-- Chapter Eight: The Luck of the Irish

Three weeks later, Jack and Daniel headed for Molly's shelter to put in a couple of hours with the children. Teal'c was babysitting for only the second time, and both Jack and Daniel were a little anxious. Then again, they knew Teal'c would protect their Munchkins at all costs. Still, they were nervous, so Sam had agreed to "drop by" unannounced, just as she had done when Cassie had first babysat the triplets.

As they drove silently to the shelter, each was sad. This would be one of their last trips as Molly had managed to place two-thirds of the children previously in her care with adoptive families. They were also very worried about the Morgan siblings. The prospect of them being placed together in a home was shrinking day by day.

Although neither of them had admitted it, both Jack and Daniel had each formed a special connection with the three children and couldn't bear the thought of them being separated.

An hour later, as Jack watched Jennifer show a couple of the remaining boys how to lay down a bunt, he thought back to the week earlier when he had such hope that Jennifer and her siblings would find a happy home with friends of his.

Flashback/
Knowing the Jenkins were planning on adopting more children, Jack contacted them. Dave and Julie were very interested and flew out to meet some of the remaining children. They spent an entire day just visiting with the children and talking with Molly about them. Towards the end of the day, Jack dropped by.

Julie spotted the retired General walking down the hall. With a huge smile on her face, she approached him. They chitchatted for a few minutes, and then finally, they began talking about the children.

"Aren't the Morgans great?" Jack asked.

"Jack," Julie smiled, her heart aching a little. She knew Jack loved these children, more than he had even admitted to himself. He was written all over his face. She walked up to him and took his hands. "I know you have a special affection for those three children, and they are adorable, but we can't add three more children to our family right now. It's just too much, especially with that adorable Chenoa. She needs more attention than we can give her with our growing family."

Jack was disappointed, but he smiled and nodded.

"I'm glad you came, though, and were willing to consider adopting them. Molly will understand."

"Jack, three would be too many, but when we were there this morning, there was a lovely girl, nine-years-old. She and our Danny hit it off."

Jack smiled and asked excitedly, "Michelle? Cute little blonde with dimples wider than the Mississippi?"

"That's the one. She and Danny are in the library discussing ... some ancient land, and Dave is talking with Molly about her now."

Their visit was definitely too short, and soon the Jenkins were headed home again. They weren't able to take Michelle with them yet, but the paperwork had been started.

Three days later, Jack checked on another possibility and called his Academy chum, Dale Rancolini.

"Dale, have you and Nancy discussed adopting any of the kids from the shelter?"

"Jack, you could be their PR person."

"It's just I've known some of them a long time, and, well, Molly's been able to find homes for most, but there's still some, you know, like the Morgan kids. Great kids, loving, intelligent."

"You don't have to sell me, Jack. Nancy thinks we should."

"The Morgans?"

Jack actually sat forward in his chair. His heart stopped in anticipation.

Say 'yes', Dale. These kids need a good home.

"Sorry, Jack, not the Morgans. They're a great bunch, but Nancy doesn't want a trio. Maybe two. She can't decide between those two boys."

"Which ones?"

Jack sat back, deflated, but he had to remember that there was still hope for the other children Dale was talking about.

"You know, the carrot top and mechanics whiz."

Jack laughed, "Oh, Joey or Mike."

Joey was a redhead and Mike was good with machinery. Both were ten-years-old, and as Jack and Dale talked, Jack knew that whichever boy his friends adopted would be lucky to have such terrific parents. It wasn't a sure thing yet, but at least the Rancolinis were considering giving a good home to another child or two.
End of Flashback

His time with the children finished for the day, and the baseball equipment put away, Jack met up with Daniel in the library, and then the two went to Molly's office to let her know they were leaving, but would be back the next day.

Molly greeted both with warm hugs, and then sat down at her desk, motioning for them to sit down as well. She began to give them an update. It was going much better than expected, Molly's determination paying off big time in finding homes for the children who had been in her care. Then she sighed, and took on the look of a defeated old woman.

"Boys, I don't know what to do. The Martins love little Chenoa. They want her. I've held them off as long as I can."

"What about Jennifer and David?" Daniel asked.

Molly shook her head as she continued, "It's going to devastate David not to be adopted with Chenoa, and I'm so worried about what it will do to Jennifer, but I'm out of time. The Martins won't take anyone but the baby," Molly spoke sadly, fidgeting with the release papers that would allow the couple to take the toddler.

Daniel sighed, and then he and Jack exchanged a look.

