Name: Golden Oportunities

Writer: AthenaIceGoddess

( Kate)

Pairing: Jack / Sam

Rating: T

Humor/ Angst/ Romance

Spoilers: Upgrades , Moebius, general season 8 stuff.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1 or any of the characters. So don't sue. :)

Chapter 3

( Jack's POV)

She couldn't have said what he thought she said. Could she? He opened his mouth to ask her, but she had passed out on his couch. he chuckled. That would figure. She didn't mean it, she was drunk.

"And here you had my hopes up." He told her, watching as she snored contentedly. "Never thought I'd see the day, brilliant astrophysicist Samantha Carter, passed out on my couch. Come on, Sleeping Beauty. Let's get you to bed."

He picked her up, and she snuffled a bit, then snuggled down deep into his arms. Jack brought her up to his guest room, and laid her on the bed. It was a balmy night, so he didn't bother with blankets.

Jack headed back to the living room, and sat on the couch Carter had vacated, deep in thought.

He thought back to the monent he knew he was in love with his 21C. Of course, he had been attracted to her from the beginning, he would have had to be a fool not to be, but there was one moment he was smacked in the face with his own emotions.

Flashback

"Sir, there's no time!" She cried, as he tried futiley to break the shield. He heard Jaffa walking down the corridor, bearing down on his position. He started slamming the shield with the makeshift club, desperately trying to free her.

"Sir, just go." She said, sadness evident in her voice. "NO!" He yelled, straightening up to look into blue eyes that were beggnig him to leave her for dead. He couldn't do it. Even if it meant that he would die along with her, he just couldn't leave.

The Jaffa came around the corner, raising their weapons to kill her. Helpless rage filled him, along with anguish so strong, he felt the staff blasts would surely kill him too.

An explosion rocked the ship, and Jack fell. He saw the shield fall. "Did you see that?" Carter asked, getting to her feet. She went for the naquada, but O' Neill stopped her. "Carter, Leave it!" They ran, narrowly escaping.

Present

The next morning, Jack awoke with a stiff neck, half blind from early morning sunlight shining in his eyes. It took him a second to recall where he was, and what the smell assaulting his senses was.

He got up, running a hand through his messy hair, and wandered into the kitchen. "Carter? I didn't think you'd be up for at least another hour." He said to the beautiful blonde cooking in his kitchen.

She turned and smiled. "I guess a good night's sleep was all I needed. That, and a few beers, and I was out like a light. I hope you don't mind, but I raided your closet. Your clothes looked more comfortable then mine."

He looked her over. No, he didn't mind. She looked way better in a jack shirt and sweats then he ever would.

Jack considered telling that no, he certainly didn't mind. If she would take a few steps towards him, he would show her how much he didn't mind.

"What's cooking?" He asked instead, with a stern admonition to his raging hormones to behave. "Bacon and eggs. I was planning on making a couple of omlettes, but you didnt have what I needed. You need some help stocking these shelves." She said, turning back to the stove so he couldn't see if she was just making an innocent comment, or if she really meant he needed a hand.

"Yes, well, usually it's just me, and maybe T, here, and fully stocked shelves aren't a real concern for manly bachelors like us." He said, grabbing two glasses and plates from the cupboard, and setting the table.

They sat in companiable (sp?) silence, waiting for breakfast. "So, do you know when Teal'c and Daniel are coming?" Carter asked, doling out the food and sitting down across from him.

"Nope." He replied, digging in. It was surprisingly good, and by the look on his 21C's face, she knew it too.

"Not bad for someone whose Kraft Dinner tastes like chicken, hmm?" She teased, and Jack chuckled appreciatively. "Nope." He said again, and she rolled her eyes. "Is that all you have to say?" He looked up at her.

"Yep." She got up, mock annoyed, and started towards the kitchen. Before O'Neill knew what he was doing, he'd jumped up and grabbed her arm, pulling her back towards him.

She stared at him, blue eyes huge in her face. "What are you doing?" She asked, a slight tremor in her voice.

" Something I've wanted to do for the past eight years." He stepped forward and covered her mouth with his own. For a second, he was sure she was going to knee him in his special spot, or slap him.

Nope. She kissed him back, deepening the kiss with an intensity that surprised and heated his blood. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her even closer as her arms wrapped around his neck and Jack's back hit the wall.

Jack was lost in the sensation of the passionate embrace, and only years in Special forces alerted him to the car pulling up in the driveway. he stiffened, and Carter leaped away from him as if he had seared her with a blowtorch.

" Daniel and Teal'c!" She gasped, running a hand through her wild hair. She turned and ran upstairs and Jack quickly checked his reflection in the mirror on the wall. His hair was a mess, but he could contribute that to just waking up.

Not the truth, that he had nearly ignited in Carter's arms. The feeling of her pressed close to him would forever be etched into his mind.

A knocking at the door brought him back to reality, and he went to answer the door, silently damning Danial and Teal'c for their lousy timing.

He opened the door just as Daniel was raising his fist to knock again. "Patience is a virtue, Spacemonkey." He let them in.

Sam walked down the stairs, clad in stonewash jeans and a yellow t-shirt. Daniel did a double take, looking from Jack to Sam and back again. "Sam? When did you get here?" Teal'c nodded at Sam, and hung up his hat on the coatrack.

"Late last night." She said, and an uncomfortable silence followed as a smile spread across Daniel's face.

"Ah." Jack cleared his throat. "So, who's up for some fishing?"

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'll try to have the next chapter up by tomarrow. Remember, R&R! The more nice reviews I get, the faster I'll type ;)