I Know This Great Little Place...

I Know This Great Little Place In Minnesota

Author's Note: A missing scene for Season 8's Threads. It can be read as a sequel to Gone Fishin' or can stand alone.

Pairing: Sam/Jack.

Rating: General.

First Published: June 2013.

Status: COMPLETE.

Sam turned her head and looked out the passenger window. Observing her surroundings, she noticed the number of trees had multiplied significantly within the last few minutes, so thought it safe to assume their destination wasn't too far ahead.

Her stomach flipped at the thought and she closed her eyes. She really needed to focus on something, anything, except the bundle of nerves growing inside her.

She jumped when a voice broke through her thoughts.

"Relax, Carter. You're makin' me nervous."

She forced a smile. "Sorry, Sir."

"Ah! Carter!" He mock scolded, lifting an index finger in the air. "We had a deal."

She felt herself relax slightly at his tone, and couldn't help but smile shyly. "Sorry, Sir."

Sam waited until the General returned his attention to the road again before she looked back out the window. Pursing her lips, she added: "I believe you also broke the deal."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him turn his head in her direction, eyes narrowed as he thought over his answer, and she tried not to smile. Sighing dramatically, Jack finally spoke.

"Fine. Samantha."

Sam's amusement quickly faded at the address and she swallowed hard at the emotions now threatening to overwhelm her – and just because of the way her name rolled off his tongue.

Taking a deep breath, Sam silently scolded herself. She was thirty-six years old, for crying out loud, not sixteen. Glancing out at her surroundings once more, she tried to focus, only lasting a few seconds before the General spoke again.

"Why are you nervous anyway? It was your idea to go fishing," he teased.

She spun around to face him.

"I'm not nervous," she said defensively, causing Jack to smirk.

"Purlease, Carter. You're fidgeting more than Daniel after he's pulled an all-nighter on nothing but caffeine."

After a beat, he suddenly turned serious. "Y'alright?"

When no response was forthcoming, he frowned and slid his gaze over to Sam. She was studying her hands intently and looked like someone with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

He saw her shrug, before she answered. "I... don't know."

Sam felt the truck slow and her head snapped up. She frowned in confusion when she saw they were still surrounded by trees, but no log cabin.

"What -"

"Look at me, Sam," Jack cut in softly as he switched the engine off and turned in his seat to face her. He waited until she met his eye before he reached over and gently cupped her cheek.

"As glad as I am that you're finally here... this week is for you to relax and forget about things. Anything else..." He trailed off with a shrug. "Well, we'll just see what happens, okay?"

Sam studied him closely, before she sighed and nodded. She felt her nerves fading already.

The man sitting beside her was right, he always was. They'd already had the talk and knew what they both wanted now, and that was to be together no matter what it took, but this was the first time they'd be alone for a day or two… and while they were still technically CO and 2IC, they weren't.

"You think too much, Carter," Jack quipped as he removed his hand and switched the engine back on, not seeing Sam's rueful smile.

"Y'alright?"

"Yes, thank you... Jack," she said softly.

Nodding, he started driving. "We're nearly there."

He was right. Thirty seconds later and Sam gasped at the scene before her. She had tried to imagine what his cabin would be like from the day he first invited her to go, but nothing had prepared her for the sheer beauty and feeling of peace she felt as they stopped just short of the dwelling.

She knew her eyes were wide with excitement and awe as she tried to take it all in, and she didn't know how long she'd been staring out the window, but it was only when she heard a soft chuckle coming from her right, did she realize her mouth was hanging open and she'd probably been sitting admiring the view for a little too long.

"You can get out and have a look, y'know," Jack teased.

Sam flashed him a megawatt smile as she unbuckled the seatbelt. Opening the door, she jumped out of the truck, before turning around to look at her companion.

"Go. Look. Enjoy," Jack said with a grin as he waved a hand in the vague direction of the cabin. "I'll be right behind you."

He watched as Sam made her way around the truck, up the steps to the cabin before veering off around the side. As she reached the far corner of the building, she froze and Jack saw her inhale sharply. He couldn't help but smile as he too left the truck and made his way towards her.

Sliding his arms around her waist from behind, he slowly walked her towards the edge of the deck. The trees surrounding the lake looked black against the early morning sky. The sun was lying low, throwing the cloudless sky into a myriad of pinks, oranges and reds, its reflection bright on the still surface of the lake.

Jack rested his chin on Sam's right shoulder and glanced sideways.

"Whaddya think?" he murmured, his eyes studying her face.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, her attention never leaving the landscape.

"Yes, it is," he answered seriously, still looking intently at the woman in his arms.

"You were right," she added quietly. "I love it."

He pulled her closer, dropping a kiss just behind her earlobe. "See, I told ya," he replied, a tad on the smug side.

He grinned as Sam shivered against him. A moment later, she turned to face him, his arms still circling her. She bit her bottom lip and Jack could see her deciding on what she should do. He saw doubt in her eyes, then embarrassment, which was quickly replaced by determination. The next thing he knew, her arms were sneaking around his neck, her nose just millimeters from his.

"Hmm. You did," she eventually answered.

Her breath tickled his cheek, and instinctively his eyes darted down to her lips. When he met her eye again, he was surprised to see how unguarded Sam's gaze was. He could read every single emotion she was feeling at that moment, and then he realized, that she could see the same staring back.

Slowly, he leaned in and let his lips brush against Sam's.

He had intended to pull away and gauge her reaction, but when Sam sighed softly, then started to deepen the kiss, he knew he was a goner.

It may have taken five years to finally get Sam Carter up to his cabin, but as he pulled her closer, he realized it had definitely been worth the wait.