CARTER AT BETA SITE GOES WITH O'NEILL*

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Oh my goodness. Wow! "Colonel*! You look.."

As soon as Carter's eyes registered the Colonel* she was bowled over. Wow. Strong and handsome.

Yes she had seen him at social and official gatherings, but somehow he was different. She knew how good quality clothes always hung beautifully on him, but this was different. First of all he wasn't just smart, he was spectacularly smart and fine looking. And then there was that look. He seemed remarkably laid back.

The Colonel always did have an attractive way of diffusing tense situations, he had a very calming nature, apart from when he was cross that is, but this was different, he seemed positively passive.

"Carter?"

"Colonel*." Wow! He really did look fabulous.

"Colonel* have you been with the Diplomatic unit?"

"Whats that Carter?"

"Sir you look.. ..well, you look nice."

"Why thank you Major."

"Sir have you been on one of your Secret Missions?"

"Secret Mission? Secret, yes you could say that Carter."

Oh yeah, Doctor O'Neill! Nice deportment. Um nice.. ..Wow.

Major Carter was actually beginning to feel quite peeved that he'd kept her out of the loop on the fantastic news of his achievements, although his modesty was very becoming, added to his charm.

"Doctor*?"

"Whats that Carter, are you alright?" The concern in his voice resounded.

How could you ever begrudge this man. And sure she knew him well enough, of course he was shy, and modest, and charming..

"Doctor Fraiser Sir, Janet sends her regards." Yes General, don't worry your secret, his secret's safe with me.

She was still standing, raised above him on the StarGate arch platform. She couldn't take her eyes off him, for a number of reasons.

"Hi there Carter. How've you been?"

"Since I saw you early this morning Sir? I've spent most of the morning inputting the Gate diagnostics."

"Ah, those hardy biannuals."

"That's the one Sir. Sir General Hammond has sent the co-ordinates."

"Carter?"

"How to get to Harlan's planet Sir. Which direction we need to go."

"Splendid."

"Sir?"

"Theres been a change of plans Sam."

"Sir?"

"I've sent SG-5 ahead to assess the situation on P3X nine eight niner."

"Sir what about the co-ordinates, how do they know.."

"The General wired them."

"Oh."

"Every things under control Carter."

"Yes Sir."

He turned his back on her. Oh this was hard. He could feel his pungi fibres tightening and knotting up. Lying to her was hurting him a lot.

"Sir?"

"What!?"

"Nothing."

"Carter, Sam?"

"Sir are you.. ..Is that Teal'c and Daniel? That's Teal'c* and Daniel*. I'm stuck in the lab on my own all morning and you lot have been out on some fancy diplomatic Mission. Okay where've you been?"

"Nowhere Major."

"Oh come on Sir, where've you been?"

"Sorry Carter, need to know."

"Need to know? Need to know! You've got an awful lot of that haven't you Colonel*?"

"Excuse me Carter, whats with you?"

"You tell me Colonel*"

"No Major, you tell me."

"Nothing Sir."

"Come on Carter, whats bothering you."

"Its Nothing Sir."

The way that stung the tip of her tongue made her feel satisfied that he was left in no doubt as to the fact that there was something bothering her, very much so from the sound of it.

"Alright lets have it Carter."

"I'll tell you tomorrow Sir."

"This is tomorrow Carter, yesterday's tomorrow."

"Sir really, it doesn't matter."

He pointed his arm out and wagged his finger at her. "Carter, we need to talk."

"Major Carter you are well?"

"Thanks Teal'c*. I've actually been bogged down with the Gate diagnostics all morning. Looks like you've all been having a nice time."

"Indeed Major. However there is still much to do."

"Hi Sam, you're looking great."

"So are you Daniel*. In Fact I haven't seen you looking this smart in a long time. Any of you for that matter. Real Diplomatic Ambassadors."

"Right then. Major Carter and I will head out."

"Where are we going Sir?"

"You'll see."

