A/N : We now resume our regularly scheduled fanfic. Starts off with some SJ "ficlics" of their time off-base. Originally, this was slated to be two different chapters, but I opted to merge them into one larger chapter. I hope you don't mind the extra reading assignment. Tends to be a little on the fast-paced side of things...not a lot of details...trying to show the passage of time.
Let's quickly discuss the whole science behind the terms "gender" and "sex". Like Jack, I don't know it. I don't claim to know it. Unlike Jack, however, I don't have an expert on my team to constantly remind me of my inadequacies (that's what reviews are for +lol+). So, I hearby promise to try and keep my scientific gaffes to a minimum...just bear with me folks...pretty please...
I'm doing my darndest to keep this at a T-rating...I could oh-so-easily slip this up to M if I didn't delete all of those extra scenes. I'll need to make up for this somehow. How about a fanfic based on a fanfic?
And on a side note, Michael Shanks will be at Toronto Trek this weekend on Sunday, July 9 only! Unfortunately, yours truly has made other plans but if anyone goes, I'd love to hear all about it!
Day 4 (pm)
Okay, so Sam can kiss…wow...mmm…did I just moan?
Holy Hannah…Jack's got an amazing mouth…and tongue…and did he just moan?
The two SG-1 members separated and stared at each other.
"You know, that's not quite how I thought this would be." Jack murmured.
Sam nodded silently.
"Granted, I'm not complaining."
Sam nodded again.
"Are you capable of speech, Carter."
She started to nod, but Jack glared at her.
"Yes…yes, sir." She managed to say. "That was…umm…"
"I know." Jack grinned and wiggled a bit. "Your sidearm is getting in the way again."
Sam frowned.
"What's wrong, Carter?"
"Besides the fact that I have a sidearm and I'm not supposed to, sir?"
"Good point." Jack conceded, leaning into Sam's embrace. "But one thing hasn't changed…this…us…feelings…"
"And leaving it in the room, sir?" Sam sighed and gently pushed Jack off of her. She stood up and paced the room, running a hand through her hair.
"Let's face it, sir. We don't exactly have a normal relationship…" She started.
"Yeeaahh…" Jack drawled. "And this whole concept of breast-swapping pretty much solidifies that state. Personally, I think they look better on you than on..."
Sam glared at him.
"Right…shutting up." Jack sat up perfect straight and crossed his angles.
Sam looked confused.
"Crossing at the angles instead of the knees means that one of my legs won't fall asleep." Jack explained his child-like logic.
Sam shook her blonde head.
"Sir, this is just…"
"Confusing. Strange. Weird. Abnormal." Jack offered. "I think I have a thesaurus around here somewhere."
He stood up and took hold of Sam's arms to still her pacing.
"Sam, we are strange. Look at what we've done…seen…experienced. I'm not saying I'm happy with this whole concept being a woman, but I'll admit to being relieved that not everything has been changed."
"The regs haven't changed either, sir."
"We are on leave." He suggested.
"We are on base." She argued back.
"Stop looking for an excuse, Sam. Let's just have some fun, like the General said. No pressure…no strings attached…"
"Isn't that supposed to the man's line?"
"Hey, I still wear the pants in this relationship."
"And they look better on you now, sir." Sam smiled slightly.
They left the base in his truck and found a quiet little mom-and-pop café to have a light lunch.
"Are you two going to the fair?" The waitress with Marge Simpson blue hair asked as she poured them each a cup of coffee.
"Fair?" Jack asked.
"Yeah…it's the fall fair, just outside of town. I entered in my zucchini relish again…it won first place last year."
"Are there rides?" Sam asked.
"Oh yes!" The waitress replied, smiling at them. "Rides and games and live entertainment. At dusk, there's a dance and afterwards fireworks."
"Sounds like fun." Jack acknowledged and looked at Sam. "Interested?"
She nodded.
A ding was heard.
"Oh, that's my husband letting me know your orders are ready!"
"Sam, I don't think there's room for all three of us in this seat." Jack protested.
