What's wrong with me? Argh, one day, I will write exactly as I planned, but nooo.. this thing keeps going astray. Please! Someone keep my muse still.

Enjoy!

M.

Twelve

Eons. That's the amount of time she felt it passed since the last time she had donned her dress blues. And truth to be told, if it wasn't because Jack had kept her second dress blues clean, she wouldn't be wearing one to start with. And, to be honest, she didn't remember herself looking quite like that using one before.

"Hmm," she frowned, making Jack raise his head to check her.

He and Naysa were both horizontally plopped on the bed, while Sam was standing in front of the body size mirror attached to their wardrobe, she could see their expressions of confusion and amusement, from over her shoulder. She raised her eyebrow at Jack and he shrugged, he knew she had lost a lot of weight; yet, seeing how much difference it made from her last figure to the current one was shocking, to say the least.

Seeing the lack of answer from her husband, she returned her gaze to her image. She frowned raising the skirt a few centimeters and then letting it go. The before tight skirt flowed down back to the starting position two or three inches below her waist. The blouse, well, it completely refused to close at her breast level. Her jacket settled nicely on her shoulders but, it looked a size or two too big around especially below her bust line. And to complete the whole thing, the nylons she found were making her skin itch and not precisely in the right way.

How he had managed not to laugh was a mystery for her. But for him, it was easy not too. Yes, the whole thing was a bit too big for her now and that she was scratching herself making a weird dance wasn't helping. However, for him, she could be wearing the proverbial potatoes sack and he wouldn't care, she was hot and he loved her, size and look notwithstanding.

Naysa, however, was another thing. She just couldn't help it; she laughed mostly due to the funny allergic dance Sam was making. Jack looked at Sam in concern.

"You should get rid of the… socks? Nylons? You know, that thing that's making you scratch like crazy," he commented and she raised her eyebrow.

"Really? You think so? I haven't noticed the allergic reaction they are giving me," she rolled her eyes, before disappearing inside the bathroom. She came back out, nylon-less, her legs were on a bright red hue. Her glare when he looked down and back up told him he was better not commenting it.

"You know? We should go to the store and get you new dress blues," he added following her movements. "And maybe some silk stockings? I know you used to have some," she glared at him again making him gulp.

"There's no use in getting a new set if I don't know if I will be reinstated," she explained to him, somehow making him feel as if he was a five-year-old.

"Sam, no matter what you believe right now; you will be reinstated. They simply can't afford to lose you. Trust me, I know," he added seriously, while he searched her eyes.

"They've lost me for a while, Jack. Twenty months to be exact. They didn't need me during those, and for eighteen months they didn't even know I was alive, and let me point the obvious: the world is still one piece," she sighed. "I do believe finding it in one piece was a good thing," she finished with a sad smile.

And he understood, she was afraid that the importance they thought she had before, wasn't a real fact any longer, and that made her not different from anyone else in the USAF; as if her years working were somehow not worth it. He huffed, he would be damned if he didn't make them count.

He frowned then, noticing she said eighteen out of twenty. However, he chose to save that information to ask her later. He knew there was a fat chance of it being explained the following day during the audience. So, he opted for a divert plan.

"Okay, then let's get you silk socks and a blouse which fits you. And then, since we will be already there, let's pick some clothes for Naysa. She needs something to wear for tomorrow," she frowned, "and maybe a visit to a Doctor for antiallergics?" He added with a hopeful smile.

"The CMO gave me those; I need to find and take them," she added searching on her duffel bag, "aha!" She added when she finally found the pills, "and yes, you are right; Naysa will need clothes for tomorrow and maybe a high chair for dinner time?" She added hopefully.

"And some toys?" She raised her eyebrow, "A plush toy, every kid should own at least one."

"Okay," she smiled lovingly at him, "we are going for a couple of clothes, so she can get changed if she wets herself, a high chair, a plush toy, and a silk stocking," she listed.

"And a blouse," he added making her squint at him. "Hey, you can keep yourself wearing the darn coat the whole day, but I know I like to get rid of it as soon as possible. Now, if your blouse doesn't close," he trailed.

"And a blouse," she conceded.

Discussing and limiting their shopping list was something they always did. However, at the end of the day, Jack always managed to convince her on buying other stuff, because it looked good on her or matched something they had… or just because.

