Since You Came Back

TITLE: Since You Came Back

AUTHOR: Karen

EMAIL: kesc@e...

RATING: NC-17

SPOILERS: There But for the Grace of God, POV, 100 Days, Shades of Gray, New Ground, 
Maternal Instinct, Crystal Skull, Nemesis, season 4

ARCHIVE: Sam and Jack, Heliopolis 2, SJ Adult 

WARNINGS: Sexual situations.

SUMMARY: While Jack was stranded on Edora, the SGC had a visitor who left
Sam with a little legacy that changed both of their lives. Sequel to "While You Were Gone."

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Stargate SG-1, and I never will. I'm just taking the characters out to play. 
Please, MGM-UA, Showtime Networks, Gekko, and Double Secret, don't sue me. Ya won't get nothin'.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is the promised sequel to "While You Were Gone." Hope everyone likes it. 

Feedback would be appreciated, but it's not necessary (I do love it, though!). Thanks to Ann who helped me come up with the title!

**************************************************

Wednesday afternoon . . .

The unexpected activation of the stargate set the klaxons off.

"Sir," Technician Davis announced, "It's SG-1's signal."

"Open the iris," the general commanded. "What happened this time?" he wondered out loud. At that 

moment, the members of SG-1 came flying through the stargate, landing heavily on the ramp. Colonel 

O'Neill was immediately on his feet.

"Close the iris," he yelled, then he rushed to check on his teammates. They were sitting up slowly, 

Daniel nursing his left elbow. "Daniel, you all right? Teal'c? Carter?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Jack," Daniel answered, "just bruised my elbow."

"I am well," Teal'c said, getting to his feet.

"I'm okay, sir." Sam started to rise and Jack moved to her side, taking her arm to help her up. 

"Thank you, sir." Sam smiled up at him, making his heart beat even faster than it was, and his hand 

lingered on her arm. Then General Hammond's voice came over the intercom.

"Go on to the infirmary for your physicals, debriefing in ninety minutes." General Hammond dismissed 

them, and they wearily trudged to the infirmary.

An hour and a half later, they were seated in the briefing room explaining to the general why they had 

returned several hours early and in a great hurry.

************

It was Friday night and Sam was trying to give Lizzie a bath before the Colonel came over to pick them 

up for Janet's Christmas party. She was failing miserably. Now six months old, Lizzie was more interested 

in splashing water, and it was impeding Sam's progress tremendously.

"C'mon, Lizzie, Jack's on his way over right now to see you." She picked up the cup she used to rinse 

Lizzie's hair and poured water over her head. Lizzie squealed and laughed and splashed even harder. 

"Okay, I give." Sam lifted Lizzie out of the bathtub and wrapped her in a towel. 

"You're clean enough." Sam looked down at her wet jeans and tee shirt. "And so am I, NOW!" 

Lizzie just laughed at her mother. 

Sam started to carry Lizzie into her room to dress her, when the doorbell rang. "Well, guess who that 
is, Miss Lizzie! I'll bet it's Jack come to see you!" Sam carried Lizzie with her to answer the door. 

She was right, it was Jack, looking gorgeous as usual, all dressed in black.

"Hello Sam," he greeted her. "Hi Lizzie." Lizzie started squealing and reaching for him.

"Hi, sir, come on in, it's cold out there." She hustled Jack inside and closed the door quickly.

Jack took off his jacket and laid it across the back of a chair. He then took Lizzie from Sam's arms. 

"Wow, somebody just had a bath." 

Looking at Sam's wet state, he amended that. "Looks like two somebodies just had a bath." His eyes 

widened a little at the state of Sam's tee shirt. It was white, and the water had rendered it all but 

transparent. It was clinging in some interesting places. He swallowed and turned away to try and keep 

from staring. He focused his attention on Lizzie.

"She loves to splash in the bath," Sam said with a laugh. 
"I'll dress her, then I'll change into some dry clothes."

"I'll dress her, Sam," Jack offered.

"Okay, if you don't mind," she answered, smiling. She knew he loved taking care of Lizzie.

"You know I don't." Jack carried Lizzie into her room. Sam had already laid out her clothes on the changing table and all he had to do was dress her in them. Jack diapered her and then dressed her in a little red sweatsuit with a fuzzy Santa face on it and put little green socks on her feet.

Meanwhile, Sam had gone into her room to change her wet clothes. She had learned the hard way not to wear anything she didn't mind getting wet when she bathed Lizzie. When she was a tiny newborn, it hadn't been so bad, but now that she was getting older, she loved to play in the water, and did so with abandon. She really threw herself into it.

Sam took off her wet clothes and dressed in the black pants and red turtlenecked sweater she'd laid out 
earlier. She ran a comb through her hair and quickly applied a little make up. There, that was better. Then she shrugged. She didn't know why she bothered, the Colonel had seen her covered in mud from her toes to her eyeballs. But, still . . .

Sam left the bedroom and went into the living room where the Colonel and Lizzie were holding an 

interesting, if somewhat one-sided conversation. She stopped and watched them. He really loved Lizzie, 

and he was thrilled that her eyes were changing from blue to brown. 

As far as Sam could see, that was the only thing that resembled him, or rather his alternate self. Not that it mattered to Jack. He considered himself Lizzie's father, and in every way except conception, he was.

". . . and you know what your mom did then? She got the idea to take the Stargate so that we could get off the Asgard ship." Lizzie was standing up on his lap, holding on to his fingers, grinning at him, showing all four of her teeth.

Sam cleared her throat and he turned to look at her. "Isn't that classified information, sir?" Sam chuckled. "Come to think of it, Lizzie's classified, too, so I guess it's all right to tell her."

Jack hefted the baby up into his arms and stood. Even dressed so simply, Sam was absolutely beautiful. 

Hell, in her fatigues, covered in mud from head to toe, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He thought of things he'd like to say, about how beautiful she was and how much he cared for her, then sternly squashed them down. It wouldn't do for him to say stuff like that to her. It'd be a terrible breach of rotocol, she'd probably run screaming from the room and bring him up on charges. 

He settled for saying, "You ready Major?"

"Just let me get Lizzie's diaper bag and her snowsuit." Sam did so and grabbed her own coat, shrugging it on. She took Lizzie from Jack and bundled her into the snowsuit, which excited the little girl, because she knew they were going somewhere. She loved to ride in the car.

