Title: John Doe
Chapter: Fourteen
Disclaimer: Hmm ... let us think about this one ... ... ... still thinking? Well, if it's taking you that long I'll just answer the question for ya! They don't belong to me!
A/N: This fast food place that's mentioned down here (Pal's) is in fact a real place. I doubt them have them out in Minnesota, because as far as I know they're mostly an East-Tennessee restaurant, though I believe there are some in Kentucky. Anyway, the cheeseburgers there are wonderful, and if you're a sweet-tea kind of person than you'd be in Heaven. Anyway, just a little piece of Tennessee trivia for you. Doesn't mean much, but hey, now you know.
XXXX
It was nearly midnight and Jack and Sam were still awake, lying together on the couch in the cabin's living room. "You do realize," Sam said to him, while playing with the buttons on his shirt, "that you're time is limited now."
"Oh?" He asked, cocking his head to one side, "How come?"
"I've got this black widow curse, no big deal." She shrugged, "Those I get involved with don't tend to last long. It's very depressing."
"I'll say." He sighed, "You really know how to warn a guy, don't 'cha?"
"I do my best," she smiled. She rested her head on his chest, "You think we should head back to the SGC? I know we haven't been gone for the intended amount of days, but I'd kind of like to go back. Even if we don't work." She looked up at him, bright, blue eyes met chocolate, brown ones. "I like it here, trust me, I love it here," she smiled. "But I miss home."
He wrapped his arms around her, "If you want to go home then we'll go home."
Her smile grew and she kissed him, "Thank you, Jack. You won't regret this."
He raised an eyebrow; "I'll hold you to that."
She kissed him again, "Oh?" She pulled back, out of his embrace, and sat on his stomach, straddling his hips. She slid off of the couch, grabbing his wrists and pulling him with her. "I don't think you're gonna have to."
He grinned and allowed himself to be pulled along and into the nearest bedroom.
XXXX
The next day, at around 0800 they gathered their things and packed up Jack's truck. Since it was about a fourteen or fifteen hour drive they decided they would switch about ever three hours, Jack driving the first, third, and fifth and Sam driving those in-between. They figured that they would get home around midnight, or 0100 hours, given time for lunch at a fast-food restaurant, dinner at a sit-down restaurant, and any breaks in-between.
At 1430 hours she was sleeping, her head lying on a pillow that was pushed up against the door. He had turned the radio off to allow her to sleep better, but he could hear her stomach growling. When he saw the next exit with a decent fast food joint he gently shook her awake, asked her if Pal's was all right with her. Although she had never heard of the place she figured it sounded good enough, so she agreed. They ate while they drove, with the radio going and the windows rolled down. Jack smiled when Sam placed her bare feet halfway on the dashboard, halfway out the window. She certainly hadn't done so on the way to his cabin, he wasn't even sure she had taken off her shoes then.
When it was her turn to drive again the radio station changed, from his light rock to (and this surprised him) the oldies. She admitted that the Beatles were one of her favorite groups, followed by Elvis and The Doors. They were all fairly different from each other, but he could understand why she liked the music. He was sure he had a Beatles CD somewhere in his truck and began to search. Finally he found it and put it in the CD player. He fiddled around with the songs until he found one that stood out to him.
He wasn't sure about the beginning lyrics, but he could remember the chorus. When it came along he leaned over in his seat and began to sing to her;
All I want is you. Everything has got to be just like you want it to...
She looked over at him and rolled her eyes, then turned her attention back to the road as the rest of the song went on. Each time those two sentences turned up he would sing and she would roll her eyes. After the song was over it was her turn to flip through the CD, until she found one she liked. She must have liked the song a lot because she turned the radio up louder, and rolled down the windows.
...Sweet Loretta Martian thought she was a woman But she was another man All the girls around her say she's got it coming But she gets it while she can.
Get back, get back Get back to where you once belonged Get back, get back.
