A Side Order of Life

Title: A Side Order of Life

Author: Suz W.

Spoilers: After Lockdown, Zero Hour, Icon, and Avatar (episode tag)

Feedback: Always welcomed and gratefully appreciated!

Old Stories Referenced: “Along the Way Home”

Rating: PG, S/J Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, and Angst.

Summary: After a business trip to Washington D.C., Jack surprises Sam with a little trip that makes for some memorable fun times.

Disclaimer: All publicity recognizable characters and places are the property of MGM, Sci-Fi Productions, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended.

Copyright: The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. Copyrighted on December 14, 2007, by Suzanne R. Whitmarsh.

Author’s Notes: This story follows “Desperate to Believe”. This story will more than likely pull memories from an older story of mine, “Along the Way Home”. I hope you enjoy this one…it will provide a little more relief from the current angst, but don’t get too comfortable! We’re not over the hill yet! As always, I’d love to hear from you! I know it’s hard to find the time to email, but if you have a chance, your feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!

Dedication: This story is dedicated to Jie! You’ve been an amazing supporter of my stories and your feedback has been extremely helpful! Thanks for being such a wonderful fan! I truly appreciate it!!

Jack plopped down into the red overstuffed lounge chair that was in the living room portion of his deluxe one bedroom suite. Loosening his tie, he pulled it over his head and tossed it onto the couch opposite him. Kicking his feet up, he unbuttoned the top four buttons of his shirt as he reclined his head back against the chair. Taking in a big breath, he blew it out as he ran his hands over his face and through his hair.

It had been a grueling three days of one meeting after another…several with the President and more with the other top dogs of the military. Since being named Brigadier General and taking over the SGC, his life had consisted more of what he didn’t like versus what he did. The series of meetings that he had just been through were certainly not one of the highlights.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he allowed his mind to drift, and as it did, Sam’s face appeared. From the moment he’d met her eight years ago, thoughts of her had always been present in his mind. As the years had gone on and they’d become closer, she had filled his dreams during the day as well as into the night. And no matter what the circumstances were at that time in his life, the vision of her face and the memories of their times together were always a soothing balm to his soul.

Opening his eyes, he starred at the semi-vaulted ceiling in his room and found himself wondering for the sixtieth time that day what she was doing at that moment… and more importantly if she was even thinking of him. With Pete becoming an ever increasing part of her life, Jack found his fight to win Sam back becoming harder by the day.

Beginning to feel frustrated, he got up abruptly and moved over to the window. As he looked out over the historic landscape before him, Jack tried to keep himself from slipping into a darker, more depressive state of mind by taking in the beauty of the waning day. It was now the beginning of September, and even though most of the trees were still colored richly in various shades of green, the Fall season had begun to lay its claim to the surroundings in a variety of ways: in the somewhat cooler nights; in the occasional leaf that had overnight become multi-colored in hues of red, orange, yellow, and brown; in the brightly colored mums that had begun to appear around the city in front of government buildings and private homes. But what really made the running of time truly apparent to Jack was that it had now been almost five months since Sam had dropped the bomb that had basically destroyed his heart.

Jack had never been one to take defeat easily, and he wasn’t about to just let Sam slip out of his life without a fight. He had never known anyone like her, and he certainly had never loved another woman more than he did her. When Teal’c had revealed to him on the day of Janet’s funeral that he had known about his and Sam’s secret relationship for a long time, and that he was more than willing to help Jack in his endeavor to win her back, hope had begun to filter back into his heart.

Jack’s mind then slipped back in time a few weeks to that precious and very unexpected night when Sam had come to him, wanting nothing more than the pure, exhilarating physical pleasure that always came when they had been together in the past. She had slipped out of his bed the next morning before he had awoken, and since then, not a word had passed between them about what had happened, except for the occasional look of longing that Jack could swear he would see in her eyes from time to time…when she’d take an extra moment to truly look at him.

He had wanted nothing more since that night than to confront her on what it had all meant, but he knew that if he cornered her, he’d never hear the answer he was desperately longing to hear. So after a series of endless days and weeks completely mind-numbing tasks and attempting to keep the base from going completely chaotic under his reign, Jack found himself in Washington D.C., attending a slew of meetings he could care less about, and missing her more and more as the days drug on without her by his side.

The only upside to these meetings with the big wigs was that Sam had actually accompanied him on his trip as far as Washington. Through dumb luck, she had her own series of meetings at Langley AFB. Home to the 1^st Fighter Wing and headquarters of Air Combat Command, the base is the primary provider of air combat forces, and serves as the proponent for intercontinental ballistic missiles and fighter, bomber, reconnaissance and battle-management aircraft. Along with all of that, it also manages command, control, communications, and intelligence systems.

Jack had assigned her a few weeks ago to debrief the base’s top dogs on the latest attempts by Anubis on Earth, but between the forced lockdown of the SGC caused by Anubis himself and Teal’c getting trapped in essentially what was a video game, her opportunity to carry out his orders had not come up until now. It had been a casual and uneventful trip on the streamline jetliner they had traveled on, and upon arriving at the airport, Jack watched as Sam walked in the opposite direction to a helicopter that was waiting to take her the rest of the way to the base. When she had glanced back at him and smiled, he had wanted nothing more than to chuck his own series of meetings and join her. But that damn military discipline had held him back, and so Jack now found himself standing alone in a fancy hotel room, wanting nothing more than to see her beautiful face again.

Upon that thought, he couldn’t help but smile to himself. Looking down at his watch, he jumped as he suddenly realized how much time had passed while he’d been reminiscing. As long as he could get his butt in gear, Jack was going to be able to fulfill his desire to see her again. Now that the last meeting was done, he was due to check out and head back to the SGC, but not without the woman he’d come with. Sam was now back in Washington and was supposed to be finishing up her duties with one final meeting at the White House. The plan as far as she knew was for Jack to pick her up at her hotel and then travel back to the SGC together.

Jack smiled to himself as he began unbuttoning his shirt on his way to a quick shower. What Sam thought she knew was not what Jack had in mind for them…

Jack stepped out the black Lincoln that had been sent to take them to the airport and looked up at the towering figure of Sam’s hotel as he stood before it. Now dressed in khaki pants, a dark grey button down shirt and a leather jacket, Jack took in a big breath rather cool air and smiled. It was a relief to be out of the formal dress blues after having to wear them for days on end, and the fresh air just seemed to emphasize his new found freedom.

Looking up at the front door of the hotel, he knew he couldn’t exactly just walk up to her room, but he figured the least he could do was wait in the lobby for her and help her with her bags. Besides, he was a few minutes early and had nothing else to do. Walking up the small flight of wide stairs to the hotel’s entrance, he was about to reach for the door handle when the door itself came flying open without warning. In a blur of chaotic movement, all Jack saw was a woman with long brunette hair barreling out of the door, her arms loaded with a brief case and a few extra file folders. Obviously not paying attention, her heel caught on the lip of the door frame, and in a tumble of motion, she propelled forward right into Jack.

