Note: Thanks Guys for all the fantastic reviews.. Here is the next one. I hope you like it...

Jack wasn't sure what to do, he held her for what seemed like an eternity before her crying stopped and her breathing slowed back to a normal pace. He didn't let her go, hell, he didn't want to ever let her go, but she made the move, and stepped backwards bringing her arms down to her sides. Jack reluctantly dropped his arms from her back and instantly felt cold, like he had lost something, but then, had he ever really had it in the first place.

Sam turned away from him, wiping her face which was now red and swollen. "I'm sorry Sir"

"Don't be Carter; I'm just glad I was able to be here for you"

"Me too Sir"

They remained silent for a few minutes before Sam once again broke the silence.

"Sir…"

"What" Jack replied ever so softly.

"Sir, I know tonight is a really important night, but I think it might be time for me to go back to the hotel. I really don't feel like hanging around at the moment" Expecting Jack to protest, Sam held her breath.

"Of course, you don't have to stay if you don't feel up to it, I will let Danny and T know that you have gone, and I will pop past later to make sure your ok"

Wow, she thought, letting her breath go, that was not what I was expecting.

"Thank you Sir"

"No problem Sam, come on, lets go get you a cab".

It wasn't until the General had safely placed her in a cab and reassured her that he would call past later, that Sam realised that he had actually called her by her first name.

Why am I making such a big deal out of this, he use to call me by my first name all the time, it was never an issue then, why now.. Oh, why does he always make me feel like this?"

Before she knew it, Sam was outside her hotel, she didn't even realise it had started raining until she opened the rear door and stepped out. Last time she looked at the sky it was crystal clear. She thanked the cab driver and made her way into the hotel, looking forward to a long hot soak in the bath.

It wasn't until after midnight that Sam heard a faint tapping on her door. She was in bed, and had changed into her satin pyjamas, but hadn't really gotten any sleep.

She stood, put on her light blue satin robe and walked towards the door. Looking through the keyhole, she saw that it was a very red-faced General. Figuring he had consumed a bit of alcohol, she promised herself that she would just let him know that she was fine, and make sure he was out of her room in 10 minutes tops.

She opened the door.

"Hiya Carter"

"Hi Sir"

He didn't make a move to enter her room, and she didn't make a move to offer.

"Just thought I would come past and make sure you are ok"

"I'm fine Sir, I was just asleep actually" She lied.

"Right, ah, well then I guess I had better make a move to my bed then too" O'Neill said as he leant his arm upon the doorframe.

"I think that would be a good idea Sir"

"Are you implying something Carter?"

Shaking her head quickly she responded "No Sir, It's just you look….tired and I'm sure you had a big night at the party with all those people to meet and greet"

"Right……. Are you sure Carter Sounded to me like you were implying something. Still gripping the doorframe "I don't like thinking that you are implying something Carter,

Sam noticed that at that point his arm had slid progressively lower on the doorframe and it looked as though he were about to topple over.

Without saying anything, she opened the door wider and stepped away from it showing him that she was allowing him to come in. He did, and moved straight towards her bed and sat down on the edge of it.

It wasn't until Sam had flicked the kettle on, that he looked up at her and realised what she wore.

"My God she is gorgeous….. Shut up Jack, your drunk, she knows you're drunk and there is no way you are ever going to be able to go there…. Just forget about it"

Sam felt very self conscious as she poured the both of them a hot cup of coffee, white for her and a very strong black one for the General. She knew he was watching her, she could sense it. Normally she would have lapped up the attention, but after tonight, things were different. She had showed him a side of her that she never had before. Well, maybe she had once, that time when he was hit by the staff blast, when she spoke to him alone in his quarters whilst he was recovering. He had seen her then; he had seen her cry at the thought of loosing him.

Shaking the thought out of her head, she walked with the two cups of coffee towards the bed and sat down next to him, passing him his cup as she sat. There was silence for the first few seconds while both of them were each wondering what the other was thinking, and both taking in how close in proximity they were to each other.

Sam was the first to speak though she didn't look at him; she just stared at her hands holding the hot coffee. "So… Did Daniel and Teal'c have a good time Sir?"

