She woke suddenly, jerking to sitting position but Jack was ready for her. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him.
"Sssssh. It's okay, it's over now, it's okay." He said, repeating rubbing her back in slow, comforting circles. Sam's breathing slowed quickly and she lent into his comforting embrace.
"You ok?" he whispered. She nodded against his chest.
"Yeah. Sorry." Jack kept a protective arm around her.
"It's not a problem Sam." He said softly " I just wish you could tell me what they're about, so I could help you know." Sam swallowed.
"Yeah, I know. But I can't." she whispered. Jack sighed. These nightmares had been occurring every other night now for the last two months. He and Sam trusted each other with everything since they'd been going out for the last 8 months but not this, she wouldn't tell him what they were about. Sam fell asleep again, her head resting on Jack's chest but it took a lot longer for Jack to finally close his eyes.
The next morning Jack came out of the shower, towel drying his hair to find Sam sitting up in bed. She was writing in her diary but looked up and smiled at him as he came out. He smiled back. He couldn't help it her smile was just infectious.
"Hey." She said, leaning over and putting her diary in its usual place, under the mattress.
"Morning." He replied, sitting on the edge of the bed as she could up and dressed.
"Listen Sam." he said clearing his throat " I want you, I'd like you to tell me what the nightmares are about." He said. Sam who was brushing her hair by the mirror, glance up at his reflection.
"Jack, you know I can't."
"Why not Sam?"
"Jack we've had this conversation before�"
"I know Sam but this thing is annoying me. I trust you with everything, tell you everything, even if you don't want to hear it and I wanna know what this is about. It's obviously upsetting you and�"
"Jack!" Sam exclaimed, spinning round to face him. "Can't you trust me!"
"Can't YOU trust ME!" he yelled back at her. They started at each, both regretting what they'd said.
"Sam�" he began, but as she was already dressed and with one swift movement grabbed her rucksack and headed out the door with a shake of her head. Jack sighed and sat down on the bed again.
Sam sat down at her desk with a sigh. She hated arguing with Jack but she couldn't help it. She couldn't tell him about the nightmare. After having it the first time it had been clear in her mind ever since, each nightmare just refreshed it.
It would all start when she would get home. She'd come in and call Jack's name as she always did, but this time there would be no answer. She'd then walk into the kitchen and see a note, with one simple fold in it lying on the table. She'd next talk over to it, pick it up and read it. It would be written in Jack's handwriting and simply read:
"I'm leaving you."
She would experience all the angst and horrible feelings that followed for about a minute until Jack woke her up and she was in his warm arms again. She couldn't tell him that. No way. Thank god Jack didn't have to come to the base today. She wouldn't have to sort it out till she got home, for now she could just get lost in her work, or try to.
Jack readjusted his Walkman as manoeuvred the vacuum into the bedroom. No one at base would believe this scene if they saw it.
In an effort to make up to Sam (even through he was still annoyed she couldn't talk to him), he was cleaning the flat from top to bottom. With a Walkman over his ears, a vacuum in one hand and a duster in the other, no one would believe this was the Jack O'Neill who had taken down Ra'.
Getting into the song, he accidentally hit the bed and Sam's diary fell out onto the floor. Without hesitation he picked it up and out it on the bed. From then on, it seemed the diary ad eyes and was staring at him, begging him to read it. Going past he put a pillow over it, but it didn't help. Finally, he gave up and feeling very guilty, started reading.
Sam unlocked her door and pushed open the door with her foot. She stumbled in and put the two bags of shopping on the counter.
"Jack?" she called anxiously as she closed the door. She was sorry about their argument this morning and she wanted to make up. She peered into the lounge and discovering it empty turned to the kitchen. Sam let out a small gasp and tears began to well up behind her eyes. On the table was a plan white note, folded in half just like her nightmare. She swallowed the lump in her thought and shook her head. It was exactly the same as the nightmare, the note, the empty apartment. How could it be coming true? This couldn't be happening! She didn't have visions of the future, or was it just so inevitable this was going to happen. No. No, she wouldn't believe it. It wasn't exactly the same as the dream anyway, she hadn't had streams of tears flowing down her face in the dream.
She took the final steps to the table and with trembling fingers, picked the note and unfolded it.
It was Jack's handwriting all right but the message was different. Not "I'm leaving you." But "I'll never leave you, don't you know that."
Sam let out another gasp, relief flooding every part of her body. She blinked through the tears and looked down at the note again, just to check she hadn't miss-read it.
Just then warm arms slid from behind her, onto her shoulders and waist, turning her around to face him.
"Sam," he said, bending his knees slightly so he could look into her eyes. "Sam, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry I swear." He stood up properly and cupped her face in his hands, brushing her tears away with his thumb. Sam smiled back at him, through her drying tears and he pulled her close to him, stroking her hair softly.
Finally Jack pulled slightly away from her, resting his forehead on hers, his hands still resting on her waist.
"Sam, I have to tell you something else too. I, er read your diary. I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have but, I�I was mad� upset that you couldn't trust me�"
"I do�" she interrupted desperate to correct him. Jack smiled and silenced her by placing a finger on her lips.
"I don't make speeches like this very often so let me finish okay." She nodded and he continued again.
"I love you. I will always love you." He said simply. "I know I don't always show it very well but I do. You are my world�my everything. You make life worth living. I try to wake up early, just so I can see that smile when you wake up and look at me and�" he paused and looked across at the music system. "just a sec"
He raced over and pressed play on the currently paused CD then raced back, taking her gently into her arms. The music began to play and their bodies began swaying slightly to the music.
"Every time I hear this song feels like it's reading my mind about you."
"Tell me who, what, when,
Where did it start?
Tell me when, where,
How did you get in my heart?
I fell your love washing over me
In waves of emotion so strong
I want to say it while of got the chance
In the words of this song
You're my one shining moment
You are all of my dreams come true
Honey, you're my one shining moment
And if I ever have another
I'm glad that I've known you
You fill in for me all the empty spaces
All the pain I ever felt, you erased it
Is it any wonder? No way
That I'm growing stronger every day
There's a freedom that I never knew
and it's all because of you, Honey
You're my one shining moment
You are all of my dreams come true
Honey, you're my one shining moment
And if I ever have another
I'm glad that I've known you
I wake up with my mind
You light up my day
There is nothing better I can find
Oh my love, I'm so proud
That I can say, hey
All my dreams wrapped
Into one, under the sun, honey
You're my one shining moment
You are all of my dreams come true
Honey, you're my one shining moment
And if I ever have another
I'm glad that I've known you
Shining-
Shine shine, shine, shining moment."
The track finished and Jack pulled away slightly to look in her eyes, "The only thing I have to add the that is you know the whole "if I ever have a another" bit. I don't like that bit, cause I don't want another. I want you."
"Jack" Sam said, struggling to find the words to tell him how much this meant to her, how much she loved him and just how happy she was right then. Jack smiled and put a finger on her lips.
"It's ok Sam. You don't need to say a word, I can see it in your eyes." Sam smiled back at him and rested her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and they began to sway to the music that only they could hear.
THE END! -
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