Chapter 25 – Festivities and Fireworks
A look of utter peace and happiness had settled on Samantha Carter's face several hours ago and hadn't disappeared since. She leaned against the entrance to her living room and watched the proceedings with a content smile on her face. It was a feeling she had gotten used to over the past week, but one that she knew she would never take for granted.
The room before her resided in semi-darkness, the only light coming from the flickering television set. Five adults lounged in the room in varying states of relaxation. Daniel and Marjie rested close together on the sofa, a change in their relationship evident by the way the dark haired woman leaned ever so slightly against the archaeologist. Teal'c sat in one of the large, comfortable chairs, Cassie at his feet. The two appeared to be in earnest conversation about some aspect of the animated movie they were currently watching. Even from her spot across the room, Sam could discern the way Cassie's eyes were lit with amusement as she verbally parried with Teal'c.
With a chuckle, Sam's gaze turned to the other chair in the room, and her eyes softened further. On the large, overstuffed chair lay her soon to be former CO. His feet rested on the coffee table in front of him and his body was slouched low in the chair. Lying sprawled across his chest and upper thighs was Sam's daughter. The little girl's eyes were glued to the television set, almost unblinking as she took in the colorful scenes playing across the screen. In her left arm, she clutched the ragged doll that had seen her through her most turbulent times. Her right arm was wound around Jack's, squeezing it tightly whenever something from the movie startled her. Jack's left arm was loosely held across Leorah's abdomen, and even from across the room, Sam could see him bend to occasionally whisper reassurances in the little girl's ear.
A thrill ran through Sam at the thought that this sweet, trusting little girl now belonged to her. It was a thrilling mixture of elation and disbelief, for the child they had rescued from Tarona was now officially Leorah Michelle Carter – Michelle for the mother who hadn't seen Sam grow into adulthood. The adoption had been finalized just yesterday and, true to his word, Jack had organized everyone to throw an adoption party. The celebration that had begun several hours ago with decorations, dinner, presents, and the requisite chocolate cake, was now winding down. Cassie had presented Leorah with one of her favorite movies from when she was a child, Beauty and the Beast, and everyone had retired to the living room to watch it. Jack had tried to get them to watch The Wizard of OZ…the new, colorized version, but Sam had quickly nixed that suggestion. She wasn't sure Leorah was quite ready for it. The Beast and the angry townspeople seemed frightening enough; Sam wasn't sure how she would go about explaining witches and flying monkeys.
But aside from the occasional squeezing of Jack's arm, Leorah appeared to be entranced by the movie. The Beast had at first frightened the little girl, but she soon noticed his underlying kindness. In fact, Leorah had looked over to Teal'c more than once during the movie, as if to make a comparison between the two formidable people. Unbeknownst to Sam, that happened to be precisely what Cassie and Teal'c were discussing at this very moment. Teal'c was not amused by the comparison.
Sam was drawn from her thoughts by a quiet voice next to her. "She's a beautiful little girl, Sam. You're going to make a great mother." Sam gave her a smile filled with gratitude and Janet squeezed her arm in reply. They both turned back to watch for a moment longer before Janet sighed quietly. "It seems like just yesterday when Cassie was small. Sometimes I really miss those times." The melancholy in her voice was quickly erased as she suddenly laughed. "I swear to God, she must have watched that movie every day for two months straight."
Sam chuckled. "Yeah. I noticed she could quote every line of the movie."
Janet laughed as well. "Just like Jack with The Wizard of Oz," she agreed. The two women continued to observe in silence for several more moments before Janet turned to Sam once more. "They look good together, don't they?" she indicated Daniel and Marjie with a nod of her head.
Sam's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she looked at the pair, then back at Janet. "Yeah, they do," she answered hesitantly. She studied her friend for a moment before saying, "It doesn't bother you at all?"
Janet's eyebrows rose in puzzlement. "No. Should it?"
Flushing slightly, Sam replied, "Well, I kind of had the impression that you and Daniel," she waved her hand absently in the air, not certain what to say.
Janet laughed softly. "Oh, I've always had a soft spot for Daniel. I think everyone on my nursing staff does! But," she shrugged her shoulders, "It just wouldn't be ethical to date a patient, Sam. And Daniel is definitely a patient a lot more often than anyone else. Well, except for Siler," she added with a shake of her head. Sam chuckled at the comment. "Besides, I've been seeing someone lately. An old friend from college, actually." A soft smile of pleasure crossed the smaller woman's face.
"Good for you, Janet. I'm glad to hear it," Sam replied with heartfelt emotion.
