A/N - Thanks to you all for your patience! A wicked travel schedule coupled with Spring Break have made it difficult for me to find time to write. I only have two more chapters after this one, so the story will soon be at an end. I will try my best to get them out quickly.

In the meantime, please continue to let me know what you think, and enjoy!

Chapter 4

Sam turned the shower on as hot as it would go and stepped into the pounding stream. She smiled as she placed her head under the nozzle and let the water run through her hair, over her shoulders, and down her back, washing away the deep layer of grime that the lukewarm trickle she'd had on the planet was unable to completely vanquish. This was one thing she remembered well - the near ecstasy of taking a hot shower after a long mission; and it had been the first thing to make her willingly leave Jack.

As she began washing her hair, her thoughts wandered back to her medical examination. It had been well over an hour before Janet had finally released her from the infirmary to shower and change. She'd been poked and prodded and stuck so many times, she was surprised she wasn't black and blue. As rough as the physical examination had been, though, it was the routine post-mission interview that had been the source of most of her discomfort. Even now, the questions caused her stomach to knot, or at least one in particular. Did you suffer an injury or illness? Were you exposed to hazardous materials? Did you ingest any unusual substances? Did you consume drugs or alcohol? Did you engage in sexual activity?

She had been concentrating on each question, answering to the best of her recollection, and hadn't foreseen the last one, despite the fact that she'd been through the same routine a hundred times before. Jack, on the other hand, had been waiting for it, his eyes boring into hers from his position on the opposite bed. When Janet asked the last question, Sam had paused ever so slightly before responding. It had taken every ounce of her self control not to look at Jack before finally answering in the negative. She'd thought Janet might push her a little, but the petite doctor had simply looked up at her briefly, then moved on.

Sam shook her head to clear it. The exam was over now, and she decided her time was better spent simply enjoying her shower. However, as she ran her hands over her body, she was startled to realize that she didn't recognize her own form. She could feel her clavicle, her ribs, and her hip bones, all more pronounced than she could ever remember. The feeling of her hands sliding over her skin reminded her of how another pair of hands had touched her in some of the same places. She wondered if he had noticed how thin she was. If he had, he certainly hadn't complained.

She was feeling flushed now, and she knew it was more than the warm shower. Damn it! She couldn't think about him - about that - anymore. It was forbidden. She let out a long sigh and fought back the tears that threatened to fall. How could she erase the memory of his touch? She still wanted him, his soft lips kissing her face and neck, his gentle hands roaming her body and holding her firmly to him...

For a fleeting moment she wondered what would happen if she went back to Janet and told her everything. But she dismissed the thought almost as soon as it entered her mind. Janet would either have to relate Sam's story to Hammond or be complicit in covering up all that had happened on the planet. So instead, Sam simply leaned her forehead against the tiles and turned the handle on the shower to cold.

oOoOoOo

8 Days Earlier

Jonah scowled as he watched the new worker, Solan, approach Thera for the third time that afternoon. He was fat and balding and not the least bit attractive, but he was both an engineer and a good ten years younger than Jonah, and he'd been hovering around Thera for the past two days, looking for any excuse to be near her and place his pasty hands on her shoulder or arm. Each time he did so, Thera would move away, a fact that made Jonah feel ridiculously relieved.

He smiled, thinking over the events of the last few days. He and Thera had been spending an increasing amount of time with each other, eating all of their meals and walking to and from their workstations together. She had even found another worker who had agreed to trade bunks with her so that she could sleep in his unit. He chuckled, recalling when she'd told him that she'd arranged for them to sleep together; he'd nearly choked on his dinner.

The fact was, Jonah was attracted to Thera on levels he couldn't fully explain. All he knew was that he wanted to spend every waking moment with her, and the need to touch her was becoming overwhelming. In fact, thoughts of doing just that were starting to invade his non-waking moments as well, making for some interesting mornings.

