Chapter Text
Jack smiled as he looked around his backyard and saw all of his family celebrating. Today was Charlie’s birthday. He was turning twenty. Jack couldn’t believe it.
So much had happened in those twenty years. From getting married to Sara and thinking she was the one, and then that fateful day on the ice which had led to his divorce.
But not everything had been bad after that. He had found Sam. Things had been hard between them too, but they had made it work, with her busy schedule performing, and then finishing her studies, and his busy schedule coaching.
He was brought out of his thoughts by two very excited giggles. He turned around to see his two youngest laughing.
He smiled, Gemma had been a big surprise for their family. Mark and his long-time girlfriend, Heather had contacted them after almost a decade of radio silence to tell them the great news that they were expecting, at the same time that Sam had found out she was pregnant with Isabella.
After the initial shock, Sam had been thrilled for her younger brother and had helped both Heather and Mark with everything they needed, having already gone through it all before with Ava. But all things had to end and this had ended when they received the call from the social services.
Neonatal abstinence syndrome, the doctors had told him, and a heavily pregnant Sam as they arrived at the hospital.
Sam’s voice had been heard throughout the maternity ward as she berated her brother and sister-in-law for what they had done to her niece at the time.
He had known right then that they would be taking Gemma home with them, but he wasn’t expecting to take Isabella with them the same day.
If he hadn’t been scared too, he would have laughed at the sight of Sam, looking completely lost, lying in a hospital bed with both Isabella and Gemma in her arms.
However their bliss had been cut short when both Sam’s and Heather’s parents had taken them to court for Gemma, but in the end, she had gone home with them.
That had been less than eight months ago, and he had never regretted their decision.
“What are you smiling at?” Sam asked him as she stood next to him.
“How much things have changed.” He answered, and she frowned, looking utterly confused. “I was alone, and then you came along and I fell so hard for you, we had Ava, you treated Charlie like he was yours, and when I thought things couldn’t get better we had Isabella and Gemma.”
“So you’re happy.” She summarized with a chuckle.
He took a deep breath before answering. “I just wish my parents could be here to see all of this, our kids are amazing.”
“I’m sorry.” She whispered after a while.
“What for?” He asked, genuinely curious about what she could be apologizing for.
“Your mom could be here if I…”
He cut her off before she could finish. “She could be here if she hadn’t been stupid and if she hadn’t hurt you. She’s the only one to blame. It was just wishful thinking Sam, so for the last time stop apologizing.” He told her sternly.
She nodded and crouched down as both Gemma and Isabella crawled towards them.
“I still think they deserve to know their grandparents.” She told him as she smiled at the girls and picked them up from the grass.
“And they know them, they have Grandpa Frank and George. And they have Janet, Lizzie, Amy, Teal’c, Daniel, they even have Sara, Sam, they have everything they need and more.” He assured her as he wrapped his arms around the three of them.
“Are you sure?”
He easily avoided a little finger that was aimed at his eye as he answered. “102% Dr. Carter.”
“How did you ever manage to graduate?”
He took Gemma out of Sam’s arms and tickled her. “We’re all wondering, aren’t we?” He asked the blue-eyed girl.
Amidst Gemma’s giggles, they heard Ava’s voice calling out to them, “Mom, Dad come on, it’s time to sing to Charlie.”
Both parents smiled at the girl’s excitement for her older brother and followed after her. Once they arrived at the table where everyone was, Charlie opened his arms and took Isabella from Sam, while Jack walked around to stand next to Sara and Charlie.
Once everyone was settled they started singing but Charlie immediately stopped them.
“What are you doing over there Sam?”Sam frowned and shrugged, not sure of how to answer him.
“Come on.” He said as he nodded towards the space next to his father.
“Are you sure?” She asked, the place next to him had always been for Sara, Ava, and Jack, never for Sam.
“We are, now come on.” Sara assured her.
Smiling shyly, Sam walked around the table and stood next to Ava and Jack. Charlie smiled at her and mouthed a thank you before turning back to the crowd that had started singing again.
Jack closed the door as the last of Charlie’s friends left. Sighing he walked back into the living room and stopped looking at the people scattered around the living room.
Teal’c, Frank, George, and Daniel were chatting with each other near the patio door.
Janet was doing her best to follow the stream of words coming from Ava as she showed her a new game she had bought with her allowance.
Charlie and Cassie were looking far too comfortable next to each other on the couch.
Sara was happily rocking a grumpy Gemma to sleep.
And Sam was quietly feeding Isabella as she sang to her. He walked up to her and sat down next to her.
“Hey.” He whispered as he gently rubbed Isabella’s foot, making her turn around and look at him with her big brown eyes.
“Hey.” Sam whispered back as she smiled down at their daughter. “Are you ok? You’ve been distracted all day.” She asked, her concern for him showing through her voice.
“I’m fine, just thinking about life.” He moved closer and cupped her face before kissing her, “We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?”
A smile took over her features as she looked around their living room. “We have, I’m proud of what we’ve done.” She admitted.
He couldn’t help but smile. It had taken a long time for Sam to believe that he was proud of her and that she could be proud of her accomplishments.
“You have all the reason to be.” He said as Ava came skipping towards them and sat between them.
“Can I have a friend over tomorrow?” She asked them, as she cuddled to Jack’s side.
Both Jack and Sam rolled their eyes. Leave it to Ava to only ask them the day before. “We’ll see.” Sam answered as she sat Isabella on her lap and smiled down at the baby.
“Ok. Thank you.”
Cassie got up from her palace on the couch and clapped her hands, accidentally waking up Gemma who had finally fallen asleep in Sara’s arms.
Sara groaned and narrowed her eyes at Cassie, while Jack and Sam snickered.
“Right, I have news for all of you.” Cassie said as she grinned cheekily at Sara.
“I better not be getting a grandchild any time soon.” Jack muttered as he looked between Cassie and Charlie, causing Sam and Ava to snort.
Cassie took a deep breath and blushed when she realized everyone was looking at her. “As some of you may know, I signed a contract a while ago, and I’ve been a little secretive about it…”
“That’s an understatement if I ever heard one.” Jack muttered, and Ava slapped his arm to keep him quiet.
“So as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by Uncle Jack…” she again looked around the room. “I’m going on my first tour.”
The room fell silent before all at once everyone started congratulating her.
“There’s another thing though.” She said after a while. She looked at Sam with a shy smile and Sam groaned.
“Cassandra Fraiser, what have you done?”
“I… don’t get mad Auntie Sam, I… I was wondering if you could open for me, I know you have Gemma, Isabella, and Ava, but maybe just the shows that are closer to you.”
Everyone turned to look at Sam and she wiped the tears from her eyes and got up from the couch with a smile on her face, “I’d be honored to, kiddo.” Sam said as she pulled her into a hug.
“Yay,” Ava yelled. “Mom is gonna be famous again.” She shouted excitedly, making everyone in the room chuckle.
Ruffling Ava’s hair Jack smiled as he looked around the room yet again.
Life wasn’t perfect, but it sure as hell was better than it had ever been.