TITLE: Choices

AUTHOR: Danielle

EMAIL: stargate_sg_1_fanfic@yahoo.com

SPOILERS: Threads

CATEGORY: S/J romance, Missing Scene for Threads, fluff??

RATING: PG-13, but that's probably a little overkill.

PAIRING: S/J, some mention of Sam/Pete, Jack/Kerry

SUMMARY: What I think should be qualified as a missing scene for Threads

ARCHIVE: SJD, Yes, anyone else just notify me!

SEASON/TIMELINE: Season 8

DISCLAIMER: Everything that is in here that pertains to the show Stargate SG-1 belongs to MGM and World Gekko Corp, nothings mine! How sad :(

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is a, what I think should be a missing scene from Threads. I don't know about the stuff that I'm putting in here, in the next eps if they're going to say if something on the lines of it happened or not, but I'm gonna play in Stargate World!-Oh, and any mistakes are mine!

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CHOICES

Sam's father's words rang through her head. Something on the lines of "Don't let rules get in your way..." and that he wanted her to be happy. She was denying what he was talking about then, but now...Now it all seemed so clear. Her dad was gone. They had been closer in the last 4 years than they had ever been. She was insanely happy they got that chance. But he was right. She wasn't happy...Not entirely. That's what caused her to break up with Pete, even though she still thought the man that she wanted was with someone else, she couldn't lie to herself anymore. She didn't love Pete. Not in the way she cared for Jack.

Sam sat in her back yard with a beer in one hand and was curled up in one of her porch chairs. She let the events of the past few days wash over her. She promised her dad she was happy, and even though it was a lie then, she was going to make sure it was truthful. At some time. Her thoughts wandered back to when she saw...him with another woman in his office. She had been getting her nerves up to go and talk to him, about Daniel. Or so that's what she was telling herself, and she stopped dead cold. She had absolutely no right to be jealous...she was engaged...but she was. She then thought about how Jack must feel...if he still felt that way about her.

As sam flashed back to reality she heard herself sigh. She finally admitted to herself that she cared more about Jack than Pete. Anytime Pete would say `I love you' she'd say `Me too...' Not I love you back. She even said it in the briefing room in front of her team, her father, and Bra'tac. The fact that her father brought up something about the flowers and the wedding made her stomach drop. But she understood now. It was his not-so-subtle way of saying... "What the hell are you doing with him?" She didn't know if she was ready to admit she was in love with Jack, but she was sure as hell getting there. She had broken it off with Pete, and felt a spark light up in herself whenever she saw Jack. That was saying something, especially since they'd seen each other almost every day for the past 8 years. She thought back to observation room and Jack's arm around her. He could understand her in a way no one else could.

At that thought, she vaguely heard the doorbell ring. She really didn't want to get up, especially see anyone with the tear marks down her face. But a small something inside of her told her it was him. But it could very well be Daniel or Teal'c. Daniel. Thank *GOD* he was back. With his memory...She wouldn't have been able to deal with his loss too. As she walked to the doorway her heart did little flips. She didn't even know if it was him though. She chided herself. But as she opened the door, it was.

"Hey Carter..." He let his voice trail off.

"Sir...Hi...um..." she was a little speechless. But she figured it was him coming to hang out. Be there for her. Always.

"Come in... Would you like a beer?"

He stood awkwardly in the doorway. "Uh..No thanks Carter...I..." Sam turned around and looked at him curiously. He rarely ever turned down a beer...and he was nervous. Could it be what she was hoping? God....she wanted it to be.

"Sam I came to ask you something...Tell you something...Um...Both."

She brightened a little at the sound of her name. "Sure, Sir...sit down..." She sat on her couch and waited for him to join her on the other end.

He raised both of his hands. "See, that's the first thing. No more Sir. I retired as General and am now running the base as a civilian. Effective immediately" As he sat down he flexed his hands and looked for her reaction.

She said the obvious answer, quietly, as though she thought she was expecting too much out of this act. "Why?"

He scrubbed his hand against his distinguished graying hair. "I think you know why Carter...Let's just say that...You know Kerry?" He saw her wince as she nodded her head. "She talked some sense into me. Said that if the rules and regulations were the only thing keeping me from someone else who I cared for then I should do something about it. So...that and the both of us...Kerry and I...never really *had* a relationship per-say, but it ended. When she told me that."

Sam was speechless. She was the one who went to him first of all. She just couldn't believe this was happening. After 8 years.

"Now...I know that you and Pete are....." he gulped. "...engaged...But I really needed-"

"No."

Jack was startled and confused by her words. "What?"

Sam sighed and started pacing. "When I found out my dad was sick...He asked me if I was happy. Really happy. I told him yes. He sighed and said that I could still have everything I wanted and not to let the rules get in the way. I didn't want to know what he meant then, but I did. Jack...." His first name felt strange on her lips, but at the same time it was exhilarating. "I broke it off with Pete. I didn't...really love him. Not in the way I love...care for someone else." She winced and subconsciously smacked her hand to her forehead. She just about admitted she loved him. *idiot!*

Jack was silent for a moment. Then let out a soft "Oh."

"Yeah..."

"So we...I..You...kind of...have...Oh hell." He got up and swiftly walked across the floor to her and turned her gently to him in her arms. He looked into her eyes, and asked for permission silently. She looked from his eyes to his lips, and motionlessly nodded. He slowly descended towards her, just to let her know what the hell was going on in his brain. As their mouths meshed it was like nothing either had felt before. Years of penned up passion flew through them with just a simple feathery kiss. One that spoke of the future.

When they finally broke apart she murmured, "Yeah...we do." looking into his eyes. Answering his almost unasked question.

"Good." and he gently dropped her arms, never wavering from her eyes.

"Look Sam, I....I want to get to know you as you. Not as Carter, not as Colonel, as Sam. Teal'c Daniel and I are going to this *great* little place in Minnesota where the bass grow *this big*!" He held out his arms 3 feet apart getting a laugh out of her. Mission accomplished.

"I was wondering if you-"

"Yeah..." She cut him off again, but really softly, as if afraid of her answer.

Jack's eyes lit up. "Really?"

She chuckled again. "Yeah, Jack. I'd love to." Her grin was as wide as his.

"Ok then! We're leaving in 2 days.....I'll call you with he details!" As his excitement fled through him, he stopped and looked at her. She really was, in all respects, mind, body, and soul the most beautiful creature he'd ever laid eyes on. He planned on telling her that one day. But not today. He stepped closer to her and kissed her on the cheek.

"Bye Sam..." His eyes were lighter than she had ever seen him, and the bounce in his step was very easy to see. She had a hard time believing that it was she who did that to him. Not to mention it was him who got her heart racing 120 miles an hour. As he turned, she just said one word.

"Bye!" But it wasn't goodbye for a long period of time. It was goodbye from their old relationship and hello to a new one. As he closed the door, she whispered to herself, as a continuation of her last statement,

"Jack...I love you."

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Woohoo! FEEDBACK LOVED! Don't make me beg!