Chapter Two………….

(Ignore any mistakes. I wrote this a long time ago, and I read over it, but I haven't edited it at all.)

An hour later, the three men were being poked and prodded in the infirmary. Returning to the SGC had been disheartening at best for Jack. So many times, for so many years, he had dreamed that his team, or any SG team for that matter, would find him and bring his sorry ass back home. But, in all the years he had been off-world, stuck, with no code to come home, no one came for him.

At first, there had been mining going on Edora and for the first couple months, he had access to earth. But, when the mining was halted, the mining crew had returned to earth and the connection had been severed. The Edoran's still had a GDO that had been given to them, and it sat in the town hall, so Jack had always felt like he had a way back to earth if he needed it.

After finding out Laira was not having his baby, and moping around uselessly on Edora for several months, Laira had told him she wanted him to return to his life, and eventually he agreed it was for the best. He knew he hurt her when he called Carter's name in his nightmares, and when he constantly rattled out stories of his missions and brought her name up time after time.

He didn't know how Laira knew of his feelings for his second-in-command, but he knew the woman was all too well-aware of them, and this made him feel even worse. Not just for hurting Laira, but for hurting Carter.

Unfortunately, right after Jack agreed to leave, a fire took the town hall, and the GDO was destroyed. His only chance of returning to earth had, literally, gone up in smoke.

After closing himself off and going into depression for weeks, he eventually started to consider ending his life. It was thoughts of his team, their disappointment in him if he ever did such a thing, that had forced those morbid thoughts from his mind. In place of ways to commit suicide, his mind started reeling off coordinates of old planets they had visited in the past.

It wasn't long after that before he left Edora and began roaming around to other worlds. He still checked in with Laira, still feeling somewhat responsible for her. He had met many people on his journey, all who wanted to see an end to the goa'uld, and when he remembered the coordinates to an uninhabited planet, he started building a place he could call his own, and many of the people he befriended had followed him there.

In all his time roaming from planet to planet, he constantly searched for anyone who would have a GDO or radio so he could call his home. But, no one did. And, even as he promised himself that he would never give up searching for a way home, he continued to make himself a new life with his new friends, waiting for his chance to go home again.

And now, that he was here, it just didn't seem right. It wasn't home. Not the home he was expecting. Because the one person he had dreamed of coming home to was no longer there.

"You about done, Doc?" Jack asked in a depressing voice.

"Yeah, you're good, colonel," Janet replied in an equally sad voice, looking up into the lost eyes of the former officer. "They're waiting for all of us in the briefing room. They're uh, they're," and here Janet's voice broke, the loss of her best friend still too great. She quickly swatted the tears from her eyes. "They have Sam's will….waiting for you to read."

Jack bit his bottom lip in order to keep from screaming. He could see the misery in the good doctor's face, and he assumed she could see his. This was bullshit! She shouldn't have died. This shouldn't be happening!

Closing his eyes and sighing, Jack stood up and headed to the dreaded reading.

Hammond greeted him somberly, not knowing any words to make the situation better. "Sit down, son," his strong, yet grief-filled voice ordered as he pointed to the seat directly across from the military officer who was obviously the lawyer put in charge of Carter's affairs.

The officer pressed a button on the recording device in the middle of the table and then looked over at Jack. "I'm Major Rick Meyers, Colonel Carter's military representative, and you are retired Colonel Jack O'Neill?"

"Yeah," Jack coughed out.

"Okay, then we shall begin. Most of Colonel Carter's will has already been read to the rest of the people in this room, however, it was Colonel Carter's request that they all be here with you during this reading."

"I understand, go on," Jack gruffly responded.

"Good. Colonel Carter has requested that all parental rights and responsibilities of Jacob Charles Carter be given to his biological father, Jack O'Neill. If O'Neill can not be found, or if he rescinds his rights, Major Dr. Janet Frasier will obtain custody of said child. As legal guardian, Jack O'Neill will have complete parental control of Master Carter and any decision to move the child will be his alone."

Jack understood that sentence for what it was. Carter was making sure no one would be able to stop him from taking their child off-world with him.

"If O'Neill accepts custody of Master Carter, he will also be given complete ownership of Colonel Carter's home and all belongings that have not been given to the other recipients of this will. If O'Neill does not accept custody, all ownership rights will be forwarded to Major Dr. Janet Frasier."

Jack nodded his head and tried to swallow the large lump that had stuck in his throat. He wanted this to be one of his horrid nightmares, he wanted this to all be fake, a big joke, something, because the belief that she, Carter, was gone, was too much for him to take. For so long he had her up on the highest pedestal imaginable, he had long-ago convinced himself that she would persevere through anything, that she was invincible. He had to, it was the only way he could live with himself after leaving her. And, now, the realization that she wasn't, the realization that he had failed her, was breaking into his heart, and it was too much to take. Thoughts of suicide were once again playing in his mind.

And, as Jack looked around the table at his long-lost friends, knowing in his heart, that he had failed them just as much as he had failed Carter, the thought of suicide could have won out, could have if at that very moment, a photograph of Carter's son, his son, their son, wouldn't have been slipped in front of him.

