Title: Know Thyself
Author: MissAnnThropic
E-Mail: miss_annthropic@yahoo.com
Spoilers: “Beneath the Surface”, sequel to “Thyself, Unknown”
Summary: The aftermath of Jonah and Thera, life following P3R-118.
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Stargate but my rabid fan behavior. Alas.
Warning: As it stands at this moment, the chances of this story being finished are very slim.

*****

Samantha Carter stood in front of the bathroom mirror running a brush through her shoulder-length blonde hair. Three weeks as 'Sam' with that haircut, and she was starting to get used to it. She'd considered cutting it, short and hassle-free the way it used to be, once her life settled down enough for her to think about anything like her appearance. Jack objected. He didn't force her to keep it long or even so much as outright ask her to leave it alone, but Sam could tell he liked it as it was. Sam had to admit she liked him playing with it; that fact more than anything else decided her.

Yesterday she had gone out with Janet and had it properly trimmed and styled. The cosmetologist had looked at Sam askance for the state of her hair when she arrived, unevenly cropped as if it had been cut with a dull knife... which it had. After a few 'heaven help me' looks the hair-stylist had managed small miracles and Sam had given a big tip.

Sam set her brush down on the sink edge and flipped a few sections of pale hair over her shoulders and studied her reflection. She had not had hair so long since she was a little girl (not since her mother had been able to brush and braid it for her), but Sam had to admit she kind of liked it.

It was different but in a good way... as it seemed with a great many things in her life lately.

Sam reached down to reclaim her brush and in the process knocked the razor perched precariously on the edge into the basin. Sam retrieved it with a small smirk and put it back where it belonged. Jack wasn't used to living with a woman again. Sam couldn't well eviscerate him for his errors; she wasn't used to living with someone else, either. They were both going to have to learn to live with each other. After so many years as work mates, close colleagues, and friends, the notion was almost humorous.

"Sam?" Jack's voice issued forth gently, nearly a whisper, from the hallway. A couple of seconds later he stuck his head around the doorjamb and looked in at her.

"I'm almost ready," Sam returned in a similar sotto voce.

Jack eyed her quietly a moment and left his place in the doorway to step up behind her. Sam watched in their shared reflection and so saw his hand coming up before he actually touched her hair. He threaded his fingers into her hair and trailed his hand down once.

Sam smiled inwardly. She could feel his presence so very close, his pure Jackness invading her personal space.

Jack dropped his hand and lifted his eyes to Sam's mirror image. He gave a quirky smirk and said, "I like it."

Sam had figured as much. "I never took you for the type to prefer long-haired women." Sam had seen pictures of Sara O'Neill and even sort of met her once, and Jack's ex-wife had had an almost eerily similar hair-cut to Sam's old style.

Jack shrugged faintly as he answered, "Not really a long hair thing," then his expression turned suggestive and heated as he added, "good memories."

Sam almost shivered; she knew exactly of which memories he spoke. She'd known his hands in her hair before she knew him. Visceral memories of their former identities, of Thera and Jonah, enslaved but in love, swept through her mind. Jonah who'd had Jack's hands, Jack's touch, without his memories or his name.

It had seemed a lifetime ago, and in some ways Sam guessed it had been. Over a year ago SG-1 had gone to P3R-118 on a standard mission, nothing spectacular, meet the locals and set up a tentative trade agreement. But things had gone wrong and the team had ended up in the domed city's underground slave labor work force. And they didn't even know it. Their memories erased, new identities created, SG-1 just gone one moment and new people left in their place.

Sam had been Thera there. She'd been a machinist, a loyal worker, a simple woman with an uncomplicated love for her fellow worker, Jonah. Except Jonah was Jack, only neither had known it at the time any more than they'd known Thera was Sam.

But they were home now, after so long back to a world they had forgotten they called home. Their time on P3R-118 had altered their lives irrevocably. They had lost Teal'c, the one member of SG-1 to die on the planet. With their loss on P3R-118, however, had come gifts, treasures more precious than anything Sam could have hoped to possess.

When Sam pulled free of her memories she saw Jack looking knowingly at her in the mirror. He knew as well as she did, he had the memories, too. They were their coveted past, their secret genesis. Jonah still lived, in Jack's gaze and his private, gentle smiles.

Jack broke the stillness that had encapsulated them by leaning inward, over her shoulder, and kissing her on the cheek. It was small but earth-moving all at once. Sam couldn't help the involuntary smile, along with the little thrill his chaste kiss gave her. It was still so new, so near to forbidden, for him to just kiss her. It was a shot of J4 in her veins every time, every touch charged with enough energy to power the stargate. It baffled Sam that she'd denied herself so long something so easily dispensed and gladly accepted. It was like suddenly allowing herself happiness, and it was everything it was always made out to be.

On impulse, Sam turned to face him. Jack didn't move away, stayed insanely close, as she moved. He barely had time to meet her eyes, to offer a small smile, before Sam's hand went to his face and she captured his mouth in a full-on kiss. Jack's arms went immediately around her and she leaned into him gleefully as their lips clashed and tongues dueled. It was so unbelievably invigorating and she could spiral intermittently in and out of control in his embrace for all eternity.

A small cry from deep within the house broke their moment and Sam pulled back reluctantly. Jack's arms were less willing to disengage and he held her trapped against his chest. For the moment, the brief crying had quieted.

"Reality test?" he teased, and Sam licked her lips (she could still taste him) and nodded.

'Reality testing' had become frequent between them. Their worlds had been turned inside-out so many times in the last month that what was 'real' had begun to feel like a slippery topic. From being simple slaves to being survivors of a genocide to being Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill to being Jack and Sam in such a short span of time was disorienting. Jack and Sam were trying to find their footing, their rhythm and roles, and in that they had begun testing themselves. When things seemed surreal they'd challenge it. When Sam felt like her world was canted off its axis at the notion of being in a relationship with her former CO, she'd meet that with action. Random physical contact became common-place. When it seemed too outlandish to think she was actually involved with Jack O'Neill she'd reaffirm it by simply kissing him senseless. Every time that he let her, and not only allowed it but reciprocated, grounded them in their current situation.

It wasn't an unpleasant exercise, either.

The cry echoed again through the house, this time a little more insistent.

One of Jack's hands slid intimately over her jeans-clad butt before he loosened his hold on her and Sam took a step back. "Sounds like she's up from her nap."

"We were going to have to wake her up anyway," Sam observed. "You want me to get her?"

"I'll get her," Jack replied, then with a last appreciative look at her he disappeared down the hall.

It allowed Sam to smile in tender amusement to herself. She always knew Jack had a soft-spot for kids, but never could she have predicted his own child would turn him into such a teddy-bear. Jack O'Neill was taken.

Sam checked her appearance one last time, this time noting the oddness of heading to the base in civilian clothes. Of all the weird things in her life lately, that small detail grabbed at her. Hopefully she wouldn't have too long to get used to it before she was back at work.

Sam picked up a band and pulled her hair back into a ponytail before turning off the light and leaving the bathroom.

The hallway, like the rest of the house, was a mess and Sam's meticulous proclivities ruffled at the state of affairs. Shopping bags and boxes were scattered about, kicked to the side to clear a path down the center. They needed a few more weeks just to get everything straightened out. Sam could tell the disarray bothered Jack even more than it annoyed her. The house was definitely on their list of priorities.

Sam made her way to the guest bedroom and looked through the open door at the scene within. Boxes and bags flanked a brand-new crib positioned in the middle of the room. Standing at the crib's side was Jack, his back to the door, as he bounced lightly on the balls of his feet.

Sam smiled and watched a moment.

Jack rocked to and fro gently and Sam heard him just barely whisper, "Be okay... please, be okay."

Sam's smile faded and her heart tightened.

"We should go, if we're late Janet will worry," Sam spoke gently, and Jack turned to look at her. The baby in his arms, not even a month old, gaped up at Jack's face in infant bewilderment. She was dressed in a sky blue pajama jumper, baggy and loose but no doubt only to fit her a month at best.

Sam moved to Jack's side and her hand rose to brush her fingers over her daughter's fine hair. Fine, light brown hair. The baby's tranced look on her father broke as she grumbled and kicked.

Sam turned her eyes up to Jack's face and he was staring down at the baby, his expression troubled. Sam had seen that look on his face enough over the years to know it well. Before last night, however, Sam never knew that look also meant Jack was scared. Last night, in bed, he'd put his arm around her and pulled her close... his hold was stronger than usual and Sam turned her head to look into his eyes, dark and intense in the nearly-black bedroom. Jack had looked straight at her, only a few seconds but it had seemed so long, and uttered only a barely-audible, tense, "I'm scared." It was more than he'd ever told her before, and he never said it again, but it had shaken Sam to the core. She'd snuggled closer to him and offered only, "I am too."

Jack had that face again as he cradled their child, and Sam found herself lightly touching his arm. She wouldn't apologize again but the sentiment 'I'm sorry' bled from her every pore.

Jack looked to her, saw her self-recrimination, and his facial expressions changed. He went from wounded to assertive, frightened to confident, and he said in a low voice, "I'll put her in her carseat."

That left Sam diaper bag duty, and she nodded her acquiescence as Jack shifted to leave. He hesitated however, something in Sam's demeanor stalled him, and just before leaving the room he leaned down and kissed her lightly on the mouth. Then he was out of the baby's room and heading toward the front door.

Sam, a sick feeling in her gut, moved robotically to the diaper bag, on the floor next to the brand-new changing table, and shouldered it heavily.

She would be ready for today to be over, for better or for worse... and she prayed it wasn't for worse.

*****

Janet Fraiser was sitting in her office, stealing another glance at her clock, when she saw Jack and Sam walk in through her window to the infirmary. She capped her pen and was on her feet and moving to greet them quickly.

"Sam, Colonel," she said, and both officers looked at her. They looked tired, and worried sick... they looked like parents. Jack had the baby, the tiny girl resting over his shoulder as the colonel softly rubbed and patted the blue-clothed back. Janet had seen that kind of concern on Jack's face, to a lesser degree, when one of his teammates was hurt. She couldn't count how many times she'd seen a very similar expression on the colonel's face when he was standing vigil over a wounded Daniel's bedside, something purely protective and paternal.

Sam looked just as harried. The young woman had a blue diaper bag over her shoulder, her tired, worried eyes continually cutting to the baby half-sleeping on Jack's shoulder. She looked needy, maternal, like she would feel a lot better if she could hold her child, but Sam knew when Jack needed it more.

Janet wanted to ease their minds as quickly as she could. "If you two could come inside my office I can discuss the lab results with you."

Jack gave a nod for Sam to precede him and they trailed into Janet's office after the good doctor.

Janet's office was not a private physician's office, it was a practical military infirmary office, and as such there was no comfortable love seat for Jack and Sam to share. Instead Sam took the one uncomfortable seat in front of Janet's desk while Jack continued to stand, pacing restlessly and patting the baby gently like a nervous tic.

Janet strode to her desk and took up the file labeled 'Carter-O'Neill, Meghan K'. It was far thicker than any child so young should ever have.

"First of all," Janet began, looking up at Jack and Sam as she spoke, "the tests confirm what we have suspected; Meghan has naquadah in her blood."

Sam's lips thinned and Jack scowled to himself and rubbed Meghan softly.

Janet turned her eyes to Sam. "We also were able to ascertain that it's not something being transferred through breast milk. It would appear that it happened in utero through umbilical blood exchange; there was nothing you could have done, Sam. There's no reason you should stop breast-feeding, either. It won't change the fact Meghan has an alien element in her blood."

"Is it permanent?" Jack asked from the back of the office.

Janet sighed. "We're not sure. Obviously, this has never happened before so we can't know for certain, but my guess would be yes. The good news is that the concentrate of naquadah in her blood stream will diminish as she gets older.

"The human body physically can't produce naquadah, and only so much of it could have transferred through the placenta, so the amount she possesses now will be the amount she has for the rest of her life. When she gets bigger the particles per pint will decrease almost exponentially. By the time she's ten she should be able to see any pediatrician without flagging any technicians to her condition."

Jack ruminated quietly while Sam asked, "Will it hurt her?"

Janet frowned. Sam's voice was so small and sad, so scared, that Janet ached for her.

"No, Sam, it won't, in fact, it's already helped her."

Jack and Sam both looked to the doctor and Janet set the file down and explained, "The naquadah seems to have boosted her immune system, much in the way that it can and has safe-guarded you against certain viruses and ailments," Janet said while looking at Sam. "When I first examined Meghan she was perfectly healthy, and once I learned of the conditions of the prenatal environment that very fact caught my attention. Stuck underground is not an ideal place for a pregnant woman, exposure to some amount of sunlight is essential to prevent certain illnesses in newborns. Meghan didn't have those. No vitamin D deficiencies of any kind, and considering your pregnancy's environmental conditions there should have been. That and a child born, for all intents and purposes, to a slave was, immunologically, abnormally hardy.

