Disclaimer: Sometimes life imitates art. GateSeeker2 emailed me a link to see several pics of Kerry /Jack from the Threads episode. Uncannily, my first thought was I really hate her, I'll think of a reason later. Heh. Not that I needa reason other than she's not Sam! ; ) The fact that she has a forehead a Klingon would envy is completely beside the point. ha. Extra-special thanks to GS2, aka Carrie, for brainstorming with me when the characters in my head were staring at each other wondering what to say. Her ficlet Why Him? and her great insight and amazing memory of chapter and verse (or season and episode,heh) when it comes to all things Stargate are truly inspirational. You da woman:D
Hanging by a Thread
Sitting beside Jack, holding his hand while he drove the truck through the darkness, Sam smiled at the thought that this was the one scenario she'd never imagined in all the dreams she'd had about the two of them. Sometimes, she'd wondered, on the odd mission or two dozen when things got tense, when they might not make it back, what it would be like if she and O'Neill ever got around to getting real about their feelings. Would it be awkward, the silence lived with too long to be easily broken? Would there be a gush of words, like a dam cracking, water rushing to be free after being held in check? Never once had she thought that it would be like this. A quiet exhilaration, a calm expectancy, peaceful and electrifying at the same time... Feeling the warmth of his palm against hers, butterflies out performing the Blue Angels in her middle, trying not to stare, smiling every time their eyes met and held, she wanted the drive to never end, and yet was impatient to stop.
She looked down at his hand. It was masculine, capable, strong yet gentle. The long, artistic fingers were so different from the shorter, broader ones that she'd thought to entwine hers with for the rest of her life. Masculine fingers started sliding against feminine, the slight friction of skin against skin making her feel like a breathless teenager again. He caught her studying his face. The roguish smile he gave gleamed white in the dim interior of the cab. Carter knew her responding smile was wide and giddy. The truck turned off the highway onto a two-lane forest road that led to a lake. Once the truck halted at its destination, the blonde looked out at the water illuminated by the headlights and asked the man turning to meet her gaze, "Where are we?" A short bark of laughter escaped the General as he shook his head,
"I don't know, exactly. I just saw a sign that said something, something, lake and took the exit." A boyish grin flashed as he confessed, "I was a bit distracted."
The Colonel tried to keep an answering grin off her face. Weren't they supposed to be having a serious conversation? It was no use. The overwhelming happiness she felt at finally being alone with this man welled up and spilled out in a burst of amusement that made O'Neill ask with teasing incredulity,
"Did you just giggle?"
Lips pursed, shoulders shaking, eyes sparkling, Sam shook her head. Jack chuckled, his hand tugged hers, and she slid across the bench toward him, all traces of laughter gone. In its place was something that made her pulse race and her breath catch. She wondered if her expression mirrored his- intense with longing. The hand curving around the nape of her neck was pulling her closer, but she was already leaning, face upturned, more than eager to meet him halfway. The slide of his lips against hers was so sweet.
Kissing Jack in the elevator had been explosive, almost desperate. Now, the mouth molding her lips was like a slow burning fuse- sizzling, but taking time to enjoy the sparks. Her heart beat faster as he pulled, and she willingly shifted to straddle his lap, tilting her head as he deepened the kiss. Samantha's palms glided up his chest, slid over his shoulders, and lifted to allow her fingers to thread the silver hair that had made her finger's twitch for years. So many times, she'd wanted to touch it, smooth it, even ruffle it, but each time she'd held back. Slender fingers clenched reflexively.
She wasn't going to hold back anything, anymore. A low noise rumbled up from Jack's chest as she moved her lips, tongue and body against his. Those hands that could handle a weapon or a woman with the equally remarkable skill were stroking her hair, her back, her skin beneath her sweater. Only now did the true reason she'd been 'not in the mood' for months become glaringly obvious. She hadn't been tired, or stressed, or possessed of a low sex drive- she just hadn't been with the right man.
"Sam?"
Dark eyes searched hers as his hands lifted her sweater. Fluttery as a girl making out at lovers' lane, the woman bit her lip and nodded. Shivering as his warm, gentle fingers spread across her abdomen and stroked upward, Sam reached out and tugged his tee. Jack's smile brought new meaning to the phrase 'naughty and nice'. After admiring the lean torso being uncovered, Carter did her best to melt his insides the way he was liquefying hers. If ragged breaths and groans were any indication, she was doing a fine job.
