Thanks for the reviews, I think this story may finally be drawing to an end, don't worry there's still a few chapters yet though.
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When Daniel and Teal'c finally showed up to look after Sean and Joey whilst Jack went to collect Sam, Joey was fast asleep. "She'll probably sleep 'til I get back the amount of running around she's done today." Jack said as he was leaving, "Charlie should be home any minute so try and keep him here without arousing too much suspicion. We should get back in about an hour; Sam's just gotta have one last test before she goes." What Jack didn't tell Daniel or Teal'c was that the last test was an ultrasound to make sure that the baby was ok.
"Sure thing Jack, see you later." Daniel said to his friend as he left. He then turned to Teal'c who was sat on the floor next to Sean watching Barney. "How are we going to get Charlie to stay home without telling him why?"
"I am unsure, but I am sure given time we will be able to formulate a plan." Teal'c said not looking up from the TV.
"Or you could just ground him." Sean said to Daniel as if it was the simplest thing in the world, "I'm hungry, can I have some ice cream?" he said getting up and looking to Daniel with his best puppy dog eyes.
Daniel could hardly say no to the boy in front of him, "Sure, just don't tell your dad." To which Sean grinned and nodded his head vigorously.
Just as Sean was finishing the last of his ice cream they heard the door bang open and Charlie shout out, "Is anyone home?" the loud noise caused Joey to wake up and start crying.
"I will see to Jolinar O'Neill and allow you to speak with Charlie, DanielJackson" Teal'c said leaving.
'Geez, that's Teal'c' thought Daniel as Charlie entered the kitchen and made a bee-line for the fridge. "Hey Charlie, how was school?"
"Oh, hey Daniel." Charlie said momentarily surprised, "You know school, same old, same old. Where's dad?"
"He's gone to visit your mom, something about a test that they needed to do"
"Oh ok then, he never mentioned it this morning. But actually it's a good job you're here I was going to ring you tonight anyway."
Daniel raised his eyebrows in surprise and said, "Oh really, why?"
"Well I need some help with a history essay, it's on the Minoan civilisation in ancient Greece and it's implications on Ancient Greek mythology and I just can't get my head around it."
"I thought that had to be in a few days ago." Daniel said, enjoying watching Charlie turn red and squirm perhaps a little bit too much.
"How'd you know that?"
"You forget that I practically live at Janet and therefore Cassie's house and since Cassie asked me for help on that essay last weekend…but I'd be glad to help." Charlie gave Daniel a grateful smile.
"Charlie's not doe his homework, Charlie's not done his homework." Sean began chanting from the stool next to Daniel, "I'm gunna tell daddy."
"Not if I catch you first you're not." Charlie said giving his brother an evil grin just like his dad would before tickling him.
"Argh!" Screamed Sean as he jumped off of the stool and ran out of the room.
"Thanks Danny, I'll just go teach Sean a lesson and then I'll get my books and stuff." Charlie said walking out of the room following Sean's laughter from wherever he was hiding. This left Daniel to contemplate if all kids were as mad as Sean or Charlie or was it just the fact that they were the children of Jack O'Neill.
…
Jack had been late in arriving at the SGC so when he finally arrived in the infirmary Sam was already laid out on a bed with the ultrasound device on her stomach. She smiled when she saw Jack and beckoned him over to sit next to her on the free chair. Jack did so willingly and took her hand after giving her a kiss in greeting.
"Sorry I'm late, your daughter decided it would be funny to pour her lunch down herself and then have me chase her round the house and get me soaking wet." He smiled causing Sam to smirk.
"And I wonder where she gets that from?"
"I am insulted by that comment Miss Carter." He said feigning hurt, causing Sam to laugh. "So how's the littlest O'Neill doing today?" he said turning his attention to the screen in front of them.
"Well as you know we won't be able to detect babies heart beat until the 12th week so this check up is just to make sure everything's progressing well and that baby is growing and looks healthy." Janet said, "And am pleased to say everything looks fine, there's your baby there," she said pointing to a blurry image on the screen which neither Jack or Sam could make out clearly, "I'll just print you out a copy of the scan and give you another check up in 2 weeks time." She said wiping the jelly off of Sam's stomach and handing them both a print out.
"So you ready to go home?" Jack asked, "cos if you want I can leave you here and pick you up later." He said causing her to hit him playfully on the chest.
"If you do that Jack," she said in a voice barely higher than a whisper, "and you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight."
