Jaffer's arrival into the kitchen just as Ian was putting the now mangled eggs onto a couple of plates was warning enough that Jack or Sam – or both – were up and stirring. A minute later it proved to be Jack, walking into the kitchen in sweats and bare feet and chest, looking incredibly rumpled and sleepy.

He nodded a greeting to the two of them, and went straight for the sliding glass door where Jaffer had gone after giving Ian and Shawn his own greetings. The lab went out for his morning check of the backyard and Jack shut the door and eyed the two plates of eggs and toast.

"Breakfast?"

"Are you hungry?"

"Is there coffee?"

They both shook their heads. Shawn didn't like coffee, and Ian was indifferent at best when it came to drinking the stuff. He'd just as leave have juice or milk.

"Milk."

Jack scowled, and looked over as Sam entered the kitchen. She was just as rumpled as Jack, but much prettier, even in a nightgown and robe.

"Good morning," she said, smiling as she walked over to join Jack, her arm sliding around his waist – although her attention was on Ian and Shawn.

"Morning, Sam." Shawn said, reaching for more bread.

"Good morning," Ian echoed. "Ready for breakfast?"

"You guys cooked?"

They shrugged, and Ian handed over one of the plates to Sam and the other to Jack.

"Juice or milk. No coffee, yet."

Since Sam had cut down on her coffee intake since getting pregnant – not completely abdicating coffee, just drinking less – she didn't mind at all. She took the plate to the table and sat down.

"I'll have juice, please."

Jack sighed and joined her with the other plate.

"Me, too."

Ian started cooking more eggs for him and Shawn, while Shawn pulled the juice from the fridge.

"How did you guys know we were getting up?" Sam asked.

"We are geniuses…" Ian said.

"Yeah."

Sam looked at them suspiciously.

"Meaning you were making your own breakfast and we just have good timing?"

"Something like that."

She smiled, but since they were willing to hand over their breakfast, she was willing to eat it – although the eggs weren't the prettiest things she'd ever seen before. At least they weren't burnt, and the toast wasn't cold. She could eat this. And would.

OOOOOO

Before the next set of eggs and toast were finished, River made his own appearance, obviously pulled from his bed by the smell of breakfast. The Californian was wearing only pajama bottoms, his chest and arms deeply tanned even after the cold winter with no chance to work on it. What really drew their attention, though, were the pajamas, and Ian made a show of covering his eyes.

"Jesus, Hayden, sit down at the table and hide those pajamas before I go blind."

River started to flip him off, looked over at Sam and instead rubbed the side of his nose. With one middle finger.

Shawn smiled; glad to see that Ian was managing to retain his good humor. Ian looked over at him, caught the smile and brandished his spatula at the young Cadet before handing him both plates of breakfast.

"Take those to the table, boy, and sit down."

"You want one of them?"

"Nah. I'll make another for me. Go ahead and get started."

Shawn didn't argue. He walked over and set one of the plates in front of River and took the spot next to Jack while Ian started breaking yet more eggs into the pan. Jack got up long enough to let Jaffer into the house, then went back to his breakfast.

"What are you guys doing today?" Sam asked a few minutes later when Ian brought his plate over and joined them. She was finished eating, now, and was simply lounging at the table, watching everyone else eat and enjoying the relaxation of a quiet moment with the guys.

Jack looked at Ian, who had piled twice as much food on his plate as any of the others had had and was digging into it with enthusiasm.

"I suppose that depends on you…"

"Me?"

"On what you decide to do…"

Ian shrugged. What was the worst that could happen?

"I suppose it can't hurt to give it a try…" he said. "If you guys are willing to have me there."

Sam smiled, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, and Jack nodded.

"Good. I'll let Hammond know so he can get things rolling, and we'll get you transferred from the academy this morning."

"If the Commandant says it's okay," Ian said, reminding Jack that the Commandant hadn't been all for the idea.

"You have a meeting with him, right?"

Ian nodded.

"Then you can convince him that it's something you want to do, and Sam and I will convince him that it's something that should be done. Deal?"

"I'll try."

Since they had gone through all the effort of trying to convince him, it was only fair he try to convince the Commandant. Of course, Ian wasn't all that sure what he was going to say, but he had a couple of hours to figure it out. In the meantime, he was going to eat before his eggs got cold and the butter on his toast congealed.

OOOOOO

Sam did the dishes. The guys didn't want to let her, but she tartly reminded them that she wasn't going to keel over dead if they allowed her to do a little housework, and sent them all off to get dressed and ready for the day. Especially River, whose pajama bottoms were starting to make her eyes water.

Since Ian had fallen asleep dressed and the jeans and shirt were already clean, he decided it wouldn't kill anything if he didn't bother to change into the clothes Sam had washed for him. Consequently, after a quick shave he was ready for his day long before the others, and he hung out in the kitchen, making comments about how much help he could be until Sam finally relented and let him dry for her.

They finished the dishes, and then Sam headed off to change as well, leaving Ian to put the dishes away. River walked in as he was finishing up, and the New Yorker hung up his towel and headed for the sliding glass door and the deck beyond it.

"Hey, Hayden. Come outside with me for a minute. I want to have a talk to you."