Never Say Never

Chapter Two

"How did you do it, Jack?" Doctor Samantha O'Neill sat at her desk piled with never ending paperwork. True, she was no longer Air Force and never the SGC CO, but as head of the Science facility it meant forty-two individuals including military and civilian scientists under her umbrella. She'd never imagined herself behind a management desk anymore than Jack had when he'd been a colonel. No wonder he hated being the 'Man'.

Sam spent more time sifting through paperwork than tinkering with alien technology or building a better Naquadah generator. She hated to admit it, but she missed the old days, missed the off world adventures with SG-1, discovering new races and new technology. Most of all, although she'd never admit, let alone to Jack, she missed walking through the gate with him, Daniel and Teal'c.

Pushing back in her chair, she sipped coffee and closed her eyes. As much as she missed all those wonderful, sometimes frightening days, Sam wouldn't change anything of her past life. Well, other than one ten-month fling with a cloned cop named Pete Shanahan. Odd, she rarely thought about him. Besides, thanks to Nirrti, she'd never known the real Pete. And she also regretted that Nirrti had killed the human Pete Shanahan, who Sam later discovered had been a happy married man.

Despite the fact she'd hurt Jack with her selfish diversion trying to find happiness with someone else, she had learned a lot from that bittersweet experience. The most important being that her safe bet, Jack, had loved her enough to let her fly with the hopes she'd return to him. She had. And because of his selflessness she loved him more than she thought possible. Sam came full circle.

Since marrying Jack her priorities changed. Actually they changed the day she discovered Cassandra was their biological daughter. Then after their Earth-bound marriage Grace came into their lives and that's when Sam realized she didn't want to miss out on anything that involved motherhood. She'd lived a life few people, let alone women ever would. She had the best of worlds, but most importantly, the man she loved for almost thirty years and now his children. Their children. Man, it had only been two hours and she missed seeing Grace and JJ off to school. That was Jack's job now and she envied him that.

As much as Sam loved being home, she missed interaction with other people and of course, her love of astrophysics and astronomy. So, she worked part-time and with Jack's blessings. But of late she realized something was absent from her life and she suspected in Jack's as well, she just didn't know what. Let alone if she dare broach the subject to him. Maybe it was midlife crisis, hard to know you're an Ancient. Do Ancients even have midlife crises? Well, Jack for sure never went through one—okay, so maybe he had before he went Ancient. She'd have to ask him.

When she thought it could be the Stargate or at least the excitement they'd once shared together she felt sentimental or foolish. What more could a person want than what she already had? Even so, what gnawed her belly? Why did she feel that all the material stuff they had accumulated was just a substitute for what they could have, had things been different.

How? How did one escape the rat race of mother Earth? Not that Sam didn't love Earth. She'd fought and even died upon several occasions for this world. But she no longer enjoyed the craziness of it, let alone the politically correct games that affected her job at the SGC. There had to be something more. More often than not, she imagined them living somewhere off the land. Farming even.

No wonder they'd both drawn to that Wyoming ranch for sale, so long ago. Sam recalled the look on Jack's face as the elderly couple gave them the grand tour. He'd been excited and content at the same time. Asking questions, checking out the barn's livestock milking equipment, farm machinery and tool shed. When he'd climbed up on the huge tracker he looked like a kid with his first toy. Then, she'd not known then that he'd spent his first ten years living on a farm in Minnesota.

Sam's mind drifted back to another place and time. She could still picture her and Jack living happily. PX-1129 was a small planet in the Gamma quadrant. The planet's address was not in the Abydos cartouche, it's peaceful inhabitants direct descendents of the Ancients and yet who'd never seen a Goa'uld or heard of them. PX-1129 possessed strange beautiful climate features. One side of the planet was rocky and mountainous with lakes and rivers and wild life and hot springs. The other half was tropically lush with ocean and white beaches that went on and on.

"Someday," Jack had then quipped, "I could see myself living here, working the land, raising a family. Yeah."

"You wouldn't prefer a cabin in Minnesota?" Sam had baited him.

