More Than Just by Elise Hudson

Title: More Than Just

Category: Sam and Jack romance/angst

Spoilers/Season: Set after 7.03 Fragile Balance and a few weeks after the final chapter of More Than Mini. This series of stories now exists in an AU spinning off after Entity.

Rating: PG13

Content Warnings: Sexual situations, bad language.

Summary: After a year of living together, raising their daughter, Sam and Jack have come too close to the imaginary line placed between them and Sam has forced them to back down from it. A lot of others have their own thoughts on the subject matter though. Have they become too distracted and does someone else have plans for them?

Disclaimer: Stargate and SG-1 are the property of Showtime, MGM, Double Secret and Gekko and they do not belong to the author. This piece of fan-fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes and no money was exchanged. No copyright infringement was intended and the original characters, situations and plots are property of the author. This piece of fan-fiction must not be archived without the author's consent.

Comments: I, apparently, wrote this in November 2003 but only by hand and then completely forgot about it. I found it a few months ago in my attic and decided to share it with the world, but I have re-written it for first posting in 2010 and am now editing for 2011 because I have finished More Than Mini.

Copyright © Elise November 2003
Edited and Published September 2010
Re-edited and Re-published 2011.

More Than Just

“I’m so bored!” Colonel Jack O’Neill complained. “These missions are not my idea of fun.”

Major Samantha Carter smiled at her commanding officer while Daniel rolled his eyes. “Come on, Jack. This is so amazing,” Daniel argued. “Discovering artefacts and uncovering a planet’s history.”

It was Jack’s turn to roll his eyes. “Whatever turns you on, Daniel.” The colonel turned to Teal’c. “T, you’re with Daniel. Carter, if it’s alright with you, we’re just gonna sit here and hopefully not die of boredom.”

Sam nodded with a smile on her face. Sometimes she forgot that things were so different now to what she was so accustomed even though she rarely ever went off-world with the original SG-1 line up anymore. She had perfected the switching of roles from commander of SG-1 to subordinate to Jack. Sometimes Sam thought it was just like the old days, until someone mentioned something.

“At least Nicola gets excited by my artefacts,” Daniel muttered as he walked off in the direction of the ruins. Teal’c followed silently behind him.

Sam sat down on the grass with a slightly glum look on her face. Jack sat down opposite her on a boulder. He knew that she had issues concerning Nicola. He knew her well enough by now after countless years serving as her C.O and, for the past year, living with her. They were living together with their eighteen month old daughter and working together on very few missions. Their arrangement had not been easy at first, but they had soon adjusted. At work they were Colonel and Major, some time team-mates and military officers, and at home they were Jack and Sam, friends and mother and father to Daniella. A little over a year ago, Jack had discovered that he was Daniella’s father and he had told Sam that they could not be together romantically for their careers and the sake of their daughter. General Hammond had only allowed Sam to re-join SG-1 once he was one hundred per cent sure that no regulations had ever been broken. They had both lied and informed Hammond that Daniella’s conception had occurred just before he had left for Edora, and just after he had retired. Hammond had then demanded proof that their living and having a child together would not interfere with the SGC.

Unfortunately, despite Hammond’s faith in his team, pressure from above had caused him to ensure that both Sam and Jack rarely went off world as members of SG-1 together. There were still occasions where it happened, usually because of a military need or Sam’s particular background. Then there were situations like the particular one they were in where Lieutenant Carpenter was on leave for a personal matter and Sam had been asked to join SG-1 with Jack for a few days. Nothing had seriously affected their working partnership and neither had noticed any differences when in the workplace. There had been problems at home on occasion. In fact, ever since Christmas, the imaginary line they had placed between them had been crossed on at least two occasions. It had been Sam that that had re-drawn the line, citing the regulations as a cause. Ever since then, Jack would not describe it as hostile at home, but they did avoid each other when alone. Deep down, Jack was not happy with the situation, but he understood and respected Sam’s decisions on the matter, just as he had always.

“You okay?” Jack asked as he fiddled with the sunglasses in his hands.

“Yes, Sir,” she replied quietly.

“Come on, Carter, you can’t fool me.”

After a thoughtful pause, Sam responded. “Do you like Carpenter, Sir?”

Jack paused in thought wondering what she wanted to hear. No, he did not like her and that Sam was a better officer? Did she want an ego boost? Or did she want the truth? It was like when a woman asked if her bum looked big in something. He opted for the latter because there had been enough lies between them in the past to last a lifetime. “She’s a good officer.”

“Don’t turn into a diplomat on me now, Sir,” Sam smiled. At work, both off planet and on base, Sam called him ‘Colonel’ or ‘sir’, but thankfully at home she called him ‘Jack’. It did lead to sometimes feeling like she had a split personality, especially when work and family mingled together. A few weeks earlier, Loki had created a clone of Jack in their home and whilst Sam had been working during the course of events, she had called her CO ‘Jack’ seeing as he had kidnapped their daughter.

Jack shrugged his shoulders. “She’s a bit too scientific for me,” he admitted. “She agrees and goes along with Danny a bit too often. She is good at her job though. She follows my orders and doesn’t often question them. She’s never said ‘no, sir’ to me.” He grinned at Sam and she smiled at their shared memory.

“That’s why you prefer her, Colonel, she doesn’t argue with you.”

“I never said I preferred her, Carter. I don’t always like the fact she doesn’t argue. At least with you, Danny and T, I know you’re going to pick me up on a bad decision. She’s likely to just go along with me and that isn’t good. She doesn’t spend much downtime with us either,” he complained. He had always socialised with officers stationed with him and he felt that it was good for morale and team building. He felt that it was especially important in a facility like Stargate Command.

“That’s because she spends all of her down time with Daniel or cataloguing artefacts.” It was one of the unifying features of all SG-1 personnel – their ability to work constantly.

“And,” Jack said with a dramatic flair, “She just doesn’t get my humour.” And then quietly he added, “She never smiles like you do.”

Sam smiled slightly, looking down at the floor and hiding it from Jack. She was pleased that they could still talk as they always had, maybe even slightly better than before. “All right then,” she amended, “you prefer me because it gives you someone to talk to.” Jack would often return from an SG-1 mission with Carpenter and complain that Daniel and Carpenter had spent the whole time talking archaeology whilst Teal’c had been his usual silent self.

“Damn right.”

She laughed. “Glad to know I’m needed.”

SG – SG – SG

Sam groaned as she picked up her holdall full of clothes. SG-1 had returned three hours previously and she was heading off home. There had not been much to report in the mission debrief other than Daniel’s recommendation that SG-9 be sent back to the planet on a longer term basis to explore the ruins. Daniel, Teal’c and Janet were all off out for the evening, Sam knew, but she had declined their invitation. Preferring the idea of seeing her daughter after four days apart, Sam had decided it was better to head home than choose to go out and socialise. It tended to be after a mission that she would have the slight thought that it would be a much simpler life if she took a desk job. The hours at a Pentagon or SGC research position might be long on occasion, but she would rarely have to spend two nights in a row away from her child. Whilst Sam’s career was still important to her, it was beginning to become second place to Daniella. She was aware that even a desk job at SGC did not give an absolute certainty of being home every night, but it was more of a guarantee than in her current job. Daniella had been born just after SGC had come under attack by an alien foe from P5T-597 and there were countless examples of aliens, viruses, electrical life forms, time loops, time distortions and many more which would prevent Sam from getting home in time for Daniella’s bed time. She could not help it if she had the knowledge and experience to be depended on a lot of the time and that the only other people that had the knowledge to replace her did not have the necessary military skills or the past seven years’ experience of going through the Stargate. Although the thought of someone like Rodney McKay on SG-1 with Jack made Sam smile.

Sam was not sure what Jack was up to that evening, but as long as one of them got home by seven pm so that the nanny could have the night off, it did not matter. Their nanny stayed with them seven nights a week to provide some stability and a constant for Daniella. Sasha tended to look after Daniella alone in the house whilst Jack and Sam were on missions, with Janet and Cassie popping in to visit their favourite toddler on many occasions and that was not including the Air Force personnel who would covertly watch them from afar. When either Sam or Jack were at home, Sasha was allowed time off in the evenings as she had to still look after Daniella during the day when Sam worked on base. Sasha had no idea about Sam and Jack’s work, knowing only that they worked for the Air Force. She never questioned their long times away or the numerous scrapes and bruises they would often return with. It would undoubtedly be only a matter of time before Sasha would learn something confidential. Sasha had been vetted by the Air Force so that if the time came, she could be told about the Stargate Program. Sam had no idea what the poor woman thought half the time, but it did not seem to bother her too much.

Luckily neither of them would be returning with any scrapes or bruises this time. Sam was not sure why, but she did have a shooting pain in her shoulder. She pushed the locker door closed and picked up her keys, wincing in pain. The only thing she could think was that maybe she had slept funny the night before.

“You all right?” Sam looked up and saw Jack standing in front of the door, leaning against the locker room door.

Sam nodded, trying to ignore the flashes of memories of more recent occasions in the locker room with Jack. “Just some shoulder pain.” He removed his hands from his cream trouser pockets and took her bag from her. She did not object to his act of chivalry. He slung the bag over his shoulder without a word. “Thanks.”

“Mine’s in the truck,” he explained as they began their walk to the elevator.

“Are you going out with the guys tonight?” she enquired.

He shook his head. “Wanted to spend some time at home.”

