A/N: Don't really know what season this is set around... you can decide that if you want.

Hope you enjoy!

Jack awoke in an empty bed he glanced at the clock, 21:30. What the hell? Jack thought, it couldn't be that late could it?. He turned to see an empty half of the bed beside him that's strange, he could of sworn when he went to sleep Sam was here with him. It had been a god awful mission yesterday possibly the worst for their team.

They where on P4X-759, just routine re-con they where told, no Goa'uld should be on the planet they have no reason to be there they where told. It was going just fine, Daniel was doing what he usually does, babbles incoherently about the joys of the civilisation that once occupied the planet many, many moons ago. Carter was doing her thing, spitting techno babble holding that doo-hickey, Jack never knew what that thing was called, sure she'd told him thousands of times but she should know by now he never listens. And Teal'c... Well Teal'c as being Teal'c, silent.

Then that's when disaster struck. Bright orange lights zooming past everyone's heads. They all ducked for cover, where they could find it...

"Get to cover!" Jack yelled the order, Daniel and Sam glanced up in surprise. More shots flew out of the trees. Jack dived behind a very large and out of place looking boulder, Teal'c on his left, staff weapon at the ready behind the DHD, Carter and Daniel hit the deck, Carter was layed behind a fallen tree stump and Daniel about three yards in front of it, crawling around to get behind it, that's when it happened.

It happened so fast. It was almost like a blur, a staff shot went straight into Daniel's side causing him to cry out and lay flat on the floor. Unconscious.

"Daniel!" Sam cried as she picked off at least four more Jaffa, O'Neill picked off around five or six, Teal'c handled the rest. Carter ran round the stump and fell at Daniel's side. He wasn't moving. Jack as frozen to the spot, they had each successfully taken down the Jaffa, no doubt more to take there place would be along any minute but he still couldn't bring himself to move.

"Daniel, oh god. Daniel!" Sam rolled him over so she could see his face, she put two fingers on his neck. Jack new what was coming, no-one not even Daniel could sustain a hit like that from that distance and still be breathing.

"Colonel!" there it was, the strangled cry that broke his heart and made him wish he was deaf, "He has no pulse!"...

No pulse... the words echoed in his mind. He was that focused on him memory he hadn't noticed Sam come back into his bedroom.

"I made some pancakes, if you're hungry," Her voice was so dull, like the same constant sound, never changing. Sam placed them on the bed covers next to him that once occupied her, as she turned to walk away Jack grabbed her arm.

"Sam..." He paused for a second, thinking about what he should say. He couldn't say the most obviously thing 'you all right?' because she would give him her automatic answer 'im fine' so he went with the little less obvious thing to say, "talk to me, please?" Jack didn't let go of her arm until she turned fully towards him, he immediately noticed her eyes where red raw from crying.

"C'mere." Jack said the only thing that came natural to him when it came to Sam, he moved the pancakes onto the night-stand and tugged Sam to the bed, she didn't argue or protest.

Sam sat on the bed crossed legged in front of Jack who was now sitting up too. Fresh tears where rolling down Sam's cheek, Jack moved his thumb up slowly to her face and gently wiped them away, stopping their decent down her cheek.

"I'm sorry, I know I'm not the only one how has feelings, but I just can't deal with loosing him again," noticing Jack was going to say what he had said last time Daniel was 'lost' she stopped him, "And I know he isn't exactly lost, but when- if he comes back he's going to be memoryless, on some unknown planet, vulnerable... I just can't bare to think that's what's going to happen again."

"Sam, don't ever be sorry to show your emotions. It isn't good to keep them all inside and to yourself-" Jack was interrupted by Sam.

"You do it." Her voice was a whisper, she was now looking down at her hands, playing with a bit of the cover.

"I do it because it's what I was trained to do, I had 'Emotions mean nothing in battle' drilled into me for many years, I can't help but keep them bottled up." Jack sighed. "Look Sam, since I've been with you, hell from the day I met you, you showed me not to keep my emotions to myself. That it's okay to have them, I just wish you would take your own advice." he took her hands in his.

