beatrice_otter (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
beatrice_otter) wrote2006-11-13 07:42 am
beatrice_otter) wrote2006-11-13 07:42 am
Entry tags:
New Lives, Part 3
When we left Our Heroes, Jacob had just finished being an ass and Sam was upset.
New Lives, Part One
New Lives, Part Two
“Hey.”
Sam looked up from the report she was typing to see Daniel standing in the door of her lab. “Hey.”
He pushed his glasses up his nose. “So, Jack says your Dad is visiting.”
“Yeah,” Sam said, voice even. “He showed up last night without calling ahead.”
“How’d it go?”
“Well, the evening started with him punching Jack.” Sam shook her head and took a sip of the herbal tea that was the closest thing to coffee Janet would allow her. “It went downhill from there.”
Daniel winced. “That … doesn’t sound good.”
“Nope.” Sam frowned at her screen and went back to typing, hoping Daniel would figure out she didn’t want to talk and either change the subject or, even better, leave.
“Were there any more physical fights, or was it all verbal from there on out?”
“Verbal.” She heard the rustling of Daniel’s BDUs as he took a seat on one of her stools. It looked like her luck was holding. She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to figure out a way to translate the equations into something her superiors (most of whom were not astrophysicists) would understand.
“With you stuck in the middle trying to play peacemaker, I take it?”
Sam bit her lip. “Actually, for most of it Jack was the one stuck in the middle trying to play peacemaker.”
“Ow!” Daniel said. “I’m … sorry. That’s kind of scary, actually.”
“Tell me about it,” Sam said, shaking her head and giving up on the report. “He actually didn’t do all that bad a job, most of the time. It’s just that … I didn’t realize how alike he and my father are in a lot of ways. Jack’s a bit more irreverent, and my Dad never tries to hide his intelligence, but other than that?” She shrugged. “Anyway, they did a great job of pissing each other off, despite Jack’s best efforts.”
“Yeah, I can imagine.” Daniel’s voice was warm with sympathy. He studied her. “So, are you uncomfortable because you’re trying to avoid thinking about the situation with your Dad, or are you mad at me for some reason?”
Sam sat back. “Actually? A little of both. Though, I’m not sure that ‘mad’ is the best word for it.”
Daniel folded his arms across his chest. “So, what would be a good word for it? Because you’ve been avoiding me for a couple of weeks, now, and if there’s something I can do to fix that, I’d like to know.”
“It’s not anything you can fix, Daniel,” Sam said with a sigh, rubbing her shoulder.
“Then what is it?”
“I was on the team of scientists working on the gate, when Catherine Langford first got the project started up,” Sam said, choosing her words with care. “I spent two years as the science liaison in Washington, trying to get the program up and running. Getting the funding and the patronage to get what we needed was incredibly difficult, and I hated trying to work from half a continent away from the artifact we were experimenting on. I was supposed to be on the first team through it, partly as a reward and partly for technical and scientific support if we ran into any difficulties. Then they brought you in, and you figured out how to make it work, and General West took our team apart. We scientists were told that we were too valuable to risk; that may have been true, but West never made much of a secret of how he felt about women in the military. And you were allowed to go.”
“Well, considering how he acted around me, that may have been more due to the fact that he didn’t really care that much whether I survived or not,” Daniel put in. “I mean, my only connection to the program or the military was translating the cover stone, and that was already done. I was expendable, and it wasn’t like anyone back home was going to miss me if I didn’t come back. Besides, at that point they couldn’t have sent a team without me, because we didn’t know how the DHDs worked or Earth’s address if we had known.”
Sam shrugged. “Whatever the reason, you got to go and none of us, the one’s who’d spent years on the project, could. And then everything was shut down and all our research was buried, and we had nothing. By the time Apophis came through, West was in other projects; I was called in as a Stargate expert, and convinced General Hammond to let me go through the gate this time. I’ve always had to be better than the guys, as a scientist and as an officer, to get the same opportunities. I’ve worked damn hard my whole life to get where I am. Where I was. And now I’m stuck in a lab again, but you’re still on the team.” Sam made herself meet his eyes. “I know, it’s not your fault, and there’s nothing you could do to change it. But it still hurts.”
“Yeah,” Daniel said. He shook his head. “I had no idea, Sam, I’m sorry. For what it’s worth, I’d have argued with West to put you on the team if I’d known at the time.”
Sam smiled sadly. “I know. It wouldn’t have changed anything, but thanks for the thought.”
“Well, it’s about all I can do for you,” Daniel said with a shrug. He hesitated. “Actually, I was kind of wondering if you blamed me for Jack getting … infected on Argos. Except, if that was it, I couldn’t figure out why you weren’t giving Teal’c the same treatment.”
“Teal’c is an alien warrior,” Sam pointed out. “You’re the cultural expert. The Argosians weren’t goa’uld or anything else Teal’c was familiar with. Besides, I don’t think they have date-rape drugs on Chulak. They do here on Earth. I know, intellectually, that there probably wasn’t anything you could have done to prevent it, but that doesn’t make it feel better. And I wasn’t even there when it happened!” She rubbed her eyes. “I know that I’m not really being fair to you. And I’m sorry. It’s just …”
“You’re under a lot of stress,” Daniel said. “It has to come out somewhere. We’re both workaholics, and I know I bury myself in my work when I’m upset or stressed, but Jack is making you cut your overtime back, and that can’t help. And, again, you’re being restricted and I’m not.”
“Actually,” Sam said, fighting back an evil grin. She stopped.
“‘Actually,’ what?” Daniel said suspiciously.
“I shouldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Jack wouldn’t like it.”
“Jack is a sadistic control freak, and you know it as well as I do.”
Sam forced down a giggle at Daniel’s expression.
“Come on, Sam, it’s me. Daniel. Your fellow scientist. If Jack’s planning something—”
“He is.”
After a minute Daniel prompted her. “And the plan is?”
“You know how Teal’c has been taking over some of your language teaching duties?”
“Yeah,” Daniel said suspiciously. “It’s freed up my time so I can concentrate more on translating and analysis.” He paused, frowning. “Which Teal’c is also helping with. He’s going to sic Teal’c on me, isn’t he? To get me out of the mountain. Once my workload has been reduced and my guard is down.”
“See?” Sam said. “You didn’t need my help after all. Which is good, because you’re not going to get my help in figuring out how to get around the two of them.”
“I’m not?” Daniel said, with a wounded expression.
“You’re not,” Sam confirmed heartlessly. “You can’t tell me Jack wrote that ridiculous note he made me sign. It was far too polished for him. Teal’c doesn’t have that command of English yet, and he doesn’t know anything about the way legal documents are worded on this planet, anyway. Janet would have warned me, Feretti would be cracking jokes about it, and I don’t think General Hammond would have participated in it. Jack doesn’t really have any other friends on the base, so that leaves you. So you’re on your own, and let’s see how you like it.”
The look on Daniel’s face was priceless.
At 1500, Sam knocked on General Hammond’s door. His door frame, actually, because the door itself was open as usual.
“Come in, Captain, and have a seat,” he said, looking up from his paperwork. He gave her a sympathetic glance. “I just got back from a round of golf with your father, and I thought you’d appreciate knowing that I went to bat for you and Colonel O’Neill. Jacob still has severe reservations about the whole thing, but I did what I could.”
“Thank you, sir,” Sam said. “I’m afraid the only way to change his mind would be to tell him about the virus and everything.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” General Hammond said with a shake of his head.
“I know, sir,” Sam replied. “And I completely understand. But I’m sure I’m not the only one of the Broca victims whose life would be much easier if that weren’t the case.”
“No.”
“And I do appreciate you trying to help.”
The General nodded. “Jake’s an old friend, and you and Jack O’Neill are two of my best people. It was the least I could do. I don’t want to see you end up like Mark. How long has it been since he and Jacob have spoken?”
“Years,” Sam said, surprised he was aware of the rift. She hadn’t known he and her father were that close.
“Sometimes your father is just too stubborn for his own good.”
“I’d have to agree with you there,” Sam said. “At this point, I just hope he and Jack can learn to tolerate each other. Last night’s dinner was … tense.”
“I can imagine,” Hammond said. “Considering the circumstances and their personalities, I’d have to call that an understatement.”
Sam shrugged. “Yes, sir. We’re going out to eat, tonight. Hopefully a public venue will contain the reactions on all sides.”
“Hopefully,” Hammond said, doubt lacing his voice.
“I won’t be long,” Sam said as she headed to the bedroom to get ready for dinner.
Jack just grunted. As far as he was concerned, anything that put off the evening’s activities was a good thing; she could take as long as she wanted. He’d changed out of his fatigues at the base, so he was good to go.
Wandering into the living room, he saw there was a new message. “Jack, this is your sister Peggy. Michael says he hasn’t been able to get a hold of you, so I’m trying. Please call one of us back. I know you’re an anti-social cuss at the best of times, but please do the right thing for once and don’t be a stranger. You have my number, right? It’s (773)891-2625.”
Jack made a face as the machine beeped. He stabbed the delete button. Because one family fight at a time? So enough. He’d call them back after the thing with Sam’s Dad was taken care of, preferably with Carter, Sr. far, far away.
“So, George tells me you’re one of his best officers,” Jacob said as he cut his steak into small pieces. “He wants me to cut you a little slack. He says I should get to know you before I make up my mind. So talk.”
Jack shrugged. “Not much to tell, really,” he said. “Enlisted right out of high school, did some search-and-rescue work in Nam, went to OCS and became a career officer, got married. Eventually retired and got divorced. Got called back up. And now I work under a mountain.” He kind of wished they’d gone somewhere else, maybe that Mexican place downtown. This was a nice restaurant, but Sara’s dad had taken the two of them out eat at a place like this shortly after they got engaged, just before Jack left on his first overseas tour.
“Doing Deep Space Radar Telemetry, which you were brought back in for because no one else could possibly do your job.”
