Title: A New Life
Author: Anneka O'Carter
Summary: Every person dies, but not everyone truly lives.
A/N: You *need* to read "Can't Say A Word" before you read this, or you'll have no idea what's going on.
*
*"…You always really knew, I just want to be with you, and I'm in so deep…"*
The Cranberries, Linger
*
Chloe stumbled back from the door, her breath catching in her throat, and her face paling with every passing second. He moved slowly into the porch, his feet hesitantly walking towards her, but she still retreated wordlessly further and further into the house.
"Chloe…" He started to speak but she cut him off with a sob.
"No…" She whispered with tears falling. "You're not him. I don't know who you are but you're *not* my father!" She said, her voice struggling to maintain a normal volume.
"It's me kiddo." He said, his familiar nickname for her pulling at her heart. "I know that it's difficult-"
"You're *not* Jack O'Neill." She said forcefully. "They… "She pointed an accusing finger at Major Davies and Sam standing uncomfortably at the door, "They told me my father was *dead*."
"They thought I was." He explained, "But some locals saved me…they nursed me back to health."
Chloe's lips trembled, half her mind convincing her that this was her father, and this moment was something she never thought she would experience, and the other half telling her that it was a terrible mistake, "I *can't* believe you. It's too hard." She explained tearfully, and she backed away as he made a move towards her.
Relenting, Jack stopped dead, knowing that she needed time, "What can I do to convince you?" He protested desperately, and then an idea popped into his head, "You hate chocolate." He said suddenly with a renewed enthusiasm, "But you love chocolate cookie ice cream… You have insomnia and get up in the middle of the night and watch CNN for hours…. You pretend to be asleep so I don't force you to watch "boring" documentaries on the military…Your favourite sports team is the Knicks but only because you want to live in New York…" Jack continued as he saw a slight smile of recognition appear on his daughter's face, "You spend hours on the Internet chatting to Cassie thinking I don't know..."
Chloe's face crumpled with emotion, those few sentences convincing her of something she so desperately wanted and she sprinted into her father's arms, grappling to hug him as tight as she could. "I missed you so much." She whispered into his ear. "So much."
"I love you." He said, his arms still encircling her body. "I'm never going to leave you again."
She pulled away from him with a tender smile. "You promise?"
"Promise." He affirmed with an affectionate grin. He tugged on the ends of her hair tenderly, "It's grown…you look beautiful." He complimented her and she rolled her eyes.
"Ya, I'm sure the red eyes and running nose look is really working for me." She joked and her face paled soberly, "Dad, things have changed here. Things have happened. Bad things…I-I-I tried to…." Chloe tried to explain before Jack silenced her.
"We have all the time in the world for you to tell me." He reassured her as tears began to well at the thought of explaining her desperate actions on the bridge.
"You look exactly the same….how do you feel?" Chloe asked realising that she hadn't even asked him that simple question, and that she'd been so concentrated on herself.
"Relieved to be here with you. Physically, I'm good." He said, not wishing to elaborate.
"Vague as ever." She quipped, and her gaze caught his eyes and they just looked at each other. "I never thought I'd see you again. I was so sad."
"I can't imagine what you were going through, but I'm going to make it better." He assured her with a small grin.
"You don't have to." Chloe replied. "You just being here is enough for me." She touched his shoulder gently, as if making sure that he was still there, "You've made everything better already."
Jack smiled lightly, "Well, I have another idea how to start putting things right." He said cryptically.
"What?" Chloe asked, her insatiable curiosity getting the better of her.
Jack took a deep breath and his eyes briefly flicked over to Davies who was staring concentratedly at his shoe and Carter who was looking towards them with an almost sad smile.
Of something she had for a few treasured months, and now had lost.
"Are you trying to keep me in suspense?" Chloe complained, her voice rousing him from his musings.
"I'm retiring." He said simply and Chloe's face was first one of happiness which then paled into unease. "What?" He asked, panicked by her reaction.
"Dad…are you sure this is the right thing?" She asked. Chloe wanted him desperately to retire and spend his time with her, but she didn't want him to do it if he was reluctant or unsure.
Jack considered the question for a short moment; should he stay with the Air Force risking his life every other day and put his daughter through hell, not seeing her from one week to the next? Or should he have a quiet, peaceful life with Chloe, alternating his time between his homes in Colorado and Minnesota and spending his time fishing and getting to know his daughter better?
Tough choice.
"I'm sure."
*
The kitchen was remarkably tidy, Chloe observed as she waited for the microwave to finish. She'd imagined that with almost all of the employees of the SGC in her front room, that there would be more than a few empty beer bottles and crisps strewn across the kitchen.
Then, she thought with a wry smile, there was still a long night and early hours of the morning ahead. But everyone did have a reason for being on the happy side, and she more than most. It was merely two days after Jack's return yet they'd already relaxed back into a routine and become as close as ever. And the SGC'ers seemed as pleased as punch that their now ex-CO was "back from the dead" and he couldn't seem to shake off all the well-wishers.
She was so caught up in the delirium of her father's return and the party currently spreading all over the house that she didn't see Sam entering the kitchen timidly and pouring herself a soda.
"Hey." Chloe greeted her sorta quasi-parent-ish person. "Having a good time?"
"Mmm." Sam smiled forcedly. "The Colonel's enjoying himself which is the main thing."
Chloe didn't notice the sad smile that Sam had on her face until it was almost gone but she didn't dare comment; she knew how sensitive Sam would be on the subject. "I think he would preferred a quiet pizza round the TV or something, but George insisted…" Chloe trailed off, "Well all I'll say is you know what George is like when he gets something in his head."
"Don't I just." Sam nodded uncomfortably, leaning against the counter. She seemed awkward yet unable to move from the spot. "And you're feeling OK?" She asked after a silent pause.
"I'm great." Chloe assured, retrieving the mini pizzas from the microwave and arranging them decoratively on a plate. "I was kinda selfish about wanting to spend more time with my dad tonight, hence some childish glaring in his direction, but I know that he has a lot of friends who missed him too." Chloe looked up with a beaming smile, "And I'll get the rest of my life to spend time with the old guy anyway, so I figure what's the hurry?"
