A/N: Up until now, Sam Carter and SG1 have been dealing with the immediate concerns following Sam's injury. These two final chapters (last one coming soon) deal more with her character, with how she copes long-term and what her responses are to the circumstances she has been thrown into.

With a little S/J for good measure. Naturally.

3 months later

"Close the iris! Close it!" Jack bellowed.

SG1 had burst out of the wormhole into the Gateroom and rolled defensively down the ramp amid a shower of enemy fire. The three soldiers breathed sighs of relief and collapsed where they lay as the iris snapped shut.

Hammond ran into the room. "Is everybody okay?" He demanded anxiously.

"Indeed."

"Yes sir."

"Fine. I think."

"Good to hear, airmen. Briefing in one hour."

Daniel was the first off the floor, reaching to give Jack a hand up while Teal'C slowly rose, brushing off the dirt from his very dirty uniform.

"We prevailed," Teal'C observed regally.

"We got lucky," Jack glowered.

"We were stupid," Daniel accused.

As they drew even with the locker room, Jack kept walking.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he called over his shoulder. He entered the first empty VIP room he came to and grabbed up the phone, dialing rapidly.

"Carter? Hey! Yeah, we're back, everything went fine. Piece of cake. You mind if I stop by later?" Jack's expression had gone from strained to relaxed in a moment.

"What's that? Sure, I'll stop by the store. What d'you need? Uh huh, uh huh, got it...you up for a movie? Great. I'll pick something up. What is that supposed to mean? I pick out great movies! Look, I'll call you from the store and read you the titles. Be there soon."

When Jack rejoined his team in the locker room, Daniel and Teal'C were done with their showers and were getting dressed. Daniel noticed the older man's now peaceful face and smiled to himself.

"How's Sam?"

"That obvious?" Jack chuckled self-consciously. "She's fine. I promised her I'd call when we got back," he tried to explain casually.

"Indeed." Teal'C's eyebrow twitched.

"Yes, Teal'C, 'indeed.' Hey, back off, you guys. Can't two good friends who just happen to be male and female spend some quality time together?"

"Give it up, Jack," Daniel advised, handing him a clean towel and shoving him towards an open shower.

Sam heard Jack pull into the driveway just before sunset. Unable to wait for him to knock, she grabbed her cane and went out to meet him. It had been an unusually long away mission and she'd missed him even more than she'd expected to.

He looked up, surprised and pleased that she'd come out to greet him, smiling as she made her way slowly to his side.

"Hey." He grabbed her up in his characteristic smothering hold. "Missed you," he muttered into her hair.

"Missed you, too. I'm so glad you're back." Her smile was worth all the Jaffa firepower he'd braved to get back.

"Look at you, just a cane, now?" Jack gestured at her leg.

"Well, today's only my third day without the crutches, but I've done just fine."

"Looks like you're doing great. I'll be right behind you with your groceries." The two of them walked slowly back inside Sam's house and she settled herself back on the couch while he put the groceries in the kitchen.

"Why didn't you call me from the movie store? What movie did you get?"

"I got two. Let's see: 'The Sum Of All Fears' and 'Broken Arrow'."

"They're both about nuclear bombs!"

"Yeah, cool, huh?" Jack came out and sat next to her.

"Okay, Sam. Tell me how you've been for the last two weeks, how you've really been."

Sam had been through a roller coaster of emotions and physical setbacks over the months since her injury, and Jack had come to understand that one thing she needed from him was encouragement to keep processing everything.

"Fine," she stated.

"Sam?"

She knew that look in his eyes meant he didn't quite trust her answer.

"Really. It's been better ever since this last surgery. You saw me, I'm down to just a cane."

"Good. That's great." Jack's voice thickened. He forced a smile onto his face for her sake and rapidly stood up.

"I'll fix us something to eat...and then, movie night!" She got up with Jack and he looked at her quizzically.

