Everyone and his mother has done a 'Grace' fic; I know! But what the hey! As always; read and I hope you enjoy! The recognizable dialogue comes from the episode Grace, which was written by Damien Kindler.
Sam looked blearily at the hallucination of her Dad. "Are you happy, Sam?" he asked.
"What?"
"Just answer the question."
Sam managed a small smirk. "Well, at the moment things are a little rough, but in general, sure I'm happy."
"No you're not," Jacob Carter immediately contradicted her. "You're content, you're satisfied, you're in control and that's the problem."
Had he always been this cryptic, or was it just the hallucination? "Okay, I'm really not following here," Sam told him.
"I'm saying you're missing something vital from your life. And the sad part is you have no idea what I'm talking about."
Too true. "Dad, I am happy. I've seen and done things most people couldn't even dream of. I have an incredible life."
"And yet you're alone."
Oh God … when did her dad suddenly decide to become a yenta?
She tried to blow him off with a smart ass response. "Well lately, the dating scene's been a little stale, but then again I am marooned on a space ship."
"No, always. For as long as she was alive, your mother showed me a world beyond just ambition and career." Sam gulped back the tears that threatened. Even after all these years, she still missed and needed her mom. "She gave my life meaning and balance, and it was my honor to love her for the short time she was with me. And if I were young again and I met her for the first time even knowing her fate, I would do it all again. That is love."
Sam was now crying openly for her mom for the first time in years.
"Sam," her dad continued, "I know you've denied yourself the experience because you think it must inevitably end in pain and loneliness. It's time to let go of the things that prevent you from finding happiness. You deserve to love someone and be loved in return."
Sam sniffed back her tears, then looked around to find that her dad had disappeared.
Letting go … of what?
Sam watched as the little girl disappeared, wondering just why she seemed so familiar. Then a figure appeared in shadow. A very familiar figure.
"All right Carter, come on, on your feet let's go," Colonel Jack O'Neill said.
Sam didn't bother to get up – he was just an hallucination, right? "I was wondering when you were going to show up," she offered.
"You just gonna sit there?"
"Too tired, sir." She didn't think she'd ever been so tired in her life.
The Colonel hunkered down opposite her with a small groan. "Samantha …," he practically purred, "I'm a figment of your imagination. You're gonna call me sir?"
"Old habit. Sorry," Sam replied, trying to ignore the funny sensation caused by him purring her first name.
"So, you gonna save yourself or what?"
Straight to the point as always, mon Colonel? "I've tried."
"Just giving up then?"
"I just don't know what else to do right now."
"You'll think of something."
She liked his confidence in her, but did not share it. "Came to give me a pep talk?"
"That's what friends are for."
"Friends," Sam mused.
"Hey. This is you talking here. Might as well be honest."
Weird – he seemed to be the only one of her figments that knew he was a figment.
"What if I quit the Air Force?" Sam asked. "Would that change anything or is it just an excuse?"
"I would never ask you to give up your career," the Colonel replied steadily.
That was no answer! "Because you don't feel anything for me?" Sam pressed.
"Carter …".
"I'd let you go right now if I knew."
"That easy?"
"I didn't say it would be easy," Sam replied. She treasured the unusual bond she had with the enigmatic older man and could usually lock her attraction to him deep inside. But they'd shared what could only be described as a 'moment' in her lab when he'd gone off to Honduras a couple weeks earlier in search of Daniel.
Since then, she'd found herself pondering what it would be like if she or the Colonel – if she or Jack – ever left the chain of command. Would they be good together, or had she built things up so much that no mere mortal could live up to it?
"Then what's stopping you if you really wanna know?" the Colonel asked, his dark eyes bright with curiosity.
"I'm trying," Sam replied.
"Maybe it's not me that's the problem here," the Colonel said thoughtfully. Then he gave a quirky grin that lengthened the adorable dimples in his face. "Let's face it, I'm not that complex."
Not that complex – hah! The man was like an onion – layer upon layer upon layer.
She blinked and forced herself to focus on the handsome … no; not handsome! … older man. "Me?"
"Sam. I'm a safe bet."
"As long as I'm thinking about you, setting my sights on what I think is unobtainable, there's no chance of being hurt by someone else," Sam said.
"Jacob was right; you deserve more. I will always be there for you, no matter what. Believe me."
"So what now?" Sam said, resigned to the fact that she really couldn't do anything about her relationship – or lack thereof – with Jack O'Neill while she was stuck in this nebula.
"Go save your ass."
Sam would have laughed if her head hadn't been killing her. Such an O'Neill thing to say.
"One last thing," she said, then paused. What harm could it do? One sweet, wonderful kiss; soft lips on hers, his hot moist tongue stroking inside her mouth, a long-fingered hand sliding into her hair to hold her to him …
The Colonel tilted his head in inquiry.
"Never mind," Sam said.
Sam struggled to consciousness to find herself in the SGC infirmary, with the Colonel sitting nearby. "Hey," he said.
"Jack," Sam murmured hazily.
"Excuse me?" the Colonel blurted out.
"Sorry, sir." Sam's pale cheeks got a renewed rush of blood.
"Yes, well, a massive concussion will tend to disorient one."
She always knew when he was uncomfortable – he became the grammar warden, belying the dumb soldier act he liked to put on. "How long was I out there?" she asked.
"It's all relative Carter, that whole time space continuum thing," the Colonel said.
"Sir," Sam prompted.
"Four days."
Wow. "Could have sworn it was weeks," Sam said.
"Teal'c and Daniel say hi. They're planning a little bit of a shindig for when you're up and around. There's talk of cake."
"Cake?"
"My idea."
Of course, Sam thought with an inner giggle. "Can't wait," she said.
"Need anything? Magazine? Yo-yo?"
"I'm fine," Sam told him.
"Yes, you are."
"Thank you, sir," she added.
"For what?"
Sam thought better of what she'd been about to say. "Nothing."
"Think nothing of it. I've got plenty of that."
Sam closed her eyes and heard a small girl sing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'.
Let go … of what?
Nope. Not a clue.