"Well, Darlin's, I tried me best. At least the wee one will have a good life. I talked with Social Services, and they are just waiting for my call to come and get poor David. And ..." Molly sighed dramatically, "Jennifer will be taken to a separate facility. It's so sad. The poor things, being pulled apart like this, their little world crashing down on them." Molly looked up slightly at Jack and Daniel, seeing both of them clearly squirming uncomfortably. She continued in a soft, sad tone, "Poor little David, cut off from his precious baby sister and without the love and guidance of his big sister. It's bad enough they lost their parents, but now they're going to lose each other. It breaks me poor, old, sufferin' heart."

Jack and Daniel sat quietly listening to Molly. They didn't look at each other anymore. Both were breathing a bit more heavily than normal, and both were moving restlessly in their seats. Jack's hands were clenched together in a fist, and Daniel was self-hugging.

"Well, it must be His will that these sweet babes be torn apart, sent their separate ways, probably ne'er to be in the same room again. I'll just sign the paper and call the welfare ..." Time for the kill, me darlin's. You'll forgive me soon enough.

Molly picked up her pen and began to sign her name.

"NOOOOO!" Jack and Daniel both yelled in unison as they jumped to their feet.

They stared at each other in shock, and then looked at Molly who was grinning from ear to ear.

"You boys sure did take your sweet time. Now, the baby's things are all packed. David's, too. Jennifer is still getting her stuff together. Of course, I couldn't risk telling them where they were going, just in case you both decided to be stubborn. I'll let you surprise them with the good news."

Molly tore up the papers that would have sent the three Morgan children to separate places, and pulled out a new file. She quickly signed her name.

"Now, if you two boys will sign here, we'll be as official as we can be for now."

Jack and Daniel were stunned. Both looked at the paper, their names neatly typed in place. They again stared at each other.

"Hurry now, your children will be waiting for you."

"Our ... our children?" Daniel asked softly.

Molly was still grinning. Jack hadn't seen that kind of grin since his grandmother had caught him throwing a fish back into the lake when he was ten-years-old.

"You love those three babes. You can't let them be separated, now can you?" Molly pointed at the paper. "Sign!"

Jack and Daniel again exchanged a look, and then Jack bellowed, "Oh, for crying out loud." He grabbed the pen, looked at the Irish woman, and said emphatically, "You set us up, you old matchmaker!"

"That I did, just as soon as I saw how you took to that young girl. Jennifer needs a firm hand, Jack. And David, he needs you, Daniel, to see he can overcome anything that life tosses his way. And the wee babe, she just needs your love."

"Oh, gawd," Daniel said as he signed the paper and then went to the window, feeling like he was about to hyperventilate.

"Molly, would you ..."

Jack nodded towards the door.

"Of course. I'll go get your children."

Jack nodded and watched as Molly walked out, shutting the door behind her. He walked over to Daniel, placing his hands on his lover's shoulders and rubbing gently against Daniel's upper arms.

"You okay with this, Love?"

"Gawd, Jack. We came here to teach geography, and we're ... we're ..."

"Breathe, Angel." Jack turned Daniel and took him into his arms. "It's crazy, isn't it? Danny, I have a confession to make."

"Tell me, but don't let go of me."

"I've kind of been thinking ... wondering what it would be like to have those three with us all the time."

Daniel took a step back so he could look into Jack's eyes. He couldn't believe what he had heard. Why hadn't they talked about this? Why had they both been so afraid?

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yes, but I didn't say anything because I thought it was ridiculous."

"Why, Jack? I don't mean the ridiculous part, but why do you want them?"

Jack took a breath ... and Daniel's hand, gently tracing the wedding ring the young man wore.

"In part, it's what Molly said. David," Jack shook his head, "you said it, too, Love. He's you a long, long time ago. Look how far he's come since you began to work with him. He was a scared, frightened boy, and now, he's talking more and gaining confidence. He actually laughs when he's around you. And Jen? Jen ... she's beautiful, and Danny, no one is going to adopt her, not at her age. I can't stand the thought of those three children being torn apart."

"Me, either. It's what we worried about with our ... with our babies. Jack ..."

"We'll have to talk with Sam, Sara, and Mark, and we'll need to give them an honest out. This is far more than they bargained for. We also need to take a good look at the bank account. Going from three to seven all at once is ... dramatic. I want to make sure their future is secured. It'll make it easier on ... I mean ..."

"If something does happen."

"Right. And, Danny, the biggest reason, the one I can't let go of ... well, I ... I love them."

Daniel smiled, moisture in his eyes.

"I do, too. Gawd, Jack, I wanted them that day by the tree. I just wanted to take them home and hug them and make them part of our family."

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Why didn't you?"

"Because it's crazy."

"And it's right ... isn't it?"

Jack held Daniel tightly, knowing his husband needed the reassurance. Their family life had just taken a turn they could never have imagined, and it was going to mean a lot of changes.

