Sam stood on tip-toes as she tried to follow Jack's gaze on the people flowing out of the airport terminal.

This was the moment she'd been dreading all day. Well, maybe not quite dreading, more like fearing. Jack had never spoken to anybody about his family. She didn't know quite what to expect from his parents.

"Hey, there they are!" Jack grabbed her hand, pulling her forward through the crowd. He rushed off towards the gate not realizing he still clutched Sam's hand in his own.

Their approach seemed to light up the face of an older lady who was clutching her husband's hand much the way Jack was clutching Sam's. She was smaller, a little under five feet maybe, and fit. Her hair was white and long, pulled back in a tight bun. Her features were softer than Jack's, but they had the same nose.

As they got closer, Jack pulled Sam behind him and went to the woman. "Mom! How was your flight?" Jack asked, hugging the woman. He stood back up, shaking his father's hand. "Dad."

"Jack."

Sam noticed the tension between the two men immediately and made a note to talk to Jack about it later. For now she stayed behind Jack, hidden from view, until he was ready to introduce her to his parents.

"Why don't you fly us anymore, Jonathan? We always had much better flights than that one," Sam heard his mother ask. She sounded almost annoyed. Sam had to stifle a giggle against Jack's back to keep from laughing out loud. She'd never heard anyone actually use Jack's real name.

"Don't do much flying anymore," came his quick reply.

"So, where's this little lady of yours?" The thick Irish accent rolled off the older man's tongue. Sam could feel the annoyance in Jack's body tighten when his father referred to her as his "little lady". As much as Jack had teased her when they first met, it bothered him to no end when other people assumed she was weak.

Jack pulled her tall frame from behind him, gripping her hand tightly. "Mom, Dad, this is Sam. Sam, this is my mom and dad."

Mrs. O'Neill immediately rushed over to hug Sam. "Please, call me Eleanor." She didn't know how to react. She'd been expecting the worst all day and now she was being accepted, by his mother at least. The cold reactions Jack was getting from his father seemed to dampen the mood slightly.

"Patrick! Say hi!" Jack's mother scolded. The red tint to the older man's cheek's made Sam giggle.

"Hey, no giggling, Major... er, um Doctor," Jack laughed her way. He hadn't meant to slip up and remind her of what she had given up, but from the look on her face, he had to guess it didn't bother her too much at the moment.

"Major? You're in the Air Force, too?" Eleanor asked sweetly, as they all started moving towards the baggage claim.

"Uh, no. Not anymore. I was, but I gave it up," Sam answered softly.

Eleanor glanced at Sam's obviously protruding stomach and replied, "For this?" It wasn't harsh, maybe in a way bittersweet, but not uncaring.

"No, this didn't happen until after I resigned." Sam's smile broadened as she thought back to the day when Jack had been the only happiness in her life. He had been there for her, even when she wouldn't tell him why she needed him.

"Oh, so why have you two waited so long to get married?"

"Uh, that's classified, Mom," Jack answered for her. He knew she didn't want to relive everything she had seen by trying to make up some lie as to where she'd been for six months.

"Jonathan! Why must you use that answer every time someone asks a question you don't want to answer?"

"Actually, he's telling the truth. It really is classified." The pain could be heard in Sam's voice. Jack leaned over and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"Oh." Eleanor's reaction was priceless. Jack had never expected his mother to give up so easily. "So, do you know what you're having yet?"

Jack's face lit up at the mention of his sons. "Yeah," he told her, looking to Sam so she could share their news.

"Both babies are boys," Sam smiled at the O'Neills. She wrapped one arm around Jack's waist and rested the other on her stomach. The raw emotion that passed between the two was enough to tell Eleanor that there was more to the story than they were being told.

"That's so wonderful! Have you thought of any names?" she asked, pointing out her bag to her husband. The group gathered the belongings and headed to Sam's car.

"We've thought about it," Jack answered, nonchalantly. "I like Jacob."

"And I like Jonathan, although Jack doesn't really want any children with his name." Sam smiled brightly at her future in-laws. All fear she had previously harbored about meeting Jack's parents melted away as they talked. She seemed to be getting along just fine with Eleanor, but was still a little wary of Patrick. His relationship with Jack appeared rocky at best.

She slipped awkwardly into the passenger seat behind Jack, allowing his father to sit next to him. She viewed this as more time to talk with Eleanor.

"What was Jack like?" she asked.

"Very adventurous," Eleanor laughed back. "He and Seamus used to play hockey all year 'round. When they couldn't find enough people to play, they were wandering around the woods. Jack used to fish constantly, while Seamus would read. The two of them were practically inseparable. When Karen came along, the two of them would take her everywhere they could. They were both very protective of her. Has Jack introduced you to his siblings yet?"

"No. Karen hasn't said when she's coming in yet, and Seamus isn't supposed to arrive until Thursday. I didn't even know he had any brothers or sisters until recently. And he really hasn't said anything about them. He just told me of the heart problems." Sam's eyes dropped to her stomach as she caressed the tight skin protecting her babies.

"I see," his mother answered softly.

"One of the babies has a heart murmur, like Charlie did," Jack answered from the front seat. He seemed calm for the depth of emotion riddling his voice. His parents must have picked up on it as well. His father reached over and placed his hand on Jack's shoulder. Charlie was a soft spot for all involved, even Sam, though she had never met the boy.

Sam leaned forward and rubbed his other shoulder. She could feel the tension running through his body at his father's touch. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened between the two men. The rest of the trip was completed in silence.

A/N: Okay it might take a while for me to update my stories, cuz im knda stuck, and my fiance's ps2 broke so i bought him the new streamline one and he bought me Tekken sorta for my bday since it's on monday and we're kinda preoccupied w/ that at the moment. You know we have to beat the game before we can move on to other things lol. i won't forget about my stories, don't worry. Thanks for hangin' in there!