a/n: This chapter was written quickly and with me under the weather, please forgive any mistakes, or bad story for that matter! Thanks!
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When Jack woke up the next morning, Sam was already out of bed. The sun was trying to shine through the closed curtains and the smell of coffee had wafted in from the kitchen.
Stretching, Jack crawled out of bed and took himself to the bathroom. He quickly washed up and went in search of his….family. He walked to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee, noticing the twins in the living room watching Sesame Street.
When the twins noticed their dad awake, they hurried to the kitchen, Elmo and his goldfish quickly forgotten. "Daddy, Daddy, are you weally goin' to take us to Chago?" Jonathon asked in excitement, climbing up on the stool.
"I sure am! Do you two want to go?"
"Uh huh."
"Yeah!" Came the responses.
"Great! Did I tell you I lived on a boat in Chicago? Do you guys want to sleep there tonight?"
"Yeah!" shouted the twins.
Jack grinned. He was so very much head-over-heels in love with his kids. "So, where's your mom?" he asked, not having seen Sam yet.
"In our room packing us up for the twip," Jonathon answered.
"Ah," Jack replied, taking another sip from his coffee. "I should go see if she needs any help," he finished, setting his coffee cup down and then walking towards the kids' room.
After watching their dad head off to their room, they went back to the living room to finish watching Sesame Street.
Jack watched Sam for a few seconds from the door before entering. She was rummaging around in one of the dressers, pulling out shirts and pajamas for one of the twins. Considering they were pink, he was guessing they were Chloe's.
After she stood back up and turned slightly to put the clothes in the suitcase sitting on the bed, Jack walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Mornin'," he said in a rasp.
The throaty rasp sounded very sexy to Sam and she leaned into his warm embrace, wrapping her hands around his. "Good morning, did you sleep well?" she asked.
"Best ever," he replied, lowering his head and kissing her lightly on the spot where her neck met her shoulder. "When do you have to leave?"
"An hour. I called and made reservations for the four of you. You're on flight 451 to Chicago, leaving at 1400. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, that's great, but you didn't have to do all that. I could have done it when I got up."
"No big deal, I used your credit card," she told him, spinning in his arms to see the look on his face.
At first he looked slightly dumbstruck, but then, as he processed her words, he grinned and pulled her closer to him. "You pick-pocketing me now, Carter?"
"Well, your pants were just sprawled across a chair and your wallet was just lying inside. And, I knew you'd get upset if I used my own credit card to book your flight."
"You know me so well," he rasped again and then kissed her lightly on the lips.
An hour later Sam was on her way to Nevada and Jack and the kids were preparing lunch. The twins ate quickly, excited about their little vacation with their dad.
At 1300, they loaded up in Jack's truck and headed to Janet's house to pick up Cassie. Cassie was excited as any sixteen year old teenager could be at getting out of school for three days. She tossed her bag in with the rest and hopped into the front seat, ready for a fun-filled mini-vacation with her long-lost father-figure and her favorite little munchkins.
When their flight landed, Jack hailed a taxi and instructed the driver to take him to the dock where his houseboat was. The twins were grinning from ear-to-ear as they walked down the wooden docks, looking at all the boats. Even Cassie was enjoying the sight. Jonathon was holding Cassie's hand and pointing out all the sailboats further out on the lake, while Chloe was holding her dad's hand, watching the seagulls flying over head and settling on the posts.
Jack reached the Homer and lifted Chloe on board. After lifting Jonathon on the boat, he stepped over himself and then held Cassie's hand as she stepped on. The boat rocked with the new movement, and the twins both almost fell over by the sudden shift. "Wow! This is cool!" Jonathon exclaimed after saving himself from a fall.
Jack smiled. "I'm glad you like it. Come on, I'll show you down inside." Jack unlocked the small door and led the way into the dark interior of the boat. After reaching the bottom step, he reached up and flipped on the lightswitch, flooding the room in a soft light.
"Cool!" Cassie announced, looking around at Jack's Chicago home. "I like it," she added as she looked at the small kitchen area, smaller dining area and the really small hallway that obviously led to the bathroom and bedroom. "So, where are we supposed to sleep?" Cass asked.
"Well, my room has a king-sized bed so I'll sleep in there with the twins. The dining room table collapses and turns into a bed. Not the most comfortable, but you're only a teenager, you can handle it," Jack told her.
Cassie smiled. "Cool," she said again.
