AN: Again, thank you for all the kind words and follows to this story.

There are brief references to "Legacy" and "In the Line of Duty" - those belong to MGM and et al and no copyright infringement is intended.


The faint sound of wood sliding against wood broke Sam's awareness and drew her from her thoughts. Opening her eyes, she could see Jack move away the dresser toward the closet from the light coming in from the hallway. She knew he had been under the assumption she was sleeping but in reality, she had awakened when he had gotten out of bed earlier. She had waited for him to return. Even when he did not, she still could not bring herself to get up.

Now that he was back and obviously had no intention of laying back down, she rolled over and turned on the lamp beside the bed. "Morning," she said softly when Jack started and looked over his shoulder.

"Sorry," he replied, turning to face her. "Was just getting stuff to get ready to head in. Didn't mean to wake you," he added, watching her sit up and slide back to lean against the wall.

Looking at him, a frown creased her features. "You didn't get much rest," she observed, guilt flashing over her face. "I should have..."

Jack cut her off. "Carter," he said, shaking his head. "I'm good. You were the one who needed sleep," Sitting on the side of the bed, he added, "Looks like you could use more too."

Shrugging, she neither agreed nor disagreed. She wasn't sure that more sleep was going to "fix" what she was feeling. Dropping her eyes, her attention was drawn to the bandage on her arm.

"How's it feeling?" Jack asked, reaching out to stop her from pulling on the adhesive. He knew the laceration under it had taken six stitches to close and the doctor had ordered her to keep it covered.

"Hurts," she said softly. "Hand smarts too," she added, frowning at the large bruise on the back of it. "How many times have we been through the Stargate?"

Surprise at her question flashed in Jack's eyes. "We, as in you and me, or the SGC in general?"

"Us," she murmured, her fingers still tracing the outline of the bandage.

Thinking, he slowly shook his head. "Hundreds, maybe a thousand times," he guessed. "Why?"

"Do you remember when they thought Daniel was becoming a schizophrenic from going through the gate?" His silent nod and sigh gave her the answer. "You said you didn't think the gate caused it, that it didn't change us."

"Yeah," Jack answered hesitantly. "You know as well as I do that that it was those slimy white things that caused that and not the gate."

Nodding in agreement with the cause of Daniel's change at that time, her words told him that Machello's device was not the real point of her bringing it up. "It does you know," Sam said solemnly finally looking up at him. "Change us."

Dropping his eyes to the various scrapes, cuts and scars on her body, Jack knew she was talking more than physically.

"It changes everything," she continued. "How we act, how we feel, how we see the world. What we are willing," she paused and winced, "capable of doing to another living being." Shaking her head, she looked past him to the window and early morning twilight beyond it. "Remember when we used to sit outside and stare up at the stars, picking out things that looked like our constellations and pondering what mysteries remained for us to find?" Bringing her eyes back to him, a shudder ran through her. "I don't see stars anymore, I see a potential battlefield, judging every movement as an indication of possible invasion." Her voice was low and anguished. "I see death. I want to see life again."

"Sam," Jack whispered, capturing her hand in his. Running his thumb over her hand lightly, he licked his lips. "It's been a bad year," he started cautiously. "And the last you thing you needed was to have a baby die in your arms yesterday."

"I don't know why I'm doing this anymore."

Flinching at her words, he looked away before meeting her eyes.


Tossing down the file on his desk, Jack eased himself down and let out a tired breath. The briefing had been brutal, even without Carter there to relay her portion of it. He was glad he had told her to stay home as he had dropped her off at her house and that she could file her report in a couple days.

It would have to be soon though. The second call with Hammond had moved up that time line. Logging in and scanning his emails, he spotted the one he had been waiting to arrive. Opening it, he read it feeling both a sense of relief and dread pass through him. Replying, he told them he would send the signed papers shortly. Before he could do anything else, a knock on his door herald the arrival of Daniel.

"Jack?" Jackson said, asking for permission to enter. Seeing a slight movement of O'Neill's hand, he moved closer, followed by Teal'c. "Couldn't help but notice Sam wasn't in the briefing. She okay?"

Throwing the pair a standard 'my aren't you observant' sarcastic glare, Jack shuffled the folders. "She told me last night what happened after you came through the gate and everything else others could report. No sense in her coming in just for this," Jack reported, picking up a pen and some papers.

Daniel glanced at Teal'c before saying "Okay" slowly knowing Jack was avoiding the question. "But how is she?" he pressed.

Silence filled the room except for the scratching of the pen on paper as Jack signed various documents. Licking his lips, Daniel shuffled uneasily, getting the silent message being relayed.

"What did GeneralHammond say when you spoke with him?" Teal'c inquired, positive that O'Neill had already completed this task.

"Carter's going to Area 51. TDA for a while, then if she wants, permanently," Jack stated flatly, tapping his fingers on the orders below them to indicate it was official.

"On temporary duty assignment to do...,"

"Hell, I don't know, Daniel. Fly kites," Jack snarled, tossing down his pen. Gritting his teeth, he picked back up the writing instrument and continued knowing he was going to have to come up with a better story than that for others.

"What did it cost you?" Daniel asked flatly, seeing the pain and frustration hidden behind Jack's anger.

