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Jack shifted his gaze easily back and forth from the road ahead to Sam in the passenger seat. She sucked in a deep breath and wiped the tears from her eyes. He chuckled softly at her shuddered "Oh, God..."
She sat with her back in the corner created by the seat and the door, her knees drawn up to her chest. Jack wished he could see her face better, willing to bet her cheeks were flushed and her lips spread in a wide smile. Sam took a couple more minutes to control her breathing before she spoke.
"What did your CO do when he found out?"
Jack grinned. "He said he was glad the Lieutenant and I were able to work our personal issues out between us."
Sam's laughter filled the car again, and Jack found it infectious. She straightened one knee and tapped his hip with the toe of her shoe – a playful nudge that did more than just make him smile.
"Sir, I am amazed sometimes at how you ever made Colonel."
He tried to sound shocked. "Excuse me?"
"I have never met anyone who can be as good a leader as you, and still have such a blatant disregard for authority."
He heard the teasing in her voice, but liked the earnest tone that lay beneath. "Yeah, well..." was the only explanation he gave.
Comfortable silence settled in the car after that. The sound of motion with the slight strains of music on the radio, so low only the melody could be heard. Sam drew in a long, deep breath – letting it out slowly.
"What was that sigh for?"
"Nothing, sir. Just... relaxing."
"I think we can drop the 'sir' for the weekend, Carter. I doubt there will be many women at this thing calling their dates 'sir'."
"Oh, and I'm sure that most men will refer to their companions by their last name or rank?" A subtle laugh laced her words.
"Point taken. So, what are the plans for the weekend?"
Sam shifted, turning to face forward again. The close proximity was broken, and Jack found himself missing it. Nothing new there.
"Erin's parents are hosting a cook-out at their house tomorrow for the whole day. Then the rehearsal tomorrow night followed by dinner. The wedding is Sunday afternoon at 1600. Are you sure you want to do this, Jack?"
He glanced at her, only barely making out the definition of her features in the darkness. "Do what?"
"The whole weekend. Hanging out with people you don't know... who don't know you."
"I'm a great people person."
Sam laughed softly. He liked it when she laughed, loved it when he was the one making her do it.
"What?" he asked, as deadpan as possible.
"Sorry. Of course... your people skills far surpass any diplomat I have ever met."
"Is that sarcasm?"
"Never!" She paused, and from the corner of his eye, he saw her watching him. "They're also going to assume things."
"Assume what?"
"That you and I are together."
Jack shrugged. "Let them think what they want." He swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. "We know the truth."
She didn't say anything for several moments, then he heard her small intake of breath. "Yeah. We know the truth."
Jack shifted his gaze easily back and forth from the road ahead to Sam in the passenger seat. She sucked in a deep breath and wiped the tears from her eyes. He chuckled softly at her shuddered "Oh, God..."
She sat with her back in the corner created by the seat and the door, her knees drawn up to her chest. Jack wished he could see her face better, willing to bet her cheeks were flushed and her lips spread in a wide smile. Sam took a couple more minutes to control her breathing before she spoke.
"What did your CO do when he found out?"
Jack grinned. "He said he was glad the Lieutenant and I were able to work our personal issues out between us."
Sam's laughter filled the car again, and Jack found it infectious. She straightened one knee and tapped his hip with the toe of her shoe – a playful nudge that did more than just make him smile.
"Sir, I am amazed sometimes at how you ever made Colonel."
He tried to sound shocked. "Excuse me?"
"I have never met anyone who can be as good a leader as you, and still have such a blatant disregard for authority."
He heard the teasing in her voice, but liked the earnest tone that lay beneath. "Yeah, well..." was the only explanation he gave.
Comfortable silence settled in the car after that. The sound of motion with the slight strains of music on the radio, so low only the melody could be heard. Sam drew in a long, deep breath – letting it out slowly.
"What was that sigh for?"
"Nothing, sir. Just... relaxing."
"I think we can drop the 'sir' for the weekend, Carter. I doubt there will be many women at this thing calling their dates 'sir'."
"Oh, and I'm sure that most men will refer to their companions by their last name or rank?" A subtle laugh laced her words.
"Point taken. So, what are the plans for the weekend?"
Sam shifted, turning to face forward again. The close proximity was broken, and Jack found himself missing it. Nothing new there.
"Erin's parents are hosting a cook-out at their house tomorrow for the whole day. Then the rehearsal tomorrow night followed by dinner. The wedding is Sunday afternoon at 1600. Are you sure you want to do this, Jack?"
He glanced at her, only barely making out the definition of her features in the darkness. "Do what?"
"The whole weekend. Hanging out with people you don't know... who don't know you."
"I'm a great people person."
Sam laughed softly. He liked it when she laughed, loved it when he was the one making her do it.
"What?" he asked, as deadpan as possible.
"Sorry. Of course... your people skills far surpass any diplomat I have ever met."
"Is that sarcasm?"
"Never!" She paused, and from the corner of his eye, he saw her watching him. "They're also going to assume things."
"Assume what?"
"That you and I are together."
Jack shrugged. "Let them think what they want." He swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. "We know the truth."
She didn't say anything for several moments, then he heard her small intake of breath. "Yeah. We know the truth."