The Man with the Plan
The greater metropolitan LA area is a place of such mind-blowing vastness that even the most sophisticated alien might be impressed by its size. Or not. Compared to the enormity of space, of course, it is probably smaller than a single atom that's been split a zillion times, but compared to a lot of other metropolises on Planet Earth, it's pretty huge.
LA is megalopolis, 90 miles across and with a population of over 13 million. The city limits themselves house around 3 million, which probably wouldn't seem like so many if you came to think about it, but the metropolitan area is way bigger and includes the County of Los Angeles and those many cities and places that grew to form what has come to be known as "El-Lay". So many of these are there that one side of the street might be LA and the other might be Beverley Hills, with an entirely different government and almost anything else too. Cross the street and you are literally in a different city.
So vast is the place that the average visitor has little hope of seeing the entirety of it, or even a fraction of its entirety. Not that the average visitor would want to do such a thing as there are many places such a visitor might find it wise to avoid at all costs. As an urban community, LA is full of contrasts, comprising the good, the bad and the downright ugly - seriously ugly: the ridiculously wealthy and the extremely poor; the givers, the takers, the lawmakers and the lawbreakers. It is a place of many extremes, and everything in between.
Jack and Sam might not be considered the average visitor. They'd crammed a lot into their visit already. There was no way they were going to attempt exploring even the teeniest percentage of the vastness that was LA. They were on vacation, for crying out loud, not an expedition. And their primary purpose for being there was to see Cassie and Chris, although that didn't mean they couldn't have some time alone. They were getting time alone right now, and it felt kind of good, and romantic.
Picture a darkened sky with stars glistening reflectively over an expanse of lapping water and a trail of bright shimmering lights curving round like a crescent moon to meet the shadows of the night. That's where Jack was now, driving along the Pacific Coast Highway with Sam's head resting on his shoulder. With the top down and the wind in their hair they were a near perfect representation of a couple in love – LA style.
The PCH, as the natives call it, skirts around the ocean and at night, which it was, you can see the lights of Santa Monica Bay. The lights glittering around the bay shine into the night like a circle of bright pearls, affectionately called the Queen's Necklace. Jack, who might at first glance seem to be a pragmatist, had romance in the root of his soul. This moment had not happened by chance. He'd driven this way specially. Sam's head on his shoulder, hair blowing in the breeze, simply added to the illusion of romance.
"It's beautiful, Jack," Sam said, turning her head to kiss his cheek and raising it from the comfort of his shoulder to smile. "Very romantic."
"Isn't it?" he replied rhetorically, returning her smile and feeling smugly satisfied with himself for bringing her there.
"Who'd have thought curmudgeonly old General O'Neill would have so much romance in his heart?" she added with a teasing smirk.
"Huh! Less of the old if you don't mind," he objected with a chuckle and she squeezed his arm affectionately.
"You sure meant it when you said you had a few ideas for things to do in LA."
"I made myself busy checking it out before we came."
"You're not busy enough already?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Hey, I'm only a general. All the real work gets done by the little folk, like you," he joked and Sam's face broke into a broad grin.
"You are a wicked man, Mr Scarecrow."
"I try my best. You're not exactly an angel yourself, Dorothy."
"That's because my ex-CO was such a bad influence."
"Yeah?" His lips curled up at the edges and small dimples appeared on his cheek. Sam reached a fingertip to brush that cheek, smoothing along the dimples, and Jack briefly turned his lips to kiss her fingertips before forcing his eyes back to the road. "We're gonna have to exchange a few words, me and him."
"Good luck with that," Sam retorted with a giggle on her lips, "he's a very difficult man."
"So I've heard." Jack gave Sam a sideways glance and her bright smile made his heart flip. She still held that power over him and, sometimes, Jack found this fact truly awesome. For a very long time, he'd had to hide and suppress it, but not anymore, and that was even more remarkable. Jack had never believed this day would come, now here it was, one in a long line of many such days that he hoped would continue forever. "Yep, awesome," he muttered.
"What?" Sam asked, not sure she'd heard correctly.
"Did I say that out loud?" Jack quipped, but was thinking maybe he could die a happy man after all, something underserved he hadn't believed likely to happen. Sam loved him and they were going to be married. Awesome. Yeahsureyabetchya! Jack whooped out loud and Sam was taken aback.
"Jack? You okay?"
"Way more than okay – happy."
"Happy?"
"I love you, babe. You love me back. Ergo, happy."
Sam leaned over to kiss his cheek and lay her head on his shoulder once more. "Me too," she agreed with a murmur. Jack opened up the engine and started to drive faster. "Whatchya doin'?" she asked, using a favoured Jack O'Neill phrase, one of the many she'd started to mimic, albeit subconsciously.
"Getting you away from all this. Trust me, I'm a general in the US Air Force."
"Okay, I can do that," she replied, letting her mind drift and reflect on the last few days. Her future husband could be so full of surprises. As usual, he'd had a plan, or actually a few plans, although he'd failed to fill her in on any of them.
