Shall We Have a Little Talk?
Shall We Have a Little Talk?
by Ted Sadler
Summary: Coming to terms with it.
This story follows on directly from Oh No! (and before that, Yes!)
Category: Romance
Season: future Season
Pairing: Jack/Sam
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Archived on: 05/28/03
Note: this story continues directly from "Oh No!"
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".... you think you're playing at?" Jacob Carter continued shouting at his daughter as they emerged through the Event Horizon at the Alpha Site. Despite his greater weight and strength, the force with which she had dragged him backwards through the Gate sent him tumbling on the rough ground. "Of all the people you could have, why him?"
"Can it, Dad!" Sam replied forcefully, watching him get to his feet. "This isn't the place or time to...."
"It most certainly is!" roared Jacob, ignoring the stares of Teal'c, Daniel, Bra'tac and Malek as they stood only feet away. "I'm not letting you make another mistake like Jonas Hanson!"
Sam stared in open-mouthed amazement, the shock of hearing and seeing him like this turning her mood from one of determination to blazing anger. She had never before felt contempt and bitterness like this towards her father, and he in turn had not been around to see the changes that others were noticing in her of late. It was as if yet another near-death experience of someone close to her - really close to her - coupled with the loss of a dear friend, was now driving her to be the one to want to make a difference, to force the pace of events both professional and personal.
"You low....." she started to say, with a voice normally reserved for errant recruits on the parade ground. Teal'c observed the shocked look on Jacob's face and smiled. His own military life had been filled with moments like these - the sudden need to show who's in charge, the ability to take command of a situation, the guts and self-confidence to follow it through. No Jaffa woman would go where she was headed, though, and he felt an immense pride in serving with her.
Daniel, on the other hand, was horrified by this turn of events and stepped back in surprise. He raised one hand and was about to utter some sort of pacifying phrase, when a quiet but firm voice behind them brought the confrontation to a halt. They all turned in surprise.
"Major, I believe you have a mission to complete." Jack O'Neill had, on the spur of the moment and without authorisation, stepped through the Gate behind them and stood leaning on his crutches. They were uncertain how much he'd seen during the last few moments. The wormhole dissipated behind him. Looking directly at Jacob, he cried "Selmak!" smartly, and was pleased to see the flash of eyes and rapid change in the man's demeanour.
"Yes, O'Neill?" replied the deeper voice.
"Shall we have a little talk?" asked Jack politely. "Dial us somewhere quiet. Preferably with fish."
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Sam was now getting seriously worried. It had been over seven hours since Jack and her father had stepped through the Gate to..... somewhere. The job at the Alpha site had gone like clockwork, with everyone seeming to get to work without the prolonged discussion and arguments that the scientists often regarded as their right. In fact, everyone seemed to want to show her what a good job they were doing. She realised that her behaviour today as leader must have been different since the morning's strange scene. Word was bound to have spread like wildfire, and while no-one was afraid of her, they just knew that this was not a day to get on her wrong side. Many would never try again.
She had noticed that Daniel had been unusually subdued around her, and she made a mental note to talk to him privately, to encourage him to get back to being the Devil's advocate and provider of alternative viewpoints, a role he had been only slowly returning to since his resolidification.
Teal'c, on the other hand, had seamlessly taken on the unofficial role of being her 2IC. He seemed to be everywhere he was needed, when he was needed, and several times had made her aware of impending difficulties and conflicts that could be avoided with a minimum of redirected effort. She wished she'd been as efficient as him when the Colonel had lead SG-1. This thought lead her back to wondering what the hell was going on between Jack and her father. That was more worrying than seeing the mission through successfully.
When someone finally announced that the Gate was activating, she jumped to her feet and headed for the door, but suddenly stopped as she realised that it wouldn't be the right thing for the CO to rush out in clear anxiety. Through her office window, she saw Teal'c organising a defense ring of Jaffa and Marines as a routine precaution, and held her breath as the Event Horizon stabilised. To her immense relief and then surprise, Jack awkwardly proceeded on his crutches across the open ground, nodding to Teal'c and the guard. Her father strolled slowly beside him, matching Jack's pace, laughing and exchanging words with him. He carried a small bundle in his left hand.
As they approached her office, Sam scooted back to her desk and quickly opened a file on the surface in front of her, pretending to be absorbed in the contents. "Enter!", she called at the knock on the door.
"Hi Sammie!" said Jacob, with a rather wan smile on his face. Her expression was as neutral as she could make it, but it quickly broke into a puzzled frown as he stepped aside and pulled out a chair for the Colonel to sit on. She and Jack exchanged brief smiles and she could see that he was relieved to be taking the weight off his feet and arms. Jacob pulled up another chair and sat beside him.
"Dad." replied Sam in a calm manner. "You were gone a long time."
"Yeah, Kid, about that...." said Jacob. "Look, I'm really sorry about what happened. It's just that I care so much about you and Mark, even if I don't show it, and when I realised that you and Jack were having a thing..."
"A thing?" said Sam in surprise, noticing Jack's eyebrow shooting up, followed by an irrepressible smile. "It's a bit more than a thing, Dad. What's Jack done between this morning and now to change your mind?"
"Let's just say that we fished out the problem." said Jack before Jacob could reply. "Show her, Jacob." He gestured towards the bundle by their feet. Jacob picked up the cloth and unwrapped it, revealing a pair of silver-coloured fish large enough to make a meal for two.
"I think I'll go give these to the cook for you." said Jacob, standing up. "Shall I tell him that you're eating in about an hour?" He turned to Jack and ruffled his hair. "Look after her for me, won't you, son? I always said you should take up his fishing trip offers, didn't I, Sam?" And before she could say anything, he left, closing the office door behind him.
Gazing at Jack, Sam started, "What...?"
"Ah!" replied Jack. "Not now. I'll tell you later. He's back on our side - that's all that matters. Do you realise that technically speaking, I'm AWOL from the base right now? I gotta get back."
"No you don't. I called General Hammond earlier and told him you were trying to prevent a collapse of the treaty with the Tok'ra. He understood and gave you 24 hours. So?"
"So?"
"Dinner, and then who knows? Could be a night to let Teal'c and Danny share our good news."
"Good thinking, Carter. Oh, there is one more thing."
"What's that?"
"You're reading that report upside down."
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