"Why is everybody watching me?" Haley asked Sam while Jack puttered around the kitchen. "It's kind of creepy."
Sam struggled for the right words to say. "Well, um… you see that bracelet I gave you?"
"Yeah, it's kinda ugly- no offense- but do I have to keep it on long?"
"For a little while, yes. We can't take our eyes off of you until we find a way to prevent you from disappearing again."
"You mean in thin air… like… like when they took me?" Sam nodded and immediately regretted saying anything as tears started to well up in Haley's eyes. "So people are just going to watch me 24/7?"
"Yes."
"What about when I sleep?"
"Somebody, a highly trained officer, will be on guard from the SGC."
"What about when I shower!" Sam gave a brief smile, Haley's voiced squeaked at that last part.
"It will be a female officer, either me or somebody else. We'll work something out, maybe you can talk to us the whole time so we don't have to watch but will know you're there. Don't worry about things like that Haley. Now's not the time to let the little things embarrass you."
"The little things!" she cried and jumped up from the couch. As Sam watched her run up the stairs she realized that she couldn't give Haley the privacy she wanted right now. Instead Sam followed her into her room and sat at the edge of her bed. Haley was lying on her stomach, her face buried deep in the pillow, sobbing. Sam rubbed her back, hoping to calm her down.
Haley slowly turned her face out from the pillow. "I hate this! First I find out I'm not even a real person and now my whole life is being taken away from me. It's not fair. IT'S NOT FAIR!"
"Life's not fair," a voice interrupted from the doorway. Haley sat up to see her father in the doorway. "I of all people can tell you that. There's no point in wasting your tears when we should be celebrating the fact that you're home. Now come on, your mac and cheese is waiting." Jack extended his arm to Haley and pulled her off the bed.
xxxxx
"Shish iz amerzin," Haley mumbled with a spoonful of macaroni in her mouth. Jack couldn't help but smile, but still had to put out that stern father image by reminding her not to talk with her mouth full. After finishing her first serving, Haley suddenly looked very serious and looked her father straight in the eye. "When can I tell my friends where I am and go back to school?"
"The kid wants to go back to school? Y'hear that Sam?" Jack nudged Carter with his elbow, trying to avoid the main question.
"Daddy?"
"Yes daughter?"
"I want to see them. Or at least talk on the phone."
"I don't think you can do that right now Hale. You need to keep up the story of being sent away to Aunt Karen's for a while."
"But don't you think I would talk to my friends from there?" Haley's voice started to grow more agitated. Sam refilled her bowl of macaroni and cheese hoping that the food would soon reoccupy her.
"How's this?" Jack decided to bargain. "I'll let you write letters, but I have to give them a quick look over first, okay?"
"NO!" she squealed this time. "For crying out loud, I want to have some privacy!"
"Maybe not your father, what if it was just a random officer from the SGC?" Sam suggested, suggesting the possibility of a counselor or somebody required to keep her secrets.
"Arl shink abowd id," she replied through a macaroni filled mouth.
Once Haley got her mind off of her personal crisis of the hour she noticed that there was definitely another secret being kept from her. Every time they thought she wasn't looking, her father and Sam would sneak each other smiles, or whisper hushed sentences to one another. She decided that once her new guard arrived and they had some time alone she would attempt to do a little spying. Her big breakthrough came a lot earlier in the night than she expected. While washing the dishes Jack and Sam were seated at the dinner table watching her while chatting. With her back turned to them they figured it was safe to sneak in a little affectionate hand squeezes and eventually a short kiss from Jack on Sam's forehead. All of this was noted by Haley who could clearly see through the reflection of the window. At this small kiss, which she knew would never happen if they were just being "friends" she spun around with a slight "HA!"
Jack and Sam jumped apart a little, Sam wondering if her father had given her any black Ops training. "What is this? How long has it been going on? WHY didn't you tell me?"
"Hale I really was planning on telling you but then you went away" Jack twinkled his hands in the air, "and there hasn't really been an opportunity since…"
"How about the car ride home, when we were hanging out, DINNER? I'm so sick of everything being secrets around here!"
