Sam and her boys, 8c: Little moments like that, PG13, Sam/Jack/Siler
Back to Chapter 8b: Family emergency
or to Chapter 1 for info
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Summary: Slices of life
Chapter 8c: Little moments like that (PG13)
Cassie glared at the alarm clock.
She was going home today; the cuddling was not worth getting woken up before the sun anymore!! She'd had to bite her tongue a few times to keep from foolishly using the 'pregnant' card. The *last* thing she wanted was to have them start to treat her like an invalid. That they'd somehow avoided diving into that stereotypical behaviour was a lovely surprise that she didn't trust to last; and refused to foolishly trigger.
No matter what time of day they thought it was reasonable to start bantering down the stairs.
Knowing better after three days than to even try to get back to sleep, she got up, grumbling about crazy soldiers as she got in the shower.
####
"Come on chubby, who said you could stop?"
"*Chubby*?? Wh-who are you calling 'ch-chubby', Stubby."
Cassie groaned out loud, gently knocking her head on the cupboard in front of where she stood sipping her coffee. Oh god, name-calling now?? How old *were* they??
Hearing the ruckus coming toward the kitchen now, she looked up, unsurprised to see Siler just losing a headlock on her father. She cringed as the resulting mock-fight came a little too close to the oven.
"Boys!"
She stood glaring at them as they froze, Jack with an arm just settling around Siler's throat and the other tickling his ribs. The guilty expressions they turned on her would have been a lot funnier if it wasn't the middle of the night.
They slowly disengaged, patting and outright stroking each other as they went, the adrenaline that had made them so hyper obviously passing and leaving them a little sorry at handling each other so roughly. She shook her head; men!
"Sorry, Cass." Jack dropped a kiss on her forehead on his sweaty way to the fridge.
"Sorry, Cass." Siler, on the other hand, threw the words at her as he headed up the stairs to shower and get ready for the early shift that was causing the pre-dawn workouts.
Turing back to the retired Air force major general glugging down a glass of OJ, she shook her head, "*Stubby*??"
Jack gave her a too-innocent look, "What? He's two inches shorter than I am."
Oh that was tooo easy! Feeling wicked, Cassie shuddered ostensibly, scrunching her nose at him, "Wayyy T M I, Jack!!" When he actually choked on the start of his second glass, she only *hoped* she was keeping the laughter out of her expression.
"Cassandra Fraiser!!" he sputtered for another second, "In **height**! As you *well* knew, missy! I can't believe you even *said* that!! Even *thought* it!"
Unable to choke it any more as he shuddered dramatically, Cassie snickered, lifting her coffee cup for a sip, "Suuuure you did." Her first adoptive mom had been so right; teasing the teasers was the most fun.
Apparently at a loss for words, he shook his finger at her, mumbling about kids and respect as he went up the stairs too. Thoroughly pleased, Cassie went back to the table to continue reading her book, looking up ten minutes later when Siler came back down, wet-haired and jumpsuit-dressed and bee-lining for the coffee.
"Hey, Siler."
"Cass."
Cassie smiled, amused at how different he could be; from hyper and freely teasing Jack, to the most gentle-voiced of strong silent types.
Watching him stare around the kitchen with a frown as he sipped the strong brew, Cassie waited until he made his decision and opened the cupboard where he hid his breakfast bars, then she got up and walked over. "Siler?"
"Umm?"
She took the coffee out of his hand and laid it on the counter before pulling him into a quick hug, stepping back before he could freeze self-consciously, "I just wanted to say goodbye; going to catch a flight home today."
Slowly reaching for his coffee again, he watched her carefully, at a guess trying to see how she felt, "Had enough of the mothering?"
Since that sounded a lot better than 'I'm tired of playing mother to the two of you toddlers', she nodded, smiling a little. It wasn't a complete lie, anyway. The two of them *had* been very mothery. She just didn't *mind* that. Especially when it had helped make the sudden change in her life feel so much less terrifying.
He smiled back a little shyly, and she wondered just how rare the expression was, considering how stiff it looked, "Sorry. They're a bad influence on me."
Remembering the unhesitating way he'd flown to her rescue that first day, Cassie laughed, refraining from pointing out that there hadn't been any occasion for them to influence him. It was obvious he didn't want to think of himself as the mothering sort.
Even though he so was.
####
Looking up with a glare when the door to his borrowed office opened, Jack frowned even more at seeing Paul Davis' worried look. Damn it, he wanted to get *out* of here, not have *more* crap delay him.
"General, I'm afraid we've just received news of a possible threat to your family-"
"What??"
Wincing at his all-too familiar shout, Davis nonetheless continued smoothly, ignoring the threat inherent in the man who'd risen to a hulking stance, "I've already put Miss Fraiser under guard; I have confirmation that she's fine. And we do *not* judge the threat to extend to the Phoenix."
Right. And *he* was in the Pentagon and had a large, lethally-trained lackey for his supposed only 3-day stay. "What about the-" Shit! Jack clenched his teeth, swallowing the word 'house'. "Davis, I need to make a call *right* now." He watched the lieutenant colonel blink in surprise but turn and leave obediently as he reached for his cell; praying it wasn't monitored. Praying nothing was wrong-
When the ringing of the land-line to his house finally stopped and a sleep-grumpy voice answered "Yes?", Jack's exhaled in a rush of relief.
"Get away from the house. Now. Someone is apparently threatening my 'family'. I'll be having some people come guard the place, but-"
"Shit." Siler hopped out of bed, senses jerking awake and alert for anything threatening; and suddenly wishing *he* carried a gun, too. "What about-" he stopped, aware that Jack had been trying to be circumspect, "Umm, the little one?"
"Already under protection. Just get *yourself* to safety."
Hanging up, Jack swore under his breath, getting up and stalking to the door to get Davis back, torn between worrying about the danger to Cass -and her BABY, shit! AND her boyfriend, double shit!- and the one they'd brought to *Siler*. Fuck fuck fuck.
