Title: Tactical Combat

Chapter: 3

Summary: Anger, fear and mistrust can destroy even the strongest of people. But if you know someone well enough, they'll know before you do, that you've forgiven them. For Sam and Jack is there enough to go around? S/J UST

A/N: Just tying up the end bits from last chapter! I was rather disappointed at the lack of reviews from chapter 2, it seems either you guys didn't read it, or you forgot to tell me what you thought. But read and see if you were right with your conclusions!

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24-11-2005 A/N:

I know there was a bit of problem with this chapter's uploading. It's obviously been cleared up now! Sorry about that guys! Thanks for sticking around!

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He should have known she would see through him eventually, she was too damn brainy not to. He hadn't meant to snap at her, but his subconscious self was nagging him about how incredibly stupid this whole thing was becoming. Stupid and ridiculous because she was right; it was his fault, and he'd decided to make her feel bad about it.

Now he'd pushed her too far. Jack really hadn't meant to make her see what he already feared and knew in his heart. He'd just made the situation a whole lot worse than it already was. He should have just told her off, told her it wasn't really her fault, he was sorry, and left it at that.

"You don't trust me any more," His words rang and resounded off the concrete walls.

Taking in a deep breath, he moved a step further away from her. Sam let her back slide down the wall until she was hugging her knees. Her eyes avoided his; scared of making the current situation any worse and she remained silent.

"You don't trust me," He repeated again softly, not wanting to face facts. He sat down on the bench in center of the room.

"I do," She said softly. Her eyes automatically flashed to the very eyes she was trying to avoid.

"I trust you. Really, I do. Like no one else," She insisted, her blue eyes genuinely pleading with him. "Not even Pete."

Jack wanted to believe her, but his stubborn side won out and he refused to believe her. His sarcasm had receded, and it surprised him. Then again, this was pretty much his first fight with her, but he usually laid on the sarcasm thick, even with Daniel, "You're lying,"

"No, I'm not," She insisted firmly. "If you trusted me then you'd know I was telling you the truth,"

Without thinking, he defended himself, protesting, "I trust you!"

"Then why won't you believe me?" Sam said grumpily. Jack looked at her bewildered. How fast could this woman switch moods? One minute he had everything on her, and now he could barely keep up!

"I…" He stopped to think.

"It's a two way thing. Sir." Her eyes twinkled at him, and he knew he was had. Damn her for being a genius. He might have started off with the advantage, but she had run loops around him before he realized.

He tiredly wiped a hand over his face, stealing a glance at his watch. They had been gone for about a quarter of an hour. "Gah! I can't believe this is happening today. But we'd better get back before they start making up stories,"

"Oh believe me, this wasn't my idea of a birthday either,"

He glared at her, for upsetting the peace process. "Well, excuse me for planning you a party to get you to lighten up!"

Her face softened, a look of appreciation gracing her features, "You really did that?"

Suddenly uncomfortable, Jack looked away embarrassed, "Well, Daniel, Janet, Cassie and Teal'c insisted it be done right, I just provided the venue."

"I'm sure you did more than that," Carter looked at her CO pointedly. She hadn't failed to notice that this look always made him spill what he was up to while he'd led SG1. "Fess up,"

"So I made a couple of phone calls, pulled a few strings," He said quickly. "No biggie."

"Phone calls that went all the way across the galaxy?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, its gunna be one helluva phone bill," He mused distractedly, squinting at her, "You think I'll get a discount? I mean, it's certainly far enough and we have saved the planet and all."

"What you mean for the misappropriation of military and government resources?" she pondered for a moment, "Nah?"

She flashed him a smile and he grinned back. At the same time they realized they were both okay once again. It was a little bewildering how they could make up without saying anything at all. For now anyway, there were things that needed to be said.

Straightening and clicking his fingers once, his brown eyes dutifully hardened on her, and got straight down to business, "As your CO, I'm extremely disappointed at your conduct, Colonel. What you did was reckless, stupid and dangerous. You put numerous lives at risk… I should toss you outta this mountain. "

"I honestly don't know who's more disappointed right now. Me or your father." Her head snapped up, and her blue eyes darkened on him. She had learnt her lesson very quickly, but what exactly was he trying to pull now. She didn't want to have to deal with this.

"Sorry. But, you know how hard he's been working to salvage what's left of the Alliance. You could have seriously undermined alliances treaties with the rest of our Allies!"

Sam paled, but looked like she had regained her ability to speak, so he quickly pressed on, his eyes softening, with an admiring gaze playing over his features, "But as your friend and punching bag… those were some nice hits you got in there. They hurt, believe me."

She looked a little puzzled, and Jack assumed she didn't get the messaged, so he reiterated as seriously and sincerely as he could, "Ok, I know I really suck at words. But in other words, I'm really sorry. About all the stuff I said, and you didn't do anything wrong at all and…. Just come here."

