Title: Military with a Conscience
Author: Jemma
Story Status: Complete
Series/Sequel Info: None
Season: Three
Spoilers: Shades of Grey
Categories: Angst, UST, Romance
Pairings: Sam and Jack
Rating: K
Content Warnings: Bit of swearing.
Summary: What if Jack had spoken to Sam when SG-1 arrived on the planet he was making the drop off at?
Archive Permissions: Please ask
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters relating to Stargate. They belong to MGM and any of their associates. I'm just playing around with them for a little while!
Authors Note: Okay. This one is inspired by me just having caught the end of Shades of Grey on Sky One Mix. I just can't get over how he focuses on her with that micro-scopy thing of his when they come through the gate and he has to hide! Anyway... here we go. Feedback is loved and treasured forever more!!

SGSGSGSGSGSG

Just as I stand to dial back to base, the gate starts to spin up and the chevrons glow. Great.
Think fast Jack.

I turn and run to the nearest cover, which happens to be some trees and bushes not far from the DHD. The gate activates once I am hidden and the wormhole deposits some very familiar looking people on the top of the steps.

SG-1.

My team...or what was my team. I pull out my pocket binocular to get a better look.

Teal'c, the newly appointed Colonel Makepeace, Daniel and Carter.

"All right, let's make this quick. Carter, Dr Jackson, run your tests. Let's see if the intel was right about naqahdah deposits here."

Daniel and Carter walk off to the right of the gate carrying some kind of doo-hickey that she no doubt had to bring along. As she walks I focus on her.

She looks pale.
Pale and tired.

When I stop to think that it may be my fault that she's like that it makes me feel ill. The last thing I ever wanted to do when I took this mission on was to hurt anyone.

Unfortunately, I've done exactly that.
I made Teal'c feel as if he had never mattered to me.
I told Daniel that we were never friends.
And Carter...I made her feel that everything that's happened in the past week or so was her fault.

Right now I loathe myself.

There's a part of me that keeps saying, 'remember the mission Jack. They can't know you're here. The Asgard said only you could be involved.'

But then there's my conscience. And he tells me, 'just go and get her on her own. Explain the situation. She's military. She'll understand. The missions nearly over anyway.'

I think back to just over a week ago.
I treated her worse that I would treat my worst enemy. I insulted her, blamed her and hurt her. And for what?
A mission.

Yep. Military through and through. But still...I have a conscience and it tells me I'm guilty of betraying my friends. It tells me I have to make things right, and it tells me I have to do it now.

I keep to my hiding place behind the tree line, and slowly make my way in the direction that Sam and Daniel had gone. I make my way slowly so as not to make any noise that would arouse suspicion.

Five minutes later I see a clearing where Sam and Daniel are leant over the machine they brought with them. I get as close to the edge of the bushes as I can without disturbing the leaves, and then strain to hear the conversation going on between them.

"You set up here Daniel. I'll go test the soil within a twenty meter radius of this area."
"Sure thing Sam. Hey, where's Teal'c and the Colonel?"
"They're scouting out the area, checking it's safe."
"Ah. OK."

Before I know what's happening, Sam is walking directly this way. Hopefully Daniel will keep his back turned from this direction, and she'll actually come close enough for me to grab her.

She gets closer every second, until she's knelt down practically right in front of me. Good job these bushes are thick ones. I hold my breath as I time my move.

I check to make sure Daniel isn't looking this way, then as she goes to stand up and move again I grab her by the arm and pull her through the undergrowth.

Knowing her well I know she'll immediately protest or call for Daniel, so I put my hand firmly, but not roughly over her mouth, holding her body still with my arm on her stomach.

She stills slightly and I move around in front of her so she can see her captor. As her eyes adjust to the darkness I see them widen in shock. I smile and remove my hand from her mouth, which is now hanging open.

"Sir?" she whispers.
"The one and only," I reply just as quietly.

I can tell from the furrow of her forehead that she's well and truly confused.
"Sir..." she repeats only to trail off unable to find the words she needs.
"It's me Carter, and I don't have a lot of time."

She nods and then finally gets her questions out.
"What are you doing here? Why are you here? I thought..."
"Carter!" I whisper urgently.
"Sorry Sir."
"Thank you. And to answer your questions...I'm on a mission."
"Mission?"
"Yeah. Listen...I never went to Edora. I haven't even retired. All I'm doing is working undercover for the Tollan and As..."

Trailing off and sighing, I realize that I'm never gonna be able to tell her the whole story now.

"Sir? What's going on?"
"Carter, listen to me. I know you wanna hear it, but I haven't got time to tell you the whole story."

I see her visibly relax at this point, and I also realise that we've been sitting here for at least a minute with her hands holding my arms and mine resting on her legs just above the knee.
"Sam! You there!"

Shit. Daniel.
I give her a serious look, and I know she understands.
"Just coming Daniel!" she shouts back in the direction of the clearing.

After his confirmation of having heard her, we both look back at each other.
She looks almost scared.
"What?" I ask her.
She sighs.
"Tell me you're coming back."

I smile gently and reach up to pick a leaf out of her hair. Meeting her gaze again I reply.
"Yeah. I'm comin home." She gives a relieved smile. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"You didn't."
"Good. I just needed to see you. To talk to you. To tell you...the things I said, I didn't..."
"I know," she says, cutting off my rambling.

Something happens to us then. An unspoken apology is given, and an acceptance made. After a few seconds of simply smiling at each other she speaks quietly.
"I'd better go."
"Yeah."
"So, will I being seeing you soon?" she asks hopefully.
"Very soon. Sooner than you think."
She grins.
"That's good."

I remove my hands from her legs and she drops hers from my arms.
She nods and begins to crawl out from our hiding place.

Then suddenly she stops and moves back slightly to kneel in front of me.
"Oh, and whilst you're… unofficially… retired..." she whispers before leaning down and kissing me firmly. The feel of her lips on mine is absolutely incredible.

All too soon it's over. She pulls back from me, smiles gently, and then crawls away.
Oh yeah.
I'll be home soon.

SGSGSGSGSGSG

That's it!! I've done it!! Finito!! Hope you've enjoyed it, and as always...FEEDBACK me:)

01/01/2002