Handing a now snowsuited Lizzie to Jack, she grabbed the diaper bag and her purse. With Jack leading the way, they went out to his car, Jack buckling Lizzie into her carseat. She'd outgrown the infant carseat, and Jack had bought carseats for both his and Sam's cars. When Sam had protested that they didn't need two carseats, Jack had pointed out that this was more convenient than having to move the carseat from her car to his. He'd had a point, and she hadn't said anything else.

The traffic between Sam's apartment and Janet's house was fairly heavy, so it took them about thirty 
minutes to get there. All the way there, Jack joked and teased Sam, enjoying hearing her laugh. The 
ride passed quickly, and before they knew it, they were pulling up in front of Janet's house. There were 
already quite a few cars parked along the street, and Sam recognized Daniel's old Volvo pulled up along-
side Janet's Honda. Gathering up Lizzie and her belongings, Jack and Sam made their way to the front 
door and rang the doorbell. The sound of laughter and Christmas music could be heard through the door. 
Daniel answered the door.

"Hi, guys!" he exclaimed, reaching for Lizzie, who happily went to her 'Uncle Daniel.' "We were beginning 
to think you weren't going to make it." 

He held the door open for them and they came inside. "We set up Lizzie's playpen over there," he pointed to an area which was near enough to the action that she wouldn't feel left out, and far enough away that she wouldn't feel crowded. Janet kept a playpen for Lizzie at her house since both she and Sam were frequent visitors.

Taking Lizzie from Daniel, she went into the bedroom at the rear of the first floor and took off Lizzie's 
snowsuit and checked that she was dry. Then, pulling a toy out of her diaper bag, she took Lizzie back 
into the living room and put her in the playpen where she happily played with her toy.

Sam accepted a glass of punch from Jack, and excusing herself went into the kitchen to find Janet.

"Hi, Janet," Sam greeted her. Janet turned from her task at the sink and smiled at Sam.

"Hi, yourself!" Janet reached for a paper towel and dried her hands off. "Did you just get here?"

"Yes, we did," Sam said, leaning against the counter. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, I've got everything under control." Janet indicated the door. "Let's go into the living room and enjoy
the party." Janet led the way, and she and Sam joined Jack, Daniel and Teal'c standing next to the 
fireplace, which was the best place in the room to watch Lizzie and still socialize. 

Janet walked up beside Daniel and his arm came around her shoulder. Sam and Jack shot surreptitious looks at each other, surprised at this development, but since neither Janet nor Daniel said anything about it, they said nothing either.

"Have you guys seen the Christmas tree yet?" Daniel asked. "We decorated it last night."

There was that 'we' again. "No," Sam answered. "Where is it this year?" Janet tended to put the tree 
in a different room every year.

"It's in the family room," Janet said. The family room was at the back of the house off the kitchen. 
"Why don't you and Jack go see it? We'll keep an eye on Lizzie."

Sam glanced over at her daughter who was chewing on her toy, drool running down her chin. She 
seemed to be perfectly happy where she was.

"Okay," Sam said. "Sir?" She looked at her CO and smiled. Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure, why not?" Indicating for Sam to lead the way, he followed her back to the family room. Janet's 
Christmas tree was huge. It had to be at least nine feet tall and it was about five feet in diameter. 
The only lights in the room were the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree.

"Damn!" Jack exclaimed. "How did they get it in here?" The room was huge, but the doors were 
normal sized.

"I'd say Teal'c probably did most of the work," Sam answered. She walked further into the room and gazed at the tree. "I always wanted a tree like this when I was a kid." Jack saw the wistful look on her face, then he glanced up. Unbeknownst to her, Sam was standing directly under a rather large ball of mistletoe. Jack walked over and stood beside her.

"Sam, look up." He pointed directly over her head. She did as he directed, her eyes widening at the sight 
of the mistletoe. Her eyes went quickly to his face, and she saw a little smile on his lips.

"May I?" Jack asked. At her nod, he bent his head toward hers and gently touched his lips to hers. It was meant to be just a quick kiss, a soft touching of his lips to hers, but at the feel of her soft sweet mouth under his, that intention went flying out of his head. His arms slid around her, his right hand sliding up to cradle the back of her head, his left sliding down her back to rest at her waist. Her lips parted under his, inviting him inside, and it was sweet, so sweet. Her arms went around him, her hands clutching his shirt, holding him close. They strained into each other, trying to get as close as possible. 

When they finally broke apart, they looked into each other's eyes, breathing heavily, a little shocked at 
the intensity of the kiss, but neither one letting go of the other.

"Sam . . .I . . ." he was at a loss for words.

"Jack," she whispered, almost inaudibly.

Jack cleared his throat and swallowed. "We need to talk." She nodded, not taking her eyes off of his. 
Their heads moved together again, their lips meeting, this kiss not as intense as the first, but just as sweet. When the kiss ended this time, they stepped apart.

"We'd better get back to the party," Sam said softly. Jack nodded in agreement.

"Yes," he said and taking, her hand, they walked back into the living room together.

************

Daniel and Janet both noticed how quiet Sam was after she and Jack had come back from looking at the 
Christmas tree. She spent most of the rest of the night in a chair by Lizzie's playpen. Janet tried to get 
her to talk, but she couldn't get her to say anything. Janet had a suspicion of what had happened, but 
she couldn't just come out and say, "Did Jack kiss you in the family room?" Knowing Sam, she would clam 
up even more. No, she would just have to wait until Sam was willing to talk about it on her own.

Jack, on the other hand, went in the opposite direction. He became the life of the party. He talked, 
laughed, and joked. Every so often he would look over at Sam and Lizzie and a thoughtful look would 
come over his face, but he quickly hid it. No one noticed except Janet and Daniel.

Later on in the evening, Sam took a fussy Lizzie into the back bedroom to give her a bottle. It would 
soon be time take her home to bed. She sat there quietly in a rocking chair, cuddling her daughter as 
she drank her bottle. The incident in the family room had shaken her up. It was all so confusing. 

When he'd kissed her it had felt like the world turned upside down. She'd never wanted it to end. And 
that was definitely not good. Not good at all. In the past year, she and the Colonel had gotten closer, 
they'd become better friends. At least she'd thought they had. Had she only been fooling herself? Had 
the feelings for him that she'd realized she'd had when he'd been missing on Edora come back? Or had 
they never left at all, merely lying dormant? She really needed to get it all straightened out in her head. 
Jack had been right. They needed to talk.

