For her second anniversary, Sam got a cello. Again.

Jack had had no idea what to get her until a few weeks before the date. It started during a rare lazy Saturday afternoon at their Colorado Springs house. Teal'c had dropped by to catch the Cubs game on TV, and had claimed his usual seat in the Lazy Boy while Sam and Jack shared the couch.

It was the first time Jack had spent time with Teal'c since the Odyssey had returned filled with the technology of the Asgard. Jack had been trying to avoid staring at the grey streak in Teal'c's hair all afternoon. His friend had hardly aged a day in the decade Jack had known him, and then in the space of what – to Jack – seemed just barely a month he appeared to have made up for that entire decade. And it wasn't just the physical aging. His friend seemed more settled, more at ease and natural amongst his human friends than he had before.

Before…

A chill still ran through Jack when he considered what his friend had been through. What, apparently, Hank Landry and the rest of SG-1 had been through with him. He glanced down at the woman curled on the sofa next to him, her head pillowed on his thigh, her unproductive yet much needed slumber reminding him forcibly of the effects of time and acquaintance. His arm tightened protectively around her shoulders.

He didn't even want to imagine what Sam had been through…

Only, apparently, she hadn't. None of them, except Teal'c, had actually been through more than a rather nasty battle with the Ori which ended when Sam disconnected the Asgard tech from the Odyssey's hyperdrive and they got away. The whole thing confused the heck out of him. His Sam had spent 50 years on that ship without him, and yet, she hadn't. She was right there, tucked safely against him, with no memory of any of it. Still, he couldn't help but worry - wonder really – about what might have happened…

He glanced back over at his friend. "Hey, T…" Jack began. Teal'c looked away from the game to meet Jack's gaze. Taking that as an invitation, Jack continued, "Now that the Time Cop here's out of it -"

"O'Neill…"

"Come on, what could it hurt?"

"No."

"Teal'c!"

Teal'c didn't even bother answering. Jack gave up with a sigh.

"Can't blame a guy for trying," he mumbled under his breath.

Teal'c had turned his attention back to the television and wasn't listening. Jack hated being ignored. Reaching forward, careful not to disturb Sam, he grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl on the coffee table. Settling back into the sofa cushions, he started popping pieces into his mouth. One at a time. Methodically. Glaring at Teal'c the whole time.

Jack knew he was sulking, but he didn't care. "Teal'c…"

Teal'c turned to him with a loud theatrical sigh. Oh, Yeah. The man had definitely changed. "Yes, O'Neill?"

"Please? Give me something…"

Another sigh. "Vala Maldoran was not this persistent." Jack started to smile as Teal'c concluded, "Or this annoying."

Jack's smile turned into a broad grin. Score! Maybe this would work after all. "So…"

One eyebrow raised nearly imperceptibly, but he stayed silent. So, maybe not.

Only Jack was wrong. After studying Jack intently for several long moments, Teal'c finally spoke. "I knew a woman who will never exist, O'Neill." Teal'c's gaze dropped towards Sam. Jack's followed. One of her hands lay open upon his leg, fingers curved around his thigh, holding unto him even in sleep. "And you know everything you need to know about her already."

Jack smiled, understanding. Teal'c words had confirmed what Jack's heart had believed. Sam had remained his through all those years trapped on that ship just as surely as she was his now. And Teal'c was right – as he usually was. That really was all Jack needed to know.

Except Teal'c wasn't finished. Not quite. He interrupted Jack's thoughts with, "Except, O'Neill, there is one more thing…" When he had finished speaking, Teal'c really was done, and the two friends never discussed what happened on the Odyssey again.

-o-o-o-

The stars in three galaxies must have been in perfect alignment, or more probably, the God of all the galaxies figured it was about time to cut them a break. Either way, Sam and Jack somehow managed to carve out an entire thirty-five hours together over their second anniversary.

SG-1 had been returning to Earth on the Odyssey, but Sam had stretched the rules ever so slightly – it was a special occasion – and come back via an in route Stargate rather than travel back with the rest of the team. So she arrived back on Earth a day earlier than the rest of the team and, a plane ride and taxi drive later, was unlocking the door of their Virginia farmhouse. Of course, since this meant she was arriving unexpectedly in the middle of the afternoon, Jack was still at the Pentagon and the house was empty.

Sam dropped her bag at the bottom of the stairs, and headed into the kitchen where she grabbed the phone and punched in the number. Tucking it between shoulder and ear, she opened the fridge and grabbed a can of Diet Pepsi from the unopened box which was sitting on the shelf.

This proof that she was truly 'home' had her smiling until Sergeant Bourne, Jack's aide, answered the phone on the third ring. "General O'Neill's office. How may I help you sir or ma'am?"

