Dangerous Ground by Linz
Summary: When dreams come true
Rated: PG
Genres: Romance
Original Archive Date: 2002 Aug 19
Warnings: None
Series: None
Chapters: 1 | Word count: 6443 | Completed: Yes | Published: Sep 03, 2009 | Updated: Sep 03, 2009 | Read: 2647
Story Notes: NOTES: Finally, it's here. I hope that it is worth it! This little ditty has finally beaten the writer's block! So don't forget feedback. Pretty please with chocolate sauce on top!

DEDICATIONS: One is for Annie who came up with the immortal line "God up in heaven Sam, how can you be *so* dumb". and really that line kinda kickstarted me on finishing it. So a belated huge dedication to Annie. The second dedication is for SRO, who although being the 'reason' for the delay in the fic (well part of the reason anyway) he was the main cause of me finishing it. So for you patience and understanding and support, I love you. Many thanks to Flo and Ann and everyone else on AIM who have kept my imagination going for this story.
Chapter 1 by Linz
"OK Campers, let's head on up to that ridge. We'll scout for another 10 clicks and then head home"

PC3 247 wasn't exactly the most exciting of missions, the planet was deserted. There had been no sign of anything for the past few hours. There wasn't even any new mineral type thing for Sam to play with. Jack had to admit that it made a refreshing change not to land in the middle of a gun-fight, or even not to have started one. But Daniel had found a few signs of an old civilisation and it was through the archaeologists pleading (which, Jack had to admit, he did very well) that they had stayed for a further recon.

"The civilisation seems pre-bronze age, and from what I have seen so far, it looks like there was some cataclysmic even that wiped them out…"

Jack shook his head; Daniel was well and truly on a roll. Even Sam had given up listening to him about three miles ago.

"Danny, why is it always some 'cataclysmic' event? Why can't it be something simple…like mass suicide or a bad case of multiple food poisoning?"

Jack turned to watch Sam, although the comment was addressed to Daniel, it was to Sam that it was intended. Sure enough he wasn't disappointed. The smile that touched her lips sent his heart through his chest. It always did.

Sam watched as Daniel rolled his eyes so far to the back of his head that you would have sworn that he could see behind him. Another smile played on her lips; it was always the same with those two.

As they reached the top of the ridge, Sam was overcome with a sense of De'ja vu. This was too familiar. Logically she knew that she had never been to PC3 247 before, but she had seen this before. Suddenly she was caught up in a vivid image. Jack was falling, fast and out of control down the ridge, landing in a twisted fallen heap. The recollection stunned her from her thoughts. This was not good, she knew with a certainty that pierced her brain that if she didn't act it would be O'Neill's requiem service she'd be attending.

Looking ahead of the team and focussing on her CO, she could tell that he was as alert as ever, but what he couldn't know was that the shale a few steps ahead of him was loose. Without stopping to think about the logic of her actions she broke into a run and tackled her colonel around the waist just as he turned to see why her pace had changed.

"Carter?…oommmppphhh…."

They hit the ground hard, both automatically positioning their bodies so that they didn't get hurt in the fall. An action that meant that Sam was now lay flat against the length of a very confused Jack O'Neill. A sensation that was lost on neither if them and for a split second neither made a move or a sound.

It was the all too swift arrival of the remaining members of his team that brought Jack out of his purely *scientific* analysis of her eyes.

"Carter, as much as I would otherwise think that this is nice…What the *hell* are you doing?"

Abruptly pushing herself off him, she stood up. She couldn't look at him; her embarrassment was acute for more than one reason. Not only had she just man – handled her CO because of a dream, but if it hadn't been for the arrival of Daniel and Teal'c she didn't think she would have been so quick to move off of him.

"Sorry Sir… I just…"

Jack watched her; momentarily stunned by both her actions and the sensations that engulfed him after having her lay across him like that. What puzzled him more was the fact that she wouldn't meet his gaze. She *always* looked him in the eyes, always. She had become very serious very suddenly and he wasn't sure why, so he did what he always did.

"Just what Major? Felt like wrestling with your CO?" he thought "You know, you could have just asked. Who am I to deny a request from a lady!"

