in each other's arms, making love, and talking about everything and nothing. In the morning they shared pancakes, and Jack was glad to see that Sam managed to eat two. Then they spent the next couple of hours working companionably together to get ready for their friend's arrival. By the time Janet and Cassie showed up, Teal'c and Jonas had persuaded Jack to bring out a football to toss around, leaving Sam to open the door to the two women.
"Hey, Cass. The guys are out back trying to teach Jonas the fine art of throwing a football. You might want to go rescue him, or you can just sit back and watch. It's highly amusing," Sam said, knowing that Janet was going to want to give her the once over before she allowed herself to settle in and enjoy the party.
"So, Sam. You look good. More rested than Friday. How are you eating?" Janet asked in full Doctor mode.
"Good, Jan. My appetite has improved a lot in the last two days," Sam was able to answer honestly. //Of course Jack has been helping me work up an appetite// she thought.
Then Janet paused and took a good look at her friend. "Oh my god!" she almost shouted. "What have you been up to?" she asked dropping her voice to a stage whisper.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked, trying to maintain an innocent air.
"You are positively glowing," her friend accused.
"Yeah, well I feel a lot better," Sam said trying to wiggle out of a confession.
Janet was having none of it. "Sam," she said in her best 'I know how to hurt you' warning voice.
"Ok! I resigned from SG1 on Friday, and Jack and I have been having sex all weekend. Is that what you wanted to hear?" Sam exclaimed.
"Only if it's true. Wow, really?" Janet asked amazed.
"Oh yeah," Sam giggled. "Come on. We need to Teal'c and Jonas the news."
"That you and Jack are having sex?" Janet teased.
Sam rolled her eyes. "No. That I am no longer on SG1. I am *not* discussing my sex life with those two."
Jonas and Teal'c were upset by Sam's news, but they were so glad to see her looking better, that the sadness was overshadowed by their relief that she was getting well again. It also didn't take long for Teal'c to pick up on the shift in his two friend's relationship. When Jack got a 7-Up for Sam to drink with dinner, he watched as their hands lingered and their eyes clashed.
"Congratulations to you both O'Neill, Major Carter. It is good to see you both happy," he stated simply.
Jonas and Cassie looked quickly from Sam to Jack, and then Cassie let out a squeal.
"Are you two really together?" she asked.
Both of them grinned and nodded.
"Sam, that is so great!" Cassie proclaimed. "Are you going to get married?"
"Cass, we've been on like one date. Give us a break," Sam admonished. But Jack simply winked at Cassie from behind Sam's back.
As the evening ended, Janet proclaimed that she would let Sam go to Minnesota at the end of that week if she continued to make good progress. So the next morning, Sam and Jack parted with a kiss, and Jack went off to request some leave from General Hammond. The General was more than happy to give it to him, especially since it meant that Jacob owed him $100 the next time he saw him. And Sam went off shopping.
She was on a quest to find the perfect black bikini.
The end!
Story Notes: Email: jackiesfic@aol.com
Season: Season 6, After METAMORPHOSIS
Spoilers: ItLod, and lots of little ones up through Meta
Archive: SJD, yes. Anyone else, please just ask.
Summary: Sam is still dealing with the fallout from her blending with Jolinar.
Note: This is NOT part of the In Demand Series.
Author's Notes: My muse is on a sit down strike. She refuses to write the next part of the In Demand series unless I let her get this story out of her system. This pretty much follows SG1 canon up through Meta, then takes a left turn to allow my muse some creative freedom. I promise I will get back to the In Demand series next week. As always feed back craved!
Season: Season 6, After METAMORPHOSIS
Spoilers: ItLod, and lots of little ones up through Meta
Archive: SJD, yes. Anyone else, please just ask.
Summary: Sam is still dealing with the fallout from her blending with Jolinar.
Note: This is NOT part of the In Demand Series.
Author's Notes: My muse is on a sit down strike. She refuses to write the next part of the In Demand series unless I let her get this story out of her system. This pretty much follows SG1 canon up through Meta, then takes a left turn to allow my muse some creative freedom. I promise I will get back to the In Demand series next week. As always feed back craved!
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 ]