Here as promised is the fluff that you've all been waiting for.

Thank you to all of you who sent in reviews. Hugs guys; and I hope that you continue to enjoy this. There is a lot more to come,(maybe another 20 chapters or so, I can't tell yet) but with heaps more fluff, lots of angst and some H/C too.

Junior

By Lingren

Previously:-

Sam helped Melissa with the dishes after dinner and Daniel stacked them away though he wasn't sure where anything went as it was his first time up at the cabin, despite the fact that Jack had often invited him. Sam was the only one that was intimately familiar with the cabin, having spent a wonderful week here years ago and the odd weekend here and there since. Thinking about the times that she and Jack had spent here, brought a sad smile to her lips and made Melissa ask her what was wrong, but Sam just shook her head; she didn't want to talk about it.

Chapter 11

The next day promised to be bright and sunny though it was still dark and a crisp wind blew round the walls of the cabin and whistled through the slight gap in the wooden window frame.

Jack roused, not that he was sleeping particularly well anyway, but he rose quietly, so as not to disturb Jon Junior who was sleeping peacefully, curled on his side with Berra still tucked in the crook of his arm.

The boy wriggled, muttering softly in his sleep but settled again and Jack headed for the bathroom, taking his clothes with him. It was still early and no-one else appeared to be up yet. He hurried through his ablutions, then, grabbing his warm jacket from the peg near the door, he stepped outside and breathed in the smell of a fresh morning.

Needing to clear his thoughts he walked over to the little wooden jetty and with a stifled groan sat down to gaze unseeing into the dark waters. The early morning sunlight poked its rays through the trees and glistened off the uneven surface, dancing cheerfully on the ripples he created by tossing a stone or two into the gently lapping waves.

He wasn't sure how long he sat there with his arms propped on his bent knees, his back resting against a gnarled wooden pile, but it was some time later when the sound of approaching footsteps, whispering over the soft grass, made his back stiffen slightly, though he didn't need to turn round to know who it was behind him.

Sam came up beside him and folded her long legs under her as she sat down gracefully, resting her forearms on her knees in a relaxed pose mimicking his, which belied how uneasy she felt inside. She looked at his rigid profile, taking in his steely gaze out to the far shore of the lake, not showing any outward sign of whether he welcomed her intrusion into his silent ruminations or not.

"Jack!" she sighed softly after a while when he'd stayed silent for too long. "I know I must have upset you the other day; I hadn't intended to, and I'm really sorry for that." Her words met stony silence, but he did blink and drop his head to study his hands. "That was the last thing on my mind. I wouldn't hurt you intentionally. You must know that!"

"Oh really?" he snorted acerbically, turning to look at her for the first time.

His dark eyes as they looked into hers were hard, piercing her very soul and were as black as coal. Sam hung her head in shame, and blushed under his hard scrutiny.

"Jack please. I'm sorry. I...I just needed time to think. If you're not going to listen then there's no point in me trying to explain..."

She went to stand but his hand shot out to stop her from rising.

"Why don't you tell me anyway! 'Cause I don't have a clue what happened between us," he growled.

His voice was strangled, and hard with bitter disappointment, and Sam knew he was struggling to say anything. He was a man of few words, who always gave the answers in biting sarcasm, but he was finding it hard to find the right words to discover why she had left him feeling high and dry.

His hand held firm to still her movements, it was the only way he could think of to make her say what was on her mind.

"I didn't think you wanted me any more," she said haltingly, mechanically voicing her deepest fear. "You have your son now."

"What?" he couldn't believe his ears. "That's it? All this because you thought...? God Sam!" he cried in disbelief. Was his heart breaking because she believed he couldn't have both of them?

"You have Jon Junior now. He needs you and I can see that he loves you dearly... I..." her words failed her now. It all seemed so petty and stupid when she looked at it in the light of day. She sniffed, fighting back the tears.

He stood awkwardly, dragging her up by pulling at her upper arms, grasping them in both hands to make sure she looked him straight in the face with her shimmering blue eyes.

"Now you listen to me!" he ordered roughly, anger and frustration colouring his voice. He gave her a little shake to emphasise his point. "I. Love. You. Sam. No-one else. And yes okay, my family, including Junior. He's a great kid. But," he paused, his eyes pinning her with intense emotion, "my...heart...belongs...to...you!" he said slowly, enunciating every syllable. "Don't you get it Sam? I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you...Samantha Carter, scientist, soldier, and beautiful woman extraordinaire that you are. I need you Sam. I'm nothing without you, can't you see that?"

"You… You still love me?" she asked, reeling from his confession. How stupid had she been, causing him heartache and herself endless nights of pain as she'd cried into her pillow. "Oh Jack! I'm so sorry!"

