The drawer wasn't stuffed full of things, but Ian knew that the items in it were some of the deadliest on Earth. He recognized a few from his downloading memories, but the learning device he'd stuck his head in hadn't finished its job – and wouldn't for months, probably – so he didn't recognize it all. Although he could guess at some of them.

These were the weapons that Dotty had been using to protect her son and those around her from anything that might threaten them. Weapons that she'd never allowed her husband to even suspect existed, but that she'd used ruthlessly to defend her loved ones. Weapons she'd never use again, thanks to him.

Ian felt like crying. It was all his fault. What had he been thinking, telling Shawn to send them off like that? He should have just kept his fucking mouth shut, and none of this would have happened. Guilt overwhelmed the sorrow he felt, although both emotions were strong enough that he felt a tightening in his chest and his nose suddenly seemed a little runny.

He sniffed, and wiped his nose with the back of his shirt sleeve – something his mother would have scolded him for if she'd caught him doing it – and forced his thoughts back to what he was doing. While none of the items in the drawer were volatile without activation, they did command a lot of respect when dealing with them, and Ian was going to have to pay attention to what he was doing.

He reached for the large case that dominated one side of the drawer, and pulled it out, setting it on the floor and opening it up. It had a cushioned interior – like a rifle case – and spaces cut into the cushion material to hold each device in the drawer. It was simply a matter of putting them all in the right spot. Reaching into the drawer, he pulled out the first device…

OOOOOOOOOO

A noise in the hallway woke Jack from a restless sleep. Looking over and checking Sam – which was what he always seemed to do when he woke up – he found she was still sound asleep, the stress of the day having taken its toll on her, and her body forcing her to catch up on some needed rest. Which was fine with Jack. He wasn't sure what the stress was doing to her – besides making her tired – but he knew it couldn't be good for her. He'd probably try and send her to work tomorrow, so she could get away from the somber house for a while and into a much more familiar routine. Besides, Teal'c and Daniel could watch her to make sure she was relaxing, and Janet could give her and the baby a quick check up if she still seemed tired.

Moving quietly, he slipped out of bed and tucked the blankets around her. Then he headed for the door, opening it carefully to avoid letting the light from the hall shine onto Sam – again, to keep from disturbing her – and he slipped out of the room, and closed the door behind him.

The living room light was on and the door to Shawn's room was wide open. A quick look into the room proved the boy to be gone – as was Jaffer, who had been cuddling with him when he'd fallen asleep that evening – so Jack headed down the hall. And found the two of them on the sofa, Jaffer letting Shawn use him as a big black throw pillow, and Shawn leaned against him, one hand stroking the lab's shoulder, the other wrapped around him.

Both of them looked up when Jack entered the room, and Jack could hear Jaffer's tail thumping against Shawn's side in greeting.

He came over and sat down, putting Shawn between him and Jaffer, and reached out and ran his hand along Shawn's cheek, aching to see the bleak expression in his son's brown eyes.

"Hey…"

"Hi, Jack…"

"Couldn't sleep?"

Shawn's jaw tightened as he forced back the tears that wanted flow – he was such a crybaby! – and he shook his head.

"No…"

Jack nodded.

Shawn shifted away from Jaffer, moving so that instead of leaning against the lab, he was now leaning against Jack. In response, Jack put his arms around the boy and cradled him carefully, pulling his head down against his chest. It was a position they'd found themselves in often when Shawn was younger – a position the boy had loved back then – and one they'd used less and less as time had passed and Shawn had grown older. But it was a position of comfort that Shawn needed just then, without even realizing it, and he'd automatically turned to it.

Without a trace of self-consciousness, Shawn cuddled up against Jack like he had when he was little, and with equal ease, Jack found himself rocking Shawn lightly, unaware he was even doing it.

"Do you think they felt it…?" Shawn asked.

Jack knew immediately what he was asking, and felt his heart break at the question. He ran his fingers through Shawn's hair, and shook his head.

"No." He bent down and kissed the top of Shawn's head, hugging him even closer. "They probably didn't even know what was happening."

"You think so?"

"Yeah… I bet they didn't feel anything…"

It was a small consolation, he knew, but he was probably right.

He felt Shawn shiver in his arms, and pulled the blanket from the back of the sofa down and pulled it up over them, covering Jaffer as well, since the lab had snuggled close to Shawn once more.

"What's going to happen next?"

"We'll have to wait and see, Shawn," Jack told him. "We'll just take it a day at a time… okay?"

The boy nodded, and Jack felt the grip on him tighten.

"I miss them already…" Shawn whispered.

"I know."

"It's dumb… I mean, it's not like I was even living at home anymore, or anything, so I didn't see them every day – not even once a month, really… but…" Another shudder ran through the lean body Jack was holding, and Shawn's voice broke. "But… now… I…"

"I know, buddy…"

He gathered him even closer, and this time when Shawn started sobbing into his chest, Jack was able to force his own sadness at the loss of Dotty and James to the side, and simply hold Shawn while he cried, rocking him gently, and murmuring to him as the night passed around them.