It had been just over two weeks since Jacob had arrived back on Earth to visit Sam and her daughter, and they had used the time to spend it as a family because the Tok’ra had no other use for Jacob despite the impending doom. After a brief shrug of his shoulders, Jacob had not seemed too concerned about the Tok’ra not needing him, but it did worry Sam. Jacob was only still alive because of the Tok’ra. They had even visited Sam's brother Mark for the weekend because luckily for Sam she was not due on an SG-1 mission. Thankfully Sam had managed to get to Mark before their father and warned him to not mention the closeness he may have seen between her and Jack over Christmas. Sam had enjoyed spending the time with her father and the fact that Daniella could get to know her grand-father a bit before he had to leave again. Unfortunately due to the politics and dangerous situations of the Tok’ra, Tau'ri, Jaffa and the Goa'uld, neither Sam nor Jacob knew when he would be able to visit again. The day that Jacob had left again had brought Sam’s entire childhood memories home to her. She could remember how he would often leave for a mission and return weeks late, effectively missing most of her childhood. Sam hated the fact that her daughter would not know her own grand-father, but what it made Sam think about more was how Daniella would spend most of her childhood without either of her parents. As she had watched her father hug Daniella goodbye in the 'gate room, Sam had questioned whether it was all worth it.
Sam had immediately thought of all of the Goa'uld out there who wanted the end to Earth or to enslave its entire population, and she knew why she had to remain at work in some capacity especially given what Jacob had said concerning his latest mission and Anubis and Osiris. At least Jacob had returned to the Tok’ra accepting Sam and Jack to be merely friends, co-workers and parents of Daniella.
She had barely seen Jack since their night together, partially because of Jacob monopolising Sam's time and partly because Jack had been on a mission with SG-1. Before SG-1 had left on their mission, Sam and Jack had hosted a summer barbeque which Jacob had attended. Sam had finally met Sasha's boyfriend at the barbeque and Daniel had finally dragged Nicola to it. Sam had actually socialised with the lieutenant and they had had a proper conversation until Sam had noticed Jacob and Jack walk into the house. She had followed them a few minutes later and heard some shouting before Jack had stormed out past her without saying a word. Sam had looked at her father and he shrugged and apologised, but did not explain what he had said to make Jack storm out. The next day Sam had set off for Mark's and a day after her and Daniella's return, Jack had gone off-world. In the past two weeks, Sam and Jack had only spoken about Daniella and even those conversations had been very brief. She wanted to believe that the situation was more strained than it ever had been, but it was not the case. They had lost an element of their friendship, but nothing else.
Sam was sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for Jack to return from where-ever he had been spending his evenings. To describe him as allusive since their night together was an understatement and Sam was fed up with it. Daniella was not quite as giggly as normal and she was clearly picking up on the tension her parents had. Sasha also tended to avoid a room if both Jack and Sam were in it and she had even started taking Daniella into a different room to play if both parents walked in. It was no way for the four of them to live and it was too unfair on Daniella. Sam needed to talk to Jack, to try and sort out whatever their problems were. It was especially important because tomorrow SG-1 including Sam were heading off world. Sam did not want to leave her child in a distressed state and she did not want anything to affect the mission given the reservations her father and General Hammond clearly had. There was also the fact that she considered Jack’s avoidance of her childish and immature.
There was also a voice at the back of her mind reminding Sam of the ‘friend’ she had heard on a phone call with Jack, and how he had avoided the questions she had in favour of kissing her. Every time they had got a bit too close, it was usually her that stopped things for the very reasons that were now affecting her.
As she continued to rehearse the questions in her mind, Sam heard the front door open and close and within seconds Jack appeared in the kitchen. He smiled uncomfortably at her and headed towards to the refrigerator. They were still being courteous with each other both at work and at home, but Sam needed answers and resolutions now. It was no good living together and being parents to Daniella if the only interaction they could have was the polite and formal kind.
"Where have you been?" she asked him, trying to keep her tone calm. She knew that it failed because the only thought going through her mind was that normally Jack would question her being up this late the night before a mission.
"Out." He took out the carton of milk from the refrigerator and gulped down half of the contents before returning it to its home. Sam hated it when he did that and she would place a bet that he had actually returned it empty. He must have known that she was watching him because with his back to her he said, "Why? What's it got to do with you?"
"Excuse me?" she asked in disbelief. "I'm only the mother of your child and the woman with whom you share a home. I think I deserve a little respect from you."
"Have I shown you any disrespect? Like you said you're the mother of my child, nothing else."
"So I'm not your friend, your co-worker, nothing else?" she demanded. Jack shrugged his shoulders at her and she wanted to scream at him. "Jack, this isn't working," she stated simply and he turned to face her, leaning his back against the refrigerator. He did not say anything. She wanted to ask him so many questions, all of the questions that she had rehearsed in her head, but now that he was standing in front of her, Sam's confidence had vanished. She wanted to know what had changed after their night together. That seemed to be the point in time from where everything changed and Sam desperately wanted to be able to fix things. Jack had once told her that whilst he may love her, any romantic relationship could damage their relationship and hurt Daniella most. Sam could now only wonder if that fear had been realised. Had their sleeping together caused him to doubt their ability to be a family? Was he just running away scared? Was he unable to try and live a happy life with anyone?
"I know," he finally answered. Sam looked up at him and their eyes met. Both pairs of eyes were filled with an inevitable sadness. "Daniella isn't her normal self."
Sam nodded. "Because of us."
"We need to do something to fix it. Daniella comes before either of us or our careers or anything."
"I agree. We need to sort this out."
Jack stood up straight and looked at a far off point, avoiding Sam's eyes whilst he shoved his hands into his pockets to stop himself fiddling with something. "I don’t think we can live and work together anymore."
"What?" she whispered. She had not been expecting him to say that or to suggest that course of action. Sam had no idea how, within, two weeks they had gone from a family to nothing.
"We can't live together as a family without other things happening and we won't work." He barely paused as he moved towards the door. "I'm gonna stay at the base tonight and we can sort out living arrangements when the mission's over." He walked out of the room and house as Sam sat staring after him in disbelief. She felt her heart break in her chest as she found herself unable to control her breathing. She had the urge to run after him, to stop him from leaving, to beg him to stay. No matter what Sam had been through in the past few years, she still had all of her pride intact and would never run after a guy despite part of her desperately wanting to. Sam knew that the only person that could make her feel better was the very man driving away from her. Things were now hardly sorted for their impending mission, but if she just fought to stay professional for the few days off-world and try and discuss things with him afterwards maybe they could sort things out, maybe she could persuade him to stay.
She did not want to think about what would happen after the mission. Sam could not bear the thought of increased distance from him, but maybe they both needed space to re-evaluate their positions. There was truth in what he said - if they could not live together without their emotions getting in the way and tumbling into bed with one another, their work situation would never work. More than that, Sam needed their family to work.
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