Summary:

"Oh stop being a party pooper," she whines. "You weren't going to ask her out yourself so somebody had to intervene."

OR

AU where Jonas stays on the team after Daniel's return. Jonas has a not-so-secret crush on Sam, and Vala has had enough. Tired of him dragging his feet, she takes it upon herself to set him and Sam up on a date. Food, fluff, and heartfelt confessions ensue.

A/N: Hello there! I got hit with this idea out of the blue and decided to take a little detour from the overwhelming angst of "time after time" to get it out of my system. I love the idea of Jonas and Vala meeting and becoming friends, so this fic was in part a way to start exploring that dynamic. This is a standalone work not connected to the "miss americana"-verse, so other than Jonas staying on the team, it's pretty much canon-compliant. Anyway, I had a lot of fun writing it, so I hope you have fun reading it!

As always, being a rarepair author is a tough and lonely road, so I appreciate each and every person who stops by to give these fics their attention. Thank you for your support! ❤️❤️❤️

wanna be with you everywhere

"Jonas, babe, you're being a coward."

Jonas looks up from his notebook, frowning at the woman perched on his desk.

"What?"

Vala rolls her eyes at him and gives his arm a shove. "Don't play dumb with me, Quinn," she says. "You know what I'm talking about."

Jonas leans back in his chair and crosses his arms. Once Vala barges into his office like this, there's no use trying to get any work done. "No," he argues, "I don't."

Vala makes a face at him, and Jonas holds back a sigh. It's not that he doesn't enjoy her company - after all, he was the first of the team to befriend her when she barged into their lives. But that eagerness to be as welcoming as possible is as much a weakness as it is a strength. He's very approachable, which in most circumstances is an asset. But in others, it's something that can easily be taken advantage of.

Especially by one extremely nosy ex-thief-turned-teammate.

Vala leans forward, clearly hell-bent on continuing the conversation. "That oblivious act doesn't work on me," she continues. "You know exactly what I'm referring to. You just keep insisting on avoiding the subject."

Jonas raises his eyebrows. "Subject? What subject?"

"Oh for god's sake," Vala cries, throwing up her arms. "I'm talking about Sam."

He curses the way his face flushes. Vala, of course, immediately takes notice. "Aha!" she yells, jabbing a finger at him. "See, I was right."

It's Jonas' turn to roll his eyes now, although he knows he's lost his foothold. "Okay," he starts, avoiding Vala's gaze, "so what about her?"

Vala shoves his arm again. "Why haven't you asked her out?"

Jonas' lip twists. It's not that he hasn't wanted to. In fact, he's wanted to for years now, ever since her relationship with Pete imploded. Or maybe it started even before then, when he chose to stay on Earth instead of returning to Kelowna. Not long after that he realized that part of the reason he stayed was because he didn't want to say goodbye to her. And not long after that he realized that he liked spending time with her just a little too much.

Okay, well, maybe a lot too much.

Jonas takes a breath. "It's complicated," he mutters, still refusing to look at his friend. He loves Vala as much as the rest of his team, but the woman has a terrible knack for embarrassing people at the most inopportune moments.

Vala, undeterred, grabs his wrist. "It's only complicated if you make it complicated," she insists. "Which you are."

He shakes his head. "I'm not complicating anything. I'm just not sure she likes me that way."

Vala scoffs. "Bullshit," she says, leaning back. "She definitely does."

Jonas finally looks at her then. "And how would you know that?"

Vala shrugs. "Call it a woman's intuition."

He narrows his eyes at her. "Have you asked her?"

She scrunches up her nose. "I don't need to."

Jonas sighs. "Look, Vala," he says, "I appreciate you trying to help me out. But unless you have cold, hard proof, I'm not willing to take the risk."

Vala kicks his knee. "Coward."

"I am not."

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Am I interrupting something?" a third voice chimes in, causing Jonas to freeze in his chair. Of all the times for her to walk in here -

"Samantha!" Vala exclaims. "We were just talking about you."

For a split second Jonas understands why Daniel is always trying to hide from her during work hours. "It was nothing," he splutters, resisting the urge to glare at Vala. "We just…" He fumbles for a response. "Vala was wondering if you've ever worn your hair longer. I said I didn't know."

