Tri- Color
By Badgergater
Email: [email protected]
Season: 8
Series/Sequel: The Colors Series
Pairing: Jack/Sara
Category: Romance, fluff, humor, drama
Summary: Three short vignettes on life and love, remembered and rekindled
Warnings: Funny, sad, sappy
Rating: Anyone
Disclaimer: Don’t own Stargate. I’d treat it better if I did.
Author’s Pledge: Honest and accurate information for the potential reader.
Author’s Note: By viewer requests, a return to the story of a rekindling relationship between Jack and Sara O'Neill.
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Clear Colors
Summary: Jack shares something he loves
Category: Drama
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Dress warm, he’d told her. As Jack pulled the big pick-up into her driveway, he smiled and hoped she’d be smiling, too, by the end of the day.
Shutting off the Ford’s engine, he emerged from the vehicle and headed for the front door. Three long strides took him to the steps, which he took two at a time, as he’d always done, all those years ago when this place had been his home, too. He knocked and entered. "Sara? You ready?"
She stepped out of the kitchen, smiling, and he walked down the hallway to greet her with a kiss on the cheek. "Brought your hat? Gloves? Got your longies on? It’s cold out there," he reminded her.
"You warned me. And yes I do," she answered, grabbing her coat and heading out the door. She locked it behind her, and followed him down the steps and out to his truck.
He opened the door for her and she stepped up into the vehicle as he closed the door beside her and walked around to the driver side. Once Jack had climbed inside, he turned the key and the motor sprang to life. Carefully, he backed out of the driveway and started down the street.
"So, where are we going?" she asked.
"It’s a secret."
"Jaack--"
"You’ll know when we get there."
"Have I been there before?"
"Maybe," he answered cryptically.
"Will I like it?"
"I hope so. It’ll be fun."
"Promise?"
"Promise," he pledged.
/-----\
Half an hour later, Jack steered the truck into the parking lot at the city park. He pulled a gear bag out from behind the seat and took Sara’s hand, leading her along a slushy path and toward the sound of shouts and laughter.
Emerging from the trees, she saw where he was taking her and stopped. "Jack--"
"You used to love it," he reminded her.
Sara’s reluctance showed on her face. "But it’s been years since--"
"Just like riding a bicycle, you never forget." He turned to her, his voice going solemn. "I won’t let you fall. Promise."
At his urging, they made their way to a bench beside the outdoor rink. Pulling a pair of Bauer hockey skates out of his bag, Jack laced them up quickly. She was still working on hers, so despite his knees, he knelt down to help her pull the laces tight. Biting back a groan of protesting knees as he regained his feet, Jack took her hand, steadying her as she stood and took a tentative step.
He almost laughed at the obvious wobbliness in Sara’s knees but bit back the grin and clutched her hand tightly in his own as they made their way to the ice sheet. Once there, he kept hold of her, his touch giving her confidence.
Young kids raced past as she giggled nervously, uneasy at first as she fought to get her balance.
He liked the feel of her fingers clutching his hand for security. Jack was smiling as he watched Sara get steadier with every stride. "Relax," he coached.
"If I relax my ankles will break."
"Nah. Trust me. Relax. Flow. Glide," he did an exaggerated swoop as he let go of her hand, skating an easy lazy circle around her, ever watchful to catch her if she faltered. But she didn’t, he saw proudly.
Moment by moment, her confidence grew.
He took her hand again and urged her to skate with him, faster now, taking longer strides, circling the rink. Sara’s frown of concentration eased as she found her stride, remembering how good it felt to glide over the ice, to feel the wind against her cheeks and taste the sharp cold air in her throat. "I haven’t done this for so long. I guess it’s just not the kind of thing you go and do by yourself."
His smile dimmed and he bent down to whisper in her ear. "That was the point, hon. Some things are better done together."
And then he was off, laughing, skating in long, graceful strides that propelled him over the ice.
She watched, admiring his athleticism. It was good to see Jack smile. The cares of the years and the demands of his work seemed to slip from his shoulders for a few brief minutes while he enjoyed doing something he loved. She remembered him telling her about his granddad teaching him to skate on the pond up at the cabin, the same place he’d learned to fish.
He passed her by, flashing a smile at her as he did two laps for her one before finally slowing down to skate beside her once again. Reaching out, he took her hand in his, his long fingers wrapping around hers. His face was red from the wind and cold, his hair ruffled, the frown lines gone from his face as he smiled, lighting up his eyes. Skating backwards now so he could look at her, he leaned down and kissed her.