Sam nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. The simple act of being at home and spending time with Daniella was all either of them ever really wanted to do with their free time, especially as it prevented them from being alone. Everything was going so well at home – the three of them really were just like any ordinary family, except for the small fact that Sam and Jack were in separate bedrooms and the uncomfortable tension that arose anytime they found themselves alone in a room. Sam had had deep feelings for her commanding officer for years whilst under his command and she still did, which had become more and more of a problem since living with him. Sometimes, Sam questioned what was truly keeping them apart.

There had been many lies between the two of them, many misunderstandings and both had hurt the other unintentionally. She still felt greatly for him, but she was not willing to ruin their happy family and its successful balance with their work. Sam had no idea what would happen if she admitted her love for him. He could reject her and their relationship would rapidly go downhill, affecting their family and daughter significantly for the worse. Or he could take her in his arms and kiss her like never before. Unfortunately, after that the regulations would be broken and SG-1 would be significantly altered again with both Sam and Jack being court martialled. Or they could manage to escape the court martial, have Sam removed from SG-1 and live happily ever after as a completely normal family. Or the relationship, which had never proven successful before, could disintegrate and Daniella would be caught right in the middle. Sam could not risk any of those options and she did not have enough faith that they could both escape court martial and live happily ever after. Sam had never really been one for fairy-tales.

They entered the elevator with Jack allowing her entrance first. Another chivalrous act, Sam thought. Once the lift was climbing the many storeys to the surface, Sam spoke, “So, is Carpenter going out with the guys tonight?”

“Don’t think so,” Jack shrugged. “She really doesn’t socialise with them much.” They both knew that they had started on this conversation a lot earlier during the mission, but now that they were heading out of work Sam could go down a different avenue with it.

“Or so you think.” Sam knew that her comment would make Jack want to know more. She repressed a grin when he dutifully turned to her.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Gossiping, Colonel?” She continued looking straight ahead so that she could fake innocence.

“Either I’ll make it an order, Major, or I’ll just ask you again when we’re in the car.” He had emphasised her rank despite the fact that Sam knew she had intended to tell him anyway. As far as she was concerned they were on their way out of work in civilian dress and therefore could pass as Sam and Jack rather than Colonel and Major.

“Janet doesn’t really like her,” Sam spoke slowly in an effort to word her sentence correctly. Her friendship with Janet had been strained for a long time because of Sam’s decisions concerning Jack. Sam’s best friend had tried her hardest to still be there for Sam, but had found it very difficult with regards to how badly Jack had hurt her friend. They had reached a new mutual agreement whereby Sam never discussed her non-relationship. It upset Sam that her closest friend was so unhappy with her, but she could understand why Janet was not yet ready to forgive Jack. On one of their more recent ‘girlie’ days, Janet had informed Sam that she did not know the lieutenant very well, but something about her grated against Janet and so she would sometimes try and purposefully not invite the younger lieutenant.

“Really?”

“You can’t say anything to anyone,” she said, trying to make him promise to not to.

“Then maybe you should’ve told ‘Jack’,” he joked.

Sam laughed slightly. Sometimes she really felt like she had a split personality. They continued their journey in the elevator and the second one to the surface in silence with Jack pausing to collect a newspaper from an airman who always got them one when they were finishing late on in the day. Jack paused looking at the front page of the newspaper but said nothing to Sam, passing it to her when they got into his car.

“Did you have any ideas about tonight or this weekend?” she asked over the quiet background noise of the radio. It was past dinner time, but Daniella would be unable to go to bed once she saw her parents. Sam wondered if the three of them should do something together. She was scanning over articles in the national paper, catching herself up with recent news whilst awaiting his answer.

“No,” he responded very shortly and Sam was slightly taken aback by his apparent sudden mood change, but she knew from experience not to question it. Even in their personal lives she left him to his slightly more sullen days. Sam would never be one to say that it was easy living with Jack O’Neill, but it was easier living with him than working with him. There had been occasions where she had gotten angry and become commanding at home, speaking to Jack in a way she never thought would happen and occasionally days had gone passed in silence because of his ‘mood’.

Sam left it a while longer before she tried again, hoping that his mood may have changed again. “Did you want to spend the day with Daniella and I tomorrow?” She hoped that he would not bite her head off because that, along with these moods, had increased in frequency ever since she had reinforced the regulations and lines between them.

“Dunno.” He shrugged his shoulders and did not take his eyes from the road ahead to acknowledge her. Sam continued reading the newspaper with a little more concentration, trying to ignore the silence and tension that now permeated the car. Normally he would jump at the chance to either spend the day together or at least arrange the day so that he got quality time with his daughter, so it was odd that he had become so non-committal and abrupt with his answers. Perhaps no one else would have noticed the slight shift in his body language and demeanour, but Sam had noticed the slight sagging in his shoulders when he had glanced over the newspaper and the stiffness that had followed. From the corner of her eye, Sam could see how tightly he was gripping the steering wheel and she knew that the rest of his body would hold the same tension. Her weekend was not about to play out how she had planned.

SG – SG – SG

“Where are we going tonight, DanielJackson?” Teal’c asked the archaeologist as they walked down a corridor toward the infirmary.

“Not sure,” he answered, “maybe O’Malley’s?”

“Will they allow you entrance?”

“They should do…” Daniel looked over at the Jaffa and saw a smirk on the alien’s normally stoic face. Daniel knew when he was being teased he just was not used to it from Teal’c, unfortunately he was not sure if Teal’c was referring to the super powered incident of a few years previously, or the supreme level of inebriation he had achieved at Jonas’ leaving party. Nervously, Daniel pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and posed a question that he had wanted to ask for quite a while. “Has Nicola been invited tonight?”

“I am unsure.”

Sometimes Daniel believed that Teal’c annoyed him with his inability to explain further on purpose. “It just seems to me,” Daniel explained, “that Janet and Nicola don’t spend much time together.”

“I have never considered the situation,” Teal’c admitted.

“Do you think that Nicola is one of the team?” Daniel asked. “I mean, do people accept her as a member of SG-1?” Daniel and Nicola had grown close over the past year and a half and he hoped that the others liked her as much as he did. No one could replace Sam, not to any of them, but Nicola was different and a necessity. He knew that whilst they were on a mission, Nicola seemed as much a member of SG-1 as the rest of them, but she rarely socialised with them and to Daniel that was very odd. SG-1 was a greatly bonded team who were unique within the SGC. Their lives often depended on each other and only the other members of the team could understand everything they went through. There was no one else in the world who understood and therefore no one else in the world with whom they could talk.

“Colonel O’Neill has respect for her and she is a capable officer who performs well in battle. She has saved your life on more than one occasion, DanielJackson.” Teal’c paused briefly. “I believe that MajorCarter may have issues with the lieutenant, but she hides it well and it is to be expected. During our team briefings and our combined missions, there have been no problems with MajorCarter and LieutenantCarpenter working together. They are able to work within a team together.”

“What about you?” Daniel asked his friend.

“I, too, have respect for her as a warrior, but I do not know her socially. I consider MajorCarter, ColonelO’Neill and you as friends, but I do not consider her in this way.”

“Do you think that Janet gets on with her?” Daniel asked. He already knew that it was Janet who had the most problems with Nicola, but he had no idea why. A few months ago he had tried to bring it up with her, but Janet had blanked him and refused to answer, just as she tried her hardest to not discuss Sam and Jack. Conversely, Nicola never seemed to mind that she was only invited out on certain occasions because even when she was invited she tended to reject their offer. It had been incredibly odd to see her at Jonas’ leaving party, which was possibly why Daniel had got so drunk.

“I do not believe so.” Normally, Teal’c would stop there with his answer, but this time he continued because he knew that Daniel would keep asking. “Doctor Fraiser once told me why she does not like Lieutenant Carpenter.”

“What?” Daniel stopped walking and Teal’c stopped two steps later. “Well, why doesn’t she?”

“I am unsure. Doctor Fraiser was inebriated and her speech incoherent.”

Daniel shook his head. He did not like it when there were rifts between his friends. Sam and Jack had only just sorted out all of their many problems and he did not want Janet and Nicola to disrupt the group’s cohesion any further than it already was. Daniel was fully aware that even if Janet and Nicola’s lack of friendship did not affect the group, Sam and Jack would once again try and destroy the group; they just needed to be given the time and space in which to do it. Daniel knew that Sam and Jack had both been through a lot, but one thing still remained unchanged – their feelings for each other. Jack had broken Sam’s heart at least twice – once when he had left Earth for Laira and then when he had refused a relationship with her for the sake of Daniella. Sam had not been innocent in their problems, however, destroying Jack when she had slept with a complete stranger.

Despite everything they had done to each other, whether on purpose or completely without premeditation, they still loved each other, however neither was willing to risk a broken heart again or their daughter’s happiness. Daniel knew that it was just a ticking time bomb waiting for the counter to hit zero and that it would blow up in their faces. It was simply a matter of time and he was quite surprised that it had not yet.

As Daniel and Teal’c started walking once more, they were halted by Nicola shouting from behind them, “Daniel! Wait up!”

Both men turned to see Nicola rushing toward them, trying to restrain herself from running at them. Daniel shared a knowing smile with Teal’c; they had often discussed the fact that Nicola’s enthusiasm exceeded Daniel’s. “Nicola, what’s up?”

“You are never gonna believe what I discovered earlier.”

“Hang on,” Daniel grinned. “Weren’t you on personal leave?”

“Yeah,” she admitted, but then relented as he stared at her knowing the truth. “I got back earlier than I thought and I felt the need to throw myself into my work. Without Jonas helping as a lab assistant, I have more work to do.”

He nodded, unable to hide any humour in his eyes. “So what is so exciting?”

