It was one of the first team evenings of many, O'Neill came up with the idea to meet up after some missions to relax and calm down from all the trouble they had. This evening they met at the Colonel's house. It was still warm despite the early stages of the year, and they sat comfortably outside on the back porch drinking, eating the things the Colonel managed not to burn and talking about the mission they just came back. Daniel was – as always – fascinated how cultures that were originally from earth had spread to other planets, O'Neill ridiculed their way of living and praised Sam for helping the women on the planet to have a more comfortable life. Teal'c's comments were rare but always brought a new depth into the discussion.

Night was falling when Daniel decided to go home and offered Teal'c a ride. Sam however stayed for a little longer, she had no urge to get home this early. SG-1 was off-duty for the next 48 hours so she had some time to relax, a situation she'd never been good at.

"So tell me, Carter," O'Neill said sitting down on a chair opposite to her with a new beer in his hand. "How does it feel to live like an anthropologist for a few days."

Sam smirked. "Well, Colonel, it's something I can refrain from for the next time."

Taking a sip of his beer he looked at her for a few moments. "I'm happy you can show your face again without being stoned to death."

Sam shrugged in approval. "It's such a strange culture, so different and… old fashioned. Both in their customs and their clothes." She made a pause. "Though the last thing you seemed to like."

A strange look fell on O'Neills face, it was a mixture of joy and shame. "What can I say, it was something different to the usual clothes you wear."

Sam frowned at him. It was unusual talk of him. Most of the time they were together they were working and she wore her usual army clothes. Why would he want to see her in different clothes?

"I had never worn something more inconvenient. I couldn't move, I couldn't breath, I couldn't do anything in it," she protested.

"Maybe it was just the color that made me like it. It suited you and… er…" He looked at her eyes and quickly averted his eyes as if he was embarrassed of what he had in mind..

Sam gazed at the glass of water in her hand. Did he just compliment her eyes? He had complimented her back then on that planet, too, he had called her by her first name, Samantha, and even if it had a sarcastic undertone back then it sounded good in her ears.

"You and Daniel, you said me in the dress was… 'me'. Did you really think so? Because I can't think of anything else that is less me than that fuzzy piece of smelling fabric."

He raised his shoulders and shot her another look. "You won't have to dress like that again."

Sam leaned back and sighed. "I know. Thank God."

There was a little break were both thought about how to continue their conversation. The sun was gone by now and Sam began to get a little cold. She left her jacket at home since she didn't expected herself to stay that long. However she didn't want to leave yet, something held her back here in his presence.

"Are you cold?" The colonel asked as if he had read her mind.

"A little, but it's okay. I think I won't stay for long anyway."

She thought she saw a trace of disappointment in his eyes but it was gone a second later and she wasn't sure if she just imagined it.

"Let me get you a jacket," he said and went inside only to come back three seconds later with one of his coats in his hand. "It might be a bit big for you but it'll be warm alright." He put the jacket around her shoulders and sat down again.

Sam thanked him with a smile and slipped into the warm jacket, still feeling his hands on the parts he swiftly touched. The coeat smelled just like him and although it was a bit baggy around her figure she felt homelike immediately.

"You know," she began. "Those days on that planet gave me a lot to think about." She said fidgeting with the zipper of the coat.

"How so?" he asked, looking at her.

Avoiding his eyes she continued talking. "The way women are treated there. It was the same here on Earth not that long ago and it's still the same in some parts."

O'Neill nodded, his eyes focused on her hands that were still playing with the zipper. She stopped eventually when she noticed that he was watching her motions.

"I wasn't allowed to move or to talk at the times I wanted to, I had to follow all his orders."

"I give you orders too."

"That's different." Sam finally looked up and their eyes met. "I know you and it's a completely different situation. You don't see me as an object you can trade, you wouldn't hit me in the face because I spoke, would you?"

"Of course not, Carter. I wouldn't hit you anywhere. And by the way, it was weird enough to trade you back for gold."

