FIC: "When a Heart Breaks, It Don't Break Even," Sam Carter/Allison Blake, SG-1/Eureka
Title: When a Heart Breaks, It Don't Break Even
Author: geonncannon
Fandom: Stargate SG-1/Eureka
Pairing: Samantha Carter/Allison Blake, Samantha Carter/Janet Fraiser
Word Count: 5,971
Category: Romance, drama
Spoilers: Slight ones for both shows, nothing major
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me!
Rating: Explicit
Author's Notes: This plays with Eureka's timeline, but considering that they played with their own timeline, I don't feel too bad setting this a few years before the show actually premiered. ~g~
Summary: The only thing that can save the world this time is in Eureka, and Sam has to confront the past in order to get access to it.
AO3 link
2003
The corridor lights were off, lending a bleak and isolated feel to the briefing room as Sam ascended the stairs. General Hammond was already in his seat, Colonel O'Neill seated to his left as they both listened to the scientists explaining why their last attempt had failed. Sam knew they were in deep trouble when she realized that O'Neill was actually listening to what the scientist had to say. His feigned ignorance and impatience were gone, his brows knit together as he concentrated on the mathematics he claimed went right over his head. He and Hammond both looked at her as she entered, and she saw the scientist relax. Someone else who expected her to be a savior, but at least she could fill the role for him. She took their attention away from his team's failure to report her own.
"I'm sorry, Sirs. We've tried every possible substitution, but we're coming up with only sixty percent of the power we need."
O'Neill said, "Maybe that's enough. If you throw your sixty percent at it, then these guys can take care of the other forty percent. Like having someone hold it down while someone else kicks it."
Sam managed a smile. "Sorry, Colonel. It's kind of an all-or-nothing proposition here. There's no way we can jerry-rig something in the time we have remaining."
Hammond sighed and said, "That's unfortunate, Major."
Sam bit back her retort. If they'd been given the funding to create the device when she first proposed it, if they had started construction in the event of a rainy-day. But she knew it wasn't feasible to build ever single thing in her lab. Money was a necessary evil, as she was constantly reminded.
"But we have another course of action. Maybe now the Department of Defense will see the futility in keeping secrets." He stood up. "Colonel, Major. Please step into my office." Sam glanced at O'Neill, who shrugged as he pushed back his chair. They closed the door behind them as Hammond sat behind his desk and stared at the phone.
"Major, your device has been built."
Sam blinked. "By whom, sir?"
"A think tank working under the auspices of the Department of Defense. I called to request their assistance but they refused on grounds of national security. No one is supposed to know this facility exists, despite the fact they routinely mine our findings to help their experiments." He sighed heavily and, when he spoke again, his voice was slightly calmer. "I'm going to contact them again and try to express the fact that their secrets will mean very little when the sky starts falling."
"Maybe have Carter talk to them," O'Neill suggested. "She can give a nice geek perspective from the point-of-view of a soldier. Maybe it'll help get their heads out of their asses."
Sam couldn't help but smile.
"I'll keep that in mind, Colonel. But Dr. Blake is a reasonable woman. I think I can convince her to see our side of things."
Sam's smile wavered. Blake? It was a common enough name, but a female doctor working for a scientific think tank associated with the Department of Defense?
"Sir? That wouldn't be Allison Blake, would it?"
Hammond and O'Neill both looked at her.
"Do you know her, Major?"
"Yes, sir."
"Maybe I should let you speak with her, then."
Sam tried to keep the terror out of her eyes. "No... sir. I don't think that would be helpful to our cause. I think it would be best if Dr. Blake and I were kept as far apart as possible."
"That's not a request I can grant, Major. If she agrees, I'm going to need you and SG-1 to travel to Global Dynamics to use the device. We don't have time to dismantle and transport it here."
"Understood, sir." She kept her face neutral. So the choice was between seeing Allison Blake again or letting humanity get decimated.
She wished the choice was as easy as it sounded.
1995
Sam was in tight boxer briefs and wool socks, her uniform blouse unbuttoned to reveal her undershirt. Her hair was mussed and hung in her eyes as she bent down to untangle her pants to pull them back on. The woman on the bed behind her shifted and Sam closed her eyes. Shit. She looked over her shoulder as Allison sat up, the strap of her lingerie falling off one shoulder. She'd dressed up for the night, a night she'd expected to spend with someone else. Her hair was combed forward into her eyes, and Sam felt something inside her shift at the dark eyes, the smooth skin of her breast, the curve of her shoulder...
She turned away to break the spell. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay. I want to say goodbye."
And that, Sam said to herself, is why I wanted to slip out while you were sleeping.
"Al..."
Allison pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. "You don't have to say it, Sam. Last night was a mistake."
Sam clenched her teeth and focused on the floor. "Right. It can't happen again." She pushed her hair away from her forehead, scratched the nape of her neck with two fingers, and exhaled slowly. "We both have too much too lose. And you're the one with the fiancé."
Even now she could picture the flash of Allison's wedding ring as she unbuttoned Sam's blouse. It was an image she knew would stick with her for a very long time. She finally got her pants situated and stood up to step into them. Once she was safely buttoned and zipped, she walked to the side of the bed and bent down to pick up her shoes. Allison gripped her arm and Sam closed her eyes. The grip turned soft, and Allison began to stroke Sam's wrist.
"Al. Don't make this harder than it already is. Please."
"I just want to say goodbye."
Sam looked into Allison's eyes and leaned in to kiss her. Their lips parted, and Sam knew what was going to happen next. She groaned as she pushed Allison down, climbing onto the bed to straddle her. Allison looked up at her and Sam touched Allison's cheek. They kissed, and Sam settled her weight on top of Allison. The familiar feel of their bodies pressing together made Sam feel weak. She pushed up, her knees on either side of Allison's waist, pinning the mattress against Allison's hips.
"I won't stop you this time. If you really want to leave."
Sam bit her lip. Getting permission to run somehow made it easier to stay. Sam shook her head and bowed down to kiss Allison again. She was going to be late, both of them were, but that fact took a backseat to the need suddenly revived in them.
2003
They were in Janet's office. Sam was wearing her green BDUs with all identifying patches removed. The team was scheduled to ship out at 0900, but she couldn't fly to Oregon without stopping by to let her new partner know the whole story about where she was going and who she would see when she got there. She glossed over most of the details but made sure Janet knew the important bits. When she finished, she braced for the worst.
Janet instead took Sam's hands and smiled. "This is a tiny world, Sam. The world of people who are smart enough to know about the Stargate and who have access to the sort of technology we need to win this war. I'm surprised it's taken this long to run into one of your exes. We've proven you're mature enough to separate work from romance. Go. Save us again." She leaned in and kissed Sam, letting her lips linger just a moment.
"I love you."
"I love you, too." Sam stood to leave, but Janet stopped her. "Oh, wait!" Sam waited at the door as Janet went to the desk and dug around until she found her wallet. She took out a photograph and held it out. "Take this."
Sam looked at the picture. It was Janet at the lake, dressed in jeans and sitting on the dock with her feet in the water. She was shirtless, wearing a blue-and-yellow flowered bikini top. Her hair was down on her suntanned shoulders, smiling at the photographer who had been sitting in a rowboat.
"What's this?"
"Me. Looking damned sexy. Just in case she asks who you're seeing now."
Sam grinned and kissed Janet's cheek. "I'll make sure she sees it."
"It's all I ask."
