Sam's place was only 15 minutes from the mountain, but across town from where Jack lived - he reached the crossroads where he would have usually turned left towards his place, instead taking the right and meandering through the suburbs to her house.

Jack pulled up right outside, her car was there but her bike wasn't. Maybe she's put it in the garage he thought absentmindedly. He killed the engine to his truck and got out, the night was cold and crisp, he pulled his jacket closer around his body and made for the front door.

It looked like Sam hadn't been there for a while, there was no signs of life, no movement, no lights on and a mailbox brimming with takeout menus and junk mail. He knocked firmly at the door anyway just to make sure, nothing just stillness in the dark of the night.

He sighed, turning back to his truck to consider his next stop. It was then that he heard the low engine rumble of an Indian motorbike. He knew it was her, he'd seen Sam working on the machine in her downtime with Siler. It was a stunning bike and he had yet to convince her to let him try it out, but at this moment he was more worried about the woman sat atop it.

He stepped out of his truck and waited for her to slow her approach. He knew she'd clocked him and pulled in-front of his truck, stretching her leg out to make contact with the ground as she bought the heavy machine to a graceful stop. She flicked out the stand with her toe, sat back in the saddle and killed the engine.

Jack watched her take a breath as he stepped into her view. She paused, her blue eyes steely through the open visor of her helmet. She broke her gaze with him and unclipped the chin strap before lifting the helmet from her head. Suddenly self-conscious she ran her fingers through her hair to tame it, it fell longer than it had been for a while so she relented by hooking it behind her ears and sweeping the fringe away from her eyes.

'What are you doing her, sir' she finally asked.

Jack had been carefully watching her, his heart was racing - he'd known Sam for many years now but this was probably the first time that he'd really unapologetically looked at her for the beautiful woman that she was, his eyes skimmed down her body. She was sat on the Indian wearing her combat boots, green BDU bottoms, a black vest and her black leather jacket zipped to her chest. He blonde hair fell down beyond the nape of her neck now, blue eyes piercing through his soul. God she was beautiful, he was in a trance.

She pulled the key from the ignition and moved to step off the bike. If she noticed the pause in his reply, she didn't let on. She swung her leg over and rested her helmet on the seat.

'I came to see if you're okay' He replied

'I'm not, but you don't need to be here Sir' She replied cooly. 'Did the SF's tell you i'd left the mountain?'

'Yes because i'd ordered them to...' Jack started

'So you're checking up on me now?' She stared at him

'Carter, that's my job...' Jack ran his hand through his hair, this conversation was going nowhere.

'Sir, i need you to go, i can't be around you right now' She tried to make herself sound convincing, tried to retain that thread of military distance that was the only thing keeping her from his arms in that moment. She needed to be standoffish, one small step either way and she would loose the very last of her resolve.

'What is that supposed to mean!' He countered, anger building in his voice. 'You don't think that i feel THIS too?' he gestured between them with his hands.

'Feel WHAT Jack!?' She snapped, finally loosing her cool head. 'Feel responsible? Feel alone? Feel hopeless? Angry? Feel like you're grieving for something that was never there in the first place? - because right now i can't figure out what i feel or what or who i need'

Jack was rarely speechless, his eyes blazed as he assessed the volatility in her voice. He wanted to reach out, pull her into his space to root out the cause of her distress and make things right.

Jack took just a moment too long to respond, spinning on her heel Sam took hold of the handlebars of her bike, regaining its upright position and pushing it forward towards her garage.

'Go home, Sir' she threw the final line over her shoulder like a grenade.

'If i'm leaving here then you're coming with me' He countered

'And why on earth would i do that?' She countered, still holding her bike upright against her thigh.

'Because we need to talk about this before you implode' Jack replied 'and frankly, we've given your neighbours enough of a show tonight don't you think' he pointed his thumb over his shoulder and for the first time Sam noticed the curtains of Mrs Robertson's house twitching not so subtly in the darkness.

'And if i don't want to talk?' She asked

'Then we won't talk, we'll sit... and maybe eat take out and drink beer with Daniel and Teal'c then sleep-impromptu team night' Jack's tone softened hoping that conceding would make Sam do the same.

She stood in the darkness thinking through the few options that she had, stay home in her cold empty house and mope - or go with Jack and let the evening have a different outcome. She already knew she would be leaving with Jack, she just paused long enough to keep him waiting.

'Okay' she said quietly

'Okay?' Jack parroted

'I'll follow you on the bike, i just need to grab a few things first'

'Okay' he replied, pleased that he'd been able to diffuse her slightly.