See disclaimer and other information in Part 1.
The fishing idea came to him in a rush. It would be so cool if he could persuade his three friends to go to Minnesota with him for a few days. He would love Sam to go there with him, always had wanted that, but yearned to have all three of them around. This seemed an appropriate time: to mourn, celebrate and strengthen the close bonds already between them.
He was very pleasantly surprised when all three agreed. After a little secret conflab between Daniel and Teal'c, who weren't entirely unobservant, they managed to find excuses to join Jack and Sam there later, after they had spent some time alone. They deserved that, and probably needed it too. Sam herself had no small part to play in their decision, and Jack wasn't aware of that, but was more than happy to be alone there with Sam first. It seemed he might get the best of both worlds.
Jack was thrilled by Sam's reaction on arriving at the cabin. She ooohed and ahhhed in all the right places and spent a long time simply admiring the view, more relaxed than he had seen her for a long time. It seemed they were growing into each other, getting increasingly comfortable with the change in their relationship.
It had always bothered him that, if they ever got their acts together, they would find it too hard to make that kind of adjustment. They had suppressed their mutual feelings for so long and a lot had happened over the years that bought them together as teammates and friends, but might not be so good for that big step to becoming lovers.
Sam had witnessed Jack at his best and worst and if she still wanted to be with him after that it was a dream come true. It was something that amazed him and made him love her all the more. Her acceptance of him, what and who he was, overwhelmed him with emotion. He knew they had a long way to go, but was optimistic that they could make it after all.
To be sitting out in the sunshine at his cabin, holding hands with and cuddling and kissing Sam, was more than Jack had ever believed would happen, but what he'd always wanted if they'd ever got to the cabin before now. Fishing? Who wanted to fish? He grinned at those thoughts because it seemed Sam was willing to try it. He'd always figured that fishing was a code for something else, although he wasn't certain they were ready to go that far yet.
Making love to Sam at his cabin was his greatest fantasy about her, but he wasn't willing to push her into it. The lovemaking would happen when it happened, and he was pretty confident that it would happen one day very soon.
Doing all the domestic chores together, preparing the cabin for habitation, cooking, and washing up, just felt so right. It was great to potter around the place with Sam as if they had always done that kind of thing together. It was also wonderful to suddenly stop what they were doing and kiss, or cuddle, or simply touch each other. They were very tactile, both wanting to demonstrate how they felt. Jack was verbally reticent about his feelings but incredibly good at expressing them in non-verbal ways, from the expression in his eyes through to the touch of his fingertips.
Sometimes he would simply stop what he was doing and watch her move around; she had such poise and beauty that it made him breathless, and he was still disbelieving that she was there with him, where he had always dreamed of her being. She would become aware of his eyes on her and turn to look. Their eyes would meet, their fingers would touch or Jack's hands might brush or grasp her arm, or rest against her back.
There was almost constant communication between them, even when no words were spoken. It had seemed that way for years; that they could communicate without speech, with notable exceptions, of course. This was something different, something so much more than they had previously encountered.
He spent a lot of time just staring and congratulating himself on his good fortune. In the past, those had mainly been covert moments, but now he could be as open as he pleased. It was such a load off his shoulders to be free to do that and he was more relaxed than he had been in years.
Now he had the chance of this new life, he wanted to grasp the opportunity with both hands. He was still reeling from the fact that he was getting that chance as he had almost given up hope of it. Sam's decision to marry Pete had broken his heart. Given what she'd told him, he now wished he'd been more open with her earlier, but had never believed he had that right.
Sam was her own woman, with her own life to lead, and he would always respect that. She should never be expected to merely be an appendage to any man and Jack would never demand such a thing from her. The story Sam had told him about Pete and the house, and the dog, had merely confirmed to him that Pete was the wrong guy.
It was evident that Pete had loved Sam very much, who wouldn't for crying out loud, but she had suddenly seen a future where Pete was controlling her life. That was unacceptable to her and she had started to realise her mistake.
In a way he might have Pete to thank for the impetus that had led them both to his cabin now, and that was pretty ironic. Poor guy! Jack knew what a broken heart was like and felt sorry for Pete, although the whole situation was filled with the sort of irony that tickled Jack's often perverse sense of humor.
After all the travelling and excitement, both Jack and Sam were tired and decided an early night was appropriate. Jack had promised Sam they'd go somewhere next day, maybe for a walk, or a drive around the area. They were planning an early start.