Not wanting both of them to fall backwards down the stairs, Jack anchored his legs and feet to the pavement and caught her, holding on tight to prevent her from falling forward anymore. When stability seemed to reclaim them again, Jack managed to find his voice as a face finally looked up at him from underneath a mass of brown curls. “So where’s the fire?” Jack said, suddenly finding himself enchanted as a woman with dark eyes and a flawless, creamy complexion looked up at him and smiled sweetly.

Looking embarrassed and grateful all at the same time, the woman regained her composure, moving slowly out of Jack’s arms and finally stood before him. Brushing herself off and attempting to straighten her skirt, she finally spoke up. “I’m so sorry! I’m late for a meeting with the President and I lost track of time working on my presentation…oh crap! My presentation!”

Jack couldn’t help but smile to himself as he watched her squat down and begin to collect the papers that had escaped the confinements of the folder they’d been in. She reminded him of himself and all the late and missed meetings that he was known for, especially recently, not to mention the unorganized chaos that always seemed to follow him wherever he went. Squatting down beside her, he helped collect the last of the papers and then held them out to her.

Smiling gratefully at him, she reached out and took hold of the papers in his hand, her fingers brushing his as she did. Feeling extremely foolish in front of this handsome stranger, she quickly stuffed them back into the folder and stood up. “Thank you so much. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for running into you.”

Jack stuffed his hands into his pockets and gave her a soft grin. “There’s nothing to be sorry about…I’m not.”

The woman studied him for a moment before finally extending her hand. “I’m Kerry Johnson. Nice to meet you, Mr….”

Jack took her hand in his and shook it, noting how soft her skin was. “O’Neill. But you can call me Jack.”

The woman looked stunned for a moment as she held onto his hand before finally releasing it. “General Jack O’Neill?”

It was now Jack’s turn to look surprised. “The same. I take it since you mentioned the President, you must be…”

Kerry finished for him. “CIA. The President’s mentioned you to me.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Oh?? I hope only good things.”

Kerry smiled at him and laughed lightly. “Only good things, I promise.” She held up her fingers in a scout’s salute. “I don’t know all that goes on in the SGC, but I have read some of your reports. What you do sounds fascinating.”

Jack responded lightly. “Well, since you’ve read some of the reports, I take it you must have top level clearance. You’ll have to come by some time…I can give you the VIP tour. I’ll even dust off the red carpet.”

Kerry could feel herself blushing and quickly looked down at her watch. Having forgotten the time, she looked up quickly. “I’d love to continue our chat, but I’ve really got to go if I have any chance at all of presenting this to the President. I’m really sorry.”

For some reason, Jack could tell she truly was sorry and didn’t want to leave. It was a feeling he rather liked…knowing the O’Neill charm hadn’t lost its effectiveness on the opposite sex was just the ego boost he’d been needing, especially with everything that had been going on between him and Sam recently. And if he was honest with himself, he was enjoying the conversation with this woman just as much as she was with him.

Nodding to the street, he spoke up. “Let me help you hail a cab.” Walking down to the road, Jack held up his hand and immediately got a response from a cab that was approaching. As it pulled up to a stop, he opened the back door and held it for her. “Don’t worry about your meeting. I’ll call and let them know you’re coming. Being a general does have its benefits.”

Kerry took a moment and looked into his eyes. They were a dark chocolate brown, and in them she could see he was an honest and good-hearted man. Wishing she didn’t have to go, she simply smiled at him and touched the top of his hand with her fingers. “Thanks again, General. I owe you one.”

Jack enjoyed the feel of her fingertips on his hand. It warmed him and made him feel a bit better than he had before he’d met her. “My pleasure…and it’s Jack. If you’re ever up my way, look me up.”

Kerry got into the cab and looked up at him. “I’ll do that…Jack. Maybe I could even repay you with a dinner on me.”

Jack smiled. “Maybe.” Hesitating for a moment, he closed the door and then stepped back as he watched the cab pull away. He found himself suddenly a little disappointed at her leaving, which surprised him greatly. ‘Of course,’ he thought to himself, ‘I’ve been a bit lonely lately. But the last thing I need to do is get into a rebound relationship with anyone…it certainly wouldn’t be fair to either of us.’

He was still standing there a minute later after making the promised phone call on his cell phone when he got a whiff of a familiar scent. Turning around, his eyes found Sam. She was just reaching the bottom step, hauling only a single piece of luggage and her purse. She looked exhausted but beautiful all in the same breath, and in that instant, all thoughts of Kerry flew out of his head. Moving quickly forward, he approached her with a smile and reached out for her bag. “Hey.”

Sam returned his smile, happy to see anyone who didn’t resemble the form of a debriefing or political meeting. She found herself taking in Jack’s casual, sexy appearance and couldn’t prevent her mind from drifting in a direction that she knew wasn’t allowed. Clearing her throat, she finally responded. “Hey. Sorry I’m a few minutes late. Getting back here from the White House in traffic was not fun...and I wasn’t even driving.”

Jack’s laughed. “No problem. Ready to go?”

Sam smiled and nodded. “I never thought I’d be so happy to be returning underground to the SGC.”

Jack smiled to himself as he handed her bag off to their chauffer. Climbing into the car after her, he settled himself into the leather seat after buckling his seat belt. Looking over at her, gave her a sly smile. “We’ll be on our way before you know it.”

Sam studied him for a moment. “What is that supposed to mean? You sound like you know something I don’t.”

Jack had to contain his laughter at her suspicious look. “Nothing, Carter.” Nodding to the driver, he spoke up. “Let’s get to the airport, Dave.”

Dave looked at him through the rear view mirror and smiled. “Yes, Sir.”

An hour later, Sam and Jack were back on the same jet they had taken to Washington and were flying 30,000 feet into the stratosphere. Since the start of the car ride, Sam had been trying to figure out why Jack was acting so mysteriously, but had yet to be successful at getting anything out of him except normal conversation.

So with the plane finally leveled off at their cruising altitude, Sam unbuckled her seatbelt and moved over to one of the plane’s reclining chairs, opposite the one Jack had already situated himself into. Watching him for a moment, she could see he was trying to look innocent and was failing badly at it. Crossing her arms over her chest, she finally spoke up. “Alright, Jack, so what’s going on? I know you well enough to see that you’re hiding something.”

Jack looked over at her and finally decided he could take no more of the suspenseful secrecy and suspicious looks she was giving him. “It’s not that big a deal…we’re just taking a little detour on our way home.”

Sam looked panicked. “What? Where are we going?”

