Soldiers of Misfortune – part 14
"Have fun kids," called Jack as he waved them off from his position in front of the hearth. He lay on a comforter, along with several cushions, looking cozy beside the crackling fire.
Sam was still protesting as Daniel took her by the arm and practically dragged her out, only letting go when they were more or less outside the village hall.
Music and laughter drifted out to them but Sam still baulked at going in.
"I don't like him being all alone," she explained to Daniel as the others went ahead.
Daniel gave her arm a quick squeeze. "Sam, come on, two drinks and then I'll let you go back, all right?"
Sam nodded reluctantly, but followed Daniel inside. They were greeted warmly and drinks were quickly thrust into their hands. The men were dragged off by the women; single men of any age being something of a novelty due to the war.
Sam sniffed the drink placed in her hands. It was the same stuff they'd poured on and down the Colonel. She grimaced and swallowed half of it in one go. Daniel said to have two drinks – he hadn't said how long she had to take to drink them.
"Is your husband not up to joining us yet?" enquired a kindly woman.
Sam almost choked on the next mouthful she took. "Oh." She coughed and wiped her mouth quickly. "Err, he's doing much better. The rest is really helping him."
"I was told he was wounded by the Karmine soldiers," said the woman and then laughed. "Sorry, I have not introduced myself. I am Jaellen."
Sam smiled at the woman and did likewise.
"Yes, it was one of the soldiers who wounded him badly, but thankfully he is recovering well now."
"Have you been wedded long?"
Sam thought quickly, not wanting to add to the lies, but in a day or two they would be gone … "Not long," she found herself answering.
"That is such a pity and a marriage in times like this, it is hard. No wonder you choose to travel with him."
Sam nodded absently, taking the refill that someone thrust into her hands again. "Yes, we haven't had much time alone," she answered truthfully.
"Yet you come here to please us?" Jaellen's face showed her surprise. "Here," she said without giving Sam a chance to refuse as she thrust a bottle into her hands, at the same time taking the glass from her. "Go to your husband, with our blessing. We will make sure your companions know you are safe and that they arrive home late … very late," she promised with a laugh.
Sam looked at the bottle in her hands. Her face flushed a little, but then she thought why the hell not? Impulsively she hugged Jaellen and left the hall without so much as a backward glance.
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Sam made her way quickly through the streets. By the time she reached the house she was quite breathless and she didn't think it was the pace that had much to do with it.
She locked the door behind herself, leaning against it for a moment to catch her breath as she gazed across the room. Jack was curled up on his side, facing the fire that was still blazing merrily.
Softly she padded over and knelt beside him so that she could see his face. In sleep he was relaxed as he never was when awake, all the harsh lines of worry, responsibility and sometimes the deep pain he carried, erased from his handsome features. She was debating touching him, longing to trace his face, when he suddenly stirred, drifting over onto his back with a slight grimace of pain, reminding her that all was not completely well with him yet.
His eyes opened suddenly to regard her blearily. "Uh, what time is it? Over already?"
Sam put the bottle she still had hold of on the hearth and didn't let him finish. Her heart was thumping madly as she leaned over him, touching her lips against his, lightly at first, then with force as the flames of desire leapt high once more.
She broke off briefly, just long enough to utter, "We won't be disturbed for a long while," before consuming his lips once more …
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They lay together, holding each other tightly, the fire flickering, the firelight dancing over their naked bodies and entwined limbs.
Sam stretched gloriously content, almost purring like a cat.
Jack watched her, his eyes dark with passion as they roamed over her body. "God Sam, you're beautiful," he moaned, pulling her closer as he mouthed hot wet kisses on her neck.
Sam moaned and wrapped herself around him, the heat rising again, beyond all her expectations.
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The night passed all too quickly for them, even given his injury. Jack had been so gentle and loving with her it brought tears to her eyes, which he brushed away with concern.
"Hey," he whispered, staring at her intently, his worry showing clearly.
