Changes

Part 5

Disclaimer: Just for kicks, pallies.

Notes: Another kinda short, but quick update. I'll try to continue this way.Thanks for the reviews.


Jack opened his door to a noise that sounded oddly like a champagne cock popping. He meandered through the living room and leaned casually against the wall surveying the scene in the kitchen. Sure enough, Daniel had a champagne bottle in his hand and was pouring liberal amounts of it into glasses of orange juice. He passed a glass to Teal'c and Mac before taking one for himself. They raised their glasses. "So what are we celebrating?"

Glasses still suspended mid air, three pairs of eyes shot to him. "Um, you," Daniel muttered.

Jack's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Me?"

"Well, actually, you and Sam. Finally…y'know..."

"Ah. And how do you know what you think happened actually happened?"

Daniel opened his mouth to speak, but Mac waved whatever he was about to say away, "I got this one." Mac, smirking, sat his mimosa down and moved to confront of Jack who was still leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed defensively over his chest. "One," Mac held up a finger. "I slept in Sam's bed last night." He paused and Jack motioned for him to continue. "Two," he raised another finger. "You didn't just deck me for saying that." Jack shrugged and Mac continued with another finger, "You have a really stupid sappy smile on your face. And you never smile. Especially like that." Another noncommittal shrug from Jack, before his cousin continued breaking out into a smug grin, "And, four, you've got a hickey."

"What!" Jack quickly brought his hand up to his neck and found a tender spot. "Crap. I'm too old to have hickey."

Satisfied, Mac turned on his heel and walked back to the table. Daniel held out the mimosa he had made for Jack. He snatched it out of his and glared at his grinning friends, "You are all complete and utter bastards and I hate you all."

"Oh, look, the fearless General is embarrassed. How cute."

"Watch it, Jackson. Just watch it." Jack plunked down into a chair and tried to glare at them again but he could keep the smile off his face, so the effect was rather ruined. "Just let us get used to this. And don't tease Sam."

"Oh, that is soooo sweet," Daniel continued his needling. It wasn't often he had some over Jack.

"What's sweet?"

The four men looked to see Sam standing in the doorway dressed in a sweater and jeans, her hair still damp from her shower.

Daniel coughed guilty, "Uh, this champagne," he held a glass out to her. "Here have a mimosa."

Sam accepted it and looked suspiciously at the men, none of which would meet her eyes, "What are we celebrating?"

Jack risked a quick glance at her and merely said, "They know."

Sam sighed and then broke into a smile, "I guess it was unavoidable." She ruffled Jack's hair and sat down next to him.

"Y'know, as happy as I am about this, you guys aren't going to be all mushy and sappy all the time, are you? Because that would kinda creep me out."

"I can't speak for Sam, but Jack's a complete sap," Mac offered.

"Well," Daniel considered this information. "I guess that will settle one of the secondary bets."

"You called Walter, didn't you?" Jack demanded

Daniel gave him his best innocent look. He knew it would work but it didn't hurt to try. "I called Walter," he said without remorse.

"Goddamn it, Daniel!" Jack exploded jumping out of his seat to tower over Daniel. "Don't you have a grain of sense? After all these years don't you understand the regulations by now? Couldn't you just wait two more weeks until my retirement was official before you told the freakin' galaxy."

"Nobody cares, Jack," Daniel tried to placate him "Everyone from the President down to the cleaning staff has money riding on this. They're not going to court martial you."

"Has dying again leached your brain of what little common sense it had? Do you have any idea what this could do to Sam's reputation in the Air Force outside the SGC? Sure everyone on base knows the history, but everyone else will just assume she's been screwing her way up through the ranks!" Then he turned his wrath to the silent Jaffa. "And Teal'c, I thought you would have had more sense than let Daniel do something like that!"

"Wait!" Sam screamed, interrupting his tirade. "Retirement?"

He turned to face her, his eyes no longer vengeful. "I didn't mention it?"

"No,' she replied succinctly.

"Are you sure?" Jack was being to look skittish face with her inquiry.

"Quite sure."

"Huh. I thought you knew. Figured it had leaked out somehow. I thought that's why you showed up in my room."

"No."

"Well, consider yourself informed that I will be officially retired Friday after next," he said smiling tentatively at her.

"Uh, Jack," Daniel broke in, curious as ever. "When exactly did this happen?"

"I gave Hammond my letter when he was on base for Jacob's memorial last week."

"So you're just going to sit on your ass and fish for the rest of your life?" Sam asked and Jack was taken aback by the muted anger in her voice.

"Wasn't planning on it, no," he responded calmly. "I'll still be attached to the program as a civilian consultant, y'know for when my little buddy shows up and stuff." He turned to his cousin who had been silently observing. "I was actually thinking about calling you up, Bud, after I had taken a little time to relax and get some things sorted out. "

"That's why I'm here,' Mac told his cousin. "I was in Washington day before yesterday and heard that you were retiring. I came to offer you a position with the Phoenix Foundation if you want it."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Excuse me," Sam broke in. "I think I'm going to take a little walk." And with that she was out the door.

Jack stared after her, his heart sinking. While his retirement wasn't solely for her, it was a large part.

"You want me to go talk to," Daniel asked quietly, now concerned that his friends' moment of happiness would turn out to be just that, a moment.

"No, give her some space. She needs to think this through. She's been through a lot lately."

TBC