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-1-
The day was just like any other day. Mostly.
No pressing deadlines, no lives at stake or intergalactic disasters.
There were the usual disagreements, bickering scientists and the odd experiment gone wrong.
But nothing to explain the melancholy that she woke up with. The type that felt like it was cascading over her heart and working its way up to her lungs. The type that was making her sigh and get frustrated at the slightest thing she found incorrect.
Hormones. She sighed again and checked her diary. Nope. Nothing to report there.
The date was insignificant too. She frowned, wondering if she’d missed anything.
Her father had been gone over four months now. Plus a few extra days if she cared to calculate it exactly. Which she didn’t. But no, nothing significant about it.
It was Friday.
She wondered if Daniel and Teal’c were still on another planet somewhere with the ‘brunette leather chick’ that Jack had dubbed her. She wondered if Cam was actually doing okay, leading a new team on strange worlds, with no understanding of the craziness that he’d gotten himself into.
Not being on the front line anymore sucked sometimes.
But it also had its positives.
She wondered if Jack was just as bored right now, with a different backdrop but sitting at a similar computer somehow. Or if he was in meetings, fighting off a yawn, or politicians as he’d once described.
She picked up her cell phone.
They had been getting better at communicating with each other, she suddenly realised with a smile. To begin with, their conversations had mostly been light, but full of intent. Banter, suggestiveness and keeping each other talking had been the initial intention for both of them. They’d since moved past the initial awkwardness and the safe topics and onto something more natural, more them.
Only… there was still room for improvement.
Sam typed the words, still unsure.
I miss you.
She wasn’t sure if either of them had asserted that yet. Sure, they’d murmured and whispered a hell of a lot more when together. In person.
Sam wasn’t sure why it felt different writing these words down. Just that it was.
She pressed send before she could change her mind and pushed herself up from her desk. She needed coffee. And chocolate. They didn’t serve jello in the commissary in Nevada.
A few hours later her phone beeped. ‘Hold that thought.’
What did that mean?
She had tried calling him, sometime later when she had a break between meetings, but it went straight through to voicemail. She hung up and sighed, not wanting to leave him a confused, incoherent message.
A few hours later and she finally made it home. She closed her front door and hung her bag on its peg, heading straight for the bathroom. She needed a long soak in the bath.
Taps running and music playing, she headed into the kitchen in search of a takeaway menu. Tonight she was going to treat herself, she decided.
A soft but determined knock interrupted her thoughts and she opened the door to a beaming General.
“Chinese and jello?” Jack asked, holding up the bag of food like a prize.
Sam merely grinned and drew him inside.
“I miss you too,” He murmured in her ear, after she pulled him in for a hug. “All the time,” He added, “And more than you will ever know….”
-2-
There was often no routine to being off-world, Daniel surmised. Time zones on different planets often differed to Earth’s and half of their missions never went according to plan timewise anyway.
So it was nice to find himself on Earth on a Friday and no plans for a while.
Sam had offered to hold a team night and the rest had easily complied. It had been a while, and it was nice to have her back on SG1 again. He thought they were just starting to get into their groove as a team again.
He and Teal’c had arrived on time, arms loaded with DVD’s, bags of popcorn and various other treats. Cam was supposed to be bringing the pizza and was running behind.
So when the doorbell rang and Sam asked him to get it, he was not expecting anything unusual.
“Jack!” He cried, seeing his friend standing before him, a few stacks of beer in hand, his dress blues still on.
“Hey Daniel,” Jack replied, ignoring the shock on his friend’s face.
“Oh, hey,” Sam called from the kitchen, as she stepped into view in the hallway, a clear smile on her face. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to make it?”
“I nearly didn’t,” Jack simply called back, shoving one load of beers into Daniel’s arms and heading into the kitchen. Daniel trailed after him, watching as Jack dumped a duffel on the hallway floor on his way and griped about his meetings overrunning.
They deposited the beers on the kitchen table, and Daniel watched as Jack threw Sam a smile, his eyes following her every move as she and Teal’c finished pulling some warm cookies out of the oven.
“You look well O’Neill,” Teal’c stated, his usual Jaffa smile on his face as he bowed his head slightly in their friend’s direction.
“Thanks T, so do you.” Jack slapped a hand on Teal’c’s shoulder reassuringly.
Daniel narrowed his eyes, just as Teal’c’s eyebrow twitched.
Jack merely ignored them and pulled at his shirt collar. “Do you mind if I get out of this thing?” He asked Sam, as she concentrated on not burning herself.
“Sure,” she looked up at him, giving him another megawatt smile. “Feel free to head down the hall.”