Sam gave him a tremulous smile. "I'm okay, sorry …"
Jack opened his mouth to question her further, but she stilled his words with her lips, teasing and tasting him again.
The sound of drunken singing in the streets alerted them to the returning of the others. Grabbing at their clothes and the bottle, they made their way upstairs and lay listening to the drunken shushes and the sounds that filled the house of bodies colliding with furniture. They lay close together sharing the bottle with hushed whispers, talking and laughing quietly as the house gradually stilled into silence around them …
Sam woke alone in the bed, head pounding from the drink she'd consumed and she ducked back under the covers to shield herself from the harsh daylight. Soothing herself back to sleep, the memories from the previous night came to rushing to her and she sat up with a groan.
The door opening made her dive back under the covers, her face lit in a delicious blush as Jack stood admiring her.
He set the tray he was carrying down on the bed with aplomb, albeit a little stiff. "Hi," he said with a huge smile that immediately chased away her doubts.
She sat up holding the sheet against herself and returned his smile before helping herself to the mug on the tray.
"Headache?" he enquired gently.
"A little," she fibbed as she sat back with the hot liquid, nursing it between her palms.
His smile and the twinkle in his eyes showed his doubts. "Mmm, but I bet it's nothing compared to the ones the others will have. Daniel is gonna be so pissed when he wakes," he laughed.
"What about Teal'c?"
"Teal'c is Teal'c. He's fine, everyone's back safe. Nothing happened 'cept a good time was had by all," he gave her a wink.
Sam blushed and looked down at the tray. "Eggs?" she queried.
"Yep, just like home. Try some."
Sam cautiously did as he suggested and it wasn't long before she cleared the plate and emptied the mug. She lay back, replete, a soft sigh of contentment escaping her lips and saw him staring. "What?" she asked.
"Do you know just how beautiful you look right now?" he asked as he moved the tray off the bed.
Sam caught at her lower lip. The faint blush that stained her cheeks at his compliment made him catch his breath.
"Come back to bed," she urged.
He grinned. "Not sleepy."
"I don't think you'll be doing much sleeping," she laughed and daringly folded back the sheet and drew him into her arms, kissing him soundly.
"Wow," he gasped, "I'll have to bring you breakfast in bed regularly, if this is the thanks I'll get."
xoxoxoxoxoxo
The others were only just beginning to surface by lunchtime. Jack had Sam show him around the village a little, leaving Teal'c to play nursemaid. The walk around the village on top of the previous night's events, however, soon began to take its toll on Jack and he eased himself down on the village green for a rest
Sam watched him anxiously, fearing that he had done too much too soon, but he was quick to reassure her that he was just a little tired, trying to hide the pain he was in.
"Didn't get much sleep last night remember?" he said slyly.
Sam was forestalled from berating him by the appearance of Jaellen.
"Hello. It is good to see you again," she said, smiling down at them, "and that you are feeling better too," she added looking at Jack as she spoke.
He grinned up at the woman. "I'm doing fine now, ma'am, thanks."
"The love of a woman can heal so much," said Jaellen.
Sam blushed and Jack laughed and agreed with her.
"You should make the most of your time together before you reach your destination. Time is precious."
Jaellen left them to lie in the grass together, her comments ringing in Sam's ears. Time is precious … that it was … and time just might be running out for them …
Jack disturbed her thoughts. "Good friend then?" he asked.
Sam told him how Jaellen had sent her back with the bottle.
"Then I didn't thank her enough," said Jack as he drew Sam in close to kiss her.
The world around them was falling apart, but here the sky was blue and the birds were singing.
"Do you think we'll get home?" she asked, suddenly sitting up.
"Yes," he responded briefly.
"But what if the gate doesn't work?"
"Then you'll fix it."
"What if we can't get to it?"
He sat up to face her. "We will."
"What if the Karmine …"
"Shush, Sam. What if's don't work."
Sam gave him a brief apologetic smile. "Sorry – I know – I think too much."
