Title: Patience
Author: pick1frcryingoutloud
Rating: Teen
Characters: Jack/Sam; a bit Daniel/Janet; Team

Summary: Set somewhere in season 5; Frat regs are discarded and a bet follows…

Spoilers: None, but if it changes I'll let you know.
Disclaimer: You probably know the drill, I don't own stargate, yadda yadda yadda…

Author note: Please review. Keep in mind that English is not my native language so I apologize for any mistakes.

Patience

Chapter 1: Daniel's revelation

It was a fine morning. SG-1 only had one peaceful mission planned later on the day, Teal'c was off-world to visit his son, Daniel was in his office working and Carter… Carter was somewhere around. Jack hadn't seen her all day. He wasn't that worried, she could take care of herself but he would like to know where she was hiding out. This was why he found himself on his way to Daniel. He passed some airmen and a scientist on his way and nodded to them before continuing further. He reached his destination and came strolling in Daniel's office.

"Hey Daniel, have you seen Carter?" The archeologist looked up from his work and looked warily at Jack.

"Why?" The colonel shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders.

"No reason in particular." There was a small pause. "So…have you seen her?"

Daniel stared intensely at him: Jack was impatient. Not that that was unusual but his curiosity was peaked and he couldn't let it go, after all, he had some money in on Sam and Jack as well.

"Is this because the frat regs don't apply any more as of yesterday?"

Jack considered telling his friend for a moment but decided against it. Instead he just replied as neutral as possible: "Maybe." Apparently not good enough.

"That's what I was afraid of." Jack raised his eyebrow and looked confused at his friend. "Jack, I don't think Sam wants to see you right now." Now he was really confused.

"What?!"

"I think Sam is avoiding you."

"Why would she do that?" Daniel was beginning to feel like he made the wrong career choice, he would have made so much more money as a psychiatrist, a lot better hours too.

"I think she's afraid." He admitted.

"Of…what exactly?" Jack was becoming more frustrated by the minute.

"You." Daniel said simply. Were the situation any different, Daniel would've laughed at the look on Jack's face. He really didn't get it.

"Me? Why would she be afraid of me?" Daniel sighed.

"You have to understand Jack. She's not afraid of you as in you but as in you and her as a couple. Now that the regs aren't in the way anymore I think she's afraid things will go too fast." He explained.

"How come you know all of this?"

"Sam and I are friends Jack, we talked about this thing between you guys and she told me."

"She… told… you?" His friend said unbelievingly.

"Well, not explicitly but that is what it comes down to eventually."

"Is girl talk something you engage in regularly? 'Cause if it is, I don't think I'm the right person for you to talk to."

"Jack." Daniel said in his typical cut-it-out-you're-being-annoying voice.

"So what, she thinks I can't control myself? That I'm just gonna throw myself at her?" After all these years of working side by side, you'd think she would've gotten to know him a little, at least enough to know he would never do that.

"Well yes, basically. Although maybe not in that way. In the past, the regs acted as a buffer to make sure things didn't progress too far. Now, she's scared that something will go wrong and she'll not only lose you as a lover but also as her friend."

"Really?" Jack couldn't believe it.

"Yes! Is it that hard to believe?" Sometimes this man could have the emotional range of a teaspoon. Whatever did Sam see in him?!

"I guess not." Jack responded feebly, still unable to believe this was why Sam was hiding from him. "Well I'm just gonna have to show her just how much I can restrain myself!" And with that he practically ran from the office, exited like a kid in a candy shop about his new mission.

"Oh boy." What had the archeologist gotten himself into now…

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Later that day, Sg-1 and Hammond were in the briefing room discussing their newest mission to P2X-455. Daniel was rambling on about some visual data they retrieved from the MALP. Jack wasn't really interested in what he had to say. It was all Russian to him anyway… well no, Russian he understood, he just didn't speak Rock.

No, Jack was focusing his attention on his 2IC seated across from him. He could tell his gaze made her a little uncomfortable but he didn't really care at the moment. He was thinking on how to seduce her. Wow, he didn't think he would have ever used THAT phrase with regards to Sam but here it was. So, back to topic. A date would probably work: let her fret a little and generally making her regret her statement.

Suddenly he noticed Daniel had stopped talking and everyone was seated once more. Hammond spoke up.

"Well, I believe that settles it. SG-1, you have a go. Depart at 1500." Jack broke from his reverie.

"Thank you sir." Hammond went back to his office and SG-1 made their way to the lockers to go and collect their stuff and gear up.

P2X-455 actually turned out to be the peaceful planet they'd thought it was. No Goa'ulds, no crazy, wild alien creatures to rip their heads off, just lots and lots of trees.

The ruins Daniel wanted to take a look at were only 2 clicks away and they made their way through the nice landscape. Daniel immediately set off to work with Teal'c watching over him while Jack and Sam went to secure the perimeter. Jack decided this was private enough to tackle his problem.

"Hey Sam, can I ask you something?" She looked a little startled at the use of her first name.

"Sure sir." Okay, this was it. It shouldn't be this hard.

"Well, you know… since the frat regs have been chucked… I… I was kinda wondering if you're free on tonight… maybe we could get something to eat… catch a movie. What do you think?" She looked a little surprised at his proposal.

"Dinner and a movie? Like… in a date?"

"Yeah." He could clearly hear the wheels turning in her head, contemplating every possibility.

"Okay, sure. Come pick me up around seven." She smiled a little and he couldn't help it, he returned it in kind.

"Alright then, I'll be there."

There wasn't much else to find on the planet so as soon as Daniel was more or less finished with recording the necessary data from the ruins, they packed up their things and went home.

Hammond frowned a little when he saw a very smiley SG-1 coming back through the gate. Now, dr. Jackson had a reason to be smiley, Teal'c didn't seem to know any facial expression other than his usual one and Sam just enjoyed a quiet mission. It was his second that worried the general.

"Any trouble SG-1?"

"No sir, just your typical rock dig, nothing special or worth mentioning." And yet, Jack was still smiling. Maybe it was an alien virus.

"Get yourselves checked out in the infirmary. Debrief in one hour." The notion of the infirmary inevitably made Jack think about doc Fraiser and her big honkin' needles. The colonel finally stopped smiling and Hammond was reassured about his 2IC's sanity.

TBC…