Stitches: Double Knitting
Title: Double Knitting
Author: Christi & Katrina
Rating: PG?
Timeline: After Death Knell
Summary: Jack takes Sam out on a date. Sort of.
Author's Notes: Uh. Hi.
--
Sue sat back and stared at the check she had just finished signing, not quite believing what she had done. "That's it," she declared, slightly stunned.
"You're kidding," Andrew exclaimed, coming to peer over her shoulder. "Really?"
"Really," she confirmed. "After eighteen years of business, the mortgage on this building is finally paid off."
It was more than overwhelming, and wiping away a few tears, Sue stopped to consider everything she had put into this little shop. She had opened after the rush of hippie life had worn thin; wanting roots. Living in the apartment above the shop, she had spent years catering to nothing but finicky grandmothers before knitting had somehow become cool again, bringing in a load of enthusiastic next generation customers. She had fallen in love here...and stayed here when everything had all fallen apart. Even now, long after she had bought a house, The Yarn Shop remained her home.
Arms circled her from behind, and she laughed as Andrew engulfed her in a bear hug. "You're amazing," he muttered.
"Thank you," she replied as he pulled away. "Thank all of you. I couldn't have done it without you."
"Somehow, I doubt that," Frances said softly. "But it's certainly a big achievement."
"Indeed. It calls for a celebration," Sue agreed, going into the back and grabbing the tray of cookies she had arranged last night.
When Kate caught sight of it, she rolled her eyes. "How are cookies unusual here?"
"These are all of our favorites," Sue explained easily, looking over the assortment proudly. Chocolate chip layered with snicker doodles and gingersnaps, surrounded by rings of peanut butter cup and iced sugar cookies all lay ready for the taking.
"Sue, we'll never eat all of that," Frances pointed out with a giggle.
"We most certainly will," Sue corrected her with absolute certainty. "Yesterday I called Jack to tell him that his back ordered yarn was finally in and I invited him."
That certainly put all doubts to rest. Even Kate began to eye the tray with a totally different kind of skepticism. "Huh," Andrew said as he turned to look out the window. "Did he say that he was bringing a friend?"
"Not that I recall, why?"
"See for yourself," Andrew replied, nodding out to the parking lot.
In a predictable rush, everyone swarmed to the glass, peering out at their friend climbing out of his truck and then going around to help a lovely woman who was using crutches out of the passenger side.
"Good lord, they are almost unbearably pretty together," Andrew breathed wistfully.
Sue silently agreed, watching them make their way to the door thoughtfully. "I wonder...I wonder if that's her."
"Sam?" Frances asked, catching on. "We're about to find out."
As the bell rung cheerily, there was an almost comical rush to move back to their usual spots and appear occupied with something other than gawking. Still, Sue bet that Jack was probably completely cognizant of the eyes lingering on him as he held the door open for the unknown woman. She entered gracefully for someone on crutches, and her bright, curious, blue eyes took in the store with a careful eagerness.
"Hey everybody," Jack called as he led the woman to a seat around their table. "This is Carter. Mind if she sits?"
"Of course not, please do," Sue rushed, happily pulling the chair next to her out far enough for 'Carter' to sit down comfortably.
"Thank you," the woman replied with a warm smile as she got situated. Even with them watching, Jack leaned over and whispered something in her ear that made her grin even wider than before she sat down.
"Carter, I'd like you to meet Andrew, Kate, Frances, and Sue," Jack gestured to the four of them, performing the cursory introductions.
A chorus of "hello"s arose from the still somewhat bug-eyed crowd, and she laughed a little before returning a courteous, "Hi."
"Sue owns the joint," Jack explained, moving towards the plate of cookies on the table and grabbing a few. "Hey, catch," he warned before tossing Carter a cookie that she casually snatched out of the air.
"These are amazing," 'Carter' stated after she bit into one. "Who made them?"
"That would be me," Sue answered. "I'm glad you like them. Welcome."
Carter raised her cookie by way of a greeting. "Thanks. Nice to meet you."
"Oh, the pleasure is definitely ours," Andrew interrupted. "You're Sam, right?"
The abrupt question made their visitor's eyebrows raise and she glanced over at Jack, who made a quick escape by darting into the shelves of yarn.
"You've heard of me?"
"Only every visit for...what, three years now?" Kate offered.
"Four," Frances corrected.
Obviously entertained by this revelation, Sam darted a glance toward the back of the store where Jack was now hiding. "Good to know," she finally replied thoughtfully. "Though it certainly leaves me at a disadvantage."
