***************************************************************************
Daniel Jackson tried once again to call Jack O'Neill. Once again he got Jack's answering machine.
"You know how these things work. Go for it." Jack's recorded voice came over the phone.
"Jack, it's Daniel again. You really need to get over here. You're going to disappoint Sam. Please, Jack." Daniel hung up the phone. Obviously, Jack wasn't going to show. Tomorrow he was going to have a serious talk with his friend. There was no excuse for him not being here for Sam.
As Daniel walked back into the main part of the restaurant where the engagement party was taking place, he looked for Sam. There she was, with her fiance, Blake Reynolds. They had all been surprised when Sam announced her engagement to a man she'd met at a conference in Washington, Jack especially so. Daniel could understand Sam's need for someone to love her and that she could love. He felt the same way, but he was cautious because he still felt so much for Sha're, even though she was gone. Life could be lonely.
Sam looked over at Daniel. As their eyes met, he shook his head in response to her unspoken question. She smiled sadly at him, then turned back to Blake. Damn Jack, Daniel thought. How can he hurt her like this. Daniel walked over to where Janet and Teal'c were seated.
"Did you reach him?" Janet asked.
"He's still not answering the phone. I'm going to kick his sorry ass tomorrow when I see him." Daniel was very angry with Jack.
"You will need to stand line, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said. "I will kick his sorry ass also."
Janet and Daniel looked at Teal'c in shock. The normally impassive Teal'c must be very angry to make a comment like that.
"Daniel, are you sure he's not just on his way over here and got caught in traffic?" Janet tried to diffuse the angry feelings of the two men.
"Janet, even if the traffic was the worst it's ever been, it shouldn't take him two hours to get here. Jack only lives a few miles from here. He's just doing this because he's mad that Sam's getting married," Daniel said.
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it. He's just going to have to come to terms with it and get over it." Janet stated.
Daniel looked over to where Sam was dancing with Blake. "Yeah, he's just going to have to get over it."
Two hours later, Blake Reynolds took his fiancee home.
"Do you want me to come in, Sam?" Blake had an early flight back to Washington the next morning.
"No, Blake, you need to go on and get some rest. I'll be all right." Blake knew that Sam was disappointed that her commanding officer hadn't come to their engagement party.
"Are you sure, Sam?" he asked again.
"Yes, Blake, I'm sure," she smiled at him, then leaned over and kissed him. "Good night, darling."
"Good night." Blake went down the steps and got into his car, driving off. Sam turned and closed the door of her apartment.
Across the street a man sat alone in his car, watching the exchange between the two. He clenched and unclenched his fists around the steering wheel.
"Sam," he said to himself. "You can't marry this joker."
Getting out of the car, he walked to the door of Sam's apartment. Reaching out, he put his finger on the doorbell, giving it one short blast.
The door opened almost immediately. "Blake, you really-" Sam stopped abruptly and stared at the man standing at her door.
"Can I come in, Sam?" Jack asked.
"Yes, sir," she answered, stepping back to let him in, then closing the door. "You didn't come to the party."
"No, I didn't. I wasn't in a party mood." Jack stared at her broodingly. "You shouldn't be marrying that jerk."
"Colonel O'Neill, Blake is not a jerk. He's a wonderful, caring, intelligent man who loves me." Sam couldn't understand what O'Neill's problem was. It's not like he wanted her for himself. She'd given up on that a long time ago. Every once in a while she got a little ache in her heart when she was around him, but she shoved it aside. She had found Blake, a wonderful man that she had a lot in common with.
"He's really got you snowed, hasn't he." Jack wasn't about to give up on this. "He's got everyone snowed."
"He doesn't have anyone 'snowed,'" Sam retorted. "He's exactly what he appears to be."
"And don't you think you've rushed into this thing a little fast?" Honestly, the man was like a bulldog.
"You're one to talk about rushing into things. Remember Kynthia?" she asked. There, that should shut him up.
"I was drugged. I didn't know what I was doing."
"Yeah, right, that same old song. You really need to get a new one, Jack." Now they were both starting to get really angry.