*****************************
Although the Disney Concert Hall was the newest place to be, an impressive looking ultra modern building with the reputation for having perfect acoustics in every seat, Jack's heart hankered for the Hollywood Bowl with its much longer history as part of the lifeblood of LA. Jeez, The Beatles had even played there, as had most famous musicians and singers over the years.
One of the beauties of Jack's position in DC was he got to know a lot of influential people. Having many friends of friends of friends meant he could pull in a few favors when required. In Jack's humble opinion, a concert at the Bowl, particularly when it might be a once in a lifetime thing, should be done in style. For him, this meant special seating, preferably in a box close to the front rather than the more uncomfortable wooden benches further back, and special food served before the concert.
Getting a good box at the Bowl was a difficult trick to pull off. There were waiting lists and pecking orders to consider. Nevertheless, like all good magicians, Jack managed to swing it. Friends of friends of friends - God love 'em!
Cassie and Chris were suitably impressed and enthusiastic, as they knew how hard such a box was to come by. Sam was thrilled, but had no real idea of how much of an impressive feat Jack's coup de grace was. That was until Cassie and Chris told her, in tones of awe and appreciation.
To some extent, the concert itself didn't much matter. It was the place and the atmosphere – just being there up front and centre with one of the better views in the house, and some of the best food money could buy.
"Oh god, wait until we tell everyone!" Cassie squealed excitedly, but pulling herself together very quickly to appear calm and collected as if she might do this kind of thing every day of her life.
Jack regarded her with an indulgent smile. She was growing up to become a beautiful and sophisticated woman and pleasing her was something that gave him a huge amount of satisfaction. He considered her as the daughter he'd never had and believed she should be spoiled rotten whenever possible.
Much to Sam's regret she discovered that people don't dress up for the Bowl. She'd packed a slinky silvery grey dress just in case they found the right occasion. Perhaps it was the right occasion, in Sam's opinion anyway, but the dress definitely wasn't the right thing to wear. A more casual look was the norm, and the more expensive the better, even if you did look like you were going to the Super Bowl, not the Hollywood Bowl. At least that was what Sam muttered to herself as she cursed a missed opportunity to wear the dress.
She had packed clothes to fit almost any occasion and knew her long silky and clinging silvery grey dress enhanced the contours of her body perfectly and showed most of her bare back, which Jack would have considered very alluring. Sam wanted to show off and was denied the chance. So instead she wore a simple blue dress that flattered her breasts and revealed her cleavage enticingly.
His eyes had popped out appreciatively upon seeing the heavenly apparition of Sam in the dress, which he thought was as sexy as hell. He couldn't imagine a time might come when he wouldn't be proud of escorting this woman on his arm, and be the envy of men everywhere they went. What a very lucky man he was.
Jack was reminded of how much he adored her and this turned him to thinking about their wedding and wedding plans, none of which had been agreed, not even a date. He determined to get her alone for that discussion very soon.
Cassie looked superb, and every inch the young chic adult, in the expensive designer label jeans and top borrowed from Sam's seemingly magic suitcase. How Sam packed everything in was a wonder that would never cease to amaze Jack, but she appeared to have a knack of conjuring almost anything required from its depths.
It wasn't the first time he'd likened her bag to that of Mary Poppins and Jack suspected it wouldn't be the last. This led his train of thought onto honeymoons and how much fun he would have taking every opportunity to remove the vast quantity of clothing she'd probably end up packing, no doubt after a few shopping trips. A dream come true for both of them – her buying them and him enjoying an eye full and then stripping them off - as long as she didn't expect him to go clothes shopping with her. The very thought was enough to make his brain hurt. Ack!
However, the notion of honeymoon made him smile secretively and decide the whole wedding discussion thing had to take place very soon. He longed for this woman to be his wife and didn't want to waste much more time waiting. Jack was very aware he wasn't getting any younger. Neither was Sam. It was one thing to be engaged but to take that final step… was it too soon? The only way to find out was to ask her. No pressure, no siree!
Casually dressed she might have been but Chris gasped with surprise when Cassie appeared, jewellery, cosmetics and hair all perfectly enhancing the chic look. Jack and Sam exchanged happy glances, pleased this pair appeared to be so in love.
Although both had harboured doubts about Chris, and the tender years of both, he had managed to calm their fears with his charm and obvious devotion to the young woman they played guardians to. Both Jack and Sam liked him immensely and, if the couple were very young, what did it matter as long as they were happy? Maybe the relationship wasn't forever, who knew, but it seemed so right - for right now. Cross that bridge, as Jack might have said.
When Sam saw what Jack was wearing she thought their contrasting blues made them look like a matched set and kind of liked that. She thought he looked so sexy in his dress blues, dripping with all those medals and all, but he avoided wearing them whenever he could. He'd brought them with him especially for this evening out because he considered it was right and proper. The box he'd procured belonged to a very influential person in DC and he had to respect that.
The uniform made a point - Major General Jack O'Neill wasn't exactly without influence either. Compared to the others he felt overdressed, but you can't go far wrong with a uniform, particularly when it's overflowing with medals and has a couple of stars on the shoulder. In Jack's opinion, casual was out of the question in these circumstances. He wanted to impress.
