Written for the SJFic Word of the Week Challenge Word, 'Sunshine'. Enjoy!
You Can Keep Your Socks On
By Chezza
Spoilers: Threads
Warnings: Minor Angst & Fluff. No really, Fluff!
Disclaimer: Stargate's not mine as I'm sure you all know,
nor do it's characters belong to me.
This kind of writing earns me no dough,
so you get to read my fic for free!
Authors Notes: Here be Cabin!Fic. You know I'm seriously thinking that with the amount of fic out there involving goings on – whatever they maybe - at Jack's cabin, it's a small wonder the place isn't falling down by now :D I do reckon it deserves a website all to itself tho…anyone fancy making me one? ;) Anyhoo, the lyrics shown at the beginning of the fic are the spark for this story. They belong to The Corrs and their song, 'Summer Sunshine'. Used without permission.
© Chezza, July 2006
o0o
In the heat of the summer sunshine I miss you, like nobody else.
In the heat of the summer sunshine I kiss you and nobody needs to know.
o0o
Sam Carter tilted her head back, resting it lightly on the sun-warmed wood at her back and stretched out her feet to prop them on the top edge of the verandah side. Raising her arms, she worked out the kinks in her back and shoulders from sitting still for so long.
This was nice. More than nice. In fact, it was great. Fantastic, even.
She hadn't thought she was one to appreciate the art of doing nothing. But since arriving at this occasional home in the middle of Minnesota, she had gloried in it. Perhaps because it was long overdue, or maybe it was simply this place… Either way, there was very little which could have persuaded her to move out of the chair in which she was currently ensconced.
Maybe a threat to to the security of the planet would do it. But it would have to be a pretty damn big one and they'd virtually accounted for all of those in the past few months.
She allowed herself a moment's satisfaction at the thought, before it inevitably led her on to thoughts of her Dad. She missed him terribly and suspected she always would, but it was no longer the crushing grief she had felt before arriving here.
This rustic cabin and its proud owner had a heck of a lot to do with that and she knew that whatever happened, or didn't happen between them, she'd always be grateful to him for giving her this time.
The heat of the late spring sunshine soaked into her as she sat and she felt truly warm for the first time since her father died. Away from the cabin, the faint chill still present in the air, required a covering of some sort at any time other than in the heat of midday.
Not here however, as her definite lack of coverage could attest. At this precise moment, she was glad for the sudden impulse which had made her pack some summer clothing, despite her better judgement. Tucked in the corner, surrounded by the walls of wood which made up the front of the cabin and its porch and with the sun beating directly down on her, the area where the General had set up her chair, became a sun-trap.
She figured he'd known that when he'd placed her chair there that morning, pointed her to it and told her to 'chill', his brown eyes twinking with laughter. She snorted softly in amusement of her own. If anyone was likely to be 'chilling,' it was him. Down by the water, checking the water-readiness of the wooden dinghy he used for venturing out onto the lake, after a winter in storage. At least she assumed that was what he was still doing. She was feeling far too lazy to open her eyes. Let alone raise her head high enough above the verandah, to see where he was to be found.
He'd brought her a coffee an hour ago, maybe two - she'd kind of lost track - and then he'd left her to it with strict instructions to yell if she needed anything. He was giving her some well-needed space and letting her know he was there for her, both at the same time.
And she loved him for it.
It felt good to finally admit it to herself, even if she hadn't spoken the actual words to him, yet. She had a sneaking suspicion he knew anyway. He knew she'd been nervous about coming up here with him. Alone. It was after all, the main reason she'd turned him down every time he asked her before now. That hadn't changed.
But this time she was not in a position to say no. To use one of the man's oft-maligned cliches, this was make or break time for them. It didn't come as a surprise to her, to find she desperately did want to visit this place which meant so much to him. Even more so, to do it in his company, however uncomfortable it might make her feel.
And so here they were.
Daniel and Teal'c were arriving in a couple of days, but this was time for them. Time she knew they needed. To say things which should have been said years ago and make some long overdue decisions. To her surprise, the awkwardness she'd been expecting had faded on the journey up here and had not materialised since.
Three days in and she was still waiting.
The General – Jack – she firmly corrected herself, hadn't pushed. He'd got on with whatever chores needed doing after such a long absence and given her the freedom to do as she chose. Times when they were together, either at meals or when she felt like lending a hand, had been warm and friendly. The promise of something more if she wanted, demonstrated through the occasional kiss or gentle caress, once he'd figured out that she wasn't going to flatten him for attempting it.