"I will," he growled.
"Well, then, do it." She glared at him, her eyes darkening to deep sapphire in her anger.
The next thing Sam knew, Jack had grabbed her and was kissing her. She struggled for a few seconds, then the warmth of his lips seeped through into her consciousness, and she relaxed, kissing him back.
***************************************************************************
The kiss seemed to go on and on, endlessly. Sam's head swam, making her feel as if she were drowning in his arms. Her arms went around him tightly, their tongues meeting in a sensual duel. This was what she had fantasized about, dreamed about for nearly four years, and it was better than she had imagined. The smell of him, the taste of him was seducing her, pulling her down into a mist of want and need. She was enthralled by the feelings coursing through her. Blake had never made her feel like this. Blake. Her fiance. Sam started pulling back, removing her arms from around Jack, pushing against him, anxious to be free. It wasn't right. This wasn't right.
Sam managed to free her mouth. "No, Jack, no," she gasped breathlessly, "this isn't right. Let me go." Then stronger, "Let me go." She gave one last shove against his chest, and she was free.
"You don't love him," Jack stated. "You couldn't love him and respond to me like that."
"I do love him," she retorted. "You caught me off guard. It didn't mean anything."
Jack grabbed her arms. "Yes, it did mean something. It meant that you don't love him."
"Let me go, Jack!" Sam was in tears now. "I love Blake, I do."
Jack released her. "Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?"
"Leave now, Colonel O'Neill, before I bring you up on charges." Sam said tightly, then she marched to the door and opened it, indicating that he should leave. "This conversation is over."
"The conversation might be over, but the subject is still open. You don't love Blake." He walked to the door, pausing and turning to look at her just before walking out. "You love me."
She slammed the door after him.
***************************************************************************
The pounding on his front door woke Jack up from the sound sleep he had finally drifted into in the early hours of the morning.
"Jack, open the damn door now." It was Daniel pounding on the door. Damn fool was gonna wake up the whole neighborhood. It was Saturday morning, for crying out loud. "I know you're in there Jack, open up the damn door." The pounding and yelling continued until Jack finally unlocked and opened his front door.
"Dammit, Daniel, what the hell are you doing banging on my door at this time of the morning?" Jack was pissed off, but not as much as Daniel.
"What the hell is the matter with you, Jack. You couldn't even make a token appearance at Sam's engagement party?" Daniel brushed passed Jack into the house and turned to face him. "You hurt her."
"Daniel -" Jack started to say, but Daniel cut him off.
"How could you do it, Jack. She's supposed to be your friend. How could you hurt her like that?" Daniel was on a roll. Jack decided to take a little wind out of his sails.
"I saw Sam last night, Daniel." Jack's statement stopped Daniel's tirade cold.
"You saw her last night? What, you went to her place? When?"
Jack gestured for Daniel to follow him into the kitchen where he set about making a pot of coffee.
"I went to see her after she got home." Jack reached up and opened the cupboard, taking out two coffee mugs.
"And . . ." Daniel prompted.
"And we . . . talked." Jack walked over to the refrigerator, took out a pitcher of orange juice and poured himself a glass. Sipping it, he walked over the coffeemaker and poured a cup for himself and one for Daniel.
"I hope you apologized to her," Daniel said.
"What for?" Jack asked.
"For missing her party, for not being happy for her." Daniel couldn't believe Jack sometimes.
"I'm not sorry that I missed the party. Her engagement is a sham. She doesn't love the guy. She's not gonna marry him." Jack took a drink of his coffee and opened up his newspaper to the sports section.
"And where did you get this information from?" Daniel was curious to know.
"From Sam." Jack walked over to the refrigerator and took out eggs and bacon. "Want some breakfast, Daniel?"
"Uh, no thanks, Jack." Daniel looked at his friend uncertainly. "Okay, let me see if I'm getting this straight. Sam told you that she doesn't love Blake Reynolds and she's not going to marry him."
"Yes." Jack took out a skillet and laid strips of bacon in it.
