Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings are property of their lawful owners. This story is written for entertainment purposes only and no profit is made. No copyright infringement intended.
A/N: Thank you for the reviews! You guys are amazing. Apparently I should write fluff more often. :D We'll see.
This is my favorite chapter of the story so I got a little impatient and decided to share it with you earlier than I originally planned.
However, that means you might have to wait a couple of days for chapter 3. Just a warning. I kinda want to rewrite it because it's not as awesome as it could be. Oooops.
I hope you enjoy!
CHAPTER 2
"This better be very important," Jack mumbles into his cell phone. He doesn't even know what time it is, just that it's too early to be answering phone calls but he forgot to turn off the sounds when he went to bed and the damn thing woke him up.
"Good morning, Jack."
"Good morning, sir," he grunts but still refuses to open his eyes and face the day.
"You know who you're speaking with, right?"
"Yes, I'm aware of the fact that you are the president of United States, sir. But I worked long and hard to achieve this level of hangover and I don't react well when someone tries to interrupt me from enjoying the fruits of my hard work, sir."
"This is important."
"Well it'd better be if you're calling me at... seven on a Saturday morning, on my first weekend off in three months. Sir."
"I'm sorry but I need to come to a party at the White house tonight."
"Nope. Sorry, no, sir."
The mattress seems to shift underneath him and Jack frowns, wondering if he's still so drunk that the world is spinning or if it's something else. When he turns to look at the other half of his bed that's too big for one person, he sees a top of a blond-haired head peeking from under the edge of the comforter.
"Jack," the president pleads. It probably tells something about how far he's made it in life that the president doesn't order him, he pleads. Well, of course he'll switch it to order if the pleading doesn't work but anyway. "The Chinese ambassador invited himself at the last minute and if you're not there, he will be insulted and it might endanger all the projects we have with the Chinese."
"Am I allowed to bring a plus one?" he asks and lifts the comforter a little to make sure he's not hallucinating. Sure enough, there's Samantha Carter, curled up in his bed. She's wearing sweat pants and a T-shirt so he's pretty sure it's real. Usually she's wearing a lot less clothes in his dreams. He's not sure if she's sleeping or only pretending to sleep but her eyes are closed.
"Excuse me?"
"It appears that there's a hot blonde in my bed, sir. If I'm not allowed to bring her with me, I'd much rather just stay right here. With all due respect, sir."
Ouch, Jack winces when a foot makes contact with his shin. Definitely not asleep then. He lifts the comforter again to get a good look on her face but she seems more amused than angry.
"This might be the worst decision of my career but I'm going to say yes. I trust your judgment, Jack."
"Thank you, sir. And for the record, the worst decision of your career was when you didn't let me shoot those idiots in the last meeting. As a matter of fact, it might cost you my vote in the next election, sir."
"I think I can live with that, Jack."
"That's too bad, sir. I'm still hoping you'll change your mind."
"The driver will pick you up half past seven. Will your plus one be leaving from the same place?"
"Yep. I'll see you tonight, sir."
He puts the phone on the nightstand and turns to look at the woman next to him.
"You did not just call me a hot blonde to the president, did you?"
"It would be rude to lie to the president, Carter. Now, my memories of last night are a bit hazy but I thought you were supposed to sleep on the couch? Not that I'm complaining. I just figured there would be some of that talking thing before, you know, the sleeping thing."
"Talking is overrated."
"Not always," he corrects. He's not a big fan of heart-to-hearts but sometimes they're needed. And if this thing with Carter is really going where he thinks and hopes it's going, they really need to talk or they'll just screw up and that's not really an option.
"You didn't call," she sighs and closes her eyes. He feels like an idiot because he's starting to realize that the lies he told himself these last three months were just that, lies.
"I wanted to give you some space. You know, after... everything."
She opens her eyes to glare at him.
"You're right," he sighs. "That was my reason in the beginning but then I figured you'd be better off without me."
"And you didn't think I should have a say in that?"
"Nope. You see, I have this bad habit of making bad decisions, thinking they're great decisions."
"Like telling the president you're in bed with a hot blonde and then showing up with your former second in command?"
"Hey, I still think it was a great idea!"
When she refuses to reply and only glares at him, he frowns a little and finally sighs.
"Which probably means it was a horrible idea."
She nods and he sighs.
"You don't have to come. But unfortunately I have to be there. When are you leaving?"
"I have to be back at work Monday morning at nine o'clock."
"I could get you a private plane. You could stay until... what? Five in the morning?"
"I already booked a flight. Leaves at midnight on Sunday evening."
"Right, then. That leaves us... about 40 hours before you need to be at the airport."
They spend two hours shopping. Luckily it's Carter, though, because Jack remembers similar shopping trips with Sara and those took most of the day. Carter is efficient, even when buying fancy clothes and shoes.
"So?" Sam asks when she walks out the fitting room in a dark blue dress. His mouth opens and then closes a couple of seconds later when no words come out. She looks gorgeous. He can see a tiny bit of cleavage, just enough to make him wonder but not too much. The color brings out her eyes and contrasts against her pale skin and the material hugs her beautiful body just right... It's perfect.
She raises her eyebrows at him. "I think I'll take this one," she says and retreats back to the fitting room.
"Wow!" he calls after her when he finally finds his voice again and he can hear her laughter through the door.
"Colonel Carter!" the president greets with a wide smile and offers his hand right away, then pulls her into a quick hug. "I have to admit I wasn't expecting this when Jack said he would be bringing a date."
"I came for a surprise visit last night," Sam explains. "All the hotels were full so General O'Neill offered his couch."
"Ah, so Jack was just kidding about the hot blonde in his bed part then, huh? Well that's too bad."
