Chapter Text
SGC - Daniel’s office
...
"So you still haven't told him."
"Daniel..."
"That's all right."
"I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet, that's all."
"Does that mean... you've made up your mind?"
"I...no...yes...I don't know. It's not that easy."
"Maybe it will help you decide, Sam."
"I think...not."
Sam sighed, lost in thought, while Daniel just kept chattering away, but she was no longer listening to him.
She knew there was a lot more clarification needed between her and Jack O'Neill than she was willing to admit.
She had broken up with Pete and, even after all this time, hadn't said a single word about it.
That had been two years ago now. Sam comforted herself with the thought that she hadn't been able to have a relationship during that time anyway. Atlantis was her excuse for not having to talk to Jack. Of course they talked to each other, but not about these little things. After all, he was still one of her superiors, even if they didn't work so closely together anymore.
The offer Sam was thinking about, namely to run the Stargate Center, came from the very top and she didn't have much time to think about it.
"Well, if you want, I'll call him right back."
"I don't want to sort something like this out over the phone, Daniel."
She suddenly burst out.
He looked at her in astonishment,
"Something like that?"
She returned his puzzled look.
"Wait. ...we're still talking about the SGC, aren't we?"
Daniel narrowed his eyes a little,
"Okay, no, no, but..don't mind,"
he replied curtly and hurried on,
"anyway, since he's invited us to a barbecue, that would be..."
"Wait a minute! What? Who?"
"Jack."
Sam looked at him questioningly,
"Barbecue?"
"Farewell party. Weren't you listening earlier?"
Sam stared at Daniel for a moment, as if she wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly.
"General O'Neill?"
Daniel nodded and leaned back in his chair.
"Yes. He's decided to retire for good. No more Pentagon, no more SGC. Does that surprise you?"
Sam pressed her lips together. Something inside her tightened.
"Retirement? I... I had no idea."
Daniel eyed her for a moment. "He really didn't tell you, did he?"
She avoided his gaze. "We haven't spoken much lately."
Daniel took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. " He hasn't exactly blurted it out, but I thought you guys would...well...talk to each other about things like this."
His tone was neutral, but Sam heard the unspoken question in it. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and took a deep breath.
"I've just been busy, Daniel."
"Too busy?"
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
He sighed. "You two are avoiding each other."
"That's not true."
"Oh, please, Sam." Daniel leaned forward, his voice softer but no less firm.
"After you broke up with Pete, you didn't talk to anyone about it."
"I tried, but-"
"Then you went to Nevada. Then you were here, he was in DC and then you were in Atlantis. You threw yourself into work there. And now that you're back here..."
"What?" she snapped at him.
"Now you're acting like this is normal."
His words hit her like a punch in the stomach.
"I'm not pretending. Maybe ... it's just our way of dealing with everything."
"When was the last time you talked to Jack about anything beyond work?”
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "That's exactly what I thought."
Sam dropped her arms and ran them through her hair in frustration.
"There was just... never the right time to talk about it," she finally mumbled. "It's complicated and you know it."
"There is no such thing as the right moment, Sam. And if there is, it's now. You should have started long ago."
"We... it wouldn't have changed the facts, Daniel."
"Yeah, I get that. That whole military hierarchy thing. But that's changing now."
She bit her lower lip, her gaze falling to the pile of artifacts on Daniel's desk. The world was constantly changing, missions came and went, but this conversation... it suddenly felt more important than anything else.
"What if it's too late now?" she whispered.
Daniel eyed her for a long moment, then took a piece of paper from his desk and handed it to her.
"You should find out."
She took the note without looking.
"The party is this weekend at his cabin. It's all on here," Daniel explained.
"Just a barbecue, really, and just the four of us."
Sam turned the note over in her fingers.
"I don't know if that's a good idea."
Daniel sighed and put his glasses back on.
"Then think about it. It would be nice if we were all there. If you don't go, I can understand that, but you might regret it one day."
His words echoed in her mind as she left the office.
Sam's house – afternoon.
Sam was sitting on the couch, her legs pulled up under her, her hands wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee. In front of her on the coffee table was the little note Daniel had given her. She had folded it, unfolded it again, as if the paper itself could give her an answer.
