Title: For William Francis (Chapter 6)
Series Title: Making Peace

Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate in any way, shape or form. If I did, I would need a lot more closet space for Michael, Ben, Chris, Joe and David. ;-) I am not making any money on this so please don't hunt me down. David, Patrick, Shannon, Kevin, Deidre, Frank and Moira are original characters. Basically I don't own anyone recognizable.

Note: I have only the first three pieces finished at this time. This is only my second foray into SG territory. I'll only post the rest if there's interest as I have many various fics to read from awesome writers already here in the "genre." This is the end everyone. Thanks to those who encouraged me. I have to say that I enjoyed this foray into Stargate. I will admit I am MUCH better at writing Jack, Sam and Daniel than I will ever be writing Teal'c. Hopefully I did him and Chris Judge justice. This chapter does not include the sibling it is dedicated to. As mentioned briefly before, Jack's oldest brother Bill has been dead for some time. It's more a peace being made with Bill's daughter Charlotte than Bill. Enjoy. I did.

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The restaurant is pretty crowded tonight. I manage to guide Moira in and get her seated. Of course, my oldest son Patrick reminds me I'm much too old to be traipsing around getting everyone else settled. What does he know? Just because he "talks" to God. I think he pulls that card out too often when it comes to me since I turned eighty-seven. I'm not going to drop dead. Not yet.

Moira lets Dee's Tommy pour her a glass of wine. A small one. She's the driver tonight. And I want to celebrate this blessed event. A good Irish family gathering is about to occur. It's been years. Thirteen to be exact. I turn as my granddaughter touches my arm.

"Granda? You should sit down." My Charlotte eyes me with suspicion. "They won't come any faster if you're wandering the restaurant."

I pat her cheek and brush a stray bit of hair from her eyes. "Maybe it's you who should be sitting down. Talk to your cousins."

I truly dislike the way Charlotte's eyes darken in pain. She's been like that since that awful day long ago. Silly girl. Thinks she as guilty in all of this as my Jack did. "I just want to greet them all. Your Aunt Dee speaks only good things of this Sam woman."

For a moment Charlotte looks curious, "Auntie Dee likes her?"

From what I hear, everyone does. Of course, only Dee and Tommy have met her. It's only Jack's phone call two weeks ago that lets me in on the secret tonight. "Go sit down, love. I'll meet them at the door. Keep your Nana from getting too drunk."

Charlotte snickers, "You're the one who should watch it. No whiskey, Granda. I mean it."

I nod solemnly and then promise myself I'll have just a nip when Jack gets here. After all, I'm about to add three more children to this family. I watch the snow fall outside as I wait. Charlie, my boy, you'd love this. I smile at the memory of my grandson. It took a while to remember him with anything but grief. And now Jack can do the same thing if his visits are to be believed.

A dark SUV pulls up to the door and two men get out. The larger of the two opens the front passenger-side door and helps a woman out into the snow. The three speak to the driver and turn to enter the restaurant. I wait until they get their coats off before shuffling over.

"You must be Murray!" I hold out my arms to the man wearing the cowboy hat. "Welcome to the family!" The man stiffins for a moment and then yields but an inch. I pull back and look at the beautiful woman standing at his side. "And the lovely Sam." I pull her close and kiss her cheek. "Dee was right, I see." The door behind them opens again to let my son into the warmth of the lobby. He elbows the man wearing glasses and motions him my way.

"Mr. O'Neill, it's a plea..." I grab him close and laugh.

"Danny, my boy! Stop talking. This isn't the time for words." I step back and pat his cheek. He blushes and pulls his glasses off to wipe them dry from the snow.

And there's my boy. My Jack. I clench my teeth for a moment to keep the tears from falling. Irish men don't cry. They drink. "Jack." My voice betrays me as it cracks.

"Da." Jack reaches out and holds me close. "Looking old, aren't ya?"

I grumble half-heartedly as I cling to my son. "Missed you, boy."

Jack steps back from my arms and nods, "Me, too, old man."

I humph at his cheeky tone and grin at his friends. "Come on to the back. We've stolen the entire place for the night. Of course, it's Jake's place. He's Sarah's husband. You met Sarah, Murray." The tall dark man nods stoically.

"Indeed, I did, Francis O'Neill." He looks around at the dozens of decorations that litter the walls as we walk. Sam steps forward and takes my arm.

"I'm glad you invited us, Mr. O'Neill." I'm glad I can hide my surprise. So that's how Jack got them here.

I smile at Sam. "I wouldn't have it any other way, would I, boy? And it's Da for all of you."

Jack snorts from the back of the small group as we enter the back room filled with family. I can hear him pointing people out to that Daniel of his. I, meanwhile, take Sam and Murray on a circuit of the room. As I sit Sam down beside Moira and place Murray with Sarah and Jake, I notice Charlotte is gone. Damn silly girl.

Jack grabs a chair by Patrick who motions Daniel to join them. I look around the table and smile warmly. Finally. A journey thirteen years in the making ends tonight. My family is together again. I think again of my Charlie. He loved planes and anything that had a motor. He'd like Sam a lot. And I can see him telling the bullies at school about his bodyguard Murray. Scare the piss out of 'em. I don't think he'd dislike the cussing in other languages he'd do with that Daniel teaching him.

I sit down at the head of the table and motion to the empty chair. "We've got one more joining us. Now, Jake, let's get these people some drinks to warm them up."

Daniel peers up from a conversation with Patrick, "We could wait. Don't rush on our account."

Moira looks at me curiously. I shake my head, "Danny Boy, don't be silly. I've had enough silliness from that son of mine." I beam a smile in Jack's direction. "Charlotte will be along in a minute."

