"So I hear I missed out on all the fun," said Jonas over dinner.

"Fun is debatable," Neve told him.  "It was pretty freaky if truth be told."

"Well I just wish I'd been here for moral support if nothing else."

And you have no idea how glad I am you weren't, thought Neve.  "But you got to play with your Naquadria and baffle a lot of high ranking Pentagon stuffed shirts with your immense intelligence," she teased gently.

"This is true, and I have to say it was fun.  There's nothing quite like talking to a room full of Colonels and Generals and watching their eyes glaze over as they gradually lose the will to live.  Made me think of Jack on more than one occasion.  Was his double really exactly like him?" Jonas asked.

"Yes and no.  Physically it was Jack, older obviously but Jack right down to the way his hair grew.  But he wasn't my Jack, he didn't know all about me or my life before let alone now.  I did discover that I do exist in his reality."

"Really?"

"Mm, he'd checked it out.  Apparently that me married a Senator, I'm guessing Allen Francis, had two sons, was divorced and living in San Francisco, I'm guessing again that would have something to do with Beth."

"Fascinating."  Jonas took her hand across the table.  "But did it hurt?"

"Looking at the face of a man who's been dead all these years… oh yes, it hurt.  And in a crazy kind of way it helped lay some ghosts."

"Well I'm glad about that at least."

"We had a fight about you," Neve added.

"Me?  Why?"

"I think he was jealous."

"Jack, jealous of me!" Jonas started to laugh.  "Spot the irony.  Oh that is priceless.  Thank you Neve, I think you've just made my day."

"Glad to hear it.  Now help me clear this table and try to control your mirth before I put you out into the cold frosty night."

"You are a hard woman."

"You better believe it."

"Well, if you're determined to go skiing tomorrow I'm going to turn in," Jonas said eventually.  "Are you absolutely sure you wouldn't rather do something… warmer?"

"Nope, skiing it is.  I just want to finish this piece for Beth and then I'll be up myself."

"Goodnight Neve."

"Night Jonas."

Neve typed on for a while, finished the draft copy of a report she was trying to finish and closed down her laptop.  It had been a long day, she was tired and Jonas was right, if she wanted to enjoy skiing she needed her sleep.  Turning off the lights she took one last look around her pretty little home.  "Night Jack," she whispered.  "And thanks."

Upstairs all was in darkness, no sliver of light showing under Jonas's closed door.  Neve changed into her nightdress and slid between the covers of her own bed without bothering to turn on the light, it wasn't a night for reading; it was a night for contemplation.

Jack's parting words were rattling around her head refusing to leave her in peace.  Could she?  No.  Why not?  Because it was Jonas.  Did she love Jonas?  Well of course she did.  So what was the problem?  He's not you Jack, that's the problem.  But I can't come back, Jack pointed out inside her mind, and you really are wasting your life away without me.  You're not getting any younger Neve; pretty soon he might even stop asking you.  Like that's going to happen, Neve snorted.  It might, Jack pointed out patiently.  Don't wait too long.  He's right across the hall.  Do something about it.  Soon.  You're not going to let this rest are you, she thought with a sigh.  No, came the whispered reply.  You've already made his day, go make his year, his life.  Go.

Neve climbed out of bed, opened her bedroom door and paused outside his.  This was crazy.  This was insanity gone crazy.  She opened the door silently and crept inside.  For a minute or two she looked down at the figure sleeping so peacefully and found herself relaxing, smiling even.  Piece of cake Neve.  You can do this.

"Jonas," she said gently, perching on the edge of the bed.

"Huh?" his eyes flew open and he sat bolt upright.  "What?  What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Neve stroked his face.  "Relax.  I need to ask you something."

"Now?  Can't it wait til the morning?"

"No, it can't wait."

"Now you're scaring me Neve."

"I didn't mean to," she ran her fingers through his silver grey hair.  "Jonas, will you marry me?"

"What?" his voice shot up two octaves.

"Marry me.  You always ask me and I always say no.  Well this time I thought maybe, just maybe it might go better if I asked you."

"Is this some kind of joke?" he demanded, wide awake now.

"No joke."

"Has this got something to do with your visitor?"

"Possibly, but only in a good way."

"Do you really mean it?"

"I really mean it," she promised.  "Let's get married.  That way at least we get to live happily ever after."

"Neve."  With a sudden movement that caught her unaware Jonas pulled her down on to the bed and Neve found herself looking up at him.  "I love you and I want to marry you and I want nothing more than to live happily ever after with you."

"Good.  That's settled then."

Jonas kissed her properly for the first time in their entire relationship and Neve was surprised to find she enjoyed it.  Okay so he wasn't Jack but she so wasn't going down that thought path.  Jonas was Jonas, he loved her dearly, she loved him.  It was the right thing to do.  Dammit Jack O'Neill had been right and that was something Neve really didn't like.  Jack was not supposed to be that smart with emotions and feelings and stuff.

"I'm not into long engagements," she told him breathlessly.

"Me neither," he replied.

"And I'd really like if you'd make love to me now, you know, so I can be sure we are compatible."

"Oh we're compatible, trust me," he said with a grin that threatened to split his face in two.

"All the same."

"Oh definitely, nothing like being absolutely sure," he agreed.  "Now?"

"Now," said Neve.  And there was no more talking for a long, long time.

Ski trip.  What ski trip?

THE END.