samandjack.net

Story Notes: All Things Questionable: Part II - Spoilers: Tiny for Nightwalkers and Abyss

Season: Six, sometime between Abyss and Prometheus

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of MGM, Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. I don't own them, though I've asked Santa on many, many occasions. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes, no money was made, and no copyright trademark infringement was intended. Everything else is copyrighted to the author.

Author's Notes: Follows "Part I - Don't Teach Good Aliens Bad Habits," but ya don't have to read it. Million thanks to Lesley for Beta'ing!


Jack ran his hand over the sleek curves, savoring the sensations, imagining the throaty purr that would emanate from beneath his hand when he...

"Sir, could you please take your hand off my engine?" Carter said from behind him.

Jack pulled back his hand. He knew that Carter was very particular about people touching her classic Harley D., so he fixed an apologetic smile as he turned towards her. "Sorry, Carter, I was just- "

Words fled. His brain shut down.

Carter. In leather. Leather. All. Over.

He took in the tight black jacket and the even tighter pants. The helmet tucked into the crook of her elbow. He searched for something to say, anything other than the insanely inappropriate, 'God, Carter, you look hot in that.' It *just* wasn't something you said to your 2IC...

Jack felt his mouth open, shut. Damn. *Still* no words.

"Aren't you..." he swallowed, "...Going to be hot in that?"

Jack mentally kicked himself. Oh that's *real* good...

Carter shook her head. "It's got ventilation pockets," she said, unzipping her leather jacket in a few places to show him.

Carter. Unzipping. Leather.

His brain started to melt.

"You look...that outfit..." Just get it out, you dolt... "Impressive," he said, his voice scratchy. He cleared his throat and tried again. "That's an impressive outfit there, Carter."

Sam's eyes twinkled. "Just wanted to set a good example for Jonas. You know, safety first..."

"Yes. Safety... safety is good."

Carter started pulling on her gloves, bending the knuckles for the best fit. She nodded towards her bike. "She's a beauty, isn't she?" she said proudly.

"Yes, she is," said Jack, not looking at the bike.

"She's a great ride..."

Jack choked, coughing to cover it. "I'm sure she is..." His eyes started to gleam.

"I just put a fresh coat of wax on her last week."

"Huh?" Jolted from his train of thought, his brain started to re- function - somewhat. Shaking off his mental inertia, he moved towards Carter.

"Now, Carter, remember what we discussed," he said, in his sternest voice.

"No riding around inside the base," she recited, smiling.

"Right." Jack said, wagging his finger like a schoolteacher. "Fraiser would have come after me if anyone got hurt. And I don't think *George* would like it too much either to return and see a dozen of his SF's in the infirmary, knocked down like a bunch of bowling pins."

"Don't worry, sir. We're going topside. And Janet's coming with us to make sure that Jonas doesn't kill himself in one of my so- called 'death traps.'" Carter made a face. "I think she got to him with her 'serious reservations' about 'potentially grave physical injuries' - Jonas looked pretty pale when she was done with him."

Jack smiled sympathetically. He himself was well acquainted with Doc Fraiser's tendency to use harrowing tales from her ER rotation when she wanted to make a point. "Well, just make sure you get him back in one piece. And that's an order."

"Yes sir."

******

Half-sitting, half-leaning on Sam's Harley, Janet watched as Jonas did awkward figure-eights in the empty lot on a borrowed starter bike. Sergeant Siler's, Janet assumed, knowing that Sam wouldn't let a beginner risk tipping over her pride and joy.

"So let me get this straight," said Janet, leaning in closer to Sam, "This happened not once, but twice now..."

"Uh-yes."

"He called you into his office for a reprimand..."

"The power failure and then the lock incident, right."

"And each time, instead of a reprimand, you..."

Sam nodded for emphasis. "Yes...we..."

Janet sat back in disbelief. "Sam, honey, do you know how bad this looks? Why, if anyone was ever to find out..."

"I know! I know!"

Janet Fraiser shook her head in amazement. "They'll say it's unprofessional, at best. At worst, all the regulations you're breaking..." Janet paused as something hit her, and her eyes widened, "They'll say you got out of being reprimanded by-"

"-Diverting his attention with my...feminine wiles?" Carter supplied. She tried to keep her voice light, but couldn't hide the weariness creeping through. Her thoughts on the Colonel seemed to be going in circles these days. Or figure-eights, she thought, looking at Jonas. There was an exhilarating uncertainty to being with Jack, that same heady excitement she got when she shifted her bike into high gear and pushed the limits, unrestrained and just at the edge of losing control...

...And that's what scared her.

She sighed, turning her thoughts back to her friend. "You know better, Janet. Besides, no one's going to find out. And you know I only told you because-"

"How am I doing, Major Carter?" Jonas said, driving in. Beneath his helmet, a million-volt smile reflected his enthusiasm.

"So far, so good," Sam said, "Remember, go easy on the throttle and use the rear brake as much as possible, you don't want to lock up the front wheel."

"I'll remember that," said Jonas, driving off. Janet waited until he was some distance away before starting again. "Sam, you know I want the best for you and more than *anyone* you and the Colonel deserve to be happy...but don't you think that you may be... rushing things?"

"Jonas, slow down!" Sam called out.

"Please, Sam. Just think about it. There's a lot at stake here, and I don't want you to get hurt or jeopardize your career. Much less his. The Colonel's been through a lot lately, and we still don't know what the full effects are of him-"

Jonas's bike made a noise that got Sam's attention. "Don't pop the clutch, feather it!" she yelled to Jonas.