"That would do just fine. But we'd have to clear away the trees and, well start all over."

"With you I could do that, Jack."

"Well, then come your retirement, we've got a date, Samantha." He'd chuckled and grinned. "Too bad you're not ready." She saw the longing in his eyes, but failed to give him the answer he desired. That had been two years ago. What in the world was she doing here?

Sam stared at the loaded desk of papers and suddenly realized it didn't have to be this way. She'd spent half of her life, playing scientist. Not that she hadn't loved those times. It just wasn't what she wanted anymore. Life was too darn short to spend the next twenty behind a desk.

She shook herself from her revelry and then searched her desk drawers for the elusive piece of paper she'd kept hidden the last while, filled it out and signed it and addressed it to General Mitchell who now commanded the SGC.

Her mind made up, Sam settled back in her chair and closed her eyes. She missed the smile and touch of her lover. Jack. Sometimes, she cursed their Ancient bonded DNA. It was like they were addicted to each other. Well, according to Daniel's and now Doctor Lee's research they were. That's what happened when a male and female Ancient physically bonded. No wonder the Ancients had a population explosion problem. Infidelity had not been an issue with their race because bonded couples only had the hots for each other.

A pleasant ache settled below Sam's waist. Glancing at her watch, she knew Jack was in route to school. She could call him on his cell, but not with the kids along. Last time she did that, Jack almost got into an accident. Sam grinned. She picked up her phone and started dialing. Yep, time for her 0900-hour message. Jack didn't know it, but it'd be the last one he'd get from the SGC.

JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ

Jack parked Sam's minivan beside his new black Ford dual cab truck and clambered out, wincing when his knees rebelled. Five years ago, he'd have puked at the thought of driving a minivan. So had Sam. But carpooling and hockey games changed their perception—for now. This to shall pass; he mused, then glanced at the red minivan and shuddered.

It took fifteen minutes of picking up bikes, toys, and busted water balloons, before he made his way into the O'Neill domain. They purchased the adjoining wooded lot providing an additional two acres. 5.5 acres of privacy for the O'Neill clan and it was still not enough as far as he was concerned. Jack spent his free time remodeling, which had involved a second floor addition that included a great so-so room, two bedrooms, master suite and extra bath and a recreational room in the basement. Not to mention the observation deck off the master suite where a new high-powered telescope waited to be broken in. Wife and kids continued to be the diversion from his favorite hobby.

A whining bark reminded Jack he'd locked the other point two of their children in the laundry room. He released the childproof gate and waited to be attacked. The German Shepard-Great-Dane mix bounded out of the room and tackled Jack with all the enthusiasm of a six-week old pup. Trouble was Thor was two years old and weighed in at a hundred and twenty pounds.

"Wow, boy." Jack chuckled getting slobbered. "Guess ya need to pee, huh?"

Thor galloped around the work center to the patio door and barked.

"Okay, okay. You got the backyard to yourself and I'll take you for a walk later." He slid open the door and let the eager hound into the cedar fenced backyard where his doghouse and food set. "And don't you dig under that fence and chase the Benson's cat again."

Thor glanced back and shifted his ears with what seemed a devious smirk.

"Yeah, like that's so not going to happen." Jack turned away, deciding it was time to get one of those electric fences for the neighborhood tramp.

After putting the kitchen back to satisfactory order, he picked up the phone and dialed Cassandra's cell. He got her mailbox. Crap! Jack hated answering machines as much as he hated memos. Sam would vouch for that. He almost hung up, then clearing his voice said, "Hi, sunshine, this is um, dad. About the other day, sorry, I was such a jerk. But the idea of you and Daniel is going ta take some getting used to . . . So can we um talk, say tonight? I'll grill your favorite bacon burgers and well, you know we'll talk. Okay? I love ya, sunshine." He looked at the phone and added, "And tell Daniel he can come too."

