Journeys
Life’s Journey 3
By Shiaw Mei Mei
Part One
Jacob rushed through the SGC with Daniel and Teal’c trailing in his wake. He startled O’Neill’s aide as he entered the control room.
“Ah, Walter, isn’t it?”
Walter nodded, “Yes, sir.”
“Get General Hammond on the phone for me right away, on a secure line. I’ll take it in O’Neill’s office.”
“Yes, sir.” Walter headed up to the desk in the briefing room to take care of it.
Daniel and Teal’c followed Jacob in to the office and closed the door. “What are you doing, Jacob?”
“Well, it dawned on me that I might need to do some damage control.”
“So you’re going to call Jack’s CO?” Daniel’s voice was incredulous.
“Don’t worry, Daniel. I just want to let George know I am here. Can’t a guy look up an old buddy when he’s in the solar system?” Jacob nodded at the security camera.
Daniel nodded, realizing the possibility of being recorded.
The phone buzzed and Jacob grabbed it. “Thank you, Walter.” After a pause, “George, it’s Jacob! How are you doing?”
Daniel and Teal’c couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation.
“Yeah, I am here for a few more days. I was wondering if you could get out here.” Again a pause. “Well, I have something I really need to discuss with you and a secure line won’t cut it. It’s of a personal nature.” Jacob put an emphasis on the word personal. “Great, George, oh, and don’t tell anyone at the SGC that you are coming. And I would prefer to meet off base.” Jacob looked at Daniel and Teal’c. “Great, let me know when you get here.”
“Okay, let’s get out of here.”
Daniel and Teal’c contained their questions until they were in the car again. “General Carter, considering that O’Neill and Colonel Carter are undoubtedly breaking regulations, why would you request General Hammond’s presence?”
“Don’t worry, guys. George was on to them years ago. We even had a bet about how long it would take. Although George has technically won, I may try to weasel on this bet. I actively participated in his winning!”
“You mean that General Hammond has known all along how Jack and Sam felt about each other?” Daniel was shaking his head. “This just gets curiouser and curiouser!”
Jack loved the feel of her skin against his. He was still in shock over the turn of events. Last night he knew he had lost her forever, yet tonight she was here in his arms.
Sam snuggled against his shoulder reveling in his warmth. They still had not had their talk yet, but it didn’t matter. One way or another, she was not giving this up.
They were both quiet as darkness enveloped the room, lost in their own thoughts. Until Jack’s stomach rudely interrupted the romantic glow by growling. Sam couldn’t help but laugh. The room had been so quiet that it made the sound extremely loud.
“Well, we haven’t had anything to eat today,” he said sheepishly.
“I could go for some food. Do you have anything here to eat?”
“Probably not anything that wouldn’t give us food poisoning. I’ve been eating on base most of the time. About the only thing here is coffee and beer.”
She laughed as she sat up and peered at him in the darkness. He reached over to the bedside table and turned on the lamp. She shielded her eyes against the light but not her body. Jack was still amazed that she was here. His hand ran lightly over her cheek and down her throat.
“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”
Sam blushed, the pink tinge ran from her face down her chest. “Ah, no, but I’ll let you try to convince me.” She laughed at his seriousness.
His stomach interrupted the moment again. “For crying out loud!”
Sam rolled off the bed laughing. “Oh, well, I need to get my car out of O’Malley’s parking lot before they tow it. We can pick up something to eat when we do that.” She headed for the bathroom. “Dibs on the shower first!” she said over her shoulder.
Jack was too busy watching her gloriously naked backside walking away from him to realize what she’d just said.
“Where do you keep your towels?”
He snapped out of his reverie to answer her. “Under the sink.” He got up as he heard the shower start. He was tempted to follow her into the shower but his stomach protested its emptiness again. Instead, he gathered up Sam’s clothes for her and threw his own into the laundry hamper. He decided to go ahead and shave while Sam was in the shower.
Sam let the hot water cascade over her, her mind wandered back to the events of the day. She grew aroused again by just the memory of each of their encounters. She had to stifle a laugh at the interruptions. Her face fell slightly as she thought about Pete. She would have to deal with him eventually but she didn’t want to think about it now.
She heard Jack running water in the sink. She peered out from behind the shower door to see what he was doing. Shaving, with a towel wrapped around his waist. Good thing, her neck was almost raw from his day old beard. Not that she cared at the time, but she’d have to find a turtleneck to cover the obvious beard burn! He looked so delicious standing there. She shook her head as she closed the shower door.
She quickly finished her shower, wrapped her hair in a towel and dried off with another one before wrapping it around her. She stepped out of the shower to see Jack wiping off the steamed up mirror with a towel.
“About time!” he laughed. “I can’t see to shave with all the steam!”
“Well, here let me help you.” Sam wiggled in between him and the vanity and hopped up on the edge. She took the razor from his hand. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.” She smiled at the mock look of fear in his eyes.
“I don’t know, a woman with a sharp object in her hand…” His voice trailed away as her fingers gently caressed his face. The touch of the razor was almost sensuous. He watched as she bit her lip slightly as she concentrated. He wanted to kiss her but didn’t want her to stop what she was doing.
She loved the intimacy of the act of shaving him, tracing the razor over his lean face. She started near his ear, slowly running the razor down to his jaw. She dipped the razor in the sink of water to rinse it and returned to the next section of his face. Carefully, she repeated her actions until only small bits of shaving cream remained. She opened the towel around her, dipped the corner of it into the water and gently washed the shaving cream away. She could see that he was trembling from the close contact. She lightly licked her lips.
The sound of the razor as it scraped his face, the harsh light of the bathroom on her hair, her breath gently caressing his face… All of it had Jack torn between kissing her or just throwing her on the bathroom floor and taking her. Then she opened the towel… He felt the moist edge of the towel stroke his face but his eyes focused on her. His body struggled with desire. Her tongue slipped out of her mouth and delicately ran around her lips.
She leaned closer to him. Her cheek grazed his, testing the effectiveness of her work, as she leaned forward. “There,” she whispered in his ear, “all done.”
He groaned. “Not by a long shot, Carter!” He took her face in both hands and kissed her hard. He felt her hands made short work of the towel at his waist. Her arms pulled him closer to her on the edge of the cabinet, her legs wrapped around him. He consumed her mouth as he felt her hand slip between them. Jack gasped as she stroked him. He could feel her body shift toward the edge of the counter.
Sam felt the shiver run through his body as she grasped him. She had watched as his arousal grew while she shaved him. Her body kept pace with him. All she could think about was having him inside her. She shifted forward and guided him into her.
“Oh…Sam…” His breathed into her mouth. His tongue sought hers more eagerly as he felt her body engulf him. He began moving slowly as she skirmished with his tongue. Her hands roamed up and down his back, her nails scraping against his skin.
“Yes…Jack,” she gasped. “Oh…you feel…so good!”
Her breathless words spurred him to move faster. Her legs tightened around him as she threw her head back, gulping at the air. Her eyes closed as an excited flush spread over her pale skin, from her face down her body. He held her hips and began moving faster, harder. Her breath grew more ragged as she moved closer to the edge of passion. He watched fascinated as she fell over the edge. Watching her climax in the harsh light of the bathroom, hearing her cries of ardor, he felt his own end nearing. His body began to lose control as he moved harder against her until he groaned as his climax filled her.
Sam pulled him close to her as his body trembled with the after effects of their lovemaking. She hungrily kissed his soft mouth as he continued to shake. His lips slowly came to life against hers as he returned to earth from the pinnacle of desire.
“You know, if you are around much, I’m gonna have to get up a lot earlier in the mornings…” he whispered in her ear as he moved to kiss her neck.
She laughed softly as she kissed his neck. “Hmmm…I think I will need another shower now.”
“Hey, I haven’t gotten mine yet! You’re going to use up all the hot water!”
“Well, you know what they say! Conserve water, shower with a friend!”
He laughed as she led him to the shower.
They were quiet as Jack drove to O’Malley’s. They had to remember that in public they couldn’t let their newly confessed feelings show. Sam’s hand rested on the seat between them, Jack’s lay on top of hers. The casual observer would never notice.
But Pete wasn’t a casual observer. He still smarted from O’Neill’s treatment earlier. He waited impatiently for them to come out of the house. He had noticed that there were no lights in most of the house as darkness settled. His mind came up with a thousand good reasons for it and only one bad one. He had watched as they left the house. They both looked happy but nothing in their demeanor would make him think that they had anything between them except friendship. But he remembered the look on O’Neill’s face last night as he drank himself into oblivion. The man was obviously in love with Sam. Seeing her and Pete together was clearly painful to him. Did Sam return his feelings in any way? Or was this a one sided thing?
Sam obviously cared for him. She had said last night that he was her C.O. and her friend. Was that all she thought of him as? She clearly had a lot of respect for him. Pete knew they had worked together for years before O’Neill’s promotion to General. Was there more to it?
Pete followed at a discreet distance. It appeared that they were going to get Sam’s car. He wanted to talk to Sam without her watchdog. O’Neill’s attitude seemed possessive. Suddenly, O’Neill turned sharply down a side street. He may have realized he was being tailed. Pete turned down the nearest street going the opposite direction. He would pick them up at O’Malley’s.
“Hang on,” Jack said quietly.
Sam did as she was told as Jack made a sharp right. “What’s wrong?” She looked behind them.
“I thought someone was following us.” He looked through the rear view mirror at the darkness behind them. The car turned the opposite direction.
“I guess I’m paranoid.” Jack made a left and went around the block to get back on the main road. “I could have sworn that we were being tailed.”
Sam got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Do you think it was Pete?”
“I don’t know,” he sighed. His hand reached for hers and squeezed it gently. “Like I said, maybe I am just being paranoid.”
“Or not.” Sam held his fingers tightly.
Jack looked carefully before he pulled out on to the main road again. There was no sign of another car. They continued on to O’Malley’s without further incident. Jack pulled up next to Sam’s car. They sat in the truck for a minute not saying anything.
“You know I want to kiss you,” he whispered not looking at her.
“You know I want you to,” she sighed not looking at him.
“I’ll pick up some food on the way home. You can come back over after you change.”
“Maybe I will just bring a change of clothes. You know, just in case…” Her voice trailed off as she finally looked up at him. The smile on his face was wondrous to see. Jack never smiled anymore. She didn’t realize how much she missed it until now.
“I was hoping you’d stay tonight.” He knew he was grinning like a fool but the smile she returned was glorious.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you, too,” he said quietly.
He watched as she got out of his truck and into her car. He waited until she had pulled out of the parking lot before he headed back toward his house.
Part Two
Pete watched as they sat in the truck talking. He had no idea what they were talking about it but it didn’t look as if there was anything more than a friend dropping another off. They didn’t kiss or hug and O’Neill appeared to be headed back home while Sam took off in the other direction toward her house.
Pete waited a few minutes before he headed in the direction Sam took. He would catch up to her at her house so they could talk. He knew that she cared about him. He just needed to explain his actions. Okay, his lies. He should have told her a long time ago but he was afraid she wouldn’t understand. He was right. She didn’t understand. He didn’t realize that O’Neill might find out and tell her. Pete wanted to hurt that bastard so bad. He had no right to tell Sam about the FBI or the stake out.
Pete was so lost in his thoughts he didn’t realize that he’d practically caught up to Sam. He didn’t know how long he’d been this close to her.
Sam noticed the car behind her. It wasn’t that late so it wouldn’t be unusual to have a car headed in the same direction but after Jack’s feeling of being followed… Sam turned left quickly on a side street. The car behind her slowed but then continued straight. It looked like a dark SUV. It looked like Pete’s.
She picked up her cell phone and dialed Jack’s number.
“General,” she said carefully. Surveillance techniques these days were very sophisticated.
“Carter?” He didn’t know what prompted the formality but he’s play along. He just hoped it wasn’t second thoughts.
“Earlier, when you thought someone was following us to O’Malley’s, did you see what kind of vehicle it was?”
“No, it was too far behind. From the height of the lights, I would say a truck or SUV. Why?”
“I got the same feeling and when I changed direction, well…”
“Carter?”
“I think it was Pete. It looked like his SUV.”
“Do you think he was watching my house to see when you left?”
“That’s all I can think of.”
“Look, Carter, I just picked up dinner. I’m not that far from you. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Sir, you don’t have to do that. I don’t think he’s dangerous. I think he just wants to talk to me without someone around.”
“Don’t care, Carter. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
“Sir…” Her voice trailed off as the line went dead. “Shit, that’s not what I wanted. I just wanted confirmation on the vehicle.” She slammed the phone shut and tossed it on the seat next to her.
Pete went a different route to Sam’s at break neck speed. He wanted to get there first. He was sure she thought she was being followed but if he was already at her house when she got there…well, she might not think it was him.
He pulled up and cut the engine and lights quickly. He would have to get to her car before she got out. He didn’t want her getting too close to the engine. It was hot; she’d know he just got there.
Sam pulled up to her house to find Pete already there. “Damn,” she said under her breath. “I don’t need this right now!”
He was at her car door opening it for her before she could get her stuff together to get out.
“What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk, Sam. Please let me explain.”
“Pete, there really is nothing to talk about, except you following me.” She pushed past him and walked over to his car. Pete winced as she placed her hand on the hood. “Bad habit… One you need to get serious control over. I don’t appreciate being followed and neither does General O’Neill.”
“Sam, I just wanted to talk to you. I was afraid that you wouldn’t return my calls.”
“So you watched the General’s house all day until I left and then you followed us? That’s supposed to make me want to talk to you.” Sam felt like her privacy had been violated, as if she had been violated.
