Disclaimer: I don't known anything or anyone related to the wonderful Stargate universe. If I did, I'm sure there would be a lot of Jack/Sam shippers out there feeling complete and satisfied.
Spoilers: No real spoilers… yet. I suppose it's pre-Upgrades (season 4), but not really. I just want to use that scene in a later chapter if all goes well.
Author's Note: This is my first Jack and Sam fic, so please, be gentle. From this first chapter I'm really just looking to see if people actually like it, want further developments from it, and of course to note any changes that need to be made in regards to characterization and what-not. So! Please review, they make me smile.
Chapter One – Awkward Rousing
Jack's POV
My eyelids felt like lead weights and refused to open. The strong scent of alcohol lingered in the air, mixing painfully with a thousand throbbing muscles in my body. A heard a groggy moan, I cocked my neck to the right, and heard a sharp pop, and couldn't decide if it caused more pain or more relief.
When I realized it was I myself who had made the sound, I forced my eyes open. As blurry shapes came into focus, I recognized the wood paneling of my bedroom ceiling. It took a few moments to muster the strength to sit up, and when I finally did my head began to pound so hard I thought it might explode. I buried my face in my hands, before touching my chest, my naked chest, I was naked. I looked down, yep, definitely naked.
Rays of sunlight were seeping through a cap in the curtains, casting long, spidery shadows along the walls. Looking at my reflection, I noticed my eyes were more sunken than usual, my hair was disheveled, and my dog tags were strewn across my left shoulder. Straightening them, I caught the reflection of a beam of light shining directly onto a supple blonde lying in my bed.
I spun around, trying to get a better look at this blonde, but the sheets had been pulled up over their face, concealing it from view.
I edged nearer, uncertainty growing; I sat down on the bed. Slowly, I pealed back the sheets and was face to face with my second in command.
"Carter!" I exclaimed, jerking her awake.
"Ugh," it seemed she had woken with the same pounding headache as I, "shit," she breathed, sitting up. As she opened her eyes, they widened and I noticed they had drifted downward…
Remembering myself, I quickly pulled on a pair of jeans lying haphazardly just a few feet away. She tightened the grip on the sheets shielding her body from view and cleared her throat.
"…Good morning, sir," she smiled weakly.
Deducing that my proximity was too near, I quickly stood and retreated to the door.
"Morning, Carter," I was at a loss for words. It seemed neither of us had any idea of what had happened the night before.
I took a sudden and intense interest in the hardwood floors… counting the panels once, and again to confirm my previous calculation. Fifteen.
My eyes took a quick glance over at the nak – Carter, my eyes took a quick glance over at Carter. Our eyes met for a moment, causing my face to boil to a deathly shade of embarrassment, and we quickly diverted our eyes again.
After several awkward, and agonizing, minutes, I finally mustered up the nerve to speak, feeling that if one of us did not say something soon, we would never be able to have a 'normal' conversation ever again.
"Carter?" I asked.
Her eyes snapped up to meet mine, "Sir?"
It seemed I hadn't thought this through. Again, I found myself speechless. Quick… I just had to say something.
I took a deep breath, "Breakfast?" My mind quickly left the bedroom, shot down the hall into the kitchen, and began to scan the cupboard and fridge for something eatable. Guinness. A suspicious looking tray of frozen sausages. Beer. And more Guinness. I cleared my throat unnecessarily.
"Sure," she smiled.
I clicked my fingers, and hurried out of the room.
Once in the hall, I began to notice various pieces of clothing strewn across the floor, leading into the living room… a pair of skinny-leg jeans, Carter's no doubt, a pair of boxers – my Air Force boxers, I picked up a bra, which certainly wasn't mine… and followed the trail with a sense of apprehension of what I was going to find in the living room.
Stepping down the short flight of stairs, I found that the coffee table had been cast aside, and a Twister mat was laid out in its stead. Several bottles of beer and other alcoholic beverages lay scattered across the mat and over the furniture… and a curious stain lay to my left foot and I didn't even want to think what it could possibly have been.