"She said the words, 'I don't love Blake, and I'm not going to marry him'?" Daniel asked.
Jack looked at him. "She didn't say it in words. But the meaning was clear."
"Uh huh." Daniel nodded his head. Clearly something had happened between Jack and Sam the night before, and the only way he'd find out what had happened was to ask. "How did Sam say it?"
Jack dished up the bacon onto a paper towel. Then he broke some eggs into the skillet. "That's none of your business, Danny boy."
Okay, obviously something major happened between them. And just as obviously Jack wasn't going to tell him anything. It was also doubtful that Sam would tell him anything. Oh, well, Daniel thought, I'll just have to keep my eyes open.
"Jack, I have to go now." Daniel put down his cup of coffee. "I'll see you at the SGC Monday."
"Okay, Daniel," Jack said. "See you Monday." Jack settled down to read the paper and eat his breakfast as Daniel let himself out of Jack's house.
***************
Sam called Janet as soon as she was certain that she was up. She had to talk about what had happened the night before. She was so confused now, her feelings were turned upside down. He kissed her and told her that she was in love with him. Could he really tell just from a kiss?
Janet answered the phone a little groggily. "Hello."
"Hi, Janet, did I wake you up?"
"Is this Sam? No, Sam, I've been awake for a little while. I have a teenage daughter you know. She got up at the crack of dawn to go on a field trip today." Janet stifled a yawn. "What's up?"
"Could we meet for lunch today?" Sam asked.
"Sure." Janet agreed. "What's wrong, Sam. You sound upset."
"I can't talk about it over the phone, but something happened and I need someone to talk to." Sam was clearly distraught over something. "Can you meet me at Martinelli's at noon?"
"Yes." Now Janet was really intrigued. "See you then."
"Thanks, Janet. Bye." Sam hung up.
********
Martinelli's was a popular restaurant in the area, and it was beginning to get crowded when Janet showed up. Sam was already there, waiting for her. Now she would find out what had Sam so wound up this morning.
As she walked toward Sam's table, she noticed that Sam was very pale and drawn looking. 'What happened between last night and this morning, I wonder?' Janet thought.
"Oh, Janet, I'm so glad you're here." Sam looked as if she was ready to cry, totally unlike her normal self.
Janet sat down at the table. "Sam, what's wrong? You sounded so upset this morning. Did something happen to Blake?"
"No, as far as I know he's fine." Sam drew a deep breath as if steeling herself for what she had to say next. "I had a visitor last night after Blake took me home. It was Colonel O'Neill."
By the time they had finished their lunch Sam had told Janet everything that had happened between her and the Colonel. To say Janet was surprised was an understatement. It did however explain the way Jack had been acting ever since Sam announced her engagement. He couldn't accept the fact that she was getting married because he wanted her himself.
"So, he told you that you didn't love Blake because you kissed him back?" Janet asked. "And that you were really in love with him?"
"Yes, Janet," Sam answered. "I only kissed him because he surprised me, I couldn't think straight."
"Could he be right, Sam?" Janet questioned, gently. "Could you possibly be in love with him?"
"It's completely against regulations, Janet," Sam answered. "I've put those feelings behind me."
"You didn't answer my question, Sam."
"Because I can't answer it, Janet."
They left the restaurant soon after that.
***************************************************************************
First thing Monday morning Daniel was in the infirmary waiting for Janet when she arrived. He was planning to talk to her about Jack and his mental state.
"Daniel, what are you doing here at this time of the morning. You don't have a mission until tomorow, do you?" Janet asked.
"No, I don't, but I wanted to talk to you about Jack," Daniel answered.
Janet was surprised. Why did Daniel want to discuss Jack? "What about Jack?"
"Well, I had a really strange conversation with him the other day." Daniel paused. "Promise me that this will go no further, okay?"
"Sure," Janet promised. "Anything you say to me here is confidential."
"I think Jack's having psychotic episodes. Could excessive stargate travel cause that?" Daniel asked.
"What evidence do you have that Jack is having these episodes?" Janet was concerned now.
