After deciding, Sam returned to SGC and patiently waited for the official paperwork. Meanwhile, Jack decided to have another informal conversation with General Maurice Vidrine. He believed it was a good idea to lay the groundwork in advance. After arranging a meeting, Jack returned to General Vidrine's office.
"Hello again, Jack," Vidrine greeted him warmly.
Jack nodded and took a seat. "Thank you for seeing me once more," he began.
General Vidrine steepled his fingers and waited expectantly.
Jack cleared his throat and got straight to the point.
"You can probably guess why I'm here," he said.
Vidrine nodded with a hint of understanding.
"I have a sense," he replied.
"I've talked to Sam, and she's made her decision. She's chosen to join your team," Jack revealed without much preamble.
Vidrine raised an eyebrow, a touch surprised.
"She has?" he inquired.
Jack confirmed with a nod.
"Yes, it caught me off guard, too," he admitted.
Now, Vidrine was curious.
"Did you think she was leaning towards Atlantis?" he asked.
"It seemed like the obvious choice," Jack replied with a sigh.
Vidrine suppressed a smile and leaned in.
"Jack, you don't know your wife. But don't worry, even after all these years of marriage, mine still surprises me. Women are a delightful mystery, and I'm grateful for that. It keeps life interesting," he said, wearing a full-fledged smile.
Vidrine's candid admission took Jack aback.
"You also thought she was going for Atlantis?" he asked.
Vidrine nodded, his smile not wavering.
"I must confess, I was torn. I'm pleased to report that General Hendricks now owes me ten bucks," he said with a chuckle.
Jack looked at Vidrine, somewhat shocked.
"You made a bet with your successor about my wife?" he inquired incredulously.
Vidrine appeared unapologetic.
"And how would you know who my successor is, Jack?" he asked with a sly grin.
Jack blushed slightly.
"Well, I am the Head of Homeworld Security. It's my job to know these things," he retorted.
Maurice Vidrine burst into laughter.
"I can see why George chose you," he said after regaining his composure.
Jack wasn't as amused.
"She'll receive the official papers by the end of the week," he said, his tone neutral.
Vidrine nodded in acknowledgment.
"I'm aware of that. Once she accepts, I'll contact her. You don't need to worry, Jack. We'll take good care of her. Everyone here is eagerly anticipating her arrival," he assured.
Jack was taken aback.
"You mean they already know she might be coming here?" he asked, surprised.
Vidrine tried to appear regretful but couldn't hide his smile.
"Well, I'll admit that we may have mentioned the possibility. There was quite a bit of excitement among the team," he grinned.
Jack secretly felt proud that Sam's work was so well-regarded.
"I'm glad to hear that. Thank you, Maurice," he said.
"Oh, no, Jack. Thank you for marrying her. Without you, we might never have had a chance to have her on our team," Vidrine added with a mischievous smile.
Jack, for once, found himself blushing.
That evening, Jack phoned his wife and shared that the papers for her transfer should arrive by the end of the week. However, he chose not to disclose his recent conversation with Vidrine. He realized that he needed to keep their professional and personal matters separate, especially if Sam was indeed coming to the Pentagon, to avoid accusations of favoritism or other complications.
"Does General Landry know about this?" Sam inquired as she enjoyed her soup while watching TV.
Jack found himself with a delicate situation on his hands.
"Not yet. I'm trying to delay telling him," he admitted.
Sam raised an eyebrow.
"Why, Jack?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Jack cleared his throat, contemplating his response.
"Let's just say he won't be thrilled when things become official. Your move will need to happen rather quickly," he informed her. Vidrine had shared this detail with him earlier in the day.
Sam was caught off guard and nearly choked on her soup.
"WHAT!?" she exclaimed, setting the soup bowl on the coffee table and wiping her mouth.
Jack quickly cautioned her, "You're not supposed to know this."
Sam started to pace, visibly concerned.
"But now you told me. So how quick are we talking about, Jack?" she asked, anxiety evident in her voice.
"Vidrine is speeding up the process, so as soon as you accept, you'll have only a week to report there," he told her.
