A/N: Thank you to all who read and review, and to those who simply read. Sorry for the long delay. Real life, vacation, and other obligations seem to conspire against my fanfic writing.

Set after New Ground on Earth. Ep synopsis: Three quarters of SG-1 are captured upon arrival to a planet in the midst of a religious war. While Carter, Daniel, and O'Neill are tortured for information as they try to convince their Bedrosian captors they're not enemy spies, an injured Teal'c gets help from a Bedrosian scientist who may have his own agenda. After they escape, they bring the Bedrosian scientist, now a refugee, back with them to Earth.

The Ties That Bind

Jack O'Neill nudged closed the sliding glass patio door, careful not to spill the drinks on the tray. He stepped down the four porch steps into the springy grass, using the light of the blazing campfire to light his way. Tonight's team night had been . . . interesting, and he meant that in the Chinese sense. What had begun as a team bonding-slash-check-in had developed into a "teach the alien newbie Earth customs" family-style bar-be-que.

Again.

Jack shook his head. How his team ended up being the one to find the galaxy's strays was beyond him. His was a front-line team, one meant to be bringing the fight to the enemy, not bringing home the wanderers of the universe. As he neared the blazing, popping fire, Jack studied the group spread around it. In true Daniel Jackson fashion, he'd not only included the newest universal transplant to Earth, the Bedrosian archaeologist Nyan, Daniel had also included Janet and Cassie, reasoning that Teal'c had helped Cassie transition to life on Earth; therefore Cassie could help Nyan.

Even Carter had looked confused by that logic, but by the time Jack had puzzled it out, it was too late. Soon his back yard was full of people.

Okay, not "full," full, but . . . fuller than it was normally. Besides, Teal'c and Cassie were the equivalent of four people, Jack figured. So yeah. His back yard was full.

All he'd wanted was a quiet night with his team. What he go instead was–"

"It's almost like a regular, ordinary family bar-be-que."

Carter's voice, so closely echoing his thoughts, startled him. Jack turned, still careful not to spill his laden tray, to find his Second close on his heels.

"Carter. What have we discussed about sneaking?"

Guileless blue eyes blinked up at him. "Sneaking, good . . . touching strange objects, bad." She reached out and relieved him of some of the steaming mugs. "Sorry, Sir. Didn't mean to startle you."

As the two made their way down the rest of the lawn, Jack shook his head. "Nah. I was just thinking. What'd you mean?"

Carter shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know. When I came out onto the porch Cassie was leaning on Teal'c's knee showing Nyan how to roast a marshmallow, Daniel's over helping Janet with the firewood. You know . . . sometimes it catches me off guard." She shrugged again and looked away as if embarrassed.

Jack nodded. "Kind of like, if you squint, we look like a Rockwell painting?"

This time Carter chuckled. "You really have to squint hard to make that leap, Sir. But . . . yeah. Kind of."

She smiled up at him as they reached the fire. The kind of open, unguarded smile that never failed to spin his stomach in wild circles. The kind that set off loud, screaming alarm bells in his head.

The kind that he ached to see every day of his life.

Jack turned away to hand Daniel his coffee, then carried the tray around to Teal'c and Nyan. He nudged Cassie with his knee as he passed, making the girl giggle as he did so. That sound, whether coming from her or coming from his Second, was home to him. And, with Cassie as much as with Carter, he loved doing little things to provoke it.

Coffee handed out, Jack returned to "his" spot, oh-so-conveniently situated next to one Samantha Carter's regular spot, but that didn't bear thinking about. He watched as Carter shared out the remaining mugs to Cassie and Nyan, saving one for herself. When she settled beside him, Jack waited until she'd had a chance to sip her drink before asking, "You doing okay, Carter?"

"Fine, Sir." She gave her habitual response clearly without thinking about it. "Why?"

"Oh, I don't know. 'Cause you were put in a cage and tortured?" Jack shrugged a shoulder against hers. "Those things can be hard on a body, I'm told."

Carter glanced at the others around the fire, occupied in their own conversations, and then turned toward him. "You should talk . . . Sir. I, at least, passed out. Daniel told me you fell against the charged bars of the cage. I should be asking you that question."

"I'm good." Jack shrugged again and looked away, into the roaring fire. Teal'c really had outdone himself, he was hard-pressed to hear the other conversations on the other side of the blazing circle. He felt as if he and Carter were alone. "It's not like it was my first rodeo."

Carter's voice was soft beside him. "I know. I'm sorry."

"'S not your fault." He felt her gaze on him and turned again to meet her eyes.

"I know. But I can still be sorry. For then and for now."

Jack held her gaze for a long, lingering moment, allowing himself the rare opportunity to just look at her and enjoy. He'd hated it, sitting in that cage and knowing that the military commander was going to turn that thing on her.

Hated it.

He'd wanted to shout and scream to attract the man's attention away from her but knew that was the worst thing he could do. On several levels. First it would give their torturer ammunition. Single her out for even greater pain to use against him.

Them.

Second, it would undermine Carter's role on the team. Make her appear as someone in need of protecting. Not to Jack, but to Carter herself. He knew that about her. Knew that was how she'd interpret it. She wouldn't see it for what it was. His driving need to protect her, at almost all costs.

Yes, it was a dangerous game Jack O'Neill played. Every hour of every day. And so much hung in the balance. Lost in thought, Jack blew out a long, deep sigh.

"Colonel?" Carter's hand came to rest on his arm. "Sir? Is . . . are you okay?" She nodded her head to the rest of the group. "If you're tired, Colonel, I can chase–"

Jack shook his head. "No. I'm good. Just . . . thinking." He felt her hand fall away and tried not to miss the warmth.

"Anything you can share?"

"Nothing deep." Jack quirked a small smile her way and waited until she answered in kind. This. These moments. These were why he'd been avoiding "team nights" at his place. Because of this very thing. This tiny moment by the fire, this woman by his side, and the semblance of family around him.

Dangerous, dangerous territory.

Some might say enemy territory.

Here there be dragons.

Unbidden, an image came to Jack from one of Charlie's old books. A story of pirates and adventure, and penciled in wriggly handwriting at the edge of the pirate's map was the warning to erstwhile travelers that the waters ahead were indeed scary. Another reason to avoid the Navy.

Carter's gentle, "Sir?" brought Jack back to the present. She again laid warm hand on his bare forearm and this time tightened her fingers slightly, seeking a response.

Jack dropped his hand and felt hers slide away. He caught her fingers for a moment, giving them a brief squeeze, then letting go. Despite wanting to hold on. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he turned his face toward the others across the blazing firepit.

Carter followed his gaze and gave a little sigh of her own. Her words were soft, meant only for him. "You know, Colonel. We might not look much like a Norman Rockwell painting, but . . . I was wrong. You really don't have to squint all that hard to see a family." She shifted slightly on her cushion, bringing her knee into contact with his. Leaving it there. Grounding them both.

Dragons be damned.

There was no way he was giving up these moments. Not the solitary times with Carter, nor the noisier times with the rest of the team, with or without the added quasi-members. It was for these moments that he fought. That they fought. And he wouldn't let them go.

End.

Afterword: I have to note this. I wrote this sitting by a campfire in British Columbia beside a roaring campfire. Gotta love the power of the Internet. I'm literally uploading this from the middle of freakin' nowhere.