Once the bags were put away and the kids were done exploring the small quarters and the top of the boat, they all loaded in Jack's car he had parked in the dock parking lot and headed over to Sara's house.
Cassie was a little nervous about meeting Jack's ex-wife. Even though she had never met the lady, she had despised her for the last two years, unfairly blaming her for taking Jack away from them. She knew she was being childish, but she couldn't help herself.
They pulled up to a pretty house in a small suburb outside of Chicago. The house was two-stories, with white-washed walls and bright blue shutters. An older man was pulling weeds out of a flowerbed in the front yard and a woman with short, blonde hair was reading the newspaper on the shaded porch.
As soon as Sara saw Jack's car pull up, she smiled and stood up to walk down and greet him. She had talked to him a few times on the phone since his disappearance the week before and he had told her all about his children; however, she had not heard from him in a few days and was not aware he was bringing anyone back with him. Seeing a teenage girl step out of the car was a surprise, but seeing two small toddlers get out of the backseat was an even bigger surprise.
Sara immediately knew who the toddlers were, but was blank at trying to figure out who the teenager was. She met up with Jack and the others a few feet from his car.
"Hey, Sara," Jack greeted, leaning over and kissing his ex-wife on the cheek. "This is Cassie, I've talked about her before, she's my friend's daughter."
"Oh, yes!" Sara exclaimed, connecting the girl to the stories Jack had told her. "It's nice to meet you, Cassie," she finished, smiling at the pretty girl.
"It's nice to meet you, too," Cassie replied, finding herself smiling at the woman she was supposed to hate.
Just then, Jonathon stepped out from behind his dad to see the strange woman that Cassie was talking to.
Sara saw the movement and averted her eyes from Cassie down to Jonathon. Seeing the little boy, she gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "Oh my God!" she gasped out. "He, he."
"I know," Jack said softly, taking hold of his ex-wife's arm. "He looks like Charlie."
Sara just nodded lightly and continued to stare at the small boy. He stared up at her, his expression identical to the way Charlie used to look at her when he was confused about something. "I can't believe it," she finally said.
"I know," Jack replied again in a soft voice. He knew seeing Jonathon was going to affect her this way, but he also knew she would want to meet the boy who had so much of their dead son in him.
"If, if it wasn't for those blue eyes, I would swear it was him," she said, finally pulling her eyes away from the boy and turning them back to Jack.
Jack licked his lips, trying to think of something to say that didn't sound sarcastic. "I guess Charlie really did take after my side of the family."
Sara smiled at him. "And you used to always deny it," she laughed. "You used to tell everyone Charlie got his good looks from me. This definitely proves you wrong."
Jack smiled warmly, if not a little sadly, at the memory of Charlie. "I guess so," he softly answered.
After finally getting over the shock of meeting Jonathon, Sara noticed the little girl clinging to her dad's leg. "So, you must be Chloe," she said to the cute little girl with curly blonde hair and her dad's dark eyes.
Chloe, shyness taking over, just nodded her head at the woman and buried herself into her dad's leg.
Sara smiled at the scene. It didn't take any time at all for Jack to fall back into the dad-role. His kids were obviously already nuts about him.
Once Mike was introduced to the group of newcomers, they all headed inside to get better acquainted.
"They are absolutely adorable, Jack," Sara said, standing against the kitchen island, looking at the children coloring at the dining room table.
"I know," Jack said, smiling.
Cassie smiled, too. Jack was such a proud dad.
"So, you're moving back to Colorado. How is that going to work out?" Sara questioned.
Jack adjusted himself a little on the stool he was occupying and then looked up at Sara and shrugged. "I still have my house there, and I've been spending a lot of time at Sam's. I don't know. Maybe I can get her to move her and the kids in with me. My house is bigger…"
"Jack?" Sara's concerned voice interrupted him. "Forgive me if I'm way off base here, but, I know you love her. I've seen the way your eyes would light up whenever you mentioned her, but does she feel the same way about you? I mean, she didn't even tell you about your kids."
Cassie, feeling like she needed to stand up for Sam, answered for Jack. "Sam loves Jack as much as he loves her. If not, more."
Sara looked over at Cassie, surprised by the girl's defensive tone. "Oh," she prompted.
"Sam was under the impression that Jack was back together with you. She didn't want to get in the middle of you two." Then, a little lower, added, "she wanted Jack to be happy, even if it was with someone else."
Sara's eyes left Cassie's lowered head and returned to Jack, a look of confusion and guilt on her face. Jack's eyes showed the same amount of guilt.
