Hi there, Well, here's another of my earlier stories for you. One that I'm sure some of you probably haven't read yet. Thanks as always for your kind reviews for my last offering. Glad you all seemed to enjoy that little fun fic. Hope you'll like this one too, once we're passed all the angst!

WARNING!!!!! This is a very, very, angsty piece so be warned! But as always with my stories there is a happy ending and there is also a special Jack/Sam sequel too!

IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO.

By Lingren.

Category: Action, Angst, AU, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Smarm.

Pairings: Sam/Pete, Sam/Jack.

Season: 8 – after Threads, but being an AU, they never went to the cabin for a break.

Spoilers: New Order, Affinity, Threads.

Warnings: Character Death, so keep a tissue handy! Suicide. Torture. Well, don't believe everything you read, because you should know me by now!

Summary: Jack's unexpected action takes everyone by surprise.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1. No copy-write infringements intended. Just borrowing the characters for a little fun, fantasy and imagination.

It Takes Two To Tango.

By Lingren.

Chapter 1 – Enough is Enough!

Brigadier General Jack O'Neill rounded the doorway and stepped into Daniel Jackson's office. He paused for moment bringing himself to a sudden stop when he came face to face with all the members of his former team, SG-1.

Seated around the over-sized, cluttered desk, where Daniel Jackson was half-heartedly studying an alien artefact, were Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter, and the Jaffa, Teal'c.

The conversation between them came to an abrupt halt as Jack entered the room, and Sam leapt to her feet, standing to attention in deference to her superior officer.

"General!" she exclaimed. It wasn't often lately that he wandered through the corridors and sought out their company; usually he was bogged down with paperwork and meetings.

Daniel placed his 'treasure' back onto the desk and looked over at his friend curiously, wondering why Jack was actually seeking them out. Regretfully, it didn't happen very often these days, not since he took over the reins of the SGC.

Jack shot Carter an exasperated look, wondering why, with her vastly superior intellect, she still couldn't understand the concept that she had no need to snap to attention whenever he walked into a room. He just didn't feel it was right for her, despite his more exalted rank these days. Being 'The Man' still took a little getting used to. He was far more comfortable with his old title and with the easy camaraderie he'd enjoyed for several years with his 'kids' before the 'Powers That Be', had decided at long last to promote him.

He waved an impatient hand at her to loosen up.

"Stand down Carter!"

Sam relaxed and wondered why he'd sounded so worried and tense. He looked troubled for some reason.

"Jack...you okay?" Daniel asked solicitously, seeing the worried frown creasing Jack's brow still hadn't cleared. He knew most of Jack's little facial expressions and prided himself of being able to interpret them, well, most of them at any rate; but right now Jack looked as if he had something big on his mind and Daniel couldn't help wondering what had happened to have put that concern there.

Jack huffed a long sigh and flopped down into a spare chair, stretching his long limbs out in front of him and folding his arms across his chest, before releasing the tension in his body suddenly with a deep shudder.

"Um...in all honesty, that would be a big honkin' NO!" he answered, bringing forth alarmed and puzzled frowns to cloud his friends' faces.

"No?" Daniel and Sam responded aghast. It certainly wasn't like Jack to admit there was anything wrong. Even Teal'c had picked up on the unexpected response and joined his team-mates in showing much concern.

Jack idly picked up Daniel's discarded artefact and absently turned it over and over in his long thin fingers.

"Is there something which troubles you O'Neill?" Teal'c asked solicitously, voicing the team's thoughts.

The three team-mates waited with bated breath, hoping it wasn't something which spelt disaster. Something was clearly weighing heavily on their Commander's shoulders and he was obviously trying to find the right words as well as the courage to tell them something significant. Jack, they knew, was never that good at expressing himself verbally, particularly if it in any way concerned his innermost feelings.

With a deep breath to steel himself, Jack carefully replaced the ancient object and turned his full attention onto three of the finest people he had ever had the privilege to work with, let alone consider them as close friends.

"Actually...yeah, there is something bothering me. I'm thinking retirement is looking good right about now!" he said, unable to look any of them in the eye as he dropped a bombshell onto his old team.

Daniel Jackson and Lt. Colonel Sam Carter shot to their feet; mouths falling open in surprise, agog at the news.

"What has transpired O'Neill for you to consider this course of action?" Teal'c questioned. He was strangely discomforted by his warrior friend's sudden announcement, wondering if perhaps those who ranked higher were displeased with O'Neill's efforts to run the SGC. As far as he was concerned, his friend was an extremely resourceful leader and more than capable of overseeing the operations undertaken on this World's behalf. As he seemed to be the only person who still had the power of speech left to him, he filled the growing need to know why O'Neill has considered that his future here has finally come to an end.

"But Sir...?" Sam gasped, eventually able to find her voice though not for long and she was still stunned at his shocking announcement.

"Why Jack?" Daniel demanded, finding his own voice at last. "Why now?"

Jack shrugged nonchalantly.

"Because!" he answered, giving nothing away as to the real reasons behind his decision.

