A/N: So sorry it has taken so long to post this chapter. I've had a hard time getting inside Jack's head so I'm not really sure I like this chapter…plus I have a 5 year old and a 3 year old so my me time is limited. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

These wonderful characters do not belong to me. I forgot to mention that.


"But it's no use now," thought poor Alice, "to pretend to be two people! Why, there's hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person!"
― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass


'Way to go, Jack!'

He knew that this entire situation was his fault. He never should have let it get to this point. Now he was tired of pretending to be someone he wasn't, and staring into her glistening eyes, he could see the pain she was in from doing the same. He reached out gently and wiped her tears away with his thumb and let his hand linger to caress her cheek.

He'd known when she'd shown him that ring that she was looking for some kind of confirmation from him that if she said no that she wasn't going to end up alone. That it was more than just a possibility that they could act on their feelings. That they could figure out how to make it work. He couldn't give her what she wanted.

He wouldn't.

Not because he didn't want to. He still loved her as much as he ever had but he couldn't bring himself to be the only reason that she said no to the possibility of a normal life.

Looking at her now, though, all he could think was 'I don't think I can do this anymore.'

As she closed her eyes with a barely audible sigh, he let his hand fall from her face. He couldn't pretend that everything was okay. But as he opened his mouth to say something more, Dr. Brightman walked over to them carrying a pair of crutches.

"Ready to go, Colonel?" she asked.

"More than ready Ma'am," Sam replied.

The doctor gave her a few discharge instructions and sent Sam on her way with a prescription for pain medication for her to fill on the way home. It was only after she'd been left alone again that Sam realized that she had a problem. Yesterday she had ridden her bike to the base.

She looked around, hoping that the General was still somewhere around the infirmary, but she didn't see him anywhere. "It figures," she whispered to herself grabbing the crutches. Sam pulled herself up figuring she'd go find Daniel.

She was halfway to the elevator when she saw Jack.

He'd left the infirmary while Dr. Brightman was talking to Sam, torn between his need to stay by her side and make absolutely sure that she was okay and his determination not to allow his true feelings to show. So, in typical O'Neill fashion, he had skulked down the hall in avoidance of the entire situation and any conversation that might follow.

He was now standing against the wall in front of the elevator with his hands in his pockets staring at his boots.

Sam could tell from his posture that he was scowling. And he was apparently was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear her coming.

"General?"

"Colonel," he said narrowing his eyes as he looked up at her.

"Everything okay, Sir?" she asked hesitantly unsure of what she was seeing behind his eyes.

"Truth, Carter?"

"Yeah, sure, okay," she said borrowing his earlier response to her same question.

"I really don't know."

Once more they found themselves lost in each others eyes trying desperately to remember why things could not be as their souls felt. It was Jack who finally looked away but quickly offered her a smile so warm it could've melted chocolate.

She couldn't help but smile back. "General, I was wondering, well…I was gonna ask Daniel, but, since you're still here…Do you think you could, what I mean is, I…" Geez, what was wrong with her? 'You're only asking for a ride home Sam not a date to the prom,' she goaded herself gently.

"Out with it Carter," he said unable to help grinning again as she stammered.

"I rode my bike to work yesterday and now..." she motioned to her injured ankle, "I need a ride home. Do you think you could take me, General?"

He cleared his throat.

'Oh my God, did I really just say that?!'

"Sure Carter, I'll take you," he said his grin now a smirk.

- TBC -