O'Neill Residence
Colorado Springs, CO
November 25, 1999

Jack turned off the oven and pulled out the pumpkin pie. Sam had agreed to Thanksgiving dinner at Fraiser's, so he'd decided to bake a pie. General Hammond had sent Jack home early when he learned of Doctor Fraiser's dinner and that Sam would be attending with Ife.

Dixon had offered to work for Hammond later that day, saying something about his in-laws coming over to stay for a couple of days and needing all the time away from home he could get. The General had plans with his own kids and grandkids, so he'd taken the Lieutenant Colonel up on his offer. That way, Jack didn't have to feel guilty about not doing an evening shift, like he usually did. Well, before Doc Fraiser had roped SG-1 into spending the holidays at her house, claiming it would upset Cassandra if they weren't there.

Jack was still surprised Sam had agreed to go but he also recognized her need to prove she was all right – even though he was pretty sure she wasn't. Too much had happened to her for her to simply forget and move on. There were a lot of things she hadn't spoken about yet but he knew some of what she'd endured, partly because of what Moac told them, the confessions of a dying yet taunting Apophis and Teal'c's knowledge of Goa'uld society from his time in service of Apophis.

Hopefully, a dinner with friends – or, in Sam's case, friendly people – would be a step in the right direction. It was going to be the first time she and Ife left the house, but he figured Thanksgiving dinner at the Doc's place was a better option than going to the supermarket or mall considering the number of strangers there. Ife had also been very quiet during their time at the SGC, much more so than at his house, which Sam partly blamed on the strange surroundings and all the people.

He was a little concerned about how Ife would react to a change of scenery, but Sam figured a few hours was doable. Just dinner, some small talk and possibly help clean up. Then again, considering how tense Sam had been all day, perhaps he should be more concerned about her. She wasn't very good at small talk and he was worried how she would react if anyone asked her about her time off-world. Daniel was especially a likely candidate to put his foot in his mouth.

Jack decided he was gonna keep an eye on Daniel to make sure he didn't ambush Sam with questions or say something stupid. A quick look at the clock reminded Jack that they had to leave in a little under two hours. The pie looked good and he was pretty sure the others and Fraiser would take care of the actual meal, so he grabbed the bottle of wine he'd bought and set it next to the pie. That way he wouldn't forget to bring either to the Thanksgiving dinner.

Now he had time to kill. The pie was done ahead of schedule, because Sam had helped him make it and he'd cheated by using canned pumpkin. Sam had taken Ife to wash up and get dressed a while ago and suddenly Jack didn't know what to do. How had he kept himself busy before they'd come along? They'd been at his house for almost a week and already his life felt different. He pushed the thought away, not wanting to examine it too closely.

After a quick glance around the kitchen, he decided he could clean up a bit. Unlike from what he remembered when Charlie was a baby, most of the stuff lying around his kitchen and house in general wasn't Ife's. It was his. Sam and Ife didn't have that many things and he'd been the one to make a mess while preparing the pie. Sighing, he went to work and cleaned the counters, put away dirty dishes and picked up some of the items lying around the kitchen.

Rubbing his chin, Jack surveyed the results and was dismayed to realize it hadn't even taken twenty minutes. A shower and a shave would take up some more time. He spotted the black garment bag Fraiser had handed him before leaving the base earlier that day and picked it up. It was a simple dress the Doc had gotten from somewhere after learning Sam and Ife would come to her dinner, knowing Sam hadn't gone out to shop for herself yet – the clothes she'd ordered from the catalog wouldn't arrive until next week at the earliest and also didn't include evening wear. Sam was going to need it for tonight and the clothes he wanted to wear were still in his dresser…

Jack knocked on the bedroom door, ears pricked up for any sounds. "Sam? I've got your dress here and I forgot to get my clothes for tonight."

"Come in."

After opening the door, he was greeted by the sight of Sam lying across his bed, her button-up shirt undone to breastfeed Ife. The little girl was stretched out in front of her with one small hand resting on Sam's swollen breast, sucking greedily.

"Oh, um…" He wasn't sure whether to apologize or not, since she'd invited him in.

"Could you put the dress on the foot of the bed?"

