1AN: And here's the last installment. Hopefully shippy enough for the shipper, and leaving enough to the imagination for those not so shippy. Any out-of-character reactions I blame solely on the effects of The Arrow of Eros.

Oh, and those paying attention might also have noticed my choices for chapter titles. For those curious enough, Ch. 1 "It's in his Kiss" by Betty Everette. Ch. 2 "Love Potion Number 9" by the Beatles. Ch. 3 "Here We Go Again" by Ray Charles and Nora Jones. Ch. 4. "Last Kiss" by J. Frank Wilson And The Cavaliers.

Chapter Four: Last Kiss

A rather subdued group met several hours later in the briefing room. Once Teal'c, with the assistance of a few techs, had been able to separate Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter, Dr. Fraiser had quickly been able to determine just how the Arrow had affected those that came in contact with it. Daniel's translations and research had finished just in time to back up her theories. Sam had been unable to reproduce the energy spike she'd recorded when Dr. Fraiser had unwittingly handled the arrow, and it had been hurriedly agreed not to test it on any further personnel.

"So Doctor Fraiser, you are confident the effects of the arrow will wear off on their own given time?" Hammond surmised from the reports he'd just received. Janet sent a brief glance at Daniel, and looked back at her notes, before meeting the General's gaze.

"Yes sir," she replied crisply.

"In a couple days," Daniel added, folding his hands and slouching in the chair slightly. Jack raised both eyebrows. Sam glanced at the ceiling as if in thought. Teal'c smiled, though it was doubtful anyone but SG-1 would notice.

General Hammond coughed discreetly. "Then I expect that all present will behave in a manner befitting military regulations when in public over the next few days," he ordered gruffly, coming to his feet. The rest stood when he did, and a chorus of "Yes, sirs," and one "Absolutely General," answered him.

As everyone filed out of the room, Jack hesitated. Noticing the man staying back, Teal'c slowed his pace to match the Colonel's.

"He did say in public right Teal'c?" Jack inquired softly and with slight emphasis on the word public, as soon as everyone else was safely out of earshot.

The smug smile Teal'c had been wearing with increasing frequency all too recently ghosted momentarily back into place. "Indeed, my friend," Teal'c replied with a slight incline of his head before smoothly exiting the room.

Jack's looked thoughtful for a moment, before a slightly smug smile graced his own face. "Indeed," he repeated quietly, following Teal'c out of the room.

He had some thinking to do.

---

Some time later, Jack turned the corner to Carter's lab and hesitated. He'd spent the last several hours in his office, an overflowing wastebasket testament to his poor concentration. The General had changed the deadline on his overdue paperwork; no doubt hoping the new earlier deadline would keep the Colonel busy. Unfortunately, Jack hadn't made much of a dent. He'd finally decided to go for a walk in an attempt to clear his head, and his feet unwittingly led him along an all too familiar path. He wavered in place, better judgment warring with the memory of her in his arms. His fingers briefly fluttered over his lips and they tingled with an echo of memory. Should he go see her or not? Desire to drop in soon won over anything else, including good sense. After all, he told himself, they would need to resolve this... thing, whatever it was, between them. Before he could change his mind, he walked down the corridor, stopping at the doorway to her lab, finding the woman inside with her back to him, seemingly staring into space.

"Carter," he announced, with a soft rap on the door, before he could convince himself to steal away quietly before she noticed him standing there.

Sam's head popped up in surprise and turned around at his voice. She glanced back down quickly at the pile of disassembled alien gizmos, but not before Jack caught twin patches of color on her cheeks..

"Sir," she returned with poorly feigned nonchalance, giving him an almost wary glance, before shifting her attention back to the things in front of her on the table. "Can I do something for you?" She picked a few things up, moving them around, but Jack could see that she wasn't really concentrating. A sense of victory briefly bloomed inside, but Jack squashed it down, along with a smug grin.

"Ah, no," he answered quickly, smothering the grin again as her surprise brought her head up again sharply. Their eyes met briefly, and a jolt shot through him before she dropped her gaze back to the table with a brisk "Sir." The grin wavered again.

Stuffing hands into pockets, he bounced slightly, trying to act non-threatening. Natural.

