Sam was just getting settled in for the night when there was a knock at her hotel room door. She went, looked through the peephole, and opened the door.

"I'm sorry" Jack apologized "I know it's late…" his voice trailed off.

"What are you doing here?"

"Listen… I can't do this." He was looking down at his feet.

"Can't do what?"

He looked up, his eyes meeting hers. "I can't be in the same room with you, and just…"

"Dinner was a bad idea." She spoke softly.

"Yeah, it was."

"So this is it?" She said as she unconsciously took a step closer to him.

"Sam, I can't erase what happened to us. I can't take back what I did."

"You just wanted what was best for me."

Jack took a step closer to her. "I just didn't want you to regret it. And I didn't want you to blame me."

"I could never blame you."

"You would… in time."

Sam and Jack were standing face to face.

"I don't know if I can say goodbye." Sam's voice was heavy.

"We already have."

He leaned in to kiss her cheek, but found her mouth instead. Instinctively, she kissed him back. Her arms found the way around to his back, and she pulled him into her…

There was no awkward morning after. She was gone before he woke. She had a plane to catch to San Diego. Sam would deal with this when she got back. Right now, she was just too… drained… to try to figure anything out.

It wasn't that she was fleeing; she had already booked her ticket… Why did he have to come over? Why did she have to call him?

When her plane touched ground, and she was able to turn on her cell phone, she had one message. It was from Jack.

"Carter… Dinner was a bad idea."

-o-o-o-

Sam spent two weeks in San Diego with her brother and his family. The night before she was leaving, Mark and Sam were up late, just talking. Although they weren't that close they were working on it.

"So tell me about him." Mark started.

"About who?"

"Whoever it is that has you like this. I know it's more than just the Air Force. Do you want me to kick his ass? That's what brothers do ya know."

She closed her eyes. "Mark… it's… complicated." She uttered, a smile teased at the corners of the mouth. "And yes, I know that's what brothers are supposed to do."

"Tell me about him. Maybe my mundane existence can help."

"Mark…"

"Tell me about him." Mark had a pleasant tone to his voice.

Sam sighed hard, "His name is Jack…"

TBC