Jack held up his hands. “Just calm down, Carter…you’ll be able to get back to the wonderful world of science…and Pete…in just a few days.” Jack had not intended to mention his name because just saying it made his tongue sting, but he had said it, and the short but awkward silence suddenly between them only proved how lethal his name was.

Sam finally cleared her throat, braving a smile. “So where is it exactly that we’re going?”

Jack shook off the bad karma that Pete’s name had placed in him. Looking over at her, he simply replied. “Just a little side trip. We’ve both been buried in meetings all week, and I thought it would be fun to take just a day or two away from reality. Besides, I told Teal’c and Daniel we’d give them a lift home.”

Trying to keep her patience in check, she asked again. “And where are they exactly.”

Just then, the flight attendant on the plane brought them their requested drinks. As she put them down, she spoke up to Jack. “General, the pilot wanted to let you know that we should be arriving in Williamsburg within the hour.”

Jack nodded and gave her a quick smile. “Thanks, Cheri.” Jack waited until she had disappeared to look back over at Sam. When he did, he could see that she was a little annoyed by the new flight plan. “Hey, don’t give me that look! It’s historic! Do you really think that I could keep Daniel at the base when this opportunity came up?”

Sam was trying to keep her annoyed look as long as possible, but it was hard when he was so utterly charming. “And what opportunity is that?”

Jack gave her an exasperated look. “Oh, come on, Carter…we’re both in meetings for a whole week…what did you think the two of them were going to do the whole time? Play more video games? We know just how successful that was! Besides, T’s been wanting to see more of Earth, and Daniel’s been whining for more ancient things to study, so I thought why not Williamsburg?”

Sam adjusted in her chair. “Williamsburg’s hardly ancient, Jack.”

“I know!” he said a little defensively. “But it’s a win-win situation…Teal’s gets some new culture, learning about how our country got started, and Daniel gets to teach him all about it! I’ve probably killed Teal’s desire to go anywhere else ever again …but we were going to be close by so I thought it might be fun to take even just a day to have a little fun in the sun.”

Sam finally gave him a small smile and reclined her head back on the chair. “So what exactly did you have in mind? I really can’t afford to take much more time away from my lab than what I already have. I’ve got projects that have been piling up as it is.”

Jack was happy to see that she was finally taking to the idea. He had been prepared to just have the pilot change his flight plans and take them back to the SGC if she’d forced his hand. The last thing he wanted to do was get her angry at him; that would only play to Pete’s favor. But seeing that she was beginning to resolve her defenses, he relaxed in his chair. “It’ll just be for tonight and tomorrow. Since Teal’c and Daniel have probably already seen everything there is to see in the historic triangle, I thought it might be fun to spend the day at the water park. I told them to hold off on that piece of fun since I was hoping to arrange it so we could join them.”

Sam looked up at him. “A water park? Jack…I don’t even have a swimsuit!”

Jack just shook his head and smiled. “That’s what stores are for, Carter. Besides, you’ll probably find a great deal on one this time of year, especially since we’re already into September.”

Sam considered the notion for a moment. She hadn’t been to a water park since she was a teenager; her life had just become too involved in her research and career goals to focus on anything else outside of that realm…at least as far as water parks went. Finally sighing, she looked over at Jack and smiled. “Alright, I’m game…but I’m not going to wear a bikini. It’s going to be weird enough for me walking around in a bathing suit…especially in front of Teal’c and Daniel.” Pausing for only a moment, she went on, her voice softer and her face more serious. “And you have to promise me you’ll behave.”

Jack didn’t need any further clarifications on what she was referring to. Since that one amazing night between them a few weeks ago, Jack had been sensing a little more tension coming from Sam that had not been there before. He had been wanting to talk about what had happened so badly that it was all he could do to contain himself from doing just that. But he feared it would push her even further away and he wasn’t willing to take that risk. Getting time alone with her was precious enough, and getting almost a full two days was like a dream come true. Of course Daniel and Teal’c would be with them, but Jack was fairly confident he could rely on Teal’c to see that he and Sam found a few moments alone together.

So giving her a simple, half smile, he nodded. “I promise.”

Two hours later, they were riding the elevator up to their respective hotel rooms. After landing, they’d found a rental car waiting for them and directions to the hotel where Teal’c and Daniel had been staying all week. Upon check-in, Sam and Jack’s bags were taken up to their rooms ahead of them while they finished up the necessary paperwork. Jack insisted on paying for her room despite Sam’s protests, volleying in his favor that since it had been his idea, it was only right for him to foot the bill.

“So,” Sam said, as they exited the elevator a minute later, “isn’t it awfully convenient that Teal’c and Daniel have their room just a few doors down from the two we’re staying in?”

Jack gave her a sidelong look and just shrugged his shoulders. “Coincidence?”

They arrived at Sam’s room number and stopped outside the door. Fishing for her key inside the envelope it had been placed in, she just shook her head and smiled. “I don’t think so, Sir. I’d say you planned this from the start…before we left for our meetings.”

When she looked up at him, to her surprise, Jack just smiled at her and nodded. “Guilty as charged. So since I’ve now confessed, do you think we can move past this and enjoy the few hours we have here before I have to go back to the SCG and play General again?”

Sam smiled back at him and then saluted. “Yes, Sir.” Looking down at her watch, she went on. “So when do we eat? I’m starving.”

Jack’s stomach seemed to have heard her as it involuntarily let out a light rumble. They both laughed for a moment before Jack answered her. “Teal’c and Daniel are going to meet us for dinner at a seafood place down the street in 30 minutes. Apparently, Teal’c has taken a tremendous liking to it. I would imagine that the restaurant will be happy to see their vacation end if he’s been eating as much there as he eats at the base. I’m betting their running out of food and Daniel’s running out of money.”

Sam slipped her room key in the door and pushed it open. Turning around, she gave Jack a soft smile. “I’ll meet you in the lobby in 20 minutes. I’m going to grab a much needed shower since I didn’t have time for one after my last meeting.”

Jack nodded. “Sounds good. See you then.” As Sam shut the door, Jack walked to his room. Opening it up, the idea of Sam naked and wet in the very next room had him suddenly feeling the need for a shower…but instead of a hot one, it was going to have to be cold...very cold.

An hour later, Sam, Jack, Teal’c, and Daniel sat comfortably together in a large booth in the corner of what was now Teal’c favorite restaurant. As the waitress walked away after taking their orders, Daniel sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “So…did you guys have fun?”

Jack gave Daniel an annoyed look. “Oh, I don’t know, Daniel, does hours upon hours of meetings with generals, the president, and practically everyone who answers to him sound fun to you?”

Daniel took a moment, gave Jack a quick, stiff smile, and then looked over at Sam. “So Sam, how was your week?”