They had dumped their bags on the floor on arrival and Jack picked Sam's up now, carrying it to the master bedroom, leading her there. They had a brief tour of the cabin earlier, but had not settled the sleeping arrangements.
"So, if you take my room, I'll bunk in here," He indicated the spare, "and we'll sort it out properly when the guys arrive."
Sam remained silent and merely nodded. This was not what she had in mind and she figured Jack would probably prefer different sleeping arrangements too. He was trying to be a gentleman, not pushing her to sleep with him until she was truly ready, and she thought that was incredibly considerate of him, but she wanted to be with him.
She changed into the negligee she'd bought especially for this moment, surveying herself in the mirror to ensure she looked good for Jack. Having fiddled with her hair, examined the state of her skin and generally bemoaned the fact that she could probably look better, she thought, 'It'll have to do.' Taking a few deep breaths, her nerves having started to get the better of her, she finally plucked up the courage to approach Jack's room.
A vision of loveliness appeared at his door causing him to catch his breath. He saw none of the flaws that Sam had seen during her own self-examination. To him she looked beautiful, but then he thought she was beautiful in BDUs and covered with grime after a hard mission, so couldn't claim to be entirely impartial.
"Wow!" he exclaimed, his eyes wondering the length of her body, taking in every detail. "You look… stunning." He declared.
"I'm glad you think so, Jack, because I bought this especially for you."
He would never have figured brown as Sam's color but the satin and lace of her negligee made her lean frame appear voluptuous and inviting, enhancing her tanned skin. Her blue eyes shone and sparkled, appearing brighter against the colour of the negligee. Her nipples were taut beneath the fabric, the curve of her pert breasts perfect in their symmetry with the rest of her body. They were firm, ripe and provocative and he was itching to get his hands on them. Her bare arms were lean but muscular, and he was dying to see those long lithe legs in their naked form, suspecting they would be similarly proportioned.
It was very clear that she wanted to be seduced and Jack was extremely happy to oblige, but his mouth was suddenly dry with nerves and he felt himself shiver with both desire and apprehension. The sexual tension that had built up between them over the years was about to be released, but the prospect was scary because that same tension made him doubt his own abilities to be desirable and to pleasure her.
Jack swallowed hard, trying to bite back his self-doubt, and tentatively reached out to stroke her arm, his shaking hand moving up towards her face and cupping her cheek in its calloused fingers. She shivered and also seemed to be slightly shaky. The realisation that she, too, was nervous freed him from his own trepidation.
Breathless and dizzy with desire, his lips sought hers, and one arm snaked around her back, pulling her close. The kiss was filled with lust, their tongues clashing and fighting for domination, and Sam believed she had never encountered a kiss both as sweet and as passionate.
When they pulled apart, staring into each other's eyes, which were filled with equal hunger, Sam took his hand and led him back to the master bedroom; the room she wanted them to share.
'Holy Mother of God,' thought Jack, 'this is like a dream. Is it really happening?'
"Pinch me, Sam, I wanna know this is real." He whispered aloud as they entered the room and faced each other.
In response she smiled shyly, running her hand over his chest and pinching one of his nipples through his sleeveless undershirt. Jack grunted as a delicious shiver ran through his body.
"It's real." She said, her lips kissing his neck. "And don't ask me if I'm sure this is what I want, Jack," she knew he would, "because I'm sure. No more procrastination. No more waiting."
His scent was as intoxicating to her as hers was to him. It was as if they had been waiting for this their whole lives. Jack was momentarily very still, nervous that this moment had arrived, but also excited by the prospect of making love to Sam. He gently moved her head to look into her eyes again and she thought she saw some moisture gathering in his.
He was overwhelmed and that notion hit her hard, filling her with more longing, but also nervous tension. She had wanted this to happen for so long and now it was about to she hoped she could live up to his expectations. He always seemed to expect her to be perfect and she didn't want to disappoint. She figured he was feeling the same way.
"You are so beautiful, Sam, just so beautiful." He whispered and then took possession of her lips once more.
His hand pulled at her negligee, lifting it so he couldcaress her silky skin. It was soft, smooth and yielding under his fingertips and a wave of pleasure surged through him. This was really happening. He was going to make love to this truly amazing woman; the woman he loved so deeply that, sometimes, it physically hurt to contemplate it.
