As Sam made her way home, she noticed the familiar black truck following her. Smiling slightly to her self, as she pulled into the gutter, she saw Pete standing at her gate looking desperately anxious.

"Crap," she whispered. Getting out she forced a small smile. Turning to walk around the back of her car, she stopped as the truck rolled to a halt.

"See you got home safe,"

"Yes sir," nodding he rubbed his eyes. "You know you really shouldn't have done this," she whispered. Sighing he shrugged.

"It was worth a shot," he smirked.

"See ya around Carter,"

"Yes sir," she smirked, moving away so he could drive off. Closing her eyes, she sighed. Taking a deep breath she turned and started walking towards the gate.

"Oh my gosh Sam!" Pete grinned jogging to her.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah just a bit sleepy. Haven't slept for a few days,"

"Oh, why?" He frowned, all questions fading from his mind.

"Long story," she sighed, moving past him and into the house. Following Pete frowned, as he watched her.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah," she smiled slightly, taking her watch off, and moving about. When he saw the tattoo he gasped. "What?" She asked panic written all across her face. Moving closer to her, he took her wrist and turned it around.

"What's this? You didn't have this before you left!"

"Oh, is that all?" She sighed.

"Sam?"

"It just something from the planet we were on, no big deal!"

"No big deal! It's a tattoo!"

"Yes of a paw print, what's the point?"

"Why'd you…?" He frowned.

"Look it doesn't matter, and I'm tired and can't we talk about this in the morning?"

"Ah yeah sure, sorry," he muttered before leaving her alone. Sighing she shook her head, moving to the ensuite, and smiling at the paw print as she ran her fingers across it gently.

As Jack grabbed a beer there was a knock at his door. Sighing knowing it wasn't who he wanted to see, he forced him self to open it.

"Hey I heard they got you back!" Kerri grinned.

"Oh hi," he stated, forcing a slight smile before taking a mouthful of beer.

"Expecting someone else?" She frowned.

"Oh you know, living on a strange world with only Carter, Daniel, and T, you sort of get used to seeing one of them at every door you open,"

"Oh, I guess so…" She whispered.

"Oh," he said suddenly, and moved so she could walk in. Smiling she bowed her head slightly.

"Thanks,"

"Beer? There not as good as what we've been drinking but…"

"Ah, yeah sure…"

"So," he sighed giving her the opened bottle. Smiling as she took it, she nodded.

"So?"

"Bit awkward,"

"Just a bit," she smiled nodding. Just then there was a knock at the door,

'Saved by the door,' Jack thought. But before he had a chance to move it opened.

"Just me, got bored mind if I ask more questions about…" Stopping mid sentence Daniel smiled gently. "Ah… Hi," he smiled.

"Hi,"

"Ah Jack?"

"Yeah,"

"I wanted to talk more about Jayda and Ian, and Sam, and everything!"

"Oh yeah, sure. What topic first?" Grinning Daniel sat on the lounge, as Jack moved to his chair, and Kerri sat by Daniel.

"Well, I sort of wanted to know if you're going to actually tell Jayda."

"Mm, I was thinking about not telling her, I mean wouldn't it screw everything up? I think Carter's slightly on my side on this one too, sorry Danny boy."

"Oh, well I guess, with the whole your older thing, yeah it might…" He muttered, before taking another leap of faith. "So, can I see this reading thing?" He grinned.

"No,"

"Why not?"

"Because it's for family only,"

"But Sam saw it!" He huffed, glaring at Jack who shrugged. Realising what he'd just said he smirked, before looking at Kerri who was trying to comprehend what was going on. "OH!" He finally stated.

"Exactly," Jack smirked.

"But that's not fair!"

"Hey life isn't fair!"

"But…"

"Daniel,"

"But!"

"Daniel!"

"What?" He huffed.

"I'll make you a deal,"

"What sort of deal?"

"If I have any more kids, I'll let you help me teach it to them alright?" Staring at him in utter shock they both grinned.

"Really?"

"Yes, but don't go telling people!"

"YES!" He yelled, jumping up.

"Easy there tiger!"

"Oh hows the… What did Sam call it? 'Australian Bass'? Going?" Laughing he shook his head.

