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I hope you like the next chapter.

She heard a soft knock on the door. "Carter, are you there?"

Sam had lain down to get some rest. Actually, she hadn't slept that much last night. But when she heard the colonel's voice she sat straight up abruptly.

She heard him asking again if she was there und answered: "Yes, sir. Come on in." She asked herself what he wanted. Maybe now was the chance to talk to him and go on with her well thought-out plan.

"Hey, Carter" he said looking around at the quarters but he avoided looking directly at her.

"What can I do for you, sir?" asked Sam and watched him intently.

"I wanted to talk to you…about last week…you know…the test…and all this stuff…" he murmered and turned his gaze towards her.

"Oh…" whispered Sam. "Uhm… I'm glad to hear that…I…I also wanted to talk to you again." While gazing at Jack she nervously played with her fingers and she hated the fact that she was so obviously nervous. But there was nothing she could do against it at the moment.

„Oh really?" Jack pulled her out of her thoughts. „So, well… go on then…" he promptly deferred to her. Sam could see some kind of strain in the colonel's face. What was it that he wanted to tell her? She was curious. But now it was her turn and she had to concentrate on the things she wanted to tell him.

„Uhm, well, sir…I…I…have thought a lot…in the last week" Sam started to explain and looked him straight in the eye. She really loved his eyes. They were so warm and she could lose herself in this eyes. But she couldn't think of that now. She had to concentrate and go on with her plan.

"There were a lot of things…which I…had to realize…" Sam saw Jack's eyes widening but only a second later nothing was left on his face and he looked at her as he did before. So Sam continued quietly. "I was grieving for Martouf. I really liked him a lot. And I realized that…that…I don't wanna go on like this…" She paused for a moment and then looked him in the eye. But Jack didn't say anything and let her continue.

"And I cannot go on like this anymore. Martouf's death had made me realize that life can be over this fast. Especially thinking about our job… And I don't wanna waste time anymore… I finally want to be… happy." Saying the last sentence she looked Jack straight in the eye again.

Jack was staring at her. He hadn't expected such openness. Looking her in the eye he whispered: "And what do you think would make you happy?"

Sam didn't answer him but went up to him and kissed him. Only briefly.

„Carter, what…" Jack was surprised by her action. But he couldn't say more because she kissed him again. But this time longer.

Even he didn't want to he rejected her softly. And when he opened his eyes he saw that Sam was shocked. Obviously she hadn't expected this reaction. But Jack had a plan, too, which he wanted to implement.

„I'm sorry, sir. I…I…didn't mean to…embarrass you" she whispered and turned away. She had to get some distance between them. But Jack couldn't and wouldn't leave the situation as it was. He did have resolved to talk to her about his feelings. So he stepped back closer to Sam and touched her gently on the shoulder and made Sam turning back to him. He saw tears shining in her eyes and the sight hit him hard. He swallowed. She shouldn't be sad or even cry because of him. Not because of him! Damn!

„Listen, Carter…" he started slowly but then sighed with frustration. It wouldn't work this way! Bloody hell! He took a deep breath. So once again from the beginning.

"Sam… I have meant every single word I said…" Taking another deep breath he said again "I'd rather die than allow anything happen to you…I'm not good in this…I mean…you know, talking about…feelings…" And after a short break he sighed "And then there are also…the regs…".

Sam's eyes became bigger and bigger. And her brain began to rattle, Jack was aware of. She was brooding and between her eyes was this little crinkle that he had seen so many times when she was thinking about a problem. Her brain was really running on full-speed the whole time. He had to chuckle at this thought which caused Sam to shoot him an irritated gaze.

"What's it?"

"You're brooding" Jack answered prompt.

„Huh?"

„You're brooding over something" Jack said with a smile.

„Uhm…well… yes" she agreed.

„And what is it?"

„Huh?"

„What are you brooding over?"

„Uhm…well… the things you said?"

„And what exactly?"

„Huh?"

„Carter! I've just said a lot of things! So what exactly are you brooding over, major?" He purposely chose her rank because he wanted an answer to his question. He had never been very patient.

"The regs" she said prompt.

"Oh…" Jack really had hoped for a different answer.

„I don't care about!" she added.