Windows fogged as the couple's slow burn ignited into passion. Pressed down upon the bench with O'Neill's body warming hers, nothing mattered to the woman but being in this man's arms, and she wanted to stay entwined forever. Jack drew his lips from her mouth to brush across her cheek, and down her arched throat. His touch felt so good a flash of light exploded behind Samantha's eyelids. The light wavered as a tapping sound echoed against the driver's side window.
"For cryin' out loud!"
Sitting up with an exclamation of frustration, Jack hunted around for his tee- black fabric was hard to spot using the dim light from the dashboard- while she scrambled to shimmy back into her tee and sweater. The Colonel covered her face as the rapping flashlight reverberated through the glass again. Silver hair stuck up in unruly spikes as the General lowered the window after a chagrined look at his companion.
"Uh, good evening officer..."
Peeking through her fingers like a teen busted for necking at a drive-in, Sam got a good look at the officer informing the sheepish man beside her that the lake wasn't open to the public after dusk. Her stomach dropped. It was the tall policeman she'd seen at the barbeque at Pete's buddy's house- the one who was married to the cousin of Pete's ex-wife! She turned her face away as the officer accepted the identification given while Jack explained that they'd needed to talk, and didn't realize, and of course they'd leave at once. Another man's voice called out,
"Hey Jim, you need any help?"
"Nah, Matt, it's all good. Seems...General O'Neill...here and the Mrs. apparently got a little carried away making out...er...up. We're happy to support the military, General, so if you could just back up and drive out, you and the Mrs. can go make up somewhere private, you copy?"
"Roger. Thanks, Officer..."
Silence reigned while they backtracked to the highway. After she'd recovered from the shock and the narrow escape from recognition, Sam admitted, "I've seen that cop before. At a BBQ with Pete...that's why I was acting like a seventeen year old..."
"I did wonder if you were going to slide down to the floorboard."
They shared a smile. He patted the seat beside him,
"Come here"
Warm against his side with his arm around her shoulders, the blonde tilted her head sideways to ask quietly, "Weren't we going to have a talk before..."
"Before I couldn't keep my hands off you?"
Allowing her hand to rest on a firm, strong thigh, Carter corrected, "I believe that was mutual, O'Neill." His face creased into a smug smile. She could hear the satisfaction in his voice when he said,
"I'm really glad you took off that ring, Sam."
She followed his gaze to her hand, which showed a faint, pale line where a ring had once been. She hadn't worn it long enough to leave more of an impression. Kind of like Pete...knowing she'd never wear his ring again didn't have much impact on her heart. She felt relieved...happy...free to be with the man that she really...
"Want to stop at that diner for a cup of coffee?"
A small roadside cafe could be seen a little further up the road. Sam nodded, and rested her head on Jack's shoulder as he pulled into the graveled parking lot. Only a couple of other trucks occupied spaces at this time of night. Opening his door, the rangy man stepped out and asked her humorously,
"Would you like to scoot out my side or should I run around the truck and open your door? I want to do things right."
She chuckled and swung her legs to scoot toward him, "I'm going your way, O'Neill."
Butterflies began swooping in her stomach again as his lips curved,
"That's the second best thing I've heard in a long time, Carter."
Walking toward the entrance with his arm around her waist, she teased, "What's the first best thing?"
Jack stopped at the door and grinned,
"That you wanted to kiss me over and over until we woke in tangled sheets and stayed there all day."
Blushing, she ducked into the diner as the General held the door before following her inside. The two patrons looked up curiously at the sound of the bell jangling when they entered. A waitress with upswept brown hair and an old-fashioned pink uniform with a cardigan over it glanced away from her customers at the counter and smiled,
"Seat yourselves; I'll be over with a menu shortly."
"No need. We'd just like coffee, please."
Nodding agreeably at O'Neill's request, the woman went back to her conversation with a pair of burly men in a ball caps and flannel shirts. Sliding into a back booth away from the trio at the counter, Sam was glad Jack sat beside her, and not just because she could hold his hand easier. She'd been at his side through so many missions; it just seemed more natural, more comfortable. Their eyes locked and held. Here they were...
