"Yes."
"No."
"C'mon..."
"Nope."
"Sam!"
"Janet!" Samantha looked up from her lab work to lock her blue eyes with that of her companion, Janet Frasier. "I am not going to parade around in front of the guys like a Friday night girl. That's just not me." Getting up, she walked to one of her many trays, on which, she'd placed many plates and petrie dishes. Janet crossed her arms, her eyes following her ever busy friend. "I'm not saying to dress up like a whore, Sam. All I'm saying is that for this get together, try something a little different. Wear that skirt I was telling you about."
"The one where all you have to do is look at the back to see the underwear?"
"It's not that bad."
"What's wrong with what I usually wear?" Sam asked, focusing the microscope. "Nothing is wrong with what you usually wear Sam," Janet re- enforced, leaning against the table a bit. "But don't you ever want to try something different? You know, test some new things out a bit?" A sigh was heard and Sam's blond head finally looked up.
"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?" she asked warily, but with a hint of amusement in her voice and eyes. Her answer was a slight shake of the head, and a slighter mischievous grin. Sam looked at her microscope and shook her own head. "I can win arguments against Daniel. I can even win against the Colonel. But when it comes to you, I can't count one notch in my broomstick."
"Ah yes, well, that is the way God intended it," Janet said, pushing the microscope away from Samantha and winking at her. "Major, General, or Admiral...the doctor always gets the final say."
"Alright, where's Carter?" Jack asked, looking at his watch for what had to be the tenth time in the span of 15 minutes. He was sitting at one of the tables on the upper level of the bowling hall, a newly opened beer in one hand. He stole a glance at Daniel, who merely shrugged and continued eating his slice of cheese pizza.
"Perhaps she and Doctor Frasier have experienced a problem with their automobile?" Teal'C suggested.
"Hello guys!"
All three men looked up to see Janet walking towards them waving, a smile plastered on her face. "Howdy," Jack said, lifting his beer bottle to greet her. "What took you two so long?" Janet shrugged, setting her purse in one of the seats and settling herself into another chair. "Sam was taking some extra time to get ready, that's all." She suddenly caught sight of the pizza that Daniel was helping himself to. "Mind if I steal a slice?" He nodded, and Janet helped herself to the stringy, sticky, gooey cheese pizza.
"Where is Sam?" Daniel asked. He took a bite of his pizza, waiting for an answer, but when he didn't get one, he looked up and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Teal'C's eyebrow was raised the highest that Daniel had ever seen it. Janet was still munching on her pizza slice, but she possessed a slight grin that was usually not seen on her. And Jack...well, Jack looked like he'd gone to his happy place. Since his two male counterparts were staring at something behind him, Daniel naturally turned his head.
His mouth hit the floor.
There was Samantha Carter standing right behind him, looking slightly apprehensive, nervous, and hopeful all at the same time. The outfit told everyone why. Instead of wearing the usual nice blouse and black slacks with leather jacket, Janet had put together a more trendy and skin-showing uniform for her to wear.
Light blue, destroyed hip-hugger jeans with a sun-yellow belt donned her lower regions while up top Janet had suggested a sun-yellow spandex like shirt. The shirt was a spaghetti strap on one shoulder, but on the other shoulder, the sleeve was allowed to stay and flow past her hand to end in a point. On the same side that the sleeve was on, the material from the bodice of the shirt came to a point just at the middle of her thigh. The outfit wasn't the only thing that caught everyone's eye though. Sam's face, which usually had little to no make-up on was now covered with a light natural array of color's, accentuating her already tawny skin, frosty blond hair, and bright blue eyes.
"Who's that?" Jack finally asked, looking at Janet. "Oh come on you guys, it's not like you've never seen me dressed up before," Sam finally spoke, setting her own small purse on the table and looking around. "We've had gala's at the base before. You guys have seen this," Janet repeated, standing up and wiping her hands off. "So! Who's ready for a game?"
"I am ready to commence with the competition, Dr. Frasier," Teal'C volunteered. Janet nodded and looked at Daniel, who had picked his jaw up off the floor and was now acting as though Samantha looked like she did every day. Jack, on the other hand, was still slightly flabbergasted.
"Alright!" Janet clapped her hands together. "Do we want teams or singles?"
"I'm up for singles on the first round," Sam voted. Daniel did the same, and Janet nodded her head. "I'll get the games started then," she said, and went off to the front desk to get herself and Sam some bowling shoes, winking at the blond as she left. There was a small silence after Janet departed.
Jack, of course, took care of that.
"What happened to you?" he asked, rather bluntly. Sam smiled and looked down at herself, then back up at the boys. "Janet decided that I needed to look a little more...er, feminine, so she and I spent the day together shopping." She pointed to herself. "I had nothing to do with this. This was all her idea, doctor's orders."
"Wow, doctor's orders," Daniel said, wincing. "Can't exactly disregard those, can you?" Sam shook her head and sat down, taking her shoes off, and shortly after she did, Janet was back with a pair of shoes for her to wear. Soon, everyone was shoed up and ready to bowl.
"Everyone pick your balls," Jack announced, walking over to a rack with a nice number of bowling balls on it and finally choosing a nice 18 pounder. He hefted it into the air a couple of times, then smiled. "Aw yea...she'll roll." Teal'C came up behind him and grabbed a 22 pound ball, and almost immediately nodded his head. "This one will suffice." Jack turned around and looked at him.
"Ya sure Teal'C? Don't wanna try it out in the air a couple of times?"
"I am certain, O'Neill. This bowling ball will suit my needs."
"Alright," Jack shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn ya. No fair changing balls in the middle of a game though, just remember that."
"I don't like this ball anymore, can I have another?"
Jack sat on the edge of his seat, his head in his hands, looking at the bowling ball that was settled between his ankles. He then raised his eyes to the score board. Janet was in first place, with 150 points, Teal'C followed closely with 147 points, Sam and Daniel were tied at 133 points, and Jack, Colonel Jack O'Neill was dead last with 119 points to his name.
To answer his question, Daniel only looked at him and shook his head, but Jack could see a small grin playing under the scientists' mouth. He glanced at Sam and Janet, who were busy looking at the scoreboard. Teal'C was sizing up his next roll. "Come on ladies!" He picked up his bowling ball. "Look at this ball, just look at this. You see that dent? That dent is the whole reason that I'm in last place. I have a defective ball. By fair standards, you can't expect me to play with a defective ball, now can you?"
"Sir, you've been using that ball for the entire game, you can't just switch it out now," Samantha pointed out. "She's right, Colonel," Janet pipped up, still not taking her eyes off the screen. Besides, you don't have that far to catch up us. Only 31 points." She glanced away from the scoreboard to give Jack an encouraging smile, then put her full attention on it once more.
