"That wasn't very nice, was it?"

Sam looked over at Shawn, who was sitting behind Jack in the truck this time.

"What?"

"Losing my temper like that…"

"I'm sure he understands, Shawn."

Jack nodded his agreement.

"If he doesn't now, he will later, once he realizes that it was just the result of a long day – on both of your parts."

"I hope so…"

Sam reached over and rested her hand on his knee.

"He will. Don't you worry about it."

The cadet sighed, and covered her hand with his.

"Since I have the two of you together… what would you say if I said I wanted to stay with you instead of go with my grandparents?"

Jack looked at him in the rearview mirror.

"Because of the argument you just had?"

"No. I know better than to make a rash decision like that on the spur of the moment." He was learning a bit at the Academy, after all. "I was thinking about it last night before I went to sleep. It'd make a lot more sense if I lived here, and I'd be closer to all my friends, and all the people I know." He hesitated. "And I really want to be with you guys…"

Sam felt her insides turn to goo and knew from the expression on Jack's face that he was feeling something similar – although he had to keep an eye on the road. She took hold of the hand on hers, and squeezed it.

"We'd love to have you."

"You don't have the room, though."

"We will," Jack told him. "You know we were already making plans to add another room on to the house. We've already done the plans, and I have the permits. We're just waiting for the snow to melt. It was going to be a workroom for Sam – since hers is going to be turned into a room for the baby. We can put her workroom in the garage – it's not like either of us park there, after all."

"Are you sure? It seems like a lot of work…"

"We'll have it up and built before you get out of school for the summer." Jack told him. "I planned on having it built before the baby comes in May, anyways."

"Jack has a Navy friend who's going to build it for us," Sam added.

"Then you really don't mind?"

"No, Shawn… we'd love for you to stay with us." Jack told him, seriously. "If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do."

"My grandparents-"

"Already said that Dotty and James gave us guardianship in their will." Jack shrugged. "They can try to fight it, but I don't think they could win."

"Especially since you're my biological father, huh?"

"Do they know that?"

Shawn shook his head.

"We could use it," Jack said, "But I'd prefer not to unless things really came down to a nasty fight. And I don't think they will. Your grandparents seem to really want what's best for you, and if you can convince them that this is what you want, then we'll convince them that it's what's best for you."

Shawn nodded, and was silent the rest of the way home – probably considering how to break the news to Randy and Mae without causing an argument like the one he'd already almost gotten into with his grandfather.

OOOOOOOO

The phone was ringing when Jack opened the door, and he dodged past Jaffer's excited greeting to get to it before whoever it was hung up, leaving Sam and Shawn to distract the black lab – who was more than happy to spend some time saying hello to his second and third favorite people in the world. Sam greeted Jaffer with a warm hug and a lot of caresses, and then turned him over to Shawn while she went and turned on the television. There had been word at the funeral that Hubble had picked up some interesting new pictures from space, and even though she'd been much further into space than pretty much anyone on Earth could ever imagine, she was still interested in seeing the pictures, and hoped to find some on CNN.

Shawn scratched Jaffer, feeling his concerns and worries of the day melt away in the presence of the big cheerful lab. It was really hard to be sad or anxious with Jaffer around, and Shawn was not immune to that. He caressed the dog's ears, feeling as if a load of troubles had been lifted from his shoulders. Most of that was the fact that the funeral was over and the healing could begin, but he was pretty sure part of it was that he'd also decided to stay with Jack and Sam, and had had such a positive response when he'd told them. Not that it should have surprised him.

Jack picked up the phone, watching Shawn and Sam both as he did so.

"O'Neill."

"Where the hell have you been? I've been calling all morning."

It was Taylor Chu. And he didn't know about the funeral, or Jack knew he wouldn't have been quite so brusque. Chu was a good guy.

"We've been out. What did you find out? Anything?"

"Of course. The kid you're looking for is on his way to LA."

"LA?" Jack asked, frowning. Sam noticed and walked over to him, watching him curiously, as was Shawn from his position on the floor with Jaffer. "Are you sure?"

"He rented a 2003 Ford Explorer at 6AM yesterday morning – using his Visa – and on the destination, the company tells me he told them he was heading for LA. According to other purchases he's made along the way, it's confirmed. If he's not heading to LA, then he's heading somewhere in that direction."

"Thanks, Taylor."

"No problem, Jack. Want me to send a couple guys to go get him for you?"

That would be a mistake, wouldn't it?

Jack shook his head.

"No, it's okay. But keep track of his movements for me, if you can, will you?"

"You got it."

"Thanks."

Chu hung up, and Jack looked at Sam.

"Ian's on his way to LA."

"Why?"

Jack shrugged, his expression just as confused as hers.

"I don't think he knows anyone in LA," Shawn said. "What possible reason would he have for going there?"

"'…Kinsey is making considerable progress in his rehabilitation, and we're fairly certain he'll be able to get up and around a little better now that he's able to use a walker…"

They all turned to the TV at the sound of the name, and stared at the file photo of Robert Kinsey, who looked like a greasy weasel in the picture even though he was smiling a typical politician smile that was designed to instill trust and was supposed to ooze sincerity. Then the screen changed to a hotel, labeled as Kinsey's place of residence. And at the bottom of the screen they saw the word 'Los Angeles'.

They all looked at each other.

"Kinsey?"