�So basically what you�re saying we need to do is kick Jupiter�s slimy ass right out of this galaxy, am I correct?�

Sam nodded slowly, those hadn�t been her exact words, but they were good enough. �Pretty much.�

�Great, we should be able to handle this then!� Jack�s voice was full of forced cheerfulness. �All it is is a new goa�uld, hungry for naquadah, who doesn�t give a rat�s butt about the Asgard protected planets treaty. Oh, and we still don�t have any intelligence on what Ba�al�s been up to lately.�

�Well, judging by the way he reacted before to Jupiter,� Daniel said. �I think we can safely assume that he won�t join up with them.�

�I believe you are incorrect, Daniel Jackson,� Teal�c interjected in his usual solemn tone. �Ba�al will serve whomever offers him the most power.�

�Ah politics,� Jack muttered. �The universal modus operandi. Anyway,� he stretched. �I think we�re done here for now. The Tok�ra and Asgard will keep us updated on Jupiter�s movements, so you all can go.� He waved his hand, and the three members of SG-1 got to their feet. Jack caught Sam�s eye , however, and beckoned. �Carter, I need to ask you something.�

Sam walked over, sitting back down in the chair next to Jack�s. �What is it?�

�Well, you know, I was just wondering, since this is official�if you would let me take you out for dinner tonight? Or something?� It took Jack an unusually long time to get this out. All the years he�d devoted to the SGC and now he seemed to have lost his touch for something as simple as this.

�Sure.� Sam grinned. �I�d love to.� She noticed the strange look on Jack�s face and tilted her head to the side. �What�s wrong?�

�I�m just not used to this whole formal dating thing�� Jack said with a shrug. �I�m worried that I�ll screw up horribly and you�ll never speak to me again.�

�Is this General Jack O�Neill I hear being unconfident about himself?�

�Retired! And is this Colonel Carter I hear trying to give advice about dating?� Jack shot back.

Sam pretended to pout and look the other way. Jack held out his hand. Sam looked at him from the corner of her eye and held out her hand as well, spreading her fingers as she pressed her palm to Jack�s. The simple contact seemed to spark something, and Jack could feel a smile spreading across his face as he attempted to get Sam to look at him again. She did, finally, and they both laughed.

�I�ll pick you up at six, ok?� Jack said, curling his fingers around hers.

Sam smiled, nodding. �Sounds great.�

Sam, who was wearing a dark red shirt with flowing sleeves over blue jeans, shook her head, linking her arm through Jack�s as they headed out to the car. �With you? Never.�

�Oh, that hurt, Carter!�

�How long are you going to keep that up?� Sam asked, climbing into the passenger seat of Jack�s truck. �The whole �Carter� thing.�

�Does it bother you?�

�No, just seems a little formal.�

�Well, seeing as we�re starting a new life together�� Jack�s voice trailed off as he was momentarily distracted by a cat rushing out in front of the car. �I suppose I could stop. Is that what you want, Samantha?�

Sam grinned, leaning back in her seat. �Yep.�

They ate at a little Italian place downtown, then walked arm in arm down the sidewalk, enjoying the not too impressive night life, but more importantly, enjoying each other�s company. As he�d been getting ready earlier, Jack had guessed that it would feel strange to walk down the street with his arm around Carter�s�Sam, he reminded himself She can be �Sam� to you now�his arm around Sam�s waist. But now that he was actually doing it, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. As such, Jack felt a twinge of disappointment when it finally came time to drive her back home again.

Standing on her front porch, Sam turned to face Jack, a dreamy smile on her face. �This was really fun, thank you.�

�Yeah, we�ll have to do it again sometime,� Jack�s voice was lighthearted, but he wasn�t really paying attention to what he was saying. He was more distracted by Sam, who had now draped her arms loosely around his shoulders and was leaning closer�

Seconds after their lips touched there was a bright flash of white light that Jack could see even through his closed eyelids.