Sam tucked the photo into the pocket over her heart, stroked Janet's hair one more time, and stepped out of the office. On the walk to the elevator, she let her mind drift back to what should have been the last time she saw Allison, before their ill-fated final night.
1995
"I don't understand."
"We've pushed this as far as we can, Sam." Allison looked down at her hands, tangling her fingers around the white gold necklace she'd gotten from Sam on her last birthday. They were in the last booth in the diner, twelve minutes before closing. The only witness to their quietly emotional clash was the man behind the counter who was more interested in the television than his final customers.
Sam hunched her shoulders and held her coffee cup with both hands. She tried to be as still as possible in the hopes this moment would pass her by.
"One day, we're both going to be in highly visible positions with the government, with the military, and we're going to have to... be realistic."
"Realistic? This is the most real thing I've had since I came to Washington, Al."
Allison nodded, her eyes wet with tears. "Sam, this is going to happen eventually. I think now is just the most... th-the easiest time for it. Before we get too emotionally involved."
Sam flinched. "Oh. I see."
"No. I didn't mean--"
"No. Hey, just... it's fine." She had broken her paralysis and was now groping for her wallet. Allison reached across the table and held Sam's wrist.
"Sweetheart. Don't do this. Please, I don't want to end this with a fight."
Sam swallowed the lump in her throat. "I don't want to end this at all."
"Even if it costs us everything? Your Air Force, my government job. It would all go away if anyone saw us holding hands at the wrong time. I can't even kiss you in public because of who might see. You really love me enough to risk throwing away everything you've worked for?"
Sam looked at her. "I love you so much that, without you, I don't know why I bothered working for everything else." She sniffled and pulled her hand away from Allison. "But now that I know how you feel, I can't force you to be with me. I don't want to be with a person who has to be talked into it." She blinked rapidly. "So I guess you got your wish."
"My wish." Allison scoffed. Her cheeks were wet with tears. "You think this is how I wanted tonight to go?"
"Does it matter? The end result is the same."
The man behind the counter moved closer so he could speak to them without shouting. "Sorry, ladies. Time to go."
"Yeah," Sam said. "It certainly is."
2003
For the first time since the crisis began nine days earlier, Sam was grateful to have the distraction of impending doom. She spent the flight going over the logistics of what was going to happen. Trajectory, speed, distance... it all just boiled down to math, and that was something she could always count on. Numbers and equations. It was poetic to her, and she used the columns of numbers to organize her thoughts. Everything came down to numbers. Even the most complex computer boiled down to ones and zeros. Why did humans have to make everything so messy?
When they arrived at the rural airport, really just a thin stretch of asphalt surrounded by evergreens, a misleadingly ordinary brown Jeep was waiting just inside the chain-link fence. They deplaned and strolled across the tarmac, Colonel O'Neill leading the way with Sam and Dr. Lee behind her. The rest of the team had stayed behind at the SGC should their assistance become necessary.
A man in an Andy Taylor sheriff's uniform got out of the car, his shoulders instantly darkened by the drizzle. He smiled as he held out a hand.
"Colonel O'Neill? Sheriff Carter."
O'Neill looked at her. "Any relation?"
"Doubtful, sir. Major Samantha Carter."
"Oh! Hi. Jack Carter."
"Jack?" O'Neill said.
The passenger door of the Jeep opened to emit a purple umbrella, followed by a woman in a long black trenchcoat. She joined the group, standing by Sheriff Carter's side. Sam held her breath so it wouldn't be obvious when it caught, stunned by how beautiful Allison had become. Allison's face was a steady mask, but Sam knew her well enough to see the emotion roiling beneath the surface.
"Major Carter. They said Colonel O'Neill was bringing a science team. I wasn't sure if you--"
O'Neill smiled. "Well, whenever the Earth is facing destruction, I've learned I want Carter by my side."
Allison laughed. "I've learned that myself. Ah, with my Carter. Not that he's my..." She closed her eyes, sighed, and shook her head. "Sorry. We're a bit under the gun here, aren't we?"
"Literally," O'Neill said with a pointed look at the sky.
"Right. I-I'm still not clear on the whole aliens existing and wanting to kill us situation," Sheriff Carter said. "But I assume you'll fill us in on the way, right?"
"Exactly, Sheriff," O'Neill said. "Lead the way."
They walked back to the car with Allison and Sheriff Carter slightly in the lead. The wind carried away most of their words, but Sam thought she heard the sheriff say something along the lines of "--a little flustered--" and "--not like you." Allison shook her head and waved him off. They got into the car, O'Neill behind the driver's seat and Sam behind Allison. Sheriff Carter helped load Dr. Lee's supplies into the back of the Jeep and then got behind the wheel.
"Okay, folks. You might want to strap in a little tighter than usual. First trip through the security system is always a little bumpy."
O'Neill smiled. "You oughta see how we travel. First step's a doozy."
Sam managed to smile at the joke, eyes on the back of Allison's head as Sheriff Carter turned the car around to leave the airstrip behind.
1995
Sam was only vaguely aware of someone entering the reading room, one arm curled around her book as she ran the tip of her pencil along the line she was currently reading. She was so tired that she needed the pencil tip to keep her place. Otherwise the lines, words, and sentences all blended together. People had been coming and going all night, so she wasn't surprised when someone else invaded her privacy. What shocked her was when the person leaned over her shoulder and gently placed a small metal space shuttle on Sam's notepad.
"Hey." She turned her head and Allison's lips pressed against hers. "Mm. Al. What are you doing here?"
"We had plans for dinner."
"Yeah, for Friday." She didn't have to wait for Allison's correction. "Is it Friday?"
Allison grinned and kissed the corner of Sam's mouth. "Yes. But that's okay. I just wanted to be sure you had eaten tonight. You tend to forget, especially if you're in the middle of a big project." She kissed Sam's ear and ruffled her hair. "And I thought I would bring you a toy if you wanted to take a break."
Sam smiled and picked up the toy shuttle. "This is very cool. Where did you get it?"
"I have my methods." She leaned in again.
Just before their lips touched, the reading room door opened again. Sam twisted away, her arm against Allison's chest to shove her back, and she turned to look down at her books again just as someone came around the edge of the shelf. Sam's ears and cheeks burned pink, eyes locked on her work until whoever it was found what they needed and left.
"You shouldn't kiss me in public," Sam said.
"I know. I'm sorry." Allison pulled out the chair next to Sam and sat down carefully. She folded her hands between her knees. "It's just that the two of us haven't had a lot of time in private lately. I was hoping tonight's dinner could be..." She moved her hand to Sam's knee, and Sam closed her eyes. "I shouldn't have kissed you here."
"It's okay." Sam moved her hand under the table and linked her fingers with Allison's. She squeezed, then guided Allison's hand up between her legs.
"Are you sure?" Allison asked.
Sam nodded and closed her eyes. Allison slid to the edge of her chair, stomach tight against the edge of the table, and flattened her fingers against the crotch of Sam's slacks. Sam curled her fingers around her pencil. Allison rested her head on Sam's shoulder, and Sam moved her free hand down under the table. She rubbed Allison's knee and then pushed higher, slipping underneath her skirt.
"Oh, Sam." Allison purred and pressed her lips to Sam's neck. Sam tilted her head to the side, both of them breathing heavily as they worked.
"Al... you're going to make me come."
Allison kissed Sam's earlobe and nipped it between her teeth. "Come for me, Sam."
