A.N.: This idea popped into my head while reading The Tenth Circle. For the record, I don't have anything really against Pete. Pete was an okay guy. I don't think he was right for Carter, but hey, that doesn't make him a bad guy. However, I had to make him a bad guy in this story....I needed someone familiar to Carter, someone who could of still had a key to her house, and someone possibly wanting revenge.

........

She had just laid there in silence, in complete and utter shock. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined something like this happening to her. She knew she had a thing or two going for her in the beauty department, and sure, she's gotten the creepy glances from unwanted company, but she had always thought she would be able to adequately take care of herself. She thought that her military persona would have taken over, but she felt as if she had let herself down. Numb from the inside out, she acted on instinct, calling the only person who came to mind.

"Sir, it's me...."

"Carter? What in blazes are you doing calling me at....what....2 A.M.?"

She could hear the daze still in his voice, like she had woken him from a deep sleep. Although she did her very best, she knew she wouldn't be able to control the waiver in her voice.

"Sir, some...something...happened."

"I'm on my way."

As she heard the dial tone echo through the line, she let the phone drop from her fingertips onto the floor. Softly, with every body part still shaking, she slide onto her side and let her knees come up to rest on her chest.

.........

Instinct was the driving force that brought Jack to her front door. Instinct is what was making his gut whirl. The front door was wide open, and he figured it wasn't her that had left it that way. Cautiously, he made his way into her house. There was no visible sign of disturbance, no visible sign of distress, but he could feel it lingering in the air. Something definitely wasn't right. Slowly, he made his way throughout the house, searching for any hiden demons, until he made his way to the last door on the right, her bedroom. Gently, he knocked on the door.

"Carter, it's me. You in there?"

The sight as he opened the door made his head spin. Never before had he seen her looking so broken, so defenseless, and they had been through a lot together. She didn't look up to acknowledge his arrival, but he could see the tears starting to flow down her cheek. Somehow, without even the slighter murmur of a word, he just knew.

"When?"

"Not....not sure. May...be...an hour ago."

"Who?"

Her voice caught in her throat just a little. She felt like she was suffocating on the air she was breathing. Somehow, she knew saying the word would make it real, and she wasn't sure she wanted that quite yet.

"Oh, Carter."

He knew the words were adequate, but nothing would have been adequate at that moment. Hesitantly, he made his way over to the bed, carefully calculating every movement as to not startle her. His first touch on her shoulder made her shutter ever so slightly, so he drew back, but she drew closer. Her head made it's way into the nook of his chest, and as he began to stroke her hair, he could already see bruising starting to form on her face and arms. Her sobs were steadily soaking through his shirt, and he wanted nothing more than to take all the pain away.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't...well, I didn't know who else to call. I didn't know what to do."

"Anytime, Carter. Anytime. We should really get you to the base to get checked out, though, kiddo."

After a moment, she just nodded. She tried to stand, but her feet didn't seem to want to support her weight. She fell back against his chest, and so, he swept his other hand under her legs and started to carry her out to the car. As he strapped the seatbelt around her waist, she said it. She said it so quietly that he had to strain to even make out the words.

"Pete. It was...Pete."