Disclaimer: Stargate is not owned by me. Sad but simple truth.
Rating: T+ - mention of adult themes.
Spoilers: Solitudes (minor), Point of View, Divide and Conquer, Grace, Threads...Chimera as well I guess because of Pete...err, think that's all.
Song: Love doesn't ask why - Celine Dion (I'm a tragic fan...comes with being a tragic romantic at heart)
Holy heck Batman this ended up being a monster to write. A lot longer than I planned it to be...waaaay longer. But it's done. Hope you all enjoy Chapter 2. Chapter 3 is planned in my head, but I'm not sure when I will have time to write it up. But I will definitely try and get it up as soon as possible.
Also, want to thank everyone who reviewed the previous chapter, I'm glad that so many of you are enjoyed it. And a thank you to those who have added it to their favorite/alert system, you make a writer happy when you do that :)
The morning dawned crisp and clear and a chill hung in the air as Jack stirred softly, soft blonde hair was tickling his noise as a grin spread over his face as he realised that Carter…Sam he reminded himself, was still wrapped in his arms he shifted and tightened his arms, holding her close to his body, wanting to memorise the soft curves of her body as t pressed against his.
"mmm, morning." She mumbled sleepily as she raised her head.
"Did I wake you?" he asked softly as he planted a tender kiss on her forehead.
"Been dozing for awhile…too comfy to move." She admitted shyly as she lifted a hand to ruffle through his short silver hair.
"I must admit, that was the best nights sleep that I've had in years." Jack told her as one of his hands began to gently rub her back, caressing her spine gently.
"Really?"
"How could I not enjoy sleeping with my arms around the woman I love?" Jack only realised what he had said when her eyes widened, "That was so not how I wanted to tell you." He admitted as a slow smile spread across her face.
"I love you too Jack." She told his as her hand moved down to gently cup is stubble covered cheek, stroking the tanned skin softly as he leant into her hand at the same time as he gently raised herself to meet his lips, the kiss started slowly with both giving an receiving pleasure equally, the sparks flowing freely between their joined lips as Sams tongue began to gently trace Jack's mouth, asking permission to enter. Her body was already beginning to hum with joy as his hands slipped beneath her top and began to trace softly over her skin. His mouth opened, granting her access and both groaned with pleasure at the sensation of her tongue thrusting into his mouth in could only be described as intensely erotic and highly suggestive manner. The need for air finally caused Sam to break away, both breathless from what was possibly the most passionate, intense and yet loving kiss that either had been involved in, smiling shyly at Jack before she began to drop feather light kisses along his jaw line.
"Holy…" Jack mumbled suddenly as she sucked his earlobe into her mouth her teeth gently nibbling away as a ragged groan escaped from deep within his throat, "Sam…"
Releasing his lobe she pulled away to look into his chocolate brown eyes, already darkened with desire, "Yes?" she asked innocently, desperately trying to get her breathing under control.
"I don't want to rush into this…" he told her slowly, carefully, as his hands continued to stroke her soft skin, "I don't want this to be just about sex."
"Oh…we can still cuddle though right?" she asked him as he grinned at her.
"Oh yeah, cuddling is still definitely allowed." He answered her cheekily, his eyebrows waggling as she giggled into his chest. Lapsing back into quiet as his fingers continued to dance across her skin.
"Jack?" Sam asked as she nestled against his warm body, a soft sigh of contentment followed her question as his fingers pressed on a particularly sensitive spot.
"Yeah?"
"Did you bring your sidearm to bed?" Jack groaned as he rolled onto his back, a deep flush creeping up his face as Sam giggled.
"I'm never going to live that down am I?" he groaned as Sam snuggled back into his side, chuckling throatily against him.
"Probably not…not that I ever want you to live it 'down'." The innuendo in her comment did not go unnoticed and Jack just about had a heart attack when she turned her face towards his, and smiled a slow, seductive smile, .
"We should get up soon."
"Soon…but not now, it's too cold."
