The morning of the parental rights hearing Jack was straightening Georgie's jacket. "Now remember son, I know you have a vested interest in this going through but you can't say anything about Pete not being your dad. This is just like the meeting with the councilor. You don't say anything about it unless your mom or I bring it up, ok?"

"But wouldn't it help mom's case if the judge knows you're my dad not Pete?"

"In normal cases it would but not this time buddy. You're going to have to trust me and follow orders, ok?"

"Yes sir." He said ducking his head the same cute way Sam used to when she didn't really want to do so many years ago.

Jack smiled. "Good job. Let's try to do something with that hair of yours kiddo."

"It won't help."

"Yah but it can't hurt." Jack said with a chuckle.


Jack held Jake's hand while Georgie leaned on Sam. Both adults were in full dress including their decorations. It had been Lorin's suggestion as the judge handling Sam's case is sympathetic to military members struggling with family issues. She waved them in when Sam's name was called and they filed to the front to stand with the boys and Lorin. Behind them the door opened again and there was the familiar tap of dress shoes on the tile floor. Sam turned and her mouth gaped as her team, Carolyn, and Hank, all in uniform or suits entered the court room and stood at the bench behind her. Jon was there as well as well as Siler and a couple of the R&D team.

Jack touched her elbow when she looked at him, nodded and told her with his eyes that yes, they were all there to support her today.

Pete's attorney stood on the other side as defendant. Alone.

Jack narrowed his eyes.

Sam was just relieved she didn't have to see him.

The judge sat and waved everyone down to their seats except Lorin and Pete's attorney. "Let's see," He said, looking down at the paperwork he'd memorized but he liked to observe who showed up for these kinds of things to gage his final decision. "We have Lt. Colonel Doctor Samantha Carter Shanahan vs. Detective Peter Shanahan in the matter of parental rights for a George James Shanahan and Jacob Michael Shanahan ages seven, no, eight now, happy birthday George, and five respectively." The older boy smiled nervously when Judge Edward Deline addressed him.

"Thank you sir." He said in a soft but clear voice.

Judge Deline looked over the sea of blue uniforms and quirked an eyebrow. When his eyes rested on Jack, he addressed him. "General, what brings you to my courtroom today?"

"Colonel Carter is an old friend, your honor."

Edward nodded. "Mr. Kramer, where is your client?" he asked of Pete's attorney.

"Your honor, my client is a detective with the Colorado Springs police department and was unable to reschedule his duties as such for today's hearing."

"Interesting Mr. Kramer. One of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was able to 'reschedule his duties' for today's hearing and he's just a friend of the plaintiff."

James Kramer flushed slightly. "Respectfully, your honor, the general likely has staff to handle his workload if he is unavailable."

"The General does not." Jack piped up. He was notoriously understaffed due to clearance issues and did most of his paperwork himself.

"Duly noted, General O'Neill." The judge told him. "The general does not have staff to handle the fate of the world, Mr. Kramer. This is not the first time your client has made excuses to not address the needs of his children."

"Your honor, my client loves his children very much. So much so that he puts in additional hours to assure they have a home to go to should their mother be unable to provide for them."

"That slimy piece of-…" Jack started muttering furiously under his breath. He stopped because Sam had elbowed him. Hard.

"General, I'd be delighted in a few moments to have you explain your outburst but for now I'm addressing Mr. Kramer." His eyes twinkled though. It wasn't every day one of the top brass showed up for a family court case.

"My apologies, your honor." Jack said and gestured with his hand to carry on.

Judge Deline smirked. He was certain the man was used to being the man in charge and it was simply a slip of thought that he forgot he was in a court room not a briefing room.

"Ms. Kline, your records show that the defendant has not paid child support since the custody hearing, declined equal custody and has made no effort to spend time with his children in the last six months. Is that correct?"

"Yes, your honor."

"Objection your honor, my client has attempted to contact Mrs. Shanahan and she does not return his phone calls."

"Is this true, Ms. Kline?"

"Detective Shanahan has contacted my client but it has not been in an attempt to arrange visitation."