He took the opportunity to do something that he wouldn't usually do. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, trying to convey without words that they were 'okay'. Sam stiffly responded in his embrace, arms loosely around his waist. Then she heard Jack mumble briefly into her ear, "I'm proud of ya,"

"Uh ok…. You're so weird," She murmured softly, referring to how quickly they'd made up. They had never been able to stay mad at the other, but they had also never fought quite as badly as bad as they had. However, while it settled her concerns for now, she knew that it would inevitably open up more problems in the future. She was amazed but not altogether surprised at their reconciliation, and could only hope it was real and would last.

She completely relaxed, happy in the fact that she was completely assured that things could only get better now. Her hands found their way up to the back of his neck, where they usually rested on such rare occasions.

The woman briefly wondered what her fiancé would say if he saw this. After a quick deliberation, she could honestly say she didn't care, and her once subdued doubts were making themselves heard once again. Pete wasn't the one for her, but then again, she'd already known that.

So she just stood there and enjoyed the rare occasion that she was this close to her secretly admired. The security of his sinewy arms, the strong and warm bulk of his chest, different to any other. The soothing and slightly burnt wood scent. And the aura uniquely his.

The pair didn't move for a long time—time no longer a factor. After a while, it became a time to repair what they had lost over the years, the holes in their friendship and the trust that had never been healed.

She felt his nose on the skin on her neck, and she knew she'd always belong to him, no matter what aliens, laws or rings had to say. She bit her lip, absentmindedly playing with the hair on the back of his neck, berating herself for thinking such things. This was not the way an engaged woman should act about her boss.

Apparently Jack must have sensed this, and he acknowledged her by pulling her even closer, silently thinking that this could be the last time that he would ever hold her, that he could really say she was 'his' for a moment in time. But soon enough, the hardened soldier in him told him it was time to let go, that he'd lose it if they stayed that way for any longer. He would be holding her back.

He reluctantly pulled away from her warm body and casually plopped himself onto the ground next to where she was standing, and started pulling up bits of the gray carpet. After a few moments, he looked up in mild annoyance, "Carter. Sit!"

The Colonel nodded mutely, but didn't make any move to join him, as her mind was still in overload, trying to process the events. O'Neill let out a growl of frustration; occasionally she was the dumbest smart person he'd ever met, right next to Daniel and Thor. His hand shot out to grab hers to yank her down to his level. Unfortunately, with his actions being rather rash, he had failed to predict where she would land—in his lap.

The two of them tumbled into a rather unceremonious heap as her weight was added to his. Jack's arms automatically locked around her waist, holding her firm to him as they both rolled over to lie on their sides. He opened his mouth to say something—an apology, anything—and was met mouth full of mango-scented hair.

"You know Carter, every time you end up on top of me, it just get's better and better." He quipped, trying to ignore what she was doing to his body. His mind was coming to ambivalent decisions, and the problem was he didn't want to release her.

"Sir! I heard that!" Sam chastised him, exasperatedly. Although inside she was reveling at his comment.

She moved her face to see read his expression. He had managed to have enough to have the grace to look guilty. "I know, I know. Inappropriate." Then he muttered almost to himself, "Doesn't mean it's not true, though."

Sam being so close to him, had no trouble hearing his comment, and she was thrown into yet another spin. How could a man so childlike be so complex and enigmatic?

"I heard that too, sir."

Jack didn't say anything, and he didn't have to. Sam knew without looking it, that it was one of those rare times where he got embarrassed to the point of blushing, and the blood was currently rushing to his face. Apparently, it wasn't the only place the blood was rushing, as she felt something poking into her back.

"Er General…" she asked, very cautiously, very timidly. Déjà vu.

He groaned as soon as he caught on, "Its my sidearm I swear."

"Of course sir," She giggled, just like the first time.

"Try not to have too much fun with this, Carter." He threatened, his fingers threatening an assault her ribs. Then he released her from his grasp, keeping his hands away from her body.

"Um sir. Just out of curiosity, just where did you tuck my sidearm?"

"Actually, I can't…" He rolled over onto his back, and instantly arched up in pain, "Argh! No, I think I've found it,"

Slowly, sitting up against the wall again, knees drawn up, he reached back and slipped the sleek silver weapon from the back of his jeans.

"Hmmm…A semi-automatic Kimber Custom Target TSO I fires fifteen, 9mm rounds, with a muzzled velocity of 390mps. Silver plated with a reinforced grip," The ex-Special Ops man grinned like a crazy kid in a candy store as he held it out to her. "Notta bad piece of hardware..."

But when she made a grab for the weapon, he withdrew it out of her reach, "Which of course, brings me to the obvious question. What are you doing with this, Carter?"

He opened his fingers from the weapon, letting it rest in his open palm. The previously discharging weapon now lay innocently glinting in the changing room lights. But of course, both of them knew that it was anything but innocent. They both also knew who had the quicker reaction time, so the woman made no further attempt was made to reclaim the gun.

"It's a C.T TSO II." She muttered, correcting him.

"Fine, even worse. What were you doing with a Kimber Custom Target TSO II?" He stressed the last word.

"I don't have to tell you, you know?" She told him tersely.

"No, all I'm allowed to do is rip you a new one. But something happened to you, and as a friend, I want to know what that was, so I'm asking you to tell me."

