The light coming through the opening in the curtains, woke him up. For a couple of seconds Jack was confused. He was used to sleep in the middle of the bed while Sam was gone but now he was on his usual left side. Frowning he opened his eyes to find his wife tousled hair almost in his mouth. He had both his arms over her and was holding her tight against his chest. She was completely asleep. Jesus! What had happened during the night? His hands were on her bare stomach feeling her warm skin and his desire to caress it was so great that his thumb started to slowly draw patterns in her soft skin. Closing his eyes again he inhaled her hair vanilla shampoo and felt in heaven.
Sam felt a lovely sensation in her stomach, a caress warming her while she was coming for deep sleep to that state of wakefulness. Wait! There were hands in her body that weren't hers. She knew these hands.
"Hey" she said softly.
He had felt her body shift and knew she had awoken.
"Hey" he said not moving a muscle.
"Any idea how we ended like this?" she asked not moving either.
"Muscle memory" he replied after a while.
She smiled although he couldn't see and adjusted her body closer to him. The last time they had been so closed like this was six months ago. An eternity.
"I've heard worst excuses" she said still smiling.
"Are you uncomfortable?" he asked with curiosity.
She thought for a moment. She should be after all that happened in the last days but truthfully she wasn't. That didn't mean she had forgiven him but her body did miss his. That she already knew even before his sleeping suggestion that so eagerly took.
"No" she said. No point lying.
"I did miss you here" he said kissing her head.
God, if he started with the kisses she was going to have a big problem to keep her brain controlling her body. Big problem!
"You told me", she said moving a bit out of his tight hold.
Jack stopped the kiss immediately sensing her discomfort. Ok too much apparently. He was fine with that. They could do slow again. They were masters on going slow.
"What do you want for breakfast?" he asked carefully freeing her from his embrace.
Sam curled to his side of the bed when he got up, grabbing the comforter.
"Just coffee and toast" she said with her eyes now half closed.
"Ok, I'm taking a quick shower and then I'll go downstairs. It's still early but then I've to get ready to leave" he said and went to the bathroom.
Sam closed her eyes and nodded a little more while he was in the bathroom. When he returned to the run she was asleep again and he smiled. It would had been much better if things had started like this instead of what happened. He put his dress blues and sat on the bed, gently waking her up.
"Sam?"
"Humm.." she moaned covering her face with the comforter.
"Do you want to sleep in?" he asked smiling.
"Not really" she answered underneath the soft fabric.
"Ok so I'm going get things started, feel free to come whenever you want" he said picking his jacket from the chair.
She appeared in the kitchen a couple minutes after, her hair in strange pony tail king of thing. She was still in her PJs.
Coffee?" he offered giving her a mug.
"Thanks" she said picking the hot liquid.
"So any plans for today?" he asked while he waited for the toasts to pop up.
"Still haven't decided maybe I'll do some work..." she said not entirely awake.
"You're supposed to be on leave, Sam", he said picking up a toast and giving it to her.
"I was supposed to be doing a lot of things I'm not" she said a little harshly.
He had no argument there.
"Well can I confirm with the White House our attendance to the gala?" he asked praying she hadn't change her mind.
"Yes" she said picking little bits of her toast.
"Good, I'll tell Margaret as soon as I'll arrive to the office" he said pleased.
"What do I have to wear? Is it official?" she asked wondering if she had her dress blues cleaned.
"Oh no, not you. You can wear a dress if you want. Dress blues just for me, rest assured" he said with a sight.
"Well you can show your medals and stars" she said snarling.
He didn't take the bait picking instead his jacket, hat and briefcase. Putting his sunglasses, he went to the door pausing with the hand at the knob.
"Call me if you need anything" he asked.
"Hardly" she said putting the mug in the washing machine.
He left her alone.
Sam decided that she need to go shopping. If she was going to a White Office gala after all that had happened she was buying herself a couple of new items. She felt like spending money. Jack was having a big dent in his credit card. Suddenly she had an idea. Shopping wasn't her thing but it was Vala! Picking up her cell she dialed her friend hoping she would be on Earth.
"Samantha dear, is that you?" Vala asked as she saw the ID on the cell.
"Hi Vala, how are you?" Sam smiled.
"Daniel told me you're back, are you in D.C. with General loverboy?" she asked teasing.
Sam sighted. She didn't want to drag Vala and Daniel to Jack and her marital problems.
"Yes, I'm in D.C with Jack. That's actually why I'm calling you. Are you and Daniel scheduled to any mission?" she asked slowly.
Currently Daniel and Vala were doing some consultant jobs for SGC when requested although Daniel spend more time in conferences than traveling through the Gate.
"Actually we are both in a sort of time out", Vala said.
"Oh, really" Sam was surprised knowing that Vala didn't like when things were slow. "Any reason in particular?"
"Well it was to be a surprise but since you're my best friend I can tell you on the phone" Vala was dying to talk to Sam about this.
"Please tell" Sam curiosity was now in crescendo.
"We are trying" Vala said smiling.
"Trying what, Vala? Sam asked confused.
"Samantha, for a genius sometimes you are so dense, darling" she mocked. "For a baby, of course" she clarified.
"Oh…" Sam was dumbfounded.
"Isn't it great?" she asked thrilled. "Daniel wants a baby" she said almost squealing.
"Yes…yes, it's wonderful" Sam managed to say.
After Atlantis and the Hammond, she and Jack had put aside the plans for having children but hearing the joy in her friend's voice, Sam couldn't help to feel a little jealously.
"Ok but why are you calling, Sam?" Vala knew that there was something in her friend's voice that wasn't quite right. "Is everything ok?"
"Everything is fine" Sam lied. "I just need your help. We were invited to a gala at the White House and I have nothing to wear so…" she didn't had time to finish the sentence.