“SG-12 came back from P4R-336 with,” she shook her head in amazement. As her hair moved with her head, Daniel realised that her jet-black hair was an inch shorter than it had been and was now just below her ears. She took a deep breath, teasing him with the delay. “A whole bunch of artefacts believed to be of Ancient origin.”

Daniel’s jaw dropped and he found that he could not exhale. Anything linked to the Ancients was amazing to him. “Are you serious?”

Nicola nodded her head up and down furiously in excitement. “Preliminary inscriptions indicate Ancient and are very similar to writings on Ancient technology we’ve encountered before. You’ve got to come see it, Daniel. Who knows, maybe it could help with the search for the Lost City.”

“Uh,” he paused. “Teal’c and I were on our way out for the evening.” He waited for a disappointed look to cover her face, but it did not come.

“Daniel, come on: Ancient.” She did not even seem to register that he had other plans; her excitement levels were simply too high.

“Nicola,” he tried to protest. It was no good though, her enthusiasm had spread to him and he turned to Teal’c. “Teal’c, can you tell Janet that I can’t make it?”

Teal’c bowed his head slightly as an affirmation before walking off toward the infirmary.

Daniel turned to Nicola. “Lead me to the lab, Lieutenant.”

“I knew you’d cave,” she smiled triumphantly.

SG – SG – SG

Sam flicked the television off; she had just finished watching a movie and there was nothing else on. She had not really been interested in the movie and had been watching it simply to stay awake until a normal bed-time. She would have loved to have gone to bed early and catch up on her sleep, but Sam had learnt the hard way that she needed to get into a normal sleeping pattern quickly when it came to her daughter waking up at the crack of dawn. With the house now silent, Sam wondered where Jack was. They had arrived home over three hours ago and Jack had immediately disappeared. Sam had spoken with Sasha before the nanny had gone out for the night. The next hour had been filled with Sam bathing her daughter and playing with her before putting her to bed. It was only now that Sam realised she had not seen her house-mate for the entire evening. Even with his shifting tempers, it was not like Jack to be A.W.O.L for that long.

Sam stood up and made her way up the stairs. When she and Jack had decided to move in together for Daniella’s sake, they had jointly bought a new house. Their house had four bedrooms so that there was one each, including Sasha. As Sam passed Daniella’s bedroom, she checked in on her daughter who was sleeping soundly. Sam smiled contently to herself. Sometimes she did wish that she could be a full-time mother to Daniella, but it was not possible. She was needed in her job and she needed her job in return. Sam was not ready to give it up yet and she considered that she may never be ready for that. Aware that there were lots of milestones she was going to miss out on in her child’s life, Sam watched her sleeping as often as she could. Daniella was already a year and a half old and Sam knew there were countless grins that she had missed. Sam had loved it when Daniella had reached the four month stage and began grinning all of the time. She still grinned now and Sam believed it to be amazing that, at such a young age, Daniella coped with everything. The toddler seemed to understand already who her parents were and that she could go a few days without either of them. She rarely grumbled at the change of routines or being taken to bed by different people every few nights.

Sometimes Sam felt like those rich snobby parents who chose not to parent their children and using the hired help to do it for them. Deep down Sam knew that she was not like that and that she and Jack had an acceptable reason for employing Sasha to help raise their child.

On the other hand, Sam had grown up with a parent in the military and she knew how painful it was to never know when your father would be home. Or to spend all day hoping that he would be home in time to read you a bedtime story and then have nightmares with no father coming to her aid. She hated herself for raising her daughter the same way she had hated being raised. In reality it was worse than that; Daniella was going to be raised with two military parents. If Sam knew where Daniella’s other parent was.

Continuing her search of the upstairs of their house, Sam still could not see Jack anywhere, but there was a breeze coming from the door to his bedroom. Jack’s bedroom was the master bedroom and had a reasonably sized balcony overlooking the back yard. The balcony housed one of Jack’s most prized possessions – his telescope. He had only recently allowed Sam to touch his beloved telescope despite the fact that she was an astrophysicist and had handled much more delicate equipment. She carefully pushed the sliding door open slightly so she could squeeze out of the bedroom. Once on the balcony, Sam pulled the door too to limit the in-flowing breeze.

“Hey,” she whispered so as to not startle Jack although she knew that he would have heard her entering his bedroom. He did not say anything and did not even look up. He was not looking through his telescope; he was staring down at his hands and the whisky bottle he held in them. “Jack,” Sam said, “I thought we’d discussed alcohol.” The anger was rising within her. She knew that he would drink when depressed and they had both agreed that alcohol should not be kept in their house, especially after their last foray into forbidden territory after she had become tipsy. It was the same rule for guns, except for the safely locked up Zat guns that were kept in the house just in case someone decided that Daniella would be a nice case study as a daughter of an ex-host. Or if the NID ever decided they needed to get SG-1 to do something, Daniella would be the perfect motivation.

He stood up and she stepped back slightly. His face was hidden by shadow and Sam could not see his eyes. He looked down and considered the small half-size bottle carefully. She could tell that not much had been drunk and she was glad that she had got up to him in time. He dropped the lid over the balcony railing and Sam heard it bounce on the patio beneath. He then threw the glass bottle and its contents far into their large back garden. The whisky sprayed out from it, showering their lawn. She did not hear the bottle land or smash. She considered briefly how far he could have thrown it and then wondered why he had been drinking alone.

“Jack-”

He cut her off. “Don’t bother, Carter, I don’t wanna hear it. I don’t wanna be talked to.” He was angry and she had no idea why because despite his growing sullen moods, there had never been any anger directed at her.

“I’m ‘Carter’ now?” She shook her head when he failed to answer her. “What the hell’s going on, Jack? Why am I ‘Carter’ again? I thought we were getting better, back to being friends. I know things have been difficult and now a little awkward, but why are you shutting me out? You were fine this afternoon. What’s going on? I deserve to know. I live with you and I am the mother to your child, so if this is about regulations or my decision that we need a line, then get over it. I deserve…” She sighed in annoyance as he was making no move to answer anything. Sam was not fully sure that he was even listening to her. “I give up.” She moved to leave the balcony.

Just as her hand reached the door handle, Jack spoke, “It’s the anniversary of Charlie’s death.” His voice was barely above a whisper. She turned back to face him and he was sitting down again. He was staring at his own hands as he clenched and unclenched them. “It’s just making me think, reminding me of what it’s like to lose him.” He looked up at her and their eyes met. There was a watery sheen over his chocolate brown eyes and Sam could see all of the pain and fear in them. “I don’t want to lose Daniella. Or you.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “Nothing’s going to happen to Daniella. She’s not going anywhere and I’m not going to take her away from you.”

There was a long silence and then as he stood and gazed over the yard he spoke, “I don’t want you to go anywhere, or die. It’s stupid, cos I know you deserve the command, but I’m not watching your six anymore. If something happens to you out there…”

“I’m not going to get hurt, Jack. And even if I do, then Daniella grows up without me. She’ll still have you. It’s terrible to think, I know, but I grew up fine with only one parent.”

“What about me?”

“What are you saying?” she asked. Her voice was wary and she was unsure of what exactly he meant. She hoped that by questioning him, Sam would force Jack to relent and stop wandering down the path they should not travel. There was no way that she could stay strong enough to defend the line in between them on her own; Sam needed Jack to believe in the rules, too.

“I’m not sure.”

“Okay then,” Sam nodded her head. “Come back inside, Jack. Don’t shut me out because you’re afraid or sad.”

“But we can’t be alone.”

Neither of them had ever spoken of the new awkwardness between them, opting instead to simply avoid it and each other. “Jack, I am not about to let you sit up here and collapse into yourself.”

He made no action to move, but Jack did start to speak. “Sometimes I feel like the worst parent in the galaxy. I’ve got a daughter I barely see, a son who lives on another planet and another that… He should be a teenager by now. Similar age to Cassie. JJ’s probably the one who’s going to actually thrive because I’m nowhere near him.”

“Do not say that about our daughter.”

“Why not? She’s so similar to him. Fair enough she has your hair and smile and eyes, but the things she does and how she does them. It’s Charlie. I’m going to fail her just like I failed him.”

“I won’t let you fail her.”

“What makes you better than Sara?”

The anger bubbled over in Sam and she slapped Jack, hard. “Don’t!” she spat through gritted teeth, pushing his chest away with both palms because a slap was not enough. “Don’t you dare compare me to her.”

He grabbed her hands and held them tightly at the wrists, preventing her from hurting him any further. “Why? I’ll fail you just like I failed her. Neither of us exactly has the right track record. Do we? My children end up dead and the mothers end up hating me.”

“One child, Jack. And neither Sara, nor Laira, nor I hate you.”

“One child’s damn well enough!” She struggled to get her hands free, but Jack merely held them a bit tighter.

“I can’t begin to imagine your pain, Jack, but quit pushing me away.”

“One minute you want a line between us, Carter, the next you want to be my shoulder to cry on. Make up your mind.” He released her hands as she struggled again.

Glad to have free hands, she pushed him again and again. “I’m not scared to be your shoulder to cry on. I am scared to cross that line and you should damn well show me some respect.” Frustrated at a conversation that had turned into an argument, Sam turned to leave and got a grip on the door handle. His hand on her upper left arm stopped her. He gently pulled at her arm and she released her hold on the handle. She had no idea what he was going to say to her, whether he was going to apologise or continue shouting at her. Maybe he was just going to be sadistic and stop her from leaving so that he could leave instead. He turned her back to face him and she opened her mouth to argue with him. She needed to question what he was going to say to her.

