Chapter 14: Strands of Gold

I wonder what Sam and Jack are doing at the moment.

Sleeping, Daniel. SLEEPING-like you should be, instead of driving down to base trying to convince Teal'c that it was you talking on the phone with him.

Alright, alright…

The two sides of Daniel were conversing again, as they often did when he was alone, and he swerved the car to the right before stopping and getting out.

"Sometimes, Teal'c…" he muttered to himself, before he quickly made his way up to the compound and inside. He led himself down and around a series of halls and corridors, before he finally stopped outside Teal'c's room and knocked on the door. The door opened fully and Teal'c stood there, his face expressionless.

"Daniel Jackson."

"I told you it was me," Daniel said breathlessly, leaning heavily against the doorframe.

"You are a minute and thirty one seconds late," Teal'c stated. Daniel paused, before looking at his watch and then back up at Teal'c.

"It's a minute and thirty one seconds. I guess… I guess my watch is wrong… by a minute and thirty one seconds."

"The person on the phone said you would be here in fifteen minutes. It has been more than fifteen minutes." Daniel stared at him.

"Teal'c, it's me, Daniel. Daniel. I'm here now. It's me!" Teal'c continued to stare at him.

"It's me! It was me on the phone alright? Could we just drop this?" There was a pause, before Teal'c bowed his head slightly in Daniel's direction.

"Good morning, Daniel Jackson."

"Good morning Teal'c!" Finally! Daniel stepped inside and walked around for a bit, before spinning around to see that Teal'c was right behind him, following him closely.

"Teal'c, personal space," Daniel said, pushing him away gently, and Teal'c blinked.

"Personal space?"

"Per… just don't get too close to people, sometimes they can become offended."

"I apologize if I offended you Doctor Jackson."

"No, it's okay, just… personal space. Remember that. So are we going to that thing today?"

"If you so wish. Do you know where it is located?" There was a pause as Daniel suddenly realized that although he knew there was a fair, he had little to no idea of where it was.

"Uhm… no, except that it's near Sam's place." There was another pause.

"Perhaps we could drive to her house and then begin searching from there?" Teal'c asked. There was another pause.

"It's not like we've got anything better to do." Teal'c's mouth jerked into a smile.

"Then, as you humans would say, lead the way." Daniel left the room, biting his lip. It could be worse.

~~~

Through the circular window the sun's rays filtered through the water and into the cabin, lighting it up slightly even though it still remained rather dark. The top figure shifted slightly, before slowly waking up.

What am I lying on?

He looked down as far as his eyes would go without him actually having to *move* to see wisps of blonde hair across the floor, and sniffing just confirmed who he thought it was.

White Musk. Winter Dew.

Sam.

"Dammit," Jack whispered under his breath. Although this was an extremely nice position to be in, he knew that when she woke up and found out that he had fallen asleep on top of her, there would be more tension to poke a stick at.

He didn't exactly need any more tension at the moment. Considering that he had to spend six or seven days on this infernal ship with her, he didn't want things to get uncomfortable.

Especially taking into mind that they would be spending those six or seven days in the same cabin together. Talking together. Joking together. Spending day after day after day together. Sleeping together.

"Not like that," Jack told himself, slowly moving away. He could manage this… only a few more centimeters to go and he would be off of her… she would never remember, never know…

She threw her arms around him and pulled him closer to her.

Shit.

"Mmm," Sam mumbled into his ear, rubbing her cheek against his and pressing her lips against his temple. Jack shut his eyes tightly.

Why did God torment him like this?

He attempted to very carefully pull her arms away from around his back so he could get up, but as soon as his fingers brushed against her wrists they moved their way up to around his head, her fingers rubbing through his hair.

"Mmm…" she mumbled again, before muttering something incoherent.

"Sam!!" Jack whined under his breath. "Let go of me! Please…"

"No one's going to come in here, it's the bathroom…" Sam whispered into his ear, her words slurred and full of sleep, and Jack was smacked with a sudden realization that she was dreaming; the dream apparently taking place in a bathroom.

He wasn't exactly sure whether he wanted to know what the dream was about-more to the point who it was about.

Unless it was him. But that was just wishful thinking.

"Don't leave me here," she murmured, her right hand sliding down his back. Down, down…

Jack was screaming in his head. WHY… GOD, WHY MUST YOU TEASE ME LIKE THIS?!!!

Her fingers had slipped themselves down his pants slightly, her fingers brushing against his… 'upper thigh'.

Maybe if I quickly pull away she'll be so stunned she won't remember what she was doing. She won't remember that her fingers were down my pants. If I just…

"Colonel?"

No such chance.

Jack looked down into Sam's face to see her eyes had fluttered open and she was staring at him with a slightly dazed look on her face.

"Good morning, Carter," he said rather tersely. She stared at him for a moment, her eyebrows furrowing in befuddlement as he felt her fingers move across the hem of his jocks, before she froze as she suddenly realized what she had been doing. Her eyes looked straight into his, her mouth slightly open, before she yanked her hand away and quickly managed to get up, and backed away from him.

"Oh, God, Sir, I am so sorry…" she uttered, her hand flying up to mouth in shock. Jack shook his head, holding up his own hand.

"Sam, don't worry about it, it's okay…"

"No, Sir… I-I didn't know… I put… oh, God, first I get drunk and now this…"

"It wasn't your fault, you were asleep-you had no idea what you were doing."

"That doesn't give me an excuse to put my hand… my hand…"

"Sam!" He had made his way over to her and placed his hands onto her shoulders, and shook her slightly.

"It's okay!" She was still uncertain. Well, that was understandable-if he were her… well…

"Sir, I'm so sorry."

"Stop saying sorry, it's okay."

"I'm… you understand… that… I didn't…"

"Look, I understand, okay Sam?" Jack said. "It doesn't change anything." Sam bit her lip, before she very audibly swallowed and nodded.

"Y-yes Sir."

"Right?"

"Yep. Yes Sir." She stared down at the ground, seemingly still horrified at herself, while Jack watched on, for some reason feeling bad.

He could only imagine how she must be feeling at the moment.

"Sam. Trust me, it's okay. I get it, alright? You were asleep. You didn't know what you were doing." Sam nodded mindlessly, before standing up suddenly.

"Yeah… uhm, Sir, I'm going to go have a shower… or something…"

"Sure, but you've got to do something for me first." She looked down at him, and he noticed tinges of read across her cheeks. Looks like he wasn't the only one who was doing a bit of blushing.

"And what might that be, Sir?"

"Tell me that you're going to forget this ever happened." There was a pause, before a smile played on her lips, despite the way she was feeling at that moment (which admittedly was crap).

"Yes, Sir. I'm… going to the bathroom now…"

"Sure." She left and as the door shut with a soft bang, Jack found a stray strand of her golden hair on his shirt. He gently picked it up and gazed at it, before grinning to himself.

He had to admit-it did feel good. Correction; great. And when he thought about it more, that was probably the real reason why he refrained from pulling away for so long.

He wouldn't be forgetting that in awhile, that was for sure.

~~~

Had to speed it up a little so it might be a little rushed. I might rewrite the end bit, I'm not sure yet. I like it so far, though.