Title: Lingering Resentment

Rating: Teen suitable, for minor sexual content.

Spoilers: Meridian, Revelations

Archive: Please ask

Disclaimer: not mine

A/N: Thanks go to Jack for reading this for me and telling me it wasn't terrible.


He'd never showed up on her doorstep before, and Sam didn't know how to react. She did know that this was totally inappropriate: they didn't meet outside of work for a very good reason.

"Hi Carter. Can I come in?"

Jack's words were slightly slurred and she understood why he'd broken their unspoken code of social avoidance: he'd been drinking. She realised that he wasn't just casually leaning against the wall either, but was using it for support. Still, there was no sign of his truck – she really hoped he hadn't been driving – and if he had taken a taxi it had already left, so she didn't have much choice. She opened the door wider to allow him in.

"It's late," she pointed out.

Jack stared at her as he followed her into the kitchen. "I had a few drinks."

"I can tell." She was torn between sympathy and exasperation. "Do you want some coffee?"

He sat down awkwardly onto a stool. "Sure." She turned to dig out a cafetière: right then he needed a serious caffeine jolt, more than instant could deliver.

"Do you miss him?" She froze at the question, trying to work out who he meant. Who was she kidding, she knew immediately, and fought down her anger at the casual question. She wasn't going to react, she wasn't...

She spun around, battle lost. "How the hell can you ask me that?" she demanded. Part of her was aware that she was shouting at her commanding officer but she didn't care – the question was too painful, too insulting.

"Do you?" He stepped towards her and she was furious to find herself inching back. She made herself straighten.

"Of course I do."

"So do I. I really, really do" He stepped towards her again, moving far too close to her, and she recoiled, her back against the kitchen counter.

"Don't touch me."

He leaned in towards her. "Why not?"

"I don't want this, and there are regulations –" He cut her off with his mouth, kissing her roughly and carelessly. Her mind went blank – despite the wrongness it felt so good – and she responded, tasting the whiskey on his breath. Forget good, it felt wonderful.

She moaned slightly and she felt his lips curve slightly against hers. It felt good and she brought her hands up to his shoulders, clinging to him. Then he ran both hands up under her sweater, fumbling with the clasp of her bra, and reality came flooding back. Forget how good kissing him felt, it was wrong. Sam shoved at his chest, trying to get him to move away, but instead he managed to unfasten the stubborn hooks and pushed her bra upwards, cupping her breasts. Suddenly furious, she moved a hand up his neck and took his earlobe between two fingers, pinching down on it with her nails and twisting hard. He pulled back in anger and she spun around, readjusting her clothing.

"What the hell?" he asked. Bra firmly back in place, she turned back to him and saw that he was rubbing his ear. She was slightly ashamed to admit it, but she found the sight oddly satisfying.

"Did you really think that you could waltz in here late at night, tell me how much you miss Daniel and then seduce me?"

He met her eyes and she could see that he was as angry as she. "I thought you wanted to talk about this."

She stared in disbelief. "This is your idea of talking? Forget it: from now on I only want to talk to Teal'c. Next time you're feeling drunk and lonely, you might want to consider going round to see him yourself." She picked up a portable phone off its base and tossed it to him. "Call yourself a taxi."

"Carter..."

"I don't want to hear it." She paused, waiting to see if he'd keep arguing, and found herself sagging in relief as he picked up the phone and started dialing. She finished making them both coffee – instant, he wouldn't be around long enough for her to brew the real stuff – and put a mug down beside him.

Jack hung up and gestured awkwardly towards her. "I should wait outside."

She shook her head. "There's no need, sir."

He hesitated, and then appeared to make a decision. "You really don't want –"

"No. I'm not jeopardising my career for a one night stand, and if you were sober, you wouldn't want to either."

He winced slightly. "I'm sorry, I didn't think –"

"No, you didn't."

He met her eyes and she could see apology there, but also traces of resentment. She gestured to him. "Drink your coffee."

He did, but she left hers untouched and poured it away after he left. Sleep was going to be very hard to come by for the next few nights, there was no point in making things worse.

f-