This is AU : in the show, they have admitted to each other they had feelings in the episode with the Za'tarc. Just wanted to see how it could feel for her if she was not sure of his feelings or even thought he was so above all this.
I had the vision of this story the first time I saw the episode with Janet's death. Then, I recently read a fanfic about the same idea, the road trip to Cassie's college but presented in a different, let's say sexier way. Mine is not as good, it even feels clumsy as I'm writing it (my French environment sometimes getting in the way as I pen my sentences) but it feels good sharing this anyway.
When pigs will fly ;)
Sam was having second thoughts about this trip she, Cassie and Jack were taking to Cassie's university. Though they had received the go-ahead from General Hammond to take a 3-day leave for the sake of the kid, Sam was afraid of the return trip she'd have to take alone with Jack in the car. Ever since Janet had died and she had cracked in his arms, he had acted weird : he was aloof and even cold with her. She feared he thought she had feelings for him, feelings that of course were unrequited ! Jack had a girlfriend he was seeing from time to time and she had even caught him humming on coming to work one morning. Not withstanding that the regs were the regs and that it was strictly forbidden to date someone from work, a situation that would therefore last forever since SG-1 was not a job you quitted that easily, especially after seven years together.
So here she was, on her front porch with her weekend bag, Cassie and her whole gear ready for her new life, waiting for Jack and his truck to pick them up at 0600 on a misty Sunday morning. She realized that Cassie was quite sullen.
« What's going on, Cass' ? Aren't you glad you're finally leaving for university ? »
« 'Course I am, Sam. It's just I don't want to spend the next two days in that nice, freezing atmosphere you two know how to create each time you get together », Cassie said with a wince.
« That is not true ! We are both very professional. »
« Sure ! And this is why you keep on calling him Sir, even when you know it really pisses him off. I can see the hurt in his eyes every time you do it, you know...I'm not stupid. »
« Cassie ! Enough ! Your uncle Jack is my boss. Period. He is not hurt he is cold, but that's fine to me. We're colleagues, not friends. »
« With all due respect, you're deluding yourself. Jack loves you, he cares about you and you should be nice to him instead of giving him the cold shoulder », Cassie replied indignantly.
« He is the one giving me the cold shoulder, Cass', not the other way round... », Sam sighed.
« Well, well, there is no blinder than those who try to lie to themselves ! (There, Cassie stuck out her tongue at Sam) At least, try to be nice to him this time, for me, ok ? Ah, here he comes ! »
Jack was sharp on time, as usual.
« Hey, girls, want a lift ? », he winked at Cassie. « How are you today, princess ? », he asked Cassie, kissing her on the top of her head.
« Carter », he nodded at Sam.
« Well », she silently snorted, « so much for me being the one who is cold. » « Good morning, Sir », she replied curtly.
« Come on, guys, can't you drop that for once ? », Cassie said, tapping her foot to show her indignation at their behavior.
« Princess, we are just acting as normal we do that routine every day at work », Jack replied, a little taken aback by Cassie's vehement reaction. But as he saw her forlorn look, he added : « but it's your trip. So, anything to please you, ok Carter, I mean Sam ? »
Sam looked at him as if struck by lightning : « What do you mean, Colonel ? »
« I mean we quit this Sir/ Major thing for the next couple of days and you call me Jack. »
« Whatever you say, Colonel, I mean...Jack », she added hesitantly.
Cassie was positively beaming : « Now, we're gonna have a great trip together ! You know, you two can be decent people when you want ! »
Jack and Sam looked at each other : this kid really knew how to twirl them around her little finger. Privately, they were both glad she had succeeded in thawing the atmosphere a little between them even if not permanently : they had plenty of time to rethink the situation after they'd dropped her off and were on their way back.
The trip was long but nice, spending time rereading the brochures of the university, talking about Cassie's courses and activities, planning for Thanksgiving and laughing about Jack's occasional not-so-funny jokes that were normally directed at Daniel because he was so much better than Sam at taking the bait. But, today, Sam didn't mind playing along because she was happy of the warm atmosphere and the occasion of being with Jack. In fact, she felt so good she didn't want the trip to end. But when they finally arrived, there was so much to do to settle Cassie and fill in the forms at college and Cassie looked so glad she was starting her young adult's life she and Jack had no time to think about their own awkward situation.
When they got ready to head back, though, Sam felt a weird feeling creeping up inside her : a mixture of extreme sadness at the thought of coming home to an empty house now Cassie was gone and also unrest, not unlike butterflies fluttering incessantly in her stomach when she realized there was no turning back : she had to spend the whole day ahead alone with him.
Cassie kissed them both effusively and the last thing she said with a wink as Jack was switching on the ignition was : « Be wise, you two : don't fight and don't do anything you could be ashamed of. »
Jack smirked and Sam gave her a mock stern look, wagging her finger at her.
« This kid is a blessing », Jack said. « We can thank Janet for that : she was great at raising her. »
« Yes, and I miss her so much... », Sam added, her look lost in the distance, tears welling in her eyes.
« Sam, I didn't want to make you sad. I'm sorry it hurts you so badly each time we talk about her. »
« This is not your fault, Jack. It can't be helped : she was my best friend. »
« Hey, do you realize Cassie has accomplished a new miracle ? You're calling me Jack and she's not even with us in the car. », he said, beaming at her.
« It's not I didn't want to call you Jack it's just it feels so disrespectful and you've seemed so cold these last few months since Janet's death... », her voice trailed off. She was silently crying now, all the tension finally being released in those tears.
Jack put his free arm around her shoulders, drawing her to his chest : « Cry if you may. I'm right there for you. I'm so sorry you thought I was cold. I was just protecting myself, trying to avoid the inevitable. See, the moment I held you in my arms before her funeral, I realized I couldn't fight my feelings for you anymore. And if I didn't respect the regs, I was endangering the whole SG-1 thing. I didn't know what to do but keep you at a distance and ignore what I felt for you. But that didn't work. Nothing worked really : my girlfriend, your fiancé – who, by the way, I can't stand... », he said, rolling his eyes, at which, through her tears, Sam had to laugh.
« Jack, what are we gonna do ? »
« We've got a whole day to figure it out. As much as Hammond loves us, I'm darn certain he won't let us be if he knows. He'll threaten to court martial me. But he won't reassign us : he needs us too much. And Daniel and Teal'c... they can't be told : they'd be considered as accomplices. So... What do you want to do ? Are you ready for one of us to ask for reassignment ? »
« I don't know, Jack. I love our team work, the gate, Cheyenne Mountain, all of that... And what about Pete and your girlfriend ? »
« That, I thought was already settled, babe. », Jack said, raising one eyebrow. « I'll see her tomorrow and tell her it's over, even if she's already told me she knew our relationship was not a long-lasting one. Don't tell me you're not cancelling your wedding ! »
« I know I have to tell him but it's breaking my heart : he's such a sweet guy. »
« Sam ? »
« Yes, Jack ? »
« Shut up »
« Yes, Sir. »
« You're such a brat ! »
« I know », she said, cuddling against him.
He smiled at her with tenderness and brushed a very light kiss on her lips. All he wanted was to have moments like this with her. He knew they would eventually need to get back to the harsh reality but somehow, they would fend off and find a way to be together, even if it meant bending the rules a little. Right now, being together was the only thing that mattered.