Jack had seen Sam take Lizzie and head for the bedroom. After giving her a few minutes with the baby, 
he slipped away from the party and followed her. It was getting late, and he knew that Sam would be 
ready to take Lizzie home soon. He was ready to leave, too. Jack reached the bedroom and looked in 
the doorway at Sam rocking Lizzie. The kiss he and Sam had shared had shaken him up. 

He had enjoyed it too much, felt too much, and the bad part was, he wanted to do it again and again. 
It was wrong. What had happened was strictly against regulations, but it didn't change the way he felt. 
Jack damned the regulations that kept them apart. Fighting against the impulse to walk into the room 
and put his arms around them, Jack cleared his throat and spoke.

"Sam, are you ready to go?" Sam looked up, her face in the shadows. "Yes, Lizzie's tired." Sam stood 
and laid the baby on the bed and slipped her sleepy little body into her snowsuit. Jack walked over to 
the bed and picked up his coat and shrugged it on. Then he picked up Sam's and held it for her while 
she put it on. Standing behind her, smelling her perfume, he felt that now familiar surge of desire for 
her. He fought it down, turning to pick up the now sleeping Lizzie. Holding her against his shoulder, he
followed Sam out to the living room where they said their goodbyes.

The drive back to Sam's apartment was made in silence, neither one quite knowing what to say to the 
other, afraid of saying the wrong thing. When they arrived, they carried Lizzie in and Sam got her ready 
for bed. Jack kissed the baby good night, then he and Sam went into the living room.

"Would you like some coffee?" Sam asked hesitantly, torn between wanting him to say yes and stay a 
while longer and hoping he would go ahead and leave.

"No, I think I need to go on home," he replied. "Sam, about what happened-"

"Yes." She looked at him and bit her lip. That small gesture made him want to pull her into his arms, 
but he restrained himself.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen." He thrust his hands into his pockets and half turned 
from her. "I just got kinda carried away. I won't let anything like that happen again."

His words hurt her. She wasn't sure of what she'd wanted him to say, but it certainly wasn't that.

"It's all right, sir," she said softly, glad that Lizzie was sleeping in the next room. Her throat felt like there 
was a knot in it and she could barely speak above a whisper.

"Thanks. Well, I need to go." He turned and walked toward the door, Sam following along behind. He reached the door and opened it, turning to look at her. "Night, Sam."

She was glad the light was dim so that he couldn't see the sparkle of tears in her eyes. "Good night, sir." He gave her a slight smile, then walked through the door. She closed the door behind him just as two tears made their way slowly down her face.

************

Jack didn't go straight home after he left Sam's. He felt in need of a drink, and he stopped by a bar. After ordering a whiskey, he thought back over everything that had happened that night. He really hadn't meant to kiss her like that. He was just going to give her a friendly peck, but once he felt her lips against his, all thought flew out of his head. He downed the whiskey and ordered another one. After he'd downed about five drinks, he'd decided that he needed to find another woman, and the one at the end of the bar looked pretty good to him. She was as opposite Sam Carter in looks as a woman could be, dark hair, dark eyes, and petite. Just the ticket to put a tall, blue-eyed blonde out of his mind. He walked around the bar and struck up a conversation with her.

************

Sam didn't sleep much that night, tossing and turning until the sun finally came up. Wearily, 
she got up, showered, and dressed before Lizzie woke. She even managed to work in a cup of coffee. After bathing and dressing Lizzie, she made a decision about Jack, and called Janet to ask for a favor.

The phone rang four times, then a man answered it. "Hello," he said sleepily.

"Daniel?" Sam asked. "Good morning, is Janet up?"

"Uh, yeah, Sam, uh, hold on." She heard Daniel tell Janet that it was her, then Janet was on the phone.

"Good morning, Sam," she greeted a little sleepily. "What's up?"

"I hate to bother you Janet, but could you watch Lizzie for a while this morning? I have an important errand I need to run," Sam told her.

"Sure, Sam, I'd love to take care of Lizzie for you. Bring her on over," Janet said.

"Thanks, Janet. I owe you one." Sam hung up the phone and bundled Lizzie into her snowsuit. After throwing a few things into Lizzie's diaper bag and putting a few baby bottles into a thermal bag, Sam and Lizzie set off for Janet's house.

************

After dropping Lizzie off at Janet's house, Sam set off for Jack's. The traffic was starting to get pretty heavy, it being just a few weeks before Christmas and the holiday shoppers were on the road. Twenty minutes later, she pulled up behind Jack's car, which was parked somewhat haphazardly in his driveway. She got out and went up the walk to the door and rang the bell, but there was no answer. She rang again, but still there was no answer. Thinking he must be in the shower, she used the key he'd given her and let herself into the house. It was very quiet, and she didn't hear the sound of water running. 

Curious, she went toward the back of the house where Jack's bedroom was. Sam walked down the hallway until she came to his bedroom door, which was open. She stepped through the door and she stopped.

Jack was there, and so was some woman, draped all over him. They were obviously both naked under the sheet. Sam gasped and reached out to grab the edge of the dresser, knocking over Jack's hockey stick with a loud clatter.

Jack was jerked out of a sound sleep by a loud clattering noise. He sat straight up in bed and looked around the room for the source of the noise and found it.

"Sam," he said, clearly confused. "What are you doing here?" He looked down beside him and saw 
the woman lying next to him. "What-?" He looked up at Sam's pale, blank face. "Oh, shit!" Sam 
turned and left, and Jack jumped out of bed, dragging the sheet with him, wrapping it around himself, racing after Sam.

"Sam, wait." The ends of the sheet kept tripping him up and by the time he got to the door, she was gone, her car speeding down the street. Slumping against the doorframe, he held his aching head in 
his hands. His companion from the evening before came into the living room buttoning up her blouse.

"Who the hell was that?" Judy or Julie or whatever her name was, asked. "Your girlfriend?"

"A friend." He moved over to the sofa and sank down on it. "Real stupid, Jack. You haven't lost your touch." He looked over at the woman he'd picked up in the bar the night before. "I think you'd better leave." The woman's eyes narrowed. She was clearly pissed.

