AN: And now for some light shippy goodness. A friend of mine once pointed out that the only thing more disconcerting than a villian laughing was an author laughing. *laughs in author*

Chapter 7

Things went more or less back to normal at that point. Daniel and Teal'c noticed immediately that Jack was no longer sullen and broody on the rides to work in the morning.

"So what happened?" Daniel asked Jack.

"About what?" Jack asked in false confusion.

"About your estranged relationship with Samantha, O'Neill." Teal'c said pointedly.

"Ah… everything's fine." Jack hedged.

"There was an awful lot of giggling last night after they went to bed." Daniel informed Teal'c.

"I was unaware O'Neill giggled, Daniel Jackson."

Jack slunk lower in his seat, his arms crossed over his chest as he pouted a little. "Is this really necessary?" He grumped.

"We have been very concerned about your emotional state, O'Neill."

"I appreciate the concern big guy but Sam and I are fine." He assured Teal'c.

"That is good to know." Teal'c said pleasantly.

"So what happens when we get home?" Daniel finally asked.

Jack sighed. "Oh, I probably get carted off to the brig for my big date with a tribunal for compromising my second in command."

"Well that's just ridiculous. You were both forced Jack."

"I know that." Jack snapped at him.

"Well, don't think I'll lie and tell them you consented because you went out of your way to not do it." Daniel said with a peeved huff.

"Thanks Danny." Jack said with a bemused smile. "I appreciate the support."

Daniel waved vaguely in dismissal. It was a stupid rule anyway in his opinion but more so that neither could say no unless Sam wanted to be raped by random strangers.

Jack and Sam were a little shy with each other after that. Not quite certain how to handle having given each other permission to care but Jack at least was no longer sullen and a bear to be around and Sam was no longer shredding her lower lip, biting it with worry non-stop.

But their sex life was almost tentative. They knew they still had to engage each other sexually every few days as the medical staff was checking her to ensure they hadn't stopped again… and if Jack was honest with himself, he enjoyed the feel of her. Enjoyed holding and kissing her after even more… it was bringing up the topic that was a bone of contention for a couple weeks until she turned him down to avoid getting pregnant. By the time she gave him the 'all clear', he was almost rough with her and she responded in kind, urged on his aggressive desire to claim her body.

After they lay panting and sweaty, Sam started to giggle a little.

"What?" He asked in confusion.

"Well…" she snickered. "We went years wondering what having sex with each other would be like."

He hummed. That wasn't entirely true but the one incident didn't count because they had been hopped up on chemicals and the other times had been more like aggressive making out as it was too cold to remove their clothing to any degree. They had never willingly genuinely consummated their feelings, fully aware of their actions before. "You have a hickey." He said finally.

"Where?"

"Here." He said with an amused smile and purposely gave her one just above where her work uniform would cover it.

"Jack!" She said laughing but squirmed against him, anyway, knowing it would just turn him on more.

He kissed her slowly. "So after my court-martial, wanna get married?" He asked he flippantly.

"Jack?" Her eyes went wide.

"I mean no is okay, we could shack up."

Sam squeaked in surprise. "You're serious." It wasn't a question.

Jack made an exasperated face. "Ok, you were right about us being compromised before already. They're probably going to push us out for how we feel about each other anyway, Sam…"

"What if the condition of us not losing our positions is we can't be together?"

Jack looked deep in her eyes. "Then I'll retire."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." He agreed and claimed her mouth again.

"No regrets?" She asked, pulling back slightly, concern in her eyes.

"Not even one… okay... one… I should have done it three years ago when I realized how I feel about you." He admitted.

"Jack, we both know our duty to save everyone from the Goa'uld came first for both of us. You don't have to retire. We can wait a while longer."

Jack sighed though. "What if it never ends Sam? What if no matter how hard we try, the Goa'uld just keep coming until the next crop of kids takes our places."

She looked at him thoughtfully. "Well… the thing is, Jack… I'm okay with just being very discreet about things. I'll miss falling asleep with you, holding you… but… it's still more than we had before." She said, thinking about their long looks of understanding and frustration.

"So… we just act professional and pretend we aren't ripping each other's clothes off in our down time?"

"Something like that." She agreed with a smile and nuzzled his neck. "We'll figure something out, Jack." Her fingers squeezed his rear and she raked him with her fingernails lightly enough to be erotic instead of painful. "Think of it like an undercover mission."

Jack chuckled. "Why didn't I think of that years ago?"

"You didn't ask my opinion." She told him and wiggled against him suggestively.

"For future reference, it is always okay to make sexual suggestions to me Sam. Especially undercover ones." Jack wiggled his eyebrows, making Sam laugh.

"Duly noted… sir." She said with a smirk. Calling him sir while they lay together made his reaction to that word on her lips abundantly clear. She giggled a little when he shifted to a more comfortable position.

"Fine… if I admit you calling me sir while we're naked turns me on, will you hold it against me?"

Sam giggled helplessly at that.

Jack grinned. In spite of their current situation, some good had come of this. They would have gone on indefinitely ignoring their mutual feelings without being forced to compromise or have a discussion and would have hurt each other terribly. They had to get out of here first… but they would figure out a way to make this work… somehow.

The next morning they were completely relaxed with each other and Daniel and Teal'c gave them knowing looks which made both Jack and Sam pointedly take great interest in their breakfast to the exclusion of everything else… but his hand crept under the table to squeeze her leg as he cut his eyes to her and gave her an amused little smile before going back to eating.