Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

‘Are you sure you want to go alone?’ asked Jack.

Teal’c simply raised an eyebrow.

Jack repressed the urge to sigh and rocked back on his heels, hands stuffed into the pockets of his BDU pants to stop himself from poking at the ornaments on Teal’c’s shelf. ‘It’s just that you going off alone to talk to the rebel Jaffa leadership never ends well.’

‘On the contrary, O’Neill,’ Teal’c countered. ‘I have made several trips to P4S161 alone and without incident.’

‘Semantics,’ Jack retorted.

‘I will also not be alone as the other rebel Jaffa leaders will also be in attendance,’ Teal’c said.

‘Bra’tac?’ queried Jack archly.

‘Indeed,’ Teal’c confirmed as he placed another item into his carry satchel. ‘He will have returned from Hak’tyl. I will rendezvous with him there.’

‘Well, that makes me feel better,’ Jack said with enough sarcasm that it should convey that the news didn’t make him feel better even if it totally did. Bra’tac was a crotchety old guy, but he was an incredible warrior.

‘It really can’t wait?’ asked Jack again.

‘Given Ishta’s intelligence that Ba’al has already moved into Moloc’s territory, it is imperative that we meet, O’Neill,’ Teal’c replied calmly. He reached for a stack of papers on the end of his bed and a slim letter fell from the pile landing near to Jack’s boot.

Jack stooped and picked it up, slowly rising as he caught sight of the handwriting on the envelope.

‘Why is Carter writing to Bra’tac?’ Jack blurted out before he could stop himself. He hoped like hell it wasn’t to ask Bra’tac to officiate her wedding like he had officiated Rya’c and Kar’yn’s.

Not that he was thinking about Carter getting married. He’d tried very hard not to think about it at all in the weeks since Carter had announced her engagement.

He’d known, he told himself brusquely; he’d known it was a possibility of letting her go, when he’d offered her nothing but friendship, even when she had confided her doubts about accepting Shanahan’s ring.

He was proud of the fact that he had limited himself to only a week of avoiding Carter after the announcement.

OK.

Two weeks of avoidance.

(And Jack was not going to acknowledge that the avoidance had only ended because Teal’c had given him the eyebrow.)

But Jack could quietly admit to himself that it was a relief not to hear anything about Shanahan or the wedding from Carter whenever he caught up with SG1, usually during a meal at the base. They hadn’t even had an engagement party, Jack mused, the thought suddenly striking him.

Teal’c reached over and plucked the letter out of Jack’s hand. ‘Before he left for Hak’tyl, Colonel Carter requested his aide in delivering a letter to Jacob Carter.’

‘Ah,’ Jack stuffed his hands back into his pants’ pockets. ‘You think she’s telling Dad about…’ he pulled a hand from his pocket and gestured vaguely in lieu of having to say the words.

Teal’c inclined his head. ‘I believe it most likely that the letter informs Jacob Carter of her acceptance of Detective Shanahan’s proposal.’

Jack pressed his lips together. Maybe it was a good thing, he mused. He couldn’t imagine Jacob approving of Shanahan. He knew Hammond definitely did not, although he had no idea if Carter had actually told her Uncle George about the engagement. Maybe he should mention it.

Or not, Jack reminded himself. He wasn’t getting involved.

‘Right,’ Jack managed to say, aware the silence was dragging on. ‘I guess I should forget I saw anything.’

Not least because officially he shouldn’t know that a member of his unit was circumventing official channels to speak to a member of another alien race by requesting aide from an ally, Jack thought ruefully.

Jacob might be Carter’s father, but he was a member of the Tok’ra. They hadn’t officially heard anything from their former allies since they’d left the Alpha site. But clearly Carter had twigged as Jack had that some of Bra’rac’s intelligence had to have come from them. Bra’tac had formed a close friendship with Jacob and his Tok’ra symbiote, Selmak, in the time they’d worked together. Jack was reasonably certain that they were the source. 

If he officially knew anything, he would need to reprimand Carter, and Jack wasn’t about to do that over a letter to her Dad.

‘A wise decision, O’Neill,’ Teal’c said as he put the letter into his bag and closed the flap.

‘You think this will bring Dad back?’ Jack asked, disregarding his own words.

Teal’c lifted his eyebrow. ‘Indeed.’ His gaze darted towards a photo of his own recently married son on a nearby dresser.

