Sam and her boys, 5b: More baby steps, NC17, Sam/Jack/Siler
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Summary: Jack accepting who he is
Chapter 5b: More baby steps (NC17)
When he heard the doorbell, Jack looked toward it with a glare. He was suddenly annoyed enough to be tempted to stay silent and see what happened; but he had a suspicion he'd just end up even more ticked off while Siler left, and even *he* realized that that was a dead end. He just really hated having to be the grown-up one.
The second ring was much shorter and Jack knew he had to act so he yelled "It's open!", hearing the anger in his tone.
Swearing shortly, Jack made himself take a deep breath as he heard the door open and familiar steps shamble toward the kitchen. As much as he wanted to make a fuss about the knocking, let along about his not using his key, Jack didn't trust his temper and just shut up, looking down at his chopping board.
But he did make himself look up when Siler walked into the kitchen, looking a little too impassive to be comfortable, haphazardly carrying.. flowers??
He must have caught the incredulous look, because Siler smirked at him, putting the gas-station flowers on the island, "For you. Figured I owed ya. Do you have any idea how much ribbing I got from the damn things you sent me that time in the infirmary?"
Suddenly not so pissed, Jack grinned at the thought of the sergeant resisting a blush as Walter and Simmons riled him. Remembering why he'd felt compelled to send him flowers in the first place, though, he winced, feeling more contrite now than his alien-afflicted state had let him be then. "I really *am* sorry for hurting you."
Blinking at him with curious surprise, Siler shrugged, "You weren't yourself."
He looked around silently and Jack smiled, relaxing a little, "Sam got called in." He snorted, "Thoroughly pissed about it, too." As much as he also hated losing any time that they should be spending together, it was still funny to see his old workaholic-Carter suddenly not want to go to work to the point of snarling a blue streak.
Feeling the edge of temper in the general's demeanour, Siler thought about the truth of what he'd told Sam; she was still a large part of the link between them. Not all of it by a long shot, but enough that he wasn't willing to push things and risk his old hidden friendship with either of them. He shifted sideways minutely, nodding to the door, "You want me to.."
The question, the choice to go forward or to stop this, lay between them. And for whole seconds, they were just two old soldiers, too used to standing tall, alone and un-helped, to easily admit, even to themselves, the comfort they found in each other. Stiff faces used to keeping their emotions hidden from people they were responsible for did not easily ask for affection; nor even company.
But Siler was a survivor and didn't see much use in denying who he was or what he wanted; it didn't matter if you admitted it or not, losing still hurt. He deliberately relaxed his stance, watching Jack face the kind of epiphany he'd had yesterday, kneeling besides their bed. They were already *too close*.
It had only been a few seconds, no matter how long it felt, when Jack shook his head as though to clear it, then quirked a half-grin that didn't quite light his eyes, but was still friendly, "Not unless you want to."
Impasse. Ah well. Fear said leave, but his instincts said stay. Instincts had kept all too many accidents from actually killing him; instincts won. Stepping forward again, Siler picked the flowers back up, "Sam have somewhere she puts these?"
Keeping his breathing steady through force of training, Jack nodded to the top of the cupboards where a vase sat gathering dust, just barely in reach of the tall sergeant. Hating how close he'd come, more than once tonight, to making a mess of this, he watched Siler shake his head wordlessly at the state of the glass and wash it before unwrapping and dumping the stems in. Yeah, he should probably buy flowers more often. Or maybe Si' would take care of it...
When he turned with the crumpled wrapping in his fist and a questioning look, Jack nodded to the cupboard under the sink. Trying to convince himself that he'd become a fair diplomat, these last few years, he cleared his throat, using prepping veggies for the grill as a reason to look down as he spoke, "Make yourself at home, Siler. We.." he shrugged, glancing up quickly to meet the sergeant's steady expression, "*I* really meant what I said; don't be a stranger. Even without the sleeping together.. thing, you'd still be a friend, not a ship passing in the night; the house is the least of things you have the run of."
The tone was too controlled behind the forced humour, making it obvious there were deeper feelings throwing the general. Siler relaxed a bit more, though Jack, back to staring at his chopping, couldn't see. He was more than willing to accept that typical O'Neill awkwardness. Not that he couldn't use a relaxing drink right about now. Half-tempted to go to the liquor cabinet, he resisted the bad idea and opened the fridge, correctly assuming he'd find beer. Pulling a bottle out, Siler looked over his shoulder, "You want one?"
Jack looked up at the question and grinned, "Man after my own heart." He turned back to his knife before the heat he felt on his face could show when he heard his own words. Damned getting to know each other thing.
When the sergeant twisted off both their caps and handed Jack his bottle, he nodded his thanks, taking a grateful swig of the cool drink. Then he watched him nod to the chopping board, "Want some help?"
Jack raised a surprised brow, "You cook?"
Siler snorted, giving him a dry look, "Jack. I've been alone for damn near 50 years. And I haven't always had a base cafeteria handy. Yeah, I *cook*."
Jack shrugged, reaching for another knife, "Didn't help Sam.."
####
Standing on the deck in the early evening sun, listening to their quiet neighbourhood, Jack closed his eyes, taking another swig of beer as the BBQ slowly warmed up besides him; just enjoying the homey, peaceful feeling. He opened his eyes when Si' stepped out with the plates and cutlery, watching the way the man moved, slow but smooth, as he got the feel of their house, reminded of Sam when she'd visited him in Washington. Soldiers and unfamiliar places. For that matter, soldiers and newcomers in *their* places...
He watched as Siler straightened from the weathered wooden deck table, slowly stretching his arms fully out, his tight white t-shirt almost pulling out of his age-softened blue-jeans as he raised himself to his bare toes and then relaxed, eyes closed and head thrown back in the fading sun. Looking at ease and happy, the faintest of smiles breaking his impassive mask, Siler wasn't paying him any attention, but Jack's mind still flashed to another evening. To entirely different circumstances putting a smile on the sergeant's backward-tilted face.
He really wished the heat of the day was the reason he was suddenly feeling hot. He really did.
Narrowing his eyes and about to stubbornly focus on the meat waiting for the grill, Jack was caught and held when Siler tugged his sweat-damp shirt over his head. For a minute, he didn't even think about it, just stared and remembered watching Sam's hands first smooth and then dig into those heavy, work-born muscles as Siler lost his mind. And spilled on Jack's tongue.
Remembered feeling that smooth skin move against his as he lost his *own* mind. It took Siler straightening and turning for Jack to face that he'd been daydreaming about making love with him.
This time when Siler saw Jack's stiff discomfort, he made the connection to the shirt he still held and he straightened, watching him steadily. Sam's worry the night before came back to him and *Jack's* answer was suddenly rather important. He didn't.. *mind* either way. He could handle it if everything between the two of them was linked to Sam. He didn't think he'd misread them so badly as to there being much chance of either going back to a platonic relationship or.. losing them. But he needed to know where he and Jack stood. He knew all too well that his morality was looser than most, whereas the general had definitely been raised in the more accepted cultural mainstream.
He opened his mouth and then blinked, momentarily debating just what to say. Finally picking what he'd been *told* to use rather than the formality automatically trying to trip off his tongue, he asked, utterly calmly, "Jack? Look, I'm not sure what-" He clenched his jaw in annoyance as Jack slashed a hand at him and grunted an obvious order for quiet. As well have used 'general'!