Sam shook her blonde head briskly, her hands finding her temples. She didn't know herself what had gotten into her. Ever since Jonas, she'd never quite been the same when it had come to relationships, and it unsettled her that the gun she'd gotten to protect herself from someone she hated had been used against someone she loved.

Then again, her relationships with men had never been very good. Her romantic ones started crashing themselves since about eight years ago. She had a feeling that one Jonathon O'Neill was to blame. But how could she explain that to him?

She remembered back to one of their first missions together. When they went to P3X- 513, and Daniel had eaten Macaroni cheese MRE's, which had tasted like chicken. Explaining to Daniel the men in her life encountered who had lunatic fringes. She remembered whispering to him that the Colonel and Teal'c were on that list too.

That had been a tough mission. She didn't usually let personal issues encroach on her work, but then again, you could get much more personal than a broken engagement and a deranged and violent ex.

After that mission, she had spent countless hours at the shooting range. She'd hesitated to shoot on that mission, and it could have cost Jack his life, she had to be sure it wouldn't happen again. Her team was important to her, not just Jack. She didn't want Daniel or Teal'c getting hurt because she couldn't aim well enough.

She didn't enjoy being hit by her ex-fiancé, and it hadn't been the first time either, only this time, her team was there to see. A team she had had to prove herself to get onto. It reminded her of her vulnerability, and she didn't like it. So she'd gone out and gotten one of the most lethal sidearm one could get their hands on.

There was a big black section on her file; in there, was the censored information from her time served during the Gulf War. And now that General O'Neill was asking about her weapon Carter had no idea whether to tell him or where to even begin. But that was how she'd been able to get contacts with that particular weapon.

Fact was, she would have logged a lot more airtime had she not been 'away' on a classified mission. At the time, her field experience made her a valid, but not the top candidate. However, when the mission had involved numbers and expertise in numerous branches of science, she'd been the only choice.

While on that mission, she had gotten her first glimpse at exactly how dark the war was. It was more than even mission debriefings were, and since then, it had always made her wonder how Black Op's personnel could deal with such conditions. To carry out orders without question, to kill, on a day-to-day basis.

Soon after, she had met Jonas. In retrospect; Sam reasoned she'd probably fallen for him because his life had been blackened by his experiences in covert ops and she wanted to help, but nothing more. It was true; she had a soft spot for a bit of a lunatic fringe, those who tried to stow away emotional baggage or those she wasn't allowed to have.

Which explained Jack O'Neill. After he'd gone through so much, he had still come out on top, not to mention he had all of the above. His independence was something that had drawn her attention to him. She knew he reveled in her attention, but he would never ask her to take care of him.

Not that she didn't love his day-to-day antics. He was sexy as hell when he wanted to be, and forever adorable when he broke something of hers. There was his complete inability to sit still, and not to mention his famous five-year old attention span. Then there was his personality that made him Jack O' Neill, the body, the smile…

And of course… anyone who told Kinsey to 'stick it where it where the Sun don't shine' in front of a rolling camera destined for the White House deserved a second glance.

Problem was, she didn't just glance at him. When her eyes strayed over him, they lingered, pondering the enigma of the package that was her leader. The defense mechanism that he'd erected in the form of snarkism. The dripping sarcasm more often than not distracted the real topic, so that even when it was stressed in critical situations, no one would be any the wiser.

No, there was no way she could explain to him. Baring her soul to him, with no insurance. Even if there were, it wouldn't be now. She just wanted to get away for a while. But he seemed so intent on finding out, and to understand, how could she turn him down.

"I promise, Jack. I will tell you one day," She told him gently, "But right now, I have a party waiting for me, and I just want some cake."

He looked disappointed, but he didn't push any further. Instead, he offered a hand to help her up, "Did I mention we got your favorite type of cake?"

"Triple blue Jell-O with vanilla cake on the bottom?" Her grateful look slowly turning into one of eager anticipatation.

"Yeahsureyabetchya!"

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A/N: This was just typing up loose ends. I decided I wouldn't put another cliffhanger in, because it seems to make people lose interest. I was a bit sad at the lack of reviews the last chapter drew in, but you guys can always make up for it this time and let me know what you think! (Hint! hint! LOL)

…They did manage to make up rather quickly didn't they…? Hehehe, you'll have to see where that goes as well! Oh well, this is from a 14 year old's POV…so if it's too quick a make up…remember back to the inexperienced days…

Anyway, I DO have a rather important question to ask you readers this time, in regards to where you think this story should go.

a) Either I'll tie it up at the party, and be done with it in a chapter or two. OR….

b) I don't end it there, maybe draw it out another few chapters and put them all on a mission that forces Sam and her stubbornness to just dump Pete. This idea can be a sequel, but see; it works only if it's an unestablished Sam/Jack relationship, so that's why I'm interested in where you want this to go. Can't have it both ways!

Anyway, let me know what you thought of this chapter! I'm expecting heaps of reviews for updating so quickly! (Quick for me anyway!)

Storm

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24-11-2005

I know there was a bit of problem with this chapter's uploading. It's obviously been cleared up now! Sorry about that guys! Thanks for sticking around!