Author's note: They're not at Jack's house. Jaffer is staying at Sam's with her while Jack is out of town. When Jacob went looking for her, since he knew Jack was out of town, he'd naturally head for her house... (one assumes)
.............
Sam had known when she went to bed how she was going to be woken up the next day. Although Jack was usually the victim of Jaffer's early morning wake up game, Sam had been zinged by him enough times that she rarely was startled when she woke up to find herself straddled by a hulking dog that was looming over and her staring at her with an impossible intense expression in those deep brown eyes.
Of course, the first time she'd been woken up that night, it hadn't been in play. Jaffer's cold nose and low growl were enough to tell Sam that he wanted her awake, and the hackles that she could feel standing up on his ruff told her that something was going on that he didn't like. She didn't read Jaffer as well as Jack did – no one did, and no one ever would – but she'd known him all his life, and she knew immediately, even in the dark, that he wasn't playing. She'd reached for her robe in the dark, even as Jaffer had slunk out of her room as silently as he'd entered. Presumably to deal with whatever it was, or to investigate it further. A moment later, she'd heard her father's surprised cry, and she'd pelted down the hall on silent feet to see what was going on.
Once Jaffer had been reassured Jacob wasn't a threat, and that he was doing a great job as guard dog, Sam had made up the bed in the guest room for her dad. It was really too late that evening for them to sit and chat. Sam knew that her day was going to begin early the next morning, and knew that she had a lot to do – even if Jacob obviously was just here for a social call, which was a pleasant switch. So she'd hugged him, told him to make himself comfortable, and had went to bed.
It seemed as if her head had only barely touched the pillow again when she felt the looming presence of Jaffer standing over her, permeating her sleepy mind and invading her dreams. Sam opened her eyes, frowning sleepily as she looked into those cheerful brown eyes that were so happy they made her heart flip-flop.
"It can't be morning, already," She complained, pushing on his chest and trying to avoid his tongue, which was his primary weapon in the wake-up battle. Of course, her bedroom was lit up with the first light of the morning sun and that didn't happen in the middle of the night, so she had to admit it probably was morning.
Jaffer's tail wagged furiously when she spoke, and he nuzzled her neck with his cold wet nose. It was morning! It was time for her to get up, because he wanted to go out, and he wanted to go for a walk, and he wanted her to come with him!
"Let me up, Jaffer," Sam said, trying to wriggle out from under him. He was cheating outrageously, using his weight and leverage to hold her pinned to the bed while he licked her neck and ears. She pushed against his chest once more. "Why don't you go wake up my dad?" Of course, by then Sam would have sicced Jaffer on anyone to get him off her. She didn't really expect him to do it, though.
That was a fine idea. Jaffer jumped to the floor gracefully and headed out the door, and Sam grumbled as she threw back the covers and grabbed a towel to wipe the dog slobber off her face while she walked down the hall to make coffee. She didn't see the black tail vanishing into the guest room.
She'd barely started the coffee to brewing and was standing in the kitchen leaning against the counter while she tried to wake up, when she heard a startled yell coming from down the hall.
"SAM!"
Grinning despite the irritation she heard in his voice, Sam hurried down the hall and to the open door of the guest room. Jacob was sprawled on the floor next to the bed, looking wild-eyed and very miffed. Jaffer was standing on the bed, looking down at him, his tail wagging idly and his brown eyes mischievously cheerful.
"What is Jack teaching him?" Jacob asked, scowling at his daughter and then up at the dog.
"Jack didn't teach him that one, dad," Sam said, smiling. "He learned it all on his own. You get used to it after a while."
"It's a terrible way to wake up."
"At least he didn't use his teeth, this time."
"Very funny."
Jacob scowled again and dragged himself off the floor to sit on the bed next to Jaffer. Despite his irritation, he couldn't resist reaching out and stroking the black hide, amazed by how silky it was. Jacob loved dogs, and missed them more than pretty much anything. The Tok'ra needed dogs.
"Do you have any coffee made?"
"It's making."
"I need a cup."
"Get dressed and meet me in the kitchen." She told him, gesturing for Jaffer to come with her. The black lab hopped down off the bed, and trotted over to Sam's side. He'd done his job, it was time to go out.
She took him to the back door, and let him out, then stood in the yard and watched him. Sam's back yard wasn't fenced in, so she wouldn't leave him out alone. She was well aware that Jack had entrusted his baby to her, and there was no way she was going to let anything happen to him while she was watching him. Jaffer seemed to understand this as well, and he didn't linger outside long, knowing that she was waiting on him. He took care of his business, checked to make sure nothing had peed in his yard – which was his simply because he was in it – and then headed for the door again, far too awake for the early hour.
"What do you have scheduled for your day, Sam?" Jacob asked. He was standing in the kitchen pouring coffee when she and Jaffer came back inside. The black lab went over and sniffed him again, just to make sure he was still the same guy that he'd decided was okay earlier. Satisfied that he wasn't a threat to his Sam, Jaffer went over and stood next to his food dish in a not so subtle reminder that he needed some breakfast.