"Thanks," Janet replied before she gave her an appraising look. "What about you, Sam?" Sam's eyebrows shot up in question. "Two more weeks and you'll no longer be under a certain someone's command."
This time, Sam blushed more vividly than before. Was she that transparent? Janet laughed. "Hey, I've known for a long time how you two feel about each other. Neither one of you can exactly hide your feelings when the other is lying in the infirmary." She cocked her head. "So? Are you finally going to do something about it?"
Sam looked back at Jack and smiled softly at the sight of him snuggled together with Leorah. She turned back to Janet. "Well actually, once I've officially resigned from the Air Force, we're going to go fishing." When Janet gave her a smug look, Sam hastily added, "With Leorah."
"And after that?" Janet prodded her friend.
Sam's smile deepened. "After that, we'll have to see."
Janet lightly slapped Sam on the arm. "I swear to God, you are more reticent sometimes than Teal'c. After all these years, he's definitely rubbed off on you."
Sam raised one eyebrow. "Indeed," she replied deeply. The two women broke into loud laughter, causing the rest of the group to turn their attention from the movie to them.
Jack eyed the women suspiciously. "Carter? Care to share with the rest of the group?" he called from his seat across the room.
Sam looked at him, then at Janet before meeting his gaze. "Uh. I don't think so, Sir," she replied, the laughter still evident in her voice.
He scowled at her playfully for a moment. "Fine. Then do you mind keeping it down? Some of us are trying to watch the end of this movie." He turned back to the television, resettling Leorah on his lap and tucking her head under his chin.
The little girl turned her head toward her mother. "Come watch, mommy. Beast not 'karey anymore." She turned her head toward Teal'c. "Just like Teaw'c!" she stated proudly.
Cassie erupted into peals of laughter while Teal'c scowled. "I do not resemble the beast, Leorah Carter," he stated with conviction.
"Well, aside from the hair…" Jack teased his friend. Teal'c did not appreciate the comment and turned back to continue watching the movie, eager for it to be over.
Sam and Janet shared a grin before they moved into the living room. Sam pulled up a chair and sat next to Jack, taking Leorah's hand in her own. As the movie resumed, Leorah leaned over and whispered in Sam's ear, "Can Teaw'c sing, mommy?" Sam shot a look at Jack and both of them burst out laughing, causing Teal'c to shoot another glare their direction.
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The next two weeks passed quickly for Sam. Cassie was on a break from college, so offered to watch Leorah while Sam made preparations to transition from military to civilian life. It wasn't difficult, really. SG-1 was going to be permanently disbanded anyway, with Daniel helping out with various teams until he could make the next trip to Atlantis, and Teal'c returning to help the free Jaffa on Dakara. As a result, Sam would not need to find a replacement for herself on a team. And all of her work would continue in the labs, so the change mostly entailed a lot of paperwork…and several phone calls from Washington, all begging her to reconsider. Unbeknownst to Sam, Jack had fielded the majority of the calls, so she only had to deal with a handful, but that had been more than enough.
By the time it was her last official day as a member of the USAF, Sam was more relieved than sad. Everyone on base knew the main reason for her resignation and not one of them begrudged her that decision. In fact, they were all very supportive and offered heartfelt congratulations and gifts when they found out that Leorah was now officially Sam's daughter. The additional gifts for the little girl made Sam wonder if she would have to build an extra room just to hold everything! All of the extra attention had been somewhat draining for the normally private Colonel, but she knew that they all meant well.
The knowledge that her father would be happy for her, not disappointed, was more than enough to ease any regrets she may have been having…that and the anticipation of starting on a new path with one Jack O'Neill.
For his part, Jack was finding it hard to contain his anticipation. He put extra effort into appearing as normal as possible, even going so far as refraining from visiting Sam in her lab. He still managed to pull her away for lunch each day, but made sure Daniel and Teal'c came as well. He didn't want tongues wagging anymore than they already were. He wasn't obtuse…he knew people were talking, but chose to ignore it for the most part. He had other things to worry about, namely making sure that Sam was not inundated with calls from Washington begging her to reconsider. And planning for a week or two up at the cabin in the very near future.
Like Sam, he was relieved when the day finally arrived. Knowing that the base personnel would be disappointed if they weren't allowed to extend their thanks and gratitude for all she had done for them, Jack gave the go ahead for a celebratory party. There would be no speeches, for Sam had requested as much. This was actually fine with Jack as he tended to disappear during important speeches. So the festivities would be limited to cake, punch, and well-wishes.
