AN I wrote this while I was away. I quite liked the chapter hope you also enjoy it.

Chapter 13 – After a Bumpy Start

The sun was painfully bright as Sam stepped out of the front door. She squinted , pulling her sunglasses down from the top of her head to shield her eyes from the glare. She stared for a moment at Jack's mustang where it sat, dusty, in it's parking spot. She had to admit it was a really nice car. For such a studious, quiet person, Sam had one hell of a a speed freak streak in her blood.

'Hey.' Jonas Hanson stepped up beside her, almost making her jump.

'Hi.'

'Sorry, didn't mean to startle you... I just didn't want to run into any of your body guards.'His eyes twinkled as he threw a mock nervous glance around.

Sam could think of nothing to say so she settled for a polite smile. Stepping closer, Jonas moved into the shadow, allowing Sam to see more of him than just a blurry silhouette. He looked good: jeans and a polo shirt, sunglasses carelessly pushed up into his hair. Sam found her voice.

'You don't need to worry about Teal'c, he was just being protective.'

Jonas tipped his head to the side, eyeing her thoughtfully.

'And what about O'Neill? What was he doing? Do I need to worry about him?' Sam was surprised to hear a possessive note in his voice, for just a second. He flashed a disarming smile. She couldn't help herself smiling back in the face of his boyish charm.

'I don't know what he was doing, but you don't need to worry about him.'

Jonas' question, though asked in a lighthearted way, gave her pause for thought and soon a familiar debate was being fought within her head.

Was Jack just being protective and if so, how was that so different from Teal'c being protective?

Was it different?

Yes!

Why?

Because Jack had lost his temper and hit her date in the face.

Wouldn't Teal'c have done the same thing if he suspected Jonas of behaving inappropriately towards her?

Yes.

So why was she so mad at Jack?

Unfortunately, the answer was obvious – it was not that he's tried to protect her, or that he's given Jonas a bloody nose, it was the things he'd said to her.

But were they just stupid remarks he'd said in anger?

Did she care?

'Hey, you in there?' Jonas' hand was waving up and down in front of her face.

'Yeah,' she pulled out of her reverie grinning at him. 'Sorry, it's the sun. Did you say something?'

'Not much' he said casually 'Just wondering if the fact you hadn't called me was deliberate or a slip of the memory.'

Sam hesitated before answering. She had said she would call him, but if she were honest, she had said it to make her point clear to Jack. God, why does everything I do have to be based around him!? This is ridiculous. She turned, smiling to Jonas.

'I meant to call you. Things have just been so crazy..' She gave him her sweetest smile. 'Consider this me, calling you?' Jonas grinned, lifting one hand to his ear as he imitated answering his phone.

'Hello, Jonas Hanson here.' Sam giggled and raised her own hand/phone to her ear.

'Hi Jonas, this is Sam. I just wanted to say I had a really nice time the other night and wondered if you wanted to go out again some time?'

'Yeah! I'd love to, I had a great time too, but before we go any further, I wanted to ask you: is physical injury going to be a regular part of our meetings is was it a one-time thing? I was just curious.' His eyes were sparkling again and he winked at her, leaving the innuendo of his comment in no doubt. Sam narrowed her eyes, lowering her hand.

'Let's just take it one day at a time or you might just find that I'm forced to injure you.'

Jonas continued speaking into his pinky, ignoring her mock threat.

'That sounds great. When do you want to meet?' Sam laughed, reaching up to pull his hand away from his face and turned to walk along the sidewalk, toward town.

'Well, I was just going shopping so, how about lunch?'

'Yes ma'am.' Jonas laced his fingers through Sam's, smiling, as they left Cloister's Court. Despite a bumpy start, things were definitely going well.

AN Short, I know but I should be updating soon. I would have posted this a couple of days ago but had some trouble with my internet provider. Reviews loved. Hope you enjoyed it, even though she's with Jonas.

prometheus246