"Teal'C, old buddy!" Jack called. The Jaffa, who was in the midst of eyeing up his target looked over his shoulder. "Yes, O'Neill?"
"What do you say to trading balls with me?" Teal'C raised an eyebrow and lowered his ball. "What would be the reason for the trade?"
"There is a dent in this ball." Jack answered proudly. The Jaffa merely cocked his head to the side. "Should you have not checked the ball before you began the game?" Jack looked away for a moment, thinking of an answer. "The dent wasn't present at the time." He finally answered.
"Colonel O'Neill, was it not you who told me before we began that it was unfair to change bowling balls in the middle of a game?" He continued looking at the Colonel, greatly enjoying the mix of facial expressions that were playing all over his face. Finally, with his trademark 'doh!', Jack turned around and settled himself heavily back into his seat.
"Alright Sam, you're up," Janet called, sitting against the chair that was in front of the electronic scoreboard. She smiled at Teal'C who was walking away from a beautiful strike that he'd just made. Jack just glared at him as Daniel came to take a seat next to him.
"So, Jack," he started, watching Sam as he spoke. "What do you think?"
"I think I'm going to go switch the balls out real quick without anyone else noticing," the Colonel answered, only half listening to Daniel. The Archeologist shook his head. "No, no...I mean about Sam..." at that, Jack looked up. "Oh, oh yea...Sam."
"Yea, Sam." Daniel raised his eyebrows, splaying his hands in front of him. "What do you think?"
"What, about Sam?" Jack was now rolling the bowling ball on the floor with his feet. Teal'C was standing over the two men, watching the ball roll back and forth and listening to the conversation at the same time. "I believe that is who Daniel Jackson is referring to, O'Neill," Teal'C supplied.
"It's different," Jack answered, still focusing all his attention on the ball. He suddenly looked up at the board. "Oh lookie there. I'm next."
"Alright, Colonel," Janet glanced up at him, "you need a strike or spare to stay in the game. You don't get at least ten...well, you'll get to trade that ball in if you want." She grinned up at him. "Gee, thanks Doc. Your pep talks are so inspiring to me." He walked up to the line, not failing to have his eyes trail to Sam as she walked past him. He quickly regained his composure though, and lined the ball up to the pins that he wanted to hit...all of them. He continued to fix his posture, moving his feet, holding his arms differently, etc.
"Jack, sometime tonight would be nice. We have a briefing early in the morning you know," Daniel reminded him, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes with his thumb and index finger.
"Relax, Danny-boy," Jack called over his shoulder. "I'm preparing for a strike here."
"That's the Colonel," Sam spoke up, taking a sip of her beer, "always the military mind."
"Nasty job, but someone's got to do it, Carter," Jack said, walking up to the line finally and letting the ball roll out of his hands and onto the wood. "Yes...Yes....there ya go, keep going...turn...turn...TURN...no, no, no, what are you doing!? Get...ahhhhh!" Jack turned around, his hands over his eyes just as the ball dropped into the gutter. The try wasn't in vein though. He did manage to knock down one pin as the ball dropped into the return bay behind the rest of the pens.
"Ouch," Daniel muttered as Jack walked back over to the chairs, defeated. "I guess the strike didn't go as planned, huh?" His question was rewarded by Jack lifting a finger and, without even looking at Daniel, saying, "careful...just...careful, right now."
"Colonel?"
"You too, Carter..."
"But sir-."
Jack put his hands over his ears, at the same time sitting down in one of the chairs. "I can't hear you. I can't hear you!" he kept saying repeatedly. That is, until Sam walked over and tore his hands away from his head. "Jack!" she said, forcefully. The Colonel looked up at her, slightly surprised at her tone. Not to mention the fact that she'd actually said his name. "Yes?" he asked, complete innocence on his somewhat boyish face.
"You can get a spare." She said simply, still holding his wrists.
"Ah."
"Yea."
"I forgot about that."
"So we noticed," Janet said without looking up from the screen. "C'mon, Colonel, you can still get a decent score." Jack glanced up at Sam. "I knew that," he said, standing up and taking his ball. "I was just making sure you did."
"Of course, sir," Sam sat down in the chair, crossing her legs. Jack once more made his way up to the line and sized up his target. I can do this...I can do this, no problem he told himself, lining the ball up with the middle pin. Apparently he was taking to long, as Daniel's increasingly irritating voice found it's way to his ears.
"Jack...briefing...O'Dark Hundred."
"I'm workin' here!" Jack called over his shoulder. Daniel simply leaned back against his seat, propping his ankle up on his knee and watched the Colonel. Finally, after what seemed like three hours, Jack let the ball roll down the lane and immediately crossed his fingers after the ball left his hands.
"There we go...there we go...uh-huh, keep going...right there...."
The next thing the other four members of the SGC saw was Jack twisting himself around, a huge grin on his face. "Voila, a spare," he said, displaying the now fallen pins to his teammates and doctor. "Very nice, Colonel," Janet complemented him, watching the new numbers appear on the screen.
"Yes, you've managed to not lose as badly as you thought at the beginning," Daniel joked. "I don't know what you're talking about, Daniel," Jack retorted, "I knew what I was doing all along." The only reply he got was a muffled, 'yea sure' from the scientist.
"A very impressive display, O'Neill," Teal'C complemented. "Why thank you, T. It's nice to know that someone appreciates my strategic efforts around here." Jack leaned back against his hands and smiled, closing his eyes.
"You mis-understand me, O'Neill," Teal'C continued, "I was speaking of the display of apparent control over your obvious declining hold on the game." Jack's eyes opened immediately. "Apparent control?"
"Come on, Colonel. Bowling isn't your strongest suit," Sam intervened. Teal'C continued to stand next to Jack while Janet and Daniel got the next game set up. "Hey, I'm as good at bowling as the next guy." Sam smirked.
"Assuming the next guy is blind, sure."
Jack's mouth nearly dropped. "Is that a crack coming from Major Samantha Carter? A Major that is under my command, might I add?" In all honesty, Jack's ego was slightly wounded. But he wasn't going to show that. Not to Sam at any rate.
"Well, sir-."
"Look, I know I might have been a little...off," Jack said, nodding his head. "But once you get me going, I'm pretty good." Both Sam and Teal'C looked at him, doubting looks on their faces. "Really," Jack assured them, "that first game was just my warm up game."
"Care to make a wager on that, sir?" Sam asked good-naturdly. "Carter, I'm surprised at you. You know gambling is illegal." Jack sat back in his chair, crossing his arms again and refusing to look at her. Daniel though, who had over heard that last bit, cocked an eyebrow at Jack. "Is that why you now owe me $50?" Jack stole a glance at Daniel, then looked over at Sam, who was still awaiting an answer. "How much?" he asked.
