"Obsession 3: A New Obsession" By Karen

TITLE: A New Obsession

AUTHOR: Karen

RATING: NC-17

CATEGORY: Drama

SUMMARY: More obsession, the Sam and Jack kind. A sequel to A Dangerous Obsession and A Dangerous Obsession 2.

ARCHIVE: Sam and Jack and Heliopolis. Anyone else please ask.

SPOILERS: Through season 3

DISCLAIMERS: Stargate SG1 is the property of MGM, Showtime, Double Secret and Gekko etc. I do not own any of it nor do I claim to do so.

***************************************************************************

Daniel Jackson and Jack O'Neill were in Daniel's office.

"Daniel, do you think Carter would like to go to the symphony?" Jack asked.

Daniel looked up from the artifact he was translating. "Sure, Jack," he answered. "She loves that stuff. Why? Are you going to take her?" Daniel reached over and took the small statue Jack was fiddling with out of his hands.

"I got some tickets, and I thought she might like to go," Jack said. He reached over and picked up another small statue.

"You guys have been spending an awful lot of downtime together, haven't you Jack?" Daniel asked as the reached over and plucked the second statue out of Jack's hands. Jack stood and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"And what's wrong with that?" he asked, a little defensively. "We're friends, friends do stuff together." He and Sam had finally gotten their friendship back on track after a really rough year in which they'd met her double from an alternate reality, he'd been stranded for three months on another planet, then he'd had to pretend to leave the SGC to trap a group of thieves, and after that they'd had to save the world from some really nasty techno-bugs. To top that all off, a former girlfriend of Jack's had falsely accused Sam of stalking and harassing her, and Jack had believed the charge. After the truth came out, the woman had become obsessed with the idea that Sam was a threat to her and twice tried to kill her.

"There's nothing wrong with that Jack," Daniel answered. "I'm sure Sam would love to go to the symphony with you. Why don't you go ahead and ask her?"

"Okay, I think I will." Jack sauntered to the door. "See you later, Daniel."

"Bye, Jack." Daniel turned back to his translating. 'Me thinks he doth protest too much,' he thought, and chuckled to himself.

Jack wandered down the hall to the elevator. He took the elevator to the lab level, and wandered down the hall to Sam's lab. Sam was bent over one of her doohickeys poking it with a screwdriver.

"Carter," he said. She jumped and dropped her screwdriver.

"Sir, you startled me," she said turning to look at him.

"Sorry, Carter." Jack walked over and looked into the microscope. "Getting a lot of work done?"

"Some. I'll be glad when Sergeant Siler gets back from his leave. His replacement has no clue." Sam shook her head. "The guy is hopeless. Why they assigned him to work with me. . ." She smiled at Jack. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"Oh, it's nothing official. I just wanted to know if you'd like to go to the symphony tomorrow night," he answered, shoving his hands in his pockets again.

"The symphony? Sure I'd love to. I love the symphony." She sent him one of her high voltage smiles, the one she reserved for him. He'd missed that smile for a long time, and thought he'd never see it again, not directed at him anyway.

"Great." He looked at his watch. "I've got a meeting with General Hammond in five minutes. Do you want to meet for lunch?"

"Sure. Around noon in the mess hall?" she asked.

"Sounds good. See you then." He left.

Sam sat there for a minute or two, just smiling. Colonel O'Neill invited her to the symphony. In the last few months, they'd been spending a lot of downtime together. But that was okay. They were friends.

"What'll I wear?" she said aloud.

"What'll you wear where?" Janet asked from the doorway.

"Oh, hi, Janet. Come on in." Sam said. "To the symphony. I'm going with Colonel O'Neill tomorrow night."

"With Colonel O'Neill?" Janet walked in and leaned against the table. "You two have been spending a lot of time together, haven't you?"

"We're friends, Janet," Sam said defensively. "That's all. He has no interest in me in THAT way."

"What about you?" Janet asked. "What kind of interest do you have?"

"We're friends, Janet. Period." Sam stood and stretched. "I think I'll go to the mess hall for a cup of coffee. My new assistant broke my coffee pot. What about you?"

"Yeah, I could go for a cup of coffee. It's slow in the infirmary today. None of the SG teams has come back with any serious injuries," Janet said. "It's kinda nice."

Sam laughed. "Well, don't talk about it too much, you'll jinx yourself." The two women left the lab and headed for the mess hall for some coffee.

As they sat at one of the tables, Janet asked, "So, what are you going to wear on your date with Colonel O'Neill tomorrow night."

Sam looked at Janet with exasperation. "It's not a date. It's just two friends going to the symphony, that's all."

"Okay, all right, whatever you say. So, what are you going to wear?" Janet smiled.

"I have no idea. I'll probably have to buy something new." Sam sipped her coffee.

'A new dress. To go out with a so-called friend. Yeah, right.' Janet thought. Aloud she said, "Why don't we go shopping at that new store at the mall tonight. Cassie needs a new dress for the school dance." That started them talking about Cassie, a conversation which lasted until Sam went back to the lab.

Jack finished his meeting with General Hammond and headed to his office to finish the paperwork on SG-1's last mission. At five minutes to noon, he slipped the completed report into a folder to be delivered to the general's office. Then he headed to the mess hall for lunch. He and Sam met at the door.

"Major Carter," he greeted her.

"Sir," she answered with a smile.

They picked up their lunches and headed to SG-1's usual table. They'd only been there a few minutes when Teal'c came in.

"Hey, Teal'c," Jack called. "Over here."

Teal'c picked up his own lunch, and went and sat with Jack and Sam. They talked about their last mission and some technology the natives had given them to study. They had been there about ten minutes, when Daniel came in for his lunch. He came over and sat with the rest of the team. After lunch, Daniel and Teal'c went to the archaeological archive to work on some translations. Jack walked Sam back to the astrophysics lab.

"What are you doing tonight?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm going shopping with Janet and Cassie at the mall," Sam answered. "Cassie needs a new dress for a school dance."

"You women and shopping," he said, "you treat it like a sport."

"Oh, you." she lightly slapped him on the arm and laughed. "I don't understand why men hate shopping."

"We don't hate shopping. We just hate shopping with women," he said with a grin. "A man goes in, gets what he wants, and gets out."

"You make it sound like a mission," she said.

"Isn't it?" he asked.

"Oh, you men!" Sam exclaimed with a laugh. They'd reached the lab. Jack reached out and lightly pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

"See you later, Major," he said.

"Bye, sir." Sam went back into the lab and resumed her work.

****************

Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c entered the mall just after 7:00 pm. Everytime Teal'c went to the mall, it amazed him. Hundreds of shops and thousands of people under one roof at one time. These Tau'ri were unusual people.

"Uh, Jack, why are we here again?" Daniel asked.

"We're here because I need a new pair of running shoes. The kind I want are only sold here," Jack told Daniel.

"But didn't you just get a pair-" Daniel started to say, but Jack cut him off.

