Thanks to…: Everyone who review this for me. It means a lot to me that you guys want to keep reading my stuff. So yeah, I've got a few good ideas for this chapter…and I'm pretty sure it'll be ending this segment, though I might throw an extra chapter in there just for laughs. Anyway, thanks again! Now, without further ado, more story!

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Sam stood still, the sweat on her body giving her skin a wet sheen. She looked confused, but they both knew why he was there. "You."

"Me."

There was nothing else for her to say. She took her towel from the nearby bench and turned to leave. He spoke once more.

"Don't leave yet."

She stopped where she stood, though she didn't turn to face him yet.

"Please."

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Sam turned on a dime, her arms folded tightly against her chest, her towel draped innocently over her right shoulder. "What?"

It was more of a statement than a question, and her tone surprised them both. She sounded…furious with him. Jack shook his head briefly, trying to shake his thoughts of what he'd heard. He wiggled his finger in his ear.

"Run that by me one more time, Carter, only this time: angrier."

She smiled in spite of herself. "I'm not angry at you."

"Well, you're sure as hell pissed at someone."

"Pissed?"

"Pissed. You know, angry, infuriated, frustrated beyond belief, mad as a hare—"

"An explanation wasn't what I wanted, Ja—sir," Sam's smile at his ramblings faded as she looked at her shoes, rocking on her heels arms still crossed.

Jack risked stepping closer, now they were in a reasonable distance of 2-3 feet, which was much more favorable for talking. He sat on the bench to her right, his hands hanging together between his legs.

"So…why'd ya do it, Carter? Why'd ya let me kiss you?"

Sam knew it was coming, but it was still hard for her to answer. "That's not what's in question, here."

"You're right, Sam. It's a conflict of interests. A part of you wants to live up to your promise to Pete, and the rest of you doesn't," he looked at her and swung his hands up slightly at her surprised reaction, "Stop and correct me any time, Carter."

Silence from the 2IC. She sat on the opposite end of the bench, cutting the space between them in half.

"I…I just don't know what to do. I don't know what I really want—"

"Yes you do. You're just afraid to take it."

His eyes locked with her cold stare and held it until she spoke, indignantly. "You can be one stubborn, manipulative, son of a bitch when you want to be, Jack O'Neill."

"Hey! My mother was a saint, for your informa—"

"I shouldn't even be having this conversation with you."

"See! And you complain that we don't talk enough. You close me out of everything because…well…I'm still working on the because."

She stood at his lack of knowledge. It surprised her. "Because I'm already hurt, Jack! My entire life is full of hurt! I don't need more heart break, especially not from you!" she watched his expression change before looking back at the ground, "I'm not sure I could take it."

She turned to leave, but Jack caught her hand. Sam watched him stand in front of her, never once releasing her hand. They stared at each other for a long moment, the small distance between them warm from the heavy breathing they were both responsible for. Jack sighed and finally found the right words to say. 'Heartbreak, eh?'

"Sam, I'm not good at much, but I'm good at fixing things."

Jack's lips descended on hers as his arms wrapped cautiously around her waist, making it even harder for Sam to breathe. He was a breath away from her when she realized what was happening. She shook her head just as his lips brushed with hers. "N-no…this isn't right. I'm not falling for this again. I'm not going to do this to—"

Jack silenced her ramblings with a soft finger to her lips. Her silken lips. "If you want me to stop, you have to take the initiative to make me. If you don't want me, then leave," he let go of her waist, but didn't move an inch, "If you love him, go to Pete. He's probably waiting for you in that nice little house with the perfect lawn and the bench with the trees casting shade on the flagstone path up to the front door. Can you hear the birds making their nest on that perfect little brown roof you've got going there?"

She nearly smacked him at his nerve. "You're just mocking, now. You're jealous."

"Damn right, I'm jealous! Pete has got to be the luckiest son of a bitch that I've ever met! He's getting married to you! Samantha Carter. Theoretical astrophysicist. You're smart. You're sexy. You've got a good sense of humor. You know exactly what you want for your career. I'd even go so far to say that you've got your entire life planned out for yourself, because I know you do," Sam looked away at this, trying to hide the blush that betrayed her cheek, but Jack would have none of it. He grasped her chin with his hand and forced her to look at him.