"And I really am enjoying this." Jack said as his fingers began stroking her back again, lightly dancing across the soft creamy skin.
"mm?" she mumbled in response, muffled by his chest.
"I've been dreaming of this for 8 years Sam…waking up, here with you in my arms."
"Me too."
"What?"
"Dreaming of this, of waking up in your arms."
"What about Pete?" Jack mentally kicked himself as Sam tensed in his arms.
"Pete was…a rebound…in a way, I really did like the guy…just not, love," Sam paused, her head tilting to the side thoughtfully, "I never did tell anyone about my hallucinations on the Prometheus did I?"
"Hallucinations?" he echoed worriedly, "You never said anything…" he added softly.
"I know, and I'm sorry. Anyway, I err…hallucinated about Dad, and you, Teal'c and Daniel as well, but they were more about saving myself and getting off the ship. Dad told me that I had to let go of the things that prevented me from finding happiness, I misinterpreted what he meant…I thought he meant to let go of you."
"Oh…" he said quietly.
"Now I know he meant for me to let go of my fear."
"You feared this?"
"That you didn't love me like I loved you."
"I've always loved you…will always love you." He told her quietly, his voice cracking with emotion as she turned her blue eyes to meet his once again, the emotions swimming in them…regret, sadness, despair, love, hope and desire constricted his heart, he felt her pain as if it were his own.
"I know this now, it was just…after the Za'tarc testing…" she trailed off, a single hand waving in the hair slightly, searching for the right words.
"We pulled away from each other." He completed for her.
"Both of us are equally guilty of that."
"It was…"
"My idea to keep it in the room. I know, believe me, I've been kicking myself ever since Jack." She admitted, sighing slightly.
"Me too, should never have agreed to it, should swept you into my arms and kissed you like you were the very thing I needed to live," Jack paused as she teared up slightly, "You are the very thing I need to live Sam." He whispered quietly as she bit her lip, desperately trying to regain her composure.
"We really are idiots," Sam said softly as she smiled sadly at him, "so many wasted years."
"Maybe, blind and very stubborn…yes."
"Too military." Sam stopped, a look of horror crossing her face as she looked at Jack, "The regulations…" she never got to finish her sentence as he placed a hand over her mouth.
"No longer apply." He told her simply removing his hand again.
"What?"
"You are looking at the new civilian commander of the SGC."
"You retired…when…why?" she choked out, well and truly shocked that he done something so drastic.
"A week ago, the documentation only went through 3 days ago though, and as for the why…I guess it was your dad."
Sam was clearly puzzled and her brow was furrowed in confusion as she repeated what he had said, "Dad?"
"Yeah, called me into the iso room, nearly gave me a heart attack when he straight out asked me if I loved you."
Sam chuckled slightly, "That was my Dad for you, always straight to the point."
"Definitely, anyway I stumbled for awhile, stated the regulations, mentioned Pete, umm'd and ahh'd, mentioned the weather…he just gave me this looks that said 'stop stuffing around Jack.' Guess he sorta knocked some sense into me, I finally broke and said I did, he went silent for a bit…was kinda expecting him to hit me to be honest, anyway, he asked me what I intended to do about it." Jack went silent, thinking back to that conversation, a soft smile on his lips.
"And?" Sam pressed, a sad smile on her face as she heard him talk about her father, his fingers idly trailing through her hair.
"I told him nothing…said you were happy with Pete, and that…that I loved you enough to let you go." Sam sniffled at his confession, realizing, and not for the first time, just how deep his feelings for her went, "You okay?" he asked softly as he tilted her face towards his, concern etched across his features.
"I'm fine," she smiled, reassuring him that she was fine…or going to be fine, "Keep going."
Jack exhaled softly, "Anyway, he just stared at me for about 5 minutes, then started talking about your mum, and how that sort of love only comes along once in a lifetime, and that it's something to hold onto, because it's special…sacred and eternal, and something to fight for.
"That's why you retired?"
