"Jacob! Samantha! Jack! Thanks for coming!" Maria Watley said as she opened the door.

The sixty-five year old woman was wearing tan slacks and a striped, ribbed t-shirt. The skin around her eyes and mouth were creased with wrinkles, indicating that she had always been a very smiley person. Her light brown hair was not showing much sign of graying, though it was more fine and delicate than it had been when she had been younger. And while she had no grandchildren of her own, she often spoiled the O'Neill children when she saw them.

"Come in!" She said, herding the three adults into her living room. "Come in!"

"Thank you for inviting us." Sam said, dressed in a navy blue a-line skirt that came to her knee with a light blue two-piece sweater set.

"Oh, you're so very welcome! It's not often that both you and Jack are around to invite over, and…your father is rarely ever here. I feel blessed that I was able to reach all three of you for dinner tonight."

She almost instantly pointed them in the direction of the table where Maria and Sam sat across from one another, Jack and Jacob sitting next to them. They dished up the Caesar salad, grilled chicken breasts, pasta, alfredo sauce, breadsticks and steamed broccoli up rather quickly, and then settled in to chat over the marvelous meal. It seemed that someone had mentioned to Maria the possibility of Sam being pregnant since, instead of wine, they were served a white grape raspberry juice that had Sam salivating for more.

Note to self, she thought, get more white grape raspberry juice.

In other words, ask Jack to get some tonight.

"Samantha, how are Grace and Jack, Jr. doing?"

"Well, aside from the fact that Jack, Jr. stood up and announced at breakfast this morning that his name is no longer Jack, Jr., and is now in fact, JJ, they're doing fine. Thanks for asking."

Maria smiled. "Well, they're little darlings. When Jacob brought them over the other day, I couldn't resist inviting them in for lemonade and cookies."

Sam looked at her dad. He hadn't told her about that…

Jack and Sam shared a look after noticing that Jacob didn't want to talk about it.

"And they are so well-behaved. Neither one of them had to be reminded about their manners." She said, impressed. "They are such angels!"

"Thank you." Jack said, placing his hand on Sam's as if to communicate his excitement about her pregnancy.

Jacob coughed, breaking the moment, and Maria began a new line of conversation. "So, you're all in the Air Force, correct?"

"That's correct."

"And you're all active?"

Sam and Jack both nodded, but Jacob shook his head. "I retired."

Sam and Jack shared a look of surprise before looking at Jacob. "You are?"

"It's a recent development." He said, giving Sam a look that silenced any further questions.

"And while you're getting readjusted to life in America, you're staying with the O'Neills?"

"Actually, just until I find an apartment. I start house-hunting next week."

Both Sam and Jack were more than a little shell-shocked to hear all of this. House hunting? Retirement? SINCE WHEN? No wonder he was willing to try to have a relationship, they realized.

Suddenly, they realized that she had just insinuated that he had been out of the country. Mental note, Jack thought, make sure to ask Jacob just what he said to Maria about his…work.

"Samantha?" Maria asked after a long pause. "I know it's gone without saying, so far, but…if you ever need someone to watch your children, please call. I could be over there in a moment."

Sam looked at Jack, seemingly communicating that this new intel would be useful in six or seven months. They both filed it away and turned back to the conversation. "Thank you. We'll keep that in mind."

Once again, the conversation lulled into silence, and now, Jack decided to break the ice. "That was a wonderful meal."

"Thank you."

"Yes, it was delicious." Sam said, though she had eaten very little.

"Add my compliments to the chef." Jacob said with a smile.

Maria's face held a rather large grin. "Thank you."

She stood up and reached for the dishes, but Jacob reached them first. "Allow me." He said, taking the dishes into the kitchen.

Maria smiled in appreciation and turned to Sam and Jack. "We'll meet in the living room for tea."

Jack got up and slid Sam's chair out for her.

"Thank you." She said, touched by the simple act of chivalry.

"Hey, I can't be outshined by your father, can I?" He said, playfully.

She chuckled.

They sat together on the loveseat where Sam cuddled up to Jack, entwining her fingers in his. Maria and Jacob arrived, Jacob carrying a tea tray, and Maria carrying a plate of small butter cookies. Soon, everyone had their cups of tea and a couple of the butter cookies, and they settled in to chat. "So, tell us more about yourself, Maria. We'd love to get to know you better."