"Don't worry, we'll catch you up," Frances assured her.
"We're not really that complex," Andrew chimed in.
"Speak for yourself," Kate sniped.
"Children, please," Sue intervened with a smile. "Behave in front of the company."
At all of this, Sam just laughed again, a happy sound that you couldn't help but smile in response to. "Why don't we start simple? Like...what do you all do."
"I manage things," Andrew replied promptly. "Being the manager and all. Sue owns. As she's the owner."
"Though why Sue pays him to do exactly what we do while we're here, I'll never understand," Frances pointed out.
"Hey! I organize things. And check people out. And am generally helpful," Andrew objected. "Sue, tell them I'm helpful."
"He's helpful," Sue chimed agreeably.
"That's right," Andrew insisted. "I have to be. Without Sue, I'd be lost."
To be honest, Sue didn't like thinking about how they had met - with Andrew entirely too skinny, living on the streets, more starving than he was an artist. She had brought him home, put him in the shop and never looked back. "Nonsense," she said lightly.
"If you say so," Andrew agreed lightly, obviously not wanting to get into it.
Sam seemed to sense that they wanted to change subjects, and so she turned to Kate. "What about you?"
"Oh, I'm a lawyer," Kate answered.
"Really? What kind of law do you practice?"
"Family law."
This bit of information made everyone in the store stop and even Sue couldn't help but stare a bit. "Family law?" she questioned, her voice sounding a bit choked. "I...well, that's certainly surprising."
Frances, who looked equally shocked, nodded. "No kidding."
For her part, Kate seemed confused by their reactions. "I thought you all knew this."
"No, I definitely think I would've remembered something like that," Andrew stated. "Honestly, I could've sworn you were something crazy rough, like a criminal lawyer."
"What? No," Kate admonished, honestly surprised. "Why do you think I needed therapy? Families are stressful."
"No arguments here," Frances agreed. Thinking about it, Sue had to admit that Kate made a little bit more sense now.
"Hmm," Sam said neutrally. "And how do you fit into this place, Frances?"
"I'm just the broke college student who can't say no to discounted yarn...or free food."
"Oh, I see," Sam acknowledged, turning to Sue. "So the treats are really just a ploy to get repeat customers."
Offering a sly smile, Sue shrugged. "It hasn't failed me yet."
Eating another cookie, Sam grinned. "Based on the way your cookies taste, I don't imagine that it will anytime soon." After another bite, she turned back to Frances. "So, what are you studying?"
"Medieval history. And physics."
From his chair, Andrew snorted. "Yeah, because those things go together."
The glare Frances shot him was particularly lethal. "That's the point, dumbass."
Attempting to intercede, Sam smoothly stepped in. "You know, I'm a physicist."
Sue blinked, tilting her head. "We didn't know that."
"Four years and it never came up, huh?" Sam asked, obviously finding this funny but not surprising.
"Not once," Andrew admitted. "Strange, that."
"Not really," Sam contradicted. "Jack doesn't like to dwell on the scientist thing."
"Carter is not your usual scientist," Jack chimed in abruptly from somewhere in the back of the store.
"Is there such a thing?" Frances asked, confused.
This amused Sam. "That's what I keep telling him."
Kate studied their visitor carefully. "So. How does a physicist working in Deep Space Telemetry end up on crutches?"
Unperturbed by the question, Sam turned a wide, all-too-innocent expression on her. "Oh, you'd be surprised how treacherous Deep Space Telemetry can be."
Frances just groaned. "Worst cover story ever."
While Sue might have expected Sam to object or try and convince them otherwise, she just laughed again, eating another cookie in serene silence. Of course, this did not go unnoticed by Frances and Kate, who exchanged meaningful glances.
Eager to avoid any more conspiracy theory talk, Andrew rushed in to change the subject. "So, tell us once and for all: what exactly is the deal with you and Jack?"
"What has he told you?" Sam asked. Sue thought it interesting that this, of all things, was a subject she was cautious about.
"Nothing," Andrew griped.
"Not true!" Jack objected, still lost in the yarn somewhere.
"Well, practically nothing," Andrew corrected, whining a bit. "Certainly nothing fun, anyway."
"Well, that's not surprising," Sam mused, "Seeing as there wasn't really anything fun until recently."
The last part of that sentence certainly caught everyone's attention. "So, you are actually, finally, dating?"
"It depends who you ask. I say yes. He says..."
At this, Jack poked his head around a shelf. "I am too damn old to be described as anyone's boyfriend."
