Another 'M' chapter, but it can be skipped without missing much of the story. Just ignore Sam and Jack's antics and skip to the team dynamics ;-) Otherwise, please enjoy and drop me a line if you're so inclined!

Chapter 37: I Kissed A Frog And I Liked It

Staccato rapping against solid wood dragged Daniel out of much-needed REM sleep. He blinked several times at the dim room, half his face sunk into an overly soft pillow, a pool of moisture drying at the corner of his slightly open mouth.

"Daniel Jackson."

He groaned.

Teal'c.

Which probably meant Jonas as well. The two were disgustingly cheery in the mornings. Especially during hotel stays where free breakfast was included. Who knew that aliens were so fond of making their own waffles?

"Coming!" he yelled at the direction of the door, grabbing his discarded T-shirt from the foot of the bed. Still putting his top on, he cracked open the door to let his friends in.

The two men piled in, Teal'c acknowledging him with a small nod and Jonas grinned from ear to ear, carrying a jar of some kind under his arm and a newspaper.

He noted they were both in street clothes, Teal'c wearing his ever present beanie with the Vancouver Canucks logo emblazoned at the center where his tattoo would be. Trading one allegiance for another, an anthropological voice piped in his head. He shook off the troublemaking little voice and followed his friends back into his room.

"What time is it guys?" He rubbed at his exhausted eyes. No sleep for the wicked.

"Two hours before the morning meal will cease to be served," Teal'c informed him pointedly.

Daniel worked his jaw in annoyance. "Guess I better jump in the shower then."

"That would be wise." Teal'c retrieved the TV remote and sat down at the edge of his bed.

Jonas placed his jar on the night table and joined Teal'c at his perched on the mattress. "Put in on a 24 hour news channel."

The Kelownan had discovered continuous coverage of news events around the world and had quickly become addicted to finding out everything about geopolitical events of the past century. His lack of understanding of the Cold War, and their recent dealings with the Russians, had only prompted his interest to escalate to full blown obsession.

Daniel picked up his wash kit from his semi-packed luggage and headed for the bathroom. "One of you give Jack and Sam their wake up call. Jack needs to take his meds with food."

He didn't bother to check if his friends had actually heard him. Sam and Jack were military. They had two hours and even if he had to wake them himself post-shave, they'd still have plenty of time.

"Jack!" Sam cried out as she sunk deeper astride her lover. He sat with his back against the headboard, long legs splayed out behind her, as she continued to ride him to completion, hands using his muscular shoulders for leverage.

He watched her with half-lidded eyes, watching her mouth part with ecstasy, eyes tightly shut, off on her own world of pleasure as she used his body to get herself off. There was just no way he could say no to her when she was feeling so needy like this, desperate for release, desperate for him. His body still ached from the beatings, but Samantha Carter wrapped around his heavy member was like an analgesic. The only ache that mattered was centered between his legs, disappearing in and out of Sam's gorgeous body.

His years of marriage to Sara had taught him that women had cycles of arousal, most notably during ovulation, and a bit of research for the Asgard explained the various hormones sloshing around a woman's body during this peak time in their cycle.

He groaned at her deep thrusts, gripping her hips harder, directing her gyrating movements on his lap.

Sam missed him terribly while at Area 51. She often clung to him on Sunday mornings knowing they only had hours left before he needed to catch his flight back to Peterson. As much as she loved her work there, she loved him even more.

While missing him explained her neediness, he also knew that she'd ditched the birth control after leaving the front lines. She was now synthetic-hormone-free, and she was friskier than ever. Carter was running hot, both physically and thermally, and he barely had to touch her to get her going.

If she were anyone else, he'd be scared out of his mind at their deliberate recklessness. They weren't being particularly careful. He'd come inside her the previous evening, and they hadn't bothered with any protection before that when he'd visited her in Nevada. Each time they made love, they knew there was an off-chance she'd conceive. Putting a bun in her oven was a sure fire way to get the Air Force gunning for his ass.