"These are different." Jack stood near the fountain, looking around as if he were looking for someone. And Daniel took one guess as to who he was looking for: Sam.

"Let's go to the food court and get something to eat," Jack said as he headed for the escalator. Daniel looked at Teal'c and shrugged his shoulders. They followed.

The food court was crowded with hungry shoppers. Looking around Jack spied an empty table and sent Daniel and Teal'c to hold the table while he went and got food. He came back with their food, and they all started to eat. Daniel looked around the food court, and he spied Sam and Janet. They appeared to be in deep conversation.

"Sam," Janet said, "how long has it been since you've been out with someone other than Jack O'Neill?"

"It hasn't been that long, Janet," Sam said. "It was . . .well. . .I don't remember." She sighed.

"It's been almost a year, Sam," Janet stated.

"Yes, I guess it has." Sam shook her head. "I just haven't met anyone I want to go out with."

"Except Jack." Janet was sneaky.

"Yes, except- No, Janet, I've just been so busy, it's not that. The colonel and I are just friends," Sam insisted.

"Then prove it. Go out with someone else." Janet issued the challenge.

"Hello ladies," a familiar voice broke into their conversation. The two women looked up to see Jack O'Neill, himself, flanked by Daniel and Teal'c. Janet noticed that he only had eyes for Sam, and she for him. 'Oh, boy,' she thought.

Sam's smile lit up her face. "Hello, sir, Daniel, Teal'c. What are you doing here?"

"Jack came to, uh, buy some shoes," Daniel said.

"Looks like you two have been doing some shopping. Buy anything interesting?" Jack asked.

"Maybe," Sam smiled.

"Janet, where's Cassie? Did you leave her home tonight?" Daniel asked.

"No, she's over in the music store with her friend, Jenny. She wants to get some new CD that just came out." Janet stood and looked over in the direction of the store. Cassie and Jenny were just coming out. Janet signaled to Cassie to come on over. Cassie took one look at who was with her mom and Sam, and headed for them.

"Colonel Jack, Daniel, Teal'c," she said. "Hi." She hugged each of the men. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you come to a mall for?" Jack asked.

"Shopping." Cassie answered. "But Colonel Jack, you hate to shop!"

"True. But I need some new shoes," Jack explained.

"And we need to head on home," Janet said.

"Aw, Mom, we've only been here a little while," Cassie complained.

"It's a school night, Cassandra Fraiser. Time to go," Janet commanded.

"Okay," she grumbled. "'Bye everybody." Cassandra and Janet picked up their packages and, waving to everyone, left.

Sam stood and gathered up her own things. "I've got to go too, I have some things to take care of at home."

"Why don't you come with us and help me get my new running shoes." Jack smiled.

"Sure, I'd love to," Sam said. They all headed to the shoe store. Jack found the shoes he wanted, and paid for them, then they all headed for the parking lot. Jack gave Daniel his keys and told him and Teal'c to wait in his car while he walked Sam to her car.

"Thanks for walking me to my car sir," she said. "It wasn't really necessary, though, I can take care of myself."

"I know," he told her. "I just want to make sure you get there okay."

They reached her car and she unlocked it, opened the door, and put in her purchases. Jack held the door open and closed it when she got in. She started the car and rolled down her window. "I'll see you tomorrow, sir. Goodbye." She gave him a smile and drove off. He stood there for a moment, watching her car's taillights fade away, then he turned and walked to his own car.

When Jack got in his own car, Daniel said, "Sam get off okay?"

"Um, yeah, she did," Jack answered distractedly. He started his car and drove to his house where Daniel and Teal'c left in Daniel's car.

Jack went into his house, taking his purchase and putting it in the closet. He really hadn't needed new running shoes, but that had been the only excuse he could come up with to go to the mall. He had planned to ask Sam to come over and watch a movie, but that idea had been moot when she told him that she and Janet were going shopping. There had been so many people at the mall that he'd been afraid that he wouldn't spot her. Well, he hadn't, Daniel had. So, he'd been able to spend a few minutes with her tonight. He smiled and sat back on the couch, clicking on the television to watch the baseball game. 'Wonder what she's doing now,' he thought.

*****************

Sam hung up her new dress when she got home. What a coincidence that the Colonel had shown up at the mall at the same time that she and Janet were there! She was glad to see him. He was one of her best friends.

She wandered into the living room and flopped onto the sofa, turning on the television to the baseball game. 'Wonder what he's doing now?' she thought. She watched the game for a while, then went to bed.

*******************

Friday was a busy day for Sam. SG-10 brought back two pieces of alien technology, the likes of which she'd never seen before. She spent all morning taking one of the items apart, and she would have missed lunch if the colonel hadn't come by to remind her of it. He literally took the tool she was using out of her hand and dragged her to the mess hall. During lunch they talked about the concert they were going to see that night. The Denver Symphony was performing the works of Aaron Copland, one of Sam's favorite composers. They talked about music in general, too, and she was surprised at Jack's knowledge. She hadn't thought that he knew that much about classical music, even though he did appreciate opera. After lunch, she went back to the lab and he went to a meeting with General Hammond for all the SG team leaders who were on base.

Sam had finished examining the item she had taken apart that morning and had reassembled it by the time she had to leave. She met Colonel O'Neill on the way out and he walked with her to her car which parked just a few cars down from his. They talked for a few minutes, then they each went their separate ways to get ready for their excursion.

Sam raced home. She just had an hour to get ready before the colonel would be there to pick her up. She quickly showered, did her hair and make-up, then she slipped on her new dress. She had to admit that she looked good in it. It was black with a deep scooped front neckline and little capped sleeves. The hemline was a few inches above the knee. The dress hugged her curves and she looked very feminine in it. She slipped on the high-heeled strappy sandals she'd bought to go with it, then she looked in the mirror.

"Not bad, Sam." She smiled, thinking of the colonel's reaction when he saw her. "Not bad at all."

Just then the doorbell rang, announcing the Colonel's arrival. She glanced at the clock. Fifteen minutes early. Right on time. Taking a deep breath, she walked to the front door and opened it.

Jack felt his jaw drop when he saw Sam. He knew she was a beautiful woman, but whenever he saw her dressed up, he still had that reaction. She was damn gorgeous!

Sam was also admiring what she saw. The Colonel had dressed up, too. He was all in black, from his shoes to his leather jacket. He looked so handsome!

"You look great, Sam. Are you ready to go?" Jack asked.

"Thanks, you look nice, too. Just let me get my jacket." Sam walked to the closet and got her short black velvet evening jacket. Taking it from her, Jack helped her put it on. "Thank you, sir."

"I think we can be on a first name basis when we're off base, don't you, Sam?" He smiled his most charming smile at her.

"Of course, sir-Jack," she corrected herself with a smile. She got her purse and keys, and they were off.

******************

Jack took Sam to a very nice restaurant for dinner before the concert. The food was good and the atmosphere was very elegant. There was even a photographer who took their picture together. Then came the symphony. Sam enjoyed the music very much, and so did Jack, to his surprise. Part of it was being with Sam. Afterward, they went to a blues club and danced. Neither of them wanted the evening to end. When he took her home he walked her to the door.