Sam�s lips were still touching his when she muttered, �Jack�please tell me Thor did not just beam us up��

Jack slowly opened his eyes, aware that his hands were still resting on Sam�s back. �Yes, Sam�He just did.�

�O�Neill, Colonel Carter.�

�Thor!� Jack said, his voice dripping with poured on enthusiasm as he pulled away from Sam. �Old buddy, I�d love to say I�m happy to see you�But actually�I�m not.�

�I apologize,� the little gray alien said, walking over from behind his console. �I only needed Colonel Carter.�

�Yeah, well she�s kinda busy,� Jack snapped. �Was�Was kinda busy until you beamed us up.�

Thor nodded. �I apologize again. But there is a most urgent matter that needs your expertise, Colonel.�

�What is it?� Sam perked up, and Jack could have sworn he actually saw her go from normal mode to geek mode in two seconds.

�If you will follow me�� The alien turned and headed towards a side corridor. Sam shot Jack an apologetic look before following.

�And so to continue our first date�� Jack muttered, stalking after Sam.

Sam raised an eyebrow. �Comprehend?�

Thor waved one hand over a sensor and the container opened. Inside were what appeared to be two half-face masks, both of them missing eyeholes and made out of a dull grey metal. Sam picked one up; it was extremely light.

�This is a new technology only recently developed by our scientists,� Thor explained. �They were created specifically to deal with the new problem of the Fades. When this�mask�is put on, it interfaces itself to the visual cortex of your brain using infra red signals sufficiently formatted so as not to damage your normal sight.�

�Ok, you lost me right after the word �mask�,� Jack mumbled, but was quiet when Sam nudged him sharply with her elbow.

�So what do they do?�

�Essentially they synthesize an extension for your visual cortex, one that allows you to see four dimensions rather than the normal three.�

Sam�s eyes went wide. �Does it work?� She asked excitedly. Thor nodded.

�Now wait a minute,� Jack cut in. �What the downside? As in side effects? Like, will it make Sam start speaking in a funny language or anything?�

Thor blinked his large black eyes at Jack for a moment before replying. �The only side effect of using the device for a prolonged period of time may be a slight headache.�

�Can I use it?� Sam sounded like a little kid with a new toy; she was practically bouncing up and down with excitement.

�That is why I brought you here,� Thor said, nodding. �There is a Fade loose on the ship. We know how to capture one, but we�d like you to use the device to study it and develop a weapon to destroy it.�

Sam turned the device over in her hands then tentatively held it to her face. She removed her hands and it stuck in place over her eyes. Suddenly, however, she let out a yelp of pain and stumbled back.

�Sam!� Jack rushed forward, his fingers curling around the edge of the mask.

�O�Neill!� Thor shouted, his voice full of warning. �You must not remove it while it�s interfacing with her visual cortex, it could cause permanent blindness. You must wait until it is finished then press the buttons on either side to remove it.�

�It�s ok, Jack,� Sam murmured, straightening up. �It doesn�t hurt�I can see. But�nothing looks different.�

Thor shook his head slightly. �You are not looking at anything that exists in four dimensions.�

�Oh��

�Here�� Thor walked over to another one of the opaque cases and opened it. To Jack it looked like it just contained a dark grey net, but Sam let out a gasp as she walked over, looking down at it.

�What do you see, Sam?� Jack asked, tilting his head to one side curiously.

�I don�t�� Sam shook her head. �I don�t even think I could describe it! It looks like a net, but it�s also�� She made a vague gesture with her hands that even Jack couldn�t understand. �It�s almost like seeing a solid hologram of two things that overlap impossibly. But not really��

Jack snorted. �Oh yeah, that made perfect sense.�

Sam reached out and grabbed at the air above the net that Jack could see, but the dark grey net was lifted out of the container. She moved her hand, and draped the strange net over her shoulder then turned to Thor. �So where is the Fade?�

Thor walked over to a display screen and brought up a floor plan of the ship. A section was blinking yellow. �There.�

�This wasn�t exactly what I had in mind when I asked you out for dinner�� Jack grumbled. Sam turned around and he presumed she was giving him a pitying look behind the half mask. �I just�wanted to spend some time with you without anything like this getting in the way��

�I know,� Sam had stopped walking, moving over to Jack and putting a hand on his arm. �I know�but this is what we do. We can�t just-�

�Sam.� Jack was looking behind her. He jerked his chin at something.

