The women were sitting around the table, enjoying the quiet of their evening after putting Grace to bed. Liz was focused on her tablet, finishing a new tattoo design, while Sam was rereading her notes for her upcoming official introduction to General O'Neill, scheduled for the next morning. Suddenly, she leaned back in her chair and let out a deep sigh, catching the attention of her best friend.

"This isn't the moment where you tell me you don't want the job anymore, is it?" Liz joked, refilling their glasses.

Sam gave a small smile and nodded her thanks. "No, not at all. It's just that I'm realizing this is a lot more responsibility than at the Pentagon, and I know I'm up to the task, but I can't help wondering if…"

"Well, if anyone had told me I'd see you stressed!" Sam rolled her eyes but didn't respond. "Come on, Carter, it's going to be fine. And who knows? You might even meet some ultra-sexy military guy who'll help you shake off the cobwebs a bit."

They shared a laugh, and Sam pretended to look offended. "I don't need to shake off any cobwebs!"

"Oh, please," the tattoo artist scoffed. "The only penis you've seen since Grace was born is made of latex and tucked away in your nightstand."

Sam, who was mid-sip of her wine, choked. "Oh my God, Liz!"

Liz burst into laughter, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's okay, I'm sure you'll eventually find a guy who can pull your head out of all your books and calculations."

The following day, Sam woke up at the crack of dawn to give herself enough time to prepare properly. Liz had offered to take care of Grace in the morning so Sam could focus on her first day without adding extra stress. She stepped out of the shower, wrapping her hair in a towel and her body in another one before heading to the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

Going through her wardrobe, she eventually settled on a simple blue blouse that highlighted her eyes, pairing it with black pants and understated heels. Pleased with her outfit, Sam set about taming her long blonde hair and applied some mascara to finish her look. Makeup had never been her strong suit, much to Liz's chagrin, and mascara was about as far as her expertise went.

She arrived at the SGC exactly on time and was greeted by a guard who offered to escort her to the General's office to complete her contract paperwork. Sam followed him, taking in her surroundings like a child discovering Santa's workshop. They took several elevators and navigated a maze of hallways until they finally reached the door to the General's office. The soldier excused himself briefly before disappearing down the corridor.

Taking a deep breath, Sam gave her outfit one last check before knocking and stepping into the room after receiving permission.

The General immediately stood to greet her, and Sam couldn't help but recall her best friend's words from the night before, feeling a slight flush rise to her cheeks as the man extended his hand. A strange sensation washed over her as she watched him approach. Catherine had failed to mention that Jack O'Neill was an incredibly charismatic man; his chocolate-brown eyes held both seriousness and a hint of mischief. His muscular physique, accentuated by his uniform, made her want to lean into him, and if it weren't for the wedding ring on his left hand or the photo of a young boy on his desk, Sam might have allowed herself to blush and be charmed by the man standing before her.

"Dr. Carter! Catherine has spoken highly of you," he said, abruptly pulling her out of her daydream. His tone was professional, but she noticed a slight pause before he continued, almost as if he hesitated. "Though she forgot to mention you were a woman," he added, visibly unsettled but quickly masking it with a neutral expression.

Sam raised a questioning eyebrow, wondering if the General had even bothered to read her file. "Sorry to disappoint you, General O'Neill," she replied, her voice colder than she intended. "But I am indeed a woman. Is that a problem for you?" she asked, barely concealing her irritation at such blatant misogyny. She suddenly took back her earlier thought—he might be charming visually, but that was where it ended.

Jack blinked, surprised by her reaction. For a brief moment, he looked like he might apologize, but instead, a sly smile curved his lips. "Oh, but I love women, Doctor," he responded, sensing the young woman's sudden tension. "It's scientists I have a problem with."