"I'll help you fix dinner," she announced a bit combatively. Every improvement she made physically was accompanied by a renewed assertion of her increasing independence.

"Come on, then," Jack invited. Sam sat at the kitchen table and chopped up vegetables for stir fry while Jack browned the chicken. Sam looked over at him several times like she was about to say something, but didn't. Finally, Jack turned from the stove and crossed his arms, looking right at her.

"Sam. What's on your mind? You have something to tell me, don't you?" He knew her body language very well by now, and she knew she had no choice but to come out with her news.

Sam put the knife down and clasped her hands tightly together.

"I had a consultation with the specialist yesterday. He says I've done well, better than he expected even."

"But there's a 'but' coming, isn't there?"

"But...he told me this is the end of the road. This is as much recovery as I can expect to see."

"And you just accept this?" Jack was on the edge of anger.

"Jack, I'm not going to just grow back the damaged muscles. I'm not going to regenerate destroyed nerves. I'm not saying I'm giving up-"

"Sure sounds like it to me."

"Jack!" She cried brokenly. "I'm just telling you what he said. I'm telling you what's going to be in the official report and final medical recommendation to the Air Force."

There, she'd said what she needed him to hear.

She had leaned on Jack's unfailing faith in her throughout the long difficult months since she was shot. But only recently had she come to believe that Jack was the one not facing facts, that he was still unshakably sure she would eventually be restored to active duty, and SG1 would then go on as it always had. As much as she had needed him to believe in her before,she now needed him to openly face the truth with her while she learned to embrace her altered reality.

He came to the table and grabbed the cut vegetables to add them to the stir fry, but he still didn't respond. Sam struggled to her feet, got out two water glasses and began filling them with ice and water. The pan Jack was stirring smelled wonderful. Soon he was loading up two plates.

"Do you want to eat in here or in front of a movie?" Jack asked her woodenly.

"Well that depends. Are you going to talk to me or would we just sit here?"

He placed their plates on the round oaken table and moved over to where she stood staring silently out the window at the back yard. His arms wound around her from behind.

"I'm sorry." She closed her eyes, leaning into him as he nuzzled her hair. "I'm just making it harder for you."

She turned around to face him. "I'm sorry, too."

"For what? None of this is your fault, Sam."

"I'm sorry things aren't turning out the way you want for the team. I'm sorry for myself. The thing I want more than anything else in the world is to be back on SG1. And I feel like I'm letting you and the guys down."

"Hey, the only reason you feel like that is because I'm a selfish jerk. The truth is, I've let you down. Forgive me?"

"Forgiven." Sam sniffed shakily. "You haven't let me down. I don't know what I'd have done without you." He gratefully accepted her conciliatory comment, fearing that whatever she said to the contrary, he didn't deserve it.

"I'm hungry," Sam said plaintively from where she stood muffled against his chest.

"Me too," Jack agreed. They sat down and ate heartily, chatting lightly, the tension between them now banished.

"So, what do you think you want to do?" Jack asked tentatively as they finished their meal.

"I have no idea. I've only just started to think about it. You know, I've put all my energy into getting better for the last several months. That's pretty much all I've thought about."

"Of course you have." Jack picked at his plate.

"Until these last few days, that is, since I talked with the doctor. Now I'm thinking maybe I should start looking around. See what's out there. There's lots of possibilities."

"You mean looking outside the SGC?"

He was momentarily stunned. That thought had never occurred to Jack. He'd just assumed she'd come back to work when she was able and continue in some capacity with the Stargate program.

"Jack, you need to understand something. When I'm at the SGC, all I want to do is go through that Stargate, with you guys. I hate not being on SG1. Working at the SGC would rub that in every time a team went off-world. I don't want to have regrets staring me in the face every single day."

Jack was silent while he processed that comment. He knew without a doubt he'd feel the same way in her situation.

Another horrible, incomprehensible thought occurred to him.

"Would you consider leaving the Springs?"

