Walking back over to her side he sat on the bed next to her and took her hand in his and waited for her to wake up…

Sam hurt everywhere—whether that was a good thing or a bad thing had yet to be determined.

She was still under the effect of the heavy medication that lingered in her system when she started moving her toes and fingers to asses her injuries: moving toes didn't hurt--this was a good sign. But as she moved her fingers she noticed something—someone else's fingers were entwined with her own.

She fought against her heavy eyelids as she opened her eyes. At first the darkness was all around her. Then, ever so slowly the shadows became figures and the closest figure to her was not what she expected to see—Jack O'Neill was sitting at her side and holding her hand.

The last thing she remembered clearly was being carried to the infirmary aboard the Prometheus. She remembered that she had been hallucinating and one of the last people she talked to was Jack—was she still hallucinating?

"Jack?" Her voice was weak and quivered as she strained to see him—it was just as he remembered.

"I'm here." He lifted her hand to his chest as he moved closer to the front of the bed. He couldn't help but smile down at her—he had never seen her look more beautiful.

"Am I hallucinating again?"

"No, you're not hallucinating." He reached out and brushed the hair away from her face. Any other day the expression on her face would have caused him to walk away quietly or offer up some sarcastic comment before he bolted down the hallway—but that was yesterday, not today…

"What's happened?"

As he ignored the questioning look in her eyes—he ignored the question and continued. "I want to take you somewhere."

"Now?"

"When you get released." He had let his fingers run into her hair.

"Where?" A part of her wanted to stay in his arms where it was safe and warm. The other part of her was wondering just what had gotten into Jack O'Neill.

"It's a surprise…" He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and stood from the bed. "I'm glad you're okay—you had me worried."

It was two days until Sam was released from the infirmary. But Jack used the time wisely—and got his affairs in order before picking her up.

She was able to walk and insisted on walking off base without any assistance. Jack was behind her the whole way—his hand resting on the small of her back the entire way to his truck.

As she stepped up into his truck, Jack was about to close the door when she reached out and laid her hand on his arm.

"You okay?" He asked, once again stepping closer to her than he normally would—he couldn't help it, he could barely keep himself from pulling her into his arms and kissing her for the rest of his days.

"I'm alright, but—what's going on?"

"It's a surprise…" He said touching her hand with his own and closing the door.

The ride was quite and Sam asked only a few questions—which Jack did not answer.

The ride ended near the lake—but by then Sam had long since fallen asleep.

Jack didn't have the heart to wake her and easily took her into his arms and carried her to the lakeside where two chairs and a small table sat on the edge of the water.

She woke as he neared the shoreline. Lifting her head off his shoulder she looked around slowly taking in her surroundings—she had never seen this place before.

"Morning." Jack whispered as he let her head fall back to his shoulder.

"Where are we?"

"A place I've wanted to show you for a long time." He sat her down in the chair and pulled the second chair until he could sit knee to knee with her. "I've been doing a lot of thinking since you disappeared and came back." He was resting his hands on her knees as though it were second nature.

"What has gotten into you?" She asked leaning forward and keeping her hands inches from his as she rested them on her lap.

"I have some things to say…and I'm going to mess it all up and it's going to come out all wrong—so please, just listen." She nodded and smiled gently as he adjusted in his seat and took her hands in his own. For a split second he forgot everything he had practiced to say—then he looked into her eyes and realized what he had never known—he didn't need to say anything at all. In one motion he fell to his knees before her and pulled her to the edge of her seat. He rested his hands at her neck as he rested his forehead against hers. "I love you."

Sam was speechless. Even though she had pictured this moment happening before—she never actually thought it would happen. In fact—from the time she spent on the Prometheus, she was resigned to the fact that she would have to let him go and move on—but now everything she had wanted—everything she had dreamed of was right before her and loving her.

Reaching for him she slid from the chair and rested on her knees as she wrapped her arms about his shoulders. She held him close and buried her face in his neck as she felt tears stinging her eyes.

He could feel that she was crying and pulled her back to see tears streaming down her cheeks.

" I didn't want to make you cry." He said brushing the tears from her cheeks. "It's the last time—I swear."

To be continued???