"Saturday he told me that Sam told him without words that she wasn't going to marry Blake. I think he thinks he's telepathic." Daniel looked at her with worry in his eyes. Janet almost burst out laughing, which would have been totally unprofessional.
She bit her lip to keep from laughing, then she said, "Daniel, I don't think Jack thinks he's telepathic. I talked to Sam about Jack yesterday. He went to see her after her engagement party."
"He told me that, then he told me the thing about communicating without words. I think he's losing his grip on reality."
"I don't think you understand what Jack was telling you. I know something about what Jack was talking about, Daniel. You'll need to ask Jack or Sam about it. Suffice it to say, Jack may be hard-headed and stubborn, but he's not psychotic, you have nothing to fear." Janet smiled to reassure Daniel.
"Are you sure, Janet?"
"Yes, Daniel. Jack's not psychotic." Janet patted Daniel on the shoulder.
"Thanks, Janet." Daniel took off in the direction of Sam's lab.
*************
A knocking sound at the door of the lab attracted Sam's attention. She turned and saw Daniel standing at her door.
"Hi, Daniel." Sam greeted him. "Come on in. What can I do for you?"
Daniel went in and closed the door. "I need to talk to you about Jack. He said some really strange things to me Saturday morning. Something about you not being in love with Blake and not marrying him. I thought he was suffering a psychotic episode due to too much stargate travel."
Sam got a strange look on her face. She turned around and looked at her computer. "Is that all he said?"
"Basically, yes." Daniel started to get a suspicious feeling. "Uh, Sam, what happened when he came to see you?"
Sam starting busying herself by picking up a sheaf of notes and studying it. "It's really none of your business, Daniel. Is there anything else?"
"No, sorry to have disturbed you." Daniel left the lab. Out in the hallway he said, "Nobody ever tells me anything." Then he walked back to his office.
***********
The briefing on Tuesday morning for the mission to P9Y555 was slightly tense, to say the least. Jack stared at Sam, Sam wouldn't look at Jack, Daniel kept looking between the two of them, and Teal'c was stoic as usual.
"Sir, P9Y555 is one of the addresses found on the cartouche at Abydos. It's quite likely that the goa'uld have been to the planet," Sam explained to General Hammond. "The MALP showed an area similar to the Great Plains of North America, and the UAV sent back these pictures." Sam turned on the monitor. What they saw made all of them sit up on their chairs.
"Are those tipis?" Jack asked.
"Yes, Jack, it would appear that they are." Daniel confirmed his question. "The artwork and design of the tipis are similar to that of the Lakota Sioux. The inhabitants appear to be nomadic, which the Lakota were. There do appear to be some differences, but those are probably due to the fact that there had to have been some divergence in the ensuing centuries."
"SG-1, your mission is to make contact with the indigenous people and to secure an alliance if possible. And, be careful. Remember what happened with the Salish. We don't want a repeat of that. You are scheduled to depart at 1300 hours. Dismissed." General Hammond nodded at the team, then departed the briefing room.
Everyone gathered up their notes and prepared to depart to their various duty stations. Teal'c was going to meditate before the mission and Daniel was going to study the mythology of the Lakota Sioux. They both left the briefing room. Sam had gathered her notes and was preparing to leave when Jack stopped her.
"Major Carter, a moment of your time." She took a deep breath and turned to face him.
"Yes, Sir, may I help you?" she asked formally.
"Sam, you've been avoiding me for the last two days. We need to talk." Jack was tempted to order her to talk to him, but he didn't figure it would be a good idea.
"Sir, there's really nothing to talk about. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get my equipment ready for the mission. We do leave in three hours, sir." Sam tightened her arms around her papers, and walked out of the briefing room.
"We'll talk, Sam, you can count on that," Jack said to himself before he left to prepare for the mission. This one was sure to be interesting.
*************
They stepped out of the Stargate onto a world that looked like Kansas. It was flat as far as the eye could see. In the distance they could see the settlement of tipis indicating the location of the inhabitants.
