It only took Sam a few minutes to explain what was going on with the research that Shawn, her and the Asgard were working on. Even before she was done, though, and had told him what they wanted him to do, she could tell by his expression what his answer was going to be – and it wasn't a big surprise, really.
"You've got to be kidding…"
Jack shook his head, willing to give it a try.
"No. They think you might hold an answer – do you?"
Ian scowled.
"I'm not helping the Asgard."
"They need your help, Ian," Sam said.
"I wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire."
"Ian…"
"No. You know what they did. You were there."
"They didn't do anything," Sam reminded him. "Loki did. You can't make the entire-"
"Let me guess," Ian interrupted. "You're here in case I say no."
She flushed, but there was no reason to deny it. He was smart enough to know what was going on around him, and angry enough to lash out at those he liked most. She didn't get offended, though. Jack did it to her all the time, after all.
"I'm here to remind you that there are more to the Asgard than the actions of one…"
He scowled.
"And if it had been Jake they'd kidnapped and almost killed?"
"Ian…" Jack didn't like him lashing out at her – although he also knew that his example was a good one. If it had been Jake – or even Shawn – Jack would have been just as furious and probably more. But this wasn't about Jack, luckily.
"I'd try to get past that," Sam replied before Jack could step into the fray. "And remind myself that Loki is only one of them – and not indicative of the rest of their race."
"Then you're a better person than I am, Sam," Ian said. "Because I'd bet that any one of them would be willing to – and probably have – experimented on people without giving a shit what we thought of it."
"I don't belie-"
"Ian?"
They were interrupted by Nathan, who was standing on the porch. It was too far away for him to see who Ian was talking to, but he could hear that Ian's voice sounded angry.
Ian turned and waved at his dad.
"I need to go."
"We need you to come back with us," Jack told him.
"I just got here."
"Ian…"
"No, Jack. I'm not helping the Asgard. There probably isn't anything I could do anyways, but even if I could, I wouldn't."
"But-"
"Loki almost got me killed. Out in the middle of nowhere, all alone, and no one would have even known what happened. My mother would never have known where I went – how could she, when you guys didn't, either? You would have had to make up some bullshit story, and it wouldn't have been enough. I know what we do is dangerous, and I accept that, but I can't – and won't – forgive him for almost putting my mother through what she would have gone through."
He turned and headed back up the driveway toward the front porch, with Bubba beside him, and Sam and Jack looked at each other.
"Well, now we know why he's so angry…"
Jack nodded. Not that that did them much good.
"Come on, we're not done, yet…"
OOOOOOOOO
Nate watched as Ian stalked past him, looking pretty much as furious as he ever had, and then looked at the two people who were now walking up the driveway as well. When they hit the light, he was surprised by who it was.
"Jack? Sam?"
Jack nodded, and the two of them walked up the steps to the porch.
"Hi, Nate."
"What are you guys doing here? Where's Jake and Shawn?"
"We came to talk to Ian," Jack said.
"Is he in trouble?"
"No."
"We just-"
"Nathan?"
Now it was Maggie who came to the door and looked out, and she smiled when she saw Sam and Jack on the porch, interrupting what Sam had been about to say.
"Sam! Jack! What are you two doing here?" She moved and hugged them both, and then frowned. "Is Ian in trouble?"
Jack smiled, despite himself, and shook his head.
"No."
"Come in, you two," Nathan said, taking San's arm and guiding her through the door. "We already had dinner, but we could whip you up something if you're hungry."
"Nah, we're fine," Jack said, holding the door for Maggie and walking into the front hallway. "We didn't mean to bother you guys…"
"It's no bother," Maggie assured him with a smile.
Another man walked over to join them; one Jack knew. He held out his hand.
"Piper, it's good to see you again."
"You, too, Jack," Colonel Ian Piper said, shaking O'Neill's hand. "How have you been?"
"Can't complain."
"Sam," Nathan said, putting his arm around her and smiling broadly. "This is Colonel Ian Piper. My best friend – besides Maggie, of course. Ian, this is Major Samantha O'Neill – the beautiful, brilliant woman with the poor taste to marry Jack, here."
Sam smiled, taking Piper's extended hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."
"Call me Ian."
She looked over at Nathan.
"Is that where Ian got his name?"
Nate nodded.
"He's Ian's godfather," Maggie added.
"I heard you two had a baby," Piper said. "Did you bring him?"
Jack shook his head, smiling at the reference to Jake as he almost always did.
"We're only going to be here long enough to talk to Ian, and then we have to get back…"
"You were just in the neighborhood and thought you'd drop by?" Nathan asked, sarcastically.
"Something like that."
"Why didn't you just call?" Maggie asked.
"Because we need a favor from Ian," Jack said. "The younger Ian," he added, nodding to Piper. "And it's not one that we could ask for over the phone."
"And you asked him and he said no…" Maggie guessed. She'd seen Ian storm through the living room, and knew he was angry about something.
Sam nodded.
"We expected him to, really, but we'd hoped he wouldn't."