He caught her mouth in his, cutting off any words which had been about to escape. After the briefest of passionate kisses, Jack pulled away and looked at her. He seemed hesitant as he placed a quicker, slightly chaste kiss on her lips, returning to meet her eyes. Where before all she had seen in his eyes was pain and anger, Sam now also saw a question, a request to continue with a hesitancy in case she was about to slap him again. There were no coherent thoughts in her mind anymore, all of the anger and angry words had evaporated into the cooling night air. Jack continued searching her eyes and Sam’s lips parted as if she were about to say something except all words failed her. Never before had she felt such a mixture of emotions. Sam could feel the nervous, fearful tears that were welling within her eyes, but also the excitement and desire that was building within her chest. Feeling her own heart pounding in her chest, Sam’s breath had also hitched in fear and anticipation.

She could not move; neither away from nor closer to him. His eyes shifted and Sam panicked that he was about to move away, that he was about to break their contact. She knew in that moment that she could not let him and so she moved slightly, kissing his lips gently before stopping and keeping her eyes closed. His hands moved from her upper arms to around her lower back, pulling their bodies together. Surrendering everything to that moment, Sam kissed him back with a long held desire and ignored what little conscious thought remained in her mind. She wrapped her arms around his neck; both pairs of hands began fumbling with whatever lay under them. His were on her bare back, having lifted her t-shirt and her hands had woven their way into his hair. Despite their history, Sam had never felt this intimate and passionate with him and she felt him shift slightly, taking a step backwards. Moving with him instinctively, Sam felt the warm air from his bedroom hit her exposed skin and she vaguely heard him close the door behind them.

The next thing, of which Sam was aware, was the world spinning enough to cause a mild disorientation and then the softness of his bed was under her back. Neither of them relented in exploring the other’s body, as their hands reached, pulled, gathered and smoothed their way around relatively unknown territory.

SG – SG – SG

Daniel waited patiently as Nicola closed and locked the door to her car. He was not sure what the time was, but it was late. He and Nicola had completely lost track of time in the laboratory, not that he really minded though. His stomach had protested, however, by growling in hunger. Having had suggested taking a break and raiding the commissary, Nicola had stifled a yawn and thought it best to leave the base in order to get food from her favourite late night pizza place. Daniel had not objected so they now both stood outside of her apartment block with pizza in hand. Daniel followed her into the building and elevator in silence. It was as the elevator ascended that it dawned on him that he had never been in her apartment before. When Sam and Jack had lived separately, group nights had alternated between everybody’s homes. Janet’s was only used for early nights because of Cassie and now that Jack and Sam had Daniella, the group tended to go to their house for daytime barbeques. Daniel’s apartment had become the more popular choice for later timed get-togethers.

“Nicola, I’ve never been to your apartment before. Why is that?”

“Because I don’t really socialise with all of you,” she answered simply and truthfully. “This is my floor.” She exited the elevator and Daniel followed.

“Why don’t you socialise with us though? I mean, don’t you like us?” His tone was light, but his questions were important to him.

She smiled politely as she opened the door to her apartment. “I like you,” she answered, closing the door once Daniel was inside.

“What about the others?”

“Let’s eat on the couch, yeah?” she asked and he nodded. Once they were both seated and eating, Nicola answered his question without being prompted. “I don’t know the others.”

“And you don’t want to?” He took another bite of his meaty pizza.

She sighed and set her slice of pizza on the box. “I don’t agree with the Colonel’s ‘we must socialise’ attitude. All the people in my life, friends and family, are Air Force. They know the meaning of top secret. I don’t need a friend from the SGC to talk to and discuss missions with. That’s what I have MacKenzie for.”

“Doctor MacKenzie?” he asked in shock. He was amazed that someone actually spoke to the consultant psychiatrist to the SGC. Everyone had to for routine purposes, but Nicola sounded as if she had sought MacKenzie out on her own accord. Daniel could still remember the last time he had major contact with the psychiatrist was when he had been driven insane by Machello’s invention.

Nicola nodded and then said, “And I talk to you.” She picked up her pizza again.

“But why not the others?” he asked out of curiosity. He had wanted to ask her these questions for months now, but had never known how to. “We fight together every day, depend on each other for our very lives and you hardly know anything about the others, or them about you.”

“Colonel O’Neill’s my commanding officer,” she answered. “I don’t want to be friends with my C.O. or other people with whom I need to have professional relationships with. Look at what happened to Major Carter when she did. Anyway, do I need to know their favourite food or TV show to be able to fight alongside them or expect them to save by skin?”

“What does that mean? What about Sam and Jack?” Daniel asked, shocked by her tone regarding his best friends despite the fact that he was well aware of the difficulties their ‘relationship’ had caused and the issues surrounding them.

“It means,” Nicola explained, “that attachments to other officers can interfere with your work. If Major Carter hadn’t have become close to Colonel O’Neill then she would still be full time on SG-1.”

“Yeah, but she and Jack wouldn’t have Daniella.” Even without the toddler, nothing at Stargate Command was that simple because of the stress that everyone went through and the inability to have any sense of a personal life.

“It’s just a personal preference, Daniel,” she replied as if knowing it was something that they could never see eye-to-eye on. “My personal preference. It’s complicated and goes a long way back.” A cloud crossed her features, one that Daniel decided it was best not to pursue. “I don’t socialise with my C.O. and both of them are that at different points.” She paused for a moment. “That’s not a problem is it because it doesn’t affect my work?”

He considered it for a moment knowing that he would like her to get to know all of his friends and become one of the family, but he was not sure why it was so important. “I guess not,” he finally answered. “I just like everyone to get on. SG-1 is the closest thing I’ve ever had to a real family, except on Abydos. And they’re all gone now.” Despite how much he enjoyed Nicola’s company on missions, he missed the normal dynamic which SG-1 no longer fully ever had. Maybe if Nicola joined in a bit more some of that old magic would return.

“Just because I don’t socialise with the family it doesn’t mean I can’t be a part of it, does it? Can’t I be the second cousin twice removed who visits occasionally?”

“Or the stroppy teenager who hides in her room all day because she finds all of her family highly embarrassing?” He grinned because he liked it when he could tease her.

She glared at him over her slice of pizza. “I’d throw this slice at you if it wasn’t the best pizza in town.”

SG – SG – SG

Sam awoke to the warm feeling of sunlight on her face, forcing her eyes to open under the brightness. She never awoke to the sun on her face and the closest she ever got to it was when it was the sun from another planet. Her bedroom was on the wrong side of the house to get the morning sun streaming through the windows. This added to the momentary confusion that she had as her eyes focused through their early morning blurriness. Opposite her were balcony doors which could mean only one thing - she was in Jack's bed. She sat up, knowing that she was the only person in the bed. She tried to steady her breath and calm herself because she knew that she should not start jumping to conclusions. Jack could very easily be downstairs with Daniella. She held the bed sheets to her body as her eyes searched the room for the clothes she had been wearing yesterday, a bad and nauseating feeling spreading through her body. Unsure of whether it was from her actions of the night before or because of the lack of Jack in his own bed, Sam desperately wanted to get dressed and out of the room. After finding her discarded clothing which thankfully removed the smell of Jack in the room from her nose, Sam got dressed and made her way to the stairs. As she passed the door to her daughter's bedroom, Sam saw her toddler standing in her cot playing with her favourite teddy. The blond girl giggled when she saw her mom.

"Momma," she started calling, repeating the word over and over until Sam got to her.

"Hey, sweetie," Sam greeted as she picked up her daughter. "Where's Daddy?"

Daniella smiled and kissed Sam's cheek as she started a chorus of 'Dada' until they reached the kitchen. Upon entering, Sam saw Sasha standing at one of the kitchen counters. She could not help the slight sinking feeling of it not being Jack standing there. Sasha smiled at the two girls and poured a second cup of coffee.

"Thanks," Sam said, taking the cup from Sasha and putting it on the counter near to her. On autopilot, Sam began sorting out a drink for Daniella. "Have you seen Jack this morning?" she asked, placing Daniella into her highchair. She had a strong feeling that she would need the caffeine hit to help her recover from the previous night. Sam hoped that her question had sounded normal and calm despite the fact that inside, she was anything but calm. Millions of questions were already flooding Sam’s mind – did Sasha know Sam had not slept in her own bed? Was Sasha aware of the fragile relationship enforced on them by her employers? What affect did any of their actions have on Daniella? In fact, was she even aware of her parents’ emotional states? Sam had not thought about any of these consequences when she acted too impulsively the night before. Ignoring all of the warning signs, Sam had walked into a situation where she now had no idea how things were going to play out. For all she knew, Jack had walked away in regret and that posed a hundred and one questions about their living and work situation. Everyone was going to notice the changes caused by her impulsive actions.

Sasha shook her head. "I only got in about ten minutes ago."

Trying to ignore all of the bad feelings and thoughts running through her mind, Sam focused on Sasha. As she started feeding Daniella her breakfast, Sam raised an eyebrow at the younger lady. "And where did you stay last night?"

"At Andy's," Sasha replied slightly smugly. Despite her inner turmoil, Sam could not help but smile at her friend. Sam often wondered what kind of relationship Sasha and Andy could possibly have given Sasha's long hours. It pleased her that Sasha did seem to be maintaining her relationship, because it was far more than most at Stargate Command could manage. Whilst Sasha was technically an employee, she had also become a friend to Sam which was a great benefit when it came to bringing up Daniella.

"Seeing him again tonight?" Sam asked. When either Sam or Jack were home, Sasha's time was her own, but for stability she did tend to spend some of her day with Daniella. Before Sasha could answer, there was a knock on the front door and Sam went to answer it. She opened the door and saw a very familiar face on her doorstep. "Dad," she greeted.