“I guess I didn’t think about it. I’m sorry, Sam.”
“You guessed we wouldn’t notice, you mean.” Sam pushed past him and headed toward the house. “Go home, Pete. I don’t want to talk, not now, not ever. I don’t need this kind of crap.”
Pete ran to catch up to her. “Sam, please! I love you!”
Sam stopped and turned to look at him. “How can you love me? You don’t even know me! All you know is what you are allowed to see and that’s not much.” Sam clenched her fists. “Pete, please leave and don’t come back. Don’t call me and do not ever try to follow me again.”
Pete flinched at the tone of her voice. He had never heard her tone so menacing. She turned toward the house. She was walking away from him. Pete panicked…he couldn’t lose her! He ran up behind her and grabbed her arm. The next thing he knew he was flat on the ground illuminated by headlights. He tried to roll over but found himself pinned to the ground by Sam.
“Uh, Carter, you have a problem here?” O’Neill’s voice drifted over Pete’s prone body.
“Nothing I can’t handle, sir.” She moved off Pete. “General, I told you that you didn’t need to come over here.”
“And miss this! Never!” Jack leaned over Pete. “Hey, Shanahan, I told you she could kick your ass.”
Pete pushed up off the ground. He had never wanted to hurt anyone as bad as he wanted to hurt O’Neill at this moment. “She caught me off guard,” he said flatly.
“Off guard, on guard, doesn’t matter. She’ll still kick your ass. I would suggest you leave before she does just that.”
Sam was still mad at Pete for grabbing her arm. She hadn’t expected it and had reacted instinctively. “Pete, please leave. I didn’t mean to do that. I just wasn’t expecting you to grab my arm. It was…habit. Now go.”
Pete brushed himself off and glared at O’Neill. He turned to Sam. “This isn’t over, Sam. I want to talk to you without your watchdog here and I will be back.”
“Hey, Shanahan, I wouldn’t threaten her. If she doesn’t take care of you, I would be happy to do it myself. Not to mention that she has some rather unusual friends that would be more than accommodating.” Jack was enjoying taunting the younger man. He knew he should just shut up and enjoy, but he couldn’t help it.
“General, please, you are not helping things.” Sam’s voice was angry.
“Sorry, Carter. I…” He decided that shutting up was good.
Pete walked swiftly to his truck. He left skid marks on the pavement as he left.
“Sir, that was unnecessary.”
“Sorry, Sam.”
He looked like a chastised little boy. Sam couldn’t stay mad at him. “Come on, let’s go in before the whole neighborhood is talking. What did you get for dinner? I hope it’s enough for two. I’m starved.”
Jack laughed as he pulled a large bag from a local Chinese food restaurant out of his truck. “More than enough! I usually buy enough for several days so I don’t have to worry about food. Lead on, Carter.”
Jack set the food down as soon as the front door closed. He pulled Sam close to him and kissed her gently. “That was that goodbye kiss I couldn’t get earlier!” Then he kissed her harder. “And that is hello.”
Sam knew she shouldn’t encourage him. She was supposed to be mad at him now for being such an ass outside, but she couldn’t help it. Her lips melted into his. “You are incorrigible,” she whispered when they came up for air.
“Hey, no fair using big words! I don’t have my dictionary handy!”
Sam pushed away from him. “Oh, give it up! Only Daniel actually believes your dense act anyway.” She laughed as she picked up the bag of food.
“Who said it was an act?”
“I did.” She laughed as he followed her into the kitchen. “You should have gone home you know. It’s not a good idea to be here with Pete still wanting to talk to me. He has good reason to dislike you. He could cause trouble.” She pulled plates from the cabinets as he continued behind her.
“I know and I won’t stay. But I didn’t want you to be alone knowing that SOB was following you. You don’t know if he could be dangerous or not!”
Sam turned around to face Jack with plates in her hands. “See, Jack, that’s the thing. I do know him. And I know that he cares enough for me to ask me to marry him. Which I just told him no last night and completely broke things off with him. I owe it to him to at least talk to him. I lost my temper because he was following me again. If he hadn’t done that, I would have talked to him tonight. And, I will talk to him soon. He deserves that much.”
Jack at least had the decency to look a little guilty at his treatment of Shanahan. He didn’t like the man, definitely didn’t trust him, but Sam had a point. And he could sympathize with his feelings for Sam. She was a woman that was easy to fall in love with. “I’m sorry, Sam. I guess, well, after the whole Osirus incident, I just didn’t trust him. Then when I found out about him following you, well, I guess I have a little unresolved anger against the guy.”
Sam smiled at him. “I will forgive you, but no more taunting him should the opportunity arise!”
“Deal,” he whispered as he leaned over to kiss her. His stomach once more intruded with a loud growl.
“Take these to the table,” she laughed as she shoved the plates and forks at him. “What do you want to drink? I have water, beer and diet soda.”
“You need to ask with a selection like that?”
She grabbed a beer and a bottle of water and met him in the dining area. “I should know better.” She handed him the beer.
They had just sat down when the doorbell rang. They looked at each other startled. Neither of them thought that Pete would be back so soon. Jack started to stand up.
“Sit, I’ll get it,” Sam said as she stood. It was almost nine o’clock; she didn’t know who else would show up at this time of night. She opened the door to find her father, Daniel and Teal’c standing on the porch. “Come in. Figures you guys would show up when there was food to be had!”
“Food?” Daniel hadn’t eaten since lunch. “Food sounds good!”
“Jack, get some more plates would you? Guess you won’t have leftovers to live off of for days.”
“Hi, Jack!” Jacob’s voice was calmer than it had been this afternoon. “What are you doing here?”
“Just thought I’d share my dinner. Just didn’t expect to share it with so many!” Jack walked back around the counter to the table with extra plates and forks.
“I have water, beer and diet soda. Who wants what?” Sam headed in the direction of the refrigerator.
After filling their drink orders, Sam sat down to enjoy the first food she’d had today. She looked around the table at her father, her friends and her lover. She glanced back down at her plate quickly. She didn’t want anyone to see the tears that welled up in her eyes. Her father had been instrumental in bringing her and Jack together after a very long time. He evidently understood better than she did what happiness meant.
She thought about the hallucination of her dad talking to her on the Prometheus. She realized that it was herself talking then but she knew that her dad really did only want her to be happy. She just didn’t realize how much until he pulled this little shenanigan of his. And Daniel and Teal’c were right there with him all the way. Good friends as always.
And Jack. She had no idea how they were going to work this out but she would find a way. There was no way she was giving up this time. She had managed to convince herself that her hallucinations meant that, subconsciously, she needed to move on, get the life that Jack had ordered her to get years ago. Now, she knew that it meant that she needed do what it took to be happy. And this time she was going to do just that. She was going to be happy.
Part Three
After good friends, good food and a good time had by all, Daniel and Teal’c left. Everyone, except, of course Jacob, had a 0700 briefing in the morning and it was already late. No one had said anything about Pete or Jack and Sam’s obvious change of demeanor toward each other. They just seemed to accept it without question. Jacob was going to go back to base with the guys but Sam convinced him to stay with her. She knew that Jack wouldn’t be able to stay. They needed to err on the side of caution until they were sure that Pete wouldn’t cause them any trouble. Jacob retired quickly to the guest room, giving Jack and Sam some privacy to say good night.
Jack slipped an arm around Sam as she walked him to the door.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” he whispered as he turned to face her at the door. He kissed her forehead as he pulled her close to him.
She turned her face up to him and smiled sadly. “I was hoping for a different conclusion to this evening.” She kissed his lips lightly. She buried her face in his chest and sighed.
“I know. Me too,” he said softly. “I really wanted to go to sleep with you close to me. But we will soon… we just need to be cautious for now.”
“I love you,” her muffled voice drifted up from his chest.
“And I love you. I have for a very long time and I never thought the day would come when I could tell you.”
“I wish…I wish I’d had the courage to tell you sooner.”
Jack pulled away from her slightly. She wouldn’t look up at him. He cupped her chin with his hand and pulled her face up gently. “Courage, Sam? That’s a curious choice of words.”
“Well, it’s the truth. I guess I…” She tried to look down again. Her face tugged at his hand.
He released her face and let her sink back into his chest. “Guess what?”
She sighed heavily before continuing. “I guess I was afraid your feelings had changed. I was the one that suggested we not talk about the revelations of the Zatarc testing. And then, after a while, well, you started to grow more distant. I thought your feelings had changed.”
“My feelings never changed, Sam.” He held her tight against him. “I just needed to put some distance between us for my own sanity. I couldn’t work with you every day, see you go into harm’s way…” It was his turn to sigh. “I needed the distance to function. So many times, I watched good people die or go through the gate and never return. I had to push you to arms length or lose my mind every time we stepped through the gate.”
Her voice was small as she asked, “What’s changed, Jack? I will still be going through the gate, there is still the possibility…” Her voice trailed off as his arms tightened on her, hard. She could hear his heart beat.
“I know. But it’s different if I know that when you come back through the gate, you’re coming back to me.”
Sam couldn’t stop the tears that had been building. She tried to swallow the sob that threatened to escape from her throat. Her arms clenched around him tight.
He could feel the slight shaking that accompanied the quiet sob. “Sam, shush, it’s okay. Everything will work out.” He realized that he was going nowhere right then so he led her to the couch. He pulled her down on to it with him. She snuggled into his chest as she fought to keep from crying. Again! She had cried so much today. She thought she was past it. His words…
She lifted her face up to his as one hand reached around his neck to pull his lips to hers. Her mouth met his as her tongue demanded entrance. Her emotions ran wild as he let her take the lead. Her mouth anxiously devoured his…her tongue sought his wildly as she pulled her body around to straddle his lap. The feel of him against her, below her, heightened her senses.
He could feel her desire in the frenzied way she kissed him, the way her hands grasped his back and shoulders, the way they ran through his hair. He kissed her hard as he relished the feel of her on him. He knew he needed to get this under control. He couldn’t stay here and if this continued, he knew he wouldn’t be going anywhere. He reached for her wrists and pulled her back. Her neck strained forward as she attempted to keep contact with his mouth.
“Sam, Sam, calm down. We can’t… Your father…” he whispered as he tried to control her. She continued to fight to regain his lips. “Sam!” This time his voice got through to her.
“Jack, don’t leave. Just stay with me.”
“Sam, your dad is down the hall from your bedroom. We can’t just…” Her eyes…she really shouldn’t be allowed to have eyes that beautiful. There should be a law against it.
“That’s the beauty of it, Jack. No one would believe anything was going on. Not with my dad here. Please, don’t leave me alone tonight. We can just say that you’d had a little too much to drink to drive safely so you slept on the couch.”
Jack groaned when he realized that she was actually talking him into this. “Sam, but your dad is here!”
Sam sighed with exasperation. “And does that mean if we ever get married, I won’t be getting any when my dad visits! Besides, he’s the one that set us up! He was trying to get us together. What should he expect after this afternoon?” She realized that Jack’s grip on her wrists had eased. She took advantage of his momentary distraction to kiss him again.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized that she had mentioned marriage, in relationship to them. That thought alone was enough to distract him. Then he found her lips attached to his again, he found his common sense had taken leave of the scene. He couldn’t say no to her.
Sam sensed his surrender. She stood up and held out her hand to him. He took it, albeit reluctantly.
“Sam, I think we’ve both lost our minds,” he whispered as she led him down the hall to her bedroom. “Please tell me your bedroom door locks!”
Jack laid listening to Sam’s steady breathing. Their lovemaking had been frantic and brief. He felt like he was 16 and making out in the living room with his parents in the bedroom. Trying to stay quiet proved to be interesting. Sam tended to make a lot of noise during sex. He found the whole situation hysterical in retrospect. He still had to fight the urge to giggle. ‘Humph, giggle!’ She had done plenty of that tonight. His attempts to keep her quiet had resulted in more giggling. They were going to have to cover that rule against giggling again.
He felt sleep tug at him in spite of his amusement. He wanted to stay awake to enjoy the feel of her sleeping against him. Her back was neatly snuggled up against his front. They fit extremely well together this way. One arm draped over her waist, the other under her neck, he drifted off to sleep.
Jacob was relieved to find that the noise down the hall had quieted down. He was annoyed with Jack for staying. He couldn’t believe that he would take a risk like that with Sam’s career. His truck parked in front of her house all night. When Sam was out of the room, Jack had told him and the guys about the little encounter with Pete. Jacob was worried that Pete might do something drastic.
‘Do you think that you could stop thinking and go to sleep?’ Selmac’s internal voice intruded on his thoughts.
‘I can’t sleep.’
‘You are not trying. You are too busy worrying about Samantha and General O’Neill.’
‘Well, why shouldn’t I? The risk they are taking with him staying here!’
‘What risk, Jacob? Who would ever suspect anything happening with her father in the same house?’
Jacob had to laugh aloud at that thought. ‘Okay, so if someone thought of that, then I should be mad at my daughter and not Jack. That sounds like her doing.’
‘The female mind does seem to work more efficiently than that of the male.’
‘Don’t start that, old woman!’ Jacob laughed as he got comfortable. She was a pain sometimes but the old woman had a point. No one would believe that Jack stayed with Sam with her father in the house. At that point, Jacob was able to relax enough for sleep. His last thought was that George couldn’t get here fast enough. They had to do something about this.
Jacob was up to something. Jack just couldn’t put his finger on what. Daniel’s voice intruded on his thoughts. ‘Briefing, Jack, pay attention to the briefing,’ he told himself. He wasn’t allowed to zone out on briefings now that he was a General. ‘Not fair,’ he grumbled silently.
