Only the Chosen Survived

by fems

All Sam wanted was to go home but readjusting to life on Earth is more difficult than expected. Nothing is the same and she doesn't know who to trust and what she wants anymore, other than keeping her daughter safe. Jack knows exactly what he wants and makes sure he's there for them, even before he learns the truth.

22. Chapter 22

Stargate Command
Colorado Spring, CO
January 15, 2000

Doctor MacKenzie gestured for Sam to take a seat and sat down himself. "I'm glad you could make it, Sam."

She flushed in embarrassment, recalling how she'd kept canceling and postponing her appointments with him the past week. "I'm sorry for not coming earlier, but it was rather hectic the past couple of days."

"I understand there was a close call yesterday?"

Recalling the momentary panic over the discovered Russian submarine, she nodded. "At least one of the Replicators survived reentry and managed to replicate and form a giant 'mother bug', as it were. SG-2 was sent in though and managed to destroy all the remaining Replicators."

"That must have been frightening," the psychiatrist said. "Especially in light of the narrow escape Thor and SG-1 had."

"I suppose we were lucky the Asgard told us all about the Replicators. If they hadn't, we might not have realized how to destroy them; they literally are what they eat and our submarines aren't made of the same stuff as Asgard battleships."

He looked up from his notes with something akin to surprise. "It doesn't worry you?"

Frowning, she wondered what he meant. "The close call? From what I've seen so far that's something I'm going to have to get used to, considering the frequency of near-misses at the SGC. But I know the SG teams are well trained and they have a lot more experience now than when I was assigned to SG-7."

"The Replicators," he clarified. "Granted, I don't know as much about them as you do, but they sound like a formidable enemy. Didn't they nearly kill the Supreme Commander of the Asgard?"

"Well, yeah. But if you're asking if they frighten me because they're an additional threat and possibly more dangerous than the Goa'uld then the answer is no," Sam said, after a beat.

If she were honest, she hadn't really given it much thought. The beta stargate had kept her occupied enough, but now that she started thinking about it she realized they could never frighten her the way the Goa'uld had. "The Replicators aren't evil creatures hell-bent on galactic domination with a love of torturing innocent people or overtaking their bodies. They're just… someone's invention. Their only goal is to replicate. There are no emotions behind it or hidden agendas. Technology is something I can understand," she explained haltingly. "It's the evil nature of the Goa'uld that causes my nightmares."

Doctor MacKenzie gave her a moment to regroup before he spoke again. "How frequent are the nightmares?"

"Just a few times a week at most," she said, shrugging. There had been times when she woke up in a cold sweat every night, more than once. Not anymore. She suspected her current life and Jack's presence in it were the reason. "They're not as intense anymore either."

"That's good, that's progress."

"I guess."

"And what about this past week?"

She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. It had proven more difficult than she would have liked to sleep while Jack was gone. She knew it wasn't necessarily because of his absence, but the fact that she had no idea where he was and if he was safe. If it hadn't been for Ife's calming presence she might not have slept at all. But watching their little girl sleep and listening to her deep breathing allowed her to doze off, eventually. "I haven't slept much."

He raised his eyebrows in a silent question.

"I've been busy. I know I probably shouldn't have canceled our appointments. You and Doctor Fraiser both warned me that sleep deprivation could be 'a symptom of underlying issues'."

"We did," he said, chuckling softly at her quote. "But in this case the underlying issue was the situation here at the SGC. Losing sleep over it isn't entirely abnormal, especially not from someone with your workaholic tendencies."

His tone with its slight reprimand reminded her of her Dad and she couldn't suppress a grin. "I know, but I did promise to come to you in case of any changes in my sleeping pattern and to keep up our weekly sessions."

"You were installing the beta stargate," he said without accusations. "I'm well aware of the importance of that task."

"Oh."

He raised his brows but when she didn't say anything else he spoke up again, "General Hammond informed me earlier today that all the stranded teams have returned, with the exception of SG-1 and Major Ferretti?"

"Once the gate was operational again we dialed the Alpha Site and recalled the teams, but SG-1 hadn't reported in there yet." They had no idea where they'd gone from Thor's ship and it was nerve-wracking to wait around in the hopes of them randomly dialing in to come home.

