Almost Prophetic
“Hey.”
Sam turned in surprise when Jack tugged on the sleeve of her top and pulled her to the side of the corridor.
“Sir?”
She watched in curiosity as his attention shifted to a point over her right shoulder, and turning, followed his gaze. Her friends, oblivious to the fact that they’d left the pair behind, carried on towards the locker rooms with Cam leading the way. Even from here she could see the looks they shot each other as he reminded them again that this would be his 200th trip through the 'gate.
Rolling her eyes in amusement, she turned back, and found herself looking straight into the eyes of one puzzled Jack O’Neill.
“Does she know?” he asked.
She hesitated, not quite sure what he was asking. “About…?”
“You know…” His eyebrows hiked higher as he cocked his thumb in the general direction of the briefing room and then waved his hands back and forth between them.
Brow furrowing, Sam’s hands moved to rest on her hips. As her look wandered between his face and still moving hands, she quickly cast her mind over the last fifteen minutes in an attempt to interpret the cryptic signals. It didn’t take long for her expression to clear.
“That we’re getting married?” she queried, sending him the playful look she’d shot him after Vala’s almost prophetic wedding pitch.
“Yeah.”
He straightened a little at her words, lips twitching before curling into a very satisfied grin, one that more than matched the delighted smile she now wore. It was the reaction she’d expected; even the simplest reference to their upcoming wedding had that affect on them.
“Nobody knows,” she assured him, unable to resist inching just a little closer. “We agreed we’d wait and tell them together the next time you were back in the Springs.”
“See, that’s what I thought but…that was just weird.” His gaze flickered along the now empty corridor, his index finger pointing emphatically in the direction the team had taken.
Sam chuckled and shrugged. “That’s just Vala.”
“Ah.”
Her smile softened at the familiar sight of his head bobbing up and down in easy acceptance of her simple answer. She’d wondered what he’d make of Vala, especially after some of the more outlandish stories she’d related over the last few months, and very much expected to hear one of his typically flippant comments on the newest and brashest member of the SGC. She waited, watching him closely, her smile growing perilously close to a smirk.
But he surprised her when not a single word passed his lips. And it wasn’t long before she understood why; he was more than content to simply stand there and watch her.
The realisation brought a warm glow to her cheeks, one that quickly escalated to a full flush under what was becoming a very heated and very blatant stare. Not once wavering, those eyes told her everything that couldn’t be voiced here and now, and focussed on her with such fierce intensity it caused her heart to hammer.
Suddenly, content was the last word she would have used to describe him.
Seconds ticked by, but the gentle rise and fall of his chest was the only movement he made. She watched, fascinated, as his eyes grew impossibly darker, her breath hitching at the powerful emotions swirling between them.
“Jack?”
His name, barely a whisper, seemed to have little effect at first. But soon he reached out and pushed back a strand of blond hair, his finger skimming her cheek as he did so. She sucked in a breath, eyes closing briefly, the first touch from him in weeks sending a jolt through her system that had her fervently wishing they were heading home and not off-world.
It was obvious he felt it too; he pulled back quickly and shoved his hands into his pockets, the taught muscles of his jaw hinting at his level of restraint.
A moment passed, two, but even then the few words he managed were unmistakably rough.
"It's good to see you."
Five simple words that meant so much more.
The desire to touch him intensified, but from their reaction to that one simple brush of his finger against her skin, she didn’t think it wise. Instead, she clasped her hands together tightly and struggled to resist the overwhelming temptation to reach out to him.
"You too." Still a little breathless, she drank in the sight of him, drawn from dark brown eyes to lips she hadn’t tasted in weeks, before appreciating the damned good view he presented in dress blues. "I didn't think I'd see you this week."
He rocked on the balls of his feet, took a second to clear his throat.
“It was pretty much a last minute thing.” He glanced at the ground and shrugged. “I didn’t want to say anything in case I didn’t make it."
She nodded in understanding and clasped her hands a little tighter. There was only one question she needed to ask.
“When…”
The question died on her lips the moment faint noises drifted along the corridor, followed by the more obvious sound of voices raised in heated discussion. And judging from the resigned look on Jack's face, he'd heard them as well. Regretfully acknowledging their few moments alone were over, they smiled ruefully, and in silent agreement continued along the corridor.
Sam drew in a deep breath, released it rather shakily. She was going to need every second before they left Earth to collect herself.
“So,” she began again a few moments later, throwing what she hoped was a casual and not too hopeful glance in his direction. “When do you have to head back?”
The source of the raised voices, a group of arguing and preoccupied base scientists, chose that moment to pass, and Sam found herself brushing against Jack to make way for them. Amused rather than annoyed, she found herself minding even less when the pad of his finger skimmed over the sensitive flesh of her palm.
Swallowing hard, she almost missed his answer.
"I'll catch a flight back Sunday evening."
She stopped short, eyes wide with surprise, and waited until he turned to face her. Smug didn’t begin to describe his expression and she really couldn’t blame him.
“Really?”
“Yup.”
“Sunday?”
“Yup.”
If anyone else chose that moment to pass, Sam knew she’d draw attention with the look of sheer joy on her face, but she really didn’t care. It had been over a year since she’d had to hide what she felt from this man and she wasn’t going to revert to old ways now. And, she noted with a mixture of amusement and affection, he obviously felt the same, since he didn’t try to cover the change from smug to smugger when she was reduced to one word sentences.
Unable to imagine the lengths he must have gone to, the minor miracles he must have performed in order to pull off a long weekend, she stood in thrilled disbelief. It wasn’t until he moved closer, one deliberate step at a time, that she began to pull her scattered thoughts back together, only to almost lose them again with his next words.
"I'm all yours." He held his hands out, palm up, coming to a stop a shade closer than he normally would while on duty. “You can do with me what you will.” A roguish smile appeared and there was no mistaking the gleam in his eyes.
“Jack!” she half laughed, half groaned, quickly glancing about as her heart skipped several beats. She placed a hand lightly on his arm, turned him around and steered him in the direction of the locker rooms, deciding that slyly spoken comment was one she’d be far safer to let pass. At least for now.
“Sam?” he countered.
She saw the grin flash across his face, belying the innocent tone he was aiming for, and her chuckle escaped before she even realised it. It felt so good to have him by her side again.
“So…” he paused, and she caught the hopeful look he sent her way. “Want to tell everyone our news tonight?”
Her smile was bright and instantaneous. “I was hoping you’d say that,” she told him, feeling a strange mix of nerves and anticipation race through her. “How about we take everyone to that new restaurant you’ve been wanting to try?”
“Sounds like a plan." She glanced his way, sensing he had something else to say, and felt the warmth roll through her at the happiness radiating from him. "And speaking of plans..."
Sam’s eyebrow arched. There was no mistaking that teasing tone in his voice. "Yes?"
"Think we should go with Vala’s suggestion and have Thor officiate?"
The image that idea brought to mind had Sam biting her lip, but she swallowed her laughter and played along. “Oh, I think it’s a great idea,” she began, and then recalled another part of the tale Vala had spun. "And I liked her idea of beaming in. I’d certainly make an entrance if I did that.”
She looked up at him, eyes sparkling with amusement, and saw the answering twinkle in his own.
"Carter," Jack replied, as they rounded one last bend, "You’ve never needed any help making an entrance.”
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 ]