If Sam suspects anything, she doesn't let on. "I haven't in a long time," she says. "Not since I joined the Air Force. It's easier to keep it short than to pull it back every day."

"That's fair," Vala chirps. "Still, I think you'd look very pretty with long hair." She kicks Jonas' knee again, making him wince. "Don't you agree, Jonas?"

Heat floods back into his cheeks. "Y-yeah," he stutters. "Very pretty."

Sam smiles at him, which does absolutely nothing to remedy the situation. "Well, thanks," she replies. "Maybe one day I'll grow it out again."

That would look nice, he thinks, before immediately chastising himself for entertaining the notion.

"So, did you need anything?" Vala asks.

Sam shakes her head. "I just came to ask if you guys wanted to get dinner later. Daniel already bailed because he's 'too tired,' Teal'c's meditating, and Cam's got a date, but if you guys want to grab something - "

"I can't," Vala interrupts, side-eyeing Jonas. "I've got…plans."

Sam raises an eyebrow at her. "Plans?"

"Um, yeah," Vala says, flashing Sam a kilowatt grin. "Just…stuff to do."

"Okay…"

"But I'm sure Jonas is free. Right, babe?"

Jonas does manage a glare this time, which Vala pretends not to notice. "Yeah, I'm free," he mutters, holding Vala's gaze. "Quite unexpectedly, actually."

Vala whirls around. "See? There. He can go with you."

Sam looks back and forth between the two before replying. "Okay," she repeats, her eyes finally landing on Jonas. "We can head out at 6?"

Jonas nods, trying to maintain his composure. "Yeah, uh, sounds good."

"Great," Sam says, smiling at him again. His stomach backflips into his throat. "I'll see you later then."

"Okay."

Once Sam has left, Vala turns back to him with a smirk. "You're welcome."

Jonas glares at her again. "Plans? Really? And what might those be?"

"Oh stop being a party pooper," she whines. "You weren't going to ask her out yourself so somebody had to intervene."

"I didn't ask for an intervention!" he cries. "Besides, it's not even a real date."

Her smirk widens. "You can turn it into one."

"Turn it into -" He groans. "Vala, what does that even mean?"

She leans in, waggling her eyebrows at him. "It means, you seize the opportunity to get a little cozy."

Jonas makes a face. "And what if she doesn't want to get cozy?"

"Well then, ask her."

"And if she says no?"

"Believe me, she's not going to."

Jonas rubs a hand over his face. "Vala -"

"Please just give it a chance all right?" Vala begs, shaking his arm. "I know I haven't known Sam quite as long as you have but I'm not blind. I've spent the last year watching you two orbit each other like idiots and quite frankly I've had enough of it. I just want you to be happy."

Jonas looks up at her, surprised by the sincerity in her eyes. "You really mean that?"

She gives him a look. "Jonas, contrary to popular belief, I do care about my friends, you know."

"Yes, I know that."

"Well, then?"

Jonas heaves a sigh and throws up his arms in defeat. "Okay fine. I'll give it a shot."

Vala squeals and claps her hands.

"But," he interrupts, stopping her before she can carry on, "if this doesn't go well, you have to promise not to bring it up anymore."

Vala grabs his hand and shakes it. "It's a deal," she agrees. "But I'm telling you, it's going to go well. Trust me."

He can only shake his head in response.

Jonas stops by his room later to freshen up before it's time to leave. He's about ready to go meet Sam when he hears a knock from the hallway.

"Yes?" he calls, coming out of the bathroom.

"It's me!"

Vala. Of course. He sighs, laughing to himself, and makes his way to the door. She's holding a dark brown leather jacket in her arms when he opens it.

"Hi," he says. "What are you -"

"Is that what you're wearing?" she interrupts.

Jonas glances down at his outfit - a loose plaid button-up, cargo pants, and his favorite Converse sneakers. "Um, yeah?" he replies. "What's wrong with it?"

Vala groans and pushes her way inside. "Sam's right. You're hopeless when you have to dress yourself."

"What?"

She dumps the jacket onto his bed and spins around. "This," she says, waving an accusing finger at his clothes, "is unacceptable."

Jonas frowns. "Vala, we're going out for burgers. It's not exactly a formal event."

