Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate or any of the characters you recognize. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment. There is no monetary gain and no copyright infringement intended.

AN: So my intent to post once a week has been, as my children would say, an epic fail. I think I've worked out the parts that were causing me problems. Hopefully updates will start coming a little more regularly. Thank you everyone that is still reading and those of you still commenting. As always, thank you Gategirl7 for your amazing beta skills and insightful comments!

Previously:

Sam smiled. She loved these guys. They didn't quite have their act down yet, but they were perfect in her eyes. Telling them had been the right thing. They were going to get through this. She had to concentrate on destroying the Replicators. Everything else she would deal with after that. Sam thought about Dakara. How much would things change if the Replicators were too widely spread for the Asgard to use the weapon? What if they ended up needing to use that weapon? Could she program it again without her dad and Baal? Stop getting ahead of yourself Carter, she counseled. One step at a time, break it down and move forward.

Chapter 12

Jack thought about the decisions he'd made over the years, the lives he'd taken and the ones he'd watched be taken, unable to help. He had never felt more concerned than he did right now for the woman explaining to him how he needed to have his brain sucked by an expanding ancient library. She had the fate of more than just their team, or their world, in her hands. She had knowledge that could change the balance of the universe as they knew it, the Universe, for crying out loud. Not only was their world view changing, but she was about to put herself and them in the hands of an alien he knew nothing about.

He watched the struggle that Sam was going through. He had to stop himself from grabbing her and demanding she start over and tell them again why they should be doing any of this. He'd been stupid enough to think she'd been holding back from telling him what she needed him to do for their plan to work because she'd been thinking like a woman in love and not a soldier, but it only took the first few sentences of her explanation for him to understand why she'd hesitated.

"And how do I know that after this Ancient library starts taking over my brain that I will be able to tell these aliens how to build a weapon that will kill these Replicators?" That statement was wrong on so many levels and it wasn't even the thing that concerned him most. "For that matter, how do you know this Thor will help at all?"

"There is no way to know, O'Neill," Teal'c spoke up. "Just as there is no way to know that you or your world can help rid this galaxy of the Goa'uld," he finished solemnly staring Jack down. When the big guy had become the protector of Carter, Jack wondered irritably. He seemed to be firmly on her side. The image of the Jaffa touching her shoulder and inclining his head flipped across Jack's mind. He didn't like the feeling he got from it and dismissed it immediately.

The last person in the world Jack would have to protect Sam from was Teal'c. Jack found that he wanted the chance to discover who she was as a woman and person now that she'd offered him that chance. He didn't want to share the private side of her with anyone. The growing closeness he felt developing between Teal'c and Sam almost felt like watching two friends share an inside joke and feeling the odd man out. Get a grip, O'Neill, he scolded himself, feeling a little shocked and foolish for the feeling. God, he had it bad and they'd only just kissed.

"Ok." Teal'c was right, Jack acknowledged. "If we're going to do this, we had better let Hammond in on it."

"Is that safe for Sam?" Daniel asked. "Shouldn't we do the same thing we did when we got the information that Apophis was going to attack?"

"We're going to need the SGC's support for this one, Daniel," Sam pointed out. She met Jack's eyes and held them. He could see her fear. "I'm just not sure how to tell him without sounding crazy and getting myself locked up." Yeah, you and me both Carter, Jack thought, but kept his doubts to himself. She had enough to deal with.

"That's my job," Jack assured her, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "Ok, so we all get a good night's sleep and I meet with Hammond in the morning." He smiled at her as he added, "Hammond ever confided anything to you no one now would know? Any secret tidbit we can use to convince him we're not all stark raving nuts?"

Sam face lit up. He recognized that look. She had an idea. "I think so, but I better save it for him." Jack nodded. He'd have to trust her on this one. He was going to have to start trusting her in a whole new way. Hell, he'd already begun if he was being honest with himself. This plan of hers sounded pretty farfetched but yet he found himself all in. When had his life gotten so weird, he wondered.

"I better get Teal'c back to base," Daniel declared, standing.

"Thank you," Sam said, sincerity and gratitude evident in her voice. Standing, she hugged Daniel and turned to Teal'c, easily moving into his arms. Jack had to smile at that one. The fierce former First Prime barely covered his surprise and slight awkwardness before opening his arms and returning Sam's hug. Jack didn't expect her to turn to him and include him in her thank you hugs.

Sam hesitated for a moment before stepping to him, as if waiting to see if he would allow the familiarity. It suddenly occurred to him that she was saying her goodbye and getting one last hug in before she followed the guys out. She must believe that there was a good chance that she'd be taken into custody of some type tomorrow. Jack didn't want to admit it, but she wasn't completely wrong.

"Stay," he whispered in her ear as he returned her embrace. Jack stepped back and released her from his arms, just as the other two men on his team had done, but he didn't miss the slight quickening of her breath or the relief that crossed her face before she covered it. He was surprised to feel relief as well. Jack hadn't realized just how apprehensive he was about his discussion with Hammond and everything that was about to play out. He hated feeling out control, especially when he could see a potential train wreck coming.

As he started to close the door behind Daniel and Teal'c, Daniel stopped and turned back for a moment. "I don't think Sam should be alone tonight. This has got to be killing her. Should I offer to go over and stay with her?"

"I've got it covered. If I can't get her to stay here, I'll call." The younger man's face didn't betray any surprise or curiosity for once, just acceptance. Jack didn't want to lie to his team. That was something he'd have to discuss with Sam as well. They worked too closely together for the rest of the team to not pick up on them. Lost in thought, Jack watched Daniel say something to Teal'c before both men got into the car and backed down the driveway.