"We love them. So do our babies. And the girls like them, too. It feels ... right." Jack rubbed the tension out of his husband's back, trying to calm and reassure his lover who was still working on getting his steady breathing pattern back. "You okay now?"

Daniel nodded, soaking in Jack's strength as his husband held him close.

"It's unreal, Jack. No one could have guessed this would be our future."

"We don't have to do this."

"Yes, we do. Do you have any idea how happy I am?"

"Is it anything compared to how I feel?"

"I think so."

"Then let's go get our family."

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you, Danny, so friggin' much," Jack said before kissing his lover, and then leading him out to the hallway and their future.

"Hi, General Jack," Jennifer said softly, a sad smile on her face as Jack walked towards her in the hallway.

"Daniel!" David called out. He ran to the younger man and put his arms around him. Daniel's arms immediately wrapped around the young boy's. "I didn't think I'd get to see you again."

"Hi, kids," Jack said, a smile on his face.

Jennifer's smile left her face. She sighed unhappily, and her eyes red from crying, as were David's. Her voice was cracked as she informed the lovers that "I think we're being separated today. Mrs. O'Hanlon made us pack."

"I know," Jack said.

"Um," Daniel kneeled down to look at David, but before he said anything else, he got a glimpse of Chenoa practically hiding behind her sister. "Chenoa, would you come here please?" The little girl peeked out from behind Jennifer's dress and then walked slowly to Daniel. David moved to the side so his sister was able to go right up to the archaeologist. "Hey," he said softly, moving his left hand to rub against her cheek for a moment.

"Go bye-bye," she sniffled, breaking Daniel's heart in the process, especially when tears began to run down her face.

Daniel smiled sweetly and spoke softly, "Actually, we'd like to ask you three a question."

"I'm good at questions," David said confidently, trying to hide his sadness.

Twirling her blonde, curly hair with one finger, little Chenoa simply stared at Daniel. Daniel reached over and touched her hair, noticing how soft it was. He took her little hand in his and held it. She grinned at the loving motion.

He smiled, looked up at Jennifer for a few seconds, glanced again at David for another moment, and then finally said, "Jack and I were wondering how the three of you would feel about ..."

The archaeologist paused, a nervous anxiety filling him. He looked up at his husband for strength.

Jack nodded in support, and sent a silent message.

Go on, Love.

Daniel nodded and looked back at the three Morgan children, and started again.

"Well, we, Jack and I, were wondering how you'd feel about coming to live with us. Would ... would, uh, you like to do that?"

Jennifer's eyes turned misty in an instant, only this time from joy, not sadness. Her voice was excited, but timid.

"With you? Both of you? All of us?"

"If you'd like to, we'd like you to stay with us, and see if you like it there; and if you do, then we can talk about all of you staying with us permanently."

David threw his arms around Daniel and proclaimed, "I love you, Daniel."

"Oh, gawd." Daniel lost it on the spot. Holding the six-year-old tightly to him, he whispered, "I love you, too, David. I want you to come home with us. I don't want you to ever leave."

Jennifer looked at Jack, who reached out and pulled her to him.

"Thank you, General Jack."

Jack hugged the teenager tightly as she clung to him, the odd sniffle escaping as her tears of joy and relief made a damp patch on Jack's shirt.

"Home?" the toddler said.

David moved away, allowing Daniel to pick up the cute child. He kissed her on the cheek and held her close. His voice was barely audible when he nodded and said, "Yes, home."

When Molly approached again, she saw all the wet faces, and her heart beat with joy.

I knew they were perfect for one another. I can rest now, she said to herself, knowing that somehow this family would be strong and happy together.

She had managed to find homes for all but seven of her charges, a feat some had said would be next to impossible. She hoped for yet a few more miracles before she left for Ireland.

All the way home, Jennifer and David chatted away excitedly while Jack and Daniel went through a nervous nightmare, silent thoughts flooding their minds.

Jack, how are we going to do this?

With Love. It's a good thing we did the remodeling of the garage already.

This is such a big step. We're insane.

Regrets, Danny?

No, but what are we going to do?

We're going to love them.

Gawd, Jack. I love you so much.

Ditto, Angel
As they pulled into the driveway and Jack parked the truck, he reached over and touched his husband's hand. Their eyes locked.

We'll be fine, Danny.

Yes, we will.

"Home?" Chenoa asked as Jack picked her up.

"Home, baby," Jack answered, kissing her on the forehead.

Jack, Daniel, and the three Morgan children, luggage in hand, walked into the Jackson-O'Neill household where they were quickly greeted by Teal'c.

"T, er, Murray, how'd it go?"

Teal'c stared at the unfamiliar children. He had taught History and Civics to some of the older children at the shelter, but he had never met the Morgans.

"It went, O'Neill!"

"I guess that's good," Jack said, wondering if it had gone well or badly, but deciding not to press the issue at the moment.