He released her arms, as if he suddenly realised he'd been holding her too tight, but only momentarily so he could pull her into a fierce hug; while she melted into his arms amid deep sobs of relief and joy. He held her for as long as he could while she cried all her heartache away. He caressed her hair with his lips, holding her head closer to his shoulder, then rested his chin on it. He gave her time to calm and compose herself, before he affirmed his love in a passionate kiss which left her breathless and far happier than any time over the past few years.

Sam gazed up into his deep hooded eyes, now filled with passion rather than bitterness, and she smiled that brilliant smile that he loved.

"I love you Jack. With all my heart. I thought... I realised that..." she stuttered, trying to find the right words that would make things right again and would explain everything. "I know Jon Junior is your son, but I was... well, a little jealous I guess. I didn't think you'd want me around any more, so I backed off," she sniffed as fresh tears welled up.

"Shhh!" he commanded, brushing them away with his thumbs, holding her face in his hands. He didn't need to hear the agony she'd gone through lately, his own had been hard enough to bear, but now it was in the past and they'd both learned a lesson not to make assumptions about the other. "Don't say it Sam. It okay now. I'm here. You're here. That's all that matters."

They stood there together, both wrapped in each others embrace as they looked out over the lake amid the birdsong and the pure serenity of the picturesque scene as the sun rose higher above the trees, flooding the area in a glorious golden light.

Melissa smiled contentedly and wiped away a satisfied tear as she shut the door to the cabin softly so as not to disturb the blissfully unaware couple on the dock. She bustled about getting breakfast happily humming to herself; all would be well now they'd found each other again.

OoOoOoOoO

Insisting that she wanted Jon Junior with her today to help her, Melissa assured Jack that he wasn't needed around the cabin and to drive Sam into town as she had volunteered to get some supplies they were short of after her baking session yesterday and into which Murray had already made a sizable dent.

Jack cast his mother a knowing look and gave her a quick hug, telling her that she was the incorrigible one and that he most likely inherited it from her. She pushed him away and told them not to hurry back.

Jon Junior gave them both a big hug and a kiss and appeared to be quite happy to be left with Melissa and John, as well as Daniel and Murray of course. Jack feigned a hurt expression saying he'd been forsaken by his son already, which brought about a round of laughter everyone except Junior but only because he didn't understand what his father had meant. Jack ruffled the boy's hair and told him to behave, then gave him another hug and a kiss before they left.

He was confident that everyone would be safe because they had Teal'c and Daniel to watch over them, so he slid behind the wheel of his truck while Sam climbed into the other side. He started the big engine and they set off for Bemidji at a steady rate.

"Jack," Sam began, turning slightly in her seat to see him better. "General Hammond and I agree, that, according to our calculations, it will be Jon Junior's birth-date tomorrow, so he'll be five."

"Tomorrow?" Jack gasped in surprise. "I don't have anything..."

"It's okay. Why do you think Melissa and I planned this excursion into town?" she said with a happy laugh.

Jack turned for a brief moment to see the grin on her face and sighed with exaggerated wonder.

"Perhaps because you're two of the most conniving women I know?" he grinned at her, then turned his eyes back to the road ahead.

Sam giggled and shook her head at his cheek.

"I had a word or two with Melissa last night after you'd gone to bed, and told her about it. We're supposed to find a birthday cake and a few presents from everyone. Daniel, Teal'c and I have already got ours. They're hidden in their room for now. Your parents asked that we should get something appropriate and she slipped me some cash to buy it. So that leaves only yours to find."

Jack sucked in a huge breath and grimaced. He was hard pressed to find something for his friends, let alone his son's, especially at the last minute.

"I'll help you Jack. I'm sure we can find something to amuse him."

"It's not so much not knowing what to get...it's...not knowing what to get!" he clarified, though his statement made no sense to Sam.

"What?" she laughed.

"It's just...there's too much to chose from for kids these days!" he cried plaintively.

Sam giggled even more, loving his helplessness as well.

Sam settled back into the seat and gazed out of the window. She loved this part of the country now that she had been here a few times. She was enjoying the passing scenery, relaxing in his presence, secure at last in his love.

Before long they were pulling in to the parking lot next to the store. Jack stretched languidly as he stepped down from the truck. He locked the doors and they walked hand in hand towards the entrance. It felt good to be together again, and with his retirement on the cards it felt even better to be able to show his love openly.

They gathered the supplies that Melissa had wanted then strolled up and down the aisles looking for something suitable for Jon's present.

Sam chose several computer learning packages so that he could catch up with his basic education, as well as a few games for younger kids to play on the latest games console which Jack had at home. While Jack decided on some roller blades and a child size hockey stick with knee and elbow protection pads and a helmet because he wanted him to have fun learning to play and not hurt himself. Jack himself would teach him how to skate and play his all time favourite game, then they could share the fun between them.

They chatted happily as they ate lunch in the restaurant, feeling pleased with all their purchases and once they had loaded the truck they headed back to the cabin.

TBC