The lift doors opened and Jack smiled slightly. Sam entered the lift and faced the closing door.  Jack’s masking of his internal fluttering prevented him from initially noticing the musical sound that emanated from Sam.

“Humming?” Jack glanced at Sam.

“I am?” Sam’s eyebrows rose slightly as she glanced toward Jack.

“You are.” Jack confirmed.

“Sorry.” Sam’s insides tightened, hoping Jack wouldn’t remember.

****

Jonah stepped up quietly behind Thera. She was writing down the latest temperatures from the read out and humming. He stood and listened as she kept writing, not realizing he was behind her. It was a happy song, but not one he recognized.

“That’s a pretty song.” Thera jumped slightly as his words floated around her.

“Jonah, you startled me.” Thera smiled at him and his insides turned mushy. Jonah was sure her smile could melt all the ice on the planet’s surface.

“Why were you humming?” Jonah was well within Thera’s personal space and it was making her skin crawl with that deliciously familiar feeling of desire.

“Honestly?” Thera peeked up at him through her eyelashes.

“Of course.” Jonah’s breath tickled her nose.

“I was thinking about our talk last night.” Thera locked her eyes with his soft brown orbs.

“Any particular part of our talk?” Jonah reached out and ran his fingers down her arm.

“The part about feeling feelings.” Thera’s smile turned radiant. “I liked that part.”

Jonah nodded his head. “I like making you hum.”

****

The memory pierced Jack’s heart. It could only mean one thing.

“What's his name?” Jack looked at the changing floor numbers as he spoke.

“Now why would ...” Sam knew he remembered, but she was surprised he was willing to confront it.

“Humming.” Jack didn’t see any reason to deny the obvious.

“Pete.” Sam knew better than to lie.

“Pete?”

“Pete Shanahan, he's a cop.”

“Speeding again are we?” Jack’s words let them share an uncomfortable grin.

“He's from Denver; he's a friend of my brother.”

“Set up.” Jack’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“Pathetic, I know.”

“No, it's great.” Jack quickly protested hoping to let her off the hook. He didn’t want to do anything that might be seen as standing in her way.

“Really?”

“Isn't it?” He internally hoped she was about to declare her undying love for him and say Pete was just a distraction.

“Well it's not serious or anything.”

“And yet it is hum worthy.”

“Sir ...” Sam wanted to remind him humming didn’t mean anything physical had happened, but Jack didn’t want to hear it. He knew a physical attraction to another man would be less disturbing to him than a spiritual attraction.

“Oh Carter, it's none of my business. I'm just happy that you're happy about something other than...quarks.” Sam looked at Jack, surprised by his chosen words. “Not bad with quarks huh?”

“Excellent.”

“A bit uncomfortable isn't it?”

“Yeah, a bit.”

The lift doors opened and Jack walked out. He’d made it this far without letting the stabbing pains through his chest show on his face.

“Good luck.” Jack makes sure to end the awkward conversation on an up beat. Never let it be said Jack showed defeat.

“Thank you, sir.” The door closed and Sam pounded her leg with her closed fist. Damn her! Why couldn’t she control that stupid hum? Her dad and brother had figured it out when she was young (and really teased her about her first kiss), and now she’d just hurt one of the most important people in her life because of it. At least now her budding relationship was in the open. Jack seemed to have handled it well, but Sam wasn’t sure he was being honest about his feelings. Jack was good at hiding and posturing…Sam knew this well.

The door opened and Sam went to her lab. She immersed herself in work to try and ignore the pain she felt from hurting Jack.