-- Chapter Two: Egypt Calling

"They grow so fast," Kayla commented as she sat on the patio steps watching all the Jackson-O'Neill children at play.

"They sure do," Jack responded as he sat next to her. "You have everything packed?"

"Everything I need. I admit I'm going to miss them, more than I thought I would."

"Kayla, Daniel and I are serious. You are welcome to be as much a part of their lives as you want to."

Kayla touched Jack's forearm and smiled.

"I know that, and I thank you for it, but they are your children, and the line between parents and giving birth needs to be distinct for them. Besides, I still have so much I want to do for myself right now. I do love them though, Jack. Please don't doubt that." She looked out at the youngsters and said softly, "They are beautiful children."

"They adore you. So do we, by the way."

"Feeling is mutual, General. I'd better go, or I might miss my plane."

"Two months in the spoils of the Caribbean Islands? Can't have you missing your plane."

Kayla laughed as she stood up.

"It's a needed change of scenery, and it will give me the distance I need to finish my book."

"Hmm, I don't quite understand that."

"Jack, I've spent almost two years now working on my great American novel. It's a real adventure story, a story of courage, and I need to make sure the ending is as majestic as the rest of it, but to do that, I need to make sure I can see clearly. I'm just worried I'm a bit too close to the subject at the moment. A bit of distance will help me to make sure my focus is as sharp as I need it to be."

"Leaving?" Daniel asked as he approached, having seen Kayla stand up.

"Yes. My plane leaves in ninety minutes, and I'm cutting it close as it is. I am really going to miss you guys!" Kayla leaned forward and exchanged hugs with both Jack and Daniel. "Do you mind?" Kayla asked as she motioned over towards the children.

"Of course not," both Jack and Daniel said at the same time.

Daniel moved to stand beside Jack, and they placed their arms around each other's waists.

"We chose well, Jack."

"We sure did, Love."

"Danny, you've been distracted all day. What's going on?"

Jack walked into the den and closed the door. He had already made sure Jennifer and David were watching the younger Jackson-O'Neill children, and the monitors were on in full force in case anything happened.

Daniel had been staring at his computer for the past twenty minutes. He wasn't even sure anymore what he was staring at. When Jack walked in, it had almost startled the younger man. He took a deep breath as he watched his soulmate sit on the recliner and noticed that Jack wasn't leaning back to relax in it, but was sitting forward, hands clasped together.

Swiveling his desk chair around to face his husband, Daniel finally answered the question.

"Jack, I've made some contacts on behalf of J-O Enterprises recently, and ... there's this project coming up that would mean so much to us if we could nab the contract."

"So the problem is ...?"

Daniel stood, folding his arms around his chest, and began pacing all around the room.

"It's what we've been waiting for, Jack. This is it. I, uh, I just feel it. This company ... you'll love the name," Daniel paused and smiled before continuing, "Passion Incorporated."

"You're kidding? This is archaeology?"

Daniel nodded, admitting the odd name fit.

"It's a crazy name for a mainstream business, but the owner, Abayomi Sharif, is a businessman who lives life with a passion, so that's what he named his company."

"So you've talked to this Abracadabra guy?"

Daniel rolled his eyes, knowing Jack had massacred Abayomi's name deliberately.

"Abayomi. It means to bring joy."

Jack closed his eyes and coughed.

"Daniel, I don't really care what his name means. What I do care about is that he obviously has something to do with this ... funk you've been in. Keep talking."

"I haven't been in a funk."

"Have, too."

"Have not."

"Have, too!" Jack saw Daniel roll his eyes, an obvious sign that he was not in the mood to play their bantering game. He dropped the joking. "Come on, Danny. Tell me."

"Jack, Abayomi is building a new hotel in Egypt. They need a watching brief done, and, well, he already suspects that there may be something there. Jack, this could lead to a dig, the kind I've ... well, it has the potential to lead to a lot of things."

"And the problem with that is ...?"

Daniel shook his head as he answered, "It could lead to other jobs. If J-O, if we, could prove ourselves with this, we'd be established. And ... Abayomi has other jobs on the books for the future. This smaller job is kind of, well it's almost an audition for other things in the future."

