Takes place after Ark of Truth, when Cameron is fully healed.
Disclaimer: I don't own stargate, wish I did though, the money would be nice…
Sam walked through the halls of the SGC, thinking about what her life had become. Though she'd never admit it aloud, she'd been overwhelmed when she'd become a member of SG-1. In truth, she'd been inspired to be better than she could be, by Jack O'Neill. She had been determined to prove to him that she could do what any man could do, and more. At first, it had been so he would respect her. After a while, it became a means of drawing his attentions to her. And it had worked, he had seen the warrior in her, and it drew him to the woman in her. They'd flirted on and off, and when the situation allowed it, they'd been close. But it never lasted, because of military regulations. And in a way, Sam was glad for that.
For one, it would have ruined their friendship, and gotten in the way of the chain of command when they were on missions, putting everyone's lives in jeopardy. For another, if she'd committed to Jack, she never would have found what she had now. Or at least, what she might be having.
Sam had found someone. Someone who made her smile like no one else. Someone who she cared for deeply, as much more than a friend. Someone who actually, in his own way, understood her techno babble.
Someone who –
"Sam, wait up!" a man called from behind her.
Turning she smiled. "Cameron. I see you're out of the infirmary."
"Finally," he said, catching up to her.
"When do you go back on active duty?"
"A few weeks," he said. "In the meantime, General Landry is giving SG-1 a vacation while I heal. Teal'c is visiting Ish'ta, but Daniel and Vala are free. I was thinking we'd all head up to my place up North."
"How far north?" Sam asked.
"It's in Vancouver," he said, "I have a cabin out by the ocean. It's got a great view in just about any direction, season's good for swimming, surfing, hiking … the works. You in?"
Sam contemplated aloud. "Well, I do have a few projects I've been meaning to work on for Area 51."
"Oh, come on, Sam," Cameron practically begged. "I already asked Daniel and Vala, and they agreed to come. Don't make me spend two weeks alone with them!"
Sam laughed. "Well, I suppose I could spend two weeks away, but I'll have to start on my work as soon as we get back."
"Thank you!" he said, resisting the urge to kiss her.
"Yeah, well, you'll owe me," she said.
Cam smiled. "Definitely."
Daniel resisted the urge to growl and yell as he tried to pack his bags. While he and Vala had recently "declared" their relationship, after she had told Tomin that she was no longer his wife, she still annoyed him to the point that he honestly thought he might punch her again. Or at least slap her…
"I mean, he says the weather will be nice, but you never can tell on your planet, can you?"
Daniel said, a little louder than necessary, "Why not just bring your whole wardrobe, then?"
"Ooh, can I?" Vala asked, missing his sarcasm.
Daniel sat down on the bed. "Vala, honey, sweetie, if you ask me any more questions about clothing, I'm gonna explode."
Vala frowned. "I'm sorry." She pouted her lips dramatically. "Maybe I shouldn't go at all."
Daniel sighed. "That's not what I want, Vala."
"Well, what do you want?" she asked, moving over to stand beside him.
He took her hand and pulled her down so she was sitting on his lap. "I want you," he said. Pulling her into his chest, he kissed her lips softly. "I want you, and nothing else. Including five suitcases of clothing."
Vala smiled, rolling her eyes as she compromised to bring 3 suitcases, if he dropped one suitcase of books.
Cameron leaned against the side of his blue mustang, looking down at his watch before he heard heels on pavement. Sam walked towards him in a simple white tank top, and a knee-length black skirt with two-inch heels on her feet.
"Well, it's about time," he said jokingly, pointing at his watch. "What took you so long?"
Sam smiled. "Perfection takes time."
Cam chuckled, taking her bags and tossing them in the trunk.
Sam spotted only one other bag. "You travel light."
"Hardly," Cam said. "That's for the road, I've already got clothes and food up at the cabin."
Sam wondered aloud, "Then what's in the bag?"
"Extra gas, car jack, tire iron, emergency money, sun screen, water bottles, wash cloths, heavy boots, pocket knife, warm blanket, and a small supply of food."
Sam stared.
"What?"
"You fit all that in one bag?" she asked.
He laughed. "Well, I'm excellent at packing."
Sam eyed him after he made that statement, staring him down.
"Alright, fine, my dad packed it, I haven't opened it in four years," he admitted.
Sam laughed. "I thought so."
Their conversation was interrupted by the sounds of Daniel and Vala moving towards them across the parking lot.
"I just don't understand why we can't take one of your planes there," Vala said, struggling with all her luggage.
"You don't have ID, or a passport, you'd never get on the plane," Daniel told her, again.
"Well, why can't I get those things?" Vala asked.
"It's not that simple. You weren't born here, there's no record of you ever existing, and it takes time to give you an identity."
