The roads were wet and slippery as I pulled out onto the main road heading towards Colorado Springs. The full moon shone down between dark clouds, providing little illumination. First stop for tonight was Dr. Jackson's apartment. I doubted there would be any cause for alarm at his residence, his neighbors tended to keep an eye out, but I liked to check anyway. In a sense, the SGC was my family, my sons and daughters, my people. I felt a responsibility to make sure their personal forts were secure whilst they were elsewhere. Elsewhere being, quite frequently, on the other side of the galaxy.
I pulled up on the opposite side of the road to Jackson's building and looked across to his window. Lights off, window closed. Looked ok. Frequently the young archeologist left his lights on for days at a time- I know, not just because I check but also because I over heard him moaning to Colonel O'Neill about the electricity bill. I pulled back out into the night traffic, confident that, if he had left on a toaster or iron his neighbors would catch it before the place burnt to the ground. He reminded me of my son like that.
Major Carter's next. I probably needn't have bothered, I don't think the Major is capable of forgetting the lights or toaster or iron, but it doesn't hurt to check. Major Cornnel's house was robbed a few weeks ago whilst she'd been 'elsewhere'; I'd been sick that week and missed my rounds, she'd came back from P1X969 to find the place ransacked. I'd added that to my argument that the homes of all SGC personnel should be fitted with alarms systems wired into the SGC computers so we could monitor them 24 hours a day. The Joint Chiefs came back with their usual reply: "Too expensive, not needed, you're just being paranoid General." I said that our field personnel would be much happier about extended trips off-world if they could be certain their homes and possessions were safe; they'd come back with "That's what the police are for, General."
Damn politicians.
Carter's house was locked up securely as per usual and I headed towards O'Neill's. It was nearing 23:00 hrs, SG1 had been 'elsewhere' for five hours now. They were due back in two days time, probably dirty, probably tired, very definitely in need of some downtime. I made a mental note to assign them all a week's holiday as soon as I got back to base. SG1 are my best; it pays to keep them that way.
It started to rain again as I stopped in O'Neill's driveway. His side gate was open and I got out of the car, weary of intruders. I went around the back and looked around, not seeing anyone. He probably just left it open by mistake. I turned to head back to the car and stopped as I caught sight of the washing line.
I didn't see O'Neill as the domesticated type- I'd always figured he'd go to the local Laundromat with his washing, or take it into the base's like I do- so I was surprised by the wet washing flapping in the wind. Only a few bits of uniform, most of it was civvies- a couple of flannelette shirts, a pair of jeans, socks, and...
It was the woman's underwear that surprised me the most. I hadn't been aware that O'Neill was seeing anyone. I know he still sees his ex wife Sara occasionally, but it is purely platonic. I smiled as I mused upon this, reasoning that maybe Sara still did his washing and that she'd hung up her own as well. I started towards the car, thinking that whatever was going on was the Colonels business and nobody else's.
And then I saw it. The sweater. It was light blue, and obviously a female's. I recognized it with a shock as being exactly like one Major Carter often wore. Realization dawned as I recognized other articles of clothing- the dress she'd worn to one of the SGC's regular karoke nights; a black T-shirt that was part of her uniform; another sweater, this time in green.
The Major's clothes were hung on the Colonel's line.
The Major's underwear was hung on the Colonel's line.
Now, there was probably a perfectly reasonable, non-regulation breaking reason for this. Maybe she'd done his washing and, not having a line of her own, (I was clutching at straws here,) had hung hers up too. Or maybe she'd stayed the night at his house, platonically, maybe a bit too drunk after spending their downtime together, platonically, and had added her washing to his.
Or maybe...
Or maybe forks and dishes run together whilst cows jump over moons.
I'd seen the looks, naturally. I could feel the tension. You couldn't avoid it. But I didn't think they'd actually done anything about resolving it. They were both fine officers. Sure, he had been known to bend regulation on a fairly regular basis, but never the big stuff. And she was smart, interested in career advancement and perhaps, one day, running the SGC. She
certainly was capable of it.
But this... this broke the regulations they'd sworn to uphold. If the NID found out about this, their careers were ruined. She'd be reassigned, no hope of ever becoming a General. He'd probably have to give up that honor as well, relegated to being a Colonel for the rest of his life.
That was if NID found out.
I smiled, locking my two best officer's secret away, never for it to pass my lips. I walked through the gate and closed it, taking one last look at the wet washing line, before getting back into my car and driving home.
The End.
Story Notes: EMAIL: keldred@telstra.easymail.com.au
CATAGORY: S/J (But of cause!)
SPOILERS: None that I know of.
SEASON/SEQUEL: Tell me if you want a sequel. But that doesn't mean you'll get one.
CONTENT WARNINGS: None.
SUMMARY: Hammond moonlights as a SG security guard. No, not really, but can you imagine him on a little folding chair drinking coffee out of a thermos?
ARCHIVE: Sam and Jack, Heliopolis, my site (The Infirmary), all others ask first. You are welcome to have it, though.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hammond might not be entirely in character, here, but I don't care! I'll write him how I want to write him. OK? *G*
CATAGORY: S/J (But of cause!)
SPOILERS: None that I know of.
SEASON/SEQUEL: Tell me if you want a sequel. But that doesn't mean you'll get one.
CONTENT WARNINGS: None.
SUMMARY: Hammond moonlights as a SG security guard. No, not really, but can you imagine him on a little folding chair drinking coffee out of a thermos?
ARCHIVE: Sam and Jack, Heliopolis, my site (The Infirmary), all others ask first. You are welcome to have it, though.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hammond might not be entirely in character, here, but I don't care! I'll write him how I want to write him. OK? *G*
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 ]