A/N: So...one wonders just how long they were on the planet before spotting the slaves putting the Naquadah through the 'gate. As I watch these eps, looking for the storypoint (for my series, anyway), I learn more about the characters; it's an interesting process. Once again this takes place on Earth, as I could see no real campfires being lit in the mines. And, while I don't necessarily like using episode titles for my own stories, this one worked. Reviews are appreciated and always answered.

Set during Need.

Need

Carter closed the door behind her and leaned against it. She heard Daniel's car start up and breathed a small sigh of relief. She knew it was wrong, but a small part of her was glad that they'd finally left. It had been O'Neill's idea to have a team night even though Sam had felt it was too soon after their return from P3R 636. Her fears had proven true, the evening had been strained and awkward, filled with tense silences and uncomfortable bursts of stilted conversation.

Sam remembered Daniel's harsh words to her in her lab and closed her eyes against the brief flash of pain that accompanied the memory. "You've never really known what love is, have you?" He'd apologized for it later, after they'd come back and again this afternoon, but...the pain was still there. From the kitchen she heard O'Neill as he put away the dishes they'd just dried, and she took another, steadying breath before squaring her shoulders and joining him.

"They get off okay?"

"Yes, Sir."

O'Neill watched as Carter took the last of the pans from the sink and hung it on the rack, surreptitiously checking his Second to see how she was faring. She'd been right, it had been too soon to have tried a team night, but dammit...he'd needed to spend time with them and he'd hoped they had felt that need too.

Need. Jack tried not to think of what it was, exactly, that he felt he needed.

Carter caught her CO's slight shudder and frowned. "Um, Sir? You okay?"

Jack nodded, not meeting her eyes. Through his patio doors he could see the small fire he'd lit earlier still blazing merrily away. Unlike other team nights, they'd not ended the evening outside around the fire. Instead Daniel had claimed to be tired and left almost immediately after dinner, taking Teal'c with him. O'Neill glanced back at Carter, noting her concerned look. "There's a perfectly good fire going out there, Captain. Shame to let it go to waste." He gestured with his chin and extended his hand in invitation.

Sam caught her breath in surprise at the unexpected thrill that shot through her at O'Neill's invitation. She glanced from his face to his hand and back again, relentlessly squashing the completely inappropriate spark of delight that warmed her. They were walking a thin line here...or at least she was. With the other two members of her team gone, Sam knew she should be heading home as well. It was too easy for someone...anyone...to get the wrong idea about her being alone with her CO in his house. On a Friday night. Late on a Friday night. The problem was, Sam wasn't certain the person getting the wrong idea wasn't her. Daniel's words again echoed through her mind, "You've never really known what love is have you?"

Realizing O'Neill was still standing there, hand outstretched, his expression puzzled, Sam made a decision. She nodded once and, ignoring his hand, jammed her hands in her pockets and brushed past O'Neill, heading for the small fire.

O'Neill closed his eyes at the brief contact as his Captain moved past. Need. There it was again. Oh, this was a very bad idea. He should send her home, this woman. This dangerous woman. Grabbing two sweatshirts from the laundry room, Jack stepped out into the crisp, cool evening. He made his way down to the fire, determined to end the evening now, when he should. It was his responsibility to do this, to maintain the boundaries. No matter what his needs. He opened his mouth to speak when Carter's soft words cut him off.

"Sir?" Sam was perched in what she'd come to think of as 'her' spot by the fire, on the ground with her back propped against the bench of the picnic table, her long legs stretched out toward the fire. She tucked one leg up to her chest and leaned an elbow on it, turning her face toward her Colonel. The crackling fire cast dancing shadows across his features; in the flickering firelight and with his five-o'clock shadow, Sam thought Jack O'Neill represented the epitome of the outdoorsman. The man who could handle anything. But, she knew, looks could be deceiving.

"Carter?" O'Neill slid into his regular spot, alongside Carter, his own legs crossed at the ankles. He handed her a sweatshirt before dropping his on his lap and clasping his hands behind his head.

Sam took the proffered sweatshirt absently, her mind on something else Daniel had said earlier. "Um, I...well, Sir. Daniel told me something today."

O'Neill simply raised an eyebrow, his attention still on the fire. Daniel had said some things to him earlier today, too, and Jack was still angry about them. He didn't like it when his team members fought with each other...who was he kidding? He was pretty pissed at Daniel for striking out at Carter, yet he knew there was nothing he could do about it.

"He said that when you and he were in the storage room, that you said...well, he said you told him you 'knew what it was like.'" Sam bit her lip. Once again she was pushing the boundaries of the traditional CO/Second relationship, but dammit, they didn't have a traditional relationship. All fluttery feelings she might deny herself for Jack O'Neill aside, she, Captain Carter, cared about her CO, Colonel O'Neill. They, all four of them, were a family. Daniel's words today had chilled her, she was afraid O'Neill might still be feeling...something about what he'd admitted to Daniel. She didn't know how to say it properly, but she wanted him to know that she'd listen if he needed it.

"Seems like Daniel said a lot of things, today, eh?"