"That's still no excuse to look like that." She marches over to him, grabs him by the shoulders, and steers him towards the edge of the bed. "Now sit."

Jonas obeys, too baffled to say anything in protest. "I still don't see what's wrong with it."

"Everything!" Vala cries as she makes her way to his closet. "You look like you're going out to grab some drinks with the guys, not take the woman you've had a crush on for four years out on a date."

"Vala, it's technically not a date - "

"I told you, it could be. Now shut it and let me find you something more suitable."

Jonas sighs and holds his tongue. He still doesn't see what the big deal is, but there's no point in arguing with Vala once she's set her mind to something.

"Now, her favorite color is blue…" she mutters to herself, sorting through his clothing. "Where are your blue t-shirts?"

"Um, in the laundry basket?"

"Ugh," Vala groans. "Fine, this will have to do, then." She grabs a grey t-shirt from the top shelf and tosses it at him. "Put that on."

Jonas holds the shirt out in front of him. "Oh, I've been meaning to get rid of this," he says. "It shrunk in the wash."

Vala turns to look at him. "It'll work."

"But it's too tight."

Her mouth curls into a smirk. "She likes it when your shirts are too tight."

Jonas stares blankly at her, feeling heat crawl up the back of his neck. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come on," Vala says, leaning against the closet door frame. "With all your powers of perception, you're telling me you've never noticed?"

He swallows. "Um…no?"

Vala scoffs and rolls her eyes. "You really are hopeless. Look, she always stares at you for a second too long whenever you're wearing a shirt that's too small for you."

Jonas has no idea how to respond to that. "You're making that up."

"I am not," she counters. "Anyway, enough chit-chat. Hurry up and put it on."

Jonas bites back a sigh and starts to change while Vala's back is turned. The t-shirt is definitely too tight, but at least the material is soft.

"Okay," Vala says, spinning around again. "Now try these." She tosses a new pair of jeans at him.

He catches them in midair and looks them over. "I forgot I bought these," he muses, yanking off the price tag that's still attached. "Well, actually, Sam bought them for me - " He blushes when he notices Vala smirking again. "What?"

Vala laughs. "God, I don't know how the two of you haven't hooked up already."

His face starts to burn. "What are you talking about?"

"She knows your size and she buys you clothes? Come on, Jonas. And you think she's not interested in you."

Jonas shoots her a look. "Well, it's like you said, I'm not exactly the best at dressing myself."

Vala shakes her head. "I really thought you were smarter than this."

"Her buying me clothes is not proof of anything."

"Yes it is," she argues. "Now put those on."

Jonas makes a face at her and gestures for her to turn around. Vala rolls her eyes at him but obeys, returning her attention to the closet.

She hands him a belt when he's finished changing, which he promptly slips through the loops on his jeans. "So is that it, then?" he asks.

"Not quite," Vala replies, grabbing the jacket off his bed. "Try this."

Jonas raises an eyebrow. "Is that Daniel's?"

"Shh, what he doesn't know won't kill him."

"Vala, did you steal it from his locker?!"

Vala makes a face. "It's not stealing, it's borrowing. We're going to put it back. Anyway, he's not even here right now so what's the issue?"

Jonas glares at her but takes the jacket anyway. "I'm telling him you took it," he says. "And by the way, Sam'll notice it's not mine."

Vala merely shrugs. "Well, if in the unlikely event she does, you have my full permission to throw me under the bus."

He shakes his head and shrugs the jacket over his shoulders. "Now are we done?"

Vala instructs him to turn around so she can get a good look at him. "Hm, yeah, that's good. Let me just fix you up a bit - " She reaches up, fluffs his hair, then steps back. "There. Now that's much better."

She drags him over to the mirror. Once Jonas can see her handiwork, he has to admit that he does look a bit nicer. "Thanks," he says.

Vala grins at him. "Don't mention it. I just wanted to make sure that you make a good first impression."

He laughs. "She already knows me."

"Yes, but she knows you as a friend, as a coworker. Tonight she's getting to know you in an entirely different context."

Jonas turns to her. "It's not a date."

She smirks again. "Wanna bet?"

He raises an eyebrow. "For real?"

Vala shrugs. "Sure, why not. I bet you ten dollars that by the end of the night the two of you are going to be wrapped in each other's arms, snogging up a storm."

