Their routine continued eclectic with Sam continuing to spend most of the day at the base and Jack at home or at the park with both kids. Grace was now one and Jake four. They both walked which helped Jack but was also a source of concern because like her brother, little Grace was also a sprinter. A sprinter who enjoyed to hide from her father. So Jack had to keep her under constant surveillance. He seriously considered putting her a GPS attached to her wrist just in case.

And lately there was the problem of the word "dada" that Grace kept telling. Despite the smile on Sam's face when she heard her daughter, Jack knew how hurt she was that there was no "mama" at all. Despite all efforts that Jack made. Grace simply didn't say the word. She smiled to her mother and played with her but didn't call her "mama". Even Jake got something near his name like "ayk".

Sam continued to tried to bond with her daughter, spending the time she had with her but the problem was that the galaxy was getting more complicated than ever. The guns she had invented were a success so naturally the brass immediately asked for more. So besides the time she took running the base, she spent hours in her lab. And less time at home. More than once she cried herself to sleep in Jack's arms. But orders were orders and Sam had always fallowed orders. Now at the expense of her own family.

Soon without even realizing, Sam and Jack had a four-year old Grace who knew already how to read and write and talked almost as an adult. She liked to pedal her tricycle, do her collage, drawing and play alone. When Jack took her to the park she always played alone or with Jake, never with the other children. Sam told him that she also was like that when she was a kid. Like he had done with Jake, Grace was already having swimming lessons that she loved.

And Jake turned seven. Supposedly in second grade but Sam though that he was more advanced than that so she was currently looking at options for him. Jack had already established a steady time limit on video games, computer use, and TV which naturally lead to some tantrums. Sam had backed him up and had put parental controls on computers and TV. She had also installed security cameras in their backyard and was developing a system for their front door. She took their children safety very seriously.

Jake was more social than Grace and had no problems in playing with other kids either in the park or in pre-school. He usually played with boys but sometimes Jack caught him playing with his sister. Like Grace he could, read, write and also do some math that Sam had taught him. Jack was slowly getting used to the idea that both his kids would probably be little genius like their mother.

So trying to keep everything in balance was Jack's number one task. Which proved to be more difficult as both Grace and Jake got older. Especially Grace. While he got along fine with his daughter, the relationship between mother and daughter was something entirely different.

When Grace was six and Jake was eight, Sam decided to take them to the Mountain so they could see where she worked. They both had clearance but there wasn't a point of taking them earlier because they were too young and wouldn't understand. So Jack put them in the mini-van that he had trade for his truck and drove them to the base.

Sam was already expecting them at the top, dressed in her dress blues.

"Look, there's mommy", Jack said pointing to Sam when he parked the van.

Jake waved immediately while Grace just stared. Sam opened the back door while Jack got out.

"Hi kids", she said with a smile.

"Hi mom", Jake said, taking his seatbelt.

Grace did the same but in silence. Sam bit her lip and just let them get out. Jack gave her a quick kiss.

"Okay, so I want you to put this around your neck", Sam said giving them the visitors pass. "And don't take it until you're here again", she said in a serious voice.

They both put them.

"And you always stay with your father", she added as they entered the Mountain and met the first security check point.

Jack had each one holding one of his hand. They followed Sam as she entered the first elevator. Jake was looking at all with his eyes wide open.

"So you worked here too dad?", he asked.

"Yes, we both worked here", he said.

"Sweet", he said smiling.

Sam and Jack exchanged an amused look. Grace was looking at the descending numbers of the elevator.

"We going below ground?", she asked looking at Jack.

"Yes we are", he said.

They got out and started walking along the corridor. They passed some airmen who saluted Sam. Both Jake and Grace looked at their mother.

"Why did they do that?", asked Grace. This time looking at Sam.

"I'm their superior officer", Sam simply said.

"Your mom is the boss", Jack said with a smile.

Jake also smiled. "Oh cool", he said.

They eventually arrived to Sam's office. The kids inspected it carefully. Grace noticed the pictures Sam had in her desk. Just two. One of their parents weeding and another of her and her brother when they had gone to Disney.

"So what you do, mom?", Jake asked sitting on her chair and spinning it.

Sam crossed her arms and looked at her firstborn.

"Well besides taking care of this entire base and the several teams, I also work in my lab. Do you want to see it?", she asked.

Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Is it safe?", he asked.

"I cleaned it before", she said with a smile.

"Too much dust?", Grace asked reading her mother's certificates in the wall.

"Something like that, yes Grace", she said.

Jake got out of the chair.

"Okay, we can go then", he said excitedly.

Sam opened the door and was exiting when her 2IC appeared with a worried face.

"Ah General, I'm sorry to interrupt", he said nodding silently at Jack.

"What is it?", Sam asked.

"We have a slight problem at the…you know", Harriman said moving his eyes towards the Gateroom.

"Okay, I'm going. Jack can you take them to my lab? I'll join you as soon as I can. You can go the cafeteria If I take too long", she said.

"Roger that. Come on kids. Time for a walk", he said extending both hands.

Jake immediately took his but Grace was staring at her mother.

"Where are you going?", she asked.

"To a place where you can't go, honey", she said with a smile.

"Why?", she asked not moving.

"Because it's dangerous", Sam said looking at her husband.

"But you're going", Grace continued stubbornly.

Jack grabbed her hand. "Come on, Grace", he said gently but firmly.

Sam watched them leave and then moved to the Gateroom. They had a problem with the connection cables. It would take a while to solve. She sighed.

Jack was with his children again in the elevator.

"Why there's no windows in here?", asked Jake.

