It had been a long day for Jack. He had been up since before four, East Coast time, fought his way through the DC airport and had to deal with two layover delays. Thanks to the time zones, he still landed before ten local time, but was exhausted. As he walked out of the terminal, he was graced with the sight of Sam sitting in the driver's seat of his truck. Tossing in his bags he jumped into the passenger seat and leaned back.

Sam began the two hour drive, at least at her speed, to their Christmas destination, a ski lodge, to spend Christmas with Sam's brother Mark and his family. Jack typically liked to drive because it helped him focus with less fidgeting, however Sam drove because of his current state and also because of how nervous she was about seeing her brother. Despite his exhaustion, he was concerned for her. Looking over and seeing her as she fidgeted with the steering wheel, Jack saw how thick her emotions were in the air.

In his best Harrison Ford impersonation, Jack spoke to break the silence, "I have a real bad feeling about this."

Sam glanced over at him then back at the road. She shook her head and he could tell she was pressing her lips together trying not to smile. "Really, Han Solo?"

He chuckled because he purposefully quoted the line to make her smile. He then jovially said, "You love Han Solo."

Sam obviously couldn't keep from smiling any longer. "Yeah, sometimes you remind me of him."

Jack turned a little in his chair and with a smug look on his face stated, "Please tell me how I'm anything like him."

She glanced at him with a slight knowing glare. The glare that says, 'You know exactly what.'

Shuffling around and fidgeting because he can't stand being a passenger. He never seemed to know what to do with his hands. "You're definitely not Leia. A cocky arrogant princess to be saved." He paused after for a brief moment as he remembered more of the movies, and he knows them well thanks to Teal'c. "Although, she is confident, smart, kick ass, and does save him in Return of the Jedi. Never mind, you can be Leia."

She glanced at him a little more teasingly this time, "Well, you definitely got the 'clueless General' and the infamous 'I know' line down."

"What? I have no idea what you are talking about."

"When we were on the Alkesh heading to get the ancient ZPM, I tried to tell you how I felt and all you could say was 'I know' before I could say what I wanted to say. That is so Han Solo. Wants the girl, but can't say how he really feels."

Jack just looked at her with his mouth hanging open. Then came to his senses, "Sam, you know that I don't remember anything during that time. I do remember you coming over and I did have a feeling why. You were babbling nervously like you always do when you approach something that makes you uncomfortable."

"You aren't much better with your 'I rather be anywhere but here look' and waving your hands around when you are uncomfortable."

Jack looked straight ahead out the window. He was starting to feel his anger rising a bit. "Well in my defense, there's nothing like the woman you love finally telling you she loves you, but hell, you're dying, so you actually don't get to enjoy it. Not to mention, while dating someone else. Which makes everything worse! 'I love you but I'm with him!' Kinda a downer when you're on deaths door trying to save your planet. Just saying…"

She glanced at him with a shocked then apologetic look, her voice was low, "I can understand that."

Jack really didn't like bringing up the not so great memories. He decided to go back to the original discussion, so more calmly says, "Well we're dwelling again, I was trying to lighten the mood not dredge things up. Let's get back to why you think it's good for us to blindside Mark."

"Jack, I already explained this to you. I know this may make you uncomfortable, but this is the best way. He may be blindsided, but this way we are forced to work it out."

"Or, it can make this Christmas real awkward."

"True, but it's better than him completely shutting me out. He knows I'm bringing a close friend. You both got along at the funeral."

"That was under those circumstances. Nothing like going surprise! I'm getting married in five weeks after calling off another engagement." He watched as her jaw tensed, so he changed tactics. Realizing how tired and cranky he was, his nerves were making him put his foot in his mouth. So giving a sigh, he continued with a lighter tone. "He probably thinks you're bringing Cassie anyways."

"Well, I would just have said Cassie."

Jack nodded his head in agreement, "True."

"I wish we were."

"It's a good thing that she decided to be with Janet's family again. It'll be good for her." He can see the sadness creep over her face. "Besides, we get our girl when we return through New Years."

She smiled, "I miss her."

He gave a resigning sigh and quietly replied, "I do too."

