Fluffy times! Enjoy!
M.
Chapter 22 - You sure he won't bite?
Jacob tells them he has plenty of time to stay around. So it's by the end of the week that they finally leave for San Diego. Just like every time they visit Mark, they rent a couple of rooms in a nearby B&B.
All the Carters know that there is something like overstaying your welcome. It happens too fast if the three of them share the same place for too long. Adding a third USAF officer and a not quite noticeable baby on the way will only make it even more uncomfortable at the start.
Once they park in front of Mark's house, Jacob sees the terror settling not only in Jack but in Sam. She might be the older twin, but she's terrified of Mark's reaction. She loves him; he knows. But Mark's stubbornness is quite like hers. However, Mark's has been related to hate to the USAF, and all it represents for too long.
Jacob knows his son enough to understand he might not blame him anymore, but Mark has shifted the guilt towards the one thing responsible for him being late. He has spent years talking to Selmak about his family situation. He understands more now that he has someone to share it.
"Come on, the sooner we get out. The faster all this nervous vibe will be gone." Jacob says opening his door. Behind the wheel, Jack sighs.
"You sure he won't bite?" Jack jokes.
"I'm not so sure myself," Sam chuckles dryly. "But dad's right. Let's go."
Linda opens the door and grins at them. 'A Carter smile,' Jack thinks as they're welcomed inside the house by the teenage girl. She shies once she notices Jack and rushes inside to find her parents. Following Jacob's lead, they get rid of their shoes before moving inside. Not wanting to damage the wooden floors of the house.
"Nice house," Jack says, whistling.
"Thank you, handsome stranger," Lilah Carter says with a bright smile. "Sorry, I really have no idea who you are."
"I'm Jack O'Neill."
"Lilah Carter. Jacob, Sam. It's nice to see you!" She says. Then she frowns as she looks at Sam. She shakes her head. "Mark got a bit of a late start. So he wanted to shower before meeting you guys. Please take a seat."
Despite all the warnings Sam had given him, Jack finds himself relaxing in her brother's house. Her sister-in-law seems nice enough to him. Causing Jack to relax as he sits next to Sam on a loveseat. Linda returns brining a tray with water glasses and swoons at Jack. Making Jacob shake his head, amused.
Tension builds up the moment Mark Carter steps inside his own living room.
"Dad, Sam… hum… hi." Mark says frowning at the third person. The first thing he notices before Sam and Jack stand up is the way-too-close way they were sitting together. How the stranger's arm, rests around his sister's shoulders.
"Jack O'Neill." Jack offers as he stands up next to Sam. Lilah grins, as Mark frowns at the man. She pulls him to sit next to her and the bomb is temporarily diffused.
"So, what exactly is a Jack O'Neill?" Lilah asks and Sam blushes. "And why we haven't learned about him?" she finishes with a grin. Not quite comfortable with the situation, Jack grabs a glass of water.
"Ah. I… We… He…" Sam stutters. Jacob grins. Jack takes a sip of his drink if only to stop them from asking him anything.
"A Jack O'Neill is a Sam Carter's boyfriend," Jacob says. Jack splutters the water he was about to drink. Sam rolls her eyes as she pats Jack's back.
"Here we go again with the B-word," she huffs. "Jack and I are a couple, yes."
"Thank you," Jack says as he finally can breathe calmly again.
"And how long did you two dated before you became a couple?" Mark frowns.
"We've known each other for a while." Sam offers with a shrug.
"So, what do you do for a living since you've known Sam for a while?" Lilah asks. When the three of them gulp at once, she knows Mark will hate the answer.
"I'm a Colonel," Jack says. The Carters he knows since forever now hold their breaths. "USAF."
"Why is that not surprising?" Mark rolls his eyes. "Well, since my sister is a stickler for rules. I'll say, I don't have reasons to worry about her ending up in jail for breaking frat rules, right?"
Sam, Jack, and Jacob exchange a quick glance. Truth is, they don't know. For the sake of a nice weekend they had agreed they would answer as vaguely as they could. As they would if Hammond was the one asking them.
"Nope, nothing to worry," Jack says.
"Then why are you all so nervous?" Mark frowns. Sam takes another deep breath.
"Well, you have quite the reputation of not liking USAF Officers, honey," Lilah answers. "I was there when your dad and Sam ended up at the brunt of your hatred for the Air Force." Sam looks at Jack and he nods at her encouragingly, while he gives her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Ah, there's more." Sam grimaces. She wonders if anyone else is so scared of letting their siblings know about having a nephew on the way. She thinks not. "We're going to have a baby." Sam mumbles.
"You what?" Mark frowns as he had issues understanding what Sam said.
"You are going to be an uncle, Mark," Jacob adds, noticing Sam won't willingly repeat it since she's too afraid of his answer.
"Really?" Mark says, surprised. "Well, then congratulations, sis! Come here!" he says, standing up and opening his arms. Sam's confused by his actions, but she embraces her twin nonetheless. "God, I remember you always wanted a kid. I'm glad you get to have one after all. I thought you wouldn't because of your career."
"So, you aren't upset?" Sam wonders.
"No, why should I? Don't you want to have a child?" Mark frowns.
