Epilogue
"Jack!"
O'Neill turned, having barely stepped off the elevator, and was surprised to see Daniel coming up to him at a fast walk. The archeologist smiled when he saw the small black form Jack was cradling in his arm, and he rested a hand lightly on the fuzzy little head.
"What are you doing here, Daniel?" Jack asked, frowning. "You're supposed to be at the party."
"So are you."
"I forgot the card."
"Where's Jaffer?"
"With Sam. Where's Sally?"
"With Janet."
"Why are you still here?"
"I left my gift." He held up a gaily-wrapped present. "Can't go to a party without a present."
"Does that mean I get presents at my bachelor's party next week?"
Daniel frowned. "We'll see."
Well, that was better than no.
"Want to ride out with me?" Jack offered. "Sally can bring you back – or I can, later."
"That'd be great, Jack. Thanks." He looked at the puppy in Jack's arms, and smiled, softly. "Can I hold her?"
"Sure." Jack handed the puppy over to his friend. "Don't drop her."
"I won't drop her."
"I'll be right back. I need to go get the card." Jack gave him another warning look, plainly reminding him not to drop the precious burden he was holding, but Daniel had her in careful arms. She wasn't going to go anywhere. He smiled as Jack walked down the hall, and looked down at the puppy. She was exactly what Daniel had expected one of Jaffer's babies to look like. Black and fuzzy, just like Jack's big lab had been when he was little, and she had huge paws to grow into, and a gleam of mischievousness in her eyes that still reminded him of Jaffer.
"You are adorable," Daniel murmured to the puppy, who licked his face, ecstatically. She loved being held, and she loved being spoken to in soft tones. "You have no idea how happy you're going to make someone he loves."
Daniel had finally been let in on the secret, and even though he'd lost the bet, he had to admit that it was a perfect choice. One that had truly surprised him.
The puppy, who didn't have a name yet, simply licked him again. Daniel smiled. She was sweet like Abby was. A perfect blend of her parents. Daniel couldn't wait to see how she was when she was bigger.
"Ready?"
Jack had come up behind them without Daniel noticing, and he looked over sheepishly, having been caught talking to the puppy in baby tones. Jack didn't laugh, though. He'd spoken to Jaffer like that most of the time when his baby had been a puppy.
"Yeah. We're ready." Daniel started to hand her over to Jack, but he shook his head. "You hold her, Daniel."
Daniel smiled, pleased, and cuddled the puppy closer, much to her pleasure. The two men got on the elevator and headed for the surface. Ten minutes later, they were in Jack's truck, and Jaffer's jet-black fuzzy daughter was securely in Daniel's lap as Jack drove off-base.
................
Jack's house was changed considerably in the past months. The day they'd moved Sam into his house, Jack had left her in her old house with Janet and Cassandra and a handful of volunteers – most of them big burly Marines who normally guarded the base, but this weekend were wearing a different hat – movers. Since most military families moved at least a few times, most of the men were adept at packing, and Jack had had a plethora of volunteers to choose from. Half the volunteers were packing the final things at Sam's house. The other half were at Jack's, building a surprise.
When Sam had pulled up in the passenger seat of a moving truck, she'd been shocked to see that in only a few hours the platoons of marines – under the watchful eye of Jack and a Navy Seabee named Floyd – had built her a beautiful white picket fence around the front yard. It was perfect, and Sam had been hard-pressed to keep from crying as Jack had put down step one of what he called the Things Sam Should Have. She'd heard the list, of course. He'd told her the list the night they'd settled on a date for their wedding. A picket fence, a dog and 2.5 kids. She'd laughed about the .5 kid, telling him that that was going to be impossible, but Jack pointed out she already had that one. Or she would the day she married him, anyways. Shawn was Jack's son, but Dotty's son, as well, and that only made him half Jack's. What was Jack's would soon be Sam's, which meant that in a couple of weeks, she'd have the .5 kid, and that would be .5 down and two to go. And of course, they already had the dog. Of course, Jaffer probably counted as two, but that wasn't an issue.
"The party's already started," Daniel murmured, slightly disappointed, when they pulled up to the drive.
