Changes

Part 1

Disclaimer: Just for kicks, pallies.

Notes: Yes, I know I have several outstanding stories. Never fear they shall be completed, but this idea came to me fully formed and will make for a relatively short story. So I'm doing it now before I have time to marinate on it and it grows out of proportion. This is a MacGyver crossover which could lead to more stories later on, but don't expect explosions or daring escapes in this one. This is dealing with interpersonal relationships. I guess I should say I don't really know a whole lot about MacGyver. I have vague memories of it from the 80s and have the first season on DVD, so any input on characterization will be appreciated. (Mac actually doesn't appear until part 2)

The flight to DC was quiet and tense. Mark Carter had barely said two words to his sister since his family had boarded the Air Force transport. Jack felt like beating the crap out of him. Daniel placed a subtle but restraining hand on his shoulder. Apparently Daniel didn't think it would be appropriate for an Air Force Brigadier General to beat to a bloody pulp the insensitive son of comrade in arms and a man he thought of almost as a father on the plane that would take them to his funeral. Jack supposed he was right. The two words Mark had said to her was, "Where's Pete?"

"I broke up with Pete, Mark," she responded quietly.

"Why?"

"I didn't love him enough to marry him."

"It was the whole thing about your career, wasn't it? Sam, you're just like-"

"Mark, sit down and shut up," his wife told him sternly. He glared at her but complied. Penny Carter wrapped her arms around her sister-in-law and hugged her tightly. "I am so sorry, Sam. I'm going to miss Jacob, too. And if there's anything you ever want to talk about, I'm here okay?"

"Thanks, Penny. I appreciate that. Really." Sam pulled away from Penny and swiped at the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. "Penny, I want you to meet my friends. This is my CO, Brigadier General Jack O'Neill."

Jack shook her hand pleased to see at least Mark's wife had some tact and manners, "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am. I wish it could have been under better circumstances."

"So do I, General. I'm glad to finally meet you. I've been very curious. Jacob spoke of you often." Jack looked a little shocked so Penny continued. "All good things, I promise."

"Somehow I find that hard to believe," he said wryly.

Sam continued with the introductions, "This is Doctor Daniel Jackson."

"Nice to meet you," He said politely.

"You too. You're the one prone to getting lost, aren't you?"

Daniel smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, I guess you could put it that way. Hopefully, I won't 'get lost' again for a long time."

"And this is Teal'c."

Teal'c bowed his head in greeting, "Penny Carter, I hope you and your family will accept my sympathies for the loss of Jacob Carter."

"Thank you. Jacob said you were very formal."

Teal'c inclined his head, "Indeed."

"He also said you said that a lot."

"Excuse me, General," the pilot said as he entered the cabin, the two Carter children trailing behind him. "We're ready to take off, sir. The kids could watch if they wanted to."

Jack nodded his approval and told him, "If it's okay with Mrs. Carter, Major."

"Can we, Mom?"

"Are you sure it's okay?" she asked the pilot.

"Of course, ma'am."

After the funeral at Arlington they had headed to General Hammond's residence in Georgetown for the wake. Sam had stood very stoically and proud between General Hammond and Jack. She refused to show any weakness in public. Jack understood that. He couldn't even begin to count the number funerals he'd attended in his life, how many comrades, friends, and family he'd buried. He understood the need to keep grief a private thing. In a way it disturbed him that Sam was capable of keeping grief bottled up like he did. He knew what that did to a person, how it could eat them up. He swore to himself that he wouldn't let that happen to Sam. He'd promised Jacob he would take care of her and try his damnedest to make her happy.

After the service, Jack had gallantly offered his arm and she accepted it clutching her father's flag to her chest as Jack led her to the car. Sam offered him a small grateful smile. It had taken everything she had just to stand there during the service and she wasn't sure she could leave her father's grave completely under her own power. Thankfully no one seemed to think it odd that her CO of nearly ten years politely escorted her. Daniel and Teal'c fell in behind them and shared a knowing look.

Jack helped Sam into the black Lincoln and she slid in the back beside Daniel. "Are you sure you don't want to ride with your family, Sam?" he asked concerned.

Jack got in beside her and said quietly but in the voice that brooked no argument, "We are her family, Daniel."

"Indeed," Teal intoned from the front seat.

"Of course we are, Sam," Daniel said a little abashed. "That wasn't what I meant."

"I know. Thank you, guys. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Jack reached out and grasped her hand giving, "Didn't I tell you 'always'? We're not going anywhere."