And that brings Jack's eyes up from the menu in front of him. "Charlotte, Da?"

I nod, "I'm sure she just stepped out for a minute. Won't be long at all." I get David's Colin to help take the drink orders. Now would be the best time to slip that whiskey in. Charlotte isn't here to see it.

The talk around the table begins anew as we settle ourselves in for a long family dinner. It takes me a minute to notice Jack's gone missing. I notice Moira pointing me toward the kitchen doors with her eyes. I make a production of standing up and wave all attempts at help away. I'm an old man... I'm not dead. I'll let people carry me then.

I head to the doors and find Jack just entering Jake's office. Ah, that's where my Charlotte went. I get a little closer and listen carefully.

Jack's voice wavers as he approaches Charlotte. "Hey, kid."

She doesn't turn around, "I shouldn't have come. It's too much."

He just nods at her. "I know. If I didn't have them with me, I wouldn't be here."

That's when my precious granddaughter turns. "Why are you in here then, Dad?"

His stance changes. I should have known that might break him. I understood it years ago. Now, I worried it might destroy them. I get myself together to step in when Jack speaks.

"Charlie, I missed you. I made a mistake. I hurt you. I hurt Sara. And I made you both pay for it." He stops as if gathering his thoughts. "I promised your father years ago I'd take care of you and your mother if something happened. And when it did, I was there."

Charlotte turns and looks at Jack. I can see she's been crying. Silly girl. "You didn't save my mother."

"I couldn't, Charlie." Jack sighs and leans back against the open doorway. "Anita loved Bill so much. Maybe too much. She couldn't live without him. I know how that can be."

She snaps at him in anger, "You did nearly the same thing. Leaving was as much dying."

Jack takes a breath and quietly responds, "I know too much how Anita was, Charlie. I almost didn't survive it. I used to be like you. I wondered what the hell she was thinking leaving you behind. But I realized that she knew I was there for you. That I loved Bill enough to step in for him. That, between Sara and I, you'd be loved and safe. I'm sorry I messed that up."

Charlotte wipes at her eyes as I watch this final piece fall into place. Patrick would tell me that my son Bill was holding a guiding hand in this. I don't know. I think Jack and Charlotte just need each other too much to let it go any longer. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to find Daniel behind me.

"Is Jack okay?" His blue eyes are worried.

I just nod and turn my attention back to the office.

"I couldn't wash it off, Dad. I tried. For years, you know. But blood just doesn't come out." Charlotte swallows and continues, "I didn't need Uncle Pat or Aunt Shannon. I needed you."

Jack takes it like a decent father would. He suddenly smiles, "You remember that awful lamp Sara had in the living room?"

Charlotte looks confused for a moment before she smiles. "The ball broke it, Dad."

He snorts in disbelief. "I come in the house to find Sara glaring at you both. And what do you two do? You point to each other and tell her Charlie did it."

She giggles, truly giggles. "Charlie did do it. We just never told which one."

Jack nods, "Those are the things we remember, Charlie. Not the blood. Not anymore." He steps forward and folds Charlotte in his arms and says again, "I missed you, kid."

Behind me, Daniel pulls on my arm as Charlotte whispers back, "Missed you, too, Dad."

I let Daniel lead me back to the table. I think he's surprised as much as awed by Jack. But me, I've known for years my son can be good with words. He just needs time to compose them. As the two of us men settle back at the table, Jack and Charlotte join us. She takes her seat near me, and Jack returns to his.

The meal goes on as we tell stories and jokes. I hear from Murray about how well Jack can juggle. He'd been able to for years, but I have a feeling this is something he and Murray share. Sam tells me that Jack believes the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle can be attributed to magnets of all things. More laughter comes with that one. The story Daniel tells involves a night Jack's hockey game got canceled that led to a documentary on the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The eye roll from my son tells me all I need to know about that one.

We're onto to dessert when I notice Jack pull something out of his pocket. Ah, it's time then. I stand up and motion my family to silence. I look at each of my children and grandchildren in turn. I take in my newest children Daniel, Sam and Murray. "Things happen in this life which can never be understood. They bend and break us. We may yield, but we never surrender. We find what we need to survive. To that end, I make a toast." I raise my glass of wine and watch the entire table follow.

"To Murray, a perfect foil for my son. Your dedication to him does you and him nothing but justice." The man in question nods at me in thanks. I continue.

"To Sam, able to talk my son into a hole." My words are broken by amused laughter. "You may never see what you are to us. We'll be years showing you." I turn to my final target.

"To Daniel, without you I would have no son." The silence is thick. I pause and smile at Patrick. "We owe you what we can never pay. We can only welcome you home to family."

I smile at the beloved family in front of me. "Cheers." The volume rises as we all take drinks, clap and hug the ones closest to us. In the midst of this, Jack drops a box on the table and slides it across to Sam. She looks up in surprise.

Jack shrugs, "Well, Carter?"

I watch Sam pick up the box and open it. She takes a moment and then closes it before setting it on the table in front of her. She looks at Jack as everyone notices what is happening. I see Daniel's grin as he sees the look on Sam's face.

She just stares at Jack. He fidgets a little in his chair before she puts him out of his misery. "Yes, sir."

Jack leans back in his chair and grins. He turns to me and motions to Sam, "I got a yes, Da."

It's then that Daniel reaches out across Patrick and hits Jack. "You call her Carter to ask her to marry you!?"

Murray nods, "That is unacceptable. As Samantha Carter's family, Daniel Jackson and I must protest, O'Neill."

Jack rolls his eyes and then looks at Sam, "Marry me, Sam?"

She just laughs, "Of course, Jack."