When they were finished eating and Sam had slipped the last sandwich to Jaffer under the table, Ian shooed her out of the kitchen, telling her that there weren't all that many dishes and he didn't mind doing them – she could go relax.

"I don't mind doing them," Sam said, following him as he carried their plates and bowls to the sink.

"I don't mind, either," he told her as she came over and stood next to him.

"But you cooked." She said, pushing against him with her elbow to try and move him away from the sink. He was very solid, though, and didn't even budge.

"Jack, come get your wife before I'm forced to carry her out of here bodily."

"You wouldn't!" Sam laughed, reaching for the sink plug.

"Jack!"

"I'm busy doing nothing," came an answer from the living room. "You deal with her."

"You heard him," Ian warned her.

"You don't scare me, big shot. Go lounge in front of the fire and soak up the heat like you said you wanted to and let me do the dishes." She reached for the faucet and suddenly found herself swept up into his arms – so quickly she didn't even have a chance to struggle. "Hey!"

"I warned you," he told her, turning around and heading for the living room while Sam threw her arms around his neck.

"Don't drop me..."

"Never."

She wasn't worried, really, since the arms that were holding her were steady and he didn't seem to be having any trouble.

"Jack, save me!"

He met Ian at the entrance to the living room, and held his arms out. The cadet handed Jack his wife with a slight smile and Sam felt like a sack of potatoes being passed back and forth.

"Keep her occupied for me, will ya?"

"Yes, Sir," Jack cuddled Sam close as Ian turned and went back into the kitchen, Jaffer following him, cheerfully, hoping to mooch a treat from the cadet.

"Put me down," Sam murmured, leaning into him lazily. Despite her words, she loved being held by him – even if it had taken being kicked out of the kitchen in such an undignified fashion to be put into his arms.

"You heard Ian," Jack told her as he carried her into the living room and sat down – with her still in his arms. "I'm supposed to keep you occupied."

Since that could be taken in more than way one, Sam felt a slight shiver go through her – one she suppressed. They did have company, after all, and it wasn't like she was starved for his attentions. She cuddled against him, though, sliding her hand along his arm.

"I thought you were going to bed?"

"I am. But this is more important."

God, she loved it when he was mushy.

"You could start me a bath."

"I could." He leaned closer and whispered, "If we didn't have company, I'd join you in that bath."

She shivered again, both at the picture that brought to mind and because his breath tickled her ear. She turned her head and kissed him lightly, then moved out of his lap to sit beside him.

"Go to bed, Jack. I won't be far behind you."

"Do you really want a bath?"

She nodded.

"I can do it, though."

"I don't-"

They were interrupted by a crash from the kitchen and a curse that Ian didn't manage to bite back in time.

"Fucking Sonofabitch..."

"Are you okay?" Sam called, smiling, because no matter what he'd broken it was definitely not so bad that it rated a curse like that.

"Fine," Came the reply, and Sam's smile grew when she heard the chagrin in his voice – probably he realized what he'd said. "A glass slipped out of my hand. I'll replace it."

"Don't worry about it." Jack called.

"Don't cut yourself on it," Sam called.

"Call Jaffer, will ya?"

"Jaffer!"

The black lab came tearing out of the kitchen, his eyes cheerful and his head just a little soapy – from where Ian had pushed him away from the broken glass that he'd immediately had to investigate.

"You need help?" Sam called to Ian, smiling over at Jack, who was checking Jaffer for any sign that the glass had cut his paws.

"Nope. I'm good. Carry on with..." Whatever else he was saying was muffled as he started cleaning up the glass, and Sam stretched, slipping her bare feet along Jaffer's soft furry side.

"I'm going to go get a bath."

"I'm going to bed – as soon as I make sure he doesn't need anything."

"I'll be there in a bit."

Jack's smile was naughty, and Sam moved her foot from Jaffer's side to nudge Jack's ribs.

"Make sure he has enough blankets – it'll probably get cold tonight."

"Yes, dear."

She rolled her eyes in amusement and got up and headed for the bathroom, and Jack told Jaffer to stay where he was and headed for the kitchen, where Ian was just tossing the broken pieces of the glass into the garbage.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Soapy hands."

Jack nodded.

"I'm going to bed and Sam's going to soak in the tub for a while. Will you be able to entertain yourself for the rest of the night?"

"I'll be fine."

"If it gets cold, there are extra blankets in the hall closet."

"Thanks."

Jack looked around, but there weren't all that many dishes to begin with, and Ian had most of them done.

"You don't need anything?"

"Go to bed, Colonel, or I'll pick you up and carry you out of the kitchen, too."

He was tempted – oh was he tempted! – to tell him to give it his best shot, but Jack knew that if he threw down that gauntlet, Ian would. And then they'd probably end up wrestling or something and he'd never get to bed.

"Okay, okay." He left and headed down the hall. Jaffer watched him go from his position on the couch, but the black lab wasn't ready for bed just yet. He'd wait for Sam.