The tires of the F-150 crunched the gravel leading to the cabin. The two occupants had spent the last 6 hours in silence. Not because they lacked anything to say to each other, it was just that they weren't saying what needed to be said. And after long drawn out conversations about wormhole physics and the Goa'uld, his passenger fell asleep and he let her.

The sudden silence caused her to wake up and blink a few times before her eyes started to co-operate. Then she stretched and remarked that she was starting to feel a little like a pretzel.

He laughed. "Come on, Carter, this is the Cadillac of trucks."

Carter snorted in an unladylike manner and got out of the truck to really stretch and move out the kinks.

Laughing, the former General Jack O'Neill got out of the driver's side of the car, spread out his arms wide and remarked, "Breathe in Carter. Ain't this great?"

He watched as she gave him a wry look and lifted an eyebrow. Her timid "If you say so." caused him to smile and the returned grin lifted his spirits.

Jack was worried about how Sam would react to coming up here before the 'boys'. He really wanted to have some time alone with her. They had dropped the walls just recently and now they had new ground to cross so he didn't want her skittish. There was something so coltish about her. He had never realized how long her legs were, how tall she was, how her eyes looked when she looked at him. He had spent 8 years looking but not noticing anything about her-well maybe not 'anything' but close enough.
He reached out his hand to her. "C'mon, let me show you my palace."

She had tentatively taken his hand into hers and he was gratified that when he squeezed her hand she returned the squeeze.

Walking hand in hand into the 2-bedroom cabin Jack shyly showed her his home away from it all.

He could tell that she appreciated the place. He noticed that she seemed to relax almost immediately when she walked in.

"Let me show you the rest of the place." He then gave her the nickel tour. It wasn't a big cabin, but it was homey and loving. Jack had intended this place to be for his growing family. He and Sara had planned on expanding it as the children came. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, they had only Charlie. And for the three of them it had been enough. It was a long time before the peace that this place had been intended for had actually seeped into his marrow but now heaven was here. Especially now that the woman he had loved for a long time was here.

He watched as she peeked into the cabinets and the closets. Watched as she lovingly caressed the old wood of the doorframes and the wainscoting. Watched as she exclaimed at the birds and small woodland animals that were outside the large picture window in the living room. Watched as she seemed to complete the room and by extension the cabin.

He held out his hand again and led her to the bedroom wing. He had wanted to sweep her into his bedroom and love her now but this was too new and too precious to take so quickly and he led her to the second bedroom. He had hoped that by the time the 'boys' came up they would be in his room.

The bed looked to be antique. The brass headboard gleamed with the look of careful care and cleaning but its uniqueness charmed her. He could see that. She walked over and ran her hand lovingly over it. The quilt on the bed added to the antique look. And so it should, he thought, it was his grandmother's. She had made it for her wedding hope chest.

He drank in her words. 'Jack, this is wonderful. This whole room is just so...so..." She looked like she couldn't find words to describe how much she loved the décor.
He saw her do a double take when she saw the t-shirt on the bed and the quizzical look in her eyes as she lifted it.

Blushing slightly. "I didn't know if you...uh...slept in ...uh." He stopped and sighed. "I just thought you could use this. I'm gonna go and get dinner started. Take your time unpacking." And he left the room.

As she watched him 'escape' the bedroom, she sat on the bed and smiled.
Sam hugged the t-shirt to her chest and rubbed it against her chin. She then buried her nose in it. It was all Jack O'Neill. She knew he wouldn't give her an already worn shirt but she had been breathing in his scent for years. A combination of
detergent and fabric softener. He used the same brands here as he did in Colorado Springs. And the scent was as familiar to her as her own. And no matter what, it reminded her of Jack. Tears formed in her eyes. This was too good to be real. She was finally with the man she had loved for so long. It could have gone so wrong. There were so many things that could have gone wrong but turned out okay in the end. She missed her father desperately but he had blessed this before he died. Jacob knew how much his daughter loved Jack and how she let everything stand in the way of what she wanted. Damn her own stubborn pride. But now she was where she wanted to be. And she was scared. He probably was too. She had allowed for that. That was why she was in the second bedroom and not in his bed right now. That would have to change.

Somebody needed to step up and it may as well be her. She had a few things to say. Tonight was the night. Before Daniel and Teal'c arrived, things would be settled between them."Soups on." Jack yelled from the kitchen.