"Well, I was married for about thirty years before my husband died. Our only son, Mark, died in the first Gulf War. He wasn't married, so I don't have any grandchildren of my own. That's why I appreciate you allowing me to be a surrogate grandmother to your children."

"We love having you, Maria." Sam said, sincerely.

"Anyway, Mark was a captain in the Air Force."

Sam suddenly pulled away from Jack, sitting up in surprise. "Captain Mark Watley? I served with him."

"You did?" Both Jack and Jacob asked, simultaneously.

"Yes, I did. He was one of the officers that helped me celebrate my promotion to Captain!"

Maria stood up. "I might have something…will you excuse me for a moment, please?"

"So…it's a small world after all…" Jack said dryly, putting his arm around Sam again.

Maria returned carrying a small shoebox in her hands. She set it on the coffee table and opened it. Near the top was a letter folded over a photograph. "He sent this a few weeks before I got the call."

She sent the photo over to Sam, and she smiled despite the tears in her eyes. "That was the party that the guys insisted on having for me." She laughed. "It was also the day that I was being shipped home. I'll never forget the impromptu speech he made in front of everyone in the company: To our little lieutenant! She grew up so fast, and now she's leaving us!"

Maria's eyes were shining with tears and Jacob looked over in sympathy. "He told me that you saved his life once."

Sam was now biting her lip to keep from crying even more. Jack's hand gently rubbed her back, comfortingly. "I didn't do anything for him that he wouldn't have done for me."

Maria nodded. "Well, thank you."

"No, thank you. He was a good friend."

Jack quickly learned when Sam was pregnant with Grace that when she wanted to leave, she would curl up to his chest in a certain way. It was a nonverbal signal that had read incorrectly a few times, and paid for it dearly.

"Well, Maria, it's been nice chatting with you. Unfortunately, I think it's probably time for us to check in on the kiddos. You know, make sure they actually went to bed, and that their uncles aren't spoiling them rotten…"

Maria nodded, standing up as Jack and Sam did so as well. "Thank you for coming over. And…if you're around with a little extra time, don't be strangers."

Jacob stood, but Sam put her hand on his arm. "Dad, if you don't want to go, you don't have to come."

Maria looked over at him. "You're welcome to stay if you'd like."

Stay, Jacob.

Why?

Because all of us know that you want to stay!

"I would love to."

"All right then, we'll see you later." Sam said, smiling.

They left and as they walked across the street, Jack leaned in to Sam. "You want to take a midnight stroll?" He whispered right next to her ear. His warm breath on her ear always made her insane.

"Yes…" Suddenly, she groaned, pulling away from him.

"What?"

"I have to go to the bathroom…AGAIN."

"Okay."

"But once I go inside, Daniel and Teal'c are going to think that's their cue to go and then…"

"Then, let's stargaze, shall we?"

She smiled. "Are you going all romantic on me?"

"Who? Me?"

"Yes, you."

"Couldn't be…"

"Jack…"

"Kidding. Look, I'll ask the guys to stay for another hour or two. You and I can have a moment on the roof, and then, we'll come down again. Promise."

She wrapped herself back into his embrace as they walked up to the door. "I love you." She whispered.

"Good. 'Cuz I love you too."

She turned on the front step so that she was facing him, still only inches from his face. "You are the most handsome, chivalrous, albeit sarcastic, man that I have ever met, Mr. O'Neill."

He stepped onto the same step that she was on. "And you…are the most brilliant, beautiful, woman it has ever been my privilege to love." He started nibbling on her ear, and she shivered with anticipation.

"You know what that does to me…" She whispered.

"Yeah…" He said. "And I promise you. You are the best looking pregnant woman in the world."

She closed her eyes as he moved down and kissed her neck.

"And. I. Want. You."

"Please, Jack…stop."

He stopped. "What? I was on a roll there…"

She grinned sheepishly. "I have to go to the bathroom!"

He shook his head as she took off running into the house.

Daniel and Teal'c stood in the kitchen, somewhat uncomfortably, as Jack walked in. Undoubtedly, they had seen more of the intimate life of the O'Neills than they had EVER wanted to see. "Uh…we're…uh…"

"We were considering our departure, O'Neill."

Jack nodded, not really sure of what they had just said. "Sure."

Almost instantly, the guys were gone. He walked toward the bedroom and he gasped at what he saw. "So…you still want me?"

The door was instantly shut and locked.