"Siler-" he interrupted himself and took a breath, shrugging his shoulders, "I apologize, ser-" he clenched his teeth, looking like he was swearing a blue streak at himself, "There's a part of me that keeps poking its head up and trying to..." his hand waved in frustration.
"To tell you this is wrong." And he bet that that 'part' spoke with the general's parents' voice; or his drill sergeant's.
Siler saw Jack's eyes narrow at his calm words. "Not *this*-" he waved house and base-ward, including Sam in the word; then stared at him, flustered, "Just the.. you and me part."
Siler almost grinned; that 'you and me' thoroughly appealed to his sense of humour. And the frustrated tone -and the fact that its existence meant Jack at least partially *didn't* want 'them' to end- kept any of this from feeling like rejection. "There doesn't *have* to be-"
"Ah ah ahhh! I have no intention of humouring outdated cultural conditioning, Siler. We have.. fun together, right?"
His control wasn't up to completely controlling the grin that *that* thought put on Siler's lips, but he did manage to choke it down to a reasonably calm, "Yes, sir."
He saw Jack wince at the term of address, but the general let it slide, speaking in a rare, conciliatory tone, giving him a quietly appealing look, "So. I want this, you want this. Have a bit of patience for me? I swear I'm working at the reactions."
Damn it.. *when* had he gone so soft on the man? He was sure there was a time he treated him just like any other officer, albeit one actually worthy of respect. Siler shrugged, again ignoring fear's warning that he was stepping far deeper than he ever had before.. here there be dragons and all that jazz. "I'm a sergeant, Jack, I'm used to having patience with officers."
He grinned when he managed to make Jack laugh with that one. He liked the sound; real, honest to god, pleasure. With *him*. Very nice thought.
He lifted the shirt he'd crumbled in his hands at some point in their discussion, "Want me to put the shirt back on?" His ego loved the idea that he bothered the general, but he didn't need to rub it in.
Still smiling at the noncom's too-often true jab, Jack leered at him deliberately, kicking the hesitation firmly into the BBQ to burn. There was *nothing* fucking wrong with wanting Siler; physically or emotionally. Fuck anyone who thought otherwise. "..No."
Siler quirked a fast grin, knowing he'd straightened a little too pridefully at that one, and that his pulse had gone up at the honest appreciation. "..OK," he tilted his head, keeping his face utterly blank as he spoke, "Willing to take yours off?"
Jack froze, breath catching and a pool of heat tensing his gut at the very direct look in Siler's eyes. Okayyyyy. He had a hard enough time understanding what *Sam* saw in him, especially these days... But he *was* determined to get over the barriers between them so he put the beer down and pulled the already half-undone Hawaiian-print shirt over his head.
Refusing to spend any more time thinking about it, Jack threw the shirt on the railing and turned to his BBQ. He was about to fork up a steak to put on the warming grill when Siler spoke up with a lazy tone, "Does having the run of the house extend to critiquing your cooking?"
Jack looked up in surprise, giving the man now leaning on the railing a couple steps away a curious look, "What's wrong with my cooking?"
Siler swallowed his smirk at the slightly defencive tone and nodded at the not-yet-ready grill, "You put your meat on that, you'll burn supper."
Jack smirked at him, though he did put the fork back down, "Maybe I *like* my meat hot-"
####
Supper finished, Sam's leftovers put away for her and the kitchen cleaned, they'd poured themselves some drinks to sip and put the TV on, relaxing on the couch.
The third time Jack responded to a casual comment with an all-too-familiar barely-moderated snarl, Siler raised a questioning brow at him, "You sure you wouldn't rather be alone, sir?"
Jack's head spun on him, gawking, "..'Sir'? Am I being that bad?"
He shrugged, not particularly worried about it either way and thinking that Jack really had been on edge all night. They were all loners, if Jack didn't know how to ask for alone-time from him, he didn't mind doing the talking, -all part of the good-sergeant training, he mentally smirked-, "Sorry. Yeah, you are."
He watched the general blink a few times and then turn back to the TV, looking a little embarrassed and grumbling, "Ah. Funny thing; it's not just women who get grouchy during their periods."
"..Oh!" Siler smirked, caught by surprise at the strange idea. Of all things he'd never had to learn about women... He tried to keep his voice laconic, aware that his eyes were probably giving away the laughter in his head, "Little horny, Jack?"
The man snorted, hunching lower on the couch and downright mumbling his response, "Yeah. And the damn phone rang in the middle of my shower this morning."
This time he couldn't help it, Siler laughed sharply before choking it to a grin, "You know," he leaned over, eyeing the tanned skin and white hair showing through Jack's still-open shirt, "We *could* do something about that..." Feeling about 14 for the manoeuvre, he laid a hand high on Jack's thigh, still grinning, and waited for the snarky response he knew had to be incoming.
####
Sam hurried up the steps, smiling that Siler's truck was sitting peacefully in their drive. One of the many reasons she'd been snarly at being called in had been the lonely feeling that she wasn't going to get to see him tonight. Between the chances of being stuck at the mountain all night and her suspicion that he and Jack weren't comfortable spending much time alone... But it seemed she'd misjudged her boys' willingness to admit their own feelings.
Stepping into the house quietly, she heard the baseball going on the TV and rolled her eyes; then again, maybe they'd simply lost track of time in their mutual love of sports.
Oh well, at least she got to spend some time with them. She was getting downright greedy for any personal time with these men.
Stepping into the living room, Sam froze, eyes widening and feeling a sudden pool of arousal throbbing through her pelvis. She carefully leaned against the doorway, controlling her breathing; as surprised at just how hot she was getting in the middle of her period as she was at seeing the two of them fooling around on the couch like teenagers.
Whoever had started it, Jack was leaning back in the corner now, shirt wide open, Siler crouching over him, *his* shirt sitting in a pile at her feet, the heavy muscles on his bare back flexing as they mixed not-quite-hesitant kissing with laughing bites at each other's necks and jaw.
Jack had one hand digging in a heavy shoulder blade with strength he rarely let himself use on her, the muscles of his arm standing out, tensed. Sam could just see the side of his other one, the hand hidden between the two men, moving in a regular motion; the jerky tension in his expression giving her a big hint of just what he was doing.
On the one hand, she didn't want to interrupt for anything, but she also *really* wanted to *touch* them, hear those rough, under-voice murmurs from up close, feel their soldier's power under her itching palms. When their roughhousing suddenly stilled, one of Siler's hands held Jack's jaw, thumb teasing his lips as he whispered in his ear, his other hand stroking gently over Jack's chest. And Sam could see the expression on Jack's face getting familiarly tight, his eyes closing.
She stepped forward quietly, feeling literally pulled to them; to the breathless little moan in Jack's throat as he jerked off. To what she knew would be Siler's raspy aroused mutter.
Jack was preoccupied enough not to hear her, but Siler's eyes lifted to her, smiling as he shifted so that she had access to the man under him.
She slid a hand over Sly's hot, sweat-slick skin, dropping her lips to take her own bite at Jack, finding the red marks Siler had left a very appealing trail to follow as her other hand slid over his ribs. Soaking up the familiar feel of prickly hair under fingertips until she found the tight bud of a nipple and felt him twitch, not even trying to make out Siler's so-shivery words over Jack's harsh groan as he stiffened, shuddering under their touch.
