So here is the final chapter in this story. Thank you to all of you for all those wonderful reviews over the past month or so since I first posted it. I hope the ending is everything you wanted.

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

Previously:-

All eyes turned to Bauer.

"Colonel Frank Simmons."

Chapter 13

"Now why doesn't that surprise me!" Jack sighed wearily, feeling deflated now as well as sore. He ran a hand over his face and up through his hair. He slumped back into his chair, closing his eyes momentarily.

"You okay Colonel?"

A hand on his arm and his Commander's voice pulled his thoughts back to the meeting.

"Ah, yes sir. Just sick and tired of these guys never giving us a break sir."

"Too right Jack, but this time General Bauer is on our side."

Jack grimaced and lifted one corner of his mouth in a wry half smile.

"Yeah, that's better than last time." He said, then shot the General in question a quick apology. "Sorry sir. No offenceintended General."

"That's okay Colonel. I understand. I'm just sorry it came to this, and that you and George were injured."

"If we hadn't fallen into that ruin, and been trapped then who knows where we'd be. It's more than likely that we'd be speaking Goa'uld and would probably have infiltrated the SGC by now with the fate of Earth in the balance. I for one am not gonna complain about a few broken ribs and a bad leg. What about you sir? Are you quibbling about your legs sir?"

"No way Colonel. At least this planet is safe for the time being." Hammond agreed.

"So what are we going to do about Kinsey?" Daniel asked, worried that he might find another method of disposal for both Jack and the General.

"There's nothing we can do Daniel. At least not for the time being. He won't try anything else just yet, that's for sure. He'll have to wait until this all blows over and by then who knows? Maybe we can come up with something, ya know, dig up a little dirt from somewhere in his past that might just push him over the edge. We can only hope..." Jack sighed and Hammond and Bauer nodded in agreement.

"The main issue here now, is that instead of going after the Colonel and myself, he'll have set his sights on the one, who according to Simmons, has betrayed him. I spoke with the President earlier today and we're both agreed if you still want a piece of the action Ken?"

All eyes turned towards General Bauer who frowned back in puzzlement.

"I don't think I'll be safe in whatever I do George. He'll be out for my blood. There's not many hiding places in this world that I will..."

"That's just it Ken. How would you like to disappear? Literally off the face of the Earth? We need a senior officer to take charge of the Alpha site? We need someone like you out there Ken. There's no way they would be able to get at you out there. At least you wouldn't be constantly looking over your shoulder on the off chance of coming face to face with any would-be assassin."

"Are you offering me redemption George?" Ken Bauer chortled, then sobered. "I'm not sure I could do that! Look how I messed things up the first time, and this time round hasn't exactly been a picnic! For any of us!"

"So now's the time to make good. As far as I'm concerned you handled this situation more than satisfactorily, and that's good enough for us. Take it or leave it Ken it's up to you, but you'll have to live with the very real threat out there, that someday someone may be willing to take you out."

"What about my wife? What will I tell her? She'd be left vulnerable and alone."

"I don't see any reason for your wife to stay behind, do you? I'm sure the boys would make her feel more than welcome," Hammond smiled.

Bauer looked stunned. That these people whom he'd betrayed had forgiven him enough to think about him and his wife, Noreen, then who was he to argue? He was humbled before them and moisture filled his eyes, though he managed to hold the forming tears at bay.

"In that case George, I can hardly refuse. Thank you. All of you!"

He drew the de-briefing to a close, but sat there in silence until everyone had gone. He couldn't ring his wife, she would just have to put up with the fact that she would have to leave nearly everything behind if they were to succeed in drawing off the hounds.

Simmons was in jail awaiting trial.

Kinsey was having to sit it out and hope he wasn't implicated in anything that would finally take him down.

The soldier that had spied on the SGC had mysteriously disappeared, and they could all guess as to what that implied.

Perhaps now they were free of Kinsey for the time being.

Bauer stood and stretched his legs, feeling every year of his age. Retirement was a no go; knowing they would stop at nothingfor revenge, so the only option open to him was to go off-world.

He walked the few steps across the room and stood looking down onto the Stargate. It was silent for the moment, but he knew all that could change in the blink of an eye. He wondered what Noreen would make of it all, knowing his work had been classified top secret and that he was unable to tell her about it; now all that had to change. He only hoped that her heart would be able to take the news which he couldn't break to her until they were both ready to leave. Not that he didn't trust her after all these years; it was just... she liked to gossip and might accidentally let slip that they were going away; and the less people knew about their leaving, the better.

He'd regret not being able to tell his friends about moving on, but then, they would have been more shocked on hearing of his unexpected 'accident' if he stayed.

This was the only solution.

He turned away from the wondrous sight and headed determinedly to the infirmary where he would find George. He needed a word in private.

OoOoOoOoO

"You need a lift home Jack?"

Jack raised his eyes and frowned at his young friend.

"Ah...no thanks Daniel. Uh...Carter's already volunteered," he said as nonchalantly as he could.

Daniel finished lacing up his shoes and glanced along the bench at him from over the top of his spectacles. He then straightened and pushed the glasses further up his nose, his eyes still fixed on his friend.

"Oh! Okay," he said, slowly chewing the meaning of Jack's words over in his genius mind, and putting two and two together to make four.

"You have a problem with that?" Jack asked, almost seeing the cogs in Daniel's brain working overtime.

