Title: "Eight Weeks Series - Week Six: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back"

Spoilers: Lost City Part 1... Eight Weeks version!

Summary: They should have known it wouldn't last

She spent most of Monday smiling. She couldn't help herself. As much as she tried to act normally the smile just bubbled up naturally. Of course the fact that Jack O'Neill was also in an abnormally good mood caused the grapevine to positively buzz with speculation. It didn't take long for Hammond to notice and he quickly called Dr. Jackson and Teal'c to his office to get an update.

"They haven't told us anything, but according to Cassie, they had a date Saturday night," Daniel reported.

Hammond smiled his approval, "That didn't take long. They played it so cool at her promotion dinner I was getting worried," he confessed.

"Well it can't be easy on them knowing everyone is watching their every move. I guess I don't blame them for trying to keep it quiet for a bit," Daniel acknowledged.

"But it's going to make it difficult to pay out on all of the wagers," Hammond sighed. "See what you can find out gentlemen."

Sam and Jack didn't make it easy. They knew that as soon as their best friends were sure there was a romantic relationship it would be all over the base, so they were discreet for a few more days until they themselves got used to the idea. Thank goodness Cassie had spent Saturday night at a friend's house and was unaware that Sam hadn't made it home until almost noon on Sunday.

They had enjoyed a relaxed dinner together, laughing and flirting. Sam had been so worried that it would be awkward, but somehow the aborted attempt at a date the previous evening and subsequent kisses had settled their nerves. Instead they were enjoying the freedom of being together with no prying eyes or pesky consequences to worry about. And since they had already established that they were going to wait until Sam's cast was off to make love, there was no pressure in that department. Maybe that's why things had gotten so heated on the couch watching the movie. They had barely made it past the credits when Jack's hands had started to wander. Sam hadn't even thought to push them away. She was enjoying the sensations way too much and concentrated instead on doing some exploring of her own.

Before long much of their clothing had been discarded and they paused to find they were down to boxers and one small scrap of lace.

"We seem to be forgetting our agreement. If you want to stop just say so, Sam," Jack offered sincerely.

She loved him all the more for giving her the choice, but there was no way she was going to leave at that point. "How about a compromise?" she suggested.

It had only taken him a second to get the drift, and a moment later she found herself swept up and carried off to his bedroom where the remaining clothing was removed. Technically they had not had sex, at least not if you used a certain ex-president's definition of the act. However they couldn't truthfully say they hadn't made love either, not given the number of times the feelings had been confessed as the evening progressed. Sam wasn't surprised to find that Jack O'Neill had learned a few tricks over the years, and he'd put most of them to good use that night. Of course she was pretty sure she'd shocked him a bit in the process, but he certainly hadn't complained. Either time.

Since that night they had cooled things down a bit. Jack had come over for Sunday dinner at Sam's and they had calmly put up with Cassie's teasing. On Monday and Tuesday Sam had gone over to Jack's after they'd left the base for the day and had returned each evening early enough to keep Cassie from asking any awkward questions. So despite repeated attempts by Daniel to get information from the teen, there hadn't been much to tell except that they were spending time together. All of that changed on Wednesday. SG1 was scheduled to go out on another cake run with a Captain Susan Wilson as a possible new forth, and as usual Sam was in the locker room as the guys geared up. Captain Wilson was getting ready in the main locker room as she hadn't moved her things just yet. This suited Sam and Jack just fine as they had discussed the evening before how they were going to let their teammates in on the changes in their lives.

Now as they guys finished up Sam didn't bother to try to hide her ogling of Jack's ass as he bent to tie his shoes. She grinned cheekily at Teal'c as he raised an eyebrow in her direction and then she winked. She could have sworn she saw the Jaffa's lips twitch in return.

"Enjoying the show, Carter?" Jack asked as he straightened up.

"Always, Sir. I'm the envy of every other woman on an SG team," Sam replied.

Daniel actually blushed. He knew that all three of them despite their respect for Sam had secretly enjoyed watching her gear up at times, but it had never occurred to him that she did the same. He caught her eye in dismay and saw amusement there.

"Don't worry Daniel. While you all have fine sixes that it's been my pleasure to watch for the last seven years, I only have designs on one," she assured her friend as she hobbled over to Jack and gave him a playful swat on the aforementioned rear end.