“That’s what they told me.” Jack glanced over at Sam. She was hardly paying any attention at all to her food, concentrating on the conversation instead. She was tense, more so than usual.
“Despite the fact that you’ve never been assigned to a technical project before.” Jacob—he’d insisted Jack use his first name, which Jack supposed was … progress—said with a voice dry as the Sahara.
“Yup.” Didn’t the guy care what this was doing to his daughter? I mean, she didn’t need any more stress in her condition. And, yeah, if she’d been his daughter he’d be giving himself the third degree; he knew exactly where the older man was coming from. But he wouldn’t heap this much grief on her.
“And before you retired, what exactly was it that you did?”
“A little of this, a little of that. Some extractions, some intelligence missions, some TACP. I went where they sent me.”
“So, you were in special operations?”
“Yeah.”
There was a brief lull in the conversation.
“So, special ops.” Jacob sat back, pushing his plate forward. “You served under Colonel Jesus Sanchez for a while, didn’t you?”
“What, did you run a background check on him?” Sam broke in.
“After the last guy you got serious about, can you blame me?”
“Yeah, I served under him,” Jack broke in, trying to draw fire from Sam. Hell. At least Mike hadn’t been taking it out at Sara.
“He didn’t like you much. Says you’re a loose canon.”
“He’s entitled to his opinion,” Jack said as neutrally as possible. “If General Hammond shared it, I wouldn’t be working for him.”
Jacob snorted. “George likes characters, says they keep him on his toes. He’s had problems with discipline sometimes, because of it.”
“I’ve always found the General’s methods of establishing discipline to be effective,” Jack said levelly.
“You have first-hand experience with them, do you?”
“He’s General Hammond’s executive officer,” Sam said. “He’s usually the one who has to implement or enforce them.”
“Of course,” Jacob said, implying the opposite.
Jack took a deep breath and held it, trying to remind himself that he had to play nice with this guy for Sam’s sake. Right now, he couldn’t see a downside to ending the relationship. “Yeah, I was in special ops, but Sam learned a lot from that maniac Jonas. She’s a smart woman, and she doesn’t make the same mistake twice. And I had problems with Sanchez. And, okay, maybe the circumstances surrounding my relationship with Sam could be better. But I am damn well gonna do my best to support her and the baby as much as she’ll let me. She’s a tough, professional, wonderful woman and I get that she’s way too good for me. But she’s got enough stress right now without you adding to it.” Jack shook his head. “I don’t expect you to like me, or anything. But don’t take your anger out on her.”
“I’m not taking anything out on her,” Jake said, eyes narrowing.
Jack looked at him incredulously. “Maybe not directly, but have you looked at your daughter recently? The thing is, last night, you reduced her to tears. And normally, she doesn’t need anyone to protect her. Right now, between the pregnancy hormones and last night, is a different story.”
“Jack,” Sam said.
“Sorry.” Jack took her hand and squeezed it; she looked like she could use the comfort. The skin around her mouth and eyes was tight with tension, and her skin was pale even for her.
“Sam, I am sorry for last night,” Jacob said.
Jack glanced at him, surprised to find him actually looking at his daughter for once.
“Apology accepted, Dad,” Sam said. “I know that you’re upset and disappointed. But please, just for now, can you try and support my choices rather than trying to make them for me? Or a truce, at least.”
Jacob sat back in his chair and studied his daughter. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but Jack could have sworn the guy looked older, more worn. More human. He shook his head and it was gone.
“Okay, fair enough,” Jacob said. “I just wanted—” He sat forward, taking up his knife and fork, again. “So, Jack, you into football?”
Jack raised an eyebrow, but he wasn’t about to complain at the change of subject. “Not really. Hockey’s more my thing.”
“Can’t say I know much about hockey,” Jacob replied. “How about basketball? I’m a Bulls fan, myself.”
“Really?” Jack replied, glancing over at Sam. She wasn’t exactly all smiles, but much of the tension was gone. Time to play nice. “I grew up in Chicago. My Dad took me to see them play, a few times. I follow the Timberwolves, though.”
“Would anyone like some dessert?”
Sam turned to glance at the waiter. “None for me, thanks,” she said. “I’m stuffed.”
“Me too,” Jack said.
“I’m not hungry,” Dad said, pushing his plate forward an inch.
Sam glanced at his plate as the waiter deposited the check. “You sure, Dad?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Dad said.
“You left an awful lot on your plate.” She frowned. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you not finish a good steak before. You feeling okay?”
“I said I’m fine, Samantha.” That was more of a growl than he usually used on her. Stung, Sam sat back.
“Well, if we’re all done, what say we go home? I know I’ve got an early day at work tomorrow.” Jack made a face, and Sam could have kissed him for the way he interrupted. “Training new recruits. Gotta love it.”
“Oh, I know what you mean,” Dad said. He still didn’t seem to like Jack, but at least he wasn’t constantly sniping at him. “Never ceases to amaze me, the stunts some kids pull.” He reached for the check.
“I could take care of it,” Jack said.
Dad shot him a look Sam wasn’t quite sure how to interpret; she thought it might have something to do with caveman male dominance rituals regarding providing for the family. “No, I got it,” he said firmly.
Jack shrugged, standing up. He held Sam’s chair as she got up, grabbing her coat for her. Sam would have been more impressed by his courtliness if she wasn’t sure it was due to her father’s presence. Also, it kind of annoyed her. She was perfectly capable of doing it herself and she knew he’d never have bothered if it weren’t for the baby. She ignored the annoyance. Jack was doing it to be nice.
By the time they were collected and ready to go, Dad was almost done at the register. Jack put his arm around Sam as they waited for him, and Sam leaned into him. She was tired. She’d been planning to go over some of the Stargate’s power consumption figures, but worn out as she was, she didn’t think she’d get much accomplished.
Dad finished and turned around. He gave a slight frown when he saw them standing together, but didn’t say anything. Instead, he gestured to the door. “Shall we?”
As they walked out into the parking lot, something occurred to Sam. “Dad?”
“Yeah, Sammy?”
“Is there anything going on in your life that you haven’t told me about? I mean,” she hurried to explain, “you seemed kind of tired, all night, and when you agreed to back off I kind of got the feeling there was something you weren’t saying.”
He shrugged, getting out the keys to his rental car. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“You sure?” She snuggled in to Jack’s side, using his body as a wind block.
Having gotten the driver’s door open, Dad leaned against the car. He appraised her for a few seconds. “I have cancer, Sam.”
“What?” It felt like the bottom was dropping out of her world. Jack’s hold on her tightened.
“Lymphoma.” Dad shrugged, his feelings hidden behind an impenetrable façade as always.
“That’s bad,” Sam said, biting her lip.
“Well, it’s not good.” Dad gave her a small smirk. “But it's not the worst. Don't you worry. I'll be around for a while.”
“Oh, God, Dad.”
He shook his head. “There’s still a few more treatments the docs want to try. And if worst comes to worst, I was hoping to at least stick around long enough to see you become an astronaut.” He paused. “Sweetheart, I don't care what it is you do in that mountain, nothing in the world can live up to the chance to actually go into space. Not for you—it's something you're wanted your whole life. And I admit it, I want to see you fulfill your life's dreams before I die.”
“It's my dream, doesn't that make it up to me?” She blinked back tears, trying to keep her voice steady.
“Fathers have dreams too, Sam.”
She could feel Jack tensing, and knew he was about to break in with some defense of her that could only make the situation worse.
Fortunately, Dad went on before he could say anything. “Like I said, even in the very worst-case scenario this thing's going to go on for at least a year, so you don't have to check up on me daily or anything. The next round of chemo doesn’t start for a few weeks, and I’ll be in the Springs until then, at least. I may even get an apartment here and have the chemo at the Academy hospital. We can get together for lunch on Sundays, or something.” He slipped into his car and closed the door.
Sam stood there in shock, watching him drive away.
“C’mere,” Jack said, turning her towards him and wrapping his arms around her. She buried her face in his shoulder and cried.
“Don’t you have any warmer coats?” Jack asked as they got ready to leave the next morning. “This is the Rockies. It gets cold in the winter.”
“I know,” Sam said, swinging her briefcase to her shoulder and heading out the door. “But my last posting was DC, and Texas before that, so I didn’t exactly need a good winter coat, and I haven’t gotten around to getting one yet.” She started digging for her keys.
“I got it,” Jack said, closing the door behind them and sliding the key into the deadbolt. “Well, I’m sure you and Janet will have a fun shopping … outing, some time soon.”
“Janet and I, huh. Sure you don’t want to come with?” She didn’t feel much like joking, but Jack was so worried about her after last night’s news.
Jack shot her a filthy look. “Not on your life.”
As they got into his truck, they didn’t hear the phone start to ring. After several rings, the answering machine kicked in. “Hi, this is Michael. Again. Jack, if you’re there, pick up.” Pause. “Okay, guess not. I was hoping to catch you before you left in the morning. Anyway, I’m going to be in your area this week, which is why I’ve been trying to reach you. If you don’t return my call, I’m gonna try swinging by your house when I’m in the Springs; I’ve got the address from Sarah. Hopefully, I’ll see you.”
Jack sat in the commissary, working on the never-ending paperwork that afflicted military personnel the world over. He’d spent the morning in Sam’s lab.
“How’s it going?”
He looked up as Daniel slid into the chair opposite him. “Fine. They’re having a physical assessment of skills this week for everyone who goes through the Gate, and everyone who might go through the gate in the future.”
“What for?” Daniel asked. He studied the food on his tray. “Y’know, I didn’t think I’d ever find food as gross as the stuff they served in my undergrad cafeteria.”
Jack snorted. “They don’t call it ‘shit on a shingle’ for nothing.” He scraped a little bit of leftover Jell-o out of his dish. “Anyway, somebody finally put two and two together and figured out that going through the Stargate is dangerous, and that sometimes we’re gonna need people to go through who aren’t military. They wanna make sure that everyone is physically fit and can at least provide covering fire if things go south on a mission.”
