Over the next week they got a lot done.
They started to paint while the boys were at school. Ben was still in pre-school and Alex had started elementary school this summer. So the mornings were just for Sam and Jack. They thought about splitting up, doing a room each, but where would have been the fun in that? So they started to paint Charlotte's room first. They could build the furniture while Alex and Ben's room was drying.
Sprinkles of blue and dusky pink paint were all over Sam's maternity overalls, as were on Sam's face. Everything she did she did with passion and well planned. She looked comfy in these clothes and she was. Her maternity overalls supported her pregnant belly just right. The pants stood in contrast with her form fitting white shirt. Jack leaned into the door frame and took a moment to watch her. He loved looking at her.
The pink handprint on her butt made him smirk. The opportunity just presented itself earlier, so he dipped his hand into the paint and gave her a slap on that perfect butt of hers, marking her with his handprint. When the moment of surprise faded she couldn't stop her giggle. And he swore to himself that he'd try every day to fill this house with her happy giggle as much as possible.
She knelt down, and while crouched, she meticulously touched up the areas around the sockets, ensuring that the paint completely concealed the previous white in every corner.
With a sigh she stood up and gently rotated her neck from one side to the other, a soothing attempt to relieve the tension that had settled there. With her eyes closed, one hand pressed against her lower back while the other glided delicately over her shoulder, tracing a path toward her spine.
That was the moment when Jack stepped closer to her, letting his fingers glide gently over her shoulders. He traced a slow path down her shoulder blades and along her spine, all the way to her lower back, applying a gentle pressure in an attempt to provide relief.
A moan escaped her every time he hit the right spot. Her head fell back onto his shoulders, though he was still able to reach her lower back. But now with her head on his shoulder and his chin on hers he had the perfect view of her breasts. It didn't take him long to move his hands from her back around her waist over her belly, drawing her closer. Pressed tightly together she could feel how turned on he was. Another moan that she couldn't control was all he needed to continue his exploration. His hands grabbed her breast rough and immediately started to pleasure her.
"Oh god, that's just what I need right now." She told him between gasps.
"So just lean back and relax, I got you." His whisper tickled her sweet spot underneath her ear before he sucked on her earlobe. She put her hands in his back pockets to hold on to something while his hand pushed down between her legs. The other one kept massaging her breast and teasing her nipple.
It didn't take long for her to come in his arms. Heavily breathing with sweat running down her collarbone she bathed in Jack's soft caresses until her breathing was nearly back to normal.
Slowly she turned around and for the first time since they started this she could look him in the eyes. What she saw was a mix of lust and pure love. Her arms crossed at his back when she kissed him. She took his lower lip between her teeth before her tongue slipped into his mouth. Finding herself in a duel with his tongue, not clear who's going to win this battle.
"Since all we can do now is wait for the walls to dry before we can put up the furniture I think it makes sense that we use the time and take a shower. Wash off the paint of our bodies." She suggested, hidden motives obvious. "I could rub your back."
"Oh you could rub more than my back, honey." He suggested, his voice laced with longing.
Sam squealed as he lifted her up and with an ease as if she weighed nothing he carried her to the bathroom.
They quickly undressed each other as they could hardly wait and got under the hot spray of the shower. As much as Jack longed for her touch, the more he wanted to feel the warmth of his own hands on her skin. He gently soaped her while caressing every inch of her skin. His hand stopped on her belly and he couldn't help himself to joke:
"If we keep up these activities, the little one will definitely come before the due date."
She blushed, but she needed more, needed to feel him inside of her. So she turned around to give him better access, that was one of the few positions she felt comfortable with at the moment. And even if his knees protested he was the luckiest man alive and wouldn't dare to complain. Hot and wet they came together and with one last thrust he filled her completely.
They managed to put up at least the changing table before Sam had to get the boys. Jack stayed behind to put the rest of Charlotte's room together.
The next day Daniel helped to set up Sam's office, it was the first room that they had moved and each day they brought boxes over that Sam had already packed, books, dishes and cutlery, toys and most of her clothes. It was only the boys room left and some of her things. The rest was planned for Saturday and Sunday.
Sam and Jack had their very first real date planned for friday. Dinner and a movie. Cassie offered that the boys could sleep with her and she would watch them Saturday so that most of the move could be done then. If everything goes as planned they will finally live with Jack completely next week.
Friday came and they dropped Alex and Ben off at Cassie's. They had dinner at an Italian restaurant, both trying to adjust to the fact that it was only them. No kids. They could actually talk without little ears listening.