Sam turned slowly around and froze. To Jack, it was just a dark humanoid shape standing in the shadows. But to Sam it was a huge form, only vaguely humanoid and unlike anything she had ever seen. It�s surface turned in on itself in folds that weren�t at all possible on something with three dimensions. It�s yellow eyes were�spheres and yet not.

�It�s got hyper-spheres for eyes!� Sam gaped, her eyes widening behind the, mask. �This is incredible! I�m actually seeing in four dimensions.�

�Look, fascinating as that is, Sam,� Jack said, raising his zat. �That thing is heading right for us, and something tells me if I shoot the shadow I�m seeing, it won�t do much good.�

The Fade was indeed moving. It opened its mouth and let out a snarl. Sam raised her zat, aiming somewhere far to the left of the shadow that Jack could see. She fired once. The Fade let out an inhuman cry as it fell in a heap on the ground. Shaking slightly, Sam moved over and wrapped it in the net. She and Jack retreated behind a set of doors, which immediately closed. On the other side, Thor opened that corridor to outer space, the rush of oxygen being sucked out pulling the Fade�s unconscious form off the ship.

Back on the bridge, Sam pressed the buttons on the sides of the mask, where it wrapped around her temples. The thing came off with a slight suction pop. She blinked a few times, getting her vision back to normal before holding the device out to Thor.

�Take it with you,� Thor said. �I understand that you and the other scientists at the SGC would be very eager to be able to study this technology. It is the least I can do to thank you for helping me.�

�Wow�� Sam�s eyes widened as she looked down at the mask in her hands. �Thank you.� She smiled up at Jack and linked her arm through his.

Thor moved to the console and began turning one of the jewels. A moment later both Sam and Jack vanished in a flash of white light.

Unbeknownst to them, seconds before they vanished the three-dimensional shadow of a human stepped up behind Jack, and disappeared along with them.

Chapter 2: Second Date?

�Sir! General O�Neill!� In all his excitement, Walter seemed to have forgotten himself as he burst into Jack�s office the next afternoon.

�Retired, Sergeant.� Jack corrected, looking up from the mission file he was reviewing. �What�s wrong, did the iris break or something?�

�Sir,� Walter swallowed, trying to calm down. �I think we might have a foothold situation.�

The door burst open and Sam entered, removing the mask as she did so.

�Any luck?� Jack asked, looking over.

Sam was holding something in her fist. She shook her head. �Sorry, no. I searched the base, but the guards at the entry reported seeing the Fade�s shadow leaving.�

�So we�ve lost it?� Jack groaned inwardly.

�Not exactly,� Sam held out her fist. �They do leave a trail because they tend to shed teeth and scales quite readily. I picked up this.� She opened her fist.

Jack and Daniel stared. Jack raised his eyebrows. �Sam�there�s nothing there.�

�There is.� Sam held her hand up to the light. They could all then see the three-dimensional shadow of a long fang lying in her open palm. She set it down on the table.

�So you think you can track it?� Jack folded his arms. �Because I sure as hell don�t want one of things running around on Earth.�

�It�ll take a while,� Sam said. �Seeing as we have no idea how far it�s gotten.�

�Hop to it then, Colonel.� Jack winked, then waved for SG-1 to go.

This turned out to be unnecessary, however, as no one answered.

�Colonel Carter!� Teal�c called. �I believe I heard a noise from the vicinity of the barn.�

Pulling out their zats, Sam and Daniel hurried after Teal�c to the huge red barn out behind the house. The Jaffa pushed the great door open with no trouble whatsoever and they entered the musty building, weapons raised.

�Stop! Don�t come any closer!� A man stood between them and the indistinct form of the Fade. He had a handgun raised and pointed at SG-1. �You�re with the government, aren�t you?�

Sam spoke calmly. �I am Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter of the US Air force-�

�I knew it!� the man exclaimed. �I knew you�d come to take it away�And I�m telling you now that I won�t let you.�

�I don�t think you understand,� Sam said, frowning slightly. �That creature is extremely dangerous, this is a matter of national security. I�m asking you to stand aside.�

�No,� the gun in the man�s hands was trembling slightly. �That�s what you government people always assume; that the aliens are hostile. And I know what you�re planning to do. You�re going to take it back to some lab to dissect and study!�

Sam took a cautious step closer, her hand tightening on her zat. �Sir, you need to stand aside.�

�I said don�t come any closer!�

�This is for your own safety,� Sam shuffled forward another step, moving slowly, trying not to startle the man.

