They had decided to gather at Sam's for a team night, and she was running really late. She exited her bathroom, rubbing a towel against her wet hair, and wearing a blue bathrobe, when the doorbell rang.

"Coming!" she yelled, stepping down her corridor to the entrance door.

She peeked at the peephole, checking it was indeed Daniel and Teal'C, and opened the door, letting her friends come in.

Daniel had his arms full of bags from a Chinese takeout they regularly took things from and walked to the kitchen, Teal'C being entrusted with the cake.

"Put all that on the counter, I had a long chat with Colonel Martin, I was only back 15 minutes ago. Maybe you should put the wine in the freezer so it cools down faster, it's the Chardonnay that's inside the door." She said to him from the corridor. "Teal'C, maybe this cake should be better off in the fridge too… Give me ten minutes and I'll be ready."

"'K Sam! Take your time!" Daniel said from the kitchen.

After a while, they were all seated in Sam's lounge, silently finishing their meals.

Daniel broke the silence first.

"So? What do you think of the changes?"

"Not as bad as I expected actually… Dr Weir has indeed tried to make the military and the civilians equal in the management of the facility, although it's not a military command anymore…" Sam responded. "What do you think, Teal'C?"

"Although my understanding of the Tau'ri ways regarding military and civilian interaction is limited, I believe the situation has been handled in the best possible way. I hope the arrival of new people will not sabotage the work Dr. Weir accomplished with the help of General Hammond and Colonel Martin."

"Now that's another problem… I talked to Colonel Martin about that, and he seems to have no clue about whom it might be, either civilian or military. I wish he could stay, from the little experience I have with him, and the fact that he's been given this transitory mission, I believe he would be the right man to replace General Hammond."

There was a moment of silence while everybody acknowledged Sam's words, then Daniel resumed:

"Who did you pick as your second in command, Sam?"

"Major Denis Kobb. He seems to be right for the team. I had set my selection on two other people, but one was a bit too independent, and the other one too inexperienced regarding Stargate travel."

"Do we know him?"

"He was on SG12. I went on a mission with them once, we got on well. He's a good soldier, intelligent and with a high sense of duty just like…" She left the name hanging, suddenly realizing she was going to say 'Jack'.

"I see… I might as well prepare myself then." Daniel joked.

"I don't think you would have such a hard time with him, Daniel. His life has been far less of a roller-coaster than Colonel O'Neill's was, and for one thing, he was never a member of the Special Forces. He was always solely with the air force." She took a deep breath. "And to narrow the close-up even more, he's married with three kids."

"Wow… Definitely not a clone of Jack, then…" Daniel said.

"I miss him." Teal'c suddenly said, surprising both his friends.

"Me too…" Daniel echoed after a short pause.

"I guess we all do…" Sam said very quietly.

"I just can't believe…" Daniel started. "Was it like that when I ascended?"

"No, Daniel, because we knew the essence of you was still 'alive' somehow, somewhere, on another plane of existence, we saw it…"

"O'Neill is not dead." Teal'c stated.

"He's frozen, that doesn't make him dead, but we don't know if we'll be able to revive him."

"That seems to be the point, Daniel Jackson, we don't know…"

"And this is what makes it tougher than when you ascended, Daniel. Of course we missed you, and even though neither Teal'c nor the Colonel said he had 'seen' you, due to past experiences, we knew there could be interaction between us…"

"I see…"

"We don't know if the Colonel is dead or alive, or any of his whereabouts, we… We don't know anything." She said, almost in desperation, her eyes beginning to sting with unshed tears.

Daniel was next to her in an instant and pulled her in a comforting embrace.

"Hey, hey, hey… Shhh… He's going to come back, you'll see… Jack O'Neill wouldn't leave us just like that without at least throwing one of his bad jokes, right?" he said in a soothing voice.

Sam chuckled bitterly and wiped her nose.

"Besides, I do no believe O'Neill would let you start on your first command without saying anything to you, Major Carter." Teal'c added jokingly -- for a Jaffa.

