Author's Note: Hello here is the last chapter. It has to be the end, I have too many other stories that need my attention. Thank you to lkhoward88 who pushed me to write this chapter. I was harder to write than I thought it would be. I couldn't just make things up as I went along but had to make it fit with the first chapter, but I finished it! Here it is enjoy.....

Thank you to lkhoward88 and SerneBunny for taking a look at this chapter.

Jack O'Neill stared at the paper on the table, he really didn't want to be here right now. Today was an anniversary and he should be at home in Colorado Springs with his wife and daughter. Instead he was here listening to people prattle on and on. Now he was tired of being here, it was now or never. He looked at his watch, he was late. The plane he should have been on had left here two hours ago.

Making a choice, he stood, "For crying out loud give the Russians their X303. You're going to anyway, you have to, stop debating and make the call. If you need a vote mine is yes. Now I have somewhere to be." Without further ado, he stood and headed out the door and didn't look back.

As he headed down the stairs, he made a call to see how quickly he could get a flight west. The voice on the other end of the line told him that, if he was there in less than half an hour, there would be one waiting. All he had to do was make a call to his driver, who had been waiting for three hours for him, out front. Usually he drove himself, but on days he was leaving DC, the driver and car was easier.

Leaning back into the seat, he let his mind wander to how close he and Sam had come to not making it this far. It still hurt a little to think of that day, but knowing Sam and Nadia would be there when he arrived eased it considerably.

The truck pulled to a stop but neither of them wanted to get out and face the truth. Grace was going to go into that mountain, but she would never come out again. They were taking their little girl in there to die and there was nothing they could do to prevent it. Their only hope was to contact the Asgard and find a miracle for her and them.

Jack and Sam had very little hope for that miracle. Everyday for the last two months, the entire span of Grace's life, there had been no response.

"We have to go inside Sam, there's no where else for us to go." He took her hand, but it was cold.

"I know. I just don't want to believe it. We gave so much and now we have to give her up too. Jack, it's just not fair."

Reaching out to touch her cheek, he said "Nothing has ever been fair for either of us. I love you. It's time to go. Waiting here won't change anything." He opened the door and reached into the backseat for the baby seat that held Grace.

Linking hands, Jack and Sam headed inside to face the truth.

Grace lingered for another week before she died in her mother's arms as Jack held on to Sam. As soon as they took Grace, Sam pulled away both physically and mentally, shut herself off from the pain and anything else but her gadgets.

Leaving the infirmary, she headed to her lab and buried herself in her work. Two days before the funeral, Jack dragged her home to eat and sleep.

He tried to get her to talk, but she just sat there picking at her food, not really eating. He would ask her opinion about the funeral, the gathering after, even what dress to put on Grace, but she would only shrug and tell him to decide.

The night before, he curled up beside her, holding on to her and hoping she would come back to him. That he could stop her from slipping away, but knowing there was nothing he could do until she mourned Grace.

When he woke the next morning, she was gone.

"General O'Neill." A voice broke into his memories as the Sergeant held the door open for him.

"Yes, Miller?" Jack answered, rolling his eyes at the man's instance on opening the door for him. Usually it was a race to see who could get there first. "I see you won today."

The younger man smiled, "Yes, Sir."

Jack couldn't help but smile back. He was on his way home to Sam. "Thanks Sergeant. See you in a few days. I call you guys when I know more."

"Yes, sir." Miller stood at attention and saluted as Jack climbed out of the car.

As he returned the salute, Jack sighed. It was the same with all these boys. No matter how hard he tried to get them to drop the ceremony and the salutes, these boys wouldn't do it. One time he asked one of them why it was so important to them. He had answered that Jack deserved respect and they would give it.

With his own nod to show his respect for them, Jack walked toward the waiting plane. He pulled out his cell phone, answering it. "Sam, I'm boarding the plane. I should be there in a few hours. They tell me about three to five hours depending on the stops."

