The Sound of a Click

The sound of the ring box clicking shut seemed to echo in the lab. As did the words he had uttered. And yet you haven’t said no. Her protests did nothing to ease the ache in his heart. Her indecision seemed to have little to do with him and more to do with the natural uncertainty that came with the thought of marriage. So why was he trying to ease her worries? Why was he trying to push her towards accepting Pete’s proposal?

Then she asked the fateful question… If things were different…? If only it were that simple. If things were different and he wasn’t her CO, they could be together. If things were different and there was no war with the Goa’uld, he could have retired (again) by now. Or he would still be retired. If things were different, Charlie could still be alive…

But things were not different. If he had not been recalled, if he was not her CO, if Charlie was still alive… they would never have met. He would not be there. It was no good to dwell on what ifs. It didn’t change things. And when he told her that he wouldn’t be there if things were different, he felt his heart break into a million pieces. For in telling her that it was like he was giving her tacit approval to marry this Pete Shanahan. To marry, to be with someone other than him. It killed him to do it, but it was better than the alternative. She deserved more than to spend her life pining for something that may never happen. She deserved a chance to have a life, to be happy; no matter what it cost him.