Epilogue

"I'm going to need that..."

Jack tugged on the brush, ignoring the growls that were reverberating through the shower area of the locker room. The water was streaming down on him and his black lab, but it wasn't hitting him directly on his injured chest, so it was bearable for him, and Jaffer, of course, was loving it.

"I swear... you're going to be a rug..."

He never came up with new threats. He never needed to. Jaffer growled again as Jack tugged harder – although not hard enough to make the muscles of his chest protest – and the handle of the scrub brush stayed clenched tightly in his teeth, his brown eyes cheerful, and his tail wagging idly.

"You don't want me to get the blood off you?"

Well, yeah, there was that. He did want Jack to get the blood off him. Without warning, Jaffer let go of the brush, and overbalanced, Jack went toppling backwards, landing flat on his back half in the tiled shower area, and half out of it.

"What are you doing?"

He looked up to see Daniel and Sam standing over him, and a moment later heard an excited bark as Jack came rushing into the locker room, hurdled Jack and landed in the shower with Jaffer, who was still sitting under the stream of water.

"I'm bathing Jaffer – well, showering Jaffer, I suppose." He said, turning his head as Teal'c came to join the other two standing over him.

"Doctor Fraiser would not approve of this, O'Neill." The Jaffa said.

"Yeah, well, she went home for the day."

"General Hammond-"

"He's gone, too, Daniel." Jack said, struggling up into a sitting position. "I'm ranking officer on the base right now, which means if I want to give my bloody dog a bath – shower – I can."

"You shouldn't be out of bed," Sam said, smiling despite her concern. She'd went to Jack's to pick up a few things he'd need for his enforced overnight stay – mostly stuff for Jaffer – and had returned to his room to find him the black lab gone.

"I'm fine, Sam."

He looked fine she had to admit. He was wearing only a pair of shorts, his dog tags, and a soggy bandage on his chest and aside from a few soap bubbles here and there he looked about like he always did. No pained expression, no sign of discomfort. In fact, he had a grin on his face from playing in the water with Jaffer, which Sam knew from experience was one of his favorite past times.

"You're going to hurt yourself." Daniel told him.

"Do you want to bathe him?"

"Um... no."

"Do you want to sleep with him with Jaffa blood all over him?"

"Well... no."

"There ya go."

Jaffer came over and wormed his way into Jack's arms, resting his nose just above the bandages. Jack came over and snuffled the Colonel as well; just to make sure Jaffer wasn't getting something Jack should be getting too. When he realized Jack was handing out loving, the yellow lab wormed his way into O'Neill's arms, too, and Jack was knocked backwards once more.

Daniel took his shirt off with a sigh and stepped over Jack and the dogs, then stooped down and took the brush from O'Neill's hand and went further into the shower, wearing just his pajama bottoms. Fraiser had decided that he needed to spend the night in her infirmary as well, so he was already dressed for bed.

"C'mere, Jaffer," Daniel said, kneeling under the spray and grabbing up the soap Jack had been using. The black lab ambled over, followed by Jack, and Sam helped O'Neill back up into a sitting position.

"Hey, I need that!" Daniel said, frowning when Jaffer grabbed the brush in his teeth and pulled it out of Daniel's soapy hand.

Jack smiled, and leaned against the wall, still sitting on the wet tiled floor of the shower, but now out of the spray. He'd let Daniel have a taste of what he dealt with all the time, and then he'd finish the bath that he'd started if Daniel couldn't figure out how to bathe a mischievous dog.

..................

"So..."

It was much later that evening, and Jack was back in his bed in the private infirmary room where he was supposed to be, fresh bandage on his chest and slightly damp – but extremely clean and strawberry smelling – dog stretched out at the foot of the bed keeping his toes warm.

"So?"

Sam's voice was a gentle sound in the quiet of the room. They were lying in the dark, Sam cuddled snugly against him, her head resting on his shoulder and her hand idly caressing his stomach.

"Should I tell Hammond we need some vacation time or an assignment away from the Stargate for a few weeks?"

Sam smiled. It was wonderful to be able to talk about this. Even better that they'd now be able to control when they were going to have their children. Not everyone had that opportunity, after all. She was done worrying if there was something wrong with her, now that she knew what their problem had been. She owed Dotty so much.