####
Hearing through the rumour mill that Sam was going to be several days late due to a recurrence of the bug in the Phoenix's engine-cooling plant, Siler found himself with mixed feelings. He missed her, he admitted that nowadays, and wanted her *home*. A feeling exacerbated by missing Jack too, for the last couple of days. But having his family in danger left him leery of any additional members of said family coming back to Earth.
He was working as long as he could just to avoid going home to the silence and his thoughts, stuck in a mucky sea of anxiety. Jack had contacted his cell from a pay phone that first day to let him know that someone had gotten an interest in Cass's baby. Colonel Davis had gotten her under protection before the bad guys had gotten their act together and he and Jack were hot on their trail, but Siler could read the worry in the general's tone when he asked that Siler stay on the base if he could find a reason. And if Jack was worried about *him*, then Sam would sure as hell not be safe.
And he remembered enough stories of SG-1's escapades to know that Jack *was* in danger. And there was *shit* he could do about it! Dammit!
He turned his cell on as soon as he stepped out of the mountain, aware of the old Beretta that he'd pulled out of his safe and that now rested at the small of his back, making time feel disjointed; the small gun dated back to the dark and alone days of his teenage years, but wearing it in an Air force Special Ops concealed waist holster.. felt like a tight link to Jack every time he touched the stiff leather. He was also aware that he was too obviously wary; there was no real way to hide circling his truck, and he could only hope that it wasn't obvious he was staring at the seemingly random grease marks he'd carefully put in assorted spots; trying to make it hard to tamper with his vehicle without leaving a trace.
By the time the sleep had worn off and he'd started driving home that first day, he'd already realized that he was going to have to demand/ weasel/ browbeat Jack into training him properly. There was no way he was going to be a dependant every time some fucking bastards came gunning for his family. And the Beretta and amateur trap-laying definitely left him a dependent against the kind of people that he knew all too often went after SG-1 and their hangers-on.
Hearing the 'incoming message' beep and seeing the words 'All clear; come home.' might have made him collapse against his door in relief, but nothing could take back the reminder of the danger his partners, and now he, lived under.
####
Here fits kirsty841's Home Safe
####
Laying bonelessly with her head on Jack's belly, listening to the reassuring sound of his once-again steady breathing and staring at Siler, laying besides them with his head at a level with hers and his hand twitching slightly where it rested possessively on her rear, Sam was utterly content and not the slightest little bit inclined to move. She had a feeling the smile on her face was even dopier than Siler's.
And she wouldn't give this up for anything short of the planet's very survival.
She unfolded her arm, reaching out a lazy hand to come to rest just touching Siler's upper chest, and her eyes closed, nuzzling lazily at the sweat-slick skin she was resting on, feeling Jack's hand stroke through her hair a bit before going still again. Very hazy with thoroughly pleasured tiredness and not inclined to start thinking about grim reality just yet, it took a minute for the feeling of 'something different' to seriously register. Nuzzling more firmly, she confirmed the sensory information and made the difficult decision to actually follow this inquiry, making the effort to raise her head.
When she'd gotten home, her priority hadn't extended beyond making sure her family was healthy and happy and at home.
And *safe*, considering the events Siler and Jack had hinted at over the spa- *telsystem* and that Landry had added to at the end of her debrief.
But pushing herself up with a hand on Jack's belly, creating no more than a grumble, she shoved away the grim thought for now and started to grin instead, seeing now not only the tightening of his skin over his cheeks and belly, but a light of self-confident pride in his eyes that not even his recent brooding could bury and that had been missing for a while.
Very deliberately looking him over from thighs to shoulders, by the time she reached his face, there was a pleased smirk curling his lips.
"Changed workout, general?" Sam raised her brows with a smirk of her own, watching Jack's ease into an abashed smile, his eyes sliding to Siler, still laying besides them.
Ahha! She looked down and the sergeant winked at her with that smile that was starting to make more frequent appearances with their time together; also looking a lot more tanned, now that she was paying attention to physical appearances. She looked back at Jack, chuckling quietly, pleased he'd found something to feel better about himself but not about to comment about *that*. "The sergeant been riding your ass, has he?"
She was going to lean down and get a kiss but stopped at the sudden wide-eyed look she got in response to her tease. Blinking in confusion at the blush rising up his neck and glancing at Siler for a clue, only to find him choking and starting to laugh, she replayed her words and then gaped at them for a few seconds before dissolving into giggles of her own, falling besides Jack, unable to stop the laughter bubbling through her.
Jack recovered first, tackling her and starting to tickle her ribs with a teasing growl to her neck.
That he easily avoided her lethal reaction drove home the point and managed to take care of her no doubt partially adrenaline-fed giggle-fit, kneeling face-to-face with him on the big bed and catching her breath as Siler watched them with a quizzical look.
"Just how much do you have to control yourselves to keep from killing me, anyway?"
They both turned to him with curious expressions, but Sam got her thoughts organized first. "You don't generally go out of your way to hit our trigger points, Siler. If you did..." she looked at Jack, taking the silent request to finish it, "You learn control at the same time as the moves. As long as we're awake and thinking straight.." she grimaced at assorted memories, "And are 'ourselves', we control the reflexes with the awareness of the people around us. You, Daniel, Cassie are to be careful with. Teal'c, less so. Everyone else is.. a judgement call."
*Everyone* was a judgement call, but she didn't need to remind Siler that even she and Jack should always be taken with an awareness of alien dangers; *he* was all too aware of that already.
Siler nodded, watching them steadily and deciding that this was as good a time as any to open the debate. "You need to train me."
The confused blinks he got didn't surprise him and he elaborated carefully, hoping against hope that they'd be reasonable about this, "This kind of shit is going to happen again. I'm sure Cass can take care of herself generally; but not pregnant," his head jerked at them, "For that matter, I damn well have to be able to cover either of *your* sixes if you're hurt." And maybe it would help Jack worry less about *him* and concentrate on Cass.
He watched them look at each other, not surprised at their reticence; he remembered the bleakness in Sam's eyes after some missions.
He'd never had any wish to be able to kill easily; but now... He wondered just how much having him, comparatively, a civilian was a part of the what they.. 'liked' about him; at least during the peaceful times.
