I am sorry for the delay - and I apologize in advance. My partner's (is he too old to be called my boyfriend when he is 40?) grandpa died on Sunday so we have a lot to deal with now, I guess next update will take a week or two.

Hope you'll enjoy this chapter though! A bit of Sam and Jack fluff.

"Few more steps, Carter, few more steps." Jack tried to reassure her. They made those steps and could already see the entrance. They were exhausted though.

"Well, it was bigger before." Jack said and missed the look Sam threw at him. He couldn't be serious! The entrance was so narrow! She couldn't understand how he could have fitted in – and what about Teal'c!

"Okay, you wait a moment and I will crawl in and make it easier for you."

"All right, Sir, just be quick." Sam told him. He almost missed it, the wind was stronger than hour earlier and it was difficult to stand straight, yet to hear something.

Jack had to put down his back-pack and use his hands to crawl into the cave. Inside he exhaled loudly. The cave was free of snow, they would be safe there. He came back for his back-pack and took Sam's as well. She was still waiting outside for him, barely standing.

"Sir, I can't crawl with the baby."

"I know. Sam, do you trust me?"

"Yes." She said, not really knowing why he was asking. But she didn't hesitate to answer. Not this time.

Jack then explained his plan. He wanted to use the snow that was already in the entrance to keep them safe from the snow-storm so he had another plan how to get Sam and the baby inside. At first Sam thought it was crazy but in the end she had to give him some credit. He was trying.

Sam unzipped her jacket and hoodie and took the baby out. There were no cries yet. Jack took the baby. Sam crawled backwards into the entrance and waited for Jack to hand her the baby. Then she used her legs and one hand to push herself in – still sitting with her front facing Jack. It was so weird! But soon she was in. She knew the general wouldn't make it like this – his bad knees would kill him.

When they were both inside, Jack felt a bit better. He knew they were relatively safe and it calmed him down a bit.

"What's the plan, Sir?"

"Well, I'd say we should have a place to sit down, or better to lie down, we need, eh… a latrine, we should check our supplies because we will need stuff."

"Stuff, Sir?" She smirked.

"Yeah, I don't think there are spare nappies in those furs, do you?"

Sam suddenly realized he was right. Nappies, of course they would need nappies. And the baby would probably get hungry before their friends could save them. Well, they had few issues to figure out – the sooner the better.

Jack unpacked their bags and was very happy about their decision to carry extra supplies just in case. He knew that they would come in handy once. He looked around and found a place to settle down. It was on the far side of the cave so they should be safe from the snow there. The glass wall – he knew it wasn't glass but how he was supposed to call it? – was clear and looked like it could hold their weight. He didn't ask for help or advice, he was man on a mission.

Sam watched him lay down some layers so they wouldn't get cold from the ground, also make some pillows so they could lay down or at least against the wall, she noticed he had put aside few blankets so they could cover themselves. She liked the outcome very much. What warmed her heart was the nest made from a sleeping bag – obviously for the baby so they wouldn't have to hold it all the time.

He took the baby from her and placed it down into the nest, securing the furs so it was safe. Sam straightened her back and exhaled.

The entrance was already full of snow, they could barely see outside. So at least they didn't have to bother about protection. And should it be needed, they found some rocks and pieces of whatever it was in the back of the cave so they could use those to secure the entrance a bit more.

"Sam, come on, sit down, let's get some rest."

"Gladly, Sir."

They sit down and sorted out the contents of their backpacks. They had extra supplies and knew they could easily survive two, maybe three cycles of the storm, should it be needed.

"So, what do we need?"

"You're asking me? I have no idea! I have never dealt with a baby before." She actually noticed the worry in her voice. Was he really serious?

"Relax, Sam." He smiled at her. "First thing – nappies. And I am afraid they are not part of our standard gear."

"Nope. But we have extra clothes so we could improvise. We just need something extra absorbing I guess." She suggested. And she was right.

Jack grinned and pulled out his spare socks. Sam started to laugh. But he was right. The golden rule has always been to keep their feet dry. So yeah, those could work. They figured how to use t-shirts to wrap around the baby. It could probably work.

The problem would be food. They had to feed the baby somehow and that was not easy. They had some water but that was it. And it wouldn't keep the baby satisfied. But they both knew that it was better than using the dried coffee cream Daniel had given them. That wouldn't do any good. They hoped the feeling of something warm in stomach would make the baby feel full at least for a little while.

"How do you suggest we feed the baby?" Jack asked her, hoping she would pull a miracle from her sleeve as usually. He needed her to do so. It's been way too long since… it just has been very long.

"Rubber glove?" She suggested and he nodded. And before they could explore their options and plans further, the baby woke up and started to cry.

Sam went there and picked the bundle up – hesitating only for a moment. She wasn't sure she could do it. But she didn't want to torment the General. It had to be strange for him – having the baby there. She noticed big blue eyes looking at her, seeking comfort and reassurance and something primal took over. She had a baby to take care of.

"Okay, let's check the nappy situation, what do you say, huh?" Sam asked the baby and noticed the General standing just a step aside.

Sam handed him the baby, trusting him to take care of it. Jack put the baby down onto the bed he had made and slowly unfolded the furs. They were folded and there was even one long thin piece used to secure them around the baby. The baby was dressed in white cloths, they looked pretty warm although neither Sam nor Jack could tell what those were. When Jack unfolded the last one, he found a piece of some cloth used as a nappy.

