A/N: This is a big-time jump, and I guess the beginning of the final act of this story. I can't believe it! I hope you guys enjoy this.
March came unexpectedly for Sam; SG-11 had been through it all as well as SG-1. Sam and Jack were going through the gate regularly together, but SG-1 had been going out far more often with other teams that always lead her to be nervous. Luckily nothing significant had happened; Thor has been helping more with his knowledge. The artifacts were pouring in, and Sam needed more help; people were slowly brought in, but it wasn't fast enough, and SG-11 was barely staying afloat. Today was her last day of work before having two weeks off to spend with Jack. The play was two days away, and Jack was coming to her place. She had to admit she was still at her home more than Jack's, but that was simply because of the number of missions. Elliott seemed to be getting along well, but Sam would check on him every once in a while. She would stay there when Jack was on more extended missions. It made her feel closer to Jack in some way.
Sam looked at the clock 1400 only a few more hours left until she would be headed home. Jack was off-world but scheduled to return in about an hour. Sg-1, through 5, was helping a planet that had an earthquake. It was minor, but some buildings fell entrapping people, and they had been back and forth gathering supplies, but it seemed they all felt they did the best they could and would let the town handle the rest.
The SG teams came through fine, but as soon as they did, the gate malfunctioned, the iris turned black, and the gate shut down unsuspectingly. It took Sam well into the night to fix it, and her vacation was already looking rough. Jack told Sam he would run home and get his stuff and meet her back at her place.
It was 0200 when Jack walked through his door to hear crying. He knew it wasn't Elliott and was confused until he saw on his couch, Elliott, a girl he had never seen before in his arms and a baby carrier on the floor.
Jack was so angry; his heart was pounding. Elliott knew very well where Jack was supposed to be, and Jack had many questions and thoughts.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Jack screamed.
He realized he scared the girl who balled herself up even tighter in Elliott's arms. She didn't scream, but she was startled.
"He's not going to hurt you," Elliott claimed.
Jack closed his eyes, wondering what was happening and thought for a moment of just walking out the door.
"Elliott," Jack said more calmly.
Elliott pulled the girl away, who quickly hid her face.
"You have some quick explaining to do," Jack said as they walked into the kitchen.
"I know, I tried to call you, but they said you couldn't be reached. I asked for Sam, and Janet too, but they said none of you were available," Elliott said quickly.
"What's going on?" Jack asked, anger rising again.
"That girl is Suzanne Florez. Well, I guess Ripley now. She graduated last year, and we were good friends. John Ripley proposed to her right before graduation, and she said yes. A bunch of us told her it wasn't a good idea. John was always sleeping around on her, expecting things from her. I don't know it was creepy. She got pregnant right after high school graduation they got married. I and her talk on and off, and she messaged me tonight, claiming she needed out and didn't have anywhere to go. Her grandma's picking her up in the afternoon, it's as fast as she can get here." Elliott claimed.
"Alright, alright, you did well," Jack said.
"She okay?" Jack asked.
"No, her face is pretty bad. I tried to talk her into going to the hospital." Elliott claimed.
Jack nodded.
Jack walked back out, and the baby woke up and started to cry. Suzanne reached for the baby, and Jack could see the damage done, her one eye was almost swollen shut, and the cheek opposite was bruised. She had bruises that looked like fingerprints, where she was grabbed by the arm and scratch marks on her neck.
When she saw Jack, she flinched back, and Jack tried to be as friendly as possible.
"Hey Suzanne, you're welcome to stay here tonight. Do you need anything, does the baby need anything?" Jack asked.
Suzanne cautiously looked at Elliott.
"No, I um, she's hungry, and I breastfeed." The girl claimed.
"Oh, um okay, why don't you take Cassie's room for the night? She won't mind," Jack claimed. Elliott can show you the way.
The girl rocked her baby and headed up the steps, with a diaper bag.
Jack sighed and called Janet at 3am and the police. He wasn't letting Johnny get away with it.
Jack finally called Sam, and she agreed to head his direction.
Police arrived first, and Jack asked Elliott to get his friend.
Suzanne seemed frightened, shaking with the baby in her arms.
"Suzanne, let me take him. Talk to the police, and we can take care of him. Suzanne nodded.
"Okay, Elliott, you go get the diaper bag, and we'll take care of him while you talk to the police. They're here to help." Jack claimed.
Suzanne stepped out on the porch and divulged the prolonged ongoing abuse between her and her husband. How Elliott had been the only one to take her in. Her parents abandoned her after they disagreed with the marriage. Her grandma coming to take her to Denver in the afternoon. Her husband had no clue where she was at the moment.
Police took her statement and suggested she follow up in getting a DVPO. Suzanne nodded and walked back inside, feeling drained. The baby was asleep for the moment.
"My friend Janet is coming to check you out," Jack stated.
"I'm fine." Suzanne insured the man.
"I am sure you are, but she'll know if anything is broken," Jack stated.
Suzanne just nodded and started crying again, and Elliott held her close, rubbing circles on her back.
"I'm so sorry. I should have listened to you and everyone else." Suzanne claimed.