Although the Bowl held concerts on some afternoons as well as evenings, frequently with big named artists, having done a little research Jack had deliberately chosen an evening where they could view the apparently extravagant fireworks display alongside enjoying some decent music. He very much hoped his companions would also get pleasure from the music, which was a jazz/blues style spectacular with a guest artist he'd never heard of, but whose reputation in Europe was apparently excellent, with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra accompanying.
The following week he might have been able to procure seats for the Tchaikovsky evening, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, but by then he and Sam would be long gone. He loved classical as well and jazz/blues so would have been happy either way. This was an occasion, not just an evening out, and Jack could take or leave the likes of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young or similarly well known rock bands who he'd noted were playing at various points during the season.
He was damned lucky to have got tickets, especially in one of the Garden Boxes, so he wasn't complaining and neither, apparently, were his companions who seemed suitably thrilled and impressed by the whole experience.
It was one of those balmy nights one might expect in LA, which happily suffered no rainy or cold weather for the longest of months. They started with a superb dinner served in their box and provided by the resident caterers, who after much consideration Jack had opted to use rather than getting something brought in from outside.
"Oh my god, is that Buttercup?" Cassie exclaimed halfway through munching on her perfectly cooked salmon fillet.
Chris and Jack both looked to where she was pointing, Jack being curious to see this woman who had vied for Chris' attentions what seemed like so long ago.
"Sure is," Chris agreed, waving to attract her attention. Jack noticed Cassie stiffen slightly and smiled at her, leaning over to whisper in a low voice.
"She hasn't got anything on you Cass, take it from a man who knows these things. You're stunning." His hand reached to squeeze hers reassuringly and Cassie smiled back weakly, thrilled by his compliment but still nervous about Buttercup's presence. She hadn't seen her old rival in quite a while and neither had Chris, as far as she knew, but this fact didn't ease the moments of self-doubt.
Buttercup waved back, looking from Chris to Cassie and their two companions curiously and, Jack thought, perhaps a little enviously. Even if he said so himself, they made a handsome quartet. Now he was even more pleased he'd decided to wear the dress blues. He looked pretty impressive, there was no doubting that.
"I guess that might be her parents," Chris commented, turning his attention back to Cassie and his food. "Ack! Who cares?" He smiled warmly at the woman he adored, pondering the ludicrous notion that some time in the distant past he'd been idiotic enough to consider Buttercup as a feasible choice of girlfriend when Cassie had been available.
He turned to whisper something in Cassie's ear and she grinned with delight, whispering back. Jack was curious but said nothing, merely noting that Cassie no longer looked discomfited by the unexpected appearance of the infamous Buttercup. He figured sweet and reassuring nothings had been exchanged and that made him a happy camper.
"Buttercup? What a name!" he exclaimed as if he'd never heard it before. "A friend from UCLA?" he enquired and Cassie smiled at him gratefully.
"Wouldn't call her a friend exactly," Chris replied, oblivious to the silent exchanges between Cassie and Jack. "An old acquaintance. Don't see her much anymore. These days I'm way too busy keeping Cassie happy." He smiled at her again and she blushed shyly.
"I'm mighty glad to hear that Chris," Jack said with a grin, turning back to the love in his own life. "Enjoying it Dorothy?" he asked quietly.
"It's perfect Mr Scarecrow. You sure know how to have a vacation." She glanced around the atmospheric Bowl happily, and then down at the diminishing food on their plates.
"Gotta do things in style sometimes. DC has certainly taught me that."
"You always had style, Jack O'Neill, you just never knew it," she replied, leaning towards him to briefly kiss the side of his neck.
"Aw shucks…" he retorted with a shy chuckle, momentarily wishing they were alone. She looked so hot in that skimpy blue number that he longed to remove it very slowly, and make love to her.
Both the concert and fireworks were as spectacular as Jack had been led to believe, and the quartet returned to the small apartment contented and replete, chatting for a while about this and that before Jack and Sam retired to the bedroom.
"That dress is… wow!" he declared, pulling her into an embrace and smoothing his hands over the nakedness of her lean, tanned back.
Sam was thrilled he liked the dress, briefly wondering how he'd have reacted to the elegant grey number. Perhaps with a double wow.
"Wow? Uh oh, I think I know what you're after you sex fiend," she responded, easing him off her gently.
"Not in the mood?" he asked with a disappointed expression, feeling slightly perturbed by her response.
"Ummm… probably, but with Cassie and Chris right next door? Not sure I can handle that." She looked at him hoping for some understanding and Jack quickly suppressed his dismay.
"Do you have to taunt me by looking so hot all the time?" he asked semi-jokingly.
"You'd prefer sack cloth and ashes?" she replied with a quizzical expression. Sam didn't want to disappoint him, indeed she enjoyed their lovemaking very much, but the idea that Cassie and Chris might hear them through the apartment walls was enough to dampen any ardour. Jack sighed and started to get undressed.
"You'd probably look hot in those too," he commented resignedly.
"You look pretty hot too, Mr Scarecrow. I'm sorry."