"Here ya go! Two coffees...just made a fresh pot for the boys over there...let me know if I can get you a piece of pie or anything to go with it."
Jack thanked 'Mel', offered Sam the cream and sugar, and then played with his spoon. He looked so much like their son in her dream, Jason, with his gaze ricocheting off hers and lips twisting like he was trying to get his courage up to confess something he didn't know how she'd react to, that she smiled. Encouraged, he put down his spoon, turned to the side to face her full on, and confessed,
"That day in your office, when I asked for the report...that's not what I was going to say...I was going to ask you to go fishing...but I chickened out."
Her delicate features tightened, "Why?"
"Because I didn't think I could take hearing you say no again."
Pale pink lips turned downward, "And then I told you about Pete. Showed you the ring..." Her eyes were starting to water, "I even asked if things were different..." Placing a hand over her mouth, Sam turned to stare blindly out the window. She bet Perfect Princess Bimbo Barbie would never say such unthinking, stupid, callous things...even if she thought them. Jack lifted her hand. She smiled crookedly as he brought it to his lips. "Oh Jack, I wish I could..." His fingers stopped her apology.
"Me too, Sam..." His lips curved, "We can't go back, and maybe that's a good thing...maybe we needed to be in the place we are right now before we could..."
"Could we get our thermoses filled, Mel? And get a couple of pieces of apple pie before we head out on patrol again?"
Panicked bluish-grey eyes met deep brown. The officers from the lake were shrugging out of their uniform jackets and placing their hats on the counter beside them. The taller policeman, Jim, looked over at the couple in the corner and smiled. Jack's hand clasped hers on the seat and softly pressed her fingers in reassurance. Officer Friendly ambled over and held out a hand, greeting with amused recognition,
"General O'Neill! I'm buying my partner's pie. I bet you and the Mrs. would've hightailed it home to finish that making up you got such a good start on out by the lake." The brown-haired officer nodded to Sam. He turned when the waitress called,
"Out by the lake, huh? How many have you chased away from there this week, Jim?"
A good-natured smile crossed the man's long face. He winked at the pair smiling embarrassedly and returned to the counter to sit by his shorter, sandy-haired partner and the couple old enough to know better and too young to care over in the corner there...real lovers' lane, that is."
Everyone in the place had a good laugh at the "lovers'" expense. Samantha felt her cheeks heating. Jack muttered,
"Let's get out of here...go to my place."
She gratefully agreed, trying to let O'Neill's body block the policemen's view of her face. It didn't work. Officer 'Jim' frowned as she crossed his line of vision.
"Excuse me, ma'am, but...have me met before?"
Lying by omission, she replied, "No, we've never met...perhaps I remind you of someone." His dark eyes were troubled, and his partner clapped him on the back, laughing,
"The old computer brain finally fails you, Jim." Smiling at the couple edging toward the door, he explained, "My partner is famous for never forgetting a face. Don't know how the boys at work will handle hearing that his old gray matter dropped the ball this time."
Nodding and smiling, the Colonel ducked outside, hearing the dogged police officer vow before the door closed behind the General,
"I know I've seen her before, Matt...and I'll bet you a piece of pie that it won't be long before I remember exactly where..."
Sliding over to snuggle alongside Jack's warm body the moment he stepped into the cab, Sam rubbed her cheek against his shoulder and whispered, "I don't want Pete to find out about you and me from someone at work."
Turning the key and starting the engine, O'Neill backed out of the parking lot and turned the truck in the direction of his home. The warm air blowing from the vents combined with the warmth of the body at her side made Carter drowsy. Her eyes started to close.
"How is Pete going to find out about you and me Sam?"
Without opening her lids, she said sleepily, "I'm going to break the engagement because I don't love him, Jack, that's all he needs to know right now. After we work things out, I don't care whether Officer Jim tells Pete he saw his ex-fiancée parking out by the lake or he reads about it in the paper. "
She felt his chest shake with repressed laughter,
"Not the Enquirer, I hope, or that Lone Gunman conspiracy rag that claims the military is secretly making treaties with aliens."