"Do you think the boys will miss their home? I mean, they chose my house, but despite their decision I'm sure it's not that easy."
"I'm sure there will be times when they will miss it. But as you said, they chose your home, and we will make it our home. They want to move on and are happy to make this move with you, as am I!" She told him, placing her hand onto his while she picked up her pasta with the fork in her other hand. Her thumb stroking carefully the back of his hand.
For dessert they shared a piece of chocolate cake with a velvety texture that melts in your mouth. Its deep, dark cocoa color was inviting, the layers reveal a moist crumb that balances perfectly between sweetness and a hint of bitterness. The frosting, thick and glossy, gliding over the surface like a silky blanket. With each forkful they could taste the intense chocolate flavor, complemented by subtle notes of vanilla and perhaps even a hint of espresso. Topped with chocolate shavings or fresh berries, this slice of indulgence promises a delightful experience for any chocolate lover.
"Mmh, this is so good." Sam moaned, pointing at the cake with her fork.
"Better than…?" He didn't need to say it out loud.
"Not exactly better, but it will be a good substitute for the time we won't be able to…"
Jack laughed so hard he drew everyone's attention to their table.
"Oops." And that in return made Sam laugh.
It was a short walk from the restaurant to the cinema and they enjoyed the cool air on their way. They could choose between a romantic comedy, an action movie or a horror movie. While Jack told her he didn't care and it was her turn to choose, so he would be okay with a rom-com too, but he was glad when she decided for the action movie. And to be honest, the movie didn't matter for a first date, as soon as the lights were turned off they would be making out anyway.
They felt like teenagers again and hadn't kissed that much in a long long time.
Jack had his arm around Sam's shoulder, his fingers caressed the back of her head when he drew her closer to indulge in sweet promising kisses. At the end of the night neither of them could tell the story of the movie, but they would claim it was the best movie night ever.
It would be one of the last nights they would sleep at Sam's house and they'd make the best of it. For the first time there without the children.
Afterwards they lay close together. Jack reached for the blanket to cover their naked bodies, but didn't stop to trace patterns over her sensitive skin. The part underneath her breasts where the belly began now didn't feel as firm as it had in the last days, in fact it felt really soft, he could push his hand deeper than before and he wondered.
"She has really dropped down, hasn't she?"
Her hand reached for the same spot to test his assumption. She took his hand and guided it from where it lay, down over her belly and towards her pelvis. His hand was spread over where he could feel the baby's head.
"She has." Sam confirmed his suspicion in a hushed voice. Closing her eyes she enjoyed the feeling of his hands down there. "You'll be with me, right?"
"Of course I'll be with you, why wouldn't I?"
"I'm just a little afraid, I think. It's been 4 years since I've done this. I'm not that young anymore." She squirmed.
"You're way younger than I am, Sam. You've got nothing to worry about. It's like riding a bike, you'll do great." Jack told her while he constantly massaged her sore back. It didn't take her long to fall asleep on him.
Saturday and Sunday they got it all done and while Jack and Daniel finished the last bits Sam and the boys drove to their house to finally say goodbye. After today they wouldn't come back.
All of them took their time, walking through each room one last time until they reached the living room. They sat down for a moment to silently say their goodbyes.
"Everything okay?" Sam asked.
"Yeah mom, it's strange that we won't come back here, but I'm looking forward to living with Jack." Alex said.
"Yeah, it will be like we're a real family." Ben agreed.
"Honey we are a real family, just that it's now Jack instead of your daddy, but the concept is the same, and he loves us just as much!" She embraced them both at the same time to give her words deeper meaning.
"Can we go and see Jack now, mommy?"
"Yeah baby, let's go home!" She told them, got up from the couch and outside she locked the door one last time.
At home the boys immediately smelled that Jack had ordered their favorite food.
"Mom, hurry, Jack got pizza!" Ben called out to his mom while Sam got the last box out of her car.
Jack met her at the door to take the box and kiss her hello.
"Hey, welcome home! I thought we needed to celebrate this correctly and ordered pizza. Hope you don't mind."
"Thank you! And you're right, we should celebrate. I can't believe we finally made it."
He sat the box down, closed the front door and hugged her.
"I can't believe it either. When I met this young, eager captain I never thought that we'd end like this. I gave you a week and thought you'd given up by then, boy you proved me wrong. Later on I hoped we'd get a chance, but never thought it possible to be together. You took a detour, but man I'm the happiest guy alive that you're finally here. You and the boys." He told her and loved how she blushed because of his words.
