A/N: You should all know that I'm avoiding homework in my graduate class in order to write updates on this story. I swear, your reviews have me totally enslaved.

Must. Write. MORE!

Anyway, to answer one question: Yes, this is still a prequel to Reap. It won't be apparent until later on, but you'll eventually see the tie-in. I'm sure you're all confused, since Reap started with Sam and Jack having never been involved with each other (and clearly this story doesn't jive with that.) All I can say is that in the world of Sci-Fi, all things are possible. I promise it'll work, just keep reading.

And please keep reviewing. You cannot possibly know how much I enjoy your feedback – it keeps me going when exhaustion and writer's block creep in. Thanks, also, for being so kind. I'm glad I didn't turn anyone off (so far) with my shift to the 'grown-up' world of R-ratings. Please let me know if I get too risqué or too graphic – sometimes I just get carried away by the oh-so-steamy Sam/Jack tension!

And speaking of which…

Chapter 7

Jack awoke feeling something warm and soft moving gently beneath his hand. Opening his eyes, he was unsurprised to find his lovely second-in-command lying beside him. What did surprise him, however, was the fact that she was apparently trying to sneak out from under the arm he'd draped over her while sleeping.

"And where do you think you're going?" he asked mildly, enjoying the startled jump that shot through her body at his words. Instantly, her face turned to his, a slight look of guilt painting her features.

"I didn't want to wake you, but I thought I'd better check the remote telemetry on my seismographs." She seemed to be having a hard time meeting his gaze. "I felt a few rumbles last night and I'm a little worried things are starting to heat up."

Jack chuckled. "I felt more than a few rumbles last night, Sam. And I know things are heating up."

She blushed furiously and stared at the floor of the tent. "Sir, about that-"

He waved a hand. "Don't bother, Carter." He waited for her to look into his eyes before he released her.

She was about to ask him to clarify his words, when she decided she honestly didn't need to. She understood exactly what he meant. It was pointless to discuss, analyze, or otherwise excuse the events of the past few days. She had no idea how they were going to eventually resolve the situation, but there was really no need to hash it out now. It wasn't going to change a thing.

Pondering this, Sam continued to meet his gaze for a moment. Then she sighed. "I really should look at those instruments," she said softly.

He nodded. "Sounds like a good idea to me." Noting her somewhat awkward mannerisms, he tried shifting to topic of conversation. "Carter, what should I be expecting when Mount Doom finally blows its top?"

Oddly enough, Sam was grateful to change the subject, even if it meant discussing a looming natural disaster. "Well, sir," she said, taking a deep breath, "that honestly depends on a lot of factors."

Jack eyed her steadily. "Worst case scenario?"

She smiled wryly. "Worst case is that we've miscalculated the direction of the blast, and we'll be piles of cinder moments after it erupts."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Okay, smart-ass. Assuming that doesn't happen, what's the next alternative?"

She felt herself relax as she delved into her natural element – science. "If the blast does go in the other direction, we should be pretty safe here. Depending on the magnitude of the explosion, a column of ash and tephra will likely rise miles into the air. According to our meteorological data for this planet, we're currently upwind from the blast, which means that we will likely only get minor ash fallout, and should be in no danger of toxic fume hazards."

He was obviously paying attention. "What would happen if we were downwind?"

She spoke grimly. "It wouldn't be pleasant. After Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, ash clouds blocked out the skies so completely in parts of Washington that it looked like midnight at noon. It was worse than blizzard conditions. Visibility was nonexistent, and nobody could be outdoors. It would have been impossible to breathe." She suppressed a shiver at the thought. "Luckily, on the upwind side of the mountain, only trace amounts of ash fell, even as close as 12 to 25 miles away."

Jack thought about that for a moment. He estimated that they'd moved about 18 miles yesterday, which put them about 30 miles from the most active side of the volcano. "So, assuming that we aren't burned to cinders or buried under ash, just what should I expect?"

