S/J AU Fic - "Almost" (S7 Spoilers)

[Elisa Azure]

Hi!

I ain't been on the board for a while, been busy with real life! Anyway here's a fic that I wrote recently. Haven't propperly betea'd it yet, so any suggestions for improvement are more than welcome.

Enjoy.

Liz

www.dreamstonedreamer.co.uk

Almost

Disclaimer: MGM, Double Secret Productions and Gekko Film Corp own Stargate, I don't and I make no profit from this.
Date: Oct 2003
Author: Liz Lansdown
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Category: AU, Sam and Jack.
Archive: SJD Yes, others please ask.
Spoilers: For Season 7, do not read any further if you don’t want spoilers.
Status: Part 1 of ?
Beta: Only a preliminary read through.
Summery: An extended scene of something that Martin Wood mentioned.
Note: This story it based on a small quote from an interview with Martin Wood (Which I’ve put at the bottom.) I haven’t really read any other spoilers for Season 7, so this probably won’t fit in with the episode in the slightest. ) Also in my Season 7, the person that is supposedly killed off is not. P So this is practically an AU story.

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It was a Friday night and Jack was meeting up with Daniel and Teal’c for Beer, Pizza and a movie. He felt some much-needed normalcy was needed right now it had been a weird week at the SGC, well more so than usual. Jonas had found out that the ‘Lost City’ of the Ancients was here on Earth, after much work done by him and Daniel they still only had one place that they could possibly look, and that was Antarctica. So SG-1 had been given a weeks down time before they set off for the very cold place that Jack was not keen on returning to. It also gave Jonas some time to prepare for the trip as well, no-one knew he’d been working on this while he was on Kelwena, and it came as quite a shock when he dialled up to practically say: ‘Hi, how are you? By the way I’ve found what you’ve all been searching for, for the past year.’

Jack remembered Daniel’s reaction to it all, he was sure Jonas had got it wrong, after all the guy didn’t have as much experience as Daniel did. Second it gave Daniel another reminder that he had been away for a year, and had never quite got to know or appreciate Jonas’ abilities like the rest of the team had.

Jack was just checking the beer was cool and the pizza was warm and not the other way round when he heard a knock at the door. He glanced at the clock and realised that the guys were early. One thing that Daniel hadn’t remembered yet apparently was that he was always late for this sort of thing, Jack thought smiling.

He opened the door with a quirky comment on his lips ready to tease Daniel. Yet he soon found that he had lost all the ability to speak when he saw Sam in the doorway. Now normally this would not warrant a lack of articulation but Sam was not looking like the Sam that Jack saw everyday. She was dressed in a small pencil black dress that was low cut enough to draw the eye but not to reveal too much, there was a slit up one side of the skirt that made her legs look like they went on forever. She was also wearing make-up a very rare sight on Jack’s second in command. It wasn’t intrusive a dark red lipstick and black mascara that framed her eyes perfectly and a light brush of silvery eye shadow.

Sam looked at him with a question in her eyes; Jack stepped aside and waved an arm inviting her in. He still didn’t trust his voice box not to produce a high pitched squeak, nor did he trust his sub-conscious not to blurt out what he really was thinking at the moment.

Sam stepped in and went to the living room and stood in the middle looking slightly out of place, not only due to the fact that she was not exactly dressed for the occasion that Jack had set up but also that she so rarely visited his house. Jack came back in and looked at her, unable still to believe his eyes, or fathom why she had come to his house dressed like that. Sam seemed unable to form the any words either; she had come here for a purpose, yet now she felt that she shouldn’t be here at all and felt somewhat lost.

Just at that moment Daniel and Teal’c were coming up the drive, carrying more beer and Star Wars, Teal’c had insisted.
“It appears Jack was expecting us.” Said Daniel pointing out the open door smiling. “Although if my memory serves me right we should expect a prank or something when we enter.”
“I believe you are right Daniel Jackson, it has been known to happen in the past.” Teal’c stated as the climbed the steps to the door.
Daniel entered the house first peering round just in case and trying to be as quiet as possible. Teal’c followed closely behind them him, and they both stopped short when they saw Sam in the living room.

