AN1: Another huge thank you to everyone who has followed and reviewed this story. I truly appreciate it.


Sliding the laptop from her shoulder, Sam breathed a sigh of relief as the door shut behind her. Moving farther into the Nevada house that still did not feel like a home to her, she dropped the equipment and her keys on the table. Still it wasn't all bad. Jack had helped her to find it. He had teased her that if he was going to be there part of the time, he got a say in where she lived. She had just rolled her eyes at him at the time.

Flipping through the mail she smiled when a postcard with a mountain and the words Colorado plastered on it caught her eye. Turning it over, she chuckled at the hastily scribbled words. "Glad you're not here."

"Daniel," she breathed, smiling and shaking her head, as a wave of melancholy passed through her. It had become a joke between them in the six weeks she had been away from the SGC. Away from them.

Still she knew it had been good for her. She had not even realized how overwhelmed she had become.

That didn't mean she didn't miss the people in Colorado. Fortunately, the most important ones to her had visited her as much as they could. Daniel and Janet had made the most trips. Teal'c had helped to bring her car and bike out and Jack had been there twice; once to help her find her house, the other to make sure she was settling in okay. She wished he had been able to come more.

Blowing out a breath, she flopped on the couch and ran a hand through her hair. She had a decision to make. One that would affect not only her but the very people she missed seeing on a daily basis. Rolling to her feet, she dug her cell phone out of her purse and sank back down. Scrolling through the contacts, she pressed the send.


"Oh come on! Pass interference," Jack called, gesturing toward the screen hanging in the corner of the restaurant.

Smirking at his friend, Daniel shook his head slightly while sipping his beer. "Clean defensive play," he countered, his smile growing at the look Jack threw at him.

"You need to learn something about football," the older man snapped, jabbing a finger at Daniel to make his point. "You have to at least look at the ball for it to be defensive," he stressed.

Snorting, Daniel shook his head again and tried to stifle his amusement. "Refs agree with me," he taunted.

"Yeah well, they're probably in love with rocks too," Jack sniffed. Feeling his phone vibrating, he snagged it off of his waist and flipped it open. "O'Neill," he said, his voice testy. "Carter," he said immediately afterward, his voice warming.

Sipping his beer again, Daniel paused when he saw Jack freeze.

"Carter," Jack called. "Car..." he said again, cutting off his attempt, his eyes darting to Daniel's face. "Sam," he tried again, his tone dropping, becoming more intimate. Obviously, that worked because he continued. "Breathe." After a pause, he added, "You okay?" he asked, dropping his head to listen. "Okay, look, I'm just finishing up dinner with Daniel. Give me half hour and I'll call you back." Rolling his eyes, he cut them back to his friend. "Carter, it's fine. We're done. I just need to get someplace I can talk." Nodding at Daniel's silent question if she was okay, Jack added, "I'll tell him," before snapping the phone closed.

"What's wrong?" Daniel asked, watching as Jack shifted to pull money from his pocket.

"McCallum told her she could head R&D if she makes it permanent."

Daniel nodded. "And she worried what it means for everyone else if she does that."

Smirking, Jack stood. "Catch me tomorrow if that's not enough."

"Tell her it's a good thing," Jackson murmured before Jack headed out.

"Yeah." Back tracking a few steps, Jack added, "Said to tell you she liked the postcard."


"Why does this have to be so hard?"

Jack smiled at the groaned words coming through the phone. "Cause you're Carter," he intoned back dryly. The snort ringing in his ear told him she wasn't amused. "Take the position. If you don't like it, tell McCallum it's not working out. Hell, put in a transfer to Area 31. You know you'd love to get in on building the next space ship."

"Maybe the SGC," she threw out there lightly.

Silence descended for a moment. "No, not here Sam," Jack said, his voice rough. "Too much would have to change."

"I know," she whispered, knowing the change had nothing to do with the operations of the SGC.

"We're okay," Jack said softly. "You take care of yourself and let the rest of us worry about guarding the planet. I'll let you know when the world needs you again to save our asses." Hearing a soft sigh and "yeah," he relaxed. "It's late. Get some sleep and send me those papers tomorrow."

"Jack?"

Her call made him pause. "Yeah?" When there was a silent pause, he simply added, "Me, too. I'll see you soon," before he disconnected.


"I'm heading to class," Cassie called on the way out.

"Be careful," Sam called back from the kitchen, rinsing the plate in her hands. The same thing happened every Tuesday night. Cassie had an evening class and that left her with the clean up and a quiet evening. Still, that wasn't all bad. Since accepting the offer to head R&D two weeks earlier, she hadn't had much time to relax.

Finishing up the dishes, she was drying her hands when the door bell rang. Moving through the house, she was surprised when she looked through the peep hole. "Jack... er... General," she stuttered, unsure which was here in the middle of the week with no warning.

"Carter," he greeted, stepping past her to enter the house and reaching up to loosen the tie around his neck before shrugging off his cover and dress coat. Turning, he watched the uncertainty flit across her features.

