Jack arranged a work related visit for his trip to Colorado Springs, adding a few days off, it would give him more time to see his friends. Not only Sam, also Daniel was complaining not to see him anymore.

So after his annual check up at the SGC and a long boring meeting with General Landry he made it out of the mountain, heading straight towards the Shanahans residence. He parked the car he got from the motorpool right behind what must be Sam's new family car. He was glad he changed at the base out of uniform into some more comfortable clothes. The crisp, white shirt he chose clung gently to his chest, accentuating his tanned skin. The blue, soft and well worn jeans hung loosely around his legs.

He stepped up to the front door and carefully knocked. Pete came to answer the door and let him in.

"Hey Jack! Good to see you."

"Hi Pete!" Jack answered and shook Pete's hand. "Congratulations again!"

Pete smiled proudly and Jack knew this smile too well. Remembering how he walked around grinning like that the weeks after Charlie had been born.

"Thanks Jack, Sam's nursing Alex right now. You want something to drink while we wait for them to finish?"

"Sure, coffee would be great."

He followed Pete into the kitchen, taking a seat at the counter.

Never been one for small talk, but he was sure he should try this time.

"So, how have you been? Exciting first days?"

Pete nodded. "You can say that. It's so different from the life you lived till now. But it's great. Alex is such a sweetheart, he has only woken up two times at night and after he's been fed he's asleep right away. So for now we can't complain, but I am aware it probably won't stay that way."

"I can assure you it won't." Jack clapped him on his back. "Get as much sleep as possible. There will be times you can't even remember what it means to sleep."

They heard noises from the hall and the familiar crack when you step on a certain spot on the wooden floor. Jack's heart skipped a beat as he saw Sam walking towards them with the baby in her arms.

"Hi!" She smiled at him and he leaned in to kiss her on her cheek.

"Hey, congratulations mom!"

"Thank you, Jack! Ready to meet Alex?"

"As I'll ever be."

She placed her son carefully in the strong arms of his godfather. Jack looked softly down at the little human she handed him. It's been a long time since he last held a newborn and he took his time to take it all in. The baby was barely as long as Jack's forearm, the tiny nose he recognized from the ultrasound picture and he was surprised how close these pictures are to reality nowadays. The few blond hairs already began to curl and the bright blue eyes looked up to him. He looked so much like Sam and when Jack reached to touch the baby's cheeks Alex grabbed Jack's finger with his. He stared at him in awe.

In the meantime Sam took the glass of water her husband handed her. She always got thirsty after feeding the baby. Pete put his arm around her and she snuggled into him, her arm rested casually around his waist. A quick glance at him told her he thought the same, they made the right decision by asking Jack to be the godfather. The two of them hit it off together. They watched Jack talking to Alex while he absorbed every little detail.

"You did a great job! One of the sweetest babies I've ever seen."

"Thank you!" Both of them replied. "Let's go and sit outside, it's a beautiful day."

He was about to hand the baby back to its mother, but Sam only placed a hand on his.

"You can keep him for a while, I mean, only if you want to."

His smile grew larger. "I'd love to."

So they spend the afternoon outside talking and watching Alex. When he got hungry again Pete stood up and declared it was time for them to eat as well. He fired up the grill and went inside to prepare everything. Jack offered to help, but Sam told him he was their guest and should relax, enjoy his days off.

He wasn't prepared that she had no problem nursing in front of him and caught himself staring as the baby closed his lips around Sam's nipple.

She saw him blush and look away and had to smile at his shyness.

"It's alright, Jack. I'm sure that's not a thing you haven't seen before."

Yes, he has seen this on screen or mother's breastfeeding at the park, but not a woman who is so close to his heart.

"Actually not really. Sara didn't breastfeed. It just didn't work and it was too much pain for her and much more stress for Charlie. We fed him with a bottle."

"Oh, I didn't know."

"How could you? It's nothing I casually talk about."

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to bring back old memories."

"Never be sorry for this, Sam. I wouldn't tell you if I didn't want to. Not all my memories are bad. We had a lot of happy times and I should think about them more often. So don't be sorry if you get me to talk about them."