Sam couldn't resist a smile, "Daniel and Murray are gonna leave the house tomorrow," She informed Chloe. All three had been staying round at the O'Neill house for the past two days, catching up and trying to get to grips with the fact that he was actually alive, "I'll start packing tomorrow too."
Chloe's head snapped up with a look of horror, "What does that mean?"
"Just that I'll be starting to move my stuff back to my apartment tomorrow, so you can spend more time with your dad." Sam said defensively, wondering why Chloe seemed to be growing more and more upset with the prospect.
"You don't have to leave." Chloe protested, pushing the tortilla chips angrily into a pot resting in the middle of a plate decorated with dancing sombreros. "I don't *want* you to leave."
"You know that it would be inappropriate for me to live with you. You've both got separate lives, and so have I." Sam said gently, not wanting to hurt her feelings.
"But you don't understand!" Chloe protested hotly. "You *could* have lives together."
"I don't think-" Sam started.
"You *know* what dad feels. It's plain to everyone that he's crazy about you." Chloe said frankly, pouring chilli sauce from a small container into an even smaller one, "And you practically told me that you were in love with him. Don't fob me off with a stupid line about your feelings *changing* or whatever."
Sam coughed uncomfortably, "It's not just about my feelings changing. It's about the Colonel's-" Chloe gave a tense cough, "I mean, *Jack's* feelings changing too."
"How do you know? Have you *asked* him?" Chloe said tersely, "Have you even talked to him alone in the past few days?"
Sam's eyes darted uncomfortably. Of course she'd talked to him…I mean, three words between the pair of them constitutes a conversation…doesn't it?
"I have talked to him." Sam replied, "But do I really have to do *anything* about what I supposedly feel?"
"So you're going to live a lie for the rest of your life because you were too scared to tell him that you're in love with him?" Chloe said and sighed. "That really is pathetic."
"Hey!" Sam admonished the teenager.
Chloe looked up apologetically, "Sorry…I know that you're older than me and you know better and I shouldn't interfere, but Sam…God, I meant everything I told you in the car last month. I love you like a mom and I want you to be happy. Preferably with my dad, but I can't make you love him if you don't. And I'm sorry. Again."
Sam smiled affectionately and hugged her tightly, kissing her flowing hair, "I know and I love you too. More than you know. But you're gonna have to let me work this out for myself."
Chloe nodded as they parted, "I know," She said as she moved towards the door, "Are you coming out?"
"In a minute." Sam replied and gathered herself together as Chloe passed into the living room. Chloe's words hit her like a hurricane; *"I love you like a mom."*
She wondered whether they were said haphazardly or if she really meant them, but with the laughs coming out of the living room, she knew she'd have to make an appearance before Chloe came back searching for her.
But as Sam opened the door to at least a hundred SGC employees chatting and laughing loudly, her eyes glued towards Jack who was talking to Daniel and Janet and pulled Chloe towards him with his arm around her neck, Chloe just smiled happily and rolled her eyes gently.
And Sam felt a maternal pang, just wanting to be a part of their picture postcard world, and she wondered if Chloe really was right.
Did she really know better?
*
Dappled light shined into the bedroom, birds singing and all that self projection crap. But it didn't help a frustrated Chloe as she rubbed her eyes with a fisted hand and wondered how the hell the world was spinning so fast. Taking a quick glance at the clock, and groaning when she realised it was 7:30, she walked down the stairs coming face to face with Jack "I'm allergic to cleaning" O'Neill *dusting* of all things.
"Morning kiddo." He said cheerily.
Chloe's eyes widened, "Uh, hi." She walked down the last few steps hesitantly as if it were a hidden camera show. "Are you doing housework?"
Jack looked up from dusting a much hated ornament with a proud smile, "Yes. Yes, I am."
"Why?" She asked, almost sprinting to the kitchen for a glass of water to calm her scratchy throat.
"Because I know how much you've worked to keep yourself afloat this past few months." He said kindly, "…And it was a *tip* down here, and I figured you'd be pretty crazy if I left it for you to tidy."
Chloe smiled, "Got that right," Grabbing a glass, she filled it and turned on the radio to a low volume and then switched it back off; her head couldn't cope with anything louder than a few words at a time, "So where is everyone?"
"Most went back at about 3AM this morning," He replied and Chloe gave a low whistle which he grinned at, "I hope that was a long time after you and Cassie finished gossiping upstairs."
"Of *course* it was." She replied.
"There's a few who passed out in my bedroom who left about half an hour ago and Carter and the guys are in the guest bedroom." Jack answered and moved onto a grotesque dancing woman that her grandmother thought Chloe would like. She appreciated the sentiment, but *damn* it was U-G-L-Y.
"You mean her bedroom." Chloe replied without thinking and then realised what she'd said.
"*Her bedroom*?" Jack repeated.
"Uh, yeah." Chloe replied awkwardly, "She lived here for about three months to look after me, you know, the whole legal guardian thingy. She stayed in the guest bedroom."
"Oh, right." He replied, equally uncomfortable. Looking down to the ground, he spoke quietly, "We're gonna have to help her move her stuff back to her apartment you know."
Chloe gritted her teeth and *really* tried not to shout at him for being so blind, "Would it really be *so* bad for her to stay?"
"Chloe-"
"But just listen, OK? I'm not trying to force you into anything, I just want to make sure you're aware of all the facts before you make a rash decision."
"*Facts*?"
Chloe sighed, "Come on dad, I know you play the dumb-ass soldier act, but even you can't be this stupid…"
"I'm not sure if I remember correctly but did you always go around insulting my intelligence?" Jack retorted, knowing that his daughter was more perceptive than he gave her credit for.
"Only when you were being an idiot." She sniped back. "Dad, how long can you pretend?"
"Pretend what?" He asked, tidying the magazines strewn across the table into a pile.