"I suspect that the naquadah will continue to substantially augment her immune system, at least until the concentration is so low that it doesn't have the impact it once did. For the first two years, at least, I would say you two are going to have a phenomenally healthy baby."

"So you're saying this is a good thing?" Jack asked.

"I'm saying," Janet provided, "that there's nothing we can do to change it but it's not necessarily a bad thing."

Sam looked over at Jack and the colonel slowly met her gaze. He was a blank slate at first then slowly a conciliatory, relieved little smirk lifted one corner of his mouth. It wasn't much, but Sam would take it.

Janet picked up the single-page report from her out-box. "Colonel," she said, "could you take this report on Meghan's tests to the general?"

Jack knew Janet was getting rid of him, but he decided to accept it with grace. "Sure," he answered, and moved to the chair and carefully passed the baby to Sam. Meghan grumbled at the jostling then went quiet once settled in Sam's arms.

Jack claimed the report and, sparing a moment to touch Sam's shoulder, he was gone.

When he was out of sight Janet turned her eyes to Sam. The major was staring down at her daughter, her expression still troubled. "Sam... she really is all right."

Sam nodded, "I know, I believe you, it's just... already she's different because of me."

"Different's okay, Sam, as long as it's a healthy different. Trust me, I know."

Sam gave a small, wane smile, but she nodded again. Janet's adopted-daughter, Cassie, was as 'different' as they came, but Cassie was a sweet, outwardly normal girl. Cassie was doing fine on a planet not her home world.

"Have you given any more thought to what we discussed the other day?" Janet asked.

Sam looked up at her friend and Janet was relieved to see some of the worry gone, replaced with relief and happiness. "Not much, today was really going to weigh into my decision a lot."

"Now that you know it's not a problem?"

Sam almost smirked, and it was almost playful. "It's a little early for that, Janet."

Janet smiled. "As long as you're nursing on demand you won't have to worry, but if you decide to switch to bottle-feeding you could get a surprise."

"You mean another one."

Janet broke into an amused grin.

Sam shrugged. "I don't know... Jack and I haven't really, really talked about it yet. We were too worried about Meghan."

Janet looked closely at Sam and asked seriously, "How has Jack been with you during this?"

Sam knew what Janet was getting at and she shook her head. "He was there when I needed him. He didn't abandon me or shut me out, if that's what you're asking."

Janet winced. "I'm sorry, Sam, but I've read his file... I know how he can get when something happens to his kid."

Sam nodded. "I know, and I think sometimes he wanted to, but he stayed with me. We're okay and we intend to stay that way."

Janet nodded in relief. She didn't doubt Sam's stubbornness, or Jack's, to make the relationship work.

"I guess I'll bring it up with him again, now that we know Meghan's okay," Sam commented, back on the original topic.

"Keep in mind that we can't know how your body would respond to oral contraceptives. The naquadah in your blood could well render it ineffective, we just don't know. Your only real option might be for the colonel to have a vasectomy."

Sam smirked, "He's going to pale at that." Sam started to smile, a genuine grin, and said, "But I think that's a little premature in any case. I don't think we're quite done having children."

Janet grinned back at Sam, and the two women felt the tension that had entered the room fly out of it just as quickly.

*****

Jack rapped his knuckles on General Hammond's open office door and the commander of the SGC looked up from his paperwork at his visitor. "Colonel, come in."

"Sir... Doc Fraiser asked me to give this to you." Jack handed Hammond the paper then proceeded to stand there and wait.

Hammond read the report then looked up at Jack. "This is good news."

"Yes, sir."

"Major Carter?"

"She's down in the infirmary with Fraiser. I think they wanted to gab and the doc sent me scurrying off with a menial errand."

Hammond chuckled warmly. "Women and babies, there's no stopping them."

"No, sir," Jack answered with a faint smile.

"I thought you'd like to know that Kaegan's been settling in nicely."

Jack pursed his lips. "That's good... I meant to check in on her, but, you know, I just–"

"She understands, Colonel, you were worried about your daughter. Doctor Jackson's been helping her adjust so she hasn't been alone."

Jack nodded guiltily all the same.

Hammond laid the report down on his desk and said, "Now that this is resolved I'd like to arrange to speak with you and Major Carter as soon as possible. We have a few things to discuss."

"Oiy," Jack huffed.

Hammond smiled gently. "I'm sure we'll manage to work something out. As it is we can't very well just sweep it under the rug."

"I think Meghan would object to that."

"CPS too, no doubt. I wouldn't worry, Colonel, you have too much field experience to lose and Major Carter is invaluable to the program. I have a feeling the Joint Chiefs will be willing to be a little flexible."

"And forgiving, too, that'd be nice."

Hammond smirked. Jack looked concerned and he knew Major Carter would secretly be chewing nails, but Hammond had no doubt they could come to a compromise agreeable to all parties. Hammond wasn't joking when he said Sam was invaluable... in fact, he'd been understating the truth. Sam was indispensable to the stargate program. Jack was a little less crucial, but not by a great deal. As the most seasoned officer of gate travel his experience and his tactical background and knowledge was an asset. Even if the Joint Chiefs weren't feeling generous Hammond intended to got to bat for two of his best officers and fight tooth and nail to keep them.

*****

Kaegan checked the room number on the slate gray door a second time before she slowly peeked her head into the room. She was still learning this new world, this new underground system, and so much of it looked identical to her. She had been sure, at first, that she was at the door to Daniel's temporary room, but when she knocked and got no answer she had to double-check the numerals on the door. His room, just no answer.

Kaegan looked inside and immediately saw him standing in the middle of the room. He was almost facing away from her but he was turned just enough that she could see that he was transfixed by something in his hand. He was so very still, she wasn't even sure he was breathing, and there was something about the slump across his shoulders that made her worry.

"Daniel?"

Daniel finally broke from his stare and turned completely to look at her. He blinked, bewildered and lost, then his expression shifted and he said, "Hey, Kaegan."

Kaegan stepped into his room and glanced down at the object in Daniel's hand. It had his full attention again and she was curious.

"What's that?" Kaegan asked as she crossed the room to stand beside him. Daniel let her come and soon Kaegan was looking at a photograph of a woman. She was very beautiful. Dark, curly hair, lovely brown eyes, a soft face, a smile, as though for someone special, on her full lips.

"My wife," Daniel said gently, and Kaegan looked up at him. Daniel's mouth was tight and his eyes full of sorrow.

"She's dead, isn't she?" Kaegan asked softly.

Daniel nodded and took in a breath. "Janet kept it when they cleaned out the rest of my stuff. She said it didn't feel right letting it get thrown out, so she stored it away in her house. She found it this morning and brought it to me."

"That was nice of her."

Daniel nodded and brushed his thumb over the glass encasing the image of a deceased beauty. Kaegan started to feel uncomfortable watching him stare at his dead wife with such grief and longing and she crossed her arms over her chest restlessly. The material of the one-piece blue jumpsuit she had been given was still strange to her, so constricting compared to the orange pants and jacket she used to wear as a slave.

"What was her name?"

"Sha're." Daniel licked his lips and moved to slowly sit on the bed. Kaegan went with him and sat down at his side, their shoulders touching.

"You know, this is the only picture of Sha're. The only one. Her people didn't have cameras."

"Where was she from?"

"A planet called Abydos. The first time we went through the stargate we went to her home world where her people were..." Daniel paused and looked briefly at Kaegan, smiling ironically, "where her people were enslaved by a false god."

Kaegan gave a small, cynical smile in return. It was familiar enough, familiar enough to not really be funny.

Daniel continued, "Jack and I were able to free their people, and when everyone else came back here I stayed behind on Abydos with Sha're. We had one year... just one, before she was taken."

Kaegan wasn't sure how 'taken' became 'died', but she got the sense it didn't truly matter and she leaned closer into Daniel and touched his arm. "I'm sorry."

Daniel sighed and lowered the picture into his lap. He turned his eyes to Kaegan and asked, "So, how are you liking your room?"

Kaegan knew he was trying to change the subject but didn't fight him. She withdrew her hand and answered, "I can't believe all that space is for me."

Daniel chuckled and Kaegan looked quizzically at him.

"It's just a room and attached bath."

"All for me," Kaegan emphasized in disbelief.

Daniel took his turn to pat her arm in understanding. "I know it's different from the caves, but here people usually have a lot more space to call their own, a lot more privacy than we ever had on P3R-118."

Kaegan shook her head, unable to imagine, then she uttered softly, "It's so quiet in there. I'm so... I'm just... alone."

Daniel reached up and briefly touched her cheek and Kaegan felt herself blush at her own ridiculous weakness and it prompted her to look away. She couldn't help it. She'd never been alone like that on her home world. In the caves there were always people, people in the barracks, in the caves proper working on the machines, gathered en mass at mealtimes. People, people, people, her entire life a crowd around her. She was never plunged into the kind of deathly silence that engulfed her in the cavernous room they'd given her.

"You're not alone," Daniel said gently, and Kaegan looked back at him. She remembered him first and foremost as Carlin and so often if seemed she was only just getting to know Daniel Jackson. She wanted to believe him but she didn't know how much Daniel's word would have equalled Carlin's.

Daniel smiled crookedly, adorably, actually, and said, "My door's always open if you need a friend, Kaegan."

Kaegan gave a tight smile back. She'd been friends with Carlin... she hoped it would be just as easy and just as rewarding to become friends with Daniel, because she felt like she could really use one.

*****

Jack was the last one up that night. The house was quiet, for the time being, and the faint smell of the lasagna they'd had for dinner was still lacing the air with its aroma. Sam had fed Meghan and put her down and gone to bed herself about an hour ago. Jack had stayed up to do a little more straightening up before calling it a day, for all the good it did. The living room was in a start of anarchy, just like the rest of the residence. It seemed they barely made a dent in the choas that was the house's every single room whenever they tried to clean. It wasn't easy coming home with a baby to a house already in order and furnished, but it was nearly impossible bringing a baby home to an empty house and trying to throw together a home from scratch.

Jack shuffled a few more boxes to the trash pile shoved against the wall and decided to call it a night. More and more he thought a team state of emergency needed to be called. In the past that would have meant the four of them, him, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c rallying together to do what they did best, work together to fix a problem. Now it would just be him, Sam, and Daniel. Jack missed his Jaffa friend, and not just because Teal'c could have moved furniture on his own.

Jack resolutely told himself that he would enlist Daniel's help to try and make some headway with the house in flux. Working as a team they might make some visible improvements. Daniel would help. Kaegan might, too. She had proven herself as far as Jack was concerned... the moment she'd refused to leave an in-labor Thera when they were being pursued by what they believed to be the enemy she had won Jack's trust. When Kaegan had dug in and stood between the enemy and Thera while Thera gave birth told Jack all he needed to know about the dark-skinned woman native to P3R-118.

Jack got the impression the recovery of their true selves made Kaegan uncomfortable, and he supposed he couldn't blame her. People she thought she knew turned out to be strangers from another world. He remembered what it was like to be Jonah and suddenly be Jack, to know Thera and suddenly remember Sam. It was disorienting to say the least.

He'd ask Kaegan if she wanted to help, but he wouldn't count on her jumping on board the way Daniel would... at least, not yet. She might still need time.

Jack tended a few minor items then turned off the living room light and headed down the hall toward the bedrooms. The first door on the right was Meghan's, and it was slightly ajar as was their policy with the baby's room. Jack paused and peeked inside. If he strained he could just barely hear rapid, tiny breathing as his daughter slept. Jack felt his heart melt all over again and with a small smile he continued until he reached the master bedroom.

Jack eased open the door and looked toward the bed. The rest of the room, like the rest of the house, was a disaster of boxes and bags, ringing a king-size bed where Sam was lying. She was facing away from the doorway, more in the middle than on either side. That made Jack smirk. One of the first little things they found out; they both preferred the same side of the bed. Sam tried to defer to Jack, give him the right side, but frequently in her sleep she'd end up half-sprawled over him because she was so used to sleeping on the right. Not that Jack minded.

Jack, trying not to disturb Sam, shucked his shirt and jeans then crawled between the sheets in only his boxers. The bed shifted slightly with his weight and he tried to ease his way into bed. Sam's breathing staggered and she moved, rolling over to face him.

"Sorry," Jack whispered.

Sam shook her head. "I wasn't really asleep. How's the living room coming?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "We're going to have to call in reinforcements."

"Daniel?"

"Daniel."

Sam smiled. "The way he kept his office it's almost terrifying to think of calling for his help to organize and clean."

"Well, these are desperate times."

Sam's light chuckle in the darkness made Jack feel decidedly warm and fuzzy, but that was nothing compared to what Sam did next. Without a word she slid across the distance between them and cuddled into his side, her head on his shoulder. Jack wrapped his arms around her and Sam snuggled closer to him. He would have been content to fall asleep that way, but Sam ruined his plans when she began to speak lowly. "I can't tell you how relieved I am that Meghan's not sick."

"You don't have to," Jack stated pointedly, and Sam nodded against his shoulder and snaked her arm around his middle.

