There's a bit of 'coarse language' in this one - not much, but you are warned.
What Fate Decrees - Part Twenty-one
A couple of hours later, Jack and Daniel were seated in a booth at the restaurant waiting for the others to arrive.
Both men had dressed smartly, but casually, and Jack couldn't understand why Daniel had taken an age to get ready and had left Jack waiting impatiently. "Gee Daniel, you took longer than a woman, I swear."
Daniel pulled a face at him "I thought I was being quite quick, anyway you cheated – you haven't got socks on."
"There's no way I can yet," Jack grimaced. He still found bending a very awkward task.
They were now sipping their drinks. Daniel was driving and opted for orange juice and Jack, despite a frown from Daniel, ordered beer.
Jack was quite convinced Sam would chicken out, but just in case she didn't he needed a drink. It was half relief and half trepidation that crossed his face when he saw the others entering the restaurant.
He watched as the three familiar figures spotted them and came over. Janet was leading, wearing a short dress that emphasised her tiny figure nicely. She greeted them with a smile and dived onto the seat next to Daniel, leaving Sam no choice but to get in next to Jack.
Jack's breath caught as he saw Sam hesitate slightly before sliding around on to the seat beside him. She looked very nice, in a casual blue dress showing a little leg, which he got a good look at as she moved closer. She had to move closer still as Teal'c fitted his bulk onto the remaining seat and Jack had to stop himself inching closer to Daniel.
"Cosy here," commented Janet, snuggling a little nearer to Daniel, who blushed slightly. "Sir, is that a beer?"
"First one," said Jack, taking a long swig, moving the bottle away from Janet's reach and catching the waitress's eye at the same time. She took their drinks order and left them some menus to browse.
"What's everyone having? I'm starving," said Janet, eagerly perusing the choices.
"Steak," everyone chorused.
"You can't eat here and not have steak. They're the best," said Sam, laughing. To Jack she seemed more relaxed than she had been when she first sat down.
"Will they not permit us to eat anything else?" asked Teal'c, raising a brow in Sam's direction.
Sam laughed with the others as she explained the figure of speech to him. Jack took the opportunity to study her profile as she spoke to Teal'c; her laughter music in his ears, wishing the smile she gave Teal'c was his. A smile from Sam made his day; it was the reason behind his corny jokes, anything that would draw a smile from her. Without meaning to, he let go a sigh as his thoughts turned to how he'd blown her trust and her friendship today. He supposed he'd get off lightly if she didn't report him.
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Sam heard the Colonel's sigh. She turned her face to him with a frown, thinking that he was displeased by her joking with Teal'c.
Teal'c's voice disturbed her thoughts. "Then Major Carter, I shall have steak," he announced, giving her a look of understanding.
Sam turned back to Teal'c with a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. 'I shouldn't have come,' she thought.
She realised that both Daniel and Janet were watching her, and she became increasingly uncomfortable. She would have gotten up and made a run for it, but Colonel O'Neill's gaze seemed to pin her to her seat
Daniel cleared his throat, the sound loud in the silence, and spoke with a forced cheerfulness. "Hey, Jack actually beat me getting dressed tonight."
"Daniel, a woman would have beaten you getting ready," replied the Colonel dryly, finally turning his attention away from Sam.
That set off cries of 'male chauvinism' from Sam and Janet.
"That's not fair, you didn't put socks on," whined Daniel, clearly not realising just how funny it sounded.
"Considering I can't get near my feet yet if I'd had to, or even had laces, you'd still be waiting on me," laughed Jack. His hand quickly caught across his chest as he laughed, and he grimaced as if in pain. "Ouch, no more funnies please Daniel." Sam couldn't help giggling, and he smiled over at her. "No giggling Major, please," he said, bringing up the old joke between them.
Sam smirked, trying to stifle her giggling. She began to feel a little better - more at ease.
"What?" asked Sam, catching Janet giving them a questioning look.
"Explain – that went over my head," the doctor demanded..
Sam looked over at the Colonel. "Do you want to explain, sir?" she asked.
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Jack shook his head. "Private joke," he growled, swigging his beer. There was absolutely no way was he going to explain about the 'side-arm' incident!
He watched as the Doc and Daniel exchanged puzzled looks. Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "Don't ask me, I don't know either."
Sam was openly smiling now, looking even more relaxed and Jack lapped it up. "Now be careful sir, you're leaving yourself open to friendly black-mail," she joked, her smile becoming wider, reaching her eyes.
