Disclaimer: Not my characters.

Reunion

General Samantha Carter-O'Neill woke up to her very annoying alarm. She had rolled over and hit the snooze button before she remembered what day it was. But as soon as she realized this, there was no going back to sleep. Today was going to be a long day for her, ending with a long anticipated reunion with her husband, Jack O'Neill, in Washington D.C.

She wished that she could be closer to him and be able to see him more frequently, but there was really no way for that to happen. He was where he needed to be and she was needed at the SGC. She was now in her husband's former position as the head of the SGC and she couldn't very well leave her place to be with him. But there was really no getting around it so there was no point in dwelling.

She rolled out of bed with a sigh and quickly dressed. It was nice to think that all she needed to do this morning was get herself a nice quiet peaceful breakfast and get off to work. She needed to stop in at the SGC and tidy up a few things before she left for Washington.

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Why did it always seem that everyone seemed so much friendlier to her when they knew she was going to be visiting Jack? She wondered this as she walked to her office to go over the few reports that needed to be taken care of.

It really didn't take too long to straiten everything up in the office. It probably could have waited until tomorrow, but there was one other thing she needed to do today.

She reached for her phone and called down to the control room. "Walter, I'm ready now. You can dial Atlantis, I'll be right down."

As she hung up the phone, she sat for a moment in her office, listening to the rhythmic sounds of the gate dialing out. Sighing once again, she got up and went down the iron spiral staircase to the control room.

She was really glad that the second ZPM was found so that it was much easier to talk to those at Atlantis when the need or want was there.

"Chevron eight, locked" Walter's voice rang out. "The com's all yours General," he said as he handed her an in-ear radio which she took with a smile of thanks and quickly put on.

"Atlantis, this is General Carter-O'Neill at the SGC, please respond."

There were a few moments of static before Daniel's surprised voice came over the radio. "Sam, I thought you were going to see Jack today, it is the 13th right?"

"Yes Daniel, I'm leaving for Washington in and hour or so. There were a few things I had to do today before flying out."

"I see, well it is good to hear from you. How are Grace and the boys doing?"

"They're great, Cassie took them last night so that I could have an easy morning before leaving."

"Well that was thoughtful of her," Daniel replied.

"Yes I was glad. But before they left, Grant wanted me to check up on his God Father and see when he was coming home. And of course once one of the twins thinks of something the other has to join in. So then I had Harry demanding that I check up on you and Grace quickly followed suite. So I had to promise that I'd contact you before leaving today."

Sam could almost hear Daniel shaking his head as his soft chuckle sounded over the line. "Yup, sounds like, they certainly are a lot like Jack… At least they are as like Jack if there had been more than one of him."

Sam let herself smile at this, he was right. They really did remind her everyday of her husband. Sometimes it was like he had never left.

"Yes, he certainly influenced them. But at least they are just as intelligent as their mom. But any way Daniel, how are you, when can we expect you home next?"

"I'm doing great. There is always something new and exciting happening here, but I miss the kids too. I expect that I'll be back in another month. You can promise the kids that their God Father will be over as soon as he returns to totally spoil them."

Shaking her head, Sam answered, "of course you will. Whenever you're around they seem to like you more than me, but that's ok, it leaves me some time of peace that way."

"Hey, what's a God Father for?"

"Yes, what else?"

They paused in conversation for a moment before Daniel said, "Well, you probably want to get going. Would you say hi to Jack for me? I'd like to visit him myself, but Pegasus is a very long ways away to travel."

"I'm sure he understands. I'll give him your best. I'll see you in about a month then."

"You bet, take care Sam, and see you soon."

"You too, General Carter-O'Neill out."

Sam pulled the ear piece out and nodded to Walter to shut the gate down. Now, she just needed to get to the air port and take a jet out to Washington and her day was almost complete.

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As she stepped off of the plane, she saw that Major Davis was waiting with a Limo for her.

She walked over to meet him and they quickly embraced for a moment. "Davis, it's good to see you? It's been a long time."

"Yes Ma'am, it has. It's good to see you too."

"Thank you. Now, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Oh, I thought that I might pick you up and bring you to your visit. I figured that Jack would like me too."

"You never have before," she stated simply with no accusation in her voice, just stating a fact.

"Yes, I know, I should have but have never been able to break away from the pentagon. But I made sure that I could at least meet up with you for a moment today," he smiled.

"Well thank you very much. I assume then you know where to take me then?" she said as he opened the door for her.

"Of course. You know I was just up to visit him yesterday with Teal'c." he said as he joined her in the back.

"Yes, I knew Teal'c came to see him yesterday. I asked him if he would like to come with me, but he said that I should be able to be with Jack alone for a while."

"Yes, Teal'c mentioned something to that effect to me too," Davis nodded.

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The two kept up some simple chatter as the limo wound its way about Washington. This really was a beautiful city Sam thought to herself as she glanced out a window. But she knew the path to where they were going so well that she had no need to watch the scenery go by.

She was much too full of anticipation to even think about watching the road. She just wanted to have the time pass as quickly as possible with Davis's company. It was really good of him to bring her.

Finally, as they were nearing their meeting place, Sam said, "Is it alright if I get out here and walk the rest of the way, I like to enjoy the area before I get there."