So far, he'd done nothing more than hold her hand, but she'd seemed pleased with that, so he had decided it was time to find out if she was interested in taking things a little further. As it so happened, there was a party planned for that evening, and he had every intention of asking her to accompany him. But when the whistle marking the end of their shift blew, he saw that Solan had once again descended upon her.

Jonah inched toward the control panel, taking up a position just below it, out of sight of the engineers working there. Though he pretended not pay any attention to them, he could hear every word they were saying.

"Come on, Thera. Why not?" Solan whined.

"I told you," Thera replied, clearly exasperated. "I have no interest in listening to your theories on thermal dynamics over dinner."

Solan's tone turned nasty. "It's that operator, isn't it? What's his name? Jonas? I don't know why you like him. Honestly, Thera, he's beneath you. You deserve better."

Jonah felt his hackles rise. But before he had the chance to do anything, Thera whirled around to confront the pasty-faced engineer. "You have no idea what you're talking about," she hissed. "I think it would be better if you left."

"Fine, Thera. But when you realize that he's incapable of stringing more than three words together, you let me know." With that, he stormed off.

Jonah walked casually around the control panel to find Thera still fuming. "What was that all about?" he asked, as he approached her, attempting as much nonchalance as he could muster.

"That was nothing," she replied definitively.

"Good." He reached down, grabbed her hand, and gave her a half grin. "Wanna go to a party?"

She relaxed and beamed up at him, interlacing her fingers with his. "I'd love to."

oOoOoOo

Jonah pulled Thera by the hand through yet another narrow passageway. They had been walking for some time now through parts of the plant she didn't even know existed, and it occurred to her that she would never be able to find her way back on her own. If she had been with any other man, that might have troubled her, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she could trust Jonah. He smiled at her. "Almost there."

Sure enough, within the next few minutes, she heard music and laughter. "Why are we so far away from the main part of the plant again?" she asked.

"Um, this party isn't exactly sanctioned," he admitted.

She had no opportunity to respond, though, as they had reached their destination. Jonah pulled back a sheet covering a small entryway, and Thera gasped, overwhelmed by the sight that greeted her.

Behind the curtain was a large, open area, packed with people. Most were operators, though Thera recognized a few engineers, as well. The space was hazy, presumably from whatever several of the people were smoking. It was also dim, the only light coming from a handful of braziers spaced around the perimeter. Despite the lack of a significant heat source, it was warm as well, and almost everyone had shed their jackets.

Jonah was still holding Thera's hand, and he pulled her gently into the room behind him. Once inside, he shrugged off his jacket and placed it in a pile in a corner. Thera hesitated for only a second before following suit. Someone pushed two cups into Jonah's hands, and he handed one to Thera, who took a sniff and wrinkled her nose. "Moonshine?" she asked with raised eyebrows. "There's a still back here?"

He shrugged. "You'd be surprised what you'd find tucked away in this plant."

Thera didn't doubt it. She knew people had claimed abandoned parts of the plant as their own, whether to have some personal space or some much desired privacy with a partner. In fact, as she looked around the room, she saw that several people had paired off and were disappearing together down dark passageways. She glanced briefly at Jonah and took a large swig of her drink.

As the beverage burned its way down her throat, she continued to look around the room. In one corner, a large group of people were gathered around a game of dice. In another, the makeshift band was gearing up to play another song. She wondered for a moment where they had gotten their instruments but forgot all about her query the moment they launched into a lively tune and the crowd around her began to move in time to the music.

Still holding Thera's hand, Jonah maneuvered her out of the fray. As he worked his way through the crowd, he stopped to introduce her to several people, holding her hand or draping his arm over her shoulders or around her waist the entire time. Thera reveled in the contact. For some reason, it felt exciting and illicit for him to touch her that way.

As the band started yet another song, Jonah leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Do you dance?" She nodded, and in the next second he was whisking her across the dance floor, her feet barely touching the ground. He spun her around, making her laugh uncontrollably, and she wasn't sure whether it was the dancing or the drink that had gone to her head.