But he'd made a promise to fill up her with his babies and it seemed she was determined to extract that particular promise from him by fucking him silly - she was succeeding.

They really should be more careful. It wasn't the right time. They should at least be married so everything would be above board and the word 'affair' wouldn't be bandied about so easily. There would be rumors, but there were always rumors, always talk about how Carter possibly got her promotions from such a mundane assignment as Deep Space Telemetry.

At the moment though, he couldn't care less about caution. Not when Samantha Carter, certified beautiful genius and kick ass soldier was climaxing hard on his erection, calling out his name.

"Jack…" she shuddered against him, her body trembling from the force of her release. She collapsed on his torso, crushing her naked breasts against his sweat covered chest, his arms loose around her waist, gently soothing her moist back.

Jack ignored his own pleasure for the moment, concentrating instead on bringing her back down to earth. She felt weak in his arms, and he doubted she had the energy to finish him off. He throbbed inside her, so hard he was sure if he didn't come soon something would burst.

He continued to stroke her back until she raised her head, her face flushed and glowing with satisfaction. "That was…" she struggled to articulate. 'Amazing' didn't do it justice. Mindblowing came pretty close.

"Ready for round two?" He flexed his hips to emphasize his meaning.

She hissed at the sensation.

"Too much?"

Sam rose up on knees, dislodging him from her heat. "Can you take me from behind?"

He helped get her into position, shoving a pillow underneath her tummy, making sure she was comfortable. He got behind her, pulled her hips back towards him, then positioned the tip of his length at her entrance. "You ready, baby?"

"For you? Always," he heard the smile in her reply.

"Fuck…" It was his time to hiss at the tightness and heat that engulfed him as he sunk himself inside the woman he adored.

"Harder," she pleaded with him. "I'm close again."

He pulled all the way back, dragging his engorged flesh inch by agonizing inch against her sensitive tissues until only the plump head remained.

"Please Jack," she begged him, almost sobbing in frustration. She ached so much. She needed him so badly, needed him to fall apart in her arms and fill her with his hot seed.

Her erotic pleas brought out the alpha-male caveman preening inside him. Flinging all restraint out the window, he pushed back inside her and started thrusting heavily between her legs.

Sonovabitch, this was hot.

He was watching his slick erection disappear and reappear inside her beautiful body.

Hips rocking back and forth, he altered the angle of his entry after a few steady thrusts. Sam cried out when he tilted his hips in just the right way, hitting her in all the right places.

He could feel his own climax fast approaching. She felt so tight like this and being able to see them together becoming one was the most erotic thing he'd ever seen. He felt so complete when he was with her, inside her, loving her. If the world ended right then and there, he would have very few regrets.

"Harder, Jack!"

He was about to comply when the hotel door rattled with the force of Teal'c's knock.

"Colonel Carter."

"Don't you dare stop," she warned him quietly then raised her voice to acknowledge their friend.

"Just a minute, Teal'c. I'm coming!"

Jack swore as he snorted at her unintended pun and continued moving faster, determined to make them both come before Teal'c lost his patience and broke down the door.

She tightened around him and whimpered her release. He finally lost all restraint and pushed in deeply one more time, his body trembling with the force of his climax and flooding her with his heat.

He pulled out and collapsed next to her, panting for his next breath.

Sam groaned and rolled off to the side of the bed. He watched her put on his undershirt and boxer shorts from the day before and head for the door.

Teal'c raised his eyebrows and smiled as the hotel door closed behind Colonel Carter.

It was quite obvious what his friends had been doing. Even if Samantha Carter had not been dressed in O'Neill's clothing, his keen sense of smell had told him the rest.

From the satisfied glow on his intended's face, it was clear that his brother was most adept at pleasuring his sim'ka.

His heart rejoiced for O'Neill.

His friend deserved happiness, having lost so much to the cruelties of life. He'd been a steadfast friend all these years, a truer brother than any Jaffa; The man who had given him courage to set himself free from the yolk of false gods and slavery.

