(Please forgive any minor punctuation errors. I copy/pasted the original posted story to this site, so I could divide it up properly into chapters, and for some reason it dropped periods every so often.)

Chapter Two.

Jack and Teal'c were more than eager to go on the mission. They'd pretty much only be needed for cover and protection, since the two scientists would be doing all the work. He loved to see Sam go into her "Dr. Carter" mode. He knew she relished the exploration, research and discovery of other worlds. Granted, she was a great soldier, but he knew science was her passion in life, the way she used her off-time to remain at the SGC to work on various projects being neglected by their off-world tasks.

They all met at the Gate Room at 1400, right on time, gear in hand. They didn't need to carry too much; they knew all the worlds they were going to were in their mild seasons, so a simple 3-day hike bivouac setup was all each needed. It'd be great to rough it again, see these other worlds at night. Jack was no astro-physicist like Sam, but he knew astronomy, knew Earth's skies intimately. It fascinated him to see the stars from other worlds.

"Hey, T, did you bring it?" he asked as they headed for the ramp.

"Indeed, O'Neill, I would not forget such an important item," he replied in his deep resonant voice, that held that playful tone Sam knew.

"Bring what?" she asked, walking alongside them up the ramp, after the wormhole had been established.

Teal'c held up a very large baseball glove, smiling that light smile at Sam, that she loved to see on him. Good, he's planning on relaxing too. He took their off-world work so seriously sometimes, but they had reviewed the planets to which they were going, and he knew he didn't have to burst through the Gate, staff weapon ready, as he'd done so many times before.

"And I brought the chess board and cards," O'Neill piped in, just before they entered the event horizon of the wormhole.

He kept talking as they stepped out, like they hadn't just been dematerialized and rematerialized over a distance of light years. "I figure, if you two eggheads are off galavanting to the nearest high point to catch some rays, we'd catch some baseball, maybe play cards. And I owe T a rematch in chess!"

He scowled at Jonas. "You DID bring the instrument, right? I'd hate to have to dial home and tell the General we forgot it!"

Sam smiled, knowing that even if they did have to do that, it was no effort, and certainly not new. They'd forgot things before, they were human after all.

Jonas turned toward Jack as he set his gear down. That scowl, when he'd first (and finally!) joined SG-1, used to intimidate him in ways Jack never knew. But now it didn't. He knew he'd rightfully earned a place on the team, especially after the Nirrti incident. He'd proven his mettle to Jack as a team member, an off-worlder who was with the Tau'ri, like Teal'c vowed to be, in their struggle to free the galaxy of the Goa'uld, to protect not only Earth, but free all the enslaved Humans, the Jaffa, and any other people who needed their help. The hatred of slavery and oppression ran deep in all of them.

But now, this three-day mission was a chance for the four of them to bond in a different way, to relax, get some information gathered, explore their surroundings, maybe just sit and jaw. Too bad they couldn't bring some beer along. Jonas had developed a taste for it, on the rare times they indulged at the SGC.

Sam surveyed the area, spied a ridge close by, only about 100 meters, perfect for setting the Tok'ra instrument up. No surrounding high trees, just shrub and bush, so the tracking device could be set to follow the star's path for four hours unencumbered. The equivalent of "high noon" on Earth would be perfect, the star would be in position in about an hour, so she motioned to Jonas to follow her.

"That looks like a likely spot, Jonas," she said pointing, as they nodded goodbye to O'Neill and Teal'c.

"Now, don't you kids do anything up there I wouldn't do!" Jack called behind them, grinning. Like two kids in a candy story, they were. They'd probably have their eyes plastered to the display panel of the instrument for four hours.

Jonas turned to walk backwards a moment, gave O'Neill a mock salute, "Yessir!" and winked playfully. That gave Jack a moment to frown; he'd just been kidding, but that look?

He looked at Teal'c, who saw the exchange. Teal'c shrugged, after the manner he'd learned from the Tau'ri over the years. He generally understood their little innuendo and play amongst themselves, and didn't often deign to comment on it. He was still amazed, at times, how childish the team members of SG-1 could be, yet so professional at other times. It's what made working with them interesting, day after day.

"O'Neill, the sun is moving higher into the sky, perhaps we should find a comfortable spot among those trees, until it is time for the next planet."

They moved the gear to a good spot in the shade, a few logs on the ground to sit on, and settled back for the next few hours. Being there primarily as protection for Jonas and Sam, Jack made sure he could keep a clear eye on them from their shady refuge. And after that little wink from Jonas, he sort of wanted to keep an eye on them for other reasons.

Jonas and Sam found a perfect boulder, partly flat on top, to set the instrument on. They got it set up quickly, it was quite easy to manipulate, checked the display one final time to be sure it was tracking accurately, in time with the planet's rotation, and found another ideal boulder under the shade of an overhanging shrub to sit on.