"But the naquadah...," Sam whispered.

Jack freed one hand to reach up and brush his fingers blindly through her hair. "You heard the doc, it's not hurting her; you didn't do anything wrong. Meghan's fine."

Sam went conspicuously quiet and Jack frowned. He knew she felt guilty, despite everything she knew with her mind. Her heart told her she'd done a disservice to her daughter, as though she'd given the baby a congential disease. Jack knew what she was thinking and feeling without having to ask; he understood a parent's guilt better than anyone.

"Janet asked me about the pill again today."

Jack rubbed her back gently but said nothing.

Sam was tensing under his touch. "Another baby would probably have the naquadah, too."

"And that one would be fine, too. It's okay, Sam."

Sam sighed tightly and Jack felt her move. She pulled slightly away to look at him, searching the darkness for his face. Jack let her go without letting her loose and studied her faint outline hoovering above him. She was little more than an off-center profile line and a curtain of golden hair highlighted almost blue in the darkness.

"What do you want me to tell Janet?"

Jack wouldn't let Sam put it all on him. That was too easy. When she got unsure it was so natural for her to fall back on letting him give the orders and make the decisions. On SG-1 that had worked, but in a relationship it wouldn't cut it.

"What do you want to tell her?"

Sam huffed angrily then went still and thoughtful. "I don't want to."

"Then don't. Honestly, I don't want you to, either."

"Really?"

Jack smiled, even though he doubted she'd see it, and hoped it translated in his voice. "Didn't I already say on our list of 'things to do' would be a little brother or sister for Meghan?"

"That was before we knew about the naquadah."

"If it was harmful that would be one thing, but it's not going to hurt her. It's like her eyes being brown instead of blue, it's just a part of her. If it won't hurt Meghan it won't hurt the second baby, either."

"So... we're going to try for another baby?"

Jack reached up and touched her face, fingers tracing her lips to try and get a read on her shadowed expression. "I want to," he said gently.

Sam smiled against his fingertips and returned, "Me too." Her lips moved more under his touch as she began to grin mischevously and quipped, "Janet isn't even sure the pill would work on me with the naquadah in my system. She said if we really wanted to stop having kids you might have to get a vasectomy."

"So, twelve, thirteen kids sound good to you?"

Sam laughed.

"Just enough for a hockey team, I'd be happy with that."

Sam dropped her forehead to his chest and stiffled her giggles against his bare skin.

"No giggling," Jack taunted but oh-so-subtly drew her closer even as he chastized her.

Sam folded down against him, still chuckling, and when she snuggled against him again it was more completely, more relaxed and at ease. Jack held her closely and like a moment of vertigo, as though his reality was sliding sidways, it suddenly seemed surreal that he was lying in bed with Sam Carter in his arms. The sensation was a familiar one. The 'lapses' were becoming fewer and farther between, slowly but surely, the longer they were Sam and Jack. Jack had never outright asked Sam about the 'slips' or 'reversions', but he knew she got them, too. The look on her face told it all. Sam would suddenly look confused or broad-sided by something so small, something about which a normal couple wouldn't think twice, and she'd look at him as though seeking two men in his eyes. Jack and Jonah. Jack could feel himself answer to her as both men, answering to the two women she was and would always be in his heart.

Jack put one hand into motion, rubbing up and down the line of Sam's back, the way Jonah used to caress Thera, as though to reassure himself he held Sam Carter tonight... at least Sam moreso than Thera.

Sam softly slid her hand up his stomach and over his chest in a loving, guileless caress and it served as a reality test. There was something much more knowing in Sam's mere touch than there had ever been in Thera's. Sam's hands knew heartache, her fingertips danced past pains, the very things Thera could not have for not having the memory to hold them. Jack knew when Thera touched him and when Sam did.

"Hammond wants to meet with us sometime over the next couple of days," Jack spoke lowly into the darkness and what seemed at long delay.

Sam, fuzzy and muffled as she slipped toward sleep, murmured, "'M'kay."

Jack smiled to himself at her sleepy tone and closed his eyes to accompany her. It would be a short-lived reprieve before Meghan woke them, but for the little time they were spared together it would be pure content.

*****

Sam knew she had a scowl on her face. She hadn't looked in the mirror on the back of the sun visor and she hadn't leaned over to catch her reflection in the side-view mirror, but she could feel her muscles fixed in a frown all the same.

A car whipped past them on their left and Sam's eyes followed the blue pick-up as it passed them speedily on the quickly narrowing mountain road. She caught sight of Jack's profile and it distracted her momentarily from her own concerns. At the speeding blue truck Jack down-right glowered, his jaw set, and his hands clutched tighter around the wheel. She could practically see his lips itch to fling an invective at the hurrying vehicle. Sam smirked secretly to herself. 'Careful' would never have been a word she used to describe Jack's driving style before... 'defensive' would have been more fitting. He drove the way he walked down the corridors at the SGC, self-confident and self-contained. Not reckless or dangerous, to be certain, but entitled, cavalier if it was possible for one to drive in a cavalier fashion.

A small hiccup from the backseat was all the answer one might need to the question of why Jack O'Neill was suddenly a cautious driver. Sam sighed and propped her chin in her hand as she cast her eyes out the passenger-side window.

"Sam?"

Sam hadn't realized she'd been loud enough for him to hear, but she looked over at Jack at his voice. His eyes were on the road but something in his air, his presence, allotted her a modicum of his attention. The glower was part frown of concern now and Sam pursed her lips to think she'd put it there.

"I hate taking her to the mountain," was all the explanation needed. The discussion was an old one.

Jack schooled his expression but gave a stilted nod. "Me, too."

They had only been back on Earth after a prolonged absence, truly had only been themselves, for a matter of weeks. Their lives were in upheval in countless ways, but one of those ways was childcare. They had no one to look after Meghan. It meant that when Jack and Sam were both needed on base the baby had to go with them. Jack and Sam were both uneasy at the very idea. A lot of strange, dangerous things happened at the SGC. Potential exposure to alient viruses or technology, attacks through the stargate, the scientists' experiments, foothold situations, the list of possible tragedies was enough to turn any parent white as a sheet. Sam dreaded every time she had to take Meghan into the bowels of the nation's best-kept secret.

Sam twisted in her seat to look back at Meghan, nestled snuggly in blankets within the confines of her carseat. The baby was dozing, even as Sam watched her tiny eyelids drooped then cracked open only to droop again. She was still sated from her breakfast and, for the moment, duely drowsy and content on milk. Sam turned back to face forward, only mildly more at ease to have seen her daughter unharmed and untroubled.

"We'll figure something out," Jack promised, and Sam believed him. So many men might have said such to their significant others and it would have been empty reassurance, something said just to make the other person feel better. With Jack she knew he meant it; he was a man of action, when he said he'd do something he did it, come hell or high water.

She was a lot like him in that respect, so Sam couldn't help but be certain they would find some answer to their dilemma today. It was, after all, the reason Hammond wanted to meet with both of them.

Sam turned back to the passenger-side window and watched the Colorado scenery pass by as they drew nearer to Cheyenne Mountain.

*****

Daniel was moving around his temproary quarters on base as quietly as possible. The thick concrete walls sufficiently muffled the sounds from the rest of the base, the errant chatter of airmen and the staccato of footfalls on the cement. The silence was a welcome visitor when Daniel could so recently remember being Carlin, the slave laborer who had been constantly surrounded by noise, the din of so many living in close, communal quarters. One of the first things he'd welcomed as he reclaimed his identity and life as Daniel Jackson was the peace of quiet.

While Daniel reveled in the chance to think without having to drown out the masses, he knew others were not so happy with the deafening stillness.

Daniel's eyes cut across the room toward his bed where Kaegan lay sleeping. She was on her side, arms tucked close to her body and legs together. She was sleeping on muscle memory. She was taking up less than half of the bed; she was situated to have fit on one of the cots they'd been given on P3R-118.

Daniel studied the wayward woman from another planet and had to think that even in sleep she looked on the razor edge of distressed. Kaegan was like Jack in many ways. She was used to having a firm command of her environment, a grip on things, knowing the ins and outs of her world. She was out of control here and though she tried to remain the tough, unflappable individual, she was flailing for purchase. That hunt for stability took her to Daniel's room last night because he was the closest she had to familiar, the closest to Carlin he could ever again be.

Daniel couldn't imagine what it was like for her. For him, Jack, and Sam they had returned to Earth to find a home they'd forgotten they lost. Kaegan had only discovered a planet full of strangers, even those she thought she knew estranged in a few hours' time, and left burdened with being the last survivor of her entire people.

Daniel debated his options. She had come to his room last night because she wanted company; she'd been privately terrified at the idea of being alone even if she had not dared confess such to Daniel. It was against her rearing, contrary to all she'd known, to be stuffed into a room and expected to stay there for hours without even another single human being nearby. She just needed people and he could understand that... for more than a year he knew that life as though it was all he'd known. Daniel couldn't decide if he was best served leaving or staying. He didn't want to wake her; she needed the rest. He could stick around until she woke up on her own but there was nothing to occupy his time in the sparsely-furnished quarters and even Daniel had his limits on how much boredom he could suffer for the sake of being a humanitarian. Kaegan wasn't Sha're and only with her had Daniel's patience been limitless.

The linguist finally settled on slipping out of his quarters and heading down to the comissary, leaving Kaegan to sleep a little longer. Kaegan knew her way around the base well enough by now to find her way without him once she arose.

Daniel went to his door and was just opening it to step out into the hall when the archaeologist startled to find someone standing right at his door. Jack blinked in surprise, arm raised in preparation to knock, and his eyebrows flickered upward and he opened his mouth to speak.

Daniel quickly brought up a hand and with a finger pressed to his lips indicated Jack be quiet. The older man closed his mouth dutifully but cocked his head and made a questioning face.

Daniel thumbed over his shoulder and Jack leaned forward until he spied Kaegan on Daniel's bed. The eyebrows crawled ever higher upward and Daniel rolled his eyes and gave his friend a faint shove to move him out into the hall.

Once Daniel had softly shut the door he turned to find Jack watching him rather... smuggly.

"It's not what you think," Daniel snipped to Jack's expression as he started heading down the hall.

Jack fell into step beside him and quipped, "Hey, none of my business."

Daniel turned a glower on Jack and said, "She came to my room last night because she was... well, scared."

Jack frowned and slowed marginally and Daniel matched his step. He could see Jack cycling through his phases. At one point Kaegan had been one of them, and being one of them meant being Jack's charge. Jack had assumed responsibility for Kaegan and once Jack took someone under his watch it was not so easy a thing to shake. Jack was still disposed to care, knee-jerk father-figure and innate leader in him.

Daniel's ire simmered as he watched Jack shift from irritating to concerned. It was hard to stay piqued at Jack when he was like that.

"She all right?"

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, it's just... strange for her.

"You remember the barracks?"

Jack nodded.

Daniel shrugged as if that said so much. "Kaegan couldn't get to sleep without someone else around. Too isolated. She's not used to it."

Jack mulled that over quietly and Daniel could tell from the look on the colonel's face that he was giving up the teasing and taunting in favor of genuine sympathy. Jack may not have grown so used to the presence of other workers that he couldn't sleep, but he had come back from P3R-118 needing something the SGC previously could not give him... Sam.

Speaking of...

"Where's Sam and Meghan?"

"Down with Doc Fraiser. Sam and I had a meeting with Hammond today but when we got in we find out he's on the phone with the Joint Chiefs so we're just pissing around until he's free."

Daniel smirked and Jack caught the look and asked rather warily, "What?"

"Nothing, just... weird to hear you call her 'Sam' instead of 'Major' or 'Carter'."

Jack gave a strange, quirky smile and Daniel felt like chuckling. To think of what it took for Jack to finally call Sam by her first name; enslavement on an alien planet, memory loss, a daughter with a woman he didn't know he already knew. His friends were quite the oddities.

"You doing anything?"

Daniel looked up at the random question. "Right this very moment or as in today or in the sense of some abstract future?"

Jack cast his eyes once toward the ceiling and said, "The house is out of control and I was thinking I could steal you for a few days to help Sam and me rein it in."

"Oh... yeah, sure, I'll help out." Daniel went quiet and Jack let him; Daniel knew the question brought up thoughts of Teal'c for both of them. So many times in the past they had come together, the four of them, to help one another out in their everyday lives. Now Teal'c was gone and his absence would be acute when Daniel showed up to lend Jack and Sam a hand. "What about Kaegan?" Daniel asked after a moment in slient grief.

Jack was quiet in thought a minute formulating his answer. "I wasn't sure she'd be interested."

"I think she would."

"Great, then," Jack's tone picked up, "her too, the more the hands the better, believe me. We may even want to check out some zats to tame the living room alone. Kaegan could beat back boxes, right?"

"I'll ask her, but I'm sure she'd want to help. That is if Hammond will let her off the mountain."

Jack made a sound under his breath. "I'll talk to him about it."

