PROLOGUE

With dinner had and the dishes done, the four original members of SG-1 sat in the den of Jack's cabin.

Sam had to give it to him, this weekend was exactly what they all needed. It had given them all a chance to relax and connect with each other without the fate of the world hanging in the balance, for once.

The drive up had been nice. She and Jack drove together in Jack's truck. Sam had to practically wrestle the keys away from him at the first rest stop in Nebraska to give her a chance to drive. They chatted easily as she drove down the long, flat roads through South Dakota and then the winding ones of Minnesota. Jack had seemed almost interested as she prattled on about the newly acquired ZPM and the implications it had for their understanding of time travel, alternate realities, and the nature of the universe. Or at least he had pretended to be. They talked about how the SGC would be different without Teal'c and made bets on how long it would be before Daniel requested a transfer to Atlantis.

Jack had let slip that he and Kerry were no longer an item. Sam hadn't asked and she suspected that he had wanted to bring it up.

"It was nothing serious. No hard feelings. We just decided it was best to keep things professional between us."

Sam nodded, admittedly relieved at hearing the news.

"Can you believe she said I had issues? Me. Issues," Jack continued.

"Shocking," was Sam's mocking reply.

She had tried her best to keep the smile off her face for the rest of the drive.

Now, here they were. One beer in and Daniel was chatting merrily about life and the meaning of the universe, as usual. He went on about the wonders of Atlantis he was discovering from the data download. It was clear that his heart was already there. Even Teal'c's usual stoicism fell as he seemed to revel in the company of his teammates. His days on Dakara had shown him that leading thousands of Jaffa into a life of freedom that his people had never known would be a daunting task. Many did not trust him from his time with the Tau'ri. But he remained hopeful. He was grateful to be in the company of the only people in the universe who he could truly call his friends.

It was well into the wee hours when sleepiness began to overtake them. As Daniel's ramblings became less and less coherent, Teal'c declared that it was time for them to take their leave and ushered him off to bed.

Sam and Jack stayed in the den, beers in hand. They sat in silence with the weight of their unfinished business in the air.

"So, Pete's out of the picture, huh?" Jack ventured. He had been curious as to why the engagement was suddenly called off but hadn't been quite sure how to bring it up before.

At the mention of her ex-fiancee's name, Sam stiffened slightly. She sat on the edge of the couch, her back straight. Taking a breath and squaring her shoulders, she said plainly, "it wasn't going to work. We wanted different things."

"I thought you had been on the same page with wanting family and the like," Jack replied.

Sam sighed softly. "I thought we were. Then the house . . ."

"Not your style?" Jack offered.

Sam grimaced as she nodded. "It was a beautiful house," she said. "It just . . . wasn't mine. And that just made me realize . . . everything."

Jack stayed silent, feeling his heart beat faster.

Sam took a breath and then continued. "He didn't even seem surprised when I told him, like he was expecting it or something. He told me he hopes I get what I want."

The room was silent as Sam started at the beer bottle dangling from her fingers.

"And what do you want?" Jack asked.

Sam wasn't sure how to answer. Gently placing the bottle on the coffee table, she stood up and walked toward the mantle. She wrapped her arms around her herself as her eyes fixated on the small flame twisting in the fireplace. They had spent years locking away their feelings, waiting for a "someday" that she was pretty sure would never come. They had done this dance for what felt like forever and she was done. All that she had been through these last few weeks—thinking they had lost Daniel again, losing her dad, losing her fiancée and the life she had convinced herself she wanted, winning the war that she thought would last forever—had destroyed every last shred of willingness she had to continue with the illusion she had so carefully constructed. She was done lying to herself and to him.

She gathered her resolve and turned around to look him squarely in the eye. "I want you, Jack," she said matter-of-factly.

His eyes widened at the rare use of his first name and he met her gaze. He could tell that this time was different. Something changed in her and he could see it. He had changed too. After his conversation with Kerry, he had told himself that he would talk to Sam about . . . something . . . between them when the time was right. But then there was her father's death and the grief-stricken weeks that followed that made his heart break for her. And now, there was so much uncertainty about the team and where they would all go from here, he didn't want to complicate things.

But really, he was chicken. He was afraid of her rejecting him. He was, if he was being honest, even more afraid that he wasn't up to the task of making her happy. It had been easy to think of them together as a fantasy. The real thing was terrifying. But seeing her look at him now with no hesitation; with a warning in her eyes that they were done with this game one way or the other—he knew that it was now or never. And there was only one decision he could make.

