Here is part 2 of the beach working on Chapter 15. Now I think there will be at least 2 chapters after it, if not a few more. Thanks for all the follows faves and reviews; the reviews mean the world to me.
The next day, Sam wakes up; there are people out on the beach collecting shells as she looks out at daybreak; despite all her thoughts last night, she was able to relax and fall asleep quickly, no nightmares, no dreams about Jack, just pleasant, relaxing sleep. She looks at the clock. It's 7 am. She grabs a book off the nightstand and flicks her light on reading until Jack wakes up.
Jack wakes at 8 am, slowly stretching and gathering his baring when there is a loud knock on the door.
Teal'c is ready to go wondering when they were getting breakfast, claiming he had already woken up Daniel and Deb. Sam smiles, and invites him in, the room, finding an outfit to wear for the day.
_
Deb is still lying in bed, Teal'c had just come by, and they heard Sam or Jack open the door for him.
"How long you think we have?" Deb asks.
Daniel looks over at her.
"Not a long time."
Deb nodded and began changing. Daniel can't help but watch her when she clears her throat, indicating he should look away. Daniel complies, grabbing his clothing and changing as well.
Daniel isn't sure why he and Deb hadn't had sex yet. They had been together long enough, but something was stopping them. Last night after their day at the beach, both were exhausted and went straight to sleep in separate beds. When she has been in town working, their schedules were off, and even if she did stay with him, they were so worn out. He didn't know if he was just getting older if we were a little wary of starting a new serious relationship.
Daniel and Deb got ready and knocked on Sam's and Jack's door. They had decided on going to a well-known diner about 5 miles down the road, known for massive pancake stacks and omelets. Jack and Teal'c were both surprised and pleased about the amount of food given to them all at once and ate as if they wouldn't see another meal for days. Deb and Sam laughed at them as Daniel shook his head.
"So Carter, you planned this trip anything, in particular, you want to do?" Jack asks.
"I already told you, this a beach trip. I came to the beach. I am going to the beach," Sam claimed.
"If you guys want to do something, feel free," Sam claimed.
Jack nodded.
"I'm with you Sam, what else could you possibly want to do? This is nice. I haven't been able to just lay around for a few days in years; thanks again for inviting me." Deb claimed.
The group finished their meal and went back to the Motel. Sam instantly grabbed a bathing suit and went to the bathroom to change into it. She stepped out in a blue triangle top and matching bottoms. She grabbed a big white hat, as Jack just started at her walking around the room.
"So you're seriously just going to lay there all day?" Jack asks.
"I might go for a run later," Sam stated.
Jack smiled.
"I've never seen this side of you, Carter, and I'm starting to enjoy it," Jack claimed.
Sam wasn't sure how to take the comment but smiled nonetheless.
"You coming?" Sam asks.
"Not yet, Daniel Teal'c and I want to check out this shop down the street. You and Deb have fun; we'll be back a little later," Jack said.
Sam nodded. Sam went out the glass door with her stuff, and Jack went out the other door meeting Daniel and Teal'c.
Deb and Sam found a spot a little closer to the waves today.
"So Daniel never told me specifically where they are going, does that concern you?" Deb asks.
"Slightly," Sam laughed.
"I know they'll be fine, but…" Deb claimed.
"I understand. I expected to see you and Daniel watching the sunset last night," Sam claimed.
"Mmm, maybe we'll do that tonight. I was so Jet lagged I went straight to sleep," Deb explained.
The two of them continued to discuss the guys and possible lunch and dinner ideas. The two finally naturally found a good stopping point and relaxed in the sun for a while. Sam had told Deb she was getting a bit too hot and would cool off in the water, and Deb joined her. As the two of them waded out into the water, some guys approached them. Deb smiled politely while Sam rolled her eyes.
"Hi, my name is Miles, and this Josh. We noticed you girls yesterday. No guy friends today?" The man asks.
Deb spoke for them, "Well, one of our guy friends is my boyfriend, but we're all actually coworkers." Deb claimed.
"Well, we just wanted to try to get to know you a little more," Josh claims.
Sam and Deb both eyeball them. Josh is tall, about 6' 2" with brown hair; he was of average weight. It looked like he worked out but wasn't overly buff. Miles was a little shorter, around 6ft with blonde hair. He was younger looking had a smug look to him, but he didn't seem arrogant. He was nice so far, and Sam took this as her chance to get over all the thoughts running through her head involving Jack.
