Chapter Two

Clutching the sheet to her bare chest, Sam sat bolt upright and forced herself to look at the bed beside her.

Oh God. She wasn't dreaming. This was really happening. Lying comfortably on the mattress next to her was the bare, well-muscled form of General Jack O'Neill. The same sheet she clutched to her breast was draped over his hips. Sam abruptly stopped moving when she realized that every tug on it threatened to dislodge the fabric from his body. As her eyes took in the chiseled plains of his face, Sam was suddenly bombarded by images of the night before. Everything came back in a rush. If she'd somehow prayed that their presence here together was somehow less incriminating than it appeared, her fuzzy but unmistakable memories quickly squashed those hopes into nothingness. This was exactly what it looked like. And she had to get up and dressed before Jack woke up.

As if receiving some telepathic signal, Jack's eyelids gently fluttered open. His deep brown eyes skimmed Sam's face before softly drifting shut. A fraction of a second later, they flew back open as O'Neill sat up in bed with a yelp of surprise.

"Carter? What the hell are you doing in my bed?"

"Well, actually, sir," Sam cleared her throat delicately, "I think you're in my bed."

Jack started to scramble out of bed, when he abruptly stopped. "Carter, where are my clothes?"

Certain she was blushing a deep crimson, Sam pointed to the floor beside the bed. "Right there, sir. With mine."

Jack blinked and rubbed the bridge of his nose. The reality of the situation seemed to be sinking in. Looking at Sam, he opened his mouth as if to speak, and then shut it. He paused, swallowed, and tried again. "How much of last night do you remember?"

She averted her eyes. "It's all a little fuzzy, sir."

"Yeah." Jack ran a hand through his thick, steel-grey hair. "Me too." Trying to appear casual, but failing miserably, he glanced at Sam again. "Carter, did we... ah..."

Suppressing a wince, Sam nodded. "Yes, sir. That, I remember."

Quirking an eyebrow, Jack nodded. "I thought so, but I just wanted to be sure." Taking a deep breath, he flopped back down on the mattress. "Oh boy." Suddenly, he sat upright in bed again. "Carter, if we were addled enough to let this happen, I'm pretty sure we weren't clearheaded enough to... you know... use anything."

Sam took a deep breath. "Not a problem, sir. I've, ah, got that covered." She'd been using birth control pills regularly since she and Pete had started dating.

Pete.

Oh God. Pete. How was she ever going to explain this to him?

Jack, oblivious to the new expression of horror on Sam's face, lowered himself back onto the mattress. "Well, at least that's one thing we can cross off the list." He glanced over at Sam and noticed her obvious distress. "Hey, are you all right?" Despite his general cluelessness, he did sound genuinely concerned about her.

Sam just nodded, feeling a little dizzy. "Yes, sir." She tried to work some moisture back into her mouth.

"Carter, would you quit calling me 'Sir?' Given the present circumstances, it's a little creepy." Seeing her look of surprise, he couldn't suppress a small smile. "At least until I'm not naked anymore."

Sam smiled back at him. "Yes, sir. Uh, I mean Jack." Blinking, she shook her head. "Okay, that felt really weird."

Jack raised an eyebrow at her. "We're lying in the same bed without a stitch of clothing to be found on either of us, and calling me 'Jack' feels weird?" He paused. "What's the matter with us, Carter?"

She shot him a wry look. "I don't hear you calling me 'Samantha,' either."

"Good point." He acceded. Then, as an afterthought, he added, "Samantha." Meeting her gaze, he shook his head. "Yeah, you're right. That does feel weird."

She chuckled. Then, looking into his eyes, she grew serious and took a deep breath. "I'm guessing there was something besides alcohol in that drink last night. Obviously, no one is going to hold you responsible for anything that happened."

