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Chapter 21 – Dinner
Daniel and Janet had walked around the house and found Jack and Sam, laughing.
"That's the first time ever I've seen them like this!" Janet whispered.
"As strange as it may seem, I've never seen them like this either. Of course, I've seen them joke around and chat, but never so... close!"
"And she's got amnesia, just imagine what it'll be like when she recovers her memories!" Janet chuckled.
Jack finally noticed their friends, and got up to greet them.
"Hi guys!"
"I made mac-and-cheese, and I thought we could all share?" Janet posed.
"Of course, stay for dinner, and if Sam feels better we could even fire up the grill!"
The doctors caved once Sam assured she was up to having company.
"I like having people around, it makes me feel... normal."
"Ah, feeling normal... that's the spirit!" Jack briefly clasped a supporting hand on Sam's shoulder before going inside with Daniel to get the meat ready and prepare drinks for their guests.
"So tell me, Sam, is everything okay between the General and you?"
"Yes, he's quite sweet; I think he's a very good husband."
"Have you got feelings for him?"
"I'm not sure, I can feel a very strong bond between the two of us though. He's very attractive too! I really hope I get my memories back quickly, I can feel he's unhappy."
"Don't worry, he's strong enough. In any case, the amnesia is not your fault, you know."
"Well, I did blow up my own lab, so..."
SJSJSJ
"So Jack, how is she?"
"Yeah, she's better, she's more relaxed, and so am I. She can feel her memories here, but there seems to be a block of some sort."
"It'll come back, Jack. I know you're taking good care of her and it will help, just be patient."
Jack softly nodded and went back out to the garden so as to start the barbecue. Jack took the time to reminisce some more with Sam, and Janet, as the meat grilled.
"Then Daniel arrived in the mess hall, with his coffee and book, and took a seat with Teal'c and you. He started going on and on about his boring historical stuff, and you looked like you were really into it. I sat down with you guys, nursing a cup of coffee. Danny-boy started to tell me something, but you stopped him, saying it wasn't advisable to talk to me before I'd had my first daily cup of joe."
Daniel sighed as he remembered the day in question, as Janet and Sam laughingly asked for more.
"That was a tiny detail, but it could have meant the end of our little charade; thankfully, Daniel wasn't paying much attention at the beginning. So he kept quiet, letting me drink my coffee, but when I realized, I took the opportunity to steal some of Carter's toast. And when Daniel went for asking me something, I showed him my full cup, right in front of my plate."
Sam laughed even harder.
"So you kept quiet the whole day, Daniel?"
"No, I left the mess hall shortly after that, and when I joined you all later in the briefing room, Jack had another cup of coffee with him, which meant the punishment was finally over!"
"And nobody actually paid attention to what I said?"
"Not really, but I did take you aside to talk to you about it. We'd already been off-world overnight a few times by then though, it could have simply be dismissed as one of your usual astute observations."
"Jack, I think the meat is turning to charcoal," Daniel advised.
"This smoke, I think it reminds me of an afternoon here... you poured beer over it to subdue the smoke, didn't you?"
"Yes, you came around that day, but I wasn't alone. The then-CIA liaison to the SGC, Ms. Kerry Johnson, had paid me a visit to go over sensitive information away from possible eavesdropping."
Sam withdrew into herself, as she could feel the green-eyed monster rising within her, but she decided to clarify the matter with her husband at a later time. Daniel attempted to add some levity to the atmosphere.
"Jack, did you tell her about the time loop?"
"A time loop? How fascinating!" Sam said.
"Well, I played golf through the Stargate to Alaris with Teal'c, even though I was rudely interrupted in the middle of my back swing, I rode a bike through the corridors of the SGC, practiced my pottery skills in the 'Gate room, and also... made one of my wishes come true!"
"Which one?" chorused his three avid listeners.
Jack grinned, and gave Sam an inscrutable look.
"I kissed my wife in the control room in front of everyone!"
Sam blushed once more.
The two couples spent a very enjoyable evening together, talking about the SGC and their daily routines. Sam was feeling good, as if she were part of the family, the one Daniel mentioned when he'd popped in to see her in the infirmary. Sam sighed contentedly as she looked at them bickering naturally.
"Jack? Do you think I could come back to the SGC?" Daniel asked, as they were sipping their coffees inside.
"I'm not sure. I mean, I'd very much like you to come back, but is it what you really want? Or do you just miss it, and you want to come back to then realize it's not what you actually want any longer?"
"Jack, it was really hard after I came back from being in captivity this time. However, I miss all of you a lot, and even if I do receive a comfortable pension, I'm bored out of my skull... I miss my research, and... I never thought I would, but I also miss going out in the field."
He looked at Jack, and thought he could see a glimpse of merriment in his friend's eyes. Sam had seen it too, and she gave Daniel a large smile.
"Daniel, I never did process your retirement papers. You are officially on sabbatical leave, so it's not really a pension you receive, but more like a stipend. Your position is yours to take back whenever you want, but SG1 is still sitting on the sidelines for now, so you'll have to make do with tagging along on various missions by other SG teams, like Teal'c does."
Daniel and Janet left their friends' home a while later, happy to go back to their old jobs the following Monday just like old times.
Jack offered Sam to go get ready for bed while he'd finish cleaning up the house. She did make an attempt to help, but he took the dishes off her hand, and shooed her upstairs.
A/N : okay sorry, I couldn't write this story without mentionning "Window of opportunity" - which is one of my favorite episode : "Not in the middle of my back swing !"
Though, thinking of it, I'm not able to write any story without a mention to this episode - and I need to say that one of my favorite movie is "Groundhog Day" which explains everything :p