Sam was aware it was just a matter of time before Jack would return because she knew they'd made it through the stargate aboard Thor's ship, but with the beta gate in place there was nothing to keep her mind occupied in the meantime. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her nerves and smiled at the shrink, "The mission roster has been put in effect again and some of the other teams already left this morning."

MacKenzie smiled in that benign way of his, a look of understanding on his face. "I imagine you are here now because that means another hour at the SGC – and a lot can happen in an hour."

Sam had the grace to blush and looked away. "I'm not good at waiting around. I've already started on a proposition to rewrite some of the protocols of the dialing computer but General Hammond told me to leave it be for now."

"You are still on light duty."

"And I put in extra hours the past couple of days to get the beta stargate in operation." The overtime had been approved by both Doctor Fraiser and General Hammond, although she had no idea if it was due to the emergency or a reconsideration of her working hours.

Of course, she'd left the base before dinner time every day because of Ife, so perhaps it was merely overlooked because of the temporary nature. Pulling all-nighters had been tempting and if she didn't have Ife to take care of she probably would have done it – and succeeded a hell of a lot sooner.

He scribbled something down in his notebook, nodding. "And how has all of that affected your personal life?"

Shrugging, she considered the question. "Aside from Ife there's not much of a personal life, I guess."

"How is your daughter doing?"

"She's adjusting well. Colonel Dixon's wife babysits when I'm at the SGC and she told me Ife has started playing with the other kids and is more outgoing when she's over there. She's also less clingy when I pick up her compared with the first week, but I do think she misses Jack."

Leaning back in his chair, MacKenzie steepled his fingers as he regarded her. "Missing her father is natural, especially when he is absent for several days. It sounds like she's turning into a well-adjusted little girl."

"I hope so."

"And what about you, Sam? I can tell you're anxious for Colonel O'Neill to return home."

She sighed deeply and fiddled with the hem of her BDU jacket, her mind going light-years a minute as she tried to determine how, exactly, she felt. Her way of coping had basically been burying herself in work – exactly what she'd accused her own father of doing after her mother died. "I'm not sure," she said slowly, shifting in her seat. "I guess I feel responsible."

He cocked his head to the side with a thoughtful expression. "Why do you feel responsible? The Asgard chose to enlist Colonel O'Neill's help and from what I heard, Mister Teal'c and Major Ferretti volunteered to join him. You did everything you could to find a way for them to return home – and you found one."

"I thought it would be simple when Jack first told us," she confessed. "But none of the solutions we came up with worked or were impossible to execute because of the Replicators. Beaming up the stargate was more of a last resort and yes, it worked, but it took us far too long to install the beta stargate."

"I'm sure Colonel O'Neill and the others are safe. They'd know it takes time to set everything up here and check in regularly."

"I know."

Confusion flashed over his face and he frowned. "Then why do you feel responsible?"

Sam was well aware of how much sense his question made, but she couldn't explain why she felt the way she did. Her sense of responsibility had always been strong and sometimes misplaced. "I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't have let Jack talk me out of joining him."

"Then you would both be stranded, assuming you would have come up with the idea while under heavy attack and without the assistance of other scientists in the first place. Your daughter would be without her parents. Does that feel like a better situation?"

"No, no it doesn't. Besides, General Hammond wouldn't have let me go, even if Jack had agreed."

"If you hadn't been here, at the SGC, not only would your daughter have been without her parents, but there is also no telling how long it would have taken the others to install the beta stargate. I was told you used Herit's knowledge to find a solution to the technical issues you were experiencing."

She tensed involuntarily and hoped he hadn't noticed. The last thing she needed was for him to report to General Hammond that her response to being confronted with the Goa'uld's knowledge was suspect. Taking a deep breath, she looked him in the eye and shrugged a little. "I didn't even realize at the time. Not until I saw Catherine's reaction to what I'd just said."

"Has that happened before?"

"Accessing Herit's memories without realizing it? Not that I recall," she lied. "Usually it requires a lot of effort and concentration."