Sam came in to find a nicely laid out table. She even noticed that he remembered flowers. He had managed to smuggle yellow roses up.

Her smile was brilliant and they sat down to eat.The conversation was light and playful and soon they were having their coffee on the porch. The big porch swing gently moved back and forth. Sam was sitting with her legs under her leaning toward him. His arm was around her and occasionally he would rub her head with his chin and she would snuggle closer.

The long drive however managed to catch up with them and they called it night.
Taking her into his arms, he gently kissed her mouth. The kiss took on an urgency almost immediately and for some moments they felt as if they were going to fuse into one being. Almost by design they broke apart and Jack gently led her to her bedroom and gave her one more lingering kiss before he went to his own room.

Jack lay there for some time, his arms folded under his head. She was just down the hall. He wanted-no, he needed her to be there with him. He seriously considered going down to bring her into his room and it took all of his self-control to remain in his bed. He had no idea what was going on in her head.

Sam shifted restlessly in the bed. She was tired but Jack's scent was all over her. She could still taste his lips on her. Her body remembered the surge of desire as he held her and his tongue engaged hers in battle. She could still feel his touch on her skin. It was almost too much for her and she made a decision. She got out of bed and padded down the hall to his room. She didn't even knock, she just let herself in.

"Carter?" He sat up suddenly, startled by her abrupt entry."Shut up, Jack. I have something to say to you." She walked over to the bed and lifted the covers and climbed in next to him.

"I have some things to say and you need to listen."

At his nod she continued.

Sam twisted the blanket between her fingers. It seemed as if she tried to gain some courage by trying to strangle the cotton material. His gentle squeeze on her hands seemed to take some of the tension out of her.

Taking a breath, Sam launched into what happened to her on the Prometheus.
"I came to and...had visitations from several 'people'. None of it really hit me as hard as the conversation I had with my Dad."

DAD: I'm your father.
CARTER: Dad?
DAD: I know it sounds corny but you get to an age, you get to an age where you think of everything you did wrong as a parent. Don't take this the wrong way.
CARTER: I know, I don't look so good.
DAD: I wanted so many things for you Sam. And look what it's brought you instead.
CARTER: Sure, the massive headache really takes the edge off it all.
DAD: Are you happy Sam?
CARTER: What?
DAD: Just answer the question.
CARTER: Well at the moment things are a little rough, but in general, sure I'm happy.
DAD: No you're not. You're content, you're satisfied, you're in control and that's the problem.
CARTER: Okay, I'm really not following here.
DAD: I'm saying you're missing something vital from your life. And the sad part is you have no idea what I'm talking about.
CARTER: Dad, I am happy. I've seen and done things most people couldn't even dream of. I have an incredible life.
DAD: And yet you're alone.
CARTER: Well lately the dating scene's been a little stale but then again I am marooned on a space ship.
DAD: No, always. For as long as she was alive, your mother showed me a world beyond just ambition and career. She gave my life meaning and balance and it was my honor to love her for the short time she was with me. And if I were young again and I met her for the first time even knowing her fate, I would do it all again. That is love. Sam, I know you've denied yourself the experience because you think it must inevitably end in pain and loneliness. It's time to let go of the things that prevent you from finding happiness. You deserve to love someone and be loved in return.

Jack's raised eyebrow made her chuckle.

"I.I know it sounds a little strange. That would have been such a strange conversation to have with my dad. But we had almost the same conversation right before he died."

She sighed contentedly as Jack pulled her into his arms. She turned so that she could rest her head over his heart and wrapped her arms around him. She felt his chest rumble as he told her to go on."The visitations got stranger. But the little girl...Grace... she seemed to be so familiar and knew which buttons to push to keep me moving and right before it was all over...you showed up."

