Punches And Posies | wackyjacqs

Punches And Posies (AKA Do A Grouch A Favor)

Author's Notes: Written for GateWorld’s Valenship 2013 Celebration; which coincidentally fell on the same day as ‘Do A Grouch A Favor Day’ on 16 February. A missing scene for Season 8’s It’s Good To Be King.

Pairing: Sam/Jack.

Rating: Teen.

First Published: February 2013.

Status: COMPLETE.

Jack slowed his pace as he neared the base gym. Stopping just around the corner, he frowned; he could hear a steady pounding sound coming from the room, with the occasional grunt thrown in. This had seemed like such a good idea ten minutes ago.

Dragging a hand through his hair, Jack debated just turning around and heading back to his office. Making a face however, Jack thought of the mountain of paperwork actually waiting for him there and decided he wasn't ready to face it just yet. Besides, he had come to see Carter for a specific reason.

Not that he needed to justify his reasons for wanting to see Carter. No.

Smirking slightly, Jack looked around to make sure he was alone; before he hid the item he was holding behind his back and strode purposefully towards the gym.

"Oh, Carter!" he sing-songed as he stepped into the room, letting the door swing shut behind him. He waited for her reply, but when none came, he realized she hadn't heard him. More than that, she hadn't even noticed him enter the room.

"Carter," he repeated, a little louder, but she still failed to answer him.

Pursing his lips, Jack glanced around the gym, before shoving his free hand into the pocket of his BDUs. Rocking back on his heels, his gaze returned to the woman before him. He observed Sam in silence as she continued to pound the leather-clad punch bag and he felt himself wince. He knew without a doubt that her hands would be feeling the effects of the relentless abuse she was putting them through, and he sent up a silent prayer that whoever she was pretending her target was, it wasn't him.

He slowly made his way closer.

"Carter?"

Jack sighed when he was met with something between a whimper and a groan as Sam pounded the bag just a little harder. He watched for a couple more minutes, when he cocked his head to the side.

He studied the punch bag closely. Maybe if he just... Jack nodded in affirmation.

When Sam's rhythm faltered, Jack set the object he'd been holding onto the ground and started to put his plan into action. Standing at the opposite side of the equipment, he had just reached out to stop the movement of the bag, when -

"Oomph!"

As the full force of the bag hit him square in the face and chest, Jack found himself lying sprawled on his back on the floor of the gym.

"CARTER!"

The next thing he knew, Sam was standing about three feet away, looking down at him with a look of pure horror on her face. He saw her blue eyes widen in shock, before her hands flew to her mouth. In an instant, she was by his side, helping him to sit up.

"Oh, God, Sir! I'm so sorry... I didn't see you. I was just..." she faltered, when Jack half-heartedly waved her off.

He gingerly lifted a hand to his nose and felt it carefully, before he scrunched up his face and shook his head.

"What the hell, Carter," Jack growled, although there was no malice or anger to his voice.

"I'm so sorry, Sir, really, I -"

"Who pissed you off," he grumbled, wincing as soon as the words left his mouth and he saw the fire return to Carter's eyes, just like it had back on Maybourne's planet. "Nevermind," he mumbled.

Sam sighed heavily. "Do you need a hand, Sir," she asked, indicating for him to stand.

"Nah, I'm good for a minute," he answered, studying her closely. "Here, take a load off," he added softer, patting the ground beside him. He held Sam's gaze for a few beats before she complied.

"So..." Jack started.

"So?"

"Still mad at Maybourne, huh?"

Sam smiled softly, before she felt herself flush. "I'm sorry, Sir. I know I should be more professional, but..."

"But?" He prodded gently when she remained quiet.

"Wives, Sir? Wives! I mean, of all the backward, medieval, sexist... urgh. Wives!" She muttered through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, I didn't really get the whole 'wives' thing either," he admitted, waving a hand around in the air.

"I mean... it's just... it's Maybourne, Sir," Sam stated as if that explained everything.

"Hey! You don't need to tell me that," Jack quipped.

They both fell into a slightly uncomfortable silence when the General reached up to his face once again.

"Are you okay, Sir?"

"Yeah. I'm good."

"I really am sorry, Sir. I didn't -"

"Relax, Carter. It's not like I'm going to chew you out for striking a superior officer or anything."

Sam's eyes widened in fear. "Oh, God. General -"

"I said, relax, Carter. I know that's an alien concept to you, but you should try it sometime," he responded dryly before he jumped to his feet and gave Sam a hand to hers.

"Umm... Sir?" Sam asked a moment later.

"Yeah?"

Her gaze darted to the ground to his left and she felt herself blushing. "Are those yours?"

Jack followed her gaze, closing his eyes when he saw what had caught her attention. For there, lying on the floor of the base gym, was the posy of wildflowers Maybourne had given each one of them before they had left the planet.

"Uh..."

He squatted down to lift the flowers and held them uneasily, as if they were about to explode. When he finally met Carter's eye, he could see the slightest hint of hope in those bright blue orbs, and the slightest pink flush on her cheeks.

"Well, you see Carter. I, uh..."

"Sir?"

"I thought you could do with cheering up, y'see..."

Sam's brows raised in surprise.

"And... Well, earlier, I was checking the date on my calendar..."

Sam closed her eyes in resignation. "Sir, when you say, 'calendar' -"

"I mean my '365 Holidays You Never Knew Existed' calendar, yes."

He was met with a heavy sigh. "Okay."

"Right. So I noticed today was February 16th."

"Yes, Sir?"

"And, uh, well... Here, these are for you," he said with an embarrassed smile.

Sam gasped softly as Jack held the flowers out to her.

"Sir, thank you! They're beautiful," she whispered.

Shifting uncomfortably on his feet, Jack shrugged. "Well, y'know you do have a bunch just like it in your lab."

"I know, but... it's the thought that counts, right?" She lifted her gaze from the posy to the General's face. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Jack answered quietly. "Shall we," he asked brightly after a beat and gestured to the door.

Sam nodded in agreement. They had just reached the door when she hesitated.

"What was the holiday?"

"Hmm," Jack asked, a brow raised in confusion.

"February 16th. What was the holiday?"

"Oh. Uh... that's not important, really," Jack stammered, as he made to go through the door.

"Sir?"

Jack froze and sighed. He could never understand how Carter was the only person that could make that word mean a multitude of things. He turned slowly to face her.

"Well, you have been a tad... peevish... since we got back from Maybourne's planet this morning," he said as he ran a hand across the back of his neck.

"Sir?"

"And just remember that you've hit me once already today," he added quickly when he saw her expression change.

"What was the holiday, Sir," she asked slowly.

"Crrrrmph."

"What was that?"

The General sighed heavily. "There's a note with the flowers."

"Oh."

Sam glanced back to the posy in her hand and saw a small yellow post-it note, jammed between two of the flowers. Carefully lifting it out, she read the note. Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened in apparent shock as she saw what bizarre holiday it was. Her eyes flew to the General's and he took a half-step back.

Before Sam could say anything, however, Jack broke the silence.

"Happy holidays, Carter," he said with a cheeky grin before turning and making a break for it down the corridor and towards the safety of his office.

Sam stood staring at the now empty space where the General had been moments earlier. Looking back to the note in her hand, she couldn't help the smallest of smiles tugging at the corner of her mouth as she re-read the handwritten message.

Carter,

Happy 'Do A Grouch A Favor Day'!

Always,