A/N: I just want you all to know I'm sacrificing sleep to write this chapter. I'm obsessed! LOL!!

This installment is another one of those short, transitional pieces. After that last monster chapter, I thought the story needed a little breather. Hope you like it!

Chapter 16

Jack had always loved fishing. There was something sublimely peaceful about the crystal clear lakes of Minnesota that soothed him even in the worst of times. Now, however, he wondered if he'd ever be able to find the same enjoyment in it. For at that moment, Jack was sure he knew exactly how a fish felt when yanked out of its watery home with a hook in its mouth.

He was certain he looked like a fish out of water. His mouth was moving, but no sound would emerge from his throat. He just stood in the conference room, wearing his damn uncomfortable dress uniform, with Jacob Carter staring him into muddled silence.

The man was serious. Of that, Jack had no doubt. Oh, sure, he might be smiling, but the steel in his gaze spoke volumes. Jack knew that look, because he'd used it himself when commanding a team. It was genius, really. Smile on the outside, but give strict orders underneath it all.

Realizing he looked like an idiot, Jack finally forced himself to speak. "Well, sir, we hadn't really talked about it." Amazingly enough, he didn't sound terrified. God knew he felt that way.

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "She's having your babies. You're both single. And now you have the blessing of both the President and the Joint Chiefs." He paused meaningfully. "What's there to talk about?"

Jack rubbed his forehead. "Oh, I don't know. I just thought maybe your incredibly smart and talented daughter would have enough good sense to avoid tying herself down to a loser like me." Hearing the note of insecurity beneath the self-deprecating humor, he winced. He'd really meant for that to sound funny, but it somehow fell flat.

Obviously, Jacob heard the same things, because his smile gentled. "Jack, my smart and talented daughter is absolutely crazy about you." He gazed off into space for a moment. "Sam could explain to me the physics behind a wormhole for an hour, and at the end of it I still wouldn't understand a fraction of what she'd said. But it really wouldn't matter in the long run, because whether I understand it or not, the stargate works." His gaze then returned to Jack. "I'm sure the same could be said of her feelings for you. Lord knows, I may never understand what she sees in you," Jacob's eyes glinted with humor, "but the fact remains that whether I understand it or not, her feelings are real. She understands it, and that's all that really matters."

Humbled, Jack looked down at his hands. His reply was quiet enough that no one else nearby could have heard it. "I don't deserve her, Jacob."

The retired general smiled wistfully. "And I didn't deserve her mother. But, lucky for guys like us, sometimes we don't always get what we deserve."

Jack looked back up at the older man, shaking his head. "You really want to see her end up with someone like me?"

Jacob's eyes were determined. "I want to see her happy." He gazed intently at Jack. "She hasn't really been happy in a ling time, you know. But she's certainly earned it. If you can give her that, then I can't ask for more."

Quirking his lips in his trademark half-smile, Jack still didn't look convinced. "I'm not so sure she'll have me, Jacob. Things have been moving at breakneck speed around here lately. I think I'd like to give her some time to get used to everything. Once she's really thought about it, I wouldn't be surprised if she kicked my butt to the curb."

"O'Neill, my friend," Jacob's smile was knowing, "the day my daughter kicks your butt to the curb is the day you will be able to explain wormhole physics to me."

Sam watched as the door to Shinsall's chambers slowly clicked shut. Her conversation with the older woman had moved something in Sam's heart. Not since the death of her mother had Sam felt so close to a female role model. Hearing Shinsall's wishes for her future, she suddenly felt as though she wasn't crazy to hope for a happy ending with Jack.

Glancing at her watch, she was surprised to see that it was just past lunchtime. Waiting for the meeting to start had seemed to take an eternity. Suddenly, she realized that the day was only half-over, and she had a job to do. After the totally unscheduled events of the last week, she was almost reluctant to start working at her normal pace again.

Still, she did experience a familiar stab of excitement when she considered her new knowledge of the metallic device in her lab. The scientist in her was too deeply ingrained to not feel the thrill of discovery. She briefly considered going back to the conference room, but then, remembering the look in her father's eyes, she decided to chicken out and head straight for the lab.

Humming a happy tune, she stepped lightly down the corridor. Sam still hadn't fully digested this latest turn of events, but she couldn't help feeling good about it so far. She might not like having to be the SGC's official tattle-tale, but if it meant she and Jack could both keep their commissions, then she'd learn to adapt. She was pretty sure that this situation couldn't have had a happier ending, at least not for her and Jack.

As she entered her lab, she began wondering about how her relationship with Jack would affect her work. She was used to acting professionally and suppressing her feelings for him, but not under the present circumstances. Their emotions had been voiced, and more importantly, they'd been acted out in a hundred different ways over the past week. Could she manage to look at him across a conference table and not flash to a picture of him tenderly caressing her face? She wasn't sure. But, again, she decided she'd just have to adapt. Some higher power had just handed her a winning lottery ticket. She fully intended on cashing it in, regardless of how much work it took on her own part.