Major Carter looked over at Daniel* and Teal'c*, they really did look very well dressed. Aren't you coming?

"Major Carter, Daniel Jackson* must return to The SGC for supplies and I myself must be on hand here to supervise the allocation of some of the equipment that is being sent through to the Beta Site. However I look forward to seeing you upon your return."

"Yeah it'd be nice to catch up Sam."

The Colonel* gave Daniel* a look of amazement but understanding.

"Okay then, looks like its just you and me Sir."

The Colonel* stepped to one side to let Major Carter take point.

"After you Major, lets move out."

"See you Sam."

"Later Daniel*."

"Major Carter."

"Thanks Teal'c*, see you."

Major Carter and the Colonel* headed out in the direction of the underground Control Facility.

Out of profile Teal'c* shouted across to the Colonel*, "O'Neill* I have a request."

"Whats up?"

He was obviously requesting privacy. "I must speak with you O'Neill*."

"Hold up Carter, one minute."

"T*, whats up?"

"I advise against it O'Neill*."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I advise against taking Major Carter to the secret base."

Caught out. "I wasn't."

"I believe you were O'Neill*."

"Well maybe Teal'c*, but this is Carter we're talking about, besides whos she gonna tell?"

"She will tell Colonel O'Neill."

"I'm Colonel O'Neill*."

"Yes you are. However she may inadvertently let the location of our secret base be known when discussing the bases presence with the Colonel O'Neill who is not you."

"Damn it. This is Sam. Shes Major Samantha Carter. I can't tell the difference Teal'c*." O'Neill* was quietly becoming distressed.

"You are correct O'Neill*, she is Major Samantha Carter. As is the Major Samantha Carter* who is currently on a Cargo ship travelling towards P3X 989."

"Yeah she is isn't she. Its complicated T*. I don't think we're anywhere near ready to be going out as a foursome. An eightsome."

"Indeed O'Neill*, it is extremely complicated. And painful I see."

"Right again Teal'c*. Keep your eye on Daniel*."

"I will."

The Colonel* caught up to Major Carter and continued on their way. He had no particular destination in mind, now that he wasn't going to be showing off his new secure secret storage base.

As they had time to kill before the commotion began with the return of his other self and his Major Carter*, he thought to saunter down to a picturesque little lake he'd spotted whilst on the recon with Teal'c* for a possible location for their secret storage base.. ..kinda reminded him of Minnesota.

"Things change Carter."

"Sir."

"Sometimes things don't always remain the same. They evolve. Situations evolve. People evolve, they develop."

He was pensive.

"The people who you most depend on.. ..the people who you rely on.. ..who you depend on the most, these are the people you have to make your sacrifices for."

"Sir?"

"I'm just saying Carter."

"Sir what are you saying. Jack* what are you trying to tell me."

"I don't know Carter. I just need you to understand.."

They'd come to a halt at the base of a small rocky incline. O'Neill* perched one foot against a rock and began to study the horizon above the top of the ridge.

"You're very important to me.. Carter.. ..Sam. You mean a great deal to me."

"Whats going on Sir?"

"Its nothing. I just don't think we should.. ..I just don't think any of us should take each other for granted. You just never know what can happen."

"Sir what can happen? What.. ..whats going to happen? Whats going on?"

He found very few clouds in the wide-open sky.

"Jack* theres something troubling you and I'd really like to know what it is. I insist."

As an after thought and in response to his reluctance to enlighten her, she added.

"You know you can tell me anything. Absolutely anything."

"I know that Carter."

He really did have beautifully kind and attractive eyes.

"I just want you to understand.."

"What Sir?"

He breathed out loudly. He had absorbed Teal'c's* words. And as much as he wanted to take Major Carter to the new secret base, to include her, he'd decided that perhaps it wasn't fair to compromise her in such a way.

"Come on lets go. I want to show you something. Its just a tiny lake Teal'c* and I discovered on recon. Its real pretty. You'll like it."

Carter laughed to him.

"Is this our Mission Sir?"