Jack had a hard time tearing his gaze from her pale skin and couldn't help but notice the way his unbuttoned shirt barely covered her other breast. He caught a glimpse of her nipple, darker and larger than he remembered, yet still alluring. Giving himself a mental shake, he looked away and placed the garment bag on the bed as requested.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

She smiled at him and glanced down at her daughter. "Ife was hungry and getting in a mood about it, so I figured it would be better to feed her now. She doesn't eat much in general yet anyway, so I doubt it would be different during the dinner."

He couldn't deny she made a good point; these days he cooked twice the amount he'd eat for dinner and still had enough leftovers for lunch the next day for both Sam and Ife. "She'll probably have enough after one bite of everything."

"Yeah, this way she'll be relaxed and not cranky during Doctor Fraiser's dinner and it won't get uncomfortable for me like skipping a feed normally does," Sam said, indicating her chest.

"Right." His eyes briefly darted to the creamy skin of her full breasts, before he reminded himself that she was simply feeding her daughter. It wasn't the first time he saw a woman breastfeed – he'd had a family of his own after all – and it apparently didn't matter to Sam that he witnessed it.

They'd been intimate once a long time ago but their situation was different now. They were different people now, or at least Sam was. Her nonchalance about his presence while breastfeeding only served to emphasize it; she'd been living off-world for a long time, feeding her daughter whenever possible regardless of who was around.

Jack walked over to his dresser and pulled out the dark blue jeans and black sweater he'd planned on wearing to Fraiser's. Holding the clothes, he turned back to Sam. "Look, I don't want you to think that you can't, um, feed Ife in front of me. You shouldn't have to retreat to the bedroom to do it. I don't mind."

"That's very sweet of you, Jack," she said, an amused smile on her lips. "But I wasn't hiding. I don't mind you being around either, it's just that these feeding times usually coincide with when we're in the bedroom or when you're on duty."

"Oh," he said. "Okay. Good."

"Good."

"Well, I'm just gonna go shower and shave in the guest bathroom."

Sam nodded, the smile still tugging on her lips.

Fraiser Residence
Colorado Springs, CO

Sam smiled politely as she passed on the sweet potatoes to Teal'c, who was seated across the table from her. She was pretty sure that was his third helping, but then he wasn't the first Jaffa she'd met who ate a lot of food. Bra'tac hadn't ever complained about rationing their food or giving her more during her pregnancy, but she'd spent enough time among Jaffa – rebels or otherwise – to know they all had a more than healthy appetite. It seemed like Doctor Fraiser knew this as well, considering the amount of food the woman had prepared.

"Thank you, Sam," Teal'c said with a regal nod. It sounded odd when he said her name and considering the looks he got from the others, they agreed.

"You're welcome." She wondered if he'd learned the expression of gratitude on Earth or already knew it before he joined the SGC. None of the other Jaffa she'd met seemed familiar with it, except for Moac, Bra'tac and Shen'ems who'd learned it from her.

There were other things she wondered about when it came to Teal'c and she hoped she'd get a chance to get to know him.

Jack gently nudged her and leaned in slightly, "More turkey?"

"Just a small slice," she said, eyeing the leftover food. Doctor Fraiser – or Janet, as she'd insisted Sam call her – had already told her not to worry about how much she ate, being well aware of her advised portion size.

"For Ife," he said as he added a second, smaller slice.

Her daughter was amusing herself with a small toy a few feet away, still strapped in the car seat. Ife wasn't hungry yet because she'd been fed a couple of hours ago and she was too young to patiently sit at the table while everyone else enjoyed an elaborate Thanksgiving meal. Janet had apologized for not arranging a high chair for Sam, but she had waved it off. Ife was fine in the car seat for now.

Nyan, the alien who'd come back to Earth with SG-1 about a week ago, had been discussing the origin and meaning of Thanksgiving with Daniel who was seated next to Teal'c. Daniel had just finished telling him how they – SG-1 – usually celebrated it as Nyan finished his wine. "What about your wife, Daniel?"

"Sha're?" Daniel's fork paused midair and a sad look passed over his face. "Um, she's on Abydos. I visited over the weekend but had to come back and she couldn't make it to Earth this week to spend the holiday together…"

"It's probably best for her to stay on Abydos with her family for now," Doctor Fraiser said. "It's easier for you to travel to and stay on Abydos than it would be for her to come to Earth, Daniel."

