If he'd thought about it, he'd have realized there was really no rational reason for his standing outside the infirmary door. Daniel had headed to the lockers as soon as he'd checked out okay, wanting to get home as soon as possible and claiming only slight worry over what the contents of his refrigerator might look like after so long a time spent on base. Teal'c, whose personal life had been disrupted far less than theirs, was busy kel'noreeming. Apparently, Urgo's constant interruptions during his meditation periods had left the big guy needing some serious alone time.
Neither of which explained why Jack was standing outside this door, waiting for Major Carter to get done with her exam. Only… unlike his teammates, he didn't feel the need to rush off alone. Urgo might have been a major pain in their backsides, but still….
Having the team around 24/7 hadn't been all bad. He'd learned Daniel had morning bed-head even when he'd slept in a proper bed and had access to a mirror and also about Teal'c's secret passion for 1950's movie musicals. Well, not so secret anymore, though they'd all promised never to bring that up again. As for Carter… After the fourth straight night spent losing at poker, she'd firmly resolved to never play the game again and had insisted they find something else to do with their evenings. Which was fine by him, because he could sometimes win at Monopoly, and as they'd soon discovered -- for Daniel generally preferred reading to games and Teal'c spent hours each night in the gym -- he and Sam were pretty evenly matched at chess.
Yeah, he was gonna miss those chess games. And the Monopoly. And having others to complain to about the crap that was on TV. And never having to eat alone….
He wasn't ready - really - to go back home to his empty house. At least, not yet.
The door opened and Doctor Fraiser stepped out into the hall. "Colonel? Everything alright?" she asked.
He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. "Yeah. No problem. Just waiting to make sure Carter's okay…?"
She smiled, a slightly knowing smile Jack refused to consider too closely, and answered, "Sure is. You can go in now if you'd like."
"Thanks, Doc," he replied and stepped through the now opened door into the infirmary room behind her.
Major Carter was standing next to the bed pulling on her uniform overshirt. She looked up at his approach. "Hi, Sir."
"Hey, Carter. Doc tells me you're ready to check outta here?"
"Yeah. About time too. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of this place."
He tried to smile. "Oh… yeah. Still…." She was looking at him expectantly, and he took the plunge. "I was just wondering… I'm sure I've got nothing left in the fridge that's fit to eat, and I figure you don't either after all this time, and rather than dealing with all that tonight…" Jack took a deep breath. "Wanna grab something to eat? You know, on the way home?"
She looked a bit surprised. "Together?"
"Yeah. I mean - it's no big deal. I just figured we'd both probably end up ordering take-out anyway, and rather than sitting alone at home… If you don't want to, that's--"
Carter interrupted him with a smile. "No, Sir. That's a great idea. In fact," she admitted, "I wasn't really looking forward to spending the evening at home alone, either."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Tendrils of cigar smoke curled towards the ceiling, mixing with the stale odor of a thousand rounds of beer and the sour sweat of the bar's patrons, many of whom remained at least partly bundled against the chill air outside. Jack barely registered any of it as Sam leaned still lower over the pool table in front of him, siting down the length of her cue, positioning her next shot. The movement stretched her jeans across the tight curve of her ass… Jack leaned back against the bar enjoying the view, opportunities to actually watch Carter's six being few and far between.
She made her shot, though he hadn't been paying enough attention to know how many balls she'd managed to sink, and moved around to the other side of the table. She set-up for her next, gliding the cue smoothly across her hand as she tested the angle. He could see her face now, her blue eyes as focused and intense in the game as they ever were in combat or in her lab. She captured her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyes narrowed, and she slid the stick forward.
Straightening up, her face broke into a radiant smile as she moved to join him at the bar and Jack realized she'd cleared the table. Again. Sam cocked an eyebrow at him, "Well…?"
He couldn't help smiling in return. "So, maybe you were right. Physicists can play pool."
"Yup," she agreed, wrinkling her nose slightly as she grinned at him. "Now, pay up. Sir."
"Yes, Ma'am," he replied and, swiveling in his seat, signaled the bar tender to pass him another beer. It was the second time Carter had won, but Jack didn't mind. Sam was actually having fun; beer seemed a small price to pay.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Sam stumbled slightly as they stepped out of O'Malley's. "Ooops…" she giggled. Jack offered her his arm and she accepted, slipping hers though his and leaning on him for support. "Probably shouldn't have had that last beer."
"Last two, probably," Jack corrected.
"Getting smashed in front of your CO… good job, Sam," she mumbled under her breath.
He laughed, "It's okay, Carter. I was buying, remember?"
"Oh… Yeah. Told ya I could play…"
"Yes, you did." Jack didn't even try to hide his delight at this entirely new view of his second-in-command.
She tilted her face to beam up at him. "Never. Doubt me. Again," she ordered.
"Never," he promised.
"Good." He'd been leading her across the parking lot, and it was only now as they were nearing his truck that she seemed to realize they weren't heading towards her car. Sam stopped walking, a confused look crossing her features as she pointed at it. "That's your truck…," she observed.
"Yup," he agreed. "I'll drive you home.
"Good idea," she agreed. "Too drink to drive. I mean…"
Jack laughed again and stepped forward to open the door for her. "Get in the truck, Carter. You can come back to pick up your car tomorrow."
"Yes…Sir," she said, and giggled. Jack was suddenly terribly glad she never - or almost never - giggled in uniform. He was finding it incredibly… distracting.
Sam held out her hand to him, and he took it to help her climb up into the truck. Going around to the other side, he got in next to her.
He started the engine and maneuvered out of the parking lot. As they neared the turn-off to the freeway, Jack asked, "Is it faster to take the interstate or stay on 23?"
When Sam didn't answer, he spared a glance at her. She was leaning against the passenger side window, her usually animated features grown soft in sleep. The moonlight streaming through the window cast her face in an almost ethereal glow. Smiling, Jack stayed on 23. He suspected it was the longer route, and he suddenly found himself in no great hurry to reach their journey's end.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Jack pulled his truck to the curb in front of Sam's house and reached over to gently shake her shoulder. "Hey, Carter. We're here."
Her eyes opened and she looked around, taking in her surroundings. "Already?"
"It's been twenty minutes," he observed.
"Really? I must have fallen asleep."
"Ya think?"
She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Sir."
He smiled back. "No problem." Then, gesturing towards her house, he added, "Think you can make it in okay?"
"I'm not that drunk," she protested.
Probably not. "Well… then. See you on Monday?"
"Yeah. Have a good weekend, Sir."
"You too, Carter."
She opened the passenger-side door and slipped out of the truck. Before closing the door, she turned back up to look at him. "And, Sir?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks. I had a good time."
"Me too, Carter.
She stood there for another long moment, looking up at him without speaking. Then, with a "Night, Sir," she quickly stepped back and slammed the truck door. He waved, and she started up the path to her house.
He watched as she reached her door, fumbled briefly with her purse and her keys, and slipped inside. If it had been any other woman on the planet, he would have walked her to her door. Only, of course, this wasn't just any woman, it was Carter …
And Air Force Majors were more than capable of walking themselves to their doors.
He pulled out from the curb and started for home. It was going to be a very long three days until Monday.
