Mornings and Love Part 16
Jack found Sam nowhere on base. Of course she'd leave the base, he thought. Hell, with a father like hers, he'd be surprised if she didn't leave the country.
Quickly he signed out, noticing her name only a couple signatures above his. Both signatures were of his team: Daniel and Teal'c. Somehow, they must've heard what was going on and went after her.
His phone rang just as he got in the car. Fiddling with it in one hand and the car keys in the other, he said tersely, "Yes?"
"Jack, it's Sam! She's not at her house! She hit her father and ran off and –"
"Whoa, Danny!" Jack said, frowning. "I know. So?"
"You aren't going to help us look for her!" Daniel's voice was angry.
"Relax. You and Teal'c are enough." He had stopped shaking the keys and made no move to start the engine; if he wanted to catch Sam alone, they mustn't know he was concerned, let alone ready to zip out of the SGC parking lot.
"Of all the –!"
Jack promptly flipped the cell off and pulled the battery off. Then he made his way towards the one place he was sure he'd find Sam.
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Jack pulled into his driveway and shut off the motor. Happy and somewhat smug that, as he'd predicted, Sam's car was right beside him. Am I good, or am I good?
He strolled up the walkway with a bounce in his step, whistling Gene Kelly as he went. Without hesitation he opened the door and went inside, knowing he wouldn't need to unlock the door.
There she was, sitting on his couch in tearstained BDUs. Her head shot up, and before either one of them could say their salutations she launched herself at him with a dry sob, burying her face in his shoulder and neck. She was shaking, and seemed small and vulnerable in his arms.
Wordlessly Jack held her, rubbing her back to soothe the pain and helplessness she was undoubtedly feeling. Then, when she seemed to calm down some, he kissed her neck gently, not in a seducing manner – he didn't take advantage of drunk or crying women, and knew anyone who tried to do that with Sam probably didn't live long – but in a gentle, loving way that warmed her heart, just to settle it all.
Once she had stopped crying, he kept her firmly in his embrace but pulled her head back to face him. Smiling softly, he whispered, "Thank you. Thank you so, so much."
Sniffing and exhaling once more, Sam asked, puzzled, "What for?"
His smile widened. "Got a couple of hours?"
His response earned him a giggle and a toothless, shy smile, and he continued, "For everything. For being the mother of my child," a hand dropped to her belly, which he rubbed lovingly, "for putting up with an old, cantankerous flyboy like me, and for, I think, loving me…?"
Sam playfully slapped his forearm and sank into his arms, resting her head on his chest. "Of course I love you," she mumbled, traces of weariness evident in her voice.
Without warning Jack scooped her up in his arms and she shrieked delightedly as he carried her down the hall to his bedroom. Gently he laid her on his bed and fell beside her, stroking at her strands of blonde hair, and he tenderly kissed her.
"But most of all," he murmured against her lips, moving his own mere inches away when he finished, "for not considering an abortion."
Though sadness penetrated her eyes once more, undoing almost all the cheering-up Jack had done, she said softly, "It was never an option in my mind, Jack. Never. I never even remembered abortions until Dad said…" her voice trailed off.
Jack kissed her again, and said, "He'll come around, honey."
"It'll only be worse when we tell him you're the father," Sam said shakily, on the verge of tears again.
Jack kissed the tears off her cheeks when they finally fell, tasting the bittersweet saltiness of them. "Does it help to know that I'm madly, insanely, head-over-heels in love with you?" he asked lightly with a smile.
Sam's silent, sob-filled shaking paused, and she gave him a wide, toothy smile (Now THAT'S more like it! he thought, happy to get a big smile out of Sam). "Yes," she said, cuddling into him. "Yes, it helps so much. I love you more than I ever imagined possible." She looked up, and lifted her upper body so she could kiss him.
Jack didn't know which to be more impressed with, the way she held that position effortlessly and without support, or that KISS! It totally blew him away. She tasted so sweet, and he gave a low, throaty growl when she nipped his tongue.
