Sam sat at her work bench with her head buried in her hands. She'd just been brought back by the Prometheus and upon her request they had beamed her in here. She needed the time alone. In reality she didn't need to be alone; she'd been alone for three months and then shuffled off to Washington for nearly two days. She had five more days of leave and instead of spending it with her friends she was hiding in her lab, her 'safe haven'.

"Sam."

"Jack," she smiled up at him. No matter how she felt about her continued posting at Eleftheria Jack could always make her smile. "What brings you by?"

"I didn't believe Hammond when he said that the politicians had let you go on time," he said as he sat on 'his' stool. "So, five days of uninterrupted down time. Still don't have any plans?"

"Not yet," Sam offered with a smile.

"Really," Jack asked as he reached for the yo-yo that Sam had pulled out of one of the drawers. His fingers brushed hers and without a second thought he let his hand encompass hers. He rubbed her hand in slow movements with his thumb while their joined hands rested on top of the work bench, the yo-yo still present but forgotten. "I was thinking –"

"Samantha!" The two looked up to see Andrew popping his head in the doorway. "Everybody is going out tonight since you're in town. We're leaving in a few hours so hurry up." And with that he was gone.

"He's got awful timing," Jack nearly growled.

"Believe me, he's worse than Daniel." Sam offered a shy smile as her eyes flitted from his face down to their still joined hands. Jack continued rubbing his thumb along her hand and watched as she took slow deep breaths. After a moment she placed her free hand atop his and looked back to him with that shy uncertain smile still present. "Will I see you tonight?"

"Sure, you betcha'."

Sam's smile turned into a more confident one that bordered on a smirk and reached her eyes. "Hey Sam," Daniel started as he walked into her lab with his head buried in a book. Daniel was too focused to notice Sam and Jack's joined hands or Jack practically slam his head into the work bench. "Since we're going out in a few hours do you mind looking at something for me?"

"I'll be right there," Sam offered as she tried not to laugh. Daniel walked out of the lab, his head still buried in the book. "It's nice to know nothing has changed," Sam smiled.

"No, no Daniel's timing still sucks," Jack mumbled with his face still planted into the work bench.

Sam patted his hand before she moved out of his grasp, setting the yo-yo down close by. She moved around to the side Jack sat on and picked up her bag. Jack sat up, watching her carefully. "You're supposed to be on down time you know."

"Rumor has it that SG-1 is on down time too." She smiled her mega watt smile, the one that was just for him before she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Try not to bite anyone's head off Jack. I'll see you in a few hours."

You'll survive a few hours.

We'll talk tonight.

"I'm not making any promises," he offered before she turned around and left him alone in the lab.

Jack walked into the bar not surprised to find practically every member of the SGC present. He looked around the room and wasn't surprised to find Sam sitting at a large table with Hammond, Janet, Cassie, Daniel, Teal'c, and Andrew. "Jack," Daniel cried as he made his way to the table. They had saved a seat for him but, it wasn't next to Sam like usual. Instead Hammond and Andrew sat next to her. Hammond was typical but Andrew … Jack had warmed up to the guy, he really had but, the man kept weaseling in next to Sam when that's where Jack belonged. Especially now …

"Hey kids, how's it going?" Sam smiled brightly as he sat down next to Daniel and Cassie; it grew as he looked up to the waitress that had sat a bottle of Guinness in front of him.

"Don't look so shocked," Daniel offered. "Sam asked the waitress to bring you a beer when you showed up."

With a smirk of his own Jack tilted the bottle to Sam in appreciation before taking a sip. The group talked, ate, and drank for over an hour before Cassie called it a night, having school the next day. Sam had walked her out and when she came back inside she had literally been pulled onto the dance floor by Lou Ferretti.

"Lou," Sam practically cried in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"Dancing with the guest of honor; and, the prettiest lady in the joint no less," Lou offered as they made their way closer to her table. The music wasn't too loud and those close by could hear their conversation easily. "Been meaning to tell you, I like the hair."

Sam smiled as she tucked the loose hair behind her ear. She'd warn it down for the night and Jack was greatly appreciative for that fact. Lou was right; the long blonde hair complimented her, especially when she was dressed in fitting jeans and comfortable looking tank top. Somehow it made her look more like 'Sam' instead of 'Carter'. The song ended and just as Lou released her so that she could sit down Michael Griff grabbed hold of her and moved her out to the dance floor.

"Hey! I don't remember agreeing to dance with a bunch of Marines," Sam chided as Griff spun her away from him before pulling her back to him.