"I'll go check on the babies," Jennifer said, beating Daniel's words by a hair.

They watched her run up the stairs.

"Can I go see, too?"

"Sure," Daniel answered, placing a supportive hand on David's back as they walked up the stairs to the nursery.

"They're asleep," Jennifer said with a smile as she looked down at the triplets in their crib.

Back downstairs, Jack cleared his throat as Teal'c stared at the young child Jack was still holding.

"Murray, this is Chenoa, but we call her Noa."

"Indeed," Teal'c said in his deepest voice.

The toddler laughed, reaching out to touch Teal'c's forehead, and then she reached out to him, wanting him to hold her.

"Looks like you have a fan, Murray."

"A fan?"

Jack gave Chenoa to Teal'c who stood expressionless as she rubbed her hands against his head. Jack walked to the patio door and let in Bijou and Katie. He knelt down.

"Girls, our family has grown again. You two are going to be spoiled rotten. Trust me on this," he said as he petted them.

"Doggies!" Chenoa cried out in laughter, struggling to get down.

At Jack's nod, Teal'c put Chenoa on the ground, and she toddled over to the two beagles.

"Ears funny," she laughed, plopping down on the ground.

Bijou and Katie wagged their tails and licked Chenoa's face several times, causing the little girl to laugh even more.

"Murray, keep an eye out. I want to go see the Munchkins."

Teal'c nodded, and Jack went upstairs, going over to Daniel who was on the opposite side of the crib from Jennifer and David.

"How are they?"

"Perfect," Daniel said sincerely, a huge smile on his face that came from the knowledge that the three precious babies were theirs.

Jack slipped his hand around Daniel's waist and kissed his temple. Then he looked across at Jennifer and saw her smile. He took a deep breath.

"Jen, we need to talk. We ... have some serious things to discuss."

"About you and Daniel?"

"Our life is ... it's different, and that might not be the easiest thing to live with."

Jennifer looked down at the babies. She smiled lovingly at them, and then quietly said, "I don't think it's so hard." The teenager leaned forward, adjusting the blankets that covered the babies. A moment later, she asked nervously, "Are they my brothers and sister now, too?"

"Yes," Daniel answered quickly and firmly.

"Good!"

"They're mine, too," David said. He ran over to the bed. "Do I get to sleep here? It would be fun."

Jack looked at Daniel for the answer. The young man shrugged and responded.

"Gawd, I don't know. We need to have a family meeting."

"Family meeting," Jack repeated. "I like the sound of that. You're right. We need a family meeting."

The doorbell rang, interrupting the discussion. Jack, followed quickly by the others, went downstairs just in time to see Teal'c opening the door.

"Hey, Teal'c, I thought I'd ... oh, hi, General, Daniel ... Jennifer? and David?"

Sam was surprised to see the children there, her voice stuttering slightly.

"And you know Noa, of course," Jack said.

Daniel nodded over by the toddler who was still happily playing with the two beagles.

"I was here earlier, and then left to do some shopping. Thought I'd drop by and see if Te...Murray wanted a ride back to the base."

It was then Sam noticed the suitcases and boxes spread around the living room.

"Guess what Sam?" Jennifer asked, her expression one of happiness.

"We're being adopted," David shouted out, unable to contain his enthusiasm.

"A...a...a...ado...ado..." Sam gulped, then coughed.

"We, uh, oh gawd, Sam, I'm sorry," Daniel apologized, rubbing her back as she stared at him in absolute terror.

"You ... you're ... all of ... really?" Sam tried to ask, but found she had lost all ability to speak intelligently at the moment.

"Don't worry, Carter. We can ... discuss that other matter at another time. We'll ... make arrangements."

Chenoa's laughter drew Sam's attention. She watched David run to her and give his sister a hug and then plop down to sit beside her and play with the dogs. She didn't recall ever seeing David so animated in all her visits to the shelter. Sam looked at Jennifer and saw contentment on the teenager's face as she walked over to join her brother and sister, and then she looked at Jack and Daniel and saw their fear, not of their children, but at Sam's reaction.

Sam smiled, and said with vigor, "In for a penny, in for a pound."

"What?" Jack and Daniel said at the same time.

"Three, Four, Seven ... what difference does it make? A penny or a pound ... it's all ... love, right?"

"Sam ... you don't have to."

"Yes, I do. Well, I hope I never have to, but ... if I do, then I will. I strongly advise giving Mark a double vodka on the rocks, though, before you tell him."

"Forget the rocks. He'll want it straight."

"Okay, kids, sit down."