"So this guy owns a hotel?"

"He does a lot of different things, owns a lot of companies all over the world, and one of his passions is archaeology. He wants to do it right. He wants to explore, and he wants to preserve whatever he finds. He's made millions with his various business interests, and now he wants to explore some of his passions more fully."

"Danny, you haven't found out about all of this from a brochure."

Daniel sighed and looked down at the carpet, suddenly finding it fascinating. His demeanor was uncertain and dispirited, one Jack hadn't seen his husband exhibit in a very long time.

"No," the younger man admitted, "we've exchanged some emails. Jack, the thing is, this would be perfect for us. It would get us solidly in the door for anything else that might come up."

"Daniel," Jack's tone was getting more frustrated, "This all sounds perfect so what is the problem here?"

Jack just didn't understand what was bugging Daniel. They wanted J-O to succeed, and this sounded like something that would help with that. Why on Earth was Daniel sounding so down and frustrated about something they'd been working so hard for? Jack's gaze was focused on his lover as Daniel answered the question.

"It's a dig, Jack; a major dig. We couldn't palm this off on Megan. We'd have to go ourselves."

I don't get it, Danny. That's why we're in business, isn't it? "Okay. Isn't that what we've been planning on?"

"Yes ... with one baby, maybe two, and then eventually three or four children, but eight? Jack, we'd have to go to Egypt for six to eight weeks, maybe longer, if this plays out the way I think it's going to."

"AND THE PROBLEM IS?"

Jack was losing patience as his confusion mounted. He still didn't understand why Daniel was being so hesitant over something that sounded perfect.

"We have EIGHT children, Jack. We're a freakin' television show. EIGHT, and I love them all. You know that, but eight children, five of whom ... FIVE are babies, and a sixth is still a toddler. How can we possibly go off on an archaeological dig? We couldn't leave them with anyone we didn't know, and ... I don't think I could leave them for that long anyway." Daniel turned and kicked the edge of his desk. "This is crazy. We can't even think about it."

Daniel turned his back to Jack and walked to the corner of the den, again staring at nothing. Jack stood and walked to his husband, putting his arms around him.

"Danny, one, two, eight kids ... what's the difference? We go, do the dig. It's a great vacation."

"But it's NOT a vacation." Daniel turned and stared at Jack. "Don't you understand, Jack? We'd have to be working ... working hard. It would be spring, maybe even summer, and it would be hot, and they've never experienced that before; and what are we supposed to do with them while we're working? Do you really think either of us could walk off at daylight and leave our babies, our precious babies, with strangers?"

Daniel's eyes were now intensely focused on Jack's. He'd been talking rapidly, his words a mixture of fear and enthusiasm at the prospect of the job.

"If we did this, J-O would have to come first, and not just over there, but here, for a while. There would be a lot of preparation, and probably shorter trips to meet with the other people involved, smaller surveys to be done ..."

"Danny, we can figure this out."

Daniel shook his head and bolted from his position near Jack. He stood near the doorframe and when he spoke, his tone was chillingly calm as the younger man resigned himself to reality. There was one big fact he just couldn't run from.

"No, we can't. I can't leave our children with strangers, and the one fact we can't escape from is that we'd have to, for hours and hours during the day. Strangers," Daniel said quietly, nearly shuddering as he processed the thought. "I can't leave our babies with people they don't know and love, people whom we trust. This isn't the little dig we talked about. Jack, with one child, even two, we could easily have kept them with us." Daniel shook his head in despair. "We can't do that with five babies, and I can't leave them here for two months ... and I won't."

"Danny ..."

"I love you, Jack," Daniel said, as he walked back over to his husband leaning in to kiss the older man. "We made choices, and I don't regret any of them. We just can't do this particular thing, that's all. We may have to rethink our future with J-O Enterprises."

Sadly, Daniel turned and walked out of the den, leaving Jack frustrated and unsure of what to do next. He was certain of two things though. One, Daniel was right about their children, and two, Daniel wanted this assignment, and he wanted it desperately.

