The next morning, Sam awoke to the weird sensation of her face getting wet. Startled, she sputtered and opened her eyes to find Pig with his big front paws on the edge of the bed and his huge face leaning over her. Letting out a squeak she rolled back into Jack…smacking him in the head with her elbow. He threw an arm over his head, "Ah! What the hell!"

Pig took the excited cry as an invitation, and bounded up on the bed enthusiastically. They both held their up their hands against the onslaught of slobbery as Pig jumped all around them, huffing dog breath and assaulting them with his big wagging tail. Bill's voice cut through the chaos from upstairs, and Pig bounded off the bed immediately to answer the call.

Sam used the sleeve of the t-shirt Bill had loaned her to sleep in to wipe her face, "Ugh, that dog is not a normal size."

Jack was still rubbing his head from the incidental elbow, "Yeah, he's a big dog with really bad breath."

She winced, "Sorry."

He chuckled, "Not the first time you've smacked me one Major."

Her eyes narrowed, "Training doesn't count Colonel."

Flashing her a wicked smile, he rolled her onto her back and straddled her hips, pulling her arms over her head and leaning his face into her neck.

She pulled her head away self-consciously, "Umm, I smell like dog."

His gave her a dark steamy look and leaned back down slowly, "Carter…" He rumbled as he swiped her lobe with his tongue, "…even at your dirtiest and sweatiest…" he suckled the spot behind her ear, making her gasp, "…it has never stopped me from wanting to taste you." Letting out a growl, he attacked the side of her neck with his teeth, making her squeal.

Sam bit her lip and moaned as he quickly replaced his teeth with his lips and tongue. Then they heard a growl and a huff, and turned their heads to see Pig looking at them. Sam laughed, "I think he's jealous."

Jack nodded his head to the basement stairs, "Go on Pig, we're busy." Pig didn't budge and Sam giggled.

Jack leaned back down and muttered against her ear, "Damn…interference." Sam's sipped in air as his mouth ghosted down the length of her neck, the warmth of his breath sending chills down her spine. She bit down a moan and closed her eyes as he kissed, licked, and suckled his way back up slowly; his low voice full of bad intentions. "We…will… continue… this… later…"

Pig growled again, and both Sam and Jack groaned.

Jack huffed a curse, "Alright, alright! Let's go…upstairs… it's the penalty box for you buddy."

He made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat as he pushed himself up and grabbed his jeans. Then he watched her stand as he slid them on, just now remembering she had thrown all of her clothes in the wash the night before. She confirmed it when she met his eyes and stripped off Bill's loaner t-shirt, "I'm going to hop in the shower."

Jack's mouth dropped as she smiled seductively and turned towards the bathroom. Eyes narrowing, he grunted and pushed his palm against his arousal, "Oh, that's so not fair."

She laughed as she called out behind her, "You tease…I tease."

He thumbed at the dog, "Hey! That was Pig's fault," he called out after her.

When the bathroom door closed, he glared at Pig who was sitting and staring right at him. "Oh, don't give me that look, this is all your fault."

Pig growled and Jack pointed at him, "And I don't want to hear it. She's mine…go get your own."

Pig huffed his response.

Jack couldn't help but smirk and shook his head, "You're worse than Daniel, you know that?" He rolled his eyes and ruffled his fur, "Come on, let's go."

When Jack got upstairs, Bill was at the kitchen table looking through his paper. He folded the top half down and looked at Jack over his bifocals, "Morning Jack …where's Sam?"

Unable to hide the disappointment, Jack sighed and dropped into one of the kitchen chairs. "Ah, she's taking a shower."

Bill chuckled, "Heard some noises down there and thought you'd be awhile."

Jack shot a glare at Pig who had plopped down in front of Bill, "Yeah well Pig had other ideas."

Bill smiled and shook his head, "You could've kicked him out back."

Jack shrugged, "Nah, it's his house too." He perked up, "Hey, speaking of out back, we ran into a few of your trip wires out there last night."

Folding up the paper, Bill nodded, chuckling, "I set those up after some kids broke into my shed awhile back." Jack's eyes widened, and Bill put a hand up and shook his head, "Aww, I'm not that crazy Jack. I have them wired to some M80s. They're partially buried so they'd only kick up some dirt…" He winked, "…but the bang would sure scare the shit outta them kids if they decided to try it again."

Jack laughed, "Yep, that would do it."

Bill nodded over to the kitchen counter, "Got some coffee on, help yourself."

Jack stood up. "Bill my friend, you are a gentleman and a scholar."

Bill huffed a laugh and there was some silence between them as Jack got a mug out of the cabinet and poured himself a cup, before taking a sip and crossing his arms, leaning back against the edge of the countertop.

Bill took his own sip and cleared his throat, "So…you finally went through with it eh?"

Jack saw Bill's eyebrow raise and smiled, "Well, let's just say she gave me the green light and I took it."

Bill nodded and gestured his mug out to him, "Good man! Like I said, hell with that other stuff Jack…you only live once, am I right?"

