Here you are, a nice long chapter for u! Hope you enjoy. (Oh - and this is where the fifteen plus age limit comes in guys)

Chapter 8 - Almost there

Another week and you'll be home, Jack reassured himself. He really did have it bad. He'd made her work in the cabins so that he didn't see her during the day, and that seemed to help. Yet she was still in his bed at night, and that was enough to distract any man. A beautiful woman in his bed every night, and he couldn't have her. You shouldn't want her, his conscience reminded him.

Sam had now taken it upon herself to just get into his bed and not bother with the sheets in the corner. Which was to be expected of course, since he had spent weeks carrying her there while she slept.

Ever since the night when she had woken up, his feelings seemed to get more and more confusing by the minute. He sure as hell hadn't planned on anything like this when he has set sail for the mainland. He had wanted to help Teal'c, full stop. Probably shoulda known better than to employ Maybourne. But Maybourne had been the only one available at the time, so he had to do. Then the damn man had gone and bought a woman on board. And not any woman, by the looks of things: a gentleman's daughter, a beautiful woman with a scowl that could make any man feel nervous.

Jack had been battling against his fight or flight instinct for a while now, and he knew that once they reached the shore he could give in and flee to his home where Thor would be waiting patiently with Catherine. Almost there.

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She had never felt so confused in her life. Sam knew that she was on the ship against her will. That she should hate pirates. That she should be missing her home much more than she actually did. That she should be worried that her father thought her to be dead.

Yet, all she could think about was her feelings for a certain Captain. Moody, unfair with her, and now ignoring her; the Captain wasn't exactly a likely candidate for any feelings at all, apart form hate. Against her rational thoughts, however, she knew she was falling for him. Nothing else could explain why her stomach flipped each time she saw him, or why his smell in the morning comforted her beyond any sane rationale. It really didn't make any sense.

Perhaps it was because he intrigued her. He had a much softer side than he would ever admit; she had personally witnessed it. But that side was often hidden behind a mask of indifference and coldness. She was beginning to think that Daniel was right; behind that façade was a man that was scared witless of showing feelings towards others, especially women.

"Hey, Sam."

"Hey, Daniel." They were scrubbing the decks again. Apparently, as they were pretty close to home, they needed to look as clean as possible, the ship being the priority. Which is a pity, Sam thought as a bad smell followed the retreating back of Maybourne as he passed, leering in her direction.

"Ignore him," Daniel commented. Smiling, Sam nodded.

"Almost home, I hear."

"Yeah. I'm looking forward. You know the offer still stands, you can always come stay with us."

"Thanks Daniel. I think I'm going to have to take you up on that offer. I have nowhere else to go after all."

Daniel's answer was a wide grin.

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3 days later

As Sam made herself ready for bed, the door of the cabin swung open. Ignoring it, she figured that - for the first time since her first night on the ship - she would have company as she changed.

It wasn't until she felt heavy breathing on her neck that she realised she was wrong. She was on her back on the bed before she realised what was happening. His smell immediately surrounded her; fish and sweat: an odour she had become used to over the last few weeks as she cleaned the cabins. On his person, however, the stench just seemed that much stronger. Gagging, she tried to shove him away. It was useless; even as she pushed at his chest, his lips found hers in a rough kiss. Struggling, Sam kept pushing. He seemed to find it amusing and he laughed.

"Keep doing that missy, that feels great." Sickened, Sam did the only other thing that she could do: she screamed. He silenced her with another rough kiss, tongue probing an unwelcoming mouth. Feeling sicker by the second, and terrified, Sam couldn't stop the tears from falling steadily. He ripped open her shirt, his sweaty hands grabbing at her breasts. He was undressing himself with one hand as his other arm held her down, so she took her chance to scream again.

Minutes that felt like hours passed and she was beneath his naked form on the bed. Vomit tingled the back of her throat as he raised himself above her. Closing her eyes and whimpering, she waited for the expected pain. Instead she was rewarded with the sound of the cabin door swinging back on its hinges, banging against the wall harshly.

Within seconds, Maybourne was standing.

"Captain, sir, I can explain. She invited me in and-" His words were cut short by a strong punch.

Taking in the scene as if through a stranger's eyes, Sam had never seen anyone as angry as Jack seemed to be right then. Beating Maybourne to a pulp seemed to be his aim.

"Stop." Her voice seemed small and distant, but it was enough to make the Captain pause. "Don't."

He seemed to realise she was talking to him, and instead of throwing another punch, he heaved the naked man to his feet, grabbed at the pile of clothes at the end of the bed and shoved both through the cabin door before closing and locking it.

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For a few long seconds, he hadn't a clue what to do. She lay there, shivering and quite clearly scared out of her mind. For once, her nakedness didn't make blood rush to certain parts of him. Instead he felt a rush of protectiveness, and in a few steps he was there and holding her. To his surprise, she let him. Shaking and sobbing, she clung to him.

After a few minutes, her weeping subsided, and an uneasy sleep seemed to claim her. With a sigh of relief - he always hated when women cried - he set her light form back on the bed, pulling up a few sheets to cover her. Silently, he undressed and got into his own side of the bed. In her sleep, she rolled into his warmth, and nestled against his chest. With a small smile, he allowed himself the luxury of holding her near again, and felt sleep pull him into slumber.

