All right, here's another chapter in the strangest shipper story that I've ever written about Sam and Jack.
He couldn't do it! He couldn't believe that he couldn't do it!
He had saved the world more times than he could count, and he was afraid of asking her out?
When she had mentioned grandkids, he nearly fell over. (It was his bad knee, of course!) He hadn't expected her to say anything so suggestive of a future relationship and so, when she blushed, correcting herself, he had played along.
But he couldn't bring himself to really believe that it was a misunderstanding. Surely, she loved him!
Often, when he got to this point in a relationship with a woman, he heard the voices of various fellow servicemen.
O'Neill, you really think you can hook up with that beauty? Dude, I thought you were smarter than that!
Yeah, she's one hot broad, O'Neill. Better let me handle her!
Jack, don't listen to them. Just listen to your old pal Kawalski. Go ask her out. The worst she can do is say no.
Or kick my butt, he thought.
Oh, is she too tough for little Jackie O'Neill. Well, I'll take care of her.
"Sir, where are we going?"
He turned to her. "Why do you ask?"
"Because Daniel and Janet are hiding around the corner watching for us, I think."
The sudden flurry of footsteps was heard. In his absence of thought, he was taking her right to the multi-purpose room!
Think quickly, O'Neill, he thought. You can get yourself out of this mess.
He saw a janitorial closet nearby. He opened the door.
"Quick, get in!" He whispered.
"Sir, it's a closet!"
"I know, but Daniel and Janet have um . . ."
He thought for a minute. "They're on a coffee high and they're playing hide-and-seek with anyone that's still on the base."
She crossed her arms. "Janet doesn't drink coffee."
Jack bit his lip, thinking up another excuse. "Well, she has been converted to Daniel's three-step program: Pour coffee, drink coffee, repeat."
She laughed and entered the closet. "That's only for the creativity of your explanation."
Now, just let me know what you think, oh, and read the next chapter! In that order, please! Thank you!