Sam opened her eyes briefly to look around the cabin of the plane.
Teal'c was sitting across from her on the other side of the plane. He had his eyes shut, but Sam was fairly sure that like her he was not asleep. In his case he was most likely mediating she thought, noticing the peaceful look on his face.
Smiling to herself as she looked at her friend she turned her gaze to Jack who was sitting opposite her, his eyes shut, his legs stretched, touching the seat next to her. Their relationship was hard to put into words. It was relationship built on a shared history. She had loved him all these years but had tried to put it behind her to build a life apart from him. Going to Atlantis had been a chance for her to do something totally on her own and she hoped that the time away might help her to finally figure out where she was headed. What it had done was help her and Jack to become closer. The distance between them triggered something in both of them.
It was Jack who had started it. He had sent her a personal video message. It had been typical Jack, totally casual, totally without any romance and yet exactly what she had needed. He had recorded it at his house, seated at his dining table, a bottle of beer on one side, a dinner of steak and salad in front of him. He had sat there drinking his beer and eating his dinner, all the while talking to her as if they were actually sharing a meal together.
After that first email they had exchange others. There had been some pretty bad knock knock jokes, that had made her laugh with there silliness. Others had been just a sentence or two, just simple things like 'I'm bored, feel like a game of chess?', 'Mckay's being a pain', and 'Go and get some sleep'. When that last one had come, she had actually looked over her shoulder thinking that Jack was standing right behind her. The video emails had also continued, including a special one for her birthday in which he had stood with a cake in front of him, one lightened candle on it and the words 'Happy Birthday, Carter'. Each email had been so Jack and each one held a special place in her heart.
After she had been recalled back to Earth it had been awkward between them. Why, when she had come back, had they gone back to that friendlier but distance manner which had been between them before the emails? It was only by talking to Daniel and Teal'c that she had come to realize that Jack too was feeling awkward. That he was afraid that they had crossed over that hidden line that had been between them all these years. That invisible line that they had kept between them suddenly seemed like a real concrete wall that was separating them from what they really wanted.
Alone together in person they acted like shy teenagers instead of the mature adults they were meant to be. Looking back Sam was now able to laugh about it. About the fact they when alone they were so afraid that if they got to close to each other that there would be no turning back. As if all that longing would spill out and they would suddenly be ripping their clothes of each other and making mad, passionate love on the briefing table. Now THAT would certainly of given those around them something to talk about, thought Sam, trying not to chuckle at the image.
It was only now after she had accepted the new position and with it the move to Washington that her and Jack had managed to find there way back to what they had. Again it was Jack who had started it. Both in the same city, they had started a routine of regularly getting together for dinner. It helped them both to learn to relax in each others company and it became something that they both looked forward to.
Since they had come back from the encounter with the Furlings a couple of months ago, their relationship had begun to extend beyond just a weekly dinner together. Jack had been her escort to a science function she had been invited to, and she had gone fishing with Jack up at this cabin, just the two of them alone together. Nothing had happened, but the possibility that something might happen, could happen, would happen one day had been there. Sam was sure that she wasn't the only one that felt it, she was confident that Jack felt it too and that made it all the more special. Knowing this gave her hope and the courage to be patience. One day they would be together and it would be worth the wait. For now they could just relax and enjoy each others company and not worry about tomorrow. For tomorrow was Christmas and they would all be together.
*S***S*
"So, any suggestions on how we should wake her?"
Major General Jack O'Neill and Teal'c looked over at the sleeping form of Samantha Carter. She was sitting slightly slumped her seat, her legs crossed, her head tilted to one side, her mouth slightly opened as she quietly snored.
"I do not, though I would advise caution."
Jack turned to look at Teal'c, the expression on his face saying the words he would normally say at such an unhelpful suggestion. The two men looked at each other for a few seconds before Jack turned his attention back to the sleeping woman in front of him. For someone who should have the instincts of a solider, including that unique ability to sense what was going on around him or her even in sleep; Colonel Samantha Carter seemed to be in a very relaxed deep sleep, especially if the quiet snoring was any indication. Still they were off duty and in the confines of an Air Force plane, which had just landed, perhaps that was why she had managed to stay asleep, she knew that she was safe.
Looking at her, a smile slowly formed on his face as Jack took in the image of her sleeping form. "She does look kinda cute."
"O'Neill?"
Jack turned back to Teal'c, a hint of surprise and embarrassment on his face. "Did I just say that out loud?"
"I believe so."
"Oh..." Feeling the rise of heat on his face Jack turned away in an awkward attempt to cover up his embarrassment, "Can we pretend that I didn't just say that?"
"As you wish, O'Neill." Seeing his friend's discomfort and not wanting to cause him any more embarrassment, Teal'c knew it was wise to go along with whatever O'Neill wanted.
For a few moments they stood there staring at Sam, then very quietly Jack went over to her and leaning down he blew very gently near her ear. "Oh, Car...ter, wakey, wakey," he whispered very softly. Getting no response he tried again, "Time to wake up sleeping beauty."
Slowly reaching out his finger, he froze as he was about to touch the tip of her nose, finding himself staring into Sam's blue eyes, a smile on her face. "Thank you Si... Jack, I'm awake." Sam caught herself in time and quickly changed the sir to Jack. While off duty they had both agreed that they could be more informal, but a habit of an eleven odd years was hard to break. Even now, she found herself blushing slightly when she called him by his name. Feeling the blush on her cheeks Sam gave a stretch of her arms to compose herself, before she stood up, straightening her clothes.
Jack had pulled away after seeing she was awake and was now picking up his bag that had been on the seat next to him. 'Well you certainly slept well if that snoring was any indication."
"I don't snore!"
"Yes, you do."
"I do not."
"Do to."
"Do not."
"Do to."
Knowing that she wouldn't be able to change his mind when he got like this, Sam turned to Teal'c for support. "Teal'c..."
"Teal'c, back me up here, tell Carter..."
"... that I don't snore." Sam looked at Teal'c, pleading at him with her eyes, a hint of worry on her face. She didn't snore, did she? she thought.
"I am sorry, Samantha Carter, but O'Neill is correct. Though compared to other Tau'ri..."
"Oh..." Sam's face went slightly crestfallen at this piece of news causing Teal'c to stop in the middle of what he had been saying, and to glance over to Jack.
"Sam, don't worry about it. Everybody snores, even T here. And let me tell you..."
"I do not snore, O'Neill."
"Sorry T, but you do."
"I do not."
"Do to."
Sam turned her back as the two men continued arguing, and reached over for her bags, smiling to herself. This really was going to be a great Christmas.
*S***S*