Note: Wow, I can't believe how many peoples birthdays are on my wedding day. Hopefully it brings me heaps of luck… Thank you for all your kind wishes, it is getting extremely exciting, I am counting down, only 5 weeks to go!

Here is the next chapter, I hope you like it...

It was late afternoon by the time they arrived at the Cabin.. The trip to Minesotta was uneventful with each of them taking a turn at the driving. Upon arriving at the cabin the first thing to do was get unpacked, for the boys it was a matter of simply throwing their bags in a corner of the main living room, Jack had the main bedroom and Sam the spare.

Once settled, Sam decided it would be a good idea to unpack the groceries that they had picked up on the way while the guys grabbed a beer and decided to head out on to the dock. She was grateful for the time alone to get all her thoughts in order. She did not regret mentioning the 4 of them going up to the cabin for a few days was a good idea, but she was beginning to get a little nervous about it.

The last time they were here was just after her father had passed away, she was under a huge emotional strain and the guys were all treading on egg-shells around her in fact, The General hardly spoke to her at all other than asking if she was ok, and wanted another beer..

After getting back to the SGC things went relatively back to normal, at least, up until he left that is, but now, again, he was barely speaking to her, she figured he was either planning to come up to the cabin on his own and only offered because she had backed him in to a corner or, and the more likely reason, because he was regretted what happened the other night and does not know what to say to her or how to face her… "Yeah", she thought, "That's the one"

As she pottered away unpacking grocery bags, she heard the sliding door open. With her back to the person she spoke:

"Daniel, I told you I don't need any help, I am quite capable of unpacking the groceries, go and enjoy your beer with the boys"

Surprisingly, a different voice responded "Well Carter, the view is just so much better in here….." She spun on her heels quickly to come face to face with the General. He was blushing, obviously not meaning to have made that comment out loud. I have to stop doing that, he thought. He backtracked "I um, I also came in to grab another beer"

Sam smiled as he walked past her and grabbed 4 beers from the fridge. He closed the door and then held a beer up to her "Come on Carter, the groceries can wait, come sit with us and get eaten by the mosquitoes"

"Wow, you make it sound so inviting Sir" She said as she grabbed the beer from him

"Well at least it was an invitation Carter, if you say no I will make it an order"

She smiled, "Yes Sir" she said mockingly and headed outside with Jack following closely behind her.

It wasn't until 2 hours later that Daniel noticed it had started to get clod and that it may be an idea that they move inside and start thinking about what they were going to have for tea.

The decision to have a BBQ was mutually agreed upon and Jack, with the aid of Teal'c got everything set up, Jack without taking the time to set down his beer.

Daniel was grateful that he wasn't asked to help, as it gave him some time to be alone with Sam, he hadn't had the opportunity to speak to her properly since he went to her hotel room, and even then she didn't do too much talking, it seemed that he had offended her when he was asking about Jack, he was the first person to admit that it was a little out of character for him, but it was something that had been bugging him for years. So, this time he decided to steer clear of the subject, little did he know that a certain General was exactly who Sam wanted to talk about.

"Hey Sam"

"Hey Daniel" Sam replied scooting over on the couch in order to make room for him. They could faintly hear Jack in the background giving Teal'c pointers on how to create the perfect BBQ.

"So… Are you glad you suggested coming to the cabin?"

"Definitely, it's not often that we get the chance to just hang out like this... I mean we never did really... Only when one of us was lying in the infirmary or dying from an incurable alien disease like the General was"

"So how are Mark and the Kids?" Cutting Sam off before getting stuck on the "must avoid" topic.

"They are really good, the girls are growing up so quickly and Mark is doing really well for himself, it was a bit hard after Dad you know, but he seems to be ok now"

"That's good… and, how are you?"

"I'm fine why?"

"Well you've been through a lot in the past year and I just want to make sure that your ok, you guys are my best friends" Sam smiled at him then and Daniel moved closer to her on the couch. As he did, Sam laid her head on his shoulder and Daniel's arm moved around her to rest on her shoulder.

"Thanks Daniel, I just wish the General saw it that way"

"Sam I um…. I really didn't want to bring that topic up after the other night, I acted really inappropriately"

At this point Sam lifted her eyes and looked at him. "It's ok Daniel... really"

"Ok"

At that time Jack happened walked in to the lounge room where the two of them were snuggled up together. Sam and Daniel sat upright immediately, though neither of them really knew why. It's not like they were doing anything wrong.

Jack just stood in the doorway taking in the scene in front of him, he was not upset or angry with Daniel, after all, Sam and he were like brother and sister but he was however angry at himself, and it showed. He was angry that he was not able to be the person that could give Sam the comfort she needed, he was upset because Daniel and even Tealc' could hold Sam, and he could not.

"Dinner's ready" He said simply, and turned his back to the pair and walked back outside.