"That you're not head over heels." Chloe said simply, "And frankly, if *I* can tell, then you must know."
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked tersely.
"Nothing. Stop trying to change the subject." Chloe replied, "Are you just going to *let* her leave?"
"Who?" He asked with feigned nonchalance.
"Sam!" She sighed.
"I don't know what you mean. She's only going back to her apartment Chloe, not the other side of the planet."
"For God's sake, you're both as bad as each other." Chloe muttered under her breath, and stood in front of Jack with a forceful stare, "You should talk to her, she missed you like anything."
"Look, even if there was anything between us, which there *isn't*, it would be highly inappropriate." Jack reasoned under Chloe's glare.
"Why? You have retired if you remember."
"She has her boyfriend; Tim or whatever he calls himself." Jack said, trying not to gag when he said the name.
Chloe gave a superior smile that worried Jack, "She broke up with him after she moved in with me."
"What?"
"She said it was a choice between Tim and me. She chose to look after me." Chloe explained and adding with fake indifference, "She said she didn't have any real feelings for him anyway."
"Well, whatever makes her happy." Jack responded and Chloe sighed internally so she tried her last argument in the faint hope to make him see what he could have.
"Dad, I like to think I know you better than most people but I see your face light up when she walks in the room, and I can see in your eyes something that's so powerful, something that's so rare to find," Chloe paused, "Imagine what you could have if you just *talked* to her, you could have everything you wanted since you first met her."
Jack kept silent, his daughter's words ringing true, "I'm gonna go out for a drive," He said and handed her the duster, "You gonna be OK with making breakfast for the guys?"
Chloe smiled, knowing that her little speech had affected him, "Sure. I'll drive Murray and Daniel back if you're out for a while."
Jack nodded wordlessly, gathered his keys and walked out to the car in a philosophical daze. Chloe hoped what she said had worked. They had to see.
Didn't they?
*
"This episode is most amusing." Teal'c said as the Friends credits came up on screen and Chloe nodded in agreement. She just turned up the volume when Daniel and Sam made an appearance coming down the stairs. "You two OK?"
They both nodded silently in affirmation, "Have you made any breakfast?" Daniel asked scratching his head, both of them looking a little worse for wear.
"Yep," Chloe replied jumping up from the couch and walking to the kitchen, "There's toast, bacon, eggs, pancakes and coffee." She said, pointing to all the items on the table, "Me and Murray have already had ours."
"Where's Jack?" Daniel asked
"Out. Went for a drive." Chloe answered and poured two cups of coffee and retrieved the milk, "I think he's head's still a bit weird after everything that's happened."
"Mmm." Daniel mumbled, "God this is lovely." He said enthusiastically as he ate some freshly cooked bacon.
"Thankyou." Chloe said and walked over to Sam who was grabbing a paper, "Are you going to talk to him?"
"Who? Daniel?" She asked.
"No! Dad….are you going to talk to him?"
Sam looked down, "I don't know. Everything's so complicated."
Chloe sighed, "It doesn't have to be."
"I can't make him fall in love with me." Sam said honestly, fiddling with the edge of the paper.
"You don't have to. He's already crazy about you." Chloe smiled, "Will you talk to him? For me?"
Sam swallowed hard, "I'll try." She tried to say it with conviction, but Chloe had no idea how hard it was; she couldn't even admit her feelings to herself, let alone to *him* of all people.
*
The sky darkened, and Chloe's eyelids drooped as the pressure of the past few hectic days took it's toll and she started to doze in front of the telly, conveniently hindering the moving of Sam's belongings back to her apartment, and making sure Sam had to stay for another night at the Hotel O'Neill.
Jack smiled dopily at his daughter whose eyelids flittered as she dreamt. He couldn't express his happiness to see her again, but he knew there was something she was holding back. He couldn't help remembering the words she had spilled out on his arrival, *"Things have happened. Bad things…I-I-I tried to…"*
He'd been so overwhelmed with seeing her and his friends again that he'd forgotten her sad words, but now they kept him awake as he wondered what had happened in his absence.
"She looks tired." He heard Sam's voice behind him and he smiled internally. Her presence made him feel instantly invigorated.
"She's been through a lot." Jack replied and turned to face his former 2IC. "When I came back, she mentioned that things had changed…that she had done something."
Sam looked down at her feet awkwardly, "I'm not really sure what you're talking about."
"Carter I can tell when you're lying a mile away." He said abruptly, "She's my daughter, don't I have the right to know what went on?"
Sam looked up with renewed strength, "It's not my place to tell you. She'll tell you in her own time."
"Carter, don't you get it? If you don't tell me, I'll never find out. You must know her well enough to know that she'll never talk to me." He reasoned, knowing that Chloe had always been fiercely secretive, some of which she'd probably learned from him and his Secret Ops days.
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you something which is very private to her," Sam replied, "I'm not going to betray her confidence."
Before Jack could reply, Chloe stirred in her sleep and gradually opened her eyes and had an instant "what the hell are you two doing?" look.
"Are you two practising for the school photo or something?" She asked, referring to their fake smiles.
"What?" Sam asked.
Chloe smiled, "Nothing." She rose from the couch, stretching her arms, "I think I'm gonna say g'night."
"That tired?" Jack asked.
"Mmm. Maybe it's something to do with yesterday's all night party, but who knows?" Chloe joked and walked towards the stairs, "I promise tomorrow I'll help Sam pack up her stuff."
"Not going to fall asleep again?" Sam asked.
"I'll try not to." She yawned and walked up the stairs, "Night."
"Night." They called in unison and stood at the bottom of the stairs together.
"Fancy a coffee?" Jack asked after a moment's silence and Sam nodded in agreement.
"That'd be nice, thanks." She moved over to the living room as Jack walked into the kitchen and she sat down awkwardly on the couch. She'd become so relaxed in this house when she'd been living with Chloe, and now she felt like the complete stranger she had been only four months earlier.
