It was about 2100 when the adults were finally settled again in the living room with coffee. The O'Neill's settled in for talking, and initiation of Sam Carter into their circle.
"So, Sam," Luke asked expectantly, "Jack said you are an astrophysicist?"
"Theoretical astrophysicist."
Nathan furrowed his brow, "Why the hell do hang out with our older brother?"
Sam grinned as Jack scowled at his sibling, "I don't really have a choice in the matter, Nathan. He's my CO."
The furrow grew deeper, "Yeah, I never got why Jack was assigned to a scientific base."
Sam's grin faltered, "It's classified."
All three siblings of Jack O'Neill noticed the way Sam grew a little colder when she said that, but they were unable to respond because at that exact moment Sam's cell phone started to ring.
"Carter," she said into the speaker, grinning with joy at the voice on the other line. "Hello, Mr. President…yes, sir, I got the package a few hours ago. Thank you so much for it…I know, sir…Was that the only reason you got if for me so quickly, sir?…Good, I'd hoped not…Sir! Now that was just…Good-bye, sir. Tell your wife I said hello."
"How is Henry, Carter? He in on the envelope as well?" Jack asked flippantly.
Sam's grin grew large again, "Yes, sir, the president gave me the envelope. He's doing well." She frowned jokingly, "I'm pretty sure you'd hear about something first if he was in any sort of danger, sir."
Jack shrugged, consenting the point, "True. But he doesn't call me on my personal phone after work ends."
Sam blushed brightly before her grin returned with full force; "He calls you on your personal phone during work hours?"
Now it was Jack's turn to blush as his brothers and sister-in-law looked at him and laughed. Nathan was finally brave enough to broach the subject by asking, "So, you guys know the president? I mean we all saw the broadcast a few years ago with Jack and Senator Kinsey, but President Hayes?"
"Yeah," Sam and Jack said simultaneously.
Luke scrunched his eyebrows together, "Let me guess, it's classified, right?"
"Got it in one," Jack said humorously. "So…how 'bout them Yankees?"
Tris looked at her brother-in-law with confusion, "You don't even like the Yankees, Jack!"
Before Jack could come up with a witty response, a car pulled up only a minute before there was a knock on the door. Sam briefly wondered why they didn't just ring the doorbell.
Jack got up, getting one of his guns from the table by the door to make sure it was easily accessible before opening it to reveal two women – one of which was very pregnant and their husbands. The people in the living room only started to relax when they heard Jack's deep laugh.
"Surprise?" Michael offered lamely at his older brother's shocked expression. Samuel just smiled nervously, wondering if he was about to regret the idea of driving the twelve-hour drive in one day.
"Don't just stand there, Jack," Stephanie (Samuel's very pregnant wife) admonished, "It's cold and I'm sure me standing up like this in freezing weather isn't good for the babies!"
That brought Jack out of his stupor rather quickly, he ushered the four of them inside. When their bags had been taken in, coats and boots removed, the four new comers followed Jack into the living room, happy to see all the faces already there.
Tris rose swiftly from her seat to embrace her sisters-in-law. "Stephanie, you're so big! Are you sure that due date wasn't off by a few months?" Tris said as she placed one of her hands on Steph's protruding stomach.
Steph grinned slightly, "No, the doctor's weren't wrong – they were just wrong about how many heart beats they heard. Apparently there was an echo that they didn't pick up on the ultra sound. We're having twins!"
Lydia stood back from her embracing sisters, always liking to stand in the wings as opposed to the limelight. Now was Stephanie's moment – it wasn't time yet to tell them Mike's and her big news. Not yet.
It's hard to say who noticed the cute blond on the couch first – Samuel or Michael, but it was Michael who made the first move.
"So, Jack? Something the family should know about?" the younger man asked jokingly.
Jack looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, "You know, that's the exact same thing Gabe asked me when Sam here picked up the phone two weeks ago." He grinned at his younger brother, "And I'll give you the same answer I gave him: no."
Not yet, Tris, Sam, Luke, Nathan and Jack all added silently; unaware that the others were doing just that.
A/N: So, what do you think Lydia's big surprise is? I'll give everyone two guesses - make 'em good! Please review. They make me feel warm and fuzzy and right now I have a migrane and feel like crap. (Hence why I'm updating instead of taking a French test at school.) I need to feel warm and fuzzy.