He didn't have any trouble finding Sam. She was in his office, spending some time with Jake – who was gnawing on one of his hands and drooling all over Jack's floor. She smiled when he walked through the door and closed it tightly behind him, glad to have a little time alone with her after the press of media and VIPs.
"Hey."
He echoed her smile and dropped down to the floor to get eye to eye with his son.
"What are you two up to?"
"Just hanging out. How about you?"
"Hiding."
He reached out and pulled Jake's hand from his mouth, which drew a scowl from his son for the briefest of moments until he made a funny face at him and pulled his attention from being Grumpy Baby.
"Lots of press, huh?" Sam asked, more than understanding. It was something he was going to have to get used to, though – and so was she, she knew.
"They're like vultures hanging around waiting for some road kill to die…"
"They're just doing-"
There was a rap on the office door and Shawn entered, followed closely by Andrew – and Jaffer, who trotted over to Jack to get a little loving as well. Shawn grinned when he saw them.
"Good, you're here."
"Here we are," Jack agreed, slapping Jaffer's side lovingly and then sitting up and pulling Jake over onto his lap, reminding both him and Shawn of many times when Jack had held him in almost the same position. "What are you two doing? Raiding the commissary?"
Andrew shook his head.
"Are you kidding? Our every move is scrutinized by a hundred security guys who probably don't have any more idea than we do what we're doing here on the base."
"You have every right to be here," Jack said, annoyed.
Shawn nodded.
"The SGC personnel are helping us, but really… I want to get out of here."
"Me, too," Andrew said, nodding.
Which wasn't that much of a surprise, really. The boys were active teenagers, and there wasn't all that much to do right now – and absolutely no freedom with so many bigwigs around.
"You can't go home," Jack told Shawn. "The press are all over the place."
He knew; he'd had someone go check. It was the same at Ian's apartment and at O'Malley's. Like SG-1 had any intention of going out for a drink after saving the world. That was saved for times when they had nothing else to do – and they hadn't gone often, lately, since Ian wasn't old enough to drink and neither were Jake or Shawn.
"We can go to Andrew's, though," Shawn said, while Andrew nodded his agreement. "They aren't there."
"We called to make sure," Andrew added. "My mom say Shawn's welcomed to come stay with us."
Jack looked over at Shawn.
"And you want to go?"
The young man nodded.
"I'll even take Jake, if you want."
Sam shook her head, even as Jack did.
"We'll keep him here, which will free you up to have fun and not baby sit."
He looked over at Jaffer, debating whether or not to send the lab with Shawn and Andrew. He'd have a chance to get some fresh air if he went, but Jack decided it against it for the same reason they weren't going to send Jake. He'd been away from the dog the last few days and wanted his company. Besides, Jaffer just made him feel complete.
"Want us to get you anything?" Andrew offered.
Sam shook her head.
"We're set. But do keep in touch, okay?"
Shawn nodded.
"Okay."
"And no wild parties," Jack added with an admonishing look and a pointed finger.
Andrew snorted. Like his mom would ever allow him to have a wild party? Besides, he didn't have enough friends to have a wild party – and Ian was stuck in the infirmary.
"I'll make a few calls and cancel it," he assured Jack.
"Smart ass."
Sam chuckled.
OOOOOOOOOOO
"You?" Ian asked, surprised.
Nathan scowled, years of being on the defensive around his son coming to the forefront automatically.
"Why not me?"
Maggie crossed her arms over her chest.
"Because you're retired, for one thing…" she replied, giving him a challenging look.
Nate lost his scowl.
"Which was what I told Hayes."
"And what did he say?"
"That retirements can be undone. Jack retired once but returned, and George was ready to retire once, too."
"That's a pretty shitty argument," Ian said, earning himself a disapproving look from his mother.
"Watch your language, young man."
"Sorry…"
And he was.
"He's right, though," Maggie said, turning her attention back to her husband. "It is a… lousy… argument."
Nate nodded.
"There was more."
"Like what?"
He glanced over at Ian.
"Kinsey's next in line for the position."
Ian scowled.
"What?"
His father shrugged.
"Kinsey won't be Vice President, but he'd have the clout to try for the head of the SGC – and Hayes wouldn't have any reason to say no."
"No reason?" Ian repeated, incredulously. "Are you kidding? If Kinsey gets a foothold in this place, he'll fuck up all our alliances with everyone and put the whole fucking place in danger."
"Ian!"
He actually flinched at the reprimand.
"Sorry."
Maggie glared at him a moment longer and then turned back to Nathan.
"Is he right?"
"I don't know. It might just be a bullshit story to get me to do what he wants."
She scowled at his use of profanity as well, but didn't say anything about it. She was too busy thinking about what he'd told her.
"What did you tell him?"
"I told him I'd think about it."
"And?"
Nathan shrugged.
"I'm not going to let Kinsey have the job. Not with his history with Ian."
Ian scowled.
"I'm not afraid of him."
Maggie's expression softened just a little as she realized that Nathan's primary concern was Ian.
"I'd just as leave he wasn't anywhere near you, though," Nate said, as Maggie nodded her agreement. She didn't like Kinsey any more than her husband and son – although her dislike was far more of an intuitional thing. She didn't trust the man – what mother would?
Ian hesitated.
"There could be a way around that, anyways," he said. "Don't make the decision just to protect me."
"What way?" Nathan asked, beating Maggie to the question.
"Elizabeth Weir just asked me to go to Atlantis with her."
Maggie frowned.
"What on Earth does she want you to go to Georgia for?"
Ian snorted, amused despite the seriousness of the conversation.
"Atlantis, Mom. Not Atlanta."
She gave both husband and son an annoyed look.
"What the hell are you talking about?"