Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story was created for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Six weeks!
It had been six weeks since Jack's adventure with Grace and still they were searching for the missing piece. Miraculously Jack had awakened with no damage, Caroline had whisked him off for an MRI and it was identical to ones he'd had taken when he wasn't carrying around the Ancients' knowledge. Everything was so good, Caroline allowed him to debrief the group the next morning. They'd met in Carter's lab.
"Jack, why are we meeting here?" Daniel asked.
"Okay, this may be a little hard to grasp, but then again when isn't it?" Jack sat on the same stool he'd first seen Grace sitting on. He had an urge to look around under the tables and desks for the little imp.
"Shall we?" General Landry encouraged.
"Long story short…we have something here that has answers to the Ori problem."
Everybody jumped at that.
"Carter, grab that little globe off of the desk and bring it here please."
Sam did as he asked. She'd looked at the piece of technology over and over when it first came in, but nothing that she did would open it. She handed it to Jack and waited to see what would happen. She was as shocked as everyone else when after a couple of seconds of playing with it, the globe opened and a star map appeared.
"Yeah, any questions?"
The room exploded with questions. Sam reached for the globe and Jack caught her hand in his. He wasn't sure that it would stay "on" without him. He placed it on the desk, and success! The map stayed visible. Jack held onto Sam's hand because he liked it.
"From what I was told this is the answer to the Ori problem. I'm guessing that it's the direction to where Arthur's weapon is. Problem. We need another piece of the puzzle but I think that I know where it is. Saddle up campers, we're off to Camelot."
So six weeks later Sam was returning to the SGC after spending another three days in the cave. She was jumping back and forth from her lab to where the others were looking for the machine Jack had described, on a regular basis. At least with the Daedelus in orbit she was able to use Asgaard beaming technology, instead of having to endure the 8 hour flight to England.
Daniel had come back a couple of days earlier to try working on the map again. The greatness of the discovery was only dimmed by the futility of trying to figure it out. They'd even begged Hermiod to look at it. The only Asgaard they had at their disposal had looked at it and grumbled something in Asgaard. For some reason the Asgaard scientist wasn't able to translate the "Gate Builders" map. He wasn't taking it well.
"When was the last time you ate?" Daniel asked her.
"What day is it?"
"I figured as much. Lock up that computer and come with me. I'll call Jack and get him to make it an order."
Sam looked at Daniel. He said it with a smile, but she could see the truth in his eyes. He would call Jack, and even though she routinely saw Jack in his boxer shorts, he still out ranked her and could still order her around. At work anyway. She closed her email and locked her computer. She was too tired to fight Daniel on this, but she gave him a poke in the ribs as she walked by. He laughed and slung an arm over her shoulder.
"We can catch up."
"You just left Camelot the day before yesterday."
"Saaaa'aam" he whined. "Not the mission…life. You and Jack actual have a life now; Teal'C and I are dieing to know how things are going."
"When did you become a gossip?"
He looked hurt. "Not to gossip. We care about you two."
She laughed and tickled his ribs again. "I know. It's just that before Jack's accident, was it an accident or an incident, anyway we were floating along. We hadn't made any real changes in the way we dealt with each other."
They'd made it to the commissary, grabbed a bite and found a table off to the side.
"Since he woke up, and started on this mission to find the weapon, it's been different. Good. We're really talking, when we aren't sleeping, eating or…" she blushed and Daniel laughed.
The two of them had been lusting after each other for the better part of a decade, if they weren't going at it like bunnies, he'd have been shocked.
"Yeah I understand limited time and all." Daniel teased.
"Anyway, things are really good. I've learned about his past."
Daniel's mouth dropped open. He'd known Jack the longest and other than hearing a bit about Charlie and Sarah, he didn't know anything about "O'Neill the early years".
"Yeah, he brought it up about a month ago. Told me a lot about how he grew up and the trouble he'd gotten into as a kid. Answered any questions I had. It was, wow, I sound like I'm fifteen."
They both laughed. Sam didn't have many close friends and the ones she did were mostly male. She had Cassie, but Cassie looked at her and Jack as surrogate parents so it would be a little difficult having a conversation like this with her. Although Cassie did like to get the dirt, and pass it on to Uncle Daniel when she felt it good enough. It was times like this that Sam really missed Janet.
Caroline Lam entered the commissary and spotted the two SG1 members. She made her way over.
"Sam, Daniel, you're both back?"
Daniel smiled and nodded. "Hello Caroline. How's everything in the infirmary?"
"Well, surprisingly empty with SG1 keeping out of trouble." She had a quick wit and liked to play off of Daniel and Cam.
Both SG1 members laughed. Neither had been a patient there in months, a record it seemed.
"Sam, would you have a minute to drop by my office? Today, sooner rather than later?"
"Is there a problem? Did something come up from the tests you ran on Jack the last time he was here?"
"No, no oh no, it's just something I need to go over with you. General O'Neill was cleared completely weeks ago. I have to admit, he's in better shape than most of the men on the base."