"Well, we are making treaties with aliens...even if we're not negotiating to send women to Mars and men to Venus." After she stopped giggling over the mental picture, Sam's eyes snapped open. She had a disquieting thought. How did Jack really feel about her? He'd admitted wanting to kiss her for years, wanting her to take off her ring, go fishing...wake up in tangled sheets...to talk... What did he want to talk about if it wasn't about what would end up as a wedding announcement in the paper? Her logical side reasoned.
He's a man, and men don't automatically think of announcements when they hear the phrase 'in the paper'. The emotional side countered, Okay, fine, but if he didn't know what I meant, why didn't he just ask? Her analytical mind demanded, Think logically for a moment- he's a man...they don't ask for directions when they're lost...in a conversation, in a truck, or on another planet... when men have no clue where they are or how to get where they need to go, they'd rather just keep going and hope they reach their destination through sheer luck...
Feeling strangely reassured and way less tense, Carter smiled as the truck pulled into O'Neill's driveway and he said,
"Lucy, we're home."
Opening the door and seeing her smile, he made a wry face,
"Guess Teal'c was right...I do watch too many I Love Lucy re-runs."
Short blonde hair shook, "No, I love that show too." Sliding off the bench to stand by Jack, she kidded as they made their way to the house, "Now if you'd said, 'June, we're home' - It would've been a different story. That pearls and high heels wearing mom on Leave It To Beaver still gives me the creeps. Who could be that perfect...except maybe Ms. Johnson."
Entering the house behind her, the rangy General inquired,
"Why do I get the impression that you're not too fond of her?"
Sam stared in silence as Jack built a fire, the soft glow of a side table lamp softening his rugged features. Watching the wood kindle, she stood crossing her arms, before admitting, "Because I'm not...and I just realized that I'm not a very nice person, either." He stood and shook his head, but she held up a hand and continued, "I'm not. I don't like Kerry...for a lot of reasons, but the main one is because she likes you..."
"Maybe I hoped you'd feel that way. Seeing you react to Johnson...made me feel better than I had in a long time, Carter. Made me wonder if you were jealous of her for the same reason I was jealous of Shanahan."
Her lips twisted in an effort not to cry. He took a step forward,
"Why Pete, Sam...why him...?"
Exhaling a shaky breath, she said self-mockingly, "Why'd I pick an irreverent, smart-aleck Irishman? Gee...I wonder...maybe because I was lonely, and he reminded me of somebody, and my biological clock was ticking louder and louder, and he fell so hard for me, and I was so flattered, because that somebody he reminded me of didn't seem to care, and..."
"I cared"
His dark eyes were sincere, but she challenged, "Really? It didn't feel like it. We hardly saw each other anymore, and when we did, you treated me...you didn't tease, or give me those looks..." She turned away. It felt like she was exposing every insecurity and flaw, and it hurt.
"I'm not the one who suggested we leave it in the isolation chamber, Carter."
Pivoting sharply, she gasped, "I gave you an out, O'Neill...and you took it." He shook his head,
"Seemed more like you wanted an out..."
"I never said..."
"That's right, Colonel...you never said...what's a guy supposed to do? Make a move he thinks is unwanted...sexually harass a female subordinate...give unsolicited advice to the woman you...you know is making the worst mistake of her life...on the basis of what? "
Her jaw dropped, "What did you want me to do General? Say 'I've wanted to kiss you for years and I never want to stop so how about you wreck your career so we can be together'?"
"Wreck my career? I retired twice before I got this gig, Sam...why the hell would you think I'd hesitate to do it a third time?"
"In case you haven't noticed, Jack, I don't have a good track record with relationships outside a work environment. I was afraid to take a chance because if I ruined that too...I wouldn't have anything."
She covered her face with her hands- didn't want him to see her cry. Strong arms wrapped around her and held tight. Dropping her hands to bury her head against his shoulder and hug him back, she whispered, "When I didn't get to see you, talk to you, go on missions like we used to, I told myself you didn't...care...about me like I...care about you so I might as well try and move on...with Pete. Not that it was going to work; even before Kerry came into the picture...she just...helped me see things a lot clearer, a little faster."
His voice was husky as he rested his cheek against her hair and said,
"I haven't exactly been lucky in love myself, Sam. Back in that isolation chamber, though, I wanted to take a chance...didn't you read my lips?"