Jack paused to look at her and could see she was torn, and regretful. "It's okay," he said, the impulse to express his frustration briefly flittering across his face, and he continued to disrobe, feeling slightly ill at ease and needing something with which to occupy his hands.
"Jack it's got nothing to do with you, it's me," she said hastily, misinterpreting his reaction as a gesture of hurt feelings rather than frustration. "I guess I just feel edgy with them right next door. It's embarrassing. Am I being foolish?" Jack shook his head trying his best to be understanding, despite his dissatisfaction. His mind had drifted off to fantasies of making love to Sam quite a few times that night.
"We should have stayed in a hotel," he grumbled.
"You know we did the right thing coming here. Cassie so wanted us to."
"Next time I'll get us a luxury room at The Athenaeum. The Einstein Suite sounded pretty good."
Sam looked at him with surprise. In the nineteenth century, The Athenaeum had been a famous club in London, frequented by the scientific and literary community. The LA version had been modelled after that one, founded in the 1920s as part of the California Institute of Technology and envisaged as a means of stimulating friendship and the exchange of ideas among lovers of science, art, and literature. Or so it said on the blurb he'd read on-line. Sam would have been taken aback to discover how much effort he'd put into thinking about this vacation, and even more so at his use of a computer to discover much of it.
"The Athenaeum? Classy. You could have got us in there?"
"Sure. With your brains and my contacts I could probably get us in nearly anywhere." He smiled inwardly when she grinned in appreciation. "You've been to Caltech before haven't you?"
"Long time ago. It was all business."
Jack knew it was the kind of business Sam would enjoy tremendously, a meeting of genius level minds, but didn't mention the plans he'd made to sweep her off to Pasadena while they were in LA. Pasadena was one of those cities that comprised LA, home of Caltech, The Athenaeum and Jet Propulsion Laboratories, all of which a person in Sam's position could legitimately visit in her own right anytime she wanted, but she rarely got the chance. Knowing she would love all that science stuff, even if they were on vacation, Jack had made secret plans for a visit.
"The Athenaeum might have been good. I hear some of the rooms have balconies looking out over that lovely garden."
"Like the Einstein Suite," he replied tartly. Having stripped down to his boxers and put his suit away, he got into bed, watching as Sam started to slip out of her own clothes. She wasn't wearing that much to slip out of and Jack tried to occupy his mind with something other than making love to her, closing his eyes in an attempt to block out the sight of her bare flesh and sexy underwear. The vision was too burned into his psyche to simply magic away and he cursed to himself.
"Sounds like my kind of place," she said with a laugh, hanging up her dress and slipping in beside him.
"Surely does. Geniuses of the world unite," he joked, trying to act as if sex was the last thing on his mind. The more he tried not to think about it, the more he wanted it.
Sam, meanwhile, was thinking the Einstein Suite must be so named because of the great man's long sojourn at the club. It was an appealing idea to stay in a place where Albert Einstein had once lived for a couple of months. Jack noted her thoughtful expression, guessing what was on her mind. He might not appreciate that genius as much as she did, but he certainly appreciated hers, and her notion of scientist as hero. Jack wasn't that crazy about scientific types, but Sam was one geek he could happily spend the rest of his life with and Jack had every intention of fulfilling that ambition.
"Next time we come to California. I promise," he said, wishing he'd resisted Cassie's pleas to stay in their apartment, just as his gut had warned him to do. He couldn't help but wonder if the young woman had insisted out of obligation more than desire. Both couples would have been better off with more space and privacy, and he and Sam could have been living in the lap of luxury right now, with not a single qualm about having a sexual romp.
"That's a date," she responded with a smile. "Wanna snuggle?"
"Mmmm… yes please… perfect." She moved closer and he swept her into his arms.
"Oh, Jack I-I…" she stammered apologetically when the extent of his sexual arousal became physically apparent to her.
"Shhh," he whispered reassuringly, kneading her back with his hands. "A snuggle will be fine, Sam. I'll get over it. But one of these days I want to seduce that dress right off of you."
"One of these days I'll let you," she whispered back, kissing his lips tenderly. Jack resisted the temptation to return that kiss with passionate fervour and they settled down to sleep.
He stayed awake for a long time after she'd dozed off, still frustrated, so much so that eventually he had to get up and go to the bathroom to do something about it. Having managed to get in and out of bed without disturbing her, he was able manoeuvre himself to spoon against her back, his arm draped over her, without eliciting so much as a twitch, and within a very short space of time he was joining her in the world of dreams.
Having completed the part of his plan involving a romantic drive along the coast and Queen's Necklaces, a few miles further along the road Jack pulled off and parked the car, hopeful of fulfilling another notion. Sam looked around, surprised.
"Jack? What are you doing now?" she asked, appraising the motel whose parking lot they'd pulled into.
"Getting us a room."
"A room? Wha… oh! Jack O'Neill!" Her eyes widened with astonishment.
"I know you don't feel comfortable about doing it with Cassie and Chris so close by, so... I sure am not spending the rest of this vacation having no sex with my fiancee."
"You want sex?" She very much wanted to giggle in a school-girlish manner, but thinking Jack might misconstrue her imminent hysteria she clamped down on that urge very firmly.