“Isn’t that about a year and a half too late?” Daniel frowned. “I mean, I had no physical assessment before we left for Abydos the first time; hell, nobody even asked if I knew how to use the gun they issued me. It’s just good luck that I’d learned to shoot on a dig.”
“Yes, it was good luck,” Jack said. He shoved down a twinge of guilt at how poorly he’d handled that mission. He’d neglected much of his responsibility, almost sleepwalking through the days until that last desperate assault on Ra’s ship. If he’d paid more attention to his men, a few more might have survived; at the very least, they’d have given Ra’s warriors a better account of themselves. “And they don’t want to depend on it in the future. See, the thing about luck is, eventually it runs out. And then you need good training and equipment.”
“Makes sense, I guess. So, when am I scheduled?”
“Today at two work for you?”
Daniel checked his watch. “Should work. Oh, did you hear about the delivery we got this morning? Somebody found a bunch of old file boxes with Stargate stuff in them tucked away somewhere. They’ve been put in the briefing room until we can go over them. Want to go through them with me?”
“Not really,” Jack said. “I’ve got more than enough paperwork of my own, thanks.” He picked up the folder in front of him.
“Okay.”
They sat in companionable silence for a while as Daniel ate and Jack worked.
“Something wrong?” Daniel asked.
“What?” Jack looked up at him. “No, why?”
Daniel shrugged. “You just seem more restless than usual, even for doing paperwork.”
“I’m fine,” Jack said.
“And Sam?”
Jack shook his head. “I don’t know how she’s doing.”
“Problems at dinner last night?”
“It got off to a rough start. The middle went okay, but he dropped a bombshell on her right before he left. At least we’ve got tonight off to recover—he won’t be coming over.” Jack snorted and closed the file he’d just finished. “I’m telling you, Daniel, I’ve got serious problems with that jerk.”
Daniel frowned. “That sounds bad. Maybe I should check in on her, see how she’s doing?”
“Be my guest. She threw me out this morning, saying I was fidgeting too much.”
“Right.” Daniel checked his watch. “I think I’ll go do that now. Those old files can wait a day or two.”
“Hey, Daniel,” Sam said absently as her former teammate sauntered in to her office, hands in his pockets. “What brings you here?”
Daniel shrugged. “I was just talking with Jack. He says your dad dropped a bombshell on you last night.”
Sam pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yeah, that’s one way of putting it,” she said. “He has cancer. Lymphoma. He just … threw it out there and left. But not before using it as the cap to a guilt trip to make me fall in with his plans for me.”
“Oh, Sam, I’m sorry,” Daniel said. He unfolded his arms, hands moving restlessly at his sides.
“Yeah,” Sam said sourly. “So am I. I just—why does he always do this to me? I’m not his little baby girl any more. I have a life of my own. I know it’s not exactly the life he wanted for me, but I’m good at what I do and I love doing it. I love him, too. I shouldn’t have to choose between pleasing him and pleasing me. Isn’t there some way we can both be happy? I just want us to be comfortable with each other. I want us to get along. Especially now that—” She broke off, shaking her head and forcing back tears. “And you know what the worst part is? If he really knew what I do for a living, he’d be so proud of me. But he doesn’t, and I can’t tell him. I—” she sniffed and looked up at Daniel. “Are all families like this? Dad and my brother Mark haven’t spoken in years, and Jack’s doesn’t really talk with his family, either.”
Daniel looked aside for a second before giving her a wistful smile. “I wouldn’t know, Sam. My parents were killed in an accident when I was eight.”
“Oh, Daniel,” Sam said, dismayed. “I’m sorry. I had no idea. I shouldn’t have gone on like this.”
He shook his head. “No, that’s okay. It was …” he hesitated “…it was a long time ago. And you’re right, you have every right to be upset over the way your Dad is acting. Just, I don’t know.”
He looked away, and if he’d seemed even a bit less rigid and self-contained, Sam would have taken his hand and squeezed it. Daniel was calm, controlled, the very picture of composure. If she didn’t know how passionate a man he normally was about, well, everything, she’d have thought him completely unmoved. As it was, his stillness screamed pain. This was an old grief, not the new rawness of Sha’re’s capture. She wondered, if they never found Sha’re, would Daniel disappear into this cool façade whenever she was mentioned, or would he let them in to help console him?
“Be glad you have him for as long as he’s around,” Daniel continued. “Even if it’s not perfect.”
Sam nodded. “I know.” Daniel was still inside his shell. “So, what’s the team like now that there are only the three of you?” It wasn’t something they’d ever discussed, but she thought it was worth a little pain to draw him out, and it wasn’t like things were going to change any time soon. She might as well get used to it.
Daniel shrugged. “Actually, things are about the same. Jack cracks jokes. He does swear a little more, and some of his jokes are a bit more off-color, but it’s not that big a change. I doubt I’d notice if I weren’t a linguist. Teal’c … still doesn’t talk much.”
“So, it wasn’t just me?” Sam asked. “I kind of wondered. On Chulak, the only women we came across were in the slave pens with us. I mean, the monks were male, the Jaffa were male. And I don’t think he realized I wasn’t a guy until we were back in the SGC and I took off my vest. He kind of gave me a double-take.”
Daniel shrugged. “Well, I’m pretty sure that Jaffa society is patriarchal, but from what I can tell he treats you and me about the same—I don’t think Jaffa society has all that many scholars, and I’m fairly certain that what scholars they do have don’t mix much with Apophis’s warriors. Teal’c’s got that warrior bond thing going on with Jack, but they still don’t talk much.”
“Jack talks a lot,” Sam objected. “Sometimes the hard part is getting him to shut up.”
“Yes, but he doesn’t really say anything while he’s chattering,” Daniel said patiently. “The signal-to-noise ratio is very low. When Teal’c opens his mouth, the signal-to-noise ratio is through the roof, but he opens it so seldom that the amount of stuff the two of them actually talk about isn’t all that much different.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way,” Sam said, “but you have a point.” She frowned. “When is your next mission? Jack hasn’t said anything.”
Daniel shrugged. “I’m not completely sure, actually. Nothing for a couple of weeks—I think they’ve decided that the best way of handling team rotation is having one team ‘on call,’ so to speak, and have the rest on standby, writing reports and researching and all the other miscellaneous stuff that needs to be done around here. I don’t mind the break in offworld missions, as long as it’s just temporary. They found several boxes of files from the Forties—apparently, they were researching the Gate then. I’m going to go through them, see if there’s anything interesting.”
“Let me know if you do,” Sam said.
“Of course. We’ve also got physical evaluations starting,” he glanced at his watch, “in a little over an hour, so by the time I got to the briefing room and got into the files it would be time to get ready for that. I don’t know how long the tests are going to take.” He frowned. “Jack says they want to make sure that everyone who goes through the Gate is actually fit to do so. It’s a good idea, but wouldn’t it have made more sense to do it before we started going through the Gate?”
“Probably,” Sam agreed, “but it wasn’t like we had a lot of time to do so between Apophis’ first appearance and the mission to Chulak—time is critical in rescue operations. Besides, you were the only civilian, and you’d spent the last year living on another planet—if that didn’t prepare you for going through the Gate, nothing would. But now the bureaucracy has caught up with events.”
“Okay.” Daniel shook his head. “Anyway, the list of people I gave them for recruiting is starting to do some good, now; I’ve got two people coming in next week, and I’ll have to get them oriented and started on learning Goa’uld. And all that is on top of my normal translation duties.”
“Ah. So, the new people: anyone you know personally, or only by reputation?”
“One I’ve never met, but the other was a grad student of mine.”
“Really? We’ll have to have him over to our house for a party or something, once he gets settled in.”
Daniel winced. “Um. I’m not sure how wise that would be, actually. Robert—he’s more of a geek than I am. Jack knows me, so he doesn’t give me too much grief about it. I wouldn’t want to spring him on an unsuspecting stranger, though.”
Sam smiled. It felt like the first time she’d done so in ages. “I guess you’re right.”
“So, what sounds good tonight?” Jack asked as they pulled into their driveway. It had taken some fancy talking, but he’d managed to convince her to come home an hour early today to take advantage of their free evening.
“I don’t know,” Sam said. “It’s probably my turn to cook, but I really don’t feel up to it.” She tried to cover up a yawn.
“No problem,” Jack said. “How about spaghetti?” Sam had pretty broad tastes, and so far hadn’t developed any cravings; that made her easy to cook for.
“Sure.”
Jack made sure he got to the door before her, keys out and ready. He couldn’t make her Dad less of an asshole and he couldn’t get her back on the team, but he could take care of whatever little hassles came her way. “Why don’t you go get into something more comfortable while I cook.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Jack.”
“As in, something that is more comfortable,” Jack amended hastily. He was fairly sure that if she were under less stress, she would have taken it with humor. “Sweats, or something, and curl up on the couch with a good book or something.
“Okay.”
“Supper’s ready.”
Sam looked up from her laptop, dark circles under her eyes, and Jack had to bite his tongue to keep from bringing up her work habits. He made it a point not to piss off pregnant women who were as good with explosives as Sam’s file said she was. Okay, so it wasn’t exactly something that had ever come up before, but he thought it would be a good thing to remember for the next several months. “Smells good,” she said, hauling herself up and following him back around the dividing wall that separated the living room from the kitchen.
“I try,” Jack said. “Did you get much done?” he asked, helping himself to carrots while Sam gave herself a heaping serving of spaghetti.
“Hm? Oh, just now?” Sam said, passing it to him. “Not really. I was having a bit of trouble concentrating.”
Loves explosives, Jack thought to himself, biting his tongue. Pregnancy hormones. And she knows where I live. “So, did it ever occur to you to, oh, actually stop working now that you’re not actually at work at the moment and relax?”