Jack sat in his favorite chair, Chenoa on his lap. Daniel was on the end of the sofa, his body turned towards the Morgan children -- David sat closest to him and Jennifer was a foot or so away from her brother. Bijou sat next to David who was petting her. Katie was upstairs with the triplets, keeping watch. The monitors were on, including a portable one that Daniel placed on the coffee table.

"I love your house, General Jack," Jennifer said.

"Our house," Jack corrected.

"Our house," she repeated softly, a smile on her face.

"Our telescope?" David asked hopefully.

Jack and Daniel had shown the newest additions to the family around the house, and when David had seen the telescope on the roof deck, Daniel had thought the six-year-old might actually start drooling. Jack had been only to happy to show it off, and Daniel could picture the two spending many nights on the roof deck gazing up at the stars.

"Our telescope," Jack confirmed with a smile.

"Listen," Daniel spoke lovingly to the children, "Jack and I know this is going to take some time to adjust and get used to our new lives, but we're a strong family, and we have all the time in the world. This house is your house. The Munchkins are your brothers and sisters now, and Bijou and Katie, they're as much a part of who we are as anyone."

"Woof!" Bijou spoke up, causing everyone to laugh and smile.

"Doggie!" Chenoa said, giggling again. She scooted out of Jack's hold and worked her way in between David and Jennifer so that she could play with Bijou. "Ears soft."

"Okay, kids. Here's the deal. It's been a long day, and like Danny said, we have forever to figure out details, but we need to talk about a few really important things first."

"We're listening, General Jack."

"You know, Jen, I think you can drop the 'General' title now. Jack works just fine."

"Okay ... Jack."

"You've had the grand tour of the house, so you know it's not that big, but we love it here, so ... this is home. Jen, I think you should use the room over the garage."

"I want to sleep with the babies," David said.

"Actually, David, I think Chenoa should be there because she's younger. How about if you take the other room? You can still sleep in with babies every now and then, if you want."

"Okay."

"Now the hard part. This family, it's not average. You know that, Jen, and David, I think you do, too. Chenoa will learn soon enough."

"Because you're married to each other?" David asked.

Jack nodded and answered, "Yes. You may have some difficult times as a result. Most families are a mother and father, not two dads."

"This is important," Daniel interjected. "If you have problems, if other children tease you at school or anywhere, you have to tell us, and we can talk about it."

"Words aren't my thing," Jack said, "but we talk a lot in this family anyway. Every day, we're going to have a family time, like this, where we can sit down and chat about whatever you guys want, good or bad."

"But you can always come to us at any time, together or separately. We're very involved parents, and by the way, we're not going to try and replace your mom and dad. We couldn't even if we tried, but this is your home."

"Home?" Chenoa asked again, her eyes seemingly expressing uncertainty.

"Home, Noa. You're home," Daniel whispered.

The little girl crawled over Bijou and David to Daniel and settled into his arms.

"No bye-bye?"

"Never, Noa. This is your home now. Forever," Daniel said reassuringly, kissing her on the forehead.

"Let's see. You guys need to know that for the Munchkins, I'm Dad and Daniel is Daddy. Oh, by the way, if you don't already know it, we're having another baby."

Jennifer smiled and said, "I remember when Daniel told me."

"More babies?" David asked, his mouth open in anticipation.

"Uh, baby, just one."

"Cool. When?"

"Soon ... Gawd," Daniel said, a bit overwhelmed.

"Breathe, Love."

"I am ... I think."

Jennifer chuckled.

"What's so funny there, Miss?"

"I can't believe it. All my friends at the shelter always thought Daniel was the hottest hunk around, and you were a close second, Jack. And now, wow, you're our parents. They'd be blown away."

"Close second," Jack whined.

"Live with it, Babe." Daniel focused again on the children. "Another thing, we have a lot of monitors and security equipment around the house. Jen, tomorrow we'll show you some of it, and ..."

"Hey, I'm not a kid."

"Yes, David, you are. You're very smart, but I won't let you forget that you are a little boy," Daniel stated forcefully, adding, "However, we'll show you some of it, too. The main thing for now is the baby monitors. They aren't toys, and making sure they're on or off at the appropriate times is a very big deal around here."

"I can tell. Daniel, sometimes you're scary," Jennifer teased.

"Sometimes," Daniel said, smiling. He was happy that Jennifer was feeling comfortable enough in her new home to tease him. "We'll talk later about the monitors and how we handle them around here, okay?"

"Okay," both Jennifer and David said.

Daniel looked at Chenoa who had a big smile on her face. He was taking it all in, just enjoying the moment, even though there was still so much to say. Jack loved the picture being painted in front of him - his beautiful husband surrounded by their children.

"Why don't we get your bags unpacked and have some celebratory ice cream?" Jack suggested, knowing the toddler would respond, which she did by cheering and clapping her hands, "and then we'll figure everything out as we go along."

