samandjack.net

Story Notes: Email: wendyparkinson@hotmail.com

Category: S/J

Spoilers: Nemesis

Season/Sequel info: Set during Nemesis. Sequel to my previous story, Seize the Day (on my website at http://www.parkin404.freeserve.co.uk/stories/seizethe.htm)

Content Warnings: none

Archive: "Heliopolis" and "Sam and Jack"

Date: 26th May 2000

All feedback and constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated. No flames please.

copyright Wendy Parkinson May 2000


Jack O'Neill hesitated outside the infirmary. He hated hospital visiting. After the initial 'How are you feeling?', conversation always dried up. He usually ate too many grapes and ended up feeling sick.

But deep down, there was another reason for his unease. Too many memories of pain, death and missions gone wrong. The screams of missing comrades. Over the years, he'd lost too many friends, come close himself far too many times.

He shuddered. This was ridiculous, he told himself. Anyone could get appendicitis, Daniel wasn't about to die. Shaking himself, he shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to look relaxed as he strolled into the infirmary.

He had to get this over with, then he could go and find Sam. Jack had decided that after all they had been through over the last few months, today was the time to finally take Samantha's advice and seize the day. He'd made up his mind to ask Sam to go on vacation with him, to Minnesota. Running his hand through his newly cut hair, he reflected that he had to make the invitation look non-threatening, a spur of the moment kind of thing. He didn't want to scare her off by coming on too heavy. To make it look casual, he was going to ask Daniel first but he knew the archaeologist would say no. After all, not only had he just had surgery but he'd told Jack on numerous occasions how much he hated fishing.

Pausing slightly to let a nurse walk past, he entered the infirmary and saw Daniel lying in bed. He tried to look cheerful but it was hard when he saw how ill his friend looked. "Hey!"

"Hey!" replied Daniel, with less enthusiasm than was usual for him.

"How ya doing?" asked Jack.

"Good. Did you have your hair cut?"

Jack answered him self-consciously, "Yeah, why?" then wondered if Sam would notice. He didn't normally pay much attention to his appearance, it had been quite a while since he'd tried to impress anyone.

"No reason."

Jack wondered if Daniel suspected the reason for his haircut and decided to change the subject. "Can I see your scar?"

"No." Daniel frowned slightly at Jack in an offended kind of way.

Jack tried again. "Er.... Fraiser says it'll be about a week before you're out of here."

"You know, it's funny.... I mean after everything we've been through these past few years and of all things, it's my appendix that lays me out. But it's not going to be a week... I mean I'm practically.... I feel fine now."

Jack looked critically at his friend. He certainly didn't *look* fine. The colonel took a deep breath. Now was the time to ask, "Wanna go fishing?"

"Actually, I wouldn't... er..."

Jack's heart missed a beat. He wasn't going to say 'yes', was he?

"Well maybe..." Daniel tried to sit up, grimaced in pain and then lay down again. "Ahem... no, you know, maybe I will stay here for two or three days..."

Jack breathed a sigh of relief. Now he could go and find Sam. He said "Bye" to Daniel and left the infirmary, wondering if the archaeologist had thought it strange he'd invited him fishing.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Jack found Sam in her lab. He couldn't begin to guess what she was doing. "Carter!"

"Sir. Hi, how's Daniel?" Sam turned to face him.

"Oh, he's going to be fine. What are you doing?" Jack instantly regretted asking the question when he realised he had no hope of understanding the answer.

"I'm getting ready to do a detailed analysis of the decay rate of naquadah within the reactor. It's really quite amazing, that unlike plutonium, naquadah actually has a ....

No, he didn't understand the answer. "Ah ah aaaahhh! I'm on vacation!"

"Yes, sir."

"So are you." And I'd love to hear you call me 'Jack', not 'sir', he thought to himself. He could feel his stomach turning somersaults, as he worked up the courage to ask her about the vacation. With a jolt, he realised Sam was speaking.

"I know. It's not that I'm happy that Daniel's in excruciating pain or anything like that but I've actually been looking forward to an opportunity like this for quite some time."

"You know, maybe it's just me but I always thought that when one got some leave, one actually left." Sam treated him to one of her dazzling smiles. It made him feel kind of warm and fuzzy inside. He loved the way she laughed at his jokes, no matter how lame they were. "Daniel's recouping, Teal'c's off visiting his kid somewhere." Now was the time, he was going to ask her... he was... "Personally I have a date with a little lake in Minnesota where the bass grow *that* big." He held his arms outstretched, demonstrating the monster fish he intended to catch.

"Really?" Sam obviously didn't believe a word.

"Oh yes! What I'm describing here, Carter, involves a very special element."

"This is fun to me, sir."

That wasn't what Jack had meant. As far as he was concerned, the 'special element' was Sam accompanying him. He couldn't care less about the fish. "Well, if playing with your little reactor sounds better than exploring the lakes and natural beauty of Northern Minnesota, there's not much I can do." He struggled to stop himself shaking with anticipation, he felt like a teenager asking a girl on a first date. Would she say 'yes'?

"Was that an invitation..... sir?"

Of course it was, he wanted to scream. She looked interested though. Make it casual, he told himself, make it casual. "Nothing wrong with that, is there? Couple of co-workers, friends, if you will, fishing. It'd be fun." He waited expectantly. Her answer wasn't what he'd dreamed of.

"Wow. I appreciate the offer, sir. Really sounds great. But I should...."

Summoning up his best 'nonchalant' expression, even though it felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach, he said, more abruptly than he intended to, "No sweat. See you in a week." He had to get out of there before she saw how disappointed he was. As an afterthought, he turned in the doorway and added, with a wave of his arm, "And by all means, have fun!"

Walking down the corridor, he sighed to himself. Well, O'Neill, he thought, so much for seizing the day. You're better off sticking to fishing. Then he heard footsteps behind him. His breath caught in his throat when he heard Sam's voice.

"Colonel!.... Ah....." She paused, as he stopped and swung round to face her, seemingly at a loss for words. Jack found himself hoping she was going to change her mind and come fishing with him. "Have a good time," she added.

Jack watched her closely. She was definitely hesitating, so close to agreeing to the vacation. He decided he had nothing to lose, she just needed a little gentle persuasion.

"Land of sky blue waters... loofahs.... be sure ya betcha snookums... mosquitoes....

She was going to say 'yes', he could see it in her face. Then he realised he couldn't see her face but somehow, in spite of this, his mouth kept going.

..... Home of the loon."

What the hell was that? Where was he? Then recognition dawned.

"Thor?" As he began to walk down the corridor on the Asgard ship he swore to himself that Thor better have a good reason for this, or he'd kick his little grey butt from here to the other side of the galaxy.



The End.




You must login (register) to review.