"Hi Cassie!" Jack welcomed her, embracing her in a tight hug. "It's so good to see you."
"Feels good to be home! Jack, this is Ben," she nervously pointed towards the man next to her. "Ben, this is Jack O'Neill. My Dad, sort of." She introduced her surrogate father to her boyfriend. She felt a bit awkward, but mostly she was scared. Cassie really wanted Jack to like Ben, because he meant a lot to her.
"Hello Ben!" Jack shook his hand.
"Hello Mr. O'Neill!" Ben took Jack's hand, nervous as hell, but with a firm grip. That impressed Jack, the young man was obviously intimidated but reluctant to show it with his actions. Maybe there's hope for him.
"It's Jack for you, Mr. O'Neill makes me sound older than I actually am. Come on in, no need to linger on the front porch. Sam's still feeding Janet in the nursery. In the meantime we can put your stuff in your room."
"Why don't you show Ben we're to put it? Do you think Sam would mind if I sneak in to say hello? I'm dying to see them again." Cassie wondered.
"I think she'd be okay with it. Go on, I'll show Ben your room." Jack told her and pointed down the hallway with a hint for Ben to follow him. "So Ben..." he said, patting him on the back.
Oh boy, Cassie thought, now the interrogation starts. But she heard Jack end the sentence with "... What's your favorite hockey team?"
Well maybe they'll be ok. She knew Ben was born in Chicago, like Jack. And therefore both men liked the same hockey team, that's a bonus, right?
With a soft knock Cassie opened the door to Janet's room. Sam sat in the rocking chair in front of the window, swaying slightly back and forth. Janet lay peacefully in her lap, her tiny mouth delicately latched onto Sam's breast, eagerly nursing for nourishment. With just a few steps, Cassie stood next to the two of them. "Hi!" She whispered, to not disturb them, her gaze never leaving Janet.
Sam was smiling at the young woman who was obviously smitten with her sister. "Hey, Sweetheart! As I can see you've missed me."
Just now she realized for the first time that she hadn't really looked at Sam yet. She had been too busy with the adorable baby.
"Oh Sam, sorry! Hi! I was distracted by this beautiful little lady. Can you believe how much she has grown over the last few weeks? How are you? Is it okay that I'm here? I asked Jack and he said it's okay for me to sneak in."
"Of course it's okay. I'm happy that you're here. And just in time this little girl has finished. Would you like to take and burp her while I get properly dressed? Don't want to meet your Ben while being half undressed." she joked.
"Of course I would like to. But you do know once you gave her to me you won't get her back so soon," she said, placing a burp cloth over her shoulder and taking the baby from Sam. "Hey sis, it's me Cassie, your big sister. Did you miss me? I missed you so much."
Cassie prattled on with Janet on her shoulder. Sam's smile grew only wider if possible. The young woman would make an awesome mother some day, Janet Fraiser would have been so proud of her.
"So, do you think we should go outside and rescue Ben from Jack?" Sam suggested.
"God idea, although I heard them talking about ice hockey on the way to our room, I think they're okay."
In the meantime the men were in the kitchen, Jack preparing lunch and Ben was sitting at the kitchen counter with a coffee in his hand engrossed in a conversation. As he saw Cassie and Sam entering the kitchen he immediately stood up and got introduced by Cassandra.
"Sam, this is Ben. Ben, this is Sam."
"Hello Mrs. O'Neill." Ben said, shaking her hand.
"Hello Ben! And please call me Sam. The little one your girlfriend occupies at the moment is Janet."
He walked around Cassie, who still held the baby towards her shoulder, to see her little face. Ben stroked Janet's cheeks as he soothingly spoke to her. Sam went around them towards Jack. She got handed a cup of tee from her husband as she snuggled up to him.
"You're drinking Tea?" Cassie asked, confused.
"Trying to reduce the amount of coffee while breastfeeding. I already had my two cups of coffee today, so it's tea for me. Do you want to have a coffee?"
"Oh yes, please. I'm not quite sure what it is they serve on the plane, but it certainly isn't coffee." came the reply from Cassie.
While she poured her the coffee, Sam tried to start a conversation with Ben, to get to know him.
"So, Ben. Were you and my husband able to agree on a hockey team?" She saw Ben smiling before he answered, obviously relieved to have found something they won't argue about.
"As a matter of fact, we did. I learned that we've both been born in Chicago and therefore the Chicago Blackhawks are the team we both love. As a kid I got to play in their little league, but I broke my leg two times and an arm once. So this career was out of the question."
"Same as me!" Jack yelled over his shoulder.
Sam rolled her eyes. "And we're all grateful for that, Jack. The world would have missed a great soldier. And when did you move here, Ben?"
"That was just last year. I got the place here at the college, so I moved to study here. And that's where I met Cassandra."
"Do you study to be a Doctor like Cassie?"
"Yes, exactly. I always liked to help people, whether they wanted to or not," he laughed. "But that's my passion. And now Cass, I want to get a hold of your little sister if I may. You can't have her all to yourself the whole time, can you?"