Therefore, it wasn't surprising when, along with the things on their mental list, they ended up with at least a dozen of dresses for Naysa, linen diapers, around half a dozen of plush toys and some kids book on their first stop. A planter of Sam's favorite roses, after passing by the store and seeing them available. And a full-dress blues for Sam.

One which fit her new figure like a glove.

But even with their outfits figured, and Naysa's bag prepared for next day. Sam tossed and turned for a while not managing to find a position to sleep or a way to quiet her mind. Jack grinned by her side, she was nervous. So, he did what he did best to distract her and tire her at the same time. He made love to her.

The following morning and even after falling asleep rather late, they both looked well rested and stunning on their uniforms. They walked out and settled in the car, they didn't know for sure who reached first for the other's hand but they did. And soon, they were parking at the station.

"Ah, they will look at us," Jack commented pointing towards the station, "a lot," he grimaced.

"Why?" She asked she had spotted already plenty of uniforms walking to the station. In her mind, they shouldn't bring that much attention to themselves. "Is not like we are the only military around."

"Apparently there's an unwritten rule which says that Generals shouldn't ride the metro to work," Jack explained with a huff.

"Huh. You know? You lived here for, what? Four years?"

"Five."

"Right, true you moved right after our honeymoon; while, I moved across the country." She added closing the door and shouldering Naysa's bag. Jack closed the door on the opposite side, taking Naysa out of her chair and placing her on his hip.

"Not counting the months looking for the house," he added.

"Right, which took a long time," she bit her lower lip. "Anyhow, this is the first time I'm going to work with you. I mean, all the times I've been here. I either came straight to the White House, or straight to the Pentagon and never left until the meetings were finished, and then, you had to stay longer. Or there were those amazing times in which I came straight home."

"Huh, we are a weird couple," he grinned. "See, they are watching," he whispered, as they stood on the side, waiting for the metro to arrive.

"They are watching because it's really weird to see a General carrying a girl. It also doesn't help Naysa waving to everyone," she grinned, the train stopped and they walked in.

Due to the hour, they managed to find a seating place for all of them, but when on the next stop an elderly lady entered Jack quickly gave her his place.

"Daddy, sit," Naysa complained.

"Come with me," Sam grabbed the girl and took her in her lap, creating some space for Jack to sit.

"No, mommy. Daddy, sit," Naysa explained her as if made the whole sense in the world.

"She wants to seat with you, Jack," Sam explained and moved a little to the side to give him more space to fit between herself and the lady. As soon as he was down, Naysa jumped over him. "Careful, Naysa. You don't want to make daddy's clothes dirty."

"No dir," Naysa agreed solemnly.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Jack apologized to the lady he had given space before and who was now a little bit crushed between him and the safety glass. Sam tried to slide as far as she could, but even that wasn't enough due to Jack's and the lady sizes. She opted to stand up, giving both of them more space, knowing full well she would be sat most of the day.

"Nothing to apologize for," the woman added, now comfortably seating and smiling gratefully at Sam who grabbed herself securely and winked at Naysa. When the next stop came, Jack held Naysa tightly with one hand, and the other found a place to keep Sam steady by holding her hip.

The old woman watched the exchanged and smiled at them.

"How long have you two been together?" She asked.

"We will be reaching five years of marriage in a couple of months," Jack answered.

"You look like you have known each other for longer."

"We were friends for a long time," Sam offered.

"Friends?"

"Yes… for eight years, until he proposed."

"That's a very long time, you look lovely together, your daughter is beautiful."

"Thank you, ma'am," they both added blushing.

The metro stopped. Sam looked at him and shouldered Naysa's bag again. She moved to give Jack space to stand and didn't notice when the woman grabbed Jack's hand to stop him.

"Don't lose them, son. If you have been together this far, they are worth it," Jack nodded at her wordlessly and walked down. He reached Sam and they walked towards the entrance where he flashed his ID acquiring instant access, but he was stopped nonetheless.

"I'm sorry, sir, the child can't go in." He frowned, then the guard looked at Sam, "ma'am, I can't allow you to get in if you don't present the proper documents."

They exchanged a glance, neither Sam nor Naysa had anything to grant them access, and that was exactly when worry started to settle on Jack in the same way it had on Sam before.