Reviews yeah! Thanks. Here is chap 9. There is a little bit of a time gap in between chap 8 and 9.

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"Sam, I am fine. I am a big girl; I can take care of myself for a few hours." Cassie said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, you've been home with me for the past two weeks. Go be with him."

"You are way too grown up."

"I know." Cassie giggled. "I will talk to you later."

"Call me if you need anything."

"I will, don't worry."

"No parties while I am gone." Sam teased.

"Okay"

Carter hung up the phone and then called O'Neill.

"Hello" O'Neill answered

"Cassie told me I have to go out tonight."

"Good. I like how that girl thinks."

"I think she wanted to go out tonight."

"Uh huh" O'Neill laughed, "Do we have a curfew?"

Sam smiled. "I hope to be home by midnight."

"Okay, sounds good. Meet you topside in two hours."

"Yes sir"

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Where do you want to eat?" Jack asked.

"Don't know, you pick."

"Okay, I pick burgers."

"Sounds okay to me."

They went out to eat and then they went back to his place after dinner. Jack said they needed to talk somewhere private and with beer. They sat down on the couch side by side. Jack took a drink of his beer.

"Sam, I told Hammond that I want to retire."

She starred at him. "You what?"

"I told him they need to find someone to take over."

She shook her head. "Why? I don't understand."

He took her hands in his. "I'm getting tired of not being able to go on missions. I always feel like I am missing out. I'm not there to watch your six." He paused, "And because of us."

"I can't ask you to give up your career for me."

"You didn't and I am retiring, which I am entitled to do. I have saved the world my fair share. Besides, everything is processed already."

She fell silent. He squeezed her hands and smiled. "I can be there for you and Cassie whenever you need me."

"What if I still need your guidance at work? What do you say to that?"

"They will find a great replacement." He said, "Hammond and the President decided to keep me on as an advisor. So I will still have security clearance."

"It won't be the same."

"No it won't," He paused "But it would give us more freedom."

"What if I screw this relationship up like I did my last one?"

"Carter"

"Well? Really I hope you are not just doing this for me."

"I told you already why. I've made my decision."

She looked him in the eyes. "You are sure this is what you want?"

"Yes."

She hugged him tightly. He kissed her forehead. "We could do this anytime we wanted, where ever we wanted." He said smiling.

She nodded, but was worried. It must have shown.

"Sam, don't worry. I will have enough to keep me busy between you, Cassie, and this new position." He paused, "I already can't be there with you guys. I might as well retire."

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"Daniel, he's going to retire." Sam said solemnly.

"Jack? Again?"

"Yeah, but this time it is for real."

"Why?"

She shot him a look.

"Oh, I see. Wow, no pressure."

"Yeah"

"When is all this supposed to happen?" Daniel asked.

"Effective as soon as they find a replacement."

"Great, under new management. At least Jack was predictable. We know where he stands on things."

"Yeah, it will be strange for a while." Sam said

Daniel sat down on a stool across from her. "How do you feel about all this?"

Sam sighed. "I don't know. I have mixed feelings. On one hand I am happy, but on the other I am concerned that he is doing this for me, just for me."

"And you feel like if something doesn't work out he'll blame you."

"Oh yes and no. I don't think he would blame me, but I kinda like what we have. Do I really want to risk screwing that up?"

"Ah yes, the whole 'being friends when you've been more' scenario." Daniel said.

Sam nodded. Just then there was a knock at the door. "Come in" she said

Jack peeked around the door. "Hey there campers"

"Hi Jack" Daniel said, getting up from the stool.

"Whatcha doin?"

"We were talking about our last mission." Sam lied

"Okay"

"Did you need something sir?"

"Well I guess I just came to tell you I just received confirmation about retirement. It's a done deal."

"So, do they have many candidates?" Daniel asked

"Yeah, one or two"

"Great" Sam said unconvincingly

Jack looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I have got a lot of work to do." Daniel said, pushing in his stool and moving towards the door.

"Okay, see you later Daniel"

"Later Danny boy"

"Bye" Daniel said and was out the door.