"That's not a valid reason Jack and you know it!" Daniel retorted a little tartly, perturbed by his friend's reticence, though not at all surprised by it either. Getting Jack to open up about anything that could be even remotely personal was like trying to get blood out of that proverbial stone.

Jack shifted uncomfortably in his seat, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees and lacing his hands together, studying the floor at his feet. It felt like he'd just betrayed his best friends and it made him wish there was a better reason for him to avoid all of this; but there was no way round it and for better or for worse it was a step which he just had to take.

"Because, If you really want to know Daniel. I've had it. I'm just not cut out for...this..." He sat back again and waved a vague hand in the air, as a means to include the whole of the SGC. "I can't be 'The Man!' I've tried, and I...I just can't..." he paused, sighing in frustration, unable to express how he really felt in words, let alone explaining the real reason for which there was no way he would tell even them.

"Come on sir. You're a great Commander! Everyone thinks you're a first class leader," Sam confirmed positively, trying to make him see sense.

"It's driving me nuts Carter. I can't sit there and see...do this any more!"

"Jack...what's the real problem here?" Daniel asked, knowing there had to be another more potent reason for his decision. Jack never made any decisions lightly where the SGC was concerned. Did he know something they didn't?

"The problem is, Daniel, that I just can't carry on doing this. I'm gonna retire, and neither you nor anyone else is going to dissuade me to do otherwise! This isn't just an empty threat kids; I really mean it this time!"

"Okay, so, you need an assistant. Surely they'll let you have..."

Jack raised both index fingers, shaking them at his friend in anger.

"Daniel!" he barked. It was a warning not to pursue the matter any further.

"Jack!" Daniel replied, much more frustrated now that his friend wasn't about to listen to anything he or anyone else said.

"I'm leaving and that's all there is to it! I'm sorry if you can't accept my decision but it's final, and I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted from me." Jack stood now, slipping his hands into his pockets and took a few steps towards the door.

"Jack!" Daniel tried again.

"What?" Jack sighed, looking back over his shoulder.

"Don't do this!"

"Too late!"

"You can't!"

"Yes I can!"

"We need you here!"

"That's not gonna work!"

"Then what will?"

"Nothing!"

"Why?"

"Because that's the way it is!"

"Jack! Please..." Daniel begged.

"I'm sorry, but that's it. I've had enough kids. I want out while I'm still..." his words trailed off in the wave of a hand. He turned away abruptly from them and stalked towards the door. He really didn't want to continue this conversation any longer. He knew telling them about his decision was going to be damn tough, but he really didn't want to argue the finer points over it. Just as he'd reached the door however, Teal'c spoke up, arresting his steps with his deep gravely voice.

"Are you therefore going back on your promise to do your best to lead us here at the SGC O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, recalling Jack's oath to lead the SGC to the best of his abilities from his official hand over speech. "How can you turn away from everyone who has stood by you over these last years my friend. There are many here who look to you for your support, more so now than ever before?"

Jack stood rooted to the spot just outside the door when he heard the Jaffa's accusing words, designed as they were to cause him maximum grief and make him reconsider his choice. Well, he wasn't going to reconsider, 'Dammit'! He'd had enough paperwork to last him a lifetime. He'd missed all the action of an off-world exploration but there was no way back into active participation in the service for him now. He wasn't fooling anyone within the mountain that he was pulling his weight; he just wasn't cut out to fly a desk. His knees were shot and he wasn't getting any younger; being well on the wrong side of fifty too, already starting on the downward slide towards sixty. He'd had his brain scrambled twice by that Ancients' head-sucking thingy. Retirement was the only option that was left open to him. A miserable lonely retirement, but it was his choice, dammit!

He couldn't even rely on Sam being there for him anymore. She had actually forsaken him; trading in her long held feelings towards him for a much younger model in the shape of Pete Shanahan, and completely breaking his heart in the process. How was he supposed to sit there practically everyday and watch her enjoying life with another man? All he'd hoped for in their future had been shattered. It was tearing him apart, crushing the very life from his battered heart and soul. He needed to go, and go he would, by one means or another, no matter what the cost. He couldn't see her every day, talk with her, and know she would never be his. He had no future now.

"I never thought to see you walk away from any challenge O'Neill, perhaps I have badly misread your character and integrity," Teal'c continued, twisting the knife into Jack's heart even further.

Sam was startled, even angry, at Teal'c's bitter tone and accusation and let loose a surprised gasp before she could stop it.

Outside in the corridor, Jack felt like he'd been stabbed in the back, but he didn't return to the room to face them; how could he? Neither could he respond to the harsh allegations. Instead, he just tilted his face up towards the ceiling and swallowed hard. He raised a fist to smash forcefully at the wall, then inwardly cringed in pain. He'd do anything to take away the sting of Teal'c's words. Releasing a long shuddering sigh of bitterness and frustration, he blinked hard and long, feeling the sudden sting of unwanted tears from his eyes, he dropped his head again and resumed walking away, leaving them all shocked and upset.

TBC