CHAPTER THREE

Daniel placed the books from Sam's study into a cardboard box, while Teal'c carefully rolled her wine glasses up in newspaper. Jack had made a point of leaving Sam's house early that morning and arriving again after the others were already there.

They hadn't discussed it, but it seemed Sam and Jack had silently agreed that the new status of their relationship would remain a secret just between them for the time being. Sam was pretty sure that Daniel and Teal'c knew how they felt about each other. But this whole thing was very new and she wanted them to have some time to figure it out before they became a "couple" to even their best friends. Not to mention how much she wanted to avoid giving fuel to the SGC rumor mill.

Jack walked in the house and grunted hello as he passed the two other men. He found Sam in her bedroom closet, leaning over a large box as she sealed it with packing tape. He openly leered at the sight in front of him.

"You know, you got a pretty full view last night, and again this morning," Sam said without looking up at him. "Do you really need to be sneaking glances at my cleavage?"

"Carter, I can safely say that the day I pass up an opportunity to check out your cleavage is the day you should put me out of my misery."

Sam smiled as she stood up slowly. Jack smiled back at her. They stood there grinning at each other for a moment before Jack snapped out of it and asked what needed to be done. Sam pointed him toward the guest room.

When the packing was done, Sam stood at the end of her entryway surveying the mostly empty space. Daniel came up behind her and slung his arm around her shoulders.

"The end of an era, huh?" he said, as he smiled at her.

Sam smiled back and blinked back tears. Daniel moved his hand to rub her back and she laid her head against his shoulder.

They heard the front door open and close behind them. "Pizza! Pizza delivery!" Jack called in a mock Italian accent as he entered the room, with Teal'c following behind him. He placed the stack of pizza boxes on the empty kitchen counter. The four descended on the boxes and sat down in the living room, spreading out on the floor and the sofa, the lone piece of furniture remaining in the room.

They fell into easy conversation about Sam's move and the new projects waiting for her at Area 51.

"I can't believe you'd give up the coolness of the SGC for a base full of geeks," Jack said through a mouthful of pizza. "No offense to the geeks present," he threw in.

Sam smiled at him. "The stuff they're working on is pretty amazing. There's a new hyperdrive in development that maximizes the power-generating capability of the naquadriah in a way we never thought possible before—"

"Yes, I look forward to the many many . . . many reports I will have to read about it," Jack said.

Sam and Daniel exchanged a knowing look with each other and smiled.

"So when's Cassie arriving?" Daniel asked.

"She's driving from Boston with her friend from school. They'll be in Indian Springs next week. I think the change of scenery will be good for her," Sam answered.

"Yes, seems like the right time for change. For all of us," Daniel said pointedly as he looked at Jack. Jack ignored him.

"So, Teal'c, excited to go back to Dakara?" Jack asked, changing the subject.

Teal'c was returning to Dakara in the morning. The High Council had agreed on some founding principles for a constitution, but progress was slow and painstaking and there was more disagreement than unity.

"I do not believe 'excited' is the proper term, O'Neill," Teal'c answered flatly. He didn't elaborate as he grabbed another slice of pizza and shoved it in his mouth.

Sam felt an ache in her chest at the sight of her teammates sitting in that empty room. For all the hope she felt, this end was bittersweet. It was the end of SG1—the real SG1. This was the last team night they would probably ever have.

When it was time for them all to leave, Sam hugged Teal'c tightly. "Goodbye, Teal'c. I'll miss you."

"And I you, Colonel Carter. I have confidence you will be successful at Area 51. It has been an honor serving with you."

Sam wiped a tear from her eye as she released Teal'c from her grasp. She gave the others a hug and watched them walk down the path to their cars. She closed the front door and slowly turned to walk down her hallway. She surveyed the empty house and sighed.