“There are signs of a civilization on this planet. Although it appears to be rather primitive, there is evidence of some mining but mostly it seems agrarian. There is no evidence of
“And we should visit this planet because…” Jack’s voice trailed off as he awaited Daniel’s answer.
“We aren’t sure what they are mining. There’s no way to tell from MALP telemetry. It’s too far from the gate.” Sam supplied the information for Daniel.
“Anything we should be worried about?”
Daniel continued. “Not really. Some of the writing and drawings on the gate’s pedestal is reminiscent of Aztec civilization. The Aztec’s could be a little bloodthirsty. They believed in human sacrifices to the gods but if there is no evidence of Goa’uld, they probably have stopped the old religious ways.”
“Or not.” Jack wasn’t sure if some vague mining was worth his team meeting up with people that would try to sacrifice them.
“Okay, how far is the village from the gate?”
Sam spoke up again. “According to the information we were able to get from the probe, it’s about an eight hour walk from the gate.”
Jack nodded. “That would put you out of range of the MALP for check-ins.” He thought about it for a moment before shouting, “Walter!” And Walter appeared as if he were waiting outside the door.
“Yes, sir.”
“Who’s available to back up SG1?”
“SG12 is just coming off a two day stand down and aren’t scheduled for another mission yet.”
“Okay, get ‘em in here.” Jack said as Walter nodded and left. “I’m sending SG12 to hold the gate and maintain contact with you in case our friends on the planet have reverted to their previously bloodthirsty ways.”
Jack noticed that Sam relaxed slightly as he spoke. Does she still doubt herself? Or does she think I am doubting her? “Okay, gang. You have a go for 1300 hours.” Jack stood indicating that the meeting was over.
Jack watched as they filed out of the briefing room. His thoughts returned to Jacob. He was up to something. Jack had been extremely uncomfortable when he emerged from Sam’s room this morning only to run into Jacob. Jacob acted as if it wasn’t unusual for his daughter’s commanding officer to be in her bedroom at 0500.
Jacob made small talk as if nothing was going on. Sam showed up in the kitchen within a few minutes and, again, Jacob just greeted his daughter as if nothing were going on. Even Sam looked a little uncomfortable. Jacob excused himself when Jack said he was leaving and went back into the guest room, again, leaving Sam and Jack privacy to say goodbye.
Jack shook his head in confusion as he sat down at his desk. This whole thing was too weird. He had to get some of the work off his desk now. He wanted to talk to Sam before they left and he needed to get this paperwork done before Walter came looking for it.
Walter turned out to be a regular drill sergeant. Of course, anyone in the military knew that the non-coms were the backbone of the military and General or not, it was best to do as ‘suggested’. Walter always ‘suggested’ things. He couldn’t order a General to do anything, but a ‘suggestion’ from a non-com is more than an order, it’s a commandment. So Jack tried to get the paperwork under control like a good little General.
Sam was in her lab trying to decide what instruments to take with her but her attention kept drifting over to her father’s behavior. She really expected some sort of reaction this morning when he woke to find Jack still there but he had done nothing. He acted as if it were normal for Jack to be there. He asked Sam for a ride to base and if he could borrow her car. He said that he wanted to pick up a couple of things before he had to go back to the Tok’ra. Unfortunately, this mission would cause Sam to miss a few days with her dad. Hopefully, he would still be here when they got back. She told him to feel free to hang on to the car and to stay at her house until she got back. He left to run his errands shortly before the briefing started.
She sighed as she got her head back into work. SG12’s commander should be here soon for a pre-mission briefing so she needed to get it together.
Part Four
George phoned Jacob early. He made it in late last night. Jacob pulled up to George’s house eagerly. He wanted to try to get this thing settled before Sam got back. He and George had talked several times about Jack and Sam over the years. Jacob had been convinced that nothing would happen between the two of them until one or the other left the service. George didn’t think they would last that long. Their bet had been the source of amusement over the years, confusing people that didn’t understand what they were talking about. Now the amusement was gone, they had a situation to deal with.
“Jacob, old friend, come on in!” George was dressed in civvies with a cup of coffee in his hand. “You want some?”
“No, thanks, coffee doesn’t agree with Selmac. I had to give it up. I’ll take some juice or something if you’ve got it.”
“I stopped at the store on the way in last night so you are in luck. Orange juice okay?”
“Sure, thanks.”
George sat down at the kitchen table across from Jacob. “So what’s the big mystery?”
“Jack and Sam.”
George looked rather surprised. “I thought Sam was dating that cop from
“Well, she was. But she wasn’t happy about it so I took some steps to intervene.” Jacob quickly ran down the events of the last few days.
George swore softly under his breath as he got up to refill his coffee. “This would have been a lot easier to deal with before they got promoted. Now it’s going to be a little more difficult.”
“Well, you are going to lose one or the other of them if we don’t do something to make this work. I didn’t want to fill you in on this on the phone because we can’t risk someone making an issue out of it before we have a solution.”
“Maybe I should talk to them, find out what their intentions are.”
“I don’t know if that would be a good idea. I didn’t tell them about you being here. I didn’t want them to do anything rash before we had a chance to talk. But I know their intentions are serious. Sam’s going off world today for a few days. That will give us some time to think of something.”
George nodded. “I think I will get back to
Jacob nodded and laughed. “I was planning on that. I had the perfect opportunity this morning when I caught him sneaking out of Sam’s bedroom at 0500. I decided to put it off until after I talked to you. I think it made him more nervous that I was obviously ignoring it!”
George banged his head on the table. “He stayed there with you there? He’s got it bad then. I can’t believe he would risk your wrath like that!”
“I believe that my daughter talked him into it. I think she could talk him into anything at this point!”
“Okay, well, that tells me a lot right there. I will get back here as soon as I can. This is something that I really don’t want to discuss on the phone. I will either give you thumbs up or down to let you know how it went but I will get back here before I can tell you what’s up.”
“Good! Thanks, George. I just want my little girl happy. Strangely enough, she thinks that she will be happy with Jack.”
“They deserve to be happy. We’ll figure something out.”
Jacob hurried back to base feeling better after his talk with George. He would work something out. The President didn’t want to lose Jack or Sam so they would find a way. He wanted to see Sam before she left on her mission. He found her in her lab.
“Hey, Sammie.”
“Dad! You disappeared earlier. I wasn’t sure you’d be back before I left.”
“Had some errands to run but I planned on being back before then.”
Sam looked down and bit her lip. “I wanted to apologize about, uh, this morning. I, uh…”
Jacob laughed at her obvious embarrassment. “No need, Sam. I understand. I’m afraid I have to confess that I set up that dinner from hell to make you come to your senses.”
“I kinda figured that one out.” Sam smiled wryly. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He walked over to hug his daughter. “Sammie, I have always wanted you to be happy. If this makes you happy, then I’m happy.”
She sighed. She kept her voice low as she continued. “He does, but it is going to be complicated. He doesn’t want me to quit, I don’t want him to quit but we can’t just go on as if nothing’s changed. Neither of us wants to risk court-martial either. It would be better for one of us to resign.”
“Well, don’t do anything rash. I am working on something. Hopefully, by the time you get back we will have some other options.”
“Dad… What are you up to?” Her look was filled with suspicion.
“Nothing bad, baby, nothing bad!” He laughed as he kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry about it!”
Jack’s voice startled them both. “Am I interrupting something?”
“Nope, just saying goodbye to my daughter. I’ll see you in a few days, Sammie.”
Jacob smiled to Jack as he left the room.
Jack shook his head as he watched him leave the room. For some mysterious reason, he closed the door behind him as he left. “Sam, why is it I get the feeling he’s up to something?”
“Probably because he is and you haven’t lost your instincts by flying a desk.” She laughed as belatedly added, “sir.”
Jack glared at her. “Flying a desk, huh. You are awfully close to insubordination, Colonel.”
“Me? Insubordinate? Never!”
“So what is your old man up to?”
“Well, something good I hope but he wasn’t real forthcoming with information. He likes being secretive, sir.”
“I’ve noticed that a time or two.” Ever cautious of security cameras, Jack moved out of range of the one in Sam’s lab. “What is this?” There was nothing there to look at but he said it as he motioned her over to him.
“What’s what, sir?” She walked over to where he was and slipped her arms around him. “Oh, that. Just something I am working on.” She smiled up at him.
He kissed her lightly. “Well, it looks interesting.”
She returned his kiss. “Yes, it looks very promising.”
“Well, I just wanted to stop by and tell you that SG12 is waiting in the briefing room.” He hugged her tightly and kissed her again.
“Okay, I’ll be there in a minute.”
They released each other and walked back into the main part of her lab. “See you in a few, Colonel.” And with that Jack left.
Sam followed shortly to deal with the briefing.
Jack stood in the control room and watched as the seventh chevron locked into place. The gate opened with a flash of light. “You have a go, SG1 and 12.” His voiced announced through the speakers. “Watch your six…” he said more to himself than anyone else. Sam led the two teams up the ramp and through the event horizon. The shimmering pool disappeared shortly afterwards.
Jack sighed and wandered back to his office. ‘Get used to it. She’ll be back.’ His thoughts drifted back to what he’s said to her last night. She would still be out there in harm’s way but she would be coming home to him. He went back to reviewing the never-ending files that seemed to pile up on his desk when he wasn’t looking.
Jacob was in Sam’s lab using her computer to catch up on earth news through the internet when Walter found him. “Sir, you have a call from General Hammond.” He picked up the phone, dialed a code and offered it to Jacob.
Jacob jumped up quickly and accepted the phone.
“Thank you, Walter.” He waited to speak until Walter had left the room. “George, what’s up?”
“Thumbs up, Jacob. I am on my way back now. I’ll be there this afternoon. Arrange to have Jack off base this evening so I can talk to him. You can meet me at my house if you want.”
“I am staying at Sam’s while she’s on a mission. Why don’t we meet there?”
“That will work. I’ll call when I land.”
“Great! Thanks, George, for everything.”
“No thanks needed, Jacob. You know I love Sam too and want her happy.”
Jack was actually getting some work done. He managed to get through the majority of the reports on his desk, much to Walter’s surprise. He was concentrating on one from SG6 about some mineral deposits when someone cleared their throat. He looked up to see Jacob standing in the door to his office.
“Jacob, come in. Have a seat! You just saved me from another boring report.”
Jacob laughed as he sat down. “Guess they forgot to tell you about all the boring parts of being a General.”
“Yeah, they didn’t mention it. Teased me with the pay, the parking spot and the rank, but no one mentioned the paperwork.” Jack grimaced as he closed the folder and set it aside. “So what brings you here?”
“I wanted to invite you to dinner. I am staying at Sam’s until she gets back. I thought it would be a chance for us to talk, catch up on things.”
Jack wasn’t looking forward to the talk but he knew that it would probably be better to do it without Sam around. “Okay, sounds…good.” He said hesitantly. Probably going to lecture him about last night. That’s okay, he shouldn’t have stayed and he knew it so if Jacob wanted to harangue him about it, he deserved it. “What time?”
“Around 1900. I haven’t cooked in a while but maybe I can manage the grill.”
“Great!” Jack tried to sound enthusiastic but it wasn’t working very well.
“See you later then. I’ll let you get back to the paperwork.”
Sam halted their march to let them rest and grab some rations. They had been walking for nearly five hours. Their progress was hampered by the fact that the path was extremely overgrown. She took that as further proof that there was no Goa’uld presence here. So, while it slowed them down, it appeared to be a good sign.
Daniel and Teal’c had said nothing about yesterday or last night. It was almost unnerving. She would have thought that Daniel, at least, would have said something. Teal’c tended to mind his own business and not let curiosity get to him. Daniel, on the other hand, was insatiable when it came to prying information out of people.
She looked around cautiously as they sat eating their rations. “I guess I should check in with SG12.” She said as she checked her watch. They were checking in on the hour. She flipped the mike button to contact the other team. “Sierra Golf one two, this is Sierra Golf one, do you read?”
“We read, Sierra Golf one. We are secure.”
“Roger, Sierra Golf one two, Sierra Golf one, out.” Sam turned to Daniel and Teal’c. Let’s get a move on. I wanted to get to the village before dark but at the rate we’re going, we may have to find a place to camp so keep an eye out for a good site.”
Sam took point with Daniel next and Teal’c bringing up the rear. They pushed their way through the tall hard grasses and small saplings that covered the path. It wasn’t easy to keep watch around you while trying to plod through this stuff. That might be why Sam didn’t see the natives until they were practically on them.
“Hey, guys, we have company.”
Daniel looked up to see the four men with what looked like a modified staff weapon. Teal’c watched carefully from the rear, his staff weapon ready for use.
Daniel moved forward to greet them. “Hi, my name is Daniel Jackson. This is Colonel Carter and Teal’c. We are explorers. We have come to meet you and your people.”
The four looked at Daniel closely as he spoke.
“Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” one of the four said quickly, the one in the front. He was taller than Daniel was but not quite as tall as Teal’c. “I understand. You will follow me.”
“Where are we going?” Sam said quickly.
“To Xochiquetzal.” The first two turned and indicated the direction they wanted to go. The other two stood aside waiting for SG1 to follow the others. Clearly, they intended to bring up the rear.
“What is that?” Sam asked. She wasn’t willing to just go with them without more information.
“I don’t think it is a what, Sam. That is the name of an Aztec goddess.” Daniel tried to keep his voice low.
“Goddess, as in Goa’uld?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t heard of Goa’uld taking on Aztec personifications. Besides, Xochiquetzal is the goddess of love. She is considered a good goddess.”