"Because we are inside a mountain, dahhh", Grace said rolling her eyes.

Jake opened his eyes.

"We're inside a mountain, dad?!", he asked feeling suddenly a little claustrophobic.

"We are but it's perfectly safe", he said with a smile.

"Well mom comes here every day and she's still alive…" Grace said.

Jack looked at his younger child.

"Now that's not a very nice thing to say, Grace", he admonished.

"But it's true", she said shrugging her little shoulders.

The elevators doors opened on Level 19 and Jack left with them. He knew that destination eyes closed.

Her lab was almost the same as when she was in SG-1. The desk was the same but the lights were updated and now she had two computers. There wasn't any visible alien artifact and the cabinets appeared all locked.

"Is this it?", Jake asked a little disappointed.

"Yeah, I'm afraid your mother had to take some stuff because it wasn't safe to be around. So do you want to go grab something to eat?", he asked.

Grace was pacing around the lab with an interested look.

"What does she do here?", she asked curious.

She was looking at the bookshelf full of books and folders. She could read some "Wormholes, F-302, Gate, MALP, Alkesh" and so on.

"Lots of research. You can ask her, Grace", he said noticing her reading Sam's books.

"Maybe I will", she said turning around.

They went to the cafeteria that at that hour only had two airmen. Jack told them to choose what they wanted. Jake choose a piece of chocolate cake and a glass of milk while Grace choose a glass of juice and a waffle. Jack also took a piece of cake. He paid and taking the trays went to the SG-1 table.

They started to eat and were almost finishing when Sam arrived. She was cleaning her hands with a rag that she dumped in the trash. She sat at the table with them.

"So how are things?", she asked looking at the almost empty plates.

"The cake is almost okay", Jack said.

"Have you been working?", Grace asked looking at her still dirty hands.

"Yes, Grace. They needed my help with some cables", she said.

"But aren't you the boss? Don't you have people to do that?", she asked.

Sam smiled.

"Yes, I'm the boss", she confirmed looking at her husband who suddenly was too busy looking at his plate. "But there are some things that I can help", she said looking now at her daughter.

"What is an Alkesh?", she asked.

Jack started to cough.

Sam put both hands on the table.

"Where did you heard that word?", she asked curious.

"In your lab. It was written in one of the folders", she said looking at her.

Sam thought for a moment.

"Well to tell you what an Alkesh is I've to tell you a long story first. And here is not the place. So when we're home I'll tell you the story", she said.

"You're never home", Grace said coldly.

"GRACE", Jack warned.

"Well, it's true. She spends more time here than home", Grace said crossing her arms.

Sam blushed but managed to smiled.

"I know I don't spend enough time with you, Grace. And I'm sorry. I really try to but I'm having lots of work now and I can't ignore it. I've orders to stay here", she tried to explain. Knowing very well that her daughter was never going to understand or forgive her.

"So your work is more important than us", Grace said.

"No, nothing is more important than you, your brother and your father", Sam said with a determined voice.

"Yet you prefer to stay here than at home", Grace insisted.

Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"That's not true, Grace", she finally said. "You know I'm military, honey. I don't have much choice sometimes", she added.

"Dad was too and he's home with us", she kept going.

"That's enough, Grace", Jack said grabbing her hand.

"Yes, you're very lucky that you have your dad home with you", she said. Her heart was so tight in her chest she almost feared she might be having the beginning of a heart attack.

"So he cares more about us than you", Grace said in a defiant voice.

"Grace Carter-O'Neill!" Jack barked.

Sam swallowed.

"I think that the visit is all done", she managed to say. "Jack, do you mind taking them upstairs? I… I have things to do", Sam said not really giving a shit if she was just proving Grace was right. She needed to be alone. Fast.

"Sure, come on kids. Time to go home", he said getting up.

Sam also got up and without even saying goodbye left the cafeteria. Jack's heart went with his wife.

"Why did you have to be so cruel to your mother, Grace?", he asked.

"I wasn't cruel. All I said was true", she defended herself.

"Well sometimes being true just to be cruel is not okay. And you just hurt her very much. I'm very disappointed with you", he said.

Grace lowered her eyes. They left the Mountain in silence. Even Jake didn't attempt to crack a joke much like his father like to do to lighten the mood. He also hadn't like what Grace had said to his mother.

After her family had left, Sam went to her lab and locked the door putting a sign 'dangerous work' outside the door. She needed to be alone. As Grace grew older so her resentment towards Sam seemed to increase and she hadn't been able to challenged that so far. No matter what she did or said. They were just getting further apart and Grace was just six!

"Goddam it!" she cursed aloud.

Sitting on her stool she put her head between her arms, closing her eyes. She really didn't know what else to do. She never had any problems with Jake but with Grace they had started as soon as her daughter realized that she wasn't home as much as her dad. Which was impossible because Sam was still working and Jack was retired and no matter how they explained that to Grace she simply wouldn't accept it.

So Sam just convinced herself that she had done a bad job with Grace. She was just a bad mother and her daughter was right. She didn't spend enough time with her. All she could do was continuing to try her best and love her like she had love her the first time the nurse had put her in her arms when she was born. And hope that one day her daughter might forgive her for not being home like she wanted to.

She cleaned her eyes, removing any traces of tears. Her heart was broken but she would just have to start overruling it with her brain. It was her only salvation. Suppress her emotions and let her brain run the show. Jack had shown her over the years to let her emotions take over her too cynical and analytical brain but now Sam needed her brain again. Or she would go insane with grief.

Composing herself, Sam opened her lab door and prepared herself to face another stressful day in the Mountain. She had a base to run, after all.