"I'll be glad to, you asshole, only I left my car at the bar." She stood there with her arms folded, her 
foot tapping.

Jack moved to the telephone. "I'll call a cab for you." He dialled and requested that they send a cab 
to his address. "It'll be here in a few minutes."

"You can pay for it," Judy/Julie said, going back into the bedroom to get the rest of her things. By the time she had all her stuff and was completely dressed, the cab had arrived. Jack had dressed, too, in 
the meantime, and had gone out and given the driver the money and a tip for her ride home. She came out of the house and got in the cab. She had one more parting shot before she left. 

"Oh, by the way, the sex wasn't even good. Why don't you just go back to Sam, or whatever her 
name was that you kept calling me last night." With that, she told the driver to take her home and 
they sped away.

After she left, Jack rushed back into the house and grabbed his keys and jacket. He jumped into his 
car and headed for Sam's. He didn't know what he was going to say to her, but he just knew he had 
to see her, to try to explain. If she'd let him. Which she probably wouldn't. Dammit! Why did this have 
to happen? Why did he have to do something so damn stupid? 

Why did he have to hurt the woman he loved?

Jack gripped the steering wheel tightly. Yeah, he loved her, he finally admitted to himself. He had for a while now. He loved Lizzie, too. Both of them had become his world, and with one stupid, irresponsible act he may have destroyed that world. Instead of facing his emotions head-on, he'd denied they existed. Well, you get what you deserve, and he obviously deserved to be miserable.

He arrived at her apartment, but her car wasn't in the parking lot. Wracking his still hungover brain, he tried to think of where she would have gone. Janet's name popped into his mind, and he pealed out of the parking lot and headed toward her house. If Sam wasn't there, Janet would probably know where she had gone.

**********

After Sam left Jack's house, she just drove, not even registering where she was until she pulled into Janet's driveway. She was numb. She got out of the car and walked up the sidewalk. All she wanted to do was hold her daughter. Janet was waiting at the door for her, having seen her drive up. She took one look at Sam's pale, expressionless face and diagnosed shock.

Taking Sam by the arm, she pulled her into the house and led her to the kitchen. Janet sat her down at the table and poured her a cup of coffee.

"What happened, Sam?" Janet asked. "You went to Jack's didn't you?" She sat down opposite Sam.

"Yes." Sam picked up the cup and took a sip. "He had company, so I left." Sam lifted her eyes from the table and looked at Janet. They weren't expressionless now. They were filled with pain.

"A woman." Janet's heart felt like it would break for her friend. Sam nodded.

"After last night-" Sam couldn't finish. She took a deep breath, and continued. "I needed to talk to him."

"About what happened in the family room?" Janet asked. She known something had happened by the way they'd acted when they'd come back.

"We kissed." Sam picked up her spoon and stirred her coffee. "When he took Lizzie and me home last night, he said it was a mistake and it would never happen again. I know why now."

"This other woman?" She asked just as Daniel came into the kitchen carrying Lizzie.

"What's the matter?" he asked, looking from Janet to Sam.

"We'll talk about it later, Daniel. Right now, I think Sam needs to lie down. I don't think she got much sleep last night." Rising from the table, she put her hand on her friend's shoulder. "C'mon, honey, I'll give you something to help you sleep. You'll feel better." She put her arm around Sam. "Daniel, take Lizzie back into the living room." Nodding, Daniel obliged, and Janet led Sam upstairs.

************

When Janet came downstairs, she asked Cassie to watch Lizzie, then she took Daniel into the family room and told him what had happened. "Poor Sam," he said. "I didn't even know Jack was seeing someone."

"It's more likely that she's someone he picked up in a bar," Janet said. "He's been spending all of his downtime with Sam and Lizzie, doesn't give him much time for dating."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Daniel agreed with her assessment. "Sounds like something Jack would do, get his emotions worked up, get drunk, and pick up some bimbo in a bar." He sighed, then reached over and pulled Janet into his arms, hugging her close. "You are a good friend." He leaned down and kissed her. When the doorbell rang, Janet pulled away.

"Odds are that's Jack," she said, and Daniel agreed. They went back into the living room where Cassie had opened the door. It was Jack, and he looked rather the worse for wear.

"I saw Sam's car outside," he said. "I need to see her."

"Jack, she's asleep." Daniel moved between Jack and the stairs. "I really don't think she wants to see 
you anyway. At least not right now."

Cassie came over with Lizzie in her arms. The baby was thrilled to see Jack and reached out for him. He took her into his arms and kissed her soft little cheek, hugging her close.

"Hi, Lizzie," he whispered, stroking the baby's back. He looked back at Daniel and Janet. "Can I stay until she wakes up?"

"I don't think so, Jack," Daniel answered. "Sam will get in touch with you if she wants to talk."

Jack looked at him with narrowed eyes, then handed Lizzie back over to Janet. "Okay," he said, giving in. "Tell her I want to see her, to explain."

"I will," Janet promised. "But whether she gets in touch with you is up to her."

Jack nodded. "All right." He reached out and stroked Lizzie's cheek. "Bye, Lizzie, be a good girl." He looked over at Daniel and Janet. "Bye." Jack turned and walked out the door.

************

Monday morning - SGC . . .

Jack entered the control room where Sam was supervising the retrieval of the MALP and UAV survey. He stood there a moment looking at her. She was without a doubt, the most beautiful woman he'd ever known, as well as being brilliant, kind, and loving. He thought about beautiful little Lizzie who wouldn't exist except for Sam's kind heart. At that moment Lieutenant Simmons turned around and saw him.

"Colonel O'Neill, sir." Simmons saluted and Jack returned the salute. At the sound of his name Sam's back had stiffened, then she turned to look at Jack. Her pale face and the dark circles under her eys struck at his heart. "Major," he said in greeting.

"Sir." She nodded to him.

"May I speak with you for a minute, Major Carter?" Jack asked.

Sam glanced at Simmons, then back at Jack. He knew that if the lieutenant hadn't been there she would have refused to speak with him. For once he was glad of Simmons' presence.

"Yes, sir." He could hear the reluctance in her voice. She rose from her seat in front of the computer monitor and followed him into the currently empty briefing room. Jack closed the door behind them and leaned against it, effectively preventing her from leaving. She'd known this was coming, and she'd been dreading it. 

