"Hey Sam." Ferretti slapped her on the back. He was obviously drunk but Sam was used to drunken men.

"Ferretti, sorry about this morning, bad day." Sam apologised.

"Hey no problem, I get pissed off with him too sometimes but then again I don't work with him everyday."

"Why is everyone under the impression that I'm pissed off with Colonel O'Neill? I know I was in a fragile mood the other night and said something to Janet about him being an idiot, which I didn't mean but I got over it."

"So he doesn't have to apologise?" Ferretti asked.

"No. Look at it this way if Colonel Harriman said something to annoy you would you expect him to apologise? Of course you wouldn't, rank means you don't have to apologise to your subordinates." Sam said before taking a slug of her beer.

"That's because Harriman's a guy. He'd buy me a beer and it would be over with."

"Okay I'll try this another way. You've never apologised to Hannah Jenkins for pissing her off and you do it frequently. She doesn't expect you to either, you out rank her and she knows that you usually don't mean what you say anyway."

"Hannah never mentioned I pissed her off."

"She has gotten so used to it that it doesn't bother that much. Just be grateful there is a punch bag in the gym. Besides she wouldn't, you're her CO, she's supposed to accept what you say. Don't worry she's not going to file a harassment suit against you."

"That's good."

"Yeah, she says seeing you in a skirt and heels was enough to redeem you and what with the dancing you should be okay for the rest of the year."

~ ~ ~

"So that's six medals specifically for the military personnel of the SGC and an additional four that can be awarded to the civilian personnel, including Dr Jackson and Teal'c." The President concluded.

"Yes sir." General Ryan said.

"Colonel O'Neill with the approval of the General's and the Joint Chiefs of staff, I think that you would be the most appropriate person, with General Hammond's approval to supervise the requests for the rewarding of these medals."

"Sir?" Jack questioned. "I don't think I'm qualified to say who should receive medals and who shouldn't. I only recommended Major Carter because of the works she does."

"Colonel, looking at the basic criteria we've set out for each medal Major Carter looks set to receive all of the military medals except the post humus one and additional two of the civilian medals for her work in the labs. I think you are definitely qualified for this assignment."

"Thank you sir."

"General, how long do you think it will take to make up the medals?"

"Sir, with basic design and minting approximately three weeks for enough to be stockpiled, but we could have a set created by the middle of next week so they could be awarded to Major Carter."

"Have it done, but limited access to what the medals are for due to classification. Colonel, return to the SGC have them schedule a medal ceremony for a week Friday. General, if you can find time in your schedule to present the medals."

"Yes sir. It's would be an honour."

~ ~ ~

"I say we just let them work this out themselves." Janet whispered to Daniel. "Jack's trying to make it up to Sam even though she was really isn't angry with him."

"It could work, Jack is obviously going to do something over the top, by the virtue of the fact that he's not very good at making gestures."

"Do you have any idea where he went?" Janet asked.

"General says he sent him on an errand for him. So I guess where going to have to wait until he gets back until we figure out what we're going to do next."

"Sounds like a plan." Janet hopped off the infirmary bed and picked up her clipboard. "You're in perfect health Daniel." She said in a loud voice. "Make sure you stay that way, I wouldn't want you cluttering up my infirmary again soon."

"Thank you Dr Fraiser. I'd better get back to work." Daniel said playing along.

~ ~ ~

"Colonel, I take it your meeting was productive?" Hammond said as Jack entered his office two days later.

"Yes sir. I've been asked to inform you that General Ryan will be visiting next Friday in order to address the base and to make a presentation. The President would like the nature of the General's visit to be kept classified for obvious reasons."

"Of course, well done Jack. Obviously your diplomatic skills have improved during the last few years."

"Yes sir."

"So do we have a number on how many she receives?" Hammond asked.

"Seven, five military and two civilian one of which is now the Air Force equivalent to the Nobel Prize for civilians who can't reveal their work because of the classified nature."

"Who did they appoint in charge as the person to submit the request forms to?" Hammond enquired.

"Me sir. With your approval of course."

"Of course. It was good work Jack. By the way Major Carter would probably like to see you she's been waiting for you to get back so she could apologise for her behaviour."

