Lost in a Storm

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When Sam realised they'd taken a wrong turn she stopped the hike to the ‘gate; they'd set up camp until the storm eased and then return to Earth in the morning.

When three tents stood with Mitchell on first watch, Sam finally dried off, crawled inside her sleeping bag, and sighed contentedly when the team’s guest spooned up behind her.

“Another fantasy crossed off the list,” Jack’s voice rumbled in her ear as he pulled her impossibly closer.

Sam giggled.

This wasn’t how they’d intended to spend their first night of leave, but she couldn’t have agreed with him more.

:::::

Teasing and Compliments

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“Definitely not Mary Poppins.”

Sam’s head shot up until she caught Jack’s gaze in the mirror. Humour and desire shone from his eyes as he leaned casually against the doorframe.

“And I thought you looked great in that blue Shavadai outfit,” he teased as, face flushed, she turned and walked towards him.

Unconsciously, his thumb tenderly traced the fading bruises from the previous mission.

“Shame we didn’t need to dress like that when I was on the team.”

Sam snorted.

“Don’t know if you could have handled that,” she breathed, nodding to the photo he held before brushing past him.

:::::

Compromising Positions

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“Entry here should offer the least resistance.”

Dropping his pack in the Tel’tak’s crowded cargo area, Jack skirted the boxes and piles of equipment and peered at the map over his 2IC’s shoulder.

“We take this corridor...”

He leaned closer.

Focussed on the path her finger took, he considered her tactics until a throat cleared. Suddenly he realised just how close they were.

Bodies pressed together, his arm draped around her while confirming her strategy, not a breath could have slipped between them.

“Carter has a plan, Jacob!”

Jack eased back—casually.

The goosebumps on Sam’s neck didn’t go unnoticed.

:::::

Among the Stars

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The Puddle Jumper emerged from the spacegate above M3C-519.

Sam, watching Jack check the screen’s readouts, enjoying his pleasure at being at the controls again, grinned when his stomach rumbled.

“You know, you wouldn’t be so hungry if we’d gotten up earlier.”

Giving the readings one final glance, Jack turned to her. “Oh, I think we put the time to better use.”

At his satisfied smirk, Sam laughed.

“You taking us down?” She nodded to the planet when Jack remained in orbit, staring out at the stars before them.

When he hesitated, Sam smiled softly. “Once around the solar system?”

:::::

Coming Home

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There wasn’t a sound when she opened the door and slipped inside, but the soft, welcoming light that spilled from the den beckoned her.

Setting down her bag from The Hammond, Sam crept forward eagerly and peered inside.

On the couch, glasses and a National Geographic resting on his chest, Jack O’Neill lay fast asleep.

Her breath caught on a rush of emotion as she knelt beside him, and a wave of heat ran through her when his eyes shot open.

“Hey.”

Hand sliding through her hair, he pulled her into a long kiss that left her breathless.

“Welcome home!”

:::::

Coming Home II

This was meant to be my drabble for Coming Home, but once I'd finished it I decided to write the one above, my original idea.

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She was standing in the briefing room, looking out at the stargate, when a familiar presence brushed up behind her.

“Penny for them?”

“I was thinking of the first time I went through the stargate.” She turned and stared pointedly at him. “You pushed me.”

Jack’s lips twitched.

“I did?”

He reached out, brushed a finger over the star on the collar of her fatigues.

“Well, now you’re the man…woman,” he corrected, “just think of the even cooler things you’ll get to do.”

She laughed.

“Glad to be back?”

Turning back to the stargate, Sam leaned against him. “Oh, yeah.”

:::::

A Quarrel and a Kiss

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“Sam, the guy’s a major pain in the ass.”

“Yeah, but he’s a pain in the ass with three stars.”

“So am I.”

The fingers working the knot of his tie faltered as she looked at him, eyes sparkling with laughter.

“Okay, that didn’t come out right.”

She waited, wondering when he’d realise he couldn’t win this argument.

“Three-star generals shouldn’t have to attend parties they don’t want to, especially when…”

Her lips against his stopped the flow of words, while her hands and body sent thoughts of everything but her flying from his mind.

“I missed you,” she whispered.

:::::

Turning Point

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Sitting alone in the quiet of her lab, Sam Carter stared at the ring resting between her fingertips.

She’d known all along it wasn’t what she wanted, that he wasn’t who she wanted, but not even that had prevented her from continuing to make mistakes when she should have been correcting those she’d already made.

But not anymore.

She knew what she had to do—for Pete, for her dad.

For herself.

And maybe, she hoped, for him.

With one last look, Sam carefully slipped the ring back into its box and quietly closed the lid for the final time.

:::::

Whispers in the Dark

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They watched from the cover of the brush as the patrol moved south.

“We should rest a moment,” Jack mumbled, as he crawled along the ground and propped himself against a tree.

“Yes, sir.”

Exhausted, Sam joined him, shivering as the damp of the alien forest seeped into her.

“Are you okay?”

His voice was gruff but soft, ensuring it didn’t carry and expose their location in the quiet night air.

“Yes, sir.” She swallowed. “You got there in time.”

She felt him move, felt his fingers lace with hers and squeeze tightly.

“Let’s go,” he whispered, long moments later.

:::::

Under the Influence

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Jack grunted as he dropped an inebriated Daniel into a sleeping bag.

“Ro’dan asked if you were available,” Daniel chuckled as he grabbed Sam’s arm, along with her and Jack’s attention. “I told him you were spoken for,” he nodded sagely. “He was disappointed but not surprised.”

Grinning widely, Daniel beckoned his friends closer.

“He wishes you both many years of happiness...”

Sensing Sam stiffen, Jack desperately wished Daniel would shut up.

“He’d suspected you shared a special bond and were very much...”

“Okay, nap time, Daniel.”

Jack smacked him on the chest, and thankfully, within seconds, he was unconscious.

:::::

By My Side

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“You need to sleep, Sam.”

“I’m okay.” She squeezed his hand and shuffled closer to the infirmary bed.

“You’ve been sitting there for days.”

“Jack...”

“The doc says I’ll be fine. A little more rest and this damn, stubborn virus will be history.”

“I’ll sleep when you’re home.”

“Sam...”

“I was terrified, Jack. I was barely down the ramp before General Landry told us that you’d collapsed in a meeting with him.”

“Sam...”

“I’m not leaving.” Despite the worry and exhaustion, she was nothing less than determined. “And you know you’d do the same.”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “Yeah, I would.”

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