"Sam," Jack began, "about what happened--"

She interrupted him, saying coldly and professionally, "Sir, your personal life is your own business. It has nothing to do with me."

Jack opened his mouth to speak again, when a knock sounded on the door. Turning, he opened it. 
It was Lieutenant Simmons.

"Uh, excuse me, sir," he said looking from Jack to Sam. "Dr. Jackson needs Major Carter back in the control room."

"Excuse me, Colonel O'Neill." Sam quickly left the room, followed by Simmons.

"Dammit," Jack muttered. It looked like what he wanted to say was going to have to wait. Jack 
wandered back into the control room and listened to Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c discuss the ruins the UAV found on the planet. Then came the mission briefing, and, finally, they geared up for the mission. It was an overnighter, during which time Jack hoped he'd get a chance to talk to Sam.

************

"Chevron seven, locked," came the tech's voice over the loudspeaker. SG-1 waited for General Hammond's go ahead, and when it was given, stepped through the event horizon to P2T-123.

"Well, campers, big surprise," Jack said. "Trees!"

"Jack, the UAV showed the ruins to be over in this direction about two miles." 

Daniel pointed to their right.

"Okay, Danny-boy, let's get at it. I'll take lead, Carter has point, and Teal'c, you cover our sixes," 
Jack ordered. "That path looks like it's had recent use, so let's keep our eyes open. Can't be too 
careful." They set off for the ruins. They had only gone about a mile, when they realized they were 
being watched.

"Carter," Jack said softly, slowing down so she could catch up. "We're being watched."

"Yes, sir." She came up beside him and they walked side by side.

"Tell Daniel and Teal'c to head on back to the 'gate and dial up home. You and I'll circle around and 
lose these guys," he directed, still speaking softly. "Tell Daniel to use the spare GDO on the MALP to 
send the signal."

"Yes, sir." Sam fell back and drew up even with Daniel, giving him and Teal'c the instructions that Jack had given her. "We'll be right behind you."

"Okay," Daniel said, for once not arguing about the importance of the find, and he and Teal'c diverged off into the woods, then headed back toward the stargate. 
Sam picked up the pace and caught up with Jack.

"They're on their way, sir," she told him, trying to appear nonchalant and unsuspecting.

"Good." He slowed to a stop. "Play along, Major, we're gonna be decoys."
He put his arms around her and she stiffened.

"Sir," she whispered, but he interrupted her.

"Major," he whispered back, his mouth against her ear, "we've gotta make these guys believe that we don't know they're out there, you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes, sir." Yes, she did understand. They would be pretending to have a tryst, walk off into the woods, then they'd take off back toward the gate. Appearing to relax, she leaned against him and let it appear that he led her into the woods. As soon as they judged that they were out of sight of their observers, they quickly began to head back toward the gate.

But they didn't make it.

************

Never had a post-mission physical seemed to take so long. Both Daniel and Teal'c were itching to get back down to the embarkation room to wait for Sam's and Jack's return from P2T-123. Janet got them through as quickly as she could, but there was only so much she could do to speed up the process. Finally, they were done.

They stood in the control room and waited. And kept on waiting. But the wait was in vain.

************

Sam and Jack were halfway back to the stargate when they were jumped by what appeared to be a team of ancient Roman soldiers carrying spears. Had they not been hampered by their heavy field 
packs, they might have had a chance of getting away, but sheer numbers and the inability to move quickly enough took their toll. They were trapped and taken prisoner, their weapons taken away, and quick marched back to the stargate. They 'gated to the soldiers' homeworld, the culture of which appeared to be an offshoot of the ancient Roman Empire and were taken to what appeared to be some sort of garrison.

"You will wait here until Commander Aurelius has the time to deal with you," the leader of the team of soldiers told them after locking them in what could only be termed a holding cell. He then left, placing one of his men as a guard.

"Dammit!" Jack exclaimed, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. "Now what else could possibly go wrong." He blamed himself for their capture. He knew he hadn't been concentrating fully, or else they would have never been taken.

"Sir, if these people are descended from the ancient Romans, then we'll be probably be made slaves," Sam said. "They didn't waste a useful resource like free labor."

"Great," he said sarcastically. "Just what I always wanted to be, free labor." He started looking around the cell, trying to see if there was any possible way out. 
"Got any magic tricks up your sleeve, Sam?" he asked ruefully.

"I'm sorry, not this time, sir." She leaned against the wall. "The Biliskner seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?" "Yeah, it does." He leaned beside her, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry, Sam."

"Sir, it's not your fault we were captured," she said, but he shook his head.

"Well, I am sorry about that, but I'm also sorry about the other night. I did something stupid, and I hurt you." He pulled his hand out of his pocket and took hers. "I hope that someday you'll forgive me."

"There's really nothing to forgive, sir. It's not my place to judge your personal life." Sam looked up from her perusal of the floor and into his eyes. "It's not like we have that type of relationship." 

"Sam." Jack cupped his hand against her cheek, then he put his arms around her and drew her close. She stood there in his embrace for a moment, then her arms came around him, her head resting on his shoulder. He sighed deeply. "I love you, Sam."

She froze, then pulled back in his arms, stunned. "What did you say?"

"I love you. And I love Lizzie." He pulled her back into his arms. "The last few days have been killing me. I stand to lose everything I love again. I really don't think I could take it a second time."

"But what about that woman?" Sam was sure she had to mean something to him.

"I'm ashamed to say, I don't even know her name. I got drunk and picked her up in a bar."

"A bar?" Sam was surprised. It wasn't the type of thing he'd do normally.

"Yeah." Jack really wasn't happy with himself about that, it was probably one of the stupidest things 
he'd ever done. "Dumb, huh?"

"Yes, very dumb." Sam pulled away from him, and sat down on the floor of their cell, leaning against the wall. "But, then, we all do dumb things." She thought about what he'd said, that he loved her, but he didn't say he was *in* love with her like she was in love with him.

"Yeah, but I seem to make a habit of it." Jack sat down next to her. "Falling in love with a woman who's not in love with me, then sleeping with a bimbo I picked up in a bar to try to prove that I could get over it has to be the ultimate in dumb." He leaned his head back against the wall

"Yeah," Sam agreed, then she realized what he'd said. "Falling in love. ..?" She looked at him in curious amazement. "Are you in love with me, sir?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry, Sam, I know it's awkward-" Whatever else he was about to say was cut off by her mouth on his. His arms automatically came around her and held her close, his lips parting hers. It was just as good as he remembered. When their lips finally parted, Sam looked into his eyes and smiled.

