Here is chapter 7, and things are getting even more complicated for Jack. And the introduction of another SGC character. Enjoy one and all!

Chapter 7

Jack, the new owner of Daniel's $20, now had his sights firmly set on the next $50, which would be achieved after three more dates with Sam. As bets went, it would appear he had a very good one going. There was no downside to this one at all; he got to date a beautiful woman, who was also smart and funny, and he was going to be paid to do it. And to top it all, yesterday Charlie'd had to admit that Sara, via Janet, had been asking questions about the new cadet in Jack's life. It was all going very well.

Perhaps a little too well!

Date 3 was to take place tonight, Wednesday, over a week since Date 2, and Jack had decided that it was time to increase the charm. He was never going to take Charlie's money if Sara wasn't really jealous of his relationship with Sam. He felt a small twinge of guilt about his motives for spending time with Sam but quickly dismissed it. He had a bet to win.

For tonight's date he was taking Sam and her telescope up Cheyenne Mountain to check out the supernova that had been advertised on the news. The weather was set to play into his hands with a quarter moon and clear skies, just what people who stargazed wanted. He was actually looking forward to it, and not just the part where he was on a date; he loved looking at the stars and enjoyed it even more when he was in the company of someone else who knew what they were looking at.

Jack had decided that they would travel up the mountain in his truck. He knew the whole area was part of a military base and, in fact, he also knew that they were not allowed to go there. However, he'd found a secret track, one unused by anyone for a long time. He'd secured them both passes until 2300 and was picking Sam up at 2000, which gave them plenty of time to enjoy a good date.

Bundling up some jackets and a rug, Jack threw them into the back of his truck with a bag full of snacks and got ready to leave. He'd timed it well; Sara was just returning to her apartment building across from his as he was leaving. He gave her a casual wave and made a show of laying out the rug in the back so she'd be in no doubt what could be happening in the back of his truck later that evening.

Jack cleared his mind of those thoughts quickly. He shouldn't get ahead of himself. Sam was a General's daughter and he needed to treat her with respect or he could end up being kicked out of the force. Taking one last quick glance at Sara, he jumped in the truck and drove as fast as he could in a restricted area and arrived outside Sam's building.

Sam was sitting on the steps waiting for him. She'd taken his advice and wrapped up warm. Jack thought she looked ridiculously cute sitting there in her red polo neck and jeans. Actually, he decided that she looked very young and for a split second Jack had another twinge of guilt; he was using this girl to get back at another one. He really was a cad. But then Sam smiled at him, a smile that lit up her entire face, and Jack revised his opinion. She was drop-dead gorgeous! And with that thought he jumped out of the truck, grabbed her small rucksack and telescope bag, and guided her to the front seat.

"You look gorgeous." Jack could no longer hold the words in; they simply had to come out.

"Thanks." Sam blushed. She really wasn't used to compliments. "You're not so bad yourself," she responded quietly. Jack could feel the sparks beginning to fly and realised he'd better start the truck and get on their way or they wouldn't be going anywhere.

Just as Jack was about to move off another cadet walked in front of the truck. He looked very out of place. His uniform was too big, he was carrying more books than Jack had read in his whole time at the academy, and he was wearing glasses that had clearly seen better days. "Hey, watch it!" he shouted as Jack's truck inched forward.

"Well, move out of the way!" Jack shouted back.

"Hey, buddy, I have as much right to be here as you and your girlfriend!" The cadet looked over at Sam and straightened, almost dropping his books in the process. "Why, Samantha, it is lovely to see you again. Why, pray tell, are you with this… oaf?"

"Hi, McKay. Nice to see you, too. This is Jack. He's my date and he's not an oaf!" Sam responded, moving closer to Jack to show she was with him.

"Oh… well, you won't have as good a time with him as you would've had with me before the summer."

"Look, if you're finished interrogating my date, get off the road so we can go."

McKay stepped back onto the sidewalk. "As you wish, Samantha. But when you decide to date someone with the same intelligence level as you, you know where I am."

Jack drove off as soon as the road was clear. "So, who's the arrogant ass?" he asked as they left the main gate, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Rodney McKay. He's a brilliant guy but, as you see, full of himself!" Sam smiled, remembering some of her early run ins with Rodney where, as first-year students in the Science Department, they'd been the brightest cadets the Air Force had ever seen. McKay, for his part, was not impressed that he was competing at every turn with a girl.