O'NEILL: All right Carter, come on, on your feet let's go.
CARTER: I was wondering when you were going to show up.
O'NEILL: You just gonna sit there?
CARTER: Too tired sir.
O'NEILL: Samantha, I'm a figment of your imagination. You're gonna call me Sir?
CARTER: Old habit. Sorry.
O'NEILL: So, you gonna save yourself or what?
CARTER: I've tried.
O'NEILL: Just giving up then?
CARTER: I just don't know what else to do right now.
O'NEILL: You'll think of something.
CARTER: Came to give me a pep talk?
O'NEILL: That's what friends are for.
CARTER: Friends?
O'NEILL: Hey. This is you talking here. Might as well be honest.
CARTER: What if I quit the Air Force? Would that change anything or is it just an excuse?
O'NEILL: I would never ask you to give up your career.
CARTER: Because you don't feel anything for me?
O'NEILL: Carter.
CARTER: I'd let you go right now if I knew.
O'NEILL: That easy?
CARTER: I didn't say it would be easy.
O'NEILL: Then what's stopping you if you really wanna know?
CARTER: I'm trying.
O'NEILL: Maybe it's not me that's the problem here. Let's face it, I'm not that complex.
CARTER: Me?
O'NEILL: Sam. I'm a safe bet.
CARTER: As long as I'm thinking about you, setting my sights on what I think is unobtainable, there's no chance of being hurt by someone else.
O'NEILL: Jacob was right. You deserve more. I will always be there for you, no matter what. Believe me.
CARTER: So what now? O'NEILL: Go save your ass.
CARTER: One last thing.
Sam imagines them kissing.
CARTER: Never mind.

Sam stopped talking for a minute to gauge what he was thinking.

"You were having a discussion with yourself?" He asked her.

"Essentially it was my subconscious posing as you," She answered.

"You didn't think that maybe you might have wanted to have that conversation with the real thing?" His tone was incredulous.

"Well, I suppose I would have. However do you remember how you reacted when I woke up?"

He nodded. "I was happy to see you were okay."

"Well...Jack, it didn't appear that way to me."

Scene: Infirmary, Cheyenne Mountain
Sam is in a bed, Jack is sitting nearby.
O'NEILL: Hey.
CARTER: Jack.
O'NEILL: Excuse me?
CARTER: Sorry Sir.
O'NEILL: Yes, well, a massive concussion will tend to disorient one.

"Huh. Well I suppose that would have been a rather negative reaction. But Sam...it was never my intent to reject you. I would have done anything to protect you and your career. But when your subconscious mind asked you 'Then what's stopping you, if really wanna know'-why didn't you understand that it was asking you to talk to me?"Sam shook her head and savored the feel of her cheek rubbing against the soft t-shirt.

"I don't know, Jack. Fear, maybe. I did tell you to leave it in the room, remember?"

"Yeah." A quiet and resigned word.

"I guess I was just afraid and insecure. You were, and for the moment are, my CO. Even this is a stretch for me."

He laughed. "The papers are in, Sam."

"Legal technicality ...Sir."

Jack reached and tweaked her nose. "I'll make you pay for that."

Her smile was brilliant. "Yes, I suppose you will."

"So what else?" He was curious now. She had never really talked about what happened on the Prometheus. She had just come back 'different'.She shrugged and swallowed.

"I guess that I felt like I needed a 'life'." She sighed softly as she said this.

"You mean the one that I kept nagging you to get?" Jack's tone was thoughtful.

"I suppose." Her answer was equally as thoughtful.

Sam snuggled closer to him and continued.

"Then there was the talk I tried to have with you that weekend you accessed the ancient database."