Get back to where you once belonged.
Get back Loretta. Go home.
"You know, their music is really strange," he said when she turned the radio back down. She only shrugged in response and let the CD run its course, though the volume was down low enough to where it became nothing more than background noise.
When it neared 1900 hours she suggested that they stop for dinner, then he could resume driving. He agreed and they began to check the exit signs for somewhere that they would both like to eat. When Outback Steakhouse was an option they decided that would be the best thing relatively close so she pulled off on the exit and they went in to eat.
He got a steak and beer while she opted for the Caesar salad with a diet coke. He teased her about her choice of food, but she caught him trying to sneak a bite of her salad, and he found her trying to steal a few French fries, with ketchup. Finally they decided to share and each had a little of both, although she wasn't a fan of medium-rare steak, her motto was no pink. He, of course, had argued saying that when they had the armbands she got a couple of rare steaks, barely even cooked.
"Well," she admitted, "that was an exception. I wasn't exactly 100 my self at that moment, I needed protein."
"That's true," he said. Then noticing her smile added, "Something funny?"
"No, it's just you're remembering so much now. I think that's something worth smiling over, don't you?"
"Well, of course." He held her hand in his own, "It's because of you, you know? I wouldn't remember half of what I do now if you hadn't come with me to the cabin."
"Oh?" She asked, "Is that why you kept asking me all of those years ago?"
He grinned, "Ok, caught me in that one. But, I never planned on anything remotely like what did happen."
It was her turn to grin, "That was a bit of a ... surprise, wasn't it?"
When it was around 2020 they paid for dinner and took off again, this time Jack was the one behind the steering wheel. It didn't take an hour before Sam was asleep again; she slept until they arrived at his house a little before midnight, at 2354 hours. He gently shook her awake and told her that they had made it home.
"Hmm?" She asked, "Who's home?"
"We're at my place," he whispered, "It's late, I'll take you home tomorrow."
She nodded and sleepily slid out of the car and into his arms, he helped her walk up the walkway to his house, and then he led her into his bedroom and she crashed on the bed. He took off her shoes and socks, and since she was wearing comfortable clothes let her sleep in them, but before he crawled into bed next to her he changed out of his jeans and into drawstring pants.
They slept until after 1100 hours.
XXXX
The sun woke her up; it was shinning through a window and straight onto her eyes. She squinted at the brightness and slid out from under the warm bed, and away from the still sleeping General, who was at that time snoring fairly loud.
She quietly padded through the bedroom and slowly creaked open the door that led to the hallway, then slipped out of the room. It was warm in his house, much warmer than hers was, even so late in the morning. Glancing at her watch she nearly gasped, she rarely ever slept so late, especially after she slept for nearly 1/3 of the way home.
Since it was so late she decided to skip the coffee and made herself a sandwich. Afterwards she went out to his truck and grabbed her bags, determined to shower before he woke. She used the guest bath, figuring that using the bathroom off of his room would wake him up. When she exited the bathroom, steam still visible in the air, he was sitting on the couch in the living room. She plopped down next to him on the sofa and laid her legs out on the extra space on the other side of her.
"What'cha watching?" She asked, glancing at the television.
He shrugged, "Don't know." He flipped the station, then flipped it again. "Oh, hey, I like this show."
She watched for a moment, "What exactly is this show?"
"Come on, you don't know?" When he got no answer he sighed, "Law and Order, Sam. You can't honestly tell me you've never seen it."
She shook her head, "Never seen it. I really don't have the time to watch TV. I've heard of it though."
"Well," he told her, "I'm going to change that. From now on, you watch TV."
She smiled, "I kind of wanted to go check on Daniel and Teal'c."
He sighed, "You just want to check and see how things are going at the SGC, don't you? Come on, Sam. The President let Hammond fill in for me, he's had tons of experience, trust me, things are going just peachy."
"I just want to make sure," she pouted. "Please?"