"Jack's cabin - weekend - barbecue." She mumbled to herself.
So Jack O'Neill was really retiring.
This time for good.
Sam let her gaze wander through the dark living room. An empty room, a silent house. It wasn't that she was lonely - she had her work, her colleagues. But it wasn't the same.
She thought back to the days when SG-1 was still a real team. When Jack was her CO. When they sat together in the briefing room after missions, tired but content. When Teal'c raised his famous eyebrow, Daniel had heated discussions about ancient civilizations and Jack -
Jack lightened things up with his sarcastic comments, sometimes even upsetting Hammond.
This time felt like a different life. An exciting life, full of danger. But she also remembered quiet and beautiful moments around the campfire with her boys. She missed those times.
Then Jack had been promoted to General. Even more distance. And then he moved to Washington, Homeworld Security.
Jack O'Neill, who had always claimed to hate desk work, had left the SGC and gone to D.C. And she moved on too, so as not to be left behind alone.
She remembered the day he had left. She had congratulated him, smiled at him, professional as always. But inside, it had felt like an era was coming to an end.
And perhaps it was finally coming to an end.
For two years, they had given themselves the perfect excuse not to think about it. To not think about the fact that she had broken up with Pete and had never told Jack directly.
She had tried.
Yes.
He probably knew after she confessed her doubts to him.
Sure.
Seeing him in his front yard with another woman after she'd finally been willing to open up to him
-Embarrassing.
And so it was clear.
He had moved on.
Perhaps she should have tried again the last time they were together in his cabin.
But she couldn't find the right moment.
And then, there was simply no chance.
Too late.
She kept telling herself that so she wouldn't have to admit to herself that she and Jack had never really spoken to each other openly after all these years.
She turned the small piece of paper over and over between her fingers as she realized something:
This might really be her last chance.
Now.
No more excuses.
If she didn't go, she would regret it.
She knew that.
Sam took a deep breath, put the coffee cup in the sink and glanced at the clock.
Minneapolis is over a thousand miles away.
A flight?
On such short notice?
She had to try and talk to Jack.
Take this opportunity...
Or not?
Jack's cabin - Saturday morning
The soft crunch of tires on gravel broke the silence on the shore of the lake. The black sedan slowly came to a halt before the engine fell silent. It remained quiet for a moment, only the rustling of the wind in the treetops and the distant lapping of the water could be heard.
Then the driver's door opened and Daniel got out. He stretched briefly, pushed his glasses higher up his nose and looked at the rustic wooden house in front of him. It was just as he remembered it - simple, functional and yet somehow cozy.
On the other side of the car, another door opened and Teal'c stepped out. As always, he appeared calm and composed, but Daniel knew him well enough to interpret the minimal raise of an eyebrow as a sign of interest.
"O'Neill appears to be prepared," Teal'c remarked, gesturing slightly towards the terrace as they approached.
Daniel followed his gaze. There, on the spacious wooden veranda, was a barbecue - already set up, with a bag of charcoal next to it.
Next to it leaned a well-stocked cooler of beer, and a table was set with crockery and cutlery.
"Of course…he is," Daniel murmured. "It's Jack. For him, a successful steak is more important than my phonecall."
The front door opened and a familiar face stepped out.
Jack O'Neill.
He looked... relaxed. Jeans, gray T-shirt, sunglasses that half-hid his face. No suit, no uniform. For the first time in a long time, Daniel didn't see him as a General, but simply as Jack.
"Finally," Jack called out to them. "I thought you were lost."
"You billeted us in the middle of nowhere, and besides, I tried to call," Daniel countered dryly as he closed the car door.
"Details." Jack waved him off and came down the steps.
"As long as you're here. And hungry."
"Indeed," Teal'c confirmed with a slight nod.
Jack clapped his hands.
"Perfect! Then we'll have ribs later."
Daniel shook his head slightly, but couldn't help smiling.
It was as if time had stood still - as if they were SG-1 again and had just completed a mission.
But this wasn't a mission.
This was a farewell.
Sam still hadn't contacted him or responded to his call. Daniel wondered briefly if Jack knew she might not want to come here.
He couldn't help but look at Jack for a moment.
He seemed calm, yes. But Daniel knew him too well not to notice that something was working inside him.
Jack O'Neill hated change.