Leaning back in his seat, Jack started to close his eyes and returned to his previous evening with George. They were sitting in Hammond's living room, a new normal for them as Jack was spending more and more time in DC, living in George's extra room on each visit. It became their ritual to sit with a scotch or whisky and cover all the topics after a long day at the Pentagon. They would talk about every subject that would come up, the past, the day's issues, family, the future, sometimes just sitting in silence. Jack had been growing more confident with the politics on each trip to DC, enjoying this time with George. Their relationship moved from CO and second to more of a real friendship. They had always respected each other, likely more than normal, but now the connection between them was palpable.

Their conversation last night had been proof of that.

"What's bothering you son?

"It's this damn ski trip."

"Don't like skiing, Jack?"

"Well…no…I like skiing. It's just my ideal Christmas is having Sam, T, Danny and Cassie for Christmas Eve followed by Sam and I having a lazy Christmas day together."

With a laugh George replied, "That doesn't surprise me at all."

Waving around his drink, Jack responded "This was planned and paid for much earlier than," he paused for a moment, "me."

"So what's the real problem?"

Jack stopped for a moment and leaned forward, "Awkward, just awkward."

George leaned in as well with a puzzled look as Jack finished, "Mark doesn't know about…you know." He finished as he wiggled his left ring finger.

George leaned back in his chair, his entire body seeming to sink into his chair as he stated, "Y'all haven't told him yet."

Jack also leaned back in his chair and raised his glass to the ceiling, "Carter thinks it's best to just show up and…" letting his silence finish his thoughts.

"Mark was the one that introduced Sam and Mr. Shanahan wasn't he?"

"Oh yeah," Jack replied with his best deadpanned voice, "Old friend from college days."

George took a moment then he stood and walked to wall safe set into the back of a bookshelf. Curious as to what was happening, Jack watched the older General as he pulled out a manila envelope and returned to his seat.

"I have been wrestling with this decision for a long time, Jack," George said still holding the closed envelope. After a moment's hesitation, he handed it over.

"I didn't know about it at first," George stated as Jack just looked at the item now in his hand. With a nod from George, Jack opened the sealed flap, tearing it with his finger as the letter opener.

As he pulled out the papers, glancing at them, his eyes darted to the older man with both shock and anger visible. "When?"

"Seems he called on a friend before the Osiris op, and I didn't even hear about it for a few weeks thanks to the bureaucratic process. By then he was already read in and part of her life."

"And you never told me," Jack replied, his anger rising, "Or her?"

Raising his hands to keep Jack calm George replied, "Jack, if I had told you, what do you think would have happened?"

Hearing the question for what it was, Jack took a breath before he answered, "I don't know."

"Yes you do son," George replied, "and it was not something I was willing to do. I did not, could not, put you in that position," leaning in toward Jack again tapping him on the knee gently, "It was a decision I made to keep my lead team safe from themselves."

Jack looked again at the papers in his hand, it was a FBI request for a background check into a Major Samantha Carter with both a fully vetted version and a redacted version.

Pulling the conversation back, George looked at Jack with a gleam in his eyes as he said, "You know Jack, you can use those diplomatic skills we've been working on."

Jack scoffed, "Yeah, Mr. Diplomatic."

"Believe it or not, you are actually getting pretty good at it son."

Jack let out a laugh, "Well a couple of years ago I would have argued that with you. A year in command has helped."

George added, "Sam has been good for you too."

Jack asked, "How's that?"

"Let's just say you have been more agreeable the last couple of months."

Jack gave his best deadpanned response, "Are you saying I'm going soft."

"Not at all. To be honest Jack, I think she has been good for you all along."

Without hesitation, "Yeah, she has."

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before they jumped back into work talk for the remainder of the evening, both of them planning on an early day in the morning, thus his five a.m. start.

Returning to the present, Jack realized he must have dozed off a little on the ride because he could see their destination. The cabin they were staying in was next to the main lodge and restaurant, close but not on top of all the tourists showing for a day on the slopes. Looking out the truck's window, even Jack had to admit it was a glorious view. They parked and grabbed their bags from the back and headed to the front door. Sam knocked on their cabin and a familiar man answered the door.

Sam was in a moment of shock before she was able to squeak out, "Pete?"

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Mwah ha haha Suffer as I have suffered with those damn cliffhangers.