"He wants to date you," Jack stated without emotion.

"Yes, ever since he found out that my dad was a General and it'd advance his career if he had me beside him."

"Did you ever go out with him?" Jack surprised himself with the jealous tone he was using but Sam didn't seem to notice.

"No. I thought he was a little slimy." Sam's whole body shivered at the thought of dating Rodney. "Anyway… by that time I had Jonas…"

Jack glanced at her in the dimming light and decided it was time to change the subject from other guys and back to their date; he didn't want her looking as sad as she did in that moment. "Well, enough of them. You guessed where we're going yet?"

Sam looked around to see exactly in which direction they were headed and realised they were almost at the edge of the city and heading up the road towards the Cheyenne complex. "Jack, you know we're not allowed on the military base." She crossed her arms in front of her, not happy that he could be getting her into serious trouble with the Air Force and her father.

"Relax, would ya? We're not going to get in trouble. I know a track that skirts the base. You did say that you wanted to see the supernova tonight, didn't you?"

"Well, yes... But not if it means explaining to Uncle George why I was caught in an out-of-bounds area."

"I promise no one'll see us and we'll be back before curfew. Or we can just go back now, if you want?" Jack pulled the truck a little off the road and was prepared to turn round.

Sam tugged her bottom lip into her mouth and thought for a second and then looked over at Jack. "No, let's go. Time for me to live a little."

"That's my girl. Let's go!" Jack swung the truck back onto the main highway and then quickly turned off onto a small track that was almost unseen from the road. It was a bumpy ride but they soon arrived at a small clearing where he stopped the truck.

Jack helped Sam out of the vehicle and grabbed the telescope. Sam grabbed the tripod and followed him over to the centre of the clearing and began to set it up. Jack went back over to the truck and grabbed the rugs and CD player he'd put into the back. Nothing like the right atmosphere for him to work his magic.

Jack laid out the rugs and watched as Sam finished her work. He could stare at her for hours, he decided, and not get bored. Sam turned to look at him, her blonde hair framing her face in the last of the daylight. The entire image caused Jack's heart to jump into his throat and he had to cough to clear the lump.

"What?" Sam asked, worrying that something was wrong.

"Nuthin'. You're just drop-dead gorgeous, is all. Come sit with me." Jack patted the rug beside him and shyly Sam moved over towards him. She ducked her head a little at his stare and self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She sat down on the rug and sat with her knees pulled up to her chest. The action made Jack see her vulnerable side again and for a second didn't see the money in front of him but rather this young woman who was putting all her trust in him. The thought scared him more than he thought possible. He leaned towards her and cupped her chin. "Relax, Sam. We're just two cadets watching the stars."

Sam smiled up at him and nibbled her lip. "What if I want to be more than just two cadets?" she asked nervously.

"I think that could be arranged," Jack whispered, smiling gently. Then he leaned his face towards hers and kissed her briefly. He pulled back quickly, surprised and a little bemused at the sparks he'd felt going off when his lips had touched hers. "Wow!" he whispered unintentionally.

"It's never felt like that before." Sam ducked her head and looked away from him.

Jack slipped his fingers between Sam's and squeezed her thumb to get her attention. "Let's watch the stars," he said, his voice croaking with emotion. He lay back on the blanket but didn't pull her hand, waiting to see if she'd lie beside him. He held his breath: had he pushed her too quickly; was she as spooked as he was by the obvious attraction between them?

After what felt like an eternity to a young man, Sam lay down beside him. They both lay in silence, watching as the stars came out to begin their nightly dance across the skies. As the temperature decreased Sam moved closer to Jack and he casually moved his arm behind her head, allowing her to use it as a pillow. Suddenly, as if Sam had made a decision with herself, she curled into his body. Her head was on Jack's shoulder, her arm across his chest, and her legs very close to his. Jack almost stopped breathing at the feeling of her so close to him. No matter his reasons for being here nothing with Sara had ever felt like this and that was a very strange thought.

AN: Oh dear, what will Jack do now. Thoughts or comments always welcome. Thanks for the reviews so far.