Jack had spent every free minute away from the SGC in Sam's company that week, making every precious moment count before she had to leave. Moving day had still come too soon. Jack felt hollow, a twisting emptiness wrenching at his gut all day long as he sat desolately behind his desk, mindlessly shuffling papers from one corner to the other as he tried to find something he could focus on.

"This just came for you, Sir," said Walter, standing just inside the open door to Jack's office.

"What is it?," Jack asked cautiously, taking the thin envelop from the Sergeant.

"I don't know, Sir. But it's from the Pentagon, so I thought it must be urgent."

"Thank you, Walter," said Jack, turning the envelop over and over contemplatively in his hands. "You're dismissed." Nodding, the sergeant left, leaving Jack with the uncomfortable feeling that his day was about to become even worse. Exhaling slowly, he tore the envelope open, revealing a single sheet of thick paper with the Pentagon header at the top. Jack read and re-read the contents of the letter, his heart sinking down to his toes. He was being promoted. Again. Cursing, he hurried out of his office, catching Sergeant Harriman on his way back to his post.

"I'll be out of the office the rest of the day," he said. "Colonel Reynolds is in charge until I get back," he added.

"Yes, Sir," replied Walter, more than a little curious to know what that letter had said.

The movers had just left Sam to explore her temporary Air-Force quarters adjacent to Area 51 when she heard a knock at the door. Puzzled, she made her way through the small rooms, over towards the sound. Opening the door, she was more than a little surprised to see Jack standing outside.

"Jack, what are you doing here?," she asked, ushering him in.

Instead of answering, he handed her a letter, neatly typed on Pentagon stationary. As she read, her face paled visibly. "Jack?," she asked, her eyes searching his face questioningly. Her heart beat rapidly as she met his gaze, stress and torment radiating from him in waves. She couldn't breathe. "Jack?," she asked again, her tone beseeching.

"They haven't left me a whole lot of choice, Sam," he said, his throat tight.

"You could retire," she countered quickly, hating herself for saying it. That wasn't what they had agreed on...

"Yes, I could," he agreed softly. "Is that what you want?," he added, genuinely wanting her opinion.

Sam closed her eyes, fighting back tears. Yes. The answer was so simple, yet at the same time, not. She couldn't simply say yes, and ask him to leave the Air Force just for her. The Air Force was his life. He had earned this, deserved this. He was right for this. Head of Homeworld Security. Her boss. Again. A single tear snaked down her cheek, and then another. Five days. They had had five days together. Was that really all the happiness she would ever get?

Silently, Jack pulled her close, holding her tight as she fought to control the tears now mercilessly streaking down her face. Sam wrapped her arms around the man she loved, her face buried in the solid warmth of his chest as she wept, angry with the Air Force, angry with herself, angry with the whole damn universe... She couldn't say it. She couldn't tell him to leave the Air Force, to leave everything that gave meaning to his life, just for her. She wasn't enough.

"We'll find a way, Sam," he murmured quietly, burying his face in her hair. "I promise."

"I don't want to wait forever, Jack," she reminded him tearfully, the closest she could get to telling him to just turn it down.

"I wouldn't ask you to, Sam," he said gently. "If you find someone else, don't let me hold you back." Sam sobbed even harder, stung by his words. As if there could be anyone else. Jack tightened his hold, murmuring, "I'll always be there for you. No matter what," he added. "I love you, Sam."

"I love you, too," she sobbed, reaching up to pull his face to hers, to feel his lips on hers, just one last time. Not another word was spoken the rest of the evening, their lips, hands and tears intermingling, saying all the things they wouldn't dare put into words. When Jack finally pulled away from her to leave, Sam felt more grateful than ever that she would no longer have to face the SGC and its ten thousand reminders of the man she would never have.