Chapter 21 – The Wrong Idea
Sam came out of her room at 0630 the next morning, carrying a somewhat sleepy JJ in her arms. They were both still wearing the clothes they had gone to bed in. Sam sat on the couch so that her back rested against one arm rest. She put her feet up on the couch and bent her knees so that JJ sat on her lap, resting against her legs, facing her. She handed him his bottle and smiled as he took it and greedily began to drink down the milk. Sam knew that once he had his bottle, he'd be good for a half hour or so before he'd want to eat. She was hoping that she could take a quick shower during that time before they headed down to the commissary.
"You two are up early," came a voice from the opposite side of the room.
Sam looked up as he entered the living room. Jack had already changed into his BDU's for the day, but his hair was still rumpled from sleep. "Morning, Sir. I hope we didn't wake you."
Jack frowned as he reclaimed the chair he had taken last night. "What happened to Jack?" he reminded her. "And no, you didn't wake me. We went to bed fairly early, so I just woke up on my own. How did you both sleep?"
"Like babies," Sam smiled over at him.
He smiled back and said, "You feeling OK this morning?"
"I'm fine," she assured him. Sam wiped JJ's mouth with a cloth, catching some formula that had dribbled down his chin. JJ was becoming more awake now, his wide eyes going back and forth between Jack and Sam. "You?"
"A bit stiff, but OK. He seems bright eyed this morning." Jack nodded at JJ. "You didn't put any coffee in there, did you?"
Sam laughed, "He's just happy to see us, aren't you sweetie?" she asked the little boy. She was rewarded with a sloppy grin. "Would you mind taking him while I take a quick shower? I didn't take a very …thorough one yesterday." Sam grimaced as she remembered why she had been hurrying through her shower and what had transpired after that trip to the women's locker room.
"No problem," Jack said standing up and coming over to take JJ from her lap. Their hands met as she passed the baby over and they both let them linger a few moments longer than necessary.
Sam cleared her throat and took a few steps toward her room. "I'll just grab my stuff and take a quick shower then."
Jack settled into the chair with JJ and turned the TV on with a click of the remote. "Take your time. JJ and I are going to catch up on the scores, aren't we buddy?" Sam shook her head as both of the 'boys' turned their attention to ESPN. Why anyone would want to watch reports of sporting events scores was beyond her; especially this early in the morning!
Sam grabbed her bag and JJ's and went back into the living room. She placed JJ's on the floor by Jack. "Here are some of JJ's things, Jack. You can change him and get him dressed when he's done with his bottle."
"OK," he answered noncommittally as his attention was on the hockey scores that were scrolling across the screen. Sam shook her head once again as she headed to the bathroom. Stopping in the doorway, she looked back at them and smiled at the picture they made. JJ rested back against Jack's chest; his head snuggled in the dent made by Jack's armpit. They both had their attention focused on the TV, JJ just watching the colors change as the hockey scores whizzed across the screen. Wishing she had a camera, Sam committed the picture to memory.
"Uh, Jack?" she asked from the door leading to the bathroom.
"Yeah?" he turned to look at her.
"Are you two going to be OK while I shower?" she asked with a glint in her eye.
Jack, recognizing the same question he had asked her yesterday replied, "Now what could possibly happen to us while you're in the shower?"
"You never know!" she grinned back.
"Well, we could join you, if you're that worried about us." Jack replied, waggling his eyebrows at her like he did last night.
Sam laughed, "I think I'll take my chances on leaving you out here. Be back soon."
She heard him call out as she closed the bathroom door, "We'll still be here!"
-----
Jack had just finished changing JJ's diaper and getting him into some clothes for the day when he heard a knock on the door to their suite. Looking at his watch, he wondered who could be here so early in the morning. It was only 0700.
He walked to the door and opened it to reveal Daniel and Teal'c standing there, both with looks of amusement on their faces.
"What?" he asked them, confused by their expressions.
