Notes: Thanks for reviewing. In answer to a question; Sam's last name is still Carter, its just the children who have their father's last name.

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"Rei? I'm sorry honey, I can't get by to pick you up today. I know I said I would, but I just can't get back in time, I have to work."

"Its okay, Mom," Rei smiled, even though she knew her mother couldn't see her, "I'm old enough to find my way back. Have been doing all week!" she winced, knowing her last words sounded harsh.

"…I'm sorry. I know I said I'd try-"

"Mom, really, its fine. Just don't expect any of Annika's cookies to be left when you get home!" the girl laughed and leant back against her locker.

Belle halted in the corridor, hearing her new friend's voice. She turned back and headed toward her, head tilted in inquiry.

"I'll be home in time tomorrow night, I promise."

"Bring chocolate!" Rei laughed, "Bye, Mom," she hit the 'disconnect' button on her phone and finally looked back at Belle, "My Mom," she explained, "Working late."

She raised her eyes to the heavens, "I know the feeling. I know the whole routine."

"Comes with the territory I guess," Rei slammed the door to her locked shut, adjusting her bag on her shoulder.

"What do you mean?"

"Air Force and all."

Belle blinked, "Your Mom's in the Air Force?"

"Yeah, she's a Colonel," Rei smiled proudly.

"Neat," the girl nodded, "My Mom's a doctor."

"We know where you get your brains from then!" she teased.

Belle blushed, "…I…I'm not…I mean really…" she shook her head, "Well, if your Mom's gonna be home late then you're not going to be missed just yet, right?"

"My sister should already be home…brothers wont be until Dad picks them up…unless there's a crisis, the world's about to end and I need to say my final goodbyes, I doubt it."

"Wait until you've seen a mothership descending…" the eldest Jackson child thought, somewhat bitterly, "Then you'll know the meaning of wanting to say goodbye…"

"…Belle?" Rei was frowning down at her, concerned expression on her face, "…What's wrong? What did I say? I'm sorry-"

"Hey, no, no," she laughed, a little nervously, "Well, if you want, you can come over to mine until somebody can take you back home. I'm sure Mom wont mind; Dad's not usually back until late evening anyway."

"…Are you sure? Nobody's going to mind?"

"I wouldn't ask if I thought they would."

"…Okay…" Rei nodded, "That'd be great."

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"Perk up, Carter, its not the end of the world," Jack commented, seeing Sam staring at the phone in her hand, seated beside the bench in her lab.

She jumped, stunned by his sudden appearance, "I'm sorry, Sir."

"Barely back and you're already in your old haunts."

"Force of habit," Sam looked away.

"…You could've told me you were transferring…" he said quietly, finally addressing the issue they'd been trying to avoid.

"It wasn't necessary to tell you until it had all gone through," she replied, not looking up at him.

"Yeah, but going behind my back? To my CO?"

"…You would've tried to talk me out of it…" Sam uttered softly.

"Damn right I would have!"

"What did you expect me to do? I was pregnant! I didn't want to risk my child, my children, losing their mother. And don't you dare say anything about risks and what we signed up for; I know the pain of losing your mother all too well…" she finally looked back at him, glaring, "I didn't want my kids having a cold military base as their second home, Sir."

"You still could have said something before the paperwork hit my desk!" Jack snapped, exasperated, "My kids are fine! Daniel's kids are fine! Nothing wrong with them, growing up here!"

"Yeah? And what would you be saying if he was dead? What would you be saying if Kerry was dead? You know if you had had the choice you'd have wanted to raise your kids somewhere where they could lead a normal life and you were still able to make a difference."

Jack leant against the desk, "You and I both know this conversation has nothing to do with duty or any of our children."

Sam glared defiantly back, daring him to raise the subject.

"I'm being transferred. I requested it several weeks ago, I'm sorry I neglected to tell you, Sir," she stood before his desk, looking down at him yet straight through him.

"What the hell is this, Carter?" he stared.

"I have to go," she stated.

"What kind of reason is that? Why?" Jack demanded.

"I want to be safe. I want my child to be safe," she replied with lines of what she believed to be a undeniably logical argument.

"We need you here. You know you can take maternity leave whenever you want-"

"I know that, Sir, I just don't think having a family and risking my life everyday is a situation a child should be brought into. And if I have to choose between the SGC and my baby…no matter how much I may love this life…my baby wins. My family wins, Sir."

"You can't go, Sam," Jack stood, "I need you here."

She backed away, "And that's why I have to go. You have Kerry, Sir, I'm sure I won't be missed."

He narrowed his eyes, "Is that what this is about?"

Sam remained silent, staring straight ahead.

"Is that what this is about?" he repeated, "Carter! What the hell is this? You married Pete! You're carrying his child!"

"I love him!" she shouted.

"But not as much as you love me!" he dared to retort.

Fire blazed in her blue eyes, "That doesn't matter. That stopped mattering the moment we began different paths."

"I need you here, Sam."

You need me here? Or General O'Neill needs me here?"

He looked away, "If I loved you any less then I'd let you walk out that door, no questions."

Sam gazed back at him sadly, "And that's why I have to go. I wont do this. I wont live on what could have been. I wont do that to him…and I wont do it to my child."

"So this is it?" he questioned, helpless.

"This is it," she nodded, "…We knew we'd get here eventually. We'd end up doing this to each other. She loves you. Love her like she deserves to be loved. And I'll love Pete."

"…Going to keep telling yourself that…?"

Sam smiled slightly, "Yes. Because despite the past…my future is with him. And yours is with her," she closed the distance between them, about to kiss his cheek, changing her mind at the last minute, brushing her lips briefly against his, "Its better this way," she turned to leave, "I'll be gone by morning."

The door didn't close behind her.

Kerry smiled at Jack as she stepped into his office, "Why the sad face?" she followed his line of vision to the retreating form of Sam Carter, "You know, some people might doubt whose baby that is."

That snapped him back to reality, "What do you mean by that?" he demanded, a little too harshly.

"Hey," she held up her hands in defence, "I'm just kidding!" she wrapped her arms around him, "You need to relax more."

She wasn't kidding.

She had seen the whole confrontation through the glass window of his office.

But she kept silent.

Because she loved him.

Sam stood up, "Don't revisit the past, Sir. We each know we're on unsteady ground. What's done is done. I have no regrets. If you'll excuse me, I'll be in Daniel's office, Sir."

All Jack could do was stare after her as she walked away, again, "…Truly no regrets, Sam?"

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