"I *love* this," he whispered fervently, his eyes sparkling. "Come on."
Letting go of her fears, placing her trust in him, Sara let him take the lead. She held tightly to his hand as she let him pull her faster and faster across the ice. One lap, two, three, they sped along, and then, winded, he slowed and eased up alongside her once more. He put his arm around her, slowing his pace to match the more sedate one she was comfortable with.
"You’re smiling," he teased.
"You always were a charmer."
Jack’s face fell. "Were?" he asked plaintively.
She swatted his arm playfully. "Still are."
He puffed out his chest. "Does that mean you’re impressed with my prowess?"
"Always."
Once more, he reached down to nuzzle her neck. "My prowess could always use a little practice--"
"Jack. There are kids watching."
"I know. Maybe they’ll learn something from us." His hand touched her cheek. "You’re cold. We could go warm up," he rolled his eyes suggestively. "It’s warm at my place. I could start a fire--" he let the suggestion hang in the air between them.
"A fire sounds nice," she admitted. "Very nice."
"Woohoo!" He kissed her once more, than skated a victory circle around her one more time.
/----------\
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Colors Remembered
Summary: Dancing to the memories--
Warning: Major change in tone; drama
Note: I absolutely love this Alan Jackson song, but it brings me to tears every time I hear it.
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She sang along as they danced. It was a song she loved and yet, it always made her cry, thinking of Charlie, of course; of her parents, both gone now; of her relationship with Jack; of her own life, and of the inevitable passage of time, and the toll it had taken on those she loved.
Jack’s arms were wrapped around her holding her close, and hers around him. Leaning into each other, her cheek rested on his chest, his chin rested on her head. The song was slow, and they swayed to the music, feet shuffling, oblivious to the other couples on the dance floor at the little bar where they’d stopped for a late dinner.
The worn speakers of the old jukebox distorted the mellow tone of Alan Jackson’s rich voice:
/Remember when I was young
/And so were you
/And time stood still
/Love was all we knew
/You were the first and so was I
/We made love and then you cried
/Remember when
It was oh so true. Well, not the first, she knew she wasn’t his first, and he wasn’t hers, but their first time together, it had been sweet and special, and she’d cried in his arms. God, they’d been so young and innocent then, so full of hopes and dreams.
/Remember when we vowed our vows
/And walked the walk
/And gave our hearts
/Made the start; it was hard
/We lived and learned, life threw curves
/There was joy and there was hurt
/Remember when
So much hardship over the years, the long painful separations of his career, the disappointment month after month when no baby came their way. But happiness, too, good times, fun and laughter and the belief in themselves and that in the end, life would be good to them.
/Remember when old ones died
/And new were born
/Life was changed
/Disassembled, rearranged.
Her mother, and his, friends and co-workers, her grandmother, all gone over the years, and each time, they’d consoled each other.
The immeasurable joy when the test was finally positive, the hopes and dreams they shared when Charlie came into their lives, so tiny and perfect, the living proof of their love.
/We came together and fell apart
/We broke each other's hearts
/Remember when
Charlie had brought them even closer together. And his loss broke them apart, broke both their hearts, broke their bond, broke everything good between them.
/Remember when the sound of little feet was the music
/We danced to week to week
It was the best time of their lives, when Charlie was there with them, the joy and laughter he brought into their lives; even now, it made her smile.
/Brought back the love, we found trust
/Vowed we'd never give it up
/Remember when
Their son’s existence, the link between them that he had created, made their love stronger and deeper than it had ever been. It had helped her get through the bad times, when Jack was gone, when he was home and hurt and cranky, even that horrible time when he was missing and presumed dead, for four endless months.
/Remember when thirty seemed so old
/Now lookin’ back
/It's just a stepping stone
/To where we are, where we’ve been
/We said we'd do it all again
/Remember when
Where had the time gone? There was that old line back when she was growing up, about never trusting anyone over 30. They’d been so young and happy, and thought they’d be young and happy together forever. It didn’t seem possible that so much timed had passed, that so much sorrow and tragedy had marred their lives.
