Authors Note: Sorry for the confusion in the last chapter. I hope that I've cleared all that up for those of you who were confused. And I hope that you are all enjoying the story so far. If anyone is still confused and has any suggestions on how to clear it up please e-mail me. I would love to hear from you. And just FYI, flashbacks are in italics.

Sam sat in the team room, her pack at her feet, lacing up her boots. Her mind was racing, trying to find a solution to her current situation. She'd even settle for a little clarity.

Things had gotten so messed up. She'd been so unyielding, so unable to see past the blind panic she'd felt, that she'd shut him out, blamed him for everything. It was easier that way, easier than admitting that it was as much her fault as it was his. Instead she'd reacted out of anger and pride, and had run instead of trying to fix the problem. She'd give anything to go back and do it differently. To try and see things rationally.

Sam felt her stomach churn as her mind took her back to that night, the pain and humiliation flooding back to her.

Sam felt her hand start to shake as she dialed his number. She listened to the phone ringing, prayed that he wouldn't answer, that she could put this off a little while longer. Her heart raced a mile a minute and her mouth suddenly felt very dry as he answered the phone.

How could she even begin?

How could everything she felt, everything she wanted, finally be voiced?

How could she tell him?

"I hope I didn't wake you sir," she said, wincing as she fell so easily back on her military training. Sam swore she could hear his eyebrows raising and his mouth quirking at the ends in a smile that had haunted her dreams for more years than she would admit.

"Not at all Carter," he said her name playfully, his tone one of amusement. "I was wide awake. What's up?" He asked.

As he said those two words Sam felt what little courage she did have vanish and she panicked, saying the first thing she could think of.

" I was just calling to see if you had gotten a chance to look over the report I gave you about the device SG-9 brought back from their recent mission. It really has some fascinating aspects. I mean, the energy capabilities alone far surpass what we've been able to extrapolate from the naquada reactor." Sam continued to talk about the device in increasing detail and Jack felt an all too familiar haze settling around him.

"Is this really what you called me at," Jack quickly glanced at the glowing numbers on the vcr, "one o' clock in the morning to talk about?" He asked, cutting her techno ramble off abruptly.

Sam sat silent for a few seconds before answering. "No," she said quietly.

"Well?" He asked expectantly.

Sam took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and said softly, "I can't do this anymore. This isn't working."

Jack felt his heart lurch at her words. She couldn't really be saying what he thought she was, could she?

"Can't do what?" Jack asked innocently, his heart thudding so hard in his chest he could barely breathe.

"I can't go on pretending," she answered. "We've spent so long pretending, dancing around each other. I don't want to pretend anymore Jack."

Jack felt his heart race as he heard her words. She couldn't know just how deeply her words affected him, what hearing her say his name did to him each and every time.

"Sam," Daniel called, popping his head into the team room, startling her.

"Yeah Daniel," she said turning to face him. "What is it?" She asked.

"It's time to go. Everyone's waiting for you in the gateroom," Daniel said. Sam nodded and quickly finished tying her boots, grabbing her pack she headed for the door. As she moved past him Daniel stopped her, putting his hand on her arm.

"Is everything alright Sam?" He asked, his expression one of concern.

"I'm fine Daniel," she said, pasting a smile on her face. "Let's get going." She walked out the door, Daniel following close behind, his expression now held both concern and confusion.

He could tell something wasn't right with Sam. They'd grown closer after Janet had died, and she'd begun to confide in him, like she had in Janet. But for some reason she didn't want to talk to him about what was bothering her, which bothered Daniel a lot.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Daniel asked again.

"I'm great Daniel," she said, turning and flashing him a quick smile over her shoulder, her eyes never meeting his. Daniel nodded to himself. Yep, something was definitely going on.