"Nonsense! Besides, it took me a while to win that giraffe and we're not going to leave him here and run the risk of him being taken. I think George wants to come home with us."
Jack liked the thought of 'home' and 'us' in the same context as Sam, but he kept his mouth shut on that topic. No pressure. No strings.
"George?" He asked instead.
Sam nodded as she climbed into the ferris wheel seat beside Jack, who managed to get the giraffe in on the other side of him.
"He looks like a George." Carter said firmly.
"Don't you think the General will mind?"
"Do you have a better name for him?" Sam argued.
Jack looked at the stuffed giraffe who gazed out on the world as the ferris wheel started. He shook his head.
"George it is." He smiled. "Thanks for winning him."
"My pleasure." Sam replied.
The two SG-1 officers enjoyed the almost-sunset moment in silence, as the ride rose up and began its descent only to rise up again.
Time flew by, slowing down only for moments of shared cotton candy, wiping ketchup off of their faces from hot dogs and the occasional ride.
"Are you interested in going to the dance, sir?" Carter asked.
"What did I say about the sir on the ride over here, Carter?" Jack replied.
"Sorry…dance?"
"What about George?"
"No…I think he'll want to lead. We could put him in the car." Sam suggested.
"Uh…speaking of leading, Carter…" Jack looked around him and the barn as a slow country ballad played. "Who leads with us?"
"Well, I'm taller and the guy…"
"Do you know how to lead, Carter?" Jack asked.
Sam quirked an eyebrow at him as if to question her C.O.'s sanity. She grabbed Jack's hand and led him out on to the floor. Placing an arm around his waist, she pulled him in closer. Jack looked up at her.
"I think a more important question," Sam started, "is whether or not you can follow."
As the music played and lyrics talked about some friends being more than friends, Jack sighed. Sam's arms felt wonderful around him and he snuggled in closer.
Sam's embrace tightened as she nosed Jack's hair and inhaled.
Okay, so they received a few odd stares – probably due to their age difference – but right now, they didn't care, they just wanted to make the most of the time they had together.
"This is the last song, folks, and then we're starting the fireworks. Find that special someone – if you haven't already – and lead them out onto the floor."
"Jack…care to dance?" Sam asked quietly as they sat a table enjoying the evening.
"Love to." Jack stood up, as Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home" began to play. Not exactly a country love song, but appropriate nevertheless.
Stepping into Sam's arms was beginning to feel very natural to Jack. Yes, physically she was taller and more muscular, but it was still Sam and there was no other place that Jack wanted to be.
"Jack, I know you said no strings, no pressure…" Sam spoke up quietly.
"Hmm mmm…" Jack hummed with his head resting on Sam's shoulder.
"But I need to do this…"
"What?" Jack looked up.
"This."
Sam took Jack's chin in her fingers and grazed his mouth with her own.
Jack hummed again, but his time in pleasure. Sam's tongue ran along his lower lip, asking for permission to enter. Jack moved closer to Sam and opened his mouth.
Vaguely, Jack heard the lyrical line "My heart's like an open book" and realized how true that was for him towards Sam.
Being with Sam, in her arms, kissing her was like finally finding his home…a place where he belonged. He reached up and tugged gently on Sam's hair.
She grinned and tightened her grip on his waist.
Unfortunately, all too soon, the song came to an end and the lights began to brighten signifying the end of the dance.
"Fireworks?" Sam asked.
"Oh, god, yeah, there are." Jack said, still stunned by his feelings.
Sam bit her lower lip to keep from grinning.
"Oh, right…those fireworks…yeah, they're cool, too." Jack blushed.
Day 4 pm (but somewhere else…let's give Jack and Sam some privacy, shall we?)
"I brought you some coffee." Daniel piped up as he entered Janet's medical lab.
"Thanks, but it's not going to help me get the results any faster."
"I know…I thought you could use a break." Daniel shrugged. "And I figured the odds of me getting you to leave the lab were next to nil."