"Wait," Daniel said. "Jen and David, we're going to have some very strict ground rules, ones you might not like. They will probably be more stringent, um, more strict than your friend's, but there is a reason for it, and we'll try to explain that."

Jack leaned forward and added, "You kids know I was in the Air Force, right?"

"Right," both David and Jennifer answered.

"Well, I did a lot of that secret type stuff that no one can talk about. So did Daniel. What that means is that we have to be more careful. I know that as much as you two want to understand all our rules right now, that when it comes down to living with them, you're not going to be happy with us all the time."

"You're not going to keep us locked up or something weird like that?" the teenager asked.

Jack laughed lightly and shook his head, then answered, "No, but, for example, as old you are, Jen, you don't answer the door without knowing for a certainty who is out there. You never ever let anyone in this house without our permission, unless we tell you it's okay."

"Like Sam and Murray," Daniel added. "They're a part of our family, too, but no one else unless we tell you. If someone official like a policeman, or anyone from the military, comes, you look at their ID through the door. You come and tell one of us, but you do not let them in."

"We'll talk more about the rules," Jack said.

"As soon as we figure out what they all are," Daniel added with a smile. He added, "And if you don't understand a rule, you can ask us about it, and we'll try to explain, but because of our history, you just have to believe us when we tell you that the rules are to protect all of us."

"James Bond?" Jennifer asked.

"In a way," Jack answered. "Okay, enough for now. You've had the grand tour. Now it's time to move in and figure out what we need to go shopping for."

"Do we get an allowance?" David asked.

"Sure," Jack answered.

"And you'll have duties and obligations to fulfill as well," Daniel added. "It's part of being a family."

The first official Jackson-O'Neill family meeting adjourned.

Gawd, Jack. We have so much to figure out.

We will, Love. This is a good start.

I don't want to scare them.

Look at them, Danny. Daniel watched the laughing Morgan children as they began to move their things to their rooms. They don't looked scared to me.

This is the right thing, isn't it, Jack?

Oh, yeah. No doubt about it. Let's go help the kids.

Later that evening, Jack walked into the master bedroom and noticed the door to the roof deck was ajar. He went outside and found his husband standing at the side railing, looking up at the stars. His arms were folded tightly around his chest.

Uh oh. That's a self-hug. Don't see much of those anymore. Not good.

He walked to where his lover stood and slid his arms around the slim waist of the man he loved. He kissed Daniel's nape and whispered, "I love you."

Daniel sighed contently, leaning back into Jack's hold, but he was tense, and Jack could feel it. The older man's hands normally would snake under his husband's shirt to caress the skin of his abdomen, but instead, Jack raised them to unfold the very-tight self-hug.

Daniel reacted slightly, letting out a bit of a groan. Jack turned his lover to face him.

"Talk to me."

"Are they ..." Daniel motioned inside the house.

"They're all asleep. You know that, too, or you wouldn't be out here."

"Jack, I checked the mail a few minutes ago."

"Mail? Geez," Jack laughed, "forgot about the mail with everything else going on."

"This day wasn't exactly normal."

"Regrets?"

"No, but ..."

"But what, Angel?"

"We got the papers today."

"Papers?"

"The adoption papers ... for the Munchkins."

"Yeah? That's great!" Jack had a big smile on his face, but it didn't stay there long. Daniel wasn't smiling. In fact, he had a look of defeat on his face. "Danny, there's nothing wrong? Mark said ..."

"Jack, everything's fine with the babies. They're ours. They have our genes. No one can change that."

Because of the laws of the land, Jack and Daniel had to adopt each other's babies in order for both to be legally recognized as parents of the triplets. Their lawyer, Mark Kingston, had finally received notification from the Courts that everything was legal, and at long last, both men were the fathers of the babies in the eyes of the law. It had taken a bit longer because Mark had to finagle around the fact that neither Jack nor Daniel wanted to know the DNA results, so they were signing papers "blindly" and that had to be explained to the Court's satisfaction.

"Okay." Jack took his right hand and tucked it under Daniel's chin, raising it up so that the young man was forced to look him in the eye. "Then what's wrong?"

"Jack, the Munchkins are ours without a fight only because they have our DNA."

"So?"

"So ... Jennifer, David, and Noa don't have our DNA. I don't know what Molly did to get that temporary custody approved, but Jack, they won't let us let adopt them. Gawd," Daniel was getting visibly more upset as he spoke, his breathing heavier and voice reeking of vulnerability, "we promised them a home. We sat down there and told them, promised Noa, that they WERE home. What are we going to do?"

"We fight. We aren't going to break our promise to those kids, Daniel."

"Jack, the laws ..."

"Screw the laws. We know people. Those three are part of us now."

"It won't be easy, Jack."