"Oh yes Carter. Plenty of fish."

Being with her like this was drawing feelings out of him that he never felt when he was with Carter*, the other Major Carter, his Major Carter*.

Perhaps being with Sam like this..

..Perhaps being with Sam like this was forcing him to face up to the fact that.. ..he was no longer the man he used to be. Although having said that.. ..he was exactly the man he used to be, if not better.

He wanted to tell her, to confess, to tell her everything. But he thought of the others, his team. And the words simply failed him.

He looked at Sam with all the feelings in his heart. For him, things would never be the same again. (He had evolved).

They needed to go up the small rocky hillside, the pathway to the tiny little dale below. The Colonel* held out his hand to help Sam.. ..to help Major Carter clamber up to the top.

She wondered how on earth he managed to make such a good job of the climb in those obviously expensive and well-chiselled shoes he was wearing. Doubtless it was the long arduous hours, since passed, spent engaged in his Special Ops combat training exercises. He had the agility of a gazelle.

'Yeh sure ya betcha', as promised the view was spectacular. The lake was small, calm, quiet, wet and dark, frilled with rushes and lilies. Sam knew nothing about fishing. But she didn't need to, not to enjoy this beauty.

It was only a short descent down to the lakeside but the Colonel* seemed to prefer holding his ground at the top of the ridge. He sat Major Carter down and parked himself on a rock by the side of her. They were about four hundred meters east of the SG-1* secret storage base.

"Sir, what time are SG-5 due to check in?"

"Hour or so. Don't worry about that Carter, Teal'c's* on top of it."

It was so lovely and warm and relaxing and pretty and peaceful.

"You never did come to Minnesota with me did you?"

"No Sir, not yet. Should I be worried?"

"Only if you insist Major."

"You've got something to tell me?"

"I've got all the things to tell you."

Silence wasn't always golden. Sometimes it was upsetting.

"Something with a Sabre Tooth."

"What Sir?" Perplexed but not yet to anxious.

"The Sabre Tooth Tiger. Why do you think it became extinct Carter? It had everything you'd expect from a true survivor."

"Like you said Sir, things evolve."

"You mean the world to me.. .. Sam."

"Sir you're starting to worry me."

"You don't need to be worried. I just want you to know, should anything ever happened to me.. ..that I care about you a great deal."

"Sir, Jack* I already know that. What are you telling me?"

"That's what I'm telling you."

More ungolden silence.

"I just want you to know you mean the world to me."

A small warm tear rolled down from her left eye. He leaned over and gently wiped it away.

"Its alright Sam, theres nothing to worry about. Its just time you heard.. ..you heard some things, that's all."

Another tear followed it's friend.

"I just wanted to remind you about how I felt, that's all. Its no big deal."

"Sir, Jack*, you know I feel the same about you. You know that don't you."

He pursed his lips tight shut and let his head rest backwards and then quietly whispered, "I do."

Throughout the whole of high noon they sat there in semi-silence, absolutely certain of their feelings for one another.

"Sir, is everything alright?"

"Carter, nothings changed, you've got nothing to worry about. Its just.. ..I don't.. ..I don't want you to think I take you for granted."

"I never get that feeling Sir. Never."

It had been years since she'd heard him be so open and honest with his feelings.

"You're not leaving are you Sir, Your not going to be leaving The SGC?"

As she turned her face away from him she lightly breezed, "you're not going to be leaving me?"

"I'll never leave you Carter."

Still not looking at him, she took his hand and held on tightly.

"Jack*, tell me everythings fine."

"Everythings Fine.. ..Its alright, you've got nothing to worry about Sam."

He stood up and broke the sombre mood.

"Which do you think came first Carter, the chicken or the rabbit?"

Major Carter burst out laughing. "No idea Sir, definitely no idea."

That's the way he liked her. Happy.

"Come on Carter lets take a stroll round the lake, suss out the local wildlife, kick back for awhile before we have to check into the quagmire."

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© Richard Dean Anderson all rights reserved June 2006