She didn't get very far when the familiar sound of "Off world activation" rang through the halls. Still carrying the remaining bites of cheesecake, she ran to the gate room just in time to see her dad walk through the blue center of the Stargate. Stuffing the remaining morsels in her mouth, she jogged down to meet him with a warm hug. She tried to greet him but realized she still had some chewing to do before she could speak.
"What have I told you about running with food in your mouth?" He was smiling and wagging his finger at her in mock admonishment.
Before she could respond she heard her CO speak behind her, "Kids today. You can tell them something over and over, and they just don't listen." She didn't need to turn around to see the smile on his face.
Swallowing, Sam managed to defend herself against the two, "Enough already! Hi, Dad."
"Hi, Honey." He extended his hand to Jack, "Nice to see you again, Jack."
Taking his hand, "Dad."
"So, what brings you here?" She was curious about what reason he had for visiting Earth.
"Just to see you." He shrugged as if it were an everyday occurrence.
Jack stood watching the exchange. Sam was not quite sure what to make of her father's announcement that he was just here to visit her. Jack was equally surprised, as much as he knew Jacob cared about Sam, he also knew his visits were necessarily infrequent, and Jacob usually tried to incorporate some work aspect into the time he spent on Earth.
"That's great." Her voice was a little less enthusiastic than he would have liked.
"Are you sure? I mean, if I'm interrupting something-"
"No, no. You just caught me off guard, that's all."
That was a good enough explanation for now, "Good. Then after I talk to George about some things, we can go back to your house?"
"Great. I'll be in the lab when you're ready." She turned to watch him walk up to General Hammond's office. Leaning a little closer to Jack as if to share a secret, "Do you think something's going on with him?"
Jack had noticed it, too. He seemed, well- different, "Maybe he just needed some down time?" He didn't believe his own explanation, but maybe Carter would buy it.
"Dad? Needing down time? He wakes up ready to work and hates going to sleep until he's done."
"Hmmm. Sounds suspiciously like someone else I know." He started to walk away still talking, "Last name's the same, but much better looking..."
She shook her head as she followed behind. She wasn't sure if she enjoyed his comment or the view in front of her more.
*****
Once settled into Sam's spare room at home, Jacob emerged dressed in jeans and a sweater. He followed his nose to the kitchen where Sam was managing a pretty good smelling vegetable soup. "Perfect for a rainy fall day." He helped himself to a beer from the fridge. Twisting off the top, he said, "Isn't this Jack's favorite?"
Feeling herself blush a little, she turned back toward the task of chopping vegetables, and replied noncommittally, "I'm not sure." Even though she knew perfectly well that it was. Somewhere along the line, it had become her favorite, too.
"It's good." He sat himself down at a stool across from the counter where she stood dicing and slicing.
Sam glanced up and took in the sight of her father dressed like a man. Away from the brown burlap sack thing he normally wore, Sam had to admit he looked attractive. For her father. Deciding to probe just a little into any possible motives for his unannounced visit, "So, Dad, are you sure there's something you're not telling me?"
"No." He looked back down at his beer. "Well, mot much." Breathing in deeply, "It's nothing really."
Sam couldn't remember the last time her dad had trouble telling her something. But her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. She didn't miss the look of relief that passed through her father's face at the welcome intrusion. "My hands are pretty dirty, would you mind getting that?"
Grateful for the opportunity to escape from his daughter's questioning gaze, he practically bounced over to the door and opened it to reveal a slightly damp Jack O'Neill balancing a pastry box and an armful of VCR tapes, "Jack!" His exclamation was a little exaggerated as they had seen each other just a few hours before.
Sam was more than surprised to see her CO standing in her doorway. He never just stopped by, and certainly not without calling first, "Sir?"
"Hey, Carter. Dad, I hope I brought enough tapes to entertain-"
"Come on in out of the rain. Dry off. Here, let me take these." He took the items Jack had been carrying so that he could get out of his coat. He brought the pastry box into the kitchen as Sam put two and two together.
"Dad?" She whispered and motioned him next to her, "Did you invite Colonel O'Neill over?"