She filled both his greatest dreams and worst nightmares, and now he had her in his grasp for real he was never letting her go. He would always belong to her and hoped that she would always belong to him. The word "always" slipped from his lips in a sigh, and she heard it, responding with "yes" and pressing her lips to his. He allowed her to take control of the kiss and was overwhelmed by the emotion it stirred: powerful and totally bewitching.
When she stopped the kiss, meeting his eyes once more, he gently urged her over to the bed, easing her down onto it in a prone position. Kneeling beside her, for a moment he simply stared, with a look of love she could almost feel, and then his hand moved under her negligee again, running gently up her thigh.
She gripped his arm softly, encouraging him to lie next to her and kiss her again, and he was happy to oblige. Neither of them wanted to rush their love making, despite their desperate need for each other.
Jack grinned, kissing her cheek and slowly pulled her negligee over her head, stripping her at last, and stared admiringly, gasping at the sight of her nakedness.
She was luscious and firm; a scrumptious and tempting fruit waiting to be plucked, ravished and devoured. Drop-dead gorgeous, enchanting and seductive were words that ran through his racing thoughts. Man, he was going to enjoy this! He had frequently wondered and fantasised about what lay beneath her clothing and, now he saw her for real, believed she really was the most desirable woman he'd ever met. Still waters run so deep; she was one foxy lady.
"Truly beautiful." He asserted and she smiled, while her fingers stroked his inner thigh.
They took their time, Jack controlling their lovemaking and holding himself back to give her more pleasure. Afterwards, he pulled her as close to him as possible, wrapping his arms around her lovingly. Her fingers caressed his bare skin with equal affection and they fell asleep in each other's arms, which was something that gratified them both.
When Jack woke at some point in the middle of the night she wasn't there. After a minor panic attack during which he wondered whether it had all been a dream, he got up to look around for her. The bathroom was dark and empty, as was the spare room, but when he entered the living room it was also dark, though far from empty. He could hear her quiet sobbing.
"Sam?" He turned on the light. She was sitting on the couch, her face wet and eyes reddened with tears.
'Crap!' He thought, another minor panic, 'is it me? Is she regretting what we did last night?'
Fearful once more, he sat next to her, cautiously taking hold of her chin and turning her face towards his. Immediately, she took him into her arms and he breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't him. Then what was it?
"I had a nightmare, about dad. I miss him so much, Jack. It's hard to contemplate that I'll never see him again. I'd hoped for so much longer, even though I already had longer than I'd anticipated. We'd gotten so close."
She had said as much in the observation room when Jacob was dying. It was a brief moment that Jack treasured, despite the circumstances; one of the most wonderful and poignant he had ever spent with Sam. She had opened up in a way that was rare and he'd felt closer to her than ever.
Now, he considered it a pivotal moment in the strange set of circumstances that led Sam to his door and into his arms and bed - an instant of unqualified love and enduring friendship. Regardless of all that had happened in the short time since then, he knew he would always cherish the memory: a simple hug, a joining of hands, some soft caresses, an exchange of meaningful glances, and a word – always. It had come from his heart and exposed him, at last.
Although Jacob had died shortly afterwards, something Jack sincerely regretted, this was an almost unprecedented public display of affection and, somehow, it seemed that Jacob held on until he saw his daughter was going to be in safe hands. The moment had briefly broken down the barriers between them and, for once, they reacted as their hearts dictated and without fear, both revealing their feelings in the most extraordinary way.
Subsequent events might have come between the ultimate resolution but, looking back, Jack could see that this outcome had almost been inevitable after that brief moment of total clarity. He wished that he'd acted instead of holding back, waiting for Sam to do it. It just hadn't seemed right in the shadow of Jacob's death, and with Pete still hanging on in the background, as far as Jack knew. If she'd thought to mention that she'd broken it off with Pete, things would have panned out differently. The end result, however, was the same.
Jack knew he had to let go of his fear and embrace his feelings for Sam. It was hard to overcome all those years of denial and sacrifice, but had suddenly become way easier. He was getting there, and very rapidly. The last thing he wanted was to drive her away by pushing her out and being the callous bastard he could too frequently appear to be to those who didn't know him and, sometimes, to those who did.
"C'mere." He said, arms enfolding her, strong, comforting and protective. "I thought you were dealing with it, Sam. I'm so sorry."
"I was dealing… I am… It's just, that you don't get over that kind of thing in a few days."