"Let's hold off just a little longer, Jack," Sam said, nuzzling his neck. "I'm not ready to give up going on missions, just yet." Someone needed to watch him and Daniel. Jaffer and Jack were only two dogs, after all. Formidable, yes, but until they could be trained how to shoot guns, they were limited to how lethal they could be. Although Jaffer had certainly proven himself capable of killing when he wanted to.

"It's your decision, Sam," he told her, softly, smiling in the dark. He wasn't ready to give up having her on missions just yet, either, but he hadn't wanted to say anything. If she was ready, then he was ready, but he wasn't going to rush her into anything. "We know how to do it, now. There's no hurry."

Her hand sidled slightly lower, and he could feel her cheek tightening against his bare shoulder as she smiled.

"I thought you said we already were doing it right?"

Jack grinned, and moved her hand, reluctantly. This still wasn't the place, or the time – since the door to his room wasn't locked and who knew when someone would come knocking to see if he needed anything. But God, he loved it when she teased him – verbally and physically.

"I think we're doing just fine." He told her, wrapping her in his arms as tightly as his aching chest would allow.

"I think so, too, Jack," Sam agreed, kissing him, and then shifting a little so she wasn't resting any weight on him. Janet had told her that she was going to have the night medics put a sedative in Jack's last drink of the evening to make sure he slept – which he'd drank about ten minutes before, and Sam was going to stay with him until he fell asleep, then slip out and leave him and Jaffer to their rest.

He, of course, didn't understand why he was dozing off when he felt wide awake only minutes before, but assumed it was because Sam and Jaffer were with him. Jack always felt better when they were close. He closed his eyes, his hand holding hers again, and Sam could actually feel him fall asleep. She waited until she was certain he was out, then slipped out of his arms and pulled the covers up over the bandages on his chest.

Kissing him softly, then shifting to the foot of the bed to press a gentle kiss against Jaffer's damp nose, Sam smiled at the black lab, whose dark eyes were gleaming cheerfully in the faint glow of the light coming from under the door leading to the hallway.

"I'll be back in the morning, little man," She whispered, running her fingers through his silky damp fur. "You keep the bad dreams away, for me, okay?"

Jaffer snorted in reply, and Carter grinned. Sometimes she had to admit Jack was right; it did seem that Jaffer was just going to start talking to them any minute. He certainly spoke volumes with those eyes. She kissed Jaffer again, just because she couldn't resist, and then left the room, closing the door softly behind her. She'd go check and make sure Daniel was asleep, and then she'd head home.

Jaffer watched as she closed the door, then got up and moved to his regular position against Jack's side. It was one thing to be the foot warmer when Sam was there, but when no one else was cuddling his Jack, that spot was all his. He snuggled close, and even drugged, Jack reacted to his nearness by putting his arm around him. Jaffer sighed contentedly at the touch, and rested his nose on the blanket covering Jack's stomach, then closed his eyes.

"How's he doing?"

"He's fine. I'll finish the healing you started, and he'll be at full mobility in a couple days."

"The Seer is searching for him again."

"She'll never find him. She won't find any of them. I won't allow her to tamper with his thoughts any further."

"You shielded him?"

"No. I blocked her abilities. No more snooping around in other peoples' minds while they sleep."

"That was a little harsh..."

"She's lucky I didn't kill her."

"
You're lucky you were there before she had a chance to see anything she shouldn't have."

There was a murmur of agreement, and he felt her gentle caress against him for a moment, a caress he returned, lovingly.

"You'd better go." He told her. "I have work to do." Even as he spoke, she saw him establish a very tiny trickle of healing energy between him and Jack. Not a lot, but then, he didn't need a lot.

"I love you, father."

She felt a surge of love from him in reply, and left him to his work. She had work to do, too. Things were moving faster and faster, now, and they had to be ready.

The End!

Author's Note: Okay, so you have a taste of what Jaffer is, although it's only a taste. Comments and suggestions are welcomed, of course! As is feedback on the story. As usual, I'd like to know what you liked and didn't, and what lines appealed to you. Too much mush with Sam and Jack? Not enough? All the usual. Baby will come, but I'm traditional, so the marriage will most likely come, first. Keep watching!