Over the next six weeks, Sam, Abbie, and Jake began to adjust to life together. Sam decided to take a break from participating in missions with SG-1 and spend her time on projects at the SGC. It was definitely different, but she enjoyed the work. She also enjoyed being able to go home at a normal time every day and help Jake with his homework and read stories with Abbie. Her life had been transformed, and she was enjoying watching the kids' lives change, too.

Week by week, Jake was doing better and better. He still had his moments, but was helpful at home and greatly enjoyed school. The day that he received his first A+ grade on an assignment was a milestone; schoolwork had been a bit of a struggle at first, but with some patience and perseverance that was starting to change.

In the car on the way home, Jake held the paper in his hands as if it was the Holy Grail. Sam smiled as she looked at him in the rearview mirror. "I'm really proud of you, Jake."

"Thank you. When's Jack going to get here?" Jack was coming to visit for the weekend, his fourth trip to Colorado since Jake and Abbie had arrived in this reality. Jake was always happy when he arrived, and withdrawn and irritated when he headed back to Washington. They were hoping that would stop when the little boy eventually realized that even though Jack left, he would be coming back.

"He's not getting in until late tonight, buddy," she replied.

"How late?"

"You're going to be in bed already, but you'll see him in the morning."

Jake considered that. "I want to stay up. I want to show him this."

"I know you do, but you need your sleep. How about we stick it on the fridge when we get home? That way Jack can see it once he gets here." Jake was quiet, and the smile had melted from his face. "Jake?"

"My mom would do that," he quietly admitted. "She'd put my drawings up so my dad could see them. He'd work late some nights."

Sam sighed. She never knew when she'd trip over something from Jake's past. "Sorry, buddy. We can put it somewhere else if you'd like. Maybe the wall in your bedroom?"

He thought about it for a moment, and then shook his head. "No, that's okay."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Jack wouldn't see it until morning if we put it in my room."

"Okay."

"Sam? Do…do you think that my mom and dad would be happy, too?" His voice was so innocent, so hopeful. Since they were stopped at a red light, she turned around to look him in the eye.

"Yeah, buddy. I'm sure they would be." Jake nodded a bit as he looked back down at his paper. The light turned green and Sam kept driving.

Once they were stopped in the garage, she turned around to face him again. "You know, whenever you want to talk about your parents, I'm listening, okay? I know you still miss them."

His expression turned stormy, and he held her look for a moment before he suddenly opened the car door and went running for the house.

"Jake!" she called after him, but he disappeared inside and slammed the door behind him. Sam sighed. "I guess that was a land mine," she murmured. "Too bad they don't have warnings…"

It was almost midnight when Jack arrived at Sam's house by taxi. She'd figured that he'd be half asleep since it was 2AM eastern time, but he sensed that something was bothering her and wanted to talk. The story of that evening's events quickly came out.

Jack let out a sigh as she finished; they were sitting together on her bed. "How's he been doing this week?"

"Good. His grades have been up in all of his classes and he was excited to see you. I can't help but wonder…"

"Mmm?"

"Well, like I said, things have been going well. I wonder if talking about his parents made him feel guilty for that."

Jack frowned. "Guilty?"

"I felt that way when my mother died. She was gone and I was still finding things to be happy about. I felt horrible."

"She wouldn't have wanted you to spend your life under a rock because she was gone."

"I know that NOW, but when I was a teenager… And Jake's only 6. Adults barely know how to handle grieving; how is he supposed to have a clue? We don't even know if he really got a chance to deal with what happened to his parents. Considering everything else that was happening at the time, I'd guess the answer is 'no'. And now, not only is he moving on with his life, but he's got two people trying to take his parents' places."

"That's not – "

"I know that's not what we're actually trying to do," she cut him off, "But I'm sure it must feel that way to him sometimes."

Jack was quiet for a moment. "Have you brought this up with Janet?"

"No. Considering how many people she also lost… No, I don't feel comfortable bringing it up with her. Something she said when she first got here was totally right – she isn't the same person. We're learning to be friends again. I don't trust her with everything the way I did with our Janet. Not yet."

Jack slowly nodded. Nothing with this whole situation was as easy as someone might have predicted. "I'll try talking to Jake tomorrow. Maybe it'll help."

"Thanks."

In the morning, Jake was acting like nothing had happened, so Sam just decided to go with it. After they finished eating breakfast, Jack took him outside to ride his new bike. It was some valuable 'guy time' for the little boy. Sam sat in the living room, folding laundry, and watched through window while they went up and down the street.

"Jakey!" Abbie exclaimed as she pointed out the window.

"Yeah, you see your brother?" Sam asked her. They had a tricycle in the garage for her, but so far Abbie hadn't shown any interest in it. When Jake went riding, she was perfectly content to just sit on the lawn and watch him. "Doesn't he look like he's having fun?"

A few minutes later, Jack came back into the house. "Hey, Sam, where do you keep your wrenches and stuff?" he asked.

She frowned. "Do his handlebars need adjusting again?"

"No, he wants the training wheels off."

Sam looked up in surprise. "He's only had the bike for two weeks."

Jack shrugged. "I guess he likes living on the edge. Don't worry, I'll make sure he's got the hang of it before I let go of him."

She still wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but went out to the garage and got a tool kit. Jake had brought his bike up the driveway and held onto it while Jack took the training wheels off of the sides. Abbie found her customary spot next to the lamppost and sat down to watch.

"Are you sure about this?" Sam asked Jake as he got back on his bike.

"Uh-huh."

"Can you stay on the sidewalk?" she asked Jack. "At least then if he falls, he'll land in the grass."

"I'm not gonna fall," Jake protested.

Jack held onto his handlebars and the back of his seat and walked with him down the driveway, letting him get used to having to balance the bike. They went a few houses down the sidewalk, then came back. Sam could hear Jake saying, "Let go, Jack!" as they approached.

"Okay, one hand," he agreed, letting go of the handlebars but keeping a good grip on the back of Jake's seat.

"No, no hands! Let go." And after a moment, he obeyed. Jake got two good pedals in before he slowed down too much and accidentally let the front wheel turn. He toppled over into the grass.

"Jakey fall!" Abbie cried, pointing to the scene of the accident and looking up at Sam worriedly.

Jack ran over and picked the bike up. "You okay?" he asked Jake. The little boy nodded as he sat up and brushed the grass off of his jeans.

"I wanna try again…but maybe you should hold on a little longer this time."

Jack stifled a laugh. "Youbetcha."

It took a few more attempts and one more fall, but a half-hour later, Jake was riding up and down the sidewalk on his own. "You see me, Jack?" he called at one point as he pedaled past the end of Sam's driveway.

"Yeah, pal, you look great."

Sam smiled at Jack as she stood next to him. "Looks like someone's got a hero," she told him.

He shook his head. "Nah, I'm just a bike-holder."

TBC...