Davis smiled and nodded his, "of course," and rapped on the window to the driver to signal a stop.

When the car rolled to a stop, Davis got out and opened the door for Sam. "Do give O'Neill my best General," said to her.

"I sure will. Thanks again for the ride Davis."

"My pleasure."

With that, Sam turned and began to walk up the hill. This really was a beautiful place for them to meet up once a year on their special day. You just couldn't ask for a better place.

As usual, she tried to sneak up on him, but of course this tactic never seemed to quite work.

As she reached the crest of the hill. She immediately broke out with words, "Hi Jack, it's good to see you again. Now before I forget I'm supposed to tell you Daniel and Davis say hi. Davis was nice enough to give me a ride over today and Daniel says he wishes he could see you more often, but, you know how far away Pegasus is."

As silence met her she smiled and went on, "Well, I suppose you don't but you at least recognize that it's much further to travel from there to D.C. then it is from Colorado."

Sam sighed. As always, she just wished that she could hear some sarcastic remark from him. But as it had been every day for the last five years, she had been met with nothing but silence.

As she stared down at the white stone at her feet, she began to relive that day all over again. Her attempt to sneak up on him, and ultimately her emotions, never worked.

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It was five years ago when the retired Jack O'Neill was call up to serve his country one last time. The SGC received a transmission from what appeared to be some surviving Tollans. It seemed like a Miracle that any of them had gotten out before their planet was destroyed, but apparently they did.
They requested that their first reunion with the Tauri be with the members of SG-1. Well Daniel was out in the Pegasus Galaxy and Teal'c was busy with other Jaffa things. And of course Sam couldn't leave the SGC. So O'Neill was asked to go as the SG-1 rep.

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Shaking her head, Sam tried not to think about that last embrace and passionate kiss they had shared in front of the gate to many whistles and cat calls from the others on the base. And then the horrible news that came the next day.

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It had been an ambush from the start. There were no surviving Tollans, only a very angry Baal that had never been able to enact his revenge upon SG-1. Baal and his army of cloned soldiers had met Jack and the rest of the team that went. They never stood a chance.

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And now here she was, standing over his grave in Arlington National Cemetery, wishing that day five years ago had never happened.

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"The kids are doing great," she finally was able to voice. "Of course they miss you and send their love." She then bent down and placed the single flower she had been holding in the vase beside the head stone.

It was then that she finally lost it. She collapsed to her knees on the soft cool grass, tears flowing freely from her eyes and spilling into her hands.

"Every year I promise myself that I won't do this... that I won't fall apart like this. But who am I kidding? We both know that this will never become any easier for me."

She sniffed and tried to regain her composer once again.

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At least, with the help of Teal'c and Daniel, she had finally been able to stop blaming herself. She had felt for so long that if only she had sent another SG team to meet the "Tollans," first, she never would have lost him. But it hadn't been her call; the president had wanted to send the delegation right away to make sure the Tollans understood how much they wanted to reestablish relations.

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And now Jack was here, resting, as he should, surrounded by so many other heroes who had fought and died for their country. This really was the best place for him.

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Slowly she pulled herself together enough to stand once again. The hardest part of this trip was coming now. "Jack, I'm afraid I have some bad news. I don't know if you already know this or not, but I thought that I should tell you anyway."

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Memories of their wedding day came flooding back to her as she thought over what she had to say.

Sarah, Jack's ex-wife had come that day. Some years before she had finally completely forgiven herself of their son's death and had longed for the day when Jack could also move on with his life.

Sarah had even gone so far to prove to herself that she was better by adopting a 14 year old boy named Tony. He was really a good kid once he realized that Sarah was for real and all she wanted to do was love him and take care of him.

It had been then that Cassie had met Tony, and since then they were inseperatable. Now they were engaged to be married and were so happy together.

But, as completely recovered as Sarah had thought she was, it seemed that Jack's death had been just too much for her. Sam knew that Sarah had never stopped loving Jack but both had silently agreed that they would never be happy together again after what they had gone through.

But the fact still remained, now, without Tony to need her anymore, Jack's death had been the final straw for her.

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"A week ago, it seemed the strain of all the memories and self hatred had finally taken its toll on poor Sarah," Sam began. She paused before continuing, "She was found in her bath tub, OD'ed on sleeping pills." "They say she went quietly," she added softly.

Shaking her head, Sam knew that she had come to the end of this year's meeting. All that needed to be said had but one. "Jack…" she whispered. "Jack I miss you so much. I understand now how much you must have wanted to die when you lost Charlie. Thankfully I still have Grace and the Twins. Not to mention some really great friends." She paused one last time.

"I love you Jack, and always will. You were the best thing that ever happened to me and I wouldn't change a single moment we shared together."

With once last heavy sob and sniff. Sam turned and walked from the hill before she would completely lose it once again.

"Until we meet again," Sam thought to herself as she looked back at his grave while getting back into the limo.

And the white stone stood on the hill with the words, "General Jack O'Neill, A true Hero to his Planet, his country, his friends, and his family. May he enjoy a sweet and glorious reunion with his son in the next life," permanently etched into the surface.