AN: Ok, it's short, but fun enough (for me at least) that I think you'll forgive me. Sorry for the lateness of the post, but I came home and passed out with a migraine and can only barely stand to open my eyes now... Enjoy! And let me know if you do!

Chapter Five

"There you guys are! We thought you'd snuck out the back or something." Daniel was leaning in the doorway, a smile on his face. I realized I must have fallen asleep at some point because he was completely sober.

I stood up, carefully moving out from under my dozing wife. "How's Sam?"

He looked confused. "Oh, she's fine. She gets moody when she's drunk. But I'm sure you know that." He paused with a crease in his forehead. "Or maybe you don't. If I had a sister I'm not sure I'd want to know what she was like when she was drunk."

I smiled at the man's chatter. "I didn't know that, but she's a grown woman and I've seen far more inappropriate drunken behavior." I followed him out to the living room.

Sam had changed into jeans and a sweater and was curled up on the couch with an afghan over her legs and a magazine in her lap. On the floor beside her sat a bottle of water and a plate with an untouched sandwich. Teal'c sat in the armchair across from her, his eyes closed, his hands on his knees. He appeared to be meditating. I could see Jack through the window. He was on the back porch, using the phone, gesticulating angrily. I watched him pause as he looked back inside. His eyes were on Sam and I saw guilt flash across his face. A moment later, he'd put away his phone and was letting himself back in the house.

He crossed the room to speak to Daniel, paying little attention to me. "Keep an eye on her, Danny. Call me if she needs anything."

"You're leaving?" He sounded incredulous. "Are you coming back tonight?" I could hear something in his voice, a hint of worry, and I was immediately reminded that their shared job was classified.

"I should probably take the kids back to the hotel." I actually had no idea of the proper protocol, but I figured it would give them a chance to get rid of me if whatever was going was that important.

Jack shook his head at me. "No, Carter's glad you're here." He smiled at Daniel. "If I don't sign some requisitions for the mess, no one's going to eat for a year or something. It's not a big deal. I'll be back in an hour."

Daniel walked to the dining room, returning to the book he'd left there. I didn't know what to do, since obviously I was expected to stay.

Jack poked Teal'c in the shoulder, waking him from his meditation. "Make sure they save some beer for me, ok?" Teal'c nodded solemnly and I started to wonder if the man ever cracked a smile.

Jack went over to Sam, squatting down on the floor next to her. "I'm going to have to go into work for a little while."

She looked up, allowing dismay to flash across her face before she nodded. "Oh, ok." The giddy alcohol induced humor was gone, leaving her to sound small and scared.

I was aiming to turn away and go back to my own thoughts, but I stopped and stared as his hand covered hers. "I won't be long."

Something occurred to her then and I saw her body tense as she moved to sit up. "What's going-"

Jack put his finger against her lips to silence her. "I'll take care of it."

She sat up anyway, pushing aside the magazine and kicking off the blanket. "Are you sure, sir?" She didn't sound like she would be convinced, regardless of what he said.

"I am in charge of the place, Carter. There are some things that I actually know how to do." I couldn't see his face from where I was standing, but I could hear the smile in his voice.

Sam smiled back. "I know that, sir. I just meant that if it's something important, I can help. I'm not doing anything but sitting here."

"And here you'll stay. None of these guys are going to let you do anything resembling work." He grabbed the magazine she'd dropped and threw it across the room. "And that means no more Scientific American for you. It's Cosmo or nothing."

Sam giggled. "I'm a little old for Cosmo, sir."

"Well, you probably weren't the last time you had a minute to read a damn magazine."

"You're sure you don't need me?"

It was only by the total silence that I even realized there were two ways to interpret her question. And in that silence, I noticed that Teal'c and Daniel both turned to watch the exchange as I was. But by the time Jack answered her, they'd both nonchalantly returned to their own pursuits. I couldn't walk away. I was mesmerized.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, ok?" His voice was so soft and gentle that I couldn't believe it was the same man who had stared me down earlier.

Sam nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "Thank you, Jack."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Daniel's head whip around so fast it could have caused serious injury. Teal'c's head was cocked to the side once again and he raised one eyebrow. The guy wasn't big on smiling, but he certainly knew how to emote intrigue.

Jack leaned forward, sitting up on his knees to kiss her forehead. They stayed like that, frozen, with his lips pressed against her skin. We were all frozen actually, because Daniel, Teal'c and I didn't move a muscle either. It was like we were all under the same spell. Then Jack stood up, heading out the door without another word, with Sam staring after him.

I continued to watch the scene in amazement, trying to process just what exactly was going on. I couldn't believe that Sam, my well-behaved, dutiful sister, was having an affair with her CO. I couldn't believe that Jack, even though I knew little about him besides his obvious concern for my sister, would do something so utterly destructive to her career. But I couldn't believe that what I'd just seen was appropriate for simply being coworkers either.

I noticed Daniel. He was staring after Jack with his mouth hanging open. Then he was staring at Sam with his mouth hanging open. Then he looked at Teal'c and gestured at Sam as if to say 'what the fuck.' Teal'c's eyebrow remained raised so high I feared my mom's words about faces freezing in odd ways were true. Somehow, he managed to look utterly confused.

I headed back to the den with a smile on my face. Whatever it was that I had just witnessed was as surprising to the others as it was to me. Whatever I'd thought I'd noticed that day was new. Very, very new.