Sam glanced over at Jack with a hidden smile and then looked back at Daniel. “It was productive…busy but productive. But I’m definitely glad to be done with it. Now all I have to do is submit my report to the General.” Sam looked over at Jack and gave him a smile.

Jack smiled back at her. “Don’t you worry yourself about that report right now; I’ll give you a few extra days to get it to me. For the next 24 hours, your brain needs to focus on just one thing…fun.”

Daniel spoke up. “It’s supposed to be a perfect weather day tomorrow. We’re going to Water Country USA right?”

Teal’c raised an eyebrow. “What is Water Country USA?”

Daniel looked over at him. “That’s the water park I was telling you about, remember?”

Teal’c sat up a little straighter. “I am unsure, Daniel Jackson. You have informed me of so much.”

Sam and Jack smirked at each other over the tone in Teal’c voice. When Daniel noticed it, he spoke up a little defensively. “What’s so funny?”

Jack shook his head. “Oh nothing…we just figured that you’d be filling T’s head here with all that wonderful historical information.”

“This is where the country basically had its start, Jack! I’m sorry if I felt Teal’c would enjoy learning about it.” In a slight huff, Daniel plucked a hushpuppy* out of the basket in the center of the table and popped it in his mouth.

Jack waved his hand at him. “Oh Daniel, relax! We’re just having a bit of fun. I’m sure Teal’c enjoyed all you taught him.”

Teal’c nodded and spoke up. “Indeed.”

Sam was happy to hear the familiar and comfortable banter between her teammates once again. For some reason it seemed like it had been forever since they had just found time to be together as friends. It felt good and helped in her mind to reduce the tension that had been building between her and Jack ever since that one careless night that she had allowed her true feelings to rule over her reasoning. It had been wonderful…to that she was not going to deny. But she also knew it could never happen again…there was too much at stake and she hadn’t come this far to jeopardize it now.

Refocusing her attention on the group conversation in play, she discovered Jack and Daniel were going back and forth with Teal’c in their descriptions of what a water park was and everything a person could do there. Upon one of Daniel’s descriptions, Jack looked over at Sam and studied her for a moment before finally giving her a small smile. Sam knew instinctively that Jack was probably picking up on her “lost in thought” look, but hoped he would just brush it off and not question her on it.

Trying her best to deter him, she took a momentary pause in the conversation to speak up. “Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I certainly didn’t come prepared for this little excursion. After dinner, I’m going to have to go by some place to pick up the appropriate attire for our outing tomorrow.”

Jack spoke up first. “Not to worry, Carter. We’re all in need of swimsuits...personally I think mine dates back to the 70’s.” At this comment, they all broke out into quiet laughter. “I’m sure the local mall will be open for a few more hours.”

*hushpuppy: a popular southern food, usually served as an appetizer; the recipe is basically made up of corn meal and fried to a golden brown…very tasty! (I just wanted to clarify for those of you not in the USA or those who have never heard of it…it’s a strange name, but got its origin from owners of dogs who use to fry up these tasty treats and feed them to their dogs to stop their barking…hence the term “hushpuppy”!!)

A few minutes later their food arrived, and after enjoying a wonderful meal, they were off to the local mall to purchase new swimsuits, with Sam and Jack in one car, following Teal’c and Daniel, who were leading the way. As they drove in silence for a few minutes, taking in the scenery around them that was now being painted in soft strokes by the last few rays of sunlight from the disappearing day, Sam spoke up softly, keeping her gaze focused on the buildings outside her car window.

“I have to say, Jack, I had my doubts when you first mentioned this idea to me…but I think tomorrow should be a lot of fun.” Looking over at him finally, she smiled. “Thanks.”

Jack stared into her eyes for a moment, overwhelmed by so many emotions he could hardly find words. He knew her “thanks” ran so much deeper than what it generally meant, but for the sake of the evening and the day ahead of them, he let it drop. Bringing his eyes back to the road in front of him, he finally managed to say something, his voice almost softer than hers had been. “You’re welcome.”

The next day had dawned bright and beautiful as predicted. The temperatures were estimated to climb into the mid 80’s by the afternoon, and as the morning wore on and the sun beat down on the earth with bright, hot, humid rays of sunlight, a day at the water park was turning out to be a very fruitful idea.

Water Country USA was playing out one of the last days of its season, and with the current day being a Saturday, the crowds had come early for a last taste of summer fun before Fall and Winter took its full grip on the surrounding countryside. Sam, Jack, Teal’c, and Daniel were among those first through the gate, and after renting several lockers to contain their personal belongings while they were out having fun, the group headed towards the main part of the park to start their adventure.

The water park itself was nestled into the beautiful rustic setting of the hills surrounding Williamsburg, Virginia. Bordered on all sides by towering Oak, Maple, and Pine trees, the feel of a generic amusement park was left behind by something that could only be described as unique and memorable.

Moving off the main pathway, Daniel got out the map and held it open. “So, where do you want to start?”

Jack, who was still trying very hard not to be distracted by the fact that Sam was standing right next to him in a stunning red one-piece bathing suit that only accentuated her curves and figure, rolled his eyes. “Daniel, for once can you just take life by the horns and see where it leads you? Do you always need a map or book or some other directional guide to show you the way?”

Daniel just looked at him dumbfounded. “I’m sorry…I was just trying to see where we were in conjunction to where everything else was.” Folding the map, he crossed his arms and cocked his head to one side. “Okay, Jack, where do you want to go?”

Jack just shrugged. “I don’t know…T…any ideas?”

They all looked over at Teal’c, who was dressed in black swim trunks, a white Williamsburg T-shirt, flip flops, and a ball cap placed backwards on his head, concealing the emblem stamped on his forehead. Without all the standard gear he usually wore for missions, he looked even more intimidating than before, dwarfing all of them as he stood in the warm sunshine with muscles bulging. After eyeing a pair of scantily-clad girls in small, tight bikinis, he looked over at Jack. “I am unsure of what we are to do here, O’Neill.”

Jack looked over his shoulder at the closest water ride, properly titled “Wild Thang”. Moving over to Teal’c, he slapped him lightly on the back. “No worries buddy. Let’s start with this ride and after that I think you’ll have a better understanding of what goes on here.” Giving a wink in Sam’s direction, he moved off with Teal’c as Sam followed. Looking briefly over his shoulder, he yelled back in Daniel’s direction. “Are you going to join us, Daniel?”

“Huh?” Daniel looked up from the map to find his group slowly moving away from him. Hastily folding up the map, he started after them. “Wait up…I’m coming.”

Reaching the ride, they were happy to see that the lines had not grown too long yet, and after climbing stairs and waiting for about ten minutes, they finally reached the top. As the riders ahead of them climbed into their respective rafts, Teal’c watched warily and then glanced down over the expanse of slides below them. “Is this wise?”

