A/N: Ooohhh! I'm so mean! Aren't I? Well, actually this chapter break is a little less of a cliff hanger than the last couple. Don't worry - for every question you have my beta had five - and for every answer I don't give you in words is written in the story at least two times.

"None of what?" he asked with concern.

She shook her head slightly, "You don't even know why we're here, do you?" At his negative answer, she continued angrily. "Esther is lying in a hospital room she has grown to hate because a man we all wish had never stepped into our lives came back." Her eyes revealed all the anger she had kept bottled inside against this man. She had been the silent martyr for so many years to everything Pete had ever done to Esther. "And you know what? It's yourfault. If you had been there in the beginning, Mom never would have even met him. If you had been there!"

"Abby!" JJ looked at the state his sister was in and rushed to her side when he rounded the corner into the cafeteria, gathering her into his arms as she let the tears flow. He looked at the companion she had and was shocked to see it was one Major General Jack O'Neill.

"What the hell is this?" JJ said to his father, in a tone so low it could barely be heard. Jack heard so much of himself in both of his children, especially the way JJ's voice went ultra low when he was pissed off. "What in Hannah's name do you think you're doing? You do not make my sister cry! Who the hell do you think you are?"

Jack stood, holding his hands up in defeat as Tom came and stood by his side, about to escort him out. "Alright, fine, I'm leaving. But first I want to say one thing to the both of you, you're right. It is my fault. I have no clue what the present circumstances are, but you're right in saying that it's my fault."

"JJ where did you run off to?" Hammond said as he rounded the corner and came into the room. He saw Abby in JJ's arms and Jack's arm being held gruffly by Tom. The entire situation screamed tense. Hammond was just thankful that the rest of the cafeteria was empty.

"Tom," he said in a calm voice. "Let go of his arm. You really don't want to get into a fight with Abigail's father now do you?"

Tom looked pleadingly at the older man as he released Jack's arm, "Look, I don't know who he is, but I do know that he made Abby cry. In my book that's a punishable crime."

George nodded, "I know, son. It's a punishable crime in my book, too. But with this reunion there was bound to be tears. A lot of them. Now I think your shift is almost over, you can see Abby tomorrow."

Tom nodded, knowing that the conversation was over and that he was being asked to leave. He put his hand on Abby's silently shaking shoulder, giving her his strength. He didn't say anything because the two of them had never needed words; he only hoped that this situation was the same.

After the young man had left, Hammond glared at Jack, who looked down ashamed. "Well, I guess now's as good a time as any to introduce you, Jack. Meet two of your children, Abby and JJ." He turned to the two of them, "Kids, meet your father, Major General Jack O'Neill."

Abby wiped her eyes and moved out of her brother's hold, turning to face her father as she did so. "We've met."

JJ just glared menacingly at the man. "Yeah, I haven't had the pleasure. Names Jonathan Jacob Carter. Nice to meet you… Dad."

George glared at the two siblings, wondering why they were acting so rude to Jack when he knew for a fact that both of them adored him. "Esther just woke up. She felt both of your guy's anger and wants to talk to you – now."

The two raced out the door to their sister's hospital room, telepathically apologizing along the way. When Jack made a move to follow them, Hammond stopped him. "You need to hear some things first, Jack. You don't even know why your daughter is even in the hospital and the four of them need to calm down a lot before you show up again."

Jack looked at his old boss, not even having to pretend to not understand, "Four?"

Hammond's anger was slowly creeping into his voice, "Yeah, four. Sam needs to get over the shock of seeing you again just as much as the triplets of terror."

Jack nodded, feeling guilt begin to slowly invade all of his pores so it was seeping from him. "Why is, um, why is Esther in the hospital, George?" he asked shakily, afraid the older man wouldn't answer.

"She was attacked by Sam's ex-boyfriend. Left her in pretty bad shape, although not as bad as last time."

"Can, um, can I see her?"

Hammond's anger started to dissipate at the sound of Jack O'Neill scared out of his mind. He was acting just like any father would.

The older General nodded, "Yeah, you can. But first I want you to explain to me who the hell that woman was you came in with. She wasn't your wife."

Jack shook his head, wondering if that's what Sam and the kids had thought when they had seen him running through that corridor. "No, it was my little sister, Caroline, her nickname is Care Bear."

Hammond nodded, "That explains a lot. But you're going to have to explain all of that to them, you realize that, don't you?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I know." The two men started walking out and Jack asked, "So, what's with the nick name 'triplets of terror'?"

George smiled in remembrance of how that name came about. "It seems your children have your ability to acquire bruises and broken bones very easily. They got that name three years ago after all three landed in here with broken arms after a baking accident."

Jack stopped dead in his tracks, beyond shocked, "Baking accident?"

George chuckled at the reaction his companion gave him, "You're going to have to ask Sam about that one. I wasn't there and the triplets all are still arguing about whose fault it really was."

The silver haired Major General nodded and the two began their promenade again. "And that big guy in there who nearly ripped my arm off?"

"Tom Keplar. He's a student in Sam's physics class at the local university. He has quite the crush on Abby." George looked at Jack to gage his reaction. When he saw the mirth in the younger mans eyes he hastily added, "But you didn't hear that from me."

"You got it, George," Jack said, trying to control his laughter.

A/N: See? I didn't make you wait TOO terribly long to find out who the woman was - or explain at least part of Jack's reactions.