Daniel squawked. During his stay at the SGC he'd turned from the skinny scholar he'd been into a pretty buff guy. No more 'geek' comments were aimed at him.
"Most of the men Dr Jackson." Caroline patted his shoulder condesendingly.
Daniel returned to his meal.
Sam had finished and told them so. She was ready to leave and figured that now was as good a time as any to take a walk with Caroline.
They made their way to the infirmary and Caroline's office. When the doctor closed the door behind them Sam's interest peaked.
"Sam, uh…I've been tracking down the women on the base this week to tell them something."
"The women?"
"Yes, the supply sargent who handles the medical supplies for the SGC emailed me with a problem. It seems the Depo-Provera that the women on base are given for birth control was recalled. It seems that it's, well, not working."
Sam blanched.
"Now, before you panic, the real facts on this drug are that they stay in the body for up to two months after the last injection. It can cause some problems when a couple decides that they want to have a baby. There is a very slight chance that you could be pregnant after missing one dose. You should be good for up to five months at a time."
"Caroline…this is me you are talking to. I have a protein marker in my system that does not occur naturally in our species…if any one is going to be the one in the million, it'll probably be me."
"We can do a pregnancy test. It'll probably be negative, seeing as you are at what 5 and a half months since a real injection?"
"Yes, but even then, I could still be pregnant."
"Yes you could."
"Holy Hannah.
Caroline handed Sam a box and sent her off to a washroom. They'd know in about thirty minutes if SG1 was losing her. They sat there, staring at the clock, waiting for the timer. When it dinged both women jumped.
Caroline picked it up and looked at it. She then looked at Sam.
"Well?"
"Oh boy, you are definitely pregnant Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter. We'll do a blood test to be sure but…congratulations."
Sam sat back down with a thump. So many emotions were flooding through her she couldn't identify all of them, except happiness, with a chaser of fear.
"Oh God Caroline, I've been transported a dozen times since I became pregnant. What if I've harmed the baby some how?"
"Hermiod would probably be our best resource. He's on base."
They looked at each other and headed out to find the Asgaard.
A few minutes later, and two storey's up they found the little grey…scientist. He was running through computer schematics and had the globe map displayed in front of him. He was not letting this thing get the better of him.
With a brief look up he said. "Colonel Carter, Dr. Lam, what do you need."
He really didn't have Thor's warm, fuzzy personality.
"We need to ask you a few questions." Caroline replied.
"Is it important? I am working."
"It could be very important Hermiod."
"More important than stopping the Ori?"
Sam and Caroline looked at each other. Definitely not warm and fuzzy.
"We need access to some information."
"Anything you need from the database is readily available to you. Anything else is not."
"Hermiod, we need some medical data."
The alien's huge eyes looked up from their former position glued to the computer screen. The only real emotion that showed up on an Asgaard's face was surprise at the lack of knowledge these people had. Hermiod still couldn't believe that they had been essential to stopping the Replicators.
"What sort of information do you require doctor?"
"Uhm…we need to know if the Asgaard's have any research on pregnant women and transportation technology…as well as Star Gate travel."
"Asgaard's have not been "pregnant" in thousands of years. I do not believe the data base would be of any assistance."
The Asgaard returned to his work, muttering in Asgaard.
"Damn." Sam grunted. That was not what she wanted to hear.
She and Caroline turned to leave when Hermiod spoke again.
"Teleportation as well as Star Gate travel is completely harmless to any organism that travels through it. Both technologies simple disassemble and reassemble the data. There is no re-writing or changing of any data. A woman in Colonel Carter's condition has no concern."
"Ah Hermiod…it's not…"
"Do not worry Colonel Carter, I will not tell anyone of you condition." The tone of his voice was 'like it matters to me'.
The two women left the room and the grumpy little alien. Sam stopped and leaned back against the wall.
"I'm pregnant Caroline." She whispered.
"Yeah, how 'bout that?"
"I need to talk to Jack."
"Yes, aren't you on downtime for the weekend?"
"Yes."
"Get some rest, doctors orders."
Sam smiled and made her way to her lab. She'd been away from there all afternoon, but she wasn't going to hang around now. She needed time to think…about how she was going to tell Jack.
"Jack!"
He was sitting on a stool in her lab.
"Carter!" He replied smiling.
"How…why…hey?"
"Carter? Finish one question before you start another please."
"How did you get here?"
"I pulled a couple of strings with Caldwell and caught a beam here. I am planning to go to Camelot on Monday with you guys anyway, so I thought we could spend the weekend together."
Sam was tired, grumpy and a little dizzy and now she had Jack to deal with. What a day.
"I was just heading home." She told him.
"At five in the afternoon? What's up, you sick or something?"
She rubbed at the headache that was starting behind the bridge of her nose.
"I'm just tired Jack. It's been a long day."
"Cool, I'm ready to go."
