Silver Linings
Chapter 1: Moods and Miracles
Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: I know I'm in the middle of my other fic, "Desperate," but I loved this idea. Plus, it's happy and upbeat…instead of torture and stuff.
This is really just a fluffy nonsensical story. A way to blow off steam, if you will. Oh, slightly AU cause Janet is alive. I know this stuff would ever happen, so no flames please.
This was originally a ONESHOT, but I changed my mind. It is gonna be a Part 1 and Part 2 kinda thing. I hope you like!
ENJOY!!
Jack O'Neill stomped down the halls, eyes focused directly ahead of him, and ignoring anyone who called out to him. Yeah, today was a bad day. And it was going to get worse if people didn't stop trying to be all buddy-buddy. A very small voice in the back of his mind told him that they were just being pleasant and that he was being an ass, but…screw that tiny voice.
He marched down the hall, unyielding to anyone in his path. They were forced to quickly spin out of his way as he grumped past them.
"Colonel O'Neill." Siler nodded his head in greeting as the colonel walked past him. He heard the man growl low in his throat and continue walking past him. Siler turned and watched the man navigate a corner, a young lieutenant just barely skirting out of the way. "Oh boy." Siler muttered to one of the other engineers. "One of those days, huh?"
The younger engineer, Sergeant Combs, nodded and grimaced. When Jack O'Neill suffers…everyone suffers. "Better page Major Carter." He intoned, only half-joking.
"I think you're right." Siler agreed, pulling his welding mask down over his face again.
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"Jack!" Daniel called, running to catch up with the older man. "Hey Jack, I was wondering if…" his words trailed when Jack whipped around and gave him a Goa'uld-worthy glare. "Hey Jack." Daniel started over cautiously, frowning. "What's up?"
"Daniel." Jack growled. "Leave me alone."
Daniel raised his eyebrows, surprised, but not hurt by the colonel's behavior. Jack had a tendency to get…snappy…when something wasn't going his way. Or maybe he was just having an "off" day. "Okay Jack." Daniel held up his hands in mock surrender. "I was just wondering if you'd seen Teal'c. I need help with a translation." Daniel clarified.
"No, Daniel. I haven't seen Teal'c." Jack's voice was strained; like he was making an extreme effort not to shout.
"Okay…did you just get here?" Daniel asked in a weak attempt to get Jack to talk.
"No, Daniel. I never left." He half shouted.
'Ah.' Daniel groaned inwardly. 'That's why he's so…pissy.' Daniel rubbed the bridge of his nose and took a few slow steps backward. "Okay Jack." Daniel spoke calmly like he was talking to a dog ready to attack. "I'll see you later." He turned and walked away as quickly as possible. He could almost feel Jack's eyes trying to burn holes through him. He rounded a corner and let out an involuntary sigh of relief.
Daniel stopped suddenly as an idea illuminated his mind. Turning down a corridor he headed up to the control room.
He had to find Sam.
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Teal'c stepped to the side to allow a petite nurse to hurry around him through the door. Nearly eight years living on Earth and he still didn't know why humans were so eager to get places when there was no real emergency. Granted, the base didn't allow for much time to 'stop and smell the roses' as O'Neill said. As far as Teal'c could see, there was no flora under the mountain.
He bowed his head slightly when she uttered a quick thank you to him and continued down the hall at a near run. Teal'c stepped out through the door and was nearly bowled over by a slightly out of breath archaeologist.
"Daniel Jackson." Teal'c smiled and bowed his head again. "It is good to see you again. How was your weekend?"
"Wha…?" Daniel replied focusing on Teal'c's face. "Teal'c! Hi! How are you? I'm sorry…what'd you say?"
Teal'c merely smiled at the doctor. "I am quite well, Daniel Jackson."
"Good. That's good." Daniel said, slightly distracted.
"Is something the matter?" Teal'c asked, amused at the doctor's actions. He kept glancing behind him as though expecting someone to attack him.
"Uh, yeah…actually there is. Jack's a little…well, he's sorta…" Daniel sighed and adjusted his glasses. "He's in a really bad mood, Teal'c."
