„You really had a night sky in your room?" O'Neill asked Sam, surprised and amused.

„Yes, Sir, I had a night sky in my room." And she was smiling while confessing to that.

„Everywhere?"

"Only above my bed… I don't remember the first one but then whenever we were moving somewhere else, I would have a night sky in my room… or at least above my bed."

"Paintings or stickers?" He asked knowingly.

"Stickers…" She answered him with a big smile on her face.

"Charlie loved them too… I had to make him several star constellations on the ceiling of his room." He told her sincerely.

Sam was beyond surprised that he had actually told her this. But she was glad. She wanted to reach out and hold his hand in comfort and as a sign of deep appreciation but she knew she shouldn't. So she was at least smiling at him, trying to keep all her shields and barriers down for him to see the real emotions in her eyes.

"You were watching the sky together, weren't you?"

"Yep, we used to do that… he was so happy when he could name a star or a constellation or when he managed to find it up there…"

And they were silent for a moment. This time she didn't make it. She just reached out and took his hand into hers. Their fingers coming together, caressing the bare skin, offering comfort and support. And so the silence was comfortable, even welcomed for a moment.

"You wanted constellations too, Carter?"

"No, stars were enough. I used to have just few stars on the ceiling, nothing else. It was difficult with all the moving."

"But you settled when you were a kid, right?"

"No, not really. We moved for the last time when I was about eleven… I felt too old for glowing stars on my ceiling."

"You can never be old for some things…"

"I know that now… but back then…"

"Yeah, I understand." And the smile told her that he really did.

"Besides I was more than happy from some posters then." And now she was surprised by the level of her honesty.

"Posters? Okay now that's interesting… Singers? Movie stars? Bands?"

"Lunar Rover Vehicle from the Apollo 15 mission, Sir."

And it made him laugh. Leave it to Carter to have a NASA poster in her room instead of some young celebrity she should have been having crush on.

"Okay okay, wait a minute… Apollo 15, that was back in 72' right?"

"And I've been carrying the poster with me all the time, into every house."

"Poor thing…" He was joking but her falling face told him that he had just said something wrong.

"Carter?"

"Sorry… it's…"

"What?"

"Back in 1972 I was there on July 26 at the Kennedy Space Center. I fell in love with Cape Canaveral and its atmosphere. I saw the launching. I remember it, Sir. It was the first experience, the first real thing. I was there with Mark, my mom and dad and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Mom told me that the shuttle was on its way to stars, that it would land on the Moon."

He had no idea about what to say. There was not a thing that would be appropriate. Sam knew that, she couldn't blame him, there was not a good answer for this and yet she would die for something… She was so young back there and she could remember it all that clearly. Seeing Apollo 15 launching had to be pretty strong event for her, something worth remembering and keeping close to her heart.

"What?"

"What what?"

"You have that look, Sir. Like you are thinking about something and you don't know how to say it and if to say it at all… so I'm helping you by offering the chance to say it. Now."

"Geeez, Carter… gimme a break." He was trying to be in his Sir-mode but it was pointless with her looking at him like that.

"No. Spill it."

"Spill it?"

"Spill it, sir." And that grin again. Oh-oh.

"I was just thinking if I met you back then in 72'."

"Met me? You were there?"

"Yes… I was there at the launching."

"That's…."

"That's what, Carter?"

"Hard to believe with your … dislike of … certain… things."

"Come on, Carter, I'm not that bad!"

"Not anymore…" And now she was obviously making fun of him. That grin once more.

She was looking at him for a moment, thinking, searching his face for some answers. And then he could see the realization hitting her. He had no idea what was it about but obviously, she just figured out something.

"You had a date there…"

"What?"

"Come on, you were about twenty, I'm sure that really hot, it was July and the atmosphere there, all joyful and so… you had a date there!" She was enjoying this way too much.

"Carter…" He was blushing and not really knowing what to say.

"Who was she?"

"I'm not going to tell you a thing, Carter."

"Come on, Sir… we could have met all those years ago…"

"Yes, and you were what, four years old?" What was it with the edge in his voice?

"You wouldn't have noticed… I'm sure your attention was not even focused at the launching." She was making fun of him, teasing him!

Despite everything he was grinning but there was something in his eyes giving away his concern. And Sam noticed.

"I hope you are not thinking what I think you're thinking…" There was a warning in her tone.

"That would be?" And so he was smiling and playing dumb. Maybe it would work.

"You said it yourself… I was just four back then… and you were having a date."

"Then I guess I'm thinking what you think I'm thinking." So it wasn't working.

"Then stop it."

"Sam…"

"Please, just stop it."

"But..."