"Look at your future right now and tell me who you see yourself standing next to on the altar. Tell me who you see yourself waking up to every morning. Tell me who the father of your children is. If it's Pete, then he can have you. Because if it's Pete, I don't know you at all."

Sam finally opened her long-closed eyes and started at him through a waterlogged blue color that melted his heart every time. "Jack…if you care about me…you'll stop this right now…"

"Why is that? Are you getting close to doing what you want to do? I don't want to have to coax you into this. If you want a future with me, then go for it. Right now."

Her eyes closed again with anger. "I can't!"

"Why the hell not?" Jack shoved her left hand in front of her face, and her eyelids fluttered open in shock.

"Is this what's stopping you, Sam? Tell me the truth, is it?"

"NO! BECAUSE WHATEVER I DO, SOMEONE I CARE ABOUT GETS HURT!"

Sam finally moved from where they'd been standing so close and leaned herself against the wall, trying not to let him see her cry any more than she had to. Jack's response was simple and quiet. "Oh."

She let out a sad laugh. "That's all you've got to say? Oh?"

"Oh can mean many different things."

She turned to him and folded her arms again. "What?"

"So we're back to this, are we?" They both couldn't help the smile that played across their lips.

"I want an answer, Jack."

"I believe that's 'Sir'—"

"Cut the crap, Sir."

He smiled, hitting her playfully on the shoulder. "That's my girl," Jack stepped closer, but she didn't move. "Answer me, now."

"Oh can be surprised…bewilderment…sarcasm, that's my favorite…X's and O's…" Jack moved so they were closer than before.

"Don't even start with me."

"You started it with that ring. It makes me jealous. I don't like it there, because it's not mine," he found his way around her waist again, "And I've got a sneaking suspicion that you don't want it there, either."

She backed up against the wall. "A little bolder there, Jack, and you should be good."

Even sarcasm wasn't about to stop him. "I'm not being bold, I'm stating a fact. You'd stop me if I was wrong."

Her eyes watered even more, a single tear racing down her burning cheek. "You know I can't."

"Ah, but you could. If you really wanted to."

And right then, Jack decided they were both done talking, and put his lips to another use. His mouth closed over hers as he waited for a response, feeling her arms sneak around his neck and her lips answer his. He pressed her against the wall again, starting around where they'd left off in her lab. Only this time, it was more. Jack knew he had a long way to go in getting her to see his point of view, but he was hell bent on convincing her with his kisses, all from love. A little sentimental for him, he knew that, but Sam brought out sides of him he never knew before.

Jack didn't know the half of how she was feeling. She'd made up her mind at the beginning of the conversation. When he'd told her he could fix things. She knew he could…she was just afraid to take the first step. Jack had already. His hand was already stretched out to her. Now she was taking it. And enjoying it immensely. She pressed her hands against his head, deepening the kiss just that small bit more, and she felt him exhale heavily. The warm burst of air on her cheek excited her slightly, and she let him delve into her mouth, opening it further as the seconds ticked on. He tasted so good…there was no way this could be wrong. If it was, she didn't care.

She moved her head to break for air, but all Jack did was move to her neck, caressing the skin there with his lips. She held his head to her, wanting nothing more than what she was receiving. If more was to come, she knew she'd be ready for it, but in that moment, nothing mattered but him. Sam moved Jack away from her slightly with some difficulty, but she placed her arms between them and showed him the ring she held in her palm. "I don't want it anymore. Take it."

"You sure you don't want this? It's a one-way ticket to being normal. You know, the American Dream and all that crap. You don't an engagement ring?"

She stepped a little closer, if that was possible, and placed the ring in his hand, closing his fingers around it. "Only if it comes from you."

Jack raised his eyebrows in a Teal'c like fashion. "From me?"

"Yeah."