"I know. But you never said anything. I wish you'd said something; woken me up - anything. I know I'm crap at this kind of thing, but I want to get better, or at least try, so you should..." He tailed off, aware that he was babbling.
"Sometimes you can be so adorable, Jack."
"Adorable? Sweet!" He grinned, his thumb softly caressing her cheek, and then he turned serious again. "If you wanna talk, I'm here. Always."
"Dad would have been happy about that."
"I'm proud to have called him a friend, Sam. He was quite a man."
"Yes, he was."
"I'll miss him too."
"I know."
"I'm glad you know." He held her silently for a while and then continued. "Come back to bed? I promise I'll hold onto you all night and keep you safe and warm, Sam, and keep your nightmares away."
"That's such a beautiful thing to say Jack."
"It is? Maybe I'm not so bad at this kind of thing after all." He smiled. "I've always regretted those times when I couldn't be there for you. I hope you understand why."
"I think so. You could never risk exposing yourself that much."
"See? You know me better than I thought." That pleased him a lot.
Jack led her back to the bedroom, continuing to hold her soothingly. True to his word, he maintained that gentle and loving embrace all night long and Sam slept peacefully in its consoling security.
She was still in his arms when she awoke; acutely aware of his scent, which was musky, manly, and erotic, and of his muscular form so close to her. It suggested the sexual act and her mind wandered to their lovemaking the previous night, and their moments of a different kind of intimacy in the early hours of the morning.
Her stomach churned with excitement, heart beating rapidly at the memories. Despite her mourning and tears for the loss of her father, she didn't believe that she could be much happier than being aware that Jack reciprocated her feelings and was there to hold and comfort her in times of need. Plus, he was hot in bed and had left her gasping and yearning for more, wanting to possess him and be possessed by him.
Sam had often admired the vigorous masculinity and athleticism of Jack's body, which held so much promise even through the loose fitting clothing he generally chose to wear. The clothing only served to make him more tantalising, like forbidden fruit that one might yearn for from afar.
Last night she had seen him stripped bear of that clothing for the first time and what she saw was his powerful strength and sensual, almost feral, grace; potent, alluring, seductive and very pleasing to her eyes. She wanted the chance to explore him intimately, get to know every nook and cranny, every muscle, hair, inch of skin and erogenous zone.
He was a very fit man, despite the frequent, mostly jocular, complaints about his knees and back. That fitness showed. Sure, he was scarred, but these were just part of the rich tapestry which comprised Jack O'Neill: tangible badges of honor, bravery and heroism.
She suspected the scars on the inside were far worse than those he sported on his manful body. His time in a sarcophagus would never heal those, whereas it had repaired much of the old physical damage and scarring.
Wondering what he had looked like naked before his capture by Ba'al, she sighed at the thought. This should have happened between them back then, way back before she met Pete and added to those scars she knew he bore inside – and they were only the ones she knew about! It should have happened years ago. It was a regret that she would have to learn to live with and, now this had happened, she believed that she could. 'Life's too short; live in the here and now,' she thought.
As she lovingly looked at his handsome features, drinking him in, he stirred, opening his eyes to regard her, softly kissing her lips in greeting, a hand caressing her silky flesh with affection.
"I sure could get used to this." He said quietly, wondering how difficult it might be to persuade her to spend every night of the rest of their lives in his arms. His new found confidence in her feelings made him believe that it might be pretty easy to talk her round.
Sam smiled a response, returning his kiss with a short, sweet one of her own. The smell of her sex hit the pleasure centres of his brain and she felt his body's reaction, pulling him closer and grinding herself against him encouragingly. She wanted to make love to this amazing and surprising man.
"Oh man, so it's going to be like that today, huh?" He smiled. "Not that I'm complaining, although I think I might need to visit the bathroom first."
'Definitely could get used to this,' he thought, 'it feels so good to be wanted and desired.' He sighed contentedly.
"Me too, but I don't want to let you go."
"I promise I will be so quick that you won't even notice I'm gone."
"Bet I will." She grinned.
When they were both back in the bedroom, he started to seduce her but she whispered "my turn" and he prepared to obey her sexual whim, aroused by the prospect.
Her fingers lightly stroked his flesh, from the curve of his cheekbone, neck and shoulders to his chest, where she tickled his hair enticingly. Her luscious red lips and wet, hot tongue followed a similar trail, occasionally joined by her teeth, causing him to gasp at her breath on his skin and her light, tormenting touch.
