"Unscheduled off world activation."

Sam pushed up from her desk and moved towards the door, but she stopped as she put her hand on the door knob. She was off duty and if she went up to the control room it would make Colonel Landon feel like she was checking up on him. She sat back down and continued to read the article she'd pulled up on her computer.

The knock on her door interrupted her just as she was four paragraphs from being done.

"Come in."

"Hey, Sam."

"Daniel!" She got up and gave him a hug. "When did you get back and why are you back?"

"I just got here. I came to get you and Teal'c."

"Why?" Fear crept up in Sam's chest.

"The Jaffa council captured Nyson and several of his followers. They are planning to have a tribunal. They would like you and Teal'c to testify."

"It makes sense for you and Teal'c to be there. I'm sure the Pentagon and IOA would be fine with you representing Earth's interests. I think SG-9 is available, they can go along with you if you'd like."

"They'll probably want to hear from you too."

Sam tilted her head. "Although I only got a slap on the wrist for going after Teal'c I doubt I would get approval to go off world right now, especially for this."

"Right, well, how about you, Jack, Teal'c, and I go to dinner tomorrow night before Teal'c and I leave on Monday morning?"

"That sounds good, but I'd need to talk to Jack first."

"I already did actually." Daniel adjusted his glasses. "I assumed you were at home since it's your day off, so I called there first. I asked him when I called."

"Good, I guess it's settled then."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Is there something else?"

Daniel closed the door to her quarters. "Well, Jack said you didn't come home last night."

Sam bit her lower lip. "That's true."

Daniel sat on the bed and looked at Sam. "Is there something wrong?"

Sam gave him a false grin and shook her head. "Everything's fine."

"I know you too well to believe that."

"Daniel." Her tone was stern.

"I also know that means you don't want to talk about it." He stood up. "But if you change your mind, I'd be happy to help."

"I know you would Daniel. Thanks."

Daniel headed straight to Teal'c's room and knocked. "Teal'c."

"Enter."

"Sam gave us the go ahead."

"That is good."

"Yeah, I invited Sam and Jack to go to dinner with us tomorrow night. Figured you'd want lasagna before you head off world again."

"I would indeed." Daniel shifted his weight from his right foot to his left and then back. "Is there something bothering you?"

"Actually, yes. Jack told me Sam didn't go home last night."

"I see."

Daniel's eyes narrowed. "You already knew, didn't you?"

"Indeed."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did not feel this was a worthy topic of conversation."

Teal'c had seen her eating alone Wednesday night so he joined her. After finishing their meals, he walked with her, assuming she was headed back to her office but was surprised when she went to her base questers. On Thursday evening he had gone to her office to let her know Dr. Lam had officially released him from her care. He knew it was past time for her to hand over the evening responsibilities, so he asked her to join him for his evening meal. After they finished eating, he again walked her to her quarters, but this time she invited him inside. Within moments she was in his arms crying, just as she had done many times when they were trapped in the time dilation and she did not think she would see Jack again. Not only had she been distraught at the thought of never seeing Jack again, but she worried about how her death would affect him. She knew that even though time was passing very slowly for them that outside their bubble the ship would be blow to bits before Jack could do anything to help them. Losing them all would crush him. It was during this time when she became Samantha, something he was careful to only use when they were not on base. Having her in his arms again felt right, but he wished it wasn't because she was distraught again. He reassured her that Jack loved her and if he did something reckless, such as leave her, then he wasn't worthy of her devotion. He left her once her tears dried. On Friday he sought her out again and after dinner suggested watching a movie in his room, since he had a much larger television.

"Not worthy? Sam and Jack could be breaking up and that isn't worthy of conversation!"

"It is not our concern."

"They're our best friends, so of course it's our concern."

"I strongly urge you to let them work out their own issues."

At least now she knew Jack realized she was gone. She'd been wondering if he'd missed her or even cared that she was gone. Daniel didn't say it, but she knew he thought she was being a coward by hiding at the SGC. She put her files in her briefcase and headed home, it was time to face Jack.

She sat in her car looking at their house, a house they'd bought together after he retired. They'd owned the house for over a year, but it had only been in the last few months, after she was promoted to General and returned to the SGC from the USS Hammond, that they'd both been home most of the time. She let out one more slow breath before getting her bag and going into the house. She wasn't surprised to see him sitting on the sofa watching a hockey game on the television. He glanced in her direction as she put her bag down beside the sofa and sat down beside him.

"How've you been?"

"Fine." He pushed up from the sofa and headed towards the kitchen. She got up and followed. He glanced over his shoulder. "You want something to drink?"

"No, Jack. I want to talk."

His shoulders tensed as he pressed his hands on the countertop. "About?"

"Why are you mad at me?"

Jack rotated his head, trying to loosen the muscles, before turning around. "Do you seriously want to do this now?"

"Is there a better time to break up with me?"

His eyes widened and he shook his head. "I'm not trying to break up with you."

"Then tell me why you're pushing me away."

His jaw tensed. "You tried to leave me."

"Spending a few nights at the SGC isn't the same thing as leaving you."

"A few nights?" Jack's brow furrowed. "That wasn't actually what I meant. Wait, how many nights?"

Sam's face fell. "I haven't been here since I left for work Wednesday morning."

"Oh." Jack leaned back against the counter.

