Chapter Two

Author: roseofthegate

Disclaimer: I don't own StarGate SG-1 or any of its character because if I did this Sam/Pete thing would have NEVER happened. By the way I do own Brigadier General Katharine Marie E. Nerez.

A/N: Thank you to all of you who reviewed. You are all very encouraging. As you know this is my second fic, and since I've gotten such a great response, I'm going to keep writing. Lots of love to all my reviewers, roseofthegate

Sam's Point of View

I knew he was across the street in his truck, I just couldn't bring myself to got and talk to him. Things were different with me being Pete's fiancée, I guess.

I saw him slip out of his truck and slide something in my mailbox, and run back to his truck.

'That's it,' I thought and I ran out of my house calling out, "Jack! Jack, please wait! Jack!"

Luckily he stopped and waited.

"Jack...sir..." I was slightly out of breath. "What was...Why are you leaving?"

He looked at me with disbelief and pain in those endless brown eyes. "It's all in the letter in your mailbox, Carter," he said, voice gruff. I never realised how much I loved the way he said 'Carter'. Just simply 'Carter'.

"Sir...Jack..."

"Carter, I'm leaving. You know Colonel Nerez?" I nodded, and he continued. "She was promoted to Brigadier General and is Commanding Office of the SGC. Good luck with your marriage to Pete."

"Sir, don't go," I said.

"I have to, Sam." With that he gently kissed my lips and drove away.

I don't know how long I stood there thinking about what had just transpired. A car loudly honking its horn for me to get out of the way shook m e out of my reverie, though. So I moved and got Jack—I mean General O'Neill's—dammit! He's Jack to me even though it is or was against the regs.! Anyway...I got Jack's letter from the mailbox. It was folded into thirds with 'Lt. Col. S. Carter' penned on the front. I went in inside and sat down on the couch and opened the letter. It was a couple pages long.

'Dear Sam,

'By now you know that I'm no longer am in command of the SGC. Knowing you, you're probably blaming yourself for my leaving. I won't lie to you, so you are partially right in blaming yourself.

'Sam, I've been in love with you almost ever since I first met you. You charmed me with you intelligence and beauty. I guess that you just never had any recollection of me showing you that I felt this way. There is one major incident that is very prominent in my mind. That is when we were caught in the ten-hour time loop. The one that Teal'c and I only remember. Among the many other things that I did, I kissed you right in front of General Hammond right after I handed in my resignation. Needless to say he would have been pissed, but the time loop started over right after that. Just so that you know—I didn't include that in my report.

'I've just been afraid to act on my feeling because I didn't want to damage your career. Sam, whether you want to admit it or not, you're a very valuable asset to the SGC, and we wouldn't have gotten nearly as far in technological advances with our you. Me, my career was winding down; I was just afraid that the rumour mill would kill your career in the making. I couldn't let that happen.

'I'm moving away so that none of this will matter. You and Pete can have a marvellous marriage and maybe a family. Your career can thrive. You needn't worry about me; I'll be fine. I'm not going to give you my new address or anything until General Nerez thinks we're both ready. She has my new address, phone number, and cell phone number, so we won't be out of contact forever, unless that's what you want, Sam.

'Take care of SG-1 for me and counsel Kara Marie in her decisions. Don't be afraid to speak your mind.

Love, with all my heart,

Jack O'Neill'

I reread his letter several times. Had I known that he cared so deeply for me? That he moved away to that I could be happy?

I look at Pete's ring that I was wearing and wondered, 'Does he care that much about me? If I'd decided to marry Jack, would he do what Jack did?'

I wondered far and long. Jack was always very protective of me. I had always dismissed it that as the way he always acted for all of SG-1. All of us, Teal'c, Daniel, and me. We were his family and he didn't want to loose us. Yet when I, well to put it bluntly, break his heart, he moves away to protect me, again.

Did I love Jonathon O'Neill?

A/N: Okay I know I pretty much suck at writing sappy love letters so PLEASE be kind about that part and make me happy again by pressing that little purple button over there and tellin' me what you thought. ;-)