"What?" Had he understood her right?

„I don't care about the damn regs! I just wanna be happy. And I think... what would really make me happy was…you." The last words she only whispered.

But Jack again thought he had misunderstood her. So he quietly asked "Me?" and looked at her surprised, too.

Suddenly he seemed a little bit shy. Sam didn't know him like that but she liked it. In fact she thought it was really cute.

„Yes" she had assured him before she stepped over to him and murmering „yes" again before she kissed him. And this kiss was different to the two others before. It was passionate and demanding. Sam tried to show him all her hidden feelings with this kiss and Jack was responding the kiss in the same passionate way. Then Jack wrapped his arms around her waist and pushed her closer to his body. Sam buried her hands in his hair like she wanted to do so many times before. Jack let out a harsh groan and then he broke the kiss gently.

„Sam, maybe we should stop this here" she heard him say.

„Why?" she asked and kissed him again. And again Jack repeated the kiss as passionate as possible and moved toward the bed. Well, it wasn't a proper bed but it was some kind of device to sleep. And "bed" hit it most. Still kissing he sat on it and pulled Sam onto his lap. Then they interrupted the kiss and looked each other in the eyes.

„I love you, Sam." Jack could hardly believe that he just said that loud but now it was too late. He couldn't take it back and being honest to himself, he wouldn't take it back at all.

He looked at Sam's face which at first looked at him scared. But then a stunnig smile spread across her face which made her eyes shine. Sam came up to his face and whispered: "I love you too, Jack. More than anything else." And then their lips met again for another nearly never-ending kiss.

When they separated again, after what felt like eternity, panting for air, Sam sighed briefly. She was still sitting on his lap.

"What is it, hmm?" Jack asked. His hands were still on her waist and he looked at her intense.

Sam put her hands on his chest and looked into his eyes. "What are we doing now? I know that I don't want the regs keeping me from you anymore. But in fact they are still there…"

Jack also sighed. "I know… There's only one way. I will hand in my resignation."

"No Jack, I don't want you to retire" Sam was shaking her head. "You love your job and the stargate-program needs you!"

"What else could we do? I wanna be with you. And if the only chance for being with you was to retire than I will do so. Wouldn't be the first time…" explained Jack and a smile crossed his face.

"I could submit my resignation as well and…" But Jack interrupted her directly.

"No, Sam. I will not allow. I won't let you throw away your career because of me! "Jack said with emphasis.

"But I could still participate as a civilian scientist in the project" Sam pointed out.

Jack sighed again, that would actually be a possibility. But really he didn't like the idea anyway. Therefore he said: "We have to decide it now?"

„No, don't think so" Sam replied with a smile and kissed him again. Quickly the kiss became passionate and Jack's tongue ran over her lips asking for access to her mouth which Sam allowed him immediately. Their tongues played tenderly with one another and a harsh groan escaped from Jack's throat. Since Sam was still sitting on his lap his groan became gradually louder. That's why Jack heavy hearted interrupted the kiss again.

„We really should stop doing this, Sam."

„Are you sure?"

„No… But if we continued like this I cannot guarantee for anyhing…"

"You can't?" Sam asked playfully and raised an eyebrow upward. "And if I don't want to stop?" she asked challenging.

But Jack hadn't any chance to give a reply because Sam kissed him tenderly again.

It was really hard for Jack but they had to stop this now. He ended the kiss by pushing her gently but firmly a bit away from him to create some distance. One of them finally had to be sensible. Only that he had to be this person would have never come into his mind.

"You're a spoilsport" said Sam slightly pouting which made Jack smile.

"Well…maybe I should leave now?" Jack said, but he didn't move.

"Yeah, you probably should… On the other hand…"

„Yes?" Jack asked almost hopefully.

„On the other hand…you could stay here."

„I could…" he grinned at her and lifted her off of his lap. He wouldn't take any risk. Sam lay down on the bed and Jack put himself behind her. He wrapped one arm around her and his fingers were crossed with hers and rested on her belly while his lips cuddled with her neck.

Sam enjoyed these delicate touches. She had so long desired that he touched her that way. So she closed her eyes and gave herself wholeheartedly up to Jack's proximity. They lay there for a while and then fell asleep.