Epilogue (Set during Season 9 episode "Beachhead")

A few months later

"I have some news."

Jack smiled at Sam's face on the computer screen, happy to see her so excited. He could tell from the background behind her that she was in her sleeping quarters aboard Prometheus. Even though he'd been happy that she had taken him seriously when he had told her not to turn anything down if it came up, all the video-chat and deep-space link thing didn't make up for not waking up next to her every morning. He had gotten used to that really fast, well, pretty much the first morning it had happened, actually. He missed her. A lot.

So a part of him kind of wished that she would consider Colonel Mitchell's offer to re-join SG-1. Her hours would be crazier, she would have less free time, and he'd spend a lot of time worrying about her when she was off-world, but at least they would see each other at the end of her shift. They could even move in together, if she wished. But maybe that was a discussion best reserved for some face-to-face time.

"What? Wait don't tell me. The Prometheus sublight engine's subatomic reactors were improved with a quantum particle generator?" he teased.

She smirked. "You know what you just said doesn't make any sense, right?"

He sighed. "I miss the old days. When you didn't dare make fun of me to my face." He smiled. "So what's the news?"

She shook her head in amusement. "I got a call from General Landry today." She took a breath. "They want me back."

"Funny you should say that, cause I got a call from Hank too."

She looked surprised. "Oh. What did he say?"

"He wants you back."

"He told you about the Ori beachhead and the Mark 9?"

"He did."

"Huh. Wow." She looked confused. "But why? I mean why did he call you?"

"He wants to keep me in the loop."

"Seriously, why did he call you?"

"I think he thinks I have some influence over you or something. He wants me to work my magic and convince you to go. Little does he know that you have all the influence and magic in this relationship."

She smiled, but then focused on the issue at hand. "They must be pretty desperate."

"To call me?"

"To call me," Sam rectified – but he had seen the brief smirk. "I think I should go. At least temporarily. Maybe I really can help."

Jack nodded slightly. "For what it's worth, I think you should go too. And maybe not temporarily."

That caught her attention. "You think I should ask to be reassigned to the SGC?"

Jack hesitated. He definitely wanted it, but he didn't want to stop her from doing what she wanted. "It's up to you. I know the R&D job was what you wanted with Teal'c and Daniel gone. But now Daniel seems to be stuck here for a while. And Teal'c's gonna come to his senses soon."

She smiled softly. "I have to admit, I've kind of missed it. Going off-world. The SGC."

Jack returned her smile. "I know."

She leaned a little closer to her camera. "And I kind of miss you, too." Oh that soft voice…

"Just 'kind of'?"

"No." She smiled. "But if we take a moment to weigh the pros and cons… Going back to the SGC would mean that I could settle back in Colorado Springs more permanently..."

"True," he agreed, starting to grin despite his attempts at hiding it. "Please tell me you think that's a pro."

"Definitely a pro."

"Good. Because – and not that I'm trying to influence you or anything, but… I think you coming to the old neighborhood would be really, really great. I kind of miss you too."

Her smiled softened.

"We could even, oh I don't know, move in together or something," Jack suggested lightly.

There was a pause. Jack threw a glance at her face on the screen. She was smiling.

"Okay."

"Okay? Just like that?"

"Yes. So it's settled then; I'll go and help them save the world, and I'll try to get a sense of whether or not Mitchell still wants me on SG-1."

"He does."

"Don't get your hopes up."

"No, I'm saying I know he does. Hank told me."

She narrowed her eyes. "Wow, it turns out General Landry really did know what he was doing when he called you…"

"Are you saying I do have some influence on you?"

She smirked. "Well, I don't know about influence, but as your junior by quite a few years, I think it's only fair that I respect your wisdom and-"

"Alright, alright, that's enough."

They fell silent when the humor faded, sharing a smile.

"Any chance you can bribe the commander to beam you down here for the night?"

She sighed. "I wish. But on the bright side, they want me to escort the Mark 9 first thing in the morning. So if all goes according to plan, I'll see you tomorrow night."

Jack thought things at the SGC never did go according to plan, but he stayed silent. Instead he said, "Can't wait. Be careful out there."

"I will."

"And say hi to Daniel. He never writes, he never calls…"

"Will do. I'll see you tomorrow."

Jack nodded, and hesitated for a second before he said: "Love you." They didn't say the words very often, but Jack felt it so much at the moment that he couldn't keep it inside. She'd understand.

Her gaze sharpened as she caught his words. "I love you too."

Jack ended the conversation by pushing the button and shut his laptop with a sigh. If anyone had asked him six months ago what he thought his life would be like in the near future, he could never have imagined life being so good as it was. Sure, it wasn't always perfect, but most of the time it came pretty damn close.

And tomorrow…

Tomorrow she'd be in his arms again, and then it really was going to be perfect.

100% perfect.

The end

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