A/N: Important to note- Most readers probably know this but for those who don't: There are 2 versions of the episode Threads; one is 63 minutes long and the other is 44 minutes long. I'm fairly certain the long one is on the DVDs but it is NOT the version on Amazon Prime (annoyingly). The shorter ep cuts out a lot of bits of Daniel in the Ascended diner but there are also a bunch of smaller bits which relate more directly to the Jack & Sam undertones. This includes Jack waking up in bed with Kerry, Pete calling and interrupting Sam at a briefing and Jack telling her to go pick flowers etc etc. This story is based upon the extended version of the episode. Doesn't make a huge difference but I figured you should know. For example; the shorter ep doesn't have Jacob making excuses and telling Sam he's going to bed after they talk about Pete in the commissary which is where this chapter picks up...
"You know I can see you." Jack commented drolly as Jacob peered cautiously around his office door.
"I told Sam I was turning in for the night. Didn't want to run in to her here." The older man explained, entering the office without invitation.
Jack relaxed back into his chair and narrowed his eyes, "Have you told her yet?"
Jacob looked down but remained quiet as he settled into one of the guest chairs.
"She knows something's up you know." Jack admonished. "She's too smart to hide things from."
Jacob nodded, "I know, I know. And I will. When I get back from checking in with Mark. Today was about the wedding plans and Pete."
Jack leaned forward with a smirk, "Yeees. And how did that go?"
"You would NOT believe what he said to me." Jacob shook his head.
Jack grinned, "That well, eh?"
"You don't have to be so gleeful about it." Jacob sneered.
"Oh come on Jacob," The general gestured to his cluttered desk, "I don't have much to be gleeful about. Entertain me."
Jacob sighed and shook his head, "First thing he says to me? 'Do you really have one of those things in your head?"
Jack's eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped to an open mouthed grin.
"Oh wait, it gets better," Jacob held up a finger, "He immediately follows up with 'That's got to freak you right out. It's weird.'"
Grin not fading, Jack tilted his head, "Well, he does have a point, always found it a bit freaky myself."
"Jack." Jacob scowled. "Really. This is what he opens with. The man who wants to marry my daughter."
Jack swallowed his grin but could not keep the amusement from his eyes. "Well not everyone can be as suave as you or I Jacob."
The older man just shook his head, "You've really not spent much time with him?"
"Met him when he was first read in. Carter brought him to dinner once but that's about it." Jack shrugged.
"And how was he?" Jacob pressed.
Jack gestured emptily, "I don't know Jacob. The first time he was on morphine and wouldn't stop thanking me for letting Sam bring him in to the SGC. At the restaurant..." He rocked his head trying to find the right words to articulate the strained dinner atmosphere. "He tried well enough but honestly I think he was scared of Teal'c."
Jacob narrowed his eyes, "Just Teal'c? No one else was perhaps putting up their intimidating General act?"
"I was a Colonel at the time." Jack corrected without addressing Jacob's accusation. He shrugged again, "Look, we can't discuss ongoing activities in front of him so Carter doesn't bring him around. It's not something we've discussed, it just happens that way. I really don't have much to go on, Jake."
"Come on Jack," Jacob smirked, "No one I know makes more accurate snap judgments about a person's character than you. Meeting him twice is more than enough time for you to have a fully formed opinion."
Jack pursed his lips and rolled his eyes, "What's it matter?"
"It matters because this man wants to marry my daughter!" Jacob shot back.
"What about you?" Jack squared his shoulders, "You're a 2 star general and a Tok'ra. I'm pretty sure you have pretty good character assessment skills of your own. Pete was here for nearly 3 hours today. What do you think?"
Jacob smiled, "You were keeping track of how long he was here?"
"Jacob..." Jack growled.
The other man sat back and sighed, "I think he's not good enough for Sam."
"She says he makes her happy." Jack observed blandly.
"She's confused."
"Carter? Sam? Confused?" Jack smirked. "Not so sure I buy that."
Jacob sighed, "No denying my daughter is a scientific genius. But when it comes to people..." He peered at Jack, "You know she was engaged before? Jonas Hanson?"
Jack waved a hand, "Sam is not nearly as naive as she was."
"No...she's not." Jacob let out a long breath, looking carefully at Jack, "Doesn't mean she still can't be wrong. I think she's made some assumptions about what is and is not possible. Put limits and inappropriate expectations on herself. I think she's settling and trying to deny it."
Jack looked away and gave a slight shake of his head, "I don't know. If there's anything I've learned over the last 8 years it's that Carter is usually correct and everyone is best served by just trusting that brain of hers."
"What about her heart?" Jacob raised an eyebrow.
Jack rolled his eyes, "C'mon." He muttered.