It didn�t work. A shot rang out and Sam fell, swearing loudly and clutching her arm. Blood oozed out between her fingers and her face was contorted with pain.

Daniel�s jaw dropped. �You just shot an Air Force officer!� he shouted, his worry for Sam turning into anger. �Do you know how illegal that is?!�

�Look out!� Sam grunted suddenly.

They all looked up in time to see the shadow raise one hand towards the man. As its fist closed, apparently on thin air, the man let out a cry as something grabbed the back of his shirt. He was lifted off his feet, struggling and kicking as the gun fell from his hand.

Ignoring her wound, Sam hastily put the mask back on and looked up, reaching for her zat. The Fade had the man gripped tightly in a clawed hand. It raised him up and somehow managed to fold its mouth around him, despite the fact that he was almost larger than its head. Almost.

Sam had no idea what this looked like to someone who wasn�t wearing the mask, but it must have been pretty bad because Daniel doubled over and vomited. She couldn�t blame him; the man�s body had folded and broken like a plastic figurine. A plastic figurine that bled.

Suppressing the searing pain in her left arm, Sam raised the zat gun, not being too careful about her aim as she fired once and then a second time. The Fade let out a long howl as it fell to the ground, it�s bloodied jaws moving against the ground for a moment before the great, four-dimensional form was still.

�Sam!� Daniel rushed over to her, pulling a bandage out of his vest pocket and wrapping it around Sam�s wound.

�Thanks, Daniel,� Sam said, panting slightly. Teal�c walked over and helped her to her feet. Sam carefully removed the mask. �We�ll send someone back to retrieve the Fade. Lets get back to the base.�

Teal�c raised an eyebrow. �Did we not successfully accomplish our mission, Daniel Jackson?�

�Yeah, but Sam got shot!� Daniel looked apprehensively at the door of the briefing room, as though expecting Jack to come charging through any moment. �Jack is not going to be happy that Sam got shot.� Teal�c merely inclined his head slightly.

The door opened moments later and Jack walked in, seeming calm. He raised his eyebrows. �Sam got shot?�

�Jack, it wasn�t our fault, the guy was insane!� Daniel said hurriedly. �There wasn�t anything we could do��

�Danny, I�m not blaming you!� Jack waved his hand. �I just want to know what the hell happened out there.�

�As Daniel Jackson said, the man was unstable,� Teal�c offered. �He was attempting to defend the Fade.�

�Defend the Fade?� Jack looked disbelievingly at them then settled back in his chair as Daniel and Teal�c proceeded to describe the events that transpired in the barn.

After he�d sent a clean up crew out to the farm to retrieve the Fade and come up with a cover story to explain the death of the man, Jack headed down to the infirmary. Sam was sitting on one of the beds, already working on her mission report. She was forced to use one hand to type as her left arm was in a sling.

�Ok,� Jack said, standing over her bed and scowling down at her. �Just the fact that you can type that fast with one hand proves that you work to hard.� He leaned over, pushing her hand away from the keyboard and closing the laptop. �Sam, you�re injured. Milk it. I won�t be asking for that report for another week anyway.�

Sam sighed heavily as he set the laptop aside and sat down on the edge of the bed.

�How�re you feeling?�

�Fine, actually,� she replied. �I�ve had a lot worse.�

�True that,� Jack nodded. �So Danny and Teal�c filled me in on everything that happened. Good work.�

�Thanks.� Sam was being oddly quiet and was deliberately avoiding Jack�s gaze.

He reached out and gently turned her face towards him. �Hey, Sam, what�s wrong?�

�I feel bad about what happened,� Sam murmured. �That man thought he was doing a good thing�defending something that couldn�t defend itself. And what does he get? The thing kills him. And it�s not like it was a wild animal�that was a sentient, intelligent being!�

�I know, I know,� Jack said soothingly, reaching out to lightly touch Sam�s shoulder. �But there was nothing really you could have done�you didn�t know how the Fade was going to react. You did your best and no one is questioning that.�

�Right,� Sam looked down, her brow furrowed.