MacKenzie let silence reign for a few minutes, watching her, gauging her. "When you say usually, do you mean when you attempt to access the Goa'uld's knowledge on purpose?"

Nodding, she bit her lip and silently weighed how much she was willing to reveal. "Like when I tried to help in locating Amaunet or to obtain information about the System Lords or Goa'uld Queens."

"Perhaps the key to accessing that knowledge is to not try so hard."

"Are you suggesting external stimulation?"

He held up his hands and smiled. "This is new territory for me as well, Sam. But the truth is, working on the problem with the second stargate is what prompted the Goa'uld's memories to come forward."

Long ago, even before returning to Earth, Sam had decided she wouldn't reveal just how much access she had to Herit's knowledge or that she could still use the Goa'uld's technology. She wasn't a distrustful person by nature but her experience with Lieutenant Colonel Grieves and the Rogue NID and the hell that followed had stripped away any naivety she once had. There was no reason to give the Air Force or NID more reasons to examine what had happened to her more closely. But she was smart enough to play along – for now. "By recreating the circumstances?"

"That might not always be possible. Perhaps hypnosis would prove effective, though."

"Maybe," she said. "In the future."

Doctor MacKenzie nodded, seeming pleased. "There's no rush."

She shared a smile with him and hoped it was convincing enough. "Right now I just want to focus on moving forward with my life and returning to active duty."

"And I believe you are well on your way to doing that." He glanced at his notes and when he looked up again, he caught her checking her watch. "We would be able to hear the klaxons for an unscheduled off-world activation here, Sam."

"Oh, right."

The shrink chuckled softly at her abashed expression. "There's no reason to be embarrassed. It can't be easy to wait for the father of your child to return after such a dangerous mission."

"Nerve-wracking," she admitted.

"The last time we spoke, you were living with Colonel O'Neill and had only recently told him the truth about Ife. Now, I know all the paperwork and finances have been handled for your 'return', but it's my understanding you are still living with the Colonel?"

Sam nodded an acknowledgement. "He's still bonding with Ife as her father and Ife is finally settled in the life we've created for her here on Earth. It seems counterproductive to shake things up again for her."

"How is the co-parenting working out for you?"

They hadn't really discussed it and just sort of eased into it after her confession, so she wasn't sure how to answer the question. "All right, I guess. Jack is great with Ife. We haven't had to make any big decisions yet about her upbringing, but I think we're on the same page."

MacKenzie jotted down some notes and then glanced up with a curious look. "It sounds like you and Colonel O'Neill are getting along well on a personal level."

"We're still learning how to navigate a personal relationship," she hedged.

"A personal relationship?" He parroted, intrigued.

"Things between us have become more… familiar."

"Have you by any chance become romantically involved?"

Sam bit her lip, hesitating. Damn. Apparently she'd just given away exactly what she'd been trying to keep from him. And he wasn't pulling any punches, either. "We're… trying."

The psychiatrist looked at her curiously. "Trying? Is something preventing you two from forming a romantic relationship?"

"It's not easy. Not after, well, everything."

"Did you expect it to be easy?"

She chuckled mirthlessly, shaking her head. When had her love life ever been easy? Prior to her reassignment to SG-7 and the night she spent with Jack, it had been pretty non-existent for quite some time. Not to mention the only serious relationship she'd had was with Jonas Hanson… "No," she said, sighing. "Maybe easy is the wrong word."

Folding his hands, he watched her for a moment as she considered her relationship with Jack. A minute or two passed before he spoke again, "Relationships aren't always easy. A lot has happened to you while you were off-world, it's normal for there to be difficulty adjusting to things you used to take for granted. From what little you've told me about your past I get the impression relationships with the men in your life were difficult, even before your time with the Goa'uld."

"Oh. I guess you could say that," she said slowly.

"Does that surprise you?"

Shrugging, she fiddled with her BDU jacket and thought about what he'd just said. "I never gave it much thought."

"We've briefly talked about your upbringing and how your relationship with both your father and brother changed after your mother passed away."

"And I've only had one serious relationship that ended in a broken-off engagement," she supplied, grimacing. A little voice in the back of her mind told her perhaps she had unresolved issues and the voice sounded suspiciously like her best friend from the Academy, who'd constantly told her she had 'daddy issues', simply because she was attracted to older men. Of course, at the time she had no idea how messed up Jonas really was.

