Well, this is the end...

Thanks to Sara Loughlin for beta'ing, and to liketoread for her helpful comments... and to all of you for your encouraging reviews! I REALLY appreciated them!

Anyways... I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Alternate Reality- Almost eight months later.

"... the promotion of Major Samantha O'Neill to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel!"

Colonel Jack O'Neill, now retired, clapped vigorously as his blushing bride of three weeks made her way up the ramp, grinning widely. He settled back into his seat, as General Hammond began his speech.
It had taken him nearly seven months to work up the courage to ask Samantha Carter to marry him. It had taken two Asgard hyper-drives and the promise of Asgard shields on all of their future ships before the Pentagon allowed Jack to retire- and marry. Sam and Jack eloped a week later.
George had hinted that the SGC might need a civilian leader in the near future- Jack declined the offer emphatically.

Sam looked over at her husband as the General began taking off her oak leaves and putting on the new ones. He gave her an encouraging smile and she winked back.

Jack grinned. "That's my girl," he said quietly. Who would have thought that it had been an alternate Carter that had made him finally admit his feelings for his Carter?

Daniel and Teal'c exchanged glances before turning back to the ceremony, with satisfied looks on their face. After the ceremony, there was a wedding bash in the commissary- attended by the President and several alien leaders.

The couple slipped away after a few hours- they had something to do.

Å

"Can we just check it out?"

Sam shook her head. "Sorry Jack," she answered, "but I doubt I'll be able to find the correct reality again… and even if I did, it's not like we could go explore."

Jack sighed, "But why do we have to blow it up?"

"So this doesn't happen again, sir. The whole reality switching thing, that is."

He kindly ignored her 'Sir'slip. "You'd think we'd be kidnapping Carters- Earth's IQ would certainly go up…"

She frowned. "I'm ready."

Jack looked at the computer screen. The mirror stood alone, twenty miles from the Stargate, several bars of Naquadah enhanced C4 on it. "Ready when you are."

She started the countdown. Several moments later, the camera went blank. Mission completed.

"I love you, Sam."

Surprised by his spontaneous words, she looked at him. "I love you too, sir."

"Sam."

"Jack, I mean. It's going to take some time," she warned him. "And you still call me Carter."

"It's a term of endearment," he assured her.

She laughed and pulled his face towards hers and kissed him, inwardly rejoicing that he was her 'Sir' for many more long years…

Breathing a prayer of thanks to her alternate self, she promptly became very busy.

"Me?"

Doctor Samantha O'Neill glanced at her husband who sat upon their deck, fishing and sipping beer. 'It's the President,' she mouthed.

Jack nodded and settled back in his beach chair, watching his wife, contented. Her blue eyes were aglow with excitement, and she was pacing. A moment later she hung up and approached.

"That was the President," she said unnecessarily.

"How's ol' Henry doing?" Jack asked lazily.

"Fine. Another invitation to the White House- he told me to let you know that they're having steak."

"Mmm… how can we pass?"

She gave him a small smile and rocked on her heels. "He wanted to talk to me about my position on SG-1," she began slowly.

Jack cocked his head. "Oh?"

"He wants me back on SG-1."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Sam sat on the chair next to him and looked at the calm lake. "Yeah…"

Jack studied her and began cautiously, "And this is… bad?"

"No!" She said quickly. "No…"

"You don't seem to be very certain," he teased.

Sam sighed and turned to face him. "I don't know," she admitted. The past seven months had been busy. She worked at Area 51, Monday morning through Thursday evening. She flew home that night and then returned to Nevada Sunday afternoon. The routine had required sometime to adjust to, but now… "I like being to fully examine the devices that come out of the SGC- being able to do more than just give them a cursory glance… but…"

"But?" he questioned.

"I miss it," she said in a rush, "I miss the action-the excitement of finding something that could save us from the Goa'uld or the Replicators-" Sam stopped. "I miss it, Jack. Miss seeing Daniel and Teal'c everyday… and you," she added hastily.

Jack casted. "I'm glad," he said simply. "The SGC isn't the same without you and your technobabble."

She gave a little laugh and reached for her husband's hand. "Thanks, Jack."

"For what?" he asked as he checked his hook before casting again.

"I know you must've talked to the President," she squeezed his hand.

"Henry was already thinking about it," Jack informed her. "But… I can think of a way for you to repay me…" he waggled his eyebrows.

Sam slid out of her chair and perched on the edge of his. "Well," she began, touching his lips, "I-"

Her cell-phone rang, causing Jack to scowl and Sam to sigh as she pulled the phone out of her pocket. "Carter," she answered, turning away from her husband.

"Sam!" cried an excited voice, "this is Daniel!"

"Hey," she responded, squirming as Jack started blowing on her neck, "What's up?"

"Walter told me the good news! You're coming back!"

"Walter?" she began to ask. "How'd he-?" She was stopped as she was pulled down.

"Who knows," Daniel said dismissively, "Teal'c's happy too-"

"Daniel," interrupted Carter as she tried to free herself from her husbands grip, "Can I call you-"

Daniel heard a shriek, "No, Jack, c'mon…" Sam was pleading.

It was followed by laughter; a breathless male voice came on the line, "She'll have to call you back, Daniel- Carter!"

The archeologist listened as the phone hit the deck and his two friends began laughing. A moment later, he disconnected.

He'd call back later.

Å

"Chevron seven… Locked!"

Jack looked from the control room at the newly complete SG team. Daniel was chatting with the new guy- Cameron Mitchell – while Teal'c stood, silently observing them, next to a certain Doctor O'Neill. His doctor. As he watched her, she turned and smiled her one-hundred mega watt smile. He returned it before saying cheerfully, "SG-1, you have a go." He waited until his wife had reached the event horizon before adding, "And Carter?"

She looked at him, a quizzical look on her face.

"Don't go touching any mirrors… okay?"

With a mock salute, she stepped through the gate, followed by the rest of SG-1. As the gate deactivated, he turned away with a grin on his face.

Twenty hours until his wife got back… he couldn't wait.

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