Without breaking the kiss, they entered the bedroom. Jack took the lead, pushing Sam back until she bumped into the bed. She let herself fall, all the while holding onto Jack for dear life. For his part, Jack kept a steady hand supporting her as he laid her down on the bed beneath him.

Suddenly, hands and mouths seemed to be everywhere at once. They couldn't shed their clothing fast enough. In no time at all, they were both stark naked. Jack once again lowered himself to her, his mouth finding hers, making sweet love to her with every part of his body.

For all that she was his subordinate on duty, Sam was every bit his equal in bed. She matched him stroke for stroke, touch for touch, and kiss for kiss. As he released her mouth to trail hot kisses down her torso, she used her hands to explore every inch of his exposed skin. She thought she was going to go mad with desire as his mouth fastened onto one of her breasts. She ran her hands through his short hair, urging him on with her whimpers and moans of delight.

Jack was every bit as thorough as he was patient—although his patience was reaching it's end fast as she continued to work magic on him with her hands. After he explored every inch of one breast, he turned to the other and lathed on as much attention to that one as he had the first. As always, his hands were anything but idle, stroking her and caressing her as he went.

Just when she thought she could bear no more, Jack began trailing kisses lower still. He stopped at her bellybutton, his tongue swirling around the small circle eliciting yet another excited moan from his loving partner. He moved lower again, and when his mouth found the core of her, Sam came right off the bed, shivering and whimpering in ecstasy. Jack eased her down with one hand, his other hand joining his mouth in its adoring labors.

Sam cried out his name as she felt the tension within her building to a high crescendo. Then suddenly, the world exploded, and Sam began convulsing in uncontrolled rapture. Wave after delicious wave ripped through her, and when they finally subsided, Sam realized there were tears flowing down her cheeks.

Jack moved up alongside her and saw the moisture on her face. He cupped her face in both hands, wiping the tears away.

"Shhh… it's okay, Sam," Jack whispered.

"Okay? That was amazing. Incredible. I've honestly never experienced anything like that before in my life." Sam sniffed and swallowed back the remaining tears threatening to deluge her.

Jack just smiled that smug little grin of his. "It only gets better from here on out, I promise." He then rolled over and opened a drawer in his nightstand, withdrawing a small packet. He opened it up on rolled the prophylactic on, then rolled back over to Sam, who was waiting patiently, if breathlessly, for his return. He started to move over her, but she stopped him with one hand. She then rolled over onto him, sitting up astride his torso.

"My turn to share some of that pleasure with you," Sam informed him. With that, she slid down his body, gently raking her fingernails along his chest as she positioned herself over him. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, she lowered herself onto Jack, sighing with joy as the two finally merged into one.

Jack let Sam set the rhythm, and soon she was riding him hard and fast. She bent down to kiss him; their lips fused together. Jack delighted in the feel of her breasts pressing into him as they moved in perfect synchronization. Sam sat back up then, and Jack moved to sit up with her. She wrapped her legs around him as she continued to slide along the length of him over and over again.

Suddenly, she found the world flipping around as Jack pulled her around and underneath him. Her legs were still wrapped high around his waist, and she utilized the opportunity to caress him with her entire body. Every muscle within her began to contract and relax in harmony with their thrusts. Once again, she felt the tension coiling low in her belly. She moaned out loud, urging Jack on.

Jack was rapidly losing control, and he found himself pounding into her with reckless abandon. She felt so good, so hot and tight around him, and he thought he very well might lose himself in her.

"Open your eyes, Sam. I want to see your eyes," Jack pleaded roughly, his voice nearly growling. Sam complied, her crystal blue eyes slowly focusing on him.

It was then that Jack reached between them, and with his deft fingers, he found that sensitive bud. Sam whimpered and moaned as he continued to thrust into her faster and harder with every stroke.

Now Jack, too felt the tension welling up deep in his belly, and it spurred him onto deeper, harder thrusts. Sam kept up with him, her hand snaking around to clasp him as he sunk into her body. Jack did growl, then, a low deep sound of approval. Then he suddenly tensed, his thrusts becoming jerky spasms as he exploded deep inside of her. He cried out her name as he felt her begin contracting around him.

Slowly, they fell down into the bed, both of them feeling nearly numb from the overwhelming sensations that were still coursing through their bodies. Their breathing returned to normal gradually, as well as their heartbeats, which were pounding in perfect unison.

Jack was the first to find words. Or at least one, at any rate.

"Damn."

Sam chuckled. "Wow," she finally managed.

Jack propped himself up on one elbow, not wanting to leave her warmth just yet. He lowered his face down to capture her in a sweet and tender kiss.

"Definitely worth the wait," Jack mused.

"Ya think?" Sam answered with a cheeky smile.

"Oh yeah." Jack's hands just couldn't stay still for long, and soon they found their way to her body once more, but this time the touches were quite gentle and loving; they weren't meant to seduce, simply to explore.

Jack finally rolled off of her, quickly dispensing with the used prophylactic before returning to Sam's side. He lay down on his back, lifting an arm for Sam to wiggle under. She moved alongside him and rested her head on his chest. The steady sound of his heartbeat was quite soothing.

"Jack…when did you first know?" Sam asked quietly.

"Know what?"

"That you had…" Sam paused, unsure how to phrase the delicate question that had been burning her mind for ages. "…feelings for me."

"I think it first hit me when you went through that whole Jolinar thing." Jack's arm around her contracted, squeezing her impossibly close to him.

"Wow. That was… a while ago." Sam's fingers began tracing random shapes across Jack's chest. "It didn't really hit me until you got stuck on Edora." Jack winced, recalling his horrible treatment of her upon his rescue. "You were gone for three months, and God, did I miss you."

Jack dipped his head down and dropped a soft kiss on her forehead. "Really? Not till Edora?"

"Oh, I had some suspicions before that, but I didn't really know until then." Sam sighed then dropped soft kiss on Jack's chest. "I definitely had a clue when I met that alternate universe version of me—the one who was married to the alternate you. But I was able to remain in denial for a while after that."

"Until Edora." Sam nodded. Jack sighed. "I was such a jerk."

Sam giggled softly. "Yeah. I worked my tail off night and day for three months to rescue your sorry six, and I didn't even get so much as a 'thanks' for the effort."

Again, Jack winced. "I'm sorry… And for what it's worth, you have my deepest gratitude for bringing me home."

Sam smiled, and then she stretched up to kiss him properly. "Better late than never, I guess," she said after the kiss ended. "We should probably get some shut-eye. That briefing is awfully early in the morning."

"Yeah, I ought to shoot the person whose bright idea it was to schedule a briefing at 06:00. "

"It was your idea," Sam answered with a wry smile.

"Oh." Jack looked genuinely put out. "Well, I'll shoot myself in the foot then. At least I'd still be able to fish."

"You and fishing…" Sam shook her head.

"You just wait and see. You'll love it, I'm positive."

"I don't know about loving it… but I do love you, and I'll take any excuse we can come up with to spend more time together."

"Any excuse?" Jack asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Within reason, of course," Sam qualified.

"Ah, but reason is such a subjective thing."

"Yes, it is. So I'll be sure to let you know what is within reason." Sam kissed him again, simply reveling in her newfound freedom to express her love for this man. It had been too long cooped up in a dark room, and now it was finally able to roam the world freely. It was a delightful feeling, one Sam knew she'd cherish for the rest of her life—and Jack felt the same way too.