Terribly sorry it took this long to get this updated, but I had serious issues with this chapter. In the end I ended up deleting the problematic parts, something I'm berating myself for not having done earlier.

I hope you're still sticking with it, though.

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Sam was barely paying attention to what she was doing, too busy thinking back to what had happened just a short while ago in the Gate room. The Colonel had returned after weeks of being incommunicado.

And he wasn't alone.

Oh no... he had brought someone with him, someone Sam wasn't happy to see.

In her opinion the Colonel would've done just as well to have left Freya and Anise where he'd found them and not have dragged her... them... whatever... with him.

Unaware she had started gritting her teeth, Sam stabbed at the machine in front of her with the screwdriver angrily. Then, when it beeped in protest, she growled and stabbed even more viciously, her fury at the beautiful Tok'ra and Jack's ease with the woman barely repressed.

As he stood there by the blast-door, watching her work, a small wave of sadness washed over Jack.

- Major Carter means much to you, doesn't she? -

' The entire SG-1 is important to me. I care about Teal'c and Daniel too.' he denied, but his little passenger saw right through him.

- I did not mean it that way. - was the persistent voice in his head - You care about the Major differently than for the others. -

Lying to someone who can read your thoughts is usually pretty hard. One can try though. This time, however, Jack just didn't have the energy to.

' I did. Once. She was my life, a life without her was worse than death. I believed she felt the same. For a while I even thought she was to be my second chance. I was wrong on both parts. But that's the past now.' he sighed mentally.

- Are you sure? - the voice was dubious and demanding. He wouldn't allow Jack to hurt Freya if Jack was still undecided about his feelings.

Yet he was pleasantly surprised when Jack didn't even hesitate ' Yes. Carter is the past. My future is elsewhere.' Unbidden, an image of Freya smiling at him popped into his mind. Jack could feel approval and contentness radiating from his hitch-hiker.

- We are more alike than you want to admit, O'Neill. -

' Perhaps.' Jack conceded. Kanaan left it at that, counting his victories and knowing it would've been foolish to press for more.

Jack took a deep breath, summoning the courage to close a chapter of his life for good so he could open a new one. A chapter he hoped would be a long one. Knocking on the steel door-frame he entered the room

"Carter? You got a moment?"

The woman on the chair jerked, her head whipping around and startled eyes lighting on the intruder. When she saw who it was she softened, cheering innerly over the fact that he was with her and not with Freya.

"Sure, sir." she sent him a smile, but then stiffened when she finally sensed something "Sir?" Sam asked unsurely, while secretly reaching under her desk for the alarm-button and cursing her previous thoughts that had occupied her too much to notice it "I'm sensing a symbiote in you."

"I've got a snake, remember?" Jack snarked.

- I love you too. - shot Kanaan back sarcastically.

"You do?" Sam quickly caught herself and for a moment Jack was afraid Kanaan had spoken outloud, making Carter think they were meant sincerely for her. He let out a hidden exhale when she corrected her inquiry, making him know what she meant "I mean, I thought you would've given it back by now. If you're still blended, then how..."

Jack cut her off "That's why I'm here."

A sense of foreboding suddenly became stronger "Oh." she said, putting her work down. Turning to Jack she gave him her full attention. It still took him a while to find the right words and as usual when it came to heart-to-heart conversations he stalled.

"I just talked to the General."

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