Sam turned her head and their lips brushed awkwardly together. Sam bridged the gap with her tongue, and Allison took it hungrily into her mouth. Sam lifted her hips and pressed down against Allison's hand. Despite the warning and Sam's eagerness, however, Allison came first. She growled and pinched Sam's bottom lip with her teeth, chuckling with release as she climaxed. Sam closed her eyes and used the sound of Allison's breathing to take her over the edge, groaning as she closed her thighs around her girlfriend's hand.
"Thank you."
"Thank you," Sam whispered.
Allison pulled back. Sam stared at her; she loved the way Allison looked after an orgasm. Her eyes got darker and her skin glowed. Sam touched Allison's cheek and wet her lips.
"I think I can focus now."
"Then my work here is done."
Sam stopped Allison from standing. "I'd rather focus on something that isn't work."
Allison settled back against the seat like a cat curling up on a cushion. "Oh? Well, then. What exactly did you hope to focus on?"
Sam leaned forward and whispered her plans in Allison's ear. Allison's lips curled into a devious smile as she listened.
2003
O'Neill nudged Sam's arm. "Carter."
"Sir?" She noticed Sheriff Carter also glanced in the rearview mirror. She realized O'Neill had asked her a question. "Sorry, sir. I drifted."
"Apparently. I said you and Dr. Blake seem to know each other."
"Yes, sir." Sam cleared her throat. "We were in DC at the same time in 1995."
O'Neill smiled. "Ah, Captain Carter on her old stomping grounds. You'll have to tell me a few stories, Dr. Blake."
Allison chuckled. "Actually, Colonel, I think Sam would appreciate it if I kept quiet about--"
"Just stop right there, Al," Sam said. "We'll let the Colonel's imagination fill in the blanks."
O'Neill said, "Risky, Major. You have no idea how wild my imagination can get."
Allison twisted to look into the backseat. "You don't know how wild we got back in the day."
The headboard slammed against the wall, Sam's forehead beaded with sweat as she thrust between Allison's thighs. On the other side of the wall, she heard their anonymous crying out with pleasure. They were in Atlantic City, driving as far as they could get in one night and still get back in the morning before anyone knew they were gone.
Allison gasped, her fingers like talons on Sam's hips. "Don't you fucking let them win, Captain..."
"Yes, ma'am." Sam threw her head back and thrust harder, making Allison cry out loud enough that they drowned out their neighbors.
"Oh, God. Carter's blushing."
Sam looked out the window, forcing back a smile as she watched the evergreens sweep by the car window.
1994
As far as her friends were concerned, Sam was dating a civilian named Al. The same went with Allison and her boyfriend Sam. They were careful to keep their social circles separate so the pathetic attempt at subterfuge would go unnoticed. They rarely met during the week even if their schedules allowed it. Sam was never known for socializing on Friday nights and Allison was sociable enough to get away with disappearing for the evening and most of Saturday morning without raising anyone's eyebrows.
Sam soon discovered she lived for Friday nights, for opening her apartment door to find Allison waiting on the other side with an overnight bag. At first it was just about sex, clothes removed before the door was entirely closed and their first encounter of the night often taking place within five feet of the door. Eventually they were able to restrain themselves and have dinner, to cuddle on the couch and watch a movie, and then make their way into the bedroom to make love properly.
It was on one of these slow romantic nights that Sam first whispered, "I love you," into Allison's ear. They were curled against each other under the blankets, Allison's skin still warm from what they had just done. Sam brushed her lips over the curve of Allison's shoulder and sucked on her neck. When Allison didn't immediately reply, Sam lay her head on the pillow and looked up at her lover.
"Is that okay?"
"Of course it's okay." Sam brushed the hair away from Allison's face as an excuse to cup her cheek. Allison closed her eyes and turned her head into the caress. "No one's ever said that to me before."
"You're kidding."
"No. I mean, they've said it. But I don't think anyone has meant it as much as you just did."
Sam smiled and kissed Allison. They shifted under the blankets and Allison pressed her leg between Sam's thighs. Sam arched her back and closed her eyes, grunting quietly as she stroked Allison's upper arms. "Please, Al..."
"Please what?"
Sam whimpered, part of her hoping that would suffice as a response. Allison became still, so Sam wet her lips and swallowed hard. "Make me come, Al."
Allison rested her hands on Sam's breasts and rocked forward. Sam put her feet flat on the mattress and lifted her hips to meet Allison, grunting as they found a rhythm they could both match. Sam moved her hands over Allison's body, down to tease her dark, hard nipples and then lifting her head to take one into her mouth. Allison cupped the back of Sam's head and moved slower, drawing the moment out before giving in to the inevitable. Sam rested her cheek against Allison's breast as she came, struggling to catch her breath when Allison finally lowered her to the mattress.
"I love you, Sam."
Sam smiled. "You didn't have to say it back."
"I know. That's why I waited so long to repeat it." She kissed the corners of Sam's mouth, brushing the blonde hair away from her forehead. "I've been thinking it for a long time. I didn't want to say it first in case--"
"In case?" Sam said with a smile. She brushed her thumb down Allison's cheek. "Well. Rest easy, Al. I'm crazy about you."
"Good. Because I was thinking maybe I could stay a little longer this time." Her hand drifted down and teased Sam's navel. "Maybe the whole weekend."
Sam shuddered. "I'd love that..."
"Prove it," Allison said.
Sam grinned and pulled Allison down to her.
2003
The laboratory took Sam's breath away, literally making it hard for her to inhale as she looked at the technology on display. Allison smiled as she escorted Sam to the command console they needed, taking the bag from Sam's shoulder and setting it on the ground. "I assume you know how this works, since you wrote up the schematics."
"I can't believe you built this. All of this." She looked awed and angry, turning on Allison. "How can you keep this from us?"
"How can you keep everything you've learned from the Stargate Program secret? We're in the secrets business, Sam. And as amazing as the things in G.D. are, they're still incredibly dangerous. We have to make sure they're completely safe before we unleash them on the public. If you knew half the things Eureka has faced just in the time I've been here..."
Sam nodded, repentant. "Yeah. And the things in the SGC lab could end all life on Earth if we let it into the wrong hands. But you kept it secret from us."
Allison didn't flinch. "Yes. Because putting weapons like these into the hands of the military terrifies me, Sam."
Sam looked at Allison. Neither of them backed down until Colonel O'Neill and Sheriff Carter arrived. Sam looked away and Allison took a step back, both of them focusing on the task at hand. O'Neill craned his neck, staring up at the device that earlier in the day he'd been told only existed on paper. He whistled and gestured. "What kind of range you got on that?"
"Several thousand miles." Allison cast a sideways look at Sam. "You can see why we were wary about telling the military it exists."
"Yes," O'Neill said dryly. "Good of you to protect hypothetical enemies at the cost of the entire planet."
"Whoa," Sheriff Carter said. "We're all friends here, all right? Just, ah... let's just keep calm."
"Carter's right." Allison cleared her throat and focused on the command controls. "Sam, I'm going to need--"
"Two operators. It's a failsafe I included when I designed it." Sam stepped to the next control panel and began typing. Allison poised her fingers over the keyboard as well, and soon the room was filled with the sound of the clicking and tapping of keys.
Sheriff Carter cautiously moved closer to where Jack was standing. He hooked his thumbs on his belt and joined Jack in staring upward. "It's something, huh? World's in danger and no one has to go to war... we're just waiting for their brains to figure out a way to fight back. I'd take Allison's brain over an army any day."
