HIS NECK OF THE WOODS

CHAPTER 4

TITTLE: "His Neck of the Woods"

CHAPTER: Fourth

AUTHOR: fresitaazul

RATING: Teens

CATEGORY: Angst/UST/Romance

PAIRING: Sam and Jack

SPOILERS: Season 7 (Grace)

SUMMARY: This is the fourth chapter of "His Neck of the Woods." After Daniel and Teal'c left the cabin, Sam and Jack must deal with Jack's news and their issues.

WARNINGS: Some language and a little bit of a sexual situation.

DISCLAIMER: The characters used in this story DO NOT belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for fun. I am not getting any money for this and don't expect to either.

FEEDBACK: YES please!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Again, thanks to my mom and my husband for their support and to all of you who continue to read my story.

Here goes,

Enjoy!

"What if I quit the Air Force, would it change anything or is it just an excuse?" Sam asked.

Jack looked at her for a moment, "I would never ask you to give up your career."

"Because you don't feel anything for me?"

"Carter…"He warned.

"I'd let you go right now if I knew,"

"That easy?"

She thought about how hard it had been living with those feelings for him for years, "I didn't say it would be easy…"

The words kept repeating themselves in Sam's head as she hopelessly watched the sunset from Jack's back porch, with her body leaning against the deck's railing. Those words were the ones that she had imagined Jack say to her when she was stranded on the Prometheus more than a year ago… when she decided to move on from him. When she decided he was unattainable. Quickly after that, she had met Pete and well, she had almost ended up marrying him.

Now, after Jack had dropped the bomb on all of them announcing he would be leaving, Sam felt her thoughts all that time ago had been correct. Jack would never risk her career, or let her give it up for him. Instead, he had given up on his career and accepted a post on a place she knew he hated.

Fifteen minutes had passed since Daniel and Teal'c had left the cabin after Jack and Daniel almost beat each other up. She had her back to the house, but knew that Jack was standing there by the door, watching her, unable to speak.

"I had fantasies about this place, you know?" She finally said, still facing the red colored sky.

Jack raised his eyebrows, "F-fantasies?" He said shocked, almost in a whisper.

"Yeah, fantasies. About you and me…here. Happy."

Jack smiled sadly. He had many of those too, but due to the current state of affairs, he was not about to admit it. "Oh,"

"Every time you came here and I was there, sitting in my lab, I promised myself that one day I would get my act together and say yes to your invitation."

"You did… you said yes,"

She slowly turned around and their eyes met. There were no more tears in hers, just confusion. She realized that if they didn't talk, really talk now, any chances of them having any type of relationship, romantic or as friends, would be lost. She walked towards the wood table and sat down on her previous spot. Gazing at his still intact piece of cake, she smiled and looked up at him again. His eyes had followed her from the railing to the chair, afraid of what she might say next. "I like the surprise by the way,"

His breathing stopped. The smile he saw on her lips was nothing more than sarcastic, sad and had a bitter taste to it. He felt he deserved every little bit of it. "I know what you must be thinking and,"

"Don't." She interrupted. "You were right, it was a surprise… huge surprise."

"Sam…"

"Carter. Call me Carter. Please." She darted her eyes on his, anger and frustration deeply concentrated on them.

He felt his heart breaking. She was not gonna let him out of this easily and his plan was more definitely falling apart. "I'm not your CO anymore, there's no need for me to," He said gently.

"Yes there is." She interrupted again with a strong voice, while they looked at each other with all the years of unspoken words and feelings between them, burning against their chests so vividly he felt his eyes water at all the emotions he saw in her.

He blinked quickly and walked from the door, then sat on a chair opposite to her. He poured more wine on his glass and offered her some with a gesture, to which she nodded. Maybe getting drunk would not be smart, but some alcohol could help ease the thick tension between them. "Fine. Carter," He took a long sip of wine and sighed, "That was not the surprise."

She raised her eyebrows and drank her wine as well, "No?" She laughed bitterly, "There's more? Wow, I can't wait!"