He fingered the photograph lightly as he looked at the smiling little boy, so much like Charlie had looked. He had short blonde hair, Carter's fair skin and his dark brown eyes. This was their son.

"When was this taken?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Oh, just a few months back, on his fifth birthday," Daniel quickly filled in.

Jack nodded, his eyes still memorizing every detail of the picture in his hands.

"He's at his house still, sir," Janet's gentle voice broke the heavy silence. "He knows Sam's missing, but he doesn't know any more than that. Cassie's there with him right now and all of us have been taking turns staying the night there so he doesn't have to leave his home."

Jack just nodded again, still unable to look up from the photo.

This time it was General Hammond's tender voice that broke the silence. "Colonel Carter made sure that in the event that something should happen to her, that you would be allowed to take Jake back to Edora with you, son."

Jack nodded again. "Can I….can I see him…..in person?"

"Of course," Hammond softly replied. "Dr. Jackson, Teal'c, why don't you both take him to Carter's house."

"It would be my honor," Teal'c announced, causing Jack to look at the dedicated man and smile warmly at him.

"Me, too," Daniel added and hopped up out of his seat.

Dr. Frasier stood up and turned to Jack. "Once Cassie sees you, you probably won't be able to get rid of her, she's missed you."

Jack smiled warmly at the petite doctor. "I've missed her too, doc, all of you," he softly got out, the despair still obvious in his eyes.

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The trip to Sam's house was mostly done in silence, but as Teal'c turned the military-issued SUV off of the main highway, Daniel turned to Jack in the back seat. "You should know, Jack, we never expected you to come back. We all thought you had started a new life with Laira and your child."

Jack looked at Daniel, squinting his eyes in a way that made Daniel tremble in fright of his old friend.

"Jake doesn't know anything about you, Jack. He knows his dad's name is Jack and that he lives far away and that is about it."

Jack just nodded at the archaeologist as a small degree of betrayal settled in his stomach. They hadn't told his son about him. They had just erased him from their lives that easily. Even knowing that it was his fault for leaving, he couldn't help but feel like his friends had betrayed him. They had merely shrugged off his absence and went on with their lives like he never existed.

The thought of grabbing his son and leaving everyone on earth behind once and for all was starting to actually sound like a viable option.

Teal'c slowed the SUV down as they turned on to a quiet suburban street. Jack looked around, not recognizing the neighborhood and asserting that Carter must have moved.

The SUV pulled over to the curb in front of a two story home with a large oak tree in the front yard.

"What's going on?" Jack asked as he watched the scene taking place in the front yard. Several children were assembled in the front yard and were yelling up at the oak tree, which Jack could now see, held a small tree fort.

Daniel chuckled. "Oh, that's just the normal crew of neighborhood kids."

Jack opened the back door, turning back to Daniel and Teal'c before getting out. "Could you guys, just give me a few minutes?"

They both agreed and Jack stepped out of the SUV and walked up the sidewalk.

"Who are you, mister?" a little girl asked.

"I'm Jack O'Neill, I'm looking for Jacob."

"You mean Jake? No one calls him Jacob. He's up in the fort and he won't let any of us in," the little girl told him, looking up at the fort above them with an angry look.

"Why not?" Jack asked.

"Cuz, Chase told him that his daddy said that his mommy is dead and he got mad and punched him in the nose and it started bleeding and now he thinks he's going to get in trouble, so he's hiding in the fort and won't come out or let us in and his mommy told him he had to share his fort with ALL of us," the girl rambled out to Jack's utter confusion.

"Wait, wait, let me get this straight. Chase?" Jack looked a little confused, having no clue what any of these kids' names were. "Told Jake that Jake's mom was dead?"

"Uh-huh! He said he heard his daddy say it and his daddy would know cuz he and Colonel Carter work together."

"What's Chase's dad's name?" Jack asked, planning a certain dressing-down with a certain officer.

"Colonel Hicks."

"Hicks? Brian Hicks? Little Major Brian Hicks?" Jack asked.

The little girl shrugged.

Just then, a little head poked out of the top of the fort and a child's voice rang out from above. "You ain't coming up so you all might as well go home!"

"Jake?" Jack yelled back up.

"Who the heck are you and why are you in my yard?" Jake yelled down.

"Uh, I came to see you," Jack stuttered out.

"You're a stranger!" the boy yelled. "Julie! Do you know him?"

The little girl, Julie, that had been talking to Jack shrugged again. "No."

"Then he's a stranger! I'm telling on you! You're talking to a stranger!"

Julie started crying. "You better not Jake or I'll tell on you when you lit Mrs. Henderson's cat's tail on fire!"

Jack lifted his eyebrows in surprise.

"You can't prove it!" Jake yelled back down.

"Uh-huh! His tail's still black!" Julie yelled back up, the other kids just watched the exchange between the two young children in amusement.

Jack ran a hand over his face. "Okay!" he yelled, "I've heard enough! Jake, I'm Jack. Jack O'Neill. I need you to come down here and talk to me."

