"Grace is asleep," Sam said, walking into the living room of the new house with a small smile.

"I told ya..." He chuckled from where he sat by the fireplace.

"I'll just have to remind myself that you're always right," she chuckled affectionately.

He smiled.

"Hey," she said, looking over at her almost-retired husband as she sat down beside him. "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

"I don't know," he murmured as he put his arm around her. "Thought I'd drop Grace off at school, come home...read a book...take a nap..." He chuckled. "I mean, Landry's pretty much taken over in DC."

"Which is why you're here in Colorado Springs with me." She grinned as she leaned her cheek on his shoulder, affectionately. There was a small pause for a moment before she looked back up at him. "So you're just going to enjoy your retirement tomorrow."

"Better believe it."

She bit her lip. "Landry called this morning while you were helping the movers."

"Oh?"

She nodded. "Apparently, he wants me to report to the SGC first thing tomorrow morning."

"Did he mention your new assignment? Are you back on SG-1?"

"I don't know. Probably."

"Well, if the new commander's smart, he'll keep you right there at the top…"

She blushed softly before she looked over at him. "Any idea who the new commander is? Reynolds? Mitchell? Someone else?"

"No idea."

"This is a military base. I KNOW you know." She said, raising an eyebrow.

He shook his head with a dead-panned expression. "That was discussed at the end of my last meeting. I think I was on..." He thought for a moment. "...level 29 of my game..."

She gave him a pointed look before he chuckled. "All I know is that Landry made a suggestion, and even though the IOA cringed a little, they accepted his decision."

"Oh brother." She said, shaking her head. "Now, we've got a shrub..."

Jack hid a small chuckle as he shrugged. "Who knows? This person might be a little more generous to the science department. Actually listen to them for a change..."

"Yeah right." She laughed, sardonically. "The closest we ever got - really - was General Hammond. I mean, you were better than Landry and all of you were better than Bauer, but...you're just not scientists..."

He leaned in and kissed her nose affectionately. "Okay...so...probably not a sympathetic General."

"Probably not." She smiled as she leaned into his embrace more comfortably.

She rested her cheek on his shoulder. "This is nice," she murmured as her eyes began to close of their own accord.

He chuckled as he ran his fingers through her hair. "Yeah. Really nice."

"Don't do that," she murmured. "Puts me to sleep..."

"Hey, you had a long day between putting up with your retired husband, your now six-year-old daughter, and the movers." He chuckled. "Sleep is good. You deserve sleep."

"Um-kay..." She smiled as she gave in.

He waited for a few moments until he knew she was asleep before he smiled and kissed the top of her blond head. "You're going to be a great commander, Brigadier General Samantha Carter..." He murmured, proudly, as he leaned his cheek on the top of her head, affectionately.

-

Sam stood just outside the commander's office at the SGC as she gently tugged at her dress uniform jacket, somewhat nervously. She inhaled before she knocked on the open door. The back of the leather chair was facing her, and she felt the intense desire to learn who was commanding the facility come back. "Colonel Samantha Carter reporting as ordered." She announced with a snappy salute.

The chair pivoted and her eyebrows shot up when she saw Jack dressed in his own set of blues. "What are you doing here?" She asked, dropping her professional decorum.

He grinned as he stood. "Welcoming the new commander of the SGC..."

She looked behind her in confusion as he continued. "Brigadier General Samantha Carter."

She froze before she turned back to him. "I knew you knew." She finally managed.

He grinned. "Whaddaya think? You wanna be "the man"?"

She gave him a strange look.

"I mean..."the WO-man!" He corrected.

She shook her head. "This...can't...be happening..." She managed.

"Because the IOA was stupid enough to bring you back to Earth from Atlantis?" He asked, more seriously.

"For starters? Yeah."

"Woolsey backed you up."

She raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I was surprised myself." He admitted. "But these last few years leading Atlantis has taught him something about "realistic" expectations. And he wanted to make it up to you by offering you this post."

She nodded slowly before looking away as she thought about the last year of their lives. "Jack, I don't know..."

"I think it would be good for you," he admitted, gently touching her arm. "Getting back to work. You know...the stuff you actually like to do..."

She bit her lip. "I wasn't even working when I lost the baby," she murmured mournfully.

He walked over and wrapped his arms around her. "Sh," he comforted. "You can do this, and I think this will help put you in a good place. Maybe we'll adopt another kid. A baby this time."

"It's hard to adopt a baby, Jack...and we got lucky with Grace..."