Daniel, who was closest to him, smiled. “It’s fun, Teal’c, I promise. Look, I’ll ride with you on this first one. I think you’ll find it’s a lot less scary than it appears.”

Teal’c glanced over at Daniel before answering him, his eyebrow raising as he spoke. “I did not say it was afraid…I said perhaps it is unwise.”

Jack placed a hand on Teal’c shoulder. “Not to worry, my friend. Just watch Carter and I…it’s easy.” Placing his other hand lightly on the small of Sam’s back, he guided her forward towards the water entrance as he dropped their raft in ahead of them. Getting in first, he opened up his legs wide enough for Sam to position herself in front of him. As she did, he quietly sucked in air as her body slid back, her legs touching his…her fingers brushing his as she reached for the hand grips on either side of the raft. Jack had to close his eyes for a moment to keep the world from suddenly spinning as his lower region responded sharply to having her so close.

Grateful Teal’c and Daniel couldn’t read his face, he shook off his feelings as best he could and gave them a blind thumbs up. Sam looked back at them and then glanced at Jack, giving him a silly smile. Jack responded in kind. “Are you ready for this Colonel?”

Sam just shook her head. “No, but it should be interesting, General.”

Jack patted her hand lightly. “Ah, just relax and have fun. Give that brain of yours a day off and just enjoy being a kid again.” With that, the green light beside them flipped on and the lifeguard gave them a nod. Pushing off, a rush of water blasted them forward, propelling them down the spiraling slide in front of them. At the first sharp turn, Sam happily screamed and Jack laughed, loving the feel of the water as it splashed on his face.

The raft continued to rock back and forth as it went around curves and then suddenly dropped down the final shoot of slide. With them both yelling now, the raft hit the pool of water that awaited them with a big splash, sending water into the boat and over both of them. Laughing, they both wiped water from their faces and then quickly tumbled out of the raft.

Jack grabbed the rafted and pulled it with him as they exited the pool, working their way up the wide steps to the concrete pavement. Throwing the raft in the pile in front of him that awaited the next riders, Jack looked over at Sam. Her body literally gleamed as the water ran off of it, her tanned skin reflecting the sunlight beautifully. As she ran her hands through her wet hair, slicking it back, she looked over at him, her eyes bright as she continued to smile.

Sam gave him a little laugh. “What?”

Jack gave her a half smile. “Nothing.”

Sam shook her head. “You’d better not be making fun of me, Jack O’Neill. It was your idea to put me in a bathing suit.”

Jack boldly looked her up and down, making her cheeks blush. “And oh what a great idea it was!” As their eyes met, they locked for a moment until the connection was broken by the next pair of riders as their raft made its final run down the steep slope. Teal’c’s face was lit up like a Christmas tree, with the brightest, carefree smile Jack had ever seen on his face. And Daniel was screaming like a girl, smiling boldly, and obviously loving every moment of it.

As their raft hit the pool of water awaiting them, the combined weight of both of them, along with the amount of speed they’d managed to pick up going down the slide, caused a tremendous splash and forced the raft the flip, dumping them both into the water. Coming up moments later coughing and laughing, Sam and Jack both grinned as they watched their friends collect the raft and make their way towards them.

Jack crossed his arms over his bare chest as they joined them again. “So, Teal’c, you think you’ll like this place?”

Teal’c nodded, a wide smile appearing on his face. “Indeed. It is a most unusual and pleasing way to spend one’s time. Thank you, O’Neill, for bringing us here.”

Satisfied and feeling rather good about himself for coming up with the idea, even if it did have its ulterior motives for winning some time with Sam, Jack found his flip flops where he’d left them and spoke up. “Okay then, team. Let’s head on to the next one.”

The next ride they chose was called “The Jet Scream”, and since it was made for single riders, they all took a raft and made their way to the top of the slides. At the top, they were able to choose from four different slides, two of which were completely enclosed. Sam and Daniel each opted for one of the open slides, still trying to get use to being a kid again, while Jack and Teal’c took on the pitch black tubes, with each one taking off at the same time in order to race each other for a grand finish.

After having a great ride, they all decided to do it again, with Sam and Daniel finally braving the tubes with Jack and Teal’c. Moving on after the second time, they made their way to the “Malibu Pipeline”, a system of intertwining twin black tubes that carries its riders to the bottom with twisting turns, steep drops, and a plunging finish.

The four of them then decided to break for lunch, choosing the “Catalina Grille”, which served fat, juicy hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and chicken strips, all accompanied by greasy but very tasty fries. Taking their food, they found a table that overlooked “Surfer’s Bay”, the massive wave pool that seemed to contain half the park’s population of guests that day.

The sun was high in the sky, flooding the park with bright, warming rays of sunlight that sparkled off the water. Children laughed and adults talked casually with one another; smells of fried food and cotton candy filled the air, and fat, happy pigeons populated the ground, carefully plucking up food that had been carelessly discarded. It was another beautiful day of fun in the sun, and as the team of SG-1 sat and watched those around them, they began to realize how a normal life really played out.

Jack, who had already finished his meal, looked over at Sam plate, which was next to his, and plucked a fry off of it. Popping it in his mouth, he looked over at her and offered her a playful smile, to which she just shook her head and then moved her plate closer to his. “So,” she said, “where is our fearless leader going to take us next?”

Jack just shrugged. “I don’t know…I got us here.” Looking over at Daniel, he nodded. “I think we should let our navigator here take point for a while. Daniel?”

Daniel, who had his attentions focused on the map once again, looked up at Jack. “Huh? Oh right…sorry. Yeah, there are a lot of things we can do this afternoon. Are you guys ready?”

Teal’c, who had consumed basically twice the meal the rest of them had, nodded. “I believe so, Daniel Jackson. Where are we to go next?”

Daniel looked over at the wave pool. “Well, it might not be a bad idea if we just hang out around the wave pool for a little while. It’s still early enough, and since we all just ate, we might want to let our food settle before we attempt any more twisting feats of death.”

Jack finished off the rest of Sam’s fries. “Sounds like a great idea! Lead the way.”

Heading down the stairs, they made their way to the wave pool and began to stake out chairs. Managing to find four in a row, the guys put their shoes on top of each chair in order to claim it. Sam sat down on hers.

Jack looked over at her. “Staying here?”

Sam reclined back on her chair and shut her eyes against the sun, a soft smile on her lips. “This is working well for me. I’ll join you guys in a little while.”

Jack just watched her for a moment, a half-smile forming on his lips. She looked amazing as she basked in the sunlight, her skin glowing against the red color in the fabric of her suit. It was all he could do to walk away from her…all he truly wanted was to scoop her up in his arms and kiss her fully on the lips. It amazed him how deeply seeded she was in his heart…despite all that had gone on between them, his love for her was a strong and sustaining as ever.