"I'm sure we could come up with another word for it," Andrew said cheerily. "Significant other."
"Too generic," Jack frowned.
"Sweetheart?" Sue suggested.
"Too...sweet."
"Beau?" Kate offered.
"I'm not a character in Gone with the Wind. So no."
"Partner?" was Frances option.
"Too work-related," was Jack's objection.
"Lover?" Sam suggested with sly, teasing grin.
If Sue didn't know better, she would have sworn that Jack O'Neill actually blushed. "Much too specific," he chastized before disappearing behind another rack of yarn. "And technically untrue!"
"Wait, what?" Andrew exclaimed, looking completely dumbfounded. "You two aren't...?"
Now Sam was the one blushing - somehow, her little joke had come back to bite her in the ass. "Not yet," she offered tentatively.
"I don't mean to be rude, but what's taking you so long?" Andrew insisted.
"Would you believe me if I said that honestly, there hasn't been time?" Sam offered, laughing a little. "I guess...I don't have any plans to let him go. Pretty much ever. So what's the rush?"
"Rush?" Andrew insisted. "It's been years. Your self control is insane. I mean...look at the man."
Sam leaned forward, a smirk on her face. "I've had to work with him every day for the past seven years. Believe me when I say I know."
A noise came from a few rows a way. "You know, I can hear you!" Jack whined before stepping into view, a petulant look on his face. "Why is everyone so interested in this anyway? It was bound to happen. And now it has. The end. Andrew, I'm ready to go."
Andrew placed a hand on Sam's shoulder as he walked to the cash register. "His self control, on the other hand, is obviously wearing thin."
Sam returned the smirk, but remained silent as Jack muttered under his breath and paid for his various items. "I guess this means we're out of here," she said, reaching for her crutches and moving to stand. Once she was upright she gave another bright smile. "It was great to meet all of you."
"Please, come see us again," Sue offered.
"I will," Sam assured, moving to follow Jack to the exit.
"Bring Jack if you want to," Frances teased.
Jack opened the door for Sam and she neatly moved outside. He turned and waved, an amused smile on his face. "Have a good day, guys."
A chorus of good-byes followed as he spun and exited.
"I love our customers," Andrew said airily, leaning on the counter, his head cradled in his hand.
Author: Christi & Katrina
Rating: PG?
Timeline: After Death Knell
Summary: Jack takes Sam out on a date. Sort of.
Author's Notes: Uh. Hi.
--
Sue sat back and stared at the check she had just finished signing, not quite believing what she had done. "That's it," she declared, slightly stunned.
"You're kidding," Andrew exclaimed, coming to peer over her shoulder. "Really?"
"Really," she confirmed. "After eighteen years of business, the mortgage on this building is finally paid off."
It was more than overwhelming, and wiping away a few tears, Sue stopped to consider everything she had put into this little shop. She had opened after the rush of hippie life had worn thin; wanting roots. Living in the apartment above the shop, she had spent years catering to nothing but finicky grandmothers before knitting had somehow become cool again, bringing in a load of enthusiastic next generation customers. She had fallen in love here...and stayed here when everything had all fallen apart. Even now, long after she had bought a house, The Yarn Shop remained her home.
Arms circled her from behind, and she laughed as Andrew engulfed her in a bear hug. "You're amazing," he muttered.
"Thank you," she replied as he pulled away. "Thank all of you. I couldn't have done it without you."
"Somehow, I doubt that," Frances said softly. "But it's certainly a big achievement."
"Indeed. It calls for a celebration," Sue agreed, going into the back and grabbing the tray of cookies she had arranged last night.
When Kate caught sight of it, she rolled her eyes. "How are cookies unusual here?"
"These are all of our favorites," Sue explained easily, looking over the assortment proudly. Chocolate chip layered with snicker doodles and gingersnaps, surrounded by rings of peanut butter cup and iced sugar cookies all lay ready for the taking.
"Sue, we'll never eat all of that," Frances pointed out with a giggle.
"We most certainly will," Sue corrected her with absolute certainty. "Yesterday I called Jack to tell him that his back ordered yarn was finally in and I invited him."
That certainly put all doubts to rest. Even Kate began to eye the tray with a totally different kind of skepticism. "Huh," Andrew said as he turned to look out the window. "Did he say that he was bringing a friend?"
"Not that I recall, why?"
"See for yourself," Andrew replied, nodding out to the parking lot.