Jonas snorts, ignoring the flush in his cheeks. "She's not gonna to kiss me."

Vala nudges his shoulder, her eyes twinkling. "We shall see."

He chuckles and shakes his head. "You're gonna wait up for me, aren't you?"

Her smirk widens. "That depends," she drawls. "Are you coming back tonight?"

"Vala!"

"What? It's a valid question!"

Another knock on the door saves him from having to deal with the awkwardness of that exchange. "Jonas?" Sam calls from the hallway. "Are you still in here?"

Vala skips to the door and opens it before Jonas has a chance to. "Sorry to keep you waiting, darling. I was just helping him get ready."

Sam gives her an odd look and then fixes her gaze on Jonas. Her eyes run down the length of his body, making his head swim.

Jonas coughs. "So, uh, you ready to head out?"

Sam nods. "Yeah."

He grabs his keys and makes his way to the door. Vala exits with them. "Well, you two, I guess this is where I leave you. Have fun!"

They bid her goodbye and start down the hallway. When Sam's back is turned, Vala points to her, makes an exaggerated kissing motion, and winks at Jonas. He resists the urge to roll his eyes and turns away before she can embarrass him any further.

"You look nice."

Jonas glances at Sam. She's wearing a light blue floral halter dress with a half-open back and a neckline that makes his cheeks burn. It's not something he expected her to wear, especially for a Friday night diner run. For a moment he wonders if Vala was right, that this is a date and that he's simply avoiding the obvious.

"You, uh, look nice too," he splutters.

Sam turns to smile at him, and his breath catches in his throat. Have her eyes always sparkled like that? "Is that Daniel's jacket?" she asks.

Jonas sighs and shakes his head. "I told Vala you'd notice."

Sam laughs. "Stole it, did she?"

"You really think she'd ask to borrow his jacket?"

Sam snorts. "Just don't get it dirty or he'll throw a fit."

Jonas chuckles. "Noted."

By the time they finish their burgers, the diner is crowded with patrons. Thankfully they've managed to secure a booth in the back, away from most of the chaos. Jonas, true to form, is somehow still hungry, munching down on the last of his fries before eyeing Sam's.

"Are you gonna finish those?" he asks, hitting her with his signature puppy-eyed stare.

Sam chuckles. "No, go ahead," she says as she pops another quarter into the tableside jukebox.

She punches in the code for "Everywhere" by Fleetwood Mac before leaning back in her seat. Jonas has set to work on her fries now, dipping them in what remains of his ketchup.

"You wanna order milkshakes?" he asks.

She laughs. "How do you still have room for more?"

Jonas shrugs. "I always have room for dessert."

He grins through a mouthful of fries, and the sight makes her stomach flip just a little. There's a tiny smudge of ketchup on the corner of his mouth. "Um, you've got some - " She waves a finger at his face.

"Oh," he splutters, fumbling for a napkin. He wipes it across his mouth. "Did I get it?"

Sam shakes her head, laughing again. "No."

"Oh."

"Here."

She grabs another napkin and reaches across the table, dabbing at the spot. She doesn't miss the way his eyes flicker down for just a fraction of a second before she pulls away.

"Thanks," he says, looking a bit sheepish.

Her stomach flips again. He's cute when he's flustered, which he's been the whole evening. Sam doesn't know what Vala said to him before they left, but she wasn't blind to the stunt she pulled back in his office. Vala is nothing if not a schemer. Normally Sam wouldn't appreciate being set up, but this is Jonas, not some random stranger. She trusts him. Besides, if she's being honest with herself, she doesn't actually mind the idea of going out with him. He's sweet, funny, and unassuming - a far cry from most of the men she's had the misfortune of dating.

Jonas finishes the last fry and flashes another grin at her, which makes his eyes sparkle and her heart feel like it's going to beat right out of her chest. "You sure you don't want a milkshake?" he asks.

Sam grins back, an idea springing to mind. "Why don't we split one?" she suggests.

He shrugs. "Okay with me."

When the waiter circles back to their booth, they order a strawberry milkshake to share, which arrives a few minutes later with two straws sticking out of the glass. Sam leans forward and takes a sip. "It's good," she says, eyeing Jonas over the rim.