"Jack," she said, almost pleading with him.

He looked down at his hands. Slowly, he put his beer on the table in front of him. She watched as he stood up and slowly made his way to her. As he put his hands on her shoulders, she felt her skin melt under his touch.

She met his eyes, his face only slightly above hers. He gently cupped her face and leaned in to kiss her.

The feeling of his lips on hers made her eyes fill with tears. The relief was overwhelming. She had thought about this moment for so long. They'd shared a handful of kisses over the years—her virus-fueled assault on him, the sweet kisses they shared as Jonah and Thera, and whatever happened in that time loop that he never quite explained. But this was different. It was the two of them here and now, the real Jack and Sam, and it was very new. As she processed the feeling of his body against hers, she opened her mouth and deepened the kiss.

He followed her lead and let his tongue mingle with hers. Her hands were on the back of his neck, holding him to her. His hands moved up her back and pulled her in as tightly as he could. They stood there for long minutes, discovering each other. As their passion grew, he gently pulled her toward the couch. His hands found their way to the back of her head, then down her back, then under the hem of her shirt. When she felt the edge of the couch against the back of her legs, she tumbled backward, much less gracefully than she had intended, and he landed next to her. Their lips quickly found each other again and she leaned back against the couch cushion and drew him to her. She couldn't help but moan as his lips found their way to her neck and collarbone. "Oh God," she muttered and he made a mental note to remember that spot on her neck.

When his hands slid under her shirt, she arched her back and then pulled his face up to her waiting lips. She wanted this so, so badly. But she knew they'd regret if they went all the way tonight. Reluctantly she broke their kiss and sat up, leaning her forehead against his. She put her hand on his cheek as he struggled to control his breathing. "I think we have some details to work out," she said, knowing that they had to find a way to make this work—no more excuses.

He moved his hand out from under her shirt and found hers. He intertwined their fingers and gently kissed her on the forehead. He stood up and tugged her hand to join him.

"Let me walk you to bed. We have a long drive tomorrow."

She followed him down the hallway to her room. She held his chin as she placed a slow, tender kiss on his lips.

"Goodnight, Jack," she whispered as she pulled back.

"Goodnight, Sam," he said with a gentle smile.

Sam opened the door to her bedroom.

"Hey," Jack said as she turned to look at him. "Are we really doing this?"

A broad smile slowly spread across Sam's face. And with that she slipped inside the bedroom and closed the door. Jack returned to his room to bask in what had begun.


o-O-o

CHAPTER ONE

Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell laced up his running shoes and headed out the door. A few months ago, a run was unthinkable. Now he could manage nearly 3 miles at once. There was a lightness to his stride that came with not taking a single step for granted. After almost dying during the battle against Anubis over Antarctica, doctors told him he wouldn't walk again. But he had set his mind to proving them wrong. The last year of recovery had been painstaking, but he could feel that the worst was behind him. After being released from the military hospital, he went home to Auburn and had spent the last 6 months focusing on nothing but his recovery. General O'Neill had given him a gift—the promise of any assignment he wanted waiting for him at the end of the tunnel. And there was only one that he wanted—SG1. It was the best motivation anyone could hope for.

His breath was heavy but even as he made his way through the winding dirt roads of rural Kansas. He felt the familiar pain in his shin every time his foot hit the ground, but he pushed on. It was manageable. His goal was to be field-ready by the end of the summer.

By the time he made it back to the quaint farmhouse, he had a slight limp but ignored it. He dripped sweat on the hardwood floors of his parents' home as he walked toward the kitchen.

"I hope you didn't push yourself too hard, honey," his mom said as Cam grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. He lingered in front of the open refrigerator for a moment, letting the cold air wash over him. He avoided looking at his mother. Her eyes had an edge of fear in them whenever she looked at him, like he would disappear at any moment, and it always hit him like a punch to the gut. He hated being reminded of what he had put his parents through and would likely put them through again if he did make it on to SG1.