"Well what you waiting for then let's go home." he said almost dragging her through the doors. Sam's leg was still very weak and stiff but she had refused to have a wheel chair, instead opting for crutches.
On the drive home Jack and Sam spoke of the barbeque they were going to have on the weekend as a sort of celebration on Sam's home coming and also an official meeting between Jacob and his newest grandchildren.
As soon as they pulled up in the drive way any fear or trepidation Sam may have been feeling about coming home vanished. Jack, ever the gentleman, rushed round from the driver's side to hep her get out of the car and get up the steps to their front door. Both could hear laughter and shouting coming from their back garden so were not surprised to find no one in the house when they entered.
"Do you wanna sit down for a minute?" Jack asked concerned that Sam was beginning to get tired out.
Sam gave him a grateful smile but shook her head, "I want to see my kids." She said in a determined voice.
"Well it sounds like they're in the garden."
As they went though the house Sam noted all of the little things that had changed since she had been away, the new toys that lay strewn on the floor; the new photo's on the side of both Jack and the kids; new plant's to replace one's that had been there and that she could only assume Jack had killed or someone had knocked over. There were new paintings and pieces of art on the fridge, along with essay's and tests of Charlie's. As they neared the back doors that le out onto the deck Sam slowed down, Jack, taking his lead from Sam did the same.
Out in the garden were Teal'c, Daniel, Sean and Charlie, each with a super soaker in hand. It seemed to be Daniel and Charlie against Teal'c and Sean, but Daniel was by far the wettest out of all of them as was normally the case whenever he played. Joey was watching the madness from her play pen on the deck, giggling as Sean snuck up on Charlie and shot him squarely in the back. It was at this moment that Sam realised what she had been missing whilst she had been in hospital. Her hand silently found Jack's behind her as he stepped forward to bring his other hand across to rest on her stomach.
"We could escape now," he whispered against her ear, causing shivers to run down her spine at his proximity, they'd never know, we could jump in the truck and find a motel for the night." He said only half joking.
"Too late." She said as Sean stood staring at them, wiping his eyes as if to check what he was seeing was real. Then when he was sure he wasn't dreaming his little face lit up.
"Mommy!" he shouted, causing everyone else to stop the water fight. Charlie looked at her in shock before a lopsided grin spread over his face. Sean ran over to Sam and then stopped dead a few feet in front of his parents, suddenly remembering the talk him and his dad had had a few days earlier.
Flashback
"Mommy's got a very poorly leg so she won't be able to pick you or Jo up for a while, ok?" Jack said as his son pouted at him, doing a very good impression of the look his mother often gave Jack. "So she's going to need a very grown up helper to help her with Joey and things for a while, do you think you could do that?"
Sean nodded vigorously, "Sure daddy, I'm gunna be the bestest helper ever, I'll be really really good."
End Flashback
"Hey Sean, how's my favourite little guy doing?"
"I'm good mommy" He said grinning, "Are you home to stay?" He said, hardly able to keep the excitement out of his voice.
"I sure am, now why don't you go and get changed," she said looking at the puddle forming around him, "And then I wanna hear all about what you've been doing to your brother and uncles."
"Sure mommy." Sean said bounding out of the kitchen followed by Charlie who was grinning like an idiot, glad to have his mom home.
"Thanks for looking after them guys I owe you one," Jack said to Daniel and Teal'c who were now standing next to him dripping wet in the kitchen.
"It was our pleasure O'Neill" Teal'c said having enjoyed the water fight immensely.
"Yeah Jack, I had fun" Daniel said sarcastically, having spent way too much time with Jack.
"Well to make it up to you Daniel, you're both invited to our barbeque on Sunday, bring Janet and Cassie along too."
"Many thanks O'Neill. Welcome home Maj. Carter"
"Yeah sure Jack see you Sunday, oh and tell Charlie I'll be at Janet's tomorrow afternoon if he needs anymore help with his essay. It's good to see you home Sam, I would give you a hug but I don't think you'd appreciate getting wet." Daniel said laughing as they left.
Joey, not liking the fact that everyone had left her began to shout out. "I'll go get her, why don't you go into the den and make yourself comfortable?" Jack said placing a kiss on her cheek and moving away from her before she could complain.
Joey was stood, holding on to the railings of her play pen, shouting out to be picked up. As she spotted Jack come through the door from the kitchen onto the deck she began babbling excitedly. "Dada home! 'Ello dada"
"Hey there Jo-Jo, how's daddy's little munch kin doing?" he said picking her up nad giving her a kiss on the head. "Have you been good for you uncles?"
