Jack/Sam Fic Recs

[Buc252]

It's probably one of those stories where Pete is crazy jealous and very out of character. I have a vague recollection of a story where Pete does something similar, but he goes after all the guys on the team, and not just Jack.

Oh, I can so see "must protect my woman" stalker-Pete doing that if they were spitting at each other (as in fighting, not actually spitting).

Personal opinion only, but I find doing something evil like this *very* in character for Pete. Sorry, I don't see him as a needy puppydog, but a truly evil, manipulative man who wasn't able to handle a woman who wasn't his lapdog. Because a needy man wouldn't have done an illegal background check at the risk of his job, nor would he have followed her into a hostile situation. Those are signs of aggression to me, not neediness.

[Petra]

We've just had a nice discussion in the S/J Discussion thread about Sam and Jack getting together post-Threads, and quite unexpectedly I ended up recommending a few fics. But since not every one reads that thread, I thought I'd rec them here too, since they are some of my all-time favourites.

All fics form a series, but each one can be read as a stand-alone. In in-verse chronology:

1.Three Days Away by Artaxastra (Artie);

NC-17, though not very graphic. Warning: S/J characterisation may not be everyone's cup of tea, as the fic tackles S/J power dynamics

It's not easy making the transition from friends to lovers, but it sure beats the alternative.

2. Viva Las Vegas; PG, total fluff

Sam is at Area 51 and Jack has come to spend a long weekend with her.

3. Telling Secrets; PG, fluff

Vala and Sam talk about relationships.

4. Too Far; NC-17 so no direct link;

How far is too far when you play with fire? And what happens when you hit the wall?; Warning: it's a dark!fic

5. Motivational; PG-13, fluff, one of my favourite fics ever

Jack's never been much of a motivational speaker.

6. Territorial; PG

It's not easy learning how to live with someone when you're used to being on your own.

7. Home Port; R, but nothing too graphic

Every ship needs a home port. The Hammond comes home from its first voyage.

[leiasky]

Great recs, Petra!

[Nynaeve506]

Personal opinion only, but I find doing something evil like this *very* in character for Pete. Sorry, I don't see him as a needy puppydog, but a truly evil, manipulative man who wasn't able to handle a woman who wasn't his lapdog. Because a needy man wouldn't have done an illegal background check at the risk of his job, nor would he have followed her into a hostile situation. Those are signs of aggression to me, not neediness.

I don't understand how that translates to "evil". Whiny, childish, and needy (because needy people tend to be clingy and clingy people tend to try to find ways to satisfy their insecurities at the expense of others). How many police dads do background checks on boys their daughters date? It certainly doesn't lose them their job and there's nothing to suggest it would have cost him his job. The implication is that what he had his buddy do was no more than a far more extensive google search.

I'm just saying. There's a tendency to demonize Pete but he's really only in a few episodes (one of which he completely admits to his stupidity in the prior episode). His behavior is entirely consistent with someone with trust issues. It doesn't make it right by any means, but evil?

Everyone is certainly able to have their own opinions, I would just have to have it qualified more to buy it on my end.

I'm sticking with Pete the Mr. Pota- oh don't want to get zinged because I equated him with a certain type of root that may or may not grow in the ground... :: shifty eyes ::

Self-pimp, old story of mine...

Half Baked Potato

[RealmOfX]

I don't understand how that translates to "evil". Whiny, childish, and needy (because needy people tend to be clingy and clingy people tend to try to find ways to satisfy their insecurities at the expense of others). How many police dads do background checks on boys their daughters date? It certainly doesn't lose them their job and there's nothing to suggest it would have cost him his job. The implication is that what he had his buddy do was no more than a far more extensive google search.

I'm just saying. There's a tendency to demonize Pete but he's really only in a few episodes (one of which he completely admits to his stupidity in the prior episode). His behavior is entirely consistent with someone with trust issues. It doesn't make it right by any means, but evil?

Everyone is certainly able to have their own opinions, I would just have to have it qualified more to buy it on my end.

I'm sticking with Pete the Mr. Pota- oh don't want to get zinged because I equated him with a certain type of root that may or may not grow in the ground... :: shifty eyes ::

Self-pimp, old story of mine...

Half Baked Potato

With Pete I can see his character going either way, unfortunately some people have such a need to not see anything bad in people that they plain ignore the obvious sometimes. How many times do you hear of people knowing serial killers and saying "Oh, but he was such a nice young man" ?

Fortunately IMHO we didn't see too much of Pete but what we did see was definitely something that could quite easily turn to "evil", the behavioral seeds are there, so I can understand where stories come from that take the "evil" stance but equally so, I also see just a controlling, needy person that goes no further down the "evil" path.

There is something though that I definitely and totally disagree with you on -
"It certainly doesn't lose them their job and there's nothing to suggest it would have cost him his job. The implication is that what he had his buddy do was no more than a far more extensive google search."

That is simply not true.
Pete asked for a "Top down, global agency search, the works". He knew what he was asking for.

