For the first time since her accident, Sam was letting herself relax. She was lying on the couch, her knee propped up for support, with Rico lying beside her. She'd gone back to the base yesterday for more tests on her knee, but she knew it wasn't looking good. Janet had tried to be reassuring. Some of the tests would take longer than others, so they'd sent her home and told her they'd call when they had more information for her.

After her visit in the infirmary, she stopped in the security room to check on her team. She knew they were training the "Greenies" at the moment, and it had hurt to watch them do it without her. She was going to have to get used to that though. She didn't think she would be going back through the Gate anytime soon, if ever again.

Sam sighed and rested her hand on Rico's back. She was really grateful for the dog. He'd helped her around so much already, especially when she'd still been stuck in that wheelchair. It was funny, after a month, he could almost anticipate what she'd ask him to do next. If she ever found who'd given him to her, she knew she'd have to do more than just thank him. Of course, she'd have to see him again, and he hadn't been around for over three weeks.

A knock at the door broke her of her thoughts, and caused Rico to sit up straight. He cocked his head to the side as if he was trying to figure out what was going on. Suddenly, he jumped up and bounded for the door.

"Rico! Get back here!" Sam shouted for the dog. She didn't know who was on the other side and she didn't want the dog opening the door to a stranger.

He gave her a confused look, like he wasn't sure why he wasn't supposed to open the door. He knew what that knock meant.

That's when she heard it. The knock was sounding more like Morse Code than a regular knock on her front door. R-I-C-O, yup, Morse Code.

Rico didn't stutter again and immediately opened the door, his tail wagging furiously. That was usually a sign that he knew the person, but Sam hadn't heard anyone knock like that yet.

The voice Sam could hear from her spot on the couch, nearly made her heart skip a beat. "How you doin' there, Pup? You takin' good care of her?"

"Uh, Colonel, Sir, what are you doing here? Please come in." Sam made to get up off the couch, but stopped at his wave to stay put. He closed the door and came to sit opposite of her in the living room.

"I would have stopped by sooner, but I just got back in the other day." He stopped then looking almost… nervous? Sam knew it had to be her imagination. Jack O'Neill never got nervous. He handed her the file he'd had tucked under his arm when he'd come in. "Sorry, Carter," he barely whispered.

She knew what it was immediately, and tried to force the tears back. She'd tried to prepare for this day, tried to make herself believe that it was coming sooner or later, but that still hadn't helped. The only thing that confused her was how thick the folder was.

"Listen, we need a new eval. Officer, conflict of interest with the current one, and you are the next most qualified for the job." Jack sat forward, tapping his fingers on the arms of the chair.

"Aren't you the current eval. Officer?"

"Yes."

"So what's the problem, Sir?"

"I can't tell you, not yet anyway. If you want the assignment, you get three more weeks in the military before your discharge is official, with another notch in your belt. If not, Hammond wants you back as a civilian after Janet clears you to be on your feet for that long."

"How long to I have to think about it?" Sam asked. She wasn't quite ready to make this decision.

"Preferably until tomorrow."

"You'll have an answer by 1200."

The two sat in silence, not really sure where to go next. Whether she took the job or not, he was no longer her CO, and that scared her. He was an attractive man, she'd give him that much, and ever since that first day, she'd grown to like him more and more. They'd gotten closer together in the past three years. The whole team had really, but they were sometimes dancing a little close to the line.

She knew it had to be one sided, especially now that she was receiving a medical discharge. She was a cripple, even if she did learn to walk without a cane eventually.

In the silence, the reality finally hit her, and this time she couldn't hold back the tears flooding her eyes.

Jack jumped across to kneel beside the couch. "Hey, Sam, it'll be okay. Shhh." He brushed her hair out of her face and gently wiped the tear tracks from her cheeks. Rico, sensing Sam's distress, stuck his nose under her hand and wuffled, his soulful brown eyes looking comfortingly up at her.

If she hadn't been so upset, she would have noticed Jack's slip of her name. As it was, she felt comforted by his closeness.

"Sorry, Sir," Sam said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"It's Jack. And there's nothing to be sorry for." He gave a soft smile before moving to sit on the edge of the couch. "How are you doing with all this?"

"Considering I was just discharged from the Air Force? It's been hard. Sara was the only friend I had outside the program. I guess Rico's it now," she shrugged.

"So, you've made up your mind?"

Sam looked back at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"If you take the assignment, you won't be discharged for another three weeks. You've made up your mind not to take the job." He was still rubbing her arm to comfort her.

"I'm sorry, I'm just a little confused still."

"No problem," Jack said, standing up. "Listen, it's getting late, how about I make you something for dinner?"

"Okay. Rico, go with Jack." She smiled at the ease at which his name had rolled off her tongue. She'd never before let herself even think of him as Jack. That was dangerous ground she hadn't wanted to walk. Now, though, the ground had stabilized, even if just a little.

"Shouldn't he stay in there with you?" Jack asked as the dog followed him into the kitchen.

Sam grabbed her crutches from the floor next to the couch and stood shakily. She slowly made her way into the kitchen and sat at the small island built into the center. "I'm in here. Anyways, he knows where everything is in here so I figured he could show you."

"Right. So what do you want to eat? I can make anything you have the stuff for right here." Jack leaned against the island and looked straight into her eyes.

"How 'bout grilled cheese and tomato soup?"

"That it is!"

A/N: so how'dya like? you're catching up with where ihave written so it might be a little while before i update again. please r & r.