"I'm in love with you, too." She leaned her forehead against his. "I have been for quite some time."

"You have?" he asked, stunned. "Why?"

"Why are you in love with me?" she countered, stroking his cheek.

"Sam, have you ever looked in a mirror?" he asked incredulous at her question. "You're beautiful and smart and good. Hell, you're damn near perfect!" Jack lifted his hand and ran it through her hair. "I just don't know what you could see in me."

"Jack," she started, but the door opened and one of their guards came inside, stopping short when he saw them sitting on the floor with their arms around each other.

"Commander Aurelius will see you now," he said. Sam and Jack rose from the floor and went with him, their hands remaining clasped. 

The commander was standing with his back to the door. At the sound of it closing behind the guard, he turned and looked at them. He was a tall man, almost as tall as the colonel, with a receding hairline, thin lips, and classic Roman nose. He was dressed in an outfit that could have come straight out of "Ben-Hur."

"So, you were found on the path to our former outpost. Who are you? Where are you from? Why were you there?" he asked.

"I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill and this is Major Samantha Carter. We're peaceful explorers from the planet earth," Jack told him. "Look, we're not interested in starting some kind of conflict here, we're just-"

"Quiet!" Aurelius said, then he looked at Sam and smiled. "You are a very beautiful woman. The women of your world are explorers, also?"

Sam glanced at Jack and he nodded, giving her permission to answer. "Yes, there are women explorers from my world. Where we come from women can do whatever they wish to do."

"Interesting." He rubbed his chin and regarded the two standing in front of him. "Your world sends out wedded couples as teams?"

"Well, no-" Sam started to say, then Jack jumped in.
"Not all the time, but they do when they can," he finished, looking at her in warning. She nodded.

"Yes," she said, taking a cue from Jack. "When possible, they do that."

"And your children?" Aurelius asked curiously.

"She's being taken care of by friends," Jack answered. Aurelius nodded.

"I too have a daughter. Her name is Marella." Aurelius indicated a portrait hanging on the wall. It showed a pretty dark-haired young girl.

"She's a beautiful girl. I'm sure you're very proud of her," Sam said softly.

"Yes . . .Now, what to do with you." He looked at them thoughtfully, 
as if carefully considering his options.

"Commander Aurelius, we really are just peaceful explorers. If we weren't, then the men who brought us here would be dead," Jack told him. "Our weapons are much more advanced than yours."

"If you are peaceful, then why do you carry weapons?" he asked.

"Not everyone we encounter are peaceful," Sam explained. "We have to have some means to 
protect ourselves."

"I would like a demonstration of your weapons." He flicked his hand at one of the guards, who came forward and took Sam by the arm, putting the spear he was holding under her chin. He nodded at the other who brought Jack's HK and handed it to him.

"I can't shoot this in here, somebody might get hurt." Jack kept looking uneasily at the guard who was holding Sam.

"Then we will go to a more appropriate venue." Aurelius led the way to what appeared to be an archery range. Jack made note of the targets, lifted the gun, and proceeded to completely obliterate the them.

Aurelius raised an eyebrow at the display. "For a 'peaceful' people, you create very 
destructive weapons."

"Yeah, well, with some of the goons we've encountered, we've needed 'em," Jack said, laying the weapon down on the ground. He didn't want to give that guard an excuse to skewer Sam with that spear. "If we didn't have these, we'd've been goa'uld bait long before this."

Aurelius lost his cool pose. "You know of the goa'uld?"

"Yeah." Jack and Sam exchanged a look. "You guys run into 'em before?"

"Yes." A strange look passed over Aurelius' face. "They are our mortal enemies." 

"Then we have something in common," Sam said. "They're our mortal enemies, too. We've been fighting them for the last four years."

"Our people have been fighting the goa'uld for generations." Aurelius motioned for the guard to let Sam go. "Many of our people have been taken by them to be possessed by their demons." A look of pain came over Aurelius' face. "My daughter was one of them."

Sam's heart went out to him. If something like that happened to Lizzie, she would be devastated. "I'm so sorry. One of our friends lost his wife to the goa'uld. She's dead now."

"If your people would be interested in an alliance, we'd be honored," Jack offered. "We can share our information and we may be able to share some of our technology, too."

"Your world would agree to this?" Aurelius asked, bemused by the offer.

"Oh, yes." Sam said enthusiastically. "We have many alliances along the stargate system."

I will think about this. I would be pleased if you would join me for the evening meal," Aurelius invited.

"Thank you, we'd appreciate that." Sam flashed her beautiful smile at him. Aurelius offered her his arm and she took it, Jack following along behind.

************

After dinner, Jack and Sam were shown to their room, which was a far cry from the cell in which they'd been held when they were first brought there. It was very luxurious by any standards, but Sam was so tired she was sure she could have slept on a concrete floor.

"Wow, deluxe accommodations," Jack commented when the door had closed.

"It's very nice," Sam said, then a huge yawn almost dislocated her jaw. "I'm really tired." At a knock on the door a two women came in carrying large pots of hot water.

"Master Aurelius sent this for you to cleanse yourselves," the older of the two said. Then she bowed and left the room.

Sam walked over and cautiously put a finger into one of the pots. "It's just water, Jack." She turned and smiled. "I think I'll get cleaned up before I go to sleep."

"Sure, me, too." Jack walked over and poured some of the water into a basin. "You go first."

Jack walked back over to the bed and sat down to remove his boots. As he did so, he watched Sam remove her jacket, then her tee shirt, leaving her in her black sports bra. Since she had stopped nursing Lizzie, her breasts had returned to their normal size, which as far as Jack was concerned, was just fine.

He watched as she splashed the water over her face, then she wet the cloth that was lying on the table with the basin. When she finished, she poured the water down a cistern, then she poured more water into the basin for Jack.

"Your turn," she said with a smile. Jack went over to the table and performed his own ablutions while Sam finished undressing and climbed under the bedcovers. When he finished he walked back over to the bed, and looked down at Sam who was asleep. Smiling at the sight, he stripped off the remainder of his clothes, pulled back the covers, and crawled in beside her. 

Spooning her close to his side, he settled in and, soon, he too was asleep.