She shook her head, "No...why?"
His body tensed, and suddenly, the room seemed to resonate with anticipation. A log in the fireplace made a cracking sound, and Sam thought she might snap, too, from waiting to hear what Jack would say. He pulled back, looked into her misty eyes, and stated simply,
"I said 'I love you'."
Tears streamed unchecked, unnoticed, as she reeled from the impact of those words. He'd loved her, she'd loved him, and neither one of them had scraped up enough courage to take that first step toward the other. Carter resolved not to make that mistake again. She lifted her hand to touch his face, "I love you, Jack."
"Sam"
He kissed away her tears and smiled against her lips,
"I really wanna take you fishin' Sam."
In between long, drugging kisses that made her formerly scientific brain devolve into something only capable of thinking scattered thoughts like, 'Wow' and 'yummy', Carter sighed, "I really want to go fishing, Jack...right this minute." His rumbling chuckle made her smile. The hands stroking down her back and sliding around to her front made her breath catch. The knock on the front door made her jump. Hiding in the hallway out of sight, she heard Jack say,
"Hiya Mr. Wilson- something I can help you with?"
Her heart raced when the neighbor replied,
"Actually, O'Neill, I saw your lights when I let the cat out and came down to tell you some fella's been driving up and down the street, stopping in front of your house quite a lot in the last few hours. I took down the license number, phoned a nephew of mine, and he told me it belongs to a cop by the name of Peter Shanahan. Anyway, I just thought you should know this Shanahan's been watching your place. Good night."
"Thanks, Mr. Wilson...good night."
Thoughts racing, she stared at Jack, "He's been watching your house? Like some stalker?"
He lifted an eyebrow,
"Not the first time your detective's done that, is it?"
Smiling mirthlessly, she agreed, "No, it's not...and I'm not putting up with that kind of behavior anymore. I'm calling Pete in the morning. We're going to have brunch somewhere nice and public and I'm going to give back his ring and get him out of my life." Her lips turned up in genuine humor when Jack said 'Yes!' with the same enthusiasm their children had in her dream. Suddenly, she realized that 'their children' were a real possibility, not just a dream anymore. Sam had to blink away tears. She was not going to turn into some overemotional woman crying over Hallmark Card commercials. The man looking concernedly at her misinterpreted her tears and offered,
"Do you want me to be there when you tell him? I could be covert, listen from a table across the room, sit behind a palm or something..."
Shaking her head, Sam reassured, "I'll be fine. Promise. I'll bring my cell phone and call the minute I leave, okay?"
"Okay"
The ride back to her home was quiet. She just leaned against O'Neill and drifted off into a dream. He was so warm, and felt so good; she never wanted to get out of bed. She reached out a hand and pulled at his pajama top, "Take that off and get back under the covers, mister."
"Sorry, Sam, I wish I could, but you gotta wake up now...we're at your house."
Blinking her eyes as the cab door opened and light filled the interior, Carter gave a nervous burst of laughter, "I can't see to quit dreaming about you, Jack."
Sliding an arm around her waist as they walked to her porch, he said roguishly,
"Don't ever stop."
Their kiss goodbye kept Samantha smiling as she locked the door, drifted down the hallway to her bedroom, and dreamily got ready for bed. The phone ringing woke her from a dreamless sleep. She answered; "Carter" It was Pete.
"Why didn't you answer the phone last night? I called twenty-seven times! Were you trying to punish me for going to the bachelor party?"
Pinching the bridge of her nose and exhaling slowly, Sam responded, "No, Pete, I just didn't want to talk to you then."
"But you want to talk to me now?"
The hopeful tone in his voice made her envision puppy-dog eyes brightening. Had she really ever thought that was cute? In a grown man? Amazing. She agreed, "Yes, I want to talk to you. How about meeting me in town for brunch?" He offered to pick her up, but she demurred. She pretended she had a couple of errands to do. After making arrangements for time and place, the Colonel hung up the phone and wondered what to wear to an engagement breaking brunch. Looking into her closet, she picked the most nun-like outfit she could find. A light gray twin set with a dark gray skirt. Fluffing her hair with her fingers- she was really glad she'd let it grow a bit longer- Sam grinned impishly. She looked like Martha-Freaking-Stewart!
