Author's Note: Chapter 100! Who'd have thunk? This would have been out sooner, but I've been busy – and hurt my back at my cushy new job, so I've also been distracted. Enjoy, though!

OOOOOOOOOOO

Cassie giggled, both at the comment and in relief that Jack had plans to stay in the area. While it was true that she was leaving to go to school, she still considered Colorado Springs and Cheyenne Mountain to be her home, and it was comforting to her to know he and Sam would still be there.

Ian, on the other hand, flushed, remembering well his acidic comment to Jack about becoming a politician – and the fact that he'd used politician as pretty much a dirty word. He, too, was relieved that Jack was staying in the area – or at least planned to stay – but he was also well aware of the fact that he'd been a bastard to him.

"Listen Jack…" he started, uncomfortably. Mainly because he wasn't used to apologizing for anything – he usually said what was on his mind and didn't even consider apologizing for that – but what he'd said to Jack had been out of hurt, mostly, and the anger of having found out about the changes without so much as a hint of warning. "I… um…"

Jack gave him a slight smile and handed his squirming son over to the New Yorker, who took him. Predictably, Jake stopped squirming immediately and cuddled comfortably up against Ian's chest.

"It's okay, Ian… I understand."

It was Jack's way of letting Ian off the hook, well aware of why the words had been spoken in the first place.

Ian was having none of it.

"No, really… I didn't mean to-"

"Ian… it's okay. Really. I might have said the same thing in your position."

He was pretty certain that he would have. Maybe with more curses, even.

Cassie frowned, wondering what the two of them were talking about, but smiled when Jake started gumming Ian's neck.

"You're really going to stay here, Jack?" she asked, watching as a thin line of drool started down Ian's neck and under his pajama shirt. "Will they let you?"

He shrugged.

"If you think about it, it's really the best place for us to be headquartered. We have instant access to the Stargate – and all our allies."

"But the weapon is in Antarctica…"

"I'm not living in the perpetual cold," he told her. "Sam wouldn't, either. We'll figure out a way to get there if we need to be. Sam can think of something."

"Get the Asgard to build you a modified transfer beam," Ian suggested. "One that can go from here to the location of the weapon and back You'd have the instant access to the weapon if you need it, and if it only beams from here to there and back, then the Asgard – and all the politicians from the other countries – wouldn't have to worry about us putting it to use in an offensive manner."

Meaning they couldn't beam nukes into a foreign country – or send an invading squad or something.

It was obvious from Jack's expression that the idea appealed to him. It certainly solved a problem, that was for sure.

"Think they'd do that?" Cassie asked, dubiously.

"I think they would if Ian requested it…" he replied, looking at Ian pointedly.

He nodded. It would also be a good way to make amends for being such an asshole. And if the Asgard didn't want to do it – which they probably would, considering all that they owed Ian and the SGC – he could probably come up with something himself. It'd just take some time. And he had plenty of time.

"They'll do it," he said, certainly.

Jack smiled, and reached for Jake, who was already falling asleep again.

"We're going back to bed. I suggest you two do the same. Separately," he added, noticing a very distinctive mark that looked a lot like a hickey on Ian's neck.

Cassie blushed.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Sam opened her eyes when Jack joined her in their bed, and cuddled close, pressing against him to warm him up. The base wasn't the warmest place in the world, after all, and he'd been out walking the halls a while.

"Is he asleep again?"

He smiled and drew her head to his shoulder. He'd thought that he'd left without waking her, but he should have known better.

"Yeah. Go back to sleep…"

"Everything okay?"

He nodded.

"It's fine. I just found Ian in the commissary with Cassie…"

"Please tell me they were eating…"

He chuckled.

"They were when I found them, yes. Before that… who knows? I certainly don't want to."

"I wonder if Janet even knows she's on base…" Sam said, sleepily, tucking her head under Jack's chin.

"No clue. But someone does, or she wouldn't be here." Not with all the security there was just then.

Sam nodded her agreement to that and closed her eyes, already almost asleep again. Then realized that there was weight missing on their bed.

"Where's Jaffer?"

Jack opened his eyes and looked around the dimly lit room. The lab wasn't on the floor and not on the bed – and there was no chance in hell he was in the basinet with Jake. Which meant he wasn't in the room. Nothing all that unusual, really – and nothing Jack would worry about. Jaffer roamed quite a bit sometimes, and as long as he was on the base he was fine. No one would dream of messing with him. Especially those who had seen his teeth in action.

"Maybe he went to find Kinsey…" he said, closing his eyes and gathering her close once more. "Hope he doesn't bite him… I'd hate for him to get sick."

She chuckled, but the sound trailed off as she allowed herself to fall asleep once more.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Where are you sleeping?" Ian asked as the two of them walked back toward the infirmary.

She smiled, purposely taking his question wrong.

"Not with you. My mother would kill me when she woke up…"

Ian chuckled – a sound that not a lot of people heard from him, but one Cassie heard often.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"I'll take one of the empty beds – on the opposite end of the room from yours."

He smiled, but didn't say anything since they were entering the infirmary and they didn't want to disturb anyone. He walked her to the other end of the room, ignoring the amused looks coming from the two medics who were on duty, and gave her a gentle (and almost chaste) kiss goodnight.

"See you in the morning," she told him.

"I'm glad you came," he said.

She smiled, pleased at the compliment which was so much more when it was from him.

"Good night."

"Night."

He pretty much had to force himself to leave her, walking over and settling himself into bed tenderly to avoid jarring his side. He figured he'd have a hard time sleeping, knowing that she was close but untouchable, but almost as soon as he had pulled the covers up, he felt himself drifting off, and didn't even wake up when he felt the heavy weight jump up onto his bed and join him with a satisfied whuffling noise.