"You figured right."
"Staring at the numbers won't help you get the results any faster." Daniel pointed out. "Besides, we really can't progress any further until Teal'c gets back."
Janet looked guilty.
"You're working on something else aren't you?" Daniel accused softly. "A Plan B, as Jack would say?"
The doctor nodded.
"Something that, in case Teal'c's search comes up empty, will slow this down?" He asked.
Janet nodded again.
"I'm sorry, Daniel. I'm not being pessimistic…"
"Just realistic. I understand." Daniel smiled and stepped closer to hug Janet. "Thank you."
Janet blushed.
"So, how about a short coffee break and we can talk about how I can help you."
"There's not much you can do, Daniel."
He shrugged.
"Okay, let's talk about us." He grinned.
"Us?"
"Us." Daniel nodded. "You're being realistic…I'm being optimistic."
Janet frowned, confused.
"When I'm back to normal, I was wondering if you'd like to go out…you know, supper, movie, dancing, coffee, look-out point…"
"Are you asking me out on a date, Doctor Jackson?" Janet fought back a smile and looked stern.
Daniel paused, suddenly unsure of the degree of Janet's feelings.
"Ummm…yes?" He said with a questioning tone.
"That didn't sound very decisive." Janet remarked.
"Yes." Daniel nodded firmly.
"Yes." Janet grinned.
"Yes?" Daniel asked, hopefully.
"Yes." Janet confirmed.
Daniel returned the grin and stepped in hug Janet.
"Yay…yes." He hugged her tighter. "It pays to be an optimist."
"Yes." Janet laughed.
Klaxons blared.
"Unscheduled off-world activation of the stargate!" Walter blared almost as loudly.
"Gotta run!" Daniel kissed Janet's cheek.
"I'm coming with you. It could be Teal'c!"
Daniel grabbed Janet's hand and they ran to the command room.
"It's Jacob Carter, sir." Water announced to General Hammond.
"Open the iris." Hammond ordered, feeling a pit of dread forming in his stomach.
"Yes, sir."
The metal iris rotated open and the familiar burst of "spatial water" lunged forward before receding into the calm gate of the wormhole.
The familiar and respected form of Jacob Carter emerged.
He smiled a greeting at Hammond behind the glass. The General nodded back.
The gateroom doors opened, admitting Daniel and Janet. They stopped immediately upon seeing Jacob.
"Ah, Doctor Frasier. It is nice to see you again." Jacob said.
Daniel dropped Janet's hand.
Uh oh.
Jacob looked at the woman beside Doctor Frasier. Soft brown hair, blue eyes and rather intellectual looking. If it wasn't for the spark of humour in those eyes, Jacob would have thought this woman to be rather bookwormish.
He stepped forward, hand extended. A human characteristic was needed now and Selmac remained in his mental shadows.
"Hello, I am Jacob Carter."
Daniel took Jacob's hand.
"I…uh…know. I'm Doctor Jackson." He stammered.
Jacob tilted his head to one side, pondering this.
"Any relation to Daniel Jackson."
"Oooh…umm…you could say that." Daniel admitted, smiling at some internal joke.
Jacob looked puzzled.
General Hammond entered the gateroom.
"Jacob, it's wonderful to see you again." He boomed, trying to get Jacob's attention off of Daniel. "Why don't we get a cup of coffee and let these two doctors get back to business."
The General started to lead Jacob from the gateroom.
Jacob frowned, confused. Selmac made her presence known to him.
Something is up.
Jacob mentally acknowledged that.
"I was hoping to see my daughter, General."
"Uh…she's off base right now." The General thought about lying, saying Sam was off-world, but couldn't bring himself to do that.
"Can you contact her?"
"We can try."
"That Doctor Jackson must be related to Daniel Jackson. They look so much alike."
Hammond just smiled weakly and led Jacob to his office.
Daniel and Janet watched the two men leave.
"Phew!" Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close."
"He's going to want to see Sam." Janet stated.
"Oh boy." Daniel grimaced.