"We're having a weekend trip to get away," Sam claims.
"You all must be close if you work together and take vacations together too," Miles claimed.
"Very, close, and it's just a weekend trip we're leaving tomorrow," Sam claimed.
"Oh, well, looks like we won't get to spend much time with you and your friends." Miles claimed
"Sorry," Deb claimed.
"Well, that's alright; we have all day to get to know one another, so, what is it that you guys do?" Miles asks.
Deb looks at Sam for a second before Sam spoke up.
"Oh, we all work together for government research, all different aspects really we all are good friends but rarely get to socialize our work environment can be so hectic," Sam explained.
"Oh, same here, I work as a science teacher, never get to talk to adults, and Josh here he owns a business in Philly, that's where we're from," Miles explains.
"That sounds like it can be a lot of work," Deb claims. Wishing the guys only knew half of what they did.
The guys continue to make small talk for a while, and although it wasn't uncomfortable, there were awkward silent moments. Finally, after about an hour, Josh, who had been quiet for so long, finally spoke up.
"Look, even though Miles here, introduced us he is kind of beating around the bush, he is interested in asking you out, and I agreed to come and possibly be double with Deb here, but since she is already taken, I am just going to ask would you be willing to go out with Miles tonight?" Josh asks.
Miles looked mortified by Josh's directness and blushed at his friend's actions. Sam only took a few seconds to respond.
"I would love to!" Sam stated.
Deb whipped around quickly to see Sam smile no odd looks come over her.
"Okay, great, listen, we're here with some other friends, and we're supposed to meet up with them soon," Josh claimed.
Sam nodded.
Miles finally spoke up again.
"I guess I can't apologize for him after he all he got me a date with you." Miles smiled. "I'll meet you in front of the motel tonight around 7, is that okay?"
"Sounds great, see you then," Sam claimed.
The guys took off out of the water, and Sam watched them walk back to their own room at the motel.
"Sam, are you sure?" Deb asks.
"Yeah, I need a distraction," Sam admits.
"Is this the best way to go about it?" Deb asks.
Sam shrugs her shoulders, walking back out of the water and laying down on her towel, contemplating what she has just agreed to.
"You can always change your mind," Deb said.
Sam nodded, knowing she was going to through with this, though.
The guys come back a short time later, Jack has lunch in hand, and Sam realizes that they had been out all morning, and it was almost 1 pm.
"So, where did you guys run off to?" Deb asks.
"You know here and there…" Jack claimed.
Deb rolled her eyes and didn't get any elaborate details from Daniel either.
The group played Frisbee and went swimming in the Ocean. They played with the Volleyball Jack brought and, in general, had a fun day at the beach.
When Jack suggested dinner around 6 pm, Sam's stomach growled, and she realized she had to get ready and somehow go with Miles without Jack knowing.
Suddenly Deb looked at her,
"Oh, I don't know. I think I've stayed in the heat too long. I don't feel well," Deb claimed.
The guys looked at her oddly, as she hadn't made any complaints before.
"Well, why don't you guys go? Deb and I can stay in and order pizza. I saw a pamphlet on the table," Sam stated.
"We can just all order in," Jack suggested.
"NO!" Deb and Sam say at the same time.
"What I mean to say is I um, well its cramps real, real bad cramps and I just feel Sam understands, and you guys should just go out and have fun," Deb claims.
Jack's eyebrows shoot up a little bit.
"Okay, if that's what you guys want, the guys and I will go out, and we'll be back a bit later," Jack claims.
"Go have fun get some drinks, stay out, don't come back early on our count," Deb claims.
The guys look at the two girls again before they all head back in.
When Jack and Sam get back to their room, Jack immediately questions her.
"Did something happen between her and Daniel? What's going on?" Jack asks.
Sam bites her lip, hoping Deb and Daniel will forgive her for what she's about to say.
"Kind of look, Deb, really likes Daniel, but she's a little nervous about the whole dating-working dynamic, and she kind of needs a breather from him just some space. Please, don't tell Daniel it's probably nothing. She just needs some time to digest, and this trip made her realize how serious this is becoming." Sam stated.
"Alright, you sure you don't want to come out with us?" Jack asks.
"No, Deb and I will be fine. Besides, I don't want to leave her here, have fun get drinks," Sam claims.