Jack's house.
Sam knocks on the door, he answers.
Sam: Hi Sir.
Jack: Carter?
Sam: Did I wake you?
Jack: Sorta
Sam: I couldn't sleep at all last night.
Jack: You should have called.
Sam: I didn't wanna bother you.
Jack: Um, (Motions for her to enter) I was just looking at the sky.
Trying to figure out how many
stars we'd actually been to.
Sam: Actually, only a few of the stars visible from Earth have Stargates on them, so.....
Jack: I knew that.
Sam: Yeah.
Jack: Hammond send you by to check up on me?
Sam: No! (Sounding nervous) It's funny really, I was out driving, you know....in my car, and I um,(Nervous laugh) I drove here.(Chuckle) Yeah ...
Jack: (Mockingly) "Funny."
Sam: Yeah.
Jack: There's coffee around here. (Goes to the kitchen, she looks around his living room)
Jack: Maybe not. How about a beer?
Sam:Sure, why not. (Clinking glasses is heard as he takes the bottles from the fridge. She walks down the steps to his living room, looking at pictures. He uncaps the beer, and just flicks the cover on the floor, looking where it lands.)
Jack: Want a glass? I can wash one.
Sam: No, I'm fine. (Takes the beer) Thank you sir. (Points to a family picture with Jack, Sara, and Charlie.) So do you ever talk to her?
Jack: Can we not talk about that?
Sam: Sorry. (Trying to sound upbeat, it's not working!;)) How are you feeling?
Jack: Can we not talk about that either? (Walks around her to the sofa)
Sam: Ok. (Walks to the sofa, jack's sitting down) What do you want to talk about? (He just looks up at her)You wanna be alone. (Puts the beer down)This was a bad i ... I ... should go.
Jack: Finish your beer. (She hadn't even taken a sip, BTW. ;)) (She takes a deep breath) And then you have to wait at least an hour before you drive. (Flicks his cap across the room)
Sam: (Looks at him) Sir? (Sits next to him on the sofa)
Jack: (After a long pause of her just staring at him) What?
Sam: I should have done it.
Jack: What? Stuck your head in that thing? Are you nuts? Carter. You're one of this country's natural resources. If not National treasures. It couldn't have gone down any other way. (A car pulling up is faintly heard) I just hope it's worth it. (Takes a sip of his beer) Sam: Even if we do find the Lost City. Even if we get there and find exactly what we're looking for to defend the planet....
Jack: (Interrupting her) THAT ... would be worth it. (Takes another sip, she closes her eyes)

Sam finished her narrative and waited for a comment. She could feel the steady thump of his heart and how solid he felt in her arms.

"You know, Sam..." Jack began. "That was not exactly the best time to come and talk about 'things' or 'feelings'."

"Maybe not." She agreed. "However, I was afraid that I might not get the chance to tell you."

"Sam," He began gently, "You were seeing Pete at the time. That would have been an odd conversation to have, ya know?"

"I knew that, Jack. At that time though, Pete just didn't figure into the equation. I was going to lose you."

"And then Danny and Teal'c showed up....with donuts."

That got a chuckle from her.

"Yes, well, there is that."

She tightened her hold on him and he shifted slightly to make them both more comfortable.

"I tried again on the ship. Do you remember?"

His soft grunt was her answer.

SCOUT SHIP. Jack is making adjustments to crystals in the engine core as
Sam watches.
O'NEILL: Give me your zat. (Sam hands over a zat and Jack shoots the
crystals. The engine sound increases. Jack closes the zat and hands it
back to Sam.) There you go.
CARTER: Sir. I think you should know that General Hammond authorised me
to take command of the team if I determined that you ...
O'NEILL: Do it now.
CARTER: Sir, I don't think that's necessary ...
O'NEILL: I trust you. I'll make it easy for you. I resign. You're in charge.
CARTER: OK. ... Sir, at your house before Daniel and Teal'c showed up,
what I was gonna say was ...
O'NEILL: I know. (They look at each other for a moment, then Jack slides
the bank of crystals back into position.)

"It seemed like every time I tried to talk to you, you shut me out." Her voice held a slightly bitter edge.

"I'm really sorry Sam. I think I was more afraid of dying knowing that you loved me and leaving you with nothing."

He stroked her head. "I really thought that I was a dead man then. What good would it have done us? I would have died knowing that we left so much unfinished and you have no real memories of an 'us'."

"But I would have known that you loved me, as I loved you. I could have held on to that memory for the rest of my life. Taking your love for me to your grave wouldn't have made me feel any better or more loved."

His hand continued to stroke her. He could feel the tense muscles of her back as he stroked.

"Do you have any idea of how hard it was to get you back?"

Jack had heard of how she practically blackmailed Dr. Weir. He was proud of her for that.

SGC. WEIR'S OFFICE. Sam comes to the door and knocks.
WEIR: What can I do for you, Major?
CARTER: I want you to reconsider my request.
WEIR: I'm sorry.
CARTER: That cargo ship was modified using the knowledge of the Ancients. Now, there is no guarantee that *anyone* will *ever* be able to figure out how it was done.
WEIR: And as the most likely person on the planet *to* figure it out, are you saying that if I don't let you attempt to contact the Asgard, you won't even try?
CARTER (smiling sarcastically): I would never say that.
WEIR: Right now that is the most advanced piece of technology we have.
CARTER: If it weren't for Colonel O'Neill, we wouldn't *have* that ship. For that matter, we wouldn't even *be* here discussing this.
(Elizabeth nods thoughtfully.)

