During the seven years that Samantha Carter had served under Jack O'Neill as a member of SG1, if you had asked her the one trait of leadership that the aforementioned Jack O'Neill did not possess, she would have said it was patience.
If you had asked her the same question during the year she served as leader of SG1 with him as the General in charge of the SGC, you would have gotten the same answer.
Now, almost two years after he had moved on to his post as the Head of Homeworld Security in Washington, she is faced with the possibility that either Washington has completely changed him - something she seriously doubts - or she has completely misjudged him.
Before leaving for Washington, he had helped her move into the condo she had rented in Nevada. With the way things had been progressing at the cabin, she had expected something to happen. She had expected him to make some sort of move, but nothing. They'd shared a semi-uncomfortable hug before he left for the airport and that was that.
They had spoken on the phone nearly every day for a while. She had even teased him that there was no reason for the Head of Homeworld Security to call the Project Manager of Research and Development on a daily basis, so he had better come up with some pretty clever reasons for the expenditures. The phone calls hadn't stopped and, after three months, he had finally announced that he was coming out to Area 51 for an inspection and suggested that perhaps they could get together.
She had run into him at Area 51 on the day of their first 'date', and everything had seemed normal. As far as she knew, there were no outward indications that she was a nervous wreck about the casual dinner they were having together that night.
The dinner had been nice. They'd gone to a local steak place that she had picked out and enjoyed just chatting about Cassie and the guys and how things were going in their lives. It was probably one of the first real intimate conversations they had ever had without interruption and without extra company.
He had driven her back to her place before heading off to the hotel that the Air Force had arranged for him. She'd invited him in, and they'd just about made it to her door, with one of his hands in her hair, the other on her hip and his lips exploring hers, when his cell phone chimed.
He'd had to answer, of course, and if his 'O'Neill' was a little more breathless than usual she doubted anyone would have said anything. When his whole body had tensed, she knew from years of military training and dealing with end-of-the-world scenarios that their evening was over and that she would once again be the lone occupant of her bed.
She hadn't needed the apology that she could see forming in his eyes, so she refused to allow him to voice it. Instead she kissed him firmly and informed him that she would take a rain check.
The phone calls continued to come daily after that, at least once, though usually it was well after he'd left his office for home, and when she should have been home already. Their conversations grew longer, talking about Cassie, and each other, and learning things that they'd somehow never known before, becoming more comfortable, more intimate with each other.
Their second date finally came around about six months later when she made a trip out to Washington with Cassie. He had given an open invitation for them, and claimed his spare room would never get any use if they never took him up on it.
The arrival had been awkward. Each of them seemed to go for a hug when the other went for a kiss and vice versa, it wound up being an odd hug where they kind of bumped into each other. It definitely earned them both a handful of odd looks from Cassie on the way to Jack's place... and once they got there.
After dancing around each other and stealing the occasional kiss where they could, Cassie had given them Saturday night to themselves. She'd hooked up with a friend from college and assured them she'd be home 'late'.
They'd gone out for dinner and were waiting for dessert to arrive when both of their cell phones rang. Sam had promptly switched Daniel's call over to voice mail, while Jack picked up. Their eyes had met, he'd sighed, and she'd quickly downed the last of her wine.
"I understand that, Hank, but the decision is ultimately hers. I will make the call though."
Hanging up the phone, he'd shaken his head. "There's an issue..."
"And you need to go." She'd smiled. "I'll get dessert wrapped to go and we'll see you later."
"Actually, it's you they want. Hank requested your immediate transfer back to the SGC."
She'd closed her eyes and sighed, "When's my flight?"
"We can have one ready to go in an hour. Do you even have your uniform with you?"
"I've learned over the years to never travel without it."
They had gotten dessert to go, and he'd driven her to the airstrip himself. They'd shared a few kisses in the car before she'd grabbed her bag and headed onto the plane, promising to call as soon as she landed.
Their third date was taken over by meetings with the Senate Appropriations subcommittee, and a limited amount of time away.
Date number four was canceled with a call from Hank that SG1 was overdue. The 'rescheduled date' was never took place because Sam needed extended time in the infirmary due to her injuries.
The plans for their fifth date were easily thwarted by the completely unavoidable actions of Mother Nature. Colorado Springs was hit with a massive snowstorm right before SG1 had come back from their latest mission. Sam returned to find all of the airports closed and no word as to when they might open. She'd immediately canceled her leave and picked up the phone.
Each of them had always been very understanding when something came up. It seemed it was just their fate. Jack didn't seem the least bit put off or fazed by any of the incidents and took every blow like it was the first. Ever the patient and understanding one... and so completely unlike Jack O'Neill. His reactions were really starting to drive Sam batty.
So, when SG1 returned from their latest mission and was granted two weeks down time, Sam had her phone to her ear and was making travel plans before she'd even gotten out of the mountain. Her flight was arranged by the time she got to the locker room and had the sense to throw some extra clothes into her duffel before calling Cassie. She wouldn't bother to stop at her house; she was heading right to the airport. She wasn't going to stop and think, wasn't going to let anyone else stop her, she just needed to get out and on that plane before anything else could crop up and ruin her plans.
And just in case that did happen, she didn't bother calling Jack.
A few hours later she had landed in Washington and gotten a cab to drop her off in front of the General's building. Walking through the front door, she dialed his number on her cell and hoped that Cassie hadn't bothered to warn him.
