It was a nice day in May, when Sam got a call from her manager saying that she had a party to play at the next day. So the first thing Sam did once she hung up the phone was to grab her music notebook, and start making her set list. She figured a few upbeat songs, and some slower songs. As she was flipping through the pages she stopped on one in particular. 'This may be the most heartfelt song I have ever written.' She thought as she looked at a page with Missing You written at the top. She wrote it on the list to play, and kept flipping through the pages looking for other songs to put on the list. Eventually she came to the last song she had written down called Like I Love You. 'This describes my feelings for Jack perfectly. I Love Him so much, I just don't know if I can tell him.' She looked down at her list and thought, 'I think this will work. I can always adjust it at the gig.' And with that she set her notebook down and went into her kitchen to make dinner.
The rest of the day went by fairly quickly for Sam. She spent it thinking about Jack, and weather or not she wanted to tell him how she feels. The next morning she fell into her normal morning routine consisting of waking up early, going on a 5 mile run, taking a shower, and then getting a nice breakfast. Time seemed to fly by for her, and before she knew it she was packing up her stuff and leaving for the party she was supposed to play. She got her stuff and herself into her car, and realized that her manager never gave her the address. So she called her manager and as she was copying down the address she realized that that address seemed eerily familiar. 'Holy Hannah! That's Jack's address. What the hell am I going to do? Well I guess I don't have a choice but to go and play. Maybe this is fates way of saying I need to tell him.' With that she started her car and made her way to Jack O'Neill's house.
When she got there she grabbed her guitar case, and her water bottle from the backseat of her car and proceeded up to Jack's porch to knock on the door. The door swung open to reveal one Jack O'Neill and the first thing out of his mouth was "Carter? What are you doing here?"
"My manager called me last night and told me I have a gig today at this address. I'm the singer you hired." She told him waiting to hear what he would say.
"Really? Cuz' I hired a Jean Thompson." He told her crossing his arms across his chest and staring at her inquisitively.
"Jean is my middle name, and Thompson was my mother's maiden name. I use it for a stage name, and with as crazy as the SGC is, I didn't really want to add the limelight of Hollywood to the mix." Sam told him honestly.
"Come on in." he said as he let her past him and into his living room. "Your sound tech got here half an hour ago and started setting stuff up." He was telling her as they walked through his house to the back yard. "My guests will be arriving in about half an hour, but some may arrive early." He said very business-like manner.
"Is everything ok?" Sam asked a bit worried why he was speaking to her like that.
"Everything's fine Carter, except apparently you don't trust me or the rest of SG-1 enough to tell us that you're a famous singer." Jack said looking straight at her.
"Sir, I didn't think it was very important, and I wanted to keep it away from the SGC. Besides would you have believed me if I did tell you?"
"Yeah… well, probably not." Jack told her, looking down at his feet.
"Besides, I do trust you, and the rest of the team." Sam said as she went to set her guitar up, and warm up.
About a forty-five minutes later when everyone was there and had a chance to mingle Jack walked up onto the stage and said "Hey everyone! So this year I decided to hire some entertainment, so here she is miss Jean Thompson!" Sam walked onto the stage and everyone cheered and screamed, and Jack was still surprised that she is who she is.
"Hey everybody! This first song I'm going to sing for you is called 'I will be your friend'. I hope you like it." With that she started to strum her guitar, and begun to sing
"When every moment gets too hard
The end of the road can feel so far
No matter how much time we're apart
I'm always near you
I'll be the shelter in your rain
Help you to find your smile again
I'll make you laugh at a broken heart
Wherever you are
'Cause I'm never gonna walk away
If the walls come down someday
All alone and you feel afraid
I'll be there when you call my name
You can always depend on me
I believe until forever ends
I will be your friend"
Jack was staring at her, and thought 'Did she write that about me? She knows I'm her friend so why worry about it enough to write it in a song?'