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Drawing a deep breath, the Colonel took a lazy swig from his second bottle and smiled back at Sam - a lopsided smile that split his face and lit his eyes. She barely swallowed back a gasp of amazement at the sight, as she couldn't help but gaze into the dark depths that seem to smoulder and then burn and made her shudder delightedly inside. A delicious shiver ran through her. Trying to cover her emotions, she grabbed for her drink and gulped almost all of it down.
"Earth to O'Neill," called Daniel, and Sam realized it wasn't for the first time. "Are we ready to order?"
Jack turned slightly, looking a little embarrassed. "Yeah, sorry," he said to the waitress standing patiently at the table. "Steak, medium with the works, baked potato."
The waitress took a note of his order with a beaming smile and then turned to Sam.
"Same, but with fries." She grinned to cover her own embarrassment.
After the waitress left Sam excused herself and headed to the restroom, followed by Janet.
Her friend turned to her, staring at her quizzically as soon as they were inside the door. "You okay, Sam?" she asked, "You look flushed."
"Just a little warm, that's all," Sam replied as she checked her make-up and applied fresh lipstick.
"Yeah, I know what you mean – it's kinda cosy snuggled up with Daniel," grinned Janet.
"You two get on so well, I think you should go for it." Sam grabbed at the chance to turn the spotlight from herself.
Janet sighed. "I wish."
"Are you joking? Daniel more than likes you."
"No kidding?"
"No kidding, Scout's honour," Sam smiled.
"You were never a scout," snorted Janet.
"Okay, so they wouldn't let me in."
Janet looked thoughtful "He's cute."
"He sure is. He's like a brother to me, but I see why women like him."
"Women?" Janet commented, her eyes narrowing.
"Not like that," said Sam, nudging her friend. "I don't mean he's a womaniser, just the opposite, but he does seem to attract attention, if you know what I mean."
"Sure do, half my nurses fight over him, the other half, over the Colonel – and I can see what they fight about there," sighed Janet.
"Colonel O'Neill?"
"Yes, Colonel Jack O'Neill, you lucky girl. It's not fair you get to be side by side with the best two hunks on the base."
Sam shrugged, trying to appear casual. "I don't see what they get worked up about."
Janet snorted "Ha! Don't give me that. Jack's eyes are to die for. They've stopped my heart a time or two, I'll tell you, and a mean body with it, nice butt and all," she nudged Sam with a smirk.
Sam gaped at her friend "You're a doctor!"
"Uh yeah, and I get to see the best bits as well as the injuries, you know. A girl can dream."
Sam's mouth gaped open and Janet doubled up with laughter at the sight.
"For goodness sake Janet, get a grip," hissed Sam feeling herself going red again.
"Oh my - your face!" Janet pealed with laughter "You should hear the base gossip. The female staff all wish you weren't around so the great O'Neill would be a free man."
Sam looked at her friend incredulously. "He is free." she insisted indignantly.
"He's like a lovesick puppy," said Janet, sobering slightly. "I've seen him freeze people with a look, including me a time or two, but when he thinks no-ones looking he watches you, and I can tell you they aren't pure thoughts he's thinking."
"Janet, hush up. You'll get us both into trouble, and you're so wrong, whenever we're in the same room all we do is argue."
Janet stilled. "Oh Sam, honestly I'm not going to say anything else except this - it's a short life and to live without loving, well I know it's a cliché, but what we're doing isn't exactly living life to the full, is it?"
"Janet, I like the Colonel a lot, but I respect him as my CO a whole lot more."
"Oh come on - I know you like and respect him. We all do - well mostly all anyway, you know he's got enemies, some big ones - but you have to admit your feelings."
Sam shook her head "I love being on SG1. They're my family and I won't screw that up."
Janet grabbed her purse. "Nobody's asking you to do that, but," and she lowered her voice as they left the restroom "you're not telling me you wouldn't like to screw him."
Sam gaped at Janet, blushing wildly. "Janet, really! I don't know where you'd get such a crude notion from. I'm shocked."
"Yeah honey, and I'm Santa Claus," grinned Janet as she broke away, walking quickly to their table and leaving Sam standing there staring like an idiot.
A passing young man gave her a look and a wink "Fancy a drink, babe?"
Pulling herself together she gave a brisk but polite refusal and hurried back to the others.
Thankfully she wasn't seated long before the food arrived and Sam concentrated determinedly on her meal while trying to ignore any looks from Janet.
The evening wore on pleasantly, but Sam noticed Jack hadn't managed to eat with his usual good appetite. He was still too thin, she noted. An echo of her conversation with Janet came forward, but she pushed it firmly to the back of her mind and concentrated on the others instead.
The party broke up soon after they finished eating, and they called it a night. Janet, Sam and Teal'c bade Daniel and Jack goodbye outside the restaurant as they split up to walk to their vehicles.
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