‘You seem much happier about Rya’c’s decision to marry,’ Jack noted.

‘I am,’ Teal’c confirmed. ‘Kar’yn spoke with me on my return. She has courage.’ He paused. ‘Just like her teacher.’

Ishta, Jack surmised.

‘I believe she is a good match for him,’ Teal’c said. ‘She will be beside him in our fight to defeat the Goa’uld.’ He picked up the bag and slung the long strap over his body. He was already dressed in the heavy robe that had become his rebel Jaffa off-world travelling outfit.

‘And you and Ishta?’ Jack waved a hand at his friend. ‘I assume that you guys are…’ he motioned vaguely because he still wasn’t certain exactly what relationship Teal’c had with Ishta.

They fought like a married couple, but Teal’c had claimed that they were only friends with benefits and had pursued another romantic dalliance while he had been living off the base.

‘We are good, O’Neill,’ Teal’c confirmed with the deep satisfaction of a guy who had clearly gotten his girl.

Unlike Jack.

Not thinking about it, Jack reminded himself.

Jack walked Teal’c to the Stargate and saw him off with a brief prayer that Teal’c would be fine. Things tended to go badly when the rebel Jaffa leadership got together all in one place. It wouldn’t be the first time someone had targeted them.

He stepped back out into the corridor and almost ran straight into Daniel. They managed to stop in time to avoid a collision.

‘Daniel,’ Jack acknowledged the archaeologist with an arched eyebrow.

‘Jack,’ Daniel said carefully. His gaze darted beyond Jack to the gate room. ‘I missed Teal’c?’

‘Yup,’ Jack said, waving his hand toward the ‘gate. “He’s off to his meeting.”

Daniel sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose, before folding his arms tightly across his chest.

Jack looked at him closely. Daniel looked tired.  ‘Well, this has been…something.’

He turned for the stairs to the control room. Daniel followed him.

‘Do you still remember Ancient?’ asked Daniel.

Jack did not look back. ‘I’m not staring at the code you translated for the Trust, Daniel. You translated it.’

‘But maybe it was wrong,’ Daniel suggested.

‘Was it wrong?’ Jack ignored the sympathetic look from Walter and took the stairs up to the briefing room and his office.

‘No,’ Daniel sighed heavily. ‘I just can’t shake the thought that I should know what it’s for.’

Jack crossed the briefing room and entered his office. He wasn’t surprised when that did not deter Daniel. He sat down, reached for a folder waiting for his attention, and looked up at his friend. ‘Maybe stop thinking about it?’

Daniel hummed. ‘That’s actually not a bad suggestion.’

Jack huffed and flipped open the folder. He realised that Daniel hadn’t moved and looked back up. ‘Daniel.’

‘Jack,’ Daniel said back automatically.

Jack raised both his eyebrows. ‘Do you need something else or can I get back to the exciting topic of…’ he couldn’t remember the words he’d just read. He read them again. ‘Legumes.’

‘Legumes?’ Daniel’s nose wrinkled.

‘Alien legumes from P6X891?’ Jack read out loud and shook his head.

Daniel waved his hands at the report. ‘I just wanted to check in.’

‘Check in?’ Jack parroted.

Daniel met his eyes with an understanding look which Jack recognised all too well. It was his ‘Carter is engaged to someone else and I’m worried about you’ look.

‘I just…I mean, with Rya’c and Kar’yn’s wedding and all, I just thought maybe it had…’

‘Daniel,’ Jack cut in sharply. ‘We are not talking about…,’ he made a sharp gesture to cut him off again. ‘Ack! Not talking about it!’

‘Right,’ Daniel drawled. ‘Good talk.’ He turned for the door but whirled back around. ‘Sorry, that was…’ he grimaced. ‘If you’re not ready to talk about it, you shouldn’t have to talk about it.’

‘Thank you,’ Jack said with enough sarcasm that Daniel returned to glaring at him.

Daniel breathed in deeply with what looked like his whole body and released it with an audible huff. The glare faded. He waved at the folder Jack was holding in front of him like a shield. ‘I’ll leave you to read about the legumes. Doctor Hillary thinks they might cure heart disease.’

‘Right,’ Jack looked down at the folder with more interest as Daniel headed for the door.

‘Or cause a heart attack,’ Daniel added. He grinned as Jack’s eyes snapped back towards him and left the office jauntily.