"I take it she didn't leave again General?"

"No, she's been assisting Dr Jackson with a translation. A complex mathematical equation with an answer of 42." Hammond informed him

"Ah the fictional meaning of life. Really puts the stuff on Ernest's planet to shame." Jack smiled.

"Don't mention that to Dr Jackson, he seems to think he's the only one who hasn't read the book"

"I thought it was required reading." Jack joked.

"Maybe you should look into that and write me a report."

"With all due respect sir I'll pass on that if you don't mind. It seems I'm going to be gaining extra paperwork as it is."

"Of course Colonel. They were in Dr Jackson's office and enjoy your weekend."

"Thank you sir." Jack opened the door and headed to the elevator.

"General the President is on the telephone." Lieutenant Simmons said through the open door.

"Thank you Lieutenant and close the door."

"Yes sir."

"Mr President."

~ ~ ~

"Hey Danny Boy. Didn't take the leave as a reason to actually leave then?" Jack said as he strolled into Daniel's lab.

"We've been busy working on a translation. It's this really long equation so Sam's helping me, she seems to think."

"It's Douglas Adams's meaning of life?" Jack finished for him.

"General Hammond told you."

"Yeah. So have you all been behaving yourselves since I've been gone?"

"What you really mean is Sam still angry with you?"

"Yeah." He said picking up a pyramid paperweight from the desk and fiddling with it.

"She was never that angry with you in the first place. She knows you appreciate what she does here and she was just having a rough couple of days. Besides she says as her CO you don't have apologise for anything, but as her friend chocolate always makes a good apology gift."

"Couldn't someone have told me that a week ago. Now I have two problems, an extra ticket for the hockey game tomorrow and I've just spent a few pointless days in Washington."

"Why what happened in Washington sir?" Sam asked entering the lab, Jack fumbled placing the paperweight on the desk.

"Hey Carter." He said turning to face her.

"Hello Colonel, so what was in Washington?" She repeated.

"It's classified."

"See Daniel, I told you having top secret clearance wasn't enough to get anyone to sell state secrets." She joked sitting on one of the stools and shot Jack a smile.

"Look Carter, I wanted to apologise if I implied that I didn't appreciate what you do here."

"Don't worry about it sir. I need to apologise for the way I acted. I was tired and I was having a bad few days and it was unprofessional. I'm sorry."

"No sweat. So we're friends again?" Jack asked.

"Yes sir."

"Good, you busy tomorrow?"

"Not really sir. I was planning on getting a head start on some reports that were due in and waiting around for Dr Xandrian to get back to me."

"Xandrian?" Jack questioned not recognising the name.

"A mathematician, Sam sent him the equation to look at to see if he could shed any light on it." Daniel informed him. "So what did he say when you called him?"

"That it looked interesting, he wanted to where we found it. It pretty hard to explain to one of the countries most enigmatic and well respected Mathematicians that it was classified."

"Sure you had no problems Carter." Jack added.

"He's going to look into it. But I can't figure out why they would write that equation I mean the answer checks out but I still don't understand the principle behind it. So why did you want to know sir?"

"About the equation?" Jack asked.

"No about me being busy this weekend."

"You see I have a spare ticket to a hockey game and everyone else is busy or doesn't understand it or is in a phase where they prefer men with less padding." Sam smirked. "Did you want to come?"

"Men beating each other up chasing a piece of plastic round a rink of frozen water in big pads and no chance of getting shot." Sam smiled. "Sounds like fun."

"Major Carter to the control room. Major Carter to the control room." The tannoy echoed.

"But I might need to take a rain check depending what they've done to the gate this time. It's nice to have you back sir. If you'll excuse me." She left.

"See that went well." Daniel said. "And Janet was right about you asking her."

"Huh?" Jack turned back to Daniel.

"I said Janet was right about her saying yes if you asked her."

"She probably needs a few hours away from the base if she's been trying help you with an equation since I left."

"Whatever. So why did you go to Washington and what does it have to do with making it up to Sam?"

"Like I said it's classified until next week. By the way you'll have to tidy up we're getting a visitor, Air Force has strict standards you know."

