Major Samantha Carter went to his quarters. She heard he'd been released from the infirmary. She had to see that he was alright. She knocked on the door.

"Come in." He called. She went in and saw Colonel Jack O'Neill pulling his t-shirt down over his bandaged midsection. They had recently returned from a rescue mission and Jack had been hit with a staff blast. The worst moment of her life was when she saw him lying there on the ground, thinking he was dead.

"Hey, I heard you were up and around." Sam said.

"Yeah. I'm still a little tender, but they said I could go home." Jack said.

"Lucky that staff blast hit you where it did. Those new vest inserts work well." Sam said.

"Didn't help Fraiser much." Jack said with a sigh.

"No." Sam said. Jack stood up and put his jacket on.

"How's Cassie?" He asked.

"She's a strong kid. She'll be OK." Sam said.

"You speaking at the memorial?" Jack asked.

"Yeah." Sam said. "Listen sir, why don't you let me drive you home?" Jack looked at her.

"Listen Carter... I don't know." Jack said.

"Please sir...when you were lying there..." Sam started before tears filled her eyes. She took a breath to try and stop herself from crying. "...I'm just really glad you're OK." Jack saw how upset she was and went to her. He looked at her saw the pain in her eyes.

"Come here." Jack said. He enveloped her in his arms and just held her as she sobbed. She held onto him as if her life depended on it. "Alright, I'll let you take me home."

Xxxxxx

Sam drove Jack home and helped him inside with his things.

"Do you want to stay? Even just for a while." Jack asked.

"Um...yeah I guess I can stay for a while. I could do with a distraction." Sam said.

"Well, I'll do what I can. Do you want a drink?" Jack asked.

"You're supposed to be taking it easy. Let me get them." Sam said.

"Alright then." Jack said. He sat down on the couch as Sam went into the kitchen and got them both a cold beer. She handed Jack his and took a seat next to him. His couch was big and comfortable, almost like another bed.

"Thanks." He said. He watched as Sam took her first drink before taking his first drink.

"Sir..." Sam started.

"We're not on base anymore, Carter. You can call me Jack." Jack said.

"Alright...Jack...I was so scared I'd lost you. Especially after Janet..." Sam started.

"But you didn't lose me. I'm still here." Jack said.

"But you almost weren't and I couldn't bear the thought of you dying without knowing how I really feel about you." Sam said.

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked. Sam stood up.

"Damn it, I've tried so hard to fight my feelings for you. I know it's wrong, you're my commanding officer and there can never be anything between us. And I'm seeing someone. But when I'm with him, all I can think about is you." Sam said. Jack was taken aback by what she had just said. He was speechless. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you that. I should go." She turned to leave.

"Carter." Jack said. She began to walk away from him. He stood up. "Sam." The way he said her name made her stop in her tracks. She felt him take her hand and she let him turn her to face him. He took her other hand. "I don't want you to go. I've been fighting my feelings for you too. I care about you too much, a hell of a lot more than I'm supposed to. I need you. I always have and I can't let you go."

"Then don't." Sam said. She stepped forward and put her hands on either side of his face and pulled him to meet her lips. It was a deep, lingering kiss, full of passion and a need that they held for each other. They moved back to the couch and he sat down and she straddled him, careful not to hurt him. They kissed again as she lifted his t-shirt off and then her own. His hands were running up her waist. He couldn't stop himself from unhooking her bra and watched as she flung it away. She then let out a gasp as he took one of her nipples in his mouth. She arched her back as he flicked his tongue along her chest to the other one. Her hands were running through his hair as she found his lips again. She then got a surprise as he changed their positions and laid her along the couch and he was on top of her. They were breathing heavily as they looked in each others eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I don't want us to do something we'll later regret." Jack said. Sam pulled him down into a passionate kiss, full of desire and longing.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life. And I know I won't regret this." Sam said.

"Neither will I." Jack said. Their lips met again as they relieved each other of their remaining clothing. She let him take the lead to make sure she wouldn't hurt him due to his injury, but it didn't seem to bother him much. She gasped and arched her back as they coupled in one, fluid motion. They held still for a moment, looking in each others eyes and seeing the burning desire they had held for one another for years. They kissed again as they began to move in unison, moans of pleasure escaping their lips in between kisses. The yearning they had for each other being fulfilled and fuelled by their feelings for each other as they made love. It was better than either of them had imagined or experienced before. They had obviously slept with other people before but this, what they had between them, was making love.

Xxxxx

2 hours later, after making it upstairs to his bedroom and having sex again, they just lay there in bed, arms around each other.

"So now what?" Jack asked.

"I don't know. I mean I should feel guilty. I've just cheated on Pete and that's not me. I don't do that. But with you, it's never felt more right. It doesn't feel like we're doing anything wrong." Sam said.

"No, it didn't." Jack said. "So what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. I mean, I've had you now and I want you again. I can't let you go." Sam said.

"Then don't. Sam, I just want for you to be happy." Jack said.

"And I am...when I'm with you. Look, I don't want to ruin anything. I want to see where this goes. I don't want to hurt Pete unnecessarily, without good reason." Sam said.

"I can understand that, but I gotta say that I hope this is the start of something between us." Jack said.

"So do I." Sam said as she kissed him again. Sam would never have dreamed she'd ever cheat on anybody, but there was an exception to every rule and Jack O'Neill was hers.