Carter tilted her head, sliding her hand down to wrap around her leg and resting her cheek on her knee, her face toward O'Neill. "I'm not sure I...oh. He, uh, told you what he said to me in my lab?"

"Yeah. I think it was part of the P3R 636 12-step program. Apologize to everyone you've hurt, or something like that."

"Oh." Sam swallowed, feeling her face flush with embarrassment. Damn Daniel for telling O'Neill. One more thing to...damn. Maybe she could just blow it off. "Sir, I'm sorry, I guess I shouldn't have brought it up. He just told me what you said as part of his apologizing for smashing up some of my lab equipment. And he didn't really hurt me so much as–"

"Don't do that, Carter."

"Sir?"

"Don't...I don't know. I felt like he'd punched me in the stomach when he told me what he'd said to you. Don't...hell, I don't know. Just, don't."

"Yes, Sir."

O'Neill sat silently watching the fire, occasionally poking at it with a nearby stick, halfheartedly turning the logs to increase the burn. He felt bad for cutting her off, but didn't want to see her make excuses for Daniel, or for her to brush off how hurtful Daniel's words had been. His understanding of Daniel's condition came through hard lessons, but he was only willing to stretch that understanding so far. And that didn't include allowing this fine officer, this amazing woman, to let someone else hurt her. Again. The experience he'd spoken of with Daniel wasn't something he was eager to relive, but he was willing to tell Carter some of it. He...needed to. It was a part of him and he wanted...hoped...she'd accept that. Understand it. Softly he said, "It's not really a secret, I guess. I had a little problem with pain meds after Iraq. Took me a while to shake it."

Sam was very careful to not let anything show on her face. God, how much he must have hurt, then, to let it go so far. Sam had some idea of what it had cost him, her very private CO, to tell her.

"I'm sorry, Colonel."

"Yeah, so was I."

The silence between them lengthened, broken only by the pop and crackle of the burning wood warming their feet. Carter watched the thin trail of smoke rise toward the stars, the light from them twinkling brightly on this cool, fall evening. She felt the dampness of the mountain night settling in and shivered slightly.

"You could put the sweatshirt on, you know."

"Yes, Sir, but then my legs would be cold."

"Ah." O'Neill watched as she rearranged his old sweatshirt to stretch further down her legs, covering a greater area for warmth. He silently handed her the pullover he'd brought down for himself, gesturing for her to put in on.

"You'll get cold, Sir."

"Nah. Flannel shirt, I'm good."

Carter slid her arms into the too-large shirt, trying not to be obvious as she inhaled the distinctly 'O'Neill' scent that enveloped her, lingering inside the soft folds as long as she dared. Popping her head through the neck, she absently ran her fingers through her hair to reorder it before smoothing the worn sweatshirt across her chest and pulling the bottom edges down to cover her hips.

O'Neill watched her movements, mercilessly banishing any thoughts of how adorable his Captain looked, her hair disheveled, her smaller body swathed in his too-large Academy sweats. "Better?"

"Mmh." Warmer now, Sam tipped her head back to rest on the seat and gazed again at the stars. She considered what the Colonel had said about not brushing off Daniel's hurtful words. Her CO was right, Daniel had hurt her and she was surprised by how much. Just as she was surprised by O'Neill's reaction. He'd shared something painful with her and she felt she owed it to him to do the same. Sam took a deep breath before letting it out with a forceful sigh. "I...uh...I shared some stuff with Daniel about Jonas and I guess he thought he could use that to...well, yes, you were right. He hurt my feelings."

"I'm sorry, Carter."

"Yeah, Sir. So was I."

The two officers sat together silently, one watching the fire, the other, the stars. After a while Sam yawned and stretched, feeling the cold of the evening stiffening her muscles. It was time to go, no matter how much she wanted to stay right where she was. She glanced at her CO, his gaze on the fire and his thoughts obviously far away. Although she was reluctant to disturb him she knew it was time she headed home. With a soft groan she pushed herself to her feet before turning and offering a hand to her CO.

"Sir?"

O'Neill started and looked at the hand hovering before him. He slowly reached out and held on as the younger officer pulled him upright. Beside them, the glowing embers of the dying fire swirled and danced on the currents of the cool night air.

"Thanks, Sir. For this evening." Carter absently ran her hand through her hair again, standing it on end and making her look younger than her thirty-one years. She bit her lip, her eyes firmly on the ground, then looked up at him, wrinkling her nose slightly. "I know I didn't want us all to get together tonight, but..." Sam tilted her head, giving O'Neill a small smile before continuing softly, "Thanks for letting me stay. I...I needed this."

"So did I, Carter." O'Neill gave her hand a brief squeeze before letting go and following her back up to the house. He waved Carter inside and followed her through the darkened house to the front entryway where stood, one hand on the door, the other propped against the frame and watched as she got into her car. He returned her brief wave and watched until her tail lights disappeared into the night.

"I needed this," she'd said. He'd been honest when he'd told her that he, too, had needed the evening. He would be less than honest, though, if he didn't admit that letting her stay after the others had left had less to do with her need...than his. This time, however, he wasn't sure if he was strong enough to shake this need. And that frightened him more than any addiction ever had.