"Carter's brain is here," Jack said. "That's your army."
Sam glanced at Allison over the command controls. Allison met her eye and offered a conciliatory smile. Sam returned it and they went back to work.
1994
Allison looked up from the notebook. "This is brilliant."
"It's hardly coherent," Sam said. She tucked her hair behind her ear even though it was barely long enough to stay. She was wearing horn-rimmed glasses with clear lenses, an attempt to get people to take her seriously by playing down her attractiveness. She wore frumpy sweaters that obscured the shape of her body, and she tugged on the sleeves as Allison - in her open-neck blouse under a skintight purple sweater - turned another page of her notebook.
"No. No, you only think that because it's incomplete." Her brow furrowed. "I can't barely follow this, but even I can tell it's brilliant work, Samantha."
Sam smiled. "That means a lot coming from you, Allison. Thank you."
"Thank you for sharing it with me. I'm honored." She closed the notebook and rested her hands on top of it. They were in Sam's apartment following a quick, friendly dinner. Allison's feet were tucked up under her, one arm stretched across the back of the couch so she could face Sam. Sam was flustered. She kept thinking back to her Academy flings, and that made her blush.
"What?"
"Hm?"
Allison smiled. "You're blushing."
"I'm... no. I'm just glad you liked my notes."
"Well, they are highly impressive. You're going to be very important to the world someday, Samantha Carter. I have no doubt about that."
They looked at each other in silence for a long moment until Sam forced herself to look away again. "I don't--"
"Samantha...?" Allison slid closer. "I'm going to apologize in advance for this."
"For--"
"I'm sorry." She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to Sam's.
Sam tensed, her eyes widening behind her glasses before they drifted shut. She tilted her head to the left and Allison matched her by turning to the right. Their tongues touched and Sam made a quiet sound of acceptance. Allison slid her hands up the baggy sleeves of Sam's sweater and ended on her neck, and Sam buried her hands in Allison's hair. When they parted, Sam's face was flushed and her eyes stayed closed for a long moment as she caught her breath.
"You kissed me."
"I said I was sorry."
"N-no." Sam's eyes snapped open. "Please don't say that."
Allison blinked slowly and, almost imperceptibly, slid closer to Sam. "Then what should I say?"
"You should say that it was very nice."
"It was."
"And you should ask if you can do it again?" Sam's voice was almost a whisper. She couldn't get enough breath to speak properly.
"May I?"
"Yes," Sam said as she captured Allison's lips with hers again.
2003
"I thought I would find you out here."
Sam turned and saw Allison leaving the bunker carrying two champagne flutes. She offered one to Sam, who took it with a quiet whisper of thanks, and they both sipped as they looked up at the stars. Allison pointed up with her pinkie.
"Even after you've been to them, you can't take your eyes off the stars."
Sam nodded and smiled. "Another crisis averted."
"And no one even knows your name."
Sam shrugged. "No one even knows we exist. It's probably better that way. Civilization would riot in panic twice a week if they knew the things we faced at the SGC and in Eureka. If they knew how close they come to destruction on a regular basis."
Allison nodded and watched the bubbles in her champagne. "Sam..."
"I'm military. You're government." Sam wet her lips. "Neither of us is bad, but neither of us is completely benevolent, either. I understand why you didn't trust me. It's because in situations like this, I'm not me. I'm Major Carter."
"And I'm Dr. Blake. It would be so much easier if we could just be Al and Sam again."
Sam's mood darkened slightly, but she was determined not to be depressed. "Want to overthrow them and take over for ourselves? Rule the world?"
Allison laughed. "Sure."
"It's a plan," Sam said. She looked over her shoulder to make sure they were still alone. "Quite a group you have in there."
"They're amazing. And much less irritating once you get used to them."
Sam snorted and ducked her chin to laugh. "That's a relief. And... Deputy Jo."
"Exclusively plays for one team. The guy team."
Sam's eyes widened. "You're kidding."
Allison shrugged. "Books and covers, Sam. I've never seen her show the slightest interest in a woman."
"And if she's not interested in you..."
"Flirt."
"Hussy." Allison finished off her champagne and Sam watched her wet her lips. "So you and the sheriff?"
"No, no." Allison said it softly, then shook her head. "But I won't count it out. Yeah, he can be infuriating, but his heart is good. He's a great man."
Sam nodded. "I know what you mean."
"You and the Colonel?"
"No!" Sam laughed and shook her head. "No. Even if the regs... no." After a moment, she reached into her jacket pocket. "I'm dating a woman named Janet. She's Air Force, too. A doctor. She wanted me to show this to you."
Allison took the picture and her eyes widened. "Wow. I kind of expected her to be wearing a uniform. Or a shirt."
Sam chuckled. "She's not jealous, she just wanted you to know what I had waiting at home." She waited a moment, then said, "Hey. Give it back."
Allison chuckled and handed it back to her. "Sorry."
"It's okay. I don't really blame you." They stood in silence for a long time before they both started speaking at the same time. Sam smiled. "Go ahead."
"I'm glad fate brought us back together, Sam. I always hated how things ended between us. I'm glad we have another chance to part as friends."
"Me too. And now that we're... maybe we can be a bit friendlier toward each other in the future, business-wise. Forget about the SGC and the Department of Defense and just do our best to save the world by whatever means possible."
Allison nodded. "Deal. And... just so you know, when we recruit new people to work at Global Dynamics, your name is always at the front of my mind. But now I know that you're basically doing the same thing we are, just on a grander scale. And all by yourself."
Sam smiled shyly. "Well, I have a lot of help. If you'd ever like to loan us Zane or Dr. Parrish--"
"Or Fargo?"
"You can keep Fargo."
Allison laughed. "I'll keep it in mind. A brain exchange program. And if you ever want to come back, to take an official tour of the labs or... or just to visit. You're welcome."
"Even though I'm the big bad military?"
"You're not military. You're Sam." She brushed Sam's arm. Sam smiled and let her hand fold into Allison's, squeezing gently as their hands swayed between them.
1994
"Excuse me."
Sam hated interruptions. "I don't know."
"Pardon?"
Sam didn't look up from the equation. "I don't know whatever you want to ask me, so I can't help you. I'm sorry. I'm trying to focus on this and I--" She looked up into the face of the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. She wore a light leather jacket, her hair pulled back away from her face but cascading down in the back. "Oh."
"What?"
Sam blinked and pushed her glasses higher on her nose. "I, uh. I. What? What were you, um, asking about? Maybe I can help you after all."
"I think you can. I was just going to ask if you were Samantha Carter."
"Do I know you?"
The other woman shook her head. "No, but I know of you. You're brilliant. Your name is on pretty much every report that passes my desk. Sometimes just as a research assistant, but you... you do more than that, don't you? There's an art to the science, and no matter whose name is at the top of the list, it's your signature on the information."
Sam blushed. "It's... just easier than fighting for credit. I don't care if I get accolades, I just want the reports to get published. I'm sorry, you're...?"
"Allison Blake. I'm doing some medical research for the Department of Defense. Someone pointed you out to me a few days ago, but you were with friends."
Sam frowned. Friends? She didn't have any friends. "Oh."
"I hope I'm not interrupting."
"No." She was, but Sam was reluctant to let this woman leave. "Do... do you want to sit?"
Allison hesitated to be polite. "If you're sure it's not an imposition."
Sam used her foot to push out the chair across from her. "Of course not. I insist."