"Jack," Sam's voice was tentative. "You ok?" He should be asking her that.

"C'mere," he said simply, not wanting to discuss anything at all. She didn't hesitate to fill his arms. Her scent and warmth soothed him in ways he hadn't expected to feel. He could feel Sam relaxing in his embrace. When he brought his hands up to gently rub circles on her back, she arched like a cat and shivered. "Sweet," he didn't mean that to come out loud. "Feel good?" he asked, settling on a fairly safe, preemptive subject change.

"Better than good," she answered, her voice almost a purr.

"Should I start calling you Kitten?" he asked, bracing himself in case the comment caused the violent reaction he was half expecting. Sam leaned back out of his arms, her eyebrow doing a very good imitation of Teal'c.

"Whatever you want, Sweet Cheeks." Her answer brought a chuckle bubbling to the surface. He really could get used to her teasing him. It felt strange and so right all at the same time.

"Mutual assured destruction?" he questioned. Now it was her turn to laugh before finding her place against his chest again. He found he didn't mind.

"I'm scared, Jack," she confessed.

"We've been through worse," he offered, hoping she didn't ask for examples. "I mean I am assuming in the next 6 years we'll have gone through worse, right?" He leaned back and brought his hands up to cup her face. Sliding his fingers into her hair, he used his thumbs at her temples to gently stroke. She closed her eyes for a moment, obviously enjoying his efforts.

"I like your touch," she said simply.

"Your skin is so soft. I thought it would be," he hadn't realized what he'd said until her eyes popped open.

"You've wondered about my skin?" The slow smile that was spreading across her face made his heart speed up. She looked pleased with herself. Not ready to give her the upper hand so easily, he decided to change the subject. Sliding his thumbs in smaller circles on her temple, he was rewarded by her slow moan of appreciation as her eyes slid shut. He used that moment to dip his head and catch her lips.

Jack swallowed her slight 'Oh' of surprise and deepened the kiss. She tasted so good, felt so right in his arms. Sam responded by stepping closer into him and sliding her hands up around his neck. He dropped his arms from her face and slid them down and around her back.

Jack liked the feel of her arms heavy around his neck and the slight bite of her short nails into his shoulder through his t-shirt. He didn't think she was aware that she was kneading his shoulder with her nails almost like a kitten using her claws to prompt him to move closer. He really was going to have to be careful not to call her kitten.

Jack broke the kiss and slid his lips around to her sensitive pulse point. He nipped lightly, then licked her skin. She moaned low. The little noises she was making in response to his attentions were driving him nuts. She was pushing the flames of his desire pretty high. It wouldn't take much for him to become out of control. The thought of losing her tomorrow if the meeting with Hammond did not go well cut through him, making him pull her tight against him.

"We'd better get some sleep," he said finally, glad his voice was steady. It was a few more moments before he released her to move out of his arms.

"Can I borrow something to sleep in?" she asked, the color in her face rising slightly. He wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or shyness, but he liked it. She'd borrowed a shirt of his once to sleep in off world when she'd managed to fall into a pond and soak everything she'd owned. He'd had this fantasy about seeing her that way, but without Daniel's sweatpants on the bottom.

"Of course, I'll find you a shirt," he answered, proud of his nonchalant voice. Carter basically naked, clad only in one of his shirts! One fantasy down, about a hundred to go, he thought. Now if he could just keep her out of custody and they could destroy the killer replicating robots maybe he'd have time to do more than sleep with her dressed in his shirt. "I don't want you alone tonight," he began only to realize that it wasn't just that. He didn't want to be alone either. Aliens, killer robots, ancient libraries taking over his brain, Jack was shocked to realize he wanted her comfort as much as he wanted to offer his to her.

As Jack went about finding her a t-shirt that fit his fantasy, but kept her comfortable, and dug out a new toothbrush from his cabinet, the changes the last few hours had brought hit him. Here he was getting ready to go to bed and sleep next to his second in command, the woman he'd been slowly developing inappropriate feelings for, held in check mostly because of her age and inexperience. Now suddenly she wanted him, wanted to date him, explore the possibilities with him and had a confidence he found almost irresistible.

"Carter, are you sure about this?" he questioned as he settled on the bed and waited for her to finish in the bathroom. "I mean, not the mission part," he knew he was fumbling. Feelings weren't his thing, but he needed to ask this. "I mean the you and me part," he went on, gesturing between them even though she couldn't see him through the closed door. "Not that I'm complaining, but…" As Sam opened the door and came into view, Jack's voice died in his throat. She was wearing his shirt as he'd expected, but his fantasy did not live up to the real life picture of Samantha Carter standing in nothing but his shirt.

The over-large garment hung to mid thigh and the thin cotton showed her nipples pebbled and hard. She was beautiful beyond belief. His body leapt to attention, causing him to jump off of the bed and race for his chest of drawers next to the door. Fishing the first pair of sweatpants out of his drawer he could find, he didn't look at Sam as he thrust them toward her. "Put these on," he ordered, not able to keep the Colonel tone out of his voice.

"It's safe, Jack," she called a second later. He turned around to find her already settling into bed, his sweatpants covering her amazing limbs from his view. He could still see the shape of her breasts through the thin cotton, but he solved that by climbing in next to her and switching off the light quickly.

Settling back against the pillow, Jack reached an arm out and pulled Sam against him. She was such a mixture of confidence and shyness when it came to him. The more he considered her as a woman rather than a subordinate, the more he found her intriguing in ways he'd never expected. Jack found himself very much looking forward not just to the possibilities, but the exploration of them as well.