"I just never expected to have you open a door holding a bottle in one hand and a diaper in the other. Have you forgotten the baby somewhere?" Daniel asked with a grin.
"You appear most domestic, O'Neill," Teal'c added helpfully as he bowed slightly.
"Oh, for crying out loud," Jack muttered as he walked back into the room, discarding the diaper in the trash and setting the bottle on the end table. Teal'c and Daniel followed him into the room and smiled when JJ came crawling over to them. He sat at Daniel's feet and put up his hands, "Da-ee!" he stated loudly.
Daniel tossed Jack the pillow he had been holding onto before bending down and picking JJ up. "Here's the pillow you launched at me yesterday."
"Well, it is called a throw pillow," Jack smirked at him.
Daniel ignored him as he focused on JJ. "Hey there big guy, how are you? Did you keep mommy and daddy out of trouble last night?"
At that moment, Sam came out of the bathroom. As she entered the living room, rubbing her head with a towel, she said, "Jack, I hope you don't mind but I used your shampoo. I forgot to bring mine." When she didn't hear a response, she looked up to find Daniel holding JJ, looking at her with his mouth slightly ajar. Teal'c had one eyebrow raised and looked back and forth between her and Jack. "Uh, hi guys," she stammered. "What are you doing here so early?"
"We came to see if you wanted to go and get breakfast together." Daniel recovered himself. "And how are you this morning, Sam? Did you or Jack have any problems last night?" Sam blushed slightly at his emphasis on Jack's name and turned so he couldn't see her face, pretending to concentrate on brushing her hair.
"Knock it off, Danny." Jack growled as he took JJ from Daniel's arms. He didn't want Daniel to make Sam feel uncomfortable about anything, especially when they had had such a pleasant evening together. "I told her to drop the ranks while we were sharing the suite. You have a problem with that?" He asked him pointedly.
Daniel, sensing that Jack wasn't in the mood for any more teasing, quickly stated, "No, of course not. It's about time, I'd say." He turned to Sam, "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Sam. I didn't mean anything by it."
"It's fine, Daniel," Sam stated as she put her brush on the table.
"It is good to see you Major Carter. You look well rested. Does your injury bother you this morning?" Teal'c asked with quiet consideration.
Sam smiled at his concern. "No Teal'c, I'm fine. So, are all of you ready to go and eat? I have a recording device to get to work on this morning," Sam said, attempting to redirect their attention as she moved past them to the door.
"Just a second, Sam," Daniel said as he moved next to her and put a hand on her arm to stop her progress. "Janet stopped me in the hall. She'd like you to stop in the infirmary quickly, just to check out your head before you go to breakfast."
"For Pete's sake," Sam muttered as she opened the door. "Doesn't she have enough to do without worrying about a little cut on my head?"
"It's just a precaution. She promised it would only take a few minutes. I'll come with you so Jack can get JJ started on his breakfast," Daniel offered.
"Actually,' Jack interrupted. "I'll go with her." He didn't want to give Daniel another opportunity to grill her about what had or had not happened last night. "I think JJ would like to start breakfast with Uncle Danny and Uncle Teal'c, wouldn't you big guy?"
"Da-ee! EEE!" JJ responded, holding his arms out again to his pseudo-uncles. Teal'c took the little boy this time, settling him into the crook of his arm with an apparent ease and comfort that surprised them all.
"We will provide nourishment for Jonathon – Jacob, Major Carter. I recall that he enjoys eggs that have been scrambled," Teal'c stated.
"And applesauce T, he likes applesauce. And don't forget the bib," Jack reminded them with a smile.
"Thanks Jack," Daniel added dryly as they went their separate ways.
-----
True to her word, Janet only kept Sam for a few minutes. She desperately wanted to question Sam about how her evening had gone, but wasn't given the chance as Colonel O'Neill remained in the room the entire time.
Janet had been more than a little surprised that the General had suggested they share a room - well a suite. While there were never any overt displays of affection between Sam and Jack, one couldn't help but see the glances and closeness that they shared; especially now that little JJ was in the picture.
