A/N: First of all I'd like to say how sorry I am that I have not updated this story in awhile... There is a very good excuse... my computer crashed... We're talking "Blue Screen of Death" crashed!  As in my computer wouldn't even boot up (not even in safe mode!)  Needless to say I was without my computer which had all my files on it for over a week.  Unfortunately, it had been awhile since I had backed up my files so I couldn't even really work on them at school (and rewriting them wasn't really what I was going to do if there was a chance that my Landlord could recover some files from my old hard drive) 

But thank God for awesome Landlords who will fix your computer for free (well I'll cook him dinner, but that's 'free' in my book!), install a larger hard drive on your computer, recover files from your no longer bootable hard drive, and try to upgrade your computer's speed because it'll bug him otherwise if he can't make my computer go faster!

So that's why it has taken me so long to update this story (well that, and I was having a bad case of writer's block!! Thank you SG1-Fanfic for helping me get over that hump and checking this story!).  I'm going to try and finish this story in a few chapters and hopefully soon (but grad school may have something else in mind...)

Thank you everyone who has reviewed this story and patiently waited for updates to this story!  So now, go and read the actual chapter after reading probably one of the longest Author's Note's ever!

   

"Let's go talk to Hammond."

Thirty minutes later Jack raised his hand and knocked on General Hammond's door.

"Come in," the voice from within bellowed.

Jack and Sam shared a look with each other before opening the door and entering the base commander's office. "Sir," they both addressed their CO when they stood before his desk.

Hammond looked up and was pleased to see his 21C with his team's 21C, maybe he had gotten to her after all? "Colonel. Major. I'm glad you're both here, I feel that there is a lot we all need to discuss together."

"Yes sir, there is," Jack told him honestly before taking a sideward glance at Sam.

"Major, I hope that after speaking with Colonel O'Neill you have reconsidered your request for a transfer from the SGC."

"Actually, sir, that's what we're here to discuss."

George stared at the pair in front of him; he was confused. Jack saw it on his commander's face and decided to elaborate, "Our options sir..." Hammond was still confused, "We'd like to discuss our options."

He stared at Sam, then at Jack, and then back to Sam. "Major, what does your decision have to do with options for Colonel O'Neill?"

Sam looked over at Jack... she was in need of strength right at that moment. Jack took the initiative, "Actually sir, it has a lot do with me."

Hammond assumed the worst as he glared at SG-1's team leader, "What did you do now?"

Jack raised his hands, "Nothing sir, I swear..."

George shook his head as a headache started to form. Why couldn't they just tell him what was going on? He raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose as he spoke, "Will one of you please tell me what is going on?"

"First and foremost sir," Jack began, "Neither Carter nor myself have broken any regulations."

Hammond's head shot up - it couldn't be good if their explanation started off with that, could it? Sam quickly jumped in to explain further, "Sir, the reason I requested a transfer off SG-1, and then from the SGC, was because I don't feel I can work alongside Colonel O'Neill given our current situation."

"And what might that be? How has it changed from last week?" George asked.

Sam continued, "I guess you could say I had a sort of an epiphany this past weekend... I can't work alongside someone and hide my feelings and concerns anymore... You see, sir," Sam paused and took a deep breath, "I have these feelings for my commanding officer and I don't think I can deny them anymore because of the regs."

Jack looked from Sam to George and felt he needed to put in his own two cents, "And I also have feelings for my second in command sir."

"Kawalsky?" Sam innocently asked with a coy smile.

Hammond and Jack both jerked their heads towards her and blinked hard. Jack was the first to return her smile, "As much as I love and miss the guy, it's not him!"

"Well that's good to hear... I don't know if I could compete with a charmer like he was!" Sam chided back.

Hammond silently watched his best field officer and best scientist interact. This was what helped make SG-1 his best team, the team that defied all odds and always seemed to find a way home. So what was he going to do? Break up the best team he had? Court martial the two of them? But he convinced himself that there were no grounds for that. Having feelings for one another and actual fraternization were different things, right? He then cleared his throat to get their attention, "I see... And Major, you're willing to sacrifice your work and career to explore these feelings?"

Sam looked at Jack. Was she? She had to take a chance... she'd rather give them a try and have it fail then to live a life that wasn't complete because she couldn't be who she was and express her feelings. But was she able to sacrifice a part of herself to get that personal balance? And then the words from her friend drifted across her mind, "You'll find that balance if you want to."

