by Kitty S

As months went by Sam improved dramatically, she had gained back most of her mobility on her right side and started to actually have conversations with Jack in lieu of her computer. And with Jacks help she took the steps to go outside of her home and ventured out into the world she left behind. Jack sat on the blanket he laid on the green grass that afternoon watching Sam play with the dog he had gotten her a while back.

He remembered it so clearly; he walked down the isle of the pet store and saw the cutest chocolate colored Labrador puppy. He purchased the dog, and tied a ribbon to its tail and brought it home to Sam. She was sitting on the piano bench when he walked into the house, playing with only one hand, the classical ensemble sounding incomplete. Her head was resting on the top of the piano, he knew then that she had been crying.

“Sam, come out here for a minute please? I want to show you something.” He left the house before she could protest, knowing that she’d follow he unloaded the overexcited puppy from the car.

Couple seconds later, he saw Sam limping out the door. Her eyes lighting up at the sight of the little dog chasing its own tail which was decorated with a bright red ribbon. “Oh Jack, he’s adorable.” Sam gave Jack a quick kiss before sitting on the lawn with a bright smile. The dog leaped into Sam’s lap, looking at her straight into her eyes. She patted the puppy’s head and reached for the tag that was in the shape of a bone. “Max,” She read. “Hi there little Max.”

After some intense training with Jack, Max became the smartest, most well behaved five month old dog in the neighborhood. He had seen it as more of a necessary than convenience; he didn’t want an accident rising because of a hyper dog running around the house. Especially when Sam has difficulty walking. In the end it all came through, Jack had always had that special connection with canines.

Looking up at Sam playing catch with Max made Jack feel happiness rather than guilt, he had been feeling guilty for what had happened to Sam for so long, it strained their relationship. A lot has happened in the last few months that was hard on them, one of them being the order Hammond had received on Sam’s medical discharge. She took it well, but he knew she was hurting. All she said was that she knew it was going to happen soon or later.

“Hello? Earth to Jack… hey! Can you hear me?”

Jack shook his head and blinked, “Sorry, I was gone there for a minute.” Sam sat by him with a sigh, and leaned her head against his shoulders. “I’ve been watching you; you’ve sitting here the whole time staring straight ahead for the longest time. What’s up? Anything bothering you?”

“Nothing, just thinking.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her down to his lap where she rested. “Sam, what do you think of me retiring?” She opened her eyes to look into his, “Are you sure you can live without knowing what’s happening in the SGC? Wondering if we’ve made any more allies, met more enemies…”

He breathed in deeply, “Would you rather have me gone for days at a time?” he took her hand in his rubbing it slightly. “Just, think about it some more OK?” she pleaded, Sam was coping with the fact that she wasn’t in the Air Force anymore and that she wont be working at the SGC, she just didn’t want him to give it up either. He then leaned down to kiss her when he was rudely interrupted by Max slobbering on her face first.

“Hey! Get your own girlfriend!”

Hearing Sam giggle, it would be worth it, he thought. It wasn’t worth the risk of going off world if he wasn’t going to see her beautiful face ever again.