"Yeah, I went and sat in my office for a bit, then Kerry came in…she gave me the idea actually." He admitted
"Really?"
"Yeah, asked if the regulations were the only things keeping us apart and that the SGC had had a civilian commander before."
"Wow…"
"She saw right through me, knew that I loved you before I had even really admitted it to myself."
"Must thank her." Sam said quietly as she snuggled into his warmth again, breathing in his unique scent.
"Breakfast?" he asked as he titled his head to look at the blonde beauty that lay nestled against his chest.
"In bed?" she asked cheekily, still unwilling to the leave the warmth and security of Jack's bed.
Placing a soft kiss on the tip of her nose he bounded out of bed, the cold morning air greeting him as he swiftly pulled a tick jumper over his head, "What milady wants, milady shall get." He stated as he grinned broadly at her, "Pancakes okay with you?" he added.
"Yeah, pancakes are fine." Sam answered as he bounded out of the room, acting like an 18 year old rather than the 50 year old that he was, chuckling softly to herself as she grinned softly at the door, she may have lost a heck of a lot in the past week, but she had never been this happy in her life.
As Jack prepared the batter, combining the eggs and milk with a flourish that indicated that he had done this often and beating them with all the skill of a chef as he slowly mixed in the flour, creating the smooth consistency that indicated soft fluffy pancakes were to come from it, he hummed softly to himself, his heart lighter than it had been in 8 years.
Piling the last of the golden brown pancakes onto the plate, he carefully arranged both the plate, cutlery and the two glass of orange juice on the breakfast tray that he had found in the depths of a cupboard, cradling the tray carefully in his arms as he padded towards the bedroom, "Breakfast is served milady." He told her as he walked in, smiling broadly at the sight of Sam Carter in his sitting in his bed, like the queen that he was treating her like.
Giggling slightly at his comment, her blue eyes shining as he stepped closer to her, "Hey hey, no giggling Carter!" he admonished as he placed the tray carefully on her lap and brushing a soft kiss over her lips before he settled himself next to her.
"You always this romantic?" she asked as she sliced through the fluffy pancake, doused in a fair amount of maple syrup, holding back a groan of delight when she placed it in her mouth, the spongy texture almost melting in an instant.
"Only with the woman I love." He stated simply as he picked up a plain pancake and chewed thoughtfully, loving the way she blushed at his comment, "It's going to be a beautiful day today…what do you say we take a hike?"
"A hike…I don't do enough walking at the SGC?" she questioned him jovially as he rolled his eyes at her.
"Sa-am…that's more like marching and this is on Earth, so very different…" he stressed his comment to her as she giggled again, ignoring the look he sent her as she hungrily drank down her orange juice.
"A hike would be good…because if you keep feeding me like this I'm going to need some serious psychical activity to wear it off." She said to him, flashing him a cheeky grin as his jaw dropped slightly from the double entendre of her comment, before he quickly composed himself, grinning as he began running a mental check list.
Hand in hand they walked, or, more precisely, ambled through the Minnesotan wilderness, the track they were on was little used and sloped upwards for the entire hike, eventually reaching a steep incline, it lead straight off from Jack's cabin and therefore was primarily on private property, but nevertheless Jack knew where he was taking her. During the entire trek, they talked about everything they had never been allowed to talk about before, delving deep into their respective histories, Jack had Sam in stitches when he began telling her about his wild-child days, from gluing teachers to chairs with his own home-made glue, that more often than not lead to the teachers being cut from their clothes so they could get off the chair, to why he joined the Air Force in the first place.
"I didn't have much choice…I got into some trouble with the police, it was prison or the Air Force…I dread to think what my life would have ended up like if I had of gone to prison." He had told her, leaving her deep in thought.
"Fork in the road." She had replied after a few minutes, explaining when he threw her a puzzled look, "for every choice we make there are an infinite number of realities branching from that moment…somewhere out there, you would have gone to prison." Sam told him sadly, "Just like in some realities I didn't join the Air Force, you wouldn't have either…but…if you weren't there I doubt whether those realities would exist anymore…or be anything like what exists here."