Sam looked up, stricken. The answer was yes, it was written on her face. He reached down deep inside, scrambling and fumbling to resurrect those old walls that he knew were down there, somewhere.

"Where would you go?" Jack delved on, in morbid fascination, unable to let go of this topic that was slowly killing him on the inside.

Sam swallowed hard. "I'm not sure. Like I said, I only started thinking about this recently. Maybe back to Washington. I still have connections at the Pentagon. Or maybe I could teach physics somewhere."

He had absolutely no idea what to say. He refused to even imagine his life without her in it. Jack cleared his throat and stood up.

"You done?" He asked, reaching for her plate.

"Yes. It was great, thanks." She handed it to him, and he handed her the DVDs in the bag.

"Here, go in and start a movie. I'll clean up and be right there."

Sam's heart ached, but she went along with his change of subject.

"Okay, which movie?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm not leaving until we've watched them both."

He smiled at her from the sink, with just a hint of his irreverant self, but she knew he was disturbed by their conversation.

As she made her halting way back to the living room, Jack attacked the dishes with a vengeance. He had made up his mind with certainty in the last few minutes after sifting desperately through his psyche for the strength to deal with this. He wasn't going to add to the pain she'd already had to shoulder, pain she'd borne better than most soldiers he knew. He'd see this through with her, whatever she ultimately decided to do.

The beginning sounds of the movie came from the living room, prompting Jack to throw the towel on the counter and go join Sam. She was propped on one end of the sofa, eyes closed. Jack sat down at the other end and leaned back against the cushions.

Sam looked over, sensing he was upset but not sure if she could get him to admit it and talk about it.

"What are you thinking?"

"About?" Jack was rapidly getting sucked into the movie and only half his attention was on her question.

"About me looking for a job."

At that, Jack paused the movie and turned to her.

"Sam, nobody can take your place. The SGC just isn't the same without you. But...on the other hand, I can understand how hard it would be to work there if you have to give up the Gate."

Jack unpaused the movie, thought a minute, and depressed the 'pause' button once again. "But if you decide the best thing for you is to get something on the outside, well, I can understand that. I guess I'm trying to say you should do what is best for you. I'll support whatever you decide, Sam."

Looking a bit more peaceful, Jack unpaused the movie.

When the action on the screen froze for a third time, Sam found herself growing irritated.

"What now?"

"You wouldn't seriously consider moving to D.C., would you?"

"No, probably not. But I would consider moving somewhere within driving distance of the Springs. Jack, I need to think through what's next. I need something to aim for. Right now, I'm kind of drifting."

"Fair enough. Just...don't drift too far." He smiled wistfully.

"Okay. Can we watch the movie now?" Sam pointed at the screen hopefully.

"Oh, sorry, sure."

The doorbell rang, and Jack paused the movie again.

"Oh, come on!" Sam groaned.

"Helloo!" Daniel's head poked through the front door. "Sam?"

"Back here, Daniel." Daniel bounded into the living room. Behind him, Teal'C was carrying a cake, at which Jack's eyes lit up.

"What's the occasion?" Sam laughed.

"Your birthday?" Daniel said, like she was an idiot.

"Ohmygosh! I'm an idiot!" Sam exclaimed. "I can't believe I forgot my own birthday! I haven't even looked at a calendar in over a week, come to think of it."

"I'm sure Jack didn't forget," Daniel observed pointedly.

"Of course I didn't Daniel! And these...DVDs... were rented in her honor."

Daniel sidestepped over to him and whispered in his ear, "I happened to see it on the cafeteria bulletin board as Teal'C and I were leaving."

Daniel casually moved away and asked loudly, "So, what are we watching?"

Jack disappeared into the kitchen and grabbed four plates, forks, and a knife. A few minutes later, armed with plates piled high with cake, the four teammates settled down to watch Baltimore get nuked.

Sam looked around at each of them, her best friends, her biggest fans.

She really hoped that finding her own way didn't mean leaving them behind.