1200 hours March 12:
Jack scrubbed at his hair tiredly. He'd tried to sleep on the plane but he'd been antsy. There wasn't anything else he could do for Carter until he heard back from Maybourne or the tribunal sent word that the charges had been revoked, another clear signal that their little plan was in full swing. In the meantime he would see if Sam's JAG officer was on base today. It showed he was signed in so he just needed to hunt him up. Major… something. He'd not caught the name when he'd briefly talked to the guy before he left for DC. He should make a little more effort in that department honestly. Carter wasn't always around to remind him whose name he'd forgotten.
Jack smiled in amusement that he had her to remember stuff for him in the first place. Honestly if this gambit didn't work out Jack would publically step down and expose his reason for doing so just as publically. It might embarrass Sam for a while and she'll be mad as hell at him for that but he wasn't going to be used. Even angry at him, she'd never go back on her word about letting him be part of the boy's lives and she'd especially not do so with Georgie knowing Jack was his birth father now. It was one thing to do it to protect her marriage, it was another to do it to pay him back for dragging her unintentionally through the mud. Sam wasn't the kind to hold that kind of grudge anyway.
Jack found the Major in an under used office Jack was pretty sure might have been his at one point. He had no idea. He'd always done his paperwork in Sam's lab or Daniel's… storage unit.
"General O'Neill. I was hoping you would find me. Please take a seat, I have some questions for you."
Jack closed the door. The whole base didn't need to hear Sam's business and he was probably about to lie his ass off for the next hour or so. He plopped down in the empty chair in front of the desk. "What do you want to know Major…?"
"Smith." He said with a droll smile that made Jack shake his head.
"Got a cousin named Agent by chance, Major Smith?"
"One or two yes." The man replied dead pan. Jack decided he liked the guy.
"I discussed this briefly with Colonel Carter but it would be in the best interest of the boys if you petitioned for custody after a DNA test confirms both your claims that both children are your biological sons."
Jack's eyes narrowed. "I'm not taking Carter's kids from her." He said with a dangerous note of finality.
"The intent is not to take her children but to protect them legally from their estranged former father." Smith explained quickly. The general was an extremely imposing man when irked. "If you have or share legal custody of the boys, it's much harder for the courts to intervene against her if her ex goes that route."
Jack smiled then and waved a hand dismissively. "We've already got that covered. There should be legal guardianship papers drawn up for me already on base or on their way here soon as she put that in motion prior to me leaving on my last mission. Also I've applied for legal adoption of both boys."
"I'm not sure I understand, why would you need to adopt children who are biologically your own?"
"Normally I wouldn't but because Colorado laws are the way they are, their paternity isn't relevant, only the parent of record is. For instance neither of them could be mine or only one but if I adopt them both their father of record becomes me rather than Shanahan."
"I see. Family court isn't my specialty Sir." The Major admitted.
Jack fished in his pocket until he found Lorin's business card. "It's hers though. Feel free to contact her. If she charges any hours just have her do so to the adoption case not Carter, ok?"
"It's probably not in her best interest that you keep covering her expenses if you are trying to maintain a professional distance." Major Smith told Jack.
"Then it's probably a good thing that's not my goal. I'm retiring as soon as the adoption goes through. I have about that long to convince Carter I'm still in love with her. So far, that seems to be working out. Even if it wasn't, it would be best for the boys if we are married to each other. We've always gotten along well, she and I. The kids deserve a stable home life." Jack told him unusually candidly. Of course he'd done so to get this kid off the scent that there was anything hinky about the fertility treatment. Most situations like that were taken at face value but all it would take is someone questioning the validity of the e-mail exchange or his signature for this to all fall around her ears. That was simply untenable in his estimation. He'd have signed the paperwork anyway. Even hurt and angry he'd have done so. Love, he decided for the umpteenth time, made you do some really questionably stupid stuff.
"All right. I'll give her a call."
"Thanks. I'm going to go check on Carter, make sure she's holding up."
"Normally Sir, I'd advise against that but given your revelation regarding your intentions towards her, feel free to fill her in on the details of this conversation if you have the time."
Jack nodded. "I'm sure the tribunal wants to talk to me directly. I'll be in town a few days. Remind them that my schedule doesn't revolve around this."
"I will sir." The Major said with a nod as Jack left. His solution to Colonel Carter's situation was a novel one. Enough so that it very likely would work.
