Sam and the Hammond had been out of communication for two weeks. It ended up being nothing more serious than a technical malfunction, but the deeply rooted dread that settled in Jack's bones when he'd first been notified didn't release him until Sam beamed into their living room, safe and whole. As was their custom, they turned to homey routine- they cooked dinner together, and cleared the table together, and finally settled on the sofa. Usually they turned the tv on to something mindless, but tonight it remained off. Sam's book remained closed on the side table, and they simply sat together, sides flush with Sam's long legs draped over his lap. With her knee under his hand Jack is finally assured that they dodged this particular bullet, and from the way Sam slowly relaxed against him, it hadn't been as smooth a sailing for her as her report indicated.

Jack turned his head, brushing his lips across her forehead. "Missed you" he murmured.

Her chin lifted until their eyes locked. What was simply creature comfort suddenly turned profoundly intimate. Jack still felt that sense of awe that he was the one here, holding her. There was a time he figured he wouldn't even get to call her Sam again, let alone hold her like this.

Sam smiled, and Jack wondered if she felt the same way, sometimes. "Missed you too-"

"ACHOO!"

Jack's sneeze came on suddenly and while he managed to cover his mouth to keep from spraying his wife, he forgot how close they were. Their heads bonked together with an audible crack.

When the stars cleared from Jack's eyes, he reached for Sam instinctively. "Ow. Sam, I'm so sorr..."

His frantic apology was drowned out by peals of laughter. Sam shook in his lap, one hand pressed to what would surely be a bruise the next morning. Ow… Her mirth rumbled against his chest, infecting him slowly but surely as he too began to chuckle. As she wound down, Jack curled one hand behind her head and pulled her in for a kiss. "Love you."

"Love you too," she returned, still chuffing with residual giggles.

Oh yeah, Jack confirmed. This was the life.