"You didn't know, did you?"

"Of course I did." Jack glanced away from her. "At least part of it."

"Right, so if you weren't referring to the last few days what did you mean?" She stepped closer. "Jack?"

"You said good bye."

"No, I didn't."

"You picked dying with Teal'c over living with me." It all suddenly made sense. She moved even closer and put her hand on his chest.

"I didn't want to leave you, but I believed if I left Teal'c he would die before we could get to him again. I had to stay and give him a shot of tretonin."

"You said good bye." His voice was soft, making him sound lost.

She slid her hand to the side of his face. "I didn't want no to be the last thing you heard me say."

"So, you did think you were going to die?"

"I knew it was a possibility, but I had great confidence that you'd save me, and you did." She leaned forward and gently touched her lips to his. He didn't initially respond but she didn't give up. She closed her eyes and kept her lips pressed to his until she felt his lips respond. He put his hands on her hips, but he didn't deepen the kiss. "Jack?"

His eyes roamed over her face, taking in her pain, which matched his own. It was pain he'd caused, pain that had driven her away. He leaned in and captured her lips in a long slow kiss that made her stomach twist. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned against him, letting her body temporarily shut down her brain. As the need to breath began to pull at her Jack pulled back.

"I'm sorry, Sam."

"So am I."

He sighed. "So, what now?"

Sam grinned. "You have a hockey game to finish and I brought home articles to read."

He gave her another quick kiss. "Ok."

He settled back on the sofa with his fresh beer while Sam poured herself a soda and got out a stack of papers before joining him.

"What is all that?" He gestured at the papers.

"A couple of articles that the science department wants to publish."

"Making sure they aren't releasing anything classified?"

"Yep."

"Isn't that someone else's job now?"

"Technically, but I wanted to be sure and it gives me a chance to keep up with their research."

"Ah."

After a few pages Sam put her hand on his lower thigh, just above his knee, and pushed up as she shifted to sit more on her hip. After she got comfortable, she left her hand on his leg. Occasionally her fingers would flex, just enough to keep him aware of her hand. With the turn of each page her hand would inch up a finger's width. Jack was having a hard time concentrating on the game as her hand crept up his leg. He stretched his arms up and out over the back of the sofa, letting him place his arm around her shoulders. He leaned her head on his shoulder as she kept reading and inching her hand towards her goal. As she neared the end of the first article her hand was tantalizing close to the line between his leg and hip. He was impressed with her multi-tasking, since she did seem to really be reading while slowly torturing him. As she reached the last page her pinkie made contact, sending a shutter through him. He glanced at her and was annoyed to see no indication on her face that she was messing with him. She seemed engrossed in her reading.

He put his fingers in her hair and began lightly massaging the nape of her neck. It made it harder for her to concentrate on the article and the subtle movement of her fingers, but she kept her face passive as tingles spread from her scalp to her belly button. As she finished the last paragraph, she slid the rest of her hand over and up just enough to fully grasp him, pleased to find her teasing had brought about her desired effect. She put down the paper and reached over, unbuckling his belt. He let her maintain control, because that helped ensure he wouldn't hurt her still healing body, and because he enjoyed her ministrations. She proven how well she knew him that first long weekend they spent together, making him growl her name over and over. Since then they'd become well acquainted with each other's bodies and desires.

When she finished, she was straddling his lap and facing him. She fell against his chest and laid her head on his shoulder. "Who's winning?"

"I didn't know this was a contest. I mean it seems like we both won."

Sam snickered. "I meant the hockey game."

"There's a hockey game?"

She kissed his neck. "Good answer."

He rubbed her back. "You know, we haven't put that jacuzzi tub to good use in a while. I mean that is why we wanted it."

"I thought you said it would be good after tough training sessions."

"I just said that for the realtor, the real reason was so I could get you wet and naked."

"In that case, lead on."

Jack turned on the jets and leaned back on the padded side of the tub. Sam leaned back against him. He used a small luffa to gently scrub her abdomen. The heat, bubbles, and skin to skin contact had them both more relaxed than they'd been in weeks.

Jack kissed her just behind her ear. "We're good now, right?"

"Almost." She felt his abs tense slightly, even as he kept his arms and hands, which were wrapped around her, relaxed. She gently turned in his arms, making sure to not elbow him or put pressure anywhere sensitive. Once she was sideways in his arms she reached up and caressed his jaw. "Neither of us is good at expressing how we really feel, and up until now we've used being in a long-distance relationship as a buffer." She sighed. "I should have talked to you instead of running away to the SGC." Her thumb traced his cheek. "And you should have talked to me instead of avoiding me."

"I get that, I just…"

"I know, confronting me while I was on death's door would have been a jerk move."

"Big time."

"But as I got better you should have told me how you felt."

He ran a hand from her hip to her arm. "You aren't even fully healed now."

"Jack."

"I hear you, I do."

"So, we can both agree to try to be more open, even though it makes us uncomfortable."

"For you, anything." He tipped her chin up and kissed her.

"They have arrived."

Daniel looked over at the door and grinned, "And they're holding hands."

"Indeed."

Daniel slapped Teal'c on the arm. "I told you they'd be ok."

"No, you did not."

"Well, I meant to."

Teal'c gave Daniel the side eye as Jack and Sam took the seats across from them.