He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sound of her voice as it came over the line. "You're late. You were supposed to be home in an hour."

"Yeah well, those guys I was meeting with went on and on. I finally told them to decide without me 'cause I was going home. I have to hang up now, we're taking off as soon as I'm on board. I love you." Jack boarded the plane and hung up the phone.

"See you in a few hours. I love you too." Sam hung up the phone smiling, only to pick it up again and dial another number. "Daniel, you can come and get Nadia now. Jack's on his way home."

"Sure Sam. I'll be there in half an hour. I told Vala that she could help me. I have to pick her up before I get there."

Shaking her head, she wondered just when those two would stop circling each other and realize what was going on between them. "Nadia'll be ready for you when you get here. See you in a few minutes."

Opening the baby's door, Sam saw that Nadia was still asleep. Slipping into the room quietly, Sam gathered all the things Nadia would need for her overnight visit with her Uncle Daniel and Vala.

Dropping it all by the door, she sat down and cuddled the stuffed bunny that was on the table beside the couch. It had been one of Grace's baby shower gifts. Jack had kept everything waiting for her to come and deal with Grace's death. He knew that she would need to say goodbye one day, and she would need to see the room again.

Sighing, she rose to her feet her feet and walked down the hall to Grace's room. Opening the door, she stepped inside. It was exactly the same as the day they took Grace to the mountain. The last time she had been in here was the morning of Grace's funeral.

Sam woke with a jerk, she heard Grace crying and she had to get up. Jack's arm tightened around her. She thought about staying for a moment but she knew Grace needed her and she slipped from the bed.

Pausing to turn on the hall light, Sam opened the door only to be greeted with silence. A heavy silence. Crossing to the crib, she saw it was empty. The memory slapped her in the face. Grace was dead, she had died in Sam's arms from a heart defect and it hurt. The pain shot through her and it was more than she could bear. It brought her to her knees, dry sobs rocked her body.

Suddenly, she couldn't stay in the room or the house a moment longer. Returning to the bedroom, she grabbed the first clothes she found on the floor, dressing quickly. Pausing only long enough to grab her coat, she left the house.

At first she was just going for a walk but two hours later when she got close to the house, Sam couldn't make herself go inside.

The air was a little cold as the wind picked up and Sam shoved her hands into her coat pockets. There she found a credit card. The last time she had been to the grocery store, Sam had been in such a hurry to get home to Grace and Jack that she had shoved it in there. But Grace was no longer there, her room was empty and it would be forever.

The house was still dark, as Jack slept on unaware of her turmoil. Sam took one last look at her family's home and walked away.

She had no idea where she was going, only that she needed, and wanted, to out run the pain. Two years later, she was still running and the pain was still there chasing her, never leaving. It was still raw because she had never acknowledged Grace's death or mourned it.

The ringing of the doorbell pulled Sam from the memory. She placed the bunny beside Grace's photograph; it was the same one Jack had carried next to his heart. It was creased and a little ragged but it held so much meaning to both of them.

With a smile, she closed that door and opened another. Nadia was awake and banging her feet against the end of the crib. At the sound of the door opening, she got to her feet and bounced on the mattress, "Ma, out." Her chubby arms reached out to be picked up.

"Yes, baby. Time to terrorize Uncle Daniel. Let's go let him in."

Vala stood on the step with Daniel. She was practically bouncing. "May I hold her, please?"

Sam understood Vala's baby fetish, her own daughter, Adria, never truly was her daughter, only a tool of the Ori to enter this galaxy. This meant whenever Vala saw a baby, she had to hold it or at least touch it. Sam knew all the signs, Vala had baby fever, and there was only one cure, for her to have a child of her own. Sam hoped that one day Daniel would wake up and see just what was standing there before him. Vala loved him, but she had no idea how to show it. They had both endured so much pain, they deserved to be as happy like her and Jack.