Daniel nodded to himself even as it just then occured to him that Jack and Sam, while acquainted with Kaegan, didn't really know her. Not as much as Daniel did. Kaegan had always gravitated toward him; Daniel had just assumed it was by default, that Jack and Sam paired exclusively and Kaegan's only option for companionship was Daniel. It wasn't until that moment, when Jack inquired of Kaegan through Daniel, as though the younger man was a buffer, that he understood that Jack sincerely felt aloof in regards to Kaegan. Responsible for her, accountable for her actions, but undeniablely detached. Daniel tried to remember if Jonah had been that way or if it was a Jack thing, but Daniel's memories blurred and lines got hazy. Daniel and Carlin bled together in his recent past and especially for the time when he was coming to realize who he was the boundaries of Daniel and Carlin were undefined.

"Thank you, Daniel."

Daniel, at the unexpected utterance from his tough-as-nails friend, looked up quickly at Jack with bewildered blue eyes. "For what?"

"Looking out for Kaegan. She shouldn't be left to fend for herself."

Daniel knew what went unsaid was 'since she's proven herself'. Jack's loyalty, once won, was an unremitting force. Also implicit in Jack's comment was the understanding that he and Sam had been negligent in any responsiblity for helping Kaegan adjust to Earth... and guilt for that oversight. Daniel, of course, saw no cause for recriminations... only a couple of days ago did Jack and Sam get the long-awaited, much-anticipated news that their baby girl wasn't sick.

"No need to thank me, Jack, at the very least I owe it to Carlin."

Jack nodded, briefly reached out and clamped his hand on Daniel's shoulder, then let his arm fall back to his side (touchy-moment passed) as he said, "I'm going to go see if Hammond's off the phone yet, get this meeting over with, see ya."

"Bye, Jack. I'll find you later about when you and Sam want me, and maybe Kaegan, to come over."

"Yeah, sure, you betcha," Jack gave as parting farewell as he turned and headed away from Daniel.

*****

General Hammond entered the briefing room to find Jack and Sam already seated at the table. They moved to stand at his entrance but Hammond forestalled their formality with merely a raised hand. After the hour-long talk with the Joint Cheifs of Staff he could do without all the procedure and pomp... that and Hammond had come to know SG-1 so well over the years that it almost seemed perfunctory.

Hammond spared a moment to take note of his two officers. Before the mission to P3R-118, Jack and Sam would have chosen to sit opposite one another if they were the only two in the breifing room. Hammond wasn't a fool. He'd known before Jonah and Thera that Jack and Sam had feelings for one another, but then they had always maintained their professionalism. At briefings they would only sit side by side if Daniel and Teal'c were also present. It was less conspicuous, because two people would have to sit on either side of the table, and what was inappropriate if the pair on one side just happened to be Jack and Sam?

Currently Jack and Sam were the only souls in the briefing room but sitting in chairs side by side. When Hammond arrived they both turned to look at him, obviously breaking off a private conversation at the general's entrance.

Hammond could not have envisioned such circumstances two years ago. As little as two months ago he could not have imagined seeing Jack or Sam again, believing them dead after a standard mission gone awry. Instead they were right in front of him, congregated at his order to discuss how to deal with the fact that Jack and Sam were in a relationship and intended to keep it that way, to say nothing about now having a child together. The SGC was never a dull place to work, that was for sure.

Hammond went to his seat at the head of the table, Jack immediately on his right, and began without preamble. "You both know why we're here, and while this technically involves Doctor Jackson as well as his status in the program now is uncertain the same as yours, I wanted to meet with the two of you privately to discuss more personal issues."

Jack and Sam nodded.

"I just got off the phone with Washington turning this situation inside and out trying to come up with some answer to the unique questions that have been raised by recent events.

"You'll know be happy to know that the Air Force has opted not to press charges for improper fratnerization and behavior unbecoming of an officer for your 'relationship'. Since neither of you were aware of your actions and their reprucussions, or even your identities, when you entered into this relationship you won't be held accountable for breaking regulations."

Hammond could see Sam visibly relax in relief, although Jack was more trained and unflinching. Hammond got the sense that the moment a baby was in the picture career was a far-cry concern for Jack O'Neill. Hammond had the feeling he could have said they would both be given a court-martial for what they'd done and Jack's reaction would have been nearly the same.

"Now," Hammond continued, "this puts us in the position of having to decide just what to do with both of you. SG-1 can't be reconstructed as it once was. Aside from the regrettable fact that Teal'c is no longer with us, Major Carter cannot be under your direct chain of command, Jack."

"Yeah, we'd figured as much."

Hammond nodded and looked toward Sam. "Major Carter, you've approached me with your concerns regarding your presence on the base."

Sam stiffened uncomfortably, looked at Jack, then cleared her throat. "Yes, sir. I... it's just that we don't have anyone to watch Meghan during the day, and since I'm breast-feeding I need to be with her, and I really don't like bringing her on to the base. Neither of us do."

"That's understandable considering the hazards those here at the SGC are exposed to.

"Part of my phone conversation with the Joint Chiefs was what we could realistically do to address this problem. For the moment, you'll be granted maternity leave. You'll be able to stay at home with your daughter and it will give us time to sort out a more permanent arrangment. I want to stress that the SGC does not want to lose you, Major. I can understand if you want to resign to focus on your family, but you can bet the Air Force and myself will fight to keep you on with the stargate program."

"Sir," Sam answered, "I don't want to leave the Air Force or my job; I love what I do. I realize things will be different, I won't be able to be on a first-contact team anymore, either that or Colonel O'Neill won't. One of us has to be available so that if something happens to one of us in the field Meghan won't be alone."

"I understand. Clearly, for the time being, it makes the most sense for you to be removed from active duty rotation."

"Yes, sir."

"Don't get me wrong, Major, I'm sure we'll still be making extensive use of your skills and expertise, you're our foremost expert on the stargate, but hopefully it will be more in a consultant capacity until we can work out something else.

"You'll maintain your rank and standing for now, at least through your allotted maternity leave, but after that, even if you don't rejoin a field team, we could probably find a place for you on the scientific staff." Hammond let loose a chuckle. "If need be we'll make you a place. We would all prefer you not have to resign your commission, Major, but rest assured you'll have a job here. Neither Washington, the Pentagon, nor I are prepared to let you go."

Sam gave a small, almost shy smile. "Thank you, sir."

"Now, Colonel..." Hammond turned his eyes to Jack. "You're not going to like this."

"Uh oh."

"I've spoken with my superiors about reinstating you into a position equitable to your command of SG-1 but the higher-ups have decided to treat this case as though you were a POW during your time on P3R-118 since you were, in a sense, held against your will."

Jack went very still.

Hammond frowned. "I'm sorry, son, but you'll have to go through the steps designated for a POW to get back into active rotation."

Jack's jaw ground and Sam cast a questioning, concerned look at him.

"All due respect, General, but I think that's stupid."

Hammond sighed. "I knew you'd fight this, and I tried to make your case to Washington, but in absence of any other kind of standard procedure for this kind of event they insisted on adhereing to the closest template for reintegration we have."

"I don't need to see a shrink."

"You don't have a choice, Colonel. It's not just you, Major Carter and Doctor Jackson will also have to submit to a psychological evaluation before they're cleared for any kind of duty." Hammond looked closely at his second-in-command and said sincerely, "Their concern is understandable. For the better part of a year you three were living lives as different people, you didn't even know who you were. Your soundness of mind will be the foremost question on everyone's mind when considering restoring any of you to your old duties."

Jack was stolidly silent, eyes a dark storm, and Sam visibly had to fight the urge to reach out and touch him.

"Colonel?" Hammond pressed, with just the slightest tone of sternness and command in his voice.

"Yes, sir," Jack said bitterly, but bitter and acquiecsing.

Hammond nodded. He'd take that; he knew Jack would never be happy about the orders, anyway.

"In the meantime, before any of you have been cleared for duty, you'll–"

Hammond was cut off when the warning lights began to flash red and the claxon indicating an unscheduled off-world activation wailed to life.

As though on reflex, Hammond, Jack, and Sam rose as one and moved toward the stairs.

"Sergeant?" Hammond barked as he descended the last steps into the control room.

"We're receiving an IDC now, sir," Walter replied as his eyes stayed glued on the screen depicting the transmission scan. "It's the Tok'ra."

"Open the iris."

All eyes turned to the stargate as the titanium iris dilated open and revealed the bluest eye underneath, shimmering and casting cerulean light over the embarkation room.

A brown-clad figure stepped from the event horizon and clomped on to the metal ramp.

"Dad," Sam breathed under her breath and without waiting for dismissal she was heading toward the door.

Jacob had not even reached the foot of the ramp, his eyes greedily searching the room, when the blast door opened and Sam strode through. Jacob and Selmac's hearts soared at the sight of her. She looked different than he last remembered. Her hair was longer, tied back in a pony tail. God, she had not worn her hair like that since her mother died. She wasn't as thin as she was the last time Jacob saw her, she was paler than he'd ever seen her, but by all gods she was alive. Alive!

"Sam! Thank god," Jacob rushed down the ramp entirely and quickly bridged the distance between him and his daughter. Giving no thought to appearances or the SFs standing around gawking he gathered Sam up in his arms and hugged her tightly. Sam's arms returned the embrace readily and Jacob wasn't sure he'd ever be able to let go.

"My god, Sam, baby, I thought you were..." Jacob started to choke on his words and with a heavy swallow he tucked his face against Sam's golden hair.

Sam's arms clutched tighter around him and she whispered in a tight, emotional voice, "I know, Dad... it's so good to see you."

Jacob knew people were watching but he couldn't bring himself to let go of her. He thought he'd lost her. He'd been told she'd died over a year ago, and he'd grieved the loss of his only daughter. It had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done... even Selmac worried about him. And now she was in his arms again, alive and whole.

Sam gave him a quick squeeze and Jacob realized she thought they were putting on more of a show than necessary. Jacob couldn't have cared less, but his Sammie always wanted to look the strong one, put up a good front. With reluctance, Jacob loosened his hold and stepped fractionally back. He kept his hands on her, his fingers gripping her arms just to feel her under his touch. She'd have to deal with that and just humor her old man.

Jacob gazed upon her face and his inner universe was dancing. She was grinning up at him, her eyes moist and glittering and so beautiful. She looked like her mother, and Jacob marveled that he'd never seen it so strongly or undeniably before that moment.

"Oh, Sam," Jacob uttered and freed one hand to touch her face. Sam turned her head into his palm and kissed the heel of his hand.

"They told me you were dead. I was on a mission, I just found out you were here, I came as soon as I could."

Sam sniffled suspiciously and looked up at him with heavenly blue eyes and she nodded. "I know, Dad, I'm just glad you're here."

"What happened? Where in god's name were you?"

Sam barked out a laugh. "It's a long story."

"I'm sure," Jacob said and smiled warmly at her.

"Ahem."

Jacob's singular world shattered to encompass everything else at the sound and he looked up to see Hammond and Jack both standing a few paces away watching. Neither were completely able to hide the smiles on their faces as they watched Sam and her father reunite.

"George," Jacob acknowledged his old friend as he traced his hands down Sam's arms until he was clasping her hands in his own. She squeezed his fingers back and Jacob could have slipped into comatose bliss right then. Her hands, her smile, things he'd thought would live only in his memory suddenly tactile again.

"Good to see you, Jacob."

Jacob nodded and turned his eyes to Jack. He, too, was pale. Where in the hell were they for that year? Jack looked leaner than he'd been before, if that was even possible, and there were hints of a stronger musculature than the experienced colonel used to possess. The younger man was watching father and daughter with an oddly gentle, soft smile. His brown eyes were more alight than Jacob had ever seen them.

"Jack."

"Hi, Jacob."

Jacob's eyes, like the unstoppable tide, turned back to Sam before him. She was engulfing just on sight, like a supernova swallowing him whole.

Hammond looked around at his companions and finally said, "Major Carter? I think Colonel O'Neill and I can conclude the meeting if you'd like to have some time alone with your father."

Sam blushed but ducked her head and nodded. "Thank you, sir. If it's all right, I'd like to go home for the day." Sam looked briefly at Jack and he gave an acquiescing half-nod/half-shrug.

"Granted, Major, now get out of here."

Jacob had heard only half of the conversation, his eyes riveted on Sam the entire time. He knew only that she stopped regarding the others, that she looked back at him, and his world was reborn in joy.

"Come on," she beckoned, and retired Air Force General Jacob Carter followed after her like a puppy. The fingers of one of his hands remained firmly entwined with hers, and once they were out of the embarkation room and making their way down the corridor he pulled her to a stop to tug her into another hug, right in the middle of the hall. Sam laughed but went willingly, resting her head on his shoulder the way she had as a little girl.

Jacob started to wonder again if he could be forced to pry his arms away from her. "I missed you so much, Kiddo. You have no idea what it was like to think I'd lost you."

Sam cuddled against him. "It's okay, Dad... I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"What happened?"