"$75?" Sam offered. Jack nodded his head, putting out his hand for her to shake. "Deal." "Deal," Sam nodded, shaking his hand firmly. Daniel just shook his head.
"50...60...70...$75," Jack said, putting the last of his money in Samantha's hand. She smiled, pulling the money to her and leafing through it. "Thank you, Sir," she said, smiling and putting the money in her pocket. "No problem." Jack sat down dejectedly in one of the seats.
"What time is it?" Janet asked. Sam looked at her watch, and her eyes widened slightly. "One in the morning," she said, shock in her voice. "That early, huh?" Jack asked, his eyes already closed. If he didn't go home soon, he'd fall asleep right in the bowling alley.
"Yea. We've got that briefing tomorrow, we'd better get out of here," Sam said, pulling on her coat. She looked over at Janet. "You ready?"
"Oh, actually, I need to take Teal'C back to the base," Janet said. "And I've got to stay the night there anyway. I've got a couple of patients that I don't want to leave alone over night." She glanced over at Jack. "Colonel, Daniel, do one of you think you can take her home?"
Jack raised a thumb and nodded his head. "Sure," he mumbled, then dropped his hand onto his chest. "Jack if you're too tired, I can take her," Daniel offered. Jack shook his head though and got up. "Nope. I'm good, besides, she'll keep me awake. At least until I get to her house. Then I may fall asleep on the way home...but the truck should keep me alive."
Daniel nodded his head and looked at Sam. "Good, uh..." he looked her up and down, then nodded firmly to himself. "Good game tonight, Sam."
"Thanks, Daniel," she gave him a slight incline of her head. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"Oh yea," Daniel grumbled, walking away, "bright and early."
Sam, shaking her head and smiling, turned to look at Jack. "You are going to be able to make it home, right?" she asked, a slight note of concern in her voice. A note that was always carefully guarded when she and Jack were around other people or on base. But all he did was nod and look up at her. "Let's get out of here."
"He's gay, Major."
"Colonel, he is not gay! How could you say that? What evidence do you have to go on that?" Samantha asked, leaning her elbow on the passenger side window and looking at Jack as though he'd gone nuts.
"He's happy all the time," Jack started out. "And he jumps around alot...he's all smiles." His eyes shifted to Sam slightly before darting back to the road as he turned onto her street. "He's just in denial."
"Sir, Tinkie-Winkie is a made up stuffed animal on a kid's show."
"Hey, I'm not saying that I have a problem with the little guy being gay. I'm all for it," Jack defended, completely missing what Sam said, "I just think it's time for him to come out to all of his little tella tubby friends and say 'hey...my orange friend...I think you're hot.'"
Sam just looked at him, her mouth slightly a-gape. She wasn't exactly sure what to think. Either Jack had had more beer than what she'd seen drinking, or he was just extremely tired. Maybe she would talk to Janet about giving him some shore leave or something.
But then again, this was Jack she was talking to here. This was a perfectly normal conversation to have in the wee hours of the morning. So, she merely shook her head and continued looking out the window as he drove, admiring how peaceful the neighborhood's looked at night. When he turned onto her street, she didn't notice it. That is, until a rather annoying poking in her leg finally caught her attention. Absentmindedly, she slapped the perpetrator away.
"OW!" Jack's voice reached her ear, waking her out of her thoughts. She glanced quickly at him and saw that he was holding his hand, then put her own to her mouth.
"Sir, I'm sorry! I didn't realize it was you!"
Jack shook his hand a couple of times and flexed it, then looked at her. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. Of course, she had just struck a superior officer. Jack could run with it, make her think that he was going to report her to Hammond. But he would never do that to Samantha.
Besides, General Hammond would more than likely congratulate Samantha on smacking the Colonel, rather than reprimanding her.
"Eh, don't worry about it Major," Jack said, leaning back, but noticeably keeping his hand well out of her reach. "Shouldn't have been poking you in the first place." Opening the door to the truck., he got out and walked over to the passenger side. He opened the door for Sam and held a hand out to her in case she needed it. The truck was a little high off the ground. Either Sam didn't see the hand or she ignored it completely. She jumped out of the truck and smiled at Jack.
"I guess I'll see you at the base tomorrow morning."
"Oh yea..." he looked up to the sky for a moment. "What is it that we're being briefed on again?"
"P4X-864, sir," Sam answered readily. "We think it might be a good source for Naquida. SG-10 did some scouting there a couple of days ago. They came back and think they might have found some kind of an abandoned mine."
"So...we're going to dig for rocks?" Jack asked.
"Something like that, Sir."
"Any idea on who was using the mine before hand?"
Sam shook her head. "No idea, Sir, but I'm willing to bet that it was occupied by a Goa'uld God or Goddess or slaves there of."
"Meaning that there might be a good reason it was abandoned," Jack said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Goa'uld's wouldn't just up and leave something that important unless they had a good reason."
"Well, whatever it is, I'm sure we'll find out when the mission is a-go," Sam stated, rubbing her bare arm a little. Jack raised an eyebrow. "Cold?"
"It has gotten a little chilly out here," Sam agreed aloud. Jack started to take off his jacket, but Sam held out a hand. "You don't have to do that, Colonel. I'm actually going to go inside." Jack looked at her, his face asking if she was positive, and she nodded. "You actually look like you could use a cup of coffee or something before you drive home," she continued, walking up to her door. "I can fix you a cup, if you'd like."
"Uh...," Jack looked around, swinging his arms back and forth, "sure...sure, that'd be great." Nodding, Samantha got the door open and walked inside her comfortable one level home. Jack, having been in her house a couple times previously, knew where to find the light switch and turned it on, closing the door behind him as he did so.
"Just make yourself comfortable," Sam called from the kitchen, "I'll get the coffee going." A moment later, Jack heard the rustle and bustle of a small midnight raid in the pantry and settled himself onto the couch. It was a small, plush piece of furniture, and so, to pass the time, Jack bounced up and down on the cushions, testing the softness of it. "Carter, I'm taking your couch home with me," he called, pressing his hand down on the other cushions.
"You'll have to fight me for it," she called, coming into the living room and looking at him. "That's where I do most of my all night work....right in front of the television and the fire place."
"I'll buy you a new one," Jack offered, "you know that old football injury...I need a nice, soft couch like this to support my knee." Sam only grinned at him. "You're not getting my couch, Colonel."
"Fine," Jack pouted, "but when my knee gives out, you'll remember this night and think 'If I'd only given Jack that couch...'". "Why don't you go buy one?" she asked, slipping down into the recliner that rested off to the side of the couch at an angle. "Because I am a Colonel in the United States Air Force...I don't make enough to be going out and buying couches..." he answered, now lying fully on the cushions.
"Well, I'm not much better off than you are, Sir," Sam said, "and I'm only a major. We don't get paid as much as you Colonels do."
