samandjack.net

Story Notes: SPOILERS: Seasons 1-4

SEQUEL: None

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks to Ann for her feedback while writing this.


When Samantha Carter met Dr. Andrew Parkins at a physics conference in Boston, she was immediately attracted to him. Given what her feelings for Colonel Jack O'Neill were, she was surprised. The funny thing was, she hadn't intended to go to the conference at all, but Colonel O'Neill persuaded her to.

"Go on, Carter, you need a break," he said. "Am I gonna have to order you to get a life again?"

"But I have so much work to catch up on-" she started to say, but he interrupted her.

"Ya know, sometimes I think you think up things to keep yourself busy and hangin' around this place." He lowered his voice. "I worry about you, Sam. You need a break from this." He gestured around her lab. "Go. Have a good time. Talk about that science stuff with other science types. It's an order, Major."

So she went. And met Andrew. Totally gorgeous, totally brilliant Andrew.

He was delivering a paper on the nature of black holes, completely wrong of course, but he didn't know that. After his talk, Sam managed to corner him and totally tear apart his theories. Obviously, not many people had ever done that, and he was intrigued. He asked her to dinner, and one thing led to another. After the conference was over, they kept in touch, and he even went to Colorado to see her. After six months of a long-distance relationship, Andrew left MIT to take a very lucrative position with a think-tank based in Denver, making a once long-distance relationship, short-distance.

It was only a matter of time before they became engaged.



************



If Jack had known that Sam was going to hook up with some guy, he'd never have ordered her to go to that damned conference.

Oh, he could see what she saw in Andrew Parkins. The guy was good looking in a sorta smarmy, Hollywood kind of way. He was smart, too. Not as smart as her, but then again, not too many people were.

When Andrew was living a couple of thousand miles away, Jack wasn't too worried. He knew that old chestnut about absence making the heart grow fonder was just a crock. All absence does is make the heart forget about that person who's so far away. Then he took a job in Denver, and everything changed. The time she used to spend with her friends, she started spending with him. Ole Dandy Andy. She tried bringing him around the team, but Sam could tell, he didn't care for hanging out with them, that he wanted her all to himself. Gradually, she stopped spending any of her downtime with the team at all. But the worst day was the day she came in sporting a rock on her finger that would choke a horse. Daniel was the first to notice it.

"Uh, Sam," he said, "is that an engagement ring?" When Jack heard that his ears pricked up.

She giggled. Jack could hardly believe his ears at the sound. She held out her hand for Daniel to get a better look at her ring.

"Yes, it is," Carter answered. "Andrew proposed last night."

Jack's heart sank down into his shoes. Hell, it felt like it sank under Sam's shoes and she was stomping all over it.

Sam was engaged to Dandy Andy.

Daniel was surprised at the engagement, but he collected himself, then he congratulated Sam and hugged her. As he did so, she glanced over his shoulder and saw the colonel standing there with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Sir," she said, pulling back from Daniel. "Daniel was just congratulating me." She bit her lip and looked at him, unknown to her, her heart in her eyes. Jack just stood there for a few seconds and then he nodded.

"I heard." He looked at her for a few seconds longer, then he asked, "Are you happy?"

"Yes, sir, I am," Sam answered, smiling at him.

"That's all that matters." He looked at her, smiling a little sadly, and then at Daniel. "We have a mission briefing in thirty minutes." He turned and left the room. Watching him go, Sam felt a strange feeling in her chest that moved down to the pit of her stomach. She felt a pull inside herself to go to him, but what she could say to him was beyond her. She still loved him, though she could never tell him out loud, but she wanted to make a life for herself, and if she couldn't have Jack, she'd have Andrew.



************



As SG-1 stood in the gateroom, geared up for their mission and waiting for the wormhole to form, Sam kept waiting for the colonel's jokes and sarcastic remarks, quips they were customarily treated to before a mission. He didn't say a word, he just stood there watching the spinning of the Stargate and then the formation of the event horizon. When the general gave them the go ahead, he just walked up the ramp and into the wormhole. Other than giving orders, he said very little on the mission.



************



Jack was glad that the mission had turned out to be so routine. No Jaffa, no angry natives, no civil wars, just trees and rocks to look at, samples to take. He'd thought about staying on base after they returned, but he decided to go home. Might as well be miserable in comfort, he thought.

As he sat in his living room, dressed in old sweat pants and a tee shirt, drinking a beer, staring at the television, he thought about Sam's news. Jack felt like kicking himself. HE had insisted that she go to that conference, HE had ordered her to get a life. He just hadn't thought ahead enough to realize that that life might not include him. Jack had kind of always thought that he and Sam would someday, eventually, get together. He loved her, and he was sure she still loved him, although there was nothing either of them could do about it. Now, it seemed as if that was something that wasn't to be. Sam was going to marry Andy and there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it.

The knocking on his door pulled him out of his thoughts. Rising, he slowly walked to the door and opened it. It was Daniel.

"Hi, Jack," Daniel greeted him. Jack just stood there looking at him until he said, "Can I come in?"

Jack shook his head, as if coming out of a trance, and said, "Sure. Sorry, come on in." He stood to one side and Daniel walked through the door, Jack closing it after him.

"Jack, why'd you take off like that after the debriefing?" Daniel asked. "Teal'c and I took Sam out for a drink to celebrate her engagement."

"Sorry 'bout that," Jack said, walking to the kitchen to get himself another beer. "You want a beer or somethin'?"

"No, thanks." Daniel walked to the kitchen door and stood there looking at Jack. "You are happy for Sam, aren't you Jack?"

Jack opened the refrigerator and took out a beer. He opened the bottle and took a drink before answering. "Sure. I'm glad she's happy." Jack took another swig from his bottle. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Daniel said slowly. "Sam's worked hard for a lot of years, and she's had a lot of grief. She deserves to be happy."

"Yes, she does." Jack tipped back the bottle and drained it, reaching into the refrigerator for another. He held it up at Daniel. "Sure you don't want one?"

"I'm sure." Daniel stood there and watched Jack for a moment longer. "Well, I guess I'd better go." He turned and walked to the outside door, Jack following him. "See you tomorrow, Jack."

"Sure. Bye Daniel." Jack closed the door after Daniel, who stood there a few minutes pondering Jack's attitude. Jack said that he was glad that Sam was happy, but he didn't say he was happy for her. It could have been merely a matter of semantics, but Daniel didn't think so. He knew that Jack cared more deeply about Sam than he could openly admit, and her engagement probably came as a shock. He hoped that his friend would adjust to the changes that were coming.



************



"Sam." Janet Fraiser poked her head around the doorway of Sam's lab.

Sam looked up from her computer screen. "Hi, Janet," she said. "I'll be through here in a minute."

"Take your time, we've got two whole days off when we leave here tonight." Janet came in sat down on the stool opposite Sam. "So, what did you bring to wear tonight?"

"Black pants and shirt," Sam said absently, saving the last of the information she'd entered. "There, all done." She shut down her computer and jumped down off the stool. "Let's get changed and go before someone decides they need me for something else."

Nodding in agreement, Janet jumped off her stool, and the two women headed for the locker room to change. They were going out tonight, a girls' night out. Andrew was out of town at a conference in Geneva, Switzerland, and Sam had been at a loose end until Janet had suggested that they go out on the town. It was something she hadn't done in a long time, and she was looking forward to it. Andrew tended to want to stay home and they invariably ended up working on some physics problem. She hadn't said anything about it to him, but she was starting to get bored. They weren't even making love that much any more. She was never bored when she was with- she cut off the thought abruptly. Best not to go there. . . She loved Andrew.

Sam finished up a few minutes before Janet and sat on the bench in the locker room, looking at her ring. It WAS a beautiful ring, and she was a lucky woman to be engaged to such a brilliant and handsome man as Andrew, but sometimes she felt stifled. She couldn't talk to him about her work, couldn't tell him of the things she'd accomplished in the field of physics simply because they were classified. The only people she could talk to were other members of the SGC. The people she talked to most of the time were her own team members but, lately, the colonel had been distant. Before she'd met Andrew, they'd been so close, probably almost too close. She supposed that came from their being stranded on a deserted planet for nine days with no one else to talk to but each other. Teal'c had been there, too, but he wasn't much of conversationalist, so Sam and Colonel O'Neill had ended up spending almost all their time talking to each other exclusively. After they'd gotten back they'd continued their conversations, spending a lot of downtime together. Then they were both thought to be zatarcs. They were cleared only after admitting that they had feelings for each other. That had been both embarrassing and exhilarating. The time they'd spent as mind-wiped slave workers on P3R-118 had also brought them closer together. If they had stayed there any longer, they would probably have become lovers. Getting back on their old professional footing had been difficult, but they'd done it. Lately, the colonel had noticed Sam's tendency to get lost in her work was becoming more frequent and had ordered her once again to "get a life." So she had, and their relationship had changed to her regret, even though she knew there had been no future for them. She missed him.

"I'm ready." Janet stood in front of Sam. "Is something wrong?" she asked, concerned at the sad expression on her friend's face. Sam should be happy. She looked as if she were about to cry.

Sam smiled at Janet and stood up. "No, nothing's wrong. I'm all ready to go." She looked at Janet's sexy red dress. "Wow! Hunting for bear, are we?"

"You never know what you're gonna find in them there woods," Janet answered her with a wink, then she looped her arm through Sam's. "You don't look too shabby yourself, Major." Sam was dressed in fitted black pants, strappy black sandals, and a black lace camisole top. "Thinking about trading up?" Janet teased.

Sam laughed. "I don't think there's any further up than Andrew." The two women left the locker room and headed for the surface.



