Chapter Text
It wasn't as if Jack had never thought about it. It wasn't as if he didn't want it. But thinking about it and wanting it were very different than stripping down and crawling into bed next to an equally stripped down Carter. They were filthy. They'd lost their packs when they had to make a quick getaway from the Jaffa that Apophis had sent for them. The couple that had hidden them didn't look like they had a spare change of clothes for themselves, let alone four aliens who showed up at their door. He had turned to look out the window, checking for a sign of their pursuers when he had heard her start to undress.
Jack heard the familiar sound of Carter's laces whipping through the eyes of her boots before the first and second thud as they hit the floor beside the bed. Then a button clanked against a bedpost, but still he looked out the window, down the street. However, it was no longer about what he was seeing. It was really more about what he was trying to avoid seeing. The stiff canvass of her belt zipped against the steel of her belt buckle as she loosened it. Jack waited, praying she was just taking off her belt, but he wasn't that lucky. Jack heard a thunk as she dropped her mud covered pants, letting the buckle clank against the bed frame. Then she did the unthinkable. That little jerk crawled into bed. The bed. The only bed in the room that was technically big enough for two people, but functionally big enough for maybe one and a half people
After a few minutes Jack turned to look over his shoulder and saw the back of her blonde head. She had her back to him, and was hugging the edge of the bed, clearly leaving as much room for him as she could. Just great. She expected him to get in that "bed" for lack of a better word with her. Damn it.
"Carter, I'm going to keep an eye on this side. Teal'c has a blind spot at the front of the house. You get some rest," he announced.
"Sir, with all due respect, we both know you're lying," she challenged him, and he raised an eyebrow at her defiance, apparently for his own benefit since she wasn't looking at him. But she was right.
"Yeah, okay."
"We've all been awake for two days. You need to sleep," she nagged.
"I'm good."
"So tomorrow when we have to find a way around that blockade to the gate, if I get shot because you aren't on your game, you're not going to blame yourself?" Jack saw her chin poking over her shoulder now as she asked her pointed question. A question which, by the way, they both knew the answer to. Jack crouched down, loosening his boots and snarled a little when she rested her head back on the single pillow. Apparently she wasn't going to share the pillow.
Quickly he shed his clothes, and as much as he wanted to be upset with her for taking off her pants, he didn't really want to sleep in the mud either so he draped his across the foot of the bed next to hers and climbed under the scant blanket. He tried lying on his back, but his right shoulder was hanging off the bed. He wasn't much of a back sleeper to begin with, and this situation didn't help. He flipped to his side with his back to her, and froze when his ass collided with hers.
"Sorry," he offered before turning to his stomach. Sure his shoulder was still hanging off the bed, but at least it was his left. And hanging forward was less likely to be immobilizing in the morning.
"It's okay. It's a tight fit."
"No kidding," he bit out sarcastically. "I don't think this is gonna work. I'll take the floor."
"Colonel, please, I'll take the floor. My back can handle it."
"Negative, Major. I'm afraid the mores of someone of my generation won't allow it."
"I'm not a girl. I signed up for everything you signed up for."
"See, I know that, but I don't know that."
"Okay, compromise?" she offered turning toward him, her bent knees bumping his thigh. He turned his head to face her.
"What do you have in mind?" Sam shifted the pillow under her head, offering it to him.
"We're both adults here, Colonel. I promise not to notice any uncontrollable bodily reactions. We both know this is only going to work one way, so... big or little?" she asked pointedly, staring him down.
"Excuse me?" he asked, unable to believe she could possibly be talking about--
"Big spoon or little spoon?" she added. Oh. That.
"You're serious?" he asked incredulously.
"Yes, Sir."
"I'm not so sure I'm an adult, but obviously I'm the big spoon." Carter giggled at him which went a long way to making him feel okay with this. Upon reflection he realized that being the little spoon would have left him a little less exposed come morning. He was getting older though, maybe he'd get lucky and not wake up poking into her ass. Not likely with her body pressed against his all night, but it was possible. She flipped back over, pushing the pillow back toward him and he turned to face her back.
Her short blonde hair tickled his nose as he settled onto the pillow. Finally he was comfortable, but he could see she was still hugging the edge of the mattress, trying to keep distance between them. With a resigned sigh, he shook the nerves out of his hand and reached for her.
"C'mere, Carter," he ordered as he tugged gently on her bicep. "If I'm not allowed to be uncomfortable, neither are you." He heard her let out a long breath before she scooted backwards, closing the minimal gap that had existed between them. She was flush with him now, touching him everywhere from her T-shirt top to her bare legs and feet. Who was he kidding? Morning was going to be interesting. He wasn't that old. In fact, he was having a hard time imagining ever being old enough that Carter wouldn't do things to him. Delightfully filthy things. Carter reached up, snagging his fingers and pulling his arm around her to rest on her stomach.
"Goodnight, Sir," she offered after tucking her hands up under her cheek, leaving his hand to hold her on its own. Jack's fingers were itching to move against her, and probably would once he fell asleep, but for now he controlled that urge, keeping still in a purely functional embrace. Yeah, okay. Purely functional. Sure it was.
"Goodnight, Carter."