She walked to the Ancient device on her workbench and began examining it with a fresh gaze. Daniel's revelations about the object made all sorts of new things jump out at her. The grooves carved in the metal shaft, for example, now clearly appeared to be tracks for conveying the tumblers in a lock to their appropriate positions. The gently glowing crystals seemed to whisper their pulsing combination in her ear. Sam felt the warm glow of discovery swell in her chest. It was obvious to her that the device was a key. Now, if only they knew where to find the lock, they would be in business.

As she walked across the room to pick up her notebook, she unbuttoned her coat and the top of her skirt without thinking. She gratefully released a huge sigh of relief, glad to be breathing easily again.

"I'm okay with that, but please warn me if you plan to take anything completely off." Daniel's slightly amused voice interrupted Sam's silent thought process, causing her to jump and whirl around.

"Daniel! You startled me!" Then, realizing what he'd just observed her doing, she blushed. "Sorry. I didn't think to check the fit of my uniform until this morning. By then, it was too late to do anything except hold my breath and yank on the zipper."

He just chuckled as he slowly entered her office and took a seat on a stool beside her workbench. "That sounds mostly unpleasant. You should probably go to your quarters and change into something less restricting." Daniel, himself, had already removed his tie and suit coat.

"I was planning on it, but I got distracted by the thought of our Ancient key." Sam gestured to the device. "I just had to have a look at it first."

Daniel nodded. "Obviously, I had the same reaction, since, well… here I am." His gaze focused on the cylinder. "Notice anything new?"

Sam shook her head. "Nothing we hadn't already figured out. But its function is now pretty clear to me. I can't wait until you get the all-clear to search for the rest of the puzzle. I'm sure Jack will–" Sam cut herself off, wincing. "I mean, I'm sure General O'Neill will be anxious to send you soon."

Daniel shot her a sympathetic look. "That's going to be tough, isn't it?"

Sam didn't bother feigning confusion about his meaning. She just sighed. "Yeah, it is. But I imagine I'll get used to it soon enough."

He nodded. "I'm sure you will." Then he smiled. "Your father had him cornered when I left the conference room. Teal'c stuck around just in case Jacob decided to get violent again."

Sam flinched. "Poor J-" she immediately transformed one word into another, stuttering slightly in the process. "-General O'Neill." Seeing Daniel's eyes glint with amusement, she knew she hadn't fooled him. She made a face. "This is tougher than it looks, you know!"

He just grinned. "Sam, you really don't have to censor yourself in front of me. I promise I won't report you."

"I know you won't. But I have to get used to it sometime, and I might as well get my screw-ups out of the way in front of a friendly audience." She shrugged.

"Carter, don't be absurd," Jack stepped into the lab, wearing his dress uniform and a sarcastic smile. "You never screw up."

Sam nearly jumped. Immediately, she found herself saluting him. Then, of course, she felt ridiculous. Saluting wasn't done indoors, unless she was formally reporting in a military capacity. She felt even more ridiculous as she realized her unbuttoned coat and skirt were made very obvious during her salute.

Jack's eyes took in her state of disarray, and one eyebrow went up in question. Looking at Daniel, he pretended to sound stern. "Doctor Jackson? You haven't been manhandling Colonel Carter, have you?"

Daniel spread his hands in a sign of innocence as he sat up straight on his stool. "I swear, Jack, I didn't touch her."

Sam was aghast. So much for being professional and observing proper protocol. She tried to think of something to say that might bring the conversation back to an appropriate topic, but failed miserably.

Seeing her look of horror, Jack smiled reassuringly. "At ease, Colonel. It's been a long time since SG-1 stuck to all that military pompousness around each other. No need to start now."

"Indeed, Colonel Carter," Teal'c's voice sounded from behind Jack. Sam had been so immersed in her awkwardness that she hadn't even seen him come in. "I recall being chastised by O'Neill on several occasions for strictly adhering to such protocols. I believe he called me 'a twig in the dirt.'"

Sam couldn't help grinning. "You mean 'a stick in the mud.'"

Teal'c inclined his head. "Yes, I believe that was the expression."

Slowly, she felt herself beginning to relax. "Well, I wouldn't want to be one of those. Guess I'm just a little concerned about our new responsibilities."

Jack felt a warm smile creep onto his lips. It wasn't often he issued that particular expression without sarcasm or cynicism. When he did, it was usually a result of some earnest deed or remark given by Carter. "Don't sweat it, Colonel. Like I said when I walked in, you never screw up."

Sam rolled her eyes. "I think we all know that's not true." She made an obvious gesture at her unbuttoned coat.