"Would she have to undergo quarantine like me? And I believe you and your daughter were temporarily isolated too, right Captain?"

Jack glared at Nyan and answered before Sam had time to swallow her bite of food. "Sha're would be quarantined for her first visit to Earth, just like anyone else who is from another planet or has been away from Earth for a long time."

Doctor Fraiser nodded in agreement. "The Colonel is correct; it's standard protocol. It might seem strange to those unfamiliar with our level of healthcare but we don't want to risk any alien strains being let loose on the population. However, someone who regularly travels to and from Earth is less of a risk because their immune system has adapted and they undergo frequent medical exams, including blood testing."

"Did it bother you, Sam?"

"The quarantine?" She asked, frowning at Daniel. "Of course."

Nyan looked around Daniel to Teal'c. "You and I were each quarantained in a room for a few days but I found it rather restrictive. I can imagine it is worse with a small child."

"Indeed."

Daniel had a pensive look on his face when he turned to where Doctor Fraiser was seated at the head of the table. "Would Sha're's quarantine last as long as Sam's?"

"That would depend on her bloodwork, but a week would be the minimum, yes."

"But I could visit her everyday, right?" He turned back to Sam, "Didn't you have visitors inside the bubble?"

Sam shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with everyone's eyes on her. "Um, yes. Catherine got permission to enter the bubble, the others were medical staff."

Janet sighed, looking like she'd much rather focus on the holiday than work. "Doctor Langford received permission to enter the quarantined area because of her experience and understanding about the process. If you are contemplating bringing Sha're to Earth, you would have to clear it with General Hammond first, Daniel. If he okays it and Sha're agrees, then perhaps I could give you the necessary information and instructions to visit your wife in quarantine."

"Do you believe Sha're of Abydos would welcome a stay on Earth, Daniel Jackson?"

"Yeah, are you sure she even wants to come?"

It wasn't the most correct or supporting thing to do, but Sam found herself hoping that Sha're didn't want to come to Earth. The last thing Sam needed or wanted was a confrontation with another former host who had been there during the worst time in her life. She appreciated the look of concern Jack cast her way when he asked about Sha're.

To her surprise, Daniel looked uncertain. "I don't know... Sha're is still searching for a way to deal with what happened and she feels more comfortable on Abydos. The fact that we haven't found her son yet isn't helping either; she's worried about his wellbeing."

"Maybe Sam can help." Cassandra leaned forward, trying to look past Jack to Sam. "You were taken by the Goa'uld too but you're back now and seem fine."

"Cassie!"

Cassandra looked appropriately chastised by Jack and her mother but Daniel didn't seem to take note. "How did you cope with everything, Sam?"

Sam was becoming more and more uncomfortable with the way the dinner conversation was heading, which was precisely why she'd been hesitant to commit in the first place. Did they know the boy was harsesis and was that why they wanted to find him? Did they suspect the same of Ife? "I don't know, Daniel. I wasn't a host for as long as she was and didn't go through all the same things."

"But-"

"Can it, Daniel," Jack said. "And pass me the sweet potatoes."

She gave Jack a small smile of gratitude before looking down at her plate, moving the food around with her fork. Any appetite she'd had was gone now. She'd been tempted to snap at Daniel but held back. Jack had warned her that his friends might be curious and ask questions, so she tried to be patient and exercise self-restraint.

"So, Nyan," Janet said, breaking the uncomfortable silence, "what is Bedrosia like?"

"We know about Bedrosia. What about the planets Sam was on?" Daniel asked, shooting Jack a look.

Sam gritted her teeth and looked up from her plate. "There's not much to tell, really."

Nyan immediately jumped in, too. "I heard you've been to more planets than SG-1."

"Yeah," Daniel said, undeterred. "You must have all kinds of stories to tell."

"Like I said, not really."

"But we haven't even been to most of those!"

Jack dropped his cutlery on his plate and leaned forward with narrowed eyes. "Look-"

The archaeologist, however, cut him off defiantly, "I can ask Sam about the planets she's visited, Jack!"