"Ah come on," Griff cried. "I'm a better dancer than Lou!"

Sam laughed brightly as they continued the dance. They chatted happily about her being back in town before Michael Coburn cut in and swept her away from Griff. By the time the rest of the Marines had danced with her, including Lou stealing a second dance, Sam was nearly in tears from her laughter. She nearly collapsed back into her seat as she continued to laugh.

"Have fun Sam," Jack asked. That earned him a look from Hammond but he wasn't going to let it affect him. Sam looked up at him and bust out into more laughter, this time really wiping away tears.

"Here," Lou offered as he pulled up a chair next to Sam and sat a shot in front of her. Without hesitation or question Sam picked up the glass and tapped her shot glass to Lou's. In one go they both downed their shots … and then Sam started laughing again.

"Ferretti," Jack barked. "What the hell did you do to Sam?"

"Nothing. I just told her about that mission that started out really well for you and ended really bad." Jack raised his brow and Lou smiled. "Remember when you got jumped by some really hot blonde in South America?" Sam's laughter increased but Lou pushed on. "I told her how you had been so distracted by that kiss that you had ended up wiping your own ass with poison ivy."

Sam was in tears again and Janet had spit out her drink all over Daniel who in turn was dumbfounded. "Dead," Jack ground out. "You are a dead man."

"Yeah well join the line," Lou offered as he held up his shot glass followed by six fingers at the passing waitress.

Sam was finally calming down, still wiping at her eyes when Jack decided turn about was fair play. "Whatever. Did Sam tell you that she was the 'hot blonde' that jumped me?"

This time it was Lou and Daniel that spit out there beers. Sam's face went beat red as she through a fry at Jack but, he didn't even flinch when it hit him. "I don't believe you," Sam cried as she continued to pelt him with fries. "Don't try to turn that against me! You didn't even remember me!"

"Hey," Jack offered easily. "I couldn't forget that kiss if I wanted to. But, it's not like I really got the chance to see you. Besides, your hair was a lot longer than when you joined the SGC. Long blonde hair was really all I had to go on after you jumped off my lap and ran out the door."

"Your lap," Janet asked as she looked from Jack to Sam.

The waitress returned with their shots and Lou passed them out, handing one to everyone but Teal'c and Andrew. The group, including Hammond, took their shots, not even registering that Andrew had ordered one to take with the group. Well, Jack noticed. He also took a small bit of pleasure that Sam was more invested in him and Lou than in Andrew. By the time Andrew's shot showed up the naval officers had taken Sam away to the dance floor, each taking turns like the marines had.

When she came back to the table their party had nearly tripled and there were only a couple of seats open. Instead of sitting next to Andrew she plopped down in the empty seat next to Jack. "How come the SGC never did big get parties like this before?"

"I don't think it started out as a party," Jack said as he passed her his beer. She took it with a thank you before she took a long drink. "Ah cold beer," she sighed as she handed him back the bottle. "I forgot how hot I get when I dance."

"Has it been a while," Jack asked.

"Oh just since I joined the SGC," Sam laughed "Which is far too long since I have always liked dancing."

"Remember the class we took together," Andrew butted into the conversation.

"Which one," Sam smiled. "We took several."

"The Salsa class; you know, where you tripped me."

"I did no such thing, you just weren't very coordinated."

"Right," Andrew smiled before he took a sip of beer. "Come on Samantha," he said as another song started. "You owe me a dance."

With out hesitation Sam jumped up and joined him on the dance floor as a slow song got underway. Jack cringed at the clear lyrics; country music always did like to tell a story in the song. It wasn't normally his type of music but there were a few songs he liked. This was not one of them. Not when Sam was dancing with Andrew to a song that was telling her to fall into his arms. Nope, he didn't like it.

"This is nice," he heard Sam say to Andrew. He really didn't want to watch her dance with Andrew but it was like a train wreck, he couldn't pull his eyes away. "We haven't done this in a while."

"Nope," Andrew smiled. "Samantha … can I ask you something?"

"Of course Andrew, you can ask me anything."

"What if things were different?" Sam's face clearly showed her confusion as she gently shook her head. "Could we be different?"

"Andrew I don't –"

And before she could even finish the statement Andrew had leaned forward and kissed her, in front of the entire SGC. Suddenly all you could hear was the faint music; everyone's conversations had stopped as soon as the kiss had started. They were probably as stunned as Jack. He really needed to get the hell outta dodge.

"Andrew," Sam practically cried as she pushed him away from her.