Jonas stares at her for a moment. He looks almost unsure of himself, as if he believes he'll be breaching some sort of invisible boundary between them if he gets too close. Sam considers moving away to make it easier on him. But the doe-eyed expression on his face is too adorable, and right now she's feeling somewhat bold and just a bit too flirty. "Come on," she urges, gazing up at him through her lashes. "You're the one who wanted to order it in the first place."

Jonas swallows, remaining still for another moment before finally deciding to lean in. His face is so close that she could kiss his nose. Or his forehead, or maybe even his mouth, which probably tastes like strawberries now -

"It is good," Jonas agrees, distracting her from her train of thought.

Sam blushes and nods. "You might have to drink most of it, though. My stomach is about to burst."

He laughs. "Fine by me."

Jonas does, in fact, end up finishing the milkshake. By that time Sam's song selection has finally come up in the queue, playing over the restaurant speakers. She glances over at the middle of the diner, which is unique as far as diners go given that there's a small dance floor built into the center of the layout. A few couples are dancing there, along with some parents and their kids.

"You wanna dance?" Jonas blurts out.

Sam's cheeks flush and she turns to look at him. "It's okay," she says. "I'm fine."

His eyes soften, which does nothing to stave off the heat now pooling in her stomach. "Are you sure?" he asks. "I don't mind."

Sam holds his gaze for a moment. He looks a bit tentative but still eager to please, and the earnestness in his expression shatters her resistance. "Okay," she murmurs. "I mean, if you really don't mind."

Jonas slips out of the booth and offers her his hand. She takes it, enjoying the little tingle that creeps up her arm at the contact. He leads her to the dance floor and places his free hand on her waist. She lays hers on his shoulder, and they start to sway together to the beat.

After a verse, he leads her into a few twirls. She laughs when he pulls her back to him. "You're a pretty good dancer," she remarks.

Jonas smiles. "I've seen some stuff on TV."

His hand slips to the small of her back and she leans into him, letting her own hand crawl up to the nape of his neck. The heat from his body is almost dizzying, and she shuts her eyes for a moment to steady herself.

"You okay?" he asks, his voice a touch too soft. It sends a shiver rippling down her spine.

Sam opens her eyes and meets his gaze, suddenly realizing how close they are. His face is inches away, and she can feel his breath on her skin. "I'm fine," she says, unable to look away.

He smiles at her again. His face is flushed, his eyes are shining, and he's looking at her like she's the only person in the room. Her heart leaps into her throat. It hits her then that she's probably looking at him the same way. In that split second, the restaurant starts to feel too crowded. There's too many people, too much noise, too many distractions.

She wants it to be just them.

"We should get the check," she says, her voice thick with some unnamed emotion.

"Okay," he agrees.

When the song ends and he steps away, it takes all her strength not to pull him back to her.

After they've paid for their meal, they head outside into the cool night air. Sam suggests heading to the nearby park for a bit. As they walk down the street, she puts on a sweater, but Jonas notices that she's still shivering.

"You cold?" he asks.

Sam shakes her head. "I'm okay."

Judging by the way she's hugging herself, Jonas can tell that she's lying. Without a word, he shrugs off Daniel's jacket and drapes it over her shoulders.

She glances at him, her cheeks turning pink. "You didn't have to do that."

Jonas smiles. "I'm fine."

"You're not cold?"

He is, just a little, but he can handle it. "Eh, I'll be okay."

Sam smiles back at him gratefully and slips her arms into the sleeves. "Well, thanks."

Jonas edges closer to her, their arms brushing as they reach the outskirts of the park. If Sam notices, she doesn't seem to mind. "There's a little carousel over there," she says, pointing to a blot of light to their left. "You wanna take a ride?"

Jonas eyes her quizzically. "Isn't that for kids?"

She shrugs, mischief playing on her lips. "Grown-ups can have fun too," she counters. "Come on, it'll be fun."

Before he can reply, Sam grabs his hand and begins pulling him down the sidewalk. A flare of heat sweeps through his body at the unexpected gesture. "Whoa, slow down!" he laughs, stumbling behind her.

Sam flashes a grin over her shoulder. "You need to keep up."