"It's okay, don't worry about that, your safe now, it doesn't matter," Elliott claimed.
Jack smiled at the man who was trying to make the girl feel better. Elliott was to mature for his own good, Jack thought.
Janet knocked on the door. Her back straitened when she saw Elliott embracing the girl and looked utterly confused. Jack forgot to mention the baby.
Janet walked into the living room and looked the girl over. She didn't recognize the girl's name, but then again, she was a senior when Cassie was a freshman.
"Hey, Suzanne, can you tell me what happened?" Janet asked carefully.
A knock on the door made Suzanne jump.
"That's just Sam, she's here for me," Jack claimed.
Jack walked to the door, the baby sleeping in his arms.
Sam looked up at him. They were both exhausted, but the baby in his arms made Sam feel something she hadn't before.
"Hey." She breathed.
"Hope you're ready for a long night," Jack whispered.
Sam looked into the room; Elliott held the girl's hand, her face black and blue, and sighed.
They walked into the kitchen and waited for Janet's assessment.
Janet walked into the kitchen.
"Do we need to take her to the hospital?" Jack asked.
"She really should go, but she's refusing, and there isn't anything I can tell that's broken. She said police took pictures, but it would be good for it to be on a medical report as well," Janet claimed.
"Can't you write one up?" Jack claimed.
"It will look bad if a doctor told her to go and she didn't," Janet claimed.
Jack just nodded.
"She's been through a lot says it's the worst it's ever been," Janet said, sitting down.
"She's only just turned 19," Janet claimed.
Jack frowned.
"We'll keep an eye on her," Jack said.
"I want to look the baby over, she said he never hurt him, but I'd rather be safe," Janet claimed.
Jack presented the baby, and Janet took the child in her arms and did a quick assessment, not seeing anything abnormal, she handed him back to Jack.
"He looks healthy." Janet declared.
"I'm going back home. If you need anything, let me know," Janet claimed.
By this time, it was 4 am.
"Suzanne, why don't you go on up to the bed, and we'll take care of him," Jack claimed.
"Thank you, but I'd feel safer if he was with me," Suzanne said.
Jack simply nodded and handed the baby over. Suzanne instantly smiled and walked back up the stairs to Cassie's room. Elliot went to his room shortly after.
Jack went around, turning off the lights, Sam waiting for him.
"What a great start to a vacation," Jack said sarcastically.
"I'm really wondering who you angered in your past life," Sam said, giggling.
"I wonder that myself," Jack claimed.
It was 11 am when everyone was back up. Elliott was making brunch on Saturday afternoon. Suzanne was feeding the baby in Cassie's room and came downstairs.
"I want to say thank you so much, I'm sorry for all the issues I caused," Suzanne claimed.
"It's alright, you did the right thing you got out of there," Jack claimed.
Sam smiled at the girl.
"It gets better," Sam said.
The girl smiled, reading between the lines.
The baby started whimpering again.
"He's cold, can you hold him while I get his blanket?" She asked Sam.
"Of course," Sam claimed.
"The baby was tiny about 3 months old if Sam had to guess, and he was making all kinds of faces at her and staring into her eyes. She smiled down at the little boy in her arms. Suzanne came back, quickly wrapping him the blanket. Sam had to admit the baby in her arms felt good. Elliott served brunch. Suzanne leads the conversation asking Elliott about School.
There was a knock at the door.
A lady was at the door.
"Is this where Suzanne is staying?" The lady asked.
Grandma Suzanne claimed and ran to the door, baby in her arms.
"Hi, my sweetheart. You get your stuff, and we will get everything taken care of." Her grandma claimed.
Suzanne went up the steps to gather the little she could bring with her while escaping Johnny.
"Elliott, what a good friend, I haven't seen you in a long time. This isn't your family." The lady pointed out.
"It's a long story," Elliott claimed.
"Well, we all have a few of those, that's what makes us special." The lady claimed.
Elliott smiled.
Sam came in, and Jack wrapped his arms around her.
"Thank you for taking such good care of my Suzanne. She messaged me this morning about having the police come and do a report, and a doctor friend of yours checking her over." The lady claimed.
"Don't think anything of it," Jack claimed.
Suzanne came back down the steps with the baby in the car seat, a diaper bag, and a duffle bag.
"Don't you worry dear, this will be water under the bridge soon enough?" She said.
With a final goodbye, they were out the door.
"Sorry I ruined the start of your vacation," Elliott claimed.
"Don't," Sam said quickly. You did the right thing. Don't ever apologize for that." Sam claimed.
Elliott smiled.
"Well, I need to pack. Sam and I are headed off for a while, and I will see you in a week and a half."
"Wait a week and a half, Jack. I thought we were just going to Denver for a few days," Sam claimed.
"Surprise," Jack stated.
"Jackā¦" Sam stated.
"Alright, alright. You, me Denver for a day and then to the airport where I'm whisking you away." Jack said.
Sam smiled. "Where are we going?" Sam asked.
"Not telling until the airport, you get packed for someplace warm and tropical, pack a swimsuit," Jack claimed.
Sam looked at him. " I guess I need another bag."
