Once the table was in place Sam went back to cooking, Jack going with her to give her a hand.
He checked the potatoes, which Sam had put in the oven, before helping Sam with the sauce. She had already added most of the ingredients to the pan and was just frying up the veg.
"You ready for the pasata Sam?" Jack asked as he pulled the oven gloves off.
"Almost yeah," Sam replied as she put the pasta into a large pot and started to bring it to the boil.
Jack cut the top off both the cartons and then put them on the side beside Sam, ready for her to use. Sam stirred the vegetables a few more times before she emptied both the cartoons into the sauce pan.
"Once the pasta starts to boil can you split it into the dishes please Jack?" Sam requested as she stirred the vegetables into the pasta, making sure that everything was covered.
"Sure thing," Jack replied, turning his attention to the pasta. As soon as the water started to bubble he turned off the heat and then drained the pasta before distributing them into the dishes. Sam then turned the heat down under the sauce pot and looked at Jack.
"Can you bring the dishes over here?" she requested, "So I can put the sauce in them."
Jack nodded and did as she had asked. Sam filled each one and mixed it up, so that all the pasta was covered, and then Jack would pick up another dish and she would repeat the process. Daniel, who had been watching the two of them out of the corner of his eye, got up and went over to help, kissing Janet on the forehead as he left.
He grabbed the pot of cheese and started to put the contents of the pot on top of the dishes that Sam and Jack had finished with.
"Thank you," Sam accepted gladly as she carried on with dishing up the sauce.
Daniel smiled at her and continued to spread the cheese. Once all the dishes were done Sam opened up the oven.
"You sure they're all going to fit Sam?" Daniel questioned.
Sam raised an eyebrow. "Of course you are," Daniel muttered, "Stupid question."
Jack chuckled as he passed his wife one dish at a time. She grabbed the oven gloves and moved everything around until everything was sat in the oven. Sam then shut the door and got to her feet and set a timer.
"Dinner should be in fifteen minutes," Sam announced to the room.
"Do you want a hand to set the table?" Jacob asked, getting to his feet and walking towards the kitchen.
"Yes please dad," Sam answered, "You know where everything is."
Jacob nodded and went to the cupboards and started pulling out plates. Daniel started on the cutlery, going through the draws to find what they were going to need. Sam went to another cupboard and started to pull out placemats and coasters which Jack then took from her and put on the table, and then he and Teal'c started to set places for everyone.
"Do you need any more help?" Pauline asked from where she and the others were still sitting on the sofa, talking to Janet and Cassie.
"No we should be alright Pauline," Sam replied as she grabbed some heat proof dishes and passed them to Jack who set them in the centre of the table.
As Jack did that Sam turned to everyone and said, "There isn't enough room at the table for everyone so we were thinking that Lizzy, Chloe, and Jasper could sit on the floor around the coffee table, with Cassie if she doesn't mind."
"Yeah I don't mind," Cassie replied while the three kids looked to their parents hopefully.
"Sure," Mary said with a smile.
Tony nodded too.
"It'll be like a picnic," Chloe announced to the room.
"That it will," Sam said with a smile.
It didn't take them too long to get everything sorted and all the places set, and once they had everyone except Sam and Jack sat back down. Sam and Jack checked that everyone still had enough to drink before they too sat down.
There were multiple conversations going on in the room but Sam and Jack were happy enough just to sit quietly and listen, Jack with his hand resting on Sam's knee, drawing small circles there.
When the cooker buzzer went off Sam and Jack both got to their feet and headed back towards the kitchen to get everything out of the oven. Sam opened and checked on everything before turning to Jack and nodding.
"Looks like it's all ready," he announced, "If you all want to find a seat."
Everyone got up and moved towards the table, Cassie shepherding the three children towards the coffee table and then sitting down with them.
Jack started to the carry the dishes of pasta bake to the table while Sam poured the potatoes into different dishes and then carried them to the table as well. Once everything was on the table Sam said, "Dig in everyone."
She then turned her attention to the children and said, "How much do you guys want? How about you come up here and tell me when you've got enough."
The three children rushed back over to Sam while Cassie followed along behind at a slightly more sedate pace. Sam smiled at Cassie as she began to dish up the potatoes and pasta bake for the three little ones, looking at their parents to make sure that she was giving them a suitable amount.
She handed each of them a plate, Cassie included, before saying, "Head back to the table. Just be careful ok."
They all nodded and then they all walked back to the coffee table, Cassie keeping an eye on them as they walked, ready to jump in if there was any sign of an impending accident. They all managed to get back to the table with no problems though and soon were sat eating happily.
Sam watched them for a few minutes before sitting down, Jack pushing her to one side so he could dish up instead of her. "Sit," he whispered in her ear, "That it easy for a bit ok."
Sam nodded and sat down, gladly accepting the plate that Jack passed her soon after. She waited for everyone else to get their plates before they all started eating. The conversation was easy and kept flowing from what had been said before lunch.
Jack was sitting at one end of the table while his dad was at the other. He had offered his seat to Jacob but Jacob had declined it, saying he'd rather sit next to his daughter, Nana on his other side.
Sam had stayed quiet, just eating her way through what Jack had put in front of her. She ate slowly, not wanting to aggravate her stomach too much, but listened to everything that was being said around her.
She knew Jack kept glancing at her and the first few times she gave him a small smile but after that just ignored him.
Once everyone had finished, most of the table having seconds, thirds, and in Teal'c's case fifths, they stacked the dishes and Jack and Daniel carried them into the kitchen, where Teal'c started stacking the dishwasher.
Sam had gotten up to help but Jack had gestured for her to stay seated, that the rest of them had it covered. Sam had happily sat back down and sipped at her water and watched the world go by around her.
The rest of the table kept talking, although Sam could see that a few of them were glancing at her every so often, and some of them looked a little concerned. Sam however just ignored them. She was fine and they'd work out why she was a little off as soon as they told them the reason they'd called the dinner.
"Well Daniel and Janet brought pastries," Jack announced, "And we've got a freezer full of ice cream so we've got plenty of choices for dessert if people want it." He saw the children all perk up at the sound of dessert.
"How about," Jack said, rubbing his hands together, "We get the kids sorted and then we start on the adults?"
Everyone around the table nodded and then Jack looked at the kids around the table. "Come and get your dessert rugrats, you too Cassie."
Cassie rolled her eyes at Jack but got to her feet and followed along behind the three children as they rushed towards Jack, wanting ice cream.