For all intents and purposes, Jack O'Neill was on leave, but he had never been one for lonely vacations. A couple of days into his downtime he found himself stopping by the base to see Sam. Partially because he wanted to talk to her, but mostly because he didn't want to be seen wandering the hall of the SGC clutching a bunch of flowers in his hand. Besides, he was only stopping by to thank her for rescuing him when his car had failed. It had been very good of her, especially considering how tired she was. And she'd made him dinner.....that was Sam, the best friend a guy could have. He made a mental note to talk to General Hammond about giving her extra downtime.....and making sure that she actually took it. Maybe she and her Dad could finally have the chance to spend some time together.
It gave Jack a warm feeling inside, to know that she'd missed him. As his days on Edora had stretched into months, he had found himself regretting her absence. Every so often he'd think of something funny to say to her....only to keep it to himself because no one else would have a clue as to what he was talking about. If there was one fault he had found with the Edorans, it was that they weren't big on humour.
As he approached her lab. Jack self consciously ran his hand through his hair. He looked down at the flowers, hoping that she'd like them. It wasn't much, considering what she'd done for him, but he hadn't been able to think of anything else. Besides, he'd got her roses. Sara had loved roses so it was a pretty safe bet that Sam would too.
His ears caught the voices before he went through the door.
"I tried to call you the other night, where were you?" Dr. Fraiser was speaking.
"Sorry, Janet, I didn't get home until late, " Sam apologised. "I was over at the Colonel's. His car wouldn't start so I gave him a lift."
"And?" Janet pressed.
"I took him home, we had dinner and I left, end of story."
"So what happened to getting some rest? Sam, you wasted the last three months rescuing a man who didn't want to be rescued....."
"Janet, he's going back to Edora."
Sam's voice sounded strained, as if she was going to cry. Jack wondered why, it wasn't as if he wouldn't come back for visits.
"Honey, I'm sorry," Janet continued.
"Nothing to be sorry about," Sam replied. "He's in love with Laira, and I'm happy for him."
"Look, I have to go on duty, but we'll talk later, OK?"
"OK."
'Now what the hell was that all about?' Jack wondered. Part of him was glad that he had Sam's support and friendship, but the rest of him......It was a very strange feeling.
He ducked back out of sight as Janet walked past. Jack wasn't particularly keen to face the doctor at that moment. She seemed to be laying into Sam for some reason and Jack was afraid that he'd say something he shouldn't. Fraiser should learn to leave people alone. He waited a few minutes before going into the lab. Sam was already back at work, intent on some new device. The sight made Jack more determined to force her to take a vacation. She worked way too hard.
Jack cleared his throat to make her look up. She smiled, as she saw him, perhaps a little surprised. But she was definitely shocked when he produced the flowers and handed them to her.
"Sir, they're beautiful," she exclaimed, inhaling the delicate fragrance.
'Sweet,' Jack thought to himself. Roses had been the right choice.
"You shouldn't have," she went on.
"Just my way of saying thank you for the other night," Jack told her, "it meant alot."
For some reason Sam looked a little uncomfortable.
"Sam?" Jack questioned.
"I'm sorry about....," she began.
"'bout what?"
"Kissing you. I was totally out of line."
"Don't worry about it. Look, if it'll make you feel better....."
Smiling, Jack bent towards her and touched her lips with his own. He let the kiss linger, enjoying the way it felt. For some reason, kissing Sam seemed a very natural thing for him to do.
"There," he told her, when they pulled back, "now we're even."
"I guess so," Sam smiled.
"Buy you dinner?"
"That would be good."
************************************************************************
"I can't believe you drew straws!" Jack exclaimed.
"You did go out of your way to piss us all off, sir," Sam returned.
She grinned at him across the table. Jack grumbled a little.......They'd never know how difficult he had found it to lie to them....and how many times he'd nearly given himself away. He was surprised that Sam hadn't worked out what was happening....then again, maybe she had and just wasn't letting on. Underestimating Sam was a mistake he wasn't going to make any more. He was certain that she routinely did six impossible things before breakfast.
The mission had been a success, but he couldn't help feeling that, at some point, their good fortune would run out. This wasn't over, not by a long shot, but for now he could afford to kick back and relax. He had found, over the past few weeks, that taking Sam out to dinner was a good way to do that. They ate, they talked, they had fun. If he was honest with himself, very little could compete with being in Sam's company.
"Did you see Laira?" Sam asked.
"What?"
Jack had completely missed the last few things she had said. He coloured slightly, realising that he had spent several minutes just contemplating her face. The mention of Laira's name jerked him back to reality.
"Laira, on Edora?" she repeated.
"Oh...no. I wasn't there long enough."
"So you don't know if she's pregnant or not?"
"No, I don't."
His short answer was a way of avoiding an uncomfortable truth. He had promised to go back to Edora, but as the weeks went on, he was finding it more difficult to keep his word. The truth was, he had more to keep him on Earth than he had ever imagined. What, he wasn't sure yet, but he was starting to realise that it had something to do with the woman who sat across from him.
"You want dessert?" he asked. "I think I'll have dessert. The chocolate truffle's supposed to be good."
"Jack."
Sam's voice was quiet, she wasn't going to let the matter drop. She used his name now, but only on rare occasions, when she wanted to get his attention. This time she wasn't going to be successful. He was tired. He'd just come back from a bitch of a mission and he didn't want deep and meaningful conversations.
