Thoughts over a pizza slice
Jack was taken aback for a moment and he managed to keep his mouth firmly shut although words were trying to form. In one way if Carter was off the team, he could easily be holding her in his arms right now rather than skirting round the whole matter with light flirting. But Carter off the team. He dread to think. He knew her, was used to having her around. She was the only scientist he actually liked, she understood his need to have things told, written down, and shown in layman's terms. And of course there was the flirting and eye candy. How would he survive without that? Did she realise how close he had been to grabbing her, pulling her over the edge of the sofa too him and having a serious make out session. Ok possibly judging by her reaction as he had neared her and slightly touched her skin she probably did realise but maybe they were verging on stepping into a situation which in the end would prove disastrous.
He looked at her she stood by him and gazed into the night. She was so cute when tipsy. He had seen her drunk before but that was around everyone else and he had not been too far behind. However, he had never been alone when she was in this somewhat slightly drunken state and he wasn't exactly sober himself. She had been pretty far gone when he'd came over and he decided to dispel some of the tingling atmosphere which was rising between them. He folded his arms and stared into the night himself as he spoke.
"So tell me Sam. What's with the old home movie? Decided forty was such a bad age you'd drink yourself to death with a mixture of beer and nostalgia?"
Sam smiled but didn't move her eyes to him.
"One I'm not forty. Two I haven't drank that much.."
"And three?"
Sam sighed and closed her eyes for a moment and wondered whether to tell him the truth. She shook her head and opened her eyes again a part truth escaping her lips.
"I'm a sucker for nostalgia but sometimes the memories can be just a little too much to handle"
Jack hadn't missed her pause or the flash of pain, which crossed her face, but he didn't push the matter Sam however decided to carry on.
"My fifteenth was the last birthday party I had before my mom died"
"Oh, I can see how that could be.."
His words were stopped short as the doorbell rang. Gee's those guys were quick. Sam shook herself from her thoughts and went too answer the door grabbing some money from her purse as she passed it down the hall. She answered the door to a young man who was holding a pizza box.
"Pizza for O'Neill?"
"Yeah thanks"
"There you go Ma'am that's seven dollars please"
Sam went to hand over the cash when a hand snaked over her shoulder holding a ten-dollar bill in its grasp.
"My treat Sam. Keep the change"
"Ah so you're the birthday girl?"
The young man smiled and looked at her inquisitively.
"She sure is" answered Jack "Actually it's tomorrow but we started celebrations early"
The young man grinned an all knowing grin and wiggled his eyebrows. Sam could see where the young mans mind was going and pushed the thought of I WISH from her mind.
"Well have a nice birthday Mrs O'Neill. Don't do anything I wouldn't do"
With that he turned and scooted down the porch steps to his bike parked at the roadside before either of them could correct him. Sam turned pizza box in hand only to come against the wall of Jack's body behind her. She waited as he retreated into the hall and kicked the door closed behind her following him into the kitchen setting the box on the counter. Moving around him she pulled two plates from the cupboard and settled herself on one of the high stools by the counter as Jack opened the pizza box. Silence ensued as they ate. Sam realised she didn't have anything really to offer too drink although maybe it was time for some coffee. She leaned over and flicked the switch of the kettle and pulled another slice of pizza from the box, she raised her eyes to find Jack watching her intently.
"What?" she managed to mumble mouth half filled with pizza.
He grinned cheekily and shook his head lightly.
"Nothing"
Sam shrugged and placing the half-eaten pizza on her plate pulled out two mugs from the cupboard.
"Coffee?"
"Please"
Sam grinned to herself as she poured the coffees. Give them a couple of drinks and a pizza and they were reduced to a one-syllable conversation. Maybe the coffee would help clear that up. She passed Jack a mug and settled back onto her seat. Jack leaned over the counter watching her and she felt intensely aware of his gaze as she feigned an air of complete engrossment in the pizza on her plate. Jack smiled and leaned closer. This was turning into a very mundane evening. Sam seemed pre occupied with something and he was determined to at least have a little fun tonight until she decided to say what was on her mind.
"Oh Carter?"
Well at least one of them had moved from one syllable to two. She lifted her eyes and looked at him questioningly.
"Yeah?"
