And thus starts the long awaited chapter eleven! Enjoy!

Sam Carter stared at the man currently standing on her doorstep. He fidgeted nervously glancing anywhere but at her. She hadn't seen Jack O'Neill this nervous before; he seemed almost paranoid, which was not surprising. Someone had tried to kill him and technically he was dead, at least according to all state and official records.

"Uh, are you gonna let me in?" Sam blinked; she hadn't realized she was staring. Taking a deep breath she stepping back and let him in side, closing the door behind him.

Jack looked around the room, his gaze settled on the fireplace, or more accurately one of the pictures on the mantle. It was of the two of them at Cassie's birthday party. They were sitting in two of the lounge chairs on the deck smiling at each other. Then O'Neill realized something. He had been gone for five months and the woman staring intently at him had been grieving for him, not knowing he was okay.

Swallowing past the lump in his throat he turned to look at her. When Daniel had told him she wanted to talk to him weeks ago, he had tried but so many things had gotten in the way. He didn't understand exactly what she had wanted then, but he could imagine what it had been, probably to chew him out because he had been alive and she hadn't known.

"Carter," he said slowly, "I'm sorry. It's all I can say. I'm sorry putting you through what I did, but I had no choice! You have to know that!"

"So that's why you're here?" She asked quietly, her voice firm. "You came to apologize? To try to explain away the grief?"

"No! I-" Jack stopped, unsure of what to say. He looked away. "I don't know why I'm here…" He whispered. "Look, Carter, all I can say is I'm sorry. If you need more than that, then you've asked the wrong person…"

"Maybe I didn't." She replied; a spark came to life in her blue eyes. "Maybe you are just the person I need to put all of this behind me, General."

Jack winced at the title. Glancing back up at her, he realized what she had said. "I don't understand, Sam. How can I help you with something I caused in the first place? It's my fault you're angry and hurt."

Sam swallowed, her jaw set and her eyes were like fire. "Yes, it is your fault." Jack looked away at her bluntness. "But you can fix it."

"How?" He looked back towards her. "How can I, Sam? I pushed you too far, so far that I have lost your trust and friendship! I screwed up! Royally! With you, with Daniel, and Teal'c, and Mitchell as well! And nothing that I do or say will win that trust and friendship back!"

"That's where you're wrong!" Her voice was hard, her stance determined. "Because despite what you must think, you haven't lost my friendship. My trust? Possibly. But my friendship is still there, Jack."

He let out a shaky breath and turned his dark eyes towards her. "Only your friendship?" He heard her sharp intake of breath and realized he'd spoken aloud. "Crap! I-I- didn't mean- shit!" He ran a nervous hand through his hair, making it stand on end. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have-"

Sam watched him stumble over his words with mild amusement that was dominated by shock at what he had said. Did that mean he still cared? Even after all of the things that had happened to them, did he still care? Even after Pete? And even after his move to Washington? She shifted to her other foot and glanced at him, uncertainty shining in her eyes.

"Did you mean that?" She asked quietly. Jack stopped mid rant and looked at her with wide eyes. Did she ask what I think she asked? He thought confused. Why in the world would she…?

"Yes." He answered his voice sounded scratchy. "Yeah, I meant it. I wouldn't have said it if I hadn't…"

Sam nodded her head quickly. Her eyes were shining with something that he hadn't seen in them in a long time. She looked ready to fall apart almost, but then he saw a spark in her eyes that wasn't there before, it made her look alive again, something he thought he'd never see. "To answer your question, Jack," she paused, leaving him to hold his breath waiting for her answer. "No, not just my friendship."

The words seemed to make all the air leave his lungs, his heart was pounding madly in his chest and he could swear she could hear it thudding against his ribs. Swallowing the lump that had suddenly formed he walked slowly over to her, not sure what he was intending to do, only thinking that he needed to be closer to her to say what he wanted to say.

"Then…" He stopped in front of her, on inches away. "That means…what?" he drawled, his voice lowered an octave.

"That despite…appearances," Sam stopped, she couldn't think very well with him standing so close to her! He was driving her crazy, her brain shut down and she couldn't form a coherent thought, well not a very big one anyway. "I still care." Suddenly she found a strength she didn't know she possessed. "I care so much that when I found out you where dead I nearly died myself! I care so much that it felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest! I couldn't stand the thought of going on with out you! If it wasn't for Cassie I don't think I could have!"