"You know there are better ways of finding out that your daughter is living with her C.O than how I just found out." Jacob Carter said as he hugged his daughter and then walked into the house without actually requesting entrance. "Where is my lovely grand-daughter then?" he asked and Sam pointed him towards the kitchen realising that not only had he not known about Jack beforehand, he had also not been in their shared home. Sam followed him slowly through her own house and Jacob was soon spooning a smiley Daniella her breakfast.

Sam smiled weakly at him as she introduced Sasha who said hello but quickly left the room to give them their privacy. Whilst Sam had seen her father over the past year since learning the truth and moving in with Jack, the time had never been right to tell Jacob. It had killed her to lie to his face, but that was the curse of only seeing him when someone was in trouble. "Would you like a drink, dad?" she asked as she moved towards her own cup of coffee which she had still not taken a sip of.

"No, I'm fine, thanks." Jacob answered as he smiled and continued feeding his grand-daughter. Sam felt bad that he had missed out on the majority of his grand-child's life, just as he had missed out on Mark's children's formative years too, but there was no way that she could have told him even a few weeks ago when he had come to try and fix the younger clone Jack’s unstable DNA problem. ‘Please help Jack, dad, this teenager is Daniella’s father.’ "So, what's been going on, Sammy? How long have you been living here and since when is your C.O. the father? And why did I find out when George kindly sorted me a driver who then told me that you’ve moved in with O’Neill."

He normally referred to him as Jack, Sam registered the change in her father’s vocabulary. "I've been here about a year and I've only known that Jack was the father for a little longer than that. We moved in together to provide a better family unit than we could have done apart, given our working hours."

"I thought that guy, Brad, was the father."

"I was wrong," Sam whispered. Despite the fact that she was a grown woman with her own child, she suddenly felt like a child again. She assumed it was normal to feel like that in the presence of your own parents, but what she actually hated more was when she felt like it whilst working. There was nothing more embarrassing than trying to solve a technological problem in front of your military peers when your father was around. It was especially humiliating when her father was not only her military peer, but also internally partnered with a great alien intelligence. The feeling then was that of a much greater inadequacy than when he questioned her parenting skills or treated her like a child.

Jacob looked at her with a mixture of confusion and maybe slight shame which caused Sam to look down at her coffee intently. She hoped that he did not question her further on that subject. "So you broke regulations?"

Sam prepared herself for the lie, which was technically not a lie that they had told everyone, while also grateful that he was not following up with questions regarding her one night stand. "No, Dad, I did not. Jack had retired."

"George doesn't believe that," he said as if it were a matter of fact whilst also maintaining a happy smiley look on his face for Daniella's benefit. Sam knew that his tone could be a lot sterner if he wanted it to be and she was selfishly glad that her daughter was present.

"Well, it's the truth and we've been living together now for the past year and General Hammond hasn't had anything to complain about."

"And you're both happy living together?"

"What do you mean by that?" Sam demanded, trying to keep her own tone in check. All thoughts of the previous night and Jack's disappearing act had left her mind.

"Are you sleeping with him?"

"Excuse me?" Sam hissed. She was not sure that her father had ever enquired about her sex life in such a way.

"What am I supposed to think, Sam?" he asked as he wiped Daniella's mouth and then picked her up. "You're living with your C.O. and you have a child with him. You claim that you didn’t break any regulations which must mean that you didn't even have a relationship with him and you thought that someone else was the father. Then I come home and find that you're living with him, but aren't breaking any regulations. I'm not daft and I wasn't born yesterday."

"No, you weren't born yesterday, but you also weren't here yesterday. I am not breaking any regulations and as my father you should take my word for it."

"I'm not sure that I know you any more, Sam. So much has happened in the past few years that I never would have expected. How many times have I seen you in the past year and you lied to me? On the Alpha Site, with Jack and the Jaffa, did he know then?"

“Yes. And I asked him to not say anything as it was hardly the right place.”

“But you’ve lied to my face, too.”

"Maybe you should have been around then, Dad, rather than just whenever we need your help or you need our Alpha Site. Don’t you think I would have told you the first time that you came to visit after I found out the truth?"

"There should be no reason that you need to have 'found out the truth', Sammy. The question of who the father of your child is should never be in doubt."

At that very moment Jack chose to walk through the back door and into the kitchen where he was presented with the two Carters arguing but trying not to shout.

"General," he greeted as the look on his face indicated that he wondered what the hell he had just stepped into.

"There's my son-in-law now," Jacob greeted sarcastically.

"Dad," Sam warned and turned to Jack. "Where have you been?" Whether the anger in her voice was because of his disappearing act or because of what her father was saying Sam was not sure.

"Avoiding World War three, obviously."

"Don't play the smart aleck in here, Jack," Jacob snapped. "I want to know what's going on between you and my daughter."

Sam panicked for a moment worrying that Jack would take her father's comment to be linked to last night. She stared into her coffee, hoping that Jack would follow their usual lie.

"She's the mother of my child and my team-mate. Nothing else."

"So you're spouting the same lie as her. You either broke regulations for a relationship or you have so little thought for her, so little respect, that on the one night after you retired and before you left to live with another woman, you slept with her and got her pregnant. How is that other woman and your child? You're just leaving them littered everywhere, aren't you?"

Sam almost spat out the mouthful of coffee that she was trying to drink as she looked up at her father and almost-lover. They both looked angry as hell and Sam was unsure as to who would come out on top if a fist-fight were to break out. She desperately wanted her father to stop his line of questioning and accept the truth they were pedalling. Nobody else had questioned the fact that she must have had a one night stand with Jack and then been abandoned. Everyone else they knew was a mutual friend, but Jacob was Sam's father and would always look out for her, would always be purely on only her side. Along with Janet who still found it difficult to be around Jack.

In the silent stare-off between the two men, Daniella started crying and Jack instantly moved towards her and took the toddler from Jacob. Jacob did not fight this, realising that shouting at Daniella's father would only upset her further than his harsh tone already had. Jack said nothing as he then left the room with Daniella in his arms. Sam felt her father's eyes return to her.

"I'm sorry," he apologised. "I've only just found out about all of this and then... I didn't mean to shout at you or him and especially not in front of Daniella."

"I know," Sam nodded.

"Just as long as nothing is going to endanger SG-1. You don't understand why I've been so busy undercover unable to visit for fun and only work, but something's building. SG-1 is important."

Sam looked at him in confusion and concern. "Where have you been, Dad?" she asked.

"You know Daniel's friend, Sarah?" he asked. Sam nodded and she knew full well that he meant the Goa'uld within her, Osiris, but that he could not say as much given the fact that Sasha was in the house. "She's working with someone who's only been back around a short while." He paused, hoping that she was keeping up and she knew that he could only mean Anubis who had been building his power for the past couple of years. It was because of Anubis that Abydos was no more and they were still trying to locate the Lost City. For the most part they had managed to keep out of his way, but Anubis was still building his armies even stronger and making his way to something.

"Any idea what their goal is?" she asked.

"All my intel points to one thing," he paused. "Sarah's home." Earth - Osiris and Anubis were heading for Earth and SG-1 would be vitally needed. Sam instantly began mentally preparing herself for the battle that could be to come.

SG – SG – SG

It had been just over two weeks since Jacob had arrived back on Earth to visit Sam and her daughter, and they had used the time to spend it as a family because the Tok’ra had no other use for Jacob despite the impending doom. After a brief shrug of his shoulders, Jacob had not seemed too concerned about the Tok’ra not needing him, but it did worry Sam. Jacob was only still alive because of the Tok’ra. They had even visited Sam's brother Mark for the weekend because luckily for Sam she was not due on an SG-1 mission. Thankfully Sam had managed to get to Mark before their father and warned him to not mention the closeness he may have seen between her and Jack over Christmas. Sam had enjoyed spending the time with her father and the fact that Daniella could get to know her grand-father a bit before he had to leave again. Unfortunately due to the politics and dangerous situations of the Tok’ra, Tau'ri, Jaffa and the Goa'uld, neither Sam nor Jacob knew when he would be able to visit again. The day that Jacob had left again had brought Sam’s entire childhood memories home to her. She could remember how he would often leave for a mission and return weeks late, effectively missing most of her childhood. Sam hated the fact that her daughter would not know her own grand-father, but what it made Sam think about more was how Daniella would spend most of her childhood without either of her parents. As she had watched her father hug Daniella goodbye in the 'gate room, Sam had questioned whether it was all worth it.

Sam had immediately thought of all of the Goa'uld out there who wanted the end to Earth or to enslave its entire population, and she knew why she had to remain at work in some capacity especially given what Jacob had said concerning his latest mission and Anubis and Osiris. At least Jacob had returned to the Tok’ra accepting Sam and Jack to be merely friends, co-workers and parents of Daniella.

She had barely seen Jack since their night together, partially because of Jacob monopolising Sam's time and partly because Jack had been on a mission with SG-1. Before SG-1 had left on their mission, Sam and Jack had hosted a summer barbeque which Jacob had attended. Sam had finally met Sasha's boyfriend at the barbeque and Daniel had finally dragged Nicola to it. Sam had actually socialised with the lieutenant and they had had a proper conversation until Sam had noticed Jacob and Jack walk into the house. She had followed them a few minutes later and heard some shouting before Jack had stormed out past her without saying a word. Sam had looked at her father and he shrugged and apologised, but did not explain what he had said to make Jack storm out. The next day Sam had set off for Mark's and a day after her and Daniella's return, Jack had gone off-world. In the past two weeks, Sam and Jack had only spoken about Daniella and even those conversations had been very brief. She wanted to believe that the situation was more strained than it ever had been, but it was not the case. They had lost an element of their friendship, but nothing else.