He came back a few minutes later armed with two coffees and sat down opposite her, cradling his mug in his hands.
She couldn't help but flicker her gaze towards him, and after a few minutes of sitting in silence with the occasional slurp of coffee, she looked again at him and she met his own fierce stare at her. As much as she knew she should pull her eyes away, she couldn't help it; she felt glued to him.
"Uh…how are you feeling?" She asked, looking into her coffee and trying to avoid his eye line.
Jack coughed tensely, "Fine…Glad to be home y'know."
Sam nodded wordlessly, "Chloe's thrilled to have you back home. She was so devastated. She missed you a lot." Sam paused, considering her words, "We all did."
Jack looked up to Sam to see her amazing blue eyes become even bluer, and in them he saw honesty and an emotion that he was so overwhelmed by, he could hardly speak, "Does that include you?" He rasped unintentionally.
Sam searched his eyes for some feeling, something that reflected the depths of what she felt about him. And to her surprise, she found it. A strong, dazzling love that she had only hoped that he possessed, "Yeah."
*
Chloe pulled the tee shirt further down her body, and walked into the hallway briefly checking her appearance in the mirror before she had breakfast. Thankfully she wasn't feeling as tired as she had the day before; the long sleep she had was definitely reinvigorating her.
Rubbing her eyes as she stumbled down the stairs clumsily, she smiled as she saw her dad pour two glasses of orange juice with his back to her.
"Thanks dad," Chloe smiled as she hugged him from behind and grabbed a glass.
"Oh, uh, hi." Jack greeted her and she sat opposite him on the island in the middle of the kitchen, "You're up early."
"I went to bed early," Chloe countered and briefly glanced at yesterday's paper, "Dad, is it OK if I invite Cassie over to watch some movies?"
Jack smiled faintly, "Uh, sure."
"Great!" Chloe replied and turned round to grab some toast.
Then suddenly, a soft happy voice spoke from the stairs, "I wondered where you'd-", not noticing Chloe's presence until she turned round with a satisfied smile, "…got to."
Chloe could barely conceal her enormous grin, "Sam." She replied covering her grinning mouth with her hand, "Have a good sleep?…In my dad's shirt?"
Sam walked down the last few steps of the stairs, pulling down the pale blue button shirt she was wearing which had been quickly torn off the night before, "Um…I…"
Chloe interrupted, "Save yourself any further embarrassment…I'm old enough to understand," She said with a broad grin that looked like she was about to snap her face in two. Turning to her flushing father, she smiled even further, "Uh…y'know I think I'm gonna go shopping with Cassie instead."
"I thought you were watchin' movies." Jack replied, trying to take his eyes off Sam who was not-so innocently licking her finger of butter as she ate some toast.
"I think someone needs the house more than I do." She said, patting his arm like it were a dog, "And how can we gush over this when we're in the same house as you? That's just plain mean" Jack was about to protest when Chloe spoke over him, "Don't even ask me to keep this a secret…I just won't be able to keep it in." Her eyes widened with a promising idea, "You know what, I think I'm gonna ring her now."
"Chloe…" Jack complained.
"Dad, I totally set you two up. What do you expect me to do? This is my first of many matchmaking successes." She grinned, "Next on my list is Janet and Daniel."
"Oh, that's something I'd pay to see." Sam smiled.
"Tell me about it. I think I'll be selling tickets to that one." Chloe laughed, "I'm gonna go get changed." She walked towards the stairs, "Oh, and by the way, I think this is totally great."
"I think we got that." Jack replied and ushered her upstairs.
"They're gonna be talking about this forever…." Chloe shouted back down the stairs, "The whole of the SGC!" She taunted and Jack shook his head.
"You OK?" He said, laying his hand on Sam's back.
But when she turned around, her blue eyes blazing with a happiness he never could have hoped to see and a smile the size of America, he knew he didn't need an answer.
*
Chloe laughed as she saw Cassie hound the party-goers with her new camcorder which had become the bane of Chloe's life; Cassie had insisted that she should follow Chloe around for a whole day, annoying the hell out of her and everybody else with her totally outrageous commentary, which included her insensitive comments toward a woman who, admittedly, definitely shouldn't have been shopping in Hot Topic.
Cassie wormed her way through the crowds, telling her mom that if she got *"any closer to Daniel, you'd be sitting on top of him"* which caused Chloe to smother a snigger and try to look the other way while her eyes watered and Janet blushed next to a smiling Daniel who was looking a little too pleased with himself.
Finally after harassing most of the crowd, she walked over to Chloe who was standing with her dad, Sam and Teal'c.
"This…" Cassie started to give her commentary to any prospective viewers, "…is my best friend Chloe, yes that's right, she does have a slightly eccentric taste in clothes…" which caused her friend to pout towards the camera, before Cassie moved it away to focus on Jack and Sam, "…and this is Jack, Chloe's dad. He's retired from the Air Force and now he spends his time fishing… " Cassie then focused in on Sam whose waist he had his arm around and she moved the camera down to Sam's slightly bulging, pregnant stomach, "..and doing other things."
Chloe laughed in the background and Sam went redder and redder as the camera went back to her face, "This blushing woman here is Jack's wife, Sam who used to be under his command in the Air Force. She's Chloe's step mother and when they spend time together they like to max out Jack's credit card."
Chloe stepped in front of the camera, stopping any further embarrassment of her parents. "And this is Cassie not being annoying."
And the screen went black.
"*Thank you*" Sam said enthused to Chloe who grinned.
"I'm not the one who decided that a camcorder would be a good idea," She reminded them with a superior smile, "Because I *know* what she's like."
And as the chatter went on around her, Chloe watched the people that she loved, relax together, forgetting what had happened in the past and revelling in the future. Two years ago, she would never have imagined that she'd be spending her birthday with her father and his wife…it was more than she could have ever hoped for.
This new life was well worth the wait.
*
I hope you liked the story and I appreciate all feedback.
There's a sequel to this, with a totally different story line and it's called "Blood Connections", coming to a computer screen near you…..