Smiling against his neck, lazily sampling his salty skin with the tip of her tongue, Sam felt him slowly slouch back, boneless and sighing Siler's name, even as he turned his head to dopily nuzzle for her lips.
She whispered against his cheek, smiling gleefully into Sly's bright eyes, beyond happy to not only be away from work, but to be reassured of them. "I'm home."
She and Siler continued to stroke him, nibbling and kissing, him and each other, basking in the pleasure they found together, their hands touching and playing over his chest; comforting, soothing, even as she made a point of sliding her other hand down to the back of Siler's waist. She wriggled her fingers past his belt to stroke the soft skin just below and his hips rocked forward against Jack's thigh, making dark brown eyes pop open to meet hers with a grin as Siler moaned into his neck. No. Her boys were perfectly comfortable. And damn but that made her need attention herself!
Jack turned his head, closing teeth that didn't look all that teasing on Siler's ear and muttering something that made him catch his breath and awkwardly get off Jack to sit back in the middle of the couch. Stealing a short, hard kiss from her general, Sam left Jack to un-slouch himself and grab Kleenex while she climbed slinkily onto the couch besides Siler; making him grin happily. Sliding her hands to his nape and feeling him slide his palms along her forearm, eyes locked to hers with a quiet pleasure, she sat on her haunches and grinned at the anticipation in his expression before covering his lips for a sloppy, lazy, playful kiss. It had always been so easy to play with him...
She felt him moan suddenly, his hand tightening on her forearm, and shivered herself, knowing what she'd see if she turned her head. She was already throbbing so much... She didn't realized she'd whimpered until Siler's free hand cupped the crotch of her pants, thumb stroking near her clit with a jerky clumsiness. She really did need to come, but she could wait a few minutes, especially if she got to watch Siler lose his so-controlled mask and give in to pleasure; let them see the man under the protective shield he gave the world. Why even the thought of watching Jack blow him would make her so damn desperate that she couldn't quite resist grinding herself against Siler's willing hand...
When his head jerked back onto the couch, panting as his powerful hand pulsingly gripped her arm, Sam followed him down, aiming for an untouched corner of his neck; trying to be gentle and avoid marking him hard enough to last. Her palm slid down to cop a feel from his breastbone down his sternum; hot, sweaty, soft skin over hard, shivering muscle, finally coming to a stop on his right hip under the flap of his opened jeans, dislodging Jack's tight grip to press Siler's already twitching body down herself.
Power in all its forms was an aphrodisiac; power over him to hold him down, the power in his body. Power to bite and hear him cry out raggedly; power to change to soothing, gentle, innocent kisses along his lips and feel him shiver. Listening to his broken moans as he tried to turn and kiss her, feeling the wild jerk of his muscles as he half-tried to get out of hers and Jack's grip.
She was tempted, so tempted, to slow even more, trusting that Jack was watching and would follow. But Siler had enough presence of mind or body to transfer his desperation to twitching his thumb hard on her.
Sam didn't need a translator; 'Get me off and I'll get you; just *get me off*'. Ignoring his threatening growl when she lifted her lips from his skin, she looked down, meeting Jack's eyes. She'd meant to grin and silently tell him to go for it, but she froze, fixing on watching him riling Siler up with obvious enjoyment. It took seeing his lips twist into a smirk at her fascination to snap her out of it and she turned back to Siler with a quick chuckle at her own expense.
Tracking half-teasing bites to his ear, she blew along the rim gently, feeling his tension ratchet up several notches against her, and whispered, rocking against his hand, "I remember how much fun sucking you off was, Siler; don't ever think I don't. And one of these days I am going to get to your cock before Jack does and-" She closed her teeth on his earlobe as he groaned, swearing breathlessly, and she had to strain to hold him down, feeling his fingers digging hard into her arm. Oh hell yeah, there was nothing like listening and watching these two men lose every bit of their composure to hard pleasure.
His mind just a little fuzzed with bliss, Siler sat and shivered as they soothed him, Sam trailing lips he felt smiling down his chest as Jack gently tucked him back in his pants, stroking his belly with rough cheeks.
Jack's presence disappeared first, and then Sam moaned near his heart and he opened his eyes lazily, not especially surprised to see Jack shift her to the couch besides him and lower her pants.
"Jack..." Sam reached down and half-heartedly tried to stop him.
Siler grinned when Jack rolled his eyes at her, "Carter, don't be daft."
She didn't have time to argue the definition of 'daft' before he licked a finger and parted her swollen labia, casually shifting the white string out of his way before lowering his lips.
Torn between watching and participating, Siler let his body recover a bit as he took the lazy visual option. Flickering between Sam's hands, gripping Jack's hair, and the expression on her face, twisting and twitching with slow pleasure. He was just deciding to at least open her shirt when she shuddered with a breathless cry of 'Jack', her body starting to buck in earnest. Temptation was too strong and he slid off the couch, shaking Jack's shoulder with a low mutter "Share?"
Sam tried to follow his mouth when Jack raised his head, giving Siler a wink as he pulled her hands from his hair to Siler's and climbed onto the couch besides her, hearing the changed tone in her voice as Siler took his place. So, different technique, or- The thought fizzled out for some other day as he held her head and slid his tongue into her mouth, moaning at the starved hunger she responded with, licking at his mouth madly. He finally remembered he still probably had traces of Siler and chuckled around the hard kiss, understanding that the strange connection between all of them wasn't to be denied.. especially not when you were already about to- Yeaaahhhh. The muffled scream he swallowed was a damned rare sound. He could seriously get addicted to this.
He was nuzzling Sam's neck as she drowsed when he felt Siler climb up behind him and Jack smiled to himself, leaning back against him and pulling Sam to lay on his chest along the couch. "Not squashing you, are we sergeant?"
He felt the snort shake him slightly as Si' brought one hand on his shoulder, sneaking under his shirt to lay warmly on his skin as the other reached around to touch Sam's side, "Do you have any idea how much I can press, general?"
Jack narrowed his eyes in thought, "..Umph. Something around 350?"
He grinned at the silence his good memory produced while Sam ignored their posturing and snuggled down on his chest.
The sergeant finally sighed, relaxing and, at a guess, resting his head on the corner of the couch, "Was an easy 400 not so long ago."
Lips twisting in agreement with the sentiment, Jack reached down to pat the thigh at his side. Numbers were an undeniable and grating reminder of age. He didn't even want to think how few sit-ups he was managing these days; his old drill sergeant would just kill him, never mind Teal'c. He'd thought that now that he was free of Washington he'd get himself back into condition, but that old adage about it getting harder with time.. was all too damned true.
Sam, proving she was paying attention even if she chose not to say anything, turned her head to lazily join in the discussion, "Saying I need to up the mandatory PT, Siler?"
Jack snickered at the idea of the base soldiers all having to hit the gym longer just because the three of them cuddled on the couch.
"You know very well I don't mind working out, Sam. Just hard to find the time between emergency repair jobs."
"They have you doing light bulbs again, Si'? Ow!" Jack threw a wounded look over his shoulder for the playful punch to his arm.
"Master sergeants do not do light bulbs, general."
