fic: Operation Stepford
Title Operation Stepford
Part: Five/Epilogue
World: Stargate
Pairing: Sam/Jack (... have I ever written anything else?)
Summary: When given a mission by themselves in a world that they're not sure they understand - Col. O'Neill and Maj. Carter are forced to navigate the dark, and treacherous waters of Operation Stepford
Daniel and Teal’c managed to convince Luke and Grace (although, Grace was rather easy to convince) to come for a walk with them to the park while Jack and Sam sat down with James.
“Do you know what your parents were doing in that shed of theirs?” Jack asked.
James shook his head, “They just said that they were working on secrets and that I should stay away if I knew what was good for me. They made me go to the door once, I put my hand on the square thing and it lit up,” James shrugged, “then I had to go.”
“Have your parents ever mentioned anything that sounds a little weird?” Sam tried, “Anything that didn’t sound real?”
James nodded, “Yeah, they kept talking about Gates and God. They love God.”
Jack smiled and held the boy’s gaze. “James, Sam and I have some important stuff to tell you. You can interrupt us whenever you like to ask us questions okay?”
The boy nodded and Sam started to talk about their real jobs as soldier and scientist for NORAD and how his parents had been part of a plot for a terrorist attack and how they had been arrested earlier that morning. “They will probably go to jail for a very long time,” Jack told him.
James sat curled up in the couch for a very long time while nobody spoke or moved. After at least forty-five minutes, he seemed to wake up and look straight at them. “Can I stay with you?”
“That’s what we’d like,” Jack told him. “But it may not be up to us. We’ve lied to the police about who we are James,” he said softly. “We want to keep you and Luke and Grace with us and take you all back to Colorado Springs where we can all start over. But it may not be up to us.”
Sam bit her lip as James’s face fell and he turned to her. “Can’t you talk to somebody? I’m sure my grandma won’t mind.”
Jack sighed and stood up, going to the phone and putting a call through to Walter. “Harriman, I need a phone number,” he sighed into the phone. “James Pollack has a Grandmother. We need to get in contact with her.”
Sam looked up at him and nodded before turning to James. “James, you’ll probably have to go to live with your Grandma.” James looked away from them, focussing entirely on the ground by his left foot. “Listen to me James,” she said, lightly touching his shoulder and turning him towards her. “Jack and I are always going to be around alright? You’ll have a phone number for us, and come and visit and we’ll be there for you whenever you need.”
James bit his lip and she could see the tears welling in his eyes. “James,” Jack came and sat next to him, he must have finished the phone call without them realising. “I’m going to call your Grandmother now okay? I’m going to explain what has happened, then you’ll go stay with her.”
“I don’t want to stay with her,” James said standing up and glaring at them. “I want to stay with you! Not in some nursing home with the other old people.”
Sam glanced at Jack for a moment before he nodded and left the room to coordinate the Grandmother’s arrival (depending on how she was). “James?”
The boy was standing away from her, arms crossed over his chest and his eyes fixed on the corner of the window. He stood straight and tall, but Sam could see the way his shoulders were tight and his fists clenched. “James, we’re not going to let anything bad happen to you again okay? Jack and I are not going to let that happen. We are going to make absolutely sure that you are going to be looked after.”
He sighed and looked back at her. “Really?”
Sam’s heart immediately cracked and she pulled him into her arms, hugging him as tightly as she could. “Yes James. Really.”
James’s grandmother, a woman of eighty-seven was called Eileen and was with them before dinner that night. When she spoke, it was with a clear, crisp English accent. She arrived with a woman who introduced herself as “Mrs Western, I help Eileen.”
Jack smiled and invited them both inside. Mrs Western was trying to tell him something but he didn’t have a chance to listen before James came down the stairs. He was quiet and almost sullen; but polite and kissed his grandmother’s cheeks. Eileen didn’t say anything but turned to Mrs. Western with a confused look on her face and Jack immediately got the picture.
“Would you like something to eat Ma’am?” He asked, taking her by the arm and leading everybody into the kitchen. “Samantha has made some tea if you’d like that.”
James, despite all efforts to hide it, looked absolutely stricken and Sam hugged him again and kissed the top of his head. “It’s going to be okay,” she told him. “I promise.”
Sam and Jack spent the entire lunch concentrating on distracting James from his Grandmother’s obviously deteriorated condition. With Luke and Grace with Jasper and Tim, it was much easier than it could have been. About halfway through, Jack got a look from the boy that said that he understood what they were distracting him. Jack just nodded and kept going, including the occasional one-sided conversation with Eileen and Mrs. Western.
