A/N: I know I should be working on all my unfinished stories –and I will, I promise. I just had this dream yesterday and then after talking with one of my friends… I just got this idea. The story's based upon the talk, the dream and upon the Prologue to my book that I've written six years ago – in Czech.
I wasn't sure about the actual pairing here – I had more than one couple to think about… but I settled for this one 'cause you know me being hopeless romantic … besides they've always been my favorite…
Little warning – this story might not be something you'd expect me to write… and – it might be even less realistic than usually. You know – my stories usually could have been part of the show. And I'm not really sure if this one fits into that pattern. Sorry folks… but maybe if you pick the right time during the show – then who knows… but I'm still not sure… most likely this doesn't fit into my philosophy of writing what could have happened… but it's up to you actually, right?
Disclaimer: SG is not mine... The idea of this story is. Oh and I borrowed a line from movie… can you find it? I mean… a very important line. And the movie and the line are not mine, sure.
Spoilers: None I think…
Timeline: Okay, we're talking about having the team together for 'years' but that's about it…
I WILL BE THERE IN YOUR DREAMS, AS YOU WILL BE IN MINE by ISOBEL
The last week was long. But this time nobody could mind less. No teams were off-world, nothing was happening, it was calm and people could actually go home in the evenings and spent the weekend with their families and friends. Some actually had troubles believing that. It was not common for the base to run like this.
SG-1 decided to take some vacation time. They all had lots of saved vacation days. They couldn't decide where to go. Both Samantha and Janet were afraid that the moment they would travel somewhere, somebody would call and … tu-du-dum… vacation time would be over.
The solution was simple. Janet's house was the biggest one. She had a spare room and a garage that could be easily transformed into another spare room. Besides her couch was one of those really comfortable ones. And the team was used to sharing space. After all those years it felt natural to have somebody close, hear them breathe and move, feel them. Of course they all needed space, but they could cooperate easily. And what more, none of them wanted to be alone.
So Jack brought his grill and DVD collection, Teal'c helped with shopping, Daniel and Sam helped with the sleeping arrangements and Janet with Cass took care of the house. It looked … like a real home. It all started on Monday morning. They had their five blessed days ahead of them.
It was even better than a team night. They were chatting through the nights, having movie and TV-shows marathons, they kept on playing the Twister and Activity and lots of other games Daniel had brought along. They cooperated with the cooking, cleaning… They were having fun. And nothing happened that would disturb them.
It was warm and the wind was mild during the whole week. They were spending their time out of the house a lot. Jack and Cass were watching stars for hours before falling asleep on the quilt they had on the grass behind the house. It all looked so peaceful and calm. Both Sam and Janet thought they looked cute out there.
Teal'c was called back to the base on Friday evening. And he needed Daniel's help. That kind of spoiled the plans. But they had their five days of heaven on Earth… could they even dare to ask for more?
Janet didn't mind Jack and Sam staying at her place. But then she realized one simple thing. They all could claim that they have stayed. However…
Jack asked Sam to spend the weekend with him. He liked Janet's idea.
There had been some unsolved issues between him and his 2IC and he wanted to talk to her. Her new task was about to start on Monday. She would be heading to some stupid meeting and then who-knows-where… She was supposed to leave for several weeks. And after what they had been put through during the last two months, he simply had to talk to her first. He had some questions to ask and some problems to solve, even some apologizing to do.
Sam knew about Janet's idea. She feared it. Being alone with Jack while claiming otherwise… maybe it was the chance she'd been hoping for during the last … years. But it was dangerous. She was ready to tell him no.
But then he looked at her and she could see the fear and kindness in his eyes. She saw the brown depths and couldn't help herself. She nodded and walked away into the night with him.
They were both surprised by how natural it all had felt. Those two days they could spend together were amazingly calm and comfortable, no awkward moments, embarrassing silence or anything. They felt… natural. It was like having a real life after all the crap they'd been put through.
Late at Friday night they discovered one thing that had disturbed them. After all those years they got to know each other pretty well. And yet there were things that remained secrets. Small things, pieces of memories, bits of information they had yet to discover about each other. They felt like stealing it from the Universe... they knew it wouldn't last long.
