A/N; It might have ended this way.
THERE'LL BE TIME ENOUGH FOR SADNESS WHEN YOU LEAVE ME
One last team night. Just the four of them, Daniel had said. Sam had got the message. Don't bring Pete. Bad enough you're leaving to marry him and live in Denver. Leaving the team, leaving SG-1. Let us have you to ourselves for just this one more night.
She resented Daniel for that. But at the same time, she understood. The relationship the four of them had was special. It was ending; they needed to say good-bye. Pete had no part in that. He didn't belong.
But she loved Pete! He was a good man; they should have been able to accept him just on that basis! She was angry on his behalf.
Still, she needed to say good-bye, too. And if Pete were there, he would claim her full attention, and she wouldn't be able to do that properly.
She sighed and looked around her lab. Most of her personal things were gone. It wasn't her lab anymore. Tomorrow it would belong to one of the other scientists. Tomorrow her life was changing. She was moving into the apartment in Denver. She had a great job waiting for her with a Denver-based research company. In three weeks she was going to marry the man she loved. She was happy! Very happy.
At O'Neill's house the four of them ate pizza and drank beer, and laughed and told jokes and stories. Just like they always did on team nights. She saw the occasional sadness in Daniel and Teal'c's expressions, but the Colonel was in a good mood and he was obviously enjoying himself. He talked to her a lot and she caught his eyes on her more than once; he talked to her more than she ever remembered him doing before.
It got very late. Daniel had too much to drink and fell asleep in the recliner. Teal'c excused himself and went into O'Neill's spare room and closed the door.
Sam and O'Neill sat on the deck and talked and talked. And finally the night passed and the sun was coming up.
The Colonel drew a deep breath. "I guess it's time," he said.
"Time for what?" she asked.
"Time for you to leave, Sam."
She stared at him. "If only..." she whispered.
He cocked his head to one side. "If only... what, Sam?"
She dropped her gaze. "Nothing." She stood up. "You're right. It's time for me to go."
"Do you need a ride?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No. I have my car. Good-bye, Sir."
"Good-bye, Carter."
He walked with her to the door, stood on the stoop as she got in her car and drove away. For a long time, he watched the spot where she had disappeared. Tears stood in his eyes. He thought of all the time for sadness ahead of him.