"At least Abu wanted to trade me for another woman." Sam mumbled, thinking of the young girl that almost fell victim to her father's rage.

"You know, Moughal offered to repay the price of you after his son kidnapped you." Jack shook his head. "As if someone could put a price on you." He seemed to realize what he just said and cleared his throat. "I mean… it's impossible to… er… you're invaluable… to the team."

Sam smiled and looked at her hands. "Thank you, Sir. I appreciate you getting me out of there."

"Nobody gets left behind. Remember?"

They looked each other in the eyes for a few seconds until Sam gazed away over the lawn. "It was humiliating, you know? Being diminished onto your appearance, your "beauty". It was as if I weren't a real human being. Just an object one could use for pleasure."

There were a few things that lay on her chest which she would love to get rid of but she wasn't sure the Colonel was the right person. She quickly looked at him, sitting there nonchalantly in the chair, sipping his beer, the features of his face growing darker as night fell onto them. The way Turghan had treated her still ashamed her. There was not much she had been able to do to stop him, she knew she would have payed with her life if she had continued to reject his orders. She had to give in a bit, she had to let him work his way.

"Are you okay, Carter?" O'Neill asked, he must have seen that something was bothering her. "Something you wanna talk about?"

Sam shook her head slowly. "No, Sir, it's fine. I guess I'm just… it's been a long week."

"Don't over think that mission. We did a good job, you especially. You empowered those women, you helped that girl escape her crazy dad and you might have changed everything for the women there." He looked at her with pride in his eyes.

"I could have done more," Sam objected.

"Like what?" O'Neill asked.

"I didn't have to give in in front of Turghan."

The colonel looked at her in disbelief. "C'mon, Carter. That man was crazy and you showed him very clearly what women can do."

"I could have started it earlier. I let him use me like his other wives."

"As far as I'm informed he would have killed you right there if you had strained his patience any more. Don't worry about him or what you could've done better. You helped them more than we can probably imagine and we'll check in with them in sometimes to see how they're doing."

"But with an only male team," Sam reminded him with a smile.

Jack smirked. "Well, we will see. A lot of things have changed."

"I should get going." Sam said after another pause, got onto her feet and turned to the steps. Behind her she heard him getting out of the chair and following her to the car. She turned around and saw him contemplating her.

"Thank you, Sir, I feel better now." she told him with a smile.

O'Neill smiled back. "Drive safely," he said and watched her getting into the car.

Starting the engine she noticed that she was still wearing his jacket. She slipped out of it and rolled down the passengers window, he was still standing in the same spot. "Sir, your jacket." She reached the coat over to the seat to the open window. For a moment his fingers brushed over the back of her hand as he took the coat and quickly she retreated her hand, confused about the touch. "See you soon, Sir." she said and waved shortly.

He just nodded, the jacket still in his hand. As she drove away she observed him in the driving mirror. He stand there for another few seconds inspecting the coat as if she left some sort of trace on it. She remembered the smell of it, a fresh, earthy note mixed with the colonel's aftershave. It felt so warm and comfy and she wouldn't mind keeping it. What a weird thought that entered her mind. Why did she think so much about that simple piece of cloth he lent her?

It had been a nice evening, she liked the company of her teammates and of colonel O'Neill, he was a man she looked up to, a man who treated her the way she deserved. Of course she had to follow his orders, of course he, too, could tell her to shut up but he would never do it to restrict her rights. He would never hit her, never force himself on her. She shuddered thinking about Turghan back on the planet. His hard lips on hers, his rough hands in her hair and on her body, touching parts that weren't allowed for him, weren't allowed for anybody but the person she loved and trusted and where the feelings were mutually. There had not been no such person since things broke up with Jonas Hanson and since she started in the SGC it was highly unlikely to find someone with all the work she was doing. For now all she needed was to focus on her work and her career, it was the highest priority and nothing should interfere with that.