As it got later in the day, Sam took James outside and made a snowman with him, stealing Jack’s scarf from the hall as they went (something Jack made a note to make her pay for). After they had closed the door behind them, Eileen turned to Jack with the clearest look he had seen so far.
“That boy has had it bad,” she said and sighed. “I have no right to hole him up with the cronies and myself - though I can’t say it wouldn’t be entertaining for a few minutes as he sampled the food.” She gave him a soft smile and Jack got a hint of what this woman had once been. “Tell me what to sign, and then let me say goodbye.”
Jack looked to Mrs Western who just shrugged, “Go,” she told him.
They had been advised that a lawyer needed to sight the signature, so Jack called General Hammond who found one pretty quickly (though considering their proximity to Capitol Hill wasn’t all that surprising). A rather proper young man named William Bailey turned up with a nervous smile and a handshake. “My boss told me to sign this?” He said by way of a greeting.
Jack smirked and let him in, showing him the documents before leading him to Eileen. Mr. Bailey went through several questions along the lines of “are you being coerced into signing this document” etc before seeming satisfied, getting everything signed and the ts crossed and is dotted. “Thanks Mr. Bailey,” Sam smiled and shook his hand grinning before letting him go.
“I should tell you,” Mr. Bailey stopped and leant close, “I’m not a family lawyer. My boss just told me that I needed to do this for a friend of his.”
Jack poked his head out from behind the door and grinned, “Tell him I say thanks.”
Sam rolled her eyes and waved to the young man before turning on Jack. “You called somebody important didn’t you.”
He shrugged, “I called the General, the General suggested me calling somebody else.”
Sam bit her lip and held his shirt tightly for a moment, “Did you do something without telling me? Have you talked to the General yet?”
“I’ll tell you later tonight - but basically we’re allowed to take everybody back with us tomorrow,” Jack said before James leapt at them.
“Do I get to stay with you now?” James asked between excited gasps.
Sam smiled uncertainly and looked at him closely, “Remember what we told you? We lied James, we … we’re in trouble.”
“But if it is at all possible,” Jack interrupted, “We’ll make it work okay?”
Jasper, Tim, Harry and Mandy all made it over for dinner that night. Although Jack, Sam, Daniel and Teal’c were all completely exhausted, they had a lovely night with the three infants playing with a mobile Jasper had bought them; “Consider it a ‘we’ll see you soon’ present,” he’d said. Sam hugged the two men tightly while Jack handed them a piece of paper with their numbers and his address on it.
“We’re going to see you soon,” Jasper smiled.
Tim then stopped in the door and shifted Harry for a moment before looking confused. “We don’t know your actual names,” he said with a smirk.
It seemed whatever tension had been building inside Jack for the past 12 hours had flooded out and he held his sides, laughing loudly and clearly. Jasper and Tim watched smiling while Sam started to giggle along with him. “I’m sorry,” he finally managed to say. “I just …”
Jasper grinned, “It’s okay, we get it.” He turned to Tim for a moment before shrugging, “Okay, we don’t really get it. But it’s okay.”
“Carter,” Sam eventually said and shook Jasper’s hand formally. “Samantha Grace Carter.”
“Jack Patrick O’Neill,” Jack said and did the same. “Technically Jonathan but you’re not my mother so you can’t call me that and get away with it.”
They said goodbye one more time before Jack closed the door and faced Sam. He thought for a moment before smiling broadly, “Your initials are SGC?”
--Chapter Sixteen-
They chose Jack’s house in Colorado Springs purely for the fact he had two spare rooms. Luke and James had to have the grand tour (including the platform on the roof) before they would even consider going to sleep - even thought it was about 0100 when they got there. Sam didn’t mind though, she was amazed that they were both so excited about the move.
“Are we going to live here?” James asked as Sam pulled the covers up.
She shrugged, “Probably not. We need a bit more space with you three.”
James nodded, “That’s okay. But could we please have a tower? Like the one you had back home?”
Sam smiled and nodded, “We’ll see what we can find.”
Jack, who handed her a steaming cup of tea, met her in the kitchen. “How’re you going?”
She shrugged, not entirely sure what to say. Thankfully he nodded and smiled. “Have you thought about what I said earlier?”
She looked up with a grin, “About marrying you? I already said yes.”
Jack had a brilliant grin before nodding, “I’m glad to hear it,” he said. “But I meant the bit about me retiring, being Mr. Mom and all that.”
She kissed him quickly before nodding, “I’m not over the moon about it,” she admitted. “I mean, the idea of being Mr. Mom sounds fantastic now, but after a while you’ll go nuts and I don’t want you to resent me for that.”