"The Lakota believe in a deity called Wakan Tanka, which means 'Great Mystery.' He supposedly lived in a remote corner of the universe, ruling the earth through the first four gods, Inyan, Maka, Skan, and Wi, whose names mean, respectively, earth, rock, sky, and sun." Daniel explained.
"Sounds a little goa'uldish to me." Jack put on his sunglasses. "Well, kids, let's get this show on the road." Jack hoisted his rifle up over his shoulder. "Here Carter, let me carry that, you've got your hands full." Jack reached over and took the case of vials for soil, air, and water samples from her.
"Thank you, Sir," she said quietly.
They headed out for the village.
********************
"It's unbelievable, Jack. The Akoda are extremely similar to the Lakota. According to the village chief, their legends say that they were brought to this planet by Wakan Tanka to serve him. Wakan Tanka would select the finest maidens and young men every two years to go with him through the Stargate. The rest of populace worked to send food and supplies to Wakan Tanka through the Stargate. Then one day Wakinyan, the thunder spirit, and Wakonda, the great spirit, freed the Akoda from the slavery of Wakan Tanka. Since then they've reverted back to their original nomadic lifestyle." Daniel finished relaying the information he had managed to glean from the tribal chieftain.
"Thunder spirit," Jack said. "Could that be Thor?"
"It's possible that these people were brought here from earth by a goa'uld who adopted the persona of this Wakan Tanka. The Asgaard came across them in their travels and freed them from the domination of this goa'uld Wakan Tanka," Sam speculated.
Daniel nodded his head. "That's pretty much what I had deduced from talking with Wanbli." He looked around at his friends. "And now the best part. The village is having a feast tonight to celebrate our arrival through the Stargate."
"Oh, goody, a party. We'd better go rent our lampshades," Jack said sarcastically.
"You know, Jack, it's an honor for these people to do this for us," Daniel reminded him. "Just watch what you say to them."
"Of, course, Daniel, I'm not that stupid," Jack retorted.
Jack looked over at Sam who was placing little scoopsful of the soil in her vials. "You know, it might even be kind of fun."
******************
It appeared that everyone in the village was put to work to prepare for the feast of welcome. Sam, Teal'c, and Jack were standing in the center of the village observing the activity.
The chief was talking to Daniel, explaining the local customs. They were the clearest evidence that the Akoda and the Lakota had broken sometime in the past.
"So, Daniel, tell me about you and your friends," Wanbli requested.
"Well, I'm an archaeologist, I study the remains of the past. Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter are in the military on earth. Teal'c is a Jaffa," Daniel explained.
"Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter are bonded, are they not?" Wanbli asked.
"Well, actually, no," Daniel answered. "Why do you ask?"
"They are of one spirit," Wanbli explained. "When two are of one spirit it is a great joy to them and their tribe. It is an omen of great happiness and prosperity, and they must be bonded."
"What do you mean, of one spirit?" Daniel asked.
"The Great Spirit sends out the spirits of all those who are born in the universe. Some spirits are divided into two parts. These two parts seek out each other over many lifetimes. When these two divided spirits find the other half of themselves, it is a time of great joy and celebration. The vessels of the divided spirit must then be bonded, to spend all eternity together," Wanbli explained.
"What happens when the people containing the divided spirit don't bond?" Daniel was curious about this concept.
"Then there is chaos and disorder. If the vessels of the divided spirit do not bond, terrible disasters will happen. All who come in contact with the vessels will be damaged," Wanbli answered. "In order for this to be avoided the vessels must be destroyed so that the divided spirit can once again seek out its mate. I'm sorry, but if your friends will not be bonded-"
"They'll be killed?" Daniel was horrified at the thought.
"Yes, we will have no choice. They must be bonded, or we will have to release the divided spirit by destroying the vessels which contain it." Wanbli bowed his head and left Daniel.
Daniel was escorted back to the center of the village where Sam, Jack and Teal'c were waiting for him. His escort then flanked Sam and Jack, pointing their spears at them.
"Daniel, what's the deal with the spears?" Jack asked.
"Uh, Jack, we've got a major problem here."
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"Incoming traveler." the lieutenant announced. "It's SG-1's signal, sir."