He sighed, "Fine. But, I'm going to get ready first. And, while I do you have to watch TV."
"Sure thing, Jack." She watched as he walked down the hallway and into his bedroom, then turned her gaze back to the television. The show had been on for a good 45 minutes, so she had no idea what was happening. She searched for the remote, found it, and began to flip through the channels. There were a few home decorating shows on, but she had never really liked those kinds of shows. There were a few sci-fi shows, but after years of living it sci-fi became too ... eerily familiar. She tried to avoid those shows most of the time, unless she was around Teal'c, who was a sci-fi junky. She flipped through the channels until it was 1200 hours, and the programs changed. There was a Law & Order show on, but it was a different one, pegged "SVU", or "Special Victims Unit". She had seen the previews for it before and decided that it looked interesting enough, so she settled for watching it.
It was almost 1230 hours before he came out of the bedroom, towel drying his short hair. He was wearing jeans and a plain, white T-shirt. "I'm going to eat something before we go, ok?" He asked, starting to walk into the kitchen.
"Sure, we can leave at 1300."
He nodded and began to search around his kitchen for something he could make. She went back to the show. Ten minutes later he sat next to her on the couch, a cup in his hand. He took a sip from it, studied the show, and then said "I've already seen this episode."
"Shh," she scolded, taking the cup from his hands. "I haven't." She took a drink, then handed it back to him.
Fifteen minutes later when the credits began to roll she turned off the TV and stood up from the couch, picking her bag up from where it sat next to the sofa. "After we go and check on things at the SGC I need to go to my house, do the laundry, makes sure things are how I left them. That ok?"
"Sure, we can order pizza from there." He picked up his keys from the coffee table and turned towards her; "Are you ready?"
She nodded, "Yeah, let's go."
XXXX
A/N: Yea, Daniel and Teal'c come back in the next chapter, I've missed them. Haven't you? Anywya, let me know what'cha think, feedback keeps me going (and writing quicker)
Chapter: Fourteen
Disclaimer: Hmm ... let us think about this one ... ... ... still thinking? Well, if it's taking you that long I'll just answer the question for ya! They don't belong to me!
A/N: This fast food place that's mentioned down here (Pal's) is in fact a real place. I doubt them have them out in Minnesota, because as far as I know they're mostly an East-Tennessee restaurant, though I believe there are some in Kentucky. Anyway, the cheeseburgers there are wonderful, and if you're a sweet-tea kind of person than you'd be in Heaven. Anyway, just a little piece of Tennessee trivia for you. Doesn't mean much, but hey, now you know.
XXXX
It was nearly midnight and Jack and Sam were still awake, lying together on the couch in the cabin's living room. "You do realize," Sam said to him, while playing with the buttons on his shirt, "that you're time is limited now."
"Oh?" He asked, cocking his head to one side, "How come?"
"I've got this black widow curse, no big deal." She shrugged, "Those I get involved with don't tend to last long. It's very depressing."
"I'll say." He sighed, "You really know how to warn a guy, don't 'cha?"
"I do my best," she smiled. She rested her head on his chest, "You think we should head back to the SGC? I know we haven't been gone for the intended amount of days, but I'd kind of like to go back. Even if we don't work." She looked up at him, bright, blue eyes met chocolate, brown ones. "I like it here, trust me, I love it here," she smiled. "But I miss home."
He wrapped his arms around her, "If you want to go home then we'll go home."
Her smile grew and she kissed him, "Thank you, Jack. You won't regret this."
He raised an eyebrow; "I'll hold you to that."
She kissed him again, "Oh?" She pulled back, out of his embrace, and sat on his stomach, straddling his hips. She slid off of the couch, grabbing his wrists and pulling him with her. "I don't think you're gonna have to."
He grinned and allowed himself to be pulled along and into the nearest bedroom.