"Ucle Da' n T" She babbled
"Yeah that's right." Jack said smiling at her ever increasing vocabulary. "Now because you're such a good girl, daddy has a surprise for you." He said shifting her in his arms as they walked into the kitchen.
Jack gently dropped Joey to the floor and took her hand, wanting Sam to see just how much she had grown up since Sam had been at home. As he led Joey into the den, where he knew Sam would be waiting he cold already hear Sean jabbering on about how he beat Daniel and Charlie in the water fight with Charlie sometimes interrupting to defend his honour.
"Who's in there Jo?" Jack said quietly to Joey when he saw her face light up when she heard her mother's voice answer one of Sean's questions. She then began toddling as fast as she could to the door, using Jack's hand to keep her upright as she began to over balance. When she was finally able to see Sam sat on the couch in front of her with Sean in her arms Joey gave out a squeal of delight.
"Mama!" She said running over to Sam faster than Jack had ever seen her move on two legs before being brought up into Sam's arms by Sam.
"Hey there baby, mommy missed you." Sam said, glad to finally be holding her two babies in her arms in the comfort of her own home, without the restraints of nurses wanting to take obs, or visiting times.
"Miss mama, mama home" Joey said snuggling into Sam's chest. Jack went and sat next Charlie on the couch opposite and father and son grinned at each other.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted it to be a surprise." Jack sad simply, glad that his son was not mad, "Oh Daniel said if you want any more help he'll be round Janet's tomorrow. But then he's also coming round here for a barbeque the day after so it's up to you when you see him."
"Cheers dad, I'm going out with Dom and Mac tomorrow morning and then we're meeting up with the girls tomorrow afternoon so I don't think I'll have time to see him tomorrow." Then Charlie turned to look at his brother, "We would have finished tonight if someone hadn't have come in and got me wet." He said in mock anger causing Sean to giggle.
The rest of the day was spent in much the same way with the family laughing and joking with each other and helping Sam catch up on everything she had missed. When the kids had finally been put to bed and Charlie had said his good nights Sam and Jack were on their own.
"So did you enjoy being home, or do you want me to take you back to the SGC?" Jack said as he sat on the couch with Sam in his arms, her head on his chest fighting to stay awake.
"Yeah, it's good to be home." She yawned.
"I think someone needs their beauty sleep," he said standing up and pulling her up with him, "because there's going to be no more lie-ins for you now Miss Carter, your children will see to that."
"Is that right, Mr O'Neill," She said laughing as he bent down to kiss her, "Well, you do make a very convincing argument." She said when he finally released her lips. "Take me to bed Jack."
"Yes ma'am" he said leading her up the stairs and to his bedroom, just as they were getting into bed a small face appeared in the door.
"I can't sleep." Sean said coming further into the room dragging his favourite bunny along the floor behind him.
Sam and Jack exchanged looks and smiled, "Come on then" Jack said patting the empty part of the bed between him and Sam. Sean smiled and jumped in between his mom and dad and made himself comfy.
"Night." He said as he began to drift off almost instantly.
"So much for celebrating your homecoming." Jack said looking at his youngest son and smiling as his eyes met Sam's. "Give it another minute or tow and we'll have the other one in here." He said as they began to settle down.
Sure enough a few minutes later Jack felt a tug on his arm, when he turned over he saw Joey standing there looking at him. It was only last week that Joey had learnt how to undo her safety rail on her cot so Jack had not had time to put a child proof lock on yet. "Hey there Joey." He said quietly as not to wake up Sean as he hoisted her into bed. "Now be a good girl and go to sleep."
"Night Sam."
"Night Jack."
"Love you."
"Love you too." Were the last words uttered before Jack turned the light off and plunged the room into darkness.
Unusually it was Charlie that was up first the next day, when he had eaten breakfast and was about to leave he decide to go and find out where everyone was. The sight he found brought a smile to his face. Lay in Jack's bed were not just his parents but also his younger siblings. Sean was laid sprawled out in the middle of the bed cuddling close to his mom, who was cuddling him back. Whilst Jack was laid on his back snoring softly, Joey fast asleep on his chest. Charlie didn't have the heart to wake them so instead he got the camera and took a few pictures before writing a note explaining he'd gone to meet Mac and Dom. After leaving the note somewhere it would be seen he left the house quietly, leaving the rest of his family to sleep.
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Thanks for reading. Next chapter will probably be the barbeque, please review.