Allison smiled and took a seat. Sam tried to force herself to relax. After all, it was just a conversation in a coffee shop. It didn't have to mean anything.
Author: geonncannon
Fandom: Stargate SG-1/Eureka
Pairing: Samantha Carter/Allison Blake, Samantha Carter/Janet Fraiser
Word Count: 5,971
Category: Romance, drama
Spoilers: Slight ones for both shows, nothing major
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me!
Rating: Explicit
Author's Notes: This plays with Eureka's timeline, but considering that they played with their own timeline, I don't feel too bad setting this a few years before the show actually premiered. ~g~
Summary: The only thing that can save the world this time is in Eureka, and Sam has to confront the past in order to get access to it.
AO3 link
2003
The corridor lights were off, lending a bleak and isolated feel to the briefing room as Sam ascended the stairs. General Hammond was already in his seat, Colonel O'Neill seated to his left as they both listened to the scientists explaining why their last attempt had failed. Sam knew they were in deep trouble when she realized that O'Neill was actually listening to what the scientist had to say. His feigned ignorance and impatience were gone, his brows knit together as he concentrated on the mathematics he claimed went right over his head. He and Hammond both looked at her as she entered, and she saw the scientist relax. Someone else who expected her to be a savior, but at least she could fill the role for him. She took their attention away from his team's failure to report her own.
"I'm sorry, Sirs. We've tried every possible substitution, but we're coming up with only sixty percent of the power we need."
O'Neill said, "Maybe that's enough. If you throw your sixty percent at it, then these guys can take care of the other forty percent. Like having someone hold it down while someone else kicks it."
Sam managed a smile. "Sorry, Colonel. It's kind of an all-or-nothing proposition here. There's no way we can jerry-rig something in the time we have remaining."
Hammond sighed and said, "That's unfortunate, Major."
Sam bit back her retort. If they'd been given the funding to create the device when she first proposed it, if they had started construction in the event of a rainy-day. But she knew it wasn't feasible to build ever single thing in her lab. Money was a necessary evil, as she was constantly reminded.
"But we have another course of action. Maybe now the Department of Defense will see the futility in keeping secrets." He stood up. "Colonel, Major. Please step into my office." Sam glanced at O'Neill, who shrugged as he pushed back his chair. They closed the door behind them as Hammond sat behind his desk and stared at the phone.
"Major, your device has been built."
Sam blinked. "By whom, sir?"
"A think tank working under the auspices of the Department of Defense. I called to request their assistance but they refused on grounds of national security. No one is supposed to know this facility exists, despite the fact they routinely mine our findings to help their experiments." He sighed heavily and, when he spoke again, his voice was slightly calmer. "I'm going to contact them again and try to express the fact that their secrets will mean very little when the sky starts falling."
"Maybe have Carter talk to them," O'Neill suggested. "She can give a nice geek perspective from the point-of-view of a soldier. Maybe it'll help get their heads out of their asses."
Sam couldn't help but smile.
"I'll keep that in mind, Colonel. But Dr. Blake is a reasonable woman. I think I can convince her to see our side of things."
Sam's smile wavered. Blake? It was a common enough name, but a female doctor working for a scientific think tank associated with the Department of Defense?
"Sir? That wouldn't be Allison Blake, would it?"
Hammond and O'Neill both looked at her.
"Do you know her, Major?"
"Yes, sir."
"Maybe I should let you speak with her, then."
Sam tried to keep the terror out of her eyes. "No... sir. I don't think that would be helpful to our cause. I think it would be best if Dr. Blake and I were kept as far apart as possible."
"That's not a request I can grant, Major. If she agrees, I'm going to need you and SG-1 to travel to Global Dynamics to use the device. We don't have time to dismantle and transport it here."
"Understood, sir." She kept her face neutral. So the choice was between seeing Allison Blake again or letting humanity get decimated.
She wished the choice was as easy as it sounded.
1995
Sam was in tight boxer briefs and wool socks, her uniform blouse unbuttoned to reveal her undershirt. Her hair was mussed and hung in her eyes as she bent down to untangle her pants to pull them back on. The woman on the bed behind her shifted and Sam closed her eyes. Shit. She looked over her shoulder as Allison sat up, the strap of her lingerie falling off one shoulder. She'd dressed up for the night, a night she'd expected to spend with someone else. Her hair was combed forward into her eyes, and Sam felt something inside her shift at the dark eyes, the smooth skin of her breast, the curve of her shoulder...
She turned away to break the spell. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay. I want to say goodbye."
And that, Sam said to herself, is why I wanted to slip out while you were sleeping.
"Al..."
Allison pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. "You don't have to say it, Sam. Last night was a mistake."
Sam clenched her teeth and focused on the floor. "Right. It can't happen again." She pushed her hair away from her forehead, scratched the nape of her neck with two fingers, and exhaled slowly. "We both have too much too lose. And you're the one with the fiancé."
Even now she could picture the flash of Allison's wedding ring as she unbuttoned Sam's blouse. It was an image she knew would stick with her for a very long time. She finally got her pants situated and stood up to step into them. Once she was safely buttoned and zipped, she walked to the side of the bed and bent down to pick up her shoes. Allison gripped her arm and Sam closed her eyes. The grip turned soft, and Allison began to stroke Sam's wrist.
"Al. Don't make this harder than it already is. Please."
"I just want to say goodbye."
Sam looked into Allison's eyes and leaned in to kiss her. Their lips parted, and Sam knew what was going to happen next. She groaned as she pushed Allison down, climbing onto the bed to straddle her. Allison looked up at her and Sam touched Allison's cheek. They kissed, and Sam settled her weight on top of Allison. The familiar feel of their bodies pressing together made Sam feel weak. She pushed up, her knees on either side of Allison's waist, pinning the mattress against Allison's hips.
"I won't stop you this time. If you really want to leave."
Sam bit her lip. Getting permission to run somehow made it easier to stay. Sam shook her head and bowed down to kiss Allison again. She was going to be late, both of them were, but that fact took a backseat to the need suddenly revived in them.
2003
They were in Janet's office. Sam was wearing her green BDUs with all identifying patches removed. The team was scheduled to ship out at 0900, but she couldn't fly to Oregon without stopping by to let her new partner know the whole story about where she was going and who she would see when she got there. She glossed over most of the details but made sure Janet knew the important bits. When she finished, she braced for the worst.
Janet instead took Sam's hands and smiled. "This is a tiny world, Sam. The world of people who are smart enough to know about the Stargate and who have access to the sort of technology we need to win this war. I'm surprised it's taken this long to run into one of your exes. We've proven you're mature enough to separate work from romance. Go. Save us again." She leaned in and kissed Sam, letting her lips linger just a moment.
"I love you."
"I love you, too." Sam stood to leave, but Janet stopped her. "Oh, wait!" Sam waited at the door as Janet went to the desk and dug around until she found her wallet. She took out a photograph and held it out. "Take this."
Sam looked at the picture. It was Janet at the lake, dressed in jeans and sitting on the dock with her feet in the water. She was shirtless, wearing a blue-and-yellow flowered bikini top. Her hair was down on her suntanned shoulders, smiling at the photographer who had been sitting in a rowboat.
"What's this?"
"Me. Looking damned sexy. Just in case she asks who you're seeing now."
Sam grinned and kissed Janet's cheek. "I'll make sure she sees it."
"It's all I ask."
Sam tucked the photo into the pocket over her heart, stroked Janet's hair one more time, and stepped out of the office. On the walk to the elevator, she let her mind drift back to what should have been the last time she saw Allison, before their ill-fated final night.
