31?
A/N: GUYS! You didn't tell me I had Siler returning with Sam's bag twice! LOL. Chapter 30 has now been fixed. I took out the last paragraph, as it didn't work.
A year later…
Jack winced when he saw Shannon fall on her face. She was just learning to run, and in her excitement to see her daddy, her little legs got tangled up and she dropped to the floor. Granted, she didn't have far to fall, but Jack hated seeing it anyway. She grinned up at him as he swooped in to pick her up. She gave him a kiss and a hug. Jack tickled her, eliciting a giggle from her. She swarmed in his arms and he eventually set her down to go play with Rooster, who was barking, telling Jack it was his turn for a hug and kiss.
While Shannon squeezed Rooster's neck tightly, Jack smiled over at Sam. She was standing in the doorway, a dripping wet plate in one hand, dry towel in the other. The smile on her face never ceased to amaze him, and he cherished each one she gave him. He remembered when he couldn't see them, and the thought of losing his sight again made his heart tighten. "Hello beautiful."
"Hey yourself." She set the plate down and walked over to him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she brought his face closer to hers. Jack cradled her in his arms, kissing her gently. "I missed you." She said quietly.
Jack nodded his agreement. He and Rooster had just returned from a week long mission to train new recruits at the SGC. They were arrogant young kids, but by the time he was done with them, they had become respectful team players. Jack was even proud of a few of them. "I told Hammond that these missions were killing me."
Sam smiled. The week had been especially rough on her, as she had to keep telling Shannon that Daddy would be home soon. "Shannon just sleeps better when you both tuck her in." With a grin Sam left his arms and picked up the plate. "So do I."
Jack gave her a lazy grin. "Oh, trust me, it was no walk in the park for me. The recruits doubted Rooster's ability, and I overheard a few of them call me an old man."
Sam snorted. She gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sure you set them straight."
"By the first night they were worshiping me and talking to Rooster as if he could carry on a conversation with them."
"Dada!" Shannon wrapped her small arms around Jack's leg and hugged him. When she released him she held up her pudgy arms and looked at him with big blue eyes.
Jack, never having been able to refuse those eyes from her or her mother, reached down and picked Shannon up. "What do you want?" He teased her.
Shannon giggled. Jack couldn't get enough of her laughter. His hand formed a claw and Shannon giggled some more, squirming in his arm and trying to hide her face. "Claw!" She exclaimed.
"That's right, The Claw's going to get you." He watched her wiggle a little bit more before he attacked her belly, tickling her.
"I'll start dinner in a few minutes." She said.
Jack tried to hide his wince but Sam caught it. She'd been learning to cook from Janet, but there was just something wrong each meal. Jack, still holding Shannon, said, "Why don't we go out? We can invite the Jackson's."
Sam, seeing right through him, nodded. "Alright. But I get to choose the place." Jack conceded and they called up their friends.
Later that night Jack tucked Shannon in bed and watched as Rooster took up his position at the foot of her bed. He gave the dog a pat, to which he received a lick on the hand. "You're a good boy Roo." Jack said quietly.
He walked back into the living room and found Sam asleep on the overstuffed chair. Working full time at the SGC and then coming home to her family was starting to take a toll on her. He gently woke her up and she gave him an apologetic smile. "Sam, you know we have enough money for you to retire too."
Sam nodded, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. "I know. I was thinking about that a lot this week. Shannon didn't like it to much when I had to leave her with Cassie during the day."
"Good thing Cassie was on Spring break." Jack said, sitting on the footstool in front of Sam. "You do what you want."
Sam gave him a grin. "Well, I'll have to quit going on missions for a while anyway."
"Why?" Jack asked, alarmed.
She grinned again. "Nobody wants me to go through the gate pregnant."
"No, no one should go through preg-" Jack froze. What did she just say? "Are you pregnant?"
Sam nodded, giggling. "Two months. I found out earlier this week."
Jack beamed, gathering Sam in his arms. "God Sam." He laughed. "You're sure?"
"Janet checked twice."
"And she went through dinner without saying anything? Was she sick?"
"She was under a death threat."
Jack, his smile still in place, carried Sam to the bedroom.