MacKenzie gave her a placating smile. "There is nothing wrong with being cautious. Trust and love are fragile things, especially for people who've lost those closest to them. It's okay to be careful with your heart, Sam."

His words and gentle tone struck a chord deep inside of her and Sam found herself swallowing hard against the emotions they elicited. After Jonas, she'd guarded her heart even more closely and it wasn't until Ife came along that she allowed herself to open up. "I guess…" Faltering, she cleared her throat and tried again, "I suppose I kept people at an arm's length."

"And now you've found someone you want to let into your life."

"Yeah."

He smiled, sympathy shining in his eyes. "That's a wonderful thing, Sam."

The earlier emotions dissipated and she felt herself relax, chuckling softly. "I guess it is."

"Now, don't get me wrong; we're not here to analyze your love life or your relationships with men in the past. However, I think it's important to acknowledge that any relationship issues you encounter with Colonel O'Neill might be part of a pattern from your past. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with what you went through."

"I know, and I understand," she said softly. There were other issues directly linked to her time with Klorel and the lifestyle that followed that were affecting her relationship with Jack, though. She just wasn't sure how much she wanted to tell the psychiatrist.

The Doctor leaned forward and waited until he'd caught her gaze. "You haven't spoken much about the time you spent with the Goa'uld. Apophis as well as Klorel and Herit," he clarified. "I know you're a typical military brat and that you're not likely to pour your heart out to me. I don't expect you to, Sam. But I want you to know that I am here if you do want to talk about it."

She heard what he left unsaid and nodded in understanding. Confiding in him wasn't on her agenda anytime soon, especially not when it would reveal just how much control she'd had. That was something she wanted to keep up in the air for as long as possible. Just in case. Besides, she had Jack, a man she trusted with her life – and secrets. "Thank you, Doctor. I'm not sure how much help it could be, though."

"Do you feel like your ordeal is affecting your relationship with Colonel O'Neill?"

"Not in the way you probably imagine," she said, after a moment. "I confided in him and Jack is being very… patient and careful with me."

MacKenzie raised his brows in surprise. "You disagree with his… behavior towards you?"

"Look, I know you've probably heard some of what I endured or at least what has been speculated about my time as Herit, but I don't need him to treat me like I'm a helpless, traumatized rape victim who doesn't know what she wants."

"Do you feel like that is how he treats you?"

She was impressed with his complete non-reaction to her frustrated explanation and blew out a deep breath. "Every time we kiss, he ends up pulling back. Afraid of hurting me. I tried to explain to him that while my experience was horrible, I don't need him to treat me like I'm made of glass."

"It sounds like Colonel O'Neill is worried that his actions might trigger something for you. Naturally, he wants to avoid doing anything that will adversely affect you."

"That's more or less what he told me, too. I just don't know how to get through to him; of course I have bad memories and sometimes I still have nightmares, but that doesn't mean I'm incapable of enjoying… intimacy. I want to move forward and right now, it feels like every time we take a step forward, we end up taking two steps backwards."

The psychiatrist regarded her pensively, tapping his pen to his notebook. "Colonel O'Neill isn't a fan of my profession and in my experience, he will do whatever he can to avoid any counseling.

"However, from what little interaction we've had, I can tell you he's an honorable man who is by no means as dumb as he likes to pretend. Ironically, he hates it when others play games and prefers the direct approach. Above all though, he would never intentionally hurt someone he cares about and while he has a gruff exterior, he cares deeply."

The way he described Jack rang true to her and it made her wonder how much the psychiatrist knew about Charlie and Sara. "I know. He's just trying to protect me."

"Sam, I believe you when you say you don't feel traumatized by what you've gone through. From what I've seen so far, you seem to have found a way to deal with what was done to you. But have you ever considered that maybe Colonel O'Neill hasn't had the time to process it yet?"

"What do you mean?"