"Uh... No! No. I... Never mind. Are you going to be okay? I mean, Janet's letting you go home early... I thought you might need some help?"

"I'm fine Daniel. It's not the first time I've used crutches, and the ribs are okay too," Jack sighed with a smirk. He knew what Daniel was worried about, and he was right, but this time it was different. Normally he would have Daniel stay over but this time he actually needed to talk to Carter...Sam.

"I know."

"Good. Just so long as you understand."

"Oh... I think I understand alright Jack. I won't say a word," he answered smugly.

"Daniel!" Jack warned, his voice level dropping with ire.

"It's okay. It's about time is all I can say."

"What?" Jack gasped. Did he just hear that from Daniel's lips?

"Nothing. Teal'c owes me is all!" With those parting words he left Jack to it, turning round at the door to shoot him a big grin.

"See you in a few days!"

"Yeah," Jack sighed shaking his head in disbelief. Did everyone know his business? Were they being too obvious? If everyone else knew did Hammond? Oh god...perish that thought!

"Sir? You ready?"

Sam's voice floated through the door and Jack hurried to pull on his jacket.

"Be there in a second Carter."

"Okay."

Jack stood up with a sigh and a slight hiss of pain, but pushed the almost constant ache aside and picked up the silver grey crutches and hobbled out of the locker room.

Sam beamed at him as he joined her in the corridor.

"You okay Colonel?"

"Never better Carter," he grinned back. Her smile could lighten any dark day for him.

The walk to the elevator was slow and although the conversation was almost nonexistent, it didn't matter, such was their companionship.

Jack eased himself into his truck and Sam helped to strap him in; twisting to pull and fasten the seat-belt was beyond his battered body's capability just yet.

She shut the door on him and hurried round to the other side. His truck was his pride and joy and never let anyone else drive it normally, but this was one exception; he'd been injured. If Daniel offered to drive him home, they would have used his car, but shefelt privileged because Jack had allowed her to drive his precious truck.

Jack kept his eyes firmly fixed on the passing scenery, flicking past the window, although every now and then would glance her way.

He caught a glimpse of her studying him whenever she could sneak a look and before long she was helping him up the path to his front door.

She settled him on the sofa and squatted down at his feet, looking up into his exhausted face. It seemed no distance at all to her, but he was still suffering and must have taken more out of him that he'd expected. He was slightly breathless and had lain his head back and closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath and relax from his efforts.

"Colonel..."

The softness of her voice pulled his thoughts back to her and he turned to face her. She tentatively placed her warm hand gently on his knee.

"Carter?" he responded, torn between looking into her moist blue eyes and her hand on his knee. He settled on her swimming azure eyes.

"Jack," she whispered, and Jack sighed with pleasure at the sound of his name from her lips. "We... I thought I'd never get to see you again. We all thought we'd lost you and the General back there. Then with our capture, well..." she broke off as her voice broke on a little sob. She gulped it back and dropped her eyes to the floor. "I'm really glad you're okay."

"Sam," Jack sighed. He'd felt the same way, being trapped and injured; running out of air. His hand covered hers and gently, he squeezed it. "Don't go there. That's over with now. It's all in the past. We got out of it. We're okay. There's no need to..."

"Yes there is. I need to say this sir," she said stubbornly, automatically reverting back to calling him 'sir'.

"Jack!" he said, just as determinedly. "We're talking off the record here Carter."

"Sam," she said, grinning at his reference too. It was just so conditioned; it came so naturally.

He gave that lop-sided boyish grin that she loved so much and playfully swiped at him, intentionally missing by a mile.

"Okay, Sam," he agreed, loving the feel and freedom of saying it.

"Jack," she sighed, makinghis namesound almost erotic.

"I don't want to hide this any more. Not between us. I know we have to keep it from everyone else, but I can't go on without you knowing how I feel."

He touched a finger to her lips, shushing her.

"I know."

"You do?"

He nodded and smiled sadly, he loved her too, though she hadn't said as much in actual words, but he knew she loved him. The worst part about it was knowing there wasn't a thing they could do about it either. Yet!

"I love you Sam. I didn't realise it until that day of the testing. I knew for certain then. We can't do anything though; not without splitting the team up. I don't want you to have to leave the team, and I don't want to have to be posted off somewhere else. I'd miss you like crazy."

"Me neither," she sighed. "I want to be with you all the time Jack. I want to be there to cover your back. At least that way I can help protect you."

"And me you."

He pulled her up from her knees and pulled her onto the sofa next to him, wrapping his arms around her, so her head was resting on his shoulder. He pressed a kiss to her hair, whispering those three words once more.

She smiled and he swore he could almost hear her purring. She pulled away and looked up into his dark eyes, looking into the depths of his soul.

"I love you too Jack. Will you wait for me? Until we've done this? Until whenever this is over?" she asked, worried that he'd not want to wait for however long it would take.

"I'll always wait for you Sam. Always!"

She snuggled up to him, feeling secure in his arms. The world was always a safe place with Jack around and she closed her mind on the thoughts of what had so recently been a near disaster, and thanked her lucky stars that he had survived and that he returned her love too.

The End.

Hope you all enjoyed this story! Please let me know if you did, because whatever your comments, it helps me to gauge if I'm getting this right or not.

Another story is on the way so don't go too far!