"Yeah, an Australian Bass, and its going fine, want to see?"

"Yes! Gees do you have to ask?" Smiling he sat forward as Daniel moved over and looked at his wrist Kerri sat up straighter.

"What's that?"

"It's an Aust…"

"It's a tattoo," Jack stated glaring at Daniel, who shrugged.

"It looks exactly like it did when he engraved it!"

"You mean they cut this into you?" Kerri gasped looking at Jack as she was now standing next to Daniel.

"Not really," he sighed. "Hey Daniel, Kerri and I have to talk, do you mind if we do the twenty questions on Monday?"

"Oh…" He muttered looking between them, before he nodded. "Ah, yeah sure!" He grinned, before heading for the door. "See ya Monday Jack!"

"Yeah see ya!" Sighing he looked at her as he took another mouthful of beer.

"Talk?"

"Yeah," he sighed.

"Jack?"

"Look Kerri things happened on that planet, and there was a huge culture misunderstanding and…" Sighing he ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry," he said watching her.

"So that's it?"

"I can't keep doing this, knowing my heart isn't in it anymore, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, I understand," she muttered, before leaning in and kissing his cheek. "You're a good man Jack O'Neill. Treat her with the utmost respect," smiling slightly at her Jack frowned, as she walked off.

"How the hell did she…" Stopping that thought Jack sighed and leant back in his chair thinking about Sam.

The following morning saw Sam, hating the fact that Pete was lying beside her. She must have fallen asleep the second her head hit the pillow. She hadn't felt him get in beside her, or him wrapping his arms around her waist. If she knew he'd come back into her room, she'd have locked the door! She thought he was going home! Sighing she shifted, and pulled her self out of bed, not in the mood to care if she awoke him or not.

Moving about Sam grabbed her clothes and headed for the ensuite to change. The fact that she'd just spent the last month almost, with Jack, and was now lying in bed with someone else started to hit her, and hit her hard. Swallowing she walked out to see him shifting and slowly waking up. Making her exit while she still could Sam sighed as she lent against the fridge.

"Sam you alright?"

"Yeah,"

"You sure, you seem…" Stopping mid sentence as she pushed him away, he frowned.

"Pete, we need to talk,"

"Talk about what?"

"Things happened while we were there, things that can't be changed, and things that none of us want to change,"

"What are you saying?" He asked hesitantly.

"I'm sorry Pete, but I can't see you anymore, I can't accept your ring, and I can't…"

"Wait, what?" He gasped.

"I don't love you like I should, something happened to me while we were there and…" Sighing she looked away. "You wanted to know about the tattoo…"

"Sam?" He whispered.

"It's a symbol of marriage, there was a misunderstanding with their culture, and we couldn't get out of it. Daniel tried looking through their entire history but there was nothing!"

"So are you married to?"

"I can't say,"

"Why the hell not?" He yelled.

"Pete, don't do this! Things happen! It wasn't our fault! We all tried to get out of it, but we couldn't! These tattoos are sort of a bonding…"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I can't see you anymore! It means that the person who has the 'matching one' is bonded to me and me to him. It means that we're bound by our souls!" She exclaimed, watching him.

"So that's it? You go MIA for a month and come back married to one of your team mates, and that's it? You've told me you and O'Neill are married on several different planets but that never stopped us!"

"Because we were never branded! This is different; they almost killed me and the other person! We had to trust each other! We were locked in a room for ten days! Have you ever done that? Not allowed to leave the room to go outside, to go to the bathroom, to eat with everyone you know!" She yelled. "I'm sorry Pete but its over!"

Watching her in utter shock, he stood there, as a stray tear ran down her cheek. Sniffling as she pushed further back into the fridge suddenly wishing that she was back on the planet with nothing to worry about. Taking a step forward Pete let his hand rest gently on her cheek. Watching him, all Sam remembered was the pain that ran through her.

"You bitch! You're a whore!" He yelled.

"Get the hell OUT!" She yelled glaring at him. "Get your stuff out NOW!"

An hour later Sam was sniffling, curled up on her lounge with an ice pack resting against the side of her face, when she heard a knock at the door. Not wanting to move, she just had to hope that they'd go away. It took nearly ten minutes, before she heard the door open slowly.