This time, Sam took control of their lovemaking and Jack was thrilled by her athleticism and innovation along with her enthusiasm in exploring him slowly, and dexterously, inch by inch, which was ecstatic and glorious agony.
"That was fantastic." He declared sincerely as they lay in each other's arms. "Man, am I pleased Daniel and Teal'c decided they would join us later, entirely deliberate, I'm sure."
"Of course." She giggled, "I asked them to find an excuse."
"You did?" Jack grinned inanely.
"I wanted you to myself for a while. I wanted this." She said, referring to their lovemaking.
She kissed his forehead and squeezed him with huge affection, which made Jack glow more than the sex had.
"So you're devious, huh? I'll have to keep an eye on you, which won't be much of a hardship I might add."
Sam giggled and kissed his cheek.
"So you think I'm beautiful?" She asked, wanting to bask in the sunshine of his love and any compliment he was willing to give.
"Are you kidding? You know I do. You're the most beautiful woman in this whole sorry universe, Sam, both on the inside and on the outside." He paused to consider his words, "Sometimes, I can't get my breath when I look at you."
"Wow! That's… kind of great." She smiled, "I feel the same way Jack."
"Huh! I'm not exactly a pretty picture, Sam."
"Now you're the one who's kidding. You are an extremely handsome and sexy man, Jack O'Neill."
"I am?"
"Hell, yes!"
Jack's grin filled the whole room and he wondered if things could be any better than this. It had been a long time since he had allowed his feelings to rise to the surface and the whole experience was something very special.
They might not have spoken those three all-important little words, but he knew with certainly that they both felt them. It didn't matter that their love went unspoken, because it was plain to see. Sam had said it while she was drunk, but he'd decided it was best to ignore that. They'd declare it sometime, and probably soon, but they both already knew.
Needless to say, the walk or drive planned for that day never materialised. They were both too wrapped up in each other to care about anything but being together. Next day, Daniel and Teal'c would arrive and they wanted to take advantage of their time alone.
So they made love to each other as often as they could possibly manage, totally exhausting themselves in the process. The rest of the time they stayed so close that each was the shadow of the other. Their exchanged glances and touches only confirmed that they'd made the right choice at last.
On top of that, Jack made her his famous omelette. Sam was highly amused by the fact that she'd been right about the secret ingredient, beer, and proceeded to make fun of him, turning it into quite a game, and a private joke that no one else would ever be privy to. Jack realised he would never live it down so decided that his only option was to run with it and, for some strange reason, it brought them even closer together.
Secretly, Sam admitted that the omelette actually tasted quite good, but she was damned if she was going to tell him that. She didn't have to; he knew, but kept his knowledge to himself and continued to play her game. These were the kind of moments that being in love is made of and both of them were well and truly hooked.
The next day Jack taught her how to fish and she took to it like a natural, happy to sit in the peace and tranquillity that surrounded them. That peace was inevitably broken by the sound of a car engine close to the cabin.
"That's probably them." Jack declared, reluctantly getting up from the dock to greet their two friends. Sam made a move to follow but he told her to stay if she wanted, so she did.
"Fishing Sam?" Daniel said, surprised by the vision in front of him as they approached.
"She gets it Daniel!" Jack was more than a little self-satisfied.
"She does? You do?" Daniel eyed Sam and she smiled, "I'm glad someone does!"
"So why you here then if not to fish?" Jack was light-heartedly quizzical, arching an eyebrow at Daniel.
"To spend some quality time with my best friends, Jack, go figure!" Daniel replied with a broad grin and Jack smiled and nodded an acknowledgement, and thanks, to his friend. It delighted him that Daniel felt that way. Teal'c also smiled, seemingly all knowing like he so often appeared to be. It was a knack with Teal'c.
Having pondered that things couldn't get better, Jack now considered that they just had. He could be alone with Sam almost anytime, that much was very clear, but this might be one of those once in a lifetime experiences with his friends, and he really looked forward to the coming few days.
"Where are your bags?" Jack asked.
"Car. Along with a cooler filled with beer and other interesting things."
"Really? Why didn't you bring them up the lane with you? I'll come give you a hand."
"No, we're fine, aren't we Teal'c? You two just get on with… whatever it was you were doing."
"It's called fishing, Daniel."
"Yeah, whatever."
Daniel waved dismissively in their direction and the two new arrivals went to fetch their things. The fact that Jack and Sam seemed so relaxed together did not go unnoticed and Daniel and Teal'c exchanged knowing glances.