MacKenzie held up his hand to forestall a reaction as he explained, "I know this happened to you and I'm not saying that it somehow affects Colonel O'Neill more than it does you. However, you have had almost two years to come to terms with your ordeal. Colonel O'Neill has only just found out the extent of your trauma – in the clinical sense – despite any suspicions he might have had prior and he's most likely still trying to come to grips with everything."

Frowning, she wondered if that was true. It made sense. Sort of. "Are you saying I'm moving too fast for Jack?"

"I can't judge whether the pace of your relationship is right for the two of you," he said. "But I think it's important to keep in mind that the Colonel cares for you and will do whatever he can to avoid hurting you. When it comes to his baser instincts he's not a complex man and perhaps a more direct approach is required to convince him that you are ready for a more intimate relationship."

Sam was still contemplating his advice when the alarm on her watch went off. "Oh. It's time to pick up Ife."

Doctor MacKenzie collected his notes and smiled at her. "Our time is almost up anyway. Pick up your daughter and just think about what we discussed today, Sam."

"I will."

"Oh, and Sam? Don't forget to make a new appointment for next week."

She nodded and got to her feet. It wouldn't hurt to detour to the control room to see if they'd heard any news from SG-1 on her way to the locker room, would it?

---

O'Neill Residence
Colorado Springs, CO

Sometime between being beamed up to Thor's ship and returning through the beta stargate it had stopped snowing in Colorado Springs, but Jack took no notice as he jumped out of his truck to go into his house. The lights were still on and knowing Sam and Ife were waiting for him made him rush inside, the knowledge warming him more than the central heating could.

After leaving Hammond in the gate room Jack had called ahead, letting Sam know he was all right and would be home after the debriefing and post-mission exam. The sound of her voice had done funny things to his insides and made him even more determined to get home fast.

"Daddy!"

He'd barely shucked his jacket when Ife barreled into him, wrapping her little arms around his legs. Grinning, he swung her up in his arms and hugged her. "There's my favorite munchkin!"

She giggled against his neck, her hair tickling his chin. "Missed Daddy."

"I missed you, too," he said, tightening his arms around her small body. Over the top of her head, he saw Sam standing in the entryway, watching them. He caught her gaze and his breath hitched at the naked emotions in her eyes. "Hey there."

"Hey yourself."

Jack found himself returning her smile and reached for her, "C'mere."

The word had barely left his lips when she crossed the distance and hugged him. "You're okay," she breathed, as if she had to verify for herself.

"Yeah," he said, enveloping her in his arms. Ife was squished between them but their little girl didn't seem to mind. He buried his nose in Sam's hair, inhaling her familiar scent. "God, I missed you."

She smiled against his neck, her nose brushing his skin. "I'm glad you're all right. Sorry it took me so long to get the gate working."

Jack tightened his grip on her and pulled her flush against his body, needing her close. It had only been a few days but somehow it felt a lot longer since he'd last held her. "I knew you'd fix it," he murmured.

"It was a team effort."

"That's not what Hammond said," he replied, raising a brow.

Pulling away slightly to look at him, she shrugged. "It would have taken longer if it'd just been me."

He caressed her cheek with his fingers and, unable to resist the lure of her lips, leaned in for a brief kiss. She responded eagerly, catching him by surprise. Just as he slid his hand in her hair to pull her mouth impossibly closer, Ife squirmed against him and he had to break off the kiss. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Sam said, smirking.

"Daddy kisses."

Grinning, he tapped Ife's little nose with his finger and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Have you and Mommy had dinner yet?"

She nodded in an exaggerated manner, a cheeky little smile on her face. "Yup."

"Why don't you go get Daddy the drawings you made for him, sweetie?" Sam asked, running a hand through their daughter's hair.

"For me?"

Ife flashed him another grin when he put her down and then she dashed off to the kitchen.

He turned to Sam, frowning. "She's changed somehow," he said. Ife was boisterous compared to how quiet she'd been. Sure, she'd run around the house but a few weeks ago she'd have just smiled that cheeky grin at him when he got home, rather than throw herself at him. And she was chattier, more confident. "How did I miss that?"

"I think you were a little busy preventing Earth from being invaded by Replicators."

"Sam-"

She rested her hand on his chest and sighed, "I'm being serious, Jack. I think it's all that time she spends with the Dixon kids. She's finally settling in on Earth."