When she ended the kiss, he groaned his disapproval. "Saaaaam," he whined, moving in to pull her lips back to where he firmly believed they belonged. She ducked and evaded him, cleverly managing to straddle his hips in the process.
His eyes narrowed and he frowned playfully at her. "Very sneaky, Major," he said huskily, "but not sneaky enough!" With that, he flipped her over so their positions were reversed, and she gave a cross between a giggle and a growl. They ended up in a war for dominance before Jack's secret weapon insured his victory – he was one HOT man who was very talented with his lips…and his hands…mmm…
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Sam lay in Jack's arms for a good while afterwards. She shoved any negative, convicting thoughts out of her mind and sighed, reveling in his touch. Every once in a while he would lean over to kiss her hair, cheek…nose, lips, or to move a strand of hair from her eyes.
With one heaving sigh, she turned over and smiled at him, rubbing his muscular chest. "Hey," she said softly.
He grinned looping his arms around her waist. "Hey yourself."
She kissed him on the lips briefly, and said, "Think they're missing us yet?"
Jack groaned. "Way to spoil a mood," he grumbled, and he too sighed. "Yeah, probably."
Just then, the doorbell rang. Sam giggled at Jack's expression, which was less than pleased. Growling, he said, "Leave it. They'll go away soon enough," and guided her lips to his for another, more passionate kiss.
The person was persistent, and soon an orchestra of rings was flooding through the house, interrupting Sam's lustful sighs as Jack's kisses and caresses grew more intimate.
"Jack, just…" groan, "tell them to go…ahhh…mmm…"
Jack had to hide his smirk in her neck, nose inhaling the various scents of Samantha Carter. If I'd known this could make her speechless, I would've done this years ago…
This time the rings were accompanied by loud banging that one might call "knocking" if it weren't disturbing the neighbors…which it most certainly would, Jack knew.
With another frustrated growl, Jack untwined himself from Sam reluctantly. "Don't move," he ordered, waggling his eyebrows, "I've got plans."
Sam giggled. "Aye, aye, sir!" she said, giving him a sloppy salute, and falling into fits of laughter at his mumbling and swearing as his footsteps grew softer and less audible.
She paused to listen carefully, and she giggled slightly when she heard him yell, "Don't you people have lives! I, for one, do! And you happen to be interrupting me while I'm trying to ravish the woman I –" A door was opened, and she heard Jack's incredibly girlish squeak, at which she giggled for a minute before realizing what his next word was:
"JACOB!"
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Sam shot up into a sitting position with the words, "Holy Hannah!" running desperately in her mind.
Along with the words: Ohshit. Ohshit. Ohshit. Ohshit. Ohshit. Ohshit. Ohshit. Ohshit.
Sam tried to calm down and analyze the situation.
Analysis:
She was at her CO's house.
She was at her CO's house naked.
She was at her CO's house naked after having very delicious…erm, she was getting off track here.
She was at her CO's house naked after sleeping with him after her father had a complete fit at her pregnancy.
She was at her CO's house naked after sleeping with him after her father had a fit after she GOT pregnant BY sleeping with him. (It could still be Pete's, but she hated that speculation. She would have Janet do a test when she resigned, just to make sure, then talk to Jack about it if the child happened to be…Pete's.)
Said father was HERE as she was at her CO's house naked after sleeping with him after – well, you know the rest.
Sarcastically, Sam thought, Yeah, Mom didn't give me any advice on how to fix THIS either. Hmm…to go out and approach the hungry lion, or NOT to go out and approach the hungry lion?
She had to admit, the "NOT" option was mighty tempting…but no. She couldn't leave Jack to her father's mercies – mainly because he had few. She sighed; things had gotten better between them. Really, they had.
But there was nothing that violated regulations worse than sleeping with one's CO, not in the mind of Ret. General Jacob Carter.
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"You look surprised to see me," Jacob said, amused. He looked past Jack's shoulder, not surprised to find the man in a towel. "Sammie here?"
"W-what makes you think that?" Jack stammered.
