O'Neill Residence
Colorado Springs, CO
January 16, 2000

Light was already filtering through the master bedroom's curtains when Sam woke up and her daughter wasn't in bed anymore. Sleepily, she blinked at the alarm clock and was surprised at the late hour. She'd slept half the morning away!

She found herself smiling as she stretched and thought about the reason she'd slept so well. Last night with Jack had been good. Really, really good. An uncharacteristic giggle escaped her at the memory and rolled her eyes at herself. She was a grown woman and not some silly teen with her first sexual experience, for crying out loud.

But still her mind lingered on the memory of last night. It had felt good to be intimate with Jack, better than she remembered and there hadn't even been a nanosecond in which she'd had doubts or bad memories. All she'd been able to focus on were his hands and kisses and the feelings they elicited in her. Who'd have thought MacKenzie's advice about being more direct would help? Of course, she probably should have thought it through before starting anything, considering the way things had ended.

She smiled again, thinking of how considerate Jack had been despite his own arousal. After some more kissing, they'd eventually gotten off the sofa to go to bed. At her bedroom door they'd kissed once more and retreated into their own rooms. It hadn't been awkward or tense at all, even though they both knew that he'd be taking things into his own hand before getting some sleep.

After another glance at the clock, Sam pushed up off the bed to get ready.

After getting up, she went through her usual bathroom routine before slipping on some fluffy socks and leaving the bedroom. The smell of coffee lured her to the kitchen – she hadn't realized how much she missed it until she came back – and there she found Jack cleaning the counters while Ife was sitting at the table, happily munching on some fruit.

It felt very… domestic. In a good way.

Jack looked up when she entered the kitchen, smiling. God, he looked good in his jeans and black sweater. "Hey there, sleepyhead."

"Good morning." She replied and walked over to Ife, snagging a strawberry from her bowl.

"Morning Momma."

Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to Ife's hair. "Hi sweetie."

Jack had already poured her a cup of coffee when she reached the counter. "Want some food to go with that? I made pancakes…"

"Thanks." She accepted the coffee and slipped her hand in his mussed hair to pull him closer for a kiss. "And I'd love some pancakes."

He looked surprised yet pleased at the gesture. "Good morning indeed."

"What?"

"I didn't exp-"

"Not even after last night?" She asked with a raised brow.

He shrugged sheepishly, looking totally adorable. "Well, I didn't want to assume…"

Sam was momentarily distracted by his hands he tapped his fingers on the counter. He had great hands with very talented fingers and just the memory of last night made heat coil low in her belly. "I think last night proved we should stop assuming and just say what we want."

"Hmm, I like that," he said, leaning in for another quick kiss after wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Me too." She wrapped her other arm around him and pulled him in for a deeper kiss.

When the need for air became too much he broke it off, his breathing a little erratic. He glanced over her shoulder to their daughter and frowned, "You don't think this is gonna…"

She smirked in amusement when he trailed off. "What, have a bad influence on her? I doubt it'll set a bad example. As a matter of fact-"

The phone rang, interrupting her.

"Let it ring," Jack said, waving dismissively. "Breakfast awaits."

"Are you sure?" She asked, looking in the direction of the living room from where the sound was coming. They didn't get a lot of phone calls, especially not on the weekend.

"They'll call my cell phone if it's important."

He was referring to the SGC and she knew he made a good point, so she took her coffee and took a seat next to Ife. The phone stopped ringing.

Jack made a triumphant gesture and went over to the fridge to get her some maple syrup. Just then the familiar ringtone of his cell phone went off and he sighed deeply. "Damn."

"Maybe it's nothing major," Sam tried.

"I doubt they'd disturb me on my Sunday morning."

She tried not to eavesdrop and focused her attention on Ife, but she couldn't help overhear part of the conversation as Jack spoke to the person on the other end.

"Sam," Jack said suddenly, frowning. "They want us to come in. Both of us."

The hairs in the back of her neck rose, alarmed. "What is it?"