Author: Anneka O'Carter
Summary: Every person dies, but not everyone truly lives.
A/N: You *need* to read "Can't Say A Word" before you read this, or you'll have no idea what's going on.
*
*"…You always really knew, I just want to be with you, and I'm in so deep…"*
The Cranberries, Linger
*
Chloe stumbled back from the door, her breath catching in her throat, and her face paling with every passing second. He moved slowly into the porch, his feet hesitantly walking towards her, but she still retreated wordlessly further and further into the house.
"Chloe…" He started to speak but she cut him off with a sob.
"No…" She whispered with tears falling. "You're not him. I don't know who you are but you're *not* my father!" She said, her voice struggling to maintain a normal volume.
"It's me kiddo." He said, his familiar nickname for her pulling at her heart. "I know that it's difficult-"
"You're *not* Jack O'Neill." She said forcefully. "They… "She pointed an accusing finger at Major Davies and Sam standing uncomfortably at the door, "They told me my father was *dead*."
"They thought I was." He explained, "But some locals saved me…they nursed me back to health."
Chloe's lips trembled, half her mind convincing her that this was her father, and this moment was something she never thought she would experience, and the other half telling her that it was a terrible mistake, "I *can't* believe you. It's too hard." She explained tearfully, and she backed away as he made a move towards her.
Relenting, Jack stopped dead, knowing that she needed time, "What can I do to convince you?" He protested desperately, and then an idea popped into his head, "You hate chocolate." He said suddenly with a renewed enthusiasm, "But you love chocolate cookie ice cream… You have insomnia and get up in the middle of the night and watch CNN for hours…. You pretend to be asleep so I don't force you to watch "boring" documentaries on the military…Your favourite sports team is the Knicks but only because you want to live in New York…" Jack continued as he saw a slight smile of recognition appear on his daughter's face, "You spend hours on the Internet chatting to Cassie thinking I don't know..."
Chloe's face crumpled with emotion, those few sentences convincing her of something she so desperately wanted and she sprinted into her father's arms, grappling to hug him as tight as she could. "I missed you so much." She whispered into his ear. "So much."
"I love you." He said, his arms still encircling her body. "I'm never going to leave you again."
She pulled away from him with a tender smile. "You promise?"
"Promise." He affirmed with an affectionate grin. He tugged on the ends of her hair tenderly, "It's grown…you look beautiful." He complimented her and she rolled her eyes.
"Ya, I'm sure the red eyes and running nose look is really working for me." She joked and her face paled soberly, "Dad, things have changed here. Things have happened. Bad things…I-I-I tried to…." Chloe tried to explain before Jack silenced her.
"We have all the time in the world for you to tell me." He reassured her as tears began to well at the thought of explaining her desperate actions on the bridge.
"You look exactly the same….how do you feel?" Chloe asked realising that she hadn't even asked him that simple question, and that she'd been so concentrated on herself.
"Relieved to be here with you. Physically, I'm good." He said, not wishing to elaborate.
"Vague as ever." She quipped, and her gaze caught his eyes and they just looked at each other. "I never thought I'd see you again. I was so sad."
"I can't imagine what you were going through, but I'm going to make it better." He assured her with a small grin.
"You don't have to." Chloe replied. "You just being here is enough for me." She touched his shoulder gently, as if making sure that he was still there, "You've made everything better already."
Jack smiled lightly, "Well, I have another idea how to start putting things right." He said cryptically.
"What?" Chloe asked, her insatiable curiosity getting the better of her.
Jack took a deep breath and his eyes briefly flicked over to Davies who was staring concentratedly at his shoe and Carter who was looking towards them with an almost sad smile.
Of something she had for a few treasured months, and now had lost.
"Are you trying to keep me in suspense?" Chloe complained, her voice rousing him from his musings.
"I'm retiring." He said simply and Chloe's face was first one of happiness which then paled into unease. "What?" He asked, panicked by her reaction.
"Dad…are you sure this is the right thing?" She asked. Chloe wanted him desperately to retire and spend his time with her, but she didn't want him to do it if he was reluctant or unsure.
Jack considered the question for a short moment; should he stay with the Air Force risking his life every other day and put his daughter through hell, not seeing her from one week to the next? Or should he have a quiet, peaceful life with Chloe, alternating his time between his homes in Colorado and Minnesota and spending his time fishing and getting to know his daughter better?
Tough choice.
"I'm sure."
*
The kitchen was remarkably tidy, Chloe observed as she waited for the microwave to finish. She'd imagined that with almost all of the employees of the SGC in her front room, that there would be more than a few empty beer bottles and crisps strewn across the kitchen.
Then, she thought with a wry smile, there was still a long night and early hours of the morning ahead. But everyone did have a reason for being on the happy side, and she more than most. It was merely two days after Jack's return yet they'd already relaxed back into a routine and become as close as ever. And the SGC'ers seemed as pleased as punch that their now ex-CO was "back from the dead" and he couldn't seem to shake off all the well-wishers.
She was so caught up in the delirium of her father's return and the party currently spreading all over the house that she didn't see Sam entering the kitchen timidly and pouring herself a soda.
"Hey." Chloe greeted her sorta quasi-parent-ish person. "Having a good time?"
"Mmm." Sam smiled forcedly. "The Colonel's enjoying himself which is the main thing."
Chloe didn't notice the sad smile that Sam had on her face until it was almost gone but she didn't dare comment; she knew how sensitive Sam would be on the subject. "I think he would preferred a quiet pizza round the TV or something, but George insisted…" Chloe trailed off, "Well all I'll say is you know what George is like when he gets something in his head."
"Don't I just." Sam nodded uncomfortably, leaning against the counter. She seemed awkward yet unable to move from the spot. "And you're feeling OK?" She asked after a silent pause.
"I'm great." Chloe assured, retrieving the mini pizzas from the microwave and arranging them decoratively on a plate. "I was kinda selfish about wanting to spend more time with my dad tonight, hence some childish glaring in his direction, but I know that he has a lot of friends who missed him too." Chloe looked up with a beaming smile, "And I'll get the rest of my life to spend time with the old guy anyway, so I figure what's the hurry?"