"I see." Teal'c said, frowning slightly. "What has caused this change in demeanor?"
"Oh, well, you know Jack…" Daniel smiled humorlessly. "Apparently, he never left the mountain. But…I have a feeling something else is going on with him."
"Is that so?" Teal'c asked. He was slightly relieved to hear that it was nothing out of the ordinary.
"Yeah…" Daniel paused as if trying to remember why he was here. "Right, yes." He snapped his fingers. "Teal'c have you seen Sam? She wasn't in her lab or the control room. I figured I'd find you and we could look for her in the commissary."
Teal'c inclined his head. "I have not, Daniel Jackson. But, I would be most agreeable to helping you locate her."
Daniel smiled genuinely at him, but frowned on the inside. Sometimes he wondered if Teal'c tried to find the most complicated way to say things on purpose. He could almost picture Teal'c pouring over a thesaurus late at night; looking for the longest way to say simple responses. Daniel chuckled. That was precisely what made Teal'c, Teal'c.
Plus, it was fun to watch people who didn't hang around with Teal'c on a daily basis try to decipher his long-winded answers. Teal'c seemed to find it amusing as well.
"Thanks, Teal'c." Daniel said as he and the big man began walking down the corridor.
Teal'c inclined his head again. He wasn't surprised that his own thoughts after he had been informed of O'Neill's mood had shifted to locating Major Carter as well. She seemed to have some sort of...subtle power…over him. She could usually bring him back down to Earth.
"Sam!" Daniel's voice broke through Teal'c's thoughts and his eyes snapped to where Daniel was gesturing.
"Daniel. Teal'c." Sam smiled as she met them halfway. "Whoa, Daniel…what's up?" she asked when she saw his harried expression.
"It's Jack." Daniel said, furrowing his eyebrows and placing his hands on his hips, giving her a classic 'I don't want to say it, but I have to' look.
"His mood is most disagreeable, Major Carter." Teal'c replied when Daniel fell silent.
"Yeah, I know." Sam shrugged.
"You…know…?" Daniel asked, his eyes widening.
"Yeah. I heard a couple people grumbling about him earlier. A few even asked me to go talk to him." She raised her hands in a 'don't ask me why' gesture.
Daniel glanced up at Teal'c and was met with an amused expression that mirrored his own. Sam's cluelessness was kind of sweet. "They did?" Daniel asked.
Sam nodded, then frowned. "Daniel…you weren't going to ask me to…" she waved her hand in a 'so on' gesture.
Daniel smiled sheepishly and rocked on his heels. Teal'c stepped in when it became apparent that Daniel had no intention of answering her. "We were indeed, Major Carter." Teal'c gave her his best smile in the hopes that it would help to persuade her.
"Oh, guys…" Sam moaned, a slight whine n her voice. Her two friends weren't military, so she didn't need to keep her tone in check around them. "Come on…what do you want me to do? It's not like anything I say is going to do anything."
"Sam, you…ah, you have the best chance at getting through to him. Just…talk to him. Something." Daniel said with a pleading note in his voice. He looked at her over the tops of his glasses. Normally, he would never stoop so low as to use the puppy dog eyes, but…desperate times called for desperate measures…and dirty tricks.
"Oh no, Daniel." Sam held up her hand. "That's not gonna work on me."
"Major Carter, it is the belief of many on this base that you are the most qualified to handle O'Neill in his current state." Teal'c replied, again smiling widely.
"What?" Sam asked looking between them, confused.
"Sam…everyone knows that Jack has a…a…soft spot for you." Daniel said, continuing to give her the puppy dog eyes.
"A…a soft spot for me?" Sam repeated, trying to sound disinterested, but feeling her cheeks grow warm. Why the hell did Daniel always have to make underhanded comments about her and the colonel? So what if he knew that Sam's personal feelings for the colonel stretched way beyond professional working relationships? Sam was almost completely sure that the colonel didn't feel the same way about her. Sure…there was this…thing between them…but she was sure that whatever feelings he had had for her were gone. Unfortunately, hers had just seemed to just become deeper and harder to ignore.
