Chapter 2
There was a knock on her door 10 minutes before General O'Neill was supposed to be there the following morning.
But Sam had expected it. Jack O'Neill was nothing more than an impatient 5 year old in an adult's body. And his patience ran thin when it came to going on missions, receiving explanations from her or Daniel, and sitting through mission briefings. Fishing and Minnesota caused him to be twice as impatient.
So when Sam opened the door, she fully expected to see Jack O'Neill there, but not Pete Shanahan.
"Sam," Pete greeted her. "I just wanted to return this stuff," he said handing her a set of keys to her house and a box, which she guessed contained some of her stuff.
"Oh. Um thanks," Sam said. "Give me a minute and I'll go grab your stuff," Sam offered as she went to grab a similarly sized box with the few things that Pete had managed to leave at her place.
She returned to the door to find that the General had joined Pete on the porch. "Sir," Sam greeted him. "Give me a couple of minutes and I'll be ready to go."
"Sure Carter," Jack replied. "Is the cooler in the garage?"
"Yes sir, it should be unlocked."
Jack O'Neill nodded his good-bye to Pete and disappeared from view.
"This is your stuff," Sam said, handing Pete his box that she had packed a week ago.
"Going somewhere?" Pete asked.
"Fishing with the General, Teal'c, and Daniel," Sam answered as she picked up her suitcase and followed Pete out the door, locking the door behind her.
"I talked to Mark," Pete blurted out as the walked down the sidewalk. "If you change you're mind, I'm just a phone call away."
"Thank you," Sam said as she placed a kiss on his cheek.
Pete gave Sam once last glance before getting into his car and driving away. Sam sighed in relief as she picked up her suitcase and joined the General in his truck.
"You ready?" Jack asked as he looked at his long time 2IC.
"Ready."
Jack started the truck and began the long drive. It didn't take long for Sam to fall asleep, lulled into dream land by the steady hum of the engine and the soft music coming from the radio.
----
They were sitting outside of a McDonald's when Sam was gently awoken by Jack.
"Sam," a voice kept calling, "Sam."
"Five more minutes," she begged, refusing to open her eyes.
"Nope Carter, time for you to get up," Jack said, smiling at her childlike plea.
At the word 'Carter', Sam's eyes had shot open, taking in her surroundings as she launched into an apology, "Sorry sir I-"
Only to be cut off by Jack how waved a finger at her. "For cryin' out loud, we're on vacation Carter. I have a first name, its Jack, can you call me Jack please?" he requested of her.
"I'm afraid I can't do that sir, unless…" Sam said with the hint of a smile on her face.
"Unless what?"
"Unless you quit calling me Carter. After all I have a first name too," Sam retorted, a huge smile filing her face.
"Okay Sa-man-tha," Jack drew out her name.
"Fine Jon-a-than," Sam retorted.
Jack raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, I'll try to call you Sam, you'll try to call me Jack deal?"
"Deal," Sam said, holding out her hand to shake on it with Jack. "But you have to understand it's going to be hard for me to break an eight year habit."
"We'll both have to work on it," Jack affirmed, "Let's eat."
----
Normally, Sam would have objected to not being able to do some of the driving but considering the fact she slept most of the trip, it was probably a good thing that Jack hated to let anyone else drive his truck. It was a 16 hour drive to Jack's cabin, and Sam figured that she slept at least 13 hours of the trip, something that she apologized to Jack for.
"Don't worry about it," he insisted as they unloaded his truck, "You needed to sleep and I like driving. It gives me the chance to just sit back and think."
"Think?" Sam questioned jokingly.
"Hey! Even I need to figure things out sometimes," Jack insisted.
"I understand why you drove now. It took you 16 hours to do your thinking. If we had flown it would have been a much shorter trip, you never would have had enough time to 'figure things out'," Sam retorted, heading into the cabin.
Sam was through the door before Jack rushed in after her, his arms full of groceries. "You know, if I was your CO I would put you on report for that comment," he said seriously.
Sam turned around to look him, concern evident on her face.
"But I'm not your CO right now, so I guess I'll have to use alternative forms of punishment, starting with an 0700 hours wake up call for fishing," Jack claimed with a glint in his eye.
Sam just giggled and threw a package of napkins at him.
Jack grabbed them with one hand and put them on the counter. "You know that just lengthens your punishment right?"
Sam just giggled a "Yes," before continuing putting away the groceries, working side-by-side with Jack.
Sam hadn't felt this at home in a long time, even in her own house, let alone in someone else's house, especially Jack O'Neill's house.
After the groceries were put away, Sam allowed Jack to direct her to one of the spare rooms and leave her alone to get ready for bed, but not before reminding her that her presence was expected for fishing the following morning.
Despite Sam's desire to sleep, she couldn't. She tossed and turned for about an hour before getting up and going into the kitchen. She made herself a cup of tea and went out to the deck and sat down on one of the benches.
For a few minutes, she relaxed and just admired the stars. Sam quickly got lost in her thoughts, as the last few conversations that she had with her father played in her head. She was so caught up in trying to find the meaning behind her father's words, that she didn't hear Jack approach behind her until he dropped a blanket around her shoulders.