"They're not going to wait for us, Daniel," Jack said, grinning. He unbuckled his seatbelt, and reached over to take the puppy from him. She went willingly – already she was completely in love with Jack, and he'd only had her for a few days. He cuddled her close, and waited for Daniel to get out of the truck. "Come on, let's go find everyone else."
They didn't need to find everyone else. As soon as Jack had pulled into the driveway, Jaffer had known he was home, and that tipped off Sam, who told the others who was there. As Jack and Daniel went through the gate, Jaffer came roaring around the side of the house, barreling toward him and Daniel at what could only be called a gallop. Following him was a herd of children, all screaming happily. Behind them followed a small group of adults, including Sally, Sam and Teal'c, all wearing party hats and smiles.
"Daniel!"
"Jack!"
The girls gathered almost exclusively around Daniel, much to Jack's amusement, but a couple came over to Jack, as did most of the boys. He smiled. Of the nine kids who'd been in his original cabin China, all of the boys were there, and they were all so much bigger than they'd been when he first saw them so many years ago.
"Who's that, Jack?" Simon asked, pointing at the puppy in his arms. Only Shawn and Andrew knew that it was Jaffer's puppy, for the secret had been kept completely and utterly.
"This is Jaffer's puppy."
"Ohhhhh! What's his name, Jack?" Asked Devon.
"Can I hold him, Jack?"
"Wow, how old is he?"
"You're going to have two dogs?"
Jack grinned at the boys, and beckoned Gina over closer. The girl had been swarmed by the boys, and hadn't bothered to push her way forward, knowing that Jack wouldn't keep her left out for long. She had more faith in him than that. She came forward, smiling. He was going to let her hold his puppy!
"This isn't a boy puppy," Jack told the boys gathered around. Now the girls were gathering around as well, Daniel forgotten in the wake of a cute puppy. Sam came over as well, slipping through the crowd of youngsters to stand beside Jack, her arm coming around his waist. "It's a girl puppy. And she isn't mine. She's Gina's."
"What?"
Gina's eyes were wide as she reached for the puppy that Jack was handing over. The fuzzy creature was already licking her face, but Gina's eyes were only for Jack.
"Mine?"
Jack nodded, smiling.
"Your mom said it'd be fine, and I think you and her will be best friends."
"Like you and Jaffer, huh, Jack?" Shawn said, grinning at Gina.
"Exactly, Shawn."
"She's really mine?"
"Yes."
Gina looked like she was near tears, but she buried her face in the fuzzy fur for a moment, and when she looked up her eyes were wet, but there was only happiness there.
"You have to name her," Jack told her. "She's got to start learning her name."
"What are you going to name her, Gina?" Shawn asked.
Gina looked at the crowd helplessly. She'd never named anything before.
"Try a name that starts with a J," Andrew suggested. He had a lot of practice naming labs, since he'd watched several litters of puppies come and go, all of them having fine names. "Since Jaffer's her daddy."
"How about Jasmine?" Gina asked, smiling.
"It's a beautiful name," Jack said, his own smile tender and loving, and enough to make Sam's heart melt. "Happy birthday, sweetheart."
Gina handed the puppy to Shawn, who was standing closest to her, and wrapped her arms tightly around Jack, her eyes once more filling with tears. Jack hugged her close.
"She's the best present ever, Jack."
He smiled, and pressed a tender kiss against her tear-smeared cheek.
"You deserve the best."
"So do you."
Jack ran his fingers through Gina's silky hair, and for a moment, the two of them were lost in their own little world. He looked at Shawn, and Sam, who were standing close by, then at Daniel and Teal'c, who were also near at hand. Jaffer came over and stuck his nose in Jack's face, and O'Neill smiled.
"I already have the best, sweetheart. What more could I possibly ask for?"
The end.
Author's note: So! Here it is! The end of another story. I hope you all liked it, but if you didn't, let me know why. (If you did, let me know, too!) Yes, Daniel's allergic, so he couldn't have the puppy, Sam will have Jaffer who is a handful himself, and Shawn will be at school where he couldn't have a dog even if he wanted to... that left Gina) Andrew has Shadow, he doesn't need a puppy
"Jack!"