"Besides, road trips are fun," Cameron said, stepping forward to help Vala with her suitcases.
"Ah, ah, ah," Daniel said, stopping him. "She has to carry them herself."
"Daniel, that's a bit rude," Sam said.
Daniel shrugged. "We agreed. She wants to bring almost everything she owns, then she has to carry it."
Vala smiled sheepishly. "I got to get him to take only 3 books."
Daniel squinted his eyes at that, throwing his bags into the trunk.
"What did you have to do to get him to agree to that?" Sam asked, eyes wide at Daniel.
Vala leaned close to Sam. "Let's just say, I haven't done it yet, but this trip should prove to be at the very least, fun. For me."
Cameron said, "I so did not want to hear that."
Daniel blushed slightly, and moved around the car to sit in the front.
"Uh-uh," Sam said. "I called shotgun."
"I'm thinking of something … blue," Vala said.
"The sky," they all moaned in unison.
"Wow, you guys are really good at this."
"How about we find something else to do?" Cameron suggested.
"Like what?" Vala asked, practically hopping in her seat.
"I dunno, why don't we listen to the radio?"
Sam turned the dial on the stereo, and immediately changed the station as loud boy band music came on, the next station was sports, the one after that opera, the one after that, religious, the one after that folk. Finally, she turned off the stereo.
"Ok, new suggestions?"
They made it to Montana before they had to pull the car into a motel.
They got two rooms, and as Vala and Daniel moved to take the first key, Cameron said. "Maybe they guys should room together."
Vala pouted. "But why?"
"Yeah," Daniel said. "We're all adults here. I'm sure you and Sam can room together without getting cooties."
Cameron laughed nervously, taking the last key off the counter. "Sure, if it's okay with you, Sam."
Sam shrugged nonchalantly. "Sounds fine to me. There are two beds, after all."
"Right," he said, blinking a few times.
After they had settled their belongings into their rooms, the four made a beeline for the hotel restaurant.
Daniel and Cameron ordered beer, but Sam and Vala were feeling like something both alcoholic as well as tasty, so they got strawberry daiquiris.
They spent the night discussing their life before they had entered the Stargate program, Vala's stories of course being more colorful than the others'.
"So, not only did you steal the cargo ship, but the owner's son, and sheep?" Sam asked.
Vala nodded, taking another sip of her second drink. "And then, after I'd gotten away, we found the built-in, already activated self-destruct, and were forced to abandon ship. We landed a good 4 days trek from the village, and had to walk back the entire way using our shirts for hats, because it was so bloody hot out."
Daniel laughed, keeping that image in his head for later that night.
"Well, I think I'm gonna turn in for the night," Sam said, finishing her drink, and fishing out a twenty from her pocket.
"It's okay, Sam, I got yours," he said, pushing her money back to her. "I am the one who convinced you to drop your projects and come with us."
Sam smiled slightly. "Thanks, Cameron."
Daniel and Vala exchanged a secret, knowing glance between each other.
Cameron stood after Sam left. "I think I'm heading to bed too. See you guys in the morning."
Cameron walked up to his room and opened the door, and when his eyes met the figure standing in the middle of the room, his heart almost stopped.
Samantha was standing by her bed, having just shed her clothes save her undergarments, and was beginning to unhook her bra.
"Um … Sam," he said, averting his gaze to the carpet.
"Oh, my god! Cameron!" she shrieked, pulling the sheet off the bed and wrapping it around her. "What are you doing in here?"
"Um, I'm supposed to be sleeping in here," he said sheepishly, keeping his eyes glued to the floor.
"I didn't think you'd be back here so soon," she said, sliding her pajama top on with the sheet still in place.
"No, it's my fault, I should have knocked," he said, bringing his hand up to cover his eyes. "I can step outside, if you want."
"No, it's okay," she said, shimmying into her bottoms and dropping the sheet. "I'm all covered."
Cameron brought his hand away from his face and looked at her, but still couldn't meet her eyes.
She was wearing betty boop flannel pajamas, her now long hair, brought down around her neck and shoulders. Cam couldn't help thinking he'd never seen anything more beautiful in his life.
"Um … so this is awkward," Sam said, shifting from foot to foot.
Cameron shook his head a bit, snapping himself out of his trance. "No, it's fine. I mean, like Daniel said, we're both adults. You don't have anything I haven't seen before."
"Right," Sam said, laughing it off. "So … um, do you wanna watch some tv?"
"Uh, yeah," Cameron said, taking his shoes and jacket off. Then he realized he didn't have anything to sleep in.
"So much for being prepared," he said. "I didn't pack any pajamas."
He thought about sleeping in his clothes, but then thought back to what they'd just said, and took off his shirt and socks, and laid down on the bed in his jeans.
Sam had to work to keep her eyes off of his chest as she picked up the remote control and turned on the TV.
