Her visitor

by Veep

This is a one shot angsty flight of imagination I had to write while waiting for season 4 of outlander to get started. I guess my mind is on fighting for love.

I am ignoring Atlantis ever happened – sorry! This is nothing but an angsty way to get what I wanted from Sam and Jack.

His arm wrapped around her from behind, waking her from a deep sleep. "Jack?"

"Shhhhhhh." His hand slipped under the edge of her shirt. She sucked in a quick breath as he pressed himself against her, letting her feel his need. After a moment more he scooted back from her and pulled her onto her back. He moved on top of her, tightly gripping her thighs as he spread her legs. She grunted in discomfort, but he didn't stop. She reached up and pushed on his chest, to slow him down, but he grabbed her wrists and held her hands above her head.

"Jack, stop." He sped up. "Stop, Jack, stop." Sam shifted, trying to get more comfortable. He finished quickly. He rolled her back on her side and put his arm around her again.

He put his lips beside her ear. "Sleep."

She wanted to roll back over and ask him why, but she was suddenly too tired. As sleep captured her she decided they could discuss it in the morning.

The room was dim with early morning light when she woke. She reached out to the other side of her bed and was surprised to find the sheets were cold. She took a moment to collect her thoughts about last night. She was furious. It was unlike Jack to disrespect her, let alone force himself on her. She needed to know why he did it before she kicked him out. She threw back the covers, grabbed her robe, and headed out to her living room. She was surprised to find it dark and quiet.

"Jack?" She spun in a circle as she scanned the house. "Jack, where are you?" She opened the front door and checked to see if there was a car in front of the house while she picked up her paper. She leaned against the closed front door, pondering where he could be. She turned on her coffee pot before going back to her bedroom to get her cell phone.

"Good morning. You're up early" He sounded chipper when he answered.

"Where are you?" Her voice was tense and still had the deepness that comes with having just woken.

"My living room."

"In DC?"

"Yep, why?"

Sam was shaking her head. "That doesn't…why did you come here if you couldn't stay?"

Jack put down his paper. "What are you talking about? I haven't been there in weeks."

Sam looked around her again. "That…that doesn't make sense. You were here last night."

"Ummmmm, afraid not."

She sat down on her sofa. "Seriously?"

"What happened last night?"

Sam gave him a small tense giggle. "I'm guessing I had one heck of a realistic dream."

"Was I good?"

Sam sighed, "Not exactly, no."

"Well, in the future I demand you made me good in your dreams, actually I want to be more than good, I want to be excellent."

She smiled. "I'll work on that." She got up and moved into the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee. "Have you started the crossword yet?"

"I'm already on three across."

They talked for about fifteen minutes as Sam enjoyed her first cup of coffee. After she finished eating and reading the paper she got a quick shower. She was toweling off when her reflection caught her by surprise. She moved closer to the mirror as her throat began to burn. She picked up her phone,

"Hi, it's Colonel Carter. I'm sorry to bother you at home on your day off but," she swallowed, "I think there was an incident last night and I hoped you could meet me in your office to examine me."

Less than thirty minutes later she met Carolyn in her office. Carolyn stood as she entered.

"Colonel, please, sit and tell me what happened."

Sam gulped as she played with the edge of her shirt. "I was woken last night by someone in my bed. I thought it was someone I knew but this morning when they weren't in my house, and when I called them they denied ever being there."

"When you say in your bed do you mean that you and they…" She moved her hand in a circle.

"Yes, we did."

"You're sure it wasn't just a dream?"

Sam nodded, "I found bruises this morning."

Carolyn leaned back in her chair. "Bruises aren't unusual for you."

"These are."

"Let's get you into a gown and I'll examine you."

After the exam Sam got dressed and met Carolyn back in her office. "Well?"

"I took samples and will submit them to forensics for testing. I will have to notify the civilian authorities, so our results can be compared to their databases as well."

"So, I was assaulted?"

Carolyn put her hands on her desk and linked her fingers together, "It appears so, yes." Sam swallowed and gripped the edges of her chair as Carolyn pushed a small pill container across her desk. "I know you're on birth control, but I'd still like you to take these, to help make sure you don't get pregnant."

Sam's eye shot up to Carolyn's face and then down to the pills. Carolyn held out a bottle of water. Sam took the water and swallowed both pills at the same time. "Good. I am also going to schedule you for a psychiatric appointment. I know you've been through a lot in your career and you hate psych evals but being violated in your own home is different and you need to work through that."