"Thank you, Jack, for coming by to handle this little situation." General Hammond smiled as he stood up to shake Jack's hand. The two were in the General's office reviewing the results of a training exercise that Jack had just assisted with. "No one can scare Airmen into using their brains better than you can."

"Thank you, Sir ... I think."

They headed for the office door, and Jack opened it.

"How are the children, Jack?"

"Ah, they are adorable. Perfect, of course."

"Of course," the General laughed, then asked, "and Doctor Jackson?" He became concerned when Jack looked down, sighing. "Is something wrong?"

"No, not really. We have a chance to get our business off the ground, but Daniel thinks it would mean at least two months in Egypt."

Hammond was an old pro when it came to family sacrifices. He didn't need any more information to know what the problem was.

"The children," he said a bit matter-of-factly, nodding as well.

Jack gave his friend and former CO a wry smile, then elaborated a bit.

"Yeah. He doesn't want us to rely on strangers, and frankly, neither do I. We won't leave our brood here for that long, and even if we took them, we'd have to be at the dig sites for hours at a time. We don't want to leave our children alone with strangers while we do that."

"It certainly wouldn't be easy."

"The problem, Sir, is that Daniel wants this ... bad. I ... I've been racking my brain trying to think of a way to make it happen, but so far, there's nothing. We've gone round and round talking about it the last few days, but, like Daniel said to me yesterday, it's not as if we could just pick up the phone and call you or Sara or any of our friends to come baby-sit for a while."

"How about a nanny?"

"It's a bit late for that, but I'm not sure that would work anyway. They'd still be a stranger. General, remember Ernest's Planet and that room full of knowledge with the symbols flying around?" Jack leaned forward as he saw Hammond's nod of acknowledgment. "He was so passionate about that, because it was at the heart of who he is. A universal language; that's what archaeology is to Daniel, one great big language to communicate between yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He wants this, Sir, as badly as he wanted to stay on the planet. It's in his eyes; it's in his blood. He hasn't been able to get those hands of his in the dirt for years. I just wish ..."

Jack's words trailed off. It was useless, or at least it felt that way.

"Good luck, Jack."

"Thank you, Sir."

Jack exited the office, not seeing Sam who had been standing just outside the room and had unintentionally heard every word.

Chenoa was bouncing up and down on the sofa in the living room. She was wearing one of her best dresses, the pink one with the white lace trim. She had on a petite pearl necklace, and her curly hair had been meticulously combed and set in place. She was, however, impatient.

"Chenoa Lynn, that's enough!"

Daniel chastised his daughter as he walked into the living room from the kitchen. He was holding a bowl of snack mix that he set on the coffee table.

"T? Soon, Daddy?" the little girl asked as she continued her bouncing.

"Chenoa," Daniel again said sternly.

"Sorry," she said contritely, stopping her up and down motions on the sofa, and putting her hands in front of her. "T here soon?"

Daniel smiled at her, and answered, "Yes, Teal'c will be here soon."

Daniel chuckled seeing his daughter's face light up. She had the biggest crush on the Jaffa, and everyone knew it, including Teal'c.

"But Dad, he's just fourteen, not eighteen, for crying out loud," Jennifer argued as she followed Jack down the stairs.

Jack had a large photo album in his hands, and the teenager was carrying Little Danny.

"I don't care how old he is, you are too young to be dating."

"It's just a party."

"No, Jennifer!"

"But ..."

"What part of 'no' don't you understand, Jennifer -- the 'N' or the 'O'?"

Jack placed the album on the coffee table near the bowl of mix Daniel had already placed there.

"Jennifer," she repeated sharply, turning around in a huff and going back upstairs with her sibling, muttering as she walked about the unfairness of overprotective fathers.

"Problems?" Daniel asked.

"No, I have it under control."

"You do?"

"Without a doubt, I do. If she argues, we lock her in her room until she's at least twenty-one. See? Problem solved!"

Daniel laughed. Jack's solution to everything was locking their children in their rooms.

"Dad, T come soon."