"I'm sorry; it's all just… new…" Haley rolled her eyes and put down the plate she had been furiously waving in the air. She then proceeded to wrap her arms around Sam's neck.
"I'm really happy. Does this mean you'll be here more?"
"Well, for now we're just keeping this-"
"I know on the dl. It's okay, you can trust me."
"What's the DL?" Jack questioned. "Disabled list?" Haley and Sam both giggled. "Besides being a genius how the hell do you know Carter?"
"Cassie keeps me young," Sam smiled, her and Jack, being led to the living room by Haley. The three of them plopped down on the couch, but this time there was no awkwardness between Jack and Sam when Haley pushed them to one side of the couch. Sam readily leaned into Jack's side.
"What are we watching Daughter?"
"My pick tonight…"
"Uh oh, no chick flicks PUH-LEASE!"
"Jack, I believe it's her turn to pick."
"This better be good."
"Tonight's choice is…" she patted her lap in a drum roll, "STAR WARS!" the two adults groaned as a grin spread across the teen's face. "I'm totally kidding around. My choice tonight is 'Ocean's Eleven'. That's the newer version for those of you who never get out of the mountain, starring… Brad Pitt!" Haley had a grin on her face, but Jack just sighed.
"Don't tell me you think he's cute or something?"
"He's gorgeous."
"He's too old, that's what he is," Jack grumbled as Haley started the movie.
"Are you saying older men are bad?" Sam gently ribbed him.
"For my daughter, definitely." The three quieted down as the film started, it was entertaining, but Sam saw a lot of holes in the scientific parts, just as she and Jack both noticed some strategic plot holes in the heist as well. Jack did note that Haley seemed happier tonight than she had for a long time, which warmed him up a lot.
Ten minutes earlier than expected the first shift of guards arrived at Jack's door. Sam was with Haley while she was washing up for bed, which seemed to be a good excuse to still have her around if SGC personnel decided to be nosy. The doorbell rang again as Jack made his way from the living room. "I'm coming, chill out." A brief smile played on his lips when he saw Daniel standing on the other side of the door. "The kid's gonna have a field day with this."
Daniel, holding a canteen undoubtedly filled with coffee, rolled his eyes and stepped inside, followed by Lt. Reed from SG5, who stood at attention. "At ease lieutenant. I'll show you two to Haley's room. Major Carter is currently watching her." Jack said goodnight to his daughter and her guards and headed off to his bedroom. He couldn't help the smile that automatically appeared seeing Sam waiting for him. "I'm glad you're staying."
"I don't think that is such a good idea, what if Reed comes in here?" Sam paced in front of the bed.
"He won't. If Haley gets beamed up he'll be with her or that nifty alarm you installed will go off. Don't you worry."
"Then how do you explain my presence in your home?"
"It really would be helpful to have a female around for Hale…"
"Jack, I'm sorry, I really can't be caught here. It's bad for both of us. Maybe on a night when it's just Daniel and Teal'c, then maybe I'll stay- even then it's still a little creepy…" Sam caught the confused look on Jack's face. "Come on, it's like when you bring a boyfriend back to your family home, you don't want them to think of you with him."
"Sam, it's not as if you're twenty-" Jack began to counter.
"Daniel might as well be my brother, and even Teal'c has that older brother feel-" a wicked smile played across Sam's face, "it WOULD be pretty funny to see Teal'c beat you up a bit."
"T wouldn't lay a finger on me," Jack stated.
"That's because he doesn't think my virtue needs to be protected. Yet," she gave Jack a little shove and he fell onto the bed.
"So you plan on having that conversation with him?" he pulled her arm so she fell on top of him.
"Nah, I'll get Daniel to," she kissed him on the forehead and pushed herself back up. "I'm going home, see you in the morning." It was far too early in the morning when Sam and Jack were reunited.
xxxxx
Sorry I didn't realize this chapter would be so short! I have only about five more pages of the story written out, and they may need to be edited, rewritten, etc before I post them, but I promise it'll be up soon! I hope you're enjoying the story, I've been having fun trying to figure the whole thing out :)
The faster you review the more motivation I'll have to keep on writing! Hehe, kinda like writer's blackmail, huh?