Well, he supposed that was a good development. Smiling, he wrapped his arms loosely around Sam's waist, pleasantly surprised when she relaxed against his chest. He tugged her a little closer until they were pressed against each other from toes to shoulders. "I haven't had a chance to say thank you for saving my life."

"Oh." Biting her lip, she fought a smile but after a few seconds she faltered. She beamed at him and he realized that Ife wasn't the only one who'd changed – Sam seemed more at ease and carefree as well. "I'm sure you can find some way to show your appreciation."

"I'm sure I can," he said after a moment. Was she flirting with him? Before he could do or say anything, Sam gave him a quick kiss and disentangled herself from him. "Wha-"

She stepped aside, revealing Ife behind her. "Why don't you two spend some time together while I take a quick shower?"

Canting his head, he caught their daughter's dark blue gaze and winked at her. "Sure. We can keep ourselves entertained, right munchkin?"

"You can tell us all about your adventures when I get back."

Jack watched her retreat to the back of the house and picked up Ife, walking over to the living room with her. She held a stack of drawings in her little hands, smoothing them against his chest with the same frown on her face as Sam the few times he'd caught her working in her lab. He settled on the sofa, Ife in his lap and snuggled against his chest and took the drawings from her. "You made these for me?"

Ife nodded and started pointing out things to him, chatting happily. He oohed and awed over them, feeling almost absurdly proud over her achievement. He'd almost forgotten the emotions little things like drawings by his child elicited in him and he held her a little tighter, his gaze drifting to Charlie's photograph on the mantelpiece.

Sam interrupted his melancholic moment as she silently entered the living room. She was freshly showered, dressed in a pair of his sweatpants and a long-sleeved button down – and no bra. Oh hell. He tried to ignore the outline of her full breasts or the soft bounce as she walked around the coffee table, her damp hair gleaming in the light of the fireplace and instead focused on her gorgeous smile. God, he'd really missed her.

The moment she sat down he reached for her and Sam snuggled into his side, resting her cheek against his shoulder.

Jack took a moment to enjoy having the two of them in his arms, before he started talking about what had happened after Thor beamed him up. He knew Sam would be curious about everything he'd seen and heard, but also about Thor. She'd mentioned her fascination with the Asgard and their technology once or twice, so he told her as much as he could remember. Ife was still at an age where he felt comfortable talking about classified stuff and the little girl seemed happy just to lean against him as he talked.

In turn, Sam told him about the struggle they had at the SGC to get the beta stargate up and running. She also mentioned her little talk with Catherine about Herit's knowledge.

Burying his nose in her wet hair, he inhaled the fragrance of her shampoo and her own scent. He huffed when she apologized again for taking so long. "Stop it," he murmured. "We knew it would take some time to get everything up and running."

"You were gone for five days."

"Could have been a lot longer if you hadn't been there," he said, shrugging. "Besides, it gave us the opportunity to visit the Rebel Jaffa and for Teal'c to spend some more time with his family."

She asked him about the rebels and Ife squealed when he mentioned Bra'tac, so he told them all about his time with the Jaffa Master. By the time he finished, Ife was yawning and rubbing her eyes. Sam asked him if he wanted to put her to bed and he did, he'd missed both of them. The realization that he could have died on Thor's ship just when he had a family again had hit him hard and he needed to spend time with them to reassure himself that they were fine.

"Take your time," Sam said, leaning forward to kiss Ife good night. "I'll be here when you get back."

Jack did as she suggested and bathed Ife before helping her into pajamas and reading her a bedtime story. He wasn't even three pages in when she nodded off and he just watched her sleep for a bit. By the time he rejoined Sam about an hour had passed and she had brought snacks and wine to the living room.

Grabbing a handful of nuts, he plopped down on the sofa and stretched out. "She's asleep."

"What about you? Did you get any sleep the past couple of days?"

"Mhhmm," Jack mumbled as she ran her hands through his hair. "Unlike Ferretti and Teal'c I got a few hours of zees every night. They barely left the temple as part of that ritual… that reminds me, don't ask them about their weird little goatees on Monday."