She knew what he was trying to do. But for once, she couldn't laugh at his lame joke. She felt uncomfortable, how was she going to explain this to a man who had categorically stated on many occasions that he did not subscribe to the 'Cluck like a Dog Monthly'?

"No Sir, it's just that I realised that the ground wasn't safe. I'm sorry for tackling you like that"

Jack watched her eyes, she wasn't telling him something.

"Carter, are you telling me that from all the way back where you where standing, you could see something that both myself and Teal'c did not? What are you psychic?"

She knew that was how he'd react, that was why she'd be damned before she'd tell him the truth. Jack O'Neill was never going to change his attitude and accept a possibility of an 'unexplainable' phenomenon.

Un-noticed by the others, Teal'c had wandered over to the spot that Carter had pointed out as being unsafe. The huge Jaffa raised an eyebrow questioningly. The ground looked perfectly stable to him, he would not have thought twice about continuing along it, but Major Carter seemed too sure of her knowledge and Teal'c trusted that more. With that he bent and picked up a large stone and tossed it onto the area in question. As the rock landed there was an immediate and unmistakable sound of earth moving and shale sliding. Within seconds a large chunk of what had previously been a ridge had cascaded into a pile of broken rocks fifty feet below them.

Teal'c's eyebrows raised again, if just the weight of a single rock could create such damage, the weight of a fully-grown man would have undoubtedly caused an even bigger cascade. Judging by the way that the ground fell away, whoever had been stood there would not have been able to save themselves.

The others had turned towards the sound, all but Carter clearly shocked by the scene, but it was Teal'c who spoke first.

"I do not know how Major Carter realised that this land was not safe O'Neill, but I believe that if she had not acted, you would in all certainty be very badly wounded, if not killed"

Jack was still having trouble coming to terms with what he had just seen, but completely ignoring Daniel's "Woah!" he eventually turned back to see his 2IC.

"OK Carter, give. How'd you know?" He had tried to gentle his tone, but he knew he hadn't quite succeeded, the fact that she wouldn't trust him with something was driving him nuts and at this point he didn't want to start analysing why.

She turned her eyes towards the dark determined ones of her CO and knew that he wasn't a happy man. But this was something that she knew he would just not accept. What did he want her to say? "Yes Sir, I had a dream about all this and saw you die?" Nope, that wasn't going to happen, she could almost hear his smart-ass reply to that. Besides, if he was told the truth, she knew that sooner or later he'd ask whether that was her only dream and her answer to that would be grounds even more dangerous than the one he had just saved him from.

"Sir, I just noticed the loose shale, that's all"

She could tell by the look on his face that he knew she wasn't telling him the truth. She saw a look that was almost pain in his eyes, that took her by surprise, but she ran away from wondering why. Right now, she just wanted out of this situation. Later, she would be able to ask herself why his opinion of her mattered so much, why she didn't want him to think she was a complete flake. But deep down she already knew the answers to that.

"That's a load of *shi* …crap Carter…do I have to order you to tell me the truth?"

She winced at his tone, he really was annoyed at her, but she answered his gaze with a steely determination of her own.

"You could do that Sir, but I know you won't."

He had never been so determined in his life. For some reason Sam Carter, *his* 2IC didn't trust him enough to tell him the truth and that hurt him. He had thought the trust between them was absolute, and the thought that he was wrong caused a pain in his soul that he couldn't hide from.

"Fine. *Major*, Daniel, Teal'c let's go!" His command was barked and his intentional use of her rank was noticed by all.

"But Jack…" Interrupted Daniel

"No Buts Daniel. Home. Now"

Jack looked on as the archaeologist stood for a moment trying to decide whether to argue or not. He made the right decision though and picked up his pack and headed back towards the gate, but not before a hint if a grin crossed his face.

Sam looked on, watching her Colonel almost skulk back to the Stargate. She couldn't figure out why he was so bothered by her reluctance to tell him. She had realised that he wouldn't like their absolute trust broken, but this was deeper than that. Although her subconscious mind had sensed that much, her logical side clamped those thoughts away to prevent further analysis.

