Quarters

[DragonGate]

Jen had asked in the infirmary and found out that the major had gone to her quarters. She knocked on the door. "Major, it's Stevens. I thought we could talk about, uh, things, since we've been through a lot of the same s***. Of course if you don't want company, that's fine."

[Tracy Jane]

Kate looked up suddenly and tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, make herself look vaguely presentable.

"Come in, Jen" she said, trying to disguise the tears in her voice.

[DragonGate]

'It's okay to use her first name, she's not going to go ballistic like that donkey's rear end Captain at Minot,' Jen thought as she opened the door. "How are ya feeling, Kate? We got things under control in the hangar bay, so I thought I'd see if you all right." Jen spotted the picture. It was Kate with a man and several girls. 'Her family.' Jen stripped her ribbon device and took a chair. "What was his name? Mine was Paul. Major Paul Stevens."

[Tracy Jane]

"I heard," replied Kate softly, touched by her use of her first name. She needed the human contact, not military formality. "Tom. That's Tom."

She bit her lip as the tears started to flow again.

[captainpash]

Harry awoke, and got changed into his uniform. He then headed towards the control room to see if anyone was around.

<<To Control Room>>

((We'll just pretend that he took a shower.))

[DragonGate]

'Happy things, Stevens. The two of us can talk about the happy stuff.' "How did you meet him?" Jen paused then told her own story to make Kate feel better about talking. "Paul and I met in court when another fighter trainee got in trouble. Paul was the JAG defense attorney and I was the witness for the defense about what happened. Paul and I worked closely during the case, and found we had a lot in common. But I had to go to Europe and we kept up communication by e-mail. When I came back to the US, we met up again and married in '99 on a 48 hour pass. Shocked everyone in my squadron when I came back on Monday married. I hadn't been involved much before then."

[Tracy Jane]

"Nice," said Kate. "Tom and I met when I was doing my postgraduate studies in London. Nothing as exotic as a court romance, I'm afraid."

[DragonGate]

Jen was looking at the young girls in the picture. One facet she couldn't truly understand Kate's pain. "Post-grad studies? What was your field?"

[Tracy Jane]

"Diplomacy," she replied. "I did my degree in politics and international relations. I was a navy diplomat before getting attatched to the USAF."

She saw Jen's interest in the picture.

"That's my little baby Sophie, she was three in that picture," Kate explained. "Laura, that one, was four, and Suzie was my eldest. She was seven."

She stammered the last few bits out. It was hard for her. And now Geb had escaped again. She still hadn't got revenge.

"So... what about Paul?" she asked, semi-casually. "He work for the SGC?"

She prayed that he had, that he too had been off world.

[DragonGate]

Jen rotated her ring. "He was stationed at Peterson. Didn't know what I was doing at Cheyenne and knew enough not to ask. My placement at the SGC was the first time we shared a household. We were planning on having children soon, before I got much older. Not saying that older's a bad thing, of course." She sighed, "I miss him so much. I've been keeping it together, focusing on my team. We're really close, been through a lot together. They're the closest thing to family I have left. But I still think about him and the kids we didn't have."

[Tracy Jane]

Kate wiped away the tears that were rolling down her cheek, and pulled the captain into a tight hug. She could see how anxious the younger woman was, and right at this moment didn't give a damn about ranks.

[DragonGate]

Jen returned the hug. Few others could understand the pains they'd gone through. "We'll find whoever destroyed Earth and kick some ***, but for now we won. And, I think the ha'tak that ran away was Zeus, Kate." Jen wiped her own tear, "You should have seen it, I'm sure the lieutenants I was commanding thought I was insane. Yelling at Marcus Aurelius in Goa'uld. At least Ka'te could translate what I said for them. I convinced him I was Nemesis pretending to be Tau'ri. Should win an Oscar for that performance!" She smiled, "Paul always said I could really act when I wanted to."

[Tracy Jane]

"I wish I could have been there," sobbed Kate pathetically, clinging onto the younger woman. "I should have helped you, I shouldn't have broken down like that, it's not fair."

[DragonGate]

"There's nothing wrong with letting go. I'm pretty sure your history's worse than mine, you have a right to break down. I was a wreck after Nemesis was removed, couldn't look my team in the eye because of what she'd done to them with my hands." Jen swallowed and stood up. "You want to get something to eat? Feels like forever since the party."

[Tracy Jane]

Kate looked puzzled.

"Errr... I really shouldn't be out of the infirmary. If anyone catches me..." she stumbled. "And besides, what would people think? Major Howard running round crying her eyes out?"