Title: Forks in the Road
Author: Jemma Rhodes
E-mail: jemme_ring@yahoo.co.uk
Story Status: Series finished!
Series/Sequel Info: Part 12/12!!
Season: One
Spoilers: Politics maybe. General knowledge.
Categories: Angst, UST and romance, general friendships.
Pairings: Sam and Jack
Rating: PG-15
Content Warnings: Swearing, adult situations.
Summary: This is a fork in the road fic - what would have happened if the SGC had of been shut down by Kinsey at the end of Politics and SG-1 hadn't gone through the gate?
Archive Permissions: Wherever I put it. SJ yes. Anyone else 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!
File Size: 36 KB
Authors Note: OK!! It's finished!!!! I want to say thank you to every one over at the Jackfic chat that helped me out when I needed info, and for keeping me writing!! In particular Annie, Sam and Em!! Cheers girls!! This is also the longest fic I have EVER written before, so feedback would be really appreciated!!! And to let you know the total length………….155 KB!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!



***


*Epilogue*

It's five hours since we arrived home.
We've talked about what happened with Teal'c and Apophis, about how Daniel was right all along and about how much we missed each other in that one-week. We talked so much, made love, slept, woke up, and then talked some more.
Now I'm lying here watching him. I was here doing the same thing just over a week ago, but at that time I never thought id see him again like this. When he's calm, relaxed, at ease, and somewhat vulnerable.
My fingers idly dance on his chest in a regular pattern, just listening and feeling him breathe. I feel like the happiest person in the world right now, and I think I am.
Suddenly his breathing changes from the deep regulatory rhythm it had been maintaining, telling me he's waking.
'Hey,' I whisper softly.
'Hey,' comes his groggy reply as he opens one eye to look at me. 'I love waking up to you,' he says while smiling.
'And I love waking up to you,' I reply sitting up and leaning over him.
He lifts one hand to run through his already messed up hair.
'And I love your hair,' he says softly as he removes his hands from his head and places it on my own, running his fingers through the strands.
'And I love your soft skin.'
He strokes the back of his hand across my cheek causing me to shiver involuntarily.
'And your lips.'
The last part came out no louder than a breath as he traces the shape of my lips with his index finger. My eyes drift shut in an attempt to keep myself calm. He senses my growing excitement and removes his hand. My eyes flash open in disappointment, but instead of continuing he wraps his arms around me and pulls me on top of his body, holding me close and making me feel more loved by him than I've ever felt by anyone.
My head rests on his chest and he kisses the top of my hair before resting his chin there. He is first to break the silence.
'I meant what I said you know.'
I stay quiet for a moment before replying.
'What?'
'When I said I was coming to be with you,' he reinforces. 'When we got the first message from Teal'c a couple of days after you left, he said they didn't know if they could destroy both the ships, but that they'd try. That was the last we heard from him until two days ago, and we were all pretty panicky down here.'
'So what happened?'
'When he contacted us he told us that Bra'tac and a number of Jaffa were helping to try and destroy the ships, he thought they could pull it off. I asked the General that if we didn't hear from them in a coupe of days that I was going to see you to tell you what was happening.' He lets out a little laugh. 'Hammond asked what was wrong with my phone.'
We both laugh and his chest rumbles beneath my ear. It's a wonderful sound.
'What did you tell him?'
'I told him I had to tell you in person.' He takes a slight pause. 'Because I was in love with you.'
My breathing comes to a complete stop for a moment before my body tells it to cooperate. I sit up a little and turn my head to face him, looking him directly in the eye.
'You told the General about us?' I ask in disbelief.
He smiles at me bringing his hands up to lightly touch my face.
'Of course I did,' he replies gently. 'I wasn't going to let the world end without as many people as possible knowing that I'm in love with Sam Carter. The most intelligent, incredible, amazing, beautiful woman I know.'
I feel the heat radiating furiously from my face at his words. He obviously feels it on his fingers.
'Hey,' he whispers. 'You are. I don't know what you do to me Sam, but it just makes me fall in love with you more every second I'm with you.'
I can't stop the smile that appears on my face. Leaning forward I press my lips firmly against his, pulling back for just a second.
'I'm hopelessly in love with you too, Jack O'Neill.'
'Well, that's works out pretty nicely then,' he quips, before lifting himself up and taking my lips with his once more.
I press my body fully down on to his, which I can feel he likes…
The kiss gets more passionate as he runs his hands up and down my back, over my shoulders and back down lower again. He lips pull away from my mouth and lick their way down my neck and across my collar bone, his tongue circling lazy patterns, leaving me panting and gasping for breath. I decide it's time for a little bit of payback as I catch his earlobe between my teeth and bit down gently. I giggle as he growls at me and then speaks between breaths.
'Hey…no…giggling.'
'More growling please,' I murmur seductively in his ear.
A laugh rumbles around in his chest for a moment before he rolls me over onto my back so he can lean over me.
'That can be arranged,' he replies boldly.
Suddenly his lips attack mine again, pressing firmly, teasing, tasting. I open my mouth to his and our tongues thrash furiously against each other, our lower bodies soon mimicking the movement.  After that everything is hot, blurry, and simply amazing.

We make love through out the night, and each time is more exciting than the first. I don't think it will ever become routine or boring with Jack, because every time we are together it is incredible. The feelings I have for him grow stronger each time our bodies join, causing the experience itself to be more loving and caring than I ever thought it could be.

