Title: Otis Heat
Author: M. Elizabeth Ravensblood
Rating: A - Adult, Sexuality
Pairing: Jack/Samantha
Summary: While in Otis, an earthquake traps Jack and Samantha in her father's lab and things heat up.
Jack sat down with a sigh, as Samantha pounded on the heavy steel door. There had been a minor earthquake which resulted in their being trapped in her father's old laboratory in Otis. Although Samantha wasn't aware, Jack was pretty sure he'd heard a partial cave in and knew there was a good chance Malone and Grant were dead elsewhere in the facility. It would be a long time before they would be found and possibly rescue would come too late, Jack realized.
"Bailey! John!" Samantha shouted.
Pulling off his tie, Jack said, "It's pointless Samantha. That door is on a timer and I heard a collapse in the tunnels. Even if they're alive, they would never hear you through that door. We're surrounded by concrete and steel."
Annoyed, she sighed, "The one time, I could use Jack shadowing me and he's in jail."
At that Jack began to laugh until there were tears in his eyes. Finally he managed, "I wouldn't be so sure of that."
"Ed what are you talking about?" Samantha asked in an annoyed tone. It was hot and she was trapped with Barney Fife, she didn't feel like being nice.
"Nothing," Jack answered in his Ed voice and sat down.
Samantha was already irritated, somehow he imagined telling her his identity would set her off like a match to gasoline. If they were going to die, he would tell her before the end, but not until she was too oxygen deprived to scream at him. He swore silently if Jack-Of-All-Trades was going to die, it would be with a least a little dignity.
For several minutes, Samantha beat on the door before finally giving up and sitting down. As she sat, Jack watched her intently. She had to be burning up in her sweater, he was miserable in his uniform. Several times he tried to engage her in small talk and stubbornly she refused to do more than give him one word answers. It was at the nearly two hour mark that Samantha slumped over. Jack rose unsteadily himself, the heat might well finish them before lack of air. Walking over to her, Jack eased Samantha out of her jacket and cut her sweater away.
Sliding the contents of Walter Anderson's desk to the floor, Jack threw a couple towels down that were in a supply closet he'd placed for cleaning up if he had to murder a VCTF member while they were in Otis. Picking up Samantha, Jack laid her on top of the desk. Abandoning his shirt and padding, Jack discarded his gun belt as well. Samantha shooting him was the least of his worries. Walking to a small sink, Jack prayed the pipes hadn't been annihilated in the quake. Turning the faucet, tepid water ran slowly and he moistened a towel under it.
Taking the wet towel to the desk, Jack gently caressed Samantha's face with the towel, then ran it over her arms as well. Her eyes opened and Jack informed her, "You fainted Samantha."
"E-ed?" she tried to sit up. When his hands gently pressed her down, she asked, "Why are you calling me Samantha? No one does that."
"I do, Samantha," he responded softly. "I always have."
"It isn't possible," she protested in feeble disbelief.
"Come now Samantha, you didn't really believe Lucas was me. I thought surely you'd see through his always calling you Sam."
"Jack-" Samantha gasped. Her consciousness was fully returned and she became aware that sweet Ed's accent was gone and his sinewy body wasn't what she'd seen for the last two days.
"That's right, Samantha."
"We're going to die aren't we." It was a statement not a question. If Jack was revealing his identity this was either the big moment of his plan or they were near the end. And somehow, Samantha had a feeling Jack would have something a bit nicer in mind for his big reveal.
"I've escaped a lot of things, but this is beyond me. While I wanted us to be together until the end, this was never what I had in mind," Jack assured her.
"I know," Samantha agreed and sat up. Standing up she took her shoes and pants off. Answering Jack's quizzical expression, "If I'm dying, I want to at least be comfortable.
"By all means," Jack answered and turned away.
"You can take your pants off if you want," Samantha blurted out. When Jack looked over his shoulder at her with an arched eyebrow, she blushed. "I meant because it's so hot in here. I know you're the sort that would be gentlemanly till the end."
"Not sure that's such a good idea," Jack replied as he stared at the wall.
A moment later he wavered slightly and Samantha moved forward to steady him. As she held him she noticed his arousal straining against his uniform pants. Samantha smiled, feeling oddly proud he was turned on by her even under the circumstances and wicked thought crossed, Samantha's mind. If they were never going to make it out and likely wouldn't be found until they were dead for quite a while, then why not just once live for the moment, even if it was the last moment. For years she'd longed to know Jack. No one would likely ever know the truth. Would it be so wrong to have their last moments be happy?