Jack was ready to continue the discussion, but Sam, giggling softly, crawled up and shut him up, making Siler chuckle as he watched them, stroking them both softly.
####
Jack leaned against the living room's door sill, watching the sergeant pull his shirt on and tuck it in, thinking about the last week's frustration.
Again silently grumbling at this whole 'getting to know each other' thing, he wished he could just order them all past this and... on to...... umm. Right; the reason to get to know each other and get to know their relationship. To figure out where they were going.
Mental snarl, verbal idle tone: "Working tomorrow, Siler?"
He looked up, momentarily uncomfortable-looking, "Err, got Monday-night poker at my place." It wasn't a direct answer, but it answered the real question well enough: no, not coming over.
Sam got back from taking their glasses to the kitchen and slid under Jack's arm as Jack nodded, "Well, I've got baseball practise on Tuesday, so you kids'll have the house to yourselves."
####
Jack yawned as he unlocked the front door, worn out from chasing and jollying his pack of kids around the field. It wasn't until he heard the quiet of the house that he remembered Siler was going to be over tonight, his movements slowing as he wondered where they were. And could he join them... Though, there hadn't been a truck in the drive. Damn. A peek into the living room after he got his coat off reassured him and made him remember that the sergeant owned a bike too; which Jack could have missed in the dark.
He silently toed his shoes off as he watched Samantha sitting at the end of the couch, Siler stretched out on it with his head in her lap; fast asleep as she read the latest issue of her physics magazine.
She looked up and smiled at him suddenly as he stood watching them. The sergeant looked exhausted, dark circles under his closed eyes as she absently ran her fingers through his hair, the couch afghan thrown over his chest and upper legs haphazardly, showing bits of what looked like another of Jack's uniforms. Sam looked tired too; but also relaxed, at ease.. and happy to see him as she dropped her magazine on the end table.
Feeling at peace with the suddenly quiet evening with.. his lovers, he walked over to lean a hip on the back of the couch next to her head and collect a kiss before nodding at the silently sleeping man on her lap. He whispered, not wanting to wake him, "Tough day?"
Sam nodded, glancing at the sergeant herself and whispering back, "Yeah. We spent the day chasing power spikes that were blowing cabling in the hardest to reach places you could imagine. He was too shaky to be riding his bike so I 'ordered' him to let me drive him home." She took a deep breath, looking resigned, "And he's on evenings starting tomorrow."
Jack winced, "Hard to resist doing something about it, isn't it?"
Sam nodded, "Yeah. I'm not going to see him for a week."
He watched her fingers stroke Siler's temple softly, listening to him snore but otherwise lay unmoving. "..You can work late; wouldn't exactly be something new."
Sam turned her face up at that, frowning worriedly and bringing her free hand up to cup Jack's cheek, "Jack.."
He grinned softly, "Hey. I'll have company all day if I play *my* cards right. I can share. And I'll have you all night..." If something as simple as reminding her that he wasn't a needy jerk meant she and Si' got to work together, he was all for it. It meant she had someone he trusted to watch over her and that Si' got to spend time with her, which Jack had gotten him to reluctantly admit he missed as they did the dishes the other night.
For that matter.. maybe he could arrange for them to have work to do here; and then *he'd* get to spend time *watching* them working.
He blinked when she changed the subject on him, bringing her hand down to rest on Siler's shoulder, "How did the kids do?"
Rather than risk waking the sergeant by shifting his feet, Jack went over to sit in his chair, relaxing, "Good. A couple good hitters, a few good catchers. They'll have fun."
Sam grinned, watching the satisfaction under his tiredness; she loved seeing him content with life. The kids weren't the only ones who would have fun. "Good. You eat?"
"Yeah. Took everyone out for burgers afterwards. You?"
"Chinese." She looked down as Siler shifted, as though looking for a more comfortable position, "We should get him to bed."
Jack opened his eyes, nodding and coming to crouch in front of them. Watching Si' sleep for a few seconds, he looked up to share a grin with Sam.
Neither had to say it out loud. He was cute when he slept. And he'd kill them if he knew they'd thought it.
Jack reached over and shook Siler's shoulder gently, watching him blink blearily awake, look at Sam and then turn to him. He was still blinking sleepily when his hand half lifted toward Jack and he muttered, "Hey."
Jack chuckled, standing up with a wince at the ache in his knees after the energetic evening and holding a hand out, "Come on Si', lets get you to bed."
He pulled at the hand Siler gave him, frowning when the man froze in pain halfway to sitting up, "Siler?"
Sam slid her arms under his back to slowly help him sit all the way up and he mumbled a slurry complaint, "Damn bloody crawl-spaces made for midgets to crawl in and cables located at the end of *my* reach. Can handle one. Even five. But there were a lot more than *that* today."
Jack slung Siler's arm around his neck to pull him all the way upright and hold him until he steadied, "Should tell your boss to go easier on you." He winked at Sam when she rolled her eyes at him, sliding herself under Si's other arm even as he started to stand on his own; his head still hung as though it was too heavy for his neck. He remembered feeling like that himself all too often; there was a strange warmth to the thought that this relationship meant they were there to make sure Siler wasn't left to suffer alone.
They all started toward the stairs before Si' got around to answering, "My boss was right in front of me, crawling *backwards* and trying to grab hold of those same cables."
Jack snorted softly, nodding at Sam to get the lights, "Yeah, but she's damn near 15 years younger. And smaller getting through those crawl-spaces."
Siler nodded wordlessly, then made it up the stairs without falling or falling asleep; but pretty much the second his head hit the pillow, he was back to snoring softly.
Shaking his head, Jack clumsily got him undressed, wondering how the hell he slept through getting rolled and shifted like a sack of potatoes; if anyone tried that with *him*... The raw scrapes and bruises he found already forming over the sergeant's arms and back told a story of their own and Jack winced; he was going to be so stiff tomorrow he'd have a hell of a time even moving. Jack made a note to set his better painkillers out on the bedside table.
"He'll be alright, Jack."
He looked up as Sam walked over and slid into his arms for a kiss and a hug. "I know. I just hate to see you guys hurt. You know that." They'd discussed, several times and at length, the annoyance he caused when he was worried and helpless to do anything about it.
Sam shook her head at him, smiling softly, "Just remember he doesn't have all my years of learning to put up with O'Neill mothering. He's been alone all his life; you start twitching around him and he'll bite your nose off."
Jack grinned, rubbing said nose on hers, "I'm well aware that Sparky can snark. He's used *me* as a target for years."
Sam snorted softly, not bothering to respond. She dropped her head on Jack's shoulder and closed her eyes, relaxing as he held her and stroked her back absently, nuzzling the hair at her temple. One of her hands came up to touch the side of his neck; he hadn't shaved today and the raspy sensation was one of those little things that short-circuited thinking to really tell her body that she had a good life. Like hearing someone breathe besides her as she fell asleep and woke up.
"I should wash up," he turned her face up to his for a quick kiss, "Get into bed before you fall asleep on your feet, colonel."
Sam didn't bother denying it, she just watched with a tired grin as he walked to the bathroom, enjoying the view, then stripped and slid into the middle of the bed, pulling the covers over herself and Siler and cuddling into his side, an arm around his waist. Falling asleep almost immediately to the sound of his blood pumping under one ear and his too-often broken nose rumbling in the other.
