A/N: This is for jhalya, a faithful reviewer who wrote and specifically asked for "(ohplease ohpleaseohplease)write a story about the aftermath of jack meeting sam's dad for the first time!". So, I did. I hope you enjoy it. As always, reviews are lovingly saved and always answered. This was an especially poignant one for me to write, as my own birth father is dying of a brain tumor.

Set following Secrets.

"Dad"

Jack tossed another thick, gnarled log onto the brightly blazing fire before joining Carter on the long flat rock that had been placed near the fire circle. He reached for the meal Carter handed him, nodding his thanks. It had been a long day, but a good one. He loved coming to Abydos. Daniel had argued, and O'Neill had agreed, that they should return to be sure there had been no complications following the departure of Apophis and Amonet. Daniel had also wanted to check on the child, to be sure he was doing well with his wet-nurse. Hammond agreed and the team had arrived early this morning, Abydos-time. Jack poked again at his MRE, frowning slightly. He glanced over at Carter to see what she had. She, knowing what he was doing, she tipped her container slightly toward him so that he could see she was eating the exact same meal. Teal'c and Daniel had apparently already finished theirs, so there would be no trading tonight. Jack grimaced and gamely dug in. The faster he ate it, the less he'd taste.

Daniel looked up from the journal in which he was writing. "Oh, I forgot. Jack, Sam, how was the awards ceremony? Did the President miss me?"

O'Neill's face darkened at the memory of the suspiciously convenient accident that had killed the reporter threatening to expose the program; an accident that had forced the postponement of the ceremony. Despite Hammond's assurances, Jack wasn't at all certain the accident had been an 'accident.' His expression remained dark and got Daniel's full attention.

"Jack?"

Carter glanced at O'Neill, then turned to answer Daniel. "Actually, Daniel, something came up. We ended up getting our medals at the SGC from General Hammond."

A fleeting look of sadness crossed her face and O'Neill knew she was thinking of both her father's apparent dismissal of her choice in career path and the revelation that he had cancer. She'd shared that with him on the flight back to Peterson, and he'd coaxed other stories of her father out of her during the late-night journey. Meeting her father had been a surprise; that her father was a general officer...well, that had really caught him off-guard. Captain Carter, daughter of General Carter. He could understand why she wouldn't want to advertise that little tidbit of information. Carter was odd enough—odd in that way-smarter-than-everyone and too-freaking-hot-to-be-real way—without adding general's daughter into the mix. Jack had been so surprised the realize that his Second was the daughter of a two-star that he'd bitten back his immediate reaction of, 'I've got your baseball glove but you can have it back!'. One didn't just blurt things out to General's.

"I hope the ceremony at the SGC was not disappointing to you, Captain Carter."

Teal'c concern chased some of the sadness Carter's face. "Actually, Teal'c, it was nicer to get it from the General, you know?"

Trying to put a smile on her face, Jack said dryly, "On the up side, I got to meet Carter's dad." He waited and was rewarded with a warm smile from Carter. Almost as warm as the one he'd gotten at the reception when, while reacting almost protectively in the face of her father's obvious disdain for their accomplishments, he'd said, 'Oh, we have our moments.' Then, as now, he'd gotten a grateful, eye-sparkling, genuine Sam Carter Special smile. Those were worth waiting for. "It was...illuminating." Jack quirked a small grin at Sam.

"I remember the first time I met my father-in-law...or at least met him after he became my father-in-law. It was a long time before I was invited to call him 'good Father.'" Daniel shuddered slightly, looking over to where Kasuf stood talking with some of the men from the village. The remembered embarrassment of that first morning stained his features even in the darkness. He shook his head and turned to Teal'c. "How about you, Teal'c?"

"It is a tradition among young Jaffa warriors to place the dressed carcass of a new jemac kill at the feet of the parents of one's intended. This is to show that you are assuming the role of 'son,' and should the need arise, you will provide for them as well as for their daughter." Teal'c paused, his attention on the brightly burning fire. "I was not, unfortunately, aware that Drey'auc's mother was once again burdened with child. Once she smelled the..." Thoughtfully considering his next words, Teal'c simply glanced at his teammates before finishing. "That first meeting did not go well. As with you, Daniel Jackson, I had to wait a very long time before being permitted to address her father as family." Repositioning himself on his rock, he turned to Jack. "What of you, O'Neill. Did your meeting not go well?"

Carter, caught with her coffee cups at her lips, inhaled sharply and then began coughing as her body tried to accommodate the hot liquid she'd forced down her windpipe. She waved off the others' attempts to help her, wiping her eyes with one hand while carefully setting aside her cup.

O'Neill sat with his mouth opening and closing, no sound coming out—looking for all the world like a fish finding itself rather unexpectedly on out of water. Finally he sputtered, "I...ah...we...that is, the, ah, awards reception...ah...it was only just..."

Across the fire Daniel smothered a grin while Teal'c simply raised an eyebrow. Carter, still coughing occasionally, came to his rescue.

"Um, Sir? I believe Teal'c was referring to the first time you met Sara's father?"

Teal'c nodded, bowing his head in acknowledgement. "Indeed. To whom else would I be referring, O'Neill?"

