Falling Slowly

I don't know you,

but I want you,

all the more,

for that.

Episode tags-Children of the Gods

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Colonel Jack O'Neill, who until recently had been retired Colonel Jack O'Neill, walked the familiar halls of the SGC, and found himself wondering how he'd gotten dragged back into this mess. Sure, it was exciting to think about going through the gate again, and to have…a purpose, he supposed, something he hadn't had in a long time, but he wondered if it was really worth all the crap he'd eventually have to put up with.

He was headed to the conference room for a meeting with General Hammond and the team he was to lead through the gate back to Abydos. Part of him itched to go through and another part dreaded what he might find on the other side.

And then there was Daniel. He heaved a sigh. Dr. Daniel Jackson, archeologist, Stargate expert and all around people lover. Jack nearly shuddered at the thought. Daniel was far more diplomatic than Jack could ever be and more than Jack really thought was necessary. He took his sweet time getting to the point about the information they needed the last time they were on Abydos and Jack wanted to shoot him. Since they needed Daniel to figure out how to get them home, he opted to let the good doctor live.

It wasn't that Daniel wasn't a nice guy, he was, it was that Daniel was too nice, and not even a little bit military in nature. They were like oil and water. Or perhaps, a better comparison would be fire and gasoline. Yep, that was it, fire and gas. Daniel was definitely the fire that would cause Jack to explode at any moment with all his hemming and hawing and being too goddamn nice.

Still, Jack had wondered how Daniel had fared since he decided to stay on Abydos with his wife (Jack still thought that bit was hilarious), and his adopted people, and thought it just might be nice to see him. As long as he didn't talk too much, that was. He chuckled too himself. That was wishful thinking. Stepping off the elevator to grab a quick snack in the commissary, Jack spotted a young airman, an E-2, Jack noted, meaning he probably wasn't more than 19 or 20, escorting another officer around, heading straight toward him and the elevator. They were talking quietly, but Jack could hear them clearly.

"I don't know," the officer, a striking blond woman in her dress uniform, was saying. She had a lovely voice. "I've got a meeting to get to. I don't think I have the time."

The young airman dipped his head, smiling wryly, as if he were thinking how clueless officers were when it came to paperwork and procedure. Jack knew it was probably true. He had no idea how all the forms he had to sign seemed to magically appear, collated, stapled and with the little 'sign here' flags attached in just the right spots, but he knew there was a young airman out there, who took care of it, like it was no big deal. Jack realized he was grateful for those packets of paper, because he'd never get anything correct if he had to do it himself.

"It won't take but a moment, ma'am," the airman assured her. "It's just a few signatures, and you're done. These really need to be on file right away, and General Hammond will be on my case if he doesn't have them."

Resigned, and clearly not wanting to get the younger man in trouble, the woman nodded. "Okay, then. If you're sure we can get it all done quickly. My flight was behind schedule, so I barely got here as it is. I don't want to be late."

The airman nodded and moved at a quick clip toward the elevator. He was looking at a folder, and not at Jack, and as a result banged into him, despite Jack trying to move aside. The papers in the folder flew in all directions. The airman looked up and his eyes slid to the eagles on Jack's shoulders, then to the man himself. "Sir," he said, coming to attention. "I'm so sorry, Sir. I was escorting Captain…"

Jack stopped the young airman mid sentence. "No harm done. Just watch where you're going next time, Airman..." Jack looked at his nametape. "Nelson."

Nelson, bobbed his head so hard Jack wondered that it didn't just roll off and down the hallway. "Yes, Sir. Will do, Sir."

The woman, the captain, had bent down to pick up the scattered paper. Jack realized her hair wasn't just blond, but a myriad of golds, that glowed, even in the dim SGC lighting. He wondered who she was, and bent down, along with Airman Nelson, to gather up the remaining pages. While he certainly didn't mind helping, his motives weren't entirely altruistic. He wanted to see more of the blond.

She looked up as he bent down and gave him a pleasant smile that lit up her face. It was her eyes though that really captured his attention. They were not just blue, but crystal blue. The kind of blue found in the oceans along the coast of Malta; water that was so blue it was hard to believe it was real, and yet so clear you could see down to the ocean floor.

Jack felt a pang of longing rush through him. It was a feeling he hadn't had since before…. He shook his head to clear it. He'd barely been divorced six months and still missed Sara. It was just loneliness. Yes, not longing, just loneliness. "Captain," he said handing the airman the sheets in his hand without looking away from her. He couldn't see her nameplate because of the way she was angled, but he certainly planned to find out what it was.

"Colonel," she replied, dipping her head slightly. She too handed her papers to Nelson, and stood. She had turned slightly, and he still couldn't see her name. Damn.