Chenoa beamed from her spot on the sofa. Jack thought she looked like a little princess. He walked over and knelt down in front of her.

"He sure is, and look at you. What a beautiful princess you are. T's a lucky man to have you waiting for him like this." The little girl's smile became even bigger. Jack leaned forward and gave his daughter a peck on the cheek. "I love you, Noa," he spoke and then got up.

"Danny," Jack looked at his watch, "how about I throw together my special salsa mix?"

"Sounds yummy."

"Not as yummy as you, Love." Jack kissed his husband. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Jack," Daniel said as he rubbed his thumb gently along Jack's cheek.

It was just a few seconds, but it said more than they'd had a chance to say all day. They both wished they had time to say more, to hold each other, but Sam and Teal'c were coming over for dinner. It had been in the planning stages for weeks, and finally, everything had come together.

"I, uh," Daniel sighed pulling away before he lost himself in his husband, "I'm going to check on the Munchkins and the twins."

"Okay," Jack said, reluctantly, but then smiling as he watched Daniel moving up the stairs.

Suddenly, Daniel stopped about midway up, and turned around to see Jack staring at him.

Looking at his husband questioningly, Daniel asked, "Jack, what are you doing?"

"Just watching your six, Love. Just ... watching your six."

On the verge of blushing, Daniel continued up the stairs, and then Jack finally headed for the kitchen. Chenoa was patiently waiting on the couch, and then it happened -- the doorbell rang.

"TEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" the little girl exclaimed, running to the door, anxious to answer it.

Jack burst into the room, afraid Chenoa would forget that she wasn't allowed to answer the door without permission, but he was pleased to see the young girl jumping up and down on her feet, her hands not touching the door handle.

"Dad! Dad! It's T! Open? Pleeeeeease?"

Jack waited until he was in the entranceway, covertly glanced out to make sure who was at the door, and then nodded.

"Go ahead."

Carefully, Chenoa unlocked the door and opened it.

"TEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" she exclaimed again, holding her arms up.

Teal'c bent down and picked up the little girl.

"Indeed! It is good to see you again, ChenoaJacksonO'Neill!"

The little girl giggled at the sound of her name run together like that. It was one of the reasons she loved Teal'c so much. She threw her hands around his big neck and hugged him tightly.

"I think she likes you, Teal'c," Sam smiled, walking by Teal'c and over to her former CO. "Hello, Sir."

"Sam, I'm retired, remember? It's just Jack."

"Right. Sir, I mean, Jack, do you think we'll ever be comfortable calling each other by our first names?"

"Hey, Sam, Teal'c." Daniel approached and exchanged hugs, and then continued their conversation. "I've tried for years to get you two to call each other by your first names."

"Military training," Jack sighed. "Well, I'm retired now, for crying out loud. Let's see if we can do it ... at least for tonight," he suggested with a smile. "Okay, Car...Sam?"

"Anything you say, S...Jack."

Knowing it was a lost cause, they all laughed and then made their way to the living room to visit for a while.

"So, Daniel, how are things with J-O?" Sam asked innocently as she fed Aislinn dinner.

Daniel was feeding Jonny. The four of them were nestled in one part of the nursery. Teal'c and Chenoa were having a private tea party in the backyard with Bijou and Katie as chaperones. Jack was on the other side of the room, tending to the twins, while Jennifer and David were working on getting Little Danny to eat, but he wasn't being very co-operative.

"Dad! Danny won't eat."

Jack shook his head. He got up and walked across the room to where Daniel sat.

"I need to borrow our son."

"Um ... why?"

"Because Little Danny is just like you." Daniel crossed his eyes, not understanding. "He won't eat."

Jack smiled as Daniel understood.

"Gawd," Daniel said softly, handing Jonny over to his husband.

Daniel watched as Jack took Jonny to sit next to Little Danny. Once Jonny was in the baby's sight, Little Danny ate without arguing, his eyes fixed on his brother.

Jennifer laughed at the unique situation. Still chuckling, she asked, "Why does he do that?"

"It's in his genes," Jack answered, glancing over at Daniel who simply shrugged.

