The evening started calm and peaceful. Jett seemed to have picked up on the emotions of the adults in his life, who were fighting off a lingering sadness at the idea of leaving in the morning. They had told him it would be their last night on Edora , at least for a little bit.

Sam had gotten out her camera and taken pictures. This had fascinated Jett, especially when Sam told him she could get the pictures out of the little box and give him copies. He had not stopped pestering her to explain how she could do this for almost an hour. Jack had listened with some amusement to Sam doing her best to put it in terms Jett could understand. It was oddly reminiscent all the times she had tried to explain astrophysics to him. He knew Jett didn't understand a word she was saying.

And Jack should know. As Sam had pointed out Jett was his father's son.

Jack had calmed Jett finally by saying,

"Jett, Sam not only knows everything, but she can do everything too."

"Really?" Jett asked.

"Yep. Just trust her, even when you don't understand how she's going to do something. That's what I do."

Content that if Jack could trust Sam then he could too, Jett had subsided. Knowing that Jett's persistence might not allow him to let it go completely he had engaged his son by teaching him to play checkers. Sam took more pictures and when Jett had gotten the basics of checkers, he had climbed into her lap in the chair by the fire and asked her to read to him. Jack took some pictures of them.

The basket of books on the hearth was filled with classics from Earth and had Daniel's fingerprints all over it. Jett's current favorite however was Disney's Lion King. Sam had read it twice when Jett suddenly interrupted her.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?"

Jett twisted around so that he could look up at her.

"Who took care of you when your mama died?"

Sam looked at Jack in uncertainty and alarm. Jack lifted one shoulder and nodded once.

"Ummm, my father took care of my brother and me," she answered.

"Oh," Jett said. He settled back against her shoulder and started twisting a lock of his hair around his finger. Sam knew that gesture by now. It meant he was thinking.

"My brother takes care of me," he said, "and Naytha does."

"My brother is younger than me," Sam explained.

"So your father took care of him too?"

"Yes," Sam said, slowly.

There was a heavy silence in which Jett continued to twist his hair and Sam continued to stare pointedly at Jack.

Tell him, she mouthed the words but Jack just stared back with no real answer in his eyes.

"I don't know what happened to my father," Jett said, finally, "Garan said they'll tell me when I'm old enough to understand. I think he died in the big fire rain."

"Jack," Sam said, and there was an entire conversation in the single word, a single plea in her deep blue eyes.

It took a moment to realize that Jack's silence wasn't being caused by a reluctance to speak but by a sudden inability to speak. He looked back a little desperately.

Me? Sam asked without sound. Jack nodded, looking relieved and scared at the same time.

Sam hesitated when she saw that. She had never seen Jack look scared. At least not before they had lost sight of Jett at the lake.

He'd meant it when he told her that losing either Jett or her would end him.

"Your father didn't die, Jett," she said, slowly.

Jett turned to look up at her again with innocent and confused dark eyes.

"He didn't?"

"No. In fact he never left you at all. He's always been there, watching out for you."

"Where is he then?"

Jack found his voice at last.

"He's right here, Jett. It's me."

Jett didn't move for a second and then he sat straight up.

"You?"

"Yes," Jack answered.

Jett slid down from Sam's lap so quickly she had to reach out and steady him as his feet hit the wooden floor. He ran over to Jack, who leaned over and hauled him into his arms.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jett asked.

"In the beginning your mother didn't want me to. She didn't think you would understand why I couldn't stay here and live with you all the time."

"You have to do your work," Jett said, instantly, "That's what you always told me. You have to go through the Stone Ring and protect us."

"And I do," Jack said, "and that won't change. But what also won't change is that I will always come to see you and make sure you have everything you need. So will Daniel and Sam and Teal'c."

"Daniel went away for a long time," Jett said, "He got hurt going through the Stone Ring."

"I've never tried to tell you that it isn't dangerous to go through the Ring. Some of the worlds we visit are dangerous."

