Under the Virginia Moon
by sg-1fanintn
He stood at the window, arms crossed and one knee leaning on the window seat. Outside, the full Virginia moon beckoned to him, casting pale, blue-white beams across his chest. He turned to follow the moonlight as it cascaded across the room, where a beam chose to shine on her. He took a deep breath and stared in wonder as the moonlight made art of her sleeping form.
Under that moon, her golden hair was like spun silver. Her face glowed, and the bare arm that had escaped the sheet was illuminated in a blue-white light. A smile crossed his face as he remembered the evening's pleasures, savoring the memory of each moment he had spent in her arms.
They had come to Williamsburg on a "normal" vacation…a chance to do things other people did…to be as average as possible. But, he mused, no moment spent with her could be average. Since she became his, he had done his best to fill their time together with special times. He was through with regrets, and he knew she was too. He had booked the best suite at the Williamsburg Inn, and when she arrived in Washington for what she thought would be a week spent mostly naked in the brownstone in Georgetown, he surprised her by instead spiriting her away to the southern part of Virginia.
This was their first night here. He arranged for dinner to be served in their suite, including a bottle of Dom Perignon she had refused, but that had made him a little tipsy. The suite included a high-end stereo system, and after dinner, they made love to music he had brought along: Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Pachelbel and Debussy. The passion of the music matched their own desire, and as it played, their adagio of sensual give and take had almost taken his breath away. Perhaps it was because they were separated so often, but each time he made love to her, it felt like the first time. He still didn't understand that…but he was sure it was a good thing and the reason didn't matter. Sated, they had fallen asleep in each other's arms, victims of their own desire and the magic of the evening.
Later, he had awakened. He supposed his soldier's senses would always cause that to happen in a strange place. He had untangled himself from her embrace for a few minutes of solitude. He wanted to watch her sleep. And he needed a little time to reflect on how lucky he was and how much he loved her. Tomorrow, they would dress in sneakers and jeans to tour the town and learn about Colonial life. But tonight, inside this suite, they were hidden away in their own world, where no one existed but them.
He sensed movement and looked outside. A gentle breeze was blowing and the branches of the trees swayed back and forth, meeting the moon in a duel for control of the light. Glancing around, he sensed no danger, no challenge, no action that needed to be taken. The world around him was safe for now. And he was content to forget his uniform and responsibilities and spend a few days as a normal American, doing the things that normal people did. In short, he was at peace.
He didn't know how long he had been standing there when he heard soft music. Turning, he saw her sitting up in bed, knees pulled up to her chest, hair slightly tousled, the sheet pulled up under her arms and the stereo remote in her hands. "Whatcha doin'?" she asked, sleepily.
"Just thinking," he replied.
She got up, padded over to him and slipped her arms around him from behind. His hands instinctively moved to cover hers as she leaned her head against his back. "Thinking about what?"
"You, me…and how I'd like to stay in this room forever."
She chuckled, pulled away and gently turned him to face her. "So, you'd like more nights like this?"
Pulling her closer, he sighed. She felt so good against him. "Sure," he said, "but between your schedule and mine, I'm happy to get what I can."
"I want more too," she began. Then she stopped as if she was unsure of what to say next. She pulled back slightly, but not out of his embrace, and glanced out the window.
"Sam…" he began, but she didn't respond. Then, softer, more gently, "Carter!"
"Jack, I'd like to give up the new posting and go back to R & D."
She had just been in Atlantis a short time. "I don't understand," he said. "I don't want you to give up anything important for me. We can deal with being apart. It makes the time together that much better, right?" He thought for a moment before speaking again. "Is there something you haven't told me? Is McKay giving you headaches?"
She smiled. "No, there's no problem." She paused, looked down, then said softly, "Jack, I'm pregnant."
His heart flip-flopped in his chest, and to his surprise, tears began to well up in his eyes. He didn't know what to say next. His hands tightened on her shoulders, and he bent down slightly to look into her eyes. "That's—that's great! Wow! How long have you known?"
"I took the test yesterday," she responded shyly. Seeing the emotion in his face, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I wasn't sure you'd be happy."
"Not happy? How could I not be happy?" He was incredulous. "When will the baby—when are you due?"
"Well, based on the dates of your last visit to Atlantis, I'd say about six months from now. Jack, I've just had this command for a few months. You appointed me, and I don't want anyone to think you made a bad decision. I'll stay there as long as I need to."
He grinned, shaking her gently. "When I get back to the office, I'll look over my options for a new commander. Heck! Sheppard could fill in for awhile! I can probably have you back home in less than a month. No one named O'Neill is going to be born off-world." He pulled her into a tight hug. "Does that work for you? How do you feel about it?"
She sighed. "Like I've done my time, and I'd like to be home with my husband…and my baby."
"Well, Mrs. O'Neill, you and I are in full agreement on this issue," he said softly, "and there's nothing your husband would like better."
"There's just one other thing," she said.
"What?"
She pulled away, but kept hold of his hand. "Come back to bed, Jack."
He gave her hand a squeeze. "Wild horses, Sam. Wild horses."
And as the music played, and the Virginia moon crossed the sky, two lovers celebrated their commitment and their future in the most personal way they knew.
The End
A/N: Reviews are always appreciated...and help keep the muse active. Thanks to all for reading!