Stargate SG1 Fan Fiction ❯ The Secret Life of a Major General ❯ Chapter 28 ( Chapter 28 )

Chapter 28

Onboard the Daniel Jackson, Earth Orbit
June 14, 2005
Late Evening

Sam reined in her euphoric feelings at hearing the CIA agent was no longer in the general’s life and made herself say, “Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”

Jack’s expression hardened, indicating that it had not been an amicable parting judging by the latent anger in his face.

When he did not speak after a long while, Sam questioned, “So now what?”

“Now what, what?” Jack asked.

“What happens now? Now that I know about Loki, and the twins, and Pete.”

Jack shrugged as he removed his hand from her back and finally rose from his crouched position. His knees popping noisily and he grimaced at the pain. “That’s up to you Carter.”

“How is it up to me?” Sam demanded as she too rose to her feet. “According to the law the twins are your children, your niece and nephew.”

Jack looked at her questioningly.

Sam understood the look as her shoulder lifted in a half-shrug. “I won’t tell anyone. I read, and was told by Thor, what was done to craft the twins’ background. I’m not going to do anything that would remove the safety net those lies give them.”

“Thank you,” Jack said sincerely.

What she did not add was that she was certain it would be dangerous to her health, and would absolutely kill the tenuous relationship between them. Neither were things she wanted to do. “But, I am their mother… and… and I want to know them.”

“How?” Jack challenged.

“I don’t know, I have to think about this some more.” Sam worried the engagement ring on her finger. “You’ve had months to get used to the idea that you’re a father again—and have been a father for those months—I’ve only had hours to know that I’m a mother…”

“Okay,” Jack nodded slowly. “Why don’t we talk about this later, once you’ve had more time to think?”

“How much later?”

“Whenever you think you’ve had enough time. But don’t take too long Carter,” Jack added wryly, “I don’t think I could stand the stress.”

She gave him a weak smile and nodded. “I’ve already spoken with Thor, and as I didn’t bring anything with me when I caught the plane, he’ll beam me right back to my house.”

“All right then Carter, all right.”

Looking at him as he regarded her, Sam finally gave a jerky nod of her head and exited the room to go inform Thor that she was ready to leave. Jack turned back to gazing out the transparent wall at Earth below.

He heard the soft footsteps of an asgärd before he saw the darker reflection of Hel in the reflective surface of the wall she approached. Crossing the room to his side the dark skinned alien joined him in appreciating the view before speaking.

“Thor has informed the Council that Colonel Carter now knows of Líf and Lífthrasier. Do you believe you will have a relationship with her now that she knows?”

Jack frowned as he turned his head to look down at Hel.

“What do you mean?”

“In our studies of your planet—is not a family unit comprised of a father, mother, and offspring?”

“That’s how it used to be, mostly.” Jack admitted. “But not anymore. Besides, she’s marrying in a few weeks… at most, all she could be to the twins is an honorary auntie… with her husband in the picture.”

“And if he was not?”

Jack did not answer that. He turned his head back to the window and leaned his forehead against the transparent wall, squeezing his eyes shut at the thoughts that tormented like Tantalus had been, a dream that was forever out of reach. A dream of being more than superior and subordinate and cautious friends…

Three days after talking with Jack onboard Thor’s ship, Sam disembarked from her flight from Las Vegas to Denver for her promised weekend visit with Pete and his family. She thought she knew what she was going to tell the general, but would know for sure after this weekend was over. After she spoke with Pete about a few things.

Making her way to the baggage carousel, she claimed her small duffel bag while scanning the crowd for Pete’s face. She finally spotted him seated in one of the multitude of benches having what seemed to be a heated conversation in his phone.

Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she strolled towards him, reaching his side as he hung up with an annoyed expression on his face. “Hi Pete.”

His expression immediately brightened as he rose to greet her. “Hi Sam. Sorry, I didn’t see you disembark.”

“That’s fine,” Sam dismissed and gestured at the phone he was still holding. “Was that something I should know about…?”

Pete shook his head as he holstered the device on his belt and stepped forward to sling an arm around her waist. “No. Just an argument with Jamie about something I bought recently.”

“Oh really,” Sam said as Pete led her to his car. She had been introduced on her last visit to Pete’s brother Jamie with his sleeve tattoos and leather—the wild one in the Shanahan family with its distinguished history of law enforcement in Denver. Actually, when she considered it, she did not even think that any of the Shanahan’s had given her a straight answer about what Jamie did for a living.

After they climbed into the car and Pete began navigating the streets Sam realised when they got into the suburbs of Denver that they were not headed towards his apartment or his parent’s house where they were expected for a family dinner. “Pete, where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise,” Pete said with a happy and mysterious smile. Some minutes later they pulled up in front of a two-story house with a realtor’s sign in front marking it as SOLD. “Come on Sam,” Pete beckoned as he bounced out of the car.

Slowly Sam exited the passenger side and joined him at the front gate.

“What do you think?” Pete excitedly gestured at the house.

“Uh, well, uh…” Sam stammered in shook.

“Speechless, huh?” Pete grinned happily.

“Yeah.” Sam forced herself to answer.

“Isn’t it great? Remember our first night together? You described the house you always wanted?” Pete chatted on.

“I can’t believe this,” Sam was forced to confess, knowing that it was nothing less than the truth. Though probably not the truth that Pete really wanted to know as he swung open the gate and started down the walkway to the front door.

“The kitchen isn’t yellow, but we can paint. Come on, I’ll show you,” Pete exclaimed as he mounted the front steps to the door, leaving Sam behind who had halted in the middle the front lawn to stare at her fiancé’s back incredulously. “And you’re not gonna believe the backyard. The dog’s gonna love it.”

“Dog?” Sam echoed faintly as she was still in shock, but growing, strengthening and competing with that shock was anger. She had come to Denver to ask a few questions but now this… this almost answered her question for her, didn’t it?

They had not discussed purchasing a house together—hadn’t even decided where they were going to live after the wedding! Sam set her lower jaw and marched after Pete who had already vanished into the house.