"Face it, Daniel." Sam continued, not meeting his eyes. "You're just too afraid to do it yourself."
"Me…afraid? Psshaw…" Daniel tried, but upon seeing the doubt in her face, decided to direct attention away from him. "Come on…does Teal'c look like he would be afraid of Jack?" he gestured to the tall, muscular man.
Sam grinned and raised an eyebrow. "I think he just likes watching the rest of us run over each other to avoid the colonel."
Teal'c merely smiled wider and inclined his head. Daniel glanced at Teal'c, slightly frustrated. "Sam, come on. Just talk to him."
Sam sighed and looked him directly in the eye. "Alright! Fine…whatever." She raised her hands in the air and shook her head. She poked a finger gently into Daniel's chest. "But, if things go bad…you are gonna owe me big time." She paused, then shook her head. "No, wait. Even if things go well…you're still gonna owe me. Both of you." She pointed a mock threatening finger at both of them.
Daniel smiled mischievously and his eyes glinted. "Trust me, Sam…if things go well…it won't be us who'll be making it up to you." He winked and Sam flushed deeply. Why the hell did he keep doing that?
She looked to Teal'c for support, but found that he was smirking conspiratorially at Daniel.
"Subtle, Daniel. Really subtle. Someone hears you talking like that and there's a shiny new court martial for Colonel O'Neill and myself." Sam teased, sighing. 'If only what he was saying were true…' she thought. 'What? No! Stop that!' she shook her head slightly and squeezed her eyes shut.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Sam." Daniel said, causing her eyes to snap open.
"Daniel…" she said in a warning tone.
"I'm just saying." He held up his hands in mock surrender for the second time that day. "We aren't the only ones who talk about…that." He finished awkwardly for fear that Sam's temper would rear. They could barely handle one officer in a bad mood…two and the mountain might just explode.
"What are you--?" Sam broke herself off, raising her hands. "You know what? I don't wanna know." She shook her head again. "I guess I should go…talk to the colonel." She sighed apprehensively. She really didn't want him to bite her head off.
"Yes. Talk." Daniel smiled smugly, knowing he was pushing it.
"Watch it, Daniel." She warned, but her voice held no real malice. She turned and headed down the corridor. Teal'c held out his fist to Daniel as O'Neill had taught him to do. Daniel raised his own and knocked it against Teal'c's in a 'we rock!' motion.
"You too, Teal'c!" Sam called, not turning around.
The two men shared a surprised glance. "It's scary what she knows sometimes." Daniel chuckled as he and Teal'c started down the hall in the opposite direction.
"Indeed."
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Jack slammed the door to his office, not caring that the noise echoed off the high corridor ceilings; amplifying the sound. He sat heavily on his stool and propped his head on his fist. He had been under the mountain all weekend. He was sick and tired of looking at the same grey walls day after day. He wanted blue skies, grass, trees…fish.
He tried to remember why he had been forced to stay there. He vaguely recalled Hammond having said something about…mission reports. Dammit. He'd only gotten two done. He still had six more to go.
Jack's eyes roved his office; looking for any excuse he might have to distract himself. He really didn't want to do those reports. His eyes settled on his notes. 'Damn.' He groaned when he realized there was no escaping it.
He had just picked up his notes when his door opened a little and he heard someone say a tentative, "Knock, knock."
He looked up ready to snarl at whoever it was, but stopped short when he saw Carter's blonde head poking into his office.
"Carter." He said stiffly, though not as harshly as he had spoken to everyone else. He saw a flicker of relief flash through her eyes and realized that she must have been worried he'd snap his jaws at her.
"Hi, sir." Sam said stepping all the way onto the room, but leaving the door open behind her in case she was in need of a speedy getaway.
"Can I help you?" He kept his tone in check, but he couldn't help the shortness of his words.
"Yes, sir." She said moving further into the room. "Are you…? Um…is there something wrong?" she smiled softly, letting him know that it was okay if he told her to shove off.