For his part, Jack O'Neill was quietly steaming. Not so much because she wouldn't tell him, but because he knew that if it had have been Daniel or Teal'c refusing, it wouldn't have bothered him nearly as much. OK, he wasn't saying that he'd have been ok with *any* of his team keeping something from him, but somehow with Carter that refusal had hit him harder and deeper than it should have. a little voice prompted. Brutally he squashed that train of thought as the gate finally came into sight. She may have won the battle, but she hadn't won the war. He was going to find out how she knew and he was going to find out why she didn't trust him. Holding tightly to that resolve, he gave the command to dial them home.



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"Welcome back Sg-1"

Jack was the only one to reply, but the acknowledgement was as short as his temper

"General"

Hammond knew straight away that something was wrong, there was no sarcastic quip from O'Neill, no laughing smile from Carter and no roll of the eyes from Daniel. Taking a closer look at his first line team Hammond noticed the glaring change in their usual dynamic. The body language of the two officers was so far removed from normal that Hammond was itching to ask what had happened, but the smilingly censorious look from Daniel told him to wait until later.

"I suggest debriefing in one hour Sg-1, after the all clear from the infirmary"

"Yes Sir" Came the Colonel's clipped reply and without a second glance Jack O'Neill strode purposefully away from his team.

Forcibly removing her eyes from Jack's back, Sam knew that the debriefing was not going to be a picnic for her. There was no way he was going to let her off the hook on this one. The trouble was that in the debriefing he would have the full back up of the General, and that was one fight she knew she wasn't going to win. How did she manage to get herself in this situation? She should have just told him and got it over with. So mimicking her CO's previous abrupt departure, she turned away from the expectant faces that surrounded her, and walked straight out of the Gateroom.

"Ok, Dr. Jackson…would *you* care to tell me what's going on?" Although the General seemed to have issued a question, Daniel knew better than to be led by the grammar.

"Well General, I have a theory…" and with that Daniel related the whole episode and a few more ideas besides, to a very interested General.



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As she entered the briefing room, Sam took in the faces around her and understood immediately that her actions had already been discussed, so in true Sam Carter style she steeled herself for the upcoming Spanish inquisition.

"Take a seat Major Carter" The general's friendly voice gave her confidence a lift.

Seating herself in her favourite chair, she allowed herself the luxury of taking in the audience before her. Daniel smiled a comfortable smile at her as he shuffled his papers, Teal'c raised the usual eyebrow and General Hammond smiled. But the Colonel didn't even give her as much as a sideways glance.

If she had ever been in any doubt that he was not happy with her, that alone would have confirmed it. Normally if she had have walked into a briefing a few minutes late, he would have been the first to make some sarcastic comment about women taking so long to get ready. But not today and that uneasy understanding drained the previous steel from her.

How she wished he didn't have the power to do that to her. The problem was that he did, and he didn't even know it, which was a point that made her situation seem even worse. He had no idea that he could directly influence her emotion, either positively or as now, negatively. Once again, it was her General that pulled her from her melancholy.

"Major, I have already been briefed upon the value of the mission by Dr. Jackson, however there seems to be an area of controversy surrounding your actions. As such I would very much appreciate it if you could clarify the situation for me"

Sam almost laughed, just to think that she had once thought that Hammond wasn't big on getting to the point. In fact his bluntness reminded her of Colonel O'Neill's style of diplomacy and that thought abruptly brought her out of any humour that she found in the situation.

Allowing herself a quick glance at the usually playful profile, she bit back a wince at the coldness that now masked her colonel's features. Her eyes flew away from the granite like face that she had never before seen quite as… empty. The power of that countenance, caused a knot in the pit of her stomach that no amount of self- rebuking could dislodge.

In her flight from her Colonel, Sam's eyes directly collided with those of her General and those eyes where definitely easy to read… he wanted an answer and he was not going to afford her any further delay. So taking a deep breath she began and simultaneously prayed to whatever deity was listening that Jack wouldn't think her a complete fool at the end.

Deep in her heart she knew why his opinion of her mattered so much, it was bad enough that he only saw her as the "brains" of the operation, a geeky scientist with no life that could compete with the thrill of a naquada reactor or dialling programme. For him to add "complete flake" to the list would just about kill the deeply hidden dream that he might think of her as anything other than "Major Carter, scientist"

Looking once more at her CO, she quickly turned away and let her gaze settle to her clasped hands.

