So who saw the Stargate AI table read at the weekend? I thought it was absolutely hilarious.

This chapter takes place during the episode Threads. Hope you like it.

George had come from DC to see his old friend before he died. While their friendship had been on and off over the years for various reasons, since he'd become a host for the Tok'ra they'd gotten close once again. Even though he lived off-world they still made an attempt to stay in touch, more than just the reports that had crossed his desks over the years.

He was now sitting with his friend, having finally gotten Sam to leave her father's side. He understood why Sam didn't want to go, her father was dying and she didn't want to miss any of the time he had left, but George knew that Sam needed to rest. She'd barely eaten or slept since her father had come into the infirmary. So he'd told her to leave, he could have made it an order but he didn't want to do that. He'd promised to keep Jacob company and that had sold Sam on leaving. She'd headed to one of the rooms on base, after making sure that George would send someone to get her if anything changed with her dad.

When she'd gone Jacob had been asleep but he'd eventually woken up. His eyes had roamed the room, looking for Sam, before they landed on George.

"Where's Sam?" he asked, his voice quiet.

"She's gone to get some food and some sleep," George said, "I hope you don't mind."

Jacob shook his head. "Thank you," he said, "I've been trying to talk her into leaving for a while but she won't go."

He looked away from George and George thought he was going to go back to sleep but then he looked back at George, holding his gaze. "Is there anyone else here?" he asked.

"No," George answered, "There are some airmen outside but that's it. Why? Do you want something?" He started to get to his feet, to go and find someone, but Jacob reached out a hand and stopped him.

"I don't want anything," Jacob told him, "I just wanted to talk to you."

"About Sam?" George guessed. He couldn't see another reason for Jacob wanting to be alone, other than if he wanted to talk about his daughter.

Jacob nodded. He took a deep breath before beginning. "Is she happy George?" he asked her.

George frowned. "She has Pete," George said, "And as far as I'm aware she enjoys her job. So I think she's happy yes."

"What do you think of Pete?" Jacob pressed.

George shrugged.

"George," Jacob said, his voice slightly stronger now, "Tell me what you really think. Please."

"I don't know," George said honestly, "But Sam seems happy with him so that has to be enough."

"Is she though?" Jacob asked, "Or has she just settled?"

"Settled?" George asked, not quite understanding where his old friend was going with this.

"I don't think she loves him as much as she thinks she does," Jacob confided, "But since she couldn't have the person she wanted she settled. She went for someone safe."

George looked around the room, making sure they were still alone, especially checking that Sam hadn't come back without either of them noticing.

"And I don't like Pete," Jacob continued honestly, "He's not good enough for my Sam." He sighed and then frowned. "He ran a background check on her George, who does that?"

George could only nod. He knew all about that, he'd been informed when it had happened and had let Sam know. He had no idea how Jacob knew about it but clearly, he did.

Jacob sighed again and George really looked at him. Underneath the weakness caused by his illness, he could see that Jacob looked unhappy. "I thought you liked him," he said hesitantly, "You gave Sam your blessing didn't you?"

"Because I thought she was happy with him," Jacob said, "But I've realised since I've been ill that she isn't. She thinks she's happy but she isn't. She's settling but she shouldn't have to."

"Maybe she isn't settling," George said, although he didn't completely believe what he was saying.

"You and I both know who she really loves George," Jacob said, staring hard at his friend, "And who loves her. They may not want to admit it to anyone, especially to themselves, but you and I know both know they love each other and have for a long time."

George just stared at him, he had no idea what to say.

"I know as their commanding officer you can't admit to anything George," Jacob said, "Not without having to write them up."

"Jacob," George said, finding his voice, "We can't talk about this."

"Why not?" Jacob challenged, "I'm dying and there's no one else here." He stared hard at George, his eyes shining with their previous strength. "I know you've ignored all they've done over the years George because they've been under the influence of alien crap." George chuckled. "But I've been able to see it pretty much since I saw them both at the medal ceremony."

"You have?" George asked.

Jacob nodded. "At first I was angry, Sam had worked so hard to get to where she was and I thought the two of them were doing something they really shouldn't be, I thought that Jack was taking advantage of her, like Jonas did all those years ago." He stopped talking and winced slightly.

"Do you need something?" George asked quickly.

"Could I have some water?" Jacob asked.

"Of course." George picked up the glass from the side and held it to Jacob's lips and helped him take a couple of sips. When Jacob stopped drinking, George put the glass back down and then turned his attention back to Jacob.

"But then I got to know him, and see the work that Sam did here, and I realised that Jack would never put her in that position." George looked around again. Their chat had now changed from the abstract to actual names, and he did not want anyone to walk in and hear this, it would only cause problems for everyone in the long run.

"Which I think actually made it worse," Jacob continued, not noticing that George wasn't looking at him anymore, "Part of my wonders that if they'd just gotten it out of their systems right at the beginning then this wouldn't be an issue now."

"Jacob," George exclaimed, "You don't mean that."

"No, I don't," Jacob admitted, "But I wish her life could have been easier. I wish she'd been able to be happy for the last few years, rather than having to dance the dance she has been having with Jack." He sighed again. "I just want her to be happy George."

