A/N: Pete's fate finally revealed
By the time SG-1 and John returned to Colorado Springs, the sun had already set behind the mountains. Daniel and John had driven Daniel's car, while Teal'c had opted to travel with the MPs transporting Pete back to the mountain. Given the top secret, classified information Pete knew, the FBI and local police were more than happy to let the Air Force, specifically the SGC, deal with the situation, which meant Pete Shanahan wouldn't see the light of day for a very long time. If ever.
Jack and Sam lingered at Sara's just a little bit longer to help her put her house back in order. Jack had glanced at Sam to receive her nod, then offered to stay the night, but Sara waved them away. She'd lived on her own for the last ten years and she had no intention of stopping anytime soon. When Walter sent Jack a text saying Hammond wanted to send a small team over to 'help' clean up the situation, Sara immediately accepted. Jack knew her easy acquiesce was likely to assuage Sam's guilt, but he was thankful, nonetheless.
By the time the couple made it home, neither of them were in any condition to do more than crawl into bed. Throughout the night, Sam felt Jack jerk a couple of times. Each time she'd hold him close and soothe him back to sleep, knowing the events of the day had triggered buried memories to rise to the surface. During his worst nightmare, he'd awoken calling out Sam's name.
"Shh, I'm here," Sam had held him and cuddled closer.
"Don't leave," he'd pleaded, sleepily against her hair.
"Never," she vowed, clutching him tighter. Never had become their vow, she'd realized. A fitting parallel to the always they'd promised each other.
When they finally awoke, tangled together, the sun was shining brightly through the window. Sam looked into Jack's eyes and it was like a magnet simply drew them together. Sam shifted against Jack, hooking her leg over his hip as he rolled her under him. They came together without words, their lovemaking tender and slow until Sam gasped and arched under him, gripping his shoulders tightly as he spilled himself into her with a soft moan.
When Jack tried to move off of her, Sam tightened around him. "Don't leave," she echoed his plea from the night before, her voice cracking with emotion.
"Never," Jack whispered, leaning onto his elbows, and cradling her head in his palms.
A loud crash from the kitchen made them startle, followed by Jack's deep sigh.
"Sorry," Daniel's voice carried through the house, making Sam's shoulders shake with mirth from déjà vu.
"Some things never change," Jack said, then kissed her one more time, his lips softly lingering against hers until another loud bang broke through the silence.
"I better go make sure he doesn't burn down my house," Sam smirked, then wiggled out from under her husband.
She pulled on a clean pair of underwear and some sweats. Jack lay naked on her sheets, a picture of male perfection in her mind. With a wink and a smile, she exited her bedroom to find Daniel and John both in the kitchen.
"Sorry," Daniel cringed, his face turning red. "I couldn't find the coffee."
"We weren't sure where you two would go last night," John muttered, still looking half-asleep. It was obvious Daniel's banging and clanging had woken him, too. "We guessed wrong."
"My spare room is a mess," Daniel told her sheepishly, "and I was exhausted."
"You're always welcome to stay," she told them both. "We saw your car and could have gone to Jack's but frankly, we were exhausted, too."
"We'll get out of your hair," Daniel promised.
"But first, coffee," John grumbled.
It took two more hours before Daniel and John were ready to go. Daniel had offered to drive John home, given the distance between Colorado Springs and Woodland Park and after some cajoling, John had accepted.
Jack placed a call to the base to check-in with Teal'c and Hammond. He was somewhat surprised to hear Walter had made several discreet inquiries about Shanahan and had uncovered evidence of unorthodox payments from several gangs and other unscrupulous high-profile persons of interest. The CSPD had received this information via anonymous tip, along with evidence of Pete's illegal use of FBI background checks for many of his cases. Pete had become a PR nightmare for the police force overnight, and after his failure to turn himself in, the blue wall behind him crumbled. In light of all this, the CSPD was more than willing to waive their jurisdiction to the Military.
As for Shanahan, he was apparently unconscious and on life support, having experienced some sort of cardiac episode before arriving on the base. The MPs reported nothing unusual having occurred during transport, except Pete threatening to tell anyone and everyone about the Stargate program. If he ever regained consciousness, Hammond would have to decide what to do with him; however, Teal'c assured Jack that such a decision would never be necessary.
Sam sat expressionless as Jack informed them of what had transpired. She knew she should feel something. Remorse or maybe guilt at everything that had happened, but all she felt was relief. Relief and an intense need to put Pete and everything about him behind her.
"So where are you two off to?" Daniel asked, drawing her attention away from the morose matter. "It is your honeymoon, after all?"
"I guess it is," Sam chuckled nervously, looking at Jack. "I hadn't really thought about it after everything."
"Is there someplace you want to go?" Jack asked her. "Aruba? Jamaica?"
"Minnesota?" Sam suggested, biting her bottom lip at the way Jack grinned at her.
"Minnesota." He nodded, imagining how he'd make love to her in front of the fire.
John cleared his throat, obviously knowing exactly where Jack's thoughts had headed. "I think that's our cue to leave."
"Go grab your stuff," Daniel grinned happily at his friends. "I'll wait in the car," he gave a quick wave and exited, leaving the front door open.
John came back into the living room, carrying the duffel bag Sam had packed for him. It contained mostly food and some weapons, but she'd also stuffed some money into a corner pocket, knowing he'd never take it otherwise.
"Well, I guess I can't say it's been fun," John grinned at them, making Jack roll his eyes. "Oh, by the way," John reached to the back of Sam's head and pulled her forward, pressing his lips against hers in a hard but quick kiss. With an audible smack, he pulled back, satisfied that she looked slightly bemused. "If the old man ever croaks, call me," he flipped Jack off and darted away before either of the adults could react.
"Damn," Sam touched her lips, a little nonplussed, "we really need to get that boy a mini-me."
Jack's jaw dropped and he was spluttering half-formed words as he slammed the door shut behind John's retreating back.
"That little snake in the grass. That little bastard." He turned to look at Sam, who was holding her arms across her stomach to hold in a laugh.
"That little, little…"
Sam gave up and dropped to sit on the floor.
"Oh my god, Jack! You should see your face!" she got out amidst gales of laughter.
Jack bit back his own chuckle at her contagious laughter and the absurdity of it all. He honestly couldn't say he would have passed up the opportunity to steal a kiss had he been the clone, but damn. "I'll contact Thor as soon as we're back on base."