"I'll take out a loan from the General then."
Sam laughed aloud at that. "You can try it, but I don't think it's going to happen Colonel."
A long pause filled the room, then Jack raised up his head to look at her thoughtfully with his soft brown eyes. "Do you think that there will ever be a time that you can call me by my name, Sam?"
Samantha raised her eyes to him, slightly startled that he'd asked such a question. "Uh...more than likely not." She swallowed. "At least, not while you out rank me, Sir."
"I'm not talking about ranks here," Jack said, sitting up to face her, placing both of his arms on his knees to lean comfortably on them. "I'm talking about when we and the rest of the team go out for a night of fun NOT as Colonel or Major or Doctor. NOT as Air Force personnel...but just as us." He watched as the answers to his questions crawled all over her face. He knew what she was feeling. It was the exact same way that he was feeling. They just had different way's of dealing with those feelings.
"You know why I don't do that, Sir," Sam finally answered. Jack nodded. "Yea, I know. I know why you don't call me 'Jack'. Probably for the same reason that I call you 'Carter' instead of 'Sam'. I know it makes things a little more personal, and you and I both know that the one thing the Military isn't to keen on is personal-"
"Sir-"
Jack held up a hand, silently asking to be allowed to finish. "I know why you don't do that," he repeated, "but what I want to know is will there ever be a time that we can do that..." he splayed his hands open and leaned back, not breaking his eye contact with her. When Sam still didn't say anything, Jack shook his head and sighed. "Sorry," he murmured, "shouldn't have said anything." He sniffed and brushed his nose with a finger, looking away.
Then, he sniffed again.
"Is something burning?"
Sam took a sniff of her own and when she did, her blue eyes became those of a deer caught in headlights. "The coffee!" She jumped of the chair and ran into the kitchen, leaving Jack to chuckle on the couch, rubbing his eyes. A flurry of clattering reached his ears moments later. "For crying' out loud, Carter, what are you doing in there?"
"Some of the coffee dripped onto the heating plate, Sir," she called. Jack got up and made his way to the kitchen. Sam was standing over coffee maker, the coffee pitcher in one hand and the plug to the machine in the other. "I'll take that," Jack offered. Sam nodded, wiping some of the coffee that had spat off the plate off of her shirt. "Janet's gonna kill me," she murmured.
"Why's that?"
"She and I went shopping today," Sam explained, "she liked the shirt. I didn't want to buy it, so she bought it for me."
"Why not?" Jack asked, looking around in the cupboards for two mugs. Sam shrugged. "I didn't think it was me. I haven't worn that kind of style in ages. Seemed silly to start now." She accepted the coffee and moved to sit down at the kitchen table. Jack followed.
"Maybe you should start again?"
Sam raised her eyebrows. "Why? I'm in the Air Force. Fashion is a little low on the list of priorities, Colonel."
"Because you looked nice, Carter," Jack said matter-of-factly. He took a sip of his coffee. "Daniel just about fell on the ground when he saw you. And I'm pretty sure Teal'C's eyebrow has never been higher." He grinned and waggled his eyebrows at her.
Sam smiled shyly, looking down at her coffee cup. "Was anyone else there impressed?" she asked, looking back up at him, a slightly mischievous glint in her blue eyes. Jack sobered up a bit and took a sip from his mug, nodding as he did so. "Sure, other people were impressed."
Sam nodded. "Good." The two were silent for a few minutes, simply enjoying the quiet, the company, and the coffee.
"It's 3 in the morning." Sam noted some time later. "Mmm-hmm," Jack groaned, circling a finger in his now cold coffee. "We should probably get some sleep, sir," she suggested, getting up and taking his coffee cup from him.
"Probably." Jack got up and stretched his arms.
"Are you going to head home then?"
"Probably not," he answered, putting his hands in his pockets. "I'll just go up to the base, take a cot there. No point in going home." He smiled tightly. "Wanna come with?"
"Where, to the base?" Sam asked, frowning.
"Sure. It's three in the morning, we'd have to get up at 6:30 anyways to make the briefing time at 7:30." Jack shrugged. "The way I see it, we get to the base, we get more sleeping time...and hey, I'll be there on time for once. Hammond'l be proud."
Sam grinned. "Thanks for the offer sir, but my bed is calling my name. I think I should listen."
"Suit yourself. You're missing out on the all the comforts that the SGC bedding staff can offer," Jack said, "low cots, hard mattress, flat pillow..." Sam laughed, shaking her head. "The SGC does have a five star rating when it comes to over nighters, doesn't it?"
"Sure does," Jack nodded.
"Be sure to leave them a review when you stay the night." Sam walked past him, still smiling as she led him to the door. "They stopped those a long time ago," he said, following her.
"Oh, why is that?"
"I kept giving them bad ones."
"Gee, wonder why?" Sam opened the door and stepped out onto her small patio, Jack following behind her. "Geez, it got colder out here," Sam noted, crossing her arms again. "Yea...Daniel said something about as the night wears on in the later fall days it gets colder..." Jack shook his head. "The man is an archeologist and a meteorologist all in one."
"Well, he's right. According to meteorological theory-"
"AHH!" Jack held up his hands, silencing her in his famous two year old way. "Do you HAVE to do that right now?"
"Sorry, sir...I forgot you don't like learning," Sam quipped.
"I like learning just fine...just not at 3 in the morning," he let out a breath, then raised his eyebrows. "Breath..." he said. Then he blew again. And again. And again. Samantha just looked at him. "What?" he said. "It's fun." He blew again, and Sam shook her head, this time voluntarily, rather than the cold shaking it for her.
"You're freezing, you'd better get inside," Jack finally said, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets now. She nodded, rocking back and fourth on her heels. "Yea, I think I'd better," she sighed, inadvertently letting out a foggy mist of her own breath.
"Ah, see there?" Jack said. "Fun." Sam only shook her head again. "I'll see you at the briefing tomorrow, Colonel."
"Today, Carter."
"Oh right. Sorry, Sir."
"Well," Jack said, stepping off the stoop, "I'm going to head to base now." Sam nodded. "Alrighty, then. I'll see you in a couple of hours." Jack nodded, but lingered a few moments. "Was there something else, Colonel?" Sam asked. Jack took a deep breath before answering, mulling in his head if he should really say what he wanted to say.
"Yea," he answered, stepping back up on the same level as she was standing. "You looked....uh..." he tried to find the right word, and his eyes seemed to think that the answer was on the concrete below him. "Yes?" she prodded lightly.
"You looked really great, tonight," Jack finally answered. This time, it was Samantha's turn to look down at her porch and smile. "Thank you," she said softly.
"No problem." With that, Jack stepped off the porch and walked to his truck, taking out his keys as he went. Sam watched him, her arms still crossed.
The only thing was, she wasn't cold anymore.