Sam noticed a picture on his wall and asked about it. He walked over to her, looked at the photo and smiled. He was lost in a memory back then. She thought he would just say 'it's nothing Carter' and then walk away. Well, he told her the story of his childhood, he told her about that picture and about those kids there.
So it happened because of picture… They talked through the whole weekend. They were sharing pieces of their lives and putting them together to make a whole picture. It was like doing a very big and complicated puzzle. They both had their shares of laughing and tears, of fears and hidden guilt. On Sunday in the morning, they were sitting together on his couch, cuddling close, slowly caressing each other's skin, without actually thinking about it.
They didn't share a single kiss during those days. Nothing happened between them. They've been just close and together. And yet it was the most intimate time of their adult lives. They really got to know each other well. No secrets, no hiding behind protective walls, no running away. It was just them. It was as simple as that…
They almost hadn't slept at all. Because of all talking and watching movies and stars… They had few naps every now and then, but somehow they both knew that this time would end soon and they wanted to spend most of it awake, in the presence of the other one. Sam had to promise Jack that they would go to sleep on Sunday. He didn't want her to fall asleep during her important meeting on Monday morning.
And it took some convincing but in the end they shared his bed. Comfortably lying there, snuggled close, looking relaxed and content with their lives, nothing seemed to be better.
O'Neill confessed that he'd always liked to see her in the morning, with her sleepy eyes and bed hair and with that confused cute look. Having her next to him was a gift. And she confessed that her fears and nightmares always seemed to disappear when he was around during the night. What a pair they made.
So they shared his bed and they didn't feel bad because of it. Not at all.
Sam woke up around 2 AM. She couldn't sleep. It all felt so unreal. She was sitting there, watching him sleep, breath regularly, with relaxed features, no worries visible on his face. He looked younger and like there had never been anything to trouble him in his dreams. Oh yeah, she loved him, she knew. And he cared about her, that much she knew as well. It just all seemed to be a bit more clear back then, in the middle of the night.
They found a way how to survive around each other during those years. They found a way how to be able to work together and spend all the time together and actually… not being together. She couldn't quite imagine what would happen next, after this weekend. She wasn't sure she'd be able to pretend again. After being with him and getting to know him… Oh this would be so hard on them both. The situation itself would break their hearts.
They agreed on trying to solve this. They agreed on waiting with everything. They agreed and yet she couldn't picture it well enough to believe it.
She couldn't resist it. She kissed him gently. He was more than a friend and CO to her. He was the reason she fought so hard for to stay sane. He was… Jack.
She was a bit surprised when he opened his eyes and looked deep into hers then. On his side, lying there awake, watching her think, he let her kiss him.
"Hey, watcha thinking about?"
"Hm?"
"Carter…"
"Hm?"
"Just go to sleep."
"It's so unreal, you know?"
"What?"
She looked him and she looked scared. He leaned closer and moved into a sitting position. He kissed her bare shoulder and caressed her arm. He knew her and her need for space to breathe.
"This… this is so unreal."
"Hey… everything's gonna be fine…"
"You really believe so?"
"I'm trying to."
And he kissed her again. She shivered. What was he doing?
O'Neill knew he was overstepping the damn line they had agreed on earlier. Did he care? Oh, he wasn't sure.
"It feels unreal having you here, in the same bed, in my arms… this all…"
"Hey… Sam? Is something wrong?"
"No… nothing's wrong because you are here, with me, for me… it's so simple and yet so complicated... so beautiful that it scares me..."
And before she knew what would happen, she hugged him. She tried to disappear in his arms, she wanted to feel him, his body heat, his scent.
He didn't know exactly what was going on but she looked like she needed him. So he held her, he held her close. He kept on whispering sweet things into her ear, caressing her skin, giving her butterfly kisses once in a while.
She was the most beautiful and brilliant woman he had ever met. And she was there, with him, in his arms… Yeah, maybe she was right. It felt unreal.