"Alright, we'll be back later," Jack stated.
Sam let him get ready to go first as she watched the minutes tick down; it was already 6:25p as Sam hurried Jack out the door. She rinsed off.
Sam didn't bring anything overly flirty, other than her bathing suits. She grabbed a maxi dress and knotted it bring it right above her knee; she dug through a small makeup bag to find a pink hue lipstick and put some mascara on. Her day at the beach made her darker than normal; skipping blush or foundation, she added a brown eyeshadow. She slipped on flip flops and redid her hair, and looked at the clock. It was 6:55. She knocked on Deb's door.
"Hey, thanks! Jack saw through your sickness thing, I told him that you just needed some space from Daniel, but it wasn't a big deal." Sam claimed.
Deb smiled.
"Fine by me. I'm getting a large pizza and will feed your slices to the seagulls out there. Go have fun." Deb claimed.
Sam met Miles outside; he was wearing a black button-up and khakis. He had sandals on, though; his hair was slicked back, he looked good. Sam smiled as she walked up to him and asked where he was thinking.
He said the place was within walking distance, and they took off to the south about 2 blocks down. There was a beautiful seaside restaurant, it wasn't overly fancy, but it was nicer than anyplace else she had been while there.
The two are seated quickly.
"Thanks for agreeing to this. I hope you don't think I do this all the time; I've actually never asked someone out I've just met," Miles claims.
"So Josh put you up to it?" Sam smiles.
"Yes, no, I mean, I'm going to be real honest; I noticed you yesterday with your friends, and there was something about you. I just had to say hello. Josh was the one pushing me today to meet you though if he weren't there, I probably wouldn't have done it." Miles admits.
Sam smiles.
"So you're a teacher?" Sam asks.
"Yes, middle school science class," Josh claims.
"Wouldn't want to be in your shoes," Sam said.
Josh smiled.
"So, you like science?" Josh asks.
Sam laughs, "You can say that."
"Do you work in a science field?" He asks.
"Actually, yes, I'm a physicist," Sam claims
"Wow, okay, would have never guessed," Josh stated.
"So, are you really here with your co-workers?" Josh asks.
"Yes, you see, T, the big guy you saw us with, he's not from around here, and we really wanted to show him a lot of different places, so when we get free time, we've all been showing him around," Sam claimed.
"That's awesome. I wish I had work friends that were that close. Josh and I have grown up together. We've always been close. This is our first time out to the West Coast, and we really are trying to make the best of it." Miles
Sam smiled, and they continued small talk. Miles started talking science, and not middle school science, latest theories, and findings that she too had kept up with, keeping them talking drink after drink long after their meal was finished.
It was late, approaching 10 pm, when Sam realized just how late it was.
Miles looked at the time surprised.
"Listen, Josh is with our other friends if you'd like to finish this conversation back at the motel," Miles suggested.
Sam nodded; she went to help pay, but Miles covered the food, and multiple drinks were ordered. She wasn't drunk far from it. She had enjoyed sitting and talking to him.
They go back to the motel, and Sam walks by their rooms. She tries to listen to see if they'd made it back yet, but she can't tell they walk on down the hall to Miles room.
As Jack turned the corner, he saw Sam with some guy walking into his hotel room. Jack shook his head, thinking he had to be mistaken; Sam was with Deb. Teal'c and Daniel were behind him, so they didn't get a peek at what he did.
Teal'c went to his room, but Jack insisted on going in with Daniel. Daniel allowed his friend in.
"Where's Carter?" Jack asks quickly.
"Oh, she should be over her room; we got pretty tired, Deb claimed.
Jack doesn't say anything.
"You look like your feeling better." Daniel pointed out.
"Like I said, I was too hot from the sun and horrible cramps, but I'm better now," Deb claimed.
Daniel just nodded.
"Jack, if you mind, I think we're going to try to get some sleep," Daniel claimed.
"Right, right, okay…" Jack said.
He went to the room to find it also void of one Sam Carter.
He immediately went back to Daniel and Deb's room.
"Where is she?" Jack asks, knowing full well Sam was down the hall.
Deb looked at Jack weirdly, "I don't know, maybe she went out to the beach or a run or something." Deb claimed.
"Sure she's not on a date?" Jack asks angrily.
Deb looks at him.
"Jack…" Deb stated.
"Save it, and I can't believe you and Carter lied all so she could get f…." Jack was interrupted.