"Yeah you do, but don't change, keep thinking. That's who you are Sam, and I love you for it."
Sam regarded him seriously, the doubt clear in her eyes.
"That and your breasts … and your ass and …"
She laughed then and slapped him playfully on the arm.
"Seriously Sam, we'll get home and if something doesn't work it can be fixed. Plans can be changed, but we'll get there. We'll find a way home."
"Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if we didn't?" she asked suddenly.
Jack looked at her in surprise. "What, live under the Karmine?"
"Once order is restored there won't much difference here for the average person. Life will go on. We could find a village, some land … make a life … a home?"
"What kind of life, wondering what was going on back home? If everyone was okay? What about the Goa'uld knocking at the door? … and Teal'c what about him? Junior's growing fast you know … and one day he's gonna be demanding to leave home. Where does that leave Teal'c?"
Sam sighed deeply. Her brain hadn't got that far ahead. She'd only had the thoughts of them together, life without restraint on their relationship, being free to express the love they had for each other … the love she was so afraid of losing if they went back home.
"I'm sorry. I hadn't thought about Teal'c. It's just that here we can have something together, be together, it's …" she paused, taking a deep breath. "I don't want to go back and lose you, not now. Especially not now I know just what I've been missing out on all this time."
Jack raised her face gently with his fingers. "Sam," he whispered, "I love you so much. You're not going to lose me. It won't be easy back home, we know that, but I've loved you for so long, this won't make a difference believe me. We can still be together. It won't be a normal relationship, but then again, what the hell is normal in our line of work?" He gave her a heart-warming smile and kissed her tenderly on the lips before drawing back a little. "I love you Sam, have for a very long time, always will."
Her eyes misted with tears at his words, words said with such tenderness and feeling that she had no doubt of his sincerity. His fingers gently brushed at the tears that threatened and he placed a kiss on the tip of her nose, before rolling to get up. Flinching with the pain, he brushed away her concern and managed to stand.
"Come on, let's go shout at Daniel. That'll cheer us up." He laughed as she rose and he took her hand, not letting go even as they entered the house together.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Alenor and the others were lazing around in the sunshine as they arrived, but there was no sign of Daniel and Teal'c until they entered the house.
Daniel was hung over to say the least. His frown at Jack's noisy exuberance changed to a full blown angry, "shut up Jack," within minutes. He pushed his glasses up his head and pinched at the bridge of his nose, trying to stem the pain, wishing for the infirmary's medicine cabinet right now.
"Good night then, Daniel?" asked Jack, grinning as he placed another cup of the brew on the table for the hung-over archaeologist.
"Um, from what I can remember, yes … I think," puzzled Daniel.
"You expressed your enjoyment most profusely last night, Daniel Jackson," said Teal'c. "What I still do not understand is how, when one consumes alcohol, everyone becomes your best friend regardless of whether you know them or not."
Jack and Sam both laughed outright at this, but the glare that Daniel directed at the Jaffa was lost on the man.
Daniel rolled his eyes and reached for the brew, inhaling the steam as if to cure his hangover that way. "I actually found out quite a bit of their history. Can't remember it all yet," he confessed, "but it will come to me again later."
Jack grinned at that comment. He was remembering just how well the younger man did remember stuff that happened while he was drunk. Sometimes it was much later on and caused no end of embarrassment. Jack found Daniel to be very much an easy mark when inebriated and he tended to go along with even the silliest of suggestions, despite swearing never to let Jack get him drunk ever again …
"Well, whatever you remember Daniel, save it for the debriefing okay?" said Jack cheerfully as he sat down with a fresh drink for himself. His hand went to his side as he sat, his movements showing how the injury still bothered him, something Daniel didn't miss.
"Are you all right Jack? I hope you've not been overdoing it?"
Sam's face flushed a little and she ducked her head down to regard her mug's contents intently.
Jack shook his head absently, aware how the innocent remark had bothered Sam.
"You left early last night Sam," remarked Daniel, unaware of the discomfort of his friend.