Sam pulled back and looked up at him. "Like I said, long story, but I'll tell you everything once we get off base."

"Why not now?" Jacob only half-teased... he wanted to know what circumstances had let him grieve the presumed death of his precious daughter.

"Please, Dad, I'd rather not stay on base any longer than necessary and this is a conversation that could literally take hours; I'd rather do it at home. I promise I'll tell you everything when we get there. Come on."

Jacob walked after her, content to let her dictate the laws of nature if that was her desire. He was confused, he had a thousand questions, but as long as he had his daughter back he could tolerate a certain amount of mystery. "What about the others? Daniel and Teal'c? I just saw Jack, but what about the rest of SG-1? Are they okay, too?"

Sam frowned. "Daniel's fine, but... we lost Teal'c."

Jacob had an insanely paternal, selfish moment to think 'better him than my Sam', but aloud he said, "I'm sorry."

Sam nodded glumly. After a few moments walking in silence she turned her head to face him and asked, "Where were you? I've been home almost a month and I had no idea you were even coming."

"I was on an undercover mission, I was out of contact with the Tok'ra for three months. As soon as I got back Anise told me the SGC had contacted them and said that you were alive and you were back. I came the minute I heard, Sam, against Garshaw's wishes. Literally, Anise and Garshaw met me at the gate, Anise told me, and I dropped my things and turned around at that very instant."

Sam smiled at him and turned them down a corner.

"I can't believe this..." Jacob marveled and he clutched his girl's hand tighter.

"If you think this is hard to believe, wait until you hear the whole story," Sam replied almost playfully and Jacob chuckled.

"I can imagine... actually, I can't even imagine. Where are we going?"

"Infirmary, I need to get something first before we leave... here," Sam said even as they reached the doorway to the infirmary and stepped inside. Jacob had not been in the medical facility of the SGC in quite a while, but it had not changed since the last time he'd been there.

Janet looked up from her work at their entrance and when her eyes landed on Jacob she grinned and stepped toward them. "General Carter! I wondered who had come through the gate. It's wonderful to see you again."

Sam dropped her father's hand and Jacob felt like pouting openly at the break in contact. "We were going to head off base, Janet, is she–"

Janet nodded. "In my office."

Sam nodded in return and headed immediately toward Janet's office.

Jacob itched to follow but Janet was talking and he was forced to pay attention if only for the sake of manners.

"... imagine you're just as happy as us these days as we were right after SG-1 was found."

"Oh," Jacob fought to reconstruct the conversation, "yes, I am. I'm thrilled to find out my baby girl's still alive, it's incredible. I'm still waiting for the full story on what exactly happened."

Janet smiled. "It's something else."

Jacob nodded absently, distracted, and his eyes moved at once toward the office door when he saw movement. And he got the second shock of the day. Jacob's eyes widened and his jaw dropped open when he saw his daughter emerge from the doctor's office area with a bundle in her arms. The care with which she held the balled blanket and the dimensions made painfully obvious their content even if Jacob couldn't actually see the object within. Jacob was watching his daughter walk toward him with a baby in her arms.

"Thanks for watching her, Janet," Sam said as she reached them and gently rearranged the bundle in her arms.

"No problem, Sam, how'd the meeting with the general go?"

"Dad interrupted us, but Jack's finishing up so we can get out of here."

"Okay," Janet touched Sam's arm and looked toward Jacob, "I won't keep you two any longer. General." Janet turned and left them standing before one another.

Jacob could not lift his eyes from the swaddled mass in Sam's arms. He could only see the barest of an infant profile within the folds of white and blue, a miniature pink face, button nose and puckered mouth.

"Sam...?" Jacob whispered in wonder and question.

Sam smiled at her father. "Dad, this is your granddaughter, Meghan."

Jacob finally pulled his eyes from the baby to look at his daughter's face. His world seemed to have ground to a halt and started spinning backwards and it was probably only by the grace of Selmac that he hadn't been reduced to a blubbering idiot. "She's yours?"

Sam nodded, her grin broadened, and she asked, "Do you want to hold her?"

Jacob was still in a state of shock but Sam spared him the arduous task of answering when she stepped closer and moved to pass him the baby. Jacob lifted his arms to accept the bundle on reflex and suddenly he was holding a baby.

Jacob stared down at the child he cradled and was thunderstruck. A perfect little face topped by wisps of light brown hair was tucked inside the white blanket. As he watched the baby stirred at the handling and opened her eyes to stare upward at him. Dark eyes regarded him like the ancient wise and even if the color was off he recognized his daughter in his newly-discovered granddaughter.

It brought a smile to Jacob's face, despite the surprise to his psyche, and he looked up again at Sam. "Oh, Sam... she's gorgeous."

Sam grinned proudly and Jacob began to understand the changes in his daughter. The way her body had changed, the places it had altered form, even the shift in the light in her eyes... it was maternal.

Sam looked down lovingly at her daughter then up at her father and said, "Let's head to the surface, Dad... I don't like having her on base when I can help it."

Jacob could certainly understand that and held the baby girl closer to him as though to safeguard her. Also he wanted desperately to carry her, not yet ready to relinquish the miracle he'd only just met, and privately hoped Sam would just fail to notice his little tactic.

Sam let him get away with it and instead retrieved the diaper bag and headed toward the elevators with him. Jacob let Sam lead, remaining a pace off her left shoulder, continuously looking down at the baby as it was soothed by the rhythm of his steps and began to drowse. She was so perfect, and his daughter's. Sam had a child, a daughter of her own. Until only minutes ago he was certain his only daughter was dead and then he found out she was not only alive, but had given him a granddaughter.

"I can't wait for this one, Sam," Jacob said as they walked. "How? A baby? Who's her father?"

Sam almost cringed and answered, "Colonel O'Neill."

Jacob came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the corridor and Sam looked back warily at him.

Jacob couldn't so much as breathe or blink as he stared and gauged his daughter's expression. She looked dead serious if not little concerned about his reaction.

"Jack?!"

Sam nodded and Jacob dropped his eyes back to the infant. He started hunting for proof, signs of Jack in his daughter's daughter. Unfortunately she just looked like a baby, as yet the features of either parent not clearly defined from the generic, cherubic baby face. The little hair she had was brown instead of practically white as newborn Sam's had been, and her eyes, for the scant moment she'd looked up at him, had not been sky blue. That could easily be Jack, but frankly that could have been anyone else, too. All Jacob knew for certain was that Meghan wasn't Sam but that she had something about her that reminded him a great deal of his daughter at the same age. But Jack? Everything in Meghan Jacob couldn't place was that which she inherited from Jack O'Neill?

"Long story," Jacob finally echoed and when he looked up Sam was nodding and continuing toward the elevator. Jacob began walking again and the entire ride upward he stole glance after glance down at the baby he carried. Jack O'Neill?

When they reached the ground floor Sam led them through the parking lot to a tan four-door sedan. She pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the doors without a word.

"When did you get a four-door?"

"It's a rental, we needed something that we could put a carseat in for Meghan and we haven't had time yet to think about going through the hassle of buying a car... here, let me have her."

Jacob reluctantly passed the baby over and Sam secured Meghan into her carseat in the back seat of the car. Meghan woke at the jostling and gave a grumpy cry. Jacob couldn't help a smile as Meghan kicked and waved one arm at her mother's hovering face. Sam gently shushed and soothed her until Meghan settled on tracking her eyes around as though dazed and confused.

Confident Meghan was secure, Sam closed the back door, circled the car to get in behind the wheel, and Jacob slipped into the passenger seat without having to be told.

They had driven in silence well past the check-points of Cheyenne before Sam started talking.

"Did Hammond tell you about our last mission, the one where everyone thought we died?"

Jacob took a second to orient to the conversation. "Um, yeah. He said it was a standard meet-and-greet mission, some people living in a biodome on a planet that was in the middle of an ice age."

"Right, P3R-118.

"While we were conducting our mission doing our regular rounds to check out the natives for potential trade relations we discovered that the people of P3R-118 kept members of their own society as slaves. They were kept underground, tending the engines and machines that powered the city and kept the entire population alive. The workers didn't even know there was a city above them. They had no idea there was a comfortable way of life different from the hardships they were forced to endure day in and day out. They'd been lied to, told they were the last survivors of their planet and that they had to keep the machines up and running to keep themselves alive.

"Jack was pissed when we found out about their slave labor force and he went to the leader of the city and told him that we would not enter into trade negotiations with a people who endorse slavery."

Jacob nodded for her to go on.

Sam pursed her lips. "Administrator Caulder, the leader of the people of P3R-118, wouldn't let us jeopardize his chances of opening a dialogue between his people and Earth; he took offense at our pointing out the moral depravity in what he was doing to those people in the caves... to keep us from getting in the way of his agenda he captured us."

"You were prisoners."

Sam frowned. "Not exactly. I mean, yes we were locked up, but we didn't know it. They erased our memories, gave us new ones, new identities... we all believed we were workers in the caves. They were always eager for new workers and we were four prime victims to induct into their web of lies. We became part of the work force; we didn't know it wasn't what we were supposed to be. As far as I knew my name wasn't Samantha Carter, it was Thera."

Jacob was listening attentively as they traveled.

Sam chewed on her bottom lip before she continued, "Thera was a very dutiful, loyal worker. She didn't question her situation much. There were some things that didn't quite track, inconsistencies, but nothing that would make Thera go against her people. She did what she had been told was best for her people, what she believed was best. It was simple down there, uncomplicated, because we didn't know any better."

"How does Jack being the father of your baby come into this?"

Sam frowned at her father's go-for-the-jugular approach to Jack's involvement in her recount but answered all the same, "In the caves he was Jonah. Jonah and I..." Sam clearly stalled and tried to find the best angle of attack for the topic of conversation. "There it wasn't against any rules, no fraternization regulations like here, we didn't know we couldn't... he and I, we became, you know... lovers."

Jacob tried not to cringe or grind his jaw at the idea of anyone doing those kind of things to his little girl. Sam would not appreciate it and it wouldn't be the way to get more details out of her and Jacob had many more questions he wanted answered. He would bludgeon Jack later for touching his little girl that way.

"Down there pairing with someone else was permitted as long as it didn't interfere with our work productivity, and Jonah and Thera were very careful to make sure it was never a problem. We wouldn't risk anything splitting us up so we worked hard to keep our records clean. We did our work and for that we were otherwise left alone, free to be together if we wanted to be."

Sam exited the main thoroughfare and settled into the access road before she deigned to continue her tale.

"They didn't provide the workers any means for birth control down there, nothing preventative, anyway. Their tactic was to terminate pregnancies after-the-fact rather than beforehand, so you took your chances taking a partner. When I got pregnant I went to talk to our overseer and got lucky enough to be granted special breeding dispensation by the administration to carry to term. I went through most of my pregnancy none the wiser that I was actually someone else. Thera had her work and her baby and her relationship with Jonah to think about and it was enough to keep her happy, to keep her from asking too many questions when something didn't quite fit. Down there Jonah didn't know he was really Jack, either. I mean, there were little things, dreams, but nothing enough to make us suspect the truth. Nothing to make us think we weren't supposed to be together.

"About two weeks before I gave birth to Meghan the planet was attacked by a Goa'uld."

Despite himself, Jacob's heart tightened in fear at the thought and even Selmac stirred uneasily at the turn in the story.

"Jack, Daniel, and I, along with one of the natives of the planet named Kaegan, found a buried tel'tac in the mines to hide in and we waited it out. We were the only survivors. When the attack was over we dug our way out and climbed to the surface."

"And found the stargate," Jacob guessed.

"Yes, but we didn't go home then. We searched the city for a couple of days but we found nothing, only devastation and bodies. The entire city had been decimated. We just happened to run across the stargate in our search of the city's remains. None of us could quite remember just what the stargate was and how it worked so we were still stuck. We knew it was something important, that it was our way to get to someplace safe, but our memories were too far out of reach for us to get ourselves home." Sam stopped talking as she turned down a residential street and Jacob blinked to noticed he'd missed nearly the entire trip from the mountain.

They pulled to a stop in the driveway of a house that looked hybrid suburban and cabin.

"Where are we?" Jacob asked at the unfamiliar abode.

"It's Jack's house; I live here now."

Jacob cut a quick look at Sam but she merely turned off the car and got out. He did not doubt she was pointedly refusing to let him ruffle her with his questioning, judging looks regarding everything and anything Jack O'Neill since he found out the man had laid with his daughter. Instead, Jacob followed suit, got out of the car, and stood by silently as Sam got Meghan out of the back seat.

The silence between them continued until they had reached the front door, Sam had located her key, and let them in. Jacob closed the door behind them and looked around. The house was in chaos, it had the well-familiar feel of 'just moved in' to a military man like himself.

"So..."

Sam turned to her father, baby carrier held aloft of the floor in one hand, and Jacob gestured for her to go on. "What happened next?"