He smirked and kissed her quickly. "And you called me bold…"

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When Daniel got around to double-checking places, he was surprised and humbled by what he saw. Jack and Sam had their arms around each other, kissing so passionately it was hard for him to look. He knew that this was court marshal material, but maybe he could help his friends in some way. It was still early in the morning…maybe he could chat a while with those who normally work out before their shift…

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Sam thought she heard the door open and close again, but at this point in time; it could've all been a figment of her imagination. When she was with Jack, everything else faded away. He kissed her so amazingly and with such need, but a subtle softness she hadn't expected from Jack. But she loved him. With all her heart, but she needed to hear it from him. Something about the way he would say those words…maybe it would make everything else a little bit easier. She broke the kiss and rested her head on his chest. His arms enveloped her, no matter how it surprised him.

"Carter?"

"Jack."

"Sam! Right…" he kissed the top of her head, "I like being able to call you that."

Sam nestled closer. "I like hearing you say it."

A silence crept its way between their dialogues, but it was a comfortable silence. Simply holding each other was more than enough for the time being. She sighed. "Jack?"

"Yes?"

"Can you say it?"

He knew what she was talking about, but somehow it was hard for him to get the words out. He knew it would be. So did she. He kissed her cheek and tightened his embrace around her.

"You know it, I know it, what's there to say?"

"Jack…hearing it will make it easier for me."

"Oh." Sam loved how she didn't have to explain herself any further.

She looked at him. "So you're back to that again, too."

"I guess so…but this time, I'm gonna change things up a bit."

Sam laughed slightly. "Oh yeah?"

"See! Oh can mean different things!"

"Just 'change things' already!" she said, shaking her head at him laughingly.

He grasped her chin in his hand, forcing her eyes to stare into his. His chocolate brown eyes. The windows to his soul, but only when you were looking real hard for it. He was trying to get this right. There would be no "do over's" if he screwed this up. So he kept it simple. And honest. Very honest.

"Sam, I love you. I didn't think I could love someone this much, and I'm really hoping you say it back to me now, because I'm feeling pretty vulnerable right now in taking the first step and all and…" he looked at Carter, and watched her smile with everything she had. This was Sam, not Carter. Carter was a hardened soldier. Carter was a mastermind. Sam had all those qualities to her name, but she was supple and somewhat emotional. A little too easy on the eyes. He got lost in her for a moment, then remembering he was still speaking.

"Yeah Sam, this would be a great time to cut me off right about now—"

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize."

She kissed his lips softly, trying to show him her gratitude and the deep love that was burning in her heart, way down deep inside of her. "Jack, I love you, too. And I'm sorry that I—"

"Good."

Jack took hold of her mouth with his own, not willing to stop for the world. He felt himself being pulled even closer towards her; his leg hit the wall, splitting her thighs apart. She shivered slightly, and Jack knew he had her love forever. He knew that they could both be together in secret, defying the regulations but embracing their love. The hard part was keeping her alive throughout. The kiss died a natural death, but Sam ran her tongue over his bottom lip, just to remind her who she really was. He knew full well, now. Jack explored her neck, leaving a hot, wet trail of kisses until he reached her shoulder. Sam nearly screamed for the joy of the warm dampness he left; she moaned slightly when he lovingly bit her shoulder, holding her BDUs away from the area.

"Jack…Jack stop, we're on base right now…if anyone finds us, we're done for…"

"I know," but he didn't stop.

"Jack…" she moved his head up from her shoulder and kissed him softly. "We can do more of this later. I need to talk to Pete when it's at a less ungodly hour, you need to go do mission reports, and I'm sure we both need to fill Daniel in."

"Why?"

"Because it's only fair. He saw our little lab scene, he must be wondering—"

"If he should learn to give us our space when we need it, right."

She laughed. "Exactly."

Their eyes locked, and though they knew what they needed to do, neither one moved. She eyed him mischievously as he smirked a little fiendishly at her.

"One more?"

"Okay."

The ring fell to the ground, but this time, when it was all over, no one picked it up. Sam's ring finger was entwined with the rest of Jack's as they held hands, walking out of the gym together. As soon as he opened the door, she went first, not hinting to anything as if nothing had happened. Jack exited the other way, to find a very curious Daniel.

"Come on, Jack. Please please PLEASE tell me what happened?"

Jack smirked. "Figure it out, Spacemonkey."

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Hope it's not terrible. I'll think up an epilogue if you guys ask for it. Again, thank you all SO MUCH for reading and reviewing my stuff! Means a lot to me.