************

Jack woke slowly, easing from sleep. There was a tickle on his nose, and he opened his eyes to find his face buried in a head of blonde hair. The owner of said blonde hair was snuggled securely in his arms, still sound asleep. He lay there, feeling her warmth in his arms, listening to her breathe. He could tell when she started to wake up because the rhythm of her breathing changed. When she finally opened her eyes and looked into his, he leaned over and kissed her.

"Good morning," he said softly.

Sam smiled shyly. "Good morning." She shifted in his arms, turning from her back to her side, lying facing him. "How did you sleep?"

"Good. The best I've slept in a long time," he answered, truthfully. "You?"

"I slept great." She leaned forward and kissed him. "Do you think Aurelius is going to agree to an alliance with the SGC and let us go?"

"Hope so," Jack said. "We need to get home soon, or Hammond will lock our code out of the computer." Sam bent her head and rested it against his chest. Jack rolled her over onto her back and leaned over her. "Hey, we're goin' home today, no matter what, okay?"

"Okay." Her hands slid down his back and he shivered under her touch. She could feel his muscles shifting under her hands, and she twined her leg around his. "It's a while before we have to get up."

"Mm hmm." Jack leaned in and kissed her, parting her lips and caressing her tongue with his. He slid his hand to her breast, cupping it, then moved his hand downwards, past her navel, sliding into her folds, caressing the swollen nub. She moaned into his mouth, moving sensually beneath him, loving the feel of his hands on her body. Her hips bucked against his hand, and she felt as if her body was coming apart.

Wrenching her mouth away from his she gasped, "Please, Jack, I want you inside me, now. Please . . ."

Willing to please, Jack moved between her thighs, paused, then sank into her warmth. Wrapping her legs around him, Sam urged him deeper inside her, sighing in pleasure when he complied. He moved slowly, then the rhythm of his thrusts increased, Sam meeting him thrust for thrust. His hands slid underneath her hips, angling them so he could thrust even deeper, increasing the pleasure for both of them. When Sam came, she screamed his name, her body arching under his and tightening around him, pulling him along for the ride.

Afterward they lay exhausted and sated in each other's arms, neither one of them ready to let the other go just yet, kissing softly. 

"We should have done that a long time ago," Sam said, her lips against Jack's throat.

"You know . . ." Jack began to say something then stopped.

"Yes?" Sam pulled her head back and looked into his face.

"I almost went to your apartment that night after we got back from our 'adventure' at Hathor's fake SGC." Jack smiled slightly. "I wish I had now."

"Me, too." Then Sam frowned, remembering something her alternate had told her. "That's when it 
started for them."

"Them?" Jack asked curiously.

"Our alternates." At his questioning look, she clarified. "Lizzie's original parents."

"Really?" Then it dawned on him. "You mean, if we had . . .then Lizzie would be . . .?"

Sam shrugged. "It's possible."

Jack looked confused. "You know, this alternate reality stuff gives me a headache."

Sam smiled, then she rolled him over onto his back and lay on top of him. "Well, you know what the best cure for a headache is." She nipped his ear and he trembled.

"Oh, Sam, honey, the spirit is willing, but the flesh . . ." His words faded out.

"You just let me take care of the flesh," she whispered in his ear and proceeded to work her way down his body, showing him that the flesh was more willing than he'd thought.

************

They were up and dressed when the woman who'd brought their wash water the night before came to take them to Aurelius. Jack took it as a good sign that she'd been sent instead of a guard. She led them to the room they'd met him in the day before and left them at the door. 
Jack knocked and they entered at his call.

"Good morning, Colonel, Major," Aurelius said with a smile. "I have decided that an alliance with your world would be most advantageous for us." He indicated a table to their right. All of their weapons and equipment were on it. "You may return to your people."

Jack nodded. "Thank you, Commander. You won't be sorry." Jack then filled him in on the usual procedure for setting up diplomatic ties.

"I invite you to break your fast with me," Aurelius offered. He noticed Sam's anxious look at Jack. 
"You are in a great hurry to return to your world?"

Sam smiled hesitantly. "I'm anxious to get back to my daughter. She's only six months old."

"Then I will not keep you away from her any longer," he said. "You may take your accoutrements 
and depart."

"Thank you," she said gratefully. "And thank you for your hospitality."

"You are very welcome." He left the room while they geared up, then returned a few minutes later. "I have a gift for your daughter." He held out a beautiful little silver cup engraved with intricate designs. 
"It was my daughter's, now it will be your daughter's."

Sam took the cup reverently. "It's beautiful, thank you."

"You're welcome." Then, leading the way, he escorted them out of the garrison, an armed guard accompanying them, and to the gate. While Sam input the address for earth, Jack spoke with Aurelius.

"In a few weeks we'll be sending the treaty negotiations group to work out the details of the treaty between our worlds." He turned to Sam. "Send the signal, Sam." She nodded and did so. Then they stepped through the wormhole and 'gated back to earth.

************

"Incoming wormhole, sir," the technician announced. "It's SG-1's signal."

"It's about time they got back," the general said. "Open the iris." It slid open and seconds later Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter stepped through. "Welcome back, Colonel, Major. Debriefing at 1400 hours." He turned to the tech. "Contact Dr. Jackson and Teal'c. Let them know the rest of SG-1 just arrived."

"Yes, sir," Jack said. "Shall we Major?" They headed to the infirmary where Janet examined them and pronounced them fit, then they went down to the cafeteria for some breakfast. They'd just sat down to eat when Daniel burst into the cafeteria, followed by a more sedate Teal'c.

"Sam, Jack, what the hell happened?" he asked. "You said you'd be right behind us, then you show up twenty-four hours later." Sam and Jack exchanged a smile, which mystified Daniel.

"Danny-boy, you'll hear all about it in the debriefing. Right now, the major and I are having breakfast," Jack said, then he applied himself to his food and Sam did the same. Daniel just looked at the two in exasperation.

"Come, Daniel Jackson, we will allow O'Neill and Major Carter to finish their meal." 
Teal'c rose from his chair.

"But-" Daniel started, and to his surprise, Teal'c interrupted him.

"We will hear the details in the debriefing." Teal'c looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and Daniel acquiesced and followed Teal'c from the cafeteria.

