The next morning flew by right before Sam's eyes. Daniel and Teal'c had showed up early that morning, with doughnuts, of course, to help Sam pack and to go with her to San Diego. At 0900 hrs Jack pulled into the drive-way to give them a lift to the air port, when he walked in and saw the look on Sam's face, his heart could have broken. Her eyes, usually so bright and full of life, were dull and red-rimmed from tears. Without thinking beyond the moment, as soon as he was close enough he opened his arms to embrace her. What shocked him is that she readily wrapped her arms around his waist and gently squeezed, Jack immediately wrapped his around her shoulders and placed a light kiss on her head. The two of them stood there for some time. Sam, with her head resting on Jacks shoulder, Jack with his chin atop her head. That's how Daniel found them. Hating to break up their moment, but they had to leave soon in order to catch their plane.

"Um, guys, its almost 0930."Daniel said gently. Sam let out a sigh and loosened her grip around Jacks waist.

"Thanks Daniel, we'll be out there in a minute." Jack answered, his arms still wrapped around Sam's shoulders.

"Oh, okay." With that, Daniel went to find Teal'c, and bring their's and Sam's luggage out to Jacks truck.

"Sir, what is it?" Sam asked half-heartedly. These were her boys; Daniel, Teal'c, and Jack. She wasn't worried about being strong around them.

"First of all, It's Jack, and secondly, I just figured you needed a hug. Is that such a horrible thing?" Jack said, moving his head to look into her eye's. Sam looked up into his and smiled, not one of her giga-watt smiles that lit up all of the dark places in Jacks heart, no. This smile didn't even make it to her eyes, but her arms did tighten around Jack's waist, so he was okay with a half-hearted smile.

"S-Jack, as much as I love this, Daniel is right, we need to get going."

"Alright." Jack let go of her and backed away. "Lets get this show on the road." As Jack started to walk out the door, Sam caught his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Thank you Jack, I really appreciate all of this."

"I know."

On the way to the airport, Sam sat with Jack in the front of the truck.

"So, when are you coming to San Diego?"

"Hammond's getting here at 1200 tomorrow, so I'll be in San Diego probably around 1500. Sam can you call and give Walter the address for where Daniel and Teal'c are staying please?"

"Sure." Sam took out her new cell phone and dialed Walter's personal line.

"Chief Master Sergeant Harriman" Walter said in his usual upbeat voice, which made Sam grin.

"Hi Walter, Its Colonel Carter, I'm just calling to give you the address for the hotel that General O'Neill will be staying at while he's in San Diego."

"Oh, alright, could you give me just a moment ma'am?"

"Sure Walter."

"Okay, go ahead."

"Its called the Bay View, and it's on the corner of Tidewater Parkway and Chelsea Drive. It might be easiest if you arrange for a driver to pick him up." Sam said while looking at Jack with a playful smile on her face.

"Oh, I already did, General Hammond insisted that I arrange transportation for you and the rest of SG-1 and the General while you were there. And, might I add that you have my deepest sympathies for your loss ma'am." Walter added softly. Only one person knew that Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman was Secretly in love with his superior officer, and that was his best friend Siler. But, Walter was smart enough to know that he never had a chance with the beautiful Theoretical Astrophysicist, he could see it in her eye's every time she looked at General O'Neill. Yup, not a snowballs chance in hell, but hey, a guy can dream can't he?

"Thank you Walter." Sam said, tears starting to well-up in her eyes again, which Jack saw and promptly took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze.

"Bye Walter, I'll see you in a few weeks."

"Yes ma'am." Sam promptly hung up the phone and allowed the tears to flow. With Jacks hand in hers, and Daniels promptly residing on her shoulder., Sam felt like she just might make it through this with a shred of sanity left.

At the airport, Sam left the group to buy a coffee from a vender close by. Jack took this opportunity to talk to his former team mates.

"Guys, I know that I cant be with her for this whole thing, so I'm placing SG-1 on downtime until Sam is able to get used to her new job, I want you guys to be there for her when I'm not there. Losing the last of her family is hard, I don't know how long Sam will be able to keep up her superwoman persona" Jack said with a sad look in his eyes as he stared at the woman he loved. Daniel was the first to state the obvious.