The two friends had driven all the way from Colorado Springs to Minnesota, stopping overnight a couple of times en route. It was an opportunity for Teal'c to see more of his adopted homeland in real vacation style and had been their excuse for arriving later. Jack and Sam, on the other hand, had flown to Minneapolis/Saint Paul, eager to just relax in each other's company, alone at Jack's cabin.
"Peace shattered now I guess." Jack said to Sam.
"A little, perhaps, but things will settle down again." Sam replied and Jack smiled, noting Sam's look of contentment.
"I guess I ought to play host. I'm kind of glad they're here, but also wish they weren't. The last couple of days have been, well, great Sam, more than great. Rank amongst my best."
She got up, smiling and kissing her lover on the cheek.
"Mine too, but let's go and do the host thing - together."
Jack sighed heavily, brushing her arm with his hand, and pursued their friends, with Sam trailing close behind.
"Have a good journey?" Jack enquired when he caught up with them and the two friends nodded, looking happy.
"It's nice here." Daniel said as he surveyed the cabin and surroundings.
"Pleased you came?" Jack asked.
"Yep, and I think I get why you love it here, Jack, but we have only just arrived so give me a chance." He smiled. "I guess it's about time I accepted one of your invitations."
"We're glad you came, aren't we Sam?" Jack said and she nodded.
'Sam?' Daniel thought, 'things must be going real well. That's good.'
"I guess I ought to give you the guided tour of my small domain." Jack said.
He led Daniel into the cabin. Teal'c decided to join them, despite that he had already been there and didn't need the guided tour. He would have been happy to bask in the sunshine and relax, for now. Things had been fraught lately, and he needed this break as much as the rest of them. He had a lot to think about and had not yet discussed the notion of leaving the SGC, but he wanted to observe the interaction between his two good friends O'Neill and Colonel Carter. Now that the Goa'uld had been all but defeated, it was their time.
Jack showed them around, explaining the whys and wherefores of the heating system, the stove and other necessities. Daniel thought he seemed effervescent, unusually cheerful, and noticed the frequent glances exchanged by Jack and Sam. Wanting them to feel open to do as they pleased he decided it was time to throw out a Daniel like hint.
"You're in a good mood, Jack," he commented, "any particular reason?" He was obviously amused, a small smile on his lips and laughter shining in his eyes.
"What makes you ask?" Jack responded, trying to look innocent but unable to stop his face cracking open into an inane grin, his eyes turning towards Sam questioningly. She was standing so close to Jack that they were almost touching and beamed back at him, an almost imperceptible nod of her head indicating agreement.
"I suppose you probably guessed by now," Jack continued, "Sam and I, we… well, we're dating."
"That's such a quaint way of putting it, Jack." Sam added, taking hold of Jack's hand and squeezing, and he placed an arm around her, pulling her close and kissing her hair.
"At last." Daniel grinned.
"Indeed. It has been many years." Said Teal'c with a smile.
"Hey, you'll get no argument from me." Jack agreed amiably.
"I did not believe that Peter Shanahan was the correct choice for you, Colonel Carter." Teal'c commented.
Jack felt Sam tense at the mention of Pete's name. With Teal'c it was not a matter of lacking tact but more to do with not fully understanding the sort of etiquette required in some situations.
"Okay, T, I don't think now's the time to talk about that." Jack intervened quickly. "It's all in the past."
Sam looked up into his eyes gratefully. She couldn't believe how much she loved this man, and how wonderful he had been with her.
"So, me and Teal'c are bunking together, and then you two, huh?" Daniel asked mischievously, having noted that it appeared only one of the beds had been slept in.
"For crying out loud Daniel, you always were too nosey for your own good. You've only just arrived, we've only just told you, and already you're interfering in our sleeping arrangements." Jack complained.
"Don't tell me you and Sam aren't…?"
Sam could see Jack was slightly embarrassed. Trust Daniel to ask the wrong questions. This was a new situation for them all. They had spent so many years hiding their feelings that adjusting was going to take time.
"Yes we are, Daniel," Piped up Sam, "if that is really any of your business, but we'll try not to keep you and Teal'c awake at nights, alright?"
Jack's eyes widened with surprise at her words, and then he broke into a laugh and all the tension dissipated.
"Sam," he said, kissing her briefly on the lips, "now I know why I love you so much."
