Man of Mystery

by trupi & sg-1fanintn

Authors' Note: trupi had a dream that is becoming this story. I'm so glad she asked me to help her share it!

Chapter 2

They moved to the couch for pie and coffee. Sam's taste buds were tingling as she took her first bite…a warm, sweet mix of pecans, a thick filling, raisins and flaky crust. She looked up to find Jack watching her for a reaction. "Like it?" he asked.

"Come on…you didn't," she said.

"Yes, I did…but I cheated a little on this one."

"Well, thank goodness! I thought…"

"Yeah…I made it before we left the Springs…Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Raisin Pie. Packed it up really well and just reheated it a few minutes ago. I figured if I did that in advance, I'd have more time to spend with you."

She took his words in carefully. An awkward silence followed, as Sam considered what to say next. "Jack, I have a question."

"I'm sure you have quite a few questions at this point. Maybe we can come up with some answers this evening."

Pie consumed, she put her plate down on the coffee table and turned to face him. "Well, I hope you start soon, because I'm beginning to wonder who you are and what you've done with my CO."

He put his plate down, and reached out to take her hands in his. He paused and took a deep breath before beginning to speak. "Sam, in a couple of weeks, I won't be your CO any more. General Hammond is retiring, and he has asked me to accept his job in Washington. I've said yes."

She felt a pain stabbing her heart. He was leaving? He wouldn't be at the SGC anymore? Why would he desert her, just when she had everything figured out? What was this conversation all about? Was he trying to break the news to her gently? What would she do without him around?

Seeing the confusion in her eyes, he gave her hands a reassuring squeeze and continued quickly. "This is the opportunity I've been waiting for, Samantha. The time will never be better. It's a chance for me to get out of your chain of command. A chance to see if…" He paused, searching her face for a sign of her reaction.

"To see if what?" she asked softly.

The look in her eyes gave him the courage to continue. "The chance to see if this…this thing…we've been dancing around for so long is an infatuation…or if it's as real as I think it is."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she pulled a hand away to brush them back. "I'd like to know too…but if you're not in Colorado, how can we find out?"

"I didn't agree to this without getting some pretty specific concerns addressed. One thing I made them promise me is free weekends unless there's a planetary crisis threatening us. I can hitch a ride on any F-18 on its way toward the west. And if Daedelus or another ship is in orbit and I can catch a transport beam…or if you'd agree to be beamed to me in D.C…"

"That would be…great!" she beamed. "Although I can't imagine the SGC without you."

"Look, Sam," he paused, as if gathering his thoughts. "You know I'm not much for talking about how I feel…but I gotta confess…the last few weeks hit me hard. I thought you were marrying Pete and I'd lost any chance I might ever get to be with you. Then, just when we thought we were beaten, we finally beat the Replicators and the Goa'uld, Then, Jake died...and I just realized that….." He looked down, seeming at a loss for the right words.

"That life is short?" she supplied.

"Yeah."

"And that we're not going to get an endless stream of second chances?"

"Something like that," he nodded. They sat in silence for a moment before Jack looked at Sam again. "So…no better time to start than the present," he said, moving to sit closer to her. Gazing into her eyes, he reached a hand out to gently skim her cheek. The touch sent a shiver through her, and involuntarily, she leaned in to the warmth of his hand.

Reading her reaction as an ok to proceed, he slowly came closer, and his hand moved softly down to caress her neck. The next thing she knew, his lips tentatively brushed hers. She was practically holding her breath as her body reacted to his touch. He hesitated momentarily, as if waiting for her signal. He didn't wait long. Wanting to intensify the sensation, she looped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

As the kiss deepened, arms moved to close the space between them. Sam felt as if she was floating. She was warm, protected…she felt loved. The slow, deliberate pace of his approach, the tender caresses, the feel of his warm body against hers…it just felt right.

She didn't know how long the kiss lasted, but when he finally pulled back, she could swear he was as breathless as she. "Wow! We…we need to slow this down a little," he said earnestly, a hand moving up to brush a lock of hair from her eyes. "I think we need to do more talking before we…"

She giggled. "Before we move ahead in any other way?"

"Yeah." Shifting to place an arm around her shoulders, he leaned back into the couch and pulled her next to him. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, both trying to process their feelings and get their breathing back under control.

Then, Sam snaked an arm around Jack's waist and turned slightly to place a kiss on his neck. It was meant to be a quick, soothing gesture, but having arrived at the neck she had admired for so long, she continued to nibble gently on his warm skin. Reaching his ear lobe, she took it between her teeth. He let out a small gasp; then gently flipped her to her back, where she was stretched across his lap. Leaning over, he nuzzled her neck, returning the caresses she had given him. As they responded to each other, the hand he had on her waist began to move across her mid-section and under the lacy tank top. She let out a small moan at the feel of his hand on her bare stomach. He began to move his hand upward…

…when she sat up suddenly, breaking the moment. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I thought we weren't going to go quite this fast."