Jacob raised an eyebrow at him. "When she's this upset, she usually goes to someone she trusts completely and totally, 100. She told me once you fall under that category. I believe her exact words were, 'Dad, you know how you've told me countless stories of good men you've been willing to go to hell and back for, that you'd follow to the ends of the world and back? He's one of them.'"
Jack began sporting a good blush, and Jacob smirked. "So, by your comment as you were approaching the door, I can assume Sam's not here?"
Jack was at total loss, not knowing what to say. So, he let Jacob ramble on, "Because I'd really like to apologize to her if I can find her. I…damn it I was scared for her. You know what it's like for women in the military."
"Not really. I happen to be pure male," Jack said wryly.
Jacob twirked another eyebrow. "Don't play fool, Jack," he said. "You know a woman can get some serious damage to her career like this. I mean, with all those pointless rumors going around, I'm surprised someone hasn't court marshaled and demoted her yet!" Jacob laughed.
"Rumors?" Jack said inquiringly, knowing exactly what Jacob meant and how close to the truth they were…
"You know, the ones that say you've been sleeping for years," Jacob said, his nose curling in disgust. "Oh, and that one that assumes Sam slept her way up the chain of command. The nerve!"
Jack remembered how pissed off he'd been when he caught two young female lieutenants whispering about that in the corner. He'd caught wind of it as he passed, and boy, those two had been about to pee their pants when he'd finished with his rant of rage. Carter earned every medal, every promotion, and her place on SG-1 fairly, with honor and dignity. She shouldn't have to hear that crap around base. He nodded angrily in agreement.
"Anyway, have you got any idea at all as to where she is?" Jacob asked, looking a little bit impatient, and worried.
"Well…"
Jack heard footsteps from behind, and he knew Sam was coming. Shit! Didn't she know it was her FATHER? She had to have heard! He was seriously considering turning around to rush back and stop her before Jacob saw her, but he knew he'd be too late, and didn't want his back turned when Jacob came after him.
The footsteps stopped and Jack watched Jacob's mouth open and close several times. He was waiting for the anger, for the hysteria, but it didn't come.
Jacob fainted.
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"Dad? Dad!" Sam said, shaking him. Jack had managed to catch him before he hit the ground, so they avoided injury, but Jacob wasn't responding.
Jacob's eyes opened and glowed with a hiss. "Samantha, O'Neill," Selmak said, "Jacob is in quite a shock. I do not understand why. He has suspected that something that there was something deeper between the two of you emotionally, so why would this surprise him now?"
Sam and Jack exchanged a look. "Well…" Jack said…
"…It's complicated," Sam summed. "I'm pregnant, and he's just caught me at my CO's house half naked." She looked down to the sweats and bra she'd thrown on. The sweats were a bit baggy, considering they belonged to Jack.
He smirked, looking her over shamelessly. His smirk and eyes seemed to say, "Those my sweats? Look sooooo much better on you!" but he wisely chose not to repeat his thoughts aloud.
Selmak seemed to be pondering something. "Yes," he finally agreed, "that would do it. Shall I bring him forth?"
Jack looked to Sam quizzically. Smiling, she explained, "Let Dad talk."
"Oh! Yeah, better get to talkin' with him before he kills me," Jack said. When Sam shot him a look, he shrugged, and looked at Jacob/Selmak expectantly. Jacob's head dipped, and after a long pause, came up again.
"Someone…please," he said weakly. "Sammie? What's going on?"
Sam gave Jack a look. "I think I need to talk to Dad alone for a while."
Jack got the message. "Okay," he said, taking her hand momentarily and squeezing it. "I'll be in my room if you need me."
She smiled her thanks, and turned to Jacob.
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"So…the baby, it could be Jack's, or Pete's?" her father asked slowly, small, docile bits of anger in his eyes, but mostly concern. She nodded. "Sammie…I…"
He and Sam were sitting on Jack's couch, not cuddling, yet not at opposite ends. There needed to be comfortable space between them, but not a considerable distance.