"I have a report due on the device that SG-8 found last week. I'm pretty sure it's simply a generator – with a low frequency modulation that allows it to carry a charge for several days – but I have to test that theory before I can turn in the final paper. So I'll be in my lab this morning." She took the cup of coffee he offered her, set it on the counter and picked up Jaffer's food dish, taking it over to the large bag of Dog Chow that was resting by the door.
"Any way you can get out of it and spend some time with your old man?"
She shrugged as she set the now full food dish on the floor for Jaffer. "Probably. General Hammond isn't in any hurry to get the report, I'm sure. Did you have something in mind?"
"No, not really..." Jacob trailed off as he noticed for the first time the new piece of jewelry on her finger. He walked over, reached out and took her hand without a word, and Jaffer was instantly watching, his breakfast forgotten, and his hackles raising just a little at the sudden motion and the way Jacob practically grabbed his Sam without so much as a by your leave. "What's this?"
Sam smiled, and reached her free hand down to reassure Jaffer, who moved between the two of them again, pushing Jacob away from his Sam.
"It's an engagement ring." Sam said, looking down at the ring like she always did when someone mentioned it.
"Jack proposed?" Jacob was too startled by this news to be annoyed at the way the black lab was ushering him away from contact with his daughter.
"Uh huh, a couple of weeks ago."
"When were you planning on telling me?"
"When I saw you."
Jaffer didn't like the tone in Jacob's voice, and he didn't like the way the man was staring at his Sam. The cheerfulness that had been practically an aura around the black lab since he'd woken up dimmed, and there was a low growl now rumbling in his chest. Deep in his chest. Sam caught it immediately, and stroked Jaffer's ears to reassure him, but Jacob didn't notice, and he crossed his arms over his chest, torn between hurt that she hadn't let him know sooner, and anger that she seemed to have been hiding it from him.
"You could have called."
Sam shrugged, kneeling down and stroking Jaffer's side. "I don't have your phone number."
"Is he always like this?" Jacob asked, changing the subject, and pointing at Jaffer. Selmac had pointed out the dog's behavior, and Jacob had to agree it wasn't normal.
"Only when he thinks he's protecting me." She smiled, thinking that Jacob and Jaffer had a lot in common in this instance. Both were concerned about her. Jaffer definitely had the advantage in this one, though.
"I'm not a threat to you."
"He doesn't know you all that well, dad. It's not like he sees you every day." She shrugged, "Why don't we take him for a walk? I'll tell you all about the proposal, and you and Jaffer can spend some time together, so he can see you're not as bad as you're trying to act."
Jacob scowled. Jaffer probably scowled. But Sam reached for the black lab's leash, and neither one of them had any chance to say no.
.............
Sam had known when she went to bed how she was going to be woken up the next day. Although Jack was usually the victim of Jaffer's early morning wake up game, Sam had been zinged by him enough times that she rarely was startled when she woke up to find herself straddled by a hulking dog that was looming over and her staring at her with an impossible intense expression in those deep brown eyes.
Of course, the first time she'd been woken up that night, it hadn't been in play. Jaffer's cold nose and low growl were enough to tell Sam that he wanted her awake, and the hackles that she could feel standing up on his ruff told her that something was going on that he didn't like. She didn't read Jaffer as well as Jack did – no one did, and no one ever would – but she'd known him all his life, and she knew immediately, even in the dark, that he wasn't playing. She'd reached for her robe in the dark, even as Jaffer had slunk out of her room as silently as he'd entered. Presumably to deal with whatever it was, or to investigate it further. A moment later, she'd heard her father's surprised cry, and she'd pelted down the hall on silent feet to see what was going on.
Once Jaffer had been reassured Jacob wasn't a threat, and that he was doing a great job as guard dog, Sam had made up the bed in the guest room for her dad. It was really too late that evening for them to sit and chat. Sam knew that her day was going to begin early the next morning, and knew that she had a lot to do – even if Jacob obviously was just here for a social call, which was a pleasant switch. So she'd hugged him, told him to make himself comfortable, and had went to bed.
It seemed as if her head had only barely touched the pillow again when she felt the looming presence of Jaffer standing over her, permeating her sleepy mind and invading her dreams. Sam opened her eyes, frowning sleepily as she looked into those cheerful brown eyes that were so happy they made her heart flip-flop.
"It can't be morning, already," She complained, pushing on his chest and trying to avoid his tongue, which was his primary weapon in the wake-up battle. Of course, her bedroom was lit up with the first light of the morning sun and that didn't happen in the middle of the night, so she had to admit it probably was morning.
Jaffer's tail wagged furiously when she spoke, and he nuzzled her neck with his cold wet nose. It was morning! It was time for her to get up, because he wanted to go out, and he wanted to go for a walk, and he wanted her to come with him!
"Let me up, Jaffer," Sam said, trying to wriggle out from under him. He was cheating outrageously, using his weight and leverage to hold her pinned to the bed while he licked her neck and ears. She pushed against his chest once more. "Why don't you go wake up my dad?" Of course, by then Sam would have sicced Jaffer on anyone to get him off her. She didn't really expect him to do it, though.
