See disclaimer in part one

Part 4

Jack loved to watch Sam Carter sleep. Over the last seven years, he had become an expert in the sleeping facial features of Samantha Carter. He couldn't decide if he liked watching her for the sake of watching her or if it was because she reminded him of an angel. He was sure, especially after the last two days, that it was the latter. They hadn't left the house, much less his bed. They talked about everything, from Charlie to Pete, to when their feelings had first started to grow beyond simple friendship. Jack couldn't help the smile that crept across his face when she snuggled deeper into the warmth their bodies created under the covers. Unable to watch any longer without touching, he slowly began moving his hand along her inner thigh. Hearing the hitch in her breath, Jack turned his ministrations up a notch. Leaning forward, he began placing kisses along her long slender neckline.

"Good morning," she purred.

"Good morning to you, too," he replied, rolling so he was fully on top of her. "Sleep well?"

"The best," she replied before reaching up and pulling his lips down to meet hers.

Their kisses became heated and hands began to roam, but just as things began to unfold, Jack's phone rang, "Ignore it," he breathlessly replied.

"It might be important."

"Oh for cryin out loud," he moaned as he rolled off her to pick up the phone. "Hello?"

"Jack"

"What is it, Daniel?" He tried not to sound terse, but he did have a very naked Sam Carter lying next to him.

"Bra'tac just arrived. You better get over here."

"Bad?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, I'll be there in an hour."

"Ok."

"Bye." He replied before hanging up the phone and rolling back over to face Sam.

"What is it?" She could see the trepidation all over his face. He was about to answer her when the faint chime of her cell phone echoed from his living room. Realizing it was probably Daniel calling to tell her the same thing he just told Jack, Sam wrapped the sheet around herself and padded down the hall to her phone. "Hello? Hi Daniel…uh huh…ok, I'm on my way" Hanging up the phone, Sam began to feel reality seeping through the walls of Jack's house. She wasn't having regrets, she merely began to realize that whatever was happening, or going to happen, to her was bigger than them.

"He has the worst timing," Jack muttered as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

"Ya think?" she replied, turning in his arms to face him.

"So, you want to shower here?" He was hoping she would take him up on his offer. He wasn't ready to go back to the real world just yet.

"I don't think we will ever get out of here if I do," she quipped giving him a quick kiss on the lips before moving through the house, collecting her strewn clothes as she went.

Two hours later found them all sitting around the briefing room table, minus General Hammond, listening to the intel Bra'tac had obtained.

"Anubis' fleet will arrive in three days," stated Bra'tac.

"Three days from now is Thursday. Thursday's not good for us." Jack was attempting to lighten the mood but it didn't have the desired effect. Tough room

Sam decided to ignore his comment and tried not to think about the hand that had moved from his lap to the top of her knee. "Why now?"

"Anubis believes that we know the location of the Lost City," replied Teal'c.

"But we don't." Sam couldn't hide the frustration that crept into her voice.

"Not yet," Jack replied, being sure to give her knee a squeeze, in order to convey his assurance that things were going to work out. This was funny because he wasn't even sure if things were going to work out in the end. Don't think like that, Jack she is going to get through this.

"Yes, but he doesn't know that we know…Oh boy," Daniel said motioning towards the doorway, behind Jack.

"What?" Jack asked as he turned to see what the archaeologist was looking at. "Oh crap," he spat under his breathe, as he watched Hammond escort none other than the self serving, now Vice President, Kinsey into the briefing room.

After exchanging the usual pleasantries that Jack reserved for Kinsey, the pompous ass had the audacity to accuse them of conjuring up the entire scenario in order to keep the gate open. Finally, Daniel tried, in his usual diplomatic fashion, to explain exactly what they were up against.

"Do you even know what the threat is?" Daniel was trying to remain calm and understand how one person could be so stupid as to overlook the value of what they were trying to do for the planet. "Anubis is a half Goa'uld, half ascended Ancient with the knowledge and technology at his disposal to wipe us all from the face of the Earth."

"What about negotiating?" asked Kinsey.

"Now, that would be derantis." There it was, the beginning of her transformation and she hadn't even noticed it. What she did notice, was the sets of eyes all staring at her in wonderment. "What?"

"You just said derantis," answered Daniel.

"I did?"

"Yeah"

Quickly making eye contact with her, Jack could tell she was nervous and scared because she had apparently spoken another language and hadn't even realized it. He, above all people, knew what that felt like. "Derantis, what is that?"

"I think what Sam is trying to say is that trying to negotiate based on our past experiences would be insane…crazy," added Daniel.

However, Kinsey wasn't swayed and proceeded to make a mockery of what Sam was going through. He even went so far as to accuse Sam of incurring the wrath of humanity's worst enemy, as if the entire war with the Goa'uld was her fault.

"Wait a minute. I thought you didn't buy into the whole invasion thing?" Kinsey merely rolled his eyes at Jack's comment, but he didn't let that stop him. "Look, the answer is in here somewhere," he said pointing to Sam's head. "Let me make this simple. If Carter can come up with the Lost City, we go find it, yes or no? Sir?"

"No!" yelled Kinsey.

"Who are you really? And why are you here?" asked Jack sarcastically.

Hammond wanted to know that himself, but he decided that would be best discussed with the President. "I'll talk to the President, Colonel."

"Thank you, sir," replied Jack respectfully.

After Hammond dismissed them, Jack and Sam went back to her lab, to discuss the latest turn of events before joining the others in the 'Gate room to bid Teal'c farewell.

"Hey, you okay?" Jack asked once they were safely inside the confines of her lab.

"Define okay, I just spoke an alien language and didn't even realize it."

"There's that. What I was talking about was what Kinsey said."

"Well, he's right isn't he? I mean what is it up to now? Three times that I my mind has been taken over by an outside force?"

"Doesn't make what he said right, Carter."

"I know. I'm just frustrated."

"Would've thought after this past weekend, frustration would be the last thing you were feeling," he replied, being sure to waggle his eyebrows.

Seeing where he was going and the fact that the door to her lab was securely closed, she decided to play along. "Well, we were interrupted this morning."

Jack let out a low growl when he thought about what the phone call had interrupted that morning. "Yeah, well, we better get to the 'Gate room to, uh…"

"Say goodbye to Teal'c?"

"Yeah, that."

"Well, let's go then."

Oh yeah, that woman is definitely a tease Jack snickered to himself as he followed her out of her lab.

TBC