"I'm sorry, Dad," Sam said honestly, touching the purplish bruise on his cheekbone, underneath his eye. "For, for all of this. I should've said no, but I don't regret it. I don't. Dad, I love him. Truly, honestly, and totally. Pete's a nice guy, but I'll never really love him the way he deserves to be loved. I also truly believe this baby is 100 percentpure Sam Carter and Jack O'Neill. The…the last time I was…with Pete," she paused as Jacob shuddered – well, no man wanted to picture his daughter in intimacy with a man, right? – "was three months ago. I got the symptoms six weeks after Jack and I were…together." She blushed and Jacob whitened further.
"Just promise me you won't kill him," Sam whispered after a moment of silence.
"Of course I won't." Jacob sighed heavily. "I'm sorry too, Sam. I way overreacted earlier. Way overreacted."
"Dad, you called me a slut!" The words were slightly harsher than she intended, and felt guilty when he winced.
"It did sound like that, didn't it?" he asked sadly. She nodded. "I…I know this sounds crazy, but I didn't mean to." Sam snorted, and he said, "Really, Sammie. I…your job is so dangerous. You've been captured so many times before, I was surprised…surprised that you haven't been…that none of those snakeheads have ever…"
Sam instantly realized what he meant. "You thought I'd been raped?" she asked incredulously. He nodded with big, sad eyes. Not puppy-dog eyes, but genuine sadness.
"I was…considering the possibility," he said sadly.
"But you said it so accusingly. So hatefully. 'You DO know who the father is, right?'" she mimicked.
Jacob winced again. "You know me when I get that…well…"
"Hysterical?" she supplied.
"Err…yeah. I say crazy things. What I mean to say with concern I say with spite; what I mean to say calmly I say snippily, lashing out."
"Yeah," Sam echoed, remembering the bouts her father and Mark had had all the time when Mom had died.
"Sam, can you forgive an old fool?" Jacob asked softly, gingerly touching her hand to see if she'd whip away. She didn't, and let him weave his fingers through hers, and he squeezed her hand.
A moment of pondering later, she squeezed back, looking him in the eyes. "First, I just want to ask: what the hell was with the abortion question? I can't believe you'd even think I would have one!"
Jacob's eyes were downcast, shamefully. "I didn't think you would," he said. "I really didn't. Just spouting off stuff again. I was…"
"I know what you were doing. You were demanding if I'd considered all my options, because for whatever reason, Dad, you find it your job to protect my career." He looked even more guilty, and she continued, "But Dad, it's not your career, it's mine. I spent all my adult life married to my career; isn't it time I was married to an actual person?"
Jacob choked. "W-what?" he stammered. "Marriage? You're marrying Jack!"
His voice was loud, and Sam knew that, when a loud thud came from down the hall, Jack had heard. He'd probably been listening the whole time, ready to do whatever he could to help. She paled.
"No, Dad. I should've worded it differently. We're not…getting married. But I fully plan to start a relationship –" She paused at her father's "get real" look. "– a real relationship, the minute I'm no longer a major in the U.S. Air Force. And I mean the minute, right down to the last second." She dropped her voice lower, whispering very softly, "And I don't think I'd reject him if he proposed."
Jacob's jaw dropped, so she knew he heard her, but there was no way Jack could have. Sam didn't want him worrying, or feeling guilty, or anything. If something was going to blossom out of this, she wanted it to be a pure rose, not a weed tainted by misunderstandings or overly-cautiousness or anything negative. But, thankfully, Jacob didn't press the matter, so it wasn't brought up again.
Sam still was somewhat wary of his claim he'd thought she might've been raped, but then again, she probably always would be. He was her father, he obviously loved her, and, as she knew only too well, he did manage to say things the wrong way when he was angered or flustered enough. She decided it would be best to give him the benefit of the doubt.
So she leaned over and hugged him close. "Of course I forgive you," she said as he hugged her back tightly.
When they came apart, they caught each other's eyes and smiled. Jacob's eyes were twinkling with…with love, pride, and affection.
Suddenly, the whole world seemed a whole lot brighter.