In a predictable rush, everyone swarmed to the glass, peering out at their friend climbing out of his truck and then going around to help a lovely woman who was using crutches out of the passenger side.
"Good lord, they are almost unbearably pretty together," Andrew breathed wistfully.
Sue silently agreed, watching them make their way to the door thoughtfully. "I wonder...I wonder if that's her."
"Sam?" Frances asked, catching on. "We're about to find out."
As the bell rung cheerily, there was an almost comical rush to move back to their usual spots and appear occupied with something other than gawking. Still, Sue bet that Jack was probably completely cognizant of the eyes lingering on him as he held the door open for the unknown woman. She entered gracefully for someone on crutches, and her bright, curious, blue eyes took in the store with a careful eagerness.
"Hey everybody," Jack called as he led the woman to a seat around their table. "This is Carter. Mind if she sits?"
"Of course not, please do," Sue rushed, happily pulling the chair next to her out far enough for 'Carter' to sit down comfortably.
"Thank you," the woman replied with a warm smile as she got situated. Even with them watching, Jack leaned over and whispered something in her ear that made her grin even wider than before she sat down.
"Carter, I'd like you to meet Andrew, Kate, Frances, and Sue," Jack gestured to the four of them, performing the cursory introductions.
A chorus of "hello"s arose from the still somewhat bug-eyed crowd, and she laughed a little before returning a courteous, "Hi."
"Sue owns the joint," Jack explained, moving towards the plate of cookies on the table and grabbing a few. "Hey, catch," he warned before tossing Carter a cookie that she casually snatched out of the air.
"These are amazing," 'Carter' stated after she bit into one. "Who made them?"
"That would be me," Sue answered. "I'm glad you like them. Welcome."
Carter raised her cookie by way of a greeting. "Thanks. Nice to meet you."
"Oh, the pleasure is definitely ours," Andrew interrupted. "You're Sam, right?"
The abrupt question made their visitor's eyebrows raise and she glanced over at Jack, who made a quick escape by darting into the shelves of yarn.
"You've heard of me?"
"Only every visit for...what, three years now?" Kate offered.
"Four," Frances corrected.
Obviously entertained by this revelation, Sam darted a glance toward the back of the store where Jack was now hiding. "Good to know," she finally replied thoughtfully. "Though it certainly leaves me at a disadvantage."
"Don't worry, we'll catch you up," Frances assured her.
"We're not really that complex," Andrew chimed in.
"Speak for yourself," Kate sniped.
"Children, please," Sue intervened with a smile. "Behave in front of the company."
At all of this, Sam just laughed again, a happy sound that you couldn't help but smile in response to. "Why don't we start simple? Like...what do you all do."
"I manage things," Andrew replied promptly. "Being the manager and all. Sue owns. As she's the owner."
"Though why Sue pays him to do exactly what we do while we're here, I'll never understand," Frances pointed out.
"Hey! I organize things. And check people out. And am generally helpful," Andrew objected. "Sue, tell them I'm helpful."
"He's helpful," Sue chimed agreeably.
"That's right," Andrew insisted. "I have to be. Without Sue, I'd be lost."
To be honest, Sue didn't like thinking about how they had met - with Andrew entirely too skinny, living on the streets, more starving than he was an artist. She had brought him home, put him in the shop and never looked back. "Nonsense," she said lightly.
"If you say so," Andrew agreed lightly, obviously not wanting to get into it.
Sam seemed to sense that they wanted to change subjects, and so she turned to Kate. "What about you?"
"Oh, I'm a lawyer," Kate answered.
"Really? What kind of law do you practice?"
"Family law."
This bit of information made everyone in the store stop and even Sue couldn't help but stare a bit. "Family law?" she questioned, her voice sounding a bit choked. "I...well, that's certainly surprising."
Frances, who looked equally shocked, nodded. "No kidding."
For her part, Kate seemed confused by their reactions. "I thought you all knew this."
"No, I definitely think I would've remembered something like that," Andrew stated. "Honestly, I could've sworn you were something crazy rough, like a criminal lawyer."
"What? No," Kate admonished, honestly surprised. "Why do you think I needed therapy? Families are stressful."
"No arguments here," Frances agreed. Thinking about it, Sue had to admit that Kate made a little bit more sense now.
"Hmm," Sam said neutrally. "And how do you fit into this place, Frances?"
"I'm just the broke college student who can't say no to discounted yarn...or free food."
"Oh, I see," Sam acknowledged, turning to Sue. "So the treats are really just a ploy to get repeat customers."