He signed off and pocketed the phone again. "We're not under attack or anything but Thor dropped by with something to discuss. Hammond wants us both present."

"Oh."

"Dixon is doing the weekend shift and he told Hammond that we could check with his wife to see if she can take Ife for us, so you better get dressed and I'll get Ife's things ready."

They didn't speak much during the ride over, neither feeling the need to speculate about the reason they needed to attend a meeting with Thor. Fortunately, dropping Ife off at the Dixon home was no problem at all despite the short notice. Forty minutes after Jack received the call they entered the mountain and were immediately sent to the briefing room, where Thor and General Hammond were already waiting for them.

Jack smiled broadly as he stepped into the room. "Thor, buddy! It's good to see you up and around."

Following him a little more sedately, Sam glanced from the small grey alien in one of the leather chairs to Jack to the General and nodded, "Sir."

"Colonel O'Neill and Captain Carter please join us," General Hammond said, gesturing at the empty chairs. "Supreme Commander Thor was just filling us in about the reason he is here."

"I owe you and your team a great debt of gratitude for saving my life."

"Psahw," Jack said dismissively, as if they hadn't risked their lives. "It was nothing. Unless, of course, you wanted to show your appreciation by letting us borrow that sweet ship of yours to cruise the neighborhood."

Thor's large eyes narrowed. "I believe we already discussed this previously, O'Neill. It is not possible."

He held up his hands and shrugged, "It was worth a try."

"Colonel, please," Hammond said in exasperation. "The Supreme Commander came to us for good reason."

"I have come by stargate because there are no ships to spare in my galaxy," Thor said. "My home world is being threatened by the Replicators. Thus far, all attempts to stop them have failed. I have come here to seek your help."

Jack appeared genuinely confused as he looked around the table, "Our help?"

"The Asgard have tried to stop them. You have demonstrated their weakness may be found from a less sophisticated approach. We are no longer capable of such thinking."

"Actually, the strategy was mostly Sam's."

Sam could feel heat creep up her neck when all eyes – including the large black ones belonging to Thor – turned to her. "Um, well, it was a team effort, really."

The Supreme Commander tilted his head in curiosity. "She is the female you have spoken to me about, O'Neill?"

Jack nodded, smiling at her. "Yeah, she's the one who fixed your Hammer on Cimmeria. Captain Samantha Carter."

"It is most fortunate you were able to return to Earth, Captain Carter," Thor said. "One of our scientists investigated the repair you made and while it was merely temporary and rather primitive by our standards, it was most impressive for a human. We did not expect your kind to be able to interact with technology of such level yet."

"Um, thanks," Sam stammered, "I think."

It looked like the Asgard gave her an approximation of a smile in return. "The Asgard High Council is optimistic that you may assist us in eradicating the Replicators from our home world with one of your more simplistic approaches."

Stunned, she simply sat there staring at the alien on the other side of the table. The Asgard expected her to help them get rid of an enemy they'd been fighting for decades? What possible contribution could she make when they were so much more advanced and were out of options?

"Well," Jack said, breaking the sudden silence, "I for one think that's a great idea. Not sure she's dumb enough for you, though."

"I think she can handle it, Colonel."

Jack found her hand under the table and gave it an encouraging squeeze, while turning to Thor and the General. "What does this plan of yours entail?"

Sam was nervous and quite frankly a little terrified at the idea and chanced a glance at the General, as Thor started explaining his plan. Jack's touch was reassuring but her heart was still racing. The base commander eyed her intently and she couldn't help but wonder if she radiated tension and it was clear for everyone to see how the proposal affected her.

When all eyes fell on her again she cleared her throat awkwardly and sought out General Hammond, her grip on Jack's fingers tightening. "I appreciate the confidence, Sir, but I don't know if I'm ready – I am still on light duty."

"So far the reports from Doctors Fraiser and MacKenzie have been encouraging, Captain. Perhaps a reevaluation is in order."

"Now?" Jack asked, adding a belated "Sir" when the General glared at him.

