"Morning, Carter," Jack said, his voice carrying a note of careful cheerfulness as he walked into the briefing room. The rest of SG-1 looked up, acknowledging him with nods and murmured greetings.

"Good morning, Sir," Sam replied, her eyes briefly meeting his before she returned to the mission report in front of her. Despite her composed exterior, there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. It had only been a few weeks since her father, Jacob Carter, had passed away, and the pain was still fresh. Adding to her emotional turmoil was the recent cancellation of her wedding to Pete.

Jack took his seat at the head of the table, glancing around at his team. "Alright, folks, let's get this show on the road. What do we have today?"

Daniel cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses. "We've received intel about a device on P3X-487. It's rumored to contain ancient data that could be crucial in our efforts to help the Asgard."

Jack leaned back in his chair, his interest piqued. "Ancient data, huh? What's the catch?"

Teal'c, ever the stoic, spoke up. "The device is located in an area that has not been visited by the Goa'uld. However, it is heavily guarded by automated defenses."

Jack nodded slowly. "Alright, so we need to get past the defenses and retrieve the device. Sounds simple enough."

Sam interjected, her tone thoughtful. "There's more, Sir. The encryption on the device is based on ancient Goa'uld technology. We might need help to decrypt it." She paused, looked at Jack and added, "The only one with this expertise is Baal."

Jack's expression darkened at the mention of Baal. "Baal? You've got to be kidding me."

Daniel raised a hand, trying to placate him. "I know it's not ideal, Jack, but Baal has knowledge that could be invaluable. We might not have another option."

Jack sighed, rubbing his temples. "Let's cross that bridge when we get to it, shall we?"

Sam nodded, her eyes meeting Jack's briefly. "Understood, Sir. We'll start with recon and see what we're dealing with."

Jack gave a curt nod. "Alright, team. Gear up. You leave in an hour."

As the team dispersed to prepare for the mission, Jack lingered, his thoughts troubled. The idea of involving Baal made his skin crawl.

"Carter," he called out, "can we talk in my office?"

Sam paused, looking up at him with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. "Of course, Sir."

They walked in silence to Jack's office. Once inside, Jack closed the door behind them and gestured for Sam to take a seat. She remained standing, her posture rigid.

Jack took a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking. "Carter," he started and then winced, "I know things have been tough lately. How are you holding on?"

Sam's eyes flickered with a mix of emotions, but she kept her voice steady. "I'm managing, Sir."

Jack nodded, leaning against his desk. He felt a pang of sadness for Jacob's passing. Jacob had been a good man, and his loss was deeply felt. But there was also a sense of relief about Sam's cancelled wedding. He knew it was selfish, but he couldn't help it. This was his chance, and he needed to talk to her.

"I know you are. You're one of the strongest people I know. But I also know you're dealing with a lot. Your dad... and the wedding."

Sam's expression tightened slightly. "I'm fine, Sir."

Jack studied her for a moment, then sighed. "Sam, I... I wanted to give you time to settle after all that happened."

Sam's eyes darkened briefly before she looked away. "Sir, it's okay, I'm fine. You don't need to explain anything."

Jack took a step closer, lowering his voice. "Sam, look at me."

Sam met his gaze, her eyes searching his. "What are you saying?"

Jack hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I'm saying that I need to make sure we do this right."

"So basically you are saying we need to keep on waiting," she snapped.

Jack sighed again. He knew she wouldn't easily understand his reasons for not having this discussion earlier. He convinced himself that he was giving her time, but truthfully he was the one who needed time. To accept what Jacob told him on his deathbed and take that step towards her. He looked into those blue eyes and knew he had messed up. She told him after her father's funeral, took the risk and told him about her feelings for him and that she was tired of waiting. And the best he could do was 'Come here' and hug her.

"I need to gear up," Sam's voice took him back to the present. As she started to leave, Jack grabbed her wrist.

"We will talk when you are back, Sam."

She only stared into his eyes, clearly not believing him, and left.

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