************



Morgan's wasn't too crowded this early in the evening, so Janet and Sam were able to get a good table. They placed their orders for dinner, then sat back sipping their drinks and enjoying the view. The place was starting to fill up, and there were quite a few attractive men coming in. Most of them were brainless Neanderthals, but that didn't bother Janet one bit, and Sam wasn't looking, so it didn't bother her either. She would rather have gone to O'Malley's, but she, Jack, and Daniel were still banned from going there due to the fight they had been involved in when they were wearing the armbands that had given them super powers.

The two women sat there enjoying their before dinner drinks, when Janet sat up and stared at someone coming through the door.

"See somebody you know, Janet?" Sam asked, amused at the way her friend had perked up.

"Oh, yes," she answered. "Our favorite archaeologist, a colonel of our acquaintance, and your friendly neighborhood Jaffa just walked through the door. They're coming this way," Janet told her, a bright smile lighting up her face.

"Did you know they were coming here tonight?" Sam asked.

"No, but what a lucky break!" The expression on Janet's face told her that the three men had arrived at their table. "Hi guys! Why don't you join us? The place is starting to get really crowded." Janet gestured to the other chairs at their table.

"Sure, thanks, Janet." Daniel nodded to Sam. "Hi Sam!"

"Daniel." Sam nodded back. "Sir, Teal'c."

"Good evening, Major Carter, Dr. Fraiser," Teal'c greeted them.

"Doc, Major." Jack smiled at the two women.

Daniel and Teal'c grabbed the two chairs that were at the table and Jack took one from the table to their left, placing it between Sam and Daniel.

"Have you ladies eaten yet?" Daniel asked.

"No, we haven't," Janet answered him, giving him a flirtatious little smile. At the expression on her friend's face, Sam figured out who Janet was interested in. "We have ordered though."

A waitress appeared beside their table. "Are you gentlemen ready to order?"

"Yes, we are," Daniel said. "I'll have a steak, medium rare, baked potato."

"I believe that is what I shall have also," Teal'c told the waitress.

"Same for me," Jack said. "And bring me a beer, Budweiser."

"Sure thing." The waitress took Daniel's and Teal'c's drink orders, then left the table.

"So, what do you gentlemen have planned for tonight?" Janet asked, still flirting with Daniel, who, surprisingly enough, was flirting right back.

"We thought we'd play it by ear," he said, smiling at Janet. "What did you ladies have in mind?"

"Sam and I planned to have a little dinner here, then go to the club next door and dance." Janet leaned on her elbow toward Daniel, who leaned right back. Sam and Jack cast amused glances at each other, a little of their old camaraderie coming back. He raised his eyebrow, and she winked back at him, then they grinned at each other.

"Then why don't we all go together," Daniel suggested. He looked at Teal'c for his agreement. "What do you think Teal'c?"

"That is an interesting suggestion, Daniel Jackson. I am willing to go along with this plan." Teal'c gave his agreement with the suggetion.

"What about you, Jack?" Daniel asked.

Jack dragged his eyes away from Sam to answer Daniel. "Sure, okay by me." He looked back at Sam. "If it's okay with Carter and the Doc."

"Great!" Janet said, assuming that it was fine with Sam. Actually, it wasn't. She was having trouble breathing without smelling the colonel's aftershave. He smelled really good, and it was starting to drive her nuts. She was very tense with him sitting right beside her. She loved Andrew, but she would have had to be made of stone to not have a reaction to Jack O'Neill.

Luckily, dinner passed without incident, and Sam started to relax. The drinks she consumed didn't hurt either. By the time the meal was finished, she was feeling pleasantly relaxed, and even flirting with the colonel who was pretty relaxed himself.

After dinner, they all went next door to the dance club where Daniel and Janet immediately took to the dance floor. Even Teal'c was dancing with a young lady who'd spied him coming in and made an immediate beeline for him.

Sam and Jack sat at their table and tried to talk, but the music was too loud. After a few minutes of failed attempts at conversation, a slow number came on, and he held out his hand. She placed hers in his, and he led her out to the dance floor.

They had never danced together before, not in all the years they'd known each other, and Jack was amazed at the ease with which came together. They moved as if they'd been practicing for years.

As Jack held Sam close, he smelled her perfume, a light delicate fragrance. The scent of it went to his head and made him want to be reckless. He wished he could blame it on the alcohol he'd consumed, but he'd only had two beers in the restaurant. No, what he was feeling wasn't the result of intoxication, but came from years of hidden longing. His arms tightened a little, and he could feel her respond by pressing herself a little closer to him. He guided her toward the back door of the club as they danced, and when they reached it, he stopped dancing and took her hand, giving her the opportunity of refusing to come with him. Sam looked at him, then gripped his hand tightly and nodded her head. Jack opened the back door and pulled her with him into a small entry way that was used for deliveries.

Still not saying a word, he pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to her cheek. She tightened her arms around him, and his lips moved from her cheek to her mouth and he kissed her. Sam stiffened in reaction for a second, then she relaxed in his arms, kissing him back with increasing fervor. Finally, they parted and Jack laid his forehead against hers, his breathing labored as was hers. He pulled away slightly and looked into her eyes. She smiled at him, and he leaned back in for another kiss. His hands slipped under the hem of her shirt and stroked the smooth skin of her back. Sam's response was a sharp intake of breath, then she pressed even closer to Jack. Gradually, the kiss came to an end, and Jack's hands slipped away, leaving Sam standing there, leaning against the wall, her eyes closed. Slowly she opened her eyes to look at Jack.

"Sam," was all he said and he lifted his hand to stroke her cheek.

Sam lifted her hand to cover his as it rested on her face. "Jack, I -" she started to say, but his fingers covered her lips.

"Sh." He removed his fingers from her lips, and leaned forward to gently kiss her. "Good night."

He was gone before she could reply, and she just stood there for a minute. Realizing that if she didn't hurry, he'd be gone before she could stop him, she rushed back to the dance floor and crossed to their table. Daniel, Janet, and Teal'c were all still there, but there was no Jack to be seen.

"Where's Colonel O'Neill?" she asked the trio at the table.

"He said he had to go. You just missed him," Daniel answered.

"Oh." Sam just stood there, for a moment, then made a decision. "I have to go, too." She picked up her jacket and purse. "I'll see you guys on Monday. Have a good weekend."

"Thanks, Sam," Janet said. "You, too."

As she walked away from the table toward the door she said to herself, "I wish . . ." then sighed. "I have a feeling this is going to be a long weekend."



************



Monday finally came. Sam was walking down the corridor toward the guard station when she heard someone call her name.

"Carter." It was the colonel. Squaring her shoulders, she turned and greeted him with a smile.

"Sir, good morning." They fell into step together and proceeded to check in. Afterward, they walked to the elevator and stepped in. Sam pressed the button for level twenty six and they proceeded down.

The silence was a little awkward between them, so Sam broke it. "How was your weekend?" she asked.

"A little long," he answered with a slight smile. Sam smiled back.

"Mine, too." She looked down at her boots, then back up. "We might need to talk."

Jack nodded. "Yeah."

"This isn't a good time or place," she told him.

"No, definitely not," he said. "Come by my place tonight, about eight. We can talk then, no interruptions."

"Okay." The elevator stopped on level twenty-six and she stepped off. "See you later, Sir."

"Bye, Carter." Jack punched the button for level twenty-eight and the doors closed.



************



Sam was busily entering data into her computer when she heard a knock on the door. It was Janet.

"Hi, Sam." Janet walked into the lab and looked around. "You've been busy this morning."

"Yeah, I got here about 0730." Sam saved her data. "So what brings you here this time of the morning."

"Check your watch, Major," Janet said. "It's 12:30."

Sam quickly looked at her watch. "It is. I've been so busy this morning that I completely lost track of the time."

"C'mon, let's get some lunch. You can tell me where you disappeared to Friday night." Janet and Sam went to the mess commissary, selected what they wanted to eat, then found a table in a corner, and sat down. Once they were settled, Janet looked at Sam expectantly.

"I went home." Sam opened her sandwich, picked up half of it and took a bite. She chewed slowly, not wanting to answer any of the questions she knew were burning on Janet's tongue. She swallowed the bite and took a drink of her soda. "I stayed home all weekend. Andrew called Saturday afternoon. That's about it."

"That's not what I'm talking about. You and the colonel were on the dance floor, then you were gone. A few minutes later he reappears, makes an excuse and leaves, then you appear a couple of minutes after that and leave, too." Janet looked at her in concern. "What happened between you two, Sam?" She looked at Sam in alarm. "You and he didn't- I mean -. . ."

"NO, we didn't do anything. I didn't see the colonel again until this morning." Sam pushed away the remains of her sandwich. She'd lost what little appetite she'd had. "He's my CO, Janet, and I'm engaged to a man I love."

"Sam, if he wasn't your CO - " Janet began, but Sam cut her off.

"But he is," she said gently. "I need to get back to the lab. See you later." Sam stood and left the room.



************



At eight o'clock that night Sam was standing at the door of Jack O'Neill's house. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the doorbell. Almost immediately the door opened.

"Hi, come on in." Jack opened the door wider and stood back so that she could come in. "Let me take your coat."

"Uh, no, thanks, I won't be here that long." Sam stood awkwardly in the middle of Jack's living room.

"Okay." Jack shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. "Well, about what happened the other night-"

"I've been thinking about that sir. I think we can just chalk it up to being in a social setting that we're not used to being in together, that's all." Sam looked down at the floor, unable to look at him.

"You think so?" he asked, wanting her to look at him, trying to will her to, but she wouldn't.

"Yes, sir, I do." Sam drew in a deep breath. "I care for you, sir, very much, but I'm engaged to Andrew. I love him, I really do." Finally, finally, she looked up at him. "If things were different -" she stopped herself. "But they're not different. Things are the way they are."