At the appointed hour, Jack led a reluctant Samantha Carter to the commissary. Although she had steeled herself for several dozen people, the sight that greeted her left her momentarily speechless. Almost the entire base was present, right on down to the cooks and cleaning staff. She was welcomed with a rousing round of applause that brought tears to her eyes. She turned helpless eyes on Jack, not quite knowing what to say or how to thank him for arranging all of this.
He seemed to understand, for he smiled, put up his hands, and stated, "I had nothing to do with this, Carter. You mean a lot to a whole lot of people." Sam bit her lip and looked back out onto the sea of smiling faces, wondering to herself how she had ever come to be so lucky.
Leorah, who had been standing off to the side with Daniel and Teal'c, ran to her mother and tugged on her sleeve. "Don't be sad, mommy. Nobody eated the cake yet…and it's chok'wit again!" she smiled with delight.
Sam laughed and scooped the child up, the uncomfortable moment effectively broken as everyone within hearing distance laughed along with her. Keeping Leorah on her hip, Sam made her way around the room, thanking each person for their attendance and support. Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c watched from the side of the room, letting her have her moment but ready to run interference should she need it. Twenty minutes later, Leorah was starting to squirm so Sam put her down. Jack was at her side in an instant. "I'll take the munchkin for some cake, Carter. You enjoy yourself." She smiled her thanks and continued moving around the room, still a bit uncomfortable with all the attention but knowing she needed to make contact with each person in attendance.
The festivities finally ended two hours later, Colonel Reynolds was the last to depart aside from SG-1, Janet, Cassie, Leorah and Marjie. Reynolds stepped back from Sam and saluted her sharply. "It's been an honor, Colonel." Sam once again fought back tears as she saluted him in return. Although they had not always seen eye to eye, Sam respected the man greatly and was heartened to have that respect returned so publicly.
Reynolds smiled at her, turned on his heel and left, but not before stopping in front of Jack and throwing him a quiet, growled comment. "Take care of her Jack, or I'll kick your ass."
Jack raised surprised eyebrows at the man, meeting his gaze directly. Then he smiled. "You'd probably have to get in line, Reynolds," he stated lightly, but the expression in his eyes told the other man that Jack himself would be at the head of that line if he ever did anything to hurt Sam.
Reynolds nodded once, then turned and left the commissary. Jack turned and his gaze met Sam's quizzical one. Jack shrugged his shoulders and looked at the small group that now consisted of close friends. "So, anyone up for more cake?"
"Me, me!" Leorah shouted, jumping up and down with eagerness. Everyone laughed, for it was more than evident by the remains of frosting on the little girl's face that she had already had more than enough cake for one day.
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Jack stepped out the front door of his cabin and breathed in deeply of the fresh morning air. He cupped a mug of coffee lightly in his hands and looked out over the calm, blue water. He loved this time of day at his northern retreat: no sounds but birds chirping in the trees, the wind rustling the branches, and an occasional soft slap of water against the dock. His head turned at a sound he hadn't heard in a long time up here, the call of a sleepy child's voice from the other side of the cabin's screen door.
"I hungry, Sir" came the soft voice from the sleep tousled child.
Jack set his mug down on the railing and turned to open the door. Smiling, he reached down and picked Leorah up, settling her against his side. "And good morning to you too, kiddo." She gave him a shy smile, which he returned. "So, you're hungry, huh? How about some of my famous blueberry pancakes?"
Leorah rubbed her eyes and looked up at him. "I likes panpakes," she stated with conviction.
He grinned. "Me too. What about your mommy? She up yet?"
Leorah shook her head. "Mommy still sleeping. I go wake her up?" She looked expectantly up at Jack.
Jack tousled her hair lightly. "Nah. We'll let her sleep for a bit. You can help me make breakfast, OK?"
Leorah nodded eagerly and Jack set her down. He opened the door for her and watched with quiet amusement as she skipped ahead of him into the kitchen. They had arrived late yesterday evening after a long plane ride and an equally long car trip. He knew that Sam would be tired and probably sleep in, for she had been busy these past two weeks acclimating to being a full-time mother for a while. He seemed to have forgotten how quickly little kids woke up and were ready for the day, though. He smiled as the little girl pulled a chair up to the counter and stood, ready to help him with breakfast. With a shake of his head, Jack followed her in, thinking to himself how much he missed having this in his life.
As he mixed up the batter and let Leorah put the blueberries, one at a time, into the mix, Jack smiled contentedly. Yeah, he could really get used to this…waking up and making breakfast for Sam and Leorah. And if things went the way he was hoping they would, perhaps he'd be on his way to making this a much more regular occurrence.