Scrubbing the back of his neck Jack let out a held breath. Well, that was easier than he thought. Of course, whether she called back or showed would be another thing. Then there was Sam. They'd argued yes, but Sam had long learned the way to win Jack O'Neill's favor on most issues was not by fighting, but by loving. And oh, did she know how to love. Not that it meant they weren't still at odds over the Cassie and Daniel matter, just they'd learned not to take it into the bedroom. Most of the time.

Jack checked the voicemail and heard Sam's punctual 0900 post, with a slight twist to it, "Hey, there, General, I love and miss you, and it's only been two hours since I left. So, I'm going to jump your old Irish bones in about nine point three hours. Be afraid, be very afraid," followed by her sultry giggle.

"Oh, you are evil," Jack snorted, feeling his temperature rise due south. Nine more hours! She'd done that on purpose. Then he'd been disappointed if she hadn't. The fact she'd left his arms three hours ago with a satisfaction guaranteed smile only raised his inner thermometer.

Another message flashed. "Hon, don't forget JJ's dentist appointment tomorrow morning at 0815 sharp, and Grace's next dance recital is um . . .Saturday night. Oh, remember Cassie's coming. So get your head out of your rear about her and Daniel. Call your daughter, apologize, and invite them for supper tonight."

Jack hit the stop button and fumed. Now see, that was wrong on so many levels! The woman must have mind-melded with Grace! Jack was still tempted to beat the crap out of Daniel. That'd be easier than dealing with these blasted nosey females in his life.

The light still blinking he hit release and straddled a stool as Sam rambled on, "And no, I didn't mind-meld with Grace. We agreed to never do that, remember? But you so much as threaten Daniel I'm going to knock your lights out, O'Neill--sir!"

Jack flinched. How did she do that? He swore he'd turned on the off switch to his private thoughts soon as he got up this morning. Dang, she'd broken his newest mental combination lock all ready. He'd have to talk to Loki about that. This Ancient brand thingy did have it drawbacks.

Sam's voice turned sexy, "And oh about later tonight, General, I'm thinking to wear that pale blue teddy you bought me, the one with the cut-out . . ."

"Fercryinoutloud, Carter!" Jack hit the off button and cursed between grins. Yeah, he still called her Carter and when things got kinky she called him a variety of names, ranging from Colonel, sir to Lieutenant General plus some naughty ones in between. Man, he loved that woman. And because of her Jack needed a cold shower at 0920. Yep, something's hadn't changed since their SG-1 days. Except being down to one cold shower a day nor did he need to wait in line.

Rushing the stairs two at a clip, Jack sidestepped JJ's Lego's before he entered the one immaculate room in their house, the master suite. At least they tried to keep it orderly and their own.

In the bathroom, he glimpsed his morning stubble but would shave later, and not have to mow his fast growing beard twice. Besides he should head for the basement and his thirty-minute daily workout to maintain his six-pack and biceps. He'd gone through a three-year slack period after leaving the SGC, gotten out of shape, gained weight. And Sam never once complained. But he had. Heck, he'd been twenty—five pounds heavier on their wedding night. Of course Sam helped him lose those love handles in many creative ways. He grinned.

Jack barely noted the reflection of his tanned weathered features or the previous gray hair that had turned snow white last year. He had yet to understand what a certain gorgeous blonde ever saw in this Irishman's face or body. But heck, he had to be doing something right after all this time, because she meant exactly what she'd said in that message. Jack had long concluded that when he died it was going to be in Sam's arms.

Oh, yeah, he needed that cold shower. Turning on the fancy six-nozzle showerhead Jack stripped and set one leg inside the glass door. Icy water splashed him from all directions. He sighed as he stepped in all the way and closed the door.

Within two seconds, he was tap-dancing on the slick tile floor, "Ouch! Crap!" He jumped, nearly landing on his assets as he caught himself and the tender ball of his right foot cried out for attention. Glancing down, he found action figures floating in the stream of water. So much for their bathroom being childproof. How many times had he told JJ he couldn't bring his toys into their shower? Collecting the items, he noted the GI Joes belonged to Grace. Satin and Lace she wasn't, well except for church and ballet.