Jack nodded. "Yeah. Things are the way they are." His voice was very sad. They both stood there looking at each other, then Sam turned away.

"I need to go." She turned and walked to the door, Jack following her. Reaching the door, she opened it, but before she left, she turned and looked at him. "Sir - Jack - I just . . ." her voice nearly broke, then faded away.

Jack looked back at her, a tight band forming around his chest. "Me too, Sam." Almost involuntarily, he reached out and touched her cheek. Her eyes closed and she leaned into his hand, then she stepped back and opened them again.

"Bye, sir." She walked quickly out the door and down the walk to her car. He watched her get in and drive away, taking a huge chunk of his heart with her.

"Bye, Sam," he said softly, then he went inside and closed the door quietly.



************



Sam and Andrew were married two months later. The wedding was simple but beautiful. The bride looked like an angel, the groom was tall and handsome. Everyone talked about what a perfect couple they were, both so good-looking and intelligent. It just about killed Jack, but he went to the wedding. He was Sam's CO and her friend, and even though he was dying inside, he still went because it was the right thing to do.

Standing there in the church, watching her walk down the aisle on her father's arm to marry another man was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do in his life. It ranked second only to the death of his son. When the minister asked if there was anyone who objected to the marriage, he wanted to jump up and shout, "Yes, I object. She's supposed to be mine!" but he didn't. He just wanted to get out of there and fast. After making a token appearance at the reception, he planned to do just that.

Daniel, seated beside Jack, looked over at his friend in concern. He knew this day had to be hard for Jack. He'd never shared his feelings for Sam with Daniel, but Daniel knew that Jack loved her. It must be killing him to sit here now and watch the woman he loved marry another man. If he had been in Jack's place, he didn't think he could do this. What was harder was the fact that after Sam and Andrew came back from their honeymoon, she would still be working with Jack. 'Poor Jack,' Daniel thought.

At the reception, which was held in the ballroom of the nicest hotel in Colorado Springs, Jack stood in the corner watching Sam dance with her new husband, then cut the wedding cake.

"It's hard, isn't it?" Jack turned at the comment and saw Jacob Carter standing there.

"Jacob," he said. "What's hard?" Jack asked, pretending to not know what Jacob meant.

Jacob looked at him and smiled kindly, deciding to play along with Jack. "Watching the woman you love marry another man."

"Jacob, I'm her CO -" Jack began to say, but Jacob cut him off.

"And you're a man with feelings that rules and regulations can't control," Jacob said. "I've known how you felt about her since the first time I saw you together. " Jacob stopped as if listening for a moment, then laughed. "Selmac says she's known for a long time, too." He put his hand on Jack's shoulder. "Why don't you go say goodbye and leave? I think you've tortured yourself long enough.

"Yeah, you're right, Jacob, it's time for me to go." Jack shook the older man's hand. "Nice to see you again."

"You, too, Jack."

Jack walked over to where Sam and Andrew were talking with Janet and Daniel. She looked up and saw him coming and her smile slipped a little, then it brightened, and she gave him the smile she reserved just for him.

"Sir, I'm so glad you could come," she said. It was only a little lie. When she'd seen him standing in the church as she'd walked down the aisle, she'd almost been tempted to stop the wedding right then. But she hadn't, and she'd married Andrew. As she watched him walk toward her, a small part of her whispered that he should have been the one standing by her side today, but she pushed that little voice aside. Colonel Jack O'Neill was her commanding officer, her friend, and could be no more than that.

"Me, too, Sam." He turned to Andrew and held out his hand. "Parkins. Congratulations. Take good care of her. She's a special person."

Andrew shook Jack's proffered hand. "I will, colonel."

Jack nodded, then turned back to Sam. "Can I kiss the bride?" At her nod, he leaned forward and gently touched his lips to hers. For just a moment, their lips clung together, then Jack pulled himself back. "Good luck, Sam," he said huskily.

"Thank you, sir," she whispered, a film of tears over her eyes.

Jack nodded, his own eyes suspiciously bright, turned and left.



************



Two years later . . .



Jack stood at attention. The promotion ceremony was just beginning, and he was having a hard time keeping the proud smile off of his lips. Today was Sam's promotion day. She was now Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter, commanding officer of the newly commissioned SG-20, alien technology research team.

The last two years had been rough on all of the SG teams. Many of their fellow officers had died, but the goa'uld threat had been all but eliminated. What was left was not much more than a whimper. The Alliance Forces, consisting of Earth forces, the Tok'ra, the Asgard, and the renegade Jaffa under the command of Bra'tac had defeated the Goa'uld system lords, along with other various alliances that the SGC had made along the way had defeated the system lords. The stranglehold of the goa'uld on other worlds and their enslavement of innocents was over. SG-1 had large role in that, and Samantha Carter had played a major part.

General Hammond made the announcement, and Jack stepped forward to pin the rank insignia on Sam's uniform. It was his right as her former commanding officer to do so. He gave her her first salute as a Lt. Colonel, managing to keep from grinning until the ceremony was over.

Unlike Sam's previous promotion ceremony, Jack wasn't snatched away by the Asgard. He got the chance to give his speech about what a fine officer she was and how she'd been an asset to SG-1, the SGC, and Earth. Afterward, at the celebration held in the commissary, he watched as she was congratulated and saluted by her fellow officers. Her new team members were there also, the team consisting of six members, three officers and three civilians, scientists all. The mandate of SG-20 was to investigate newly discovered alien technologies. Their first mission was to start the next morning and Jack could tell that Sam was chomping at the bit to get out there. He sat back and smiled at her excitement. He still loved her, that hadn't changed, and if she hadn't been married he would have made his move now. But she was married, happily so, and he wasn't one to break up a happy home. Besides, now that the goa'uld threat was gone, he figured Sam and Andrew would be starting their family soon. From what Daniel had told him, they were seriously trying to have a baby.

He got up from his seat in the corner of the commissary and headed out the door. He still had a report to file, then he would be reviewing replacements for Carter's position on the team. The president was pushing for a Russian officer, Captain Alexy Ivanovich, to get the position. It was good for foreign relations, and it would help the American government keep tabs on the Russian stargate research. Jack had met and interviewed Ivanovich, and he seemed to be a good officer, knowledgeable, bright. Not as bright as Carter, of course, but there weren't many officers of her caliber around.

Jack stepped into his office, leaving the door open. He sat down behind his desk and picked up the file folder, opening it up to where he'd left off. Thirty minutes later, the report was done, ready to be turned in to General Hammond. Jack sat back in his chair, feet propped up on his desk, and hands folded behind his head. Things were changing, but change was good. Maybe it was time for him to make a change. He'd been in the service for a long time, maybe now it was time for him to call it quits, retire, again. The last two years had been hard, being with Sam, but not being with her. The only thing that had held him here at the SGC had been the goa'uld threat. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Hi, sir, can I come in?" Sam entered his office, a smile on her beautiful face. "I missed you at the party."

"Had a report to finish up," he stood and walked around his desk to stand in front of her. "Well, Colonel Carter, are you ready for your first mission with your team?"

"Ready and raring to go, sir." The smile turned into a broad grin. "I can hardly believe I'm commanding my own team."

"You've earned it, and no one deserves it more than you, Sam." Jack reached out and laid his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

"Thank you, Jack. I appreciate that." Sam reached up and laid her hand over his where it rested on her shoulder. "You've been the best CO I've ever had. I've learned a lot from you."

They stared into each other's eyes, until a throat cleared behind them. Pulling their hands apart, they turned and saw Daniel and Teal'c standing in the doorway.

"Hi, guys, we were wondering where you'd gotten off to," Daniel said, stepping into the room.

"I had a report to finish up." Jack shoved his hands in his pockets.

"And I came to find out where the colonel was hiding himself," Sam added. Her face turned pensive. "I'm going to miss you guys."

"Hey, we're not going anywhere," Jack exclaimed. "You'll probably see us almost everyday."

"You know what I mean." She looked at the three men who had become so dear to her. They had become closer to her than her own family, and she knew they felt the same about her. But, it was time for her to stretch her wings. She was ready.

"Yes, we do, Sam," Daniel said with a smile. "Why don't we all go out for a drink?"

"It'll have to be a quick one, I've got a mission briefing at 0800 tomorrow morning," Sam answered.

"A quick drink it is," Jack decreed. "I'm buyin'."

"O'Neill, are you ill?" Teal'c asked, his eyebrow raised.

Sam and Daniel burst out laughing. The only time Jack ever offered to buy drinks, he was already three sheets to the wind. He looked confused.

"What?" Jack asked, looking suspiciously between the three of them. Then he looked at Teal'c. "What's that mean?"

"Nothing, Jack," Daniel and Sam said at the same time, setting off another round of laughter. Jack rolled his eyes.

"C'mon, let's go get that drink. I'm not getting any younger or less confused." Jack herded them out of his office. Laughing and talking, the four of them headed out.



************



Six months later . . .



Sam and Andrew sat in the doctor's office. They were both stunned at her news.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't give you better news. There are other options." The doctor looked from one stunned face to another.

"Thank you, doctor." Sam looked over at Andrew who was staring straight ahead. It was a blow to their hopes, but they'd survive it, she hoped. Things had been strained between the two of them lately, well, a little longer than that, to be honest. Sam had hoped that a baby would heal the rift that was separating them, but now it looked like that wasn't to be.

They went home, hardly saying more than two words to each other. In their two years of marriage, they'd had their share of storms, and had managed to come out somewhat intact, but with the way things had been between them lately, it looked like their marriage was on its last legs. As soon as they arrived, Andrew dropped Sam off and left to go to his office. They'd both been burying themselves in their work.

