Chapter 10: Thinking

That night, Sam and Jack talked about what they had been doing for the last three weeks.  After a dinner of pizza at the local bar, Sam and Jack took a walk around the town.  When they got back to the base, they headed to Sam's quarters.  She was staying on bas until she had finished painting and moving into her apartment.

"Thank you Jack.  I had a really good time.  I'm glad you dragged me away from my lab," Sam said as she unlocked the door to her quarters.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it.  I did too," Jack told her.

"Would you like some coffee?" Sam asked.

"I would, but I have to fly early tomorrow.  Can I get a rain check?" Jack asked quietly.  He was surprised at how sad he felt about declining the offer. 

"Of course.  I will hold you to that," Sam teased.

"I'll be glad to be held to it.  See you tomorrow Sam.  Goodnight," Jack leaned down and kissed Sam on the cheek.  He quietly turned and walked away.

"Night Jack!" Sam called after him.  She closed her door and leaned against it.  Sam couldn't identify some of the feelings she was having.  She felt happy, surprised and nervous all at the same time.  There were other feelings as well.  Sam decided to dismiss them all.  Jack had just kissed her out of friendship.  He couldn't have any feelings for her.

Jack was having a similar dilemma.  He had been surprised when Sam hadn't hit him for kissing her.  Jack dismissed it, wondering how he felt about Sam.  Jack knew the way he felt about Sam and the way he had felt about Sara were very different.  Jack arrived at his quarters and went to sleep after deciding not to worry about anything

Sam, like Jack, went to sleep deciding not to worry about anything.

Over the next few days, Sam and Jack spent more of their free time together.  They at lunch and dinner together and talked about the project Sam was working on.  Jack was surprised to discover that Sam could explain parts of her project in ways he could actually understand to some extent.  Sam and Jack were quickly becoming close friends. 

The day before Memorial Day, Jacob Carter arrived, bringing Charlie O'Neill with him.  Jack was glad to see his son.  Sam knew how much Jack had missed Charlie.  Sam and Jack spent the day catching up with Jacob about Charlie and Jack's team.

Memorial Day dawned sunny and warm.  Jacob decided he would seek out some of his buddies from his earlier days in the Air Force who lived in the area.  Sam, Jack and Charlie walked around and enjoyed the day together.  Several people mistook Sam as Charlie's mother.  Jacob joined the trio for dinner that night.  After dinner, Jack walked Sam back to her quarters.

"I'll see you tomorrow Sam," Jack said.

"How 'bout some coffee?" Sam offered.

"Sure, I owe you for that rain check don't I?" Jack agreed.

"Come on in.  Sorry about the lack of furniture, most of it's at the apartment, covered by paint cloths," Sam apologized.

"Don't worry about it.  Can I do anything to help?" Jack didn't mind sparse living conditions.  Before he'd gotten married, he'd owned a bed, chair, desk and radio.

"Can you boil some water?  The pots on the stove," Sam pointed to a tea kettle on the small stove top.

"Sure."

While Sam and Jack made the coffee, then drank it, they talked about the next test flight Jack was scheduled to fly, as well as the days activities.

When Jack left an hour later, kissed Sam's cheek on the way out the door.