"Are you sure you have to leave?"
Ian nodded, ruffling the hair of the twins – who were standing on either side of him.
"I need to get back before McKay decides I've abandoned my duties and tries to take over the training scenarios."
Sam smiled.
"Is that the voice of experience talking?"
"Of course."
They were gathered in a small group in the foyer that led to the rear entrance of the White House. Cassie was there, with the twins and Maggie, as were Jack, Sam, Shawn and River. Chelani was distracting Nia and Jacob, who had already said their goodbyes to Ian the evening before, and Ian didn't want to see them get all mushy and teary-eyed if they had to say goodbye again. (And he didn't want anyone to see him get mushy, either, if he could avoid it.)
"When are you coming back?" Jack asked.
Ian looked over at River, obviously considering their schedules. He shrugged, though.
"I'm not sure, Jack. As soon as I can – and sooner, if I can swing it."
"I'll make sure he comes soon," River assured them all, grinning as he cuddled Murray against his chest. The puppy, of course, was loving the attention, and River was thinking that maybe he'd see about getting a dog, too. Maybe Shawn and Gina would consider letting him have one of the same litter Murray was from – when they were ready to be separated from their mother. That way he'd always have a co-pilot.
Jack smiled.
"You do that."
"I'll be happy if you can just teach him how to use a telephone," Maggie Brooks said with some asperity that didn't fool anyone.
"It's a little difficult to call from Atlantis, mom," Ian reminded her. "The phone lines keep cutting out."
"Smart ass."
The twins giggled, and Maggie reached over and pulled both of them into her arms.
"You didn't hear grandma say that…" she told them.
They giggled again, but didn't argue, knowing full well that she had said it and knowing that she knew they wouldn't forget it. Maggie had had plenty of experience dealing with little boys with photographic memories, after all.
Ian turned to Cassie.
"You'll be back in a week?"
She nodded.
"Tell Carson to call me if that presents a problem and I'll come back sooner."
Ian wouldn't tell him any such thing, of course, but he didn't tell Cassie that. As far as he was concerned, she deserved a vacation and he was glad that she was taking a little time off to spend with the boys. Even better that she was spending it with his mom and Sam and Jack (who wouldn't be around all that much, but was still going to be there). It was also going to be interesting, because Shawn was staying, too, waiting in D.C. for Gina, who was flying in that very morning.
Ian was half tempted to wait around and see his friend's reaction to the news he was going to be a father, but duty called, and he had long since grown used to missing out on some things because of it.
He nodded, and gave her a slight smile, but nothing more. Like Jacob and Nia, Ian had already said goodbye to Cassie, too, and she'd given him a very sweet send off the night before. The boys were another matter, though, and he took them both from his mother and gave them a bear hug, one in each arm.
"You guys take care of your mom, okay?"
They nodded, smiling up at him, proud to have been given such an important job. After all, taking care of Cassie was his job, and he'd told them that more than once.
Ian smiled down at them, amazed that such little things could mean so much to him.
"And watch out for grandma, too."
"We will," Carter assured him.
"Until grandpa gets back," Michael added.
Then they'd lose that job.
Maggie smiled and took them back, but gave Ian a quick hug.
"Be good."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Sam smiled, knowing that the young recruits that Ian trained on Atlantis would never have believed it if someone had told them just how pliable he was when it came to his mother. She knew no one would dare tell them, either, though.
She gave him a hug, too, holding him as close as Maggie had.
"You'll come back soon?"
"I don't know about soon…" he told her, brushing a kiss against her cheek. "But I'll try."
"Good."
Jack had been saying his own goodbye to River – and had taken Murray back from him, cradling the puppy in his still powerful hands, although Murray was in little danger of being harmed when Jack held him.
"I'll walk out with you guys…" he said.
Ian and River nodded, and River gave the twins a quick hug – and was always more than willing to bestow kisses and hugs upon the women in the group – while Ian reached down and picked up both of their bags.
The walk to the grove that hid the invisible Gateship was a silent one, but Ian had a feeling that Jack wanted to talk for a minute. Obviously River assumed the same thing, because when they reached the ship – and it became visible at the press of a button in River's hand – he took their bags from Ian and told him that he was going to do a preflight check. Which left Ian and Jack standing at the rear of the ship, Murray watching both of them with interest.
"You going to be okay to fly home?"
Ian nodded.
"It's a lot faster this way than if I took a commercial flight."
Or even a military flight like Gina was taking.
"Good." Jack was quiet for a minute, stroking Murray's ears with his free hand. But then he spoke again. "Thanks."
Ian nodded.
"You're welcome, Jack."
"I owe you big."
Ian shook his head.
"You don't owe me anything. You never will. If anything, I owe you…"
"What do you mean?"
Ian snorted, softly.
"You know I wasn't the nicest guy when we first met…"
Jack smiled.
"I noticed that. You're a good man, though."
Ian nodded.
"I'm a good man because of the way my mother raised me – even though I'm sure she wanted to give up on it a million times."
Which elicited another smile from Jack.
"So what do you owe me for?" he asked, curiously.
"Because I'm a good husband and father thanks to you," Ian told him, sincerely. "You showed me how to love someone and treat them in a way that didn't smother them, but still show them that they were the most important thing in the world to you. I never would have figured that out on my own."
"You underestimate yourself," Jack said, pleased and feeling just a little gooey inside at the implied compliment. A rarity coming from Ian, especially. "You'd have figured it out."
Ian gave him a wry smile, and shook his head.
"Not a chance."
Uncertain what to say, Jack opted for not replying to it. Instead, he shifted Murray into his left arm and held out his hand.
"Come back soon, okay?"
Ian smiled and took the hand.
"I will. We'll go shooting again."
Murray yipped, his tail thumping against Jack's side as if in complete agreement, and Ian scratched his ears, feeling as good as he ever had.
It'd been a good trip, despite the painful reason for coming.
