Cliff Simon Factoid: Cliff Simon has a short bio page on the Rotten Tomatoes website
SAM
I am laying on my side and am awakened by a warm hand making its way up my body. A warm breath rolls down my neck to my shoulder. I feel hot lips kiss my neck so softly that I have to fully wake up to make sure this is real.
This is real. I am home. I feel him press himself into my back. I straighten out on my side from my semi fetal position. His hand moves and gently grabs my front and his long fingers find my nipple. His hand slowly moves down my belly, and finds its target.
I push my hips back into him as his fingers examine me. I feel him harden, and I drape a leg over his thigh to fully open myself to him. I wrap my hand around the back of his head and crane my neck around, and I kiss him like I have been gone for six months. I let go, and quickly push him onto his back. I straddle him. I look down lovingly on the amazing man under me. I collapse onto his chest and grind myself into him. I'm about to remove my panties when I hear Jacob cry.
I sit up. I feel him under me. He grabs my hips and pulls me down onto him, rubbing against the thin fabric of my panties, probably to relieve some of that pressure down there. I stare down at him, a little breathless. I smile and laugh. Yup. This is real. This is our life with a baby.
I'm no longer breastfeeding. That had to stop when I went to Schrodinger. Jacob might be hungry. He may need to be changed. It's not the first time we've tried to start intimate moments and had to stop, and it won't be the last.
"You go check on him. I'll get ready for work. We have a big day today," he says, caressing my thighs.
"What about," I say, grinding into him again.
"I'll take care of it in the shower. And we had last night. C'mon. Let me up," he says smiling, thrusting his hips up fast so that I fall onto the bed beside him. He leans over me and kisses me as he gets up.
"I'm glad you're home. We missed you," he says with a smile. Then I go to check on Jacob.
JACK
We know what is going on at work today. Promotions came out a short time ago. Carter made O-5. There was no doubt in my mind that this day would come. She worked hard for this and met or exceeded her requirements for advancement. She deserves this. And she has asked me to pin her.
Rebecca comes over right on time. She really likes Jacob. It's nice to feel comfortable about the person caring for your child. Carter and I leave the house, both of us dressed in our blues. It is going to be a great day.
Five people at the SGC are promoted today, including Matta. Twelve people receive awards. I decide to pin Carter with my old silver oak leaf clusters. As I pin her, she jokes that we are already married. A few people heard her say that and some laughs went around the room.
After the ceremony and reception, Hammond asks both me and Carter to go meet him in his office. Carter and I sit down in front of Hammond. He closes both doors. This feels very familiar for some reason. He's so serious when he shuts the doors.
"I have two things for you both today. The first one is easier to discuss than the second," Hammond says, handing me a piece of paper. I read the first line out loud.
"The following non-civilian Executive Nominations were confirmed by the Senate during the current congress."
I look at Carter. Her eyes were questioning, but then I saw it register in her mind. She took the paper from me, and started scrolling. I know what she is looking for. She reads it out loud when she finds it.
"Colonel Jonathan J. O'Neill, to be Brigadier General," she reads, then looks at Hammond, then back at me.
"Wow, sir. Congratulations," she says to me. She has a smile on her face. I want to kiss her. Now. In front of Hammond. Do they have any idea how hard this is for me not to kiss her?
"Keep reading," Hammond told her.
I watch her finger travel down the page until she comes to a section with a far shorter list.
"Major General George S. Hammond, to be Lieutenant General. Sir, again, wow. Congratulations. What's going on?" she asks him again, putting the paper down on his desk.
Hammond hands her another piece of paper.
"Lieutenant General George S. Hammond, of Texas, to be Administrator of the Office of Homeworld Security. But, sir, aren't political appointees normally civilian?" she asks.
"I think there is some hesitation in turning this over completely to a civilian right now. So the President nominated me, and the Senate approved," Hammond says to both of us.
"OK, so where does that leave us? Why are we here in your office?" Carter asks again.