At last standing under the rush of pulsating spray, another of Sam's wonderful ideas, Jack stretched his neck and back and then leaned into the icy water, letting it massage his battle scars and aching muscles. He'd never let Sam know to what extent the chronic pain had become the last two years. Bad enough she already suspected. Nothing much got by his Sam. Most of his old injuries had been healed when Baal had repeatedly stuck him in the sarcophagi. But any injuries after that well . . .There was only so much that 'going Ancient' ten years ago could maintain. He maybe now aged slower than everyone else, but the health issues he'd had before that event still plagued him.

In all honesty, he didn't mind. It reminded him that Ancient or not, he was mortal. Shivering, he turned the icy spray to warm and once again set his aching backside to the water. He'd been thinking a lot of late. A scary thought for Jack. He realized that for whatever the reason, maybe it was adjusting to being Mister Mom, he missed the good old days a lot more than he'd admit, even to Sam. He missed off world missions with SG-1, missed bickering with Daniel over nothing. Missed Teal'c's stern Jaffa's eyebrow lifts. Missed the adrenaline rush of firing his P-90 at the Goa'uld or outrunning a death glider. Missed flying the X-302. Missed General Hammond greeting SG-1 returning from a mission. Most of all, he missed Carter at his side. Even though he had her at his side including in his bed, he missed the way their relationship had once been. CO and 2IC. Jack, never not quite knowing emotionally where he stood with her and yet knowing no matter what, she had his six, because she was his major and then his colonel and now his wife.

He sometimes wished he and Sam could step through the gate together, not that they still couldn't. They both had gate ID access. Last year they'd gone on a diplomatic mission together for five days to Atlantis. It'd been great, but quiet. Nothing even remotely exciting happened. Other than Jack got bored by the third hour and started an argument with the pain in the ass, head honcho just for the sake of arguing. Sam put an end to that by threatening to cut Jack off while they were there. The woman was evil. She got her way. Jack not only behaved he got a peace treaty signed in less than two days. Who'd have thought Jack O'Neill could be a diplomat.

The issue still gnawed at his innards. Jack secretly itched for action and not just of the sexual nature with Sam. He wanted to see space again, up and personal. He wanted to save the world again. He—

"Crap, old man!" He berated himself. "You're too old to be doing anything but what you're doing. And for most men your age the fact you're married to a gorgeous younger woman, the father of a nine and seven-year old and living a fantastic life is a miracle in and of itself. Thank God! He did.

Jack couldn't believe how sentimental he was being or how foolish. Heck, there was no way he'd be able to keep up with an SG team. They were getting younger all the time. While, Jack was ancient, literally. And as physically fit as Sam was for her age, he doubted she could keep up with them either, let alone want to.

"Stop daydreaming, Jack, and come back to reality."

One reality being, he still had a strong itch to move out of the Springs. Away from the crazy metropolitan area and from the SGC. Of course, that wasn't about to happen as long as Sam worked. He'd hinted a few times about moving to the cabin that he'd already remodeled for their growing family. There'd been a time when a good share of the property had been farmland. Which meant by now the land was rich and fertile. Course there was the issue of trees and rocks. Lots of rocks. But enough all ready! What was he thinking? He was thinking it'd give Sam the opportunity to home school the kids like she'd wanted to. It'd allow them the privacy they coveted and there were other home schooled kids that Grace and JJ hung out with every summer. So it wouldn't be like they'd go full native.

"Chill, Jack. Concentrate on the other issue. The one you can do something about." He and Sam never had the honeymoon he'd planned, as Sam got called back to the SGC for an emergency assignment with SG-1 the next day, followed by Jack reestablishing additional Alpha and Beta sites over the next nine weeks. The honeymoon from hell, he'd called it, one night with his wife and then joint abstinence the next three months. And Sam had taken it all in stride. Still didn't deserve her.

