Disclaimer: None of the characters from Stargate: SG1 are mine; I just enjoy playing with them. No remuneration of any kind has been exchanged in relation to this work of fiction. All rights are retained by the legal owners of the Stargate franchise, its subsidiaries, licensees and assigns.

Summary: Jack cannot resist Sam's lovely hands. Sam cannot turn away from Jack's piercing eyes. Their sacrifices, struggles, love and joys spoken without words.

Author's Note: A Secret Santa gift for trinity3 on the GW Forum. Merry Shipmas!

No Words Necessary

Part I: Five Times Jack Held Sam's Hand

1. On the Way Home

When Thor beamed the whole team back onto the Daniel Jackson her hand was firmly pressed in his. Teal'c noticed but said nothing. Daniel didn't notice, too engrossed in trying to fill him in on everything that had happened since he had become a human popsicle in Antarctica a few months earlier. Before he got very far Jack put a stop to Daniel's ramblings with an exaggerated waive of his free hand. A slight smile ghosted across Sam's pale face. She was worn and tired. So was he. They all just wanted to go home.

It wasn't really a conscious choice for Jack and Sam to remain locked together hand in hand like that, but it was an unspoken mutual need. Jack's last memory before the stasis chamber entombed him was saying goodbye to Sam. "Aveo, Amicus." Farewell, my Beloved. His first thought upon being revived was to find Sam. Searching the Asgard database where his mind was then stored he discovered she was gone. Taken by replicators and killed on board their ship in a battle with the Asgard. Since then he had teetered back and forth between hope and despair at least a half dozen times as they discovered she was still alive aboard Fifth's ship, but could not arrive in time to rescue her.

In the end Fifth had let her go after hours of torture and attempted brainwash. When Jack found her lying half conscious in the woods he had run to her, placed his hands upon her thigh to assure himself she was alive and real. They spoke only a few words. He took her hand and helped her to her feet as Teal'c retrieved the replicator weapon Jack had tossed away upon reaching her and Daniel called Thor with the news.

It didn't take long for Thor's ship to carry them home. Although Jack suspected Thor had taken a scenic route to give them time to rest and readjust to all being alive and together again. The team sat close and began to share their experiences. Jack fumed as Sam conveyed what Fifth had done to her and tenderly squeezed her hand as he silently vowed revenge. He laughed and teased her when he learned that she had bluffed and blackmailed Dr. Weir into letting her take a ship into another galaxy for a chance to save him. In truth he couldn't help but stand in awe of her loyalty, her brilliance, and her chutzpah.

Arriving back in earth's orbit a few hours later, Thor beamed the whole team into the SGC conference room. Standing before a stunned Dr. Weir, she failed to notice Jack and Sam with still clasped hands. After a brief caress with his thumb, which said "thank you" and "I owe one . . . another one" Jack loosened his grip. Sam glanced over at him, a look which said, "no thanks necessary" and "so glad to have you back." Sam's hand slipped gently from his fingers.

2. Slipping Away

Jack didn't think twice when he grabbed Sam's hand, yanked her away from the group of Hak'tyl she was speaking with and started leading her over to where Daniel was standing with Ry'ac and his young bride, Corrin. He needed her to tell Daniel he was wrong. It didn't really matter about what. Jack wanted Daniel to be wrong and Sam was supposed to back him up. That was her job.

One might think that seeing the base commander leading a female officer under his command around by the hand would at least merit a sideways glance or two. In this case, one would be wrong. Oh sure the compliment of the SGC was currently occupied by a hoard of alien guests and dignitaries milling about the mess, a roasted goat on a spit filling the room with a pungent odor, and the clip-clop of horses' hooves echoing through the concrete halls. But that's not why the General's antics raised nary an eyebrow, not even the redoubtable eyebrow of the Jaffa Teal'c. No, General O'Neill could take Colonel Carter's hand in public like this because the base had long ago become accustomed to the notion that Carter was O'Neill's work wife, and some were still betting she'd one day be his real wife. So you see, it was perfectly acceptable for an old married couple to behave this way and as far as people on base were concerned these two had been wedded to one another for years.

When Colonel Carter was placed before Dr. Jackson by the General she took only a few moments to deftly handle the situation. She corrected them both and slipped away with an easy smile, carrying the newlyweds along with her. The two men stood dumbfounded and silently agreed not to discuss their humiliation before turning away to seek other entertainments.

But Jack did not find himself drawn to converse with any of the other celebrants. Instead his eyes continued to linger on the lovely form of the brilliant Colonel. His expression was inscrutable. He had taken her left hand when he had whisked Sam away. This fact registered with him when she had withdrawn her hand from his moments ago and the harsh edges of the jewel adorning her finger had scratched his skin. It was her engagement ring from Pete; that idiot cop who had bumbled into the truth about their work and somehow managed to win Sam's heart. Jack couldn't understand what she saw in him, but he did his best to be supportive by largely ignoring the whole situation. What was less of a mystery was cop boy's desire to marry Sam. Who wouldn't want to be married to Carter?

