Chapter 7: Generals' Daughters

Sam joined Jack in the kitchen, "Can I do something to help?" He was cutting up a tomato.

"Been swapping recipes with Thor have we? Oh no, no, no. I can not imagine that living off world for the last five years, has improved your culinary talents. I've got it."

"It's a salad!" she said exasperated and he smiled.

"Tell me about our kids?" he distracted her.

"Life with Jack O'Neill's children, hmmmm?" She was rewarded with a prideful smile from him. "They're great. Hold on." She ran out of the room and came back with her laptop.

"Here." There on the screen was a video of Sam looking fairly tired, laying on her side with the two of them in front her. He walked around the counter to get a closer look and she went over and took his place cutting the vegetables.

The babies were bundled tightly; their unfocused eyes were darting around the room.

"The one on the left is JJ, he was born first. He is a big brother; 27 minutes older than his little sister. JJ was 4 lbs and 2 oz. and Grace was 4 lbs and 7 oz." She finished cutting the tomato and started on the cucumber.

He touched the screen. "They were so small."

"They were early. JJ was struggling, but the Nox saved him. Don't worry, they're perfectly healthy. And, they are certainly not that small anymore."

"They're beautiful."

"Close that and click on that icon." She instructed pointing at the screen.

Pictures came up of the kids as infants, toddlers and so on. "Grace is a little small for her age, but what she lacks in size she makes up for in attitude. Watch out she has a big O'Neill temper buried deep under her sweet, shy nature; it's very deceiving. JJ he is more like his Momma; very patient and wants to know everything." Sam put the cut vegetables into the bowl and when Jack looked up he noticed her smile had vanished and she now looked concerned.

"What?" he inquired.

"It's just going to be a big adjustment for them."

"Kids are adaptable kids Sam, they'll be fine. You'll see, in a few weeks I will have completely corrupted them. And, before you know it they will be playing video games, eating pizza, screaming at the hockey refs, and have skinned knees and elbows from falling off their bikes and out of trees." She smiled at the thought of such a normal sounding life.

"I'm sure you're right."

He walked back around and hugged her. He was really surprised to see this many tears from her in one day, but glad she was learning to open up to him. "It's alright, we'll get them through it."

She couldn't believe she was crying again. "I just miss them." But, if the downside of being openly vulnerable was to be held by him, she figured she could learn to live with it. "I'm going to go clean my face up again."

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He heard the knock on the door and went to answer it. "Hi Jack." Daniel greeted.

"Hi Danny-boy, come on in. Good trip? Have fun with the shrubs? Hi Janet." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"General."

"Yes, I-" Daniel stopped as Sam stepped into the foyer.

"Sam!" They said in unison.

"When did you get here? What are you doing here? What's going on?" both asking similar questions over each other, while looking back and forth between Jack and Sam for answers.

Jack guided the group to the living room during the onslaught of questions. Each one hugged Sam and then found seats in the living room. "Danny. Janet. Come on in. Beer?"

Daniel eyed him suspiciously. "You're offering me a beer, before I eat? What's going on Jack?"

Jack reached for Sam's hand. She smiled shyly, it would take a while to get used to being public about their relationship. "I'll have a beer." both responded. Having a feeling they would need them.

"Sam? You want one?" She nodded and sat down on the couch.

"When did you get back?" Janet re-started the conversation.

"Last night."

"How long are you here for?" Daniel jumped in.

"I am back to stay."

"Oh, that's great." They said together.

"Here you go." Jack passed out the beers, then went and sat on the couch next to Sam and put his arm around her.

Janet didn't know what terms Sam and Jack had parted on, all those years ago. She tried to talk to Sam about the anxiety her friend was obviously experiencing before she left, but Sam had refused to talk to her about it.

Daniel eyed them suspiciously and seeing Jack's grin as he sat down next to Sam, forced the question from his mouth. "So something you want to tell us Jack?"

Sam and Jack looked at each other. "We're married." They smiled when the other one answered at the same time.

"Wow that was fast; congratulations you two." Janet stood and crossed the room to hug Sam again.

Sam stood and holding Janet's hand she confessed. "No actually, we were married nearly five years ago." Jack stood and was smiling mischievously.

Daniel, who had been uncharacteristically quiet and still seated, sprayed his beer across the room in front of him at her confession.

"I'll get something to clean that up." Sam ran to the kitchen for a towel.

Janet and Daniel were still stunned when she returned. So Jack decided to continue on with the fun with Sam being too busy to hurt him right now. "Oh, and that isn't even the best part Danny, is it Sweetie?" She glared at him. "We have two kids too – they are almost four."

Daniel sprayed more beer. "WHAT!"

"For crying out loud Danny, let me have that bottle. You don't waste Guinness like that." Jack took Daniel's beer.

"What is going on?" Janet asked skeptically. Jack was smirking, and Sam was looking somewhat apologetic.

"It's all true. Married. Two kids. To Jack." She pointed at him.

Jack pulled the picture she had given him from his pocket and handed it to Daniel and Janet. "That's JJ and Grace. They'll be 4 in July and they'll be here tomorrow." No one in the room could doubt this was true for they had never seen that big of a grin on Jack O'Neill's face.

"Jack why don't you go and put the steaks on, I will fill them in." Jack left reluctantly, and she was able to fill them in – a bit more gently. Sam gave them the highlights - marriage, kids, new job. Then Daniel went out to talk to Jack, leaving Sam and Janet to talk.

