There was a tap on her door and she rushed to open it, to see a grinning Jack O'Neill standing there, a picnic basket in his hands.

"Come on lazy bones," he said, "time to get going! We want to find ourselves a good spot!"

She laughed. "I think we'll have a pretty good choice, Jack. There aren't any other people – or Furlings – that go to the beach. So far I've been the only one swimming," she told him as she gathered up her things.

"What did you do for a bathing suit?" she asked as they left her room.

"Bathing suit?" he asked innocently.

"What? You plan to go skinny dipping?"

"Sure, why not," he answered.

She took a moment, almost believing him, but then saw the twinkle in his eyes. "Jack!"

He laughed. "I borrowed something from one of the Furlings. I think it must be their underwear, but it should work."

"They have underwear?" she asked. "Why don't they give some to us, then?"

That stopped him dead and he stared at her for a moment. "Uh – you don't -" he went silent and swallowed. "Maybe I can ask Iola," he told her.

She caught him trying to peek at her out of the corner of his eyes. She wanted to laugh as she was pretty sure he was checking out whether she was wearing anything under the robe. In fact, she wasn't.

The day at the beach was wonderful. They laid around, swam, ate, and relaxed. There was a lot of teasing, some serious (although not personal) conversation and a bit of snoozing.

Sam couldn't remember when she'd enjoyed a day more.

They even spent some time discussing the Furlings and whether they had ulterior motives for keeping them here.

"I think they're totally above board," Jack had said. "Although I do think they want to keep us here a while longer because they discovered I can communicate with them."

"Do you think that's all it is?" Sam frowned. "I know you're usually the suspicious one," she told him, "but I don't totally trust them."

Jack considered what she had to say carefully. One of the things she'd always appreciated about him, was that he was willing to listen to other's advice and impressions. He'd been like that when she'd been a young officer, first serving under him and he'd shown that he respected her opinion. Even after their break-up, he'd continued to take everything she had to say seriously.

"What is it that makes you not trust them?" he asked, clearly interested in her reply.

"I don't know," she sighed. "Maybe I'm just a contrarian, but I think it's their smiles."

Jack chuckled at that. "Never trust someone who smiles too much?"

"Exactly. I know, it sounds silly. They've only ever treated us well. I just keep thinking they want something from us – something they haven't told us about."

"Well, let's be careful around them. And I'll see if I can find out anything by – uh – listening to them!"

"Thank you for listening to me," she said after a few seconds of silence.

"Why wouldn't I listen to you, Carter. You're the smartest person I know."

She smiled but then grew serious. "I know you've always respected my scientific expertise – even if you said you hated scientists – but I'm really talking about my – oh, I guess hunches is the right word. You don't think I'm crazy or over reacting."

"No, of course not," he told her. "Sam – you're not only smart, but you're wise. I probably trust you more than anyone I know."

She looked at him in surprise, and she could see when he grew uncomfortable. He probably wanted to qualify his statement, by saying he trusted her in a professional way, rather than personal. But she knew he wouldn't say that, because it would be hurtful (even if true) and would destroy their day together. For that she was appreciative, but also sad. They still had to walk on eggs shells around one another.

"Well, I appreciate it," she said. "And as for the Furlings – I guess we should just watch them. I don't think they're dangerous just – oh, I don't know."

"Don't worry Sam – we'll keep our eyes open. Now – who's up for another swim?"

"I'll race you to the water," she said, hopping up quickly and beginning to run. She heard a shout behind her, and ran even faster, although she was laughing so hard it was difficult.

Just as she reached the water Jack literally dove past her, right into the waves. He came up sputtering, but with a big grin on his face. "I beat ya, Carter," he told her.

"You have longer legs," she called.

"Uh uh," he shook his head and splashed her with water. "I'm just faster than you!"

The next few minutes were taken up by a splashing contest. In the end they both won – and they both lost. They came out of it laughing and soaking wet.

"I can't get over how healthy you are," Sam told him as they finally got out of the water and wandered over to their blanket. "You seem totally recovered."

"I think I am," he told her. "God, I feel good!" he stretched his arms and took a deep breath of air. "I feel like I'm twenty again. I think I could practically swim to the mainland!"

"That might be a bit tricky," she laughed at him, "although if they don't let us off of this island soon, I might join you."

Jack plunked down on the blanket and patted the area beside him. "Come on and sit. You must be tired after I whipped you at the splash contest."

"You whipped me? I think it was the other way around," she said as she dropped down beside him. "Damn – I'm like you – I feel amazing!"

"You look amazing," he told her, gazing at her body, which was clearly outlined in the rather skimpy suit she wore. She'd managed to cut down one of the robes for the top, and she'd managed to get bottoms from Iola.

The whole ensemble looked rather like one of the two piece bathing suits with the long skirt bottom that she'd seen older women wear. Fortunately, it was better than going skinning dipping.