Goto Chapter 5c: Learning (PG13)
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Summary: Jack accepting who he is
Chapter 5b: More baby steps (NC17)
When he heard the doorbell, Jack looked toward it with a glare. He was suddenly annoyed enough to be tempted to stay silent and see what happened; but he had a suspicion he'd just end up even more ticked off while Siler left, and even *he* realized that that was a dead end. He just really hated having to be the grown-up one.
The second ring was much shorter and Jack knew he had to act so he yelled "It's open!", hearing the anger in his tone.
Swearing shortly, Jack made himself take a deep breath as he heard the door open and familiar steps shamble toward the kitchen. As much as he wanted to make a fuss about the knocking, let along about his not using his key, Jack didn't trust his temper and just shut up, looking down at his chopping board.
But he did make himself look up when Siler walked into the kitchen, looking a little too impassive to be comfortable, haphazardly carrying.. flowers??
He must have caught the incredulous look, because Siler smirked at him, putting the gas-station flowers on the island, "For you. Figured I owed ya. Do you have any idea how much ribbing I got from the damn things you sent me that time in the infirmary?"
Suddenly not so pissed, Jack grinned at the thought of the sergeant resisting a blush as Walter and Simmons riled him. Remembering why he'd felt compelled to send him flowers in the first place, though, he winced, feeling more contrite now than his alien-afflicted state had let him be then. "I really *am* sorry for hurting you."
Blinking at him with curious surprise, Siler shrugged, "You weren't yourself."
He looked around silently and Jack smiled, relaxing a little, "Sam got called in." He snorted, "Thoroughly pissed about it, too." As much as he also hated losing any time that they should be spending together, it was still funny to see his old workaholic-Carter suddenly not want to go to work to the point of snarling a blue streak.
Feeling the edge of temper in the general's demeanour, Siler thought about the truth of what he'd told Sam; she was still a large part of the link between them. Not all of it by a long shot, but enough that he wasn't willing to push things and risk his old hidden friendship with either of them. He shifted sideways minutely, nodding to the door, "You want me to.."
The question, the choice to go forward or to stop this, lay between them. And for whole seconds, they were just two old soldiers, too used to standing tall, alone and un-helped, to easily admit, even to themselves, the comfort they found in each other. Stiff faces used to keeping their emotions hidden from people they were responsible for did not easily ask for affection; nor even company.
But Siler was a survivor and didn't see much use in denying who he was or what he wanted; it didn't matter if you admitted it or not, losing still hurt. He deliberately relaxed his stance, watching Jack face the kind of epiphany he'd had yesterday, kneeling besides their bed. They were already *too close*.
It had only been a few seconds, no matter how long it felt, when Jack shook his head as though to clear it, then quirked a half-grin that didn't quite light his eyes, but was still friendly, "Not unless you want to."
Impasse. Ah well. Fear said leave, but his instincts said stay. Instincts had kept all too many accidents from actually killing him; instincts won. Stepping forward again, Siler picked the flowers back up, "Sam have somewhere she puts these?"
Keeping his breathing steady through force of training, Jack nodded to the top of the cupboards where a vase sat gathering dust, just barely in reach of the tall sergeant. Hating how close he'd come, more than once tonight, to making a mess of this, he watched Siler shake his head wordlessly at the state of the glass and wash it before unwrapping and dumping the stems in. Yeah, he should probably buy flowers more often. Or maybe Si' would take care of it...
When he turned with the crumpled wrapping in his fist and a questioning look, Jack nodded to the cupboard under the sink. Trying to convince himself that he'd become a fair diplomat, these last few years, he cleared his throat, using prepping veggies for the grill as a reason to look down as he spoke, "Make yourself at home, Siler. We.." he shrugged, glancing up quickly to meet the sergeant's steady expression, "*I* really meant what I said; don't be a stranger. Even without the sleeping together.. thing, you'd still be a friend, not a ship passing in the night; the house is the least of things you have the run of."
The tone was too controlled behind the forced humour, making it obvious there were deeper feelings throwing the general. Siler relaxed a bit more, though Jack, back to staring at his chopping, couldn't see. He was more than willing to accept that typical O'Neill awkwardness. Not that he couldn't use a relaxing drink right about now. Half-tempted to go to the liquor cabinet, he resisted the bad idea and opened the fridge, correctly assuming he'd find beer. Pulling a bottle out, Siler looked over his shoulder, "You want one?"
Jack looked up at the question and grinned, "Man after my own heart." He turned back to his knife before the heat he felt on his face could show when he heard his own words. Damned getting to know each other thing.
When the sergeant twisted off both their caps and handed Jack his bottle, he nodded his thanks, taking a grateful swig of the cool drink. Then he watched him nod to the chopping board, "Want some help?"
Jack raised a surprised brow, "You cook?"
Siler snorted, giving him a dry look, "Jack. I've been alone for damn near 50 years. And I haven't always had a base cafeteria handy. Yeah, I *cook*."
Jack shrugged, reaching for another knife, "Didn't help Sam.."
####
Standing on the deck in the early evening sun, listening to their quiet neighbourhood, Jack closed his eyes, taking another swig of beer as the BBQ slowly warmed up besides him; just enjoying the homey, peaceful feeling. He opened his eyes when Si' stepped out with the plates and cutlery, watching the way the man moved, slow but smooth, as he got the feel of their house, reminded of Sam when she'd visited him in Washington. Soldiers and unfamiliar places. For that matter, soldiers and newcomers in *their* places...
He watched as Siler straightened from the weathered wooden deck table, slowly stretching his arms fully out, his tight white t-shirt almost pulling out of his age-softened blue-jeans as he raised himself to his bare toes and then relaxed, eyes closed and head thrown back in the fading sun. Looking at ease and happy, the faintest of smiles breaking his impassive mask, Siler wasn't paying him any attention, but Jack's mind still flashed to another evening. To entirely different circumstances putting a smile on the sergeant's backward-tilted face.
He really wished the heat of the day was the reason he was suddenly feeling hot. He really did.
Narrowing his eyes and about to stubbornly focus on the meat waiting for the grill, Jack was caught and held when Siler tugged his sweat-damp shirt over his head. For a minute, he didn't even think about it, just stared and remembered watching Sam's hands first smooth and then dig into those heavy, work-born muscles as Siler lost his mind. And spilled on Jack's tongue.
Remembered feeling that smooth skin move against his as he lost his *own* mind. It took Siler straightening and turning for Jack to face that he'd been daydreaming about making love with him.
This time when Siler saw Jack's stiff discomfort, he made the connection to the shirt he still held and he straightened, watching him steadily. Sam's worry the night before came back to him and *Jack's* answer was suddenly rather important. He didn't.. *mind* either way. He could handle it if everything between the two of them was linked to Sam. He didn't think he'd misread them so badly as to there being much chance of either going back to a platonic relationship or.. losing them. But he needed to know where he and Jack stood. He knew all too well that his morality was looser than most, whereas the general had definitely been raised in the more accepted cultural mainstream.
He opened his mouth and then blinked, momentarily debating just what to say. Finally picking what he'd been *told* to use rather than the formality automatically trying to trip off his tongue, he asked, utterly calmly, "Jack? Look, I'm not sure what-" He clenched his jaw in annoyance as Jack slashed a hand at him and grunted an obvious order for quiet. As well have used 'general'!