"Doesn't matter."

"On the contrary O'Neill, it matters greatly," Teal'c countered. "You stated last night that they would not let ColonelCarter leave easily. As that is now occurring, some price had to be paid. I wish to know what that price was."

Shifting uncomfortably under the intense scrutiny, Jack slumped back in his chair and let out a resigned sigh. "Five years," he admitted softly. "I agree not to retire for at least five years, Carter goes to Nevada and they cannot pull her back here unless it goes through me and she agrees to it."

Sitting down in the chair, Daniel tried to find some good in the situation. "So, if she's there, then she's not under your command. That's good, right?"

The stare from Jack made him flinch. "That was part of it too, wasn't it," he surmised. "She's still under SGC authority so you can do nothing to change your," Daniel paused looking for how to phrase it, "relationship," he settled on.

"Not as long as I'm at the SGC," O'Neill snarled, running his hands over his face and through his hair in agitation.

"Which could be five years," Jackson finished, stunned at the manipulation of two of his closest friends.

"They believe you will bring her back or she will return because you are here," Teal'c stated, trying to determine what would be gained by such a ruling.

Snorting, Jack shook his head slowly. He had not thought of that one. "Great, I'm the bait," he said sarcastically, banging his head against the back of the chair before resting it there and closing his eyes.

"Jack," Daniel began, only to be cut off.

"Absolutely not. Carter does not know a word about this deal," the General barked, pointing at the younger man. Softening his tone, he added, "Hell, I could get lucky and trip going down the stairs and go out on disability before five years. Or get gangrene from a paper cut."

"O'Neill," Teal'c chided, refusing to allow him to minimize the sacrifice he had just given.

"If you two want to do something, start planning now on how to convince Carter to stay at 51," Jack pressed. "If I'm suppose to be the reason she comes back, make sure that doesn't happen."


Ringing the doorbell to Carter's house, Jack tapped the folder in his hand and tried to hide his nervousness. This could go really well or really badly.

"Hey," Sam greeted him, opening the door. Instinctively, she read the waves of tension running through him and knew this was not a social call. "Sir," she replied to his greeting of "Colonel." Straightening her posture and stepping back, she waited for the General to pass before leading them to the living room and gesturing for him to take a seat.

Waiting until he sat down, she eased herself on the front of a chair. "Sir, is there something wrong?"

Running his eyes over her features, he could see through the carefully constructed mask trying to hide the fatigue and helplessness. Any lingering doubt that he was doing the right thing evaporated. "You're being transferred," he announced, his tone indicting it was not up for discussion.

Surprise flashed through Sam's eyes. "Transferred?" She had spent the better part of the day coming to terms that leaving the SGC was not an option.

"51. Hammond says there are several projects behind schedule and they need to get done. You're being sent in to help," Jack explained reaching across and handing her the papers. "You report to Nellis in three days."

Flipping open the folder, she ran her eyes over the sheets indicating her temporary duty status.

"You retain your position, hazard pay and status at the SGC as long as you're there," O'Neill stated.

A frown creased Carter's forehead. "It doesn't say for how long," she observed.

"It's open, Colonel," the General stated, stealing his features. "If you want it to be permanent, that can happen."

Surprise again flashed over Sam's features. "Wow, sir," she breathed, not sure how she felt about that. "What about Daniel and Teal'c?"

"They'll be fine." Jack assured her, waiving off her concern. "They can go with other teams or take a break, do other things."

Licking her lips, she flashed a nervous look at him. "Sir, what about," she stopped, tipping her head at him.

"You'll still be technically under SGC authority as long as you're there," Jack stated harshly, still struggling with the concept himself.

Seeing her flinch, Jack sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Carter, this morning, you said you needed a break, for things to change. You wanted good things in your life, hell to get a life outside of work." Swallowing hard, he looked down at his clenched hands before looking back up at her. "That's not me. I'm part of the darkness you need to get away from."

Sam couldn't stop the tears that jumped in her eyes at his words. Shaking her head, she thrust the folder back at him. "No, sir," she choked out.

Unsure what exactly she was saying, Jack tilted his head at her. "No?" he questioned, half curiosity, half challenging her apparent insubordination.

"I won't go, sir," Sam stated, shaking her head. "Request permission to stay at the SGC."

Standing up, Jack headed toward her door while throwing "Denied" over his shoulder. His hand was on the door knob, when a strangled "Jack" reached his ears.

Closing his eyes, he tried to stay strong. A sadness settled over him, remembering the last time she had been in a cage and begging for him not to leave her. "Haven't we already done this?" he said softly, turning back to her, a sad, bittersweet smile on his features.

Nodding, Sam choked out, "I died," remembering what happened next. Closing the distance between them, she whispered, "Please don't do this."

Running his eyes over her features, he tried to memorize each one in case this was the last time. Swallowing the lump in his throat that appeared at her anguish, he realized his hand was reaching to wipe away her tears. Stopping it, he looked away and stilled his features before he looked back. "It's the only way," he said softly. Not giving her time to say anything else, he opened the door and walked through it.


AN2: Jack, Jack, Jack.. what HAVE you done?!