AN: This is just a fun little piece that got stuck in my head this morning while I was slopping through the mud to feed horses. Forgive any mistakes as this was done entirely on my phone!
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If there was anything Samantha Carter hated more than the Goa'uld, it had to be mud. Not just any mud, the soul sucking mud that seemed to be everywhere on this planet. It got into everything and just when you thought you'd gotten rid of it all, there's that little spot you missed that somehow managed to land on your cheek.
She gave an indignant groan as she pulled her feet from the slop they all trudged through. The mud fought to restrain her, finally relenting with a disgusting *SCHTUCK* as her foot popped free almost sending her forward with more momentum than intended.
The frustration seemed to linger over the foursome as they continued their tedious journey through the quagmire of P4X-732. The only one seemingly unperturbed by the mile of goo they had spent the last hour traversing was Daniel. He was moving along, eyes ahead and mind no doubt working over the notes he'd read and pictures he'd studied of the ancient ruins that awaited them.
"Really!?" It wasn't really a question, more or less a cry of frustration that caught the attention of her teams members. They all stopped in unison to turn and see what had finally pushed the normally stoic major over the edge.
There she stood haphazardly balancing on one leg while trying to force her foot back down into her boot which remained captive in the brown muck beneath her. She growled in a manner that raised Teal'c's eyebrow, got a laugh from Daniel and a rather smug looking smirk from Jack who was just barely a step in front of her.
"What's the problem Carter?" He asked not even trying to hide the amusement in his voice.
"Major Carter appears to have lost her boot, O'Neill." The jaffa's matter-of-fact statement was laced with its own hint of humor as a smile threatened to part his lips.
"That is quite the problem there Sam, you gonna be able to get back in your boot?" Daniel asked full blown grinning while at the same time feeling a little sorry for her.
She shook her head to discard the thought of zatting them all where they stood for finding this so amusing; she opted for the death glare instead. Finding some kind of balance she managed to wiggle her toes into the neck of her boot, not that it did much good as the mud seemed to just ooze in with them.
The back of the boot collapsed and she flung her arms up reaching for anything to keep from landing ass first in the sticky mess that was determined to claim her as it's victim. The only thing close enough was the colonel and she unceremoniously latched onto his jacket effectively hauling him backwards in the process as her foot slipped from the boot and sunk ankle deep in the mud behind it.
"Oh for crying out loud Carter!" He grunted more than yelled it and to his credit Jack managed to stay on his feet when she grabbed hold of him. Now he was slightly irritated because a mud bath was NOT on his agenda for the day. Jack shot a pointed look at Daniel who now couldn't contain a chuckle as he steadied Carter on her feet.
Sam couldn't believe she just lost a shoe, in the mud, off world. Of all the things that could happen right now and she's got to be standing here holding onto her CO while she attempted to fish her shoe from its confinement.
"Where are the Asgard when you need them..." she muttered as she let go of Jack's arm and bent to pry her shoe from the mud.
"Oh it's simple physics Carter, you should know this weight plus mass times force or something or other, how did you end up getting stuck anyways." Oh he was enjoying this way to much.
The boot finally popped free with what she thought was more effort than should've been necessary. She scooped the mud from its newly acquired home and looked down at her sock clad foot now hidden beneath the grimey surface of its captor. She wondered if it was even worth the effort of putting her boot back on.
"Can you give me a hand sir?" The question deserved no answer as he offered his arm for stability once she'd finished untying her laces enough she could sufficiently slide her foot back in.
Taking hold of his arm once more she leaned down and pulled her foot from the mud. Only her sock was now missing, taken hostage in the slowly filling cavern that once held her foot.
Another snort of laughter escaped her teammates even Teal'c let out a good laugh that seemed to boom from his chest.
"Oh come on guys, this is ridiculous!" She felt somewhat defeated and extremely annoyed. Jack wiped the smile off his face but it still played in his eyes as he managed to pluck a foot from the muck and stepped closer to give her more balance.