He regretted the loss of SG-1 as it was, but he knew that the bonds of family they had formed would not be broken, that it would only grow stronger.

Janet Fraiser tsked at the display of gluttony playing out at the breakfast table in front of her.

If it weren't for the Jaffa's superior metabolism, she'd have been giving him hell already. Although he'd dressed his cream and syrup laden waffles with his usual fruits, the sugar and saturated fat tipped the scales well towards the unhealthy.

Teal'c had frightened the other guests into healthier breakfasts by commandeering the waffle making machines for himself. The substantial pile had taken a quarter hour to build up, and only then did the Jaffa allow anyone else use of the waffle griddle.

"We must obtain two of those machines for O'Neill's home. Is it not customary to create a record of goods to be presented by friends for one's nuptials?"

Janet grinned at Teal'c's idea. "It's called a gift list, and yes, most couples create one at different stores of their choosing."

"A most efficient concept."

"He still has to ask her first," Janet reminded the Jaffa. "Last I checked, her ring finger is still bare."

"Indeed, Doctor Fraiser, but I believe it is only a matter of time."

"I know Sam's been champing at the bit to get back at the SGC. She can only do that once they've made it official."

"We shall assist them with the planning of the celebration once O'Neill has declared himself with a token of his affection."

"Sam's way ahead of us, Teal'c. She's been wedding planning for months now. I suspect Jack hasn't asked because he's waiting for General Carter to get better. I know Sam is reluctant to get married without him to give her away."

"Indeed. It would not be the same without Jacob Carter. O'Neill cares a great deal for him. The day would not be complete."

"I just hope we get some good news soon. Malek said the Tok'ra council aren't happy with his continued absence. Apparently he hadn't fully informed them of his condition, just walked out and told them to stick it where the sun don't shine."

"P3X-797," Teal'c supplied.

"What about the Land of Light?" Daniel asked. He placed his plate of bacon, eggs and hashbrowns on the table and pulled up a chair.

"The location which Jacob Carter advised the Tok'ra to visit," Teal'c answered him without pause.

"I'm sure they're more than welcome. But why would they want to drop by in the first place?"

Daniel asked, sitting down next to Janet who started laughing at his question.

"The sun does not shine in the dark side."

"No," Daniel agreed thoughtfully, "No, it doesn't."

Whatever reply Teal'c had was interrupted by Jonas's arrival at the table, carrying about half the amount of waffles compared to the Jaffa's plate. The group became silent, watching in fascination as Jonas proceeded to peel two green bananas, sliced them into circles, then begun spreading a generous dollop of the chocolate nut spread onto the waffles with his butter knife.

"What?" Jonas finally looked up, noticing the attention he'd garnered.

"Two words," Daniel piped in. "Diabetic Coma."

Jonas shrugged. "I figured that, with the nature of our jobs, I'd be lucky if I reach the point where my pancreas stops working."

"Well that's quite the morbid thought so early in the day," Janet remarked sarcastically.

"While it is true that one should seize the day, one must also plan for all possible futures," Teal'c shoved a sliced cantaloupe in his mouth to hammer in his point.

Jonas merely smiled back and continued to dress his waffle with the sliced bananas.

"Where the heck are Sam and Jack?" Daniel changed the subject during a lull in the conversation.

"They will arrive promptly," Teal'c covered for his friends. He'd been married for many years. The enticing allure of his wife often delayed the consumption of the first day's meal.

"General Hammond wants to have meeting with us at the Pentagon later this morning," Daniel elaborated. "One last chat before he releases us back to the SGC."

"Thank god for that," Janet said in relief. "I just want to get Cassandra back home. Hopefully she'll be ready to talk then."

"What's wrong with Cassie?" Jonas asked in concern.

"I honestly don't know," Janet shook her head in resignation. "She says she's fine, and physically, she is. But everytime I bring up what happened she shuts me down. I'm at my wit's end on dealing with her at the moment."