Looking down her nose at her reflection in the mirror, she imitated the woman's superior tone and declared, "Nothing says 'You're never going to see me naked again' like a Sister Mary-Margaret sweater set. Paired with no makeup, sensible shoes, and a firm, no-nonsense attitude, you have everything needed to make your Giving-Back-The-Ring Brunch a stunning success." Ruining her lofty speech with an unladylike snicker, she went to dig those sensible shoes out of the closet.
"Uh, Sam, you look...really...nice."
Smiling politely at Pete's less than complimentary look and tone directed at her clothing, Sam restrained her urge to cross herself while saying, 'Bless You' and merely thanked him calmly instead. Whatever she'd envisioned feeling on the way over here- and she'd imagined everything from punching Pete in the face and sobs ofguilt to shouting 'Free at last'- the woman had never considered that she might feel...nothing. It was rathersurreal to be sitting across from someone she'd accepted a proposal from and feel as though she was looking at a stranger.
Quietly listening to Pete order a meal for him, coffee and fruit for her, Samantha had a revelation. She'd never really known Peter Shanahan at all. He'd swept into her life, found out what she wanted, and given it to her. His enthusiasm and ardor convinced her that they would grow to know and love each other more over the years because she'd wanted to be persuaded. Lips curving as he began to tell her how tacky and awful the bachelor party had been and how drunk he'd got over his worry that she was mad at him, the Colonel shook her head.
She wasn't mad at him. He needed someone who equated obsession and stalking with love, or who was happy to settle for loving the one she was with, but that woman wasn't her. Playing with the food on her plate, Sam observed Pete eat his food with the enthusiasm and finesse of an eight year old and smiled inwardly. Cassie had been right. Desperation was worse than perspiration and marrying someone you didn't love just because you wanted to be married and have a family stunk. She'd have to give her a call soon and let her foster daughter know that she was every bit as smart as she'd always claimed, but if she dared to say 'I told you so'...
"What's so funny, babe?"
"Nothing" Smiling when you were about to break up with someone had to be a Miss Manners no-no. Glancing from Pete's empty plate to his expectant face, she looked him in the eye and said, "Pete...I want you to know that I've thought about what I'm about to say for a long time, and it wasn't easy. I care about you so much. You're...just not the right person for me." Sliding the box holding the ring he hadn't noticed was missing from her finger across the table; she ended bluntly, "I can't marry you, Pete." He stared, disbelieving,
"Why not?"
Gently, but firmly she told the truth, "I don't love you, and you deserve someone who does."
"I don't care what I deserve. I want to marry you, Sam...we're good together...I've made you happy...I can't believe you're doing this!" His voice was raising and attracting attention. Shesaid urgently,
"I'm sorry, Pete...but even if you're willing to marry someone who doesn't love you, I'm never going to marry someone I don't love. Please, try and understand. We've had problems for awhile now. You said yourself we haven't been...close...in months. There was a reason. It wasn't right. I wish you the best Pete, but I can't see you anymore." Standing, she turned and walked away. She heard him give the waitress some cash and follow her. Outside the restaurant, he grabbed her arm.
"There's someone else, isn't there? That's what the guys at work tell me...if your woman isn't having sex with you, she's sleeping with someone else...so who is it Samantha?"
Pulling out of his grasp with a look of warning, his ex-fiancée gritted, "I'm not sleeping with anyone, Peter, and I resent you saying that as much as I resent you following me around and laughing it off as an amusing stalking incident...it's not funny to me!" She practically marched down the sidewalk, the detective following after her.
"Excuse me for caring!"
Halting, the tall blonde swiveled and stared. This was the man she'd thought would be her partner for better or for worse? This self-centered, spiteful little boy masquerading as an adult...? Giving him a steely look that had stopped Go'auld in their tracks, she retorted, "I excuse you...from the rest of my life...I don't want to waste one more minute on you, so by all means, excuse yourself, go away...and stay away."
"What? I don't understand what you're saying."
He understood alright. That pitiful puppy look didn't work on her anymore. Using simple phrases that would be easy to comprehend, Sam said coolly, "I don't love you. I don't want to marry you. I gave you back your ring. Stay out of my life." His broad face turned surly,
"What if I refuse to stay out of your life? I can follow you night and day if I want. Try and prove I'm stalking you."