Pressing against him, Samantha kissed him. When he gave no response, she pulled away, "I don't understand. I thought you wanted me."
Weighing his words carefully, Jack answered, "Of course I do, but I'm not about to be your consolation death fuck. I love you. You don't love me. Ergo, sex isn't happening."
Samantha walked back to the desk and sat down. On the one hand she couldn't blame him, but at the same time it was the last chance they'd ever have. Lying down, she watched surreptitiously when Jack at last removed his pants. A blush stole over her face as she realized he was gloriously naked. Her last thought was how beautiful he was before she fainted.
Ever aware of his surroundings, Jack noticed the change in Samantha's breathing and walked over to her. Checking her pulse, Jack walked over to the sink with the towel and ran it under the faucet again. Pausing to splash a little water on his face, Jack returned to her and dabbed the perspiration that clung to her body. Samantha made a little whimper of protest and Jack felt her forehead. She was burning up, they both were. They had a few hours, maybe five or six tops. Leaning over her, Jack pressed his lips to hers and kissed her. If they were going to die he wanted to taste her lips once.
Samantha roused and returned Jack's kiss. When he lifted his mouth from hers, she confessed, "I love you. I know it's too late and you don't care anymore, but I've loved you for so long."
"Of course I care," he choked out hoarsely.
Samantha began to cry, "I've loved you for so damn long, Jack. Why couldn't you ever let me talk to you? So many times I wanted to hear your voice."
"Shhh, please don't cry Samantha," Jack pleaded. It wasn't going to help her heat exhaustion.
"Can't help it," she sobbed. "My whole life has been wasted. I've tried to be a good girl and fight what I am, but you're right. We are the same and now it's too late. All the nights I've cried myself to sleep and you-"
Jack cut her off with a kiss. Against her mouth he sighed, "I love you so much, my Samantha. Don't think about that now. Just hearing the words from your lips one time, is worth dying for."
Licking up her tears, they burned on Jack's tongue. He reached for the clasp of Samantha's bra and freed her breasts. As his fingers hooked under the edge of her panties, she lifted up. Gazing into his eyes, she smiled and pulled him on top of her.
"It would be cooler for you if you were on top. Less body contact," Jack commented.
Kissing him, Samantha murmured, "Don't care, want as much contact as possible. Hold me until we're dead Jack."
For several minutes they kissed, it was too hot for much exertion, so their caresses were slow and profound. When Jack finally slid inside Samantha they moved slowly, the heat too great to focus on anything but the moment. Sweat ran in rivulets off them both but they continued their slow dance until at last their cries of pleasure mingled in the dwindling air.
Lying entangled in each other's arms, they couple waited for the end. A few moment's later when a sound of metal being drilled through penetrated their fading awareness, Jack struggled to get up and cover Samantha up. Mustering his last bit of strength Jack pulled on his pants and helped a limp Samantha into his uniform shirt. A moment later, sparks flew and the door was forced noisily open.
As they were lead from the facility by emergency workers towards an ambulance, Grace informed them about Bailey and John having died in another part of the facility which had completely collapsed. Samantha felt indifferent to their deaths she dimly realized as she was sat in the back of an ambulance and given and IV. As awareness slowly crept back, she knew Jack was in the other ambulance. Ripping out her IV, Samantha got out before EMS could pull out and she stumbled to the other ambulance.
Demanding she be allowed to ride with him, Samantha climbed inside. Limply the couple sat side by side. When she took Jack's hand and mouthed, I love you. He smiled before collapsing into unconsciousness and falling back onto the gurney. They were separated briefly at the hospital as the ER doctors examined them and fought to bring their temperatures down. The moment she was able to, Samantha demanded to know which room Ed was in and over Grace's protests made her way to Jack. When she entered he gave her a surprised look.
Climbing into the hospital bed with him, Samantha kissed him and said, "I told you I wanted to die in your arms and had spent too many years apart from you."
"Yes," Jack hesitated. "Only I thought-"
Kissing him again, she interrupted, "For the first time since I've know you, you're wrong Jack. Just because the date of my death has changed, my feelings haven't. I don't care what the consequences are. I love you."
Holding her in the stillness of the air-conditioned room, Jack vowed contentedly, "I've always loved you Samantha and always will."
The couple didn't wait to be discharged the next day. Quietly they slipped away and began their new life. Leaving the world to wonder what happened to the Otis Sheriff and the blonde FBI agent. Together they would create stunning scenes of death that were never solved and would live for their love.