"All right guys, there's no need to get all sentimental here." She sniffed. "I've got to put on a pretty face for tomorrow…"

"Yeah… Lieutenant-Colonel-huh?"

"Yeah… My dad would be so proud… HE would be so proud…"

"Then do him a favor and be the Sam Carter we all know… The Sam Carter he estimates and… likes very much…"

Sam smiled sadly before they stood up and both men headed back to the base.

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Samantha Carter checked herself in the mirror one more time before getting her car keys and driving to the base.

After going over the latest things in her lab, she smoothed her dress uniform and slowly descended towards the gate room. When she arrived, Daniel and Teal'C were already there, talking with General Hammond.

She smiled brightly and went to salute formally the superior officer.

"Sam! Oh, loose the military salute, would you? We're still 15 minutes away from the official ceremony!" he said enthusiastically before kissing her on both cheeks and starting a casual chat with her and the rest of SG1.

He approved of her choice regarding Major Kopp, and encouraged her to take the plunge at her first command immediately.

"I know you have the capacities, Sam." He said as way of encouragement, patting her on the shoulder.

But all too soon, their private conversation was interrupted with the arrival of several airmen, Dr. Weir, Colonel Martin, and a few civilians she didn't even know, and the ceremony began.

"Please all military personnel, come to attention…"

As a single man, all the SF's, Sam, and Colonel Martin stood at attention.

"From the President of the United States, and in recognition of her work and achievements regarding the Stargate Program and all that gravitates around, it is my pleasure and honor to promote Major Samantha Carter to the well deserved rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Major please, step forward."

Less surprised but nonetheless at least as thrilled as the last time she heard almost the same exact words, Sam did as ordered and went to stand in front of the general.

"The United States Air Force recognizes that you have taken responsibilities, accomplished works and duties with a spirit of self sacrifice that goes beyond the rank of Major. Therefore, I hereby bestow upon you the respect, the responsibilities, and the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force."

"Thank you, Sir…" she started, but couldn't finish her salute.

A blinding flash of light suddenly invaded the room, making everyone protect their eyes, and sending a wave of panic among the SF, then suddenly stopped. Before anyone could realize what was happening, she heard a familiar voice say:

"Well done, Colonel…"

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Confusion reigned in the control room as everybody's eyesight slowly returned to normal. A look of utter surprise drew itself on most of the audience's faces, and General George Hammond was shaking his head slightly, a smile slowly twisting the corners of his mouth.

Samantha Carter didn't know what noise was the most deafening: the pumping of her blood through her veins that resonated in her skull, or the smirk she had just heard, playing over and over in her brain. She dared not look up, afraid that she was having one of those post-traumatic hallucinations. She felt the hand of Daniel on her shoulder, and raised her wide opened eyes.

Colonel Jack O'Neill was standing in front of her in the same attire she he had when entering the stasis pod, his eyebrows raised, and a mischievous smile on his lips.

Not letting her realize the full significance of his sudden appearance, he went to stand at attention in front of her and saluted her, before turning to General Hammond and do the same.

"General, it's good to be back!" he simply said stepping down the ramp to go shake hands with Teal'C and Daniel.

Not stopping a second, he resumed:

"I'd kill for a hot shower, where's the doc so I can get cleared and cleaned?"

As he passed before Dr. Weir and Colonel Martin, he bowed his head.

"Dr. Weir, Martin…"

"Ahem Jack…?"

He was about to reach the blast doors, and turned toward General Hammond, stopping for a second.

"I'll be staying for a while, there's a small gathering to celebrate Colonel Carter's promotion, I'd like you to meet me there, and I guess we'll have a few things to discuss… You might also have to come to Washington with me."

"Ah crap! And there I thought I could take a week's downtime on a cool beach somewhere in the Bermudas…" he turned and resumed walking towards the corridor "… the Asgard don't know anything about central heating, I tell ya. They claim to be advanced and so on, but they have no idea how chilly their ships can be to human bodies!" He continued his rambling in the corridor on his way to the infirmary, making General Hammond and Daniel shake their heads in amusement.