Sam was about to try and talk her way out of the visit, but her stomach recoiled, and she ended up reaching for the closest trash can. Carolyn stood as Sam put the trash can back down. "News like this can upset anyone's stomach. I'll get you some crackers and we'll try the pills again in a bit."

Carolyn got Sam settled back on a gurney and brought her crackers and more water. Sam's stomach settled and after thirty minutes passed with no more vomiting Sam took another dose of the pills. Within moments she was throwing up again. The nausea passed as quickly as it appeared.

"There's nothing in your records to suggest you would react this way." Carolyn closed the file. "It's ok though. Those pills were just an extra precaution. There's no reason to keep putting you through this. Since you're feeling fine again you can leave but please come back if you get nauseous again."

When Sam got home she checked every window and door to be sure they were all locked. She made sure there wasn't anyone in any closet or her attic space. Even after checking every nook and cranny she felt uneasy. She brewed a pot of tea and turned on some music, but it only helped a little bit. She passed through her bedroom to use the bathroom and get ready for bed but one glance at her bed made shivers go down her spine, so she grabbed a blanket and curled up on the sofa. She turned on an old Godzilla movie and drifted in and out of sleep until morning.

Daniel found her staring off into space and itching her left arm when he got to her lab to see if she wanted to grab some lunch. She said she wasn't really hungry, but she went with him anyway. Teal'c and Cameron were already sitting together waiting on them. The guys talked while Sam scooted the food on her tray around.

"You ok, Sam?" Cameron looked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure? You seem a bit preoccupied and you keep messing with your arm." He nodded towards her upper left arm, where she had been rubbing. She hadn't even realized she'd been messing with her arm but now that he had mentioned it she knew it was bothering her. She lifted her sleeve and was surprised to see a red welt on the inside of her upper arm.

Cameron winced and wrinkled his nose. "That doesn't look good."

"No, indeed, it does not."

Daniel pushed his glasses up as he widened his eyes. "You should probably get that looked at."

Sam nodded, "I will." She rubbed the spot and felt the heat as a shot of pain moved up her arm. "Actually, I think I'll just go ahead and go. I'll see you guys later."

"You're rejecting your birth control implants."

"After two years?"

"That has me puzzled too." Carolyn looked up from the chart. "Regardless of the reason, they have to come out."

Sam picked up her new birth control pills on the way out of the mountain. She and Carolyn had discussed the pros and cons of pills, they were easy to quit if Sam decided she wanted to try to get pregnant, but it could be tough to take them on schedule when traveling to different planets. Sam promised to set a daily alarm to remind her, no matter where she was. She took her first one that night as she got ready for bed. She had just settled down on the sofa when she had to run for the kitchen sink to be sick. She felt better as soon as she threw up. She curled up on the sofa after brushing her teeth again and slept fitfully.

She muddled through Tuesday, ignoring Jack's multiple phone calls and messages. She wasn't sure what to say to him and she doubted she could hide her foul mood, even over the phone. She visited the psychiatrist, as ordered, and ended up with two more appointments for later in the week. She took another birth control pill at bedtime and was sick within moments. She put the remaining pills in her purse and decided to take them back to Carolyn in the morning.

"I find this very unusual since you took similar pills in the past but there are other options. "I suggest we try a monthly patch."

Sam shrugged. "Fine with me." Sam applied the patch to her hip and set off for her lab.

She was reviewing recent gate errors when her phone rang. "Carter."

"Good to know you're alive."

Sam grinned. "Jack, I'm sorry I haven't called you back."

"I know how busy you get, that's why I figured you'd forgive me if I interrupted you at work for a few minutes."

"You're always welcome to interrupt me."

"That's not exactly how I remember it. I used to be pretty good at annoying you."

"You weren't annoying."

"Sam, don't lie. You hid it well but every once in a while, you wanted to physically kick me out of your lab."

She thought about how he would lean over her bench to get her attention. He always seemed to know when she most needed a break. He was right that there were times she wished he would just let her be but usually she appreciated the distraction. "Maybe, but today isn't one of those days." Part of her wanted to tell him but she couldn't bring it up, not over the phone and not while she was at work.

Sam woke from a nightmare Thursday morning. Her back was sore from sleeping on the sofa and her hip itched. She got up and turned on the coffee pot and morning news. There was more unrest and overseas bombings. Sam wondered again if knowledge of the stargate would help Earth unite as one or would it bring about even further divisions. She put a bagel in the toaster oven before heading to the bathroom. She enjoyed a cup of coffee with her bagel before riding her bike to work. She headed straight to the infirmary, having seen the red around the new patch when she was getting ready that morning. Carolyn was disappointed but agreed that the patch needed to be removed. She gave Sam some information on IUDs and a long-term birth control shot. Sam took the pamphlets with her and promised to return the next day with a decision.