Cassie looked at Sam to seek confirmation that it was okay and was answered with a nod.
"Here you go. I hope you know what you're doing, this is precious cargo, buddy!" She told him.
"You should know by now that I grew up with seven siblings and as I am the oldest I was a lot around baby's, don't worry, honey!"
Sam and Jack immediately shared a look, not sure what to respond to at first. The fact that he was one of eight or that he called her 'honey'. A little too domestic for Jack's liking. But seeing him with their daughter it was obvious that he knew his way around.
"Lunch is ready, has anyone set the table yet?" Jack questioned.
"Nope," Cassie said. "Let me do this quickly. I'm starving."
Over lunch they talked about their Christmas plans. Ben offered his help with the Christmas lights outside the house. That they would do in the afternoon. Tomorrow they will go to get a tree and set it up.
Lucky came trotting down the hallway, greeting Cassie and Ben, wagging his tail and making it clear that he wanted to go for a walk. Cassie patted him and looked up to Sam and Jack.
"What?" Jack asked, sensing that she had an idea.
"What would you say if Ben and I would walk the dog? We could take Janet in her stroller with us. So you two could have an hour all to yourself and relax. I bet you haven't been alone since she was born."
"Actually, that would be great. Go get your coat, I'll dress her in something warm."
Cassie got the stroller and Ben got Lucky. He held the leash in one hand and the other one was placed at the small of Cassie's back.
Jack eyed Sam suspiciously "Well that looks just like a little family. I'm not sure I like this."
"Jack!" Sam's voice sounded annoyed. Leading him inside to sit down on the couch. Jack put his legs up on the table in front and Sam placed her feet sideways on the couch. "She's a grown up and will possibly find a man she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Maybe that's him. Be honest, you like him. I can see it in your eyes. He's a mini you, and you know it. After all she was looking for someone like you, she adored you when she was a kid and trusts you more than ever now that she's grown up."
"I guess he's not that bad." he murmured.
So she continued, "And look at it that way, they don't have any regs standing between them. Not everyone needs to wait as long as I did."
He put his arm around her shoulder, drawing her closer to him. "What are you saying, Sam?"
"Nothing! Just that. I'm sure she won't start a family just now, I know for a fact how much it means to her to be able to study to become a Doctor like her mother. But I think she deserves a man by her side who loves and supports her."
"Do you regret waiting for me?" Jack asked quietly.
"What? What a question is this, Jack? Why should I regret it?"
"You sound a bit like this."
"No! No, if so then it came out wrong. Jack, please believe me when I'm saying I don't regret waiting for you. I'm so happy with the life we live now. You and Janet, you complete me. Do I wish that we could have had what we have now a few years earlier? Yes, I do. But at the same time I know it wasn't possible. We're here now and that's more than I ever imagined. You make me so happy, Jack. And I love you so much. There's nothing wrong with wishing Cassie won't have to wait as long as we had."
"That's true. I'm sorry for my outburst. I love you too. And if the President had allowed me to retire sooner I would have done it."
"I know. So let's not dwell and enjoy the little time we actually have for ourselves. You wanna make out with me on the couch, flyboy?"
He guided her beneath him, carefully not to squeeze her; he kissed her passionately.
Meanwhile Cassandra and Ben walked across the park. Ben threw sticks for Lucky to catch them. Cassie moved the stroller back and forth to get Janet to sleep.
Ben drew out a long breath.
"Do you think they like me?"
"I'd say they do. All the boyfriends I had before Jack had given them the speech the first time he saw them." she chuckled.
"What speech?"
"You know. The speech. The 'if you hurt her, I'll kill you' speech. Once in a while he made sure they knew about their hand-to-hand fighting level. As soldiers they are highly trained. And you haven't received it yet, I'd say it's a good start. Maybe that you'll both like the same hockey team helps."
"Oh boy, they really care for you. I hope I can meet the requirements."
"You do?"
"Of course I do. I grew quite fond of you. In fact I love you very much Cassandra!"
"That's good to know, because I love you too."
She stopped walking and he leaned down to kiss her.
"I think we should head home. It's been a while now and Janet's due to wake up soon."
As Cassie had a house key, she unlocked the door and let everyone in. They followed muffled sounds into the living room. Jack and Sam were sprawled out on the couch, deeply intertwined and kissing.
"Wow guys! Please! I said relaxing and not making out like teenagers as if the parents aren't home. You're the parents now, you know?" Cassie exclaimed.
"Come on Cassie, we didn't do anything that would have been embarrassing for all of us if you walked in."
Ben took Janet out of her stroller. "I think I'm going to change the diaper of this girl. Cassie, don't be too harsh on them. They were alone for the first time after having a baby. They won't make another one so shortly after the first." and with that he walked down the hallway into Janet's room to change a diaper.
Jack laughed out loud, not only because Ben would rather change a diaper than be around for this conversation even longer but also because his flippant answer could have been Jack's.
"Oh I really like him, Cassandra. As much as it hurts to admit it, but I do!"