A.N. Sorry about the delay in updating, uni is just so hectic! Here's the chapter you've been waiting for - do either of them remember anything about the night before? Read on and find out ...
"Um," Jack stammered, trying to stall for time, "I remember General Hammond's party thing, I just don't, uh, remember anything after, um, leaving the place, I mean, we had a lot of champagne, so I don't know if we, uh, you know, I-I mean …"
He trailed off in embarrassment, trying not to notice just how sexy she looked, even in sweatpants and a tank top. He decided that the floor was probably the best place to look – nothing embarrassing on the floor.
"Oh," said Sam, unsure as to whether she felt happy or sad about this. " I don't remember anything either." The fact that neither of them remembered anything that may or may not have happened was slightly disconcerting, as she realised she would never ever know what had truly happened. The fact that neither of them knew, however, should potentially help any awkward situations, as there was no need to explain to one another what had happened, or suffer remembering anything embarrassing.
"Right," said Jack, trying to ignore the mounting tension in the room, "that's, uh, that's good."
After seeing the slightly confused look on Sam's face, he continued, "We don't have to worry about having crossed boundaries that co-workers, and friends, shouldn't cross. And of course we don't have to file any harassment charges against each other!"
Sam chuckled. "I don't know, sir, I think hitting you with a charge that concerns the amount of champagne you made me drink last night might be quite fun!"
"Made you drink, Carter?" Jack questioned with a smile. "I don't think I made you do anything you didn't want to do!"
Feeling slightly bolder, due to the fact that a great deal of the previous tension had now dissipated, she smiled at him cheekily and asked, "Are you referring to the champagne, sir, or last night?"
Looking at his now slightly flustered, embarrassed and guilty looking face, despite the fact that neither of them knew whether they had done anything wrong, she couldn't help but laugh. Jack, after seeing she was actually just joking, joined in, and they spent a relaxing time sipping coffee and then starting on breakfast as they sat in the kitchen.
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After a while, breakfast was finished, and so Jack, after graciously helping to clear up, decided to take his leave, and called for a taxi to take him home, since his car was still at home, him having taken a taxi to the restaurant last night. As the taxi honked outside that it was here, Jack opened the front door and signalled to the driver that he was just coming. He walked into the sitting room where Sam had been sitting, nursing about her 7th cup of coffee, to let her know he was leaving.
"So," he started, awkwardness settling in again, "see you tomorrow? I mean, at work?"
Sam smiled. "Yes, Sir, I'll see you tomorrow. Try to take it easy today!"
Jack turned to go, but then turned round, with an unreadable expression on his face. If Sam had looked properly into his eyes, however, which she was steadfastly trying not to do, due to the fact that every time she did she got feelings – that were inappropriate for a Major in the Air Force to have about her commanding officer – to arise within her, she would have recognised the emotion laid bare in them.
Fear.
"We're gonna be all right aren't we?"
Sam chuckled. "Yes, Sir. Now go take your taxi home, because I think I need to rest this hangover."
"See ya, Carter!" Jack said, turning round, and going to the taxi. He felt much better. He was sure everything would be fine.
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"Sam, honey, what's wrong?" asked Janet, as a very swollen eyed and tear-stained cheeked Samantha Carter opened the door to her friend.
Sam had gone back to bed after Jack had left, but the caffeine in the coffee hadn't allowed her to fall asleep, and the pain in her head seemed to agree with the coffee – that allowing Sam to sleep would be too kind, and so it resolutely pounded away like a sledge-hammer, without rest. Eventually she gave up and went and sat back down on the couch, wrapping a blanket around her, and tried to find something on TV that she wanted to watch. Thoughts about Jack kept intruding, and she couldn't help but worry if they'd done something.
What if they had done anything in front of their friends? What if they had done something on the way back? What if they had slept together? What if he hadn't used a condom? What if…
The what if's just kept racing around her mind until the tears came. Desperately wanting a friend, and wanting to know if they had done anything stupid in the presence of others, Sam called Janet. She knew she could ask her anything, she knew she could tell her anything, and she knew she would still be her friend.
"Jan, I…I did something st-st-stupid last ni-night, and-and…" Sam's words trailed off as her sobs increased in volume and intensity, from the worried look on Janet's face.
Janet steered Sam towards the couch, sitting her down, and then went to grab a tissue box off the kitchen counter. Bringing it back to the couch, she sat down next to Sam, handing her a few tissues, and waiting for her sobs to quieten down a bit. When Sam seemed to have composed herself slightly, Janet turned to her and decided to try the conversation again.
"Now Sam, what kind of stupid thing did you do?" As she saw Sam look distraught again, she quickly added "Don't worry honey, whatever it is, we can fix it!"
Sam swallowed. "First of all, did we do anything stupid last night in-in front of anyone? Like General Hammond or anyone?"
Janet was confused. We? She was fairly sure that she knew who Sam was talking about, but she wanted to be sure. "We?"
Sam sighed. "Ja-Colonel O'Neill and I."
Janet's eyebrows rose even higher. Since when have Sam and Colonel O'Neill been on a first name basis? She decided to ignore that for the present time and focus on the crisis at hand.
"No, uh, not that any of us noticed. You danced together, but it was fine – no funny business! And then you two left together, but we all assumed you were just sharing a cab, since you two live quite close together. None of us thought that something might happen." Noticing the worried expression in Sam's eyes, she pressed on. "Did something happen between you two?"
"Uh," Sam started, "yeah, actually. Well, we're not sure. We were both so drunk, that we don't remember."
"What do you remember, Sam? What do you two know for sure? Anything at all?"
Sam still looked upset. "Well, all we really know is that we woke up in bed together, both of us naked, both of us with no idea how we got there, and both of us …"
Sam swallowed.
"…both of us not able to remember if we had done anything last night."
A.N.2/ Ooooh, will they ever find out? Please read and review - the more reviews I get, the faster the next chapter will be up!