Homecoming
Sam and Jack certainly received some strange looks as they left the base that night with a three year old bundle of energy in tow. They were both astounded at the child's easy acceptance of her new surroundings and the fact that they were her parents. Although when he really thought about it Jack wasn't that surprised – after all Sam Carter was her mother – easy acceptance and an insatiable thirst for knowledge – yep Grace was certainly going to keep him on his toes – he couldn't wait.
"Daddy what are those?" The child asked in awe.
"Those, munchkin, are cars and we are going to go home in one and introduce you to your big sister." Jack unlocked his truck and lifted Grace in and made sure she was secure.
Once they were on the road it took all Jack's concentration to keep his eyes on the road and not on the rear view mirror that held the fascinated face of his daughter.
"I spoke to Landry while you and Samantha were having your girl talk, he's going to arrange all the necessary paperwork for Grace – should all be ready in a couple of days." Jack told his distracted wife. He reached out and grasped her hand. "Hey, I know this is a lot to take in and it's all happened really fast – how are you holding up?"
Sam looked over at the concerned face of her husband and smiled. "I'm fine." And then in a slightly louder voice so Grace could hear, "I'm looking forward to showing Grace her room and decorating it and going to the shops for some clothes and toys and introducing her to the wonder of ice cream!"
Grace smiled in the back seat. She had no idea what ice cream was but it sounded like fun. In fact all the things her mom had been talking about sounded like fun – this was way better than Egypt. Grace hated sand.
"Jack, don't forget we are going to need to stop and pick up a few essentials for tonight." Sam reminded her husband.
Jack swung the truck into the parking lot of the local mini mall that luckily was open late. A few minutes later Sam jumped out telling them she wouldn't be long.
Thirty minutes later she returned to hear her husband and daughter singing '99 Bottles of Beer' and mentally added a couple of kids CD's to her list of items they needed to shop for. "Okay I've got everything I think we are going to need for tonight and I ordered a pizza for dinner – it'll be delivered in about half an hour."
"Ohhhh Gracie – you hear that, pizza, if you thought the Jell-O was good you are going to love this!" Jack turned and grinned at his daughter.
Cassie opened the door to greet Jack, Sam and Grace as they got out of the truck. She was amazed at how much like Sam the little girl looked, but then she was Sam's daughter – kind of. Sam had rung to explain Grace and the whole time travel thing but she didn't even pretend to understand it – she was a bit like Jack in that way – it just did her head in. Nope, psychology was her thing – much to Jack's disgust – so she was interested to see how well Grace would fit into her new surroundings and if there was anyone on the planet who could understand and help the child adjust it would be her, Cassie thought.
"Hey welcome to the Carter, Frasier, O'Neill home". Cassie greeted the small child. Jack raised his eyebrow at Cassie.
"Order of occupancy." Cassie smiled cheekily at him.
"Ah but now Grace is home the O'Neill's outnumber everyone else." Jack smirked and he swore he heard Cassie laugh under her breath 'God help us all'.
"Enough you two!" She scooped up her daughter. "I'm sorry Grace but these two love to tease each other, I'm afraid you are going to have to get used to it."
Grace wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and asked, "How come you are a Carter and daddy and I are O'Neill's and Cassie is a Frasier?" Sam was momentarily stunned – three years olds weren't supposed to catch on to that kind of thing so quickly were they?
By this time they had entered the house and Sam sat with Grace on her lap. "Well Cassie is a Frasier because her mom died and she came to live with me but she was nearly a grown up I just didn't think she would want to change her name." Sam looked at the young woman who she loved like a daughter and caught a brief flash of emotion cross her face. Sam made a mental note to talk to Cass about her last name in the very near future. "And as you know your dad and I used to work together and we thought it would be a bit confusing to have two O'Neill's working in the same place so I still use the name I had before I married your dad." Sam hoped the explanation was simple enough.
Grace smiled. "So at home you can be an O'Neill just like daddy an' me?"
"You betcha." Sam placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead.
Grace looked shyly over at Cassie. "Can Cassie be an O'Neill too?"
Cassie was astounded at how perceptive the child was. But she was even more astounded a few seconds later when Jack answered "You betcha – if she wants to."
Cassie smiled at the two people she loved most in the world. She had always secretly hoped Jack and Sam would get together and when she and her mom had spoken about it Janet had always told her it would happen when it was meant to. There was no doubt in her mind that she loved her mom and wished she had lived but there was also no doubt that if Sam had been in a position to at the time, it would have been Sam that adopted her and not Janet. "Yeah I think I would quite like that." Cassie said suddenly feeling that they had finally become a family, not three people who were occasionally in the same place at the same time – until tis moment she didn't realise how much she had always craved that.
Two hours later Grace decided that the best thing about being home was sitting on her dad's lap watching the Simpsons on the big screen TV that had miraculously appeared in Sam's house not long after they had married. Grace turned and took her father's face between her chubby little hands and said, "You know what Daddy, coming home is the best decision you and mommy ever made!"
Jack had to suppress a laugh at the serious tone the child was using. "Do you think? I think the best decision was to have you." Jack hugged the little girl closer to him.
Cassie came into the room to see Jack hugging Grace. She was so happy for Jack and Sam – she knew from experience that they were fantastic parents.
"Hey guys – have you seen Sam?" Cassie asked.
"Come to think of it I haven't seen her since we packed away the stuff from dinner. Gracie girl, how about Cassie goes and introduces you the bath tub and I'll go look for mommy?"
"Okay but can I have some of those bubble things mommy is always talking about?"
"Yeahsureyoubetcha." He tickled his daughter and made a mental not to take Samantha some bubble bath tomorrow. He headed towards the bedroom and called Sam's name. He looked in the bedroom but it was empty – just as he was turning to leave he noticed the bathroom light was on. He stood in the bathroom doorway and saw his wife standing at the sink staring down at something. He walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. It was then that he noticed what it was Sam was looking at.
"Sam?" He wasn't sure what was going on – this morning they had found out they wouldn't be able to have kids and here Sam was staring down at, what he was pretty certain, was a pregnancy test – what's more, a pregnancy test that had two very bright pink lines. Sam wasn't moving, she just continued to stare at the test in front of her. "It's been a while but I'm pretty sure two lines generally meant a positive result".
Sam acknowledged his presence for the first time. "It does." She said simply.
"So whose test is it?"
"Mine"
"You mean……we're ……..Lam was wrong?"
"Yup looks like it." Sam turned and Jack saw the most incredibly radiant smile on her face. "Samantha guessed – reminded me that Grace's mother was – well- me."
"Oh wow" Jack breathed deeply and drew her into one of his bear hugs. "God do you know what this means?
Sam smiled. "Yeah, it means we are going to have a baby."
"Nope - it means we are going to have three babies!"
It took a few seconds to realise what Jack meant "Holy Hannah!"
TBC
A/N Thanks for the lovely reviews – I haven't had a chance to respond to them because it was either that or write the next chapter – I figured you would probably rather the next chapter. Anyway this was a bit fluffy because the next couple of chapters are going to be completely angst ridden so if you don't have any I would suggest going out and buying some tissues.