"I'm not in the Air Force. Please don't tell me the President is coming to visit again."

"No, just General Ryan. He wants to do an inspection of the work we're doing here."

"So you made a pointless visit to Washington to visit General Ryan?" Daniel inquired.

"No, not specifically but I did talk to him. I think I've been working here to long I spent the whole time in Washington craving the commissary's Jell-O."

"Get them to save Sam some blue Jell-O she hasn't had any all week and you know how she gets."

"I'll take that under advisement. If I don't see you have a nice weekend."

"You too Jack and make sure Sam eats something."

"Will do."

~ ~ ~

"Carter, go and find the seats and I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Yes sir." Sam said taking her ticket from him and went on a recon for the seats. Jack came and found her a few minutes later and held out a paper bag and a paper cup.

"Loaded hotdog and a diet soda." He said with a smile.

"Thank you sir." She said accepting them. "You didn't have to."

"Chocolate didn't seem the appropriate thing for a hockey match."

"I see you've been talking to Daniel again. Like I said yesterday sir, you don't have to apologise you're my CO you can say what you like as long as it doesn't come under sexual discrimination and not have to apologise. But thank you for the thought sir." She said biting into her hotdog.

"Carter, we're at a sports event and no where near the base, we known each other for years now and we're friends don't you think you could drop the sir and Colonel for one evening."

"I don't think so sir. It's your title and you've earned it. Like I've said on numerous occasions it's a sign of respect."

"I'd still take it as a sign of respect if you called me Jack on occasions."

"How often have I ever called you anything other than the sir or Colonel?" She asked.

"Well during the Jolinar thing and. Samantha."

"For both of those cases I have to say it wasn't really me. But I'll make you the same deal I made Cassie, convince Teal'c to call me Sam off duty and I'll promise to work on it."

"Deal."

"Good because the game is about to start." She smiled and turned her attention back to the rink.

~ ~

"So sir, can I ask why you didn't tell me General Ryan was coming to inspect the base next week?" Sam said after the end of the second period.

"Did I forget to mention it? I'm sure Hammond will have it in a memo by Monday."

"So you went to visit General Ryan?" She said sipping her drink.

"Nice try Carter, but not subtle enough. Like I said before it's classified."

"I was only trying to make conversation Colonel." Sam said even faced.

"No, we're trying to trick me into telling you why I went to Washington. The teach you to watch out for people trying to manipulate you in black ops training. I'm pretty good at it." He commented.

"With all due respect sir you're only good at it some of the time."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" He asked.

"You've never seemed to notice when Daniel and I double team you in order to give each other extra time to work."

"Not really."

"You didn't ever notice that when Daniel is arguing with you about needing extra time I'm always running a few extra tests just in case you say no? Or that I start discussing something that could really wait until later so that he can have a few extra minutes."

"And you both do this a lot?"

"That would be classified sir."

"I could order you to tell me you know."

"I know, but you won't. We think its quite sweet when you don't notice you get this confused look on your face." She stopped and realised what she had just said. "I'm sorry sir, that was totally inappropriate."

"No sweat, I'm not here as you're CO, we're here as friends you can say what you like unless you start spouting something classified and I have to do something to shut you up."

"Like what?" She asked in a teasing tone.

"I don't know but I'd think of something. Thinking on your feet is something the Air Force teaches you."

"And what else has the Air Force taught you?" Sam asked.

"A lot, but I think I learned most from you."

"That's a very sweet thing to say sir. We might make a diplomat out of you one day yet."

"Hey! Thor doesn't have a problem with my diplomatic abilities, neither for that matter does the President."

"So you went to Washington to see the President now that makes sense. How is he?"

"Why you."

"I'm sorry sir but you walked into that one. Maybe I should be the one who needs to think up a plan for if you start revealing classified information."

"Carter."

"The game is starting again."

~ ~ ~

"That was fun." Sam said as they made their way across the parking lot to Jack's SUV.

"Yeah." Jack agreed.

"But I'm still hungry. Do you mind if we gate crash your house and order pizza?" She asked.

"Why not." He smiled.

"Can I borrow your cell phone, I left mine at home charging?" He tossed it to her. She quickly dialled a number.

