I would like to thank Dee for her
advice and suggestions.
TITLE: Always
AUTHOR: Wendy Parkinson
E-MAIL: wendyparkinson@hotmail.com
CATEGORY: Sam and Jack angst, a suggestion of romance....
SPOILERS: "Secrets", also "Solitudes" and
"The Broca Divide"
SETTING: after "Secrets", Second Season
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: What may have happened at the end of "Secrets"
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters belong to MGM, Gekko
Corp and Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created
solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no
copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity
to real persons, living or dead , is coincidental.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: All feedback and constructive criticism will be
greatly appreciated. No flames please.
Copyright Wendy Parkinson, November 1998
ALWAYS
Deep inside Cheyenne Mountain Colonel Jack O'Neill was walking
slowly back to his room. He felt totally drained. For the last
three hours he had been with their archaeologist, Daniel Jackson,
listening to him pour his heart out about the events on Abydos.
Finally, he had heard the full story. Jack sighed and shook his
head. Daniel had been with his wife when she had given birth to
another man's child. He thought back to the night Charlie was
born - he had felt so amazed at the start of a new, totally
dependent life. But how would he have felt if he had known the
baby wasn't his? Could he have been so loving, so forgiving as
Daniel had been? And all along Daniel had known that the Goa'uld
would reawaken when the baby was born. Jack rubbed his eyes,
yawned and stretched. He really ought to get some rest. Stopping
outside his door he fumbled for his keys.
He was about to go in when he heard a noise. Pausing, he tried to
work out where it was coming from, moving quietly towards the
faint snuffling. The source seemed to be a door further down the
corridor, a door he recognised as Sam Carter's. He listened
intently - was she crying? It certainly sounded like it. This
didn't make sense. Sure, they'd had an emotional few days - there
was the trip to Washington, the reporter's death and then the
events on Abydos, but nothing to warrant what he thought he could
hear. He couldn't bear to listen any more. Tapping lightly on the
door, he waited. There was silence, she must have heard him and
was hoping he'd go away. He made up his mind - he was certainly
not going to leave her like that. He knocked more forcefully.
"Carter, I know you're in there. Open up."
Footsteps approached the door. It opened a crack.
"Now is really not a good time, Sir."
"That's my point exactly, Captain. Can I come in or shall we
continue this conversation where the whole base can hear?"
She moved aside to let him in. After he had shut the door he
looked across at her. Sam was on the other side of the room
staring sightlessly at the wall.
"Now are you going to tell me why you're hiding in your room
crying your eyes out?"
Sam flinched visibly, as if she had been slapped. Jack instantly
regretted the way he'd spoken.
"I'm sorry, that was out of line," he mumbled, then
waited while she gathered her thoughts. She took a deep breath.
"It's my father. He's dying of cancer."
Her shoulders started to tremble, the tears were coming again. In
two strides Jack was across the room and had enveloped her in a
comforting hug.
"Oh, Sam, why didn't you say something?"
"I thought I could deal with it, Sir. I was wrong."
She looked up at him and his heart lurched when he saw the
tearstained face and reddened eyes. He smiled at her gently.
"Call me Jack, we're off duty."
She attempted to smile back then her head slumped against his
chest and she started sobbing again. Jack made soothing noises
and softly stroked her hair. Savouring the warmth of her embrace
his mind began to drift. The last time he had held her they had
been freezing to death in Antarctica. Somehow being with Sam it
hadn't seemed so bad. And of course there was the time she'd
tried to seduce him..... He smiled to himself. He could feel her
breathing was more regular now, she was slowly calming down.
"I'm sorry, Sir... I mean Jack. I'm normally so in control,
I don't usually cry."
"Bottling things up can make matters worse, Sam. Crying can
be good for you."
They lapsed into a comfortable silence, Jack still holding her
close. After several minutes Sam raised her face towards her
commanding officer.
"Dad said he could get me into NASA. It was what I dreamed
of as a little girl, what I always wanted."
She paused and started to chew her bottom lip. Her anguish was
obvious, he hated to see her in so much pain. She looked away and
let out a deep, heartfelt sigh.
"I turned him down .... and.... and I couldn't tell him
why."
"He's Air Force, Sam, he knows there are some things you
can't talk about. He understands."
"You didn't see his face. He didn't understand."
She shook her head sadly, the tears were threatening to come
again. Jack put his hand under her chin and carefully tipped her
head so he could study her face. His deep, brown eyes showed
nothing but sympathy and concern.
"I want you to know that whatever happens, I'm here for
you.... always."
A faint smile lit her features. For a long moment they gazed
intently at each other. He bent down and brushed her lips very
gently with his.
"Remember, Sam.... always."