She squeezed his hand back and allowed her head to fall to his shoulder, marshalling her strength for the wake.

Jack stood at the window staring out into the backyard. He had left Sam in Teal'c and Daniel's care to get himself a drink, but he hadn't made it as far as the drinks table. The last week still felt surreal and he wasn't sure that alcohol would help ground him.

"Jack?"

He turned and George Hammond pressed a glass of Scotch into his hand. "Jacob gave me this bottle when I got promoted to Brigadier General. This is the last of it." He held his glass up in salute, "To Jacob."

Jack couldn't refuse what was obviously very good Scotch and the sentiment that went with it, so he clinked his crystal tumbler with Hammond's. "To Jacob… and Selmak, the only snake I ever liked. They were both a royal pain in the mik'ta, but I'll miss them."

George smiled and downed a sip. "He thought the same about you, Jack, but he respected you and liked you more than you'll ever know. Jacob would have never told you this, even with Selmak he wasn't good at expressing how he felt about people, but he thought of you as the son that Mark never turned out to be. He was proud of you, Jack. And he would want you to be happy."

"That means a lot, George. I mean it," Jack turned back to the gathering and nodded to Mark sitting by himself brooding in the corner. "Has he always been like that?"

"Pretty much. He and Jacob were never on the best of terms. After his mother died Mark got into the habit of blaming his father and the Air Force for everything that ever went wrong in his life. I guess he still does and it looks like he's including Sam into that. It's a shame. I'm glad she's got you and SG-1." George nodded to where Teal'c and Daniel were hovering protectively around Sam as she spoke with several of her father's former Air Force colleagues. "Have you told them yet?"

"No, I didn't think it would be appropriate considering all this."

"I wish you luck, Jack."

"And godspeed?"

"Of course," Hammond smiled.

"Thanks, George."

Sam didn't know how much more of this she could take. She'd already had to go through a memorial service and reception a couple of days ago at the SGC and she had to go through it all over again today. But somehow today was worse. Her brother was all but ignoring her. It seemed like all the headway they'd made in their relationship over the last couple of years, especially after she started dating Pete had disappeared. It almost seemed as if he was angrier at her breaking up with Pete than over their father's death. Every time she tried to talk to him he kept bringing up Pete. Penny was so angry with her husband she wasn't even speaking to him. Sam had to once again wonder what his wife had ever seen in her brother.

"Hey, you okay?" Jack asked quietly coming up behind her.

"No, sir," she answered honestly.

"You wanna get out of here?"

She did but shook her head, "I should stay, sir. It wouldn't look right to leave so early."

"We're leaving. Teal'c, go grab our coats. Daniel, go find our driver." Both men trotted off to carry out his orders.

"Sir, really-"

"We're leaving," Jack repeated firmly, gently grabbing her elbow and steering her to towards General Hammond. "George, I think we're going to head back to the hotel."

"Of course. This has been a long day. And you've all already done this at the SGC." He smiled his 'Uncle George' smile at Sam and drew her into a hug. "Sam, if there's anything you need, all you have to do is pick up the phone, okay?"

She nodded suddenly tearing up. "Thank you, sir."

"We should go away somewhere."

Jack looked up from where he'd been staring at his half eaten steak. He wasn't sure how long he had zoned out, but he really hadn't heard any of the conversation that had been going on during dinner. Maybe he should have gone straight to bed like Sam had instead of coming to dinner with Daniel and Teal'c. "What?"

"We should go away somewhere," Daniel repeated. "All four of us. Like we used to."

"We could journey to Disney World," Teal'c said solemnly and Jack had to smile remembering when they had gone there with Cassie shortly after she came to live on Earth. That had been Teal'c first big adventure in American culture. Every time he thought about Teal'c in his mouse ears he had to laugh.

"Maybe next time. I was thinking about somewhere quiet, actually, Teal'c. I think we could all do with some serious relaxation."

Jack thought for a moment before suggesting, "I've got an old Special Forces buddy who works security on an estate in Hawaii. He could probably hook us up."

"That's kind of far, we've only got a couple of days."

"I guess you're right."

"What of your cabin, O'Neill? We could fish without catching fish. Is that not supposed to be relaxing?"

"That's actually a pretty good idea," Daniel agreed. "Jack?"

"You know I've been trying to get you all up there for years, but don't you think we'd better ask Carter first?"

"Well, yeah. But I'm sure she'd love to."

TBC