"I got it" Mitchell said coming from the kitchen. He had been watching the grill with Teal'c. He opened the door to see a guy holding a large pink box.
"Delivery for a Hannah O'Neill!" The guy smiled handing Mitchell the pink box. It had a note on the box. The box was freezing cold.
"OK this is weird!" Mitchell carried the box into living room looking at the note.
"What is that?" Jack asked.
"It's an ice cream cake for Hannah! The note says to Hannah please accept this cake with our sincerest apologizes all our love the Lode family." Mitchell turned the note over looking for more information.
"Sweet cake!" Jack jumped up to go put it in the freezer. He handed JJ to Mitchell and took the cake.
"That's all you're going to say?" Sam asked looking over the couch.
"Well something must have happened at the ice cream shop with Hannah! Why they felt a cake was necessary I don't know but I don't say no to any cake especially from Lodes." Jack came back into the living room. He tried to take JJ back but Mitchell waved him away. Mitchell took JJ back outside with Teal'c.
"I'll call Janet and see what is going on!" Sam reached for her phone on the coffee table. The doorbell rang again. Jack went to open the door this time.
"Daddy!" Hannah greeted from Janet's arms.
"Hey baby! We were just talking about you!" Jack took Hannah from Janet. Martouf came behind them carrying arms full of bags.
"Oh you guys what did you let her talk you into?" Sam's eyes widened.
"That mall has two places for children that will take a big chunk from your wallet and a tiny piece of your soul. By the bags you have been to both I'm sorry we should have warned you guys." Jack shook his head. Martouf actually looked tried.
"I didn't know there was so many activities to do with a doll. So many different doll types!" Martouf looked perplexed.
Sam tried hard not to laugh but couldn't stop herself. Sam couldn't count how many times they had lunch at the doll place or gotten their nails done at the doll salon. Of course they always ended up with some new item. It was hokey and expensive but Hannah was always grateful and had the time of her life. So it was worth every penny to Sam.
"I think you broke uncle Martouf and aunt Janet they look exhausted." Jack chuckled tickling Hannah.
"You should see the dolls I got they are wonderful!" Hannah wiggled to get down so she could get to the bags.
"As in more than one doll?" Jack raised an eyebrow.
"I had a gift card from Cassie for Hannah so she got one from Cass and one from Martouf." Janet explained.
"That was nice of Cass!" Sam smiled.
"Yeah it was a get well card I just hadn't given to her before now" Janet explained.
Jack had put Hannah down so she could get to the bags. She pull out a doll that had blonde hair and blue eyes. It wore a white dress with pink and blue roses all over. It also wore a hot pink cast with a walking boot on the same leg as Hannah.
"Look she has a broken leg like I do! Her cast can come off but I'm not going to do it until my cast comes off in two weeks. I named her Amelia!" Hannah proudly showed her new doll. She continued to dig in the bags until she pull out a doll with brown hair and green eyes. It was dressed like a mermaid. She wore a shiny pink starfish top and the tail was a shiny pink, blue and sea green.
"This one is a mermaid! I named her Cordelia!" Hannah held up the doll.
"Those are cool dolls, banana!" Jack smiled.
"We got JJ presents to!" Hannah began to dig in the bags again. This time she came up with a stuffed tan bear with bright blue eyes dressed in fatigues.
"Where is JJ?" Hannah asked when she realized the baby wasn't in the room.
"He is right here Hannah O'Neill." Teal'c walked in carrying JJ facing outwards in one arm and a plate of steaks in the other. He put the plate of food on the counter before heading towards Hannah. JJ looked happy in Teal'c arm he was kicking his legs and chewing on his hand. Teal'c kneeled down in front of Hannah so she could give JJ his present.
"Here JJ baby!" Hannah cooed holding out the bear. JJ eyes crossed as the toy was put in his face but his sister made him smile and he threw his tiny fist out at the bear. Teal'c took the bear and held it where it wasn't to close to the infants face but the baby could still see the toy.
"He loves it!" Hannah cheered pumping her fist in the air.