"Do you think we can get through this?" Jack asked, softly forcing her to look up at him.

She nodded slowly.

"Then, I think you should take the job. We'll come up with ways to do everything else we want to do, but for now...just take the job."

"You're stubborn, you know that?" She asked with a faint smile.

He shrugged as a smile played on his lips.

She grinned. "Okay, Jack. I'll do it."

"I knew you would." He smiled. "Now...I believe everyone is waiting for us downstairs in the Gate Room."

She tensed. "Everyone?"

"Daniel, Vala, and Teal'c included." He grinned.

"Do they know?"

"Nope." He grinned. "Made sure of that myself."

She laughed. "Okay. Let's go."

"Atta girl!" He said, standing and opening the door. "You're gonna like that chair, by the way." He said as she walked out of the office and into the corridor which led them to the elevator which would allow them to walk in the left door of the Gate Room. "It's nice and comfortable."

"You had your chair sent over from the Pentagon, didn't you, Jack?"

"Yes, well..." He chuckled.

"Thank you," she said, looking over at him with a soft eyes.

"Anything for you, Sam." He said, soberly. "You know that."

She fingered the wedding and engagement rings on her left ring finger before she grinned. "Yes, I do."

"Now," Jack said in more of a business tone. "How do you want to be presented? General Carter or General O'Neill?"

She bit her lip somewhat flummoxed. "I can't do either without feeling like an imposter."

He raised an eyebrow as she explained. "I either sound like I'm my dad with General Carter. Or I sound like I'm you with General O'Neill."

"Ah." He said, nodding. "Well, we could change your name, but that will take time...and the ceremony's in a few minutes."

Sam chuckled. "How about at work I stay "Carter", and at home, I go back to being Mrs. O'Neill, hm?"

"I like the sound of that," he smiled.

She grinned. "Then, it's settled."

"General Carter, it is." He said, nodding to Walter, who walked into the Gate Room and up to the microphone.

Sam inhaled nervously from where she was being hidden for the moment. "I'm a little scared," she admitted. "I don't know if I can do this."

Jack looked over at her with a serious look in his eye. "You can, Sam. I may be skeptical about a lot of things, but never about you. Or your potential."

Checking to make sure they were still hidden somewhat, Sam leaned over to kiss him lightly. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." He smiled before the doors opened so that he could walk through and introduce the new commander to her command.

"It's good to be back with you," Jack said into the microphone. "Life's come full-circle for me. Fifteen years ago, I walked into this facility for the first time, unsure of what I would find on the other side of this ring. And now, I come to introduce to you your new commander as my final act in the United States Air Force."

He noticed Daniel's thoughtful smile in the crowd and Teal'c's pleasant, yet stoic, stance.

"A year after I went through the Stargate for the first time, when she was assigned to my team, I met a remarkable woman without whom the Stargate Program could never have operated more than the one time, if at all. And it is my pleasure, as my final act in the Service, to announce Samantha Carter's promotion to Brigadier General. And...to formally introduce her to you as your new base commander."

Vala clapped enthusiastically as the door opened to reveal Sam in her uniform as she walked into the Gate room with the same confidence to which Jack had first found himself attracted the first time he'd seen her walk into the briefing room fourteen years earlier.

She gave him a special smile as she joined him on the ramp.

Jack looked over at Walter, who began reading the prescribed letter of the President's special trust in her as Jack began removing the Colonel insignias from her epaulettes and pinning a single silver star in their places.

Jack grinned as he finally finished and stood back to look at her proudly. Then, he pulled out the small slip of paper with her oath on it. Realizing that Walter was now finished, Jack looked up at Sam with a small wink to put her at ease.

"Raise your right hand and repeat after me, if you please," he said, looking over at his wife for a moment. She nodded as he began. "I, state your name..."

"I," she hesitated with a twinkle in her eyes. "Samantha Carter," she finally finished.

"Having been appointed a Brigadier General in the United States Air Force," he continued.

"Having been appointed a Brigadier General in the United States Air Force," she repeated.

"Do solemnly swear that I will support and defend," he said, looking up at her.

"Do solemnly swear that I will support and defend," she continued, looking straight ahead in the solemnity of the occasion.

"The Constitution of the United States..."

"The Constitution of the United States..."

"Against all enemies, foreign and domestic..."

"Against all enemies, foreign and domestic..."

"That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same," he read.

"That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..."

"That I take this obligation freely..."

"That I take this obligation freely..."

"Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion..."

"Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion..."

"And that I will well and faithfully discharge..."

"And that I will well and faithfully discharge..."