The strain was starting to tell on Sam, who was struggling to present a facade of happiness to the world. She couldn't even talk to her friends about it, partly because of her own innate sense of privacy, and partly because of Jack O'Neill. She counted him as one of her best friends, but every once in a while, something sparked between them, something that she pulled back from. When she'd gotten her promotion, there'd been that moment in his office. She was glad that Daniel and Teal'c had interrupted them. It frightened her think of what might have happened if they hadn't.

And it frightened her that she would have been glad if they hadn't.



************



Jack arrived at Sara's house in Winter Park a few minutes early, a feat he congratulated himself on. He had a thing about being late.

Sara, on the other hand, made an art out of being late. How had he forgotten that? It was one of the things they'd argued about while they were married. Now that they were seeing each other again, he was sure they'd argue about it again.

Dating his ex-wife was something he'd never thought he'd ever be doing. Jack had considered that part of his life over and was ready to move on. Until two years ago, he'd thought he'd be moving on with Sam, but it hadn't turned out that way.

Sam. Six months ago, she'd been promoted and given command of her own team. She'd earned it, and he was proud of her. The work she was doing now was just as valuable as what they'd done on SG-1, probably even more so in terms of the technology they'd acquired. She also hadn't lost her touch in getting her team out of trouble. When SG-20 had run into a band of renegade Jaffa on one of their first missions, she'd pulled their fat out of the fire, but good. She'd earned her team's trust and loyalty, and they knew she'd never leave one of them behind. She was the best 2IC he'd ever had, and she was turning out to be an outstanding CO, just as he'd known she would. Sam was the best. He just wished that things had turned out differently between them.

He and Sara had run into each other at a barbecue being held by mutual married friends, one of whom had invited Jack and the other had invited Sara. They both showed up at the same time, and the rest, as they say, was history. They were taking it slowly, but they were getting on pretty well together. Only time would tell. He and Sara were having fun together, and that was as far as it went. If things developed further, fine. If not, that was fine, too.

As he rang the doorbell, he thought about how things had turned out. Yeah, if somebody had told him three years ago that he would be dating his ex-wife, and Sam would be married to another man, he would have said they were crazy.

Absolutely crazy.



************



SG-20's mission to P2J-147 was going well. The technology they'd been examining turned out to be medical instruments. Exactly what they did was yet to be determined, but Dr. Fredericks, their linguist, had a partial translation of the texts found with them already done, and it seemed that these instruments had something to do with treating blood diseases. Once they got them back to the SGC, Colonel Carter's team would study them more closely in the lab than they could on the planet.

Sam and Captain Graves carefully packed the item away. The planet had turned out to be a treasure trove of abandoned goa'uld medical technology. Janet would have a field day when the uses of these items could be determined. She was already using several pieces of technology SG-20 had unearthed on previous missions. She and Sam joked about how one day all a doctor would have to do was point an instrument at a patient and he'd be healed. The healing devices that the goa'uld and Tok'ra used had a genetic component that was necessary for their use. If that component or its protein marker was missing, a normal human couldn't use it. These instruments could be used by anyone, and that was what made them so valuable.

Captain Graves sealed the container, and carried it to the sled they'd been using to haul their finds back to the Stargate. Sam went into the tent to check on the progress of the other members of the team, then she heard Captain greet someone.

"Colonel O'Neill, sir." Sam could almost hear the salute in the captain's voice. Sam came out of the tent to see Jack O'Neill asking Graves where she was. The captain pointed in the direction of the tent, and Jack looked over in her direction, a very serious expression on his face. Nodding at Graves, he headed over to her, stopping when he was right in front of her.

"Is something wrong, Colonel?" Sam asked, concerned that he would have come to the planet. She knew it had to be something serious that brought him here. She looked into his face, and the pain she saw there shocked her a little. "What's wrong, Jack? Why are you here?"

"I'm here to extract one of SG-20," he said almost hesitantly.

Sam sighed. "A family emergency? Taylor's wife's in labor isn't she? I'll just go get-" But Jack cut her off.

"No, Sam, not Taylor." He shifted uncomfortably. "I'm here to get you."



************



It was the one job Jack hated most about the military, telling someone bad news. And this news he was about to tell Sam was the worst.

He'd just come on duty and was meeting with General Hammond when a call came through from the emergency contact center.

"Hammond," he said into the phone, then he'd listened for a couple of minutes. "Are you sure?" he asked, then he'd listened again. "Thank you, I'll take care of the matter." The general carefully placed the receiver back in its cradle. He just sat there silently afterward.

"What's the matter, sir?" Jack asked, concerned about what the general had just learned, whatever it was.

"I need someone to do an extraction from P2J-147," Hammond said.

"Isn't that the planet where Carter and SG-20 are?" Jack asked. "Who needs to come back?"

"Colonel Carter. That was the emergency contact center. There's been a plane crash in Germany. Andrew Parkins was one of the fatalities."

Jack was in shock. Andrew dead? He couldn't believe it. He'd just seen the guy a couple of days before SG-20 had embarked on their mission. Now he was dead. And Sam, oh God, how was she going to take this? She needed a friend there, to be with her, to break the news.

"I'll go." Jack didn't even think twice. Sam needed him, he'd be there. Losing someone you loved was agonizing, he should know. He would be there for her.

"Thank you, Jack. Get geared up, you can leave in half an hour."



************



So, here he was about to tell the woman he - ah, hell, he might as well admit it, - the woman that he loved that her husband was dead. And he hated to do it. But, he would be there for her, to help her through it. He knew what it was like to lose someone you love. He knew that gut-wrenching grief and anger.

Jack took Sam by the arm and led her into the tent. "Please leave us alone," he told the airman who was cataloguing artifacts. Quickly, the airman complied.

Sam had a look of alarm on her face. "Is it my dad? It is, isn't it. Don't lie to me, Jack," she said watching him shake his head.

"No, Sam it's not your dad," he assured her. "It's -" Jack swallowed the lump that was in his throat. "It's Andrew."

"He's hurt?" she asked in growing alarm. "What happened?"

"Sam," Jack paused and gripped her by the shoulders. "Sam, I'm sorry-"

"He's dead." Sam stared at him with a blank look on her face. "Andrew's dead." Then as the reality of the situation sank in, her face crumpled in grief. Jack pulled her into his arms. "He's dead." The tears began to flow. "Oh, Andrew, Andrew," she moaned softly. "What happened?" she asked. "He was fine when I left home."

"There was a plane crash. No survivors." Jack hated it that they were so far away from home. "C'mon, Sam. Let's get your stuff and get back to the SGC." Keeping his arm firmly wrapped around her, he led her from the tent, not caring what the rest of SG-20 thought about the sight of them together. He gathered her gear together and helped her with her pack. She had the tears under control, although he could still read the grief in her eyes. She placed Captain Graves in temporary command, and then the two of them headed back toward the stargate, then home.



************



The day of the funeral was a dreary, gray day.

'Why are funerals always on rainy days?' Jack thought. He remembered the day of Charlie's funeral. It had rained all day long, a miserable, wet, cold day. He glanced over at Sam standing beside him, stiff and silent. Her face was pale, and her eyes were red and puffy from weeping. She hadn't let anyone comfort her in the last week since Andrew had died, turning away all their attempts with a typical, "I'm fine." She wasn't fine, Jack could see that. It was only a matter of time before all that control shattered, and he only hoped that someone would be there for her to pick up the pieces.

After the funeral, he had wanted to go with her to her house, but she'd refused to let him.

"I've taken up too much of your time as it is," she'd insisted. "I'll be all right."

He'd given in to her wishes against his better judgment. His only consolation was that the house she and Andrew had bought was only a couple of miles from his. If she needed him, he was only a few minutes away.

Jack sat on his sofa nursing a beer. He'd tried watching a hockey game on television, but he hadn't been able to concentrate on it, so he just turned it off. The only thing he could think of was Sam. Making a decision, he stood and carried his bottle into the kitchen, then came out and got his leather jacket out of the closet. He was going to go over to her house and make sure she was okay. He walked over to the door and threw it open, and stopped. There stood Sam, drenched with the rain that was still pouring down.

"Sam!" he exclaimed, reaching out and pulling her into the house. "You're soaked!" He looked out the door trying to see her car. "Geez, Sam, did you walk all the way over here in the rain?"

Sam just looked at him, trembling with cold. Jack pulled her back into the guest bathroom and pulled out towels, wrapping them around her.

"Get out of those wet things, I'll bring you something to wear." He left the bathroom, closing the door behind him. When he came back, Sam had taken off her wet clothes and was wrapped in a towel. Jack handed her a tee shirt and sweat pants. "Here you are. They're kinda too big, but they'll at least be warm."

Sam took the clothes from him. "I'm sorry," she said clutching the clothes to her. "I just couldn't stay there by myself."

"Go on and get dressed. We'll talk about it when you come out." Jack closed the door gently behind him, then went to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate. When he came out, she was sitting on the sofa, huddled into a little ball. He sat down beside her and handed her the cup of hot chocolate. "Okay. Let's talk. Why did you walk two miles in the rain?"

Sam took a sip from her cup. "I couldn't stand being in that house by myself." She took another sip. "I decided to go for a walk and ended up here. I was about to leave when you opened the door."

Jack took the cup out of her hands and placed it on the coffee table. "Come here," he said, pulling her into his arms. She stiffened, then relaxed. "You know that you can come to me anytime to talk or . . . whatever."

Sam smiled a little. That was Jack, sincere, but inarticulate. Andrew had been the opposite, articulate, but manipulative. She didn't find that out until they'd been married for a while. The smile slipped from her lips, and she buried her face in his chest. She'd made a mistake marrying Andrew when she was in love with someone else. She was in love with Jack.

Jack sat there stroking her hair. He loved her so much, but he knew now wasn't the time to go telling her that. She had to get over Andrew's death and get on with her life before. He would just bide his time until she was ready.

Sam slid her hand up Jack's chest and around his neck. He shivered a little from her touch, but it wasn't from the cold. The feel of her skin against his was what made him tremble. "Are you cold?" she asked softly in response to the tremor that went through him.

"No," he answered just as softly. "No, I'm not." He reached down and tilted her face up to his. "Anything you need, Sam, anytime at all, you just let me know, okay?"

"Anything?" Sam asked.

"Yes," he answered. "Anything."

Sam's eyes closed, then opened. "Then make love to me, Jack." She looked into his eyes. "I need you to make love to me."



************



"Sam," Jack started, but Sam placed her fingers over his lips.

"Please," she whispered, sliding her hand to the back of his head, burying her fingers in his hair. "Please. I need this." She pulled his face to hers and kissed him. Jack resisted for only a moment, then he kissed her back. It had been almost three years since he had last kissed her, but it was just as sweet and arousing as it had been then. Almost of their own volition, his hands slid beneath the tee shirt he'd given her to wear, seeking and finding her soft, smooth skin. This was probably really wrong, but right at that moment he didn't care.

"I want you, Sam," he said once their lips had parted.

"I want you, too, Jack, so much." Sam pulled out of his arms and stood, holding out her hands to him. He took them and let her lead him into his bedroom. Once inside, they stopped by the bed. Sam went into Jack's arms again, and they slid down onto the bed.

Slowly, carefully, they removed each other's clothing, each of them pausing to place kisses here and there, to stroke and caress each other's skin. Finally, the clothing was out of the way and their bodies came together, slowly and carefully at first, then, gradually, fiercely and passionately. The years of denying their feelings exploded, and when they finally came down, all they could do was clutch each other tightly, then slip softly into sleep.



************



Jack woke the next morning as he always did, suddenly, with no gradual slipping from sleep. He looked over at the woman sleeping next to him. The night before had been amazing. He had sublimated his feelings for years, and last night all the emotion he'd been holding back had exploded.

He watched her sleep for a little while longer, then he got up. Going into the kitchen, he got out the ingredients for omelets. He knew how Sam liked hers, so he set about preparing her breakfast. As he was beating the eggs, the phone rang. He hurriedly answered it to keep it from waking Sam. It was Sara.

"Sara, hi, I was gonna call you later." They had had plans for that night. "I'm not gonna be able to make it tonight."

"Oh? That's too bad." She really sounded disappointed. Jack felt guilty, but telling her that he couldn't see her any more wasn't something he could do over the phone. "Did something happen at the base?"

"Uh, no, just some personal business," he evaded. "Look, Sara, I'll come by and see you, maybe tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure, Jack," she said. He obviously didn't want to talk to her right then. "Bye."

"Bye, Sara," he said, then he hung up the phone. He felt bad about Sara, but as someone had once said, that ship had sailed. He loved Sam. The only reason he'd been seeing Sara was because he thought Sam was beyond his reach. Well, they might have a few obstacles to overcome, but he knew that she cared for him. Sam wasn't the kind of woman to sleep with a guy she didn't have feelings for.

Jack finished Sam's breakfast, then put it on a tray and took into the bedroom. He stood there for a minute looking at her lying there sleeping, then he set the tray down and sat on the bed beside her. Leaning over, he kissed her gently on the lips. Slowly, Sam's eyes opened.

"Hi." Jack reached out of stroked Sam's cheek.

"Hi." She looked up into his eyes and smiled.

"You hungry?" he asked.

She thought for a moment. "Yes, I am. Something smells good."

"Your breakfast." He helped her sit up and put the tray in front of her. "Eat up."

Sam ate all of her omelet, and drank the juice and coffee he'd brought her. All the while, Jack sat with her and cracked little jokes, making her giggle. She felt the best that she'd felt in days, maybe even months, and it was all because she was with him. She loved him.



************



Later Jack would think of that day as one of the best of his life. The two of them spent the whole day together, a large portion of it in his bed. Later, he and Sam went to her house, and Sam packed a few things in a bag and went home with him. She had decided to sell the house, it was more Andrew's house than hers anyway. In the meantime, she was going to stay with Jack, gossip be damned.

After he dropped her off at his house, Jack went to pick up some food. Sam was wandering around the house checking things out, when the phone rang. Rather than answer and have to explain who she was and why she was there, she just let the answering machine pick it up. She was shocked when she heard who the call was from.

"Hi, Jack, it's Sara," the caller said. "I can't see you tomorrow like we planned. Something came up and I have to go out of town tomorrow, so I have to get packed. I'll see you when I get back on Friday. We'll do something fun."

Sam just stood there by the phone for a few minutes, trying to take it all in. Jack was seeing Sara! She hadn't known, she'd hardly seen him for the last few weeks before Andrew's death. And she had come here and thrown herself at him. Oh, she knew he cared for her, if he hadn't, nothing would have happened, but he loved Sara, and they had obviously gotten back together. Sam made a decision, and called a cab and the airline, then she went into the bedroom and got her bag. Thankfully, she hadn't unpacked it yet. She wrote a note for Jack, thanking him for all he had done for her, which she could never forget, but that it was better if she left. By the time she'd finished, the cab was there.



************



When Jack got home all he found was a note from Sam, a polite little missive thanking him for all he'd done, etc. He searched through the house, but there was no sign of her. He sat on the sofa for a while, very upset, then he noticed the blinking light on the answering machine. Thinking that maybe she called and left a message, he played his messages. That's when he heard the message from Sara and knew that Sam must have heard it.

"Damn it, she thinks I'm back with Sara," he said to himself. "Well . . . I guess I am, sorta, but-" Jack picked up the phone and dialled Sara. He did what he should have done that morning and told her that, while they'd had fun, he was in love with someone else. Sara was disappointed, but understanding.

"It's that Colonel Carter, isn't it? The one you talk about so much," Sara said. She was nothing if not perceptive.

"Yeah, it is." Jack sighed. "She was here when you called and heard the message you left. She thinks that you and I are having some big romance, and she interfered, so she left."

"So that we could be together." Sara was quiet on the other end, then she said, "Why don't you go after her?"

"I don't know where she went. Her note just said thanks and goodbye. Besides, I'm on duty all next week and I don't think the general would be too understanding about this situation," he told her. They talked for a few minutes more, then said their goodbyes and hung up. Afterward, Jack just sat there his hands covering his face. He'd totally screwed up by not going ahead and telling Sara that he couldn't see her anymore. She'd been very understanding. "Oh, Sam, please come back soon."



************



Mark Carter was surprised to see his sister standing on his doorstep. He'd planned to come to her husband's funeral, but Sam had told him that it wasn't necessary. They hadn't been close for years, but still, he should have gone to Andrew's funeral. "Sam, what are you doing here?" he asked, then, noticing the puffy redness of her eyes, decided that questions were unnecessary. "Come on in," he said, reaching out and taking her bag from her. Closing the door behind her, he set her bag down on the floor and took his sister in his arms, which started her crying again. His wife came out of the kitchen to see who was there and was surprised to see her sister-in-law crying on Mark's shoulder. She turned and went upstairs to prepare the guest room, while Mark took Sam into the living room.

Once Sam calmed down, she asked Mark if she could stay with them for a while.

"Of course you can, Sam." They sat on the sofa with his arm around her shoulder. "You can stay as long as you need to."

"Thanks, Mark." She gave a shuddering sigh. "Would it be all right if I went upstairs and took a nap?"

"Sure, go ahead. Come down when you're ready," he told her.

Sam went upstairs to the room her sister-in-law showed her and lay down. The exhaustion and emotion of the day finally caught up with her, and she fell into a deep sleep.



***********



After a week, Sam decided that it was time to go home and get her life in order. She was ready to get back to work. So she packed her bag, kissed her brother's family goodbye, made promises to keep in touch, then she caught a plane back to Colorado.

The thing she dreaded most about going back was seeing Jack. But luck, it seemed, was on her side. SG-1 and SG-20 were on opposite schedules. When SG-1 was off-world, SG-20 was on-world and vice versa. For over two months this was the state of affairs, which was a relief to Sam for more than one reason. Finally, after weeks of managing to avoid him, Sam came face to face with Jack over the conference table in the briefing room.

General Hammond had called a meeting between all the SG team leaders who were on-world at the time. Sam delayed going to the meeting as long as she could, trying to make sure that Jack couldn't talk to her before it started. Her strategy worked, but it didn't stop him from staring across the table at her.

The meeting was mainly about some changes in off-world SOP, nothing major, but important nonetheless. The general's voice seemed to drone on and on, and Sam dozed off in the middle of the meeting. No one really noticed until the meeting was over and everyone stood to leave except Sam.

"Colonel Carter," General Hammond said, a little loudly. Everyone except the general and Jack had left.

"Sam," Jack said, "wake up." Sam jerked awake and looked up at the two men standing over her.

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"You fell asleep, colonel," General Hammond said. "May I suggest you stop by the infirmary and see Dr. Fraiser, then take the next week off." Sam's mouth opened to voice a protest, but she was cut off by the general. "That's an order, Colonel Carter!"

"Yes, sir." Sam stood to leave, looking at the general.

"Go ahead, Sam," he told her. Nodding she left the room, Jack just standing there looking after her.

"What's wrong with Carter, sir?" Jack asked, worried that she was sick. It wasn't like Sam for fall asleep in the middle of a meeting.

"As far as I know, Colonel Carter is in good health, Colonel O'Neill." The general turned and picked up his papers. "You're dismissed, colonel."

Leaving the room, Jack headed for the infirmary, determined to see Sam, but he hadn't taken more than two steps before the klaxons sounded, indicating an unauthorized stargate activation. His heart wanted him to follow Sam, but his duty called him to the control room. He did, however, decide that he would see her later even if he had to go to her house to do it. He'd managed to wheedle her new address out of Daniel, so he knew where to find her at least. The last two months had nearly killed him, he wanted to see her so badly, but scheduling had not been on his side. The one day three weeks ago that they were supposed to be on base at the same time had been ruined by SG-1 being sent to rescue SG-5 on P3X-678 when they were taken prisoner by the natives. It had turned out to be a misunderstanding that, once cleared up, had been laughed at by all concerned. Well, maybe not SG-5, but everyone else had a good laugh.

Jack got to the control room just in time to see SG-7 stumble through the stargate slightly bloody and more than a little the worse for wear. The medics were called and took care of the wounded, and Jack headed toward the infirmary, but by the time he got there, Sam was long gone. He talked to Janet to try to find out what was wrong, but he got nothing out of her. That made him more determined than ever to talk to her. As soon as his duty shift was over, he took off for Sam's.



************



Sam had been afraid that Jack would follow her to the infirmary when she left the briefing room, but the sounding of the klaxons had allayed that fear. She saw Janet, got a lecture from her about the importance of sleep, then took off for her condominium. Her only consolation was that Jack didn't know her new address and she breathed easier once she reached home. It was strange, the two bedroom condo already felt more like home than the four bedroom house she'd shared for two years with Andrew ever had. The house had sold quickly after she'd put it on the market, and she'd used to proceeds to buy this condo. It was nice, the bedrooms were pretty large, and it had a small backyard and patio. It was perfect for her needs, at least for now. Later on . . . But that wouldn't be for a long time, so she wasn't going to worry about it right now.

Sam lay down and took a nap, only waking up very late in the afternoon. She was starving by that time, and had a craving for Chinese food, so she called in an order and waited around for it to be delivered. When the doorbell rang, she went to answer it, expecting her food delivery. But it wasn't the delivery man. It was Jack.

"Hi, Sam," he said with a half smile. "Can I come in?"

Sam stood there clutching the door and gaping at him for a minute, then recovered enough to open the door wide enough to admit him.

"Sure, come in," she invited. "Uh, what are you doing here, sir?" She closed the door and leaned against it. She still felt that tug whenever she saw him, that butterflies in the stomach, heart-skipping- a-beat feeling that left her a little short of breath.

"I came to see if you're okay," he answered. "Geez, Sam, you fell asleep in the middle of a briefing. That is totally unlike you." He looked at her expecting some sort of explanation.

She didn't want to give him one. "I've been having trouble sleeping lately, that's all."

Jack shook his head. He wasn't buying this lame-o story. "Uh-uh, tell me another one, 'cause that one won't float," he told her. "You're pale, you've lost weight, there's something else wrong with you besides needing sleep."

Sam debated in her mind what she should do. He was going to find out sooner or later, and she guessed that she'd better tell him before the gossip mill did.

"Sir- colonel- Jack," she said, "I think you should know that - that - " Sam took a deep breath and continued, "I'm pregnant."



************



To say Jack O'Neill was stunned was an understatement. To say that he was stunned totally speechless would have been more accurate.

"Pregnant?" he finally was able to gasp out. "You're pregnant?"

"Yes," she answered, "I am." Sam pushed herself away from the door, wrapping her arms around herself. "Well?"

"Congratulations, I guess." Jack looked at her closely. "Are you happy about it?"

"Yes, I am, now that I've gotten used to the idea," she said, moving to sit on the sofa. Jack took off his jacket and sat down beside her.

"I know you're glad to be having Andrew's baby. Daniel told me that you and he had been trying." Jack rested his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped between them. "It must have been a surprise, though."

"It was a surprise," Sam said carefully. "Something I didn't expect."

Jack nodded. "I'll bet." He paused then continued. "You know that if you need anything, your friends will be there for you."

"Yes, I know." She stood and walked to look out the window. Jack came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"I'll be there for you, Sam." He pulled her close and put his arms around her. "I'm sorry it took me so long to talk to you." He kissed the side of her hair.

"It wasn't your fault," she said, turning in his arms. She started to say something when the doorbell rang. "That's my dinner." Sam smiled and pulled away from him to go to the door. She took the delivery and carried her food to the kitchen. Jack followed her.

"I guess I'll leave you to your dinner," he said, obviously reluctant to go.

"Stay, there's plenty here," she invited, wanting him to stay longer. She knew she'd missed him, but she hadn't realized how much until he'd walked through her door. "You know I always order too much."

Jack smiled at that. "Yeah, you do." He looked around the room. "Can I help you?"

"Uh, yeah, you can get us a drink." She nodded toward the refrigerator. "There's juice, soda and milk in the fridge." Jack moved toward it and opened the door.

"What'll you have?" he asked, reaching in and pulling out a soda for himself.

"Milk, I guess." Jack looked at her in surprise at her answer.

"Milk?" he questioned, knowing that it wasn't her favorite beverage.

She wrinkled her nose, an action he personally thought was absolutely adorable on her. "Janet says I need to drink more milk. I need the calcium."

"OH! Oh, yeah, you do." He reached in and took out the carton, checking the expiration date. It was fresh. "Where's your glasses?"

"Up there," she pointed to the cupboard behind him. He opened the door and took out a glass, then poured her milk. He took it to the table just as she was placing the plates on it. "Let's eat."

It was a companionable meal. They talked about their missions and the different planets they'd visited in the last two months. Jack told her how Captain Ivanovich was doing in her old job, and she told him about Captain Graves' reaction on his first trip through the stargate. Afterward, they sat side by side on the sofa in the living room, Jack's arm around Sam, her head on his shoulder, and continued to chat quietly.

A huge yawn from Sam told Jack it was time to leave. She needed her rest, and, obviously, she hadn't been getting enough.

"I'd better go, Sam," he said regretfully. "You need to get some sleep."

"I'm not sleepy, you don't need to go yet," she said, then another huge yawn escaped from her.

"You were saying?" Jack asked with his usual sarcasm. "Go to bed, Sam."

"Yes, sir." She walked him to the door. "Thank you for coming by. I appreciate the company." And you not pressing me too hard for answers to questions I'd rather avoid, she added silently.

Jack paused in the open door, then said, "Look I'm gonna be on a mission tomorrow, but we'll be back the day after. Would you like to go out to dinner with me?"

Sam bit her lip. This wasn't a good idea. He was seeing Sara, she really should say no, she should, but- "Yes, that would be nice."

"Great. I'll pick you up at 7:00, that okay?" he asked.

"That's fine." Sam watched as he went down the walk, then he turned.

"Dress casual." He waved then got into his car and drove off.

Sam shut the door with a smile. It was probably a mistake, and she was probably in for heartache, but she couldn't help it. Placing her hand on her stomach, she spoke to the baby, something she'd started to do with regularity lately.

"Your daddy knows about you now." Sam smile turned a little sad. "But he doesn't know you're his." She turned out the lights and went to bed.



************



Jack smoothed down his hair again, trying to get that last cowlick to stay in place. Then he picked up his leather jacket, shrugging it on. Lastly, he picked up the flowers he'd bought that afternoon and his keys. He had walked to the door and reached for the knob, when the doorbell sounded.

"Whoa!" he said. "That's weird." Opening the door, he saw Daniel standing on his porch, smiling at him. "Daniel, whatcha doin' here?"

"I just came by to see if you wanted to grab a bite to eat." Daniel walked in past Jack and turned to look at his friend. "Going out?"

"Yes," Jack answered, a sarcastic edge to his voice. "What, do I need your permission?"

"Did you get a haircut?" Daniel just ignored Jack sarcasm.

"Yeah." Jack stood impatiently at the open door. "So?"

"You got a date?" Daniel couldn't seem to get the message that Jack wanted him gone.

"Yes, I do. And I'm gonna be late if I don't leave now." Jack indicated the door. "Bye, Daniel."

"Okay, Jack, geez, you don't have to hit me over the head." Daniel headed toward the door, stopping in front of Jack. "Tell Sam I said 'hi'." Daniel grinned at Jack, then turned and walked out the door.

"I will . . . hey! I never said I was going to see Sam!" Jack exclaimed as he watched Daniel walk to his car.

"Bye, Jack!" Daniel called cheerfully, then he got in his car and left. As he drove away, he chuckled. Finally, those two were going to get their chance. He just hoped that nothing would happen to spoil their happiness.



************



Sam stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself critically. Luckily her clothes still fit, but it wouldn't be long before she'd have to get some more. Janet said that she had lost a few pounds, but that happened to some women when they were pregnant.

She smiled and put her hand on her stomach. Her baby. When she and Andrew had found out that he was sterile, she had resigned herself to not ever having her own child. Andrew hadn't been interested in adopting, and she wasn't wild about the idea of artificial insemination. Having the child of a stranger didn't appeal to her at all. It might be a good option for some women, but not for her. When she'd found out she was pregnant, she'd been stunned. The only person who knew that Andrew wasn't the baby's father, besides herself, was Janet, who only knew because of the stage of Sam's pregnancy. What Janet didn't know was that Jack was the baby's father.

Sam walked into her living room and sank down on the sofa. Two nights ago, when she'd told him she was pregnant, he'd been so sweet, but he'd also assumed that the baby was Andrew's. After all, they'd been married for two and a half years. It hadn't occurred to him that the baby could possibly be his. She wanted to tell him, but she didn't dare because she knew that his sense of honor would compel him to, as he would say, "do right by her." That would mean giving up any possibility of happiness he might have with Sara. He didn't deserve that. She could make sure he had contact with the baby, even if he never knew it was his child.

"I'm sorry, baby, but this is for the best," she whispered sadly.

About fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. It was Jack. He looked so good standing there.

"Hi!" he greeted her.

"Hi," she answered, feeling a little shaky. He just had that effect on her. "Come in."

Jack walked in the door and held out a bouquet of flowers. "These are for you."

She was startled. He'd brought her flowers! "Thank you. They're beautiful." Sam took the flowers and held them gently. "I'll put them in some water." She went into the kitchen and got a vase, filling it with water and putting in the flowers. She took them into the living room and placed them on the coffee table. She gently touched the petals of one flower, then she turned to Jack. "I'm ready."

"Then let's go." Jack ushered her out the door and into his car. On the way to the restaurant they made small talk, just chatting about what Sam had been doing the last two days since he'd seen her. In a few minutes, they had arrived at the restaurant and were inside and seated at their table.

"This is a nice place," Sam commented. "Do you come here often?"

"I've been here a couple of times. Not many people from the base come here." Jack picked up on of the menus the hostess had left with them when they'd been seated. "What would you like to start?"

They looked over the menu, made their decisions, then placed their order when the waitress came back. That taken care of, they settled back and just talked quietly.

"You look better. You really needed the rest," Jack told her. "You've gotta take better care of yourself, Sam, especially now."

"I know," she said. "I've got to get used to the idea that I can't stay up for 48 hours at a stretch any more."

"At least until after your baby's born," Jack said with a smirk. "Then you'll have to get used to it again."

"Really?" Sam said, a gleam in her eyes. "I'll have you know that my child will sleep through the night as soon as she's born!"

"Yeah, right." Jack rolled his eyes. "You just go right on believing that."

They bantered on in this playful fashion until the waitress brought their food. Then Sam applied herself to consuming her dinner in a manner which Jack had never seen from her before. She focused entirely on her plate, and consumed every morsel that was there.

"Dessert?" he asked, secretly amused at the sight of Sam stuffing herself. He'd never seen her eat so much at one sitting before.

"What do they have?" she asked. Jack raised his hand to get the waitress' attention. She came over and brought them the dessert menu. Sam picked the richest chocolate dessert on it, and when it was brought, she devoured it.

"I hope that doesn't make you sick," Jack commented as he watched Sam eat.

"No, it won't. I have morning sickness, but after noon, I'm fine. I can eat anything I want," she said between bites.

"Then why are you so thin?" he asked.

"I kept forgetting to eat," she answered with a sheepish smile. "Janet was threatening to put me in the infirmary and keep me there, so I decided to make a conscious effort. Don't worry, I'll be as huge as a house in a few months."

"Nah, not you." Jack unobtrusively scoped her out. "I can't see you letting yourself get fat."

"No, but still . . ." her voice faded out and she ate the last bite of her dessert. She sighed. "Death by chocolate, what a way to go."

"I can think of another way to go that might be even more pleasant," he said, smiling at her in memory. Sam's eyes met his, and he could tell she was remembering the time they'd spent together, too. Then her eyes dropped and she cleared her throat.

"Yes, well . . ." She blushed a little, then looked back up at him. "Why don't we go?"

"Sure." Jack signaled the waitress and paid the bill. Then he took Sam home.

When they arrived at her house, Jack walked her to the door. She unlocked it and turned to look at him.

"Would you like to come in for a few minutes?" she asked a little hesitantly. "For coffee or something?" She bit her lip uncertainly.

Jack hesitated for a moment, then smiled and answered. "Sure. I'd like that." Sam smiled back. Jack helped her off with her coat, and took off his own while Sam went into the kitchen.

"It'll just take a few minutes to get the coffee going," she called. She put a new filter in the coffee maker and measured out the grounds. She poured in the water and turned it on. At that moment, she felt someone standing close behind her. Sam turned around. Jack was standing about a foot away from her, his hands in his pockets. "Jack . . ." His hands came out of his pockets and reached out to frame her face. He drew close to her and lowered his head and kissed her gently.

"I've been wantin' to do that all night," he said softly. "Sam, I -" but that was as far as he got. Jack's cell phone rang, and he had no option but to answer it. Pulling it out of his pocket in exasperation, he flipped it open and said, "O'Neill." He listened intently and frowned, then said, "Okay, I'll be there ASAP." He flipped the phone closed and sighed. "That was the base. SG-15 didn't come back from their mission. SG-1's being recalled for the rescue mission." He reached out and touched her cheek. "I've gotta go. But we're gonna pick this conversation up where we left off when I get back, okay?"

Sam nodded, not knowing what to say. "Be careful," she told him at the door.

"I will be." Jack leaned over and kissed her again. "See you when I get back."

"Bye." Sam watched him as he walked to his car and got in. He waved, then drove off. She closed the door and locked it.



************



Sam rose early the next morning and, even through she still had two days left of her leave, she decided to go in to work. There were some things she needed to check on in the lab, and it would give her an excuse to see Jack sooner. It was pathetic, considering he was probably planning to remarry Sara, but she couldn't help it. For so many years she'd sublimated her feelings for him. Her career was important and the regulations were important. But, the regulations weren't in their way now. The only thing standing between them was Jack's love for his ex-wife. Sam knew that he'd never gotten over Sara, even when he had admitted he had feelings for her when they were believed to be zatarcs. Having feelings for someone wasn't the same as being in love with that person, she knew that was very true. She'd had feelings for her husband, even though she knew now she hadn't loved him the way she should have. She loved Jack. She had loved him for over five years now, and she didn't see it ending anytime soon.

Sam checked in at the guard station, then got on the elevator and headed for level 26. Captain Graves and Lieutenant Henderson were very efficient, but she wanted to check over things for herself. She knew it was probably just her perfectionist tendencies, but it would make her feel better.

Captain Graves was surprised to see her when she walked in the door.

"Colonel, I thought you had two more days on your leave," he said.

"I did, Captain," she confirmed. "I just wanted to check up on things. I'll be going down to the infirmary in a few minutes. Anything new?" The captain went over some of the new findings he and Lieutenant Henderson had noted. As usual, her team had done an outstanding job.

After she finished in the lab, Sam went to the infirmary to see Janet. She knocked on Janet's office door and went in at her summons.

"Hi," Sam said, opening the door.

"Sam, what are you doing here?" Janet looked at her sternly. "Colonel Carter, you are supposed to be on leave!"

"Don't worry, I'm just here to check on things in the lab. I've already been there and everything's fine." Sam sat down in the chair opposite Janet's desk.

"Good." Janet leaned forward in her chair. "I heard you had a date last night." She grinned at Sam.

"Where did you hear that?" Sam questioned. "The only people who knew I was going out last night were me and the person I was with."

"Dr. Jackson knew. He told me when he came in last night." Janet gave Sam a speculative look. "You've fallen in love with him again, haven't you?"

Sam opened her mouth to protest, then decided it was time for the truth. "No, I haven't." Janet gave her a narrow-eyed look. "I never stopped loving him. Even while I was married to Andrew, I always loved him."

"He's the baby's father isn't he?" Janet asked. "You're not the kind of woman who could easily sleep with a man you didn't love, so he has to be the father."

"You're right," Sam confessed, relieved to be able to tell someone. "Jack is the baby's father." Once she said it a little bit of the burden was lifted off her shoulders. The rest would only be removed when she told Jack. He deserved to know.

"When . . .? I mean, not while Andrew was still . . ." Janet was having trouble asking this of her friend.

"It was the night after the funeral," Sam told her. "I went to him. I, well, I guess I needed comfort." She bowed her head. "I'm not proud of what I did. He's in a relationship with his ex-wife. Hell, he's probably planning to remarry her." Sam lifted her head. "When I found out I was pregnant, I was shocked. Andrew and I had tried, then we found out he was sterile. But, then, when I got used to it, I was glad I was having Jack's baby."

"You need to tell him as soon as they get back," Janet advised her. "Sam, you should have told him as soon as you found out."

"I know, I just didn't want to wreck things for him with Sara." Sam took a deep breath. "I promise I'll tell him just as soon as he gets back."

"Okay, it's-" Janet's comment was cut off by sound of the alarms signaling an off-world activation. "That must be SG-1 coming back with SG-15. They'll probably need a medical team."

Sam took off for the control room. She arrived there just as Daniel came running through the gate followed by Captain Ivanovich.

"We need a medical team, now!" he shouted. Members of SG-15 came through the gate in various states of disrepair. Then, finally, Teal'c came through carrying Colonel O'Neill. Sam took one look and was out of the control room in a flash.

"Close the gate," Teal'c shouted. He gently deposited Jack on a gurney just as Sam flew through the door. She stopped and stared at Jack's still form, then looked at Teal'c's blood-soaked shirt. The medics rushed Jack off to the infirmary, Sam, Teal'c and Daniel following close behind. Jack was rushed into the operating room, and they were forced to wait outside.

"What happened?" Sam demanded, her voice tight from trying to control her panic.

"We had to break SG-15 out of jail," Daniel explained. "It was unbelievable, the town was like something out of the American colonial period. They even used muskets."

"It was one of those weapons with which O'Neill was wounded," Teal'c said.

"They leave a nasty wound, Sam. Really bad." Daniel put his arm around her. "Janet's good, though, and Jack's strong as an ox and more stubborn than an old mule."

"DanielJackson is correct, Colonel Carter." Teal'c laid his hand on her shoulder. "O'Neill will recover."

"Dr. Jackson, Teal'c," one of the nurses called to them. "We need to do your physicals."