"Truth or dare?"
Jack was taken aback for a moment and he managed to keep his mouth firmly shut although words were trying to form. In one way if Carter was off the team, he could easily be holding her in his arms right now rather than skirting round the whole matter with light flirting. But Carter off the team. He dread to think. He knew her, was used to having her around. She was the only scientist he actually liked, she understood his need to have things told, written down, and shown in layman's terms. And of course there was the flirting and eye candy. How would he survive without that? Did she realise how close he had been to grabbing her, pulling her over the edge of the sofa too him and having a serious make out session. Ok possibly judging by her reaction as he had neared her and slightly touched her skin she probably did realise but maybe they were verging on stepping into a situation which in the end would prove disastrous.
He looked at her she stood by him and gazed into the night. She was so cute when tipsy. He had seen her drunk before but that was around everyone else and he had not been too far behind. However, he had never been alone when she was in this somewhat slightly drunken state and he wasn't exactly sober himself. She had been pretty far gone when he'd came over and he decided to dispel some of the tingling atmosphere which was rising between them. He folded his arms and stared into the night himself as he spoke.
"So tell me Sam. What's with the old home movie? Decided forty was such a bad age you'd drink yourself to death with a mixture of beer and nostalgia?"
Sam smiled but didn't move her eyes to him.
"One I'm not forty. Two I haven't drank that much.."
"And three?"
Sam sighed and closed her eyes for a moment and wondered whether to tell him the truth. She shook her head and opened her eyes again a part truth escaping her lips.
"I'm a sucker for nostalgia but sometimes the memories can be just a little too much to handle"
Jack hadn't missed her pause or the flash of pain, which crossed her face, but he didn't push the matter Sam however decided to carry on.
"My fifteenth was the last birthday party I had before my mom died"
"Oh, I can see how that could be.."
His words were stopped short as the doorbell rang. Gee's those guys were quick. Sam shook herself from her thoughts and went too answer the door grabbing some money from her purse as she passed it down the hall. She answered the door to a young man who was holding a pizza box.
"Pizza for O'Neill?"
"Yeah thanks"
"There you go Ma'am that's seven dollars please"
Sam went to hand over the cash when a hand snaked over her shoulder holding a ten-dollar bill in its grasp.
"My treat Sam. Keep the change"
"Ah so you're the birthday girl?"
The young man smiled and looked at her inquisitively.
"She sure is" answered Jack "Actually it's tomorrow but we started celebrations early"
The young man grinned an all knowing grin and wiggled his eyebrows. Sam could see where the young mans mind was going and pushed the thought of I WISH from her mind.
"Well have a nice birthday Mrs O'Neill. Don't do anything I wouldn't do"
With that he turned and scooted down the porch steps to his bike parked at the roadside before either of them could correct him. Sam turned pizza box in hand only to come against the wall of Jack's body behind her. She waited as he retreated into the hall and kicked the door closed behind her following him into the kitchen setting the box on the counter. Moving around him she pulled two plates from the cupboard and settled herself on one of the high stools by the counter as Jack opened the pizza box. Silence ensued as they ate. Sam realised she didn't have anything really to offer too drink although maybe it was time for some coffee. She leaned over and flicked the switch of the kettle and pulled another slice of pizza from the box, she raised her eyes to find Jack watching her intently.
"What?" she managed to mumble mouth half filled with pizza.
He grinned cheekily and shook his head lightly.
"Nothing"
Sam shrugged and placing the half-eaten pizza on her plate pulled out two mugs from the cupboard.
"Coffee?"
"Please"
Sam grinned to herself as she poured the coffees. Give them a couple of drinks and a pizza and they were reduced to a one-syllable conversation. Maybe the coffee would help clear that up. She passed Jack a mug and settled back onto her seat. Jack leaned over the counter watching her and she felt intensely aware of his gaze as she feigned an air of complete engrossment in the pizza on her plate. Jack smiled and leaned closer. This was turning into a very mundane evening. Sam seemed pre occupied with something and he was determined to at least have a little fun tonight until she decided to say what was on her mind.
"Oh Carter?"
Well at least one of them had moved from one syllable to two. She lifted her eyes and looked at him questioningly.
"Yeah?"
"Truth or dare?"