And this step - the final farewell to the Air Force, to responsibility - had to be harder for him than he would ever admit.
"You look like you're enjoying it already," Daniel finally said, pointing to the veranda.
Jack pulled his sunglasses down slightly and looked at him over the edge. "Don't …say that too loud or they'll give me my job back."
"I think it's too late for that," Daniel remarked dryly.
Jack shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, I guess I have no choice but to devote myself fully to my true calling."
"Barbecue chef?"
"Correct."
Teal'c raised a brow.
"An honorable task, O'Neill."
Jack grinned. "Finally, someone who understands me."
Daniel shook his head with a grin, but it was working inside him.
A farewell.
A new beginning.
And Sam wasn't there.
He didn't know if she would come.
He didn't ask.
But he hoped she would.
For both of them.
Saturday afternoon.
The barbecue sizzled as Jack put a good piece of meat on the grill. The smell of glowing charcoal and smoky marinades lingered in the air, mingling with the gentle breeze from the nearby lake.
"I have to admit, Jack," Daniel said as he took a beer from the cooler, "you really meant what you said about your new vocation.”
Jack gave him a sideways glance. "Told you."
Teal'c, standing next to the grill with a stoic calm, watched the proceedings with his usual composure.
"You have prepared an impressive selection of dishes, O'Neill."
"Well, Teal'c, when I do something, I do it right." Jack flipped one of the steaks, the fat dripping into the embers and making a soft crackling sound.
Daniel took a sip of beer and let his gaze wander over the surroundings. The cabin was secluded, surrounded by dense woods, with direct access to the lake. It was a quiet, peaceful place - a strange contrast to the hectic, dangerous world they had lived in for so long.
"Not bad for retirement," Daniel finally said.
Jack shrugged his shoulders. "Thought I'd give normal life a try."
Daniel raised an eyebrow skeptically. "So, how's it going so far?"
Jack hesitated for a second before replying with exaggerated enthusiasm: "Fantastic! Absolutely great. No paperwork, no intergalactic crises... just me, the pond, my barbecue and a damn good view."
Daniel looked at him for a moment, then continued: "I can't wait to see how long you can keep this-"
But before he could continue, he was interrupted by a loud crunch - the sound of tires rolling over the gravel of the driveway.
All three men instinctively turned their heads towards the road.
A black SUV slowly came to a halt.
Jack squinted behind his sunglasses and moved curiously around the corner.
Daniel unconsciously held his breath and followed Jack.
Sam felt her heartbeat quicken as she caught sight of the cabin.
The smell of grilled meat and burning wood lingered in the air, mixed with the familiar presence of Jack, Daniel and Teal'c - and yet everything felt different. This was not the base, not Stargate Center, not some crisis moment where she simply had to function.
This was... private.
Personal.
Her hands gripped the steering wheel tighter for a moment as she turned off the engine. She was late. Not by much, but enough that she wondered if it already had some unspoken meaning. Had she hesitated?
Yes.
Had she considered whether to come here at all?
Yes, too.
As she got out and closed the car door behind her, she felt the men's eyes on her.
Jack was standing there with the barbecue tongs in his hand, his lips curled into one of his typical slack half-smiles - but his eyes, hidden behind his sunglasses, gave nothing away.
She let her gaze slide over him, trying to read his face. Was he surprised? Pleased? Perhaps a hint of relief? Or had he secretly expected her not to turn up after all?
She unconsciously straightened her shoulders as she took the first step forward. Maybe that was a mistake. Maybe it was exactly what she needed to do.
Jack watched her in silence. His heartbeat had accelerated imperceptibly when he recognized the dark silhouette of the SUV - and even more when Sam finally got out. She had actually come.
His gaze rested on her as she came closer, and although he felt the familiar crackle in his chest, he forced himself to remain calm. Sam looked like she wasn't sure she belonged here. As if she had made a decision and wasn't yet sure if it was the right one.
He wanted to make it easy for her.
"Carter, there you are!" His voice sounded relaxed, inviting, as if it was the most normal thing in the world that she was standing here now - as if he had never doubted it.
She paused briefly, her lips twitching as if she wanted to return a smile, but it wasn't quite there yet. Then she took a breath, stepped out onto the porch for good and looked at him.