Jack and Sam had not noticed that they had gained an audience. Sam opened her mouth to talk, then shut it again quickly. Jack walked over to her extending an arm, but quickly putting it back by his side before her touched the woman in front of him. Sam opened her mouth to say something, then shut it again as she saw Daniel and Teal’c looking at them over Jack’s shoulder. She quickly walked back from Jack and grabbed a beer and sat down, trying desperately not feel out of place. Jack looked at her puzzled and looked around when Daniel ‘coughed’ as he came through into the living room.

Jack waved slightly at Daniel and Teal’c, excused himself by saying that he needed to get the dips form the kitchen and was gone as quickly as possible. Daniel decided that he and Teal’c had interrupted a very important or at least rule braking moment. Taking his cue from Sam and Jack he pretended everything was normal and gave a look to Teal’c, hoping the Jaffa would get the drift.

Teal’c knew perfectly well what was going on and very slightly nodded in return to Daniel’s silent request. He proceeded to crouch down near the video recorder and set up the first video. Daniel on the other hand when to sit on the couch next to Sam who was sipping her beer and absently gazing at the wall opposite.

“Hi Sam” Daniel smiled, she just glanced at him, “I thought that you were meeting Peter tonight?” Just as he said it he knew it was the completely wrong thing to say.

Jack had just come back into the living room at that very moment and stopped dead, Teal’c looked over his shoulder with an eyebrow raised. Daniel sunk as far as he could into the couch without trying to visibly do so. Sam put her beer down on the table and turned towards Daniel, trying to ignore Jack’s gaze.

“Yes, I was going to meet him Daniel.” She almost spat, then realising her tone of voice flustered a little. “I’d better get back to the lab though, there was…there’s something I need to take care of.” She then got up and left closing the still open door behind her.

Daniel flinched as he heard the door close and tentatively looked up at Jack, who was looking at the living room door with an odd expression. Just then the video recorder clicked indicating that the tape was rewound. Jack seemed to switch himself back on at the sound and placed the dip down on the coffee table.

“So what we’re watching?” he asked as he flopped on the couch where Sam had just sat.

Teal’c looked at Daniel and Daniel glanced back, still a little uneasy and feeling very idiotic.

“Star Wars” Teal’c stated as he got up grabbed a beer and sat in his usual chair.

“Yeah he insisted that he bring it after I told him I couldn’t remember what it was about.” Daniel said trying to grin, glancing at Jack and then at Teal’c. How could he have been so stupid as to say something like that?

“Okay then, let the fun begin.” Jack said as he pressed play on the remote.

The three guys then sat in silence during the movie, neither willing to mention Sam or what had just happened. When the movie had finished Teal’c put on the second one and they ate Pizza still in silence. The night continued as such throughout the rest of the movies. Several hours later, and after all the pizza and most of the beer had been devoured Teal’c got up to place the videos back in their boxes.

“Well that was fun kids, we must do it again soon.” Jack said quickly with false enthusiasm, as he stood up to clear the Pizza boxes up from the floor.

“Yes it was.” Daniel replied mild confusion and distraction, and got up also picking up his coat that he had slung over the side of the couch.

Teal’c soon had the videos packed up and he and Daniel were ready to leave. Jack walked them to the door.

“Look, Jack I…” Daniel started just as he stepped out on the porch.

“See you later Daniel.” Jack said firmly cutting him off. He nodded at Teal’c then closed the door.

Daniel looked to Teal’c again as the walked down the steps to the drive.

“I really don’t know why I said that.” Daniel voicing what he had been thinking the whole evening.

“I have noticed that humans tend to say things that they do not intend quite often Daniel Jackson.” Teal’c mentioned as they got into the car to drive back to base. “Though I must admit that you could not have picked any thing more wrong to say at that moment.”

“Gee thanks Teal’c.” Daniel muttered as he started up the engine. “I just hope they’ll be alright.” He said looking at the house before reversing out of the driveway.

“They have suffered more strain than this on their friendship.” Teal’c stated matter of factly.

“It’s not their friendship I am worried about.” Daniel said as he drove them back to the base.

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Sam meanwhile had changed and was working in her lab, she hadn’t realised the time and soon found herself falling asleep in front of her computer. A pair of small hands touching her shoulders easing her off the keyboard woke her up.

“Janet…”She mumbled as she pulled herself up.

“Yes Sam?” Janet asked with a slight smile, Sam had keyboard marks on her forehead, an increasingly more common sight, Janet thought worried.