Janet shook herself mentally; it wasn't any of her business at any rate. Her job was to keep them healthy and with this group, that was more than enough to worry about!
"Ok, Sam, you're set to go. I'll take the stitches out in a few days."
"Thanks Janet," Sam sighed with relief. She stood up and went to join Jack by the door.
"Just a second, Sam," Janet called. "Is everything all right with JJ? No teething problems or anything last night?"
"No, he slept through the night. He seems to be his bright, cheerful self this morning."
"Takes after me that way," Jack chipped in.
Both women rolled their eyes. "No residual effects from yesterday?" Janet continued.
"Nope, he's fine Janet. Really," Sam insisted at Janet's continued look of concern.
"Ok, then. I'll see you at the briefing at 1100 hours." Jack and Sam said goodbye and left the infirmary together, Sam sighing once they were beyond Janet's hearing.
"She worries too much," Sam said under her breath.
"It's her job," Jack answered back. They walked in companionable silence to the commissary, each lost in their own thoughts.
"Is it just me, or are people looking at us funny?" Sam asked once she passed another small group who seemed to stop talking once they saw Sam and Jack walking down the corridor.
Jack shrugged his shoulders, "People always look at me funny. You get used to it, Carter."
Sam laughed out loud at that comment, earning a grin from him, as well as more looks from a group of nurses walking by. If the looks didn't bother him, she wasn't going to let them bother her.
-----
Sam was working in her lab, putting the finishing touches on the recording device when the phone rang. She glanced over to the corner where JJ sat playing on a blanket, Daniel hovering close by. Jack and Teal'c had gone down to the holding cells to see if they could get anything else out of the prisoners.
"Major Carter," she answered as she picked up the phone. "Yes, General. He's here? But why did he… Yes, Sir. I'll head up there right away." She glanced over again at Daniel, who had a questioning look on his face. "Yes General, Daniel is here with him. All right Sir. I'll see you in the briefing room in 15 minutes." She hung up the phone and walked over to where Daniel now stood, JJ in his arms.
"What was that all about?" Daniel asked with genuine curiosity. It wasn't often that he heard Sam with a note of confusion in her voice.
"That was General Hammond. He wants me to go topside to sign in a visitor. Apparently, Malcolm Barrett is here!"
"Barrett? Came all the way from D.C.? Why?" Daniel asked.
Sam shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. I was just expecting a phone call from him before our 1100 briefing. Now, he'll actually be sitting in on it. I guess we'll find out."
"Should we come with you?" Daniel wasn't too sure about carting JJ all over the base, but he also didn't want to leave Sam alone. After all, the General had explicitly stated that neither she nor JJ should be left alone just yet.
"No, Daniel. General Hammond is waiting for you in the briefing room. He said for you and JJ to come up now. I'll be there shortly," Sam explained.
"Uh, but what about what the General said yesterday?" Daniel asked with concern. "We aren't certain that there aren't any more of Mr. M's goons on base," he reminded her.
Sam frowned; she was getting rather tired of the overprotective attitude of her team mates! "There will be guards by the elevator on both ends, so I'll be fine. General Hammond told me to go and meet Barrett, so I'm going," she stated with firmness. Sam took JJ from Daniel for a brief hug, nuzzling his neck and making him giggle. "See you in a bit sweetie," she said softly, kissing him once more on the cheek.
Daniel was still a bit concerned. He was more than a little worried about how Jack would react when he found out Sam went topside on her own. "Are you sure Sam? Maybe I should call Hammond and…"
"Daniel, you're getting as bad as Janet. Now go. I'll be there in fifteen minutes. If not, you can send out the cavalry, OK?"
Daniel sighed, he knew he wasn't going to win this one. "Fine Sam." He took JJ back from her and picked up the diaper bag that went everywhere with the baby. "But if Jack gets mad, remember, it's not MY fault!"
Sam laughed at his expression, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, then left to head up to the top to meet Agent Malcolm Barrett.