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking in her words. She had most certainly learned a lot from him, especially his sarcasm. "You have all the right to be angry,"

"I'm not angry… Just… Surprised. Which, off course, was the intention wasn't it?"

He shook his head and breathed. Just how did he think he was gonna get out of this without her hating him? She was probably already planning on calling Teal'c to pick her up and drive her away from him as soon as she made him feel like the gigantic jerk he was. "No, it wasn't." He looked at her and smiled faintly, "I like the sarcasm, by the way,"

"Leaned from the Master," She narrowed her eyes at him and smiled sarcastically again. Then, she poured more wine into her empty glass and drank half of it in one sip.

He watched her carefully and took a sip of his drink as well, "Are you gonna let me explain this or not?"

She lifted her hands in the air, "Be my guest… SIR." Then, she drank the remains of the wine and poured more, filling the large glass to the top.

-Oh, it's gonna take some major damage control to get out of this, O'Neill- He took a deep breath and lowered his eyes, then lifted them to meet hers. She was gazing at him intentionally, expectantly. "Like I said before, my initial intention was to retire." He looked at her, expecting an angry response but all she did was look at him, her blue eyes filled again with disappointment. "Now, I know you didn't want that, but after you left my house that afternoon, I tried to think of other ways for us to be together, and there weren't any. It was either me or you leaving the Air Force, or the SGC for that matter,"

She shook her head and looked down to her wine, "So you chose for me. You decided how and where our future would be, without even bothering to fill me in first, or at least warn me about what you were about to do!" She gazed at him, "I think you owed me at least that much," She then lifted her eyes and closed them to hide the moisture that gathered there quickly.

He passed his hands through his gray hair messing it up even more than it already was, and then down to his face, trying to collect the words to make her see why he had made such a drastic decision. He couldn't find any, and he sensed the minutes passing quickly, sinking them into the heavy silence that surrounded them.

"God, Jack!" She yelled finally, "I thought we knew each other. I thought that all those times we lost ourselves in each other's eyes meant we had an agreement! A bond!" She lowered her head and whispered, "I thought you…I thought we were different."

"We are!" He yelled back. Then, he shot his eyes and cursed himself silently, taking another long drink of wine. "Why can't you see that I would do anything for you?"

"I don't want you to do anything for me!" She felt the tears form in her eyes but she fought to keep them in while she stood from her chair, "I've had enough men in my life do that. I want you to be with me, not without me!" She breathed deeply and sat down again, "That's what is so special about us, Jack. We never stopped being who we are for the sake of the other. Why now?"

"Because I love you!" He blurted out, "No, I'm helplessly in love with you!" He sat frozen, realizing he had spoken his most carefully guarded feelings. He saw her face slowly turn pink and her eyes fill with tears again. That was definitely not the way he wanted to declare his feelings for her, so he stood up embarrassed and with one more short gaze at her, turned to the door and walked inside the house, disappearing in the hallway.

She covered her face with her palms, clearing the tears as much as she could. Then she looked towards the pond in the near distance, the place where Jack would come to think about his life, his work, his son, and maybe even her. Just then, she realized his new appointment was harder for him than it was for her. Maybe he thought they could still be together, even from a physical distance because she was not under his direct chain of command. With a long breath, she cursed herself for being so selfish. To that point, all she had thought about was her feelings, her job, and her wishes. What about his? What about his love and commitment to the SGC and his friends? She knew he loved living in Colorado Springs and hated Washington D.C. She knew she would hate it if he retired and stayed at home miserably thinking of what else he could have done. So just then, she realized he had turned in his resignation knowing all too well that neither The President nor General Hammond would accept it and then he would be transferred, not having to retire after all. He had, in fact, taken the least bad choice in the end.

She bit her lip and a small true smile appeared on her lips. Looking up again, she saw him walking down the deck by the pond and stand by the edge with his hands on his pockets. She gazed at him, taking in the whole picture that was Jack O'Neill; the selfless being that had given himself up for others countless times, regardless of his own interests. Who had given her up to Pete, willing to fill his happiness with the knowledge that she would be happy, even if it meant it would not be with him. The man who would die blaming himself for the death of his son and the broken marriage that followed. The man she could not stop admiring and loving for the last eight years and for all the ones she still had left.