"I love you Samantha. Not only do I love you but I'm in love with you."

Sam took a step away from him and Jack suddenly felt he didn't need to leave after all. "Andrew … I'm sorry," Sam offered. "But, I'm not in love with you."

"No," Andrew offered in a near whisper. "I didn't think so. I had to check though." He shrugged his shoulders before he stepped towards her. Sam tensed but didn't move as Andrew kissed her on the cheek.

As Andrew turned around and walked off the stage Lou cried out to the passing waitress. "Hey, we could really use those shots now!"

It took Sam a moment for her to blindly make it back to the table where she sat down next to Jack again. Once again he handed her his drink. She blinked at the offered bottle a few times before she took the nearly full bottle and downed it. "Sorry," she mumbled as she sat it back down on the table.

"No problem."

"Sam," Janet almost whispered. "Did he really just … I mean …"

"I'm not the right person to ask," Sam offered as she looked to her best friend. "I never would have thought Andrew thought about me that way. Let alone that he'd kiss me in front of the entire SGC!"

"And you don't love him back?"

Damn it! Jack glared at Janet. Why would she ask that question? Granted Sam had said she didn't but Jack really wanted to know the answer to that question. He needed the clarification but feared she'd change her mind.

"No," Sam offered easily.

Okay, Jack could definitely handle that answer.

"I've never thought of Andrew that way, not even when we were dating. That's certainly not going to change now. Thank you," Sam offered as the waitress passed out the shots and handed another beer to Jack.

"Drink up Sam," Daniel slurred. "It'll make the awkward feeling go away."

"Here, here," the marines cried. The group took their shots, Hammond included, and then they went back to stories and jokes.

For the next couple of hours Sam remained at the table, just enjoying conversation. The whole table even made fun of Daniel who had passed out right after the shot they'd taken in response to Andrew's declaration. Over the hours most of the SGC had steadily gotten more drunk while a few others had sobered up. Luckily for the original group the only drunk one was Daniel. In spite of all the alcohol they had all had they had paced themselves and now they were enjoying making fun of the others.

Another slow song started, one Jack recognized and he smiled at Sam. "Care to dance?"

With that bright smile that she reserved for him she agreed and Jack offered her his hand as they made their way to the dance floor. "Hey," Lou cried out his failed attempt to whisper at the DJ. "Just keep playing the sappy love songs!"

Sam blushed as she laughed at Lou but, she didn't turn away and Jack thanked his lucky stars. Before Ba'al … before the letters she would have. "Think there's a bet out there about us dancing together," Sam asked.

"Wouldn't surprise me. There are bet's about how many times you smile at me over lunch."

"What?"

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger Colonel."

"And you wouldn't by chance have made any bets, would you Sir? You know, make a bet and then see if you could make me smile that many times?"

"I plead the Fifth."

Sam laughed at him as the continued to dance slowly around each other. They stayed silent for a while, just enjoying watching each other while they ignored everyone else who watched them.

"Can I ask you something?" Sam's brow rose in Teal'c fashion at the familiar phrase that Andrew had used but, she said nothing. "Did you mean what you said in your letters?"

"I wouldn't have written them if I didn't Jack." The words were soft, matched with a soft smile and soft eyes. "Did you think that I didn't?"

"No," he offered as he rubbed small circles along the small of her back with his thumb. "I just …"

"Wanted to see if I had changed my mind?"

"Yeah …"

"Jack." It was a whisper that shot through him and his eyes locked with hers. "Take me home?"

Jack's breathing quickened and involuntarily his hand at her back pulled her closer while the one in her hand gave it a tight squeeze. "Sam …"

"I meant everything I have ever written Jack. And I believe everything you wrote to me. We're past pretending anymore Jack; we've been doing it for years. We're not in the same chain of command. It would be utterly stupid and too painful to let this go."

Jack let a slow smile spread over his face as he gave her a small nod. Drunk or not the room was full of SGC personnel and their leaving together would not go unnoticed. They made their way back to the table and as Sam grabbed her jacket Jack realized that Hammond, Janet, and Teal'c already realized what was happening. Sam gave Janet a kiss on the cheek before she patted Daniel's head. She offered Teal'c a goodnight before she moved over to Hammond. She kissed him on the cheek as well and then gave him a smile before she looked back to Jack.

He looked from Teal'c to Janet and then to Hammond. Yup, they all knew. He looked up to Sam and smiled back at her. Hell if he cared about what the others thought. He held out his hand and Sam took it easily before they made their way through the crowd to the door.