He blushed, suddenly aware that he had just made that declaration in front of their friends when it should have been made in private. Sam reacted as if they were alone, raising her hand to his face and rubbing his cheekbone with her thumb. He sucked breath through his teeth, waiting for her verbal response.
Feeling like intruders, Daniel and Teal'c backed out of the room, leaving the cabin to go outside and wait for their friends to have their private moment. It was obvious to both of them that Jack hadn't intended those words to slip out that way.
"I didn't mean for it to come out like that Sam." He tried to explain when she didn't say anything. "Damn! I sure choose my moments." He was blushing up to the roots of his hair.
"Now's as good a time as any."
"With Daniel and Teal'c standing right there?" Then he realised that they were gone. "Not very romantic. I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. It's kinda cute." She smiled and his heart fluttered as it so often did when she smiled at him.
"Cute? Okay, I'll take your word for it. Let's hope Daniel and Teal'c agree."
"You don't have to feel embarrassed. They're our friends. Don't worry about them; they'll be fine. They're rooting for us, Jack. They want this almost as much as we do."
"They do? Now that's what I call kinda cute!" he grinned.
"I love you too Jack." She said, smoothing his cheek. "I know I told you that when I was drunk, but that only means I really meant it."
"I know, and you have no idea how great that makes me feel!"
"I could hazard a guess. Me too."
He kissed her to demonstrate those feelings more fully. Actions speak louder than words they say and, although he wasn't totally sure that was true in all circumstances, it was the Jack O'Neill way.
"So, should we join the guys?" She asked, getting her Sam Carter practical head into gear with some difficulty; it had been quite a kiss. "Go out and get on with not catching any fish?"
"Fish? Who needs 'em? I already caught the biggest and best fish I could ever hope for."
She grinned stupidly at him, taking his hand and leading him out to their friends.
A while later, Daniel and Teal'c went for a walk, insisting Jack and Sam stay behind to be alone. Jack had baulked, worried that they would get lost, and Daniel and looked at him witheringly.
"I'm with Teal'c. What can happen? He's Jaffa. They don't get lost."
Teal'c cocked an eyebrow, looking amused.
"Daniel Jackson is correct. You need have no fear O'Neill."
"Okay, you guys go play. Sam and I will fish." He said with a smile, waggling his eyebrows in Sam's direction. She suppressed a grin. "And, T, you know Doc Jackson here is more trouble than a nest of vipers, so take good care of him will ya?"
"Jack…!" Protested Daniel.
"Indeed." Simultaneously Teal'c agreed and Daniel threw him a dirty look but then laughed.
After they left, Jack and Sam went back into the cabin and made love but, by the time their friends returned, they were sitting out on the dock fishing and looking like they'd been there all day.
"Hey guys!" Jack called as the two approached, "Go get the cooler full of beers will ya? There are a couple more folding chairs inside."
As their friends sorted themselves out, Sam sighed with deep satisfaction.
"This is great!" She said with enthusiasm.
"Told ya!" Jack said, smiling. He couldn't seem to wipe the stupid grin off his face, and had no desire to even try.
"I can't believe we didn't do this years ago." She declared.
"Yes, well, let's not dwell."
They exchanged smiles, which spoke volumes, and settled back again waiting for their friends to reappear. Hearing them return they knew that their moment of total contentment and tranquillity would end, but it would be replaced with plenty of other moments, and would always live in their memories.
"There are no fish in this pond, are there?" She asked with amusement in her eyes.
"No." Jack replied, his smile broadening, and Sam giggled, eyeing him fondly.
Behind them, Daniel and Teal'c returned, carrying the cooler between them and one of the folding chairs in each free hand. Jack pretended to ignore them and launched his line out into the water
"Nice!" he exclaimed, enjoying himself tremendously.
Daniel and Teal'c set the chairs up on the grass near the dock and the big Jaffa immediately sat down and surveyed the scene, declaring himself content with what he saw. Daniel walked over to join Jack and Sam on the dock momentarily, pleasing Jack with some flattering comments about Minnesota. After a short conversation he joined Teal'c, sitting down to relax and stare silently out over the water.
"So what do you think about getting a dog?" Sam asked Jack as they continued to fish in the empty pond, knowing he would recall her doubts about Pete and his dog idea, and how that had prompted her to think hard about her feelings. She was certain that this was one man she'd be happy to share a dog with.
"A dog?" He queried with a grin. "Cool!"
The End