Well, not exactly to the word count, but at least it's just under 
800 and not a novel this time...

DISCLAIMER: Yeah, the SG-1 guys are all property of MGM, World 
Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This is all in fun, no 
infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. All other 
characters, ideas, etc., herein are copyrighted to the author.
TITLE: COLD IN SILENCE
AUTHOR: Rowan Darkstar
EMAIL: rowan_d1@yahoo.com
RATING: Older Kids
CATEGORIES: Angst, Sam/Jack UST, Sam/Daniel friendship
ARCHIVE: Yes, just let me know.
SUMMARY: "She chews on the inside of her cheek.  Tries not to 
draw blood."

Written for the GateShip Wednesday Shorts "The Other Side" 
Challenge.


"Cold In Silence"
by 
Rowan Darkstar (rowan_d1@yahoo.com)
Copyright (c) 2005
 

She keeps her back to him as they exit the gateroom.  He quickens 
his pace until they are side by side.  She doesn't move away, but 
she doesn't meet his gaze, and he can feel the cold in the set of 
her jaw.

He knows she feels him watching.  She has met his gaze on 
instinct a thousand times.

She stares at the floor.

At the end of the hall she turns without a word and pushes into 
the women's bathroom.  They are only a few yards from the 
entrance to the locker rooms.  On any other day she would have 
followed him there.

He keeps walking, hardly a break in his pace.  Even though he 
knows she's most likely on her knees in front of the toilet.  But 
he'll never ask and she'll never tell.

*****

It's been a long week, and she meant to do some catch-up time in 
her lab after the briefing.  She's tired and she wants to go 
home.  Daniel is in the locker room while she's lacing up her 
boots.

"You heading out?" he asks.  Because it’s not quite like her, and 
he knows it.

"Yeah.  Long week."

He nods.  "That it has been."

They're quiet, pretending to be busy.  She says, "Daniel, I'm--
look, you were right.  And I'm sorry I didn't back you up 
sooner."

Daniel shuts his locker and turns.  She's standing by the door 
now and trying not to look like she wants to escape.  His 
expression is painfully open and sincere.  "You did," he says 
simply.

"Not soon enough."

"Sam, you listened.  You don't have to instantly agree with 
everything I say as long as you don't discount me.  And you gave 
me a leg to stand on with the General."  He takes a step closer 
to her, slings his bag over his shoulder.

She watches him with a furrowed brow, sorting through what is 
universal truth and what is Daniel.  "Okay," she says at last.

"Rough mission," he says.

She chews on the inside of her cheek.  Tries not to draw blood.  
"The body count was a little high."

"Yeah."

They stand together for a while, and she draws comfort from the 
quiet companionship.  But she doesn't want to think, and if she 
stays here she will, so she moves.  "I should get going."

Daniel nods.  "I'll walk you out."

They pass through the door together.

*****

Jack forgets about the paperwork and changes to go home.  He 
stops by Carter's lab to see if she's burying herself in work, 
but the door is locked and all is dark.

He takes the elevator to the surface.  Halfway to the checkpoint, 
he sees Carter and Daniel at the side of the hallway.  They speak 
to each other, but he cannot hear.  Carter steps forward and they 
embrace.  She closes her eyes as Daniel's arms tighten across her 
back.  Jack tries to look away.

Daniel leaves first and Carter hangs back.

Jack convinces his legs to respond and moves to catch up with 
her.

She doesn't meet his eyes when she acknowledges his presence.

They stand in silence.

Jack slips his hands in his pockets.  "Look, Carter, I'm gonna go 
by Rockwell's, grab some dinner.  You want to join me?   My 
treat."

Her blue eyes are so wide, he can still feel them boring through 
him and into the iris behind.  "No, thank you, sir.  I think I'll 
just head home."

"Carter, I think we should...hang out.  Just so it doesn't...so 
it doesn't get too quiet."  He's looking at the floor and 
searching for the Colonel in him.  He's hoping against hope she 
understands.  She may think he just wants to avoid the flashbacks 
that come with the first hours of quiet.  But it's not tonight 
he's worried about.  It's tomorrow and the day after.  He's let 
things fade before, he knows they never go away.

She isn't ready.  "I'm sorry, sir.  I just...I don't think I'm up 
for it tonight."

"All right," he says softly.  And his voice has lost the CO.  
He's Jack, worried about Carter.

"You know we did what we had to do.  We did our best."

She nods.  "Right."

Her tone scratches his skin.

Two weeks ago, she was smiling at him with more warmth than he 
had ever seen and toying with the notion of a rod and a reel and 
a lake with no fish.

She turns and walks away.

Jack hangs behind and watches.

She doesn't turn.

He hopes the quiet doesn't grow too deep.
 
He knows the cold in silence.

*****

rowan_d1@yahoo.com