He didn't answer her question, which was an answer in and of itself, "Get the man a towel would you, Sam?"
As requested, Sam put down the knife, wiped off her hands on a nearby dishrag and went to get a towel for her CO. This day was definitely getting weird. First cheesecake for breakfast, a kiss that didn't quite happen, her father showing up, and now Jack?!?! She chuckled as she pulled a towel from the linen closet, too lost in her own thoughts to hear him approaching behind her.
"Something funny, Carter?" He was standing so close, smelling of autumn leaves and the scent that was, without a doubt, him.
She turned around too fast and actually saw little black spots in front of her eyes. Trying desperately to focus, she handed him the towel and managed to quietly say, "Everything seems to be funny today, Sir."
"For cryin' out loud, will you drop the 'sir'? I'm standing inside your house dripping wet trying to help *you* figure out what *your* dad is up to. The least you could do is let me forget for a few hours that you're-"
"Under your command?" She finished the sentence for him, reminding them both of the reason nothing had ever happened between them.
He dropped his head in defeat. Maybe it was a mistake to come here. She obviously didn't want-
"Although the 'under'neath you part definitely holds more interest than the command part." She was smiling a patented-Carter smile at her own reversal of the situation. "Not that having you as my commanding officer hasn't been interesting so far..."
He lifted his head back up. How did she manage to do that: turn his heart upside down with a sentence? "Trust me, Sam. You haven't seen anything yet." He took the towel from her hand, enjoying the priceless look on her face.
Returning to the living room where Jacob had already popped in a tape, Sam stopped dead in her tracks as the familiar sound of- "OH NO!" She wasn't letting this happen. Not 6 tapes full of the Simpsons. "No way!" She made a dash toward the VCR, but Jack caught her around the waist before she made much progress.
"You wouldn't want to deny your guests the pleasure of catching up on the last few seasons of their favorite show, would you?" She had stopped struggling to get free, but Jack hadn't released his hold.
Jacob noticed the testing of boundaries that seemed to be going on between the pair. "Don't worry, you won't even notice it's playing. Just go ahead and finish the soup." He patted at the cushion next to him, "Come on, Jack, keep an old man company."
If looks could kill, not even Selmak would be able to save him. But, in all fairness, she did still have a lot of work to do in the kitchen. And maybe he would open up to Jack. Jacob obviously invited him to her house for a reason, and she was sure now, more than ever, that there was something going on with her Dad. "Fine." She stomped off to resume her dinner preparations with the unmistakable sounds of Bart and Homer playing in the background.
Not long after putting the ingredients for the bread into the bread maker, she heard the two men in her life- 'where did that phrase come from??'- discussing something in hushed tones. Trying desperately not to notice, she decided to creep up on them slowly with two beers. That looked innocent enough, right?
It might have worked, too, if Jack hadn't been trained in that kind of thing. She didn't make it two steps out of the kitchen before he gave Jacob a warning look and turned toward her, "Whatcha got there?"
Damn! She should have known he would see her out of the corner of his eye, "Just bringing you two some beer." She smiled her best June Cleaver imitation, and returned to the kitchen as soon as he relieved her of the bottles.
After a few minutes, she overheard bits of a conversation while she was loading the dishwasher. First her dad, "...not a good idea..." Then Jack, "...something will work out..." Then her dad again, this time less clearly, "Can't forgive..." Jack's response equally as unclear, "...takes time." Okay! Enough was enough. What the hell were they talking about? Oh my god. Did he figure it out? Or did Jack tell him? She knew her dad wouldn't approve if something started going on between the two of them, but for her Dad to already decide, without talking to her, that he couldn't forgive her for a relationship that hadn't even started yet? She could feel panic rising out of her chest, her breath quickening.
Just then, Jacob got up and walked into the kitchen, "Sam, I need to use the phone in private. Okay if I use the one in your room?"
"Sure." It was barely a whisper, and Jacob noticed her face had gone pale.
"Hey- everything OK?"
"Yeah, chopping the onions just got my head." She managed a weak smile.