"When has anything ever been easy for us?" Daniel smiled weakly, and whispered something. "What? Sorry, Love, didn't hear that."

"Loving you. Easiest thing I've ever done."

"Come here," Jack said, moving to pull Daniel to him. He nuzzled his chin against Daniel's shoulder as his hands made soothing touches to the younger man's back. "We'll call Mark tomorrow and get everything started, and Danny, if we have to call the President in on this, we will."

"It's so unfair."

"I know, but if they want a fight, they'll get one." Jack pulled back a bit so he could kiss his lover. "We're getting ahead of the game here, you know. Maybe they won't battle us, but if they do ..."

"If they do, they'll lose, because together ..."

Both men smiled and in unison said, "we're unbeatable."

It took a little while, but soon the new Jackson-O'Neill family began to settle in. Jennifer was having fun decorating her room over the garage, and they were letting her choose the decor, within reason, of course. On one wall, she had a poster of Britney Spears right next to a self-portrait David had made for her a few months earlier.

Sam and Janet also took her shopping for new clothes and accessories, with strict instructions from Jack to make sure that any clothes purchased covered up the girl's body. "ALL of her body," he had ordered. The decree hadn't gone over well with the teenager, but Sam and Janet told her to just mind her P's and Q's for a while.

"You might also try learning hockey," Sam had suggested. "The General loves hockey. You might be able to use that to your advantage."

Jennifer approved of Sam's sneakiness, and made a mental note to start learning what she could that might help in her future ... endeavors.

Although she hadn't met the SGC's doctor before, Jennifer was very impressed with 'Little Napoleon', and spent a lot of time asking Janet questions about what it felt like to be a doctor.

The teenager was also looking forward to spending more time with Cassandra, who while several years older than Jennifer, was eager to make sure the teenager had all the "in" things of the day. They had met a few times at the shelter when Cassandra taught art.

David liked his new room next to the nursery, though Jack and Daniel frequently found him on the bed in the nursery with Chenoa. They quickly discovered that Jennifer hadn't exaggerated when she had told Daniel how much the young boy loved babies. He wasn't excessive, but he truly seemed to love to spend time with them. Sometimes, the couple would wake to find him watching or playing with the triplets. He just loved having babies for siblings.

"He's going to be an awesome older brother," Jack had told Daniel one day.

David had requested his room be decorated with a variety of scientific items, including sheets that depicted the solar system. He also wanted Mickey Mouse memorabilia, which is why his desk had both a microscope and a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal on it. Of course, that gained Jack and Daniel's instant approval. They were determined that David would never lose sight of the importance of frivolity and fun.

Chenoa used the bed in the nursery, having to share the room, at least for a while. She was the easiest to please, never having truly realized that her family had been on the verge of separation before Jack and Daniel had come to their rescue. All she seemed to remember were words about leaving their home, but even those were being quickly forgotten as the days passed.

Jack and Daniel set up a little table and chairs for the toddler, and found a way to give her a play area. She had already invited each of her new parents to private tea parties, so the couple made sure the toddler had a child's tea set and other similar things in her part of the room. It wasn't ideal, and was a little crowded at the moment, but it was something they'd have to work on in the future.

They also discovered that the toddler liked to watch dancing, especially ballet, so they purchased a photo of a ballerina to hang on the wall over the bed. Sometimes, they had found her sitting and staring at the photo. "Pretty," she had said to her fathers when they hung the picture.

"Bunk Bed City one of these days. We just have to decide whether it's with David or if we put her in with Jen," Jack had said.

Daniel had quickly responded, "Jen is a teenager, a woman in the making, Jack. It's important for her to have her own room. I don't think we should force that."

"Okay, when the baby comes, we'll probably have to put Noa in with David then."

"They'll be okay until they get older."

"That they will, Love."

Bijou and Katie were having a field day being spoiled rotten, just as Jack had promised them. Jack and Daniel were allowing them to sleep in the house whenever they wanted, a by-product of the brief time when the couple had grossly neglected their loving beagles. Besides, the girls were very protective of the triplets, and that made Jack and Daniel feel even more secure.

Another reason for the dogs being allowed to stay inside whenever they wanted is that Katie and Little Danny had bonded tremendously. Sometimes, if Little Danny woke up, he was easier to get back to sleep if Katie snuggled up to him in the crib.

"Jonny and Katie -- Little Danny's security blankets," Jack had teased once, as it seemed Little Danny had a strong need to both be around his older brother and to have the youngest beagle nearby.

With their new freedom of choice, the two dogs had a great time going from bed to bed. Sometimes, Daniel would wake up with Katie next to his arm on Jack's chest, and at other times, he'd find her snuggled up next to Chenoa or Little Danny. Bijou was often at the edge of Jack and Daniel's bed or 'on watch' in her beanbag downstairs.