Jack nodded without a word and Daniel watched him retreat, his gaze finally falling back on Sam. Teal’c was giving her the eyebrow already. “Uh, you didn’t mention Jack was coming…” Daniel enquired softly, his arms automatically folding across his chest.
Sam shrugged. “I wasn’t sure he’d be able to get here… Is that a problem?”
“No, no problem! Just... Unexpected that’s all...” Daniel grinned at her.
“Unexpected?” Sam parroted back. Daniel watched as she frowned. He could tell from her expression that she was obviously thinking about something. A small smile suddenly crept across her face. “I thought you two talked? At least occasionally?” She threw over her shoulder, suddenly on the move again. She placed some of the warm cookies on a plate.
Daniel threw a look at Teal’c, feeling like he was missing something.
“In fact I thought we did,” Sam added, gesturing between them briefly. She also threw a look at Teal’c. He just smiled at her in return and turned to face Daniel.
Daniel tilted his head, his mouth hanging open slightly as he tried to run through the previous conversations he’d had with either of his friends over the past few months.
He hadn’t seen Jack in a while but they’d talked a few times and he knew that his two previous team mates had met up occasionally, they’d both said as much. And Sam, well if he was honest, he had noticed a change in her when she came back, but nothing alarming. If anything she had seemed more relaxed, happier even...
He mentally kicked himself. He had obviously been more wrapped up in the events involving Vala and the Ori than he’d previously thought.
Sam simply rolled her eyes at him. “When’s Cam getting here?”
As if on cue, a knock sounded on the door and the other two headed off to answer it, leaving Daniel to stare at Sam’s fading back.
Daniel wasn’t sure what he was expecting to happen throughout the rest of the evening. He was too used to longing looks and unresolved feelings, he guessed.
But there was definitely a series of little things that added up to the whole.
There was the odd touch, warm and inviting - a hand on an arm, a squeeze on a shoulder, a touch on the back. But nothing overt. Neither of them reacted to it, which was interesting to see.
And there was definitely more smiling. Carefree Sam and relaxed Jack could be the new normal, he supposed.
There were absolutely no ‘sirs’ or ‘Carters’ thrown around tonight and he noticed that Jack’s duffel had disappeared and definitely didn’t make a reappearance.
Daniel risked a glance at Teal’c. Yep, Teal’c definitely noticed it too.
And when, towards the end of the movie, Cam threw a piece of popcorn at his face, Daniel just knew.
The offending object caused him to look up, and his teammate cocked his head in the couple’s direction on the sofa, a questioning look on his face. Jack had passed out, head back on the top cushion, his arm casually resting around Sam’s shoulders. Sam herself had leaned into him slightly, her eyes still on the screen and munching on popcorn, but her left hand definitely sat casually on Jack’s thigh.
Daniel looked back up at Cam, tilting his head with a look that he hoped the other man would interpret and shrugged, before turning to Teal’c. The eyebrow was high on his face and he looked pointedly at him. Daniel sighed, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket and handed Teal’c fifty dollars.
Cam merely grinned at the exchange.
“Only fifty?” Sam asked, a brazen smile on her lips when three heads whipped round to face her.
Daniel grinned, and picking up a piece of popcorn, threw it directly at her.
-3-
When they finally made it back to Earth, it was a Friday. Although Cam didn’t realise that until a good few hours later when he was sitting outside in the corridor near the infirmary, waiting for some kind of update.
He scrubbed a hand through his hair, his elbows on his knees as he sat on the drab plastic chair. It squeaked when he moved and he got up to pace around again, wondering how much longer it would take until someone would come out to tell them what was going on.
Teal’c was impassive on the chair opposite, though Cam knew from his demeanour that he was anything but. Vala was also uncharacteristically quiet and still, and Cam didn’t really feel like he had it in him to delve into that just yet.
To say he felt crap was beyond words at this point.
First he’d lost Daniel and now Sam was in surgery with a potentially life-threatening wound. Cam felt like punching the walls until his knuckles bled.
The footsteps that finally came, didn’t come from the room next door, but the other end of the corridor. And the walk was military through and through.
Cam’s back automatically stiffened, even before he saw the man turn into the corridor.
Teal’c was on his feet before Cam could even look up and he cursed inwardly to himself. He could do without having to deal with O’Neill too if he was honest. Not because of the man himself, no. Cam both respected and liked the guy, if he was honest. Professionally and personally.
But that wasn’t his problem this particular Friday night. No, Cam was scared shitless about what the man was going to say to him. Both incidents had occurred within the space of a few weeks, after all.
“O’Neill,” Teal’c’s voice echoed in the quiet corridor and Cam couldn’t help but wince, unable to meet the other man’s eyes as he clearly scoured theirs.