He nodded and went into her room and closed the door. Watching Jacob's actions, Jack went to stand beside Sam in the kitchen, "Nice try. What's bothering you?"
She punched him, not lightly, on the arm and practically spit at him, "How could you?"
Baffled completely, "How could I what?" Rubbing his arm- it hurt!
Still trying to keep her rage controlled, "You know! Tell him - about us!"
"What?" Had she gone nuts? Then a smile, "So, there's an 'us'?"
Realizing the honest confusion settled behind his broadening grin, she realized what she had just said, "No! I mean, yes. I mean- oh, hell. I don't know."
Feeling quite proud of his ability to baffle the smartest person he knew, possibly the smartest person on the planet, he relented a little, "No, Sam. We weren't talking about us."
"Then what?" Her eyes were pleading with him to tell her what was going on with her dad. What could he tell Jack that he couldn't tell her?
"It's going to be fine. He'll talk to you soon." He wanted so badly just to kiss her or hold her- anything to comfort the obvious distress she was feeling.
Jacob emerged from the bedroom looking more relaxed than before, 'So, what did I miss?"
Sam looked from him back to Jack, "Nothing, Dad. Dinner will be ready in about an hour." She went back to loading the dishwasher.
Jack and Jacob resettled on the couch and resumed the tape. An uneasy silence descended on the three. Not able to take it any more, Jacob picked up the remote, turned off the TV and walked over to the dining room table. Jack and Sam watched as he motioned for the two of them to join him.
Jack got up, but didn't move toward the table, "Maybe I should leave the two of you alone."
"No!" The two Carters agreed on this one. Each feeling that whatever was going to happen might be best digested with Jack there as a buffer. Now that was an interesting description, Jack as the diplomat in *this* situation? In any situation!
All three seated at the table, Jacob began, "I was just telling Jack that there is something going on-with me-that I think you should know about."
Jack's eyes flickered toward Sam's, but her stare didn't waver from Jacob.
"This is hard for me." He looked at Sam, but her penetrating eyes made it hard to hold the gaze for long, "There hasn't really been... anyone... since your mom."
Huh? Was he trying to tell her that he was seeing someone? Talk about irony! She was afraid he had found out that she just *thinking* about her CO inappropriately. Well, she had made a few comments, too, but this? Her dad was dating??? She couldn't hold back the chuckle that came from her chest.
Jacob was taken aback, "This is funny?" Anger he expected. But laughter?
"I just think it's funny that my 60-some year old father is getting more action than I am." This was too much!
"Oh." Okay, so she didn't seem angry, and she wasn't dating anyone. Always good news for a father to hear about his only daughter.
Remembering a conversation with Anise/Freya from two year ago, about each of them being attracted to different people, Jack wondered, "What does Selmak think?"
Jacob shrugged his shoulders, "We're pretty happy about the whole thing."
Then she saw it. The look that had been missing since her mom died. The twinkle in his eyes. What was it? Love? Happiness? Peace? Maybe all of the above. How could he think she would want to deny him that? It was all she wanted for him. For herself. For all of them. Isn't that what this was all about anyway? She reached a hand over to his, "Dad, I'm happy for you. Really."
He could see that she meant it, "Thanks. I'd like you to meet her."
Jack saw the reaction before Jacob felt her hand more away, "Meet her?"
"Yeah, you know. Just to say 'hi' and let the two of you get to know each other."
"Don't you think that's a little much? I mean how long has this been going on?"
She looked over at Jack and saw from his expression that it had probably been awhile. Had he known all along and not told her?
"Sam, I just told Jack. I wanted to gauge how you would react."
A smile formed on her lips, "How am I doing so far?"
Jack smiled back at her, "Pretty well."
She took a breath and asked again, "So, how long?"
"Several months. We've known each other for awhile."
"Oh." She studied the table as if it held the secrets to the universe, "So why bring it up now?" She could guess the answer, but...
"Things are getting a little serious, and I wanted her to know you, that's all."
"When?"
"I just called the base to see if she had sent a message. Apparently her mission is going to take longer than expected, so I'm not sure. I wanted to see if you would be open to the idea first."