"I had two drinks," she said defensively.
"You must have drunk them pretty quickly, considering the size of the glasses they gave us. How's your head this morning?"
"Fine now. I just had a little headache earlier," said Sam, lifting her head a little.
Jack's eyes narrowed as he regarded her face - 'Had it been the alcohol that had prompted Sam last night? She hadn't seemed drunk, but then again once she'd kissed him like that all coherent thought had left his brain – along with the blood supply.'
Sam caught his gaze and her eyes showed her puzzlement. Jack shook his head slightly and forced his attention back to what Daniel was saying …
"Sooo … you came back early and?"
Sam looked uncomfortable and shrugged her shoulders. "I filched a bottle and came back, okay."
"Drop it, Daniel," ordered Jack.
Daniel looked from Sam to Jack and then back to Sam.
"Oh," he mouthed and then gave them a wry grin. "Okaaaaay, then …" he began slowly.
"What part of drop it did you not understand?"
"Drop it? Okay, look, you two don't need to pussyfoot around here with me and Teal'c. We know what you feel for each other and all I can say is good, in fact great, that you two have finally got it together … I'm glad …Teal'c's glad by the way too …the relief …"
Jack cast the Jaffa a glare and growled as he stood up, his hand clenched against his side. "Got it together?" he echoed, his brows raising high.
"Yes … that or whatever else you want to call it. The tension of it not happening was killing us."
Jack stared down at Daniel in disbelief that he was hearing this.
"So it's great that at long last you …"
"Relieved the tension?" broke in Jack.
"Well … yes," responded Daniel warily now.
Jack laughed, but Daniel had the good sense to not heave a sigh of relief just yet.
"Well Daniel, I'm glad that our love making gave you relief as well … In fact, hey what the hell, next time we'll let you know in advance huh, then you can get settled, a good night's sleep, in fact …" Jack felt Sam's hand close over his and all the piss and vinegar went out of him. He looked down at her scarlet face and felt remorse at adding to her embarrassment. He sat down, changing the hold on his hand to grip hers instead and he squeezed it gently, his eyes pleading forgiveness.
He still wasn't sure if it was the drink that was the catalyst and back home he knew this situation would never have happened, but she seemed happy and contented they'd crossed that line – apart from the return home – and he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth … particularly a beautiful gift like the one she had given him.
Jack took a deep breath. "Sorry – look Daniel, this mission has been hard on everyone. It's been one hell of a time for us all." Jack paused as his gaze took in Sam and Teal'c. "There is going to be a heck of a long de-brief on this one, but there are some things that won't be going on any report that I write when we get back." His eyes addressed Daniel directly as he continued. "Should anything of this come out, then you know it'll finish Sam's career?"
"And yours?" queried Daniel.
Jack shrugged. "I don't expect much more from mine now. The worse thing they can do to me is stop me going through that gate, then I'll retire. But Sam's career is ahead of her … it's all to come and Earth is going to need her and you more than ever."
The silence that followed Jack's little speech for a moment was deafening until Teal'c spoke. "In that O'Neill, you are wrong. Earth is as much in need of you as Major Carter and Daniel Jackson."
Daniel looked over at Teal'c before taking a breath and speaking. "I agree with that. You and Sam don't have to worry. I won't be letting anything slip."
"Nor would I, O'Neill," added Teal'c.
"But don't be embarrassed about your feelings in front of just us, okay? If you try and keep it in all of the time you two are going to bust."
Jack grinned at the younger man then his eyes drifted back to Sam. Her coloring had returned to normal, and her eyes looked suspiciously moist, but not unhappily so.
"See," said Daniel excitedly, "It's okay to look that sappy in front of me and Teal'c."
Jack groaned as Sam laughed. He turned his gaze back to Daniel. "I do not look sappy."
"You do."
"Do not!"
"Do."
"Not."
Sam rolled her eyes and left the table. This sort of argument could go on for quite a while and she busied herself juggling the supplies they had with Teal'c to prepare some food.
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