She changed breasts while talking and it took not long until Alex was fed up and fell asleep.

Jack watched her closely and recognized despite the stress that comes with handling a newborn she looked relaxed and at peace with herself.

"Are you happy, Sam? I mean, really happy."

And it didn't take her long to answer. A quick glance at her husband who was working at the grill at the far side of the garden and she knew the answer.

"Yes! Yes, I am."

"That's all I want for you!"

Sam invited him to go and take a walk in the park the next day, but when she opened the door for him he couldn't help but laugh.

"Rough night?" Was all he asked and all she did was nod. He found Pete asleep on the couch with a screaming Alex on top of him.

After he checked with Sam if it was okay for her he took the baby out of Pete's embrace, careful to not wake him up.

Now they knew what everyone was talking about when they told stories of sleepless nights. They barely had the chance to close their eyes that night. Alex was testing his lungs and they didn't get why he was screaming. They fed him, they changed his diapers, they talked and sang to him, they walked him through the house… Nothing has helped.

Jack took the baby to the nursery and changed the diaper before he dressed the little boy for a walk in his stroller.

Sam leaned at the door frame and watched him doing all these things like he's never stopped doing it.

He picked Alex up, who stopped screaming and snuggled into his shoulder instantly, and walked towards Sam.

"How did you do that?" Sam asked surprised.

"I don't know. It's often just another person where he can calm down. When Sara and I were too stressed to think clearly it was often her father who took Charlie for a walk so we could get some rest and when he came back everything was alright again. So, what do you say if I take him for a walk and you take your husband and get some sleep?"

"You would do that?"

"Of course, Sam."

"Thank you."

She helped him pack the things he'd need for a walk and he promised not to go too far away. Alex wouldn't be hungry for a while as he was fed right before Jack came. When they were gone Sam sat down next to her husband. He slowly opened his eyes, irritated by the silence.

"Where's Alex? Please say he's finally asleep."

"I hope so. Jack's taking a walk with him and told us to catch up on some sleep."

"Bless the man!" Pete sighed relieved. "Don't we waste time and let's go to bed."

"So you're okay with it?" Sam asked him. She had wondered if he was okay that someone else was taking care of their baby.

"Absolutely, Sam. We should take all the help we can get."

Meanwhile Jack headed towards the next park and talked softly to Alex, the baby was far from being asleep but seemed to enjoy Jack's calm dark voice. When he squirmed Jack picked him up and carried him a while until he was fast asleep. Then he placed him back into his stroller and walked for a good hour before he headed back.

In between his walk his phone rang and he talked to Daniel for a while and arranged a meeting for the next day. It's been too long since the friends saw each other outside from work.

When he entered the house there was no sight of Sam or Pete and he guessed they took his advice and got some sleep. Rummaging in the fridge he decided to start something for lunch, they'll wake up when they get hungry.

Sam and Pete woke up an hour later and they were shocked how deep they had slept. The house was still silent, so they took turns to take a shower and got dressed. Exiting their bedroom they were greeted with the smell of a freshly cooked meal.

Alex was lying in his baby bouncer next to Jack, who was cooking. He turned around as he heard them approach.

"Hey sleepyheads, feel rested?"

"Yes, thank you so much." Pete told him. "But Jack, you didn't need to cook for us."

"I was hungry too." He smirked. "Take a seat, lunch is ready. Unless you need to feed Alex first?" He asked Sam. The little guy didn't seem to be hungry, but he could imagine what not feeding for a few hours would do to women's breasts.

"No, I'm fine for the moment. Thanks!"

During lunch Jack told them about his walk in the park and how fascinating it was that a man with a stroller attracts women's attraction. He shared a quick look with Sam and winked at her, she knew he would never use Alex to get a woman's attention.

In the next few months Jack only managed to visit a few times but thanks to video calls he could keep up with his godson growing up. They talked at least once a week and every time he got to visit it seemed that Alex recognized him.

And exactly one year after she found out about the first pregnancy Sam was pregnant again.

Two children under two wasn't going to be easy, but they knew from the beginning they wanted two kids.