Sam suddenly shifted out his arms and sat up to look at him, the beginnings of tears visible in her eyes. He reached out and wiped at them with his thumbs.

"You weren't happy being a general." It was more a statement than a question.

"No, I wasn't. I felt as if my family had been taken from me once again. Regardless of what I felt for you-and trust me I felt a lot-you, Danny and Teal'c were my family. And not being able to be with you, as I was before, was a big loss."

He wrapped his hands around her head and pulled her to him for a deep and drawn out kiss.

"My heart felt like it was being torn from my chest every time the three of you went through that gate. Why do you think I never appointed a fourth member?"

Her eyes shimmered through her tears. "You were afraid that you would really have been replaced when you did that."

A ghost of a smile flitted though his eyes, "Did I ever tell you how smart you are?"
"Anyway, I took out my anger, loss and frustration on the three of you. Most especially you."

He pulled her back to him and wrapped his arms around her again. He breathed in her fragrance and felt it settle around his heart and ease the pain.

"And then there was the proposal."

Jack was silent.
"Yeah." There was a quiet bitterness in his tone. He shifted them slightly.

"You were no help there, Jack."

"*I* was no help?" He countered. "How was I supposed to know you needed my help."

SGC. SAM'S LAB. Sam is sitting looking at her laptop. Jack comes to the door.
O'NEILL: Carter.
CARTER: Sir.
O'NEILL: I never thought I'd hear myself utter these words: I need that report.
CARTER: Right! Um, I just need to, er, finish typing up my notes. (She rummages through the paperwork on the desk.) Uh, yeah, I'll have it for you first thing tomorrow.
(Jack looks at his watch.)
O'NEILL: It *is* tomorrow.
CARTER (looking at her own watch): Oh.
O'NEILL: I'm joking! I don't need the report!
CARTER: Well, then, why ...?
O'NEILL (interrupting): Because something's going on with you. You haven't tried to confuse me with any scientific babble for the last couple of days and that's a red flag to me.
(Sam sighs, then picks up the box containing the engagement ring and hands it to Jack.)
CARTER: Pete gave me this.
(Jack takes the box, opens it and looks at the ring, then looks at Sam.)
O'NEILL: People normally wear these on their fingers.
CARTER: I haven't said yes.
O'NEILL: And yet - you haven't said no. (He snaps the box shut.)
CARTER: I told him I needed to think about it.
O'NEILL: And? (He puts the box on the desk.)
CARTER: That was two weeks ago.
O'NEILL: Ah!
CARTER: Y'know, all these years I've been concentrating on work - I just assumed that one day I would ...
O'NEILL: Have a life?
CARTER: Yeah!
O'NEILL: Yeah.
CARTER: And now it comes down to it, I don't know. I mean, every time we go through the Gate, we risk not coming back. Is it fair to put somebody else through that?
O'NEILL: Pete *is* a cop - I think he could handle it.
CARTER: What about kids?
O'NEILL: What about 'em?
CARTER: Do I take maternity leave and then come back? What, do I drop the baby off at daycare on my way to some unexplored planet on the edge of the Crab Nebula?
O'NEILL: Carter, there *are* people on this base who have families.
(Sam thinks for a moment, then looks into Jack's eyes.)
CARTER: What about you? If things had been different ... (she trails off.)
(Jack looks at her for a moment.)
O'NEILL: I wouldn't be here.

"Carter? Whatever gave you the idea that was the way to ask me what I would do?"
The silence stretched between them. Jack shook his head-rubbing his chin on the top of head.

"I've seen you more direct explaining wormhole theory."

"True," She acknowledged. "But you still weren't any help."
Snort!

"And then..." Jack ventured into the conversation. "There was Kerry."

"Yeah." A barely audible acknowledgement.

"Have you wondered why I kept it a secret?" He asked her.

"Yeah, I did. I mean it isn't like she was in your chain of command or, for that matter, you had any real reason not to move on."