General Hammond leaned back in his chair, hands folded on the tabletop. "I know all of this was rather unexpected," he added with a kind look. "Why don't you take some time to think it through? We will reconvene in an hour."

"Thank you, Sir."

Jack leaned towards her, his dark gaze searching her face as his thumb caressed the back of her hand under the table. "You can say no," he said in a low tone, meant only for her ears. "You don't have to do this."

Sam flashed him a tiny smile, hoping her nerves weren't showing. Dimly, she heard the General's dismissal and automatically got to her feet, letting go of Jack's hand in the process.

"The Asgard would greatly appreciate your efforts, Captain Carter."

"I understand, Supreme Commander," she said, sending him apologetic look. "However, I've only recently returned home and have my daughter's needs and my own wellbeing to consider before rushing headfirst into a dangerous intergalactic war. That didn't work out so well last time."

Thor blinked his large eyes and nodded slightly. "Very well. I will await your decision."

She caught Jack's gaze before turning around to leave the briefing room, needing the privacy of her lab to think about Thor's request. Jack caught up with her at the elevator and after coming up to her side, bumped her shoulder with his. He didn't say anything but he didn't have to. Just having him there was a comfort.

They made their way over to her lab in silence and she closed the door when they got inside, pacing the small room. Jack plopped down on a stool. "Tell me what's going on in that big brain of yours, Sam."

"I don't know if I can do this," she said. "It's one thing to leave Ife with friends off-world to save you and taking her to the sitter to go to the SGC, but to leave her while I go to another galaxy? I need to think about what would happen to her if something went wrong or if I couldn't get back."

"But you want to go?"

She stopped in front of him, biting her lip. She was aware of his scrutiny but it didn't bother her in the slightest. No, his intense gaze grounded her. "I think… yeah, I think I want to. But-"

"Ack!" He got up and stood close enough for her to feel his breath on her cheek. "No buts. This is a great opportunity for you. The Asgard are very advanced and like Thor said, they'll owe us big time if you help them with their little bug problem. Plus, his ship is pretty sweet!"

"Jack…"

He smirked and reached out to caress her cheek. "Don't worry about Ife. I'm her dad, I can take care of her when you're off saving another galaxy. I've got this, Sam."

Her heart nearly burst at the look he gave her and she found herself nodding in agreement. "Okay," she breathed. There was so much she could learn from the Asgard and that simply trumped her nerves about going off-world – leaving the safety of Earth and Jack – again. "I'll do it."

"And you'll do great," Jack said with conviction.

The faith he had in her made her feel even more confident. She reached for the phone and called down to the General's office to let him know she was in, pending the outcome of the exam. The butterflies in her stomach – part nerves and part excitement – stayed with her throughout the medical exam and only intensified when she was cleared for the upcoming mission.

When they returned to the briefing room the General was still there with Thor. The Asgard barely showed any reaction, but according to Jack the 'little guy was thrilled'. With the base commander's permission she went to gear up and found him, Thor, Jack, Catherine and Daniel waiting for her in the gate room.

"I have faith in you, Samantha," Catherine said, squeezing her arm.

Daniel was smiling but kept his distance, "You can do this."

"Thank you," she said, trying to stealthily shift the heavy pack on her back to a more comfortable position. She'd forgotten how heavy they were. The technician in the control room had just activated the stargate and was counting down the locked chevrons when the blast doors opened again and Teal'c joined her.

Jack frowned at his friend's appearance. "What's with the gear, T?"

"I wish to accompany Sām and Supreme Commander Thor on their mission." Teal'c's request to the General sounded more like a statement. "I am well equipped to defend their lives should we fall under attack of the Replicators while they are focusing on a technological solution."

Sam could tell from the look on his face that Jack had nothing to do with the Jaffa's sudden interest in watching her six and that reassured her. For a moment, she'd thought Jack was concerned about her abilities but she should have known better. Thor seemed intrigued by the whole situation, eliciting a smile from her. "If General Hammond and Supreme Commander Thor agree, then I would gladly accept your offer, Teal'c."

