General Jack O'Neill was lounging on his couch drinking a beer after a long day running the SGC. He had just lit a fire in the fireplace to ward off the early springtime chill. When the doorbell ran he didn't want to answer figuring if it was important they would have called first. After a minute the doorbell started ringing again along with someone pounding on the door.

"Well I guess I better answer before I don't have a door anymore" Jack thought to himself as he slowly rose from the couch. "Hold your horses I'm coming for crying out loud" He yelled as he opened the door. The person on the other end was the last person he ever expected to see. His clone John was standing there with what could only be described as a very pissed off expression on his face.

"John what brings you to my neck of the woods?" Trying to hide his discomfort in seeing his clone again he stepped aside to let him in.

Entering the house John spun around waving a rolled up newspaper in his hand. "THIS is what brought me here!!" he screamed. Thrusting the newspaper into Jack's hand and pointing to the announcement section. 'Detective Peter Shanahan and Lt Col Samantha Carter announce their engagement to be married. Ceremony to be set in late fall'

While Jack was reading the notice his heart was tearing in two but so used to not showing his emotions he just let out a deep sigh and handed the paper back to John stating "Carter is getting married good for her"

"Don't hand me that bullshit why isn't your name there instead of this Pete asshole?"

"What are you taking about there is nothing going on between me and Carter. We only work together. I'm her CO for crying out loud."

"You may get away with that crap with everyone else but not ME!!! Remember I was still you when we had those armbands on and she was stuck behind that damn forcefield, and the time they thought we were zartacs, and the time we were stuck on that god forsaken ice planet, or how about the time that entity took over Carter and I had to shoot her. Remember sitting there watching her hooked up to that damn respirator thinking that if she died my life would be over too. I remember those moments and at least a thousand more. Do you?"

"Yeah I remember all of them but just because I feel that way about her doesn't mean she feels that way toward me"

"After I left did you tell her? Show her? Or did you do what you normally do and hide it?"

Before Jack could answer John spoke again. "When I left I thought I could handle starting over again. Hell I thought it would be a brand new start, a chance not to make the same mistakes I made in the past. I could leave everything behind but not her. Carter was on my mind every single day for the past 2 years. Not having her in my life anymore is worse that any torture old Boccie Baal could come up with."

For the first time Jack really looked at the young man to see how miserable he really is. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Let me ask you a question and I want the absolute truth. Got it!"

"Yeah"

"Did Carter come to you before she accepted his proposal. I know Sam and she would have not had said yes right away. Not after everything that has happened in the last decade between us."

Jack mouth dropped open as he did a great interpretation of a fish out of water. After about a minute he starting waving his hand in the air and stated matter of factly "She might have shown me the ring and said that Pete gave it to her about two weeks before"

"And let me guess you told her to accept and like a good little solider she followed orders." John stated with disgust.

"Well what did you want me to do throw the ring through the nearest Stargate. Pick her up in my arms and kiss her senseless. Declare my undying love?"

"YES DAMMIT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE!!!" By now the two men were inches away from each other's face almost ready to come to blows.

"You're right John but now it's too late." Jack plopped down on the couch rubbing his hands over his face.

John sat down across from him. "No it's not. Go over there right now. Put an end to this farce."

"You know I can't do that."

"Fine if you won't I will"

This got Jack's attention. His head snapped up "What do you mean?"

"It means if you won't tell Carter you love her I WILL." John exclaimed.

"The hell you will you're only 17 years old."

"In body only old man"

"I am still her CO, I never wanted to ruin her career."

Picking up the portable phone and throwing it at Jack John yelled "Call Hammond tell him you're retiring. Carter has proven herself about a million times over that she deserves every promotion she got. For crying out loud she blew up a sun."

After about an hour phone call Jack finally convinced Hammond that he was seriously retiring this time he sorted out most of the details. He recommended his old friend Hank Landry for the position. It would probably be about another 6 weeks until all the paperwork and command change would take affect but for the first time in along time Jack felt a light was shining at the end of a dark tunnel. "Thanks George I really appreciate it."

"Tell you the truth Jack I was expecting this call a long time ago." Hammond said chuckling.

"What do you mean?" Jack questioned

"I may be old but I'm not blind. I had a love of my life once and I thank God every day that he blessed me with the time we shared. Go get her." Before Jack could reply he heard a dial tone. "That was weird."

"So is everything set can we go now?" John started whining

All of a sudden Jack started to get nervous. What if he was making the biggest mistake of his life? "John are you sure this is the right thing to do what if she really does love this Pete guy. I only want her to be happy."

"The only person that loves Sam as much as you do is me. That means nobody else could possibly make he as happy as you. That is besides me." John stated in his smug way. "And if you're doubting if she feels the same as us let me tell you a story. After I left being away from her was driving me crazy so I would go over to her house and check on her. One night I caught her playing with herself. When her orgasm hit she cried out 'Jack'. After that I didn't come around for a while. It hurt too much. I check on her again when I heard Janet died. Tore my heart out that I couldn't comfort her."

Jack jumped out and was half way out the door when he turned back to John "Coming?"

"About time"