"Your honor, my client has record of the days and times he has attempted to contact Mrs. Shanahan from his phone company."

Judge Deline motioned the bailiff to hand over the records and read them. "Ms. Kline, there are several phone calls to your client's house from the defendant's cell phone. There is no record of the calls being returned."

Jack's hand shot up and his fingers went through a sequence of motions that had Jon half standing and giving Jack a questioning look.

"General?"

"My apologies, your honor. With your permission, I was asking my nephew to take the kids out for this next portion." Jack told him.

Lorin nodded in agreement. "Your honor, I have audio record of the messages left."

Georgie turned to Jack and opened his mouth to argue but Jack leaned forward and put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "I know how you feel about Pete and I know you think you are ready to hear this, but some things a boy doesn't need to hear about his father." Jack told him and cut his eyes to Jake, making it clear to the boy that this was to protect his little brother who wasn't old enough to listen to his father's cruelty.

"Yes sir." Georgie told him with a nod and his lips pressed into a serious expression.

"Granted. I'll have the bailiff get you when we are ready for them to return." He told the young man who looked remarkably like the General.

Jon stood and waited for Jack and Sam to nudge the boys forward. He took each of their hands in one of his own and left the court room. Georgie gave Jack a final worried look over his shoulder and Jack winked at him.

"Ms. Kline?" Judge Deline said, motioning with his hand.

Lorin opened her briefcase and took out a handheld audio recorder. She also pulled out the dated cassette tapes Sam had dutifully given her from her machine each time Pete had called. "The defendant did not leave a message for every call but he did leave several." She hit play.

They ranged from good luck being a single parent to the message Jack had been so furious about but which had oddly brought him and Sam closer together. "You figure out how to pay for the kids you wanted." Pete's voice rang out.

Lorin stopped the tape. It wasn't the last recording but she'd made her point.

Pete's attorney's expression was thinly veiled surprised. It seemed Pete hadn't been entirely forthright with his representative. Jack decided he'd like to put another nail in that. "Ah, your honor, about my earlier outburst, it's currently relevant." He said, his hand up in supplication. Sam gave him a hard look and he ignored her. Let her be mad. This mattered.

Judge Deline motioned for Jack to join Lorin at the podium. "By all means, General O'Neill."

"Your honor, Colonel Carter is currently attempting to prove a second mortgage on her house was taken out without her knowledge by Mr. Kramer's client forging her signature. Colonel Carter was well on her way to saving her children's family home, a home Detective Shanahan bought for Colonel Carter before their marriage. Detective Shanahan defaulted on the second loan. I can't prove his goal was to leave Colonel Carter homeless but she had no knowledge of the loan until she received a notice of foreclosure. I know this because I was the one who opened the notice as I'd been helping Colonel Carter with her budget so she could get caught up on the payments."

"Helping in what way, General?" the judge asked, curious.

"My office is better suited to be near my primary concerns as a Joint Chief rather than Washington. I split my time between Peterson and the Cheyenne facility. As such I've been using Colorado Springs as my base of operation and was available to provide afternoon childcare while I worked on reports remotely. I also helped Colonel Carter secure a lower cost vehicle and encouraged her base commander to increase her workload to supply more hours."

"And her base commander would be?"

"That would be me, your honor." Landry said putting up a hand.

Judge Edward Deline gave Jack a curious look. "General, I am very curious - who has Lt. Colonel Doctor Carter Shanahan brought with her today?"

"Our family, sir. The only family some of us have. We may have met at work but each of these men and women is my brother, my sister. They have my utmost loyalty as does Colonel Carter. Each of these men and women including my nephew would lay down their life in her defense as she would them."

"I see." The judge said. "Tell me General, what came of the foreclosure?"

"General Landry, her base commander, arranged for a short sale of the house to make up some of the loss. She has since been renting my former residence as she no longer qualified for a conventional loan due to her status as a 'bad investment' according to the bean counters at the bank."

"And it is your opinion that her current financial state is directly related to Detective Shanahan's attempts to sabotage her having a safe home environment?"

"It is, your honor."

"Mr. Kramer. Were you aware your client took out a second mortgage he defaulted on at the house his children were living in?"