"General Hammond…I knew about the dangerous ground because I had seen it before"

Pointedly ignoring the annoying little voice, she took in the stunned expressions in the room, all except the Colonel now looked like landed guppy's, he still remained closed and cold, she saw that but did not allow herself a moment to think. So she continued at a speed that left no chance for interruption (from either her audience of from her own mind)

"Sir… this may sound a little strange, but for a while now I have been having very vivid dreams. They're not like those I had due to Jolinar and they usually do not have a point to make, but this one did. The dreams come true and rather than dreaming that I would find my lost report on the colonel's desk, I dreamt that he would step on unsafe ground and would be killed. When we were on PC3 247, I realised that that was the time and so I acted." Taking a deep steadying breath, she realised that no one was staring at her like she had lost her mind, General Hammond looked questioning, Daniel looked understanding, Teal'c didn't look like anything and the Colonel looked… angry, really, *really* angry.

"That's the reason? That's *it*!" He exploded, jumping to his feet, his hands firmly set on the table and a glower firmly set on his face.

"You wouldn't tell me that you saved my ass because you *dreamed* it? What the Hell did you think I'd do…laugh at you?"

His anger was tangible, but to anyone who cared to look closely enough, the betraying sound of hurt was clear on his voice. And the only person in the room who didn't look that closely was the one to whom it would have meant the most. She was too busy trying to push herself as far back in her chair as she could. She couldn't even bring herself to face him, because it was only as she had spoken her words did she realise how stupid she was being and how much her refusal had hit at the core of unquestioning trust within her unit. No, not within her unit, within her CO. She amended to herself

His mind could see that he was being just a little illogical in his anger, but at that point he really didn't care. As he looked down at her now, her meekness infuriated him more. Where was the woman who had shot him down in a room full of brass? Where was the woman who argued with him over *any* decision she didn't agree with? But most of all where was the woman that he'd thought would trust him with her life, the woman he would have gone to the ends of the galaxy for if she would trust him with her heart?

In the midst of his anger, he had one of those flashes that he had only ever read about. One of those moments of self-insight that turn you upside down and inside out, back to front and, in short, totally screw with your equilibrium.

He loved Sam Carter.

What the Hell was he supposed to do with that little gem of information?

Completely off balance and too angry to be reasonable, he did the only thing any good soldier would do. Still bitterly angry (but who that anger was aimed at he was no longer sure) he turned to his general…

"Permission to be excused General" and without waiting for the requested permission, he walked straight out of the room. Leaving behind him a stunned Jaffa and general, a surprisingly smiley archaeologist and a very unhappy 2IC.

Daniel watched on as Jack stormed out of the room, and as Jack disappeared, he couldn't hold back the smile that crept upon his lips. Daniel had actually seen the moment when Jack had realised just why he was so angry with Sam. The precise moment when the change in his friend's expression allowed him to see the self-understanding of his feelings as they hit home, deep and true.

Although Daniel felt like bursting into a spontaneous rendition of "Allelulia", his immediate problem now however was Sam. She looked like she was almost on the verge of tears and on the *very* few occasions that he had ever seen Sam like that was when she was under the most intense emotional pressure. "That's it!" The "Eureka" moment that came to Daniel then was unmistakable. Sam had realised too, only earlier, that was why she had reacted to Jack the way she had. It was so unlike Sam to back away from a fight (especially one with her CO), but she had done, not ten minutes ago and Daniel now understood why. Sam was running away.

It was Hammond interrupted his mind's scheming.

"Major, I take it that this is not the first time you have had one of these dreams, excluding the Jolinar incident?"

Sam only nodded.

"Then I would like you to report to the infirmary. I don't want any surprises this time."

Sam nodded again, but this time got up and left.

Watching his favourite 2IC leave the room, Hammond could no longer hold back the grin.

"Well done Doctor Jackson" he smiled "You were right"

"I agree DanielJackson. Your theory was correct, making Major Carter explain her actions before O'Neill caused them both to realise their feelings" The Jaffa acknowledged.

"Thanks Teal'c, but the puzzle now is how to make them admit it to each other" Daniel's brows knitted in concentration.

"Oh, I think we can work it out Son" Came the General's ever so confident reply as he picked up the internal phone.

