Sam smiled brightly as a tiny giggling girl dashed between her legs and jumped straight into the snow. Almost head first, she shook her head adjusting her scarf and walking after her youngest niece.

'Katie!' She called out, as the blur ran back and forth, delighting in leave her foot prints everywhere.

'Auntie Sam!' Katie stopped looking at her, throwing snow up into the air at her, and Sam scrunched her face jokingly at her.

'C'mon you, your Dad is going to be hopping mad if we miss your party!' Sam jogged after the five year old and swung her up and balanced her on her hip.

'But the snow!'

'There will be plenty of snow back at the house Katherine.' Sam tried to act stern but she couldn't keep a straight face, and lightly poked her on the nose. Allie recoiled still giggling wildly, clasping her arms around her neck and sighing lightly.

'Aww.'

'All right then Kit-Kat, lets' get you back to your big day.' Sam lowered her and Katie grabbed her hand, skipping, as well as slipping ahead of her. A few quiet, laughter punctured, moments as the small girl bounced around enjoying the snow as only a little girl could passed. Until she stopped dead, actually letting Sam step ahead of her, and she looked down at the suddenly saddened Katie.

'Is General Jack coming? He said he'd try.' Sam stared down at Katie, who was now refusing to look up at her aunt, bottom lip trembling slightly. Though completely blindsided by her question, she crouched down, held her gloved hand and stroked her cheek softly.

'If General Jack told you he was coming, then nothing will stop him from doing that.' The little girl looked at her with such love and delight, that Sam couldn't help but smile at the joy. As Katie skipped away, Sam watched her go, and wondered when that particular conversation had happened.

Kate rocketed through the front door of her home, ignoring her mother's call to wipe her feet and yelling excitedly. Sam picked up the hat, scarf and gloves, as well as the other items her niece had thrown in every direction. Sam took off her own gear slowly, toeing her boots off and fluffing her hair absently. Laura appeared, Katie still shouting and jumping up and down asking if General Jack had come yet.

Laura looked up at Sam expectantly, arching an eyebrow her face dropped to surprise as her sister-in-law shrugged. She gently moved Katie into the kitchen where Mark was, no doubt, having a slight disagreement with his eldest.

'Oh. I thought you knew. The General mentioned to her ages ago.' Sam looked down, scuffed her feet off one another and ruffled her hair once more.

'It's been weird, since he left, and I left. Hard to keep things they way they were.'

'You didn't want them to be the way they were.' Sam opened her mouth but the only noise she could muster was a faint squeak.

'I always forget how damned observant you are.' She said, desperately fighting to stop her head from dropping, Laura giggled mischievously throwing an arm around her shoulders and steering her towards the sitting room.

'Isn't a bit early for the wine?' She asked flummoxed as Laura sat her down, rushing to the side appearing almost instantly with two wine glasses and then the bottle just seem to appear before her.

'Let us see, you have an "emotional" situation going on, my husband and barely teenage son are duking it out, and my house is about to be overrun with five year olds and the entire PTA.' Laura said, pouring them two rather generous glass looking nonplussed by Sam's rather shocked face.

'Good points. And I wouldn't call it a situation, just the way things are.' Sam took a hearty swig, flopping back in the seat and puffing up her cheeks irritably.

'Oh boy, you have it baaaaaaaad.' Sam's face tightened, her lips pursing and Laura sipped her own wine looking guilty. She flinched, tugging the end of her long red hair and wincing dramatically.

'That was stupid.'

'Welcome to my past eight years.' Sam said plainly, shrugging trying to bite down on the bubbling urge to cry. Both women turned as a loud knocking came from the door as the exuberant clamour of kids soon followed.

'That's our cue.' Sam stood up, taking both glasses and letting Laura step ahead of her and into full on Mom mode.

Sometime later, Sam found herself standing in the corner of the kitchen with a bunch of Mom's and completely at a loss as to what to do. They were chatting about things Sam unfortunately had little grasp of, so she simply opted for smiling blankly and nodding.

Laura, who was at the centre of another gaggle of Mom's shot her a look, smiling apologetically. Katie, who was in full on birthday girl mode, sprinted over to her aunt, grabbing her hand and bouncing up and down.

'Is he coming soon?' The other women stared at one another in confusion, and Sam knelt down and hugged her close, hiding her panicked expression.

'Maybe there's another way to get him here?' Sam gave the little girl an exaggerated puzzling face, humming slightly. Katie herself looked thoughtful, before her eyes shot open wide and gasped.

