Restraint.
Sometimes I thought those two deserved a medal for restraint. Sometimes I thought it was noble. Other times I thought it was just plain stupid.
Sam and Jack were two of the best friends I'd ever had - as well as Teal'c - and I was sad to see them so determined to deny how great they could be together. I'd only had a year with Sha're, but it had been the most wonderful year of my life. I wouldn't trade that year for anything, even with what happened to her.
Although I wasn't military, I'd spent enough time with military personnel to understand the logic behind the fraternization regulations. But since when did feelings have anything to do with logic?
For years, I'd watched Sam and Jack conduct an on-again off-again flirtation. Sometimes I'd thought they were merely inches from jumping each other - even without alien viruses. Sometimes they were like an old married couple - one that had once been physically close, but who now valued quiet companionship more than anything else. And sometimes they argued like cat and dog - spitting and snarling angrily.
Then after the Zatarc testing, they'd retreated behind the barriers of Colonel and Major. I still didn't know what had gone on during the re-testing - and Teal'c wasn't about to tell - but something had shaken them up badly.
When I returned to this plane of existence - very Zen, huh? - I noticed that they'd seemed to regain some of their ease around each other. Sam was once more laughing at Jack's lame jokes and he was once more hanging round her lab and breaking things.
Then she started seeing Pete. And Janet died. God ... Janet. Five two and hell on wheels. I could tell you more, but I know she'd come back and haunt me. Then Jack stuck his head in the Ancient Repository - again.
Jack was put on ice after defeating Anubis and was there for three months before Thor was able to resuscitate him. We helped rescue Sam from the clutches of Fifth - and don't think I didn't see Jack touch Sam's thigh to reassure himself that she was alive. Jack O'Neill was not the most eloquent of men, but he was able to express himself very well through touch and gestures.
The journey back to Earth had taken several days, and I could see the team coming back together again.
Then they'd promoted him.
Brigadier General Jack O'Neill. Who could now do whatever he wanted - God help us all.
And Sam accepted Pete's proposal of marriage.
Jack started distancing himself shortly after accepting command of the SGC and even more so after Sam announced her engagement. I don't know whether it was related, but it sure couldn't have helped.
I didn't blame Sam in the least for seeing Pete. She and Jack were in limbo - unless one of them wised up and retired, or at least left the SGC. She deserved happiness.
Not to say that Jack didn't either. I'd seen Jack at his lowest point - just after the death of his son - and knew that demon still haunted him. He'd gone through a hell of a lot for his country and for the world. The simple fact that some of his file was so classified even General Hammond couldn't read it told me that.
I just wished they'd get a clue and realize neither one of them is worth a damn without the other. But they were both so shy that I knew they'd never admit it. Yes; shy. Sam hid it with her techno-babble and Jack with bluster, but when it came down to it, they were easily the shyest people I'd ever met.
Shortly after the Goa'uld alert situation in America and Russia, we'd received a message from the Atlantis expedition. A 1.3 second data burst filled with vital security information ... and personal messages. For security reasons, Jack had to review all the messages to make sure no leaks occurred, and I wandered along to ... be nosy, I guess.
And he let slip that he spoke several different languages. I'd always suspected as much. You couldn't spend all those years in Special Forces - going all over some of the nastiest spots in the world - without learning some of the language.
Then Sam came along, dressed in the black tank top she seemed to favor recently - regardless of the poor young Airmen who'd come to a stammering standstill as a five nine blonde Colonel strode past them. In some ways, Sam and I were like brother and sister, but I wasn't blind. She was a beautiful woman.
She sat down next to the General, their arms touching, and I snickered to myself (have you ever snickered internally? Don't - it tickles) when he shifted uncomfortably. Then Doctor Rodney McKay appeared and started yammering about how hot she was.
Jack started smirking in earnest now, then smiling as Sam went beet red. I tried to hide my helpless laughter, because of that look in her eyes - the one that said 'I am a USAF officer - I know hundreds of ways to hurt you', but wasn't particularly successful.
"I ... I can't believe he said that!" she said. "And why would Lieutenant Ford let that appear on the data burst?"
Jack fiddled with his pen. "Seems as if Lieutenant Ford has selective deafness," he offered.
"Or he just doesn't like McKay," I said. Who did?
"That too," Jack agreed. He gave Sam another smirk as the tape started up again.
I shivered at the look Sam sent the oblivious General. It was a good job she was such a stickler for rules, otherwise Jack would have been in severe danger.
The video came to an end and Sam got up, stretching her arms up high. "Well, that was interesting," she said.
"Yeah," Jack said, leaning back in his seat and linking his hands behind his head. "Doctor Zelenka's message will need some ... editing, but the other personal messages are fine. Release them to the Pentagon, will ya, Carter?"
"Of course, sir," she said. She paused, then put one hand on Jack's desk. "Permission to burn McKay's message, sir?"
Jack grinned - he did a lot of smirking, but a genuine grin was rare for him. "Spoil sport," he accused.
"I think you've had enough ... sport at my expense, sir," she countered, placing her hands on her hips.
"True," Jack admitted. "Okay; permission granted. Lose his message - it's full of crap, anyway - then get ready. You're shipping out to P2 ... whatever in two hours."
"Yes, sir," Sam said, smiling at Jack's fudging of the planetary designations. "It'll be good to see the Enkarans again."
"The Enkarans?" My interest was piqued. "I thought there was no 'gate on their world."
"That's why I said shipping out, Daniel," Jack said patiently. "You'll head to Peterson in two hours, where the Prometheus will take you to the Enkaran homeworld."
"We'll cover it properly in the pre-mission brief, Daniel," Sam added. She ejected the video and tucked it under an arm. "But basically, Hedrazar invited us to celebrate a wedding."
"Sweet," Jack said. "Think they'll have cake?"
Sam smiled. "Possibly, sir," she admitted.
"I might just tag along on this one," Jack said. "It'll be good to get off world and the Enkarans are a nice people. Besides" - he winked at me - "I'll need to keep an eye on you, Colonel. You know how you are with funky alien drinks. Remember P3X 595?"
Her jaw dropped. "Eight years ago. That was eight years ago!" she said. "Are you ever going to let that go?"
"Nope," Jack said.
Sam's cheeks were once more a lovely shade of pink, and I tried to hide my laughter. "The one planetary designation you remember, and it's that one?" she asked.
"What can I say?" Jack said, flipping open a file. "It's forever burned into my memory."
"Besides, it's not like you didn't do things just as stupid. What about that cake on Argos?"
"A-ah!" Jack held up a hand. "I'm supposed to tease you, Carter, not the other way round. It's more fun that way. Now get outta here. I've got important General stuff to do."
As we left the office, I could barely restrain my crow of triumph. Yes! They're back!