"Open the iris," General Hammond ordered.
SG-1 stepped onto the ramp. Daniel and Teal'c were dressed in their usual fatigues, but Jack and Sam were dressed in what looked like traditional Native American garb complete with headbands and moccasins.
"Welcome back, SG-1. We'll debrief at 1400 hours. Dismissed." General Hammond was curious about O'Neill and Carter's dress, but decided to wait for the debriefing to find out what had happened.
As soon as the general dismissed them, Sam took off toward the infirmary, with Jack following closely behind her. Daniel and Teal'c followed a little more slowly.
Janet took one look at Sam's face and hustled her into a separate exam room from the men. Something big had happened on the planet, probably something that had to do with the way Sam and Jack were dressed.
"Sam, what happened?" Janet asked. "Why are you and Jack dressed this way?"
"Janet, the mission was going so well. Then the chief of the village told Daniel that if Jack and I didn't get 'bonded' they would be forced to kill us." Sam still had a hard time believing what had happened.
"Kill you? But why?" Janet was aghast that such a thing had happened.
"Daniel said it was something about a divided spirit and the two vessels bonding, and that they were going to kill me and the Colonel if we didn't bond. They were holding spears on us until we agreed." Sam was starting to get wound up. Janet made a mental note to ask Daniel about what happened.
"Okay, Sam, it's okay." Janet put her arm around Sam's shoulders. "Didn't you have your weapons?"
"We had left them at the entrance to the village as a show of good faith, at least that's what Daniel said it was. We were unarmed." Sam shuddered slightly.
"Well, it's all over now and both of you made it back just fine." Janet took a closer look at the dress Sam was wearing. "That's a beautiful piece of work. The beading is so intricate."
"It's the traditional bonding dress of the Akoda. All brides wear a similar dress." Sam explained. "The Colonel is wearing the traditional dress of the groom." Sam pulled off the beaded headband she wore. "They put the headbands on us at the conclusion of the ceremony." She sat on the examining table looking at it.
"So, you and Jack were 'bonded.' This is the same thing as marriage I take it," Janet commented.
"Yes," Sam answered. "I still can't believe we were forced into this."
"You were forced into it?" Janet asked.
"Yes, why?"
"Then it's not valid. You don't have to worry, you're not really 'bonded' or married, or whatever," Janet answered. "You cannot be coerced into marriage by a threat to your life."
"Oh, that's right." Sam still sat there fingering the headband. "Then why don't I feel any better?"
******************
"So you're saying that Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter were compelled to go through this bonding ritual in order to save their lives," the General said.
"Yes, sir," Daniel answered.
"Well, no harm, no foul. You did well. So you say that the Akoda are probably under the protection of the Asgaard? If that's so then we'll need to have an alliance with them. I'll be sending SG-8 through to discuss it. SG-1 you're on leave for the next 48 hours. Dismissed." The team stood as the General exited the briefing room.
Jack's eyes were still on Sam, just as they had been during the entire briefing. Sam was looking everywhere but at Jack. She gathered her notes together and left. Jack caught Daniel's eye and shrugged.
"I don't know what to say to get through to her," Jack said.
"Just give her some time, Jack, she'll come around." Daniel gathered up his own papers. "What are you doing tonight?"
"I think I'll just crash at home. I don't feel much like doing anything," Jack said dispiritedly. Now, Daniel was worried. He hadn't seen Jack this despondent in years. He knew that his friend was afraid that what had happened on the planet had completely ruined whatever chance he and Sam had.
"If you need to talk, just call me." Daniel couldn't think of anything else he could do. His friends would just have to come to terms with this themselves.
"Thanks, Daniel." Jack left the briefing room and headed home.
***************************************************************************
Jack had just settled down in front of the television to watch the hockey game he'd taped while they were gone, when the doorbell rang. Sighing, he turned off the television and went to answer the door. It was Sam.
"Hello, sir, may I come in?" Sam asked. Jack stepped back to allow her room to enter. He noticed that she carried the Akoda headband in her hand.