Jonas has no choice but to let her drag him all the way to the carousel. When they arrive, he pulls some cash out of his wallet and hands it to the attendant. Sam finally lets go of his hand and bounds ahead of him, choosing an indigo unicorn sprinkled with painted gold stars. She hops on, sitting sidesaddle with her legs dangling above the ground.

Jonas chooses the scarlet dragon next to her, throwing one leg over each side. "I thought they'd all be horses," he remarks, surveying the menagerie of creatures surrounding them.

"This is more fun," Sam says, still grinning at him. Then, as the carousel starts to move, she holds out her hand.

He eyes it for a moment before taking it, enjoying the way her palm fits perfectly in his.

They ride in silence for a few minutes. At last, Sam speaks again. "Are those the jeans I bought you?"

Jonas glances down, blushing. "Oh, um, yeah," he splutters. "To be honest, I kind of forgot I had them until Vala dug them out of my closet."

Sam laughs. "Let me guess, she dressed you?"

He snorts. "Pretty much."

Sam's eyes rake over his frame, making him feel lightheaded. "Well, she did a good job," she says, her voice dropping just a notch.

Jonas swallows, noticing the way her gaze has darkened. His stomach twists into knots.

He wants to say something about her appearance, something better than a repeat of "you look nice," but the words catch in his throat. In the glow of the carousel lights she's nothing less than beautiful, but he can't very well say that without officially designating this as a date. Sure, they shared a dance and Sam's held his hand twice now, but maybe she's just being her usual friendly self. Maybe she doesn't want this to be a date, and if he "turns it into one" like Vala suggested, he's just going to make things awkward between them.

"Hey," Sam says, interrupting his thoughts. "You okay?"

Jonas nods, trying desperately not to look at her mouth and imagine how it might feel pressed against his own. "I'm fine," he lies. "I think all that food is just catching up with me."

Sam chuckles and squeezes his hand. "We can walk it off after this."

They do, in fact, walk it off after their ride is finished, heading down the sidewalk towards the small lake in the middle of the park. A boardwalk of sorts stretches alongside the water, housing a dock for paddleboats that patrons can rent during the day.

They finally come to stop at a tiny lookout that juts out onto the lake, covered by a trellis of string lights overhead. Sam leans her arms on the railing and gazes out into the distance. A breeze curls across the lake, rustling the lights a little, and Jonas' breath catches at the way they dance across Sam's face. God, she really is beautiful. That beauty, of course, is only compounded by the fact that she's the closest thing he's ever had to a best friend. On Kelowna he always struggled to connect with people, and the only connections he did manage to form, other than with Dr. Kieran, were that of the professional variety. Here, he actually has people he can call friends. Family, even.

And Sam is the best of them all.

"What are you thinking?" Sam asks, tilting her head at him.

The lights make her eyes glow, and for a moment Jonas is utterly dumbstruck. He scrambles to translate his thoughts into coherent sentences, mentally sidestepping any mention of the phrases "you're beautiful" and "I really want to kiss you" and "you mean the world to me." But when at last his voice starts working again, the only thing he manages to blurt out is a somewhat pathetic, "It's nice out here," before turning away in embarrassment and staring down at the water.

Jonas nearly jumps out of his skin when he feels Sam's fingers brush against his own. "Can I ask you something?" she murmurs.

He turns back to her, swallowing hard. "What is it?"

Sam's eyes roam over his face. "Do you still mean it?" she asks, her lips twitching into the barest hint of a smile. "What you said all those years ago about being suspicious of people who kiss on the first date?"

Jonas chokes on air. "W-what?"

The hint blossoms into a full-blown smirk. "Remember," Sam reiterates, "you said once that you didn't trust people who kiss on the first date?"

Jonas clears his throat twice before answering. "Um, yeah," he coughs. "Yeah, I remember that."

Sam leans towards him. "So?" she prods. "Do you still feel that way?"

He swallows again. "This isn't a date."

Her gaze drops to his mouth. "Are you sure about that?"

Jonas inhales, his heart now beating a million times a minute. "Do…do you want it to be?" he squeaks.

Sam's eyes meet his. "That depends," she replies, still smirking. "Do you want it to be?"

Yes, he thinks. God, yes.

But instead of saying that outright, he blurts out something else. "Look, Sam," he starts, his voice trembling slightly, "the truth is, I…I…"

"You what?" she says softly.