Moving off towards the wave pool, he glanced back at her again and was suddenly struck by how he had never known her to actually just relax. It was completely out of character for her, and while he was not complaining about it, he found himself wondering what had brought about the change. Knowing it probably had something to do with Pete, he tried to put it out of his head. Why she was relaxing wasn’t as important as the fact that she actually was doing it.

As Jack walked away, Sam opened her eyes and looked in his direction, lifting her right hand to shield her eyes from the sun. Watching him, she could feel her entire body humming just at the thought of him…his tanned skin, toned upper body and strong, sexy legs. With him wearing just knee-length swim trunks, it had been incredibly hard for her to ignore the desire coursing through her veins.

Forcing herself to picture Pete’s face, she reminded herself of how far she’d come and what was at stake for her if she gave into temptation. The night she’d spent with Jack a few weeks ago had been heaven, but it had also been a mistake, and she knew that if she allowed it to happen again, everything would fall apart… along with everything she was trying to do.

Taking a breath, she closed her eyes again and instead tried to focus on the enjoyable warmth coming from the sun’s rays. But as she did, she could feel her mind trying to pull her back to thoughts of Jack. ‘It’s not going to work,’ she thought to herself. ‘I’m not going to let you do this to me again…you can’t’.

Frustrated at the continued directional pull in her brain, she opened her eyes and sat up. Shielding her eyes again, she scanned the wave pool and spotted her group floating casually near the deeper end. Daniel caught her eye and waved. Waving back, she decided to abandon the idea of rest and hit the water before the waves started up again. Flinching slightly at the shocking cold of the water against her hot skin, Sam slowly made her way towards Jack, Teal’c and Daniel.

For most of the rest of the day, the four friends simply enjoyed the day and the company of each other. They hit rides multiple times like “Big Daddy Falls” and “Aquazoid”. They also took a turn on “Meltdown”, raced each other several times on the “Nitro Racer”, and then took a relaxing but quick turn on the “Hubba Hubba Highway”.

It was coming up on 1700 hours when Sam and Jack made their way back to the locker area in order for Sam to grab some more sunscreen for the pinkish tint that had started on her shoulders. Knowing the peak time of UV exposure had already past, but also knowing they planned to stay for a few more hours, she figured it couldn’t hurt to lather up and prevent anymore rays from causing her sunburn to get worse. Teal’c had been having so much fun, they had quietly decided not to disappoint him by leaving just yet. Besides, they were having fun too.

As they approached the lockers, Jack got a whiff of something that smelled enticing and made his stomach growl. Looking over, he saw a stand that was selling Churros and decided that he couldn’t pass up on something that was fried so perfectly and coated in sugar. Looking over at her, he spoke up. “I think I’m going to give into temptation…are you up for it?” As Sam’s eyes fluttered uneasily to the ground, he realized how his question had come out. Stumbling over his words, he quickly tried to redeem himself. “I meant the Churros, Carter. Do you want a Churro?”

Sam, who was suddenly feeling foolish for allowing herself to react that way, spoke up hastily. “No…I’m fine, thanks. I’ll just go put on some sunscreen and meet you back here.” Not really a question, she didn’t wait for a response. Instead, she gave him a quick smile and then moved off in the direction of the lockers, wanting to kick herself the whole way.

Jack was feeling just as dumb for asking such a loaded question. Shaking his head and smiling to himself at how she always managed to get him acting like a teenager, he moved over to the stand and got in line. The one thing he had going for him was that at least he was still able to affect her like that. The day he couldn’t was the day hope was lost to him. Watching her walk up towards the lockers for another moment, he then redirected his attention back to the Churro stand and prayed that wouldn’t happen.

Sam was almost to the lockers when she stopped, took a deep breath to calm her nerves, and then looked back at Jack. He could be boyishly handsome at one moment, and then ruggedly handsome at the next, and the distance between them made no difference. She had wanted a Churro, but his question had caught her off guard, and after answering him so pathetically she just wanted to crawl under a rock and hide forever.

‘What’s wrong with you, Carter? You can do this…just pull it together!’ Her thoughts began to help her refocus on her strengths, and it was then that she decided she should just walk back and ask him to order her one as well. If she could face the Goa’uld and win, she could certainly face Jack O’Neill and do the same thing, no matter what her heart was trying to tell her.

As she walked back in the direction she’d come from, a sudden and violent explosion blasted apart their perfect day. At one moment, Sam was walking towards Jack, and then next thing she knew an incredibly hot shockwave propelled her into the air. Flying forward a few feet, her body impacted a tree, bounced off, and finally came to a stop next to a line of bushes after rolling on the pavement for a short distance.

Jack, who had been about to give the girl behind the Churro stand his order, ducked instinctively when the explosion suddenly split the air around them. Taking a moment to allow the shock to absorb into his system, he looked up towards the area where smoke was now billowing out from and discovered the explosion had come from where the lockers were located. With his thoughts immediately focused on Sam, panic coursed through his veins, and he mindless dropped the money in his hand and took off running in that direction.

Jack’s body immediately fell into military mode, and as people ran in all directions screaming, some crying, others white with shock and fear, Jack did his best to stay composed. As he got closer to the scene, he began to notice those who had been injured in the blast. Some of the injuries were not as bad as others: minor cuts and scrapes. But then Jack came across a man lying face down on the ground, blood oozing out of his head, and he knew without even checking that the explosion had claimed at least one victim.

Coughing from the black smoke he was now inhaling, all Jack could think about was that in the amount of time that had lapsed between Sam leaving his side and the explosion going off; that would have put her right where it had happened…among the many rows of lockers. As Jack stood up from his crouched position and looked at that very area only a few feet ahead of him, nothing within it resembled what it had once been. Instead of one neat row after another, there was a huge, blackened hole where the blast had occurred, and everything even remotely close to it was now just twisted metal and charred belongings. Anyone who had been in there when the explosion had happened wouldn’t have had a chance.

Jack suddenly felt sick to his stomach, sicker than he could ever remember feeling. The idea that she might be suddenly dead was scarier to him than anything he’d ever faced. They’d looked death in the face before, but there had always been warnings…always a small amount of time, even if it was a fraction, to reflect, to prepare. But not this way…it had been a perfect day, full of sunshine, warm weather, great company, and lots of fun. With all the crap they dealt with on a regular basis, this was the last thing that was supposed to happen.

He could feel a hot, angry tear stretching its long finger down his cheek, and all he wanted to do was scream, kick something as hard as he could, and then collapse into a heap on the ground. But steeling himself against utter despair, he filled up his lungs as much as he could and called out her name. “Sam! Where are you? Answer me!”