He hugged her closely to him, chuckling slightly. "You're right. But after wondering for so long, the temptation is bound to be strong." Gently turning her until her back was against the couch, he placed a quick kiss on her forehead. For a few minutes, they sat in silence, holding each other closely, barely moving. Then, he stood, extending his hand to her and smiling. "Come on. I want to show you something on the roof."

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The night air was warm and balmy as Jack and Sam climbed out into the darkness. Sam was surprised at the large, flat surface that awaited them as she emerged through the doorway. "I didn't realize you had a deck up here."

"Yeah," he said. "I was saving it for a surprise. Thought we could do a little stargazing." He smiled, and Sam's stomach did a small flip. He really was trying to cater to her needs. He knew she would enjoy this as much as he would, and he'd kept quiet about it until the right moment.

Plopping down on a chaise lounge, she gazed up at the sky. "It's nice to be so far out in the country," she mused. "City light really hides a lot of what's up there."

"It's even easier to see with this," he said, pulling a tripod out of a large hard plastic storage bin. Once it was set up, he went back to the bin to retrieve a telescope. He quickly placed it on the tripod before turning to her. "Would you like to take the first look?"

Smiling, she rose from the chair and walked to where he stood. She peered into the scope and immediately straightened up to look at him questioningly. "This is a really good scope," she said. "I thought you were just a hobbyist."

He shrugged. "Even hobbyists like to see well," he grinned.

Looking at him suspiciously, she turned back to the scope. "Well, the first thing I see is the Milky Way," she said. "But gosh, the sky is so dark here…it's just so much clearer than it is back in the Springs."

"The Path of Souls," he murmured.

"What?" he asked.

"The Path of Souls," he replied. "That was the name the Native Americans in this area had for the Milky Way. They thought it was a great river that the souls of the dead traveled."

"What got you interested in astronomy, Jack?"

"I took it as an elective in college. And I got hooked. I like watching the irregular-shaped galaxies. They're much more interesting than the Milky Way."

She turned to look at him. "What makes you say that?"

"It's kinda funny," he continued, "but as I'm sure you know, irregular-shaped galaxies are caused by the gravitational pull of their neighbors. It sorta reminds me of the tugs-of-war that happen between people."

"I never really thought of it that way, but now that you mention it, it makes sense." She paused for a moment, thinking about the meaning of his words. "So…did you ever take any other courses in astronomy?"

"Yeah…I sort of got a degree in it."

"I thought your degree was in engineering."

He stopped, realizing he was about to reveal another part of himself that he had kept secret for years. "Yeah, my undergraduate degree is in engineering."

"You mean you have an advanced degree?"

"Well, not like you, Dr. Carter. But, yeah, I…uh…got a masters in astronomy." His voice trailed off, and he looked uneasy.

"When? How come you've never told any of us? I can't believe I didn't know that!"

"I got it while I was working for that General I told you about," he said. "I was stationed in Washington. His job required him to do a lot of socializing, and I sometimes went for days with nothing much to do except set up his calendar. So, I enrolled at William & Mary in their Astronomy program."

"Jack O'Neill," she gaped at him, "I'm learning so many things I never knew about you! I can't believe you never told any of us about this." She thought for a moment. "Or…do Daniel or Teal'c know these things? Is it just me you never told?"

"No, Sam, you're the first on the team I've told." Hands in his pockets, he looked down at his feet as he rocked back and forth on his heels…a sure sign he was nervous. "I think we're at a crossroads here, and I wanted to come clean…no, that's not right…it's not like I intentionally kept any of this stuff a secret. It's just…"

"That it never seemed like the right time to tell us?"

He looked up, his brown eyes thanking her silently for providing the right words. "Yeah."

"Jack, I appreciate you sharing these things with me. But knowing them…and not knowing them for all these years…doesn't change what I do know about you." She reached out to gently stroke his arm. "I know you have a clear sense of right and wrong. I know you're a strong leader, and a good friend. I know you would do anything for the people under your command. And I know that despite your sarcasm and jokes, you believe in the importance of duty and responsibility. I know that I respect and admire you…and whatever you feel you need to tell me, it won't change these things I already know to be true."

For a moment, she thought she saw tears glistening in his eyes. He took a deep breath before placing his hands firmly on her shoulders. Gazing intently at her, he said, "Sam, if we're going forward, and I hope we are, I want you to know everything there is to know…so you'll understand what kind of bargain you're making."

"I think I already know everything I need to know about you," she murmured, snaking an arm around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss.