"What Would Happen" By Siobhan Gormley

Title: "What Would Happen..."

Parts: 5

Rating: NC17

Warning: rough sexual situation, character death

Classification: S&J romance, alternate reality

Summary: What would happen if Jack hadn't fought Sam off in "The Broca Divide"?

Required reading: none

Spoilers: "The Broca Divide"

Feedback: Love it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story. I intend no infringement in the use of the characters, who incidentally belong to Gekko, Double Secret, and MGM, and I make no money off of writing this story. It is simply for my, and hopefully the reader's, enjoyment.

Author's note: I was wondering one morning what would have happened if Jack had allowed himself to give into Sam's seduction during "The Broca Divide". Then I realized that Lola had presented us with that very thing in her story "What If". I decided to ask her if I could write the prequel to that and she kindly agreed. I'll forewarn you all once again that the sex in the first part is not all poetry and flowers since I certainly didn't think that would be quite right, considering they're supposed to be animalistic because of the virus. Also, get your tissues ready 'cause this does *not*

have a very happy ending.

-------------------------------------------------------

Jack O'Neill opened his locker door and grabbed a clean shirt. He had pulled the shirt over his arms when he saw the door being slammed shut. Mildly annoyed, he looked to see who was the perpetrator. He was a little surprised to see his second in command, Samantha Carter.

"Carter. Uh, sorry, I didn't know you were in here." He turned away and pulled the shirt on fully. Once his head was through the neck hole, Jack felt himself being spun around to face Sam and she pulled him toward her, placing a bruising kiss on his lips. Part of him knew that he should fight her off, stop what was happening, because she *was* his junior officer. Yet as Sam continued kissing him, he felt like she had lit a fire inside him, one that burned brighter the more he gave into the embrace. He was slowly giving into the temptation that she was offering up to him, and he wanted to reciprocate in more ways than one.

They pulled apart, their breathing heavy. Jack felt like her eyes were eating him up, and he was *really* enjoying it. Sam dipped her head to taste his neck, and he moaned audibly when she gently bit, then sucked. Jack felt her hands wander under his shirt and she returned her mouth to his, giving Jack a taste of iron. His eyes went wide with surprise momentarily at the realization that she had drawn blood, but his surprise soon was forgotten as she turned him toward the lockers, leaning him up against them. She rubbed herself against him, making his need grow all the more.

He reluctantly pushed her away once her hands reached the zipper on his pants. Sam growled in annoyance and attempted to continue, but Jack grasped her tightly by the wrists. This only seemed to arouse her more.

"We should go somewhere less visible," he said, finally able to speak.

"Okay," she agreed and O'Neill released her. Taking him by the hand, she led him quickly toward the quarters area. Fortunately for them, they encountered no one along the way. Jack prodded her when she stopped at her room. She looked at him questioningly.

"Mine," was all he said as he guided her toward his quarters. Jack opened the door and they entered, slamming the door shut as their need to embrace again increased tenfold now that they knew there was little chance of being interrupted.

Jack pulled Sam to him, roughly kissing her as he groped her through the thin tank top material, causing her to moan loudly through the kisses. Her hands returned to their earlier task of unzipping his pants and he soon felt cooler air briefly on his heated skin as the pants dropped down. Somehow he managed to kick off the pants without breaking lip contact, then pulled her body up against his once again.

O'Neill groaned as Carter's hands grabbed his ass, massaging it through his boxers. He wanted, no *needed* to feel her naked body squirming in pleasure under his. Jack attempted to remove her tank, but she playfully slapped his hands away, leading him into an impromptu wrestling match. They quickly found themselves falling to the ground, and Sam, in an attempt to slow her fall, grabbed a hold of Jack's shirt and promptly ripped part of the shoulder. Once they had regained their breath from the fall, Sam started to giggle.

"Oops!" Jack gave her an unbelieving look.

"Like you didn't do that on purpose?" Sam grinned widely.

"You were the one who was trying to get my tank off."

"Then maybe I should try your way," he replied, moving his hands to the neck of her tank and ripping the material forcefully. Sam found herself breathing harder at his actions, her arousal increasing once again. Jack saw her reaction and himself became more aroused. He brought his mouth down hard on hers, gaining access for his tongue as she moaned once he found a soft spot.

Sam grasped at Jack's shirt again, this time purposefully tearing it fully. Soon enough ripping of material and popping of buttons was the only thing to be heard, aside from the odd gasp through fevered kisses. Their clothing entirely removed, Jack thrust into Sam, pushing as far into her as he could go.

"Oh god!" she yelled at the unexpected feelings that came with his forceful and deep entry.

Slowly he pulled his hips back, sliding himself most of the way out. Sam whimpered at the loss, but she purred happily as he thrust forward once again.

Jack continued slowly pumping his hips toward and away from her, and Sam could hear him whispering as he kissed her.

"So tight... so wet... oh god so good..." His words enflamed her desire bringing her that much closer to climax.

"Tell me... tell me how you want it..." Sam had almost missed his question so blinded by the heat of the moment was she.

"Fuck me hard, Jack," she told him, and he actually paused, looking at her with a curious expression. She grinned widely and Jack mirrored her expression, then he took possession of her mouth with his own, hungrily kissing her as he began a hard and fast thrusting. Her nails dug into his back and he moved out of the kiss, letting out a pained whimper. This didn't stop her from raking her nails across his back, but Jack soon adjusted to the pain as his need for release grew.

He leaned his head down, tasting her sweat-soaked chest. He managed to take her right nipple into his mouth, teasing it with his lips, teeth, and tongue. Sam moved sensually underneath him as he worked it over, and even seemed to urge him on when he accidentally bit a little too hard.

Next thing he knew, Sam wrapped herself around him, coming hard and screaming out her pleasure. She clenched around him, and he came feeling intense euphoria.

Jack lay atop Sam, both of them breathing hard from the effort. He kissed her softly, keeping her lower lip between his lips as he pulled back.

"Never pegged you as a screamer," he commented, smirking as her expression became mischievous.

"I can make you scream," she informed him, flipping Jack on his back, leaving her on top. O'Neill felt himself hardening again as her hands caressed his body as she explored his mouth further with hers, then moved onto his earlobes, neck, chest, and on down until she reached his lower abdomen. Sam quickly glanced up and saw her own desire reflected in Jack's eyes. She smiled sensually, turning back and taking him into her mouth, slowly, inch by inch. She sucked lightly from time to time, elicting pleasurable moans from her lover who began thrusting into her mouth. It was obvious he wanted it to go his way, but she was going to have none of it. For one *she* was in command.

Jack felt the loss of Sam's mouth from his erection. Through a passionate haze he realized that she was crawling up him, her breasts brushing gently over his highly sensitized skin. He went to grab her, but, with surprising strength, she held his arms down.

"Do I have to tie you down? Maybe later," she commented at the glint in his eye. "Right now *I'm* in charge, so no more misbehaving or else I'll have to take this elsewhere." Jack raised an eyebrow at her words. Would she really leave him in this state and find someone else that would be more submissive? When he tried to think about it, he actually didn't care. All he wanted was to be inside her, one way or another, so if he had to play slave for a bit, so be it.

"Do with me what you will," he finally said, his voice hungry, needy. A feral grin appeared on Sam's face and she quickly kissed him hard before sliding back down, rubbing her body against his aching hardness as she went.

She began with simply encircling the tip, running her tongue around it, then down a bit further, working him further in once again. After going as far as she could she pulled away, much to Jack's frustration.

What the hell was she doing? he thought. He went to look, but his head fell back as he felt her tongue tickling his balls, tracing around them. He was certain that he was going to die now, but at least he'd die happy.

Sam eventually worked her way between the two, bringing her hands into play, caressing him here, pinching him there, bringing him to the brink.

Sam heard Jack's breathing getting shallower and stopped what she was doing. She was feeling a familiar ache in her groin, so she decided it was time to get some relief. She straddled him and lowered herself onto him, growling pleasurably as he stretched her. Sam began moving slowly up and down, keeping eye contact. This seemed to excite Jack more. He moved his hands to touch her, and this time she didn't stop him. He brought them to her hips, attempting to urge her faster, but she grinned in a way that told him she wasn't going to comply. Then he felt it. She clenched her muscles slightly around him as she pulled up, then relaxed as she came down again. She continued to do this and Jack found himself pleading quietly.

"Please... Sam..." Sam giggled, leaning forward.

"Begging? That's a nice bonus, but I still want to hear you scream," she told him, then captured his lips with hers in a deep kiss. Jack took advantage and rolled them, leaving him on top.

"No more teasing," he rasped, beginning to pump into her. Sam gasped at the rapid movement, her thoughts on the need for release. She could tell Jack was as close as she, but she still wanted this her way.

In mid-thrust, she rolled them again, putting Jack on the bottom. He showed momentary surprise, but soon was concentrated again on the feel of her as she thrust toward him. They caressed and kissed in a way that seemed like they were memorizing every inch of skin. Sam moved her mouth to Jack's neck, suckling at the spot she had bitten earlier, eliciting a loud groan from him. She kissed around the base of his neck, and when she reached the other side she bit gently and clenched hard around him, causing him to yell out her name as he felt himself come.

Breathing hard, they lay entwined, their hands still exploring. Sam moved her hips slightly, gaining a moan from Jack. She embraced him softly.

"You're... insatiable..." he gasped out between kisses as her rocking increased and he grew hard again. They moved together, whispers and moans punctuating the air as their thrusting reached a climax, until finally they were clutching onto each other, their fingers digging into the other's back.

They came down, enjoying the post-orgasmic tingle running through them.

"Told you I could make you scream," she said and Jack playfully slapped her on the behind, gaining a yelp and then a giggle from her.

"Mmm, we should do this more often," Sam commented, placing a kiss on Jack's lips. He held her close, kissing her in turn.

"That can be arranged," he told her, and began arousing her once again.

***

"Have either of you seen Col. O'Neill or Capt. Carter?" Dr. Frasier asked Daniel and Teal'c as they entered the infirmary.

"We were just going to ask you that," Daniel replied. By the look on Janet's face, that was definitely not what she wanted to hear.

"Okay, let's go look for them. I just hope to hell they're not hurt... or infected," the doctor said. She grabbed a couple of needles and put them in her pocket, then took a walkie talkie for each of them and handed one to Daniel and Teal'c, leading the two men out to begin searching.

***

Janet opened the door to Sam's quarters, but found it empty. She afforded a quick look around to see if anything was awry, but everything seemed to be in its place. She closed the door and continued down the corridor toward the men's quarters.

After checking the second last room, Janet came to Col. O'Neill's quarters. She was having no luck with any of the rooms, and if she found nothing here, she hoped Daniel or Teal'c did elsewhere.

Frasier turned the knob and tried to open the door, but found the entrance obstructed. With an extra hard push, she shoved open the door to find the room in total disarray and the colonel and captain curled around each other. Janet couldn't help thinking this wasn't exactly surprising considering you could feel the tension between them whenever you were in a room with them, but she knew it was very likely due to the virus since she could see a noticeable swelling of their brows. She'd have to get them separated and she had a feeling they'd both have to be sedated before that were possible.

Janet quietly left the room and grabbed her walkie talkie from her pocket.

"Dr. Jackson, Teal'c, come in."

"I am here Doctor."

"Did you find them?"

"Yes. Come down to Col. O'Neill's quarters. I need your help." Neither of them responded, but she knew they'd be making their way here quickly.

Within minutes she was proven right as Daniel and Teal'c joined her.

"So, they're in there?" Frasier nodded.

"But before we go in, you must promise me that you'll say nothing about what you see. This is to be kept amongst ourselves, alright?" Both men looked curious, but they nodded in agreement. "Good. Teal'c, I'll give you one of the needles so you can give the colonel his sedative. Dr. Jackson, you'll be with me," she informed them as she handed Teal'c a needle. He looked at it, unsure. "You haven't used one before, have you?"

"I have not."

"It's pretty simple. Take off the tip, squirt a bit out and flick your finger against the plastic to make sure there's no air bubbles. You can stick it most anywhere, just try the more fleshy areas. You push this down to inject the sedative," she said demonstrating as she went along and Teal'c mimicked her actions. "You guys ready?" They nodded. "Okay, let's go. And be *quiet*."

Janet, Daniel, and Teal'c entered the colonel's quarters and Frasier shot the archaeologist a look as he made a noise upon seeing Sam and Jack. Jackson pursed his lips shut, looking penitent. They continued in, Teal'c to Jack's side and the other two to Sam's. The doctor signalled to the Jaffa that they would go on three. As she reached three, Sam's eyes opened and she growled menacingly, awakening Jack.

"Now Teal'c!" Teal'c moved quickly and injected Jack. Janet went to stick Sam, but the captain was faster and lunged at her, biting her hand. The doctor screamed in pain, dropping the needle. Daniel broke out of a stunned state and grabbed the needle as Sam began to hit Frasier. He bit his lower lip as he put the needle into Sam's upper arm in mid-punch. She glanced angrily back at the young man and moved to attack him, but before she got very far, she teetered and finally fell face first to the floor.

"Sorry, Sam," Daniel said, looking down at the unconscious woman.

"Don't be too sorry, Dr. Jackson, she's one hell of a biter." The archaeologist made a face as Frasier showed him her hand. The captain had certainly done a number on the doctor. Daniel helped Janet up and she winced slightly.

"Probably have a couple of bruised ribs too," she commented as she stood. "Let's cover them up and I'll get them some clothes to put on once we get them to their cells." Janet's words reminded Daniel once again that their friends were still naked and he looked distinctly uncomfortable. He was happy when they found a couple of military issue blankets and wrapped the colonel and captain in them. Teal'c picked up O'Neill and Daniel took Sam. Janet indicated for them to lead the way toward the infirmary. As she followed them out of the colonel's quarters, she commented, "They're going to be mighty pissed off when they wake up. I just hope it's later on rather than sooner."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sam awoke, groaning at the pain her body felt.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," Dr. Frasier said, a bit too cheerfully. Carter opened one eye, then the other, finally able to focus in on Janet.

"I feel like I was hit by a mack truck," she informed the doctor, her voice sounding ragged. Frasier smiled.

"Well, considering the condition of the room I found you in, that's no surprise." As Janet's words sunk in, Sam began to recall everything that had happened. The captain placed her hands over her face in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.

"Oh god, it did happen, didn't it?" Sam moaned out. She peeked through her fingers as the doctor replied.

"If you mean did you and the colonel..." Frasier motioned with her hands, "... have sex, then yes, it did happen. At least from what I've been able to gather from what I've seen.

"What happened to your hand?" Sam queried upon seeing Janet's bandaged hand waving around. Janet gave her a wry grin.

"You, uh, got a little... defensive and decided to bite me when I went to tranq you." Sam winced.

"Gawd, I'm sorry." Janet waved off her apology.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine. I know you've had all your shots." Sam rolled her eyes at the last part. The captain's mind then returned to their previous topic of conversation.

"The colonel, he's...?"

"Okay and prepping to go get Daniel out of the 'Touched' camp and to 'enlighten' the inhabitants of the Land of Light. They want you ready to go, if you feel up to it." Sam considered what Frasier was offering, tempted briefly to take the easy way out and hide from the colonel in the infirmary.

"I can handle it. Let them know I'm on my way," Carter told her, coming to her decision. Janet nodded and went to the phone as Sam left to change.

***

Jack smiled at Tupelo and Melosha as they held each other in happy reunion. He turned away and began walking toward the 'Untouched' town with the others. He soon recognized the presence of his second in command beside him and prepared himself for what he was sure to come.

"Colonel...?" Sam started tentatively. Jack didn't really look at her, simply nodded his head in acknowledgement for her to continue. "About what happened..."

"Yeah, well, ya know, we weren't really ourselves," he interjected. Sam seemed to become very quiet, so Jack glanced over at her. Her expression was that of someone in deep thought. Jack gently nudged her side with his elbow, returning her attention to him.

"You okay?" Sam gave him a smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Sure, fine, no problem." Jack studied her for a minute, but she offered nothing more, shutting herself off from him. He decided to let it lie for now since neither of them was feeling particularly talkative.

***

"So how long are you going to sit there looking at her?" Daniel commented, sitting beside Jack in the banquet hall. The colonel tried to appear nonchalant as he turned his gaze to the anthropologist.

"Looking at who, Danny?" The younger man made a face before answering.

"Sam. Why don't you go talk to her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Oh come on Jack! You must have her every feature memorized you've been watching her so intently." O'Neill looked away, unable to hide his embarrassment at being so obvious. "You two haven't talked about what happened, have you?"

"It's not like we can just bring it up in casual conversation. 'Hi Sam, how's it going? Oh yeah, remember when we slept together?'" Jack replied sarcastically, returning his gaze to Daniel.

"I know, but you can't just let this stay as it is. Sooner or later it's going to affect how you two work together. Better to get it out now," Daniel prodded. Jack sat there for a moment longer before getting up. He looked down at his friend.

"I'm not going to say this'll turn out well Daniel. It may just make things more awkward."

"More awkward than not talking?" O'Neill sighed. He waved off the younger man with an 'alright' gesture before making his way toward Carter.

Jack stopped beside Sam who was talking to one of the 'Untouched' women. The woman soon ended the conversation and moved away, leaving Sam alone with Jack. She turned to face him. He could see his own nervousness reflected in her eyes.

"Hi."

"Hey." They stood there briefly without saying another word, Sam fiddling with her beverage and Jack looking around. Then they looked at each other and went to speak again, both ending up going at the same time.

"About earlier..."

"I just wanted to..." They stopped, letting out quiet laughs. Each gestured for the other to go first, and finally Jack got Sam to talk first. "I wanted to apologize for what happened. I should have had better control of myself." Jack couldn't help being surprised at her statements.

"What have you got to apologize for? What we had in our systems was a lot stronger than either of us. And in case you don't remember, I was an active participant as well," he replied, saying the last bit softly. Sam looked down at her drink, a small smile on her face. Obviously she did remember.

"Well, I *should* apologize for the bruises," Jack told her. She quickly looked up at him again, her smile widening.

"And I should apologize for the scratches..."

"And the bumps..."

"And the bite marks..."

"Do you think it might be faster if we both make up lists of what we're sorry for and give it to the other?" Sam laughed aloud at his question, making him finally feel relaxed. Maybe it *would* be alright.

***

SG1 walked through a field exploring yet another new planet. So far there were no signs of life, making it a somewhat relaxed mission, for once.

"Ah, life should always be this easy," O'Neill commented, smiling at his teammates. When his gaze fell on Carter, his expression became concerned. She was looking decidedly green.

"Carter, you okay?" She didn't say a word, just shook her head and quickly took off toward a bush, disappearing behind it.

"I think she's sick," Jack stated, getting nodding heads of agreement from the others. "I'll go check on her." He headed in her direction, kneeling beside her as she continued to lean forward. Jack made a face at the smell, but said nothing. He gently rubbed her back, and after a while handed her his canteen. She drank from it, cleaning herself up before sitting up to face him. She handed him back his canteen.

"Thanks."

"No problem. This just hit ya?" Sam shook her head.

"No, breakfast didn't agree with me earlier, and I guess lunch decided to go the same route."

"Sam, if you were sick you should have said something," Jack scolded gently.

"I was fine after a bit, and I didn't want to hold things up. It's probably just a flu bug."

"Flu bug or no, you're going back. Now no arguing with me. Can't have you getting sicker out here," he informed her as she went to protest.

"Yes sir," she replied none too happily. Jack got up and then helped Sam up, leading her back to the others to explain what was going on.

***

"So, how's Sam?" Jack asked as Dr. Frasier performed his post-mission physical. He had waited several minutes patiently before asking.

"Oh, she's fine. Just a little under the weather," Janet replied, her voice catching slightly. The colonel gave her a disbelieving look.

"Doc, you're a terrible liar. What's really going on?" The doctor avoided his gaze, then pulled out a tongue depressor and her pen light.

"Open you mouth," she ordered, ignoring his question. When he attempted to talk again, she told him, "No talking, unless you want to stay even longer for this examination." Jack complied only because he'd rather spend as little time in the infirmary as possible.

Janet finally finished, withdrawing the tongue depressor, much to Jack's relief. She picked up his chart and wrote in it, dutifully ignoring the colonel's questioning expression.

"So, are you going to tell me?" Janet sighed. He just wasn't going to give up. She looked him straight in the eye.

"It's not for me to say. If Sam wants to tell you, she will." Jack's expression became extremely concerned and Janet lay a hand on his shoulder to relax him. "Colonel, don't worry. She'll be fine. Just let her do things in her own time." Jack nodded somewhat reluctantly.

"Sure, Doc. Am I done here?"

"Yes, go on ahead. Just remember what I said," she called to him as he quickly exited the infirmary.

***

"Paperwork never seems to end," Jack commented aloud to himself. It was four days later and he had done what Janet had said, left Sam to tell him what was going on in her own time. All that time he had barely seen his captain. She had always been able to avoid him, and since they weren't scheduled for a mission for the next couple of days, that had made it easier for her to do so.

O'Neill heard a soft knock on his door, then told the person to enter. Anything had to be better than paperwork right now. Except maybe more of it.

Jack was pleasantly surprised to see Sam come in, but his expression became worried when he saw how unwell she looked. It seemed like she hadn't gotten much sleep and her face was tight, as if being there was a difficult chore.

"Hey Carter, what's up?" he asked, keeping his tone light. She placed a letter on his desk, then stepped back, taking a deep breath to gain courage.

"Sir, I thought it best to inform you in person before I go talk to the general. I'm handing in my resignation." Jack sat there, momentarily stunned.

"What!?" he exclaimed, finally finding his voice.

"Like I said, sir, I'm resigning from the SGC. Now if you'll excuse me..." O'Neill quickly got to his feet, grabbing the letter as he made his way around his desk. He reached the door and slammed it shut before she was able to leave. As she looked up at him, surprise then the beginnings of anger crossed her features. He ripped up the letter and tossed the pieces in the air.

"Like hell you are! Not without a really good explanation!"

"I don't owe you any explanation, colonel," she replied, her voice menacingly quiet. Sam went to open the door, but Jack grabbed hold of her hands, effectively stopping her.

"Let go of my hands." The look she gave O'Neill would have cowed any other man, but he was accustomed to her and could handle anything she threw at him.

"Not until you tell me what's going on."

"I don't have to..."

"Christ Sam, will you stop it! I'm your friend. I've been patiently waiting for you to talk to me, so I'm not about to let you walk away from here without a single explanation," he interrupted. Hurt and anger entered her eyes as she seemed to come to a decision.

"I'm pregnant." With that simple sentence, Jack suddenly felt his world shrink immeasurably. Sam could see the sudden change in his expression and it left a terrible taste in her mouth. She finally freed her hands from his, placing one over her mouth as she moved to leave.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you," she said, opening the door and taking off down the corridor. Jack soon shook himself out of his stupor and followed after her. He eventually found her in her quarters, lying face down on her bunk. He quietly walked in, shutting the door behind himself. He carefully approached her, sitting down beside her. When he reached out to touch her she shied away. Jack lay his hand down beside himself on the bed.

"Sam," he started quietly. She neither said nor did anything, so he took that to mean he could continue. "Sam, why weren't you going to tell me?" His tone sounded hurt now, and this seemed to get her attention as she finally faced him, pulling herself into a sitting position. Her eyes were damp with tears and Jack felt the guilt well up inside him. This was his doing, and he knew it.

"Why wasn't I going to tell you? How can you ask that after the way you reacted?" she replied angrily.

"Well what kind of first reaction did you expect, what with the way you dropped it on me?" Jack regretted what he said the second it was out, especially when he saw the furious look on her face.

"The way I dropped it on you? Oh isn't that great! Boy, I should have told you sooner 'cause you sure know how to make a girl feel special!" Sam got up from the bunk, pacing back and forth with her arms wrapped around herself. Jack stood and walked over to her, standing in her path. She simply walked around him, then opened the door.

"I want you to leave," she said without looking at him.

"No." Her head whipped around to look at him, surprise on her face.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not going to leave. And neither are you," he said forcefully. Jack approached her, closing the door. She went to move away, but he took hold of her before she got very far.

"Let go of me."

"Not until we talk this out."

"There's nothing to talk about. I'm resigning. You should be happy that I'm not going to be a problem for you any more," she said flatly.

"You are not a problem, Sam. You never could be," he told her, his voice gentle. Sam bit her lower lip, trying not to become emotional at what he had said. She closed her eyes as he tentatively touched her cheek, leaning into the caress. He leaned closer to her, his lips just above hers as he spoke again.

"You've been one of the best things that ever happened in my life." She opened her eyes, amazed at his words. She searched his eyes, so serious and looking to reach out to her. Her breath caught as his lips softly met hers. Slowly their arms embraced each other as they kissed nervously. Sam felt like she was back in high school getting her first kiss. But this time the guy she was kissing seemed to be worth the wait.

Jack pulled back after a minute, leaning his forehead against hers. "Don't go, Sam. I want you to stay."

"Is this my friend or my CO talking?" she asked, a hint of a smile on her face as she looked up at him.

"Neither. It's the man who wants to marry you." Sam's eyes went wide in shock. This was definitely the last thing she had expected from him.

"Sir..."

"I think we're well past the formal stage, Sam," he interjected.

"Jack," she amended, and he smiled. "You don't have to 'do the right thing' here. I'm capable of taking care of myself and this baby."

"It's not that at all, Sam." He paused when she gave him a look. "Okay, maybe part of it, but not entirely. I won't lie and say that I'm madly in love with you. But I do care very deeply about you, and... I think I could very easily love you, in time. And I know I could love this child, *our* child."

"I wouldn't deny you access to the baby," she informed him. He smiled.

"I know, but I want our child to know the love of a family." He paused, placing a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. "Marry me, Sam." He repeated it over and over as he kissed her eyes, cheeks, and finally her lips. This time their kiss was less tentative, quickly deepening and both truly enjoying it.

After the hell she had been putting herself through over the past few days because of her discovery, Sam finally felt like everything would be alright. With his arms around her she felt safe, protected, and cared for, feelings she never wanted to go away. That's why when they separated from their embrace, she breathlessly told him, "Yes."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You're sure everything's alright, that Sam's got everything she needs?" Jack questioned. It was fifteen minutes before the wedding ceremony and the colonel was more nervous than he could ever recall. He straightened his tux for the tenth time in the past ten minutes. Daniel tried not to laugh at how on edge his friend was. Teal'c simply observed in his usual placid manner.

"Yes, everything's fine and Sam is in perfect form. She's more worried about you passing out from being so tense." Jack made a face.

"Ha ha. I'll be fine. I think." Jack sat down, his hands working nervously through his hair as he leaned forward. Daniel sat next to him, putting a hand on the groom's shoulder.

"You'll do fine, Jack. You both will." O'Neill looked up at the anthropologist, a smile quirking up his features.

"Thanks," he said, looking at the two men there with him. "I don't think I was this nervous the first time, but with Sara it was a pretty simple wedding. She didn't want all the hooha that Sam does. I guess I'm starting to feel like I'm on show."

"We're all on show, Jack, so just enjoy it."

The priest then came in to remind them of what to do and when. As he finished, he put a reassuring hand on Jack's arm.

"Don't worry a bit, Jack. You and Samantha will have a wonderful life together, I can tell." The older man smiled at O'Neill and he returned it. "Now let's get this show on the road, shall we?" They all chuckled at his words, and even Teal'c smiled. They made their way out, ready for the ceremony to begin.

A few minutes later the music swelled, indicating the start of the march down the aisle. One by one the bridesmaids came down, then finally Sam came into view at the back of the church on her father's arm. Jack couldn't help thinking how beautiful she looked in the simple cream coloured gown and a tulle veil covering her face. Even from this distance he could see how she radiated and he smiled as she absentmindedly ran her hand over her protruding stomach as she and her father made their way to the front. Once again he felt incredibly lucky to have her in his life.

Finally she reached the front and the elder Carter gave her hand to O'Neill.

"Take good care of her," Jacob told him quietly.

"I'll do my best," Jack replied as he took Sam's hand in his.

"Do I get a say in this?" Sam added, gaining chuckles from both men. Her father quickly kissed her on the cheek through the veil.

"I love you sweetheart."

"Love you too, dad." Jacob then took his seat and the ceremony began.

Jack was so concentrated on Sam that he only heard half of what was said. He wanted to remember every single smile, the way she fairly glowed when her eyes met his. Sam too didn't hear much, but for entirely different reasons.

The ceremony ended with a passionate kiss from the couple and the congregation cheered and clapped. When they pulled apart, Jack leaned down and kissed Sam's prominent stomach, making her giggle. Once he stood straight again, he held out his arm to her and she took it. They walked down the aisle and tried to avoid the ambush of sunflower seeds being tossed their way once they were outside.

"Like we need any extra fertility," Jack commented as they made their way to the car and Sam couldn't help but laugh.

***

"That's great. Now, put your arms like this," the photographer requested, moving Jack's arms to the position he wanted. He moved back and started taking pictures again. Jack noticed Sam wince, so he leaned in a bit to talk to her, much to the protests of the photographer. O'Neill threw the other man a nasty look and he backed down.

"You okay, hon?" Sam's face was tense as she shook her head.

"No." She paused, then informed him, "I think my water just broke." Jack's eyes went wide.

"You're sure?" Sam gave a quick nod, then let out a loud moan of pain, setting her husband finally in to motion.

"Okay guys, that's all for now. We've got to get to the..." Jack trailed off as Sam crumpled in his arms, another wave of pain becoming too much for her. He scooped her up in his arms and barked out orders as he quickly made his way to the car. The limo driver seemed dazed at their early return, but soon came out of it when he saw the urgency on Jack's face.

"You'll be fine, Sam," Daniel said comfortingly as he helped Jack place her in the back seat. "How far apart are the contractions?"

"A few minutes," she replied.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Jack asked worriedly.

"Didn't want to interrupt the ceremony, and it was never for long, thought I had the time," she told him between breathes. O'Neill shook his head.

"Stubborn to the last."

"Can we get going to the hospital? No offense Daniel, but I'd rather a medical doctor deliver my baby." The two men grinned at her request, then Daniel disappeared from the car. Once the door was closed, the driver drove as quickly as he could, making it to the hospital surprisingly without being stopped by any cops.

Jack helped Sam out before the driver had a chance to get around to them. The two men then supported her as they led her in to the emergency room, where soon the medical staff took over.

***

Sam sat dozing in the rocking chair, baby Danielle nestled comfortably in her arms. Jack and Sam had decided to name their little girl after their friend since she seemed to be instantly fascinated with the young anthropologist, always grabbing a hold of anything he happened to have with him, or on him. Daniel had been flattered, and a touch embarrassed, when they had told him, but he was now getting used to it after nearly a month.

Sam's head whipped up and her eyes opened as she felt the weight of the baby lifted. Her worried expression relaxed into a sleepy smile as she saw who had Danielle.

"Hey hon, what're you doing up so late?" Jack asked, rocking the baby back to sleep.

"Danielle decided she wasn't quite ready for sleep," she quietly informed him as he placed their daughter in her crib. She moved to the bed and lay on it. Once he was sure the little girl was sleeping, Jack joined Sam there. He wrapped his arms around his wife, placing a kiss on her lips. She sighed happily as he pulled back slightly.

"If I wasn't so tired..." Sam trailed off as she yawned.

"I can do all the work," he suggested, nuzzling her neck. She giggled in response.

"I'm sure you could, but I like to be fully alert, thank you very much." He pulled back.

"Oh, you'd be 'alert' after not too long." He gave her a cheeky grin and this time she laughed aloud. The baby awakened and Jack groaned in minor frustration.

"Sorry," Sam apologized as Jack moved to get Danielle.

"She's just lucky we were only cuddling. Anything more and I don't know if I could have stopped for her," he said, picking the little girl up. Sam, leaning on one arm while watching him, raised an eyebrow at his response and Jack wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. She fell back on the bed laughing. Her husband sat down on the bed again, attempting to rock Danielle to sleep once again. This time she wasn't to be appeased.

"Put her down next to me," Sam suggested and Jack lay her down. The baby squirmed a bit at first, but as soon as her mother began to softly rub her stomach then hum a tune, she calmed down.

Jack watched mother and daughter and he found himself smiling contentedly. The moonlight streaming through the window was now playing over the pair, casting almost a glow about them. O'Neill hadn't a clue what he had done right to deserve these two, but if he ever found out he'd gladly do it time and again to make sure he never lost this happiness.

He reached out and gently ran a hand through Sam's hair. She looked up at him, smiling in pleasure.

"I love you." The words came out so easily that Jack was a little surprised at first that he had actually said them. But he knew that he had meant it or else he never would have said it. And by the expression on Sam's face, she too knew his feelings were true. He leaned toward her, careful of the baby, and gently kissed her on the lips, reluctantly pulling away after a moment.

"I love you too," she finally replied, bringing a smile to his face. Neither said anything more for a bit, just allowing the wonderful feelings being shared to sink in as they gazed at each other.

Jack broke eye contact briefly when he realized that Danielle was now quiet. He saw that she had finally succumbed to sleep and he glanced back up at his wife. Without a word, Sam made it clear she would put the baby back in her crib. She carefully picked up the little girl, carrying her to her crib and lay her in it once again. Danielle moved slightly, but then relaxed back into sleep. Sam made her way back to the bed, sliding into her husband's arms again. He kissed her quickly several times until she finally held him in a passionate embrace.

***

Sam awoke to a tickling feeling at the curve of her waist. She opened her eyes to see her husband smiling lazily at her, his eyes mischievous. His hand was caressing her at the exact point she felt the tickling, but obviously he had other things in mind than getting her laughing.

"What time is it?" she asked tiredly.

"5 am."

"You can't possibly..." Sam didn't get to finish her sentence as Jack pulled her to him and his mouth hungrily covered hers. His erection pressed firmly against her, rubbing as he began a rocking motion. As he did this, Jack's hands caressed and teased the rest of her body, making her moan in reawakened need. Sam never failed to be amazed at how this man managed to arouse her so easily, but she certainly wouldn't complain. He gave as good as he got.

It wasn't long until she was ready for him and he slid in to her, his rocking becoming more urgent. Sam let out little gasps between the kisses as he tickled her more erogenous zones.

Jack's movements sped up, his need for release apparent. Sam was trying to keep up with him, but she wasn't quite there yet and she wasn't sure if she would be when he came.

As she felt the beginnings of his release, she was mildly surprised as he pulled his lips from hers and whispered "I love you", looking her right in the eye. The effect those three words had on her was incredible. Sam felt the tremors, then a wave of warmth washed over her. Her hips raised to meet his as he buried himself deep with her and they held each other close.

They both let out the breath they didn't realize they had been holding, curling up around each other in the aftermath. Neither said a word, unable to find their voices and not wanting to spoil the wonderful quiet of the moment.

After a few minutes, a beeping could be heard from across the room, which woke Danielle up. Jack groaned in irritation, then reluctantly extricated himself from their embrace, an apologetic look on his face. O'Neill made his way over to his discarded clothing, searching through the pile for the offending item as Sam went over to the crib to calm the baby.

After making a quick call in another room, Jack returned to see Sam relaxing on the bed, the baby now fast asleep. Various illicit thoughts raced through his mind, but he knew he regretfully couldn't carry them out. She looked at him and knew what he was going to say before he even opened his mouth.

"That was the general. He needs SG-1 to head a follow-up diplomatic mission. Seems the aliens in question want to talk with us and no others."

"Such is the life of a galaxy traveller," Sam replied, a sad smile on her face. Jack walked over to the bed, sitting beside her.

"You miss it, don't you?"

"Sometimes, but I'm happy here with Danielle."

"I could always have a talk..." Sam stopped him by placing her hand over his mouth.

"Don't, Jack. Yes, there are times I'd like to be back in the lab or in the field, but the last thing I want to be is a half-assed mother. I want Danielle to know me, and not as the nice lady who comes to visit from time to time." She finally removed her hand now that she had had her say, but Jack took a hold of it and gallantly kissed her palm.

"You could never be a bad mother, Samantha," he informed her as he pulled away. He then leaned down as her hand snaked around the back of his neck, pulling him toward her. They kissed briefly and sweetly, eliciting happy noises from both of them.

"I wish I didn't have to go."

"How long until the mission briefing?" Sam asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. A grin spread across Jack's face.

"Samantha Carter-O'Neill, are you suggesting I risk showing up at the last possible moment for the briefing?" he questioned semi-scoldingly. She gave him an unrepentingly wicked smile, pushing him on his back on the bed as she straddled him.

"I was aiming for you to be late," she replied, her lips quickly devouring his hungrily, thus ending any further conversation.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

A huge "Welcome Back" sign and balloons decorated the ceiling of the main lab at the SGC, making the returning Capt. Samantha Carter laugh aloud. Danielle, who was comfortably seated in Sam's arms, joined her mother as she too giggled. The other members of SG-1, who were behind the pair, smiled. The little girl sounded just like her mother when she laughed.

Sam turned to look at her teammates who suddenly looked sheepish and glanced away.

"You guys are just a bunch of teddy bears, you know that?" she told them, then went over to each, giving them a careful hug. When Sam got to the colonel, he wasn't going to be satisfied with solely a hug. He quickly placed a kiss on her lips, bringing a wider smile to her face. "Thanks," she said, looking at each in turn.

"Well, I'm sure you have your toys to play with, so I'll take Danielle with me. Maybe she'd like to go visit Aunt Janet?" Jack queried, directing the last part to the little girl. She burbled happily, reaching out for her father. He grabbed hold of her from her mother who gave him a warning look.

"No spoiling her, Jack." O'Neill feigned innocence.

"Would I do that?" Sam continued pressing her point with her expression until he put up a hand in surrender. "Alright, alright, I won't spoil her. But I can't speak for any of the others," he finished quickly, sharing a grin with Daniel and Teal'c before the three men disappeared down the corridor. Sam couldn't help chuckling. They really could be boys some times.

She walked in to the lab, feeling a certain sense of peace. After months of being at home with Danielle, Jack had finally convinced her, and the general, that she could come back on a part-time basis, just doing stuff in the lab to start. If she and Jack were needed in the field, they had plenty of offers for babysitting their daughter, so there was the potential for that as well.

Sam took a deep breath, drinking in the nearly forgotten scents of her second home. A contented smile spread across her features and she set to work eagerly.

***

The gear was checked and the wormhole established. Sam couldn't help looking back to the control room where Danielle sat in Janet's arms. She gave her daughter a smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Jack noticed this and walked over to her.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned. She turned her gaze to him.

"Great." He gave her a look that told her he didn't quite believe her. "Okay, maybe not great. I just... I don't know. I've got this weird feeling I'm never going to see her again." O'Neill made a face.

"Why should you think that, Sam? It's a routine mission. Go through, talk to the natives, make a deal or two, then come back home. Simple." Sam smiled at him, this time allowing it to penetrate her eyes.

"You're right, I guess I'm just having an off day." He put a hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing it in reassurance.

"Everything'll be fine," he whispered comfortingly. "Alright kids, time to move out!" he said aloud to the rest of his team, including SG-7.

***

Sam awoke quickly, darkness still covering the sky. They had spent the past day on P54X32 and were headed back to the 'gate when the sun had started to go down, so they had set up camp. Not long after everyone had bedded down, Jack had found her, pulling her in to his arms. They had fallen asleep like that and hours later he still held her close.

Sam slipped carefully out of Jack's embrace, not wanting to wake him. She watched him for a moment as he slept. He looked so boyish, and she gave in to the urge to ruffle his hair softly. He moved in his sleep, a quiet sigh escaping his lips. Fortunately he didn't wake up, and the captain pulled herself up, deciding to stretch her legs a little before the others woke up.

She made her way toward the small lake they had camped nearby. She was surprised to see someone else seated near the water. The person leaned his head down and Sam recognized Daniel when his longish hair was lit by the camping lamp he had beside him. At first she considered leaving him be, but before she could go he turned and saw her. He waved her over, so she joined him.

"What are you doing up at this time?" Daniel asked as she sat down.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," she responded. "Just woke up, no reason."

"Sometimes I get up early to write in the journal," he explained, holding up a closed book. Sam smiled.

"You have one for every mission?" He nodded.

"Yeah. I figure it's a good way to keep track of all we do and what we find."

"Is there a problem?" Daniel and Sam jumped at the sound of Teal'c's voice. Neither had heard him approach.

"No, Teal'c, no problem," Sam replied, regaining her composure. "One of these days you're going to have to teach us how you are able to sneak up on us like that." The other two could swear they saw something like a grin on the Jaffa's face as he gave them a nod of agreement. He sat with them, taking something of a meditative pose in the way he sat.

"The morning comes soon," Teal'c said after a moment.

"Yeah. You know, I haven't seen the sun rise in a long while, at least not without Danielle." Sam's voice held a touch of wistfulness, causing Daniel to reach out and squeeze her hand. She faced her friend, a thankful smile gracing her expression.

"Hey, no making moves on my woman, Jackson!" a jokingly harsh voice barked out. The three members of SG-1 turned to see their CO sauntering toward them. Daniel flushed, removing his hand quickly, while Teal'c simply raised an eyebrow. Sam on the other hand had an amused expression.

"Your *woman*, colonel?" A cheeky grin lit up his features as he sat behind his wife, wrapping himself around her. Sam sat forward slightly, not letting him get out of answering. She stared him down until he finally put up his hands in surrender.

"Okay! Okay! You're my beautiful, intelligent, capable captain doctor wife. That make you happy?" Sam's laughter let him know she was. She leaned back into him, allowing his arms to encircle her once again.

They sat there in friendly silence, enjoying the quiet as the sun finally made an appearance. Not long after they heard the members of SG-7 moving around as the sun's rays had made it to the camp. The spell was broken and it was time to move on.

"Okay campers, let's go home," Jack stated. He got up, then helped Sam up, Daniel and Teal'c not far behind as they returned to the camp to pack up their gear.

Half an hour later they began a quick march through the woods, all of them eager to get back to Earth. When they were about two miles from the 'gate, Teal'c paused, cocking his head slightly as if listening for something. Everyone stopped, waiting to hear what he seemed to be hearing, but there were no sounds other than those of a normal forest. Jack went to ask Teal'c what was up, but he didn't get the chance as the Jaffa suddenly called out: "To the left!"

Shots sizzled out from behind trees, barely giving any of them time to duck for cover. The colonel barked out orders as best he could under the circumstances as they all made their way to some sort of protection. He did a quick check of people and noticed one was missing.

"Where the hell is Sam?" he yelled. He ducked as a shot hit the tree he was behind, just above his head.

"She's not with you?" "She was right with us!" were the responses. Jack's anxiety levels suddenly jumped as he remembered what his wife had said before leaving for the mission.

Between taking shots at their still unseen attackers, Jack looked around the forest floor to try and find the captain. At first he couldn't see her anywhere, but then some foliage moved and he was able to pick her out. She was dragging herself in their direction, pain causing her face to screw up from time to time. Jack was willing her to move faster, but she actually seemed to slow down from his vantage point.

"Cover me!" he yelled, running out from cover and shooting at the attackers as he made his way to his fallen comrade. Once he got to Sam, he quickly assessed her injuries, not taking any time for words considering the situation they were in. She had been hit in the leg and side, but it didn't look bad enough that she couldn't be moved quickly. He slung her over his shoulders and ran for cover once again.

The colonel carefully laid the captain down once he was safely out of range of the enemy. As the firefight continued, he began to hear the odd cry of pain, more often from hits made by his people than the other side. This put a grim smile on his face.

"You're... nuts... ya know," Sam gasped out, making a face as Jack checked and cleaned her wounds. As he tore the cloth of her uniform for better access to the injuries, he began to realize that they weren't as simple looking as they had presented themselves to be at first glance. There was burning around the edges, but the shots had somehow managed to expand into several places, not being clean shots like he had figured they were since he was certain the enemy was firing with an energy weapon of some sort. Whatever they were using was nasty.

"Yeah, well, that's what you get when you train someone for Special Forces," he finally answered her, jokingly. She laughed then started coughing, splatters of blood escaping her mouth.

"This isn't good," she stated matter-of-factly. Jack let out a frustrated sigh. This was much worse than he had thought.

"Nope, not good for here. We've gotta get you back home." He turned and yelled at Daniel and Teal'c to join him. They did so quickly since SG-7 seemed to have everything under control.

"Jack, what... oh god," Daniel said once he saw Sam. He tried to hide his worry, but that was like trying to get him to not talk about artifacts. Even Teal'c's normally stoic expression faltered.

"We've got to get her back through the 'gate, *now*." Both men nodded, understanding the urgency. Teal'c left them momentarily as he informed SG-7's CO what was going on, then returned.

"SG-7 is ready to go, O'Neill. They will provide cover fire when necessary." Jack nodded in acknowledgement, not looking at him as he concentrated on Sam as her breathing became shallow. Wanting to take her himself, he reluctantly allowed the Jaffa to pick her up and they began their journey to the 'gate.

They were fired upon a few times, but once out of the forest, the attackers no longer had shelter to hide as they foolishly followed the SG teams out. The Jaffa, as they were discovered to be, were soon picked off by SG-7 and their way was finally clear to the 'gate.

As Daniel dialled home, O'Neill afforded a quick glance in the direction of the town they had visited the other day. He could make out small ships in the distance and they were quickly approaching.

"This does *not* look good," he muttered to himself. "Daniel, are you done yet?" he yelled over his shoulder.

"Last one!" the anthropologist replied. Seconds later, Jack heard the comfortingly familiar KAWOOSH of the wormhole being established. He turned to face the 'gate and saw one of SG-7 inputting his iris code. The colonel looked at Teal'c who was standing beside him. The Jaffa's expression was even more worried than earlier.

"What is it?"

"Capt. Carter has just stopped responding to me." Jack's eyes went wide and he checked her pulse. He still felt it, but barely.

"Sam! Sam, can you hear me?" he asked, tapping her face lightly. Daniel came over to tell them they were ready to go, but Jack stopped him from speaking. "Get someone through now to tell them we've got a fatally injured person here."

"Capt. Kales already went through. There should be a medical team ready." The colonel quickly thanked his friend and went back to trying to get Sam to open her eyes as they walked to the 'gate. Just before entering the event horizon she did, bringing a somewhat relieved expression to Jack's face.

"You're really pushy, you know that," she croaked out, gaining a smile from her husband before they stepped through.