O'Neill turned, having barely stepped off the elevator, and was surprised to see Daniel coming up to him at a fast walk. The archeologist smiled when he saw the small black form Jack was cradling in his arm, and he rested a hand lightly on the fuzzy little head.
"What are you doing here, Daniel?" Jack asked, frowning. "You're supposed to be at the party."
"So are you."
"I forgot the card."
"Where's Jaffer?"
"With Sam. Where's Sally?"
"With Janet."
"Why are you still here?"
"I left my gift." He held up a gaily-wrapped present. "Can't go to a party without a present."
"Does that mean I get presents at my bachelor's party next week?"
Daniel frowned. "We'll see."
Well, that was better than no.
"Want to ride out with me?" Jack offered. "Sally can bring you back – or I can, later."
"That'd be great, Jack. Thanks." He looked at the puppy in Jack's arms, and smiled, softly. "Can I hold her?"
"Sure." Jack handed the puppy over to his friend. "Don't drop her."
"I won't drop her."
"I'll be right back. I need to go get the card." Jack gave him another warning look, plainly reminding him not to drop the precious burden he was holding, but Daniel had her in careful arms. She wasn't going to go anywhere. He smiled as Jack walked down the hall, and looked down at the puppy. She was exactly what Daniel had expected one of Jaffer's babies to look like. Black and fuzzy, just like Jack's big lab had been when he was little, and she had huge paws to grow into, and a gleam of mischievousness in her eyes that still reminded him of Jaffer.
"You are adorable," Daniel murmured to the puppy, who licked his face, ecstatically. She loved being held, and she loved being spoken to in soft tones. "You have no idea how happy you're going to make someone he loves."
Daniel had finally been let in on the secret, and even though he'd lost the bet, he had to admit that it was a perfect choice. One that had truly surprised him.
The puppy, who didn't have a name yet, simply licked him again. Daniel smiled. She was sweet like Abby was. A perfect blend of her parents. Daniel couldn't wait to see how she was when she was bigger.
"Ready?"
Jack had come up behind them without Daniel noticing, and he looked over sheepishly, having been caught talking to the puppy in baby tones. Jack didn't laugh, though. He'd spoken to Jaffer like that most of the time when his baby had been a puppy.
"Yeah. We're ready." Daniel started to hand her over to Jack, but he shook his head. "You hold her, Daniel."
Daniel smiled, pleased, and cuddled the puppy closer, much to her pleasure. The two men got on the elevator and headed for the surface. Ten minutes later, they were in Jack's truck, and Jaffer's jet-black fuzzy daughter was securely in Daniel's lap as Jack drove off-base.
................
Jack's house was changed considerably in the past months. The day they'd moved Sam into his house, Jack had left her in her old house with Janet and Cassandra and a handful of volunteers – most of them big burly Marines who normally guarded the base, but this weekend were wearing a different hat – movers. Since most military families moved at least a few times, most of the men were adept at packing, and Jack had had a plethora of volunteers to choose from. Half the volunteers were packing the final things at Sam's house. The other half were at Jack's, building a surprise.
When Sam had pulled up in the passenger seat of a moving truck, she'd been shocked to see that in only a few hours the platoons of marines – under the watchful eye of Jack and a Navy Seabee named Floyd – had built her a beautiful white picket fence around the front yard. It was perfect, and Sam had been hard-pressed to keep from crying as Jack had put down step one of what he called the Things Sam Should Have. She'd heard the list, of course. He'd told her the list the night they'd settled on a date for their wedding. A picket fence, a dog and 2.5 kids. She'd laughed about the .5 kid, telling him that that was going to be impossible, but Jack pointed out she already had that one. Or she would the day she married him, anyways. Shawn was Jack's son, but Dotty's son, as well, and that only made him half Jack's. What was Jack's would soon be Sam's, which meant that in a couple of weeks, she'd have the .5 kid, and that would be .5 down and two to go. And of course, they already had the dog. Of course, Jaffer probably counted as two, but that wasn't an issue.
"The party's already started," Daniel murmured, slightly disappointed, when they pulled up to the drive.
