Letters From Home

Title: Letters From Home

Author: Geonn

Pairing: Sam/Janet

Category: Romance

Series: The Jukebox

Rating: PG13

Disclaimer: Stargate and characters are the property of MGM, Gekko, etc. Mainly you need to know no one with the name of Geonn owns the deed to these ladies.

Archive: Yes, just let me know where it's gonna be.

Notes: Based on "Letters From Home" by John Michael Montgomery.

Summary: "I fold it up and put it in my shirt, pick up my gun and get back to work..."

Janet sat in bed in her pajamas, wearing her reading glasses and trying to watch the 11pm News. The too-pretty-to-be-authentic newscaster was wearing her "I'm sad" face as she reported more violence in Iraq. "Insurgents launched coordinated attacks Thursday against police and government buildings across Sunni Muslim areas of Iraq less than a week before the handover of sovereignty. The strikes killed 89 people, including three American soldiers, and wounded 318 people, Iraqi and US officials said..."

More soldiers dying, no names to go with the words. Just eighty-nine faceless people. Three soldiers that had gone unnamed. Janet turned off the TV and slipped out of bed, walking to the window and parting the curtains to look up into the night sky. Sam was up there, somewhere, a long ways away. There were no news reports about soldiers being pinned down, no reports of violence against soldiers.

Who was luckier? The people who knew that their loved ones were in danger? Or her, living in ignorance until all was said and done and she saw that Sam was in one piece no matter how dire the report sounded?

She decided it was the others; the ones with loved ones fighting right here on Earth. Because half a world away was still on the same planet. She let the curtains fall back into place and got into bed, hugging Sam's pillow to her chest as she fell asleep.

---

Two Weeks Later, a different mission...

Colonel O'Neill slipped down the steep hill, grabbing a tree at the bottom to stop himself as he examined their surroundings. Teal'c joined him at the base of the hill and looked around. "All right, Carter... you keep an eye out here on the high ground. Daniel, you know where the ruins are." Daniel nodded, tapped Sam's arm with his, and moved off towards the ruins the UAV had spotted. Sam took a seat on the runner of the MALP, resting her gun against her chest and reaching into the MRE bag.

She dug in, occasionally watching Teal'c and Jack's progress across the field below. A chunk of chicken-like substance fell from her pouch onto her leg and she muttered, putting her snack aside and searching her pockets for a wipe. In the pocket on her right sleeve, she found a yellow piece of paper folded five times, with her name written tiny on the face. She frowned, wiped her lips with her thumb and forefinger, and unfolded the note.

She recognized Janet's handwriting immediately.

"Dearest Sam,

I saw something on the news tonight that scared me. You know the news... But I couldn't sleep until I spoke to you, even through a note. Hope things are well where you are. Cassandra is studying for a chemistry exam. She reminds me so much of you that I sometimes have to remind myself of genetics. But I swear she has your eyes.

I'll look at the sky before I go to bed. I'll blow you a kiss and hope the man in the moon catches it and delivers it to you.

My Love Always,
Janet
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Sam was surprised to find she had tears in her eyes. It seldom felt like being away at war when going through the Stargate, but at times... at times she missed the small comforts of fighting on Earth. Mail, for one. It was the one thing that kept her sane in the Gulf, those sweet-scented letters from Shauna... Sam wiped her eyes and folded the note again, slipping it into the pocket over her heart.

---

One Week Later, a different mission...

Janet waved to Richard across the street, told him her car wouldn't need 'souping-up' even if she knew what it entailed, and laughed about something his wife had said. She got her mail, waved good-bye to her neighbor and headed back into the house. Bank statement, letter from the book club Sam was a member of, letter for Cassandra, school newsletter...

A note from Sam.

Janet frowned and looked at the plain brown envelope, the harsh hand-writing... it looked like a homemade envelope. And it was post-marked... Iraq?! "What the hell?" Janet muttered, pulling the flap open and slipping the note into her hand. Sam hadn't said anything about the note she'd gotten off-world and Janet had started to wonder if she'd even found it. Now she held her answer. The paper was crummy, the penmanship shaky, and it was unmistakably Sam's handwriting.

Janet, my love,

Your letter found me safe, I'm relieved to say. The way things sometimes are, I relish the quiet days and I was more than happy to share a few minutes of one with you. I was touched that you thought of that; such a tender way to let me know you think about me when I'm not there. Hopefully as you read this, things are equally sane where I'm 'stationed.' I'll think about you tonight when I go to sleep under unfamiliar stars and I'll tell the man in the moon to send my regards back to you.

No matter what hell I may find myself in, the thought of you is my heaven.

My Love Always,
Samantha
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Janet was sitting on the floor in the entry way, hugging herself and crying as she read the letter. Cassandra came downstairs and detoured as soon as she saw her mom, dropping and hugging her tightly. Janet returned the hug, assuring the girl they were happy tears as she showed her daughter the letter.

---

One Week Later, no mission...

Sam and Janet lay in bed, each reading the others letters. Janet took off her reading glasses and kissed Sam's shoulder. "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too," Sam agreed, kissing Janet's lips. "Thank you for the notes. I love them."

"How did you get yours to be postmarked from Iraq?"

Sam snickered. "A friend of mine is stationed there. I sent a handful of letters and some cash for postage and asked him to send them."

"It really threw me for a loop," Janet admitted, smiling.

They talked for a while more, touching each other innocently, then with more focus. After it became apparent what each wanted, Sam took off Janet's glasses and Janet put aside their letters. She covered Sam with her body, proceeding to act out the Xs and Os that graced the bottom line of each of their notes.

LETTERS FROM HOME
John Michael Montgomery

Dear son, it's almost June
I hope this letter catches up with you
And finds you well
It's been dry but they're callin' for rain
Everything's the same old same
In Johnsonville
Your stubborn old daddy
Ain't said too much
But I'm sure you know
He sends his love

And she goes on...
In a letter from home

I hold it up and show my buddies
Like we ain't scared
And our boots ain't muddy
And they all laugh
Like there's something funny
'Bout the way I talk
When I say, "Mamma sends her best, ya'll"

I fold it up and put it in my shirt
Pick up my gun and get back to work
And it keeps me drivin' on
Waitin' on letters from home

My dearest love, it's almost dawn
I've been lyin' here all night long
Wonderin' where you might be
I saw your mamma
And I showed her the ring
Man on the television
Said something
So I couldn't sleep
But I'll be alright,
I'm just missin' you
And this is me kissin' you
X's and O's
In a letter from home

I hold it up and show my buddies
Like we ain't scared
And our boots ain't muddy
And they all laugh
'Cause she calls me honey,
But they take it hard
'Cause I don't read the good parts

I fold it up and put it in my shirt
Pick up my gun and get back to work
And it keeps me drivin' on
Waitin' on letters from home

Dear son, I know I ain't written
Sittin' here tonight alone in the kitchen
It occurs to me
I might not have said it
So I'll say it now...
"Son, you make me proud"

I hold it up and show my buddies
Like we ain't scared
And our boots ain't muddy
But no one laughs
'Cause there's ain't nothin' funny
When a soldier cries
And I just wipe my eyes

I fold it up and put it in my shirt
Pick up my gun and get back to work
And it keeps me drivin' on
Waitin' on letters from home