The couple had noticed that at the sound of any unusual noise, Bijou would instantly run upstairs to the nursery to check on the triplets. She was also acutely aware of anything that went on outside the house. Of course, she always had been, having kept watch over Daniel for the past few years.

The lovers also laughed one morning when they woke up and went downstairs to find David curled up next to Bijou in the beanbag. It seems he had a special attachment to the mama beagle. Bijou didn't seem to mind; she just smiled at Jack and Daniel and rolled back over next to David.

Jack and Daniel were also working on adjusting to a house full of children. This wasn't a situation they had planned on -- just yet.

One night, the couple walked up the stairs to Jennifer's room and saw her staring at something. She seemed to be crying softly, and they heard her sniffling.

"Jen?" Jack approached while Daniel held back a few steps. "Are they your parents?" Jack asked, seeing a photo of a couple in front of suburban home.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I was just putting things away and I ..."

"Jennifer, don't apologize for loving your parents. We, Jack and I, we want you to remember them."

"You do?"

"Jen, they're your folks. They loved you, and I'm sure they are up there somewhere watching over you, David, and Noa. Don't hold back talking about them, especially with Noa."

"She doesn't remember them," Jennifer said sadly.

"Then ... we should help her to remember," Daniel said.

"Ho...how?"

"Well, for starters, how about we add that photo to the family pictures on the mantle in the living room, or we could get a copy made if you want to keep it here, or ..."

"Or," Jack interjected, "Do you have others? Home movies or anything?"

Jennifer nodded, a smile beginning to form on her hopeful face.

"You really don't mind?"

"Jen, sweetheart," Jack knelt down in front of the girl who was sitting on her bed. "Danny and I love you, and ... we want to finish what your parents started, but we don't want you to forget them. We'd be disappointed if you did."

Jennifer was unable to hold back her grin.

"There's a bigger photo, of all of us. It would be nice to have it out, especially for David and Noa."

"Let's see it," Daniel requested.

Jennifer went to her backpack, and pulled out a collection of photos, and after a few moments found the one she wanted, handing it to Daniel.

"It ... it was taken just a month before they died."

"You all look very happy," Daniel said.

"We were."

"And we hope, Jen," Jack said, "that the three of you will be happy with us. But Jen, talk about your folks with the younger kids, because you're right, it'll be harder for them to remember, but if you tell them stories ..."

"If you tell them stories," Daniel stared at Jack, love radiating from him, "if you let yourself remember, and don't hide from all the good, then you will remember, and so will they."

Jack got up and went to Daniel and embraced him.

"Why do I think I just missed something important?" the teenage girl asked.

"It's just ... I once thought I wouldn't remember my parents. I had forgotten, even what they looked like. My memories of them were dying, and all I could focus on was how they died, but Jack," Daniel smiled at his lover, "helped me. He made me talk about them and what they were like, and anytime I started to forget," Daniel leaned lovingly against his soulmate, "he'd tell me a story about my childhood and my parents that I had told him. Gawd, I love you. That was such a wonderful gift, Jack."

"I love you, too, Danny."

Jack kissed Daniel's temple.

Jennifer was smiling as she watched her new parents.

"Mom and Dad kissed and cuddled all the time, too. It's positively ... ewwww," Jennifer said with a cringe, but also exhibiting a smile on her face.

"Let's go add the newest family photo to the mantle," Jack urged, and then the trio walked to the living room where they let Jennifer pick out a place for the photo.

"Thank you."

"Thank you," Daniel said.

"For what?"

"For enriching our lives," he answered.

"Danny, Mark called earlier," Jack said about their lawyer during what was now an even more rare moment of privacy with his husband.

"And?"

"And ... we're facing a battle."

"Jack, I won't give them up. Not now. I ... I love them."

"So do I, and we're not giving up anyone, but it's like we said the night we brought them home, the laws work against us."

"What do we do, Jack?"

"Pull those strings we talked about. I've never done that to this extent before, but I'm going to, and I need to know you're in agreement with me."

Daniel sighed as he walked to their dresser, reaching down for his white pajama top. He slowly slipped it on and then turned around.

"They're our children. We fight for them any way we have to."

"You sure?"

"Yes." Daniel was all too aware of the stakes involved. No way are my children going to have the childhood I did. I love them, and they ARE mine -- mine and Jack's. I'm not letting them go; not now.

Daniel hadn't hesitated, and Jack saw the determined look in his eye. This was the man who had stood up to System Lords and spit in their eye. There was no fear in Daniel's eyes, not when he had faced Apophis, and not now as he faced government bureaucracy.

"Okay. Tomorrow, I'm going to make some calls. It could get sticky, Love."

"We do what we have to."

"Agreed."

On to Chapter Nine ...