"Indeed he does!" Teal'c smiled at the baby in his arms. Hannah smiled brightly and then hobbled over to Teal'c who scooped her in the arm that was holding the bear. She hugged her large friend tightly then kissed her brother on the head.
"You don't want to come back to work now do you?" Martouf asked softly as he joined Sam on the couch. She had tears in her eyes.
"I do but this time feels so much harder. I'm glad Jack is going to be with them. You understand that you don't have to buy them something every time you come back from a mission, right?" Sam said the last part louder as she eyed the many other bags on the floor. She knew that Daniel, Teal'c and Mitchell had also brought presents for the kids.
"Come on Sam I think everyone really missed Nanners this time. The food is off the grill, sir!" Mitchell walked into the room. Jack went to go finish getting their dinner ready.
"You missed me uncle Cam?" Hannah smiled as Mitchell plucked her from Teal'c's lap.
"I always miss you Nanners but this time you were very sick and we were away for a while. I'm just glad we got the medicine to make you and your dad feel better." Mitchell smiled. No one wanted to think about if they didn't make it back in time. Hannah placed a loud kiss on his cheek.
"That's the good stuff!" He laughed then blew a raspberry on her cheek making her squeal.
"So am I invisible?" Daniel threw his arms up.
"Never uncle Daniel!" Hannah giggled as Mitchell put her on Daniel's lap. Hannah put her nose on his and they winkled their noses together. Hannah called it bunny kisses. She then hugged him.
Sam was really glad they found their way back home she didn't know what she would with out her team. JJ was now cooing in Janet's arms.
"OK we are ready to eat!" Jack walked in the room rubbing his hands ttogether.
"I had a lot of ice cream!" Hannah frowned.
"Yeah why did an ice cream cake show up for Hannah? Sam asked as she took Hannah off Daniel's lap Hannah was reaching for her.
"A cake for me? Sweet!" Hannah grinned.
"Our trip to get ice cream was an eventful one." Martouf explained.
"I got tricked and hurt my leg." Hannah looked down.
"Definitely eventful!" Janet agreed.
Martouf walked up to to ice cream counter. He turned Hannah around so she could see the flavors through the glass."Can I help you? Asked a teenage boy. He looked like he wanted to be somewhere else." Two sugar cones with a scoop of mint chocolate chip and ..." Martouf started"Do you want those scoops small, medium, large or surper sized?" The teenager asked blandly."Small is fine but we also need another cone. What do you want little bean? Martouf asked Hannah."Can I get a small scoop of bubble gum but instead of the pieces of gum I want marshmallows mixed in please." Hannah ordered proudly. The boy nodded and started on their order.Martouf stepped down so that someone else could order and he could go pay. The two teen boys in front of them began to argue loudly. Martouf stepped back a little and turned Hannah towards him protectively. Martouf was so distracted by the teens in front of them that he vaguely noticed the guy behind the counter talking to Hannah. He thought the guy was asking Hannah if she wanted flavored marshmallows. The teens were now fussing with the girl at the cash register. One of the boys stepped back and bumped into Hannah. Causing her to hit her knee and pinning her broken leg against the metal bars that the trays sit on. The howl of pain that came from Hannah caused Martouf to see red and he found himself grabbing the teen boy by the back of the neck. The whole place went silent. Martouf felt a firm hand on his shoulder."Listen son, I know all all you want to do is snap that kid's neck for hurting your girl but he's not worth the jail time. Believe me when I tell you karma is a bitch and those boys have karma coming for them." A fimilar voice said in his ear. Martouf let go of the boy and began to try to soothe Hannah."Good choice!" The hand squeezed his shoulder before letting go. He turned to see Hank Landry standing there."What happened?" Janet hurried over to them."The boy made me hit my knee and the pain went in my cast! I want my mommy!" Hannah cried."I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt her!" the teen looked down."You should get your order and go!" Martouf demanded. The boys grabbed their stuff and hurried out of the shop."I have some medicine in the car I can give her to help with the pain. I'll be right back!" Janet rubbed Hannah's back before leaving.Martouf walked down to the cash register to pay for their order sitting in a cardboard stand were two mint chocolate chip cones and a very large bowl of pink ice cream."That's not what we ordered. We wanted three small cones." Martouf explained."No it's not I talked to the little girl that's what they ordered." The teen almost smirked."You tricked me!" Gasped Hannah when she realized what happened. She was staring to look pale. Martouf hoped Janet hurried with the medicine."You can't prove that!" The teen snapped before going back to work."I'm sorry for the misunderstanding I'll pay for your order." The young woman sighed as she swiped a card to take care of the payment. She had dark blonde hair tied in ponytail. Tied dark blue eyes behind round frame glasses."Is that how he does it? He distracts the adult and then tricks the kid into ordering a bigger size." Martouf frowned."I