It had been four years since General Jack O'Neill had left Stargate Command to take the commission of Homeworld Security at the Pentagon. He had not seen Teal'c or Dr Daniel Jackson in nearly two years as they had gone off doing their own things.
Teal'c, he figured was doing well on Chulak being able to spend quality time with his son Ry'ac. Jack always felt guilty for keeping Teal'c away but it had always been Teal'c's choice.
Daniel, last Jack knew was teaching at some big time university and was still called into the SGC or Area 51 if they needed his assistance. He had talked to Daniel via phone and e-mail once and a while, just neither had the time to visit the other and since Daniel had married Vala, he didn't mind not having them visit him though their kids were adorable.
Colonel Samantha Carter was still in the Air Force, Jack had kept tabs on her after he left and he had seen her on several occasions because of various missions she was on and now that she is the commander of the ship the George Hammond, he had the opportunity to speak to her via video.
Each time he saw her he remembered all the good times they had and how much he adored her. He had still hoped that someday she would not be under his command and when he retired, they could have what they always knew they wanted.
The day the memo came across his desk that Colonel Samantha Carter was transferring to a teaching position at the Air Force Academy, he thought the time had come. She would no longer be under his command.
He went home that evening wondering what he should do. It had been a year or so that he had actually physically seen Carter and wondered if she still had the same feelings for him. He got the butterflies in his stomach wondering if he should call her at home or the office. Should he call her at all or maybe send an e-mail to feel it out.
At about 9:00 he was laying in bed and gathered the nerve to call her home phone. He remembered Colorado was an hour behind in time so she should be up. The phone rang about 4 times before there was an answer. "Hello?" Jack was silent just taking in the sound of her voice. "Hello?". He finally spoke, "Hi, uh, Carter?" "Oh, General, how are you doing? It's been a long time since we've spoken while on the same planet", she laughed.
"Ya, huh. Well, ya, I ah, I got the memo that you are leaving the program, I just wanted to check in and make sure everything was ok." There was silence for a moment then "I said no!" Jack's eyebrows went up, "huh?" He could hear her smile, "Sorry sir, I was talking to Joe." Jack's heart dropped "Joe?" She started to laugh, "my cat sir." Jack took a deep breath and tried to exhale quietly. "Oh!"
"So, how's things been in Washington?" she was curious as to why he decided to call. Hearing his voice certainly brought up some old feelings. "Things are well, ya know, same old same old. How about you?"
"Well, I will be starting a class at the Academy next week so I wanted to get home and do some things, it's been a while since I have dusted if you know what I mean." He did, she had been deployed almost a year on the George Hammond and hadn't been home much before that as she was at Atlantis for a year before. "Ya, I know what you are saying. So, what made you decide to stay on land?" He wasn't sure if he had overstepped his boundary, they had been very close friends for 8 years but it had been a long time since they parted ways.
"Oh…I ah, I have been removed from deployments for medical reasons." He immediately got concerned, "Why? I thought you said you were ok?" She chuckled, "sir, I am fine, actually I am more than fine. I ah…" she didn't know how to break the news to him. "I'm pregnant sir." There it was, the other shoe had dropped. It took everything he had not to scream. "Pregnant? So…. then you are with someone? I didn't know.. but ok, is it someone I would know?" He tried to be cheerful but it was hard.
It crushed her to have to break the news like this but he asked so she would tell him, "Yes sir, after I left Atlantis, John and I stayed in touch and we had semi dated for a while and well one thing let to another and I guess my birth control didn't control enough." Jack didn't know how to feel, "Sheppard huh? He doing right by you? I could sent someone to rough him up" he said light heartedly.
She giggled a bit remembering how protective Jack was of her. "Yes sir, he is supporting me on this whole baby thing. He even asked me to marry him but I said I wasn't ready; though he is still around. We're more good friends than anything I guess. He's fun to hang out with… a lot like a General I know. But that whole thing with Pete really screwed me up in the marriage department. We had fun together the last 6 months or so but I just don't get the feeling he's THE ONE, ya know." Jack sighed, he had been with a few women since he had been in Washington and the same thing happened to him when things started to get serious, he backed away. "Ya, I know. Same here."