"So," he said, raising eyebrows and tilting his head significantly.

"So…" Sam prompted after a short silence, meeting his gaze, her own eyebrows going up questioningly. The doohickey on the lab table lay suddenly forgotten as they watched each other.

Jack swallowed suddenly nervous, and then shrugged it off. "You doing ok?" he asked, as if that were the reason for his visit. He moved to stand across from her, the table between them.

Sam cocked her head to the side in puzzlement. "Yes, sir." Her eyes searched his, confusion evident, but he was sure something else was there too.. "You?"

"Never better," he lied, wiping suddenly damp palms off on his pants.

"That's good to hear, sir." She dropped her eyes again and shifted a few things around on her lab table again. Likely, the things on her table made sense to her, but it just looked like a jumbled mess of wires and metal to him. Even still he could tell that she wasn't really focused on what she was doing and likely hoped he wouldn't figure that part out.

Jack moved around the table to her side while she pretended to run some tests, taking his time and acting as if he were also just studying the objects arrayed there, rather than her hands. He stopped when he reached her side. "Just wanted to see how you were doing and all," he said with as much nonchalance as he could muster, secretly amused when her hands stilled.

She frowned slightly. "Ah... thank you, sir." Again, her eyes searched out his, as if looking for some hidden meaning. "But really, I'm... fine." She swallowed, biting her lower lip on the last word.

He nodded, not breaking eye contact. "Good, because, well, I'd hate to find out anything was bothering you," He moved another step closer, close enough to feel the heat coming off her body. One hand trailed lazily along the tabletop beside them, drawing closer to her.

"Oh, no, sir. Nothing is bothering me. Nothing at all." Her words were almost breathless, but she stayed where she was, her head tilting upward as he moved to keep her eyes on his face.

"I just wanted to make sure because of how Daniel and the Doc said we might still be feeling some of the effects from the arrow for a few days, maybe even longer." His hand left the table and brushed against her arm, now trailing his fingers gently upwards.

She sucked in a breath, but continued to watch his face. "Yes, sir. I remember them saying that."

"That's good. You know I wouldn't want anything between us," he said softly, almost as breathlessly as she just had. His fingers wandered up her arm seemingly of their own accord, brushed her neck, and gently traced along her jaw. Unconsciously, she closed her eyes and leaned into the caress. Abruptly, he dropped the hand and turned around, striding several steps away. Sam's eyes to snapped open just in time to witness the Colonel pulling out the wire to the security camera in her lab.

"Drat," he said, "Looks like your camera is on the fritz." He dropped the cord, brushing a hand on his pants as if to remove dust.

Sam blinked in surprise, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Its been known to happen," she replied mildly.

"Hmph," he grumbled. "You should probably put in a work order."

"Probably," she answered, watching him, her expression now thoughtful.

He returned to her side, on the way closing the door. When he reached her, he laid his hand back on her arm. This time they moved toward each other until their faces were mere inches apart.

"I'll do it tomorrow," she murmured as he leaned in closing the gap to cover her lips with his.

They broke apart reluctantly. "No rush Carter," Jack said softly, his hand on her face. With a supreme act of will, he pulled away from her and let go. "In fact, I think it will be working quite well again in a few moments."

"Perhaps," Sam said running her tongue over lips that still tingled, feeling the loss of contact sorely.

"On the other hand, the camera in my office often has technical difficulties." He turned away, heading for the door. He stopped suddenly, keeping his back turned to her. "Come to think of it Carter, there is something you can do for me."

"Sir?"

"Well, I thought we should probably get together, to go over our reports on this arrow... thing." Jack smirked, his face still hidden.

"Reports, sir? On the arrow?" she asked, now hiding a smirk of her own. Somehow, the way she said it sounded dirty.

His scowl was only half serious when he replied over his shoulder. "Yes, Carter, our reports. My office, 1300."

There was no hiding the smirk now as she watched him saunter out of the room. "Yes, sir."

-finis-

AN: I'd just like to say thank you all for reading another one of my silly little fics. I hope you enjoyed it. The story was fun to write. As always, I crave feedback, both good and bad, but try to be nice!