"I, yes." She nods against his shoulder. "I thought you wouldn't like the idea…" Mark sighs and lets her go, dropping on his seat again.
"Sam, I know I'm an ass. I know I was one for years towards you and dad." He lowers his eyes and Lilah caresses his back softly. "It came to my attention that you both tried to fix our relationships several times during the years. I never tried. I never searched for you."
"My mom passed away some months ago," Lilah adds.
"God, I'm sorry Lilah, I didn't know." Sam gasps.
"I know. We didn't tell anyone. She was old and very sick, so it wasn't surprising." Lilah sighs.
"Lilah's loss made me realize that you guys aren't that old and definitively are way healthier, but as far as I know you're in the front-lines. So, I know any day I could get a call to learn one or both of you are gone." Mark gulped. "Then it would be my fault, not knowing you guys at all because I failed to reach out."
"Mark… you..."
"I started therapy," he grins. "I know I'm pained and carrying around the weight of something that happened when we were thirteen. It weighed me down for years. It made me conflictive and now I'm improving. I understand better now that I have no control over anyone else's life. No matter how much I want to. Not even Linda and David's life are mine to control."
"Sounds like you grew up a lot, since the last time we saw each other," Jacob says.
"Yeah," Mark chuckles. "Just got there some twenty years too late, right?"
Lilah is the first to laugh, and then they all follow. The night ends up being far more relaxed than they thought it would be. Two hours later, they are finally back to the B&B.
"That was so odd," Sam whispers to Jack, as she cuddles up to him.
"Was it?" Jack asks.
"Yeah. I mean, of all the things I was prepared for. I never even considered Mark being nice to all of us all night."
"He is right, though. Do you even keep tabs of how many times we've been too close to not make it, Sam?"
"Not anymore. After ten, who wants to keep counting?" she chuckles.
"Exactly. Besides, you both tried. Relationships, any kind of them, need a two-way effort. It's impossible to have a relationship with someone who doesn't put some effort into it."
"So, how does it work for you and your sister?"
"Well, he had to bond when we lost our parents the same day. "
"You mentioned them being in a car accident."
"We bonded, but when I married Sarah, we lost touch for a while. She simply couldn't stand her. I reached out, and she recoiled every time. She met Charlie and all, but we would see each other only if I was alone. Until I went MIA."
"That must have been a shock for her."
"Yeah, when I came back. She was there for me as much as she could. We fixed our relationship then. Now we both make an effort to keep in touch. No matter how far away we're from each other."
"That's nice."
"It is."
"You think she'll like me?" Jack grins.
"I don't know anyone who doesn't like you, Sam."
"Everyone has someone who hates their guts. No one is that nice."
"Maybe you are," Jack adds, making her snort.
"I'm not that likable. I'm not pizza for crying out loud!" Jack laughs wholeheartedly at her outburst.
"God, I love you so much."
"I know." She grins. As she cuddles up to him, even closer than before.
"Sam?" He asks in a whispery tone.
"Yeah?" She answers in the same manner, not even raising her head to watch him.
"Marry me?"
"Okay," she says.
"Okay?"
"Yup."
"Cool." Jack grins.
"Yeah. Besides, either you would offer it, or my dad would've made you. Shotgun wedding, you know," she jokes. He goes silent for a while.
"Yup, dad would definitively kick my butt if I don't."
"Jack?"
"Yeah?"
"Shut up and make love to me." She orders. He flips her on her back as soon as she finishes. He kisses her slowly and thoroughly. Savoring every second of her compliance. Bits of the dream/memory flash in his mind as she moans his name as a mantra of sorts. Until he claims her mouth to keep her from being too loud.
He gets rid of her clothes slowly. Taking care of each new inch of skin that appears under his touch. Her body is covered with goosebumps and there's nothing she can do to stop it. She rocks her body, trying to have him where she wants him. But he doesn't follow her instructions.
Instead, he takes his time moving away from her center. Concentrating on her legs first. Then slowly moving up to her thighs. When she is whimpering with need under his touch. He moves to her abdomen and finally settles on top of her.
"Tease," she whimpers, as her body shivers in expectation of what's about to happen. He kisses her, knowing there's no way she'll be able to keep quiet. Not when she is overwhelmed by desire. He's right. She moans loudly as he sheathes himself on her.
Her hands grabbing his back tight. He knows he'll be sporting fiery nail marks in the morning. Her nails claw into the sensitive skin of his back. Making him moan as loudly as she had before. She grins sexily and suckles her lower lip. It's arousing to know she can have him moan like that with such a simple touch.
They try to keep it slow, not only so they won't crash against the wall. Not wanting to upset her dad who's in the room beside them. They want to draw the moment out for as long as they can. Teasing each other until it's no longer possible and the only thing left is the end. It feels like hours of thrusts and undulating hips and at the same time feels like no time at all. Jack finally walks her to ecstasy. She clenches in a way that makes him follow her willingly.
Taking special care not to land on her belly. Jack collapses on the mattress beside her. Bringing her body close to his again. Sam kisses his chest as her hand slides over his heart. Jack places a barely-there kiss on her temple. They both release a contented sigh before they slowly drift to sleep.