Jack glared at the empty office door. He set the folder down and rubbed his eyes. He was fine. It was fine.

Sure, he wasn’t sleeping well, but that was because the barber’s life he often dreamed about had divebombed into a toilet with his wife and son leaving him. It was probably some kind of subconscious message that his mind was trying to tell him with that, but Jack was ignoring it.

He shook himself.

He’d let Carter go. She was getting married. It hurt, but as Teal’c had bluntly pointed out in the immediate aftermath of the proposal, Jack hadn’t offered himself as an alternative. He only had himself to blame. He could lay out all the reasons why he hadn’t put himself forward, but the fact remained that he’d offered Carter nothing but friendship and their respectful and restrictive professional relationship for years. He’d walked away from Carter in much the same way Teal’c had done with Drey’auc and Rya’c. He’d walked away because SG1 was important to the fight. And by the time he’d reconsidered…Carter had moved on.

Maybe he’d tried very hard during Rya’c’s wedding not to think about having to stand and watch Carter say her vows to Shanahan one day. Maybe he was hoping Jacob would ride back in and interfere. Maybe…

Maybe, Jack thought sternly to himself, it was time to get back to the alien legumes.

o-O-o

Sam set the cheesecake down on the table and smiled at Pete as she retook her seat. She picked up her napkin and tossed it back across her lap.

‘Raspberry?’ Pete beamed at her. ‘You’re spoiling me.’ He reached over the table offering his hand.

Sam slipped her hand into his briefly, squeezing his lightly before she let go. She picked up the serving knife.

‘I know I haven’t been around much these past few weeks,’ Sam said. The meal was her way of making up her absence to her fiancé.

Butterflies stormed through her belly at the remembrance she was engaged. The weight of the ring felt heavy on her finger. She rarely wore it because of the safety issues with her lab work and she kept forgetting to wear it at home.

Butterflies were normal, Sam thought doggedly. Marriage was a big step. It wasn’t one she had taken lightly. She had thought about it for days before accepting Pete’s proposal.

Pete smiled as she slid a slice of the cheesecake onto his plate. ‘Well, I’m not going to complain at having the chance to spend time alone with you.’ He grinned as he picked up a fork. ‘Have I told you that you look beautiful?’

Sam smiled at the compliment. She had dressed up a little. The navy wrap dress was new and she’d thrown on some lingerie underneath since she knew Cassie’s absence would likely mean that Pete stayed over.

Pete raised his wineglass. ‘To my beautiful fiancée.’

Sam melted a little at his obvious admiration for her. She picked up her own glass and tapped it lightly against his. She sipped her wine and set it aside to tackle the cheesecake. She hoped it tasted as good as it looked.

‘This is awesome,’ Pete declared. ‘You know what would also be awesome? Marrying in front of the Stargate like Teal’c’s son.’

Sam smiled a little tightly. ‘Unfortunately, a lot of our guests won’t have the clearance for us to do that.’

‘I guess not,’ Pete pulled a face. ‘I guess since I already asked Mark to be my best man, we’ll have to have the wedding somewhere he can actually be.’

Sam reached for her wine and took a gulp. ‘I thought you were going to ask your friend Evan?’

‘Eh, Mark deserves it more,’ Pete said, ‘he did set us up together.’

Sam was glad his eyes were on his plate so he couldn’t see her grimace. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her brother or want him to be part of the day, but there was a lot about her life, about their father’s life, that Mark just didn’t know. She wasn’t sure having him as a best man was the right call.

Still, Sam told herself briskly, it was Pete’s call.

‘Do you have somewhere in mind?’ asked Pete, cutting through her inner dialogue and yanking her attention back to the table.

‘Um,’ Sam stumbled over the question, her mind half-flitting back to the list of planets for the new Hak’tyl. ‘Somewhere in mind for…?’

‘Our wedding?’ Pete chuckled.

Sam blushed. She should have realised that Pete was referencing their wedding with the question not asking about Ishta and her people.

‘I, uh, haven’t really thought about it,’ Sam admitted. She pushed away the fleeting thought that she hadn’t want to think about it. It was too early to think about the wedding – they’d only just got engaged.

‘Do you want to get married in the Catholic church?’ Pete asked. ‘Mark seemed to think your Dad would insist on it.’