Cassie was a little surprised at herself for coming so vehemently to Sam's defense. When she was first told at the SGC that Sam was insisting everyone stop trying to get Jack home, she had been furious at Sam. She had always thought Sam and Jack were meant to be together, and when her mom had told her about Sam getting pregnant while they had their minds stamped, Cassie couldn't have been happier. She patiently waited for six weeks for Jack to come home and sweep Sam off into the sunset, she was only fourteen and still believed in happy endings. So, when she was told that Jack would not be coming home and Sam was going to be a single-mom, Cassie was heartbroken and mad at those who wrecked her dreams of happily ever after.
But, in the days, weeks, and months that followed, Cassie's heart went out to Sam. Since Sam was on maternity leave, Cassie would go over to her house after school to help with the twins. She had walked in on Sam crying her eyes out on more than one occasion. Cassie had never seen Sam so heartbroken, and it broke her own heart. She couldn't understand why Sam would give up her own chance at happiness by not telling Jack about the twins, and she was mad that Sam was so willing to live her life without Jack.
Looking up and seeing the guilt she had placed on Jack's face, Cassie quickly felt bad. "I didn't agree with her decision. I was mad that no one came and got you."
Jack looked at Cassie in surprise, he was not expecting to hear those words come out of her mouth. "Cassie," Jack said, quietly. "Sam had good reasons for not wanting me to come back. For one, she knew if I did, I would have been court-martialed."
Cassie's eyes shot to Jack's. "What? You don't know that. Sam got out of it. You guys didn't know, they couldn't have found you guilty," Cassie responded in a flustered state.
Jack kept his eyes locked on Cassie's. "I did know, Cass."
"You knew? I don't understand, mom said you didn't have any memory, she said you didn't know who you were."
Sara stared back and forth from Jack to Cassie, having no idea what they were talking about but figuring it had to do with all the weird things Jack did with the stargate, whatever that was.
"I didn't know who we were, but I knew I loved her. Kinsey and Simmons were right, Cass. The stamp didn't include our feelings, those were all mine. I would have been found guilty. Sam knew I'd be found guilty. As much as I hate what she went through, I know why she did it."
Cassie just stared at Jack, speechless.
Sara, convinced that Sam loved her ex-husband as much as he loved her, decided to interrupt the staring contest. "Well, then, since you and Sam are obviously in love with each other, we need to make sure you don't screw this up."
Jack and Cassie both turned to stare at Sara. Neither having any idea what she was getting at.
"Jack, from what I've figured out so far, you and Sam have made love, but you've never actually been together as a couple, am I right?"
Jack nodded. "Yeah, I guess."
"Well," she continued, smiling. "If you want to sweep her off her feet, you're going to need to work at it."
"What?" Jack asked again, a slightly irritated look on his face. "Sam knows I love her and I know she loves me. I don't need to sweep her off her feet."
Cassie coughed, suggestively. When Jack and Sara turned their attention to her, she started her debate. "Actually, Jack. Sam does love you, but because of regulations, she has only loved you from afar. I don't think she could ever stop loving you, but actually being in a relationship is different, and you know how Sam feels about things being different."
"She hates it," he cut in. Sara looked at Jack in confusion so he elaborated. "Sam likes everything to be in exact order. She likes her routines, she likes things staying the same. It's the scientist in her."
"Exactly, Jack," Cassie broke in. "Sam doesn't like change. She is used to loving you from afar, if you want to keep up these changes, Sara's right, you're going to have to work for them."
Jack was very confused. Damn women, he had no idea what they were talking about.
"Jack, you are a great man, but when it comes to romancing a woman, you're clueless, trust me, I know," Sara announced.
"What? Clueless? I got you!" he tried to argue.
"Yes, but I was only after your looks," she teased, smiling at him.
Cassie laughed. She loved it when Jack was put in his place.
"Chicago has some of the best boutiques in the country. Tomorrow we'll go with you to buy her a dress."
"What? I'm not buying Sam a dress!"
"Yes, you are, and maybe some shoes. Cassie, do you know Sam's dress and shoe sizes?"
"I sure do!" Cass grinned.
"Okay, why would I buy Sam a dress? She is perfectly capable of buying her own. In fact, I know she enjoys shopping," Jack tried to make his case again.
"Because you need to pamper her, Jack. And, the dress is for the dinner and dancing you're going to take her to."
"I don't dance!" he argued.
"Don't lie to me, Jack O'Neill, I know you can dance, and if you want Sam, then you will do this!" Sara replied using her 'do not cross me' voice.