Sam was sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for Jack to return from where-ever he had been spending his evenings. To describe him as allusive since their night together was an understatement and Sam was fed up with it. Daniella was not quite as giggly as normal and she was clearly picking up on the tension her parents had. Sasha also tended to avoid a room if both Jack and Sam were in it and she had even started taking Daniella into a different room to play if both parents walked in. It was no way for the four of them to live and it was too unfair on Daniella. Sam needed to talk to Jack, to try and sort out whatever their problems were. It was especially important because tomorrow SG-1 including Sam were heading off world. Sam did not want to leave her child in a distressed state and she did not want anything to affect the mission given the reservations her father and General Hammond clearly had. There was also the fact that she considered Jack’s avoidance of her childish and immature.

There was also a voice at the back of her mind reminding Sam of the ‘friend’ she had heard on a phone call with Jack, and how he had avoided the questions she had in favour of kissing her. Every time they had got a bit too close, it was usually her that stopped things for the very reasons that were now affecting her.

As she continued to rehearse the questions in her mind, Sam heard the front door open and close and within seconds Jack appeared in the kitchen. He smiled uncomfortably at her and headed towards to the refrigerator. They were still being courteous with each other both at work and at home, but Sam needed answers and resolutions now. It was no good living together and being parents to Daniella if the only interaction they could have was the polite and formal kind.

"Where have you been?" she asked him, trying to keep her tone calm. She knew that it failed because the only thought going through her mind was that normally Jack would question her being up this late the night before a mission.

"Out." He took out the carton of milk from the refrigerator and gulped down half of the contents before returning it to its home. Sam hated it when he did that and she would place a bet that he had actually returned it empty. He must have known that she was watching him because with his back to her he said, "Why? What's it got to do with you?"

"Excuse me?" she asked in disbelief. "I'm only the mother of your child and the woman with whom you share a home. I think I deserve a little respect from you."

"Have I shown you any disrespect? Like you said you're the mother of my child, nothing else."

"So I'm not your friend, your co-worker, nothing else?" she demanded. Jack shrugged his shoulders at her and she wanted to scream at him. "Jack, this isn't working," she stated simply and he turned to face her, leaning his back against the refrigerator. He did not say anything. She wanted to ask him so many questions, all of the questions that she had rehearsed in her head, but now that he was standing in front of her, Sam's confidence had vanished. She wanted to know what had changed after their night together. That seemed to be the point in time from where everything changed and Sam desperately wanted to be able to fix things. Jack had once told her that whilst he may love her, any romantic relationship could damage their relationship and hurt Daniella most. Sam could now only wonder if that fear had been realised. Had their sleeping together caused him to doubt their ability to be a family? Was he just running away scared? Was he unable to try and live a happy life with anyone?

"I know," he finally answered. Sam looked up at him and their eyes met. Both pairs of eyes were filled with an inevitable sadness. "Daniella isn't her normal self."

Sam nodded. "Because of us."

"We need to do something to fix it. Daniella comes before either of us or our careers or anything."

"I agree. We need to sort this out."

Jack stood up straight and looked at a far off point, avoiding Sam's eyes whilst he shoved his hands into his pockets to stop himself fiddling with something. "I don’t think we can live and work together anymore."

"What?" she whispered. She had not been expecting him to say that or to suggest that course of action. Sam had no idea how, within, two weeks they had gone from a family to nothing.

"We can't live together as a family without other things happening and we won't work." He barely paused as he moved towards the door. "I'm gonna stay at the base tonight and we can sort out living arrangements when the mission's over." He walked out of the room and house as Sam sat staring after him in disbelief. She felt her heart break in her chest as she found herself unable to control her breathing. She had the urge to run after him, to stop him from leaving, to beg him to stay. No matter what Sam had been through in the past few years, she still had all of her pride intact and would never run after a guy despite part of her desperately wanting to. Sam knew that the only person that could make her feel better was the very man driving away from her. Things were now hardly sorted for their impending mission, but if she just fought to stay professional for the few days off-world and try and discuss things with him afterwards maybe they could sort things out, maybe she could persuade him to stay.

She did not want to think about what would happen after the mission. Sam could not bear the thought of increased distance from him, but maybe they both needed space to re-evaluate their positions. There was truth in what he said - if they could not live together without their emotions getting in the way and tumbling into bed with one another, their work situation would never work. More than that, Sam needed their family to work.

She had barely slept all night long and after a painful breakfast with Sasha and Daniella, Sam was walking through the base feeling as if she should be in a zombie horror movie. It was not often that she wore much make-up, but upon seeing the giant bags under her eyes whilst she was dressing at home, Sam had tried to cover them with foundation. She hoped that nobody would notice her tired appearance or that if they did they would believe her excuse of not wanting to leave Daniella. If she were to tell the truth in her current mood Sam would probably prefer to stay at home. She did not exactly relish the idea of spending a few days off-world almost alone with Jack. Knowing him as she did, Sam was sure that he would pair her with Daniel for any reconnaissance and therefore avoid being anywhere near her. She could hardly blame him because even now she still wanted to continue their discussion. She was struggling to get into her work mind-set, her military brain, but she knew that she would get there. As she neared the changing rooms, someone called her name and on turning Sam saw Janet Fraiser standing a few feet away.

"Morning Janet," she greeted.

"How are you feeling?" Janet asked.

"Okay, why?" Sam asked in confusion.

"You do look a bit off colour," Janet answered and Sam smiled slightly at her friend's bluntness. If only she were not about to leave on a mission, Sam thought, she could do with a long chat with Janet. "I knew you wouldn't stay away from the base and rest though."

"I'm sorry? Janet, I'm about to ship out to P6X with SG-1."

"They've already gone," Janet answered as realisation dawned on both of them. "Colonel O'Neill told the general that you weren't feeling well so he rescheduled the departure and team."

"The team?" Sam questioned but she knew what the answer was going to be.

"Carpenter went with them." Sam could tell by the look on her friend's face that they both knew they had been lied to.

"When did Jack do this?" Sam asked not caring that she was in the SGC and had referred to her commanding officer by his first name.

"Last night. I was asked to come in early today for the pre-mission medicals. The colonel did seem a bit quieter than normal."

"I'll bet he did," Sam murmured.

"Sam, what's going on?" Janet asked.

Sam was barely paying any attention. "Thinks he can screw me over, does he?" she asked, turning away from Janet and heading towards to the control room. "Thinks he can just kick me and his daughter out, does he?" Sam continued to herself. "Or maybe he'll try and keep my daughter." She growled in annoyance. "Thinks he can mess around with my career!" When Sam entered the control room, the only technician present was Walter Harriman. She composed herself and turned to him. "Morning."

"Good morning, Major Carter," he responded. "I thought you were ill."

"I made a very quick recovery," she explained. "General Hammond has requested that because I am back to full health, that I join SG-1." She did not pause to allow him to argue as she started dialling up the planet the rest of SG-1 had 'gated to recently. "You know, because of the Naquadah. I mean, it's not really any of their specialities is it? Especially with what the M.A.L.P readings indicated. It's possible that there's Naquadria on P6X, so the general really thinks it would be best if I join them and that further scientists may need to join later depending on the results." Sam paused as the sixth chevron locked and she turned directly to Walter to ensure his attention. "In fact, could you alert some of the other scientists who might be needed, prep them kind of? You know Bill, perhaps Felger, too."

"Yes, Ma'am.”

She started to walk away towards the ‘gate room. "Thank you, Walter." She did not look back as she walked the short distance into the 'gate room, but she did pause to collect a side-arm from an arms locker. Due to the Naquadah present on the planet, there was always a chance of Goa'uld presence. By the time she was walking up the ramp General Hammond had made it into the control room, presumably to find out why the Stargate had been activated.

"Major Carter, what are you doing?" General Hammond ordered and Sam was vaguely aware of Janet calling her name as well as she let the wormhole wash over her.

SG – SG – SG

Colonel Jack O'Neill was in a God awful mood and Daniel was already sick of it. They had only been on P6X for an hour, but Jack's terrible mood was already aggravating everyone. Nicola was attempting to take soil, air and water samples which were not her normal job-tasks and Jack's glaring was slowing her progress further. Teal'c had taken to staring off around the immediate area a lot more than normal and was standing quite far from Jack. Daniel was watching Jack's pacing out of the corner of his eye, trying not to draw the colonel's attention or wrath. He was pretty sure from the anger in Jack's eyes and stance that the ticking time bomb had finally exploded. Neither Sam nor Jack had been acting normally for the past two weeks and Sam had refused to talk to Daniel about any problems. He had not even attempted to speak to Jack about what was bothering him.

Nicola tutted at herself as she attempted a soil pH test and Daniel hoped that Jack had not heard. He watched as Nicola disposed of a test tube and started the test again. It was not her fault that she was neither quick nor skilled at these tests. She had probably performed them years ago at high school or possibly during her early career. It was normally Sam's job to do the on-site scientific testing, but she was ill according to Jack. Daniel found this highly suspicious as she had seemed fine two days ago when he had last seen her. Her mysterious absence and Jack's foul mood were all the evidence Daniel needed to think that their relationship had altered for some reason. He wanted to question Jack on it, but knew that during a mission was not the right time in which to do so. He would just have to wait until they returned to Earth in a few days and then try and question either of his friends.