"Yeah, I want sex. Is that alright with you?" His eyes searched her face for an answer. "Speak now or forever hold your peace," he added jauntily. She said nothing, merely smiling at him with an expression that seemed way more than simply agreeable to his plans.
Since they'd arrived in LA, Jack had been getting a lot of sexual urges and they seemed to be increasing with intensity every day. His desire was probably heightened by the fact he knew the sexual act was forbidden with Cassie and Chris in bed right next door. Sometimes he found it hard to look at Sam without thinking about stripping her and having mad, passionate sex. This had become one of those times.
Jack wasn't so sure he cared much if the younger couple were able to hear every creak of the bed or groan and moan, but if that was the way Sam wanted it he was willing to play along, albeit it with a huge dose of reluctance. Neither of them were going to enjoy it if Sam was self-conscious. But he was pretty determined to achieve some moments of togetherness with Sam, and right now that meant sex with a capital S, E and X.
"Go get us a room, Mr Scarecrow, and be quick about it." Sam loved it when Jack was spontaneous and couldn't wait to find out exactly what he had in mind to do with her behind the privacy of closed and locked doors.
She had to admit she had a small itch too. Making love with Jack was one of the most worthy ways of spending time Sam could imagine. At the beginning of their relationship, the sex had been nervously hesitant. The shift from CO and subordinate to lovers hadn't been easy on either of them. But Jack knew what he was doing and then there was that practice making perfect thing and, as the love and trust between them grew and deepened, the sex had just got better and better. Their strong mental bond enhanced their physical one – most of the time. Everyone has their off days.
"That's what I like to hear," he said, getting of the car, "a woman after my own heart." He left the door open and was back within minutes, key in hand. "Number 3 up towards the end." Without further ado, Jack gunned the engine and he was pulling her over the threshold of their room in seconds flat.
Once inside, he locked the door and the next thing Sam knew she was in his arms, pressed against the door with his hands wandering over and under her clothing.
"If I'd known you had this in mind I would have dressed for the occasion," Sam said, imagining all the sexy clothes she had back at the apartment, and here she was in an ordinary skirt and t-shirt, not wearing any of her really special underwear. That just didn't seem right to Sam; there was something decidedly unfair about it.
"Think I give a damn what you're wearing?" he retorted, but Sam was wishing as she liked looking sexy for Jack and, right now, she thought she looked so run of the mill.
He pulled her closer, placing his lips on hers, and she parted them to give entry to his tongue. Jack's hands certainly didn't seem to care what she was wearing as they wandered over her ass during the deep, long kiss, and one of them hitched up her skirt and smoothed along the flesh of her thighs. His lips slowly pulled away from her mouth, nibbling along her neck while the hand that wasn't caressing her thighs eased under her t-shirt and over her bra.
"You aren't gonna be wearing clothes for much longer," he stated in a breathless whisper to emphasis his case for not giving a damn about what she wore. Sam liked dressing up because for years Jack had mainly seen her in BDUs or some kind of uniform, often bearing a gun or leaning over the table in her lab carrying out some kind of experiment, hair all over the place, hot, sticky, dirty or worse. She liked to show him how much of a woman she was without all that military paraphernalia and protocol.
Jack, on the other hand, thought she was pretty damned hot in the BDUs, although had to admit she had plenty of clothing that made her appear almost too hot to handle. But he'd fallen in love with the woman in BDUs and admired that woman body and soul. Although this did not mean he didn't simply adore her in the hot red suit, semi see through blouse and sexy camisole, or one of the many outfits she'd seen fit to wear over the months. She was an enticing woman and knew how to use her many attributes. After all those years of military paraphernalia and protocol, that had come as something of a revelation, and a very pleasant one it was too.
"Looks like a nice bed, shame to waste it," he commented, despite the temptation to take her right there and then, pressed up against the motel room door.
"If you insist," she agreed, her fingertips lacing with his, and they approached the bed hand in hand. "We ought to call Cassie and Chris, they might be worried."
"Afterwards Dorothy. Just… I need to make love to you now. Can't wait any longer. No way, no how!" They hadn't even turned the light on.
Sam sensed his need was acute because he obviously wasn't much in the mood for being seductive and drawing their lovemaking out like he so often did. So caught up with his desire was Jack, that he fumbled to strip their clothes off without any of the usual caressing and kissing of flesh while he did so.
She pushed him away, urging him to deal with his own clothing while she dealt with hers, realising he must have had sex on his mind quite a lot – much more so than normal – and feeling a pang of guilt for not satisfying his very obvious urges over the last few days.
Sam knew, come what may, Jack wouldn't fail to try and satisfy her but she generally preferred their lovemaking to be tender, loving and long rather than hard and quick, although this wouldn't be the first or the last time for either of them. She had her moments as well. They spent way too long apart and when they got together the itch had often turned into a enormous rash, or even a gaping wound that required immediate cauterisation.