"I'm fine, mom," he said as he closed the refrigerator door and moved to stand behind her. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. He tossed the bottle cap toward the trash bin and headed up the stairs.


o-O-o

As Jack ambled through base security, he had a smile on his face that he couldn't wipe off. It had been plastered on the entire drive back from Minnesota. Sam had asked him how long he intended to walk around with that silly grin and he just looked at her, his eyes sparkling. Carter still had feelings for him. And they kissed. More than kissed. And left with a promise that they would figure things out so they could give it a go. That was plenty reason for grinning in his book. Now they just had to actually figure things out. He had mulled over Kerry's suggestion that he retire and run the SGC as a civilian. It was a decent idea. He just had to figure out how to suggest that to Homeworld Security without explaining the main reason for his request. With things the way they were in the galaxy, it was a good time for a little restructuring anyway.

"Walter, good morning! Great to see you. Hope you had a nice weekend," Jack said pleasantly as he made his way toward his office.

"Good . . . morning, sir," Walter said, taken aback by the General's uncharacteristic good mood. He followed Jack into his office.

"Got anything fun for me today?" Jack asked as he slid into the chair behind his desk.

"Reportback from Atlantis, sir. It appears they have successfully staved off the Wraith attack. ZPM arrived just in time."

"Excellent," Jack said, doing his best Mr. Burns imitation.

"The Daedalus took damage and will remain in Atlantis to make repairs. They will keep us apprised of their progress. Atlantis has sent the first batch of injured through the Stargate. The next batch will be coming through shortly. The infirmary is making arrangements."

"How many did we lose?" Jack said, taking a more somber tone.

"Latest count is 41, sir. Though there are still several unaccounted for."

"Everett?"

"Colonel Everett is among the injured, sir. He survived an attempted feeding by a Wraith, but not before it . . . caused some damage," Walter said.

Jack sighed. Before he left for Minnesota, he had tapped Everett to lead the team of military reinforcements to Atlantis. The guy could be a bit much but he was a great strategist and worked well under pressure. If anyone could figure out a way to hold off the Wraith until the ZPM could get there, it was him. And it sounds like he succeeded, at great cost to himself.

Jack cleared his throat. "Thank you, Walter. Let me know when they come through. I'd like to meet them in the Gate room."

"Yes, sir."

Jack let out a sigh and turned his attention to the stack of files in front of him.


o-O-o

Sam was seated in her lab, looking over the data from the ZPM. As soon as the device arrived, the base scientists couldn't get their hands on it fast enough. They didn't have much time to analyze it before shipping it off to Atlantis on the Daedalus. It was in remarkably good condition and nearly fully powered. With the help of the Asgard, they were able to integrate the power source into the Daedalus' engines, shaving nearly two weeks off the time the trip would normally take. Being able to fully power Atlantis and have regular contact with the expedition was a great start. But if they could find more ZPMs, or, better yet, figure out how to reverse engineer the technology, the possibilities were endless.

The sharp ring of her phone startled her.

"Carter," she said, picking up the receiver.

Her face lit up when she heard Cassandra's voice at the other end. "Hey!" Sam said excitedly. "How are finals going?"

"It's finals. It sucks. Not much else to say about it," Cassie replied.

Sam grimaced at the sarcastic response. Cassie had been pretty tight-lipped about how school on the east coast was going ever since her visit for Jacob's funeral. Sam suspected something was up. Cassie had a way of clamming up and lashing out when she wanted to avoid talking about something, so navigating these conversations was always a bit of a minefield. You could have sworn she was Jack O'Neill's own daughter in that regard.

"Okay, then how's Boston?" Sam asked.

"It's still cold," Cassie answered.

"Okay then," Sam responded. She heard Cassie let out a breath.

"So . . . I was thinking about coming back home after finals."

Sam smiled at that. "Yeah? That would be great! Maybe we can even take a vacation."

"I mean, I was thinking about coming home, not just for summer break."

Sam took in her words, finally understanding her meaning.

"What's going on, Cass?" Sam asked, looking away from her screen and focusing entirely on the voice at the other end of the call.

"Nothing. Nothing really. I just . . . I just need a break."

Cassie was leaving out some details. Like how she had been struggling with depression for a good portion of the last semester. And how she may have been dealing with it by partying a bit too hard and slacking on her schoolwork a bit too much and it was taking its toll. She just couldn't deal with the Voice of Concern that she knew Sam would give her and she didn't feel like dropping a whole new heap of crap on her while she was still dealing with the loss of her father.

Sam listened to the silence on the other end of the line for a few moments, as if listening hard enough would give her some clue as to what was going on in the young woman's head. She wished she wasn't so damn stubborn sometimes. But she knew pushing too hard would just push her away. And she knew this last year had not been easy for her. She had lost a mother for the second time in her young life and God knows if anyone was entitled to some time off to figure things out, it was Cassie. Sam decided her best course of action was to back off.