She looked at him over the rim of her wineglass and chuckled. "Did Bra'tac tell you the goatee wasn't mandatory?"

Munching on the nuts, he raised a brow at her. "He did."

"Oh."

"So," he said, taking the glass from her to wash away the nuts. "Bra'tac and Moac basically asked me what my intentions were towards you when we left Kheb."

She took a sip of wine as well before setting the glass on the table. "Did you tell them it was none of their business?"

Smirking, he caught her hand in his and played with her fingers. "Something like that, yeah. I think it was a test."

"Agreed," Sam said, smiling wickedly. "Now, let's stop talking about Bra'tac and move onto you showing your appreciation…"

Jack leaned back when she suddenly straddled him and for a moment he had no idea what to do with his hands. Finally, he settled them on her hips, feeling her body heat through the thin fabric of her – technically, his – shirt. Her hands slipped around his neck and then her lips were on his, warm and soft. Closing his eyes, Jack let himself get swept up in her kiss, his fingers twitching against her waist as her tongue traced his lips.

Growing a little bolder, Sam bit his bottom lip and played with the hair at the back of his neck. He groaned low in his throat when her nails scraped over his scalp and felt his body response. Desire was growing inside of him and he opened his mouth, welcoming her tongue with his own.

She leaned more of her weight on him, one hand settling on his chest. The touch nearly burned into his flesh despite the layer of fabric, fueling the heat already building between them. She gasped when his fingers dug into her in response, whispering his name between kisses. Her breathless sounds went straight to his groin and he was starting to feel dizzy with all his blood rushing south.

He nearly lost it when she rolled her hips and reached up to slide his fingers into her hair, taking back some control. She mewled when he took over the kiss and pressed her breasts flush against him. Her nipples were already hard and made him grow even harder as they rubbed his chest.

"Jack," she breathed, breaking away from him.

Sam's eyes were impossibly dark and a little glossed over, making him feel absurdly proud of himself. Smirking, he leaned in to kiss her already swollen lips, unable to resist.

She giggled softly and started kissing along his jaw, her soft breath washing against his skin. When she reached his ear she nuzzled his hair before sucking his earlobe into her mouth.

He bucked in response, feeling it all the way to his twitching cock when she bit the soft fleshy part and tugged on it. His hand moved automatically to trace her own ear, eliciting a soft moan from her.

"I want you to touch me," she whispered.

He swallowed hard, trying to keep his desire in check. "Are you sure?"

She pulled back to look him in the eye, an irresistible smile on her face, and shifted her weight until her heat was pressed against his erection. "Yes."

"God, Sam," he groaned, head falling back.

She sought out his neck with her mouth, nipping and kissing, making him shudder when her tongue dashed out. Her hand roamed his chest, rubbing up and down, leaving a trail of fire in its wake and he bit his lip in an effort not to press his hard-on into her.

Once he regained some of his self-control he decided to take her up on her offer and started moving one hand up her side brushing the outside of her breast, while using the other to slowly trail down her back. A shiver ran down her spine and she arched into him with a soft gasp.

Jack figured it was good thing he hadn't changed into sweatpants or she'd have been able to feel more than she might be comfortable with, but she surprised him by grinding against him. He gritted his teeth at the feeling of her moving on him and slid his hand farther down to cup her ass.

A strangled noise sounded from the back of her throat and then she was sitting up, looking straight at him with heavy-lidded eyes and purposely circled her hips. Holding her gaze, he pulled her impossibly closer and reciprocated. Her eyes fluttered closed as he pushed into her and he couldn't hold back a groan at the sensation.

"Jack…" Biting her lip, Sam leaned back a little and brought up her hands to unbutton her shirt.

He watched her with dark eyes and a painful hard-on as she popped the first button, his fingers itching to explore the uncovered skin. By the time the fourth button was undone his mouth had turned dry and his self-restraint was close to snapping. Still, he waited until she'd popped all the buttons to reach for her.

Sam's breathing hitched when he touched her belly and he could see her muscles ripple under his fingers. He circled her belly button and then ever so slowly trailed up her abdomen, resting his hands on her lower ribs. Smirking, he swept his thumbs along the undersides of her breasts, reveling in the intimate caress.