They traveled to Sam's house quietly. Sam fell asleep as Jack was driving her car. They arrived just as the sun set. Jack grabbed his bags and opened the door for Sam. She had left most of her stuff at the SGC so she only had her computer bag to carry in.
Once inside the house, Jack dropped his bags and took her into his arms. He kissed her soundly only releasing her when the need for air out-weighed the need for her.
"Hi." He said dreamily.
"Hi." She smiled at him then buried her nose into his neck. She loved the way he smelled.
"It's been nice spending all of this time with you at Camelot but…"
"I know, on duty we can't exactly do this."
"I think Mitchell has a crush on you."
"What?" That got her to look at him again.
"He follows you around like a lost puppy…"
"He's just excited. He doesn't want to be left out and this situation is more Daniel's and my field…more scientific than military, and I think Cam just needs to feel involved."
"As long as he doesn't need to feel involve with you I'm okay."
"Jack." She sighed. "Come on. Let's get changed and have some dinner. Then may be we can get some sleep."
They both went upstairs; he changed while she grabbed a shower. She met him in the kitchen 20 minutes later.
"What are you making?"
"Omelets."
"Jack, can we order out? I'd like Chinese."
"Sure." He hadn't broken the eggs yet, so he started to put everything away. "Beer?"
"No thanks…I think I'll just go with water for now."
"Okay. Since you are craving Chinese, you order. I'm easy."
She snickered at that. He always said he was uncomplicated, but he was definitely the most complicated man she knew. She shook her head and grabbed a menu.
"We need to talk Jack." She said after placing the order.
"I thought we were."
"No, I mean really talk."
He came over and joined her on the couch. Taking her soft hand into his, he looked at her with concern.
"What's wrong? You've been quiet all day. I've been waiting…"
"There's a problem Jack. I have a problem."
"We can deal…whatever it is."
"I don't know…I'm just not sure if we can deal with this."
"Samantha, you're scaring me."
She took a deep breath. It was now or never. They'd talked a lot about Charlie and both of their feelings about children, but that had been hypothetical. Neither of them had really thought that they'd ever be in this situation. She was sneaking up on 40 years old, and while health and prenatal care was now phenominal, she was still a little old to be having her first baby.
"Jack, there was a problem at work."
"Does this have something to do with us"
"Yes…"
"Hank would have come to me if there was any concern and nobody from higher up the chain has said anything…who's giving you a bad time?"
"No Jack, it's not that. Nobody seems to care that we're together. After the betting pool was sorted out and Teal'C collected his money, nobody's said anything… this is medical."
Jack paled. Medical, was something wrong with her? Not after all of these years, now that they'd finally gotten to a good place…
"Jack? Jack? You left me."
His mind had wandered.
"Jack…I'm…"
The door bell rang. She had heard him make a lot of noises over the years, but she'd never heard him growl like that before. She watched as he jumped up and ran to the door. He shoved bills at the poor kid and slammed the door. Dropping the food on the coffee table he looked at her.
"God, tell me you are okay, please."
"Jack, I'm pregnant."
She watched the emotions run across his face. Surprise, disbelief, joy, back to surprise and then the fear. At least there wasn't any anger.
"Speak to me Jack" she said after a minute.
"Ah…a baby? Whoa…huh?" he was inarticulate at the moment.
He stood and began to pace. He continued to mutter words that in the right order may have been a simple sentence, but as they came out of his mouth they had no relationship to each other.
"It's okay Jack…You don't have to worry about anything. I'm good to raise the baby on my own. You might want access later, that's fine… You don't have to want this baby…"
He dropped to his knees infront of her and buried his face in her lap. She stopped talking and sat there. His shoulders were shaking and it took her a minute to realize that her brave, strong, General was crying.
"Jack?" she whispered.
He looked up at her, tears still on his cheeks.
"Not want this baby? God how could you think that I wouldn't want this baby. How did it happen?"
"Screw up with the birth control…you want the baby?"
"Our child? God Samantha, there is nothing I want more, but what about you? Your career? Gate travel and transporter…"
"I spoke to Hermiod today, he says that the Gate and the transporter shouldn't have any effect on the baby…I can still go through the Gate, and use the transporter."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I mean I don't think I'll be going through the Gate anytime soon, stuff happens and it usually ends in a fire fight, but I can still go to and from Camelot, at least until we find what we're looking for."
"No, I mean the baby… you're sure?"
"God Jack, of course I'm sure. I am so happy, scared and a little queasy, but as soon as Caroline told me, I was sure."
The phone ringing interupted their staring contest .
"Sam!" it was Daniel and he was excited.
"We think we found it! Teal'C and Mitchell are bringing it back as we speak. Can you and Jack get back here."
"Yes…God yes!"
Sam told Jack as she grabbed her jacket. They looked at the food and Jack grabbed the bag. He stopped her with a hand at the door. Grabbing her in his arms he kissed her again.
"We'll talk more after…we will talk. I love you Samantha Carter, you and that baby you are carrying."
"I love you too Jack O'Neill…and we should have ordered more food."