Their plane landed about twenty minutes later. They thanked the two pilots and wished them a safe stay.
When they reached the exit of the airport there were three men standing in front of two Ford Land Rovers. Jack didn't see them at first but Sam did and she recognized one of them as Dixon. When Jack finally saw them, the oldest man of the three walked up. "Hey Dad" Jack said before pulling the man into a big hug.
"Hello Jack" the man said back.
Dixon and the other man nodded in hello, then Dixon turned to Sam "hey Carter, what are you doing here?"
"Well, Hammond thought I needed some company on the flight", Jack said, "and to keep me from doing anything stupid" Dixon nodded. "Carter this is my father General Jonathan O'Neill and my brother in-law Col. Conner Jennings. Dad, Conner, this is Major Samantha Carter" Jack introduced. "And you already know butthead so…"
"Sir's" Sam said nodding.
"Please call me John, most people do."
"And me Conner" they both said.
Jack snorted "Fat chance if she'll call you anything but sir" Jack said smiling at Sam who was blushing slightly, "so what are we waiting for?"
"Sahara and Mick's flight landed just after yours so they should be here-"
"Behind you at this very moment" a female voice said from behind them. A young man and woman stood behind them both dressed in what Sam assumed to be there daily uniforms.
"Hey squirt" Jack said pulling the young woman into a hug. "Hey Mick" he said, shaking the young mans hand. "Oh Mick, Sahara this is-"
"Major Samantha Carter" Mick finished smiling. "I'm Michael and this is Sahara; we're Jack's youngest siblings" he said politely shaking Sam's hand. Sam then shook Sahara's hand as well.
Jack looked puzzled "How did you know-"
"We know all 'J'" Sahara said, then turned to her father. "Can we go, I really need a shower and change of clothes" the man nodded.
"Jack, Sam go with Dave and Conner and I'll take these two; we'll see you at the house" then they all went their separate ways.
The drive took about thirty minutes; Jack and Sam were in the back with Dixon driving and Jennings in the passenger seat. Jennings turned to Sam "So Carter, what has Jack told you about the O'Neill clan?"
Jack moaned and Sam smiled "umm… just that he has a big family." Dixon chuckled and Jennings turned to Jack but continued talking.
"So you know about Jacks huge family, how about that he and his twin don't get along to well-"
"Shut it Conner" Jack said. Jennings put up his hand in defense. "How's mum?" Jack asked.
Dixon answered "Taking it as well as can be expected, she knew the risks that exist in Special Ops" he stated.
Jack nodded and turned to Sam "I never told you about my mum did I?" he asked. She shook her head no "well she's a full on air-force wife and mum." He continued to tell her about his mum, Dixon and Jennings pitched in as well, and all too soon they arrived at two big gates which opened after Dixon punched in a code. There was a long drive up to a huge old castile like house. Jack turned to Sam "welcome to the O'Neill estate" he said sheepishly.
Sam looked at him as if he'd grown two heads. When the car stopped they all hoped out and Jack and Sam moved to grab their bags out of the back while Dixon and Jennings moved to the door to tell everyone they were here.
They had just reached the door when it opened and a small girl ran out. She went straight to Jack and launched herself at Jack's legs.
Jack looked down at the small child "well hello to you too, my little angel" he said, picking her up and putting her and his hip "haven't we gotten big" she giggled.
"Hey Unkie 'J'" she tilted her head and looked at him "you look more like grandpa now" she said as she patted his hair. Sam giggled from her spot next to them, which caught the child's attention. "Hi, I'm Cleo, who are you?" she asked politely.
Sam looked at the five year old; she had never met a more polite five year old or confident one. "Umm, I'm Sam, I work with your uncle Jack" then she thought to add "and your uncle Dave" she said looking at the man.
The child seemed to think for a minute before looking at Dixon with a questioning look. He nodded and she said "Oh that Sam." Jack and Sam looked at Dixon who just smiled and moved to go into the house. The two adults and child made to follow, but Sam hesitated a bit.
Jack noticed this "You'll be fine" he said and took her sleeve and pulled her along. When they walked into the house they were greeted by a lot of people. And after all the introductions were over and everything had settled down, Jack asked "Where's mum?"
Sib, Dixon's wife, who Sam had met once or twice before, was a slender looking woman with green eyes and shoulder length red hair, answered "she's in the kitchen, baking I think." Jack nodded and pulled Sam along the hallway towards what she assumed was the kitchen. When they reached the door, Cleo who was still in Jack arms called out "Grammy Unkie 'J' is here." Jack put her on the ground "and he has a girl with him."
The woman in the kitchen chuckled and turned, wiping her hands on her apron "hello Jonathan." Jack moved and kissed her on the cheek. "And who is this" she asked, looking at Sam.
"Oh mum this is Major Samantha Carter, my 2IC, Sam this is my mum."
"It's lovely to meet you Mrs. O'Neill" Sam said politely.
"Oh please call me Lea, I feel old when people call me Mrs. O'Neill" she said.
"Ok, then call me Sam" Jack smiled; he knew the two would love each other.
"Is that cake I smell?" Jack asked. "Oh, and Cookies" he sounded like a child at Christmas. He reached out to take a cookie, and got a smack on the hand "ow."
"After dinner" she said. Cleo giggled at her Grammy and uncle, and Sam smiled.
"It's dinner time?" Jack asked, looking out the window and then to the clock on the wall "Wow it's 6:30."
"Yes, I'll show you to your rooms, just give me a minute." She moved to the stove and lifted the lid off of a big pot, the smell that came out made Sam's mouth water.
"That smells delicious" she said.
"Oh you haven't tasted cooking until you've tried my mum's or baking now that I think about it" Jack said. Lea blushed slightly.
"You're as bad as your father at making my cooking out like that" she whacked him with a towel. "Now come on, I'll show the two of you to your rooms"
"Umm, how did you know Sam was coming?" Jack asked.
"What makes you think I knew she was coming?" Lea replied. Jack just looked at her as if saying 'why did I bother asking you that'. "That's another thing you inherited from your father" she said walking up the main staircase of the house.
"What does he get from me?" the man in question asked, walking in from where the rest of the family was.
"Nothing dear" she said sweetly and continued up the stairs. John looked at Jack with the same confused look Jack gets when he really has no idea what you're talking about.
The three of them made it up the stairs and followed Lea"ok Sam you're in here." She opened the door and they entered the bedroom; it was beautiful, there was a four poster bed with curtains around it, and a large wardrobe, a vanity table, and it had an en-suite bathroom with shower.
"Wow" she said and Jack couldn't help but chuckle. Sam shook her head and said "sorry."
"No don't worry, I said the same thing the first time I saw this place" Lea said. "Now Jack you're in the room across the hall. Why don't we leave both of you to unpack; dinner will be ready in about half an hour."
"Ok, thanks mum," both his parents left taking Cleo with them. Jack turned to Sam, "you ok?" he asked. She had her back turned to him and was looking out the window down to the back garden where all his nieces and nephews were.
She nodded and looked at him "this is one hell of a big family" she said.
Jack nodded "Yep it is; I'll leave you to unpack, and I'll come back to get you when it's time for dinner, ok?"
"Yes Sir, thanks."
Jack had already turned to leave but he turned back to Sam. "Sam, please call me Jack not sir; neither of us are on duty, unless this is a mission Hammond sent you on, so please no sir"
"Ok, I'll try Jack" Jack gave her a full blown smile before leaving.
TBC…
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