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As she woke the next morning, Sam had never felt as safe as she did at that moment. Cradled in his arms, she felt warm, and content. That is, until the memory of the night before flooded back. She snuggled further into his figure, wishing away the memories. Clearly awake, he stroked her back, soothing her.

When the bell rang, she shifted, trying to sit up. His arms however, stopped her.

"If you think I'm gonna let you work this morning, you've got another thing coming."

"But the work might take my mind off it," she insisted, her voice raw from all the crying she had done.

"Nu-uh, no way. You're staying right here, at least for a few hours."

Seeing the stubbornness in his eyes, and knowing he'd eventually get his own way anyway, she ceded, resting back into his arms.

"Thank you." He raised an eyebrow.

"For what?"

"For everything." Their eyes met and he nodded. Searching the brown, she found only worry for her, and perhaps something else she couldn't quite define. Probably pity for a stupid girl who can't protect herself, she thought.They lay for there for what must have been an hour before she spoke again.

"Thank you."

"I thought we covered that," he asked with that small smile that tilted his lips just slightly. Her stomach gave a now familiar flip.

"I know. I meant for taking care of me from the start. It's twice you've saved a stupid girl from that man." Tugging back slightly he studied her intently. She felt the blush creep up her neck even as his eyes followed it curiously. To her disgust, that just made her face feel even warmer.

"For one thing, I don't think you're stupid. You've helped us with a lot of things over the past week. Don't think I haven't noticed the ideas for the rigging and things after the storm that you passed on to members of the crew."

The blush seemed to burn her.

"Plus," he added, glancing down at her still naked body. "You are very clearly not a girl." Convinced that the blush would melt her by the time he was through, she tried to change the subject. Ignoring the way his hands were now making small patterns on her bare back, she asked:

"When do you think we'll get back to the islands?"

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Hesitating for a second, to let her know he wasn't fooled by the quick change in subject, he eyed her flaming red face with amusement.

"Probably a few days now - less than a week anyway - as long as we don't get hit by another storm."

Showing her distaste for that idea with a grimace, she nodded.

"I see."

His hand trailed to her face - again out of its own accord, Jack noted - and traced the redness. He had never encountered a woman who could blush so deeply, but then, he had never met a woman with such fair skin.

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The way his fingers caressed her cheek made her breath catch, and she damned herself for being obvious. He had clearly heard the hitch because he paused mid-stroke and grinned. Rolling her eyes at him, she snuggled deeper into the sheets so that she could drag her eyes away from this. This didn't seem to deter him, however, because he used the other hand to push her chin up so that her eyes caught his again. He seemed deep in thought, a slight frown creasing his forehead. Unconsciously, she smoothed them away with her fingers, even as they shook slightly.

He moved closer still, until his nose touched hers. It was incredibly intimate, she would never have let any other man come this close, and she knew that. No other man had. At least, not without my permission, she realised, thinking back to Maybourne. Something of her thoughts must have showed in her eyes, though, because he backed his head a few inches.

Calming herself, she let her blue eyes focus on his troubled brown. Then his lips were on hers; soft, warm and so so different to Maybourne. His tongue skimmed over her lips, and hesitantly yet automatically, she opened her mouth to him. As his tongue swept into her mouth and tangled with hers, she couldn't believe how amazing it felt. How right.

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He was pretty sure he had died and gone to heaven. He was in bed with the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on, and they were kissing. Boy were they kissing. Although a gentleman's daughter, and clearly as inexperienced as he would ever find, she was giving him as good as she got. And boy was that good. Before he could focus, blood was rushing south and there was nothing he could do about it.

When she felt him hardening against her, she jerked back. Kicking himself, Jack realised he'd probably blown it. However, when he looked back at her, he realised that the look on her face wasn't one of horror, but one of curiosity. Laughing slightly, he got her attention again.

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When he laughed, she moved her attention back to his face. Their bodies were entwined intimately by now, and there was no way she could have missed the way he hardened as they kissed. She had felt it with Maybourne, too, but that had only disgusted her. This time, she felt curious, and, she admitted to herself, aroused. It was a new feeling for her, but she took it in her stride, and knew she could never trust anyone with this, except the man before her. It was strange the way she was falling for a man who had done nothing to try and win her respect as many suitors had done in the past. He had simply been himself, and she had well and truly fallen for that. To prove to herself that she wanted this, she kissed him again, and with an air of finality, he rolled her onto her back, his erection pressing at her belly.

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She was deep in thought, and he knew that he would let her make her own decision. He wouldn't walk away, but neither would he force her into anything. When she kissed him, he knew there was no turning back for him, so he rolled them, looking down at her. She had a strange, mixed air of confidence and nervousness. Stroking her chin, he assured her:

"I won't hurt you."

"I know." Her answer was confident, and it was the only sign Jack needed. He leaned down and kissed her again.

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Hope that was okay - and not too graphic. Another chapter up in a few days hopefully!