‘I’m not sure he will,’ Sam demurred. She picked up her wine and swallowed the rest of the glass. ‘I just think we should keep it simple.’

She couldn’t imagine a huge traditional wedding.

‘Talking of your Dad,’ Pete said a touch hesitantly as he refilled her glass from the bottle she’d set to the side. ‘Any news? Mark’s getting a little antsy about why he hasn’t heard from him.’

Sam grimaced and rubbed her brow. This, she thought tiredly, was exactly why she didn’t want Mark too involved with the wedding.

‘I’ve asked one of our allies to reach out to his contacts,’ Sam said briskly. ‘I’m hopeful that he’ll be able to get word to my Dad.’

‘But?’ teased Pete, although his eyes remained serious.

Sam shrugged. ‘My Dad has a duty to the Tok’ra. Even hearing about, uh, our plans…’ she shook her head. ‘His duty comes first.’

As did hers.

Pete didn’t look happy at the answer. He applied himself to eating the cheesecake and she did the same.

‘You know,’ Pete began, ‘this is the first time we’ve really touched on wedding planning.’

Sam looked up from her dessert. She resisted the urge to reach for her wine again. ‘There’s no rush, is there?’

Pete’s lips curved upward, but his eyes remained serious. ‘Of course not…’

She heard the disappointment in his even tone and inwardly winced; she was an awful fiancée.

‘…but maybe we should think about setting a date?’ concluded Pete.

Sam twiddled with her fork. ‘I’d like to wait until I hear back from our ally about my Dad before setting a date. I’d like him to be here for the wedding.’

Pete nodded slowly. He made another attempt to smile. ‘Right.’

‘Pete…’ Sam began.

‘No, sorry,’ Pete held up one hand and reached for his wine with the other. He looked at her sombrely. ‘I get it, I do. So…we’ll wait on the date.’

‘Thank you,’ Sam said quietly, relief flooding through her.

‘But,’ Pete said, ‘I’d like to start making enquiries, planning how we want the day to go, pulling together the guest list, maybe an engagement party…’ he waved a hand at her, ‘I’d like us to get started on building our lives together.’

Sam’s heart sank a little. She felt pressured and she was certain she wasn’t supposed to feel pressured, but…Pete had a point. She was supposed to be excited about their future together – and she was, she was just…hesitant. It was just a big step after years of being independent, Sam told herself briskly.

She offered Pete a smile. ‘That makes sense.’

‘It does?’ asked Pete, looking a touch surprised she’d agreed.

‘Even small weddings take a lot of organising,’ Sam stated, thinking about Rya’c’s union ceremony. ‘I guess it doesn’t hurt to get started.’

Pete beamed at her. He gestured at her. ‘And hey, I know you’re busy so I can take on the bulk of it.’

‘OK,’ Sam said.

‘OK,’ Pete grinned, his whole face looked lit up with happiness.

He really did love her, Sam thought.

Pete reached across the table to hold her right hand and she reached back. He tangled their fingers together.

‘Why don’t we take this into…’

The front door slammed open before being loudly banged closed again.

Cassie appeared briefly in the opening to the dining area. Tears were streaming down her face; she looked completely devastated. She gave a cry, whirled around and disappeared down the corridor to her bedroom. Another door slammed shut.

Sam leaped to her feet, her hand slipping away from Pete’s without conscious thought. She hurried after Cassie. She knocked swiftly on the bedroom door and chose to hear the muffled unintelligible response as an agreement to enter. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

Cassie threw herself at Sam and Sam caught her in a tight hug.

‘What’s happened? Are you OK?’ Sam asked urgently. It was moments like these when she missed Janet Fraiser fiercely.

‘Dom broke up with me!’ Cassie sobbed.

Sam sighed and held Cassie tighter. She manoeuvred them to sit on the bed and requested the whole story as she handed Cassie tissues. It came out in fits and starts. Dom coming home for the weekend, Dom being concerned but complaining about Cassie being sad still about her Mom’s death, how they’d ended up yelling at each other until finally they’d said the unthinkable, and Cassie had stormed away.

‘I just wanted to come home,’ Cassie said, blowing her nose noisily on the damp tissue she held. She grimaced. ‘Sorry to spoil your evening with Pete.’

‘Nothing’s spoiled,’ Sam denied immediately. She reached out and tucked Cassie’s curly hair back behind Cassie’s ear. ‘Why don’t you go and run yourself a bubble bath? We can change into some comfy clothes and watch a movie.’

