"Pete, I…" Sam's smile was frozen on her face, but the man she was giving it to didn't seem to notice her doe-in-the-headlights eyes. Her gaze fell back to the ring in her hand. Pete Shanahan had given it to Sam Carter exactly five days ago.

And she was here to tell him she didn't want it.

Sam didn't know what signs she was giving off, but she knew for sure that the cop kneeling in front of her (again) was misreading them. She swallowed stiffly again - no matter her feelings elsewhere, she had grown to care for Pete.

"Pete, I can't." she finally managed to say, and was proud that her voice remained firm. Pete's hands immediately dropped her other one, as he slowly stood up. She rushed to say why before his shocked silence gave way to speech;

"Pete, I really like you, I do. My time with you has been, well, magical." Pete, bless him, had started looking hopeful again, but Sam cut him off as he opened his mouth, "But I don't deserve it. One day you're gonna find the right girl to give that magic to, but it won't be me." her voice was gentle, but she spoke with a ring of finality; Pete idly wondered just how long she'd been decided, and got the impression that he really didn't want to ask.

"But.. Sam, why? Are we going to fast, 'cause I can slow down! Is there someone else? Just tell me, Sam, tell me how I can make it better!" Pete's voice was urgent, and Sam winced at the frantic, pleading tone. She shook her head.

"No, you've done nothing wrong! You've been perfect, Pete, really. I just can't do this - I'm sorry Pete, I really am. I just can't be with you like this."

"So all this time, you've just been, what, stringing me along?"

"No!" Sam could understand his anger - she couldn't blame him either, "I really thought this was what I wanted. But it isn't, Pete. Pete!" she called his name frantically, tears in her eyes as she urged him to understand. He swung away from her, as if to leave.

A chime rang through the house followed be a knock on the door. A knock that Sam immediately recognised, and she couldn't help the surge of hope and despair that chased each other through her body in that second. She realised even as Pete roughly swung the door open who would be standing there.

"Colonel O'Neill." Pete acknowledged, unable to contain the anger in his tone.

"Pete." Jack said back, confusion evident in his. He looked past the bulk of the cop at Sam, eyes widened as he saw her unshed tears. "Sam, what's going on?"

He'd been calling her by her first name every time he'd visited her in the hospital, every time he'd come to check on her physical therapy. He'd even been the one to take her home, unknowingly annoying Pete, who had wanted to.

"Jack - I mean, Sir, this is kind of a-"

"Jack?" Pete cut across, looking over his shoulder at her. Sam winced at the indignant fury on his face.

"Pete, you know what I-"

"No, don't Sam. It's obvious, isn't it? isn't it?" Pete was roaring now, and Jack's eyes narrowed as he saw Sam flinch.

"Pete, control yourself, you're scaring her."

"Me?" Pete seemed incapable of words for a moment, but just as Sam stepped forward, urgently trying to catch Jack's cold eyes as the colonel stared at the cop, Pete hissed at Jack;

"You, me, outside." Jack raised an eyebrow coolly, looked at his feet standing on the porch, and raised his arms as if to question Pete's intellect - O'Neill was very obviously outside.

Without any indication or signal, Pete launched himself at the colonel, throwing a punch at Jack's face. As it connected, Sam found herself crying out.

"Pete, for Christ's sake, stop it!" she rushed forward, catching the furious man's arm. He roughly shook her off, livid eyes on Jack as the colonel staggered back a few steps, opening and closing his mouth as if to check for any breaks.

"Carter, your boyfriend is crazy!" Jack said, regarding Pete as if he were crazy - it only angered Pete more, who clenched his fists again. Sam put her hands around Pete's wrist quickly, trying to hold him back with her presence - if it came to it, she could easily flip him onto his back, but she hoped it wouldn't.