'Thanks Auntie Sam!' With this, the curly hair strawberry blonde ran over to her mother tugging her hand, pointing at the cake and excitedly talking to her friends.

'She's been talking about him nonstop.' Mark leaned over the counter, watching Sam get up, twitching his eyebrows.

'He has that effect on kids.' She said, wondering if she should call him, flipping her phone open and finger hovering over his speed dial. Mark noticed her dilemma, but was of no use as he just leaned down on one arm and gave her his very best 'Dad' look.

'Are you two having a fight or something?' Sam's jaw dropped as Mark looked at her in concern. She wasn't sure what she was more surprised by; the question or the fact that he didn't seem to scoffing at him.

'What!? No. Life has gotten in the way.' Mark nodded, opening his mouth to answer her, but a loud screech from Katie cut through his response.

'Time for cake then. Don't think this is over Sammie.' Mark got up, pointing at her and waggling his finger, giving her his very best big brother look.

'Don't call me Sammie, Marky.' She smacked him on the arm as she walked round the island towards the excited group of kids.

'I'm gonna make my-' Katie stopped mid sentence and tried to look innocent Mark turned from lighting the candles on his daughters cake and grinned at his sister.

'She got that from you, you know.' Mark knocked his elbow against Sam's and she stuck her tongue out, giggling slightly. Just as Mark placed the cake down on the table, Laura at her daughters other side a knock came from the door.

Both husband and wife looked at each other, shrugging and Mark headed out, looking a little baffled.

Katie looked up at her Aunt with so much hope, that she really wondered if she could make a couple of calls and get General O'Neill beamed in from DC.

She closed her eyes, letting out a little alarmed noise earning herself a few odd looks from the members of the PTA.

'GENERAL JACK!' Sam's eyes shot open as Mark entered the room, glancing over at his sister, looking amazed. Her niece leapt from the table, knocking back into her mother, and just about tipping the cake over in the process as she darted towards the man who followed Mark.

'Kitty-Cat!' The General entering the room crouched down and spun her around high in the air.

Her ears twitched as a couple of appreciative mummers at his appearance reached her, and tried not to let her face show her annoyance. Though she couldn't blame them, he did cut an impressive figure, fully decked out in... His dress blues? She watched them, head tilting to the side, trying to work out why he was dressed in those.

'You came you came YOU CAME!' Katie giggled as he gently placed her back on the floor, putting his dress cap on her head.

'Daddy told me it would be hard, but Auntie Sam was right.' She grinned brightly up at her Aunt and gave her father a very smug expression. The General tilted the cap back on her head and tweaking her nose cutely.

'Your Auntie Sam is always right.' Katie giggled hugging him before running back to her friends and telling them some fantastic story, no doubt about the man of the moment. He stood up, rubbing one knee slightly before turning and looking at her.

'Hey.' She tried, her voice coming out far more breathy then she had been hoping for and blushed.

'Hey.' His voice on the other hand, seemed to have dropped a couple of octaves and Laura silently whistled at Sam.

'CAKE!' Katie, clearly not impressed, with whatever going on between her aunt and General Jack.

'Little woman speaks my language.' He smiled at Sam somewhat awkwardly and stood next to her as the group gathered began to sing Happy Birthday.

Sam stopped as she was about to step into the sitting room, and listened for a moment. Two very different laughs were coming from inside, one she had heard quite a lot in the past few days, and the other, a far rarer occurrence. She peaked round the doorway, trying to stay out of sight, smiling softly at the pair sitting on the couch.

Kate was sitting on the General's lap and laughing wildly at the story about a goat, a clumsy archaeologist and a mysterious man named 'Bray'. The dress blues cap was still not so firmly in place on her head. Laura appeared once more with a camera and poked Sam in the back. Sam winked, trying to turn on the camera as quietly as possible and getting the best angle without being seen, by either one.

Sam tried to look as innocent as possible, camera hidden behind her back, Laura attempting to take it from her hands, again without being scene, as the General spotted her lurking in the corner.

Both women looked at each other before rushing into the kitchen, giggling all the way.

'You used to be sneakier.' Again all eyes turned to the door, as they heard the General whisper, holding a sleepy Katie in his arms, her little arms clasped around his neck. The three Carters were sat around the table, all holding glasses of wine and ignoring the mess that was the kitchen.

They stood, Mark prying his daughters arms from the General's neck and gathering her up in his arms, shushing her gently as she made a quiet noise of discontent. The hat finally came off her head and Sam kicked it up into the air, just before it hit the floor, and grabbed it.