She busied herself with naquada reactor adjustments and X 303 reports, ignoring the birth control pamphlets until she stopped for dinner. She barely glanced at them, having considered these options in the past. She and Pete had discussed trying to have a baby as soon as they were married but luckily, she'd seen her mistake before it went too far. Now she doubted marriage was in her immediate future. She didn't get the feeling Jack wanted to ever marry again. They'd also never brought up the concept of children, it was far too early in their relationship for such talk. Jack would be a wonderful father, but she worried the pain might be too much for him. A child would be a constant reminder of all he'd lost.

She got her bag and headed home, taking the long route so she could let the speed clear her head. She stopped at the grocery store and made herself a salad before going home and eating in front of a television show she didn't watch. Jack called but she didn't answer. She felt guilty for not discussing the options with him.

"Are you sure Colonel? This is a long-term solution that can't be reversed."

Sam nodded. "I understand."

"Alright." Carolyn prepared the syringe. Sam rolled up her sleeve and looked away as she was given the injection. "That's all there is to it."

"Thanks again. Here's hoping I don't see you again for a few days."

Carolyn smiled. "Agreed."

"Hey, Sam, you ready for…SAM!" She was curled up in a fetal position on the floor of her lab. Daniel checked her pulse, which was racing, before calling for a med team. She was rushed to the infirmary. When Carolyn walked out in the hall Daniel, Teal'c, and Cameron were all waiting for her. "She has a high fever. I'm running some blood tests. I should know more in a couple hours." She left them just standing there.

"I'll call Jack." Daniel walked away to use the phone in his office.

Four hours later Jack showed up to find Teal'c standing at the end of Sam's bed and Daniel and Cameron in chairs against the wall. "How is she?"

Daniel shook his head. "Her fever is very high. They have ice packs around her, but it isn't helping much."

"Where's the doctor?"

"Getting more test results. She should be back soon."

"Very soon actually." Carolyn pulled back the corner of the curtain around Sam's bed. "It's good to see you again, sir."

"Doctor, what can you tell us?"

"Her white blood cells are elevated."

"So, it's an infection?"

Carolyn shook her head. "That was what I hoped, so I ran a differential white blood cell count. You see each type of white blood cell has a different job, such as fighting bacteria, or viruses, or parasites."

"Parasites are an issue?"

Carolyn smiled, "Not as much these days, thanks to sanitation, but we still have white blood cells dedicated to fighting off worms and such."

Daniel scrunched his nose at the thought. Jack waved her on. "Ok, so?"

"So usually a differential white blood count will show which white blood cells are high and that will help us narrow down what type of organism is making a person sick."

"But?"

"But in this case, all of Colonel Carter's white blood cells are high, through the roof actually. Her immune system has gone haywire."

"Why?"

Carolyn grimaced. "I'm not sure but I have a guess."

Jack was losing patience with all the explanations. "Which is?"

"I gave Colonel Carter a shot yesterday and I suspect she is having an allergic reaction to it."

"Can you stop it?"

Carolyn shook her head. "I've given her epinephrine to try and control the allergic reaction, but it hasn't helped much. We'll keep trying to control her fever and hope she can fight this off."

"That's it! Hope she can fight this off?"

"I'm sorry General, but there isn't much else I can do."

"What was this shot?"

"Sir?"

"The shot you gave her yesterday. What was it?"

Carolyn hugged the file she was holding. "I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to tell you that, sir."

"Perhaps you don't know, but I am her designee in her medical power of attorney."

"I am aware, sir. Being her designee means you will be called upon to make medical decisions if she is unable to make those decisions, but that doesn't mean I can divulge her medical history to you without a reason and in this case, there are no decisions to be made. There is nothing else we can do but try to manage the situation and hope her body wins."

Daniel and Cameron went to get some sleep while Jack and Teal'c sat on opposite sides of Sam's bed. Jack played with her fingers, looking at each of the pale pink fingernails that showed multiple chips. He wasn't sure why she ever got manicures, she messed them up quickly.

"O'Neill."

"Hmmmm?" Jack looked up.

"She is strong. She will prevail."

"I know, T. I know. Thanks."