His thoughts were interrupted by a happy squeal. "Mommy! You is up! Me and Sir is making panpakes!"
Sam stood in the doorway, a sleepy smile on her face. She had been observing the two for several moments, enjoying just watching them together. Jack was so natural and open with Leorah that it was truly amazing to think how cold he could sometimes be with other people.
She straightened from the doorway. "I see that sweetheart. You sure are a big helper." Sam turned to smile her thanks at Jack, who was eying her sleeping attire with a decidedly interested look on his face. It wasn't too often that he got a glimpse of the long, smooth bare legs of Samantha Carter. Suddenly, he was inordinately pleased that this was just their first morning at the cabin. "Do you think Sir has any coffee ready?" Sam quipped with a smirk, pulling his thoughts back to the present and away from her bare legs.
Jack gave both of them a frown. "Alright. Enough of the Sir crap already. We're on vacation, for crying out loud! Besides that fact that you are no longer military, Carter." He pointed an accusing finger at her. "And I thought you were going to work on that with her."
Sam smiled. "I tried. She insists on calling you Sir." Sam shrugged her shoulders and moved toward him. "What can I do?" she batted her eyes innocently at him then reached around him for a mug.
Jack scowled, knowing she was playing him but not quite certain how to respond to this new dynamic between them. But he had to admit, he rather enjoyed this early morning banter with his former 2IC. He reached over her head and drew out a mug for himself, remaining closer to her than necessary but enjoying the freedom to do so. Turning the tables on her, he stared down into her eyes and said quietly, "Coffee's in the pot on the stove. Want to pour me some?"
She looked up and met his eyes. The humor was gone from his gaze, now replaced with something deeper. He reached out and brushed an errant strand of hair behind her ear, then let the back of his fingers brush gently down her cheek. Sam felt her breath stop as he looked down at her lips and she absently ran her tongue over the bottom one in anticipation, causing Jack's eyes to darken.
A tug on his sleeve broke the moment, and he turned to look down at Leorah. "I puts lots of blueberries in the panpakes. Is they ready to be cookded now, Sir?" she asked.
Jack chuckled and pulled back from Sam with slight regret. "Yeah. I guess I'd better make the pancakes before you eat all the blueberries!" He tweaked her on the nose, grinning at the tell-tale purple around the little girl's lips. As he turned toward the stove and let a glob of batter hiss on the griddle, he turned his gaze to Sam, promising with a look to continue where they left off at a later time.
Late that afternoon, after spending several hours on the dock teaching Leorah how to fish, Jack brought them into the small town near his cabin. It was early June and time for the annual summer festival, replete with food, games, small rides for the children, and the requisite turtle races that were a staple of Northern Minnesota. Leorah skipped along at Sam's side, her pink sundress ruffling in the slight breeze. She stopped at every booth, marveling at the sights, smells and sounds. Her eyes sparkled with delight when Jack won a large stuffed frog for shooting out the entire outline of a paper star. Leorah promptly named her frog 'Sir', eliciting giggles from Sam and an exasperated shake of the head from Jack.
When they moved to the turtle races, Sam helped Leorah pick a turtle from the kiddie pool. The small turtle, with the number 6 painted on its back, blinked its eyes as the little girl held it up in front of her and examined it closely. Leorah smiled. "He likes me!" she declared to them before gently carrying her turtle over for the start of the race.
All of the turtles were placed in the middle of a large circle. When a whistle blew, the cardboard ring keeping them in place was raised, allowing the turtles to move toward the outer part of the circle. Sam laughed out loud as Leorah cheered on her turtle, who seemed to prefer to remain just where she had placed him; much like the other 12 turtles in the race. "Not exactly an intergalactic space race, is it?" she grinned up at Jack.
Jack grinned. "No, but at least no one gets hurt," he returned with a smile, placing his hand gently on her back and observing the proceedings with a feeling of quiet contentment.
"C'mon little turtle, you can do it!" Leorah shouted as her turtle finally began to move toward the outer circle. Jack and Sam delighted in the enthusiastic cheering of the little girl and offered her words of congratulations when her turtle actually won. Much to Leorah's disappointment but Sam's relief, the prize was not turtle number 6, but a small stuffed turtle. Jack was relieved when this one received the name of "Shelly". Leorah waved a sad good-bye to her turtle, clutching Shelly close as they moved on.
