Title: Dance Partner
Author: Ami Ven
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Pairing: Sam Carter/Jack O'Neill
Genre: het.
Prompt:
100_tales #079 ‘loyalty’
Rating: G
Word Count: 600
Summary: “Is that your wife?”
Dance Partner
“Is that your wife?” asked Army General Hanson, pointing to the framed photograph on Jack’s desk.
Most people who came into Jack’s office asked that question, either curious as to why he had a picture of a female colonel on his desk, or as charmed by Sam’s smile as Jack was, even in her official military ID photo. But Hanson sounded more… suspicious. Which Jack also got occasionally, and completely understood- he still didn’t quite know what Sam saw in him, most of the time.
“Yeah, that’s her,” he told Hanson, smiling proudly. “Colonel Samantha Carter, commander of the George Hammond.”
“Yes, we’ve met,” said the general, in a sort of tone that simultaneously implied one meeting meant he knew Sam and that somehow that also made him and Jack friends. “Some sort of military technology conference, about a month ago. But I didn’t realize she was married.”
“She was under my command for a few years,” said Jack. “So we like to keep a low profile. You understand.”
“Oh, yes,” said Hanson, off-handedly. “But I… Well, I’m not sure it’s my place to say.”
“Then you probably shouldn’t,” said Jack, shifting some paperwork around.
“Still, in your place, I’d want to know. At that conference, the reception, I saw your Colonel Carter dancing, rather closely, with another man.”
Jack scowled. “Carter is a fantastic dancer,” he said, shortly. “And she can dance with anyone she likes.”
“Of course, of course. But they seemed close… maybe too close. Whispering together the whole time.”
“This guy,” said Jack, knowing how Sam usually felt about those sort of conferences and the sort of people who went to them. “Did he happen to be sort of geeky-looking? Glasses, dark hair, probably a tie with a terrible pattern?”
“Oh, uh, yes,” said Hanson, surprised. “Jack-”
“That would be Dr. Daniel Jackson, original member of SG-1 and one of Carter’s best friends,” he said, dryly. “Mine, too.”
“Ah,” said Hanson. “But she did dance with two other men, and a woman…”
“Teal’c, Mitchell and Vala, the rest of SG-1.” Jack frowned at him. “You’re married, aren’t you, Bill? You keep track of everything your wife does?”
“Not everything, of course not,” Hanson protested, a little uncomfortable. “But a man has to protect-”
“See, that right there, is why women think men are pigs,” Jack said, conversationally. “Carter makes her own choices, and I’m just lucky enough to be one of them.”
There was a knock on his office door, and before he could answer, it opened. “Hey, Jack,” said Sam, then stopped, military-straight again. “Sorry, sir. I didn’t realize you were busy. General.”
“Colonel,” replied Hanson, stiffly.
“No, Carter, come on in,” said Jack. “The general was just leaving.”
“Yes, I was,” Hanson agreed. “General, colonel.”
“What was that about?” Sam asked, when the door had shut behind him.
“Just a little philosophical discussion,” said Jack. “And what are you doing here? The Hammond is scheduled to leave in three hours.”
“Four hours,” she corrected. “There was a delay with the supplies we’re taking on. So, I thought we could do an early lunch.”
“I like the way you think, Carter,” he said, then paused. “You know that you can dance with anyone you want to, right?”
“Yes…” she said, slowly, looking at him with the same squinty-eyed scrutiny she usually reserved for naquadah generators and complex equations, and he knew she could sense the second layer to his question. “And you know that you’re the only one I really want to dance with, right?”
Jack grinned, and kissed her. “Yeah, I know.”
THE END
Current Mood:
geeky