"We have a girl, Carter!" He said cheerfully, obviously happy. She smiled back at him and handed him the socks, t-shirt and also pressure dressing they had in their first aid kid. They secured it around the baby. Sam noticed the cries have subsided and the baby was looking at Jack lovingly, yet a bit worried still. She would also say the girl was about to start crying any second.

"Carter, let's feed her."

Sam heated up a bit of water and filled one of her rubber gloves. She was glad she kept those in her pockets and not in her backpack – Daniel would have taken them back to Earth otherwise. She made a small hole into one of the fingers. She sat down and Jack handed her the girl. She was sitting comfortably, leaning against the wall of the cave and slowly fed the girl. She didn't really like the water but sucked it for a few minutes slowly and then suddenly she fell asleep in Sam's arms, snoring gently.

"Look at you, Carter."

"She is asleep…" Sam was amazed.

"Yeah, she is. She is warm and fed, well sort of, she feels safe."

Jack sat down next to Sam, looking at the baby.

"Sir, I am no expert but shouldn't we find a hat for her?" Sam asked and Jack knew she was right. He checked their supplies and found one of their very thin insulative hats. He put it onto the baby's head and secured it with a duck tape. He checked it so it wouldn't be too tight for the baby. It was perfect.

"So, now we wait."

"Yeah, now we wait."

"At least it's cozy here, you know. Well, could use a thing or two but still…"

"What do you mean Carter?"

"You know, a little paint, couple of windows… and it will be just like home." Sam said and dared to look straight into his eyes. There was a small smile playing on her lips.

"Very funny, Carter. Got that, veery funny." He smirked.

"Oh, look! We already have some paintings here and also over there." Sam looked at him, silently hoping he would play this game with her. She needed to forget about their situation for a moment. And hell – she missed their banter and all the jokes he used to throw at her.

Jack understood her silent plea. Little she could know that it was something he had missed too. So much.

"Well, if you want to call this place a home, we need to have a fireplace."

"Fireplace?" She asked, disbelievingly.

"Yeah, there is no home without a fireplace. You need the warmth and comfort and especially in winter."

Sam could see him sitting by his fireplace, watching the flames, drinking wine, listening to some classical music he loved so much. She was deep in her thoughts that she had almost missed his next words.

"When you have a family, you need a fireplace…"

She looked at him and before she would give away her mixed feelings, she said: "And plants. We need plants."

Jack smiled at her. "You still give them names?"

Sam nodded, not trusting her voice. There was something happening inside of her and she couldn't deal with it. She didn't want to.

"You know, if you need someone to talk to, you can talk to me. Always."

He looked into her eyes, but it was too much to handle so he looked down at the baby and slowly, gently caressed her small head.

"We should get some rest, Carter."

Sam nodded and tried to get comfortable with the baby girl in her arms. After some time of pointless trying Jack moved behind her and let her sit in between his legs so she could lean against him. He supported her arms holding the baby. No words were spoken then for a few minutes.

Jack knew he should lighten up the mood. He knew he had a lot of to deal with but he also knew he couldn't do it there and he also knew he wasn't ready. Memories of another time spent with Sam in his arms in the middle of iceberg made him smile. He knew she wasn't asleep so he dared to talk some more.

"You know, there's one little thing that truly saddens me."

"And what would that be, Sir?" She asked, her curiosity picked by his choice of words.

"I don't know about you, but I can't really remember us, eh… you know."

She turned her head slightly to look at him and saw him smiling. She smiled back.

"No, I don't."

"Well, it saddens me that I can't remember us working on this cute little one." He said and Sam couldn't make herself to respond. She was gaping, her mouth wide and no sounds coming from it. She closed her mouth then, not really knowing how to respond. And Jack knew that. He saved her from the situation.

"Get some rest, Carter." He whispered and she did as he told her. Nestled safely in his arms, holding the baby girl they have found so miraculously, she fell asleep.

Jack knew he should get some sleep too but he really couldn't. He heard his own heart beating wildly in his chest. Not in a million years he would have guessed this mission would turn out like this. It was supposed to be one normal recon mission. Just coming here, finding the temple and the source of energy and getting back home. And here he was – in an icy cave with Carter in his arms – plus there was the baby girl.

He had missed his team, his friends. And he had missed Carter. He was so used to seeing her on daily basis that not working so closely with her was killing him. At first he was visiting her in her lab, having lunch with her, or just bothering her by his charming presence – her words, not his. But then she met the cop she was dating now and things slowly changed. And he knew he should have been happy for her to have a normal life outside the base. He knew it. And he thought he was getting used to it.

Now he wasn't so sure anymore. He suddenly wished he could freeze the time and keep Sam and the baby in his arms forever. He was full of mixed feelings and couldn't deal with them. Sam snored gently – sound he loved – and he knew he was far from being okay with her dating the cop. But their situation was still the same – still the same chain of command and he was still too old for her and she still had amazing career opportunities ahead of her and he would never ever take that away from her. So he allowed himself few more minutes and then closed his eyes, knowing he should get some rest too. He knew the baby would wake up soon for another round of changing sock-diaper and feeding, he knew the water wouldn't be sufficient to keep the girl full.

Jack knew he had to get his emotions under control – this was not the place and not even the time for them. He had to keep his distance. And not just from Carter but also from the little girl. There was still a chance this baby wasn't just a baby – well it was probable that she was a trap of some sort. He knew things could go south any minute. And he also knew that should it come to deciding, he would have to make decisions he would end up hating himself for till the end of his life.