She could feel herself flush at Jack's words, and tried reaching for a drink, not because she was thirsty, but because she didn't know quite what to do.

"Thank you," she said. "You do too," she told him, and took a swig of fruit juice. "We should ask the Furlings if we could start a spa here. We'd make a fortune!"

"What a good idea," he told her, as he laid back, his arms under his head. "I've been trying to decide what to do in my retirement."

She lay down beside him, and looked up at the sky. "Are you really thinking of retiring?"

"Yeah, I am. Hell Carter – I turned 70 this year. I think it's time, don't you?"

"Well – before your stroke, I would have said yes. But looking at you now – I think you have a lot of years left. In fact, you could almost do your career over again."

He grimaced at that and let his hands play in the sand. "No – I think I've had enough. I just have to figure out what to do next with my life."

"What interests you – outside of work?" she asked curiously. She'd have known that answer before, but after so many years, maybe his interests had changed.

"I don't know. I've thought maybe about working with young people – although most of them wouldn't have been interested in an old fart. But now – maybe I could be a teacher or something."

He looked at her as if she was going to laugh at him, but instead she considered his idea seriously.

"I think you'd be an amazing teacher," she announced. "You'd be tough, but fair – and you have a sense of humor that the kids will love. Your only problem will be the parents."

"Why?"

"Well, I can't imagine you dealing with parents who think they're little precious one can't do any wrong. Or what about parents who were just – bad parents? You'd want to shoot them with a zat."

"What a good idea," he said. "But thank you for saying I'd be good. I don't know if it's something I'd want to do or not. But I do know that it's time I moved on to the next phase in my life."

She nodded. "They're going to miss you."

"They?"

"The Air Force, the President, the Joint Chiefs, the -"

"If you say the IOC or the NID – then I'll have to shoot you!" he told her with a scowl.

"Don't worry Jack – I know both of those groups will be happy when you retire."

"Yeah," he frowned, "It's one of the reasons I put off retirement so long. I don't want to make either of those groups happy!"

"Well, I'm sure you haven't," she told him, which got her a handful of sand poured down her back.

"Hey, what about you? Didn't you say you were going to retire? Although I think you're crazy. You're too young!"

"Well, I'm only retiring from the Air Force," she told him. "I'll have other opportunities in the civilian world."

"But you're okay with giving up your career?"

"I wouldn't be giving it up – I'd be retiring – a totally different thing. And now that things have quieted down, I'm finding myself mostly pushing paper all day."

"I know what you mean," Jack sighed. "And whatever I decide to do next, it's not going to require a lot of paperwork!"

"I totally agree," she nodded. "At least not the bureaucratic kind. Now research sounds good!" A moment later she stretched and yawned. "I think it's time to head back," she told Jack. "It's going to be dark soon."

"Already, Mom?" he whined. "Can't I stay out and play some more?"

"All play and no work, makes Jack a - uh" she frowned when she tried to think of something.

"A dork," Jack finished for her.

She laughed and then pushed herself to her feet. She held out her hand to him. "Come on dork – let's go!" She helped pull him to his feet, and the two of them stood, laughing together.

"This has been fun," she told him as she helped gather their things. "I haven't been to the beach with someone for – hell, I think Mark's kids were little the last time I went."

"Did you never take Cassie?"

"Not to the ocean, although I went to the lake a few times with her and Janet. Those were fun times."

They walked companionably back to their dormitory, continuing to chat as they walked. Sam was tired, and happy, but she knew that sadness was waiting just around the corner. Today had been so wonderful, but it brought back, again, all she had given up.

Jack was her perfect partner. She'd known it then, and she saw it again. They had so much in common – and yet they were different in many ways too. But those differences balanced each other out. They'd seen that when serving together – and it had been true in the short time they'd dated.

"Whatcha thinkin'," he asked suddenly.

She swallowed, not sure if she could speak. She'd been honest with him once before, and it hadn't gone well. She couldn't chance that, not again.

"Oh, nothing much," she said. "Just thinking about Janet again – and all the wonderful times we had."

He was silent and she wondered if he didn't believe her – if he knew that she'd been thinking about something else. But he didn't call her on it, instead he nodded and walked silently beside her for the rest of the trip back.

They finally arrived at their building and headed inside to their rooms. Jack kept walking past his until they'd arrived at her door.

"That was fun Jack, thank you," she turned and smiled at him. He was looking at her intently – no smile on his face.

"What is it?" she asked quietly. He was looking almost angry, and she didn't know what to make of it. Moments before he'd been laughing and friendly. What had she done?

"Jack?"

He suddenly dropped the picnic basket he'd been holding, and stepped forward, until he was almost touching her. She would have stepped back, feeling frightened and unsure, but the door to her room was directly behind her.

"What is it?" she asked. "Please Jack – what's wrong?"

His eyes travelled over her face, and then he lifted his hand and put them on either side of her face.

A second later he leaned in, and his lips touched hers.