They were watching him with more pain than hesitation than he'd expected. It wasn't just the idea of training him that was bothering them; it was the idea of him trained.
Jack was the one to finally speak, sounding half-resigned even as his brooding of the last few days made a reappearance, "*We* shouldn't be the ones-"
But Siler shook his head calmly, "No way is the Air Force going to field-train me at my age." And in any case, the last thing he wanted was to get sent in the field afterwards; Jack had enough worrying with *Sam* being in the field.
At least he knew they wouldn't try to argue that anyone else should personally train him, wouldn't trust anyone else to teach him well enough to keep him safe the next time some ex-Black ops bastards threatened them all.
####
Hunting through the living room and wondering if Cassie had borrowed her rarely-used purse and left it in the spare bedroom before leaving that morning, Sam yelled toward the kitchen where the boys were getting their supper ready, "Jack? Are you going to insist I use your card again?"
Accepting the beer Siler passed him, Jack rolled his eyes, watching the grin that flickered over his friend's face in curiosity as he yelled back, "'Course I am. 'S the only way I can guaranty you'll model for me." Hearing a faint grunt in reply before she went back to her grumbling, he shook his head, pushing the onion to the side of the board and starting to chop the mushrooms before he loudly grumbled right back, "How the hell come Vala gets to kidnap you when you just got back? Doesn't she know we get first dibs on you?"
"You'll have me for the whole weekend while we ride next week. She only knows about *you* and I think she sees it as rescuing me from stifling cuddl- Siler!? Why is *your* card in my handbag??"
Jack's brows flew up, mouth closing on his planned reply to Vala's comments as he looked at the smirking sergeant waiting for him to finish his part of the prep, hearing Sam's heels clipping toward them.
"What?" Siler took a sip of his beer before calling out idly, "I just want you to buy me someth-"
Glaring in exasperation as she walked into the kitchen, Sam caught Siler's eyes just before he took a swallow of his beer, only to watch as he choked on the mouthful when he saw her, eyes staring fixedly at her as Jack hurriedly went to pound his back.
Frowning from Sam to the man choking besides him, Jack took another look at Sam and then asked curiously, "Si'? I'll admit that's a.." he took yet another look, leering into her raised brow and smirk, "*Very* lovely dress, but you've not only seen her naked, you've painted her with honey and taken pictures.. what the hell's wrong with you, man?"
Catching his breath but still staring at her -or more specifically, at her cleavage- avidly, Siler answered with a cough-roughened voice, "Yeah, well, the *first* time I saw her in it, we were at work and I had to make a fast retreat or I'd have made.. an even *bigger* fool of myself."
It was Jack's turn to gawk at her, "You wore *that* in the SGC??"
Sam rolled her eyes, refraining from agreeing that it really wasn't appropriate, instead turning patient eyes on Siler, "Tell him whose fault it was."
But Siler barely blinked up at her before refocusing again, "Fault? How would I know, ma'am?"
She raised teasing brows at the slip, trying to resist a giggle at his reaction, "The person who was standing next to me..?"
"Err.. was there someone next to you?"
Now Sam grinned outright, absolutely loving the appreciative attention. Not that the boys weren't always appreciative, but it took a lot to make Siler go gaga; outside of sex anyway -*that* was always a good way to rewire his brain.
"Sammm?"
"Ummm?" Sam absently replied to Jack's suspicious tone, delighted at the way Siler was still freely relishing her outfit while slowly raising his beer back to his mouth. She should dress up more often...
"..You didn't wear the stuff from *Vic secrets* to the SGC did you??"
####
"I tell you she must have recognized me from TV." .. "You didn't see the look she gave me when she scanned it. And then when she handed me the bag she made a *point* of calling me 'general'; with a smirk! Next time Si's getting it!"
Sam laughed in his ear, "I'm pretty sure he just gets a box from the 'net."
Jack gapped, mind agog, "A *box*??"
"Jack. He's been single for a long time. He uses, *used*, it for.. independent work."
He grinned briefly, imagining her rolled eyes at having to come up with code that would pass in the SGC. "...You mean when he jerks off?"
"Yes. Jack, you've bought it before; this is in your head. Look, I have to go."
Sam growled at the handset and the sometimes exasperating man beyond it before swallowing her annoyance and lifting her eyes.
Daniel raised a brow, smirking, "Do I want to know what you were talking about?"
Trying not to blush and just as glad to be distracted from thinking of home right now, Sam blinked innocently, "..Probably not."
"..Right," his humour vanishing, Daniel's shoulders hunched a little as he started looking put-upon, "So Vala wants to invite you two for supper."
Sam blinked in surprise, "What.. why?"
"She's been watching TV too much. Decided that we don't 'entertain'," his fingers drew the apostrophes, his eyes rolling with exasperation, "Enough."
About to automatically agree, Sam's jaw clenched and she frowned. She and Jack *had* occasionally done the 'couples' thing, over the years. But... just how did that work, now? "I'll... talk about it with.. him."
She saw Daniel's eyes suddenly lock on hers and understanding wince across his expression. When he shrugged a silent apology for not thinking, Sam nodded, lips twisting ruefully at life's little quirks.
####
Still smirking at Jack turning into a prude over buying KY, Siler opened the bathroom storage cupboard. For some reason he'd expected to find a box-sized space having appeared on some nice convenient shelf.
Instead, he faced linen mountains and quasi chaos.
Holding his box on one forearm, the other hand came up slowly, stiff from the training they'd slowly started him on, to scratch his skull and then hold his nape as he shook his head, trying to decide if his curiosity was stronger than his wariness; did he want to know what all those bottles, jars, tubes and boxes were supposed to do?? He'd been around enough and been through enough fashion fads in his day; but there was a very shallow limit to what products he'd really let himself get exposed to. And this... was way beyond. Since the bathroom didn't hold a fraction so many mysteries, he had to assume that these were remnants of past attempts to interest Sam.
Looking back toward the stairs longingly, he finally gave up the hope of any rescue and faced the job at hand. Leaving the neatly stacked sheets and towels alone, he set his box down and looked at the chaos-shelf. Making the educated guess that the dusty things were *not* in some invisible order, he started reorganizing, tallest at the back and shorter things at the front, no empty gaps between. Studiously strangling the curiosity urging him reading labels; it was hard to resist curiosity, it really was.