The General and Thor exchanged glances and when the grey alien inclined his head, Hammond sighed. "Very well."

"Well, T, you be careful," Jack said, clasping his shoulder. "And Thor, try not to get any life-threatening injuries this time."

"I will attempt to avoid any proximity to the Replicators, O'Neill."

He nodded, pleased. Then he turned to her. "Go kick their asses," he said, smirking a little. "See you on the flipside, Sam."

General Hammond cleared his throat a little, getting everyone's attention. "You have a go, people. Godspeed."

Thor looked up at her. "Are you prepared to take our leave, Captain Carter?"

As she stood there, tall and at attention, she became aware of how right it felt. This was where she belonged; at the SGC helping to fight intergalactic wars in whichever way she could while serving her country. She looked to the two aliens at her sides and nodded, "I'm ready."

O'Neill Residence
Colorado Springs, CO
January 17, 2000

The trip to the grocery store had taken longer than Jack expected and he was starving by the time they got home. He kicked the front door closed behind him and walked into the house, Ife on one hip and a heavy bag of groceries on the other. On his way to the kitchen he glanced at the answering machine but there were no missed messages. Pushing away his concern for Sam – and Teal'c – he smiled at their daughter as he set her on the counter, next to the groceries. "Home sweet home, munchkin."

"More, Daddy," Ife said, her little hands reaching for the box of berries atop the other groceries.

Jack grabbed the box before she'd knock it over and opened it. Back in the grocery store's parking lot he'd given her some fruit to munch on after strapping her in her car seat. Mostly because it was way past lunch but it had also kept her busy while he used his cell phone to check in with the SGC for any news. They hadn't heard anything from Sam, Teal'c or the Asgard.

Ife whined a little, "Daddy."

Pulled from his thoughts about what was going on in the Ida galaxy, he caved and threw some berries in a nearby bowl. "There you go."

He kept a watchful eye on her as he started unpacking the remaining groceries, smirking when she got juice all over her face. The distraction was a welcome one, as he couldn't help worry about Sam. He trusted Thor and had every faith in Sam and Teal'c's abilities, but he'd seen those nasty bugs in action himself and knew they were unlike any enemy they'd encountered so far. If Thor's home planet used any of the advanced technology from his fancy ship then it would be like heaven to the Replicators.

"Done!"

"Good job." He set the empty bowl aside and grabbed a paper towel to wipe her sticky face clean, before he lifted her off the counter and put her down. "How about you help me clear this up, huh?"

Ife happily took some of the packaging he removed from the groceries and put it in the trash, going back and forth.

Jack had just handed her the paper bag to dispose of and moved to out some things away in the fridge when the doorbell rang. His heart skipped a beat in anticipation before he reminded himself that Sam would have called the moment she was back at the SGC and there was no need for her to ring the bell. "I wonder who that is." He turned from Ife to the general direction of the front door and raised his voice, "Door's open."

"Hello?" Daniel's voice called out as he entered the house.

Jack waited until he heard the door close and was watching Ife, who appeared rather wary and held on to his leg. "We're in the kitchen."

Daniel appeared in the doorway a few seconds later. He looked a bit pale and his posture was a reminder the archaeologist was still recovering from his appendectomy. "Hi, Jack."

"Did the little Napoleonic power monger release you from the infirmary?" He asked by way of greeting as he stroked Ife's hair absentmindedly.

"Um, yes, Janet said I was free to leave the base. I have a check-up at the end of the week."

He nodded in understanding. Daniel had been allowed to roam the SGC on occasion the past week but he'd been restricted to the infirmary and later his on-base quarters. "Good to see you're back on your feet. I don't suppose you've heard anything from Sam or Teal'c?"

Daniel took off his glasses to rub them clean and shook his head. "No, we haven't heard anything since they left yesterday. I'm sure they're fine."

"Yeah."

"So, um," he stammered a bit, eyes darting around, "I thought I'd drop by, see how you're doing."

Skeptical, Jack raised a brow. "Oh, well, you know. We're good."