Jack raises his eyebrows. "With all due respect, sir, why do you sound so disappointed about that possibility?"
"Ah..." the president looks around them, then puts a hand on both of their backs and gently guides them to the side where they have a little bit of privacy. "You see, there's this bet."
"A bet?" Carter sounds disapproving but not as shocked as Jack would have expected. They both know the SGC loves weird bets, they just never thought they would pull the president into one of them.
"About when you two will finally see what's right in front of you, so to speak. So I was hoping that you would have eloped by now. You haven't been in the same chain of command for months."
"Sorry to disappoint, sir," Jack says, his voice flat and hiding any real emotions about the subject.
"Oh, well. If you're planning anything of the sort, a friendly hint that I'm gonna win the bet if we get official confirmation before October twelfth. Hammond is next. Doctor Jackson said that, and I quote, you two are stubborn idiots and won't take the step before New Year's."
"We'll keep that in mind, sir," Jack says, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Colonel Carter?" a voice comes from behind her and they turn to look at the newcomer.
"Ambassador," she greets the older Chinese man with a warm smile and a firm handshake.
"I was not informed that you would be joining us."
"I happened to be in town and General O'Neill invited me. That's why I'm not in uniform, I didn't have time to prepare."
"Do you think you would be able to discuss the details of the newest... project... unprepared, Colonel Carter?" the ambassador asks, trying to keep the classified information at bay when they're in public.
"Oh, she knows that stuff by heart," Jack mumbles.
"Sir?" Sam raises her eyebrows in a silent question but Jack isn't sure what she is asking.
"Go play, Carter. I'll take care of the mingling. You know how much I love it." He flashes her a charming smile which makes Sam laugh a little.
"There is a small conference room by the hall," the president explains. "It's a safe place for your conversation."
"Thank you, mister president," the ambassador says.
"Don't drink too much champagne, sir," Sam warns and he downs the rest of his glass in one go, just to because he can, then wiggles his eyebrows a little. Sam shakes her head, links her arm with the Chinese ambassador and walks away.
"You sure you're not married?" the president asks.
"Positive, sir. But for the record, I never lie about sharing a bed with a woman."
"Carter!" Jack greets her with a wide smile when she walks back into the room with the Chinese ambassador and his assistant. "I thought they kidnapped you already."
"No, sir. We got lost in a conversation, lost track of time."
"Oh, well, that happens for the best of us. Here, Carter, I saved you some champagne and a couple of these, whatever these tiny things are." He offers her a glass and a small plate.
"Canapés, sir."
"Yep, those."
The Chinese ambassador leans in to say something to his assistant in his native tongue and Jack raises his eyebrows.
"She's not my wife but you're right about the part that she's a lot nicer to do business with," he says, surprising the men. "She's also a lot smarter and has a lot more self restraint than I have ever acquired. And you should go to the president with that suggestion, I would gladly let Carter have my job and retire myself."
"You speak Mandarin?" Carter asks.
"Apparently well enough, based on the shocked looks on their faces."
"My apologies, General O'Neill. I was simply referring to her superior knowledge in the technological aspects of the program."
"Oh, I'm not offended. It doesn't matter which aspect you were referring to, Carter is superior in each and every one of them. But unfortunately she's still missing a couple of stars on her shoulder so you're stuck with me for now."
"I believe we can work efficiently together in this project, General O'Neill, and make decisions that we're both happy with."
"I truly hope so too, Ambassador," he says, this time with no hint of humor or sarcasm.
"I also want you to know that though we do not always see eye to eye, I appreciate your honesty, General O'Neill."
"Thank you. And I appreciate the fact that you're willing to lie about that to make me feel better. Enjoy your evening, Ambassador. We'll meet on Monday morning again."
After pleasantries and handshakes, the Chinese walk away, to the general direction where Jack last saw the president.
"How are your feet, Carter?" Jack leans in to whisper in her ear.
"My feet?"
"I could use a convenient excuse to leave this party right about now. Those heels don't look too comfortable."
"I have ran miles with gunshot wounds, sir. I'll manage."
"I didn't mean to diminish your abilities as an officer, Carter," he says softly and puts his hand on the small of her back for a brief second in a way of apology. "I was simply trying to be funny."
"I know," she says and lowers her hand on his forearm, giving it a gentle squeeze. This is new, touching each other like this, but it feels natural somehow. "And feel free to use my sore feet as an excuse. I don't mind."
"Nah, doesn't feel like a good idea anymore."
"Mister president," Jack greets when they finally find the man again. "I'm afraid we have to leave."
"Already?"
"My shoes are killing me," he says and moves his weight from one foot to another awkwardly. "And I get very cranky when I'm in pain. You don't want me dealing with ambassadors and other important people when I'm cranky, sir."
"Aren't you always, Jack? Besides, those are the shoes you wear for work every day."
"Yes, sir. And I think it's about time I buy new ones."
Sam hides her chuckle into a cough and then smiles sweetly at the president. "I believe the Chinese ambassador is pleased with this evening, sir. We went through some of the technical details and I explained why it's important to do things the way we originally suggested. And since General O'Neill's attendance was only required because of the Chinese, I can't imagine why we should stay longer."
"Oh, very well. Thank you for coming and helping to avoid an international crises."
"Anytime, sir," Jack says and shakes the offered hand. "That's what you pay me for."
"Actually, I was speaking to Colonel Carter, Jack. You seem to create more crises than you solve them."
"That may be true, sir. But you never really know a person before you've seen them angry. And I prefer to know who I'm working with."
"That's true," the president admits. "Thank you for coming. I hope you enjoyed the evening."
A/N: Thank you for reading!