1995
"I don't understand."
"We've pushed this as far as we can, Sam." Allison looked down at her hands, tangling her fingers around the white gold necklace she'd gotten from Sam on her last birthday. They were in the last booth in the diner, twelve minutes before closing. The only witness to their quietly emotional clash was the man behind the counter who was more interested in the television than his final customers.
Sam hunched her shoulders and held her coffee cup with both hands. She tried to be as still as possible in the hopes this moment would pass her by.
"One day, we're both going to be in highly visible positions with the government, with the military, and we're going to have to... be realistic."
"Realistic? This is the most real thing I've had since I came to Washington, Al."
Allison nodded, her eyes wet with tears. "Sam, this is going to happen eventually. I think now is just the most... th-the easiest time for it. Before we get too emotionally involved."
Sam flinched. "Oh. I see."
"No. I didn't mean--"
"No. Hey, just... it's fine." She had broken her paralysis and was now groping for her wallet. Allison reached across the table and held Sam's wrist.
"Sweetheart. Don't do this. Please, I don't want to end this with a fight."
Sam swallowed the lump in her throat. "I don't want to end this at all."
"Even if it costs us everything? Your Air Force, my government job. It would all go away if anyone saw us holding hands at the wrong time. I can't even kiss you in public because of who might see. You really love me enough to risk throwing away everything you've worked for?"
Sam looked at her. "I love you so much that, without you, I don't know why I bothered working for everything else." She sniffled and pulled her hand away from Allison. "But now that I know how you feel, I can't force you to be with me. I don't want to be with a person who has to be talked into it." She blinked rapidly. "So I guess you got your wish."
"My wish." Allison scoffed. Her cheeks were wet with tears. "You think this is how I wanted tonight to go?"
"Does it matter? The end result is the same."
The man behind the counter moved closer so he could speak to them without shouting. "Sorry, ladies. Time to go."
"Yeah," Sam said. "It certainly is."
2003
For the first time since the crisis began nine days earlier, Sam was grateful to have the distraction of impending doom. She spent the flight going over the logistics of what was going to happen. Trajectory, speed, distance... it all just boiled down to math, and that was something she could always count on. Numbers and equations. It was poetic to her, and she used the columns of numbers to organize her thoughts. Everything came down to numbers. Even the most complex computer boiled down to ones and zeros. Why did humans have to make everything so messy?
When they arrived at the rural airport, really just a thin stretch of asphalt surrounded by evergreens, a misleadingly ordinary brown Jeep was waiting just inside the chain-link fence. They deplaned and strolled across the tarmac, Colonel O'Neill leading the way with Sam and Dr. Lee behind her. The rest of the team had stayed behind at the SGC should their assistance become necessary.
A man in an Andy Taylor sheriff's uniform got out of the car, his shoulders instantly darkened by the drizzle. He smiled as he held out a hand.
"Colonel O'Neill? Sheriff Carter."
O'Neill looked at her. "Any relation?"
"Doubtful, sir. Major Samantha Carter."
"Oh! Hi. Jack Carter."
"Jack?" O'Neill said.
The passenger door of the Jeep opened to emit a purple umbrella, followed by a woman in a long black trenchcoat. She joined the group, standing by Sheriff Carter's side. Sam held her breath so it wouldn't be obvious when it caught, stunned by how beautiful Allison had become. Allison's face was a steady mask, but Sam knew her well enough to see the emotion roiling beneath the surface.
"Major Carter. They said Colonel O'Neill was bringing a science team. I wasn't sure if you--"
O'Neill smiled. "Well, whenever the Earth is facing destruction, I've learned I want Carter by my side."
Allison laughed. "I've learned that myself. Ah, with my Carter. Not that he's my..." She closed her eyes, sighed, and shook her head. "Sorry. We're a bit under the gun here, aren't we?"
"Literally," O'Neill said with a pointed look at the sky.
"Right. I-I'm still not clear on the whole aliens existing and wanting to kill us situation," Sheriff Carter said. "But I assume you'll fill us in on the way, right?"
"Exactly, Sheriff," O'Neill said. "Lead the way."
They walked back to the car with Allison and Sheriff Carter slightly in the lead. The wind carried away most of their words, but Sam thought she heard the sheriff say something along the lines of "--a little flustered--" and "--not like you." Allison shook her head and waved him off. They got into the car, O'Neill behind the driver's seat and Sam behind Allison. Sheriff Carter helped load Dr. Lee's supplies into the back of the Jeep and then got behind the wheel.
"Okay, folks. You might want to strap in a little tighter than usual. First trip through the security system is always a little bumpy."
O'Neill smiled. "You oughta see how we travel. First step's a doozy."
Sam managed to smile at the joke, eyes on the back of Allison's head as Sheriff Carter turned the car around to leave the airstrip behind.
1995
Sam was only vaguely aware of someone entering the reading room, one arm curled around her book as she ran the tip of her pencil along the line she was currently reading. She was so tired that she needed the pencil tip to keep her place. Otherwise the lines, words, and sentences all blended together. People had been coming and going all night, so she wasn't surprised when someone else invaded her privacy. What shocked her was when the person leaned over her shoulder and gently placed a small metal space shuttle on Sam's notepad.
"Hey." She turned her head and Allison's lips pressed against hers. "Mm. Al. What are you doing here?"
"We had plans for dinner."
"Yeah, for Friday." She didn't have to wait for Allison's correction. "Is it Friday?"
Allison grinned and kissed the corner of Sam's mouth. "Yes. But that's okay. I just wanted to be sure you had eaten tonight. You tend to forget, especially if you're in the middle of a big project." She kissed Sam's ear and ruffled her hair. "And I thought I would bring you a toy if you wanted to take a break."
Sam smiled and picked up the toy shuttle. "This is very cool. Where did you get it?"
"I have my methods." She leaned in again.
Just before their lips touched, the reading room door opened again. Sam twisted away, her arm against Allison's chest to shove her back, and she turned to look down at her books again just as someone came around the edge of the shelf. Sam's ears and cheeks burned pink, eyes locked on her work until whoever it was found what they needed and left.
"You shouldn't kiss me in public," Sam said.
"I know. I'm sorry." Allison pulled out the chair next to Sam and sat down carefully. She folded her hands between her knees. "It's just that the two of us haven't had a lot of time in private lately. I was hoping tonight's dinner could be..." She moved her hand to Sam's knee, and Sam closed her eyes. "I shouldn't have kissed you here."
"It's okay." Sam moved her hand under the table and linked her fingers with Allison's. She squeezed, then guided Allison's hand up between her legs.
"Are you sure?" Allison asked.
Sam nodded and closed her eyes. Allison slid to the edge of her chair, stomach tight against the edge of the table, and flattened her fingers against the crotch of Sam's slacks. Sam curled her fingers around her pencil. Allison rested her head on Sam's shoulder, and Sam moved her free hand down under the table. She rubbed Allison's knee and then pushed higher, slipping underneath her skirt.
"Oh, Sam." Allison purred and pressed her lips to Sam's neck. Sam tilted her head to the side, both of them breathing heavily as they worked.
"Al... you're going to make me come."
Allison kissed Sam's earlobe and nipped it between her teeth. "Come for me, Sam."
