(This is set after Brief Candle, approx. 2 weeks after Colonel O'Neill & Captain Carter return from Washington.)

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"It's good to have you back, Colonel," General Hammond said over the intercom. He seemed shocked to see his 2IC looking like the corpse groom. "I take it you will be turning back, correct?"

Colonel O'Neill looked back to Captain Carter for confirmation. "About two weeks sir, yes," she said.

Hammond gave a brief nod. "Very well," he said. "Get checked out then go home, people. We'll have our briefing tomorrow afternoon."

"Yes sir!" Colonel O'Neill said enthusiastically.

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Dr. Fraiser had just let her go, and she walked in on Colonel O'Neill. "Oh, hey, Carter," he said grudgingly as he pulled on his shirt and closed his locker, fiddling with his keys.

She raised an eyebrow. "Hi, sir."

He hesitated, then said, "Something…wrong?"

Carter shook her head. "No sir."

O'Neill sucked on his lip for a moment. "Still have nightmares?" he asked.

She tilted her head at him. "Yeah. They're getting easier to deal with, though. I forgot to turn on the lights before I went to sleep, woke up to a dark, empty house, and didn't freak out."

He gave a sort of half-shrug. "Sounds like you're getting there," he said slowly.

She nodded and patted her legs nervously. "So…why 're you here?" asked Colonel O'Neill.

"I kind of wanted to get changed, showered…the works?" she said pointedly.

"Oh, right!" he said, somewhat flustered. "I knew that." He looked around again and said, "Well, I guess I'll see you later, I guess."

He was halfway on his way to the door before he swung around and strolled back to her.

"Sir?" she asked, surprised when she was enveloped in a brief hug. She felt his chest rise as he drew in a deep breath. He seemed to be prolonging every moment.

God, it felt good. Only that "tangle session" they'd had at the hotel in Washington topped it…ack! BAD Sam! her conscience scolded her. He was her superior officer!

When O'Neill pulled back, she looked at him questioningly. "Sir?"

He gave her a sheepish smile. "I guess I just wanted to thank you, you know…for figuring out that danged device to help me 'n the Argosians."

Her cheeks tinted pink. "You're the one who found the transmitter," she said, flustered.

"Yeah, I did. But…thanks anyway." He leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her cheek, making her squeak very slightly. He smirked when he saw her stunned expression and strutted out the door, calling over his shoulder, "See ya tomorrow morning, Carter! Don't even think about pulling an all-nighter and don't make me make that an order!"

A hand was slowly moving to touch her cheek, the warmth of his lips touching her flesh much too alive and fresh. "Yes sir," she murmured, still staring at the empty doorway.

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Captain Carter did as Colonel O'Neill requested; at 2100, she packed up her laptop and left. Instead of working on that book of hers, she left her laptop untouched and chose a movie instead. "Homeward Bound" sounded good. She loved animal movies.

It was 2240 when the movie ended, but it was well worth it. The ending with the pets returning home (especially Shadow's surprise survival) brought tears to her eyes, and Chance's "Turkey, turkey, turkey!" had given her fits of laughter. And now she was tired and more than ready for bed.

She pulled on her pjs sleepily and turned off the light as she gracefully lowered herself under the covers. For the first time in…when?...she fell asleep with a smile on her lips, and something in her heart she could only describe as peace.

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A few hours later she woke up groggily. Huh? she thought, confused. She stared at her clock for a moment. 0220. Huh? Her confusion turned to exasperation. Why was she up at 0220?

Then it hit her.

"YES!" she squealed, not caring how girlish it sounded. She leapt onto her feet and bounced on her bed with all the excitement of a four-year-old. "Yes, yes, YES!"

Then she gasped. "I have to tell Colonel O'Neill!" she said excitedly, letting herself fall into a sitting position with her legs dangling off the side of the bed. She snatched the phone from its cradle and dialed him feverishly.

It rang five times before a click came and her CO's groggy voice grumbled, "O'Neill."

"Colonel, it's Captain Carter!" she said, rushed, trying not to shout into the phone.

"Uhh…Carter?" he asked tiredly.

She nodded rapidly as though he could see her, "Yes."

"Whas wrong?" he asked, voice slurred.

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing!"

There was pause. "Huh?"

"Absolutely nothing!" she repeated, her excitement unfazed by his confusion.

"…Then why 're you…OH!" he said suddenly, and she heard sheets rumbling in the background. It must've shocked him so much he sat straight up, his body coming to attention along with his mind. "Well, good for you, Carter!" There was a pause. "Can we go back to sleep, then?"

She laughed. "Yes sir."

"If you managed to shake the nightmare, then why are you up at this godforsaken time in the morning, anyway?"

"My body's used to it, sir. It thinks 0220 is normal. If I've shaken the nightmare for real, my body clock will go back to normal eventually."

"So your clock's whacked?"

She giggled. "Yes sir."

"No giggling, Captain."

That only made her giggle harder.