Seeing her eyes darken with anxiety, Jack sat up and reached out to brush a lock of hair from her face. "Don't be ridiculous, Sam." He swallowed, but didn't back down. "Whatever we had to drink last night, I take full responsibility for my actions. Carter –" He blinked and corrected himself. "Samantha, we're both adults here. Obviously this is something that's been brewing between us for a long time. Our judgment may have been clouded by that concoction, but we weren't so out-of-it that we had no idea what we were doing. It's not like I ended up back here with High Councilor Shinsall." He made a face at the mental picture that conjured up. Sam couldn't help chuckling. Looking more relaxed, Jack smiled at her, affection evident in his tone. Then he grew serious. "This thing between us, Sam... it can't be. We know that. But part of me is glad it happened just this once."

Feeling herself choke up a bit, Sam looked away. Just this once. Sighing, she knew he was right. Regulations were what they were. Unless she somehow removed herself from Jack's chain of command, any continuation of this was completely off-limits. In truth, they could be court-martialed for what had already occurred. She and Jack had worked very hard to leave their personal feelings for each other out of their professional relationship. She believed they had been mostly successful. Certainly, there was obvious affection between them, but no more than that shared by all the members of SG-1. They were family to each other.

This, however, changed things. She knew it. Leaving those feelings at the door was suddenly going to be a lot more difficult. "Jack," she said hesitantly, "when we get back, I think I'm going to need some space from you for a while. It shouldn't draw too much attention, since you're no longer an active member of SG-1."

Jack nodded. His expression was uncharacteristically solemn. "I understand, Sam." He took a deep breath, looking intently into her eyes. "I suppose I should say I'm sorry this happened. Thing is, I'm really not." A half-smile twitched across his lips. "Mostly, I'm just sorry I don't remember it." Then he paused, looking serious again. "I suppose that should make it a little easier on us – not remembering, that is."

Sam swallowed hard and forced herself to nod. If it made him feel better to think she had no memories of last night, she'd do her best to let him believe it. But it was a lie, plain and simple. Though her recollections were a bit fuzzy and dream-like, she could still recall every detail of their time together. He'd kissed her tenderly and called her by her first name. He'd made her feel cherished and special. Most importantly, he'd said he didn't understand how they could have ignored their feelings for each other for so long. He'd claimed that being with her was more important than anything else in his life, and that he needed her to be there with him in the future.

Obviously, with the effects of the Ka'Shakk wearing off, Jack was beginning to feel the pressures of his obligation to the Air Force and the SGC. Sam could understand that. She felt the same obligation. Nothing she could do outside the SGC would be as important as the things she could do within it. Still, part of her longed to be free of those restrictions. She suddenly recalled a past mission in which she'd come face-to-face with the Samantha Carter who existed in a universe parallel to her own. That Sam had never joined the Air Force, but had instead worked with the SGC as a civilian, much like Daniel. And, not surprisingly, that Sam had been married to Jack O'Neill. Sadly, in that universe, Jack had not survived. It seemed that no matter what reality she lived in, Sam and Jack were destined to be apart, despite the undeniably strong feelings between them.

Seeing the pain in Sam's features, Jack gently reached over and cupped her face. Leaning forward, he brushed a single, soft kiss on her lips before releasing her. "I'm gonna get dressed now, and see if I can't sneak back to my bedroom without alerting Daniel and Teal'c."

Eyes widening, Sam darted a glance at the closed door that led from her bedroom to the common living area which connected the SG-1 suite. Closing her eyes, she dropped back onto the bed, silently praying that neither of the others were awake. "I hadn't thought of that," she muttered.

Jack smiled and started to roll out of bed. "I wouldn't worry too much. Daniel usually sleeps late, and Teal'c is probably meditating." Suddenly stopping, he looked down at Sam. "Uh, Carter...?"

She gazed at him expectantly. "Yes?"

"Could you, uh... not look?"

Laughing, Sam obediently closed her eyes. "Yes, sir." As Jack dropped the sheet and walked over to her side of the bed where his clothing lay, Sam was proud of herself for only sneaking a quick peek.

................................................................................