“Humph, that’s what you said about Hathor. Teal’c?”
“I have not heard the name before but that does not mean she is not Goa’uld.”
“I agree,” Sam said as she flipped the mike button on her radio. “Sierra Golf one two, come in.”
Their radios crackled to life in their ears. “Sierra Golf one, reading you.”
“We have contacted the locals. We are going to meet their goddess. Watch your six.” She placed an emphasis on the word goddess.
“Acknowledged.”
She released the mike and glanced at Daniel. “Well, let’s go meet the lady.”
She led the way between the two men that were patiently waiting for them. Daniel and Teal’c followed.
Part Five
Jack was trying to look relaxed. Jacob was being too nice. He was waiting for the bomb to drop. He got to Sam’s a little early. He was anxious to get this over.
“You need another beer?” Jacob knew that Jack was nervous and he was getting a real kick out of keeping him that way.
“Ah, no, I’m fine, thanks.”
Jacob sat across from Jack as the food cooked. “So, any word from Sam?”
“No, not since they got there. That should be a good sign.” Jack took a swig of his beer and set it on the table. “Okay, Jacob, I can’t stand it anymore. About this morning…” His voice faded.
“Yes?”
“Well, I just wanted to apologize…”
“Yes?”
Jack nervously picked up his beer and took another drink. His mouth was amazingly dry. He cleared his throat. “Well, I should have left last night, I know, but Sam was…upset.”
“She didn’t sound upset. Actually, there seemed to be a lot of giggling going on.”
Jack’s eyes got wide and he actually blushed.
Jacob couldn’t help it. He burst out laughing. It was so worth everything to see the look on Jack’s face. “Jack…” he gasped for air between words. “Your face… holy Hannah…it’s priceless!” Jacob had tears streaming down his face from laughing as he finally got his breathing under control. “You two weren’t being especially quiet.”
“I thought we were,” was the sheepish reply.
His comment sent Jacob off into another fit of laughter. He thought he was going to have to call 911 the way Jacob was gasping for air.
“I don’t really think it’s that funny!” Jack’s tone was hurt.
The door interrupted Jacob’s fit of laughter. Jacob was wiping tears from his face as he opened the door for George. “George! Glad you could make it!”
Jack stood up quickly. ‘What the hell is he doing here?’ He turned to greet his commanding officer. “General Hammond! Good to see you!”
“Jack, I’ve told you to call me George.”
“I know, I know, habit.” Jack shook the older man’s hand.
“I want to know what you two were talking about that has Jacob crying and holding his ribs!”
“Oh, it’s a good one, George, but it’s at Jack’s expense. I don’t know that he would appreciate me telling you about it in front of him.”
“Well, then I look forward to hearing about it behind his back!” George’s comment set Jacob off again. George just shook his head with amusement as he watched Jack’s face alternately pale and blush.
“So, Gener…George, what brings you to
“The laughing hyena there asked me to come out to discuss a personal situation.” George watched Jacob trying to get control of his humor.
“I am sorry, guys. It’s worse when Selmac gets tickled and she is. She keeps making comments that make it worse!”
“Personal situation, Jacob?” Jack’s sense of humor wasn’t working right now. “What have you done?”
“Calm down, Jack. Have a seat.” George motioned for him to take a seat.
“I’m going to check on the steaks. I’ll be back.” Jacob went out the back door.
“What has he told you?” Jack’s mind was racing with things to say but he needed to know what George already knew before he put his foot in his mouth.
“Just that you and Sam had finally come to your senses.”
Jack’s jaw dropped. “Sir?”
“Jack, I am not blind. I’ve known for years how things were with you two. I was as surprised as anyone was when she started dating that cop. But, what surprised me more was that you let her. I always thought you two would end up together. Then this Shanahan guy comes out of nowhere. Jacob told me what he did with that dinner the other night. He told me the result. And I am happy for both of you.”
“But our ranks, our positions…”
“Ah, that’s why after Jacob told me what was going on yesterday, I went back to
“The President knows?” Jack’s mind raced with thoughts of court-martial, Sam kicked out of the Air Force in disgrace, her hating him for it…
“Jack, he said to tell you congratulations.”
“Congratulations?” His thoughts screeched to a halt.
“And he gave me an option to present to you.”
“An option?”
George laughed. “You keep repeating me. I guess you are in shock. Jacob wanted to keep this entire thing secret from you until we had a chance to head off any damage.”
“Okay… Well, I guess I am in shock.” Jack took a deep breath. “I will do anything to keep Sam from getting into trouble, sir. I’ll retire again. I don’t like leaving the SGC in someone else’s hands but I won’t give up Sam.”
“Well, that’s what I wanted to hear. We want you to retire.”
Jack managed to keep his face from registering the shock he was feeling. He had held out hope for another solution but if that’s what it takes… “I’ll have my resignation in your hands in the morning, sir.”
“Good, and then you can sign this.” George pulled some folded papers out of his pocket and handed them to Jack.
“What is this?” He figured it was a confession of improper conduct to keep Sam out of trouble. He opened it up to see that it was from the Office of Personnel Management. He scanned it quickly. SES? “Senior Executive Service, sir?”
“Yes, it’s your contract with the Air Force to continue running the SGC as a civilian.”
Jack eyes looked a little wild as shook his head in disbelief. He started reading the document more carefully. It was all outlined in the contract. His responsibilities, pay and benefits. Everything was there. And, the President had signed it. He looked up at George as Jacob came back into view.
Jacob had been standing just out of Jack’s sight during most of the conversation. He couldn’t see Jack’s face but he didn’t have to. George had found the best possible solution. He definitely owed him one.
Jack’s face scrunched up as he shook his head. “I don’t believe you two. How could you do this in less than 48 hours?” He looked up at the two grinning men.
George laughed lightly. “Jack, I’ve just been waiting for you to come to your senses. It could have happened before but you and Sam have to be the most stubborn people that I have ever met.”
“Thank you, both of you.”
Jacob just nodded. He had gone from hysterical laughter to fighting back tears. He loved his daughter and more than anything, he wanted her to be happy. He was glad that he was able to help her achieve that happiness.
“You’re welcome, Jack.” George said as he stood up. Jack stood up and shook hands with both men. “Someone said something about steaks! I’m hungry!”
Jacob led them into the kitchen where he’d left the steaks. “Come on, let’s eat!”
“You know what; I’ll be there in a minute.” Jack wandered into Sam’s living room to her computer. He sat down and turned it on. He typed quickly and printed a sheet of paper out. He signed it and then signed the contract he’d been holding so tightly. He returned as George and Jacob were getting ready to sit down at the table.
“I would like a copy of both, George.” Jack said as he handed him both papers.
George glanced at the new document. It was Jack’s resignation. He nodded and tucked both into his pocket. “Get some food, Jack, before it gets cold.”
Jack nodded and went into the kitchen.
“Thanks, George. I owe you.”
“No problem, Jacob. You know I would do anything for Sam. For Jack as well.”
They proceed to get down to business with the steaks in front of them.
The speakers sent Colonel Reynolds running for the control room as “unscheduled off-world activation” blared through them.
The NCO on duty announced SG12’s IDC as he made the stairs two at a time. “Open the iris!”
“Incoming message only, sir.”
“On monitors.”
Major Johnson’s features filled the screen. “Colonel Carter reported that they made contact with the local populace at 1820. She said they were going to meet their goddess. Emphasis on the word goddess. She did not indicate a problem. They made the next two scheduled contacts but are overdue by 15 minutes on current contact. We are reporting in per SOP.”
“I understand. Did either of the last two transmissions indicate any problems?”
“Negative, sir.”
“Do you think that they could be out of range?”
“Undetermined, sir.”
“Acknowledged. Keep me informed.” Reynolds checked his watch. It was 2020. “Get me General O’Neill on the line. I want to inform him of the situation.”
Dinner was good and the company better. Jack couldn’t believe that he had just retired, was still in charge of the SGC and that Sam would really be coming home to him. They wouldn’t have to hide or give up anything. Well, except his rank, but he’d never really cared for that part of the military. He just wanted to do his duty, protect his people and he could still do that as a civilian.
His cell phone interrupted his train of thought. “O’Neill.” He answered curtly. Jacob and George watched his face change from relaxed to tense. “I’ll be right there.” He snapped the phone shut. Their expressions asked the question.
“SG1 has been out of contact for two and a half hours.” He stood as he was talking. He moved quickly to leave, grabbing his coat on the way out. Jacob and George followed.
Part Six
“Daniel, Teal’c, my radio isn’t working. What about yours?”
The two men checked their radios and both shook their heads.
“We’re overdue for check in. SG12 will have reported back to the SGC by now.” Sam worried about Jack’s reaction. His words from last night rolled around in her head. ‘But it’s different if I know that when you come back through the gate, you’re coming back to me.’ Well, she didn’t think that they were in any danger but he wouldn’t know that.
Sam slipped a meter out of her pocket. “It appears to be a dampening field. I’m reading an energy field up ahead.”
All three of them stopped as they entered a clearing. There was no simple agrarian village here! The city was fantastic. Daniel was all but drooling at the architecture.
“This is Aztec! From the few descriptions and information available this is a fantastic re-creation of Tenochtitlán.”
“Of what?” Sam didn’t recognize the name.
“The Aztec capital city that was destroyed by the Spanish in the 1500’s! Very little of the Aztec civilization survived the Spanish invasion of
Their escorts patiently allowed them to gawk at the enormous city. Finally, the man that appeared to be the leader of the group spoke up politely. “We should continue. Xochiquetzal is expecting you. We should not keep our Queen waiting.”
Sam nodded as the man led the way toward the city. Daniel almost tripped over his feet as his attention was drawn to various aspects of the city. Sam couldn’t help but smile at him. He was so engrossed in what he saw he nearly ran into one of their guides when they came to a halt.
They had stopped in front of a large building, ornately carved with Aztec designs. There were two guards standing in front of the doors holding the same type of staff weapon as their escorts. The large doors opened in as the two men in the lead entered. Sam hesitantly followed. They had been out of contact with SG12 for over two hours. The dampening field was stronger at this point. They would need to get a good distance from the city for the radios to work.
Daniel was fascinated with the design of the interior. There were relatively few artifacts left over from the Aztec period. The virulently Catholic Spaniards had seen fit to destroy everything related to the native population and their religion. He was so lost in his own little archaeological world that he didn’t notice the woman sitting on the throne until Sam cleared her throat to get his attention.
Clearing her throat to get Daniel’s attention, Sam tried not to stare at the woman. She was older, probably her sixties, maybe even seventies. She sat regally on the throne as if she had been doing it all her life. Her hair was silver, not gray, but a beautiful silver color that would be the envy of any woman her age. Her eyes were dark brown and her complexion was the color of walnut stain. Her smile was genuine and friendly.
“You have brought our guests, Ecatzin! How wonderful!” The woman rose to greet them, her movements slow but gracefully. Her gaze rested on Sam. “How beautiful! I have not seen hair the color of the sun and eyes the color of the sea in many, many years! Child, from where do you travel?”
Sam smiled back at the woman. It was impossible not to, her smile was infectious. “Thank you. We are explorers. We come from a place very far away from here. My name is Colonel Samantha Carter; this is Dr. Daniel Jackson and Teal’c.” Sam couldn’t even resent the woman calling her ‘child’. It fit coming from her.
“We are Malinche, the first servant of Xochiquetzal, the Queen. She is tired and resting but she will greet you when she has awakened.” Malinche turned to the one she called Ecatzin. “Please show our guests to quarters so that they may rest and refresh themselves before evenmeal.” She turned back to Sam. “You may tell us of your journeys when we break for meal time. Our Queen should be with us by then. She will be happy to hear tales of far lands.”
Sam nodded and obediently followed as Ecatzin motioned them out of the hall. Bemused by her reaction to the woman, Sam wondered why Malinche referred to someone else as Queen but sat on the throne as if she was born to it.
They were led to a large suite of elegant rooms. Four rooms, obviously bedrooms, extended off a main living area. Each of the bedrooms were equally equipped, none better than the other. Each had private bathing facilities. Sam dumped her gear in a corner of one room and returned to the living area. Teal’c and Daniel were there waiting.
“Well, we can’t contact SG12. That energy field is dampening our signals. They would have reported to the SGC by now that we are out of contact. If the General follows standard protocol, he won’t send reinforcements until we have been out of contact for 12 hours. That should give us time to meet this Queen and find out something about the place. The natives appear to be friendly but you know how that can change, so heads up and eyes open.”
Daniel and Teal’c nodded their agreement.
“Colonel Carter, did you sense the presence of a Goa’uld in Malinche?”
“No, Teal’c, but I wasn’t that close to her. I would need to be in greater proximity to her to feel anything. Daniel, what else can you tell us about Xochiquetzal?”
“Not much. As you know, the Aztec civilization was wiped out nearly 500 years ago. Very few people survived the Spanish conquistadors. There were no written records from that time other than the Spanish versions. The temples and buildings of the city of
Teal’c spoke up to add his knowledge to Daniel’s. “I have never seen a Goa’uld keep a host that was elderly. Any imperfection in the host would cause the symbiote to take a different host. So if Malinche is host to Xochiquetzal, it would be an unusual pairing.”
Sam nodded, filing the information away in her mind. They were interrupted by a discreet knock at the door. “Come in,” Sam said loudly.
Six people entered, two women and four men. They bowed deeply to Sam. “Mistress, we have brought you and your servants’ garments for evenmeal. We will assist you in your bath and dressing.”