"No."
"C'mon..."
"Nope."
"Sam!"
"Janet!" Samantha looked up from her lab work to lock her blue eyes with that of her companion, Janet Frasier. "I am not going to parade around in front of the guys like a Friday night girl. That's just not me." Getting up, she walked to one of her many trays, on which, she'd placed many plates and petrie dishes. Janet crossed her arms, her eyes following her ever busy friend. "I'm not saying to dress up like a whore, Sam. All I'm saying is that for this get together, try something a little different. Wear that skirt I was telling you about."
"The one where all you have to do is look at the back to see the underwear?"
"It's not that bad."
"What's wrong with what I usually wear?" Sam asked, focusing the microscope. "Nothing is wrong with what you usually wear Sam," Janet re- enforced, leaning against the table a bit. "But don't you ever want to try something different? You know, test some new things out a bit?" A sigh was heard and Sam's blond head finally looked up.
"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?" she asked warily, but with a hint of amusement in her voice and eyes. Her answer was a slight shake of the head, and a slighter mischievous grin. Sam looked at her microscope and shook her own head. "I can win arguments against Daniel. I can even win against the Colonel. But when it comes to you, I can't count one notch in my broomstick."
"Ah yes, well, that is the way God intended it," Janet said, pushing the microscope away from Samantha and winking at her. "Major, General, or Admiral...the doctor always gets the final say."
"Alright, where's Carter?" Jack asked, looking at his watch for what had to be the tenth time in the span of 15 minutes. He was sitting at one of the tables on the upper level of the bowling hall, a newly opened beer in one hand. He stole a glance at Daniel, who merely shrugged and continued eating his slice of cheese pizza.
"Perhaps she and Doctor Frasier have experienced a problem with their automobile?" Teal'C suggested.
"Hello guys!"
All three men looked up to see Janet walking towards them waving, a smile plastered on her face. "Howdy," Jack said, lifting his beer bottle to greet her. "What took you two so long?" Janet shrugged, setting her purse in one of the seats and settling herself into another chair. "Sam was taking some extra time to get ready, that's all." She suddenly caught sight of the pizza that Daniel was helping himself to. "Mind if I steal a slice?" He nodded, and Janet helped herself to the stringy, sticky, gooey cheese pizza.
"Where is Sam?" Daniel asked. He took a bite of his pizza, waiting for an answer, but when he didn't get one, he looked up and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Teal'C's eyebrow was raised the highest that Daniel had ever seen it. Janet was still munching on her pizza slice, but she possessed a slight grin that was usually not seen on her. And Jack...well, Jack looked like he'd gone to his happy place. Since his two male counterparts were staring at something behind him, Daniel naturally turned his head.
His mouth hit the floor.
There was Samantha Carter standing right behind him, looking slightly apprehensive, nervous, and hopeful all at the same time. The outfit told everyone why. Instead of wearing the usual nice blouse and black slacks with leather jacket, Janet had put together a more trendy and skin-showing uniform for her to wear.
Light blue, destroyed hip-hugger jeans with a sun-yellow belt donned her lower regions while up top Janet had suggested a sun-yellow spandex like shirt. The shirt was a spaghetti strap on one shoulder, but on the other shoulder, the sleeve was allowed to stay and flow past her hand to end in a point. On the same side that the sleeve was on, the material from the bodice of the shirt came to a point just at the middle of her thigh. The outfit wasn't the only thing that caught everyone's eye though. Sam's face, which usually had little to no make-up on was now covered with a light natural array of color's, accentuating her already tawny skin, frosty blond hair, and bright blue eyes.
"Who's that?" Jack finally asked, looking at Janet. "Oh come on you guys, it's not like you've never seen me dressed up before," Sam finally spoke, setting her own small purse on the table and looking around. "We've had gala's at the base before. You guys have seen this," Janet repeated, standing up and wiping her hands off. "So! Who's ready for a game?"
"I am ready to commence with the competition, Dr. Frasier," Teal'C volunteered. Janet nodded and looked at Daniel, who had picked his jaw up off the floor and was now acting as though Samantha looked like she did every day. Jack, on the other hand, was still slightly flabbergasted.
"Alright!" Janet clapped her hands together. "Do we want teams or singles?"
"I'm up for singles on the first round," Sam voted. Daniel did the same, and Janet nodded her head. "I'll get the games started then," she said, and went off to the front desk to get herself and Sam some bowling shoes, winking at the blond as she left. There was a small silence after Janet departed.
Jack, of course, took care of that.
"What happened to you?" he asked, rather bluntly. Sam smiled and looked down at herself, then back up at the boys. "Janet decided that I needed to look a little more...er, feminine, so she and I spent the day together shopping." She pointed to herself. "I had nothing to do with this. This was all her idea, doctor's orders."
"Wow, doctor's orders," Daniel said, wincing. "Can't exactly disregard those, can you?" Sam shook her head and sat down, taking her shoes off, and shortly after she did, Janet was back with a pair of shoes for her to wear. Soon, everyone was shoed up and ready to bowl.
"Everyone pick your balls," Jack announced, walking over to a rack with a nice number of bowling balls on it and finally choosing a nice 18 pounder. He hefted it into the air a couple of times, then smiled. "Aw yea...she'll roll." Teal'C came up behind him and grabbed a 22 pound ball, and almost immediately nodded his head. "This one will suffice." Jack turned around and looked at him.
"Ya sure Teal'C? Don't wanna try it out in the air a couple of times?"
"I am certain, O'Neill. This bowling ball will suit my needs."
"Alright," Jack shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn ya. No fair changing balls in the middle of a game though, just remember that."
"I don't like this ball anymore, can I have another?"
Jack sat on the edge of his seat, his head in his hands, looking at the bowling ball that was settled between his ankles. He then raised his eyes to the score board. Janet was in first place, with 150 points, Teal'C followed closely with 147 points, Sam and Daniel were tied at 133 points, and Jack, Colonel Jack O'Neill was dead last with 119 points to his name.
To answer his question, Daniel only looked at him and shook his head, but Jack could see a small grin playing under the scientists' mouth. He glanced at Sam and Janet, who were busy looking at the scoreboard. Teal'C was sizing up his next roll. "Come on ladies!" He picked up his bowling ball. "Look at this ball, just look at this. You see that dent? That dent is the whole reason that I'm in last place. I have a defective ball. By fair standards, you can't expect me to play with a defective ball, now can you?"
"Sir, you've been using that ball for the entire game, you can't just switch it out now," Samantha pointed out. "She's right, Colonel," Janet pipped up, still not taking her eyes off the screen. Besides, you don't have that far to catch up us. Only 31 points." She glanced away from the scoreboard to give Jack an encouraging smile, then put her full attention on it once more.