Sam turned her head and their lips brushed awkwardly together. Sam bridged the gap with her tongue, and Allison took it hungrily into her mouth. Sam lifted her hips and pressed down against Allison's hand. Despite the warning and Sam's eagerness, however, Allison came first. She growled and pinched Sam's bottom lip with her teeth, chuckling with release as she climaxed. Sam closed her eyes and used the sound of Allison's breathing to take her over the edge, groaning as she closed her thighs around her girlfriend's hand.
"Thank you."
"Thank you," Sam whispered.
Allison pulled back. Sam stared at her; she loved the way Allison looked after an orgasm. Her eyes got darker and her skin glowed. Sam touched Allison's cheek and wet her lips.
"I think I can focus now."
"Then my work here is done."
Sam stopped Allison from standing. "I'd rather focus on something that isn't work."
Allison settled back against the seat like a cat curling up on a cushion. "Oh? Well, then. What exactly did you hope to focus on?"
Sam leaned forward and whispered her plans in Allison's ear. Allison's lips curled into a devious smile as she listened.
2003
O'Neill nudged Sam's arm. "Carter."
"Sir?" She noticed Sheriff Carter also glanced in the rearview mirror. She realized O'Neill had asked her a question. "Sorry, sir. I drifted."
"Apparently. I said you and Dr. Blake seem to know each other."
"Yes, sir." Sam cleared her throat. "We were in DC at the same time in 1995."
O'Neill smiled. "Ah, Captain Carter on her old stomping grounds. You'll have to tell me a few stories, Dr. Blake."
Allison chuckled. "Actually, Colonel, I think Sam would appreciate it if I kept quiet about--"
"Just stop right there, Al," Sam said. "We'll let the Colonel's imagination fill in the blanks."
O'Neill said, "Risky, Major. You have no idea how wild my imagination can get."
Allison twisted to look into the backseat. "You don't know how wild we got back in the day."
The headboard slammed against the wall, Sam's forehead beaded with sweat as she thrust between Allison's thighs. On the other side of the wall, she heard their anonymous crying out with pleasure. They were in Atlantic City, driving as far as they could get in one night and still get back in the morning before anyone knew they were gone.
Allison gasped, her fingers like talons on Sam's hips. "Don't you fucking let them win, Captain..."
"Yes, ma'am." Sam threw her head back and thrust harder, making Allison cry out loud enough that they drowned out their neighbors.
"Oh, God. Carter's blushing."
Sam looked out the window, forcing back a smile as she watched the evergreens sweep by the car window.
1994
As far as her friends were concerned, Sam was dating a civilian named Al. The same went with Allison and her boyfriend Sam. They were careful to keep their social circles separate so the pathetic attempt at subterfuge would go unnoticed. They rarely met during the week even if their schedules allowed it. Sam was never known for socializing on Friday nights and Allison was sociable enough to get away with disappearing for the evening and most of Saturday morning without raising anyone's eyebrows.
Sam soon discovered she lived for Friday nights, for opening her apartment door to find Allison waiting on the other side with an overnight bag. At first it was just about sex, clothes removed before the door was entirely closed and their first encounter of the night often taking place within five feet of the door. Eventually they were able to restrain themselves and have dinner, to cuddle on the couch and watch a movie, and then make their way into the bedroom to make love properly.
It was on one of these slow romantic nights that Sam first whispered, "I love you," into Allison's ear. They were curled against each other under the blankets, Allison's skin still warm from what they had just done. Sam brushed her lips over the curve of Allison's shoulder and sucked on her neck. When Allison didn't immediately reply, Sam lay her head on the pillow and looked up at her lover.
"Is that okay?"
"Of course it's okay." Sam brushed the hair away from Allison's face as an excuse to cup her cheek. Allison closed her eyes and turned her head into the caress. "No one's ever said that to me before."
"You're kidding."
"No. I mean, they've said it. But I don't think anyone has meant it as much as you just did."
Sam smiled and kissed Allison. They shifted under the blankets and Allison pressed her leg between Sam's thighs. Sam arched her back and closed her eyes, grunting quietly as she stroked Allison's upper arms. "Please, Al..."
"Please what?"
Sam whimpered, part of her hoping that would suffice as a response. Allison became still, so Sam wet her lips and swallowed hard. "Make me come, Al."
Allison rested her hands on Sam's breasts and rocked forward. Sam put her feet flat on the mattress and lifted her hips to meet Allison, grunting as they found a rhythm they could both match. Sam moved her hands over Allison's body, down to tease her dark, hard nipples and then lifting her head to take one into her mouth. Allison cupped the back of Sam's head and moved slower, drawing the moment out before giving in to the inevitable. Sam rested her cheek against Allison's breast as she came, struggling to catch her breath when Allison finally lowered her to the mattress.
"I love you, Sam."
Sam smiled. "You didn't have to say it back."
"I know. That's why I waited so long to repeat it." She kissed the corners of Sam's mouth, brushing the blonde hair away from her forehead. "I've been thinking it for a long time. I didn't want to say it first in case--"
"In case?" Sam said with a smile. She brushed her thumb down Allison's cheek. "Well. Rest easy, Al. I'm crazy about you."
"Good. Because I was thinking maybe I could stay a little longer this time." Her hand drifted down and teased Sam's navel. "Maybe the whole weekend."
Sam shuddered. "I'd love that..."
"Prove it," Allison said.
Sam grinned and pulled Allison down to her.
2003
The laboratory took Sam's breath away, literally making it hard for her to inhale as she looked at the technology on display. Allison smiled as she escorted Sam to the command console they needed, taking the bag from Sam's shoulder and setting it on the ground. "I assume you know how this works, since you wrote up the schematics."
"I can't believe you built this. All of this." She looked awed and angry, turning on Allison. "How can you keep this from us?"
"How can you keep everything you've learned from the Stargate Program secret? We're in the secrets business, Sam. And as amazing as the things in G.D. are, they're still incredibly dangerous. We have to make sure they're completely safe before we unleash them on the public. If you knew half the things Eureka has faced just in the time I've been here..."
Sam nodded, repentant. "Yeah. And the things in the SGC lab could end all life on Earth if we let it into the wrong hands. But you kept it secret from us."
Allison didn't flinch. "Yes. Because putting weapons like these into the hands of the military terrifies me, Sam."
Sam looked at Allison. Neither of them backed down until Colonel O'Neill and Sheriff Carter arrived. Sam looked away and Allison took a step back, both of them focusing on the task at hand. O'Neill craned his neck, staring up at the device that earlier in the day he'd been told only existed on paper. He whistled and gestured. "What kind of range you got on that?"
"Several thousand miles." Allison cast a sideways look at Sam. "You can see why we were wary about telling the military it exists."
"Yes," O'Neill said dryly. "Good of you to protect hypothetical enemies at the cost of the entire planet."
"Whoa," Sheriff Carter said. "We're all friends here, all right? Just, ah... let's just keep calm."
"Carter's right." Allison cleared her throat and focused on the command controls. "Sam, I'm going to need--"
"Two operators. It's a failsafe I included when I designed it." Sam stepped to the next control panel and began typing. Allison poised her fingers over the keyboard as well, and soon the room was filled with the sound of the clicking and tapping of keys.
Sheriff Carter cautiously moved closer to where Jack was standing. He hooked his thumbs on his belt and joined Jack in staring upward. "It's something, huh? World's in danger and no one has to go to war... we're just waiting for their brains to figure out a way to fight back. I'd take Allison's brain over an army any day."
"Carter's brain is here," Jack said. "That's your army."
