Author's note: Here we go again. Sorry for the long wait. This should be longer but my beta and I didn't manage to write it all up yet. But since certain readers don't want to wait too long I decided to post it in two parts.

To LuSo: thanks for betaing honey. Hugs and kisses.

Chapter 16

In the restaurant the rest of the evening was spent rather happily for Sam. She'd shooed her sad thoughts away and for the first time in years she felt as if she was finally home. She had always known she belonged here, but had made the mistake of deciding against her better judgement. But that was over now.

Here she was, Samantha Carter, Charlotte next to her and Charlotte's daddy at the little girl's other side. Smiling she looked at Jack and ruffled Charlotte's hair. When Sam's hand slid down to rub the toddler's back Jack laid his over hers, they patted their almost sleeping daughter's back in unison, their fingers entwining from time to time. But suddenly she felt Jack taking her hand and squeezing it. She looked into his deep brown eyes and mouthed the words she had avoided to say to Pete for the last three years and which she could release so freely now. "I love you." Jack just grinned at her and squeezed her hand in response. While enjoying each others company in this very intimate moment of time and sharing their most private thoughts during that non verbal but deeply meaningful conversation, Sam and Jack didn't notice that Al and Nan had also stopped talking, looking at the couple and now little family in front of them. It was truly a heart-warming sight. Sam and Jack sat looking at each other with deep longing in their eyes, their little girl between them leaning into her mother's side, snoring softly.

"What?" Jack asked in his typical O'Neill manner, when he noticed that they were the centre of attention. Sam smiled and Al just shrugged.

"Nothing." Al replied simply, with a goofy grin gracing his aging features.

Noticing that Charlotte had fallen asleep next to him, he finally called it a day;

"Ok, I guess that's our cue to leave." He said quietly, gesturing to the sleeping bundle curled up against her mother.
"Yeah, today has worn her out." Sam agreed and smiled at the older couple, happy to have made such a great family within such a short time.

When they'd paid Jack took his daughter out of the child seat the restaurant had provided and carried her towards the car while Sam chatted animatedly with Nancy. His daughter. He sighed and hugged her a little tighter. His. And Sam's. Theirs. But something pulled him out of his musings...
"Sam? Can you take her? I can't get to my keys." he interrupted her conversation. But instead of taking Charlotte she urged him to move the little girl to his other hip that she could reach into the front pocket of his jeans to take the keys out. To say he was stunned was an understatement. Samantha Carter had just felt him up in public! Sam just blinked at him and opened the car's door nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened. Sam was obviously very amused about the discomfort she had caused him. Being felt up in public at the age of almost 50, in front of an older couple he knew for a whole lifetime was quite embarrassing for him but she enjoyed the flirtatious teasing.
"Ok then Jack, have a save trip home." Al patted his shoulder and with an afterthought he added: "And you know what they say. If you can't promise to be good, be safe." Al laughed when Jack went beat red and got into the car where Charlotte was already buckled up behind him and Sam was in the passenger's seat talking to Nancy quietly.
"Let her go, Nan. Give the young folk some time alone!" Al shouted over the car's roof and walked towards his wife. Taking her hand he said his goodbyes and dragged Nancy away from the vehicle.

Jack sighed when he finally turned the keys in the ignition. Charlotte wiggled in her car sear but didn't wake up. When Sam turned around to look at their little girl sitting in the back seat of the car Jack took her face in his hands and kissed her as if there was no tomorrow.
"What was that for?" Sam panted, still slightly dazed. He gave her another quick kiss.
"I just felt like it." Was all he offered as an explanation.
"I see." she answered but before she could utter another word he kissed her again, his lips gently fusing with hers, tracing the soft contour of her lips asking for entry into her mouth, which she gladly granted. She was awash in sensation, everything about him possessing her as their tongues moulded together, his scent and taste surrounding her. God, she loved this man so much. She loved it, but she also wondered if there was something wrong with him. Normally he wasn't the one to be all touchy feely. Her alter ego Lt. Col. Samantha Carter would have analysed the situation to no end, but Samantha came to a satisfying conclusion fairly quickly, and without giving it too much thought. Maybe he was simply as blissfully happy as she was. Sam was so thankful for the way things had turned out after all these years of longing, loving, needing and wanting.

Please review and let me know what you think. Hugs :o)