Sam paused, collecting her thoughts. "Well, if I've calculated correctly, we should be in no danger from mudflows, since we're uphill and in a totally separate drainage basin. The ash cloud might make it overcast and grim for a while, but it shouldn't affect our air supply or greatly reduce visibility. We'll probably hear the explosion, but it's possible we might not. There's something called the 'umbrella effect' that affects how sound travels over distances and altitudes." She thought a moment before continuing. "I'd expect to feel some earthquakes, but nothing extremely violent. The ground here is fairly solid, which will keep seismic events relatively short-lived. Our biggest risk is from forest fires, but the winds should help keep them moving away from us." She shrugged. "In short, if my data is correct, we should be fine until things clear out enough to return."

"And when might that be?" he asked quietly.

She sighed grimly. "That, I'm afraid, is the million dollar question. We have no idea how much force the explosion will generate. If it's really powerful…" she trailed off, looking off into the distance. "Well, let's just say we could be here for a while. A lot depends on how lateral the blast is. Mount St. Helens erupted sideways. That's fairly unusual, but given the huge distortion of the north face of our volcano, it's possible. An explosion like that might be better for us initially, as it would direct much of the blast away from our camp, but it would ultimately make it harder to get back to the gate. Forest fires, ash fallout, mudflows… all of it could potentially keep us here for weeks. We just won't know until the eruption takes place."

Jack digested the information silently. "Great," he said sarcastically. "Tell me again why we didn't just go back to the gate yesterday?"

Sam leveled a calm, matter-of-fact look at him. "Because if Mount Doom had erupted on our way, we'd be dead."

"Huh," he said softly. "Well okay then."

She smiled. "So, mind if I go check on our volcano?"

"Be my guest." However, before she had a chance to completely pull away, he sat up and planted a swift, firm kiss on her mouth. Seeing her wide-eyed expression of shock, he just grinned. "While you're out there, don't forget Daniel's warning. Watch out for the Big, Bad Wolf."

She nodded faintly, making a rapid escape. They both knew that the biggest risk to Sam's well-being was right there, lounging lazily in their tent.

Once Sam had examined the small remote receiver for her seismographs, she really was left with little to do. The mountain was eerily quiet today, with few noticeable tremors to speak of. As far as she was concerned, she had two options. She could sit and worry about the inevitable eruption of Mount Doom, or she could sit and worry about the inevitable eruption of her relationship with Jack. Neither was particularly relaxing.

Thinking back on their earlier conversation, she felt a little guilty. She'd totally forgotten to ask about his knees. He certainly had seemed in better spirits this morning. Of course, he hadn't tried walking yet, either. Well, at least he'd have lots of time to recuperate.

Gazing out over the early-morning horizon, she sighed wistfully. She hadn't quite decided if this situation was heavenly or hellish. She was essentially stranded in close quarters with the sexiest man in her acquaintance for God-only-knows how long. Unfortunately, she knew darn well that he was totally off-limits to her. Watching a few wisps of mist curl over the hillside, Sam tried to map a strategy for her time with him. Giving in to the attraction would be deliciously satisfying – for a while. But it would also leave her with the wretched task of having to re-assemble the pieces of her life when it all ended. And it would end. Inevitably, they would have to go their separate ways when this little holiday was complete. This, of course, meant that she'd be utterly devastated. She wasn't so thickheaded as to believe that her feelings for Jack were just a physical itch that needed scratching. There hadn't been many men in her life worth noting, but she did have enough experience to recognize the real thing when it came along.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, she tried gathering her waning strength. The only other course of action would be to avoid him completely, which, frankly, was all but impossible in their present circumstances. Fighting down a feeling of panic, Sam stared blankly at the sky. She knew what was coming and she felt totally unprepared for it.

Well, okay. Not totally unprepared.

She did, after all, have plenty of condoms.

Laughing in spite of her fears, Sam stood and wandered in the direction of the stream. She really hadn't had time to scout the area around their camp yesterday because she hadn't wanted to leave Jack alone in his pain-filled condition. Today, however, there was nothing keeping her tied to the camp, and with nothing else to do, she decided this was as good a task as any.

To her pleasant surprise, the river she'd seen in the aerial photographs was actually made of two separate waterways. The first was a cool, swift mountain brook. It was clear as crystal and perfect for their freshwater needs.