Jack nodded; he hadn’t made this decision lightly. Since their trip to the hut (probably before that) - the idea had been in the back of his head. But he also knew, from experience that despite how much he loved his cabin - any longer than a couple of weeks and he started to get a little antsy.
“I’m really hoping that General Hammond will have something for me,” he had to admit, “Strategist, or consultant or something.”
There was something in the way he said Strategist that made her stop and look at him closely. “That’s the other Masters isn’t it? Strategy or … military tactics or-“
“Military Strategy. A degree in physics and aeronautical engineering. I can speak French, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, Arabic, Farsi and if you speak slowly and only about an arms dealer called Carlos - then Greek.” He wasn’t entirely sure why he was telling her this but he knew that he wanted her to know everything and anything.
Sam just nodded and stopped for a minute to take a sip from her tea. Jack got more and more nervous as her silence stretched out. Eventually she gave him one of those megawatt smiles and told him that she always knew he was smarter then he let on. “You’re expecting me to run screaming down the street,” she said candidly. He just shrugged. Yeah. He was expecting her to run screaming.
“There aren’t many people willing to be tied to a guy like me,” he warned. “I’m serious, I have baggage. Seriously. I have an entire plane cargo of baggage and issues - and no, not only Charlie.” He chuckled softly, “My son’s death is not the only thing to deal with here. I’ve done some-“
“Dammed distasteful things,” she spoke up and leant into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Jack, you forget. You don’t have to hide that from me. I’ve done some dammed distasteful things. I was a pilot in the Gulf. I can promise that I didn’t take diplomats up for joy rides. I saw you after Ba’al had you. I was with you after that. Just like you were with me after Jolinar. We have been to hell! I think I have an idea about your baggage. I don’t know everything, and that’s fine. But I think I know enough to say that I Love You.”
“Good to know,” he said after a pause and kissed her.
Jack O’Neill diversion tactics #1 and #6: kissing her, and downplaying the conversation.
Grace was too young to understand why the mother and father she had barely recognised had disappeared. Luke on the other hand had clung to Jack, often staying within a foot of the older man, if not hanging from his shoulders. Jack seemed to understand and took it all in his stride, but making sure that the boy slept in his own bed. Sam watched all of this sadly and held Grace a little closer to her. Luke still called out for his ‘Mommy!’ if he had a nightmare (which happened often) and woke up disorientated and confused, all of which had happened often in the old house.
That first morning back in Colorado Springs, Jack jumped awake to another cry from the younger boy, this time of ‘Daddy!’ While his heart constricted at the thought of another young boy calling that name, he stepped out of bed and headed down the corridor, finally reaching the room the boys had decided to share. He reached the door and stopped in his tracks. James was sitting on Luke’s bed, leading against the wall while the younger boy sat on his pillows. “Do you miss your Mommy and Daddy?” Luke asked.
James shrugged, “My parents were bad people,” he said. “You can miss your parents.”
Luke nodded, “I do.”
“Jack and Sam are going to look after us though,” James said and Jack was immediately glad that neither boy had seen him. “They’re going to get a big house for us, and they’re going to be our new parents.”
“Does that mean you’ll be my brother.”
“That okay?”
Luke thought for a minute before breaking into a big smile, “I’ve never had a big brother before.”
“I never had a little brother,” James told him, “Or a little sister.”
“I can teach you!” Luke announced as Jack left - he figured the boy would be alright.
Daniel and Teal’c arrived early the next morning to look after the kids while Jack and Sam went to face the music. “We’ll be back as soon as we can,” Sam said and hugged Luke tightly. “I promise.”
“We’re going to go organise some stuff with our boss,” Jack told James. “See if we can organise all this adoption stuff.”
The General was waiting for them in the briefing room. They saluted and immediately Jack announced, “I’d like to retire General.”
“You see General,” Sam began, “It was a-“
General Hammond just held up a hand to silence them and indicated they should take a seat. “Colonel Dixon’s team infiltrated the Sibuna offices two hours after your call. They found a skeleton crew and evidence that suggests attempts at created a Hok’taur - much like Nirrti attempted with Miss Frasier a couple of years ago. They found three hundred and twelve sedated human beings in the office’s basement. Doctor Frasier believes James Pollack to be the beginning of this experimentation, along with the rest of his family, which would explain the ancient gene. The captives are now being investigated to see where they came from, and if there is any damage that cannot be reversed. One of the skeleton crew, a janitor, managed to inform Dixon of the mass evacuation through a gate of which the one Mr. Pollack made must have been a prototype. You are both being highly commended for your work on this. I know it does not seem so right now, but the work you both did and information saved three hundred and twelve lives yesterday.” He smiled and stopped for a moment. “On behalf of the United States Air Force, I issue to you Colonel O’Neill and to you Major Carter, this formal apology.” He handed a very stunned Jack the official documentation. “I knew, in sending you on this mission, that it would be an incredibly difficult situation for the two of you. You have handled yourselves incredibly well and have made us all proud of you. However, it has now become apparent…” he stopped for a second and gave them a quick smile, “From several sources; that perhaps your relationship is no longer acceptable as a commanding officer and second in command.”