"Siler-" he interrupted himself and took a breath, shrugging his shoulders, "I apologize, ser-" he clenched his teeth, looking like he was swearing a blue streak at himself, "There's a part of me that keeps poking its head up and trying to..." his hand waved in frustration.
"To tell you this is wrong." And he bet that that 'part' spoke with the general's parents' voice; or his drill sergeant's.
Siler saw Jack's eyes narrow at his calm words. "Not *this*-" he waved house and base-ward, including Sam in the word; then stared at him, flustered, "Just the.. you and me part."
Siler almost grinned; that 'you and me' thoroughly appealed to his sense of humour. And the frustrated tone -and the fact that its existence meant Jack at least partially *didn't* want 'them' to end- kept any of this from feeling like rejection. "There doesn't *have* to be-"
"Ah ah ahhh! I have no intention of humouring outdated cultural conditioning, Siler. We have.. fun together, right?"
His control wasn't up to completely controlling the grin that *that* thought put on Siler's lips, but he did manage to choke it down to a reasonably calm, "Yes, sir."
He saw Jack wince at the term of address, but the general let it slide, speaking in a rare, conciliatory tone, giving him a quietly appealing look, "So. I want this, you want this. Have a bit of patience for me? I swear I'm working at the reactions."
Damn it.. *when* had he gone so soft on the man? He was sure there was a time he treated him just like any other officer, albeit one actually worthy of respect. Siler shrugged, again ignoring fear's warning that he was stepping far deeper than he ever had before.. here there be dragons and all that jazz. "I'm a sergeant, Jack, I'm used to having patience with officers."
He grinned when he managed to make Jack laugh with that one. He liked the sound; real, honest to god, pleasure. With *him*. Very nice thought.
He lifted the shirt he'd crumbled in his hands at some point in their discussion, "Want me to put the shirt back on?" His ego loved the idea that he bothered the general, but he didn't need to rub it in.
Still smiling at the noncom's too-often true jab, Jack leered at him deliberately, kicking the hesitation firmly into the BBQ to burn. There was *nothing* fucking wrong with wanting Siler; physically or emotionally. Fuck anyone who thought otherwise. "..No."
Siler quirked a fast grin, knowing he'd straightened a little too pridefully at that one, and that his pulse had gone up at the honest appreciation. "..OK," he tilted his head, keeping his face utterly blank as he spoke, "Willing to take yours off?"
Jack froze, breath catching and a pool of heat tensing his gut at the very direct look in Siler's eyes. Okayyyyy. He had a hard enough time understanding what *Sam* saw in him, especially these days... But he *was* determined to get over the barriers between them so he put the beer down and pulled the already half-undone Hawaiian-print shirt over his head.
Refusing to spend any more time thinking about it, Jack threw the shirt on the railing and turned to his BBQ. He was about to fork up a steak to put on the warming grill when Siler spoke up with a lazy tone, "Does having the run of the house extend to critiquing your cooking?"
Jack looked up in surprise, giving the man now leaning on the railing a couple steps away a curious look, "What's wrong with my cooking?"
Siler swallowed his smirk at the slightly defencive tone and nodded at the not-yet-ready grill, "You put your meat on that, you'll burn supper."
Jack smirked at him, though he did put the fork back down, "Maybe I *like* my meat hot-"
####
Supper finished, Sam's leftovers put away for her and the kitchen cleaned, they'd poured themselves some drinks to sip and put the TV on, relaxing on the couch.
The third time Jack responded to a casual comment with an all-too-familiar barely-moderated snarl, Siler raised a questioning brow at him, "You sure you wouldn't rather be alone, sir?"
Jack's head spun on him, gawking, "..'Sir'? Am I being that bad?"
He shrugged, not particularly worried about it either way and thinking that Jack really had been on edge all night. They were all loners, if Jack didn't know how to ask for alone-time from him, he didn't mind doing the talking, -all part of the good-sergeant training, he mentally smirked-, "Sorry. Yeah, you are."
He watched the general blink a few times and then turn back to the TV, looking a little embarrassed and grumbling, "Ah. Funny thing; it's not just women who get grouchy during their periods."
"..Oh!" Siler smirked, caught by surprise at the strange idea. Of all things he'd never had to learn about women... He tried to keep his voice laconic, aware that his eyes were probably giving away the laughter in his head, "Little horny, Jack?"
The man snorted, hunching lower on the couch and downright mumbling his response, "Yeah. And the damn phone rang in the middle of my shower this morning."
This time he couldn't help it, Siler laughed sharply before choking it to a grin, "You know," he leaned over, eyeing the tanned skin and white hair showing through Jack's still-open shirt, "We *could* do something about that..." Feeling about 14 for the manoeuvre, he laid a hand high on Jack's thigh, still grinning, and waited for the snarky response he knew had to be incoming.
####
Sam hurried up the steps, smiling that Siler's truck was sitting peacefully in their drive. One of the many reasons she'd been snarly at being called in had been the lonely feeling that she wasn't going to get to see him tonight. Between the chances of being stuck at the mountain all night and her suspicion that he and Jack weren't comfortable spending much time alone... But it seemed she'd misjudged her boys' willingness to admit their own feelings.
Stepping into the house quietly, she heard the baseball going on the TV and rolled her eyes; then again, maybe they'd simply lost track of time in their mutual love of sports.
Oh well, at least she got to spend some time with them. She was getting downright greedy for any personal time with these men.
Stepping into the living room, Sam froze, eyes widening and feeling a sudden pool of arousal throbbing through her pelvis. She carefully leaned against the doorway, controlling her breathing; as surprised at just how hot she was getting in the middle of her period as she was at seeing the two of them fooling around on the couch like teenagers.
Whoever had started it, Jack was leaning back in the corner now, shirt wide open, Siler crouching over him, *his* shirt sitting in a pile at her feet, the heavy muscles on his bare back flexing as they mixed not-quite-hesitant kissing with laughing bites at each other's necks and jaw.
Jack had one hand digging in a heavy shoulder blade with strength he rarely let himself use on her, the muscles of his arm standing out, tensed. Sam could just see the side of his other one, the hand hidden between the two men, moving in a regular motion; the jerky tension in his expression giving her a big hint of just what he was doing.
On the one hand, she didn't want to interrupt for anything, but she also *really* wanted to *touch* them, hear those rough, under-voice murmurs from up close, feel their soldier's power under her itching palms. When their roughhousing suddenly stilled, one of Siler's hands held Jack's jaw, thumb teasing his lips as he whispered in his ear, his other hand stroking gently over Jack's chest. And Sam could see the expression on Jack's face getting familiarly tight, his eyes closing.
She stepped forward quietly, feeling literally pulled to them; to the breathless little moan in Jack's throat as he jerked off. To what she knew would be Siler's raspy aroused mutter.
Jack was preoccupied enough not to hear her, but Siler's eyes lifted to her, smiling as he shifted so that she had access to the man under him.
She slid a hand over Sly's hot, sweat-slick skin, dropping her lips to take her own bite at Jack, finding the red marks Siler had left a very appealing trail to follow as her other hand slid over his ribs. Soaking up the familiar feel of prickly hair under fingertips until she found the tight bud of a nipple and felt him twitch, not even trying to make out Siler's so-shivery words over Jack's harsh groan as he stiffened, shuddering under their touch.