Right up until he found, hidden way at the back on its side, one box that even *he* recognized. Starting to laugh, Siler put the last couple of jars in their new close-knit order and slid his stock into the space he'd created.
Still chuckling uncontrollably, he opened his dusty treasure as he slowly walked out of the room. Finding the bottle inside opened and half-used, he had to stop at the top of the stairs, leaning on the railing and laughing so hard he didn't trust himself to even try the steps.
"Siler??"
He looked at Sam through the tears streaking his vision. He couldn't remember the last time he'd let himself go and laughed like this, couldn't remember feeling this rush of good endorphins tingling through his whole body. Controlling himself just enough to speak, he shakily held up his evidence, "H-he actually u-u-used this?!?"
Sam watched with wide eyes as their sergeant slid down to the floor, leaning back on the railing with tears rolling down his cheeks and the widest smile utterly changing his face, his eyes shining glee at her. It was impossible not to smile with him, even as she felt her chest squeeze with feelings so strong that she felt almost paralysed.
It didn't even occur to her to look away at what had done him in. Instead, she crouched down and gently touched her lips to the deep wrinkle that had suddenly appeared at the corner of his eye.
Cherishing the intimacy; cherishing *him*.
His hilarity momentarily distracted, Siler reached up to her nape and tugged her down for soft kiss; but then he started laughing again and she pulled back from his bouncing touch, grinning and hearing Jack trail her up the stairs to investigate.
Finally getting curious, she glanced at what Siler held and burst out in giggles, turning to Jack with an evil smirk, "Gr-Grecian Formula f-for men?? You didn't!!" Watching the chagrin in her lover's expression as he stared at the ancient hair colouring and the two people killing themselves laughing, Sam could feel hiccoughs threatening and tried to choke herself down to snickers, standing up and running her fingers through his now definitely *white* hair. "Jaaack... you mean you could have flashed grey at me when we first met?"
Hunching his shoulders defensively, Jack glared down at the man still chuckling and staring up at him with the promise of endless mayhem. Wondering what had possessed him to forget to throw that bottle away during at least *one* of his moves, he muttered, "I didn't *know* you liked-" Then his eyes widened, hearing the unfortunate admission come slipping out of his mouth.
Sam's grin actually found more real estate to expand to and Si' went back to laughing, though he did manage to spit out a taut, no doubt the first of many, "Trying to im-impress the pr-pretty blonde captain, Jack?" The sergeant pulled himself upright to smirk right at Jack, reaching out and joining Sam in messing with his hair while he stood with commendable stoicism. Really; very commendable. "Heck, even *I* figured out she liked the grey," he dropped a kiss in Sam's neck, laughter finally under control, "Luckily for me."
Glaring at him in frustration, Jack pointed out acidly, "Siler, you hardly have any grey *now*."
The younger man snorted, still smiling, "Had just as much then though."
"Were you really trying to impress me?"
Jack made himself face Samantha's far-too-sweet smile. Samantha was not sweet. Sweet meant evil; almost always aimed at *him*.
"No? Maybe it was Siler you were trying to impress?"
Jack closed his eyes, sighing in resignation as that made the sergeant crack up again.
Siler leaned his head briefly on Jack's shoulder, his voice raspy from the hilarity, "God I love you guys."
Still chuckling, he patted Jack's ass familiarly and turned, starting down the stairs, shaking his head and wiping the tears off his face while throwing saucily behind him, "And just for your information, I like the white too, Jack."
Sam and Jack both stood frozen and a little wide-eyed. It was obvious he hadn't even heard himself and they stared at each other helplessly.
Sam knew there was no question that they loved him back; she had for years, and finally being together had made her face and accept it. And Jack.. she knew him well enough these days to recognize the way he watched their partner; and she rather thought he was aware of it.
But there was every question as to whether Siler was ready to hear it. And even if he was, how to say it without spooking him...
####
Sighing softly at the duelling thoughts disturbing her, Sam realized just how quiet and banter-less their game of monopoly was when Siler and Jack both responded with concerned frowns. It wasn't like any of them to play games together so mechanically.
"Sam?"
Careful not to look at Jack, too conscious that he was also worrying over at least one of her concerns, Sam rolled her eyes, annoyed at herself, "Sorry. I'm fine, Siler." Knowing they had to deal with at least one of the situations, she gave Jack a warning glance, then looked back at Siler, somewhere between uncomfortable and amused, "Daniel and Vala have 'invited us for supper'."
When Jack snorted, Siler gave him a confused look, to which he grumbled, "You wouldn't *believe* Vala's ideas of 'entertaining'," he met Sam's laughing reproof and whined, "Please tell me you said no?"
Unable to deny his claim about the likely outcome of the evening, she nonetheless gave him a dirty look for expecting her to be the one to say 'no' to Daniel, "I said I'd ask." Her eyes turned to Siler as she finished and he blinked, seeming to only now get *why* she'd hesitated.
Though he shook his head at her, his eyes were soft and the whisper of a smile crooked his lips, the expression just about shouting those little words he'd let slip. He gave Jack a dose of the same look and spoke reprovingly, "You and Whitey," he play-ducked Jack's miles-off teasing swipe, "Go and enjoy Lady Vala's hospitality. I haven't dragged Walter out to the pub in a while; he's probably forgotten the taste of *good* beer."
"..." She'd been about to hesitate at going out without him, but the sudden thought that *they* were interfering with *his* life made her close her mouth and blink, reassessing assumptions with a mental slap at herself.
Reminded that the man claimed not to know how relationships worked, Jack frowned, "Hey, Si'?" he waiting until Siler looked at him, "We don't mean to monopolize your *whole* life, you know. There's nothing wrong with wanting to do stuff on your own."
Siler looked down, staring at the game's board as he answered quietly, "Maybe I like being monopolized," he looked back up, hesitantly, "I like... our life." Not giving them a chance to comment, he shrugged, "But I probably *do* need to spend some time with the guys."
