They hadn't spoken to each other since he left. Neither felt it was right after what had happened between them. It was just their luck that Sam had to go to Washington to help Jack stake out the home of a possible trust agent. Sam didn't know why they just didn't stick her and Barett on the mission. They sat there looking at the monitors, avoiding eye contact with the other. Sam tried to focus, but Jack's constant yo-yoing was keeping her from actually doing anything. She tried to ignore the noise the string made each time the yo-yo went up and then back down. Finally she had had it.
"Sir, could you stop that" She asked, keeping her voice cold and distant.
He paused. "Is that an order He asked. His voice was meant to sting and show his superiority.
Sam turned her attention back to the screen. His yo-yo continued to annoy her. "Sir, please?"
He started spinning in his chair. "What Carter?" He asked around his third spin.
Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was going to be a long night. He stopped spinning and went back to his yo-yo. After twenty minutes, she had had all a woman could take.
"Sir" She nearly yelled. "This is a stake out! Not a play ground" She turned in her chair to face him.
He looked at her in shock. His yo-yo hung at his feet. do I have to remind you who's in command here?"
Sam felt anger course through her. "Sir" she gritted her teeth. "I think they should really give the 'Commanding Title' to the most mature person on the mission. Obviously they rank by stupidity" She yelled the last part.
Jack wanted to laugh. Instead it came out as yelling. "Carter, need I remind you that you were the CO of SG-1, a position I once held."
Sam wanted to laugh at this man but her anger over threw her. "I believe you gave me that rank. SIR"
Jack tried to hide a smile that was growing. "Sorry Carter, I thought you earned it" His voice was soft and almost laughing.
Sam let a smile come on her face. She let out a laugh. "I guess we're both pretty stupid hu?"
"Carter, we are, we're fighting over whose the stupidest." he smiled. "Everyone knows it's you"
Sam smiled. "Sure, Sir" They both returned to there work. Sam monitored the screens. Jack pretended to pay attention, he was really only
looking at Sam. Sam didn't notice his interest in her until she turned to tell him that the Trust may have tipped the guy off. She smirked at him.
"Sir, what are you looking at?"
"ah, I just noticed how much you've changed since, we last saw each other." Jack said, hiding his embarrassment of being caught.
"I haven't Changed much" Sam said, turning to face him.
He smiled. "Sometimes change is good Carter" Jack said...he began to yo-yo again, but this time it didn't bug her.
"I know, Sir" Sam said.
They went back in to their routine. Sam kept watch on the monitors but her mind wandered to Jack. Eventually she found herself staring.
"Sam, woo-who" Jack said when he noticed her staring.
She smiled. "Sorry Sir, just returning the favor."
He smirked. "Glad to be noticed"
Sam looked into his deep brown eyes. She saw a deep longing burning in them. His gaze became intense. She looked away. back to the monitors. He turned back to his yo-yo. For a little longer they sat in silence. Both weren't ready to admit they were immature when it came to him leaving. Both were afraid to admit how they felt. Jack had, had it.
"look, Carter" Jack started. "I'm sorry, things didn't end too well with us"
"They never ended Sir, just got interrupted" She smiled. She was trying to end the discussion.
"Carter, listen. I'm sorry. I was being a jerk...I left and it was just rude." Jack said "I never said good bye. I left with out telling you"
Sam looked at her lap. She looked back up at him. "Then why didn't you tell me, Sir? We're friends, you owe me at least that much"
"I know Carter, you have been by my side for 8 years...and I didn't respect you enough to tell you that I was leaving. But I have a good reason." Jack said. His eyes now looked directly at hers.
She looked at him in anger. "What Sir" her voice stung.
"I thought, I would miss more you if I said good bye" He now looked at his feet. She looked away. "As a matter of fact it just hurt more. I mean you, Danny, and Teal'c"
Sam nodded "We missed you too Sir"
"Carter, drop the Sir" Jack said. He looked at her directly in the eyes once more.
She looked away. "Yes General" She said it with a small laugh in her voices.
"Colonel, what did I say about rank?" He asked. She now looked at him.
"Sorry Major General" She said.
"Better" Jack said. They both looked back at the screens. Sam kept her attention back on the screen. Twenty minutes later Jack was bored out of his skull.
"Carter" He whined.
"General?" She asked.
"Sam" He warned.
"Sorry, Jack" She blushed.
"I'm bored" Jack said. "I've read all my magazines, I've walked the dog, shot the moon, shot your head, cat's cradled, and eaten doughnuts. I'm bored" He almost sounded like a little boy who kept asking his mother for a new toy.
Sam smiled "well, Jack, what can I do help you."
He got an evil grin. "Tell me about, some thing...with techno babble...I miss it" Jack said.
Sam laughed and ducked her head. She began to explain to him the properties of thermo-nuclear warheads...she noticed after a few minutes he was staring blankly.
"I love you" She said. He continued to stare, eyes glazed over. "Earth to Jack"
Jack snapped out of it. "Sorry Carter..."
"It's ok Sir" She said. She thought she had gotten it off her chest. But knowing he hadn't heard made it feel worse than before.
He looked back at the screen. Daylight was approaching. The stake out would be scrubbed in a few hours. After about an hour of silent surveillance Jack turned to Sam. "By the way Carter, I love you too"
Sam felt her heart stop. Had he heard her confession? "What?" Was all she could get out.
"Sam , I may be old but I can still hear" Jack said with no emotion.
She blushed, "you weren't supposed to, Sir" Sam said. She ducked her head.
Jack put a hand under her chin and lifted her face up. "I'm glad I did" He then kissed her on the lips. A nice soft kiss. He pulled away. She looked like she was in shock. For half a moment she just stared at him. Then grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him towards her. She pulled with such force she fell over a chair causing him to fall on top of her. She immediately began kissing him madly. Her pent up passion for so many years spilled out into those kisses. He couldn't complain. When Sam finished kissing Jack she pulled back.
"So where does this leave us?" Sam asked. She got off him and took a seat on the floor. He moved, with little grace, right next to her. Their
back's were against the door of the van. He looked her squarely in the eyes.
"Where ever you want it to be" Jack said. His voice was filled with sincerity.
Sam thought for a moment. "If you really want to know. I think we should go at this at whatever pace suits us"
"you mean try it out and see how fast it goes?" Jack asked.
Sam nodded. "Frankly Jack, if you handed me a ring right now, I'd except. If you had handed me a ring then. I would have dropped his and taken yours"
Jack felt regret for not telling her how he felt about Pete. "I know Carter."
"Then why didn't you?" Sam asked.
"Because you looked happy" Jack said.
"I would've been happier with you" Sam countered. It was now turning into a fight.
"How was I supposed to know you still felt that way?" Jack asked. "Not to mention you could've ended it with him anytime"
"Jack, I always loved you, never stopped. But you have to know, Pete gave me a glimpse at something I wanted more that do-hickeys and Wormholes."
"What's that?" Jack asked.
"Some one to love, and be loved in return, with out any thing standing in my way" She said.
"you can still have all that." Jack said.
"I know." Sam put her head on his shoulder.
"So why don't we" He said, hoisting himself from the ground. "Finish this stake out"
Sam got to her feet and followed him. "As you wish. Sir"
A/N: so ick or not ick :p