"They're not going to wait for us, Daniel," Jack said, grinning. He unbuckled his seatbelt, and reached over to take the puppy from him. She went willingly – already she was completely in love with Jack, and he'd only had her for a few days. He cuddled her close, and waited for Daniel to get out of the truck. "Come on, let's go find everyone else."
They didn't need to find everyone else. As soon as Jack had pulled into the driveway, Jaffer had known he was home, and that tipped off Sam, who told the others who was there. As Jack and Daniel went through the gate, Jaffer came roaring around the side of the house, barreling toward him and Daniel at what could only be called a gallop. Following him was a herd of children, all screaming happily. Behind them followed a small group of adults, including Sally, Sam and Teal'c, all wearing party hats and smiles.
"Daniel!"
"Jack!"
The girls gathered almost exclusively around Daniel, much to Jack's amusement, but a couple came over to Jack, as did most of the boys. He smiled. Of the nine kids who'd been in his original cabin China, all of the boys were there, and they were all so much bigger than they'd been when he first saw them so many years ago.
"Who's that, Jack?" Simon asked, pointing at the puppy in his arms. Only Shawn and Andrew knew that it was Jaffer's puppy, for the secret had been kept completely and utterly.
"This is Jaffer's puppy."
"Ohhhhh! What's his name, Jack?" Asked Devon.
"Can I hold him, Jack?"
"Wow, how old is he?"
"You're going to have two dogs?"
Jack grinned at the boys, and beckoned Gina over closer. The girl had been swarmed by the boys, and hadn't bothered to push her way forward, knowing that Jack wouldn't keep her left out for long. She had more faith in him than that. She came forward, smiling. He was going to let her hold his puppy!
"This isn't a boy puppy," Jack told the boys gathered around. Now the girls were gathering around as well, Daniel forgotten in the wake of a cute puppy. Sam came over as well, slipping through the crowd of youngsters to stand beside Jack, her arm coming around his waist. "It's a girl puppy. And she isn't mine. She's Gina's."
"What?"
Gina's eyes were wide as she reached for the puppy that Jack was handing over. The fuzzy creature was already licking her face, but Gina's eyes were only for Jack.
"Mine?"
Jack nodded, smiling.
"Your mom said it'd be fine, and I think you and her will be best friends."
"Like you and Jaffer, huh, Jack?" Shawn said, grinning at Gina.
"Exactly, Shawn."
"She's really mine?"
"Yes."
Gina looked like she was near tears, but she buried her face in the fuzzy fur for a moment, and when she looked up her eyes were wet, but there was only happiness there.
"You have to name her," Jack told her. "She's got to start learning her name."
"What are you going to name her, Gina?" Shawn asked.
Gina looked at the crowd helplessly. She'd never named anything before.
"Try a name that starts with a J," Andrew suggested. He had a lot of practice naming labs, since he'd watched several litters of puppies come and go, all of them having fine names. "Since Jaffer's her daddy."
"How about Jasmine?" Gina asked, smiling.
"It's a beautiful name," Jack said, his own smile tender and loving, and enough to make Sam's heart melt. "Happy birthday, sweetheart."
Gina handed the puppy to Shawn, who was standing closest to her, and wrapped her arms tightly around Jack, her eyes once more filling with tears. Jack hugged her close.
"She's the best present ever, Jack."
He smiled, and pressed a tender kiss against her tear-smeared cheek.
"You deserve the best."
"So do you."
Jack ran his fingers through Gina's silky hair, and for a moment, the two of them were lost in their own little world. He looked at Shawn, and Sam, who were standing close by, then at Daniel and Teal'c, who were also near at hand. Jaffer came over and stuck his nose in Jack's face, and O'Neill smiled.
"I already have the best, sweetheart. What more could I possibly ask for?"
The end.
Author's note: So! Here it is! The end of another story. I hope you all liked it, but if you didn't, let me know why. (If you did, let me know, too!) Yes, Daniel's allergic, so he couldn't have the puppy, Sam will have Jaffer who is a handful himself, and Shawn will be at school where he couldn't have a dog even if he wanted to... that left Gina) Andrew has Shadow, he doesn't need a puppy