Daniel's gaze fell on Ife and he smiled at her. "Hey there, Ife."

"This is Daniel, munchkin. He was at the Thanksgiving party with us a while ago," he said, gently nudging her to take a step forward. "Go on, say hi."

"Hi."

Daniel chuckled softly as she mumbled the word and immediately twisted back around to take comfort in Jack's presence. He came closer and leaned down to be at her level and tapped her shoulder. "Chel hol, Ife. Mak Daniel. Shin tel? Ȧu tini peki?"

Ife first looked at him over her shoulder but when he started speaking, she forgot about her shyness and peered up at him. When he was done and waited for her response, she cautiously reached out and touched his chest, her brow furrowed. "Tini ȧtem m ȧ… ḥerā m'ut."

Hearing the alien language – albeit haltingly – from his daughter's lips made Jack uncomfortable but she grew up hearing it, so it wasn't a complete surprise that Ife spoke it.

"Oh, er, no." Daniel couldn't really hide his surprise, eyebrows nearly reaching his hairline. "No, I'm not like you and your mom." He paused, thinking. "I'm like your daddy. Na, niss m tai'ten ȧt," he added, translating. Then, he looked up at Jack. "I think she's referring to the naquadah she and Sam both have."

"Right," he said, grimacing. "Sam told me they can sense each other. Cassie, Jaffa and Goa'uld, too."

Daniel moved to stand upright after a final smile at Ife and slipped his glasses back on. "Sha're and Skaara are the same."

Jack left it at that, the subject of the Abydonians and Shifu usually caused friction, at least in the context of them being formers hosts and Shifu's biological parentage. "So, why did you really come here?"

"I figured you could use some distraction now that Sam is off with Teal'c and Thor, and I could use a change of scenery," he replied, shrugging. "Besides, we're barely had a chance to catch up lately and I hadn't even officially met Ife."

"Yeah you did, at Fraiser's Thanksgiving dinner."

"But I didn't know Ife was your daughter back then. I had my suspicions about whatever was going on between you and Sam, but nothing like that."

"Ah."

"That's all I'm getting?"

Jack shrugged and gestured at the leftover groceries on the counter. "I was about to make lunch. You're welcome to stay and eat."

Rolling his eyes, Daniel sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, sure. I'll join you for a late lunch."

"Good!" He clapped his hands and rubbed them together gleefully. "I've got all the ingredients for my special omelet. Why don't you take Ife to the living room while I fix us some food."

"Um, sure."

Watching, Jack waited until Ife looked to in response to Daniel's outstretched hand. "It's okay, munchkin. Go with Daniel to the living room. Show him your toys. I'll be there in a bit. Go on."

After some encouraging words from Daniel Ife grabbed his hand and let him lead her out of the kitchen.

Jack returned his attention to the groceries and got started on the meal he'd promised. It didn't take him long to make two omelets – he knew from experience the fruit was enough for Ife – with beer and he took them into the living room along with a bottle of Guinness for them both.

"…removable clothing and movable limbs date back to at least 200 BC. For example, the Greek made dolls of clay and-"

"Daniel," Jack said in exasperation, interrupting the man's monologue. "Didn't we agree you'd admire her toys and not give her a history lesson?"

Daniel looked at him with a mixture of embarrassment and mild irritation. "Well, yes, but when Ife showed me the doll she was given off-world, I figured I'd explain… okay, I suppose I did get a little carried away. But she was listening intently, weren't you, Ife?"

Jack snorted and set the plates on the coffee table, glancing at his daughter. "She probably just tuned you out. Gets it from me."

"I suppose that's nature's way of balancing things," Daniel said, getting up from Ife's little play corner. "With the outside mostly Sam, there was bound to be lots of Jack on the inside."

"No need to sound so disappointed," he said, smirking.

The archaeologist took a seat on the sofa and reached for his plate. "Just worried the world isn't ready for another O'Neill."

Jack huffed in between bites before eyeing him critically. Daniel looked exhausted and it made him wonder whether he was doing as well as he claimed. "Not that I don't appreciate the visit, but shouldn't you be at home resting or something?"

