Author's Note: Sorry about how long it took to get this chapter and the last up. I'm usually more punctual about this sort of thing, but I've been besieged by work, and had to deal with it. (And my cat is being annoying, but we won't go there)
..........................
"Jack?"
The voice was soft and familiar, and as far as he was concerned it was the best voice to hear when he woke up in the morning. He opened his eyes and saw Sam leaning over him, a gentle smile on her face.
"Hey..." he looked around for Jaffer or Gina, but they were alone in his room. "Everything okay?"
Sam nodded.
"We thought we'd come by and see if you wanted to have lunch with us before I took Gina home."
"Lunch?"
Jack looked at his watch and was surprised to see it was after 1:00. He'd woken at 6:30 just long enough to let Jaffer out, but both of them had been ready for an extended nap, and they'd went back to bed. It was Sunday morning, after all, and if he could, Jack would always sleep in on Sunday morning. He hadn't expected to sleep quite this late, however.
Sam nodded. "Interested?"
"Sure." He looked around again, and Sam ran her finger along his cheek. He was so cute when he'd just woken up and was disorientated like he was. "Where's Gina?"
"Out back with Jaffer."
"Let me get dressed, and I'll be ready."
She rested her hand against his bare chest and kissed him, softly.
"How do you feel?"
"I'm fine, Sam." He felt fine, too. Just a little sleep-fogged.
She accepted that, since he looked like he felt fine. Although she was concerned he'd slept so late. Sundays he always slept in, but 1:00 was extreme, even for Jack and Jaffer. "I'll be out back, too."
Jack nodded, and watched as she got off the bed and walked out of the room and down the hall, and then he yawned and stretched, and pushed the blankets back. God, he didn't deserve her.
.......................
"Hi, Jack!"
He smiled as he came out of the sliding glass door and onto the deck in the back of his house. Gina came rushing over, followed closely by Jaffer, who practically bowled the girl over to get to Jack and get some petting.
"Hi, sweetheart."
Jack gave her a quick hug, and then scratched Jaffer's ears. Looking down at the black lab, he had a sense of some dream that he'd had the night before, but he couldn't remember what it was. Only that it had involved Jaffer, somehow. Of course, that wasn't all that weird, since there were only a few things – people or otherwise – that he had good dreams about, and Jaffer and Sam were right at the top of the short list.
"You sure slept late."
"I stayed up late."
"We did, too." The girl smiled at Sam. "We played video games, what did you do?"
"We had burgers."
Sam frowned at that little announcement.
"You didn't! After eating all that fair food?"
Jack tried to look repentant, but failed.
"Well... Jaffer was hungry."
"Uh huh." She didn't buy it, and Jack knew it. Gina giggled.
"Yeah, well... we should go get something to eat, right?" Jack wrapped his arms around Gina. "Are you hungry?"
"Starving!"
"Sam didn't feed you breakfast?" Jack looked shocked.
"We had bananas."
"That's it?"
"And muffins," Sam added, defensively.
"Oh, well... muffins, too..." He grinned. "That changes everything."
Jaffer whuffled Jack and Gina, looking for attention or a snack – or both. He wasn't choosy. Sam ran her hand along the black nose, affectionately.
"Let's go get something to eat," she said. "I have to have Gina back home sometime this afternoon."
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They ended up eating at IHOP. It was their usual spot, and the wait staff there were always glad to see them. Even better, they allowed Jaffer in the dining room under the guise of a Service dog, as long as he stayed close to Jack. Which was never a problem. Since Jaffer and Jack had both slept through breakfast, they were hungry enough to order a lot of food and eat it all – along with whatever Gina and Sam ordered but didn't manage to finish. They talked about the carnival the night before while they ate, and although Jack really had no intention of discussing Xara with either of them, the psychic came up in their conversation.
"What did Madam Xara want to talk to you about, Jack?" Gina asked.
He had expected the question the night before, so he was pretty much ready for it – although he'd expected it to come from Sam.
"She was asking about Jaffer." He told her, evasively.
"Oh." Gina seemed a little disappointed, as if she'd been hoping there'd been a better reason for the psychic to hold Jack back, but Jack didn't allow her a chance to ask any more.
"So... tell me about this boy you have a crush on..."
The girl colored instantly, casting a sideways glance at Sam, who was grinning – despite the fact that she recognized the question as a distraction from Gina's original question.
"He's... um..."
"Does he go to your school?"
She nodded.
"Is he older than you?"
Another nod.
"How much older?"
"A whole year – almost."
"What's his name?"
"Bobby."
"Is he nice?"
Really, no one could interrogate like Jack could when he set his mind to it – except maybe Andrew's Stephens' grandmothers – and by the time they'd finished their lunch, Jack knew everything there was to know about Bobby. What he liked, what he didn't like, what he wore to school, what color his hair was. What color his eyes were. What Gina liked about him. Pretty much everything. Enough to know it was a crush, but probably nothing more. Which was fine, since Jack wasn't ready to give Gina up to another guy just yet.
"We've got to get going," Sam said, finally, as Gina finished talking about how Bobby liked Math, but didn't really like Science – not that anyone cared but her.
Jack looked at his watch, and agreed with her. It was after 2:00, now, and he still had a stop he wanted to make before it got too late in the afternoon. He paid the check – leaving a big tip like he always did, since the girls that waited on them always treated Jaffer like a king there – and walked out to the parking lot with Gina walking between him and Sam, and Jaffer lazily walking next to him, still on his leash, but not really minding all that much.
They'd taken separate cars, since Sam had to take Gina home, and Jack opened the door for Gina, then walked around with Sam and opened hers as well, although she didn't get in right away.
"You have any plans this evening?" She asked him, reaching out and taking his hand.
"I was hoping to spend it with you." Jack said. "Unless you're busy?"
Carter shook her head, smiling. "I think that can be arranged."
"I'm going to go see if Shawn's back, yet, and then I'll probably be home – unless something comes up."
"You have your cell?"
"It's in the truck."
"I'll call you if I get done before you get home."
He nodded and kissed her lightly. Nothing too mushy with Gina watching them, after all.
"I'll see you later."
She got behind the wheel and closed the door, and both of them looked at him through the driver's window.
"Bye, Jack!" Gina waved, happily.
Jack smiled, because there was no love better than the unconditional love he was surrounded by just then.
"Bye sweetheart. I'll see you soon."
He and Jaffer watched as Sam drove off, then he looked down at the black lab, who was watching him.
"Let's go see Dotty, little man. You can distract Shawn, while I try to figure out how to ask her about Sam."
Jaffer wagged his tail in agreement, and the two headed for Jack's truck.