"I've got an extra pair of socks in my pack sir, can you reach them?" She turned a little so he could get access the side pocket of her pack and get a fresh sock. She stared at the stark white sock in his hand for a moment almost ashamed to put it on knowing it was going straight into a mud lined boot.
Jack adjusted so she could lean against him as she bent down and pulled the sock on, then the boot and redid her laces. All the while trying not to notice how her hip pressed into his thigh and willing his mind to keep from going THERE at the sight of Carter bent over in front of him. When she was done she reluctantly placed her foot down and pulled away from him, ducking her head to hide the blush that crept over her face. He cleared his throat and straightened his cap pulling it down over his eyes.
"Ok guys let's get going..." he motioned for them to start off and as Daniel turned to take a step he found his feet unwilling to move and with the momentum of his turn his upper body betrayed him and he fell forward.
Somehow he managed to not competely face plant in the offending slop. However he now presented a rather comical view as he had caught himself with both outstretched arms, hands buried in the mud and butt in the air. It was Sam's turn to burst into laughter as he tried to push himself back up straight.
Teal'c once again let loose a great chuckle this time at Daniel's expense.
"Oui Daniel now is not the time to be horsing around." Oh if he weren't on all fours right now attempting to maintain what little dignity he had left Daniel would've chucked a handful of mud at Jack for being such an ass.
Jack reached forward grabbing Daniel's belt and hauled him backwards and onto his feet. Unfortunately it was short lived as the force in which he'd pulled Daniel and the ease in which he'd come free was enough to send him falling back into Jack, who swung an arm back and caught Sam. All three tumbling like dominos into the mud.
"Damnit Daniel!" Jack grumbled pushing the younger man off of him.
"Ow sir, watch it!" Sam yelped as the colonel's elbow dug into her hip.
"It wasn't my fault Jack!" Daniel yelped as he rolled onto his side and sat up in an attempt to get off of Jack.
Sam groaned and let her head fall back into the mud. This was NOT how she had imagined having Jack on top of her. She felt her face flush instantly at that thought as his weight shifted and his elbow sank in the mud next to her hip.
Jack slid his arm off as soon she had expressed discomfort and didn't care that it sank in the muck next to her. Daniel was getting to his feet with the help of a very tickled jaffa as Jack twisted to plant a knee so he could get up.
It was then he noticed the brilliant shade of red that spread over the cheeks and down the neck of the major now under him. He gave a crooked grin, one knee planted inadvertently between hers. Oh what a sight she was as he leaned down over her, his voice barely above a whisper,
"Are you blushing Major?" Damn him, damn him and his warm body! She was all too aware of his body now hovering over hers, his breath washing over her cheek as he spoke. She glared up at him, his eyes gleaming back at hers.
"No sir, why would I be..."
"Oh but you're looking a little peaked Carter, you sure you're feeling ok?" He asked coyly, raising his clean hand he swiped the splotch of mud off her cheek letting his thumb trace down her jaw ever so gently.
She drew a quick breath and then smiled sweetly back up at him.
"I'm fine sir but you look a little feverish yourself..." she raised a mud covered hand to his face and wiped a generous amount of the slimy brown subtance across his cheek. He huffed a laugh and pushed himself to his feet before taking her hand and helping her up. The exchange felt like ages but it actually happened quick enough that Daniel and Teal'c missed most of it; partly because they were fishing Daniel's notebook and glasses from the mud and partly because they chose to.
Jack held her hand perhaps a little longer than necessary before finally letting her fingers slip from his. Sam looked between her teammates, Teal'c the only one not covered in mud at this point but wearing a rather smug smile. She then looked at the colonel and he smiled back warmly. She barely caught a glimpse of his eyes as he pulled his cap down once more and turned away from her. She loved the way his eyes sparkled when he let his guard down, if only for a moment.
Maybe the mud wasn't so bad after all, she thought, as they finally started walking again. She noticed that Jack never made a move to wipe the mud off his cheek. He was content to let it stay there as a reminder of a very small moment in time where he'd had his major under him, even if it wasn't how he'd imagined.