Sam glanced at Allison over the command controls. Allison met her eye and offered a conciliatory smile. Sam returned it and they went back to work.
1994
Allison looked up from the notebook. "This is brilliant."
"It's hardly coherent," Sam said. She tucked her hair behind her ear even though it was barely long enough to stay. She was wearing horn-rimmed glasses with clear lenses, an attempt to get people to take her seriously by playing down her attractiveness. She wore frumpy sweaters that obscured the shape of her body, and she tugged on the sleeves as Allison - in her open-neck blouse under a skintight purple sweater - turned another page of her notebook.
"No. No, you only think that because it's incomplete." Her brow furrowed. "I can't barely follow this, but even I can tell it's brilliant work, Samantha."
Sam smiled. "That means a lot coming from you, Allison. Thank you."
"Thank you for sharing it with me. I'm honored." She closed the notebook and rested her hands on top of it. They were in Sam's apartment following a quick, friendly dinner. Allison's feet were tucked up under her, one arm stretched across the back of the couch so she could face Sam. Sam was flustered. She kept thinking back to her Academy flings, and that made her blush.
"What?"
"Hm?"
Allison smiled. "You're blushing."
"I'm... no. I'm just glad you liked my notes."
"Well, they are highly impressive. You're going to be very important to the world someday, Samantha Carter. I have no doubt about that."
They looked at each other in silence for a long moment until Sam forced herself to look away again. "I don't--"
"Samantha...?" Allison slid closer. "I'm going to apologize in advance for this."
"For--"
"I'm sorry." She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to Sam's.
Sam tensed, her eyes widening behind her glasses before they drifted shut. She tilted her head to the left and Allison matched her by turning to the right. Their tongues touched and Sam made a quiet sound of acceptance. Allison slid her hands up the baggy sleeves of Sam's sweater and ended on her neck, and Sam buried her hands in Allison's hair. When they parted, Sam's face was flushed and her eyes stayed closed for a long moment as she caught her breath.
"You kissed me."
"I said I was sorry."
"N-no." Sam's eyes snapped open. "Please don't say that."
Allison blinked slowly and, almost imperceptibly, slid closer to Sam. "Then what should I say?"
"You should say that it was very nice."
"It was."
"And you should ask if you can do it again?" Sam's voice was almost a whisper. She couldn't get enough breath to speak properly.
"May I?"
"Yes," Sam said as she captured Allison's lips with hers again.
2003
"I thought I would find you out here."
Sam turned and saw Allison leaving the bunker carrying two champagne flutes. She offered one to Sam, who took it with a quiet whisper of thanks, and they both sipped as they looked up at the stars. Allison pointed up with her pinkie.
"Even after you've been to them, you can't take your eyes off the stars."
Sam nodded and smiled. "Another crisis averted."
"And no one even knows your name."
Sam shrugged. "No one even knows we exist. It's probably better that way. Civilization would riot in panic twice a week if they knew the things we faced at the SGC and in Eureka. If they knew how close they come to destruction on a regular basis."
Allison nodded and watched the bubbles in her champagne. "Sam..."
"I'm military. You're government." Sam wet her lips. "Neither of us is bad, but neither of us is completely benevolent, either. I understand why you didn't trust me. It's because in situations like this, I'm not me. I'm Major Carter."
"And I'm Dr. Blake. It would be so much easier if we could just be Al and Sam again."
Sam's mood darkened slightly, but she was determined not to be depressed. "Want to overthrow them and take over for ourselves? Rule the world?"
Allison laughed. "Sure."
"It's a plan," Sam said. She looked over her shoulder to make sure they were still alone. "Quite a group you have in there."
"They're amazing. And much less irritating once you get used to them."
Sam snorted and ducked her chin to laugh. "That's a relief. And... Deputy Jo."
"Exclusively plays for one team. The guy team."
Sam's eyes widened. "You're kidding."
Allison shrugged. "Books and covers, Sam. I've never seen her show the slightest interest in a woman."
"And if she's not interested in you..."
"Flirt."
"Hussy." Allison finished off her champagne and Sam watched her wet her lips. "So you and the sheriff?"
"No, no." Allison said it softly, then shook her head. "But I won't count it out. Yeah, he can be infuriating, but his heart is good. He's a great man."
Sam nodded. "I know what you mean."
"You and the Colonel?"
"No!" Sam laughed and shook her head. "No. Even if the regs... no." After a moment, she reached into her jacket pocket. "I'm dating a woman named Janet. She's Air Force, too. A doctor. She wanted me to show this to you."
Allison took the picture and her eyes widened. "Wow. I kind of expected her to be wearing a uniform. Or a shirt."
Sam chuckled. "She's not jealous, she just wanted you to know what I had waiting at home." She waited a moment, then said, "Hey. Give it back."
Allison chuckled and handed it back to her. "Sorry."
"It's okay. I don't really blame you." They stood in silence for a long time before they both started speaking at the same time. Sam smiled. "Go ahead."
"I'm glad fate brought us back together, Sam. I always hated how things ended between us. I'm glad we have another chance to part as friends."
"Me too. And now that we're... maybe we can be a bit friendlier toward each other in the future, business-wise. Forget about the SGC and the Department of Defense and just do our best to save the world by whatever means possible."
Allison nodded. "Deal. And... just so you know, when we recruit new people to work at Global Dynamics, your name is always at the front of my mind. But now I know that you're basically doing the same thing we are, just on a grander scale. And all by yourself."
Sam smiled shyly. "Well, I have a lot of help. If you'd ever like to loan us Zane or Dr. Parrish--"
"Or Fargo?"
"You can keep Fargo."
Allison laughed. "I'll keep it in mind. A brain exchange program. And if you ever want to come back, to take an official tour of the labs or... or just to visit. You're welcome."
"Even though I'm the big bad military?"
"You're not military. You're Sam." She brushed Sam's arm. Sam smiled and let her hand fold into Allison's, squeezing gently as their hands swayed between them.
1994
"Excuse me."
Sam hated interruptions. "I don't know."
"Pardon?"
Sam didn't look up from the equation. "I don't know whatever you want to ask me, so I can't help you. I'm sorry. I'm trying to focus on this and I--" She looked up into the face of the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. She wore a light leather jacket, her hair pulled back away from her face but cascading down in the back. "Oh."
"What?"
Sam blinked and pushed her glasses higher on her nose. "I, uh. I. What? What were you, um, asking about? Maybe I can help you after all."
"I think you can. I was just going to ask if you were Samantha Carter."
"Do I know you?"
The other woman shook her head. "No, but I know of you. You're brilliant. Your name is on pretty much every report that passes my desk. Sometimes just as a research assistant, but you... you do more than that, don't you? There's an art to the science, and no matter whose name is at the top of the list, it's your signature on the information."
Sam blushed. "It's... just easier than fighting for credit. I don't care if I get accolades, I just want the reports to get published. I'm sorry, you're...?"
"Allison Blake. I'm doing some medical research for the Department of Defense. Someone pointed you out to me a few days ago, but you were with friends."
Sam frowned. Friends? She didn't have any friends. "Oh."
"I hope I'm not interrupting."
"No." She was, but Sam was reluctant to let this woman leave. "Do... do you want to sit?"
Allison hesitated to be polite. "If you're sure it's not an imposition."
Sam used her foot to push out the chair across from her. "Of course not. I insist."
Allison smiled and took a seat. Sam tried to force herself to relax. After all, it was just a conversation in a coffee shop. It didn't have to mean anything.