Neither Pete nor the FBI guy were stupid, they both were professionals and knew a scrubbed history when they saw one. They also know the consequences of trying to delve further into anyone like that, which Pete chose to do. Anyone doing a needless check like this would have pinged a few warnings in the system and received anywhere from a strong caution to back off to official reprimands. For Pete to then continue further as he did, definitely would have cost him his job (at least). You simply do not screw with that level of security needed for such highly classified personnel.

[Nynaeve506]

There is something though that I definitely and totally disagree with you on -
"It certainly doesn't lose them their job and there's nothing to suggest it would have cost him his job. The implication is that what he had his buddy do was no more than a far more extensive google search."

That is simply not true.
Pete asked for a "Top down, global agency search, the works". He knew what he was asking for.

Neither Pete nor the FBI guy were stupid, they both were professionals and knew a scrubbed history when they saw one. They also know the consequences of trying to delve further into anyone like that, which Pete chose to do. Anyone doing a needless check like this would have pinged a few warnings in the system and received anywhere from a strong caution to back off to official reprimands. For Pete to then continue further as he did, definitely would have cost him his job (at least). You simply do not screw with that level of security needed for such highly classified personnel.

Well you can tell I haven't seen the episode in a very long time LOL.

Okay, I concede he asked for more than he should have. However I have yet to see a convincing evil Pete. That's simply not how the writers portrayed him. He walked away in Threads. No matter how needy he may have been, he walked away. He was never violent with her. Outside of his initial paranoia, there was never any evidence that he was jealous of her work or that he wanted her to do anything other than what she was doing. He assumed that she wanted what he did. That's not such a far fetch for someone.

Like I said, everyone can have their opinion, and honestly I think the Pete we see in Chimera is an aberration in his character. Something for which he is ultimately embarrassed about (and hey, who here hasn't done SOMETHING really, really stupid). I know there are plenty of shippers who think Pete was evil and I as I said before, in order for me to buy it, I'm going to need better qualification than he did something stupid. Feel free to interpret differently.

[hedwig]

With Pete I can see his character going either way, unfortunately some people have such a need to not see anything bad in people that they plain ignore the obvious sometimes. How many times do you hear of people knowing serial killers and saying "Oh, but he was such a nice young man" ?

Fortunately IMHO we didn't see too much of Pete but what we did see was definitely something that could quite easily turn to "evil", the behavioral seeds are there, so I can understand where stories come from that take the "evil" stance but equally so, I also see just a controlling, needy person that goes no further down the "evil" path.

There is something though that I definitely and totally disagree with you on -
"It certainly doesn't lose them their job and there's nothing to suggest it would have cost him his job. The implication is that what he had his buddy do was no more than a far more extensive google search."

That is simply not true.
Pete asked for a "Top down, global agency search, the works". He knew what he was asking for.

Neither Pete nor the FBI guy were stupid, they both were professionals and knew a scrubbed history when they saw one. They also know the consequences of trying to delve further into anyone like that, which Pete chose to do. Anyone doing a needless check like this would have pinged a few warnings in the system and received anywhere from a strong caution to back off to official reprimands. For Pete to then continue further as he did, definitely would have cost him his job (at least). You simply do not screw with that level of security needed for such highly classified personnel.

I would also add that given that he followed Sam from her home when she left for work, he must have hung around near the SGC all day long in order to know the team was in a van, which he certainly had to have followed to Daniel's house, in order to be sitting around all night watching the surveillance van (which he was), and in order to see Teal'c and Jack step out of the van to go into Daniel's house (which he did). And then to just nonchalantly walk up to the van just as Sam was getting out of it to go to assist her teammates, and then greet her as though it was casual and unintentional. Even if he didn't get in trouble for the background check (which I heartily agree he should have), I would love to have heard him trying to explain away his presence at the stake-out site and how he got out of getting into really, really big trouble (assuming he did). All of this should have been addressed, but it was dismissed as though it never happened.

And even though Hammond said the local police had been informed of the stake-out, there is absolutely no reason for Pete to have heard about that, given that he was on vacation in Colorado Springs from his job in Denver. Which comes back to, in my opinion, that he had followed Sam all day long in order to know where she was all night long. That goes way beyond somebody that's a tad insecure and just wanting to know about what his potential girlfriend was doing. He basically stomped all over National Security for his own personal curiosity and insecurity, and almost got a bunch of people injured and possibly killed in the process. His attitude was that satisfying his own curiosity was more important than National Security.

Ooops! I did it again. Sorry. It's just one of those issues that I get really riled up about.

Backing out slowly and going back to cutting up quilt pieces ....

[nell]

Not to mention that following a night of intimacy with Sam he had a temper tantrum when she told him that her job was classified. So, he stomps out of her house. Oy, BIG, HONKIN' RED FLAG that he's not-your-type!