"What's the hold up?" Jack asked, but his tone was slightly demanding and Nicola stuttered and faltered under his intense gaze. Nicola was not normally so timid, but she had never seen Jack in such a mood. "Well, Lieutenant?"

"Jack," Daniel intervened, trying to calm the impending situation. Before either man could say anything, all four members of the team turned towards the Stargate as it began activating. Jack, Teal'c and Nicola each got their weapons out, ready for whatever was dialling into the planet. Daniel glanced at the other three with a mixture of weaponry - Jack and his P90, Teal'c and his Staff, and Nicola and her Zat. Daniel prepared to get his weapon ready, but he was not as sceptical as the other three due to his non-military background. They each spread out slightly further as the wormhole whooshed out of the Stargate. Daniel had no need for his weapon as Sam stepped through the event horizon, proving to Daniel that Jack had in fact lied about Sam's illness. He watched silently as Sam stormed over to the four of them, but she was heading directly for Jack. Daniel had rarely seen such anger in his friend's eyes, but for a moment he felt pity for what Jack was about to suffer.

"Major Carter, what are you doing here?" Jack demanded whilst Daniel waited for the fireworks.

"Don't 'Major Carter' me, Jack. What the hell gives you the right to throw me off a mission without a word, lie about me and ignore me?"

"Major Carter, stand down." Jack shouted his order, hoping that she would listen to her rank being used.

"Answer the damn question!" she demanded. Daniel was unsure he had ever really heard anyone yell at Jack the way that Sam was, but their relationship was different to every other relationship Daniel had ever seen Jack have. He was immediately worried about their yelling and anger, but he was unsure of what could be done to stop them. Figuring that if he were to say anything, both of them would turn their wrath to him before resuming their own argument, Daniel opted to do nothing for the moment.

"Have you lost your mind, Carter?" Jack asked without any hint of calm. "Did you even get permission to come here?" Jack moved slightly closer to Sam in an attacking stance. He was gesturing with his arms and everything about him was dripping with anger.

Daniel looked to Sam and saw the answer to his question clearly across her face, although Daniel only saw a momentary flicker of shame cross her eyes. "What did you expect me to do?" she screamed in anger at him.

"Oh, he is so gonna court-martial your ass," Jack said with a hint of a sarcastic smile on his face.

"Well, that was going to happen after we broke the regulations two weeks ago!"

Daniel knew then exactly what had caused the ticking time bomb that was their living arrangement to finally explode. He had never heard Sam speak so candidly, but then he was not sure he had ever seen her in any state like her current one. Even when Jack had originally decided to leave the planet and Sam had had a minor emotional breakdown on base, Daniel had never seen her so open and brazen before. He had seen her cry and become emotional, but never as angry her eyes now showed.

"That's why I took you off of this mission," Jack shouted, "Because you can't ever be on my team again. I was trying to avoid either of us being court-martialled. We’ve crossed the line."

"Bullshit," Sam declared. "I don’t know why you've been acting like a jerk, but it has nothing to do with preserving either of our careers. I'd venture a bet that it has a lot more to do with you being a coward and scared of anything real."

Daniel saw the anger flare in Jack's eyes and almost expected him to throw a punch. Daniel was sure that if it were anyone else to have said that to Jack or anyone male at least, Jack would not have held back. He took two steps away from Sam, who cleverly allowed him to and Sam chose not to antagonise him further. "Go home, Major," Jack ordered. "This really isn't a military matter."

"Not a military matter?" Sam asked incredulously. “What on Earth are you talking about? This needs to get sorted. Now. I'm not going home until we resolve something. Anything."

Daniel took his gaze from the warring pair for a few seconds as they stood in their stalemate; each as stubborn as the other when it ever came down to it. He first noticed Nicola who was edging slowly away inch by inch, staring at something far off in the distance as if that was something worthy of her archaeological interest. In that moment, he completely understood her reasons for not becoming involved with certain colleagues outside of work too much. Teal'c was studying his staff weapon as if something about it were the most fascinating thing he had ever seen and that in all of his years possessing such a weapon, he had never noticed this new facet.

"You're not gonna let this drop, are you?" Jack asked in a non-shouting, but still angry voice. "Fine, let's talk."

Before Sam could demand more answers from him, Daniel coughed loudly. Everyone turned to him, including Sam and Jack who appeared to have forgotten that anyone else was even there. "We're gonna... go... explore. Or something.” He crossed past them to where Nicola and Teal'c were gathering up some essentials. "Try not to kill each other, yeah?" Daniel asked and Jack smiled wryly. Sam still had a look of thunder set upon her face and ignored the others as Daniel left them to their discussion or, more likely, argument.

"Thanks," Nicola whispered as soon as they were far enough away to not be heard.

"No problem."

"I reckon the colonel's the scarier one," Nicola said as a whisper still despite their increasing distance from the warring pair.

"Yeah, I've never seen Sam so angry." Not even on the few occasions when Sam had been shot down by someone on scientific or military reasons, had Daniel seen his friend channel so much anger. It was then that he wondered just how long it had been building within her. Perhaps from that first moment that Jack changed everything, deciding to go to Edora and starting the chain reaction that had changed everyone.

"O'Neill looked like he was going to punch her at one point," Nicola said and before Daniel could respond that he was pretty confident that Jack would never raise a hand to a woman, let alone to Sam, Teal’c spoke.

"Major Carter is the one to be more concerned with," the stoic Jaffa said with no extra emotion in his voice, explaining further when Daniel and Nicola looked at him quizzically. "I believe in your culture it is spoken as linked to a woman wronged and revenge."

"A woman scorned," Daniel corrected.

"Indeed."

SG – SG – SG

Sam and Jack both watched as the rest of SG-1 made their quiet escape. Sam had no idea what to say to him except to repeat the questions she had already asked him, hoping that he would now answer her. Or she could just wait for him to volunteer answers. He knew what she had asked and therefore what she wanted to know, but as the other three SG-1 members became smaller and smaller, it dawned on Sam that Jack had no intention on starting to speak. Wanting to remain calm with him, Sam had no idea how to when he was still being stubborn and standing there silently. She wanted to know what was going on and why he was claiming they could not live together one day and then practically kicking her off of SG-1 the next. Either they could not work together or they could not live together. Surely both did not need to happen in order for them to sort out their problems. Unless, Sam considered, Jack had no intention of sorting any problems out.

It was more in line with the Jack O’Neill she truly knew – he ran away from things, hiding behind telescopes or special ops, suicide missions rather than face up to things. In the field he was the bravest man she had ever met, but in his personal life Jack was a proportionately sized coward. With the thought that maybe Jack was in fact being a coward, Sam's anger started to bubble up once more.

"Come on then, Jack," she demanded, "What's going on?" He did not make any move to say anything as he continued to look off into the distance. Assuming that he was still watching SG-1, Sam said, "They're far enough away, Jack, they can't hear whatever you're about to tell me."

"That wouldn't really matter, would it?" he asked rhetorically. "Seeing as you just aired most of our dirty linen to them."

"What was I supposed to do?" she asked with a slightly calmer voice. Another yelling match was not on her agenda. "We sleep together after weeks of barely speaking, you disappear in the morning. Then you spend two weeks barely speaking to me, arguing with my father, you tell me that you're going to move out and then attempt to kick me off of the team. Jack, our family and SG-1 are both the most important things in my life and you're attacking both of them. If you truly believe that we can't live together anymore because of work and our feelings getting in the way then why do you also need to kick me off SG-1?"

"I didn't kick you off SG-1."

"What do you call rearranging a mission and lying to everyone about me? This is my career, Jack, and I thought you knew how important it was to me. Is to me, hopefully."

"Of course I do."

"Then why? I understand if you were picking us over work and by shifting me permanently off the team meant that we could be together, but you're not. You're kicking me off the team and out of my family. What are you trying to do? Don’t you realise that things are different now? We’re not both on SG-1 anymore, there are ways to solve whatever your issue is. But, I mean, what is your issue? You don’t want to work with me or live with me. What's going to happen when we pass each other in the corridor or are present in the same meeting? Are you going to acknowledge me or would that be our friendship over? And what about our family? Are we going to meet in passing as we swap Daniella over between the two of us? Are you moving out or am I? I don't want either of those options, Jack, but you seem to be leaning towards both. It doesn't make sense."

Jack shrugged his arms wildly. "I don't know, Sam!" he declared. There was a long silent pause and Sam could see him struggling over his words. "Things have just got too complicated and the only way I know how to deal is work. That's just what I do: work. I ignore everything and work. I get consumed in silence and being solitary. Hey, I’m a grumpy old man who deserves and normally survives on their own. I just needed time alone to think, but I figured that I couldn't do that with you here. I didn't mean anything to do with your career. Although, it may be pretty ruined now since you waltzed on through the Stargate without permission."

"Can we deal with that later please?" Sam asked. She did not want to think about the repercussions of her actions right now. Her family was more important than her job and that needed sorting before she could have any thoughts or concerns over her career. "I want my family sorted. If you don’t want to be part of that family, then fine, I guess, but I deserve some answers."

"Like?" he asked.

She wanted to scream at him and question how dense he could be. "How about what happened after we slept together and why you weren't there the next morning?" She gave him a few moments to answer and when he didn't she spoke again: "Okay, maybe an easier one - what happened between you and my dad?"

"Well," he answered straight away, "that's directly linked to the first question."

"Could you try answering them then please?"