"Oh I wanted to prove myself to you so desperately. I wanted to show you that I wasn't the geeky scientist you thought I was. I gave up on us because I didn't think this war would ever end. But you're wrong in one point…"
She smirked at his surprised expression.
"It's not the end, Jack. This is our beginning!"
They enjoyed their first dinner together at home, finally living together. Now they would face all those daily routines together.
Everyone had a big smile on their face and Ben's smile only grew wider as Jack announced that he would pick him up after school tomorrow to cash in Ben's birthday present.
Usually Sam picked up the boys, so when Jack came to get Ben he had a quick chat with Ben's teacher. Though he overheard a kid talking to Ben while he got dressed.
"Who's that, Ben? Why isn't your mom picking you up today?"
With a voice full of pride Ben answered: "That's my new dad! We're going ice skating today, just him and me. He will teach me how to skate."
Jack's heart swelled with pride, and tears brimmed in his eyes, barely held at bay. Ben hadn't called him dad before and it was totally okay that he called him 'Jack', but just the thought that this little boy thought of him as his dad was overwhelming.
Ben flew into his arms when he greeted him. "Jack!"
"Hey buddy, are you ready?"
"I'm so ready, I could hardly think of something else today."
"Then let's go. We've got the ice rink for ourselves for two hours before it opens. An old friend of mine is working there and he'll let us in. I thought it would be good to have it all to ourselves for your first lesson."
"Wow, that's great. Let's go then."
At first Jack put on his skates and then turned to Ben to help him with his. He kneeled in front of the little boy, lacing his shoes. No matter how hard he tried, the memories of his first time on the ice with Charlie popped up in his head. Charlie had been a year younger than Ben, but worked it out really quickly.
His thoughts were interrupted when Ben held out his hand for support as he tried to stand up with those unusual shoes.
Jack helped him on finding his footing on solid ground, allowing himself to become accustomed to the feel of the skates before they stepped on the ice.
They stood at the opening that led onto the ice and Jack could feel Ben's hesitation. He squeezed Ben's hand and kneeled down next to him.
"I'm here Ben, we're doing this together. I'm not letting you go until you feel like you want to try. At some point you will fall, you then just need to get up again. Don't be afraid, I can't even tell how often I fell before I got it, and even then."
He took Jack's hand and together they stepped onto the ice. Jack tried it while he skated backwards and held both hands firmly in his grasp. Ben made a few first steps but wasn't quite able to skate. So Jack changed his tactics and moved behind Ben. He held him under his arms and skated a whole round, guiding Ben from behind. Showing him what it felt like to move on ice.
An hour later it already looked like skating and Ben was able to do one round with just one hand held by Jack. He became braver with every round.
At the end of the two hours Ben had fallen multiple times, but even learned to get up all by himself. He did the last rounds on his own with Jack following him, ready to step in if needed.
When the ice rink filled with other people they decided to leave.
They sat next to each other taking off the shoes when Ben kneeled next to Jack so he would be able to be face to face with him. He slung his arms around Jack's neck and gave him a kiss. His ice cold mouth touched Jack's cheek, but as cold as his lips were they warmed Jack's heart.
"Thank you, Jack. That was the best birthday present this year!"
"You're welcome Ben. It was fun. Maybe next time we can bring Alex too. You're steady enough that I can handle you both. However your mom and Charlotte will only be able to watch us for a while."
"I wonder when Charlotte will be born. Do you think she'll come soon?" Ben wanted to know. He hadn't talked much to anyone about the upcoming birth, but he felt that he could talk to Jack.
"I have a feeling we don't have to wait that much longer, but you'll never know. She'll come when she's ready. You have to promise me one thing, Ben." Jack told him.
"What?"
"It will be a bit chaotic at first when she's here. We all need time to adjust to the new situation, she will wake up a lot to be fed or get her diapers changed, she will cry and we don't know why and it will be messy, but I promise you it will also be great. We will try our best to handle all of this, but by doing so it might be that we focus on her a little more. Please let me know when you feel neglected, that's nothing we do on purpose, but we might do it, so just don't be mad at us and talk to us, okay?"
"I promise, Jack. Alex and I can help with the baby."
"Thank you. I know, and we're going to tell you when to help. I love you, Ben."
"I love you too, dad!"
As Ben became enveloped in his embrace, Jack found himself struggling to wipe away a solitary tear that had escaped his eyes nevertheless.