Jacob held up his hands, "I'm just saying."
"And I'm just saying that if she were to come by and hear us talking about her this way she'd have both of our hides." Jack stared the older man down. Then added with an amused smirk, "Have you seen that woman in hand to hand? We wouldn't stand a chance."
Jacob let out an amused breath and smiled. "Okay, okay."
The two generals sat in silence for a long moment until Jack broke it with a soft bark of laughter. Jacob looked to him, eyebrows raised in question.
Smiling Jack asked, "Did he really say 'It's weird' right to your face?"
Seeing the humor Jacob returned the smile and nodded, "Oh yeah. No exaggeration, within 90 seconds of entering the door."
Jack shook his head, "What did Selmak have to say?"
Jacob's smile faded for a fraction of a second before he pulled it back up, "Oh you know Sel, he's a symbiote of few words."
Jack's eyes narrowed for a moment, "Yes...so it seems." He took a breath and smirked again, "What about Carter? Was she in the room, did she hear all this?"
Jacob nodded, "Oh yeah. Winced through every painful minute of it."
Jack grimaced, "She okay?"
"Let's just say that she knew I was lying when I told her I liked him." Jacob shrugged.
"Hence you avoiding her." Jack observed.
Jacob gestured dismissively, "I figured you couldn't be doing anything important."
Jack gave a small roll of his eyes, "Yeah..."
"If you actually are busy I can go." Jacob offered.
"Nah, stay." Jack waved for Jacob to keep his seat. "I don't know what the hell I'm doing anyway."
"Can I help?"
Jack looked up to Jacob in surprise. "Actually..." His eyes flicked down to the paper on the desk then back up to the former major general, "Maybe. Hayes wants a short list of recommendations for my replacement."
Jacob cocked his eyebrows and gave a slow, single nod, "Having some trouble?"
Jack shrugged, "Don't even know where to start." He looked up, a light in his eyes, "Hey, what are you planning on doing without Selmak? Want a job?" He gestured around the office, "Even better; want a job in Washington? You go there, I stay here? Eh? If they were willing to give me a second star I bet you could get a third! What do you say?" Jack grinned.
Jacob looked down and smiled softly, "I don't think so Jack. Sorry."
Jack puttered out a slow breath between his lips. "Fine. How about any other suggestions?"
"What have you got so far?" Jacob leaned over the desk. On a piece of lined paper Jack had scrawled,
'-Not Bauer
-Civilian only if Weir
-Integrity / Trustworthy
-Not a hardass but can't take crap (Scientists, civilians, politicians, "allies"...)
-Organized
-Asgard make mini-me of Hammond?
-Experienced being in crappy situations
-NOT a life desk jockey; MUST have some field experience - SpecOps?
-Make tough calls
-Listen to the right people; regardless of rank
-Open minded
-Good tactician'
Jack shrugged, "Like I said, no idea."
"This looks like a decent start." Jacob gestured to the paper. "Do you have a list of Colonels and Generals?"
"Air Force." Jack pointed to his laptop, "Could get everyone else pretty easy."
"Would you really want to give this office to someone not in the Air Force?" Jacob grinned conspiratorially.
Jack shuddered, "No."
"Good." Jacob grinned, "Then go through the list and start with the people you know personally. Chances are that if you know them then they probably have some experience with classified missions. Highlight the people you trust and give that to Hayes as your short list."
"That's it?" Jack looked at Jacob in disbelief.
Jacob smirked, "Jack, if I know you, there is no way in hell you could tun this office over to someone you don't know. And of all the people you've ever worked with, how many do you actually trust?" He held up a hand, "Other than the people on this base. I'm willing to bet it's a pretty short list. "
Jack sat back, eyes unfocused. Jacob waited patiently and watched the man think, reviewing years of service. He knew Jack landed on something when his eyes refocused and locked with Jacob.
"Maybe one."
"One?" Jacob blinked. He knew Jack didn't trust many people but even he was surprised by that.
Jack smirked, "One that is actually a ranking officer and that I could actually picture in this position." He squinted, "And, I think he actually made General a few years ago." His eyes snapped to Jacob, "Just hope he isn't retired...but if I know Hank, something like this would pull him back in pretty fast."
"There you go." Jacob smirked. "Now you just need to add a few woefully unqualified names to the list so the President picks your guy and thinks it was his idea."
Jack rolled his eyes, "Or not. I know the guy I want, If Hayes won't take him then I won't leave."
Jacob's eyebrows raised, "You think he'd let you pull that?"
"He already knows I'm less than enthusiastic. Why play games?" Jack shrugged.
Jacob sat quietly regarding the man in front of him and the unexpected turns that life had handed them both over the last few years. "Why play games indeed..." He whispered, mostly to himself.