During the wedding ceremony for Ry'ac and Corrin Jack studiously kept his eyes forward on the happy couple. He wouldn't allow himself the luxury of glancing over at Sam, especially when Bray'tac had pronounced, "May you love and fight like warriors" a sentiment that to Jack's mind seemed tailored to him and Carter. At least it had at one time. Now Jack was chained to a desk and Sam continued to fight on the front lines without him.

Looking again at the ring sparkling on her left hand Jack realized that he had not only lost his place to fight beside her, but also the opportunity to love her. It had slipped away from him, like her hand slipping from his grasp.

Jack no longer felt like celebrating.

3. Lost and Found

Rain fell on Colorado Springs. It wasn't unheard of. It did rain here. Although, more often than not it was either dry as a bone or blizzarding snow. Today, however, the skies were gray and turbulent and cold drops descended upon the tent where those who loved him gathered to bid farewell to General Jacob Carter.

It was a quiet, somber affair; just as to be expected for a funeral. But Jacob's passing had been unexpected and that covered the proceedings with a heavier pall.

Jack sat in the front row with Jacob's family, Sam's hand held firmly in his own. He ignored the peevish looks he was receiving from Carter's brother. He ignored everyone but Sam. The strain of holding back the torrent of anguish she was feeling was evident on her face. Her eyes were as stormy as the sky above and tears cascaded down her face in synchronicity with nature. Impulsively, Jack raised her hand to his lips and brushed the back of it with a kiss. Air Force regulations be damned, he was going to comfort the woman he loved.

He knew Jacob would understand. In his own cryptic way, the former Air Force general cum Tok'ra had given them his blessing. Before he died he had asked to speak with Jack. He had entrusted Sam's happiness, whatever that may be, to Jack's care and Jack would not disappoint him. Jack may have been troubled by this promise at first. He sat in his office for sometime pondering on it. Then he had gone to her. As she spoke about how much it meant to her to rediscover her father these last few years Jack knew it was time to open that door and let her choose to walk in or walk away.

Jacob was gone. He had been a pain in the ass, and a dear friend. Before leaving them, Jacob had given them one last assist. He helped Jack find the path back to Sam.

4. Secret Kisses

Jacks hand furtively laid his hand across Sam's as she slid the folder over to him across the briefing room table. She immediately snatched her hand back and tried to give no indication she had noticed. Jack repressed a smile.

Since the Goa'uld and the Replicators had been destroyed, the Jaffa freed, the earth saved and Daniel returned to them once again Jack's life had seemed pretty much perfect. Of course the cherry on top was the understanding he had developed with Sam after her father passed away and she had broken off her engagement to that other guy. They were still working out the details but the galaxy was safer than it had been in years and Jack figured it was time for him to get some reward for a job well done. And all he wanted was to be with Sam. Delightfully surprising to him was that she wanted to be with him too. Even more surprising, she had finally accepted his invitation to go fishing.

At the cabin they had agreed that the real "fishing" would have to wait. They were still in the same chain of command and arrangements must be made. Still, Jack couldn't repress his glee at the future he imagined with Sam. He was probably scaring Walter with his new found, near constant chipperness.

He was also having fun driving Sam a little crazy. So many times he would see her and want to take her in his arms and lay one on her just like he had back in the time loop so many years ago. Obviously that wasn't going to go over well on base. She would probably deck him. So he had taken to holding her hand; just a quick brush or a squeeze when no one was looking. They were like secret kisses, and he delighted in finding new and different ways to touch her hand whenever she was near (and he made sure he was near her as often as possible while still getting his work done): in a crowded elevator, while sharing a meal in the mess hall, and yes, even passing a folder in the briefing room.

He wasn't just doing it because he enjoyed teasing her, or because he needed to express his feelings before he exploded. He knew she had a tendency to second guess herself and let doubts and worry overtake her. This was Jack's way of boosting her confidence. He was letting her know with every little touch that he meant what he had said, he was hers and they would be together.

Jack tried to return his focus to the briefing, but he was already planning ways he might get a hold Sam's hand in the time machine, and maybe if they went back to before the SGC existed he could do more than just hold her hand. He definitely liked this time travel idea.

5. Always

Jack was trying very hard not to fidget. He couldn't remember ever being this nervous.

Not when he was dropped behind enemy lines and had to crawl out on his own with numerous broken bones due to a parachute malfunction.

Not the first time he had stepped through the stargate into a dangerous and unknown alien world.

Not taking on a battalion of Jaffa with only SG-1 at his side and no back up chance of back up.

He'd even done this before, for crying out loud.

Somehow this time it was different. The first time he was young, naïve and maybe even a bit nonchalant about the whole thing. Now he knew that while this was a journey that could bring immense joy it also had the potential to take him to the darkest of places. He really thought he'd never risk it again.

But they had traveled so far in the last eight years. Not just to distant galaxies and back, but from a tense, slightly adversarial antagonism to complete and total trust.

Jack looked down as General Hammond placed Sam's hand into his own and a peaceful calm descended upon him. He looked up and saw her luminescent smile. His heart pounded in his chest. They would once again step into the unknown together, this time as husband and wife.

She had been right that first time they stood together side by side, just as he had come to expect her to be every time, he did just need to get to know her. His words to her on this day were similar but with an entirely different feeling.

"I adore you, always."