By the time they had visited each of the booths, sampled the various foods offered, and taken Leorah on several rides, it was getting dark and almost time for the fireworks to begin. They would be shot off on the other side of the small lake that bordered the edge of the town. And even though it was a small show compared to those in the cities, it was always rather spectacular with the lake as a background. Jack staked out a close spot under a large tree. "Why don't you two sit down and save our spot? I'll be right back with a blanket and some drinks."
Sam handed the frog to Jack. "Can you put 'Sir' in the truck too? I think we'll have more than enough to carry back without having to lug him around." She looked meaningfully down at Leorah, who was already beginning to yawn from her rather busy day.
Jack grimaced as he tucked the frog under his arm. "We have got to get her to change its name. Teal'c would be a good choice, dontcha think?" he asked with raised eyebrows.
Sam laughed. "I don't know. Sir has a nice ring to it."
Jack rolled his eyes and turned, making his way back to his truck through the crowds. It took a bit longer than he expected but finally, with a blanket tucked under one arm and a small cooler in the other, he strode back to where he had left Sam and Leorah. As he neared the tree, he slowed his walk and finally stopped altogether, just to watch the two of them for a moment. Sam leaned back against the tree, Leorah sitting sideways in her lap. They appeared deep in conversation but Jack could tell from the smile on Sam's face that it wasn't too serious. Perhaps they were discussing the fate of turtle number 6, Jack thought to himself with a smile. He hitched the blanket higher under his arm and resumed his walk, eager to rejoin them and show Leorah the wonders of a night sky filled with fireworks. And maybe engage in a few of his own, he thought with a grin.
Later that night, when the brilliant display of fireworks had ended and people began to make their way back to their cars, Jack picked a sleepy Leorah off of the blanket and settled her against his shoulder. She wound one arm around his neck and laid her head down, snuggling trustingly against his body as she held her stuffed turtle close with the other arm. The little girl closed her eyes, already half asleep. Sam and Jack shared a smile at the child's actions before Sam began to roll up the blanket.
"Here, why don't you just put that over Leah. It's getting kinda cool," Jack suggested quietly.
Sam nodded and stepped over to him, laying the blanket gently over the little girl and tucking it around her body. Her hand brushed against his chest and Sam looked up at him when she heard his sharp intake of breath. She stared at him for a moment, then moved back. "I'll just…get the cooler," she whispered quietly, feeling slightly flustered.
Jack stopped her with a hand to her arm. Her eyes met his and they stared at each other for several long moments before Jack slowly pulled her closer. His eyes never left hers as he gradually bent his head toward her. "I've wanted to do this for a long time, Carter," he whispered with feeling. Just before his lips met hers, he heard her whispered reply. "Me too." The admission made him smile as he pulled her in with his right arm and kissed her the way he had been wanting to for many long years...just the two of them, no alien influence present. When the need for air became an issue, he pulled back and looked into her eyes. Slowly, he grinned, then whispered, "Yep. Fireworks."
Flushing, Sam chuckled softly and pulled back, her eyes sparkling with feeling. She bent and picked up the cooler then turned back to look at him. She was surprised by the thoughtful look that replaced his earlier grin. "Jack?" she questioned quietly as she returned to his side hoping he wasn't already regretting his actions.
Jack blinked and shook his head slightly. "I was just thinking." When she raised her eyebrows expectantly, he continued with a self-conscious shrug. "This has been the best day I've had in a long time. I could kind of get used to it."
Sam smiled in relief at his words and closed the small distance between them. With her free hand, she took his hand and squeezed slightly. "Me too," she whispered repeating her words for moments ago.
Jack smiled warmly down at her and pulled her close for another kiss. When Leorah murmured something into his neck, he reluctantly pulled back. Looking down at Sam, he said queitly, "C'mon. Let's go home." Then he waggled his eyebrows. "Maybe we can make some more fireworks of our own." Laughing, Sam readily agreed. Somehow, she knew that their own fireworks would be vastly superior to the town's.
As they meandered through the crowds back toward Jack's truck, they didn't notice the lone, elderly woman who stood in the shadows of the trees and followed their progress with a soft smile on her face. Her white gown and long hair flowed gently in the breeze as she watched unobserved. She saw the child lying asleep on the man's shoulder; a stuffed turtle tucked under one arm while the other was wound around his neck. The man held the child close with one strong arm while the other intertwined with the fingers on the woman's hand. The two adults shared smiles and easy conversation as they walked, and anyone could see the depth of feeling between them. As they faded into the darkness, the woman smiled with satisfaction, her green eyes shining with happiness for the small child. Very softly, she whispered, "Be well, my Leorah. My little Light." And then, she faded into the darkness, leaving not a trace behind that she had ever been there.