"Daniel-"

"It's okay," Sam said, her hand hovering over Jack's arm, barely refraining from touching him. It would do no good to cause a rift between the two friends just because she felt uncomfortable about the subject and Jack thought he had to protect her. Besides, she recalled some of the conversations she and 'Doctor Jackson' had had before she went off-world and how curious he'd been about life on other planets. "There simply isn't a lot I can tell you. It's true that I've been to a lot of different places, but most of the time we were either just passing through or staying somewhere isolated."

"Did you keep track of all the addresses?" Nyan asked.

Daniel made a vague gesture with his fork, a pensive look on his face, "I'll bet a lot of those addresses are on the list Moac made of planets where Bra'tac might go to."

She shrugged and took a bite of the turkey Jack had given her. "I wrote some down, but not all."

"How many different cultures did you encounter?"

"I really couldn't say, Nyan."

Daniel frowned, "But you spent a lot of time living among different Jaffa, right?"

"No more than Teal'c," she said, nodding towards the Jaffa seated across from her.

"I know you two geek out over different alien cultures and mythology," Jack said, eyeing both Nyan and Daniel. "But Sam and Bra'tac had more important things on their minds than mingling with the natives. Like, staying alive."

Grimacing, Sam ducked her head to avoid everyone's curious gazes. He wasn't wrong but she really didn't need any reminding. Maybe it would put a stop to all the questions, though.

"Have you ever been to Hanka, Sam?"

"Um, no."

Jack's hard look disappeared as he turned to Cassandra, squeezing the young teen's shoulder. "The SGC still has the Douglas McLean Memorial Observatory on Hanka. All visitors would have been reported."

The girl nodded, a sad look on her face. "Right. I forgot. Hey, maybe we can all go there someday. I mean, if it's under the SGC's control then it should be safe, right?"

"I don't know, honey," Janet said. "Maybe when you're a little bit older. A trip through the stargate isn't harmless fun and not everyone can just go off-world."

"But I'm from Hanka, so why couldn't I go back someday?"

Jack wrapped an arm around Cassandra's shoulders, "You can, munchkin. Just not yet."

She beamed at him. "Thanks! You'll come with us, right? To keep us safe?"

"Well," he said, quirking a brow at Janet, "I'm not sure your mom needs me to protect her. She has saved our asses plenty of times. But sure, I wouldn't mind a trip back."

Cassandra suddenly started giggling. "I just realized that the aliens outnumber the Earthlings at this table!"

"Um," Daniel said, frowning. "There's your mom, Jack, m-"

"Me, Nyan, Teal'c, Ife and Sam. Well, I guess Sam counts for half," Cassandra mused aloud, "and even if Sam is counted as a regular Earthling it's a tie."

Sam blanched, feeling like one of her fears had come true. Was that what they all thought of her and Ife? That they were aliens?

"Cassandra Fraiser," Janet started in a patented angry-mom voice, "what did we talk about this morning? You can't just…"

In the background, Sam could hear the Doctor talking sternly to her adopted daughter but she tried to tune them out. Ife being born on a different planet technically made her an alien to Earth and Sam figured her keeping the truth about Ife's father to herself hadn't helped, but to hear someone label her daughter as an alien… and herself? Suddenly, she'd become an alien, or half of one?

Jack gently laid his hand, warm and rough, on her forearm and leaned in slightly. "Hey, you okay? Cassie didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." She rushed the words out and shrugged off his comforting hand. Why had she agreed to come along, again? She slipped from her seat and got Ife from her car seat, lifting her daughter into her arms. Maybe it was better if they just went home?

"Sam?" Cassandra was suddenly standing next to her, eyes wide. "I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean to upset you… I think it's kinda cool that Teal'c and I aren't the only aliens on Earth anymore, you know? But I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

Everyone was watching them and Sam could tell Cassie felt genuine remorse for hurting her feelings, so she faked a smile. "It's okay, Cassandra. I'm not mad. I guess we are pretty unique, huh?"

The teen smiled proudly, gesturing between the three of them. "We're especially awesome, since we all have naquadah in our blood."

"Cassie-"

"She's right, Jack," Sam said, interrupting him. "Well, I suppose Teal'c has naquadah too…"

"But he's not human," Cassandra chimed in.

Teal'c raised a brow, "Indeed, I am not."