Jack was in the Springs right now, sending off Daniel and Teal'c who were going to Atlantis for the next few months. It was Daniel's dream to go there for a long time now and as everything was quiet with the free Jaffa Teal'c decided to join him.

Jack invited Sam over for dinner as Pete was out of town for another case for at least four weeks. He loved cooking for them and as Alex started on solid food he was determined to cook something for him to eat as well.

After dinner they sat down on the couch, with Alex cuddled up on Jack's lap. He loved his Uncle Jack and vice versa.

Sam just nodded towards the baby and casually mentioned:

"There's going to be another one."

"Huh?"

"A baby! I'm going to have another one."

"You are?"

"Yes, I'm pregnant again." She didn't know why she avoided his gaze and began to blush.

"Wow, not wasting any time, huh?" He mocked her.

"Jack!"

"No, I was just teasing. That's great news, and if they're all going to be this cute you can continue producing them." He joked, pulling her closer to put his arm around her, squeezing her shoulder he placed a kiss on top of her head.

"So, how are you feeling?"

"Not bad." She downplayed it. The nausea was worse than last time and caring for an infant at the same time was a challenge.

"Now we try this again, Sam. But this time I want the truth."

She rolled her eyes at him.

"There's no way I can deceive you, is there? Alright, the morning sickness is worse than last time and I'm tired a lot. That's normal in the early stages but keeping up with Alex at the same time I have to admit it's exhausting." She laughed softly. "But we wanted it that way, right? I mean, I'm not getting younger and we always wanted at least two kids. Pete has three sisters and I have Mark. We're used to growing up with siblings and wanted that for Alex too. I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong, I just have to survive the first few weeks, it will get better."

"I'm sure it will. Look, there's a little cabin and a pond which is waiting for me to arrive. I'm going up there for the next two weeks, you two could come with me if you want and if Pete's okay with it. Maybe a change of scenery will do you good. I could look after Alex while you're not able to leave the bathroom." He jokes. "No, honestly, you can slow down a bit and concentrate on yourself. I'll cook and we can relax or hike or do stuff you like."

Sam thought about it for a minute. "Hell, why not? I'd love to finally see your cabin. And I'm sure Alex will love it there. When do I have to be ready?"

"Whenever you want. I bet with a baby driving at night is probably the best idea. Charlie always slept the whole night through and then it was only a few more hours until we arrived. I also like driving at night, not much traffic."

"I can be ready tomorrow evening, no problem. Thanks for the invitation."

"You're welcome, both of you." He said while stroking the baby's back, who was lying on top of Jack's chest, sleeping peacefully.

Their drive up to the cabin was quiet and uneventful. As soon as Jack left Colorado Springs behind he had two sleeping passengers in his car. Sam offered to drive part of the way, but he couldn't bring himself to wake her up. Around 8 o'clock he stopped at a diner along the way, ready for breakfast, and when she offered to drive the rest of the way, he let her. Just gave directions where to go.

So it was around noon when they reached their destination. Sam was overwhelmed by the sight of the cabin, immersed in the bright glow of the midday sun. She parked the car and turned the key.

She opened the driver's door and partly got out of the car.

"Wow, Jack, it's beautiful!"

"I told you so!"

Alex was gurgling from the back of the car as Jack opened his door to get him out.

"I was sure you'd like it, Alex. And when you're just a little older I'll take you here and teach you how to skate on the ice. No matter how sporty your mom is, I'm pretty sure neither her nor your dad can teach you how to play ice hockey properly."

Her giggle could be heard for miles.

"What?" He asked. "You made me his godfather to teach him all the stuff you can't, right?"

"The idea was more that if something happened to us he would have someone who takes him in and cares for him."

"So you do trust me with him!"

"Yes, I do! I'm just not sure if I want you to teach him EVERYTHING you know."

"Argh, Carter, don't suck the fun out of it. Someone has to teach this little guy how to have fun and I'm willing to do so."

"Alright Jack, you won. But can we at least wait until he can walk on his own?"