This is the right thing to do, she reminded herself. Now was not the time for second thoughts. But the ache in her chest remained. There was something lost that could never be replaced. She rubbed her hand over her chest and closed her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek.

o-O-o

On the day of her move, Sam woke up early. Her house was all packed up and she had spent her last night in Colorado at Jack's place. Daniel would meet her at her house at 10 and they'd start their road trip to Nevada. She snuggled further under the warm blankets as she mentally checked off everything that needed to get done before she left, making sure she hadn't missed something. She was pulled out of her thoughts by warm hands snaking around her middle.

"Good morning," she said.

"I can hear you thinking, Carter," Jack replied.

"Just making sure I took care of everything."

"Yes, it would be a damn shame if you forgot something and had to come back."

Sam smiled as Jack pulled her back against his warm body. His arm tightened across her chest, as if willing her to stay in bed with him forever. And the idea was tempting, Sam had to admit.

"What time are you meeting Daniel?"

"10."

"Well that gives us four whole hours."

Sam smiled as she turned to face him. Jack kissed her and pulled her under him.

It was sometime later, with her body still humming, that Sam threw off the sweat-soaked covers and looked over at the man laying next to her.

Jack turned to look back at her. "Remind me again why the hell we didn't start doing this years ago."

"Regulations, military ranks, our working relationship, chain of command, fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance . . ." she answered.

Jack turned his head to look up at the ceiling. "So really no good reason then."

Sam laughed. "I guess we'll just have to make up for lost time."

She rolled over and leaned up against his side, bracing herself on her right forearm. She leaned down and kissed him. "Time for a shower," she said.

"Ooh, I like that idea."

"You're insatiable."

"I gotta get my fix before you leave."

Sam felt a pang shoot through her at his words. This last week with Jack had been incredible. They'd spent every night together and Sam was pretty sure she was already head over heels in love with him, even if she wasn't quite ready to tell him that yet. The thought that tomorrow she would be waking up alone in a strange house in a strange town hit her suddenly and she felt her chest tighten and a lump form in her throat.

Jack felt her tense and asked her what was wrong.

Sam turned around to look at him. "Nothing. I'm just . . . I'm gonna miss you."

Jack swallowed hard at hearing her words. To say he would miss her would be an understatement. He had already been madly in love with her, and the last week had only made those feelings grow. His new dream in life was to wake up next to her every morning and spend every day making her happy. That dream felt too far away at the moment.

Jack sat up and placed his hand over hers on the bed. He moved over closer to her and cupped her cheek. "I'm gonna miss you too," he said as he leaned in to kiss her.

He pulled back and looked at her. "Since you're going to be at Area 51, why don't you work on rigging up one of those Asgard beam things in your house. You can beam me over and I'll cook you breakfast every morning."

Sam smiled at his suggestion. "I'll get right on that," she joked as she got up and made her way to the bathroom.

Jack lay back against his pillows for a moment, with the weight of her leaving heavy on his chest. He listened in the quiet room as he heard the shower switch on. With a sigh, he got up and made his way to the bathroom to join her. She might be leaving in a few hours, but he had her right now and he wasn't wasting a minute of it.

o-O-o

Daniel was outside, putting the last of Sam's boxes into the trailer.

Sam gave her house a once-over to make sure they had everything. She had rented out her place to a young couple who had just moved to the area. Jack was meeting with them the next day to hand over the keys.

Sam and Jack stood together in Sam's empty bedroom. Jack hated goodbyes. And he really hated this particular goodbye. He reached out to grab her hand. "You got everything?"

"Yup," she said. "Daniel's trying to squeeze the last of it into the trailer."

"Don't let him drive. You'll never get there."

Sam laughed and her eyes shone with unshed tears.

"Don't start. You'll get me going too," Jack said with a lump in his throat.

"Sorry, Jack," Sam said quietly, holding his gaze.

"C'mere." He tugged at her hand and pulled her into a hug. Sam breathed out a shaky breath. "Take care of yourself out there, okay? And Cassie too. And drink lots of water. It's the desert."

Sam smiled and nodded. "I'll be back to visit as soon as I get settled. You're gonna get tired of having me in your hair every other weekend."

"Never, Carter. Never," he said, and he meant it.

