Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters, but if RDA is up for hire, send him my way :P Dedicated to Blib: My bestest ever meillure amie, and truest Stargate/ RDA fan there is. For you, Blib.
"Another day, eh Carter?" Jack smiled at his SG1 team member. They had just returned from their latest mission to planet P3X-249, and Carter had volunteered to return the weapons to the weapons locker to allow everyone to go home for the evening; Jack felt it his male duty to help her, and so they had ended up in the weapons locker together.
"Yep." Sam smiled, putting the last of the guns away. "Well, that's it."
"Good." Jack smiled as he walked to the door. "I can go home, watch McGuyver."
"Night, sir." Sam said, just as a blaring siren deafened the base and red lights blinded them in the power-outage. The emergency back-up lights illuminated the room. Sam gave Jack a worried glance as he opened the door to be confronted by armed troops running along the corridor in formation, wearing oxygen masks and airproof suits.
"Soldier," Jack called one of them over and the closer troop jogged over to them. "What's happening?"
"The building's been compromised, sir, we're issuing a base-wide quarantine. You and Major Carter will have to stay in there until the threat has been neutralized."
"Who's in charge?" Colonel O'Neill ordered.
"General Hammond, sir. I'm sorry, but I have to close this door, you may have already been contaminated." The young soldier said, closing the door and leaving them alone to the sound of thumping feet pounding the corridor.
"Looks like it's just you and me." Jack said, feeling uncomfortable.
"Yep." Sam agreed, folding her arms. Both Jack and Sam averted their eyes, silenced by the awkwardness of the situation.
They sat on opposite benches, glancing nervously at each other. It was no secret how they felt about each other; it came up on numerous occasions in situations much like this, which was making Sam nervous. Being with Colonel O'Neill has hard enough without having to be alone with him. Despite the fact that he came off as a goofball sometimes, she didn't care because she knew what he was really like. She knew that behind his childish façade, Jack was a really incredible man who took his job very seriously, despite his light-heartedness; he was surprisingly resourceful, and a lot smarter than he pretended to be. Moreover, he had more courage than she'd ever seen in anyone, and he was the trustworthiest person she'd ever met. And yet, despite all of his wonderful qualities that made him almost too good to be true, she was betrayed by the knowledge that she could never have him that way. All of this combined made it enough for her to be allowed to feel awkward when they were alone together for too long a time.
"So, Carter, read any good books lately?" Jack asked, half-heartedly attempting small talk.
Sam smirked at his attempt. "Um, no, sir, I haven't." She paused, waiting to see if the uncomfortable silence would return; it did. "Have you?"
"Well, there was the TV guide. Riveting stuff." He said dryly, Sam smiled at his weak joke. It was strange, she saw him everyday, and yet, whenever they were alone together, they were both aware that repressed emotions may well rise to the surface, something neither of them could afford at the price of their occupation.
"Is it just me, or is this… weirdly awkward?" Jack observed, probably knowing that by bringing it up the situation couldn't possibly improve.
"A little, sir." Sam admitted, clearing her throat.
"Carter, just while we're in here, let's put 'sir' on hiatus. Just call me Jack." He sighed, leaning his head on the locker behind him.
"Ok, Jack." She nodded, his name feeling foreign on her tongue. Technically, as they were still on duty, he was bending the rules, something she knew he wouldn't do for anyone else. "So how long do you think this will last?"
"I don't know." He sighed, looking at the door. "Hopefully not too long, I'm missing my TV."
"I'm sure they'll be reruns of McGuyver, sir." Sam smiled, embarrassed for him.
"Jack." He corrected her. "What can I say? The guy's resourceful."
Sam half-smiled. "I don't really have anything waiting for me at home. I don't really have time for hobbies."
"That's because you work too hard, Carter. You need to relax, take some time off." Jack suggested. "Next time I go fishing, you're coming with me."
"I don't know…" Sam said uncertainly.
"Don't make me pull rank on you, Carter." Jack smiled, only half-serious.
"Wouldn't be the most professional reason to pull rank." Sam commented, feeling herself relax around him. "Besides, you don't need to do that. I guess I could give fishing with you a go." She smiled.
"Ok, great. Next weekend it is." Jack decided, clapping his hands together resolutely.
In the corner of the room, a red phone rang; standard issue in any important room on the base. Surprised, Jack answered the phone, "Hello?"
Sam played with her cuticles as Jack spoke on the phone, hearing enough to know that he was speaking to General Hammond who had been told they were in there. It suddenly hit her that she'd just agreed on go on a date with her boss… though could fishing constitute as a date? She doubted it, and relaxed and chose to believe that it was nothing more than getting together with a friend.
"And how long would that be?" Jack asked, an irritated tone in his voice, which Sam easily recognized. "Ok, yes sir." Jack hung up the phone and turned back to Sam. "So, it looks like we might be in here a while."
"How long?" Sam groaned.
"About a half hour." Jack said, then waited for Sam's mood to brighten before adding, "Plus about four whole hours."
Sam rolled her eyes. "Great."
"Yep." Jack agreed, slumping down beside her on the bench.
"What do we do now?" Sam looked to Jack for the answer, and couldn't help but notice how close he sat to her.
"Got any food?" He asked, baring a lop-sided grin.
She laughed. "Not on me."
"Shame." He smiled, mockingly disappointed.
"Well, we better find a way of passing the time or we'll be bored to death before anyone comes to get us." Sam pointed out. For all Jack's wiseass remarks, he knew when Carter was right and now was one of those times. They retreated into silence, thinking intently on how they could pass four and a half hours in each other's company, without…