"Doctor Fraiser…your assistance is needed…"



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Janet Fraiser was waiting with hardly concealed excitement, the phone call that she had just finished had outlined detailed plans of how a group of four conspirators where gonna get a long needed job done. She couldn't believe that two of her closest friends had finally realised their feelings for one another, only to be in the middle of a huge argument when they did it.

But the more she thought about it the more it made sense for those two particular people. If you ever needed a way to complicate an emotional situation, you only need to ask Colonel Jack O'Neill and Major Samantha Carter and you'd be given an answer. So it was with great timing that Sam walked through the infirmary door, to be greeted with her friend and doctor throwing her hands up in the air and muttering "Typical!"

Sam coughed gently, not wanting to really be here, but knowing that she didn't have much choice.

So as Janet turned she really had to hide a smile at the look on Sam's face, all of a sudden thinking that the best way to get the two commanding officers of SG-1 together was to have Jack see the look on his 2IC's face right now. If Janet could read the emotions still playing across Sam's face, she was sure as hell that Jack could see a whole lot deeper. But pushing her own thoughts away, she began on a course that would hopefully lead to the result wanted by *many* people.

"Hi Sam, the General just called. Let's see what we can find out then shall we?"

Janet patted the bed, this was gonna be so much more fun than patching up injuries of the physical kind, she was actually gonna be a part of patching up injuries of the emotional kind. thought Janet with a mischievous grin.



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A few hours later after a barrage of tests that Sam was sure Janet must be making up, Janet sat Sam down to deliver her diagnosis.

"Sam, it seems that the areas of your brain that control memory and dreaming have been given an increased level of stimulating neurotransmitters. Plus I have found an increase in activity in an area of the brain which we believe to be linked with ESP." Catching Sam's rather "Jack-like" reaction Janet continued unfazed "Now, I'm not saying that you could be getting a visit from Mulder and Scully, but I think that the Tok'ra memory device coupled with the protein marker left by Jolinar could be the cause. I noted in your files the same elevation when you came back from Na'tuu so I would imagine that your dreams began around then, am I right?

"Well, yeah. I think so" Was Sam's only answer

"Good. I would also guess that you have had several dreams but that you only remember dreams that have a highly emotional link for you. Seeing the colonel die would definitely qualify in that category." Janet tried to hide the evil grin that crossed her face "Which means I would like to know what other dreams you remember having." Janet saw Sam's face pale, so she knew that Daniel had been right. It had often been said that Janet found it difficult to give up on something she cared about, well she cared a whole lot about this!

"Sam, your other dreams…they have all been about the Colonel haven't they?" Seeing her face, Janet didn't need her to answer that, so she carried on "Sam you're not stupid, I'm not stupid, when are you going to admit how you feel? It'll make you feel so much better"

"There's nothing to admit Janet" Sam replied, knowing that she was about to be found out, big time.

"Sam… come on. Tell me that you remember dreaming about any of the rest of us. Daniel? Teal'c? Me? General Hammond? Your Dad?" Janet this time had world war three going on with her facial muscles, so hard was she fighting the grin. "Sam, you remember the dreams about Jack because he means something more to you than any of the rest of us, doesn't he?" Even before she answered, Janet knew that she had won.

"But what good will it do me Janet. For one, right at this moment he thinks that I don't trust him. For two, there are these things called regulations and for three, he only ever sees me as a geek. As a scientist that has more fun with a reactor than with real people, and to top all that off, he now thinks that I'm unhinged!" This point tore Sam between laughing and crying and Janet could see it.

"God up in Heaven Sam, how can you be *so* stupid when you are so smart?!" Janet cried, but it was too late. Sam had already left.

Janet shook her head and picked up the phone. Round two was General Hammond's and she really hoped it had gone better than round one. A few minutes later, she was assured that round two had gone off without a hitch and round three was now in progress, with Daniel "The Puppy" Jackson fighting for the cause.



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When Jack had unceremoniously left the briefing room, he went to the only place where he could work through all the information running through his head. That was the reason Daniel found him so easily, although you could hardly call Jack O'Neill predictable, Daniel knew that he would find him working up a sweat in the gym.

Not disappointed, he heard Jack's groan as he walked towards him.