“Jack,” Sam said, unamused. “Don’t even start.”
They ate in silence for a while.
“So, do you have anything in mind to do tonight?”
Jack looked up from his second helping of spaghetti. “Not really. Just hanging out, relaxing, not having to deal with any crap.”
“I kind of feel like watching a movie,” Sam admitted. “Popcorn, lights down, the whole nine yards. Don’t want to go out, though,” she grimaced, “I really don’t want to have to get dressed and looking decent, again.”
“I think you look fine,” Jack said mildly.
“Uhuh,” Sam said, glancing down at her sweats. “Right.”
“You do,” Jack said. “What do you want to watch?” He steeled himself for a chick flick; with the week Sam had had, he’d even watch the Lifetime Movie of the Week if it would make her happy.
“I’m kind of in the mood for big explosions,” Sam said with a serious expression. “You wouldn’t happen to have Lethal Weapon, would you?”
Jack fell in love with her all over again right then and there.
Ten minutes into the movie, she was asleep on the couch, snuggled in Jack’s arms. He turned the volume down to avoid disturbing her and thought. Maybe Janet would be able to convince her to slow down a bit? He’d tried everything short of chaining her up and refusing to let her go in to work, and it obviously wasn’t enough.
About the time Riggs and Murtaugh sat down to dinner with family, there was a knock at the door. Jack eased himself out from under Sam and went to answer it; she stirred, but didn’t seem to wake up. He wondered who it was; the SGC would have called ahead, and their friends didn’t come over that often. Maybe Sam would like to have a party or something—show off the house, talk with friends about non-work-related stuff. He opened the door.
“Hello, Jack.”
He blinked. “Michael. This is a surprise.”
“Yeah, well, if you answered your phone occasionally, it wouldn’t be,” Michael shot back. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for almost a month. Peggy’s tried, too. You gonna let me in, or what?”
Jack glanced towards the living room; he couldn’t see Sam from here, but with her in the living room the only place they could go that wouldn’t disturb her would be one of the bedrooms.
“What, you got company?” Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Not exactly.” Jack stepped back to let him in and was about to head to the spare room when Sam’s voice stopped him.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” Her hair was messy from sleep and she bit back a yawn. The sweats didn’t quite cover the bump on her abdomen that was now noticeable. “Jack?” she said, glancing between the two of them.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you up,” Jack said. “Sam, this is my brother Michael. Michael, this is my girlfriend Sam Carter.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Sam said politely.
“Likewise,” Michael replied with a tense smile. “Jack, can we talk somewhere? I’m sorry to cut you out,” he said to Sam, “but I’d really like to talk with my brother.”
“Of course,” Sam said. “I’ll go get dressed; you guys can talk in the living room.
“Please don’t go to any trouble on my account,” Michael said. “You look fine.”
Sam smiled. “And you are a flatterer. I hope we get the chance to get to know one another. How long will you be in the Springs?”
Michael shrugged. “I’m in Colorado for a business trip—my company is looking to expand westward, opening a branch in Denver; my current business is done, but I don’t have any fixed date I need to be back in Chicago by. It kind of depends on family stuff.”
“Ah. Well, it’s nice to meet you.”
Jack followed Michael into the living room while Sam disappeared down the hall. “Want a beer?”
“Nah, no thanks.” Michael sat down on the couch, and Jack took the chair opposite him. “Sarah told us you’d got a girl pregnant, but didn’t tell us you’d shacked up with her.”
“Yeah, well, Sam hadn’t moved in when I told Sarah about her.” Jack shrugged.
“I’m glad you at least had the courtesy to tell Sarah yourself, at least,” Michael said dryly. “Considerate of you.”
“I try.”
“Well, I’d’ve been more impressed if you’d waited more than a few months before replacing her.”
“I wasn’t doing it to replace her,” Jack said testily. “Nothing and no one could ever replace her. Or Charlie.” He looked away, trying to keep his temper in check. He didn’t have much contact with his family any more and that suited him, but he didn’t want to alienate them completely. If nothing else, Sam wouldn’t like it. “Sam knows that and isn’t trying to. She’s her own person.”
“She’s also a decade-younger version of Sarah.” Michael snorted. “Jesus, Jack, I know you’ve got a type but did you have to pick someone so similar?”
“She picked me, actually.”
“Yeah, right. She’s gorgeous, sexy, twenty years younger than you—”
“More like ten.”
Michael waved a hand dismissively. “Fine, ten. And Sarah says you told her she was a scientist of some kind, so she’s gotta be smart. What would a woman with all that going for her want with a dried-up old warhorse like you?”
“She likes the lunatic fringe,” Jack said, deadpan. Sam had said something to that effect during their mission to retrieve her former fiancé. Besides, he couldn’t very well tell his civilian brother that she’d seduced him while they were both infected by an alien virus that turned them into mutant monkey cave-people, could he?
“More fool her, then.” Michael shook his head. “Jack, I didn’t come here to do this. I mean, no matter what I or anyone else thinks about it, it’s a done deal. The thing is, Peggy and I know because Sarah called Peggy in tears after you told her. We haven’t told anyone else in the family because that’s your responsibility. But it’s been two months, Jack. We were kinda starting to think you weren’t ever going to tell the family.”
“Yeah, about that,” Jack said mildly. “We’ve been real busy at work, and Sam’s Dad is here visiting, so she’s kind of stressed out. I was gonna tell you guys when things calmed down around here. If nothing else, I was gonna put it in my Christmas cards.
“You were going to let your family know in Christmas cards?” Michael snorted. “Jack, you’re an asshole, you know that? You didn’t even bother to send any, last year.”
Jack shrugged, looking out the window. Last Christmas had been his first without Sarah and Charlie, and he hadn’t exactly been in the mood for cute cards and well wishes. He’d just wanted to be left alone, but no one in the family had been willing to respect his wishes.
“Do you guys need more time?”
Jack glanced over to see Sam standing there in jeans and a nice sweater. The jeans were fairly low-cut and the top stretched, but it looked like maybe she’d need to get some maternity wear soon. “I don’t know, Michael, do we need more time?”
Michael narrowed his eyes. “I think I covered pretty much everything I wanted to say to you,” he said. “But I would like to learn more about your girlfriend.”
“Okay,” Sam said, settling herself into the other chair. “Well, I’m a captain in the Air Force, and I’m also an astrophysicist. I work in a lab in Cheyenne Mountain, where I met Jack. My dad is a retired major general, also Air Force, and I have a brother who’s married with two children and lives in San Diego. There’s not much else to tell, really.” She shrugged.
“Sam kinda left out the fact that she’s not just a scientist, she’s one of the most brilliant minds in the country,” Jack put in. “Possibly in the whole world.” And if by “world” he meant more than just this one planet, well, Michael would never know.
“Really?” Michael said, eyebrows raised.
Sam blushed. “Jack’s exaggerating.”
Jack shook his head seriously when Michael looked over at him.
“In any case, what do you see in him?” Michael asked. “I mean, I know he’s my brother, but he’s not very smart, he doesn’t talk to anyone, and he was never there for Sarah.”
“Jack may like to play dumb, but he’s a lot smarter than he lets on,” Sam said, crossing her arms. “He’s got a great sense of humor, and when he’s gone it’s because he’s on a mission. I’m an Air Force brat; I understand that. And he does talk to me.”
“Not about the important stuff, he doesn’t,” Michael countered. “We know he’s had problems because of stuff that’s happened to him at work, but he’ll never say why or what happened to him. Did you know he was a prisoner in Iraq for four months?
“Yes.”
Michael blinked, but plowed on. “He was so screwed up when he came back from that—but he wouldn’t even talk to Sarah about it. And nobody could get him to talk about Charlie, after it happened. We all tried, for months. He just sat there in that damn bedroom until Sarah couldn’t take it any more. He’s one cold loner.”
“I’ve found that if you don’t attack him and try to force him to talk to you, he’s a lot more likely to actually open up,” Sam said hotly. “He’s not perfect. He does internalize his feelings more than he should. But he’s a damn good man, and I love him.”
Jack froze, eyes darting to Sam’s face. It was the first time either of them had used that particular four-letter word, and he wasn’t quite sure how to react. Her entire focus was on Michael, though, so he turned back to his brother; there’d be time later to deal with it.
Michael was sitting back, eyebrows raised, surprised at the strength of her defense. “Okay,” he said. “Fair enough. I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting into, that’s all.” He paused, turning to Jack. “I’m sorry for disturbing the two of you this evening; it sounds like you’ve been busy. But you really do need to let everyone know about this, and the sooner the better. If you don’t, Peggy and I will.” He stood up and dug out his wallet. “My cell number’s on this. I’ll be in town tomorrow, at least, if you guys want to get together for dinner or something.” He handed the card to Jack. “Don’t be a stranger.” He smiled at Sam. “It was nice to meet you, Sam, but I think I’ll be going.”
“I’m glad to have met you, too,” Sam said with a smile Jack recognized as fake.
He stood and walked his brother out. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mikey,” he said in a low voice as his brother stepped out the door.
Michael shrugged. “If she wants you, that’s between her and you. I just thought I should make sure she knew what kind of a man she was getting.”
“Yeah,” Jack shot back. “You’re a real considerate guy. Look, we’re both busy at work, and Sam’s Dad is in town.”
“So don’t expect you to call, eh?” Michael fished in his pocket for his keys. “Don’t worry, Jack, I’m mostly sticking around for Sarah’s sake, anyway. I thought someone should think of her feelings. Good night.”
Jack gritted his teeth as his brother headed out to his car, closing the door gently. No way was he going to let him know he’d gotten to him. He turned around and saw Sam standing at the end of the hall.
“Wow,” she said, shaking her head. “No wonder you wanted to just send them a card.”
“Yeah,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “Wanna watch the rest of the movie?”