"This is really happening…"
She whispered that into his chest. It was not a question. It was a statement. It was happening. They were breaking the rules, doing things against all of their beliefs and yet it felt right.
"You should get some sleep, Sam."
She knew he was right. But she didn't care.
She looked up into his eyes and leaned closer. She kissed him then, lightly, on his lips.
At first he felt like being made of stone, he was not responding at all. And then it seemed like she had started a fire deep within him. She didn't try to do anything more. She was searching for his reaction in his eyes. And she saw the only thing she really wanted to find there. Love. He knew it was there, he couldn't hide it, he didn't want to.
"Make love to me, Jack."
"Sam…."
He sounded tortured, tempted, unsure. She was asking him to lose his sanity. But even worst was the fact that he didn't mind. He would do anything for her. He would give up his life, his heart, his soul... And she didn't even have to ask...
"I know it's gonna be difficult for us, starting with tomorrow. I know… God I know. But I… I just need you... Is it that bad? Is it so wrong to ask for just..."
And he kissed her because he understood. He understood! It was not about passion or fulfilling some biological urges and releasing frustration, this was more, so much more. There were no words to use to express their feelings.
"We're gonna go crazy, you know that?"
"I know… but I can't shake the feeling that today's all we've got."
"Don't say things like this, okay? Carter... just don't."
And he looked hurt. He looked scared. So many various emotions were dancing across his face. But she was right and he knew that. He just refused to accept it.
"Jack… make love to me…"
And this time he didn't hesitate. He kissed her, slowly, deeply. He tried to express everything with that single kiss.
They both were expecting something hot, fast and passionate. They were mistaken.
This was gentle and slow, full of exploration, small touches and kisses. This was act of pure love and silent desperation about their situation. They spent the next few hours tangled in sheets, smiling, laughing, crying, and panting, with shallow breaths and explosions of unknown feelings, not quite believing that it actually was happening. But it was.
He wanted to memorize every single inch of her body, the exact spots that could make her squirm and take a deep breath, he wanted to remember her scent and the taste of her skin. He needed to remember her whole. Besides after the first kiss he just couldn't stop. He became addicted. But he couldn't mind less. He loved her and he cared. She'd long ago become his everything.
Sam was surprised. She thought that it would look different. But she was not disappointed, quite on the contrary. This was the best night she had ever had. She felt loved and cherished and cared for. She felt equal to her partner, friend, lover… CO. She let him explore her and then she took her turn in kissing and touching, in finding certain spots and scars, she took her time with pleasing him. She felt like the most precious thing on this planet because of him and she wanted to let him experience the same.
The morning came quickly and they were not ready for it.
Lying together in his bed, holding each other, they were trying to pretend the morning would just go away. Just like Romeo and Juliet…
The sun was shining, sky was blue with just a few clouds, the wind was blowing slowly, it was warm. The day was actually beautiful. But to them it looked like the worst day ever.
Jack was right, they would go crazy pretty soon. Oh she knew. How was she supposed to pretend that she didn't care? How? Where was the sense in that? She loved him anyway… the actual relationship had no value – from the military point of view.
Sam realized that she hadn't told him that she loved him. She didn't say it out loud! And neither did he. Maybe at least something was done right… after confessing to their feelings there would be no coming back, no sanity left, it would be fatal.
Like this they still could survive. Right?
Sam wasn't so sure. She hugged him tight and buried her head in his chest. And judging by his desperate reaction he was in the same state as she.
What have they done?
Sam got up and took a shower. She was hoping that maybe he would join her… but no, he didn't. She couldn't make herself to wear her uniform. Not yet. She put on her pajama pants and tank top. The bedroom was empty.
Jack was in the kitchen, making some fresh coffee and small breakfast. He knew her. She couldn't eat properly before big missions. One of her cute quirks. She would usually eat a lot after few hours after departing for the mission though.
She stood there by the counter, sipping her coffee, while he took a quick shower. It was better this way.
Sam was playing with her dog-tags. They were hanging there, around her neck, as a constant reminder of what was the best and the worst in her life. She was a military girl… She had to find a way how to live with that… but it had been so difficult lately.