"Ok Danny boy, lets have it." Said Jack with a sarcastic resignation to his fate.

"Jack, you don't need me to tell you anything, you already know. That's why you just beat the hell out of that punch bag" Daniel's smile was an all knowing one, but for once Jack was glad of it, for the first time in his life, he was glad that he had someone who could help him thrash this out.

"Danny, what am I gonna do? In the space of three hours I found out that she doesn't trust me enough to tell me about a dream, that she is suddenly afraid of my reaction and to top it all off, I figured out that I love her! What the Hell do I do with that?!" Jack threw his hands in the air to emphasise his point and Daniel's grin lengthened.

"Jack, just ask yourself a question…*why* do you think she reacted that way?"

For a moment Jack looked at his most confused, but suddenly the light came on, thought Daniel as Jack spoke

"Because of the way I to reacted to her last time, with the Tok'ra thing"

"Not just that Jack, although I'm sure that that is a part of it. Have you any idea how she thinks you see her?" again at his blank look, Daniel explained, slowly this time, making sure that Jack did not miss a single point. "Jack, she thinks that you see her as one of the guys, as someone who thinks science first second and third, someone you rely on to save your ass, but someone who you don't even see as a woman. Now couple that with your previous reaction to her "dreams" and the fact that you only ever call her "major" or "Carter" and what do you get?"

"That's Crap Daniel! The last thing I see Sam as is one of the guys, and as for the science stuff, that's part of who she is, so that's part of what I love. That is as simple as it is!" Jack's frustration did not allow him to see the relief that spread across his friend's face, but in his pique he continued undaunted. "And as to what I call her, why do *you * think I do that?" Daniel was still basking in his victory and as such was totally unprepared for a question, so looked blank. Leading Jack to continue on his little diatribe.

"I call her that all the time to remind myself that she is off limits, that the woman I have only just realised that I have loved and admired for the better part of four years can't be mine because she's a damn good soldier!" Now that was not the explanation that Daniel had expected, but he wasn't going to argue with it, besides he still had his final card to pull before round three could be chalked up to the alliance. As he watched, Jack sat down on a nearby bench and put his head in his hands.

"Jack, you didn't answer my question. Knowing what you know now, why do you think Sam didn't want you to know?" Jack didn't answer, he couldn't. He was too afraid that he might be wrong and that was one conclusion he didn't want to be wrong about.

"She loves you too Jack. I know she does"

The joy that bubbled up inside Jack was so intense that he could not stay seated, nor could he stand, so he just kind of flopped against the wall. Could it be true that the woman he loved so deeply actually loved him back? Looking at Daniel's face for a sign of reassurance, he got it in spades.

"YESSSSSS!!!!" his shout was loud and his jump was high. "She loves ME!!!!!!" Daniel smiled at his friend; if the punch bag had been where his fist had punched the air, Daniel truly believed that there would no longer be a punch-bag!

Suddenly the joy evaporated of Jack's face, puzzling Daniel. "Danny, it doesn't matter, in fact it just makes it worse. She's still a soldier, she's still off limits" At that moment Daniel thought he actually heard Jack's heart break, so without stopping for the previously planned torture, he steamed straight in with his final card.

"Jack, there is something that you need to know. The reason you just gave me for not telling Sam how you feel is no longer valid. General Hammond pulled in a few favours, you two are too valuable to let go and the Air Force agrees."

The next thing he knew, Daniel was treated to the sight of Colonel Jack O'Neill, USAF, jumping up and running flat out, out of the door, shouting a rushed thanks over his shoulder and then Daniel heard him ask a random Airman "where the hell is Major Carter?!"

With a beaming grin on his face, Daniel picked up the phone and reported round three won and in fact if he knew Jack O'Neill at all, it was about to get game, set and match!



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Sam was in her quarters weighing up her options. She knew that she couldn't stay at the SGC now that her feelings had been put on display. Janet would have to report her findings and as such everyone would want to know why the emotional catalyst for her dreams was her CO. As much as the thought of leaving the SGC hurt, it was no competition for the pain she felt at the thought of man she loved thinking that she didn't trust him. Before she could wallow in anymore misery a sharp authoritative knock sounded on her door, so unexpected it made her jump.