"I really had a wonderful time tonight, Jack," Sam said. "Thank you for inviting me."

"I had a great time, too. Thank you for coming with me." Jack leaned over and kissed her softly on the cheek. "Good night, Sam."

"Good night, Jack." She unlocked the door and went into her apartment. After one last parting smile, she closed the door and leaned against it, putting her hand over the spot where he'd kissed her.

Jack walked back to his car, whistling. Althought he'd chosen the concert mainly because Sam would like it, he found that he'd enjoyed himself very much. But then, he always enjoyed himself when he was with Sam. Smiling to himself, he got in his car and drove home.

******************

The ringing phone woke Sam up the next morning.

"H'lo," she mumbled into the receiver.

"Rise and shine, Major," Jack's hearty voice came over the line. "Time to be up and at 'em."

"Sir," she rasped, "it's Saturday morning. What time is it?" She rolled over onto her back.

"It's ten o'clock, Major. Drag your ass out of bed and get dressed. I'll be there in an hour." He hung up.

She lay there for a minute trying to comprehend what he'd said. Suddenly, she sat up. He'd be there in an hour. She jumped up out of bed and headed for the shower. After her shower, she dressed in jeans, a sweater, and loafers, styled her hair, and put on a little make up. She rushed around the bedroom making the bed and hanging up her clothes from the night before. Knowing the Colonel, his hour would end up being forty-five minutes. At exactly 10:45 the doorbell rang. It was the Colonel.

"Hey, Sam," he said, "ready to go?"

"And where are we going?" she asked, curiously.

"You'll see," he answered mysteriously. Shrugging her shoulders, she picked up her keys and purse.

"Okay, Jack, let's go," she said gamely.

He ushered her out of her apartment and into his car. While they were driving, he wouldn't tell her where they were going. "It's a surprise," was all he would say.

When they pulled up outside the stadium, she knew. "We're going to a baseball game?"

"Yes," Jack answered. "The Rockies and the Braves."

"That's nice," Sam said. She liked baseball, but she was just as satisfied to watch it on TV.

"Do you know how hard it was to get tickets to this game?" he said.

"Just about impossible, I'd say." She turned and looked at him. "How DID you get tickets to this game?"

"Let's just say that Feretti probably won't want to be playing poker with me for a long time," he answered. She burst out laughing.

"You won them off him in a poker game?" Sam thought that Feretti would have had better sense than to play poker with Jack. He had a tendency to bend the rules of poker a bit.

"Yep," he said proudly. "He never knew what hit him."

"Well, let's go watch the game." Sam opened her door and got out of the car. Jack got out and locked up, then the two of them went into the stadium to watch the game.

After the game, they stopped at the video store and rented a movie, then they stopped and picked up some food. They went back to Jack's house to sit around drinking beer and watch the movie. Jack took Sam home around midnight. She extracted a promise from him not to call her before noon. He kept his promise, he didn't call her before noon. He just showed up at 9:30 to take her to brunch. She pretended to be mad, but she wasn't really. They spent the rest of the afternoon at the park, then he took her home early, because they had to be at the SGC early for a mission.

Monday morning at the SGC. Sam had arrived early to get her equipment together for the mission to P4J-221. She was almost finished packing up her tools, when she heard a knock on the door.

"Sam," Janet said, "can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, Janet. Shoot." Sam kept on packing up her equipment.

"I didn't hear from you all weekend. I was wondering how Friday night went," Janet said.

Sam turned and smiled at her friend. "We had a great time. We had dinner, then went to the concert, then we went dancing afterward."

"I tried to call you Saturday afternoon, but you weren't home." Janet leaned against the work table.

"Oh, Jack and I went to a baseball game." Sam picked up her bag and threw it over her shoulder. "Then on Sunday we spent the afternoon at the park."

"You spent all weekend with Colonel O'Neill?" Janet asked. "Sam, we need to talk when you get back from the mission."

"Okay, Janet. I need to get to the control room. See you later." Sam headed off to the control room.

P4J-221 was another in a long line of forested planets SG-1 had explored. They found some ruins, which overjoyed Daniel to no end until he realized that there were no artifacts left, and Sam took some soil and mineral samples. Since there didn't appear to be any sentient life there, they decided to cut their visit short by two hours. They returned to the SGC, disappointed that they didn't find any more than they did, and relieved that they hadn't encountered the goa'uld. In the infirmary for the post-mission physical, Janet finally got a chance to talk to Sam.

"Sam, there's someone I'd like you to meet. I think you'd like him," Janet said.

"Ordinarily, Janet, I'd love to, but-" Sam started to say, but Janet cut her off.

"No buts, Sam. You'll like Chuck. You and he have a lot in common," Janet told her.

"I just don't have the time, Janet. I'm too busy for dating." Sam hopped down from the infimary bed.

"You're not too busy to spend a whole weekend with Colonel O'Neill," Janet said.

"Jack and I are friends, Janet, that's all," Sam insisted. "Friends spend time together, do things together."

"That's great, Sam, but you need to go out with other people." Janet was starting to get frustrated with Sam. When she wanted to be dense, she could rival Jack O'Neill. "Just go out with him once, that's all I ask. If you don't like him, you don't have to go out with him again. Deal?"

Sam sighed. If she didn't agree, Janet would never drop it. "Okay, you've got a deal. If I don't like him, I never have to see him again."

"Good." Janet smiled. "I'll have him call you at home tomorrow night."

******************

Major Chuck Barnes, MD, called Sam on Tuesday night, and they arranged to go out on Friday night. He seemed to be a very nice man, and Sam enjoyed talking with him. She was looking forward to their date.

On Wednesday morning, Colonel O'Neill showed up in her lab.

"Carter," he greeted her.

"Hello, sir," she said. "What can I do for you?"

"Just dropped by to see if you wanted to take in a movie Friday night." Jack shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I'm sorry sir, I can't. Can I take a raincheck?" Sam was regretful.

"Sure, how about Saturday?" He rocked back on his heels slightly.

"That sounds great, sir. I'll look forward to it." Sam smiled.

"Um. . . uh. . . what are you doing Friday night, Major?" he finally asked.

"Oh, Janet set me up with a blind date. This new doctor at the Academy hospital." She was writing something in her notes, and she didn't see the shocked look on his face. "He seems like a nice guy." By the time she looked up from her notes, he had recovered enough that she didn't notice anything wrong.

"Oh," he said. "Well, I hope you have a good time."

"So do I," she chuckled. "I hope I haven't forgotten how to act on a date, it's been so long."

Jack's eyes flickered for a moment, but that was the only indication of his emotions. "Just be yourself, Sam. He'll love you." He stood there for a moment longer. "Well, I've got the last mission report to finish. I'll see you later."

"Let's meet for lunch, say around noon at the mess hall?" She asked, flashing him a megawatt smile.

"Sure, that sounds good," Jack gave her a smile, then he left.