Now babyless, Daniel watched Sam with Aislinn and finally answered her question about J-O Enterprises.

"Amazingly well, but ..."

"What?"

"There's this opportunity. Gawd, Sam, it's perfect. It would mean several weeks in Egypt."

"On a dig?"

"Yeah. Of course, it's only speculation at this point, and we'd still have to make the winning bid on the project."

"You do bids on projects?"

"We do on this one. It's not just a job. It's kinda complicated, but, uh, if we got it, it would solidify J-O. We put this job on our resume, and we'd be a major player from now on. But ..."

Sam watched as her friend struggled with his thoughts.

"But it's not about the job, is it?"

"Hey," Daniel tried to perk up, "Let's not talk about this. I want to hear about you!"

Sam let Daniel change the subject, but she hadn't missed the look in his eyes when he had talked about the dig. She remembered the conversation she had overheard in Hammond's office and knew Jack had been right in his assessment of Daniel's desires. She knew Daniel was happy, but could see the longing in his soul for more, and she wished she could help.

A sudden dampness drew Sam from her thoughts, and the evening proceeded to be a fun one for all in attendance.

Jennifer returned the book she had borrowed to its place on the shelf in Jack's study. She turned to leave when the various photos and diplomas on the wall captured her attention. She'd glanced at them before, but it suddenly occurred to her that she had never truly looked at them.

She smiled at the myriad of diplomas and degrees that both her fathers had received.

Who would have thought Dad was a genius? Bet he was in trouble that night!

The teenager had heard the story about how Jack had never told Daniel he had an IQ equal to that of a genius, or that he had accumulated a bunch of degrees. Daniel had found out accidentally while helping his lover to clean out his office at the SGC when Jack had finally retired for real.

"Wow. Interesting."

"What is?" Jack asked, entering the study.

"Hey, Dad."

"Hey, yourself. So what's interesting?"

Jack sat down at his desk and turned on the computer. He had some research to do on the computer for J-O Enterprises. He leaned back in his chair for a minute while the computer booted up, waiting to hear his daughter's response.

"This photo. This kid looks almost like you as a boy, and ... Dad, it's crazy, but he looks a little like Charlie. I don't think it is, but ... he does look like Charlie."

Jack nodded, but said nothing, a small smile on his face.

"Is this you? I mean, if it is you then it certainly can't be Charlie. See what I mean? It's a crazy photo. And you know something, Dad, the younger kid almost looks like Daddy, too, but that's really impossible."

"Hey!" Jack acted hurt at the implication of Jennifer's comment.

"Sorry, Dad, but you are a little older than Daddy."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't you have something to do?"

The girl laughed and exited the study. Jack looked at the photo with affection, remembering again that fun-filled week when he and his lover thought they were brothers. He was glad he had somehow evaded Jennifer's questions about the picture, not really sure how he'd explain it.

"Samantha, you asked to see me?"

Teal'c walked into Sam's lab, his arms now clasped behind him as he stood.

"Um, yes, Teal'c. I've been thinking."

"O'Neill used to say thinking was dangerous to ..."

"Yes, Teal'c, I know." Sam got up from the stool she had been sitting on and walked over to stand in front of the tall Jaffa. "I've been thinking about taking a sort of ... leave of absence, and I'd like to get your thoughts about it."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow as he watched Sam turn around, her hands fidgeting in front of her. She turned back to face Teal'c.

"You see, I can't take this leave unless you ... agree. Sit down, Teal'c," Sam requested, seeing the questioning look on her friend's face. "Let me explain."

Jack and Daniel sat on the sofa. Jack had Aislinn sitting on his lap and was holding Ricky, feeding him a bottle. Daniel held his namesake and Jonny. Both men had become experts at handling more than one child at a time. It was "necessary for survival," according to Jack.

Baby Jenny was asleep in the crib that always stayed somewhere in the living room. At the moment, it was placed just beyond the sofa, . As he sat in Jack's favorite chair, David was able to see the infant sleeping. He loved standing watch over the babies, even if it was slightly from afar. Noa was sitting on the chair opposite from David and closest to the crib. Katie was next to her, lying, paws in the air, while having her belly rubbed.