"Ah, this is great, Sam," Jonas said. "Talk about a milk-run this time! That's all the work we've got for four hours."

"Too bad we can't just set it to run, then go back down to the entry area with the guys," she said casually. She didn't have to play soldier around Jonas. To her, he was a fellow scientist. Friends, team-mates, comrades-in-arms, lovers of discovery and science. She had really developed a liking for Jonas. Nothing romantic, mind you, she knew deep in her inner being her love was reserved for one man, but a camaraderie she couldn't often have with O'Neill or Teal'c.

"Well, I think this is grand, just grand," he said, looking more around the skyline, the horizon. He was fascinated by weather, since he'd been a little boy in Kelowna, and never lost that, especially now with the wonder of going to other planets. Something he'd imagined as a child, but never thought he'd actually fulfill! The discovery of their planet's chaapa'ai changed his life. Today, though, on this planet, the weather was fair with very little clouds. Pretty boring, really, but fun none-the-less.

They remained like that for a long while, Jonas walking around, observing the sky in various directions, Sam writing in a scientific notebook about her musings. Finally, she stretched and dragged out her rucksack, getting the water for a long drink.

"The Colonel did tell us to catch some rays, right?" she asked curiously. He nodded assent, and she said, "Good, I'm planning on it. I brought some sunscreen, seeing as we're going to be in the sun for the next few days!"

And before his eyes, which opened wide in amazement, she took her tanktop off. She had a black sports bra underneath, snug, meant for active moving, so it wasn't too revealing, too unusual. Women often went jogging in such bras in the heat of summer, in public. But the suddenness of her motion, the seclusion they were in, quiet, sunny, mild breeze blowing the fragrant air, made Jonas' fair cheeks flush red. She looks incredible, he thought, finding it hard to keep from gazing in admiration.

She appeared to be unaware of his gaze, his flushed glowing skin, but she knew she'd got him with that. Perfectly innocent, she acted, nothing more than a bikini top would show, after all. She reached into the rucksack and pulled a bottle out.

"Can you put some on my back, my shoulders?" she asked, turning her back to him. He reached over her shoulder, to take the bottle from her hand, but didn't pull too far back afterwards, remaining close, not quite daring to touch her bare white shoulder with his lips. But he was close, oh so close to it... he breathed out deliberately, knowing it would hit the nape of her neck, where it met shoulder, whispering past her ear.

He put some lotion on his hands, smoothed it between his palms, then lightly, oh so delicately, began rubbing into her upper back, over her shoulders, daring his hands to deny him the right to continue down her front, but he resisted... for now... He worked back to her mid-back, just above the bra, then dipped to the bottom of the sport bra, letting his slippery hands slide up under it.

"I don't think the sun will be hitting me there... at least, not yet," Sam said quietly, turning her head a bit so she could see him poised so closely behind her.

She hadn't planned on this happening on this mission, not quite, but she had been intrigued by Jonas since the Nirrti incident, when she'd learned about his unusual evolution. That fascinated her in many ways, both as scientist and woman. This little erotic play was fun, enticing, exciting, she could feel herself reacting deep inside, but she suspected it wouldn't go too far. Harmless flirtation, really, two single, lonely people wanting some touch.

As she thought about what was happening, what might happen, he continued his rubbing and sliding over her skin, worked his way down to her lower back, forbidden to go any further by her uniform pants. He lingered on that lower back though, his fingers every so often dipping in just a little bit, his mind racing on what it'd be like to continue.

He gripped her shoulders from behind, giving one final rub to remove the rest of the lotion, and leaned in, whispered, "All done, Major. Unless you want me to do your front, too?"

She heard the laughter in his voice with that, his boldness, and laughed back, "No, I think I can manage." She took the bottle back from him, covered her palm, and began rubbing it on herself, chest and tummy. She knew he was watching in fascination, his hands still resting on her shoulders, his mouth still close to her ear, his eyes gazing at her breasts. He couldn't help it, couldn't pull himself back to let her finish.

Sam put the bottle back in the rucksack, and turned again to his side, both facing the boulder holding the instrument. She had such fair skin that she didn't want to burn in all the sunlight they were going to be enduring. Her skin was aglow from the lotion, the rubbing, and the black bra, on her white skin, only enhanced her beauty, Jonas thought.

"Jonas."

"Sam." he replied smartly, twinkle in his eye as he looked toward her.

"About what just happened."

"Yes?"

"We should talk about that, before we continue our three-day mission."

"Sounds good, what would you like to talk about?"

"Can I be honest," she asked.

"Please do."

"You fascinate me. In many many ways, and I want to get to know you better, in many many ways. But I needed to clarify something, if a possible physical relationship is going to come out of all this."