"Jake?" Jack looked at him curiously.
"Stay."
"What?" Jack blinked, not sure he heard right.
Jacob's eyes bore into Jack, "If you think he'd let you do it, tell Hayes to have someone else take over for Hammond. Tell him you won't leave." He bit his lip briefly, "Stay here."
Jack opened his mouth then shut it again. He squinted his eyes and tilted his head, "Jacob...I don't..." He gestured lamely, at a complete loss for words.
Jacob stood up and walked around the room, eyes tracing the items on the walls. "Jack, I didn't think much of you when we first met. Just that there was no way that someone with your ribbon rack was working in deep space radar whatever and I assumed that you were somehow preventing Sam from following her dreams to go into space."
Jack grinned to which Jacob offered a conciliatory eye roll.
"Since then..." He swallowed and looked out the office window, "I've watched you all work as a team. Saw and heard what you accomplished together. Even though I sometimes worried about your judgement, you always ended up making the right call. And it didn't take long for me to be certain that you would always have my Sam's best interest in mind." He turned back around and stared intently back at Jack, "Something I can't say for myself."
The younger man sighed and looked away, "Jacob..."
The Tok'ra gestured with both hands, "A few years ago could you have seen yourself in that chair? And now..." He smiled softly, "Could you see anyone else? You've done a great job here Jack. You should be proud. Somehow you've turned out to be the perfect person for this job. You've done right by the people here. A new comer will have an uphill battle coming in after you."
He walked over to the desk and gestured to the paper on it, "I also know there is something you didn't put on that list that you would have if you were truly being honest with yourself."
Jack looked away.
"Jack," Jacob's insistent tone pulled the other man's attention back to him. "If you could you would have written 'Take care of Sam and Daniel and Teal'c.'"
"I have to worry about everyone on the base." Jack couched.
Jacob sat back down, "Well then I'll say it. I want the person in that chair to take care of SG-1. To take care of my daughter. Jack. We both know what's going on with me. I'm not going to be around as long as I thought I would. I want to make sure Sam has everything she wants. I want everything for her that every father wants for their child." He tilted his head to make sure their eyes were locked.
"This Pete guy may be what she thinks she wants right now for whatever reason and that's okay, She's an adult and she's never made anything easy for herself or for me. But Jack..." He paused and looked away, sinking back in to the chair, suddenly looking exhausted.
Jack said nothing. He readjusted himself in his own chair and carefully watched Jacob's movements.
Finally Jacob just shook his head, "I'm just saying, if you think there is a chance in hell that Hayes will let you stay here, that I think everyone on this base will be well served to keep you around. I just so happen to also believe that it would be the best thing for my daughter."
Jack scrubbed his hands up and down his face and massaged his eyes with his fingers. He licked his lips before letting out a slow breath, teeth pressuring the inside of his cheek.
"Jacob," His voice was quiet. "Carter is marrying Pete. And, SG-1 is changing. Daniel's going to probably want to go to Atlantis when he gets back, Teal'c is going to go become King Jaffa or something. Your "little girl" is a Lieutenant Colonel with the whole world open to her; she is going to be free to go and do what ever she wants to do, there's no guarantee she'll even stay with the program in the long term."
He looked down at the paper in front of him, "Things were never going to stay the same forever; they never do. I'm starting to come to terms with the change. Especially if I can get Landry to come on board. No one here needs me anymore. In all honesty, Sam, Teal'c and Daniel haven't for years."
"You're wrong." Jacob countered steadily.
Jack sighed and shifted some folders over and picked up a calendar and indicated a date a few weeks away. "I told Carter we'll talk about the future of SG-1 and everything when she comes back on the 3rd. On the 10th Hayes wants me to officially start at the Pentagon. I can do more for her there and you know that. Besides, you were right when you said that Sam and I will always be in each other's lives. Now we just won't be in each other's back pockets all the time." He paused before adding quietly, "Maybe that's a healthy thing."
He ran a hand across his neck and glanced at the clock, "Right now Sam is off somewhere picking out china patterns or something with Pete, and I have 30 minutes to change into something more presentable and make it to a restaurant across town." He stood, tapping his fingers on the desk.
His eyes flicked to the older man who sat nearly slumped in the chair. "Thank you Jacob, really. I understand what you're trying to do, although for the life of me I can't imagine why." He gave a wry grin which Jacob only met with stony silence.
Jack sighed. "Sam will be fine. If nothing else I can promise you that." He paused for a long moment, "Take care of yourself Jake. Have a good night, I'll check in sometime tomorrow."
He took a final moment of shared silence before ducking his head and striding out the door, not looking back.