The band continued to play, though the next song was much more subdued. Jonah gently pulled Thera closer to him and began moving with her slowly to the music. Tentatively, she put her head on his shoulder. She couldn't help but notice the hard planes of his chest under one hand and his firm bicep under the other. A thrill of desire shot through her as they moved more intimately together, his hand pressed into the small of her back, his hips swaying with hers. The song ran on, and he leaned down and buried his face in the crook of her neck. She shivered with pleasure as the sensation of his warm breath on her skin sent chills up and down her spine.

This is forbidden! The words flashed through her mind, and an inexplicable sense of dread consumed her. She pulled back from him, and he looked down at her with a puzzled expression. "Are you okay?"

Was she? She wasn't so sure. Her competing emotions had her mind in turmoil. She was torn between wanting him and knowing that she couldn't have him, though she could not fathom for the life of her why not. Surely this wasn't about the rules against relationships between co-workers? They didn't seem to trouble anyone else. Why should they bother her?

She needed time to think. "I'm sorry, Jonah," she said, clearly flustered. "Do you think we could go back to the barracks?"

He nodded once and immediately began moving with her toward the exit.

oOoOoOo

They walked back to the barracks in silence, hand in hand. Thera was afraid if she looked at him or even spoke to him, she would be lost, though she couldn't understand why the thought of succumbing to her desire scared her so. As it was, she was barely able to contain herself. Her skin still tingled where he'd trailed his fingers across her back and down her arms as they'd danced, and his scent permeated her senses, heady and masculine and slightly dangerous.

The barracks were just around the corner now, and Thera didn't know whether to feel distraught or relieved. Before she had an opportunity to think further on the issue, though, Jonah pulled her into a small alcove and placed his hands on her shoulders. He didn't say anything but simply stared into her eyes. Thera's heart threatened to beat out of her chest, and when he reached up to cup her cheek, she gasped. "Thera," he whispered, her name both question and statement.

He leaned in, pausing for a moment to give her the opportunity to move away, but when she didn't, he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips gently to hers. Without conscious thought, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him even closer to her. As the kiss intensified and his tongue met hers, she felt a rush of desire overwhelm her once again. She sighed into his mouth.

Taking his cue from her reaction, he moved his lips across her jawline, behind her ear, and down her throat, while his hands sought the bare skin of her torso under her jacket and shirt.

Oh, but she was his now, and somewhere in the back of her mind it occurred to her that she might not be able to stop this even if she wanted to.

He inched his hands slowly up her body, stopping at a point just below her breasts. Hesitantly, he brushed his thumb over one erect nipple, causing her to shudder and moan. With that, he pulled her fully to him, pressing his body to hers, and she could feel that his desire matched her own.

Thera knew that she was on the verge of losing all control, and she suspected Jonah was as well. This is forbidden! The thought flashed unexpectedly in her mind for the second time that night. She had no explanation, but she immediately understood that she had to stop now, before they did something they would later regret. Suddenly, she pulled away.

"Thera?" He looked at her through glazed eyes, his confusion apparent.

"I'm sorry," she panted, one hand on his chest. "I'm so sorry." She wanted to cry, or scream. She wanted him desperately - somehow she had always wanted him - but something was holding her back, something she couldn't explain. "I...I can't," she whispered.

Jonah released his hold on her immediately. He held up both hands and backed away, shaking his head. He'd always known that he was beneath her, that she was out of his league. Someone like her could never want to be with someone like him. She deserved better - an engineer, maybe, or a foreman, not a mere operator. He should never have tried to woo her. He'd known better.

"No, I'm the one who's sorry," he mumbled as he began to walk away.

"Jonah!" she cried out. She had to make him understand, but she didn't know how, since she didn't understand herself. He stopped and turned slowly toward her. "Where are you going?" she asked.

He shrugged. "To take a cold shower." And with that, he stalked off, leaving her alone in the dark alcove.

TBC...