Sam forced herself to smile, but it felt strange. Not fake - but unsure, as if she would have to get used to the dynamic between them all again.
Daniel returned her smile warmly, but he scrutinized her with that typical, almost penetrating look he gave when he suspected there was more in the room than just a friendly meeting.
"Sam. Glad you could make it."
"Yeah... I somehow made it in time," she mumbled, unconsciously running a hand over the back of her neck. She hadn't intended to be late, but maybe that was what she had needed - a few more minutes in the car to collect herself, to be sure that this was what she really wanted.
Teal'c bowed slightly. "It's good to see you again."
She gave him a grateful smile as she pulled her bag over her shoulder and finally took the last step onto the porch.
Jack tapped the empty chair next to him with the flat of his hand. "About time you got here. Have a seat. I'm sure you've had enough of driving."
His voice sounded relaxed, almost as if it was the most normal thing in the world that she was sitting here now. But there was something in his posture - a touch too much nonchalance, a hint of effort, as if he was trying too hard to give the impression that everything should be exactly as it was.
Sam sat down slowly. Her fingers clasped the glass of water in front of her, but she realized that her hand was trembling slightly. She quickly took a sip, hoping it wouldn't be noticeable.
Jack stood up and grabbed another piece of meat from the grill. "Come on, Carter, the meat won't get any better the longer you wait."
His grin was there - that typical O'Neill smile that everyone knew. But she'd known him long enough to realize it didn't quite reach his eyes.
She forced herself to swallow the lump in her throat and managed to say in a calm voice, "You've got retirement well under control, sir... Jack."
The word slipped out before she could think about it. She had gotten used to the military distance for so many years that it felt strange to just call him Jack.
He barely raised an eyebrow before turning back to his plate.
"I suppose you could say that," he finally said and took a bite. "But it's still unusual. Not that I have anything to complain about. It's just... Different, I guess."
She nodded, not really knowing what to say to that.
Silence fell over the table, not uncomfortable, but noticeable.
Daniel and Teal'c exchanged a look, as if they both had the same unspoken thought - that this wasn't just a meeting of old friends.
Sam sensed it too. It was as if the air had changed, as if this was the moment when she had to ask herself: was this just a visit? One last reunion before they both went in different directions for good?
Or was there something else?
Her fingers stroked the rim of her glass, lost in thought. "I hope you'll enjoy it," she finally said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"Who knows when we'll see each other again."
Jack paused in his movement. It was only a fraction of a second, barely noticeable, but Sam noticed.
He looked at her. Not just fleetingly, not just casually. But really.
Their eyes met.
There was no casual remark. No joke to break the tension.
Just a moment.
Just the two of them.
And suddenly it felt like everything depended on that moment.
Jack held her gaze a moment longer than he needed to.
Sam felt her chest tighten a little, as if the air around her was getting heavier.
She knew that look in his eyes. Not quite a smile, not quite thoughtfulness. It was something in between, an unspoken thought that he either couldn't or wouldn't say.
Daniel cleared his throat quietly and took a sip of his beer.
"So, uh... you're right, maybe we should make a toast?"
Jack blinked, as if returning from a dream, and turned to him.
"A toast?"
Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "Well, to your... successful retirement?"
"Ah, because I managed not to get involved in intergalactic problems for a week.”
"Exactly."
Jack snorted softly, but reached for his bottle of beer.
"All right, then. Here's to... retirement. And to barbecues without crises."
"To good friends," Daniel added.
"To true warriors and their well-deserved rest," Teal'c said with a respectful nod.
Sam raised her water glass. "And to positive changes."
Jack looked at her again, this time with a raised eyebrow. "Changes, huh?"
She nodded slowly. "Sometimes they come quicker than you think. It would be good if they were at least positive, right?"
He nodded and eyed her for a moment, then clinked glasses with her. "To that."
They drank, and for a while the lightness returned. Daniel began to talk about an archaeological discovery that had excited him, Teal'c added a quiet comment about his travels, and Jack threw in the occasional dry comment that made everyone laugh.
But even as the conversation continued, the feeling remained.
The looks Sam and Jack exchanged.
The words that still remained unsaid.
And the question that still hovered between them.
Was this a goodbye?
Or a beginning?