She reached up and touched his face with both hands. She pulled him into a long, slow kiss. "Bye, Jack. See you soon."

"Drive safely."

Sam reluctantly left his embrace. They moved together down the hallway and out the front door. Sam walked toward Daniel, who was leaning against the car door.

"All set?" he asked as they approached.

"Ready to go," Sam responded.

"Bye, Jack. See you in a few days," Daniel said, directing his attention to the older man.

"Have fun, Daniel. Bye, Carter. Enjoy all your big fancy doohickeys. Don't be a stranger," Jack said.

"Bye, sir." She gave him one last hug and got into the driver's seat. Daniel swung around the car to the passenger side and got in.

Jack watched as the car and trailer pulled away and out of sight. He felt a heaviness as he got into his own car and drove off.

o-O-o

They drove in comfortable silence for a while. Daniel was staring at the road map he had brought, figuring out the most interesting route.

"Daniel, just pick the fastest route. What are you looking at?" Sam said at last.

"Yeah, I know. But there's this reservation in Utah that I've always wanted to visit. It's just a little ways north of the interstate. Not far from Salt Lake City. Maybe we could stop for the night."

"Daniel . . ."

"What?"

"I knew you would try to make this into an epic journey."

"Oh come on, it'll be fun!"

Sam gave him an annoyed look and then smiled.

Daniel smiled back and folded up the map in front of him before placing it in the glove compartment.

"So," he began.

"So?"

"So what's going on with you and Jack?"

Sam eyes widened at the mention of Jack's name and she was thankful she was wearing sunglasses. "What? Nothing. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. You just both seem . . . happier lately."

"I'm just excited about the new job, Daniel. And things are pretty good in the galaxy right now, don't you think?"

"Ok, fair enough," Daniel said, unconvinced.

They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes. Sam searched desperately for a change of subject.

"So, when are you heading to Atlantis?" Sam ventured. Getting Daniel to talk about Atlantis was always a sure bet to steer him away from other topics.

"Jack's being such a hardass about it! I think with you gone and Teal'c on his way out, he's afraid to be left alone in charge of the SGC. But I intend to be on the Daedalus when it heads back to Atlantis, even if I have to stow away."

Sam laughed. "I have no doubt about that."

o-O-o

Bra'tac found Teal'c standing outside the entrance to the Council chambers, his hands clasped behind his back. The meeting had not gone well. Weeks of simmering divisions among the members of the High Council had finally broken through the surface and threatened to rip apart the nascent project. It was becoming apparent that such people who had only known war and servitude were ill-equipped for the challenges of governing. Bra'tac approached Teal'c slowly, making sure his footsteps could be heard.

"What have you not told me, old man?" Teal'c said, facing the horizon.

"There are those who question your loyalties," Bra'tac responded plainly.

Teal'c felt a wave of bitterness at the statement. His features hardened as he turned to meet Bra'tac's gaze. "How dare they. I gave up everything for the mere hope of Jaffa freedom when these Hasshak were still bowing down to false gods," he said with his voice raised.

"I understand, Teal'c. The Jaffa owe our freedom more to you than anyone else here. But I'm afraid your time with the Tau'ri has come at a great cost. Your years of service with them may have helped secure our freedom, but they have also cast you as an outsider among your own kind."

"We would not be standing here without the aid of SG1," Teal'c said sternly.

"This is true," Bra'tac conceded. "And I too consider them great friends and allies. They are warriors who risked their lives for us and that is a debt we can never repay. But we must learn to govern ourselves, Teal'c. We cannot rely on the Tau'ri. Our ways are too different and for all their support, they still do not understand us."

Teal'c consider the older man's words. "What is it you want of me, Bra'tac?" he said finally.

"You need to commit fully to this endeavor."

"I am here before you. Do you truly believe I am not committed?"

"I know your body is here. But I fear your heart is still with your friends. You have not made Dakara your home, Teal'c. You spend much of your time on Earth and you still have not resigned your position with the Tau'ri." Bra'tac placed his hand on Teal'c's shoulder. "It is time to come home, my friend."