Next in the verse is Chapter 8d: Hit the road, Jack, Part 1
or to Chapter 1 for info
To read it all the chapters on one page, click here
Summary: Slices of life
Chapter 8c: Little moments like that (PG13)
Cassie glared at the alarm clock.
She was going home today; the cuddling was not worth getting woken up before the sun anymore!! She'd had to bite her tongue a few times to keep from foolishly using the 'pregnant' card. The *last* thing she wanted was to have them start to treat her like an invalid. That they'd somehow avoided diving into that stereotypical behaviour was a lovely surprise that she didn't trust to last; and refused to foolishly trigger.
No matter what time of day they thought it was reasonable to start bantering down the stairs.
Knowing better after three days than to even try to get back to sleep, she got up, grumbling about crazy soldiers as she got in the shower.
####
"Come on chubby, who said you could stop?"
"*Chubby*?? Wh-who are you calling 'ch-chubby', Stubby."
Cassie groaned out loud, gently knocking her head on the cupboard in front of where she stood sipping her coffee. Oh god, name-calling now?? How old *were* they??
Hearing the ruckus coming toward the kitchen now, she looked up, unsurprised to see Siler just losing a headlock on her father. She cringed as the resulting mock-fight came a little too close to the oven.
"Boys!"
She stood glaring at them as they froze, Jack with an arm just settling around Siler's throat and the other tickling his ribs. The guilty expressions they turned on her would have been a lot funnier if it wasn't the middle of the night.
They slowly disengaged, patting and outright stroking each other as they went, the adrenaline that had made them so hyper obviously passing and leaving them a little sorry at handling each other so roughly. She shook her head; men!
"Sorry, Cass." Jack dropped a kiss on her forehead on his sweaty way to the fridge.
"Sorry, Cass." Siler, on the other hand, threw the words at her as he headed up the stairs to shower and get ready for the early shift that was causing the pre-dawn workouts.
Turing back to the retired Air force major general glugging down a glass of OJ, she shook her head, "*Stubby*??"
Jack gave her a too-innocent look, "What? He's two inches shorter than I am."
Oh that was tooo easy! Feeling wicked, Cassie shuddered ostensibly, scrunching her nose at him, "Wayyy T M I, Jack!!" When he actually choked on the start of his second glass, she only *hoped* she was keeping the laughter out of her expression.
"Cassandra Fraiser!!" he sputtered for another second, "In **height**! As you *well* knew, missy! I can't believe you even *said* that!! Even *thought* it!"
Unable to choke it any more as he shuddered dramatically, Cassie snickered, lifting her coffee cup for a sip, "Suuuure you did." Her first adoptive mom had been so right; teasing the teasers was the most fun.
Apparently at a loss for words, he shook his finger at her, mumbling about kids and respect as he went up the stairs too. Thoroughly pleased, Cassie went back to the table to continue reading her book, looking up ten minutes later when Siler came back down, wet-haired and jumpsuit-dressed and bee-lining for the coffee.
"Hey, Siler."
"Cass."
Cassie smiled, amused at how different he could be; from hyper and freely teasing Jack, to the most gentle-voiced of strong silent types.
Watching him stare around the kitchen with a frown as he sipped the strong brew, Cassie waited until he made his decision and opened the cupboard where he hid his breakfast bars, then she got up and walked over. "Siler?"
"Umm?"
She took the coffee out of his hand and laid it on the counter before pulling him into a quick hug, stepping back before he could freeze self-consciously, "I just wanted to say goodbye; going to catch a flight home today."
Slowly reaching for his coffee again, he watched her carefully, at a guess trying to see how she felt, "Had enough of the mothering?"
Since that sounded a lot better than 'I'm tired of playing mother to the two of you toddlers', she nodded, smiling a little. It wasn't a complete lie, anyway. The two of them *had* been very mothery. She just didn't *mind* that. Especially when it had helped make the sudden change in her life feel so much less terrifying.
He smiled back a little shyly, and she wondered just how rare the expression was, considering how stiff it looked, "Sorry. They're a bad influence on me."
Remembering the unhesitating way he'd flown to her rescue that first day, Cassie laughed, refraining from pointing out that there hadn't been any occasion for them to influence him. It was obvious he didn't want to think of himself as the mothering sort.
Even though he so was.
####
Looking up with a glare when the door to his borrowed office opened, Jack frowned even more at seeing Paul Davis' worried look. Damn it, he wanted to get *out* of here, not have *more* crap delay him.
"General, I'm afraid we've just received news of a possible threat to your family-"
"What??"
Wincing at his all-too familiar shout, Davis nonetheless continued smoothly, ignoring the threat inherent in the man who'd risen to a hulking stance, "I've already put Miss Fraiser under guard; I have confirmation that she's fine. And we do *not* judge the threat to extend to the Phoenix."
Right. And *he* was in the Pentagon and had a large, lethally-trained lackey for his supposed only 3-day stay. "What about the-" Shit! Jack clenched his teeth, swallowing the word 'house'. "Davis, I need to make a call *right* now." He watched the lieutenant colonel blink in surprise but turn and leave obediently as he reached for his cell; praying it wasn't monitored. Praying nothing was wrong-
When the ringing of the land-line to his house finally stopped and a sleep-grumpy voice answered "Yes?", Jack's exhaled in a rush of relief.
"Get away from the house. Now. Someone is apparently threatening my 'family'. I'll be having some people come guard the place, but-"
"Shit." Siler hopped out of bed, senses jerking awake and alert for anything threatening; and suddenly wishing *he* carried a gun, too. "What about-" he stopped, aware that Jack had been trying to be circumspect, "Umm, the little one?"
"Already under protection. Just get *yourself* to safety."
Hanging up, Jack swore under his breath, getting up and stalking to the door to get Davis back, torn between worrying about the danger to Cass -and her BABY, shit! AND her boyfriend, double shit!- and the one they'd brought to *Siler*. Fuck fuck fuck.
####
Hearing through the rumour mill that Sam was going to be several days late due to a recurrence of the bug in the Phoenix's engine-cooling plant, Siler found himself with mixed feelings. He missed her, he admitted that nowadays, and wanted her *home*. A feeling exacerbated by missing Jack too, for the last couple of days. But having his family in danger left him leery of any additional members of said family coming back to Earth.