****************

Jack walked back to his office with a pain in the region of his gut. Sam had a date. A real live date with a real live guy. That was great! NOT! But what could he do about it? What he needed to do was find out something about the guy. He still had contacts from his black ops days, he might as well call in a few markers.

He made a few phone calls, and in an hour knew everything there was to know about this guy, including his shoe size. Not knowing the guy's name had made it a little more difficult, but it only set him back fifteen minutes. He had called the hospital and asked who the new doctors were on staff. After that it had been a process of elimination using information gleaned from his old black ops buddies. Name: Major Charles (Chuck) Barnes (Chuck! He had to be kidding!). Age: 39 (yeah, right!). Height: 6 feet 2 inches, weight: 190. Hair: blond, eyes: blue. Specialty: cardiology.

Reading the info he'd gathered on the guy made Jack feel even sicker. He was perfect for Sam. They'd probably get along great, and she'd end up with him, happily ever after. He looked at the picture that had been faxed to him. The guy was really good-looking in a Hollywood, movie-star sort of way. Just the kind of guy women fell for.

Jack shook his head to clear it. He should be happy for Sam. She was going to meet a really nice guy who was perfect for her, but all he felt was sick, as if he was losing something, or someone. Sam wasn't his to lose. They were friends, that's all. Or rather, that was everything. "Damn it!" he said to himself, "Why do I feel like this?"

****************

From Jack's point of view, the week flew along, until it was Friday. The night Sam was to go out with Dr. Chucky Perfect. He could only hope that she had a lousy time and that she never wanted to see him again. Like that was going to happen.

At 7:30 pm he was parked down the block from Sam's apartment, watching for her date to arrive with his night vision binoculars. He knew he shouldn't be there, but he couldn't help it. It was like having a sore tooth. It hurt when touched, but that made you probe it more, until the pain was agonizing. He was in agony. He could feel it, but he couldn't put his finger quite on it. He only knew that he didn't want the guy anywhere near Sam.

He finally saw the guy, Chucky, drive up. Little red sports car, looked like a BMW. Creep. He walked up and rang the doorbell. Sam came out. Wow, she looked like a million bucks, but then, she always looked great to Jack. Fatigues or a silk dress, she was beautiful. They walked to the car and he opened the door for her. When they were both settled in the car, they drove away, and Jack followed at a discreet distance behind. They went into the fanciest restaurant that Colorado Springs had to offer, and were in there for four hours. When they came back they drove to Sam's house, and he escorted Sam to her door. He lightly kissed her on the lips (Jack's fists clenched when he saw that), then he left. She went inside her apartment, then a few minutes later the porch light went out. Jack finally went home.

****************

Jack was at Sam's house at 5:30, the usual time he picked her up when they went to the movies. They'd stop for a bite to eat, then the movie, rounding off the evening by going to their favorite bar to play pool. Sam was ready and waiting for him when he got there.

She had been watching for him, waiting for him to come. She'd had a good time with Chuck the night before, almost as good a time as she had with Jack, but she had still missed him. A couple of times she'd almost called Chuck by Jack's name. She was really glad that he'd suggested a movie for tonight. She wanted to spend some time with him. They'd been really busy at the SGC this week, and had only had time for a few quick lunches. She was looking forward to spending some quantity time with him.

They went to their favorite little Italian restaurant for an early dinner, then they went to see a movie that Sam had said she really wanted to see. Afterward, they dropped by the bar and had a couple of drinks and shot some pool. Jack was in rare form, cracking jokes and making sarcastic remarks all night, leaving Sam in stitches. She knew she hadn't laughed so much in ages.

All too soon, it was time to go home. Jack walked Sam to the door. "I'm glad you could come tonight, Sam."

"Me too, Jack. I had a terrific time," she said.

"It wasn't too bad," he conceded, then winked at her. She laughed. Jack leaned over and softly kissed her on the lips. "Good night, Sam."

"Good night, Jack." Sam unlocked the door and went inside. Turning, she looked at him standing on the other side of the door. "Jack," she said suddenly, then she stopped.

"Yes, Sam?" he asked, looking at her intently.

"Nothing." She smiled. "Good night." She closed the door and leaned against it. She put her hand to her lips. 'I almost invited him in,' she thought. 'I wanted him to stay.' "Would he have stayed?" she asked aloud. Taking a deep breath, she made sure the deadbolt was locked, then she went to bed, all the while wishing he were there with her.

Jack walked slowly back to his car, and climbed in. He had the feeling that she'd almost asked him to stay. Would he have stayed if she HAD asked? His hands gripped the steering wheel as he acknowledged that his answer would have been yes.

******************

SG-1's mission on Monday was to P1X-246. The mission had gone smoothly up until just before they were due to leave. Sam was walking along behind Teal'c back to the stargate when a sinkhole opened up right underneath her.

"Teal'c!" she cried out.

Turning, Teal'c saw that she had fallen into the hole. "Major Carter, are you injured?" he asked.

"Yes, I think my ankle is sprained." As she looked up, Teal'c's face appeared over the edge of the hole.

"The hole is not deep, but I shall require assistance to retrieve you from it." He reached for his radio. "I shall contact O'Neill and Daniel Jackson for assistance."

"Yes, Teal'c," Jack's voice came over the radio. "Where are you and Carter? You should have been here five minutes ago."

"Major Carter has been injured. I require assistance to retrieve her from a sinkhole." Teal'c told him.

"We'll be right there." Jack switched off his radio. Five minutes later, he was beside the sinkhole. "Sam, are you all right?"

"I'm okay, my ankle is just sprained, I think," she answered. "I need some help getting out, the walls of this thing are kind of unstable."

Jack pulled a rope out of his pack. "Here, Sam, tie this around yourself, and we'll pull you out." He threw the rope down to her, and she did as he instructed. Taking the other end of the rope, the three men quickly pulled her out of the hole.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed as she put her weight on her foot. "It's already swollen. Damn it!"

Jack took her arm and put it around his shoulders, then he put his own arm around her waist. "C'mon, let's get you back to the SGC so that the Doc can take a look at that ankle." They all headed back toward the 'gate, Daniel and Teal'c leading the way.

Once they were back at the SGC, they had their post-mission physicals and Sam's sprained ankle was taken care of.

"Sam, I don't want you putting any weight on that ankle. Use the crutches," Janet ordered, "or I'll put you on bedrest in the infirmary for the next three days." She handed Sam a pair of crutches. "That's an order, Major Carter!" Janet looked at Sam sternly.

"Yes, Dr. Fraiser." Sam meekly agreed, not relishing the idea of being tied down in the infirmary for three days.

"I'll make sure she follows doctor's orders," a voice came from the doorway. Jack entered the room and smiled. Janet quickly looked between Jack and Sam.

"I'll hold you to that Colonel." Janet handed Jack a bottle of pills. "Make sure she takes two of these as needed for pain. That ankle is wrenched pretty badly, and she may have trouble sleeping."

