A/N: Set just after Continuum. Since her return from Atlantis, Jack and Sam haven't had much time to talk. After the events of "Continuum," Sam takes a late night walk to Jack's quarters.

Be There To Catch Me, And I'll Fall Apart

"Sir, I can't just pack up everything to run command on some planet," Colonel Everett argued, "After you rejected three requests for an off-world post... I have a wife now, god dammit. Why now? Why now after everything?"
"Moon," Jack stated.
"What?" Everett spat, not wanting to let confusion sway his anger.
"It's a moon, not a planet." Everett sat back in his chair, anger having fumed into a hopeless acceptance. Jack merely grinned.

Eight Months Earlier – Tok'ra Home World

As Vala left to talk with Ba'al's host, the rest of SG-1 and General O'Neill headed to what was the Tok'ra equivalent of a mess.
"Sir, I'd like to discuss plans for the new moon base," Sam said as they made their way through the winding corridors. He beamed inwardly, privately enjoying the way her face would light up over the most innocuous of things.
"Blueprints? Now, Carter?" Jack looked at her sideways, "We just spent six, long, snackless hours listening to that crooning." Sam stifled a giggle and raised an eyebrow, not wavering in her decision to discuss moon base plans. "Snackless, Carter," he watched her as they walked, she was smiling, he'd done that; he could sleep well tonight. He sighed, defeated. "Fine. But only after I've had some of that fabulous Tok'ra pie."
"Yes sir," she said jovially, beaming.

***

Sam made her way to Jack's quarters, folder labelled "Icarus Project" in hand. It was well after nine, but she held every confidence he would still be awake. They'd been distracted by Ba'al's host falling into a coma, and thus Jack hadn't had to hear Sam's plans after all. But she was just as stubborn as he was. She took a few deep breaths, uncharacteristically anxious, as she walked through the long crystalline corridors. The Tok'ra hadn't needed to build an underground base since the fall of the Goa'uld, and Sam was enjoying the light from the city flooding through the windows, casting long, spidery shadows along the curved walls and ceiling, reflecting off of the crystal – creating a stunning display of rainbow light through the corridor. Despite the solemn memory of her father that came with visiting the Tok'ra, this was Sam's favourite place off-world.

After her return from Atlantis just a week ago, she and Jack hadn't had much time to talk. He had been on his way to Cheyenne when she'd arrived, and so their time together was spent on business – discussing security and various "what could go wrong" scenarios and "are we even sure this is the last clone" theories. They hadn't even had time to properly say 'hello'.
But now that the extraction ceremony had been performed, and with only the distant threat of the Lucian Alliance, they were finally in the same place at the same time, with, dare she even think it, free time.

Suddenly finding herself at Jack's door a lot quicker than she'd anticipated, she knocked without even thinking. She had assumed that the walk to his quarters would have given her ample time to prepare what she was going to say. She'd keep it to business, maybe a little light conversation, and then she would leave, leaving any possibility of anything more completely and totally up to him. But finding herself face to face with him as he opened the door, she felt her stomach drop and her breath catch. She hadn't been prepared for this, at all. He was standing there, baggy camouflage pants topped with a form fitting black shirt, his face soft and his eyes – surprised to see her there, but devouring nonetheless. A small smile tickled the corner of his lips.

"Sir," She breathed, flush and hot, "Sorry to bother you this late…" She suddenly forgot why she was there. She searched her brain, unable to form coherent sentences, "I just – you – um," but as she continued to wrack her thoughts for the answer, all she found were images of Jack, in front of her, and then she was suddenly back at his cabin with him pressing her up against the door. His smile widened and he raised an eyebrow as he watched her struggle with her words. He relished these moments, as they were so few and far between. It was a rare thing to see, Astrophysicist, Colonel, and Expert On Everything, Samantha Carter not knowing what to say.
Starting to feel guilty for keeping her in her misery, he gestured to the folder in her hand.
"Icarus?" He said, interrupting her spiel of incoherency.
Thankful, she let out a breath and handed the folder to him, "Yes sir."
"Come in," taking it, he turned his back and entered the room. She followed, closing the door behind her with a wave of her hand over the sensor.

The moment the door shut, she saw him cast the folder aside and was caught off guard by an arm around her waist, another across her shoulders, and his body against hers, enveloping her in his embrace. She responded almost immediately, melting against him and weaving her hands around and up his back, as she closed her eyes. He moved his head into her neck, and tightened his hold on her. She reciprocated, adjusting her arms so they could be closer.
"Sam," he whispered into her neck, his lips brushing against her skin as he spoke, and she shivered, tightening her hold on him as his warm breath slipped down her back.
"I missed you," she whispered, her eyes watering.
His hand moved to the base of her neck and stroked her softly. He could have stayed there forever, fused with her in an unbreakable form, hearts beating against each other at an ever increasing in pace, the feel of her skin under his lips, wanting them to stay there and explore her in ways he'd only done subconsciously, and the feel of her shiver beneath him. He held her tighter, acutely aware of the ache in his chest; he needed her so much closer.
"Jack," she said, so quietly he wasn't sure if he'd actually heard it. He pulled back, just far enough that he could hold her eyes to his; her beautiful, shining eyes that were now lined with moisture as she fought back tears. She moved a hand to his face, allowing herself the freedom to run it over his hair, smoothing out the rogue strands that never sat right, and left it to rest at his jawline; the intimate gesture surprised them both.

"Your hair's longer," he said, taking in the soft vibrations of her giggle against him, "It's nice," he said playing with the end of her ponytail.
"It's not exactly Air Force," she was smiling, "I'm thinking of getting it cut."
He stopped playing and turned his focus back to her eyes, "No," he said, "Don't. I like it." She moved her head back into his shoulder, smiling softly, "Okay." He readjusted his arms and they stood there together comfortably in each others arms, time passing by unnoticed.
"Sam?" He said.
"Hmm?" She replied contently.
"I love you," he said into her hair, completely confident in his words.
She took a deep breath, inhaling what she could of his scent, and smiled widely. "Me too." He kissed her hair and she looked up at him, "So much," she added just before touching her lips to his.

The end.