"I panicked," he admitted and Sam softened slightly towards him. "I just needed to think. Every time that something has almost happened between us, something else has happened to cause everything to crash down around us. Things aren't that simple anymore. Every time that we came close to crossing a line, or bent it a bit, it was you who stepped back and you didn’t. I woke up and you were lying there and I knew what we’d done and I had no idea if you’d take it back, if we should take it back, or if we even could try and take it back. I still agree with what we said months ago that Daniella comes before work, us, anything else, but then I've been living with you and things aren't as simple as when we first became parents."

"So what did you decide?"

"Well, our feelings aren't just getting in the way of work and regulations, but in the way of our family. If we can't keep our feelings under control then Daniella will be affected."

"Have you not noticed that she already is?” Jack sent her one of his pointed looks and she sighed. “And you came up with living apart?" That had been his suggestion when Daniella had been mentioned the night before.

"No," Jack shook his head. "I came up with the opposite. That we, if you agree, that we give things a go. I mean, it's still not that simple, but it was a start."

"So what happened?" She asked with a low, emotional voice. Ignoring his announcement and the feelings it stirred within her, Sam needed to know what had stopped him before she could attempt to broach the new revelation.

"Your dad reminded me of a few facts during our barbeque. Facts which made me question the whole giving it a go thing."

Sam shook her head, knowing what her father would have said to Jack. Jacob had always wanted Sam to have the best of everything, even after she had joined the air force he still felt like she was not living the life or having the career she should have. That was why he had tried to arrange for her to join NASA rather than the unknown project which was the Stargate programme. "Jack, my dad and I get on better now, trust me, but he doesn’t know what's best for me. I do."

"You don't understand," Jack argued. "He told me that you're scared of getting hurt, that you stop yourself from finding happiness because of how everyone seemingly leaves you. It made me question why you were in this can't-be-made-possible situation with me. Was it because nothing would ever come of it so you can't get hurt?"

"Come off it, Jack, I've had nothing but pain since sleeping with you. No offence."

"None taken. He said that you deserve to love and be loved and he wasn't sure that I'm the right person to give you that love. Which I happen to agree with, by the way. You just admitted yourself that you've had nothing but pain since we first ever attempted anything more than friends. I don't want to hurt you more, make it worse."

"He didn't mention my career and the regulations?" Sam asked curiously.

"No," Jack shook his head. "He knows that I'd never ask you to give up your career. Which I wouldn't. He thinks that focussing on your career has kept you lonely and brought no real happiness, but he's unsure that I can make things better. He just wants you to be happy and his talk with me made me doubt that I could."

"Really?" She was surprised that her father was not more anti-Jack.

"He told me that neither of us should let rules stand in our way of anything that makes us happy."

"So why the distance from me?"

"Because I don't know what's going to make you happy. I don't even know if you want to take that step or if you regret stepping over the line so completely."

"Of course I do." There was no hesitation concerning his revelation, she knew that things needed to change and that step was the route she wanted to try, despite the risks to their family. Sam took a small hesitant step closer to him. "Ever since our first night together that's all that I wanted, but my dad's right - I don't want to get hurt and I don't want Daniella to get hurt. I'm already hurting though and maybe admitting what I feel and taking that chance that I've never taken before is the only way to stop the pain."

Jack smiled at her. "Especially now that Hammond's going to court-martial you, you may as well fall back on us; you got nothing else but me and Daniella."

Sam shook her head, smiling at his joking. "Jack, try and be serious. Are we really saying...?" Sam suddenly felt electricity flow through her right before her world went black.

SG – SG – SG

Jack caught Sam as she fell towards him and was immediately limp in his arms. Looking over her shoulder, Jack saw a curly haired blonde standing just in front of the Stargate. He immediately recognised the Goa'uld Osiris standing there with a sly smile upon her face. She had what looked like a Zat in her left hand, but Jack had not even heard it discharge and he did think it looked different to the normal Zats. He had not heard her appear either. Jack was pretty sure that she had not come to the planet by Stargate because his and Sam's shouting had not been loud enough to cover the noise of the Stargate activating. The only answer was that she had ringed down from a ship, but that would also mean that there were plenty of Jaffa ready to attack. Very slowly Jack repositioned Sam in his arms and then laid her down very carefully on the grass. Maintaining his slow speed, Jack then stood back up and stepped over Sam's unconscious body so that he was in-between her and Osiris. He reached his hand to the side, trying to unclip his knife as he knew that a gun would be useless if Osiris had the usual Goa'uld personal safety shield. His actions of protection and defence caused Osiris to smirk.

"We don't think so, Colonel," she warned as she waggled a finger of her right hand at him. His right hand twitched and then relaxed because as she had waggled her finger, Osiris had also shown him the ribbon device she wore. Jack knew that she could take him out within seconds if she so chose to. Of all the Goa'uld that he had come into contact with, Jack sometimes found Osiris the most unsettling due to her host being from Earth and a friend of Daniel's. He always felt like it gave her a slight insight into the Tau'ri that no other Goa'uld had. At least she was a 'normal' civilian human and not a military officer. Jack had no idea what would happen should someone more important ever be taken as a host in that way. For the Goa'uld to also possess such military knowledge, it would be a disaster. "We were troubled when you arrived without Major Carter," Osiris continued. "We feared that you had ruined our plan."

Jack's eyes set as his belief that there was a ship in orbit was confirmed, which meant there were a lot more problems than just the Goa'uld who had started to step towards him. "What plan?"

She smiled at him as she continued walking towards him, her sheer white clothing moving around her body. Jack was very troubled by any plan that she may have and the fact that he had not heard any transport rings bringing her to the planet's surface. He also hated when some Goa'uld used the royal 'we' to refer to themselves, as if trying to insinuate that the host was obliging and willing. Unsure of if Osiris had ever used 'we' before, Jack considered the fact that it was known she was working for Anubis. "Do you really think that we are going to tell you?" She came to a stop no more than two paces away from him and Jack's hand twitched towards his knife again. Osiris shook her head. "We already said no, Colonel."

"Why should I listen to you?" he asked with some of his normal verbal bravado. He needed to do something to stall her before she could put into motion the next step in her plan. Hoping that he could stall her long enough for his team to return, Jack could only listen as she leaned forward.

Whispering, Osiris said, "Because we may yet spare you."

Jack's brow furrowed in confusion at her statement. The confusion was quickly replaced by pain spreading across his face and his entire body. She had quickly brought up her right hand and was using the ribbon device on his forehead. Blinding hot pain seared through his brain as he collapsed to his knees. Every neuron transmitted pulses of pain to every square inch of his body and his knees did not register any of their usual from the fall. His face crumpled up in torture as she continued her assault. Fighting back slightly, Jack managed to reach his hands up and grab Osiris' wrist in an attempt to deflect her hand. He should have reached for his knife, but consciousness and cohesive thoughts were already failing. She was stronger than him and her arm did not even budge. He was beginning to lose. He was beginning to allow the pain to take over him. He finally fell from her hold, crumpling to the floor next to Sam.

He saw her peaceful face, her eyes still closed as if she were sleeping and unconsciousness still claiming her. He had to protect her. He had to save her. His eyes closed for what seemed like only a moment, but when he managed to lift his heavy eyelids Jack saw Osiris walking away with Sam effortlessly slung over her shoulder. He could only watch as Osiris continued walking before turning back and smiling at him. Struggling against the pain and fog within his body, Jack tried to move his arm to reach a weapon. At this point he did not care whether it was his side-arm or knife. Jack would settle for a rock to throw at the Goa'uld's head. A shimmering light almost blinded him as something transported Osiris and her captive away. It was not Goa'uld transporter rings and it seemed more similar to Asgard beaming technology.

Jack rolled onto his back and stared up at the cloudless sky hoping that the light blue would provide him with some answers. The sky was clear of clouds and spacecraft, however after a few minutes Jack did see a flash of light. Osiris, her ship and Sam had left the planet. His eyes closed again. Everything was hopeless now. He had lost the woman that he loved and not through his own arrogance or stupidity. She was among the stars, taken by a Goa'uld who had been planning for this and there was no way that they could follow her.

"Jack?" His eyes fluttered open to Daniel's voice and Jack could see the other three members of SG-1 crowded above him. "Jack, what happened? Are you alright?" Daniel asked.

"Sam," Jack mumbled as Teal'c and Daniel helped him to sit up.

"What did she do to you?" Daniel asked, assuming that their argument had turned physical.

"Osiris," Jack answered. "She took Sam."

"What?" Daniel asked, turning his head to look around them whilst keeping some of Jack's weight on his supporting arms. Teal'c and Carpenter both armed themselves and slowly turned three-sixty to scan for Osiris.

"She transported to a ship." With Daniel's help, Jack got to his feet and tried to ignore the still lingering pain. "Looked like Asgard technology and the Zat she had looked different, but familiar."

"What did Osiris want with her?"

Jack shrugged. For once he was at a complete loss as to what to do. He knew that he could not do anything here, but he did not want to leave the planet. What Jack wanted was for someone else to take control. Sam was gone.

"It'll be okay, Jack."

"How, Daniel, how?" Jack demanded angrily. "She said that she had a plan, that she'd been waiting here for Sam."

"We've been in worse situations," Daniel tried to comfort. "This isn't the end. We'll find her. This isn't hopeless."

"No, it's more than hopeless! And name one worse situation than a planned kidnap." Jack argued back.

"Colonel, we will find Major Carter," Teal'c said. "We will return her to you and Daniella. We must return to Earth first."

Jack nodded, allowing Daniel to lead him towards the Stargate as Carpenter went to the DHD. He had to find her, no matter how impossible or hopeless the situation might be, no matter the cost. He would find her.

SG – SG – SG

The End