It wasn’t the first time the young couple had broken up and Sam hoped they’d mend fences before Dom went back to college.

‘Thanks, Sam,’ Cassie shifted to hug her again before peeling away to the bathroom.

Sam hurried back to the dining area. It was cleaned up. The candle in the centre of the table was extinguished. She heard sounds from the kitchen and followed them.

Pete straightened from loading the dishwasher and smiled at her. ‘Is she alright?’

Sam shook her head. ‘Bad break-up with Dom.’

Pete grimaced.

She gestured around the kitchen. ‘You didn’t need to clean up.’

Pete shrugged and set the dishtowel he held onto the counter. ‘I should probably head out, huh?’

Sam winced. ‘I’m sorry, Pete.’

She stepped up to him and they embraced easily, used to each other after their months of dating. They kissed softly before a sound from the other side of the house had Sam hurriedly easing away.

Pete rubbed a thumb over her cheek and let her go. ‘I’ll speak to you tomorrow?’

Sam nodded.

‘Give Cassie my best,’ Pete said as they walked towards the front door. ‘Tell her I can always pull him over for a traffic stop, if that helps.’

‘Thanks for being so understanding about this,’ Sam said.

Pete leaned in and kissed her again. ‘You’re worth it.’ He left before she could reply.

Sam closed the door and locked it. She really was lucky, Sam told herself. It wasn’t every guy who’d understand her need to cut their evening short so she could comfort the young woman who was her daughter in everything but name. She pushed away her whirling thoughts about Pete, about wedding planning, and everything else to do with her own love life. It was time to focus on Cassie.

o-O-o

Jacob sighed.

His Tok’ra symbiote Selmak was gleeful as they made their way into the inn. It was as dodgy as every other establishment they’d ever entered to meet Bra’tac.

One of these days, I’d like to meet him just in a grassy clearance on an abandoned planet, grumbled Jacob to Selmak.

You have no sense of subterfuge, Selmak complained lightly.

Jacob huffed. He ordered a drink at the bar from an alien with lizard features and took a booth with a good view of the exit.

There was a diverse gathering in the inn; a real mix of aliens that made Jacob wonder at how weird his life had become since he’d learned about the Stargate and become Selmak’s host. He frowned at two bickering aliens at a nearby table complaining about a deal…something about naquadah for a ship?

Bra’tac entered the inn and acknowledged them with a nod. He headed to the bar before he sat down on the bench beside Jacob instead of taking the seat opposite.

Selmak hummed happily. She adored the old Jaffa warrior.

Jacob raised his tankard and Bra’tac clinked his own against the rim. They sipped their truly awful ale.

‘It’s good to see you,’ Jacob offered warmly. ‘We were surprised to get your message to meet.’

‘It is good to see you too, old friends,’ Bra’tac reached into his cloak and slid an envelope over to Jacob without taking his eyes off the door.

Jacob’s heart sped up at the sight of his daughter’s writing.

‘She asked me to deliver this message to you,’ Bra’tac explained.

‘Is she…’

The words froze in Jacob’s mouth. If Sam was hurt or…

‘She is well,’ Bra’tac assured him, turning to look at him with a firm nod. ‘I believe the letter contains good news.’ He froze for a second. ‘I only hope you take this news better than Teal’c did when he heard it from his son.’

News?

Jacob frowned. Was Sam pregnant? There had been a hint that she had been seeing someone around the time the alliance failed; perhaps a romantic relationship which had gone sour? That had been Selmak’s theory. She’d turned up unexpectedly at the Alpha site and had refused to talk about what was bothering her. In the rush to leave, he hadn’t had the opportunity to really quiz her about it.

Perhaps we should read the letter, Jacob, Selmak suggested tartly.

He picked up the envelope and opened it.

“Dear Dad,

I hope you and Selmak are doing well. You are both missed.

I’ve asked Bra’tac to deliver this to you as a personal favour as I have some good news to share.

You might remember that I was seeing someone just before you left? His name is Detective Pete Shanahan. Mark set us up on a blind date. I wasn’t certain it was going to go anywhere which is why I didn’t want to talk about it, but Pete and I continued dating and he recently proposed to me. I’ve accepted.