“Sure,” Sam replied.
Check out Jim Baen's Universe for some of the best short SF&F fiction published today!
New Lives, Part One
New Lives, Part Two
“Hey.”
Sam looked up from the report she was typing to see Daniel standing in the door of her lab. “Hey.”
He pushed his glasses up his nose. “So, Jack says your Dad is visiting.”
“Yeah,” Sam said, voice even. “He showed up last night without calling ahead.”
“How’d it go?”
“Well, the evening started with him punching Jack.” Sam shook her head and took a sip of the herbal tea that was the closest thing to coffee Janet would allow her. “It went downhill from there.”
Daniel winced. “That … doesn’t sound good.”
“Nope.” Sam frowned at her screen and went back to typing, hoping Daniel would figure out she didn’t want to talk and either change the subject or, even better, leave.
“Were there any more physical fights, or was it all verbal from there on out?”
“Verbal.” She heard the rustling of Daniel’s BDUs as he took a seat on one of her stools. It looked like her luck was holding. She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to figure out a way to translate the equations into something her superiors (most of whom were not astrophysicists) would understand.
“With you stuck in the middle trying to play peacemaker, I take it?”
Sam bit her lip. “Actually, for most of it Jack was the one stuck in the middle trying to play peacemaker.”
“Ow!” Daniel said. “I’m … sorry. That’s kind of scary, actually.”
“Tell me about it,” Sam said, shaking her head and giving up on the report. “He actually didn’t do all that bad a job, most of the time. It’s just that … I didn’t realize how alike he and my father are in a lot of ways. Jack’s a bit more irreverent, and my Dad never tries to hide his intelligence, but other than that?” She shrugged. “Anyway, they did a great job of pissing each other off, despite Jack’s best efforts.”
“Yeah, I can imagine.” Daniel’s voice was warm with sympathy. He studied her. “So, are you uncomfortable because you’re trying to avoid thinking about the situation with your Dad, or are you mad at me for some reason?”
Sam sat back. “Actually? A little of both. Though, I’m not sure that ‘mad’ is the best word for it.”
Daniel folded his arms across his chest. “So, what would be a good word for it? Because you’ve been avoiding me for a couple of weeks, now, and if there’s something I can do to fix that, I’d like to know.”
“It’s not anything you can fix, Daniel,” Sam said with a sigh, rubbing her shoulder.
“Then what is it?”
“I was on the team of scientists working on the gate, when Catherine Langford first got the project started up,” Sam said, choosing her words with care. “I spent two years as the science liaison in Washington, trying to get the program up and running. Getting the funding and the patronage to get what we needed was incredibly difficult, and I hated trying to work from half a continent away from the artifact we were experimenting on. I was supposed to be on the first team through it, partly as a reward and partly for technical and scientific support if we ran into any difficulties. Then they brought you in, and you figured out how to make it work, and General West took our team apart. We scientists were told that we were too valuable to risk; that may have been true, but West never made much of a secret of how he felt about women in the military. And you were allowed to go.”
“Well, considering how he acted around me, that may have been more due to the fact that he didn’t really care that much whether I survived or not,” Daniel put in. “I mean, my only connection to the program or the military was translating the cover stone, and that was already done. I was expendable, and it wasn’t like anyone back home was going to miss me if I didn’t come back. Besides, at that point they couldn’t have sent a team without me, because we didn’t know how the DHDs worked or Earth’s address if we had known.”
Sam shrugged. “Whatever the reason, you got to go and none of us, the one’s who’d spent years on the project, could. And then everything was shut down and all our research was buried, and we had nothing. By the time Apophis came through, West was in other projects; I was called in as a Stargate expert, and convinced General Hammond to let me go through the gate this time. I’ve always had to be better than the guys, as a scientist and as an officer, to get the same opportunities. I’ve worked damn hard my whole life to get where I am. Where I was. And now I’m stuck in a lab again, but you’re still on the team.” Sam made herself meet his eyes. “I know, it’s not your fault, and there’s nothing you could do to change it. But it still hurts.”
“Yeah,” Daniel said. He shook his head. “I had no idea, Sam, I’m sorry. For what it’s worth, I’d have argued with West to put you on the team if I’d known at the time.”
Sam smiled sadly. “I know. It wouldn’t have changed anything, but thanks for the thought.”
“Well, it’s about all I can do for you,” Daniel said with a shrug. He hesitated. “Actually, I was kind of wondering if you blamed me for Jack getting … infected on Argos. Except, if that was it, I couldn’t figure out why you weren’t giving Teal’c the same treatment.”
“Teal’c is an alien warrior,” Sam pointed out. “You’re the cultural expert. The Argosians weren’t goa’uld or anything else Teal’c was familiar with. Besides, I don’t think they have date-rape drugs on Chulak. They do here on Earth. I know, intellectually, that there probably wasn’t anything you could have done to prevent it, but that doesn’t make it feel better. And I wasn’t even there when it happened!” She rubbed her eyes. “I know that I’m not really being fair to you. And I’m sorry. It’s just …”
“You’re under a lot of stress,” Daniel said. “It has to come out somewhere. We’re both workaholics, and I know I bury myself in my work when I’m upset or stressed, but Jack is making you cut your overtime back, and that can’t help. And, again, you’re being restricted and I’m not.”
“Actually,” Sam said, fighting back an evil grin. She stopped.
“‘Actually,’ what?” Daniel said suspiciously.
“I shouldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Jack wouldn’t like it.”
“Jack is a sadistic control freak, and you know it as well as I do.”
Sam forced down a giggle at Daniel’s expression.
“Come on, Sam, it’s me. Daniel. Your fellow scientist. If Jack’s planning something—”
“He is.”
After a minute Daniel prompted her. “And the plan is?”
“You know how Teal’c has been taking over some of your language teaching duties?”
“Yeah,” Daniel said suspiciously. “It’s freed up my time so I can concentrate more on translating and analysis.” He paused, frowning. “Which Teal’c is also helping with. He’s going to sic Teal’c on me, isn’t he? To get me out of the mountain. Once my workload has been reduced and my guard is down.”
“See?” Sam said. “You didn’t need my help after all. Which is good, because you’re not going to get my help in figuring out how to get around the two of them.”
“I’m not?” Daniel said, with a wounded expression.
“You’re not,” Sam confirmed heartlessly. “You can’t tell me Jack wrote that ridiculous note he made me sign. It was far too polished for him. Teal’c doesn’t have that command of English yet, and he doesn’t know anything about the way legal documents are worded on this planet, anyway. Janet would have warned me, Feretti would be cracking jokes about it, and I don’t think General Hammond would have participated in it. Jack doesn’t really have any other friends on the base, so that leaves you. So you’re on your own, and let’s see how you like it.”
The look on Daniel’s face was priceless.
At 1500, Sam knocked on General Hammond’s door. His door frame, actually, because the door itself was open as usual.
“Come in, Captain, and have a seat,” he said, looking up from his paperwork. He gave her a sympathetic glance. “I just got back from a round of golf with your father, and I thought you’d appreciate knowing that I went to bat for you and Colonel O’Neill. Jacob still has severe reservations about the whole thing, but I did what I could.”
“Thank you, sir,” Sam said. “I’m afraid the only way to change his mind would be to tell him about the virus and everything.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” General Hammond said with a shake of his head.
“I know, sir,” Sam replied. “And I completely understand. But I’m sure I’m not the only one of the Broca victims whose life would be much easier if that weren’t the case.”
“No.”
“And I do appreciate you trying to help.”
The General nodded. “Jake’s an old friend, and you and Jack O’Neill are two of my best people. It was the least I could do. I don’t want to see you end up like Mark. How long has it been since he and Jacob have spoken?”
“Years,” Sam said, surprised he was aware of the rift. She hadn’t known he and her father were that close.
“Sometimes your father is just too stubborn for his own good.”
“I’d have to agree with you there,” Sam said. “At this point, I just hope he and Jack can learn to tolerate each other. Last night’s dinner was … tense.”
“I can imagine,” Hammond said. “Considering the circumstances and their personalities, I’d have to call that an understatement.”
Sam shrugged. “Yes, sir. We’re going out to eat, tonight. Hopefully a public venue will contain the reactions on all sides.”
“Hopefully,” Hammond said, doubt lacing his voice.
“I won’t be long,” Sam said as she headed to the bedroom to get ready for dinner.
Jack just grunted. As far as he was concerned, anything that put off the evening’s activities was a good thing; she could take as long as she wanted. He’d changed out of his fatigues at the base, so he was good to go.
Wandering into the living room, he saw there was a new message. “Jack, this is your sister Peggy. Michael says he hasn’t been able to get a hold of you, so I’m trying. Please call one of us back. I know you’re an anti-social cuss at the best of times, but please do the right thing for once and don’t be a stranger. You have my number, right? It’s (773)891-2625.”
Jack made a face as the machine beeped. He stabbed the delete button. Because one family fight at a time? So enough. He’d call them back after the thing with Sam’s Dad was taken care of, preferably with Carter, Sr. far, far away.
“So, George tells me you’re one of his best officers,” Jacob said as he cut his steak into small pieces. “He wants me to cut you a little slack. He says I should get to know you before I make up my mind. So talk.”
Jack shrugged. “Not much to tell, really,” he said. “Enlisted right out of high school, did some search-and-rescue work in Nam, went to OCS and became a career officer, got married. Eventually retired and got divorced. Got called back up. And now I work under a mountain.” He kind of wished they’d gone somewhere else, maybe that Mexican place downtown. This was a nice restaurant, but Sara’s dad had taken the two of them out eat at a place like this shortly after they got engaged, just before Jack left on his first overseas tour.
“Doing Deep Space Radar Telemetry, which you were brought back in for because no one else could possibly do your job.”
“That’s what they told me.” Jack glanced over at Sam. She was hardly paying any attention at all to her food, concentrating on the conversation instead. She was tense, more so than usual.