"Just give her some time," Daniel suggested. "She did amazingly out there. Really kept her cool. You would've been so proud of her, Janet. She saved Jack's life."

"I am proud," Janet admitted. "But she's still just a kid. What happened to her must've affected her somewhat. And I'm still unclear as to where she was going in the first place when the Trust took her." The doctor allowed a bit of frustration to leak into her voice.

Cassie had continued to stonewall her each and every time she tried to address the issue. Janet had let it go so far, with things being so fresh, but she was determined to get at the truth once things settled down.

"I could talk with her if you'd like," Jonas volunteered. They'd gotten pretty close when Janet was in the hospital. He considered Cassie a close friend.

"If you can get it out of her, then you're more than welcome to try," Janet said, willing to try almost anything by now.

"She still in bed?" Jonas asked.

"Nope. She went for a walk early this morning to clear her head. I tried to talk to her again and she wasn't having it."

"She's a good kid. She'll come around," Daniel promised.

"I don't wanna go back."

Cassie snuggled deeper in Paul's arms. His naked chest warmed her cheek and she wished that the rest of her was skin to skin with him instead of just her head and bare legs, the rest of her covered in a loose black band t-shirt she'd thrown on carelessly that morning.

She'd surprised him by showing up at his doorstep before the sun was even up. This had been her original intention before she and Brian had been kidnapped. It felt like a lifetime ago.

Had it only been days?

All she'd expected back then was for them to hang out, get to know each other better, crash on his couch - she'd packed her own sleeping bag - and maybe make out a little.

She'd never expected to be like this with him, in his bed, being held by him like she was the most precious thing in his life.

He'd taken one look at her, standing there outside his Georgetown apartment, wrapped up in navy wool coat and jeans, her blonde hair covered by a black hoodie, and didn't hesitate to pull her inside.

He'd just held her for minutes. Breathing her in. When she finally pulled away, he led her to his bedroom and invited her into his bed.

There had been no reluctance in her part. She simply stripped down to her t-shirt and underwear and crawled under the covers. He'd pulled her tight into his arms and they'd stayed like that, content and safe in each other's presence.

"I don't want you to go back," he confessed in return.

She belonged here with him. Nothing in his life had ever mattered this much and it scared the hell out of him.

She had no idea how much power she had over him. This tiny slip of a girl that barely reached his shoulder could easily destroy his carefully arranged life with one word. If she felt even half of what he felt for her, he'd die a happy man.

His biggest fear was that for her, it was case of first love. More infatuation and lust than any real lasting feelings. Not something that could last a lifetime.

She was still so young and he didn't want to take her youth by saddling her with a man who was ready to settle down. She still had so much to experience, not least kiss a few more frogs before finding her prince. Maybe I'm the first frog in a series of unfortunate frogs, he thought morosely.

But she was here right now and unless she told him to, he wouldn't be hopping away anywhere. He would take what she was willing to give and ask for no more.

"No pressure or anything, but what would you say to me going to an East Coast school instead of UCD?"

It was a loaded question. Paul remained silent while he considered what he should say, not wanting to prejudice her one way or the other.

"It's not a hard question," Cassie prompted him when he failed to answer.

"Yes it is," he said in a light tone.

"Why?"

"Because I don't wanna influence your decision. You have to do what's right for you."

"What if I want you to influence me?"

"Then I'd want to know why you're asking and if you're doing it for the right reasons."

"I'm doing it because I wanna be near you. Unless of course, you don't want the same…"

He felt her stiffen in his arms. He responded by tightening his embrace.

"What if I'm not worth it? What if at some point this thing between us doesn't work out? I don't want you to change your plans for me, your entire life and later regret it."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Then what if I said I'd wait for you? That I'd support whatever decision you made as long as you're doing it for you and not anyone else."

She shook her head vigorously. "Life's way too short, we both know that. I don't want you to wait. I don't wanna wait. I want us together."

"We'll be together as long as you'll have me," he promised. "Please think about what you really want. Think about what you wanted before we met, before this thing happened between us - what you had your heart set on."

