Chapter 2: A New Friend

"So your General Carter's daughter!" Jack exclaimed.

"Yeah, that would be me." Sam giggled gently, pushing her glasses up her nose.

Teal'c had left with Daniel two hours earlier and Jack had noticed that the nervous scientist had begun to unwind rather quickly since then. She'd opened up to him and he'd realised she wasn't just hot; she was hot, cute, intelligent and beautiful!

Sam looked at her watch "Holy Hannah, is it 10 pm already?"

"2200? Oh yeah it is." he replied noticing her glasses had slipped down her nose again, he reached up and gently pushed them back up.

Sam gave a small gasp and began to blush furiously, Jack's smile just kept getting wider and wider. When Sam finally glanced at him and saw his face she stopped biting her bottom lip and immediately gave Jack the most amazing smile he had ever seen.

"So how are you getting home Sam? Jack asked her still smiling.

"Oh, I'll just cal a cab." she replied almost reluctantly. Dejectedly realising it would mean having to leave him. Grow up 'Sam'; he's just another human being!

"Forget that! I'll give you a lift home."

"Oh …" she paused, torn between her rational part saying 'No, get a cab!' and the rest of her which was screaming 'Go for it! Go on, you know you'll regret saying no!', this really wasn't helping.. "I-I, I couldn't." she stammered back, ignoring the rest of her, the impulsive part that was bound to lead to trouble.

"I insist." he replied, a look of determination on his face. Come on 'Sam', be strong.

"I … I guess I could have a lift." she replied after looking into the dark yet warm brown eyes. Realising what she has said and wondering where it had come from.

"Good" he smirked back at her.

Jack cleared away their trays, and waited while she retrieved her bag and coat from her lab. He then lead the now relatively nervous scientists to the elevator, past the surface security to his truck. While making sarcastic comments about McKay the whole time, each one receiving him another amazing smile.
"That one," she pointed as the truck slowed to a halt "with the blue door." . Jack looked, sure enough there was the semi-detached with it's blue door. He turned in his seat to grab her bag from the back seat of his truck. God what does she have in this thing, it's damn heavy! He turned to face her so he could pass it to her. She reached out to take it, her fingers touched his, causing an electric shock to pass through him. Though nether of them moved their hands.

"Your really pretty." Jack had said it without realising. Sam raised her eyes, which had been staring fixatedly at their hands, to his. Her look of wide eyed astonishment made the corner of Jack's lips curl up.

"You … You think I'm pretty?" she asked, the amazement showing clearly in her shocked voice.

"Youbetcha. Hell your not just pretty. Your damn beautiful!" he was so going to have to work on the whole 'think before you speak' thing around this blonde.

Colour returned to her cheeks as she began to blush all over again. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Although it seemed like an eternity.

"Look Sam, I'm really sorry if I've scared you, I would really like to take you to diner though, to make up for it." he looked at her hopefully. While silently praying.

"I … Uh, I'm free Thursday" she just managed to get out coherently.

"Thursday it is then." Jack smiled contentedly. It was Saturday today, giving him plenty of time to work on the whole 'think then speak' thing.

"Um, time?" she squeaked

"1900 sound ok?"

"Er, 7:30 would be better."

"1930 it is." He replied undeterred by her use of 12 instead of 24 hour time.

"Ok." Silence enveloped them for a brief while. "I really should be going."

"God, I'm sorry you must be tired. Night Sam."

"Night Col … Jack"

Jack watched her go up to the front door, his eyes on her six. He drove home, blissfully contented.