“Despite the fact that you’ve never been assigned to a technical project before.” Jacob—he’d insisted Jack use his first name, which Jack supposed was … progress—said with a voice dry as the Sahara.
“Yup.” Didn’t the guy care what this was doing to his daughter? I mean, she didn’t need any more stress in her condition. And, yeah, if she’d been his daughter he’d be giving himself the third degree; he knew exactly where the older man was coming from. But he wouldn’t heap this much grief on her.
“And before you retired, what exactly was it that you did?”
“A little of this, a little of that. Some extractions, some intelligence missions, some TACP. I went where they sent me.”
“So, you were in special operations?”
“Yeah.”
There was a brief lull in the conversation.
“So, special ops.” Jacob sat back, pushing his plate forward. “You served under Colonel Jesus Sanchez for a while, didn’t you?”
“What, did you run a background check on him?” Sam broke in.
“After the last guy you got serious about, can you blame me?”
“Yeah, I served under him,” Jack broke in, trying to draw fire from Sam. Hell. At least Mike hadn’t been taking it out at Sara.
“He didn’t like you much. Says you’re a loose canon.”
“He’s entitled to his opinion,” Jack said as neutrally as possible. “If General Hammond shared it, I wouldn’t be working for him.”
Jacob snorted. “George likes characters, says they keep him on his toes. He’s had problems with discipline sometimes, because of it.”
“I’ve always found the General’s methods of establishing discipline to be effective,” Jack said levelly.
“You have first-hand experience with them, do you?”
“He’s General Hammond’s executive officer,” Sam said. “He’s usually the one who has to implement or enforce them.”
“Of course,” Jacob said, implying the opposite.
Jack took a deep breath and held it, trying to remind himself that he had to play nice with this guy for Sam’s sake. Right now, he couldn’t see a downside to ending the relationship. “Yeah, I was in special ops, but Sam learned a lot from that maniac Jonas. She’s a smart woman, and she doesn’t make the same mistake twice. And I had problems with Sanchez. And, okay, maybe the circumstances surrounding my relationship with Sam could be better. But I am damn well gonna do my best to support her and the baby as much as she’ll let me. She’s a tough, professional, wonderful woman and I get that she’s way too good for me. But she’s got enough stress right now without you adding to it.” Jack shook his head. “I don’t expect you to like me, or anything. But don’t take your anger out on her.”
“I’m not taking anything out on her,” Jake said, eyes narrowing.
Jack looked at him incredulously. “Maybe not directly, but have you looked at your daughter recently? The thing is, last night, you reduced her to tears. And normally, she doesn’t need anyone to protect her. Right now, between the pregnancy hormones and last night, is a different story.”
“Jack,” Sam said.
“Sorry.” Jack took her hand and squeezed it; she looked like she could use the comfort. The skin around her mouth and eyes was tight with tension, and her skin was pale even for her.
“Sam, I am sorry for last night,” Jacob said.
Jack glanced at him, surprised to find him actually looking at his daughter for once.
“Apology accepted, Dad,” Sam said. “I know that you’re upset and disappointed. But please, just for now, can you try and support my choices rather than trying to make them for me? Or a truce, at least.”
Jacob sat back in his chair and studied his daughter. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but Jack could have sworn the guy looked older, more worn. More human. He shook his head and it was gone.
“Okay, fair enough,” Jacob said. “I just wanted—” He sat forward, taking up his knife and fork, again. “So, Jack, you into football?”
Jack raised an eyebrow, but he wasn’t about to complain at the change of subject. “Not really. Hockey’s more my thing.”
“Can’t say I know much about hockey,” Jacob replied. “How about basketball? I’m a Bulls fan, myself.”
“Really?” Jack replied, glancing over at Sam. She wasn’t exactly all smiles, but much of the tension was gone. Time to play nice. “I grew up in Chicago. My Dad took me to see them play, a few times. I follow the Timberwolves, though.”
“Would anyone like some dessert?”
Sam turned to glance at the waiter. “None for me, thanks,” she said. “I’m stuffed.”
“Me too,” Jack said.
“I’m not hungry,” Dad said, pushing his plate forward an inch.
Sam glanced at his plate as the waiter deposited the check. “You sure, Dad?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Dad said.
“You left an awful lot on your plate.” She frowned. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you not finish a good steak before. You feeling okay?”
“I said I’m fine, Samantha.” That was more of a growl than he usually used on her. Stung, Sam sat back.
“Well, if we’re all done, what say we go home? I know I’ve got an early day at work tomorrow.” Jack made a face, and Sam could have kissed him for the way he interrupted. “Training new recruits. Gotta love it.”
“Oh, I know what you mean,” Dad said. He still didn’t seem to like Jack, but at least he wasn’t constantly sniping at him. “Never ceases to amaze me, the stunts some kids pull.” He reached for the check.
“I could take care of it,” Jack said.
Dad shot him a look Sam wasn’t quite sure how to interpret; she thought it might have something to do with caveman male dominance rituals regarding providing for the family. “No, I got it,” he said firmly.
Jack shrugged, standing up. He held Sam’s chair as she got up, grabbing her coat for her. Sam would have been more impressed by his courtliness if she wasn’t sure it was due to her father’s presence. Also, it kind of annoyed her. She was perfectly capable of doing it herself and she knew he’d never have bothered if it weren’t for the baby. She ignored the annoyance. Jack was doing it to be nice.
By the time they were collected and ready to go, Dad was almost done at the register. Jack put his arm around Sam as they waited for him, and Sam leaned into him. She was tired. She’d been planning to go over some of the Stargate’s power consumption figures, but worn out as she was, she didn’t think she’d get much accomplished.
Dad finished and turned around. He gave a slight frown when he saw them standing together, but didn’t say anything. Instead, he gestured to the door. “Shall we?”
As they walked out into the parking lot, something occurred to Sam. “Dad?”
“Yeah, Sammy?”
“Is there anything going on in your life that you haven’t told me about? I mean,” she hurried to explain, “you seemed kind of tired, all night, and when you agreed to back off I kind of got the feeling there was something you weren’t saying.”
He shrugged, getting out the keys to his rental car. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“You sure?” She snuggled in to Jack’s side, using his body as a wind block.
Having gotten the driver’s door open, Dad leaned against the car. He appraised her for a few seconds. “I have cancer, Sam.”
“What?” It felt like the bottom was dropping out of her world. Jack’s hold on her tightened.
“Lymphoma.” Dad shrugged, his feelings hidden behind an impenetrable façade as always.
“That’s bad,” Sam said, biting her lip.
“Well, it’s not good.” Dad gave her a small smirk. “But it's not the worst. Don't you worry. I'll be around for a while.”
“Oh, God, Dad.”
He shook his head. “There’s still a few more treatments the docs want to try. And if worst comes to worst, I was hoping to at least stick around long enough to see you become an astronaut.” He paused. “Sweetheart, I don't care what it is you do in that mountain, nothing in the world can live up to the chance to actually go into space. Not for you—it's something you're wanted your whole life. And I admit it, I want to see you fulfill your life's dreams before I die.”
“It's my dream, doesn't that make it up to me?” She blinked back tears, trying to keep her voice steady.
“Fathers have dreams too, Sam.”
She could feel Jack tensing, and knew he was about to break in with some defense of her that could only make the situation worse.
Fortunately, Dad went on before he could say anything. “Like I said, even in the very worst-case scenario this thing's going to go on for at least a year, so you don't have to check up on me daily or anything. The next round of chemo doesn’t start for a few weeks, and I’ll be in the Springs until then, at least. I may even get an apartment here and have the chemo at the Academy hospital. We can get together for lunch on Sundays, or something.” He slipped into his car and closed the door.
Sam stood there in shock, watching him drive away.
“C’mere,” Jack said, turning her towards him and wrapping his arms around her. She buried her face in his shoulder and cried.
“Don’t you have any warmer coats?” Jack asked as they got ready to leave the next morning. “This is the Rockies. It gets cold in the winter.”
“I know,” Sam said, swinging her briefcase to her shoulder and heading out the door. “But my last posting was DC, and Texas before that, so I didn’t exactly need a good winter coat, and I haven’t gotten around to getting one yet.” She started digging for her keys.
“I got it,” Jack said, closing the door behind them and sliding the key into the deadbolt. “Well, I’m sure you and Janet will have a fun shopping … outing, some time soon.”
“Janet and I, huh. Sure you don’t want to come with?” She didn’t feel much like joking, but Jack was so worried about her after last night’s news.
Jack shot her a filthy look. “Not on your life.”
As they got into his truck, they didn’t hear the phone start to ring. After several rings, the answering machine kicked in. “Hi, this is Michael. Again. Jack, if you’re there, pick up.” Pause. “Okay, guess not. I was hoping to catch you before you left in the morning. Anyway, I’m going to be in your area this week, which is why I’ve been trying to reach you. If you don’t return my call, I’m gonna try swinging by your house when I’m in the Springs; I’ve got the address from Sarah. Hopefully, I’ll see you.”
Jack sat in the commissary, working on the never-ending paperwork that afflicted military personnel the world over. He’d spent the morning in Sam’s lab.
“How’s it going?”
He looked up as Daniel slid into the chair opposite him. “Fine. They’re having a physical assessment of skills this week for everyone who goes through the Gate, and everyone who might go through the gate in the future.”
“What for?” Daniel asked. He studied the food on his tray. “Y’know, I didn’t think I’d ever find food as gross as the stuff they served in my undergrad cafeteria.”
Jack snorted. “They don’t call it ‘shit on a shingle’ for nothing.” He scraped a little bit of leftover Jell-o out of his dish. “Anyway, somebody finally put two and two together and figured out that going through the Stargate is dangerous, and that sometimes we’re gonna need people to go through who aren’t military. They wanna make sure that everyone is physically fit and can at least provide covering fire if things go south on a mission.”