"Don't hold back on my account," she said as he virtually lunged at her, pushing her onto the bed. He said nothing, merely catching her eye with a look of desperation and hint of apology in his. Jack's thoughts were a raging turbulence, but he briefly pondered how much he adored this woman, who was selflessly willing to let him satisfy his desire with no thought for her, just because she sensed his irresistible lust. Sam deserved better but didn't always get it.
Jack cursed himself for his self-centredness, not surprised to find she wasn't really ready for sex, but he couldn't allow himself to hurt her no matter how frantic he was. Giving her pleasure was normally high on his list of priorities with their lovemaking.
"Don't worry Jack," she whispered, "your need is greater than mine."
"I don't want to hurt you," he replied, meeting her gaze. She was smiling and he gave in to his sudden irresistible urge to kiss her. "God, I love you so much," he declared when his lips and tongue pulled away.
"I know."
"I'm pleased you know, Sam, because sometimes…"
"Shhh… you don't have to make excuses for being a man." Her words made him chuckle and lightened the heavy mood inspired by his desires and guilt at being such a selfish bastard.
"Don't know how you put up with me," he said regretfully.
"Because you're worth it." She was knocked for a loop by his responding grin, but in Jack's eyes she could clearly see his internal struggle. He was trying so hard to maintain some modicum of control.
Sam understood the guilt he felt at his selfishness, and his sometimes darker nature. Jack tried to hide that side of him, but she felt privileged beyond his understanding when he revealed it to her. His feelings for her ran very deep or he would never have revealed so much of himself over the past few months.
Jack had wanted her to know before she committed herself to him, but what he didn't realise was that she already knew, the fact if not the detail, and loved and respected him regardless. She was already committed long before they'd even become a couple, despite how it might have appeared when she'd been with Pete.
Had she married Pete, Sam still would have been committed to Jack, heart and soul, forever and always. That was one reason she could never have married Pete, should never had said yes. She knew, deep down, Jack still felt that pain she'd inflicted on him. Hurting Jack was the biggest regret of her life, with the possible exception of her mother's untimely death, but she couldn't continue to apologise for that grievous error forever. That might destroy what they had so belatedly found. All she could do now was love him as unreservedly as possible, and make sure he knew.
She urged him to continue, longing for him to quash his guilt and take pleasure from her body. Didn't he understand that she loved to give him satisfaction? Any discomfort she might suffer would be worth every uncomfortable moment to see ecstasy on his face. Her fulfilment could wait. Worth it, so worth it.
"No!" Jack exclaimed with a strangulated cry.
"Please Jack," she begged. She stroked his hair, loving him all the more because of his stubborn refusal to simply get it over with, and although the sex was finished almost before it started, and way quicker than she might have preferred, Jack managed to resist his selfish impulses to ensure she enjoyed it.
Propped on his elbows on top of her, he greeted her look of adoration with a heart-wrenching smile. "I love you baby," he said, bending his head to kiss her lips delicately before dismounting and pulling her into his arms. "Thank you."
"Thank you? No need to thank me, Jack."
"Yes there is. You're one heck of a woman," he muttered, moving off her to lie by her side.
"Then I should thank you."
"I started off kinda wanting romantic," he confessed, that having been part of the reason he'd driven her along the PCH at night in the first place. So much for that plan. Desire had overtaken the need to romance her and he regretted that, but too late now. It was done and couldn't be undone. Jack wasn't going to waste too much time feeling bad about it, as he'd get plenty of opportunities to make it up to her.
"Romance is overrated," she replied with a slight smirk. With Jack she got a bit of everything and she liked that.
"Mmmm…"
He said no more and she knew he'd fallen into a doze, so she smiled, kissing his temple and smoothing his hair. "I love you Jack O'Neill," she declared in a soft whisper and he grunted quietly and smiled slightly as if he'd heard. Maybe he had.
Extricating herself from his embrace and propping herself up, she stared at his handsome features in the darkness, able to make out the outline of his nose, and his contented expression.
"Are you still awake?" he asked, without opening his eyes.
She was startled. "I thought you were asleep."
"Think I might have been. Mind if I put the light on?"
"No," she replied and he reached for the switch. They both blinked to adjust their eyes and Sam noticed his serious appearance, wondering if something was wrong. When he lay his head down on the pillow next to hers again she asked him. "Something on your mind?"
"Yeah." His pause seemed to continue for an age and he drifted into thought with a far away look in his eyes. Sam felt the need to prompt him.
"Jack?" She stroked his cheek and he gasped, almost as if he's been deeply engrossed in his own little world and forgotten he'd been about to speak, and maybe he had. His deep brown eyes turned to meet hers.
"Marry me?" he asked and she furrowed her eyebrows, taken aback.
"We're already engaged."
"I mean let's set a date. You and Betsy, probably Cassie too, have been thinking about it and planning it for what seems like forever, but we haven't, so let's do it."
"What? I-I…"
"Not getting cold feet on me are ya, Dorothy?" Although his tone was light-hearted, Sam wondered if he really thought she might dump him before they got to the altar and, after her two previous failures, who could blame him for doubting? She had a poor track record as far as commitment to men was concerned, but Sam had no doubts about Jack. He was the right one. This was really it, at last, and it seemed as if she'd been waiting for him her whole lifetime. In Sam's opinion, her previous failures to fulfil a commitment had served a purpose and being with Jack was it.
