Raising Her Together

Sequel to "Doing It Together"

Based Upon Stargate: SG-1

- . - - - . -

If he were a jealous man, or if they were any other people, he would have been suspicious. He would have been suspicious and jealous. After all, they spent a lot of time together. Before the baby. After the baby. They spent a lot of time together. Plus they were . . . handsy.

Teal'c often held Sam's hand or put his arm around her shoulders in public. At home, which he was there a lot, they would curl up on the couch. More than once, she fell asleep on him.

It didn't bother Jack, though. It didn't bother him in the least. She wasn't in love with Teal'c. He was more like a giant teddy better, providing comfort whenever she needed it.

Teal'c had been there. Teal'c had witnessed it. He could always understand what she was feeling and why, and help her feel better.

At the end of the day (if she didn't fall asleep on the couch) she crawled into bed with Jack. She kissed his lips, told him she loved him, and let him raise her child as if they made her together.

- . -

Jack sat on the closed toilet seat with a magazine in his hand. One eye was strategically directed at his daughter, splashing around in about 2 inches of water in the bathtub.

When she got older, they would have to explain to her that he wasn't her biological father. He was her "real" dad, and her dad "since birth," but he was not her biological father. At first that was all he was, her father. He wasn't her mother's husband, not at first.

When they first brought her home almost sixteen months ago, Sam was more than a little nervous.

- . -

Sam stood in her bedroom, staring at her bed, holding her new baby. Jack came in behind her, she turned abruptly. "I don't know . . . Maybe we should . . .the bassinet . . ."

Jack held his hand up, stopping her babbling. "I'll shack up on the couch."

"You don't have to," Sam insisted, but Jack could tell she was feeling guilty and obligated. But she wasn't ready, not yet.

"I'll sleep on the couch and tomorrow we can start turning your office into a spare bedroom. I promise you can leave your desk in there," he said with a wink.

Sam nodded, but stood still, perhaps unsure of what to do.

Jack reached his arms out for the baby - his baby now - "You get ready for bed, I'll change her and bring her back in a few minutes."

Sam handed Katie over and when Jack came back with the baby all ready to go to sleep, Sam was sitting up in bed, staring at the wall. Like he had in the hospital, Jack sat down on the edge of the bed and handed Katie back to her mother.

Sam looked uncomfortable for a minute before setting Katie to her breast.

"I can leave if you're uncomfortable," Jack offered.

Sam shook her head. "You'll see it sooner or later, right?"

"But if you're not ready for 'sooner,' it can be 'later.' All you have to do is say."

"I want it to be 'sooner.' But . . ."

Jack put his hand behind Katie's head, acutely aware of how close his hand was to Sam's bare breast, leaned forward and kissed Sam's cheek. "We'll get there." He stood. "Call me if you need anything. I'll come get her in the morning when I wake up so you can sleep a little longer."

Sam nodded. "Thank you," she called softly after him.

He turned with a smile. "Any time. From here on out."

- . -

"Dada!" Katie giggled at him.

Jack looked down and smiled.

She pursed her lips, clearly looking for a kiss.

Jack got on one knee in front of the bathtub and leaned forward, pursing his lips. Katie pressed a big sloppy kiss to his lips.

"Daddy loves you, Baby," he said to her before sitting back down and returning to his magazine. He adopted her very soon after she was born. He had wanted to do it immediately, but didn't know how to bring it up to Sam. Luckily, she brought it up first.

- . -

Jack was lying on the couch with three week old Kathryn sleeping on his chest. The front door opened, "It's just me," Sam called out.

"In the living room," Jack said.

Sam was there in seconds and picked up Kathryn off his chest. "How's my Katie Baby doing today?" Sam asked the baby in a bright tone.

Jack smiled. Damn, they were pretty.

Sam looked past their baby at him. "It's a cute name, don't you think?"

"Katie Baby?" he repeated.

She shook her head. "Katie O'Neill."

Jack sat up with wide eyes, eyebrows sitting near his hairline. "I thought we liked Kathryn Carter?"

"We did . . . But we like Katie O'Neill too." Sam sat down next to him, maybe so she didn't have to look at him directly. "You know, the sooner you adopt her, the sooner we could change her name." She paused just long enough to start babbling. "I mean, unless you don't want to. We don't have to. I don't want to rush."

"Sam," he interrupted her, causing her to meet his gaze. "Let's get the process started tomorrow. I was trying to figure out how to ask you."

With a bright smile, Sam leaned over and placed a small kiss on his lips.

- . -

"Dada," Katie said, reaching up.

"Are you done, Baby Girl?" Jack asked, not expecting a real answer.

Katie simply repeated his name and continued to reach up.

Jack got up, drained the tub, rinsed her off, and picked her up inside a big fluffy towel which caused her to giggle. He kissed her cheek a few times as he carried her to her room to dress her.

He met Sam in the hallway, she grinned with an arched eyebrow. "I come back early to find you with your arms wrapped around a pretty young thing. If you wanted a divorce, you could just say so, Jack."

Katie started to wiggle, no doubt trying to free her hands. "Mama!" she called out. Sam reached out and took her daughter and kissed her lips. "Mama!" Katie cried out a giggle.

Jack wrapped his arms around both of them and placed a kiss on Sam's neck. "What can I say?" he asked. "She's gorgeous."

Once they became intimate, they didn't wait long to get married. It was assumed from the beginning (by everyone) that they would get married, but no one knew when. They started sharing at bed at about three months, and became intimate a short time later.

- . -

Jack's arms were secured firmly around Sam's back, gripping her shoulders as his head rested on her chest. She was amazing.

At first their heavy breathing masked it, but once he had recovered his breath, he noticed she was shaking. He didn't think she was laughing. He tried to look up, but she held his head down.

"Sam," he said, pulling away. She was crying. "Sam, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head. "I forgot," she sobbed.

He rolled off her and pulled her to him, petting her hair. "It's okay. It's okay. I'll help you remember. What did you forget?"

"How good it could be," she whispered.

Jack smiled and hugged her tighter, placing a kiss on the top of her head. "It'll be good from now on. Always."

- . -

Jack followed Sam into Katie's room. He leaned up against the door jam and watched his wife dress their daughter in her adorable little feetie pajamas, the ones covered with stars and planets and things. Once dressed, Sam turned back to him with Katie's head resting on her shoulder.

"Want Daddy to read you a bedtime story, Katie?"

Katie blinked, clearly getting tired from her bath. "Daddy," she mumbled as excitedly as she could manage while falling asleep.

Jack sat down in the rocking chair and took Katie before reaching for the copy of The Wizard of Oz on the bookcase.

Sam settled down on the floor and listened as Jack read their daughter to sleep. Everything was perfect. Sure, one day they would have to tell Katie that Jack wasn't her biological father and that Sam didn't want her at first. But it was all okay, because they loved her and wanted her, and they raised her together.

- . - FIN - . -