Sam couldn't resist a smile, "Daniel and Murray are gonna leave the house tomorrow," She informed Chloe. All three had been staying round at the O'Neill house for the past two days, catching up and trying to get to grips with the fact that he was actually alive, "I'll start packing tomorrow too."
Chloe's head snapped up with a look of horror, "What does that mean?"
"Just that I'll be starting to move my stuff back to my apartment tomorrow, so you can spend more time with your dad." Sam said defensively, wondering why Chloe seemed to be growing more and more upset with the prospect.
"You don't have to leave." Chloe protested, pushing the tortilla chips angrily into a pot resting in the middle of a plate decorated with dancing sombreros. "I don't *want* you to leave."
"You know that it would be inappropriate for me to live with you. You've both got separate lives, and so have I." Sam said gently, not wanting to hurt her feelings.
"But you don't understand!" Chloe protested hotly. "You *could* have lives together."
"I don't think-" Sam started.
"You *know* what dad feels. It's plain to everyone that he's crazy about you." Chloe said frankly, pouring chilli sauce from a small container into an even smaller one, "And you practically told me that you were in love with him. Don't fob me off with a stupid line about your feelings *changing* or whatever."
Sam coughed uncomfortably, "It's not just about my feelings changing. It's about the Colonel's-" Chloe gave a tense cough, "I mean, *Jack's* feelings changing too."
"How do you know? Have you *asked* him?" Chloe said tersely, "Have you even talked to him alone in the past few days?"
Sam's eyes darted uncomfortably. Of course she'd talked to him…I mean, three words between the pair of them constitutes a conversation…doesn't it?
"I have talked to him." Sam replied, "But do I really have to do *anything* about what I supposedly feel?"
"So you're going to live a lie for the rest of your life because you were too scared to tell him that you're in love with him?" Chloe said and sighed. "That really is pathetic."
"Hey!" Sam admonished the teenager.
Chloe looked up apologetically, "Sorry…I know that you're older than me and you know better and I shouldn't interfere, but Sam…God, I meant everything I told you in the car last month. I love you like a mom and I want you to be happy. Preferably with my dad, but I can't make you love him if you don't. And I'm sorry. Again."
Sam smiled affectionately and hugged her tightly, kissing her flowing hair, "I know and I love you too. More than you know. But you're gonna have to let me work this out for myself."
Chloe nodded as they parted, "I know," She said as she moved towards the door, "Are you coming out?"
"In a minute." Sam replied and gathered herself together as Chloe passed into the living room. Chloe's words hit her like a hurricane; *"I love you like a mom."*
She wondered whether they were said haphazardly or if she really meant them, but with the laughs coming out of the living room, she knew she'd have to make an appearance before Chloe came back searching for her.
But as Sam opened the door to at least a hundred SGC employees chatting and laughing loudly, her eyes glued towards Jack who was talking to Daniel and Janet and pulled Chloe towards him with his arm around her neck, Chloe just smiled happily and rolled her eyes gently.
And Sam felt a maternal pang, just wanting to be a part of their picture postcard world, and she wondered if Chloe really was right.
Did she really know better?
*
Dappled light shined into the bedroom, birds singing and all that self projection crap. But it didn't help a frustrated Chloe as she rubbed her eyes with a fisted hand and wondered how the hell the world was spinning so fast. Taking a quick glance at the clock, and groaning when she realised it was 7:30, she walked down the stairs coming face to face with Jack "I'm allergic to cleaning" O'Neill *dusting* of all things.
"Morning kiddo." He said cheerily.
Chloe's eyes widened, "Uh, hi." She walked down the last few steps hesitantly as if it were a hidden camera show. "Are you doing housework?"
Jack looked up from dusting a much hated ornament with a proud smile, "Yes. Yes, I am."
"Why?" She asked, almost sprinting to the kitchen for a glass of water to calm her scratchy throat.
"Because I know how much you've worked to keep yourself afloat this past few months." He said kindly, "…And it was a *tip* down here, and I figured you'd be pretty crazy if I left it for you to tidy."
Chloe smiled, "Got that right," Grabbing a glass, she filled it and turned on the radio to a low volume and then switched it back off; her head couldn't cope with anything louder than a few words at a time, "So where is everyone?"
"Most went back at about 3AM this morning," He replied and Chloe gave a low whistle which he grinned at, "I hope that was a long time after you and Cassie finished gossiping upstairs."
"Of *course* it was." She replied.
"There's a few who passed out in my bedroom who left about half an hour ago and Carter and the guys are in the guest bedroom." Jack answered and moved onto a grotesque dancing woman that her grandmother thought Chloe would like. She appreciated the sentiment, but *damn* it was U-G-L-Y.
"You mean her bedroom." Chloe replied without thinking and then realised what she'd said.
"*Her bedroom*?" Jack repeated.
"Uh, yeah." Chloe replied awkwardly, "She lived here for about three months to look after me, you know, the whole legal guardian thingy. She stayed in the guest bedroom."
"Oh, right." He replied, equally uncomfortable. Looking down to the ground, he spoke quietly, "We're gonna have to help her move her stuff back to her apartment you know."
Chloe gritted her teeth and *really* tried not to shout at him for being so blind, "Would it really be *so* bad for her to stay?"
"Chloe-"
"But just listen, OK? I'm not trying to force you into anything, I just want to make sure you're aware of all the facts before you make a rash decision."
"*Facts*?"
Chloe sighed, "Come on dad, I know you play the dumb-ass soldier act, but even you can't be this stupid…"
"I'm not sure if I remember correctly but did you always go around insulting my intelligence?" Jack retorted, knowing that his daughter was more perceptive than he gave her credit for.
"Only when you were being an idiot." She sniped back. "Dad, how long can you pretend?"
"Pretend what?" He asked, tidying the magazines strewn across the table into a pile.