“Isn’t that about a year and a half too late?” Daniel frowned. “I mean, I had no physical assessment before we left for Abydos the first time; hell, nobody even asked if I knew how to use the gun they issued me. It’s just good luck that I’d learned to shoot on a dig.”
“Yes, it was good luck,” Jack said. He shoved down a twinge of guilt at how poorly he’d handled that mission. He’d neglected much of his responsibility, almost sleepwalking through the days until that last desperate assault on Ra’s ship. If he’d paid more attention to his men, a few more might have survived; at the very least, they’d have given Ra’s warriors a better account of themselves. “And they don’t want to depend on it in the future. See, the thing about luck is, eventually it runs out. And then you need good training and equipment.”
“Makes sense, I guess. So, when am I scheduled?”
“Today at two work for you?”
Daniel checked his watch. “Should work. Oh, did you hear about the delivery we got this morning? Somebody found a bunch of old file boxes with Stargate stuff in them tucked away somewhere. They’ve been put in the briefing room until we can go over them. Want to go through them with me?”
“Not really,” Jack said. “I’ve got more than enough paperwork of my own, thanks.” He picked up the folder in front of him.
“Okay.”
They sat in companionable silence for a while as Daniel ate and Jack worked.
“Something wrong?” Daniel asked.
“What?” Jack looked up at him. “No, why?”
Daniel shrugged. “You just seem more restless than usual, even for doing paperwork.”
“I’m fine,” Jack said.
“And Sam?”
Jack shook his head. “I don’t know how she’s doing.”
“Problems at dinner last night?”
“It got off to a rough start. The middle went okay, but he dropped a bombshell on her right before he left. At least we’ve got tonight off to recover—he won’t be coming over.” Jack snorted and closed the file he’d just finished. “I’m telling you, Daniel, I’ve got serious problems with that jerk.”
Daniel frowned. “That sounds bad. Maybe I should check in on her, see how she’s doing?”
“Be my guest. She threw me out this morning, saying I was fidgeting too much.”
“Right.” Daniel checked his watch. “I think I’ll go do that now. Those old files can wait a day or two.”
“Hey, Daniel,” Sam said absently as her former teammate sauntered in to her office, hands in his pockets. “What brings you here?”
Daniel shrugged. “I was just talking with Jack. He says your dad dropped a bombshell on you last night.”
Sam pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yeah, that’s one way of putting it,” she said. “He has cancer. Lymphoma. He just … threw it out there and left. But not before using it as the cap to a guilt trip to make me fall in with his plans for me.”
“Oh, Sam, I’m sorry,” Daniel said. He unfolded his arms, hands moving restlessly at his sides.
“Yeah,” Sam said sourly. “So am I. I just—why does he always do this to me? I’m not his little baby girl any more. I have a life of my own. I know it’s not exactly the life he wanted for me, but I’m good at what I do and I love doing it. I love him, too. I shouldn’t have to choose between pleasing him and pleasing me. Isn’t there some way we can both be happy? I just want us to be comfortable with each other. I want us to get along. Especially now that—” She broke off, shaking her head and forcing back tears. “And you know what the worst part is? If he really knew what I do for a living, he’d be so proud of me. But he doesn’t, and I can’t tell him. I—” she sniffed and looked up at Daniel. “Are all families like this? Dad and my brother Mark haven’t spoken in years, and Jack’s doesn’t really talk with his family, either.”
Daniel looked aside for a second before giving her a wistful smile. “I wouldn’t know, Sam. My parents were killed in an accident when I was eight.”
“Oh, Daniel,” Sam said, dismayed. “I’m sorry. I had no idea. I shouldn’t have gone on like this.”
He shook his head. “No, that’s okay. It was …” he hesitated “…it was a long time ago. And you’re right, you have every right to be upset over the way your Dad is acting. Just, I don’t know.”
He looked away, and if he’d seemed even a bit less rigid and self-contained, Sam would have taken his hand and squeezed it. Daniel was calm, controlled, the very picture of composure. If she didn’t know how passionate a man he normally was about, well, everything, she’d have thought him completely unmoved. As it was, his stillness screamed pain. This was an old grief, not the new rawness of Sha’re’s capture. She wondered, if they never found Sha’re, would Daniel disappear into this cool façade whenever she was mentioned, or would he let them in to help console him?
“Be glad you have him for as long as he’s around,” Daniel continued. “Even if it’s not perfect.”
Sam nodded. “I know.” Daniel was still inside his shell. “So, what’s the team like now that there are only the three of you?” It wasn’t something they’d ever discussed, but she thought it was worth a little pain to draw him out, and it wasn’t like things were going to change any time soon. She might as well get used to it.
Daniel shrugged. “Actually, things are about the same. Jack cracks jokes. He does swear a little more, and some of his jokes are a bit more off-color, but it’s not that big a change. I doubt I’d notice if I weren’t a linguist. Teal’c … still doesn’t talk much.”
“So, it wasn’t just me?” Sam asked. “I kind of wondered. On Chulak, the only women we came across were in the slave pens with us. I mean, the monks were male, the Jaffa were male. And I don’t think he realized I wasn’t a guy until we were back in the SGC and I took off my vest. He kind of gave me a double-take.”
Daniel shrugged. “Well, I’m pretty sure that Jaffa society is patriarchal, but from what I can tell he treats you and me about the same—I don’t think Jaffa society has all that many scholars, and I’m fairly certain that what scholars they do have don’t mix much with Apophis’s warriors. Teal’c’s got that warrior bond thing going on with Jack, but they still don’t talk much.”
“Jack talks a lot,” Sam objected. “Sometimes the hard part is getting him to shut up.”
“Yes, but he doesn’t really say anything while he’s chattering,” Daniel said patiently. “The signal-to-noise ratio is very low. When Teal’c opens his mouth, the signal-to-noise ratio is through the roof, but he opens it so seldom that the amount of stuff the two of them actually talk about isn’t all that much different.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way,” Sam said, “but you have a point.” She frowned. “When is your next mission? Jack hasn’t said anything.”
Daniel shrugged. “I’m not completely sure, actually. Nothing for a couple of weeks—I think they’ve decided that the best way of handling team rotation is having one team ‘on call,’ so to speak, and have the rest on standby, writing reports and researching and all the other miscellaneous stuff that needs to be done around here. I don’t mind the break in offworld missions, as long as it’s just temporary. They found several boxes of files from the Forties—apparently, they were researching the Gate then. I’m going to go through them, see if there’s anything interesting.”
“Let me know if you do,” Sam said.
“Of course. We’ve also got physical evaluations starting,” he glanced at his watch, “in a little over an hour, so by the time I got to the briefing room and got into the files it would be time to get ready for that. I don’t know how long the tests are going to take.” He frowned. “Jack says they want to make sure that everyone who goes through the Gate is actually fit to do so. It’s a good idea, but wouldn’t it have made more sense to do it before we started going through the Gate?”
“Probably,” Sam agreed, “but it wasn’t like we had a lot of time to do so between Apophis’ first appearance and the mission to Chulak—time is critical in rescue operations. Besides, you were the only civilian, and you’d spent the last year living on another planet—if that didn’t prepare you for going through the Gate, nothing would. But now the bureaucracy has caught up with events.”
“Okay.” Daniel shook his head. “Anyway, the list of people I gave them for recruiting is starting to do some good, now; I’ve got two people coming in next week, and I’ll have to get them oriented and started on learning Goa’uld. And all that is on top of my normal translation duties.”
“Ah. So, the new people: anyone you know personally, or only by reputation?”
“One I’ve never met, but the other was a grad student of mine.”
“Really? We’ll have to have him over to our house for a party or something, once he gets settled in.”
Daniel winced. “Um. I’m not sure how wise that would be, actually. Robert—he’s more of a geek than I am. Jack knows me, so he doesn’t give me too much grief about it. I wouldn’t want to spring him on an unsuspecting stranger, though.”
Sam smiled. It felt like the first time she’d done so in ages. “I guess you’re right.”
“So, what sounds good tonight?” Jack asked as they pulled into their driveway. It had taken some fancy talking, but he’d managed to convince her to come home an hour early today to take advantage of their free evening.
“I don’t know,” Sam said. “It’s probably my turn to cook, but I really don’t feel up to it.” She tried to cover up a yawn.
“No problem,” Jack said. “How about spaghetti?” Sam had pretty broad tastes, and so far hadn’t developed any cravings; that made her easy to cook for.
“Sure.”
Jack made sure he got to the door before her, keys out and ready. He couldn’t make her Dad less of an asshole and he couldn’t get her back on the team, but he could take care of whatever little hassles came her way. “Why don’t you go get into something more comfortable while I cook.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Jack.”
“As in, something that is more comfortable,” Jack amended hastily. He was fairly sure that if she were under less stress, she would have taken it with humor. “Sweats, or something, and curl up on the couch with a good book or something.
“Okay.”
“Supper’s ready.”
Sam looked up from her laptop, dark circles under her eyes, and Jack had to bite his tongue to keep from bringing up her work habits. He made it a point not to piss off pregnant women who were as good with explosives as Sam’s file said she was. Okay, so it wasn’t exactly something that had ever come up before, but he thought it would be a good thing to remember for the next several months. “Smells good,” she said, hauling herself up and following him back around the dividing wall that separated the living room from the kitchen.
“I try,” Jack said. “Did you get much done?” he asked, helping himself to carrots while Sam gave herself a heaping serving of spaghetti.
“Hm? Oh, just now?” Sam said, passing it to him. “Not really. I was having a bit of trouble concentrating.”
Loves explosives, Jack thought to himself, biting his tongue. Pregnancy hormones. And she knows where I live. “So, did it ever occur to you to, oh, actually stop working now that you’re not actually at work at the moment and relax?”
“Jack,” Sam said, unamused. “Don’t even start.”
They ate in silence for a while.