"Sergeant, this is C—" she started, then realized she didn't have to. In fact, it would be faster not to. So she concluded: "Samantha O'Neill. I thought this was the direct line?" Which translated into, 'Is something wrong?"

Unfortunately, the sergeant didn't speak Sam. "Yes, ma'am, you did. General O'Neill has routed all calls through me this afternoon. He didn't want to be disturbed." But, before Sam could respond to that rather disturbing news, Bourne continued, "Wait a minute, ma'am," and his voice was replaced with Musak in Sam's ear.

She didn't have to wait even a minute.

"Carter!"

"Hi, Jack."

"Did I miss a memo?"

She could picture him shuffling through the ever-present pile of paper on his desk. She replied, "No – is something wrong? Bourne told me you weren't taking calls…"

He laughed. "I was trying to catch up on my paperwork so I could take tomorrow off. My wife's scheduled to be back in town sometime tomorrow. Did you know it's our second anniversary?"

"I'd heard rumors."

He snorted. Then: "How long?"

She understood. That was always the question. "Debriefing 0730 Thursday. Colonel Davis already agreed to have the Odyssey beam me back. We've got over a day, Jack."

"Sweet." He paused for a moment, obviously calculating in his head. "I should be outta here within the hour. Wanna meet somewhere for dinner?"

"Yes. Here."

He laughed again. "Unless you like Ramen noodles, I'd better pick something up. Whatcha want?"

"You… decide."

He caught her meaning, and groaned, "Sam…"

She laughed, "Hurry home, Jack."

"You betcha."

He was home in under two hours. Which, considering the drive alone could take almost that long, might have been something of a record.

-o-o-o-

"Puhleeze….?"

Sam stopped with a forkful of cake halfway into her mouth. She withdrew it before speaking. "No. I mean it, wait until tomorrow."

"But…"

"Jack!"

"Puhleeze….?"

She sighed. He'd been like this the entire meal. In fact, the pleading had begun over an hour ago, as they still lay tangled together in bed. She'd barely recovered the power of speech but Jack's inner-child, often also his outer child, had already started anticipating his next treat.

She looked across the table at him, and made the mistake of looking up into his face. His brown eyes claimed hers, catching her in their fathomless depths. And she was lost. Damn him. The Ori should have made Jack a Prior. He could have converted the galaxy.

And, still worse, he knew the moment he had won. The corners of his mouth turned up in a smug grin. With a sigh, she nodded, "Yes, you may give me your present."

At least he didn't hoot. Though, as he stood up and offered her his hand, she was fairly sure she heard him mutter 'Score!' under his breath. But she chose to ignore that.

He led her out of the dining room and towards the back of the house. "Where are we going?"

"Cassie's room. Since she's at school I figured I could stash your present there until you decide where to put it."

The idea that her gift was something that required either a room to be stashed in or a decision on placement made Sam a bit apprehensive, but he'd done okay with previous gifts, so she figured she'd give him the benefit of the doubt.

Her faith wasn't misplaced. Jack had shifted Cassie's easels out of the bedroom's bay window and in their place – a cello. The setting sun poured through the windows, pinks and oranges reflecting off polished oak. The instrument was alive – on fire. And beautiful.

She stepped forward, hardly daring to touch it and break the spell. But she did, running her hand along its edge, the wood smooth and warm beneath her palm. As she looked at the instrument – touched it – felt it - something stirred inside her. A long suppressed desire to make the music. To feel the music inside herself and release it to the world.

Sam smiled as she looked back over her shoulder at Jack. "How did you know?"

"Teal'c mentioned you might be interested in learning how to play."

"How would he-" she began before realization dawned on her. The cello momentarily forgotten, she turned to face Jack. "He didn't!"

"What could it hurt?"

"Jack! He wasn't supposed to say anything."

"I can be very persuasive…. I didn't have to wait until tomorrow to give you your gift," he reminded her, smiling unapologetically.

"I think the word you're looking for is annoying." But his smile was starting to have the effect he'd intended, and she was finding it hard to stay upset.

"Yeah!" His grin grew still broader, and she gave up even trying to hide her smile. "Ya like it?"

"I love it, thank you. But I still don't think Teal'c should have said anything."

He stepped forward, almost but not quite closing the gap between them. "Samantha, when will you learn?" he asked. Then, reaching up, tracing her smile with the pad of his thumb - "I don't give a crap about the rules as long as I get this."

Heat radiated through her at his touch, fueled by the love in his eyes. The sudden rush of desire left her breathless. Wrapping her arms around him, she closed the final space between them as she managed to ask, in a voice none to steady, "Is that all you want?"

"Well, not everything," he admitted, his own voice wavering slightly. And then, lowering his lips to hers, Jack proceeded to show her exactly what that everything might be.