"Like you did, Carter?"Jack felt her flinch. He did as well on the inside. In the ensuing silence between them, Jack wondered why he had kept Kerry a secret. It wasn't like he was really breaking any rules. Kerry and the CIA were investigating the NID, not him. A personal relationship wouldn't have been a big deal. And yet, he reflected, it was. Kerry came very close to being a permanent part of his life. He wasn't going to kid himself. If he was going to move on, as he assumed Sam had, Kerry would have been a good choice. She was smart. Tough. Cute. Most importantly, didn't ask very many questions. Well, she didn't ask any questions until she saw Sam at his house. He wondered how she picked up on their vibe so quickly. Jack rubbed his chin on her head.

Dropping a light kiss on her head, he tried to answer Sam's question.
"I suppose my keeping it quiet was for a number of reasons. I'm a private person to begin with, you know that."

The top of her head rubbed his chin as she nodded.
"In addition I wasn't sure what I was thinking or feeling. Well, scratch the 'feeling' thing. I know what I was feeling." Jack stopped to pick his words carefully. "I was feeling like my heart was being torn into pieces. Aside from the professional loss of your company, I was losing personal loss of your company. You were going to be married. And I won't play in another man's sandbox Sam. That meant, to me, you were totally out of reach. Physically, emotionally and psychologically. Kerry, as cold as it sounds, was a means to end for me."

He waited for his words to sink in. "I don't mean for it to sound that cold. She was a great girl. In some ways a lot like you. But to her credit, she didn't mince words when it came to what she saw and what she felt was best for her."

JACK'S OFFICE. Jack is sitting at his desk, lost in thought. Kerry comes to the door and knocks.
KERRY: How's Colonel Carter's father?
O'NEILL: Doesn't look good.
KERRY: Sorry to hear that. (She comes into the office and closes the door.)
O'NEILL (suspiciously): Closing the door.
KERRY: Yeah. Deeply symbolic.
O'NEILL: Really?
(Kerry smiles at him awkwardly.)
KERRY: I really like you. We're good together.
(Jack stands up.)
O'NEILL: Yes. We are. But?
KERRY: You have issues. It's OK - we all do. There's just one big one in particular that I don't think I can love with. (Jack raises his eyebrows. Kerry flinches and corrects herself.) *Live* with. I need to get out before I get more involved. We can still work together, can't we? I'd *hate* to have to ask for reassignment. This is really important to me. We agreed this would never affect the job.
O'NEILL: We did.
KERRY: Good. (She smiles and walks towards the door, then turns and puts her hands on her hips.) You know, there's just one thing I don't understand.
O'NEILL: Just one?
KERRY: Is the Air Force the only thing keeping you two apart? Rules and regulations? Cos if it is, you're making a very big mistake.
O'NEILL: And you know what I should do?
KERRY: Retire.
O'NEILL: Again.
KERRY: Don't get me wrong - you are considered invaluable to the programme by the Pentagon, but the President has appointed a civilian to run the SGC before. (Jack nods.) Just a thought. (She leaves the room, leaving Jack looking pensive and bothered by what she's made him think about.)

Sam shifted a bit. The conversation Kerry had with Jack sounded eerily familiar and she told him so.

JACOB: I just wanna know you're gonna be happy.
CARTER: I *am*.
JACOB: Don't let rules stand in your way.
(Sam looks puzzled.)
CARTER: What are you talking about?
JACOB: You joined the Air Force because of me.
CARTER: I *love* my job.
JACOB: Mmm. (He reaches out and strokes her cheek.) You can still have everything you want.
CARTER: I do, Dad. (Jacob sighs, frustrated that she doesn't understand or refuses to understand what he's talking about. She takes his hand again.) Really.

Jack laughed and hugged her hard.

"Seems like 'Dad' knew more than he let on."

"Apparently." She answered him. "But Jack, I believe Dad died in peace. He saw us you know."

"At the end." Jack added.

Sam nodded. "He saw the two of us together at the end. He blessed this Jack. He really loved me."

Jack nodded and the memory of Jacob's last words to Sam lingered in his mind.That more than anything else showed how very close Sam and her father had become in the last 6 years. The blending with Selmac had profoundly changed Jacob. He became the parent he wanted to be and the father Sam had wanted him to be. In the end the love between father and daughter had become a palpable thing. Their contentment with each other had come off them in waves and everyone who saw them interact knew how deeply connected they were and how much they loved each other.

"So now we are here." Sam announced to him. " Here in this cabin. Here in this bed."
Looking him directly in the eye. "What do you intend to do about it?"