"You've got it, Doc." Jack shook the bottle of pills in Sam's direction. "Hear that, Major?"

"Yes, sir," Sam said resignedly.

After Janet finished wrapping a bandage around Sam's ankle, she let her leave, admonishing her once again to stay off her injured ankle.

"Come on, Major, I'll take you home." Jack took her by the arm and guided her toward the elevator. "Just take it easy, we're not in a rush." He got her into the elevator, up to the check-in station, and to his car in the parking lot. The painkiller Janet had given her was starting to wear off, and he knew that she was in a lot of pain. Janet had told him that she had just missed tearing ligaments in her ankle, so he knew it was badly injured.

"Hang on, Sam," he told her when he noticed the frown on her face. "I'll have you home in a few minutes, and then you can take one of these painkillers and go to bed."

"Sounds good, sir," she said. She laid her head back against the seat, exhausted. All she wanted to do was go home, take a long, hot shower, and go to bed. It had been a long, tiring, painful day.

Eventually, they drew up outside Sam's apartment. Seeing her pain and exhaustion, Jack picked her up and carried her to the door, putting her down only to get the door open, then he picked her up again and carried her in. He set her on the sofa, and went back out to the car to get her crutches. He put them beside her when he came in and went into the kitchen to get her some water to take her pills with.

"Thank you so much for bringing me home," she said.

"Hey, not a problem, Sam," Jack said.

Sam pushed back her hair and unzipped her jacket. "I'd really like to get cleaned up, if that's all right."

"Sure." He handed her the glass of water and two of the pills. "Take these. By the time you get cleaned up, they should be kicking in, and you can get a good night's sleep." She took them, and he helped her to the master bathroom. "Can you do this by yourself?" he asked.

"I think so. I'll call you if I need you." She gave him a reassuring smile.

"Okay." Jack turned the water on in the shower, making sure it was the right temperature. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

"Thanks," she said, and he left her alone.

Getting her clothes off wasn't too terribly difficult, but maneuvering into the shower was more difficult. She managed though, and proceeded to get her self cleaned up. It was a little difficult trying to shower standing on one foot, but she did it. Turning off the water, she grabbed the towel on the bar beside the shower and dried herself off, then she wrapped the towel around herself. Now she had to get out of the shower. Gingerly, she put her injured foot out of the stall and attempted to put her weight on it. No good. Well, she couldn't stand there all night, she was tired, and the pills were starting to kick in. There was no hope for it.

"Sir," she called leaning her head on the wall of the shower. The door popped open immediately, and Jack's head popped inside. "I can't get out."

Jack took one look at her standing there wrapped in a towel. To his credit, his jaw didn't drop to the floor, he managed at least that much self-control. 'Wow!' was the only thought that made its way through his now fuzzy brain.

"Can you help me?" she asked.

"Uh, sure, Major." He used her title to remind himself who she was. It wasn't working. He came into the bathroom and putting her arm around his shoulder, started to help her out of the shower stall. At that moment, her foot slipped on the wet tiles, and he grabbed her to him to prevent her from slipping down. Her towel loosened and fell off, leaving her nude body pressed firmly against his. Involuntarily, her arms had wound around his neck, and blue eyes stared into brown. Without volition, his right hand slid down her naked back, and over the curve of her rear, while his left hand held her closer. Her hand slid into his hair, and applied the slightest downward pressure. His head dipped, and his mouth captured hers, parting her lips, their tongues stroking each other's, their breathing quickening.

He picked her up in his arms, and carried her into the bedroom, laying her down on the bed he'd turned back earlier. Her arms tightened around his neck, pulling him down with her, keeping the contact of their lips and bodies. His hands stroked her, and she arched against him. Pulling his lips away from hers, he lifted himself slightly away from her and removed his tee shirt. Her hands stroked over his chest and around to his back. His skin felt as if it were on fire where she touched him. Pulling back, he removed the rest of his clothes and lay down beside her.

"Do you want this, Sam?" he asked in a whisper, wanting her to be sure.

"Oh, yes, Jack, I do," she whispered back, her voice slightly slurred, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him closer.

He kissed her again, then his lips left hers to trail down her neck to her breasts. His tongue stroked each nipple in its turn, then trailed down to her navel, leaving her writhing against him. Grabbing him by the shoulders, she pulled him back up. "Please, now," she whispered, and he was glad to oblige her. Settling between her parted thighs, he thrust inside her. It was like coming home. She surrounded him tightly, like a hot, wet glove. He started to move slowly, then increased the rhythm. She met him thrust for thrust, moaning in her pleasure, whispering his name. Their movements became more frenzied, less rhythmic, driving them on until Sam stiffened beneath him, her orgasm causing her body to arch beneath his, her internal contractions pulling him along with her, calling her name.

Afterward, he collapsed against her, his face buried in her neck. "Love you, Sam," he whispered.

"Love you," she whispered back. He felt her completely relax beneath him, slipping into sleep. Moving to the side, he pulled her into his arms, snuggling her close to him. Extremely relaxed himself, he let himself slip into sleep, too, holding the woman he now realized he loved more than life itself close.

***************

Jack woke before Sam the next morning, and slipped from the bed. He put on his clothes and picked up the wet towel from the floor and hung it over the shower door. He walked back over to the bed and, leaning over, brushed back her hair. "Sleep awhile longer, Sammy," he whispered. Then he went to the kitchen to see what he could rustle up for breakfast. Finding eggs and bacon, he started cooking. He had just finished dishing up the last of the bacon, when he heard a sound at the kitchen door. It was Sam standing there on her crutches dressed in a sweatshirt and sweatpants. She still looked a little sleepy.

"Sam, you should've stayed in bed. I was going to bring your breakfast to you," Jack said.

"No, that's okay." She looked at him, confused. "Did you put me to bed last night?"

"Yes," he answered, confused too. "Why do you ask?"

She laughed. "The last thing I remember was trying to get out of the shower and calling you to help me. Obviously, you did help me." She blushed. "I'm sorry about that." She crutched it over to the kitchen table and sat down on one of the chairs.

"That's the last thing you remember?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "I'm sorry that I collapsed on you like that."

She didn't remember what had happened. It must have been the combination of fatigue, pain, the pills, and the warm water. His heart felt like a rock stuck in the pit of his stomach.

"It's all right. How'd you sleep?" He prepared a plate of food for her and carried it over to the table, putting it down in front of her. "Here you go."

"I had some really vivid dreams, but other than that, I slept fine." She picked up a strip of bacon and bit into it. "Mmm. Nice and crispy, just like I like it." She looked up at him and smiled. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"No, I have to leave in a few minutes," he said. "Hammond is going to debrief us, Daniel, Teal'c and myself, at 1100. I need to drop by my house and change before I go." Jack went over to the stove and started cleaning up the pans he used to cook breakfast, putting them in the dishwasher. By the time he'd cleaned up his mess, Sam had finished her breakfast.

"Thanks for taking such good care of me last night," Sam said as she followed him into the living room on her crutches.

