Title: What Be True Love's Price?

Author: roseofthegate

Disclaimer: I don't own StarGate SG-1 or any of its characters because if I did this Pete/Sam thing would have NEVER happened.

A/N: All Pete-lovers stay away! I LOATHE Pete Shanahan and take joy in watching him LEAVE Sam's life.

Chapter One

I should have known I'd lost her the minute she asked my opinion on the pros and cons of marriage. I'd been teasing her about some non-existent report and then commented on her lack of techno-mumbo gumbo, lately. Something was on her mind that's all I had known. Then...well she been pretty distressed about it.

"Pete gave me this," she told me as she handed me a little blue velvet box.

"And?" I prodded.

She sighed. "I told him I need time to think about it." She went on for a while about the pros and cons of being married and possibly having a family while working at the SGC. I added here and there what I hoped were unbiased comments.

Next thing I know, Teal'c is wanted for kidnapping and murder, and so we had to sort that whole affair out with T ending up back here at the SGC. Pete helped us out with that, by the way.

About a day after we finished the investigation, she came into my office, perfectly glowing and smiling that gorgeous, heart-breaking smile of hers, to tell me that she'd accepted Pete's proposal. I smiled and told her I was happy for her, yada, yada, yada. Inside me, my whole world was falling apart.

As soon as she left, I typed my resignation letter to General Hammond, and called the President to inform him of my resignation and my recommendation for a Commanding Officer of the SGC. She was Colonel Dr. Katharine Marie E. Nerez. All of the paperwork, etc. was approved in a matter of hours. Only a few people knew so that it wouldn't cause a major ruckus among the SGC personnel. The main people: the new Brigadier General Nerez, the President, General Hammond, and myself. I quietly had my stuff moved out of the office and General Nerez's moved in. I was about to leave when my auburn-hair, green-eyed replacement came running out of the SGC in her BDU and heels, calling my name. Quite a feat, may I add. I shushed her and told her to get in my truck, signalling an airman to have someone follow us in a SGC vehicle.

We had a light conversation of sorts at first then Kara Marie cut to the chase. "You're leaving because Sa-Lt. Colonel Carter accepted her boyfriend's proposal, aren't you?" her Anglo-Hispanic accented voice was sharp and blunt.

"Do I have to answer that?" I asked.

"Yes, doctor's orders," was the reply.

"Ya mean my shrink's orders," was my smart-ass reply.

"Whatever suits your fancy, sir," she said, growing impatient.

"That among other things." I pulled the truck over. "Don't tell her that or this. I'm moving far away so that she and I won't have to deal with any uncomfortable situations. You'll find my new phone number and address on your desk back at the SGC, so ya can call me for advice if ya need to. When ya think both Carter and I are ready, you can give her my new number and address. Don't worry about informing the colonel, I'll do that myself," I said.

"Yes, sir. Good luck with your retirement. Maybe you'll catch some fish," she smiled as she got out of the truck.

"Good luck, Brigadier General. I know you'll do well," I told her. She smiled sadly and left.

Now, well now I'm sitting in my truck across from Sa—I mean Colonel Carter's house, just watching her in her front room. She's alone and I've been trying to work of the guts to go and talk to her. God, she's gorgeous, just sitting there at her desk, fiddling with a pen. She looks kinda sad, actually. Finally, I grabbed a flashlight, paper, and a pen from the glove compartment and started writing. About twenty-five minutes later I was done. I folded the paper into thirds and penned 'Lt. Colonel S. Carter' on the front. I quietly unlatched the truck door and got out. I put the letter in her mailbox and quietly sprinted back to my truck and got in...

A/N: Next chapter: very soon. ;)