"Just finishing dishes," Sam said nervously, gesturing to the towel in her hand. Starting to move past him, she was stopped when he snagged her arm and pulled her to him.

Wrapping his arms around her, Jack buried his face into her neck. Drawing a deep breath, he felt a shudder run through his body, causing him to pull her even tighter.

As she was enveloped by him, she could feel the tension radiating off his body. A sense of trepidation oozed into her from him. "Jack?" she whispered, pushing to get him to move back so she could look at him. "What's wrong?"

Realizing he was scaring her, he eased his hold and moved his head up to rest on hers. Brushing a kiss into her hair, he stood back shaking his head. "Nothing," he said, his voice rough. "Long day," he sighed, moving them farther into the room.

"Have you eaten?" Sam asked, seeing the fatigue in his features. "I've got some leftovers I could heat up?" she offered, knowing she would have to bide her time and wait for him to talk. Seeing his nod, she headed toward the kitchen.

When he followed and dropped into a chair in the breakfast nook, she pulled the containers from the refrigerator and spooned items onto a plate. Sliding it into the microwave, she pulled a beer from the lower shelf and took it to him.

"Where's Cass?" Jack asked, taking a long draw from the bottle handed to him.

"Class," Sam replied, heading back to check the food. Sliding a oven mitt under the plate, she took it over to him, sinking into a chair.

Silence descended as he ate the casserole and vegetables. When he was nearly finished, he looked over at her. Seeing the anxiousness in her eyes, he laid down his fork. He hadn't meant to concern her. "I was called to DC today to meet with the President and Joint Chiefs," he offered, clearing his throat. A quirk of the her eyebrow told him she was curious. "They," Jack paused and winced, "offered me a job."

"In DC?" she hazarded, knowing there were very few other places with high enough clearance for Jack to go.

Jack nodded. "Homeworld Security."

Blowing out a breath, Sam sat back as a small sad smile pulled on her lips. "General Hammond wants you back."

"George is retiring," Jack told her, setting back. He watched as her eyes widened as she took in the implications of his words. Nodding his head, he confirmed her silent conjecture.

"Holy hannah," she blurted out, locking eyes with him. "What did you say?"

Taking a draw from his beer, he set it down deliberately before speaking. "That I'd have to think about it." Raising his eyes, he locked eyes with her. "Wanted to see what you thought."

Tearing her eyes away from him, she forced her lungs to draw a breath. "Long way between here and there," she said softly, her finger tracing a line across the table on an imaginary map.

Nodding, Jack picked up the fork and shoved the remaining casserole around on the plate. After a few minutes, he dropped it and blew out a breath. Seeming to make up his mind, he reached across and captured Sam's hand. "I wasn't totally honest with you before," he confessed. When blue eyes locked back on his, he continued. "When you came out here. Yes, I did have to postpone my retirement, but there was another condition I had to agree to before they would let you go."

"What?" she breathed, not sure she wanted to know what else he had sacrificed for her.

"Nothing can," Jack paused, nervous how she would react to what he was going to say. Withdrawing his hand, he looked down before he continued, "Change between us as long as I am at the SGC. In case you have to be brought back," he clarified. "They don't want," he grimaced, "complications."

She drew in a hissed breath as she realized what he was saying. "And if you move to DC?" she choked out tentatively, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

Looking up, his eyes were dark. Licking his lips, he simply said, "Anything you want."

"I see." Getting up, she picked up his plate and moved to the sink. Rinsing it, she allowed the garbage disposal to drown out the silence that had sunk into the room. Shutting it off, she braced her arms against the counter, her head lowered. After a few minutes, she drew a deep breath before moving back to the table.

"You should go," she murmured, locking eyes with him.

Flinching, Jack was unsure if she meant take the job or leave her life. Rising, he forced his features into stone. "Whatever you want, Carter."

Watching the uncertainty flicker across his features before he shut down, Sam held out her hand to stop him. Licking her lips, she looked down and deliberately laid her hand on his chest before looking back up. "Maybe I could help you find a place. I doubt DC has changed that much since I lived there." Watching his features as the implications of her words hit him, a smile tugged on her lips. "Besides, if I'm going to be there part of the time, don't you think I should get a say?" she teased, ripping down the last of the wall he had been frantically erecting between them.

A shudder ran through Jack as his eyes closed. Gripping her arms, he wasn't sure if he wanted to shake her for scaring him or hug her for saying she wanted him. "Whatever you want, Carter," he finally choked out, opening his eyes to sweep her features. Clearing his throat, he licked his lips. "If we go there," he breathed, the implications of his words clear.

"There's no coming back," she replied softly, before brushing her lips against his.


AN2: One reviewer questioned how I would be able to wrap everything up in one more chapter. Seems that person was correct. There are a few strings pending yet. While I would like to get Sam back to the SGC, we will see. Thanks for sticking with me on this!