This could all be read with a lot of suspension of disbelief. I just wanted this like this. Hope you enjoy. (Oh, it's a sort of challenge fic for a Facebook based fanfiction dot net writers group. The word was impulse. Yeah. Also, unbeta'd. Any glaring mistakes please let me know.)

Set between Scorched Earth and Beneath the Surface.

"So... You growing this out?" he asked in her lab, very late one evening. It had been a long day - the Enkarans were on their way back to their ancestral home – but productive.

Sam blinked as Jack's fingers came up close to her ear, pushing a blonde lock of hair behind it. Her heart was racing as she stared at him. He was looking at her hair, taking in the spots of reflected colours glinting on the blonder highlights.

"Not really, sir. Between everything we go through, I've not been able to get it cut." She fought hard against the impulse to nuzzle his hand, knowing full well that they shouldn't even be in this situation.

"Huh," he replied, his hand still by her face. Her guileless eyes had him hypnotised.

"Sir?"

His hand came to rest on her cheek. Smiling softly, he shook his head. "Nothing."

She smiled back awkwardly. Every part of her swore he could feel her flushing through his palm. This was bad. All she wanted was his hands of her, his fingers trailing down her neck before –

"So I best get this analysis finished before our next mission," she whispered, acutely aware that he was still touching her, and that she wanted more.

"Yeah..." he breathed. It was almost as if someone had thrown a blanket over them and all their senses were muggy. His hand hadn't moved; she could feel the callouses hard against her skin.

"Uh... sir?" No reaction at all, even though he watched her speak. "Colonel?" Still nothing. Was he really so affected by the late hour, or was it something else? Sam swallowed, and whispered, "... Jack?" Her voice was so soft that had it been anyone else, anywhere else, he would've missed the scared, hopeful tone she bestowed to his name.

He blinked, the spell broken. He took his hand away as if shocked, his palm bereft. He hooked his thumb over his shoulder. "So... I'm gonna..."

"Sure!" Sam agreed, overly bright.

He nodded. "Right." There was that smile again, as if he knew something she didn't. Taking a calming breath, he took one last look before heading for the door. "So... your hair?"

She nodded back, sadly. It was way too dangerous. "I'll see to it, sir." Her eyes narrowed slightly as he left. She could have sworn her ears caught a dejected, "sir," echoed as he walked out of the lab.