She really couldn't come up with the right thing to say. She didn't want to disappoint her dad, but she wasn't really sure if she was ready to meet his- what, girlfriend? What was she supposed to call her?
Jacob got up from the table, "The rain has let up a little, so I think I'm going to take a walk. Let you think about things for awhile. I'll be back for dinner."
She didn't make a move to stop him. She just waited for him to close the door and let out a huge sigh, slumping down into her chair, "That was a surprise."
"Didn't see it coming, huh?"
"What, you did?" Now that was a surprise!
"Yeah, kind of."
"How? When?"
"At the Alpha site. We talked for awhile, and there was just something different then. I thought maybe it was just me projecting, but I guess not."
She got up to get two more beers, and then actually processed his words, "Projecting what?"
He walked over and stood across the kitchen counter from her, "Let's just say I've had some experience in this area."
First a drink, then, "What area is that?"
"The one where you think the only person you could ever love is gone, and then not so suddenly, you realize there's somebody else that you could love even more than you ever thought possible."
"My dad said that about his - girlfriend?" Okay, that word was definitely going to take some getting used to.
"He didn't have to. I'd recognize the look anywhere."
She simultaneously felt and saw his eyes burrow into her soul. He was saying that about her. All of a sudden she wished she had a rewind button in her head because she was sure that was the most amazing thing anyone had ever said, ever. And that he had said it to her, was, well, amazing.
"Look, whatever you decide to tell him about meeting Marna-"
"That's her name?" She had to be called something.
"Yes, that's her name. Whatever you decide, you should just remember that this wasn't easy for him. He didn't have to tell you at all. He trusted you enough to let you know about something really important to him."
Sam wasn't sure if he was still talking about himself or if he actually meant Jacob, at any rate, he was right on both counts. She would never have found out about this - Marna - if her dad hadn't told her. He obviously cared enough about both of them to want them to meet each other. And as for Jack, well, he had just said more in the last five minutes than in the last five years, if you didn't count that damned confession. Her thoughts were interrupted by Jacob reentering her house.
"The rain started up again, and I was getting hungry, so..."
In the split second that it took for her to look at the hopeful expressions on both of their faces, Sam realized that for better or worse, these were the two men in her life. And for whatever reason some god decided, they needed her permission to love again. Well, maybe her dad was just looking for a blessing of sorts. But Jack was looking for more. A lot more, she hoped.
"I'm sure dinner's about ready anyway." She got up to stir the pot that was filling the house with a warm, comforting smell. She knew they were both waiting for some kind of response: Her dad to see if she was willing to take the next step and meet Marna; Jack to see if she would be willing to take the next step closer to him. She put the spoon down and walked over to her dad, "I think I would really like to meet your friend, Dad. Whenever you're ready."
The relief was apparent as he took her into his arms, "Thanks, Sam. This really means a lot to me."
She stepped back, "Yeah, I got that." A smile in his direction cemented the conversation. She went back to the kitchen to start dishing out salad. She heard his whisper his thanks to Jack just before he headed to the bathroom.
For the second time that day, Jack came up behind her, this time resting his hands on her hips and speaking softly, "Thanks."
"For what?"
"For giving him a chance to be happy again."
She turned around to face him, clasping his hands, "That happens to be *my* area of expertise." He leaned down to finish the kiss her stomach had interrupted earlier that morning.
Lost in each other's lips, neither one of them noticed Jacob emerging from the bathroom, watching the two with a huge smile. Whether talking about them or himself, or perhaps both, he muttered under his breath, "Finally." He quietly opened the pastry box that had sat on the kitchen counter since Jack had walked in earlier that afternoon. Inside he saw a whole cheesecake waiting to be eaten. Figuring it might be awhile before dinner if the two of them kept going at it, he grabbed a fork and dug in.
*****
Story Notes: Cheesecake:
End Notes: What did you think? lisayaeger@hotmail.com (If I don't reply right away it's because the second floor of my house has caved in due to my jumping up and down at the possibility of Season Seven:-) Really.
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 ]