The man in question grasped Teal’c’s arm in greeting and they smiled solemnly at each other. Cam felt himself nodding at him in some kind of response.
“Mitchell,” Jack stated, his voice crisp and to the point. Cam felt compelled to meet his eyes for the first time. “I hear you did good out there...”
Cam stood still for a moment, unable to form any words. He was convinced he was going to get shouted at, at the very least. “Thank you, sir,” he finally spluttered.
Jack simply nodded, before sinking into a seat next to Vala. “How long has it been?” He asked, body bent forwards, with his elbows on his knees, a posture similar to that of Cam himself only moments before.
Cam watched as the man studied his fingers, constantly interlocking and unlocking them.
“A couple of hours, sir…”
Jack sighed, tipping his head back against the wall.
Vala’s right hand slowly rose up to cover Jack’s arm and squeezed momentarily, just as Cam moved to sit in the next chair over. Teal’c slowly lowered himself into a chair opposite, giving his team mate a nod and together they sat in silence as they waited for Dr Lam to appear.
-4-
When Colonel Carter was assigned as leader of the Atlantis Expedition, Chuck knew that there would be some changes. Some minor amendments here or there. And they were… for the most part.
He just hadn’t banked on his Friday nights quite being hijacked every so often.
Walter Harriman, as his SGC compatriot, had given him strict instructions and he wasn’t going to let him, or the Colonel down…. Or the General for that matter.
But it was a Friday evening, all the same.
Granted, he didn’t have any pertinent plans… Maybe that was something he should work on, actually.
The private call, via the Stargate of course, had come in right towards the end of his shift. He knew the Colonel hadn’t been expecting it, from the pure expression of joy on her face when he announced that General O’Neill was waiting online.
As always, he’d patched it through to her laptop and switched off the screen on his monitor.
Sighing, he decided to run a few standard diagnostics that were lined up for the next day. He picked up his pen and logged a few notes in the logbook for when Amelia was due to take over shortly. He hoped it wasn’t going to be a long one.
He looked over at the Colonel’s office. There was a smile on her face and as she talked, her hands were moving with her. Chuck couldn’t deny how animated she looked.
He shook his head, turning back to his computer and scanning the information before him.
“You still working?” A voice called from beside him.
Chuck turned to see Dr Keller standing next to his console, a folder in her hands.
“Call from Earth,” He simply replied, his head tilting to the open wormhole below them. He watched as the doctor glanced from the Stargate, to his screen and then over to the Colonel’s office, a small smile forming upon her lips.
“You need something?” Chuck asked her.
Jennifer shrugged. “I was just finishing up for the day, thought I’d drop some paperwork off for the Colonel to sign.” She glanced back at the office window. Sam was smiling as she clearly listened to something the General was saying. Jennifer looked back up at Chuck. “It can wait until tomorrow...” she said.
Chuck narrowed his eyes at her slightly, while Jennifer’s merely softened in response.
“She appreciates it...” she stated, squeezing his arm gently. “You should come for drinks with us, when you’re done,” she added, turning to leave.
“Wait,” Chuck called after her, not speaking again until she had stopped a few metres away and turned to face him. “You know?” He asked, canting his head to the office window slightly.
Jennifer gave him an enigmatic grin. “Know what, exactly?”
“You know,” He stated, taking a few steps closer and lowering his voice. “I didn’t think anyone else here knew... thank god! It’s not just me...”
Jennifer tilted her head slightly at him.
Chuck simply shrugged. “I’m not normally good with keeping secrets...” He added sheepishly. “It’s kind of been killing me...”
Jennifer smiled at him. “Well, I think you’ve done a good job so far... Beer?” She said, “Later, yes?”
Chuck nodded gratefully at her.
Over an hour later, and Chuck found himself in civvies, sitting outside on one of the balconies with some of the other personnel, a true mix of scientists, technicians and military crew.
Chuck’s head popped up as Sam approached, handing him a beer and giving him a grateful smile. He took it gracefully, giving a silent nod of his head in response, as she sat down beside him and took a swig of her own.
McKay opened his mouth to protest about his lack of gifted beer, but soon shut it when Jennifer elbowed him in the ribs. Chuck couldn’t help but smile.
Maybe Fridays weren’t so bad.
Maybe he wasn’t so bad at keeping secrets either, after all.
-5-
Jack loved Fridays.
Not just because it was the end of the week, which (in theory) meant no more meetings or stuffy suit for two full days. Not that it wasn’t one of the main perks.
No, Jack loved Fridays, because on Fridays Sam did yoga.
Since she’d come home from Atlantis, she had been based on Earth almost full time. And while the Air Force had been throwing her options and Sam had caught up on her leave, she had permanently taken up residence in his house in Washington.