"Never, Mr Scarecrow. You're my third time lucky." He smiled at that and brushed his hand over her brow, bending to kiss her briefly on the lips. "You've never really told me what you want, Jack, the when, where and how?" Her eyes glistened with the emotion of the moment, heart thumping excitedly.
"Didn't think I was gonna get any say in the matter. Thought you and Betsy had it all pegged," he said with a hint of O'Neill sarcasm, trying to lighten the affecting mood. The last thing he wanted was to be overwhelmed with emotion. Jack liked to stay in control of his feelings wherever and whenever possible, and mainly did, but Sam had a bad habit of breaking through the barrier. He loved her for it, but sometimes didn’t like himself quite so much.
"Seriously. What do you want?" she persisted, keeping his eyes entrapped with hers, which made it hard for Jack to reign in those potentially wayward emotions.
"Me?" he answered more light-heartedly than he felt. "I'd elope to Vegas tomorrow and get hitched in some seedy shrine to Elvis or little green men as long as I walked out with Mrs Samantha O'Neill on my arm," he joked. "I want you to have everything, Sam, anything you want. The whole works. Whatever it takes and screw the expense. So what do you want? What have you always dreamed of?"
Sam reached for his hand and grasped it, chuckling as she recalled various flights of fancy she'd had when younger. She remembered the fantasies she'd discussed with Betsy as a teen, when she'd been so determined she would marry a certain dashing and handsome young Captain O'Neill one day. But now she was older and wiser, and the real thing was right there with her, staring into her eyes. This was real.
Kissing his knuckles while she thought on her response, she spoke up after a lengthy pause. She could see Jack was making an effort to hide an inner turmoil and wanted to hug him for being such an adorable lunk.
"I always figured springtime, when romance is in the air, spring blossoms blooming and birds twittering on the trees making nests."
"Okay, we can wait until then."
Sam thought she detected some disappointment in Jack's tone, given the seasons had passed beyond what might be considered as spring, and the fact he didn't want to wait made her heart soar. She couldn't help but smile and he returned her grin with a glorious one of his own, unable to resist.
"No, I don't want to wait that long. That was then, this is now. These days I'm rather partial to the fall, when the trees are turning brown and red but the sun is still warm and the skies still blue."
"Sounds nice. We can do that," he said, continuing to smile. Jack knew she loved the fall and had hoped this might be what she really wanted. Fall was only a matter of a few months away. It gave him time to arrange for her fantasies to come true while not having to wait too long to make her Mrs O'Neill and fulfil his own.
"We have to get married in Colorado Springs, don't you think?" she said looking at him enquiringly, but he said nothing, waiting for her to continue. He didn't disagree with that idea. It seemed logical they would marry in the place that had become so dear to both of them. "Unless you were thinking DC or Minnesota." His nose wrinkled at the mention of DC and he shook his head at the notion of Minnesota.
"I'm asking you what you want," he said, shifting to prop himself up on one arm while the other reached out to hers, coming to rest on her bare flesh and giving it a gentle squeeze before settling to stroke it with his thumb.
"The Chapel at the Air Force Academy is pretty special." Sam loved the unique soaring spires, unusual shape and beautiful modern stained glass, and it was big enough to accommodate the whole SGC plus a few other friends and family if that was what they wanted.
"You want the whole military thing?" He figured this shouldn't have surprised him. After all, Sam was a military brat born and raised. It was in the blood with her.
"Don't you?" she asked hesitantly. This was Jack's wedding too and, although she longed for him to want what she wanted, she realised this was not necessarily so.
"Whatever you want Dorothy." Sam could tell he meant that sincerely and it pleased her, but she was reluctant to take total control of that important event in their lives.
Jack didn't wish to mention his previous union with Sara, but the fact he'd been married before and this was to be Sam's first, and hopefully last, colored his view. He yearned to make her happy and wanted their wedding to be perfect in her eyes - start as he intended to continue. He'd already been there and done the getting hitched thing. All he wanted now was to marry Sam and Jack didn't much mind about the where and how as long as it happened, although he figured a little romance couldn't hurt.
After some thought she spoke. "I want my future husband to be wearing his military best, dripping with medals and looking as sexy as hell."
Jack chuckled slightly uneasily. "You think I look sexy in my dress blues? Who'd have thunk?" he replied with a shy boyish smile on his lips.
"I want the full military honor guard stuff and-and… but failing that I'll elope with you to Vegas tomorrow if you like."
"You would?" he queried, half tempted by the idea of dragging Cassie and Chris along and just getting it done. Daniel would kill him, and Betsy would be none too happy with Sam. In fact, he figured quite a few people would be put out by that act. Besides, Jack knew it wasn’t what Sam really wanted. She deserved the full works and he was going to give them to her.
"Yes, I would."
Jack sighed wistfully, but said, "I'll call the Academy when we get back and hope we can find a slot."
"You're okay with the Academy?"
"Seems fitting, don't ya think?"
"Yes. Yes it does."
