Road Trip – Chapter 4 – Surprise!

Hey everyone! Yeah for another chapter! I'm going on Spring Break next week. Hopefully I'll get some writing done then too. Thanks again for your reviews, and as always, thanks so much for reading.

Oh, and I decided not to tie this in with Threads, so don't worry about spoilers! Enjoy!

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Sam stretched out sleepily on her bed as the sun came in her window and cast a golden glow about the room. She lifted her head just enough to see the time on the clock on her bedside table. It was 7:30. She felt like she should sleep in some more. After all, she was on vacation. But the day was just too beautiful, and she didn't want to waste it.

Still in bare feet and pajamas, she made her way to the kitchen to make some coffee. It took a moment for her bleary eyes to focus on the yellow post-it note stuck to the pot.

Hey Sam, We all went out for breakfast. And shopping – the girls insisted. Thought we'd let you sleep in. See you around noon for some barbecue. Malcolm.

Sam couldn't help but feel a little relieved. Even though she loved having her friends around, she really did need some quiet time to think.

Fixing her coffee, she headed out to walk along the water's edge. The water was freezing as it splashed over her toes, so she moved back a few inches to stay in the sand. The breeze was a little cool, but in contrast with her coffee it was just right.

Okay, she schooled her thoughts. I've just got to think about this logically. I left Pete because I knew it wasn't true love. So that's good. I left Pete because I'm in love with the General. The General and I can't be together. So that's not good. If there was just a way…

From there, her thoughts wandered off as possible scenarios played through her head. She could quit the Air Force and work as a civilian. He could quit the Air Force and work as a civilian. She could transfer. He could retire. With each possible solution, there were also drawbacks. No one way would be perfect. Which one was the best for both of them?

Sam sat down in the sand and ran the grains through her fingers. What was that cheesy soap opera saying?

"As sands through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives," she murmured. An hourglass didn't hold very much sand. Eventually it ran its course, and then it was all over. With life, there was no turning it over to start again. This was it. This time they had was too precious to waste on pushing each other away.

I wish we could both be happy.

She stared at the horizon and admired the light glistening against the water. It was so beautiful here. This was what they were sacrificing for. This was what they fought to protect. Days like this.

She hadn't come to any life-changing realizations, but she did feel better.

Her coffee finished, she gingerly stood up and brushed the sand off her clothes and hands and made her way back to the house for a second cup. As she neared, she heard car doors shutting and people talking, but she was still too far away to make them out.

Must have gotten back from their trip early.

She walked over to greet them.

And stopped and stared.

"Hey, Carter, you going to just stand there all day? Teal'c, grab the cooler from the back. Daniel and I'll grab the bags."

"General?"

Dressed in a tropical-print shirt and khaki shorts, sunglasses hanging around his neck, he was quite a sight. With two bags gathered under each arm, he turned to give her his best devil-may-care grin.

"You call me Jack, I'll call you Sam."

"Okay…"

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Sorry if that got a bit too sappy. I guess I'm just in that kind of mood! On to the next chapter! Thanks so much for reading!