"I know," George told him, resting his hand on Jacob's arm as he spoke, "And I'm sure she will be with Pete."

"He's a blowhard George," Jacob stated, "And an idiot. He won't be able to give her what she deserves."

"Jacob..." George tried to interrupt.

"She's saved the world so many times it's ridiculous, hell she's saved the galaxy a time or two," Jacob continued, continuing as if George had never spoken, "And she wants to settle down with... with..." He struggled to find a word and then settled on something he'd heard his granddaughter use. "With a potato head." George's eyes opened wide in shook at his words but he stayed quiet. "I know most father's probably don't think anyone is good enough for their daughter, but I truly believe that Pete isn't good enough for my daughter."

"But Jack is?" Jacob asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Jacob said, his voice stronger than it had been this entire time, "He's stuck with her, saved her life, and the way he looks at her George. The way he looks at her when he thinks no one is looking." He paused, trying to find the words. "George, he loves her so much it actually scares me." He shook his head. "And Sam looks at him in the same way. When they think no one is looking they both look at each other with so much love my heart freezes in my chest." He stared hard at George. "The first few times I couldn't stand it, that was not the way a CO and 2IC should be looking at each other, but then Sel'mac helped me realise that those looks meant Sam would always have someone looking out for her, someone to make sure that she came home safe."

"I know the whole team is ridiculously close, but with the way Jack looked at her I knew he would always bring her home and that gave me hope that Sam would always come home safe, maybe not in one piece, but always safe."

George laughed quietly at his last words. "They do keep me on my toes," he admitted.

"I bet," Jacob said with a smile.

"Are you going to say anything to Sam about how you feel about Pete?" George wanted to know.

Jacob shook his head. "I can't. She's got a lot on her plate right now and I don't want to add any more issues to that."

"So you'd let her marry someone you don't think she'd be happy with?"

"Can I tell you something?" Jacob asked.

"Of course," George replied.

"I don't think she's going to go through with it," he said softly.

"You don't?" George was surprised by that.

"No," Jacob said, "I think my death is going to make her realise a few things."

George swallowed back tears at that. He knew his friend was dying but to hear Jacob say it just really brought it to the forefront of his mind.

"It's ok," Jacob told him, "I've come to terms with it, but I know this is going to hurt Sam, and I know that Pete isn't going to be the one who helps her through it, he just isn't capable. It's going to be the rest of SG1, but mostly Jack."

"Jacob..." George started to speak, but then stopped, he had no idea what to say.

"As soon as they stop dancing around their feelings I think they're going to realise that really they are the only ones for each other."

"They don't dance," George said gently, "They run the other way every time anything serious happens."

Jacob shrugged. "Well that maybe was for the best, but I think they need to run towards each other, and if my death can be the catalyst for that then I can live with that." He laughed weakly. "Or rather die with that."

George laughed along with him.

"Make me a promise George," he said, "I need you to make me a promise."

"Anything," George said without hesitation.

"Make sure she's happy."

"Of course."

Jacob then smiled and closed his eyes. George freaked out for a second, thinking that he had died, but then realised he had just gone to sleep. He leant back into his chair and thought about what he and Jacob had discussed. As much as he had ignored everything that had gone on between Sam and Jack over the years he had to admit that he had also known there was something more there. But they'd never crossed that line that meant he had to report them.

He looked around the room again and was pleased to see that they were still alone.

What he didn't realise, however, was that Sam had heard some of the conversation. She'd only caught the tail end of what was being said, she'd opened the door slightly, and she'd heard them talking. She was glad that the rest of the hallway was empty, there was no way that she could afford anyone else hearing what her father and defacto uncle were saying.

She had meant to turn and walk away, this was obviously a private conversation that she had no reason to hear, but she couldn't get her feet to move. When her dad had stopped talking she'd been worried for a second before she realised that George hadn't moved which meant her dad had just fallen asleep, but it had spurred her into action.

She couldn't go into the room right now, George would know that she'd heard the tail end of their conversation, her poker face was good, but it wasn't that good. Instead, she turned and ran. She was trying to outrun everything that was happening, her father was dying, her father didn't think her marriage was a good idea, her father and George both thought she'd be better off with Jack. As she ran her eyes filled with tears. She swiped her hand angrily over her eyes, hiding the evidence, and kept running until she reached her lab.

She opened the door and then ran inside and hid under her workbench. She pulled her knees up to her chest and just sat there, trying to work out how it had all gone so wrong.

Maybe her dad was right, maybe Pete wasn't a good idea, but even if that was the case Jack was with Kerry now. Jacob and George couldn't be right because Jack had run into the arms of another woman. No, she then realised, she'd chased him into the arms of another woman when she'd run to Pete.

When the airmen sent by George an hour later found her she was still sat under her workbench but her mind was clearer now. She went to her father and sat with him as he died, her heartbreaking as he slowly passed away.

She couldn't tell him but she vowed to herself that she wouldn't run anymore, she just hoped that Jack would run with her and not away.