There was awkward silence between the two, obviously the feelings they had for each other had not faded enough and neither knew how to proceed. "Well, good luck at school. We could always use a few more Carters on our side" he smiled making her grin so wide her face almost split. "Ya, ok sir. You take care of yourself and if you are ever in this area, you know where I live." He nodded as if she could see him, "Ya I will. Never know when I may need to check up on Landry." They smiled together. "Well, talk to ya later Sam." "Take care…. Jack." "OH! And Carter, keep me in the loop with the kid huh? Good luck, hope all is well." "I will sir, goodnight." She hung up with a huge grin, god she loved that man.
That had been the last Jack had heard from Carter until about 2 years later, when the phone rang in the middle of the night. He rolled over half awake fumbling for the phone. He was suspicious, being the head of Homeworld Security could do that to a person, but it was a Colorado number on his personal cell phone so he answered it but said nothing. "Hello, is this General Jonathan O'Neill?" He was still cautious as it was not someone he recognized. Sitting up on the side of the bed he answered, "Yes, and who is this?" "This is Doctor Smithers from the Air Force Academy Hospital. You are listed as the sole next of kin and the Power of Attorney for a Colonel Samantha Carter." Jack's eyes opened wide when he remembered that they had done that for each other many years ago when they worked together at the SGC. "Yes, what's happened to Sam?" The doctor paused, "Sir, Ms Carter has been in a terrible motorcycle accident and is undergoing surgery. I expect that she will recover though I can not speculate on the final extend of the trauma until she is in recovery. "Sir, it has also come to my attention through a nurse who knows Ms Carter, that she has a small child and she may still be home with a babysitter." Jack was in shock, yes, she would've had the child by now and he/she would be 18 months or so old. "Yes, Doctor, I will be out as soon as I can get transport, let me make some calls for someone to care for the child tonight. I will be there ASAP and will have this phone on me. Please keep me updated with any changes." "Yes, General, I certainly will. I will see you when you get here."
Jack had jumped up to use the bathroom and then called his 2IC Lt Colonel Paul Davis and Sgt Walter Harriman to let them know what had happened. He told Davis that he would have temporary command until he returned and had Walter work on getting a flight to Colorado Springs pronto.
After speaking to the guys, he was ready to crack, nothing could happen to Carter. He was trying not to cry when he picked up the phone and dialed Cassandra. Cassie had transferred back to the Air Force Hospital doing a residency but was most likely not on duty at the time. The phone rang a few times until he heard a faint voice "Hello? Uncle Jack?" He took a deep breath, "Hey, it's me kiddo. Did I wake you?" He knew he did but what do you say when you call someone at 2am. "Um, ya, actually ya did. What's up?" Jack tried to be sure his voice stayed positive, "Cass, I just got a call from the hospital, seems Sam's been involved in a motorcycle accident. They called me cause I am still listed as her Power of Attorney, I guess she never changed it when I left. But anyway, the baby wasn't with her and someone thinks there is a babysitter at her house and…." "OMG! No, Uncle Jack, I am at Sam's house now babysitting. Uh, let me call a friend to come stay with Maddie and I will get over to the hospital. Are you coming out here?"
"Yes, I am taking a jet. I leave in an hour from Andrews and will get there as soon I can honey." He could tell Cassie was crying and felt the shakiness in her voice. She had lost her real mother, then her adopted mother, she couldn't bare to lose her adopted aunt. "Cassie…. Cassie!" "Hu, ya?" "Baby, I need you to calm down, why don't you just stay at the house, I should be there in the next couple hours. Sam's in surgery so there is nothing you can do right now anyway and Dr Smithers told me he would call me as soon as she was in recovery. By the time you get dressed, showered, the baby up, dressed, packed for the day, and both of you fed, I will be there so wait at Sam's house. Do you hear me? Wait there… I'm on my way!" "O…Ok. Hey Uncle Jack? Did they mention how John's doing?" The thought hit him, she was out with Sheppard. "No, sorry honey, they only told me about Sam cause of the Power of Attorney thing. I will see you in a couple hours, hang in there! Love ya!" There was a brief pause, "Ok, love you to Uncle Jack."