"O'Neill."
His voice was gruff, causing her to wonder if she'd woken him up. "It's a little late for a nap, isn't it, Jack?"
"Carter. You're back. When did you get in?"
"Early this morning. It's been a long day."
She stepped into the elevator and headed to his floor, wincing as the signal faded a bit so she could just make out his voice. "Any plans for the evening?"
Stepping out of the elevator she walked to his door, knocking lightly. "I dunno, I might have an idea or two."
"Oh, for crying out loud, can you hold on a sec, Carter? Someone's knocking."
"Sure." She tried to keep the smile out of her voice as she closed her cell phone as his door opened. "I'm really hoping you don't mind ordering in tonight."
"Sam?" His eyes went from her to the phone in his hand.
"You can hang that up now. As a matter of fact, do me a favor and take it off the hook." She walked into his apartment, leaving him to close the door behind her.
"Did I miss something?" Jack's gaze kept moving from Sam to the door. "When did you land?"
He was so cute when he was confused. Sam smiled as she walked up to him. "About an hour ago." She flopped her duffel down on the couch.
"You flew in right after you got back?"
"Once I was cleared, yes." She took the phone from his hands, "You're not expecting any important phone calls, I hope?"
"No."
"Good. Cell phone?"
Jack reached into his pocket and handed his cell over to her. She flipped it open and shut it off, dropping it to the floor before doing the same with her own.
"Excellent." She stepped closer to him, her arms wrapping around his neck. "Now that the interruptions should be taken care of..."
She pulled him closer, their bodies pressing up against each other as her lips claimed his. She sucked gently on his lower lip, nipping it lightly with her teeth before deepening the kiss, leaving no room for doubt.
Jack's hands tightened at her hips, pulling her impossibly closer before backing away. "What did you have in mind for dinner?"
His voice was weak and breathless, but she was sure he was speaking. "What?"
"Dinner. You mentioned ordering in. What did you have in mind?"
His eyes had this slightly panicked look to them, and once again, she was stunned at his patience. Was she the only one sick and tired of waiting? Never mind the fact that the regs had kept them apart for eight years, they had been dating for almost another two now and still hadn't managed to make it past second base.
"Forget dinner, Jack. We'll get something later." She moved in to capture his lips again but he barely let them connect with his before he leaned away again.
"But you haven't eaten anything but airplane food all day. You have to be starving."
"I'll manage." Her voice was taking on a dangerous tone, she knew, but he was really starting to get to her.
"You really need to take better care of yourself, Carter."
That was it. She'd had it. Her patience was at an end. "Enough." Even she was surprised by the sheer determination behind her voice. His eyes focused on her front and center and she spoke slowly and clearly making sure there was no room for question. "Jack, this is very simple. Do you want to have sex with me or not?"
"Huh, what? Of course I do."
"Good. It's settled then."
"But... why now? Why the rush?"
Rush? Was the man mad? "Two years, Jack. We've been dating for two years." His eyes blinked like he hadn't noticed the passage of time. "I'm tired of trying to plan the perfect evening, of trying to get it right. It's not us. It's not going to happen." She leaned in, kissing him deeply. "So, let's just stop trying to make it something we're not."
Jack's lips crushed against hers with bruising force, his hands slipping beneath the fabric of her shirt to travel up her back, pulling her close to him once again. "This was never about making it something we're not, Sam."
No further words were spoken and their lips barely left each other as they made their way to Jack's bedroom, a trail of discarded clothing marking their path.
Entering his bedroom was like stepping foot on a foreign world for the first time. She was nervous, excited and thankful that they had finally reached this point. Stepping out of her underwear while trying to simultaneously back over toward the bed without tripping would have been too much if her mind had been able to concentrate on the thought of it all, but she was far too preoccupied with the feel of his fingers trailing a path from her hip up her side to her breast, while her own hands explore the soft planes of his flesh that were exposed beneath her palms.
There was no more rushing now, there was no need. There was no fear of interruptions, no doubts. They took their time learning, testing, and teasing.
When Jack rose above her they were well past the point of turning back. Their eyes locked and fingers intertwined as they strove for a destination they'd each thought eluded them. Finding a rhythm escaped them at first, since two years of trying to regain their footing threw them off from following the other's lead, but before long they found their pace. The awkwardness fell away as the last of the barriers between them receded.
Even now, hours later, with the early morning sun just starting to come in through the windows they can't quite seem to stop touching, to stop kissing. Sam continues to trace patterns across his skin with her fingers, while they share slow, sensual kisses.
"It wasn't about making it something we're not, you know. It was just... I didn't want it to be all about the sex, either." They were the first words either of them had coherently spoken since stepping foot in his bedroom, and it took Sam a few minutes to realize what he was talking about.
Propping herself up on her elbow, Sam looked down at him,. "Jack," she said, "if our relationship, if our feelings, were all about the sex, we would have fallen into bed years ago."
"Guess that's why my mother always told me patience was a virtue."
"She was a very smart woman, Jack. But everyone's patience has a breaking point." She kissed him again, sliding her free hand into his hair and holding his head in place for a few moments.
"I dunno. It wasn't so bad finding yours." Jack's smile was wicked as he rolled on top of her, and she was more than pleased with the way her plan had come to fruition. Maybe patience was a virtue, but losing patience and taking charge had gotten her what she really wanted.