Name: Golden Oportunities

Writer: AthenaIceGoddess
( Kate)

Pairing: Jack / Sam

Rating: T

Humor/ Angst/ Romance

Spoilers: Upgrades , Moebius, general season 8 stuff.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1 or any of the characters. So don't sue. :)

Chapter 5

Jack's POV

later on that night...

Jack had surprised himself by his admission that he was retiring. He hadn't been sure himself until that moment, but now that it was out, he knew that it was what he had to do.

Daniel had been looking at him weird all night long, and he wasn't touching his beer. That might be a good thing. Jack thought wryly. Who knows what might make it's way out of his mouth if he gets drunk?

"Well, I want another beer. Carter? Teal'c?" He asked, raising his eyebrows in question. Carter nodded, smiling the smile that always made him want to take her in his arms and... Whoa there, Jack-o. Already did that, remember?

" I should not, O'Neill." Teal'c replied, staring at the television, where Barney was belching loudly, drunk as usual.

"Good choice, T. Wouldn't want to end up like Barney..." He made his way to the kitchen. "I'll help." Daniel said, following him in and closing the door behind them.

Jack turned. "If you wanted some time alone, all you have to do is ask." he said, and Daniel folded his arms, giving him the amused smile that meant he knew something he shouldn't.

"Uh oh." Jack said, grabbing a couple of beers out of the fridge. "Jack, what are you playing at? Are you ever going to tell her?" Jack played dumb. "Tell who what?" He asked, trying to get past him and avoid the conversation to come.

"Uh- uh. You know who I'm talking about." Jack sighed and put the beers down on the counter. "Already did that, Danny boy. Za'tarcs, remember?" He said.

"Not good enough. How does she know you still feel that way?" Jack ground his teeth, but didn't respond. Daniel just stared until Jack's temper snapped.

" For Christ's sakes, Daniel, she was going to marry O'Shanahan! How do I know she still feels the same way!" he managed to keep his voice at a low level, but it took quite a bit of effort. The fact that she was ready to marry that asshole Pete didn't tell him enough?

"And why do you think she broke it off? She wasn't really in love with him, and it was obvious! The marriage excuse won't work, Jack. You owe it to her.Another like O'Shanahan could show up anytime."

Daniel went back to the living room, leaving Jack alone with his thoughts. He's right, you know. His conscience whispered. And you know YOU feel the same way you did four years ago, what could it hurt?

"My pride, ego," He replied, thinking that he had to be nuts to be answering himself. Your heart? it whispered. What do you have to lose?

He walked back into the living room, knowing- and dreading- what he had to do. But he couldn't lose her, he knew that.

Sam's POV

Jack had been acting weird ever since Daniel followed him into the kitchen. He seemed preoccupied with his thoughts, something that rarely happened with the General.

Sam stole a glance at him while she took a sip of her drink. He sighed, and opened his mouth to say something, but Daniel interrupted.

" Hey, who wants pizza? Teal'c and I could go get it." He offered, and Jack nodded quickly.

" Yeah, pizza would be great. Half anchovies for me." He said, and the others shuddered. " No way am I going to have fish on my pizza. Last time you got anchovies, the whole pizza tasted like fish. How about the works?" Daniel asked, and Jack agreed.

" Fine. The things I do for you people." He muttered, forking over his share of the cash, pretending to be annoyed. Daniel winked at Sam, who grinned back as he and Teal'c left.

Sam and Jack sat in silence for a few minutes, until she couldn't take it anymore. "Jack-" "Sam-" They said at the same time, then burst out laughing. " You go first." Sam said, but he shook his head. " No, what I have to say might take a while, so you had better start."

She twined her hands together on her lap. "About earlier... I didn't mean for that to happen, I take full responsibility. I'm sorry about it, and I promise it won't happen again. Holy Hannah, if I had known- What?-" Jack was giving her the same smile he gave her after the time loop ended and Daniel had asked him if he had been tempted to do something crazy.

"Are you?" She swallowed. "Am I what?" She replied. "Sorry?" She froze. It was now or never. "Well... No. But that wasn't why I came up here!" She cried, feeling much like a deer trapped in the headlights by his penetrating gaze.

"Well damn. I thought I still had it." She blinked. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? That he actually... wow.

"Umm..." Was the only response she could think of, other then to jump up and kiss him again. "Come on, Carter. It must be pretty obvious by now that I'm in love with you. Have been for years." He said, trying tosay it like it was nothing, but his eyes betrayed him.

"You're in love with me." She said, comlpetely dumbfounded. He remained silent, trying to gauge her reaction. Well, she was certainly going to give him a reaction.

"You're in love with me, and you were going to let me marry Pete? Goddamn it, you can be so stupid sometimes! Why the hell didn't you stop me? God, I would've married him if it wasn't for my father! He told me I could still be happy, he knew! Janet knew, Daniel knows! I think even Teal'c knows by now, but you..." She trailed off.

"So why didn't you tell me?" She whispered, tears filling her eyes as she thought of the huge mistake she had come so close to making. She finally admitted to herself that she didn't love Pete when he brought her to 'their' house, and mentioned a dog. The only person she could see herself having a dog with, living with, and marrying was now Jack.

Jack stood up and took her into his arms. "Jeez, Carter, I thought... I thought you loved him. I couldn't see why, but I wasn't going to screw it up for you." She drew back, looking him straight in the eye.

"You were wrong. You couldn't screw it up. He was a poor substitute for what I really wanted." His breath caught in his throat, as that sounded familiar.

"What?" He asked gruffly, knowing the answer. " You." She replied again, grinning up at him through her tears.

"You weren't drunk. And you didn't pass out! You were just trying to see what... Oh, you conniving little scientist." He growled, pulling her in for a kiss, the second one in a day. Sam thouht she had died and gone to heaven.

This kiss was different. It was softer, more sensual, a promise of what was to come. Just as his arms wrapped around her, a thoguht clicked into place in her brain.

"Jack? Did you hear Daniel's car pull out of the drive?" A suspicious look crossed his face. "No." He replied, glaring at the window, where a cheer erupted. Daniel and Teal'c walked in the door, Daniel grinning like he had set up the whole thing, and Teal'c looking pleased.

"Scientists." Jack muttered, but pulled Sam to his side affectionately. " I knew it. All you two needed was a little push." Daniel said, looking as happy as a cat full of cream. teal'c smiled and bowed.

"Congradulations, O'Neill and SamanthaCarter." He said. "So, when's the wedding?" Daniel asked innocently.

Sam looked up at Jack. " I'd say... late spring?" She suggested, shrugging. " Full military honors, invite everyone at the SGC... sounds good to me." He replied, and Daniel blinked.

"You mean you really are getting married? That... That's great!" He embraced them both, knowing that they would be happy together. They had finally realized that they couldn't stay away.

Golden Opportunities like that only happened once in a lifetime.

The End

A/N: So, what did you think? Too corny? Cute? Thanks to all my reviewers who offered encouragement and pointed out my mistakes!