"Retire? Jack are you sure?" Daniel stood with Jack in the briefing room, waiting for the General. Jack had decided now was as good a time as any to tell his friend. Just then Sam walked in, and caught the Colonel's eye before Jack smiled, turning back to Daniel.

"Yeah. Pretty sure."

Daniel noticed the exchange, confusion crossing his face before Teal'c and the General entered and they all sat down.

"Are you sure you want to do this colonel?" General Hammond asked the man who'd been under his command for five years now. SG-1 was like his family, and although he had known about Sam and Jack's feelings for each other for a long time now, he was happy to turn a blind eye, provided they kept it under control. It didn't take long for Jack to convince them all it was what he wanted, and no less then a week later his resignation papers went through and Jack was finally free. For the third time in his life, Jack was retiring, and he planed to keep it that way.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Colonel?"

Jack looked down from his place behind his telescope, and smiled at Sam. "Drop the colonel Carter, I'm retired." He told her.

Sam nodded, and took a hesitant step towards him, "I just thought I'd come see how you were doing."

Jack grinned, then motioned her over, looking back at the telescope, "Oh it's great. First I cleaned the garage, then I swept the driveway and spent the rest of the day watching day-time TV. Do you have any idea how much swearing goes on in Jerry Springer?"

Sam laughed, "You should take up a hobby sir."

Jack looked up, then reached out and grabbed her hand, standing up beside her, "I already have." He reached down, cupping her face gently in his other hand as he pushed his lips against her. They stayed, locked in their kiss for what seemed like years, before suddenly Sam pulled away. Jack's hand tightened on hers, and he pulled her back towards him, wrapping his arms around her neck and holding her close against him. "It's okay." He said softly, his fingers moving gently in her hair. She leant her head against his shoulder, fighting the impulse to pull away. It all felt wrong. For just under five years she'd kept her feelings for him hidden, had to deny every impulse in her body. She remembered the first time they met, when she tried to convince him that he'd end up liking her. He'd said he adored her already, but it wasn't until they were on the planet with the Shavadi and she caught his reaction to that dress the natives had made her wear that she'd had any clue as to his feelings being more then regulation. Her thoughts drifted to there time together, she remember his deep concern for her when she'd taken Cassie down to her death, then later that year when the were stranded on that ice world. She knew he cared for her, and he'd never let anything happen to her, but did he really love her?

Jack mumbled something into her hair, and she pulled away from him enough so she could look up into his face, "Sir I.."

"It's okay Carter." Jacks hand was still on the back of her neck, and he tightened his hand on her hair gently before letting her go, "I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked.

Sam hesitated a moment before answering. "Actually sir I've got to head back to the base." She trailed off, wincing at the absolute look of disappointment on his face, "It's only a routine.." she tried to ease the blow, "I'll be home in a day or two."

Jack nodded, giving her hand one last squeeze, then walked her back to her car.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jack sat, drumming his fingers against the phone. It had been a week since Sam had come over, and she hadn't reported back.. Jack stopped his train of thought. Hadn't reported back? Ugh, he'd really been in the military too long. It had been a week since Sam had left, and she hadn't called him yet. For the first few days he hadn't been worried. He knew what 'routine' meant to the SGC. Especially to SG-1. But now he'd started to panic. Finally, being unable to stand it any longer, he picked up the phone and called her office at the base. He let it ring out before deciding she wasn't there. Without a thought that she could be at home, he called the general.

"Hammond." The general spoke into the phone.

"Where is she?"

"Colonel?" The General sounded confused.

"Is Carter on the base General?" Jack didn't want to play games. For the past three days every sort of problem had worked it's way into his head. She could be lying, injured on a miserable planet with no one to save her. She could be captured by the Goa'ulds and been made a host. She could be dead.

"Colonel, SG-1 hasn't reported back from their last mission."

Jack slammed down the phone and ran out the door. Seconds later he was in his car, driving towards the base. It wasn't until he'd pulled up at the gates and they refused him access that he realised what a mistake he'd made. He was now effectively shut out from Sam. Before he was always there to look after her, to protect her whenever they went off-world. Now he had to stand by the sidelines, wishing and hoping she'd come back from the next mission alive. This wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to be with her, by her side, living her life with her. And most of all he wanted to know that she was okay.

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Alrighties folks, that's it from me for another week. Lol. PLEASE send me feedback..this was originally suppose to be a one part story, but hey, what ya gonna do?