"Chocolate truffle ice cream," he told the waitress.
"With two spoons," Sam added.
Jack raised his eyebrows.
"You don't want me to get fat, do you sir?" she grinned.
"Heaven forbid! "
Jack sat back, relieved. She always knew what he was thinking, and he had been grateful for that talent more times than he could count. No more black ops. missions, he decided. He was through with lying to the people he cared about. Especially Sam. Jack knew that his words must have hurt her....although she would never mention the fact. He rubbed his face with his hands, trying to erase the memories of the past week and the lingering feeling of isolation. It would be some time before his team trusted him again.
"You're tired," Sam observed as they finished their dessert.
"It's been a long week."
"Wanna go?"
"Yeah."
His hand rested on her back, as he guided her out of the restaurant. She was wearing a low backed dress and her skin felt very, very smooth. Jack couldn't stop himself sliding his fingers up and down, just a little. He had to pull his hand away, before he yielded to temptation and slipped his fingers beneath the fabric of her dress. He couldn't do that, not to Sam.
"So who's turn is it?" he asked as they reached her car.
Sam smiled at him, "I'll give you this one."
She tilted her head towards his and accepted his gentle kiss.
"Welcome home, sir," she told him.
He kissed her a second time, just because he could. Two became three and he found himself pushing her back against her car, her mouth opening as the kiss became more demanding.
"Goodnight," he whispered, finally finding the courage to break contact.
It almost seemed as if Sam was going to say something else, but she just smiled and climbed into her car. Jack watched her drive away. One day....one day....he had the feeling that he wasn't going to let her go.
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"Great fishing trip, sir," Sam grinned at him from the bank of the river.
Jack scowled at her and told her to be quiet. If he didn't catch this fish they wouldn't be eating tonight. Sam wasn't helping. She was sitting comfortably on the grass sunning herself, and throwing the odd comment in his direction. He focused his attention back on the river, trying to regain his concentration. The sun was beating down on the back of his neck as cold water flowed around his legs. Jack felt the sweat start to run down his face. The fish was lying peacefully, at the bottom of the river. With a skill born out of desperation, Jack plunged his hands into the water and flipped the fish onto the bank. Sam gave him a round of applause. He decided to ignore her and started to wade downstream in search of his next catch.
Teal'c's choice of planet hadn't been the wisest. Some signs of civilisation would have been nice. Sam reckoned it would take them several weeks to get the Stargate operational, which meant that they had to fend for themselves for a while. Not that any of them were adverse to roughing it for a while, but the outdoors life was OK if you knew that there was a grocery store down the road. No one had mentioned the fact that they might not get back. They were all assuming that there would still be an Earth to return to.
"So how does this compare with Northern Minnesota?" Sam asked as she and Jack walked back towards their campsite. He hefted the fish into his other hand,
"We would've had cable," he grunted. "And a bed."
"Just one?"
She seemed to be in a good mood, for some reason that Jack was unable to fathom. He decided, arbitrarily, that tomorrow it would be her turn to catch dinner. She was only here because she had disobeyed his direct order.....forget the fact that she had also saved their lives. Yes, he was annoyed with her....but only because she should be safely back on Earth and not marooned on this backwater planet. They had become so close in the past few months......Which was probably why she had refused his original offer to go fishing. She must have realised that he'd had more on his mind than simple friendship. He had been stupid to push things too far, he realised. They had a good relationship and there was no real reason to change that. No reason at all....Apart from the fact that he couldn't get her out of his head.
Teal'c joined them at their rudimentary campsite. He had been attempting to build a crude shelter. The weather on this world tended to be temperamental and they were all tired of sleeping in the rain. The Jaffa immediately took the fish from Jack. Past experience had taught them that neither Sam or Jack should be allowed to cook. The decision was a mutual one....as no one particularly wanted to go down with a dose of food poisoning.
Jack left him to it and wandered towards the nearby Stargate. He didn't need to look around to know that Sam was following him. Once a day, they tried to re-establish contact with Earth. So far they had been unsuccessful. Today proved to be no exception. Jack watched as Sam punched in the code for Earth, then looked up at the Stargate. Nothing happened. Sam was obviously disappointed. She turned her back on the Gate with a sigh, and stared back in the direction of their camp. Jack draped an arm over her shoulders and gave her a reassuring hug.
"You said it would take a while," he reminded her.
"I just hoped....." her words faded.
"Yeah. C'mon, Teal'c hates it if we're late for supper. He'll raise his eyebrow and we don't want that."
He succeeded in making her laugh and he held her shaking body closer to his own. It was a beautiful evening and, despite Teal'c, they lingered on the short walk back. Jack held her hand. He felt like he was back in high school again, young, innocent.....with the rest of their lives stretching out before them. It was very, very sweet.
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The End.
Ruth M. King
Story Notes: AUTHOR: Ruth M. King (ruth@snowqueen.demon.co.uk)
ARCHIVE: Sam and Jack, Heliopolis, anyone else please ask.
SPOILERS: 100 Days, Shade of Grey, Nemisis
NOTES: A sequel to Homecoming....not an original title but I'm tired :):):)
ARCHIVE: Sam and Jack, Heliopolis, anyone else please ask.
SPOILERS: 100 Days, Shade of Grey, Nemisis
NOTES: A sequel to Homecoming....not an original title but I'm tired :):):)
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 ]