Not that he minded. At all. Not one iota.
They had gotten into some sort of rhythm over the past few months. Sam would often attend meetings in the Pentagon for various new projects and sometimes they would do lunch or dinner after work. Sometimes the others would visit at the weekend and sometimes Cassie would come to stay.
But Friday afternoons, Sam would go to the yoga class in the gym down the road from his office.
Sometimes she would stop in on her way back and they’d head home together.
But sometimes, if his meetings ran late, he would come home to find her still clad in tight leggings and a sports bra and a flowy shoulder less top. All skin and sleek smooth fabric.
Like today.
He dropped his briefcase in the hallway, quietly closing the front door with his foot, trying to see if he could sneak up behind her in the kitchen before she noticed.
He was pretty sure she had, but she still allowed him to slowly wrap his arms around her from behind, his hands taking in all the luxurious fabric and her curves underneath, as he went.
“Hey,” He murmured, his lips pressing a kiss to the side of her neck.
“Hey,” She replied, her arms coming up to cover his. “Good day?”
“Mmm… Even better now….”
A low chuckle vibrated from Sam’s throat, through to Jack’s chest.
“Have I ever told you how much I love this outfit?”
“Uh-huh,” Sam agreed, the words almost getting stuck in her throat as his hands explored. “More than once actually….”
“Well,” Jack murmured, “It’s true…” He dropped even more kisses as his hands explored further.
Sam’s eyes landed on the food she’d just gotten out of the fridge and was about to attempt to rustle something up with.
“How about we skip dinner and head straight to dessert?” He asked, reading her mind.
Sam’s laugh simply vibrated even further than before as she allowed him to nudge her down the hall.
“And keep those on...” He added, when he saw her reaching for her clothes.
Sam gave him a lopsided grin, over her shoulder.
Yep, Jack loved Fridays.
-6-
When Jack got home that Friday evening, Sam had been sprawled upon the sofa for about an hour.
The collection of vitamins the doctor had given her sat on the coffee table beside her, along with an opened packet of ginger cookies that she’d picked up from the store on her way home.
A rerun of some court drama currently played upon the TV, the only thing that she could find that didn’t make her stomach churn.
“Hey, you’re home!” Jack called to her, shutting the front door behind him and making his way into the sitting room. He had a big smile on his face, clearly pleased to see her.
He reached down to place a kiss upon her head, taking in the scene before him. “I wasn’t expecting you back for another few days,” He said, a frown upon his face.
“Yeah, I handed over the task of overseeing the minor repairs to Major Philips – he wanted some extra experience and I figured they could beam me back to the Hammond to sign everything off when it’s done.”
“You still feeling under the weather?” Jack asked, concern clearly etched upon his face. He shrugged off his uniform jacket and rounded the sofa, lifting Sam’s legs up to sit down. He placed her feet back on his lap, rubbing them absently.
Sam had emailed him before they’d arrived back within orbit, thinking she’d caught a stomach bug, but hadn’t been able to touch base with him since then. That was well over a week ago now.
“Yeah... About that...”
Sam shifted slightly, her head rising slowly from the cushion so that she could sit up next to him. Jack reached forward to snag the half-eaten cookie left on the table, screwing his face up at the taste when he took a bite.
Sam took Jack’s hand in hers. “I’m not sick....”
“You’re…. not....” She watched as his gaze flitted from the pharmacy paper bag, down to their hands, and up to her face.
“Nope....” A smile curved upon her lips, her eyes wide and bright.
Jack’s mouth hung open, his words freezing on his tongue. “But I thought-” He finally uttered, cutting himself off. He swallowed the lump in his throat, unable to speak around it.
The last time they’d discussed having children, Dr Lam had told Sam that the odds really weren’t good. They’d talked it through and had come to terms with it, in both their own ways and together. They’d even moved on to discussing breeds of dogs for when they were ready to retire from the Air Force.
“You’re sure?” Jack added.
“Yep!” Sam nodded. She smiled wider in response. “Dr Herbert confirmed it this morning...”
“Hence the ginger cookies...?”
“Hence the horrible ginger cookies....” Sam nodded. “Either my internal clock is out of whack, or they need to rename it, as I only feel queasy at night... The doctor thought the ginger would help.” Sam shrugged lightly.
“Sam...” Jack leaned over to kiss her. Slowly, softly. His hand came up to touch her face as they pulled apart.
She pulled his hand to rest on her stomach, still flat but full of life. They shared a look, a smile, their emotions flickering across their faces.
“Our little miracle...” Sam whispered, tears in her eyes.
Jack nodded. “Our little miracle...”
-fini-