After handing the diaper bag to Daniel, Sam gave Nadia to Vala. "We'll be by tomorrow to pick her up at noon. If there're any problems you can call us."

"Don't worry, nothing is wrong. I have lots of things for Nadia to do. I learned songs and rhymes in case I ever have another baby." Vala looked at Daniel to see if he would look at her, but he stubbornly stared at Nadia. Grabbing his hand, she said, "Time to go Daniel."

As he was pulled away, Daniel said, "Yes, Sam everything will be fine. See you tomorrow."

Laughing, Sam closed the door and began to get ready.

Two hours after the plane took off it landed somewhere in Kansas to drop off a few other Air Force officers. Jack left the plane to grab a bit to eat and re boarded the plane, lying back in the seat. His mind wandered to the morning when he woke up alone without Sam. Not knowing the pain that was to come.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains shining right into Jack's eyes. He rolled away from it, reaching for Sam, but found only wrinkled blankets.

Thinking she must have woken earlier, he slipped from the bed, dressed and went to find her. After searching the house, he found no sign of her. Hoping she had just gone for a walk, he sat down at the table to wait, trying not to let his heart break anymore. He had lost Grace and now he feared Sam as well.

Two hours later, he was still sitting there, a cold mug in front of him. A knock at the door roused him from his stupor. "Sam?" He rushed to the door to find only Daniel and Teal'c on the other side.

Seeing his friend's expression, Daniel reached out to him, laying his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Jack, what's wrong? Where's Sam?" He was looking around the room behind Jack.

"I don't know. I woke up alone and she was gone. I have to get ready for the funeral, its almost time. Come in while I shower and shave. Come and get me if she calls or comes home."

A pocket of turbulence jolted the plane, bringing Jack back to reality. He rubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes. He was tired and this flight would be another few hours. It was time to have a nap.

Closing his eyes, he wondered what Sam was doing now as he drifted to sleep hoping he would dream about her.

Sam was racing around the house trying to get all the things she needed before Jack arrived. Dinner was prepped, the table set, and now it was time to turn her thoughts to herself.

Laying back into the bubble bath, she thought back to the day when she realized the mistake she had made, but had no idea how to fix it.

It was late one night, SG-1 had returned from a horrible mission. Too much was being lost to the Ori, and all she wanted was Jack, but she was the one who had left. How could she just walk back into his life?

Getting up, she picked up the phone and dialed his number. It rang once and then twice. "Hello?", his voice came over the line and tears rolled down her cheeks at the sound of his voice. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

Sam's hand tightened on the phone and she tried to speak, but it came out a sob and she hung up. A few minutes later, the phone rang, she knew without looking it was him. She didn't answer it, she never did when he called, too ashamed of what she had done and how she had left.

That was the furthest she ever got to talking to him. She managed to avoid him, even on the day she was made a Colonel. One of the happiest and saddest days of her life.

Sam stood in the women's locker room, dressing for the ceremony. Knowing she had to do this but wanting to just run away all the same. It was going to be one of the hardest days of her life; she would have to face Jack for the first time since she walked out the door. Since then, she had managed to avoid him on all of his visits to the SGC, but not this time.

Finishing the buttons of her shirt, she grabbed the jacket from the hanger, and tried to push away the pain that was always there, it never eased or changed. Where her heart was there was only a dull ache, and she had no idea how to make it better. It never occurred to her that she was avoiding the only cure.

Pushing her arms into the coat, she straightened the collar. Putting on her shoes was the last step in forging her armour and turning her into Soldier Sam, it was the only option for making it through today. Taking a deep breath, she checked her appearance in the mirror.

No, you couldn't see the dark rings under her eyes. Since the end of the Ori threat, she had not been sleeping well. Not enough to do and so she dwelt more about her own problems. Things would be better once she arrived in Atlantis, there were enough problems there to exhaust her and keep her mind occupied and off her pathetic life.

