Takes place after Threads

Sam was sitting in her car outside of Jack's house, again. Daniel and Teal'C were due in a couple more hours. They were all going on the fishing trip that Jack had offered them since they started SG1. But she had to get here before they did. She held the little box in her hands still refusing to open it.

"Carter."

"Sir."

"I never thought I'd hear myself utter these words. I need that report."

"Right. Um, I just need to finish typing up my notes." She looked around her desk. "Uh…yeah, I'll have it for you first thing tomorrow."

"It is tomorrow."

"Oh."

He smiled. "I'm joking, I don't need the report."

"Well then, why…"

"Because something's going on with you. You haven't tried to confuse me with any scientific babble for the last couple of days and that's a red flag to me."

She sighed and hands a little box to him. "Pete gave me this."

He took it from her and opened it. "People normally wear these on their fingers."

"I haven't said yes."

"And yet, you haven't said no."

She had thought about that conversation again and again. Jack would support her in whatever she would decide. She felt guilty when she realized she thought about Jack when she was with Pete. Jack's little box had stayed in a dark recess of her closet unopened, but never forgotten. One day she finally decided to let Jack go and move on. She said yes to Pete 2 weeks after he proposed. He understood her apprehension and gave her the space to make her decision. She still kept Jack's ring, though. She would give it back when the wedding was over.

But that day never came. Her father's dying words helped her understand her own heart. And now here she was. What she felt for Pete would never measure up to what she felt for Jack. Some might think that the universe was trying to keep them apart, but in reality, they were meant to be together. Sam opened the little box. She gasped. It was stunning! Pete's ring was nice, but not what Sam would have chosen for herself. Jack's ring was perfect. A solitaire diamond sparkled as it caught the morning sun. The white gold band perfectly balanced the size of the beautiful gem. As a scientist she knew that it was nothing more than carbon rock, but as a woman she still wanted to feel the joy and excitement of all it represented.

Sam slid the ring onto her finger. It felt right, more right than anything she'd ever done. She got out of her car and stepped up to his front door.

When he opened the door he looked surprised. "Carter, I wasn't expecting you for a while."

Wordlessly she held out her left hand. He didn't see it at first, but once he did a small smile appeared. He grabbed her hand and pulled her inside.

The End