He was working as long as he could just to avoid going home to the silence and his thoughts, stuck in a mucky sea of anxiety. Jack had contacted his cell from a pay phone that first day to let him know that someone had gotten an interest in Cass's baby. Colonel Davis had gotten her under protection before the bad guys had gotten their act together and he and Jack were hot on their trail, but Siler could read the worry in the general's tone when he asked that Siler stay on the base if he could find a reason. And if Jack was worried about *him*, then Sam would sure as hell not be safe.
And he remembered enough stories of SG-1's escapades to know that Jack *was* in danger. And there was *shit* he could do about it! Dammit!
He turned his cell on as soon as he stepped out of the mountain, aware of the old Beretta that he'd pulled out of his safe and that now rested at the small of his back, making time feel disjointed; the small gun dated back to the dark and alone days of his teenage years, but wearing it in an Air force Special Ops concealed waist holster.. felt like a tight link to Jack every time he touched the stiff leather. He was also aware that he was too obviously wary; there was no real way to hide circling his truck, and he could only hope that it wasn't obvious he was staring at the seemingly random grease marks he'd carefully put in assorted spots; trying to make it hard to tamper with his vehicle without leaving a trace.
By the time the sleep had worn off and he'd started driving home that first day, he'd already realized that he was going to have to demand/ weasel/ browbeat Jack into training him properly. There was no way he was going to be a dependant every time some fucking bastards came gunning for his family. And the Beretta and amateur trap-laying definitely left him a dependent against the kind of people that he knew all too often went after SG-1 and their hangers-on.
Hearing the 'incoming message' beep and seeing the words 'All clear; come home.' might have made him collapse against his door in relief, but nothing could take back the reminder of the danger his partners, and now he, lived under.
####
Here fits kirsty841's Home Safe
####
Laying bonelessly with her head on Jack's belly, listening to the reassuring sound of his once-again steady breathing and staring at Siler, laying besides them with his head at a level with hers and his hand twitching slightly where it rested possessively on her rear, Sam was utterly content and not the slightest little bit inclined to move. She had a feeling the smile on her face was even dopier than Siler's.
And she wouldn't give this up for anything short of the planet's very survival.
She unfolded her arm, reaching out a lazy hand to come to rest just touching Siler's upper chest, and her eyes closed, nuzzling lazily at the sweat-slick skin she was resting on, feeling Jack's hand stroke through her hair a bit before going still again. Very hazy with thoroughly pleasured tiredness and not inclined to start thinking about grim reality just yet, it took a minute for the feeling of 'something different' to seriously register. Nuzzling more firmly, she confirmed the sensory information and made the difficult decision to actually follow this inquiry, making the effort to raise her head.
When she'd gotten home, her priority hadn't extended beyond making sure her family was healthy and happy and at home.
And *safe*, considering the events Siler and Jack had hinted at over the spa- *telsystem* and that Landry had added to at the end of her debrief.
But pushing herself up with a hand on Jack's belly, creating no more than a grumble, she shoved away the grim thought for now and started to grin instead, seeing now not only the tightening of his skin over his cheeks and belly, but a light of self-confident pride in his eyes that not even his recent brooding could bury and that had been missing for a while.
Very deliberately looking him over from thighs to shoulders, by the time she reached his face, there was a pleased smirk curling his lips.
"Changed workout, general?" Sam raised her brows with a smirk of her own, watching Jack's ease into an abashed smile, his eyes sliding to Siler, still laying besides them.
Ahha! She looked down and the sergeant winked at her with that smile that was starting to make more frequent appearances with their time together; also looking a lot more tanned, now that she was paying attention to physical appearances. She looked back at Jack, chuckling quietly, pleased he'd found something to feel better about himself but not about to comment about *that*. "The sergeant been riding your ass, has he?"
She was going to lean down and get a kiss but stopped at the sudden wide-eyed look she got in response to her tease. Blinking in confusion at the blush rising up his neck and glancing at Siler for a clue, only to find him choking and starting to laugh, she replayed her words and then gaped at them for a few seconds before dissolving into giggles of her own, falling besides Jack, unable to stop the laughter bubbling through her.
Jack recovered first, tackling her and starting to tickle her ribs with a teasing growl to her neck.
That he easily avoided her lethal reaction drove home the point and managed to take care of her no doubt partially adrenaline-fed giggle-fit, kneeling face-to-face with him on the big bed and catching her breath as Siler watched them with a quizzical look.
"Just how much do you have to control yourselves to keep from killing me, anyway?"
They both turned to him with curious expressions, but Sam got her thoughts organized first. "You don't generally go out of your way to hit our trigger points, Siler. If you did..." she looked at Jack, taking the silent request to finish it, "You learn control at the same time as the moves. As long as we're awake and thinking straight.." she grimaced at assorted memories, "And are 'ourselves', we control the reflexes with the awareness of the people around us. You, Daniel, Cassie are to be careful with. Teal'c, less so. Everyone else is.. a judgement call."
*Everyone* was a judgement call, but she didn't need to remind Siler that even she and Jack should always be taken with an awareness of alien dangers; *he* was all too aware of that already.
Siler nodded, watching them steadily and deciding that this was as good a time as any to open the debate. "You need to train me."
The confused blinks he got didn't surprise him and he elaborated carefully, hoping against hope that they'd be reasonable about this, "This kind of shit is going to happen again. I'm sure Cass can take care of herself generally; but not pregnant," his head jerked at them, "For that matter, I damn well have to be able to cover either of *your* sixes if you're hurt." And maybe it would help Jack worry less about *him* and concentrate on Cass.
He watched them look at each other, not surprised at their reticence; he remembered the bleakness in Sam's eyes after some missions.
He'd never had any wish to be able to kill easily; but now... He wondered just how much having him, comparatively, a civilian was a part of the what they.. 'liked' about him; at least during the peaceful times.
They were watching him with more pain than hesitation than he'd expected. It wasn't just the idea of training him that was bothering them; it was the idea of him trained.