"Don't even go there!" Deb claimed.
"Don't listen. I know we shouldn't have lied, but Sam didn't want to tell you where she was going, and it's her business, we're on vacation, some guys started talking to us they were really nice, he's a school teacher and…" Deb started.
"I don't give a damn if he's the Easter bunny; you never know with our job which the enemy is," Jack claimed.
"She can take care of herself, I can't believe she's your second in command, and you don't even trust her," Deb claimed.
"You just don't understand. Damn it!" Jack claimed.
Daniel looked at his friend, slightly worried.
"Deb's right. Sam is allowed to do what she wants even if you don't exactly approve," Daniel claimed.
Jack looked upset that he was taking Deb's side.
Jack slammed their door, wondering if he should go pound on that guy's door, but he didn't. Instead, he paced the floor until she came back to the room at 1 am.
"Jack!" Sam said, surprised.
"Wow, love them and leave them, Carter, didn't know you were that kind of woman," Jack said bitterly.
"Excuse Me!" Sam yelled.
"I saw you go into the room with that guy down the hall," Jack claimed.
Sam closed her eyes and looked down.
"We met on the beach today, and I went for dinner. He's a middle school science teacher. We had a lot of good discussions, the restaurant closed and we took it back to his room. Not that it's any of your business, but I didn't sleep with him." Sam claimed.
"I'm not saying it is Carter, but why lie about it?" Jack asks.
"You're seriously asking me that question right now?" Sam asks.
"Yes, Carter, I think it deserves an answer," Jack yelled.
"Jack, I keep putting us in these situations, a conscious effort. I knew that we'd end up sharing rooms. I could have gotten another room, but I chose to get 3. I slept with you, in your cabin, in Vegas. You held me tight. Jack, I keep hoping, wishing that putting us in these situations would do something, anything, and all it does is make me realize why we shouldn't be doing this! When Miles came up to me today, he was my excuse, a reason to keep my mind off you and what I want from you, so when he asked me out, I accepted." Sam claimed, her voice getting smaller as she explained.
"What do you want from me, Carter?" Jack asks.
"Jack…" Sam trailed.
"Sam, what do you want from me?" Jack asks again.
"You know exactly what I want, and I want all of you, Jack. I want this room to be Teal'c's king-size room. I want this trip to be just you and me, and I want to stop fooling myself that it will happen. I want things to be normal." Sam cried; she literally had tears pouring down her face.
With that, Jack closed the gap between them, holding her close.
"God, Sam, I am so sorry," Jack expressed.
Sam felt like an idiot and pulled away at Jack's embrace.
"Don't please," Sam begged, not wanting to feel his touch, not wanting to think that this could be.
Jack let her squirm but still held her until she stilled in his arms, and she just let him hold her.
"You have to know I want the same thing, but you're right the way it is now. It can't happen. It doesn't mean we can't change. I'll figure something out." Jack claims.
"NO! We can't, and I will not be the reason SG-1 breaks up. I won't be the reason." Sam claims.
Jack looks at her.
"Sam, I want this," Jack claims.
Sam looks at him for a long time, then simply nods her head.
"Get ready for bed," Jack tells her.
Sam nods and grabs some pajamas, and heads into the bathroom.
Jack is still reeling at everything he's learned today. He's mad that he hadn't seen it sooner. Yes, there was always something, and in the back of his mind, he had always thought that one day eventually, he would retire and ask her out. One day something would happen, and Sam would realize he wasn't good enough and move on getting married maybe have a couple of kids if she wanted, but that hasn't happened. His heart was hurting. Jack blames himself for the pain he's caused her because he could have done something so many times, and he chose not to. Sam did say though she didn't want to break up SG-1, and damn he didn't want to go through the gate without her. It was given and took, and Jack doesn't know how to fix this. He closes his eyes, listening to the shower, wondering how he will proceed from here. Jack was sure this was the stickiest predicament he'd ever been in.
Jack heard Sam open the bathroom door, and he looked up at her to try to gauge her thoughts. He couldn't seem to read her, which annoyed him greatly.
"Carter?" Jack asked.
"I'm fine," Sam says.
Jack looks at her. "Are you?" He asks.
"I, we have to be," Sam claims.
Jack can't believe the honesty. They're no longer hiding. He holds her for a while before pulling her to bed with him. The two fall into a dreamless sleep.