Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did… well we'd all be happy, or at least I would :0D

Thanks to Chartrusean for beta'ing this for me. Plus she writes AWESOME Sanctuary fic!

This has been on my computer for about a year now, it's high time I posted it. Updating weekly, unless there is begging involved, then I might be convinced to upload sooner ;oP

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Two's Company:

We'll get her back John. I promise." He looked at her, not truly believing and it showed. "Hey, we don't' leave our people behind. We just need a viable option for rescue."

"If she's even still alive." He looked pained. Worse than pained, like part of him had been put into a meat grinder and reinserted into his body, exposing raw nerves to the torture of the elements.

"Don't think like that John." "We've lost people before and recovered them, weeks, months, even years later." "Trust me. I know this isn't easy, but I've been in this position more than a few times." "We'.."

Sam reached out and touched his face. She liked John. He had always been strong, funny and flirty. She enjoyed their encounters at the SGC and on the rare occasion she had visited Atlantis. Like Jack and Cam, he was the typical SGC flyboy, full of life, confidence and hidden brilliance. It hurt her to see him like this, but she knew all too well where he was coming from.

His face was smooth and rough at the same time, his skin warm, but his face… so sad, hurt and angry.

"Hey, I've got something that might cheer you up." She offered in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"What's that?"

"Beer, and lots of it." She flashed him one of her best smiles. It was those smiles that her team claimed could charm the fight out of a cobra. Sam felt the situation warranted such a disarming smile. She didn't care for using her feminine wiles but every now and then…

After a moment of getting lost in the depths of those gorgeous blues, he looked at her questioningly. She didn't exactly look like the drinking type.

She answered his unvoiced question. "General O'Neill sent it. He knows I do not care much for it… ok every now and then I like a good Sam Adams, but, he said I'd need it. That there'd be days like this."

"Ahh." John thought for a moment. "You know what. That sounds like a good idea, great actually." "The south pier is usually where I think my sorrows away, tonight I may just have to drink my sorrows away." "Besides, in the company of a beautiful woman, how could I say no?" He smiled this time, while still sad looking there was his trademark flyboy edge to it.

…..

A few hours and way too many beers on his part later…

They sat on the pier, empty bottles beside them. Sam was relaxed but not even buzzed let alone drunk. John on the other hand… Well it was what the doctor, or Colonel ordered. He was regaling her with his off-world exploits, including some very comical moments including McKay and his characteristic 'charm' getting him into trouble with the locals.

Sam's sides were starting to ache from laughter, and it only seemed to encourage John. He wouldn't forget her but he was forgetting his sorrows for a while. Unlike the saddened stupor he expected to be in, he was in a playful, jovial stupor.

"I'm sure you have hordes of stories of your own." He said noticing how the moon shone off of her flowing golden hair.

"To quote Teal'c, 'indeed'." She giggled and didn't know if it was from the beer or the school girl feeling that nagged at her often in his presence. "But a lot of them are dark and not exactly good for the mood we seemed to have created."

John grunted non-committally. He knew she had seen a lot in her day. He had enough demons in his closet, but Sam had been at this for more than twice as long as he had.

The sound of the waves was peaceful and a light breeze caressed their skin as they settled into a comfortable silence, both leaning back on their elbows, sitting a little closer than they probably should have been.

John's head dropped to her shoulder. "Thanks Sam."

She rather liked his head resting there, even though she shouldn't. "Hey, no problem." "It's nice to be a comfort to someone for a change. I wish the circumstances were different, the loss of a bet or something, but underneath it all. It's still nice."

It was a comment that could be taken as crass and cold-hearted. But he knew what she meant. And John really did appreciate everything she had done, for him and for Atlantis. If Elizabeth had to be replaced he was glad it was her and he told her so. "I couldn't have dreamed for better."

"Thanks John, that's really sweet." Sam looked down at him, tendrils of gold falling across her face. He looked into her steel grey/blue eyes, eyes he could as easily get lost in as Elizabeth's greens.

John lifted his head off her shoulder and placed a gentle hand on her face. She didn't intend to but she instinctively leaned into the touch and closed her eyes. She was strangely calm and comforted by the intimate moment, until soft lips tenderly touched hers.

Excitement, warmth, apprehension, was just a few of the emotions swirling inside her. She slightly leaned into the kiss but something within screamed at her 'wrong, this is wrong, wrong, wrong." She wanted not to care if it was wrong or not. It felt so good and John's apprehension had melted away and he had sidled closer to her, hands in her hair and deepening the kiss. There was no tongue action, yet, but they kissed with half open mouths taking each other in, in sections, exploring… learning.

Sam needed to pull back, but didn't want to jerk back suddenly even if the urge hit her that way. She pulled back a little, nipped at his lips again and broke the kiss and then the embrace.

John's hazel eyes burned into hers, warm, yet needing. She understood his need for comfort, but that type of comfort would only open a can of worms, or worse.

"This is a bad idea," Sam said softly, gently with a hint of huskiness in her voice left from the passion of the kiss. "Not that it isn't a wonderful thought, but it's wrong."

"I know, whole CO/2IC thing." He said looking a little sheepish, yet aroused at the same time.

Sam smiled warmly, eyes still hazy and smoldering. It twisted his insides in a pleasant way knowing he affected her like that. "Not just that John, you're hurt emotionally, drunk and very vulnerable. What type of friend would I be to take advantage of that? Let alone CO taking advantage of her 2IC like that."

John understood completely, his feelings clearly showing on his face. Sam was relieved to see how accepting he was of the whole situation, so damn calm and collected, even under the circumstances.

"Besides. I wouldn't want you waking up in the morning regretting the day you laid eyes on me." She smiled one of her mega-watt smiles and he resisted the urge to try breaking her shell again and pin her to the pier.

Instead he looked her over… slowly… appreciatively… "Yeah," he said sarcastically, "I see that happening."

Sam had the good grace to blush.

"But, I understand what you are saying." John said standing, and then held a hand out to Sam helping her up. "So we ok?"

"Yeah, forget it ever happened."

John stepped close to her, his eyes determined. "No, I'm not going to forget it and neither should you. It was perfect and you know it."

Sam looked down, 'Yeah, yeah it was perfect.' She thought to herself. She looked back up into those hazel eyes. "You're right. But it shouldn't happen again."

"I completely agree." His voice and his expression were just a little too playful for such a comment. Sam's suspicion was confirmed when he kissed her again.

She smiled and giggled against his lips. He broke the kiss with a laugh of his own. Sam playfully shoved him and he stumbled. "Careful there flyboy."

He grinned at her and her to him. "I'll walk you home, make sure you make it," Sam said with a smile still plastered to her face and lips still tingling with the lingering effects of his touch.

John said nothing, but wrapped an arm around her waist, and she did likewise, and they headed for the nearest transporter.

….

It was the first time she intentionally recalled a memory to share with Elizabeth.

A/N: Ha! Virtual cookies to anyone who figures out where this is going!