AN: Thanks for the reviews! I was kind of apprehensive about posting my work. Anyway, this story is getting pretty long. I've written a good chunk of it, but I'm in college so the rest is coming very slowly. Please bear with me. I might post the parts more slowly to give me time to write more.

AN2: This story has Jack and Sam acting out of character...it only gets worse.

Sam stepped off the elevator just as Jack was coming down the corridor. She cringed inwardly. She really was hoping to get more clarity in her thoughts before she saw the Colonel. Maybe she wouldn't have to talk to him. Just smile and act like you're going the other way...to do something important. Maybe he'll just smile back and keep walking.

Jack stopped in the middle of the corridor and blocked her way. "Morning, Carter."

Darn. No such luck."Morning, sir." she smiled anxiously. Maybe that's all he'll say.

"Can I see you in my office?" Crap.

"Um, actually, sir, I was just..."

"It's kind of important, Carter. It won't take long." He crossed his fingers behind his back. He could tell she was trying to avoid him, but he really needed to talk to her before he lost his nerve.

Sam sighed. "Yes, sir. Is there something wrong?"

Jack shifted uncomfortably. He had spent the entire night trying to decide what to say to her.

"No, no, nothing wrong. We just need to have a little chat."

Sam narrowed her eyes suspiciously but followed her Colonel. 'Chat'? Since when does the Colonel ever 'chat'?

In his office, Jack motioned for her to sit down.

"Okay, just so you know, this conversation is off the record...permission to speak freely and all that."

Sam was even more suspicious now. She remained silent nodded, waiting to hear what Jack had to say, but she had a feeling she wouldn't like where this was going.

"Sam, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Especially about my life and some choices I've made."

Sam's stomach dropped. Did he just call me 'Sam'? He never calls me Sam anymore, especially on duty. Where is he going with this?

"Um, well, what I want to say is that I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what, sir?"

"Um, when I got back from Edora I was really a jerk, and I never really thanked you properly for everything you did to get me home. I'm not trying to make excuses...there really aren't any. I was wrong, I'm sorry. And I'm sorry it took so long for me to get up the guts to tell you."

Sam was stunned. The Colonel had never opened up like that before. Come to think of it, he didn't really apologize much either. If he did, he certainly never did it this way. He never admitted he was wrong and he just admitted he was wrong about two things. Sam had always hoped he would recognize what she did for him and maybe thank her. Thinking he would actually apologize of his own accord for his actions was totally out of the question. She had even given up hope on the recognition and thanks, but here he was doing all three. Jack O'Neill wasn't a confrontational person when it came to emotions. She wondered what brought this up.

"Sir, I don't really know what to say." Sam was beginning to blush and was having some trouble getting her words out. Damn it! He had rarely seen her lose it like this and now was not the time for him to see it again. Pull yourself together, Sam! she commanded herself.

Jack was watching her intently for her reaction. He saw the blush rise to her cheeks and realized he was smugly pleased with himself. He had unsettled her! Then as quickly as it came, his smugness left. Crap! What did I just do! Her small show of emotion revealed to him that some feelings were still there. He sighed inwardly. Jack, ole boy, you're in way over your head. Yep, totally. She still had a firm grip on his heart and he didn't feel the pressure lessening any.

Sam finally spoke up. "It was nothing, sir. I was just doing what I thought was necessary to bring you home."

"I know, it's just that, well, it meant a lot and I never told you and that was a jerky thing to do."

"Jerky, sir?" Sam smiled.

"Ya know, jerk-like, whatever."

"With all due respect, sir, the last time I checked, I think 'jerky' was considered dried meat."

"You know what I meant, Sam...semantics!"

There it was again. That was the second time he'd used her name in the last ten minutes! They weren't even off duty!

"Unscheduled off-world activation!" the technician's voice came over the intercom as the klaxons sounded. "Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter to the control room."

Damn it! What now! Jack sighed, this time out loud. He opened the door for Sam and then jogged down the hall after her.

They got to the control room just in time to hear General Hammond say, "Open the iris."

"Who is it, General?"

"It's the Tok'ra's signal, Colonel."