“So, do you have anything in mind to do tonight?”
Jack looked up from his second helping of spaghetti. “Not really. Just hanging out, relaxing, not having to deal with any crap.”
“I kind of feel like watching a movie,” Sam admitted. “Popcorn, lights down, the whole nine yards. Don’t want to go out, though,” she grimaced, “I really don’t want to have to get dressed and looking decent, again.”
“I think you look fine,” Jack said mildly.
“Uhuh,” Sam said, glancing down at her sweats. “Right.”
“You do,” Jack said. “What do you want to watch?” He steeled himself for a chick flick; with the week Sam had had, he’d even watch the Lifetime Movie of the Week if it would make her happy.
“I’m kind of in the mood for big explosions,” Sam said with a serious expression. “You wouldn’t happen to have Lethal Weapon, would you?”
Jack fell in love with her all over again right then and there.
Ten minutes into the movie, she was asleep on the couch, snuggled in Jack’s arms. He turned the volume down to avoid disturbing her and thought. Maybe Janet would be able to convince her to slow down a bit? He’d tried everything short of chaining her up and refusing to let her go in to work, and it obviously wasn’t enough.
About the time Riggs and Murtaugh sat down to dinner with family, there was a knock at the door. Jack eased himself out from under Sam and went to answer it; she stirred, but didn’t seem to wake up. He wondered who it was; the SGC would have called ahead, and their friends didn’t come over that often. Maybe Sam would like to have a party or something—show off the house, talk with friends about non-work-related stuff. He opened the door.
“Hello, Jack.”
He blinked. “Michael. This is a surprise.”
“Yeah, well, if you answered your phone occasionally, it wouldn’t be,” Michael shot back. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for almost a month. Peggy’s tried, too. You gonna let me in, or what?”
Jack glanced towards the living room; he couldn’t see Sam from here, but with her in the living room the only place they could go that wouldn’t disturb her would be one of the bedrooms.
“What, you got company?” Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Not exactly.” Jack stepped back to let him in and was about to head to the spare room when Sam’s voice stopped him.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” Her hair was messy from sleep and she bit back a yawn. The sweats didn’t quite cover the bump on her abdomen that was now noticeable. “Jack?” she said, glancing between the two of them.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you up,” Jack said. “Sam, this is my brother Michael. Michael, this is my girlfriend Sam Carter.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Sam said politely.
“Likewise,” Michael replied with a tense smile. “Jack, can we talk somewhere? I’m sorry to cut you out,” he said to Sam, “but I’d really like to talk with my brother.”
“Of course,” Sam said. “I’ll go get dressed; you guys can talk in the living room.
“Please don’t go to any trouble on my account,” Michael said. “You look fine.”
Sam smiled. “And you are a flatterer. I hope we get the chance to get to know one another. How long will you be in the Springs?”
Michael shrugged. “I’m in Colorado for a business trip—my company is looking to expand westward, opening a branch in Denver; my current business is done, but I don’t have any fixed date I need to be back in Chicago by. It kind of depends on family stuff.”
“Ah. Well, it’s nice to meet you.”
Jack followed Michael into the living room while Sam disappeared down the hall. “Want a beer?”
“Nah, no thanks.” Michael sat down on the couch, and Jack took the chair opposite him. “Sarah told us you’d got a girl pregnant, but didn’t tell us you’d shacked up with her.”
“Yeah, well, Sam hadn’t moved in when I told Sarah about her.” Jack shrugged.
“I’m glad you at least had the courtesy to tell Sarah yourself, at least,” Michael said dryly. “Considerate of you.”
“I try.”
“Well, I’d’ve been more impressed if you’d waited more than a few months before replacing her.”
“I wasn’t doing it to replace her,” Jack said testily. “Nothing and no one could ever replace her. Or Charlie.” He looked away, trying to keep his temper in check. He didn’t have much contact with his family any more and that suited him, but he didn’t want to alienate them completely. If nothing else, Sam wouldn’t like it. “Sam knows that and isn’t trying to. She’s her own person.”
“She’s also a decade-younger version of Sarah.” Michael snorted. “Jesus, Jack, I know you’ve got a type but did you have to pick someone so similar?”
“She picked me, actually.”
“Yeah, right. She’s gorgeous, sexy, twenty years younger than you—”
“More like ten.”
Michael waved a hand dismissively. “Fine, ten. And Sarah says you told her she was a scientist of some kind, so she’s gotta be smart. What would a woman with all that going for her want with a dried-up old warhorse like you?”
“She likes the lunatic fringe,” Jack said, deadpan. Sam had said something to that effect during their mission to retrieve her former fiancé. Besides, he couldn’t very well tell his civilian brother that she’d seduced him while they were both infected by an alien virus that turned them into mutant monkey cave-people, could he?
“More fool her, then.” Michael shook his head. “Jack, I didn’t come here to do this. I mean, no matter what I or anyone else thinks about it, it’s a done deal. The thing is, Peggy and I know because Sarah called Peggy in tears after you told her. We haven’t told anyone else in the family because that’s your responsibility. But it’s been two months, Jack. We were kinda starting to think you weren’t ever going to tell the family.”
“Yeah, about that,” Jack said mildly. “We’ve been real busy at work, and Sam’s Dad is here visiting, so she’s kind of stressed out. I was gonna tell you guys when things calmed down around here. If nothing else, I was gonna put it in my Christmas cards.
“You were going to let your family know in Christmas cards?” Michael snorted. “Jack, you’re an asshole, you know that? You didn’t even bother to send any, last year.”
Jack shrugged, looking out the window. Last Christmas had been his first without Sarah and Charlie, and he hadn’t exactly been in the mood for cute cards and well wishes. He’d just wanted to be left alone, but no one in the family had been willing to respect his wishes.
“Do you guys need more time?”
Jack glanced over to see Sam standing there in jeans and a nice sweater. The jeans were fairly low-cut and the top stretched, but it looked like maybe she’d need to get some maternity wear soon. “I don’t know, Michael, do we need more time?”
Michael narrowed his eyes. “I think I covered pretty much everything I wanted to say to you,” he said. “But I would like to learn more about your girlfriend.”
“Okay,” Sam said, settling herself into the other chair. “Well, I’m a captain in the Air Force, and I’m also an astrophysicist. I work in a lab in Cheyenne Mountain, where I met Jack. My dad is a retired major general, also Air Force, and I have a brother who’s married with two children and lives in San Diego. There’s not much else to tell, really.” She shrugged.
“Sam kinda left out the fact that she’s not just a scientist, she’s one of the most brilliant minds in the country,” Jack put in. “Possibly in the whole world.” And if by “world” he meant more than just this one planet, well, Michael would never know.
“Really?” Michael said, eyebrows raised.
Sam blushed. “Jack’s exaggerating.”
Jack shook his head seriously when Michael looked over at him.
“In any case, what do you see in him?” Michael asked. “I mean, I know he’s my brother, but he’s not very smart, he doesn’t talk to anyone, and he was never there for Sarah.”
“Jack may like to play dumb, but he’s a lot smarter than he lets on,” Sam said, crossing her arms. “He’s got a great sense of humor, and when he’s gone it’s because he’s on a mission. I’m an Air Force brat; I understand that. And he does talk to me.”
“Not about the important stuff, he doesn’t,” Michael countered. “We know he’s had problems because of stuff that’s happened to him at work, but he’ll never say why or what happened to him. Did you know he was a prisoner in Iraq for four months?
“Yes.”
Michael blinked, but plowed on. “He was so screwed up when he came back from that—but he wouldn’t even talk to Sarah about it. And nobody could get him to talk about Charlie, after it happened. We all tried, for months. He just sat there in that damn bedroom until Sarah couldn’t take it any more. He’s one cold loner.”
“I’ve found that if you don’t attack him and try to force him to talk to you, he’s a lot more likely to actually open up,” Sam said hotly. “He’s not perfect. He does internalize his feelings more than he should. But he’s a damn good man, and I love him.”
Jack froze, eyes darting to Sam’s face. It was the first time either of them had used that particular four-letter word, and he wasn’t quite sure how to react. Her entire focus was on Michael, though, so he turned back to his brother; there’d be time later to deal with it.
Michael was sitting back, eyebrows raised, surprised at the strength of her defense. “Okay,” he said. “Fair enough. I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting into, that’s all.” He paused, turning to Jack. “I’m sorry for disturbing the two of you this evening; it sounds like you’ve been busy. But you really do need to let everyone know about this, and the sooner the better. If you don’t, Peggy and I will.” He stood up and dug out his wallet. “My cell number’s on this. I’ll be in town tomorrow, at least, if you guys want to get together for dinner or something.” He handed the card to Jack. “Don’t be a stranger.” He smiled at Sam. “It was nice to meet you, Sam, but I think I’ll be going.”
“I’m glad to have met you, too,” Sam said with a smile Jack recognized as fake.
He stood and walked his brother out. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mikey,” he said in a low voice as his brother stepped out the door.
Michael shrugged. “If she wants you, that’s between her and you. I just thought I should make sure she knew what kind of a man she was getting.”
“Yeah,” Jack shot back. “You’re a real considerate guy. Look, we’re both busy at work, and Sam’s Dad is in town.”
“So don’t expect you to call, eh?” Michael fished in his pocket for his keys. “Don’t worry, Jack, I’m mostly sticking around for Sarah’s sake, anyway. I thought someone should think of her feelings. Good night.”
Jack gritted his teeth as his brother headed out to his car, closing the door gently. No way was he going to let him know he’d gotten to him. He turned around and saw Sam standing at the end of the hall.
“Wow,” she said, shaking her head. “No wonder you wanted to just send them a card.”
“Yeah,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “Wanna watch the rest of the movie?”
“Sure,” Sam replied.
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is part 4 coming soon ?? :D
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Thanks for reviewing!
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now I have to look for the precise moment I stoped reading :S