Now my light is starting to go on.
"Now wait just a minute, sir," I say, moving to the front of my seat.
"Jack, the decision has already been made. After your little display in Antarctica, and the rapport you have with some of our alien partners, they want you here."
"Sir, I've got about 27 years in now. I haven't got much left. I have a son, a family."
"He has a point, sir," Carter says, looking at me.
"Et, tu, Brute?" I say, feigning a stab wound.
"Sir, with you here, and General Hammond in DC, we will have the perfect set up for the program now, and in the future."
"How so?" I ask her.
"Well, for one, you know our alien counterparts. You have great relationships with them, and many in the government call them allies. We have my dad for the relationships that are not that strong. General Hammond can be our eyes and ears in DC. I think this is actually a very good idea. Besides, if you don't take the job, we could end up with someone far worse," she says.
I hear Hammond laugh, and I just stare blankly at my wife.
"Far worse?" I ask. I hope she is kidding.
She smiles and looks quickly between me and Hammond.
"OK, that didn't come out right. Colonel. Oh, wait," she says with a smile, "General, I think you should take this nomination."
I look at Carter. She is so beautiful. I look at Hammond. I inhale deeply, and let my head fall back before rubbing my face with my hands. I exhale and sit up a little straighter in my seat.
"Alright. I'll do it. When is the Change of Command?" I ask.
"Three months. We can start passdown now," Hammond says.
"I never wanted to be the man," I say.
"Look at it this way, sir. Now someone will be home on Earth with Jacob all the time. And I can see no better diplomatic mission for you as the one I'd like to arrange to go back to see the Odeni. That is, if the new head of Homeworld needs to approve it," Carter said with a huge smile on her face.
I laugh with Hammond as she says that.
"I'll see what I can do," Hammond said, "Now get the hell out of my office and go enjoy the rest of your day. You both have the rest of the day off," he tells us.
We left Hammond's office and made our way to the elevators to go home. When the doors to the elevator close, I hear Carter let out a little laugh.
"What?" I ask.
"General, huh?" she says, still looking straight at the elevator door.
"Ya, I guess so. You OK with all of this?"
She finally turns to look at me.
"Oh, yes, sir," she purrs quietly.
She is thinking about something. Something naughty. I can't wait to hear this. She turns her eyes back to the front of the elevator car. She waits for the elevator to stop before she says another word.
"I've never slept with a General before," she says almost in a whisper, and slowly saunters out of the elevator and makes her way to the second elevator before I pick my jaw up off of the floor. Her voice runs all the way down to my pants.
I quickly follow behind her into the second elevator and wait for the door to shut. I really love her behind. We're alone in this elevator, too.
"You know, I can probably make that happen for you," I say with my smart-ass smirk on my face.
She spins around to me and smiles that smile that made me fall in love with her all those years ago. We get to the top and start walking down the path to the truck.
"You know, we don't have to go home," she says to me.
I look at her and she has her sex eyes attacking me from the inside out.
"We could go to my house for a few hours and do the things we didn't get to finish this morning," she said. "Maybe we shouldn't sell my house," she said with wide, beautiful eyes glancing from my eyes, to my crotch, then back up to my eyes.
Everything in me is on high alert now.
"I like how you think, Lieutenant Colonel," I say with what I hope is a smile. I don't know because my body is taking over from below.
We get inside the truck and I lean over and kiss her. Not a regular kiss. One of my kisses that she will know exactly what I want. She responds in kind and reaches over to check that I'm ready. Oh I am ready.
"You don't have to worry. I didn't use the shower today as I told you I would. It's all still here ready for you," I say, grabbing my manhood. I sit back in the seat and start the truck.
Now she is the one left with her jaw on the floor. Good.
"Congratulations, Lt Colonel Carter. I'm proud of you," I say as I start the truck.
"Congratulations, General O'Neill," she says with her beautiful smile and darkened eyes.