And finally, he pushed aside the fabric of her button down to expose her breasts. They were fuller than before and… oh yeah, more sensitive too. She shuddered and moaned low in her throat as he cupped her breasts and brushed her nipples with his thumbs, circling the hard peaks languidly.

God, she was beautiful.

When she started moving against him he pushed his hips up experimentally and she ground down on him in response. Her blue gaze locked on his and, with a sexy little smirk, she covered one of his hands with hers and pushed it away.

Jack swallowed hard as he let her guide his hand down her taut abdomen, the skin soft under his callused fingertips. He dipped a finger in her belly button and was rewarded with the hottest little sound he'd ever heard. She faltered for a moment but then she covered the back of his hand again and moved it lower, until he encountered the waistband of her sweatpants. Without a word, she raised up on her knees a little and, oh god, pushed his hand down her pants.

He barely had time to process the fact before he briefly encountered her curls and then all he felt was molten heat. He fought to keep his eyes open, his gaze skittering from her blue eyes to where his hand disappeared into her pants. "No underwear?"

"Nope," Sam said, smirking at his rough voice. She released his hand when he cupped her and steadied herself on his shoulder, leaning in for a quick kiss. "Figured I'd forego your boxers tonight."

"That's really…" He cleared his throat, the feel of her warm and slick skin nearly short-circuiting his brain. "Really hot."

She pushed into his hand, moaning low and deep. "Less talking more… Oh yeah."

Slowly, he started exploring her sensitive flesh. So smooth and wet and warm. She felt so good. And if the hot little sounds she was making were any indication, she was enjoying his ministrations.

The bare skin of her hip was warm under his rough palm when he steadied her with his free hand, her hips starting to move restlessly on his other. He was using the tops of his fingers to map out her slick flesh, relearning what she liked and what made her breathing hitch. Her clit was swollen already and he skimmed the bundle of nerves.

"Don't stop," she murmured, resting her cheek against his.

As if! He leaned into her, brushing her jaw with his lips. "There's no rush."

She huffed a little and moved her hips. "Jack…"

He smirked at her little whine and continued with his slow caresses, circling her opening a few times before gently dipping inside. She was practically dripping and he knew she was more than ready but he kept up his gentle exploration for fear of bringing back bad memories. "Patience, Sam."

"I want you inside of me," she whispered, grinding against his hand.

The movement trapped his hand between them and he growled at the additional pressure to his straining erection. God, he was so hard. "That's not… helping, you know."

She had the audacity to giggle, her huffs of breath against his ear sending another jolt of pleasure to his groin. His eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head when his finger was pushed even deeper inside of her. She was so warm and wet… He wanted to bury his cock inside of her so badly but he knew that wasn't going to happen. Not today, anyway.

"Jack, please."

"Sam," he groaned. "I'm not… Damn it, I don't have any protection."

She stilled completely and looked at him with an adorably confused expression. "Really?"

Well, yeah. It wasn't like he'd spent the last few years dating or sleeping around. Shrugging, he tried to explain, "I figure after last time… well, condoms might be a good idea."

"Shit."

"Sam, it's fine."

She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him in for a deep kiss. Things got heated fast and when she started moaning around his tongue and wriggling her hips, he cautiously picked up his earlier ministrations and dipped two fingers inside of her. He slipped them in and out in sync with his tongue, ignoring his hard-on as best he could. Soon, she was dripping down his fingers and broke off the kiss, panting hard. He could tell she was close and used his thumb to gently caress her swollen clit, making her buck into his hand.

"Jack-"

"Relax," he whispered into her hair. Her hips jerked when he flicked her clit and he picked up the pace of his fingers, until he felt her inner muscles contract around him and she flew apart in his arms.

She fell forward, boneless. Her breasts were pressed against his chest and his hand trapped between them as the aftershocks of her orgasm ran through her. "Wow."

Smirking, he took his hand back and gathered her in his arms. "Good, huh?"

"Very," she said, smiling. "But you're-"

"Oh, I'm good, Sam. I'm good," he said, pressing a kiss in her hair.