Notes:
Thank you for reviewing. I'm very stressed out at the moment, I have essays and tests left right and centre, plus, its nearly midnight, I want to get some sleep, so any mistakes will have to remain, I'm afraid.-
Sam blinked, a little taken aback, "…We shouldn't do this now…"
"No time like the present," Jack shrugged.
"Cassie's already worried enough about her test, she doesn't need to walk in on this…" she tried to reason.
"Carter-"
"Sir-"
They both stopped and looked away, staring at the ground.
"…Evidently we're not 'okay'…" he muttered.
She looked up, "…If you don't mind me saying so, Sir, I don't think we've been 'okay' in quite a while."
He silently nodded his agreement, "…Makes you wonder what happened."
Sam was strangely frank about their situation, "'We' happened to each other, Sir."
A slight smile was seen on his face, "When you put it like that…"
She returned the smile, "Wouldn't have had it any other way," she laughed under her breath, "You know, I never did get that arm wrestle."
"Is that a challenge, Carter?" Jack suddenly wondered how they were able to switch so easily between issues they knew were going to hurt them both, back to just Carter and O'Neill.
She raised an eyebrow, taking a couple of steps back to her car, mischievous grin on her features, "Well, Sir?" she leant an arm across the roof of the car.
He laughed, "Now?"
Sam nodded, still grinning, "No time like the present," she mocked him.
Jack glared, "Okay, prepare to be beaten…" he reached out across the roof of the car.
"In your dreams, Sir."
"So, its about to get violent?"
Cassie's voice made them both jump back and stare at her, as if she'd materialised out of thin air.
"Always thought it would," she continued, "…But not in this way…"
Sam attempted to use the age old women's method of 'eye signalling' to get her to shut up, refusing to blush at the innuendo.
Jack exchanged a somewhat concerned glance with Sam, turning round to face Cassie, "I think your mom and I need to have a talk, Cassandra Frasier…" he threatened.
"Hey," she held up her hands in self defence, "I'll be good!" Cassie frowned and peered round Jack, "Hey!"
"Cassandra," a dark haired woman, appearing to be in her early thirties waved from across the car park, "Everything sorted?"
"Yeah, Jayne!"
Cassie's instructor approached them, smiling, "I was expecting Cassie's mom, but hey, any support is good!"
"Janet's tied up at work at the moment," Sam explained, "So I thought I'd come along."
Jayne nodded, "And this is…?" she turned her attention to Jack.
"Jack O'Neill," he quickly shook hands with her.
"Hi," she smiled again, "I guess you two are…"
"…Oh, er, no," Jack shook his head.
"Oh…" Jayne grinned, "Oh I see."
Cassie looked back at Sam just in time to see the possessive look in her eyes, could see her friend was desperately trying to control herself…
"So," Sam began in a harsh voice, "Do you think Cassie stands a good chance of passing her test?" she glared at the woman, as if trying to kill her on the spot.
"Yes, she's very perceptive and knows what she's doing. If anything, I expect her to clock up a few minors, but that's it."
"Good," the Major snapped.
"So…" Jayne smiled slyly at Jack, "…Is there any chance of…"
"Sorry," he shook his head, "I'm taken."
"Oh…"
"Yeah."
She tried to smile brightly, laughing her embarrassment off, "Never mind! Worth a shot!"
"Miss Frasier?" a male voice called for Cassie.
"Yes?" Cassandra gave a small smile and walked away from them, "I'm Cassandra Frasier."
"I'll be your driving examiner for this test," he stated, leading her away, toward her instructor's car, Jayne throwing the keys across to Cassie at the last minute.
"Good luck, Cass!" Sam called.
"Go for it, kid!" Jack added.
They waited until Cassie had driven out of sight, and made sure that Jayne was safely inside the main building before they dared to speak again.
Sam frowned, "You're 'taken'."
Jack leant against the car, resting his elbows on the roof, "…Did you really expect me to say anything else?"
"…You never know…"
He smiled slightly, "Either way, Sam, we both know, I'm taken."
She paused, just gazing across at him, "…Then so am I."
"You know-"
Sam didn't really hear the rest of his sentence. She was suddenly very concerned about the effect he had on her, on her emotions. Before, it had never been like this, for the years they had been good friends and nothing more. But, if she was honest with herself, they were really nothing more now. They were just two people who needed what they couldn't have. And then it hit her. She was getting weak. He knew how to play on her emotions, just as she knew how to play on his. They shouldn't be doing such things to each other. Why prolong the pain?
"Why do we do this to each other?" she said aloud.
"What?" Jack frowned.
He could make her laugh, he could make her cry…
"This! This whole thing!" she raised her voice, "Why, Why do we do this?"
She could love him, she could hate him…
"Sam?"
"You know what we're doing! We're not getting anywhere!"
"Well what do you suggest we do!?"
"I don't know!"
Jack crossed round the car and tried to reach out to her;
"Don't touch me!" she stepped back, shaking her head.
"…Carter?" he sounded more hurt than anything else.
She couldn't take any more. She'd had enough. She had to get it out of her system. Now. No waiting. Not anymore. Sam instantly closed the distance between them, arms clamped firmly to her sides, and raised her head to let her lips meet his, passionately, unforgivingly. And then the answer hit her.
"Because we need to."
-