“Oh, that’s okay, we don’t need any help and we prefer the garments that we are wearing.” Sam tried to be polite but she never liked the dressing-up-like-the-natives thing. It always seemed to get her in trouble.
“Oh, Mistress, that would not be appropriate for a meal in the presence of the Queen!”
“Sam,” Daniel said softly. “When in
Sam nodded. “Okay, we will accept the garments, but we don’t need assistance with getting ready. You may leave. Thank you.” They looked confused as they left but did it quickly. “Daniel, I swear, if this outfit shows one inch of skin, you’re wearing it!”
Daniel laughed at her comment. “I don’t think it will be that bad. I didn’t see anyone else wearing revealing clothing.” Daniel picked up one of the garments from where the servants had left it. It didn’t appear revealing and it looked like it would be rather comfortable.
“They seem to think that you two are my servants.” Sam mused as she examined the soft tunic and the leggings that went with it.
“I would think that since this place is ruled by a queen that women are accorded more respect than men. If this Xochiquetzal has ruled, in one form or another, for as long as I suspect, then they would probably have developed a matriarchal society.”
Teal’c raised an eyebrow at Daniel. “You are saying that the male is considered less important than the female?”
“Maybe not less important but just not as highly placed in society.”
“I think I might like this place then!” Sam smiled as she looked at her ‘servants’. They glared back with amusement. “I guess we should get ready. No telling when this ‘evenmeal’ will begin.”
Daniel nodded and they all went to separate rooms to bath and change.
Jack stood in the control room watching the playback of the message from SG12. It didn’t sound that bad. They could just be out of range. Protocol dictated that they wait twelve hours from loss of contact to send reinforcements. Jack didn’t know if he could wait that long. He knew that he couldn’t let the fact that it was SG1 missing, that it was Sam missing, change the way he did things. She would kill him if he treated her or her team any different now. His thoughts cast back to the feel of her against him, the taste of her skin, the look in her eyes when she said she loved him. His jaw clenched at the thought of never seeing her again.
“I’ll be in my office. Keep me informed.” Jack turned on his heel and headed to his office.
George and Jacob had accompanied him to the base. They watched him go then looked at each other knowingly. Jacob nodded for George to follow him as he headed for Sam’s lab.
“This is going to be a test for him.” Jacob said softly, ever aware of the security cameras.
“Yeah, he’s got to stick to protocol no matter how much he wants to do otherwise.” George looked carefully at Jacob. “How are you taking it?”
“Sam’s strong and smart. She can handle herself.”
“I know, General, now how’s Dad taking it?”
Jacob smiled and shook his head. “You and Selmac called bullshit at the same time.”
“You are right though. Sam can handle herself.” George patted Jacob’s back. “Let’s go back up there and wait.”
Jacob nodded as they left Sam’s lab.
Jack sat facing the wall of his office. Damn picture window didn’t really give him any privacy. Right now, he wanted privacy. He wanted to be able to think without having to worry about someone reading his expression. Sam was missing four hours now. Okay, she wasn’t missing, just out of contact. This was something he would have to get used to. He couldn’t go barging after her at the first sign of trouble.
He told her he could handle this. As long as she was coming back to him, he could handle this. He just didn’t expect to be tested so soon. He leaned back in his chair and let his mind drift over last night. She was so passionate and loving. It was something he always suspected but the reality surpassed his imagination.
He closed his eyes and let himself remember the feel of her sleeping against him. He wanted her more than anything. He had just resigned to insure that nothing kept them apart. He looked forward to telling Sam that nothing was in the way now. But would he get to?
Jack sighed and shook his head. He wasn’t going to start doubting her abilities just because they had finally admitted their feelings for each other. And he wasn’t going to barge in on her mission because she was overdue for check in. How many times had they been in the same situation with a logical reason? He would trust her to get the job done and come home to him, safe and sound.
He stood up quickly and headed back to the control room. “Walter!”
“Yes, sir,” Walter said as he turned to face the General.
“I will be in my quarters. Call me if there is any word.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jack left the room without a backwards glance. Jacob and George watched him go, both nodded approvingly.
Part Seven
Sam was dressed in the soft colorful tunic and leggings when she emerged from her room. The outfit was simple in cut but exquisite in the woven design. She briefly wondered if she could take it home with her. She laughed at herself. She wasn’t much of a clotheshorse, never had been, but she would like Jack to see her in this outfit.
Daniel and Teal’c were dressed in a similar fashion except theirs didn’t have the intricate pattern woven into the cloth. Theirs were simpler patterns, muted colors. She guessed it was because they were considered servants. “Hey, guys, what do you think?” Sam twirled to show off her new clothes.
Daniel and Teal’c looked appreciatively at the outfit.
“It suits you, Sam.” Daniel was getting a kick out of Sam’s attitude. She seemed more carefree, less tense and she definitely smiled more. He knew that it had to do with Jack. He was glad that they had resolved their issues. He hoped that there was a way around the regs so that the SGC wouldn’t lose either one of them.
“Colonel Carter, it is indeed becoming.” Teal’c bowed slightly, amusement evident in his face.
“I know, I’m being silly!” Sam was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Come in.”
Ecatzin entered the room with another guard. “Her Majesty awaits your pleasure.” He beckoned them forward. Four other guards fell in around them.
“Ecatzin, why are we being guarded? I thought Malinche said we were guests.” Sam was uneasy with the armed escort. She was glad she had secreted her 9 mil under her tunic.
“It is an honor guard. Her Majesty insists that you be treated as royal guests. As such, you are accorded the honor of an escort of royal guards.”
Sam nodded and looked at Daniel. He took the hint. “Ecatzin, can you tell us something about your Queen and your customs? We come from far away and do not wish to offend her with improper behavior in her presence.”
The man looked pleased at Daniel’s words. “Our Queen is not easily offended but you show wisdom in asking. She will be present at the head of the table, seated on a dais. You are not to approach her unless she asks you. She will probably want to greet your Mistress personally. So she will ask her to step up on to the dais with her. She may even allow your Mistress the great honor of sitting with her. She is most curious to learn of your land.”
“Are there other customs, such as those that surround eating, drinking, that we should observe?”
“No one eats or drinks until the Queen does. It is her right to choose first among the food and drink offered. If she wishes to give royal favor to someone, she will allow them first choice. This is one of the greatest honors that she can bestow. It shows that she feels the recipient is as worthy as one of the gods.”
“What gods do you worship?”
“Only Xochiquetzal! But she has siblings from the original world that she honors.”
“Who are some of these siblings?”
Ecatzin did not answer since they entered the huge dining hall at that moment. There were at least 100 people gathered together around low tables. The slight hum of voices trailed off as SG1 entered the room. All eyes watched as Ecatzin led them to the head table, right below the dais where the Queen would sit.
“Please take you place here until Her Majesty arrives. When she enters, you must stand and face her.”
“Thank you, Ecatzin. We only wish to avoid offending Her Majesty.”
Ecatzin and his guards retreated to the back of the room. He was pleased that the strangers were so concerned about showing honor to his Queen. He had been leery of allowing these people into the city but Xochiquetzal herself wanted to talk to them. Ecatzin did not know why. It was not his place to question, just to obey, so he had taken guards out to find the strangers in the forest and return them to his Queen.
Sam looked discreetly around at the people. She was getting the sense of a Goa’uld presence, or maybe more than one. It was slight and difficult to pinpoint.
“Teal’c, are you getting any sense of symbiotes?”
“I am not but I have found that with the loss of my own symbiote, my ability to perceive the Goa’uld has become impaired.”
Sam nodded. “Keep your eyes open. I am getting something but it is vague.”
Teal’c and Daniel both nodded.
The murmuring in the room ceased at the sound of a horn, like a conch shell horn. Everyone stood and waited in silence. Xochiquetzal entered the room dressed in a blue tunic with woven flowers on it. Sam couldn’t be sure at this distance but the flowers appeared to be made of feathers. Her headdress had long flowing turquoise feathers on it. She carried what looked like a marigold and a butterfly. Everyone remained standing until Xochiquetzal was in position on the dais. Xochiquetzal’s eyes looked at Sam from Malinche’s face. She gracefully sat on the throne like chair but Sam detected the hint of pain or stiffness that she had noticed earlier. Once she was seated, everyone else sat down.
Sam still wasn’t close enough to sense a Goa’uld in Xochiquetzal but it was obvious that this was not the woman they met earlier. Her attitude, her eyes, her bearing all seemed different. Sam took a deep breath and felt the reassuring pressure of her gun press against her ribs.
Xochiquetzal’s voice cut through Sam’s thoughts. It was the flanged voice of a Goa’uld. Sam tried not to physically react to it. “We have strangers among us. They are to be treated with all respect due one favored by me.” Xochiquetzal motioned for Sam to approach her.
Reluctantly, Sam moved up on the dais to stand beside her. Xochiquetzal placed a hand on Sam’s shoulder. The sense of the Goa’uld was strong. It was all Sam could do to keep from flinching. Xochiquetzal’s voice rang out, “You are most welcome, Colonel Samantha Carter. You and your servants may consider this your home until you are ready to leave us. Please choose first among the food offered.”
Sam smiled as she remembered Ecatzin’s words. “Thank you for the honor. I am unfamiliar with your foods, please recommend something.”
Xochiquetzal smiled a brilliant smile. She was pleased at her guest’s understanding of the honor that she had bestowed on them. Xochiquetzal pointed out several delicacies for Sam to try and then she motioned for Sam to sit with her on the dais. Several whispers were heard among the other guests. No one was allowed to sit with the Queen.
Xochiquetzal’s voice continued low so that no one could hear her. “You have been joined. Which god do you serve?”
Sam tried not to let the shock show in her face. “We serve no god.”
“Have you come to take Malinche’s place?”
“No!” Sam was hard pressed to keep her expression neutral.
“Then why are you here?”
Sam was unsure of how to proceed. The woman was a Goa’uld, that was certain. But she acted more like a Tok’ra. Sam decided to plunge on ahead. “What I told Malinche earlier was the truth. We are explorers. Yes, I have been joined. My symbiote died saving my life.” Sam watched Xochiquetzal’s face closely as she spoke. Xochiquetzal’s expression was one of sadness.
“I grieve with you for your loss.” Her face lowered slightly acknowledging her sorrow.
“Xochiquetzal, may I speak freely? I have no wish to offend you.”
The woman nodded. “Of course, my child.”
“We have met many…symbiotes in our travels, but few have been as…gracious as you have been. How long have you been on this world?”
“I brought my people here millennia ago to escape oppression by my siblings. We have been isolated here for all of that time. Do you know of my siblings? Of my father?”
Sam decided to take the plunge. “What are their names?”
“Ra, my father, Hathor, Apophis… There are many but those were the ones we had to flee from.”
“Why did you have to flee?”
Xochiquetzal’s face fell at the old memories. “They wanted to turn my people into slaves. I couldn’t let them. I tried to reason with Ra but he would not listen. Hathor was equally convinced that the people of the Taur’i were merely animals for them to use and discard as needed. I loved my people. We eventually fled to a different part of the planet but when Ra insisted that I conform to their ways, we fled to here. We have been here undisturbed by others since then.”
“We are of the Taur’i,” Sam said quietly. “Several thousand years ago there was an uprising and Ra was overthrown. He and the other Goa’uld left the planet for others but several years ago, they returned. We have been at war with them since.”
Xochiquetzal’s face showed her incredulity. “Ra is still at war with you?”
“No, actually, Ra is dead. As well as several other high ranking Goa’uld.”
The Queen’s face fell. “What of Hathor?” Sam could see the sorrow in the woman’s face.
“I’m sorry, Hathor is dead also. She was trying to kill me and one of my friends had to stop her.”
Xochiquetzal nodded. “I wish to finish this conversation in private. My people are getting restless seeing me saddened this way. Please eat and we will continue later.”
Sam nodded and did as asked. This was a most unusual Goa’uld. Could she be Tok’ra? Or one of the original Tok’ra?
Jack was on his bunk staring at the ceiling. He tried not to look at the clock every two minutes. It wasn’t helping. Sam was overdue for contact by nearly six hours now. It was late but he couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t do anything but think about the last few days. Sam…her taking care of him when he was so hung over, tucking him into bed, asleep on his couch. His couch…her in his arms on his couch, his body pressed up against her, her eyes filled with tears when he told her he loved her. And she loved him. Him, the old worn out soldier.
His eyes turned to the clock again. He groaned and pulled a pillow over his face. He had to stop looking at the clock; he had to stop thinking about what could be happening. Sam could take care of herself and her team. It wasn’t like she was out there alone. Daniel and Teal’c were with her. They always took care of each other. They would be all right.
The meal was pleasant, the food was good albeit a little unusual and Xochiquetzal was a gracious hostess. Sam still couldn’t get past the fact that she was dining next to a Goa’uld. As servants cleared away the remains of the meal, Xochiquetzal stood and indicated that Sam should follow her. Sam motioned to Daniel and Teal’c to come with her.
Xochiquetzal frowned slightly. “There is no need for your servants to join us.”
“I apologize but you have the wrong impression. They are not my servants, they are my colleagues. If it is not against protocol, I would prefer that they are with me.”
Xochiquetzal just nodded and continued into the throne room. She didn’t stop there. She led them through a door into a much smaller, cozier room. The furniture was similar to that in their guest quarters. Xochiquetzal reached up to remove the heavy headdress, her arms faltering under the weight. Sam reached to help her, taking the heavy piece from her.
“Thank you. I tire easily these days. It is almost time to take a new host. I cannot continue to sustain Malinche’s health. She grows near the end of her time.”
