Sam ran blindly through a number of SF's and threw herself into the elevator. When it reached the surface she sprinted to her car and sped out of the mountain complex, stopping only to confirm her departure with an SF at the outside gate. She sped all the way home, the traffic having finally cleared and threw herself against the door as she closed it and locked it. She went into her bedroom and changed out of her suit and into a pair of worn out jeans and a tank top. As she walked into her living room, a sense of uneasiness sent her senses on high alert. She racked across her walls with her eyes and hands. She found one camera placed on the inside of her light fixture of her living room. She tore the lamp down and smashed the tiny camera. She then proceeded to scrub her house for all the bugs and cameras she could find.

When she was satisfied there was no way a bug could be left in her house she changed into her workout gear and went into her garage. She had he punching bag hanging from a rafter and began beating the poor bag unmercifully. Halfway through a combination, she noticed her hand wraps were red. Her knuckles had cracked open again from the fight with Pete. As she was examining her injuries she spun around at the sound of a voice.

"You should be careful with that bag. It has feelings too ya know."

Sam turned to see O'Neill leaning against the door frame of her garage.

"What are you doing here? And how did you get in?" she asked angrily walking past him into her house.

"I came to make to understand. You rushed out of there so fast I think you gave poor Teal'c whiplash and I'm almost positive that Danny won't ever mess with your chocolate stash again for fear of death." He replied jokingly. "As for how I got in, I still had my key you gave me when we all exchanged keys. Remember? In case anything should happen, it was your idea." Sam just silently stood at her kitchen sink and unwrapped her hands.

"I never knew you had that sort of temper in you." Jack prodded gently. He wasn't good at this whole talking thing, it was more Daniel's field of expertise, but he needed to make sure Sam knew everything.

"Yeah, well how would you feel if you found out that not only was your life being recorded, you gave up a whole way of life because of some catastrophe that never occurred?"

"Is that why you're mad? Because you wish you didn't leave the SGC?"

"No!- Yes, oh I don't know. It all hit me so fast. You were suddenly gone. Then Daniel and Teal'c left. I couldn't be a part of Stargate Command without my family. Then I find out that all the nights I spent crying for you and wishing you were still here were for nothing and that on top of all that, my former commanding officer, my friends and even my father knew about it and just watched me go through all of that. It was hell. Pure hell." Sam whispered.

"I had just lost Janet the year before, and then you and it felt like I lost Daniel and Teal'c to and I had no one to talk to. I tried talking to Pete, but he just started a fight with me every time. I finally just gave up. Then I get this phone call from the General saying he needs me to read your file. A bunch of crap happened with Pete last night and then I get hit with this in the morning. I'm feeling a little worn right now."

Jack had moved to stand beside Sam at the kitchen sink. "I didn't want you to come into the mountain and find out the way you did. I had tried coming to see you yesterday, but you were busy." Jack said as he cast a sideways glance at Sam.

"These are some pretty nasty cuts."

"I had a tough sparring match."

"Carter, I saw what happened yesterday. I had been on my way to explain everything to you when I saw you and Pete arguing through the window."

Sam just stared down at the kitchen window sill.

"How long had he been like that?" questioned Jack.

"Don't try that poor little woman crap on me O'Neill! I don't need it!" Sam spun around and started to walk off. She suddenly stopped. Without turning, she answered Jack.

"He had never touched me before, but the arguments had been there for a while, before you were "killed" as it were. Once I resigned my commission, Pete was ecstatic. Then we read your will. He wanted me to sell your cabin and to just put your things in storage. I refused and we had our first really big fight. I packed up and left for your cabin. I didn't talk to anyone for a week. When I did get back, Pete tried convincing me to move to Denver, but I told him I couldn't handle anymore change right then. It was okay for a while, but then I started having nightmares. Pete wasn't all that thrilled when I'd wake up screaming your name all the time.

"I started feeling guilty every time I thought about you or cried for you. I did that a lot. Cried I mean. I think I've cried more in the past year then I have in my whole life. Then, yesterday, Pete told me how he checked up on me and I suddenly realized the person I had become. When he said the day you died was the happiest day of his life, I realized that I had let you down by letting this man just tread on my memories of you. And I was fed up. Then he threw the first punch and I thought back to Jonas and then I thought about you and how your Major would never let someone hurt her like that. And I fought back. For you." Sam still had her back turned from Jack through all of this. He walked over to Sam and turned her to face him.

"I saw everything, Sam. And I have never been more proud of you then I was at that moment. Do you hear me? Remember what I said to you before Teal'c carried you away? Always remember that. No matter what, I will always be here for you. And that's what I was trying to do with this mission. I had to protect you. Not because I didn't think that you couldn't handle it, because you shouldn't have had to and I wanted to protect you. You were with Pete and I knew that this was the only way I could show I cared for you. You had a life to live still. I'm an old man with bad knees who still runs around playing guns. You deserved to have someone protect you. It was my choice. It was my way of taking care of you." Jack finished softly.

Sam turned around and hugged O'Neill to her, burying her head in his neck.

"Oh, God Jack! I though I'd lost you!" she cried into his neck as he hugged her closer.

"Sam, I will never leave you. Do you hear me?" Jack asked as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. The pair eventually made it to the couch where they fell asleep in each others arms, finally both at peace.