"Okay," Sam said.

"Okay? That's it?" Cassie asked warily.

"You're an adult now. You can decide what's best for yourself."

"Thanks," Cassie said nervously. She was expecting Sam to put up more of an argument.

"Come home. You can stay with me as long as you like. Your mom—" Sam's tears threatened to fall at the mere thought of her late friend, mingled with the grief from her recent loss. Sam took a second to compose herself. "She wanted SG1 to be your family and we are always here for you."

Cassie felt her defenses falter at the mention of her dead mother. She wished she had had more time with her. And she wished she hadn't pushed her away so much during those angsty adolescent years. Her life felt like such a mess at the moment and she had no idea how to clean it up.

"I know you are. I just . . . I feel like I need some time to figure things out."

"I know. So do I," Sam said honestly. Maybe a change would do them both some good.


o-O-o

Ish'ta sat in a meditative pose in the center of the clearing. Hak'tyl was a thriving community now, as word spread among the newly free Jaffa of the female warriors who helped rescue children and bring down the false gods. Jaffa women from across the galaxy had arrived, some to pledge their service to the Hak'tyl, and others to seek protection. The fall of the System Lords had shattered the Goa'uld's hold on Jaffa society and left a world of possibilities in its wake. But for all the hope that Ish'ta felt, it was clear that many Jaffa remained tethered to the old ways. She feared the times ahead would present challenges like they had never faced before.

Teal'c had a hint of a smile on his face as he emerged from the large tent behind her. It brought him joy to see the growth of the Hak'tyl movement and pride to see Ish'ta grow in her role as leader. With the Goa'uld defeated, Teal'c was hoping he and and Ish'ta might begin to build something solid for themselves. Kar'yn and Ry'ac had made their home on Hak'tyl, though the demands of their work meant they were often traveling apart for weeks at a time. Teal'c was proud of his son and the daughter he now had in Kar'yn. They loved each other fiercely and were equally committed to building a bright future for their people. The ways of the young couple were different than what Teal'c had been taught. But he could admit to himself that it was time for him to change—for all Jaffa to change—and to abandon the old ways that no longer served them.

Teal'c walked up to Ish'ta and took a seat beside her. Feeling his presence, she opened her eyes.

Teal'c looked at her as he spoke. "We should leave for Dakara in the morning. The new High Council will begin its session shortly."

Ish'ta looked at Teal'c, her expression impassive. "I do not intend to return with you to Dakara, Teal'c," she said. "Ka'lel will represent the Hak'tyl on the High Council. She is quite skilled at diplomacy and she has my blessing. She is a far better politician than I."

Teal'c felt the blow of her words. He swallowed hard against the bile rising in his throat. Ish'ta's leadership would be an asset to the High Council, yes. But more than that, he had been hoping they could build on their relationship on Dakara. It was too soon for commitments, of course. But this was their chance to create something beyond the fleeting moments of intimacy they had had to settle for these last years.

He settled his breath and masked his features. He did not want her to see the hurt in his eyes. "You are chief here, Ish'ta. The Hak'tyl have grown in strength and numbers and are a formidable force within the Jaffa nation. It is appropriate that you represent your people on the Council."

"My place is here, Teal'c. My leadership is needed here. Every day we receive new reports of mistreatment of our Jaffa sisters. It appears the old ways are not so easily shed. We have many battles left to fight until we are all free."

Teal'c's anger flared. "The war is over, Ish'ta! Why do you insist on carrying on as if we are still living under Goa'uld oppression?"

"Maybe your war is over, Teal'c. Mine is not," she said, holding his gaze.

Teal'c looked away from her, his jaw clenched. Ish'ta moved in front of him slowly and sat back on her heels. She reached out and clasped his hands in hers.

"I do care for you greatly. Do not doubt that," Ish'ta said gently. "But I cannot offer more, and neither can you. This is a moment of great hope and great uncertainty for our people. We cannot allow our personal desires to pull us away from our responsibilities. Our paths are before us and we must walk them."

Teal'c reached out and placed his hand on the back of her head, pulling her toward him. He kissed her passionately while he held her to him.

When they broke apart, their eyes locked.

"Goodbye, Teal'c," Ish'ta said as she stood up gracefully and walked toward the village.


o-O-o

"Jack!" Daniel said as he jogged into the other man's office. He had just finished reading every last mission report sent back by the Atlantis expedition. He could barely contain his excitement.