Sam flinched at the words take a new host. Xochiquetzal noticed her reaction. She gave a short mirthless laugh. “From your reaction, I have to assume that others of my kind are still taking hosts by force.”
Sam was surprised at her words. “Yes, they do, most of them. Some don’t. The symbiote I was host to took me by force out of desperation. She was trying to hide from an assassin. When he got to her anyway, she died saving me. I am forever grateful to her for my life.”
Xochiquetzal nodded as she motioned for them to sit in the chairs around her as she gratefully curled up in a comfortable chair. “I do not take hosts by force. That is one of the reasons that I left the world of the Taur’i. I disagreed with Ra and the others. There were many that would willingly join with us but most of my race wanted to dominate others, not peacefully co-exist. I have many people willing to join but I do not bear as many children as I used to.”
“So you are a queen, like Hathor was, capable of producing more symbiotes?”
“Yes, Hathor was my sister. I tried to convince her to join me in my peaceful ways. She would not. She had tasted the power of the sarcophagus and refused to give it up.”
“So you don’t use one, a sarcophagus?”
“No, which is why I am unable to help Malinche.” Xochiquetzal’s eyes actually filled with tears. “Each host only lasts about two or three hundred years. I tire of losing them. The affection between us is strong. I grieve after the loss of each.”
Sam nodded. “The Tok’ra are the same way. They do not use the sarcophagus because of the adverse effects on the mind and soul.”
“You know of the Tok’ra?”
Sam nodded. “We are allied with them to some degree. My father has joined them as host to Selmac.”
Daniel and Teal’c sat quietly, fascinated by the conversation between the two women. Teal’c was especially affected. He had never met a Goa’uld or even a Tok’ra that seemed so human in their emotions.
“What of …” Xochiquetzal’s voice trailed off. She took a deep sigh. “What of Egeria?” Do you know her fate?”
“I’m sorry, she too is dead. She was missing for many years and everyone assumed she was dead. We found her several years ago but she was too weak. We and the Tok’ra did everything we could to save her but it was too late.”
Xochiquetzal bowed her head. “She, too, was my sister. She wanted to fight the others; I wanted to live in peace.” She raised her head to look at Sam. “I was torn between my affection for her and for Hathor. They each tried to sway me to their side. I could not join one against the other so I left. I took as many of my people with me as I could. This planet had humans on it already, left by another Goa’uld long ago and forgotten. I came here with my people to start over. My people are healthy and happy. Many are hosts to my children and many more are Jaffa caring for the children that will one day take hosts. My people are willing hosts. They know the benefit of carrying a symbiote, either as Jaffa or host. The long life and health afforded them is reward for their service. The company of their symbiote is incentive as well.”
Sam didn’t know what to say. This woman could be a powerful ally to the Tok’ra. She had people willing to be hosts. The Tok’ra were still in desperate need of new hosts. How to broach the subject though? She said she wanted nothing to do with the Goa’uld power struggle thousands of years ago. Would she change her mind now?
Xochiquetzal voice brought her back. “I am weary. I need to rest. Malinche has had an exceptionally hard day today and it tires me to keep her going. I will have someone show you to your quarters.” She stood and pulled a rope near her chair. “Thank you for the information you have given me. Good night.” With that, she walked slowly into the next room and closed the door.
Ecatzin entered the room. “Her Majesty has need of me?”
“She went to rest. She wanted someone to show us back to our rooms.”
“As you wish,” Ecatzin indicated that they follow him out of the room.
Part Eight
Sam watched as the door closed behind Ecatzin. “Okay, guys, we have about six hours before someone comes looking for us. Xochiquetzal could be a powerful ally. I don’t want to offend her or her people. So far they have not been threatening in any way, Goa’uld or not, but we need to make contact before anyone comes barging in here trying to rescue us.”
Teal’c nodded. “I will go to the edge of the dampening field and contact SG12. It should take no more than two hours to get there and back.”
“True, but I want you to take Daniel with you. I don’t really want anyone out there in the dark but I don’t see that we have a choice. I want you have back up.”
“But, Sam, that would mean you are left here alone! That could be dangerous as well!” Daniel protested.
“I don’t think that I am in any danger here. I think that they will just leave us alone until morning. You two should be back before any one realizes that I am alone. I will stay up and keep watch until you return. You should go now before it gets too much later.”
The two men returned to their rooms for their BDU’s and equipment. Sam sat watching the night sky from the window in the main room. She didn’t feel any threat from Xochiquetzal or her people. She saw them as a race like the Tok’ra and she trusted the Tok’ra to do her no harm. Although that was about as far as she trusted them.
She wanted Jack to know that they were safe. She knew he would be worried, as he always was, but now it was different. He had suffered so much loss in his life. If something should happen to her now, she didn’t know how he would handle it. Maybe it would be best if she resigned in favor of a civilian job with the SGC. He wouldn’t have to worry about her and likewise, she wouldn’t have to worry about him. They might even have a chance at a normal life.
She turned as she heard Teal’c and Daniel return from their rooms. “Be safe, guys. Get back as quickly as possible.”
They nodded and left quietly. There was no one guarding their rooms so leaving was easy. Getting past the guards at the front door could be more worrisome.
As it turned out, Daniel told the guards that they were going for a walk and would return in a couple of hours. The guards nodded and allowed them passage. “I guess they are ceremonial rather than for protection,” he said to Teal’c once they were out of hearing range.
“Evidently.” Teal’c seemed lost in thought.
“What’s up, Teal’c?”
“Colonel Carter and O’Neill. Do you think that their relationship will make it more difficult for them to function in their current capacity?”
“I hadn’t really thought about it. Why do you ask?”
“As far as O’Neill is concerned, Colonel Carter could be in grave danger. Yet, he is forced by military protocol to wait the proscribed period of time before sending in reinforcements. Do you not think that it will be troublesome for him?”
“I guess it will. That may be why Sam is determined to make contact with SG12. She knows him better than anyone.”
Teal’c silently nodded his agreement.
“Why don’t we pick up the pace?”
Teal’c agreed by moving out at a quick jog. Their exertions ended their discussion.
Jack sat up on his bunk. There was no sense in trying to relax, no sense in trying to sleep. He wouldn’t, couldn’t, until he knew if SG1 was all right. He swung his legs off the bed and rubbed his temples. He might as well go to his office. Maybe he could do something useful there.
He was still in the civvies that he had worn to dinner with George and Jacob. He briefly thought about changing into fatigues but officially, he had retired so why bother. He checked the mirror to see what his unruly hair looked like. The worry was clearly written on his face. He turned to leave the room as the klaxon sounded and the speakers announced “unscheduled off-world activation”. Jack bolted from the room and ran for the control room.
He took the stairs two at a time as he heard the Lieutenant on duty announce that it was SG12’s IDC. “Incoming message only, sir.” Jacob and George were already there.
“Let’s see it.” Jack tried to control his breathing. His breathlessness had less to do with his run to the control room than anticipation of news about SG1.
The monitor lit up with the features of Major Johnson. “We have had contact with Teal’c and Dr. Jackson. They say that they have made contact with the locals and all of SG1 is okay. There is a dampening field that is interfering with communications. They will try to check in again in eight hours. Dr. Jackson reported that the people here are descended of Aztec natives of Earth. Their queen is called Xochiquetzal. They are in no danger at this time. Repeat, no danger.”
“Thank you, Major. Keep your scheduled check ins and contact us as soon as you have further word from SG1.” Jack couldn’t keep the relief he felt off his face but managed to keep his voice in check.
“Yes, sir. SG12, out.” The wormhole snapped shut.
“I’ll be in my office.” Jack turned quickly and left the control room.
Jacob and George watched him go then walked down the stairs to talk. “He handled that pretty well.” George said softly.
“Yeah, I think it will work out. He has a lifetime of practice and has always kept his emotions pretty close to the vest. Their relationship is so fresh. I think it will level out in time.”
George nodded. “I think I could use some coffee. I think I remember where the commissary is…”
Jacob laughed at George’s sense of humor. “Lead on, my friend, lead on!”
Jack sank into his chair. His heart was beating rapidly with the rush of relief he felt hearing that all was well with SG1, with Sam. His hands trembled slightly as he rubbed his tired eyes. He took a deep breath to try to get control of his physical reactions. Sam was safe. He should have known better. He should have had more faith in her abilities.
He leaned back and stared at the ceiling. His heartbeat and breathing returned to normal. It wasn’t her abilities that he had no faith in… It was fate. Every time he found happiness, something happened to rip it away from him. These past few days he’d been so happy with Sam. The last time he’d felt that happy was the day the nurse placed an infant Charlie into his arms. The thought of losing Sam now brought back the memories of Charlie, bleeding and dying in his arms. He wanted to hold Sam, to reassure himself that she was alive and well.
He breathed deeply, trying to push the unhappy memories away. Teal’c and Daniel said that SG1 was in no danger. He had to hold on to that until he could hold Sam in his arms again.
Sam was still awake when Teal’c and Daniel returned. It hadn’t been easy staying awake. She was so tired. They had been up nearly twenty-four hours now. And she hadn’t gotten much sleep last night. She smiled at the memory of Jack in her bed last night. He’d been so nervous with her father down the hall. She had never seen him quite like that before. She looked forward to finding out all the things she didn’t know about him.
“How’d it go?” she asked as they entered the room.
“Fine, no problem getting out, got through to SG12 and they made contact with the SGC while we were waiting,” Daniel said as he shrugged out of his vest.
“The guards didn’t give you any trouble?”
“No, Daniel Jackson merely said that we were going for a walk and they let us past without a word.”
“Great! Then there shouldn’t be any trouble leaving tomorrow.” Sam noticed the fatigue in Daniel’s eyes. “Why don’t you guys hit the sack? I’ll keep watch.”
“Colonel Carter, you have been up as long as we have. I will keep watch first. You should rest.”
“I didn’t do a midnight jog either, Teal’c.”
“You did not but Xochiquetzal will probably want to talk with you in the morning. You should be rested for that.”
Sam nodded. He was right. She needed her wits about her in the morning. “Okay, Teal’c, you’re right. As usual. I’ll sleep. Wake me at dawn and you can get some sleep.”
Teal’c bowed his head slightly. He did not intend to disturb Colonel Carter at dawn. He could rest later. She needed to be alert and sharp in her discussions with Xochiquetzal.
Sam stretched long and hard as she awoke from a very pleasant dream about Jack. Her eyes opened to see sunlight streaming through the window above the bed. Damn Teal’c! He was supposed to wake her. She bolted up from the bed, bathed and started to dress. She looked at her BDU’s and then the outfit she’d worn last night. Finally, she decided on the colorful tunic and leggings. ‘When in Rome…’ she thought.
She emerged from the room to find Daniel eating fruit and something that look suspiciously like oatmeal or maybe farina. “Where’s Teal’c?”
“Sleeping,” Daniel said around the food he’d just stuffed in his mouth.
“Why didn’t he wake me?”
“Said you needed the rest,” he mumbled.
“I take it the breakfast is good.”
He nodded as he shoveled another spoon of the cereal into his mouth.
Sam laughed as she removed the top of the pot that was sitting on a small flame on the table. She spooned up some of it for herself.
“Put the fruit in it and some of this,” Daniel said as he handed her a small carafe of a syrupy substance and a bowl of mixed fruit.
She did as he said. With her first bite, she could understand Daniel’s preoccupation with his food. The syrup tasted like honey and the fruit added a tang to the cereal. Besides being delicious, it appeared to be a healthy breakfast.
Sam was just finishing her food and contemplating seconds when there was a knock at the door. Sam got up and opened it.
Malinche entered slowly. Sam could see the fatigue in her eyes and the way she moved. She offered her arm to the woman and escorted her to a chair.
“Thank you, child. I am weary this morning.” Malinche sighed as she leaned back in the chair.
“You shouldn’t have come here. We would have been happy to come to you.”
“It’s all right, dear. I like to wander the palace. It has so many happy memories and…soon I won’t be able to wander them.”
Sam sat down in a chair near her. She placed her hand on the woman’s arm. “I wish there was a way to help you.”
“Ah, I have been first servant of Xochiquetzal for nearly three hundred years. She should have chosen a new one years ago but she finds it more and more difficult to let go. Soon…,” she sighed again, “soon she will have no choice.”
Daniel had wandered over to where they were sitting. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, Dr. Jackson. Have you found your accommodations adequate?”
“More than adequate! The rooms are wonderful and the food is excellent.”
Malinche laughed lightly. “I can tell that you were enthusiastic about your mornmeal.” She touched her finger to her chin to indicate a spot that Daniel had missed with his napkin. She laughed again as Daniel blushed and quickly wiped at his mouth.
Sam returned to business. “Did you have need of us or is this a social visit?”
“Just being social. I wandered this direction by pure happenstance. When I realized where I was, I decided to stop and see how you were faring.”
“Would you like some breakfast? Or something to drink?”
“Yes, thank you, some of the juice might refresh me.” Malinche continued talking as Sam went to fetch her drink. “Dr. Jackson, the guards said that you and Teal’c left the palace last night.”
“Please call me Daniel. And yes, we left for a little while. We needed to contact our people so they wouldn’t worry. Something about the power generation of your city blocks our communication devices.”
“Ah,” she nodded her thanks to Sam as she accepted the juice. “That is deliberate. I would not want others of my kind to discover this place. I use the energy field to give a false impression of this place so that any entering the Chaapa'ai will think it not worth their time. I am sorry that it has caused you worry.”
“It’s not a problem and I can certainly understand your concerns about discovery.” Sam sat back down near the woman. “Have you ever considered venturing back out into the galaxy?”
“No, we have all we need here. There is no reason to leave.”