I want you to know that I thought about it seriously, and that I didn’t reply straight away. I took the time to really consider it.

We don’t have solid plans but I really hope there is an opportunity for you to meet him and to be with us when we do get married. I understand if you can’t make it back though. Our duty comes first and this war is too important not to make personal sacrifices.

Love you,

Sam x”

What the hell?

‘Ah,’ Bra’tac said dryly. ‘I see from your expression that you feel similarly to Teal’c when he heard of Rya’c’s proposed union.’

‘Rya’c’s getting married?’ asked Jacob a little incredulous at the idea of the young man he’d met making such a serious commitment.

‘He is married,’ Bra’tac said, ‘I officiated the ceremony myself.’

‘Holy Hannah,’ Jacob murmured. He stared down at the letter.

This is not exactly a woman bubbling over with joy and love for her decision, Jacob, Selmak noted. She talks of taking time, thinking about it…if she had no doubts, if he was really the one…there would be no cause to do so.

He couldn’t argue with her. Something’s not right, he agreed.

We should return to the Tau’ri, Selmak said.

Jacob sighed inwardly. They had left with the Tok’ra when the alliance between them, Earth, and the rebel Jaffa had collapsed. They’d thought that they could make a difference, help convince the Tok’ra to return to the alliance. Selmak was the oldest amongst them. Yet, they were not making the headway they’d hoped. Jacob knew that they’d built a good base of opposition to the Tok’ra who espoused fighting alone against the Goa’uld, but it wasn’t enough.

You haven’t failed me, Jacob, Selmak insisted.

Haven’t I, questioned Jacob. If I wasn’t your host they would trust you more. You deserve better, especially now.

I am not dead yet, Jacob, Selmak replied tartly.

Not dead yet but dying. Her time was limited.

Jacob startled as Bra’tac cleared his throat.

‘There is another reason why I messaged you, my friend,’ Bra’tac said. He picked up the envelope and scrawled a gate address on the back of it. ‘Hak’tyl is gone.’

‘We heard about Moloc,’ Jacob confirmed. ‘Everyone OK?’

‘The Tau’ri gave Ishta and her people sanctuary, and helped us find a new planet,’ Bra’tac said. ‘I have just met with the rest of the rebellion leadership. Ba’al is already moving into Moloc’s territory.’

Ba’al, Selmak sneered. Upstart!   

‘Thank you,’ Jacob stuffed the envelope and the letter into the inner pocket of his coat. ‘Have you met the guy my little girl is marrying?’

Bra’tac shook his head, his brown eyes twinkling. ‘I have not. But I believe Teal’c is well acquainted with him. He deemed him unworthy, but then, I believe that he would find many to be so. Your daughter is a singularly impressive woman.’

No, Jacob mused, Teal’c would not find just anyone worthy of Sam. He suspected that there was one man, one warrior, who Teal’c thought was worthy, but Jack O’Neill wasn’t in a position to marry Sam since he was her CO. Jacob himself trusted Jack with his daughter’s life and reputation.

Bra’tac drank down the rest of his tankard. ‘I must go.’

They stood and embraced in a quick manly clasp of forearms and backslaps as they said their goodbyes.

Jacob sank back into his seat and rubbed his head.

He couldn’t stop thinking that maybe he’d made a huge mistake somewhere along the line. He could clearly remember how much Jack loved his daughter, and how much she loved Jack. He’d trusted that they’d never act on it, but…maybe he should have been encouraging her to follow her heart. She deserved to be loved, to be happy. She shouldn’t have to sacrifice that because the galaxy was embroiled in an endless war with the Goa’uld.

We should go home, Selmak reiterated. We can only see if Sam is truly happy with this man if we see with our own eyes.

We should take intel on Ba’al back and discuss our next steps with them, Jacob said tiredly. If Ba’al is the new Anubis…we should gather as much as we can on him before we go back.

Agreed, Selmak said. But if I…if my health fails more, we should not hesitate.

Jacob silently agreed, sending a wave of comfort to his symbiote. Their time was limited. They couldn’t sacrifice any more of it to convincing people who would never be convinced.

Soon, he thought, as soon as they could they’d head back to Earth. He’d see for himself that Sam wasn’t sacrificing her own happiness out of a duty she believed he’d want her to follow.

Selmak’s approval filled him with an inner warmth that lasted all the way back to the Tok’ra base.

fin.

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