Entering the Gateroom, she milled with the other officers gathered there until she found Cam and fell into line beside him. Daniel and Teal'c stood on the opposite side with the few civilians of the SGC. She smiled at them, but it didn't quite reach her eyes, it never did anymore not since...

Her attention was diverted for her thought by Walter Harriman's voice, "Attention!"

The entire group of the military personnel snapped to attention wth one synchronized motion. The two Generals entered the room side by side and moved up to the top of the ramp. At the top, they performed crisp turns to face the gathered crowd. Landry spoke, "At ease." Once again, the entire company moved as one to stand in their semi relaxed state.

Sam tried hard to focus on Landry as he talked, but her eyes betrayed her and strayed to look at Jack. She had always loved how he looked in his dress blues. That day they had met in the briefing room, if he hadn't opened his mouth, she might have fallen for him right then.

Their eyes connected, blue met brown. It was electrifying, as always. That charge ran through her reminding her that she still loved him and she always would. Looking at him, a quote she read somewhere ran through her mind, 'He taught me how to love but not to stop'. That was where she was, she loved him and had no idea how to stop doing so, in order to stop her pain and allow her to live again. The other choice was to go home and try again, but how do you apologize for walking away as she did? There was nothing she could say to explain it and she knew it.

Beside her, Cam nudged her, "Landry called your name. Get up there."

Slightly embarrassed, she marched up the ramp to where Landry and Jack waited. She couldn't help remembering the last time she did this, Jack pinned the cluster of silver oak leaves onto her shoulder making her a Lieutenant Colonel. This time it would be Landry, not Jack and she was glad. It would bring her too close to him and she had no idea what she would do.

She stood before the two men, her heart in her throat. He was so close now, she could smell the aftershave she had bought him their first Christmas together. It was that morning she had told him about the baby. Sam choked that thought, she couldn't think about that now, not ever, it hurt too much.

Concentrating on Landry, she didn't notice Jack step forward, taking the box with her eagles from Landry. He placed them in his pocket and removed a second more worn box from the other. He opened it to reveal a much older set of eagles, his eagles.

Sam's eyes widened in surprise as her eyes sought his. Why was he doing this, she didn't deserve this. How could she after what she had done?

Seeing the look on her face, Jack blocked her from the view of the company. "Landry is letting me do this because you are my wife. I've missed you." His voice was full of pain.

Passing the box to Landry, Jack removed one of the eagles and pinned it to her shoulder and repeated the process with the other. As he bent over her his breath brushed her ear, "I still love you, come home."

Panic filled her, but it didn't show on her face, but inwardly, her brain was working over time as it spun out of control. She said her oath without her voice trembling but Sam thought it was a miracle. Jack announced her as Colonel Samantha Carter O'Neill and the assembled group saluted her or clapped.

Landry dismissed the company and everyone milled around again. Some drifted up to the briefing room where the refreshments were. Jack kept trying to get her alone to talk to her, but she always had someone to talk to. She made sure of that.

Finally, she fled not to her lab; there were too many memories there of Jack, but to the large storage closet she had converted into her secret lab.

Laughing at herself, she sat alone in her small room shutting out the world, Jack and her memories.

Stepping from the tub, Sam was amazed at how stupid she had been. Jack had done everything that day but wave a sign in her face saying 'Come home; I forgive you.' In the end, he had found a way to get her to face her grief and move on with her life- their life.

Looking at the clock while she dressed, she realized it was time to check in with Jack and see if he knew what time to expect him. Picking up the phone, she called his cell.

The ringing of his phone woke Jack from his nap. Pulling the phone from his pocket, he answered without looking at the display, "Hello Beautiful. Did you miss me?" Daniel had programmed his phone to play some pop song whenever Sam called. If anyone asked him, he hated it, but the song really fit how he felt about Sam.

Her voice was soft and happy as it came over the line. "Of course. How close are you now?"

"Not sure, I was dreaming about you, when you woke me up. Let me find out and I'll call you back." He hung up the phone and moved to the cabin to ask the pilot how much longer to Colorado Springs.