He holds her gaze and takes a deep breath. "I really like you," he finally admits, his voice no louder than a whisper. "I have for awhile now."

Sam stares at him for a moment before moving her hand and curling her pinky finger around his own. The gesture, although simple, is so startlingly intimate that it makes his chest ache and his knees go weak. "How long is awhile?" she asks.

Jonas lets out a nervous chuckle. "Since that time I was having psychic visions and I was scared you'd get hurt," he answers. "But, if I'm being totally honest, it probably started before then."

She eyes him curiously. "How long before?"

He chuckles again. "I guess…I guess maybe right after that mission when you slapped me?"

Her face turns red. "Really?" she laughs, looking both embarrassed and amused. "I thought you might've been mad at me."

Jonas shakes his head. "I was never mad at you. Just really, really confused."

Sam laughs again, dipping her chin in a way that is beyond irresistible. "You developed a crush on me because I slapped you?"

"Look, to be honest, it was kinda hot."

Her eyes widen and she covers her face with her hands. "Oh my god."

Jonas pulls back a little, feeling suddenly wary. "Did I just make this awkward?"

Sam lowers her hands and shakes her head. "No," she chuckles. "It's just…you've liked me all this time?"

Jonas looks down and nods. "Yeah."

She reaches for his hand again. "Why didn't you say anything?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. I mean, I knew you had a thing for Colonel - sorry, General - O'Neill, and then you started dating that Pete guy, and I guess I never felt like there was a right moment to bring it up." He pauses to take a breath. "To tell you the truth, I didn't think you liked me that way, so I didn't want to make things weird between us."

Sam curls her fingers around his palm and steps closer. "Well, it's not weird."

Jonas glances back at her. "You're not just saying that to be nice?"

She smiles, her eyes growing soft. "Jonas, if I'm being honest, I've liked you for awhile too."

His breath lodges in his throat. "How long is awhile?" he croaks.

Sam looks down at their joined hands. "I don't know if there was one moment when I figured it out," she replies. "But you were there for me during the whole Pete shitshow, and then after General O'Neill left. I was pretending not to wallow, but you saw right through it. And you…you held me together that whole time."

"I don't remember doing anything special," Jonas says softly.

Sam meets his eyes again. "You didn't have to," she murmurs. "I think for awhile I was just so focused on how upset I was about things never working out for me that I missed what was right in front of me. Until I started to realize that you were always there, making me smile. Even on the shittiest days you never failed to make me smile."

Jonas blinks. "Do I still do that?"

She grins. "What do you think?"

He grins back, warmth blossoming in his chest.

Sam laces her fingers with his. "So, you never answered my question," she says, her gaze flicking to his mouth. "About kissing on the first date."

Jonas glances at their hands. "Well, assuming this is actually a date now, I guess there could be an exception to the rule."

Sam steps closer. "What kind of exception?"

His grin widens. "I think I'm looking at her."

Jonas doesn't know which one of them leans in first, but when their lips finally meet, it hardly matters either way.

The first kiss is tentative, a gentle testing of the waters. Jonas' hand cups her cheek, and Sam's hand comes up to rest on his chest. She can feel his heart hammering beneath her palm. Electricity sparks between them as he gently tugs her towards him. The warmth of his body and the soft press of his lips is intoxicating, and she leans into his touch, drunk on the feeling of him.

After one long, beautiful moment, he breaks away just slightly to meet her gaze. His eyes darken with uncertainty, silently asking if she's changed her mind and wants him to back off.

She gives him her answer by sliding her arm around his neck and pulling him in for another kiss.

This one is firmer, more confident. Sam's fingers crawl into his hair as he wraps his arms around her and draws her body against his. When they break apart again, his breaths are ragged and his gaze is hungry with need. Her stomach swoops low as he brings his hands back up to her neck, cradling either side of her face. His thumbs stroke her jaw for a moment, the gesture sending a thousand little tingles shooting across her skin.

He tilts his head and kisses her again, but this time it's slow. Slow and searching, asking questions without words, wanting to know her as much as feel her. She melts into him, parting her lips with a sigh, and oh god he does taste like strawberries and sunshine and all the wonderful possibilities she's spent the last four years missing out on. She doesn't want to miss out on them anymore. So she meets his silent questions with her own silent answers, letting her body fold into him and her breath become his own.