"Well… Same old, same old!" Daniel muttered.

"I must admit this side of O'Neill was not what I missed the most." Teal'c added as playfully as he could muster.

General Hammond looked at the newly promoted colonel and patted her shoulder.

"Well Colonel Carter, it seems like we're back on tracks!"

"Yes Sir." She said very calmly, surprising the superior officer.

"I guess you know the way to the meeting room? Rumor says the civilian caterers are far more creative than the military ones!"

Sam smiled to him.

"Yes Sir. But before, I'd like to check on…"

"Of course, Sam." He said with a gentle eye and a slight nod, before joining Dr Weir and Colonel Martin.

"Now that was unexpected…" Dr Weir started.

"Actually not as much as you think, but it's a long story…" Hammond replied.

"You don't seem to be effected…"

"I am, in a good way… I am happy that he's back. The president had great projects for him in case he returned, and I sincerely hope he will grab the opportunity, but that's something they will discuss in private in the Oval Office, no less."

She hesitated before entering the Infirmary. They had to discuss and she was there to tell him she was ready whenever he was.

She stepped cautiously inside the infirmary and spotted him with a nurse taking blood samples.

"Just a minute, Colonel O'Neill, and we're done…" she said while loosening the tourniquet. She retrieved the needle and applied some gauze, bending his arm to compress the vein. She arranged the blood samples on the tray, labeling them in the process, then turned back to him, checked the puncture, and put a Band-Aid on.

The Colonel came down the bed he was sitting on the edge of, and spotted Sam at the far side of the infirmary. He smiled warmly and stepped towards her.

"Colonel Carter…?" he said, stressing 'Colonel'. "I'm proud of you, congratulations…!"

She smiled briefly.

"I guess we have to talk…" she said.

"Indeed we do…" he paused. "Look, I have to grab my Dress Uniform in my quarters before taking my shower; we can have a few words there if you like…

"Sure…"

They took the direction of his quarters walking silently, their arms brushing slightly from time to time.

When they reached his door, he slipped his card in the electronic lock and opened the door for her. Once inside, he beckoned her to the blank spot the security camera could not survey. Her arms reached around his body and she buried her face in his shoulder, letting her tears flow freely.

He let her cry, hugging her and softly stroking the hair at the back of her head, murmuring comforting words in a gentle voice. When her tears subsided, she sniffed loudly. He reached for a tissue in a box on his desk and let her blow her nose silently before embracing her again. She took a few seconds to calm the emotional waves that threatened to crush her insides before speaking.

"I knew we'd get you back…"

"Yeah, one doesn't get so easily rid of Jack O'Neill!" he said smiling.

She chuckled, sniffing a little.

He looked at her face, stroking her cheek softly and tugging a lock of her blonde mane behind her ear, before bending to kiss her mouth softly, like she had on the Tel'Tac eons ago or so it seemed. She kissed him back, intensifying their exchange a little, but then stepped back looking him in the eyes.

"What are we going to do?" she asked him.

"I don't know, Sam. To make a long story short, I have been in contact with the President and General Hammond for some days now, aboard Thor's ship. They have projects for me, but wouldn't discuss them before my official return, and there were still things the Asgard wanted to know about me and the Ancient's data. That's why it took so long. In the meantime, I have tried to analyze our personal situation, and there's only one way we can get around the regulations, and it means resignation for at least one of us…"

"Jack I…"

"Shhh…" He interrupted her, putting one finger on her mouth. "I don't know if I want to go on, Sam. I'm beginning to feel old and tired. You don't need me on SG1, you're in command now…"

"I'll give it back to you, I don't care…"

"Yes you do, and I want you to have it. Sam, your career is more important to me than my own. I've pretty much achieved all I'd have ever dreamed about regarding military accomplishments in the past seven years, and my body is beginning to show signs I should really take seriously. Sure, the Asgard and their technology put me back into shape, but I'm 52 and retirement for good is an option I do consider. And if it means we can start something together, then I have no hesitation whatsoever." He kissed her brow then looked her in the eyes smiling. "Now go to your party, Colonel. I'll take a shower, put in an appearance at my favorite officer's promotion party, then go with Hammond to D.C. and we'll talk more when I get back, OK?"