Phoning Sam back, he told her it should only be another hour and he would be home. Also, he needed her to arrange for a car to pick him up. Sitting back in his seat, he pulled a cup of blue jello from his briefcase and while eating the treat, he thought of Sam.

Sam was leaving the SGC, the planet, the galaxy and he was stuck here in this stupid meeting where old men argued about the same things over and over again.

Getting to his feet, he spoke, "As much fun as this is, I have to excuse myself. My wife is leaving for Atlantis and I would like to say goodbye. So, my votes are thus, no, no,no, yes, no and never in a million years. You can place them where you want to."

Turning around, he ran from the room and called for his car from the stairs as he ran down the flights. On the way to Andrews, he called for a direct plane to Colorado Springs. He didn't like to play the General card, but he knew this could be the last time he saw Sam, ever. He had to catch her and make everything right before she left or they might never have the chance. He might lose her forever.

Three hours later, he had landed at the airbase close to Colorado Springs and got himself another car heading up the mountain. He called Daniel to find out her departure time and he was going to cut it close.

He had the car drive as close as possible then he jumped out and ran through Cheyenne Mountain Complex. He reached the elevators and had to wait there, wasting precious time.

Swiping his card for the Gateroom, Jack arrived just in time to see her vanish in the Asgard beam.

"Samantha..." his voice was full of anguish.

He dropped his head, she was gone and with her, possibly their last chance. Standing there he made a promise to himself that when she returned, he would be there and make her see that it wasn't over and they need to try again. It hurt too much to live apart and he wanted her by his side.

Standing there, Jack looked at the empty space where she had been with unshed tears in his eyes. He could never remember how long he stood there before finally he turned, and headed back to his empty home, left with only his happy memories.

Shaking off those unhappy thoughts, he looked up at that same house. It was no longer an empty shell, but it was now full of love and life. He and Sam had won in the end and now they had Nadia, their hope and joy.

He stepped from the car, amazed that he had made it this time. The front door opened and Sam stood silhouetted in the doorway. She hesitated for a moment and then launched herself into his arms. Catching her, he swung her around kissing her.

They were making a scene, but the neighbors were used to the O'Neills by now. Back on her feet, Sam took his hand and led him inside. "Come on, dinner's ready. Do you want to change while I serve it up?"

Nodding, he headed down the hall, removing his tie as he went. Quickly, he shed the general's clothes and became Jack O'Neill, husband and father. The role he enjoyed much more.

The dining room table was set beautifully with candles. Looking around he asked, "Where's Nadia?"

"I hope you don't mind. I sent her to stay the night with Daniel. We haven't had much time together lately...." Sam trailed off now, unsure she had made the right choice.

Jack smiled and took her hand, "Sounds great. Is Vala helping him?"

Moving to her chair, Sam nodded, "Yes she was with him when they picked Nadia up."

"Good, when are those two going to wake up? It better not take them eight years. I want our kids to have some cousins to play with." Jack stood by Sam's chair and helped her sit before sitting himself.

Half way through dinner, he took her hand. "It's ten years today that we stood in the briefing room. We've come a long way since then and we have a long way to go yet. I love you so much. Thank you for loving me."

"What else could I do Jack, you are you. I have news for you. Remember the last time we were home, we talked about having another baby?" She looked at him and he nodded, "Well its going to happen in about seven and half months."

Jack choked on his bite, "Baby? You're pregnant?"

A smile lit her face, "Yes is that Okay?"

"Better than Okay." Standing, he took her hand and pulled her into his arms, kissing her soundly and dipping her just like he had done in the time loop. Only this time, there was no reset, they were together and they were happy.

Dinner lay forgotten on the table as they celebrated their life and love knowing more storms would appear on the horizon, they had each other to lean on. That meant that they could face anything and find the joy on the other side.

There it's all done, let me know if you liked it. Use that nifty new button and tell me what you think.