His hands drift down. One slips underneath the jacket and sweater, and the other falls to her hip. A shiver crawls up her spine when his fingers begin tracing patterns - warm and gentle and oh so utterly tantalizing - across the skin of her back. The hand on her hip trails down to her thigh. Sam winds her arms around his shoulders and pulls him even closer, releasing another contented sigh into his mouth. After Pete, she swore off crossing certain lines on first dates. But this is Jonas, her best friend who's apparently been harboring feelings for her for years. If she's his exception to the rule, then she supposes he's hers.

Her hands move forward to cup his face when they finally pull apart. Jonas, breathing hard, leans his forehead against hers, resting there a moment before breaking the silence. "It's getting kinda late," he murmurs.

Sam strokes his ears with her thumbs. "Yeah," she says, her short breaths mingling with his own.

Neither of them moves.

Sam tilts her chin forward and presses another kiss - soft, slow, and so damn perfect - to his lips. A little moan escapes his throat, and her knees go weak just as she pulls away again. "We should start heading back," she whispers.

Jonas nods, his nose nudging hers. "Okay," he says, letting his lips brush against hers one more time before finally stepping back. "This was, um - "

"Nice," she finishes for him, meeting his gaze.

His mouth, swollen now from her kisses - which Sam has to admit she takes great satisfaction in - curls into a smile. "Yeah," he murmurs. "Yeah, we should…we should do this again sometime."

She smirks, unable to help teasing him. "Which part of this are you referring to?"

His face flushes scarlet. "Um, I guess all of it?" he splutters. "I mean, that is if you want to."

Sam loops her arm through his. "I'd like that," she whispers, reaching up to press a lingering kiss to his cheek. "Next Friday, same time?"

Jonas smiles again, letting his eyes roam over her face before answering. "Yeah," he replies, leaning in for one last kiss. "Yeah, I think that sounds pretty good."

It's damn near 11 o'clock when Vala decides she's had enough of waiting. She's spent the last few hours trying her best to kill time - first watching TV, then surfing the Internet, then leaving her room to pilfer some snacks from the commissary. She's bored out of her mind now and itching with impatience. Normally she'd cope by bothering Daniel, but he isn't answering his phone, mostly likely choosing to ignore her calls. Asshole. She just wants to talk. Is that such a crime?

Resigning herself to an early (for her) bedtime, she wiggles into her pajamas and hops onto her bed. She flips the TV channel to the Game Show Network and opens a pack of Twizzlers, figuring she'll watch one more rerun of The Price Is Right before going to sleep.

Just as she's about to doze off however, she hears a sudden knock from the hallway. Jolting to awareness, she leaps out of bed, throws on her robe, and rushes to the door with half a Twizzler still lodged between her teeth.

Vala throws the door open and is met with the sight of Jonas, carrying Daniel's jacket over his shoulder. She looks him up and down, assessing the state of him. His shirt is rumpled, his hair is tousled…and is that a touch of lipstick on his face?

Vala yanks the Twizzler out of her mouth. But before she can ask any questions, Jonas reaches into his pocket, pulls something out, and places the item in her hand. He gives her a pointed look, then turns around and leaves without uttering a single word.

Vala has half a mind to yell after him and demand an explanation, but when she glances down at her hand, she realizes she doesn't have to. For there, resting in her palm, is none other than a crumpled ten dollar bill.

Her lips curl into a satisfied smirk. "I told you so," she says, although Jonas is no longer there to hear it.

And with that, she closes the door, stuffs the bill into her pocket, and finally turns in for the night.

A/N: The title of this fic is taken from the lyrics of "Everywhere" by Fleetwood Mac, which is also referenced in the story. For some reason Sam strikes me as someone who would be a huge Fleetwood Mac fan (in general she just strikes me as someone with impeccable taste in music).

Vala's sections are some of my favorite bits of writing I've ever done. This is the first time I've written for her, but it came surprisingly naturally - not to mention it was ridiculously entertaining. She's such a menace, and I loved having her sow as much mischief in Jonas' love life as possible 😆

Sam's comment about Jonas being suspicious of people who kiss on the first date is a reference to his line about it at the end of "Forsaken."