She felt Jack behind her. She didn't turn around because she didn't want him to see her tearful eyes.
He kissed her shoulder and her neck… then he opened the chain of her dog-tags and added something on it. In a second there was a beautiful ring hanging there along with her tags.
He hugged her and nuzzled her neck before even daring to speak.
"It's… it runs in the family… And I know how it looks like but… You're the closest thing to family I have and … I want you to have it."
"Jack…"
"Don't see it as a ring if you don't want to… just keep it close. So you would always know that I'm here. It means… I care. And... oh God Sam..."
She felt his tears on her skin. She made him cry. This revelation of very deep feelings made him cry. It meant even more than saying 'I love you'.
She wanted to turn around and hug him and kiss him and talk him into running away. She knew she couldn't do that. They were both losing it, slowly... but did she care?
She had a piece of him to take along everywhere she would go. And maybe, just maybe, it would be THE ring one day. Every girl could dream, right?
She was running out of time and they both knew it.
She walked away from the kitchen to get dressed. He was waiting for her to appear in her blue uniform, walking on heels, with that gorgeous smile and sparkling blue eyes.
He had a very bad feeling about this. Not about them, that felt right. But about her assignment. It felt wrong. He had the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach and he couldn't explain it. He just couldn't. He was concerned about her safety. Besides... if anything should ever happen to her... he would die. Or maybe worse, he would have to live without her.
She walked into the living room then, with her travel bag, wearing the damn uniform. She was trying so hard to be the military woman she used to be before this weekend, or maybe before meeting him.
She stopped in front of him just to say goodbye. Everything else was expressed during the night. Besides hearing him saying those things and making her love him even more… it would kill her right there on the spot.
"Hey… C'mere."
And she did. She came into his open arms. They kissed passionately. She let him hug her then. And she held him like the hug itself was the last thing separating her from falling down somewhere near hell or so...
He took her face into his hands, caressed her cheeks and kissed her forehead.
"You have any regrets?"
And instead of answering, she kissed him deeply, for the one last time.
"Stay safe, Carter. Please… try to stay safe."
"I will, don't worry, Sir…"
And that hurt. He was still 'Sir'. Damn military, damn protocols, damn regulations… But he would always remember her calling him Jack.
"Try to get some sleep every now and then… you know how you get without sleeping properly and having coffee in the morning."
And she chuckled. He did it… he tried to pull a joke on her to make her laugh and to release the tension that settled there in the room with them. He was the best guy, wasn't he? Yeah, he was.
"You know, you might be having some pretty good dreams if I'm correct. Your head should be full of nice memories to use..."
And she blushed. Oh yeah… he still had it in himself. He smiled at her. He would miss this, the flirting, the bickering, the jokes, he would miss her smile. He would miss her.
"I will be there in your dreams, as you will be in mine..."
She was looking deep into his eyes while saying that, slowly, desperately trying not to cry. She was military after all!
"You already are in my dreams, Samantha. And you always will be."
She kissed him once more, with all love and passion she could find in herself. There was no other suitable response for his words. She hugged him quickly and whispered those forbidden three little words to him.
"I love you…"
And before he could answer, before he could do anything, she was gone. She walked away from him, through his door, out there into that bright beautiful morning, to go to the meeting. It would take weeks of silent suffering and hard work to keep his mind occupied before he'd be able to see her and maybe, just maybe, kiss her again. And – tell her about his feelings. And then they would just find their way how to be happy on this planet… He was not letting her go, not ever again.
The only problem was that she hadn't come back home to him as she was supposed to… actually, she had never come back at all.
A/N: I know you hate me right now… but I felt like writing something like this. Sorry people… anyway I hope you liked it at least a tiny little bit. And the status is 'complete' and I'm planning on leaving it that way… at least for now - because the story seems to be complete like this. If you have other opinion – just tell me.
Oh and the line! It's actually the name of the story and it's from the movie Anna and the King. It simply fits. Besides I love that movie, that story… in all its versions, including soundtracks and everything…