He sighed. "No, Carter. Nothing's wrong…except for the fact that Hammond made me stay here all weekend to finish these damn reports." He said vehemently, throwing his notes down beside his computer. He knew he sounded like a petulant child, but it didn't matter. He was pissed.
"Oh." Sam said, looking around for something else to say. "Want help?"
Jack glanced up sharply at her. "I thought you told me that you weren't going to do my 'homework' anymore." She shrugged. "Oh, I get it." Jack's tone was cold. "You're pitying me."
"What? Sir, no I--!" she tried, but he cut her off.
"Carter, I don't need your help and I certainly don't need your pity." He was almost shouting. Instead of seeing hurt or understanding in her eyes he saw anger flash in them.
"Oh, please, sir. Like I would ever pity you." She knew she was bordering complete insubordination, but she didn't really care. She had a sneaking suspicion that after nearly eight years together he wasn't going to bring her up on charges for being a little mouthy.
He raised his eyebrows in challenge. "I'd watch it if I were you, Carter." He narrowed his eyes.
"Then I guess it's a good thing you're not." She shot back, but her voice was devoid of anger. She merely shrugged his icy tone and glare off.
Jack drew himself up to his full height and tried to stare her down. He knew he was trying to intimidate her, but…he also knew it would never work. She knew him too well. She merely leaned against his desk and crossed her arms over her chest as the epitome of nonchalance. The only giveaway that she was nervous was the way she bit her lip. To anyone else, it wouldn't seem like anything…but Jack knew her better than anyone else. He also knew that he was the cause for her nervousness. She wasn't worried that he would hurt her; he would die before he let anything happen to her. No…it was for something else…
"What do you want, Carter?" he asked abruptly. He didn't want her softening his temper. He wanted to be angry. When he was angry he didn't feel like such a jerk when he treated people the way he did when he was in a "mood."
"To help." She said simply. He rolled his eyes.
"Gee, Carter. How charitable of you. Always willing to lend that big brain of yours out." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.
Sam cocked her head and frowned at him, searching with her gaze. He felt like she could see right through him. He looked away from her and sat back down. "Sir?" her voice was low with concern. "Are you sure you're all right?"
He took a deep breath, ready to snap at her, when he instead let it out in a whoosh of air. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." She scrubbed a hand over his face. "I'm sorry, Carter. It's just…a really bad day." He finished lamely. He knew it was a weak excuse.
"Okay." Sam heaved an exaggerated sigh and straightened abruptly. He glanced up at her and frowned at the glint in her eye. Was that a hint of mischief lurking in the depths of her blue eyes? A conspiratorial smile on her lips?
"Carter…?" he questioned feeling an odd prickling through him when she looked at him like that. Was he…nervous?
"Yes, sir?" she asked sweetly. Too sweetly.
He gave her an odd look and she smiled guiltily. "What?" he asked.
"You leave me with no other choice, sir." She said, taking a page from Teal'c's book. He just stared at her; the feeling of giddy apprehension building. Before he knew what she was doing, she had snatched his stack of notes from under his hand. Her fingers brushed his and by their identical startled looks both had felt the strange electrical shock.
"Carter, what are you doing?" he asked suspiciously as he made a grab for the papers. She danced out of reach and dangled them out to him, taunting.
Without a word, she smiled brilliantly at him and bolted from his office. "Carter!" he shouted running after her. She was already halfway down the corridor by the time he reached his door. 'Damn, she's quick!' he thought, but wasn't surprised. He had seen her in action plenty of times on missions.
Sam turned to face him waving the papers in the air. He sprinted at her, pleased when he saw her eyes widen. She turned tail and ran down the hall.
"Move!" she shouted to a couple of people milling about the corridor. They jumped out of her way, startled. Their semi-annoyed glances turned to complete confusion as they saw her commanding officer chasing after her. They had all heard that he was in a bad mood, but…chasing his own teammate? And Major Carter at that? What had she done?
Sam kept running, hearing his boots pounding close behind her. "Carter!" he shouted again. He was surprised at the very un-Carter-like giggle that escaped her lips. He couldn't see her face, but he could practically feel the amusement rolling off of her. She was having fun.
