It seemed to Sam that she had been less nervous 'Gating into unknown and possibly enemy territory. Her pack was full of civilian clothes instead of BDUs and regular groceries instead of MREs. She wasn't carrying a weapon deadlier than her pocket knife. It made her feel a little off balance.
The truth was that she had never really been good with kids. Kids didn't tend to be part of her life. Her genius IQ had always made her more comfortable with adults, even during her own childhood. Jack was great with kids. They adored him without question.
There was Cassie of course but even from the beginning Sam hadn't considered trying to be Cassie's surrogate mother. Cassie had been twice Jett's ago as well and hardly a 'child' anymore given what had happened to her. Sam had reacted to Cassie with all her military instincts to protect and defend civilians and innocents. Forging a friendship with the teenager had been easy.
Forging a relationship with a six year old was not something Sam thought she could accomplish. She didn't have any training or hypothesis to guide her in this.
In spite of her demand for full disclosure the night before, Sam wasn't sure how to tell that to Jack without sounding like she was just trying to avoid meeting Jett. Jack had talked a little about Jett in the dark hours of the morning when they had shared breakfast and coffee. His pride was obvious.
It had been an eye-opening experience to find out just how vulnerable Jack could be. Vulnerable was not a word she usually associated with the smart-mouthed, in your face man she had been following for eight years. But that was what she had seen the previous night and that was what she saw now somewhere in the depths of his eyes as they waited for the Gate to finish dialing.
He wondered if he could see her fears being reflected back at him. A moment later, after the violent wave had settled down into the rippling event horizon, Sam stepped through the Gate beside him. Seconds later she was breathing the fresh air of Edora for the first time in years.
Instead of moving forward, Jack stepped closer to her. He brushed his knuckles over her cheek for a moment. Then his fingers glided down her arm and his hand folded around hers. His fingers laced with hers until their palms pressed tight in something like a kiss. She could feel his pulse pounding strong and steady.
Sam's first reaction was to pull away in startled apprehension. His hand tightened and he refused to let go.
"What?" He asked.
"Nothing," Sam said, quickly and she squeezed back reassuringly, "It's just….."
"Just what?" Jack demanded and it seemed to Sam that he was on the verge of reminding her that full disclosure was her idea.
"We've never held hands before," she said.
Jack seemed surprised, as if he had taken her hand purely by instinct and forgotten that on Earth they could never do such a thing. On Earth they had to watch every word, every movement, every glance and touch. It was the first glimpse Sam got that Jack was different on Edora, more relaxed. In this place of peace his hand had instinctively sought hers.
"Is it okay?" He asked, slowly.
"Yes!" She meant it.
She relished the feeling of his hand wrapped around hers all the way into the village. She walked not at his six but at his side, shoulders almost touching, hands clasped. His hand was hard and calloused, tough with strong muscles and old scars.
Jack didn't even immediately let her go when they started to run into people going about their daily routines. It was as if now that he had her hand he never wanted to let it go.
He was greeted by everyone they passed with genuine pleasure. Sam noticed. She also noticed that many people recognized her and included her in their salutations. If they were put off at all by the fact that she was holding hands with Jack, there was no indication of it in their expressions.
He didn't make any move to release her hand until he heard the sound of his name being shouted by a young boy. As the child raced towards them, Jack gave her hand one more tight squeeze before letting go and reaching out to catch the boy in his arms and swing him high into the air.
"Look how big you are!" Jack exclaimed as he brought Jett down into his arms and hugged him close.
The expression on Jack's face was one Sam had never seen. It was some kind of transported joy, as if he had been holding his breath between the last time he had seen his son and this.
"He's gotten tall in the last few weeks," Naytha said as she came out of the house brushing flour from her hands onto her skirt. "Garan is at the press. Oh, hello Captain Carter."
"It's just Sam, Naytha. It's good to see you again."
Sitting securely in Jack's arms, Jett said excitedly, "You're Sam!"
Startled Sam turned and looked into deep brown eyes that were the image of Jack's. Jett had Jack's square bone structure, even his body type – lean and muscled. Only the ragged mop of black curls on the top of his head seemed to come from his mother.
She was struck by the fact that Jett was wearing blue jeans and a Clone Wars t-shirt.
"Yes," she said, uncertainly, "I'm Sam."
"Daniel told me about you!" Jett went on. "You were kidnapped by a prince and sold to an evil warlord. You tried to escape and they caught you again and brought you back. Then you defeated the warlord in a fight – all by yourself! - and they had to let you go."
"D-Daniel told you that?" Sam said. She looked helplessly at Jack.
"I think he's talking about the time you were kidnapped by the Mongols on…." Jack faltered as his memory failed him.
"Simarka," Sam supplied, "It was one of our first missions." She looked at Jett again, into earnest and slightly wondering eyes, "Daniel told you all that?"
"He wrote it in a story for me. He drew your picture and everything. He said Jack would bring you to meet me. You're like a superhero! The story is at the other house. Will you read it to me?"
Sam stared for a moment. "Daniel wrote and illustrated a story for you about me?"
When Jett just kept staring at her in a kind of awe Jack said, "Well you know Daniel when it comes to words; and you've seen his journals. He can draw pretty well."
Sam wasn't quite sure what do or say. Naytha filled the silence.
"There's everything but food at the house. I'm not sure the clothes we left there for Jarrett will still fit him though."
"I brought him some new things," Jack said. He put Jett down and ruffled his hair, "Want to stay at the house with Sam and me for a few days?"
"Can we go fishing?" Jett asked.
"Ya betcha," Jack grinned, "Go get whatever you want to bring with you."
A few moments later Jett reappeared awkwardly juggling a hand carved wooden boat, a stuffed teddy bear and a blue blanket with his name embroidered in Edoran lettering. Jack knelt to put the items in his pack.
"Tell Garan I'll come by the see him later," Jack told Naytha, "We're staying for at least four or five days. Maybe more."
"I know they want to see you up at the mines," Naytha said, "We were expecting you." She got a hug goodbye from Jarrett. "Have fun," she told him. "Be good."
Jett ran to take Jack's hand and to Sam's utter shock the little boy reached up for hers.
"I have one hand and you have another," Jett said in a sing song voice, "Put them together and we have each other!"
"Daniel didn't teach you that," Jack said with utter certainty.
"No, Naytha did!" Jett answered.
Sam was wordless again. A bit stunned, she looked at Jack over Jett's head. Jack smiled, looking bemused and inordinately pleased. He gave her a slight shrug.
Sam tentatively wrapped her hand around Jett's. It was amazingly small but he gripped tight. Sam had the oddest feeling that somehow she was still holding hands with Jack, linked through this miniature version who seemed to already trust her implicitly. She looked down, contemplating this for a moment.
When she looked back up, Jack's face was radiant. His eyes were soft with love and his mouth was fighting a smile of pure happiness.
He looked like a man who suddenly had everything he had ever wanted in the world.
"Ready?" He asked, knowing she was still uncertain about this whole thing.
"Yes," she answered.
With Jett chattering about everything he had done since Jack's last visit, they set off down the road.
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