Author's Note: The beginning of this chapter really belongs at the end of Chapter 9 -- it was an oversight on my part. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was a tough one to write and I'm still not quite sure that I'm comfortable enough with it, but here it is none the less.

-d3vilish

Regretfully Yours

Previously on SG-1 (Chapter 3):

He downed the rest of his beer. Although his vision was getting a bit blurred, his thoughts were still emerging in full force. He grabbed a notepad and a pen and began to scribble.

Dearest Carter,

...(removed body of letter - refer to ch 3)...

Be happy Carter.

Regretfully and always yours,

Sir.

He finished the letter letting all of his emotions spill onto that page only to be sealed in an envelope again. He scribbled "Carter" on the front of the envelope before falling asleep on the couch – his emotions symbolically enveloped by her. He wanted to yell at her, tell her that her love for Pete was all bullshit. He wanted to blame her for throwing everything that was between them aside. Most of all, he wanted her and no amount of yelling or screaming or beer was going to accomplish that.

Kerry put the remaining dishes on the drying rack and moved into the living room. She released a heavy sigh – the house was quiet without Jack around. She already missed him. Kerry picked up the coasters sitting on the coffee table trying to tidy up the mess that she and Jack had made a few nights earlier. Opening his side table drawer looking for a place to put them, she tossed the coasters in. An envelope caught her eye as she went to close the drawer – she hesitated; her gaze focusing on the envelope a little too long. Moving the coasters aside, she read Carter scribbled on the front. Her heart dropped. The envelope was too long and too flimsy to be a wedding card envelope. It was a letter. A personal letter no doubt. All military memos were done on-base. She swallowed thickly as she handled the envelope with delicate care. Her better judgment told her to just put it down and move on. There was unfinished business between Sam and Jack – the envelope was proof of that. They saw each other on the base every day; this was definitely something that couldn't be easily said, or at least said on the base.

Although Kerry was always sure of herself – never insecure - when she was around Jack, there was a part of him that always remained a mystery hidden by his childish mannerisms and boyish smile. Part of that hidden Jack belonged to Samantha Carter. That much was obvious… and it hurt her to know that she had to let go. As much as she wanted to read it Kerry closed the drawer and set the letter down on the side table. Although it broke her heart, she knew what she had to do.

Jack rounded the corner to the infirmary - the image of Sam's face as she received news of her father flashing in his head. Jacob was like a brother to him – he couldn't help feeling concerned for his well-being. More importantly though, he couldn't help feeling concerned about Sam. He stopped a hair short of bumping into a clearly distracted Sam as she made her way out of the infirmary. Her head was down not really paying attention to her surroundings. She was a mess and he needed to be there for her – if she'd let him.

"Whoa Carter!"

"Sir!" She said surprised to see him on the base. Sam wiped the tear tracks from her face and pulled her cardigan closed suddenly feeling self-conscious about being out of uniform on the base. "I um, I didn't have time to –"

"How's Jacob?" Jack said in a softer tone dismissing her defense about being in civvies.

Her eyes glazed over with tears. "Not good, sir." She tried to calm herself down before she left the infirmary, but her emotions were too strong to contain. "I'm ah, I'm on my way to get dressed." She indicated with awkward hand movements before pushing past him trying to make a quick getaway. Thoughts of earlier events were completely pushed out of her memory – all she could think about now was getting back to spend her last moments with her father.

He kept his eyes on her until she rounded the next corner.

Jack gently knocked on the door-frame to the infirmary.

Jacob turned his head slightly to see who it was. "Come on in Jack."

"How you doing Jacob?" Jack approached, hand stuffed in his pockets as he stood on the balls of his feet.

Jacob offered a half smile. "I've been better."

"Anything I can get you?" Jack sincerely returned surveying the area to make sure everything he needed was within reach.

"No –," Jacob sat up, "but there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Jack pulled up a stool linking his fingers together in his lap. "Sure. What's on your mind?"

"Jack, you know I've always respected you as a person and as an officer on this base."

Jack slightly nodded.

"Well then you also know that I value your opinion."

Jack wasn't sure what to say – his mouth opened trying to force a coherent response out.

" – let me finish Jack."

His mouth snapped shut.

"My only daughter's getting married – and normally that wouldn't be a problem for me, except I know that she cares about someone else." He searched Jack's expression for some indication that he knew where he was going. "Someone who isn't Pete."

Jack's eyes averted Jacob's deadly lock. "Look Jacob… I'm –"

"Just shut up and listen will ya?" Jack shifted uncomfortably on the stool allowing his gaze returned to Jacob's. "Look Jack - you and I both know that she has feelings for you. She has for a long time now. It's in the way she acts around you – I know my daughter well Jack. She's more like me than I care to admit." He took a moment before continuing. "But like me, she's too stubborn. She'd never jeopardize her career or yours." Jacob swallowed thickly. "Sam would rather convince herself that she's happy with Pete than take a chance on you."

Jack remained silent. He knew why she came to his house earlier. He knew what she wanted to say – what he wanted her to say. He also knew that it fit perfectly with what Jacob was saying now. But she hadn't said it. And it wasn't out in the open. The only thing he knew for sure was that she was having doubts about the wedding – doubts that some how concerned him. He didn't have to have special ops training to fill in the gaps.

Jack let out a heavy sigh.

"Look Jack – I'm sure in time you and Sam will figure it out. But for now, all I need to know is that you'll be there for my little girl when I'm gone. That's all I'm asking."

"Always." He said softly without missing a beat – the reality of the situation heavily settling in.

"Hey, Pete?" She held the phone tightly to her ear.

"Sam!" His tone changed noticing the shake in her voice, "What's wrong?"

"It's my dad." She bit her bottom lip exhaling a swift breath as tears began to blur her vision. "He's dying." Her heart sank just hearing the words.

"What? How? Sam, you want me to come to the base?"

"No – no, I'll be fine." She falsely reassured him. "Pete, there's something else that I need you to do for me."

"What is it?"

"We need to postpone the wedding." She dreaded saying it not knowing what his reaction would be. Pete had been working so hard to put it all together for them that she didn't want to crush him.

"I understand. Look, go take care of your dad. I'll handle the rest." He said it with complete sincerity – a sincerity that she'd forgotten was there. It wasn't the reaction she'd expected at all and although she wasn't sure if he understood, she knew he was being supportive of her.

"Thanks Pete."

"Take it easy - I'll call you later."

She nodded into the phone.

"Bye Sam."

"Bye."

She hung up the phone screwing her eyes shut. She thought of Daniel and Janet. She remembered how much she missed them. Sam needed a shoulder to cry on. And she knew it wasn't Pete's although he offered. Pete was a good guy – he deserved better.

She shook her head knowing that feeling sorry for herself wasn't the best way to deal with her current situation. Sam straightened her back, cleared her mind and made her way to the 'gate room to notify the Tok'ra of Selmak's condition.

...to be continued...