"Um, ma'am," Nelson said in a slightly jittery voice. "We should, um…"

She gave Jack one last smile before stepping into the elevator, the doors closing behind her before he could think of anything to say to detain her. He looked down at his watch. Double damn. He had to hurry if he was going to get back down to the meeting on time. He picked up his pace toward the commissary, grabbed a cup of coffee and a pastry from the line, not really paying attention to what he was doing. He wanted to know the Captain's name; wanted to know what her role was at the SGC. Probably a tech of some kind, or maybe a nurse, he thought. He'd have to see what he could do about getting banged up on a frequent basis if she was a nurse. He wasn't fond of needles, but maybe he could just find a reason for a bandage or two. It might be nice just to talk to her every now and then, and especially nice to see those blue eyes.

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Jack smiled to himself as he walked into the conference room where Kawalski, Ferretti and several others, whose names he couldn't recall, were seated around the table, waiting. They all nodded when he entered the room and joked good-naturedly.

Some of them had joined him on the first mission to Abydos, though they knew nothing of the original plan to blow it up along with them. He still felt a little guilty about it, and was glad he was actually able to bring them home. Kawalski and Ferretti didn't have wives or children, but had he detonated the bomb, he would have stolen any chance they may have had to find those things in the future.

He sat down in the middle seat they'd left open for him and waited. Jack thought about the captain he'd seen in the hall, and started to ask if anyone knew who she was, when General Hammond came out of the office to begin the briefing.

Jack bristled visibly when the general told him he'd be saddled with another scientist. He hated scientists. While he respected the work they did, he just didn't like dealing with them and all the weird stuff they insisted on talking about as though everyone else might find it interesting. Most of it, in Jack's opinion, was mind numbingly dull, and just the thought of spending time with a scientist made him want to pass on the whole deal. He looked at General Hammond, wondering how far he could go. "I'd prefer to put my own team together, Sir."

Hammond answered him evenly, "Not on this mission. Sorry. Carter's our expert on the Stargate."

Jack struggled not to roll his eyes. Apparently this egghead would be going with them, whether he liked it or not. Fine. "Where's he transferring from?"

A silhouette in the door caught his attention then a blond haired, blue-eyed captain strode confidently into the room. "She is transferring from the Pentagon. I take it you're Colonel O'Neill. Captain Samantha Carter reporting, Sir."

Jack looked at the blond woman with a shocked expression. He decided the universe clearly had it in for him.

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After the meeting, Jack went to the locker room to change into the more comfortable BDU's then sat on a bench, placing his hands in his head. Of course Carter would be the woman he saw in the hall. Of course. Captain Carter was a gorgeous scientist. Who'd have thought that was even possible? Weren't all scientists supposed to be geeky, wear glasses, and have a constantly distracted expression on their plain and forgettable faces? Carter did not fit that description by a long shot. She was slim, blond, and wildly attractive. She'd also made him feel a bolt of desire when she looked at him with those big eyes. He was now her commanding officer, which placed her completely off limits. Fantastic.

"You okay there?" Kawalski asked as he entered the locker room.

Jack looked up and grinned sourly. "Peachy." Standing, he shook his head to clear it and left the locker room swiftly. He'd been terribly rude to Carter, when he shouldn't have been. While it was true he really didn't like scientists all that much, or theo-astro-physician or whatever the hell she was, he'd really been pissed because she was the woman he'd seen in the hall. The universe in general seemed to hate him. He should apologize, but knew he probably wouldn't. It didn't matter at this point anyway. She was under his command, and to be honest, she did quite a good job at giving as good as she'd gotten. He liked her even more, and then cursed himself.

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He went to get kitted out with his gear and maybe check on Carter to see how she was faring. No, he decided, he would not check on Carter. She was an officer and fully capable of getting herself together. He'd see her in the gate room, just like the rest of his men. One of his men, that's all she was. One of his men.

Carter followed him and the rest of the men into the gate room. He noticed she looked at the gate like she'd never seen anything so fascinating in her entire life. He thought it was pretty cool too, but she looked at it with all the wonder of child on Christmas morning.

Jack turned and realized Hammond was speaking to him. "Sir?" he said, confused.

Hammond gave him a strange look. "This time you bring Daniel Jackson back. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir," Jack returned. He looked around at his team. "Move out!" He noticed Carter stayed standing at the bottom of the ramp, and he joined her. "Captain?"

She looked over at him with wonder in her eyes. "Don't worry Colonel. I won't let you down."

He shot her an amused look. "Good. I was going to say 'Ladies first.'" He headed up the ramp assuming she'd follow. She caught up to him in a few quick steps, still smiling at the bright blue event horizon in front of her. He suddenly realized it was the same color as her eyes, and the light reflecting off her hair, gave it an ethereal glow. He found he liked it.

"You know," she says looking over at him, wide smile still plastered on her face. "You will real like me when you get to know me."

"Oh, I adore you already, Captain," he returned. He was afraid it might be true, and that could not bode well for either of them.

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A/N

Hope you liked it!

TBC, but please, be patient. ;)

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