"Yes…"

They hugged again before Sam stepped back, checking her mascara in the mirror on his wall and dabbing at the black smears she had underneath her eyes with the tissue he had given her, before smiling to him one last time "It's good to have you back, Sir…" Then she exited his office.

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In the plane taking both Hammond and O'Neill to Washington D.C., the latter slept soundly, as if relieved at last of the utterly important tasks he'd been given, he could allow his body to take a much deserved rest.

Both officers arrived in D.C., their uniforms making several heads turn back. An official car was waiting for them outside the airport, and drove them straight to the White House. They were immediately led through the corridors up to the Oval Office were the President greeted them cheerfully.

"General Hammond!" he exclaimed before shaking his hand. "… Colonel O'Neill…" he nodded respectfully before shaking his hand too. "Please gentlemen, take a seat…"

Both men sat in the comfortable armchairs in front of the desk of the president.

"Colonel O'Neill, on behalf of all the nations, let me thank you for the sacrifice you made to save Earth from a deadly attack, once more I might add…"

Jack smiled faintly, acknowledging the president's words. "My duty, Sir…"

"Nevertheless… A duty you committed yourself to quite selflessly and that should be rewarded properly. Therefore, I have the tremendous pleasure of promoting such a fine officer to the rank of Brigadier General."

Jack's eyes grew wide briefly.

"There shall be an official ceremony tomorrow, where you shall receive your medal from my hands, and General Hammond here will give you your stars…"

"Thank you, Sir."

"You'll thank me after I finish telling you all I have to." He smiled. "As you know, the Stargate Program has undergone severe changes while you were… Err… Out there…" he made an evasive gesture. "… And the management of this program is now both civilian and military. Now as I am certain Colonel David Martin has fully accomplished his duty, I would like you to take over command of the military side of the facility, at the same time being a very important asset and council to the Civilian Manager. You are undoubtedly the most experienced officer and I believe you're growing a little tired with the field, but you are our privileged contact to the Asgard and several other allied races, and far too important for us to lose you. I know you're not much friendly with 'desk job' but I think it's a good compromise…" He stopped speaking and observed Jack whose face didn't let anything transpire from his emotions.

He bowed his head thoughtfully, then sighed and looked at the President.

"Mr. President, as I fully appreciate the honors you've bestowed upon me, I can't accept your offer…"

Hammond almost jumped from his chair.

"Jack! You can't…"

Jack raised a finger towards him.

"If I may, general… Mr. President, this may appear selfish but I have given most of my adult life to the service of my country, even coming out of retirement for the Stargate Program. The latest experience has been rather tough on me, and in the few years that I still have, I would like to take care of my personal life… I guess even Thor and his buddies will understand that… Besides, I doubt my retirement would prevent him from whisking me off to his ship and ask me whatever he wants…"

"I see… Look Colonel, just don't take hasty decisions, please? We can get to a compromise so that you accept, right?"

"With all due respect, Mr. President, the only compromise I can think of would be bending certain military regulations, and even I can't accept that…"

"Well, what about 3 years?... 3 years and you retire?"

"It's still a long time…"

"2 years… I think in 2 years you can very well set a nice course for the new program, and find a suitable replacement, what do you think?"

"I…"

"You'll give me your answer tomorrow, Colonel. Please, think about it."

Jack sighed uncomfortably.

"I will, Sir…"

"Thank you."

Both officers stood and saluted the president, before exiting the Oval Office.

In the corridors of the White House as they walked towards the exit, Hammond put his hand amicably on Jack's shoulder.

"Jack, I know the stakes, believe me, and I also know that you're a man of duty. Maybe you should call her, discuss the topic with her… I'm sure she'll understand. She's a fine and intelligent officer, what's 2 year's in a man's life?"

Jack looked him in the eyes briefly, not responding, and immersed himself in his thoughts.

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