Sam sat in her office, this was it, the end of an era. She had waited as long as she could for SG1 to return but they were overdue Daniel having found some really interesting ruins that kept him longer. She wanted to say goodbye in person but the flight left soon. She didn't want to leave the SGC but she couldn't, not now that she was pregnant with Pete's baby. She couldn't stay in the SGC, as much as she would love to. As Pete had pointed out it was far too dangerous, and even when the baby was born, the long hours and danger didn't really correspond to being a mum. She couldn't do both and her child had to come first. She'd lost her mum young she wouldn't do that to her baby.
She started packing up her lab, feeling nostalgic, as each piece of her personnel stuff went into just one box. Lab stuff stayed where it was and any technology was packaged and labelled in boxes. Janet was the first one looking in curiously
"So the rumours are true" she noted sadly, Sam looked at her nodding reminding herself it was the right thing to do, self-consciously she rested a hand on her tummy.
"'Fraid so" Sam said keeping back her tears
"Why Sam? I mean after 7 years why now?" Janet asked, Sam smiled wistfully not wanting to tell them about her pregnancy just yet not until she was in her 2nd trimester, the risk was just too great till then.
"It's just right that I go and live with Pete and have regular hours, I can't get that at the SGC, even if I was on base the danger its just too big." Janet nodded knowing that Sam barely had a life outside the SGC and as her friend she couldn't deny her the opportunity to try,
"When are you going to tell them?" she asked nodding to the picture of SG1 on the desk
"I can't I got to go the flight leaves soon, I promise I will write though send you my address and I'll come and visit too" Sam promised. Janet nodded
"Just keep in touch" she ordered, Sam nodded hugging her goodbye.
Sam finished packing dropping off to say goodbye to General Hammond
"It's the end of an era" he remarked as Sam said goodbye to the gate
"Yes Sir" Sam said looking at the gate that had brought such pain, such ache
"Not Sir anymore you retired" he reminded her, she smiled
"Ok George" she winced as she said it, the unfamiliar informality causing problems
"You know I will have to revoke your clearance" he warned
"I know Sir, if you can give it to my dad with this letter I won't be moving so I'll be around to help if you need me" Hammond nodded, taking the letter.
"I will Sam" Sam smiled leaving for the last time, she knew the guys would come and find her off base allowing her to explain in private.
2 days later Jack lead Sg1 back from visiting a male dominated planet which is why Sam hadn't gone in the first place as all women were slaves and owned by all the male population. He looked round expecting Sam to be in the gate room but saw no sign of her there or in the control room where Hammond was waiting,
"We have Naquida and Danny has new rocks" Jack crowed triumphantly.
"Sg1 report to the infirmary briefing is at 1500" he ordered giving himself a bit longer to work out how he was going to break the news.
They went to the infirmary spotting Janet
"Hey Janet where is Sam?" Daniel asked, Janet went pale looking to him in shock
"Gone" she said like he should know, Jack butted in
"Gone where?" he asked dreading the answer
"She resigned, she left, she said she would tell you" Janet said upset that Sam hadn't said goodbye to them even after she had promised.
"When?"
"What?"
"Why?" Came the three cries, Jack was already out the door going to check Sam's lab he came back defeated.
"Her stuff it's gone, she is really gone" he said broken and hurt sitting on the gurney defeated and betrayed.
"Her house" Daniel said. They all ran to the surface driving to Sam's house to see a for sale sign outside. Inside the house was empty. Jack felt empty broken.
She had been his everything and now she was gone.