Physical relationship, she'd specified. Good. That's what he'd had in mind too, only that.

"And that would be... ?"

"I didn't want this to go further than you and I being team mates, friends, colleagues, just having fun doing this. I can't give my heart to you, in other words, except as a dear friend."

He took her hand, holding as a friend would hold a friend's, took it quickly to his mouth and kissed it, and said, "Sam, that would do wonders for me. I watch you, day after day, fascinated by you, but you're right, I know I could never win your heart. Never tried to. Your heart rests with someone else, I know."

She looked into his amber eyes, and knew he was telling the truth, no guile. That's one thing she liked about Jonas, he was so open, so honest, almost childlike at times, but she knew he had an extraordinary mind. He wouldn't be hurt if this went on a week, a month, whenever, and ended abruptly. They understood one another.

"Sam, I have a confession to make. As lovely as you are, as most Earth women are, I don't plan on being there until the end of my days. I hope some day to return to Kelowna, to my people, hopefully find a wife, have children. I tell myself this exile is only a hiatus on my studies, my work there, until the political b.s. can be resolved, and I can return."

She smiled, looked at his lovely mouth, back up into his eyes, "Jonas, that's one reason I wanted to do this. I know you ache to return home. I know Teal'c misses Chulak sometimes. You two have been great, helping us fight the Goa'uld, the slavery, but I know realistically, neither of you will be with Earth forever. That's why I thought you and I could capture the day, month, doesn't matter. I get lonely sometime, miss the touch and feel of a man, someone holding me in his arms."

"And I miss having a woman to hold, to touch."

He put his hand behind her head, on her neck, and leaned forward, gave her a kiss to seal their understanding. He pulled back, assumed his comfortable position. No hurry. They remained in silence for some time, occassionally rising to read the display on the instrument as it continued the collection of data.

They'd got so comfortable, they were startled to hear rustling up behind them. They turned in time to see O'Neill come through the line of shrubs.
Carter suddenly remembered she was sitting there, next to Jonas, in her sports bra. She watched O'Neill's approach. She didn't change her position, suddenly try to hide herself, alter her expression, but she blushed furiously, all the way down to the breastbone. She felt the heat of blood rising. If I move, do anything out of the ordinary, it'll just draw that much more attention to myself, she thought.

O'Neill approached from an angle where the sun was in his eyes, so he shielded it with his hand, squinting, which gave him a chance to soak in the sight he saw. Samantha. In a bra. Sitting next to Jonas. They hadn't pulled apart or anything, they were just casually sitting there, near the instrument, quietly talking. He wondered about what. He continued that shielding squint, taking as much of her in as he could without being obvious, until he was up near them, out of the sunlight.

"You two look comfortable," he said, smiling.

"Yes, sir. Like I said, once the instrument is calibrated to track the star, we've not got much to do. We've been gabbing, catching up on stuff."

"T and I played chess, and he's mad 'cause I beat him again. I figured it'd be safer to come check on you two, I couldn't see you clearly from our spot in the shade down there. But that's okay. We'll be heading out in a while. How much longer?"

Sam got up to check the display. Jack took the chance, being behind both her and Jonas, to stare openly once again. He'd got those sneak-peeks down to a fine art, take in as much of Sam as he could, when he could, and remember.

"Just under an hour to go, Sir. Fifty-three minutes."

"Great, I'll risk T's wrath and go down there, maybe he and I can toss a ball till you guys get to the gate, and we'll be ready to go."

"Colonel, I realized something. We left the Gate room at 1400, we'll have been here almost five hours all told, making it 1900 in our personal time. I think we should only do one more planet today, so we can get some sleep, maybe bivouac on our next destination. By the time we're done at the next planet, it'll be past 2300 our time."

"You've got a good point. So we'll plan on camping at the next stop. I'll dial up Earth and let the General know we'll only be doing two planets 'today', our time. Meet us down there when you're done, then," and he jogged back down the ridge.

After he was out of earshot, Sam asked Jonas, "You don't think he saw anything, do you? Heard us talking?"

Jonas smiled, "No, I don't think the Colonel considers me a threat, to you or any other Earth woman he's interested in. The whole Alpha Male thing."

"Interested? In me?"

"Well, sure, isn't it obvious? He adores you, he always watches you. You've never noticed?"

Sam was amazed. It was that obvious? His watching her? What had Jonas observed about her reactions to O'Neill? He'd said earlier how he understood, that she couldn't give her heart to him, Jonas; he knew it belonged to O'Neill then!

She smirked at him, "You don't miss much, do you, Jonas?"

"Probably part of my superior human evolution," he said rakishly, returning her smirk.