Sam seemed to sag wearily at the concept of finishing the story but she nodded toward the living room and Jacob followed. Amid the boxes and bags was a couch and Sam sat down, placed the carseat/carrier on the floor, and waited for her father to join her before she continued her tale. Jacob sat down close beside her and tried actively to school his expression to be open rather than paternal. Sam wasn't a teenager who'd gotten knocked up, after all, but Jacob had always had a hard time seeing his daughter as an adult, even her comission ceremony, even going the Washington to see her receive the Air Medal... a part of him always saw his little baby girl.

"An SGC team came through the gate while we were in the vicinity; they found us and brought us home. They'd been trying to get in touch with the inhabitants of P3R-118 for over a week and when that failed they sent a UAV and saw what had happened to the city. They sent a team to look for survivors... and they found us instead."

"But you still didn't know who you were?"

Sam shook her head. "When we were brought back we were still Jonah, Thera, and Carlin. It was... really confusing, actually. Sometimes it still is." Sam stood up and asked, "Are you thirsty?"

Jacob wanted to shove her back down on to the couch for the rest of the story, but he restrained himself (with ample help from Selmac) and nodded, "Sure, whatever you have."

Sam left for the kitchen and shortly came back with two bottles of water, one of which she handed to her father. Sam retook her seat by her dad, took a drink, then resumed her recount.

"Once we were back and General Hammond and Janet explained the truth to us it started to come back, everything we'd forgotten on P3R-118, and now..." Sam gestured around the cluttered living room, "here we are."

"Are your memories fully back now?"

Sam cant her head. "More or less. I remember everything I knew as me, Sam, before the memory stamping. The period of time when the stamping actually happened and right before I still can't remember, none of us can, but all my long-term memories are there. I also remember everything that happened to me as Thera."

"Jack and Daniel, too, I assume?"

Sam nodded. "Yep, they remember all their old memories and their alter-egos' memories."

Jacob looked down at Meghan and asked, "How did this happen? You living with Jack?"

Sam took another swallow, regarded Meghan thoughtfully a moment, then answered, "When we were listed MIA, presumed KIA, Hammond looked into our personal effects contingent upon our deaths in the service. In Jack's will he'd left everything to his ex-wife, Sara. She got the house but she... I guess after losing her son she couldn't deal with losing the man who'd been her husband, too. She let the house sit for a long time, making payments with the money she got from Jack's estate and accounts but she couldn't bring herself to do anything else with it. A few months before we got back she finally decided to clean it out to sell it but she only got as far as moving out the furniture before we returned. When we got home Jack contacted her about his things and she told him she still had his house and was more than happy to give it back. 'Happy' the key word, because she'd thought he'd died just like you thought I had.

"As you can tell, it still needed to be refurnished but we stayed on base in temps only a week before there was a scare at the SGC, that a highly contagious alien bacteria similar to our necrotizing fasciitis might have come through with one of the teams. It ended up being a false-alarm but it decided us then and there. Jack and I got Meghan out of there as soon as the quarantine was lifted and we bought some of the bare essentials and moved into the house as soon as humanly possible."

"That's not exactly what I meant," Jacob said gently and turned his attention to take in the state of the living room. It looked haphazard, very much like a rushed move-in. Bubble-wrap laid clear plastic waves over the floor and end tables were set caddy-corner to each other in a blatant state of temporary placement. Cardboard boxes and shopping bags from local stores were scattered about, half of them still containing goods.

The mantel was the resting place of further packing material, appliance instruction manuals, and an empty take-out box, but one item caught Jacob's eye.

Jacob stood without a word and crossed the room to study the object more closely. Upon close inspection he discovered it was a Polaroid. A frame had been bought for it but as yet it had not been placed inside, instead the frame was set up and the Polaroid picture wedged into the frame's edges. It was a picture of Jack, Sam, and Meghan in the SGC infirmary. Sam's hair was a mess, unevenly cut and falling jaggedly around her shoulders as she sat propped against the pillows of her bed. Jack was perched on the bed at her side, leaning into her with his arm around her shoulders. Both were smiling up at the camera while Sam angled the tiny infant in her arms so that the picture would capture more of the child's image. In the picture Jack's second hand was raised and his fingers were just barely touching Meghan's fine locks of hair. Jacob stood there a long time studying the ad hoc family photo. Written in partially smeared blue ink on the white strip below the picture was the date it was taken.

"That was taken when Meghan was three days old... it's the earliest photo we have of her. Actually, it's practically the only picture we have of her right now."

Jacob turned back to look at his daughter and he could not erase from his mind the look on Sam's face in the picture. She looked happy. The woman on the couch looked more wise and weathered than happy. Jacob knew some of that exhaustion was his doing, Sam's concern about how her father would react to everything he'd learned.

"What are you going to do now?" he settled on asking.

Sam sagged back into the couch cushions at the question and sighed. "Right now we're trying to make the house at least habitable, but before now we've had too much to worry about, things more important going on. Getting our lives back, moving into the house and getting the things we'd need ASAP, mostly all the baby stuff, waiting to find out if Meghan was okay–"

"Wait, there's something wrong with her?" Jacob asked in instant concern.

"No, but we only just found out she's fine. When Janet first did blood work on Meghan it came back anomalous and she had to send off for more tests."

Jacob found himself holding his breath.

"She's going to be okay," Sam assured him quickly, "but we found out that Meghan has naquadah in her blood." Sam dropped her gaze and her voice lowered. "She got it from me."

"But you said she was fine."

Sam nodded. "It won't hurt her, at least Janet said it wouldn't, no more than it harms me."

"Good, that's the important thing."

"Right." Sam sounded less than convinced. She seemed to stare sadly at Meghan near her feet a moment before she returned to the previous question. "But now that I'm on maternity leave I'll get a chance to stay home and get some work done on the house, and Daniel's going to come over and help, so we should be able to make some head-way with the place."

"You're going to live with Jack... permanently?"

Sam looked up and squarely met her father's eyes and Jacob recognized the flicker of Carter-fire in her gaze, the spark of confrontation and certainty.

"We're just trying to get things into some kind of order for now, but once things settle down we're going to get married."

Jacob's eyebrows leapt upward but Sam did not flinch away. She meant it and she silently dared him to doubt her.

"You... marrying Jack O'Neill," Jacob mused aloud, trying to give himself time to digest the notion. He looked back at the Polaroid picture over his shoulder then back at Sam. His eyes dropped to the baby carrier on the floor and he frowned in concern. "Sammie... is this all about the baby?"

Sam seemed to take extreme offense at first, he almost expected an eruption, but Sam took in a breath, schooled herself, then looked down at Meghan. "It's not about doing the honorable thing, we're not just trying to 'do right' by Meghan by getting married. If it wasn't best for all of us, Meghan included, we wouldn't do it." Sam's fire ebbed and her presence softened as she said, "Jack and I... we discovered each other and ourselves as Jonah and Thera in ways we never could have here as Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill. We were given the chance to see what it could be like, and we..." Sam smirked faintly to herself, a fleeting but content look Jacob had never seen on his daughter's face before, and she said, "we found out that we love each other."

Jacob was mentally reeling and he had the impression that Selmac was deliberately stepping in to steady him like one might an overzealous child in a toy store.

"I guess we fell in love with each other, as Jonah and Thera, and realized later when we regained our memories that we are Jonah and Thera. The names don't change the way we feel about each other."

They were interrupted by a soft mweuling from the carrier and Sam reached down and eventually came up with Meghan in her arms. Sam draped the baby over her shoulder and patted her back and for the time being it quieted the infant. Jacob watched Sam cradle and touch her baby and again there was that light about her, that aura of content and joy Jacob never knew had been missing from his daughter's face until he saw it light up her expression from the inside out.

"Sam... just tell me, are you happy?"

Sam looked up at him from tending her daughter and began to genuinely smile and it was a brilliant sight that melted Jacob's heart. "I am, Dad. Honestly, I'm happier than I ever thought I could be. I didn't think these things would ever happen to me. I love Jack, and he wants to spend the rest of his life with me, just like I want to spend the rest of mine with him, he gave me a daughter, and we've already agreed on more children... I get to have the normal life I thought I'd never have."

Jacob was grinning, despite himself. "You and Jack have already decided you want more kids?"

Sam, beaming, nodded and almost blushed. "Having Meghan has been such an amazing experience already; I didn't think I'd enjoy being a mother so much. And Jack... Jack loves kids, he's such a great dad. We're still quibbling on the exact number, but yeah, we both agreed on more than just Meghan."

Jacob was nearly giddy at the thought of more grandchildren and his planned fire and brimstone for Jack O'Neill, the defiler of his daughter, abated for that. Truly, any children of Sam's would be the only grandchildren to whom he had the chance of ever getting close. His son, Mark, was still frosty at best when it came to his father and Jacob saw precious little, too little, of his grandchildren from his son. If he had to take Jack O'Neill to have grandchildren to properly dote over and adore, then he'd deal with that. Selmac was chiming in with the annoying reminder that, prior to learning Jack had fathered a child with his daughter, the retired general actually liked and respected Jack O'Neill.

Meghan began to fuss and whimper and Sam said, "I think she's hungry. Um, I'll just be a minute." The faint blush that crept up Sam's neck said it all.

"Oh, right... look, um... would you like me to try and clean up a little in here? I mean, I don't know where you and Jack want anything..."

Sam smiled. "Yeah, I'd appreciate that. We're just looking to make this place decent, so do whatever you feel is necessary. Claymours are not out of the question at this point. I'll come out and help you once Meghan's down for her nap."

"All right, Kiddo, take your time," Jacob bade and watched as Sam stood from the couch and moved into the hallway then disappeared into the first room on the right.

Jacob first looked around at the chaos then began on a corner. Career military had him well-trained in packing and unpacking alike... he could do it almost on automatic, and that would give him the chance to digest everything he'd learned since stepping through the stargate and seeing Anise and Garshaw waiting for him.

*****

Jack still felt a conditioned aversion response well in him the closer he drew to the SGC infirmary. As of late he'd found himself in there quite often, but only within the last month did it have nothing to do with one of his team being sick or injured. Social calls to the medical facility had not previously entered into Jack's mind. He have never been really 'tight' with Janet Fraiser, but since Thera and Meghan he was getting to know Janet better than he ever had when he was simply 'Colonel O'Neill' and not 'Sam's Jack'. The idea of being 'Sam's Jack' still brought an inane, self-satisfied smirk to his face. Sam and Janet were friends and by proxy Jack found himself beginning to get into that inner circle. He realized that it had advantages; when he dropped by the infirmary before leaving the mountain Janet had warned him that Sam had taken Jacob home with her.

Jack had the sudden, ominous feeling he might be seeing the infirmary again sooner than he'd like.

Late afternoon, stretching into evening, Jack roped an unfortunate airman into playing taxi service as Sam had earlier made off with their single, shared rental car.

On the way home, taciturn in the passenger seat, he prepared himself for battle. Surely, by now, Jacob had to know the whole story, or at least the only part of the story that would matter to Sam's father. Jack had knocked Sam up. Never mind they'd been different people at the time, that Jack didn't know fully what he was doing or properly to whom; Jacob would only see Sam now an unwed mother to her CO's child. That could not go over well with the retired general. Jack was getting ready to charge the front lines in his long-johns.

Jack barely registered the car-ride away from the base, only knew that the car was slowing down and when he looked up he saw his house, lights on within, cutting a deceptively warm and welcoming shape against the descending night sky. Jack tried to steel himself for the coming confrontation. He had that sick feeling in his gut, the same nausea he'd felt when Sara first told her father Jack had proposed while Jack stood by and waited for the aftermath.

"Good luck, sir," the airman behind the wheel threw out, and Jack gave a terse smile. The airman looked sympathetic, and Jack had to think the young man was married, though he looked barely old enough to be driving. Still, another male who could empathize with Jack's plight.

Still, he was Colonel O'Neill, and he'd be damned if a subordinate saw him cow from anything, even a certain, fiery death by Tok'ra.

"Good night, Airman," Jack bade as he climbed out of the car.

"Good night, sir... say hi to Major Carter and Meghan for me." And, despite his trepidation, Jack felt a moment of content. The SGC personnel had accepted the off-limits relationship between Jack and Sam quite well, considering the circumstances. It was in flagrant disrespect of the regulations, but everyone understood crazy things happened at the SGC and to its personnel. An illicit romance between a CO and 2IC when both were amnesiacs on an alien planet seemed a small matter. Meghan, because she'd been on base so much since her birth (to Jack and Sam's chagrin), had become something of the darling of the SGC. That and, he knew, no one with half a mind would be stupid enough to say anything bad about the child of Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter. At least, not in any way that it might trickle back to the parents.

Jack nodded and waved off the airman then turned to his house and walked up the path to the front door. Still deceptively safe and welcoming.

Jack entered his home (after bypassing the ridiculous impulse to knock at his own door) and looked around. The piles of debris had shifted and morphed, thankfully some of them into smaller piles, and he could hear voices down the hall. He could recognize Sam and Jacob's voices in the bowels of the house. At least they sounded like happy voices, or at least no screaming or yelling, hopefully a good sign.