'Happy Birthday Kitty-Cat.' The General whispered, brushing a kiss to her curls and nodding at Mark. She snuffled in response, burrowing into her father's embrace, Sam ran her hand through her hair, whispering a similar sentiment. Laura and Mark left the room, to put the exhausted girl to bed, leaving the pair in the kitchen.

'I guess I'm losing my touch in Nevada.' She shrugged, sitting back down at the table and offering him a glass. He nodded, unbuttoning his jacket and tossing it over one of the chairs carelessly. Sam looked at it and then back at him, tilting her head. He narrowed his eyes and his body language screamed "what", she recoiled internally feeling as though she was looking at Daniel for a moment.

Sam shook the mental image from her head and looked back at him.

'Did you actually get yourself beamed here?' She tucked her slightly longer hair back behind her ear as he became slightly bashful.

'Seriously?'

'Hey, I'm a Major General now; I can do whatever I want.' Sam shot him a look before he continued. 'Within reason of course.'

'And Katie's fifth birthday was within reason?'

'Hayes certainly agreed.'

'Seriously?' Her jaw dropped as he nodded and felt as though someone had ripped a rug from under her. All Sam could do for the next few moments was gape at him, completely unattractive, but she really had no control over her face at that moment.

'Have I finally rendered the great Sam Carter speechless?'

'I can't believe you did that!' She shook her head marvelling at the fact that he used his position for such a small thing.

'I made a promise.'

'You couldn't let her down. I can't believe that Hayes-' Sam smiled at him; trying not to let the couple of tears that had suddenly welled up from the sheer sweetness of his actions, spill over.

'Hayes?' Both officers stiffened, eyes widening just a fraction as the slowly turned to the door. Mark and Laura both stood there looking amazed by what they had just heard.

'How much of that did you hear?' Sam winced as the list of infractions spun in her mind, fearing the absolute worst.

'Just the bit about Hayes. Did he actually mean President Hayes? Jack seriously?' Sam looked in surprise at Mark at the use of his first name, not realising that they had been that friendly.

'Am yes. I was just explaining to your sister that he felt that it was important I not decline her invitation.'

'Of vital importance was the phrase used actually.' He continued somewhat awkwardly as Mark and Laura just blinked owlishly at him, jaws wide open.

Sam picked up their wine glasses, stood up, pressed them into their hands and shut they mouths for them and sat back down sheepishly. The couple downed their drinks, faster then she could process and left the room without a word.

'Well then. That's going to make for some interesting conversations with my brother.' She shrugged, smiling ruefully, running a finger around the rim of her glass a merry note singing out.

'I'm guessing you have a few of those already.'

'True.' She sighed, looking up at him from under her eyebrows, as he unbuttoned his shirt sleeves and rolled them up.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Sam looking up through the skylight and at the sky above, trying to figure out if it was about to snow again.

'How's DC going?'

'Less bunting involved. More strategy, less diplomacy. Nevada?'

'I'm having a fine time geeking out.' They smiled at each other, Sam finally feeling far more at ease with sitting with him. She got up, stretching and snagging his crumpled jacket and folding it up neatly.

She opened the back door and watched the snow started to rain down, breathing in an invigoratingly cold breath. Sam leaned against the door frame and watched her tendrils of her breaths curl into the air and vanish slowly. He stood up and looked down at her curiously.

'It's good to see you.' She turned to him and found herself enveloped in a massive bear hug, sinking into automatically.

'You have no idea.' She tried to say but it was somewhat muffled by the fact that she was burrowing into his chest.

'I think I might have some there Sam.' She giggled and peered up at him, smiling brightly, delighting in being back to normal. However Jack seemed to have other ideas as he tilted her head up and kissed her gently.

Sam had never really believed that it was possible to actually become weak at the knees from a simple kiss, but here she was. Luckily, Jack decided to band his arms around her waist she couldn't suppress the smile and felt him squeeze her closer in reply.

It felt like coming home.

I have no excuses, I am so sorry, but life has been totally insane and I just haven't been able to get any stargate writing done.

Complete writers block. I hope this monster of a chapter at least makes up for some of my neglect!

(Also anyone who reviewed my stories, my email has been deleting emails like crazy!)

I do in fact LOVE YOU ALL DEARLY! I AM SO SO SO SORRY!

I will be two more chapters with this. Muse depending.

Sorry (again)