"So," he broached. "Betty Boop?"
Sam giggled. "Shut up."
"So, this is it?" Daniel asked, hauling his luggage out of the back of the trunk.
"Yep," Cameron said, unlocking the front door and walking back to help carry stuff in.
"It's great," Sam said, taking in the scenery.
Vala stumbled towards them, taking in all her bags at once. "Yes, it's wonderful, now could possibly get out of the doorway. Some of us would like to get out of this heat."
Sam and Cameron parted and Vala plowed on into the house.
"I'd better go show her where the room is," Cameron said, and went into the house after Vala.
Daniel had 1 suitcase and a bag slung over one shoulder. "Well, at the very least, this should be an interesting couple of weeks."
"Oh, come on, you and Vala are at the best part of a relationship," Sam said.
"And what's that?"
Sam smiled. "The part where she has you wrapped around her finger."
Sam dragged her bags behind her as she dodged his smack, and ran into the cabin.
"Hey, now, you two, no roughhousing," Cam said, walking into the kitchen and seeing Daniel chasing Sam around the living room.
Sam changed direction and ran into the kitchen, hiding behind Cam.
"Woah, what's up?" he said, laughing slightly.
"Save me," she cried dramatically.
Cameron looked at Daniel stalking towards them. "Come on, what are you guys, twelve?"
Daniel kept walking towards them, so Cameron dove towards the sink and picked up the sprayer, turning the hose on Daniel.
Daniel stood there stunned for a few seconds as Cameron soaked him, but then came to his senses and dove back into the living room, behind a couch.
Sam heard Vala coming out of the bedroom to investigate the noise, and quickly grabbed the hose away from Cameron and sprayed the girl right in the chest.
"Aah!" Vala screamed, ducking behind a wall. "What are you doing?"
Sam and Cameron laughed, high five-ing like teenagers.
After everyone had a chance to change into their bathing suits, and everyone's bags were set up in their rooms, the four of them headed to the beach.
Cameron took a long running jump into the water, leaving everyone else on the beach.
Vala asked Daniel to lotion her back, and with a not-so-hidden playful glare at Sam, he took the bottle from her and began applying sunscreen on her shoulders and back.
Sam hadn't brought any waterproof sunscreen, so she took off her shirt and skirt, and ran into the water in her bikini.
Sam expected the water to be freezing; after all, they were up north, fairly close to the Arctic, but instead she was met with pleasant, cool warmth.
Diving under the water, she swam a few strokes before coming back up, and screamed, practically jumping out of her suit.
"Cameron!" she shrieked, surprised that he was floating right in front of her, when he'd been a fair distance away when she had dove. "Don't do that!"
Cam laughed. "Sorry. Didn't think you were that jumpy."
Sam smacked his shoulder. "Jumpy my ass, you did that on purpose."
Cameron laughed, splashing her with water. "Well, duh."
Sam squealed and dove under the water again, this time swimming down and grabbing his legs, pulling them out from under him. Swimming back to the top for a quick breath, she grabbed the top of his head and dunked him again.
She was about to swim away when he grabbed her around the middle and lifted her up out of the water, and then dropped her back in.
Daniel and Vala watched the two splashing and throwing each other about in the water from the beach.
Vala said, "So, what do you think? Those two finally gonna get together on this trip?"
"Maybe," Daniel said. "I dunno. Jack and Sam had 8 years together, and they never got together, and they cared deeply about each other. Cam and Sam have only known each other for what? 3, 4 years? I'm sure there will be lots of flirting, and maybe even kisses, but I doubt they'll get together for a while yet, if ever,"
"Well, you're boring," Vala said. "And a lousy romantic. I think they'll get together. I mean, you said Sam never agreed to go fishing with O'Neill, no matter how many times he asked her. Cam asked her to go on this two-week vacation with him, and from what I can tell, it took very little convincing."
"Not true … Sam went fishing with him once."
Vala snorted. "Yeah, with you and Muscles there too."
"Well, you and I are here with them," Daniel pointed out.
"Yeah, but that's different."
Daniel asked, "Why?"
"Because we're a couple," Vala said, smiling and giving Daniel a swift but lasting kiss. "Sam came along, knowing that we would be here, together, and Teal'c wouldn't be here. Alone with Cam and another couple. How does that song go? "Love is in the atmosphere?"
Daniel smiled. "Love is in the air."
Vala grinned at him. "Well, I think it's about time I started paying my debt. Lay on your stomach dear, and pass the oil."
Daniel was beginning to think that she'd gotten the better part of the deal.
It was dark outside before the four of them had finally left the water. Laughing like giddy children, slightly more brown than they had been before, they made their way back to the cabin.
Daniel and Vala took a bit more time than Cameron or Sam did getting changed into their pajamas, leaving the two alone in the kitchen, making popcorn for the movie.