"No problem. What are friends for?" Jack smiled at her. But the smile didn't reach his eyes, and she noticed, just like she noticed everything about him. Just then the phone rang. Since she was standing beside it, all she had to do was pick it up.

"Hello," she said. "Oh, hi, Chuck." She listened for a minute. "Janet told you?" A pause. "No, I'm okay, better than last night." She smiled at Jack. "Friday night? Sure, sounds like fun." Another pause. She laughed. "I should be up and around by then, though I don't think I'll be up to dancing."

Jack picked up his jacket and let himself quietly out the door.

When Sam hung up the phone he was gone.

***************************************************************

Jack thought the debriefing with Hammond was never going to end. How much could you say about a planet that didn't even have ruins on it, much less any technology at all? Finally, they were dismissed. SG-1 was put on down time for the rest of the week because of Sam's injury, so Daniel and Teal'c departed to parts unknown. As for himself, he had some thinking to do. What had happened between him and Sam the night before had been a revelation, and he had some decisions to make. She didn't remember what had happened, or if she did, she thought it was just a dream. There were two things he could do: he could act as if nothing had happened, or he could pursue a relationship with Sam. If he planned to do the former, he didn't see how he could manage to spend any time at all with her without wanting to touch or kiss her, and if he chose the latter course, she might not be interested in a relationship with him, plus, of course, there were the regulations against it. She did call out his name last night, though, even if she didn't remember. That showed she had some thoughts about him in that vein. He smiled as he remembered. There was the matter of this Chuck guy, though. He was obviously very interested in Sam, and she seemed to like him. Oh, well, he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

After checking to make sure that he wasn't needed for anything else on base, he left and headed for Sam's. He had told Janet that he would make sure she was all right. It also gave him an excuse to see her. Even if she was seeing this Chuck, he had an advantage. He was the one she wanted, at least subconsciously. He smiled at the thought. He just had to keep an eye on her.

**************

After the Colonel left, Sam took some more of her pain pills, and lay down on her bed. The aching throb in her ankle dulled, and she drifted off into a twilight world. She vaguely heard the door open, but she didn't really care, it was just a dream. A weight settled down on the bed beside her. Forcing her eyes open, she saw Jack sitting on the side of the bed.

"Hi, Jack," she said groggily. She reached out her hand and put it on the side of his neck, stroking it. Mmm, she thought hazily, why am I having these dreams? They're so real.

"Hi, Sam," dream Jack whispered. His hand touched her face, brushing her hair back. Her own hand tightened and pulled him down to her, kissing him on the mouth. He responded, his tongue parting her lips and slipping inside. Her right arm went around him while her left hand slid up and buried itself in his hair. The wish that this was real passed through her foggy brain. He pulled his lips from hers and trailed them over her cheek and down her neck, stopping only when they encountered the neckline of her sweatshirt. His hands slid underneath her sweatshirt, softly caressing her skin. It felt so good, so good. She sighed. His lips moved back to hers, kissing her again, then he pulled away again and whispered in her ear, "Go to sleep, Sam." Nodding, she turned over on her side.

The next thing she knew, it was dark outside. Sam sat up in bed startled. She'd had another one of those dreams about Jack again. This one was just as vivid as the other one, the one where she'd dreamed they'd made love. She heard a sound in the other room. Grabbing her crutches, she navigated her way into the living room. The sound was coming from her kitchen, and she cautiously went to the door.

It was Jack. He was stirring a pot on the stove, and she noticed the most delicious aroma. He turned when he heard her and smiled. It felt like her heart leapt in her chest at the sight.

"Hi, Sam," he said. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I guess so," she answered. "How long have you been here?"

"A little while." He indicated the pot. "I made some spaghetti. My culinary skills don't run to much more than bacon and eggs and spaghetti." He smiled apologetically.

"That's fine. It smells wonderful." She went to the table and sat down, laying the crutches on the floor. "I'm hungry. I think I slept through lunch."

"Well, it's almost done." Jack opened the oven and took out a loaf of warmed Italian bread. He wrapped it in a towel and placed it in a basket, then put it on the table. He then dished up spaghetti for both himself and Sam. After placing the plates on the table, he went into the living room and got a pillow from the sofa. Pulling out one of the kitchen chairs, he put the pillow on the chair, then lifted Sam's injured ankle up to rest on the chair.

"Thank you," she said softly, her heart beating quickly from his touch.

"You're welcome," he said equally softly. "Go ahead and eat before it gets cold."

"Okay," she said smiling at him. She took a bite. "This is delicious!"

"Thanks. Old family recipe," he quipped.

She giggled. "All the way from Ireland?"

"Oh, yeah." He grinned at her and she grinned right back.

He kept her entertained with banter while they ate, and she stayed in the kitchen and kept him company while he cleaned up. When he was finished, instead of letting her use her crutches to walk back into the living room, he lifted her and carried her, setting her gently on the sofa, then he sat down near her, holding her injured foot in his lap.

They were sitting there talking quietly, and he was absently stroking her calf when the doorbell rang. Jack got up to answer it. It was Chuck. He recognized him from last Friday when he'd followed them on their date.

"Hi, I'm Chuck Barnes, a friend of Samantha's." The guy smiled, a smile which showed too many perfect white teeth. "I've come by to see her."

Yeah, right, Jack thought. "She's resting right now," Jack said.

"It's all right, Jack," Sam called. "Let him in."

Reluctantly, Jack did as Sam asked. But, after he let Chuck in, he went back to his seat on the sofa with Sam, putting her injured foot back in his lap, giving ole Chucky a challenging glare.

Chuck was no fool. He recognized another male marking territory when he saw it. Jack was staking his claim on Sam. And Sam, she seemed totally oblivious to it. Well, that wasn't to be unexpected. He had never met such a beautiful woman with absolutely no artifice about her. She wasn't even aware that she WAS a beautiful woman. Well, he'd just bide his time and see what happened.

Chuck only stayed a few minutes, then he left, to Jack's relief. He had read the challenge in Chuck's eyes. Well, Chucky, I have the upperhand here, he thought.

After he saw Chuck out, he noticed the pain on Sam's face. "Sam, do you need some more pain medicine?" he asked.

"Yes, I think so," she answered. Jack picked her up and took her to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. Then he went to the bathroom and got her a glass of water. She opened the bottle and took two pills out, swallowing them down with the water. She lay down and closed her eyes. Jack covered her with the blanket turned off the light. "Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," he replied. "Go to sleep." Jack left the room, but he left the door open so that he could hear if she needed him. Looking in the hall closet, he took out a pillow and blanket. Spreading them on the sofa, he took off his clothes and lay down in his boxers. The events of the previous night and the day caught up with him and he went to sleep.

****************

Jack was awakened by the sound of moaning and thrashing. Jumping up he ran into Sam's room. She was struggling with something.

"Sh, Sam, what's wrong," he asked.

"I'm so hot," she said, pulling on her clothes. "I'm hot." She moaned as if in pain.

