AN: I just want to say this chapter really works for me. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. I'm going to go sew.

Chapter 9

"General Hammond… What is your division policy regarding missing in action?"

"Mine or the President's, Commander Rabb?"

"There's a difference?"

"Of course. I trust my people to make it home. They don't always but they often surprise our government more than not."

"How do you mean?"

"I am under direct orders to submit presumed killed in action paperwork no more than four months after one of my people goes missing."

"Why is that, sir?"

"Son, if it were up to me, I'd never stop looking for my missing people. The President knows this."

"So your official orders are four months."

"That's correct."

"And all your people are aware they will be marked presumed killed at that point?"

"All of them, Commander."

"Are your people given more latitude in personal relationships, sir?"

"Well, that depends on your meaning, Commander."

"In regards to fraternization."

"The Stargate Program is made of a combination of scientific and elite forces units. In order for such teams to run smoothly, they must have absolute trust in each other. As such close friendships regardless of rank are encouraged."

"Friendships?"

"Yes, Commander. Friendships. A unit like SG-1 wouldn't be effective otherwise. Colonel O'Neill heads up the team but Mr. Teal'c is of a much higher rank in his society than even me. Dr. Jackson is a civilian consultant. The effectiveness of Colonel O'Neill's team depends upon him being their friend first and foremost."

"Including Major Carter?"

"Especially anyone serving under him within the US Military, Commander."

"Why?"

"Because otherwise that would qualify as special treatment just as much as singling out the only other US Air Force member would."

"Thank you for your time, General. I know requesting your testimony involved you rearranging your schedule for us."

Hammond nodded.

"Lt. Colonel? Your witness."

"I have no questions for this witness, your honor."

"Thank you for your time, George." Kerrigan said to Hammond, who responded with a brief nod.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, I have a base to run." George said while giving Henry a hard look on his way by.

Harm wasn't certain why this was a thing but all of SG-1 had collected in Jack's room the night before his testimony. Teal'c was holding the baby. When Jack offered to take her, Teal'c had simply glared and presented Jack with a shoulder, making Sam giggle then all but suck her face inward entirely when Jack gave her a dirty look for laughing at him.

"Let him hold the baby, Jack." Daniel said from the couch while he shoveled Chinese food in his mouth. "He brought dinner."

Jack sighed. "Fine." But the small smile on his face reassured everyone in the room that Jack was OK again.

"So why is it always Chinese?" Harm finally asked them. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you."

"Tradition." Sam said, around a mouthful of noodles.

"That stuff Hammond said about the team… every special ops team has certain traditions." Jack told Harm as he dug through the pork, looking for mushrooms.

"Okay... I get that but… why Chinese?"

"It's Daniel's fault for dying the first time." Jack said with a shrug before popping a mushroom in his mouth, smiling with satisfied bliss.

"The first time?" Harm blinked in confusion.

"Daniel's died lots of times." Jack said.

"Sam has a couple too." Daniel reminded him.

No one mentioned the incident with Ba'al. Jack still had nightmares about it.

"Died... as in dead died?"

"Well, not that time specifically but we all thought he was dead." Jack supplied.

"We as a team were supplied an illusion that Daniel Jackson had indeed died in a fire. It was extremely convincing." Teal'c told him.

"A very old Unas wanted to know what had happened to his spouse. She'd died long ago but he wanted to know specifically how." Daniel shrugged. "After I was rescued, Jack had our first team bonding night and burned dinner so Teal'c ordered Chinese takeout for everyone."

"So now, whenever everything goes to shit, we have Chinese to remind ourselves it really could be worse." Jack said.

As traditions went, Harm supposed this was a fairly comforting one. "Pass the mustard." He said as he snagged an eggroll out of the greasy bag.

"Carter…"

"Hmmm?" Sam lay on her side on the bed. She must have dozed off because she was lying with Gracie snuggled against her bare breast and Jack was leaning over her shoulder, reaching for her.

"Get under the covers, Sam. It's late."

"What time is it?"

Harm and the guys had left long ago and now it was just the three of them. Jack shrugged as he lifted their infant daughter from the bed gently. His lips accidently on purpose brushed her bare shoulder.

It reminded Sam of the time Jack had licked her neck when she'd assaulted him because of that weird virus and she snorted softly in amusement.

Jack chuckled. "It's late is what it is. I'll put Gracie in her bed. Go back to sleep, sweetheart."

"Hmm-k." she mumbled and went right back out.

Sam had gone over to the bed as everyone finished dinner earlier and dozed off. When Daniel had given Jack a concerned look, Jack had just shrugged and told him she was still tiring out really easily as her iron wasn't quite back where it should be which wasn't helped by the vampires downstairs coming to draw her blood ever few hours nor was helping her at all to get her needed rest.

When Gracie had fussed for an evening meal after everyone left, Jack had helped Sam position the baby so she could lie down to nurse but Sam had promptly passed back out in exhaustion as Jack watched their daughter suckle hungrily at her mother's breast. Lucky kid. He'd thought.

After he tucked in Gracie, Jack pulled the comforter over onto Sam as it was pretty obvious she lacked the energy to slide herself under the covers. He doubted it would look good on camera if he picked up Sam while her breast was nonchalantly hanging out. He wished she didn't still look so tired.

Birth had really taken a lot out of her. George had been right to make sure she had twenty four hour care. If they had another kid together, he was going to make sure she got proper care the entire time. Even if he didn't beat the charges, he knew Sam would wait for him after their conversation the other day.

She'd never told him what prompted her to date the cop but she'd made no effort to contact the guy after they got home either. He figured that might be an issue at some point later but for right now… for a change, Jack was confident about her feelings for him. He reflected with some amusement about Briar Rabbits. He'd never ever ask her to give up her career. And now he most likely wouldn't have to.

Lying back on the couch, Jack thought about how his relationship with Sam had grown since the birth of their daughter. As much as they agreed it had always been the down range plan, he'd never really let himself hope too hard that she'd still love him when they had the opportunity to act on their ongoing feelings. It almost felt as if they were back to the same place before this all started. Before things had gotten awkward between them then stalled out entirely after she'd gone missing for several days.