Title: He Says She Says

Author: MotatoPotato

Spoilers: Broca Divide, 8-10

Season: 10

Warnings: SJ Ship. Companion to 'Road to Home'. Some language, innuendo

Disclaimer: Not mine. Sadly. I only twist what is there.

Notes: This is tenth in a series of same universe vignettes.

Please tell me what you think...it's how I improve. Enjoy!

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Jack O'Neill didn't even bother to turn around as the offended, and not a little terrified, pipsqueak (which is French for ambassador) escaped from his office. Oh yes. The General was in rare form today. His receptionist watched in bemusement as the smaller man hurried away muttering sullenly under his breath.

Lieutenant Lisa Moore was a little concerned about her usually humorous boss. Oh, she knew he could be sarcastic, short and impatient, but he was always in control. He knew what was at stake, and while he made no effort to hide the former qualities, he also did know when not to push and in what degrees his caustic tongue was allowed freedom. The ambassador looked pushed. As increasingly had many of the General's appointments done today.

She was worried about him. The very fact that he was scheduled to go to Colorado Springs this evening should have meant her job was simpler than usual. A happy O'Neill was a great deal less trouble to work for than an irked O'Neill.

She had yet to meet the General's wife, but it was more fun to speculate anyway. She took a deep breath and stood making her way over to the doorway.

He turned to look at her with a barely concealed irritated air. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to let you know I confirmed your flight, Sir. The airfield has scheduled your flight for 17:00."

She scrutinized him carefully noting that he looked tired and a bit flushed as he nodded curtly. "Thank you Lieutenant. But you can cancel it."

Lisa thought about asking if everything was alright but already knew that she'd get either a glare or an answer of 'yes' no matter what the actual answer might be. So with a mental shrug she turned to leave, still slightly puzzled as she went back to her files.

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Jack watched her leave and slouched back in his chair. He felt generally shitty. //Probably because the damned heat is stuck on the "Hell" setting// he groused internally. Jack kept tugging at his collar uncomfortably. He wasn't supposed to be having a bowl of Froot Loops in his empty house. More like a quiet night together with his wife at home.

The first smile he'd had since he'd gotten Sam's call appeared at that thought. He loved having quiet nights in with her. Or loud nights in. Whatever. Both had equal merit.

He had really been looking forward to just being with her. Preferably with some beer and couch involvement. He scrubbed a hand down his face wearily. He would never admit it out loud, but the past few days particularly had beaten the crap out of him. He just wanted Sam's warmth against him.

Oh, and of course that beer.

Jack hunched back over his desk and tried futilely to concentrate on the reports laid out in front of him. Well crap.

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Lisa heard a growl of frustration and a thud from the office. She was used to the oddity that was General Jack O'Neill, but she couldn't help wondering what had happened between himself and his wife to warrant canceling one of their rare weekends together.

She always knew when Mrs. O'Neill was here since she handled his schedule. A schedule he made Lisa clear substantially when his wife made an appearance. To her envy, she'd never really seen a guy so in love with his wife.

Of course she'd never seen them together, but the General had a twinkling smile in his eyes and a special tone in his voice when he said the word 'wife'.

The first time Lisa had met him, she'd had no idea what to expect. Her first coherent thought after //Damn, he's fucking hot// was //I think I'm going to like working for him. // She was in awe over his friendly, unGenerallike and undemanding approach. Of course he did expect the best from her, which she gladly did.

Lisa had heard unbelievable things about him. She really had all the respect in the world for him both from her own experience and from hearing about him from various people who'd worked with him.

Which led to the thought that it must be the wife's fault, whatever 'it' may have been.

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Sam smiled to herself. The virus scare at the Mountain had been a false alarm, leaving her once again unquarentined and free. Instead of calling Jack, she thought she'd just show up in D.C. and shock the hell out of him. She smiled hugely just thinking about his face.

She strolled into the Pentagon down the long corridor to his office, where she'd never been before. Opening the door she saw a desk to one corner where a twenty-something brunette was speaking on the phone.

A muffled thump and crash came from behind the closed door and Sam bit her cheek and ducked her head to keep from laughing. Her money was on a yo-yo vs. lamp casualty. Sam turned quickly when she realized the young woman was speaking to her.

"Yes?"

The woman, whose name tag read Lt. Lisa Moore, repeated "Can I help you Miss?"

Sam nodded. "I'm just here to see the General."

The girl looked her over. "Your name, please?"

"Colonel Carter."

Lt. Moore picked up the phone and after a moment nodded at her, but before Sam could move the General rather comically poked his head out around the doorframe with an expression of hopeful confusion.

Then he was in the small waiting room. He and the blonde just looked at each other, his eyes wide with delight and surprise, hers with love.

Lisa watched unobserved as her boss grabbed the blonde woman close and buried his face in her neck. His arms were tightly wrapped around the colonel with one hand cradling her neck while the other was gripping her shoulder intimately. The blonde was clinging to the General just as closely.

Lisa was shocked. She never would have pegged O'Neill as a cheater. Maybe the cancellation had been his fault after all. She felt let down somehow with that thought.

She started when she realized Gen. O'Neill was speaking to her. "Clear the rest of the day, and the week, Lt. Moore."

Lisa felt scandalized. "Yes, Sir." she watched his arm snake around the colonel's waist, his wedding band glinting. //Man the gossip mill's gonna turn tonight.//

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Jack held Sam tightly against him as they strolled around downtown D.C. together. They were getting stared at she noted with amusement. Her husband was oblivious as always. Sam would have been shocked to discover that he had noticed; he just assumed they were looking at her.

