"He's just concerned, Sam. And he's not here to see how well you're doing first hand. He's not sure he can believe me. What do you say we have Mark and the family out for a visit? Are you up for it?"

"That's a good idea. It's time."

OoOoOo

A NEW NORMAL

Sure enough, less than a week later, Mark, Lisa, Nick and Amanda arrived for a long overdue visit. As happy as Sam was to see them, she was a bit nervous. Knowing her brother had some pre-conceived ideas about mental illness, she worried Mark might see her as somehow damaged or different after her recent bout of depression.

She needn't have been concerned. By the time the Carters arrived, Sam had reached the three month point in her recovery. Though her memory of the misery was fresh, she was feeling and acting like her old self. Mark was pleasantly surprised by his sister's demeanor when he arrived.

"Sam, you look great," he said, early on the first morning of the family's visit. "I have to admit, I was worried. I'm sorry I didn't get up here sooner. Maybe I could have helped."

"You're here now and that's what matters, Mark. Those first few weeks after Jon was born are pretty much a blur. I don't remember a lot besides being in bed most of the time. I don't think I would have survived those days at all without Jack."

"Yeah, that's another thing. I really lit into Jack that morning I called and he told me you'd gone into work in the middle of the night," Mark confessed. "I probably should apologize."

"You probably should," Sam said, smiling gently and reaching over to touch his arm. "Mark," she said, looking him straight in the eye for emphasis, "Jack would never do anything to endanger me or the kids."

"I know that, Sam," Mark replied quietly. "I suppose I was feeling guilty I wasn't here myself to help out at the time."

"Enough with the guilt already," Sam said. She hoped to move beyond what she'd christened "the feeling bad" stage of this whole depression/recovery thing and she was not about to let anyone pull her back down. "What do you say we take the kids to the park and let Nick and Amanda play big brother and sister to their cousins?"

"Sounds like a plan," Mark agreed. "Is Jack coming with us?"

"Wild horses couldn't keep me away, Mark," Jack replied enthusiastically from the next room. "I'm ready to go on any outing that promises built-in babysitters," Jack said. "That gives me more time to snuggle with my beautiful wife."

"So you think," Sam said playfully as Jack came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Awfully sure of yourself, aren't you, General?"

"Absolutely," he said, turning Sam around in his arms and giving her a sexy smirk.

"Looks to me like I'm intruding," Mark volunteered. "I think I'll give you two a little private time."

Facing his brother-in-law, Jack mouthed a silent thank you, just before he leaned in to kiss his wife.

OoOoOo

A few minutes later, when Mark had left the kitchen and their first kiss of the day had finally ended, Jack and Sam stood silently, each gazing lovingly at the other.

"So, did Mark give you his stamp of approval?" Jack questioned with some concern.

"I think so, Jack. I'm not sure what Mark was expecting, but it was probably a lot worse than what he found. Oh, and he's even planning to apologize to you for his rant on the phone the other day."

"That's good," Jack said. "Wouldn't want my brother-in-law thinking I was the kind of man who pushed his sick wife out the door to work in the middle of the night."

"I love you, Mr. O'Neill," Sam whispered, barely loud enough for Jack to hear.

"Yeah? That's good, because I love you, Mrs. O'Neill," Jack whispered back, just before kissing her once more.

"I'd say we're on the home stretch of this recovery thing. What do you think?" he questioned.

"I think you're right. I've been feeling like my old self these last few days. But I'm afraid to be too confident," Sam admitted. Then with some trepidation she added, "I don't ever want to go back there. I felt like I was at the bottom of a hole and couldn't crawl out, no matter how hard I tried."

"I wish I could have helped more," Jack said sincerely.

"More? I can't imagine anyone being more supportive than you were during all of this, Jack. I know how lucky I am, believe me," Sam said, gently reaching up to caress his face as her own tears started.

"What are the tears about? And don't tell me they're happy tears," Jack asked, feeling the first tendrils of concern course through him.

"I know my depression was hard for you and the kids too. But you were always there for me, through all of it," Sam said tearfully. "Thank you for your patience, for everything."

"You've been there for me, for all of us, Sam, lots of times," Jack replied. Then, after a moment or two of silent communication with his wife, "That's what a marriage is, right? For better or worse…(kiss)…, richer or poorer…(kiss)…, in sickness and in health (kiss)..."

Jack and Sam clung to each other, secure in the embrace and in the strength of their love, and, for the moment, mindless of the rest of the world.

TBC

Thanks for reading.

Final chapter will be posted very soon (probably tomorrow).