He did it over and over again, listening for her voice, but was only met by ones he didn’t recognize. As he scanned the area around the blast zone, it was only then that something caught his eye. Whipping around, he squinted through the blinding smoke, moving his head back and forth for a better view as frantic people and park personnel darted around him. A lone figure, that of a woman, was attempting to sit up from where she had been thrown. She was a short distance from the lockers and had obviously been injured…but what had Jack’s heart going again was that she had short blonde hair…and from what he could tell a bright red one-piece bathing suit.

Moving through the crowd, he got close enough to see that his prayers had been answered. “Sam!” Now running, he was with her in a matter of moments, and kneeling beside her, took either side of her face in his and gently directed it to look up at him. Relief washed over him when her blue eyes met his, and without even thinking about where they were and not really caring, he moved in and kissed her fully on the mouth.

Pulling back, he stared into her eyes. “You’re alive! Thank God! I’d feared the worse when that explosion went off.” Concern settling on his face, he continued urgently. “Are you okay?”

Sam, completely overwhelmed by what had just happened, not to mention Jack’s startling kiss, shook her head. The blast had knocked the wind out of her, and even though she had been hearing Jack calling out desperately for her, she hadn’t been able to respond. Yet despite a few gashes in her side and a cut on her forehead, she was incredibly unhurt and lucky to be alive.

Completely sitting up now, she looked over at Jack and finally responded. “I decided that I wanted a Churro, so I stopped and turned around. I was walking back to you when the explosion happened.”

Jack couldn’t help himself. Still amazed that she hadn’t been more seriously injured or even killed, he reached out and pulled her to him, holding her tight. “Well,” he said quietly with a smile, “I’m so happy you decided to listen to your stomach for once!”

Pulling back, Sam nodded. “I think it definitely saved my life.”

Sirens could now be heard in the distance, closing in fast, as park personnel now began cording off the area as best they could to keep onlookers out of the immediate area. Jack figured they’d be closing the park early, but getting everyone out of there and off the rides was not going to be an easy task.

Just then, a man looking a bit frantic, squatted down in front of them. “Are you two okay? Any major injuries?”

Jack answered as Sam shook her head. “I think she’s okay. We’ll just need to have someone look at her cuts.” They then both looked down at Sam’s side and noticed the blood. Since sitting up, the gash had begun bleeding heavier, enough that it had soaked into the surrounding material of her suit that hadn’t been torn away. A little alarmed, Jack looked around and then glanced up at the man. “Do you have a towel or something we can put on it until then?”

The man nodded quickly. “I’ll be right back.”

Sam began to protest. “Jack, I’m fine. It’s just a little cut.”

“Carter,” Jack said quickly, “a little cut doesn’t allow that much blood to leak out. Now I want you to lie down. You can put your head in my lap.” When he could see she was about to protest, he held up a finger. “No arguments…consider it an order!”

Sam gave him a small nod and then did as she was told, easing down carefully until she was on her back with her head resting comfortably in Jack’s lap. The man then reappeared holding a white towel. “Here you go. I’ll send over one of the EMS personnel when they arrive. They should be here in a few minutes. Someone said they just pulled up.”

Jack nodded. “Thanks.” As the man walked away, Jack began gently running his fingers through her hair as Sam flinched when the towel touched her wound. Holding pressure to it, she tried to focus on the feeling of Jack’s touch and how good it felt. “Thanks, Jack.” Her voice was quiet as she glanced up at him.

Jack simply looked at her, passion filling his eyes, passion he knew he must still withhold. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

Emergency service personnel began to appear, firefighters showing their presence first. They immediately began spraying the area where the explosion had happened with water and then foam to contain any fires they weren’t seeing. Not yet knowing the reason behind it was keeping everyone on edge. Police were now swarming the area, putting up their official tape to keep people out while other officers began talking to those who had witnessed it.

Paramedics began with the most seriously injured, and after about 10 minutes, two of them made their way over to Sam and Jack. “Hi there. I’m Brian and this is Dale. Are you both injured?”

Jack shook his head. “Just her…she’s got a pretty bad gash on her right side.”

Brian nodded. “Okay, let’s take a look.” Taking the towel from Sam’s hand, he gently removed it and began assessing it. “I need to pour some saline over it to get a better look,” he told Sam gently. “This might sting a little.”

Sam nodded and inhaled sharply as he poured out the liquid. With his partner looking over her other cuts, Brian finally spoke up again. “Okay, looks pretty good considering what happened. You’re going to need some stitches to that wound, but I think the rest will be okay without. Have you lost consciousness or did you hit your head when the blast happened?”

Sam answered him. “No. I just had the wind knocked out of me when I impacted the tree.”

Brian shook his head. “Let’s get you on a stretcher and back to one of the ambulances. We can better assess you there and determine if you need to go to the hospital for any X-rays. And we do have a doctor that came with us since the number of injured couldn’t be determined. He should be able to stitch up that wound in no time. We’ll be right back.”

Jack and Sam both thanked them. In the few minutes they had before the two men came back, nothing was said between them. Jack simply continued to hold her head in his lap, running his fingers through her hair.

When Brian and Dale came back, they got Sam onto a stretcher, being as careful as they could not to aggravate her wound anymore. Despite the warm day, Sam had begun to shiver from blood loss, so they covered her with blankets and then strapped her in.

Just as they were about to head off, a detective walked up to them. He nodded briefly at Jack and then looked down at Sam. “I’m Detective Miller. I’m going to need to ask you a few questions and get your statement on what happened, but I’ll let these guys take care of you first. I’ll come find you in a few minutes.” Giving her a short smile, he looked up at Jack. “Sir, may I have a few minutes?”

Jack looked down at Sam, who simply smiled. “I’ll be fine…see you later.”

“Okay,” Jack said. And then looking at Brian, he continued. “Don’t take her to a hospital until you let me know.”

Brian nodded. “No worries. She’s in good hands and we’ll come find you if we need to take her anywhere.”

Jack watched them for a few moments as they moved off with Sam before turning his attention back to Detective Miller, who was waiting patiently. “Sorry…ask away.”

Miller nodded. “First let’s start with your name.”

Jack responded. “Jack O’Neill.” Having deciding he didn’t want to take a chance that someone had seen them, he purposely left out his military rank and hoped the cop wouldn’t dig any further.

Miller scribbled down his name. “And your wife’s?”

Jack was shocked by the question but in the same breath loved the way it sounded. Knowing he couldn’t lie, Jack just shook his head. “She a friend…a good friend. Her name’s Samantha Carter.”

Miller hesitated for a moment. Then shaking his head, he quickly wrote down her name and cleared his throat. “So, where were you when the explosion happened?”

Jack started from the beginning and worked his way through the story to the very end, waiting patiently for the cop to write down the details of his account. He was in the process of asking Jack some more questions when a familiar voice reached his ears.

“Jack!” It was Daniel, waiting with Teal’c on the other side of the police line, not far from where they were standing. They both looked panicked and concerned.