"You okay," Jack asked quietly as he sat down next to her.
"I will be," Sam said as she slid over so that she could lean against Jack. "Things have been really busy the past few weeks with Daniel dying again and defeating the Replicators and the Goa'uld. I just haven't had time to sit back and catch my breath."
"It's a lot to wrap your head around, isn't it," Jack admitted as he wrapped his arm around Sam.
Sam just nodded her head as her hand snuck up and entwined itself with his.
After a while, Jack could feel himself beginning to fall asleep. "Come on Sam, let's get you to bed," Jack directed as he pushed the two of them onto their feet.
Hand in hand, Sam and Jack walked into the cabin and down the hallway until they reached the door to Jack's room. Jack went to let go of Sam's hand, but Sam wouldn't let go. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Jack in a hug, burying her fact in his chest. "Thank you," she whispered.
"Always," Jack promised once more as he held her close until Sam let go. Sam could feel Jack's eyes on her until she softly shut the door to her own room. This time, she didn't have a problem falling asleep, content with the knowledge that she was safe and would one day be happy, even if she didn't quite know how or what that really meant yet.
----
Despite the fact that it had been at least 0300 when Sam and Jack had finally went to bed, Jack bounded into her room and woke her up not long after 0700 the following morning.
"Sir," Sam pleaded, clutching the covers around her as she opened her eyes, "I'm on vacation, why can't I sleep in?"
Jack smirked as he pulled the covers off of Sam, "All I'm asking for is one morning of fishing. Come with me today, and if by some impossible chance, you don't like fishing, I promise to listen to your science lectures for an entire week?"
"You'll listen for a week?" Sam asked, needing confirmation.
"I'll try," Jack promised, now making use of his puppy dog expression.
"Okay," Sam relented, "Give me five to get changed," she requested.
Her decision to learn to fish was enough for Jack, and he quickly skipped out of the room, as much as an Air Force General skips that is. Sam changed clothes and grabbed a coat as she went out on the deck.
When they had arrived the previous evening, it had already been dark, so Sam was now seeing the scenery for the first time, and it was breath taking to say the least.
Walking slowly, so she could take in the scenery, Sam approached the dock where Jack was already waiting for her. Two chairs, two poles, and most importantly two mugs of coffee. Careful of the fishing poles, Sam dropped into the empty chair and took the offered cup of coffee.
"Thanks," she said as she took a large gulp of the hot liquid.
The morning was spent mostly in silence, until Sam said, "Thank you for bringing me up here."
Jack glanced at Sam before returning his gaze to the water. "We all needed it," he claimed. "With Daniel disappearing, coming back, Dad dying, destroying the Replicators, and beating the Goa'uld we all needed a vacation. None of us have really had one in a long time. I probably needed this vacation more than you guys, and if I could drag my three best friends with me, it just makes it a little bit better."
"Even if we don't catch any fish?" Sam asked.
"It's not just about the fishing Sam, it's about spending time with my family," Jack said.
If Sam hadn't already set her coffee cup down, she would have dropped it on the ground. "Family?" She questioned.
"You guys and Cassie are pretty much the only family I have. My parents passed away long ago and I'm an only child," Jack admitted.
"Oh," Sam said, digesting that piece of information, given that this was the first time Jack had ever spoken of his personal life other than the little bit she knew about Sara and Charlie.
In the distance, Sam could hear the sound of a car engine, signaling the arrival of Daniel and Teal'c, who had both flown into the airport and rented a car. Daniel was coming from Catherine's funeral while Teal'c had caught a military hop after spending a couple of days helping Bra'tac with the free Jaffa.
Sam suspected that Teal'c's time at the SGC was coming to an end as he had accomplished his original goal of freeing his people. Even Daniel might be leaving as he desperately wanted to go to Atlantis, and this time the General had no reason to stop him.
Even Sam had to admit that she might be requesting a transfer. Several requests for her services had recently come across her desk and she knew that any one of them would be a good career move; she just hadn't made up her mind yet. If she was honest with herself, Sam was waiting to see what her teammates decided, knowing that their decision would have more of an influence on her final choice that her own desires. If they stayed, so would she, if they went, Sam wasn't sure she would be able to remain behind.
Right now, that didn't matter though as she looked out over the still water that was Jack O'Neill's pond and declared, "This is great."
Jack snorted at her amazement, "I told ya!"
"I can't believe that we didn't do it years ago," Sam claimed.
"Yes, well, let's not dwell," he responded.
Jack's comment caused her to giggle as Sam heard Daniel and Teal'c approach, their footsteps giving them away. Movement on the pond stopped her from greeting them though, as a fish jumped. "Didn't that tape say there were no fish in your pond?" Sam questioned, slightly concerned.
Jack looked at her and smiled slightly, shrugging off the difference, "Close enough," he insisted as he cast once again.
Sam nodded and turned her attention to fishing as Daniel came to stand behind the two of them and Teal'c took a seat next to the cooler. For the first time since the hurricane of her father's death, Sam felt like the recovery effort was starting. While she knew it wouldn't be easy, Sam could confidently say that she knew she would be okay, she hadn't been sure before, but now she had no doubt.
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