A/N: Inspired by the other night, when I had Sam's experience! It was a long, long, four hours.

OoOoOo

AT THE GAME

"Mommy, can we get some blue candy?"

The O'Neill family had just arrived at the local Triple A baseball stadium. They were a little late. It was already early in the first inning as Jack, Sam and the kids found their seats and settled in. Predictably, it wasn't long before the twins started their usual requests for baseball park junk food. Cotton candy (the blue color) was one of their favorite choices.

Jack enjoyed baseball almost as much as hockey; he'd started to teach the game to the twins. When he was home and the weather cooperated, he was often found in the back yard coaching Grace and Jake on the finer points of catching, throwing and hitting a ball. He hoped to start them both in the local T-ball league next spring. The twins could hardly wait to 'play for real'.

Sam Carter O'Neill found baseball incredibly boring. The fact that her family had season tickets to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox didn't change that fact. Going to the games was one of those compromises involved in any long term relationship. And watching Jake, Grace and a slightly overgrown, incredibly handsome older boy named Jack have such a good time made it all worthwhile.

Jack and the kids loved to go the ballpark. Since Jack knew the manager of the local team, the kids always received special attention from the players and all the special entertainers the Sky Sox (and other minor league teams) brought in to distract from the fact that the team itself wasn't so great. To top it all off (and, from Sam's perspective insure they would have to stay to the bitter end), there were fireworks tonight!

Within moments of their arrival, Jack had gone off to the concession stand to buy the requested confection for the twins. The O'Neills had worked out yet another compromise where the twins could choose two food items during their stay at the ballpark. This approach had stopped the constant running back and forth for food and the inevitable sick stomachs. Better yet, once the twins were used to the rule, it stopped the constant badgering throughout the game. Smart children that they were, they planned their snack selections accordingly.

"Here you go, munchkins," Jack called, handing over one huge cone of blue cotton candy to the twins. Fortunately, they were quite good at sharing. Too good, as far as Sam was concerned, when it came to the sticky, sweet fluff now gracing her little girl's fingers.

"Mommy, have some," Grace would always offer happily, as she pulled off a piece and nearly shoved it in Sam's mouth.

Tonight before Sam had a chance to accept the proffered gift from her little angel, everyone was distracted by a foul ball headed directly for the O'Neills. As Sam looked up, she saw her husband holding Jake's arm in exactly the right position, ensuring that said ball found its way right into the little boy's mitt. Jake looked down at the ball in amazement. He'd caught his first foul ball! People in the seats around him cheered and Jack smiled his trademark proud papa smile.

"Good catch, Jake!" Grace congratulated her brother. Me next, Daddy, okay?"

Oh yes, it was so worth it, Sam thought.

OoOoOo

Seven innings and three hours later, the game ended. Jack was still faithfully working on the box score, while refereeing the twins. Grace and Jake had stopped bouncing around the box two innings earlier and were actually sitting in their seats. And Sam, well Sam had been sleeping sitting up for the past three innings. But now it was time for fireworks.

"Okay, time to wake up mommy," Jack said, giving the twins permission to do whatever it took.

"I'm awake, I'm awake," Sam muttered.

"Come over here. It's time," Jack invited.

Finally, her favorite part of the evening had arrived. Sam moved to sit next to Jack, her head on his shoulder and his arm around her. Two sleepy munchkins were now wide awake, sitting on their parents' laps watching the sky light up around them. As she pulled the blanket up around her little ones to keep them warm, Sam knew she'd go to these games forever, as long as she could enjoy moments like these with the ones she loved.