Jack let out a sigh, still trying to gather his thoughts. For the life of him he'd been certain Teal'c was asking about his meeting Carter's father last week. Carter's father. One short discussion of in-laws and his mind had immediately gone there. For General I-don't-buy-your-cover-story-Carter to be his father-in-law would make Carter his...No, Jack, we don't go there, remember?

Daniel rested his elbow on his knee and his chin on his fist. He cast a bemused glance at Teal'c before pinning first Carter and then O'Neill with a look. "Yes, Jack, to whom did you think Teal'c was referring? Hmm?"

"Daniel." Carter growled a low warning at the unfazed archaeologist.

O'Neill glared across the fire at Daniel before shrugging and allowing a small smile to slip across his lips. He surreptitiously checked Carter, noting she was just as interested in the story as the others seem to be. Oh well, if it got her to smile again, he'd share. What was a little embarrassment between friends? "Well, you gotta remember, I was barely seventeen at the time..."

The village had quieted down considerably, the noise falling over the camp in time with the gradual dying of the individual fires. Daniel had long since gone off to his tent and Teal'c to his nightly ritual of kel-no-reem. Carter had disappeared and O'Neill assumed that she, too, had gone to their shared tent. For his part Jack was content to sit under the stars and ponder his place in the universe, something he didn't often have a chance to do while off-world. A faint scuffling sound caught his attention and he turned slightly, surprised to see Carter moving into the dying light of the fire's embers.

She carefully zipped up her jacket then handed O'Neill his own. "It's getting chilly, Sir. Thought you might like this."

"Thanks, Carter."

She stood with her hands tucked into her pockets, looking as if she wasn't sure whether she wanted to stay or go. Or whether she was welcome.

Jack patted the rock next to him before slipping his own jacket on. She was right, it was getting chilly. He looked up and could see her breath as she considered what to do. "C'mon, Carter. No need to stand watch tonight, Kasuf's got us covered."

"Yes, Sir. Thanks." Sam settled next to him, her shoulder just brushing his. She wore a pensive look, her eyes darker than usual, somewhat haunted.

"You okay?"

"Yes, Sir. Just thinking about my Dad."

"Dad seems like a strong guy, Sam. He'll get through this."

Carter tipped her head back and studied the strange patterns of the Abydonian stars. Jack watched her for a moment, wondering what was going through her head. They sat together in the stillness of the night before she finally broke the silence. "He wants to get me into NASA. To go into space."

"Ironic."

"Yeah. I mean, yes, Sir, it is."

"What'd you tell him?

"That my work here, our work, is important." Carter blinked back tears as she turned to face him.

Never had Jack wanted to be back on Earth more than he did right now. He wanted them both to be in his back yard, in front of his firepit, leaning against his picnic bench. Somehow if they were there he'd be able to comfort her. But here, on a planet so very far away from all they knew, he couldn't do what he wanted. What she needed.

"Do you think he's disappointed in you?"

"He was. Is. He was pretty upset when he left. Thinks I'm letting him down." Sam sighed and turned her attention back to the twinkling stars above. "Maybe I am, in a way."

"ah hell, Carter. How do you figure that?"

"I've always done what he wanted, you know? But this time...I can't give...this...up." She shrugged helplessly.

"Carter, your Dad... Hell, he knows Hammond, right? Ol' Dad knows Hammond doesn't hand out Air Medals like candy, Sam, neither does the Air Force. He'll come around." He nudged her shoulder gently with his. "Sam, whatever he may have said, he's your father. He's proud of you, trust me. I am, and I'm most certainly not your dad."

"No, Sir. You're not. And thank you." Carter cleared her throat before glancing up at him and adding, "And you'd better not let him hear you referring to him as 'old.' Sir."

O'Neill raised an eyebrow and cocked his head slightly, his voice slightly rough as he asked, "But 'Dad's' okay?" He tried not to think too much about the implications of his question, especially in light of the stories Daniel and Teal'c had told earlier. Oh who are you kidding, Jack? Those stories are exactly why you're asking! Please, Sam. Let me share your Dad with you now, so that later...

Carter faced him fully, her eyes intent on his, so much so that Jack was certain she was looking right through him. Slowly she nodded before returning her gaze to the sky. Jack could just see, illuminated by the impossibly slim crescent moon peeking above the horizon, the shine of unshed tears in her eyes. His chest ached at the pain on her face.

The hell with it. Jack reached out and caught Sam's chin, gently guiding her to face him. Brushing her cheek with his thumb, he wiped away the single tear that fell, indulging in that one, sweet, forbidden caress. He watched as her eyes slid closed and she leaned slightly into his hand. They sat like that for a moment, Jack simply cupping her chin, supporting her as Sam gave in to the need for comfort and reassurance. Finally, she reopened her eyes and gave him a small, grateful smile. She shifted slightly closer to him and Jack let his hand fall away. He, in turn, leaned into her, sharing what warmth he could. The last embers from the fire cooled until they had no more light to give, leaving the two shrouded in the dark stillness of the night. The fragment of the rising moon was resting atop the nearby tent when O'Neill asked quietly, "So, Carter...do you think Dad liked me?"

A soft snort of gentle laughter, quickly smothered as she turned her head and buried her face into the sleeve of his jacket, was his only reply, and his reward..