Both were secretly amused at the other's ignorance.

Sam stopped suddenly as an uncontrollable wave of feeling crashed over her head without any warning. Jack ceased walking when he realized Sam had paused. He looked down at her, a mild question in his eyes. She knew the second he interpreted her message as his heart sped up considerably. He firmly clasped her hand and they hurriedly, though appropriately (for the moment), made their way back to their home.

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Hours later they surfaced for air. Both were marked with bruises, sated from one hunger, starved with another. Sam began to laugh quietly as they waited for a table. Jack sent her a quizzical glance. She raised a finger to her lips and motioned him to listen. His face quirked as he listened, recognizing one voice as his receptionist's.

"Oh my God! What a bastard!" A young woman with red hair exclaimed.

"I know! Here I was thinking the General is this stand up guy." Lisa replied.

Jack and Sam realized at the same time they were talking about Jack.

"He's cheating on his wife!" Lisa looked contemptuous.

Jack's mouth fell open. Sam clamped two hands over her mouth.

Lisa continued "This blonde came in and they were all over each other. Practically ready to hump right there on the floor!"

Jack looked incredulous and caught Sam's eye mouthing "Hump?!" Then he shrugged and again mouthed. "She's right. " She helplessly shook harder in silence.

"That's disgusting!" Then she cocked her head. "But are you absolutely sure that wasn't his wife?" said Red hair.

Lisa scoffed. "Her last name was Carter. Plus he had only asked me to cancel his flight twenty minutes before she got there."

Red hair nodded, obviously convinced. "What a jerk."

Lisa looked heavenward. "He's such a fucking hot guy though. I'm not surprised that woman was giving him the bedroom eyes. I would if I thought he wouldn't slap a reprimand on me. Of course if he is a player maybe I could try and see where it got me…"

Sam was in silent hysterics as Jack was turning progressively redder and uncomfortable. He'd finally had enough and grabbed Sam's wrist dragging her over to the two women. Sam pulled herself together.

"Lt. Moore," he nodded.

Lisa and Red hair looked mortified.

"Ah, Hello Sir." She gave him a shaky salute. "This is my friend Julie Lehnhard."

Both Sam and Jack nodded in greeting.

"Lisa, you've met Sam Carter, my wife."

Sam had the urge to giggle uncontrollably when she saw the look on their faces. She'd never seen that shade of purple on a human face before. Fascinating.

The 'Oh Shit!' look on her face intensified "Wife…?" Lisa stuttered.

"Oh yes;" Sam said. "For over a year now."

Jack smiled affectionately. "A lot longer than that. As far as I'm concerned, the license just made it official." Sam looked at him in surprise, feeling a glow in her chest.

Lisa and Julie were looking an odd mix of envy, embarrassment, and longing.

"Congratulations." Lisa said contritely.

Their table was called and they both smiled at the two younger women.

Jack called over his shoulder "See you in a week, Lisa."

She smiled shyly. "Have a good holiday, General."

They both looked at each other in humiliation.

Lisa, blushing furiously, whispered. "Do you think they heard?"

She looked down at the floor as Julie whispered back. "I hope not." Then she paused, adding, "But I'm afraid so."

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They laughed their way through dinner as Sam tried her best to make Jack uncomfortable with 'lowlife cheater' and 'ladies man' jokes while Jack started calling her his other woman and spent the meal trying to think of analogies to imply it. His favorite was 'the side dish' for which he got kicked under the table and a flippantly muttered "Gigolo".

This is what they lived and fought for.

Jack looked at his laughing wife and felt an affectionate clench in his gut. He once again thought how lucky they were to have finally found a little corner of peace in their chaotic world.

Sam looked at him and felt again the amazing unconditional love she possessed. She loved his flaws as much as the rest. Which had been the first sign to tip her off that Jack was the one. That and the fact that he was willing to put his own needs aside in the face of hers. Like with Pete. He was hurt. But he never let her see it, thinking she was happy and that alone was enough. After that, she knew definitively he loved her the way she tried to deny loving him. Quite the pair.

Jack snapped her out of it. "Wanna get out of here, homewrecker?"

Sam made a face. "Sure thing, loverboy." Jack turned a bit pink and mock glared.

Jack helped her with her jacket. He only behaved like that sometimes, and it was always unfailingly at the right times. Sam had never been one to accept such attentions. However with Jack she didn't mind the occasional open display and allowed it. Even enjoyed it if she were honest.

Jack gave her the special reserved true smile, as if he knew what she were thinking.

"Hussy," he said affectionately.

"Lecher," she said lovingly.

They smiled and linked hands, walking out into the chilly night, reveling in each other.

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Later that night after a rousing game of chess, Jack, just out of the shower, was standing in front of the opened medicine cabinet.

He rubbed a towel over his damp head slowly and closed his eyes. The steamed up room was almost oppressive in its humidity.

His brown eyes snapped back open as a flying figure with mussed blonde hair slammed the cabinet shut and stared at him, breathing heavily.

His breath caught. Well this was familiar.

She was wearing the tank top. He couldn't believe this was happening.

She grabbed his cheeks and kissed him, hard, yanking on his dog tags.

"Carter, What…?" He was silenced as she kissed him again fiercely.

"I want you." She bit her lip teasingly and looked at him with darkened, heavy, and sensuous eyes.

He pulled back and struggled valiently to hold her away, already so hard he swore he would die.

"Don't you want me?" her voice was taunting, erotic, and playful. She hungrily kissed him again.

He growled helplessly as she roughly wrestled him to the floor.

"Hell yeah, just like this."