She mumbled in her delirium, usually saying names Jack recognized like Daniel, Teal'c, Janet, Cassie, Mark, Martouf, and Jonathon. It surprised him to hear her use his first name. She'd never done that with him. She also said Grace a few times and he wasn't sure who she meant. It was Jack that she said the most, which pained him while also making him happy.

It was Sunday before her fever started to go down. Jack sat forward as she opened her eyes. "Hey there."

"Jack?"

"Yep, I'm right here."

"Here?"

"The SGC infirmary. You've been a bit sick."

"A bit?"

Jack shrugged. "Yeah, but it looks like you're getting better."

"Yes, it does." Carolyn stepped forward. "You've been having a massive allergic reaction, but you've turned the corner. You should keep feeling better."

"An allergic reaction? To what?"

Carolyn pursed her lips. "I suspect you reacted to the shot I gave you on Friday."

Sam's brow briefly wrinkled but then it smoothed as she remembered. "Oh." Jack's eyes cut back and forth between the two women, but he decided now wasn't the time to seek out answers. He didn't want to upset Sam. "So, what now?"

"Now you rest. Everything else can wait until you get your strength back."

Sam nodded and looked down at the hand Jack had reached out to hold. "Rest is exactly what she'll get, Doc."

Two days later she was released from the infirmary and Jack gave her a ride home. "Why don't you go sit and get comfortable while I make you some tea."

"All I've done for days is sit."

Jack shrugged, "Actually you were mostly lying down. Sitting should be a change of pace."

She rolled her eyes at him before heading to the sofa. She picked up the two pillows and neatly folded blanket and moved them from the sofa to the chair in the corner of the room. She felt him watching her. She'd told herself that she didn't tell him because it wasn't a conversation they could have over the phone. Then she told herself she didn't want to talk about it at the SGC. Now there was no excuse and he knew something was up, even though he wasn't saying anything. She curled up on the sofa and tucked her feet under her. Her stomach was in knots and she was playing with the edge of her shirt when he returned carrying a mug for her and a bottle of beer for himself.

He stretched out, putting his feet out on the ottoman and sitting the beer on the table beside the sofa. "If you stretch your feet out I'll give you a foot massage."

She couldn't help but grin as she shifted and put her feet in his lap. She'd known he learned best by doing so it made sense that he liked physical contact, but even so, she had been surprised by how much he liked touching her. It still made her skin crawl with delight.

He was concentrating his efforts at the base of her toes on her right foot. He glanced over at the pillows at blanket. "Have you had visitors lately?"

She gave her head a small shake, "No, not exactly." His thumbs began to kneed the ball of her foot. "I've been sleeping out here for a few days." He glanced over at her but stayed silent. She swallowed. "You remember when I called a few days ago and asked where you were?"

"Yep." He switched his attention to her left foot.

"I thought you'd been here."

"Why?"

She looked down at her tea as she took a slow deep breath and pushed it out between pursed lips. "Someone got into the house last Saturday night."

His hands stopped moving. "And?"

Sam thought about taking a sip of her tea, but she wasn't sure she could swallow it. She kept her eyes down. "He got in bed with me and…" Her voice trailed off. She felt the heat radiating from her face as she held back her tears.

His hand tightened on her foot. "That's why you thought it was me?"

She grimaced. "He also sounded like you. I mean he didn't say much but what he did say sounded like your voice." One tear escaped and slid down her cheek.

Jack reached over and took her mug, placing it on the table beside him. "Come here." He opened his arms.

She looked up at him but didn't move towards his arms. More tears joined the first. "I didn't fight him." Her head dropped into her hands and she pulled her knees up. Jack wanted to scream and beat someone, but the object of his fury wasn't in the room. Sam, with her arms wrapped around her knees and her shoulders shaking as she cried, became his first concern. He pushed down his anger and moved to her, pulling her against her chest. After a moment she lowered her knees and leaned against him.

"I'm sorry, Jack."

"You have nothing to apologize for."

She shook her head, "You're wrong. I should have fought him. I knew something was wrong. I knew you would never…" She couldn't say it out loud. He gave her a moment to collect her thoughts. "When it was over I wanted to rip his head off, but he told me to go to sleep and I did." Her voice became a whisper. "I just went to sleep." He pulled her closer, at a loss about what else to do. Her tears created a wet spot on the shoulder of his shirt as he ran a hand through her hair. He held her close until her shoulders stilled.

"Is there a suspect?"

She shook her head. "Carolyn is comparing the evidence she collected against the DNA samples of everyone stationed at Cheyenne and she sent the information to the local authorities."