As she swung the door open, she jumped a damn sight more because there, stood in front of her in sweats and trainers, sweaty and ruffled (and slightly out of breath) stood the last man she needed to see at this point in her thoughts.

"Major, we need to talk" She could tell from the set of his jaw and the determination in his addictive eyes that she didn't have a choice, so she stood aside and literally let in the man of her dreams.

"Carter, why wouldn't you tell me?" His voice had taken on a tone that Sam had never heard before and the pitch did funny little things to her insides. As she looked up to meet his hypnotic gaze, she knew that she wasn't going to keep anything from him this time.

"Colonel, it was bad enough when you thought I was just a geek, to have you think that I was some sort of freak as well was too much. I know how you feel about stuff like this and I know that you would have wanted me seeing Dr. McKenzie or something…" Her roll was interrupted by a smile that sent her knees weak.

"Sam"

*That* tone made her have to sit down

"For someone so smart, you don't know very much at all" He saw her reaction and it only served to strengthen his resolve "Rothman is the geek around here, not you. The very last way I see you is a geek. Let me explain to you some of *my* dreams."

Still trying to take in this wonderfully new side to her colonel and assimilate the fact that he had called her Sam was taking up too much of her brainpower, so she just sat, stunned and listening as he continued.

"Sam, for the longest time I have been having dreams about you. About what it would be like to watch you laugh at me, watch you walk down the aisle towards me, watch you grow as our baby grew, watch you cuddle our kid when they wanted their mommy. But mostly, just to watch you smile at me with the light in your eyes that makes them a colour of blue that I had never seen before until I met you." He paused lightly to take in the sheen of tears that made her eyes that self-same colour that he was talking about.

"Sam, in my eyes, you have never and will never be a geek or a flake. To me you are and always have been a funny, confident, sexy and unbelievably intelligent woman, soldier and scientist. You amaze me and I want more than anything else in the world for that woman to tell me she loves me too." Jack brutally squashed the urge to pull her into his arms; this had to be her move and her move alone. So he watched in the most intense moment of his life and waited to see if she would send him to heaven or to hell.

As he saw the tears fall down her perfect cheeks, he felt his heart rise to his mouth. Everything seemed to slow down as she stood and walked towards him. Now, being the man we know and love, patience is not one of his better qualities…

"Come on Sam…don't leave me like this. I'm kinda on dangerous ground here"

As she lifted her eyes to his, and this time, it was his knees that threatened to give way. Because there before him was that colour of blue that he had only ever seen in *her* eyes. So he listened with ill concealed nerves as she gave him his answer.

"I've saved you from dangerous ground before…"

Her eyes sparked with tears and love, unabashed as she moved her arms around his neck. Feeling his arms clamp around her strong and unyielding she heard his question.

"Will you save me again?" The poignancy of his words burned into her soul, but she couldn't hold back the mischief

"Don't I always save your ass?" her laugh sent an electric shiver between the two as she continued. "Yes Jack, I will. I love you too"

With that he took her mouth in a kiss that bared souls and ignited passions. A kiss that neither wanted to end, but when the need for oxygen became life threatening their choices where slim.

Once more looking deeply into her eyes, Jack asked the question that had haunted *his* dreams.

"Sam, I have it on good authority that a certain General has arranged things for us, allowing us to be together, so if you would consider saving my sorry ass on a daily basis for the rest of our lives, will you marry me?"

Her face was a picture, amazed at his information about the General, but more amazed at the question. But knowing that there had only ever been one answer, regulations or not.

"Of course I'll marry you Jack."

With that, they set about winning that game, set and match.



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Six weeks later, Jack stood in his full dress uniform watching an angel in ivory walk towards him, ready to promise herself to him in front of friends family and whichever god the congregation believed in. Staring deeply into her eyes, he showed her his soul and she didn't miss the message.

As Sam Carter walked towards the man she loved, her knees shook at how lethally sexy he looked. But of course she already knew that he would. This scene that was now playing out in front of her, was the first of the many dreams she had had concerning her CO, well before that CO had become her lover and her life. She just hoped and prayed that Janet would develop a new method of childbirth, because as she looked at the soul of her future husband she remembered one of her dreams.

Twins plus two. That was going to be fun!



The End!!!!

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