"So many people come and go
But nothing can change and you I know
You'll never be just a face in the crowd
And time will show
Through the seasons and the years
I will always hold you dear
Never you fear
'Cause I'm never gonna walk away
If the walls come down someday
All alone and you feel afraid
I'll be there when you call my name
You can always depend on me
I believe until forever ends
I will be your friend
I'll be around when every candle burns down low
And I want you and I want you to know
'Cause I'm never gonna walk away
If the walls come down someday
All alone and you feel afraid
I'll be there when you call my name
You can always depend on me
I believe until forever ends
I will be your friend"
'Wait a minute, does she have feelings for me as more than a co-worker and friend? Because that sure sounds like it.' Jack thought. Sam played a dozen more songs, until the time came for the last song of the day. "This last song I wrote about someone very close to me. I hope I can work up the courage one day to tell him how I feel, but until then this will have to do. This is called 'Like I love you'." With that Sam begun to strum her guitar and then she started to sing
"Why do lovers drift apart
And how does love fade away
When do pieces of a broken heart mend again
You've been crying in the dark
And you've been feeling alone
Don't be scared of what you'll find
When you turn the light on
Ain't nobody gonna say goodbye
No, ain't nobody gonna walk away
This time, baby, I'm learning how to love you, love you
Ain't nobody gonna make you cry
No, ain't nobody ever really tried to love you
Like I love you"
'Whoa. She definitely has feelings for someone, I just hope it's me.'
"What sad memory of yesterday
what terrible scar
Keeps you gathering pieces of
Your shattered heart
There was once upon a time
When hope was living within
I know there will come a time
When you can believe again"
'It's defiantely about me…well, unless she knows someone else like that' Jack thought.
"Ain't nobody gonna say goodbye
No, ain't nobody gonna walk away
This time, baby, I'm learning how to love you, love you
Ain't nobody gonna make you cry
No, ain't nobody ever really tried to love you
Like I love you
How long have you been feeling lonely
How long have you been feeling sad and blue
This time, baby, I'm learning how to love you, love you
Ain't nobody gonna make you cry
No, ain't nobody ever really tried to love you
Like I love you"
Sam finished the song with a tear escaping her eye, and applause erupted throughout the yard. She set her guitar down and gracefully walked off and made a b-line for the sliding glass door only to be stopped by Jack. "Can we talk Sam?" Jack asked her, his voice showing his vulnerability.
"Sure." She said, equally as vulnerable, having realized just what it is he wants to talk about. They made their way into his study and Jack shut the door, so they wouldn't be disturbed.
"Those songs were beautiful. Very heartfelt, and honest."
"Thank you. I write songs to vent, and get through life. It's my version of a diary, but I put more of myself in my music than I do a diary." Sam told him truthfully.
"Sam, can I ask you something? Just promise me you won't wound me for asking you this."
"Go ahead, and of course I won't wound you." Sam told him.
"That last song, 'Like I love You', who did you write it about?" He asked hoping she doesn't say anyone else's name but his own.
"Do you want the truth?" She asked looking directly into his eyes.
"Yeah, I do." He responded.
"You. I wrote it, and most of them actually, about you. Jack, I love you. I know we said we would leave it in that room, but I can't anymore. It kills me not to be with you every day. I understand if you don't feel the same way anymore, I just had to tell you." Sam said looking down so she wouldn't have to see the rejection on his face.
"Sam, I love you too. More than I thought I possibly could." Jack put his hand under her chin and gently turned her face to look at him. "Sam you make me want to get up in the morning. You make life worth living. I never thought that after Charlie I would have that again until I met you."
"Really?" She said with hope in her voice and tears streaming down her face.
"Yes, really." Jack told her as he wiped the tears from her eyes. "Stay right there honey, I will be right back I promise." With that he left the room and returned a few minutes later. He took her hand in his, knelt down onto one knee, and said "Samantha Carter, will you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?"
"Yes! Of course I'll marry you." Jack put the ring on her finger, got up and gave her the most passionate kiss either of them have ever given or received.
"I know it's sudden, but I figure we've known each other for eight years already, and had feelings for each other for at least half of that. I didn't want to waste any more time." Jack said holding her tight.
"This is perfect Jack. Not too fast. Just perfect" Sam said to him with a smile on her face, knowing that this will last the rest of her life.