That was a fine idea. Jaffer jumped to the floor gracefully and headed out the door, and Sam grumbled as she threw back the covers and grabbed a towel to wipe the dog slobber off her face while she walked down the hall to make coffee. She didn't see the black tail vanishing into the guest room.
She'd barely started the coffee to brewing and was standing in the kitchen leaning against the counter while she tried to wake up, when she heard a startled yell coming from down the hall.
"SAM!"
Grinning despite the irritation she heard in his voice, Sam hurried down the hall and to the open door of the guest room. Jacob was sprawled on the floor next to the bed, looking wild-eyed and very miffed. Jaffer was standing on the bed, looking down at him, his tail wagging idly and his brown eyes mischievously cheerful.
"What is Jack teaching him?" Jacob asked, scowling at his daughter and then up at the dog.
"Jack didn't teach him that one, dad," Sam said, smiling. "He learned it all on his own. You get used to it after a while."
"It's a terrible way to wake up."
"At least he didn't use his teeth, this time."
"Very funny."
Jacob scowled again and dragged himself off the floor to sit on the bed next to Jaffer. Despite his irritation, he couldn't resist reaching out and stroking the black hide, amazed by how silky it was. Jacob loved dogs, and missed them more than pretty much anything. The Tok'ra needed dogs.
"Do you have any coffee made?"
"It's making."
"I need a cup."
"Get dressed and meet me in the kitchen." She told him, gesturing for Jaffer to come with her. The black lab hopped down off the bed, and trotted over to Sam's side. He'd done his job, it was time to go out.
She took him to the back door, and let him out, then stood in the yard and watched him. Sam's back yard wasn't fenced in, so she wouldn't leave him out alone. She was well aware that Jack had entrusted his baby to her, and there was no way she was going to let anything happen to him while she was watching him. Jaffer seemed to understand this as well, and he didn't linger outside long, knowing that she was waiting on him. He took care of his business, checked to make sure nothing had peed in his yard – which was his simply because he was in it – and then headed for the door again, far too awake for the early hour.
"What do you have scheduled for your day, Sam?" Jacob asked. He was standing in the kitchen pouring coffee when she and Jaffer came back inside. The black lab went over and sniffed him again, just to make sure he was still the same guy that he'd decided was okay earlier. Satisfied that he wasn't a threat to his Sam, Jaffer went over and stood next to his food dish in a not so subtle reminder that he needed some breakfast.
"I have a report due on the device that SG-8 found last week. I'm pretty sure it's simply a generator – with a low frequency modulation that allows it to carry a charge for several days – but I have to test that theory before I can turn in the final paper. So I'll be in my lab this morning." She took the cup of coffee he offered her, set it on the counter and picked up Jaffer's food dish, taking it over to the large bag of Dog Chow that was resting by the door.
"Any way you can get out of it and spend some time with your old man?"
She shrugged as she set the now full food dish on the floor for Jaffer. "Probably. General Hammond isn't in any hurry to get the report, I'm sure. Did you have something in mind?"
"No, not really..." Jacob trailed off as he noticed for the first time the new piece of jewelry on her finger. He walked over, reached out and took her hand without a word, and Jaffer was instantly watching, his breakfast forgotten, and his hackles raising just a little at the sudden motion and the way Jacob practically grabbed his Sam without so much as a by your leave. "What's this?"
Sam smiled, and reached her free hand down to reassure Jaffer, who moved between the two of them again, pushing Jacob away from his Sam.
"It's an engagement ring." Sam said, looking down at the ring like she always did when someone mentioned it.
"Jack proposed?" Jacob was too startled by this news to be annoyed at the way the black lab was ushering him away from contact with his daughter.
"Uh huh, a couple of weeks ago."
"When were you planning on telling me?"
"When I saw you."
Jaffer didn't like the tone in Jacob's voice, and he didn't like the way the man was staring at his Sam. The cheerfulness that had been practically an aura around the black lab since he'd woken up dimmed, and there was a low growl now rumbling in his chest. Deep in his chest. Sam caught it immediately, and stroked Jaffer's ears to reassure him, but Jacob didn't notice, and he crossed his arms over his chest, torn between hurt that she hadn't let him know sooner, and anger that she seemed to have been hiding it from him.
"You could have called."
Sam shrugged, kneeling down and stroking Jaffer's side. "I don't have your phone number."
"Is he always like this?" Jacob asked, changing the subject, and pointing at Jaffer. Selmac had pointed out the dog's behavior, and Jacob had to agree it wasn't normal.
"Only when he thinks he's protecting me." She smiled, thinking that Jacob and Jaffer had a lot in common in this instance. Both were concerned about her. Jaffer definitely had the advantage in this one, though.
"I'm not a threat to you."
"He doesn't know you all that well, dad. It's not like he sees you every day." She shrugged, "Why don't we take him for a walk? I'll tell you all about the proposal, and you and Jaffer can spend some time together, so he can see you're not as bad as you're trying to act."
Jacob scowled. Jaffer probably scowled. But Sam reached for the black lab's leash, and neither one of them had any chance to say no.