“We are allied with the Tok’ra. They could use your help. They have trouble finding hosts and other symbiotes that are willing to help in our fight against the Goa’uld.”
“I do not wish to subject my people to the throes of war. They have lived peacefully for millennia. They would not understand the costs of war.”
Sam nodded. “I wish that you could at least meet with some of them. My father would be more than happy to come here and….” Sam’s voice trailed off as Malinche’s face took on a look of pain, not emotional pain from what Sam was suggesting, physical pain.
Malinche grasped her chest. She couldn’t breathe. The pain shot through her chest and down her arm. “Help,” she gasped. “Xochiquetzal…can not…stop…pain…”
Sam moved closer to her, not knowing what to do. The symptoms looked like a heart attack. Daniel moved to the door and yelled in the halls for someone to come and help the Queen.
Sam held the dying woman in her arms as Malinche slid out of the chair. “Help… Xochiquetzal…please help…her.”
Sam understood what the woman was asking. Fear welled up in her like bile in her throat. There was only way to help Xochiquetzal. But they had found someone that could be a powerful ally. And she genuinely liked the host and the symbiote. It felt like minutes had passed but it took only seconds to make up her mind.
Daniel heard people running in the halls and turned back into the room. He turned just in time to see Sam lean over Malinche, both of their mouths open. “Sam! No!” he yelled as he ran back into the room. Too late. He saw the flash of the symbiote as it exited Malinche and entered Sam’s mouth. “Oh, God, Sam, what have you done?”
Sam’s eyes glowed briefly as she slid to the ground. Her hand outstretched to the now quiet and still form of Malinche. “Goodbye…” she whispered softly as she drifted into unconsciousness.
Part Nine
Teal’c ran into the room with his staff weapon ready for battle. He saw Malinche’s body and Sam unconscious next to her. Daniel and several of the natives stood silently just staring.
“Daniel Jackson, what has happened?”
Daniel looked up at Teal’c as tears filled his eyes. “She chose to do it, Teal’c. She took Xochiquetzal. Malinche was dying, probably a heart attack. I went for help and when I returned I saw Sam take Xochiquetzal.” His voice was low, almost a whisper. Daniel appeared to be in shock.
The natives were likewise stunned. They did not realize how frail Malinche had been. They would have tried to talk their Queen into choosing a new host if they had known.
Teal’c walked over to Sam’s unconscious body. He checked her vital signs and then gently lifted her in his arms. He took her into the bedroom as Daniel followed. Daniel turned down the covers and Teal’c laid her on the soft bed.
“Teal’c, how can we face Jack? How can we tell him?”
“We may not have to, Daniel Jackson,” he spoke softly as he laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder to comfort him. “Xochiquetzal may be able to move to a new host and leave Colonel Carter unscathed.”
Daniel gasped in relief. “I hadn’t thought of that… I guess… I don’t know…” Daniel stopped talking. He knew he wasn’t making any sense.
They heard noises from the main room and returned to see what was happening. The room was now packed with people. A soft chant was started as four men from the Royal Guard lifted Malinche’s body. The table had been cleared and a cloth draped over it. They tenderly laid her on the table.
One woman became inconsolable in her grief. “How will we survive without Xochiquetzal?” Her sobs racked her body.
Daniel realized that they thought that Xochiquetzal had died with Malinche. They must not have heard the quiet explanation he gave to Teal’c. “Xochiquetzal is not dead,” he announced loudly over the combination of sobs and chanting.
The room quieted quickly as all eyes turned to Daniel. “Our leader, Carter, has become host to Xochiquetzal. There was no time. Malinche was dying. Her heart quit beating. Carter is resting as the blending is taking place.”
The room went from sorrow to joy at the announcement. One of the Royal Guards announced loudly, “Glory to Xochiquetzal! Glory to Carter! We have a new First Servant!”
Teal’c raised a hand for silence. “Colonel Carter requires rest. Please leave this room quietly.”
Daniel interrupted as the people started for the door. “Is anyone here familiar with the blending process? Our people are not. I would like someone to check on Carter to insure that she is blending properly.”
A woman separated from the crowd. “I am the Queen’s healer. I can assist you. Thank you.” The gratitude of being allowed access to her Queen showed in her eyes.
Teal’c nodded to the woman and allowed her to enter Sam’s room. Daniel followed as Teal’c remained to insure that all of the people left. Several people carried Malinche on an ornate stretcher. The Royal Guard took up position outside the door at his request. He then returned to Sam’s room.
“Daniel Jackson, we must report this turn of events to the SGC.”
Daniel nodded. “I think it would be better if we asked Jack and Jacob to join us instead of trying to explain this over the radio.”
Teal’c nodded his agreement. “Stay with Colonel Carter. I will return as soon as possible.” Teal’c exited the room quickly asking two of the four guards to accompany him.
Daniel looked down on the quiet form lying in the bed. The healer was checking different vital signs. Finally, she turned to Daniel.
“Xochiquetzal is very weak. She should have taken a new host years ago. Fortunately, your leader is strong and in excellent health. Her health should help Xochiquetzal with the blending and return strength to her.”
“Can Xochiquetzal move to a new host once the blending is complete?”
“Why would she wish to do that?”
“Carter can’t stay here. She has obligation on our world. Xochiquetzal must stay here. If there is a way for Xochiquetzal to switch hosts, it will need to be done.”
The healer, Atotoztli, nodded with understanding. “It has been done but not in my time. It is not normal for a symbiote to change hosts unless the current one is unable to continue functioning. We will have to wait for Xochiquetzal to awaken before we know the answer.” Atotoztli pulled a chair up to the bedside and sat. “I will wait here.”
“How long does the blending take?”
“Considering how weak Her Majesty was, it could take days. Hopefully, because of the strength of Carter, it won’t be that long.”
Daniel nodded and pulled a chair up on the opposite side of the bed. They sat in silence, watching, waiting.
“Unscheduled off-world activation.”
Jack walked from his office into the control room. He was trying to maintain his impatience. He didn’t want anyone seeing his agitation.
“It’s SG12, sir. Message only.”
“Let’s see it.”
The view screen showed Major Johnson once again. Jacob and George entered the control room as he began to speak.
“General O’Neill, Teal’c just contacted us. He requests that you, General Carter and Dr. Carmichael join him at once. He said it was urgent.”
“Urgent? Is something wrong?”
“He would only say that you both should join them at the city. He said that there were two Royal Guards on their way to the gate. They would meet you and escort you back to the city.”
“Is anyone hurt? Why do we need to bring a doctor?” Jack motioned for someone to get Carmichael.
“That was all the information that he gave us, sir.”
“We’ll be there in twenty minutes, O’Neill out.” Jack headed for the gear up room with Jacob and George following him.
“I’m going with you,” George said suddenly. Jack turned to look at him. He sighed briefly and nodded.
“Glad to have you with us, sir.”
They continued down to the gear up room in silence.
Jack had point as George and Carmichael followed, Jacob brought up the rear. All were armed and ready for problems. Jack’s mind was trying to panic. Why did they need a doctor? Who was hurt? Teal’c had been cryptic and they couldn’t raise them on the radio. He must have returned to the city after he got off that last message. He wasn’t sure about these Royal Guards. Could this all be a plot to capture them? But Teal’c would never cooperate!
He heard the sounds of someone moving up ahead. He motioned quickly for the others to hide. He stopped and waited for the people to appear. Two men with what looked like modified staff weapons stopped when they saw Jack.
“You are Carter’s friend?” the man in the lead asked.
“Yes. You are here to take me to her?”
“Yes, we are. But Teal’c said there would be three of you. Where are the others?”
Jack motioned discreetly and the three men appeared from their hiding places.
“Please follow us.”
Jacob moved closer to Jack. “They are Jaffa. Selmac can sense the symbiotes,” he whispered.
Jack nodded and started forward after the two men. “Hey, can you guys tell me who is hurt? Teal’c requested that we bring a doctor.”
The man that originally spoken shook his head, “I cannot tell you.” He knew what the man wanted to know but Teal’c had cautioned them against saying anything until he and Daniel could explain things.
Jack sighed and continued to follow.
Teal’c waited outside of the palace with the Royal Guards. He wanted to get to Jack before anyone slipped and told him what happened. The local population couldn’t understand the visitors’ dismay at Carter’s blending. They were preparing a grand celebration for the new First Servant. Evidently, it would be quite a display since this only happened once every few hundred years. Other than to Atotoztli, neither he nor Daniel had said anything to anyone about Xochiquetzal changing hosts again as soon as she was strong enough.
Teal’c saw Jack and his party approaching in the distance and went to meet them. Jack practically ran up to Teal’c when he saw him.
“What’s wrong, T? Who’s hurt? Where’s Sam…and Daniel?”
“All in good time, my friend. We need privacy to discuss the events that have occurred. General Hammond, it is good to see you. General Carter, Dr. Carmichael.” He nodded to the other men. He led the way into the palace and through the corridors to their quarters.
“Okay, it’s private. Where’s Sam and Daniel?”
Daniel emerged from Sam’s room at that time. “I’m here, Jack. And Sam is resting. We need to talk.”
“Resting? What’s wrong with her?” He started for the bedroom but Daniel blocked him.
“We need to talk first!” Daniel’s voice took on a commanding tone that Jack had rarely heard. He stopped in his tracks and nodded.
“Everyone, find a seat. This is going to take a little while.”
Dr. Carmichael spoke up as everyone sat down. “Do I need to check on Colonel Carter?”
“Not yet. She’s fine for now.”
“For now?” Jack started to rise again.
“Jack, sit!” Daniel knew this was going to be hard to explain, especially now. He’d always suspected that Jack felt more for Sam than he should. Now that he knew it, now that they had resolved their feelings… Daniel sighed. He sat down and then stood up. He needed to pace. “The Queen here is a Goa’uld but a friendly one,” he started ignoring Jack’s snort of disbelief at his comment.
An hour later, after all the explanations and questions were through, Daniel let Carmichael examine Sam. Jacob went with him. It was all he could do to keep Jack out of the room.
“Jack, look, these people have had nothing to do with any of the System Lords. Xochiquetzal is like the Tok’ra. She just didn’t want to side with either Hathor or Egeria. She wanted her people to live in peace. She still does.”
“I can’t believe that Sam did this willingly. Are you sure she wasn’t forced?”
“Positive, Jack. Malinche was begging her to help Xochiquetzal. I could hear her from the hall. I turned around in time to see Sam lean forward and open her mouth for Xochiquetzal to make the switch. Malinche was too weak to do anything to force Sam. And I don’t think that Xochiquetzal would have done it if Sam hadn’t offered.”
Jack sighed. He felt like his heart was being ripped from his body. It was happening again. He was losing someone he loved, again! He needed to see her. “What’s taking so damned long?”
Carmichael emerged from Sam’s room.
“Finally,” Jack said under his breath. “How is she?”
“Colonel Carter is fine. All her vitals are strong, no fever, no signs of infection. She’s in perfect health as far as I can tell with limited resources. She’s just unconscious.”
Jacob came out of the room as he was talking. “Jack, Selmac says that she is normal. The blending can take several hours or several days. If Xochiquetzal was as weak as Atotoztli says she was, it will probably be a while before she wakes up.”
Jacob’s head dipped and rose as Selmac took control, “She will be fine, General O’Neill. Xochiquetzal is using Samantha’s strength to heal herself. She cannot use it too quickly without depleting Sam. They will both be fine. You should go see her.”
Jack nodded and started past Jacob/Selmac toward the room.
“And, General,” Selmac’s hand stopped him. “Xochiquetzal should be able to change hosts once she is strong enough but that might take a while. It could be weeks before she is ready. Prepare yourself for that possibility.”
Jack nodded again. He didn’t trust himself to speak. He just wanted to see Sam. He continued into the room with Daniel and Teal’c right behind him. He was glad of their support but wasn’t sure if he could handle anyone in the room right now.
Atotoztli stood as they entered. “She is still resting. The process appears to be progressing normally.”
Jack couldn’t take his eyes off Sam. He just nodded in response to the woman’s comment. He didn’t see Daniel motion for Atotoztli to leave. She looked carefully at Jack as she passed him. She understood their deference to him. She could see the love and anguish in his eyes as he gazed upon the still form of his beloved. She now understood the ‘obligations’ that Daniel mentioned.
Daniel’s voice intruded. “Jack,” he said softly, a hand on his shoulder, “we’ll be outside if you need us.”
Jack nodded again. His throat was closing with the need to cry out but he held it in. He heard the door close softly. Finally alone, he let out a ragged breath that was as close to a sob as he would allow himself. He moved quickly to Sam’s side and sat on the edge of the bed. His hand brushed her hair back off her forehead. His fingers traced a line past her temple, down her cheek to her mouth. He leaned over and softly kissed her lips. He rested his forehead against hers.
“Sam, I’m here. Can you hear me?” his voice was a hoarse whisper. “Please don’t leave me like this.” He wrapped his hands around one of hers. His eyes filled with tears at the thought of losing her to a Goa’uld this way. He didn’t care that Daniel thought they were friendly. Sam had another damn snake in her head. He was afraid of what it would do to her. Even if it were willing to leave, how would Sam cope with so many more memories not her own? Would it change her as Jolinar had?
He couldn’t stand it. He needed to hold her. He slid down on the bed next to her and gently pulled her close to him. He knew she wouldn’t know he was there but he needed to be close to her, to touch her, to feel her heartbeat, to feel her breathing. He moved until she was snuggled in against his shoulder, his front facing her side. He listened to her steady breathing, he felt her steady heartbeat. He could feel moisture well up in his eyes. He buried his face in her hair and let the tears escape slowly.