I drive us over to her house for a few hours.
SAM
Planning the return trip to check on the Odeni was not as hard as I imagined it would be. It took a few weeks, but I got the proposal done. I had to seek input from many people and many divisions to make the mission work. I've given parts that contributed to whole missions in the past. But this is my first time planning the entire mission. I turn in my mission proposal, and now I wait.
We got home and I immediately went to take care of Jacob and Jack started dinner. I still can't get over the fact that this little human, this tiny lifeforce, who is not so little anymore, came out of me. I still can't believe that I have a child.
My baby is nine months old. I was gone for six of those nine months. I had to stop breastfeeding him. What kind of mother does that to her child? He has the best father in the world, and a built-in family. But I can't get those months back.
He makes a noise and brings me back into the present. He is looking up at me. I stare into his eyes and smile. His eyes are turning more and more like my eyes. We think he will end up with my eyes and Jack's hair. He is beautiful. And he is ours.
I dress him in baby-sized blue jeans that melt my heart to see him wear. These were a gift from the baby shower, and he fits into them now. I put on his Pinky and the Brain t-shirt. This was a joke from Matta and Ceti. They told us they knew who the Brain was in this family. Everyone around us laughed when I opened that t-shirt during a team night.
Jacob smiles up at me and lets his eyes wander around the room as he lays there as I dress him. He is so aware of things around him. I see him looking around with his sparkling eyes. I see him thinking. I wonder what is going through his tiny mind. He is my son. He is probably already solving quantum mechanics or string theory.
I think back to a memory I have with my mom. I am sitting in a tiny chair at a very small table that has been set up with one of those plastic tea service sets. We don't have real tea or crumpets. It's just me and my mom pretending to drink and eat with guests around the small table. I must be in kindergarten or first grade,
My mom is sitting cross legged at the spot across from me. In the tiny seat to my left is a Barbie that was given to me for a birthday present one year from a classmate. She is standing up so she can look over the table. In the seat to my right is my Major Matt Mason astronaut doll, given to me by my mom for Christmas. He is also standing so he can pay attention to the tea service. Sometimes it was fun having my birthday so close to Christmas.
I don't know why this memory chose this moment to take me back. I haven't thought about my mom and our doll tea times for decades. I miss my mom. I look at Jacob, and I swear I see my mom's twinkle in his eyes. I wish she was here. I wish she could see this precious baby that I get to take care of.
Now I understand what she meant when she told me that some things in life are more important than math. Of course I didn't believe her at the time. I was so young when she died. I thought I had forever to finish school and boys were the last thing on my mind when she had those conversations with me.
Now I understand that she didn't mean having a family, or even a boyfriend. She meant that life will continue on, and if we don't take the time for the important things around us, we will miss them. Regret has grabbed my heart for so long. There are times where I still feel so much regret for how I treated my mom and dad.
Looking at my son right now, I hope he never has to feel what I felt. I hope he finds the important things in life and never lets go. I want nothing but the best for him. And yet, I know I will make mistakes. We will fight. He will get hurt. But then as he gets older, I hope he comes to love us again.
I hear a throat clear behind me. I turn to find Jack in the doorway. I give him a little smile, and realize I have a tear that escaped my eye. I wipe my cheek, and turn back around to pick up Jacob.
"Hey," I say quietly.
"You OK?" he asks.
I inhale, and pull Jacob in for a tight hug. I notice Jack is a bit tense.
"Ya, just thinking about my mom. Everything OK?" I ask.
"Just got off the phone with Hammond. Your proposal was approved. You can start building your team," he says, but seems like there is more that he's not telling me.
"OK, great. What is the timeline?"
"Three months," he says, not taking his eyes off of me.
Three months. That is after he takes over at the SGC. I wanted him to come with my team. I wanted Jacob to come. I was hoping we could go before the change of command. But, maybe we can still work something out. I feel my gut drop out and I think he sees it in my face that I understand the implications.
