Fluffity, fluff, fluff:
Jack left Sam in the parlor, holding the puppy, while he went to discover where everyone was. He knew that Magrit and Ethan would both want to be present when he gave the boys their new companion.
He wandered into the kitchen, to find Magrit cleaning up some dishes.
"Hi Mr. Jack," she said, "are you hungry? The boys and Ethan ate already – Ethan said you'd be a little late."
"No, I'm fine, Magrit. I'll grab something later. Uh – do you know where Ethan and the boys are?" He smiled. "I've brought a surprise."
She looked at him seriously and then, with a twinkle in her eye, gave him a gentle swat. "You went and got that puppy, didn't you? They're in the backyard, tossing a ball around. Do you want me to call them in?"
"Yes, please. Tell them that there's a visitor in the parlor. And you'd better be there too," he told her with a grin.
"You better believe I will be there! I expect that puppy and I will get to know one another very well!"
"He's adorable, Magrit. You'll love him."
"Yes, I probably will – just like I love all of you – although I don't know if I'd call you adorable!"
"You don't think Ethan is adorable," he teased her. When her face turned red, he laughed and turned back towards the parlor. "We'll see you in a couple of minutes."
"You are an evil man, Jack O'Neill," Magrit muttered. But then she smiled and shook her head. She headed to the back door and called Ethan and the boys inside.
"But we want to play some more," Nanny Magrit," Simon whined.
"Uncle Jack has a guest who wants to see you. You can play after that."
"A guest?" Jankin said. "Is it Matteo?" he asked. He couldn't think of any other guest that he would be interested in.
"No, it's not Matteo. Now come along, all of you. Uncle Jack and Auntie Samantha are waiting."
"Auntie Sam is here?" Simon said, throwing down the ball and racing to the door. "I want to see her!"
"Hold on, young man," Magrit told him. "Go and get the ball. You know you're not to just \ leave it in the yard. You can put it away."
Simon sighed but ran and did what he was told. He knew better than to disobey or talk back. Neither his Grandfather nor Jack would allow that. He glanced over at Nanny and added her to the list of adults that made sure he and his brother obeyed.
Once the ball was put away, the three followed Nanny Magrit into the house. "Where are they?" Jankin asked.
"In the parlor. Now, wash your hands in the sink and then you can go, calmly, to the parlor. They're waiting for you."
Ethan was looking at her curiously but followed the boys and washed his hands. "The puppy?" he said softly, so the boys wouldn't hear.
Magrit grinned and nodded her head. Ethan grinned back and the two waited until the boys were done.
"Okay – now no running, but you can go and meet the guest."
The two boys walked as quickly as they could, without technically running, towards the parlor. When they arrived, followed by their Grandfather and Nanny, they both stopped. Uncle Jack was standing looking at them with a very serious expression on his face.
"Who is it, Uncle Jack?" Simon asked, frowning. "Nanny Magrit said there was a guest."
"Well, it's not exactly a guest," Jack told the older boy. "In fact, it's a new member of the family."
Both the boys looked confused, until Sam stepped forward from where she was standing behind the door. "How would you like to meet this little guy," she said, the puppy in her arms.
There was dead silence for a brief few seconds, and then the boys erupted in squeals. They rushed towards Sam, but Jack grabbed them both by their collars.
"Slow – you don't want to scare him," he said. "You have to be quiet and gentle, or you'll frighten him. Remember, he's just a baby."
"A baby?" Jankin asked, walking slowing towards Sam. "Can I see him?"
"Of course." Sam squatted down and let the boys come up and gently pet the little puppy. They laughed when it began to lick them, and its tail began wagging furiously.
"Shall I put him down?" she asked.
"Mmm hmm, although we may want to put some paper down first. He isn't house trained yet."
"Of course he isn't," Magrit said, shaking her head, although she ran and got some paper to lay on the carpet.
Ethan walked up beside her and helped her stand after putting the paper down. "Don't worry – we'll make sure to not leave all the work to you. This will be good for the boys."
"All of them," she said softly, nodding towards Jack. Ethan smiled at her in agreement.
By this time the puppy was wobbling around, checking its new environment and people. It couldn't quite decide whether to pay more attention to Simon, or to Jankin, and instead went back and forth, continuing to give doggy kisses.
"Just remember to be very gentle," Jack cautioned them. "you could hurt him if you're too rough."
"What's his name?" Jankin asked.
"He doesn't have one, yet," Jack told him. "Since he belongs to you and Simon, you'll have to decide on a name."
Two little boys looked at him in wonder. "He's ours?" Simon asked, sounding breathless.
"Mmm hmm. That means he's your responsibility. Although we'll help and of course we'll show you how, you'll have to look after him. That means playing with him, making sure he gets food and water and exercise. Can you do that?"
Two boys nodded their heads. "Yay, he's our puppy!" Jankin began dancing around, which caused the puppy to bark and get under everyone's feet.
Jack and Sam both laughed, although Jack didn't let it go on too long. He picked up the puppy, who promptly curled up in his arms and fell asleep. All the activity had tired out his little puppy body.