"Jack, she's gonna need you a lot more than us. In case you've forgotten, Teal'c has never raised a child on this planet and I've never even changed a diaper. You're the most experienced one out of the bunch." There were very few times that Daniel brought up the subject of fatherhood around Jack, but nothing can stay buried forever. Before Jack could respond, a tired looking Colonel Carter walked up to her friends with a tray full of drinks. Coffee for herself, Jack and Daniel, and an Orange juice for Teal'c.

"Thanks Sam" Daniel said cheerfully. If there was one thing that could cheer up Daniel at a time like this, it was coffee. Teal'c simply bowed his head low and respectfully. Jack smiled at her, and took a sip of his coffee. Surprisingly, it was exactly how he liked it.

"Carter, how-"Jack was cut off.

"Sir, I've known you for the past eight years, I'm very observant, and you always take your coffee the same way, black with three insanely large scoops of sugar." Sam said sheepishly.

"Thank you Sam." Jack took another drink, remembering all of the reasons he loved this woman. Sam just watched the quizzically happy expression on his face, intrigued, she had never seen this expression before. Daniel and Teal'c had walked over to the large window, looking out into the bleak morning, and were now discussing something about a child care training manual or something. Sam couldn't quite hear.

"Jack, what are you thinking about?" Sam asked. Without thinking Jack responded.

"I was thinking about how beautiful and amazing you are." The moment the last syllable left his lips Jack froze. 'What did I just say! Oh God, she probably thinks I'm trying to take advantage of her in a fragile state. Real smart Jack, real smart'

"Um Jack-"

"I'm sorry Carter, I don't know what I was thinking." Jack apologized quickly, hopping to lessen the damage.

"You don't have to apologize, there's something I have to talk to you about." Sam walked over to one of the chairs, Jack took a seat next to her.

"What is it Carter?"

"Sir, I don't think that I'll be staying on SG-1 for much longer. Now before you say anything, hear me out. I don't think it would be fair to keep these kids from having someone at home for them. And if anything happened to me, I would be leaving them alone in this world, again. I just couldn't do that to these kids….I want to be taken off Sg-1 and depending on what happens, might retire and work at the SGC as a civilian." Jack was flabbergasted. The thought of her leaving the Air Force was preposterous.

"Sam, you cant leave the Air Force, you've worked too hard and too long to leave now." Secretly Jack was happy that she wasn't going to be traveling through the gate any more. Every time she walked through the event horizon, his heart slowed, until she returned safely.

"Jack, I know what I'm doing, the Air Force was my life, now I have three children, my life's completely changed." Sam said quietly. Jack reached out and gently took her hands in his

"I know, and I'll fill out the paper work for your transfer as soon as I get back to the base. All I want for you is to be happy, that's all." Jack was softly rubbing circles on the back of Sam's hand. While they were talking, they had gradually leaned closer to each other. Now their faces were merely inches away from one another. Sam took a deep breath. With all of this loss, she finally realized that she didn't want to wait to be with Jack. Quickly Sam closed the gap and gently pressed her lips against Jacks. So lost in ecstasy, Jack released Sam's hands, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. Sam ran her fingers into Jacks salt and pepper tresses. Teal'c and Daniel were standing by the window with smiles on their faces. Daniel gave the Jaffa next to him twenty dollars. Then they turned back to the airplane, giving their friends some well deserved privacy. The need for air quickly broke the two lovers apart. Looking lovingly into Jack's eye's, Sam could have sworn the world had stopped turning. Hugging herself to Jack's body Sam whispered softly into Jack's ear as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"I love you Jack O'Neill. Now and forever." The feeling of the light breeze across Jack's ear made him shiver, that and the fact that the woman of his dreams just told him that she loved him. Taking a deep shaky breath Jack pulled back to look into his beloved's eyes. The sapphire pools gleaming.

"I love you too Samantha Carter. Until the universe stops turning." Jack kissed away the tears that had fallen down Sam's angelic face. Just then the airline personnel announced that the plane was ready for boarding. Jack moved Sam from his lap and pulled her to her feet, as Daniel and Teal'c walked over. Gently, Jack gave Sam one more kiss before she walked to the door. Watching her walk away now that he knew how she felt was hard. At least he would see her tomorrow.