They were alone.

"Carter"

"Yes sir"

"How are you doing today?"

She had decided to be honest this time. "Pretty good until a few minutes ago."

"Are you upset with me?" Jack asked

She sighed, "No, I am just worried."

"I would tell you not to worry, but you will anyway."

She nodded. "I should get back to work; I need to get this finished before tomorrow." She said, pointing to the project on her lab table.

"Okay, I will talk to you later then." Jack turned and left the room.

Sam put her head in her hands and exhaled loudly.

She had realized that they could not do this. They could not keep seeing each other like they were now that they were home. They were not on that planet anymore. There were no ranks or regulations there. Sam was grateful in some ways that they had not 'consummated' their relationship on that planet. Things would be much more difficult if they had, she decided. But now he was changing the rules again. He was retiring, almost retired. She could do nothing about it. She would have to face up to her fears. Everyone that had cared for her was dead. Except for Pete, and Felger, 'but he doesn't count', she thought. And then there's McKay, but he might as well be dead. We sent him on a non return trip to Atlantis. She had lost so many over the years, Jonas Hanson, Martouf, Orlin, and Narim. Well technically, she had killed Jonas.

And then there was Jack. He has made it this long. She thought.

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Sam had a ton of projects to catch up on, but she had put some of them on hold. She had been trying to spend some time with Cassie. They even took a long weekend to get out of Colorado Springs. They stayed in a hotel, swam, ate out, shopped, and went to movies. Sam had tried to always come home at night instead of staying on the base; when not off world. She knew that Cassie did not like being alone. Sam on the other hand, was used to it. It had been strange at first, having someone else around the house, but she was getting accustomed to it.

Dating Pete and having Cassie living with her complicated things a bit. Cassie was an out spoken woman, but Sam could tell that Cassie did her best to hold back when it came to Pete. Sam was pretty sure that Cassie was not wild about her and Pete being together.

"Oh well, that's over now." She said to herself.

Her lab was quiet. The technician had gone home an hour ago. Her stomach rumbled. Sam looked at her watch, 2200 hours. She had forgotten to eat supper, and lunch for that matter. She decided to go find something to eat. Cassie was staying with a friend tonight, so Sam would probably stay on the base. She wandered over to Daniel's office. He was translating some text that SG 4 had brought back from their latest mission.

Sam knocked on the door frame. Daniel looked up. "Sam, hi" He said as he looked down at his watch.

"Hey Daniel" She said walking towards him. "You wanna go get something to eat with me?"

Daniel smiled. "Cassie not home tonight?"

"Nope. She's off having fun without me tonight." Sam said.

"Ah, I see" Daniel said, closing the book in front of him. "I think Jack is still here. Do you want to go see if he wants to come with us?"

Sam grinned. "Ah, sure"

"Okay, let's go"

They found O'Neill in his office with a large stack of paperwork. "Danny, I thought you would never come rescue me." O'Neill said as Daniel entered his office. Sam followed Daniel in and O'Neill raised an eyebrow. "Carter working late?"

"Yes sir, Cassie ditched me tonight."

"Ah" He said simply.

Daniel spoke up. "We were going to grab something to eat."

O'Neill nodded. "A piece of pie would hit the spot right about now."

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They had finished eating and Daniel excused himself. He said he wanted to get back to the text, but Sam suspected he was trying to get her and the general alone together. He had succeeded. The commissary was empty, it was 0030 hours.

"So, how are things going with Cassie?" O'Neill asked

"Good" Sam said.

"Good" he replied

Jack looked into her eyes. She averted his gaze.

"Carter, I was wondering if there was sometime that we could talk; about stuff."

"I don't know sir; I am working on a few different projects here at the SGC. At home I have Cassie. My free time has been scarce lately."

O'Neill reached across the table and touched Carter's hand. She did not pull back.

"We may have to make some time." He said, locking his eyes with hers.

She understood. They needed to talk some things out, but there just hadn't been time.

"I'll check my schedule." She said.

"Okay, let me know." He said.

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