"Teal'C, old buddy!" Jack called. The Jaffa, who was in the midst of eyeing up his target looked over his shoulder. "Yes, O'Neill?"
"What do you say to trading balls with me?" Teal'C raised an eyebrow and lowered his ball. "What would be the reason for the trade?"
"There is a dent in this ball." Jack answered proudly. The Jaffa merely cocked his head to the side. "Should you have not checked the ball before you began the game?" Jack looked away for a moment, thinking of an answer. "The dent wasn't present at the time." He finally answered.
"Colonel O'Neill, was it not you who told me before we began that it was unfair to change bowling balls in the middle of a game?" He continued looking at the Colonel, greatly enjoying the mix of facial expressions that were playing all over his face. Finally, with his trademark 'doh!', Jack turned around and settled himself heavily back into his seat.
"Alright Sam, you're up," Janet called, sitting against the chair that was in front of the electronic scoreboard. She smiled at Teal'C who was walking away from a beautiful strike that he'd just made. Jack just glared at him as Daniel came to take a seat next to him.
"So, Jack," he started, watching Sam as he spoke. "What do you think?"
"I think I'm going to go switch the balls out real quick without anyone else noticing," the Colonel answered, only half listening to Daniel. The Archeologist shook his head. "No, no...I mean about Sam..." at that, Jack looked up. "Oh, oh yea...Sam."
"Yea, Sam." Daniel raised his eyebrows, splaying his hands in front of him. "What do you think?"
"What, about Sam?" Jack was now rolling the bowling ball on the floor with his feet. Teal'C was standing over the two men, watching the ball roll back and forth and listening to the conversation at the same time. "I believe that is who Daniel Jackson is referring to, O'Neill," Teal'C supplied.
"It's different," Jack answered, still focusing all his attention on the ball. He suddenly looked up at the board. "Oh lookie there. I'm next."
"Alright, Colonel," Janet glanced up at him, "you need a strike or spare to stay in the game. You don't get at least ten...well, you'll get to trade that ball in if you want." She grinned up at him. "Gee, thanks Doc. Your pep talks are so inspiring to me." He walked up to the line, not failing to have his eyes trail to Sam as she walked past him. He quickly regained his composure though, and lined the ball up to the pins that he wanted to hit...all of them. He continued to fix his posture, moving his feet, holding his arms differently, etc.
"Jack, sometime tonight would be nice. We have a briefing early in the morning you know," Daniel reminded him, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes with his thumb and index finger.
"Relax, Danny-boy," Jack called over his shoulder. "I'm preparing for a strike here."
"That's the Colonel," Sam spoke up, taking a sip of her beer, "always the military mind."
"Nasty job, but someone's got to do it, Carter," Jack said, walking up to the line finally and letting the ball roll out of his hands and onto the wood. "Yes...Yes....there ya go, keep going...turn...turn...TURN...no, no, no, what are you doing!? Get...ahhhhh!" Jack turned around, his hands over his eyes just as the ball dropped into the gutter. The try wasn't in vein though. He did manage to knock down one pin as the ball dropped into the return bay behind the rest of the pens.
"Ouch," Daniel muttered as Jack walked back over to the chairs, defeated. "I guess the strike didn't go as planned, huh?" His question was rewarded by Jack lifting a finger and, without even looking at Daniel, saying, "careful...just...careful, right now."
"Colonel?"
"You too, Carter..."
"But sir-."
Jack put his hands over his ears, at the same time sitting down in one of the chairs. "I can't hear you. I can't hear you!" he kept saying repeatedly. That is, until Sam walked over and tore his hands away from his head. "Jack!" she said, forcefully. The Colonel looked up at her, slightly surprised at her tone. Not to mention the fact that she'd actually said his name. "Yes?" he asked, complete innocence on his somewhat boyish face.
"You can get a spare." She said simply, still holding his wrists.
"Ah."
"Yea."
"I forgot about that."
"So we noticed," Janet said without looking up from the screen. "C'mon, Colonel, you can still get a decent score." Jack glanced up at Sam. "I knew that," he said, standing up and taking his ball. "I was just making sure you did."
"Of course, sir," Sam sat down in the chair, crossing her legs. Jack once more made his way up to the line and sized up his target. I can do this...I can do this, no problem he told himself, lining the ball up with the middle pin. Apparently he was taking to long, as Daniel's increasingly irritating voice found it's way to his ears.
"Jack...briefing...O'Dark Hundred."
"I'm workin' here!" Jack called over his shoulder. Daniel simply leaned back against his seat, propping his ankle up on his knee and watched the Colonel. Finally, after what seemed like three hours, Jack let the ball roll down the lane and immediately crossed his fingers after the ball left his hands.
"There we go...there we go...uh-huh, keep going...right there...."
The next thing the other four members of the SGC saw was Jack twisting himself around, a huge grin on his face. "Voila, a spare," he said, displaying the now fallen pins to his teammates and doctor. "Very nice, Colonel," Janet complemented him, watching the new numbers appear on the screen.
"Yes, you've managed to not lose as badly as you thought at the beginning," Daniel joked. "I don't know what you're talking about, Daniel," Jack retorted, "I knew what I was doing all along." The only reply he got was a muffled, 'yea sure' from the scientist.
"A very impressive display, O'Neill," Teal'C complemented. "Why thank you, T. It's nice to know that someone appreciates my strategic efforts around here." Jack leaned back against his hands and smiled, closing his eyes.
"You mis-understand me, O'Neill," Teal'C continued, "I was speaking of the display of apparent control over your obvious declining hold on the game." Jack's eyes opened immediately. "Apparent control?"
"Come on, Colonel. Bowling isn't your strongest suit," Sam intervened. Teal'C continued to stand next to Jack while Janet and Daniel got the next game set up. "Hey, I'm as good at bowling as the next guy." Sam smirked.
"Assuming the next guy is blind, sure."
Jack's mouth nearly dropped. "Is that a crack coming from Major Samantha Carter? A Major that is under my command, might I add?" In all honesty, Jack's ego was slightly wounded. But he wasn't going to show that. Not to Sam at any rate.
"Well, sir-."
"Look, I know I might have been a little...off," Jack said, nodding his head. "But once you get me going, I'm pretty good." Both Sam and Teal'C looked at him, doubting looks on their faces. "Really," Jack assured them, "that first game was just my warm up game."
"Care to make a wager on that, sir?" Sam asked good-naturdly. "Carter, I'm surprised at you. You know gambling is illegal." Jack sat back in his chair, crossing his arms again and refusing to look at her. Daniel though, who had over heard that last bit, cocked an eyebrow at Jack. "Is that why you now owe me $50?" Jack stole a glance at Daniel, then looked over at Sam, who was still awaiting an answer. "How much?" he asked.