Janet grabbed Sam by the arm, forcing her to face her. "Sam!"

"Janet!"

"Sam. Listen. I'm your friend. Promise me that you'll think through what you're doing...that you'll think about slowing down...things."

Sam shook her head. What was the use of arguing with someone who could make men twice her size follow her orders? "I'll...think about it."

Jonas pulled in. "Was I going too fast, Major Carter?"

Sam pushed away from the Harley, walking towards Jonas. "Only near the end. But you have to be aware of any number of factors - speed isn't everything."

"Never hurts to be cautious though," Janet said, ostensibly to Jonas, joining them in the middle of the lot. "Well," she looked up at the sky, then checked her watch. "We'd better get inside the mountain. It looks like rain."

******

"Feather the throttle, don't pop it. Feather the throttle, don't pop it." Jonas repeated his new mantra, kicking at an imaginary clutch.

Jack gritted his teeth. He had been in the commissary, sitting with a mound of paperwork in front of him, when Jonas had walked in. At first, Jack had welcomed the distraction, but now, with Mr. Hell's Angels in front of him, driving him NUTS...

"Feather the throttle... Feather the throttle..."

Jack couldn't stand it anymore. "Jonas, first of all, the term is 'clutch,' not 'throttle,' and second, if you don't stop saying that, I swear to God *I'll* throttle *you* good!"

"Sorry, Colonel O'Neill. I was just practicing, in my mind. You know," Jonas tapped his head. "Mind conditioning..."

"Mind conditioning?"

"Yes."

Jack stood up, deciding to go find Carter. But first... "Jonas, let me tell you what you can do with your *mind conditioning.*" Jack leaned down close. "You can take it, and shove it..."

******

"...Where the sun don't shine," said Jonas.

"'Where the sun don't shine' JonasQuinn?" Teal'c inquired.

"Yes, that's what he said."

The two aliens contemplated this statement. "That would be anyplace outside the Tau'ri solar system," Teal'c finally said.

"Somehow, I don't think that's what he meant," Jonas said. He took a bite of his apple, waving it around, said, "Teal'c, tell me something. I know you and Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill are still adjusting to me being on SG-1. But I thought I was starting to prove myself, you know, really making some contribution to the team. I don't understand why the Colonel's so ambivalent towards me most of the time. Heck, I don't even understand *him* half the time, with his expressions and all..."

Teal'c gazed at Jonas evenly. "The first will only be answered in time, JonasQuinn. I cannot be of assistance in O'Neill's behavior towards you other than to say that such interactions are characteristic of him."

"And the second?"

"I am in possession of a book that DanielJackson gave to me some time ago. I am no longer in need of the information, but it may be of assistance to you now."

"Great!" Jonas leaned back in his seat and took another bite of his apple, feeling his usual optimism return. "Thanks a lot, Teal'c."

******

Jack found Sam in her lab, back in her BDU's and wiping down her bike. "So...how'd it go?" he asked.

Carter looked up, startled. "Sorry Sir, I was just thinking..."

He stepped back in mock horror. "Well don't tell me if it's anything...technical."

Carter couldn't resist. "Well, actually, I was thinking that this new V-twin engine I installed doles out some beautifully smooth torque from tickover..."

"Uh, uh! Said I didn't want to hear it!"

They smiled at each other, but hers faded a bit quickly.

I'm losing my touch, he thought. Unless...

"Carter, somethin' on your mind?"

"Sir?"

"You seemed preoccupied..."

Why was she looking at him so strangely?

"Out with it," He said impatiently.

Carter seemed to be bracing herself. "Sir, when you start...something, something that others may question the wisdom of, something that can get out of control very quickly, you should proceed... slowly, right?"

"Slowly?" he repeated, blankly.

"Yes. With caution."

"Caution." He realized they weren't talking about a hypothetical situation.

"Right." Sam took a deep breath. "So when it comes to other aspects of this...situation, the physical aspects, so to speak, maybe we should...wait a bit?"

"Wait?"

She licked her lips. "Yes. Wait."

Jack looked at Carter, taking in again the things he'd registered when he'd first walked in. Her skin, glowing from being outside in the sunlight. Her hair, also sun-kissed, carelessly tousled, as if she had just taken off her helmet and run her fingers through the strands. His throat went dry, and something in his chest was making it difficult to breathe.

He ached for her...

...but he would never cause her to be hurt...

...so he'd have to make the best of it, for her sake.

Carter waited in tense silence.

He tried to make the best... "Well it did happen kinda..."

"Don't say fast!" said Carter, crossly.

"Suddenly!" He threw up his hands, feigning innocence. "I was going to say suddenly!"

Carter smiled, relieved at his tone. Her smile was so full of gratitude, so filled with unspoken promises, that it made Jack feel immensely better. What the hell. He'd waited for *this* for years, never hoping it would ever happen...he could wait a little longer.

"So," he said finally, gesturing towards the bicycle, but looking at her, "*Not* going on your motorcycle, huh?"

"Not anytime soon, no." She smiled.

"Even for a short ride?" he teased.

"Sir!" She protested, "*Especially* not for a short ride...!"



***fin***



End Notes: To Be Continued... in Teal'c Gives Jonas Quinn a Book.

Please send feedback to hya_right@yahoo.com. Cause I'm needy :)

You must login (register) to review.