Quietly shutting the door to Sam's bedroom, Jack let out a deep breath and leaned heavily against the doorframe. So much for a few carefree days away from base. Last night had quite possibly been the biggest professional mistake of his whole career – and he'd made quite a few. Unfortunately, he really couldn't muster up much guilt over it. Even more unfortunately, memories of the previous night were beginning to creep back into his head. At first, he'd had little or no recollection of anything past his first glass of Ka'Shakk. But the more he'd looked at Carter, the more things had begun to pull together in his head. At the very end of their conversation, when she'd fallen back onto the mattress, it was as if a switch had been flicked in his brain. Memories of her laying beside him in the soft glow of the room's single Harvest candle had struck him with a near-physical force. He'd barely been able to escape her room without appearing too distraught. He didn't want to upset her any more than he already had, and he knew she'd feel terrible if he seemed unhappy. At least he could take comfort in knowing she had little memory of anything. He just prayed that he could deal with his own recollections once they returned to Earth. Emotional analysis had never been one of Jack's strengths. Self-examination wasn't real high up on the list, either. Somehow, though, he'd have to get it together and pretend as though nothing had changed.

Taking another deep breath, Jack straightened and stepped into the common room. He immediately stopped. Seated on a cushioned bench in the middle of the room was Teal'c, looking directly at Jack with a carefully neutral expression.

Scrambling for an explanation, Jack pointed to Sam's door. "Carter had too much to drink last night, and I was afraid she might need a nurse. You know women," Jack smiled cheerfully. "Can't hold their liquor worth a damn. Didn't want her puking in her sleep."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "And is Colonel Carter feeling better this morning?"

Jack shook his head. "She's gonna have one hell of a hangover, I'm afraid."

Teal'c nodded. Jack had again begun to cross the room toward his own chamber. Clearing his throat, the large Jaffa spoke quietly. "It was brought to Doctor Jackson's attention last night that the traditional Celebration beverage may have had some unexpected side-effects. I just want you to know, O'Neill, that neither I nor Daniel will be reporting those effects in our mission briefs." Jack had turned and was looking rather startled. Teal'c continued. "You also have my word that news of Colonel Carter's... indiscretion will also not be reported."

Blinking, Jack tried to digest this new information. "Side effects?"

Teal'c nodded. "Once we became aware of the dangers of the beverage, Doctor Jackson was able to ascertain some of the chemical properties of the drink. According to the Advisors, it contains some very potent mood-altering drugs, as well as some compounds that seemed to cause the release of human hormones. The recipe for the drink is indeed ancient, but it is also very powerful. It is for this reason that the Colonists only partake in it once per year." He paused. "Doctor Jackson and I did try to find you after we were finished with the Advisors. But you were no longer at the party, and your room was quite empty. We thought it prudent to withhold our information until this morning. It seems a good thing we did. I would not want to have embarrassed Colonel Carter by interrupting her while she was indisposed."

O'Neill numbly made his way to a chair and heavily sank into it. "Indisposed. Right." Taking a deep breath, he met Teal'c's unblinking stare. "Well, I'm sure she'll appreciate your discretion." He swallowed. "I know I do." Then, realizing what he'd just said, he hurriedly continued. "For her sake, that is."

Teal'c smiled. "I quite understand. And O'Neill," he looked at Jack with deep concern in his eyes. "Should you ever want to speak of... anything, know that I am always willing to listen, as is Daniel."

Jack winced. Daniel. The brother-like bond he felt with Teal'c was not at all like the relationship he had with Daniel. Jack knew Daniel and Sam were very close, and he dreaded facing him. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "Ah, Teal'c? I don't suppose we could keep this information from Sam – uh, I mean Carter?"

Dark eyes flashed understanding. Teal'c simply inclined his head. "Of course, O'Neill. I would not wish to make Colonel Carter uncomfortable. I just thought you should know."

Jack nodded. "Glad you told me. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a nap before the negotiations start." O'Neill stood, suddenly feeling even more somber than he had when emerging from Sam's room.