"Oh I'm so coming to D.C. to go shopping with you! We'll have a blast!" Vala was already reviewing dresses she had seen in fashion magazines.
"Actually I was hoping you and Daniel could come and stay a few days with us" Sam said.
She hadn't said a word about her sudden plans to Jack but she licked the idea more and more as she kept talking to Vala.
"Well I think I can persuade my husband to take a few days from his old dusty books and rocks to see his dearest friends" Vala said with a mischievously voice.
"Ok try to get the earliest flight you can. The gala is in three days so we haven't much time" Sam said looking at the calendar.
"Don't worry, darling. As soon as we have our travelling arrangements I'll let you know" Vala said.
"Ok, I need to know to pick you up at the airport" Sam said thinking she could take Jack SUV.
"Deal, we'll talk later. Love you, Sam", Vala said making a kissing noise.
"Love you too, Vala" Sam laugh.
Well they were having guests. That would be a challenge.
In his office, Jack was busy signing forms when his phone rang.
"Yes?"
"General, I've Dr. Jackson on line to speak to you. Can I pass the call?" Margaret asked.
"Daniel?" asked Jack confused.
"Yes, Sir. Dr. Daniel Jackson. May I pass the call, Sir?" she asked again.
"Sure" he said taking his reading glasses.
"Hi Jack".
"Hi Daniel".
They haven't spoken in months.
"So why are you calling?" asked Jack going to the point.
"Jesus, Jack. No small talk, no "how are you, Daniel", "still alive", nops, right to the jugular" Daniel showed his hurt.
"Fine Daniel, how are you? Must be alive if you're speaking to me or have you ascend again and they are accepting calls now in the higher Plaines?" Jack asked with a smile in his lips quite proud of his joke.
"I see that D.C. hasn't been doing anything good to your diplomatic skills" Daniel sighted frustrated.
"I've never had diplomatic skills, never will. That's your job" he said playing with his pen.
"Ok, no point there. So just to let you know that Vala got us a plane early tomorrow morning so we should be there around lunch time" he said looking at the plane ticket.
"WHAT?" Jack got up his chair.
"What, what?!" asked Daniel confused.
"What the hell are you talking about, Danny boy? Coming here?" he asked picking his cell.
Daniel paused briefly. Maybe he should have called Sam but he had assumed they were on the same page on this. Apparently not. Strange.
"Ah Sam called Vala today and invited us to go to D.C. and spend a few days" he tried to explain. "Apparently there's a gala…" he added.
"Ok Daniel, I'll talk to you latter. Have a nice flight" he said ending the call and picking his wife number.
Sam saw the cell ring and Jack ID and hesitated a couple of seconds before picking it.
"Hi" she said.
"What the hell Sam?! What were you thinking inviting Daniel and Vala to come here? Are you nuts?!" Jack almost yelled at the phone.
Sam hung him immediately. Jack stood in his office with his cell in the hand open mouthed. Ok maybe he shouldn't have yelled. He called again. The phone rang several times but she didn't pick up. Dam!
"Margaret!" Jack yelled through his office not bothering to use the phone.
His secretary appeared at his door a couple of second latter.
"Yes, Sir?"
"Please call my wife and ask her if she will talk to me" he asked siting back on his leather chair.
"Excuse me, Sir?" Margaret looked at him like he had three heads.
"I might have yelled at her and she hung up on me. She's not answering my calls and I need to speak with her. Please Margaret" he asked.
Of course, General, I'll try" she said, leaving his office.
Sitting at her desk Margaret knew that if she used the Pentagon's number Colonel Carter-O'Neill wouldn't answer so she picked her personal cell and called directly the General's wife.
"Hi Margaret", Sam said.
"I'm sorry to use this way, Ma'am but the General asked me to call you and I knew you wouldn't answer the Pentagon's number" Margaret tried to explain.
Sam was lying in the hammock in their garden.
"No, I wouldn't. What does he want? Yell more?" she asked.
"I don't know Ma'am; I don't think so. He looked quite embarrassed when he called me".
"He should be" she said drinking the last of the soda she had in her hand.
"Can I make the call through the official phone, Ma'am?" Margaret asked quietly.
"Yes, Margaret, you can". I'll hung up and wait for your call" Sam said. She put her sunglasses back on. It was a beautiful sunny day.
In a few seconds Margaret was calling her and saying she was putting the General online.
"Sir, I've your wife online. Behave" she said before passing the call.
Jack stood with the phone in his hand.
"I'm sorry, Sam. I shouldn't have yelled. I was caught completely by surprised but I shouldn't have yelled at you" he said at a very low tone usually used when he had fucked up.
She was getting increasingly tired of this tone.
"Well lately that is only what you have to say to me, Jack. That "you're sorry". I'm getting tired" she just told him.
"Point taken" he admitted. "So you invited Daniel and Vala to visit. Do you think is wise giving the circumstances?" he asked trying to keep things as calmly as possible.
"Wise? Probably not but I need my friends and they are my friend so deal with it" she said without bothering to disguise the hurt she was feeling.
"Sam, they are also my friends. I don't mind having them here, I just thought that we were going to try to solve stuff between us first" he said passing his hand through his hair.
"I'm really not in the mood to talk to you about this now Jack. We'll talk later. Bye" she hung up frustrated.
Yes, he was right at some point. They need to try to solve "stuff" between them without anyone around but she also need some backup. She felt very alone in all this. She felt alone while she was on the Hammond, she never thought she would be feeling alone in her own home. She need someone to talk and although Jack usually filled that rolled this time he was not exactly who she wanted to talk to. Besides this was not something to discuss on the phone. She need her friends. Maybe then she could get Jack back.