"Good." He kissed the crown of her head.

She twisted her head and looked up at the underside of his chin. "I should have told you sooner."

He moved his hand up to the side of her wet face. "You've told me now, that's all that matters."

Two days later Jack headed back to Washington, despite his misgivings over leaving. Sam assured him she was fine and would continue to see the psychiatrist until cleared. It took three weeks for her to be cleared for gate travel. None of the guys had complained about being sent on cushy assignments but she could tell they were anxious to get back to some real exploration and for that the team needed to be whole. Sam's first stop after being cleared by the psychiatrist was the infirmary.

Sam knocked on the edge of her office door. "Good afternoon, did you get the report from the psychiatrist?"

Carolyn grinned, "I did. That means you're almost ready to go back through the gate."

"Yep, it's the almost I'm here to discuss. I'd like to schedule an appointment to get that IUD we discussed."

"How about tomorrow?" Sam nodded her agreement. "In that case we just need to run a few preliminary tests."

Sam returned the next day, ready to get back to going off world. General Hammond had assigned them to a mission in three days and the scouting report showed recent mining activity. She was nearly bouncing on her toes at the thought of going back through the gate when she got to the infirmary. The look on Carolyn's face made a led weight settle in her stomach.

Sam's legs were bouncing. She was nervous, and her pent-up energy had no outlet as she sat and waited. Her head turned as she heard the door finally open.

"Sam!" He smiled. "Why didn't you tell me you were…" His voice trailed off as the look on her face made his chest tighten. He laid his coat over the chair as she stood and faced him. "What's wrong?"

She swallowed. Her hands were shaking but she forced her chin to stay sill. "I'm..." She took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

Jack's face relaxed, his eyes brightened, and the right corner of his mouth moved upwards. "Really?" He stepped towards her.

She put her hands up and shook her head. "No!" He stopped moving and the slight grin left his face. "It's…it's not yours." Her head dropped as she wrapped her hands around herself.

"Oh." The sheer agony emanating from her spread to him.

"It was him." Jack's eyes narrowed in confusion. "That night." He felt as if he'd been stabbed as realization hit him. He moved forward and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. The feel of him broke her and she began to cry. She was tired of crying, but she couldn't make it stop. She unfolded her arms and wrapped them around his waist.

"I've got you." His arms tightened around her. "And I'm not going anywhere." She turned her face and pressed it against his neck. He turned his head and laid it against hers. They stood there for several minutes, until her tears slowed. She lifted her head but didn't meet his eyes.

He put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face until their eyes met. "I mean it, we're in this together."

"You'd help me raise another man's child? A rapist's child?" Her eyes were wet but fierce.

"Absolutely." She saw the truth in his eyes and felt new tears prickling her eyes.

"And if I decide not to have it?"

He kept his face neutral, but she knew how he felt. "Then I'll come along and when it's over I'll take care of you."

"I wouldn't ask that of you."

"You didn't, and you'd never have to." Her wipes one last tear from her face. "Since getting drunk is probably out of the question how about I take you out for the best cheesecake in town. A great dessert makes any day better."

Sam couldn't help but smile. "Is it close by?"

"Not exactly but there's a homemade ice cream parlor around the corner."

"Now you're talking. Just let me wash my face a bit first."

"Sam. Sam, wake up." The voice roused her. His face was close as she opened her eyes. "Hey."

"Orlan?"

He backed up a little. "I'm glad you remember me."

She smiled at him. "You were worried I'd forget?"

"A bit, yes."

"Never."

He looked around. "It's pretty here. Where are we?"

Sam turned her head and scanned in both directions. "The beach, Waikiki I think. How did we get here?"

Orlan shrugged. "You did it."

"I don't…" Sam looked at Orlan then back at the empty beach. "I don't understand."

Orlan reached up and tapped her on the side of her forehead. "We're here."

Waikiki turned into the gate room as Sam gasped. "Am I dreaming or are you really here?"

Orlan tilted his head. "Do those two things have to be mutually exclusive?"

Sam grinned, "I guess not." The gate room turned into her living room, lit but dozens of candles.

"That was a good night."

Sam nodded, "Yes. Yes, it was." Sam reached out towards one of the candles and felt its heat as the small flame flickered. "Why are you here?"

"I've been with you all this time."

"So why can I see you now?"

"Because I needed you to hear me."

"Hear you say what?"

"Keep the child."

Sam's eyes widened. "What?"