"$75?" Sam offered. Jack nodded his head, putting out his hand for her to shake. "Deal." "Deal," Sam nodded, shaking his hand firmly. Daniel just shook his head.
"50...60...70...$75," Jack said, putting the last of his money in Samantha's hand. She smiled, pulling the money to her and leafing through it. "Thank you, Sir," she said, smiling and putting the money in her pocket. "No problem." Jack sat down dejectedly in one of the seats.
"What time is it?" Janet asked. Sam looked at her watch, and her eyes widened slightly. "One in the morning," she said, shock in her voice. "That early, huh?" Jack asked, his eyes already closed. If he didn't go home soon, he'd fall asleep right in the bowling alley.
"Yea. We've got that briefing tomorrow, we'd better get out of here," Sam said, pulling on her coat. She looked over at Janet. "You ready?"
"Oh, actually, I need to take Teal'C back to the base," Janet said. "And I've got to stay the night there anyway. I've got a couple of patients that I don't want to leave alone over night." She glanced over at Jack. "Colonel, Daniel, do one of you think you can take her home?"
Jack raised a thumb and nodded his head. "Sure," he mumbled, then dropped his hand onto his chest. "Jack if you're too tired, I can take her," Daniel offered. Jack shook his head though and got up. "Nope. I'm good, besides, she'll keep me awake. At least until I get to her house. Then I may fall asleep on the way home...but the truck should keep me alive."
Daniel nodded his head and looked at Sam. "Good, uh..." he looked her up and down, then nodded firmly to himself. "Good game tonight, Sam."
"Thanks, Daniel," she gave him a slight incline of her head. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"Oh yea," Daniel grumbled, walking away, "bright and early."
Sam, shaking her head and smiling, turned to look at Jack. "You are going to be able to make it home, right?" she asked, a slight note of concern in her voice. A note that was always carefully guarded when she and Jack were around other people or on base. But all he did was nod and look up at her. "Let's get out of here."
"He's gay, Major."
"Colonel, he is not gay! How could you say that? What evidence do you have to go on that?" Samantha asked, leaning her elbow on the passenger side window and looking at Jack as though he'd gone nuts.
"He's happy all the time," Jack started out. "And he jumps around alot...he's all smiles." His eyes shifted to Sam slightly before darting back to the road as he turned onto her street. "He's just in denial."
"Sir, Tinkie-Winkie is a made up stuffed animal on a kid's show."
"Hey, I'm not saying that I have a problem with the little guy being gay. I'm all for it," Jack defended, completely missing what Sam said, "I just think it's time for him to come out to all of his little tella tubby friends and say 'hey...my orange friend...I think you're hot.'"
Sam just looked at him, her mouth slightly a-gape. She wasn't exactly sure what to think. Either Jack had had more beer than what she'd seen drinking, or he was just extremely tired. Maybe she would talk to Janet about giving him some shore leave or something.
But then again, this was Jack she was talking to here. This was a perfectly normal conversation to have in the wee hours of the morning. So, she merely shook her head and continued looking out the window as he drove, admiring how peaceful the neighborhood's looked at night. When he turned onto her street, she didn't notice it. That is, until a rather annoying poking in her leg finally caught her attention. Absentmindedly, she slapped the perpetrator away.
"OW!" Jack's voice reached her ear, waking her out of her thoughts. She glanced quickly at him and saw that he was holding his hand, then put her own to her mouth.
"Sir, I'm sorry! I didn't realize it was you!"
Jack shook his hand a couple of times and flexed it, then looked at her. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. Of course, she had just struck a superior officer. Jack could run with it, make her think that he was going to report her to Hammond. But he would never do that to Samantha.
Besides, General Hammond would more than likely congratulate Samantha on smacking the Colonel, rather than reprimanding her.
"Eh, don't worry about it Major," Jack said, leaning back, but noticeably keeping his hand well out of her reach. "Shouldn't have been poking you in the first place." Opening the door to the truck., he got out and walked over to the passenger side. He opened the door for Sam and held a hand out to her in case she needed it. The truck was a little high off the ground. Either Sam didn't see the hand or she ignored it completely. She jumped out of the truck and smiled at Jack.
"I guess I'll see you at the base tomorrow morning."
"Oh yea..." he looked up to the sky for a moment. "What is it that we're being briefed on again?"
"P4X-864, sir," Sam answered readily. "We think it might be a good source for Naquida. SG-10 did some scouting there a couple of days ago. They came back and think they might have found some kind of an abandoned mine."
"So...we're going to dig for rocks?" Jack asked.
"Something like that, Sir."
"Any idea on who was using the mine before hand?"
Sam shook her head. "No idea, Sir, but I'm willing to bet that it was occupied by a Goa'uld God or Goddess or slaves there of."
"Meaning that there might be a good reason it was abandoned," Jack said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Goa'uld's wouldn't just up and leave something that important unless they had a good reason."
"Well, whatever it is, I'm sure we'll find out when the mission is a-go," Sam stated, rubbing her bare arm a little. Jack raised an eyebrow. "Cold?"
"It has gotten a little chilly out here," Sam agreed aloud. Jack started to take off his jacket, but Sam held out a hand. "You don't have to do that, Colonel. I'm actually going to go inside." Jack looked at her, his face asking if she was positive, and she nodded. "You actually look like you could use a cup of coffee or something before you drive home," she continued, walking up to her door. "I can fix you a cup, if you'd like."
"Uh...," Jack looked around, swinging his arms back and forth, "sure...sure, that'd be great." Nodding, Samantha got the door open and walked inside her comfortable one level home. Jack, having been in her house a couple times previously, knew where to find the light switch and turned it on, closing the door behind him as he did so.
"Just make yourself comfortable," Sam called from the kitchen, "I'll get the coffee going." A moment later, Jack heard the rustle and bustle of a small midnight raid in the pantry and settled himself onto the couch. It was a small, plush piece of furniture, and so, to pass the time, Jack bounced up and down on the cushions, testing the softness of it. "Carter, I'm taking your couch home with me," he called, pressing his hand down on the other cushions.
"You'll have to fight me for it," she called, coming into the living room and looking at him. "That's where I do most of my all night work....right in front of the television and the fire place."
"I'll buy you a new one," Jack offered, "you know that old football injury...I need a nice, soft couch like this to support my knee." Sam only grinned at him. "You're not getting my couch, Colonel."
"Fine," Jack pouted, "but when my knee gives out, you'll remember this night and think 'If I'd only given Jack that couch...'". "Why don't you go buy one?" she asked, slipping down into the recliner that rested off to the side of the couch at an angle. "Because I am a Colonel in the United States Air Force...I don't make enough to be going out and buying couches..." he answered, now lying fully on the cushions.
"Well, I'm not much better off than you are, Sir," Sam said, "and I'm only a major. We don't get paid as much as you Colonels do."