As she continued to look into his eyes she saw his hope, hope for a future that they would share together. 'I do want that balance!' she told herself. "If I have to sir... But I was hoping that we could come up with another solution."

"Such as?" he queried.

'Find the balance!' she repeated in her mind as she tried to come up with options. "Well, sir... At least with regard to Sg-1, Lt. Hailey will be done with her training in three weeks. And she was planning on pursuing her PhD here at the SGC under my guidance. I think she would be an excellent replacement for me on SG-1, sir."

"No one can replace you Carter. You're a one of a kind."

Sam looked over at her CO, the man she admired and longed for, "Thank you, sir. But you know what I meant."

"Well, you and Daniel are always telling me that semantics really do matter."

"And you choose now to start listening, sir? Now that I'm leaving SG-1?" He just grinned back at her.

Hammond watched the pair in front of him and was slightly amused and saddened at the same time. This was the end of an era, the end of the original SG-1. 'But it could also be the beginning of something... And, Lord knows, these two need this...' He cleared his throat to get their attention, "If you two are both done, there's still a few things we need to discuss."

Both junior officer's turned back to the base commander and smiled sheepishly, "Yes sir."

"Lt. Hailey joining SG-1 is a good idea, Major. But what are we going to do with you?"

"Sir, I'd like to have more of a field research officer role. With respect to the testing of the weapon on 636, I knew what it was when I met with you and Colonel Simmons. Orlin, the alien who followed me through the Stargate told me what it was and what had happened."

"What did happen with the civilization, Major?" General Hammond asked her, slightly disappointed that she had not mentioned any of this in the briefing a few days earlier.

"Orlin 'gave' them the plans for the weapon so that they could defend themselves from the Goa'uld. They then used the weapon on other planets in an attempt to take over. The Ascended ones intervened and destroyed their civilization..."

"Why?" a wide-eyed General asked.

"Because Orlin interfered by giving them that weapon, something against the Ascended's code of conduct. The 'others' intervened to stop the Velonans from creating any more destruction, sir," she explained. She paused before continuing on, "Even though I knew the Ancients could have destroyed us for activating that weapon, there was nothing that I could do to stop the Pentagon from testing it, sir."

Hammond was quick to jump in and remind her of his actions, "Major, I hope you know that I respect your decisions and ideas?"

"Yes, sir, I do... But I feel that if I take on a more scientific research position and am able to focus on that, then possible tragedies can be averted, sir."

Jack looked over at her and realized as she spoke how shaken she had been by her interaction with Orlin. He wondered how else he had touched her life.

Hammond intently listened to Sam's suggestion and heavily considered it. "Give me a month," he told them before he looked down at his desk and began making some notes.

Sam and Jack looked at each other unsure what exactly he was referring to and imploring each other to ask for clarification. Jack finally spoke up, "Excuse me, sir?"

Hammond looked up, "Give me one month to get things rolling. We'll need that time for Lt. Hailey to finish her training. During her first week with SG-1, I'd like you both to keep a close eye on her and gauge her capabilities as a soldier and as a scientist. I'll also need one month to set up the position of Head Research Officer... Who will report directly to me. As Head Research Officer Major Carter, your duties will primarily focus on understanding alien technologies, integrating them with our technology if possible, threat assessments of alien technology, and, when necessary, accompanying other SG teams off-world in a scientific capacity."

He watched with amusement as a huge smile appeared on Sam's face. "Yes, sir!" she eagerly replied.

"I take it then Major Carter, that these are acceptable conditions for you and I won't need to process a transfer for you?"

She smiled, "No, sir. I'd love to stay on at the SGC as your Head Research Officer!"

"Good... I don't know if this place could function as smoothly without you here to keep it running."

Sam smiled bashfully, "Thank you, sir. I appreciate your saying that."

"You didn't appreciate it when I told you that!" Jack pointed out.

Sam looked over at her CO and nodded her head, "Well, he is a General, sir."

"Oh, so what, now it takes a General for your to feel appreciated?"

General Hammond spoke up before he heard more of this conversation, "That'll be all!"

Both SG-1 members looked over at their base CO before standing up to leave.

Hammond stopped them before they opened the door. "I expect you to both adhere to the regulations for the next month. And once Major Carter has been assigned her new post, I expect you to both act as professionals on duty."

They turned around, "Yes, sir."

As they exited, General Hammond heard one last exchange, "Did you get that, Carter? Hammond wants you to act more professional around base!"

"Guess I'll have to get a new role model then..."

TBC