"Good morning, S… Jack." Sam said as she walked into the kitchen.

Jack smiled at her near slip. "Good morning, Carter." He stood and walked to her, stopping very close to her.

"So you're going to call me Carter?" She asked as she put her arms around his waist.

"Yup." He kissed her softly.

"Why not Sam?"

"It's always been Carter in my …dreams." He winked at her.

"Dreams, huh?" Her kiss was a little more purposeful.

"It was really nice waking up with you this morning." Jack said very softly against her neck.

Sam inhaled sharply as he pressed his mouth to the spot behind her ear. "Mmmm… I like that." She closed her eyes and leaned in close to him. Suddenly he stopped and took a step back, shaking her out of the trance.

"Want some coffee?" he asked. "I'll make you some eggs."

"I don't have any beer. Isn't that essential for your egg recipe." She was a little taken aback by his sudden change of mood. They had spent a wonderful night the previous evening cuddling in front of the television, but when it came time for bed, he had only held her close and gone to sleep.

"I can make due." He kissed the top of her head as he placed her coffee, black with two sugars, on the table in front of her.

"Thanks." She sipped the coffee. It was exactly the way she liked it. She smiled realizing that she could have done the same for him.

They ate their beer-less eggs and drank their perfect coffee and decided to head out into the fresh air. They spent so much time on earth in a bunker below Cheyenne Mountain that, when opportunity allowed, hiking in the sunshine was a favorite pastime for both.

"I want to show you something." Jack said into her ear as they got into his truck.

"Oh?" She replied with a suggestive smile. "What is it?"

He smiled and shook his head. "It's a surprise, Carter."

He brought her to his favorite hiking trail and led her up one of the lesser used paths. It took them up a steep incline that followed the river for a while, then branched away. They continued climbing until they were nearly at the end of the trail. Sam tried to continue upward, but Jack pulled her off the trail and through the woods.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To a secret place." Was all he would say. They scrambled across a rocky hillside and out toward the edge of a steep drop off. They could see miles and miles of beautiful valley ringed by forest. There as a lake in the distance, the sun glinting off the surface of the water. Sam sat on a rock and stared.

"Jack, this is incredible." She said softly as she stared into the distance. He sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. As she stared off into the distance, she thought about what would have brought Jack out here onto the side of this mountain, to the side of this cliff. "When did you find this place?"

"Long time ago."

"After Charlie." It was not a question. "You thought about jumping." She looked at him. "I'm glad you signed up for a different suicide mission." She intertwined her fingers with his.

He didn't speak for a moment. When he did, it was without looking at her. "This worries me."

"What worries you?"

"You know me so well… why would you want to be with me?" He still stared out at the scenery. "I don't deserve you."

Sam gently turned his face to look at her. "First of all, don't ever say that again. You are an amazing man. Secondly," She kissed him softly. "I have loved you since our first mission. And you're my best friend."

"Isn't the best part of the relationship the discovery?"

"Not always. Besides, we have a lot left to discover." She kissed him deeply.

"I'm looking forward to it."