"I'll take out a loan from the General then."
Sam laughed aloud at that. "You can try it, but I don't think it's going to happen Colonel."
A long pause filled the room, then Jack raised up his head to look at her thoughtfully with his soft brown eyes. "Do you think that there will ever be a time that you can call me by my name, Sam?"
Samantha raised her eyes to him, slightly startled that he'd asked such a question. "Uh...more than likely not." She swallowed. "At least, not while you out rank me, Sir."
"I'm not talking about ranks here," Jack said, sitting up to face her, placing both of his arms on his knees to lean comfortably on them. "I'm talking about when we and the rest of the team go out for a night of fun NOT as Colonel or Major or Doctor. NOT as Air Force personnel...but just as us." He watched as the answers to his questions crawled all over her face. He knew what she was feeling. It was the exact same way that he was feeling. They just had different way's of dealing with those feelings.
"You know why I don't do that, Sir," Sam finally answered. Jack nodded. "Yea, I know. I know why you don't call me 'Jack'. Probably for the same reason that I call you 'Carter' instead of 'Sam'. I know it makes things a little more personal, and you and I both know that the one thing the Military isn't to keen on is personal-"
"Sir-"
Jack held up a hand, silently asking to be allowed to finish. "I know why you don't do that," he repeated, "but what I want to know is will there ever be a time that we can do that..." he splayed his hands open and leaned back, not breaking his eye contact with her. When Sam still didn't say anything, Jack shook his head and sighed. "Sorry," he murmured, "shouldn't have said anything." He sniffed and brushed his nose with a finger, looking away.
Then, he sniffed again.
"Is something burning?"
Sam took a sniff of her own and when she did, her blue eyes became those of a deer caught in headlights. "The coffee!" She jumped of the chair and ran into the kitchen, leaving Jack to chuckle on the couch, rubbing his eyes. A flurry of clattering reached his ears moments later. "For crying' out loud, Carter, what are you doing in there?"
"Some of the coffee dripped onto the heating plate, Sir," she called. Jack got up and made his way to the kitchen. Sam was standing over coffee maker, the coffee pitcher in one hand and the plug to the machine in the other. "I'll take that," Jack offered. Sam nodded, wiping some of the coffee that had spat off the plate off of her shirt. "Janet's gonna kill me," she murmured.
"Why's that?"
"She and I went shopping today," Sam explained, "she liked the shirt. I didn't want to buy it, so she bought it for me."
"Why not?" Jack asked, looking around in the cupboards for two mugs. Sam shrugged. "I didn't think it was me. I haven't worn that kind of style in ages. Seemed silly to start now." She accepted the coffee and moved to sit down at the kitchen table. Jack followed.
"Maybe you should start again?"
Sam raised her eyebrows. "Why? I'm in the Air Force. Fashion is a little low on the list of priorities, Colonel."
"Because you looked nice, Carter," Jack said matter-of-factly. He took a sip of his coffee. "Daniel just about fell on the ground when he saw you. And I'm pretty sure Teal'C's eyebrow has never been higher." He grinned and waggled his eyebrows at her.
Sam smiled shyly, looking down at her coffee cup. "Was anyone else there impressed?" she asked, looking back up at him, a slightly mischievous glint in her blue eyes. Jack sobered up a bit and took a sip from his mug, nodding as he did so. "Sure, other people were impressed."
Sam nodded. "Good." The two were silent for a few minutes, simply enjoying the quiet, the company, and the coffee.
"It's 3 in the morning." Sam noted some time later. "Mmm-hmm," Jack groaned, circling a finger in his now cold coffee. "We should probably get some sleep, sir," she suggested, getting up and taking his coffee cup from him.
"Probably." Jack got up and stretched his arms.
"Are you going to head home then?"
"Probably not," he answered, putting his hands in his pockets. "I'll just go up to the base, take a cot there. No point in going home." He smiled tightly. "Wanna come with?"
"Where, to the base?" Sam asked, frowning.
"Sure. It's three in the morning, we'd have to get up at 6:30 anyways to make the briefing time at 7:30." Jack shrugged. "The way I see it, we get to the base, we get more sleeping time...and hey, I'll be there on time for once. Hammond'l be proud."
Sam grinned. "Thanks for the offer sir, but my bed is calling my name. I think I should listen."
"Suit yourself. You're missing out on the all the comforts that the SGC bedding staff can offer," Jack said, "low cots, hard mattress, flat pillow..." Sam laughed, shaking her head. "The SGC does have a five star rating when it comes to over nighters, doesn't it?"
"Sure does," Jack nodded.
"Be sure to leave them a review when you stay the night." Sam walked past him, still smiling as she led him to the door. "They stopped those a long time ago," he said, following her.
"Oh, why is that?"
"I kept giving them bad ones."
"Gee, wonder why?" Sam opened the door and stepped out onto her small patio, Jack following behind her. "Geez, it got colder out here," Sam noted, crossing her arms again. "Yea...Daniel said something about as the night wears on in the later fall days it gets colder..." Jack shook his head. "The man is an archeologist and a meteorologist all in one."
"Well, he's right. According to meteorological theory-"
"AHH!" Jack held up his hands, silencing her in his famous two year old way. "Do you HAVE to do that right now?"
"Sorry, sir...I forgot you don't like learning," Sam quipped.
"I like learning just fine...just not at 3 in the morning," he let out a breath, then raised his eyebrows. "Breath..." he said. Then he blew again. And again. And again. Samantha just looked at him. "What?" he said. "It's fun." He blew again, and Sam shook her head, this time voluntarily, rather than the cold shaking it for her.
"You're freezing, you'd better get inside," Jack finally said, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets now. She nodded, rocking back and fourth on her heels. "Yea, I think I'd better," she sighed, inadvertently letting out a foggy mist of her own breath.
"Ah, see there?" Jack said. "Fun." Sam only shook her head again. "I'll see you at the briefing tomorrow, Colonel."
"Today, Carter."
"Oh right. Sorry, Sir."
"Well," Jack said, stepping off the stoop, "I'm going to head to base now." Sam nodded. "Alrighty, then. I'll see you in a couple of hours." Jack nodded, but lingered a few moments. "Was there something else, Colonel?" Sam asked. Jack took a deep breath before answering, mulling in his head if he should really say what he wanted to say.
"Yea," he answered, stepping back up on the same level as she was standing. "You looked....uh..." he tried to find the right word, and his eyes seemed to think that the answer was on the concrete below him. "Yes?" she prodded lightly.
"You looked really great, tonight," Jack finally answered. This time, it was Samantha's turn to look down at her porch and smile. "Thank you," she said softly.
"No problem." With that, Jack stepped off the porch and walked to his truck, taking out his keys as he went. Sam watched him, her arms still crossed.
The only thing was, she wasn't cold anymore.