A/N – Mmm…yes, so this is an idea I've been playing with for a while now. I love alternate realities, and have been wanting to do a "what if" about if Charlie hadn't died. The main thing I realized was that jack wouldn't have been in the Stargate program…so yeah, I hope you enjoy this one :)

Oh, and is it just me, or is it really confusing that Jack also calls Kowalski "Charlie" ?

Chapter 1

"Don't forget to get more of my lunch stuff, ok?"

Jack nodded. "Don't worry, kiddo, I'll pick some up."

"Thanks, Dad." Charlie grinned at his father before getting out of the car and slinging his backpack over one shoulder.

Jack watched through the window of the car as Charlie bounded up the front walk to the door, which Sarah was holding open. She looked up for a brief moment and their eyes met, but Jack looked quickly away, starting the car almost a little too hastily. He wasn't in the mood to communicate with his ex-wife today in any way shape or form. He gritted his teeth as he drove away, trying to think of anything other than her.

At the last minute, just short of missing the correct turn, Jack remembered that he had to pick up his uniform from the dry-cleaners. Kowalski had called him the other day and all but ordered him to come to the Air Force banquet thingy they were having downtown and just because he had nothing better to do with Charlie at Sarah's, Jack unwittingly agreed to go. Besides, he hadn't seen his old buddies in a while and could do with some catching up.

Standing in the astoundingly long line at the dry cleaners Jack pondered how much it would actually be worth it to go. He always felt a little awkward at those things, maybe a bit guilty even when reminded so blatantly that his friends were still out serving their country while he himself enjoyed a relatively quiet retirement.

But Kowalski had promised that it wouldn't be too boring, and they could even go hit the bars afterwards so what the hell.

Back at home he switched on a hockey game while making a late lunch. The house always seemed empty when Charlie wasn't there…slapping together a sandwich Jack found himself wishing vaguely for the millionth time that he got to see Charlie more than every other week, but he was sure that Sarah probably felt exactly the same way.

Jack finished his lunch and the game, then went for a jog before coming back to take a shower and get ready for the banquet. He was a little surprised to find that his old uniform still fit him, though allowed himself a little pride that he'd managed to keep in such good shape.

After making sure each ribbon was in the right place he gave his reflection in the mirror a curt nod and half-hearted salute. "Here goes nothing…"

The conference center was swarming with Air Force personnel in their dress blues, but Jack had no trouble spotting Kowalski and Ferretti, standing near the bar and talking with a group of people. As he drew closer Jack could see that all the attention seemed to be on a tall, blond woman who was obviously explaining something interesting and probably way above Jack's head judging by the looks of slack-jawed amazement on the faces of the others.

Jack gave Kowalski a friendly punch in the arm by way of a greeting. "Hey."

"Jack!" Kowalski spun around, grinning broadly. "You made it."

"Yeah…I had nothing better going on." Jack stuck his hands in his pockets and tried to be nonchalant but his own good spirits at seeing his friends again got the better of him. "Ferretti!"

"Hey, Colonel," Ferretti nodded, grinning as well.

Turning back to Kowalski, Jack's eyes momentarily met those of the blonde. She looked back at him with such intensity that he found the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

"Oh, hey, Carter, come over here," Kowalski said, beckoning to the woman. She strode over. "Jack, this is my lovely and intelligent second in command Major Samantha Carter. Carter, this is my old CO Jack O'Neill."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Major," Jack said, extending one hand to shake Carter's.

"You too," she shot him a dazzling smile. "I've heard a lot about you, Colonel."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Oh really? Well…don't believe a word of it. I'm really a great guy."

Carter laughed.

"So what's a nice girl like you do working with a guy like Kowalski?" Jack said, elbowing his friend in the ribs as Kowalski made a noise of protest.

"Deep space radar telemetry."

"And that is…?"

"Science stuff," Kowalski supplied. "Carter's even got a PhD in…something…"

Carter rolled her eyes. "Theoretical astrophysics."

"So you're a scientist?" Jack asked. He felt a slight sinking sensation in his stomach; he hated scientists. Usually. But glancing down on the pretence of examining his shoes he caught a glimpse of Samantha Carter's legs and…damn…maybe he could make an exception.

"You got a problem with that, Colonel?" Carter asked, tilting her head to one side.

"Oh no that's fine," Jack said. "I like intelligent women…" A brief flash of embarrassment surged through him and he turned to quickly grab a glass of champagne from the nearest waiter to cover it.

It wasn't until Jack found himself practically pushed into a chair next to Carter at dinner that he realized what Kowalski was up to. That jerk was trying to set him up with another woman now that he'd been divorced for a year. Jack shot a glare at his friend, but the recently promoted lieutenant colonel was busy trying to stick a piece of ice down the back of Ferretti's jacket.

"Those boys…" Carter muttered.

Jack looked back at her, smirking. "They can be quite a handful, can't they? I have to say I've got respect for you for being able to deal with them…"

"Oh, it's not all that bad," she said with a shrug. "We've got a civilian working with us, Daniel Jackson, and he's not nearly as rambunctious. He's more the PhD, sciency type."

"Sounds kinda geeky to me..." Jack muttered. He took a sip of water, and when he glanced back at Sam she was giving him a rather odd look. "What?"

"You say geek like it's a bad thing," Sam leaned in closer, sounding half amused, half defensive. She pointed to herself. "I've got a PhD in astrophysics and you're still talking to me."

"Yeah, but you're..." Jack stopped mid-sentence and held up his hands in surrender. "Ok, point taken. So you and this Jackson guy pull all nighters together?"

Sam grinned at him suggestively. "Oh yeah, I'm the master of all-nighters."