She had to laugh out loud about that, but he may have been right. The differences still made her wonder what made Jonas so special. What had Nirrti discovered in her instruments, her research? She especially loved that whatever it was, it didn't affect his ego. If anything, he became a bit shy about discussing it, playing it down like it was no big deal.
That was the crux of the mission though, their whole purpose in being here. She had to concentrate on that, not Jack, not Jonas. Gather data, get ready to crunch it when we get home, maybe learn something we don't know now, she thought. Focus on that, whatever happens in the next few days with Jonas, well, that's just gravy.

Jonas made a game of glancing sneakily around, like he might be observed, then grabbed Sam unexpectedly, again by the nape of the neck, and planted a long, deep satisfying kiss on her. She almost lost her balance from the sudden motion, and reached out to hold him by the shoulder, the back.

The kiss really impacted her, she reacted instantly to it, Oh, it's been so long! she thought, as she lost herself in it. He had a beautiful mouth, worked his tongue gently, not intrusively, into hers until she had a chance to catch her balance and respond. This was fun, this was physical, touching, enjoying one another's company. That added a sweetness to it all, no head games, no messing with emotions and hearts. Part of her wanted to dream it was Jack who was kissing her so roughly, yet joyfully, but she knew that wasn't fair to Jonas. She wasn't going to use Jonas as a surrogate-Jack; if she was going to be with him this way, she'd be with him, not "Jack."

Jonas was surprised at her ardent response, he thought such a move, though playfully begun, might make her mad. But they'd already talked, had their understanding. He was showing her that given the opportunity, he'd take her like this whenever he could, nobody the wiser. He knew he was good at reading people. These Earth humans, though distant ancestors, were amazingly easy to fathom. And he knew she considered him, well, not weak, but gentle, soft, kind. He was those things, he wasn't so blind as to say he was not, but there was much to him she didn't know. He had passions, and desires, and sexual fantasy, like any healthy sane man does. This was one of them, having the license to do such a thing as this, with such an extraordinarily beautiful woman.

"Jonas!" she said, breathlessly, when he released her mouth, her lips, but kept his arm possessively around her shoulders, "You drove the breath right out of me! How'd you learn to kiss that way?"

He blushed happily, pleased to have given her such a surprise. "I'm not a monk, you know," winking.

"I imagine you aren't, but still! I'd never imagined you could kiss that way!" she was in awe of that lovely mouth now, looking at it, wanting more, much more. Such probing kisses were often joy and completion in itself, not everything had to lead to sex, after all. She remembered in her youth, having hours-long kissing sessions with whatever boy she was seeing, and this brought that back, the innocence, the sweetness, of just kissing, hugging, and holding one another.

He smiled his appreciation of her compliment, and stood to stretch. He meandered over to the instrument, and announced, "17 minutes left." He turned toward the Gate, now visible from his vantage point, saw a bit beyond to the stand of trees where O'Neill and Teal'c had played chess. He caught O'Neill's eye and waved, indicating it wouldn't be much longer.

O'Neill waved back in acknowledgement, motioned to Teal'c, and they began moving the gear back to the Gate.

He walked back to their boulder, leaned down to give Sam one more quick, but quite lovely, kiss and said, "Samantha, why don't you go down, I'll get the instrument when it's done. No use both of us up here now, when we're almost finished. I'm sure it won't sprout wings and fly off in the next 15 minutes."

She nodded her head in agreement and put her shirt back on, grabbed her rucksack and waved goodbye to him, like she wasn't going to see him again in 15 minutes or so.

O'Neill watched her start jogging down the ridge, letting gravity carry her along haphazardly, as he'd done, and she was smiling hugely, white teeth glinting brilliantly.

She looks magnificent like that, he thought. He enjoyed looking at her glowing skin, remembering her in her black sports bra, then started to frown a bit. Worry was starting to niggle at his brain. Why's she smiling like that? I'm sure that instrument display isn't that fascinating. What had happened up there, any way? Jonas?

Jack didn't worry about Jonas. He was a nice guy, he'd proven himself pretty well to O'Neill that he was a useful member of SG-1 (although no Daniel Jackson, he thought firmly), but him? Sam? Puh-leeze, he laughed to himself, snorting in derision at the thought. He told her a funny joke, that's probably it. Jonas was forever surfing the Internet on off-time, when he didn't have projects to work on, and found great humor sites (when he wasn't perusing all his weather favorites). He even sent a link of a Simpsons site to Jack's email, making him bust up laughing.

Jack smiled at Sam's smile as she approached. "Major?"

She knew he'd be wondering why she was grinning so couldn't help it! It had felt so damned good to have a guy and simply kissing, flirting and touching, she knew she looked like the Cheshire cat.

"Sir?"

"The instrument is that humorous? The Tok'ra are usually a humorless lot... well, Jacob and Selmak notwithstanding."

"No, it's not that, he told me a good one. You know how he is."

Yep, Jack thought, "I thought that might be what it was."