Serpent's Venom
by Jen
"That was fun," Jack announced suddenly.
"Excuse me?" Sam replied.
"These past few days," he said, sitting up properly on the couch. "They've been fun."
"Fun?" she repeated, putting her pen down. "Fun is Teal'c being captured and tortured? Fun is reprogramming a moving bomb?"
"Well, no to the first bit, but yeah."
"Fun is nearly getting ourselves blown up?"
"And watching Herur'ur get what he deserved."
"Fun is being pulled from under a bomb and being pinned against the wall?" she asked, then paused. "You know, actually, that bit was fun."
"It was, wasn't it?" Jack grinned. "We have cool jobs."
"Mind you, if Dad had seen…"
"But he didn't."
"Oh, it's not him telling anyone that I'm worried about."
"Then what?" Jack asked.
"You what? Never mind," she said quickly and went back to her paperwork.
"Sam?"
"Forget I said anything."
"Usually not a problem," he said, getting up off the couch.
"Jack, really, I…"
"Something I should know?" Jack asked, removing the pen from her hand. "Husbands and wives shouldn't have secrets."
"So you want to know what Daniel's got you for your birthday?"
"No changing the subject. We're talking about your father."
"I'd rather we didn't. For your sake."
"Sam!" he laughed. "What is it? Does he play the protective father? No one's good enough for his little girl? I can deal with that. Sara's dad when we first dated…"
"It's not that…"
"OK, so we're technically not dating. I mean, we can't go out unless it's a double date with Daniel and Teal'c, but…"
"Jack…"
"Are you scared about what he'll say about the regs?"
"No… well, yes…"
"I know this isn't ideal, and you hate not being able to talk…"
"Oh, would you stop!" she said. "It's not about the regs, it's not about this, us, being a secret. I love you and that's more important."
"So… what is it?"
"What is what?" she asked.
"About your dad?"
"What about him?"
"Sam…"
"What?"
"You really don't want to tell me, do you?"
"It's not that."
"I can take it."
"Can we not do this?"
"Do what?"
"Make an issue of it?"
"You're the one making an issue of it," Jack pointed out.
"How?"
"You won't tell me… whatever it is about your dad you won't tell."
"Do we have to share everything?" she asked.
"It's what married people do."
"Yeah, well, we also do something else," she said, getting up from the table. Grinning, she put her arms around his waist and kissed him gently on his jaw line. She kissed him there again before moving down his neck. Stopping for a second, she removed her arms and lifted her top over her head.
"So we do," Jack grinned, grabbing her by the waist.
They fell back onto the couch, articles of clothing slowly being peeled off. Just as Sam's hands started to work on his pants, Jack froze.
"Oh, sneaky," he laughed.
"What?"
"Sex as a diversionary tactic," he said. "You smart."
Sam gave the best shrug that she could in her position. "So I've been told."
"C'mon," he said. "Tell me."
"He…" she sighed. "He doesn't like you."
Jack froze. "What?"
"He thinks you're a great CO, he's got a lot of respect for you as a Colonel in the Air Force, it's just… personally…"
"He doesn't like me."
"…No."
"Oh. Right."
"I knew this would happen."
"What?"
"You're making this into an issue."
"How can it not be? My… father-in-law doesn't like me."
"He just doesn't know you."
"He knows me fine, Sam."
"It's nothing personal, really."
"How can it not be?"
"It's nothing you've done, or said."
"So it's something I've not done?"
"No!"
"So I can't even make up for it?"
"Jack!"
"What?"
"Shut up," she ordered. "OK, so Dad isn't your biggest fan. Who cares?" Propping herself up on the couch, she smiled. "He's not the Carter you married."
"For which I'm grateful," he quipped.
"And this Carter likes you, loves you, and yes, fancies the pants off you."
Jack gave a small smile. "Not worth bothering about?"
"No," she replied. "And if this ever comes out, I'll speak to him."
"Yeah, you do that," he said. "I think I'll be in hiding."
"So, no more worrying about it?"
"Well…"
"I'm gonna have to do something to take your mind off it, aren't I?" she laughed.
"Well, if anything comes to mind," he smiled, kissing her.
"And yeah, the past few days have been fun," she conceded as she pulled him back to a horizontal position on the couch.