Jack waved a hand dismissively. "I'm talking about big stuff, Carter. And you never drop the ball when it counts."

Daniel, sensing an undercurrent of something serious beneath Jack's light words, stood from his stool. "He's right, Sam." Then he paused, digesting his own words. "And I don't say those words often about anything Jack says." Smiling, Daniel walked past Jack on his way to the door. "I'm going to go do more research on ancient Mesopotamia. I'll see you guys later."

Teal'c, noting Daniel's departure, glanced at Jack momentarily. "O'Neill, can I safely assume that Jacob Carter no longer wishes to inflict bodily harm on you?"

Sam choked back rueful laughter, but Jack just nodded. "I think I'm safe, T. But thanks for the concern."

The large Jaffa nodded. "Then I will go take my lunch break. I shall see you later, Colonel Carter."

She waved at him, still smiling at his protectiveness. Looking back at Jack, she felt sweet affection settle in her chest. "So, Dad didn't try to kill you today?"

O'Neill shuffled slowly toward the stool Daniel had just vacated. "Oh, I don't know about that." He took a seat, smiling wryly. "I think he just found a way to try without using his fists."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Choosing his words carefully, Jack spoke slowly. "I think he might have been trying to scare me into an early grave." He met her gaze as he continued. "Your father wanted to know when I planned on marrying you."

Sam's eyes widened with dismay. "Oh, Jack! I'm so sorry! You don't have to-"

Jack cut her off. "Relax, Sam. We had a nice chat." Then he made a face. "Though I do think he initially meant to scare the crap out of me." Seeing the concern on Sam's face, he went on. "He was just being an overprotective father. Nothing I couldn't handle."

She didn't look convinced. "Still, he shouldn't be pressuring you. Please don't worry about anything he said."

He eyed her thoughtfully. "So, you wouldn't want to?"

She blinked, not understanding. "Want to what?"

"Get married."

Sam opened her mouth, trying to force some sort of appropriate reply through her frozen vocal cords.

Nothing happened.

Jack watched as she soundlessly opened and closed her mouth. He imagined that he must have looked pretty much the same way when Jacob had first cornered him. Quickly, he stepped in to ease her discomfort. "Don't worry about it, Sam. I didn't mean to make you panic. I just wanted your thoughts on the matter." He smiled. "I guess I can figure out what they are by your expression."

Suddenly, Sam's voice seemed to spring into gear. "No!" She yelled. Then, seeing the look of surprise on Jack's face, she tried to calm down. Still, there was a look of frenzied panic in her eyes. "You don't understand." She couldn't blow this. If Jack O'Neill was even considering a proposal to her, she had to do everything in her power to smooth the way, even if it left her looking like an idiot. "If I appeared shocked just now, it's because I never thought I'd hear that question coming from your mouth. I didn't speak because I was afraid of saying something that would make you run screaming into the distance." She heard the desperation in her voice, but couldn't stop herself now. "But to answer your question: yes, Jack, I would want to marry you."

If it was possible, he looked even more surprised at that response than he had when she'd yelled at him. "You would?"

Her smile was breathtaking. "You have to ask?"

He shrugged. "Of course I have to ask. We both know you could do one hell of a lot better than me."

Seeing the insecurity on his features, Sam ached to reach out and hold him. Unwilling to take such a risk in her office, she settled instead for a deep, heart-filled gaze. "Oh, Jack," she murmured. "Don't be ridiculous."

Seeing the raw emotion in her eyes, he opened his mouth to reply, but abruptly stopped himself when he heard the sound of footsteps in the corridor. Suddenly, he realized that her uniform was still in a state of disarray. Gesturing at her open buttons, he jerked his head toward the hallway in a sign that someone was coming.

Sam hastily re-zipped her skirt and fastened her coat. She had just readjusted her lapels when General Hammond appeared in the doorway.

"General O'Neill. Colonel Carter." He looked from one officer to the other. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

Sam shook her head. "Of course not, sir. We were just discussing the Ancient device we found on P3X-812. I was telling General O'Neill how anxious I was to have SG teams start looking for the rest of the puzzle."

Seeing Hammond's look of confusion, O'Neill filled in some of the blanks. "Daniel thinks he's discovered the purpose behind this gadget. Carter wants us to go get the rest of it."

The General nodded. "Well, then, I'll leave you to your work. I just wanted to say goodbye before I left for Washington."

Jack stood up. "Don't rush away on my account, sir, I was just heading out. I'm sure you have some things to discuss with your new second-in-command." As he started toward the door, he glanced briefly over his shoulder at Sam. "Carter, we'll catch up later."

Sam wanted to yell with frustration over this latest untimely interruption. Instead, however, she smiled blandly and replied, "Yes, General, we certainly will."