*

It's too soon to be possible, but it is.
It's two days after we began downtime. We've spent nearly all the time in bed, only getting out to go to the bathroom, shower or answer the door to the delivery guy.
The light filters through the curtains making my body warmer than it already is and pulling me from my sated sleep.
I glance over at the clock. 0830. Damn. We have to be at the SGC in two hours. Just getting Jack out of bed will probably take that long. Better get going then…
'Jack,' I say firmly as I rise and stretch in the bed, causing his arm to fall away from my waist.
He grumbles a bit then turns over to face away from me.
'Don't think you're getting out of getting up mister! Come on soldier, up!'
I pull on his shirt as I quickly rise from the bed and pull the duvet off of his body. He jumps at the sensation of the cold air hitting his body.
'Hey!' he shouts playfully. 'I'm naked here, in case you hadn't noticed!'
'Funnily enough I had! Now get your lovely butt in the shower mister, breakfast in 10.'
'Lovely butt eh?' he says to my back as I leave the room to get breakfast.
'Best feature apart from your eyes love,' I call over my shoulder.

*

Fifteen minutes later Jack makes it down to the kitchen, where, by some miracle, I have actually managed to cook pancakes. He walks through the door and grins at me.
'I heard a rumour you were a lousy cook,' he goads me.
I slap him with the tea towel that I have just used to dry up.
'I'll have you know that my pancakes are considered cuisine.'
He raises his eyebrow at me causing me to cave in.
'OK! OK, I'm a lousy cook! I don't know how I managed this. Guess I'm just in a really good mood.'
He walks over to me placing a kiss on my cheek.
'I guess you are,' he whispers.
Those are the last words spoken for a while as we enjoy the first home made meal we've had in the last couple of days. But as I finish up, there's a question I've wanted to ask him since we left the mountain, which now seems appropriate. I place my knife and fork down carefully before speaking.
'Jack?' I ask tentatively.
He looks up from his plate and swallows.
'Yeah?'
'I need to ask you something.'
He looks concerned for a moment as he puts down his own knife and fork, wipes his mouth on a napkin then almost sits to attention.
'What's up? Are you OK?'
There's slight panic in his voice that I can't help but find kind of cute. I lean forward slightly and place my hand over his.
'I'm fine, I just…need to know something.'
'Ask away.'
I breathe deeply then force the words out.
'What are we going to do when we get back to work?'
He looks puzzled for a moment.
'What d'you mean?'
'We cant be together, on the same team, frat regulations and all that, and the General would throw a fit if he knew we were working together and in a relationship, and then there's…'
The words cease to gush out as he places his hand over my mouth to stem the flow.
'Sam, stop,' he half commands. 'Didn't you listen to what I was telling you earlier?' he chides.
I look confused so he pulls his hand away.
'What do you mean?' I ask.
He grins.
'I told the General I was in love with you.'
'Yeah…'
'Yeah.'
I'm still puzzled. He grins even more.
'As soon as I told him, he agreed that if earth wasn't blown to pieces by Apophis, and the SGC was reinstated, that we could work together on the same team. And now, with Kinsey shot and all, there's nothing in the way.'
I practically cry at hearing his words.
'Oh my god, Jack, that's…' I can't finish my sentence, unable to find the words.
'Wonderful,' he concludes for me.
I nod my head, unable to do anything else for fear of my emotions getting the better of me. Instead I stand up, walk around the end of the breakfast bar and hold him where he sits. He wraps his arms around my waist as I crush him against me.
'Hey, we still have to act professionally on duty, which includes not suffocating your CO,' he manages to breathe out.
'Sorry,' I say sheepishly while easing my grip on him. 'I just can't believe it.'
'Me either.'
'I mean, last week I thought I lost everything, and now I have that and more than I could have ever asked for.'
He raises his eyes to look at me.
'Me too.'

*

By some miracle we made it into the SGC on time.
We were briefed by the General who told us that during our downtime he had recalled all the officers who had been assigned here before the programme was closed down, and a few more on top of that. The SGC is now back in business.
'Now, SG-1, you are scheduled for a standard recon mission to P3R 192, at 1200.'
'Yes sir,' Jack answers for us.
'Good luck with that SG-1. Dismissed.'
Jack and I stand as the General leaves, Daniel and Teal'c slow off the mark as usual. It's so good to be back together again.
We all wander out of the briefing room and down the corridor, back into the old routine of things already. I'm walking with Daniel, Teal'c and Jack just behind us.
'Its great to back isn't it?' he asks me.
'It sure is,' I reply. I look at him out of the corner of my eye. 'You must be so happy that you can keep looking for Sha're.'
'I am,' he replies, smiling as he looks over at me. 'So, you and Jack eh?'
I look down and blush.
'Yeah, me and Jack,' I repeat.
'I gotta say, I saw it coming.'
I laugh slightly. 'I'll be freaked out if you know when we're about to announce our first child.'
He pauses before answering.
'Kids too?'
'Yeah…kids too,' I say happily.
'So are you guys moving in together?'
'Yeah, as soon as my stuff gets delivered back from my place in DC.'
'I'm really happy for you guys,' he says sincerely.
I reach over and touch him arm, leaning into him slightly.
'Me to.'

*

'SG1, you have a go.'
'Thank you General. OK campers, move out!'
We all begin to move up the ramp, Daniel and Teal'c stepping through before us.
Jack suddenly stops and turns to me.
'You know,' he begins. 'This will be our first mission together as an official couple?'
'Yeah, I know,' I reply quietly.
'Good.'
What he does next shocks me. He smiles that lopsided grin of his before I feel him slapping me on the butt, and then a hand on my back shoving me through the wormhole.
Oh Jack O'Neill, you are so going to pay for that one tonight…

***

The End!

Feedback loved!!
13/11/2002