I heard someone move behind me and I spun around to find Carter standing in the hall, still half naked, only wearing one of my, extremely baggy, hockey shirts, and looking extremely sexy… as sexy as I was allowed to view my second in command, I reminded myself reluctantly… I couldn't help but trace the outline of her long, thin, pale legs…
I stood there gaping for a moment, before realizing that I still had her bra in my hands. I quickly hid it behind my back.
"Carter," I greeted.
"Sir," she hesitated, "I thought… I mean, I hope it's okay," she gestured toward the hockey jersey.
"Oh yes, quite fitting," I grinned at my own expense.
She smiled, "It's just… well…" she lowered her voice and leaned in closer as if she was expecting to see the entire SGC with their ears pressed against the windows, listening to our entire exchange, "…I couldn't find my clothes," I watched with great amusement as she began to glow with humiliation.
I turned to face the living room again, "I think I can help you out there, Carter," I subtly tossed the bra behind an armchair, hoping she didn't notice as she followed me into the living room.
"Oh God," she muttered as she saw the state of things and picking up her jeans.
"I'll just…" I wondered what I was going to say… I'll just… what? She was looking at me again. I hate it when she looks at me, "I'm sure there's coffee around here," and with a teasing smile from Carter, I once again found myself hurrying away from her presence.
Sam's POVI took one glace at my reflection in the bathroom mirror and sighed.
My hair was a mess, and I had no brush with which to fix it. I did the best I could… but nothing would make it sit right.
I had found my light blue halter-neck top underneath the lounge – it reeked of beer. I sighed again and decided to search for Jack.
I cautiously moved down the hall and into the living room, once again taking in the site of a night's worth of… something. Stepping over a few beer bottles, I peered through the shelves into the dining room and through to the kitchen – no sign of Jack.
Curious, I opened the screen door to the back deck to find him working on what I could only assume was 'breakfast'.
Hearing my movements as I shut the door behind me, he turned, waving a bottle of beer and spilling some onto the grill of sausages, causing it to sizzle and a wave of smoke to billow upward to the blue summer sky.
"Carter!" He exclaimed and hesitated, "…ready to enjoy my special… charred meat?"
I stood there awkwardly for a moment, how long were we supposed to keep this up… the small talk… and live out the excruciatingly awkward silences…
"What makes them special?" I asked, taking a seat on a plastic chair.
"Ahh, now if I told you that, I would have to kill you," he turned back to his barbeque.
I smiled, "It's beer, isn't it?" Noticing his pause, I knew I was right.
Ten minutes later, after a sea of small talk about various missions, Teal'c's new favourite television program, and the general state of affairs, Jack carried a plate full of charcoal-coated meat and placed it on the table between them.
Sitting down, he said, "Dig-in," he smiled.
I stared at the dish for a moment, "Sir…"
"Call me Jack, will you?" He interrupted, "We're not on duty, Carter."
My heart skipped a beat for a second, and I felt a familiar heat rising up my neck.
"Jack," I said a little too breathlessly, "Um… about last night… I think we should talk about it."
"Now?" He sighed.
"No," I replied instantly, my nerves getting the better of me, "Tomorrow, then?"
"Yeah," he said sharply. Silence followed.
"Maybe I should…" He was looking at me. Perfect eye contact. That would be so typical of him, right when I'm trying to make up an excuse to leave, he would just draw me right back in with one of his looks. "Sir," I continued, giving up on the 'Jack-thing', "This was a bad idea… Maybe I should leave," I stood from my chair uneasily.
It was only for a moment, but I almost thought his face had fallen, just a little… as though he was almost enjoying the complete and total disaster, full of confusion and memory loss, this morning had been. He stood.
"You sure, Carter? You didn't even taste your charcoal," he served me the biggest Jack-grin he could. I tried to return it before walking back into the house to gather my things.
Jack's POVI hadn't even made it into the house before I knew she had left. I heard her car start and drive out onto the highway, I considered for a moment, going after her, before concluding that it would look far too desperate.
This morning had gone by so quickly, thank God it was a Sunday, otherwise we'd both have been rushing off to the SGC.
What on Earth had happened last night? I had no recollection whatsoever… anything that did come to mind was just vague thoughts and images… nothing solid.
Whatever it was… nothing was going to be the same for Carter and I… dammit.