Jack choked on his second sip of coffee before recovering, "Well Bill, that's certainly how it should be." Bill looked confused and opened his mouth, when Jack waved him off, "Don't ask."

Bill leaned forward and prodded, "So, what's in the cards for you two now?"

Jack sighed heavily and looked down as he scraped the side of the mug with his thumbnail, "Damn good question." He muttered as he shook his head, "It's…uh, complicated."

Bill scoffed, "Hell, it ain't ever not complicated. You love her dontcha?"

Jack looked up and nodded.

Bill nodded back, "Yeah I know ya do…hell, she's all you ever talk about."

When Jack only managed a half-hearted smile, Bill got quiet, and looked down.

When Bill looked back up at him with his eyebrows furrowed and his jaw tight, Jack couldn't help straightening up...confused and concerned at the look in his eyes.

"I'm going to give you some advice Jack. So you listen up, and you listen up good."

Bill pointed at him, his voice rough, "If you love her as much as I think you do, you better hold onto her with everything you got…you hear me?" His finger wrapped into a fist for emphasis, "No matter what happens, you just hold on."

Jack's stomach clenched as Bill's expression morphed slowly into sadness. Bill's fist loosened and dropped onto the table as his eyes watered and he looked down. When he looked back up, his lips were quivering and it took a moment for him to find the words. "I miss my Helen every second of every day." Gritting his teeth against the pain, he thumped the edge of his fist on the table; his voice raw with emotion. "And every goddamn day I wish I would've held onto her just a little tighter, you know?"

Moments passed as Bill looked down and cleared his throat again. "So, you just remember that okay Jack?

Jack felt a lump in his throat and swallowed hard before nodding, his low voice barely above a whisper, "I'm not letting her go Bill."

Bill nodded curtly, and exhaled a shaky breath as his voice cleared, "Well good."

There was a moment of silence as Bill took off his glasses and swiped his face with his arm. He settled them back on his nose and took a sip of coffee before finally looking back up. "Now then, do you need any money?"

Jack shook his head and threw up a hand lazily, "No Bill, we're fine. I had some cash set aside for some repairs on the cabin. It'll be enough to get us someplace safe. And once we get settled, we'll earn our way." He paused a moment, "But thanks Bill…for everything."

Bill waved him off as Sam came around the corner. Bill flashed her a big smile, "Well hey there sweetheart, we were just talking about you."

Sam raised her eyebrows and smirked as she looked over at Jack and took a seat, "Really?

Jack narrowed his eyes at Bill before looking back at Sam and clearing his throat, "So, um…coffee?"

Sam smiled, "Sure thanks."

When she looked over at Bill, he was looking back at her with a gleam in his eyes, "So…you gave him the green light eh?"

"For crying out loud Bill, you're worse than the town crier," Jack muttered as he set the mug down in front of her.

"Green light?" The corners of Sam's mouth twitched as she picked up the mug to take a sip; eyeing Jack over the lip of it seductively.

Bill barked out a laugh and shook his head, "Oh my Jack, you're going to have your hands full with that one."

Jack chuckled and leaned down to Sam, who pulled the mug away her face and tilted her head up to him. His eyes darkened as he stopped an inch away from her, pausing to look at her lips and then into her eyes. "Don't I know it," he breathed before he captured her mouth with his. After a moment, Sam blushed and cut the kiss short; smiling as she brought her mug back to her lips. Jack winked at her and sat down before glancing over to Bill, who was watching with a big grin. "Hey Bill, you mind running out and grabbing a few things for us?"

Bill startled…caught. His eyes widened and he sobered quickly, as he coughed and brought his paper back up, hiding his face behind it, "Oh sure, sure Jack…whatever you two need."

Sam giggled quietly behind her mug while Jack flashed her one his boyish smiles that made her stomach flutter.

After eating some cereal, they made a list of things for Bill to pick up from the store; trying to stick to what they would need for three days. Sam knew they wouldn't get as lucky as they did last night, being able to find a place where washing their clothes would be so easy; so, she wrote down some sizes for Bill to go by. She couldn't help but smile when she saw him look at the list and blush; no doubt at the underwear listed. Jack added some toiletries and a couple of hats, while Sam suggested a few different shades of hair dye, clear lens glasses and sunglasses.

When Jack raised his eyebrows, Sam smirked and shrugged, "Might as well go all in. Do we even know what our IDs and passports are going to look like?"

Jack shook his head, "Not really…my guess is that the guy will alter our current passport photos."

He thought for a moment and then added a couple of burner phones, a large duffel bag and a backpack to carry everything. Once Bill had the money and list in hand, he headed out with Pig in tow.

When the door closed, Sam stood up and walked to the sink to wash her mug and bowl. She felt Jack's hands land firmly on her hips and smiled as he pressed up tight against her…leaning down to her ear, "Now, where were we…" His rumbling voice and soft lips on her neck made her skin prickle instantly as she tilted her head and closed her eyes.