Jack was the one to finally speak, sounding half-resigned even as his brooding of the last few days made a reappearance, "*We* shouldn't be the ones-"
But Siler shook his head calmly, "No way is the Air Force going to field-train me at my age." And in any case, the last thing he wanted was to get sent in the field afterwards; Jack had enough worrying with *Sam* being in the field.
At least he knew they wouldn't try to argue that anyone else should personally train him, wouldn't trust anyone else to teach him well enough to keep him safe the next time some ex-Black ops bastards threatened them all.
####
Hunting through the living room and wondering if Cassie had borrowed her rarely-used purse and left it in the spare bedroom before leaving that morning, Sam yelled toward the kitchen where the boys were getting their supper ready, "Jack? Are you going to insist I use your card again?"
Accepting the beer Siler passed him, Jack rolled his eyes, watching the grin that flickered over his friend's face in curiosity as he yelled back, "'Course I am. 'S the only way I can guaranty you'll model for me." Hearing a faint grunt in reply before she went back to her grumbling, he shook his head, pushing the onion to the side of the board and starting to chop the mushrooms before he loudly grumbled right back, "How the hell come Vala gets to kidnap you when you just got back? Doesn't she know we get first dibs on you?"
"You'll have me for the whole weekend while we ride next week. She only knows about *you* and I think she sees it as rescuing me from stifling cuddl- Siler!? Why is *your* card in my handbag??"
Jack's brows flew up, mouth closing on his planned reply to Vala's comments as he looked at the smirking sergeant waiting for him to finish his part of the prep, hearing Sam's heels clipping toward them.
"What?" Siler took a sip of his beer before calling out idly, "I just want you to buy me someth-"
Glaring in exasperation as she walked into the kitchen, Sam caught Siler's eyes just before he took a swallow of his beer, only to watch as he choked on the mouthful when he saw her, eyes staring fixedly at her as Jack hurriedly went to pound his back.
Frowning from Sam to the man choking besides him, Jack took another look at Sam and then asked curiously, "Si'? I'll admit that's a.." he took yet another look, leering into her raised brow and smirk, "*Very* lovely dress, but you've not only seen her naked, you've painted her with honey and taken pictures.. what the hell's wrong with you, man?"
Catching his breath but still staring at her -or more specifically, at her cleavage- avidly, Siler answered with a cough-roughened voice, "Yeah, well, the *first* time I saw her in it, we were at work and I had to make a fast retreat or I'd have made.. an even *bigger* fool of myself."
It was Jack's turn to gawk at her, "You wore *that* in the SGC??"
Sam rolled her eyes, refraining from agreeing that it really wasn't appropriate, instead turning patient eyes on Siler, "Tell him whose fault it was."
But Siler barely blinked up at her before refocusing again, "Fault? How would I know, ma'am?"
She raised teasing brows at the slip, trying to resist a giggle at his reaction, "The person who was standing next to me..?"
"Err.. was there someone next to you?"
Now Sam grinned outright, absolutely loving the appreciative attention. Not that the boys weren't always appreciative, but it took a lot to make Siler go gaga; outside of sex anyway -*that* was always a good way to rewire his brain.
"Sammm?"
"Ummm?" Sam absently replied to Jack's suspicious tone, delighted at the way Siler was still freely relishing her outfit while slowly raising his beer back to his mouth. She should dress up more often...
"..You didn't wear the stuff from *Vic secrets* to the SGC did you??"
####
"I tell you she must have recognized me from TV." .. "You didn't see the look she gave me when she scanned it. And then when she handed me the bag she made a *point* of calling me 'general'; with a smirk! Next time Si's getting it!"
Sam laughed in his ear, "I'm pretty sure he just gets a box from the 'net."
Jack gapped, mind agog, "A *box*??"
"Jack. He's been single for a long time. He uses, *used*, it for.. independent work."
He grinned briefly, imagining her rolled eyes at having to come up with code that would pass in the SGC. "...You mean when he jerks off?"
"Yes. Jack, you've bought it before; this is in your head. Look, I have to go."
Sam growled at the handset and the sometimes exasperating man beyond it before swallowing her annoyance and lifting her eyes.
Daniel raised a brow, smirking, "Do I want to know what you were talking about?"
Trying not to blush and just as glad to be distracted from thinking of home right now, Sam blinked innocently, "..Probably not."
"..Right," his humour vanishing, Daniel's shoulders hunched a little as he started looking put-upon, "So Vala wants to invite you two for supper."
Sam blinked in surprise, "What.. why?"
"She's been watching TV too much. Decided that we don't 'entertain'," his fingers drew the apostrophes, his eyes rolling with exasperation, "Enough."
About to automatically agree, Sam's jaw clenched and she frowned. She and Jack *had* occasionally done the 'couples' thing, over the years. But... just how did that work, now? "I'll... talk about it with.. him."
She saw Daniel's eyes suddenly lock on hers and understanding wince across his expression. When he shrugged a silent apology for not thinking, Sam nodded, lips twisting ruefully at life's little quirks.
####
Still smirking at Jack turning into a prude over buying KY, Siler opened the bathroom storage cupboard. For some reason he'd expected to find a box-sized space having appeared on some nice convenient shelf.
Instead, he faced linen mountains and quasi chaos.
Holding his box on one forearm, the other hand came up slowly, stiff from the training they'd slowly started him on, to scratch his skull and then hold his nape as he shook his head, trying to decide if his curiosity was stronger than his wariness; did he want to know what all those bottles, jars, tubes and boxes were supposed to do?? He'd been around enough and been through enough fashion fads in his day; but there was a very shallow limit to what products he'd really let himself get exposed to. And this... was way beyond. Since the bathroom didn't hold a fraction so many mysteries, he had to assume that these were remnants of past attempts to interest Sam.
Looking back toward the stairs longingly, he finally gave up the hope of any rescue and faced the job at hand. Leaving the neatly stacked sheets and towels alone, he set his box down and looked at the chaos-shelf. Making the educated guess that the dusty things were *not* in some invisible order, he started reorganizing, tallest at the back and shorter things at the front, no empty gaps between. Studiously strangling the curiosity urging him reading labels; it was hard to resist curiosity, it really was.