"What?"
"Jack…you were…are, the key to Earth surviving all this time. Every time it needed to be saved, you were there. And it was because of you that we befriended the Asgard and they saved our butts numerous times, they barely get along with most other humans…"
"I…well…maybe…" he had argued, coughing to hide his embarrassment as he tugged on her hand slightly, "we turn left up there…then you'll know I wanted to bring you here."
And, as they turned left Sam gasped in wonderment, for before her stretched a thousand miles of pine trees disappearing into the horizon as she stepped closer to the edge of the ridge, "I feel like I'm standing on the end of the world." She whispered as Jack stepped up behind her, encircling his arms around her waist and his head dropping to rest on her shoulder, "it's magical…" she added as Jack whispered his agreement in her ear.
"Every time I forgot why we were fighting I would come here…this is what I was trying to save, and…for this moment." He added quietly.
"Huh?"
"You…me…here…alone, the beauty of nature surrounding us, all that other clichéd stuff."
"It was worth it."
"Really?" he asked softly as he gently kissed her behind her ear.
"Oh definitely worth it." She managed to grind out as she felt his lips playing over her skin, "How's the 'not rushing' going?" clearly amused as he let go of her neck with a slight groan.
"Okay…granted, a few of my fantasies may have involved, you, me, here, alone…naked." He admitted as she laughed, that beautiful soft laugh that sent shivers down his spine.
"You got any food in that pack?" she asked him as they continued to hold each other.
"Yeah, a full picnic lunch." He told her, "I'm military…we plan for these things!" he added when she raised an eyebrow, "Okay…may have planned for a romantic picnic lunch…yet another fantasy of mine." He admitted shyly.
"One which I will happily indulge." She told him gently as he indicated that they should move.
Spreading a blanket out beneath the branches of a towering pine, Jack leant back against the thick trunk and when Sam settled in next to him he casually looped an arm around her waist and tugged her closer.
"Wine Jack?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow as he pulled the bottle out of the pack, along with some carefully wrapped sandwiches and some fruit.
"Humour an old romantic Sam." He replied as he pulled the cork and tipped some of the dry white into a glass for her.
"I'm not complaining…just a little shocked, this is a side of you I've never seen…I like it." She admitted at last as she rested her head lightly against his shoulder, sipping at the wine and wasn't at all surprised when she realised it was her favorite.
As the sun began to dip in the sky, the clock edging towards mid-afternoon Sam had shifted and was now laying on her back with her head in Jack's lap, one of his hands tenderly stroking her hair the other clasping her hand gently as she stared out over the ridge. Jack, however, was paying no attention to the scenery, his eyes were firmly fixed on Sam, memorizing the delicate features of her face, down the line of her elegant neck and continuing down the rest of her body, hungrily drinking in her appearance.
"Enjoying the view?" she asked softly, scaring him as he blushed furiously when he realised that she had turned her head and was now staring at him with a bemused expression on her face.
"As a matter of fact…yes." He answered as she giggled, "Sa-am!" he whined at her, both lapsing back into a comfortable silence, his hand still running through her hair as she smiled up at him.
They didn't spend too much longer up on the ridge, both deciding it was time to head back when the last of the fruit was finished, they walked back the same way they had come, hand in hand towards Jack's cabin.
Switching the cd player on, Jack quickly flicked through his extensive collection before selecting the one he wanted.
"Dance with me?" he asked shyly as he held out a hand, smiling as she grasped it gently and got to her feet as the first few bars began to play.
"Celine Dion?" she asked incredulously as she stepped into his arms.
"Cassie." Was his response as she smiled up at him, shaking her head in bemusement.
Love doesn't ask why
It speaks from the heart
And never explains
Don't you know that
Love doesn't think twice
It can come all at once
Or whisper from a distance
Lowering his hands to rest on her hips, as their gazes met and held in the flickering light that was being cast from the fire that burnt brightly in the hearth. No words were needed…no words had ever been needed, and the emotions that flowed between them was palpable as they began to sway gently in time with the music.
