A/ramble: I'm writing this on my mobile phone. *pats phone* well done :) So here's a gathering or snippets, about retired Jack and SGC commander Brig. Gen. Sam, all revolving around Sam arriving home from work. Smack abound, 'ship established. I even dabbled with some present tense. Gasp. Mistakes are all mine. Enjoy!
~ And The Baby Birds Will Cry ~
Jack was waiting for her to come home. He'd like to think he was enough of an excuse for Sam to finish work at a reasonable hour. At the sound of her car pulling into the driveway, he smiled. He really wanted to be at the ceremony celebrating her promotion, but his recent discharge from the military prevented him from coming onto the base. This morning she'd left home - their home - a Colonel. Now she was a Brigadier General. As he'd done with his old eagles, he'd passed his stars onto her. He hadn't been there to pin these on her, but was glad Hank had been able to step in.
He pushed off the couch - he would never admit to waiting impatiently - and slowly walked towards the front door, carefully timing his arrival with her entrance. The lock turned and she pushed it open, her briefcase hanging in the other hand.
She's still in her blue Service Dress Uniform, which he always thought was very, very becoming of her. Those two stars stood out like a sore thumb and he was grateful she'd decided to stay in uniform rather than change back into civilian clothes before coming home.
''Well if that ain't a sight,'' he greets her, tapping one of the little silver stars. She smiles and touches his cheek. He loves how normal kissing her has become. Never boring, but a blissful state for a couple that have never had, nor sought, normality.
''You like them?''
''Yeah, of course.'' He relieves her of the briefcase and guides her towards the dining room. She slides the starched jacket off and drapes it over a chair as he drops the heavy case onto the polished wooden table.
''It feels so strange sitting in that chair; its one thing to lead SG-1 or command Atlantis, but running the SGC feels different. It's our base and it seems different when you're running it.''
''Afraid to be 'The Man'?'' he adds, his hand gently kneading her neck as they move to the living room. Sam falls into her corner of the sofa and kicks off her heels. Upon the decision to live together, she began establishing her territory left, right and centre. Half the bed and sofa, one side of the wardrobe and even a large portion of the CD cabinet had been instantly claimed as hers. This was fine with Jack. She had an office upstairs and he's slowly converting the garage into his own man-cave. They have their space when they need it and he invades her side of the bed whenever he wants. She never complains.
He sits on his side of the couch (two can play at that game) and studies her. The stars are a strange sight, but she certainly deserves them. Perhaps more than he did when he was first promoted.
''So, how was it?''
Sam sinks back into the cushions. ''The usual glitz and glamour. I would have liked you there, but really, there were a few moments when even I was bored.''
She's sparing him the heartache of his absence. It doesn't really work, but he appreciates the gesture. He smiles lazily and slides closer. She looks happy and tired at the same time. If it weren't for this promotion, he's sure she'd have retired too. She is pushing forty-three after all. If she were a normal blue-collared worker, she'd have many years of service ahead of her. But she's not. She's worked more than anyone he knows.
''Hmm... I've never gone to bed with a Brigadier General.'' He muses with his usual flare of humour.
''I have...''
He looks at her; her eyes are close and he redundantly raises an inquiring eyebrow. She seems to sense it and adds:
'''...well, a Major General.''
''Any good?'' he pokes her in the leg. Her eyes open and she gazes at him sleepily.
''Duh.''
~ SJ ~
He didn't hear her come home last night. He's come to expect the odd late night, but he does expect her to come to bed. He rolls to the left to look a t the time. It's just after three and he's still alone. He can hear a steady beat coming from the garage. He had a good enough idea of what she was doing. He'd put the punching bag up for her, knowing there would be days like these.
Jack almost falls out of bed, pulling his shirt where it was twisted and had ridden up. He ran a hand through his now snow white hair and stumbled towards the door. At least his hairline was still firmly in place. He was prepared to embrace caps as soon as it began to recede. The white he could handle.
As he sleepily thumped down the stairs and bumped into the doorframe that opened to the garage, the loud thumping increased its tempo and became more violent. He yawned and leant against the frame.
She was beating at the swinging bag in a rage. Something was eating at her, judging by the late night and the way she was tenderising the canvas with her bare knuckles. Knuckles, which Jack now noticed, where raw and red from the continuous punishment she inflicted on herself and the bag.
He sighed and pushed off the doorframe. Her eyes snapped to him briefly but she offered no greeting. She was still in BDU pants and boots, her black singlet drenched in sweat. Jack reached out and stilled the bag; he said nothing but tilted his head in inquiry. Her face was flushed and he could tell she had been crying, though the tears had disappeared into the sweat on her cheeks. She puffed and glared at the bag. He would wait patiently.
They were still learning to talk to one another after five years of a relationship, along with seven years of working together prior to that. She leaned into the bag between them. He wants to ask how many personnel she lost today, which was always a possibility, even with the more peaceful state of the Galaxy.
''Two teams...'' is all she lets out before sidestepping the punching bag and walking into his arms.
She's crying openly and one thing he knows about Sam Carter is that while she - unlike him - isn't afraid to cry, she doesn't like it. He's had to learn to deal with an upset Sam. But this is new and old at the same time.
Like any Commander, she's angry that she can't protect her teams when they step through the Stargate. Let alone two. Jack never cried when he lost people through the gate. He'd run or drink or lock himself in a darkroom. He has never allowed himself to cry. Sam does.
''You gotta let them go.'' It's all he can offer her.
