Here's the next chapter - last one for today... Enjoy!!!

2004

Daniel was back from Egypt and he'd finally found the decency to come visit Jack. Jack was glad to finally be in the company of someone he knew, someone who wasn't Aschen, someone who wasn't a politician.

They found themselves sitting on Jack's couch, Daniel drinking coffee, Jack drinking a beeer.

"How was Egypt?" Jack finally asked.

"It was great," Daniel replied. "It's amazing how many things there still are buried beneath the sand. On the first day alone, we found evidence of..."

Jack waved his hands wildly. "Ah! I don't want to hear about it. You had a good time while I was stuck behind a desk. Don't make me depressed." He took another drink

Daniel paused. "I saw Sam on my way here."

"You did?" Jack tried to sound nonchalant, but his voice was unsteady and he could see Daniel picking up on it.

"Yeah. She's doing great."

Daniel took a drink of his coffee. "She's engaged."

"Let me guess. Joe Faxon, ambassador."

"How you guess?"

"Long story," Jack said, avoiding the inevitable questions.

"She told me you Joe."

"Well, that's something she got right."

"All she wants is to be happy, Jack. You know that. I also know you're overprotective of her, but you know very well that there's going to come a time when she has to decide her future. Maybe that time is now."

Jack was silent as he took another drink.

"Jack, I need to know that you won't let Joe get in the way of your friendship with Sam. You'll regret it if you don't."

"I'll try, Daniel, but she has to make an effort too!"

"She will. You have to quit pushing her away."

"I just don't know if that's possible."

"Try," Daniel told him.

Jack knew it wasn't as easy as Daniel made it out to be. It wasn't that he didn't want to be her friend, but he wanted more than that. So much more. But as the days rolled on, the more unlikely it seemed that would ever be more than friends. Maybe they weren't meant to be. Maybe he'd been fooling himself all of those years. Maybe he should just let it go.

Thoughts? Let me know! Press the review button and brighten my day! :D Thanks for reading!!!