Part Ten
The room was quiet. No one knew what to say. Daniel looked around at his friends. Jacob seemed relaxed. That was a good sign. He, with Selmac’s help, would know better than anyone what was happening to Sam.
General Hammond looked sad, a profound sadness that Daniel didn’t really understand. Had Jacob and General Hammond found a solution to Jack and Sam’s problems with the regs? That could explain it. He could feel sadness if they were finally free to pursue their relationship only to have something like this happen.
Teal’c looked like Teal’c, always calm on the surface. After all these years, Daniel couldn’t read his stoic friend any better now than he could when they first met.
Atotoztli was also calm but she had told Daniel earlier that she had attended many blendings. This one, even as important as the Queen was, seemed no different to her.
A knock at the door caused everyone’s attention to shift from inward to outward. The door opened and several servants entered carrying food. The servants efficiently and quietly set everything out and then left.
Atotoztli broke the silence. “There is nothing to do but wait. You should all eat. You can not help Carter by going hungry.”
Jacob nodded and stood up. Everyone else followed suit. Daniel walked over to the bedroom door. He started to knock and then decided against it. He opened it slightly and peered in. Jack was lying next to Sam with her cradled in his arms. Daniel couldn’t see his face but he could see the slight shaking of his shoulders. Daniel’s eyes moistened slightly as he closed the door.
When he turned around, he found everyone looking at him. “I think we should just leave him alone.”
Sam felt consciousness returning slowly. She could sense the presence of Xochiquetzal reassuring her. She felt a slight panic at the memory of what she had done. ‘Oh, God, Jack! What will he do when he finds out?’
Xochiquetzal heard the thought, ‘Be calm, child. He knows. He is here. He is beside you waiting for you to awaken.’
‘Jack…here! He knows!’ Sam’s mind panicked at the pain Jack must be feeling. The memories of his face when Jolinar taunted him through the bars using her voice flooded her mind.
‘Calm, child. He will understand. Your memories of him show him to be a good man. He would not have wished you to do other than your conscience dictated. We will be awake soon. He is here holding you. He is sad but only because he fears losing you. I will not let him lose you. We will find a way to put your life right. You gave me a chance to live. I will give him the same.’
Sam felt her panic lessen. She knew that all Xochiquetzal said was true. This symbiote, unlike Jolinar, hid nothing from her. The lives of hundreds of hosts were open to her. All she had to do was access the memories. The symbiotes memories were there as well. The conflict between her and her sisters played out like a movie in Sam’s head. She felt the tension in her body ebb away.
Jack felt Sam’s body tense in his arms. He looked quickly at her face. She appeared to be in…not pain…distress, upset. He held her tightly and spoke softly to her. “I’m here, baby. I’m here. Please wake up, please come back to me.” After a few minutes, he felt the tension lessen and then she relaxed in his arms. He kissed her forehead lightly and relaxed his own body. He was so tired. He hadn’t slept in almost two days. He didn’t want to sleep now but his body betrayed his determination and as he relaxed, he drifted off to sleep.
Jacob peered into the room to check on Jack and Sam. Sam was still unconscious and Jack appeared to be asleep. The man hadn’t slept in nearly two days. Even then, he didn’t get much sleep. He smiled softly at the memory of the giggling that he heard from Sam’s room the other night. He’d never really thought about it, but Jack would not have been his first choice as a son-in-law. Now, he knew that he was the only choice. It was obvious to a blind man that Jack loved Sam and that he would do anything to make her happy, including let her marry someone else if he thought that’s what she wanted.
And Sam… Jacob closed the door quietly. Sam had loved Jack for years. Jacob didn’t realize it at first but Selmac had shown him the error of his ways. He didn’t want to see it but having someone in your thoughts trying to convince you, well, it was hard to avoid.
Jacob quietly closed the door and returned to the group sitting around the table. They looked up expectantly.
“He’s asleep. They’re both asleep.”
George looked around at the weary group of people around him. “I think that is a good idea. Daniel, why don’t you and Teal’c get some more rest? Jacob and I will keep watch.”
Teal’c started to object but then seemed to think better of it. Daniel just nodded and returned to his room. Shortly afterward, Teal’c retired to his room.
Jacob and George found comfortable chairs and sat quietly, waiting. Atotoztli pulled a chair close to the door of Sam’s room so that she could hear if she awakened.
Sam felt warmth against her side, the slow movement of someone breathing. She could feel warm breath in her hair. She took a deep breath and caught the scent of Jack’s cologne. She smiled softly as she remembered what Xochiquetzal had told her. Jack was here. He was waiting for her to wake up.
Xochiquetzal! Sam remembered what had happened. She searched her consciousness for any sign of the symbiote. She was there, dormant, resting. Sam accessed memories of blendings. The blending was complete and Xochiquetzal needed to rest now. Sam felt Jack’s arm on her waist. The weight was reassuring. She ran her hand up his arms, caressing the muscles through his shirt.
“Jack,” she said softly. “Jack…” He moved restlessly in his sleep. His arm tightened on her waist. She sighed. He must be exhausted. He was normally such a light sleeper. It was enough that he was here, close to her. She continued to stroke his arm as she thought about her hasty decision to become host to Xochiquetzal. There was no choice. She would have died without Sam.
Jack thought he heard Sam calling his name. He saw her behind bars, pleading with him, calling him Jack. The sound and the scene faded. He slowly became aware of a hand stroking his arm. He started awake. “Sam!”
“I’m here, Jack,” her voice was soft. She lifted her face to his. “I’m here.”
“Are you…you?”
Sam laughed slightly. “Yes, I am. I’m sorry, Jack. I had no choice. Xochiquetzal would have died without me.” The joy on his face gave way to serious at the mention of her symbiote. “Jack, there was no other way.”
“She’s there, now.” It was more a statement than a question.
“She’s dormant. She has to rest after the blending. She was extremely weak.”
His eyes closed. He wanted to yell at her for what she had done. At the same time, he wanted to kiss her to reassure himself that she was okay. But was she okay? She had a snake in her head, for crying out loud! His impulses warred with each other.
Sam watched the emotions run through his face – anger, fear, sorrow. She waited quietly until he finished his thought process. The final expression on his face was tender. He looked at her with anguished eyes.
“I’m here, Jack. Xochiquetzal has promised that she will leave me when she is strong enough. She has allowed me access to all of her memories, unlike Jolinar. I trust her. If you trust me, then you have to trust her to put things right.” She could see moisture well up in his eyes as he leaned forward and lightly touched his lips to hers.
Sam leaned into his kiss, increasing the pressure until his lips parted. She slipped her tongue around his open mouth. He groaned as he pulled her tight against him, his tongue greeting hers. She was still here. She was still his.
Jacob and George were talking quietly when the door to Sam’s room opened up. Carmichael had been sitting near the window looking at the scenery. They stood quickly as Jack emerged. “She’s awake.” Atotoztli slipped into the room as Jack left it.
Jacob moved quickly into the room. “Sam!” Atotoztli was fussing over Sam as she helped her sit up with a pillow behind her back.
“Dad! Jack didn’t tell me you were here!”
Jacob went over to hug her. “You look tired, Sammie.”
“A little, Dad. It’s been…different.”
Jacob laughed. He remembered what it was like when Selmac blended with him.
George followed him in. “General Hammond, sir!” Sam’s eyes looked a little wild at the thought of Hammond being here. Jack had been in here with her for hours. What could he be thinking?
“Sam, how are you feeling?” George smiled a paternal smile at her.
“I’ve been better, sir. What are you doing here?”
“I was at the SGC when the call came in that you were out of contact. I decided to stick around and join the mission when Teal’c called for Jack and Jacob.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Jack returned to the room with Teal’c and Daniel in tow. He found Carmichael checking out Sam. He moved over to the bed and sat down next to Sam.
“All her vitals appear normal. Without more sophisticated equipment, I can’t tell you much else.”
Jack nodded at the doctor and Carmichael retreated to the other room.
Sam smiled at the room full of her friends. “I am okay. Xochiquetzal is dormant and resting. She will find a new host as soon as she is strong enough. She is grateful to me for helping her and now she better understands our struggle. We may be able to convince her to help us.”
“Help us how?” Hammond asked.
“Well, for one thing, they have many people willing to be hosts. The Tok’ra needs hosts. There are possibilities in that alone.”
Jacob nodded. “Selmac wants to talk to Xochiquetzal when she is rested.”
George turned to Jack. “Son, there’s food on the table. Why don’t you fix Sam and yourself something to eat? You both look like you could use it.”
Jack nodded and left the room.
General Hammond’s attitude puzzled Sam. He seemed to accept the way Jack was acting. Had something happened?
Jack returned shortly balancing two plates and a couple of cups on a tray. Atotoztli moved to help him with his load.
“Thanks,” he said as she relieved him of the tray. He pulled a chair up close to Sam’s bed as Atotoztli set the tray on the bed between Sam and Jack.
Jacob leaned over carefully to not disturb the tray and kissed Sam on the forehead. “We’ll go and let you two eat.”
Everyone filed out at Jacob’s words leaving Jack and Sam alone.
“What’s General Hammond doing here? Isn’t it a little dangerous for you to be in here with me when he’s out there?”
“Nope. He knows. He’s happy for us.”
“He knows? What about the regs?”
Jack took a mouthful of food. He didn’t realize how hungry he was until he actually saw food. He shook his head, trying to chew before he answered her. It amused him to see her irritation at his stalling.
“The regs don’t apply anymore.”
Her eyes grew wide. There was only one thing he could have done that would mean the regs didn’t apply anymore. “Jack! What have you done?”
“I did what George asked me to do. I resigned.” He shoveled another fork full of food in his mouth as her jaw dropped in disbelief.
“He asked you to resign? How could he do that? How could you do that without talking to me?”
She was not waiting very patiently as he chewed his food. She reached over and snatched his fork away from him.
“Hey!” he protested. “I’m hungry!”
“You can eat when we finish talking about this!”
He had to laugh. He was deliberately tormenting her. He was surprised that she hadn’t smacked him yet.
“Don’t worry, Sam. Your dad and George got their heads together and George went to the President.”
“The President?”
Jack laughed at the similarity between this conversation and his when George told him. “Yes, the President. Anyway, they asked me to resign but offered me a contract with SES.”
“Senior Executive Services? A civilian…doing what?”
“Running the SGC. If Weir could do it, why can’t I?”
Sam’s face broke out in a beautiful smile as the reality of the situation sunk in. He couldn’t help but grin back. She came over the tray of food, sending it flying off the bed, dishes shattering, as she grabbed him. Jack held her close as she kissed his face. He laughed at her enthusiasm. He laughed even harder as everyone ran into the room to see what the noise was.
Sam let go of Jack when she realized she had an audience. She couldn’t help the blush that rose rapidly on her face.
George laughed as he nudged Jacob with his elbow. “I think he told her.”
Jacob nodded seriously. “Yeah, I would say that was the case. But at least he’s not making her giggle.”
“Giggle?”
“Oh, that’s right, I never told you what was so funny the other night…” Jacob noticed the blush rising on Jack’s face now. Jacob winked at him and said, “Later, George.”
“Told her what?” Daniel asked as Teal’c inclined his head in curiosity.
“Oh, you are looking at the new head of the SGC,” George said as he indicated Jack.
Daniel’s confusion was evident. “Uh, sir, he’s already the head of the SGC.”
“Oh, I meant, the new civilian head of the SGC.”
“Civilian?”
“Jack resigned last night and signed a civilian contract to run the SGC.”
“That means…”
“Yeah, that means…”
Teal’c finally put it into words. “That means that O’Neill and Colonel Carter are no longer breaking the regulations.”
Everyone laughed at the Jaffa’s matter of fact delivery.
Atotoztli scurried over to clean up the mess. After realizing that there was nothing wrong except Sam’s exuberance at Jack’s change in job titles, they filed back out, leaving Jack and Sam alone.
“I love you,” Sam said as she pulled him closer to her on the bed.
“And I love you,” he said as he kissed her lightly. He ran a hand through her tousled hair. It came to rest on her cheek; his thumb grazed her lips. “I missed you.”
“I’m sorry you were so worried about me.”
“Who says I was worried? You can take care of yourself.”
“Xochiquetzal told me.”
“Huh,” Jack’s expression was one of shock. “How would she know?”
“When I was unconscious, she could still hear things around me. She told me you were afraid of losing me.”
Jack snorted a short laugh. “Great, first I have to put up with your dad and Selmac teamed up against me and now I have to deal with you and Xochiquetzal! I seem to be seriously outnumbered!”
“Not for long, Jack. Xochiquetzal thinks that is won’t take long for her to get strong enough to change hosts. She said that I am so healthy, it makes it easy for her to regain her strength.”
“Is she still…sleeping?” Jack’s eyes were rather mischievous.
“Yes…Why?”
“Cause I don’t want any witnesses to what I’m about to do to you!”
Sam giggled as Jack pinned her to the bed and started kissing her neck.
Jacob laughed as he heard the giggles coming from Sam’s room. “I think that’s our cue to leave.”
“Yeah, and you still have to tell me what was so funny the other night,” George asked. He was really curious about anything that would make Jack O’Neill blush.
Daniel and Teal’c followed the two men, eavesdropping on their conversation. They had seen Jack’s blush and heard Jacob’s words earlier. Atotoztli smiled as she, too, left the room. She whispered something to the guards standing outside the main door to the quarters. One nodded and moved to stand in front of the door. Their Queen would not be disturbed.
On to Life’s Journey 4: Changes