************

Later that night, Daniel and Janet were sitting on the sofa in her family room supposedly watching a video, but actually talking about the debriefing from earlier that day. He was still agog at the adventure Sam and Jack had been through, but he had the feeling that a few things had been left out.

"They were holding hands under the table," he told Janet.

"How do you know that?" she asked, nestling her head a little more comfortably on his shoulder.

"I dropped my pencil, and when I bent down to pick it up, I saw them."

"Well, obviously, the experience has drawn them closer together," Janet said.

"Yeah, but how close?" Daniel questioned.

"Time will tell," Janet said. "Now, c'mere and kiss me, Dr. Jackson." And Dr. Jackson happily complied.

************

Jack sat on Sam's living room floor playing with Lizzie, making the baby giggle by blowing raspberries 
on her tummy. Sam stood in the kitchen doorway watching them. Twenty-four hours before she'd 
been afraid she wouldn't see her little girl again, now here they were, safe at home, with a new ally in the fight against the goa'uld. When Lizzie yawned right in the middle of a giggle, Sam decided it was 
time for bed.

"Hey, Daddy, it's time for our little girl to go to bed." Jack looked up at her surprised. Sam had never referred to him in that way before. She smiled at him, and he gathered the baby into his arms and rose from the floor. Together they tucked her into her crib for the night, then went back into the living room. Jack sat down on the sofa and pulled Sam down into his arms.

"This is the life," he said with a sigh.

"I agree." Sam smiled and tucked her head underneath his chin. Jack placed two fingers under her chin and lifted her head.

"So, you feel okay with what happened this morning?" he asked. "No second thoughts or regrets?"

"No, no second thoughts or regrets." She pulled his head down to hers and kissed him softly, then looked into his eyes. "How about you?"

"Nope, not a one," he replied. "I have everything I've ever wanted." He rested his cheek against her hair.

"Me, too," she whispered, her arms tightening around him. "Me, too."

************

Epilogue

Christmas morning, Jack's house . . .

A loud squeal woke Sam, and she struggled out of Jack's arms and threw on her robe, rushing to Lizzie's room. There stood Lizzie, clutching the rail of her crib and grinning for all she was worth.

"You stood up!" Sam went over to the crib and lifted her out. She gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek. "What a big girl you are!"

Jack rushed into the baby's room. "What happened? Is Lizzie all right?"

"Lizzie is wonderful! She stood up in her crib!" Sam was amazed at what her daughter could do.

"Well, yeah, they do that at six months old," Jack said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. They'd been celebrating their first Christmas Eve together and hadn't gone to sleep until a couple of hours before. "In a couple months she'll be crawling, and then a few months after that she'll probably be walking," he said as if it was no big deal. "She's right on schedule."

"Oh." Sam frowned, then brightened. "Then she's perfect!"

"Just like her mommy," he said, pulling them both into his arms and kissing them. He took Lizzie out of Sam's arms. "Let's go see what Santa brought you." They headed into the living room, Sam arguing,

"I thought we weren't going to expose her to that type of myth?"

"Aw, it's just Santa. That's the best one." Jack looked just like a kid who'd had his favorite toy taken away. He gave her his best 'sad puppy' look, and she gave in.

"Okay, just Santa," she conceded.

"And maybe the Easter Bunny and the tooth fairy, too," he whispered to Lizzie as they stood in front of the Christmas tree.

"What was that?" Sam asked suspiciously, moving to stand beside him.

"I said 'Merry Christmas,' he substituted and grinned at her.

She laughed. "You're more of a kid than Lizzie!" she exclaimed. "Let's open presents!"

"Now who's the kid?" he teased. He sat down on the floor and they proceded to open their presents. Lizzie had quite a few, but there were more for Sam under the tree than she'd thought. Jack had gotten her the requisite sweater, a pair of gloves (she kept losing hers), and a nightgown so skimpy that she'd blushed when she'd opened the box. Jack had waggled his eyebrows at her and said he couldn't wait to see her in it so he could take it off. She'd gotten him a new pair of in-line skates and a hockey stick he'd admired when they'd gone shopping.

After feeding her breakfast, they put Lizzie in her playpen to play with her new toys, and Jack went into the kitchen to make coffee while Sam cleaned up the wrapping paper mess. After she finished she sat down on the sofa gazing at the Christmas tree. She was still getting settled in, but she was glad she and Lizzie had moved in with Jack. There was still the problem of the regulations prohibiting their relationship, but she had decided to do something about that. She just wanted to talk to Jack about it first.

"Ready for some coffee?" Jack asked, bringing her a cup. He handed it to her and sat down with his own.

"As if you had to ask," she laughed. He leaned over and kissed her.

"Love you, Sam," he said looking into her beautiful blue eyes.

"Love you, too, Jack." Now was the time to talk to him about her plan. "Jack, we need to talk." She set her coffee cup down on the coffee table, then took his away and placed it beside hers. "I have something to tell you."

He grinned at her. "You're pregnant?"

"NO!" Then she hesitated. "At least I don't think so." She shook her head. "That's not what I wanted to tell you." Sam took a deep breath and plunged in. "I want to request a transfer from SG-1 to the lab." 

"No, Sam-" Jack said, but she held up her hand.

"Hear me out, I have some very good and valid reasons for doing this," she said. "First, there are the regulations forbidding a relationship between the two of us. I know that we've broken them, but if I transfer off SG-1 then there should be no repercussions. Second, there's Lizzie. When Aurelius' men captured us, I was sure we'd never see her again. That would have been very bad. We don't just have ourselves to consider here. I have to make a choice, and I choose Lizzie." She smiled tenderly at him. "And you."

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" he asked, plainly not wanting her to do this, but he did understand her reasoning.

"I'm very sure." Sam laid her head against his shoulder.

Jack sighed. "Okay, I'm not happy about losing the best second in command I ever had, but I will be gaining a wife," he paused and looked at her, "if you'll have me." He reached between the sofa cushions and pulled out a black velvet ring box. He offered it to her, and she reached out and took it, opening it. It was a beautiful diamond solitaire ring. "Will you have me, Sam?"

"Yes," she said hoarsely. She swallowed, then answered again. "Yes, I'll have you, Jack." She threw her arms around him. "How could you think I wouldn't? I love you."

"I love you, too, Sam." And he held her close to his heart.

************

The End

--> FanFiction

--> SJadult Home