"No!" Jake yelled down.

Jack felt his patience thinning and was regretting his decision to have Daniel and Teal'c wait in the car. "Why not?"

"Cuz, you're a stranger!" he yelled back down.

Jack groaned. "I just told you my name!"

"So what! If a strange man tells me his name, it doesn't mean he's no longer a stranger. Geez mister, who taught you about safety?"

Jack rolled his eyes and let out a short laugh. This was definitely Carter's kid. He looked around at the other kids and motioned for them to leave. After a few curious looks, they all finally did, all that is except for Julie who just glared at Jack with suspicion.

"Jake!" Jack yelled back up once the other kids were a good distance away.

"Go away!"

"Jake, my name is Jack O'Neill."

"So what?"

"Jake, I'm your dad!" Jack yelled back up.

"I don't have a dad, try again, stranger," Jake yelled back over the fort, then seeing only Julie left, started yelling at her again. "Julie, what are you doing? He's a stranger, he's going to kidnap you!"

Before Jack knew what the kid was doing, he disappeared and reappeared at the bottom of the fort where there was, apparently, a trap door. He threw out a rope ladder and yelled Julie's name.

Julie ran over and Jack watched as his son practically pulled the little girl up in to the tree fort. Once the little girl disappeared inside, the rope ladder was yanked up and the trap door slammed shut.

Jack ran his hand over his face again. How the hell was he supposed to get them out of the damned tree?

"Jake!"

Jack removed his hand at the sound of Daniel's voice. He looked over at his friend with a look of relief.

"Daniel! Help! There's a stranger trying to kidnap us! Get 'em! Sick Teal'c on him!" Jake yelled back down excitedly.

Daniel looked over at Jack in obvious amusement. It took everything the archaeologist had to keep the grin off his face. "Jake! He's not a stranger. This is Jack O'Neill, he's one of your mom's best friends, and is, your dad!"

The little boy's head shot back over the fort and he looked down at Jack in scrutiny. "What do you want?" he yelled back down.

Jack turned incredulous eyes to Daniel and Teal'c. He had never been this difficult as a child. Never!….okay, well maybe a little bit, but nothing compared to this kid. Jack cleared his throat in an attempt to hide his astonishment. "Uh, I wanted to talk to you."

"So talk!" Jake yelled down.

"Uh, I said talk, not yell. Why don't you come down here so we can talk in normal voices."

"Cuz I don't want to!"

Jack closed his eyes and sighed again. "Do you know when you will want to?" he tried.

"Nope, sorry about your luck, mister!"

"Jake!" Daniel yelled back up. "Come down here!"

"Ain't happening. Danny-boy, you might as well run along with the rest of them!" Jake yelled back down with a grin on his face. He was obviously having fun at the men's expense.

"Jacob Carter, it would be in your best interest to speak with your father on level ground," Teal'c tried.

Jake scrunched his little face up as he took in the three men on the ground. Julie leaned over and whispered something in his ear. "Julie says you two could've been brainwashed by the stranger."

Now it was Daniel who sighed in exasperation. "Jake, we are not brainwashed. He really is your dad!"

"Jake doesn't have a dad!" Julie yelled down.

"Everyone has a dad, Jack just lived far away and just now came back to town," Daniel tried.

"He could've brainwashed you when he got back to town," Jake yelled back down.

"We are not brainwashed!" Daniel yelled.

"That's what all brainwashed people say," Jake yelled back.

Daniel groaned in frustration and Jack grinned at the situation.

"What's so funny?" Daniel demanded.

Jack's grin grew. "Leave it to my kid to pick up annoying you in my absence."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you had nothing to worry about in that department, he definitely does as good of a job at it as you did."

"I can tell," Jack replied, the grin refusing to leave his face.

Just then, Cassie came walking out of the house to see what all the commotion was about. "Jack!" she screamed in glee as soon as her eyes settled on him. She rushed down the porch steps and dove into the arms of the former colonel. "I've missed you!" she cried in his shoulder.

"I missed you too, Cass," he softly told her, squeezing her in the bear-hug he always gave her. "You're all grown up."

Cassie stepped back and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yeah," she told him, shrugging, "It happens."

Jack grinned and bopped her lightly on the nose in playfulness.

Cassie turned and took in the three large men in the front yard and the two small heads peeking over the top of the fort. "Jake," she yelled up towards the two small heads. "Come down here and meet your dad!"

"Okay," Jake replied and both heads disappeared.

A moment later, the trap door opened and the rope ladder fell down, followed by the two small occupants of the tree fort.

Jack looked at the two small children as they walked up to the group in disbelief. "Why'd you finally come out?" he asked in curiosity.

Jake shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes at the new man. "Cassie's the babysitter, d'uhhhh!" he told him and continued to walk up the steps and into the house.

Julie followed behind him, but stopped after Jake's words and looked up at Jack. "His mom told him he has to do whatever the babysitter says," she told the bewildered man, then ran up to join her friend inside.

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a/n: Does anyone really think I would kill off Carter for real?