"I'm fine."

"You got bored, didn't you? Fraiser kicked you out and you got bored, surprising considering the number of books and artefacts you have at your apartment."

Daniel shrugged, looking abashed. "I fed the fish, cleaned out the fridge and took a nap. I was hoping to work on some shelved projects but Janet made it clear that I was supposed to stay away from the base. There wasn't a lot to do at home."

He made a noncommittal sound and finished his lunch.

"What about you? I was half expecting to find you on base, waiting around for word from Sam and Teal'c."

"Ife had a doctor's appointment. It was scheduled a few weeks ago and postponing because of Sam would have meant another month of waiting for this guy. Some specialist Hammond had flown in on Fraiser's advice. They gave him limited clearance and he was just fascinated with Ife."

Daniel had stopped eating, his hand frozen midair at the news. "What did he say?"

Jack made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Oh, she's fine. Adjusting well. Physical development has improved greatly since coming to Earth but she's still a little bit behind. But she's healthy and her intellectual development is good too. She's just a little shy when it comes to strangers."

"Yeah, I noticed the shyness. But it's got to be reassuring she's catching up developmentally speaking."

He nodded in agreement but truth be known, he thought Ife was perfect just the way she was and there wasn't anything he'd change about her if he could. "Sam was a little worried because of what she went through while pregnant and the lifestyle they lived off-world but just look at her," he tipped his head in the direction of Ife, smiling. "She's perfect."

Daniel had a far away look in his eyes as he watched Ife play, "Yeah, I know what you mean."

"Shifu?"

"Um, yes," he said, almost startled by the question. Fiddling with his beer bottle, he chuckled softly and glanced at Jack. "Who would have thought we'd both become fathers, especially under such circumstances?"

Smirking, he raised his Guinness. "To our families."

Daniel clinked bottles with him and took a sip, grimacing at the taste. "Family, huh? So, does that mean you and Sam are together now?"

"Yeah, I suppose we are. I mean, we're still, you know," he made a vague hand gesture, "testing the waters and all that. But we decided to give it a shot."

"That's great," he said, nodding. "I think you're good for her."

Jack took another sip of beer and fidgeted, not sure how to respond. He didn't usually do the whole talking about his feelings thing, not even with a close friend like Daniel. Not that he wanted to hide his relationship with Sam, but he was even more guarded about it than usual considering what had happened. Hell, if he wanted to hide it he wouldn't have been so tactile with her at the SGC the past couple of weeks. Even Daniel, who usually had his nose in the books, couldn't have missed the undercurrent between him and Sam yesterday when she left with Thor.

Daniel cleared his throat, drawing his attention to the present. "I take it that means Sam and Ife won't be moving out, either?"

"No." The word rushed out and despite the talk he'd had with Sam, he felt his heart lurch at the idea. "They belong here."

"Oh, um, wow. I guess that's a bit more than just giving it a shot."

Jack rolled his eyes and sighed. "What do you want me to say, Daniel? That I'm all in? I am because Sam is pretty amazing but things like that don't happen overnight. She still has some stuff to deal with and I'm good with that, I can wait."

Daniel gave him a shrewd look. "You love her, don't you?"

"Yeah," he said slowly, "I do."

"Well, I guess that shouldn't surprise me, after everything you did to bring her back to Earth and then offering her your place to stay at."

He shrugged and took a sip of beer. He hadn't even told Sam yet, he realized. Too worried that it might scare her off. Of course, that was before she'd climbed onto his lap and they'd nearly gone all the way. She had made it perfectly clear to him that she wasn't as fragile as he thought and considering she was now off in another galaxy to help save the Asgard, he was inclined to believe her.

"I still can't believe you kept it all to yourself," Daniel murmured.

"You mean tracking down the Rogue NID?" He asked, momentarily confused by his remark. "You know why I didn't tell you about the undercover mission, right?"

