A flash of light interrupted the eerily quiet early morning in a neighborhood, in the nation’s capitol. Sticking the key into the front door and opening it, she suddenly wished their home didn’t have a shielding mechanism to prevent beaming in and beaming out, as the wind whipped around her.
She closed the front door to the house as quietly as she could, toeing off her combat boots and setting them aside. Locking the door behind her, she walked towards the hallway, untying her messy ponytail from her hair.
Pausing at the doorway she watched with a smile as she saw her companion resting in the middle of the bed. Shaking her head and smiling, she quietly moved to the in suite bathroom, closing the door most of the way, so the light wouldn’t bother him.
Changing out of her jumpsuit to something more suitable for bed, she finished up with her nightly routine quickly as a slight chill from the air hit her newly exposed skin.
Shutting off the light and opening the door, she silently walked over to the bed and kneeled on it.
“You’re on my side” she told him, poking and prodding him.
He swatted his hand in her general direction, not bothering to move.
“C’mon Jack” she pleaded, “the house is freezing.”
“It wouldn’t be if you came home at a decent hour” he mumbled against his pillow, scooting over to his side of the bed as she pushed against his side more forcefully.
She said nothing as she lay down next to him, drawing the covers up to her shoulders and sighed with relief as her head hit the pillow.
When she didn’t respond he opened his one of his eyes and saw her big blue eyes silently staring back at him.
“I’m sorry Sam” he told her.
“For what” she asked.
“The dig about you coming home at a decent hour” he questioned, opening his other eye sleepily.
“It’s alright” she told him, “I’m not upset about that. I wish I could be here before 0230 as well.”
“Good” was all Jack said as he scoot closer to her, enveloping her in his warmth and closing his eyes.
“Rush wouldn’t leave” she told him, knowing that although he closed his eyes again, he was still awake. “He told me someone was close to solving the equation and he wanted to track the movements the guy was making. I told him I was going home.”
“You’ve had a long day” he commented.
“Very long” she told him, her eyes starting to droop.
“Go to sleep” Jack told her, feeling her body relax against his, knowing sleep would be inevitable for her now.
“Good night Jack” she told him as her eyes finally closed.
“Good morning Sam” he corrected her, feeling the half-hearted swat to his shoulder.
“Good night” he responded back, kissing her forehead as she wrapped her arm in a loose hold around his chest.
--
The next morning the incessant ringing of a phone brought him into consciousness.
He looked at the clock and noted it was only 0600.
“Oh for crying out loud” he whispered, trying to reach for the phone before it woke his other half.
As he maneuvered himself out of Sam’s grasp the phone stopped ringing.
He huffed at the inconvenient phone and settled back down.
“Who was it” Sam asked, not bothering to open her eyes.
“I dunno” he told her, “phone stopped ringing as I was reaching for it.”
“You know they’re going to call again” she told him.
“It better be a damn emergency then” he half-joked.
She felt the bed dip as he came closer to her.
“How long are you on Terra Firma” he asked.
She opened her eyes sleepily and rubbed at them before answering.
“Depending on an emergency, a couple days” she told him, smiling slightly as he grinned.
“Sweet” was all he said as he wrapped his arms around her form.
They lay in peace, enjoying each other's company, when suddenly the doorbell’s chime comes across the house.
“This better be important” he said as he kissed her on the lips fully before getting out of bed and making himself look a bit presentable.
Walking down the hallway quickly he unlocked and opened the front door, glare already in place.
“What” he growled as the door opened, eying the tall man, with scraggly hair, a couple days worth of stubble on his face, and the pale, slight frame that stood on the stoop.
“General” Rush smiled sheepishly.
“What do you want Doctor Rush” Jack asked, leaning against the door, taking in the man’s haggard appearance. It was too early to deal with technobabble, he thought.
“Someone solved the equation” he spoke hurriedly. “I embedded a part of an equation for the ninth chevron into the new video game and someone solved it.”
“Was that you who called earlier” Jack asked, ignoring the man’s excitement for the moment.
“Uh, yes” Rush looked puzzled.
Jack nodded and paused as he heard movement coming down the hallway.
“General” Rush commented, noting the distinct lack of enthusiasm coming from the man in front of him.
“Uh yeah” Jack said, taking his eyes off Sam who was coming down the hallway, and focusing them back on the doctor in front of him.
Sam came up behind Jack and smiled at Dr. Rush.
“Colonel” Rush nodded.
“Doctor” Sam greeted.
“Dr. Rush said someone solved the equation” Jack announced.
“That’s great” Sam said, eying Rush carefully.
“Isn’t it” Jack said, his voice holding a hint of sarcasm only Sam detected.
Jack turned back to Rush, “so why are you here, on my doorstep this early in the morning” he asked, “It could have waited until this morning’s briefing, could it not.”
“I suppose it could have” Rush agreed, “But this was an opportunity I wasn’t going to pass up. I got the information on this kid, and I think we definitely have a chance of convincing him.”
Jack made a grabbing motion and Rush looked at him confused.
“He wants the file” Sam piped up.
“Oh, sorry” Rush said, digging through his briefcase for the file.
Rush found the file and handed it over to the General, watching as he handed it over to Sam without a word.
He watched the two exchange glances and then the blonde Colonel was gone, disappearing further into the house.
“She’ll read it over, brief me and I’ll come to the Pentagon for the morning briefing” Jack told him, “I expect you’ll be there.”
Rush nodded.
“Good” Jack said, nodding his head. “If that’s all” he trailed off.
“Oh yes” Rush nodded and gathered up his briefcase and waved.
“See you later Rush” Jack said as he closed the door on the doctor.
--
He walked into the kitchen to find Sam at the coffee pot, open file folder in front of her.
“So” he asked, wrapping his arms around her and looking over her shoulder.
“I think you may have to beam him up to convince him” she told him, leaning back against him.
“Really” he perked up.
“Really” she told him seriously.
“He’s one of those gamer types, and he’s not going to go easily” Sam told him, flipping through the sheets of paper. “His mother’s medical bills are piling up, so you can use that, tell him you’ll get her the best treatment.”
“Think it’ll work” Jack asked seriously.
“If you do most of the talking” she told him.
“But” he started.
“No” she told him. “Rush will frighten him the moment he starts speaking about the stargate. You need to reel him in, carefully.”
“Like fishing” Jack asked.
“Just like fishing” she told him with a hint of laughter in her voice.
“So I’m guessing our weekend is getting canceled” he asked.
“I’ll get time off when I come back” she told him.
“I know” he said, “but I had plans, big plans.”
“Big plans” she asked, eyebrows raised as she turned in his arms towards him.
“Oh no, you are not tricking me again. Last time was the last time you’ll get a surprise outta me” he told her seriously.
“Fine” she pouted.
He smirked and kissed her playfully.
“C’mon we have to get ready” he said, pulling her away from the coffee pot, and the file and back down the hallway.
She laughed and followed him right into their bedroom.
“I think you should wear your dress blues” she told him as she threw one of her clean jumpsuits onto the bed.
“Ya think” he asked.
“It makes you look more intimidating” she told him, watching as he stripped off his shirt and threw it to the side as he stepped into the bathroom.
“Sweet” he told her, smirking as she followed him into the shower.
“Indeed.” She smirked, closing the bathroom door.
Story Notes: I do not own these characters, sadly enough.
End Notes: fin.
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 ]