Once on the other side, the doctors and nurses of the SGC took charge as Sam was laid down on a gurney. Her team members stayed close by as she was briskly wheeled to an OR, Jack keeping hold of her hand the whole time.

As they went to take her into the OR, O'Neill reluctantly let go of her, but managed to tell Sam he loved her and for her to hang on. She smiled at him reassuringly through the oxygen mask covering her mouth, then she was gone into the OR. Once she disappeared behind the doors, his shoulders slumped forward, the weight of the past half-hour finally hitting him full force. Daniel carefully walked over to his friend, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. Jack barely reacted to the touch.

"Why don't we go sit down, Jack. It could be a while."

"I need to be here."

"We'll come back, I promise. We can just go get some coffee." The colonel let out a world-weary sigh, then nodded his head in agreement, finally turning to face his friends as they all made their way to the cafeteria.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hours later, Janet finally left the OR, her expression tight. The three men, who had been seated outside the room, stood when they saw her and her eyes fell on Jack. She seemed to barely contain her emotions as she began to speak.

"Col. O'Neill... Jack," she paused, trying to regain some composure she had lost.

"What is it? Is she in a coma?" Jack questioned, the words coming out rapid fire. Janet took a deep breath, readying her answer.

"She's not in a coma, Jack. I regret to inform you..."

"NO!" he yelled, barely holding back tears.

"... that despite our best efforts, Sam's injuries were too severe and she did not make it," she finished, her voice shaking near the end.

"No! I'm not going to believe it! It's a lie!" he uttered in semi-controlled rage. He pushed past her roughly, heading in to the OR before any one could stop him.

"I don't know what more I could have done..." Janet stated, tears finally springing to her eyes. Daniel pulled her in to his arms, attempting to comfort her as his own tears fell.

Once inside, Jack saw the operating table covered over. A couple of nurses who were still in the room looked at him in surprise.

"Sir, you shouldn't be..." one began, but the other pulled her out of the way when she saw that he wasn't going to go away.

Jack walked over to the covered table and pulled the sheet back to reveal the peaceful face of his wife. His hand shaking, he reached out and touched her cheek. It was still warm, but cooler than the last time he had touched it before going through the 'gate. He leaned down and gently kissed her for the last time, then pulled the sheet over her head once again, leaving the OR. He walked past everyone, ignoring anything but the urge to get far away from the SGC.

***

Jack sat on the porch, tossing back another glass of whiskey. He glanced at the letter in his hand. Sam had written it after returning to the SGC. As she said in the letter, she knew she would be going back out on missions soon enough, so she wanted to write this to him and Danielle as a reminder of her love for them both in case something happened.

O'Neill let out a drunken laugh, putting the letter down. She obviously had some sort of previous knowledge of this happening because he certainly didn't. Hell, if he had placed bets he'd have figured he would go first considering the crazy things he did half the time. But no, he guessed someone went and switched the odds to screw with his mind, and they had certainly done a good job of it.

"Jack?" The question was so quiet that it almost didn't seem like it had really been said. He turned his head in the direction it had come from and saw Daniel standing in the doorway, halfway between the house and the porch.

O'Neill shook his head. The younger man had tried calling several times, but he had just ignored him. Better to keep his cursed life to himself, he thought.

"Whaddaya want, Jackson?" he asked, his speech slightly slurred. Daniel sat down in the chair beside him. Out of habit, he licked his lips nervously before speaking.

"Jack, you've been avoiding us all for too long. The first couple of days we could understand, but it's been almost two weeks!"

"I'm not the best of company, or luck," he responded, beginning to pour himself another glass. Daniel grabbed a hold of the bottle, pulling away from Jack. O'Neill's surprise at what the anthropologist had done increased when he saw the expression on Daniel's face. It was a mix of anger, hurt, and sadness.

"That may be, but you can't stay like this forever. We *all* loved Sam, but we're dealing with it together, not with a bottle. How do you think she'd react if she saw you like this?" Unshed tears began to form in Jack's eyes and he glanced away, somewhat embarrassed.

"She'd probably kick my ass for sitting here drinking myself into oblivion," he answered. Daniel couldn't help a laugh, and Jack joined him, chuckling at the thought.

"She'd want you to keep living, not just for you, but for Danielle as well." The mention of his daughter's name caused Jack to look back at the younger man. "She's not happy, Jack. Your sister can barely get her to eat. She knows things aren't right." Jack felt shamed and looked down and away, watching his twisting hands rather than look at his friend.

"What good am I to her? Any people I love too much end up dying. First Charlie, now Sam... she doesn't need that hanging over her."

"Jack, every one goes at some time. We lose people every day on this planet, as well as on others. That's just *life*."

"Yeah, well, life sucks."

"I couldn't have said it any better." Jack laughed, looking up at his friend once again.

"Finally we agree on something." Daniel gave him a smile.

"Danielle needs her father, Jack." The older man sighed.

"I know. I'm just afraid that I'll screw up somehow."

"Jack, you're not alone, remember that." Daniel placed a comforting hand on his friend's arm. O'Neill smiled, thanking him.

"I'll go get her?" Jack seemed surprised by the question.

"She's here?"

"Yeah. Your sister figured it was time to knock some sense in to you, but I offered a more gentle solution. They're both in the car." O'Neill took a deep breath.

"Okay, but let me clean up first. Last thing I want is her to see me looking like this." Daniel agreed and watched as Jack picked up the bottle and glass, going in to the house. He then went to the car to get the little girl. Jack's sister walked with Daniel as he carried Danielle around to the back porch where they waited.

Minutes later O'Neill reappeared, looking somewhat better than when Daniel had first arrived. Jack gave his sister a sheepish smile when she gave him a semi-stern look. Danielle, on the other hand, immediately perked up when she saw her father and couldn't get out of the anthropologist's arms fast enough. Her little arms wrapped around Jack tightly, almost as if afraid to let go. The other two adults left father and daughter alone, disappearing in to the house.

The little girl pulled back a bit and began babbling to her father. She went through her usual spectrum of 'ba's and 'da's, but then she suddenly started saying 'ma'. As she strung a few together, Danielle pointed behind her father. Jack felt tears spring to his eyes and finally fall, wishing Sam could have been here to hear this.

"Mama's not here, sweetheart," he told her, his voice catching. The little girl was insistent though, continuing to point behind him and saying 'ma' several times over. A gentle breeze washed over them and Jack got the scent of lilies. Sam had insisted on planting them because they were her favourite, so he had acquiesced. The smell was a wonderful reminder of her, and Jack almost felt like she wasn't so far away right now. He suddenly recalled the end of Sam's letter to them.

"Don't ever forget how much I love you both. I'll be with you, always."

Jack smiled through the tears, holding Danielle close as he said, "Yes, mama's here. She's always going to be with us, no matter what happens."

The End