A/N

so here's the next chapter on schedule and as promised :-)

As usual thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing.

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Jack walked around the outside of the hall hoping that Carter hadn't gone too far. After a few minutes he found her leaning on the low wall of the ornamental garden that overlooked the pond.

"Hey," Jack said as he walked towards her. "I was wondering where you'd got to."

Sam wrapped her arms tighter around herself. "Felt like some fresh air," she replied without turning around.

Even over the music from inside the hall Jack could hear the break in her voice and he knew he'd messed up big time. "Way to go O'Neill," he mumbled under his breath as he moved to stand next to her. "It's nice out here," he said looking out over the pond.

She shrugged, keeping her eyes resolutely forward. She knew she'd break if she looked at him and she wouldn't let him see her cry over him.

After what seemed like forever Jack couldn't take her silence any longer. "Listen Carter," he began.

"You don't have to explain Jack," she interrupted. "I know you only danced with me because you felt sorry for me."

"What?" He was about to ask her where she'd gotten that stupid idea from but of course he already knew. "Carter you're wrong about that." She finally turned to him then and the hurt he saw in her eyes made his heart clench in his chest.

"So you weren't signalling to Sergeant Thoms to get you away from me?" She demanded, angry now.

Shit! "Well, actually...yeah I was," he admitted.

Sam swiped at her eyes and turned back to the pond. "Then please don't feel like you have to waste anymore of your time out here with me, Sir!" She said emphasising his honorific.

"But it's not what you think," he tried again.

"Please, just leave me alone."

"Carter would you just listen to me?" He pleaded turning her to face him. "I did want to get away from you," he started, having to stop her from turning away from him again. "But it's not for the reasons you think."

Sam kept her head down so he couldn't see the tears in her eyes. I won't let him see me cry...I won't!

Jack put a finger under her chin and raised it so that his eyes rested on hers. It was killing him that he'd made her cry and he let her see that.

"Then why?" She asked through her tears.

Jack let out a breath. "Because..." he found himself faltering.

"Because why Jack?"

He looked at her. "Because I can't be around you...feeling the way I feel..."

Jack placed a hand on her cheek and Sam moved into it feeling his thumb wipe away a tear then brush down across her cheekbone. Her heart was beating hard against her ribs her adrenaline spiking as he turned her face up to his again.

"You're cold," he whispered.

"No."

"You're trembling."

Sam shook her head slightly. "Not because of the cold."

You're doing this to her Jack. The thought made him feel heady and he looked up at the night sky taking in a deep breath, the strained sounds of the music form inside the hall filling the silence.

Here I go, I'm shaking just like the breeze
Hey babe, I need your hand to steady me

Jack felt Carters hand come up to rest on his and he looked back down to her.

I'm not denying, I'm frightened as much as you
Though I'm barely touching you, I've shivers down my spine
And it feels divine

"Carter," he breathed.

"Why can't you be around me Jack?"

His eyes fell to her lips. "Because all I can think about," he whispered as he moved closer to her. "Is how much I want to kiss you, and it's getting harder and harder to stop."

Sam held her breath as Jack slowly moved towards her, her eyes closing as his lips just barely brushed hers.

Jack had to hold himself in check. This was Carter and he didn't want to scare her. At the last moment he closed his eyes his lips touching hers lightly before he pulled back slightly. He looked into her eyes wanting to make sure she wanted this and giving her time to push him away if she didn't. He saw the answer in her eyes and felt it in the brush of her thumb across his knuckles.

He brought his lips back down to hers increasing the pressure just slightly. Jack felt Sam's other hand move to the back of his neck, her fingers sliding into his hair. He groaned slightly at the feel of her short nails grazing his skin, his lips parting and he was startled to feel her tongue tentatively touch against his before moving away again. He started to pull back but found himself held in place by her hand on his neck.

Sam felt him start to pull away but she wasn't ready to let that happen yet. She had been craving this moment and she wanted more of what Jack was showing her.

Jack increased the pressure of his kiss, nipping at her bottom lip with his teeth, his tongue brushing across it. He felt Carter moan under him her lips parting and he took the invitation she gave him.

Holy Hannah! Sam's addled brain managed when she felt Jacks warm soft tongue invade her mouth. Bringing her other hand up around his neck she let her blunt nails scrape lightly over the skin under her fingers and she felt him react immediately as he groaned and plunged his tongue deeper into her mouth. She dropped her right hand from around his neck to rest on his chest under his jacket.

After a long moment Jack pulled back and Carter let him this time. He rested his forehead on hers as he looked at her. "So now you know why I wanted to get away from you."

"I think that was a pretty good explanation," she breathed.

Jack smiled. "Just pretty good?"

"You could always try explaining a little more," she smiled as she pulled his mouth back down to hers.

Jack wasn't quite as gentle this time.

Slowly Sam closed her right hand on his chest letting her fingers catch in his shirt. Jack startled her when he spun them so that she was pressed against the low wall surrounding the garden, his other hand coming to rest low on her back.

He felt slight pressure on his chest and Jack pulled back moving away from her, worried he'd been too forceful with her. "Carter..."