It was family time, a part of the day when no matter what, the Jackson-O'Neills sat down for a few minutes just to talk about ... whatever they wanted to talk about. Problems, needs, bad feelings -- anything was open for discussion during their family time.

"But why can't I date?" Jennifer asked from her spot on the floor. She was sitting on a large pillow, Bijou in her lap enjoying the massage the teenager was giving her. "And please don't tell me I'm too young."

"But you are, Jen," Daniel said. "There's this big world out there, and you've barely seen the tip of it. You need to learn more about who you are before you start worrying about making some boy happy."

"Maybe I want to make a girl happy," Jennifer smirked.

Jack and Daniel exchanged a look. They hadn't seen that one coming.

"Jen," Daniel continued, "If that's what you want, then when you are older, and I do mean way older, we'll support you. Love is ... it's very precious. You have no idea what Jack and I have lived through." Daniel paused, gathering his thoughts carefully. "Jen, what Jack and I are to each other, it's because that's who we are. We didn't look for this. One day, it was just there. We were both dying in our own ways, and somehow, we ..."

"... We saved each other," Jack interjected. "People fall in love, Jen, and what Daniel and I learned is that you don't ignore love when you find it."

"... Because real love is hard to find. So, whomever you fall in love with, for real, the important thing is just to make sure that love is true. It's not about what is easy; it's about what is in your heart and soul. When you find that magic within yourself ... well, when that happens, what gender they are," Daniel shrugged and looked at Jack with that magic showing in his eyes, "just doesn't matter."

Jennifer lowered her head for a moment, then admitted, "I'm sorry. I was being a smart mouth, and I have a hunch you both knew that, but ... I know what you mean. I'll try and remember that, but you still haven't told me why you think I'm too young to date. My friends are dating."

"And their parents have their reasons. We have ours," Jack said, "and among those are that you need to know yourself a little more first, and as much as you think you do right now, you don't. That's what Daniel was trying to say a minute ago. I was married, Jen. I had a son. I was career Air Force military and I ... I've done things that I'm not proud of. When I met Danny, I was forty-four years old. You don't think I thought I knew who I was? You wouldn't recognize that man as me if he was standing right in front of you. Trust me on this. You aren't even close to understanding yourself."

Ricky finished off his bottle, and Jack took it, placing it on the coffee table in front of him. Aislinn was trying to climb over him as he shifted back into position.

"Settle down, Princess," he said just before glancing over at Daniel who was staring at him, mouth open.

"Daniel, you have that guppy look. Why?"

"What did you just say?"

"Weren't you listening?"

"You were ..."

Daniel's words were cut off by the doorbell.

"I'll get it," Jack said.

He helped Aislinn scoot off the sofa, and motioned for Jennifer to take her, which she did. Still holding Ricky, he headed for the door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see Sam rush by, a big plastic water gun in her hands, held as if it were a P-90.

"It's okay now, Sir. It's SG-1 to the rescue!"

"ColonelCarter is correct, O'Neill." Teal'c walked into the living room also carrying a large water rifle in his hand. "We are here to rescue you!"

"TEEEEEEEEEE!" Chenoa jumped out of her chair and ran to her boyfriend.

"Woof!" Katie whined at the exodus of the warm body.

Daniel laughed and said, "Sorry, girl. It's Teal'c, and you know how Noa feels about him."

"Woof," she responded, lying down in the chair and spreading her body along the left side of the warm furniture.

"ChenoaJacksonO'Neill, you are looking well."

The little girl smiled as she hugged Teal'c's right leg.

Sam looked around, as if looking for Goa'uld. She rushed over to where Jennifer and Aislinn were. Looking down, she asked seriously, "Have you seen them?"

"Um, who?"

"Those pesky competitors?"

"Sam?" Daniel asked, totally confused by the odd behavior.

"We have to eliminate them! They are jeopardizing our plans!"

"What plans?" Jack asked, equally as confused as Daniel.

Sam looked at Teal'c, and then both looked over at Jack and Daniel as she answered, "Our plans to go to Egypt. You're paying, right?"

