During Fourth Horseman:

"Jack, it's good to see you." Sam smiled at her computer screen.

"You too. How are things there?"

Sam shook her head, "Not great actually. We haven't made much headway and this virus is spreading quickly."

"I know. I'm getting numbers hourly. Has Orlin been any help?"

"Yes, but taking human form again means he's losing the memories he needs to help us."

"Doesn't this mean he's been hanging around watching you?"

Sam twisted her lips and glanced away from the screen, "Yeah, probably."

"You didn't ask him?"

"It didn't seem like it would help anything, and I didn't want to make things any weirder than they already are."

"You mean because your ex-lover is like ten years old and has probably been stalking you for years?"

"Jack."

"I'm just saying, I can see why it's so uncomfortable."

She saw the concern in his face. She knew the plague was part of it, but she also thought there might be more to it. "You don't have anything to worry about Jack, I'm very happy in my current relationship."

He shared her grin, "Good to know I wasn't wrong when I told Hank you preferred your men a bit more seasoned."

Sam's grin turned to a look of horror as she put her face in hand. "You didn't."

Jack shrugged and smirked, "It's not like you held much back in your report about his last visit."

She looked up at the screen. "As if I had a choice since the NID left a camera in my house without my knowledge."

Jack grimaced, "Right, let's be glad it was focused on the living room."

"True." Her eyes widened. "Wait a minute, you told me you never saw the footage from that camera."

Jack glanced away from his screen, "I was trying to save you some embarrassment."

"Oh God." Sam covered her face again. "Who else saw it?"

"The two guys working surveillance, Simmons, me and Hammond."

"No, he didn't. I've known General Hammond since I was a kid. Please tell me you're just messing with me."

"Wish I was, but no. Simmons brought it to us before we brought you into Hammond's office. He'd made a highlights tape of sorts. We turned it off before we got to the end."

Jack couldn't help but think about the sounds captured on that tape. The images hadn't contained anything more than some heavy petting but the noises emanating from the bedroom had been unmistakable. Now that he'd shared a bedroom with Sam, he knew she was very loud when she was enjoying herself.

"I'll never be able to look him in the eyes again."

"It's not like he thought you were still a virgin."

Sam rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Still."

"You've got bigger things to worry about now."

"Right, time to save the world."

"There you go. I'll call you again later."

"Bye, Jack."

"Bye."

During Ripple Effect:

"Sam?"

"Yes, Jack, you can see it's me." Sam looked into the computer's camera.

"Yeah, but are you the right Sam?"

"Yes." She gave him a huge smile.

"And how am I supposed to know you're telling the truth?"

"I could tell you about that small scar on your left butt cheek from when you were in basic training but since we're on an SGC line I probably shouldn't."

"No, you probably shouldn't." Sam giggled. "How many teams are you up to?"

"I've been stuck in my lab for the last three hours and we've had multiple unscheduled off world activations so I'm honestly not sure."

"A whole bunch of you's aren't driving you insane?"

"Not at all. I'm actually liking it."

"What are all those Daniel's doing?"

"I heard he had them doing a ton of translations."

"That sounds so boring." Sam smiled. "Janet and Martouf showed up too, huh?"

Sam's eyes cut to his. "Yeah, yesterday."

"How are you dealing with that?"

"It was a shock." She glanced away. "I've missed them both."

"I know. You gonna be ok?"

She looked back at him. "Of course." She gave him a small smile. "I better get back to all the other me's and keep working on a way to get them home."

"Alright, hopefully I'll still see you in a few days."

"I hope so. Bye."

"Bye."

Sam leaned back from Martouf and their almost kiss that had thankfully been interrupted, unsure whether she had leaned in because she wanted to or because the remnant of Jolinar within her wanted her to. She felt instantly guilty though. Jack deserved better from her.

A couple hours later her computer screen flashed Jack's name. She hesitated as she considered ignoring his call, she was busy, but her guilt flared. She hit the accept button and smiled.

"Hi, Jack."

"Hey there." He leaned closer to his computer screen. "Have you slept since we talked yesterday?"

"Is that your way of telling me I look like hell?"

He held his hands up. "I would never."

"Liar."

"You haven't technically answered my question."

"I've been pretty busy, but I'll get some sleep soon."

"You've got plenty of other you's that can do some of the work."

"I know, and they have been but we're going to have to close this subspace gateway soon and I don't have a way to get them home yet."

"Worst case scenario is they all stay."

Sam shook her head. "I have to get Janet and Martouf back to their Earth."

"I've read about the plague on their Earth."

"Yeah. There's that but I also have to make sure their Cassie gets her mom back."

"Sam…"

"Don't start. I get that it isn't logical, but I can't quit thinking about it."

"So, you're just thinking about Janet and Cassie?"

Sam's guilt flared are she was sure he could see it on her face. "They all have lives they need to get back to and honestly I'm not excited about having to get thirty duplicate SG-1s settled in our timeline."

"Two good points."

"I'm headed to the Prometheus soon. I need to get ready."

"Alright, be safe and I'll see you soon."

She'd been home about twenty minutes when there was a knock on her door. She wasn't expecting anyone, so she peeked through a window and saw a military truck pulling away. The knocking started again so she cautiously approached the door and cracked it open.

"Hey there."

She pulled the door the rest of the way open. "Jack! I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow." He stepped into the hallway and pulled her into a hug as the door closed behind him.

"Being early isn't a problem I hope."

"Not a bit."

"You sure you don't have any former lovers in here. I would hate to interrupt anything."

Sam pulled back and glared at him. "So not funny."

"Really, because it was getting a bit ridiculous from where I was sitting."

"Jack…"

He cut her off by pulling her against him and kissing her, hard. His tongue dove into her mouth as his hand snaked under the edge of her shirt. He backed her against the wall as his lips moved down her neck to her collarbone. She gripped his shoulders and pressed herself against him. She knew he was claiming her, reminding her of what they now shared and reminding himself that she wanted him and him alone. They only made it as far as the sofa. Her noises were for him and everything he did was to elicit more sounds, more of her pleasure.

They were half clothed and entangled together on the sofa. "That was one hell of a welcome home." She propped her head up on his chest, so she could see his face. "Feel better?"

"Much."

She played with his chest hair. "Were you really worried?"

"No." He ran his hand through her hair. "Maybe, a little."

She gave him a tight grin. "You have no reason to worry."

He tried unsuccessfully to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "You were very close to both of them."

"Yes, I was, but that was in the past."

"Until they showed back up in the flesh. That had to be tempting." Sam thought back to her near kiss with Martouf.

"I will admit it was tempting to seek the closure I never had in the past, but I wouldn't have done anything to risk losing this with you." She slid her hand up and cupped the side of his face. "I'm in love with you Jack."

He lifted his head and met her lips. "I love you too."