"Okay everyone, you need to settle down and be very quiet," Jack told them as he settled on the couch. "The little guy is a baby and needs his sleep. I have a crate and in a little while you can help me make up a comfy bed for him. But first – I think he deserves a name, don't you?"
Everyone took a seat, with the boys crowded up beside Jack, one on each side. They couldn't get over the fact that they now had their very own puppy.
"So, what's it to be?" Jack asked. "What should we name him?"
"Doggy!" Jankin shouted out.
"That's silly," his brother answered. "His is a doggy – that's not his name."
"I like it," Jankin pouted.
"Well, why don't you each come up with some names and then you can decide together which one you like best," Sam said diplomatically. "And no criticizing the other's choices, okay? Now, we have one suggestion – Doggy. Simon, what about you?"
Simon looked down at the little fluff ball sleeping in Uncle Jack's arms. "How about Huckleberry?" Simon said. Jack had told the boys the story of Huckleberry Finn, one of their favorites.
"Hmm that's a good name too," Jack told Simon. "So, now we have two names. Boys, the dog is yours so do you want any of the adults to suggest names, or do you want to decide?"
Simon and Jankin looked at each other, pleased that they were being asked to make the choice. Finally, Simon spoke up.
"You can each say a name, but Jankin and I will choose. Is that okay?"
"That sounds very fair," Sam told them with a smile. "So, who's next? Magrit? What's your suggestion?"
"Hmm – well, how about Cookie? I know how much the boys love those!"
Both Simon and Jankin thought that was very funny and seriously considered that name. But first, they wanted to hear from the other adults. "Grandpa? What's your name?"
"Well, let me see." He looked fiercely at the young, sleeping pup. "How about Bear. He's very furry."
"That's a good name, Gwandpa!" Jankin told him. "Now, Uncle Jack?"
"Oh, the pressure," Jack said, pretending to think deeply about the choice. "How about Pluto?" he suggested.
"That's a good name, too," Simon told him, wanting to make sure that Uncle Jack received the same praise.
"Pluto?" Sam grinned, "As in the planet or the dog?"
"The dog, of course," Jack told her. "Unfortunately, Pluto lost its planet status – which you should know, Ms Astrophysicist!"
Sam just grinned at him. "So, lots of great names. I guess it's my turn."
"Yes, Auntie Sam," Simon told her. "You pick a name and then Jankin and I will choose one."
"Okay. Well, this is very hard."
Jack watched as Sam went into serious thought mode. He could see the tip of her tongue as she frowned and considered her choice. It brought a slight pang to his heart. This is how she had looked on so many missions as she tried to come up with a miracle – often where the outcome was usually life or death. He felt a moment's sadness but then realized that she was focused on something joyous and good. His heart continued to beat fast, but now it wasn't because he was sad or homesick, but because he realized how much he loved this woman.
"Well, I love the idea of Huckleberry, since it was also one of my favorite stories, but it seems a bit long and big for such a little guy. How about Finn? His official name could be Doggy Huckleberry Finn – but we could call him Finn for short."
That met with immediate approval by the two little boys and a nod of appreciation from Jack. "Great choice," he said to her, softly. "I love how you made them both feel good!"
"Sorry I couldn't include Pluto," she told him gently, with a gleam in her eye.
"Next dog," he told her, causing her brows to go up.
"You plan to have two?"
"Why not? Can you ever have too many?"
"Uh – yes. But we could name the cat, Pluto," she told him. "It's a perfect name for a cat."
He sighed, but then finally grinned. By this time Finn, who was now the proud owner of a very elaborate name, woke up and began to whine.
"All right everyone. I think little Finn needs some supper and then to bed. Simon – you can go into the closet in my room. There are bowls in there and some puppy food. Why don't you bring them down and we'll show you how to feed and give him water. And then, it's to bed – for all of you!"
Once the boys and Finn were settled for the night – which hadn't been easy as all were excited and over-stimulated, the adults relaxed in the parlor.
After chatting for a little while, and having some tea and lemon cake, Ethan and Magrit both declared they were ready for bed. Once they'd said goodnight, Sam and Jack were left alone in the parlor.
"That was fun," Sam said with a sigh. "They're such dear little boys."
"Yes, they are. Luckiest thing ever that it was Ethan who found me," Jack said, thinking back to that time over a year before. "In some ways - ", he stopped and looked pensive.
"In some ways?" Sam prodded.
He gave a small smile, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I was going to say that – in some ways, I feel like I've been given another chance," he said softly. "I didn't think I could bear to have a child again, but with these two I feel like I can – I don't know, redeem myself, maybe."
She was silent for a moment, not wanting to say the wrong thing. "I don't think you have anything to redeem yourself for, Jack, but I know it's not really my place to say anything about that. What I do know, is that those boys – and Ethan and Magrit – are so lucky that you came into their lives. And not just them – there's Magda and Magnus – who both told me how you pushed them – gently – into each other's arms. You've had a positive effect on so many people – here and on Earth. You're a good man, Jack O'Neill, and those boys are very lucky."
