TITLE: The Things She Never Does

AUTHOR: Renée

CATEGORY: Drabble/Thoughts

SPOILERS: Itty bitty ones for several episodes

SEASON: Probably 5 or 6

PAIRINGS: Sam/Jack

RATING: PG

CONTENT WARNINGS: None

SUMMARY: Sam's thoughts on maintaining a "professional relationship"

ARCHIVE: samandjack, Carter Fic, Heliopolis, SJD, and any other site that might find this interesting. Please send me a 'memo' to let me know where my campers are hiding out.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Not even my apartment. Much less . . . Stargate SG-1 and all associated names, characters, situations, and concepts are the property of Showtime/ Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and am not profiting off it in any way. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. Not to be archived without permission of the author. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

FEEDBACK: A thousand times, I beg of thee, yes.

The Things She Never Does
By Renée

She never bought him a gift for his birthday. She never gave him a Christmas gift. She never gave him gifts for any occasion. Cards either.

It's just not something she would ever do. It wouldn't be appropriate. And Major Samantha Carter always tried to behave appropriately. Because it was the only way she knew how to be.

She never called him at home. Not even 'just to talk.'

Never cried on his shoulder when she was feeling down.

Didn't ask him personal questions.

Never went to his office unannounced, or without an appointment.

Never asked for special favors.

Never asked for him to cut her any slack on a mission.

Never turned in her mission reports late.

She did laugh at his jokes. But only because she honestly found them amusing.

And she most definitely NEVER accepted any of his offers to go fishing. No matter how much she may have wanted to go.

She never went to his house without an invitation. And even then, only as part of a group.

She never invited him to hers. Unless of course, she was inviting a group.

Never let him see her sweat.

Always called him 'Colonel,' 'Colonel O'Neill,' or 'Sir.' And the only time she ever called him Jack, he thought she was someone else, and she thought they were both already dead.

Never told him how much she worried every time he went missing.

Never drove by his house. Tried to avoid his section of town altogether, actually.

Never joined him for drinks after work if it would just be the two of them.

Tried very hard not to think about what he did on his downtime.

Never told him in so many words that she had an alien entity 'living' in her house.

Never told him a lot of things.

And they never had conversations about 'feelings,' because to put it into words could cost them everything.

What a mess. She always made an effort to do the right thing, to not have improper feelings for her commanding officer.

Ultimately, the one thing Samantha Carter could not even imagine was what her life would be like without Jack O'Neill in it.

And to date, their relationship was entirely professional. Even though they both knew there was much more to it than that.

But she wouldn't think about that. She couldn't. Not today. Not any day. And no matter what the personal cost.

It wouldn't be appropriate. And that was the only way she could be.

...Feedback earns you a place in Valhalla...