Nothing was broken. A vase had tipped over when Jack dove over the couch to catch Ian, but it hadn't even cracked. Which was a good thing. Now Jack had the cadet pinned on the couch and had once more started poking him.

"Sam!"

"You heard him," Jack said, looking at her. "He called me old."

She closed the door behind her and walked over to the couch, looking down at Ian, who was red-faced but didn't seem to be in any danger of dying any time soon.

"For such a bright young man, you're not all that smart," she noted, smiling.

Realizing he wasn't going to get any help, Ian turned to the only one left.

"Jaffer! Jaffer! Here boy! Help me, buddy!"

Jaffer came bounding over – and promptly started licking Ian's face again. Sputtering, the cadet once more tried to wriggle out from underneath Jack. Sam laughed until her sides hurt, but finally had to call them off before she peed herself.

"Okay, that's enough, guys. I want the couch."

"Awww..."

She smiled, and pushed Jack off Ian – which pushed him off the couch, as well. He landed on the floor between the couch and the coffee table, and Jaffer jumped on him, eager for more wrestling.

Gasping, Ian sat up and rubbed his chest, then turned his head and looked up at Sam.

"Thanks. I thought the cow was going to squish me."

"Did he just call me a cow?" Jack's voice was muffled by Jaffer's big body.

"No," Ian said, tumbling off the couch by going over the arm so he could avoid Jack. "I think your hearing's going, Old Man."

He stepped behind Sam once more, this time his hands on her upper arms to hold her firmly between him and Jack. Sam laughed. Then realized that Ian smelled like beer. Which was all Jack's fault, of course. And the beer even drowned out the smell of coffee, so Sam didn't have to feel at all guilty.

"You need a shower, Ian," Sam told him. "You smell like a brewery."

"And you stink!" Jack called, dragging himself out from under Jaffer.

Sam touched the cadet's arm, which was cold. Of course, he'd been outside in the cold for far too long, too. A shower would warm him up so they didn't have to worry about him catching a cold.

"You're freezing."

"It's all Jack's fault," Ian said, still keeping Sam between him and the Colonel. "He's picking on me."

"Yeah, he does that," Sam agreed, pushing Ian towards the hallway and the bedroom. "Go get something to change into, I'll get you a dry towel."

He did as he was told, and disappeared into the bedroom, and Sam went over to the couch where Jack was now cuddling Jaffer to calm him down again while he watched her and Ian talk.

"You're really enjoying his company, aren't you?" She asked, softly, leaning over the back of the couch and stealing a kiss.

O'Neill smiled, and nodded.

"Yeah." He might have said more, but the door to 'Ian's' room opened and Sam went to get him a towel.

"Don't forget to wash behind your ears," Jack called.

"I have to," Ian said. "You spit all over them."

Oh yeah.

Ian vanished into the bathroom, and a few minutes later they heard the shower going.

"You want some coffee?" Sam asked. Jack was cold, too, she knew.

"Please."

He leaned back and put his feet up on the couch, Jaffer snuggled warmly beside him. A moment later Sam joined him, sitting on the other side and handing him a cup of coffee.

"So?"

He looked at her.

"So?"

"So why are you enjoying his company so much?"

Jack looked over towards the bathroom – although they could still hear the water running – and shrugged.

"I'm not sure... maybe because I can beat on him and it won't hurt him..." He took a sip of his coffee. "Shawn's great, of course, and I love having him with me, but he'd still too little to beat up on. I have to be careful with him." He ran his hand along her belly, smiling slightly. "And I obviously can't pick on you."

"What about Teal'c and Daniel?"

Jack's smile grew.

"Daniel is my primary target, of course – and if I want to get beat up on I'll pick on Teal'c. I can handle Ian – no matter how old he thinks I am."

"That's it?" Sam asked, raising her eyebrow in a perfect imitation of Teal'c's eyebrow thing.

Jack shrugged.

"No, not really..."

She nudged him with her elbow.

"Come on, tell me..."

Jack looked over at the bathroom once more.

"I like him, Sam. Aside from the fact that according to Shawn he's the smartest person at the academy, he's a lot like I was at that age."

"Cute?"

"Angry."

"Buffed?"

"Unfocused."

"Adorable?"

"Undisciplined."

She leaned her head on his shoulder, wishing she'd seen Jack when he was Ian's age and trying to picture him that young. Jack put his arm around her, holding her.

"He's going to be something great, you know? Like Shawn's going to be great – only Ian doesn't have the benefit of the Asgard teaching him."

"So you're taking him under your wing?"

Jack snorted softly, and shook his head.

"Not really. I'm just enjoying his company – right now. But if he ever needed to come to me for something – something he couldn't or wouldn't go to his dad about – I'd like him to be able to think he can, you know?"

She smiled, and kissed his cheek – which was still cold.

"And you'll never tell him that, will you?"

"Are you kidding? I'd call Teal'c's mother a dirty name first."