Looking over at Detective Miller, he nodded behind him. “Um, those guys are with us. Can they come in?”

Miller looked over at Daniel and Teal’c, took a brief look at the corded off scene, which had calmed down considerably, and then gave a signal to the cop guarding the line. “Greg, let them in.”

Daniel was the first one to them. “Jack, what happened?! We heard there was an explosion! Are you okay? Where’s Sam?”

Jack held up a finger. “Daniel, I’m fine. Sam does have some minor injuries, but with some stitches and a little time she’ll be okay. They’re looking her over in one of the ambulances outside.”

Daniel ran a hand through his hair. “Thank God the two of you weren’t more seriously injured. When Teal’c and I heard there’d been an explosion by the lockers, we feared the worse. What caused it?”

Detective Miller stepped into the conversation. “We don’t know yet, but unfortunately we can’t rule out foul play.

Teal’c spoke up. “Have there been a great amount of casualties?”

Miller shook his head. “Sorry, but I can’t release that information to you just yet.” Writing something else down on his notepad, he spoke up again. “Look, I’m going to go and interview your friend. Thanks for all your information. I’ll be in touch if I need anything else.”

Jack nodded. “No problem. And tell Sam we’ll be by to see her in a few minutes.”

Miller gave him a smile. “We’ll do.” Moving off, he walked up towards the entrance of the park and then turned around when he knew they couldn’t see him anymore. Watching the three men discuss what had happened, Miller thought to himself. ‘Samantha Carter…where do I know that name?’ Taking another look at Jack, he finally turned around and moved off to where Sam was supposed to be. Hopefully after talking to her, he’d be able to place where he’d heard her name before.

Ten minutes later, Miller was just finishing up his questions with Sam when Jack, Teal’c, and Daniel joined them. Jack, happy to see Sam with more color on her face, smiled. “Hey. Are you okay?”

Sam, who was sitting in the back of the ambulance with her legs hanging out over the edge, returned his smile. “I’m fine. I think I’ve got more bandages on my body then I ever have before…and that’s saying something.”

Miller, listening to their conversation, spoke up. “Why? Have you been in a lot of accidents?”

Sam, skirting the issue as best she could, glanced at her teammates. “Oh just occupational hazard…nothing serious.”

Miller was just about to ask what she did for a living when his cell phone rang. “Excuse me one minute.” Walking a short distance away, he answered it, glancing back at Sam every once in a while. He still hadn’t been able to place her and it was driving him nuts.

While Detective Miller was on the phone, Dale appeared from one side of the ambulance. “So Colonel Carter, are you feeling better?”

Sam smiled at him. “Much better, thank you.”

Jack looked at the aging paramedic. “Does she have to go the hospital?”

Dale shook his head. “After doing a physical assessment on her, giving her some fluids and letting Dr. Williams sew her up, we don’t see a need for her to make that trip.” Looking back at Sam, he directed his next comment to her. “Just take it easy for a few days. Those cuts should heal nicely, and you can have the stitches removed in seven days by your doctor on the base.”

Daniel responded. “Well, that’s good news.”

As Sam stood up gingerly, Jack moved over to her side and offered his arm for support. “Thanks again, Dale, for all your help. Please give Brian my thanks as well. I know you’ve probably both got a lot more to do.”

Just then, Detective Miller walked back over and Jack looked over at him. “Any more questions, cause if not, I’m sure Sam would like to just lay down and rest.”

Miller shook his head. “We’re done here. Thanks for your help and have a safe trip home.”

Leading Sam away, with Teal’c and Daniel in tow, a voice suddenly followed them. “Take care, Colonel!” It was Brian, who had reappeared after treating another patient. Sam turned around and offered him a wave back and then continued on.

Watching them walk away, Detective Miller suddenly looked over at Brian. “Did you say Colonel?”

Brian nodded. “Yep…she’s a colonel in the Air Force. Pretty cool if you ask me.”

Colonel Samantha Carter. Out of nowhere, the realization of who she was suddenly slapped him in the face. He had gotten her name initially from the paramedics, so he’d never asked her for her name himself. Nodding at the paramedics, he walked away and opened up his cell phone. Looking up his contact information, he picked out the name he was looking for and dialed the number. As he watched the group of strangers walk further away with Sam holding onto Jack’s arm for support, the person on the other end picked up.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me,” Miller said quietly. “You’ll never guess the kind of day I’ve had, and more specifically, who I just met…”

Later that evening, after sharing a couple of large pizzas in Sam’s hotel room, Teal’c and Daniel said their goodnights and walked back to their own room. With an early flight back to Colorado Springs in the morning, everyone seemed happily but thoroughly exhausted from a very eventful day and ready for bed.

Jack stood up shortly after they left and looked down at Sam, who was lounging comfortably in one of the cushioned chairs with an ottoman. On their way back to the hotel, they’d filled a prescription for some pain medication that the doctor had given an order for in case she needed any for the first few days.

“You gonna be okay?” Jack said, looking down at her with soft, caring eyes.

Sam gave him a sleepy smile. “I’ll be fine. That pain medication I just took is already kicking in. I’m going to go take a quick, hot shower and then disappear under my covers for the rest of the night.”

Jack nodded. “Well, if you need anything, I’m right next door.”

Sam watched him for a moment. There was so much confusion running through her body as she looked into his eyes that it almost hurt more than her current injuries. Quickly looking away, she nodded, trying to choke back the emotion forming in her throat.

Jack wasn’t sure what to say next. He knew what he wanted to say, but he also knew he couldn’t. Deciding retreat was the best option, he moved over to her, bent down, and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Walking to the door, he hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should say more, but then decided against it and reached for the door knob. Stepping out of her room, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it for a moment. Letting out a heavy breath, he found himself hoping as he started walking back to his room alone that it wouldn’t prove to be symbolic for his future. He could tell Sam was at least confused in the decision she had made for her life regarding Pete, but what he couldn’t see was which way she was leaning…and that scared him, more than even he was willing to admit to himself.

Back in her room, Sam made her way into the bathroom and turned on the hot water. Carefully stripping off her clothes, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Starring into her own eyes, she found herself wondering how she’d allowed herself to get to this point. It was supposed to have been easier than this…her thoughts and reasoning clear cut. But as the steam from the running water slowly started fogging up the mirror, she backed away and got into the shower, hoping to drown out those very thoughts now running rampant in her head.

What was she going to do? Pete was in her life now, a happy, stable part of her life. But every day that went by, Jack was inching his way back into her heart…and for the first time since it all began, she allowed herself to wonder what the consequences really would be if she allowed him in and simply forgot all that she was trying to accomplish.

  Next Story---> "And So It Goes"

Did you like this one? Is the new font easier to read?

Back to start of Series Index

Home Page