Nodding, Daniel gave Sam a hug, then he and Teal'c headed for the examination room. Sam sat down in one of the plastic chairs in the hallway to wait for news of Jack.



************



Janet finally came out of surgery two hours later. She wearily walked over to where Sam, Daniel, Teal'c, and Captain Ivanovich were waiting.

"How is Colonel O'Neill?" Ivanovich asked. "He will recover?"

Janet looked at the four anxious faces in front of her. "It was a bad wound, he lost a lot of blood, but I think he's going to make it. He'll be out of commission for a while, but he'll recover."

The relief felt by all of them was almost tangible. "Can we see him?" Daniel asked.

"Not right now," Janet told him. "Maybe tomorrow."

Daniel nodded, then the three members of SG-1 headed out to debrief with General Hammond. Sam stood where she was.

"Janet," she said, a note of hope in her voice. Janet smiled and nodded.

"Just for a minute. I think he'll be glad you're there." This wasn't the time or the place to tell Sam that, before Jack was sedated, for surgery he'd been calling for her. There was time enough for that.



************



Sam sat down by Jack's side and took his hand. "Hi," she said softly. "Janet says that you're going to be okay. And you will, you have to. Who's going to teach our baby to throw a baseball, or play street hockey if you don't? That's right, our baby. He's ours, yours and mine. So you have to get better." Sam leaned down and kissed him gently. "I'll be back tomorrow. Sleep well."



************



After leaving Jack, Sam went in search of, and found, Daniel. He had just gotten back to his lab.

"Hi, Daniel," she said a little wearily.

Daniel looked up in surprise. "Sam, what are you doing here? I thought you'd have left by now."

"Janet let me in to see the Colonel for a few minutes." She sat down on the chair beside his desk. "Someone needs to contact Sara."

"Sara? Sara O'Neill, Jack's ex?" Daniel asked in astonishment. "Why?"

"They're seeing each other," Sam answered, surprised that Daniel didn't know this. She knew that Jack was tight-lipped about his personal life, but this was Daniel, one of his best friends. "Didn't you know?"

"Well, I knew they'd seen each other for a while some time back, but Jack broke it off," Daniel told her. "Sam, I thought you knew that the only woman Jack's interested in is you. Jack broke it off with Sara right after Andrew's funeral."

"He broke it off? Why?" Sam asked, still unable to believe what Daniel was telling her.

"You were free." Daniel smiled at her. "He's been in love with you for years, Sam, since before you even met Andrew. I figure he'll be in love with you forever."

"Daniel, I know he cares about me, but-" Sam said, but Daniel cut her off.

"He loves you, Sam," he reiterated. "Not as a friend, either. He loves you like a man loves a woman." Daniel stood and took Sam's hand, pulling her up with him. "Go home and get some rest. He's gonna need you rested and refreshed."

"Okay," she said, still a little in shock. "I'll see you tomorrow, Daniel."

"Bye, Sam." Daniel saw her out the door, and then returned to his work. "Blind as a bat," he said to himself. "At least they have a chance now."



************



Jack heard voices talking, but he couldn't quite make out what they were saying. One of the voices was Sam. He thought she was talking about the baby. Was she saying "their" baby? He wished it was, he had ever since she'd told him she was pregnant.

He breathed in and was shocked by the pain. It hurt, whatever had been done to him. He thought a minute. Yeah, he got shot. He needed to tell Fraiser that he needed more pain meds, but the thought slipped away as he once more slipped into complete unconsciousness.



************



Jack opened his eyes. For a minute he was confused, then he remembered he'd been shot. Turning his head to the left and then to the right, he noted that he was in his usual bed in the infirmary. The other beds were unoccupied, for now at least. You never knew when an SG team was going to come back beat up or shot up.

The door opened, grabbing Jack's attention. It was Doc Fraiser and Sam. He closed his eyes.

"He's much better. His vitals are stronger, and I think he should be coming out of it soon," the doc was saying to Sam.

Sam walked to his bedside and picked up his hand. "That's great news, Janet," she said in relief.

"You're still going to tell him, aren't you?" Janet asked.

"Tell me what?" Jack's voice was hoarse and scratchy sounding, but it was music to Sam's ears."

Janet walked to her patient's side. "Well, welcome back to the land of the living, Colonel O'Neill." She looked at Sam and smiled. "This is where you take over." With that Janet turned and left the room.

"Whatcha got to tell me, Colonel Carter?" he asked in that dry, scratchy voice. Sam poured him a glass of water and put a straw in it. She held it to his lips to drink.

"That better?" she asked after he'd taken a few sips. She put the glass down.

"Yeah, thanks," he answered, his voice sound clearer. "Now, what is it, colonel?" He looked straight into her eyes.

"This may not be a good time," she said, but Jack shook his head.

"No time like the present, I always say," he told her, then he looked at her sternly. "Tell me, Sam."

Sam took his hand in her own. "You're probably going to be very angry about this, but here goes." She took a deep breath, then plunged ahead. "Andrew isn't the baby's father, you are."

His hand tightened on hers. "I'm the father." He closed his eyes. "I'm the father. I can't tell you how many times in the last few days I've wished for that to be true." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "You don't have to say this to help me get well, you know."

"I know. You deserve to know that you're going to be a father again," she said, tears forming in her eyes. She dashed them away, embarrassed. "Damn hormones."

"It's true?" Jack seemed unable to believe what Sam was telling him.

"Yeah, it's true," she answered.

"But, Andrew-" he started. She laid her fingers on his lips.

"Andrew and I found out he was sterile a few weeks before he died." Sam looked sad at this. "He was so hurt and disappointed. He withdrew from me completely after that."

Jack's eyes started to close. "Can't stay awake. Maybe this is a dream," he mumbled.

"It's not a dream," Sam assured him softly. "Go to sleep. I'll be near when you wake." She held his hand until he was asleep, then she bent over and kissed him. "We'll talk more later." Giving him one more kiss, she left the room, her heart a lot lighter.



************



A few weeks later:



The newly recovered Colonel Jack O'Neill and Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter stood at attention side by side in front of General Hammond's desk. The general was looking between the two officers, a grim expression on his face.

"So, Colonel Carter, you're telling me that Colonel O'Neill here is the father of your unborn child?" Hammond asked.

"Yes, sir, she is," Jack answered.

"Colonel Carter can talk for herself, Colonel O'Neill," Hammond reminded him sharply.

"Yes, sir," Jack said, looking a little sheepishly at Sam.

"Yes, General Hammond, sir, Colonel O'Neill is the father of my baby," she said, prepared to take whatever consequences were in store. Even though she and Jack were no longer in the same chain of command, there could still be problems due to the fact that he was once her commanding officer.

Hammond steepled his fingers against his mouth and looked at his two best commanding officers. "Well, all I can say is - congratulations." He smiled at the looks of astonishment and relief on their faces. "You two are no longer in the same chain of command and, since the child was obviously conceived AFTER you were promoted and received your own command, Colonel Carter, I foresee no problems."

"Thank you, sir," Jack said, not a trace of his usual sarcasm evident.

"Yes, sir, thank you," Sam said happily, tears threatening again.

"You're welcome," the general told them. "Dismissed."

Sam and Jack left Hammond's office, and once out in the corridor, Jack pulled Sam into his arms and kissed her like there was no tomorrow.

"Sir," she hissed, once he'd let her go, "we're on duty."

"I don't think one kiss is going to destroy morale here," he said humorously. "And Sam?"

"Yes?" she looked at him quizzically.

"Don't call me sir anymore. I hate that damned word. It stood between us for six years, but no longer!" Jack stated in no uncertain terms. "I'm Jack."

"Yes, s-," she cut was she was going to say off. "Yes, Jack." He grinned her in response.

"That's better." He pulled her into his arms for one last kiss. "Meet you in the commissary for lunch, say, oh, 'bout 1200?"

"It's a date," Sam answered. Sharing one last look, they both went off in different directions to perform their duties for that day.



************



Six months later:



Jack looked into Sam's room in the hospital. She was asleep, exhausted from the momentous day. He looked down at his bandaged hand. Sam's nails might be short, but, damn, they were sharp. It was a good thing his tetanus shots were up to date. It was been a fairly easy birth, relatively speaking, but he wasn't about to tell Sam that. He valued his life.

Jack walked quietly into the room and moved to stand beside the hospital baby bed where his new son was lying sucking on his fist.

"Hey, Jake," he whispered. "It's your old man here. How ya doin'?" The baby opened his blue eyes and gave his father an unfocused stare. "Yeah, you're probably thinkin', how did this old geezer get to be my dad?" Jack stroked the baby's hand. "Well, it started almost seven years ago when this young, beautiful captain walked into the briefing room, and I knew then that my life would never be the same again." Jacob Charles O'Neill merely stared up at his father, and his father stared right back.

"What are you telling our son, Jack?" Sam asked, not asleep as he had thought earlier. He looked up from his son and walked over to his wife's bedside, taking her hand.

"Oh, just the story of how we met," he answered easily.

"Oh, please, don't remind me of that!" Sam groaned and closed her eyes, putting her free hand over her face. "I acted like an idiot."

"I thought you were spunky and cute," Jack said with a grin. "You held your own when Feretti and Kawalsky started needling you. I was impressed."

"No, you weren't." She knew that for a fact. "You thought I was some geeky scientist."

"Maybe," he said, still grinning at her, "but I'd never seen a geek scientist with legs like yours."

"Jack!" she exclaimed as a giggle escaped her. He leaned down and kissed her.

"I love you, Sam," he said softly. "Get some rest, everyone will be coming by tomorrow to see little Jake over there." He took her hand and sat down beside her.

"Okay," she said with a sigh. As her eyes slid closed, she said, "I love you, too, Jack."



************

The End




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