"Calm down, I'll help you." He grabbed her arms and stilled her movements. Then he pulled her arms out of the sleeves of her sweatshirt, then he pulled the shirt over her head. She was bare from the waist up. "Oh, God," he said. Her hands started pushing at the sweatpants she was wearing, pushing them down. Afraid that she would hurt her injured ankle, he stilled her hands and pulled the pants off for her, being careful with her ankle. She lay there completely naked.

Grabbing for the blankets, he attempted to cover her, but she would have none of it. She started flailing her arms and legs. He grabbed her arms to hold her still, then the next thing he knew, she had pulled him down on the bed with her.

"Sam, you don't-" but the words were cut off by her mouth on his. Groaning, he attempted to pull away from her, but she was having none of it. She clung to him like a limpet. He was afraid to struggle too much for fear of hurting her ankle again. Finally, she let him up for air.

"Oh, Sam, I'm not letting you have any more of those pills," he said. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Okay," he sighed. "I give." Reaching down he grabbed the blankets and pulled them up over himself and Sam. Then he wrapped his arms around her. "Go to sleep, Sam."

"Okay, Jack," she whispered. She snuggled down into him and soon she was fast asleep. The feel of her naked body against his was quite distracting and it was a while before he was able to go to sleep.

The next morning, Jack was the first one awake again. He dressed quickly, left Sam a note just in case she woke up, and quietly let himself out of the apartment, taking the pain pills with him. He was definitely not letting her have any more of those things. They had some kind of odd reaction on her, causing her to act out her dreams or something. It was weird. He ran by home, showered quickly and changed clothes, then he called Janet at the SGC. He told her about what had happened with Sam, her reaction to the pills. She told him not to let Sam have anymore of them until she had taken some blood tests. She told Jack to bring Sam by the Academy hospital that afternoon to have some blood drawn.

Jack headed back to Sam's apartment, stopping by the bakery on the way to pick up her favorite cherry-cheese danish. He made it back before she woke up, and had a pot of coffee brewed by the time she stirred.

When she woke up, Jack was sitting by her bed. She sat up, then sank back down when she realized she didn't have any clothes on.

"What-?" she said.

"You must have pulled your clothes off during the night," he answered her unspoken question. He stood and sat her up, stacking pillows behind her. "I'll be right back with some breakfast." He was glad to leave the room right then, she looked so sweet and sexy sitting there in the bed, her hair rumpled, her eyes sleepy, the bedclothes clutched to her breasts. While he had watched her sleeping, it had taken every bit of willpower he had to stop himself from crawling right into the bed with her.

After she ate her breakfast, Jack told her that Janet wanted him to bring her over to the hospital so she agreed. She got dressed and Jack took her. They drew the blood, and then he took her back home. Janet stopped by later to bring her a different pain medication. It turned out that a chemical in the original medication was reacting with the naquada in her system, causing the so-called "vivid dreams." Sam was relieved and disappointed at the same time. She had enjoyed those dreams.

Jack was relieved and disappointed for different reasons. He was relieved that there was nothing wrong with Sam, and disappointed because all indications were that her reaction to him was due to the medication. But, he wasn't about to give up just yet.

By Wednesday, Sam was getting around much better and her ankle was much less painful. She told Jack that he didn't have to hover any more, and told him not to come back until Thursday. By then, her ankle was so much better that she was starting to forget to use the crutches. When Jack came by to check on her, he reminded her of what Janet had said about taking it easy. On Friday, she decided that she was tired of the crutches, and put them in the closet. She was getting around much better, and she didn't want to go out on her date with Chuck on crutches. She tried to call Jack, but there was no answer at his house. She left a message on his answering machine to call her, but no call came.

Sam got ready for her date, and when Chuck came, she left with him. Neither of them noticed a dark sedan parked down the block, or when it followed them. Jack was keeping an eye on Sam.

**************

The party was boring. Chuck spent most of the time schmoozing with some visiting brass from Washington and introducing her around like she was his girlfriend. THAT, and the fact that he was so possessive, completely pissed her off. In fact she got so mad that she called a cab and went home without telling Chuck. That was the last date she was going out on with him. He acted like total jerk! About an hour later, a very angry Chuck showed up on her doorstep.

"Samantha, that was really rude of you to leave like that," Chuck said angrily, pushing his way into her apartment.

"Get out of my apartment now," she demanded, just as angry. "It was rude of you to presume upon our friendship. We've only been on two dates. That doesn't make me your girlfriend."

"What, are you afraid that Jack is going to find out about it?" he asked snidely.

A voice came from behind him. "Jack already knows about it." A very angry Jack O'Neill grabbed Chuck by his shirt front. "I suggest Major Barnes, that you leave right now and not come back this way again. I'd hate to have to permanently damage that pretty mug of yours." He shoved Chuck toward the door. Chuck started to say something, but the look on Jack's face told him that he'd better be on his way, so he was.

"What a jerk!" Sam said. "You know, he was actually going around telling people that I was his girlfriend!" She then realized that Jack was standing in her apartment. "What are you doing here?"

"Keeping you from killing Major Doctor Chucky Perfect, I think." He reached over and shut the door. "I was going to let you handle it, but I've seen that blood-in-your-eye look before, so I decided to rescue him."

She limped over to the sofa and sat down to remove her shoes. She rubbed her feet.

"Let me do that," Jack said, shrugging off his leather jacket. He sat down beside her and lifted her feet into his lap. "Your ankle looks better." He gestured to the flat heeled shoes on the floor. "It's a good thing you wore those instead of those stilts you wore to the symphony. Although," he ran his hand up the back of her leg, "they did make your legs look about a mile long."

"Are you a leg man, Colonel?" she asked saucily.

He moved her legs off his lap, and leaned over her. "I think I'm a 'Sam' man."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

"Oh, yes," he answered. He leaned over and lightly pressed his lips to hers, giving her the opportunity to push him away if she chose. When he felt her arms go around him, he deepened the kiss. Oh, yes, indeed.

It was probably one of the best kisses Sam had ever had, maybe even THE best. The man could definitely kiss. When they finally parted, she could only stare up into his smiling brown eyes.

"So. . ." Jack looked at her a little uncertainly.

"So. . ." She smiled at him. "What took you so long?"

He smiled back. "Not as long as you think." He leaned forward and kissed her on the nose. "Remember the 'vivid dream' you had the night after you sprained your ankle?"

"Yes," she answered hesitantly.

"It wasn't a dream," he said.

"It wasn't?" If her eyes had gotten any bigger they would have popped out of her head.

"No. You had an allergic reaction to the pain medication, that thing with the chemicals mixing with the naquada and everything." He hoped he was explaining it right. "Anyway, you jumped me when I helped you out of the shower. I didn't realize you didn't know what you were doing." He hung his head slightly. "I'm sorry. When it happened again, I didn't let it get out of hand either time."

She put her hand on his cheek. "Jack, I knew what I was doing the whole time. I just didn't realize that it was really happening. It felt so dreamlike, I was convinced it WAS a dream." She shrugged her shoulders. "Besides, I didn't think you were interested in me that way."

