Thank you to everyone who is reading Jack and Sam Vs Ballroom Bootcamp-I feel so loved right now!
General Hammond called the next day and told Jack that the President had decided that ALL regulations (and there was a special emphasis on that word) had been suspended for the SGC.
"Rhumba all you want, Jack." he said slyly.
Jack had sputtered but said nothing which only made the older man laugh harder.
"I'm glad you're amused, sir." Jack replied stiffly.
"Oh lighten up, O'Neill. Everyone knows you love Sam so stop being a ninny and do something about it...that's an order!"
Jack smiled.
"Yes, sir!"
Jack and Sam went to their third lesson and Sam was ready to throw something. They were right back at square one with the turns.
"Ms. Carter..." Nick began.
"That's Major." she replied without thinking.
Jack gave her a look as Nick considered this response for a moment.
"There are no ranks in ballroom, but since you are military, I'd be happy to call you by your rank, if that's more comfortable and you may call me Emperor Kosovich." Nick said seriously. However, there was a cheeky twinkle in his eye and Sam had to smile.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Kosovich...force of habit."
He nodded. "My brother is in the Australian Marines...I understand."
Sam looked at Nick with a new respect and was much more receptive to his help.
"Darn it! Mr. Kosovich, this is impossible!"
He laughed. "It's Nick, and it's not impossible. You're just over analyzing everything. Here, try it again with Jonathan and try to look anywhere except at your feet."
"Look directly in his eyes." Lena added helpfully.
Sam nodded and went to Jack. As she did so, Nick gave his wife a look.
"Are you matchmaking again?" he whispered.
"It's not like I'd have to do much!" she scoffed.
"Lena..." Nick said warningly.
"Okay, okay...I'll behave."
Sam took Jack's hand and felt his hand on her shoulder blade. She put her hand on his shoulder but Nick came over and moved it down.
"You want your elbow to be aligned with his and your hand should be right over the bicep in his upper arm."
"If you can't find it, have him flex." Lena called from the side of the room.
Both of them blushed and Lena was glared at by her husband.
"Get the count in your heads and go!"
Sam couldn't look away from Jack's eyes and didn't even know when they went into a turn. She only knew she was whirling around and then she was back in the basic hold.
"I told you it wasn't impossible!" Nick yelled happily.
Sam hugged Jack tightly and could smell his cologne.
Get your mind out of the gutter! Frat regs!" her brain screamed.
Woo hoo! No more frat regs! Jack thought and held onto her a few extra seconds.
"Now that the Quickstep is coming along, we're going to start the Rhumba today." Lena announced.
Jack had a grin on his face and Sam looked more than slightly panicked.
Nick and Lena demonstrated some of the basic moves and Sam was absolutely dead set again one. The man had to take his hand and run it from the woman's knee up to her hip.
"Unfortunately, there are certain basic elements that the judges will be looking for, and this is one of them." Nick told her apologetically.
"It's okay...I'll live...I think..." Sam muttered.
Nick showed them how to get into the move and walked them though it step by step. When it came time for the actual move, Sam could feel the temperature in the room rising and it almost felt like Jack's hand was fire.
"Look at them...by the end of this they're either going to be engaged or outright married!" Lena said.
"Not with regulations, dear." Nick replied. "That's why Sandra left the Marines so Rad so could marry her."
"Oh blow the regulations, Nicholas! Look at how they are together..." she said.
"They're a striking couple."
There were more moves to learn and Sam was ready to leave by the time the end of the lesson came.
"Have you decided how you will be announced?" Nick asked.
"Not yet...Sam, do you just want to use you first and last name, or full name?" Jack asked.
"What's usually done, Nick?"
Nick thought about it.
"Most amateur competitions will allow nicknames but it's generally frowned upon. Upper end competitions use full name except for a very few."
Jack looked at Sam.
"Full name sounds kinda cool." she said.
"What are your names?" Nick asked quickly.
"Samantha Elizabeth Carter."
"Jonathan Alec O'Neill."
He scribbled for a moment.
"How does this sound? Representing the United States Air Force, Colonel Jonathan Alec O'Neill and his partner, Major Samantha Elizabeth Carter."
They both grinned.
"I think we have a winner. Thank you, Emperor." Sam replied.
Nick laughed and grinned.
"Thank you, somebody got it right! Now if you could only tell Lena that..."
The woman in question elbowed her husband in the side.
"I just let you THINK you're the Emperor!" she snorted.
He rolled his eyes and got another jab in the side.
As they left, Lena turned to Nick.
"50 bucks says they're married."
"50 bucks says they're engaged." he replied.
They shook on it...then laughed.