“Thanks, I guess I just didn’t realise the time.” Sam muttered as she got up, looked at the screen and turned the computer off, there wasn’t much point in saving what looked to be, ironically a line of Z’s with a few A S D and F’s thrown in for variety.

“You can’t keep doing this Sam.” Janet said as she half sat on the desk, watching as Sam packed up.

“You’re here late too.” Sam protested.

“Yes as I know you are usually here, asleep on your keyboard.” Janet remarked.

Sam smiled, it was true, she did seem to get more sleep here than in her own bed.

“Besides I thought you’d broken this habit now Peter was on the scene.” Janet teased.

Sam suddenly froze while shutting down the last of her equipment. She turned and looked at Janet, whose smile faded when she saw the expression on Sam’s face.

Silently Sam finished shutting down her lab and collecting her things. Without the need to talk to each other Sam and Janet left the base together headed for Sam’s house. Despite the fact that it was nearing two o’clock in the morning the need for a chat between friends came first. As Cassie had now left for college, Janet found her home empty, but with more time on her hands.

When they entered Sam’s house Janet when straight to the freezer got out the ice cream and two spoons, then went to join Sam in the living room where she had already collapsed on the couch.

“So tell me what happened.” Janet said offering a spoon to Sam.
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Jack meanwhile was still sitting in his living room idly flicking through the channels on TV. He started to clue on to the fact that it was late as all the channels seemed to have more ads on them or, educational shows for the students who seemed to never sleep by the looks of things.

He couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened, or almost happened, or not happened today. He was still a little unsure of what had actually transpired. He knew that tonight he had invited him team over to what Cassie would call a ‘Veg Out’. Sam had declined saying that she had things to do, or something, he got the drift that she didn’t or couldn’t come. Daniel and Teal’c agreed, for one it was a chance for them to both get off base as Teal’c couldn’t really leave and Daniel had been so busy at the SGC and with a memory that was still returning to him, he’d never got around to getting a new flat.

He also knew that instead of Daniel and Teal’c turning up early Sam had arrived before them, dressed in, well what he still couldn’t believe she was dressed in. It’s not that he didn’t think she would wear that kind of thing, it’s just a shock to see the woman he works with on a day to day business, who is always in combat or casual fatigue, to be wearing a skirt, let alone a dress. Like that dress. He turned off the TV to wake himself out his stupor, he was fixating on that dress a little too much and it worried him slightly.

He knew she was seeing someone, she hadn’t really gone out of her way to tell him, and he was glad that she didn’t. They had never made any agreements, at least not verbally, and it wasn’t like he’d been at least tempted to seek companionship elsewhere. Although she had, according to Daniel, supposed to be seeing Peter tonight. He glanced at the clock on his way to the kitchen, and corrected himself, last night.

He sunk into a chair next to the kitchen table and looked out the glass door onto the shadowy garden. His mind not really taking in what he was looking at, or even paying much attention to what he was doing.

Before Daniel and Teal’c had turned up she was going to say something, looking back on it Jack realised that she had a sense of urgency about her. Also, while he had not noticed at the time she looked as though she was upset, that she had been trying not to cry and not quite succeeding.

Just then a cat prowled past the door, the movement shaking Jack out of his thoughts again. He watched the cat chase, what he presumed was a small animal, until it moved out of the light being cast into the garden through the door. Then decided that it would not do to dwell, especially at this time of night, he would only get frustrated that he couldn’t do something. He was after all a man of action not thought.

From outside the lights in Jack’s house slowly went out until it was as dark as it’s sleeping neighbours.

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End Part 1

"Scene 33 - INT O'Neill's House
1. STEDICAM - Start wide on O'Neill's Living Room and push forward as
the comes down the hall, find Carter in the doorway - YIKES! LOOKS AT
WHAT SHE'S WAERING! THAT CAN'T BE REGULATION!!! AAND JUST LOOK AT
...uh... Carter comes in and we draw her back down into the Living Room, hold
over Carter to O'Neill for his re-entrance, pan over and find Daniel
coming in, and Teal'c right behind him - hold two shot as they OGLE
Carter.
2. STEDICAM - tighter single of Carter for the "Love" bit
3. STEDICAM - Reverse over Carter to O'Neill, transfer off of him when
Carter gets her beer, pull back for a two shot when Daneil and Teal'c
come in."