They finally made it to Jack's cabin. The four of them together. This three people, whom Jack sees as his family by chance.
After everything that had happened in the last couple of weeks, with Daniel dying again and coming back, Teal'c leaving soon to join the free Jaffa and loosing Jacob for good, they needed this last trip together before everything will be changing.
On their second evening they sat together at the table outside the cabin after dinner, each one lost in thought.
"So,..." Jack started.
"So?" Daniel immediately asked, sensing that Jack was about to say something he obviously isn't sure how to approach.
"I probably should tell you guys that Hammond is retiring."
"What? I didn't expect that." again Daniel was the first to reply "I knew this day would come, but I don't know... I thought he would always be sticking around."
"Indeed." Teal'c agreed, "Although General Hammond deserve to spend some time with his grandchildren. He will be greatly missed."
"Yes, that he will be." Jack answered, a bit lost in his thoughts.
And then Daniel made the connection: "That was why you've been in DC last week?"
Silence.
"Sir?...What is it you're not telling us?" Sam asked with an uneasy feeling. Looking up for the first time during the conversation strait into his deep brown eyes.
Brown eyes meeting bright blue eyes.
And again it was on Daniel to ask the right question: "Jack... Who's replacing him?"
Still locking eyes with Sam he replied: "That would be me!"
She closed her eyes, trying to process what he just said.
Jack was now facing Daniel, who had for the first time no clue what to say.
"They want me to take over the job of Head of Homeworld Security. I don't know why they think that I am the best choice to deal with those politicians, but apparently the president wants me."
"Congratulations O'Neill, I am sure you will be a successful leader." Teal'c was the first one finding the right words to say.
"Thanks T, at least one of us believes that."
"Congratulations Sir! Teal'c is right, you're the most logical choice for this job. I'll be feeling more comfortable with someone in this seat, who cares about this project and is able to make the right decisions. I assume this job goes with another promotion? " Sam said, still trying to find out what this would mean for them, especially with her decision she had made shortly before they left fore the cabin and that she hadn't found the right time to tell her friends.
"Wow Jack, this is it then?! End of an era? Teal'c is leaving, you're going to DC... You know I put in a request to go to Atlantis?!" realizing what he just said he looked at Sam.
He felt like betraying her, she just lost her dad, broke up with the guy she was going to marry and now every remaining member of her chosen family was about to leave her.
He felt sick doing this to her, she was always there for everyone of them when they struggled and needed a friend, a shoulder to rely on.
But there was something in Sam's eyes he couldn't put a finger on it. "Sam... I..."
She took a deep breath and smiled: "It's ok Daniel, I can imagine what you're trying to say, but don't feel bad. I...ahm... Apparently today is a day of revelations, so I'm just going to tell you that I also requested a transfer."
"What??? Why?" Jack hadn't known because he was so caught up in Washington he hadn't been able to head into the mountain before they left for the cabin.
"Where???" Daniel was shocked and Teal'c just raised his eyebrow.
Three pairs of eyes staring at her in disbelief.
She blushed: "I'm heading to Nevada, Area 51. They were asking for me for a long time now and since everyone else is leaving and the Goa'uld aren't a threat anymore I thought this was the right time to focus on something new."
Under her eyelashes she quickly caught Jack's look before turing to the guys again.
"Look, Cassie is struggling a bit, with Janet gone and her new life in college, I want to be there for her. I promised Janet to look after her. It's time for me to move on as well."
"Major Carter, this is the right decision. I whish you well, Cassandra Fraiser can consider herself lucky to have you as her guardian." Teal'c embraced her in a big hug as he was the one sitting right next to her.
Finally Daniel found his voice again: "This is great Sam! Let me know how we can help you. Moving or something else."
"Thanks Daniel, thank you Teal'c. I will miss you guys so much!"
Jack was the only one who didn't say anything, but since the conversation went in a different direction again with Daniel making plans how to coordinate the moving no one noticed Jack's lack of response.
After cleaning up the table and starting the dishwasher Daniel and Teal'c retreated to their room.
As Jack, who was still busy in the kitchen, looked up and out of the window he saw Sam standing outside on his dock facing his pond.
In the last hour he had thought a lot about what his and her transfer would mean to them, or what it could mean.
He opened the fridge and grabbed two beer before joining her outside.
Sam heard the backdoor open, than a few cracks of wood under his feet before she felt him standing right behind her.
She turned around and took the beer he was offering her.
"A penny for your thoughts!" He gently said with a little nod in her direction.
"Just thinking that this is the last time the four of us will be together like this in a long time."
"Yeah, hard to believe, isn't it?"
"What about you Sir? Will you be happy in DC?" gently trying to approach the subject she had no idea how to talk about. Hell, she didn't even know if he was still seeing Kerry Johnson. Maybe this would be something he was happy about to be in Washington.
"You know me Carter, I'm still not sure what I did to be punished with this job." he laughed, trying to lighten the mood.
"Don't sell yourself short, Jack. You're much smarter than you let us believe."
The first thing he recognized about her answer was the lack of 'Sir'... No, not the lack of his title, more of her using his first name. That for sure was something new.
He just shrugged and took a sip of his beer.
"And what's that with you and Nevada? Why wasn't I informed about this?"
"It felt like the right thing to do. You were in Washington and I wanted this to be done before our trip. Wanted this to be effective by now. Sorry that I haven't said anything earlier."
"It's your decision Sam, no need to apologize. I just hope this is something you really want to do. Giving up gatetravel. I know you miss your father..."
"It is!" she interrupted him. "The thing I really want to do, I mean. This has nothing to do with dad. Yes, I miss him, dearly. But he said something to me that made me think about certain things. The world is safe for now and maybe now it's time to think about myself. "
She also took a sip of her beer, fidgeting with the label of her bottle. An unusual thing to do for her.
"What did he tell you?" Jack asked while moving closer to her, having a vague idea what it could be.
"It was just a fatherly advice..."
"You know, before he died he wanted to talk to me."
Stunned she looked at him: "He did?"
"Yeah, I mean he was my friend too. He wanted me to promise him something and called me an idiot." Jack huffeled.
"That sounds just like him." and for the first time in a really long time Sam giggled and Jack thought it was the most amazing sound.
"Look Sam, I can imagine what he told you, because I think he told me the same thing."
Her eyes went wide.
"Something about rules and not letting them stay in our way?!" he carefully asked.
He put their bottles away and took her hand while she was trying to sort out what he just said.
"What was it you had to promise him?"
"That I don't let his daughter marry the wrong man. And that I would try to find a way to make you happy. And something about a couple of grandchildren..." Now it was Jack who blushed a bit and Sam smiled. "So, what do you say?"
"About you making me happy or about the children?" she grinned.
"Both, I guess..."
"You guess?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I know there isn't anything I would love more than to make you happy, if you'll let me." Jack said and placed his hand on either side of her face, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs.
She pulled him close, feeling the warmth of his body against hers as she wrapped her arms around him.
With a gentle tilt of her head, she pressed her lips against his, savoring their first kiss.
As they came back up for air their heads rested against each other.
"Mhm, I like that! And what was that you said about kids?" she asked shyly.
"Oh we can sure start working on that!" Jack told her, not able to stop smiling.
Sam's smile matched his: "I like that too. Oh and by the way... I love you Jack."
And with another kiss he replied: "I love you too, Sam. I have for a very long time."