"Hi Daniel it's Sam. Yeah it was a good game. Look we're going to gatecrash the Colonel's house and order pizza, are you coming?... Daniel you need to eat.. I know, I'll come in and help you with it tomorrow morning, but we're taking tomorrow afternoon because we have plans for Monday.. Come on Daniel and bring Teal'c.. Daniel if you don't come and eat with us I'll call Janet and get her to restrict you from active duty due to lack of food.. I would. Come eat with us it'll be team bonding. Good I'll see you soon. Bye Daniel." She turned to look at Jack, who was smiling at her. "What are you smiling at?"

"Nothing." Sam shot him a look which told him she didn't believe him. "Okay, it's just funny that you want to make sure Daniel eats, he told me exactly the same thing about you."

"Yeah well. You know us scientist types sir, once we get stuck on a train of thought or something that intrigues us we survive on caffeine."

"Tell me about it. Seriously we need to switch Daniel to de-caff."

"What about me?" She asked getting in the car."

"I think you can take care of yourself, Daniel on the other hand needs someone to watch over him."

"He says the same about you. He knows you can look out for you're self in the field, he just worries about what's going on in your head sometimes."

"Please don't tell me he was a shrink in a previous life." Jack joked.

"He watches people it's part of his job, he assimilates cultures and languages, one of the best ways to study people and cultures is to observe them and how people interact."

"I thought you told me you weren't an anthropologist."

"Well I guess you guys rubbed off on me. Case in point hockey matches, never liked hockey until I joined SG-1."

"How can you not like hockey?" He asked.

"Mark liked baseball. He used to take me to games sometimes. You have more influence over us than you know, look at Teal'c and his love of the Simpson's. Did you honestly think when you took this job that one of your team would be well Teal'c and he was the type to watch little yellow people who have a very similar sense of humour to you sir?"

"No, when I originally took this job I was going on a suicide mission." He muttered. Sam snapped round to look at him.

"Excuse me?" She said not quite believing what she'd heard.

"What? They didn't know what was on the other side, once Daniel figured out what the little picture things were, they needed someone who was ready to stay behind and destroy a bomb to protect Earth. Things changed."

"What changed your mind?" Sam asked.

"Daniel and Skarra. Both of them had the child like innocence, they wanted to go out and face the world and needed protecting, but they convinced me that maybe there was something to live for, even though when I got back Sara had already left. I survived, it still hurts everyday that Charlie died, I still miss him like crazy, but there are people out there I can protect and that's what I am going to do for as long as I can."

"That's a noble pursuit sir. It definitely makes me feel bad for hating you before I met you."

"You hated me?" He questioned.

"I was supposed to go on the initial mission, your suicide mission I'd been working on the project for two years before that, I was supposed to go, but it was decided that a woman should go on a mission into hostile territory, and there was something about a mention of a Colonel O'Neill who had a minor problem with scientist and was on the point of refusing to have just a Dr Jackson on team. So I hated you, that's probably why I had an attitude the first day we met and I went on my feminist kick."

"So you're opinion changed?"

"Yes, I figured if you could spar with me as well as Mark and my Dad I could cope with you as a CO."

"That's nice to know Carter." He said sarcastically

"You wanted the truth. I was going on that mission or I could have slightly destroyed to the targeting computer, it would have been pretty easy since it was built to my specification and I designed all the computer programs for it."

"You'd really do that?" He asked.

"I got plenty offers for a lot more than the Air Force pays, but I wanted to go through the gate, call it my life's work. I honesty don't think I'd trade anything we've been through, besides if it weren't for the SGC I'd technically be an orphan. Another bonus, I get to kick ass every now and be the envy of every woman on the base so it's not so bad."

"The envy of every woman on the base?" He repeated.

"Pretty much every woman on the base has a thing for either, Daniel, Teal'c or you. Daniel doesn't notice the women, especially the nurses, Teal'c ignores it and they wait until you've gone by before they swoon." She smiled as she watched him smirk.

"I think today has been really educational."

"You remember how we were discussing things being classified."

"Yes."

"Consider this whole conversation classified."

TBC