Jack grimaced as he leaned back in his chair, sighed, and scratched his left earlobe. He stared at the cover of the report lying on his desk in front of him; the report of the end of the Asgard race, and the death of his friend Thor.

Friend.

Wow, that's weird.

Never in a hundred year had Jack ever thought that he would come to consider a little grey alien a friend. Until seven or so years ago, that was. And now, he was gone, and Jack missed him. It was… weird.

He sighed once again, closed his eyes, and thought back to a few years ago. Carter's brother, Mark, and his family had visited for Christmas, and Jacob was on Earth, in a refreshing change of normality. Sam had invited everyone, including General Hammond, Janet and Cassie, over for a Christmas party, and Jack had thought it appropriate to get the smallest Carter a present.

---

'His name is Thor,' Jack said as the mini-Carter unwrapped a life-size stuffy toy of a Roswell Grey (or Asgard, depending on what your security clearance was). Teal'c raised an eyebrow, Daniel nearly chocked on the coffee he was drinking, Janet patted his back, Cassie laughed, Sam tried to suppress a giggle, General Hammond stared at Jack, Jacob muttered 'oh boy', and Mark and his wife looked generally confused.

---

Jack smiled to himself as he replayed the events of a few years ago. Jack smiled, as he decided that if he ever got a dog, he would call it Thor. He laughed, and once again sighed, leaning back, closing his eyes and thinking I need a beer. As he was absentmindedly thinking about the time when Thor had saved Jack's sorry ass (well… one of the times), the phone rang. He immediately reached for the receiver and answered 'O'Neill.'

'Hello, Sir,' Sam answered.

'Carter! I was beginning to think you'd forgotten all about me!' Jack answered, his previous sadness, if not gone, diminished.

'Of course not, Sir,' Sam answered, almost giggling.

'You finally get me out of your lab after, what, eight years of me constantly… bugging you, and you feel compelled to call me every day?' Jack asked.

'Well, first of all, Sir, it's every day I'm on Earth. I haven't invented an interstellar telephone yet. And secondly, that's the first time in two years you've asked me that,' Sam said. 'And to answer your question,' she continued, cutting of Jack who was about to open his mouth, 'yes, I do miss you.'

'Right back at ya', Carter,' Jack said.

'Thank you, Sir. You know what they say: "You only truly appreciate someone when their gone",' Sam said.

'Funny you should say that. I was jus sitting here thinking about Thor,' Jack said, the sadness creeping ever so slightly back into his voice. Sam was silent for a few seconds before speaking. 'I miss him too, Sir.' Both of them went silent. They sat like that for a few moments, before Sam finally spoke up. 'I'm sorry you weren't there, Jack.'

'Yeah, me too… Sam.'