A Great Relief
By Mickey
Status: Completed 01/28/2010
Archive Permission: Ask first.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for fun and I sure as hell didn't get paid for writin' it. No copyright infringement intended.
Word Count: 536
Author's Notes: Written for the stargatedrabbles list challenge #105, "a great relief".
"I'm sorry, sir, but you really need to leave. Now," the nurse said as she practically pushed Jack out of the room.
Frustrated and scared out of his mind, Jack complied. Stopping in front of the door as it shut behind him, he turned and peered into the small room, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on. After several seconds, he gave up and started pacing the hall. Every few minutes, he stopped and looked in the window again. Each time he growled in frustration and fear and, still unable to see anything other than the backs of nurses and doctors, started pacing again.
Seriously, what's taking so long? he wondered. Can't someone tell me what the hell is going on? Jack's pacing increased as the minutes dragged by impossibly slow.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a nurse exited the room and called out to him, "Mister O'Neill."
Jack, who was nearly at the end of the hall, turned towards the woman and noted with some relief the smile on her face. When she didn't immediately say anything else, he demanded, "Well?"
"They're fine, sir. Both mother and child and going to be just fine."
"Yes!" Jack whooped as he threw his fists in the air and walked quickly towards the nurse. He knew when he left the room that Sara would be fine with a few days rest; it was the baby whose life was hanging in the balance. "He's really okay," he asked skeptically. "My son is really going to be okay?" He didn't hear any crying. If the baby was okay, why wasn't he crying? Weren't babies supposed to cry when they were born?
"He's a little small for a full term birth, but yes, he's going to be just fine." She indicated the open door as she said, "Come see for yourself."
The nurse had barely finished talking when Jack brushed past her and rushed into the room. Just to assure himself that Sara was still okay, he rushed to her side first. "Hey, Baby," he whispered as he leaned close to her and kissed her forehead, careful not to look past the sheet -he really didn't want to see his wife's belly being stitched up. "How ya doing?"
Giving him a weak smile, she answered, "I'm tired and sore, but I'm fine, Honey. Go check on our baby. They haven't let me see him yet."
With trepidation, Jack approached the small table that held his newborn son. Two nurses were standing beside it and slid over to make room for him. One nurse finished bundling the baby in a blanket. Smiling, she picked the baby up gently.
"Congratulations," she told him as she handed the sleeping child to Jack.
Jack accepted the baby and cuddled him to his chest. As he looked down, the boy's eyes fluttered open. "Hey, little man," he said, "You gave us quite a scare."
The baby yawned, but still didn't cry. He stared intently into Jack's eyes.
Jack knew it was silly, after all babies didn't smile until they were a few months old, but he could have sworn his kid had smiled for him. "Hi, Charlie. I'm your Daddy."
THE END