[Nynaeve506]

Well to clarify, I never said he wasn't crazy. I just said he wasn't evil. LOL

[Skydiver]

one nit about pete hanging out by the sgc....i've been to colorado springs. Ft Carson and right across the 'street' from the sgc. that is, on the highway, they share the same highway exit. the exit itself is marked - last time i was there - authorized personnel only. And i would imagine, post 911, that they are most intolerant about cars with people in them 'hanging out' near the exit or in close proximity to the base

pete fell in the plot hole of sloppy writing

[Nynaeve506]

pete fell in the plot hole of sloppy writing

Which I think they tried to retcon by making him uber sorry about it in "Affinity". I agree LOL

[Chelle DB]

It's probably one of those stories where Pete is crazy jealous and very out of character. I have a vague recollection of a story where Pete does something similar, but he goes after all the guys on the team, and not just Jack.

Actually - it was. Sorry, I forgot that part.

Pete asked for a "Top down, global agency search, the works". He knew what he was asking for.

*nods* Yep, totally agree with you RoX. He knew what he was doing and he should have been pulled up on it.

I would also add that given that he followed Sam from her home when she left for work, he must have hung around near the SGC all day long in order to know the team was in a van, which he certainly had to have followed to Daniel's house, in order to be sitting around all night watching the surveillance van (which he was), and in order to see Teal'c and Jack step out of the van to go into Daniel's house (which he did). And then to just nonchalantly walk up to the van just as Sam was getting out of it to go to assist her teammates, and then greet her as though it was casual and unintentional. Even if he didn't get in trouble for the background check (which I heartily agree he should have), I would love to have heard him trying to explain away his presence at the stake-out site and how he got out of getting into really, really big trouble (assuming he did). All of this should have been addressed, but it was dismissed as though it never happened.

I don't know about you guys but if I found out someone was following me...I'd be slightly freaked out. Actually, I'd be mortified. And I realise that Sam is military and highly trained and all that wonderful jazz but she still has a personal life and privacy and to have that exposed or made vulnerable by Pete's actions is something I certainly would not forgive him for very readily for or even contemplate accepting his marriage proposal.
I don't necessarily hate him but I don't exactly like him and I certainly wouldn't trust him.
I wonder if Sam ever knew or found out that he did a background check. I know it's been addressed in fics but I wonder if the SGC got wind of it and if they told Sam.

Not to mention that following a night of intimacy with Sam he had a temper tantrum when she told him that her job was classified. So, he stomps out of her house. Oy, BIG, HONKIN' RED FLAG that he's not-your-type!

Totally!! That was a bit of an immature little hissy fit wasn't it. I'm surprised that Sam didn't see a red flag...big'n honkin' or otherwise. I mean he just got up and walked out coz she didn't give him something he wanted...even though he got something else earlier...but Sam just lay there and put up with it....no pun intended...and I'm still talking about the hissy fit btw.
But she is attracted the lunatic fringe...well at least she was...once.

Well to clarify, I never said he wasn't crazy. I just said he wasn't evil. LOL

Good clarification and I would probably agree with you...crazy yes...but evil??...maybe not.

[Buc252]

one nit about pete hanging out by the sgc....i've been to colorado springs. Ft Carson and right across the 'street' from the sgc. that is, on the highway, they share the same highway exit. the exit itself is marked - last time i was there - authorized personnel only. And i would imagine, post 911, that they are most intolerant about cars with people in them 'hanging out' near the exit or in close proximity to the base

pete fell in the plot hole of sloppy writing

But wouldnt his position as a police officer allow him a certain leeway to be on that road, as long as he wasn't going any closer to the facility in question? I can imagine his sitting there in a car, a military police approaching him and asking him what he's doing there. P flashes his badge and says he's on an official stakeout . . . I just don't think he or she would have forced him to move on.

[RealmOfX]

But wouldnt his position as a police officer allow him a certain leeway to be on that road, as long as he wasn't going any closer to the facility in question? I can imagine his sitting there in a car, a military police approaching him and asking him what he's doing there. P flashes his badge and says he's on an official stakeout . . . I just don't think he or she would have forced him to move on.

Wouldn't happen that way - it's a military base (well 2 bases actually) and Police do not stakeout military bases as they generally have no jurisdiction on the base, they have to liaise with the military. The guards would immediately report it and check with the Police Department and follow it up from there. Pete would immediately be caught out and disciplined.

[Skydiver]

what realm said

the MP's might back off temporarily, but one of them or another unit would keep pete under surveillance while their boss called colorado springs PD (and they'd have a relationship/contact person) and find out what the heck is going on and pete would - likely within half an hour of being caught out - be told to move his butt down the road and likely have his supervisor wanting to know what the heck is going on

Cities that have these 'islands of not our jurisdiction' often have a liaison and an existing relationship with local law enforcement. may or may not be amicable, but the local authority (for example one of our hospitals have their own security and they handle anything on their property....right up to the middle of the street around the facility, once they cross that line, they got no power or authority) and law enforcement work together.

If you watch the right episodes of NCIS, a military base is a little island of 'we're in charge' on behalf of the military, and the local PD has no jurisdiction...just like they'd have no jurisdiction on a national park or something like that. most military bases - possibly all - have controlled access. where you have to have an ID to pass, or at least they know who's coming in and what they want and you have to have id's