Smiling against his neck, lazily sampling his salty skin with the tip of her tongue, Sam felt him slowly slouch back, boneless and sighing Siler's name, even as he turned his head to dopily nuzzle for her lips.
She whispered against his cheek, smiling gleefully into Sly's bright eyes, beyond happy to not only be away from work, but to be reassured of them. "I'm home."
She and Siler continued to stroke him, nibbling and kissing, him and each other, basking in the pleasure they found together, their hands touching and playing over his chest; comforting, soothing, even as she made a point of sliding her other hand down to the back of Siler's waist. She wriggled her fingers past his belt to stroke the soft skin just below and his hips rocked forward against Jack's thigh, making dark brown eyes pop open to meet hers with a grin as Siler moaned into his neck. No. Her boys were perfectly comfortable. And damn but that made her need attention herself!
Jack turned his head, closing teeth that didn't look all that teasing on Siler's ear and muttering something that made him catch his breath and awkwardly get off Jack to sit back in the middle of the couch. Stealing a short, hard kiss from her general, Sam left Jack to un-slouch himself and grab Kleenex while she climbed slinkily onto the couch besides Siler; making him grin happily. Sliding her hands to his nape and feeling him slide his palms along her forearm, eyes locked to hers with a quiet pleasure, she sat on her haunches and grinned at the anticipation in his expression before covering his lips for a sloppy, lazy, playful kiss. It had always been so easy to play with him...
She felt him moan suddenly, his hand tightening on her forearm, and shivered herself, knowing what she'd see if she turned her head. She was already throbbing so much... She didn't realized she'd whimpered until Siler's free hand cupped the crotch of her pants, thumb stroking near her clit with a jerky clumsiness. She really did need to come, but she could wait a few minutes, especially if she got to watch Siler lose his so-controlled mask and give in to pleasure; let them see the man under the protective shield he gave the world. Why even the thought of watching Jack blow him would make her so damn desperate that she couldn't quite resist grinding herself against Siler's willing hand...
When his head jerked back onto the couch, panting as his powerful hand pulsingly gripped her arm, Sam followed him down, aiming for an untouched corner of his neck; trying to be gentle and avoid marking him hard enough to last. Her palm slid down to cop a feel from his breastbone down his sternum; hot, sweaty, soft skin over hard, shivering muscle, finally coming to a stop on his right hip under the flap of his opened jeans, dislodging Jack's tight grip to press Siler's already twitching body down herself.
Power in all its forms was an aphrodisiac; power over him to hold him down, the power in his body. Power to bite and hear him cry out raggedly; power to change to soothing, gentle, innocent kisses along his lips and feel him shiver. Listening to his broken moans as he tried to turn and kiss her, feeling the wild jerk of his muscles as he half-tried to get out of hers and Jack's grip.
She was tempted, so tempted, to slow even more, trusting that Jack was watching and would follow. But Siler had enough presence of mind or body to transfer his desperation to twitching his thumb hard on her.
Sam didn't need a translator; 'Get me off and I'll get you; just *get me off*'. Ignoring his threatening growl when she lifted her lips from his skin, she looked down, meeting Jack's eyes. She'd meant to grin and silently tell him to go for it, but she froze, fixing on watching him riling Siler up with obvious enjoyment. It took seeing his lips twist into a smirk at her fascination to snap her out of it and she turned back to Siler with a quick chuckle at her own expense.
Tracking half-teasing bites to his ear, she blew along the rim gently, feeling his tension ratchet up several notches against her, and whispered, rocking against his hand, "I remember how much fun sucking you off was, Siler; don't ever think I don't. And one of these days I am going to get to your cock before Jack does and-" She closed her teeth on his earlobe as he groaned, swearing breathlessly, and she had to strain to hold him down, feeling his fingers digging hard into her arm. Oh hell yeah, there was nothing like listening and watching these two men lose every bit of their composure to hard pleasure.
His mind just a little fuzzed with bliss, Siler sat and shivered as they soothed him, Sam trailing lips he felt smiling down his chest as Jack gently tucked him back in his pants, stroking his belly with rough cheeks.
Jack's presence disappeared first, and then Sam moaned near his heart and he opened his eyes lazily, not especially surprised to see Jack shift her to the couch besides him and lower her pants.
"Jack..." Sam reached down and half-heartedly tried to stop him.
Siler grinned when Jack rolled his eyes at her, "Carter, don't be daft."
She didn't have time to argue the definition of 'daft' before he licked a finger and parted her swollen labia, casually shifting the white string out of his way before lowering his lips.
Torn between watching and participating, Siler let his body recover a bit as he took the lazy visual option. Flickering between Sam's hands, gripping Jack's hair, and the expression on her face, twisting and twitching with slow pleasure. He was just deciding to at least open her shirt when she shuddered with a breathless cry of 'Jack', her body starting to buck in earnest. Temptation was too strong and he slid off the couch, shaking Jack's shoulder with a low mutter "Share?"
Sam tried to follow his mouth when Jack raised his head, giving Siler a wink as he pulled her hands from his hair to Siler's and climbed onto the couch besides her, hearing the changed tone in her voice as Siler took his place. So, different technique, or- The thought fizzled out for some other day as he held her head and slid his tongue into her mouth, moaning at the starved hunger she responded with, licking at his mouth madly. He finally remembered he still probably had traces of Siler and chuckled around the hard kiss, understanding that the strange connection between all of them wasn't to be denied.. especially not when you were already about to- Yeaaahhhh. The muffled scream he swallowed was a damned rare sound. He could seriously get addicted to this.
He was nuzzling Sam's neck as she drowsed when he felt Siler climb up behind him and Jack smiled to himself, leaning back against him and pulling Sam to lay on his chest along the couch. "Not squashing you, are we sergeant?"
He felt the snort shake him slightly as Si' brought one hand on his shoulder, sneaking under his shirt to lay warmly on his skin as the other reached around to touch Sam's side, "Do you have any idea how much I can press, general?"
Jack narrowed his eyes in thought, "..Umph. Something around 350?"
He grinned at the silence his good memory produced while Sam ignored their posturing and snuggled down on his chest.
The sergeant finally sighed, relaxing and, at a guess, resting his head on the corner of the couch, "Was an easy 400 not so long ago."
Lips twisting in agreement with the sentiment, Jack reached down to pat the thigh at his side. Numbers were an undeniable and grating reminder of age. He didn't even want to think how few sit-ups he was managing these days; his old drill sergeant would just kill him, never mind Teal'c. He'd thought that now that he was free of Washington he'd get himself back into condition, but that old adage about it getting harder with time.. was all too damned true.
Sam, proving she was paying attention even if she chose not to say anything, turned her head to lazily join in the discussion, "Saying I need to up the mandatory PT, Siler?"
Jack snickered at the idea of the base soldiers all having to hit the gym longer just because the three of them cuddled on the couch.
"You know very well I don't mind working out, Sam. Just hard to find the time between emergency repair jobs."
"They have you doing light bulbs again, Si'? Ow!" Jack threw a wounded look over his shoulder for the playful punch to his arm.
"Master sergeants do not do light bulbs, general."
Jack was ready to continue the discussion, but Sam, giggling softly, crawled up and shut him up, making Siler chuckle as he watched them, stroking them both softly.