Jack looked uncomfortable and like he didn't know how to answer. "Uh – well, I don't think I've done anything, really – but thank you. I'm just – I feel like I've screwed up more than I've helped," he admitted. "I mean – I left you and you almost died."
"Jack! You didn't leave me – you were captured. I know I was awful to you for a long time about that, and I'm so, so sorry. But, even when I was still angry – and I'll admit that I was – I knew consciously that it wasn't your fault. It's just – it was the trauma speaking, not my common sense. I've always trusted you and that hasn't changed," she told him. "As I said, Jack, you're a very good man – even if you don't always recognize it!"
"And you, Samantha Carter, are one very special human being. You do know that the boys adore you, don't you?"
"Just the boys?" she asked softly, deciding to address the elephant in the room.
Jack immediately looked down, his fingers moving around and around the teacup he was holding. He didn't answer for a bit, but then he looked up with a serious expression.
"Sam -"
"No," she held up her hand, "you don't need to say it. I know – I understand and I agreed to the terms of our friendship. But – I know how I feel – and I know how you feel. I just – want us to be honest."
He closed his eyes and finally set the cup down on the coffee table. "Sam – I care for you," he said with a crooked grin. "And yes, that's totally inadequate for how I feel. And I know you feel the same. But – things haven't really changed. You know I can't – that we can't – Sam, I told you!"
"About your – wounds? Yes, you told me but – are you sure? Jack, I don't want to embarrass either of us here, but there have been – uh – indications – that maybe you're not totally – that, uh – things may be working better than you thought."
Jack was extremely uncomfortable, and wasn't sure whether to curl up in embarrassment or to laugh when looking at Sam's red face and listening to her halting words.
He ended up chuckling. "I must admit, this is a conversation I never thought I'd have with you – or anyone, if truth were told." He scratched the side of his nose, not because it was itchy, but because he wasn't quite sure what to say. It was embarrassing.
"Uh – you may be – I mean, yes, there is – some indication – but Sam," he told her gently, "it's not just physical. I mean – I told you – ah hell! This is crazy. Sam, I can't have a relationship – not now! I'm just – not ready."
"But maybe in the future?" she asked, bluntly.
He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath. He thought seriously about what she was saying. Would he be able to get over what had been done to him? He knew he was a lot better, since he'd begun to see Kisamor, but he wasn't "over" it by any means. He had begun to suspect that he was getting better, physically and that maybe he would be able to have a sexual relationship. But just because he might be physically able, that didn't mean that he would be emotionally healed enough.
He sighed. But he wanted to be able to have a relationship. He loved her and could think of nothing better than being able to build a life with Sam.
He finally opened his eyes. "I don't know," he admitted. "Maybe – but – not now. And Sam, I can't promise anything, and I'd feel terrible for you to wait and then – me not be able to get over what I experienced. I would feel guilty -"
"Don't," she said bluntly.'
"Don't?"
"Feel guilty. You're not asking me to wait, so you have nothing to feel guilty about. If I choose to do so, that's on me. Look Jack – we're here for the rest of our lives. We have landed in a good place – a place with people who love and care for us. There is nothing forcing us to do anything – and you're not making me do anything. So, stop with the guilt and let me make my own choices."
He stared at her for a few seconds until finally he nodded. "I can do that, as long as you know that we" he gestured between them, "may never be able to move beyond friendship."
"I know – but that doesn't mean I won't keep trying," she warned him. "I'm not going to do anything to make you feel uncomfortable, but I'm also not going to pretend I don't love you, because I do."
He gave her a crooked grin. "I know," he told her gently. "And you know I love you too. Let's just – hope – that I can get my head on straight and get through this!"
"You don't have to push yourself," she reminded him. "I have lots of patience and I want you to feel good about everything. We'll continue to be friends, and there will be no pressure. If – when – things change, that will be wonderful. If they don't – or can't – then we'll still have one another as the best of friends."
"It's a deal," he told her, wishing suddenly that he could get up and take her in his arms. In fact – he stood up. "C'mere," he told her, holding out his arms. A second later he had those arms wrapped around the woman he loved most in the whole world. He knew it probably wasn't smart, but it was what they both needed – or at least what they both wanted.
It wasn't very long before his body proved that it was getting better. He knew Sam noticed, but she didn't say anything, for which he was grateful. Still, it made him feel like there was hope for them. He knew he wasn't emotionally ready to move things forward, but for the first time since they'd landed on Varid, he felt a real sense of hope.
"I'd better walk you home," he finally said, pulling back and dropping his arms.
"That would be nice," she answered with a smile. She reached up and put her arm through Jack's. "Okay Mr. O'Neill, you can take this lady home!"
"It would be my pleasure, Ma'am," he answered, equally as formally. They both laughed and headed out into the cool evening air. Together they walked slowly, talking of nothing important – but both with hearts that were much lighter than they had been before.