"I've asked to take leave, and asked for an exception. I've asked Hammond if this could be my first official diplomatic mission. We'll see what falls first. If I can find something to trade with, that could be my angle. I'm thinking of leveraging Ceti's genetic knowledge to see if we can help them with the damage that the Aschen vaccines inflicted upon them. In turn, perhaps we can leverage the weapon array technology, or get some advanced medical information from them," he says, shifting from one leg to the other.
I stand there and nod my head, still holding on to Jacob.
"Sure, yes. I am sure something will work out. Of course I'd like all of SG-1 to go. I'd love for you and little Jacob to be able to go. OK, maybe not Jacob, but I'd like my dad and Janet to return. I'll add that to my team request. I'll get it to Hammond the minute I get it done."
Jack reaches out for Jacob. He turns him around to face him, and he sees the shirt he is wearing. He laughs and hugs Jacob, and leans in to give me a kiss on my forehead.
"You really are the brains in this family. Hungry?" he asks.
I nod my head, and the three of us go out to the kitchen to see what we can make for dinner.
JACK
The Change of Command was two weeks ago. No wait. Maybe three? I have no idea. Three. That's my final answer. I had no idea how much work Harriman did behind the scenes before I took this gig. He really was Hammond's right hand man. I'm glad he stayed on because I could not do this job without him.
The first week of being the man I had to deal with decisions about bunting, potatoes, attend endless meetings about rocks, and sit in on my first negotiation. All the while in the background, Felger let loose a pretty invasive plant.
Then my wife got testy with me. I wanted to send an extra team with them on a mission she was helping SG-1 on. She didn't think she needed it. But we all know I'd send an extra team even if it wasn't her going through. My people are my priority. They always have been.
I've been working late hours, not coming home until Sam and Jacob are both long asleep. We already had to build an extra bedroom and bathroom in the house to accommodate the nanny to stay the nights with Jacob when Sam was offworld and I was in DC or elsewhere. She has been going through more often now that she is being shared among all of the SG teams when they need her expertise.
I don't know if I'm cut out for this. I really don't. I have a son. I work late. My wife deploys a lot. My son is basically being raised by a nanny. This is not how I wanted this to turn out. But it is the life we have chosen. Together.
Hammond did approve me to travel to the Odeni planet with Sam and her team to check up on them. It is the night before we are supposed to go, and I get home late to find Sam sleeping on the couch with the TV still on. I still can't believe she is my wife. I stood there staring at her until she opened her eyes up. I might have freaked her out a little bit.
"Jack! What the hell?" she yelled, as she sat straight up. "You scared the crap out of me."
I laugh a little and move to sit next to her on the couch.
"I didn't mean to scare you," I say, and lean in to kiss her.
She leans into me and I put my arm around her. We sit in comfortable silence for a few minutes watching an old episode of COSMOS. She wraps her fingers around mine, and she holds my hand.
"You ready for tomorrow?" I ask.
"I am. I want to know what has happened to them. I want to see if my friends are still alive. I want to know if they are free."
I kiss the side of her head.
"I'm glad I get to be there with you. There's a lot of information that Daniel and Francis compiled from Schrodinger about the Odeni. And Ceti is anxious to see if anything he has learned over the centuries can help reverse the effects of the sterilization. You did good on planning this mission, Carter. I'm very proud of you."
She turns her head to me and smiles.
"Thank you, sir," she says quietly.
"Sir?" I ask sarcastically.
"Well, it has been a long, dry few weeks. I've been so lonely at night going to bed without you. You could have always woken me up like you did the morning after we found out about your promotion," she says, reaching her hand between my legs.
"Well, you could always just sleep naked. That would be a good clue for me," I replied, running my hand down her chest and gently pinching her nipple.
She grabbed me and kissed me.
"C'mon, General. Take your wife to bed."
"Yes, ma'am," I say standing up, already starting to unbutton my jacket.