Jack and Daniel looked at each other. Daniel in particular was staring at Jack as if expecting him to explain what was going on.

"Don't look at me, Love."

"You are paying?"

"Carter, have you lost your mind?"

Sam laughed, putting down the water rifle she carried.

"No, Sir, but Teal'c and I have come in search of a job."

"Carter, what are you talking about?"

"Well, General, once J-O Enterprises secures that project, you'll need a couple of reliable babysitters. Teal'c and I are available ... for a price."

"A price?" Jack asked.

"Yes, Sir."

"How much?"

"We were thinking a minimum of five, Sir."

"Five what?" Jack asked, eyes wide open, visions of thousand-dollar bills floating in front of his eyes. Do they make thousand-dollar bills?

"Five hugs per day from each child, Sir," Sam answered. "I mean, think about it. Eight children at five hugs each. That's a whopping forty hugs per day. Who could ever need more than that?" she asked, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Yeah," Jack said, looking at Daniel who smiled.

"Yeah," the archaeologist agreed.

"Boy, I hope someone knows what this conversation is about because right now MTV makes more sense than you guys do," Jennifer lamented.

"Seriously, Sir, Daniel. We've talked with General Hammond, and he's agreed. So ... if you want us, we'd very much like to accompany the CEOs of J-O Enterprises to ... well, wherever this job takes you, and while you two are doing your thing, Teal'c and I will look after the children."

Jack stared at his former 2IC and then at Teal'c. He looked over at Daniel who was speechless. In fact, Daniel was looking overwhelmed.

"Ut oh," Jennifer said.

The teenager gently pushed Bijou off her lap and got up.

"Stay right there," she said to Aislinn.

Then she walked to Daniel, taking Jonny from him and putting him in the chair next to David. She did the same thing with Little Danny, placing him on the other side of her younger brother.

David's grin was huge. He loved it anytime he was asked to take responsibility for the babies. He put his arms protectively around the toddlers.

"Now, Jonny, you stay right there." He looked to his left and said, "And you stay right here, Little Danny. I'll take care of you."

Jennifer saw the huge smile on David's face. She looked over at Jack and received an approving nod.

Before returning to her spot on the pillow, the teenager went back over to Daniel and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Daddy, I have no clue what is going on, but I have a funny feeling that whatever it is will make you very happy, and so whatever that is, I'm in favor of it."

Daniel smiled, amazed his daughter had read him so well and tended to the children without being asked.

Jennifer sat back down, making sure Aislinn was secure in her lap. Bijou snuggled back up to Jennifer's left leg.

Taking her cue from the teenager, Sam went to Jack and took Ricky from him.

"Hi, there, Ricky," she said as she took the growing infant.

"Thanks ... Sam," Jack said, before doing what everyone was more or less waiting for him to do: he went to Daniel, pulled him up, and took him into his arms.

"Did you know about this?" Daniel asked softly.

"Not a clue, but I'm sure they'll tell us the details in a minute. Danny, you want this. You know you do, and so do I. The kids will love it! With Carter and Teal'c with us, they'll be safe."

"We still have to win the project."

"We will, Angel. We will," Jack said holding his lover close.

He could feel his husband's need to get back to his roots, just for awhile, and this would be their chance.

"Yep, SG-1 is back in action," Sam said with a smile.

"Indeed," Teal'c said as he knelt down to smile at Chenoa.

"Jack, there's going to be stiff competition for this," Daniel said as he sat down on the sofa.

"That's okay; we'll get it," Jack said from his position at the kitchen counter as he tossed a salad.

"You seem awfully confident."

"I am. It's meant to be."

"I wish I had your faith."

"Angel, all our dreams, all our hopes, they all come true, because I have you."

"My poet," Daniel said as he smiled, watching his lover prepare dinner.

As he sat watching his husband, the archaeologist thought there wasn't anyone sexier than Jack anywhere in the universe, and his love for the man swelled within him. Still, Daniel thought wryly, they did have one little piece of unfinished business.

On to Chapter Three...