She fought fire with fire, "What if I have you sent to a planet where men are slaves...and not in a good way? Remember my superwoman save the galaxy stuff? If you don't take no for an answer...you'll be trying and prove to the Venusians that you're a good slave who doesn't need gelding." The white-faced look of horror on her ex-fiancée's features almost made her smile. She was completely bluffing. The thought of Jack kept her icy cold though, and with a curt nod, she stalked away, posture and bitchy attitude both worthy of Martha's seal of approval. Yanking open the door to her Volvo, Sam dropped onto the seat and took long, deep, calming breaths. The phone rang. "Carter"
"You okay?"
Jack's voice always made her smile. Why hadn't she noticed that before? Maybe he'd been right in the diner when he'd said maybe they needed to come to this place in their lives before they could be together. She knew her voice conveyed her feelings, "Yeah, I'm okay."
"Good"
Lowering her voice, she said, "It's better than good, Jack. In fact, I think we need to meet somewhere and talk some more, so I can show you what I mean...personally."
"Hmmm...I like the sound of that."
They agreed to meet at a nearby shopping center and go from there. The moment O'Neill's truck parked beside her, Carter jumped into the cab and threw herself into his arms. His appreciation of her public display of affection was thorough and thrilling. Eventually, whistling teenagers brought them back to reality. Reluctantly prying her arms from around his neck, Jack smiled tenderly and suggested,
"Why don't we take a drive, go somewhere nobody knows us and do something..."
"Like what?"
He paused, then said humorously, "Like go to the mall, watch a movie, take a walk, go to dinner...we've done the big things, Sam, saved the world and each other...let's do the little things." His brows waggled, "Tomorrow I'll call you into my office for a conference and we can discuss how to work things out. Until then, I want to be plain Jack O'Neill spending time with Samantha Carter."
She nodded, then smirked, "You'll never be plain Jack." He grinned and shifted the truck into reverse.
A/N: Just saw threads episode. Raise your hand if you saw threads and thought the breakup was pathetic. LOL Very sad when you get misty eyed over fictional characters. Shall have to put more humor in next chap- lol. For everyone who wanted me to 'Get rid of Pete', how'd you like the scene? Breaking up is hard to do- when you're writing it instead of reading it! Review and let me know!
ChappaEyebrow- Hope you liked the kissing part of this chap- lol- wonderful reviewers must be kept happy at all costs- yeah, that's why I wrote it...for you guys...teehee
cherryblossomjen- Glad you liked the elevator episode- was so tempted to have Sam hear Aerosmith's Love in an Elevator on the way home, but decided she might wreck if she heard the lyrics! lol
froggy0319- If Pete was Sam's choice, ick would be right! Hope this chap's ending has you smiling too:-)
Gactttaca- Yay, someone besides me who's done the "Oh Sh!" loop in their mind! I'm glad you loved the family sequences- I don't think the Pete one would be too farfetched- heh.
GateSeeker2- All hail the queen of Jack/Sam shippers- to me, at least! lol You rock, and I hope 'the conversation' lived up to expectation!
Holly Mariano- Yay! Another Anti-Barbie Woman! Thanks for the props on the characterization- do you think it would be in Sam's character to have it out with Perfect Princess Bimbo Barbie? ; )
Keith- You mean there are more lakes and they rounded off for the motto? What's that- New Math? Hope you liked the rest of the chaps too- would be cool to get a guy's opinion of this one. hint, hint, heh
Kelycia- I'm glad you think the story's great- you made me LMAO with the 'crazy, terrible, evil cliffhanger'. What did you think about this ending?
O'NeillRoxMyWorld- Love the name- says so much, so succintly- :D Hope you don't think the ending to this chap was 'mean'. They made me stop there! Blame Sam and Jack!
SGI-Fanfic- I'm glad you liked the line. I saw a picture of "Jack" in that exact outfit and went Yum, so I HAD to make him wear it, and then have Sam match...cause we all know they match in all sorts of other nice ways:P
Sci Fi Fan Gillian- Awesome reviewer, thanks for the encouragement: )