She smiled. "It's okay," she assured. "This wall is really low and I was a bit worried we were going to topple over it."

Jack raised his eyebrows at that. "Oh, well..." He was cut short by Sam pulling herself against him, one hand on his hip the other moving to his neck again her nails raking his skin lightly. He closed his eyes and let out a soft groan. "You already figured out I like that huh?" He asked quietly.

"Uh huh," she replied and he could hear the smile in her voice.

"Well," he said looking down at her. "We'll just have to find something you like."

The low timbre of his voice sent a shiver down her spine and she gasped as he placed a hand on her hip pulling her hard against him, his lips moving down to her neck.

"Okay?" He asked as he pressed his lips lightly to the point just under her ear.

"Oh...yep..."

Jack smiled against her skin at her strangled reply. "How about now?" He asked as his teeth grazed the crook of her neck.

"Yes," she breathed. When he pulled back once again to look her in the eye, she couldn't keep the pleading tone from her voice, "Kiss me Jack, please?"

Ah hell, he thought as his lips came down on hers. Carter was surprising him with her fervour. She responded to his every touch, wanting more, pulling him deeper.

"Let's get out of here huh?" Jack suggested, thinking that maybe they should go somewhere a little more private and talk about this. Plus it would give him some time to try to bring his breathing and his actions back under control.

Sam agreed and they walked along the path leading back to her cabin.

"Jack, can I ask you something?"

"Actually I think the deal was that you were the one supposed be answering the questions," he replied.

"Huh?"

"You said you'd tell me what Donny said to you if I danced with you," he reminded her. "Though I really really did want to dance with you before that," he added quickly.

"You did?"

Jack glanced sideways at her. "Desperately..."

"Oh..."

"So, spill!"

Sam sighed. "Well I guess you noticed that Donny kept putting his hand on my butt." Jacks only reply was a small growl that made her smile.

"That last time before I pushed him away he actually had the nerve to squeeze!" She exclaimed.

"That little shit!" Jack replied. "No wonder you wanted to hit him!"

"That's not what made me want to hit him," she admitted. "It was what he said as I was leaving."

Now we get to the crux of it. "Which was?"

Sam squeezed her eyes shut as she quickly recited Donny's words. "He said that if it were your hand on my ass I wouldn't be pushing you away."

Jacks eyebrows rose. Okay, didn't see that coming. "Well that was pretty insulting," he admitted. "But I'm still glad you didn't hit him," he said quietly.

"It wasn't exactly what he said that made me want to hit him," she admitted nervously. "It was that he was right...I wouldn't push you away..."

Jack looked at her then to find her staring back at him. After a moment he cleared his throat and looked back to the path ahead of them not knowing how to respond to her frank admission. They walked in silence for a while before he finally thought of something to say.

"So what did you want to ask me before anyway?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter," she replied quietly, having had enough embarrassing conversations for now.

"No, come on," he encouraged.

Taking a deep breath Sam decided to just ask. "How long have you wanted to kiss me like that?"

Again, not what I was expecting. "Oh I don't know..."

Sam tugged on his arm. "Come on," she encouraged really wanting to know the answer now she'd found the courage to ask the question. "Was it after we spent the day together?"

Jack thought about it. "Not really no," he replied. "I mean I guess I did kinda notice that you weren't a kid anymore that day," he admitted. "And maybe it did cross my mind briefly what it would be like."

"But?" Sam prompted when he didn't continue.

He took a breath. "The first time that I realised that I really wanted to kiss you was last night."

Sam looked surprised. "Just last night?"

"Yeah," he replied. "Pretty much exactly the time you asked me if you could skip straight to the pie." He shrugged and smiled. "I thought that it'd be a pretty sweet deal to be that pie."

She laughed at that but said nothing more.

"So?" He asked giving her a nudge.

"So...what?"

"When did you know you wanted to kiss me?"

"Oh, well," she said, clearly thinking hard about it. "I guess it seems like forever now," she admitted. "I think I came home from space camp with a bit of a crush on you, and then..."

"And then?"

"And I kept your picture from the space camp stuff and the past few years I suppose I've been imagining more what it would be like to be with you."

Years!? Jack thought.

They reached Sam's cabin and she climbed a couple of steps before turning back to him so that they were eye to eye.

"Though I could never imagine what it would really be like of course," she added shyly.

Jack looked at her. "Why?" He asked suddenly very curious. "I can't kiss that differently from other guys."

Sam dipped her head. "Well unless you count Jeremy Collins in fifth grade, and after tonight I'm not really inclined to..."

It dawned on Jack exactly what she was saying to him and it sent him reeling. Damn! That was her first kiss!?

"So um," Sam started uncertainly looking back over her shoulder to the door of her cabin. "Do you want to come in?"

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A/N

so I hope you're all enjoying this as we're coming towards the end :-)

I also hope that Jack suffiently managed to make it up to Sam ;-)

the song in this chapter was 'Show me heaven' by Maria McKee. I know it wasn't actually released until about 5 years after I set this but it's the song I wanted for their moment so you'll just have to allow my artistic freedom :-D

one more chapter to go to be posted on Christmas Eve