"Sam?" The voice filtered into the house. Bitting her bottom lip and squeezing her eyes shut Sam sobbed suddenly. Hearing her, he ran down the hall, to find her on the lounge. "Sam?" He whispered, as he moved around to look at her.

"Daniel," she whispered through sobs.

"Oh shit, Sam! What happened?"

"Pete,"

"Hey shh," he whispered pulling her into a hug, as she cried. "I'll be right back alright?" He whispered as he pushed her back gently. Sniffling she nodded. Moving around Daniel found the phone and called the only person he knew Sam would want to see.

"What?"

"Jack its Daniel,"

"And I repeat…"

"It's Sam," he whispered.

"What?" He gasped almost jumping out of bed.

"I think she told Pete about a few things, she's not too good,"

"What's that supposed to mean?'

"Just get your ass over here now Jack, she needs you," and with that he hung up. Moving back to her side Daniel held her tightly while they waited for Jack to arrive. Not one to keep people waiting Jack ran into the house less then ten minutes later.

"Daniel? Sam?"

"Lounge," Daniel called back. Running into the lounge room, he moved slowly around to crouch in front of Sam. Seeing the ice pack he reached for it gently, as she watched him through blurred vision. Taking it off gently, Daniel gasped and Jack's jaw tightened.

"Sam," he whispered, as he put it back to the side of her face. Not being able to hold everything in anymore, she lent forward and cried into his shoulder. "Shh, it's alright," he muttered, looking at Daniel. "We'll get him,"

"No," she sobbed. "I don't want to see him again, please, I just…"

"You'll stay with me," he said gently. "We'll move everything this weekend, with Daniel and Teal'c." Nodding her approval, she sniffled trying to calm down, as she shook slightly.

"Hey Jack, I know you and Sam have packed all her clothes and shoes and shit, in the last half hour, but what about all the furniture and kitchen stuff? Her towels, sheets, bed?"

"Just pack up all the things in the linen cupboard, and everything in the kitchen, when we unpack all that, and sort everything out, we'll talk about furniture," Jack stated as he walked back down the hall to see Sam, zipping up the last suitcase. "Are you going to be ok?" He asked gently. Sniffling she turned to him, and smiled gently.

"Yeah," grinning he moved across the room to her, and pulled her into a tight hug.

"You know I was thinking…"

"That's a bad sign," she whispered, smiling.

"Ha ha," he smirked. "Anyway I was thinking, that what if we go through all our stuff, and what ever we don't really need or want we'll leave here and we put a furnished house up for rent?"

"Sounds ok I guess, but…"

"I told Daniel to pack everything, so when we get to my place, we'll go through all the pots and pans, cutlery, sheets, towels, and everything. Out of all that, what doesn't go can come back here, and then all we have to do is work out what lounge, bed, television, cabinets and stuff we want. Bit like a mix and match scheme," he smiled wrapping his arms around her waist. Smiling at him she nodded.

"Sounds like a plan,"

"Great!" He grinned. "Because as we have today, Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday off, it should be a snap! Especially that we have Danny and Teal'c!" Grinning she reached up and pecked his lips.

"Thank you for everything. Just promise me one thing,"

"What's that?"

"While we're doing this, over the next three / four days, you won't stop me from helping, even if I get upset or frustrated, you can get me to unpack all my stuff, if you boys want to do the other stuff, but please let me help, I don't want to just sit there and let you all do everything," smiling he nodded.

"I guarantee that you won't be sitting on you ass doing nothing," he smirked, smacking her bum gently, before letting her go and taking the last clothes and toiletry filled suitcase out to his truck, as Sam followed him with bags of shoes.

By the time Saturday morning approached, Daniel was sleeping on Jack's lounge, and Teal'c in the spare room. Jack and Sam had gone through his cupboard and moved around everything to fit her things in, and stored her suitcases in the garage. Despite the fact that Jack couldn't get over the amount of shoes she had, he welcomed the new clutter in the bottom of the wardrobe.