With their tenth wedding anniversary approaching he wanted to plan something special. Like an off world trip to that deserted tropical planet PX1-0…Gee, what was the name? Well, they definitely needed downtime, just the two of them. No kids, homework, ballet, hockey or soccer games, yard work, no SGC reports nada. Just them, alone for once besides when they were stuck inside an Antarctic glacier. On the other hand there was always the cabin. Yeah, that might be better. He had definite plans for them, most of which required just a few things, a fireplace, wine, music and most of all Carter in his arms. Yeah!

His thoughts now on Sam and being alone with her, Jack didn't notice the water temperature switch to hot and steamy. It felt good and he turned to let it beat on his face, down his chest and, oh boy, it was definitely going to be one long day waiting for Sam.

"Wow, there, General, sir. Just who you saluting? Coz, it better be me."

Jack jolted at the sultry voice and blinked through the wet mist as two delicate hands danced their way up his chest and around his shoulder and then neck, causing all kind of pleasurable feelings to wash over his old bones.

"Umm. Just saluting my 2IC," he managed to groan out as he drew Sam into his wet embrace and fingered her shoulder length blonde hair.

"Right answer, sir."

"Sweet."

Sam found his mouth and claimed it. She tasted of chocolate and mint. Yum! As their tongues dueled for dominance, Jack decided to play the subordinate for once and let Sam have her way with him. Who was he kidding he loved letting Sam have her way with his body.

"Sooo," he came up for air. "Couldn't wait until tonight, huh, Carter?"

She not so gently slammed him against the ceramic wall reliving their aggressive kisses in the SGC locker room the first year she'd come under his command. He still had that hot little tank top number. Jack grinned beneath her kiss.

"No more than you apparently could." She pressed specific parts of her anatomy where they would do the most damage or good, meanwhile her hands were performing other artful maneuvers.

"Carter!" Jack growled into the curve of her wet neck. "One of these days, you're going to be the death of me."

"You've been saying that for almost twenty years, sir," she murmured as her tongue dove into his right ear extracting another guttural sound from her lover. "So care to wager on the next twenty."

If he was going to last longer than a couple of minutes, Jack needed a diversion. Oh. Yeah. "Um, Uncle O'Neill is still alive and kicking at eighty-seven, umm Auntie's eighty and they're still doing the nasty." He caressed one of her erogenous zones.

"Oh, I love when you talk dirty!" Sam shuddered, leaning into his touch. And then, "Um, yes, . . . So we've just made up for the first eight years of our courtship."

"Eleven, but who's counting?" he murmured.

"Special Ops and Nirrti 's forced sex do no count."

"Hey we got history, Dorothy," he lisped nibbling her right earlobe.

"Umm, whatever. Let's start on the marriage part, okay?"

"So whatcha' want?" He swung a long muscular leg over her hips and bent to claim her succulent mouth.

"Another version of the human mating ritual, O'Neill?"

"Huh?" Jack prayed that he hadn't heard what he knew he heard. His leg automatically uncurled from Sam's hip and he pulled her into his embrace.

Sam scrunched against him. "Please don't tell me that Thor's standing behind us?"

Jack squinted over her shoulder through the white steam and grimaced. "The four legged or two legged version?"

"Jack!"

"Fine, fine, I won't tell you that Asgard Thor is in our shower, even though he is."

"Holy Hannah!" She buried her face against his chest and muffled her chagrin.

Jack pivoted, putting himself between Sam and Thor.

"Am I interrupting, Jack?"

"Basically your timing sucks, Thor, old buddy, old chum!" Sam's nails dug painfully into Jack's buttocks. "Ow!"

"So help me, Jack, if you don't get rid of him, you're not getting any for a year," she whispered in his wet ear.

"A-a-a . . .year?"

"You heard me."

"Greetings, Colonel Samantha Carter."

"It's Doctor O'Neill, Thor. We're married, you know." Jack corrected, trying to keep from landing on his butt. "And we're retired as in no longer Air Force."

"Of course I was there, remember?"

"Look, Thor, along with the fact you look like a shriveled gray prune. Can we continue this conversation another time, another place? Elsewhere?"

"As you wish, O'Neill."

And then there was light!