Jack adjusted his hat and then clapped his hands together.
"Alright, Carter! Are you ready to go fishing?"
Sam smiled at the excitement in his voice and turned to look at him.
"I–"
She stopped abruptly as she took in his appearance and started to laugh. He was smiling at her in that boyish way of his, but what had amused her the most was that he was wearing the bucket hat Jo had bought for him at the zoo. He looked ridiculous, yet he looked so pleased with himself.
"You look –"
"Easy," he warned.
"– perfect for a day of fishing. In a pond with no fish," she added cheekily.
"Yeah, yeah," he drawled, "let's see whose laughing when you see the size of the bass around here."
Daniel and Teal'c arrived shortly after four in the afternoon, laden down with enough food, drink, and bug repellent to keep them going for a few weeks, never mind the few days they had left at the cabin.
When they had stored the supplies and had a drink, the four of them divided up tasks and set about preparing dinner. Conversation was kept to what had occurred on the guys' drive to the cabin, as well as more general subjects, and when asked what they had been up to since their arrival in Minnesota, Jack and Sam simply said they had gone fishing.
They had agreed that while they would tell their friends about the change in their relationship over dinner, they would also ask them to keep the news to themselves for now. Both Sam and Jack wanted to do things properly and submit the paperwork next week when they returned to the SGC; Sam would sign her transfer papers and Jack would send them through to Hammond to set their plan in motion. They also had – aside from agreeing that they didn't want a fuss – yet to discuss their upcoming wedding but they thought that once they'd spoken to Daniel and Teal'c, it'd be easier to organize.
So, until they sat down to dinner, the couple were content to act normally around each other. They flirted and were at ease in the other's company, but they didn't overstep any boundaries – and Sam's engagement ring was stored securely among her possessions in the guestroom.
Sam was convinced the guys knew something had happened but she couldn't prove it and she knew Daniel wasn't sure whether, or how, he should ask. But the moment the archaeologist had arrived at the cabin, his gaze had shifted between her and Jack a couple of times before he moved to meet them. She'd caught him staring at them both a few times over the past hour as well, but she refused to give anything away. She then darted a glance at Teal'c and resisted the urge to smile. If the Jaffa was helping their teammate with his investigation, he was at least being more discreet.
"OK, campers," Jack said as he grabbed the tray of meat and turned to go outside, "I'm going to check on the grill."
He disappeared and Sam reached for the bowl of salad. They'd decided to have dinner outside. "Do you want me to take those as well, Daniel?" She asked.
Daniel pulled his gaze from the back door, to Sam, and then to the bottles of sauce she was pointing at.
"Oh, uh, no. It's OK," Daniel smiled. "I've got them."
Sam held his gaze for a moment before she nodded. "OK." She then looked to Teal'c and smiled. "Teal'c, do you need help with anything?"
"Thank you Samantha Carter, but I am content for the moment to remain here. I shall, however, acquire a selection of beverages for our evening meal."
"Uh, yeah. I'm gonna – I'm gonna help him with that," Daniel nodded.
She glanced between the two of them suspiciously for a moment and then turned and headed for the back door.
"We'll follow you out in a minute," Daniel called as she disappeared around the side of the cabin.
He counted to three, shared a look with Teal'c, and then inched his way closer to the kitchen window.
"You're still too tense," Jack said, "you need to relax."
He watched Sam for a few more seconds before he set down the barbecue tongs and made his way towards the pond where Sam had picked up her fishing pole and decided to try it again while she waited on dinner because – despite Jack's promise that it was easy – fishing had not come naturally to her.
"C'mere, let me show you," he offered as he stepped up behind her.
Sam tried not to react as Jack's arms came to settle on hers. She knew her teammates – Daniel, mostly – would be watching from inside the cabin but then Jack angled their bodies slightly closer towards the dock and away from the window. She smirked; obviously Jack had the same suspicions. He also knew Daniel would be watching but from their new position, Sam was able to enjoy the closeness of Jack's body against hers, and rest assured that it wouldn't look too suspicious from their friend's vantage point.
When Jack's hands covered hers, it pulled Sam from her thoughts and she jumped.
"Relax, Samantha," he murmured, his lips brushing against her ear. She closed her eyes at the sensation as Jack adjusted her hold on the fishing rod. He chuckled and Sam turned to face to him.
"Will you relax?" he teased, "It's not a weapon you're holding onto, you know."
"Wh-"
"I can see the whites of your knuckles, Carter. Loosen your grip."
She blushed at his observation but did as he asked. When Jack nodded, Sam tried to focus.
"You need to hold it like this –" he said as he moved her hand.
"And then –" Jack shifted slightly and lifted one of her arms higher as he pulled it back towards him.
"Whenever you go to cast it –" He then ran one of his hands along her arm as he repositioned it, and smirked when she inhaled sharply at the contact.
"You can follow through with your shoulder –" Jack's hands continued to rest on hers as he took the lead and they cast the line together and watched it hit the water.
"Nice," he whistled.
And it was nice, Sam agreed, because the movement also brought Jack closer to her and as she turned her head, her lips almost met his. She was tempted to quickly lean in and steal a kiss, only she caught Jack's smug smile as he licked his lips.
"Do you remember how to reel it back in?" he asked after a beat.
She smiled. "Yes. Thank you, Jack."
"I'm going to go and check on dinner," he said as he cleared his throat and took a step backwards. "You stay here and – keep fishing."
Sam turned her attention back to the pond.
"Fishing," she smirked.
