When I Go Into the Grass of the Sea Floor, I Will Go Alone by splash_the_cat (PG-13)

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

This is my 50th rec for this community! *dances the dance of the addicted reccer*
To celebrate, a wonderful character moment that uses both SG-1 and SGA canon.

Rec Category: Sam Carter
Pairing: none
Category: Sam Carter, John Sheppard, episode related, angst, gen
Warning: none
Author on LJ splash_the_cat
Author's Website: Moments of Adoration
Link: When I Go Into the Grass of the Sea Floor, I Will Go Alone

Why This Must Be Read:
After "Reunion" John begs Sam to let him go after Elizabeth. In just a few words, Splash puts us solidly into Sam's mind, letting us feel her adjusting to command, and how badly she wants to let John try even knowing she can't.

But it's the moment when Sam finally snaps and points out to John that, of everyone, she probably has the best understanding of what Elizabeth might be going through, that truly seals this story.


And so he does. Sometimes she says no outright, before he can even get into the particulars. Sometimes they sit for hours and work and rework a plan until they can't stand the sight of each other. Sometimes she's so close to saying yes, yes you can go, go now, because even though it's still suicide, it's nothing crazier than what she's come up with before. But before she wasn't in another galaxy, responsible for 200 lives, for John's life, and Teyla's and Ronon's and Rodney's.

Sometimes she misses before so much it's like an ache in her gut that will never be filled.

It's plan number seventeen, version three, that breaks them both. Rodney and Ronon are in the infirmary, courtesy of the team's last mission, half the botany staff has been quarantined due to a contagious rash, the talks with the Ileythlad have broken down for the third time, and John has followed her on her midnight run. His words take on the cadence of their pounding feet as he dogs her heels for almost two miles.

"It's a good plan, Colonel," John shouts as she finally pushes harder and pulls away from him, and it breaks the rhythm.

Sam falters to a stop, bending to rest her hands on her knees and gulp down a few deep breaths. "It's not good enough."

His inarticulate cry of frustration echoes around them, and when she straightens, his hands are balled into fists. "You just don't get it, do you! You don't get what's happening to her!"

Sam's not exactly sure how her water bottle ends up smashed against the wall a few feet away from him, and John takes a step back when she says, "You don't get it. I'm probably the only person in the god-damned universe who understands exactly what is happening to her."

Comments

[sg-wonderland.livejournal.com]

Excellent point. Sam, unfortunately, knows better than anyone the consequences of what Elizabeth has probably been subjected to.
Great job. Short and to the bone.

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Yep, Splash did a really good job with this story saying so much with so few words.