"Watch it there Colonel, I believe that qualifies as insubordination," Jack teased.

"Am I to be punished?" Sam quizzed leaning in suggestively.

At that Jack swept her into his arms and thoroughly kissed her. When he released her she had to hang on for a moment to get her balance and then turned to see Teal'c and Daniel's reactions. Teal'c simply nodded his approval. Daniel was speechless with delight.

"Cat got your tongue Daniel?" Jack inquired.

"Only one thing to say, Jack. It's about damn time," Daniel replied. "So I guess we can settle some of the bets now."

"Only some?" Sam inquired.

"Well there are still the ones outstanding on when he'll put a ring on your finger," Daniel informed them, causing Sam to blush.

Jack took it calmly enough though until Teal'c added, "And don't' forget the wagers on the birth of their first child, Daniel Jackson."

It was hard to say which of the two officers looked more stunned.

The trip off world was uneventful but grueling, if only because of the fact that Captain Wilson never shut up. She asked questions non-stop, and when she ran out of those began in on her opinions. The three men had never appreciated Sam so much in their entire lives. Jack promised himself he would stop and buy the woman flowers tonight on the way home. He had a feeling Daniel and Teal'c would be willing to help pay for them. The only good thing was that he didn't have to explain to Hammond why he never wanted to go out with the chatterbox again as she kept up the flow all through the debriefing. Hammond called Jack into his office immediately afterwards and told him that he would continue to look for a suitable forth for SG1.

Jack kept his promise and stopped on the way home with Sam propped up in the back seat to buy her flowers. When she asked what they were for, he just shrugged.

"They are an apology. I'm starting to feel like we took you for granted all these years, and I'm sorry we didn't let you know how much we appreciated you," Jack said. "I wanted to at times, but you know me and expressing myself. Besides I always felt like I shouldn't go there," he admitted.

"But now you can?" she teased.

"Go there? I sure hope so!" he grinned.

"Actually I meant express yourself. You've been doing a pretty good job in the last few days," she praised him.

"I'm working on it," he confessed.

She leaned in for a kiss. "Well don't strain yourself. I've gotten pretty good at speaking Jack O'Neill, so as long as you remember the 'I love you's' and an occasional passing wolf whistle I'll read the rest between the lines," she assured him.

"Good to know," he said in relief.

Thursday was a quiet day. Daniel was holed up in his lab working on a translation, and Sam was busy with the shield generator project, so Jack had no choice but to catch up on paperwork, except for when he took time out to go bug Sam in her lab. She finally handed him a crossword puzzle and told him she'd wipe out his other debt if he could finish it by this time the next day.

"Double or nothing?" he suggested.

"Sure," she agreed safe in her assumption that he would lose interest after a while.

It would be the last bet they made in a long time.

When the men of SG1 came back through the gate the next day Sam knew instantly that something was wrong. When she realized that Jack once again had the knowledge of the ancients taking over his mind she felt her world crashing in around her. She wanted to stay the night with him, but he dropped her off at her place with hardly a word. Once there she sat in shocked silence broken only by Cassie's return sometime after midnight. If the teen noticed anything wrong she was discreet enough to not say anything at that point and by the time she woke up the next morning Sam was gone, having taken a taxi to Jack's.

Saturday went from bad to worse. First her attempt at getting Jack alone was interrupted by Teal'c and Daniel who needed to be there just as much as she did. Then Hammond stopped by and shocked them all further by telling them he'd been relieved of duty. Sam found herself wondering what was next? Teal'c pledging his allegiance to a system lord or Daniel deciding he was going to go back and try the glowy thing again?

As the group broke up later she didn't budge. There was no way he was going to push her away again tonight. When she saw him open his mouth she quickly spoke up.

"Don't even think about it, Jack. I need you to hold me tonight and not let go," she warned him.

He nodded in agreement. He could do that, as long as she didn't want to talk. He had no clue what to say to her, or if it would even come out in English.

They spent most of the next 36 hours wrapped quietly in each other's arms, and on Monday morning they reluctantly parted and headed back to the SGC.

END WEEK SIX

Continued in Week Seven: Standing At The Precipice