They had gone through all his towels, and sheet sets, and kept just under half, as they noticed that Sam had a lot of new towels and sheet sets. Keeping only the newer things, all the older sheet sets and towels, washers and bath mats, all were packed up and moved back to Sam's place where Daniel had the job of putting everything back in the linen cupboard, while Jack and Sam stayed at Jack's place and went through the pots and pans, and all the kitchen appliances. Which once again the older things got packed up and moved back to her place. This time however it was Teal'c with the job of re-stocking the kitchen.

Smiling as she woke up, Sam cuddled closer to Jack's side. Smiling at her, Jack reached up and moved a stray hair form her face. Looking up to him she smiled back at him.

"Morning," he whispered.

"Morning,"

"It's Saturday,"

"I can't believe all we have to do is the furniture," she stated, with a contented sigh and looked away, as she let her right hand rest over his bare chest.

"You're telling me! In two days we basically cleaned out your place, and re-stocked mine with a whole lot of new sheets, towels, weird and wonderful contraptions in the kitchen…" Smiling she nodded.

"You know I would rather keep your bed,"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think its more comfortable."

"Well, that takes care of one thing," he smiled kissing her hair.

"Yeah," she laughed gently. Propping her self up she turned to him, leaning in and kissing him gently. Wrapping his arms around her, Jack pulled her over him, as his hands ran up her back under her singlet top.

"We should probably get up," he whispered. Smiling at him, she pulled away and went to the ensuite. Hearing the shower running Jack groaned and tried not to move. Yet by the time his brain started to work, he found him self in the shower making out with her.

"So Teal'c what do you think today will bring?" Daniel asked as they ate their breakfast.

"I do not know Daniel Jackson,"

"Yeah, I'm just hoping there's no bed to move! Now that would be a pain!" He laughed. "The lounge, I don't mind, and the television and cabinets and stuff, I guess we'll manage but Sam's bed is huge!"

"Indeed,"

"Well Danny you don't have to worry, she doesn't want it," Jack said as he moved into the kitchen and got a mug of coffee.

"Oh thank god!" Laughing Jack shook his head.

"I just hope we get it all done by tonight, so we can go shopping for food, as there is nothing here!" He smiled.

"Yeah, we sort of noticed that!"

"Hey I bet your place is just as empty!" Smirking he shrugged.

"Yeah, but I don't have guests!"

"Well I wasn't really expecting this to happen was I?" He smiled.

"No, but you love it!" Daniel grinned at him. Smirking Jack looked away,

"Yeah, yeah stop rubbing it in!" Sure enough, by eight that night, Jack had moved his television into his room, with Teal'c's help, and Daniel and Sam had moved her slightly bigger one into the lounge room, with its cabinet. Jack had kept his favourite chair, and they moved Sam's lounge in. The spare room, had taken the chest of drawers she had, and a few other trinkets.

As Jack was slumped in his favourite chair, and Daniel and Teal'c on the lounge, Sam took her spot on Jack's lap as she returned with a glass of water. As she sat on his lap and wriggled to get comfortable, he groaned. Smiling at him she shifted again.

"Carter!"

"What?" She laughed.

"I think you're supposed to loose weight when you do exercise!"

"Are you saying I'm fat?" She huffed.

"No, just putting ON weight! Stop moving!" Laughing she cuddled up to him, letting her head rest on his shoulder as she looked at Daniel and Teal'c.

"You guys know that you're next step is to talk to Hammond on Monday right?" Daniel asked taking a sip of his beer.

"Yeah, we know," Jack sighed.

"Not like he can do anything about it anyway," Sam put in.

"He can take one of you off sg1, and put you both up for a court martial," Daniel stated without hesitation.

"No he can't" she smirked.

"Why not?"

"Because…"

"Is not an answer, Sam?"

"Well, when these two people are joined they will have powers…"

"Oh my god! Did it happen?"

"Sam, just got some psychic ability, that's how she knew it was Cronus attacking," Jack sighed wrapping an arm around her.

"Ok, what about you Jack?"

"Nup, nothing…"

"That's a bit strange,"

"Yeah, well either way, he can't separate us or anything because, what did it say? 'you mess with them, and their powers will'…"

"Yeah we get the point," Jack sighed, opening his eyes and looking at her. "Why are you all worried about it anyway?"

"Just looking out for you guys, what's wrong with that?" Smiling Jack shrugged.

"Nothing Danny boy, nothing,"