Jack laughed and had to take another sip of his ice cold water. "Still though, Carter, I've got respect for you. 'Specially being cooped up under Cheyenne Mountain with those guys."

"Oh, please," Sam rolled her eyes. "You're not my commanding officer, Colonel."

"Huh?"

She bit her lip and smiled shyly. "You can call me Sam."

"Oh, right. Sam it is then."

As the dinner progressed Jack found himself unwillingly beginning to like Sam more and more. After picking up on the fact that he'd be severely annoyed by any "techno-babble" as he'd unceremoniously dubbed it, she started chattering about motorcycles, a conversation Jack was only too happy to take up.

"Ok so let me get this straight," Jack said, gesturing with a forkful of chocolate cake. "You're in the Air Force. You can fix and ride motorcycles, you've got a PhD…"

"Pick locks, make a mean soufflé, build a bomb…" Sam added, grinning.

Jack rolled his eyes. "What can't you do?"

She thought a moment. "I can't make pancakes," Sam admitted finally. "Seriously. I always burn them or undercook them."

Jack sat back in his seat, laughing as he shoved the cake into his mouth.

After an impossibly boring hour long awards ceremony that Jack all but slept through they finally stood up and got ready to go.

"Hey, Carter," Kowalski called. "We're gonna head over to a bar, you in?"

Sam glanced at Jack and smiled slightly. "Sure, I'll tag along."

They chose a fairly upscale but still noisy and crowded sports bar a few blocks away. As everyone else crowded around a table or the bar Jack and Kowalski went up to get drinks.

"So is Sam, you know, real?" Jack asked as they waited for the bartender. "Or is she the product of some new holograph technology you guys made up?"

Kowalski laughed. "You like her, huh?"

"Sure." Jack glanced back towards Sam who was joking with Ferretti. She was sitting at the bar, slender legs crossed and chin resting on her hands. Jack looked back at Kowalski. "I know what you're trying to do, Charlie, and it's not going to work."

"What?" Kowalski looked up at him innocently. "I'm not trying to do nothin'. Besides, I thought you hated scientists."

"Yeah, but she's not a scientist really," Jack said, squinting and gesturing towards Sam. "She's just a really hot chick who happens to know like, everything."

"And she's great with kids too," Kowalski said, grinning.

"Stop." Jack scowled at him. "She is really nice but I'm just not at that point yet."

"Jack it's been a year, when are you going to be at that point?"

"I don't know, ok, maybe never."

Kowalski stepped closer. "You mean you've still got feelings for Sarah, don't you."

"Kowalski, I don't want to talk about it." Jack gave him a dark look and grabbed a few of the drinks, heading back over to the others.

As Jack sat down Sam must have noticed the faint scowl on his face because she looked over, concerned. "Everything ok?"

"Yeah, Kowalski's just being a pain in the ass."

Sam turned in her seat so she was facing him. "I'm sorry."

"Nah, not your fault he's like that," Jack said, waving one hand. "He's just…well you're smart enough to realize that he's been pushing us together all night."

Sam nodded, looking down at the bar and blushing slightly. "Yeah."

"Well, don't take this too personally but I'm not quite over my divorce yet so…" he let his voice trail off.

Sam looked up at him. "That's fine, really. I'm not going to throw myself at you or anything."

"Good." Jack found himself unable to look at her. "Because it would be a shame for a girl like you to waste her time with an old grump like me."

"Oh," Sam rolled her eyes. "You're not a grump."

"Still, I just don't think I'm quite ready to…"

"I understand."

Was that a touch of disappointment he caught in her voice? Sam's face had changed to an almost unreadable expression and Jack found himself wondering desperately exactly what was going on inside that head of hers. She smiled at him, but he wasn't entirely convinced that everything was all good and well with her. Especially because it certainly wasn't with him.

He couldn't help but notice that as they finished their drinks and then started to filter out, Kowalski kept shooting him half annoyed half disappointed looks.

Jack, Sam and Ferretti were some of the last to leave. Jack frowned to himself as he pulled his jacket on, trying to sort some things out in his head. The couple glasses of beer he'd had weren't helping too much, either.

Before he could change his mind, Jack turned to Sam. "Hey…"

"Yeah?" she looked up from buttoning her own jacket.

Jack took a step closer to her. "You got a phone number?"

Honestly, what had he been thinking?

Jack lay in bed, eyes closed, trying to fall asleep. The scrap of paper with Sam's phone number was sitting on the nightstand nearby.

"Good luck getting a hold of me, though," she'd said as she'd written it down for him. "I'm usually at the base." As a second thought she'd also written down her cell number as well. Jack was sure that Ferretti would be reporting the news to Kowalski as soon as he got home.

Jack rolled onto his back and found himself wondering what Sarah would say. Damnit! He shouldn't be thinking about that. It sounded a bit cruel to be thinking that it didn't matter what Sarah thought, but it was true. They both knew that they couldn't get back together, it just wouldn't work.

It had only been in the past couple years that their idyllic marriage had gone sour. Maybe things were just getting too stressful or maybe they'd just lost whatever spark they had. All Jack knew was that he and Sarah had started getting in more and more arguments and so, for their own sake and the sake of their son, they decided maybe it was time to end it.

It had been hard on Charlie at first, understanding why they'd done it and getting used to moving back and forth to the two houses every other week. But he'd adapted like most children can, and now accepted his responsibilities solemnly. But both Jack and Sarah knew their son still hung on to the hope that someday they might be a family again.

Jack realized with an unpleasant little twist in his gut that it was his son's reaction he should be worrying about. How would Charlie react if, hypothetically say, Jack started dating someone like Sam?

Annoyed with himself, Jack muttered aloud to stop worrying about it, then pressed his face into the pillow and finally managed to fall asleep.

A/N - Please review. Reviews are love :D