Sam clenched her jaw but kept her composure, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Well, I guess we'll see how this works out," she said calmly, her professionalism intact. She wasn't about to ruin such a promising career opportunity over a foolish general. It wasn't the first time she had encountered one like him, and it likely wouldn't be the last. As she left the office, her mind raced. She couldn't deny the initial spark of intrigue she felt at seeing Jack O'Neill, but his dismissive tone had quickly extinguished any admiration. Focus, Carter, she thought to herself. This job wasn't about making friends—or enemies, for that matter. It was about fulfilling her potential, contributing to something bigger than herself, and showing that dreams could be balanced with responsibility.

Still, his words lingered. It's scientists I have a problem with. It wasn't the first time Sam had faced this kind of attitude, but it stung nonetheless. She'd spent years proving herself in a field dominated by men, and she wasn't about to let one stubborn officer undermine her confidence.
Her irritation lingered, but so did a strange curiosity. Was he really the arrogant man he seemed, or was there more to him, buried under that gruff demeanor? Sam shook her head, dismissing the thought. There was no time to speculate about her boss's personality. She had work to do.

"OKAY SPILL IT," Liz nearly yelled the moment Sam stepped through the door of their house. "How was it? Tell me you met some super hot military guy—you can tell me that much at least, right? It's not top secret, is it? Oh, and Grace had a great day! She was super well-behaved at school, had her bath, and is already in bed. Now spill!" She rattled off her sentences so quickly that Sam almost couldn't keep up.
With a small laugh, Sam set her purse down in the entryway and greeted her friend. "I'm happy to see you too, Liz. I'm going to read Grace her story first, and then I'll tell you everything, I promise."

The brunette nodded and headed to the kitchen to warm up dinner, waiting patiently for her to return. Sam came back to the living room half an hour later and accepted the plate of pasta with a big smile.

"Okay, go ahead. Fire away with your questions," she said with a grin.

Liz didn't need to be told twice; she grabbed a bottle of wine and sat down beside her. "Did you meet a super hot military guy?"

Sam blushed slightly, taking another bite of pasta before replying. "Actually, yes."

"Oooh! Okay, describe him!" Liz exclaimed excitedly.

"Tall, like 6'3", chocolate-colored eyes, and insanely charismatic," Sam described briefly.

Liz clapped her hands, clearly delighted. "Okay, okay, keep going."

"And also my boss. A big jerk. And married," Sam finished, immediately deflating Liz's excitement.

"Buzzkill," the brunette muttered, grabbing her wine glass. "I don't even want to talk to you anymore."

Finishing her plate, Sam got up to place it in the dishwasher and returned to the couch with a glass of wine, pulling her phone out of her pocket to call Catherine and reassure her about her first official day.

Later that evening, as they settled in for a movie, Sam couldn't help but share a highlight of her day. "I also reconnected with Dr. Daniel Jackson today," she said, a genuine smile spreading across her face.

"Oh, the guy you worked with years ago?" Liz asked, intrigued.

Sam nodded. "We were always on the same wavelength back then. He's brilliant, a little quirky, but he sees the world—and the universe, really—in such a unique way. He's the kind of person who makes you think differently about everything. Catching up with him reminded me why I took this job in the first place."

Liz grinned. "Sounds like a nerdy soulmate. Maybe you're looking at the wrong military guy."
Sam laughed. "Trust me, Daniel is way too consumed by ancient texts and theories to even think about romance. But he's a good friend, and it's comforting to have someone I know here." As Liz refilled their glasses, she set the bottle down and gave Sam a more serious look. "Joking aside, though, are you okay with all of this? I mean, it's a huge leap—from the Pentagon to… whatever it is you're actually doing."

Sam nodded slowly. "It's intimidating, sure. But it's exciting too. I just hope I can balance it all—work, Grace, everything."

"You will," Liz said firmly, her usual playful tone replaced with quiet confidence. "And you know I've got your back if you need me."

Sam smiled, appreciating her friend's rare moment of seriousness. "Thanks, Liz. I mean it."