AN: It's not that I don't want to write. It's just really hot in my store so I come home exhausted at night and just want a shower and dinner and to fall into bed. Don't worry. I'm still working on stuff and as soon as I get my next bigger story back from my BETA reader I'll have something to post every couple of days for a while but she started a new job so she's tired too and I am not a nag. Mostly.
Jack hasn't necessarily warmed up to Jonas. He just doesn't have anyone else to talk to now.
"Do it. I dare you." – Episode 18"I just don't see what the big deal is." Jonas said seemingly indifferently. He and Jack were at a dive bar on the edge of town that Jack and Daniel used to frequent when they needed to talk but didn't want to make a big deal about it.
"The big deal… Jonas… Is that I'm her boss. The military tends to look down on that kind of thing." Jack said pointedly and took another long drink from his beer. He'd brought Jonas here because he'd kept bringing up the weird vibe Sam and Jack gave off currently which was Jack being closed off and Sam grieving for Daniel while feeling jilted.
"It's not like no one else on Base is doing exactly what you want to and you can't tell me Hammond doesn't know because he totally knows." Jonas said and sipped his whiskey sour.
"It's not the same." Jack said with a shrug.
"Why?"
Jack sighed. "Carter has a chance at some stars in a way most of the rest of us don't. I don't want to screw that up for her." He said unusually candidly to the younger man.
Why are you so sure you two would get caught?" Jonas said pointedly with a grin. "You're both pretty smart." He said confidently.
Jack gave him a dour look.
"Right. No telling people Jack is smart. Got it." He said and saluted Jack which just made him frown harder.
Jonas' shoulders slumped for a moment in defeat. "I don't get what the big deal is." He said almost petulantly.
Jack sighed. "Do you have any idea how much paperwork they would make me do if they found out?"
Jonas thought for a moment. He did quite a lot of paperwork himself as did Sam. "Oh."
"Yah. Oh." Jack said pointedly and stabbing his finger at the table.
Jonas sat and thought for a long moment while Jack drank his beer. It wasn't like the idea hadn't crossed Jack's mind after all. He'd asked Sam to join him at the cabin more than once with less than innocent motivations for doing so. But he'd done so knowing the probability of her taking that kind of risk no matter how calculated was low. She wouldn't go to his cabin because everyone would know they left base to go up north. Whereas if they just hung out as friends like they already did and things progressed past cuddling and hair nuzzles…
No. It was a terrible idea. He felt guilty just considering the possibility. He meant it when he'd said he didn't want to screw up her chances but it wasn't just because she might make General some day. It was because he didn't want her to hate him for being the one that did that to her. Because he loves her and doesn't want her to look at him like she'd looked at Hanson those last moments of the other man's life. With pity and… disgust.
"So…"
Jack sighed. Some days Jonas was actually worse than Daniel.
He made a get on with it motion with his hand. The sooner Jonas got this out of his system the sooner things could go back to Jack pretending he's not in love with his second in command.
"I just had a thought."
"And so? Therefore?" Jack asked with a Sam Carter worthy eye-roll.
Jonas leaned forward. "I hear it's an old earth tradition."
Jack tilted his head and frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Do it. I dare you." Jonas said triumphantly.
The look Jack gave him was more than a little startled. If he was thirty years younger talking about a crush he'd have risen to that bait.
It did not escape his notice that he still had the strong urge to do so.
Jonas grinned at Jack triumphantly.
Jack frowned into his beer. "Drink your girly booze Jonas." He told the other man without commenting on the dare.