"Let's make a deal, okay? I won't be teasing you about your mysterious girlfriend from 1972 and you will stop with thinking about the stupid issue…"

He was searching her face for something… for anything. This so was not the way he wanted this conversation to go. But it happened. And the way she was looking at him made him nod and sigh.

Sam knew this was issue to talk about later. And she would make sure they would talk about it. But not now.

"Sam…" He tried and yet he still could feel her withdrawing from him. Damn. After a moment of their silent conversation, eyes searching eyes, hands itching to touch and caress, Jack knew he had to say something to break the ice, again. Yes, this was another of 'their' things. Another issue to work on – later.

He wanted to say something, he really wanted to say something but there was not a thing on his mind. He couldn't figure out one single sentence! How could she do it to him? How was this possible?

This time in the end it was she that took pity on him, he had, after all, almost died not so long ago. But well, confused and surprised Jack O'Neill was cute. She decided to focus on that.

"So… my father brought me the poster later."

"That's why you kept it all the time?"

"Yes."

"Lemme guess, you still have it?"

And instead of an answer he got just the smile and those sparkles in her eyes. That was more than he could be hoping for, right?

"So this little family trip had started everything."

"Sort of, yeah."

"Sort of?"

"Yes… it was not all. I was just fascinated by the shuttle back then but I still wanted to become pastry-cook."

"I'm so going to ask about that later…" He said cheerfully.

"Sure, you can try, Sir." She answered, grinning. They were back to themselves, at least for a moment.

"So what happened?"

"It was December 1973, New Mexico. Another little family trip, this time we went to the Joint Observatory for Cometary Research."

"South Baldy Mountain?"

"Yes…" And she wasn't even surprised that he knew. He would always be full of surprises so she was trying to be ready for everything. Of course he would know…

"So?"

"Do you know what happened back in 1973?"

"Carter…"

"Rhetorical question, Sir, don't worry."

"Thank God..."

"Well back then there was one comet, the Comet Kohoutek passing by and it was so nicely visible. I was fascinated. I will never forget that."

He was trying to picture her, small and innocent with those big blue eyes being wide in fascination, admiring something she couldn't understand, wanting to get to know and all.

"Mark didn't want to go there but I asked for the trip for my birthday. It was the first birthday when I could ask for something and I wanted to go somewhere where we would get the chance to see the stars."

"And whose idea was the trip?"

"My father's actually… I don't know how he figured it out or how he persuaded my mom to go but we went there and it was…"

"Nice."

She nodded with tears threatening to fall down from her eyes. Sam knew that this was one big piece of information but she didn't regret it. He was looking at her with love shining in his eyes. It was one beautiful moment.

But then in the comfortable silence that followed, the Colonel's eyes were dropping again. He couldn't keep them open, he was falling asleep.

"Sir?"

"Sorry, Carter… can't help it."

"Talking is not helping?"

"It is… but I'm still feeling sleepy."

"Sir… you have to try to stake awake till we get home…"

And she knew she had to figure out something to help him. He was warm and comfortable, feeling safe and tired. That was not an easy task to accomplish.

"Take off your jacket, Sir."

"Huh?"

"Let's cool you down a bit, might be refreshing, might help you to stay awake."

And some other time he would try to complain, he would try to tell her that it was not a good idea, he would try to argue and make her let him be and let him sleep… but not this time.

And so she helped him to get rid of his layers so soon he was sitting there just in his trousers and t-shirt. She made him drink some more water and then put a cold wet cloth at the back of his neck. She so wanted to sit down behind him and hold him but that would be just plain wrong in more than just one way, especially this time. Damn.

Neither noticed Teal'c watching them. He was meditating till few moments ago. While being in space, like this, he would wake up every now and then to check upon his surroundings. Especially after mission like this one was. He was worried and he was concerned. But obviously, Major Carter was taking care of his friend, of his brother. He wasn't sure if undressing was the best idea but well, some customs of the Tau'ri were still foreign to him.

He was watching them for some time, hearing them talk softly, seeing them smile and seek comfort. It comforted him in the end… just the knowledge that his two friends were given this time to be together was helping him to sooth down his worries. He was sure that Major Carter had been worried about them both. But he knew his friends well enough to know about the deep feelings they were hiding in their hearts. He heard them confess to them, he saw them struggle. And so he was happy that they were at least talking and coming to terms with what had just happened with the glider together.

Well, Jack and Sam were not actually dealing with this near death experience but they were on the right path. Right now she was saying something, making him grin and respond and he was making sure she would keep talking to him and saying all those cute and nice things, making him feel more than just happy.

I wanted to wait with posting this for 23/8 but well... couldn't help myself... so you have it today, nice of me, huh? Next chapter coming sooner than you might think! :o)