Sam closed her eyes and patiently awaited the words you will now be sentenced in a court martial…
“So, yes Colonel. I accept your resignation on the grounds that you return to the program as Strategic Commander and over see all rescue and training operations. Major Carter, pending a promotion that is currently going through the paperwork - you are to take command of SG1. I suggest you begin going through the personnel files to find your fourth member.”
Nobody spoke.
Nobody said a word.
Then General Hammond said the scariest thing Jack believed he had ever heard. “I have contacted Jacob and he has replied, he’ll be back in roughly two weeks and he would like a word Colonel.”
Jack choked (on what, he didn’t know) and Sam leant over to pat him on the back - both of them still in a semi-stunned stupor.
“As for the children,” the General continued. “I have had a word with the social worker in charge and she indicated that an Eileen Pollack had given up any claim to her grandson James and they have been as yet unsuccessful in securing relatives for either Master or Miss Archer.” Yet again, General Hammond’s wealth of knowledge astounded them. “Through the testimonies of Dr Jackson, Dr Frasier, Teal’c, myself and two very nice gentlemen … Timothy and Jasper I believe were their names, we managed to convince her that she would never find more qualified parents than yourselves.”
While Sam sat back in her chair and stared at the ceiling, Jack stood and shook the General’s hand. “Thank you Sir.”
“Jack, it’s George.”
Sam eventually stood and hugged the General tightly and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you Uncle George,” she whispered. He nodded and handed them all the paperwork. “Get out of here,” he said. “You both don’t report for duty until Monday.”
Jack pulled up at his house and couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. He ran around the side of the car and opened Sam’s door for her and they both headed up to the front door. As they reached the door, Jack stopped her and smiled. “Humour me?” He asked and swept her up into his arms.
“What are you doing?”
“Carrying you over the threshold?” He answered with a smile. Daniel met them in the hall with a crying Grace in his arms; he just raised his eyebrows and handed the baby to Sam.
James and Luke stood by the den with hopeful looks on their faces. While Sam took Grace, Jack turned to the boys. “You’re with us,” he announced. “You’re staying with us.”
Daniel watched as both boys ran at Jack, throwing themselves at him and he swung them around the room; and Daniel couldn’t keep from laughing.
They managed to find a house big enough with a tower for James. It was a big colonial house with a garden that was perfect for the football matches between the ‘old’ SG1 and the ‘new’ SG1 that included Sam’s new medic; a Doctor Green, and a Major Harrison.
Sam and Jack were (finally) married a year later. It seemed to be the first time things had calmed down since they came back. James and Luke were both finally happy in school and Grace was growing by the day. Jacob walked Sam down the aisle and only said “remember” to Jack (though it seemed to be enough to turn the black ops soldier pale). Daniel and James were Jack’s best men while Janet and Cassie were Sam’s bridesmaids.
In fact, everything seemed to be going along perfectly.
Sam turned to Jack one night, just as the really late night was becoming the very early morning and smiled. “How many kids would be ideal for you?” she asked.
He shrugged, “Three’s good,” he admitted, “But honestly? I’m liking the hockey team idea.”
She thought for a minute before asking; “Can a hockey team be made of four?”
Jack raised an eyebrow, “Four?”
She nodded, “Yeah. James, Luke, Grace and Baby Carter-O’Neill.”
Jack stopped breathing for a minute. Then turned to her and smiled so brilliantly that she blushed and had to kiss him. “Yes Jack,” she said and covered her still flat stomach with his hand. “I’m pregnant.”
He kissed her soundly again, the prospect of another child both thrilling and terrifying him - but god he was still excited.
He vaguely noted that they would have to explain it carefully to the others, but that could wait for the morning … the later morning. He was busy … fishin’ … now. He stopped for a second. “You still haven’t been to my cabin!”
She looked up at him for a moment, “We’ll go for Christmas. Can you please kiss me now?”
“Yes Colonel,” he grinned and happily followed orders