"The duties of the office upon which I am about to enter..."

"The duties of the office upon which I am about to enter," she said, inhaling deeply.

"So help me God." Jack finished, looking back up at her.

"So help me God." She said, soberly.

He grinned. "Brigadier General Samantha Carter." He said, carefully raising his right hand to the brim of his hat as he offered her a snappy salute.

Her eyes were moist as she shared the final salute of her husband's career.

"Congratulations." He said, reaching over and shaking her hand.

"Thank you," she managed, softly.

Jack made his way back to the microphone. "I present to you, Stargate Command, your new base commander, Brigadier General Samantha Carter."

There was loud applause as Sam made her way to the microphone somewhat nervously.

"It has been my privilege to spend the majority of my career here at Stargate Command in particular," she began slowly. "I have worked with some wonderful commanders, and I hope that I can lead you in the way that you deserve."

"Hear, hear!" Daniel cried with a grin.

Sam smiled widely as the crowd erupted into another round of applause.

"It is my privilege to accept this command, General O'Neill." She said, looking over at her husband. "And I hope to do you and your predecessors proud." She looked back at the crowd. "Thank you."

She stepped away from the microphone, and Jack smiled as he escorted her Daniel's lab for the small reception he'd planned for her and the rest of SG-1. "You could never disappoint me, Sam." He admitted when things had quieted down around them a little.

She turned a grateful smile to him. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"So YOU'RE the new commander!" Daniel grinned as he served up the cake.

Sam grinned. "It was a surprise to me too, believe me."

"Really?" Vala asked around a mouthful of cake, surprised.

Sam chuckled softly. "My husband," she gently elbowed him in the ribs as he tried to eat his cake. "Managed to keep me in the dark somehow."

"Ah." She said, nodding.

"Hey, I gotta keep the home fires burning somehow," Jack winked as he looked over at his wife.

"Okay, TMI!" Daniel cried, closing his eyes as he grimaced.

Sam smiled as Vala swatted the back of his head affectionately. "Oh, Daniel..."

As Daniel, Vala, and Teal'c occupied themselves with their usual teasing banter, Sam pulled her husband into a corner of the room. "Hey, Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"This was a great surprise."

He grinned. "Thanks."

"C'mere." She invited, pulling his tie gently.

"Ooh..." He grinned, expecting a kiss as he closed his eyes.

She smiled mischievously as she shoved her plateful of cake into his face.

She looked quite proud as he wiped the icing from his eyes before he opened them. "And that was for..."

"You, of all people should know, Jack..." She grinned. "All's fair in love and war."

"Oh, believe me...I do." He said, leaning into kiss her as she squealed good-naturedly. The icing and cake which had adorned his face was now adorning both faces as Daniel, Vala, and Teal'c just stared at the couple, who were currently unaware that anyone else was in the room.

"I think this is our cue to go..." Vala said, leaning over to Teal'c.

"Indeed." The Jaffa agreed.

"It's like a train wreck." Daniel whined. "You can't take your eyes away from it."

Vala chuckled as she shook her head, grabbing Daniel by the tie and pulling him out of the room, causing the other two to follow.

Sam looked over at her husband. "I think they're gone, Mr. O'Neill."

He nodded. "Yes, but there are cameras..."

Sam chuckled as she kissed his nose. "D'oh. Rain check?"

"Oh, you better believe it."

"I think I have some meetings to go to."

"Like that?" He laughed.

"I'll clean my face!"

"I should hope so!" He teased. "I'm not sure how everyone would feel if they thought they're commander couldn't even control her cake let alone a base."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Them's fightin' words..." She drawled.

"Yeah? So? Whatcha gonna do about it?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in mock defiance.

"Someday..." She began, slowly with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "When you least expect it...you'll remember this moment, and you'll know who got the last laugh."

"D'oh."

"I'm telling you...all's fair in love and war, darlin'." She winked as she slipped past him to retrieve a napkin.

He laughed. "Love you, General Carter."

"That's Mrs. O'Neill to you." She teased as she leaned in to kiss him gently.

"I think you kiss better as a General," he teased.

"Jack!"

"Maybe it's because I'm a civilian now...and you're still military...hm..."

She shook her head. "Wash your face, Jack." She said, throwing a towel to him. "Before you hurt your brain trying to figure out how to work this to your advantage."

"Yes, ma'am." He winked, causing her to smile. She was married to a crazy, crazy man. That much was certain.

-

Stay tuned for the next installment of the series: "Wife and Mother - Master and Commander"