"That you're not head over heels." Chloe said simply, "And frankly, if *I* can tell, then you must know."
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked tersely.
"Nothing. Stop trying to change the subject." Chloe replied, "Are you just going to *let* her leave?"
"Who?" He asked with feigned nonchalance.
"Sam!" She sighed.
"I don't know what you mean. She's only going back to her apartment Chloe, not the other side of the planet."
"For God's sake, you're both as bad as each other." Chloe muttered under her breath, and stood in front of Jack with a forceful stare, "You should talk to her, she missed you like anything."
"Look, even if there was anything between us, which there *isn't*, it would be highly inappropriate." Jack reasoned under Chloe's glare.
"Why? You have retired if you remember."
"She has her boyfriend; Tim or whatever he calls himself." Jack said, trying not to gag when he said the name.
Chloe gave a superior smile that worried Jack, "She broke up with him after she moved in with me."
"What?"
"She said it was a choice between Tim and me. She chose to look after me." Chloe explained and adding with fake indifference, "She said she didn't have any real feelings for him anyway."
"Well, whatever makes her happy." Jack responded and Chloe sighed internally so she tried her last argument in the faint hope to make him see what he could have.
"Dad, I like to think I know you better than most people but I see your face light up when she walks in the room, and I can see in your eyes something that's so powerful, something that's so rare to find," Chloe paused, "Imagine what you could have if you just *talked* to her, you could have everything you wanted since you first met her."
Jack kept silent, his daughter's words ringing true, "I'm gonna go out for a drive," He said and handed her the duster, "You gonna be OK with making breakfast for the guys?"
Chloe smiled, knowing that her little speech had affected him, "Sure. I'll drive Murray and Daniel back if you're out for a while."
Jack nodded wordlessly, gathered his keys and walked out to the car in a philosophical daze. Chloe hoped what she said had worked. They had to see.
Didn't they?
*
"This episode is most amusing." Teal'c said as the Friends credits came up on screen and Chloe nodded in agreement. She just turned up the volume when Daniel and Sam made an appearance coming down the stairs. "You two OK?"
They both nodded silently in affirmation, "Have you made any breakfast?" Daniel asked scratching his head, both of them looking a little worse for wear.
"Yep," Chloe replied jumping up from the couch and walking to the kitchen, "There's toast, bacon, eggs, pancakes and coffee." She said, pointing to all the items on the table, "Me and Murray have already had ours."
"Where's Jack?" Daniel asked
"Out. Went for a drive." Chloe answered and poured two cups of coffee and retrieved the milk, "I think he's head's still a bit weird after everything that's happened."
"Mmm." Daniel mumbled, "God this is lovely." He said enthusiastically as he ate some freshly cooked bacon.
"Thankyou." Chloe said and walked over to Sam who was grabbing a paper, "Are you going to talk to him?"
"Who? Daniel?" She asked.
"No! Dad….are you going to talk to him?"
Sam looked down, "I don't know. Everything's so complicated."
Chloe sighed, "It doesn't have to be."
"I can't make him fall in love with me." Sam said honestly, fiddling with the edge of the paper.
"You don't have to. He's already crazy about you." Chloe smiled, "Will you talk to him? For me?"
Sam swallowed hard, "I'll try." She tried to say it with conviction, but Chloe had no idea how hard it was; she couldn't even admit her feelings to herself, let alone to *him* of all people.
*
The sky darkened, and Chloe's eyelids drooped as the pressure of the past few hectic days took it's toll and she started to doze in front of the telly, conveniently hindering the moving of Sam's belongings back to her apartment, and making sure Sam had to stay for another night at the Hotel O'Neill.
Jack smiled dopily at his daughter whose eyelids flittered as she dreamt. He couldn't express his happiness to see her again, but he knew there was something she was holding back. He couldn't help remembering the words she had spilled out on his arrival, *"Things have happened. Bad things…I-I-I tried to…"*
He'd been so overwhelmed with seeing her and his friends again that he'd forgotten her sad words, but now they kept him awake as he wondered what had happened in his absence.
"She looks tired." He heard Sam's voice behind him and he smiled internally. Her presence made him feel instantly invigorated.
"She's been through a lot." Jack replied and turned to face his former 2IC. "When I came back, she mentioned that things had changed…that she had done something."
Sam looked down at her feet awkwardly, "I'm not really sure what you're talking about."
"Carter I can tell when you're lying a mile away." He said abruptly, "She's my daughter, don't I have the right to know what went on?"
Sam looked up with renewed strength, "It's not my place to tell you. She'll tell you in her own time."
"Carter, don't you get it? If you don't tell me, I'll never find out. You must know her well enough to know that she'll never talk to me." He reasoned, knowing that Chloe had always been fiercely secretive, some of which she'd probably learned from him and his Secret Ops days.
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you something which is very private to her," Sam replied, "I'm not going to betray her confidence."
Before Jack could reply, Chloe stirred in her sleep and gradually opened her eyes and had an instant "what the hell are you two doing?" look.
"Are you two practising for the school photo or something?" She asked, referring to their fake smiles.
"What?" Sam asked.
Chloe smiled, "Nothing." She rose from the couch, stretching her arms, "I think I'm gonna say g'night."
"That tired?" Jack asked.
"Mmm. Maybe it's something to do with yesterday's all night party, but who knows?" Chloe joked and walked towards the stairs, "I promise tomorrow I'll help Sam pack up her stuff."
"Not going to fall asleep again?" Sam asked.
"I'll try not to." She yawned and walked up the stairs, "Night."
"Night." They called in unison and stood at the bottom of the stairs together.
"Fancy a coffee?" Jack asked after a moment's silence and Sam nodded in agreement.
"That'd be nice, thanks." She moved over to the living room as Jack walked into the kitchen and she sat down awkwardly on the couch. She'd become so relaxed in this house when she'd been living with Chloe, and now she felt like the complete stranger she had been only four months earlier.