"Keep the child." He faded from focus. Sam gasped as she woke. She reached over and felt Jack's arm, careful to not wake him. She was thnking her self-conscious had decided to get in on the discussion but then a soft light appeared in the corner. "The child is his." The light shifted and floated over Jack for just a moment before disappearing.

Sam sat up and reached for the fleeting light. The movement of the bed roused Jack. "Sam?" He rolled over and looked at her. "Sam, are you ok?" She slowly nodded, which he could barely see in the dim light coming through the window. He stretched out his arm, "Come'er."

She scooted over beside him and laid back down. "Nightmare?"

"I don't think so." She didn't explain any further and they both fell back asleep.

Sam spent two days with Jack before heading back west. She left him without having voiced a decision and he didn't push her for one. He promised to come visit for a weekend in nine days, giving her time to think. Sam talked to Orlan while she was at home alone, asking him to explain himself, but he didn't appear to her again. Three days after getting home Sam called Carolyn and asked her for a favor. Three days later Carolyn called her down to her office.

"Please sit." Sam did as Carolyn requested. "I ran the test you requested."

Sam scooted to the edge of her seat. "And?"

"It was a match." Sam sat back in the chair and smiled. "Would you like me to send that information on to the appropriate authorities?"

Sam's eyes widened, and she sat forward again. "No! I mean there's no need."

Carolyn tilted her head to the side. "You were assaulted."

"I know, but I don't think it was what I thought it was."

Carolyn shook her head. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I yet, but when I figure it out, I'll tell you. I promise."

Sam raced home, screaming as she closed the front door. "Orlan! Don't you dare keep ignoring me! It's well past time for you to explain!" She spun in a tight slow circle, waiting for a light or something to let her know he was there. "Orlan! Now!" She felt the presence and turned around to be surprised by a different face, the face of a stranger.

"Who are you?"

"It matters not."

"I disagree."

He scowled. "Anso, my name is Anso. I am a friend of Orlan's. The others would not permit him to watch over you, so he asked me to do so on his behalf."

"So, the other night, my dream, that was you?"

He inclined his head, "Yes."

"Why?" Sam shook her head. "And how?"

"Do you want to know why or how?"

"I want both."

Anso straightened his back and grimaced even more. "Orlan didn't tell me how stubborn you were when he asked for my help. Watching over you hasn't been easy, but I grew to like you a little bit. As I watched you, I felt sorry that you couldn't have what you most wanted, so I decided to help you out."

"Help me out?"

He looked down and gave her a small shrug. "I had not intended to cause this much disruption."

"Disruption! You call all of this a disruption!"

"As I said, I did not intend to cause you harm. I helped you."

Sam ran her hand through her hair. "You think you helped me. Are you nuts?"

"Think what you will. I grow tired of this." The glow disappeared with him and Sam was alone in her living room.

Jack found her sitting on her back porch. He sat in the chair beside her and watched the sunset with her, letting the silence envelope them both. He followed her inside when it got dark and cold. She lit the fire and stood in front of it, warming herself.

"You looked so happy the other day when I told you I was pregnant." It wasn't a question, so he didn't try to offer an answer. She turned to face him. "Were you serious about helping me raise this child?"

He reached out and caressed her cheek. "Absolutely."

She reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope. "Would it make any difference if the child was yours?"

He shook his head. "None."

"Then this won't matter." He took the envelope she held out towards him. He opened it and read it twice.

"I don't understand." He looked up at her. "How?"

"It was a friend of Orlan's."

"That Ancient who had a thing for you?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Yes."

He shook the piece of paper, "So this means…"

"You're the father."

The paper fell to the floor as he grabbed her and pulled her against him, kissing her deeply. She wrapped her arms around his neck, grinning as the kiss broke. She told him about Anso's visit and asking Carolyn to check his DNA against the evidence. "We can confirm the results in a few weeks when they do an amniocentesis."

"You don't need to do any more testing. I don't need convincing."

She smiled even more, "I appreciate that, but it isn't just for you. I'm technically what they call of advanced maternal age, so this pregnancy is higher risk. It's just a precaution."

"Higher risk?"

"I'll be fine Jack." She put a hand on her abdomen. "We both will be."

Jack kissed her again. "Do you think the glowy guy is sill here?"

Sam shrugged. "I hope not but I have no way of knowing."

Jack glanced around him. "Doesn't that creep you out a bit?"

Sam hadn't thought about it until this moment. "It didn't but I guess now it does. Hopefully I annoyed him enough that he's left for good."

"Hoepfully."