Title: Pulling Skein

Pairing: Sam/Jack (of course)

Season: After 8 and before 9

Spoilers: Meridian, Threads, Moebius I & II and others, I'm sure.

Disclaimer: They're not mine. Multiple things would be different if they were mine...

Pulling Skein

Jack stood at the window looking out over the dock. He and Sam had just spent the day in quiet company fishing in his lake – with fish. The difference didn't bother him, but to his surprise, it didn't bother his blonde astrophysicist either.

Sam had looked over at him and smiled when he'd said "Close enough" and had let it go. Perhaps both of them were learning to move on. Jack hoped they were finally moving together.

Jack's eyes were drawn to his dock. Sam was still sitting. She wasn't fishing, or pretending to fish, anymore and she seemed deep in thought. The day was drawing and night would be gathering soon. The temperature would begin to drop and Sam wasn't dressed for the oncoming chill of the evening.

Jack could sense Daniel's quiet approach. After years in the field they could all sense each other without conscience effort. "Go to her Jack. She needs you. Now more than ever."

Jack didn't turn, but hunched his shoulders and continued to stare out the window. "She needs all of us, Daniel. Jacob's loss is hitting her harder than she'll ever admit."

"Jack."

"Daniel."

"Jack."

Jack turned. Daniel pinned him with his best 'Quit Being An Ass, Jack' stare. "She needs you Jack. Quit hiding. Stop running. Go to her. You both need each other and it's time you did something about it."

A smile spread across Daniel's face as he took in the slightly stunned expression on Jack's face. "We've known for a long time, Jack and while I'll give you both the honors for being the most stubborn, Driven-to-Uphold-the-Regs soldiers I've ever met, the need to maintain your distance to save the world excuse isn't valid any more. You need each other. Go to her. She's the other half of your soul, Jack. Go make both of yourselves complete."

Jack's shoulders dropped. The fight knocked out of him by Daniel's quiet, heartfelt words. The man was a pain in the mikta but he was the best friend Jack had ever had and honest to a fault. Daniel was right and Jack knew it.

In their eight years together, Sam had entrenched herself in Jack's DNA and now he couldn't function without her. It was a frightening realization, but undoubtedly true. Jacob had been the first to smack the reality into Jack. They'd had a quiet conversation a few days before Jacob died and in the end, Jack had promised to take care of Sam, always. Then Kerri had dumped him and told him to get his act together. Now Daniel.

Jack faced Daniel and looked up. Beyond Daniel, Teal'c stood, eyebrow raised in silent question. Teal'c too, and the big guy hadn't even said a word.

Jack sighed. The other half of his soul sat outside, quietly mourning on his dock. It was time and past time, he knew, but that didn't make him any less afraid it would all fall apart. Jack wondered if it was too soon. Too soon after loosing Jacob and too soon after Pete and Kerri. As he'd told Daniel before he ascended the first time, Jack was crap with words. But it was time. He could no longer go on with half his soul missing. He needed Sam. He just hoped she needed him too.

Without another word, Jack squared his shoulders, grabbed a blanket from the sofa, opened the door and went out to meet his future.