"What do I intend to do about it?" He echoed her question.

"Do I have to do all the work, Jack?" Her voice held a challenge.
Jack suddenly grinned and sat her up. He lay down on the bed and regarded her with the apparent amusement in his eyes.

"Yeah, Carter. You are going to have to do all the work."
He saw her tilt her head and look at him puzzled.

He stroked her face and continued. Still clearly amused at what he was thinking and what he would say."You apparently chose to step up to plate. So you are now going to be the one to initiate the next step."

Warily she asked him what he was thinking.

"Well," he grinned openly. "I am going to let you have your wicked way with me."
Her shocked face caused him to laugh and he laughed harder when she punched his shoulder.

Sobering for a minute, he explained himself. "You need to be the one to take this to the next level. I want you very much Sam. I can't think of very much that I want as much as I do you. "He took her face between his hands. "You need to let go and you need to trust. Letting you decide the direction and the pace of this new step in our lives, is as important to me as it is to you. I trust you Sam. You need to trust yourself as well and by extension, me. "

His earnest declaration warmed something inside of her and she leaned down and kissed him.

At first, it was a feather light caress of his lips with hers.

The next step was a tentative sweep of the tip of her tongue on his lips. The effect of the touch startled both of them. It kindled flames of passion in a way neither of them had felt before.

She pulled back and looked at his eyes. They were still steadily watching her. She could see desire in their depths and knew that hers reflected the same.

Sam softly kissed his face. She concentrated on putting soft butterfly kisses on his forehead, eyes and nose. She kissed the soft and sensitive skin behind his ears and nipped at his earlobes. She felt his slight flinch and knew instinctively it wasn't from pain but from the sudden desire. He liked that. She then nuzzled his neck and his collar bone.

Sam suddenly straddled his body and met with the concrete proof that his attention was solely on her now. Grinning slightly, she reached down to the hem of his tee shirt and lifted. He needed no further instructions. He shifted his body so that she could remove it and expose him to her. The results of his workouts were quite evident. There was nothing soft or doughy about his chest, abdomen or stomach. She lightly ran her left hand down his chest and playfully ran her fingers through the sparse hair that grew there. Placing both of her hands on his chest for balance she leaned down and kissed him. This time she didn't hold back. She thrust her tongue against his lips and sighed as his mouth opened with no resistance.

Neither was prepared for the jolt they felt when their tongues first touched. Sam felt that same funny flutter of a first kiss that seemed to send a jolt of feeling from her head to her toes. As the kiss deepened in intensity, she felt as if she was drawing breath from him. The kiss seemed to be endless. She broke it off and looked at him in wonder, as if they shared a joint soul. She couldn't explain it. They seemed to breathing for each other.

"I want you to touch me, Jack." She breathed out and slowly pulled off the tee shirt he gave her. Her breasts were bare. "Please."

Jack held her face between his hands.

He rubbed over her lips with the pads of his thumbs and ran his hands through the silk of her hair. His fingers worked her scalp and she almost seemed to purr. He finished with her hair and then smoothed down over to her neck and collar bone to finally touch her breasts. They were pert and highly responsive to his touch.

Sam could only imagine how touching her was affecting him. She knew that her whole body was alive with sensation. As Jack's hands lightly roamed her body, she felt like her nerve endings had burst into flames. Her need to touch became imperative and she lightly caressed his face and shoulders, moving to his chest and abdomen. He shivered slightly in response to her touch.

Sam suddenly shifted position and slid to his right side. He didn't move but his eyes watched her steadily, shining clearly with the flame of desire. She took strength from his stillness and used the time to really look at the man in bed next to her. He was right. He had been around the block a few times. More than a few. There was evidence of his having broken both of his arms and the signs of surgery on his knees. What chest hair he had turned to silver to match that on his head. She giggled slightly when she noticed that certain other hairy parts were also silver. His answering chuckle comforted her that it was okay to laugh about it.

Sam suddenly took her right hand and started to trace his body. She made lazy circles around his nipples, enjoying making them hard and marvelling that a man's body could react to touch as readily as a woman's. Her hand continued down past his navel and between his legs. She ran her nails up and down the inside of his thighs and smiled at the low moan that came from him. She cupped his scrotum and tickled underneath it and her smile deepened when he growled her name.