With great and absolute determination, she stood up and walked through the door into the house, and then out towards the pond.

Jack's head hung from his neck into his shoulders like a heavy weight within his soul. He had promised himself he would remain calm, and explain to Sam why he had taken the post in Washington D.C. Instead, he had lost all possible control and blurted out he loved her. Somehow, in his old fashioned lonely heart, he dreamed of a romantic declaration, without expecting her to say it back. Just a moment, one where there would be no rules and regulations between them, when he would be lost in her wide blue eyes, fare soft skin, and shiny blonde hair. Well, that would certainly not happen now, not with the depth of the disappointment and anger he saw in her and after having completely betrayed her trust.

He heard her steps as she approached and stood firmly, just a couple of feet behind him. She was probably watching him, pitting him for his words and his actions. With a last sigh, he collected what was left of his pride and turned to face her. "I'm sorry,"

She raised her eyebrows and smiled, "You're sorry? For what?"

"For everything." He lowered his head and turned his back to her again.

There was a long pause before Sam's legs actually reacted and walked closer to him. "You don't have to apologize, Jack," She whispered, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Really?" He said bitterly. "If I remember correctly, I completely blew what was supposed to be our last dinner together with the guys. Then, I almost bit the crap out of Daniel and lastly, made a complete ass out of myself by," He stopped there. There was no way in hell he would remind her of the words he had spoken to her moments earlier.

She smiled again and walked even closer to him, standing by his side just inches from his arm, looking straight ahead to the water. "Come to think of it, yes you're right. You did make kinda of mess of things today,"

He turned to look at her and their eyes met. Then, he shook his head and looked down to his feet, unsure of what thoughts were going through her mind at that moment. "Kinda… more like, totally." He said and got a bright wide smile from her, which managed to raise his spirit a little.

"Maybe," She gazed at him again and turned slightly to face him, "But now I understand."

He turned as well, leaving just small space between them. He swore he could feel her warm breath in his neck and her eyes turned slightly dark. Was there something other than anger there? He couldn't tell, but he sure hoped so. "You do?"

"Yes," She touched his shoulder lightly leaving her hand there, but it felt hot and electrifying to him, and he jumped a little by the surprise contact. She smiled again at his reaction. "And, I know diplomacy is not your forte," she continued.

He gazed at her for a moment and slowly closed the small space between them, while raising his hand to touch her short hair and down to her cheek, "No, it's not." He watched her and she watched him, deeply, carefully, honestly. "Carter,"

"Sam," She corrected, "You're not my CO anymore and I'm standing in your deck about to kiss you senseless," Then she smirked, "Carter would be highly inappropriate."

"Kiss me senseless, huh?"

"Yes," She moved her hand from his shoulder to his neck and brought his head closer to her until his lips and hers were only half an inch apart. "Your last chance to run, Jack. After this, there is no turning back," She whispered huskily but seriously.

He smiled and looked straight into her eyes, replying to her statement. There was no power on Earth or beyond, for that matter, that would move him away from her.

Then with their mutual silent agreement, desire took over and their mouths met urgently without hesitation. He snaked his arms around her shoulders and waist, bringing her body as close to him as was physically possible.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, while one hand caressed his short hair wildly and desperately. Their tongues clashed against one another, their lips sucked and licked with need and passion, and their teeth bit with hunger and lust. Moments later, when the urge to breath separated them, they joined their foreheads and smiled together.

"Sam I…" He began, his breathing rushed and heavy, his eyes dark and strong.

"Shush… you don't have to say anything now," She replied, with the same rushed breathing and desire.

"Oh, but I do," He gazed at her, separating his forehead from hers but keeping her crushed against him, "If we don't go inside, we'll be eaten alive by these mosquitoes," He slapped his neck quickly, killing the insect with his hand.

She laughed and kissed his lips softly, "You're right. Inside it is," She looked at him and silently walked hand in hand towards the cabin disappearing through the front door, while the night fell gently behind them.

TBC….

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