It was half eleven by the time they eventually got back to the house. It had taken a fair amount of time to get all the history sorted.
Sam had another quick shower once they got in while Jack got changed into a shirt.
Sam didn't take too long in the shower and was soon out and getting dressed.
"I wonder when I'm going to start showing," Sam mused as she looked down at her still flat stomach.
"I don't know," Jack answered as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle, "But considering that its twins and you've a pretty flat stomach anyway I doubt it'll be too long."
Sam nodded but her face had dropped a little.
"Hey now," Jack said, spinning her around and placing his hands on her shoulders, "What's up Sam?"
"Nothing," Sam answered. Jack however didn't believe her and raised an eyebrow. "It's just that once I start to show I'm not going to be able to hide the fact that I'm pregnant and then everyone is going to start treating me differently. It's hard enough being a woman in the military sometimes, let alone being a pregnant woman in the military."
Jack was silent for a moment and took that time to study Sam's face. She looked genuinely upset by what she had just said and Jack couldn't stand to see that look on her face.
"Hey now," he soothed, "Anyone who thinks that you're any less than amazing doesn't deserve even a second of your time. Anyone that matters isn't going to see you any differently, ok maybe Daniel will be a little overbearing, and I know I'm going to be a little over protective, that's a given, but no one is going to question your ability to do your job. You've proved yourself to be more than capable of doing what it is we do and that isn't going to change just because you're carrying two tiny humans."
Sam blinked a few times, tears leaking out, before she looked Jack full in the eye and smiled. "Thank you Jack," she whispered.
"No worries," Jack replied, also smiling, "And I mean it. If anyone thinks any less of you because you're carrying the miracle of human life inside you don't give them the time of day."
Sam nodded. "Don't worry Jack I won't," she assured him.
Jack kissed her forehead and then her lips before he pulled away and said, "Now how's about you get dressed? It's quarter to already."
Sam nodded and moved out of Jack's arms and over to the wardrobe. She grabbed a skirt and a blouse and quickly got dressed. Once she was sorted she grabbed her purse and the two of them headed down the stairs.
"Jack," Sam said as they got their shoes on, "Can we wait to tell your parents until I least reach the second trimester?"
"Of course," Jack agreed, "That sounds good to me."
Sam smiled at him and then two of them then headed out of the house and towards Sam's car. Jack opened the door for her, causing her to laugh at him, and once she was inside and the door was shut behind her Jack ran round to get in the passenger side.
Sam continued to laugh at him as she started the engine and got ready to drive. She pulled away from the curb and Jack began to fiddle with the radio as they drove towards his moms.
When Jack finally settled on a station he liked he sat back and the two of them drove along in a comfortable silence, the only sound the music Jack had settled on.
They reached the house and pulled up, and Sam cut the engine, but before she could get out Jack trapped her hand under his on the wheel. Sam turned to look at him, silently questioning his move.
"I love you Sam," Jack whispered, kissing her softly, "Don't you ever forget that."
A small smile graced Sam's lips as she replied, "I love you too Jack."
Jack then let go of her hand and the two of them got out of the car, Jack only stopping to grab the flowers from the back seat. The two of them then headed up the path towards the front door.
They didn't even need to knock before it was opened and a smiling Pauline was stood there. "Jack," she greeted with a smile, pulling her son into a hug. "Sam," she then said, doing the same to Sam.
"Hey mom," Jack replied as his mom hug Sam.
"Hey Pauline," Sam said after Jack, hugging the older woman back, "It's good to see you."
"Come in," Pauline instructed as she let go of Sam and stepped to the side.
Jack smiled at her and let Sam walk past him before he handed Pauline the flowers he'd gotten her and followed Sam in. Pauline smiled at the flowers and then shut the door behind them.
"Head on through," she invited as Jack and Sam both stopped to take their shoes off, "Nana, Mary and the others are already in there waiting."
Sam and Jack smiled at her and once their shoes were off they headed into the sitting room. Mary was sitting talking to Nana quietly, while Connor was talking to Bill. Lizzy and Chloe were playing with some coloured blocks on the floor.
"Jack, Sam," Nana said once she saw the two of them coming through the door, "It's so good to see you again."
"You too Nana," Jack said as the two of them moved over to where Nana was slowly getting to her feet. Jack gestured for her to stay sitting down and then lent down to give her a hug, Sam following not far behind.
Jack then said hello to little Mary, Connor and his dad before he sat down on the floor with Chloe and Lizzy and started to play with their toys with them.
Sam watched him with a smile and had to really resist from touching her stomach, knowing that little Mary, Nana and Pauline would probably be able to read her like an open book if she did. She sat down on the sofa between Nana and little Mary and joined in with their conversation while watching Jack interact with the children out of the corner of her eye, smiling a little as she watched the way he interacted with them.
Nana must have noticed the way she was watching Jack because she said in a quiet voice, "He's always been good with children, ever since he was a child himself."
"I know," Sam assured her, "We don't see many children with the work we do, but we do see some, and Jack is always very good with them, always makes them feel totally at ease." Sam smiled a little as she spoke, and couldn't help her eyes flicker to her stomach for a brief moment. Nana gave her a knowing smile in return.
Sam wondered if she'd worked out what she'd been trying hard to hide but didn't get a chance to think about it too deeply before Jack spoke. "Did I hear my name?" he asked as he looked towards the two of them.
"We're talking about you not to you dear," Sam replied with a smile, "Go back to playing."
"Yes ma'am," Jack replied with a smile and cheeky salute.
Sam rolled her eyes but smiled back at him. The rest of the family were watching the two of them, all with smiles on their faces.
Pauline then told them all to wash up and get ready for lunch as it was nearly done.