Shaken out of his daydream, Jack looked at her, noticing that she was busy looking at her hands and trying to avoid his gaze "Well actually Carter, there still there, looks like its going to be one big night… Teal'c is looking after Daniel who when I left, was looking just as bad, if not worse than me"

She smiled at that comment.

"Well at least he has Teal'c there to look out for him"

"Yep"

Again there was another uncomfortable silence, each of them slowly taking sips of their coffee and staring at there hands, as if looking at each other was not allowed. But then again it wasn't.

"Damn regulations" Jack thought.

After a few uncomfortable minutes Sam stood, took her cup and the one sitting idly in the Generals hands and made her way to the sink to wash them up. She had just placed the cups on the bench when she sensed the General behind her. She placed both her arms on the bench willing herself not to turn around and look at him because he would be standing right in front of her. She could smell him, and feel the heat from him.

"What in God's name is he doing…. Doesn't he know what this does to me"

Sensing her tense at his presence, and liking the way he felt standing so close behind her, Jack dared reach out to her. Just lightly, he touched her shoulder encouraging her to turn around and face him. She didn't and stood firmly with her hands planted on the bench.

Reaching out to her with both hands this time, grabbing her shoulders gently, he didn't leave her much option other than to turn around in the direction he was lightly forcing her.

Sam turned, but refused to look into his eyes, he was drunk she rationalised…., he didn't know what he was doing. General Jack O'Neill would never have allowed himself to stand this close to her under normal circumstances.

In another bold move, dropping one of his hands from her shoulders, he placed it under her chin and urged her to look at him. She did, her sparkling blue eyes caught his and Sam felt as if she was going to collapse, the pressure of the moment was all too much for her. Here she was, standing mere centimetres from her Commanding Officer with his hands on her.

Not being able to stand the tension any longer, Sam snapped, moving her hands to his, she pushed him away and stepped out of his range, she moved quickly to the bed, and sat back against the head rest propping up the pillows and flicking on the TV. She didn't say a word, and neither did Jack as he walked towards the door, opened it, glancing back at her ever so quickly and walked out into the hallway towards his room.

As he left, tears once again started silently rolling down Sam's cheeks.

Sam wasn't sure what time it was when she heard a persistent knocking at the front door. "Sam, Sam open up……"

"Shaking her head at Daniels persistent yelling, Sam looked at her watch, it was a little after 2. "Great, she mumbled "I am going to be great company tomorrow with only two hours sleep"

She opened the door and found an obviously drunk Daniel standing or slouching at her front door. "Hey Sam"

"Daniel, what are you doing here, it is 4am?"

"Aah, nothing really, just thought I would come past, make sure your ok, make sure I'm ok, make sure everyone's ok" Daniel stammered.

Feeling sorry for him, Sam grabbed his arm and led him in to her room, following her very cautiously, Daniel made his way to the bed as Sam directed and collapsed onto it as soon as she released his arm.

"I will get you some coffee Daniel"

"Mmmmm" He mumbled incoherently.

Realising that she was still walking around in her Pyjamas still, Sam picked up her robe and put it on, and started making Daniel a coffee. It wasn't until she heard his snoring, that she realised she was wasting her time. She flicked off the boiling kettle and went back to the bed.

Looking at Daniel who had now spread himself out over the entire king size bed, and who was snoring unbelievably loud, Sam realised there was no way she was going to get any sleep if she stayed in her room tonight.

Wrapping her robe around her more tightly, Sam leaned slightly over Daniel to check his pockets to see if she could find his room key. She couldn't. "Damn it"She whispered to herself. Thinking quickly, she walked quietly out of the room and shut the door behind her. Noticing how cool it was outside the air-conditioned room, Sam crossed her arms and walked to Teal'c room and lightly tapped on the door… No response… Tapping slightly louder this time and shivering slightly at the cold, Sam gave up when again there was no response.

She knew her only other alternative was the Colonel. She really didn't want to go and ask to stay in the room with him, but what choice did she have. Daniel was drunk and spread out all over her bed, his room was no good because she couldn't find his key, Teal'c was a now show…..

Sam ran all of the alternatives through her mind over and over. It wasn't until she again shivered at the coldness of the hallway that she made her way to the Colonels room and knocked.