/Remember when
/We said when we turned gray
/When the children grow up and move away
/We won’t be sad; we'll be glad
/For all the life we've had
/And we'll remember when
She didn’t feel old, but they both *were* gray. Worst of all, there were no children and there would be no grandchildren. There was only the two of them to grow old together, to share the time that was left to them. Sara felt the tears leaking down her cheeks, their salty taste on her lips. She must have taken an odd breath because as the song ended, as Alan Jackson’s last "we’ll remember when" faded away, Jack’s hands slipped from her waist and down her arms. His chin lifted from atop her head, and he stared down at her, reaching up a hand to brush the tears from her cheeks. His eyes were dark, she couldn’t read them, but a slight, sad shadow of a smile momentarily twisted his lips and was gone.
"I remember when, too," Jack whispered, a hint of tremor in his voice as he pulled her close once more and folded her into another hug, rocking her back and forth. "I remember when."
/----------\
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Curious Colors
Warning: complete change in tone.
Category: Humor
Summary: Guy talk, you know how they love sports
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"Hi, Jack."
"Hello Daniel."
"What ya' doin?"
Jack O’Neill, seated behind his desk at the SGC, raised his gaze and stared at the archeologist/linguist/all around pain in the ass who’d just entered his office. "Isn't that my line?"
"Used to be. Now that you have an office, and actually spend time there, and don't come down to my office--"
Jack waved a hand at the stack of reports, requisitions and files on his desk. "Don't have time."
"So I can see." Daniel flopped down in one of the chairs that faced the general’s desk.
"What do you want, Daniel?"
"Can't an old friend just stop by for a little conversation? Catch up on the latest news? Find out how life is treating you?"
Jack looked up once again, frowning suspiciously. "Life is treating me just fine."
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Really," he muttered skeptically.
"Really," Jack set down his pen and propped his forearms on the desk. "So, what is it you want to talk about, Daniel?"
"So the knee's feeling good?"
"Yes."
"And the back?"
"Taken up medicine, have you?" Jack sighed. "Real good, actually."
"Really?" The younger man sounded skeptical.
"Daniel, if you aren't going to believe my answers, why do you bother asking me the questions?"
"Well, because, because that's the only way I can get you to talk to me. Now that you've got this new job and you're not on SG-1 anymore--"
"Well, technically I *am* still on SG-1, since I haven't replaced myself."
"That would be difficult," Daniel mused.
"Yes, it would. But I've got so much other stuff to do that I haven't had time."
"Oh, good." Daniel paused. "So, you still seeing Sara?"
"Yes."
"How is she?"
"She's fine."
"Only fine?"
"She’s always fine. What else would she be?"
"True, true." Daniel paused. "Um, did you get a good night's sleep last night?"
Jack grinned, thinking that maybe there hadn't been an awful lot of sleep involved, but it had been a good night. "I had a very good night," he answered, remembering how comfortable it had felt to be curled up next to Sara after some strenuous, ah, activity.
Daniel raised one eyebrow. "That's nice. I'm glad. You look like a man who had a good night's-- sleep."
"Sleep's important."
"And other things as well."
Jack sat back in his chair. "Okay, Daniel, spit it out. What are you fishing for?"
"Me? Fishing? Jack, you know I don't go fishing."
O'Neill snorted. "Spill it."
"Jack--"
"Daniellll--" O"Neill glared, and finally, Daniel found himself fumbling for the words.
"Um, well, I was just sort of wondering how things were going, you know--"
"No, Daniel, I don't know actually."
"You have to know."
"I do?"
"Well if you don't know, how could anyone else know?"
"Daniel, what the hell are you talking about?"
"About, um, the big you know."
"The big you know?"
"Yeah, the…" Daniel waved a hand in the air.
"Oh for cryin’ out loud Daniel, you're a grown man. Stop beating around the bush and just blurt it out. You're asking if I'm having sex, right?"
Daniel nodded. "You just seem so... relaxed… these days."
"Relaxed? Me?"
Daniel nodded again. "Sam thought maybe you were taking tranquilizers but I said you'd never."
Jack laughed. "Waaaaay off base."
"So you’ve made it past first base?"
Jack leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Waaaay past first base, glow-boy. Home run, actually," he sat up straight and smiled. "Grand slam, if you’ve gotta know--"
"Sir, I didn’t know you were playing baseball these days--" Carter stood in the doorway.
Jack and Daniel looked at each other, and smiled.
"Carter, you have no idea how much I love baseball--"
<finish>