"It feels like forever."

She thought of her life before him and she had hard time remembering her old priorities. She thought hard. Thought of those long nights at her mom's bedside, the time before that when she'd wanted to follow in her mom's footsteps but had decided to try a different route than the one Janet had taken, thinking she wanted some distance from everyone to live her own life. She'd chosen UCD for that reason, but deep inside, she'd wanted to follow in the footsteps of the only family left to her. It was no wonder she'd fallen in love with an officer involved in the very thing that she desperately wanted to be part of. The Stargate was literally in her blood.

"The Academy," she finally told him, swallowing at the bittersweet admission.

Four years.

They would see each other sporadically.

In secret.

It was bad enough that she was an Air Force brat, but being involved with a Lieutenant Colonel at the Pentagon would not be doing her, or much less him, any favors in everyone's eyes. Sam had once told her how hard it had been having a father who was a General while at the Academy. She'd had to fight so many misconceptions, including rumors of nepotism that spawned from jealous cadets that resented her seemingly charmed existence. None of them knew of the long hours, her fractured family, the sacrifices, the hard earned successes.

"Then I guess I'll have to be extra vigilant as the SGC liaison. Keep taking on those treaty negotiations General O'Neill absolutely abhors."

"Then there's med school."

"I hear Georgetown has a great program."

"It's a long wait. You'd be putting your life on hold."

"I don't see it that way."

"What other way can you see it?"

"I'd get to have you at the end of it; and if I play my cards right," he shifted so that he was now partially on top of her, "not everything will be put on hold. That is if you're willing."

She froze at his implication.

He chuckled at her reaction. "I don't mean at this very moment, however tempting," he soothed her with a gentle kiss on her temple.

She blushed deeply and scrambled to explain away her juvenile reaction. She decided to go for broke and be totally honest. He'd find out soon enough anyway.

"I've never gone this far."

Paul was silent for a moment, absorbing her revelation. The very male, possessive part of him was insanely glad she was inexperienced, that he would be the first, and if he had any say in the matter - her only lover, while another part was terrified of the huge responsibility and honor that entailed.

"We'll take it slow," he assured her in a low voice. "We're not gonna do anything you're not ready for."

She looked up at him, his face only inches from hers, the intimacy of the moment making her feel heady with both embarrassment and arousal. "I feel like I'm ready. With you." She stared into his eyes.

He lowered his head so that their foreheads were touching. "You'll know when you are. Until then I'm happy to just hold you like this."

Jacob Carter's first impression of the afterlife was that of monochrome and recycled air. He'd always thought that if he did end up anywhere, it would be either fluffy white clouds and the strumming of harps, or fire, brimstones and pitchforks. Certainly not this bland, temperature controlled greyness that screamed of sterile medical facility.

Then there was the silence. Both within and without.

He tried to feel out Selmak, nudge the old symbiote awake, but there was only silence and loneliness. His thoughts and feelings were his own, and if this was indeed the afterlife, then the Tok'ra had not made it with him, wherever he'd ended up.

Being suddenly alone after almost six years with a constant companion in his head surrounded him with a sense of loss so profound his eyes burned with tears, his throat closing up with grief.

He'd never thought that he would ever feel this sort of bereftness again since the death of his wife. The passing of the years had dulled the ever-present ache in his heart and the years fighting for the freedom of the galaxy had pushed those emotions deep down where it could no longer cripple him with self-loathing and bitterness.

Selmak had softened up his rough edges, imparted him with thousands of years and countless lifetimes of wisdom, convinced him that pride was not something worth holding onto if it meant losing those you held most dear. He'd made peace with his boy and Jack would take care of his little girl. He'd gone into the night with his affairs in order, he had to be satisfied with that.

But it seemed that life wasn't quite done with him yet. He squinted up at the familiar looking alien suddenly hovering over him, peering curiously back with its wide black eyes.

Yas! Jacob is back, but not everything is hanky-dory with dad.