Jack knew how he must look chasing after his 21C. The SGC had seen the strangest things over the years, but this…this probably beat them all. Colonel Jack O'Neill was chasing after a giggling Major Carter and shouting her name. 'Oh yeah.' He thought. 'This takes the cake.'
"Carter! Come back here!" he shouted, gaining on her. She glanced back and her eyes danced with a light he had never seen before. The happiness in her eyes and smile melted his heart. He knew his bad mood was doomed the second she stepped into the room. He had tried to cling to it…but, he hadn't stood a chance. This was Carter. His Carter.
"No way!" she shouted over her shoulder, sprinting easily out of his reach. She felt like she could go on forever. She hadn't even broken a sweat. Eight years going through the gate and kicking alien butt really got you into shape. As she glanced over her shoulder again she saw the last of the colonel's annoyance slip away as he enjoyed the chase. 'Holy Hannah.' She mused. 'We must look like quite the pair.'
Sam had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't realized Jack catching up to her and leaning carefully over her shoulder.
"Hey Carter." He whispered into her ear.
Sam bit down on the squeal that threatened to escape her mouth. She didn't squeal. Instead, a muffled cry passed her lips and she ducked away from his voice and pulled the papers away from his outstretched hand.
Planting her right foot in front of her, she did a quick pivot under his arm and bolted in the other direction. She heard him stumble as he attempted to follow her. He missed his step and she gained some serious distance. At the end of the corridor near her lab she stopped and turned around. A zing of fun fear went through her when she realized he was gone. He was turning her simple game of running through the corridors into a game of military tactics.
Sam whipped around and sprinted the rest of the corridor. The next thing she knew, she was jogging up the steps into the control room.
"Pull up base cameras on levels 26, 27, and 28!" she shouted to Walter; causing the poor man to jump. All the technicians looked strangely at her. They were wondering if maybe there had been some sort of alien incursion. "Do I have to make it an order?" she asked impatiently bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"No, ma'am." Walter said hurriedly and pressed the correct keys to bring up the cameras. If she knew Jack the way she thought she did…he'd be smart enough to avoid the cameras. But, maybe, just maybe…he'd make a mistake.
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Daniel, Teal'c, and General Hammond sat in the monitor room watching the colonel and major in disbelief. Daniel's mouth hung slightly open and his glasses were askew on his face, his eyes wide underneath them.
Teal'c sat still and upright, but his eyebrow looked like it was attempting to creep to the top of his head. General Hammond just sat there.
He stared at the monitors showing his two best officers running around the base like a couple of five year olds. He wasn't angry…no. He was surprised as hell and even a little happy to see them being so carefree with each other…but did they have to do it on his base? He knew they needed to blow off steam; Jack especially, considering the amount of complaints he had gotten about his colonel today. It seemed that Major Carter really was a miracle worker; bringing Jack out of his slump in less than five minutes.
But General Hammond knew it was no miracle. No…he knew exactly why Sam had such an influence over Jack. He also had an idea of how this little "game" was going to end.
The three men watched, dumbstruck, as Sam barged into the control room and shouted something to Walter. They responded after a moment's pause and they saw the images from three levels of the base cameras. She studied the monitors intently, pretending not to notice the tall man creeping up behind her.
George sighed and stood up. At the inquiring looks from the two sane members of SG-1, he shrugged slightly. "I have a phone call to make." He said simply.
Daniel smiled conspiratorially and nudged Teal'c, not taking his eyes off the General. "From a certain red phone, perhaps?" He asked, blinking innocently.
George couldn't help the small guilty smile that played across his features. "Curiosity killed the cat, Dr. Jackson." He evaded. Daniel squinted and mouthed 'Oh right' in a mock believing gesture. George nodded at the screen. "I think you two might wanna get over there. See the show in person." He winked at them and left without another word, enjoying the shocked looks on their faces.
"Sick voyeur…" Daniel muttered, but stood up, hiding a smile as he ducked away from Teal'c and the two men headed down the hallway.
After all…the show was about to begin.
TBC
A/N: Part Two up tomorrow!! Please R&R!