Right up until he found, hidden way at the back on its side, one box that even *he* recognized. Starting to laugh, Siler put the last couple of jars in their new close-knit order and slid his stock into the space he'd created.
Still chuckling uncontrollably, he opened his dusty treasure as he slowly walked out of the room. Finding the bottle inside opened and half-used, he had to stop at the top of the stairs, leaning on the railing and laughing so hard he didn't trust himself to even try the steps.
"Siler??"
He looked at Sam through the tears streaking his vision. He couldn't remember the last time he'd let himself go and laughed like this, couldn't remember feeling this rush of good endorphins tingling through his whole body. Controlling himself just enough to speak, he shakily held up his evidence, "H-he actually u-u-used this?!?"
Sam watched with wide eyes as their sergeant slid down to the floor, leaning back on the railing with tears rolling down his cheeks and the widest smile utterly changing his face, his eyes shining glee at her. It was impossible not to smile with him, even as she felt her chest squeeze with feelings so strong that she felt almost paralysed.
It didn't even occur to her to look away at what had done him in. Instead, she crouched down and gently touched her lips to the deep wrinkle that had suddenly appeared at the corner of his eye.
Cherishing the intimacy; cherishing *him*.
His hilarity momentarily distracted, Siler reached up to her nape and tugged her down for soft kiss; but then he started laughing again and she pulled back from his bouncing touch, grinning and hearing Jack trail her up the stairs to investigate.
Finally getting curious, she glanced at what Siler held and burst out in giggles, turning to Jack with an evil smirk, "Gr-Grecian Formula f-for men?? You didn't!!" Watching the chagrin in her lover's expression as he stared at the ancient hair colouring and the two people killing themselves laughing, Sam could feel hiccoughs threatening and tried to choke herself down to snickers, standing up and running her fingers through his now definitely *white* hair. "Jaaack... you mean you could have flashed grey at me when we first met?"
Hunching his shoulders defensively, Jack glared down at the man still chuckling and staring up at him with the promise of endless mayhem. Wondering what had possessed him to forget to throw that bottle away during at least *one* of his moves, he muttered, "I didn't *know* you liked-" Then his eyes widened, hearing the unfortunate admission come slipping out of his mouth.
Sam's grin actually found more real estate to expand to and Si' went back to laughing, though he did manage to spit out a taut, no doubt the first of many, "Trying to im-impress the pr-pretty blonde captain, Jack?" The sergeant pulled himself upright to smirk right at Jack, reaching out and joining Sam in messing with his hair while he stood with commendable stoicism. Really; very commendable. "Heck, even *I* figured out she liked the grey," he dropped a kiss in Sam's neck, laughter finally under control, "Luckily for me."
Glaring at him in frustration, Jack pointed out acidly, "Siler, you hardly have any grey *now*."
The younger man snorted, still smiling, "Had just as much then though."
"Were you really trying to impress me?"
Jack made himself face Samantha's far-too-sweet smile. Samantha was not sweet. Sweet meant evil; almost always aimed at *him*.
"No? Maybe it was Siler you were trying to impress?"
Jack closed his eyes, sighing in resignation as that made the sergeant crack up again.
Siler leaned his head briefly on Jack's shoulder, his voice raspy from the hilarity, "God I love you guys."
Still chuckling, he patted Jack's ass familiarly and turned, starting down the stairs, shaking his head and wiping the tears off his face while throwing saucily behind him, "And just for your information, I like the white too, Jack."
Sam and Jack both stood frozen and a little wide-eyed. It was obvious he hadn't even heard himself and they stared at each other helplessly.
Sam knew there was no question that they loved him back; she had for years, and finally being together had made her face and accept it. And Jack.. she knew him well enough these days to recognize the way he watched their partner; and she rather thought he was aware of it.
But there was every question as to whether Siler was ready to hear it. And even if he was, how to say it without spooking him...
####
Sighing softly at the duelling thoughts disturbing her, Sam realized just how quiet and banter-less their game of monopoly was when Siler and Jack both responded with concerned frowns. It wasn't like any of them to play games together so mechanically.
"Sam?"
Careful not to look at Jack, too conscious that he was also worrying over at least one of her concerns, Sam rolled her eyes, annoyed at herself, "Sorry. I'm fine, Siler." Knowing they had to deal with at least one of the situations, she gave Jack a warning glance, then looked back at Siler, somewhere between uncomfortable and amused, "Daniel and Vala have 'invited us for supper'."
When Jack snorted, Siler gave him a confused look, to which he grumbled, "You wouldn't *believe* Vala's ideas of 'entertaining'," he met Sam's laughing reproof and whined, "Please tell me you said no?"
Unable to deny his claim about the likely outcome of the evening, she nonetheless gave him a dirty look for expecting her to be the one to say 'no' to Daniel, "I said I'd ask." Her eyes turned to Siler as she finished and he blinked, seeming to only now get *why* she'd hesitated.
Though he shook his head at her, his eyes were soft and the whisper of a smile crooked his lips, the expression just about shouting those little words he'd let slip. He gave Jack a dose of the same look and spoke reprovingly, "You and Whitey," he play-ducked Jack's miles-off teasing swipe, "Go and enjoy Lady Vala's hospitality. I haven't dragged Walter out to the pub in a while; he's probably forgotten the taste of *good* beer."
"..." She'd been about to hesitate at going out without him, but the sudden thought that *they* were interfering with *his* life made her close her mouth and blink, reassessing assumptions with a mental slap at herself.
Reminded that the man claimed not to know how relationships worked, Jack frowned, "Hey, Si'?" he waiting until Siler looked at him, "We don't mean to monopolize your *whole* life, you know. There's nothing wrong with wanting to do stuff on your own."
Siler looked down, staring at the game's board as he answered quietly, "Maybe I like being monopolized," he looked back up, hesitantly, "I like... our life." Not giving them a chance to comment, he shrugged, "But I probably *do* need to spend some time with the guys."
Next in the verse is Chapter 8d: Hit the road, Jack, Part 1