Sam had never seen him open up like that, this was the first time he'd actually talked about emotions or feelings in their relationship. Was that what it was, a relationship? Sam thought, they had been secretly seeing each other for around 3 months now and it's been going great, really great. She just didn't know how long they could keep the 'secretly' bit up.

As though reading her mind, Jack said "If you wanna stop this, we can."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not stupid Sam, I know you don't like all the secrecy especially keeping it from your dad." Jack said scrubbing a hand over his face.

"So you wanna stop?"

"I'm not saying I want to, I'm saying if you want to... I'll respect that." he winced at his choice of words.

"I'll transfer," Sam blurted out.

"You can't. I won't let you." Jack said with some force.

"Then I guess it's a court martial for the both of us then, because I want this, I want you... I need you," She confessed.

"Well then, that's settled. We'll go see Hammond tomorrow first thing. Tell him everything." Jack said putting both hands on each of Sam's cheeks.

"That's that." Sam smiled lightly and moved forward, she gently pressed her lips to Jack's and pulled back.

"You wanna come back to bed?"

"I'm not in the mood-"

"It's just gonna be me cuddling you Sam, nothing more." Jack reassured her. Slight smile at her assumption.

She smiled as she got up, pulling back the covers she moved to lay down. Sam put her head on Jack's chest laying one arm across his stomach. Soon drifting off back to sleep.

Jack on the other hand, was thinking of how and what to tell General Hammond tomorrow.

(Hammond's Office)

*knock, knock * General George Hammond looked up from his paper work, "Come." he said as he set his pen down. The door opened and he was his 2IC Colonel Jack O'Neill and Major Samantha Carter, they where like his family. His two best officers from his most elite team, very good friends as well, having known Sam most of her life, while serving with her father Jacob, she saw him as a second dad, or an uncle. And then there was Colonel O'Neill, that cocky, sarcastic Colonel he met on his first week at the mountain, he new he would be trouble.

"Colonel, Major what can I do for you both?" Hammond asked gesturing for the two officers to take a seat.

As Jack sat down he said, "General, me- we have something to tell you."

Seeing the worried look on their faces the General became worried to, he knew it would be hard on them loosing Daniel... again. "What is it Colonel?"

"Me and Sa- Carter have... uhh how do I put this?-" Seeing how Jack was struggling Sam just came out and said it.

"Me and Colonel O'Neill have been involved in a romantic relationship... sir." Sam couldn't bring herself to look in the older man's eyes, somehow she felt like she had betrayed General Hammond. Jack's eyes looked like they where about to pop out of his head.

"I knew it would happen eventually, you two are not the only one's who have eyes." Sighing Hammond continued, "How long?"

"Three months" They both said in unison.

Hammond picked up his red phone, and dialled a very familiar number, "I'd like to speak with the President please, it's urgent... Yes it is a matter of saving the planet,"

Now it was Sam's turn for her eyes to pop out of her head.

"Hello sir... yes it is. I'm fine thank-you sir... I believe I owe you 20 dollars,"

Jack and Sam couldn't believe it... they were part of a betting pool between the President of the United States, and General Hammond.

"Yes sir, I'll have all the paper work delivered to you ASAP... Good-bye Mr President," and with that Hammond hung up the phone.

Seeing the bemused looks on the two officers faces before him, he explained, "The President has granted you a pardon, he thinks that after you have saved this planet countless times, he thinks you deserve some happiness. He insisted I tell you, you remain professional on base and when your both around superiors, and I quote 'no funny business at the SGC'" He chuckled slightly at their shocked faces.

Jack was the first to speak, "Uhh, thank-you sir?"

"Your welcome Colonel, Major. Dismissed." General Hammond gave them a quick smile and returned to his paper work.

As they each stepped out of Hammond's office they let out a breath that neither of them new they had been holding.

"That was..." Jack started

"Easy.." Sam finished.

"Yeah..."

"Okay, well that certainly feels better." Sam said with a little smile.

"Yeah, it does." Giving her a smile back.

"Now, just my dad.." Sam said as she walked off in the direction of the elevator.

"Doh!" Jack mumbled as he followed her.

A/N: Sooo what do you think?

Hope you liked it.

Please push that button that says 'review' ..thanks! :)

Oh and thank-you for reading.

Becky. xx