Jack awoke a little too early the next morning for his taste. He didn't realize where he was at first, since Sam had never been to the cabin with him. That and the pounding he was hearing on the front door had thoroughly confused him. Nobody ever knocked on his door up hear. The only people he even knew in the area would just walk in. Though he had to admit he was glad they didn't, considering the way he was snuggled up to Sam.

"All right, hold on. I'm coming," he muttered to himself as he rolled out of bed and threw on his pants. He groggily made his way to the front door, and just had time to school himself as he opened the door to see who was waking him up at that ungodly our.

Of course it had never occurred to him that the pounding, though loud, sounded a little… odd? So when he opened the door he was a little taken aback to see Cassie's grinning face stare up at him.

"What? How'd you get here?" he asked sleepily. He looked up then, and noticed Daniel smiling sheepishly behind her, with one hand raised in a wave to indicate he had brought her with him.

"Daniel, you and Teal'c weren't supposed to come up here for another," he paused, looking at his watch, "three days. And where's the Doc, how'd you get Cass here?"

"Sorry, Jack, I invited Janet and Cass, but Janet couldn't get the time off." Daniel shrugged as though it were nothing, and in reality it was. Jack didn't mind, he was always trying to get people to come up to the cabin.

"Yes," he said deliberately. "But that doesn't explain why you guys are up here now."

"Ah, we, uh, had a visitor come through the gate."

Jack paled visibly for a quick moment as Jacob Carter stepped out of the car, then quickly schooled his features, hoping he didn't let anything slip unintentionally. Teal'c followed silently an amused look on his face that very few could ever recognize.

"Jack, I was told by George SG-1 was on downtime, but I had to see Sam. Where is she?" Jacob cocked his head at the Colonel's ruffled appearance.

"She's still sleeping, the medication tends to knock her out," Jack replied with a shake of his head. He hated giving those pills to Sam, but knew that otherwise she'd be pushing herself too hard. "Let me finish getting dressed, then we can take a walk and talk, Jacob."

The older man nodded and watched Jack retreat back into the house. It'd been well over a month since the last time he'd seen his daughter and it was time they see if there was anything else he could do for her knee. He knew how much the Air Force meant to her, so why in the world was she up here, in Minnesota, with her CO, alone?

He turned to watch Daniel and Cassie by the lakeside, a small grin creeping across his face. Daniel was perfect with Cass, as perfect as Jack seemed to be. Jack was a natural with kids, Jacob guessed it was mostly due to Charlie, but Daniel had no previous experience, which was why it was so surprising to watch him with the young girl. The other thought flashing through his mind was that it could have something to do with the girl's mother.

"Ready?" Jack asked as he stepped up beside the man.

About a mile down the road Jack stopped and leaned against an old oak tree, wringing his hands in deliberation.

"So, what's going on, Jack?" Jacob sat down on a boulder next to the tree and looked up at the younger man he knew loved his daughter deeply. He just wished he could ignore it, but with Selmac running commentary in the back of his head it was nearly impossible.

"A little over three weeks ago, Sam was given her discharge papers. She stayed on for one final mission. She had to take my place as the evaluation officer for our newest batch of recruits. Jacob, if there's anything you can do to help Sam's knee heal faster, please try, even though she won't be reinstated." Jack sighed, thinking how hard it was on her. She never showed it, and he knew she probably never would, but it was tearing her apart. Maybe once she got back in the lab things would start looking up.

"How's she handling it?" Jacob remembered what she'd been like after Jolinar, though at the time he didn't know why she'd been like that, and he was concerned.

"Better than she was. Although I believe Rico is the cause of that. Hammond's been letting him on base with her." Jack smiled as he remembered Sam hobbling around the base with the dog running around with her.

"Jacob, there is something else I would like to talk to you about," Jack said pensively. This was a hard subject to bring up especially with how fast their relationship was moving.

"Sam and I have been seeing each other since she was discharged and-" Jack was thrown back by the force with which Jacob stood and before he could react the older man's fist had connected with his eye.

"Now, consider that a warning. I like you Jack, but if you ever hurt my little girl, I'll let Selmac take over before I kill you, you got that?" The anger in the man's eyes was replaced by the humor of the situation as he helped Jack up off the ground.

"Sir, I think I should stand over here for now." Jack laughed, rubbing the side of his face. "Jacob, I uh…" he trailed off as he reached one hand into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "I know we haven't 'officially' been together very long, but there's been an attraction between us since the first time I saw her walk into that briefing room. I would like your permission to marry your daughter."

"Three weeks is rather fast," Jacob said, taking the ring from Jack.

"Two and a half years, Jacob. I love her, more than I ever thought possible."

"Selmac keeps telling me this has been coming, but I never believed him until now. Just be good to her Jack."

A/N: okay hope you liked it, i woulda posted more but i don't want to get caught up to myself, and my big bro chris is coming home tomorrow so we're trying to prepare. i know it sounds like Jack's moving a little too fast, but my best friends did that exact thing, except just a little faster, like engaged w/in like a week and a half. lol, please r and r. ! thank's y;all