In fact, it had been everything she'd been desperately hoping for and nothing she'd actually been expecting. To say it had thrown her for a loop, was a massive understatement. To her shock, she'd found a comfort level here, an innate understanding that she simply hadn't known with anyone else. Not even the man she'd been about to marry.
And didn't that just say it all?
She couldn't help but wonder why the hell they hadn't figured this out sooner.
o0o
A shadow fell over her. Sending the world darker behind her eyelids and chasing a shiver over her skin, as the temperature dropped slightly now that she was out of the direct sunlight.
Reluctantly opening her eyes, she squinted upwards to find the very man she'd just been thinking about, grinning down at her. His chin was resting on one hand which was propped in turn on the top of the verandah side, next to where her feet were currently resting. The heather-gray t-shirt which set off the deep tan on his arms, was speckled in drops of oil and was that…sawdust mixed in with his hair?
Yes, she decided. Yes, it was.
God, he looked good.
"What'cha doin'?" He asked, reaching his free hand out to tickle her toes.
"Sunbathing." She replied, trying to tug her toes out of his grip without moving her feet too much.
He was obviously in a playful mood. Unfortunately for her, because as much as she enjoyed seeing this side of him, something else it played was havoc with was her self-control. Not that Jack would mind overly much, she was sure.
"Sunbathing?" He repeated with a smirk.
"Mmm-hmm." She murmured, jabbing him gently in the chest with her foot as a warning, when he made a grab for her toes again.
There was a pause and she braced herself for the question she instinctively knew he was going to ask next. He didn't disappoint.
"So…what's with these?"
Nimble fingers pulled at the thin layer of cotton covering her feet and she flushed even though she'd known the question was coming.
"Myfeetarecold." She mumbled.
His grin grew wider and he tugged a little harder at her sock.
"Sorry, what was that?"
"I said, my feet are cold."
She glared at him, even though they both knew she didn't mean it and curled her toes into his bicep, to stop him pulling off her sock.
"Your feet are cold."
He lazily rubbed his hand up and down the top of her foot as he spoke and she felt her toes curl for an entirely different reason this time.
"Yes, Jack."
"You're sunbathing…"
"Yes. Yes I am. Or at least I'm trying."
The mock-glare had no more effect on him now, than it had the first time she tried it.
"You're very trying, Carter."
Smartass.
"And yet…your feet are cold."
"I think we've already established that."
"I'm just saying."
They exchanged glances for several moments, Sam refusing to give in. One of the things she was truly enjoying about this gradual shift in their relationship was that she no longer had to capitulate to him all the time. Much to her delight, she found that he didn't want that from her in a personal relationship, anymore than she was willing to give it. It appeared Jack was enjoying their partnership of equals, as much as she was herself.
Eventually he sighed heavily and gave in, just as she knew he would. Now that he no longer had to be the one giving the orders all the time, he seemed perfectly happy to back down and let her call the shots.
On occasion. They were both Alpha type personalties after all.
"You're ruining an awful lot of fantasies about Carter's little black bikini with these." He said, still running his hands back and forth along her feet and making the material bunch and rub enticingly against her skin.
She wondered if he knew what he was doing to her. Yes…he probably did, she decided, seeing the wicked glint in his eye.
The man was evil. But then he wasn't the only one.
She arched an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry. Would you like me to leave you alone so you can carry on, without me spoiling them for you?"
Jack pulled a face.
"Funny."
It was Sam's turn to smirk.
"I thought so."
It was too good an opportunity to pass up. She enjoyed being able to tease him without having to think about the propriety of it. Not that Jack would ever care, but she did. He'd earned the respect due his rank and she was determined that he would never lose it because of her. She loved him that much.
Jack pretended to ponder the question, his hands moving in long slow strokes now, up to the back of her calves and down again.
Sam bit her lip and throttled the groan which was threatening to escape. He'd be insufferable if he ever found out precisely how much he was affecting her.
It nearly escaped anyway, when she looked up and met his gaze. Her breath hitched. The warmth, affection and pure, honest-to-god love she saw there, nearly snapping the remaining shreds of her self-control. All the things she'd been hoping she would see in them whenever he looked at her, for so long now…
Sam wondered how shocked he'd be if she reached up, grabbed a handful of his t-shirt and proceeded to show him exactly how much of a fantasy her little black bikini truly was… She suspected he'd be delighted.
She knew damn well that she would be.
"Nah." He said. "I got the real thing now. And she's far better."
Then he smiled. Really smiled.
And it made him beautiful. Although Sam knew he would never appreciate such a description.
"Even if she does wear socks when she's sunbathing."
-fini-