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Daniel had questions. "So, Jack married, two kids. Congratulations, you deserve it." Jack smiled and raised his beer to Daniel.

"Thanks, Daniel. AndSoButTherefore…." Jack invited him to jump directly into the interrogation portion of the evening he knew was it coming and wanted to get it over with. Derailing Daniel now would only mean being ambushed at work later, and he only enjoyed getting ambushed if he got to shoot someone for it.

"Okay, forgive me if I find it a bit hard to believe, that you have known about this for the last five years."

"Oh here we go. Of course, I knew I was married Daniel. I was there. Said 'I do', 'for better or worse.' The whole nine yards. I think Elvis married us or maybe was it Wayne Newton? Actually you were pretty close by, yourself."

"Vegas, yeah Sam mentioned that." Daniel ran his hand through his hair, "So you found out that Sam was pregnant and decided that it was best that she go off alone with Thor, have your children and raise them by herself out there?" Jack nodded. "Nope, not buying it." Daniel responded.

Jack was thankful that Daniel would be the only one who knew him well enough not to buy into the cover story. Although Teal'c probably would too, he wouldn't ask. "Daniel, leave it alone. I am happy. Look. See. Smiling. Happy Jack."

"No I was here Tuesday night – poker night, remember. Not happy Jack then. Cranky. Ranting. Raving Jack. Only four days ago when you accused Mitchell of cheating."

"Your point?"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I don't know you. Wait, haven't we done this before? Déjà vu. I was right then and I am right now. You didn't know." He accused him again.

Jack smiled. "Listen Daniel I'm serious, I don't want to do this. I piss off alien bad guys for fun, and the Vice President framed me for his bogus assassination. I was not the guy I would want standing next to my kids." Daniel continued to look at him skeptically.

"So what you knew they were out there and just didn't see them?"

"How do you know I didn't see them; you don't know where I am all the time."

"Jack, you've driven me crazy for the last four and half years since Sam left. We've spent an unnatural amount of time together. People were starting to talk before I started seeing Janet."

"So how is that going?"

"Good, stay focused Jack."

"Medium-well, right?"

"When you're cooking, medium….So whatever it is that did happen it's over now and alls well and were back to normal"

"We don't do normal; none of us. We go to work in a hole in the ground, to go across the universe and fight aliens bad guys. Right now my kids are being babysat by aliens on another planet who can make themselves disappear and bring people back to life. In the next few days I have to bring my kids home and meet with the NID about their security. So buckle your seat beat and put your tray in the upright position folks, because we passed normal several thousand light years ago. But yeah, it's okay, alls well.

"But-?"

"Enough Daniel you got it, you were here, the good friend. We don't need to hug or cry or anything. My kids are coming tomorrow. I don't have time to dwell, and I don't do victim. This is my family; so let it go or leave."

Daniel put his hands up in surrender. "Okay Jack I'll leave it, but if you need to talk. I am here for you."

"Thanks, Danny, I do appreciate your concern. Hey I need another beer. Grab the steaks would you." They headed inside for dinner.

Daniel shook his head. "Ah these are the moments that leave me all warm and fuzzy inside Jack."

Jack smiled victoriously. Daniel got it.

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Meanwhile, Sam was having a similar conversation with an equally concerned and questioning Janet. Which had started with something like 'I can't believe you never told me' and ended with an 'I'm so happy for you'.

"You gals ready to eat?" Jack warned them of his presence as he walked into where the two of them were already sitting at the table.

During dinner they laughed about the gossip at the base that day and Jack's antics to fuel the fire; Janet caught Sam up on how Cassie was doing; and Daniel talked about his trip to Washington.

"So Jack, how did Jacob take all of this?" Daniel asked.

Jack shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well, you know what they say about staying away from the general's daughters."

"No." replied Daniel.

"Well, me neither, but I probably should have been paying more attention. No, I think I might have dodged that bullet or zat, as the case may be." He smiled at Sam triumphantly. "Dad and I are cool. Luckily the General's daughter is a Colonel who has my six, so I don't think I have anything to worry about."

Janet smiled "Of course you realize now Jack, that your daughter is a General's daughters?"

"Doh!" He ran his palm over his face, but then smiled and clapped his hands and rubbed them together, "Sweet, payback time."

"Oh no, no, no, this general's daughter will not have any of that."

"Are you talking about sabotaging my mission, Colonel?" Jack accused playfully.

"Ya think?" Sam retorted, smiling flirtatiously.

"Nothing you can do Carter. Damage is done. After all, she is my daughter and I am a General." Jack waggled his eyebrows and the corner of his mouth turned up. Mischievous plans were obviously already in the works.

It was getting late. Daniel stood, "Well on that note I am tired, jet-lag.." He started walking towards the door. They made there way into the foyer.

"Sam, I'll come in tomorrow and do the JJ and Grace's examinations myself." Janet offered. "I want to go over your tests too, make sure your transitioning alright."

They said their goodbyes and as they closed the door, Sam decided it was good to be back with her friends.

"You want me to drive you back to the base or you want to stay?"

"Sorry I'd like to but I really shouldn't, I'm married to one of those cliché, over the top, military general, power monger, jealous types."

"Ouch! I am so not a cliché." He locked the door, kicked of his shoes and smiled.

Now she remembered where she belonged. She was home.

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I know you all are anxious, but one more chapter to go before Jack meets his kids.

Thanks for the nice reviews.