"No," Jack said without looking up from his desk.

"Jack . . ."

"You can't go to Atlantis, Daniel. Besides we don't even know how long it will be before the Daedalus gets back here. Could be months."

"I can wait for transportation, Jack."

Jack sighed. "Shouldn't you be on Dakara by now?" Jack said, trying to change the subject. He pulled his arm up to look at his watch.

Daniel was supposed to join Teal'c to assist the Jaffa High Council with drawing up a constitution. Teal'c had convinced the leadership that his expertise in these matters could be of use. Daniel noted the other man's evident irritation at the Council's slow progress the last time he spoke with him.

"Yeah, I'm on my way out now," Daniel said. "Sounds like the High Council's having a tough time deciding how to move forward. It appears there is an emerging difference of opinion on whether to incorporate some of the traditions and practices instituted by the Goa'uld into the new society or whether to make a clean break from the whole Goa'uld legacy."

"Yeah, well, Rome wasn't built in a day," Jack said, only half-listening and turning back to the stacks on his desk.

"Helpful, Jack. I'll pass that along," Daniel quipped back.

Jack looked at him and shrugged. Nation-building was most definitely not within his skill set. He was more of a blow-stuff-up kind of guy.

"Anyway, I'm not forgetting about Atlantis. We'll talk about this when I get back!"

Daniel walked out, undeterred. He would be on that ship to the Pegasus galaxy, one way or another.


o-O-o

Sam knocked hesitantly on the open office door. She saw Jack hunched over a stack of files on his desk.

"Yeah," he said absently, not looking up.

"Is this a bad time, sir?" Sam asked.

His head snapped up at hearing her voice. He tried to keep the smile off his face at seeing her but didn't quite succeed.

"Please, I would absolutely love a reason to stop doing this. Come in," he said as he leaned back in his chair.

She walked into the room and closed the door behind her before taking a seat across from him. They looked at each other for a moment.

"Looks like you have your hands full," Sam said, looking over the piles on his desk.

"Yes. It seems having regular contact with Atlantis now will involve twice as much paperwork. Lucky me," he responded.

She smiled at him before speaking. "Well, I have some news."

"Good news, I hope?"

"I think so." She paused and leaned forward in her chair. "I just got off the phone with General Hawley." She cleared her throat before continuing. "I've been offered the position of leading research and development at Area 51. Apparently General Hammond recommended me. He's already approved the transfer, if I choose to accept."

Jack sat perfectly still. His instinct was to slam his hand on the table and shout "hell, no." Carter was his best officer and he was not about to lose her to Hawley, damn it. Plus, he kind of liked having her around. But he stopped himself. Things had to be different now.

"Area 51, you say?" he asked, keeping his voice calm.

"I haven't decided yet. But I think it's a good option."

Jack sighed. She wasn't wrong. There was nowhere for her to move up at the base, at least until she made General. Heading up R&D would give her a chance to expand her command experience and also play with those doohickeys she loved so much as a full-time job. Not to mention that this would take her out of his chain of command. She'd report to General Hawley, and Area 51 is overseen by Homeworld Security, not the SGC.

But it would mean her leaving Colorado.

"You don't have to leave here, you know. I was thinking I would just retire," Jack said.

Sam put her elbows on the desk in front of her and leaned forward. "You are always threatening to retire but you know you'd be bored as hell. And the SGC needs you. Besides, it might be nice to have a regular schedule for once. Cassie's been struggling at school. She wants to take time off. This way she can stay with me and we can be a little family for a while. She likes the idea."

Jack got a flash of an image of the three of them being a family and it made his heart hurt. It reminded him of the family he had lost. He pushed the thought away.

Sam looked at him squarely and continued, "I think it's time for a change, Jack. For all of us."

Jack leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Nevada isn't so great, you know. It's the middle of the desert. It's hot as hell in the summer."

"I think I can handle it." Sam smiled. She took his hesitancy as his way of telling her he would miss her. "And who know? I just might even get weekends off."

Jack smiled at her. "So, this is a done deal?"

"General Hawley is expecting my answer by end of the day. If I accept, transfer goes through next week."

"I guess I'll be racking up some frequent flyer miles to Vegas then," Jack said.

Sam smiled as she registered his acquiescence. It wasn't ideal, but it would give them a chance.