"Hey, sorry about throwing the mud at you," Sam said, looking for something to make conversation.
Cam laughed. "No biggie," he said earnestly. "It was fun."
Sam nodded. "I haven't had that much fun in a long time."
"I believe you."
Sam looked at him curiously. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
Cameron realized him mistake. "Oh, not that. I just mean, you have your fun with science and deep space telemetry, and that stuff, that you probably don't have time to splash around in the ocean with your teammates." He sensed that he was digging himself out of the hole. "I haven't done that in a while myself."
Sam nodded, feeling stupid for thinking the worst like that. Comments like that were things that Jack would say, and she didn't want to compare Cameron to her former CO. Cameron was too much of a gentleman – not that Jack wasn't – to say something so rude.
"So," Sam broached, attempting conversation again. "You take cheese on your popcorn?"
The movie was My Favorite Martian. Teal'c had suggested it, after carefully looking over Cameron's collection.
Sam tried and failed to resist the urge to not snicker and snort at the references to aliens, and the way they were portrayed in the film. While she loved watching sci-fi movies, they rarely ever got even close to the truth.
Sam heard her phone ringing from in her room, and excused herself to go answer it.
Looking at the name, she opened it quickly. "Sara, what's wrong?"
"Sam? Oh, thank god, I've been calling you for the last ten minutes."
Sam closed the door to her room and sat down on the bed. "Sorry, I was watching a movie, the volume's up pretty high. What is it?"
She heard her friend take a deep breath over the phone. "It's just one of those days. I thought I saw him again, and then I called Jack, and he hung up on me, and it's just been really hard. And then when I couldn't get a hold of you I was starting to panic."
Sam said, "It's okay Sara, we've been over this. You know that it wasn't Charlie, it couldn't have been, just a boy who looked like him. You know Charlie died a long time ago, if he were still alive, he'd been an adult by now. The boy that you saw with Jack that day wasn't him either, just someone who could look like him, to let you say goodbye. You know this, Sara, you just have to calm down and remember."
There was silence over the phone, but Sam knew her friend was trying to breathe. Sam looked up as the door to her room opened slowly, and Cam poked his head in.
"Everything ok?"
Sam was about to answer him when Sara came back on. "I'm okay now Sam, sorry to bother you. I just didn't know who else to call."
"It's okay, Sara, I'm happy to help. While I'm at it, I think I'll give Jack a call and bite his head off about hanging up on you. Everything's going to be ok."
They said their goodbyes and Sam hung up the phone, putting it back in her bag after setting the volume to max.
"So, that was Sara O'Neill?" Cameron broached, feeling bad for eavesdropping.
"Yeah," Sam said, shrugging. "O'Neill let it slip one day that she was having a hard time dealing with everything, so I went and talked to her, and we've been pretty good friends ever since. Sometimes she just needs a little reassurance, a friend to rant to."
"That's really great of you, Sam," Cameron told her, sitting beside her on the bed.
"It's not that big of a deal, sometimes I wish I had someone to rant to about the things I deal with every day."
Cameron
eyed her. "Anything in particular?"
Sam looked away,
shrugging her shoulders again.
"What?" Cameron asked, nudging her, not missing the blush that crept up on her cheeks. "Oh, someone's got a crush! Who is it? Tell me!"
He began to tickle her, but she refused to give anything away.
"I
could always just go ask Vala," he said. "Girls don't keep
secrets from each other, and she is definitely a gossiper."
"She wouldn't tell you," she told him, but immediately
regretted the way she'd said it.
"Why not me?" he asked, stopping at the door.
Sam didn't say anything, feeling stupid for her slip of the tongue. "It's nothing Cam, just never mind."
Cameron wondered at how the situation had so quickly gone from happy to tense.
"Sam, I may be way out of line here, but I gotta ask," he said, and she wouldn't meet his eyes.
He sighed. "Is it me?"
Sam thought about walking out of the room, but that would speak volumes more than saying yes or no. And she was not a coward. "Yes, it is, now can we just drop it?"
She stood, and began to leave, but Cameron stopped her. "It's me, too."
She finally looked up at him. "You too?"
He nodded.
Sam didn't know whether to cry or smile, so she settled for hugging him. "But it doesn't change anything. We can't do anything. We'd be reassigned, and I don't want that to happen."
He brushed a loose lock of hair away from her face. "We have two weeks to figure that out. And if it comes down to it, Jackson and Vala can keep at least one secret … maybe."
Sam laughed at that, raising her head to meet his eyes. "So we're gonna do this?"
Cameron nodded. "We'll make it work, one way or another." He raised her head closer to his with a light finger on her chin, and brought his lips down to meet hers.
She sighed into the kiss, feeling happier than she had all day, which was definitely saying something.