Offering a sly smile, Sue shrugged. "It hasn't failed me yet."
Eating another cookie, Sam grinned. "Based on the way your cookies taste, I don't imagine that it will anytime soon." After another bite, she turned back to Frances. "So, what are you studying?"
"Medieval history. And physics."
From his chair, Andrew snorted. "Yeah, because those things go together."
The glare Frances shot him was particularly lethal. "That's the point, dumbass."
Attempting to intercede, Sam smoothly stepped in. "You know, I'm a physicist."
Sue blinked, tilting her head. "We didn't know that."
"Four years and it never came up, huh?" Sam asked, obviously finding this funny but not surprising.
"Not once," Andrew admitted. "Strange, that."
"Not really," Sam contradicted. "Jack doesn't like to dwell on the scientist thing."
"Carter is not your usual scientist," Jack chimed in abruptly from somewhere in the back of the store.
"Is there such a thing?" Frances asked, confused.
This amused Sam. "That's what I keep telling him."
Kate studied their visitor carefully. "So. How does a physicist working in Deep Space Telemetry end up on crutches?"
Unperturbed by the question, Sam turned a wide, all-too-innocent expression on her. "Oh, you'd be surprised how treacherous Deep Space Telemetry can be."
Frances just groaned. "Worst cover story ever."
While Sue might have expected Sam to object or try and convince them otherwise, she just laughed again, eating another cookie in serene silence. Of course, this did not go unnoticed by Frances and Kate, who exchanged meaningful glances.
Eager to avoid any more conspiracy theory talk, Andrew rushed in to change the subject. "So, tell us once and for all: what exactly is the deal with you and Jack?"
"What has he told you?" Sam asked. Sue thought it interesting that this, of all things, was a subject she was cautious about.
"Nothing," Andrew griped.
"Not true!" Jack objected, still lost in the yarn somewhere.
"Well, practically nothing," Andrew corrected, whining a bit. "Certainly nothing fun, anyway."
"Well, that's not surprising," Sam mused, "Seeing as there wasn't really anything fun until recently."
The last part of that sentence certainly caught everyone's attention. "So, you are actually, finally, dating?"
"It depends who you ask. I say yes. He says..."
At this, Jack poked his head around a shelf. "I am too damn old to be described as anyone's boyfriend."
"I'm sure we could come up with another word for it," Andrew said cheerily. "Significant other."
"Too generic," Jack frowned.
"Sweetheart?" Sue suggested.
"Too...sweet."
"Beau?" Kate offered.
"I'm not a character in Gone with the Wind. So no."
"Partner?" was Frances option.
"Too work-related," was Jack's objection.
"Lover?" Sam suggested with sly, teasing grin.
If Sue didn't know better, she would have sworn that Jack O'Neill actually blushed. "Much too specific," he chastized before disappearing behind another rack of yarn. "And technically untrue!"
"Wait, what?" Andrew exclaimed, looking completely dumbfounded. "You two aren't...?"
Now Sam was the one blushing - somehow, her little joke had come back to bite her in the ass. "Not yet," she offered tentatively.
"I don't mean to be rude, but what's taking you so long?" Andrew insisted.
"Would you believe me if I said that honestly, there hasn't been time?" Sam offered, laughing a little. "I guess...I don't have any plans to let him go. Pretty much ever. So what's the rush?"
"Rush?" Andrew insisted. "It's been years. Your self control is insane. I mean...look at the man."
Sam leaned forward, a smirk on her face. "I've had to work with him every day for the past seven years. Believe me when I say I know."
A noise came from a few rows a way. "You know, I can hear you!" Jack whined before stepping into view, a petulant look on his face. "Why is everyone so interested in this anyway? It was bound to happen. And now it has. The end. Andrew, I'm ready to go."
Andrew placed a hand on Sam's shoulder as he walked to the cash register. "His self control, on the other hand, is obviously wearing thin."
Sam returned the smirk, but remained silent as Jack muttered under his breath and paid for his various items. "I guess this means we're out of here," she said, reaching for her crutches and moving to stand. Once she was upright she gave another bright smile. "It was great to meet all of you."
"Please, come see us again," Sue offered.
"I will," Sam assured, moving to follow Jack to the exit.
"Bring Jack if you want to," Frances teased.
Jack opened the door for Sam and she neatly moved outside. He turned and waved, an amused smile on his face. "Have a good day, guys."
A chorus of good-byes followed as he spun and exited.
"I love our customers," Andrew said airily, leaning on the counter, his head cradled in his hand.