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Jack and Sam lay down together in each others arms, talking for a while before drifting off to sleep. The next morning Sam woke up feeling a warm body next to her. She tensed up for a moment until she opened her eyes and looked up to see soft brown eyes looking down at her and the smile that always melted her heart. She, in return gave Jack one of her special smiles reserved only for him only. Sam knew it was wrong sleeping with her CO, but it felt so right.
"Morning Sam" Jack said.
"Morning Jack"
"Are you ok?"
"Yes thanks"
"Feel like getting up and joining the rest of the O'Neill family?"
"Yes"
"Good, I hope your hungry cause mum makes the best Irish breakfast ever" then they heard Sam's stomach rumble and she giggled.
"Hey, what have I told you. no giggling?"
"Sorry"
Then Jack's stomach rumbled, which cause Sam to giggle even more. Jack rolled his eyes before they both got up and dressed. After they freshened up a bit they both walked downstairs. Sam was wearing one of her tracksuit pants and one of Jack's big woollen sweaters that went down past her backside. Jack was wearing a pair of lose fitting jeans and a sweatshirt with a hood.
As they went downstairs Sam tighten her hold on Jack's hand, which he squeezed back. "It's ok" he whispered and Sam nodded slightly. It was only 8:00am but most of the family was already awake, and the kids were running around like mad men. Jack took Sam down to the kitchen where all his sisters and sisters-in-law were, as well as his mum.
Lea smiled when she saw Sam and Jack "Good morning you two."
"Morning mum" Jack said "Morning" Sam said at the same time.
Jack smelled the air "So, what's for breakfast?" He sniffed again "Bacon, eggs, and pudding, yum, we're having an Irish breakfast. What did I tell you Sam?" Lea nodded, while Jack moved over to grab two mugs of coffee for himself and Sam.
Sam was now sitting next to Mel and Krissy. "So Sam got any good stories about Jack?" Sam looked at Mel.
"Umm.not that I can think of" Jack who was standing beside her smiled happily at getting off easy with the story telling. "Oh wait I do, there was this one time when we got Daniel - another member of our team - drunk and married to our CMO." Jack groaned, sitting down next to Mel.
"I honestly don't think they remember it either" he mumbled.
Sam looked at him and patted his head; "trust me, I've done it to people that could get me kicked out of the air force, well their parents could" she mused.
Jack's head shot up "Yeah right, you little miss by the book" he said jokingly. Sam stood and pulled Jack by the hand out of the kitchen and down the hall to the sitting room that they were in on the first night. She pulled him over to the picture of Alex that they had looked at. "General Ryan has three daughters; Lucy, I got her married just after we graduated from the academy. Clare I got married about three years ago, which you helped with by the way, and Jen is too young at the moment. Senator Hays has a son and a daughter; I married his son to Lucy, but I haven't been able to get Elizabeth yet. General Hammond, she looked at Jack and smiled "Hannah, married not long after Lucy, and Maria about a year ago, but I can't really remember who to."
"That would have been me" said a voice from the door; both Jack and Sam jumped and looked around to see most of his family standing there.
"Which one of you said that?" Jack asked.
Patch stepped forward, "Oh yeah" Sam said.
Jack turned on Sam "You married Hammond's youngest daughter to my brother?" Sam just smiled and chuckled "yeah."
"Does Hammond know?" he asked.
"I don't know, I suppose he could" she said sweetly.
Jack sighed heavily, "I'm so going to get killed" he said before moving back to the now empty door way. "Come on, let's go see if breakfast is ready".
The whole family had their meal in the dining room; it was full of talk but no one brought up the subject of Pete. Sam seemed to be doing better and it wasn't long before the family lawyer arrived to read Alex's will.
The elder children took all the kids out back for the time that was needed and Jack decided to keep Sam near him, so she joined the family in the living room.
Once they were all seated the lawyer started to read the will; "I Alexandra Lea O'Neill Kowalski of sound body and mind, request that if I die before my only child Cleo Charlotte O'Neill Kowalski reaches the age of 18, that she be placed in the custody of my eldest brother Jonathan J O'Neill, and that all my inheritance goes to her as well as every thing that I own." The lawyer finished reading the will and looked up.
"There is a letter for each of her brothers and sisters as well and for John and Lea." They each took their letters, except Jack who was just staring at the lawyer; Sam reached out and took his envelope.
Jack finally regained his voice "She gave me custody?" he asked.
The man nodded "Yes sir."
Jack stared at the people in the room, "Why?"
John spoke first "You are Cleo's godfather."
"Yeah, but Sahara is her godmother" he retorted.
"Yeah but I'm overseas more than not, and she trusted you with Cleo more than anyone" Sahara replied.
Sam could see Jack was about to say something about being in the same boat but he stopped himself. "Jack, she wouldn't want Cleo with anyone else, she trusted you with her life and she knew you would never hurt Cleo" Dixon said. Jack sat thinking about it; he knew they were right- out of all of them she trusted him the most.
"Ok" was all he said before getting up and leaving. Sam watched him go.
"He thinks that something will happen to her, like what happened to Charlie" Sib said, Sam nodded and stood up and went to find Jack.
It wasn't hard to find him; he was in his room sitting on his bed with his head in hands. He didn't need to look up to know it was Sam; he'd worked with her for years now and he knew it was her by the way she walked. Sam sat down next to him on the bed, not saying anything.
When Jack finally spoke Sam was waiting, "What if it happens again, I wouldn't be able live with it, I just can't go through that again."
"Nothing will happen Jack, what happened back then was an accident; you would never allow that to happen again." She laid her hand and on his, and another on his face so that he would look at her. "We won't let anything happen to Cleo; you won't have to do this alone, I promise" he leaned into her hand and gave a weak smile "Thank you" he whispered.
She nodded and handed him the envelope that Alex had left for him. She moved to leave the room but Jack pulled her back and the two sat back with their backs against the headboard.
Before Jack opened the letter Sam asked "are you sure you want me here?" She was slightly confused; Jack was usually a very private person, and now he was acting like a completely different person.
"Yes" was all he said before he opened the envelope and began to read the letter.
Well hey 'J', if you're reading this then I died before Cleo was 18 and before you, what a shocker! I know you may think it stupidly irresponsible for me to leave Cleo to you, but I don't care what you think on this matter. You were and will be a great father, and deep down I know you know that. Don't, I beg you, don't let anyone tell you that you were a bad father. Cleo loves you Jack, and she trusts you just like I do. So please do this for me and take care of my baby girl. I only have one favor to ask; please make
sure she remembers Charlie and me.
Thank you Jack, I will miss you so much.
Love your angel,
Alex
When Jack finished reading the letter tears were streaming down his cheeks; after all the years of working with Jack she had never seen him like this, so Sam did the only thing she could think of, what he does when she needs it, she pulled him into a tight hug.
TBC…..
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