He hates it, but she's alone in this learning process. He can offer advice and share experiences, but she's got to learn to cope. He can only try to walk that fine line between telling her to suck it up like he would have as her CO, and holding her at night and let her break down as any normal, empathetic would.
She grips his shirt and holds him close. She needs him now. Not as her old CO. It's taken a while, but he wants to be here.
~ SJ ~
He's preparing dinner by the time she comes home. He's been well domesticated and doesn't really mind. It's a wonderful thing to spend your days relaxing and only worrying about the weather and deciding what to eat for tea. It's quiet and he has her; those are the most important parts.
''Did you ever feel ridiculously proud of the entire base?'' She's asking him before he realises she's even come through the front door. He turns to her and leans against the bench near the stove, metal tongs clicking in his hands.
''Only on the days when nothing went wrong. So not too often. Why?'' Jack replied, prodding at the steak on the stove.
''We had a fire drill.''
The tongs scrape loudly on the pan.
''You did what?'' Never, in his eight years at the SGC, did they do a fire drill. Orders were in place, but the need to keep the Gate secured outweighed the need for a base-wide fire drill.
''Fire drill. Base was empty in four minutes flat.'' She smiled proudly, her chest puffing out slightly.
Four minutes is very impressive, but Jack's still stuck on the whole 'the base was empty' bit. Sam can tell by his vacant expression and rephrases her reply.
''...except the security teams in the Gateroom.''
He feels better now. He's still smiling happily and he's sure she's got a genuine buzz over this small success. Teams come home from hostile planets all the time, but no, a fire drill has her almost bouncing on her toes. He may exploit this good mood of hers tonight. Their past the I-love-you-and-need-you-and-can-we-get-naked-now stage. But now or then, they travel back to that stage and it's totally worth the effort.
He knows she has an almost maternal love for the base as a whole and he's pleased to see her enjoy the small perks of commanding the SGC. They are far and few between, but so damn rewarding.
~ SJ ~
Someone is playing with his ear. He hasn't told Sam about his mid afternoon naps on the couch but if she doesn't ask, he won't tell. Jack opens his eyes to find his favourite blonde above him. A glance at his watch tells him she's home early.
''Not playing hooky from work are we?''
She gave him one of those big mega-watt grins. ''Yes and no. We had no missions scheduled and Cam agreed to hang back so I could come home.''
''A boring day?''
''It was agony...'' she exaggerates a groan, ''... so you wanna move over and we can sleep away a really boring afternoon?''
As if she has to ask.
Jack makes as much room as he can and she curls into his side against the back of the couch. He's gained a little weight, but hell, he's fifty-nine and no longer required to maintain a high standard of fitness. Sam has assured him if it gets too bed, she'll make him start running again. He still goes to the gym three times a week as something to do, but more so he doesn't become a lump.
Then again, there's something about snoozing on the sofa with your better half to which very little can compare.
~ SJ ~
Jack is surprised to feel a warm body in his arms when he wakes up. Alright, it may be his sixtieth birthday today, but he didn't expect her to take the day off for it. Sixty already? Christ, he felt old. And she was only forty-four. Although he still thinks about their significant age differences, He's been bluntly told not to worry about them because Sam isn't going anywhere.
She's awake already, but sleepily opens one eye. She used to be a morning person, but now she'll milk every sleep in for all it's worth. Even when she's awake, she'll keep her eyes closed to try and get back to sleep.
''Hey, happy birthday...'' she offers dreamily. He thanks her with a kiss on her nose.
''I like your present,'' he presses a kiss to her neck and pulls her further into his chest. ''Or maybe I just like you.''
''Well I did get you something, but if you're content with snuggling-'' her sentence is cut short by the sudden roll onto her back. He had her wrists pressed into the mattress and she giggled at his obvious enthusiasm.
''Whatchya get me?'' His nose found her neck and she knew, that he knew, that she is very sensitive there. Wicked man.
''Let me have one hand and I'll show you.'' He releases her entirely so they can sit up against the headboard. They're beyond the extended play-fighting. Jack rubbed his messy hair and waited patiently for Sam to retrieve whatever her gift was from the drawer of the small table on her side of the bed.
He is still warmed by her presence; she's always gone by the time he wakes up. Sam turned back to him, a plain white envelope in hand. She seems nervous and Jack is plain old curious as he takes the item from her. She's biting her lips, a sign that whatever this may be, it'll be good.
He slid a finger under the seal and opened it. Several pieces of paper come out and he can no longer fathom what kind of present this is. His eyes only have to glaze over the form to lock onto the word at the top of the first page.
DISCHARGE.
Looking lower, he sees the reason for the discharge. '...upon request'.
''I'm still consulting as a civilian. But from now on, you'll have to put up with me during the day. Reynolds has been on the list for promotion for a long time and I think the Air Force has taken enough from me. I'm tired, Jack. I'm tired of working for everyone else.''
He isn't sure what to say. It's too late to talk her out of retiring, but he's selfish enough to be elated. He can protect her from the dangers of everyday living and no lnger worry about how much time they'll have left before the world ends.
She didn't come home from work that day. Sam never left him.
~ SJ ~
Don't ask about the title. It came to me whilst playing about my new budgie, Spud. All done on my mobile phone. Very proud. Reviews always welcome.
*Yes, MYOTOS is coming. I wrote this to tide you over. My beta is in the middle of a move and I'm working overtime and Saturdays. I need a SG-1 marathon soon too. Please bear with us. Peace :)