have no proof sir. Please enjoy your ice cream." The lady smile sadly. A man waved them over to a table."We are leaving you can sit here." A man offered kindly.Martouf recognized him as a Major from the base."Thank you!" Martouf gladly sat the ice cream on the table.Janet came back with small clear medicine cup half full of liquid and she grabbed a water bottle from the cooler at the front of the store."Eww!" Hannah said from Martouf's chest."I know but the liquid will help you feel better faster." Janet took Hannah from Martouf. Janet helped Hannah take her medicine."What happened to your leg?" The major's son asked Hannah. He looked about three years old."A man hit our car with his. I had to have surgery on my leg but I get my cast off in two weeks." Hannah explained laying on Janet."This is a lot of ice cream!" Janet said as she picked up a spoon to give to Hannah."I was tricked! The guy was mean about it too!" Hannah took the spoon and took a little bit."Yeah this place has been different since the owner's grandson started working here. It's the only ice cream place in town so people keep coming back." The Major explained frowning. They then left.Hannah was nibbling on her ice cream and more people were coming in the shop."I just want to go home and cuddle mommy after our ice cream." Hannah was grumpy and still hurting."OK baby, if that's what you want." Janet rubbed Hannah's cheek. Janet shared a look with Martouf. This was not the afternoon they had planned for Hannah.An older man came in to the shop smiling. He was walking around talking to people. Hank Landry, who had been waiting on his special order, walked up to the man. Hank shook the man's hand. The man started off smiling but as they talked the smile slowly faded. Hank walked over to the table where Hannah sat."Hello, young lady, my name is Hank Landry. Your father is a friend of mine." Hank smiled kneeling down in front of her."Really! My name is Hannah how come I've never met you before?" Hannah asked."That's a good question! I just moved here so I can start my new job next week. I've heard a lot about you. There is someone who would like to talk to about the incident that happened earlier can I carry you over there to talk to him?" Hank pointed to the man he was speaking to earlier. Hannah nodded and Hank easily pick the girl up and carried her over to the other man."That's very strange. Is he taking over for Jack?" Janet raised her eyebrows."That's what he hinted at. I wonder if he'll be like the other General Landry?" Martouf asked."We'll find out." Janet smiled."I'll go see what's happening with little bean." Martouf stood up and walked over to Hannah and Landry. Landry had sat Hannah in a chair in front of a man who was listening to her intently."I'm so sorry that happened to you! I will have to look at our video system but her story was pretty much word for word what you told me Hank. My grandson is in big trouble if those boys match who I'm thinking about. I'm sorry my daughter told me people had complaints but she down played the situation. She will be upset to know a child was hurt." The man frowned."I'm Philip Lode, this is my storee. I'm very sorry that you niece was hurt today because of my grandson's foolishness. I will make sure he apologized also before you leave." The man shook Martouf's hand."Thank you!" Martof nodded."I'll be a few minutes but please finished your ice cream and I'll be right back." Philip went to leave only for Hannah to grab his arm."One more thing! That girl where we pay needs a prize! She was very nice!" Hannah pointed to the girl at the cash register."I will make sure Abby gets a prize!" Philip smiled before walking to the back of the store."Mr. Philip got me ice for my knee. It feels a little better!" Hannah explained."That's great you ready to go back to your ice cream?" Martouf asked. Hannah nodded and Martouf picked her up as she held the ice on her knee. He carefully put her back in her chair in front of the ice cream. She seemed to be in a better mood."So what happened?" Janet asked as she wiped off her sticky hands."The man she was talking to was, Philip Lords, the owner and he's going to make sure his grandson will get in trouble for what happened and that it won't happen again." Martouf explained."He gave me ice for my knee too!" Hannah added."That will help with the swelling. You have a bruise coming up and that will help with pain. Are you feeling better?" Janet asked. Hannah nodded and started eating her ice cream again."I have to go but I'm sure everything will turn out well. It was a nice to meet you Hannah! I will see you both next week." Landry smiled and walked out with two containers tucked under his arms."Yes, sir!" They both answered.It wasn't long after General Landry left Philip came out of the back with his grandson who had his head down."David do you have something you want to say?" Philip growled."I'm sorry my friends hurt your little girl and I'm very sorry that I tricked her into ordering a larger size." David mumbled as he looked at Janet and Martouf."You were very mean!" Hannah frowned. Philip pushed the teenager towards the frowning five year old."I'm very sorry I tricked you and then was mean to you. Please give me a chance to make it up to you the next time you come back." The boy kneel in front of Hannah and then held out his hand for her to shake."Ok." Hannah shook his hand.