"Can I get you something, Sam? Beer, a glass of wine . . ." he asked.
"A glass of wine would be nice. Thank you." She looked around his living room.
"Why don't you have a seat and I'll get it." Jack went to the kitchen.
Sam took off her jacket and laid it on the back of a chair. She went over to the sofa and sat down.
Jack came back carrying a glass of wine for Sam and a beer for himself. He handed her the wineglass and carried his beer over to the stereo where he turned on some soft music. Then he sat down on the sofa beside Sam.
She took a sip of her wine, then she said, "We need to talk about everything that's happened."
"You're right, Sam, we do." Jack was in total agreement with her there. He'd been trying to talk to her for days. "I see you kept the headband."
Sam looked at the object in her hand. She hadn't realized that she still had it. She must have been carrying it in her hand since she left Cheyenne Mountain.
"It's a beautiful piece of work," she said, echoing what Janet had said earlier. She was afraid to speculate on the other reason she was still carrying the headband. She set her wineglass down on the coffee table.
Jack noticed something else. He grabbed her left hand. "Where's your engagement ring?"
Sam looked down at the hand Jack was holding. "I don't feel right about wearing it." Sam gently pulled her hand from his grasp. "I want to talk about what you said to me the night of my engagement party."
Jack averted his eyes from Sam and took a long pull at his beer. "I meant what I said. You can't marry a man you don't love, and you don't love this guy."
"You're right." Sam agreed.
Jack did a double take. Did he hear what he just thought he did? "You agree with me," he said, a grin forming on his lips.
"Yes, a woman shouldn't marry a man she doesn't love. It's not fair to either party involved." Sam took another sip of her wine. "I'm going to Washington tomorrow to see Blake."
"You're going to break off the engagement."
"I don't know." Sam looked into Jack's eyes. "I'm not sure what my feelings are at this point. I just need to see him and talk to him." Her eyes pleaded with him to understand. "I have to be sure."
Jack set his drink on the coffee table. He reached out and took her face in both hands. "While you're gone remember this." He leaned forward and kissed her the way he'd kissed her on the night of her party. She got that same light-headed feeling. It felt so good. Her arms wound around his neck and she gave as good as she got. When they finally parted, both of them were breathing heavily, their arms around each other.
"Remember that," Jack said.
"I will," she breathed. After touching her lips to his lightly, she said, "I have to go, my flight leaves at 0600. I need to get some sleep."
Jack rose and pulled her up. "Be careful." He walked her to her car, where he pulled her into his arms. "One more for the road." Then he kissed her breathless again. "Bye, Sam." He helped her into her car and shut the door. She started the car, and he watched her drive off until he could no longer see her taillights.
Jack quickly headed back inside his house. He called the airport and managed to get a flight to Washington that left at 0230. From what Jack had learned about him in his investigation, he didn't trust this Blake guy, not as far as he could throw Apophis's mother ship. He would just make sure that he was there if Sam needed him, and the only way he could do that was by getting there before she did. He threw some things into an overnight bag and took off for the airport.
***************************************************************************
Jack arrived in Washington and immediately headed for Blake Reynolds' apartment building. Across the street there was a diner, so he settled in there to wait for Sam to arrive. He'd been waiting there for about three and a half hours when he finally saw her approach the apartment building. After he saw her enter the building, he went across the street and entered the lobby. Seating himself behind a ficus tree, he kept watch for Sam. If she didn't come down in twenty minutes, he was going to storm Reynolds' apartment.
The minutes dragged as he waited for Sam to return. He was just about to go after her when she stormed out of the elevator and then out of the building. She crossed the street and went into the diner where he had waited for her to arrive. He followed her. Entering the diner, he looked around for her, finally spying her sitting in a booth in the back. Her head was down on the table and her shoulders were shaking. She was crying.
He walked over and sat down beside her. Unsure as to what to say, he just looked at her for a minute. Then he said, "What happened Sam? I'm so sorry sweetheart, I never thought you'd take it so hard."
