A/N: Wow, this thing was really never supposed to get this long! This chapter is dedicated to delicatefade, janissima and StarrGazer (I'm so honoured that you like my fanfic, I think you're a great writer!) just to show how much I love my reviewers:) I hope that this lives up to what you wanted... I'll consider a Perseids sequel if more people want one... so let me know if you do, just press that little button at the bottom and tell me! It's so simple... :) Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I ADORE feedback!

Disclaimer: I didn't own them a chapter ago, I don't own them now

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"Colonel O'Neill, can I see you in my office please?"

Jack raised his eyebrows questioningly at Daniel and Sam as they left the briefing room. They both looked puzzled but he could see the trace of a worried look on Sam's face... He sighed and followed General Hammond out of the briefing room and into his office. Why did he have a sinking feeling about this?

"Have a seat Jack."

"What seems to be the trouble George?"

Jack slouched in the chair, trying to look unconcerned.

General Hammond sat in his chair, scooted it forwards and propping his elbows on the table, he laced his fingers together and rested his chin on his hands. He studied Colonel O'Neill carefully for a moment before replying. So, Jack was deciding to play it safe... very well.

"I wonder if you could enlighten me as to exactly how you and Captain Carter discovered how the naqada ball worked?"

"Sir?"

Jack raised one eyebrow. He thought that Daniel and Sam had taken the credit for that discovery. How would General Hammond know that he had had a hand in it? Then again, Jack never read the reports or listened in the briefings...

Gen. Hammond sighed. Jack was gonna play hardball...

"Dr. Jackson mentioned in his report that it was actually you and Captain Carter who figured out that the naqada ball was a unique shielding device that is designed to protect two people at a time. How did you come to activate it originally?"

Jack had no reply for this one. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. He frowned and tried frantically to think of something. He was dead... he was deader than dead, he was headed for court! And Sam... Jack couldn't bear the thought of her losing her job because of him.

Gen. Hammond was watching Jack's reaction carefully. He leaned closer.

"Jack... is there anything you want to tell me?"

Jack considered this offer for a moment... was this being asked as General to Colonel or as George to Jack? He wasn't about to walk into anything like that... as long as no one had any proof, he would deny it to his dying breath. It was ironic, because he had never wanted to shout something from the rooftops as much as the fact that he had kissed Sam Carter. He wasn't ashamed of it, nor did he regret it, but Sam's job was her life and he'd put hers before his own any day.

"No Sir, I don't believe there is. What exactly is in question here?"

Gen. Hammond was finished. He'd given Jack the chance. Regs were regs... He knew what he had to do. This move was going to make several people very unhappy with him...

"Jack, I'm sure you're aware of the frat rags around here."

Jack's face was carefully expressionless.

"Yes Sir."

"Good. Then I trust that you'll bear them very carefully in mind in the future? The SGC needs you... and Captain Carter."

Jack's mouth opened in shock.

"Dismissed."

"Yessir."

Jack hastily got up and exited the office with all possible speed.

Gen. Hammond shook his head. Turning towards his computer screen he watched again the video footage caught by one of the surveillance cameras. Two blurry figures drew close together, the shorter figure (who seemed to be blonde) leaned in to kiss the other one and then they were both enveloped in a blue light. Gen. Hammond pushed the eject button, retrieved the CD from the disk tray and looked at it for a moment before throwing it in the waste paper basket under his desk. He frowned to himself as he got back to his paperwork. He hoped those two would be more careful... the SGC did need them, perhaps even as much as they needed each other.