A/N: I posted the prologue when FF's email alerts were down. So make sure you go back and read that chapter!

Chapter 1 - Conversations

SGC

Once again, please let me know what you think.

"Anyway, I'm sorry. But that just happens to be the way I feel about it ... What do you think?"

Jack raised an eyebrow at the younger archaeologist in front of him as the spoonful of Fruit Loops was on its way to his own mouth. He looked around and verified that Teal'c was in fact sitting next to him and that this was not them reliving the time loop – just another case of deja-vu.

Instead of answering Daniel's question he turned to Teal'c, "You been working on your golf swing lately?"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at his brother in arms. "I have not." He then quietly returned to his plate of pancakes.

"Jack!" Daniel half whined.

Sam tried to hide her amusement in the situation.

Catching her half smile, Jack stared at her as he remembered the happy moments from the time loops.

Under his intense far off look while staring at her, Sam became slightly uncomfortable. "So Daniel…"

Daniel turned to Sam and shook his head, "No. I want to know what Jack thinks about it… Jack?"

"Daniel… Honestly…" Jack began slowly, as he returned his attention to Daniel, hoping that he would remember what the discussion was about.

"Yes?" Daniel asked expectantly.

Jack stared back at him with a lost look. "About what?"

"Jack!"

"Seriously, I don't remember!" he defended himself.

Sam chose that moment to go get some desert instead of laughing in front of her friends and hurting someone's feelings.

"Carter!"

Sam turned back expectantly.

"Can you get me some cake?"

She smiled back, "Yes sir."

"Jack…"

He rolled his eyes as he looked back at his friend, "What?"

"What do you think about us revisiting some of our allies and seeing how things are going?"

"Why?"

"Jack, weren't you paying attention to anything I said earlier?"

A blank look was his only response. Daniel lowered his head in defeat. When would he ever be able to have a conversation with Jack O'Neill and actually maintain his attention?

Pleased that he didn't have to answer the question, Jack turned to Teal'c. "Hey, you want to go work out later?"

Teal'c turned his head and bowed, "Indeed."

"Excellent!… Excellent!" he called out again when Sam placed his piece of cake in front of him. "So you guys want to come over tonight?"

"You grilling, sir?"

He raised his hand to his heart in shock, "Would I dare do anything else?"

Sam shrugged her shoulders.

Daniel turned to Sam and whispered, "Not after the pizza incident."

"Hey! We agreed never to mention that again!" Jack reminded them as all three of his teammates smirked as they recalled the incident in question.

ooo

"Hmff!… Ow…" Jack slowly drawled out as he lay on his back with his eyes shut.

When he did open them his friend and sparring partner was standing over him. "Are you not well O'Neill?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "I've lost track how many times you've thrown me down today… How do you think I feel?"

"That is why I am asking."

Jack glared at Teal'c and momentarily hated his limited understanding and use of sarcasm. Jack finally sought his assistance and held his hand up.

Teal'c bowed his head and gave Jack a hand. "Do you wish to continue?"

Jack snapped his head at Teal'c, popping his neck and back in the process. He placed his hands on the offending back and neck and helped work out the kinks even further.

Teal'c, who was patiently waiting for a response, raised an eyebrow at the odd behavior of his friend.

"Let's go sit down," Jack suggested as he started walking to the benches.

As he lowered himself his knee popped again, reminding him how old he felt. "I'm getting to old for this stuff…" he mused.

"I am over twice your age."

Jack turned to his friend, "Yeah… But in Jaffa years, I'm like older than Bratac!"

Teal'c nodded in agreement.

"Hey, no need to agree so readily!"

The corners of his lips remained still, but his eyes betrayed his amusement at the conversation. "You are a true warrior and a worthy opponent…" Teal'c paused before speaking again, "There are few in the galaxy who could stand up to the Goa'uld as successfully as you do, O'Neill."

"Thanks T… But, I don't do it alone… I got you guys covering my back!"

"Indeed."

Jack chuckled at Teal'c's favorite phrase. "So how's Rya'c?"

Jack actually noticed that Teal'c smiled with pride before continuing, "He is doing well. Bra'tac has informed me that Rya'c's training is progressing quite rapidly… His mind is very sharp and he has an eye for strategy in battle…"

"The smaller you are, the smarter you have to be," Jack commented.

Teal'c turned, "He is still growing and adding muscle mass every day… One day he will be as big as me."

"Scary thought…" Jack mumbled as he wiped his hands dry and headed for the showers. "Hey don't you ever get tired of wiping the mat with me?" he called back over his shoulder.

Jack took a few more steps before he realized that Teal'c hadn't answered. He stopped and turned back. He waited the few seconds for Teal'c to catch up.

Teal'c stopped when he was alongside but continued looking ahead as he pondered his answer. He revealed his answer confidently, "I do not." Teal'c then continued ahead and left a shocked friend and Air Force Colonel behind.

ooo

"Hey!"

"You're late!" Jack told her as he opened the door. When he had the door fully open he saw that Sam was in a state of shock. "Hey," he reached his hand out to lead her in, "You okay?"

She slowly blinked her eyes and looked at him. "Yeah… just a little… shaken…"

"What happened?" he asked her in a voice laced with concern. He led her over to the couch.

"Sam, thank God you're… What happened?" Daniel asked as he rushed to her side.

"I was on my way here and I… I watched it all happen in front of me…"

Jack and Daniel shared a concerned look with each other. "What happened, Sam?" Daniel quietly questioned her.

"There was a car accident and-"

"You're okay?" both men blurted out as they quickly looked over her body to make sure that she wasn't physically harmed.

She silently nodded before explaining what had happened. "I'm fine… but… The car in front of me was hit by a drunk driver… It was a family…"

Both men just watched her, not really understanding why she was so upset.

"There was a little girl… She was pretty badly injured…" she vacantly told them. Visions of Grace from her hallucinations kept popping into her mind.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Daniel tried to reassure her.

Sam looked into his eyes, "It was almost me."

Both men before her were confused. "Sam, I don't understand."

"I was at the intersection and going to turn right. But I waved them to go ahead… At the next light they were hit by the drunk driver who ran a red light… I saw the whole thing."

"You can't blame yourself for what-"

"I don't," she quickly looked up at her CO. "I know it wasn't my fault… It was the drunk driver's fault… But part of me is just… It's… I can't explain it…"

Jack watched her expressions and listened to her. "I get it," he told her softly.

She looked into his eyes for true understanding.

"Why do you get to live?"

Sam slowly nodded her head as her eyes started to glisten with tears. He moved closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Carter you can't ask questions like that… It'll eat you up inside…"

As she listened to him, she knew that he really did understand. Both the men in front of her who were supporting her understood.

"I know," she quietly relented. "It's all just so happenstance… A simple act of courtesy costs a family…"

"No Sam… A man drinking too much and getting behind the wheel of a car cost a family," Daniel explained. "You know you can't think about the 'What if?'s…"

Sam nodded in agreement, "Yeah…"

"You going to be okay Carter?"

She turned to look at her CO and smiled warily. "I will be, sir. I'm here."

He smiled back at her, "Yeah you are," he told her, grateful as well.

TBC