Sam raised her head up off the table. There were tears in her eyes, she was . . .laughing? "Jack," she said breathlessly, giggles still shaking her body, "what are you doing here?"
"I came to back you up. Looks like you didn't need my help." Jack looked at her with admiration. "So, what happened?" He put his arm around her and drew her closer.
"Oh." Sam took a deep breath, trying to pull herself together. "Well, I rang the bell and he answered the door. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. He said 'Sam, what are you doing here?' and I said 'I came to talk about us.' The next thing I knew, a woman dressed in nothing but his shirt came out of his bedroom saying, 'Blake who's here?' My arm shot out and I popped him one on the nose before I even realized what I was doing. Then I threw the engagement ring at him. Turns out he's been cheating on me since we've been engaged. When I left he was sitting in the middle of the floor trying to stop his nose from bleeding." She started laughing again.
"Then why are you laughing?" Jack decided that no matter how long he lived, he would never understand how a woman's mind works.
"I stormed out, angry, not hurt, but angry that I'd been so blind as to be taken by that Lothario. Then as soon as I got in here and sat down, I realized how funny the look on his face was when he saw me. It was hysterical." Sam giggled a little more at the thought.
Jack hooked his arm around Sam's neck. Drawing her closer he kissed her. "How about some breakfast before we head back to Colorado?"
"Sounds good," she answered.
He signaled the waitress and they placed their order. "So, old Brent is history, huh? It's about time."
"Blake. And yes he is history. Past history," Sam elbowed him in the ribs. "So now what do we do?"
"Do? Well, we were 'bonded' by the Akoda, you know. We could explore that aspect of our relationship." He gave her a leer that set off her giggles again.
"And when will this 'exploration' begin?" she asked.
"How about we get started right now," he said, leaning over and nuzzling her neck.
"How about after we eat?" Sam asked as the waitress brought over their breakfast.
"I'm holding you to that." He kissed her on the nose, then they both applied themselves to their breakfast.
***************************************************************************
Two weeks later . . .
The briefing was a fairly long and decidedly boring one, with Daniel expounding on and on about some civilization that was descended from some tribe in South America that took its culture from somewhere else, and yadda, yadda, yadda.
Sam was sitting back in her chair with her foot resting on the seat of Jack's chair, her knee up beside him. Jack was slouched in his chair leaning against Sam's knee. Every once in a while, they would look at each other and smile. When no one was looking Jack would sneak his hand down to rub her other leg, causing her to smile even more.
Daniel finally ended his hour long lecture, and General Hammond, with some measure of relief, dismissed SG-1. Jack and Sam stood while General Hammond left the room. Sam picked up her notebook and prepared to leave the briefing room.
"Major Carter, could I see you in my office for a few minutes?" Jack asked.
"Yes, sir, Colonel," she said. They left the briefing room together.
'Wonder who they think they're fooling?' Daniel thought as he gathered up his files, notes, and transparencies. Since Sam had announced that she had broken her engagement, there had been a lot of meetings in Jack's office. General Hammond was wise to them, he wasn't stupid, but as long as their job performance wasn't affected, he obviously didn't care what they did.
"As long as they're happy," Daniel said aloud. Then he headed out the door. 'Think I'll drop in on Jack in his office,' he thought, heading that way and grinning evilly.
The End
Story Notes: Title: Follow You Down
Author: Karen
Email: kcafaro1@intrstar.net
Spoilers: Season 3 Rating: PG-13 (adult situations and language)
Summary: Sam must confront her feelings
Archive: Sam and Jack, yes; Heliopolis, yes; anyone else, please ask.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 is owned by Showtime Networks, MGM/UA, Double Secret, Gekko, et.al.
Feedback will be appreciated but not required.
Author: Karen
Email: kcafaro1@intrstar.net
Spoilers: Season 3 Rating: PG-13 (adult situations and language)
Summary: Sam must confront her feelings
Archive: Sam and Jack, yes; Heliopolis, yes; anyone else, please ask.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 is owned by Showtime Networks, MGM/UA, Double Secret, Gekko, et.al.
Feedback will be appreciated but not required.
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 ]