"It, uh, seemed to have slipped his mind." Pete's attorney told the judge.

"I see. Well, call the boys back in, bailiff. I believe I've seen and heard enough."

Once Georgie and Jake were seated the judge nodded to himself. "In the matter of Detective Peter Shanahan's parental rights being severed I find in favor of the plaintiff. Severance is granted. Mr. Kramer, your client has been derelict in duty towards the care and keeping of his children and has actively attempted to undermine the plaintiff rather than work with her to peacefully co-parent. I have no choice but to sever all rights. Dismissed."

Pete's attorney mumbled a thank you and avoided the celebrating military staff hugging and kissing each other in an extremely unprofessional way.

"Thank you Jack. I wasn't legally allowed to bring up the house because we don't have proof but you had every right to do so as a witness."

"You arranged that ahead of time?" Sam asked surprised.

"That wasn't even plan C Carter. Oh! Your honor, a moment?"

"Make it quick General. I have another case today."

"This should only take a moment." He pulled Georgie and Jake out of the fray and crouched in front of them, Sam behind the boys, curious about what he was about to do. "Your honor, are you the judge who also oversees adoption cases here?"

Judge Deline suppressed a grin. "I am."

"With your mom's permission, I'd like to formally and legally adopt you both. It will probably take a couple years though before it's settled."

"What does that mean Uncle Jack?" Jake asked confused.

"It means he'd be our dad, Jake." Georgie said, his eyes wide. "Our forever dad. Even if mom marries someone else."

Jake turned to Sam. "Is that true, mama?"

Sam had a hand over her mouth and just nodded.

Jack stood and looked Sam in the eyes. "What do you say, Carter? Mind if I take over the job? There seems to be a vacancy." His eyes were merry.

Sam looked at the judge, then Lorin, then the members of SGC behind them. Then back at Jack. "Both of them?"

"Both of them Carter. Have you seen this kid?" He said of Jake as he pulled him around to look up at his mom. "How could you resist that face?"

"But…"

"Carter."

"Sir?"

"Say yes Carter. Please. It's important to me." He told her softly.

Sam nodded her head mutely. Looked at the hopeful eyes of her boys. "Yes, yes please." She said, her voice choked with emotions.

"Ms. Kline, I would like to formally request your representation in my petition to legally adopt Georgie and Jake Shanahan."

"I am happy to say I have an opening in my client roster." She said with an amused smile.

"Looks like I'll be seeing you soon, Your Honor." Jack said with a grin.

"I look forward to it General." He said with the broadest grin Lorin had ever seen the man give in all the years she'd been appearing in his court and she'd seen him pretty pleased with how events played out.

"All right people, Judge Deline has another case. Let's get out of the way. I made reservations at Quinn's. Let's go have some celebratory fried fish." Landry told them and started herding the gaggle of airmen and civilian experts out of the court room. "Ms. Kline, you are more than welcome to join us." He told Sam's attorney.

"I really should get back to the office." She demurred.

"I'll cover your hours." Jack offered. He was only half joking.

She laughed. "Oh all right."

Jack felt a tug on his pant leg and looked down at Jake. He and his brother had been whispering about something and apparently Jake had been designated the sacrificial lamb. "What is it buddy?"

"When you adop.. ado…"

"Adopt?"

"Yah, when you abops us, does that mean our name will be O'Neill instead of Shanahan?"

Jack looked like the wind was knocked out of his sails. "That's something you need to talk to your mom about. She might want to change your names to Carter if she drops her married name legally."

"But you'd be our dad no matter what?"

"No matter what." Jack agreed thickly.

"Do I have to wait for you to abops us to call you dad?"

Jack crouched down, schooled his expression and resisted the urge to crush this sweet little boy he loved into a hug. "No son, you don't." he told the boy, his eyes gentle.

"Good." Jake hugged Jack around the neck tightly and whispered in Jack's ear. "I love you dad."

Jack who had already been hugging him gently tightened his arms. "I love you too Jake. I always will."

Sam looked away, unable to control her expression, knowing Jack would read all over her face that she hadn't been entirely honest with him.