A little more than three weeks later, Jack was back in Colorado and their bags were packed again. They had both rescheduled their leave, rebooked their flights and hotel, and cleared their schedules again. It had been a pain, but it would be worth it.

Jack had flown to Colorado from D.C. early so he could have a few days at the SGC to check in on things before they went on vacation. That was the official reason, anyway. It also let them have a few extra days together.

Sam and Jack each grabbed a beer and headed out to the back deck. After their vacation, she planned to come back here and he'd have to fly directly back to D.C., but for the past three days it had actually felt like they were living together like a normal couple. It was nice.

"So how were the talks with the Ancients, really?" she asked.

He'd given her a brief overview when he returned, but they had both been too busy to have a detailed conversation about his experience in Atlantis. Due to security concerns, their conversations over the phone about work-related matters were also usually limited. She didn't want their entire relationship to revolve around work all the time anyway. That was the way it had been for way too many years.

"Like I told Sheppard at the time, it was listening more than talking on our part. They basically gave us forty eight hours to get the hell out of there. Woolsey thinks it's for the best - less risk, less expense. And we do need to focus on things in our neck of the woods with the Ori. I just can't help feeling like we got kicked out before we accomplished what we needed to do."

Sam understood where Jack was coming from. They had been making such great progress with the Atlantis project that it was a shame to see it come to an end. Plus, there were allies who they'd be leaving defenseless out there against the Wraith.

"Also, that Commander Helia reminds me of someone and I can't figure out who," Jack continued. "It's been bugging me for weeks, Carter. She reminds me of someone I don't trust. I just know it."

"So it's all bad news then?"

He shook his head and took a drink of his beer.

"I wouldn't say that. There's one benefit, Sam. Now I don't have to worry about you being lured away to the Pegasus galaxy."

She didn't know that he'd been worried about that.

"I'm not planning on going anywhere. We get such little time together as it is."

Jack nodded. "I'm not saying I won't support you if we get some sort of timeshare agreement with the Lanteans and you want to do a tour there. Of course I would. I'd just like a little more time for us to be us first."

"Me too," she agreed.

Sam leaned against his side and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I can't wait to see you in a bikini," he said, breath warm against her hair.

Oh yeah, she was really looking forward to this vacation. Of course, she did have to correct him on one thing.

"You know it's a one piece and you've already seen me in it. At the cabin last summer."

"Now, Carter, don't go and ruin my fun."

She rolled her eyes at him and he laughed at her.

"Trust me, Sam, the way that suit looks on you has been seared into my brain. I ever get my head sucked into an Ancient repository again, that'll be the last thing to go. I'll be speaking in tongues but still have perfect recall about how that blue and green fabric clings to your body."

He was being playful now and she liked it. It boded well for their trip.

Sam leaned in to kiss him.

Then Jack's cell phone rang.

She sat up straight and he pulled the phone out of his pocket. He saw the number and let out a quick, frustrated sigh.

"Work."

Jack raised a hand in apology and walked out into the yard for the conversation.

She wasn't sure if that meant the SGC, IOA, Homeworld Security, the Joint Chiefs, or the President. He'd tell her as much as he could afterward. She just hoped that it didn't delay their flight.

With the way their jobs worked, it was tough enough to get time off at the same time. She didn't really want to waste it.

Sam watched as Jack had a swift, forceful conversation. He didn't look happy.

"Damn it." His voice drifted across the yard. "I'll be there in an hour."

Jack hung up the phone and stalked back over to her.

"Remember how I said I hate my job?"

"Vividly," she replied.

He grabbed his beer from where he'd left it and downed the entire thing.

"They need me in Atlantis again. Tonight."

It took a while for his words to sink in.

"We had plans."

She didn't even bother pointing out that they'd already rescheduled once.

Jack started to pace across the wooden deck, running an agitated hand through his hair.

"Believe me, I know. But Woolsey is being a pain in the ass." He shook his head in frustration before pausing and turning back to her. "See, even people in another galaxy don't like him. And for some reason they want me back to mediate."

She never thought she'd see the day when Jack O'Neill got pulled into negotiations to soothe people's nerves.

"You're going to be the calm, personable voice of reason?" she teased.

"I know, Carter. No one will believe me when I tell them I'm a grumpy son of a bitch who hates diplomacy. Daniel should go. He'd get a kick out of it."

Jack was right, Daniel would love to go in his place. Unfortunately, it wasn't their call and Daniel had other things going on.

"You'll do a great job, Jack. You always do."

Sam would let herself be sad later, once he was gone. Right now, she needed to bolster him so that he could go do what needed to be done.

"I'm so sorry. We'll reschedule when I come back." He captured her lips in a soft, sweet kiss. "And if anyone tries to come between you and me and carefully applied sunblock again, I'll tell them to shove it."

"Third time's the charm."

Sam hugged Jack tight, unsure of whether they'd actually be able to reschedule once he got back, and unsure what to do now about the leave she'd already put in for, but knowing that she didn't have any other choice.

"Go save the Ancients from Woolsey," she said before letting him go. "I love you."

"I love you too, Sam."

This was their life and she was glad they'd chosen it, but sometimes she wished there were fewer disasters pulling their attention away from each other.

"Go pack. I'll drive you to the SGC when you're ready."

She grabbed the beer bottles as he walked back to the house.

Jack was just about to open the back door when he paused. She wondered if he'd forgotten to tell her something else.

"Ke'ra, Carter!" he shouted as he let go of the door handle and turned back around. His eyes lit up in realization. "She looks like Ke'ra. Or Linea. Whatever. The Destroyer of Worlds. Commander Helia looks just like her, only a little older."

Jack walked a few steps towards her.

"But it's not her," Sam said cautiously, aware that Linea hid her identity before.

"It's not," Jack confirmed. "We weren't going to turn over the city without proof they were who they said they were, but I swear to god they could be twins. This is not a good sign."

Neither of them were superstitious, but they knew that there was something to be said for good intuition in jobs like theirs.

"Be careful," she told him. "Stay safe."

He gave a single, quick nod and knocked on the wood railing of their deck before heading inside to pack for another completely different trip than the one they planned to take.

She hoped he didn't leave everything from his suitcase in a pile on the floor like last time.