Jack pocketed his keys (once upon a time their place was on the hall tree next to his front door but with the state the house was currently in anything left out of sight risked getting swallowed by packing peanuts) and made his way into the kitchen to start dinner. When in doubt, he decided to follow his and Sam's short-lived but standard protocol. Sam was not joking about her cooking; Jack figured they'd both live longer if he took on that duty. That and he was perfectly content to avoid Jacob for the time being. He'd seen the Tok'ra do almost superhuman stuff when pissed off, and he had to think Sam's new title of 'mom' would fall under 'things that piss Jacob Carter off'. Besides, Jacob had to be a little more forgiving if he saw that Jack was taking care of his girl, right? Maybe Selmac would be swayed in his favor by chicken.

With the muffled voices of Sam and her dad in the background of his awareness, Jack moved around the kitchen, in its own version of disarray, pulling out pans and the food. He had just gotten the meat on the burner when he heard Sam behind him. "When did you get home?"

Jack turned to face Sam in the entryway to the kitchen and his eyes automatically looked for Jacob. As yet, Jack was in the clear. Spared that, he looked back at Sam and took in her appearance more closely. She was in jeans (Jack was still getting used to how good she looked in jeans, when he'd always thought she was a knock-out in BDUs and couldn't have imagined her wearing jeans so much better) that were just a little tight on her. Sam had bought them snug on purpose, her pugnacious insistence she would lose some of the baby fat she'd gained being pregnant with Meghan. Jack honestly hoped she didn't lose it all, she had delectable curves now. He idly thought that he should make a note to tell her that... later, of course, when his own death wasn't waiting in the wings. She was barefoot, her hair in a ponytail, but it was her shirt that drew his most immediate attention (after the distracting jeans, of course), and his concern. Or rather, his shirt. Sam was wearing one of his hockey jerseys, which normally would have Jack over the moon, but considering the company that was stalking their home he wasn't wild to think of Sam stealing his clothes and wearing them with impunity. Jacob would know damn well Sam wasn't a hockey fan, and he'd notice that the jersey was big on Sam... like it was a man's. Jack wasn't sure if he should applaud Sam her bravery for such a move or ask her what the hell she was trying to do to him.

He settled on answering her question about when he'd gotten in. "Just now. Your dad?"

Sam nodded toward the hallway in answer. "Tackling the closet."

"Janet told me you brought him home when you left the mountain."

Sam nodded. "We had some things to talk about," she smiled knowingly at him, and then she looked around the house in its slightly improved state and said, "then he started helping me with the house. We got a lot done."

'Speak of the devil,' Jack thought with a wince when, at that moment, Jacob came around the hallway partition to stand next to Sam and set his eyes on Jack.

Jack froze and waited.

Jack was expecting flashing eyes and a rumbling, alien voice of wrath, so the downright normal, "I see you're smart enough not to let Sam near the stove," the retired general threw at him instead took him off-guard. Jack eyed Sam's father surreptitiously. Was that Tok'ra code for 'I'm about to tear off your balls?'.

"Chicken?" Jacob asked.

That had to be Tok'raese for 'prepare to eat ribbon device'.

Sam's eyebrows rose at Jack's continuing silence and the mirthful look broke him from his pose if only for his sense of pride. "Um... yeah, chicken."

"Sounds good, after hours working on this mess Selmac and I are starving."

"Well, it should be ready in about twenty minutes I'd guess." Jack was going nuts at how damn normal and congenial the conversation was. He almost wished Jacob would just snap and attack him to get it over with. Why torture him with waiting for the meltdown?

"I can handle chicken," Sam proclaimed, to the private grimace of both men. Fortunately, she seemed not to notice the worried looks and Sam stepped toward the stove, took the spatula from Jack's hand, and said softly, "Meghan needs a bath." She met his eyes sincerely and despite the tension of the moment, the secret Tok'ra language that told Jack he was about to feel serious snake-head wrath, he had to feel a rush of tenderness at the out Sam was giving him. He loved giving Meghan her baths and she knew it.

"Okay," Jack accepted her offering and he just stopped himself from planting a kiss on her forehead. Were Jacob not there it would have been practically second-nature by now. But Jacob was there, watching. Instead Jack froze, looked awkward for a moment, and Sam smiled softly and knowingly and turned to the chicken.

Jack turned to fetch Meghan and suddenly wasn't so sure it was a good thing he'd been tasked with cleaning up their daughter. Jacob was standing in his way. His arms were crossed over his chest, his head slightly cant, smile tugging at his lips and light dancing just barely in his eyes, but Jack knew better than to underestimate a Carter.

Jacob moved fractionally aside, permitting Jack passage, and Jack moved past Jacob. He cast a wary glance down at Jacob when the older man took up beside him, and Jacob chuckled. "I think we need to talk, Jack," was all Jacob said as he followed Jack into the hallway.

Jack tried not to count his last remaining breaths. He went to the baby's room and moved to the central piece of furniture which held the precious treasure of the entire house.

Meghan was lying on her back in her crib, staring up at the mobile of miniature F-15s, 16s, and Thunderbirds affixed over her sleeping pallet. The thin blanket that had been laid over her was rumpled and only partially covering her body, proof she'd been kicking to entertain herself. She was still wearing her blue pajamas from that morning. When Jack leaned over the crib the baby's eyes moved to him instead, just as fascinated by him as the overhead planes. The light was subdued in the room and it only served to make her eyes look darker. Though born with dark blue eyes, Meghan's irises seemed to be darkening every day... Jack knew, ultimately, she'd have brown eyes, like him. Her light brown swatches of hair looked medium brown in the shadow of her father; she probably wouldn't end up 'blonde' the way Sam was.

Jack gathered Meghan up, the entire time under Jacob's watchful eye, and went to the bathroom with Tok'ra in tow. Trying to act nonchalant and unconcerned, Jack retrieved the baby bathtub and shampoo from the cabinets. One-handed, with Meghan held in place over his right shoulder, he turned on the taps in the sink, waited until the water was lukewarm, then filled the plastic bin. The whole time Jacob stood in the doorway to the bathroom, leaning against the doorjamb not saying a word, just watching.

Jack had to reason that surely Jacob wouldn't kill him in front of his own granddaughter.

Jack set the water-laden baby bath on the sink counter and finally risked looking over at Jacob. Still that mask of a teddy bear, the facade that hid the homicidal father-in-law-to-be Jack knew was in there. Jack cringed to wonder if Jacob knew about that.

Jack made a resolution not to let Jacob ruin one of his favorite father-chores. Turning attention as wholly as he could away from Jacob Jack laid Meghan down on a towel atop the counter and unbuttoned her one-piece pajamas. Meghan waved her arms at him and Jack, without thinking, bent down and kissed her bare belly, effused with her soft baby-smell and the candy-sweet sebacious taste of her skin. He did it so often it was almost reflex and only after the fact did it occur to him that Jacob was watching. Meghan kicked, oblivious, and Jack quickly finished undressing her.

Jack finally picked up little naked Meghan and put her in her bath. Instantly she kicked and made a grumpy noise, her face twisting at the sensation of being unceremoniously partially submerged. Jack forgot about Jacob then and smiled at his daughter's reaction. Despite his preparations the actual act of going into the tub surprised her. Meghan whimpered and kicked, splashing water on to his shirt in the process, and Jack caught his daughter's tiny feet in his hands to still them and played with her toes.

Meghan blinked and looked upward at him in something akin to baby-awe, mouth agape and drool glistening on her lips.

Jack began to cup water in his hands and pour it over her perfect little body, and after a few times Meghan calmed down and instead of protesting started to make idle sounds and coos while her father worked.

Jack found himself slowly forgetting Jacob's fearsome presence as he engaged in one of his favorite dad duties. He'd loved bathing Charlie, too, there was just something wonderfully intimate about it, and at such a young age one of the few things he could really do with Meghan. Sam got to do all the really close-contact stuff with Meghan at her current age. Breast-feeding aside, mother and daughter seemed to have a bond Jack didn't, and so little things, bathing her, taking naps with her, playing with her (shallow and simple though her games were now) meant the scope of true fatherhood to him. He was not about to miss out on those opportunities, especially knowing with tragic wisdom how precious those moments were.

Meghan kicked and splashed him again and Jack chuckled and tickled her stomach. On reflex she grabbed for his hand and her tiny fist wrapped around one of his fingers. She stared down at it then tried to bring it to her mouth.

"Wrong parent, Sweetheart," Jack teased but let Meghan gum on his finger all the same as he went for the soap with his free hand.

Jacob finally broke his silent vigil. "Sam told me."

Jack refused to look at Jacob, instead kept his eyes on Meghan. She was a good last sight before he died. "Uh... yeah?"

Jacob laughed, clearly hearing the trepidation in Jack's voice. "I'm not mad, Jack."

"Really?"

"No... more surprised. I had no idea Sam felt that way about you."

Jack would have blushed if he were a lesser man, but he was Teflon, a tough Air Force colonel, so instead he tried to puff up proudly and remain conciliatory to Sam's dad all at the same time. He felt like he looked foolish. Meghan burbled as though in mockery of his attempt. "Well, you know, wasn't something we were going to advertise with the frat regs..." Jack suddenly stopped himself and said, "I mean, feelings. We weren't going to advertise feeling... feelings, because there wasn't an 'us' before, just the... feelings. Really."

"I believe you. Or rather, I believe Sam. I know she wouldn't jeopardize her career for something like that."

"Good... I think," Jack frowned but returned his attention to Meghan.

"Sam said you plan to marry her."

Jack paused again and Meghan regarded him owlishly. "Yes, sir."

"Well, then, I think my part is to give you the 'if you hurt her I'll kill you' speech."

Jack took a chance. "I only just decided you weren't going to kill me now."

Jacob smiled and Jack caught it in the mirror's reflection and felt some of his tension ease. When Sam smiled like that it was never a hidden evil smile, it was an actual, honest smile. He hoped like father like daughter.

"Jack..." Jacob began, his tone serious, and Jack turned to look at the elder Carter. Jacob met Jack's eyes and continued, "I just want the best for her. I know she's tried all her life to prove herself, to me and god knows who else, but I never wanted her to be a hero, I just wanted her to be happy. Today... I've seen Sam happier than I've ever seen her in her entire life. I've seen my baby girl with a baby girl of her own and I can tell she loves it. Sam's more alive now than she's ever been. As a father it's hard for me to admit this, but I know most of that glow in her face is because of you."

Jack fought off a shit-eating grin, because that would just be tacky and probably wouldn't endear him to Jacob.

"I never expected she'd find what she was looking for in you." Jacob's smile turned playful, and he amended, "Because let's face it, you're not exactly the pick of the litter."

Jack laughed and Meghan, at the abrupt sound of his voice, crooned and splashed.

Jacob stopped chuckling to continue, "But... you make her happy. I hope you'll always make her happy, because she deserves it."

"No arguments from me. I can promise you, I'll do my damnedest."

Jacob nodded, his eyes fell on Meghan, and after a moment gazing adoringly at her he said, "She's beautiful."

Jack looked down at Meghan, butt-naked and wet, bewildered and innocent, and he traced her milk-fed belly with his fingertips. "Yeah, she is."

"I was kind of mad at you, at first, until I really took a long look at her. You gave Sam a daughter, and in doing so gave me a granddaughter, and what a little angel."

"Stay of execution?" Jack ventured, and Jacob smirked.

"In a manner of speaking. And besides, you are going to marry her." It sounded almost like an order rather than a statement.

"Yes, sir."

Jacob shrugged in relent. "So... I can deal with having you for a son-in-law."

"Thanks... I think... again."

Jacob smiled and resuming studying Meghan.

They lapsed into silence while Jack continued to bathe his daughter and Jacob came up closer beside him to watch. It was more relaxed than before, the 'talk' out of the way, but Jack felt like something needed to be said, something still waiting to be spoken. He dreaded to do it. He'd rather pass it off, let it fly by, go unspoken yet understood, but it stuck tenaciously and just built up with every passing second.

"I love her," he finally blurted, and then winced at the tactless maneuver.

Jacob smiled all the same. "I know."

"Just... so you know."

"Thank you, Jack."

Both men fixed their eyes on Meghan.

"I was talking about Sam."

Jacob chuckled. "Yeah, I guessed that."

"Oh."

Jacob sighed and it captured Jack's attention just as the older man said, "Sam told me about you and... well, about Jonah and Thera. About P3R-118. Quite a story to explain this little girl, but it made me feel better."

Jack looked up curiously at Jacob from washing Meghan's barely-there hair.

Jacob said to the unspoken question, "Even when you weren't yourself you took care of Sam. You've always taken care of her, and I guess it was my fault for not seeing that it was more than just in a commanding officer capacity before. After the things you two have been through with SG-1, I know I can trust you with her."

"I... thanks."