"The regulations?" he asked.

"Partly, and partly because you had never really showed that you WERE interested." Sam saw the surprise on his face.

"Sam, why did you think I spent so much time with you the last few months." Jack leaned forward and kissed her gently. "I've been doing what Teal'c called, um, 'human courtship rituals'."

"I thought it was because you were trying to make up for what happened with Andrea, all that obsession stuff." She was still trying to wrap her mind around the 'courtship ritual' thing.

"Sam, even when I was with Andrea, I wanted you." He rested his forehead against hers. "When I was on Edora I wanted you. Hell, I've wanted you since you walked into the conference room before the Abydos mission."

"What?" This was all news to her.

"I'm sorry, but I've been following you when you've gone out with Dr. Chucky. Just to make sure you were all right." He looked very contrite. "That guy was just too perfect. I didn't trust him."

"Oh, Jack," she sighed. "You shouldn't have followed me. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"After what happened with Andrea, I've been afraid that someone could catch you off guard and do it again." His jaw firmed. "I'm not about to let it happen again. It's funny, I'm more afraid for you here on earth than I am off-world. At least off-world you're on guard all the time, you automatically go into military mode. Here you're at home, you trust your surroundings more." He hoped his explanation was clear. "I've seen more of the ugliness of this world than you've seen. I know you can take care of yourself, it's just-" He shrugged.

She did understand what he was trying to say. "I appreciate that, Jack." She leaned forward and put her arms around him. He held her close. "I'd hate it if anything happened to you. You may be right about letting my guard down here on earth. It's home. I guess we tend to feel safe at home, especially after some of the things we've been through on other worlds." He had confessed his feelings, now it was her turn. "I've got my own confession to make."

He loosened his hold and leaned back to look at her. "You do?"

"Yes." She looked down. "I've wanted you since before our mission to Abydos." She hazarded a glance up at his face. Surprise was written all over it. "When I read your report about the first mission, I became obsessed with you. I found out everything I could about you, everything in the official file, and a few things that weren't in the official file." She leaned back and looked him in the eye. "When I finally met you, I was so nervous, I hardly knew what I was saying."

"Before we even met?" Jack could hardly believe it.

"Yes." She reached out and stroked his face. "So many things have happened to us since then, the 'touched' virus, Jolinar, the alternate universe stuff," she hesitated, then continued, "Edora."

"Sam, about Edora- " he paused, trying to find the right words. "I didn't think I would ever come back home. I decided to make the best of the situation, which I saw as hopeless. I'm sorry that I hurt you."

"I know." She slid her hands up and into his hair, pulling his head down for a kiss. "I understand."

"So. . .now where are we?" he asked. "What are we?"

"We're teammates, co-workers, friends, lovers," she answered. "I trust you with my life, and I think you trust me with yours."

"I do, Sam," he said. "I have since our first mission."

"Then, let's not worry about things we have no control over."

"Like the military, regulations, things like that?" he shook his head. "I hope it can be that easy."

"Not easy, Jack. Simple." She smiled her for-Jack-only smile. "I'm tired now. I think I'd like to go to bed." Sam held out her arms. "Could you give me a hand?"

"I'd be glad to." Standing, he swung her up into his arms and carried her into her bedroom and gently placed her on the bed. He started to turn away, when she grabbed his hand.

"Help me undress?" she asked. Jack sat down on the bed beside her.

"Oh, yes," he answered. Reaching out he slipped his arms behind her, unzipped her dress and lowered it, slipping it off of her. Slowly, carefully he removed her bra, panties, and stockings. When she lay bare before him, she reached out and pulled his shirt out of his jeans and over his head. Placing her hands on his chest, she stroked downward to his belt, unfastening it and then his jeans, tugging the zipper down. He stood and removed his jeans and underwear, then he lay down beside her, took her in his arms and kissed her.

"I love you, Sam. I told you before, but I doubt if you remember," he told her.'

"I remember, Jack. I think I told you that I love you, too." She kissed him on the mouth, then slid her lips to his ear to bite the lobe.

He rolled her over onto her back. "Well, it's time to refresh your memory." And he did.

*****************

Monday morning, SGC. . .

"Well, Sam your ankle looks much better." Janet rewrapped Sam's ankle. "You should be ready to go back through to your regular duties in another week."

"Great, Janet," Sam said.

"I, uh, got a call from Chuck Barnes on Friday night." Janet glanced up at Sam, then looked back down at the ankle she was wrapping. "He said that you walked out on your date with him. He considered it to be very rude. He also doesn't know WHAT you see in Jack." Janet finished what she was doing and looked at Sam. "What exactly happened?"

"Chuck is a jerk, that's all." Sam flexed her ankle. "Is this bandage a little tight?"

"Sam, don't try to change the subject," Janet said, exasperated.

"Janet, let's just say that I won't be seeing Chuck again." Sam got down from the examining table. "Can I go back to the lab? I'm really backed up. And Siler is back from leave, so he can help me repair some of the damage his so-called replacement caused."

"I'm sure Siler will be glad to know that you appreciate his efforts," Jack said from the doorway. He walked into the room. "So, Doc, Major Carter is cleared for duty?" He smiled at Sam and she smiled back at him.

"Light duty, Colonel, nothing strenuous." She looked with interest between the two.

"Oh, we'll make sure she doesn't do anything too strenuous," he said. "Major, General Hammond needs a copy of your report on the tech that SG-10 brought back from P3X-4--whatever."

"It's in the lab. Bye, Janet." The two officers left the infirmary together. Janet could hardly contain herself. She burst out laughing. Daniel stuck his head into the examining room.

"Janet, did you find out anything?" Daniel was dying of curiosity.

"I do believe it worked." Janet's laughter finally died down, and she took a deep breath. "You should have seen the way they looked at each other."

"That good?" he asked.

"That good," she answered.

****************

Jack and Sam were in the lab. Sam was printing up the report General Hammond wanted, and Jack was playing with one of the alien artifacts, trying to fit a screwdriver into a slot. Sam let him because it was one that she'd already examined and it was harmless.

"Chuck called Janet," she said. "He said I was very rude."

"Jerk." The artifact broke apart. Jack hid it under a lab coat, much to Sam's amusement.

"He told her he didn't know what I saw in you." She watched as he picked up a small model of a DNA molecule.

"Oh, yeah?" He said as he twirled the model around. He muttered something.

"What was that?" Sam asked.

"Oh, nothing." Jack laid the model down, thankfully unbroken. "Want to meet for lunch?"

"Sounds good. Come by for me, I'm going to be busy here for awhile." She stood and walked around the table. Looking out the door and seeing the coast clear, she pulled his head down and gave him a quick kiss. "Goodbye, Colonel O'Neill." She trailed a finger down his shirt. "See you later."

"Later," he said and winked at her. She laughed as he left.

"Ah," she sighed. "This is going to be interesting."

***************************************************************************

The End