####
Jack leaned against the living room's door sill, watching the sergeant pull his shirt on and tuck it in, thinking about the last week's frustration.
Again silently grumbling at this whole 'getting to know each other' thing, he wished he could just order them all past this and... on to...... umm. Right; the reason to get to know each other and get to know their relationship. To figure out where they were going.
Mental snarl, verbal idle tone: "Working tomorrow, Siler?"
He looked up, momentarily uncomfortable-looking, "Err, got Monday-night poker at my place." It wasn't a direct answer, but it answered the real question well enough: no, not coming over.
Sam got back from taking their glasses to the kitchen and slid under Jack's arm as Jack nodded, "Well, I've got baseball practise on Tuesday, so you kids'll have the house to yourselves."
####
Jack yawned as he unlocked the front door, worn out from chasing and jollying his pack of kids around the field. It wasn't until he heard the quiet of the house that he remembered Siler was going to be over tonight, his movements slowing as he wondered where they were. And could he join them... Though, there hadn't been a truck in the drive. Damn. A peek into the living room after he got his coat off reassured him and made him remember that the sergeant owned a bike too; which Jack could have missed in the dark.
He silently toed his shoes off as he watched Samantha sitting at the end of the couch, Siler stretched out on it with his head in her lap; fast asleep as she read the latest issue of her physics magazine.
She looked up and smiled at him suddenly as he stood watching them. The sergeant looked exhausted, dark circles under his closed eyes as she absently ran her fingers through his hair, the couch afghan thrown over his chest and upper legs haphazardly, showing bits of what looked like another of Jack's uniforms. Sam looked tired too; but also relaxed, at ease.. and happy to see him as she dropped her magazine on the end table.
Feeling at peace with the suddenly quiet evening with.. his lovers, he walked over to lean a hip on the back of the couch next to her head and collect a kiss before nodding at the silently sleeping man on her lap. He whispered, not wanting to wake him, "Tough day?"
Sam nodded, glancing at the sergeant herself and whispering back, "Yeah. We spent the day chasing power spikes that were blowing cabling in the hardest to reach places you could imagine. He was too shaky to be riding his bike so I 'ordered' him to let me drive him home." She took a deep breath, looking resigned, "And he's on evenings starting tomorrow."
Jack winced, "Hard to resist doing something about it, isn't it?"
Sam nodded, "Yeah. I'm not going to see him for a week."
He watched her fingers stroke Siler's temple softly, listening to him snore but otherwise lay unmoving. "..You can work late; wouldn't exactly be something new."
Sam turned her face up at that, frowning worriedly and bringing her free hand up to cup Jack's cheek, "Jack.."
He grinned softly, "Hey. I'll have company all day if I play *my* cards right. I can share. And I'll have you all night..." If something as simple as reminding her that he wasn't a needy jerk meant she and Si' got to work together, he was all for it. It meant she had someone he trusted to watch over her and that Si' got to spend time with her, which Jack had gotten him to reluctantly admit he missed as they did the dishes the other night.
For that matter.. maybe he could arrange for them to have work to do here; and then *he'd* get to spend time *watching* them working.
He blinked when she changed the subject on him, bringing her hand down to rest on Siler's shoulder, "How did the kids do?"
Rather than risk waking the sergeant by shifting his feet, Jack went over to sit in his chair, relaxing, "Good. A couple good hitters, a few good catchers. They'll have fun."
Sam grinned, watching the satisfaction under his tiredness; she loved seeing him content with life. The kids weren't the only ones who would have fun. "Good. You eat?"
"Yeah. Took everyone out for burgers afterwards. You?"
"Chinese." She looked down as Siler shifted, as though looking for a more comfortable position, "We should get him to bed."
Jack opened his eyes, nodding and coming to crouch in front of them. Watching Si' sleep for a few seconds, he looked up to share a grin with Sam.
Neither had to say it out loud. He was cute when he slept. And he'd kill them if he knew they'd thought it.
Jack reached over and shook Siler's shoulder gently, watching him blink blearily awake, look at Sam and then turn to him. He was still blinking sleepily when his hand half lifted toward Jack and he muttered, "Hey."
Jack chuckled, standing up with a wince at the ache in his knees after the energetic evening and holding a hand out, "Come on Si', lets get you to bed."
He pulled at the hand Siler gave him, frowning when the man froze in pain halfway to sitting up, "Siler?"
Sam slid her arms under his back to slowly help him sit all the way up and he mumbled a slurry complaint, "Damn bloody crawl-spaces made for midgets to crawl in and cables located at the end of *my* reach. Can handle one. Even five. But there were a lot more than *that* today."
Jack slung Siler's arm around his neck to pull him all the way upright and hold him until he steadied, "Should tell your boss to go easier on you." He winked at Sam when she rolled her eyes at him, sliding herself under Si's other arm even as he started to stand on his own; his head still hung as though it was too heavy for his neck. He remembered feeling like that himself all too often; there was a strange warmth to the thought that this relationship meant they were there to make sure Siler wasn't left to suffer alone.
They all started toward the stairs before Si' got around to answering, "My boss was right in front of me, crawling *backwards* and trying to grab hold of those same cables."
Jack snorted softly, nodding at Sam to get the lights, "Yeah, but she's damn near 15 years younger. And smaller getting through those crawl-spaces."
Siler nodded wordlessly, then made it up the stairs without falling or falling asleep; but pretty much the second his head hit the pillow, he was back to snoring softly.
Shaking his head, Jack clumsily got him undressed, wondering how the hell he slept through getting rolled and shifted like a sack of potatoes; if anyone tried that with *him*... The raw scrapes and bruises he found already forming over the sergeant's arms and back told a story of their own and Jack winced; he was going to be so stiff tomorrow he'd have a hell of a time even moving. Jack made a note to set his better painkillers out on the bedside table.
"He'll be alright, Jack."
He looked up as Sam walked over and slid into his arms for a kiss and a hug. "I know. I just hate to see you guys hurt. You know that." They'd discussed, several times and at length, the annoyance he caused when he was worried and helpless to do anything about it.
Sam shook her head at him, smiling softly, "Just remember he doesn't have all my years of learning to put up with O'Neill mothering. He's been alone all his life; you start twitching around him and he'll bite your nose off."
Jack grinned, rubbing said nose on hers, "I'm well aware that Sparky can snark. He's used *me* as a target for years."
Sam snorted softly, not bothering to respond. She dropped her head on Jack's shoulder and closed her eyes, relaxing as he held her and stroked her back absently, nuzzling the hair at her temple. One of her hands came up to touch the side of his neck; he hadn't shaved today and the raspy sensation was one of those little things that short-circuited thinking to really tell her body that she had a good life. Like hearing someone breathe besides her as she fell asleep and woke up.
"I should wash up," he turned her face up to his for a quick kiss, "Get into bed before you fall asleep on your feet, colonel."
Sam didn't bother denying it, she just watched with a tired grin as he walked to the bathroom, enjoying the view, then stripped and slid into the middle of the bed, pulling the covers over herself and Siler and cuddling into his side, an arm around his waist. Falling asleep almost immediately to the sound of his blood pumping under one ear and his too-often broken nose rumbling in the other.
Goto Chapter 5c: Learning (PG13)