"Not my boyfriend anymore, sir. That's why he's pissed." she found herself saying, and winced as both heads whipped to stare at her. Pete's was infuriated, whilst Jack was grinning cheekily. She raised her eyebrows at her commanding officer, when suddenly rough hands pushed her away. She cried out as she slammed against the doorframe, more from surprise than pain. A dull thud followed immediately, so fast she barely registered it happening - suddenly, Pete was on the floor, groaning as he held his nose, and Jack O'Neill was shaking a fist; his eyes were no longer warm brown, but dark, shielded and coolly fierce.

"Do not lay your hands on my major, Shanahan! You even try to hurt her.." she had never heard his voice so antagonistic - it faintly reminded her of a time a few years back, of them walking a beach and arguing off world; they had been influenced by an alien technology, a light that had them at each other's necks. O'Neill had yelled full in her face, eyes insane - but it was nothing compared to how suddenly scary the Colonel was now. And there was no light this time, no alien influence, and he wasn't yelling at her for subordination - he was protecting her.

"Sir." she said quietly, eyes on her CO. Jack remained panting over the cop writhing on the floor -Sam knew that his nose was definitely broken, probably quite badly- before he forced his stiff posture to relax. As he stepped back from Pete, Jack met Carter's eyes - warm concern was all he saw.

"You okay, Carter?" he asked, checking. Sam managed to smile weakly.

"Yes sir."

"Good."

"Um, sir?"

"Yeah?"

" 'My major?' " she quoted questioningly, her voice soft and quiet. Holding her gaze, Jack grinned easily, the smile she'd seen so often - she smile she had fallen in love with.

"It's who you are." he shrugged, as if it were obvious. Sam felt herself grinning back.

"Yes sir."

Jack held out a hand to her silently and she took it, stepping over the writhing cop delicately.

"Feeling better, Sam?" It had been a week since Jack'd dropped her off from the hospital, and despite the fact that he had called her several times to check on her wellbeing, he was still making sure, months after the incident that caused her the wound.

"Yes sir."

"Ah-ah, no sir. If I'm calling you Sam, you have to call me Jack." Sam found it amusing that he said it with the same authority that always prompted her to call him sir - but the fact that he was a good leader ran in his blood, not his rank."Yes.. Jack." she amended with a grin. They both looked down at Pete, who seemed to have fallen unconscious.

"Is it even possible to call the cops about a cop?"

"I think we should get him to the hospital, sir. He was just… angry. He's a good man, really. He didn't do any damage, did he?" she raised an eyebrow at her CO.

"I've met pod people that throw a better punch than him, Sam, I'm fine." Jack rolled his eyes, causing Sam to snort. Jack seemed thrilled that he'd made her laugh.

"Alright, we take Lil' Petey to the hospital." he sighed in mock annoyance.

"That's settled, then." she said, before looking down at their hands, still interlocked - it had felt completely natural to stand like this, Sam realised, glancing up at her CO again.

"No, but it will be. Pete disappears, we get a presidential pardon on the old frat rule, kick Goa'uld ass and live happily ever after. Then it's settled." Jack said, his voice confident. Sam's eyes widened.

"Sir? I mean, Jack?"

Jack turned his body to face his 2IC.

"Sam, when you came rolling down that ramp with a staff blast the size of Minnesota, my heart was in my mouth. I mean it, my heart. Ask Daniel - all I could do whilst you were on Fraiser's table was hope that you didn't die before I had a chance to tell you."

"Tell me what, Jack?" but Sam's soft tone and the emotion in her blue eyes told him she knew; she'd always known. Jack couldn't pinpoint the moment he started to love Sam, but nor could Sam determine the moment she started loving Jack - they just did, and he saw it in her eyes.

"I.." Jack had had enough of the speeches - he'd given Carter this much in way of feelings, but actions spoke louder than words, he always said. In one fluid movement, he placed a hand on each side of her face, and pressed his lips to hers. In a simple action, all the feelings he had for her crashed inside him, sending his mind into turmoil - for one whole moment, he didn't know if he could even live whilst loving her so much.

But he could, and would - because as he moved to kiss her, his eyes had showed such admiration and care for the amazing woman in front of him - and her eyes looking back saw him, cared for him, as wonderful as he did she.

-suffocates under mountain of fluff- What do you think? -cough-.