His penis rose up and down at her touch and it mesmerized her. She ran her hand up and down its length and wondered at something that could be so hard and soft at the same time. She suddenly had the urge to taste him. His gasp as her tongue tentatively touched that same area gave her the impetus to go further. She ran her tongue up and down its length and felt the warmth of his body. She inhaled his scent and realized that it was familiar to her. She didn't know how but his scent was recognizable to her and it caused a sudden heat within her. She groaned slightly and took him into her mouth fully. He breathed her name as she continued to lick and suck him. She was focused on his moans when she felt his hand caressing her hair.

Just as Sam began to sense he was near orgasm, he pulled her to a sitting position. She couldsee his desire for her shining in the dark brown depths of his eyes.

"What do you want?" she asked him, amazed at how husky her voice sounded.
Jack responded by running his fingers through her hair and tracing the lines of her face.

She closed her eyes, just taking in the sensation of this man's hand on her skin. She could feel herself tingling everywhere. She felt his other hand start to caress her body. He then gently pushed her over on to her back and continued to use his lips and his hands to touch, tease and taste her.

He heard more than felt the sharp intake of breath as he traveled lower down her body. Jack's lips and hands seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Her life's energy seemed to flow out towards him and every time he moved his mouth or his hands from her, her body seemed to cry out and try to draw him back .She made the most amazing noises as he loved her and it seemed to energize him.

At the juncture of her thighs, he breathed in her scent. She was a very aroused. He could see her body's natural moisture starting to form and she lurched as he tentatively ran his index finger down the area.

"Is this what you want?" he asked her. The low moan that she made gave him his answer and he moved to touch the nub of tissue that peeked out at him. Her hips began to move and she moaned again.

He took that response as permission to touch her. Using the pad of his finger, he moved in circles as he applied more pressure to her clitoris. The movement of her hips became more intense. He brought his finger to his mouth and sucked on it, reveling in its taste. The salty, tangy taste of the woman he loved inspired him to do more than just touch-he needed to taste her. Moving down between her legs, he started to lick her.

She shuddered when his tongue touched her and sighed heavily as he intensified the play of his tongue on her. Soon her moans and movements grew frantic and pulled his head to her. When he drew that sensitive part into his mouth, she cried out his name with the intensity of the feelings. To his satisfaction, she didn't yell "Sir!" but "Jack". He knew then that she knew exactly who the man was, not what he represented.

He slowly kissed his way back up her body until he laid over her, supporting his body with strong on either side of her head.

Her eyes were half-lidded with desire as she stared up at him.

"There is no going back now Sam." Jack told her. "Once we start, we finish this and we are eternally connected. I will never let you go."

As he continued to look into her eyes, he was humbled by her response.

"I love you, Jack, and I trust you completely." Whatever they had been through and whatever they would go through, he knew they would do it together. That nothing would pull them apart she left unspoken.

Jack leaned down and kissed her. All of his desire, his longing and his love went into that kiss and her answering response told him all he would ever need to know.

When he finally lifted his head, he moved his body in between her legs and slowly entered her. He was amazed at how easily her body accommodated his and how tightly her body held on him and then suddenly he was moving. It wasn't a conscious thought on his part-his body just seemed to take over. She glided easily along with his movements, knowing when to hold him and when to let go until suddenly she reached her peak and he was not far behind. It was a wonder to him. A wonder that they both reach the pinnacle of desire and release at the same time, enveloping each other in mutual climax.

When it was sated, Jack rolled over and pulled her into his arms. They snuggled together and it felt natural to be there. Sleep and contentment pulled at them and soon overtook them.

Her shy smile in the morning told him that she was still overwhelmed and more than a little concerned. Taking her face into his large hands, he leaned in and kissed her.
" I love you, Samantha Carter. Thank you."

That was all she needed to lean in for another kiss and murmer that she loved him as well.

Their movements for the rest of the morning were unhurried and unstressed. Daniel and Teal'c would be there soon, but there was no fear that their tenuous tie would be broken. Sitting on the dock, side by side, she teased him about the fish that weren't in his pond. His answering laughter and shrug made her giggle as Daniel Jackson and Teal'c came around with the ice chest.

Four friends hanging out and relaxing, the worries of saving the world far behind them.
Two old friends discovering the joys a new friendship, leaving the ruins of their fears far behind them.

And so...