Chapter 40. After Atlantis

After three hours of intergalactic travel, two hours of physical and psychological eval, and a four hour debrief with Woolsey where she tried desperately to impart her plans for Atlantis while staring at his annoying, chipmunk face, Sam was ready to drop dead. She was still slightly seething that they had taken the Atlantis command from her, but the anger faded as her exhaustion grew. She felt a stab of melancholy upon realising she wouldn't be able to say a proper goodbye to Sheppard and the gang, nor even give her congratulations to Teyla and her new baby, but on the other hand, there was nothing quite like the feeling of being home.

With a sigh, Sam rubbed at the grit in her eyes and hoisted her enormous duffel bag onto her shoulder. Making her way through the familiar corridors of Stargate Command, Sam felt the heaviness in her heart slowly lift. Though she was disappointed at losing the Atlantis command, she couldn't help the thrill of excitement that ran down her spine as she stepped into the elevator. Joy flooded her heart at the thought of who would be waiting for her at the surface, warming her chest like hot cocoa on a winter's night, and the red digits on the elevator's display couldn't tick over fast enough.

The elevator doors finally opened with a ding, and Sam inhaled in the fresh Earth air, relishing the unique scent of pine and motor oil. The guards snapped to attention as she approached, and she nodded in their direction as she bent to sign out, a wry smile pulling at her lips. The gravel crunched under her feet, echoing off the concrete walls as she left the dim-lit tunnel and headed towards the bright glow of sunlight.

The Earth's yellow sun blinded her; warm upon her face but making her squint against the glare. Distantly, she heard a squeal, and her smile widened into a grin. Sam raised her hand to her brow to shade her eyes, blinking them open wider to see two familiar faces hurriedly approaching.
"Hi, Mommy." The tall, shaggy-haired man said softly as he reached her, a dopey grin on his face. "We missed you."

Sam let the duffel bag slide off her shoulder as Daniel pulled her into a one-armed hug; the toddler around his neck occupying his other arm. The blonde-haired babe squealed when his parents kissed, babbling nonsensically and reaching a chubby hand towards his mother. He giggled delightedly when she scooped him from his father's hold and peppered his cheeks with kisses.

Sam tore her gaze from the blue-eyed infant to meet the identical gaze of his father. "I missed you too." She murmured, wrapping her hand around the back of her husband's neck and pulling his tall frame down for another kiss. She grinned at the stupefied expression on his face when they eventually broke apart. "Luckily for you, looks like I'll be sticking around for a while."

His half-smile quickly changed into a frown, his brows meeting above the rim of his glasses. "Oh? What about Atlantis?"

Sam shook her head, hiking the youngster higher on her hip as Daniel bent to pick up her heavy bag. "Relieved of command." She quoted as the young family made their way towards the carpark. "Guess who's replacing me?"

"Who?" Daniel asked dutifully, still frowning, his nose scrunched up adorably.

"Woolsey." Sam smirked, already anticipating his reaction.

Daniel scoffed indignantly, rolling his eyes. "Seriously? That wet rag? Unbelievable!"

Sam chuckled, bouncing the burbling toddler on her hip as he grabbed at the strands of her long ponytail. "I was mad at first, but actually... I don't think I mind."
Daniel looked at her with surprise, but she only shrugged her unburdened shoulder. "This way, my next post might not be so long-distant."

A contemplative smile spread across his lips at her suggestion, some unspoken comment twinkling in his azure eyes. They stopped at the new Chevy Tahoe he had traded up for, Daniel throwing the duffel in the boot before taking the toddler and strapping his wriggling body into the car seat with some difficulty. Finally, he is able to take his wife into his arms.

Daniel pulled her close, his hands on her hips, their foreheads pressed together. "Well, I certainly wouldn't complain about that." He murmured lowly, his hands inching around to meet at the small of her back.

Sam snickered, peering up at him through her lashes. "I know you wouldn't." She hummed, and Daniel tilted his face to capture her grinning lips with his own, his heart fit to bursting now that their little family was reunited once again. In spite of everything; the Goa'uld, the Ori, the loss of Sha're, of his parents, of his own death, Daniel had somehow managed to find true happiness, and he swore to savour every second of it.