Authors Notes:
Pure pointless, plotless, fluff but I like it anyway. If only because the story's initials spell 'OTP' and I like little cute things like that. They make me feel clever ;) As always, thanks go to dragonlady for the beta. Constructive feedback always gratefully received and appreciated.

Disclaimer:
Stargate's not mine as I'm sure you all know,
nor do it's characters belong to me.
This kind of writing earns me no dough,
so you get to read my fic for free!

The two-tone beep of an arriving text message pulled Sam's attention away from the laptop screen at which she'd been staring for the past twenty minutes. Daniel always complained it sounded like an oncoming train, but it was the only tone she'd found which was loud and abrupt enough to cut through the noise of her lab, without sending her reaching for her handgun.

Leaning over, she picked up the offending item from it's place on the side. In truth she was glad for the distraction. It felt like she'd been working on the damn report all morning and it was still no closer to completion than when she'd begun.

Hitting the buttons in sequence, she unlocked the keypad and accessed the message. Had anyone been watching, they would have noticed the way her eyes widened as she reached the end of the message. If they were particularly astute, they would have been able to link this reaction to the frenetic scrolling through the other messages saved on her cell phone and the accessing of various emails on her laptop, which followed.

After several minutes of focused activity, Sam sat back in her chair and blew out a breath. Looking down again at the phone still gripped tightly in her hand, she reread the message. Mouthing the final words when she reached them, as if unable to believe what she was seeing.

She remained staring at the phone in her hand for a long time, before a wide smile spread over her face. Raising her cell, she punched a few more buttons and lifted it the rest of the way to her ear.

The beep which told her she was being connected to the cell she was calling was suddenly replaced with a gruff, harassed-sounding, voice.

"O'Neill."

"Hey."

"Hey!" His voice softened noticeably as he registered who was calling.

"What's up?"

"Nothing." She answered automatically, then grimaced as she realised she was picking up yet another of his bad habits.

"I got your text."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She replied, silently cursing the note of shyness which unbeknown to her had somehow managed to creep its way into her voice.

She cleared her throat, her words coming out far stronger this time.

"You know, you've never actually told me that before."

"What?" His puzzlement was obvious, making her roll her eyes at his cluelessness despite the fact he couldn't see it.

"What you said." She answered with what she felt was an impressive amount of patience.

"In your text." She clarified further when no reply was immediately forthcoming.

The sudden silence from the end of the line was quickly followed by a frantic rustling noise and the soft sound of beeping. She gave a quiet sigh of exasperation and waited not-quite-so-patiently for to him to find the message in question. She knew the precise moment he found it by the sharp intake of breath.

"Oh." He said eventually.

"Yeah…" She said, drawing it out slowly.

He coughed. "Never?"

"Never." She repeated, knowing she was embarrassing him by bringing attention to it but rather enjoying the all too rare opportunity to tease him for a change.

There was a long pause and she could almost hear him thinking through the various memories of their recent times together, for confirmation.

"Really?"

"Really."

There was another pause and this time she just knew he was frowning.

"Not even - "

"Not even then."

This time she couldn't prevent the joyful laughter bubbling up inside her from leaking through.

"Huh."

One more pause.

"You sure?"

"Positive."

She was just as positive that the glee in her voice came through loud and clear.

"How come you're so sure?"

The amused suspicion in his tone told her that he already had a fair idea of the answer. She could feel herself flushing and took a moment to be glad that he was on the other end of a phone-line.

"I - ah - I checked."

The low chuckle he gave at her sheepish admittance sent a flash of warmth through her and immediately had her recanting her previous thought. It was immediately followed by a spark of irritation that he could provoke that kind of reaction, even when intent on embarrassing her.

"So…" He said after a moment.

She waited for him to continue, only for it to become clear that he wasn't going to volunteer any further information. At least not without prompting.

"So…why now?" She asked.

There was a startled silence from the other end of the phone, then he sighed loudly like a person who knew damn well they'd been caught out.

"Ah…I…I didn't even realise I'd said, you know…that."

"You didn't realise?"

She knew she was broadcasting her disbelief loud and clear but she couldn't believe he hadn't known what he was saying! In fact, if he hadn't known, she wasn't sure whether or not to be offended. Or pissed.

It was his turn to sound sheepish and embarrassed.

"Well, yeah…I was tapping out what I wanted to tell you and got a bit distracted…guess it must have just kinda…."

"Written itself?" She asked dryly.

"…slipped out."

She wondered if she could find a way to bend the laws of physics enough to enable her to reach down the phone and strangle him. It couldn't be that difficult.

"I guess I'm so used to thinking it, you know, when we talk, that I just added it on there…"

And as quickly as that the urge to strangle him turned into the urge to kiss him senseless.

He cleared his throat when she didn't reply straight away.

"You're okay with it though, yeah? I mean, it's not that big of a deal…you probably figured it out already, right? You are the smart one here - "

"Jack." She said firmly, cutting him off.

"…Sam?"

"You're babbling."

"Right."

Pause.

"So…we good?"

She couldn't help the brilliant smile that spread over her face. They were way more than good.

"Yeah, we're good."

"Good."

Another pause and he gave a small cough.

"So, I'll see you Friday?"

"Can't wait." She told him honestly.

"Friday, it is then. Ah…"

She smirked as she realised that given the conversation they'd just had, he didn't have a clue how to say goodbye.

"What time?"

"Huh?"

She smiled again at catching him out.

"What time on Friday?"

"Oh! 1900 okay?"

"1900's fine. Oh, and Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too."

-fini-