Sam hadn't realized there was a second waterway until she'd practically fallen into it. The stream was nestled into a channel carved in the hillside, surrounded by trees and thick undergrowth. She'd walked along the ledge overlooking the small river for a few hundred feet until she came upon a something delightful. From a distance, she thought might be approaching a waterfall, because of a cloud of mist rising up over it. However, as she got nearer, she was instantly aware of the true nature of her discovery.

The smell of sulfur hung heavy in the air as she approached a natural widening in the stream. At one end of the pool was a natural dam, made from old deposits of volcanic debris. Past the dam, fresh water trickled down a few feet before continuing on its way. That alone was an interesting discovery, but not what really captivated her. Sam carefully picked her way down the steep incline to the very edge of the pool. Once there, she cautiously leaned down and placed the tips of her fingers into the water.

The sensation that greeted her caused a large grin to spread over her face. Blissful warmth caressed her fingertips. She couldn't believe her good fortune. Many natural hot springs were too hot. Water in very close proximity to a magma source could actually reach near-boiling temperatures, even in the middle of winter. However, it appeared that this particular pool was far enough away from geothermal heat and constantly refreshed by cold mountain water, making it an ideal temperature. Sam giggled. It seemed she and Jack had their own, private bathtub.

Then the implications of that thought settled in. Her. Jack. Hot water. No clothing…

Sam took a deep breath, suddenly feeling a wee-bit shaky.

Rustling in the underbrush instantly had Sam pulling out her sidearm and whirling around. Daniel's warning about toothy wild animals might have been metaphorical, but one could never be too careful.

"Whoa!" Jack stopped in his tracks. He'd been gingerly picking his way down the slope, when Sam had swiftly turned and leveled her Beretta at him. Raising his hands, he smiled reassuringly. "I'm harmless, really."

Sam let out a deep breath and replaced her sidearm. Harmless, my ass. Still, she kept her tone business-like. "Maybe you'd better give me some warning next time. I'd hate to shoot my only company out here."

Jack chuckled and continued his descent. "Can't say I'd like that either." As he finally reached her side, he gazed out over the pool. "I tried calling out to you before, but you didn't hear me." Looking down at her, he tried reading her mood. "Find anything interesting?"

Sam swallowed hard. She had to tell him eventually. Breathing deeply, she pointed to the pool and plunged ahead. "It's a hot spring. Perfect temperature." She gestured to the opposite bank. "There even seems to be a shallow cave over there,"

Jack raised his eyebrows as he digested this information. "A hot spring?" He appeared somewhat stunned by the revelation. "Are you serious?"

She couldn't suppress a smile. Clearly, he was having the same thoughts she'd been bombarded with earlier. "I'm serious," she mumbled. Watching his expression carefully, she spoke with some amusement. "Cozy, isn't it?"

Suddenly, Jack stepped away from her. "Oh, no. No." He held up his hands and backed up defensively. "Don't even think about getting all cute and sexy on me now. I refuse to even CONSIDER touching you until we've had our daily radio conversation. I will not be interrupted next time, got it?"

Sam blushed furiously. "Next time?" she asked, sounding scandalized. "Jack-"

He stopped walking and leveled a wry glare at her. "C'mon, Carter. You know as well as I do that there's bound to be a 'next time.'" Seeing her blush deepen, he rolled his eyes. "Oh, for crying out loud, we've got an entire box of condoms. Are you really going to tell me you haven't been counting the ways we can use them?" If it was possible, she turned even more red. However, she didn't issue any denials, either. He grinned. "Yeah, I thought so."

Then, realizing where his thoughts were headed, he growled unhappily and turned around. Quickly retreating, he called back to her, "Meet ya back here after our next radio briefing."

Sam nodded mutely, even though he couldn't see her. Her knees were suddenly weak, so she gently lowered herself to a dry boulder on the side of the small pool. Totally overwhelmed by the turn of events, she just sat on the rock and stared over the water.

Well, then.

It was a date.

A/N: I told you I was going to be a tease this time. Mwah-ah-ah…