When he didn't hear her, Jack attempted to reassure her.
"Don't worry, Sam. You'll move here, and we'll deal with the logistics as best we can. You already have some of your things here. You need to bring your dress blues and the essentials. The rest can come later," he assured her.
Sam sank back onto the couch, her heart racing.
"What about the house, my stuff?" she wondered aloud, glancing around.
Jack took a deep breath.
"We'll figure it out together. Right now, the priority is getting you here. You can't worry about everything at once," he said, hoping to ease her concerns.
Sam nodded and inquired about the inevitable conversation with her team.
"What should I tell the guys?" she asked.
Jack was firm in his response.
"Nothing. You can't tell them anything, not until it's officially confirmed. I'm serious about this, Sam," he warned.
"Okay," Sam agreed. "I won't breathe a word."
Curious about her feelings regarding the potential move, Jack asked, "Will you miss being deployed 'overseas'?"
Sam replied honestly, "No, I won't. Going 'abroad' lost its appeal as soon as you were promoted to Head of SGC."
Her candid response took Jack aback. Vidrine had been right; women continued to surprise them.
"You never mentioned that before," he said, his tone contemplative.
Sam smiled warmly.
"Well, you never asked before," she pointed out.
Jack also smiled, realizing that there was still so much they could learn about each other.
"No, I didn't. I have a feeling we'll discover many things we didn't know about each other," he mused.
Sam hummed in agreement. "Probably."
Sensing her fatigue, Jack suggested, "You sound tired, honey. You should get some rest."
"You too, General," Sam teased affectionately. After a few more declarations of love, they said their goodbyes and hung up.
As Jack had foreseen, Sam's transfer papers arrived by the end of the week. Upon learning of her decision to accept the Pentagon position only half an hour after receiving the documents, General Landry was far from pleased. It was evident to him that this matter had been discussed behind his back, but there was little he could do except call Jack and express his frustration.
After venting his anger on the phone with Jack, Landry contacted Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell and requested his presence in Colorado Springs. It appeared that Landry's contingency plan would be required. In the meantime, Sam took Daniel and Teal'c to her lab, where she closed the door behind them. Daniel observed her with curiosity.
"What's going on? I noticed you spent quite some time in Landry's office, and he doesn't look happy," Daniel remarked.
Teal'c stood nearby, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on Sam.
She cleared her throat and explained, "I received my transfer papers today. I've been reassigned to the Pentagon."
Both Daniel and Teal'c stared at her in stunned silence. Daniel was the first to find his voice.
"The Pentagon? You mean Washington, D.C.?" he asked, seeking confirmation.
Sam nodded.
"Yes, Daniel."
"Did you request this transfer?" Daniel asked, his curiosity piqued.
Sam shook her head.
"No, I didn't. They decided for me. I had three options, and I chose the Pentagon."
Daniel's interest was further piqued.
"Oh, really? What were the other two options?" he inquired.
Sam smiled faintly.
"Area 51 and Atlantis," she revealed.
Teal'c raised an eyebrow, and Daniel let out a whistle.
"Atlantis? Wow," he remarked.
Sam, however, remained uninterested.
"Not my preference," she stated plainly.
Teal'c, always wise, spoke with his usual wisdom.
"You will finally be able to be with O'Neill, Colonel Carter," he observed.
A warm smile spread across Sam's face.
"Yes, Teal'c, I will," she confirmed.
Daniel, understanding the significance of Sam's choice, also smiled. He had silently witnessed Sam and Jack's profound and enduring connection.
"I'm sad to see you leave us, but I'm also happy for you, Sam. You deserve to be happy," he said as he hugged her.
Sam's eyes welled up with tears.
"Thank you, Daniel. I'm going to miss all of you," she admitted.
Teal'c, the stoic yet caring member of SG-1, silently enveloped them in one of his signature bear hugs.
"We will always be at your service, Colonel Carter," he reassured her.
Sam let the tears flow. More than missing SGC and the off-world adventures, she knew she would miss her "guys," her team. She was going to miss SG-1.