"Okay, we'll wait." He grumbled, "He needs to walk to be able to stand on the ice of his own. I've been on the ice since I was two…"

"That explains a lot." She teased him while she got their bags out of the car, ready to enter the cabin. As Jack was still holding Alex he opened the door, took his bag from her and showed her the guest room. They put a blanket on the floor and laid Alex down. That gave them the opportunity to open the windows for fresh air and freshen up a bit before he took them on a walk to show them around.

It was five in the morning as he heard Sam sprint to the bathroom. She didn't exaggerate when she said her morning sickness was worse. He crouched down next to her, stroking her back, handing her a cold washcloth from time to time and just being there for her and getting her whatever she needed while throwing up over the toilet.

That was their routine every morning for the next two weeks. She really appreciated his support. He took care of Alex while she caught up on some sleep after her bathroom session and was always greeted with a breakfast set up with lots of fruits and vitamins. She was surprised at this, because she always saw him like the 'beer-in-the-omelet" kind of guy, or at least with a lot of fruit loops.

If Alex woke up early from their nap, Sam laid down with him while Jack enjoyed his time at the dock fishing for no fish in his pond, Jack took him for a walk until Sam woke up. He knew she needed the rest, her body was growing another human, that's exhausting and needs a lot of energy.

On the last day of their stay they sat together on a blanket spread out on the grass, with Alex nestled between them, joyfully reaching for some blades of grass, exploring and playing with the soft tendrils.

"Thank you, Jack! I really appreciate what you're doing for us. The trip was great, I needed this so much."

"You're always welcome here! Just say a word and I'll take you here. Or you can stay here whenever you need a break."

They caught each other's eyes and lost themselves in them. He would do anything to make her happy, he thought and it was just his luck that in the corner of his eyes he was Alex nibbling on the green grass before he could swallow it.

"Hey there little man. That's nothing to eat, you can say when you're hungry and I'll cook something, no need to eat the grass. And don't tell me this would taste better than what I cook, then I'm disappointed."

Alex was staring at him with his big blue eyes that reflected his mothers, wondering what Jack was saying. Sam was just laughing, glad that at least someone caught him eating grass.

They drove home that night and Jack was needed back in Washington while Sam was waiting at home for her husband to finish his case and finally join her and Alex again.

She was glad that she could work from home in her secured office on some harmless but very important projects when and as long as she wanted.

The months flew by quickly while she was still working. Pete was great and reduced some of his working hours to help her at home.

The weekly call with Jack was used for baby updates and to show him the progress Alex made. That Alex finally walked on his own. She could see that Washington took its toll on him. He looked tired of dealing with the politicians, but he had at least 5 more years in front of him.

And so on another Sunday morning Jack answered the video call, surprised to see two smiling adults, one bright smiling Alex and a little baby in Sam's arms.

"Well, hello! Am I counting wrong or is there somebody who wasn't there before?"

Sam's grin got wider, "You're counting just right, General! Say hello to our newest addition. He was born just two hours ago and as it is Sunday we thought telling you by showing him would be perfect." She leaned down towards Alex. "Alex, do you want to tell uncle Jack the name of the baby? Remember we practiced."

Alex nodded eagerly and Jack asked him. "You wanna tell me your brother's name Alex?"

"Ben!"

"That's a pretty name for a pretty baby! Congratulations to all of you and welcome to the world little Ben! How are you doing?"

"Thank you, I'm fine. Sore as expected, but really happy. This little guy couldn't wait to be born. A few minutes earlier and he would have been born in the car."

They talked for a while and when Alex got a bit restless Pete took him for a walk.

"You did a great job, Sam. He's beautiful! He has a lot from Pete. Certainly darker hair than Alex had when he was born."

"Yeah," Sam laughed. "And a lot more hair too."

"You look so happy! And tired! I think I'll let you relax and enjoy the silence as long as possible." He told her.

She fiddled with the hem of her bedsheets before she asked him "You're going to come, right? Getting to know him."

"Undomesticated equines couldn't keep me away, Carter!"

They ended the call and a few minutes later he got an email with a picture of both boys underlined with a simple "To Uncle Jack!"

And he was happy to be part of the boys' lives.