He came back a few minutes later armed with two coffees and sat down opposite her, cradling his mug in his hands.
She couldn't help but flicker her gaze towards him, and after a few minutes of sitting in silence with the occasional slurp of coffee, she looked again at him and she met his own fierce stare at her. As much as she knew she should pull her eyes away, she couldn't help it; she felt glued to him.
"Uh…how are you feeling?" She asked, looking into her coffee and trying to avoid his eye line.
Jack coughed tensely, "Fine…Glad to be home y'know."
Sam nodded wordlessly, "Chloe's thrilled to have you back home. She was so devastated. She missed you a lot." Sam paused, considering her words, "We all did."
Jack looked up to Sam to see her amazing blue eyes become even bluer, and in them he saw honesty and an emotion that he was so overwhelmed by, he could hardly speak, "Does that include you?" He rasped unintentionally.
Sam searched his eyes for some feeling, something that reflected the depths of what she felt about him. And to her surprise, she found it. A strong, dazzling love that she had only hoped that he possessed, "Yeah."
*
Chloe pulled the tee shirt further down her body, and walked into the hallway briefly checking her appearance in the mirror before she had breakfast. Thankfully she wasn't feeling as tired as she had the day before; the long sleep she had was definitely reinvigorating her.
Rubbing her eyes as she stumbled down the stairs clumsily, she smiled as she saw her dad pour two glasses of orange juice with his back to her.
"Thanks dad," Chloe smiled as she hugged him from behind and grabbed a glass.
"Oh, uh, hi." Jack greeted her and she sat opposite him on the island in the middle of the kitchen, "You're up early."
"I went to bed early," Chloe countered and briefly glanced at yesterday's paper, "Dad, is it OK if I invite Cassie over to watch some movies?"
Jack smiled faintly, "Uh, sure."
"Great!" Chloe replied and turned round to grab some toast.
Then suddenly, a soft happy voice spoke from the stairs, "I wondered where you'd-", not noticing Chloe's presence until she turned round with a satisfied smile, "…got to."
Chloe could barely conceal her enormous grin, "Sam." She replied covering her grinning mouth with her hand, "Have a good sleep?…In my dad's shirt?"
Sam walked down the last few steps of the stairs, pulling down the pale blue button shirt she was wearing which had been quickly torn off the night before, "Um…I…"
Chloe interrupted, "Save yourself any further embarrassment…I'm old enough to understand," She said with a broad grin that looked like she was about to snap her face in two. Turning to her flushing father, she smiled even further, "Uh…y'know I think I'm gonna go shopping with Cassie instead."
"I thought you were watchin' movies." Jack replied, trying to take his eyes off Sam who was not-so innocently licking her finger of butter as she ate some toast.
"I think someone needs the house more than I do." She said, patting his arm like it were a dog, "And how can we gush over this when we're in the same house as you? That's just plain mean" Jack was about to protest when Chloe spoke over him, "Don't even ask me to keep this a secret…I just won't be able to keep it in." Her eyes widened with a promising idea, "You know what, I think I'm gonna ring her now."
"Chloe…" Jack complained.
"Dad, I totally set you two up. What do you expect me to do? This is my first of many matchmaking successes." She grinned, "Next on my list is Janet and Daniel."
"Oh, that's something I'd pay to see." Sam smiled.
"Tell me about it. I think I'll be selling tickets to that one." Chloe laughed, "I'm gonna go get changed." She walked towards the stairs, "Oh, and by the way, I think this is totally great."
"I think we got that." Jack replied and ushered her upstairs.
"They're gonna be talking about this forever…." Chloe shouted back down the stairs, "The whole of the SGC!" She taunted and Jack shook his head.
"You OK?" He said, laying his hand on Sam's back.
But when she turned around, her blue eyes blazing with a happiness he never could have hoped to see and a smile the size of America, he knew he didn't need an answer.
*
Chloe laughed as she saw Cassie hound the party-goers with her new camcorder which had become the bane of Chloe's life; Cassie had insisted that she should follow Chloe around for a whole day, annoying the hell out of her and everybody else with her totally outrageous commentary, which included her insensitive comments toward a woman who, admittedly, definitely shouldn't have been shopping in Hot Topic.
Cassie wormed her way through the crowds, telling her mom that if she got *"any closer to Daniel, you'd be sitting on top of him"* which caused Chloe to smother a snigger and try to look the other way while her eyes watered and Janet blushed next to a smiling Daniel who was looking a little too pleased with himself.
Finally after harassing most of the crowd, she walked over to Chloe who was standing with her dad, Sam and Teal'c.
"This…" Cassie started to give her commentary to any prospective viewers, "…is my best friend Chloe, yes that's right, she does have a slightly eccentric taste in clothes…" which caused her friend to pout towards the camera, before Cassie moved it away to focus on Jack and Sam, "…and this is Jack, Chloe's dad. He's retired from the Air Force and now he spends his time fishing… " Cassie then focused in on Sam whose waist he had his arm around and she moved the camera down to Sam's slightly bulging, pregnant stomach, "..and doing other things."
Chloe laughed in the background and Sam went redder and redder as the camera went back to her face, "This blushing woman here is Jack's wife, Sam who used to be under his command in the Air Force. She's Chloe's step mother and when they spend time together they like to max out Jack's credit card."
Chloe stepped in front of the camera, stopping any further embarrassment of her parents. "And this is Cassie not being annoying."
And the screen went black.
"*Thank you*" Sam said enthused to Chloe who grinned.
"I'm not the one who decided that a camcorder would be a good idea," She reminded them with a superior smile, "Because I *know* what she's like."
And as the chatter went on around her, Chloe watched the people that she loved, relax together, forgetting what had happened in the past and revelling in the future. Two years ago, she would never have imagined that she'd be spending her birthday with her father and his wife…it was more than she could have ever hoped for.
This new life was well worth the wait.
*
I hope you liked the story and I appreciate all feedback.
There's a sequel to this, with a totally different story line and it's called "Blood Connections", coming to a computer screen near you…..