Jack slumped his shoulders in defeat. His ex-wife and the teenage clothes-horse against him, he knew he didn't have a chance. "I don't even know if Sam can dance," he announced.
"She can," Cassie quickly answered.
Jack lifted his head curiously to Cassie. "How do you know?"
"Because Sam and Mom go to the military ball at Peterson every year."
"They go to that?" Jack exclaimed in shock.
"Uh, yeah!" Cassie replied, rolling her eyes. "They used to go just the two of them, but the last two years they've dragged Daniel and T with them."
Jack laughed loudly. "Daniel and T went to a military ball with Sam and Janet?"
"Yes. Laugh all you want, they always have fun."
Finding out that they all had fun at the dance he always avoided made him feel a little left out and so he decided to drop the subject.
The next day, Jack was dragged to shop after shop with the twins and Sara and Cassie. He was tired, annoyed and had enough. He just wanted to go back to his boat and pack his things. He had not slept well the night before, thinking continuously of the night before where he had slept curled up to Sam. He already missed her like crazy and just wanted to get this shopping over with so he could find a quiet, private place to sit down and call her. He knew just hearing her voice would make him feel better.
In what seemed like the fiftieth shop, Sara saw a red dress and decided it was perfect for Sam. The dress was very pretty, but Jack wasn't sure about the color. "Red? Really?" he questioned. "I prefer Sam in blue, it matches her eyes."
Both women groaned Jack's name.
"What?" he asked, annoyed.
"Jack, you want to make Sam feel like a beautiful woman," Sara told him.
"She is a beautiful woman!" he announced, indignantly.
"Yes, but red is going to make her feel it," Sara argued.
"I like blue!" Jack argued back.
"Jack, Sam's in the air force, right?"
"Right," Jack replied, confused by the question.
"The uniforms are blue, right?"
"Yes."
"She wears blue a lot at work?"
"Yes."
"So, don't you think she wants to wear a color that she won't associate with her male-populated job?"
"I guess," Jack answered, still confused.
"Great! Red dress it is!" Sara announced, pulling the dress off the hook and heading to the cashier.
"What?" Jack exclaimed, not sure what just happened.
By the end of the day, Jack was daydreaming of tossing his ex-wife and the evil teenager into Lake Michigan. After buying the dress, they just had to go to twice as many shops to find matching shoes. When he finally thought they were finished, Sara and Cassie insisted he needed a new suit for the date.
It was dark by the time they had finally finished. Over dinner, Sara and Cassie schooled Jack on buying Sam flowers before the date and gave him suggestions on which restaurant with dancing he should take her to.
Finally back on his houseboat, Jack settled Cassie and the twins in with a DVD of the Simpson's and went up top to call Sam.
"Carter," her voice flooded in his ear.
"Hey," he softly replied.
"Hi, how is everyone?"
"Good. They're all good. They're down watching the Simpson's with Cass. How are you?"
"Good. Lonely. I miss you guys," Sam answered.
"We miss you, too. How'd things go in Nevada?"
"Great! Everything went off without a hitch. Now, we can focus on the x-303."
"The what?"
"Oh! Nothing, it's just the next one we're building. I'll tell you more later."
"Okay. I love you-uuur voice, Sam."
Sam laughed lightly. "I love your voice, too, Jack," she replied, surprised and unsure why he said that.
"Yeah," Jack said, mentally kicking himself in the butt for what he really wanted to tell her. He had told her before, but it was always in the heat of the moment. Telling her like this, when they were just being casual was harder to do. "I miss you, a lot," he whispered out.
Sam was silent for a few seconds before she replied. "I miss you, too, Jack."
Jack quickly recovered from his moment of weakness. "So, um, we'll be back tomorrow afternoon."
"Okay," Sam said, trying to catch up with the quick change in subject. "Uh, can I talk to the kids?"
"Oh, yeah, sure," Jack got out, flustered. "Uh, just a minute, I have to go back downstairs." He went downstairs and gave the phone to the twins so they could talk to their mom.
Sitting back and watching his children talk to their mom, he let the frustration and annoyance of spending the day shopping slip from his body. Sure, he hated it, but if it got him to the point where he could tell Sam he loved her without it being in the heat of the moment, then it was worth it. If it helped him make Sam fall in love with him all over again, it was worth it. And, if it finally gave him the chance at the life he left behind, it was definitely worth every last dress and shoe he was forced to look at all day. Definitely.
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