�Would it help if I took you out for dinner again?�

Sam looked up. �Only if Thor doesn�t decide he needs us.� She said, the faint smile on her face making Jack feel a thousand times less worried.

�I�ll make sure he doesn�t.�

After working for about three hours, Sam was surprised to hear the sound of someone beaming into the bridge. She went out to find Thor talking to Jack, who had a picnic basket in one hand. Sam raised an eyebrow.

�Anyway,� Jack said, catching sight of Sam. �You know we�d love to stay, Thor, but I�ve already got dibs on Sam for this evening.�

Sam could have sworn Thor smirked as he beamed them off the ship.

They reappeared on a deserted bluff overlooking Colorado Springs. The sky to the east was still faintly tinged with colors, but the lights in the city were already turned on, creating a vast web of yellow dots.

Sam smiled appreciatively. �Very romantic.�

�As our Jaffa friend would say�Indeed, Colonel Carter.� Jack chuckled, pulling a blanket out of the picnic basket and spreading it on the grass before unpacking the food he�d brought. Sam sat down cross legged next to him. They made small talk as they ate, then Jack put the empty containers back in the basket and stretched out on his back, patting the ground next to him.

Sam lay down as well, snuggling against Jack and folding one arm under her head as they both looked up at the sky above. Stars were twinkling in the velvety expanse, bright and clear against the blackness of space.

�Hey look, its one of the gate symbols�� Jack said, raising his hand into Sam�s line of vision and tracing a constellation with his finger.

�Mhmm,� Sam sighed, moving her head so it was resting on his shoulder. �It�s amazing, thinking that some of these stars are actually suns whose planets we�ve been too.�

�Makes you realize just how small and insignificant just one planet is.� Jack said quietly.

�Yeah�� Sam was silent for a moment, then she said, �Knowing that there�s so much else out there isn�t such a bad thing�I mean think about it, there�s so much for us to explore and learn.� She laughed quietly. �I used to console myself with the thought that there are so many other people out there, at least one has to be the one for me.� She turned her head to look at Jack, grinning.

Jack returned the grin. �Luckily you didn�t have to go hunting across the galaxy for him, though.�

�Yup.�

�You know, it�s kinda weird�� Jack said. �I joined the Stargate program because I thought my life was over. My son was dead�my wife was leaving me�and yet�thanks to the gate my life has started all over again.�

This was the first time in a long time that Sam had heard Jack mention Charlie, and it made her heart sting in pity. �Jack��

�Don�t waste your time feeling sorry for me,� Jack said, reaching out with one hand to trace the line of her jaw. �Because for the first time in years I�m actually happy with where I am. I�m in love with a gorgeous woman who happens to be smarter than anyone in the galaxy��

Sam blushed. �That�s not true��

�You know it is.� Jack smiled as he sat up and stretched. �Anyway, it�s getting cold. We should be heading�aww crap.�

�What�s the matter?� Sam sat up as well, eyes wide.

�I just realized a flaw in my oh-so-brilliant plan,� Jack grumbled. �I forgot to have Thor beam a car over here for us.�

Sam smirked. �Guess you�ll have to carry me home then.�

�Yeah, sure ya betcha.� Jack got to his feet.

Sam did as well, picking up the basket. Suddenly, Jack scooped her up into his arms. �Jack!� she cried. �What are you doing?! Your knees!�

�My knees are perfectly fine, thank you.� Jack replied as he began to walk down the road, Sam cradled in his arms. After about fifty feet he groaned, �Ok, enough of that.� He set Sam down and they both laughed before linking arms and heading the rest of the way home.

�Well, this is familiar,� Sam said as they stood on her front porch.

�Yeah, only this time I can guarantee you that Thor won�t beam us up.� Jack slipped his arms around Sam�s waist and took a step closer, shivering slightly as she laid her hands on his chest. Jack tilted his head slightly. �And if he does, I want my money back from him.�

Sam chuckled, closing her eyes and pressing her lips against Jack�s.

It was everything that the previous kiss hadn�t been. It was everything that either of them had imagined or desired for the past seven years. And it was all Jack could do to keep himself from following Sam inside when she finally did break away and say goodnight.

Continue To Part 2

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