Author's Note: Just in response to a review; Jaffer's not really over wieght, he's just really big for a lab. In one of the stories I wrote - who knows which one - I out that Jaffer doesn't get people food unless he eats his good for him dog food, so he really does eat healthy, and he's an active dog, so he's just like Monica said - in perfect health. Just a little indulged

...............

Jack frowned, but it wasn't his annoyed frown, Shawn knew.

"I am marrying Sam, Shawn."

"Yeah, but you guys haven't really set a date, right?"

"No. We're not sure-"

"But you have to marry her soon, Jack."

Now he was confused.

"Why?"

"Because I'm not going to be around for the wedding if you don't."

"Because of the Air Force Academy, you mean?"

Shawn had convinced Jack and Dotty to allow him to go into the Air Force Academy years earlier than Jack had planned on him going in, mainly because the boy was doing so well in his studies with the Asgard that his regular schooling was pretty much a joke. He was ready for more challenges, and even Jack had to admit that the boy was probably ready for the Academy – whether the academy was ready for him or not. He'd be going in the next fall, when term began. After Jack had a long talk with pretty much everyone that taught there, because there was no way he was going to let Shawn into the school until the instructors had been made clear of what Jack expected of them. But that was another story.

Shawn nodded.

"If you don't marry her soon, I won't get to come, and I can't miss it." He was convinced he was the whole reason Sam and Jack were together, after all. He'd long since plotted to get them together – way back before he'd known Jack was his father, and before he'd known there were rules against such things. Back at camp, the first year.

"You'll get to come, Shawn," Jack assured him. "No matter when we have it. I'd never marry her without having you there."

"But I..." Shawn shrugged, again trying to find the way to say what he wanted to say. "I want you settled before I go."

Jack would have smiled if not for the fact that he knew that Shawn was absolutely serious. The boy didn't want to leave Jack without having seen him safely married to Sam and settled down a little.

"Shawn, I don't even know if Sam wants to get married right away."

"You haven't asked?"

Jack couldn't believe he was having this conversation. The weird thing was, though, Shawn was absolutely the only person he'd have ever talked about this to – besides Sam, of course. If Daniel had brought it up, for instance, Jack would have become closed-mouthed and slightly defensive.

"We discussed it."

"What did she say?"

Jack shrugged. "Something about getting married when things were settled more, and the time was right."

"It's not going to be more right than it is now, Jack." Shawn said, seriously. Far more seriously than any other thirteen year old, Jack was sure. "I bet if you asked her, she'd say yes."

"I already asked her, remember?"

"Not to marry you, Jack." The boy rolled his eyes. "Ask her to marry you, soon."

"How soon are we talking, Shawn? Not next week or anything..."

"Nothing wrong with a summer wedding, is there?" It was obvious he'd given this a lot of thought. "You could have it on base, or even in your back yard. Or in a church – although Sam mentioned once that she didn't care where she got married."

"You talked to her about this?"

"Of course not." He rolled his eyes, again. "I'd never go behind your back like that, Jack. You know that."

Yeah, he knew that.

"We were just talking weddings in general. Not hers." Shawn shrugged. "Just think about it, please? The world's always going to be a dangerous place, and if you're waiting for peace on Earth before you marry her... well, you're never going to have it."

Oh, so cynical for a thirteen year old! There was no doubt he was Jack's son, that was for sure.

Jack nodded.

"I'll think about it." He promised. "I'll even ask Sam about it."

"Thanks, Jack."

"Thanks for caring, Shawn."

The boy smiled, and leaned back into the sofa, taking another drink of his pop.

"Well, Jaffer can't be the only to watch out for you, you know?"

Jaffer snorted, plainly convinced that he was the only one to watch out for Jack, and Shawn's smile grew.

"So, Abby and Jaffer are going to have puppies?"

"That's the plan. If they cooperate."

"Are you and Sam going to have kids?"

"If she cooperates."

Shawn laughed.

"It'd be nice to have a brother or a sister. Well, half-brother or sister, I suppose."

"You'd baby-sit?"

"You'd trust me to?"

"Of course. You've come a long way from the dumb little kid you used to be, you know."

Shawn's smile returned. He'd done a number of foolish and impulsive things in his short life, and Jack had been around for the very worst of them. But he was a lot smarter and a lot more mature now than he had been, and he knew it. It made him proud that Jack seemed to know it as well.

"I've had a lot of help getting there."

Jack didn't disagree with that, but he also knew that most of it was from Shawn, himself. Time to switch the subject, though, before the kid had to go buy a new hat because his head was swelling.

"So... what's new with that girl you were telling me about?"

Shawn blushed. Not just a little, either. The boy's tanned face turned a brilliant shade of red, and he almost dropped his pop.

"Uh... she's... well..."

Jack smiled.

"Yeah?"

"She's... okay."

"Just okay, huh?"

Oh this was a perfect distraction for Jack. He couldn't have come up with a better one if he'd blown out birthday candles and made the wish.

"Well. I won't get much chance to do any... attempted dating or anything..."

"You're too young to date, Shawn." Jack told him.

"But not too young to look, right?"

"Well, probably too young for that, too," Jack said.

Of course, he was a teenager now, so it probably wasn't going to be too long. The boy was maturing in more ways than just mentally, after all. Jack was almost glad he'd been convinced to allow him to go into the Air Force Academy. He'd be in a very controlled environment when he actually started doing the whole dating scene, and by the time he got out, he'd be a man and more than old enough to not need Jack's advice or approval.

"When did you first start dating?"

Jack shrugged. "I was probably about fourteen or fifteen."

"What was your first girlfriend's name?"

"Jill." He smiled. "It was a running joke at my school, let me tell you. Every time we went near a hill, we'd always get the same warnings... Jack and Jill, stay away from that hill... something like that..."

Shawn laughed, and started asking Jack other questions about his childhood. The boy really didn't know a ton about O'Neill, and he was getting to the point in his life when he was wanting to know about his roots – where he came from, what his family was all about, things like that. Maybe he and Jack couldn't openly acknowledge their relationship – and who knew when they'd be able to – but Shawn knew about it, and he wanted to know as much about Jack as he could. Besides, he wanted to learn more about girls, too, and asking Jack about the girls he'd known was a good step in that direction.

The two of them spent the afternoon on the couch – and the back deck when they took the dogs out to run – and they spent the day talking. It was very satisfying for both of them, and a far better day than Jack could have imagined. Teachers should have conferences more often.