Carter--Sam, I mean, and I spent the next couple of days getting things ready for our trip to the cabin. The boys decided that they would join us, so we took two vehicles, me and Sam in my truck and them in Teal'c's SUV. Sam spent most of the trip with her head on my shoulder, sleeping off and on. It didn't bother me, she needs the rest. I kept my classical music that I usually listen to on the way up, turned down low so it wouldn't disturb her. I almost can't believe that she's coming up here finally. Sure, I've always asked her and I've always meant the invite. I just never, ever expected her to join me. It was always another unspoken, invisible line that we never crossed. We finally pull up the drive to the cabin and I shut off the truck. Sam's still sleeping so I decide to let her rest some more while the boys and I unload the vehicles. I take Sam's bag and put it with mine in my bedroom. Since there are only two bedrooms, and the other has the twin beds, I figure the guys can take that one and she can take my bed. That's the one thing I love about my cabin. Its got a nice, worn in leather couch that you could sleep for days on. Daniel came in with the cooler and sat it on the kitchen table before turning to me.
"Should I go wake up Sam?" he asks me. "Nah, I'll go get her. She hasn't really been sleeping well lately and I wanted to let her sleep as much as possible." That response gets me the patented Daniel look that's equivalent to "how the hell would you know?". "Well, after the week she's had, who can blame her." He looked at me more intensely, like he was trying to interrogate me without actually speaking. "Somethingâ–“s changed between you two"
"Why do you say that?" I ask as I head out the door. "Jack..." he starts but I don't let him finish. Its time to grab Sam. I open the door to the passenger side carefully and reach in to undo her seat belt. I gently run my fingers down her jaw, wanting to gently wake her up. "Sam? We're here. Time to wake up." I say softly. She starts to shift and then stretches, her blue eyes opening. "Did I sleep the whole way?" she asks me as she takes in the cabin.
I laugh gently and nod. "That's okay though. You needed it." I give her my hand to pull her out of the truck. "Come on, come see the pond." I shut the door to the truck and we walk hand in hand down to the pond. The little dock I have is a perfect spot to show her the sunset over the tree line. When we get down there, I stand behind her and wrap my arms around her waist and rest my chin on her shoulder. I've decided this is one of my favorite spots to be. "God, Jack! The view is beautiful." she exclaims. "It sure is." I reply but I'm looking at the beautiful, tall blonde in my arms. She turns her face to me and I steal a kiss from her. Just a chaste press of the lips, but with Danny and Teal'c not too far away, that's all I risk doing. "I'm glad you decided to come up here"
"Me too. I can't believe I waited this long to come though. If you'd have told me the sunset was so beautiful, I'd have been here along time ago"
"Yes, well, lets not dwell, shall we?" I hug her a bit tighter and kiss her neck. "Are you hungry"
"Famished. What's for dinner"
"The usual: charred meat, potatoes and salad for you herbivores." That earns me a nudge in the stomach from her elbow but also a little laugh. The nudge was worth it for that alone. We turn and head back up to the cabin to start dinner. Its going to be a fun night.
End Chapter 5