He pulled her closer, sinking back onto the bed to cuddle her affectionately, and both of their minds raced with the various arrangements that would have to be made between now and then. There would be a lot to do and it wouldn't be made any easier by the fact that he lived in DC while she was the one on the spot in the Springs. They both had such limited time available.
"And what about a honeymoon, Sam?" he whispered gently in her ear. "Where do you want to go?"
"Can't we just hide out in an icy crevice in Antarctica for a few days?" she joked and Jack laughed, sharing that distant memory.
"As long as you don't need to give me any medical attention while we're there, that would be fine," he said pulling back from their hug to blast her with a grin. Their arms remained entwined while their heads rested facing each other on the pillows.
"No leg splinting for old times sake?" She winked teasingly.
"Ack! Anything but that!"
His expression was one of mock horror, although Sam figured he probably meant it. She had to admit she'd probably been a little ham-fisted and her now lover and ex-CO had gone through agonies of torment. Poor guy, but he'd lived – they both had. The whole ghastly experience had brought them closer together in those early days of the team, so a lot of good had come out of it, and their many other more nasty adventures over the years. Once again she pondered, that was then, this is now.
"Got any thoughts?" she asked curiously.
"Lots of 'em."
"The man with the plan?" she teased.
"Always," he said, glancing at her eyes, which were filled with amusement. "Okay, well, nearly always." He shrugged and pulled a self-mocking face, causing Sam to smile sweetly and his heart to flip-flop in his chest once again. His fingers combed through her hair affectionately and he kissed her forehead while she squeezed him tenderly.
"Anywhere with you will be great Jack," she declared in a soft and loving tone.
"Sweet!"
"Use your imagination," she added.
"You want me to just arrange something?" he asked, surprised. What if he made the wrong choice?
"Yeah, surprise me."
"Whoa! What if you don't like my plan?"
"I know I'll love it. I trust you Jack."
"Okay," he replied, nodding. "The man with the plan will get planning." He let out a long quiet sigh. "Jeez, this is really going to happen, isn't it? We're really gonna do it."
"Yes, we're really gonna do it. You doubted it?"
"And I'll keep doubting it until we exchange those vows and put rings on each other's fingers, and then I'll still probably figure I'm dreaming."
She tittered and her fingers reached over to stroke his neck. "No backing out now."
"As if. No way. Always and forever, Sam," he whispered and her heart fluttered with excitement at that prospect.
"Always and forever? Never alone?"
"Never alone," he agreed, fingering the necklace she now wore most of the time, which got him to thinking about wedding rings and whether he could get those Ancient, but very special, words engraved on both of theirs. Did they have any of this alien metal going spare so he could get a couple of wedding bands made? He'd have to speak to Daniel about that and see if they could fix something up.
The necklace had brought them together after so many years of mainly hidden and suppressed forlorn hope, and one heck of a near miss when Sam had decided to give up on Jack and marry someone else. Thank god that had never happened! What could be more fitting than to have rings to match the necklace? He kind of liked that probably dumb and overly sentimental notion, thinking Sam might appreciate it too but determining to say nothing to her until he'd come up with the plan.
Trinium. Rare and valuable but so wholly appropriate. The idea grew on him until he decided he just had to make it happen, somehow. Gee, surely there had to be some unusual perks to his unique job?
Although Jack was now getting drowsy, he didn't think they should fall asleep. He would have been content to sleep right there with Sam in his arms but figured they should get off their butts and return to Cassie's place.
"I guess we ought to get back to the apartment instead of hanging around in this motel like a couple with something to hide," he said.
"I don't think so," she replied and one of Jack's eyebrows shot up with surprise. "We ought to call and tell them we aren't going back tonight. Then I can seduce you in the morning." She smiled cheekily.
"Oh?" Jack queried, a smirk appearing on his lips. "Give me time and I could get used to that idea."
"I'll bet you could, Mr Scarecrow," she responded with amusement, kissing his recalcitrant brow.
"You gonna call 'em, Dorothy?" he asked with a yawn and, even before she'd found her cell phone and started to make the call, Jack was asleep looking as peaceful and content as a well-fed and cared for newborn babe.
Sam regarded him lovingly, lightly smoothing a finger down the length of his cheek and then moving into the bathroom to make the call to Cassie.
'Let him sleep in peace,' she thought, eagerly pondering that in a few months, she would marry the man she loved.
Squealing inside, Sam thought about plans and guest lists, and dresses, contemplating calling Betsy but deciding against it. She'd never get off the phone. Having spoken to Cassie, who she swore tittered down the phone at her, Sam settled down next to Jack, curling around his body as she so loved to do, and remained awake for a very long time, making plans.
End
Story Notes: Never Alone 25: Sequel/Series Info: Sequel to Never Alone: Arrival
Status: Continuing series
Author’s Note: Thanks very much to Livi for all the information about and insight into LA, one of her former homes, and checking I hadn't made any ridiculous errors. Any of those that remain are entirely my own.
Status: Continuing series
Author’s Note: Thanks very much to Livi for all the information about and insight into LA, one of her former homes, and checking I hadn't made any ridiculous errors. Any of those that remain are entirely my own.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]