Don't ask me if this feeling's right or wrong Love doesn't ask why Now I can feel what you're afraid to say So let's take what we found Love doesn't ask why Love doesn't ask why
It doesn't have to make much sense
It just has to be this strong
'Cause when you're in my arms I understand
We don't try to have a voice
When our hearts make the choices
There's no plan
It's in our hands
It speaks from the heart
And never explains
Don't you know that
Love doesn't think twice
It can come all at once
Or whisper from a distance
If you give your soul to me
Will you give too much away
We can't let this moment pass us by
Can't question this chance
Or expect any answers
We can try
But love doesn't ask you why
And wrap it around us
It speaks from the heart
And never explains
Don't you know that
Love doesn't think twice
It can come all at once
Or whisper from a distance
As the final bars softly echoed out of the cd player, Jack bent his head to capture her lips with his own, softly at first, a gentle loving caress before they mutually agreed to deepen the kiss, his tongue gently tracing her lips before pushing inside and tangling with her own causing a soft moan to escape from Sam as his fingers slowly inched under her jumper and began to tickle across her skin.
Breaking away, her breath coming in pants and her blue eyes dark with desire, "I take it the slow down plan is being shelved?" she asked quietly as Jack gently nuzzled her shoulder.
"I figure after 8 years…we have waited long enough…" he said softly, his words quickly followed by a ragged moan as her hands dove under his own shirt and raked her nails down his abdomen, "floor?" he mumbled as he began to suck and nibble at her neck.
"O…kay…" he smiled at her response, he'd gotten Sam to squeak…obviously he had hit a particularly sensitive spot, committing it to memory as he gently lowered them both to the rug that covered the floor in front of the fire, and there, in front of a roaring fire in a secluded cabin in the Minnesotan wilderness, clothing was slowly removed, kisses were exchanged, hands roamed softly over skin and a melding of the souls occurred and a relationship was consummated…a love that had simmered for 8 long years had finally reached boiling point.
As the waves of passion ebbed away Jack brushed the sweat dampened hair out of Sam's eyes, not wanting them to be obscured as he softly kissed her, a kiss unlike any other that they had previously shared, it was tender and soft, loving…he was expressing in actions what he could never express in words. Breaking away, he indicated for her to stay where she was as he stood up, seemingly unashamed of his nakedness as he disappeared into their room, and Sam wasn't one to complain as she got an incredible view of his receding back (and butt), obviously a year behind a desk had not diminished his physique at all. Sighing wistfully as she stretched languidly on the rug, only now beginning to notice the chill in the room.
"Cold?" he asked quietly as he stepped back into the room, loaded down with pillows and a thick blanket.
"A little…" she replied as he dropped the linen on the floor, and she quickly set about making up a makeshift bed as he added a few more logs to the fire and securing the grate over the hearth, ensuring the warmth could escape but no coals.
Snuggling under the blanket with a naked Sam in his arms, and with sleep closing in rapidly he gently nuzzled her neck affectionately, "Love you so much." He whispered as she sighed against him.
"Love you too." She answered him, her heart skipping with joy at the spoken words…sure she had said them already that day, but with every time she said them, her mind accepted what her heart had known for years, that she truly loved Jack O'Neill…with everything she was…could be, "Always." She added quietly as she closed her eyes, allowing sleep to overcome her as his arms tightened around her slightly, a contented sigh brushing across her shoulder as he echoed her words before he too allowed sleep to capture him.
Thinking ahead, I'm not sure I've got 7 chapters in me...I'm seriously considering writing the next one and then...I dunno, either skipping to the fishing scene or have Daniel and Teal'c show up early. -coughs- Either way, Daniel and Teal'c will find out :)
Do I need to repeat the subliminal message of the previous chapter? Ah well...just in case
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Go on...you know you want to.