O'Neill's eyes got progressively wider as she spoke, his stance reflected shock as he stared at her in amazement. Did she just say what I think she said? His mind kept turning that one sentence over and over in his head, wondering what had possessed her to say it. "You…" he stopped, his voice dropping out from under him. "Sam, I- I'm sorry for causing you the pain that I could have avoided, I just didn't know what to do! You have to believe me!"

Sam looked away from him for a moment. "I understand, its just…god! I thought I was used to feeling these feelings, but when you left for DC you were gone and I didn't have worry about it anymore, and then you died…"

Jack took in a deep breath and walked over and pulled her into a hug. He held on tight for fear that she might disappear. "God, Sam! I care too! You have to know! I didn't know what to do with out you there…so I just tried to put it behind me…"

Sam merely nodded into his shoulder, her voice seeming to have left her, and he understood. He didn't feel the need for words just standing there holding her. It was the least he could do for her; after all he owed her more, so much more. Beyond the fact that he owed her his life more times than he cared to count she also held his heart, something he thought he had beaten from himself. Though, as he stood here he realized that he had only been kidding himself with that notion, he hadn't banished his love for her at all, it had only gotten stronger.

Slowly after what seemed like hours but was only really a few minutes Jack pulled back to look into her eyes. "I'll always be there, Sam, don't ever doubt it."

Carter took in a shaky breath. "I know, Jack, I know."

Before he could speak again the phone rang. Jack jumped back in surprise when he felt it vibrating and playing out a shrill merry tune on his belt. Fumbling he managed you yank it off the clip and put it to his ear.

"What?" He barked down the receiver. Sam snorted at his tone of voice and went into the kitchen to get two beers.

"Nice to talk to you too, Jack." Daniel snarked over the phone, his tone radiated annoyance.

"Sorry, Danny." Jack apologized. "You just have the worst timing."

"Yes, well, when I got an unexpected visit from Ferretti, Hailey, Harriman, Felgar and Chloe I decided that after I explained exactly what you did I would call you." He didn't sound happy, Jack noticed, he sounded downright pissed off. Joy.

"Yeah, uh, sorry about that." He answered sheepishly. "I had to go see a friend, it was really important and I didn't have anytime to explain it to them."

"Jack." Daniel's voice sound annoyed again. "How did an Ori get into the SGC? Why did you have to do something about it in front of them?"

"We got stuck in the elevator." Sam's ears perked up at this. It sounded like a good story was about to be told. Jack continued on with it. "And it was about to fall down ten stories so I got everyone out. Then the elevator exploded in the shaft and I used a shield to keep them from getting killed! Next thing I know this Ori appears in the hallway and throws this big honkin' fire ball at me! What was I supposed to do Daniel?"

"Oh." Daniel sounded suitably chastised. "Sorry, I just assumed…well, I don't know what I assumed…"

Jack smirked, and looked over at Carter, who looked worried. He had yet to tell them about his meeting with Eilyanna and co., and about his horrible, no good, abso-freakin'-lutely bad day. "Yeah, I figured. Look, Daniel, I'm at Carter's right now. The two of us will be at the SGC in about an hour, give Teal'c and Mitchell a heads up, oh and Landry too while you're at it. I have a few things to tell you guys."

Daniel sighed down the phone. "Okay, Jack, see ya in a few." There was the telltale click when Daniel hung up the phone, and O'Neill slowly closed his. He winced slightly and put it back into its holder. Daniel was so pissed off at him it wasn't even funny. That conversation was barely civil and he realized he had to talk to the disgruntled archeologist before things got way out of hand. Like they haven't already, he thought ruefully.

"What did Daniel want, sir?" Sam asked, handing him a beer.

"Oh, well, he was pissed because I used him as a scapegoat." O'Neill sighed. "I don't suppose you've heard the story of my horrible, no good, abso-freakin'-lutely bad day, have you?"

Sam smirked at his description, "No, sir I don't believe I have." She walked past him and into the living room. "Though, I'm sure you'd love to tell me!"

"Oh, you bet!" he called from the kitchen and he walked down the hallway to her. He smiled and sat down next to her. She looked expectantly at him and he sighed resignedly. "Well, here goes nothin'…"

Yes, and here is chapter eleven. Now, I have to warn you that I only have three chapters left that are already written, and once they are posted chances are there won't be another chapter for quite some time. Just a fair warning. Please review!