XXXX
The next day, at around 0800 they gathered their things and packed up Jack's truck. Since it was about a fourteen or fifteen hour drive they decided they would switch about ever three hours, Jack driving the first, third, and fifth and Sam driving those in-between. They figured that they would get home around midnight, or 0100 hours, given time for lunch at a fast-food restaurant, dinner at a sit-down restaurant, and any breaks in-between.
At 1430 hours she was sleeping, her head lying on a pillow that was pushed up against the door. He had turned the radio off to allow her to sleep better, but he could hear her stomach growling. When he saw the next exit with a decent fast food joint he gently shook her awake, asked her if Pal's was all right with her. Although she had never heard of the place she figured it sounded good enough, so she agreed. They ate while they drove, with the radio going and the windows rolled down. Jack smiled when Sam placed her bare feet halfway on the dashboard, halfway out the window. She certainly hadn't done so on the way to his cabin, he wasn't even sure she had taken off her shoes then.
When it was her turn to drive again the radio station changed, from his light rock to (and this surprised him) the oldies. She admitted that the Beatles were one of her favorite groups, followed by Elvis and The Doors. They were all fairly different from each other, but he could understand why she liked the music. He was sure he had a Beatles CD somewhere in his truck and began to search. Finally he found it and put it in the CD player. He fiddled around with the songs until he found one that stood out to him.
He wasn't sure about the beginning lyrics, but he could remember the chorus. When it came along he leaned over in his seat and began to sing to her;
All I want is you. Everything has got to be just like you want it to...
She looked over at him and rolled her eyes, then turned her attention back to the road as the rest of the song went on. Each time those two sentences turned up he would sing and she would roll her eyes. After the song was over it was her turn to flip through the CD, until she found one she liked. She must have liked the song a lot because she turned the radio up louder, and rolled down the windows.
...Sweet Loretta Martian thought she was a woman But she was another man All the girls around her say she's got it coming But she gets it while she can.
Get back, get back Get back to where you once belonged Get back, get back.
Get back to where you once belonged.
Get back Loretta. Go home.
"You know, their music is really strange," he said when she turned the radio back down. She only shrugged in response and let the CD run its course, though the volume was down low enough to where it became nothing more than background noise.
When it neared 1900 hours she suggested that they stop for dinner, then he could resume driving. He agreed and they began to check the exit signs for somewhere that they would both like to eat. When Outback Steakhouse was an option they decided that would be the best thing relatively close so she pulled off on the exit and they went in to eat.
He got a steak and beer while she opted for the Caesar salad with a diet coke. He teased her about her choice of food, but she caught him trying to sneak a bite of her salad, and he found her trying to steal a few French fries, with ketchup. Finally they decided to share and each had a little of both, although she wasn't a fan of medium-rare steak, her motto was no pink. He, of course, had argued saying that when they had the armbands she got a couple of rare steaks, barely even cooked.
"Well," she admitted, "that was an exception. I wasn't exactly 100 my self at that moment, I needed protein."
"That's true," he said. Then noticing her smile added, "Something funny?"
"No, it's just you're remembering so much now. I think that's something worth smiling over, don't you?"
"Well, of course." He held her hand in his own, "It's because of you, you know? I wouldn't remember half of what I do now if you hadn't come with me to the cabin."
"Oh?" She asked, "Is that why you kept asking me all of those years ago?"
He grinned, "Ok, caught me in that one. But, I never planned on anything remotely like what did happen."
It was her turn to grin, "That was a bit of a ... surprise, wasn't it?"
When it was around 2020 they paid for dinner and took off again, this time Jack was the one behind the steering wheel. It didn't take an hour before Sam was asleep again; she slept until they arrived at his house a little before midnight, at 2354 hours. He gently shook her awake and told her that they had made it home.
"Hmm?" She asked, "Who's home?"
"We're at my place," he whispered, "It's late, I'll take you home tomorrow."
