A/N: I thought I'd clear up a few things since I don't think I made them very clear in the first two chapters.

I kind of wrote the ring scene not as a proposal as such but as a promise to Sam that whatever she wanted in the future would be there for her and that Jack wasn't going anywhere. Trust me, when Jack uses the words 'Sam, will you marry me?', it'll be the whole enchilada:D Similarly, Sam wasn't agreeing to marry Jack exactly, it was more of an 'I'd like to try to make a go of this whatever happens' – she didn't take the ring BTW.

Secondly, my X-files knowledge is a little rusty so you'll have to forgive my little slip up with Nellis AFB/Groom Lake/Area 51 yadda, yadda, yadda, it's what comes with writing fic on three hours sleep at 5 am! Lol!

Thirdly, I figured that once Sam drops the 'Sir' then all bets will be off and they are, after all, still in the same chain of command. (I'm reserving 'Jack' for when the regs are gone!) I'm not too clear on the regs but so far I don't think they've done any more to break them than they have on the show (granted it's a pretty fine line they're not crossing!) but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Thank you once again to everyone who's taken the time to review my fic. I really do appreciate it and take your comments and suggestions on board. :D So, on with the show…

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Sam woke sharply at 0600. Damn military training! She thought as she suddenly realised where she was. Sighing she sat up and padded to the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee.

Jack woke to the quiet rustlings of someone in his kitchen. Then he remembered his houseguest. He threw on his robe and walked to his kitchen where he paused. There next to the sink stood Carter, wearing his over-sized t-shirt and sweatpants and with her hair sticking up at a million random angles, sipping a cup of coffee. He cleared his throat so as not to startle her.

"Mornin', Carter!"

"Morning, Sir. Coffee?"

Jack gleefully rubbed his hands together and nodded as he walked towards the freshly brewed pot of coffee.

"What time are you on duty this morning, Sir?"

"0900, same as you."

Sam glanced down at her attire.

"Sir, would you mind dropping me off at my place before I head in? Not that this isn't comfortable but I think it might get the base talking if I arrive in your truck dressed in your clothes!" She laughed nervously.

"Not a problem!" Jack placed his mug on the side. "Give me 5 and I'll be ready to go."

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As Sam stepped off the elevator she almost ran into Daniel.

"Sam!" He yelped in surprise as he almost collided headlong into her. "Sorry! How are you feeling today?"

Sam smiled weakly.

"I'm … dealing."

"Ah." He'd definitely been spending way too much time around Jack O'Neill. "Sam-"

"Where's this artefact you needed me to look at?"

Daniel took the hint.

"Uh, it's in my lab. Shall we?"

As the elevator doors closed, Daniel turned to face her.

"Sam, I know you probably don't want to right now, but if you ever need to… talk, I'm here. I just wanted to let you know."

Sam gave him a small, appreciative smile.

"Thanks, Daniel. It means a lot."

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Three hours later SG-1 sat in Daniel's lab watching a video tape that had been found with the ZPM.

"So, we don't have to do anything?"

"No, Sir. Apparently nothing we did affected the time line."

"But we didn't do anything."

"Not yet. Apparently we were going to, two weeks from now, but now we don't have to."

"Excellent! That's it! I like it!"

Carter picked up the ZPM and made to leave the lab with it but Jack stopped her in her tracks.

"No! I'll take it! There's a whole room full of geeks up there just dying to get their hands on it!" Jack smirked and tapped her lightly on the arm. "You've got packing to do!" And with that he left the room, ZPM in hand, leaving a slightly annoyed Colonel in his wake.

A/N: OK, I don't know about you but from where I was sitting when I watched this episode it really looked like Jack slapped her on the ass. Not that I think that Jack would be that inappropriate or anything… ;)

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Sam and Jack sat on the dock outside his cabin with fishing poles in the water. They'd been sitting in silence for most of the afternoon, just enjoying being on downtime. Carter finally stood and stretched her legs.

"Want a beer, Sir?"

He turned to face her.

"Sure, if you're offerin'." He glanced around again. "Where did Butch and Sundance go?"

Sam grinned.

"I think Daniel muttered something about Teal'c urgently needing bug repellent. They've gone into town."

"In my truck? Who was driving?"

"Uh, Daniel, I think. They should be back soon, Sir." Sam reassured him before entering into the house. She reappeared a few minutes later with a glass of lemonade in one hand and a bottle of Guiness in the other. He muttered his thanks as she took her seat beside him.

"I've been thinking, Sir." Her voice broke the silence and Jack grinned.

"I'd be surprised if you ever stopped, Colonel!" He turned to face her when she didn't continue straight away. Sam squirmed in her seat and fiddled with her hands.

"It's about … what we discussed when I was at your house the other day."

Jack exhaled slowly and prepared himself for a fall. When she didn't continue he motioned with his hands for her to carry on.

"And?"

"And, if my calculations are correct then we only have a two week window of opportunity, starting as of 0000 tonight, Sir."

Jack just started at her incredulously. Here she was trying to tell him that she was considering accepting a marriage proposal from him and she was talking about it like she'd just calculated a proposed trajectory for a surface-to-air missile! Unfortunately Sam took his silence as rejection and immediately began to backtrack.

"That is, of course, if the offer still stands, Sir. I mean, I completely understand if-"

"Ah! Carter! Stop. Right. There." He began gesturing wildly with his hands. "I meant every word I said the other night so don't EVER think that I would or could take it back, ok?"

Sam shuffled in her seat.

"Well, I-"

"Good! Glad we've got that clear." He said breathing a sigh of relief. "Now, please, continue." Sam paused for a few moments to figure out how to say exactly what she wanted to say.

"Hypothetically, Sir, if a Colonel wanted to… date… a General who was her direct CO then they would need to rectify the situation so that they were no longer in the same chain of command. However, if that is only possible for a short time then, hypothetically, the only satisfactory solution would be for the General and the Colonel to get married during that time after which any subsequent changes in command structure would no longer present a problem." She paused and gazed expectantly at him. Jack sucked in a deep breath before speaking.

"So, let me make sure that I'm understanding you correctly, Colonel. If said General were to, say, propose a permanent arrangement of matrimonial bliss with said Colonel, would the General be correct in the assumption that the Colonel would accept that proposal?"

Sam grinned.

"Yes, the General would be correct in his assumption, Sir."

"Sweet!" Jack exclaimed as they both simultaneously sported huge grins. Jack leant back and took a sip of his beer as Sam did the same with her glass of lemonade. Sam slowly turned back towards her fishing pole as she heard the sound of gravel being squashed under the heavy tyres of an SUV.

"This is great" she sighed with pleasure.

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As before, I live for reviews! Please let me know if you would like me to continue.