"Then we decided to go to the doll store!" Hannah finished the story for them.
Hannah had pushed around and nibbled on her dinner as they told about their adventure but she just wasn't hungry.
"That was some trip to get ice cream!" Jack let out a whistle.
The others agreed as they all finished up their dinner. They moved back into the living room after dinner. Between school and the days excitement Hannah fell asleep quickly cuddling Sam on the couch. JJ started fussing from the baby swing.
"I'll get him!" Martouf smiled as he stood up.
"He's ready for dinner! I'll get a bottle for him." Jack offered.
"Thanks you two!" Sam cuddled back down with Hannah.
Martouf bounced JJ as Jack hurried to go warm a bottle for JJ. The baby was not liking he was not getting fed right away. JJ's face was red by the time Jack got back with the bottle.
"Here little man, daddy was trying to get your bottle warm. So you won't get a belly ache." Jack soothed as he stuck the bottle in JJ's mouth.
The baby ate the bottle hungrily.
"You starving the boy?" Martouf chuckled.
"No he just likes eating! It's the only time he gets really upset is when the bottle is not fixed fast enough." Jack explained smiling.
Everyone slowly began to leave with the promise to come back the next night for cake.
Later that night Jack heard Sam get up to go get JJ for one of his nightly feedings. She brought the baby back into their bedroom feeding their son. She laid back on the headboard.
"You're staring." Sam smiled at Jack.
"I love watching you take care of our kids." His voice was still deep from sleep as he reach up to stroke her face.
"I love you!" Sam grinned as Jack sat up to kiss her.
Back on Earth
Sam hadn't had butterflies in her stomach like this in a long time. Here she was going to meet him for a late dinner. She had to drive an hour to get there. She smoothed her dress down one more time before headed into the restaurant. The butterflies started again just by seeing the back of his head as the waiter led her to his table. A bottle of wine was chilling on the table. He stood as the waiter pulled out the chair. Sam smiled at him as she sat down. The waiter opened the wine, poured two glasses, and then left the table. He reached for her hand and she happily took his. She stared into his beautiful brown eyes.
"How have you been?" Jack asked.
"Good! Very busy. You?" Sam smiled as she sipped her wine.
"Good! Knees are acting up a little." He said casually.
She didn't know why but she started giggling.
"What have I told you about giggling?" He grinned. He loved her giggle.
"Sorry, sir." Sam didn't sound sorry at all.
"I heard about your latest adventure. All the SG- 1 teams from alternate universes." Jack raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah it was a strange one." Sam nodded.
"Daniel told me about Janet and Martouf being on a team." He squeezed her hand.
"Yeah it was really good to see them again and doing well." She squeezed back.
"You don't know how hard I was trying to get back to the base to meet sixteen Carters!" He leaned in whispering.
Sam brusted out laughing as the waiter walked up to take their order.
Maybe they were meant to be everywhere!