She nodded and sleepily slid out of the car and into his arms, he helped her walk up the walkway to his house, and then he led her into his bedroom and she crashed on the bed. He took off her shoes and socks, and since she was wearing comfortable clothes let her sleep in them, but before he crawled into bed next to her he changed out of his jeans and into drawstring pants.
They slept until after 1100 hours.
XXXX
The sun woke her up; it was shinning through a window and straight onto her eyes. She squinted at the brightness and slid out from under the warm bed, and away from the still sleeping General, who was at that time snoring fairly loud.
She quietly padded through the bedroom and slowly creaked open the door that led to the hallway, then slipped out of the room. It was warm in his house, much warmer than hers was, even so late in the morning. Glancing at her watch she nearly gasped, she rarely ever slept so late, especially after she slept for nearly 1/3 of the way home.
Since it was so late she decided to skip the coffee and made herself a sandwich. Afterwards she went out to his truck and grabbed her bags, determined to shower before he woke. She used the guest bath, figuring that using the bathroom off of his room would wake him up. When she exited the bathroom, steam still visible in the air, he was sitting on the couch in the living room. She plopped down next to him on the sofa and laid her legs out on the extra space on the other side of her.
"What'cha watching?" She asked, glancing at the television.
He shrugged, "Don't know." He flipped the station, then flipped it again. "Oh, hey, I like this show."
She watched for a moment, "What exactly is this show?"
"Come on, you don't know?" When he got no answer he sighed, "Law and Order, Sam. You can't honestly tell me you've never seen it."
She shook her head, "Never seen it. I really don't have the time to watch TV. I've heard of it though."
"Well," he told her, "I'm going to change that. From now on, you watch TV."
She smiled, "I kind of wanted to go check on Daniel and Teal'c."
He sighed, "You just want to check and see how things are going at the SGC, don't you? Come on, Sam. The President let Hammond fill in for me, he's had tons of experience, trust me, things are going just peachy."
"I just want to make sure," she pouted. "Please?"
He sighed, "Fine. But, I'm going to get ready first. And, while I do you have to watch TV."
"Sure thing, Jack." She watched as he walked down the hallway and into his bedroom, then turned her gaze back to the television. The show had been on for a good 45 minutes, so she had no idea what was happening. She searched for the remote, found it, and began to flip through the channels. There were a few home decorating shows on, but she had never really liked those kinds of shows. There were a few sci-fi shows, but after years of living it sci-fi became too ... eerily familiar. She tried to avoid those shows most of the time, unless she was around Teal'c, who was a sci-fi junky. She flipped through the channels until it was 1200 hours, and the programs changed. There was a Law & Order show on, but it was a different one, pegged "SVU", or "Special Victims Unit". She had seen the previews for it before and decided that it looked interesting enough, so she settled for watching it.
It was almost 1230 hours before he came out of the bedroom, towel drying his short hair. He was wearing jeans and a plain, white T-shirt. "I'm going to eat something before we go, ok?" He asked, starting to walk into the kitchen.
"Sure, we can leave at 1300."
He nodded and began to search around his kitchen for something he could make. She went back to the show. Ten minutes later he sat next to her on the couch, a cup in his hand. He took a sip from it, studied the show, and then said "I've already seen this episode."
"Shh," she scolded, taking the cup from his hands. "I haven't." She took a drink, then handed it back to him.
Fifteen minutes later when the credits began to roll she turned off the TV and stood up from the couch, picking her bag up from where it sat next to the sofa. "After we go and check on things at the SGC I need to go to my house, do the laundry, makes sure things are how I left them. That ok?"
"Sure, we can order pizza from there." He picked up his keys from the coffee table and turned towards her; "Are you ready?"
She nodded, "Yeah, let's go."
XXXX
A/N: Yea, Daniel and Teal'c come back in the next chapter, I've missed them. Haven't you? Anywya, let me know what'cha think, feedback keeps me going (and writing quicker)