"Just... make her happy, Jack. That's all I ask."

"Understood," Jack returned, as though accepting an order from the general rather than the dad, and Meghan broke into their conversation by letting out a short but pointed cry.

Jacob chuckled. "Sounds like someone's done with taking a bath. You go ahead and finish up with her, I'll go see if Sam's burned down the kitchen yet."

Jack smirked to himself and turned to Meghan as he was finally left alone with his daughter. For the moment Meghan had gone quiet and was looking up at him, almost expectantly albeit with a scowl on her face. She almost demanded to be warm and dry.

Jack unfolded the towel on the counter to oblige.

*****

Hammond was not surprised to look up at the short knock on his office door to see Jacob Carter standing in the entrance. He was wearing greens, which was only slightly less conspicuous than Tok'ra clothing, but looked far more congruent on Jacob Carter in Hammond's eyes.

"Good morning, Jacob," Hammond greeted and waved Jacob in.

"Hey, George... I was wondering if I could usurp the use of the stargate for a little while today."

"I'm sure we can manage that, heading back?"

Jacob sat down in one of the chairs opposite Hammond's desk and made an incredulous sound. "Not if I can help it. I intend to ask for some time so I can spend a few more days with Sam."

"I can certainly understand that."

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, well, I hope Garshaw sees it that way, if not, well... the Tok'ra don't have a word for AWOL. I was just on a deep cover mission for months, they owe me some down-time, whether they want to or not."

Hammond chuckled. "As long as Selmac's in on your plan."

"Oh, she is, trust me. She missed Sam nearly as much as I did."

"So I imagine you've been apprised of... everything."

Jacob looked closely at Hammond and said evenly, "If by 'everything' you mean coming here to find out the daughter I'd believed dead is now the mother of her commanding officer's baby, then yeah, I imagine I'm up to speed."

Hammond smiled. "Quite a shock, believe me, I know. Just be glad you weren't here when they first came back. I tell you, it was really hard to see them and be damn glad they were back but them not have the first clue who I was, who anyone at the SGC was."

Jacob frowned. "I can't imagine, the only thing that comes close when I try is becoming host to a Goa'uld and having the host personality completely suppressed but that is not something I want to think about."

"I imagine not, but I assure you it wasn't like that. They might not have known the SGC or anyone here, but they knew each other... not as their real selves, but they were there for each other."

"Sam told me as much, at least about her alter-ego and Jack's."

"So how are you taking all of this?" Hammond asked his friend curiously.

Jacob sighed, looked toward the ceiling, and ran a hand over his bald head. "After my mind stopped spinning? Okay, actually. They didn't actually do anything inappropriate, not knowingly, anyway, and besides..." Jacob paused and a tone of wonder seemed to creep into his voice, "Sam's happy, George."

Hammond couldn't help but smile. "I've noticed that."

Jacob made a face, possibly bickering with Selmac, and he grudgingly conceded, "Sam could have done a lot worse than Jack O'Neill."

"He's a good man."

"Yeah, well, don't tell Sam I agreed with you. I know he cares for her, and he's trying to do right by her. I don't know, maybe once they're married I can ease up on him a little–"

"Married?" Hammond interrupted in surprise.

Jacob looked equally taken off-guard. "You didn't know?"

"I never asked, we've been trying to tackle more immediate problems."

"Well, they did both say it wasn't high on the to-do list just yet, so I guess it wouldn't come up. They probably told me to placate my temper," Jacob added with a smile. Hammond had to smile in return. Jacob Carter had JG's, his daughter, and Jack running scared but Hammond knew Jacob was really a teddy bear with a good show... most of the time. Needless to say Jacob's first natural inclination was gentle over gruff, despite the testimonies of many subordinates. The fact that once riled Jacob was a terror to all things unholy maintained his reputation.

Hammond said, "Well, I can't say that's much of a surprise at this point. All things considered, I probably agree with it."

"If it keeps that smile on my little girl's face they have my blessing."

Hammond smirked gently in fatherly understanding.

"And I can't argue with having a new grandbaby," Jacob commented with a grin. "I'd always hoped Sam would get around to having a family but the longer she put it off, the more she kept putting her career first, I started to think it would never happen for her. I was okay with that if it was what she wanted, because she seemed content with her life, but seeing her with Meghan..."

Hammond nodded. "Pretty much the same with Jack these days. He's pretty much always in a good mood and here I'd always thought he was just naturally bitter and flippant."

Jacob chuckled. "Well, he might be that, but fatherhood really does a number on you, doesn't it?"

"It certainly does." Hammond frowned suddenly. "I guess the Colonel O'Neill we've always known is what was left after what happened to his son."

The room got quiet a moment before Jacob asked, "What happened?"

Hammond looked taken by surprise. It was unspoken, common knowledge to all the key people at the SGC (i.e., himself, Janet, and the rest of SG-1). "You don't know?"

Jacob shook his head. "I know he used to have a son who died, but I don't know much more than that. I never cared to look into Jack's past enough to ask... didn't seem any of my business before."

Hammond mused quietly a moment. "You should ask him, Jacob, or Sam, but it's not my place. It's too personal to Colonel O'Neill."

Jacob held up his hands. "Fair enough."

"Let's go see about getting you in touch with the Tok'ra."

Jacob and Hammond stood and left the office together.

*****

Jack had been sharing a bed with Sam for weeks, his body and soul with Thera for months, but for the second time in as many days he was tentative as it drew close to time to turn in.

"You sure he's okay with this?" Jack asked Sam as she changed into her nightshirt and shucked her pants on the floor. Jack was near the bedroom door, which was left barely open so they could hear Meghan in the next room over when she woke. They had a set of baby monitors, laid out and ready to go, but for the lack of enough batteries. It was on the list of needs for their next trip to the store. Normally leaving the bedroom door ajar was not a problem, but that was before Jacob was in the house with them, where he might walk down the hall and see his daughter and him in bed together, even if it was merely sleeping. Just as last night, when Jacob had crashed on the living room couch, as he was doing that night, Jack was uneasy at the notion of hopping into bed with the man's daughter. Jack had been less than thrilled when Jacob came back to the house after going to the SGC that morning to report he'd weaseled three days of vacation time on Earth to spend with Sam.

"It's fine," Sam insisted with an amused smirk.

"Hey," Jack protested to her teasing little smile, "you don't have to worry, you're his daughter, you're safe, I might be in danger of losing my private bits here."

Sam snorted lightly. "Not likely, Dad's got a vested interest in you if only for the purpose of providing him grandchildren."

Jack's tension eased and he smiled cheekily if not a little uncertainly. "He's really on board with that?"

Sam got under the covers, sitting upright with the comforter in her lap, and nodded at him with a smile. "He really started to warm up to all of this when I told him you and I wanted more kids."

"Well, slap me rosy, looks like your dad has a soft spot after all."

Sam rolled her eyes once before she said, "And as I've made it abundantly clear you are his only venue for securing grandkids from me you're safe... at least your 'private bits' are."

"You just love me for my sidearm," Jack teased as he finally left his wary post by the door and stripped out of his pants then proceeded to climb into bed, on the right side. Sam was already more in the middle than on the left and Jack chuckled.

"What?" she asked.

"You're never going to learn to accept the left side of the bed, are you?"

Sam scowled at him in the darkness and retorted, "I don't see you offering to switch."

"Us old dogs don't learn new tricks."

Sam shifted on the mattress and suddenly Jack's left arm was around her as she snuggled up into his side and nestled her head on his chest. "Well, I guess I could make more of an effort, if you really insist..."

"Hell no, I was just... commenting."

Sam made a smug sound. "That's what I thought."

Jack sighed, tugged her closer, and the room's stillness and darkness wrapped around them. It was calm and peaceful and left a vacuum and he found himself just barely saying, "Sam?"

"Hmm?"

His voice dropped even lower, to a whisper, like he was divulging a state secret. "Love you."

He could feel Sam smile against him. "Love you, too."

"Okay."

Sam just barely chuckled and quickly began to nod off partially draped over him. They knew Meghan would be up in a couple of hours, sleep was too precious to squander with sweet nothings.

Which was just as well by Jack, since he sucked at them. He was lucky Sam could take touch for words, better than Sara ever had. She'd wanted the confessions, Sam wanted his caress. Caress was much easier for Jack to do, which he demonstrated by rubbing his hand up and down her side once.

Jack closed his eyes and slipped into sleep, his last thoughts of Sam.

*****

Jacob stirred not so much at the sound of movement but the sense of a presence nearby. He was on his side on Jack and Sam's couch, and while Sam had apologized for the accommodations, Jacob was more than happy to take the couch. Considering the slabs of crystallized material, sadly covered with a sorry excuse for padding, that the Tok'ra called sleeping arrangements the cushions were a luxury worthy of royalty. That and he would gladly take second-rate accomodations and get to stay close to Sam than take up in a hotel across town just to have a bed of his own.

When he sensed someone nearby he slowly opened his eyes. Since Selmac his night vision was much better and the room came into focus, the boxes and black shadows against night in their entireties.

Jacob laid still and listened and heard shuffling in the kitchen over his shoulder.

Jacob sat up, looked through the partition that separated the living room and kitchen, and saw Sam in her nightclothes (a long, button-down shirt topping her bare legs at mid-thigh) slowly pacing the kitchen with Meghan in her arms. Jacob openly watched her. In the shadows of the night, owning the body of a new mother and with her longer hair she looked errily like her mother. Jacob was taken aback and his ache for his deceased wife renewed at the sight even as joy effused him to know it was his daughter who'd taken up the ancient parental rite of walking babies at midnight.

Sam glanced in his direction and saw her father looking at her. "Hey," she whispered softly, "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No," Jacob lied. "What time is it?"

"Almost five. I just had to feed her."

Jacob smiled at the notion, his daughter the doting mother, and Sam quietly made her way into the living room and sat down on the couch next to her father. Jacob leaned closer to look down at Meghan. The baby was half-way to sleep again, her eyes almost completely closed, and the only sign of actual wakefulness being the slight flexing and fisting of her tiny exposed hand.

"I didn't hear her cry," Jacob whispered.

Sam shook her head. "She didn't. Jack's got a very good internal clock and he's a light sleeper most of the time. He got up and checked on her just when she was getting fussy."

"Impressive," Jacob teased, and Sam looked at him with a patented daughter look then turned her attention back to her dozing infant.

On the subject of Jack, however, Jacob's lips tightened a moment before he began, "Sam? Can I ask you something?"

She glanced in question at him.

"What happened to Jack's son?"

Sam's gentle, loving expression slipped, replaced by an instantly defensive and sad look. She went noticeably still and turned her eyes steadfastly back to Meghan. Jacob could see the internal war raging in his daughter. She was weighing her options. She could refuse to divulge Jack's private pain, insist he tell Jacob himself, but in doing so she'd be making Jack retell a very, very painful story.

"What do you know?" she finally asked in a low voice.

"Only that he lost a son but I don't know how or when."

Sam nodded somberly, eyes still trained on Meghan, then she said in measured words, "About six years ago Charlie got hold of Jack's service weapon and accidentally shot himself."

Jacob felt instant ache and parental panic at the very thought. He'd kept guns in the house when his children were young, and at the mention of Charlie O'Neill's fate a thousand what if's Jacob had never experienced rushed at him.

"I... had no idea."

Sam frowned. "Jack doesn't like to talk about it. Please don't bring it up with him. I told you so you wouldn't have to."

"I won't. God, I can't imagine."

Sam bit her lip faintly and her hold on Meghan tightened just enough for the baby to notice and fight her way momentarily closer to consciousness to sleepily protest before settling again.

"When he was Jonah, as soon as he found out I was pregnant, he started having nightmares. He didn't actually remember Charlie, but part of him must have known what happened, because he'd have dreams our child, and it was always a son, died and it was his fault."

The father in Jacob, the man who had to trust Jack to protect his granddaughter, reflexively accepted it had been in large part Jack's fault even as he grieved with the man in the same capacities.

Jacob couldn't reach out to comfort Jack, and probably wouldn't even if the man had been there, but he did reach out and touch Sam's back.

Sam swallowed. "I was pretty worried about him until he started to work in the mines and physically wore himself out so much that he started sleeping at night again."

"Does he still have nightmares?"

Sam went very still and Jacob knew he had his answer even if Sam said not a word on the matter. But she did. "Yeah... sometimes bad. So... in case he has one while you're here, if you hear him scream don't worry."

Jacob's eyes widened.

Sam looked quickly at him. "Really, he's fine after a little while. He calms down once he checks on Meghan. But, um... if you happen to see him roaming the house right after one of his nightmares don't try to approach him. Just give him space, and don't touch him."

Jacob was baffled by the instructions. "What?"

Sam sighed wearily. "Usually his nightmares are about Meghan and Charlie, and he needs a minute after those anyway, but sometimes they're nightmares about being a POW and when they are he just... he needs to reorient himself."

Jacob was a career military man, he'd seen friends come back from missions and assignments with post-traumatic st