"Why do you go there?"

"To make the danger go away. To protect you."

Sam had been fighting tears but now she managed to speak.

"Your father doesn't really go through the Ring anymore, Jett. He has a big important office and he guards and guides the people who go through now."

"You're in charge?" Jett asked.

"Yes," Jack said.

"Daniel said what you do is very important and you said Daniel is always right about stuff."

"Well he is, usually."

"Jett," Sam said, "You father is the bravest man I've ever followed, through the Ring or anywhere else. He would never leave you if what he does didn't need to be done."

"You're brave too!" Jett said. "Do you still go through the Ring?"

"Yes."

"And Daniel and Teal'c too?"

"We all go together, most times anyway," Sam said.

"To keep each other safe?"

"Yes."

"Hey, Sam's a super hero, remember?" Jack interjected," Defeated an evil warlord all by herself."

Jett grinned at Sam. Then he wound small arms around Jack's neck.

"I wanted it to be you," he said, quietly, "I used to pretend it was you."

"You did?" Jack's voice was husky. He ruffled Jett's curls and kissed the top of his head.

"Uh-huh. Is that okay?"

"It sure is. In fact, it was true all along so it's more than okay."

"Will you read me another book?"

"Anything but Lion King," Jack answered.

Sam laughed a little and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. It seemed impossible that they had just revealed something so life altering to Jett and that he had accepted it without question and then bounced back with the enthusiasm of youth so quickly.

They read him two more books, bundled him into his pajamas and put him to bed. Sam and Jack stayed up a while longer.

Sam went to the table and opened her laptop and started working on downloading pictures. Jack watched her for a few minutes and then got up to stand behind her and wrap his arms around her shoulders.

"I'm almost done," she said.

"Thank you," Jack murmured almost in the same instant.

"For what?"

"All this, understanding, for having my back, standing by me. God Sam, for saving my life more times than I can count, for not giving up on me, ever. I'm not sure I would have had the strength to tell him without you."

Sam turned a little. "Why?"

"If he got mad at me, at least I would still have you." He spoke lightly, with a lopsided grin and a shrug in his tone. But Sam sensed that he meant it. Had he really been afraid that Jett would reject him in some way?

"You'll always have me," she said, and meant it. "But maybe it's good we told him now. It might have been harder for him to accept later, when he's older. But why didn't Laira want him to know?"

"I told you. She always thought I would leave at some point. After he was born I think she was afraid I would take him with me. I would never have taken him away from her but she loved him so completely that I can understand why she was scared."

Jack leaned over to kiss her just behind her ear and she tilted her head to encourage him.

"Come to bed with me," Jack pleaded, nuzzling her neck.

"I will," she promised, "I just want to…."

"Now," Jack said.

Sam squirmed in his grasp, laughing a little. "Let go."

"If I let go you'll go back to what you were doing."

"Oh god, Jack, look."

Sam drew his attention from suckling the join of her neck and shoulder to the image on the screen. It was a close up of Jett with a huge grin on his face.

"Awww," Jack said.

"He's just amazing isn't he?"

"I'm glad you think so," Jack said, going back to what he had been doing, "Now come to bed."

This time she didn't resist, lingering just long enough to shut down the equipment before letting him take her hand and pull her towards the room that had sheltered them for the last few days.

They made love slowly and with great care, thoroughly loved, thoroughly known and loved anyway.

Afterward, ignoring his groans and complaints, Sam forced him out of bed and onto his feet for the few seconds it would take to put on some pajamas. Jack fell asleep before his head hit the pillow again, sated, more relaxed than she had seen him in years.

Even here on Edora over the last few days.

Sam fell asleep in the circle of Jack's arms.

But at some point during the night Sam was woken up when Jett sought the big bed and snuggled down between them. Happiness spread through Sam as if the sun was shining straight from her soul. Content she put an arm over Jett and let her hand fall onto Jack's forearm. In moments she had fallen back to sleep.

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