He picked at the label of his beer bottle, nodding slowly. "You were under orders and bearing in mind that both Makepeace and Christina turned out to be part of the organization, it was the right decision. Sam's life, Earth's alliances and the existence of the SGC were all at risk."

Jack caught the flicker of hurt on his friend's face. "I never did really apologize about that day you came here, did I?"

"When you had 'retired'? No."

"Some of the things I said…"

Daniel waved them off, "It doesn't matter anymore. You played a part to get Maybourne to trust you."

"I shouldn't have dragged Sha're into it," he said. "You didn't deserve that."

"It was effective, though."

Surprised, Jack looked up. "Yeah, it was. But I know you love her."

Blowing out a deep breath, Daniel grew quiet for a moment and stared sightlessly at the other side of the living room. "It's hard, you know? I love Sha're and Shifu, but I don't know how to help her."

"She's still having trouble coping with the Amaunet and Apophis stuff?"

"Yeah, things have gotten better since we got Shifu back but she still has bad days."

It hadn't escaped Jack that his friend's trip to Abydos had become more frequent prior to his appendicitis, but up until now they hadn't really talked about it. "You're doing everything you can."

Daniel rubbed his chin and looked at him imploringly. "That's just it. I don't know if I am. But I have no idea what else to do!"

"The only advice I can give you is to be there for Sha're. Let her set the pace and take your cues from her and," Jack made a face, "talk to her. You know, be honest about things and all that other touchy-feely stuff you're good at."

Daniel smiled briefly before he sobered again, looking pensively. "I can't always be there for Sha're and Shifu. I don't know, maybe it's good for her to have some time apart from me when I go back to Earth, but at the same time I always feel like we have to start all over again when I visit."

"Look," he said, leaning forward, "if you feel you need to be there more or longer, then that's what you should do."

"What about SG-1?"

He shrugged, "What about it? You can't let the team hold you back from your family. Family is too important, Daniel. Trust me, you don't always get a second shot."

Daniel took off his glasses and scrubbed a hand over his face, before he spoke again. "But I can't just take more leave. We don't even have a fourth member yet and if I go, it's gonna be just you and Teal'c."

"So? I'm sure we can find ways to fill our time."

"I don't even know when Janet is going to clear me for missions," he said, scowling at his abdomen.

Jack looked at Daniel's right side in a guestimate of where the wound was – Daniel had refused to show him his scar shortly after the operation – but he couldn't even discern the slight bulging of a bandage under the man's sweater. However, seeing as how long Fraiser had kept him in the infirmary, he suspected Daniel wouldn't be going back to work for at least another week. Ï thought you wanted to spend more time on Abydos?"

"But we've already been off the mission roster for… what, two weeks? I don't think General Hammond will approve another one of my requests for leave so soon."

"I'll handle Hammond," Jack said. "You focus on your family."

He sighed and looked away, gaze landing on Ife. "The last time I was on Abydos I told Sha're I didn't want to leave yet. I was reading a story to Shifu when my watch's alarm went off, reminding me to start packing up for the trek to the gate."

The past couple of weeks Jack had been called away for missions and he'd hated being away from Sam and Ife, so he understood. Being beamed away to Thor's ship and his subsequent stay off-world had been especially hard. Daniel's concerns reminded him of how he'd berated himself for his priorities – both during his marriage to Sara and more recently, risking his life off-world – and he started wondering if perhaps it was time for him to make some changes as well. "You won't be getting those years back," he warned him.

"Sha're told me she worries about me when I'm gone," Daniel said, sighing. "But we also spoke of the importance of my work. We're so close to wiping out the System Lords now that Ra, Apophis, Hathor, and Klorel have been killed at the hands of the SGC. I don't know if I can give that up after what the Goa'uld put Sha're through."

"Maybe it's time to start looking at the bigger picture," Jack said cautiously. "When Teal'c and Sam get back I'll talk to the General. Perhaps we can work out who the remaining System Lords are, where they're located and how they operate and plan an attack together with the Rebel Jaffa."

He smiled and looked like some of the weight had fallen from his shoulders. "I'd like that."